Above Destiny

Chapter 770 No Fine Salt in Fungi

Gale-force winds and torrential rain, raging waves.

Beneath the turbulent sea, in the gradually deepening darkness, the roar of the waves constantly echoed, interspersed with bursts of thunderous sounds like landslides, rising and falling in waves.

The deep sea is not tranquil.

It was as if the destructive clamor was constantly echoing.

In the midst of eternal darkness and turmoil, a wisp of pure white light silently sprouted, like a precious pearl, the light of nothingness supporting the immense pressure of the ocean.

Step by step downwards.

"The Dharma of Wulou Temple is profound and wonderful; I admire it greatly."

A voice, completely indistinguishable, came from beneath the painted mask. The hunched figure, like an old ape, floated in the newly opened hole in the sea, clicking his tongue in admiration: "The Abyss lineage is truly convenient, but having to do everything personally is a bit troublesome. If Du Luojia Vina needs anything, I happen to have a few rare and valuable items here."

"The true path is complete with supernatural powers, so what need is there for external things?"

The monk with the Mani jewel on his head glanced coldly at the old ape. "Old ape, you'd better stop showing off your profound abilities and think about how to persuade that tyrant you've tricked so badly."

"Hehe, Vena, don't worry. Lord Yuan has the world in his heart, how could he care about mere temporary gains and losses?"

"I hope so."

The monk who had been speaking looked away.

Her appearance was revealed under the reflection of the jewel.

Beneath the solemn and dignified monk's robes was the body of a slightly immature and short girl, with auspicious patterns adorning her forehead and eyebrows, and a vertical line drawn in gold ink on her forehead, resembling an eye.

However, the words he spoke were old-fashioned, hoarse, and low.

Whether it's the path of ascension or the path of the abyss, reaching a profound and distant realm, it's not uncommon for the spirit to separate from the body and act independently. Whether it's called a projection of the astral body, a journey of the yin spirit, or a shedding of the soul, it doesn't matter; it's merely a difference in name.

However, spirits sometimes have many inconveniences, and are easily interfered with and eroded by external objects. If they are not careful, their very essence will be damaged. Therefore, many techniques and methods have been developed.

For example, this Dharma protector with a human face and three eyes, Dakini, is extremely powerful. He can walk through the sky and the sea, has boundless strength, can uphold the Dharma, can harm sentient beings, and can go wherever sentient beings in the ten directions go!
Despite her seemingly petite appearance, once her true form is revealed, she might be even more ferocious and savage than a large group of monstrous beasts.

In the deep sea, ignoring the extreme cold and immense pressure, he strolled leisurely downwards, while lotus flowers in the void seemed to open and wither uncertainly.

Even the mutated species and enormous calamity beasts in the sea were lured by the illusory light, involuntarily gathering, approaching, and following behind him, falling at the feet of Dharma Protector Dajini, gradually withering away and turning to ashes.

It appears utterly devoid of cruelty and terror, but rather utterly peaceful, like the arising and ceasing of all phenomena, arising and ceasing due to causes and conditions, thus maintaining tranquility.

Ahead, the old ape leading the way paused slightly.

"arrive."

In the deep sea, all was desolate. The seabed, riddled with cracks, was a dull gray, and the former abyss and magnificent structures were nowhere to be seen, not even a trace of any living creature.

Du Luojia couldn't help but frown.

It's not that I doubt the rotten ape led me astray, but rather that I'm struck by the fact that sometimes rumors do indeed have some truth to them.

A tyrant like this, who is arrogant when things are going well and cowardly when things are going badly, who wins like a dog but loses like a tortoise, is truly a vile creature.

The Lord of the Abyss was the best among them. After only losing one battle, he immediately began to bury his head in the sand, hiding in the abyss and not even showing his face.

What are they afraid of?
Even though we're hundreds of thousands of miles apart, do you think someone would actually come knocking on our door again?
It's utterly shameful.

Even now, though they've reached their doorstep, they remain completely silent. They're probably still hiding behind some screen, watching the security camera and playing dead!
Du Luojia couldn't help but glare at the rotten ape, "Look what you've done."

