Chapter 642 - 642 Cui Yulong's Encounter
Cui Yulong cradled the wooden box in his arms, stepping slowly in front of the Netherworld Scholar. Looking down at him from above, he said coldly, "Do you know how I've lived through these past ten years?"
"How have you lived them?" asked the Netherworld Scholar curiously, and even Cui Yu looked at Cui Yulong, eager to know what had happened to Cui Yulong over the past decade. Why had he changed so much compared to ten years ago? And how had his strength become so shockingly formidable?
Raising his head slowly, Cui Yulong looked at the crescent moon in the sky, as if he were returning to the past, and said softly, "Ten years ago, with an order from the Xi Hang Shen Family, they slaughtered for three thousand miles. You Left and Right Protectors and all of Killing Gate's Seven Hidden, with your abilities, managed to survive and escape. But what about us, who lack such skills? Besides running for our lives, what else could we do to save ourselves? Bloodbath for three thousand miles, huh, do you know what lies at the end of those three thousand miles?"
Both Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar looked at Cui Yulong. On hearing this, their expressions changed somewhat.
In a heavy voice, the Netherworld Scholar said, "The end of three thousand miles… you… did you enter the Western Frontier?"
"That's right!" Cui Yulong nodded slowly, and said,"The end of three thousand miles is what is known as the barren land of Martial Artists of Huaxia - the Western Frontier! Only by venturing into that place could I evade the Shen Family's pursuit and keep my life."
"The Western Frontier…" Cui Yu's expression changed drastically, and he said with a deep voice, "You… you really entered the Western Frontier? Then how… how did you manage to come out alive?"
With a cold smile, Cui Yulong caressed the wooden box in his hand and said in a heavy voice, "The Western Frontier is the source of Lamaism, a gathering place for zealous believers, inherently at odds with the Buddhism of our Central Plains. Martial Artists of Huaxia have always been considered incompatible with those zealots of the Western Frontier. Once I set foot there, I thought it was tantamount to walking down another path to death. However, the reality was contrary to the legend. As long as you don't provoke those fanatics, they won't bother you. It took me three years to decipher all the secrets of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade and another five years to traverse every corner of the Western Frontier. In the last two years, do you know whom I've encountered?"
"Whom?" Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar asked in unison.
His eyes filled with fervor and reverence, with not the slightest hint of hostility, Cui Yulong said, "The supreme master of the Western Frontier, the Living Buddha Protector, the number one Lama of Esoteric Buddhism, the Purple Robe Lama!"
"The Purple Robe Lama!?" Both Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar's expressions changed. The name was well known to both of them. Even though this individual only appeared in the Western Frontier, the four words 'Purple Robe Lama' could resonate throughout the entire nation of Huaxia.
It's been said that among the powerhouses who could stand on equal footing with the Kings of North-South Boxing in Huaxia, there are only three. The first is the General of Meng District, Helian Tiehua, a colossal monster of the North with over a hundred thousand disciples, who has the strongest strength among these masters.
The second person is this supreme master of the Western Frontier, the number one Lama of Esoteric Buddhism, the Purple Robe Lama. Though he never leaves the Western Frontier, it is said that Helian Tiehua once entered the region and crossed hands with him, personally acknowledging that his strength was not inferior to the Southern Fist King Shen Tianjun!
Such an evaluation from a peak master like Helian Tiehua indicates the prowess of the Purple Robe Lama. Therefore, even though he has never stepped half a step out of the Western Frontier, his name has long spread throughout the entire nation of Huaxia, due to a single remark from Helian Tiehua. Moreover, due to some legends about the zealots of Lamaism, the Western Frontier is considered by all Huaxia Martial Artists to be a dangerous place where hardly anyone is willing to set foot.
That the Shen Family's massacre stopped at the boundaries of the Western Frontier ten years ago was for this reason – because the Shen Family did not wish to provoke those from the Western Frontier nor make an enemy of the Purple Robe Lama!
And Cui Yulong, he had actually encountered the Purple Robe Lama in the Western Frontier. It was natural for Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar to be so astonished!
"Did you… did you fight him?" the Netherworld Scholar asked with a trembling voice.
"That's not called a fight!" Cui Yulong shook his head and said, "At that time, having unraveled the secrets of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade, my strength had surged, making me somewhat arrogant. Upon seeing the Purple Robe Lama, I wanted to challenge him, this master of legend. But do you know how he defeated me?"
"How did he defeat you?" Both Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar asked at the same time, both of them eager to know just how powerful the Purple Robe Lama was.
Cui Yulong fell silent for a moment, as if recalling the scene from that year, with a hint of shock still in his eyes, he said softly, "He used just one finger to send the blade in my hand flying!"
Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar simultaneously gasped in shock, though they had long known about the extraordinary strength of the Purple Robe Lama. However, who could have anticipated that he would be so formidably against the natural order?
