Chapter 1957: Executing the Chess Move

Kui Leihan was tall and powerfully built. If Cao Erzhu could be considered a small giant, then Kui Leihan truly deserved the title of "Father of Giants." If compared side-by-side with Shen Yi in terms of height and weight, it would be hard to tell them apart; an observer unfamiliar with them would simply assume they were two practitioners of ancient martial arts.

Naturally, in front of such a massive, ox-like physique, the old man's withered, headless body only reached Kui Leihan's waist, too frail to grasp, truly like a small chick. A slap that made the head explode was visually stunning. While not as mystical as "Grand Dream, Thousand Autumns" or as dazzling as "Sword Bone that Topples Nations," face-to-face combat always had a more brutal, visceral honesty. This was especially true since most people had likely recognized that the old man was, in all probability, the Medicine Ancestor.

"Excellent, it's the Thought Ancestor!""With the Eight Ancestors gone, and now the Thought Ancestor appearing, we are saved.""But what exactly does that old man want to do? Has he not heard the legends of Kui Leihan? At best, the Life Amulet can only develop into a healing role for saving lives and aiding the injured. How dare he charge forward?"

In reality, most people understood that the Medicine Ancestor shouldn't have died so easily. After all, among the three Foreign Ancestors earlier, the Medicine Ancestor's form was not that of an old man, but rather the human-faced Worldly Scholar Tree. When Hua Changdeng became an Ancestor and merged, both the Northern Scholar Tree and the Worldly Scholar Tree briefly appeared, but they retreated once the Eight Ancestors emerged. At most, what Kui Leihan blew apart was merely a clone. And for the Medicine Ancestor, who commanded the Way of Life, it seemed clones could be conjured instantly, as if by a mere thought.

"Sizzle, sizzle..."

The headless corpse in his hand began to writhe as the paralyzing effect of the Divine Punishment Tribulation weakened. Kui Leihan, of course, understood the principle of unending life. But just as the Medicine Ancestor had boldly challenged him to test his abilities, he also wanted to see how bizarre the Way of Life could truly become. Tracing the traces of life from the corpse in his hand, there was a possibility of using the Divine Punishment Tribulation's mark to fully uncover the Medicine Ancestor's next move. If successful, what harm would it be to allow the Medicine Ancestor to gain some advantage?

"Sizzle, sizzle!"

The sound of flesh growing became more jarring, and the scene grew somewhat eerie. Flesh from the headless corpse squeezed out between Kui Leihan's fingers, rapidly surging upward, then coalescing into a fleshy growth that resembled both a fruit and a head. Kui Leihan did not let go. The flesh seemed to have no intention of letting Kui Leihan release it either. After the tumor formed, sharp roots grew within it, seemingly trying to pierce Kui Leihan's skin and merge his hand with the old man's body, growing them together.

"Truly disgusting!"

Kui Leihan frowned. Such a meager amount of life force could not pierce his "Possession-Type Enlightened Divine Thought." With a shake of his hand, the Possession-Type transformed into a Release-Type, blasting outwards. With a *bang*, the old man's tumor-head exploded into dust. The Divine Punishment Tribulation was flexible in its application. It flowed back into his palm. Kui Leihan struck down with an open hand, and with a *thwack*, the old man's headless corpse was completely deprived of all life.

A strong floral fragrance burst forth like mist, filling several streets. Along with it, a black scythe shot into the air.

"Master Cao, seize the Scythe of Death."

A voice sounded in his ear. Just as Kui Leihan was about to move, he realized that tiny particles within the life-mist had, surprisingly, gained sentience. The particles of flesh desperately burrowed towards his nose, mouth, and pores, like moths drawn to a flame, terrifyingly abnormal. Kui Leihan, having anticipated this, immediately intensified the concentration of his Possession-Type Enlightened Divine Thought, forming a membrane-like shield around his body to block the invasion of life particles. But in that brief delay, before the Release-Type Enlightened Divine Thought could be projected instantly, the distant flesh particles had already assembled into tiny, fingernail-sized figures. They hoisted the Scythe of Death and scurried south, babbling:

"Run, run!""This upright ape is so terrifying, quickly flee this place of trouble!""Ah, don't kill me—"

Setting aside their eerie nature, the little things were remarkably cute. Thunder exploded over Fusang City. Kui Leihan's tiger-like eyes swept across, purple lightning surging within them. With a *splat*, those little darlings who had instantly scurried ten miles away with the scythes were crushed to death by his "Oppression-Type Enlightened Divine Thought" from afar.

