"But the Pure Thought Sect had never been successful. Their method only transformed themselves and others into monsters. I just didn’t expect that after three or four hundred years, the Buddha’s shed skins here haven’t decayed and still can come back to life."
Ya Jiu glanced at the grotesque and terrifying pale Buddha’s shed skins outside the Fire Shield, then suddenly narrowed his eyes at Kou Huai’an and the Demon Sect Young Master. "You aren’t scheming against Shixing Monk’s Buddha’s shed skins to find the ’Rebirth Technique,’ are you?"
The faces of the Demon Sect Young Master and Kou Huai’an both looked somewhat grim. The former said gravely, "I came here for the Pure Thought Sect’s Secret Treasure."
"I came for the same reason," Kou Huai’an said.
Still being stubborn. You’re not a pretty girl; why act tough?
Just by looking at the expressions of the Kou Family members, Li Ang knew what they were thinking.
Based on Kou Wukui’s symptoms, it was very possible that the Kou Family had a hereditary neurodegenerative disease. Kou Huai’an sought the Secret Treasure for his own future, daring to risk offending the Demon Sect and the so-called "Yuan Sou" to play this game of a mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
"Wait." Kou Huai’an seemed to think of something. Staring at Ya Jiu, he asked, "If you knew in advance that the Pure Thought Sect’s ’Rebirth Technique’ was ineffective, why did you come here?"
"I also came for the Pure Thought Sect’s Secret Treasure."
Ya Jiu’s expression didn’t change, but everyone present, including Li Ang, simultaneously thought: Lying.
Shixing Monk himself died as just a low-level cultivator of the Candle Cloud Realm; he might not even compare to Jun Qianzi. The Zhao Ming Organization is probably interested in the Pure Thought Sect related to Shixing Monk.
Li Ang’s mind raced, but he heard Ya Jiu’s Sound Transmission Skill in his ear, "The Mountain Rat Claw cannot dig through ruby. If we want to escape, we have to fight our way out. Do you have a way to restore Kou Wukui’s consciousness?"
Li Ang immediately understood Ya Jiu’s intent.
Among this group, Kou Wukui, who possessed the Candle Cloud Realm, was undoubtedly the strongest. Even though he had been seriously ill and feebleminded for years, if he regained a bit of rationality and could exert part of the Candle Cloud Realm’s power, there was hope for them to survive. However, it was impossible.
Li Ang signaled covertly to Ya Jiu, shaking his head. Even in the highly advanced medical world of the Otherworld, severe Alzheimer’s disease was incurable. Without a highly effective treatment plan, without clear and effective medication, it was like an eraser in the brain, gradually removing the capacity for sorrow, joy, memory, and even love. Unless I could access all the materials in the Book Collection Pavilion, use all the Mutated Objects of Dongjun Tower, and had a decade or two, or even longer, I might be able to make sense of the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease and even cure it within the current environment. Or perhaps...
Li Ang’s thoughts shifted, and from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the Golden Needle on Kou Wukui’s hand.
Setting aside the matter of filial piety within the Kou Family... Kou Huai’an was clearly using the Fine Gold Mind Needle to control Kou Wukui, who had lost his will, to unleash Telekinesis. This was also described in textbooks from the Academic Palace. Some high-level Telekinesis Masters could control large puppets made of special metals, like puppeteers, to fight against their enemies. Puppets could be controlled, and so could people. In some ancient Telekinesis noble families, they even used Telekinesis to control long-dead blood relatives. If Kou Huai’an was using this method, then perhaps... I could use Mo Si to control others? Not Kou Wukui, but those Buddha’s shed skins.
Li Ang looked into the distance, feeling a wave of energy on the other side of the cave that stirred Mo Si’s desire to devour.
Just like in Victory Square, but about ten times stronger.
Seeing Li Ang shaking his head in refusal, Ya Jiu couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Li Ang had been praised as a skilled doctor. If even he had no solution, then perhaps it truly was impossible.
Ya Jiu took a deep breath. Just as he was about to say something, a CRACKLE was heard.
