The wound was so deep and large that the blood gushed out in waves, rather than spurt.
The flowing blood, as noted, was being poured into a bone bowl. A faint sheen of blood could be seen on the gold and silver, while gemstones shone even more brilliantly under the slanting sunlight.
Not only the texture is thick, but the salty blood smell also fills the nostrils and permeates the top of the head.
I tremblingly raised my arms and struck my sides fiercely with my hands, emitting a dull thud.
My dad growled like a dying beast and struggled violently.
Yet the old monks effortlessly held him back, preventing him from reaching Xinbo and interfering with everything.
Xinbo muttered lowly, as if singing a tune.
The swaying body of his has found balance. His tired face displays more intensity. The bone bowl is full of blood, with the tension that makes the blood level higher than the bowl. But it doesn't overflow.
Placing the blood bowl on the long table behind him, another old monk approached Xinbo's side, holding a tray. The tray held a golden bowl, a silver plate, and several porcelain bowls.
Luo Benyang did not faint. She was held upright by two old monks, with her eyes still open and her body standing firm even as she passed away.
Wide-open eyes, despairing yet unwilling to give up.
Her last gaze was towards my dad.
When a man is about to die, his heart is clinging to something.
"You're a ghost, not a human! You're a demon, how evil and cruel you are! You... ah..."
My dad spat out a mouthful of blood, which landed right on Xinbo's back.
Xinbo showed no emotion. He slit open Luo Pinpian's chest and began to remove her internal organs.
This scene was exceptionally bloody.
Killing and dismembering a body is a thousand times more terrifying than dismembering a body.
Even the most ruthless individuals would find it difficult to remain as composed and effortless as Xinbo, with a reverent smile on his lips, as if he had slaughtered pigs, dogs, chickens, and ducks.
My heart is as lifeless as ash.
I have not known Luo Pinpian for long, but that does not prevent me from knowing that she is a good elder. She pitied my dad, pitied me, and could accept my plan. She could make sacrifices.
However, everything was completely out of the plan.
Xinbo is a towering mountain, standing on this vast grassland for unknown years. We, are too insignificant.
My ears are buzzing with all sorts of noises. The chaotic thoughts in my mind have become uncontrollable, flashing before me like a carousel.
My dad is crying, shouting. He screams with all his might, expressing his despair and unwillingness, and wishes to devour Xinbo's blood and flesh.
But all this seems so pale and powerless.
The next one is him!
More offerings were placed on the table, including blood, intestines, internal organs, and even a bowl of human brain. Combining these with the previous offerings made it look very "abundant," like a gourmet feast.
Yes, the previous offerings were abundant, but they lacked some flavor, as if a table full of mixed vegetables without the main dishes.
After Luo Pinpian was placed there, it was much better.
However, there are still some empty spots. Those spots are left for my dad.
The statues around us seem to have come to life, their eyes shining more brightly, their expressions more demonic, and their breaths rapidly circulating through the Buddhist hall.
The sense of being watched seemed to come from a greater distance. Has Ding Ruipi left?
In fact, when Ding Ruipu left, I felt a sense of weakness. At this moment, that feeling is only stronger.
The realm and absolute strength gap is not something that can be replaced by ardent passion.
I have always had some luck that allowed me to gain opportunities in life-and-death situations, but after one, two, and then three times, there is no more luck to be exhausted.
Nevertheless, that is not the luck I want to encounter, but rather an unavoidable situation where I happen to get opportunities by chance.
The sky does not favor me more.
Xinbo was covered in blood, and Luo Pinpian was reduced to a pile of flesh and bones, no longer resembling a human form.
He held a string of beads in one hand and made a gesture with the other, the tune in his mouth did not end, and even shook his head and swayed his body.
A few minutes later, Xinbo turned to look at my dad. He suddenly raised his head sharply, as if listening, and the smile on his face became more and more intense.
"They say, the first time they get to eat my bloodline, they are very much looking forward to it, very joyful."
Xinbo lowered his head again and looked deeply at my dad, the expression on his face was one of recognition.
"Dying, I won't let you go either!" My dad's tone completely changed.
"You will also look at me. Slowly, you will understand that everything is right." Xinbo tucked away the beads in his hand and drew out the bloody knife in his other hand again. He didn't stab at my dad immediately but instead held the tip of the knife to my dad's face, drawing some pattern in mid-air.
I tried to stand up abruptly, but I was too weak to do so.
What followed was only dizziness and heavy breathing.
Suddenly, I heard a drawn-out sound in my ears, particularly ethereal and empty, deeply profound, and extremely ancient.
"Dao..."
"What is...Dao..."
At the moment of death, a person's entire life experiences will replay before their eyes.
Particularly regretful things will be particularly persistent in one's mind.
I thought that the things I would think of would be Qu Ying, He YouTian, or everything related to the Si Guo Mountain.
But I didn't expect that what I heard were the mutterings of the ghostly Taoist from Qi Family Mansion at the foot of Ju Qu Mountain.
The ghostly Taoist was a significant figure on Ju Qu Mountain, the shared master of Mao Su, Mao Sui, and Mao Yi.
