Chapter 773: I didn't help!

Outside the camp gate, the corpse horde withdrew and returned, approaching again, their speed faster than before, their wails even more shrill, their blood-red eyes like countless ghost fires rising from hell.

The soldiers drew their swords, blades forming a trembling arc in the firelight, yet they couldn't help but shudder and retreat.

"Can we fight them?"

"I don't know! I've never hacked a corpse before!"

Xiao Yuanhang shouted: "Archers, forward!"

"Yes!"

The archers rushed forward, forming several rows.

They gritted their teeth, drew the bowstrings, and aimed the arrowheads at the twisting corpses approaching.

But each bow trembled slightly.

Xiao Yuanhang bellowed: "Steady!"

In Chu Yuan's tent, the talisman he had just drawn suddenly hissed, a spark of flame shot up, and instantly turned to ash.

His face changed abruptly, and he snatched up the tortoise shell placed at the corner of the table.

But from outside the tent came the soldiers' terrified shouts.

Chu Yuan lowered his head to look at the tortoise shell in his hand, murmuring: "Too late."

"National Preceptor!" Xiao Ningxun shouted from outside the tent, "They're back again!"

Chu Yuan heard his voice and snapped his head up: "Quick! Bring Tuan Tuan over!"

Xiao Ningxun turned and ran.

He rushed through the camp, practically crashing into Xiao Yuanhang's sleeping tent.

Xiao Er and Lu Qi had never seen him so frantic and panicked, and both exclaimed: "Third Young Master, what's wrong?"

Xiao Ningxun didn't have time to explain, rushing a few steps to the bedside.

Tuan Tuan was sleeping soundly, clutching her father's soft pillow.

Xiao Ningxun said nothing, wrapped his sister tightly in a blanket, scooped her up, and ran outside.

Tuan Tuan murmured muffledly from inside the blanket, mumbling sleepily: "Daddy, are we going home?"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi exchanged a glance and hurried after them.

Xiao Ningxun burst into Chu Yuan's tent with his sister, gently laying her on the cot, panting: "National Preceptor, Tuan Tuan is here!"

Chu Yuan leaned over and gently opened the blanket wrapped around Tuan Tuan.

Xiao Tuanzi rubbed her eyes, dazedly sat up, looked at Chu Yuan, and said: "Master?"

She asked, still groggy: "Wasn't I sleeping with Daddy? Master, do you also want to sleep with us?"

Chu Yuan: "..."

He picked up the Dao robe beside the cot, lightly draped it over her shoulders: "Good, help Master with a favor."

"What?" Tuan Tuan blinked, still dazed.

"Draw a talisman."

"I can't!" Xiao Tuanzi's voice was thick and sleepy.

Chu Yuan held her to sit at the table, taking her small hand: "No problem, Master will hold your hand and we'll draw together."

He took a yellow talisman paper, laid it on the table, and moved the cinnabar inkstone to the side.

Tuan Tuan's small hand was enveloped by his warm palm, her fingertip dipped in cinnabar.

Xiao Ningxun stood nearby: "Be good, Tuan Tuan, sit steady, don't fall."

Tuan Tuan lifted her head to look at him: "Third Brother, why are you here too?"

"Eh, Uncle Er, Uncle Qi? Why aren't you sleeping? What's all the noise outside?"

Xiao Ningxun gave a small smile: "Brother is here keeping you company; just listen to Master's words."

Xiao Er also smiled: "Exactly, Miss, just listen to the National Preceptor."

Lu Qi listened to the outside commotion: "I'll go stand guard." He turned and walked out.

"Oh." Tuan Tuan understood, turned her head, gave a tiny yawn, and her little hand obediently curled in Master's palm, motionless.

Chu Yuan lowered his head and whispered in her ear: "Master will recite a line, and you repeat after me."

Tuan Tuan grew a bit clearer: "Mm, got it!"

Chu Yuan softly chanted: "Supreme Platform Star, responding without cease. Repel evil, bind spirits, preserve life, protect the body."

"Wisdom pure and clear, mind and spirit at peace. The three souls eternal, the corporeal soul never waning."

Tuan Tuan followed him, reciting word for word.

Chu Yuan held her small hand, lightly placing it on the yellow paper, the cinnabar slowly flowing across the surface, emitting a faint golden glow.

The voices of master and disciple gradually overlapped, softly echoing in the tent.

