"Enemy attack!"
Chaos erupted in the Holy Temple. For years, this had never happened; no enemy had ever dared to breach their gates.
In the ensuing panic, the Holy Temple found itself less organized than ordinary factions. Many members stood stunned, acting independently, some fleeing, others hiding, completely devoid of formation or discipline. Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin slaughtered them with ease. However, the Holy Temple, a force that had endured for over a thousand years, possessed a depth of power beyond ordinary comprehension.
As Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin fought their way in, the Holy Temple finally mobilized, dispatching powerful individuals to confront them.
Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin found themselves surrounded by over a dozen strangely-attired individuals. Anyone present would have recognized these people as individuals declared dead in the outside world. They came from all walks of life: a wealthy magnate, a famous actor, an ordinary citizen, some with Eastern ancient country faces, others foreign power users.
What puzzled Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin further was the bizarre array of abilities these individuals employed. A blond-haired, blue-eyed person wielded the Eastern ancient country's Baguazhang. Another with a dark complexion used the Vajra Power Palm. Some women with tanned skin practiced the Eastern ancient country's Mizong Leg, even possessing knowledge of Qinggong.
These individuals possessed internal energy, yet they gave Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin a peculiar impression.
Rigid.
Precisely. They were rigid, like automatons.
Ning Beichen was reminded of Ryan from before. Ryan was the same; he too had returned from the dead, bizarrely mastering the Eastern ancient country's Heavenly Demon Dissolution Technique. It was a technique Ning Beichen himself did not possess. He also knew that in the current Eastern ancient country, practitioners of the Heavenly Demon Dissolution Technique were virtually extinct.
What was going on?
Why had they returned from the dead?
Why did they command so many martial arts from various nations?
Both Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin were filled with curiosity.
Despite their formidable abilities, these individuals were no match for Ning Beichen, who was in the realm of Transcendence, and Liu Yilin, a Grandmaster.
"Soaring Dragon Flying Through Heaven!"
"I'll let you be arrogant and fly!"
Ning Beichen sent one of them flying over a dozen meters away with a single palm strike.
"Heavenly Demon Dissolution..."
"Stop dissolving, I'll help you dissolve."
Another attempted to use the Heavenly Demon Dissolution Technique against Ning Beichen, but before he could, Ning Beichen shattered his internal organs with a single punch.
Before long, all these individuals met their end at the hands of Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin.
"Bad news, a man and a woman have fought their way in."
Someone in the Holy Temple hurriedly reported.
"Deploy the Dark Knights."
...
About ten minutes later, another report came in.
"Bad news, the Dark Knights have been annihilated."
"Quick, quick, send the Holy Temple Elders to stop them..."
Soon, even the Holy Temple Elders met a tragic fate.
Inside the Holy Temple, the five Red Robe High Priests surrounded Ning Beichen, employing sacred arts against him. However, Ning Beichen now was not someone they could resist.
With a sweep of Ning Beichen's bronze ancient sword, all five Red Robe High Priests were riddled with sword rain, turning the Holy Temple's interior into a river of blood. No one was Ning Beichen's match for even a single round. Ning Beichen had come to kill, to eradicate the Holy Temple, not to reason with them. He showed no mercy.
Soon, only the highest-ranking official, the Grand Priest, remained in the Holy Temple.
"You... Who exactly are you?"
The Grand Priest asked in despair.
"Oh, you forgot me so quickly? Weren't you chasing me all this time?"
Ning Beichen said with exasperation.
"You... you are Ning Beichen."
The Grand Priest finally remembered.
"Indeed it is I. Seeing me here, are you surprised and happy!"
Ning Beichen said with a cold laugh.
"I never imagined it was this insignificant insect. I should have killed you long ago."
The Grand Priest gritted his teeth. Who could have foreseen that the "insect" he once saw as insignificant had now grown into such a colossal entity?
"It's not too late now. Come, I'll let you kill me."
Ning Beichen sneered at him.
"Ning Beichen, don't be complacent. Our god will not forgive you."
The Grand Priest roared, his face contorted with ferocity.
"Fine, then let your god come out. If not, I'll beat you to death!"
Ning Beichen's fist appeared before the Grand Priest, sending him flying with a single blow. Ning Beichen followed closely, delivering punch after punch, his fists raining down on the Grand Priest's face.
"Come out!"
"Let your god appear!"
Ning Beichen's roar accompanied each punch. Finally, he kicked the Grand Priest against the wall, then relentlessly pounded him with a barrage of fists. The Grand Priest attempted to resist, to break free, to strike back multiple times, but Ning Beichen gave him no chance.
After a few breaths, the Grand Priest lay on the verge of death, blood flowing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
"If your god doesn't appear, I'll be sending you to meet your god."
Ning Beichen said with a cold smile, looking at the Grand Priest who resembled a dead dog.
"With my blood, I sacrifice to my god!"
The Grand Priest mustered his last ounce of strength and roared. His body exploded, and a large amount of blood gushed out. The blood flowed on the ground like serpents, gradually piling up, devouring each other, until a nine-headed serpent of blood formed. This serpent was enormous, almost filling the entire hall. The corpses on the ground became its food, a sight that sent chills down the spine.
"Is this nine-headed serpent the god the Grand Priest summoned with his blood?"
Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin exchanged glances.
After devouring the corpses in the hall, the nine-headed serpent grew even larger, its heads smashing through the hall's pillars. With two muffled sounds, the nine-headed serpent spat fireballs towards Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin.
"You're courting death!"
Ning Beichen dodged the fireballs and then launched himself forward, swinging his bronze ancient sword at the nine-headed serpent. With a swish, Ning Beichen severed two of its heads.
At the same time, Liu Yilin also dodged the fireballs heading her way. She leaped into the air and plunged a knife into one of the nine-headed serpent's eyes. The serpent let out a shrill cry of agony. Its remaining six heads attacked Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin frantically.
Boom, boom, boom...
The ground, surrounding walls, and hall pillars rumbled as the nine-headed serpent thrashed about. Furthermore, the serpent emitted a headache-inducing sonic wave that buzzed uncomfortably in Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin's ears.