Chapter 398: Target

Night was falling, and the group did not immediately enter the Cursed House, instead standing in this fairly spacious courtyard.

Ten people, the weakest among them having survived six missions as a Divine Demon Walker.

In their movements they had already adapted to this world's suppressive force.

Not counting skills, a First-Order Divine Demon Walker was basically suppressed into an ordinary person, at most counting as a physically healthy ordinary person who exercises moderately on a regular basis.

And the effects and power of skills were not even one in ten of what they once were.

Combat power had dropped severely.

Everyone was testing how much of their original strength they could still exert in this world with its extremely strong suppression.

"My Flying Dragon Probing Cloud Hand." Li Suibian looked at his own hand. "My hand, it won't obey my command."

His Flying Dragon Probing Cloud Hand was originally marvelously deft, able to take objects from thin air, unbeknownst to gods or ghosts.

Now when executed, it was merely at the level of a third-rate petty thief.

If used to steal on the street, he would be discovered within ten attempts, caught and beaten severely.

The kind where they break your hand.

The Sword Control Art he had advanced further in during a previous mission had also lost its "flying sword" ability, becoming a perfectly ordinary sword art.

From a sword cultivator, he had turned into a mere swordsman.

Tang Yuhan's situation was much the same, her strength greatly reduced.

The worst off were Zhang Xiuping and a pair of twin sisters.

Zhang Xiuping's situation was similar to Tang Yuhan's and Nan Taisheng's; although not a Destiny Holder, he had forged his own path and style.

His abilities were relatively unified, without that kind of messy, contradictory jumble of skills.

As a gunner, Zhang Xiuping possessed two stylishly cool pistols; this was his equipment.

In this world, firing normally, at a distance of ten meters a shot hitting a wall could not leave even a trace of a mark.

Within five meters, it could cause a certain degree of lethality and threat to a person.

A perfectly good ranged gunner had suddenly become a melee type.

Fortunately, when using related skills, the firearm's power increased greatly, allowing him to become an "archer."

That pair of twin sisters were somewhat similar to summoners; according to them, they originally could summon shikigami to fight, which was also their most powerful ability.

Now, the shikigami's existence time was only thirty seconds, and in terms of strength, they had gone from ferocious wild beasts to trembling little animals.

The only fortunate thing was that the summoned shikigami retained their original appearances.

They could be used to deceive ancient people, and might just have a miraculous effect.

Tang Luo's Flight Talisman had also turned into a "Lightness Skill Talisman," no longer able to let one soar through the sky; at most one became light as a swallow.

Going by this mission world's art style.

Ao Yulie was clearly a lightness skill expert; after using the Flight Talisman, he became a lightness skill master.

For an ordinary person using a Flight Talisman, it was equivalent to learning lightness skill to a certain extent for a period of time.

With a few running starts, trying a few more times, they could barely clear this mansion's outer wall — four meters high.

Anything higher would be difficult.

Equipment-wise, it was likewise suppressed; the Demon-Breaking Frozen Spear that could freeze wounds solid now at most made someone shiver, and was quite comfortable to hold in one's bosom in summer.

This mission world's suppression of Divine Demon Walkers was comprehensive, leaving no blind spots.

Or rather, it seemed not to be targeted specifically at Divine Demon Walkers, but simply that this world was originally like this.

Incidentally, this world's heaven-and-earth Qi could be described as completely nonexistent.

"This feeling is just like being in the Demon-Subduing Pagoda." Ao Yulie leaned against the Cursed House's wall and muttered.

The Demon-Subduing Pagoda, a place used by Ling Mountain's Great Thunder Sound Temple to imprison a group of obstinate, unrepentant sinners, had nine levels in total.

Named a "pagoda," in reality it "constituted a realm of its own," a special kind of "blessed land" — the negative kind.

A great demon entering would become a lesser demon; a bodhisattva entering would become a novice monk.

An ordinary cultivator entering would find it difficult to even move a muscle; it held quite a few vicious criminals.

With Ao Yulie's status and position after the Journey to the West, ordinary monastic rules naturally could not restrain him.

The saying "wine and meat pass through the intestines, the Buddha remains in the heart; if the world learns from me, it is like entering the demonic path" — that was the principle.

Ao Yulie would not commit any grave error, certainly would not enter the Demon-Subduing Pagoda, but just wandering around its periphery felt very oppressive.

The disciplinary monks responsible for the Demon-Subduing Pagoda also had solemn faces.

One could even say they were gloomy, lacking a monk's benevolent brows and kind eyes, lacking a compassionate heart.

The wicked have their own wicked to grind them.

Those who entered the Demon-Subduing Pagoda were mostly not the kind who could be enlightened by kind words and sutra chanting.

One must use a compassionate heart to carry out Vajra's wrathful gaze and thunderbolt methods.

Of course, the Demon-Subduing Pagoda's suppressive power was far stronger than this mission world's.

The first level of the Demon-Subduing Pagoda, an ordinary person entering would die on the spot.

But to return to the subject, this world's ordinary people have already adapted to this world's "suppression"; if they went to other worlds and could adapt, each would be a little superman.

Martial arts masters would be even stronger.

Everyone had basically figured out their current situation, ensuring there would be no comical situation like "I, Wang Chongyang, have achieved Great Perfection in my divine art and emerged from seclusion, why is there a hidden weapon shaped like a shoe at the horizon."

At least daily life and ordinary combat were not a problem.

But if it came to a true life-and-death struggle, some misjudgments and mistakes might still occur.

