Chapter 66

“Who are you?” asked Rain Consort.

“Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun!”

A Daoist chant finally echoed in this foreign land—Daochang Yan Song had already burned the four sedan bearers and two maids to ash; the Taiyi Wind and Fire surged unimpeded, closing in on Rain Consort.

“Our Golden Wind Sect has no grudge against your Wuliang Cave. Why are you marching north to Changping Prefecture? Do you intend to go to war with the Golden Wind Sect?” Rain Consort rebuked.

Daochang Yan Song: ???

“No—you’re not from Wuliang Cave!” Rain Consort realized, extending her right hand; a stream of water materialized out of thin air, curling and flowing along her arm like a living thing.

Rain Consort eyed the group warily, then turned to Zhuo Qingyan. “So you’ve found allies.”

Zhuo Qingyan glanced at them, equally surprised. “How did you come back?”

Though she’d known these people were no ordinary folk during the day, she hadn’t expected them to be this powerful.

The old man’s cultivation was on par with Rain Consort’s; the wind and fire he exhaled effortlessly reduced the Golden Wind Sect’s ghost sedan bearers and ghost maids to ash—this flame was no ordinary fire.

The young man’s cultivation was shallower, but his spell’s power was extraordinary—his thunder art carried the weight of heaven and earth, naturally suppressing Rain Consort’s chilling yin energy; had she not carried a trace of divinity in her soul, she wouldn’t have easily blocked those two lightning strikes.

As for the little girl and the white fox… no need to mention them.

Gu Zhao smiled. “The inns in town are too expensive. We couldn’t bear to spend the money, so we came back to spend the night. How convenient—now we’ve helped you drive off the intruders. Consider it room and board.”

Zhuo Qingyan blinked slightly, a faint smile flickering in her eyes, but she warned, “This woman is one of the Two Consorts of the Golden Wind Divine Sect. If you oppose her, the Golden Wind Divine King won’t let you live.”

Gu Zhao rubbed his hands together and nodded. “Then let’s just kill her.”

Zhuo Qingyan’s lips parted in surprise. “Huh?”

Rain Consort suddenly flickered, transforming into a crimson shadow that shot toward the courtyard gate.

She wasn’t foolish—just that one wielding wind and fire was her equal, and with the young man and Zhuo Qingyan added, one misstep could cost her life.

But water overcomes fire—if she wanted to flee, they couldn’t stop her!

The next instant, she saw the red-faced man in the courtyard corner shake his head slightly—his face instantly changed: black mask, vertical brows, round eyes, blazing with fury. The surrounding wind and fire let out a shrill howl, exploding into a tornado that swallowed her at its core.

Gu Zhao pulled a Shangqing Transformation Talisman from his pocket. “Eyes like sun and moon, opening and closing heaven and earth. One Yuan already…”

Simultaneously, his left hand formed the Thunder Seal, his right hand traced the Thunder-Dispelling Incantation; his magic power surged through his meridians as he chanted, “Heavenly thunder, earthly thunder, resound across all eight directions. Shatter mountains, topple peaks, blast open the Celestial Granary!”

“Boom—boom—boom…”

Wind and fire forged a wall; thunder rained down!

“Aaaah!”

From within the tornado came Rain Consort’s piercing scream—a wave of spiritual pressure erupted, piercing through the Taiyi Wind and Fire, wrapping a crimson shadow that shot out toward the courtyard gate.

“She’s borrowing the Golden Wind Old Ghost’s divine power!” Zhuo Qingyan cried out.

“Where do you think you’re going!” Daochang Yan Song roared, leaping forward three zhang, blocking the crimson shadow’s path. His long sword, just drawn from his satchel, stabbed seven times in rapid succession—seven silver starlight blades flashed into a net, trapping the shadow.

The next instant, Rain Consort’s unstable ghost body was forced to manifest—only then did she realize the man’s mask had turned yellow.

