Chapter 323

Severed limbs, broken wood, smoke... a scene of utter chaos met the eyes.

The ground looked as if it had been plowed, pitted and uneven, filled with muddy water, and the Barbarian King's Tomb had already collapsed.

The pottery jar used for human sacrifice had been shattered by a cannonball, blood and severed limbs flowing everywhere; even the garrison soldiers felt nauseous at the sight.

Several old monks stood in front of the Barbarian King's Tomb, ignoring the carnage around them, staring fixedly at that large grave-robbing hole.

Soon, a monk crawled out covered in mud; ignoring the mess, he put his hands together and said, "Reporting to the Elders, they have already run away."

When the several old monks heard this, their faces turned ugly.

Chan Master Master Tongxuan was also among them; hearing this, he frowned, his face solemn. "I'm afraid we've been tricked. The White Tiger Sha was only one part, and I suspect there's a problem with the Corpse Immortal inside..."

"We caught a live one!"

In the distance, someone from the Commandant's Office shouted, and then dragged a man covered in mud out of the mound.

"Ah! Ah!"

That man was one of the previous Jiangxia Man Miao people, screaming and struggling frantically, his face full of terror, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

Chan Master Master Tongxuan frowned, changed his hand seal, and simultaneously began to chant: "Om!"

This is the Six-Syllable Mantra; "Om" represents the light of equality wisdom and the heart of the Buddha, and chanting it can awaken the pure original heart.

As the mantra was released, it sounded like a bell tolling.

The man who had been scared out of his wits was struck as if by lightning, standing dazed on the spot, and then his eyes gradually regained their luster, but the terror on his face remained.

The people from the Commandant's Office hurriedly stepped forward to interrogate him.

"Who are you?"

"Jiangxia Man Protector... Li Hai..."

"What did you see?"

"Zombies, zombies, people from Tusi City, and Elder Elder Ge Lai, letting that hairless zombie eat people..."

"What did the hairless zombie look like?"

"Smooth and hairless, terrifyingly white..."

"How did you survive?"

"The cannon fired, I was thrown away, they were in a hurry to leave, so they didn't kill me?"

"Where did they go?"

"I heard them say they were going to the ancient mine pit."

"What are they going to the ancient mine pit for?"

"I heard, to get some blood jade cong..."

After some interrogation, everyone obtained quite a bit of information.

"So it's an Unchanging Bone."

Chan Master Master Tongxuan's eyes were full of regret; he looked at the surroundings. "The evil people's blood sacrifice interfered with our investigation. If we had known it was an Unchanging Bone, there would have been no need to be so timid."

The biggest difference between an Unchanging Bone and a Corpse Immortal or Drought Demon is that it cannot accumulate massive amounts of disaster Qi in its body.

Because of this difference, the methods of dealing with them are completely different.

If you encounter an Unchanging Bone, you can directly suppress and burn it.

But for a Corpse Immortal or Drought Demon, you can only suppress them, borrowing the Sha Qi of the mountains and rivers to slowly wear down the disaster, otherwise, if destroyed, the plague would spread, causing harm for thousands of miles.

The enemy had anticipated this, setting up a diversion to make them timid, and there were far fewer people on the mountain than they had imagined.

The old monk from the Shaolin Chan Sect shook his head. "Zhao Zhao Changsheng is cunning and good at calculating human hearts; otherwise, he wouldn't have eroded the entire Great Song. It is fortunate that we were able to eliminate the disaster in Near Wuchang this time."

"Let's go. Since the blood jade cong is hidden in that ancient mine pit, it must be one of the key points of the Nine-Headed Phoenix Vein; we cannot let this object fall into the hands of the evil people."

Chan Master Master Tongxuan frowned. "With the Ghost Sect's cruelty and caution, how could they leave a live witness? I'm afraid this is a deliberate lure."

"That is natural."

The old monk from the Shaolin Chan Sect nodded. "This monk has heard that there are nine blood jade congs in total; to trigger the Nine-Headed Phoenix Vein, not one can be missing."

"The evil people want to make a feint to the east and attack in the west to leave Near Wuchang. Junior Brother Master Tongxuan, you can return to Baotong Chan Temple to perform a Dharma ritual to find their tracks; we will split into two paths, one to the ancient mine pit to get the blood jade cong."

"The rest will be responsible for tracking; it is best to suppress and kill them before they leave Near Wuchang!"

"Yes, Senior Brother Shiyuan."

With the plan set, everyone searched around and split up again.

Some headed to the ancient mine pit in the west, some returned to Baotong Chan Temple, and others cooperated with the Commandant's Office to intercept at various key points in Near Wuchang...

Thunder roared, and rain poured down.

The "Knife-Grinding Rain" of previous years had been relatively mild, drizzling for at most half a day, but this year it was exceptionally violent.

By the second half of the night, it had even become a torrential downpour.

In a ruined temple in the mountains, a gale whistled, blowing the temple door until it creaked, and the candlelight inside was as dim as a bean, seemingly about to go out at any moment.

