Chapter 7: Tang Lian’s Furious Buddhist Wrath

"Excellent skills, young master," the middle-aged scholar stood up, nodding his head. 

Xiao Se waved dismissively, "Just a little trick, nothing more. I don't know any martial arts." 

"Don't know any martial arts?" The middle-aged scholar smiled, "The path ahead is treacherous. If you don't know martial arts, you might not want to wade into these murky waters." 

"What?" Xiao Se raised an eyebrow, "Are you going back on your word?" 

The middle-aged scholar shook his head, "I won't go back on my word, but while I won't act, my companions are less patient. I believe they've already made their move." 

"Oh?" Xiao Se chuckled, "We have a friend whose mind isn't sharp, but his skills are exceptional. Your companions might not have the upper hand." 

"If you knew who we were, you wouldn't say that," the middle-aged scholar said arrogantly. 

Xiao Se, hands in his sleeves, lazily said, "Tian Wai Tian, the White-Haired Immortal. Looking back twelve years, it was indeed a name to be reckoned with." 

The middle-aged scholar froze, his eyes flashing with cold light. His usually calm voice suddenly turned fierce, "Who are you! How do you recognize me! How do you know about Tian Wai Tian!" 

Xiao Se shrugged, "It's not that hard to recognize. Not many people know about you, but some do..." 

Before Xiao Se could finish, the middle-aged scholar had already rushed forward, his left hand clawing to grab him. 

Tang Lian quickly intervened but was forced back by the middle-aged scholar's right hand wielding the jade sword. In an instant, the middle-aged scholar had grabbed Xiao Se by the collar, "You're coming with us!" 

Xiao Se looked innocent, "But I clearly won." 

The middle-aged scholar sneered, "Since you know about Tian Wai Tian, you should know what kind of people we are." With that, he pulled Xiao Se and headed out. Tang Lian tried to follow, but the scholar's attendants immediately stepped forward with their swords, blocking him. 

Xiao Se then shouted to Ming Hou and Yue Ji, who were watching coldly from the side, "Thirteen years ago, the Red-Clad Blood Incident at Wang Yi Pavilion, the murderer was..." 

"What!" Yue Ji immediately jumped off the table. 

Ming Hou also turned sharply, gripping his giant blade tightly. 

By then, Xiao Se had already been taken outside the Beauty Pavilion by the middle-aged scholar. 

Ming Hou and Yue Ji hesitated for no more than a moment before following. The attendants turned to block them, but Yue Ji's silver flash and Ming Hou's massive blade quickly dispatched them, slicing throats and cutting bodies in half. 

"What a murderous aura!" Tian Nu Rui exclaimed. 

Tang Lian frowned, "I've fought them twice but never seen such murderous intent. What did Xiao Se mean by his last words?" 

Tian Nu Rui shook her head, "The Red-Clad Blood Incident at Wang Yi Pavilion was a mystery from thirteen years ago. Why did your companion suddenly mention it? What do we do now, chase after them?" 

Tang Lian thought for a moment, then shook his head, "No. The Red-Clad Blood Incident must be related to Ming Hou and Yue Ji. Xiao Se deliberately let the white-haired man take him, drawing Ming Hou and Yue Ji into a conflict. We should find Lei Wujie!" 

"Who is Lei Wujie? Where is he?" 

"In the backyard! He's guarding the item. If the white-haired man wasn't lying, then Lei Wujie might be in danger..." 

"Boom!" A loud explosion suddenly rang out, making everyone cover their ears. 

"I am Lei Wujie from the Thunderclap Hall of Jiangnan! Is there anyone else who dares to die?" Lei Wujie stood atop a golden coffin, holding two large Thunderbolts in his hands, shouting boldly at the people below. 

The group of black-robed men surrounding the carriage seemed intimidated and took a few steps back. 

Lei Wujie finally let out a heavy breath. Just now, while hiding in the carriage, he suddenly felt more than a dozen cold palm strikes from outside. He quickly channeled his internal energy to counter them, but these strikes were strange, soft, and venomous, neutralizing his energy upon contact. It felt like his entire body was being crushed, making it hard to breathe. In desperation, he used all his internal energy, his eyes turning blood-red for an instant. The crushing pressure lightened considerably, and he managed to stand, roaring to the sky. He expelled the dozen palm strikes, but the carriage roof was instantly shattered. Without thinking, he threw a handful of Thunderbolts outside, forcing the assailants ten steps back. 

Now, Lei Wujie could finally see the attackers. They were all dressed in black robes, weaponless but with ghastly pale hands. 

"Who are you?" Lei Wujie asked. 

No one answered. The leader of the black-robed group lightly waved his hand, and instantly, eight people leapt forward. Eight ghostly claws aimed at him: one for his lower body, one for his head, one for his back, another for his heart, and the remaining four to lock his hands and feet. A single person would be utterly doomed under such an assault. Unless he had three heads and six arms, how could he defend against eight attackers at once? 

