Chapter 128: Squeezing
“Humph, surely you’ve recognized me by now?”
“Indeed, I am the true body of the Buddha Pagoda’s Artifact Spirit—Quden!”
Mo Lin looked at the little monk’s smug expression, his face emotionless:
“No, I didn’t recognize you.”
“Eh... ah...”
In the little monk’s imagination, once Mo Lin saw him, he should have gasped, “The great Artifact Spirit has appeared!” and fallen to his knees in worship. Who would have thought it would turn out like this?
This left the little monk Quden furious:
“Hey, hey, hey, I’m an Artifact Spirit! Do you even know the value of an Earth-Rank artifact that gives birth to an Artifact Spirit?”
Mo Lin remained expressionless, even finding it somewhat funny:
An Earth-Rank Artifact Spirit—was that supposed to be impressive?
It had devoured more than a few Earth-Rank warriors already. A Buddha Pagoda sprouting a head—was that really something to boast about?
Hadn’t it just been beaten into wailing agony by his Soul-Respecting Banner?
Thinking of this, Mo Lin’s eyes flashed coldly again. He raised the Soul-Respecting Banner, clearly preparing to strike once more.
The motion startled Quden:
“Wait, don’t, don’t strike! We can talk this out!”
From Mo Lin’s expression and movements, Quden realized that if he didn’t stop him, Mo Lin truly would attack again.
So Quden hurriedly stopped him, forcing out a grin:
“Don’t act rashly—I definitely have uses for you.”
Mo Lin looked at the sycophantic face of Quden upon the Buddha Pagoda, his expression strange.
He had come to know the three monks of White Horse Temple: Wuzhen, Jingchen, and Jingyue. Even if Wuzhen was lustful and Jingyue unfathomable, at least they still possessed some shred of Buddhist nature.
But the Quden before him—haughty one moment, groveling the next—did not display even the slightest hint of Buddhist essence. He didn’t even bother to pretend.
See? The moment Mo Lin made a move, this little monk practically begged on his knees. If Mo Lin demanded it, Quden might even start singing his praises.
Mo Lin had no interest in such behavior, though it didn’t stop him from asking casually:
“Oh? Then tell me, what use is there in letting you live?”
Upon hearing this, Quden quickly raised a finger:
“I am quite formidable. I am an Earth-Rank Artifact Spirit. You must know—even Heaven-Rank artifacts do not always give birth to spirits.”
“For me to awaken at Earth-Rank makes me one in ten thousand.”
“This, of course, is thanks to the White Horse Temple’s eminent monks consecrating me, and also because I happen to have a soul-oriented attribute. So...”
Quden saw the flash of murderous light in Mo Lin’s eyes and froze, realizing he had boasted too much, irritating him again.
He hurriedly added:
“Wait, don’t be rash! I have the powers of ghost-commanding, soul-harvesting, spirit-separating, qi-gathering, and soul-refining. If you don’t kill me, I can be of great benefit to you!”
Mo Lin casually waved the Soul-Respecting Banner with his tail:
“These abilities, the Soul-Respecting Banner already possesses. Even if your power is slightly stronger, I may not need to keep you.”
Sweating profusely, Quden quickly added:
“I can shield you from soul-based ambushes. If you keep me by your side, someone like Jingyue won’t be able to strike you so easily again.”
For the sake of survival, Quden trampled his “former master” without hesitation.
Mo Lin paused, slightly moved.
Quden wasn’t wrong. Though he had killed Jingyue, that ambush had left him uneasy.
What if next time, someone with even deeper mastery in the soul than Jingyue attacked?
If Quden could indeed provide early warning and defense against soul assaults, that would be valuable.
But this benefit alone wasn’t enough to convince Mo Lin to keep the Buddha Pagoda.
After all, Mo Lin had killed Quden’s former master. Between Anaconda and pagoda, if not outright enemies, there was no bond of trust.
Who knew if Quden spoke truth—or if, when danger struck, he would actually help?
Besides, swallowing the Buddha Pagoda outright was also a tempting choice.
Even if the benefit wasn’t as great as keeping it, since the pagoda was a soul-attribute artifact, devouring it would certainly strengthen his own soul.
If his soul became strong enough, no one would be able to ambush him.
As Mo Lin pondered and his killing intent began to rise again, the pagoda quickly interjected:
“Ah—wait, wait! There’s more. I’ve traveled far and wide with Jingyue, gaining much experience.”
“According to the soul-world Jingyue constructed, you haven’t even left Yongzhou yet. If you go to other regions in the future, I might be of help.”
Mo Lin’s heart stirred.
Feigning indifference, he sneered:
“Heh. I am already a mid-Earth Rank. Soon, I will step into Heaven Rank. Among Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, I will stand at the pinnacle.”
“Even if I travel beyond this land, who could harm me? Who would dare?”
“Would I need you at my side to provide aid?”
At this, Quden grew agitated:
“What nonsense! You’re only at mid-Earth Rank. You have no idea how vast this world is, nor how many powerful beings it holds!”
Mo Lin snorted dismissively:
“Heh. Do you take me for some backwater beast?”
“I know full well—once a Demonic Beast steps into Profound Rank, it may already be called a Great Demon.”
“The so-called great powers of this world are rare as phoenix feathers.”
Mo Lin’s arrogant tone nearly made Quden explode:
“Humph! Anaconda demon, until you step into Heaven Rank, you see strength as a frog sees the moon from a well. Only once you ascend do you realize you are but a mayfly gazing at the sky!”
Mo Lin, clearly provoked, snapped:
“Oh? Hearing you talk, you must know many Heaven-Rank beings then?”
Quden turned his head proudly:
“Of course! Not only the enlightened monks of White Horse Temple— even the Heaven-Rank Demonic Beasts of the wilds, I have seen many.”
Mo Lin gave him a mocking look:
“You? A mere Earth-Rank Artifact Spirit? Claiming to know many Heaven-Rank beasts? Heh...”
Seeing that Quden was nearly bursting with rage, Mo Lin thought he had teased enough. Acting casually, he said:
“Then tell me—what information do you have about Heaven Flood Dragons? Enlighten me.”
“Heh, I’d truly like to know just how many Flood Dragons soar above me, oh great Earth-Rank Artifact Spirit...”
Shaking his head and sighing, he put on the expression of “just humoring a child.”
Quden, immature as he was, easily fell into the provocation.
Stung by Mo Lin’s scorn, and desperate to prove himself so his chances of survival would rise, he blurted angrily:
“Humph! Of course I have knowledge of Heaven Flood Dragons! Don’t faint from fright when you hear it!”
He glared at Mo Lin, deeply offended by the doubt cast on his erudition, then intoned solemnly:
“There is a Heaven Flood Dragon named Cangming, whose tomb lies within the Abyss of the Ruins, deep in the Eastern Sea...”