Chapter 329

During the Fengdu Ghost Realm incident, the Bodhisattva used chains as a medium to provide support to the various Guan Jiang Shou yin gods, allowing them to fully display their power.

However, at that time, the Bodhisattva was pushing through the Ghost Gate and was willing to pay any price. Such circumstances are not present now.

Therefore, even if the Tiger Lord and the other two have received some enhancements compared to before, they are still limited by the conditions of their mediums. Moreover, this traditional method of invoking spirits through mediums is inherently inefficient and wasteful.

Lin Shuyou, whose body was transformed by the Boy and who has the Boy residing within him, has achieved maximum power conversion efficiency. Not to mention, both he and the Boy have recently gained new advancements, with their "Ghost Commander status" acting as a binding agent.

It's no exaggeration to say that the combination of Lin Shuyou and the Boy has long broken through the ceiling of the Guan Jiang Shou lineage, both in terms of absolute power and efficiency.

It was perfectly normal for them to immediately overwhelm the three minor temple masters with a single move.

At least, the White Crane Boy thought it was perfectly normal.

This time, however, the Boy could distinctly feel an unusual exhilaration emanating from A-You.

For A-You, demonstrating his true strength in front of his grandfather, master, and fellow disciples was akin to a validation of his worth – like parading in fine clothes in the dark, where wealth goes unnoticed in one's hometown.

At this moment, the youth's spiritedness and the Boy's defiance merged perfectly. The White Crane True Lord's might enveloped them, and his chin slightly lifted.

In Little Yuan's team, he was often the younger brother teased and patted on the head by the older ones, but outside...

Under the gaze of his vertical pupils, who dared to show disrespect?

Ma Kuosheng immediately got up after being slammed to the ground, his chest to his face a bloody mess, but the fury in his eyes still raged.

"Traitor, how dare you be so arrogant!"

Gao Yuanyi and Ding Jucheng also staggered to their feet. Both had taken a solid hit from a golden mace to the chest, which was now noticeably caved in, yet their expressions and attitudes showed complete disdain.

"Boy, how long do you think you can be free?"

"Once the Guan Jiang Shou are reorganized, the first to be dealt with will be rebels like you!"

At this moment, the White Crane True Lord experienced the same feeling as Lin Fu'an had earlier.

While the other yin gods were barely clinging to life, these three were vibrant and even more lively than before, clearly indicating they had defected early to that group and received support and benefits.

Yet now, these three had the audacity to call him a rebel.

The White Crane Boy didn't consider himself a rebel; in modern terms, he had merely switched jobs, and the Bodhisattva was still present when he did so.

Furthermore, if one were to be precise, his transformation from a Guan Jiang Shou to a True Lord was guided and approved by Sun Baishen.

And back then, between True Lord Pudu and Sun Baishen, the Bodhisattva personally chose Sun Baishen, certifying him as her emissary in the human realm.

Although everyone knew what was going on in their hearts, legally, the White Crane True Lord was the legitimate one. Moreover, when he was one of them, the White Crane felt nothing amiss, but now, separated and standing against them, why did he increasingly feel like he was looking at idiots?

Could it be that the young man had felt the same way when he first saw him?

Just as people awkwardly curl their toes when suddenly recalling embarrassing past events, so too do gods.

This caused a significant surge of unbidden anger in the White Crane's heart.

The three temple masters stood in a triangular formation, each holding their weapon, ready for battle.

This was common during past Guan Jiang Shou expeditions and also a formation displayed during temple parades.

The White Crane True Lord slowly rotated his neck and wrists, his pair of golden maces reflecting a dazzling light under the candlelight.

Behind him, Lin Fu'an watched his grandson and quietly let out a breath.

Chen Shoumen, who was being carried, gradually relaxed his clenched fists.

They had long known that A-You was a genius of the Guan Jiang Shou lineage, but they truly hadn't expected the day he would stand on his own to come so soon.

In their hearts, there was both the pride of a child growing up and the disappointment of becoming useless themselves.

They knew clearly that even if they weren't injured, and even if all the yin gods were intact, A-You wouldn't need their help in the current situation.

The surrounding disciples of the Lin Family Temple looked at Lin Shuyou with adoration and longing. Given the Guan Jiang Shou's style combined with the nature of youth, it could be said that most young Guan Jiang Shou were hot-blooded and impetuous.

