Chapter 77: Illusion

Almost ninety First-Grade superior Demon-breaking Talismans and Stabilizing Soul Talismans, as well as a few that had reached First-Grade supreme quality, were all thrown away by Xiao Zhangqing.

Combined, these Talismans are worth no less than three thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones, and Xiao Zhangqing doesn't feel the slightest pang of regret.

All of them fired out, not a single one left!

All of them to him! Xiao Zhangqing's expression turned fierce.

He possesses a Soul Transformation with a strength of thirty zhang, comparable to the Foundation Establishment Realm; at this moment, manipulating First-Grade Talismans is naturally effortless and easy.

Moreover, the Demon-breaking Talisman and the Stabilizing Soul Talisman are both very special; they are not destructive attack Talismans but are specifically aimed at evil spirits and ominous things. When Xiao Zhangqing activates them, he need not worry much about harming himself.

Based on these two points, the scene of a sky filled with falling Talismans occurs.

Under normal circumstances, battles between cultivators would never have such a scene.

Even a Symbol Master with abundant stock would not fire Talismans like bullets, nor could they do so.

"I'll see if you die!"

Xiao Zhangqing stared fixedly ahead.

Under the baptism of the sky‑full of Talismans, the black eerie mist has completely vanished, and the sense of uncertainty is gone.

Mu Renjie is on the brink of death, his eyes have returned to normal, no longer filled with darkness.

But the aura around him has become barely detectable, as if only a single breath remains, ready to extinguish at any moment.

It seems… resolved?

However, Xiao Zhangqing did not lower his guard; another Talisman silently appeared in his hand, and with a gentle stir of his magical power, the strange energy contained within the Talisman was released, forming a golden arrow that, under the control of his divine sense, is drawn but not yet fired.

But its emanating might also reaches the Foundation Establishment level.

Another Second-Grade Offensive Talisman! Just now Xiao Zhangqing had in one breath exhausted the Demon-breaking Talisman and the Stabilizing Soul Talisman.

Yet in his hand, there are still several ordinary Second-Grade Talismans unused.

"No… don't… Xiao… Symbol Master, spare me, I am Mu Renjie, I have now regained clarity. The evil spirit has already been completely slain by you." Xiao Zhangqing said weakly.

Looking at the Second-Grade Talisman in Xiao Zhangqing's hand, he, who has just regained control of his body, is extremely weak and cannot possibly withstand a Foundation Establishment level attack.

If that arrow were to fall, his death would be certain.

Having barely escaped the bizarre state, surviving the calamity, he wishes to live on.

From his previous experiences, although his true nature was suppressed and sealed, in a sense that "Mu Renjie" is also himself, so he is fully aware of everything that happened.

Including the killing of Zhou Changkong, the great battle with Gong Wansheng, and now the attempt to devour Xiao Zhangqing's soul that ended in disaster.

"Symbol Master Xiao, listen to me…" Mu Renjie continued pleading: "I am the head of the Mu family, and you should know my daughter, Mu Chunfeng… she has mentioned you many times in front of me… she has a great fondness for you. Previously I was misled by the evil spirit, and everything I did was not my true intention. Spare me this time, and later, as long as I still have the Mu family, I will spare no effort to repay you! How about I let Chunfeng marry you?"

Xiao Zhangqing seemed to have not heard any of these pleas, not even responding.

As Mu Renjie's eyes gradually brightened and his magical power slowly recovered, the Second-Grade Talisman in Xiao Zhangqing's hand fully activated! Whoosh! The golden arrow slashed through the night sky; Mu Renjie's eyes showed disbelief, as if saying 'How dare you', and then, unable to mount any proper resistance, his head exploded like a watermelon.

The headless corpse swayed and fell to the ground.

Yet at that moment, a crystal‑clear jade stone, seemingly exuding a strange allure and wrapped with fine black threads, shot out from Mu Renjie's corpse at a speed faster than the eye could catch, soaring toward Xiao Zhangqing.

This move is not a killing technique.

At this moment, the Nether Saint Stone no longer possesses any real lethal power.

Now it seems more like it is seeking a new host; after Mu Renjie's death, it intends to possess Xiao Zhangqing, to 'bewitch' him and cultivate him into another 'Mu Renjie'.

"Ying—ying—ying—ying~"

The plaintive, weeping voice surrounded Xiao Zhangqing's ears.

He had originally been fully focused and on guard, his internal magical power being mobilized, and he also held a Second-Grade Offensive Talisman in his hand, ready to activate.

But the moment he heard the sound, his consciousness became a bit hazy and hesitant.

In a daze.

Two figures appeared before his eyes, seemingly the Lin family sisters dressed in newly bought intimate uniforms, exuding countless charms as they lunged into his embrace; a thought shift, the figure before him turned into Zhou Yun'e, crying pitifully, constantly begging his forgiveness, wanting to return to his side; another shake of his head, Xiao Zhangqing seemed to see himself again, traversing hundreds of years of arduous and rugged cultivation, cutting through thorns and brambles, riding the wind and breaking the waves, ultimately becoming a Nascent Soul True Lord, standing at the pinnacle of the Da Yu cultivation world, holding a corner of the world, carefree…

Illusions arise.

……

……

Gong Wansheng is torn between fleeing beyond Nanshan Fang, rushing back to the sect to report the situation and summon reinforcements, or going to seek the two Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Cao family, especially joining forces with Cao Hao, to engage in a life‑or‑death battle with Mu Renjie.

Whichever choice, the outcome will be perilous.