*Clang!*

The Scythe of Death clattered onto the cracked earth, held immobile as if by an invisible giant hand. Kui Leihan stomped, cracking the earth. Purple lightning crackled around him as his "Manipulation-Type Enlightened Divine Thought" targeted the Scythe of Death, drawing the scythe towards him as he advanced.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."

Just then, a strange sound came from behind him. The entire city's scorched flowers had, at some point, regained their vitality. Roots and vines intertwined, forming thick tentacles that coiled around Kui Leihan from his front and back, seemingly trying to ensnare him.

"Begone!"

Kui Leihan turned his head, yet made no visible movement. Divine Punishment Tribulation was unleashed into the air, transforming into a sky-covering lightning palm that swept across half the city with one strike.

*Boom!*

The lightning engulfed everything. The sky above the Central Origin World was dyed the color of purple lightning in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Fusang City was no more, flattened to the ground. Even the flowers that had covered its houses and walls all withered and died within it, their life force impossible to revive.

"This..."

The sudden outburst made spectators across the Five Domains gasp in awe. One strike, half a city. Another strike, an entire city. It seemed this was not the full extent of Kui Leihan's power. The Thought Ancestor was not merely the Thought Ancestor; he was also an incredibly ferocious Lightning Ancestor. If his instantaneous burst power were unleashed at full force, it might not be limited to just one city or one realm. Even if the Eight Revered Adepts were slow to draw their swords, they might still suffer severe injuries or casualties.

"Zzzzt!"

The purple lightning retracted. Amidst the city's dust and smoke, only a grand cloak fluttered. Kui Leihan, grasping the black scythe he had drawn to him, spoke in a low voice, "How should this be handled?"

Things were different now. Xu Xiaoshou was no longer the naive ant he had been when first encountered in the small town; he had solidified his reputation as "Lord Shou," gaining the ability to contend with the Ancestors. With the Eight Revered Adepts gone, "Lord Shou" became the sole leader under the prominent banner of the Holy Slaves. Kui Leihan had no idea how much he could achieve, or if he had already uncovered the secrets of the Medicine Ancestor. But Kui Leihan knew his own situation. Although he had been elevated to an Ancestor, he did not understand the Medicine Ancestor's schemes or the demon's plots. He couldn't "reset" or transcend the chessboard to strike a decisive blow. Frankly, he was merely the strongest piece on the chessboard, destined to play the role of a reckless, head-on force. This was both a limitation and an advantage. If one were to abandon their strengths for weaknesses and rely solely on oneself to contend with the demonic Medicine and evil spirits, the ancient Ancestral Gods' millennia-long machinations would provide a bloody lesson to newcomers on the true meaning of "old ginger is spicier."

"Master Cao, it's no use. The Scythe of Death has been swapped out," the voice sighed.

Kui Leihan's eyes showed surprise. The first point of "old ginger is spicier" had been demonstrated. The Scythe of Death had never left his sight from beginning to end, yet he couldn't discern how or when it had been swapped.

*Boom!*

He clenched his fist. The black scythe in his hand shattered into dust, scattering nothing but a rich floral fragrance. That was all. Kui Leihan swept open his large cloak and turned to look at the northern sky. Kong Yuhen was nowhere to be seen, and the temporal rift was still struggling to hold. However, after the aid of the three Ancestors was withdrawn, the golden scar had become unstable, occasionally trembling, its aura weakening, showing signs of imminent collapse.

Fusang City was deserted. Kui Leihan whispered:"I am walking a new path, largely unrelated to Ancestral God Avatars, Ancestral God Destiny, merging, or resetting.""To discern 'me' still holds some possibility...""However, the Way of 'Me' is not the entirety of the Way of Thought; I've only touched upon its surface and won't focus on cultivating it, as it's time-consuming and laborious.""I have another way to discern myself."

He paused, his gaze returning to Fusang City. The charred, ruined city was shrouded in rolling dust, dimming the yellow sky. From deep underground and from the void, life energy continuously gathered and surged forth. The Medicine Ancestor, like a centipede, though dead, was not stiff, and was coming again.

"Is it 'False Face'?" the voice by his ear inquired.

