As Dragonfire spread, countless poison bugs screeched as they were incinerated in the flames. There was even the distinct high-pitched crackling sound, like peas being fried in a heated wok accompanied by a scorched stench.
It was a harrowing sight to behold.
Despite the Dragonfire’s tenacity, the poison bugs refused to die as they kept charging into the fire, in a futile attempt to fight the flames.
It was Lin Jin’s first time witnessing such a thing.
He had tried using Beast Deterrence on the bugs but to no avail. The only explanation was that the bugs were already under the control of someone. Poisonous bugs were hard to manipulate and intimidate in the first place, and now that the enemy got to them first, Lin Jin could only rely on a defensive tactic.
No doubt, this was the second ‘welcome gift’ from the Taoist.
If that brush which was imbued with a Berserk spell was merely a threat to Lin Jin, and an attempt to humiliate him, this insect swarm was intended to take his life.
With this many poison bugs, it would take only a second for them to tear Lin Jin’s whole body apart, leaving not even his soul behind.
The only one excited about this situation was Goldy.
He grew in size, and he started crowing madly like a bull in heat. Subsequently, he charged right into the flames while flapping his wings, towards the tasty insects.
Goldy had done so on his own accord, and it was a move that startled even Lin Jin. The latter wanted to stop him but it was too late.
“Let him be!”
Lin Jin felt helpless. However, Goldy had a unique constitution so the bugs technically couldn’t hurt him. Faced with such a situation, Lin Jin could have chosen to continue his journey on a cloud but he refused to do so.
Traveling by cloud would mean he feared the enemy. Since the old Taoist won the last round, Lin Jin wouldn’t let him win this round.
He extended an arm to clench his fist. As if pails of fuel had been doused from above, the flame simply exploded with greater intensity. Finally, the sheer intensity of the flames managed to give Lin Jin the upper hand, even though he was the target of the ambush.
In the flames, every insect was struggling to fend off the flames, but it was an exercise in futility. The fire continued to spread out and soon, every single bug within a thousand feet radius was burned to a crisp.
There was no way of knowing how many bugs were killed in the fire. The forest floor was filled with dead insects, dark as charcoal but the total number was certainly near a million.
During his rampage, Goldy had managed to snag quite a number of bugs. However, most of them were reduced to pure carbon, and those who managed to survive the ordeal simply scampered away in fright. Goldy was visibly displeased but he didn’t mind it one bit.
In a forest this dense, a wildfire would have started pretty easily, but Dragonfire was no normal fire. It was a fire fuelled by mana and one which Lin Jin had absolute control over.
Simply put, Lin Jin could make it burn fiercely but he could also extinguish it as well.
Lin Jin invoked a spell to put out the fire before he continued making his way forward. This time, their journey was smooth. They did not encounter any other obstacles until they entered the depths of Mount Gu Cong, and finally, they arrived at the summit.
On the summit was a large tree surrounded by an empty space. Sitting below the tree was an old Taoist wearing a shirt with the word ‘Dao’ on the back. There was a rope tied to the branch of the tree beside him, and on the end of the rope was White Ape.
White Ape was struggling to remove its leash, but no matter how he struggled or pulled at it, the rope just wouldn’t budge.
There was a wave of indescribable energy on this rope.
Under the tree, the old Taoist was playing chess with a monk.
The old Taoist was nonchalant and relaxed, but compared to him, the handsome monk in his white robes had sweat dripping down from his forehead. It was his turn to play but the monk was holding onto a black piece and he just couldn’t seem to decide what his next move was. It was almost as if there was an invisible force suppressing and controlling him.
The monk’s upper robes were drenched but he was also a stubborn man. The greater the pressure, the more reluctant he was to give up. Even if his eyes were already bloodshot and he was sweating profusely.
“Don’t overexert yourself. Isn’t it better to toss the piece away and give up?” the old Taoist commented without looking up.
The monk didn’t speak as his trembling hand continued to hold out.
Just then, as if he sensed movement in the air, the old Taoist peered in the direction of the mountain path down below and said, “The main character is here. Little monk, get some rest.”
Having said that, he swept his arm across and a force pushed the monk aside. The latter groaned in pain as half of his already dented mala beads cracked.
“Daluo Temple has experts too, but it’s a pity that you didn’t learn the exquisite Buddhist teachings. You’re pretty immature too. If you manage to make it back alive this time, remember to focus hard on cultivation. Do not assume that just because you learned some cool moves, you can frolic around, slaying monsters and demons. Are you even worthy of doing such things?”
Not only did the old Taoist attack him, but he even insulted the monk.
The monk was enraged but there was nothing he could do.
He was no match for the old Taoist.
Meanwhile, Lin Jin climbed the mountain step by step. He first scanned the area before slowly making his way over.
He could already see the situation at the peak from a distance and the first thing he saw was the white ape being tied up at the back. No doubt, he had found his target.
White Ape seemed fine. The only problem was the rope around his neck. That rope obviously wasn’t normal as it was able to suppress White Ape’s monster aura, reducing him into a little monkey.
He couldn’t even break free from the rope.
Leaving everything aside, this one factor was sufficient to reveal how unusual this old Taoist was. That rope must also be a rare artifact.
Lin Jin was correct, the old Taoist was a strange man.
Although he was wearing Taoist robes, his visage was vicious and savage. He didn’t seem like a kind person at all, but he was quite particular about his outfit. His robes were plain and clean, with only a large ‘Dao’ word written on it.
His hair was completely white and his cheeks hollow. Yet, there was a sharp glint in his eyes.
Judging by his appearance, the old Taoist was no easy foe.
Then, he caught glimpse of the monk who was struggling in the corner.
“Is this Master Zhi Yin of Daluo Temple?” asked Lin Jin.
The monk was surprised to hear Lin Jin mention his name. Enduring the pain, the monk held his hands together and he returned the salutations.
“I am no master but I am Zhi Yin of Daluo Temple. Mister, you are…”
“Curator!” Lin Jin could now tell that Zhi Yin and the old Taoist weren’t in cahoots with each other. Looks like they had just emerged from a fight, and it was clear who the winner was, given the state Zhi Yin was in.
Lin Jin could even tell that Zhi Yin was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
He recalled how Daluo Temple’s Master Xuan Jue had been nice to him. Although their abbot was rather pompous at first, after the conflict drew to an end, the old man was quite reasonable too. Hence, Lin Jin decided that if possible, he would also try to rescue Zhi Yin.
Lin Jin walked over nonchalantly without an ounce of panic in his overall demeanor. Goldy was not here because Lin Jin had instructed him to wait at the foot of the mountain. Should he need assistance, Lin Jin would release a signal and Goldy could rush over to the rescue.
The only support Lin Jin had at the moment was Shang’er, whom he carried in his arms.
In her fox form, Shang’er was equally as enchanting, but the look in her eyes when she stared at the old Taoist was hostile. Her six tails swayed in the air menacingly.
The old Taoist noticed it but he chose to ignore her. Instead, he chuckled out loud and pointed to a tea set. “You came just in time, Curator. The tea is ready. Come, sit.”