The rotten ape chuckled, as if nothing had happened, and drifted forward, taking out a talisman in its hand and waving it before releasing a wisp of spiritual energy.

"The guests have arrived at the door. Why should Lord Yuan begrudge them an audience?"

The deep sea was deathly silent, offering no response.

"..."

Du Luojia frowned and turned to look at the rotten ape.

The old ape was also stunned for a moment, then realized and introduced, "This is the envoy of the Dharma King Shanzhu of Wulou Temple, the abbot of the Upper Court Ganlu Forest, Master Duluojia."

Having heard of Lord Yuan's mighty power, I have come to pay my respects. Please do not take offense.

As he spoke, he glanced at Du Luojia, silently urging her on. Du Luojia's expression twitched, and the pearl above her head shone brightly. Suddenly, the desolate seabed was filled with seven treasures, a breathtakingly beautiful sight, like a fairyland.

To reveal one's identity.

Is this the Lord of the Abyss, or does he have autism? So he refuses to show his face when he sees a stranger, and he's become so paranoid?

As expected, just as the rotten ape had predicted, the abyss shattered and suddenly appeared, with endless darkness gushing out, filled with rage and hatred, rising like a giant pillar, and a blurry face emerged from the darkness.

That face shifted constantly, sometimes cracking, sometimes contracting, sometimes expanding, staring intently at the decaying ape.

The resentment and malice were etched into his very bones.

After a long while, it seemed as if he finally squeezed out the sound through clenched teeth:
"...You actually dare to come?!"

The shadow of the tower loomed, and the tyrannical law of a tyrant stretched from the void, like a ravenous beast, thirsty and ready to devour its prey. However, considering its previous act of keeping the gates tightly shut and feigning death, it was hard to avoid the feeling that it was all bark and no bite, a mere pretense.

"Oh? What do you mean by this, Lord Abyss?" The rotten ape seemed puzzled: "I don't recall offending you in any way."

Moreover, I assumed you were well aware of the dangers of Luo Island.

The blurry face paused for a moment, as if taken aback, then grew even more furious.

The sound was chaotic, like the roars of countless fish and human voices.

"I went to great lengths to reclaim Luo Island, and you were clearly watching from the sidelines, so why didn't you make a move?! Now that things have come to this, what else do you have to say!"

The rotten ape's movements paused slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Unexpectedly, the tyrant's perception was so bizarre. Or is there another method at play?
They actually found themselves?
Even so, the voice continued, revealing an extraordinary loyalty and helplessness.

"Your Majesty, you are unaware that the situation was dire at the time, and even if I had intervened, it would have been futile."

"I'm only risking my life for now, to preserve my usefulness. I've come here with painstaking effort, traveling far and wide to restore my lord's honor and eliminate the traitor!"

"what!"

The usurper sneered, "Then why don't you bring Ji Jue's dog head to see me?"

The old ape ignored him and bowed respectfully: "To be honest, I have been regretting and annoyed by the previous defeat. I have come here today to offer a strategy to defeat the enemy."

I only hope that Lord Yuan will forgive past grievances and listen to my words once more!

The Lord of the Abyss looked down for a long time, then said indifferently:
"Tell me!"

“…Here?”

The decaying ape paused for a moment, looked around at the desolate scene, and suddenly asked, "We came together with Vena, with sincere intentions, so why won't the Lord of the Abyss even let us through the gate?"

It's unclear whether it's vigilance or an instinctive suspicion, but it's as if some kind of guess has arisen.

However, there was no meaning to be found in that monotone and unrecognizable voice.

Immediately, the Abyss Lord's gaze turned cold.

He seemed to be suppressing his anger, looking down with a cold gaze.

After a long while, he let out a sneer.

"Okay, then come in."

The abyss unfolded once more, revealing endless darkness.

It's like an endless fall...

Even the rotten ape, who had visited several times before, was slightly taken aback. Looking around, he couldn't see anything clearly; everything was obscured by the gray-black mist.