"Hmm."

Kui Leihan offered no further explanation. With a shift in his thought, electric snakes immediately coiled around his feet, as if he were detaching himself from his physical form. One thought, I am. One thought, I am not. In an instant, the Divine Punishment Tribulation etherealized into nothingness, ascending onto the life energy gushing from underground and the life principles in the void. It seemed he intended to use this to trace where the Medicine Ancestor's subsequent moves were hidden. However, once the Possession-Type attached to these ethereal forms, what it marked revealed that in the vast world, there was no place without life, no place without the Medicine Ancestor. Countless cycles, frequent flashes and errors, making it impossible to pinpoint where the Medicine Ancestor was truly operating in the shadows. This inevitably made Kui Leihan frown again, but there was no better method.

While maintaining his futile search operation, he watched as the city's pervasive silence once again revived, without intervening. Of course, his mouth didn't stop either; he continued to murmur to himself:"Since I'm not taking the 'reset' path, I won't ascend to the Heavenly Feather Realm like the Eight Revered Adepts, allowing me to remain here.""In terms of strange arts and tactical planning, I am inferior to the Three Ancestors. But in terms of direct combat power, if demons and spirits unite at their peak, they might be able to withstand the Divine Punishment Tribulation.""However, without an Ancestral God's destiny to anchor me, I can feel my power subtly draining away.""While I won't be limited to just a few sword strokes like the Eight Revered Adepts, my number of attacks is still limited. If possible, it would be best to unleash them upon those three main bodies.""My fear is that those three—the snake, the rat, and the worm—are too accustomed to hiding and won't come out to directly confront me, risking a fight to the death.""This is essentially 'me'."

A full disclosure! Xu Xiaoshou truly hadn't expected Kui Leihan to explain himself so clearly, without any pretense, after becoming an Ancestor. To reveal so much, how much trust did he place in him? No... Not in him. They were mere acquaintances, having met only a few times. Who would be this frank with a complete stranger? Essentially, this guy was still giving face to the Eight Revered Adepts! "Old Eight, your influence is bigger than a millstone..." Xu Xiaoshou felt as if he had grasped a formidable chess piece: unmoving as a mountain, yet when it moved, it struck like thunder. And up to this point, Kui Leihan didn't seem to have revealed much; was he intentionally holding back?

"Hahaha!""Thought Ancestor, is this all you've got?"

Above and below Fusang City, a hazy mist once again billowed, and faintly, the old man's figure re-coalesced. Dead. But not completely dead. The Medicine Ancestor discarded his previous body and, using the Way of Life, re-condensed a new one. He stood tall at the southern gate of Fusang City, holding the black Scythe of Death, and grinned crookedly: "Want this?"

Before the purple lightning could trace him, his own body exploded, shattering into a cloud of mist. The Scythe of Death shattered with him, also dissolving into the mist. Then the Medicine Ancestor's third body condensed, already far from Fusang City's lightning-serpent-infested area, appearing in a distant withered forest, and once again brandishing the scythe: "You can't get it."

Provocation! Intense provocation! The spirit refiners outside the battle dared not approach, feeling the conflict was about to spread, and even observing from Palm Almond View, they felt they would be affected. Even Kui Leihan felt a surge of anger ignite within him at this moment. He clenched his fists, bones crackling, but did not immediately give chase. Instead, he lowered his voice and continued to murmur: "You're Wuxiu's disciple, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Uh..." Xu Xiaoshou paused, wondering why this was brought up. "Why do you ask?"

He saw Kui Leihan bend his knees slightly, and a fierce rage, like a wild horse unleashed, erupted from his brow as he surged forward: "You handle the 'Burning Lute,' I'll be the 'Green Dwelling'.""Just tell me when to stop or change the tempo. As for this old man, I'm going in for him first!"

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Thunder roared, and purple lightning flashed. From Fusang City, he pushed southward, splitting barren mountains and shattering rivers, a display of utter destructive power. The Medicine Ancestor Shennong Hundred Herbs appeared. The Medicine Ancestor Shennong Hundred Herbs died. In less than half a cup of tea's time, it was like a game of Whack-a-Mole: the old man's survival time after appearing was zero, and his probability of staying alive was also zero. If he dared to show his head, he would die. But the power of life seemed endless. One old man fell, and another appeared. He fought his way out of Fusang City into the Central Origin World, then blasted through the Central Origin World all the way south to the Ghost Buddha World, which is the Southern Departure World. Wherever his black cloak fluttered, it demonstrated to the world what it meant to sweep away everything like withered leaves. Yet the Medicine Ancestor was ceaseless, and no matter what, could not be killed.

