Can't wait any longer!
Li Xuanxiao no longer hesitated, immediately drew his blade, and rushed straight for the County Magistrate!
The moment his True Qi was revealed, he was immediately discovered by the monks!
"Who are you! How dare you trespass into the Jingtu Temple?"
The one standing at the very front of the many monks immediately shouted a harsh rebuke upon seeing Li Xuanxiao.
Li Xuanxiao didn't want to waste words with him and directly killed a monk blocking his path with a backhand strike.
"The Mortal Transformation Ritual... must not be interrupted!"
"Stop him!"
The monks shouted Amitabha and immediately used various means to attack Li Xuanxiao!
The monks here were clearly a level above the ones encountered before.
They were all in the Extreme Realm, with several even in the Late Stage!
Furthermore, the same strange black substance existed on their bodies, and their self-healing recovery speed was even faster!
Not only that, almost all these monks possessed Martial Arts and Cultivation Techniques!
Although their power seemed mediocre to Li Xuanxiao, he couldn't withstand the sheer numbers and sneak attacks.
Li Xuanxiao had to divide his attention to deal with them, and his forward speed slowed down significantly.
Seeing this, the leading monk retracted his gaze and continued walking toward the motionless County Magistrate sitting cross-legged on the ground.
A look of fanaticism appeared on his face once again.
Li Xuanxiao's brow furrowed as he shouted, "Lord Magistrate! Wake up at once!"
The shout, infused with True Qi, was like the morning bell and evening drum.
A hint of spirit finally appeared in the County Magistrate's dazed and hollow eyes.
The leading monk's expression changed slightly; he immediately pressed his palms together and silently recited scriptures.
The County Magistrate's newly awakened consciousness fell back into Chaos and gradually went silent.
Seeing this, Li Xuanxiao no longer held back and exerted his full strength!
His Xuan Realm Aura burst forth, directly blowing away the circle of monks around him.
Even the leading monk turned his head, his face showing horror: "Xuan Realm!?"
"Someone from the Demon Slaying Division?"
Li Xuanxiao had no time to explain; with his full power unleashed, his forward speed increased further.
He was already in front of the County Magistrate.
He scooped up the County Magistrate with one hand and immediately left the battlefield, running toward the outside of the hall.
Li Xuanxiao hadn't forgotten the Xuan Realm Aura he had felt earlier.
The fact that the opponent hadn't appeared yet meant only one thing: they were tied down by something.
This was a perfect opportunity to escape!
Once the opponent freed themselves, he might not necessarily be able to win!
After all, his Martial Arts and Cultivation Techniques were all below the Xuan Realm.
Thinking this, Li Xuanxiao quickened his pace even more, pushing Riding the wind to its limit.
Just as he was about to step out of the hall, he heard a distant sigh.
"Amitabha—"
"Benefactor, why must you disturb This Old Monk's cultivation?"
Hearing this voice, Li Xuanxiao's expression changed drastically.
At the same time, all the doors and windows of the Qingyan Treasure Hall were tightly shut.
A mysterious Aura was attached to them; Li Xuanxiao drew his blade and slashed, but he couldn't damage them in the slightest!
Li Xuanxiao and the County Magistrate became like turtles in a jar.
Damn it!
Cursing inwardly, Li Xuanxiao set down the County Magistrate and turned to face the slowly approaching monks.
Upon looking, Li Xuanxiao was immediately shocked by the scene before him.
Now he finally understood what the Little Monk had said.
"Everyone who participates in the Mortal Transformation Ritual will eventually turn into a monster that is neither human nor ghost!"
"Immortality will distort the human way of living!"
The monks whose heads he had severed were actually standing up now!
From their bowl-sized scars, hideous centipedes crawled out!
They replaced their original heads.
The entire scene looked truly absurd, eerie, and terrifying!
Li Xuanxiao felt his scalp tingle; he had truly never seen such a scene before.
But now was not the time for sentiment.
Li Xuanxiao took a deep breath, and that mixture of fear, disgust, and excitement welled up inside him again.
