Chapter 6 - Two Choices.

Tonight seemed exceptionally long.

The flesh in front of Li Shiwu, sticky with human blood, was piled up in stacks.

Smelling the thick, suffocating scent of blood, and seeing that horrifying scene, Hua Erling fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Master, please, grant Shiwu a quick end, don't torment him anymore, I beg you."

Qianyuanzi ignored him completely, merely pulling out a small dish from Coffin Master's mouth and patiently enjoying the show.

As for Li Shiwu, under the stimulation of extreme pain, he was on the verge of fainting.

However, he still held on.

After all these years, he absolutely could not let himself collapse at this final moment.

Seeing this, Qianyuanzi couldn't help but clap his hands in delight.

He then turned to Guan San and said, "Disciple, don't you think Shiwu looks like that skinned red monkey we stewed tonight?"

"Yes, yes," Guan San repeatedly agreed, "It's exactly the same. Master even rewarded me with that monkey head."

"It was really delicious, thank you, Master."

Qianyuanzi nodded in satisfaction, "Good, among my thirty disciples, you are still the most considerate."

Li Shiwu, of course, paid no attention to their master-disciple affection, simply continuing to skin himself, his movements becoming increasingly skilled.

About the time it takes an incense stick to burn passed.

Perhaps he grew tired of watching, or perhaps he felt the act had run out of novelty.

Qianyuanzi yawned and waved his hand, saying, "Shiwu, your master won't trouble you anymore. As for all this black soil, I think it's quite suitable to be your grave soil."

"Lest people say I, as your master, left my disciple's corpse exposed in the wilderness."

At this moment, Li Shiwu had lost most of the flesh from his body, and he looked a size smaller.

And just as the two had said, he looked like a skinned monkey, strange and laughable.

However, as soon as Qianyuanzi's words fell.

Something incredible happened.

The black soil covering the ground seemed to come alive, beginning to breathe and wriggle.

It also exuded a black light, indescribably profound and sinister, as if it could blot out the sky, bury everything, and entomb everything.

"This..."

Li Shiwu was stunned by the sight before him.

But immediately, he was filled with ecstasy.

Because he discovered that his body was uncontrollably sinking into this strange black soil.

At the same time, his body was also covered in black light, seemingly protecting him, making it difficult for outsiders to interrupt the 'Seed Immortal' process.

"Seed Immortal!" Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

"Seed Immortal!"

"Treating oneself as a 'seed', planting it in the soil, and then becoming an immortal."

"Old man, isn't this the Seed Immortal Temple you spoke of?"

Seeing that his safety was assured, Li Shiwu immediately revealed his hand and burst into wild laughter, the eighteen years of accumulated repression and gloom in his chest vanishing in that instant.

When Qianyuanzi saw this scene, he was also stunned for a moment, but then, his eyes almost burst from their sockets, and he was on the verge of madness.

"This... this Seed Immortal Temple, it's real!"

He watched Li Shiwu slowly sinking into the black soil, no longer maintaining his previous arrogant and mocking demeanor.

Instead, he changed his tone, saying frantically, "Disciple, come out quickly, return the Immortal Opportunity to your master, your master begs you, truly begs you."

"Your master has searched for this Daoist temple his entire life."

Li Shiwu shook his head, the killing intent in his eyes having solidified into a tangible form.

"Old man, give it to you? Are you dreaming?"

"I wish I could cut you into a thousand pieces, but even that wouldn't sate my hatred."

He glanced at his own flesh on the ground and continued, "Old man, I'll tell you the truth."

"From the very beginning, I knew this Seed Immortal Temple was real."

"The reason I so generously told you about 'skinning to seed immortality' was to deliberately mislead you, to make you think this place was fake. After all, with such an absurd method and your suspicious nature, how could you believe it?"

"The result is that the Immortal Opportunity you sought your entire life was handed to me by your own hands."

Li Shiwu let out a long breath, "As for my willingness to skin myself alive, that was a gamble."

"Gambling that doing so would be effective, gambling that it would trigger some unknown change."

"Fortunately, I won this round."

These words, of course, ignited Qianyuanzi's towering rage.

"Wretch!"

He roared, holding a firewood cleaver, and leaped down from Coffin Master's head.

However, this prepared strike had no effect whatsoever.

The terrifying force of the blade was completely blocked by the black light emanating from the black soil.

Inside the temple, Guan San's eyes widened, and he buzzed, "Ma... Master, you absolutely must not fall for it!"

"This might still be Shiwu's trick, he wants to harm you."

Qianyuanzi sharply turned his head, his gaze like that of a man-eating demon.

He strode over in a few steps, swung the firewood cleaver, and severed Guan San's entire chest.

"You dog, if you hadn't been gossiping and misleading me all this time."

"How would this old Daoist have thought this was a trap, and thus fallen into the path of that rebellious disciple Shiwu?" Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

"You, deserve to die!"

At this point, Li Shiwu's body from the neck down was completely submerged in the black soil.

He immediately understood that he still needed to shed all the skin from his arms and face until his entire body was submerged in the soil for it to be a complete success.

"Hey, old man."

"Now I'll give you two paths, do you want to hear them?" Li Shiwu's eyes darted, his tone seemingly casual.

Qianyuanzi's uneven eyes narrowed into slits, "Speak."

Li Shiwu nodded, then said, "First, hand over this opportunity for immortality to me, and everything will be for my benefit."

"As for the second..."

He smiled, "As you can see, I haven't successfully 'seeded immortality' yet."

"If you have the ability, then do as I do, skin yourself by hand, and complete 'seeding immortality' before me."

Hearing this, Qianyuanzi coldly rebuked, "Rebellious disciple, you want me to die?"

Li Shiwu rolled his eyes, "Heh, it's up to you how you choose."

Qianyuanzi fell silent, merely pulling out a sharp dagger from his waist.

He then stripped off his Daoist robe completely, revealing his shriveled, old body covered in old scars.

In truth, even if Li Shiwu hadn't said anything, he would still have learned to skin himself for immortality.

After all, he had searched for the Seed Immortal Temple his entire life. Now, even if he knew Li Shiwu was sending him to his death, even with just a sliver of hope, he had to try.

"Good disciple, your master won't let you succeed so easily."

Qianyuanzi's eyes turned fierce. Just as Li Shiwu had done, he used the dagger to make incisions all over his body, beginning to tear off his own skin.

When he felt the surge of vitality entering his body, the regret and madness in his eyes intensified, and his hand movements became faster.

Seeing this, Li Shiwu held his breath and concentrated.

Immediately, holding a small knife, he used its sharp blade to peel off the flesh from his arms and face.

And so.

A unique, self-skinning competition between master and disciple vividly unfolded.

Only one person could successfully 'seed immortality' and enjoy the Immortal Opportunity.