Chapter 2215 - 1193: Holy Servant (2)

Similar moves he had only seen in books before, if he remembered correctly, this technique was called Nine Yin White Bone Claw, and the practitioner was named Mei Chaofeng.

"Elder Sheng, does anyone around you know such abilities?" Yang Xiao was still quite unfamiliar with this ability and hoped to find a reliable person to learn it.

Unexpectedly, Dean Sheng Yanlin shook his head vigorously, "No, no, that’s an inappropriate question. Our Yiling Academy, after all, is a renowned sect, how can anyone know such sinister techniques?"

Sheng Yanlin was also a man of reputation, once this technique is exposed, Yiling Academy’s reputation would be completely ruined.

He also warned Yang Xiao, unless it is absolutely necessary, do not easily reveal this ability. If it is exposed, make sure to kill the witness to silence them, otherwise, it will be detrimental to his future career.

Yang Xiao practiced with empty hands for a few moments, seemingly still not quite adept. He hadn’t completely grasped the subtleties within it yet.

But this wasn’t a big issue; he planned to have Elder Kunpa find him a few death row inmates to practice on once he’s more stable.

Once he fully mastered this ability, his combat strength would greatly increase. Even if it means exchanging injuries, he would have the advantage because he could absorb someone mid-fight to heal.

Whether evil cultivator or not, Yang Xiao never cared about that. In an apostle’s world, surviving is the priority. As for reputation... Yang Xiao still valued it, especially since he would be working at the Patrol Defense Office in the future.

This is also easily resolved, just make sure no witnesses are left when making a move. If a few evil cultivators unfortunately escape, it’s actually no big deal, for Yang Xiao is a Provincial Bureau officer of the Patrol Defense Office, naturally occupying the moral high ground. Who would doubt him because of a few evil cultivators’ gossip?

Those are shameless slanders, lies fabricated by evil cultivators. Haven’t you heard the saying that enemies’ insults are the best badge of honor?

If he finds out who’s spreading these rumors behind his back, he wouldn’t consider the matter closed until he turns them into dried beef jerky.

Slowly clenching his fist, a hint of resolve flashed in Yang Xiao’s eyes. He realized his era was about to arrive.

And this scene was all seen by Sheng Yanlin beside him. Though Yang Xiao didn’t openly express it, with this master’s level of spiritual perception, Yang Xiao’s slightest emotional fluctuation was hard to hide from him.

He liked the resolve and ambition in Yang Xiao, something indispensable on the path to becoming a big figure.

Thick-skinned tactics are just methods; what Yang Xiao truly wanted was to ascend the Peak of Apostle.

Previously, because his strength was too weak, he could only endure and seek survival in survival’s cracks. But now, as his strength and network gradually grew, he finally obtained the ticket to enter the echelon of power.

In the future, he was bound to Yang Xiao. He believed the investment he placed on Yang Xiao would bring him extremely affluent returns.

"Elder Sheng, what are those strange silhouettes with their backs to me?" Yang Xiao suddenly asked, as this matter had been troubling him.

He had initially seen those ghostly figures during a banquet; they emitted a powerful aura indicating they were definitely living beings.

Yet, on the night confronting the resentful spirit, these figures appeared in an extremely unreasonable manner, leaving Yang Xiao greatly shocked. They seemed related to the martyr, or more specifically, to that resentful spirit.

"Those guys are indeed unusual. They are Holy Servants, among esoteric believers who have made blood vows, willing to serve the Holy Temple Spirit of Esoteric Sect for life, all of whom are experts." Evidently, Sheng Yanlin understood these people well.

"They... are humans?" Yang Xiao inquired with curiosity.

"Human, yet not human." Sheng Yanlin stroked the beard on his chin, squinting his eyes, looking like a sage.

"I think you’d like a taste of my Nine Yin White Bone Claw..." Yang Xiao muttered to himself but still flattered Sheng Yanlin a bit, giving him an opportunity to boast.

