Longevity Chronicles

Chapter 941 - 603: Sworn Brother Falls, the Filial Prince Preaches the Way

Last time, it was mentioned that under Zhang Xianzhong's command, the adopted son "filial prince Zhang Shao" silently betrayed the Seven Slaughter Bodhisattva after consuming too many Peach Nightmare Elixirs and turned to Tao Buddha's son.

To please the new master, he immediately took out Xianzhong's Treasure Vault and offered it.

What was stored inside were the spoils from burning, killing, and looting in the southern region of Langya County by the one hundred thousand Bodhisattva groups, including many Divine Treasures. Apart from a large number of Wild Gods and Immoral Sacrifices, there were also some remnants from the Outer Realm demons, which were precisely what the Search God Heavenly Dao eagerly sought.

Tao Qian immediately ordered the setup of the Peach Blossom Refining Spirit Array.

This time, it burned for seven days and seven nights before everything was refined, reaching another deal with the idiot-like Heavenly Dao Origin.

When the Seven Slaughter Bodhisattva Army was about to set off again, Tao Buddha's son, who was residing in the Jade Pillow Divine Statue, had his cultivation power restored to the Transcend Mortality Realm, and the permissions of his personal treasure bag were also further unlocked.

His speed of recovering cultivation was truly astounding.

At this rate, it might not be long before his cultivation is fully restored.

In fact, it was indeed so.

Because from Zhang Shao, Tao Qian found a safe and reproducible shortcut.

Having already taken one of "Zhang Xianzhong's" adopted sons, why not also take the other six and burn the entire Xianzhong's Treasure Vault? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

With this thought, Zhang Shao spontaneously received a Peach Blossom Oracle.

Thus, a few days later.

Zhang Shao led one hundred thousand Bodhisattva groups to march to Fuyang County, the central region of Langya County. Nearby on Boneyard Plain was another army of one hundred thousand Bodhisattva troops who only knew how to shout "kill kill kill" as part of the Seven Slaughter Curse.

Their leader, called Zhang Dingtian, was given the title "Yang King" by Zhang Xianzhong.

This guy's murderous nature was even fiercer than Zhang Shao's.

In just a few days, he had slaughtered at least a dozen counties and dozens of towns and villages.

Under his command, the Bodhisattva evil ghosts were all incredibly twisted, with things like Thousand People Slaughter and Ten Thousand Killings not being the least bit scarce.

He himself was even more grotesque.

Bare-chested, his torso was covered with countless twisted, swollen muscular arms, each holding a terrifying weapon.

His lower body was a bloated mass of flesh, seemingly formed from various blood, viscera, and Bai Gu... mashed and mixed into a misshapen lump of rotten flesh.

Below that were hundreds of thin appendages.

It resembled a massive, grotesque, fleshy spider.

Yet, the head of a young member of the Human Clan remained intact, embedded in the navel area of the ghostly body, serving as the brain.

That day, Zhang Dingtian was contemplating which county to attack next for a slaughter.

Suddenly, a big ghost came to report:

"Report to the Great King, your adopted brother, the filial prince Zhang Shao, has come to visit. Do you wish to see him?"

Zhang Dingtian, although ferocious in appearance, had softer features than Zhang Shao.

Upon hearing this, he grumbled, "Zhang Shao? That guy never had much ability, only knows how to flatter our foster father. Hmph, shameless, what does he want with me?"

Though his thoughts were like this, he still agreed to meet Zhang Shao.

Despite his disdain, they had the same father, so it wasn't appropriate not to meet.

Nominally, he had to address Zhang Shao as an elder brother.

What puzzled him was, usually when Zhang Xianzhong's adopted sons met each other, they were wary, often fighting for territory and prey. Rarely did one enter the army of another, like Zhang Shao did alone under Zhang Dingtian.

Yet, Zhang Shao did just that.

Surrounded by a hundred thousand twisted, fallen ghost creatures, Zhang Shao leisurely strolled in, calling out:

"Seventh brother, it's been a long time, have you missed your brother?"

"We brothers are our foster father's good sons, and should be close to each other."

"Tonight, let's sleep with our feet touching, and catch up."

An eerily strange situation occurred this way.

The two adopted sons of Seven Slaughter King Zhang Xianzhong, the filial prince Zhang Shao and the Yang King Zhang Dingtian, these two fiends, surprisingly acted like Human Clan brothers and friends from the Mortal World, sharing the same bed and chatting happily.

Initially, Zhang Dingtian was cautious and wary. Although he was the most foolish of the seven adopted sons, he still had the necessary wits.

Unfortunately, Zhang Shao was skilled in flattery, disarming others' vigilance, breaking down defenses, and building intimacy...

By late night, Zhang Dingtian had dropped his guard, constantly praising "Brother Shao's wisdom", "Brother Shao is right" with his youthful mouth.

It was at this moment, when Zhang Shao was handling everything smoothly, that a divine oracle rang in his mind:

"This place has been isolated by my spell!"

"Even if you slay Zhang Dingtian, the Seven Slaughter Bodhisattva won't notice. Go ahead and act."

"One bottle of Nightmare Elixir is enough, don't overfeed."

Upon receiving these instructions, Zhang Shao's eyes brightened.

By then, he had already completely fallen. He realized that he turned to the Peach Blossom God because of the Poison Elixirs transforming into Immortal Peaches, not because he was truly conquered by the Peach Blossom Demon. The myths about "Innate Dao being followed by the Heavenly Dao, yet the Peach Blossom God and Demon were before it" were mostly false.

Alas, what was done was done, knowing it now was useless.

Zhang Shao didn't resent it, instead thinking: "My Master is willing to use treasured Spirit Pills to help me; this is Shao's blessing, Shao's opportunity, Shao must serve devoutly. In the future, my Master will surely help me achieve God Demon status."