Indeed, Lin Shuyou himself used to fantasize about such scenarios. Now, he was living out a scene that most young people around him wouldn't even dare to dream of in such an exaggerated way.

"Buzz!" "Buzz!" "Buzz!"

Three incense sticks lit up above the heads of Ma Kuosheng and the other two. They then collectively performed the "Three-Step Praise," their figures flickering alternately across the courtyard.

The White Crane True Lord let out a cry and leaped down proactively.

"You want to surround and attack me? Then I'll come to you!"

The four figures engaged in a rapid struggle in the vast courtyard.

However, facts once again proved that in the face of absolute power, everything else pales in comparison.

Although he was the one being surrounded, the White Crane True Lord fought as if he alone were besieging the three.

Ma Kuosheng: "Don't hold back, or we won't be able to suppress him! His medium is different from ours!"

Gao Yuanyi and Ding Jucheng looked grave; they... truly hadn't held back.

But such a response couldn't be directly voiced; it would only boost the opponent's morale too much.

A gap appeared, and the three's weapons simultaneously struck the White Crane True Lord. The True Lord blocked them with a single mace in one hand, evenly matched!

Immediately after, the True Lord's smile became more unrestrained, and as his aura further erupted, he swept horizontally with the mace in his other hand!

Ma Kuosheng and the other two were all sent flying, crashing into pillars or tumbling down steps.

But even though their bodies were clearly distorted and deformed, they quickly stood up again.

"Tomorrow, you'll regret this!"

"Just wait until we, the Guan Jiang Shou, are reorganized!"

"We'll let you be arrogant for a little while longer!"

Despite being defeated, they ignored the severe injuries to their mediums' bodies, willing to worsen their wounds just to stand up and utter a defiant remark.

This perfectly matched the typical style of the yin gods in the past.

Ma Kuosheng and the other two sought the interests of their temples, yet they still couldn't change their humble status in the eyes of the yin gods.

The White Crane True Lord gnashed his teeth and coldly retorted, "Did I... agree to let you leave?"

Ma Kuosheng: "Hmph, do we need your permission?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three incense sticks extinguished, and the Tiger Lord departed the medium's body.

The totem on the White Crane True Lord's forehead spun and transformed into the Ghost Commander's mark.

The White Crane Ghost Commander extended his hand upwards, formed a loose fist, then grabbed downwards, saying gravely, "Underworld business, mortals keep out!"

A yellow light was drawn down from the sky.

The White Crane Ghost Commander looked up and opened his mouth.

The yellow light, like a poured glass of fine wine, fell into his mouth.

No chewing needed, it automatically went down his throat. The original yin god essence was quickly converted into ghost qi and digested.

"Hah..." The White Crane Ghost Commander let out a comfortable groan, then pointed a golden mace at the remaining two, beckoning them, indicating it was their turn.

The Fengdu system specializes in subduing all spiritual entities in the world.

The Ghost Commander status grants authority from the Underworld, essentially representing the Underworld in apprehending ghosts and monsters in the human realm.

No one understood better than the White Crane himself what he used to be.

Without the Bodhisattva elevating their status, weren't the so-called "yin gods" just a group of powerful ghost kings?

"This commander is perfectly suited for this!"

Gao Yuanyi said in disbelief, "You swallowed the Tiger Lord's essence?"

Ding Jucheng: "How could you do such a thing?"

Of course, they couldn't fully manifest; even if they wanted to, the medium's body couldn't sustain it.

But even this partial essence, once swallowed, would cause irreversible damage. How much merit would it take to repair it!

The White Crane Ghost Commander gave a sinister laugh: "A bunch of fools! I personally thrashed you back in Ghost Street, and now you're still talking about this with me! What is this little bit of essence? If I catch your main bodies, I'll devour all of them! Hurry up, your time is running out."

Gao Yuanyi and Ding Jucheng exchanged glances. Their time was almost up. The Tiger Lord had just demonstrated what would happen if they left their bodies, so even knowing they couldn't win, they had to keep fighting.

The two shouted and charged at the White Crane Ghost Commander again.