Inside the ruined temple were Protector Wang of the Heavenly Saint Sect and the others.

Tan Tan Yuner of Tusi City was also there; looking at the torrential rain outside through the window, she said impatiently to the Meishan brothers, "What is going on with your Ghost Sect?"

"Didn't you say that even if the Four Symbols formation failed, you could release the Corpse Immortal and trigger chaos? Why is there still no movement?"

Protector Wang's face was also ugly. "We have done what we promised, and the items were sent to the Barbarian King's Tomb, but there has been no movement at all. All the key points have been blocked by the imperial court, and we can't even leave."

"What the hell are you playing at?"

The Meishan brothers looked at each other, at a loss.

The eldest brother said with bitterness in his eyes, "The two of you, please don't be angry. To tell the truth, the Ghost Sect's rules are strict; we joined just to resurrect our master."

"We brothers are only responsible for running errands; the real plan is only known to Liu Niang, Elder Ge Lai Chong, and Poliu Han Baling."

"Hmph!"

Tan Tan Yuner snorted coldly. "Protector Wang, it seems we've both been played."

Protector Wang fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Princess Tan, don't be angry; there's no other way. Everyone who returns to the world of the living must be prepared beforehand. Only Zhao Zhao Changsheng has a way to fish back those who died unnatural deaths."

"Just this point alone means we cannot fall out with the Ghost Sect."

Tan Tan Yuner gritted her teeth fiercely. "What kind of person is this Zhao Zhao Changsheng? Could it be that he really has someone protecting him in the Netherworld as the rumors say?"

"Who knows?"

Protector Wang shook his head. "Only he can bring people back to life at will, which is why the Ghost Sect has grown so strong. It's best not to offend him too much..."

Just as they were speaking, both raised their heads, their eyes full of vigilance.

"Someone is here, grab your weapons!"

At the order, everyone in the temple drew their weapons one after another.

Soon, footsteps sounded, followed by an aged voice, "Everyone, don't misunderstand, it's this old man."

"It's Elder Elder Ge Lai!"

The Meishan brothers' eyes lit up, and they hurriedly pulled open the door.

Outside the door was indeed Elder Ge Lai Chong, in a black robe, soaked like a drowned rat, followed by several people, who were the experts sent by Tusi City.

Protector Wang was about to speak, but suddenly his hair stood on end, and he stared fixedly at a strange person in the crowd wearing a wide black robe and a hood.

"Who are you?"

Although the other party covered his face, he could feel the cold, decaying aura emanating from him.

That person slowly raised his head and lifted his hood.

Rumble!

Thunder flashed, and a face as ferocious as a ghost appeared before everyone.

"A zombie!"

Everyone was shocked. And Elder Ge Lai Chong hurriedly said, "Everyone, don't be alarmed; this old man will introduce him. This is my Ghost Sect's Ezhou Master, Lord Yellow Master."

Yellow Master?

Protector Wang and Tan Tan Yuner looked at each other.

Of course, they knew who Yellow Master was.

When the Great Song Ghost Sect was rampant, Yellow Master was the nightmare of this land in Ezhou, and no one knew how many Mystic Sect people had died at his hands.

The Ghost Sect really played a trick!

Although this Yellow Master before them was notorious, Protector Wang still gritted his teeth and said, "Everyone, wasn't it said that you would release the Corpse Immortal to disrupt the imperial court's grain and grass? This doesn't match our original agreement!"

Yellow Master glanced at them coldly, opened his fanged mouth, and snorted, "It's still raining, have some manners."

Having said that, he entered the temple directly; his bare feet stepped on the ground, and water droplets dripped, immediately freezing into frost upon landing.

Whoosh~

As he entered the temple, everyone felt a chill, and the gale and rain mist surged in, blowing the candlelight until it flickered unsteadily.

Yellow Master flicked his black robe and sat directly in the main seat, his face gloomy, scanning the circle before opening his mouth: "Our Ghost Sect will naturally do what we promised."

"Although the Four Symbols formation failed, this seat knows a few fellow Daoists; with their help, disrupting the Yangtze grain transport will not be a problem."

!.

"Also, the matters of your Heavenly Saint Duke and the return of the Tusi City High Priest will all be presided over by this old man."

Protector Wang and Tan Tan Yuner's faces changed upon hearing this.

"Sect Leader Zhao isn't coming?"

Although they didn't dare to offend this monster before them, both found it hard to hide their dissatisfaction.

"Hmph!"

Yellow Master said coldly, "The Divine Land is vast; how can it be just a place in the Southwest? The Sect Leader has other important matters, and from now on, all affairs of the Southwest Ghost Sect will be fully managed by this old man."

As he spoke, he suddenly frowned and said in a deep voice, "Elder Ge Lai Chong, take the Bagua mirror and hang it on the temple door, blow out the candles, everyone, do not speak."

Although the crowd didn't understand why, this Yellow Master had taken control of the situation as soon as he arrived, so they had to obey.

Soon, the candles were extinguished, and a Bagua mirror was hung at the temple door.

Rumble!

Outside, there was another roll of thunder.

