Chapter 550: A Humanoid Monster

The bodhisattva of greed's sudden desire to back down caught Xiao Nanfeng's group by surprise. At this point, however, why would they stop? Furthermore, their opponents were the ones panicking. It was only natural that they would want to seize the advantage.

"Attack them!" Zhao Yuanjiao shouted, swinging his crescent sword and charging forward, advancing against the bodhisattva of greed's struggles.

All the arhats gave up on dealing with Xiao Nanfeng and began to rush toward the black smoke at the center of the lake.

However, Xiao Nanfeng had no intention of allowing them to succeed. He sent half his snowmen-avatars toward the lake, attacking the arhats, sending them flying, and protecting the bundle of black smoke.

"Lad, if that monster frees itself, none of you are going to be able to escape. You'll all perish!" the bodhisattva of greed howled.

However, no one paid the bodhisattva of greed any mind, causing him to grow more and more exasperated.

The cloud of black smoke expanded again as the monster within desperately tried to free itself.

Just then, a shattering sound could be heard from within the black smoke.

At the same time, an incredible aura emanated from within, causing Xiao Nanfeng's snowmen-avatars to glance sharply at it.

"The seal's breaking. It's going to escape! No!" the bodhisattva of greed shouted.

Something within the black smoke seemed to explode. It swelled up to a hundred times its original size, devouring all the arhats and snowmen hovering above the lake.

Xiao Nanfeng could acutely sense a huge mouth trying to devour his snowmen-avatars. He immediately released his command over them and invoked spiritual harmony to reclaim his fortitude.

"Save me, bodhisattva!"

"No, return me my strength!"

"Noooo!"

The arhats cried out in despair as the black smoke swallowed them.

With Xiao Nanfeng's snowmen destroyed. he revealed himself once more. He glanced toward the black smoke in the lake with trepidation.

"Release me now, or you'll all die!" the bodhisattva of greed shouted.

Zhang Lingjun and Zhao Yuanjiao looked toward Xiao Nanfeng, waiting for his command.

Xiao Nanfeng considered the situation for a moment. "Continue trapping the three bodhisattvas. Don't allow them to escape."

"Are you crazy? Do you want all of us to die?!" the bodhisattva of greed hissed.

Xiao Nanfeng remained unperturbed. He looked toward the black lotus, but the cloud of black fog in which it was located was continuing to vibrate rapidly. The black lotus was clearly busy trying to handle the bodhisattva within.

By then, the arhats' shouts had abruptly terminated, as though they had all been consumed.

A hoarse male voice could be heard from within the fog. "You've trapped an emperor like me here for a century, using my spiritual avatar to help you purify the power of a hidden realm. Now, you'll pay the price for what you've done! Spit out all the power of the hidden realm that you've absorbed!"

A pitch-black humanoid lifeform emerged from the lake, parts of his body having decomposed, and other parts filled with blisters. No patch of skin on his body was pristine. He looked like a monster who had been irradiated.

"That's none of my business," the bodhisattva of greed cried out.

The humanoid monster opened his mouth and began to suck the black smoke from his environment, revealing thousands of golden lotus hoods that floated on the surface of the lake—all that remained of the arhats that had been drained by the monster and which had returned to their base form.

"Bodhisattva, let us out of the grotto!" the remaining arhats shouted fearfully.

"Let you out? None of you will be able to escape today!" the humanoid monster retorted.

With a wave of his hand, countless black palms appeared out of the void, grabbing ahold of the fleeing arhats and pulling them close to him. He began to suck.

Energy bubbled out from the arhats' bodies and headed straight for his mouth. The arhats grew shriveled until their bodies vanished entirely. They fell to the ground in the form of golden lotus hoods—all of them having perished within moments.

"It isn't our fault! We were only acting on orders!" the bodhisattva of greed tried to explain.

"Senior, we bear these golden lotus hoods great enmity. We were able to help you against them today," Xiao Nanfeng said immediately, making his stance clear.

However, the humanoid monster didn't seem to care. He strode forward and appeared in front of Zhao Yuanjiao.

"Senior, I—" Zhao Yuanjiao was starting to say something when the humanoid monster flung him away with a palm, sending Zhao Yuanjiao careening toward one wall of the Buddha's Grotto. He spat out a mouthful of blood as he struck the wall. The humanoid monster had claimed his crescent sword.

"To think you would have ended up in possession of the Taiqing Crescent Sword—what a waste. I'll claim it for the time being."

Then, he looked toward the bodhisattva of greed, still restrained within the golden net.

"Hold on, hold on! Let's talk about this. I'll agree to your terms," the bodhisattva of greed shouted fearfully.

