Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 502

A few days later, the news spread widely. The incident where several cultivators had died at once was not something that even low-realm cultivators could easily ignore. Moreover, this time, the Dolol people and the Great Jin cultivators who had come to trade with the Holy Temple were involved, making it even more significant. After the Holy Temple dispatched several cultivators to investigate, the culprit was revealed. The one who had committed such an act was the foreign cultivator who had been on the run. According to the testimonies of the witnesses who had seen the incident that day, the person seemed to be an elder of the Yin Fiend Sect, one of the top ten sects of the Great Jin. Since he had used the Yin Fiend Banner, a treasure of the Yin Fiend Sect, the Dolol people could not have been unaware of its power. Some of the cultivators who had participated in the previous battle felt a chill run down their spines. To have such a treasure and not use it meant that he was likely a very important figure within the Yin Fiend Sect. However, some Dolol cultivators had an idea as to why such a person had appeared in the grasslands. It was common knowledge that the Yin Fiend Sect was behind their arch-enemies, the Moran people, decades ago. Could it be that the Yin Fiend Sect, whose plans had been disrupted by them, was deliberately retaliating this time? If so, it was somewhat understandable. Having somewhat grasped the identity and purpose of the foreigner, the Dolol people were greatly relieved. No matter how strong the enemy was, knowing their identity and purpose allowed them to prepare to some extent. The Heavenly Orchid Holy Temple immediately dispatched a large number of cultivators to the border area between the Great Jin and the grasslands to patrol, in case other Yin Fiend Sect cultivators were to come. They also gathered Nascent Soul stage cultivators [a high cultivation level] with fast escape techniques to find and kill the Yin Fiend Sect elder. No matter how great the opponent’s status was, they could not let him escape the Heavenly Orchid Grasslands. If such rumors were to spread, the prestige of the Heavenly Orchid Holy Temple, which represented the Heavenly Orchid Grasslands, would plummet. Thus, the Opening Ceremony was hastily concluded in just two days. After the Opening Ceremony, over a hundred high-level Dolol cultivators gathered in the forbidden area behind the Holy Temple. In the middle of the thousand-zhang-wide [a zhang is about 3.3 meters] plaza, a huge formation was drawn, and over a hundred relay spirit stones were embedded in various places. In the middle of the formation, at the eye of the formation, a square, gray-white altar about six zhang high was installed. It was made of ordinary white stone, but it was ancient and weathered. And on all sides, unknown incantations were densely engraved. Around the formation, there were more than a dozen Nascent Soul stage cultivators, each standing with solemn faces, waiting for someone. After half an hour, two women and a man walked in side by side from outside the restriction. The woman in the middle, wearing a silver robe, had her face covered with a white veil, but her jet-black hair, fair skin, and clear eyes were enough to captivate people’s attention. The other woman was a voluptuous beauty wearing a yellow robe. Her purple hair was also unusual, but the sight of two fist-sized skulls biting her shoulders was very bizarre. Beside them was a handsome young man who looked to be only about thirty years old, but his eyes carried an unusual aura, as if he had experienced all sorts of hardships. “Greetings to the Holy Maiden and the Great Cultivators.” The Dolol cultivators bowed respectfully towards them. They looked around and stopped in front of the altar, about three or four zhang away. “Please dispense with the formalities. This ceremony is not only to keep the Holy Ancestor’s avatar in the Holy Temple but also to hunt down the foreigner. To ensure the success of this ceremony, the two Great Cultivators have finally found suitable sacrifices.” The clear voice of the Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden echoed in everyone’s ears. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits at her positive words. The man and the purple-haired woman also smiled and clapped their hands at the same time. Then, a heavy rumble was heard from outside the plaza. