Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

"Yan, Yan Xiaoyi. You, you, you, are you a human or a ghost?"

Qi Yue's voice trembled slightly. If it weren't for Shuiyue standing beside him, he might not have even had the courage to speak. The scene before him was simply too terrifying.

"Qi Yue, what are you talking about! He has a shadow, how could he be a ghost? Is there a conflict between you two?"

After hearing Qi Yue's words, Shui Yue glanced at Yan a few more times. As a descendant of a family of doctors, she could tell the difference between a human and a ghost. After observing Qi Yue and Yan's expressions for a while, she roughly judged that the two might have some kind of conflict.

"This beautiful lady is right, I am indeed human, but you were really ruthless the other day."

Yan smiled and said, "We didn't have any deep-seated hatred before, did we? Just because Nana dumped you and came to me, you came to cause trouble for me, bringing people to gang up on me with bricks and beat me up until my head was bleeding. If I hadn't been lucky, I might really be dead."

"I'm telling you, you scoundrels, you really don't know your own strength. It's only because my family has some resources that this happened; if it were anyone else, they might have killed someone. Did you even consider the consequences? Or is it that scum like you never thinks about the future? No wonder Nana left you."

Yan's words almost broke Qi Yue's guard, and Shui Yue beside him also changed her expression, her gaze towards Qi Yue shifting slightly.

She had already felt that Qi Yue's behavior was somewhat frivolous on the train, but since they had a decent conversation, she hadn't thought much of it. Now, after hearing Yan's words, her impression of Qi Yue naturally changed.

"So, you're here to get revenge."

After confirming that Yan was alive, Qi Yue was no longer afraid. He became arrogant and said with a crooked mouth, "Yan Xiaoyi, don't think that just because you have a high-ranking official father, I will be afraid of you. I was able to take you down a couple of days ago, and I can do it again now."

"Wow! What a big mouth you have! You knocked me down, aren't you worried about the safety of your own brother, Field Mouse?!"

Yan noticed the change in Shuiyue's eyes and continued with a smile, "He provoked me because of your matter. After the incident, you, the mastermind, ran away, leaving your brother in the capital. You really are a loyal friend."

Qi Yue's expression changed, then he seemed to reassure himself, saying, "What did you do to Tian Shu? No, you wouldn't dare. Tian Shu's father is..."

“No matter how much influence his father has, does that mean my family doesn’t? He was in the wrong this time. I was bleeding from the head and had a concussion; I almost died.”

Yan continued slowly, "I caught him to get revenge. Locking him up for a while longer won't hurt him too much, and his family won't dare to say anything. But all the suffering he's endured is because of you. You're so loyal, why don't you help your brother share the burden?"

"What do you want to do? I'm warning you, this is a train station."

Qi Yue felt a chill run down his spine, and his eyes instinctively darted around. He sensed the ill intent in Yan's words, and his heart was naturally filled with anxiety and anger.

He and Tian Shu almost killed Yan Xiaoyi, with Tian Shu even hitting the knight harder, but why was he the only one who needed to run away? One reason was that he was the mastermind behind the whole thing, and another important reason was that he had no connections.

Tian Shu's father is very wealthy and powerful, so even if Tian Shu gets into trouble, he can be protected. This orphan doesn't have that kind of background, while Yan Xiaoyi's family has plenty of connections. Besides, the whole thing boils down to him and Tian Shu going too far; if they had really killed him, no one would have said anything.

So after confirming that the field mouse was not in any danger, his first instinct was to protect himself. Only when he was safe could he possibly make further plans.

Yan smiled and walked up to Qi Yue and Shui Yue, "You two dared to fight in front of the school, so why wouldn't I dare to cause you trouble at the train station? Qi Yue, do you think I'll let you off the hook?"

"You, you mustn't do anything reckless."

Qi Yue subconsciously stepped back. The reason he brought a brick and called his underlings when he went to cause trouble for Yan Xiaoyi was because the latter had martial arts skills. If he, a small-time thug, were to fight Yan Xiaoyi one-on-one, he would be no match for him at all.

