Chapter 196

Yang Si stared wide-eyed, his face showing an incredulous expression, and he let out a deep cry of shock.

As a Colonel of the Demon Suppression Office who had roamed the mountains and forests for over a decade and slain countless demons and monsters, he naturally recognized what kind of ghostly thing this was.

The Wood Sprite's spirit, one of the Ghost Mother's Nine Children, feeds on the essence of plants and trees and can parasitize upon them.

Plants parasitized by the Wood Sprite gradually develop spirituality, feeding on flesh and blood to strengthen themselves, eventually becoming tree demons.

Ordinary Wood Sprite spirits cannot exist independently for long without being attached to plants.

Thus, such sprites usually dwell in mountains and forests, rarely appearing in human cities.

But this Wood Sprite can not only detach from plants, it can also take human form; clearly it has gone beyond the realm of sprites and is a true demon, a wood demon.

To grow to this extent, it must at least absorb the blood and vital essence of over a hundred people.

"Xiao Changgong, your Xiao family has gall, daring to collude with demons and raise one of the Ghost Mother's Nine Children, the Wood Sprite's spirit."

After a brief moment of stupor, Yang Si's shock turned to anger.

He glared murderously at the Xiao family crowd and ordered the Demon Suppression Office Colonels behind him:

"The Xiao family's collusion with demons is proven; seize them all."

"Who dares?"

A Xiao family elder stepped forward, confronting Yang Si head-on:

"Everyone knows the Wood Sprite's spirit feeds on plant essence; how could it parasitize in the ancestral tablet hall of my Xiao family."

"This is surely someone framing us; it has nothing to do with my Xiao family."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, with the dust cleared in the Xiao family ancestral hall, Qin Shuo walked out holding a blade and ordered Yang Si:

"Send a few people to dig up that old pear tree in the Xiao family's backyard; whether it's a frame-up, the truth will naturally come to light."

"You..."

Hearing those words, the Xiao family elder's face drastically changed, a flash of panic crossing his eyes.

Other Xiao family members who knew of the Wood Sprite's existence also each showed panic.

Colluding with demons is tantamount to treason, punishable by extermination of nine kin!

This is the most thoroughly enforced iron law since the founding of the Great Li dynasty.

If the Xiao family were truly labeled as colluding with demons, they would be utterly finished.

"Go, dig up that old pear tree in the backyard for me."

Yang Si saw the expressions of all the Xiao family elders, naturally knowing Qin Shuo's words were likely true, and immediately ordered them to dig.

Not long after, Xiao Jing brought people to report:

"Sir, that old pear tree indeed has a problem; its underground roots are piled with white bones, many human skeletons, and it can also attack with its branches."

"Xiao clan chief, what do you have to say now?"

Qin Shuo's gaze fell on Xiao Changgong, who had been severely wounded by Nie Jin Feng, his face as pale as paper, his eyes icy.

The reason he determined the Wood Sprite's spirit parasitized the Xiao family's old pear tree was that, when it fled the Xiao family ancestral tablet, he caught a faint pear scent.

That pear scent was extremely faint; without his Tianlang Divine Awareness, he could not have detected it.

"Not bad, my Xiao family indeed raised a Wood Sprite spirit, but what of it?"

Xiao Changgong's face sank like water, his eyes full of malice as he stared at Qin Shuo and said:

"In Yunzhou City, who knows how many people keep spirit beasts and exotic creatures; my Xiao family raising a Wood Sprite spirit, what does it amount to?"

"It's you who dare to tear down my Xiao family's ancestral hall; today you will die!"

Before his words finished, Xiao Changgong struck again.

He knew full well the matter had been exposed; only by capturing Qin before Nie Jin Feng returned from chasing the Wood Sprite could the Xiao family have a sliver of hope.

Boom!

Xiao Changgong stomped heavily, the bluestone-paved small courtyard instantly splitting apart, a violent gust suddenly arising.

In the next instant, he surged forward with a ferocious, overbearing aura, his knuckles prominent, veins bulging on his palm, accompanied by the sound of wind roaring,

and he heavily slapped toward Qin Shuo.

"You brat, relying on a master's backing, repeatedly provoking my Xiao family—die!"

Xiao Changgong's true qi surged forth; he strode like a mad lion, the turbulent gang wind expelled from his palm pressing down like a blue canopy.

This palm strike was extremely vicious!

As his palm pushed outward, ripples like water spread through the void, as if the entire courtyard's airflow were being driven, sweeping toward Qin Shuo like towering waves.

At this moment, Xiao Changgong seemed eager to see the panic and fear on the face of this arrogant brat before him.

In his view, without Nie Jin Feng's Four Symbols True Gang protecting him, killing this youth would be as easy as turning over one's hand.

Yet, facing this ferocious assault, Qin Shuo's gaze remained calm.

On his face, even a flash of soaring fighting spirit appeared.

"Huh?"

Xiao Changgong's eyes narrowed, and for no reason a sense of panic welled up in his heart.

"Good timing!"