Only the bricks and stones underfoot showed faint cracks, as if they had been ravaged by a storm.

Feeling the malevolent gaze cast from the end of the mist, Du Luojia's glance at the decaying ape became strange:
You did it on purpose, right?
With the blessing of the righteous law and the power of divine eyes, even without using the blessing, one can still glimpse the faint outline of the buildings through the fog, which are full of defects and devastation.

It seems the losses suffered on Ro Island were truly significant, even extending to the tyrant's kingdom, resulting in heavy losses.

He glanced at the withered ape, a silent warning: They've already shown great magnanimity by not tearing you, you dead monkey, to pieces.

And you, you bastard, had to bring up the very thing you didn't want to talk about.
You didn't come here in your true form, I came from outside my body! Don't you dare piss off the tyrant and make me suffer!

Upon entering the dilapidated hall, the throne atop the steps remained hidden in the dark mist, completely obscured, though a seemingly tangible gaze pierced through it.

He looked at them coldly.

Speak your mind!
As if realizing his own presumption, the rotten ape stopped trying to be clever and took a step back, letting Du Luojia walk in front.

"This old monk, Du Luojia, has come here on behalf of the Upper Court of Wulou Temple. In addition to converting the heretical protectors planted in Xiangzhou in the past, I am also here to lend a helping hand to Lord Yuan!"

"Just you?" The voice on the throne sounded disappointed.

"No."

Du Luojia smiled slightly, "This old monk is merely a representative chosen by my fellow practitioners. Besides myself, there are also Xiufeng and Xueyan to assist us. When the time is right, we will join forces and attack. Luo Island is nothing to us, and sweeping through the seven cities will be a piece of cake!"

"That sounds nice!" Black Mist sneered. "The Wulou Temple has such a big name, but you're just a superhuman. Badanta died at the hands of that craftsman. What are you compared to them?"
"You've brought up so many names, but we haven't seen anyone. Why is it just you who came?"

"This was all done on my own initiative."

The rotten ape sighed, "It's troublesome to reconcile the various factions and departments. It will take some time to gather them all together. Besides, the rotten wind and blood eyes are a bunch of uncouth people who have no regard for the law. How could they possibly have the honor of coming to the Abyss? If they offend the Lord of the Abyss, it would be disastrous."

That being said, it didn't stop everyone from cursing under their breath. You little bastard, you've cowered like this! Even with Du Luojia showing up, you're still hiding your face. If a whole bunch of people came, would you even dare to show your face?!

If it weren't for gaining the trust of the Abyss Lord, he wouldn't even have been willing to bring Du Luojia along.

"But there has to be a beginning and an end, a set of rules, right?"

Black Mist questioned with resentment, squeezing out the words through clenched teeth: "Although Ji Jue is a usurper, his talent and ability are truly astonishing. He is a rare talent among the remnants of the former regime, a pillar of the Federation... cough cough, moreover, he is troublesome in the Creator's affairs, and he also has the Lou family as his backup."

Do you two have any good ideas?

"Lord Yuan, do not worry."

Du Luojia laughed loudly, clasped his hands together, and eight eerie silhouettes faintly appeared around him: "On this trip, this old monk specially invited the Dharma King Shanzhu to bestow upon us the Eight Heavenly Dragons as Dharma Protectors to guide the heretic Ji Jue, ensuring that nothing goes wrong!"

"Oh?"

A glimmer of light seemed to appear in the black mist: "What kind of divine power do these Eight Heavenly Dragons possess?"

"Please allow me to explain slowly."

Behind Du Luojia, the guardian Vajras appeared one by one in the void, eloquently introducing: "The Devas come and go without a trace, able to summon thunder and lightning, manipulate creation, and manifest earth, water, fire, and wind; the Dragons are incomparably sturdy, as stable as Mount Tai, hiding their forms when submerged, and filling the universe when soaring; the Yakshas come and go like lightning, unpredictable as gods and ghosts; the Asuras are ferocious and brave, unparalleled in battle..."