In the new round of combat, the two suddenly felt that the White Crane opposite them had weakened. Instantly, their confidence surged, thinking that the opponent also had some sort of restriction.

The White Crane also noticed this; the Ghost Commander status was suitable for using spells but not for close-quarters combat.

Fortunately, the White Crane and A-You had specifically practiced this identity switching before, and now they could do it very smoothly.

The totem mark on the forehead rotated again, the Ghost Commander receded, and the True Lord reappeared.

"Bang!" "Bang!"

Gao Yuanyi and Ding Jucheng were quickly sent flying.

The White Crane True Lord no longer held back, pressing forward. He first slammed Gao Yuanyi away with one mace, then swept him down with another. On the other side, Ding Jucheng got up and tried to run towards the main gate to escape. The White Crane True Lord threw a golden mace, knocking him heavily to the ground.

The mediums' bodies were no longer usable, and two streaks of yin god light flew out.

Ghost qi rose from the White Crane True Lord again, and he switched back to his Ghost Commander identity: "What do you think this place is, where you can come and go as you please?"

The two streaks of light were restrained in mid-air, struggling vigorously but to no avail.

"Since you've come, stay... for a drink!"

He pulled his arms down, opened his mouth, and the two streaks of light fell into the White Crane Ghost Commander's throat in batches.

He extended his tongue and licked around his lips, looking unsatisfied.

This deep-seated feeling of comfort and satisfaction from the soul was intoxicating not only for the Boy but also for A-You, more potent than the wine they drank by the river that time.

"Burp..." He let out a burp, his eyes glazed over, as he looked around, as if finally remembering where he was. The Ghost Commander mark receded, and he reverted to his True Lord form, not forgetting to chant one last line: "Evil spirits are only to be slain, not redeemed!"

"Thud!" The golden mace struck the ground, the vertical pupils vanished, and he stood motionless.

Lin Fu'an: "Go check on him quickly."

Immediately, temple disciples stepped forward. As soon as they approached, Lin Shuyou raised his head, scaring everyone into a hasty retreat.

Lin Shuyou shook his head, forcing himself to become a bit more sober.

Then, he put away his maces and staggered towards Lin Fu'an.

"A-You?" Lin Fu'an asked with concern.

Lin Shuyou nodded, one hand pressing his aching, hangover-ridden forehead, the other pointing at Lin Fu'an: "Grandpa, kneel down and kowtow to me, wishing me a long life."

Lin Fu'an: "..."

"No, no..." Lin Shuyou slapped his forehead hard and then knelt down before Lin Fu'an.

Lin Fu'an dropped his cane and reached out to grasp his grandson's arm.

"Good grandson, good grandson, my good grandson."

"Grandpa, your grandson kowtows to you and wishes you a happy new marriage!"

Lin Fu'an's mouth twitched.

Fortunately, due to Lin Shuyou's earlier powerful display, although people heard it, no one dared to laugh. They all attributed it to a side effect of such immense power.

"Grandpa, my eldest brother has something he wants me to tell you. My eldest brother said... burp!"

Lin Fu'an: "Someone, help A-You to the inner room to rest, quickly!"

Inner room. Lin Shuyou was semi-reclined in the grand armchair in the center.

In two rows below him sat all the temple elders.

A-You's mother brought a hangover cure and spoon-fed it to her son, mouthful by mouthful.

Lin Shuyou woke up and smiled at his mother.

The hangover cure had little to no effect; his intoxication could only be overcome by himself. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he looked down.

Grandfather, master, senior uncles, junior uncles, father... all sat properly below, in the same posture, half-bowed and sideways, looking at him.

This was truly a novel perspective.

For a moment, Lin Shuyou felt a bit lightheaded again. "Hmm, definitely still drunk."

After blinking hard several times, he wondered why everyone was in that posture.

Boy: "Burp... because they want to meet your gaze."

Lin Shuyou: "Burp... Am I that short?"

Boy: "Burp... Look at how you're sitting right now."

Only then did Lin Shuyou realize. He propped himself up with his hands on the armrests and sat upright. The elders below also straightened their backs.

"My backpack..." His mother brought over the backpack. It was very heavy; fortunately, Lin Shuyou's mother was also skilled, as a normal person couldn't even lift it.

