Gateway of Immortality-Chapter 899: Stone Platform

"That matter was entirely led by Senior Uncle Wu. Because he forcibly cultivated that art, he was overwhelmed by malevolent qi, his temperament changed drastically, and he almost committed a grave mistake that would have destroyed our sect’s foundation. The chaos of that day still leaves consequences even now. My father did not pursue the matter further and allowed Senior Uncle Wu to take you away. That was already benevolence to the utmost..." Abbot Lu did not agree with the burly man’s words.

The burly man waved his hand abruptly, cutting him off with disdain. "Our master has long since passed away, so naturally you can say whatever you please! I am not here today to argue about who was right or wrong. After leaving Landou Sect, several of our senior brothers endured endless torment. At last, according to our master’s dying words, we comprehended a method that might free us from our suffering. But we need that stone platform. Junior Brother Lu, for the sake of our past ties as fellow disciples, hand it to me, and all past grievances will be written off!"

Abbot Lu was startled but rejected him firmly. "That object concerns too much to be removed from Dongming Island. As for resolving the hidden dangers of the Lightning Control Technique, that is nonsense. This item merely happened to be discovered alongside the Lightning Control Technique and has some auxiliary use. Senior Uncle Wu and Master studied it countless times without success. Senior Brother Gao, do you think I don't know anything about this secret technique?"

The burly man snorted. "If you do not believe me, then let me try it in the Lightning Cave. Wouldn’t that make things clear?"

Abbot Lu’s brow furrowed slightly, his heart wavering. Has this man really comprehended something? Yet back then, even two Spiritual Infant grandmasters had studied it together for years and gained nothing. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Daoist Huayang, who had been watching the three of them closely, revealed a flicker of doubt in his eyes. Still uncertain, he secretly sent a voice transmission to Abbot Lu.

"Junior Brother Lu, since it is so, let them hand over their method first. We can test its authenticity before deciding further."

Abbot Lu nodded slightly and said, "If the hidden dangers of the Lightning Control Technique can be solved, it will be a benefit to us all. Senior Brother Gao, show me the method first. If it works, I am not an unreasonable man."

Upon hearing this, the young man surnamed Fang, who had been standing at the rear, lifted his head slightly, his eyes gleaming.

The burly man feigned hesitation, then produced a jade slip and handed it toward Abbot Lu. "Then please, Junior Brother Lu, take a look."

As he spoke, a flash of blood-red light gleamed in his pupils.

Daoist Huayang’s expression changed dramatically. He shouted, "He is not Senior Brother Gao! Beware, it is a trick!"

At the same time, his fly-whisk lashed out, the countless white strands turning into a storm of silver needles aimed at the burly man.

But he was a step too late. The burly man’s lips curled into a twisted smile, his face stiffened, and his throat emitted an inhuman sound.

Boom! His body suddenly exploded.

A cloud of blood mist burst forth, filling the bamboo lodge. The man’s body and bones were gone, and from that blood mist, which was condensed from his very blood and essence, a slender blood Jiao burst out. With a chilling screech, it lunged toward Abbot Lu, jaws wide.

Abbot Lu, after all, was an expert at the peak of the late stage, and Daoist Huayang’s warning came just in time. Though the attack was close at hand, he remained calm.

With a wave of his palm, his true essence surged like a tide and condensed into a wall of light. But the blood mist smashed through it instantly, and the blood Jiao was already upon him.

Abbot Lu’s expression shifted. From his dantian, blue light flashed, and a pearl the size of a dragon’s eye shot out. It was his life-bound astra.

He urged the astra with his mind, and vast water-elemental power surged forth like a colossal wave, crashing down upon the blood Jiao.

At the same time, Daoist Huayang’s fly-whisk pierced through, the white threads stabbing into the blood Jiao like silver needles.

It seemed the danger had been dispelled. Yet the others lacked Abbot Lu’s strength.

At the same time that the burly man’s body was destroyed by Blood Corpse Insects, the cultivator surnamed Hong also exploded. His entire blood and essence were devoured, giving rise to another blood Jiao.

Blood Corpse Insects were third-form spiritual insects. After consuming the complete blood and essence of a Core Formation cultivator, their power would surge temporarily to the utmost they could control, until the energy was exhausted. They were extremely terrifying.

Otherwise, Daoist Fang would not have dared to bring two corpse puppets alone into this dragon’s lair to face so many enemies.

Under his deliberate maneuvering, the cultivator surnamed Hong had been standing close to two early-stage Core Formation cultivators of Landou Sect.

Those two had never imagined that their former senior brother would strike them down, so they had no guard against him.

The corpse puppet exploded. Before they could react, the blood mist enveloped them.

From within came two screams. Soon after, one figure stumbled out, utterly wretched. His face had been corroded by the blood mist until it was unrecognizable.

Fortunately, he was a Core Formation cultivator. By hastily rousing his spiritual power and astra, he barely escaped with his life. The other, however, made no sound again.

Another explosion rang out within the blood mist, which grew denser still. From it emerged an even larger blood Jiao, savage and ferocious, which pounced on the survivor.

The man’s face twisted in terror as he tried to flee, but from the corner of his eye he glimpsed a blood sword piercing his back. He died instantly, his body swallowed by the blood mist, his blood and essence drained completely.

Elsewhere, Daoist Fang joined forces with the blood Jiao.

Now revealing his true strength, he was not as strong as Abbot Lu, but not far behind. Clad in a strange insect armor, he fought alongside the blood Jiao, pressing Abbot Lu back again and again. He alone held off Daoist Huayang and another cultivator, forcing them to watch helplessly as two of their junior brothers were devoured by Blood Corpse Insects.

This advantage came only because Daoist Fang had prepared long in advance, while Abbot Lu and the others had been caught off guard.

Such suppression could not last forever, but by then the Blood Corpse Insects had already devoured the blood and essence of three Core Formation cultivators, their strength surging even further.

As the battle pressed the Landou Sect cultivators hard, Daoist Fang silently chanted incantations. The blood mist inside the lodge thickened and refused to dissipate, the blood Jiao merging into it, forming a powerful barrier that sealed Abbot Lu and the others within.

Daoist Fang had plotted for a long time, and his strike came like lightning.

Outside, on the bamboo platform, other cultivators had been debating about Landou Sect with no result. Some had gone off to check on their own disciples, but most still lingered.

When they heard the commotion, they had not yet figured out what was happening when the bamboo lodge transformed into a sea of blood, the stench so foul it turned their stomachs.

Then, a furious shout rang out from within, though none could tell who it was. "Lu! You dare defy the grandmaster’s command? Do you mean to betray the sect?"

That accusation made all the cultivators who had been about to rush into the bamboo lodge freeze mid-stride, their faces filled with shock and doubt.

Landou Sect had only two Spiritual Infant grandmasters. Sect Leader Lu was trapped in the Demonic Sea and could not return. The one who remained at the sect was Grandmaster Wu. Were their earlier suspicions true?