Seeing his reputation cemented, Sheng Yanlin spoke frankly: "Those Holy Servants, in a certain sense, are indeed living beings, but not normal apostles like you and me. Many of them were once elders of the Esoteric Sect."

"Before their death or when they were about to be attacked by the resentful eye, they would come to the Secret Temple of the Esoteric Sect, pray devoutly, and beseech the Holy Temple Spirit to accept both their souls and bodies."

"After the ritual, the martyr borrows the supreme power of the Holy Temple Spirit, cooperating with esoteric secret technique, wrapping them layer by layer with crushed herbs and wet clay, turning them into something akin to the Golden Statue of High Monks in domestic Buddhism."

"But at this moment, they aren’t dead but more like they’re asleep, which I believe might be linked to the resentful spirit’s ability."

"You could interpret it as forcibly placing these Holy Servants in a dying state into a kind of stasis."

"And when they’re needed, they’re awakened by secret techniques, ready to fight for the Esoteric Sect, exhaust all their remaining blood, maximizing their value." Sheng Yanlin explained coldly.

"Kind of like a puppet, no, I mean it resembles those ghostly figures I saw beneath Youjian Mountain Heart, East Japan." Yang Xiao recalled those terrifying scenes.

"No, there’s a fundamental difference between them." Sheng Yanlin shook his head, his tone noticeably more serious: "Whether it’s the puppet or the Silent Warrior of Japan Ghost Sect, in essence, they are shells incapable of thought, merely obeying commands. The latter are living beings, showing a bit more strength."

"But these Holy Servants are not the same; before being sealed, they were living people whose explosive combat power and control over magic artifacts far surpassed puppets and Silent Warriors. Moreover, in terms of loyalty, they were supreme, ready to decisively annihilate anything opposing the Esoteric Sect."

"Moreover, there’s a crucial point. If they are used up, as long as they aren’t killed or destroyed, the Grand Temple Masters following the battle can, according to secret techniques, recover them for reuse, waiting for the next summon." Sheng Yanlin explained very detailedly.

"Oh my god..." Yang Xiao reminisced about the strong aura he felt before, knowing that the strength of these Esoteric Holy Servants was astonishing, with the strongest surpassing the levels of Nalin Commander and Elder Sheng, truly absolute powerhouses.

Frankly speaking, these sinister tactics of major forces like the Yin Temple are indeed countless. Normally speaking, apostles on the brink of death perish, which is a loss to their forces.

But for the Esoteric Sect, a person nearing death simply changes the way they serve the sect. Once refined into a Holy Servant, the overall combat strength of the Esoteric Sect doesn’t diminish much.

This might be inhumane for the individual but serves as a massive benefit for the development of the entire force.

Now Yang Xiao understood why the apostle count in Myanmar and Thailand wasn’t substantial, and in-house conflict was significant, yet they managed to maintain dominance there for hundreds of years, with no one able to eradicate them.

These figures are too sinister, maximizing the development of "human," whether living, dead, or living dead.

Meanwhile, Yang Xiao also recalled the Dharma Sect’s "Medicine Men" created on the way to the Esoteric Sect bringing them considerable trouble, causing numerous detours.

These figures were "transformed" from low-level apostles, capable of remotely detecting the trajectories of high-level apostles, yet surviving only for a few months purely as consumables.

"By the way, not all Esoteric Holy Servants are dying elders; their composition is quite complex. I heard some are sinners too."

"The Esoteric Holy Temple has this doctrine: no matter the crime, as long as one is willing to become a Holy Servant for the sect, all their sins will be forgiven."

"The sins committed won’t be recorded in any documents available for review within the sect, freeing ancestors and descendants from shame."

"But not everyone has such an honor; some sins disqualify them from becoming Holy Servants."

"Remember the two young priests I mentioned who were executed for rebellion?"

"They had proposed in life to become Saints, to continue serving the sect after death, seeking forgiveness for their innocent families from the High Priest."

"But as you know, the High Priest didn’t agree, directly executed their families, exterminated three tribes, dismembered their bodies, and fed them to the dogs." Sheng Yanlin continued.