Lin Shuyou took out a bottle from his backpack, poured out a few pills and swallowed them, then pulled out a Mind-Cleansing Talisman and stuck it on his forehead.

Boy: "Whew..." A-You: "Whew..." The intoxication was finally suppressed.

Seeing his grandson finally fully awake, Lin Fu'an turned and asked, "A-You, do you want to talk privately first?"

Lin Shuyou: "No need, Grandpa. What's happening outside?"

Lin Fu'an: "Those three aren't dead, but they're crippled. What I'm worried about now are the temples behind them. Although those temples weren't large and didn't have many personnel or divine registries in the past, now... it's possible their three temples are actually the strongest."

Lin Shuyou: "They came to provoke us first, so don't blame us for merging those three temples. Grandpa, arrange for people to do it later."

Lin Fu'an: "Uh..."

If A-You said he'd go himself, Lin Fu'an would have no problem. But to send temple members...

Chen Shoumen: "A-You, you might not be aware of the temple's current situation. We have enough human hands, but not enough divine hands..."

A-You's father: "That's right. Otherwise, those three wouldn't have dared to bully us like this."

Lin Shuyou: "It's fine. Our temple will soon have enough divine hands."

Lin Fu'an: "A-You, the... You have a way?"

"Yes." Lin Shuyou extended a finger, pointing in front of him, "Grandpa, first set up a spirit invocation altar here."

"Alright, then what?"

"Then..." Lin Shuyou hesitated, but this was Little Yuan's instruction, so he could only comply: "Then, all Lin family members in the temple should come and kowtow to me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.

Lin Shuyou scratched his head, rather awkwardly: "I can't help it, this is the process; it must be done."

Chen Shoumen: "A-You, this temple was originally designated for you to take over. Now, you are fully capable of the temple master's position, so I think..."

Lin Shuyou: "Master, you don't have the Lin surname; you don't qualify to kowtow."

Chen Shoumen: "..."

"Tap! Tap! Tap!" Lin Fu'an knocked his cane on the ground. "Didn't you hear A-You? All those with the Lin surname here, come forward and prepare to kowtow. Those not of the Lin surname, go outside and arrange for the younger generation with the Lin surname to line up outside! Hurry up!"

Soon, two-thirds of those present left their seats. Including Chen Shoumen, who was also carried out.

Although this temple was known to outsiders as the Lin Family Temple, Lin Fu'an did not restrict it to a single family name. Lin Shuyou's father, due to his talent being inferior to Chen Shoumen's, meant that Chen Shoumen was the temple master for this generation.

Soon, only the Lin family elders, those related by blood to Lin Shuyou, remained in the room.

The True Lord system requires bloodline as its foundation.

While Lin Shuyou hadn't married or had children, to expand... they could only look to their ancestors.

Lin Fu'an: "A-You, Grandpa, do I, your grandpa, also need to kowtow?"

Lin Shuyou: "Grandpa doesn't need to kowtow."

Lin Fu'an didn't relax upon hearing this. Instead, he asked, "Not kowtowing, does that mean there will be nothing?"

Although he didn't know what they would specifically gain, Lin Fu'an knew that his grandson, and the one behind his grandson, wouldn't act without reason.

Lin Shuyou: "Yes, then there won't be anything."

Lin Fu'an: "Then, I'll kowtow. I'll go first!"

Saying this, Lin Fu'an, leaning on his cane, walked to Lin Shuyou.

Lin Shuyou unconsciously lifted his feet and turned his body sideways. He was still uncomfortable with this scene.

Boy: "I'll do it. It'll be easier for you, and for them too."

Lin Shuyou immediately agreed.

The next moment, the vertical pupils opened, and the True Lord's might descended.

The White Crane True Lord sat regally behind the altar, his divine aura enhanced by the incense smoke.

"Those wishing to enter my True Lord's lineage, step forward and bow in order!"

At this, the Lin family members below all felt relieved.

Lin Shuyou's father vigorously wiped his face with his sleeve.

Lin Fu'an, refusing assistance, spread his robe and knelt before the White Crane True Lord: "Greetings, True Lord, please bestow your blessing!"

White Crane True Lord: "Having entered my service, if you encounter evil spirits harming the human realm in the future, you may call upon my name!"

