Chapter 214: Acting as a Tiger for a Ghost! Zhang Fan

The cold crow in the evening sun is full of sorrow, when will the substitute ghost in the mountains rest?

Smoke is misty, rain is slight, the fierce tiger roars and cries, piling up bone ash.

Under the dim light, Hong San, or Hong Shanjun's shadow was pulled very long, as if a piece of shadow was pressing down, and the big gold chain worn on his neck looked particularly dazzling.

At this moment, the temperament he exuded was incompatible with the shrewd and worldly merchant image from before.

"Yin Tiger... Hong Shanjun!"

Zhang Fan and Fang Changle's eyes sank, looking at this man, like facing a great enemy.

"Little Gu... no, should be called Fang Changle, Maoshan disciple, letting you be under my command for so long, it really wronged you." Hong Shanjun looked at Fang Changle, like an old friend reuniting, and smiled in a heavy voice.

Gu Yidao was the pseudonym Fang Changle used to infiltrate the Wu Wei Sect. Logically speaking, his identity should have been impeccable.

"So you knew my identity long ago," Fang Changle said in a deep voice.

He had been in the bitter kiln for three years and had long figured it out. The other party should have seen through his identity long ago, used the plan to count the plan, sold flaws, borrowed the opportunity of appearing, attracted experts from the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance, invited the king into the urn, killed them in one fell swoop, and then killed Fang Changle's handler, framing him.

"I have dealt with the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance for so many years, I still have this bit of connection..." Hong Shanjun laughed lightly.

He was originally from the Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance, later went to sea to do business, and his connections were unimaginable.

Not to mention...

"Your Maoshan also has substitute ghosts I refined. You are the Great Maoshan disciple, how could you hide your entry into the Wu Wei Sect from me?" Hong Shanjun laughed lightly.

"Who came up with such a stupid idea to let you infiltrate the Wu Wei Sect? Is the Daoist world really without people, or are you just a sacrifice for internal fighting?"

Hong Shanjun's every word could be said to be killing the heart.

"Yin Tiger, I have practiced the Dao for twenty years. If I were confused by your few words, then I might as well wipe my neck and die," Fang Changle sneered, his eyes cold and astonishing, but he was unmoved.

Hong Shanjun looked at it, not only not angry, but revealed an expression of appreciation.

"Worthy of being a Maoshan successor, the spirit and energy are already deep in the bones, different from ordinary Daoist disciples

"Good, very good. It was not in vain that I spent so much effort on you."

"You simply want to leave me with no place to stand and force me to betray the Daoist Sect," Fang Changle said coldly.

Since his identity had been seen through by the other party, the fact that he could still be alive until now was naturally not without reason.

Yin Hu valued his strength, and even more so his identity; if he could force a descendant of Maoshan to betray the Daoist Sect, the value would be far greater than killing him.

"The Jiangnan Province Daoist Alliance let you live until now—do you think they believe in your innocence? They were merely afraid of being unable to answer to Maoshan," Hong Shanjun's smile revealed a trace of mockery.

"Fang Changle, you still have a chance to choose now."

"I choose your mother!" Fang Changle could not suppress his explosive temper.

"Today, I will also give you a choice: be beaten to death by me, or be beaten to death by him."

Fang Changle's peripheral vision swept toward Zhang Fan; if he were the only one facing Yin Hu today, he naturally would not dare to be arrogant, but he had a preliminary understanding of Zhang Fan's strength...

Two great Gao Gong practitioners, and not ordinary ones at that: one was a descendant of Maoshan, bearing the sect's supreme treasure, the 【Red Dragon Fire Talisman】, and the other was a disciple of Zhenwu, having forged the Fire Dragon Dan Sword.

With the two of them joining forces, facing Yin Hu, there was still some chance of victory.

"Zhang Fan..."

Just at this moment, Hong Shanjun's eyelids lifted slightly, and only then did he look at Zhang Fan beside him, his narrowed eyes revealing a trace of profound meaning.

"We meet again. Since the last time we met, in such an identity and posture... ten years have already passed..."

Hong Shanjun sighed faintly, not like a great enemy standing before him, but as if reuniting with an old friend.

"Ten years ago..." Zhang Fan's gaze narrowed, and a cold light flared intensely.