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Everyone was surprised and looked towards the source of the sound. From both sides of the plaza, a group of giant bronze figures, each about two zhang in size, were approaching. They were shining brilliantly in gold and carrying wooden boxes on their backs as they headed towards the center of the plaza. When they reached the altar and opened the huge wooden boxes, a blue-glowing, bison-like demonic beast and a huge, snow-white python were soundly asleep inside. Judging by the demonic aura emitted by the two demonic beasts, both were at the peak of the seventh grade, almost reaching the eighth grade. It was no wonder that the two Great Cultivators had spent a long time to capture them. “The Azure Wind Ox and the Ice Armor Python are ancient species, so they will be suitable as sacrifices. However, whether the Holy Beast’s avatar can stay in the mortal realm will depend on our clan’s affinity. Now, let us begin the ceremony.” The Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden’s eyes sparkled as she waved her hand towards the giant demonic beasts. Then, a bundle of silver threads extended out, turning into over a hundred ropes that tightly bound the demonic beasts. The vast body of the ox floated into the air and slowly flew towards the altar. At that moment, the Azure Wind Ox, which had lost consciousness, woke up and shuddered. The demonic beast struggled to escape, but it was already bound by a powerful restriction and tied with hundreds of ropes, so it could not move. The Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden suddenly turned her body, faced the altar, and flicked her sleeve. A fist-sized blue light flew out and floated above the ox’s huge body. It was a small cauldron with a blue glow. The cauldron, constantly spinning and engulfed in blue flames, looked extraordinary at a glance. As the Holy Maiden formed hand seals and chanted incantations, the blue flames burned even more fiercely, and the cauldron also grew in size, revealing its form. Surprisingly, the cauldron was quite similar to the Heaven Refining Cauldron that Han Li possessed. It had the same shape as the Heaven Refining Cauldron, and the same flowers, birds, insects, and beasts were depicted on it, making it extremely bizarre. After chanting incantations for a long time, the Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden stretched out her hand and pointed at the cauldron. Then, a blue light soared from the cauldron, scattering into blue sand and beautifully adorning the sky above the altar like twinkling stars. It was a magnificent sight that seemed to steal the souls of those who watched. The Holy Maiden looked at it, stopped chanting, and pointed at the ropes binding the demonic beast on the altar. Then, the shimmering silver ropes split into silver threads, slicing through the demonic beast’s body like blades, and the Azure Wind Ox was instantly shattered, scattering blood. At that moment, blue sand poured down like rain onto the altar. The blue light, as if covering the demonic beast’s corpse, flickered brightly and dimly, as if the lights were absorbing the blood and flesh. A cyan light that had escaped from the demonic beast’s body seemed to be trying to flee, but countless blue lights shot out like arrows, engulfing the Azure Wind Ox’s nascent soul [the core of a cultivator’s being]. The giant demonic beast’s flesh disappeared in just one hour. The blue sand, having absorbed the demonic beast’s blood and flesh, faintly tinged with blood, floated back into the air. Watching this, the Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden stretched out her hand towards the white python this time. Again, silver threads turned into chain-like ropes, tightly binding the demonic beast’s body, and it was moved to the altar. After performing the second blood sacrifice, the blue sand, having consumed the souls and flesh of the two seventh-grade demonic beasts, slowly turned into a blood-colored cloud, covering the altar. The Holy Maiden sent a magic seal towards the cauldron, and the cauldron slowly descended to the altar. “Let us begin the summoning of the Holy Beast. Please, both of you, lend your assistance.” “Of course. We will do our best.” At the Holy Maiden’s words, the young man smiled and replied, and the purple-haired woman also nodded, raising her lips. In response, the Holy Maiden soon flicked her ten fingers, sending magic seals in all directions of the formation. Then, lights of spiritual energy appeared in various places, and the formation began to activate. Also, the huge cauldron on the altar resonated with the formation, flashing, and the flames became very weak. The Holy Maiden stepped forward, raised her head, and chanted an unknown incantation. This time, the two Great Cultivators on both sides also extended one hand each, placing them on the woman’s shoulders and pouring spiritual power into her. Finally, the Holy Maiden’s entire body shone, and a bizarre pattern of an ox’s head and a dragon’s body appeared on her forehead. As she clasped her hands together and then spread them apart, pillars of light erupted from her palms and shot towards the cauldron. The cauldron spun continuously, absorbing the white pillars of light, and suddenly emitted a blue