Ewu had lain in ambush near Golden Sack Island for several years, but his senior brother, Mutuo, still had not emerged from the island.
Both he and Mutuo had originally been monks at Qinling Temple in Youxiang Prefecture. After the Maha's fall, the temple collapsed, and Mutuo and Ewu fled Zhao Prefecture, each going in a different direction.
Qinling Temple's lineage had already been in decline; without even a protector like The Merciful One, and after the fall of the Wrathful One, the lineage had weakened more considerably. Many of their methods for divination and combat were now ineffective, forcing them to hide in various places.
Mutuo, though not skilled in combat, had managed to retain the temple's Dao lineage which allowed him to calculate others' movements, enabling him to live in relative comfort. Ewu himself, however, despite being stronger, lacked comparable divination skills which made his years rather difficult in comparison.
He had fled Zhao Prefecture to the Eastern Sea, passing through the Scarlet Pristine Sea when he sensed that something was wrong. Setting up a high altar for divination, he discovered that his senior brother's physical body had been shattered, and he was so wounded that he did not even dare reincarnate back in Zhao. His heart stirred at this revelation, "In normal times, you can hide your aura, preserve the lineage, and evade my searches... But now that your vial qi is depleted, the opportunity has finally come for this old monk!"
Over the years, Ewu had encountered a few fortuitous events. Combining these new skills with his knowledge of the Dao, he managed to divine Mutuo's location after vomiting three mouthfuls of blood, tending to his wounds before setting up his ambush.
The inheritance of Buddhist cultivators was tied to destiny, and Qinling Temple's Dao lineage was intricately linked to Mutuo's fate. As Mutuo's junior brother, if he could kill Mutuo and absorb his essence, the lineage would naturally fall into his hands.
However, despite lying in wait for several years, Mutuo had yet to appear. Instead, Ewu sensed the presence of a treasured artifact. The Buddhist cultivators of Zhao Prefecture were not known for much, but they were unmatched in survival techniques. Bold as ever, Ewu decided to investigate first, rushing off on the wind.
Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng was standing still, cultivating on the sea, awaiting news from Golden Sack Island to the south when he saw a flash of golden light racing in from the north.
The figure hovered nearby, circling the area.
Using a perception technique, he took a closer look. Sure enough, it was a large monk with a long face and deep-set eyes, holding a pair of short staves. His entire body was flushed red, and his eyes were wide with anger. Clearly, he was a member of the Wrathful Dao lineage.
This monk's aura was intense, with a golden flame blazing all around him. Li Xuanfeng observed him from a distance, quietly reaching for the Golden Age Longbow strapped to his back and watching the newcomer intently.
Is this Mutuo...?
Li Xuanfeng watched coldly, sensing that something was off. According to Ning Family's intelligence, Mutuo should have been severely injured and not yet recovered, and besides, he was not known for wielding dual staves.
Seems this is an ally of Mutuo's... another lackey of the Wrathful Dao...
Although he had not managed to lure Mutuo out, he had instead caught the attention of a Wrathful Dao monk. Li Xuanfeng kept his gaze fixed on him, waiting patiently with his bow.
The monk, wearing half a robe and carrying two long staves on his back, looked like a warrior monk. He patrolled the sea area where the artifact's aura had been sensed, circling around the same spot. Li Xuanfeng kept his distance, relying on his perception technique to watch from afar, undetected.
Li Xuanfeng's Black Gold Spirit Armor, a Foundation Establishment Realm armor known as Black Tiger Eyes , naturally concealed his aura, making it unlikely that the monk would even be able to detect him if he approached. Still, aware of the Buddhist cultivators' strange abilities, he kept his distance, just in case.
Ewu frowned as he scanned the area. Suddenly, he perked up, his keen eyes spotting someone flying in from the south, lurking suspiciously and circling the area. However, this newcomer's cultivation level was merely at the late Qi Cultivation Realm. Seeing an easy target, Ewu sped towards him and shouted, "Who goes there!"
The Golden Sack Island cultivator jumped in fright, sneaking a glance at Ewu and confirming he was indeed a Buddhist monk. He thought to himself, So, this must be the one with the treasured Buddhist artifact that the lord spoke of. I will have a few words with him and let the lord handle it!
He took a step back, intending to deflect Ewu's attention and then return to the island. Confident in his connections, he replied softly, "Greetings, senior. I am from Golden Sack Island..."
However, before he could even finish his sentence, Ewu's face contorted into a cruel smile. Reaching out, he sent a force surging through the cultivator's body, causing his face to flush and his forehead to bead with sweat as he scrambled to reach for the talisman hidden in his sleeve.
Ewu's combat skills were exceptional, even among monks. Master Monks were inherently stronger than Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and even with his Dao lineage weakened, he was far too much for this cultivator. The cultivator felt a rush of blood to his head as the monk moved in closer to him, grabbing him by the collar.
The cultivator opened his mouth to plead, but a mouthful of blood spurted out instead. His protective barrier flashed brightly, but it was merely a Qi Cultivation Realm shield and disintegrated instantly under the Master Monk's strike.
"My lord! My lord..."
Ewu ignored his cries, dislocating the cultivator's limbs and pulling out his white bones almost effortlessly.
Pressing a hand on his skull, Ewu— though unskilled in soul searching techniques— had learned a thing or two. After scanning through the cultivator's recent three-day memories, he laughed loudly and said, "Situ Mo is truly a coward! If not for that, my senior brother would have fallen into my hands long ago."
Not only did he spare the cultivator, but he used his mana to keep him alive. Carrying the limp body, he found a banyan tree on the island and secured the cultivator's head to it, preserving his life force.
Then, taking a handful of blood from the corpse nearby, he smeared it across his face, his features twisting and shifting until they morphed into the appearance of the Golden Sack Island cultivator.
"Hmm...Heh,"
Ewu chuckled sinisterly before rising on the wind, flying south with a carefree air.
After a good ten breaths, Li Xuanfeng finally landed by the edge of the island. He took slow, measured steps forward and raised his gaze to look at the large banyan tree.
The head affixed to the tree bore a strange expression, somewhere between a smirk and a sneer, a mingle between anger and excitement. It seemed that this man was still alive, caught in some delusion of escape or dreams of revenge. Li Xuanfeng studied him intently, his eyes narrowing. The sand and pebbles at his feet clinked and rattled, jumping and scraping against each other which produced a sharp, grating sound.
His gaze grew fierce, as if he could devour a person at any moment.
This man's fate reminded Li Xuanfeng of his younger brother, Li Xuanling, who had been beaten and killed and his body devoured at Zhenhui Temple.
Back then, only Li Tongya had managed to bring back the remains, and even that was just a lone head. Li Xuanfeng had been stationed in the Southern Border and had not witnessed it himself. Now, staring at this head, a boiling rage surged within him, his eyes nearly splitting in fury.
Unlike Li Xuanxuan, who had broken down in sorrow and hatred, allowing inner demons to take root, Li Xuanfeng's expression grew colder the deeper his hatred grew. In his mind, he calmly analyzed the upcoming situation, his bowstring vibrating slightly and producing a series of sharp, eagle-like whistles in the air.
He then turned, striding step by step along the coastline until he reached the shore. He lifted on the wind, headed straight toward Golden Sack Island.