The more it was a life-or-death crisis between equals, the more excited yet calm he became.
Behind the many monks, from behind that giant Buddha statue, a figure slowly walked out.
Inside his wide cassock, a giant centipede, several times thicker and more hideous than those of the ordinary monks, was coiled around him.
The centipede's head was raised high, side-by-side with his own head.
It looked like a two-headed symbiosis!
The Aura emanating from him made Li Xuanxiao certain that this was the Xuan Realm existence he had felt earlier!
He finally saw the person in the flesh now.
However, the Aura on the opponent seemed unstable, even slightly superficial.
Could it be because he had interrupted the Mortal Transformation Ritual?
"Benefactor, you forced your way into the temple and wounded or killed many of my Buddhist disciples; have you ever considered the consequences?"
"I see that you seem quite interested in the Mortal Transformation Ritual, Benefactor. Why not stay, and let This Old Monk explain it to you in detail."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gave an order, and the many monks under his command immediately swarmed forward!
"Seize this scoundrel!"
Li Xuanxiao attacked at the same time, his Transcendent Spirit Condensing Slash instantly unleashing dozens of blade lights!
As for why he didn't use the Ten Thousand Blades Annihilation Saber?
Because it wasn't necessary; against mere Extreme Realm Early or Middle Stage opponents, with his Xuan Realm strength, he could kill them even with basic attacks.
Using the Spirit Condensing Slash was enough; using the Ten Thousand Blades Annihilation Saber would truly be a waste.
This Martial Arts' True Qi consumption was much higher than that of the Spirit Condensing Slash.
With a major enemy present, he had to preserve his True Qi.
If he consumed too much on these small fries, it would be a joke if his True Qi couldn't keep up when he fought that Demon Monk later.
Dozens of blade lights slashed down, cutting dozens of centipedes in half.
[Killed a second-level Extreme Realm Centipede Demon Worm, gained 20 Demon value Points!]
[Killed a fourth-level Extreme Realm Centipede Demon Worm, gained 40 Demon value Points!]
[Killed a first-level Extreme Realm Centipede Demon Worm, gained 20 Demon value Points!]
Seeing the System prompts, Li Xuanxiao was slightly stunned.
Then he understood; it really was related to demons!
These monks had somehow managed to achieve symbiosis with these demon worms!
However, if Extreme Realm monks had Extreme Realm demon worms parasitizing them...
Then...
Wouldn't the one parasitizing that Xuan Realm Demon Monk be a Xuan Realm level Demon King?
Li Xuanxiao's expression turned solemn; this meant he might have to fight two Xuan Realms at the same time!
No, not necessarily!
A parasitic relationship isn't a 1+1 > 2 relationship.
If the Fusion isn't good, the two might even restrict each other, making them only slightly stronger than the individual before.
If the opponent were truly a perfect Fusion of two Xuan Realm levels, they would have come to kill him long ago!
Li Xuanxiao felt slightly more at ease and focused on the small fries in front of him.
Regardless, he would accumulate a wave of Demon value Points first!
Although there were currently no combat Martial Arts available for upgrade, improving Riding the wind could also bring an advantage to his speed.
In a duel between experts, sometimes a little extra advantage is the key to deciding victory or defeat.
[Killed a third-level Extreme Realm Centipede Demon Worm, gained 20 Demon value Points!]
[Killed a fifth-level Extreme Realm Centipede Demon Worm, gained 40 Demon value Points!]
As time passed, all of the hundred or so monks fell.
Li Xuanxiao's Demon value Points reached 3615.
If he could use Demon value Points to exchange for Xuan Realm Martial Arts, his current strength would surge.
Unfortunately, he couldn't.
Li Xuanxiao invested his Demon value Points into the only Cultivation Technique he could still improve, "Riding the wind."
Hundreds of Demon value Points were instantly consumed, and the beginner Riding the wind finally reached Transcendent!
Li Xuanxiao felt like he was walking on air; his body was noticeably lighter and faster.
He adapted slightly and then looked at the only Xuan Realm Demon Monk still standing in the hall.