Chapter 833: De Hao Bei Qu

“Shu Wanjuan, you work for the imperial court—don’t forget who you are!” The Bloodfang Demon knew Shu Wanjuan had arrived, but still hadn’t seen him anywhere.

“The court has given me many tasks— which one are you referring to? I can’t remember.” Shu Wanjuan materialized from the night, flicked his hand, and turned two Shi Xiu into shattered stone.

As long as Shu Wanjuan revealed himself, the Bloodfang Demon would have an opening to cast her spell.

“Stop joking. You first joined the Han Cheng Army, then served the court, and now—who are you planning to serve? Someone as fickle as you—what’s the difference between you and a traitor who changes masters three times?”

After speaking, the Bloodfang Demon felt a flicker of pride—she believed “traitor who changes masters three times” was the perfect phrase, and it would strike deep into Shu Wanjuan.

“Heh!” Shu Wanjuan laughed. “A traitor who changes masters three times? You’re undercounting! When I served Han Cheng, I had dealings with Tufang Kingdom too. Han Cheng befriended people from Wanshengzhou—I met plenty there.”

You know what Wanshengzhou is—warlords divided the land, and there were too many to follow. Three masters? I’ve served thirteen, no problem.”

Boom!

Dozens of Shi Xiu crumbled one after another under the penetration of characters. If the Bloodfang Demon couldn’t find a chance to counter, Shu Wanjuan’s efficiency meant these Shi Xiu wouldn’t last long enough for him to kill.

But the Bloodfang Demon believed Shu Wanjuan had already been struck by her curse.

He just claimed he’d served thirteen masters—is that something he truly meant?

Is Shu Wanjuan really that kind of man?

Is he just trying to ease his own conscience?

The Bloodfang Demon hurled dozens of Yangjie: “Old Shu, if you’re suffering, just say it—we know each other too well. Why pretend?”

The court hasn’t treated you well, but whether thunder or rain, haven’t they shown you grace? You swore loyalty to them—how can you eat from their bowl while eyeing the pot, then go begging at someone else’s door?”

Behind her, four Shi Xiu shook their heads. No wonder Boss Lu called the Bloodfang Demon crude—she couldn’t even speak properly, yet loved throwing around idioms.

Yet these half-baked idioms actually made Shu Wanjuan feel ashamed.

Sensing her Yangjie had taken root, the Bloodfang Demon immediately activated her technique.

A technique jointly created by Shi Xiu, De Xiu, and Zhou Xiu—called De Hao Bei Qu.

The key lies in carving moral admonishments into the opponent’s mind like inscriptions on a stele, exploiting their guilt.

Thus triggering the Yangjie, petrifying their entire body.

The technique struck true! A muffled thud followed.

Boom!

Splash!

A large patch of shattered stone appeared on the ground.

The Bloodfang Demon stared, stunned for a long moment.

Were these shards Shu Wanjuan?

She meant to turn Shu Wanjuan to stone—but never imagined him shattered like this.

Was it because Shu Wanjuan felt so guilty he exploded himself?

Of course not.

These stones were made of ink.

Her curse was powerful, but Shu Wanjuan possessed Tianhe Technique—once struck by the Yangjie, he instantly created an ink decoy, and the curse struck the decoy instead.

The curse failed. Shu Wanjuan seized the opening, his form flickering in and out as he effortlessly killed over a dozen Shi Xiu.

The Bloodfang Demon’s tactic was to use Shi Xiu as shields while she struck from behind with curses—effective, yes, but if the enemy wasn’t vulnerable to curses, it was another matter entirely.

“Shu Wanjuan, I’ve got plenty of Yangjie—see how many you can endure!”

Shu Wanjuan smiled. “Henyouyou, keep blustering. If you’ve got a thousand, I’ll take a thousand. If you’ve got ten thousand, I’ll take ten thousand!”

As his words ended, characters appeared on all four Shi Xiu. He wasn’t just enduring—he fought this way always. He’d been countering the Bloodfang Demon, but his retaliation against the Shi Xiu never stopped.

