Chapter 917: Chapter 917

Upon hearing this, Old Wang Ba's expression changed further, and he turned to run away.

"What are you doing?" The Dirty Monk quickly stopped him.

"Running away!" Old Wang Ba glanced at the darkness on the other side and said, "He's already taken that thing left behind by the murderous demon, so why should we stay here and wait to die? This is a matter between you two brothers; it has nothing to do with me. I'm leaving now!"

"Leaving? Where would you go!" The Dirty Monk waved his hand dismissively and said, "You don't need to be afraid; he's just trying to scare you. You should know that the items in those three gates left behind by Guiguzi can only unleash their full potential if someone enters those gates. Even if he passes on those things to someone else, their effectiveness would be greatly diminished. Even if he's got that secret technique left behind by the murderous demon, it won't make the slightest difference to his current strength. If it did, we wouldn't be waiting for him here; he would be coming for me instead!"

Old Wang Ba stood uncertainly, half-believing, half-doubting, looking toward the darkness and said, "But... what's with that pitch-black mass over there?"

"Just an act of deception!" The Dirty Monk raised his voice and said, "Junior Brother, with these little tricks, you might fool others, but you can't fool me. Since you've come, why not sit down for a chat!"

After a long moment, a faint sigh emerged from the darkness, followed by a voice: "I've always said, the person who knows me best in this world is none other than you, Senior Brother. It seems deceiving you really isn't easy!"

As the voice cleared, a bald monk slowly walked out from the darkness. He was wearing a blood-red Kasaya, so red it seemed as though drops of blood would drip from it. This monk's features were sharp and fierce, but what struck the deepest fear was his pair of eyes. Aside from his black pupils, the whites of his eyes were entirely blood-red, making him look terrifying.

"Bloody Monk!" Old Wang Ba couldn't help but exclaim, immediately blurting out the monk's name.

This man was none other than the Sect Leader of Sha Men, renowned across the world, and worthy to be compared to Southern Fist King Shen Tianjun, Northern Fist King Li Changqing, Meng District General Helian Tiehua, and Purple Robe Lama—the Bloody Monk!

If members of Sha Men were present, they'd surely be ecstatic. The Bloody Monk had been missing for over a decade, and now he'd appeared here—wouldn't Sha Men be poised for resurgence?

The Bloody Monk coldly glanced at Old Wang Ba and said, "Old Wang Ba, you sure stick your nose into things. I was wondering how my stubborn Senior Brother knew I'd be passing through here. Turns out he enlisted you, a descendant of the Iron Calculation Sect, to divine my route. Hmph, Old Wang Ba, doing this, aren't you afraid of bringing ruin to the Iron Calculation Sect?"

Old Wang Ba seemed awkward, quietly retreating a step and said, "Bloody Monk, your issues with your Senior Brother have nothing to do with me. You know the kind of person I am—when people show me kindness, I repay them with all my might. Your Senior Brother helped me once, and this time I'm returning the favor. Besides, I've calculated it; your Senior Brother won't be able to stop you here. From your perspective, it shouldn't make much difference!"

"Hmph, like I needed you to tell me that!" The Bloody Monk sneered coldly, "Senior Brother, you've chased me for so many years and never succeeded. Don't you find it tiring? We are brothers—are there grudges between us that can't be resolved? Must you kill me? You always talk about achieving liberation. Is this your version of liberation? Truthfully, you've never escaped from hatred. In contrast, I have truly found my freedom long ago!"

The Dirty Monk sighed and said, "Junior Brother, the sea of suffering is boundless; turn back, and you'll find the shore!"

"Enough, Senior Brother. Over the years, how many times have you repeated those words to me?" The Bloody Monk said, "What sea of suffering? I believe Old Wang Ba is right—this floral world is the real paradise. All beings suffer? Hah, only the powerless suffer. People with power suffer nothing at all. Look at society—the rich, the powerful, the capable—they all live carefree lives. It's always the pious ones crushed underfoot, unable to resist. Let me tell you, this society is the fairest of them all—ability decides everything. Wolves eat meat, dogs eat scraps, and the weak fall prey to the strong. This is the only law of survival!"

The Dirty Monk shook his head slowly and said, "Junior Brother, you're too deeply possessed by the demon. Remember, human nature is fundamentally good..."

