Dao Cheng Gui Xian

Chapter 552 Entering the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts, a Shell of Flesh and Skin

As the sun rises, the noise continues.

The cry of the Vermilion Bird echoed, and a magnificent palace appeared and disappeared above the Endless City.

Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, the tavern owner, accompanied by five or six Nascent Soul cultivators, vanished into the void amidst the envious gazes of the crowd.

The white-boned cicada body devoured a section of the tavern owner's spine, and white dotted lines penetrated deep into the spine, firmly controlling the tavern owner's every word and action.

After half an hour of whispering to the tavern master, the tavern owner's mind was now under control.

With the knowledge of a tavern owner, everything was handled with ease.

It's still the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Including the Vermilion Bird Clan member and the tavern owner who were stationed yesterday, there are a total of seven early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

As dawn breaks through the sky, it begins to paint the earth.

The Sparrow Shadow Bell beside the Vermilion Bird Gate suddenly trembled, and then seven sparrow shadows flew out and landed on the statue in front of the Vermilion Bird Gate.

"Click!"

A series of crisp sounds rang in everyone's ears, and the illusory gate beneath the Vermilion Bird Gate suddenly opened a crack.

Li Wushou immediately sensed a burning heat within it.

This seemingly empty Vermilion Bird Gate, which leads directly to the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts, actually harbors deadly dangers.
If an ordinary person were to enter without being summoned, they would likely have been burned to ashes by the magic array within the gate long ago.

Judging from its power, even someone like the tavern owner, who is at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, would have no way to escape!

But today, it seems that the Vermilion Bird Ancestor has no intention of showing up.
I'm afraid it can't move anymore.
Li Wushou had anticipated this, and followed the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Vermilion Bird Clan through the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Crossing the porch was just one step, but Li Wushou knew he had stepped into a void.

It may seem that the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts is behind the Vermilion Bird Gate, but that is not the case.

Without anchoring the location of the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts, even if the protective array of the Vermilion Bird Gate is broken through, it will be difficult to find the true entrance of the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts in the void.

Fortunately, we didn't act rashly, otherwise we might have alerted the enemy.

The light and shadow shift, and the scene before my eyes changes dramatically.

Suddenly, a building unlike any palace Li Wushou had ever seen appeared before his eyes.

Square and expansive.

Each side has a large door, which is nine zhang high.

Above the main gate is a plaque of various colors, with three large characters written in a vigorous and flowing style: "Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts"!
The Vermilion Bird region to the south is red, while the other three sides are green to the east, black to the north, and white to the west.

Correspondingly, a mythical beast statue stands at each of the four corners of the palace.

These are the totems of the four clans: Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger.

The statue is nine zhang and nine chi tall, level with the palace.

Behind each statue stretches a cluster of buildings. Overlooking the entire panorama, each building is like a believer, constantly bowing in worship to the four totem statues.

The buildings are situated at the foot of the Vermilion Bird totem, arranged on both sides with a main avenue running through the middle, directly opposite the totem statue and a corner of the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts.

The group stepped out of the Vermilion Bird Gate and stood on this avenue.

Once you cross this avenue, you can enter the Palace of Beasts through the side gate beneath the totem statue.

Li Wushou, riding the body of the tavern owner, followed behind the group while looking around with great interest.

He sensed a deathly stillness.

The vast corridors and the Palace of Beasts were completely silent.

"Huh? Usually, disciples would greet us, but I haven't seen a single one of these disciples who are stationed outside. Could it be that they also obtained an opportunity and went to the Path of Public Consultation?"

A Nascent Soul cultivator, half-covered in scales and resembling a dragon or snake, whispered to another Nascent Soul cultivator beside him, whose skin was like armor. The armored Nascent Soul cultivator nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, and since it was all announced by the Vermilion Bird Clan, shouldn't we each enter the Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts through the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise gates?"

The half-scaled Nascent Soul cultivator nodded repeatedly, about to reply.

The Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivator at the head of the group, who had been beaming with excitement, suddenly turned and demanded:
"What? What's wrong with the Vermilion Bird's announcement? My ancestor has given up time to comprehend the Great Dao and announced it to you all. Aren't you satisfied yet? If you're not willing, you can still go back now. Just go to your clan's passage and enter!"

The two who had been whispering to each other paused for a moment, then quickly smiled, took two quick steps to stand behind the Vermilion Bird's Divine Transformation, and said with a smile:
"Brother Dao, you're too kind. We're just a little embarrassed for delaying Ancestor Zhuque's comprehension time. There's nothing to complain about."

"Indeed, indeed, fellow Daoist, you are overthinking it. We are too grateful to Ancestor Zhuque to have any complaints."

The Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivator finally calmed down, but he still snorted angrily and strode forward.

A woman of the Nascent Soul stage with a dark "king" character mark on her forehead and white hair and beard, standing to the side, laughed upon seeing this:
"Bird's heart and lungs, so small and tight."

A vassal deity with a similar background to the tavern owner quickly stepped forward to grab the woman and smiled obsequiously at the Vermilion Bird clan deity who had stopped in front of them.

The Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivator glanced at the woman, a flash of anger in his eyes.

However, he seemed somewhat wary of the woman and did not directly confront her. Instead, he vented his anger on Li Wushou, who was leisurely and carefree at the back of the group.

"Are you walking so slowly because your legs are weak, or because you don't want to comprehend the Great Dao?"

Li Wushou was taken aback, then his eyes narrowed slightly.

Originally glaring angrily at the Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivator, Li Wushou suddenly felt a sense of unease and instinctively began to avoid Li Wushou's gaze.

But in the next instant, the Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivators regained their senses.

Looking at the tavern owner who was staring at him, his anger reached its peak!

How dare this sycophant look him in the eye like that?
The moment he moved, he was about to teach them a lesson.

Just then, the statue at the end of the avenue suddenly trembled slightly.

"The collective enlightenment of the Great Dao is about to begin. Why haven't you entered the palace yet?"

His voice was hoarse, uttering each word slowly and deliberately, but before he could finish speaking, it became smooth and fluent again.

It was as if the parched earth had received a sweet rain, and was slowly moistened.

Upon hearing this, the Vermilion Bird Clan's Nascent Soul cultivator paused, glared fiercely at the tavern owner, then turned and bowed:

"Yes, ancestor!"

The others also bowed deeply and said:

"As the Vermilion Bird Ancestor commands!"

Only the tavern owner, who was under Li Wushou's control, seemed to be stunned by the transformation of the Vermilion Bird Clan's god, and stood straight at the back of the line.

Gazing at the statue at the end of the avenue, Li Wushou raised an eyebrow.

Aside from the initial, deliberate phrasing, the voice sounded almost identical to yesterday's.

But Li Wushou detected a mechanical quality in his voice.

It seems that these words were not spoken by the Vermilion Bird Ancestor, but rather that someone had controlled his mouth and forcibly made him speak.

Li Wushou, who has extensive experience in controlling other people's physical bodies, is exceptionally perceptive in this regard.

Moreover, based on yesterday's words, one can sense that the Vermilion Bird Ancestor is in a state of financial distress. Although this state is extremely poor, at least he is still alive.

Listening to it now, all signs of life have vanished.

Only a shell of flesh and blood remained!
Looking around, this vast Palace of Ten Thousand Beasts is probably just an empty shell, like the Vermilion Bird Ancestor.

This son of Moro is truly ruthless!

(End of this chapter)