Lin Fu'an felt a warm current flow through his blood, and even his originally severe injuries seemed to lighten a bit.

After Lin Fu'an rose, everyone else followed suit.

Finally, it was Lin Shuyou's father.

With the elder leading the way, he had nothing to worry about. After kowtowing, his forehead began to sweat profusely.

Next, the inner door opened, and Lin family descendants from outside came in one by one to kowtow.

It was clear that the closer the blood relationship to Lin Shuyou, the more immediate and pronounced the feedback after kowtowing.

This meant that those with more distant blood relations would need to exert more effort when inviting the Boy to possess them.

While the True Lord system strengthened the individual True Lord's power, it also brought developmental drawbacks.

Li Zhuiyuan also didn't intend to transform all Guan Jiang Shou into True Lords, as that would undoubtedly cap the future development of the Guan Jiang Shou.

However, due to their relationship with Lin Shuyou, the Lin family members were already considered part of their own faction.

To maintain influence within the reorganized Guan Jiang Shou, it was necessary to have a direct force belonging to them.

And with Chen Shoumen, an outsider, serving as a representative of the traditional Guan Jiang Shou, both existing together in the Lin Family Temple, this temple became Li Zhuiyuan's stabilizing force within the new Guan Jiang Shou system.

In earlier times, Lin Fu'an possessed great breadth of mind and spirit. Later, he and Chen Shoumen discreetly kept the secret. Now, they had finally received what they had long hoped for.

Opportunity, after all, depends on whether one has the qualifications to seize it.

Clearly, Lin Shuyou's grandfather and master had left the young man's side very satisfied.

If Li Zhuiyuan decided to make it public, the Lin Family Temple would be a genuine power under the Dragon King.

White Crane True Lord: "What are you still doing standing there? Merge those three small temples for me!"

Soon, a group of Lin family members rushed out of the temple gate, then split into three routes, heading straight for the three small temples.

The Lin Family Temple's foundation was already much deeper than theirs. Its disciples, both in quality and quantity, far surpassed them. Their previous decline was merely due to the difficulty in invoking spirits now.

Now, the tide had turned.

Each group of disciples stopped in front of their respective temple gates, then collectively began the invocation.

"Invite White Crane True Lord!""Invite White Crane True Lord!"

Lin Shuyou, sitting in the inner room of the Lin Family Temple, felt his strength being continuously drained away.

White Crane Boy: "It's been a long time since I was invoked by a medium. I truly miss this feeling."

When Lin Shuyou needed him, the White Crane Boy could focus all his power to respond, but during normal times, he could project his power to do odd jobs.

Lin Shuyou took out a painting from his backpack.

Lin Fu'an took it and opened it. It was a painting of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

However, the Bodhisattva's appearance had been deliberately altered by Li Zhuiyuan to resemble Sun Baishen.

Lin Shuyou: "Grandpa, Master, immediately make copies of this painting and replace the Bodhisattva portraits in our temple. The statues also need to be reshaped."

Lin Fu'an: "I'm in contact with other temples, and they trust me. Do they also need to make this change?"

Lin Shuyou: "Yes."

Chen Shoumen: "The White Crane True Lord statue needs to be reshaped too, right?"

Lin Shuyou: "Reshape it. Place it beneath the Bodhisattva statue, but leave one position empty on the Bodhisattva's lotus pedestal."

Lin Fu'an and Chen Shoumen exchanged glances, both understanding who that empty position was meant for.

If that person successfully "walks the river" and becomes the Dragon King in the future, then their temple might very well need to enshrine a Dragon King statue as well.

Ethereal deities may be lofty, but in this world, the principle that "a local official is better than a distant minister" still holds true.

Lin Shuyou stood up, recalling the movements Brother Bin had taught him before they parted: left hand behind his back, right hand raised forward, chest out, head high, eyes resolute, he declared gravely:

"Petty scoundrels daring to deceive their superiors and attempt to overthrow and enslave our Guan Jiang Shou are truly turning the heavenly principles upside down!From today forward, our Lin Family Temple will be the first to raise the banner:'Honor the Bodhisattva as the orthodox, and reorganize the Guan Jiang Shou!'"

"That Li fellow is still something else, isn't he, Assistant Tan? You surely didn't expect this turn of events at first?"