The Bloodfang Demon grew afraid—characters now appeared on her own body. If only she could fight Shu Wanjuan head-on like Han Cheng, she might still have a chance.

If only she could strike unexpectedly like Li Qi, she might still have a chance.

But she lacked the strength to face Shu Wanjuan directly. She kept casting curses, yet he kept neutralizing them. Soon—

Her Yangjie were nearly exhausted.

Looking at the shattered stone and ink stains, the Bloodfang Demon spotted several insects among them—these insects could be reused.

“Pick them up!” Shu Wanjuan’s voice echoed beside her ear. “Henyouyou, those are good insects—collect them and use them again. Don’t waste them!”

The Bloodfang Demon dared not pick them up—she didn’t know if Shu Wanjuan had left something behind.

The Shi Xiu grew fewer; the battle seemed lost. But the Bloodfang Demon had fought countless battles. She recalled the fight between Hong Ying and Shu Wanjuan.

Hong Ying’s strategy was even simpler than Li Qi’s—she unleashed continuous attacks, so fast Shu Wanjuan couldn’t keep up, denying him any breathing room.

Could the Bloodfang Demon use this strategy?

Not directly—she needed to adapt it.

The Bloodfang Demon took her remaining sixteen Yangjie, strung them together, and conceived her winning plan.

“Shu Wanjuan, you deceived me—and Han Cheng. You stayed in the Ink Fragrance Shop so long, always claiming you couldn’t find its gate.”

You made Han Cheng bring Ji Xuanwei to open it, then brought me to open it—you knew the method all along, yet never told us!”

Han Cheng died because of you. Ji Xuanwei died because of you. Chang Jiuhai and Qi Wu Jian died because of you. Even I nearly died because of you!”

You lured me to Qunying Mountain, claiming you wanted to seize a treasure—but you only wanted to bring back the Huiye Literati to become the Earth Spirit!”

The court ordered you to seize the Ink Fragrance Shop—you never wanted to act, yet dared not defy them outright, so you tricked us into dying!”

You’re a coward who won’t rebel—only good at harming others. Don’t you feel cold inside?”

You’re two-faced, faithless, deceitful, full of lies. Are you even human? Do you even have a face?”

This barrage of words, laced with Yangjie, struck Shu Wanjuan nonstop.

The Bloodfang Demon was imitating Hong Ying’s strategy—seeking gaps in Tianhe Technique. If Shu Wanjuan’s technique shifted too slowly, the curse would strike his true body. Once he turned to stone again, the Ink Fragrance Shop would be hers.

This strategy was flawless. These words struck Shu Wanjuan’s heart.

“You’re right—I’ve harmed many people.” Shu Wanjuan offered no defense. “I can do other things, give up other places—but not the Ink Fragrance Shop. I won’t hand it over.”

As she used her twelfth Yangjie, the Bloodfang Demon felt she’d found the gap in Tianhe Technique. With the next Yangjie—

The curse would succeed.

As she launched her thirteenth Yangjie, she spat blood—her curse was forcibly interrupted.

Casting curses demanded a price—she had to endure their backlash.

Her body was tough, but Shu Wanjuan’s power was too great. Repeatedly casting curses against him, even the strongest physique couldn’t withstand the backlash.

Worse, Shu Wanjuan hadn’t been idle—characters had piled layers upon layers on her body, eroding her flesh until not a single patch remained intact.

Turning back, she saw two of the Four Shi Xiu dead; the rest were nearly all gone.

Zhou Wencheng shook off shattered stone, straightened his knees, and stood up.

Murong Gui broke free of the curse, stirred the ink in the lake.

The Bloodfang Demon didn’t hesitate—she knew victory was impossible.

While Shu Wanjuan was still distant, she leapt, dragging the Two Shi Xiu into the lake.

Relying on their thick hides, the three endured the ink’s corrosion, swam to the exit, and left the Earth Spirit’s dwelling.

The Two Shi Xiu stared at the Bloodfang Demon, their faces filled with fury. “Our people are still inside—leave them behind?”