"The Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade!" Cui Yulong laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "Back then, I wielded the blade with both hands and chopped with all my strength, only for it to be flicked away by someone's finger. At that moment, I knew that those who had made a name for themselves in the world were truly worthy of their reputations. With such strength in the Purple Robe Lama, what kind of power would the Southern Fist King Shen Tianjun and Meng District General Helian Tiehua possess? With the way things are for us, even if we trained for another ten or a hundred years, we probably wouldn't even be worthy to carry their shoes!"
If the Netherworld Scholar had heard these words in the past, he would have certainly scoffed at them. But now, he didn't dare to say anything, thoroughly shocked by the power of the Purple Robe Lama.
"When the Purple Robe Lama defeated me, he did not kill me. Instead, he told me that the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade was too deadly, and even my mind was gradually being affected by its murderous nature. He asked me to follow him for two years to wear down my murderous intent and to hope that I might form a connection with Esoteric Buddhism," explained Cui Yulong, looking up at Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar. "During the last two years I spent by the Purple Robe Lama's side, the murderous nature of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade could not be concealed, and my mind didn't change much. However, by his side, my strength increased much more than before. Netherworld Scholar, the improvement in my strength isn't due to the last ten years, but rather these last two years!"
Cui Yu and the Netherworld Scholar exchanged glances, at a loss for words over Cui Yulong's experience. When he was forced into the Western Frontier years ago, he nearly lost his life. Who could have guessed that it would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, and that he would end up cultivating with the Purple Robe Lama for two years to achieve his current strength. No wonder his power had increased so rapidly; the Purple Robe Lama was not famous for nothing. If even a block of wood cultivated with him, it should also turn into an expert, right?
Suddenly, the Netherworld Scholar leapt up and shouted, "I don't believe it! I don't believe it! How could a Huaxia Martial Artist who entered the Western Frontier possibly come out alive? And how could you have encountered the Purple Robe Lama? How could the Purple Robe Lama be so powerful? You must be trying to deceive me, doing this on purpose to make me join you against the Xihang Shen Family? Keep dreaming!"
As the Netherworld Scholar said this, he turned to run away again, but how could Cui Yulong, who was already behind him, let him leave?
"You don't believe me?" Cui Yulong gave a cold smile and said, "Then I'll make you truly believe!"
After speaking, Cui Yulong slapped the wooden box, which instantly sprang open. With a clanging dragon chant, the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade leapt out of the box, and a chilling aura of murder filled the entire place.
Cui Yulong grasped the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade with both hands and chopped down at the Netherworld Scholar. The Netherworld Scholar felt the fierce murderous aura behind him and, not daring to take it lightly, hastily turned around to block with his fine steel folding fan.
With a clang, the fine steel folding fan was shattered. The Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade faced no resistance at all as it aimed straight for the Netherworld Scholar's head.
"Yulong, don't kill him!" Cui Yu cried out from the side.
The Netherworld Scholar was petrified, forgetting to dodge; the murderous intent of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade was truly overwhelming!
Just as the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade was about to strike his head, Cui Yulong shifted the blade slightly to avoid the Netherworld Scholar's body, heavily chopping down on the flowerbed behind him. With a thunderous noise, the concrete flowerbed was cleaved in two!
The Netherworld Scholar's eyes widened in shock as he realized the gap between himself and Cui Yulong. Additionally, he witnessed the might of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade and truly no longer dared to be reckless.
Seeing that Cui Yulong had spared the Netherworld Scholar, Cui Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "Netherworld Scholar, we are both from the Killing Gate. This affair is our Killing Gate's business, and no one can stay uninvolved. Yulong has returned from the Western Frontier, do you still intend to stand aside?"
The Netherworld Scholar, pale from the scare of the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade, listened to Cui Yu's words without replying. However, it was evident that he was trembling.
"Don't you trust my word?" Cui Yulong casually picked up the wooden box and held the interior towards the Netherworld Scholar, saying coldly, "This wooden box is the scabbard that the Purple Robe Lama made for the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade to block its murderous nature. The Esoteric Buddhist Text inside was carved by the Purple Robe Lama himself, you can take a look!"
The Netherworld Scholar glanced inside the box, indeed seeing many Esoteric Buddhist Text carvings which he couldn't understand. Nonetheless, he truly believed now, because he had witnessed Cui Yulong's power. Apart from an expert like the Purple Robe Lama, who else could teach to such a level?
"Netherworld Scholar, the matter between the Killing Gate and the Xihang Shen Family is not about responsibility, but about revenge. You too were once hunted by the people of the Xihang Shen Family, so if you still have a shred of honor, you must come out and seek revenge!" Cui Yulong picked up the wooden box and walked slowly towards the villa, his voice cold, "You want to leave, I won't stop you. But this grudge between the Killing Gate and the Xihang Shen Family must be settled once and for all. If we are defeated, you won't be spared even if you flee to the ends of the Earth because they will never leave a threat alive. Think carefully about what you should do!"