Chapter 266: A Battle of Life and Death, the Demonic Monk Duku

“If the young aren’t full of themselves, can they still be called young?”

The old Daoist was caught off guard for a moment. For some reason, he found that this kid’s words... were oddly pleasing.

Still, his brows furrowed. This matter wasn’t as simple as Li Yanchu imagined.

The third realm was a critical threshold[1]. Once you stepped into it, you’d truly transcend the mortal realm and enter the sacred realm.

In today’s world, third-realm experts were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Those in the advanced second realm were already at the top, but even among advanced second-realm cultivators, strength varied greatly.

Figures like Lord Gufeng and Lord Corpse Matron were in the

first tier

of that level. After all, in magical combat, real strength was proven in actual battles, and mere realm level meant nothing, unless it was a leap to a higher realm entirely, where the very nature of cultivation transformed.

The high mortality rate among Demonic Dao experts wasn’t because their cultivation methods shortened their lives. On the contrary, many lived longer due to slaughtering beings and practicing sinister arts.

The real reason their life expectancy was short was constant fighting, both against each other and against the righteous sects who hunted them down.

Most of their lives were spent in battle, so the turnover in the demonic and heretical paths was fast.

Anyone who survived and rose to become a great figure in those circles had extremely rich combat experience, along with far more sinister and intricate methods of tremendous power.

Therefore... For a fresh-faced young Daoist to think about challenging Lord Gufeng, that was nothing short of daydreaming!

Li Yanchu’s gaze, however, was resolute. He had an instinctive aversion to the idea of playing errand boy, especially since he had just rushed back from beyond the Pass.

If they could take out the two Heavenly Kings of the Bare Body Sect, the old Daoist could then personally go to Jinguang Temple, while he stayed in Wei City, sipping tea and practicing cultivation. Wouldn’t that be wonderfully carefree?

Li Yanchu said in a deep voice, “Senior Uncle, don’t worry, I won’t act recklessly.”

“How could I let you stay here alone to deal with those two bastards for me?”

“They’re just a couple of scum from the Bare Body Sect. Let’s finish them!”

With a flick of his hand, killing intent burst forth!

***

The 28th day of the first lunar month was an auspicious day for Daoist rites, prayers, travel, seeking heirs, and offerings.

Heavy snow filled the sky, and all bird traces vanished. It was the first snowfall of the year in Beifeng Prefecture, and it arrived without warning. Snowflakes were as large as goose feathers, and the cold wind pierced like icy knives.

Deep in the mountains outside Wei City, an old Daoist stood in the wind and snow while holding a yellow paper umbrella. His facial features were deeply lined, like those of an old farmer, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk’s.

Beneath the yellow paper umbrella, not a single snowflake touched him, as though an invisible aura kept the snowfall at bay.

Two figures tore through the air toward him. One was a middle-aged man in white, with a trace of cold indifference in his eyes. His lips were as thin as sabers, and he had an expression icy enough to chill the bones.

The other wore a coarse linen robe with his hair disheveled. Standing bare-footed, he was over eight chi tall, his muscles knotted and bulged.

These two were none other than Lord Gufeng and Lord Corpse Matron of the Bare Body Sect, both infamous masters of the Demonic Dao in the Kingdom of Qian!

The man in white, Lord Gufeng, fixed the old Daoist with a cold, piercing gaze, and he had an overwhelming aura.

“Celestial Master Zhang, you were once a third-realm powerhouse, mastering the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram Visualization Method. Back then, we couldn’t afford to provoke you. But now you’ve fallen from your realm, and you still dare meddle in our affairs here in Wei City? Do you think the Bare Body Sect is some pushover[2]?”

His voice thundered through the valley, shaking loose clumps of snow from the trees.

Meanwhile, Lord Corpse Matron crossed his arms, looking down on the world with contempt in his eyes.

The old Daoist glanced at the two and sneered, “Gufeng, you’d better worry about yourself. Even if you’ve cultivated some life-extending technique to cling to your years, the deathly aura on you is growing heavier and heavier. I’m afraid you won’t last much longer.”

Hearing this, Lord Gufeng went silent. He suddenly raised his head, locking eyes with the old Daoist. “Interesting... you actually survived my curse. As expected of you, Celestial Master Zhang.”

The old Daoist gave a cold laugh. “It’s just a mere curse, it’s hardly worth mentioning. And you think it’s worth shutting yourself away to hone such a harmful art?”

Gu Feng, enraged to the extreme, broke into laughter instead.

“Celestial Master Zhang, my curse uses essence and blood as a guide, aimed to shatter Daoist arts and divine souls. You may look strong now, but inside you’re already spent, and still you dare to talk big.”

The old Daoist gave him a sidelong glance. “With that temper of yours, you even let Corpse Matron patch up your severed limb with Corpse-Refining Arts? You’ve really fallen low.”

The old Daoist had lost a few fights in his time, but when it came to insults, he had never been bested. He always went straight for the sore spot!

Sure enough, Lord Gufeng’s face darkened, and flames of fury flared in his eyes.

You old bastard, you’re the one who chopped off my arm in the first place!

Lord Corpse Matron said coldly, “Old bastard, that remark of yours cuts straight to the heart. You look down on my Corpse-Refining Arts that much?”

What was unexpected was that this burly man, with his knotted muscles and towering build, spoke in the crisp, delicate voice of a young girl[3].

The old Daoist’s expression stayed flat.

“Heh,

ptooey

!” He spat at him directly with his face full of disgust, even covering his nose as he stepped back a pace.

Lord Corpse Matron froze for a moment, then his face turned ashen as his rage boiled over.

