54: Chapter 54 Xu Changsheng, Be Careful in Your Next Life

Xie Chengming shouted loudly, "Listen well, I am to blame for Jiang Wenzhou's death, and I can only atone with my life!"

His voice was forceful and resonant.

"Boom!"

A massive explosion rang out, and a mushroom cloud rose into the sky, connecting the heavens and the earth.

Only Xie Chengming's echo remained wandering over the Talisman River, clearly heard by Xiao Tongguang, who had just left.

"The Xie Family is left with only Mortals and a few Qi Refining Cultivators, and my clan brother has only a few years left to live. I hope the Sect can be magnanimous and let them go!"

Xiao Tongguang rubbed his round belly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"To die just like that... why is it so hard to find a scapegoat?"

"It seems I really have to go to the other side and catch that rogue Cultivator."

The Xie Family Disciples were all moved, bowing one after another toward the direction of the explosion, their tears flowing with gratitude.

"Clan Chief!"

"Your kindness will never be forgotten by us descendants."

The Lai Family Disciples were bewildered; they were just preparing for a grand banquet, and in a few breaths, their own Clan Chief had been dragged into a self-detonation?

Their brief shock quickly turned to rage.

They pulled out their Magical Artifacts and attacked the Xie Family Cultivators across from them.

"Give us back our Clan Chief!"

"You bastards, you all must die!"

Within a few breaths.

The situation on the field descended into chaos.

Various Spells and weapons flew through the air.

And at the center of the explosion.

A vigorous figure flew out from within.

"Get lost!"

Releasing a wind blade, he cut a Loose Cultivator who stepped forward in half.

"With your level, you actually want to compete with me, Chen, for the Storage Pouch? What a joke."

With another leap.

He escaped the area in a few steps.

What went unnoticed was a dark shadow mixed with smoke and dust, thrown into the Talisman River.

...

"My head hurts so much!"

"Wait, I no longer have a brain."

Startled awake.

Xie Chengming found himself floating in the middle of the Talisman River, with thousands of Talismans drifting past beneath him.

"Damn it, how did I get sent to this place!"

His decision to blow himself up with Lai Mingyuan wasn't without reason.

Firstly, he wasn't young anymore and would have passed away in another ten years or so; if he could take down Lai Mingyuan, it was a net gain.

Secondly, he had accidentally obtained a secret technique years ago—the Soul-Devouring Essence-Seizing Curse. It could maintain the strength of his Divine Soul after death, allowing him to wait for an opportunity to find a suitable Cultivator to possess.

The best outcome would be to quietly possess the Lai Family Young Lord, Lai Tianxiang.

Failing that, he had also brought along several suitable Xie Family Disciples.

But looking at his surroundings, he couldn't help but complain, "Is the power of a Foundation Establishment self-detonation really this great? It actually sent me here."

"This is a bit tricky."

The surrounding Talismans slowly drifted by; as they ignited, they also wore down the strength of his Divine Soul.

Looking left and right, he couldn't see even a shadow of either riverbank.

"Could it be that after all my careful preparation, I'm finally going to fall here?"

His shout echoed, "I'm not resigned! I've only lived for over two hundred years; I haven't lived enough!"

Just then.

A few voices talking reached him, drawing his attention.

"Tanger, once we reach the other side, do not act as you did just now."

"I know, Husband Xu. I was just so happy to hear that Jiang Wenzhou died that I couldn't help myself."

Xu Changsheng took out a handkerchief and wiped the kiss marks off his face.

"Mm. From now on, you are still the noble Second Miss, and I am still the Xie Family's Guest Elder."

"Alright, Guest Official Xu."

Xie Wantang smiled faintly and sat gracefully at the bow of the boat, pinning up her hair like a blooming begonia.

Within his sight.

A Paper boat was slowly drifting over the Talisman River.

He was overjoyed: "Heaven has not abandoned me, Xie Chengming!"

He immediately set his sights on Xu Changsheng.

He didn't know Xu Changsheng's Spiritual Root Aptitude.

But based on his judgment, someone who could advance several minor Realms in just a few years and was also a Talisman Master would certainly not have poor Aptitude.

"This boy shall be my, Xie Chengming's, vessel."

"But listening to their conversation just now, it seems Tanger has a thing for this Guest Official Xu? No wonder she was so unwilling to marry out. Once my Possession is successful, I'll make her give up on him entirely!"

With this thought.

His soul flew up, while he shouted, "Tanger, Fellow Daoist Xu, please wait for me!"

The raspy voice sounded extremely abrupt on the now quiet Talisman River.

"Second Miss, did you hear that?"

"Yes, I also heard a call."

Looking around, they didn't see any other light-crossing boats.

"You youngsters, how can you be so blind?"

They saw a dark, translucent head resembling Xie Chengming floating in mid-air, with Ghostly Qi swirling between his hair and beard.

Xie Wantang covered her mouth in surprise: "You're Eldest Uncle?"

"Indeed!"

"How did you end up in this state?"

"Don't mention it."

Xie Chengming recounted how he had perished along with Lai Mingyuan to protect the Family.

Xie Wantang's eyes immediately turned red: "Eldest Uncle, you sacrificed everything for the Family. Please accept Tanger's bow."

"Girl, don't say such things. I'm not dead yet!"

"But Eldest Uncle, your current state...?"

"It's fine. Take me to the other side. I want to give everyone a few more instructions, and then you can give me a grand send-off, how about that?"

Xie Wantang choked out an order, "Fellow Daoist Xu, I'll have to trouble you to take my uncle to the riverbank as well."

Xu Changsheng remained silent, merely burying his head in operating the light-crossing boat.

This was because the very next moment after Xie Chengming appeared, a bone-chillingly cold Evil Qi had entered his Meridians, causing the True Solar Fire in his heart to jump violently.

He sneered inwardly: "Old man, you aren't very sincere!"

The two people and one soul traveled silently across the Talisman River like this.

Just then.

Xie Chengming suddenly shuddered, the black Qi on his body constantly dissipating, looking like he was in a bad state.

"Does Fellow Daoist have any Yin-attribute Talismans? They could help me stabilize my soul body."

Xu Changsheng and Xie Wantang looked at each other and both shook their heads.

The Yin-attribute was inherently rare and conflicted with all Five Elements; no one would carry such Talismans unless they cultivated a Yin-element cultivation technique.

"Then could you take me over there?"

Following the soul's gaze, the two saw a gloomy, blackish area.

It was a place where Yin-element Talismans like Yin Fiend Talismans and Nether Arrows gathered.

"I need to stabilize my soul body there to have a chance of lasting until the other side."

"Alright."

Before Xie Wantang could even ask, Xu Changsheng smiled slightly and agreed.

Then, the bow of the boat turned.

...

Drifting downstream.

The light-crossing boat soon arrived.

The surroundings were shrouded in a black mist, everything gloomy and dim.

"Senior Xie, please begin quickly. This kind of place is not suitable for us Cultivators to stay for long."

"I can do that."

Xie Chengming spat out a black bead.

It spun rapidly.

Unexpectedly, it began to absorb the surrounding Yin Qi.

At the same time.

The outer layers of Yin Qi were also stirred, slowly rotating and flinging out the last traces of Spiritual Qi within the black mist.

"Senior Xie? How is it?"

"Very good. Xu Changsheng, you are too foolish. Be careful in your next life!"

An unexpected strike!

A fierce light flashed in Xie Chengming's eyes as he suddenly attacked him.

"Soul-Devouring Essence-Seizing Curse, activate!"