Chapter 52: Oh no, it’s really my biological dad!
Demon Cultivation Mountain Gate.
“Leader, this is bad.”
Tang Yubbing watched the mountain protection formation slowly cracking and said anxiously: “It’s likely to hold up for much longer.”
Hua Jianglian also stared at the formation, furious, as if her heart was bleeding.
“Old hag Yu Xia, you really deserve to die… I spent so many spirit stones on this formation, enough to buy several sets of manga merchandise…”
“I can’t take this anymore.”
The little girl stomped her foot in anger and stood up, ready to charge out: “I’m going to confront that old hag!”
“Leader! Calm down—”
Tang Yubbing hadn’t even had the chance to stop her.
Suddenly, there was an explosive bang.
Another deafening sound echoed.
But this time, it wasn’t a cannonball’s noise, nor was it from the mountain gate.
…It was from behind the sect’s position.
With that bang, the sect’s offensive gradually halted, and Tang Yubbing looked out with her beautiful, suspicious eyes:
“What’s going on? What happened?”
“Over there.”
Hua Jianglian, petite as she was, stood half in the air, fixated on the distance and replied seriously:
“There are Crossing Tribulation Stage cultivators fighting.”
——
——
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, the entire sect’s position became chaotic and noisy.
Tents were overturned and destroyed, disciples of the sect scattered and fled, and the entire mountain entrance was almost obliterated.
Amidst the wreckage, Master Yu Xia was now disheveled, her hairpin scattered, looking utterly helpless as she sat on the ground.
Her pale face made the crimson corner of her lips stand out starkly.
Yet, her eyes remained cold and clear, fixed on the fat man in front of her.
“Wow, who knew the medicine from the ghost market would be so effective?”
He Hongyi swayed and said, “They say even Crossing Tribulation Stage cultivators could fall for it. Indeed, you get what you pay for. It was worth spending that much money.”
“I thought it would take some effort… but it turned out to be so easy.”
Yu Xia coldly snapped: “Just kill me.”
“I wouldn’t dare to kill you. If I did that, it would be unjust.”
He Hongyi slowly grinned: “I’m just showing concern for humanity, protecting the rights of Water Moon Sect disciples.”
“As long as Master Yu Xia admits defeat and steps down, we could still be friends.”
Yu Xia spat at him fiercely.
“As long as I’m alive, I am still the Sect Leader of Water Moon Sect. You’ll never occupy my Water Moon Sect!”
“Then it’s not up to you, Master Yu.”
He Hongyi took a couple of steps closer.
At this moment, he was practically popping the champagne in his mind for the victory within his grasp.
“He who has virtue has help, he who has sin has less.”
He leaned closer to Yu Xia and whispered, “Master Yu Xia, do you believe in ghosts and deities?”
“Ha! I’m just a cultivator seeking the Dao. How could I possibly believe in such things?”
“You don’t believe.” He Hongyi narrowed his eyes. “So you don’t know everything you’re facing today is your retribution for your past evils.”
“And I believe.”
He smugly proclaimed, “In my life, I’ve done good deeds, so when your disciples faced injustices, the first thought they had was to seek my help.”
“Even for us cultivators, we must maintain a sense of reverence.”
After speaking, he happily cupped his hands together and slowly bowed to the heavens and the earth.
Thanking the heavens for their gifts.
This great gift from Water Moon Sect… I, He, shall graciously accept.
——
——
But his smile hadn’t even faded.
Suddenly, the surroundings plunged into utter darkness.
Pure, pitch-black darkness, where one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face.
He Hongyi instantly felt a sense of alarm and yelled, “Who?”
“Who dares disturb my Qian Kun Que’s good fortune? Regardless of who you are, this is a great offense.”
No one responded to him.
In the endless blackness, a solitary green lantern slowly flickered to life nearby.
It looked especially eerie and sinister.
“Who’s pretending to be a ghost!? Too scared to show your true face?”
He Hongyi roared, and the pressure of his Crossing Tribulation Stage instantly surged out.
But the lantern merely swayed a little and remained lit.
At the same time, a deep, echoing voice slowly resonated:
“Constantly proclaiming that there are deities just three feet above you.”
“Since you see my true self, why not bow?”
He Hongyi turned abruptly.
He fixed his gaze on the flickering illusion of an ancient Buddha towering before him, feeling utterly confused.
“Who are you? How dare you swindle people here?”
“I am the Earth Store Bodhisattva, witnessing your heinous sins and unable to bear your continual errors; I come to guide you.”
Earth Store Bodhisattva?
He Hongyi had no idea what that was.
Although he had just referred to deities in front of Yu Xia, he didn’t actually believe in such things.
Well, of course not.
As a cultivator, believing in deities? Could deities overpower him?
But now, faced with this bizarre situation, He Hongyi found it hard to discern.
It didn’t seem like a Daoist technique… it lacked a trace of spiritual energy.
So how did this strange phenomenon manifest?
Could it be he really bumped into a genuine divine being?
Before he could unravel the situation, the illusion of the Buddha took advantage of his confused state and pressed on:
“He Hongyi. As the leader of a righteous sect, you are selfish, sinister, and cruel.”
“Deceiving others, robbing them, and committing all manner of evil.”
“Even if you struggle to see yourself clearly, the sins and tribulations upon your conscience are vast; after death, you shall surely fall into the infernal abyss and suffer endlessly.”
“Shut up!”
He Hongyi cursed angrily: “I’ve cultivated for a lifetime, who gives you the right to meddle in my affairs?”
“You utter twisted words, desecrating the deities; you’ll be condemned to a hundred years in the Hell of Grinding Mortars and the Hell of Blade Mountains.”
“How dare you…”
“Another hundred years added.”
“I’ll cut you…”
“Another addition.”
He Hongyi’s face turned crimson with rage, breathing heavily.
“If all you can do is talk, then don’t come here to scare me.”
He should’ve known that was coming.
“Stubborn fool.”
“You’re unaware that your sins have also harmed your family.”
He Hongyi furrowed his brows tightly.
What did that mean?
At that moment, a weak, slightly resentful voice slowly rang out:
“Oh my… you annoying brat!”
“You’ve really put your old man in a terrible position!”
The instant He Hongyi heard that voice, his whole body trembled, and his eyes widened in shock.
That voice was all too familiar.
It belonged to the very man who had raised him his entire life—his biological father.
But, it couldn’t be!
His dad had passed away decades ago.
He had even buried him himself.
In that instant, He Hongyi felt blood rush to his head, dizzy.
“Old man… dad? Is it really you?”
“No, this can’t be. It must be an illusion, or some Daoist trick.”
“My dad is dead!” His eyes turned red with rage as he shouted, “Don’t you dare try to deceive me, you sitting-forgetting Daoist!”
“You scoundrel!”
The old man’s voice was filled with exasperation, as he shouted:
“If you dare deny me as your father, I’ll make sure everyone in hell knows about the time you stole the widow’s underwear from the neighboring village when you were a kid!”
In that moment, He Hongyi’s legs trembled and he instantly got scared.
Oh no.
It really is my biological dad.
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