BPIFC -Volume 1 – Chapter 42 Another One

“Forget about interest for now, brother. You’re looking in the wrong direction…” Sun Desheng pulled back Che Qianzi, who was still glaring fiercely at the coffin, and shone his flashlight toward a stone platform in the northeast corner.

Lying on the platform was a thin, elderly Taoist priest. Because of the distance, Che Qianzi could not make out his features clearly. However, with his special eyes, he could see the human-shaped cloud of smoke from earlier slowly seeping into the old man’s body.

Apparently, this was Cui Yuandao’s true body. After his soul had been shaken while inside Xiong Wanyi’s body, it could no longer withstand that borrowed shell and had returned to its original body to recover.

Although this body had been dead for many years, Cui Yuandao had cultivated the art of the Imperishable Body during his lifetime. Even after death, his body remained the same as when he had been alive, showing no signs of decay despite the passage of years.

Che Qianzi never cared much for rules when fighting. Seeing the soul returning to its corpse, he immediately rushed over, intending to drag it back out.

But just before he reached him, the old Taoist’s body twitched, then slowly sat up.

Wary of a trap, Che Qianzi stopped to see what the resurrected Taoist intended to do.

After stretching his limbs, the old Taoist touched his face and sighed.

“There’s nothing better than one’s own body. Unfortunately, I can’t stay in it for long…”

Before he could finish speaking, he stood up and turned toward the coffin in the center of the burial chamber.

Then he said to Sun Desheng, “You have sharp eyes. Inside lies my wife. Back then, she accompanied me here while I prepared to undergo heavenly tribulation and ascend to immortality. But the tribulation never came, and she passed away before me…”

Before Sun Desheng could respond, Che Qianzi interrupted.

“Give me a break! You, a half-baked hack, wanted to survive heavenly tribulation? Bah! You still had the nerve to wait for it? Forget heavenly tribulation—even an ordinary thunderstorm outside could’ve struck you into ashes!”

Before he could finish, the old Taoist suddenly waved his hand.

A bolt of electricity burst from his palm and struck Che Qianzi directly, sending him flying across the room.

Sun Desheng had been standing right beside him, yet not even the slightest scratch appeared on the fat man.

The old Taoist sneered.

“Now do you understand whether I’m just a second-rate cultivator?”

He continued coldly, “That big fellow’s body was good, but it wasn’t my own. I couldn’t properly use my arts. If I had been using my own body earlier, you would already be dead.”

With the situation firmly under control, Cui Yuandao regarded the two men before him as lambs waiting for slaughter.

Remembering the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of that brat, he had no intention of killing him quickly. If Che Qianzi died so easily, it would be letting him off too lightly.

As for the fat man, without firearms he was nothing more than a useless chatterbox.

At that moment, the “useless chatterbox” spoke.

“Immortal elder, before I die, could you satisfy my curiosity? Did you accidentally cultivate the Imperishable Body Art incorrectly while you were alive? After death, your body remains undecayed, but once your soul returns, the body loses that property and slowly starts rotting…”

Hearing this, Cui Yuandao was slightly surprised.

He had underestimated this fat man.

The fellow actually knew of the Imperishable Body Art.

Back when he had first entered the Taoist path, he had accidentally begun cultivating that technique. Later he learned that it was originally used for creating living corpses. By the time he stopped, he had already achieved some success. Fortunately, the technique was harmless to living people, and the experience had taught him to be much more cautious.

Though Cui Yuandao did not answer directly, Sun Desheng could tell from his expression that he had guessed correctly.

Chuckling, he continued, “You were once only one step away from becoming an immortal, so surely you’ve heard of Wu Mian? To tell you the truth, he is—”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

Cui Yuandao interrupted him immediately.

Smiling coldly, he continued, “It’s too late. Even if you brought the Three Pure Ones or the Buddha here, it wouldn’t matter. I was peacefully living here without disturbing anyone. Yet all of you came and ruined my abode…”

“Since you’ve come, none of you will leave alive—”

Before he could finish speaking, the fallen Che Qianzi suddenly sprang back to his feet and charged over again.

Cui Yuandao was stunned.

That earlier attack would have killed any ordinary cultivator. Yet not only had this brat survived, he was actually rushing over again.

Without time to think, he immediately struck with another Palm Thunder.

Boom!

Che Qianzi was blasted away again.

Ignoring Sun Desheng completely, Cui Yuandao stared intently at the motionless boy on the ground.

Though he had reclaimed his own body, he no longer possessed the ability to distinguish yin and yang, so he couldn’t tell whether the boy was dead.

After a long while, seeing that Che Qianzi still hadn’t moved, he finally relaxed.

Turning to Sun Desheng, who appeared completely unconcerned, he asked,

“He’s dead, and you don’t even—”

His expression suddenly froze.

The supposedly dead Che Qianzi had stood up again.

Roaring in fury, he shouted, “You damn thieving old bastard! If I don’t kill you today, then I’m your son!”

Cursing nonstop, he charged forward once more.

What kind of monster is this?

He had taken two Palm Thunders and still hadn’t died.

And not only had he survived, he was clinging to him like an incurable plague.

Panicking, Cui Yuandao unleashed all his power.

A gigantic arc of lightning burst forth, filling the entire burial chamber.

For an instant, the chamber was illuminated so brightly that Sun Desheng had to cover his eyes and dared not look directly at it.

When the lightning finally vanished, Sun Desheng opened his eyes.

Che Qianzi lay naked on the ground.

His clothes had been completely burned away. His entire body was covered with burns, and black smoke continuously rose from his wounds.

By all appearances, he was dead.

Sun Desheng froze.

Then he muttered to himself,

“This is bad… He didn’t really die, did he?”

Cui Yuandao let out a long breath and sneered.

“You think he could survive? That boy had some skill. To endure two Palm Thunders already—”

Suddenly, his face changed.

“No… wait… why are you fine?”

He was referring to the massive lightning attack just now.

Sun Desheng had also been within its range.

So why was the fat man standing there perfectly unharmed, with not even his clothes singed?

Just as the old Taoist stood there in astonishment, the body lying on the ground suddenly spoke.

“Could one of you please talk some sense into him? He’s always been like this since childhood. One day he’ll die before I even have time to come out. What then?”

As he spoke, Che Qianzi slowly stood up.

Looking down at his naked body, he smiled bitterly.

“This is a little embarrassing… It’s the first time I’ve been beaten up this badly. You were the one who did this, weren’t you? Dead Taoist.”

At that moment, Che Qianzi seemed like a completely different person.

Seeing this, an odd smile appeared on Sun Desheng’s face.

It was like a child who had finally completed a game and was now watching the ending scene.

Che Qianzi paid him no mind.

Slowly walking toward Cui Yuandao, he continued, “Sorry, but I can’t allow this child to be bullied. Whoever bullies him…”

“I erase them.”

“Then erase yourself!”

Cui Yuandao roared.

Raising his hand again, he unleashed another massive arc of lightning.

At the same time, his other hand formed a spell seal, and a black sword-shaped shadow shot toward the young Taoist.

Facing the incoming lightning, Che Qianzi calmly threw a punch.

To Cui Yuandao’s horror, the punch shattered the lightning itself.

The gigantic arc exploded into countless sparks that scattered throughout the burial chamber.

Then, with his other hand, he casually grabbed the black sword-shaped shadow.

And with a flick of his wrist—

He hurled it straight back at Cui Yuandao.