Chapter 72: Caught

Xu Yuan's face showed no hint of discouragement; instead, he rushed toward a certain place at top speed.

Then a long rope flew from his hand, making a "plop" sound as it stabbed into the flesh carpet.

The flesh carpet writhed madly, trying to melt the beast-tendon rope into itself.

But it discovered that between the rope and itself, something always remained, preventing true "contact."

The front end of the beast-tendon rope was wrapped in a "Skin Pill."

The Skin Pill could not only defend against blades and swords but also resist corrupting influences.

The beast-tendon rope drilled downward rapidly; Mr. Gao's face was no longer calm, bearing a trace of confusion and a hint of panic as he shouted, "What are you doing?!"

Xu Yuan ignored it, the beast-tendon rope drilling through the flesh and blood like a living snake.

At the same time, Xu Yuan used "Gaze at Fate" to stare tightly at that patch of flesh and blood.

Since standing outside the bloody mist, Xu Yuan had already used "Gaze at Fate" to look.

Even the bizarre possesses a "Fate," yet the "Fate" of this patch of bizarre was somewhat strange.

Such a huge bizarre entity, yet its "Fate" was merely a thin thread.

When Xu Yuan entered the bloody mist and saw the flesh-blood deity statue, he understood: that thin thread of Fate was hidden deep within the flesh-blood deity statue.

It went without saying that the key to resolving this bizarre lay in some object hidden deep within the flesh-blood deity statue.

Xu Yuan did not act directly, attempting to pull that object out from within the flesh-blood deity statue.

That would surely not succeed, and it would expose his intentions prematurely.

Now, after consecutive preparations, he had finally created an opportunity.

Inside the flesh carpet, flesh and blood writhed continuously, shifting that clay statue and dodging the tendon rope's capture.

But the speed of the flesh writhing was ultimately slow.

Dozens more tentacles sprouted on the flesh carpet, tearing and biting madly at the tendon rope.

Xu Yuan spat out his Sword Pill, swiftly cutting the tentacles.

At the same time, the beast-tendon rope coiled around his right arm; one hand held a small knife, the other a three-eyed pistol, both exerting their utmost to block and cover the beast-tendon rope.

The beast-tendon rope, like a snake, executed a feint, tightly wrapping around the clay statue.

Xu Yuan roared and forcefully raised his arm.

The flesh carpet clung tightly to the clay statue.

The two sides grappled.

The flesh carpet was massive, and its strength was even greater. The flesh carpet, spanning three or four li, gripped the earth tightly; for Xu Yuan to pull the clay statue out, he would have to uproot the entire thing from the ground!

This was utterly impossible.

But on the beast-tendon rope, the Skin Pill suddenly extended, wrapping around the clay statue!

The clay statue instantly separated from the flesh carpet!

Thus, just like in a tug-of-war, the rope snapped with a "crack," and Xu Yuan shot backward violently, flying dozens of zhang with the beast-tendon rope and the clay statue before stabilizing his stance.

Xu Yuan did not pause for a moment; the beast-tendon rope retracted, bringing the clay statue before him.

He opened his mouth: "Hoo—"

Fu Zhong Huo rolled out from his belly!

The clay statue writhed in pain within the flames, transforming from a hard clay block into a lump of soft mud, constantly changing in an attempt to dodge the fire.

The flesh carpet rolled up and then slammed flat in response, like a thick sheet of dough being kneaded arbitrarily by a chef's invisible hands.

As time passed, necrosis began to appear on the flesh carpet.

Once started, it could not be controlled; vast patches of necrosis appeared.

The dark red, writhing flesh and blood turned black-gray, losing all vitality, then grew increasingly stiff and dry, finally shattering into fragments like charcoal.

Mr. Gao's face remained on the flesh carpet, like an irrelevant fallen leaf on the water's surface amidst a sea storm.

Pushed up by the waves and then thrown down, neither the storm nor the ocean would care for such a fallen leaf.

On Mr. Gao's face, not a shred of arrogance or mockery could be seen anymore; only terror, rage, and disbelief remained: "How could it have turned out like this?!"

"There is no reason to explain it!"

"This kid is at most a eighth-rank..."

