CHAPTER 739: CHAPTER 322: HOLY BUDDHA CHESSBOARD

A thread of blood was severed, and the clansmen of the Tree Clan would once again draw blood from their foreheads to restore the link, but the renewal of the severed line consumed multiple times their lifespan and life essence,

Among the clansmen, many had their flourishing black hair instantaneously gain several streaks of silver, and their faces appeared much older.

This was what the Mo Ya Monk referred to as "spending more capital."

"Brother Peng, clansmen, abandon enhancing others’ incense fire level; channel the Mountain and River Map."

Zhou Xuan, already questioning the mirror, split off a portion of his mind to guide the Tree Clan in changing their combat technique.

He couldn’t bear to watch the Tree Clan people have their lifespan wasted away by the Mo Ya monks just like that.

Hearing Zhou Xuan’s call to unleash the Mountain and River Map, Peng Sheng readily directed all clansmen to sever the red silk links, and then everyone plunged their hands into their chests, tearing their flesh open and letting copious amounts of blood flow out,

"Tattoo the map,"

Peng Sheng shouted again, dipped his right hand in blood, and etched on his chest a section of ancient city wall and gate.

On this gateway hung the three grand characters: "Mingjiang Prefecture."

The rest of the clansmen did the same, some tattooing fragments of broken walls on their chests, others inscribing pavilions and vegetation.

Among the thousands of clansmen, everyone had etched part of the "Mountain and River Map" on their chest—they were not Zhou Xuan; they hadn’t completed the nine incenses of tattoos. If any one person, even Peng Sheng, tattooed the complete "Mountain and River Map" on themselves, at best, the map would "burn upon completion" and be of no use,

At worst, the map wouldn’t be fully depicted, and he would be overwhelmed by the imposing aura of the image, leading to a collapsed body and broken bones.

One person couldn’t bear the entire map, so the strength of the entire clan had to be employed,

The ancient clan was originally a collective whole.

The souls of every person in the clan combined would become giants comparable to gods.

Thousands of clansmen, tattooing with blood, soon completed the composite "Mountain and River Map," and under the accompaniment of the ancient altar’s dirge, the true Mountain and River Map flew out from Zhou Xuan’s Kongming Mirror, shrouding above the Peach Blossom Ancestor Tree,

Then the Mountain and River Map, like shattered brocade, broke into thousands of fragments, and in an orderly manner flew into each clansman’s body, making the blood-colored tattoo map on their chests stand out.

The clansmen held the fragments of the tattoo map in their hands, with reverent posture, offering it to the Peach Blossom Ancestor Tree.

On the trunk of the Ancestor Tree appeared a complete blood-colored Mountain and River Map.

Every peach blossom on the trunk visibly withered rapidly, depleting its essence after leaving the Forbidden Land to augment the Mountain and River Map.

The momentum of the Mountain and River Map quickly surged, soon reaching the usual limit of augmentation—Eight benches gazing at Nine,

And it continued to rise, just a thin window paper away from Nine Incenses,

Yet this window paper, like an iron gate, persisted despite all efforts of the Tattoo Tree Clan and Peng Sheng, remaining unbreached.

Human World’s Nine Incenses are the True God of the human world.

Seated at Eight but aiming for Nine is a Demigod of the human world.

Although the True God has a human body, it resembles God more; the human Demigod, although titled under "Godly name," is essentially still a mortal.

The boundary between man and God is much clearer and more formidable than the boundaries between the state offices, an almost insurmountable chasm.

Yet if the Mountain and River Map isn’t augmented to Nine Incenses, how could one contend against the Nine Incenses Mo Ya Monk?

Sometimes, the incense realm means nothing,

With exquisite techniques and sophisticated magic artifacts, crossing realms to kill is no longer a novelty in Jing Country.

But sometimes, the incense realm is the incense realm, lacking even the slightest bit will render it useless.

Desperation hung over every clad person’s heart.

"Dong!"

"Dong!"

"Dong!"

The golden bell tolled thrice in succession.

The sound of the bell was resonant, interspersed with boundless might.

"The Ancient Tree Golden Bell has also sounded."

Mo Ya Monk, hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the Heavenly Dome and said, "It’s a pity that Gong Zheng was intercepted by Zhou Xuan’s stratagem, obstructed in the sky, otherwise, our four brothers would’ve forced Mingjiang Prefecture’s last resources, and Gong Zheng would’ve had no reason to just watch."

Under the disadvantageous condition of the Zhiming Monk’s sealed Divine Bone, even without the Seeking Wave Monks’ full efforts, they still forced out the entire resources of Mingjiang Prefecture. If there had been another Ancient God of Nine Incenses,

"Then today’s battle would’ve been like running through bamboo."

Mo Ya Monk kept repeating "pity, pity," yet his expression showed no sign of regret,

The golden bell’s toll brought with it the infinite wish power contained within the bell sound, enough to release one to two of the Nine Incenses’ Bell Slaves.

The Bell Slaves are souls of the human world’s Nine Incenses imprisoned within the Ancient Tree Golden Bell. Released by the bell, they can unleash the prowess of Nine Incenses once.

This was the last trump card of Mingjiang Prefecture, the Ancient Tree Golden Bell wary of any changes Mo Ya Monk might have, thus kept its hand ready while observing the situation.

But the power brought by the bell’s toll stirred the Mountain and River Map, helping it pierce through that window paper, elevating its combat power to Nine Incenses.

A Nine Incenses Mountain and River Map could crush down onto Jing Country’s Nine Prefectures, and Zhou Xuan’s mind, seated within the Kongming Mirror, held a look of hope.

"Mountain and River Map, Nine Incenses, perhaps it can suppress Mo Ya Monk."

Despite his overwhelming confidence, Zhou Xuan now uttered "perhaps," carrying an air of uncertainty. After witnessing the myriad techniques of Mo Ya Monk today, he dared not ascertain that the Mountain and River Map would definitely vanquish this demon monk.