"Spare me the human nature is good nonsense, Senior Brother!" The Bloody Monk cut him off immediately and said, "I'll tell you—human nature isn't good; it's inherently evil. In this society, position and power determine whether someone is good or evil. Those struggling to survive on the streets—do you really think they're good people? Hah, let me tell you, there are no good people in this society; everyone is evil. Those so-called good people, once given enough power, they'll immediately turn evil. Even worse—more ruthless than those already in positions of power!"

"Junior Brother, your perspective is far too extreme!" The Dirty Monk said.

"Extreme?" The Bloody Monk laughed coldly. "Senior Brother, you've encountered many people in society over the years. Do you think there are a lot of good people? Hah, if you feel my view is extreme, fine—how about we make a wager?"

"A wager?" The Dirty Monk asked.

"Let me prove it with facts—those so-called pitiful souls, those seemingly honest folk—once given enough power, they'll become terrifying monsters!" The Bloody Monk said in a deep tone. "Moreover, to gain even greater power, they'll commit unimaginable horrors."

The Dirty Monk shook his head and asked, "How would we wager on this?"

"Simple. I choose someone, give them enough power, and we observe how many people they end up killing!" The Bloody Monk said solemnly. "Senior Brother, let me tell you, if this person gains sufficient power, they won't just kill all their past enemies—they'll keep killing and never stop. If they never stop, you'll lose. If they do stop, then I lose. How about it?"

Upon hearing this, Old Wang Ba instantly protested, "That's nonsense! What does 'stop killing' even mean? If the person stops killing for ten or eight years, does that count as a win or a loss? What if they suddenly die? Who'd win then? This wager of yours is obviously designed to entrap your Senior Brother!"

"Old Wang Ba, are you tired of living?" The Bloody Monk coldly stared at Old Wang Ba. "Others might fear your Iron Calculation Sect; I don't. Even if I killed you, who would dare come after me?"

Clearly intimidated by the Bloody Monk, Old Wang Ba took another step back and said, "Bloody Monk, don't scare me. I've calculated my fate, and I'm not destined to die young!"

"Hah, even if I can't kill you, making you lose an arm or a leg wouldn't be hard. You don't want to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair, do you?" The Bloody Monk said coldly.

Old Wang Ba opened his mouth but ultimately dared not say another word. The Bloody Monk was known for his madness, and his words were never empty threats. If he really crippled Old Wang Ba, the loss would be devastating.

"Fine!" At this moment, the Dirty Monk suddenly spoke up, "I'll take your wager!"

"Hey!" Old Wang Ba immediately became anxious, about to interject, but the Bloody Monk burst into hearty laughter and said, "Senior Brother, you truly are bold! With your straightforward personality, even if I lose, I'll accept it willingly!"

The Dirty Monk remained unmoved by the Bloody Monk's comments, silently staring at him and asking, "But who will you choose to participate in this wager? And how will you grant them sufficient power?"

"That's simple…" The Bloody Monk pulled out an ancient book and a rusted dagger from his robes and asked, "Do you know what these are?"

The Dirty Monk frowned slightly, staring at the ancient book and dagger, and said, "Those... aren't the items left behind by the murderous demon, are they?"

"Senior Brother, you're still sharp!" The Bloody Monk nodded. "These are indeed the items left behind by the murderous demon, taken from Guiguzi's Death Gate. This book is called the Murderer's Manual, and this dagger the Murderer's Knife. Whoever wields these items will gain strength with every person they kill. The more they kill, the stronger they become. The murderous demon surely relied on these to achieve his power back then!"

"Is that for real?" Old Wang Ba widened his eyes and said, "Killing people boosts strength? That's ridiculous! How is that possible?"

"At first, I didn't believe it either, so I tested it with someone, letting them wield both items and kill a person." The Bloody Monk explained, "I observed closely and finally understood the mechanism. When the person kills while holding these items, the book and dagger automatically absorb the victim's blood, channeling it into the murderer's body, gradually altering their meridian structure, thereby enhancing their strength."

The Bloody Monk paused before continuing, "This method is quite similar to a secret technique from the Miao Borderlands. There, people use Gu Insects to absorb blood from victims and let the insects enter their bodies, transforming the meridians to enhance strength. Whether the Miao Borderlands copied Guiguzi's secret technique, or Guiguzi borrowed from them, I don't know. But the method is effective—these two items can endlessly boost someone's power!"

"Really?" Old Wang Ba still looked skeptical. "I think you're making this up. If these items can endlessly enhance strength, then why don't you use them yourself? Don't you want greater power? Are you trying to play some trick again?"