Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds-Chapter 42: Killing Another Dharma Guardian Ghost God
From Ren Tianhe, Gu Zhao learned of a new concept.
Dao Practice!
The Cultivation Systems of this world were many and varied. Demons and Ghosts, Divine Cultivation, Body Refining, Harmony, Pure Technique—each followed its own path, making it difficult to unify their realms. Therefore, they were only distinguished by their Dao Practice.
After all, it was difficult to advance one’s Dao Practice without a high realm. Conversely, someone with high Dao Practice was guaranteed to have a realm that was anything but low.
For example, the Golden Wind Divine King, who had been established in Changping Prefecture for decades and absorbed countless amounts of Incense and Candle Telekinesis, was a ferocious Ghost God with several hundred years of Dao Practice and incomparably profound Magical Power.
This "several hundred years of Dao Practice" didn’t mean the Golden Wind Divine King had cultivated for several hundred years. Rather, it meant his Magical Power was equivalent to that of an ordinary person who had cultivated for several hundred years.
He, Ren Tianhe, was known as the First Guardian of the Golden Wind Divine Sect, yet his Dao Practice was stuck at around one hundred and twenty to thirty years, unable to advance another inch. The other Dharma Guardian Ghost Gods barely had a hundred years of Dao Practice; calling them "hundred-year-old ghosts" was a sign of respect.
As for the Golden Wind Divine Maiden and the Divine Generals of the Sub-temples, their titles sounded grand, but in reality, their Dao Practice was only between ten and a few dozen years. Without the protection of the Golden Wind Divine Sect and their share of the Incense to solidify their Divine Souls, they might not even be a match for other Demons and Ghosts. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"So that’s how it is." Gu Zhao nodded in understanding.
’I’ve been cultivating for ten years. While I wasn’t exactly slacking off, I didn’t let it get in the way of having fun, eating, drinking, or getting into college. Even with great talent, my Dao Practice would only be comparable to about thirty years’ worth. It’s only because my Cultivation efficiency here has been extremely high, on top of killing four of the Golden Wind Sect’s Guardians and having the Five Thunders Order absorb their Evil Qi to accelerate my progress, that my Dao Practice has risen so much in such a short time.’
’But I cultivate a Taoist Orthodox Method, my Innate Qi is of Pure Yang, and my Magical Power is Spirit Essence. It’s inherently a counter to demons and heretical paths. Coupled with the immense power of my Talismanic Magic, I can fight above my level. Even this hundred-year-old ghost couldn’t withstand two authentic Shangqing Great Forbidden Dragon Binding Talismans.’
’And in this world, the most numerous Demons and Ghosts are those with less than a hundred years of Cultivation. Anyone with over a hundred years of Dao Practice can basically rule over a county.’
’Turns out I’m pretty strong!’ Gu Zhao mused, rubbing his chin. ’Does this make me a county-level Brahman?’
’Although, according to what Ren Tianhe said, I definitely can’t beat the Golden Wind Divine King yet. After all, there’s a limit to how far above my level I can fight.’
’It’s just like in *A Chinese Ghost Story*. No matter how powerful Yan Chixia and Zen Master White Cloud were—enough to fight the thousand-year Tree Demon Granny to a standstill—they were no match for the Black Mountain Demon.’
’However...’
’Even though I stole his Incense and Candle Divine Statue, killed his Golden Wind Divine Maiden and four Guardians, and am about to take out another of his Dharma Protectors and a Divine General of the Sub-temple, and steal another Incense and Candle Divine Statue...’
’He still doesn’t know who I am!’
’So, time is on my side. As long as I eliminate more Demons and Ghosts and absorb their Evil Qi to aid my Cultivation, then the day I arrive in Changping Prefecture will be the day he dies!’
Gu Zhao: (◔◡◔)
’But I still need to hurry, to speed up my Cultivation. It would be best to have some help from partners. In that case... it’s time to move some things up on my agenda.’
Thinking this, Gu Zhao looked again at Ren Tianhe and Hong Xin, who were paralyzed on the floor.
As experienced old ghosts, one look at Gu Zhao’s eyes was all it took for them to know he intended to kill them to silence them.
"If you dare kill me, the Divine King will not let you go!" Ren Tianhe roared furiously.
"Mage, spare me! This lowly one is willing to surrender and serve you as a slave!" Hong Xin shouted.
Unfortunately, both were bound by the iron chains of the Dragon-Binding Talisman, their voices as faint and inaudible as the buzzing of mosquitoes.
Gu Zhao formed the Celestial Thunder Seal with his left hand while his right hand formed a seal and began chanting. After four lines of the incantation, he thrust his palm toward Hong Xin. A flash of purple light shot out as the Palm Thunder instantly struck the other’s body.