"This isn't how you fight!"

Even the low-level spirit refiners in the Five Domains sensed something amiss: "The Thought Ancestor's methods are too singular. Even if the Medicine Ancestor isn't good at fighting, he excels at surviving. If they fight like this, when will it end?""No, haven't you noticed? Although the old men look identical, each subsequent one is always a bit weaker than the last. There's an opportunity here.""Relying on such a slim chance? It can't be rooted out! Who knows if the old man is truly weak or just pretending? To me, it looks like he's just... uh, toying with him.""A brute! A brutish act!"

Kui Leihan's performance indeed resembled that of a mindless brute, truly brave but lacking strategy. Despite possessing the combat power of an Ancestral God, he was completely led by the nose by the Medicine Ancestor Shennong Hundred Herbs. Compared to the Eight Revered Adepts, who were also among the Ten Revered Seats and had achieved Ancestor status, Kui Leihan seemed incredibly clumsy, as if under a spell, completely failing to live up to his standing.

Yet, in a place unseen and unheard by all, a constant "chatter" sounded in Kui Leihan's ear, making him clearer, more exhilarated, and more confident with every blow.

"Master Cao, it's confirmed. He's temporarily creating these life clones by altering the life patterns of the Heavenly Way and living beings. This requires time. You've got this, right? If his true body emerges, that time could be shortened to almost zero. You need to be mentally prepared for a final battle...""Master Cao, if I'm not mistaken, you've been affected by the 'Thousand Bodies Chaotic Life Method' in reverse. The Divine Punishment Tribulation can't mark his true body, or rather, his true body is omnipresent, with only differences in where power is stored more or less. Let me find him...""Master Cao, I've found it. There are two main sources of power on the Holy Divine Continent. When the battle begins, first cut off his escape route through the 'Floral Fragrance Homeland,' then cut off the hidden plane beneath the 'City of Living Pagodas' in the Flat Lake. Why does this have a hint of the Ancestral Tree about it? How much has this bastard actually planned...""Master Cao, you're in the Southern Departure World now. You're about to enter the region of 'Over-Daoized Laws.' If nothing unexpected happens, he'll likely taunt you one more time outside the Ghost Buddha battlefield, then activate his hidden moves. Remember what I said?""He's confident in 'resetting' you. If the demons and evil spirits don't appear, he'll want to take more, and your Way of Thought is the most appealing!""Now, your divine transformation has been slapped. There's definitely a problem...""Since 'False Face' can temporarily nullify your combat power, he must have realized this. Otherwise, he wouldn't have abandoned his 'reset' plan for now, turning his full attention to dealing with you.""So, before your divine transformation is abnormally dispelled, absolutely do not release 'False Face.' He has plenty of ways to simulate and replicate it, creating one or two to deal with you...""Fight, fight, fight! Be even more reckless, beat him to death! The Eight Revered Adepts look down on him, and I/we look down on him too. In the eyes of the Three Ancestors, they can't be bothered to study mere piglets!""By the way, Master Cao, can you suddenly flash to the Mourning Emperor Realm and give the Worldly Scholar Tree a surprise?"

With bloodshot eyes, Kui Leihan threw a punch at the last old man, but it struck empty air as the opponent took a step back. He wanted to give chase but instinctively halted his steps.

"Is that all?"

With a single step, the Medicine Ancestor retreated from the Ghost Buddha World, his lips curling into a wide smile. Ahead was the land of Over-Daoized Laws, behind was the land of Grand Daoized Laws—one nine-tenths, the other eight-tenths. If Kui Leihan were to pursue him and shatter something with a punch, the Ancient War God Platform wouldn't cover it, and those who died would be beyond recovery for life. If Kui Leihan didn't pursue him...

"After chasing for so long, it's time for this Ancestor to make a move!"

The old man held the Scythe of Death in his mouth like a rose, his smile bright and captivating. He clapped his hands together to form a seal, his gaze sweeping towards the old Guizhe site, and roared: "Spiritual Lineage Ceremony!"