Chapter 611: Chapter 283: Same Kind, Strange Dream_2

The Coffin Sister said, “When he enters Yellow Origin Mansion later, the boatman disciples from our Tangkou will accompany him the entire way. Water bandits, river ghosts—no one will dare to trouble them… not a single hair missing from your Third Senior Brother.”

In Yellow Origin Mansion, Bitter Ghost was the top Tangkou. With the arrangements by the Coffin Sister, Li Shuangyi and Liu Jiaotian were insured and could roam freely within the Prefecture City.

“Then I must thank the Coffin Sister in advance,”

Zhou Xuan said.

“It’s nothing, truly,”

Lady Hong Guan waved it off as a trivial matter. Her journey to Mingjiang Prefecture had been immensely fruitful. First, she comprehended the Kongming Mirror, ascending to the level of eight incense fires. Then, in the following days, she could still absorb the Buddha energy from the Stone Buddha’s Dharma Body.

Regardless of which achievement it was, assigning a few competent disciples to guard Li Shuangyi was but a minor task, hardly worth mentioning.

After Zhou Xuan finished discussing grand matters like “Divine Enthronement,” “Li Shuangyi’s trip to Yellow Origin Mansion,” and “handling the two Stone Buddha Dharma Bodies,”

he turned to Peng Sheng and said, “Brother Peng, your corpse is in Peng Town. Tomorrow, bring it to my shop, and I’ll have Miss Qiang assist in reconstructing your physical body…”

“Understood, understood.” Peng Sheng handed a bowl of strong liquor to Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan waved his hand, pointing to his stomach, signaling that he had no room for more. Then, he continued, “In the Tattoo Forbidden Land, with someone like you at the level of eight incense fires, coupled with the support of the Tree Clan and the Ancestor Tree, the four shattered bodies from the Zhou Family’s Great Nuo Ritual will temporarily reside in the forbidden land. You must guard them for us.”

“Naturally,”

Peng Sheng nodded in agreement.

Zhou Xuan then carried the scroll in which Yun Ziliang was hidden, clasped his hands in farewell to the group, and strode out of Peng Town’s largest Wooden Village,

heading out of the town. When passing the Peach Blossom Ancestor Tree, he noticed a human head hanging upside down from the tree.

The head was old in appearance, with a face adorned with copper coin tattoos. It was none other than the Copper Coin Priest.

Under the tree, the White Deer Priest, draped in deer skin, sat beside an iron barrel, burning tattoos.

The tattoos were in a pile, made from the hides of unknown animals. Each time the White Deer Priest burned one, he tossed it into the iron barrel, seemingly performing a ceremony in memory of the Copper Coin Priest.

The firelight cast a vivid red glow on the Peach Blossom Ancestor Tree.

“How did Copper Coin die?”

Zhou Xuan walked up to the White Deer Priest and asked.

The White Deer Priest looked up. Upon recognizing Zhou Xuan, he immediately dropped to his knees and respectfully addressed him, “Xuan Ancestor.”

Zhou Xuan’s Mountain and River Map was considered the strongest tattoo in the history of the Tattoo Clan.

This tattoo had subdued the Tattoo Tree Clan, leading them to recognize Zhou Xuan as the “Xuan Ancestor.”

“Calling me that makes me feel old,” Zhou Xuan chuckled, then asked again, “How did Copper Coin die?”

“Over the past century, the Copper Coin Priest has tirelessly labored for the Three-headed Stone Buddha’s deceit.”

The Three-headed Stone Buddha used the lie of “Jade Gate Ascension” to deceive the Ancient Clan, claiming that as long as five Great Nuo rituals were completed, the entire Tattoo Clan could merge their consciousness and ascend to the Heavenly Dome, establishing an Eternal Divine Kingdom for the Tattoo Ancient Clan.

The Ancient Clan fell for it, becoming utterly devoted. Among them, the staunchest believer in the Three-headed Stone Buddha’s teachings was the Copper Coin Priest.

“For the sake of ‘Jade Gate Ascension,’ the Copper Coin Priest even killed two children in the clan. These children were born with tattoos, destined to be the future prodigies of the clan.”

“So, the Copper Coin Priest sought redemption for himself?”

“Indeed. Besides those two prodigies, many clan members that the Stone Buddha used as sustenance in the Old Ancestor Cave were persuaded there by none other than the Copper Coin Priest himself.

Now, having seen the error of his ways, he found himself at a loss on how to face the clan. So, he performed a blood sacrifice ritual, scattering his body and cultivation entirely across Peng Town, using his final ounce of strength to nourish Peng Town.”

“The Copper Coin Priest is both pitiable and despicable. Such a mingling of traits evokes a strange sense of lamentation.”

After understanding the truth of the matter, Zhou Xuan bid farewell to the White Deer Priest and departed from Peng Town…

…

Within the Tattoo Forbidden Land, an air of celebration soared.

The clanspeople had broken free from their enslavement, welcoming back the Tattoo Great Ancestor, the Ancestor Tree from their dreams, and the “Xuan Ancestor,” who had revealed the divine miracle of the Mountain and River Map.

The bitter memories of the past were unbearable to recall, yet the future was bright, like a sunrise emerging gently from the darkness.

In Peng Town, there was singing and dancing.

In contrast, the Nine-Li Hall was much quieter than Peng Town.

Under the Zoroastrian Fire Order, Shadow Star perceived many visions sent through the teachings of the Fire Sect,

including scenes of Zhou Xuan mastering the sixteen stances,

the demise of the Three-headed Stone Buddha and the Saint Heir and Saintess,

and Zhou Xuan, the Ancient Clanspeople, and Mingjiang’s Traveling God drinking in celebration of their victory.

Shadow Star’s mood was deeply troubled.

“Zhou Xuan has grown so powerful. This Blade of Sixteen Stances—I dare not face its edge head-on and must tread carefully.”

In some ways, Shadow Star had witnessed Zhou Xuan’s rise.

When Zhou Xuan first entered Mingjiang Prefecture, he was merely a minor figure with two incense fires.

Such a person didn’t even qualify for Shadow Star to consider killing personally.

But then came Zhou Xuan’s meteoric rise—through his remarkable interpersonal skills, he connected with Si Ming and Duan Qinglan of the Divine Stealer Hall,

then, through the Divine Stealer Hall, befriended the members of the Bone Elder Association.

After the deaths of stele king, temple lord, and the Suffering Scholar under the City God’s command in rapid succession,

Shadow Star finally began to comprehend that some individuals’ practices went beyond mere incense fire levels.

She started devising ways to kill Zhou Xuan, even going so far as to dispatch Mr. Feng, the “Human World No Distance.”

But by then, Zhou Xuan’s wings had fully spread. Under the dominance of his Day Trip Soul, even Mr. Feng’s efforts ended in failure.