The Bloodfang Demon laughed. “Who are your people? Your people died long ago. They’re like you—born from the Great Totem. Go ask Old Qiao—he can make you as many such ‘people’ as you want.”

Mention of the Great Totem twisted their expressions. They had vague memories—but nothing concrete.

The Great Totem mattered to them. Court matters mattered too. The Bloodfang Demon had just deceived the court—this needed explaining.

“You told Qiao Yi we seized the Ink Fragrance Shop—won’t you explain it to him now? If he investigates later, who bears the blame?”

“Investigate what? What’s there to investigate? Did I say anything wrong?” The Bloodfang Demon shrugged. “The Ink Fragrance Shop is already ours. We only lack a contract—so what? What difference does it make if we don’t take that broken pavilion?”

The Ink Fragrance Shop is in our hands now. What can we do that Shu Wanjuan can stop? What can Zhou Badou stop? They only dare show off inside that pavilion—ask them if they dare chase us out!”

The Two Shi Xiu kept staring at the Bloodfang Demon’s face. She frowned. “Why are you staring? Do I have flowers on my face? You useless fools—when fighting, you show no skill, but here you know how to take advantage—”

The Bloodfang Demon felt her cheek itch. She scratched a few times—her nails were caked with ink.

Her skin had peeled off layers—why was there still ink?

Could it be—

“He really chased us out!” The Bloodfang Demon bolted. The Two Shi Xiu followed behind.

Shu Wanjuan was nearby. Zhou Wencheng followed too.

After running long, the Bloodfang Demon realized she couldn’t escape Willow Garden.

She turned to the Two Shi Xiu. “Your sect will die out again. You two can die—but find a way to save me!”

After a few steps, her body fell to the ground—her legs still stood upright behind her.

Her body didn’t heal quickly. Ink stains sank deeper into her flesh.

The Two Shi Xiu ignored her. They kept running.

Soon, ink stains appeared on their bodies.

The correct response was to immediately detonate the stone layer on their skin—this was the best way to shed the ink’s corrosion.

But Zhou Badou was closing in. If he struck them, they might shatter like the earlier Shi Xiu—and never stop.

One of the Two Shi Xiu didn’t hesitate—he immediately detonated his outer stone layer.

The shattering didn’t continue—he contained it with his own technique.

But the ink stains on him grew heavier.

These stains weren’t from outside—they welled up from within.

What could they do now?

Detonate again?

Shu Wanjuan stood before them. Zhou Badou stood behind.

Shi Xiu’s two champions stared at each other, not knowing what else they could do.

Murong Gui half-reclined on the pavilion, watching dozens of Shi Xiu sprawled and toppled on the ground.

These might be the last Shi Xiu left in the world, and now they had been struck by the Lazy Cultivator Technique; though aware death was imminent, none could muster the will to move.

The Brush-Scribe held his brush and wrote characters on the Shi Xiu’s bodies; when the ink soaked into their flesh, they would vanish utterly from this world.

Murong Gui asked the Brush-Scribe: “Do you feel sorry for them?”

The Brush-Scribe wiped his tears, dipped his brush in ink, and continued writing on them.

After wiping out all the Shi Xiu, Murong Gui rose, gripping the railing, stood atop the pavilion, pointed to the exit, and roared: “Chase!”

He was reminding the Brush-Scribe: leave no threats—go after the Blood Fang Demons!

The Brush-Scribe nodded firmly, returned to his desk, and kept writing.

Seeing the Brush-Scribe did not pursue, Murong Gui, still wrapped in his blanket, did not chase either; he lay down on the ground.

“I’m not chasing because I’m lazy—I can’t leave the pavilion,” the Judge’s Pen explained seriously to the Brush-Scribe.

The Brush-Scribe nodded again.

The entrance beneath the lake remains unsealed; he cannot abandon his post. He felt Murong Gui had done nothing wrong!

Qiao Yi walked along the path of Sage Peak, awaiting battle reports from Pulu Province.

The Blood Fang Demons had just seized Ink Fragrance Shop—the tide of battle was turning ever better!

Nian Shangyou hurried up, his documents still undelivered, when Qiao Yi cut straight to the point: “Have the thirteen new territories been taken?”