Originating from the lower temple of Wulou Temple, the Dharma protectors, who have been passed down for hundreds of years, can almost be called gods. In particular, the Dharma protectors bestowed by Master Shanzhu in order to reclaim the home deity are outstanding.

The solitude of the frost, the birth of the white pavilion, the lurking changes of the wolf, the brutal destruction of the mad slaughter, the endless indulgence of the unending, the coming and going of the insects without a trace... I have already grasped the essence. With the Eight Heavenly Dragons in hand, it is enough to suppress the situation and suppress any resistance and variables!

"anything else?"

The Lord of the Abyss pressed further: "Are there any arrangements for the other parts? Who are the people from the Decaying Wind? How many of Blood Eye's followers are there?"

Even the rotten ape never imagined that the Lord of the Abyss would be so cautious, insisting on understanding every single step. Now, he seems determined not to act until he sees the rabbit.

But how can each department reveal all its cards? They can only pick out the less important ones.

As a result, the Lord of the Abyss's attitude quickly turned cold, as if he had seen through his perfunctory attitude, and said indifferently: "Since everything is ready, you may proceed as you see fit."

With so many powerful figures supporting us and working together on this grand plan, we don't need another one like me.

Why do you need me?
I await good news from the depths of the sea, and I look forward to your triumphant return.

"It's getting late, please make yourselves at home."

The rotten ape was silent for a moment, as if he had been gritting his teeth for a long time, before speaking again: "Lord Abyss, please wait. Now that all the departments are gathered, what we lack is a central leader and commander like you!"

"Really? I had no idea I was so important."

The Lord of the Abyss seemed amused, and said unhurriedly, "Then tell me, how important am I?"

You son of a bitch...

The old ape's teeth were practically grinding to dust; it was utterly exhausted.

I've put in so much effort to build up the team and get everything ready, and now you're trying to use your connections to demand more money, huh?
But before he could speak, a sigh came from the throne.

"I am aware of your kind intentions. With such a grand occasion before us, we should not hesitate. However, we suffered heavy losses in our previous defeat."

With a bitter sigh, the black mist loosened slightly, revealing the miserable state of the kingdom: "Now, we wish to join in this grand undertaking, but we are truly powerless to help. We hope you two will forgive us."

The original Lord of the Abyss was easy to fool when he was obsessed with saving face and suffering for it, but now, he suddenly started crying pitifully and being poor... The scalp of the decaying ape began to tingle, as if it was uneasy.

But I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong.

His gaze fell upon the black mist, and he suddenly paused, his tone becoming strange: "I have known Lord Yu Yuan for so long, why are you being so distant this time?"

"..."

The black mist was silent for a moment, then a cold voice rang out: "What do you mean?"

The decaying ape pressed on, "I only have doubts. I wonder what I did wrong that made Lord Yuan refuse to even show himself to me?"

silence.

In the long silence, no one spoke.

The old ape remained silent and took a slight step back. Du Luojia lowered her eyes and, without anyone noticing, had already clasped her hands together.

But a hoarse chuckle seemed to rise from the darkness.

"……OK."

The dense darkness gradually thinned, revealing a blurry figure: "Come forward and see for yourself; I will grant you the honor of an audience."

The Lord of the Abyss smiled gently and waved warmly: "So that you can see clearly, look carefully, and make sure you don't miss anything."

His words were so calm, yet they sent chills down one's spine.

"No, no need." The rotten ape waved its hands repeatedly, as if it suddenly regretted it.

"Maybe we should take a look."

The Lord of the Abyss extended another invitation: "Since you're already here..."

"No need!"

The rotten ape shook its head decisively. Through the perception shared by Du Luojia, it had already seen... beneath that thin layer of mist, countless fragments of flesh entangled by the laws of tyrants, bloody and mangled faces, and skulls with exposed white bones.

His expression was one of uncontrollable rage and ferocity!

Choose people to eat!

[You bastard, what on earth are you doing?!]