No further words were needed; with just this one sentence, Zhang Fan knew that ten years ago, under Long Hu Mountain, Yin Hu had also been among those who surrounded and killed his entire family.

"Long Hu Red Moon... you and your old man's lives are truly tenacious. The Thirteen Zodiacs, the experts of the Daoist Sect... so many powerful people gathered, yet they still couldn't wipe you father and son out."

Once these words were spoken, even Fang Changle could not help but reveal an unusual expression, looking at Zhang Fan with some surprise.

As a descendant of Maoshan, he naturally knew many secrets. Hong Shanjun's words were few, but even a small amount of information allowed Fang Changle to associate it with much.

"What a pity..."

Just at this moment, Hong Shanjun changed the subject, pulling Fang Changle's thoughts back. The former stared at Zhang Fan, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing a look of mockery.

"Even if you survived, you are still ruined."

"Attack!"

Fang Changle let out a violent shout and struck first. His figure leaped up, and there was actually firelight surging; his entire person transformed into a blurred shadow, killing toward Hong Shanjun.

At this moment, he seized the initiative, as if a great fire were raging.

"Mountain Lord Sacrifice Method, Drive the Ghost!"

Hong Shanjun chuckled. He stood motionless, formed a seal with one hand, and muttered incantations.

Swish, swish, swish...

Suddenly, a substance like meat paste slid down from his sleeve, slowly wriggling; it was actually a human skin. The next moment, a cold, ghostly wind suddenly rose, rushing out from his crown and merging into that wriggling human skin.

The next moment, a human figure took shape, blocking in front of Hong Shanjun; it was none other than the insect treasure stall owner from just before.

Roar...

Just at this moment, the insect treasure stall owner suddenly opened his mouth. Inside his oral cavity, countless fleshy teeth were wriggling like insects. Following that, he aimed at the rushing Hong Shanjun and spat out a pool of yellowish-brown liquid.

Hiss...

That pool of yellowish-brown liquid had just touched the flames surrounding Fang Changle when thick green smoke rose, emitting a pungent odor. The True Fire seemed to have been corroded, dissipating at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Fang Changle's expression changed suddenly, and his figure flickered, changing direction.

That pool of yellowish-brown liquid landed on the ground, actually corroding a pitch-black hole into the floor tiles.

Whoosh...

Almost at the same moment, Zhang Fan appeared behind Hong Shanjun like a ghost. He suddenly chanted the 【Heavenly Tian Tian Mu Xin Zhou】, and starlight descended, appearing like mottled rosy clouds, flickering on his body.

He threw a punch, smashing directly toward Hong Shanjun's crown.

Whoosh...

A fierce wind whistled, carrying brilliant starlight. This punch was heavy and powerful, capable of splitting gold and breaking stone; even if Yin Hu were to resist it with his body, he would still bleed within five steps and meet the King of Hell immediately.

Bang...

Just at this moment, a sound of breaking wind whistled toward him. Zhang Fan's expression changed slightly, and his peripheral vision swept over. A black shadow moved like a long snake, aiming directly for his head.

Zhang Fan looked closely and only then discovered that it was a long black tail, covered in scales, with serrated teeth on both sides, looking exactly like the long tail of a centipede; it had actually extended and grown from beneath the insect treasure stall owner.

Hum...

Zhang Fan changed his move in an instant, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The starlight was brilliant and flared magnificently.

The next moment, a loud explosion rang out. The ferocious tail tip struck Zhang Fan's arms, and the surging starlight revealed cracks, spreading to the surroundings at a speed visible to the naked eye. The enormous force actually sent Zhang Fan flying.

"The Heavenly Tian Tian Mu Xin Zhou is indeed extraordinary, actually able to block the Gan family's 【Heavenly Hook Tail】. No wonder you were able to leave Hai Zhu in a life-or-death dilemma in Luoxia Town."

Hong Shanjun looked at Zhang Fan, who had landed after being sent flying, his eyes flaring with intense light, and he voiced his praise.

"Heavenly Hook Tail... that is the treasure of the Southern Yunnan Gan family." Fang Changle's expression was solemn.

The Southern Yunnan Gan family was a family that practiced insect arts. The Daoist methods of this lineage integrated local Gu arts and witchcraft, cultivating exotic insects and nourishing them with their own flesh to obtain special abilities.