Such devout thoughts made even Tao Qian a bit embarrassed.

He couldn't help but recall words from a past life, like 'masochist' and such.

...

"Yes, rest assured My Master, Zhang Dingtian is the most foolish, which is why Shao chose him. It wouldn't be possible to sleep in the same bed with the others."

Zhang Shao, while replying to the God Demon, casually insulted the giant ghost called Zhang Dingtian.

Then he turned over and looked mysteriously at Zhang Dingtian squatting on the ground:

"Brother Dingtian!"

"You brother recently acquired some good treasures."

"Since you call me brother, how could I not show you and share them with you?"

"Oh, what kind of treasure is it?"

Zhang Dingtian indeed fell for it, his fleshy limbs under his seat moved, and he came over with a rustling sound.

Zhang Shao looked at this so-called sworn younger brother, whose eyes were filled with a kind of clear stupidity or naive brutality.

"Don't be anxious, brother will get it out right away."

After speaking, Zhang Shao suddenly raised his head.

His mouth ripped open, grinning to the back of his ears.

Then he reached into his throat, and with bouts of retching sounds, Zhang Shao forcibly pulled out a string of "blood grapes" from deep in his throat, which was half a foot long, studded with oval fleshy balls.

If you look closer, every fruit and branch of this string of blood grapes is engraved with the "Seven Slaughter Scripture", filled with intense Seven Slaughter Origin Qi. Just a whiff of its foul exotic fragrance would cause one's killing intent to run rampant.

As soon as this appeared, Zhang Dingtian's breathing became rapid.

A storm almost erupted within the camp grounds.

Zhang Dingtian gazed at the object, each crimson fleshy ball on it enticed him to the extreme.

If not for retaining a bit of mind, he might have already tried to snatch it.

He excitedly spoke out, asking repeatedly:

"Good brother, what is this?"

"It seems like it was bestowed by the Bodhisattva?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shao immediately nodded with a smile.

"Don't be anxious, brother, listen to me."

"This is called the 'Seven Slaughter Blood Grapes', indeed bestowed by the Bodhisattva."

"You may know that some days ago, I happened upon a place called Cold County, where my troops of Bodhisattvas slaughtered the city, unexpectedly capturing an avatar of a powerful abnormal demon from the Outer Realm. That demon seemed to have a grudge with the Bodhisattva. After I sacrificed it, I immediately received this reward from the Bodhisattva."

"Consuming this treasure allows us to cultivate the 'Seven Slaughter Scripture' better and synchronize spiritually with the Bodhisattva."

"The Bodhisattva bestowed me two strands of this, I've already consumed one, but eating more would be ineffectual."

"This strand I planned to take back and offer to our foster father, but then I thought again, Dingtian, you are the youngest among us, and as your elder brother, I should take care of you first..."

Hearing this, Zhang Dingtian was full of excitement, his ugly ghost body trembling.

But doubt still flashed in his eyes.

Though he was unaware of the "cost of cultivation" principle, he knew there's no free lunch.

Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly heard Zhang Shao's tone change, saying:

"I have always known that among us brothers, only you, Dingtian, have no interest in that Crown Prince title."

"But with your support, my chances would greatly increase."

"Don't you agree?"

These few words were already quite an implication.

Especially as Zhang Shao spoke, he deliberately dangled the so-called 'Seven Slaughter Blood Grapes' closer.

Zhang Dingtian, though foolish, instantly understood.

The doubt in his heart disappeared immediately.

This good thing wasn't free; it required future support for Zhang Shao to become the Crown Prince.

This cost, Zhang Dingtian thought he could afford.

You could see his ghost body tremble, nodding repeatedly:

"What elder brother says is true!"

"Rest assured, in the future, whenever foster father decides to choose a Crown Prince, Dingtian will surely support you, elder brother..."

"Good, truly my good brother, eat it quickly."

Before he was even done speaking, Zhang Shao flicked his hand, and that string of blood grapes, which seemed like large intestines strung with cyst-like fleshy spheres, flew straight into Zhang Dingtian's mouth.

He didn't even have time to chew, to taste the flavor.

Each fleshy ball burst immediately in his mouth, turning into a hot flow that poured into his belly.

Poor naive and foolish killing embryo!

How could he have imagined his good brother was poisoning him?

The blood grapes were fake!

The Peach Nightmare Elixir was real!

After consuming an entire bottle of the Nightmare Elixir disguised as blood grapes, he had an immediate reaction, his ghost body staggered, his mind dizzy.

Deep within his heart soul, many bizarre changes began, as if countless strange little figures appeared, chanting a booklet called "Peach Blossom Immortal Scripture".

Feeling something was terribly wrong, he looked again at his sworn elder brother, Zhang Shao, before him.

Zhang Shao approached with a sly smile, mysteriously pulling out another item from his bosom.

This time, it was a divine statue inscribed with "Abnormal Demons".

With a voice full of enticement, Zhang Shao said:

"Brother Dingtian!"

"Do not panic, I will grant you a fortuitous blessing."

"Come, come, listen as I guide you through and dispel your doubts, letting you understand the one true God inside and outside the realm, the supreme Peach Blossom God as well."

"Those like the Seven Slaughter Bodhisattva are not even worthy to tie my master's shoes."

...

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Dingtian's first instinct was to rage, to kill this blasphemer of gods and demons.

Yet, astonishingly quickly, his reaction occurred — as he thought of killing Zhang Shao, he found himself nodding in agreement, the thought of slaughter dissipating like smoke.

Involuntarily, he chanted along with Zhang Shao: "Peach Blossom God, my master indeed."