Although he looked quite majestic sitting on the coffin, only the Five Heart Sect Leader himself could feel that every hair on his back was standing on end.
This stitched monster was his life's work, created from the sect members who practiced the Five Heart Technique.
Each part retained the strength it possessed before the amalgamation.
Once fused, it had reached the peak of the Daoist Scripture Realm, just half a step away from entering the Three Treasures Realm.
Yet when faced with Shen Bai, the monster was rendered utterly helpless.
'Who is this person?'
'How could Shengyun County have someone like this? For an expert of this caliber to appear in a tiny county... isn't that a bit absurd?'
The Five Heart Sect Leader rested a hand on the edge of the coffin, his fingers curling into a death grip.
His grip gouged deep indentations into the wood.
Shen Bai had no idea what the other two were thinking. He was completely immersed in the battle.
"This is great! So great! It's been too long since I've had this much fun!"
Shen Bai couldn't help but shout aloud.
Ever since acquiring his Golden Finger, almost none of the enemies he'd faced could withstand a single exchange.
Shen Bai knew he was basically using a cheat, so being abnormally strong was to be expected. Still, he couldn't help but feel the loneliness of an unmatched master.
After numerous battles, he had come to truly understand what novels meant by that loneliness.
Now, with the appearance of a stitched monster that could trade blows with him in this most primitive fashion, a savage desire in Shen Bai's heart began to awaken and surge.
"Again!"
Buddha's Light wreathed his hands.
Shen Bai thought this was going to be a grueling, evenly-matched battle.
However, what happened next left Shen Bai a little disappointed.
Between the emerald-green light protecting his body and the terrifying power of the Buddha's Light, the stitched monster's limbs began to diminish at a visible rate.
Its body, once as tall as the cavern itself, was shrinking rapidly.
Every one of Shen Bai's punches tore away chunks of flesh and blood.
The stench of blood filled the cavern.
Ten meters, six meters... three meters!
The stitched monster's body continued to shrink at an astonishing pace.
Before long, it was only two meters tall.
Only a few heads remained, its arms were mangled, and its torso gave off an aura of decay.
Shen Bai threw another punch. The golden Buddha's Light, imbued with the might of a Furious Vajra, utterly obliterated the body before him.
A thick cloud of dust and mist filled the cavern.
As Shen Bai retracted his fist, he felt that he had used up half of his Qi and shook his head.
"Still not quite satisfying. I was just starting to get into it, and you're already dead."
The words sounded particularly stark in the silent cavern.
Nearby, Cheng Shuang subconsciously wiped her forehead.
Her fair brow was beaded with cold sweat, dampening her palm.
'She suddenly realized that trading a Jade Pendant for Shen Bai's help was the most incredible bargain she could have ever made.'
'Back in Fenglin State, an expert of his caliber wouldn't even give you the time of day for a mere Deceitful Object.'
'But Shen Bai had helped her.'
'Perhaps this master already despised the Five-Heart Sect, so he was just taking the opportunity to act.'
It was the only explanation Cheng Shuang could settle on.
Shen Bai didn't know what Cheng Shuang was thinking, as he had already fixed his gaze on the Five Heart Sect Leader.
More specifically, on the Ancient True Scripture in the Five Heart Sect Leader's left hand.
The excited glint in Shen Bai's eyes grew scorching hot.
The Five Heart Sect Leader felt as if Shen Bai's gaze bored right through him, and only then did he realize his own back was soaked in sweat.
He scrambled to his feet and flipped back into the coffin.
'Fight?'
'Impossible.'
'Fighting Shen Bai right now would be suicidal.'
'Shen Bai had just defeated the stitched monster; his momentum was at its absolute peak.'
'The Five Heart Sect Leader certainly didn't think he was any stronger than the stitched monster.'
The moment he tumbled into the coffin, the iron chains attached to it snapped.
A fierce gust of wind erupted within the cavern.
Propelled by the gale, the coffin shot toward a side tunnel.
As the saying goes, a sly rabbit has three warrens. The Five Heart Sect Leader also had his escape route.
It looked like a dead end, but that was just an illusion.
Once he broke through that rock wall, the coffin would carry him swiftly away from this dangerous place.
But in the next instant, the Five Heart Sect Leader realized something was wrong.
He felt the coffin grind to a halt, as if something had grabbed hold of it and was pulling it back.
He turned his head and saw a sight that made his very soul tremble.
Shen Bai had grabbed one of the chains with a single hand. Golden Buddha's Light covered the links, preventing the coffin from moving another inch.
At that moment, Shen Bai was using the Power Attribute of his Vajra Demon Subduing Fist to its absolute fullest.
"Trying to run? Did you ask for my permission?"
Shen Bai planted his feet, slung the chain over his back, and the Buddha's Light on his arm flared.
Immense power surged through the chain to the coffin.
Shen Bai then proceeded to give the entire coffin an over-the-shoulder throw.
"BAM!"
With a deafening crash, the coffin slammed into the ground and shattered, exploding into a shower of wooden splinters.
Amidst the wreckage, the Five Heart Sect Leader, covered in wounds, struggled to his feet.
Before he could even react, he felt something cold against his neck.
He opened his eyes to see Shen Bai's longsword pressed against his throat.
A voice, eerie enough to raise goosebumps, sounded by his ear.
"Nice stitching. Tell me, if I were to chop off these parts, do you think you could survive?"
"I..."
Hearing this, the Five Heart Sect Leader began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Mercy! Mercy! I was just confused for a moment! This isn't what I wanted to do! I'm just a pawn being used by them!"
The Five Heart Sect Leader begged frantically.
His current terror was a perfect match for his earlier arrogance.
Shen Bai chuckled. "I much preferred your arrogant and defiant look. Feel free to go back to that."
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
The Five Heart Sect Leader kowtowed again. "My lord, please spare me! This was all the Upper Evil Sect's doing! They ordered me to promote the Five-Heart Sect's Cultivation Technique here. It was all at their command!"
The Upper Evil Sect?
Shen Bai rubbed his chin. "And what faction is that?"
At his side, Cheng Shuang's expression had changed.
Hearing Shen Bai's question, she went utterly pale.
"They're a disgusting faction, reviled by all, based in Fenglin State. Their philosophy is to indulge their basest natures, and they commit countless evil deeds."
"Every single person in that faction is a villain. They've been marked for elimination by the authorities in Fenglin State."
"But they're extremely secretive and difficult to find. This... this could mean big trouble for us."
Shen Bai frowned. "How big?"
Cheng Shuang said slowly, "The Upper Evil Sect is known for being vengeful over the slightest grievance. If they find out the Five Heart Sect Leader died at our hands, I'm afraid..."
She didn't get to finish her sentence, because Shen Bai's longsword had already moved.
The longsword pierced through the Five Heart Sect Leader's head, pinning it to the ground.
"There. Now they won't find out."