The humanoid monster ignored him. He thrust forward with the sword and released beams of crimson light. The sword's energy surged forth toward the bodhisattva of greed like a roaring river, hundreds of times stronger than when Zhao Yuanjiao used it.

"No!" the bodhisattva of greed exclaimed.

Thousands of blades struck the bodhisattva of greed in spurts of blood, reducing him to a weakened heap.

The humanoid monster pulled the net off the bodhisattva of greed's body as he made a uscking motion again. A sinister strength bubbled from the bodhisattva of greed's body as it streamed toward the humanoid monster.

The bodhisattva of greed's body was quickly shriveling up. He was badly injured and completely unable to resist. Within moments, he too had been reduced to the form of a golden lotus hood, one that fell to the ground.

After absorbing all that energy, the humanoid monster's tumors seemed to have been suppressed. They were slowly reducing in size, and new flesh grew to replace rotting patches. His blisters were quickly drying up and popping as he grew closer to human form.

The humanoid monster caught the net in his hands and attuned to it within moments, causing it to glow with golden light.

"Senior, that's my treasure," Xiao Nanfeng began.

"I've commandeered it," the humanoid monster replied brusquely.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. Would this monster turn out to be a foe? He had addressed himself as emperor—was he a former monarch?

Just then, the humanoid monster turned to Zhang Lingjun and her praying mat, his eyes lighting up.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "Princess, store your praying mat quickly."

Zhang Lingjun waved a hand. The praying mat trembled in her control.

"Do you think you can claim something I've been eyeing? Die!" the humanoid monster roared.

He flashed toward Zhang Lingjun and slammed a palm toward her with such strength that it sealed the very air. A wave of overwhelming destruction surrounded Zhang Lingjun.

The humanoid monster's oppression rendered her unable to breathe. Zhang Lingjun, her defenses wholly incapable of dealing with a blow of this magnitude, cried out in despair, "Help me!"

Just then, a figure appeared before her and grabbed her.

Xiao Nanfeng had swiftly reclaimed his silver moon, transformed into his physical body, and grabbed Zhang Lingjun tightly before the humanoid monster's attack could land.

The humanoid monster struck Xiao Nanfeng right in his lower back, sending him flying even as he embraced Zhang Lingjun tightly. She felt an astonishing sense of safety surrounding her.

Xiao Nanfeng slammed into the wall of the Buddha's Grotto in a plume of smoke and dust. Despite Xiao Nanfeng's protection, the shockwaves left her internal organs badly injured. She spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Princess, with me around, you won't have to worry," Xiao Nanfeng said gently.

Zhang Lingjun was inordinately touched. Except for her parents, who else would dedicate themselves to her so selflessly?

"I'm fine. Let's get going," Zhang Lingjun whispered.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "There's no need."

"Why?" Zhang Lingjun seemed perplexed.

"He reined in his attack before it struck me. Otherwise, we'd have been far more badly hurt. Furthermore, if he really wanted to kill us, we wouldn't be able to flee given our strength."

Zhang Lingjun frowned. "But why would he hold back?"

"I don't know either." Xiao Nanfeng shook his head.

The praying mat flashed, avoiding the humanoid monster's swipe and flying up to Zhang Lingjun. She frowned, transforming the praying mat into a divine barrier to protect her and Xiao Nanfeng.

The bodhisattva of hatred that the praying mat had been suppressing tried to flee.

"Bind!" the humanoid monster shouted.

He activated the golden net and sent it flying toward the bodhisattva of hatred before turning to Xiao Nanfeng and Zhang Lingjun. His eyes glinted, but he didn't attempt to continue attacking them. Rather, he stared at them and the praying mat for quite a while before his killing intent dissipated.

"Are you really willing to risk your life for this woman, lad? Very well. I admire your bonds of affection and won't kill you," the humanoid monster said.

He glanced at the praying mat again, a flash of fear in his eyes.

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. He was certain that the humanoid monster had been intending to kill them both before sensing something amiss from the praying mat, perhaps some echo or trace of the Taiqing Grandmaster, and giving up on that idea. All that about bonds of affection was just nonsense.

"Thank you, Senior," Xiao Nanfeng said warily.

The humanoid monster turned and thrust the crescent sword toward the bodhisattva of hatred, trapped within the golden net. "Now, die!"

"No!" the bodhisattva of hatred cried out.

As thousands of rays of crimson light converged on the bodhisattva, he perished on the spot.

The humanoid monster reclaimed the golden web and sucked at the bodhisattva of hatred's body, absorbing all his strength and causing the body to shrivel up. Before long, the body had dropped to the floor in the form of a golden lotus hood.