Chapter Thirty-Eight: All Methods Unleashed, The Black Lotus Dharma Body

Yet when Han Chong’s palm pointed, it was not in the direction of the fierce clash, but toward a pile of scattered rocks. His left hand, raised in a sword gesture, glimmered faintly with white light as he aimed at Duan Wenxuan. Only a moment before, he had wondered what method this was—now, he was stunned beyond words.

The elegant and composed Duan Wenxuan, whose every movement flowed like water and whose face bore a gentle smile, suddenly staggered as a gray stone the size of a basin struck the back of his head. Though the stone had only fallen from a foot or so above and lacked much force, it was enough to make him stumble, his black lotus sword aura instantly dissipating. The old sect leader seized the opportunity, landing a heavy palm strike on Duan Wenxuan’s chest. With a sharp crack, several of his ribs broke.

Duan Wenxuan spat a mouthful of black blood and drifted backward, turning his head. The peach blossom-eyed young man stood frozen in the distance, and as their gazes met, he shuddered. Looking around, he found no trace of Han Chong.

“You little wretch, do you have a death wish?” Duan Wenxuan’s handsome features twisted in fury as he shouted, terrifying the peach blossom-eyed youth so much that he staggered back.

The old sect leader, seasoned by countless battles, would not let such a chance slip by and pressed the attack, another palm strike flying toward Duan Wenxuan. The latter’s gaze grew grave, his figure suddenly flickering and elusive as he evaded the elder’s fierce blows, gradually edging closer to the peach blossom-eyed youth.

Vice Chief Luo, who had been watching from afar, caught Duan Wenxuan’s signal and rushed toward the youth. With a vicious grin, he prepared to strike the hapless boy dead with a single palm.

But the youth’s old habit resurfaced—faced with danger, his mind seized with terror, leaving him rooted to the spot, unable to move or think, dazed and lost.

“Han Chong, where did you go? Don’t leave me behind!” he wailed, his voice breaking.

“Quiet, I haven’t left. I’m right beside you!” a voice hissed.

Instant joy flashed across his face—Han Chong hadn’t abandoned him!

Just as Vice Chief Luo closed in, sword poised to strike, a black sword suddenly emerged from his own chest, piercing straight through. His eyes bulged with shock and unwillingness as he collapsed.

The peach blossom-eyed youth’s act had been so convincing that Luo was completely unprepared—otherwise, he could have easily dodged that sword.

Duan Wenxuan stared in disbelief at the corpse, a chill creeping into his heart. How strange was this pale-faced youth?

He was forced to refocus his full attention on the old sect leader, hoping to finish him quickly. Yet, time and again, gray stones inexplicably fell on his head, driving him to howl with rage and deepening his hatred for the peach blossom-eyed youth.

“Hurry, ready your bow and frighten him!” a low voice urged in the youth’s ear.

He scrambled to draw his bow and, trembling, aimed at Duan Wenxuan. As his essence flowed into the Spirit-Scaring Bow, a hazy yellow-white light shrouded it, locking onto Duan Wenxuan with a chilling sense of deadly intent that made his heart race and his movements clumsy.

“You bastards, none of you will leave alive today!” Duan Wenxuan finally erupted in fury. He tore off the upper half of his white robe and threw it to the ground.

On his chest was also a black lotus, but this one was twice as large and far more sinister and vibrant than those on Ding Xingxiu or Yu Tianlong. The lotus slowly rotated, sizzling with black flames—yet he showed no sign of pain.

Now, the old sect leader dared not attack his chest again. To be tainted by those flames, even thinking with one’s toes, would be disastrous. Already outmatched, forced to hold back, the elder was swiftly overwhelmed.

Han Chong knew he had to act, but recklessness would only alert Duan Wenxuan and let him escape. Duan Wenxuan’s moves shifted again: his right hand’s sword gesture still flickered with sword light, while his left palm swept across his chest, igniting with black flame.

The old sect leader struggled desperately, on the verge of being burned alive. Just then, Duan Wenxuan’s face froze and his steps faltered. Looking down, he saw nothing—yet he distinctly felt two large hands gripping his ankles. No matter how he struggled, he could not move.

Impossible! Could there be ghosts under the earth?

Before he could think further, a jet of azure flame erupted from the ground, engulfing him in a roaring inferno.

A tortured scream tore from his lips as the invisible hands at last released him, and Duan Wenxuan staggered back, crying out in panic.

Would this really burn him to death? Han Chong watched anxiously. Though he meant to kill Duan Wenxuan, he still needed to uncover the reason behind the evil cult and its hoarding of wealth.

But his worry was needless. Instead, he witnessed a scene even more astonishing: the human-shaped fireball slowly shed its charred limbs, eventually turning into a massive black lotus. The azure flames could not destroy it; rather, the lotus’s surface flared with even more terrifying black fire, rapidly extinguishing the blue blaze.

The three onlookers gaped in shock—Duan Wenxuan was the incarnation of a black lotus!

The black lotus floated eerily into the air, spinning and radiating sword energy and dark fire as it barreled toward the old sect leader. Both the elder and Han Chong found themselves helpless, forced to keep their distance.

The black lotus swept through the dense forest like an unholy wraith, slicing and burning trees as if nothing could bar its path. However, it seemed to know it could not kill the old sect leader, nor could it flush out the hidden enemy lurking nearby.

Suddenly, the lotus veered and shot toward the Egret River beyond the woods. The two men hurried after, watching as the lotus plunged into the water and vanished.

Han Chong finally revealed himself, saluting the old sect leader before diving into the river in pursuit.

Beneath the water, the black lotus no longer emitted sword energy or dark flames, but its speed was incredible, gliding as if unimpeded. Han Chong mustered all his strength to follow, deducing that the lotus was fleeing toward Egret Academy.

Eventually, the lotus slowed, and Han Chong, keeping himself hidden, followed from a distance as it entered a lotus pond behind the academy.

At the center of the pond was a bare black lotus stalk. Without any visible action, several segments of white lotus root broke through the mud below, slowly forming a human body. The black lotus merged into the figure’s chest as a seal.

Duan Wenxuan reappeared, swimming to the shore unharmed—the truth was revealed: he was a spirit born of the black lotus, a body of lotus root!

It’s known that while animals may rarely become demons after arduous cultivation, for grass, trees, and stones to achieve such a transformation is ten or a hundred times harder. Yet if they succeed, their powers are more unpredictable, with incredible regenerative abilities and vitality surpassing that of beasts.

Who would have guessed Duan Wenxuan was a spirit creature? Not only had he survived the fierce battle, but he had also completely recovered, making him an even more formidable foe.

Han Chong lingered underwater, lost in thought, unable to make sense of it all. Still, he was deeply intrigued by the black lotus stalk and the lotus roots in the mud.

Yet with Duan Wenxuan still close by, it was too risky to act. Only after waiting half an hour did Han Chong dart to the black lotus stalk, swiftly digging up the mud and pulling out more than a dozen segments of white lotus root. Cradling them in his arms, he sped away.

“Bastard!” A furious roar erupted from the dean’s small courtyard as Duan Wenxuan, eyes bloodshot and face contorted, burst out. Before the assembled teachers and students, he dashed to the rear of the academy and leaped headlong into the Egret River.

The entire academy was thrown into chaos—the dean had attempted to drown himself! Some students who could swim searched the river, but there was no trace of him to be found.