A Buddha Shedding Monster leaped towards the Unmovable Ming King Fire forming the Fire Shield. The creature’s entire body burst into flames upon contact with the Fire Shield, turning into charred ashes that fell at everyone’s feet.
The second, then the third. More and more Buddha’s shed skins, like moths to a flame, rushed towards the Fire Shield, causing ripples to erupt continuously on its surface.
Ya Jiu was stunned for a moment. To perish together? he thought, then immediately realized. "No," he said, "three or four hundred years have passed. These Buddha’s shed skins probably lost their consciousness long ago; now they’re just obeying commands. It’s Shixing Monk. He wants to kill us."
He turned his head to look at the Demon Sect Young Master and Kou Huai’an. "You guys are carrying the rest of Shixing Monk’s parts, aren’t you? Take them all out."
The Demon Sect Young Master understood and immediately signaled his subordinate, who took out a severed left arm from a package, while Kou Huai’an produced a monk’s head.
Seeing that head, the surrounding Buddha’s shed skins became even more frenzied, charging fearlessly at the emerald Fire Shield and exploding into ash.
"Make these things back off, or I’ll destroy your head!" Ya Jiu, holding a Mind Needle, was poised at the temple of the monk’s head, shouting towards his surroundings.
However, it was useless. More and more Buddha’s shed skins rushed towards the Unmovable Ming King Fire. The entire emerald Fire Shield was trembling, as if it might collapse at any moment.
Ya Jiu clenched his teeth and, without further hesitation, plunged the Mind Needle into the monk’s head.
The Mind Needle pierced through the monk’s head without resistance, and the burst of Telekinesis shattered half of the skull.
The Buddha’s shed skins in the front halted simultaneously, screaming in pain in unison, while those in the back continued to surge forward, smashing into the Unmovable Ming King Fire.
At last, the longevity lock in the hands of the Demon Sect Young Master spewed intermittent flames and could no longer sustain the Fire Shield.
The protection dissipated.
A flash of cold light flickered in Kou Huai’an’s eyes as he commanded Kou Wukui to unleash powerful Telekinesis, directly blasting the people of the Demon Sect, as well as Ya Jiu, Wu Huo, and Li Ang away, throwing them towards other directions in the cave. This wasn’t him coming to his senses to save others but a tactic to draw the attention of the Buddha’s shed skins scattered across the floor.
Meanwhile, Kou Huai’an himself, protected by Kou Wukui’s Telekinesis, charged with the Kou Family towards the original sloping upward tunnel.
Weightless and flung afar, the view wavered.
Li Ang, blasted by the Candle Cloud Realm Telekinesis, managed to twist his body mid-air thanks to the torque provided by Mo Si within him. He kicked a Buddha’s shed skin rushing at him squarely on the head, sending it flying. Using the recoil, he directly grabbed onto a protrusion on the cave wall.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Kou Family making a swift escape, and the Demon Sect Young Master, Ya Jiu, Wu Huo, and others left behind.
Ya Jiu and Wu Huo also landed on the edge of the cave wall on the opposite side. Wu Huo summoned Fierce Appearance, smashing the Buddha’s shed skins coming from all directions with each punch. Ya Jiu, meanwhile, took out a Mountain Rat Claw and started digging an upward tunnel to escape swiftly.
He still had the Mountain Rat Claw!
Li Ang took out the strange Mountain Rat Claw Ya Jiu had given him earlier from his chest. Imitating Ya Jiu, he propped it against the wall and released the Tunneling Technique, digging out a narrow tunnel. He dashed into the tunnel and, with a punch behind him, caused the soil at the entrance to collapse, blocking the path of the Buddha Shedding Monsters. He continued to dig upwards with the Mountain Rat Claw until he faintly heard the sound of a Dark River.
Li Ang estimated the time and, instead of escaping, he took off the mask covering his face, revealing his true features in the tunnel.
He clenched his fist, releasing Spiritual Power. Mo Si poured out from within his body endlessly, quickly covering his entire being to form armor.
Li Ang turned around in the tunnel and plunged downward, back towards the cave.