It is said that the ancestors of the Gan family once had a strange encounter in the Ailao Mountains of Southern Yunnan, obtaining an ancient giant insect in an ice-sealed ancient cave. He brought that insect back to the clan and refined it into a strange tail, named the Heavenly Hook Tail.

That was the Gan family's treasure; historically, no one could drive it, let alone integrate it into their body and refine it for symbiosis.

"As expected of a Maoshan disciple and a master of the Xuan Sect; your knowledge is truly extraordinary." Fang Changle chuckled. "He is a masterpiece among the ghost-servants I have refined. Originally, he was also a rare expert of the Gan family; by the age of nineteen, he had already symbiotically hosted thirty-six types of exotic insects in his body." Hong Shanjun chuckled, looking at the insect treasure stall owner as if admiring a work of art.

The Southern Yunnan Gan family practiced insect arts, and their strength was related to the exotic insects symbiotically hosted in their bodies.

The more powerful the insects, the stronger the strength; similarly, the more powerful and numerous the insects symbiotically hosted in the body, the greater the risk.

Being able to symbiotically host thirty-six types of exotic insects was a rarity throughout the entire Southern Yunnan Gan family, let alone for this person to have achieved such an accomplishment at nineteen.

It looked like Hong Shanjun had refined a descendant of the Gan family.

"Ghost-servant..." Fang Changle's expression was solemn.

"I heard that back then, the Three-Corpse Daoist once went into seclusion for bitter cultivation in an ancient cave on 【Mount Luofeng】, finding a Ghost Square Seal in the cave. On it were nineteen ghost-script characters, among which was a 【Ghost-Servant】 character, containing mysterious techniques within..."

"Tsk tsk, Maoshan is indeed worthy of being one of the ten great famous mountains of the Daoist Sect; you have a clear understanding of the many details of my Wu Wei Sect."

Hong Shanjun grinned and chuckled, nodding as he said, "Not bad, this Daoist method of mine is indeed passed down from that ghost seal obtained by the Three-Corpse Daoist..."

The Mountain Lord refines ghost-servants.

In ancient times, if someone encountered a fierce tiger in the mountains and became a soul under its mouth, they would turn into a ghost-servant after death, left to be driven by it.

The saying "acting as a ghost-servant for a tiger" comes from this.

Hong Shanjun's Daoist method also originated from this.

To be devoured by a tiger is to surely become a ghost-servant, with grievances locked in the deep springs, unable to be liberated or transformed.

"Fang Changle, this is your last chance." Hong Shanjun formed a seal with one hand, while the other hand held up a finger.

Hum...

As soon as the voice fell, Fang Changle struck directly. True Fire soared into the sky, like a giant python spanning the air, pressing down on Hong Shanjun with raw force.

"You don't know what's good for you."

The insect treasure stall owner blocked in front of Hong Shanjun like a ghost. He suddenly opened his mouth, and numerous barbs grew around his chin, like hooks, gleaming with a cold, ghostly blue light.

Following that, an incredible scene occurred: the insect treasure stall owner actually swallowed the surging True Fire directly into his mouth.

"The Gan family's Fire-Swallowing Insect!?" Zhang Fan's eyebrows twitched.

He also had some understanding of the Southern Yunnan Gan family. The 【Daoist Secret Record】 had once recorded this type of insect, which specialized in eating fire, and even many Daoist True Fires were not feared by it.

The Southern Yunnan Gan family spent much effort and did not know how much manpower and material resources they had paid, yet they had only raised seven 【Fire-Swallowing Insects】.

However, this type of insect was unfathomable; even for the Gan family, in decades, only three people could symbiotically host a Fire-Swallowing Insect, and there were four others that had not found their masters.

"I have already said, this is a masterpiece among the ghost-servants I have refined."

Hong Shanjun's laughter echoed in the empty warehouse.

The insect treasure stall owner had already moved. His lower body suddenly split open, and four shriveled, ghostly white insect-jointed legs grew out, like an exoskeleton.

Hum...

With all six limbs moving, his movements became exceptionally agile, and his trajectory was impossible to capture. In the blink of an eye, he had already arrived in front of Fang Changle.