Of the massive flesh carpet spanning three or four li, the necrotic portion had already exceeded half!

Various things swallowed by the flesh carpet fell out again, such as the swivel gun.

The range of the bloody mist also shrank significantly.

The remaining corrupt flesh and blood gathered together, twisting into a giant flesh serpent, which lunged fiercely at Xu Yuan in the air, still attempting to rescue the clay statue.

The county yamen had long since become a ruin.

Every time the ten-zhang evil spirit drew its sword, the terrifying power made the entire ground tremble.

Fortunately, the people of the Great Ming possessed an innate reverence for the "county yamen"; no other residents lived within twenty zhang of the yamen, but houses in the distance had already been shaken down, totaling over a hundred.

Who knows how many people would be homeless after tonight!

Ma Tianshou's eyes sparkled with stars, his arms numb, supported solely by a willpower.

On his arms and legs, his clothes had long since become strips of cloth.

Every step Ma Tianshou took felt as if his legs were filled with iron and lead, heavy and stiff.

Ma Tianshou felt that with the next sword strike, he might not be able to hold on.

The rain lessened slightly; Ma Tianshou could already see Master Ji standing on a distant roof, sword on his back.

Master Ji did not want to come over to help and quickly resolve Ma Tianshou.

Rather, because the ten-zhang evil spirit "could not distinguish friend from foe," if he dared to approach, the evil spirit would dare to strike him with a sword.

"Chen Liangxuan is truly a traitor to the nation!" Ma Tianshou's heart burned with raging fury.

He released the ten-zhang evil spirit; was he intending to use the tens of thousands of innocent commoners in Shanhe County as sacrifices?!

The old lord mustered his final strength, raising the guillotine with both hands—before him, the ten-zhang evil spirit galloped on horseback, a massive iron sword crashing down heavily from the sky.

Clang!

Ma Tianshou suddenly felt something was wrong: the power of this sword strike was much weaker...

Then Ma Tianshou saw the ten-zhang evil spirit suddenly withdraw its sword and ride away; the iron horse galloped, evil flames rolling, charging swiftly toward the city gates.

"What happened?" The old lord was bewildered for an instant, then suddenly realized: "Old Yan succeeded!"

"Now is the time to pursue at its heels, restrain the evil spirit; it must not be allowed to escape easily."

Ma Tianshou hoisted the dog-head guillotine, mustering his remaining courage to give chase... then he stumbled, and all the "Strength" talismans behind him shattered.

The dog-head guillotine fell heavily, thumping with a dull sound and pinning the poor old lord beneath it.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Ma Tianshou coughed blood repeatedly, sighing helplessly.

Fu Jingyu hurried over and lifted the dog-head guillotine off his master.

Master Ji stood on the roof, his eyes flickering several times.

This was a golden opportunity to slay Ma Tianshou!

Fu Jingyu moved the dog-head guillotine aside, did not go to support his master, but instead stood beside the guillotine, gripping the handle with both hands.

Then he looked at Master Ji calmly yet resolutely.

Fu Jingyu was not seriously injured; he still had the strength to lift the dog-head guillotine and fight.

Master Ji hesitated for a moment, leaped down from the roof, then strode toward Fu Jingyu; Fu Jingyu raised both hands, and with a "crack," the broad guillotine blade lifted, the edge reflecting a flash of brilliant white light that swept across Master Ji's eyes.

Master Ji's eyes narrowed slightly, his steps slowed, and finally he stopped twenty zhang away.

Fu Jingyu remained calm and steady, like a thousand-zhang ancient abyss.

Master Ji stood still for a moment, then suddenly turned and strode after the ten-zhang evil spirit.

Ma Tianshou smiled, bright red blood seeping from his mouth: "He is old now, no longer possessing the vigor of his youth!"

Fu Jingyu loosened his grip, his body collapsing from exhaustion.

The guillotine fell, and Fu Jingyu tumbled down as well—Ma Tianshou, summoning all his strength, pulled his student; otherwise, half of Fu Jingyu's body would have fallen onto the blade, sliced in two!

Failing to slay the evil spirit, yet killing an official first... the trouble would be immense.

Begging for monthly tickets.

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(End of this chapter)