While warning Yan, he glanced around, searching for an escape route. Having been a petty thug and beaten countless times, he was always very skilled at escaping.

"Beautiful lady, look at this kind of good-for-nothing. He abandons women and runs away when trouble arises. Is he someone you can entrust your life to?"

Qi Yue had only taken two steps back when Yan had already moved to within three steps of Shui Yue. He then spoke again, "This is the kind of guy who actually has the nerve to use a relationship dispute as an excuse to hit someone. Do you think he can bring happiness to a woman? Does he even deserve to be called a man?"

Yan's words made Qi Yue stop in his tracks. He noticed the change in Shui Yue's expression, and a surge of anger rose within him. The newly awakened Qilin bloodline brought him inexplicable shame and courage, and at this moment he was unwilling to back down.

Yan noticed Qi Yue's change and couldn't help but complain inwardly, "What kind of bullshit Qilin bloodline is this? It's like that thing that gets all worked up, getting aroused by a woman. Is this a mythical beast or a stallion? Is this the kind of pathetic Qilin in this universe?"

He had deliberately provoked Qi Yue to test what the so-called Qilin bloodline was all about. The result was similar to the original description: it was completely unworthy of the name of auspicious beast and was more like a stallion in heat.

"Holy shit..."

Qi Yue, his mind clouded by anger, charged forward. In the next instant, he realized the vast difference in strength between them. He felt a powerful force on his shoulder, and his body instinctively stumbled back a few steps. Before he knew it, he had fallen to the ground.

"With your skills, what are you anyway if you hadn't ambushed me with a brick that day?"

Yan simply raised and pushed with his left hand, sending Qi Yue flying. He then prepared to provoke Qi Yue further, walking over to Shui Yue and whispering, "Beautiful lady, can you do me a small favor?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with you, and I only know Qi Yue by name. I have no interest in interfering in your affairs."

Shuiyue flatly refused Yan's offer. Although she had a somewhat negative impression of Qi Yue, they had chatted quite pleasantly earlier and were practically friends. How could she possibly agree to help Yan? In fact, if the timing weren't so bad, she would have considered helping Qi Yue out of this predicament.

"Excuse me, beautiful, I don't like it when girls tell me no. But this time, I really need your help."

Yan was preparing to give Qi Yue a good taunt, and naturally needed the girl's cooperation. He smiled and reached out his right hand to grab her. Shuiyue's body stiffened noticeably, and she subconsciously slapped Yan's right hand away.

Yan felt the slender, jade-like hand strike him violently with his right hand. A peculiar force attempted to invade his body, but he easily neutralized it. Then, Yan's palm firmly grasped Shuiyue's shoulder, causing the girl's body to freeze instantly.

Shuiyue's face was full of shock and fear. In her panic, she had used her family's Stacking Sun Hand, but she did not expect that it would not only be useless, but she would also be unable to move after being slapped. Could it be that she had encountered some martial arts master?

Shuiyue felt puzzled and uneasy. Her family had a considerable lineage. Although her skill wasn't particularly strong, and the Stacking Sun Hand wasn't a particularly domineering technique, that palm strike shouldn't have been completely ineffective.

The Stacking Sun Hand is an internal martial art, a closely guarded secret of the Shuiyue family. It is mainly used to assist in treatment, but of course, the Stacking Sun Hand itself also has strong offensive power and can also be used for self-defense.

If she weren't the only daughter in her generation, Shuiyue wouldn't have been able to receive the teachings. She had been cultivating since she was very young, and over the course of more than ten years, she had already achieved a certain level of proficiency in internal martial arts.

She knew very well the power of the Stacked Sun Hand technique. Although she had only used 30% of her strength in that hasty strike, it was still enough to kill. But this guy was completely unharmed. Could someone like this really be taken down by a brick?

After calming down, Shuiyue was extremely suspicious of Yan's previous words, and vaguely guessed that there was more to the story, but she no longer had time to find out the truth.

