Chapter 2295: Master Above_7

Sheng Yanlin: “…I always feel something is wrong, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Yang Xiao felt very fortunate that he did not share an adoptive father with the likes of Duan Jiqing, as he himself also had an adoptive father who did not have such a twisted sense of humor.

The reputation of the High Priest Cannibal Buddha was quite good. Regardless of what outsiders might say about him, at least within the small circle of the Esoteric Sect, no one dared speak ill of him.

As they conversed, they mentioned the person who could not be ignored outside the city—that was the Northwest Sword Leader Mo Shasheng.

“Little Yang, don’t blame me. It’s not that I don’t trust you; Mo Shasheng has a unique status. If I tell you, it would only make things difficult for you, causing delays,” Sheng Yanlin explained.

“How did Mo Shasheng manage to severely injure the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha?” Yang Xiao asked with curiosity, given that he still possessed the Ghost Whisk of the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha.

“I only learned about this matter recently. Elder Mo Qing of the Mo Family mentioned it. It turns out that, for reasons unknown, the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha suddenly appeared in the Northern Desert, pausing to mercilessly slaughter several skilled fighters along the way, as if searching for someone or something. Among them was a team from the Northwestern Qi Family that had the misfortune of encountering this demon.”

“Actually, the Qi Family’s team was not weak; they even had a Netherworld Envoy among them. But encountering this demon made all their efforts futile, and the entire team was drained dry.”

“Drained dry?” Yang Xiao keenly grasped that crucial detail.

After all, he believed that the Ghost Whisk did not possess the ability to absorb flesh and blood. If it did, he wouldn’t need the black lacquered human skin; it would suffice to absorb himself.

Sheng Yanlin shook his head at these words: “It shouldn’t be the ability of your horsetail whisk. It’s another of his magic artifacts. You wouldn’t think the infamous Little Holy Spirit White Buddha only had that single Resentful Eye to fight with, would you?”

“Oh, oh, my mistake. Please continue,” Yang Xiao never missed a detail.

“I think it must be a Resentful Eye with a similar ability to your black lacquered human skin, one that also absorbs flesh and blood to nourish its owner.”

“That demon nearly slaughtered half of the Northwest, and none of the so-called experts encountered were even a match for him, until he ran into Mo Shasheng who was tracking him.”

“In the eyes of ordinary people, Mo Shasheng is also a demon. He committed too many wrongdoings in the past, causing calamity to his descendants, leading many of those seeking revenge to come knocking. I was the one who took in several of his grandchildren, bringing them into the academy, allowing them to change names and find peace while studying here.”

“It’s not just because of my benevolence; Mo Shasheng’s evil is different from that of the Black Buddha Mother’s lineage. The latter is purely evil, whereas he was nurtured into having a heart demon by his rusty sword.”

“Anyone wielding a sword would have to engage in a duel with him as soon as they appeared, and his sword moves were fierce, his strength formidable. He rarely encountered anyone who could be his opponent.”

“He struck without mercy, leading to many good swordsmen in the Northwest becoming victims of his sword.”

“Over time, he thought of nothing but becoming the Northwest Sword Leader, but he was also hunted by your Patrol Defense Offices due to his killings during duels.”

“Yet his strength is extremely formidable; he once killed over ten sword-wielding experts from your Patrol Defense Office in a single battle, subsequently being classified as a major criminal. His bounty on your Shangjing Headquarters wanted list was second only to those demons under the Black Buddha Mother, marked as extremely dangerous.”

“Because of all this, he attracted the truly skilled ones,” Sheng Yanlin looked at Yang Xiao’s hand closely, “Your Ring-Headed Saber’s previous owner, the Deputy Director Sword Lord.”

“At that time, both were at their peak, encountering each other in the desolate desert, and it erupted into a battle for the ages.”

“No one knows the outcome of that fight; all that is known is that neither of them died—the Sword Lord couldn’t kill Mo Shasheng. In terms of mission, it was a failure, but thereafter, Mo Shasheng restrained himself considerably, disappearing from the martial arts world for a long time.”

“He doesn’t have the surname Mo; his original surname is Qi and is regarded as an ancestor by the Northwestern Qi Family.”

“After his battle with the Sword Lord, he seemed to grow self-aware, deciding not to implicate his family anymore, hence changing his name completely and severing ties with the Northwestern Qi Family.”

“Mo Shasheng chose that name back then, intending to warn himself never to be disturbed by the heart demon inducing him to kill again.”

“Yet even though he severed ties with his family, he continued to care for the Qi Family’s situation. Upon learning that the Qi Family’s descendant was slaughtered by the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha, he immediately tracked him down, ultimately encountering him and starting another big fight.”

