Chapter 53: The Bait that Seeks to Save Itself, the Praying Mantis that Catches the Cicada
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A fierce wind howled, and the slanted rain pattered down from the sky.
It washed over the earth!
The entire Golden Splendor Pavilion seemed to be enveloped in a curtain of rain, with the raindrops creating countless blurry spots.
On the suspended terrace, the curtains fluttered wildly, dancing in the howling wind and surging air currents, as if they were a cluster of twisting dragons.
Si Mu Bai's face was pale, his eyes brimming with tears, looking like a wronged young lady who would burst into tears at the slightest touch.
He sat in the suspended pavilion he had reserved in advance.
As one of the Three Gentlemen of Feilei, he used to never need to make a reservation, but ever since he was severely injured by a mysterious cultivator, his Divine Essence was stripped away, and the news of his grandfather's severe injury, with his Divine Foundation nearly shattered, spread...
Now, whenever he came to the Golden Splendor Pavilion, he had to make a reservation in advance.
The charcoal stove boiled the water, and the best Spring Tea was poured into the teapot. The dried tea leaves instantly unfurled, their emerald green color blooming like flowers.
The strong tea aroma mixed with the wind and moisture, spreading through the air.
Si Mu Bai's eyes were downcast, even with a hint of ferocity. Guo Zhan was dead... He was severely injured, his Divine Essence stripped away, and he had fallen from the 'Nurturing Nature Like a River' realm.
This filled him with anger and sorrow...
But this was not the worst part. Just when it rained, it poured. His grandfather, to avenge him, chased the culprit to the Strange Temples in the outer city, and was severely injured, his Divine Foundation on the brink of shattering, almost crippled.
If he did not use his Divine Foundation for the rest of his life, he could still survive for a few years, maintaining the power of the Si family. But if he used it, he would surely die.
The worst part was that the news of his grandfather's damaged Divine Foundation had spread throughout Feilei City.
The Yang family, Xu family, An family, and the government... all were eyeing the Si family, now without the patriarch's presence, like a piece of succulent, roasted meat.
"The Divine Essence cultivator who attacked me, the Four Palaces Level [Prince of Wrath], could not have come from Feilei City. He is likely from the Divine Sect..."
"Calculating the time, the Divine Sect should send someone to recruit Spirit Children in a year. But with the changes in the Spirit Child Sect and the Strange Temples... the Divine Sect must have noticed and sent someone early, which is understandable."
"Feilei City is just a small city. The [Wrathful Crying Ghost-Taming] technique I cultivate is already the best Divine Essence technique in Feilei City, but it is only at the Nine Luminaries Rank. Compared to the Four Emperors... it is far too inferior, far too inferior..."
Si Mu Bai clenched his fists. He was so angry, yet tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes.
Once upon a time, he had forced Zhao Chuanxiong to be bait to lure the Bull Demon.
But now, it seemed like karma, and he was forced to be the bait...
At this moment, Si Mu Bai understood Zhao Chuanxiong's feelings.
Being bait... one could be devoured at any moment.
Hanging one's life on a hook, walking the line between life and death...
It truly tested one's mental fortitude and courage.
Si Mu Bai forced himself to calm down, but when he picked up the bowl of tea the beautiful courtesan had poured for him, his fingers trembled uncontrollably, betraying his emotions.
The curtains fluttered and fell...
Fluttered and fell again.
But when they fluttered again, figures wearing masks seemed to appear out of nowhere around the Golden Splendor Pavilion, their powerful Divine Essence bursting forth from their bodies.
Some had sword light that stirred the heart, some had wrathful power like a Buddha, and some had terrifying aura like a Vajra.
They wore various masks, of tigers, leopards, goats...
Perhaps because of the Bull Demon's Cute Ox Mask, which caused a stir.
Now, those who committed crimes in Feilei City while hiding their identities all wore masks.
Si Mu Bai looked at these people, his hands no longer trembling, but his expression was a mix of tears and laughter.
"Xu Helì, An Ruosu, Yang Kaihe... don't think that just because you wear masks, I don't know who you are."
"Your Divine Essence, even if you turn to ashes, I would recognize it. Wearing masks is just self-deception."
"Since you dare to invade my Si family, why don't you face me openly?"
Si Mu Bai said coldly.
But no matter how he shouted and questioned, only his voice echoed in the world.
No one answered him.
Si Mu Bai's eyes flashed with a fierce light. In the next moment, nine palm-sized wooden carvings of wailing spirit infants slid out of his sleeve and floated in the air as he flung them.
"Since you came... you will all die!"
At the moment he threw the nine wooden carvings, Si Mu Bai's white clothes fluttered, and he quickly fell into the rain, his Divine Essence fluctuating as he used a Divine Essence secret technique, merging into the rain like a tear sliding down his face.
He fled rapidly toward the outside of the Golden Splendor Pavilion!