"Qi Yue, although you're a scumbag, you do have good taste. This beauty is much better than Nana."

Yan put one arm around Shuiyue's chiseled shoulder. The two of them stood together, looking like a perfect couple, but this scene deeply agitated Qi Yue.

Qi Yue was an orphan, and the word "parents" had always been distant to him. When he was little, Qi Yue never wanted to leave the orphanage because he was afraid of seeing how happy children his age were with their parents.

His withdrawn personality developed during that time. This only changed after he graduated from junior high school and met his first older brother, a smoker. The result was that he became a thug, a hooligan, a social outcast, and a parasite on the nation.

Trash, what an awful word! Qi Yue felt incredibly humiliated whenever he thought of that word, yet he couldn't refute it. His aloofness and inferiority complex led him to make an impulsive decision after being dumped again, knowing full well that he couldn't afford to offend Yan Xiaoyi, he still took Tian Shu to ambush her.

Now that Yan has come knocking on his door, Qi Yue feels humiliated. His strong sense of pride makes him unwilling to accept this, and a burning anger rises in his heart.

Unnoticed by others, the tattoos on Qi Yue's chest and back reappeared beneath his clothes. The black Qilin's back was covered in lifelike silver fur, and its single horn, with its black and silver colors intertwined evenly, looked even more mystical. One of the four clouds beneath the Qilin's feet became clearer, radiating a red light.

Qi Yue felt a burning heat all over his body, and his mind went blank. He almost fell into a coma. A strange scene appeared before his eyes. Instead of seeing the large golden buildings as before, he found himself in a huge furnace.

The surroundings were ablaze with red, and scorching flames relentlessly assaulted his body from every direction and corner. Heat was the only thing Qi Yue could feel, and each assault brought him pain from the deepest recesses of his soul.

Qi Yue wanted to scream, but he couldn't make a sound, and he couldn't escape the pain either. He looked at Yan in front of him, and the anger in his heart intensified.

He felt like his whole body was burning, an indescribable feeling. Every cell was constantly dividing, his bones felt itchy, and his whole body seemed to be filled with power, especially his heart, which was beating incessantly.

"what!!!"

Qi Yue roared, and a monster appeared on his chest and back. Its black body, silver fur, and strange single horn were all dazzling. The monster seemed to have come alive, and a faint light and shadow enveloped Qi Yue's entire body.

The crackling sounds were sickening; they were the sounds emanating from Qi Yue's bones. Yan watched everything unfold before him silently. In his special vision, Qi Yue's body was changing; a faint red glow suddenly appeared on the silver and black monster horn.

The once dark and clear moonlit night was suddenly struck by lightning and thunder. Under the cover of dark clouds, a fierce wind rose across the land. Qi Yue exuded a beastly aura, and terrifying energy seemed to be gathering beneath his flesh and blood.

Yan coldly observed everything. "This is the awakening of the Qilin bloodline? It does look somewhat real, but it's just so-so!"

Side Story: Zodiac Guardian Deities (Part 3) - Enlightenment

"Amitabha! Excellent! Excellent!"

A gentle voice suddenly rang out. The voice sounded very friendly because it was authentic Beijing dialect, not the completely incomprehensible Tibetan.

Upon hearing the sound, Qi Yue, who was on the ground, subconsciously turned around and saw a young monk in a monk's robe standing five meters away from the group. There had been no footsteps beforehand; it seemed as if he had simply appeared there.

This young monk looked to be in his early twenties. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he exuded a harmonious beauty.

The young monk walked to Qi Yue's side, smiled slightly at Yan, and said, "Esteemed benefactor, it's better to resolve enmity than to let it fester. Could you please let this matter pass for my sake?"

"Your face? And who are you anyway?"

Yan glanced at the monk who had suddenly appeared and roughly guessed his identity, but he didn't care much.

He came to this world like a max-level god descending into a newbie village, just like a relaxed tourist, completely ignoring everyone and doing whatever he wanted as long as his thoughts were clear.