mist, condensing into a head-sized ball of light. Also, the pillars of light from her palms became thinner and thicker, finely adjusting the mist in the cauldron. As time passed, the light of the ball of light noticeably changed, and a sharp cry was heard from within. At this time, the formation resonated, and pillars of five-colored light rose from all directions, seeping into the ball of light. The Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden focused her mind even more and chanted incantations. And another hour passed. Thump! The ball of light contracted and expanded, then split open, and the blue light flared up and disappeared in an instant. Instead, a blue cave the size of an egg appeared, but it only briefly showed itself and then disappeared. However, in that short moment, a crimson light escaped from within and shot up into the blood-colored mist in the air. The sand grains tinged with blood, as if they were magnets, wrapped around the red light, creating a giant blood-colored cocoon about one zhang in size. Blue flames soared up to two or three zhang high, covering the cauldron, and the formation below the altar scattered light, gathering spiritual energy and penetrating into the blue flames. The Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden finally breathed a sigh of relief. “The summoning ceremony has proceeded relatively smoothly. However, whether the Holy Beast’s avatar can remain in the mortal realm will only be known after about 30 days. Even if it succeeds, it will not stay for long, but 7 or 8 days should be enough to find that foreigner. For today, let us return and rest, and when the Holy Beast’s body is created, we can follow me and the two Great Cultivators to pursue the foreigner.” The Holy Maiden looked around and announced in a clear voice. The Dolol cultivators in the plaza left one by one, and only the Holy Maiden and the two Great Cultivators remained. “Cultivator Seo, Cultivator Son. I know it is troublesome, but I ask that you two guard this place for two days.” “Of course. We have also put in over ten years of effort for this. With success in sight, it is only natural that we should do it.” The purple-haired woman immediately replied to the Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden’s words. And the young man also nodded silently. Just as the Holy Maiden was about to feel relieved at their words, she heard a faint popping sound from the cauldron. In response, the three cultivators exchanged glances and sat cross-legged on the altar. * * * Two days later, as a series of deep bell sounds echoed from the Heavenly Orchid Holy Temple, the nearby villagers and low-level cultivators who had not yet left wondered what was happening and looked towards the temple. And not long after, a dozen or so streaks of light soared from the direction of the Holy Temple, extending south in a magnificent display. Although they were too fast to see who was moving, everyone was shocked and speechless, knowing that it was the light of spiritual energy emitted by high-level cultivators. * * * Three days later, on the surface of the water at the southern end of the Heavenly Water River, the largest river in the Heavenly Orchid Grasslands, a blue streak of light flew in, drawing a large circle before stopping. Unexpectedly, it was a crimson demonic beast with an ox’s head and a dragon’s body. The demonic beast was about three or four zhang in size, and its entire body was surrounded by a blue mist, with the Heavenly Orchid Holy Maiden perched on its head. After a while, streaks of light flew in from the sky one after another. It was a group of cultivators led by the two Great Cultivators. “Cultivator Im, has the Holy Beast found that person?” The purple-haired woman opened her mouth. “It seems so. With so many Gold Devouring Beetles, there is no way he could have escaped the Holy Beast’s senses, no matter how well he hid them inside his spirit beast pouch. It hasn’t been long since he passed this place, so he must be nearby. To think he was using earth escape techniques to move under the river, that’s why so many of us couldn’t find his trail.” “Yes, then it’s time to confirm if that person is really an elder of the Yin Fiend Sect. To be able to roam the grasslands like this after being hit by Cultivator Ho’s Great Five Elements Golden Light, I am also quite curious about his abilities.” The handsome young man said coldly at their words. “He doesn’t seem to be anything special on the surface and looks very young. I want to see how great he is.” The purple-haired woman leisurely agreed with his words. “Since both of you are so eager, let’s move quickly.” The Holy Maiden smiled and said something to the Holy Beast. Then, the Holy Beast snorted and transformed into a blue streak of light, moving forward. In response, the other Dolol cultivators hurriedly followed behind. # 504