“Report, Lord, He Shengdong has yet to send word.”

Qiao Yi frowned: “Then where did this battle report come from?”

Nian Shangyou said: “It came from San Tou Cha—the underground city’s port has fallen.”

“Excellent!” Qiao Yi’s face lit up. “Inform the Quenching Camp commander: first attack Tushì, then Renshì.”

Nian Shangyou said: “Lord, Renshì is the core of the underground city.”

Qiao Yi shook his head: “Tushì has fertile soil—if we leave it intact, we give the Farming Cultivators a chance to counterattack.”

He had always been wary of Xu Han and his disciples.

Nian Shangyou said: “Lord, once we take San Tou Cha, shouldn’t we launch our own offensive?”

Qiao Yi smiled: “No need to wait until San Tou Cha falls. When Tufang’s main army advances, we strike with them. Even if the Peddler has three heads and six arms, where will he send reinforcements?”

Xu Han carried Qiu Zhiheng, battered and bleeding, flying toward Tushì.

Zhang Wanlong said: “Master, it’s too late to reach Tushì now. To grow a decent crop, I need at least two days—or the Bandit-Sweeping Camp won’t hold.”

Xu Han said: “I’ll find a way to buy you two days!”

Ling Bai Tao carried Liao Zihui: “We’ll fight for it together—two days is enough to hold Tushì!”

Liao Zihui, barely conscious: “The Innocent Army… the Innocent Army—”

Xu Han said: “I’ve contacted Luo Zhengnan—send the Innocent Army to Renshì.”

Liao Zihui shook his head: “Don’t split forces—”

Xu Han gritted his teeth: “We must hold Tushì. We must hold Renshì. I promised the Peddler—we must hold San Tou Cha.”

Zhao Lanmeng carried Lin Fojiao, sighed: “I’ll scout enemy movements—see if we can ambush them en route.”

Qiu Zhiheng clutched his pocket watch, gritting his teeth, clinging to life.

An arrow flew past, striking Cao Ye on the shoulder.

Cao Ye felt no pain, only a sticky warmth spreading across her shoulder.

Blood flowed heavily; she pulled out some hemostatic powder from her medical kit, sprinkled it on the wound, and kept crawling forward.

She could only crawl—she couldn’t stand. You Tao had told her: crawling was right; standing would kill her quickly.

Sometimes Cao Ye forgot You Tao’s warning; she’d tried standing a few times, but her legs were too weak—her body would rise halfway,

then collapse back onto the ground.

Ahead, another body lay on the ground—she recognized him: a disciple of San Ying Gate, nicknamed Xiao Jianzi.

Xiao Jianzi was a Blade Cultivator who could shear hair; he always said he’d cut Cao Ye’s hair, but Qin Xiaopang never allowed it.

Little Fat said: Cao Ye is my sister—no one dares have improper thoughts.

“Jianzi Brother, don’t move—swallow this pill first. Jianzi Brother, try hard—swallow it—”

Xiao Jianzi held the pill in his mouth but didn’t swallow.

He extended two fingers, gesturing toward Cao Ye—still wanting to cut her hair.

Then he went still.

“Jianzi Brother—” Cao Ye wept uncontrollably; she knew he was dead, yet kept rummaging through her pack for medicine.

A cloud of dust surged forward—Cao Ye could see nothing.

You Tao rushed forward, grabbed Cao Ye, and dragged her to a tent.

“What are you doing here?” You Tao wiped blood from her face, shouting: “Cavalry’s coming—can’t you see?”

Cao Ye’s eyes were red, her gaze vacant.

You Tao pointed to the tent: “I told you not to come—now stay inside this tent, don’t move—”

Before she finished, a spear pierced through You Tao’s chest from behind.

A cavalryman lifted You Tao on his spear; as she was about to fall, He Yuxiu leapt up, snatched the spear, saved You Tao, spun, seized a long knife, and beheaded the cavalryman.

You Tao collapsed; He Yuxiu gripped the spear shaft and asked Cao Ye: “Can you pull it out?”