He killed his son, his daughter-in-law, and then committed suicide in the Qi Family mansion due to the existence of the blood of the lower ghost. After his death, he was haunted by the blood of the lower ghost from the three spirit worms.
Until the last time, when we appeared at the Qi Family Mansion, some of the ghostly Taoist's conscious soul and Mao Yi were fighting, and Mao Yi wanted to destroy his soul. I killed Mao Yi at that opportunity.
This scene left a deep impression on me, buried in the deepest part of my heart...
Why?
Why did I think of him instead of He YouTian?
"Dao..."
"What... is the Dao? ... Dao! What is it!"
That voice suddenly became much louder, like a loud clap of thunder in my mind!
The concealed sensation of piercing once again appeared from my eyes and spread throughout my entire body.
Did I feel this sensation before and suppress it?
Yes... Three Spirit Bugs.
I drank too much Tian Gong Spring, so there shouldn't be any body-poisoning three-spirit worms.
It is, soul poison? Is it a real worm going to appear?
It's because my heart is overly burdened with evil thoughts; my strength has reached a critical point?
Trembling, with excitement.
Although I believe that my strength is not enough, and there is still a long way to go to reach the semi-real human level of the second elder Lüdu, I don't think it's possible for me to break through the realm of true humans now.
But in fact, the three spirit worms are indeed stirring...
I really have a chance, I am really at the door before the last kick?
If I kick down that door, perhaps, everything will turn around!?
"Dao!"
"What... is the Dao!"
The ancient voice turned into a severe tone, almost roaring in my mind!
"The Dao is the unity of one's heart and mind!"
I trembled and suppressed the tremor in my heart, following the voice in my mind, following his question and answering his question!
The sensation of numbness and itching becomes stronger, the sensation of piercing becomes stronger, the sensation of crawling becomes stronger...
The real worm is about to break through the body...
But apart from this feeling, I have no other abnormalities. I don't feel like my strength is improving, nor do I feel like my realm is being elevated. Everything is as usual.
My voice caught Xinbo's attention.
Xinbo stopped his mutterings and the blade of the knife no longer moved.
He looked deeply at me, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
I felt even more trembling, more confused, and even more unease.
Why?
Why did I answer, but there was no further change?
Could it be that I misunderstood?
But clearly, this answer was given to me by the Ghostly Taoist, and as a result, I benefited greatly. I have been fully devoted to Taoist arts, and my progress in Taoist arts has been incredibly rapid.
The only thing holding me back is that I lack enough time and accumulation.
The opportunity is right in front of me; why wouldn't it work?
"Who are you?"
Xinbo suddenly asked a question.
In his eyes, there was a glimmer of another kind of spirit, one of facing a formidable enemy!
"Dao!"
"What is... the Dao!"
This time, the sound did not explode in my mind.
Actually, it exploded in my mouth!
My body suddenly straightened up, completely beyond my control, it was another force overriding the body!
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw another person in front of the Buddhist hall gate, it was Qi Youyou. I didn't know when she had appeared; I once thought that in such a dangerous place, she could never follow in!
However, not only did she stand there, but even... she carried a very skeletal, very old, and very terrifying mummified corpse. The mummy was wearing torn Taoist robes, and blood from the corpse kept dripping out of its eyes, nose, and mouth.
No, it's not a mummified corpse, it's a half-body!
"Dao is about being one-hearted and one-minded!"
My mouth burst out with another voice, louder than a thunderclap, resonating throughout the Buddhist hall!
The old monks were even more shocked and faced the enemy as if it were their destiny!
Xinbo lifted his hand, holding a dark lotus platform, pressing towards my face, while the short dagger in his other hand savagely pierced my dad's throat!
He is trying to suppress me.
No, suppressing the thing on my body.
And also to kill my dad, the offerings are not enough, and those terrifying things in the statues have not been fully awakened yet.
But his actions, and the aura of those things, were enough to repel Ding Ruipu!
"The Dao is a succession, a succession of heart, a succession of law, people have a succession, a succession of blood, and a succession of intention. The more prosperous the descendants are, the more flourishing my Dao will be!"
"The Dao is, a tiger is cruel but does not eat its offspring!"
"Killing my son was a mistake, the bloodline, for me, is severed, my son's soul will live on!"
My hand shot out with a fierce punch!
This was not a force I could control; I could clearly see that down the veins of my palm were draining out streams of blood, completely materializing.
This palm struck against the lotus platform that Xinbo was pressing down.
The lotus platform on my hand had already silently fallen off and disappeared without a sound.
I couldn't feel their forces colliding.
But I could see that as Xinbo pressed down again, the lotus platform shattered.
This palm made Xinbo step back quickly, he moved further away from me and also from my dad. Several old monks knelt down with both hands together, and objects similar to chopped-up corpses appeared in their hands, and they all sat cross-legged, muttering continuously.
The long table was shaking, the offerings were rapidly becoming shriveled, and the blood-red aura surged upwards continuously, being sucked by the statues!