Zhao Yi sat on the floor, a bleeding hole self-inflicted in his glabella, where he placed a cotton wick and lit it.

The light was peculiar; though burning, it gave off only flame, with little illumination.

Meanwhile, Liang Yan and Liang Li, lying on either side of Zhao Yi, glowed with a faint luminescence.

In terms of talent, Zhao Yi only respected that Li fellow.

Li Zhuiyuan would even specifically pause to deduce Zhao Yi's latest progress through memory recall, which was also a form of recognition for Zhao Yi.

Taking a feather from every goose that flies by was the nature of people like them.

The most superficial and direct manifestation was that they learned anything very quickly.

This "Sky Lantern Lighting" was a secret art invented by his ancestor Zhao Luhai. Zhao Yi had witnessed it and figured out how to learn it.

He was currently using this method to heal the Liang sisters.

In the last wave, he had "extinguished his entire clan," gaining much. What he was doing now was essentially a redistribution of merit.

Of course, being able to do this indicated that the Liang sisters held a very important place in Zhao Yi's heart.

They were still the naive women he had tricked into joining the team, but he was now unwilling to abandon them.

The old-fashioned cellphone sat in front of him, maintaining the call.

At this moment, Tan Wenbin's voice came through the phone: "Hmm, I thought we were just intervening forcefully as a righteous force, to snatch the spoils. But until Little Yuan told us the plan himself, I truly hadn't expected him to make such arrangements."

"It's normal you didn't expect it. In the jianghu, strength is the ultimate truth. But when your fist is strong enough and you can also raise a righteous banner, you'll be unstoppable!"

"Alright, this is a long-distance call, and it's expensive. I've already picked up the people, so let's not chat any more, okay?"

"Heh, you've borrowed all my people, and I'm not allowed to ask more questions? Look at all the river-walkers' teams on the river, who else can lend out their subordinates as easily as I can?"

"You're an external team. This is called 'secondment'."

"Put Xu Ming on the phone."

"Alright."

"Boss, it's me."

"That Li fellow only wanted A-Jing; I insisted on sending you along too. Do you know what your mission is?"

"I know, protect A-Jing."

"Pah!"

Xu Ming: "..."

"It's to protect that Li fellow. He doesn't have many people under him right now, so make a good impression."

"Got it, boss."

"Be more observant. That Li fellow is generous; as long as you genuinely do things, you won't miss out on benefits."

"I understand, boss."

"Put A-Jing on the phone."

"Brother Yi, it's me."

"A-Jing, listen to your Brother Yuan, understand?"

"Yes, I will."

On the other end of the phone, Chen Jing nodded vigorously.

Actually, he initially wanted to follow Brother Yuan, but Brother Yuan clearly didn't want him, so he could only follow Brother Yi.

But he couldn't say such a thing aloud, because Brother Yi was genuinely very good to him.

A smile appeared on Zhao Yi's face.

When that Li fellow suddenly asked to borrow his people, he agreed without hesitation and immediately arranged for them to board a plane to Lin Shuyou's hometown.

This feeling of using others' resources to feed his own soldiers was incredibly comfortable.

It was a pity that he couldn't leave right now because he was healing A-Yan and A-Li. Even if he stopped immediately, the depletion caused by the healing couldn't be quickly recovered, so if he went, he would only be a cheerleader.

Otherwise, he would definitely have been there immediately. Even if not for that Li fellow's sake, he would go to support his A-You.

Tan Wenbin: "Alright, external team, I'm hanging up now. We need to hurry and rendezvous with Little Yuan."

Zhao Yi: "Rendezvous? Do you think your Little Yuan will wait there for you? Hasn't he already taken Run Sheng to the old Guan Jiang Shou temple in the mountains?"

Tan Wenbin: "Heh, indeed, nothing can be hidden from you, external team."

Zhao Yi: "Isn't it obvious? The big meeting is in a few days. Why wait until it starts to make an entrance? It's not a TV drama."

Tan Wenbin: "Little Yuan only has Run Sheng with him. I need to go help."

Zhao Yi: "If he dares to go with just Run Sheng, it means he's confident. In Guan Jiang Shou, aren't the yin gods the most important?

So here, the importance of 'legitimacy' is demonstrated. Orthodoxy is something one must fight for.