Cao Ye stared, speechless.

“Do you even know medicine?” He Yuxiu barked. “I asked—can you pull it out?”

You Tao could barely hold on, clutching her wound: “Sister He—give me a quick death!”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” He Yuxiu screamed. “Is there a Healing Cultivator here?!”

Feng Daiku arrived beside You Tao, glanced at the wound, severed the spearhead with emotion threads, then told He Yuxiu: “Pull!”

He Yuxiu swiftly yanked the spear shaft free.

You Tao fainted from pain; Feng Daiku used emotion threads to treat the wound, then laid her beside the tent.

Whether she lived or died depended on her fate.

She was lucky—Cao Ye soon regained consciousness and knew to apply medicine to You Tao.

Many wounded still littered the battlefield, left to lie where they fell, at the mercy of heaven.

Tufang sent ten camps; Li Banfeng’s ambush targeted Camp One.

Camp One had eight thousand men—the largest camp. Following Hong Ying’s strategy, Che Wushang feigned defeat, luring the enemy out of camp, then annihilated them in the ambush zone.

The entire battle progressed smoothly—Camp One was successfully destroyed.

When Hong Ying and her troops entered the camp to clear the battlefield, an unexpected encounter occurred.

Tufang’s Camp Three and Camp Six arrived to reinforce Camp One; both sides clashed in a sudden, unprepared battle.

Such unplanned combat tested combat discipline most severely—Tufang’s elite troops performed far better than scattered rabble.

The battle grew increasingly dire; the Cart Driver told Hong Ying: “Should we retreat?”

“Nonsense!” Hong Ying shouted. “Retreat now, and they’ll chase us from behind—how many will die?”

Jiu’er said: “I’ll set up a formation—you lead the troops through it. The enemy won’t catch up!”

Tang Yuan turned, surveyed the chaos, and shook his head: “The battle is too mixed—orders can’t even be relayed. How can we guide them through a formation?”

As they spoke, a distant roar echoed—Tufang soldiers parted ways.

Ma Wu tightened the bandages on his arm: “Their commander has arrived!”

Of eleven provinces and three thousand states, none could match Pulu Province in individual combat prowess.

Yet Tufang had produced this monster—a commander as massive as a bear, riding a beast with a tiger’s head and serpent’s body, charging through camp, wounding Ma Wu and Qin Xiaopang in succession.

Ma Wu’s left arm was broken, yet he pressed forward; Xiaopang blocked him: “Brother Wu, I’ll go!”

He slipped a lump of coal into his mouth, when He Yuxiu barked: “Both of you wounded—fall back! Don’t get in the way!”

He Yuxiu took a swig from her wine gourd, ready to charge—when she saw Hong Ying had already rushed forward.

The bear commander had charged in and out several times; Hong Ying had never faced him. Today, she wanted to see just how strong he was.

They clashed. Hong Ying opened with Tread Through Ten Thousand Rivers—a thunderous crash sent soldiers sprawling; the bear commander was wounded too, yet seized a pair of iron hammers and counterattacked.

How could such heavy hammers strike Hong Ying? She evaded effortlessly with Leisurely Freedom; the hammers missed, collided with a deafening crash.

“Miiii!”

The shockwave struck Hong Ying’s chest with searing pain; many Tufang soldiers collapsed dead.

Hong Ying froze—was this bear using a Sound Cultivator Technique?

In an instant, the bear commander urged his mount forward, abandoning direct combat with Hong Ying.

This was his fixed tactic: his mount charged relentlessly, never entangling—he knew this was the correct strategy against Pulu soldiers.

Feng Daiku recognized the bear commander: “Beware—he’s from Pulu Province. Body Cultivation Master Xie Bajian!”

Master Xie Bajian, a Body Cultivation Master, had been famed in Pulu Province over a decade ago; Ma Junyang and Qin Tianjiu had heard of him, yet failed to recognize him today.

He became a master by reforming the Body Cultivation path: traditional Body Cultivators relied solely on physical strength; Xie Bajian fused Artisan techniques into cultivation, amplifying his physical advantages while compensating for his weaknesses.

