Chapter 125: Night Attack by Demons

Holding the protective talisman in his hand, Li Yan examined it closely.

He knew this object—it was made from a chicken’s claw, with tendons and membranes removed, leaving only the bone to be played with.

Given by a demon hunter, it was naturally extraordinary.

The chicken bone in his hand was thicker than a man’s thumb, its surface yellowed and glazed, engraved with exorcism symbols filled with cinnabar.

Li Yan could smell its hot, incense-laden aura.

It felt heavy in his palm, and when lightly tapped, it emitted a metallic chime.

Ordinary chickens didn’t grow this large.

Could it be the remnant of something that had cultivated?

Li Yan rubbed it, finding it intriguing.

Unaware, night had fallen again.

This time, it was Wang Daoxuan’s turn to build the tower.

He knew the process well, so no one needed to worry.

After Li Yan sealed the orifices with stones, he lit a fire with Sha Lifei and others to keep watch outside.

That night, the mountain wind blew especially fierce.

Near midnight, everyone was growing drowsy.

Suddenly, Li Yan’s eyes widened.

Behind Sha Lifei, the ground slowly sank—a pair of finger-thick tentacles emerged silently…

“Watch out!”

Li Yan shouted loudly and leapt forward.

He used the darting step technique, releasing hidden force from his left leg; even as he shouted, his body shot out like an arrow, and with a clang, he drew his Guanshan Blade.

Clang!

The blade had barely left its sheath when he was already before them.

Sha Lifei was also alert—he sensed danger, didn’t look back, but lunged forward, rolling like a lazy donkey, and rose with his knife drawn.

But the thing was faster.

The tentacles twitched and snapped back into the earth.

Puff!

Li Yan’s blade followed, plunging downward as he activated the Three Talismans of Demon Subjugation.

His expression changed—he felt the blade’s tip strike something smooth and metallic, the edge glancing off, unable to pierce.

Rustle!

Immediately behind him, dust exploded as a centipede, thick as an arm, writhing with claws, burst forth and lunged straight at him with its massive pincers.

At such close range, even if the demon had suppressed all its stench, Li Yan had sensed its movement through the change in soil odor.

He sidestepped backward, holding the Guanshan Blade across his chest, while his left palm formed a void, preparing to use the Soul-Grabbing Chain.

It was his strongest killing technique.

The creature’s body was as hard as metal, but no matter what demon it was, if it had a soul, the Soul-Grabbing Chain would work.

But a blade of light beside him moved faster.

It was the young Daoist Dian Shu who acted.

He hadn’t reacted as quickly as Li Yan and Sha Lifei, but he understood what had happened—he pulled a talisman from his robe, chanted a spell, ignited it, and thrust his sword through it as it roared forward.

Pfft!

Li Yan didn’t know what kind of talisman Dian Shu had used.

As the talisman burned, he could smell divine incense, its sacred energy clinging to the sword and piercing the centipede’s body without resistance.

He was speechless—the young Daoist still lacked experience.

In this situation, stab? Cut it!

Sure enough, the sword thrust wasn’t fatal; instead, the centipede, in agony, thrashed wildly, spewing venom.

“Watch out!”

Li Yan moved swiftly, grabbing the young Daoist and pulling him back.

Hiss!

The venom splashed on the ground, sending up clouds of white smoke.

Li Yan could smell it—the smoke carried a cold, corpse-like stench; even before it reached them, it made one dizzy and nauseous, clearly not ordinary poison.

The earth centipede, having retreated from the two, seized the chance to burrow underground again.

Shhh!

At that moment, a short spear flew through the air.

The spear was forged of pure iron, its tip lined with wolf-tooth barbs, a burning talisman hanging from its center, and an iron chain attached to its tail.

With a pfft, the spear pierced the centipede’s body without resistance.

Rustle!

The iron chain tightened; the earth centipede, already half-buried, was yanked back out, rolling backward.

Even impaled and dragged, the thick centipede thrashed like a wild beast, chittering wildly, spewing venom everywhere.

The attacker was the demon hunter Hong Yecha.