At this moment, Si Mu Bai had only one thought!
Escape!
Bait must also seek to save itself!
Let the two Pulse-Through Warriors and the nine Spirit Infant Ghosts hold them back.
He only needed to escape with his life!
The Si family was finished...
But if he could take the fragments of his grandfather's Divine Foundation, escape from the inner city to the outer city, and meet with the Spirit Child Sect as agreed...
The Si family would have a chance to rise again!
And he...
Would live!
...
...
The Golden Splendor Pavilion was in chaos.
Powerful Divine Essence fluctuations spread out from it, and four enormous, millstone-like shadows hovered in the air...
The rain seemed to freeze, unable to fall a single drop.
It was as if four deities were battling in the sky, the four millstone-like shadows like the sun, dispelling the darkness, shining brightly in the minds of people!
The ordinary people inside the Golden Splendor Pavilion suffered greatly. Their emotions were stirred, fluctuating wildly, some crying, some laughing, some angry... tortured in various ways, out of control, like devout believers, their emotions manipulated.
After the intense emotional fluctuations, they would bleed from the nose and mouth, fainting.
Those who were unlucky died on the spot.
When Divine Foundation cultivators battled, ordinary people inevitably suffered.
Raindrops the size of soybeans fell on the cobblestone path, making a continuous 'pattering' sound.
The chaos in the Golden Splendor Pavilion lasted for an unknown duration, just like the sudden thunderstorm, pouring down with a rumble, showing no signs of stopping, but rather becoming even stronger.
Li Che stood in a dark alley, wearing a straw hat, letting the rain wash over him.
He stared intently at the Golden Splendor Pavilion, watching the Divine Foundation battle from a distance, his heart feeling heavy...
Divine Foundation cultivators were truly powerful, their control over Divine Essence making it impossible for the will to resist, absolutely overwhelming to those below them.
No wonder once one achieved the Divine Foundation, their status in a city was supreme, capable of founding a family.
Their control over the omnipresent Divine Essence particles in the world far exceeded imagination, every movement carrying immeasurable power.
Even a Bloodline Warrior, described more vividly, was like an ant.
In such a battle... Li Che chose not to enter the Golden Splendor Pavilion but to lie in wait outside, observing the situation.
The position he chose to lie in wait was on the road from the inner city to the outer city. If Si Mu Bai could escape alive, this road would be his only path.
If he was not dead, Si Mu Bai would have to leave the city from here...
Li Che could observe the situation and choose to act.
Suddenly, The [Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit] in Li Che's chest suddenly pulsed, sensing the intense Divine Essence fluctuations and the wailing sorrow in the air.
[Wrathful Crying Ghost-Taming] Divine Essence!
Li Che narrowed his eyes, his blood and qi converging more tightly, his gaze like lightning, his heart filled with shock...
Soon, he noticed a barely perceptible water bulge on the ground, gathering extremely concentrated [Wrathful Crying Ghost-Taming] Divine Essence, moving swiftly down the street!
If not for the [Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit]'s sensitivity to Divine Essence...
Li Che would never have noticed!
Someone has escaped!
Escaping by merging with the water... this bizarre technique must belong to a Divine Essence cultivator.
Who is it?
At this critical moment, needing to escape and carrying such concentrated [Wrathful Crying Ghost-Taming] Divine Essence...
It must be Si Mu Bai!
Is it him?
Regardless of whether it is him... Li Che would not let anyone escape at this critical moment!
Better to kill the wrong one than to let one escape!
Li Che felt the world become quiet, his chest's [Dragon-Elephant Vajra] throbbed, the sound like a thundering drum!
The [Six Circulations Blood Change Technique] perfected, his blood and qi boiled and surged!
In an instant!
Li Che's concealed aura tore apart, his black hair danced wildly, his lean and strong body suddenly swelled and grew!
Nine large tendons vibrated like angry dragons, his entire body's bones and tendons roared like tigers!
His elastic clothes instantly bulged, every inch of exposed skin seemed to glow, revealing dark blue veins beneath the skin!
His eyes were as fierce as two large suns!
Like a god or Buddha glaring!
The second lock opened! Fierce Eye Vajra!
Sizzling...
The heavy rain was instantly evaporated by his scalding blood and qi!
Li Che took out the Cute Ox Mask and covered his face...
His aura instantly became like a reclining god or Buddha, rising in an instant, his presence piercing the heavens!
Then, a heavy step!
The alley's water was initially silent, but after Li Che dashed out, the thick water on the cobblestones was lifted up, rising nine feet high!
Thunder roared in the dark clouds!
When the thunder subsided!
Li Che was already above the intense Divine Essence bundle hidden in the thick water on the street, like a fish swimming!
His two-meter-two tall, robust body crashed through the wind and rain, the eyes under the Cute Ox Mask coldly glanced down, his raised foot intertwined with fierce blood and qi...
He stomped down heavily!
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(End of Chapter)