His mount compensated for his lack of speed; his hammers, even when they missed, delivered sonic attacks, compensating for his poor precision.

He wielded them so effortlessly because they were part of his body: the beast was his legs, the hammers his hands—Artisan craftsmanship had become inseparable from his flesh.

Xie Bajian once received a silver coin from the Peddler, recognized as a master by him; later, with that same silver coin,

he rose to command in Tufang.

“Xie Bajian?” Dengpao didn’t quite catch it—he didn’t look like a crab. He was still thinking of oiling the beast’s hooves—maybe that’d bring him down.

Hong Ying raised her long spear and charged forward, not caring what the Xiebajian was—she wouldn’t give him another chance to strike.

She hadn’t taken two steps before she pulled back.

Che Wushang burst out laughing: “General Hong, even you have moments of fear.”

Hong Ying was truly afraid—she sensed imminent danger ahead.

The Xiebajian charged forward with a pair of iron hammers, when suddenly thick dust rose ahead, and a squad of Tufang cavalry was smashed apart, men and horses tumbling everywhere.

As they drew closer, they saw a steam train burst forth from the dust.

Li Banfeng crouched atop the train, killing anyone in his path.

The Xiebajian had no idea where Li Qi had gotten the train—he didn’t want to clash with it head-on and immediately veered off to the roadside.

But the Shenshenju wouldn’t let him escape—the old man snapped his head forward, smashing the Xiebajian to the ground. Li Banfeng leapt onto the Xiebajian ’s body, seized his sickle, and slashed wildly at his face.

The Xiebajian ’s face was made of iron; though scarred by the cuts, his cultivation base held him together—he wasn’t seriously wounded.

He fought desperately with Li Banfeng, searching for an opening to slam his two hammers together and produce a clang.

Puff!

In the midst of battle, the glove drove something into the Xiebajian ’s right eye.

The Xiebajian ’s left eye was glass, his right eye flesh—this pierced him with unbearable pain. He yanked the object out. What was this thing?

A key?

Before the Xiebajian could grasp Li Banfeng’s intent, he noticed his body beginning to glow.

Li Banfeng stared intently as the Xiebajian ’s body grew brighter—until, at its peak luminosity, Li Banfeng kicked him hard, sending him flying far away.

A blinding flash passed. The Xiebajian struggled to his feet from the snow, initially feeling no abnormality in his body.

When he tried to take a step forward, he realized the “giant beast” could no longer move.

He had fallen victim to Li Banfeng’s “No One in His Eyes” technique—his cultivation base was nearly gone, and he could no longer bear the weight of his own body.

He was still pondering how to escape the battlefield when Li Banfeng approached and severed his head with a single slash.

Deprived of his cultivation, the Xiebajian offered no resistance—his head fell straight to the ground, and Li Banfeng tossed it to Hong Ying.

Hong Ying threw the head to He Yuxiu, who tossed it to Ma Wu, who tossed it to Qin Xiaopang.

Qin Xiaopang grabbed the head and bit off a chunk, chewing several times before cursing: “This damn thing’s made of iron!”

He tossed the head to Che Wushang, who held up the Xiebajian ’s head and asked the Tufang soldiers: “Who wants it?”

The Pulu people passed the Xiebajian ’s head around, faces twisted in grim smiles.

Tall, burly Tufang soldiers trembled, trying desperately to avoid the Pulu people’s gaze.

With their commander dead, many soldiers fell into panic—the battle line began to unravel.

Li Banfeng leapt onto the train, laughing wildly and screaming: “Kill them all! Cut off their heads—see whose skin is still made of iron!”

The Tufang emperor rode a steam-powered warhorse toward Huangtu Town when a soldier delivered the battle report: “The commander of the Third Division, Xiebajian , has been slain by Li Qi.”

After reviewing the three heads one by one, the Demon Lord ordered: “Send the Fifth Division to reinforce—hold Li Qi back. All other divisions, follow me to seize Huangtu Town. Send word to Qiao Yi—he must act now.”

ps: Nuclear energy tomorrow