Guess what: will the remaining yin gods be willing to follow that group of so-called mysterious people, or will they follow the 'Bodhisattva whose appearance has changed a bit'?

If they have no choice, they'll just have to bow their heads.

But if there's a choice, most of those yin gods, except for a few who changed allegiances early, will become that Li fellow's helpers."

"Hmm, the external team is right."

"Do you want me to tell you the mysterious identity of that group? I don't think you know it yet."

"You know?"

"I didn't know originally, but after your initial investigation, when that Li fellow asked for A-Jing from me, I knew. Don't forget, I was also in Fengdu Ghost Street that night."

"It's them..."

"I've been preparing for that grand show for a long time. Its curtain, it could be said, is about to rise from here."

"Boom!"

Run Sheng, with a single shovel strike, slammed the person blocking his way into a nearby rock, then continued forward, raising his shovel.

The group of people above, intimidated by Run Sheng's aura, no longer dared to advance and instead kept retreating.

Li Zhuiyuan followed behind Run Sheng, ascending the mountain step by step.

An old man in white stood above, his face grim, watching the large and small figures ascend the mountain.

Not long ago, a group of people had come up the mountain. The temple desperately tried to block them but failed.

The old man himself eventually had no choice but to surrender to them due to the circumstances.

But who knew that a similar scene would unfold again so quickly?

What astonished him even more was that all the formations and restrictions on the mountain, when facing these two climbers, one large and one small, somehow had no effect at all.

At least during the last resistance, that group had many people, and their side also put up a spirited defense. Although they were ultimately defeated, they at least tried their best.

But these two were simply walking too casually, as if unburdened.

The old man couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He now had a premonition that he might have surrendered too early.

If he had known, he should have gone to be locked up with those who refused to surrender. Then, when the prison gates were smashed open, he could regain his identity. Unlike now... with no way out.

"Go, block them! Those who dare to retreat again, die!"

However, none of the people in front of him listened. They continued to retreat.

The hardliners in the old temple from that day either died in battle or were imprisoned. The remaining group who surrendered lacked backbone; if they could truly disregard life and death, they wouldn't be standing here now.

The old man was helpless. He desperately wanted to scold them into sense. If the banner on the city wall changed allegiance again, the first thing those in the dungeon would do upon release would be to settle accounts with them.

"Go! Attack them!"

Li Zhuiyuan frowned slightly, raised his hand, and blood mist permeated his palm. He pressed down, and the蛟 dragon spirit stirred.

Instantly, the formations and restrictions that had previously lost their effect reactivated, but this time, they targeted the obstructors ahead.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

People were thrown and horses toppled, resulting in heavy casualties.

Now, even the old man himself didn't dare to stand his ground. He turned and ran faster than anyone.

This group of theirs was helpless; they could only rely on *that* group to deal with them.

They walked along the mountain path and arrived at a platform.

From here to the old temple complex, there were two more such platforms.

Judging by its layout, it seemed to be the training ground for the old Guan Jiang Shou temple. Secular temples wishing to send their young disciples up would have to pass through these layers of trials.

Li Zhuiyuan could see the stone statues and beast figures used for the trials.

Lin Shuyou must have also passed through these trials back then.

In front, a black-clad figure appeared.

The old man, as if seeing a savior, hurriedly went up to report: "Sir, these two are simply too bizarre, we truly couldn't stop them..."

"Pfft!"

A red tongue emerged from the black-clad figure's face covering, pierced through the old man's neck, and then lifted him entirely into the air.

The old man's blood rapidly drained, and he gradually turned into a withered corpse.

Immediately after, the red tongue lashed out again, impaling the fleeing people around one by one.

The belly of the black-clad figure grew larger and larger, gradually resembling an inflated balloon.

After he killed everyone, he let out a hoarse voice: "A bunch of trash!"

"Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum!"

Four figures landed behind him. Four black-clad individuals emerged, dressed identically to him.

In addition, five more black-clad figures were approaching from the platform behind.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the one with the bulging belly.

This group was quite sensible; they had called in everyone they could at once, instead of trying to make him go through trial after trial.

But they were still not smart enough. Their protection of the buildings here was too good, suggesting they genuinely wanted to integrate the Guan Jiang Shou forces and use them for themselves.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell upon the stone human figures and stone lions on the platform. The bases of these statues collectively trembled slightly.