“You’ve taken my Taiyi Wind and Fire and the Sect Master’s Thunder-Dispelling Incantation head-on—you’re no ordinary spirit!” Daochang Yan Song raised his left hand into a sword finger against his chest, thrusting his long sword forward, targeting seven major acupoints on Rain Consort’s chest.

At the same time, he whistled sharply and spat another blast of Taiyi Wind and Fire—the sword, wreathed in flame, pierced with razor-sharp heat!

Rain Consort was forced to leap backward. “Wait! Don’t strike yet—I have something to say!”

“Go tell the Black and White Impermanence.” A clear voice came from behind. “Miss Zhuo, bring some water—I need a conductor.”

“Huh? Okay!”

“Boom—boom—boom…”

Though the Thunder-Dispelling Incantation had wide range, it required gathering thundercloud moisture and had a long casting delay—it was slower than palm thunder. But Gu Zhao had applied the Shangqing Transformation Talisman, so his palm thunder was just as potent.

Daochang Yan Song wielded his sword and spat wind and fire; even though Rain Consort borrowed the Golden Wind Divine King’s power, she could not escape the Zhuo family estate. Her magic power dwindled with each clash, and the divine power she could draw grew weaker.

Rain Consort was terrified. “Let me go! I’ll report to the Divine King—I’ll never trouble Miss Zhuo again!”

“No need.” Gu Zhao said coolly. “Rest in peace. In a few days, the Golden Wind Divine King will join you below.”

Rain Consort’s pupils shrank—she understood his meaning. “Who… who are you?”

Daochang Yan Song swung his sword, laughing with solemn resolve. “Those who carry out Heaven’s justice!”

Seeing she could not escape the Zhuo estate, Rain Consort turned to Zhuo Qingyan—her once alluring face twisted into a grotesque snarl, eyes blazing with madness.

The next instant, she ignored Daochang Yan Song’s sword and wind-fire, lunging forward wholeheartedly—her body turned into a crimson light, shooting straight at Zhuo Qingyan while forming a hand seal to trigger the seal within Zhuo Qingyan’s body.

“Ah!”

Zhuo Qingyan let out a soft groan, her body going limp—she couldn’t summon even a trace of magic power to resist.

“You little bitch—die with me!”

Rain Consort reached for Zhuo Qingyan’s throat—but a hand suddenly shot out from the side, fingers curled like a crane’s beak, striking her wrist pulse point and scattering all her strength.

A green-robed figure stepped between them, hooking her right leg with one motion and slapping her sideways with the left palm, sending her flying two zhang away, then standing before Zhuo Qingyan, palms open, feet lightly tapping the ground.

Zhuo Qingyan looked up and saw Gu Zhao’s back—her eyes flickered with complex emotion.

To Rain Consort, Gu Zhao now appeared as a white crane spreading its wings, coldly observing her, poised to strike.

The next instant, the white crane truly lunged—while behind her, a sharp sword whistle pierced the air.

…

Rain Consort was dead—and she left behind a good deal of malevolent energy.

Daochang Yan Song extinguished the Taiyi Wind and Fire, swept his sleeve before his face, and restored his true appearance. He bowed to Zhuo Qingyan. “My control is still crude—I burned quite a few of your flowers. My apologies.”

“You honor me too much,” Zhuo Qingyan quickly returned the bow. “If not for your rescue, I would be dead today.”

“Miss Zhuo, are you injured?” He Xiuniang stepped forward to ask.

“Just a minor wound, nothing serious,” Zhuo Qingyan shook her head. “Thank you all for saving me—but now that Rain Consort is dead, the Golden Wind Divine King may sense it. You should leave quickly.”

“What about you?” Gu Zhao asked.

Zhuo Qingyan’s eyes flickered. “I’ll go hide somewhere else.”

Bai Ke spoke suddenly. “Is it because the Golden Wind Divine King placed a mark inside you that can track you?”