She hadn’t been far away; hearing the commotion, she arrived mid-stride and struck immediately.

Dealing with such creatures was her specialty—even her weapon had been forged specifically for this purpose.

Seeing the centipede writhe and struggle, Hong Yecha swiftly unhooked a leather pouch from her waist and hurled it, while swinging her long sword in a sharp upward slash.

She was also a martial expert, having reached the peak of hidden force.

The flying pouch was split cleanly in two.

Inside were red chicken’s blood; with a splash, it drenched the centipede, sizzling like acid, immediately sending up white smoke.

The centipede, as if drugged, struggled more slowly, its venom-spitting ceasing.

Rustle!

Hong Yecha flicked her wrist again; with powerful force, the centipede was dragged closer.

The female demon hunter merely sidestepped and flicked her sword upward—the centipede’s head fell to the ground, its body twitched violently for a moment, then went still.

Hong Yecha paid no attention to the others; she shook her sword, splitting the centipede’s head in two—finding nothing inside, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Sha Lifei, shaken to his core, still couldn’t stop talking—he remembered what the young Daoist Dian Shu had said, and couldn’t help asking: “Lady, are you searching for a centipede pearl? Aren’t those only found in giant centipedes?”

Though disappointed, Hong Yecha was clearly pleased to have completed her task; she shook her head and replied: “Even small ones sometimes appear. Though no bigger than a soybean, they’re miraculous for curing all kinds of snake venom.”

Everyone gathered closer to look.

Too tense and chaotic before, they hadn’t seen clearly—but now, by firelight, everything was plain.

The earth centipede was as thick as a bowl’s mouth; if stretched out, it would tower taller than an ordinary woman, its countless legs glinting coldly in the firelight.

Unlike ordinary centipedes, this one wasn’t just large—it was strangely colored: its limbs dark red, its body a dull earth-gray.

Mixed among soil, it was truly hard to spot.

“Good heavens…”

Sha Lifei poked it with his knife, astonished: “What does this thing eat to grow so big? No wonder the young Daoist said it could devour snake brains.”

Hong Yecha said gravely: “If born in a place where primordial yin evil gathers, and fed celestial treasures and earth essences, it manifests anomalies.”

She glanced curiously around: “Even demons have preferences—this place is high, cold, utterly unsuitable for insects. Why did it come here?”

The young Daoist Dian Shu sighed in relief: “The Qinling Dragon Vein converges here—strange things abound. Sometimes, you just can’t figure it out.”

“Well, the demon’s dead. Luo, don’t stay alone—come over here by the fire. We’ll descend together tomorrow morning.”

Hong Yecha hesitated slightly, then nodded: “Very well.”

Since the demon was dead, everyone sat again, their moods noticeably lighter.

Sha Lifei’s eyes darted as he eagerly poured tea for Hong Yecha, asking about demon hunters.

Hong Yecha wasn’t good with conversation, but faced with such a persistent man, she relented and told some stories.

“Our lineage, according to our ancestral master, originated in the late Tang, when the world was in chaos and demons ran rampant. A high adept of the Tai Xuan Zheng Jiao compiled techniques, uniting with the Mei Shan Fa Jiao and several martial masters to train demon hunters…”

“The Mei Shan Fa Jiao mostly recruited hunters who trained chang soldiers; we focus on capturing demons and slaying zombies, excelling in killing, but lack the orthodox Daoist rituals and altar rites…”

The young Daoist Dian Shu said: “Lady Luo, you jest—you travel the land, hunting demons and subduing zombies, saving countless lives. In merit, you surpass us who merely chant sutras…”

Once the conversation opened, everyone grew more familiar.

Li Yan learned that the demon hunter Hong Yecha’s real surname was Luo, her name Yi Hong, from Chang’an.

Her name was gentle, but her deeds—even Li Yan had to raise a thumb and call her a true hero!

She had no children of her own, but had adopted several orphans.

All were orphaned by demons or zombies.

They were already quite old, had never studied, and even if some had awakened spiritual roots, they weren’t targets for orthodox sects or dharma lineages.