Yet at that moment, Lei Wujie seemed to grow three heads and six arms. Four Lei Wujies appeared, back to back, forming a perfect defensive stance. 

The leader of the black-robed men was momentarily stunned, "Such speed!" He looked closely at Lei Wujie, who was now emitting a steamy heat, his pupils glowing fiery red. 

"Fire Scorching Technique? No wonder…" the leader lightly waved his hand again. 

The initial eight attackers were all repelled by Lei Wujie, but another eight leapt forward, attacking in the exact same manner. Lei Wujie had no time to defend. Just then, a lotus flower flew from behind him. 

A sinister, ghostly, night lotus. 

The lotus exploded in mid-air, sending seven petals toward the seven attackers. The petals moved so fast that the black-robed men didn't doubt they could pierce their heads. They recognized this weapon: the Buddhist Fury Tang Lotus! One of the Tang Clan's most feared weapons, coming in various forms, this one was a seven-petal lotus. If it had been a thousand-petal lotus, they wouldn't even have had the chance to retreat. They quickly backed off. 

But one man didn't retreat. His right hand reached for Lei Wujie's heart, only an inch away from ending his life. Yet he couldn't move another inch because a figure leapt from behind Lei Wujie, wielding a blade that seemed to glow like moonlight. In an instant, the moonlight blade severed the ghostly claw. The figure then kicked the man away and landed steadily on the coffin. 

"Tang Lian," the leader of the black-robed men frowned, "You survived inside." 

Tang Lian turned to Lei Wujie, "How are you?" 

Lei Wujie wiped the sweat off, his body seemingly ablaze, emitting heat, his eyes bright red. He exhaled, "I just mastered this technique recently, still not very skilled. Now, fighting ten or eight of them won't be a problem." 

"Such arrogance," the leader sneered, "But the Fire Scorching Technique burns your inner fire for temporary power. How long can your fuel last?" 

"I don't know how long, but it's enough to take on you half-human, half-ghost creatures," Lei Wujie stepped forward. 

"Such arrogance," the leader coldly sneered. 

Tang Lian suddenly raised his hand to stop Lei Wujie, who looked at him in confusion. Tang Lian pointed to the night sky, "Look." 

Lei Wujie looked up to see a full moon, "What about it?" 

Tang Lian said, "Don't you find it strange?" 

Lei Wujie squinted, "It looks like it's made of paper..." 

Tang Lian sighed, "Today is the twenty-second; the moon should be a waning crescent, not full." 

"Does that mean..." 

"This is the Solitary Void Technique! It creates an illusionary realm. From now on, you can't trust what you see, yet must believe in what you see!" Tang Lian explained. 

Lei Wujie smiled wryly, "I don't understand, senior brother." 

"Watch out!" Tang Lian shouted, looking at Lei Wujie's feet. 

Lei Wujie looked down and saw countless ghastly white hands reaching from the coffin to grab his legs. He jumped, but another ghostly claw aimed for his heart in mid-air. He punched at it, but it felt like hitting nothing. He steadied himself, barely maintaining balance. He'd seen many skilled fighters but never such eerie formations. Cold sweat broke out on his back. "Senior brother!" 

Tang Lian, eyes closed, frowning, said nothing. 

"Don't give up, senior brother!" Lei Wujie shouted. 

As he shouted, Tang Lian flicked his sleeve, and a Zhu Yan arrow flew out, piercing a ghostly claw behind Lei Wujie. Lei Wujie heard a scream, turned, and saw the claw disappear, leaving a bloodstain. "How did you know this one was real?" 

Tang Lian, eyes still closed, listening intently, said, "In this illusion, what you see isn't real, but deadly traps are hidden in the unreal. You must abandon your eyes and use your ears. Listening to the wind is a core skill of Snow Moon City. I'll teach you now. Listen carefully: wind is everywhere. The Solitary Void Technique blocks all outside sounds, so listen for the sound of weapons tearing through the wind. That's when the enemy reveals himself!" Tang Lian leapt, pulling out a black-robed man, slashing his throat, and kicking him to the ground. 

Lei Wujie, wildly swinging his arms, created a perfect defensive circle, repelling all ghostly claws, real or not. He closed his eyes, focusing. At first, he only heard his own fists cutting through the air. Then he discerned a calm, flowing breeze amidst his own noise. Suddenly, a disruption in that calm wind made him strike. A black-robed figure appeared, spat blood, and fell. 

"Exceptional talent!" Tang Lian praised. 

Lei Wujie opened his eyes, smiling, "Training since childhood honed my hearing." Just as he felt proud, a hand grabbed his ankle from below. Lei Wujie was startled, but a Zhu Yan arrow shot into the ground, making the hand release its grip. 

"Still lacking in experience," Tang Lian sighed.