Chapter 135: Yellow Bit, Dragon Transformation Technique

"Remember, Master's greatest enemy is the 'King of the Yellow Chew'."

"Yellow Chew?"

"That is a yellow-skinned hungry ghost who attained the Dao in the southern skies. He has already cultivated into human form, raised a family, and is well-versed in Buddhist teachings. He can be considered the guide who led Master into his Chan meditation."

Ji Ming knew that this yellow-skinned hungry ghost referred to those starved spirits that escaped from the nether soil. Most of them possessed formidable abilities, and in the realm of refining form, they had largely reached the second stage known as "molting form."

Ji Ming simply sat down by the well and asked, "Why did they turn into enemies?"

"Causes beget effects, and all things have their retribution. Master's longevity-extending method was obtained from Zhong Chengzi, and it is a heterodox Buddhist method of longevity. It required someone well-versed in Buddhist teachings to preside over it, and the King of the Yellow Chew was that presiding person. Initially, that king was quite reluctant, but compelled by Master's plea based on years of friendship, he reluctantly performed the ritual. Yet, once Master successfully extended his life, he covertly destroyed the King of the Yellow Chew's human flesh, plunging him back into the Northern Yin Underworld and turning him once again into a yellow-skinned hungry ghost."

Speaking of this, Monk Huijin was shedding tears and snot, and the wine and meat in his mouth lost all flavor.

"Later on, I increasingly felt that Master's obsession with extending his life had become a demonic obstacle. His heterodox secret method of longevity must have used the King of the Yellow Chew as one of the bargaining chips he traded with Zhong Chengzi."

"Zhong Chengzi, the ghost and deity of the southern skies, Su Luozi, and the King of the Yellow Chew." Ji Ming muttered softly, already able to imagine the conspiratorial clashes among them.

"Go on."

"That prophecy of 'Sixty-Six Great Reversal' was deduced by the King of the Yellow Chew."

"Good."

Ji Ming's spirits perked up. Being able to divine prophecies was an extraordinary skill; how many major events and disasters in this world were stirred up by prophecies?

"Where is he now?"

"The Northern Yin Underworld!"

Ji Ming was slightly stunned and asked, "He couldn't escape again?"

"It is precisely because he escaped once that this time he was severely punished. I heard he was sealed inside a big-bellied divine statue in the underworld, forced to stare at offerings day and night without being allowed to eat them. If you rank the ones in this world who hold the deepest hostility toward Master, you, this celestial being, can only rank right behind that King of the Yellow Chew."

Ji Ming fervently wished he could rank at the very bottom of the hatred list.

"What are his weaknesses?"

"Master's weakness is only in..."

As Monk Huijin was speaking, a rumbling sound came from deep within the well. A dark shadow slithered up, grabbed Monk Huijin by the waist, and tossed him down into the well. Then, it opened its wide mouth and sucked all the wine and water into its belly.

"Ah—"

The screams of Monk Huijin echoed from the depths of the well, tossed wildly by the fierce nether wind blowing up from below, bruising and battering him against the well walls.

"Annoying!"

That figure scooped out with a hand in the nether wind, catching Monk Huijin. In the dim light of the well, the figure gradually revealed its dragon-like form.

This dragon was as thin and long as withered firewood and dry bones, crouching like the shadow of a lingering ghost. Its body was covered with fine, round, silver-water scales, two frosty white horns pointed toward the sky, its long neck was curved like a hook, one claw grasped a brilliant silver nail, and the other claw held the bone-melting bhikshu.

"A little autumn dragon," Ji Ming thought to himself.

For this dragon prince to suddenly appear at such a crucial moment in the questioning and immediately capture Monk Huijin, his purpose was self-evident.

"You—"

The little autumn dragon was just about to utter threats when he saw that the young Taoist priest by the well was already gone. This infuriated him so much that he slammed the monk in his claw directly against the well wall, smashing him into a puddle of flesh.

"Rat, how dare you ignore me!"

With a curse, he grabbed the wall and climbed up, leaping fiercely against the strong nether wind. Floating momentarily in the empty space of the well, he hurled out the brilliant silver nail.

With a "boom," the silver nail struck the sealing formation at the wellhead, triggering dozens of lightning snakes to burst forth across the formation.

Ji Ming was startled, but seeing that the flashes of lightning could not exit the wellhead and only wreaked havoc inside the depths, he set his mind at ease.

"This dragon prince..."

Thinking carefully, in the path of cultivation, one rarely encountered beings who exposed their emotions so completely; only the occasional untamed spirits who did not refine their hearts would behave thus.

For a moment, Ji Ming looked at the dragon prince as if examining a rare animal.

