Chapter 151: Chapter 150: A Dry Run at Stone King Cave

Changping Prefecture, Changye County, Stone Mountain, Stone King Cave.

"Second and Third Brother haven’t been back for a long time. You don’t think something happened to them, do you?"

"Don’t talk nonsense. The two of them have profound Magical Power. What kind of accident could they possibly have?"

"But Little Sister stole Master’s Ten Thousand Ghosts Banner!"

"What ’Little Sister’? That bitch! She tricked Master and even stole his Protective Treasure! Master already gave the Soul-Stabilizing Seal to our two brothers. They’ll definitely drag her back to Stone King Cave for Soul Extraction and Essence Refinement!"

"Fourth Brother, you don’t think Master told them not to kill her because...?"

"What are you talking about?"

"First Brother!"

The two men were whispering in a secluded spot on the mountain path when a tall man in green robes, standing two meters high, rounded a corner. He was carrying an unconscious man and woman, one in each hand, and was staring at them coldly.

"Is it your place to question Master’s actions?" the green-robed man snorted. "Be careful, or if Master’s in a bad mood, he’ll send you to the back of the mountain to gather Yin Evil."

"We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare!" The two of them quickly bowed their heads, not daring to speak.

The green-robed man gestured with his head. "There are five or six more people at the foot of the mountain. Bring them all up. Master is preparing a banquet for a guest."

"Who’s he inviting?" one of them asked curiously.

"Master Rong from Infinite Cave," the green-robed man said as he walked up the mountain.

The two men headed down the mountain together, their mouths not idle for a moment.

"Master and Master Rong are certainly close. Every time there’s a banquet, he has him over to eat seven or eight people, followed by a few pots of Blood Wine."

"Usually Second and Third Brother go. But since they’re away on business, it’s First Brother’s turn to run the errand."

"Actually, I want to go too. I could kill a few people and drink their blood to replenish my own qi and blood."

"Heheheh, next time let’s volunteer. I’m sure Master... huh? Why are they awake?"

When the two reached the foot of the mountain, they saw several people standing at the entrance to a forest path.

"It’s not them. When Master eats people, he never eats old meat," one of them said, pointing to a nearby rock where five or six unconscious young men and women were lying.

The other man sized up the newcomers, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Must be travelers who’ve wandered into the wrong place. The old ones are too tough, but the two young ones should be tender."

Looking at the two walking sources of Evil Qi before them, Gu Zhao and the others all broke into smiles.

Only Gu Zhao and the four Daoists had come for this battle, so they didn’t need to mince words.

"It feels like we’ve walked into *Journey to the West*," Taoist Yan Song chuckled. "He’s talking about ’too tough’ and ’too tender.’ Why not add ’sour’ and ’bitter’?"

Taoist Yi Hong looked at the unconscious people by the rock and shook his head. "It’s not that different from *Journey to the West*. A demon’s lair like this... they truly don’t see people as human."

Taoist Ming Yu turned to Yunyang. "Just a couple of small fries. Can you handle them?"

"Leave them to me!" Yunyang couldn’t suppress the grin on his face. He drew his longsword with a backhand motion and executed Immortal’s Guidance. Halfway through the strike, a flick of his wrist caused the Sword Light to split into two, one for each man.

Faced with the Sword Light imbued with Taoist True Qi, the two men in green reacted as if they had met their natural predator. One’s face went deathly pale as black smoke billowed around him, his body wreathed in Ghost Qi. The other’s face turned ashen as his canines elongated and he chopped at the Sword Light with a hand held like a blade.

TING!

SHINK!

The Sword Light pierced the Ghost Qi and sliced halfway through the Corpse Ghost’s hand. Yunyang then closed the distance, following up with a backhanded Guo Lao’s Whip and then an Immortal Maiden Drunk and Reclining. The biting Sword Qi sent the first Ghost howling in pain as it was hacked apart.

The second Corpse Ghost’s expression changed drastically. It turned to flee, but was met with Yunyang’s returning strike—Purple Qi from the East.

Lü Zu’s Dharma Aspect flashed and vanished. This single strike, a Unity of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, sliced the fleeing Corpse Ghost in two.

The Evil Qi flooded into his Thunder Seed, and Yunyang’s spirits soared. He turned back to the other one, executing Dust and Fate Cut Off followed by Picking Flowers. He danced out a dozen sword flourishes that dazzled the Fierce Ghost, leaving it with no way to block.

SHINK!

