Wu Hua tapped the centre of Wei Wuji’s forehead with a single finger.
At the same instant, dazzling Buddhist light burst from Wu Hua’s body. The finger pressing against Wei Wuji’s forehead seemed cast from pure gold, radiating intense golden radiance.
In that split second, Wei Wuji felt a terrifying power surge from his brow into his mind, enveloping his primordial spirit. A sense of mortal peril flooded his entire body.
“Wu Hua, what are you doing?”
Wei Wuji roared.
He had never expected that after Wu Hua saved his life, the monk would now turn on him.
What exactly was his aim?
Wu Hua smiled. “There is only one supreme opportunity, yet I am a greedy man and dislike sharing. Therefore, Prince Wei, I must apologise.”
“You mean to kill me?” Wei Wuji snarled. “Wu Hua, you alone cannot withstand Ye Changsheng. If you kill me, you will obtain nothing.”
Wu Hua gave a wicked smile. “Who said anything about killing you?”
“Then what do you want?” Wei Wuji demanded.
Wu Hua replied, “Our Great Leiyin Temple possesses a technique called Walking Corpse. It can dominate a cultivator’s primordial spirit. Once the spirit is enslaved, the cultivator becomes a walking corpse, obeying every command.”
“You intend to control me?” Wei Wuji’s pupils contracted sharply. He gnashed his teeth. “I am a prince of Great Wei. I will never be controlled.”
As he spoke, clear sword chimes rang from his body as he tried to resist. Yet in the next moment, he discovered to his horror that he could no longer circulate his true qi.
Instantly, Wei Wuji’s expression turned as dark as deep water.
“Prince Wei, why have you stopped resisting? Are you not born with a sword body?” Wu Hua smiled faintly. “If you can truly fight back, this little monk will release you at once.”
Wei Wuji understood that his primordial spirit was already wrapped by the power flowing from Wu Hua’s fingertip. Resistance was impossible. He forced himself to calm down. “Wu Hua, years ago your master and my father shared life-and-death hardships. Why treat me like this?”
Wu Hua answered, “Precisely because I honour that old bond did I save your life. Otherwise, Ye Changsheng would have killed you long ago.”
“Rubbish!” Wei Wuji spat. “You only saved me to use me, to help you seize the supreme opportunity.”
Wu Hua nodded with a smile. “You are correct. Ye Changsheng and his group have already set off for the Hengduan Mountains. I need you to help me obtain the supreme opportunity.”
Wei Wuji shouted, “Then release me at once!”
“As long as you free me, I will help you take the supreme opportunity.”
“I keep my word.”
Wu Hua shook his head. “Prince Wei, oh Prince Wei, do you take this little monk for a three-year-old child?”
“In truth, I know you do not trust me in your heart. Likewise, I do not trust you.”
“Therefore, I must use this method to control you. Only then can I rest easy.”
Wei Wuji gave a cold laugh. “Keep dreaming. Even if you control me, you will never obtain the supreme opportunity.”
Wu Hua remained unconcerned. “You need not worry about that. When the time comes, you only have to hold off Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi for me.”
At once, an icy chill filled Wei Wuji’s heart.
He understood. Wu Hua planned to use him as a shield to fight Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi to the death while the monk seized the opportunity. Regardless of whether Wu Hua succeeded, Wei Wuji would surely die.
Wei Wuji spoke in a voice of frozen steel. “Wu Hua, you are a man of the Buddhist gate. Have you not a shred of compassion?”
“You are mistaken. This little monk has already shown great mercy, or I would not have saved you.” Wu Hua continued, “In this world, no one is kind without reason.”
“I saved your life, so this life now belongs to me.”
Wei Wuji roared, “Wu Hua, if I die, the Great Wei Dynasty will never let you go.”
Wu Hua laughed without restraint. “You worry too much. At most, the Great Wei Dynasty will blame your death on Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi.”
“Provided, of course, that those two survive.”
“If they also die, I shall personally visit the Great Wei Dynasty and tell your father that you perished together with Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi.”
“Even if, in the worst case, your father learns everything that happened here, I do not fear him.”
“If he dares to touch me, my master will never forgive him. The Great Wei Dynasty would be destroyed in an instant.”
“Besides, your father has many sons. Losing one prince will pain him, but do you truly believe he would wage war against our Great Leiyin Temple for your sake?”
“Does he have the courage?”
“Does he have the strength?”
Upon hearing these words, Wei Wuji felt ice course through his veins.
He knew it was true. Although his father favoured him, as the supreme ruler he weighed benefits and losses. He would never start a war with Great Leiyin Temple over one son, and with the current strength of Great Wei, it could not contend against Great Leiyin Temple.
Despair flooded Wei Wuji’s heart. Suddenly, he began to plead with Wu Hua.
“Buddha’s son Wu Hua, for the sake of the old ties between our families, can you spare my life?”
“You wish to control me only because you do not trust me. If you let me go, I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao that I will serve you as ox or horse for the rest of my life and never betray you.”
“Buddha’s son Wu Hua, I beg you.”
Wei Wuji’s expression was earnest as he pleaded bitterly.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Who would have thought the most promising prince of Great Wei would beg this little monk for mercy?”
Wu Hua clicked his tongue and smiled. “You do not wish to die?”
What nonsense. Who in this world wishes to die?
Wei Wuji said, “I am a prince of Great Wei. I still have many things to accomplish, so I do not want to die.”
“Buddha’s son Wu Hua, spare me. Not only can I help you seize the supreme opportunity, you will gain far more.”
“For example, I can become your servant and obey your every command.”
“I possess a natural sword body. In future I may become a saint-level powerhouse. Imagine having a saint as your slave. It would surely help you achieve great things.”
“Moreover, when I become Emperor of Great Wei, the entire dynasty will be loyal to you. That would benefit both you personally and Great Leiyin Temple.”
“Keeping me alive is far more valuable than killing me. What do you think, Buddha’s son Wu Hua?”
Wu Hua nodded slightly. “You speak sense.”
Joy flashed across Wei Wuji’s face. “Buddha’s son Wu Hua, since you agree, quickly release me! Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi have already headed for the Hengduan Mountains. We must hurry, or they will reach the supreme opportunity first.”
“When did this little monk say I would release you?” A ferocious look appeared on Wu Hua’s face as he drove his finger straight into Wei Wuji’s forehead.
“Ah…” Wei Wuji cried out in pain.
Wu Hua said, “Be a good boy and help me deal with Ye Changsheng and Yun Xi. Fulfil your final worth!”
“Wu Hua, you will die a horrible death…” Before Wei Wuji could finish, Buddhist light enveloped him, and his eyes gradually became vacant.
Moments later.
Wu Hua withdrew his finger and commanded, “Kneel.”
Like a walking corpse, Wei Wuji knelt expressionlessly before Wu Hua.
Wu Hua spoke again. “Bark like a dog.”
“Woof, woof, woof…” Wei Wuji called out mechanically.
Wu Hua continued, “Call me Daddy.”