“Old bastard, you’re courting death!”

His voice suddenly sharpened, becoming ear-piercingly shrill.

He had originally intended to let Gufeng and the old Daoist wear each other down, but now he could no longer restrain the killing intent surging in his chest. Thus, he struck first!

Boom!

The ground beneath the old Daoist exploded into a massive pit from Lord Corpse Matron’s punch, and shards of rock flew in all directions.

Hiss!

A white whip lashed out, striking Lord Corpse Matron and sending up curls of white smoke from his body.

But Lord Corpse Matron felt nothing; he was, after all, an ancient corpse that had developed consciousness with overwhelming corpse qi surging to the heavens.

With a sweep of his hand, hordes of

jiangshi

with copper-hard skin and boundless strength appeared, charging the old Daoist from all sides.

Lord Gufeng produced a black skull, and with a flick of his fingers to form a seal, the skull transformed into a colossal human face dozens of zhang tall.

It seemed to embody every negative emotion in the world; a single glance at it was enough to plunge one into endless, overwhelming terror.

The old Daoist’s face remained calm. The yellow paper umbrella shielded him completely, impervious to corpse qi and yin miasma. The white whip in his hand was fierce and unmatched.

Though outnumbered two to one, he still forced them back under his might!

Neither Lord Corpse Matron, with his brute strength, nor Lord Gufeng wielding that hellish ghost-face, who seemed to open the very gates of hell, could harm the old Daoist in the slightest, at least not for the moment.

“Still the same few tricks... You two think you can kill

me

? Today, I’ll be the one to butcher you!” The old Daoist grinned wildly, his voice dripping with mockery.

It had to be said that this venerable Celestial Master was truly an expert at drawing hatred. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Bare Body Sect were no small-time figures; each was a renowned demonic cultivator in the Kingdom of Qian. After being taunted in such a tone, it was impossible for them to keep their tempers in check.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Boom!

Boom!

The terrifying might of their clash shook the entire valley apart, and the ground was riddled with craters. This level of magical combat could truly shake mountains and topple cities.

Yin qi and corpse poison filled the swirling snow, smothering the valley in a dense, malevolent aura. If a weaker cultivator stepped inside, they would have their soul and body instantly corrupted, leaving no remains behind.

As for ordinary people, the shockwaves alone would be enough to shatter them into pieces!

Suddenly, countless noises erupted in their ears. They heard men and women quarreling, children crying, elders murmuring, the sounds of knives chopping, axes splitting, and the gush of blood.

The valley, which had previously been filled only with wind, snow, and the clash of powers, suddenly became

noisy

and teeming with unsettling sounds. The voices grew clearer, as if whispering right beside their ears.

The old Daoist suddenly staggered, as if struck by lightning. The entire valley seemed to transform into a gloomy ghost-realm.

Out of the snow appeared an old monk in the garb of an ascetic.

With a single step, he crossed ten zhang, drawing ever closer with his movements reminiscent of Buddhism’s legendary

Divine Foot Arts

[4].

“It’s the demonic monk, Duku[5]!” the old Daoist said in a low voice.

“Amitabha. I’m indeed Duku, though I dare not accept the title ‘demonic.’ Today, I have come especially to send the venerable Celestial Master early to the Western Paradise.”

He was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Bare Body Sect—the demonic monk, Duku!

1. In English, 分水岭 watershed literally means a ridge that separates two drainage areas, but figuratively it means a turning point, dividing line, or critical threshold, an event or stage that separates one era/level from another. ☜

2. The phrase 纸糊 (zhǐ hú) literally means “pasted together with paper,” describing something fragile and easy to tear apart. In colloquial usage, it refers to something flimsy, weak, or incapable of withstanding pressure. When the speaker says

“真当我们赤身教是纸糊”

(“Do you really think our sect is made of paper?”), it is a defiant retort, implying

“We are not that weak or fragile”

, in other words, the sect should not be underestimated. Here I decided to go with 'pushover' as it conveys the same meaning while being more easily understood by you readers.☜

3. The name 尸婆天王 (Shīpó Tiānwáng) is paradoxical by design. 尸 (corpse) conveys death, corruption, and yin energy, while 婆 (matron/old woman) typically signifies the feminine, the maternal, or the uncanny. Here it does not literally denote a female, but rather introduces a disturbing dissonance: the figure is described as a male corpse that speaks with a woman’s voice. Retaining “Matron” preserves this gendered ambiguity and highlights the eerie, yin quality implied by 婆. The honorific 天王 (Heavenly King/Lord) indicates great status or power, so I render the title as “Lord Corpse Matron”. ☜

4. “Shénzútōng (神足通,

iddhi-vidhā

), also called ‘Rúyìtōng’ (As-You-Wish Power) or ‘Shénjìngtōng’ (Divine Realm Power), refers to a supernatural ability of complete freedom within the six sensory realms: to transform at will, to fly unhindered, and to manifest freely. With it, one may travel vast distances or journey across the past, present, and future, unrestricted by time or space. ☜

5. The name 渡苦 (Dùkǔ) literally means “to ferry across suffering.” In Buddhist usage, 渡 refers to delivering beings across the sea of suffering toward liberation, while 苦 denotes suffering or hardship, central to the Buddhist doctrine of the Four Noble Truths. For an orthodox monk, such a name would suggest compassion and salvation. However, for a demonic monk, the name becomes deeply ironic: instead of relieving suffering, he twists the vow into a tool of cruelty, or perhaps reflects his own descent after enduring unbearable suffering. In my opnion, the ambiguity gives the name both a Buddhist gravitas and a sinister undertone. ☜