The next moment, the cinnabar lines on the yellow paper lit up inch by inch.

That light rose from the talisman, at first a thin layer, then growing brighter, like the early morning sun just risen.

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Er widened their eyes, watching the golden light ripple outward layer by layer from beside them, spreading into the great tent.

The soldiers before the camp gate gripped their bow and sword handles tightly, staring fixedly at the ever-approaching corpse horde outside, when suddenly they felt a warmth spread over them, as if warm water flowed over.

They looked around.

All they saw was a sheet of brilliant golden light flowing past like water, silent and soundless, yet warm enough to loosen their hearts.

Their tense bodies relaxed, the fear and dread knotted in their hearts fading bit by bit.

"Look!" a soldier raised his hand, pointing at the corpse horde outside that was only a few steps from reaching them.

The golden light spread through the main camp, silently swallowing those broken bodies one by one.

The red light in their eyes gradually dimmed, their twisted limbs slowly straightened, and their shrill wails faded away.

The corpse group stopped.

After a moment, they turned around, wrapped in that golden light, step by step, walking back the way they came.

"Ghosts, the ghosts are gone? They won't come back, will they?"

"Even if they come back, I'm not afraid!"

"Me too! Didn't you see that golden light just now? It must be the manifestation of the Three Pure Ones' immortals!"

"Right! We have divine protection! No fear!"

Xiao Yuanhang gave the order: "Everyone, strictly guard the Main Camp, no moving without permission!"

"Yes!" the soldiers replied loudly in unison.

Xiao Ningchen glanced at his father: "Father, it should be the National Preceptor who drove them away."

Xiao Yuanhang slightly nodded: "Let's go and see."

The two turned and strode toward Chu Yuan's tent.

Xiao Ran and Chen Hao exchanged a glance, then hurried after them.

Wang Cheng'an supported Wang Jingzhao's arm, both of their eyes full of shock and awe.

Wang Cheng'an murmured: "The National Preceptor of Lie Country is truly formidable."

Wang Jingzhao nodded: "With this National Preceptor here, it's truly heaven aiding Goryeo!"

Several people walked outside the tent and saw Lu Qi.

Lu Qi said: "The young lady is inside."

Then he briefly recounted what had just happened.

Everyone stood quietly outside the tent waiting, until the chanting inside stopped, then Xiao Yuanhang raised his hand and gently lifted the curtain, and everyone entered in single file.

Tuan Tuan lifted her head, eyes lighting up, she opened her little arms: "Daddy! Second brother! Ninth brother, Chen Hao! You're all here!"

Xiao Yuanhang strode forward, scooped his daughter from Chu Yuan's embrace, and held her tightly.

Chu Yuan raised his hand, wiping the fine sweat from his forehead: "Thanks to my disciple's help, otherwise tonight would have been extremely perilous."

Tuan Tuan blinked, looking bewildered: "Me? I didn't help at all."

"I just followed my Master chanting a bunch of stuff I couldn't understand, and drew a bunch of pictures I couldn't make sense of, I didn't do anything."

Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Chu Yuan looked at his own disciple, sighed helplessly, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

Tuan Tuan looked up at him, even more confused: "Master, what are they laughing at?"

Xiao Yuanhang lowered his head and planted a heavy kiss on his daughter's little face: "You're amazing! My good daughter!"

In the Royal City, Abe Taiqin frowned tightly, staring at the golden light on the Black Jade Tablet.

The corpse group was wrapped in the golden light, step by step walking back.

He bit his tongue, a mouthful of fresh blood spurted onto the talisman, the blood splashed onto Min Zhengshu's face.

He again pressed his finger onto the talisman, quickly tracing along the vermilion lines; where his fingertip passed, a dark red light shone again.

However, the corpse group remained unmoving, firmly continuing back without hesitation.

Abe Taiqin's complexion finally changed.

He quickly took another talisman from his bosom, grabbed the corner of the old talisman already soaked with blood on Min Zhengshu's brow, and tore it off.

The moment the talisman left Min Zhengshu, those tightly shut eyes snapped open.

The eyeballs shifted from deathly ash to black, burning with deep-seated hatred, glaring fiercely at Abe Taiqin.

Abe Taiqin's hand froze midair, his heart sank—how could he possibly wake?

How could a living corpse whose soul had been torn open possibly open its own eyes?

In that instant, Min Zhengshu leapt up from the ground and lunged onto Abe Taiqin.