“The final outcome was clear—the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha was severely injured; supposedly, the original Six-Armed Great Bodhisattva Dharma Form had even two arms forcibly cut off. However, Mo Shasheng was also severely injured, unable to continue the pursuit.”

“You know what happened later—the major families gathered their best fighters, tracking the heavily injured Little Holy Spirit White Buddha, and eventually, after paying a terrible price, they cut down this demon.”

“Actually, not only was the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha killed, but also a Buddha’s son and several experts of the Saintly Great Bodhisattva Position. That group of evil cultivators was entirely annihilated, and nearly all high-level combat power of the Black Buddha Mother sect’s Southeast Branch Sect was eradicated,” Sheng Yanlin remarked with considerable emotion.

Yang Xiao had only heard briefly before that the Little Holy Spirit White Buddha was besieged by the major families. Only today did he learn how intense and blood-soaked the process had been.

Though Sheng Yanlin didn’t make it entirely clear, Yang Xiao could imagine the heated and grisly battle situation from these fragmentary words.

“Though it’s said that the nominal deployment was by the major families, many forces participated behind the scenes, including your Patrol Defense Office,” Sheng Yanlin explained: “Without your intelligence support, they probably wouldn’t have even known where to find them, let alone cut them off, besiege them, and annihilate them in phases.”

Yang Xiao could understand this, since the Black Buddha Mother Sect was a public enemy. Any action that could weaken their strength was absolutely supported by the Patrol Defense Office based on its stance.

Yang Xiao took out the Ring-Headed Saber, which had been meticulously polished, gleaming like autumn water in the night, its blade flashing with a cold gleam.

“Elder Sheng, I feel as if I haven’t fully mastered this saber; otherwise, that scalpel wouldn’t have been lost,” Yang Xiao just felt regretful, not wanting the Sword Lord’s saber to be discredited in his hands.

“Don’t rush, you’re already doing very well. To completely control this saber, you must at least reach the threshold of the Netherworld Realm,” Sheng Yanlin stated bluntly.

In Yang Xiao’s perception, the saber seemed controllable. This feeling was strange; every time he fought an enemy, he would have an indescribable sense as if the person wielding the saber wasn’t him, but someone else.

Whenever he swung the blade or made a defending motion, it felt as if someone was guiding him from behind.

This feeling was obviously beneficial, but there were also drawbacks. For instance, he originally wished to use the saber’s blade powers to sever Ruyi Sect Leader’s left hand, hoping to keep that scalpel, yet in the end even the scalpel disappeared along with the flesh, being transported to some unknown space.

The night gradually deepened, and Yang Xiao knew Dean Sheng was tired from the day’s work—it was time for him to rest, so he got up intending to leave.

As he turned to leave, someone suddenly called out to him from behind.

Yang Xiao then turned back, only to see Dean Sheng also rising to his feet.

“Do you still have something to ask?” Yang Xiao was puzzled, but he recognized the complexity and hesitation in the old dean’s eyes.

“Little Yang, how do you find me as a person?” Sheng Yanlin inquired.

“You’re very good. You are someone who cherishes old bonds, takes good care of me, and you’re the dean of Yiling Academy, having a prestigious status. You have a good reputation in the martial arts world; everyone respects you,” Yang Xiao said truthfully.

“Little Yang, as you know, I have no descendants; the only blood relative I had abandoned me long ago. I haven’t properly accepted a disciple over these years. If you don’t mind, would you be willing…” Sheng Yanlin only spoke halfway, but the anticipation in his eyes was heart-wrenching.

He had long intended to accept Yang Xiao as a disciple, but back then it was impossible because he had nothing, no home to call his own, and had to endure the whims of others. He preferred not to make empty promises or be looked down upon.

Now things are different—he is the master of the Upper Three Book House Yiling Academy, with a high status and great reputation in the martial arts world.

At this moment, Yang Xiao hesitated not a bit. Though they lacked the official title of master and disciple, they had long shared a mentor-disciple relationship. Over the past year, Elder Sheng’s care had been deeply felt by Yang Xiao.

“Master, I kneel before you and accept my dedication!” Yang Xiao dropped to his knees with a “thump” and kowtowed skillfully.

“Great, great, great!!” Once Yang Xiao finished three loud kowtows, Sheng Yanlin immediately helped Yang Xiao up, his hands trembling as his eyes reddened, tears pooling:

“Though I’ve lost a few disgraceful family members, Heaven hasn’t treated me poorly, allowing me, Sheng Yanlin, to accept a good disciple!”

“From now on, my good disciple, we are bound together. Walk boldly forward; don’t fear anything—for your master will always be behind you!”