"May Buddha have mercy, this humble monk holds a certain position in the Potala Palace."

The young monk glanced at Yan. His gaze was peaceful, yet it inspired goodwill and made it difficult to harbor evil thoughts. "Some things are still not good here. May Buddha have mercy."

"You mean you're a Living Buddha? Do you have any credentials?"

Yan glanced at the young monk, then suddenly uttered a remark that struck a chord with most people: "A Living Buddha Certificate—this is still a novelty in the Yanhuang Kingdom."

For over sixty years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, there have been strict regulations regarding the inheritance of traditions in the snowy regions, especially the inheritance of Living Buddhas. Reincarnation is not permitted unless it is allowed. Especially this year, there has been the introduction of Living Buddha Certificates. If the senior monks and abbots in Tibetan areas do not have certificates, then they are considered fake.

"This is my certificate, which was just issued this year."

The young monk looked somewhat embarrassed, and then, to Qi Yue and Shui Yue's astonishment, he pulled out something that resembled an ID card, which contained basic information and a three-inch photo.

The young monk smiled at Yan and continued, "Benefactor, you have seen my credentials. Is that alright?"

Yan glanced at the monk in front of him and said indifferently, "Your certificate is real, but I don't think I promised to give you that favor!"

The young monk smiled and said, "Benefactor, there are some things in this world that deserve our reverence. It is not a good thing that you have no Buddha in your heart."

“I’ve never believed in those clay figurines. So-called gods and Buddhas are worthless in my eyes. Don’t forget what era we live in now. This isn’t the era for you guys to play the gods and ghosts.”

Yan's tone was sharp. Although he was a supreme god, it did not prevent him from being a progressive young man of the new era. After all, who hasn't been young?

The young monk's smile vanished. "Benefactor, some things should not be said carelessly."

"Really!"

Yan's smile remained unchanged as he quietly watched the little monk in front of him. The monk originally intended to teach Yan a lesson, but he quickly realized something, and his expression gradually became serious, his bald head covered in sweat.

“Benefactor, this humble monk has been rude.”

Suddenly, the young monk waved his hand, creating a strong wind that threw the entire train station into chaos. In the blink of an eye, he and Qi Yue had vanished from the spot.

"Let me go."

On a street corner outside the train station, Qi Yue shook off the young monk who had taken him away, his face full of displeasure. "Why did you just leave like that? Shuiyue is still in some bastard's hands. You should teach him a lesson."

The young monk looked at him calmly and said, "Qi Yue, listen to this, Yan Xiaoyi will not hurt that girl, because he and you, you are the same kind of people."

However, he seems to have already mastered that power. That shouldn't be the case. Without anyone guiding him, how could he have achieved it so quickly…

His second half of the sentence was just him talking to himself, but Qi Yue didn't care at all. He just angrily argued, "What are you talking about? How could he and I be the same kind of people?"

The young monk looked up at Qi Yue and continued, "You'll understand what I'm saying later. Right now, I need you to come with me. Qi Yue, I know you're not an impulsive person."

Qi Yue naturally refused to cooperate. "Why should I go with you? Shuiyue is still in some bastard's hands. Who do you think you are? What makes you think you know me? Can you read my mind?"

The young monk nodded solemnly and said, "That's right, I can see into your heart. Do you remember the voice that summoned you? Do you remember the scene in your dream? In fact, all of this was to bring you here to meet me."

Upon hearing the young monk speak of his dream, Qi Yue trembled violently and exclaimed, "You...you can enter my dream?"

"Buddha has no form, no shape, no appearance. Please follow me."

The young monk smiled slightly as he spoke, then turned and walked toward the street beside him.

Qi Yue was filled with panic at this moment, and subconsciously followed. After hearing the young monk recount his dream, he was now eager to get the answer.

The two of them arrived at the side of the street one after the other. The young monk stopped in front of a car, gestured to Qi Yue to invite him, and then climbed into the driver's seat.