Du Luojia’s angry rebuke was heart-to-heart: “You said you wanted to bring in strong reinforcements and asked me to go with you, but why did you offend the other party time and time again?”
If the Lord of the Abyss truly breaks off relations, don't blame this old monk for turning around and leaving!

Everyone knows that tyrants are all guys who value their reputation more than anything else. You've stepped on their minefield twice, are you trying to drag me into a fight?
Where's your brain?!
Was it burned as firewood in a stagnant, rotten furnace?

"To be honest, there is another matter I have come here for... By chance, I obtained an item and have come to present it to Lord Yuan for his consideration!"

The rotten ape took a large step back, bent over, and, suppressing his heartache, raised his hands and pulled out a brocade box from the void beneath the black robe.

As the brocade box was opened, a broken tiger tally covered in cracks appeared, abruptly stopping the rage within the black mist.

Those hungry eyes were illuminated by the precious light.

Treasures originating from beneath the vortex, fragments scattered when the Tower of Heavenly Origin broke, and the remaining authority of the Eternal Empire when it fell and vanished!
For every tyrant, it is a treasure for enhancing himself, establishing authority, and expanding his territory!

Even Du Luojia's eyelids twitched slightly: she hadn't expected that this bastard would go to such lengths, that he really wanted that craftsman surnamed Ji dead.

In any other time, such things would be enough to cause another bloodbath between the old guard and the remnants of Anguo and Changle!

The black mist trembled, then trembled again!

Without the slightest hesitation, he rolled up the tiger tally, gripped it tightly, and refused to let go.

"Not bad, not bad, what a treasure..." The laughter paused for a moment, then turned angry: "What do you mean?"

Because the rotten ape didn't let go either, still gripping the tiger tally, it looked up and stared straight at the Lord of the Abyss: "Now that things have come to this, Lord of the Abyss must give everyone a guarantee, right?"

Lord Yuan was furious. "A ruler's word is law. Since I promised you, how could I go back on my word!"

The rotten ape refused to back down an inch, resolutely demanding: "Then please burn your petition and make a covenant with the tower!"

The two stood locked in a stalemate, their eyes locked, until the Abyss Lord's suppressed anger rang out: "Fine, as you say!"

Snapped!
A parchment scroll emerged from the black mist and was tossed out.

The aura of the tyrant's authority lingered around it, pointing undoubtedly to the towering tower, the source and end of all tyrants. With the Abyss Lord's own authority as the guarantee and the two sides working together, they will flatten Luo Island!

Furthermore, at the request of the decaying ape, an additional condition was added: if anyone retreats and causes the grand plan to fail, they will lose all authority and be forever trapped in the shadow of the tower, never to be freed!
"..."

After a long and long period of hesitation, a cracked hand emerged from the black mist, pressed itself onto the contract, and left its own name!
"Your turn," the Lord of the Abyss said resentfully, looking at him coldly. "You wouldn't try to play any tricks on me with the contract, would you?"

The rotten ape seemed to smile slightly, and also reached out and placed his hand on the contract, leaving behind the title bestowed by the Great Abomination.

【Dragon Venom】

at last……

The gaze from within the black mist fell upon the contract, and a silent sigh escaped.

I finally caught you...

Soon, as the scroll spontaneously combusted without wind and cast the tower's shadow, both sides felt as if an additional shackle had been placed upon their souls.

The rotten ape once again displayed its respect, bowing its head as if it had no other choice, "This matter involves the grand plan of the Seven Cities, and I apologize for any offense caused, Lord Yuan."

"I hope so."

Lord Yuan remained indifferent, gripping the tiger tally tightly in his hand, and asked one last question: "Now that things have come to this, when do you plan to launch your attack?"

"Ten days!"

The rotten ape laughed loudly and resolutely promised, "Give me ten days!"

Therefore, an agreement and guarantee were made.

Ten days later, seven cities were captured!
　On the last day of the year, I'm welcoming insomnia and the electric drill; five more days of drilling await—"The Most Painful"

　　I wish you all a Happy New Year!
　　See you next year!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)