The little autumn dragon at the bottom of the well looked back, the silver nail in his hand occasionally emitting strands of electric current. He said, "The elite retainers in my father king's water palace have already sneaked into the temple. If the little Taoist wants to save his life, he had better be compliant."

Ji Ming shook his head. He noticed Monk Huijin, smashed to a pulp on the well wall, and a nameless fire ignited in his heart.

The dragon claw tore off the mashed bloody skin on the wall, stuffed it directly into its mouth to chew, and finally swallowed it whole. "The flesh and blood of a monk who has practiced the Vajra Imprint Body is indeed full of vigor. By the way, it seemed he had some urgent news to tell you."

Although irritated, Ji Ming revealed a broad smile and asked, "Little autumn dragon, what good does this do for you?"

"See? Wouldn't it have been better if you had been compliant earlier? I am merely reminding you that this is just the beginning. As long as you refuse to let me leave for even a day, many more disasters will befall you or your loved ones in the future."

"Did you say the same thing to Shandu?" Ji Ming's smile grew even more brilliant.

"Yes, that's right. Just watch, and just wait. Disasters for that old scoundrel are coming soon. Everything is going according to plan; no one can lock me away. That old nun who captured me can't, and this sin-locking well certainly can't."

Ji Ming removed the circle of light unfolding behind his head, hung it high over the wellhead, and shone it down upon this hemp-stalk dragon at the bottom of the well.

"Mere nether treasure, and you dare to harm me!"

The little autumn dragon soared in the well, baring its teeth and brandishing its claws, shaking its head and whipping its tail. The dragon heart illuminated by the light pounded heavily, sounding like beating drums.

The sound of this heartbeat even affected Ji Ming above the well, making him dizzy and lightheaded, almost causing him to tumble headfirst down the well. He quickly circulated his true Qi to urgently spur the White Bone Heart-Gathering Bead.

Inside that circle of light, specks of blood seeped out. The blood was like quicksilver, possessing considerable weight.

Before long, a pool of dragon blood had gathered within the circle of light. The little autumn dragon in the well roared incessantly, crashing against the sealing formation covering the wellhead, summoning starlight from above to beat it down again and again.

"Qian Geng, Qian Geng!"

The little autumn dragon shouted loudly from the depths of the well.

From somewhere in the temple, a stream of light flashed over, landing beside the well. Ji Ming hurriedly retracted the circle of light while swinging the plum branch, preparing to borrow the Great Master's divine powers.

"Little immortal master, do not panic!"

The light receded, and a bearded man cupped his fists, wearing a flattering expression on his face and speaking gently: "I am the wave-chasing yaksha from the 'Jingbi Water Palace' in the Zhexiong Continent, ordered here to make amends for the dragon prince."

"What amends? Hurry up and kill him! He has drained much of my heart's blood; even if I escape, my cultivation will inevitably be vastly diminished."

The roaring from the bottom of the well continued, but the so-called wave-chasing yaksha turned a deaf ear and smiled: "The gifts of recent days were meticulously prepared by me, and today there is another grand gift to deliver."

"You can keep the grand gift."

Listening to the venomous curses from the well, Ji Ming said nothing more, his expression frosty. The wave-chasing yaksha's expression grew gradually awkward; he cast a spell to cut off the sound from the well.

Seeing the wave-chasing yaksha Qian Geng perform a spell with a mere flick of his hand, Ji Ming's eyelids twitched. This yaksha was far beyond what he could contend with.

At that moment, the toad monster hurried over, holding a scroll of Daoist scriptures. As it drew close, it seemed to trip accidentally, causing the Daoist scripture to fall to the ground and roll open.

A dragon shape composed of several talismanic diagrams "broke into" Ji Ming's field of vision, and he was instantly captivated by the true form of these talismans.

"This is the 'Heavenly River Ascending Dragon Wondrous True Talisman Diagram'. Deciphering the true form of the talismans within allows one to attain the true method of transforming into a dragon and ascending to heaven. Once this method is mastered, one can transform into a true dragon, roam the three heavens, patrol the four major waterways, and even establish a domain beneath the rivers, claiming the authority to rouse clouds and summon rain in one's own territory."

"It truly is a grand gift."

Ji Ming's expression turned slightly chilly, not only because of this talisman diagram, but also because of the yaksha's strength. However, he did not accept this grand gift right away.

The previous precious clam pearls were things Ji Ming dared to accept, possessing the confidence to take them without being coerced. Yet a talismanic diagram of even higher value was not so easy to accept; he would surely get his fingers burned.

Besides, who could guarantee there was no trouble hidden within? The Taiyin Twenty-Four Turns Treasure Refining Method he obtained from Su Luozi in his past life hadn't been used to this day precisely out of fear that it harbored malicious intentions.

"Fellow Daoist Qian Geng, are you trying to force me to open the well and release the dragon?"