Chapter 1378: Death Suddenly Arrives

The Bodhisattva smiled faintly. "I already knew."

Jiang Fan was startled. "When did you know the Bodhi tree was on me?"

The Bodhisattva replied, "I knew it the moment you took out the Soul-鎮魂佛珠."

"That string of Soul-鎮魂佛珠 belonged to a Vajra from Tianzhou a thousand years ago."

"He came to Taicang Great State to help us fight the ancient giants. After the great battle ended, a temple from Tianzhou came looking for him, stating he carried a Bodhi seed."

"So, when you took out the Soul-鎮魂佛珠, I realized that the Bodhi tree you spoke of was nurtured from that Bodhi seed."

"And it must be in your possession."

Jiang Fan suddenly understood.

It turned out the Bodhisattva had long seen through his secret of carrying the Bodhi tree, but had simply not revealed it.

What's more, the Bodhisattva had merely been playing along with Jiang Fan, providing clues once a month as a charade.

Indeed, for the past month, White Horse Temple hadn't inquired about clues for the Bodhi tree.

This indirectly showed that they weren't truly concerned about the so-called clues.

Because they already knew the Bodhi tree's location.

White Horse Temple's only apprehension regarding Jiang Fan was his ability to move the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar.

Jiang Fan grew even more puzzled. "Then doesn't the Bodhisattva want the Bodhi tree?"

Having witnessed the Bodhisattva's numerous abilities, he doubted his past self could have prevented the Bodhisattva from forcefully taking the Bodhi tree.

The Bodhisattva calmly replied, "Had it been ten years earlier, I would have been confident in cultivating another Bodhisattva."

"Now, it's too late."

One would need to meditate and comprehend the Dao under the Bodhi tree for ten years to successfully achieve enlightenment.

But with the impending catastrophe, there simply wasn't enough time.

Jiang Fan realized that initially, the Bodhisattva had indeed been very keen on the Bodhi tree.

However, after learning from Heavenly Spear Asura that the ancient giants would arrive in three months, the Bodhisattva abandoned the idea of the Bodhi tree.

"Then isn't this Bodhi tree useless?" Jiang Fan asked.

He wasn't particularly sentimental about it.

This type of Buddhist divine tree was of no use to him anyway.

He had kept it primarily to maintain leverage over White Horse Temple.

Now that its balancing effect was gone, keeping it was redundant.

The Bodhisattva said, "The karmic connections of this world are truly wondrous."

"This divine tree, which neither my White Horse Temple nor the Tianzhou Buddhist Temples could find, was discovered by you."

"This is your destined connection with this tree."

"Keep it with you; perhaps it will be useful another day."

Hearing this, Jiang Fan nodded slightly.

Dismissing the thought of discarding it, he took a deep breath and took out the *Sutra of Suppressing Hell and Restraining Souls*, saying:

"Alright, let's examine this sutra together now."

Reverend Six Paths leaned closer, his eyes gleaming. "Good heavens!"

"A black Buddhist sutra? Could this be the very scroll White Horse Temple and the Jian family have been searching for for hundreds of years?"

"When did you get your hands on something this good, kid?"

"Let me have a look too; let's see what incredible scriptures are within!"

Jiang Fan disdainfully pushed his face away.

"Stay away from me. Your chaotic lightning aura smells terrible."

Reverend Six Paths bristled, "How long has it been since I practiced lightning-path divine abilities?"

"Where's this lightning aura coming from?"

Jiang Fan paused. He still had a thin piece of the scent-sensing jade in his mouth, which allowed him to detect the lightning aura.

But hearing Reverend Six Paths, he couldn't help but feel surprised.

If the lightning aura wasn't Reverend Six Paths', then whose could it be?

The lightning-winged middle-aged man had been annihilated, leaving nothing behind.

He pondered.

He sniffed lightly, then his brow furrowed as he looked towards the seabed.

The chaotic lightning aura was, in fact, coming from the seabed.

This meant there was still someone cultivating lightning-path divine abilities present here.

Jiang Fan's mind reeled!

He suddenly recalled the previous battle with the Two-Star Giant King.

The state-level teleportation array in the sea had experienced two spatial anomalies!

Could it be that there were actually two people from Young Emperor Mountain in Tianzhou?

Furthermore, recalling the lightning-winged man's words that he was only responsible for investigating Venerable Initial's death,

...and that killing Jiang Fan was merely to conveniently eliminate a Void Stream Lightning Qi practitioner.

Didn't this suggest that someone had come specifically to eliminate Void Stream Lightning Qi practitioners?

His heart pounded wildly, and his expression drastically changed.

Without hesitation, he used spatial magic to teleport away from his spot.

The next moment, he appeared hundreds of feet away!

However, before he could steady himself,

his shoulder dipped slightly as a hand covered in lightning pressed down upon it.

A voice, tinged with a hint of mockery, spoke from behind him.

"I almost let you get away!"

Jiang Fan turned to see a black-clad young man, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, standing behind him with a subtle, unreadable smile.

Behind his head, a divine halo glowed.

Upon it were etched two flame marks!

It was, astonishingly, a young Venerable of the Second Decline of Heaven and Man, a Transformed Spirit!

Jiang Fan's heart plummeted.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he asked, "Your Excellency, are you also from Young Emperor Mountain?"

"I have something to show you!"

The person before him had directly identified him, likely having already confirmed he was a Void Stream Lightning Qi practitioner.

If he didn't find a way, the man would undoubtedly deliver a fatal blow.

Time was extremely short, leaving no room for elaborate schemes.

He had to stun him instantly.

And the only thing he could try was the serrated sword given to him by Venerable Compassion Mirror.

As someone also from Young Emperor Mountain, he should recognize Venerable Compassion Mirror's top-grade spirit sword, right?

The question was whether this person, acting on the Young Emperor's orders, would acknowledge it.

This was also why he hadn't taken it out when confronting the lightning-winged man earlier.

There were too many uncertain factors.

But now, there was no time to ponder; he could only try.

However, Jiang Fan's pupils contracted when he heard:

The black-clad youth gave a cold smile. "No need."

"I saw how Venerable Initial died."

"He died because he underestimated you and gave you an opportunity."

"And I will not repeat that mistake!"

With that said,

killing intent blazed in his eyes, and the hand pressed on Jiang Fan's shoulder abruptly slammed down!

How utterly invincible was a blow from a Venerable of the Second Decline of Heaven and Man?

How could Jiang Fan's Nascent Soul stage physique possibly withstand it?

With this single strike, he would surely be pulverized!

The Bodhisattva in the distance had no time to intervene.

Everything happened too quickly, in the blink of an eye.

The monks hadn't even grasped what was happening before the black-clad youth had already launched his fatal strike.

Giving Jiang Fan no chance to survive.

Jiang Fan's vision darkened, and a bitter smile touched his lips.

He had just barely managed to outwit and kill the lightning-winged man, only to discover a terrifying presence had been secretly lying in wait to kill him!

Excruciating pain shot through his shoulder.

It was the black-clad youth's palm force, penetrating deep into his body.

To ensure Jiang Fan's death, the black-clad youth unleashed the full power of a Venerable of the Second Decline of Heaven and Man.

With a single strike, there was no suspense left.

Jiang Fan didn't even have the slightest chance to counterattack with a divine art.

He truly hadn't expected death to arrive so suddenly, so swiftly!

Time seemed to freeze at this instant.

The Bodhisattva's pupils constricted sharply, Reverend Six Paths cried out, and the monks rushed forward.

They waited, knowing that in the very next moment,

Jiang Fan would be reduced to a spray of blood.