"AHH!" Hong Xin screamed. The Ghost within his body tried to escape, but it was trapped by the iron chains of the Dragon-Binding Talisman and had no choice but to take the full force of the Palm Thunder.
With a single strike of thunder, the Ghost Body was annihilated and the Divine Soul dispersed. Hong Xin, along with the Ghost inside him, was killed instantly by the Palm Thunder. A wisp of Evil Qi was then absorbed by the Five Thunders Order, which in turn fed back into Gu Zhao.
"HAH!" Ren Tianhe’s eyes looked ready to split from their sockets as he let out a furious roar. He forcefully circulated the Magical Power in his body, shattering his Dantian and tearing his meridians. His Ghost Body destabilized, and his Divine Soul wavered.
He spat out a mouthful of black blood as smoke poured from his seven orifices. The Ghost Qi in his body fell into disarray, but at the cost of grievous injury, he had broken through the iron chain Restrictions of the two Dragon-Binding Talismans.
The next moment, Ren Tianhe lunged forward, his body wrapped in black qi, about to burst through the door.
"Celestial Net, now expand, and spread to the four directions. Seize the wicked fiend, leaving ghosts no form to escape."
Reciting the same spell as before, Gu Zhao sent a spark of fire shooting from his fingertip. It traced a red line that instantly landed on Ren Tianhe, then transformed into a web of fire that enveloped him and threw him to the ground.
This was the Fire Shield Technique, the only combat-oriented Magic in the Shangqing Heavenly Heart Righteous Method. It wasn’t a pure Attack, but rather a slowing effect with damage-over-time, which was why Gu Zhao used it as an execution tool.
With the Fire Shield Technique binding Ren Tianhe, Gu Zhao didn’t hesitate. He once again used Palm Thunder. "Thunder and lightning give chase, with heaven and earth as their eyes. Righteous Qi from eight directions, flash with electric light!"
BOOM!
"AHH!" Ren Tianhe wailed in agony. He had broken free from the Shangqing Great Forbidden Dragon Binding Talisman, and though grievously injured, he could finally command his Magical Power again.
Ren Tianhe thrust his right hand forward, and a Great Saber appeared in his grasp. He spun around and slashed violently at Gu Zhao. A black, skull-shaped qi burst from the blade, carrying with it a wave of Saber Qi that coiled toward Gu Zhao.
At the same time, Ren Tianhe struck his chest with his left fist. A wave of Spiritual Telekinesis suddenly emanated from him as he roared, "Golden Wind be eternal, Divine King, aid me!"
The next moment, the Wood Carving from the main hall of the Golden Wind Hall went WHOOSH, transforming into an afterimage as it flew into the small courtyard and smashed through the window.
However, just as the Wood Carving broke through the window, Gu Zhao had already waved away the black qi surrounding him. With a lunge, he reached out and intercepted it, grabbing the Wood Carving in the space between Ren Tianhe and the window.
But there wasn’t the slightest hint of shock on Ren Tianhe’s face. Instead, he let out a malevolent sneer. "Gold—"
SWISH!
SWISH!
Ren Tianhe’s vision blurred. It seemed as if the young man before him had flickered for an instant. Still, he subconsciously continued Chanting the Spell, "Golden Wind Divine King, your Divine Techniques are eternal! I offer you my loyalty, aid me in defeating my enemy!"
When Ren Tianhe finished his incantation, nothing happened in the quiet room. Only then did he realize that the Wood Carving the young man had snatched was gone, and the young man now had his right palm aimed at him.
’What happened?’
BOOM!
A flash of purple light, and the thunder passed through his body. Ren Tianhe had no defense. His Ghost Body, which had been on the verge of solidifying into a human form, was directly blasted apart, turning into a pile of black ash that scattered like charred bone.
Gu Zhao felt the Evil Qi being absorbed by the Five Thunders Order in his mind. ’As expected of the First Guardian. He killed the most people, so his Evil Qi is the densest.’
Just then, he heard a commotion from outside. Apparently, Ren Tianhe teleporting the Wood Carving had caused a panic among the believers and attracted the attention of the sect members outside.
Moreover, he had just used Palm Thunder, a Magic that was anything but quiet.
A rush of hurried footsteps approached. Gu Zhao leaped out of the window. With a flick of his wrist, a Wind and Thunder Talisman appeared in his palm.
"Star of Wood and Virtue, spirit of the East. Follow my nine Qi, and drive out the evil spirits!"
...
「In a certain palace」
A furious, angry roar echoed once again. "What in the hell was Ren Tianhe doing?!"