"Kid, I advise you to open your eyes. This jianghu is vast, yet it's also very small. Don't accidentally provoke someone you can't afford to mess with."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You're completely wrapped up, and then you tell me to open my eyes?"

"Kid, I'm giving you a kind warning, because you don't know what kind of entity you're provoking."

"What if I said... I know?"

Below the main hall of the old Guan Jiang Shou temple. The original mountain spring cave had been converted into a water dungeon, where a group of injured people were imprisoned, many still unconscious.

A long-haired youth walked among them, followed by a robust middle-aged man with a yellow beard.

"Why not just kill them all? What's the point of keeping them?"

The long-haired youth shook his head: "They are the truly useful ones. Who would want their subordinates to be spineless cowards who surrender at the first sign of trouble?"

"But they're stubborn."

"They'll understand sooner or later."

The long-haired youth walked up the steps and entered the main hall above.

Inside the hall, oil lamps burned, and above each lamp hung a divine statue.

All the Guan Jiang Shou yin gods were enshrined in the old Guan Jiang Shou temple.

At this moment, half of the lamps had extinguished, and the statues above them had cracked.

This meant that the yin gods they represented had fallen.

The remaining half, however, were dim, proving the current weakness of these yin gods.

The two statues at the very front were the Generals of Increase and Decrease. They were very dim, with only a symbolic flicker of light appearing after a long time.

As for the very back, there was only one lamp with no statue above it—that was supposed to be the White Crane Boy's position.

In its heyday, the old temple was brightly lit, all statues bathed in a radiant glow, exuding an indescribable aura.

The current predicament here accurately reflected the decline of the Guan Jiang Shou lineage.

When the long-haired youth walked up, three statues, along with the lamps beneath them, moved towards him. As they reached the long-haired youth, these three statues glowed brilliantly.

The long-haired youth pointed upwards and said: "See? Those three are your role models. I truly can't understand what you're still holding on to. Only by surrendering to me can you have a new future."

Some statues began to tremble slightly, indicating wavering, but most remained silent.

The long-haired youth looked at the Generals of Increase and Decrease, who were at the forefront, and said:

"You two should be sensible and set a good example. You shouldn't have forgotten me by now. The Bodhisattva is gone, so you should rightfully pledge allegiance to me!"

A breeze stirred, creating a rustling sound.

The lamps beneath the Generals of Increase and Decrease flickered.

General Zeng: "We only revere the Bodhisattva."

General Sun: "How dare a beast presume to lord over us!"

Hearing this, the long-haired youth didn't get angry. Instead, he laughed loudly: "Alright, alright, even if you're unwilling to submit to me, I've found a new path for you to rise. Is a Dragon King's lineage not worth your current kneeling and bowing?!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Cracking sounds came from inside the three statues that had pledged allegiance above the long-haired youth's head. Their formerly brilliant glow suddenly dimmed significantly.

The yellow-bearded man spoke: "Someone has swallowed part of their essence."

At this moment, there was a commotion outside.

The yellow-bearded man walked to the temple entrance, took a look, and said: "Someone is trespassing on the mountain. You were right, those worthless defectors are indeed useless."

The man waved his hand, and all the black-clad figures who had been standing outside the hall rushed towards the mountain gate.

The long-haired youth: "Anyone who knows the Bodhisattva is gone and dares to trespass on this old temple at this time is no ordinary force in the jianghu. Don't create complications. Subduing these yin gods is the most important thing right now. State your name and scare them away."

The yellow-bearded man nodded, took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice resembled a lion's roar: "The Dragon King Yu has set his banner here! Unwanted individuals, retreat at once!"

This voice reached Li Zhuiyuan's side.

All the black-clad figures blocking Li Zhuiyuan stood at attention. Clearly, they were very proud of this identity.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and tugged Run Sheng's arm.

Run Sheng bent down, turning sideways.

Li Zhuiyuan whispered to him.

Run Sheng nodded and stood up.

The next moment, Run Sheng's body surged with energy, his qi channels opened, and he let out an even louder roar in return: "How dare a beast claim to be the Dragon King's lineage when beasts are running rampant!"