Hiss...

The next moment, the insect treasure stall owner suddenly opened his mouth, and yellowish-brown corrosive liquid sprayed out, directly tearing through the True Fire surrounding Fang Changle.

Whoosh...

Fang Changle could not dodge in time. His right arm was infected by the yellowish-brown liquid, and a piece of skin peeled off, sticking to the scarlet flesh.

"Nourish with blood-food, transform with blades and weapons."

Just at this moment, Fang Changle drew a talisman in mid-air. The peeled-off flesh seemed to have received a blessing; before it even hit the ground, it actually soared into the air. There was a faint sound of blades and weapons clashing echoing, and the red light was scorching, like sharp swords soaring, actually piercing directly through the chest of the insect treasure stall owner.

Hum...

Viscous green liquid flowed and dripped from the chest of the insect treasure stall owner, and countless small insects crawled out, secreting milky white liquid, seemingly repairing that hollow space. It was so dense that it made one's scalp tingle.

"Attack!"

Just at this moment, Zhang Fan let out a violent shout. In the dark shadows, black lines shot out like long, slender tails. Looking closely, they were actually individual strands of hair, seizing this once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity to entangle the insect treasure stall owner.

"Black Nightmare!"

Fang Changle's gaze narrowed slightly, and he recognized it.

Zhang Fan was sharp; he had long since let the Black Rat hide in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to act. This was also a backup plan he had left behind.

Hum...

In an instant, the body of the insect treasure stall owner shuddered violently, actually secreting yellowish-brown liquid from his pores. The intense corrosion caused those black hairs, which were like iron wires, to snap and fall off.

"Screw your grandfather..."

From the darkness came a miserable cry of pain from the Black Rat.

Whoosh...

The insect treasure stall owner immediately recovered his mobility, and the hollow in his chest was almost restored to its original state.

Suddenly, a figure appeared as if out of thin air, killing from behind him.

Hum...

Golden spiritual light circulated in Zhang Fan's palm. The Spirit-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Golden Seal was like a fierce god awakening, as if it were about to roar.

Just in this flash of lightning and flint...

Just in this mysterious place of life and death...

Zhang Fan seized that fleeting moment, picked up the Spirit-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Golden Seal, aimed at the crown of the insect treasure stall owner, and slapped it down like a brick.

Bang...

The unreserved force was like a mountain flood breaking a dam, crazily amplified in the shimmering treasure light of the Spirit-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Golden Seal. The terrifying force directly smashed the insect treasure stall owner into a pool of meat paste.

The next moment, a cold, ghostly wind suddenly rose, as if a soul were leaving its body.

Hum...

On the Spirit-Suppressing Demon-Subduing Golden Seal, mysterious scripts rotated, and the light flared magnificently, actually suppressing that ghostly wind, roaring like thunder, subduing demons like a fierce god, and directly wiping it out.

"The Dharma Seal of Long Hu Mountain!?"

Hong Shanjun's expression sank suddenly. He looked down and saw that a bloodstain had actually appeared on the web of his right hand, with fresh blood flowing and dripping onto the ground.

Zhang Fan's speed was too fast. Compared to before, he was even calmer, calm to the point of being almost numb.

He let Fang Changle fight to the death, and regardless of whether the Black Rat's sneak attack succeeded or not, he stood in the distance like a spectator, just waiting for that one-in-a-ten-thousand chance of victory to appear, suddenly revealing his thunderous killing methods.

In this way, Hong Shanjun did not even have time to recall this ghost-servant.

"Good, as expected of someone from the Zhang family..."

Hong Shanjun stared fixedly at Zhang Fan, his eyes burning with intense light. He raised his hand and licked the bloodstain on the web of his hand. The fresh blood flowed, carrying the essence and energy from his body; it seemed unable to stop at all, and the heart-piercing, bone-chilling pain quickly spread throughout his entire body.

However...

A trace of pleasure actually appeared on Hong Shanjun's face.

He tilted his head back, took a deep breath, and fell into deep intoxication. His other hand pulled open his collar, and on his chest, a shocking scar appeared before everyone's eyes.

"You remind me of your brother; the scar he left me still aches faintly to this day!"

Hong Shanjun said excitedly.

(End of chapter)