So Luo Yi Hong took them as disciples—ensuring the demon hunter arts were passed down, and giving these children a legitimate way to survive.

Of course, feeding so many disciples cost dearly.

Before they grew strong, she had to travel constantly to support her whole family…

As they talked, something began to feel off.

Everyone’s mood grew heavier, fatigue surging—eyelids slammed together uncontrollably.

“No good—we’ve been poisoned!”

Luo Yihong let out a low cry and collapsed unconscious.

Li Yan was also startled, but as he tried to rise, thick fog rose before him, and the surroundings grew dim.

Another Yin Si mission.

Damn it, not now!

Li Yan cursed inwardly but had no time to think further—he sprinted forward wildly.

He was already very familiar with this thing.

No technique could restore him; the only way was to quickly check the Yin Si mission and choose to refuse and leave.

Sure enough, the well appeared again ahead.

Without hesitation, Li Yan placed both hands on it; the well water shifted, forming a vortex, thick fog churned, and various lights and shadows appeared.

Still that cave.

Still that old Daoist in the pool…

Same mission again?

Li Yan was about to refuse when he suddenly widened his eyes.

Two centipedes suddenly crawled from beneath the black jar holding the old Daoist, thrusting their heads into the hole at the jar’s base and spewing streams of blood.

The moment the blood touched the old Daoist’s body, it rapidly seeped in.

At the same time, the deathly gray on the old Daoist’s face deepened further.

So this bastard was behind it!

Li Yan gritted his teeth and chose to accept.

He knew he likely had no choice now!

After accepting the mission, the surrounding mist vanished instantly, and Li Yan awoke.

The moment he opened his eyes, he sensed something was wrong.

A massive earth centipede had emerged from the soil beside him, opening its pincers to bite his neck.

“Die!”

Li Yan’s eyes flashed with killing intent; his left hand shot out and seized the centipede’s head.

Clatter-clatter!

Chains rang beside his ears.

The Soul-Grabbing Chain extended, piercing straight into the centipede’s body; as Li Yan pulled back, it dragged out a cold, bloody mass.

No matter how fierce the earth centipede, it was still a living being.

Its soul strength was even weaker than a child’s, merely possessing a bit more spirit—it was quickly shredded by the Soul-Grabbing Chain.

The earth centipede’s soul left its body; its trunk went limp and collapsed.

Li Yan looked around and saw everyone else lying unconscious, eyes shut, each with a centipede emerging beside them, biting at their necks.

Beneath the bonfire, another centipede had also emerged, enduring its fear of fire as it sprayed faint poison smoke into the flames.

Clever beast!

Li Yan leapt forward, releasing hidden force in a rapid series of three kicks.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He moved swiftly, kicking all the centipedes off everyone’s bodies.

Then he pulled out the Divine Tiger Talisman and chanted the Thousand Gold Protective Spell: “Nuo He, left bearing Three Stars, right bearing Three Locks, heaven overturned, earth inverted, all nine paths sealed, make you lose your mind…”

“Roar!”

As the spell took effect, a tiger’s roar echoed in his ears.

The centipedes, startled, burrowed back into the ground.

Li Yan knew this spell could only temporarily scare them off.

He quickly knelt down, pinching acupoints and slapping faces, reviving each person one by one.

The poison the centipedes sprayed into the fire was colorless and odorless; though it rendered everyone unconscious without notice, its toxicity was mild.

Once awake, they recovered quickly.

“How many are there?!”

Seeing the countless holes in the ground, the young Daoist Dian Shu turned pale, murmuring: “Impossible—this is a demon nest; how could military patrols have missed it?”

“Someone must have tampered with it!”

Li Yan’s expression darkened; he rushed to the entrance of the cavern spirit orifice where Wang Daoxuan sat.

The bricks were only hastily stacked—they couldn’t be perfectly sealed.

Through the gaps, he saw Wang Daoxuan seated in meditation, surrounded by silver lotus Soul-Guiding Lamps burning steadily, his face serene.

Li Yan exhaled in relief and said grimly:

“Uncle Sha, bring me my Cloud Thunder Divine Drum!”

(End of Chapter)