Given his current condition, he cannot shake off Mu Renjie's pursuit; after leaving Nanshan Fang, he will inevitably be caught up, making it impossible to return to the sect; as for seeking help from the two Cao Foundation Establishment cultivators, they are also unlikely to be Mu Renjie's match.

He fled while keeping an eye on the pursuit from behind.

So when Mu Renjie suddenly halted the chase and turned toward another location, he immediately noticed.

While his heart rejoiced, he also felt puzzled and wondered why Gong Wansheng no longer chased him.

Was there some accident, or some scheme? At first, Gong Wansheng did not stop; he kept desperately fleeing forward, seizing the chance to widen the distance and prevent any change.

But as time passed bit by bit, the farther he ran, the less any sign of Mu Renjie's pursuit appeared; he then reduced his speed and slowly stopped. "What on earth is happening?"

Gong Wansheng looked back toward the direction where Mu Renjie stopped, seemingly the Yi Zi Cave?

He has been at Nanshan Fang for some days now, and has a general understanding of its layout.

"Could it be that this half‑human, half‑evil spirit Mu Renjie has taken an interest in the Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivators of the Yi Zi Cave?"

Gong Wansheng frowned.

Generally speaking, evil spirits killing people have no pattern; they kill indiscriminately, inherently bearing destructive and ominous aura.

Regardless of cultivation level or strength, whether they are righteous cultivators or Demon Sect Evil Cultivators, they see no distinction.

So in the ancient Cultivation World, when powerful evil spirits roamed unchecked, the distinction between righteous and evil among cultivators was not obvious.

Because the greatest enemy and hidden danger for all cultivators is the evil spirit.

"Can't control even a bit…"

If Mu Renjie truly is 'interested' in the Yi Zi Cave cultivators, Gong Wansheng need not think to know how tragic their fate would be.

Facing Mu Renjie, whose magical power has almost reached the Golden Core stage and who wields bizarre abilities, they have no resistance whatsoever—saying he could devour a child in a single bite would not be an overstatement!

He feels compassion, does not want to see the Late Stage of Lian Qi cultivators in the E‑shaped small cave residence, nor all the cultivators and beings of Nanshan Fang being devastated, but now he can no longer help.

Rushing back would not stop Mu Renjie's slaughter and would only waste his own life.

A suicidal act with no chance of success is something Gong Wansheng would never do.

"Take this chance to flee back to the sect!"

With the thought settled, Gong Wansheng prepared to use Sword Flight again to escape.

But the next instant, he sensed combat noises coming from the direction of the E‑shaped small cave residence behind him—fluctuations from a Foundation Establishment‑level attack and the powerful, bizarre evil‑qi emanating from Mu Renjie.

"The E‑shaped small cave residence actually hides a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Gong Wansheng was startled.

According to the intelligence he gathered, there shouldn't be any unknown Foundation Establishment cultivators in Nanshan Fang now.

The two sides clashed quickly, and after a short while Gong Wansheng's eyes lit up.

Because he sensed Mu Renjie's evil‑qi being suppressed and rapidly eroded, and he even faintly heard a painful wail.

That is the effect achievable only by using a secret technique to unleash his strongest killing move.

"This mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator can actually wound Mu Renjie?"

Gong Wansheng was overjoyed; a flood of thoughts flashed through his mind, and after a brief mental struggle and weighing of pros and cons, he gritted his teeth, abandoned the escape, and instead gathered his breath to rush back quickly.

He needed to find out exactly what was happening.

No matter who it is, as long as they can hurt Mu Renjie, even though his own situation is rather favorable now, he will spare no effort to help the battle! Perhaps the other side needs his aid? If they can jointly eliminate the fallen Mu Renjie, it would not only solve the sect's great calamity but also save countless cultivators of Nanshan Fang! "Is this… the power of the Calming Spirit Talisman?"

"And it's a Second‑grade Calming Spirit Talisman!"

"The one fighting Mu Renjie isn't a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but a Qi Refining Realm cultivator possessing many Second‑grade Talisman Scripts? Who could it be…"

After drawing nearer, Gong Wansheng perceived more details.

A sudden inspiration flashed in his mind, leading him to guess the truth: "Xiao Zhangqing! He's the one fighting Mu Renjie?! How does he have so many Second‑grade Talisman Scripts on him? And they're Second‑grade Calming Spirit Talismans!"

Gong Wansheng was both surprised and delighted.

As a late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and a prodigy disciple of the Luoxia Sect, he naturally knows that one of the best ways to deal with evil spirits is to use entry‑level Demon‑breaking Talisman and Calming Spirit Talisman!

However.

He also felt uneasy; given Mu Renjie's current danger level, even a Second‑grade Calming Spirit Talisman, if too few, cannot kill him.

Are the Calming Spirit Talismans on Xiao Zhangqing enough? Yet the next instant, Gong Wansheng's mouth twitched.

Because, in the distance, he saw a rain of talismans! Sheets of top‑quality Demon‑breaking Talismans and Calming Spirit Talismans fell like raindrops, engulfing Xiao Zhangqing.

"He's doomed!"

Gong Wansheng exhaled in relief.

He doesn't think there's any way to survive such a terrifying "talisman rain" attack.

Sure enough, another Second‑grade Talisman Script activated quickly, and Mu Renjie was struck in the head by a golden arrow.

Just as he was about to appear and look ahead, he saw a strange jade stone wrapped in thin black threads swoop past Xiao Zhangqing.

Xiao Zhangqing seemed frozen, standing dumbfounded in place.

Then the jade stone slowly merged into Xiao Zhangqing's body.

"Be careful!"

(End of chapter)