Chapter 485 — Clash at the Golden Peak

Above the mountains all around, from temple after temple, demon clouds came rolling up in billows, and one after another the high monks of the demon clans mounted cloud and mist and came flying toward the Golden Peak, reeking of killing intent. Xing An's aura was so overpowering that nearly every monk of Little Leiyin Temple knew a formidable enemy had arrived, and so they hurried over.

Xing An stood upon the Golden Peak of Little Leiyin Temple as though he had entered an unpeopled land, paying no heed to the many demon high monks rushing toward him, and said with a smile, "Why must you all come to die? On this mountain, only one man is meant to die—the great physician Shen.

Physician Shen, let us settle the debt between us first. " Ban Gongcuo was overjoyed. Bracing both hands against the ground, he crawled two steps forward, raised his head, and snarled, "Great Physician Shen, Senior Brother Xing An is calling you—why don't you come up and die? " Jing Yan looked at Xu Shenghua and said softly, "Young Master.

. .

" Xu Shenghua frowned deeply; in a situation like this he too was at a loss.

Little Tathagata could not bear to let the experts of Little Leiyin Temple throw their lives away, and would certainly not lend aid. And his own cultivation was far too inferior to Xing An's—he was of no use at all. Shen Mu raised a hand to stop the Xuanliao Demon Ape, which was about to charge forward, and stepped up, probing, "Senior Brother Xing An, if I help you rid yourself of the hidden ailment in your fleshly body, may I be spared death?

" As though he had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world, Ban Gongcuo burst out laughing. "Little Shen, you're dreaming in broad daylight. .

. " "Fine.

" Xing An was overjoyed.

"If you can remove my hidden affliction, there is no harm in my letting you go. " Ban Gongcuo was struck dumb.

He twisted his head around and stammered, "Senior Brother Xing An is joking. .

.

isn't he? " Xu Shenghua was likewise dumbstruck, and for a long while could not collect himself. Xing An said unhurriedly, "It is not that I must kill him. To me, it is only natural that prey should resist. Last time he joined forces with a crowd of experts, wounded me, and forced me to withdraw—in truth, I admired it greatly.

But if Physician Shen wishes not to die, he must return those body parts of mine. " Shen Mu answered just as readily, "Fine! Only, some of those parts I have already returned to their owners.

" With that he brought out the True Dragon's Lair and took out the assortment of arms and legs within.

"No matter. You returned them to their owners; I will simply go and take them back. " Xing An stepped forward and examined them one by one. When he came to the leg Shen Mu had poisoned, he could not help hesitating.

He raised his head and looked at Shen Mu, his gaze flickering. "This leg seems different from before.

Physician Shen, I too am skilled in the medical arts—this leg has certainly been tampered with. " Shen Mu stepped up and examined it, scratching his head.

"I grafted this leg onto someone else.

Look, here—the knife has been at it. " Xing An narrowed his eyes and studied his expression, but could truly find no flaw in it—yet he was genuinely wary of Shen Mu's medical skill. "Great Venerable One, I still owe you a leg. Attach this one first. " He tossed the poisoned leg to Ban Gongcuo.

Ban Gongcuo's face went sallow as wax, and he cried, "Shen, you poisoned this leg, didn't you? Give me one honest word!

Brother Xing An, can I just not take this leg? If I attach it I'll surely die!

Never mind that Shen has had his knife in it—I won't so much as touch the thing! " Xing An drew the leg back and said calmly, "I offered it to you; you refused. Then I owe you only one leg. " Ban Gongcuo gave a stifled grunt, torn with indecision, then said hastily, "Give it to me after all—let me first see whether it's poisoned. . .

" Xing An tossed him the leg, opened his box, and gathered the many body parts into it.

His gaze fell on Shen Mu, circled once around Xu Shenghua, then settled on the Xuanliao Demon Ape, and he exclaimed in admiration, "You are all talents. Would it not be a great amusement to wait until you have made something of yourselves and then reap the harvest? Great Venerable One, you too must strive in your cultivation—do not let juniors ride over your head. " Ban Gongcuo, with a bellyful of rage and nowhere to vent it, grunted and said no more.

Xing An looked toward the golden alms bowl.

The bowl had already been taken out of Shen Mu's painting by Little Tathagata and the other monks, and now hung in the air.

Kui Wushen stood with his arms folded, half his body standing upon a small demon cloud above the bowl, while the other half had become a curving wisp of cloudstuff, pinned down inside the bowl by its power. Kui Wushen looked at Xing An and sneered without cease.

"Kui Wushen, the Great Venerable One once borrowed your primordial spirit to bow to me. " Xing An said with a smile, "I will give you one more chance now. Bow to me again, and see whether you can bow me to death. " Kui Wushen said unhurriedly, "Your true name has been exposed; bowing you to death would be easy.

But I am in no hurry. I mean to watch you leap and caper and make a thorough fool of yourself. Everyone on this mountain cannot escape death—all of them will die.

Why should I be in a rush? " Xing An smiled slightly and looked at Little Tathagata. "The main dish is tastiest eaten last. Kui Wushen is the main dish; Yuan Ding Tathagata is the appetizer. Tathagata, will you resist me? " Little Tathagata pressed his palms together and said, "Senior Brother Xing An spoke my name before Kui Wushen; my return to heaven is already fated.

If I do not die by Senior Brother Xing An's hand, I will die beneath a single bow from Kui Wushen. A monk of the cloth holds the four elements to be void; it is no matter if this cultivation of mine is taken from me.

Only, when I die, Little Leiyin Temple will likely be reduced to flying ash. I cannot bear that the orthodoxy of my demon clan should vanish, and so I beg Senior Brother Xing An to grant me a lesson or two. " His aura abruptly became incomparably vast and mighty; precious light blazed all about him. He shook his body, and behind him the Buddha light formed a halo, and within the halo appeared the Twenty Heavens.

At this moment Little Tathagata's aura was like a mountain range strewn with Buddhist treasures, utterly solid and weighty.

Behind him a primordial spirit leaped forth: a great head on a small body, the head covered in lumps, eyes glaring wide and blazing with light, and from its brow grew a single horn, curving upward like a goat's!

His primordial spirit had goat's feet and a head like a qilin's; its sacred aspect was solemn, with an air of uncommon dignity. Under the light of his gaze, everyone present felt shame in his heart and did not dare meet his eyes.

His long horn discerned right from wrong, straight from crooked, and was incomparably sharp.

When Ban Gongcuo saw this goat's horn, his face changed drastically; terror filled his heart, and he hastily dodged away.

He had done too many wicked deeds, and felt that at any moment he might be gored to death by that horn. "So the great monk attained the Dao as a xiezhi.

" Xing An's heart thrilled at the sight of quarry, and he praised him: "No wonder your cultivation is so strong—in high antiquity you would have counted as a divine creature! My collection is large, but it has never held a demon-clan divinity such as you.