Using a perception technique, he took a closer look. Sure enough, it was a large monk with a long face and deep-set eyes, holding a pair of short staves. His entire body was flushed red, and his eyes were wide with anger. Clearly, he was a member of the Wrathful Dao lineage.
This monk's aura was intense, with a golden flame blazing all around him. Li Xuanfeng observed him from a distance, quietly reaching for the Golden Age Longbow strapped to his back and watching the newcomer intently.
Is this Mutuo...?
Li Xuanfeng watched coldly, sensing that something was off. According to Ning Family's intelligence, Mutuo should have been severely injured and not yet recovered, and besides, he was not known for wielding dual staves.
Seems this is an ally of Mutuo's... another lackey of the Wrathful Dao...
Although he had not managed to lure Mutuo out, he had instead caught the attention of a Wrathful Dao monk. Li Xuanfeng kept his gaze fixed on him, waiting patiently with his bow.
The monk, wearing half a robe and carrying two long staves on his back, looked like a warrior monk. He patrolled the sea area where the artifact's aura had been sensed, circling around the same spot. Li Xuanfeng kept his distance, relying on his perception technique to watch from afar, undetected. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Li Xuanfeng's Black Gold Spirit Armor, a Foundation Establishment Realm armor known as Black Tiger Eyes, naturally concealed his aura, making it unlikely that the monk would even be able to detect him if he approached. Still, aware of the Buddhist cultivators' strange abilities, he kept his distance, just in case.
Ewu frowned as he scanned the area. Suddenly, he perked up, his keen eyes spotting someone flying in from the south, lurking suspiciously and circling the area. However, this newcomer's cultivation level was merely at the late Qi Cultivation Realm. Seeing an easy target, Ewu sped towards him and shouted, "Who goes there!"
The Golden Sack Island cultivator jumped in fright, sneaking a glance at Ewu and confirming he was indeed a Buddhist monk. He thought to himself, So, this must be the one with the treasured Buddhist artifact that the lord spoke of. I will have a few words with him and let the lord handle it!
He took a step back, intending to deflect Ewu's attention and then return to the island. Confident in his connections, he replied softly, "Greetings, senior. I am from Golden Sack Island..."
However, before he could even finish his sentence, Ewu's face contorted into a cruel smile. Reaching out, he sent a force surging through the cultivator's body, causing his face to flush and his forehead to bead with sweat as he scrambled to reach for the talisman hidden in his sleeve.
Ewu's combat skills were exceptional, even among monks. Master Monks were inherently stronger than Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and even with his Dao lineage weakened, he was far too much for this cultivator. The cultivator felt a rush of blood to his head as the monk moved in closer to him, grabbing him by the collar.
The cultivator opened his mouth to plead, but a mouthful of blood spurted out instead. His protective barrier flashed brightly, but it was merely a Qi Cultivation Realm shield and disintegrated instantly under the Master Monk's strike.
"My lord! My lord..."
Ewu ignored his cries, dislocating the cultivator's limbs and pulling out his white bones almost effortlessly.
Pressing a hand on his skull, Ewu— though unskilled in soul searching techniques— had learned a thing or two. After scanning through the cultivator's recent three-day memories, he laughed loudly and said, "Situ Mo is truly a coward! If not for that, my senior brother would have fallen into my hands long ago."
Not only did he spare the cultivator, but he used his mana to keep him alive. Carrying the limp body, he found a banyan tree on the island and secured the cultivator's head to it, preserving his life force.
Then, taking a handful of blood from the corpse nearby, he smeared it across his face, his features twisting and shifting until they morphed into the appearance of the Golden Sack Island cultivator.
"Hmm...Heh,"
Ewu chuckled sinisterly before rising on the wind, flying south with a carefree air.
After a good ten breaths, Li Xuanfeng finally landed by the edge of the island. He took slow, measured steps forward and raised his gaze to look at the large banyan tree.
The head affixed to the tree bore a strange expression, somewhere between a smirk and a sneer, a mingle between anger and excitement. It seemed that this man was still alive, caught in some delusion of escape or dreams of revenge. Li Xuanfeng studied him intently, his eyes narrowing. The sand and pebbles at his feet clinked and rattled, jumping and scraping against each other which produced a sharp, grating sound.
His gaze grew fierce, as if he could devour a person at any moment.
This man's fate reminded Li Xuanfeng of his younger brother, Li Xuanling, who had been beaten and killed and his body devoured at Zhenhui Temple.
Back then, only Li Tongya had managed to bring back the remains, and even that was just a lone head. Li Xuanfeng had been stationed in the Southern Border and had not witnessed it himself. Now, staring at this head, a boiling rage surged within him, his eyes nearly splitting in fury.
Unlike Li Xuanxuan, who had broken down in sorrow and hatred, allowing inner demons to take root, Li Xuanfeng's expression grew colder the deeper his hatred grew. In his mind, he calmly analyzed the upcoming situation, his bowstring vibrating slightly and producing a series of sharp, eagle-like whistles in the air.
He then turned, striding step by step along the coastline until he reached the shore. He lifted on the wind, headed straight toward Golden Sack Island.