Chapter 133: What Was About to Happen and What Was Happening
In the earlier scene, although the Anaconda Demon had already been very cautious, it still revealed much information to the people of White Horse Temple.
For example, it seemed quite interested in the heart’s blood of the Flood Dragon.
In Hui Zhen’s judgment, the Anaconda Demon might not have truly been interested in just any Flood Dragon’s heart’s blood, but specifically in the heart’s blood of Yinrong’s Flood Dragon.
This judgment was also acknowledged by the others.
Perhaps someone would be puzzled—
If that was the case, why would Hui Lian spread the news that “Yinrong might attempt Walking the River”?
Wouldn’t that exaggerate Yinrong’s strength, making it easier to deter the Anaconda Demon?
In reality, it was not so.
If the Anaconda Demon knew that Yinrong was going to attempt Walking the River, this would not frighten it away, but instead was even more likely to attract it to the Western Regions.
For demonic beasts such as Flood Dragons, Heavenly Fish, and Heavenly Turtles, if they wanted to transform from acquired beings into innate beings, they needed to take one crucial step—Walking the River.
These beasts would choose a route, swimming along rivers into the sea, a process called Walking the River.
Once they completed Walking the River, they would “transform into dragons,” evolving into innate beings.
But the path of Walking the River was not something that came naturally. On the contrary, for a Heavenly Demon to Walk the River was truly a matter of life and death.
Because almost all Heavenly Demons, during Walking the River, would inevitably cause serious destruction to farmland, infrastructure, and human society along the route—regardless of whether it was their intention or not.
To protect its citizens from such harm, the Great Qian Dynasty would dispatch the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring along the rivers to hunt the Heavenly Demons.
To oppose the Great Qian Dynasty’s Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, and on top of that to survive, even Heavenly Demons could not guarantee that they would succeed in Walking the River.
Moreover, since the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring took the lead in hunting demons, many human rogue cultivators and organizations would also be stirred into action, hoping to profit from it.
Even if the lion’s share went to the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, they could still pick up scraps, which was already a worthwhile outcome.
Even some demonic beasts would swarm to the scene.
If the Heavenly Demon succeeded in Walking the River, it might grant them benefits and smooth their own path of cultivation. If the attempt failed, they could still try to profit amidst the battle between humans and the Heavenly Demon.
That meant, when White Horse Temple spread the news that “Yinrong might attempt Walking the River,” the Anaconda Demon, already coveting Yinrong’s heart’s blood, would be highly likely to come to the Western Regions to try its luck, attempting to seize three drops of heart’s blood during Yinrong’s attempt.
At that time, it would naturally be White Horse Temple’s turn to act.
Therefore, the three Head Monks and Hui Zhi did not object to Hui Lian’s suggestion, but instead tacitly continued discussing along this line of thought.
After the time of one incense stick, Hui Xin was the first to stand up:
“Since that is the case, let us follow Hui Lian’s suggestion. This humble monk will take his leave first.”
The other monks of the Hui generation also stood up, saluted Hui Xin, and said:
“Amitabha, Senior Brother First Seat, please take care on your way.”
First Seat Hui Xin left and went into another secret chamber, recounting the discussion of the Western Head Monk.
After a long while, an aged voice spoke faintly:
“Amitabha, do as you have said.”
Hui Xin lowered his head:
“Yes, Abbot.”
The aged voice spoke again:
“Hui Xin, what do your junior brothers think of White Horse Temple imprisoning itself in the Western Regions?”
Hui Xin still kept his head lowered:
“We disciples follow only the Abbot’s arrangements. We have no objections.”
The aged voice chuckled softly twice:
“Hui Xin always resolves my worries.”
After respectfully bowing, Hui Xin prepared to leave. At that moment, the aged voice spoke again behind him:
“Soon, Hui Xin, do not be anxious. This humble monk has a premonition—the old fellow is nearly at his end...”
......
After gaining the new demonic technique “Soul Refinement,” Mo Lin began tempering his soul with reckless abandon.
If, after swallowing the Purple Crystal Dragon Ore, his soul had been like a fat man who had consumed too much protein in too short a time—full of strength yet bloated—
Then after using “Soul Refinement,” his soul was like undergoing a hellish workout, shedding weight madly, burning away the excess fat at a terrifying pace while keeping nearly the same muscle mass.
This was exactly how Mo Lin felt now.
The most immediate effect after “Soul Refinement” was that Mo Lin felt his control over his body had increased even further.
Strength and precision that he could not control well before now came effortlessly.
Although he was still stuck at Earth Rank Middle Grade, with even a slight decline in soul strength, his soul and body had fused much more seamlessly.
Though his base stats were little different from half a month ago, Mo Lin was confident he could perform at least fifty percent stronger than before.
Furthermore, if Jingyue had ambushed him now, perhaps before even completing eight Soul-Cutting strikes, merely attempting to infiltrate Mo Lin’s body would have been detected immediately, rendering the ambush nearly useless.
Mo Lin naturally understood what this meant.
It meant that his soul might even step into the Heavenly Rank realm ahead of his body.
This had delighted Mo Lin for a long while—who would have thought that even after being ambushed by Jingyue, he could still gain such an unexpected reward?
But after half a month, this joy had to be set aside, for strange noises came from the mountain forest where he resided.
“?”
Mo Lin stopped cultivating and looked toward the forest.
Something unusual was happening.
Recalling what the Mountain Lord had mentioned earlier, Mo Lin faintly guessed.
Humans?
......
Within the forest, two demonic beasts were desperately fleeing.
Strictly speaking, it was a huge Frog Demon carrying a Rabbit Demon on its back as it bounded away.
Their bodies were covered in wounds. Though their auras faintly carried the flavor of Profound Rank, they were extremely weak. The Rabbit Demon on the Frog Demon’s back was gravely injured, on the brink of death.
“Hold on, croak, we will definitely escape, croak, just hold on, croak!”
The Frog Demon kept urging the Rabbit Demon on its back, trying to keep its drowsy consciousness awake.
“Cough, cough...”
The Rabbit Demon coughed blood continuously as it lay on the Frog Demon’s back:
“Put me down, Frog Brother. Carrying me, you will never escape their grasp. Leave me, run on your own...”
The Frog Demon bounded onward angrily:
“Croak! I, Stone-Dare Frog, have roamed forests and springs all my life, and I have never once abandoned others to flee alone. I will absolutely never forsake you, croak!”
“Idiot! For my sake, is it worth it? Cough, cough, cough...”
As the frog and rabbit fled, a drawn-out chant drifted through the forest:
“In the fragrance of rice flowers, one speaks of harvest years, listening to the croaking of frogs all around; seven or eight stars shine beyond the sky, two or three drops of rain fall before the hills...”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, who wrote this fine verse? Truly... a splendid poem.”
As the verses were recited, seven or eight humans emerged slowly from the forest on all sides, smiling as they surrounded the frog and rabbit.
“You need not argue anymore. Rest assured, neither of you will escape.”