Amid the raging gang wind, he heard a light, floating voice; instantly a golden flash appeared before his eyes, and when he opened them again, the black-clad youth's figure had vanished.

At the same time, the back of his head exploded, as if a golden sun behind him had suddenly blazed forth.

It stabbed pain into his eyes.

"Not good!"

? We haven't done 【60】 yet. Actually we did 【59】 as "At the instant that golden fist seal flared up, the nearby Xiao family members' expressions suddenly changed." That corresponds to line 【59】? Let's verify line numbers:

Original lines:

【1】 The Nine Children of the Ghost Mother, the Wood Sprite's spirit!

【2】 Yang Si stared wide-eyed, his face showing an incredulous expression, and he let out a deep cry of shock.

【3】 As a Colonel of the Demon Suppression Office who had roamed the mountains and forests for over a decade and slain countless demons and monsters, he naturally recognized what kind of ghostly thing this was.

【4】 The Wood Sprite's spirit, one of the Ghost Mother's Nine Children, feeds on the essence of plants and trees and can parasitize upon them.

【5】 Plants parasitized by the Wood Sprite gradually develop spirituality, feeding on flesh and blood to strengthen themselves, eventually becoming tree demons.

【6】 Ordinary Wood Sprite spirits cannot exist independently for long without being attached to plants.

【7】 Thus, such sprites usually dwell in mountains and forests, rarely appearing in human cities.

【8】 But this Wood Sprite can not only detach from plants, it can also take human form; clearly it has gone beyond the realm of sprites and is a true demon, a wood demon.

【9】 To grow to this extent, it must at least absorb the blood and vital essence of over a hundred people.

【10】 "Xiao Changgong, your Xiao family has gall, daring to collude with demons and raise one of the Ghost Mother's Nine Children, the Wood Sprite's spirit."

【11】 After a brief moment of stupor, Yang Si's shock turned to anger.

【12】 He glared murderously at the Xiao family crowd and ordered the Demon Suppression Office Colonels behind him:

【13】 "The Xiao family's collusion with demons is proven; seize them all."

【14】 "Who dares?"

【15】 A Xiao family elder stepped forward, confronting Yang Si head-on:

【16】 "Everyone knows the Wood Sprite's spirit feeds on plant essence; how could it parasitize in the ancestral tablet hall of my Xiao family."

Boom!

Like a rainbow piercing the sun, a fist like a meteor falling to the ground.

The airflow throughout the small courtyard seemed to be clutched in that golden fist, and even the sky above appeared to be pressed down for an instant.

Even as the fist was just thrown, a fierce wind already blasted toward the face.

A colossal phantom of a mysterious whale, its length unknown in kilometers, appeared behind Qin Shuo, the whale swallowing the four seas, stirring heaven and earth.

Like tangible, condensed vigor winding around the golden fist,

Qin Shuo's palm seemed to grasp a terrifying sea eye, gathering the heavenly airflow, condensing into a vast seal as heavy as a mountain and as boundless as the sea.

"This fist..."

Feeling the terrifying fist intent behind him like a vast sea surging, Xiao Changgong's pupils contracted sharply, without any hesitation he turned to block.

The overwhelmingly domineering fist intent seemed to turn the entire sky into an ocean, descending with an unstoppable terrifying might.

Terrifying!

Great terror!

An immense crisis loomed like a falling night curtain, making Xiao Changgong feel his heart and soul split, almost suffocating.

Yet, how could one who could sit as head of the Xiao Clan be a person of fragile disposition?

The intense to the extreme death crisis stimulated the deepest ferocity in his heart.

"You're not worthy to kill me!"

Xiao Changgong let out a low growl in his heart.

Roar!

From his mouth came a beast-like roar, his foot stomping down heavily as his mighty true essence ignited instantly, unleashing the surging blood qi hidden within his body.

Behind him, the furnace formed from condensed azure true vigor suddenly burst into flame.

In an instant, the temperature of the Xiao Clan's rear courtyard soared, as if it were truly a furnace capable of melting metal, emitting light and heat enough to affect the surrounding environment.

In a life-or-death moment, Xiao Changgong's accumulated depth erupted, breaking through in battle, he was forced to ignite the furnace.

"Kill!"

Having ignited the furnace, Xiao Changgong felt no joy, only endless wrath and killing intent.

Igniting the furnace prematurely meant he had completely lost the chance to become a Grand Master.

"Die!"

Qi and blood surged like a tide, Xiao Changgong's eyes blood-red, seemingly mad, he poured all his true essence into his palms and struck out fiercely.

Boom!

Fist and palm clashed!

Like a raging sea striking the earth.

"This..."

Upon contact, Xiao Changgong's eyes bulged; the terrifying force pouring down from the fist almost instantly shattered his inner true vigor, true essence, and blood qi.

The fist's sheer force far exceeded his imagination.

Had his cultivation realm not been much higher, this fist alone could have crushed him into pulp.

Even so, he was struck off the ground, flying sideways tens of meters,

His body, already severely wounded by Nie Jin Feng, almost completely collapsed under this blow.