His sword pierced the Fierce Ghost’s heart. Pure Yang True Qi surged into its Ghost Body, shattering it and dispersing its Divine Soul at the same time.

"All done and dusted!" Yunyang sheathed his sword with the air of a seasoned master.

"Good swordsmanship, truly good swordsmanship!" Taoist Yan Song laughed. "I never expected the swordsmanship of the Eight Immortals Palace to be so impressive. My old Seven-Star Sword and Cloud Roaring Sword can’t produce a Dharma Aspect like that."

It was also the first time the old Daoists had seen the Eight Immortals Dharma Aspect, and they clicked their tongues in wonder.

Taoist Yi Hong, holding his Cyan Dragon Crescent Saber in a reverse grip, couldn’t help but ask, "You can manifest all of the Eight Immortals Dharma Aspects?"

Yunyang looked a bit embarrassed. "My cultivation isn’t deep enough. For now, I can only produce the Dharma Aspects of Lü Chunyang and Han Xiangzi with my strikes."

Everyone nodded in understanding and didn’t ask any further.

Yunyang, however, couldn’t hold back. He asked Gu Zhao, "Aren’t you going to ask why I can only manifest those two Dharma Aspects?"

Gu Zhao shook his head. "I’m not asking."

"Why not?" Yunyang asked.

"Because I already know the answer," Gu Zhao scoffed.

Yunyang couldn’t help but grin, but Taoist Yi Hong at his side asked curiously, "Why?"

Yunyang’s face lit up in a smile. "Because they’re the handsome ones!"

The old Daoists all laughed. Gu Zhao clapped him on the shoulder and started up the mountain first. "I look forward to the day you can manifest He Xiangu’s Dharma Aspect."

Yunyang was speechless for a moment, then followed after Gu Zhao. "I’m sure it’ll be cool too!"

...

Inside Stone King Cave, a dignified middle-aged man in brocade robes sat in the host’s seat, drinking with an old man to his left whose hair and beard were both a dark green.

The tall, green-robed man from before bowed as he entered the cave. With a wave of his hand, two pairs of men and women walked in carrying trays.

On the wooden trays held by the men were two porcelain plates of thinly sliced raw meat, one light red, the other a deep crimson.

On the wooden trays held by the women were a Copper Pot and a bronze goblet. A bowl of ice sat beneath the Copper Pot, and the chill it gave off enveloped the pot, neutralizing the faint, bloody stench wafting from within.

One pair of man and woman served the middle-aged man, while the other served the green-bearded elder. Their movements were fluid and natural, but their eyes were stiff and numb.

"Brother Shi, you certainly know how to live." Rong Wen picked up a slice of raw meat and placed it in his mouth, chewing slowly. "The most tender loin meat, from a sixteen-year-old maiden."

The Stone King extended his right hand, and the young woman beside him poured a stream of Blood Wine, rich in aroma yet tinged with a metallic tang, from the Copper Pot into a goblet and placed it gently in his hand.

The Stone King drained it in one gulp and smiled leisurely. Before he could speak, his expression suddenly shifted, and his eyes darted toward the cave entrance.

Rong Wen had clearly also sensed the fluctuation of Magical Power in the distance. A faint smile touched his lips, but he remained unperturbed, merely lifting his own cup and taking a drink of Blood Wine.

The Stone King looked at the green-robed man and said flatly, "Go get rid of that undiscerning Mage. I want to use his heart and liver to pair with my wine."

"Yes!" The green-robed man turned and left.

The Stone King turned back to Rong Wen and continued, "Too young, and the meat is still developing. Too old, and it becomes tough. Sixteen is the perfect age for both men and women. The women are tender, and the men are firm."

Rong Wen stroked his beard and praised, "Brother Shi, you are a true connoisseur!"

Just then, another fluctuation of Magical Power erupted from not far outside the cave.

Rong Wen frowned. "There’s another one?"

The Stone King’s eyes narrowed. A black shadow suddenly flew in from outside the cave, shooting straight for his chest.

The Stone King swatted it away with a backhand blow. The shadow slammed against the cave wall with a CLANG, then rolled onto the ground, spinning several times.

When they got a clear look at the object, the serving men and women cried out in alarm and scrambled to hide behind the Stone King.

And the Stone King, of course, also saw the object. It was the head of his first disciple!

The next moment, an old man nearly two meters tall strode in, head held high. He carried a Great Saber in a reverse grip. His cold gaze swept over the raw meat on the table and the Blood Wine in the cups before landing on the Stone King. His eyes flashed open, gleaming with a frosty light.

"You fiends deserve to die!"