There was no helping it; they needed time to slowly adjust.

Night had already fallen.

No one had the intention of staying outside to feed mosquitoes, so they all entered the Cursed House together.

Nantai Sheng and the others were the same.

One does not strike a smiling face; when necessary, one can still provide merit.

Tang Luo did not refuse to let Nantai Sheng and his four others follow along.

As for the initial mission, Nantai Sheng and the other puppet player were actually dragged into it by Ye Shigemori.

Later, during the siege, Tang Luo didn't even take it to heart.

Using an inappropriate analogy, a small dog biting someone once doesn't even count as pain; upon realizing the mistake, its tail almost wagged off.

Ordinary people would just not care about it.

Not to mention Tang Luo, even the Heavenly Hound didn't spare Nantai Sheng a second glance, lying in the living room enjoying Tang Yuhan's kneading, looking like a big elder.

Nantai Sheng and his group were also very well-behaved, sitting in a corner of the living room; no matter whose gaze swept over, they all showed a smile.

Especially the one who was first slapped by Nantai Sheng, almost laughing himself into a chrysanthemum, feeling his face had stiffened.

"Master, what are your plans next?" Tang Yuhan asked, stroking the Heavenly Hound's head.

"This poor monk plans to go exterminate the 'Black Wind Stronghold' tomorrow," Tang Luo said.

"Huh?" Everyone froze for a moment.

Exterminate the Black Wind Stronghold—what kind of operation is this?

Are you a fan of Feng Shimei or a fresh-out-of-the-wasteland junior hero of the jianghu?

As everyone knows, places like the Black Wind Stronghold—mountain strongholds that occupy the mountain as king, raid homes, and plunder—have always been where junior heroes of major sects first enter the jianghu to farm reputation and achievements.

According to an unofficial survey, the total number of various "Black Wind Strongholds" destroyed by junior heroes each year, if added together, could circle the entire "jianghu wulin" three times.

"Do you know about the XX Stronghold on XX Mountain that does evil? Haven't heard of it lately, right? Exactly—it was exterminated by the XX Sect's XX junior hero."

"XX youth heard of the XX Stronghold's endless evil, said nothing, drew his sword, went there, and wiped out the stronghold alone!"

A standard reputation-farming spot.

Naturally, there are also many who failed at farming reputation; the specific failure process is too gruesome to describe, especially for female junior heroes—specifics are inconvenient to detail.

Great meaning in few words; omitting twenty thousand words, please understand yourselves.

And places like the "Black Wind Stronghold" are just like fixed NPCs—junior heroes keep farming them, and they keep respawning nonstop.

They've always remained sturdy, never disappearing.

Even if the number of those "single-handedly clearing debts" each year amounts to several laps, in reality, the quantity hasn't decreased much at all.

Many martial arts people exchanged glances, all understanding what was going on.

Near the place Tang Luo and his group entered, there was also a mountain stronghold that raided homes; of course, it wasn't called Black Wind Stronghold, but Qingyun Stronghold.

The name is pleasant-sounding; when it grows stronger in the future, changing the stronghold to a "sect," after a few decades or even a hundred years, it will become a prestigious orthodox sect.

Tang Luo's target is precisely this Qingyun Stronghold.

This afternoon, he and Ao Yulie deliberately inquired about it; if nothing unexpected happens, this Qingyun Stronghold is not the starting point for transmigrators to get rich.

Though called a stronghold, it is actually a mountain village, still engaged in what could be called "stealing with principles"—this one not robbed, that one not plundered.

Qingyun Stronghold is a true mountain bandit gathering place, utterly wicked, ruthless and cruel.

It gained infamy and ferocity through village-slaughtering campaigns.

Once it entered the gaze of Master Xuanzang, it would surely not escape.

Anyway, this mission is a survival mission, and there's no need to deliberately do anything—Tang Luo couldn't possibly stay in the Cursed House for three months just to get by.

That would be wasting one's life.

In the jianghu wulin, how much merit is walking right before our eyes?

Heaven's gift not taken invites its own blame.

As for any possible danger, it simply does not fall within Tang Luo's consideration.

If Tang Luo can have such a big heart, others certainly cannot.

Especially with strength greatly reduced, including Tang Yuhan, there is no intention to actively provoke trouble.

Danger far outweighs benefit—only extraordinary people would do such a thing.

"No problem." Regarding everyone's doubts and hesitations, Tang Luo also didn't care: "You need not follow me into battle. After I pacify Qingyun Stronghold tomorrow, this poor monk will travel everywhere; you are free to stay or go. Following me, I will not insist you do anything."

Tang Luo is very generous—if you wish to follow me, I will provide you a place to stay.

If danger arises, I will also extend a hand to save you.

If unwilling, do as you please—stay or leave as you wish, very Buddhist, going with the flow.

"Hmph." Ao Yulie chuckled twice beside him, "Is this even something to consider? Following the master is the right path."

He does have his own thoughts.

Traveling along, observing, wandering the world as a knight-errant, upholding justice—sounds very romantic.

But putting it into practice, the difficulty is not small.

Having these people here to help with tasks, his pressure here would also be greatly reduced.

You should know, Ao Yulie now cannot even fly—he can only use "lightness skill."

What if Tang Luo says: "Little White Dragon, go investigate for me the evildoers within a hundred-li radius; I plan to visit them one by one to pacify them."

Then he alone would almost be worked to death.

So, join under Master Xuanzang's command, serve as the vanguard for the king.