Protector Wang and Tan Tan Yuner widened their eyes.

They clearly saw that the Bagua mirror suddenly lit up.

Yellow Master looked outside with blood-red eyes and said coldly, "The gods and Buddhas enshrined in Baotong Chan Temple can use the Buddha Eye supernatural power to find people."

"Now that the Four Symbols formation has been broken, they have no more obstacles and are currently performing a Dharma ritual to find us."

"Let's go, we don't have much time; in three sticks of incense, they will find us again, and then our cover will be blown."

Having said that, he rose and left the ruined temple.

The crowd didn't understand why, but they followed closely behind.

This place was not far from East Lake; the crowd climbed over a mountain ridge and passed through layers of dense forest, and a vast lake suddenly appeared before their eyes.

Protector Wang guessed something and asked cautiously, "The fellow Daoist the Senior mentioned, could it be the East Lake Ancestor of this place?"

Yellow Master nodded slightly and said coldly, "This old thing doesn't know the number of Heaven; how can one escape the great calamity of the human world?"

"Hmph, you took the Sect Leader's things and still want to run?"

Having said that, he pinched a Dharma seal, chanted ancient incantations, and Yin cold Qi surged from his body; white frost appeared from under his feet, spreading toward the lake surface.

"Roar!"

Soon, white fog churned on the lake surface.

A huge toad broke through the water, howling in pain in the rain and mist, and strips of flesh tentacles on its body turned into insects and crawled out...

"Master Lu, thank you for your hard work."

Li Yan held his umbrella and sent Master Lu back to his room with the others.

The final step of all Dharma artifacts had to be personally assembled and consecrated by Master Lu; he had been busy from morning until night for a whole day.

Even though Master Lu was strong and sturdy, he couldn't take it anymore; his face was pale, and the muscles in his arms were trembling slightly.

Seeing Li Yan full of regret, Master Lu shook his head directly and said, "Don't take it to heart. You have to fight to the death, and we have to exhaust our strength; it's the same on the path of cultivation."

"If it weren't for the fact that several of my closed-door disciples had to sit in Zezhou Prefecture, there would be no need for this. But fortunately, I have fulfilled my mission; I will rest for two days and then set off to leave."

"Understood, Master, please rest well."

Li Yan thanked him again before returning to his room with Sha Sha Li Fei.

Sha Sha Li Fei had been busy for several days, his days and nights reversed, and he had been terrified all day today, also finding it hard to hide his exhaustion.

But his eyes were still excited; as soon as he entered the room, he couldn't wait to pick up the box on the ground, open it carefully, and stroke the long gun with fascination.

The current Divine Fire Gun had been modified, the stock replaced, lengthened, and painted pitch black, with a tiger-white copper talisman carving inlaid on the handle.

It was impossible to tell it came from the Commandant's Office.

"Hehe..."

Sha Sha Li Fei stroked his messy beard, took out a roll of cloth from the box, easily covered the gun, and said anxiously, "Little Brother Yan, take a look, can you smell anything?"

Li Yan pinched a seal and smiled, shaking his head.

This roll of cloth was a strange cassock they had seized from a mountain stronghold near Shangjin City, capable of isolating supernatural detection, and had been remade by the craftsmen under Master Lu into a gun holster.

The biggest problem with the new fire guns was that they were easily detected by various supernatural powers, allowing people to dodge in time.

With this item, the threat would be greatly increased.

Of course, Sha Sha Li Fei also had another treasure, taught by Young Master Lin, a treasure-seeker from Jiangzhe, which was made by burning gibbon hair and 'earth lichen' in a certain ratio to create a powder that could temporarily eliminate odors.

Sha Sha Li Fei's long gun had great power and high precision, suitable for long-range attacks; with these two treasures, he could act as a sniper.

This was the positioning he had found for himself.

He wasn't good at close-quarters fighting, but shooting from the shadows was absolutely no problem.

Li Yan was also in a good mood; he looked at the fire weapons made for Wang Wang Daoxuan and Lu San, then picked up another box.

After opening it, inside lay a suit of soft armor, with key parts using earth-dragon bone as a core for steel armor.

The scales of earth-dragon armor were somewhat like snakes, not only smooth but also exceptionally tough; with this item, combined with the Great Luo Dharma Body, he could use it when encountering some dangerous situations.

Of course, he would keep it carefully on weekdays.

This full-body armor, combined with his past-life concepts, was indeed a bit strange, and wearing it out would be too eye-catching.

With these Dharma artifacts, the team's combat power had almost doubled.

Just as he was happy, snoring came from beside him; it was Sha Sha Li Fei, who really couldn't hold on anymore and had fallen asleep hugging the box.

Li Yan laughed dumbly; after waking him up and packing things together, they went back to sleep.

The night passed without incident, and the thunder and rain outside didn't stop.

The next morning, it suddenly cleared up; the blue sky was like a wash, and it was another sunny day. The branches and leaves washed by the rain outside the courtyard were all tender and dripping.

Master Lu was still sleeping; Li Yan and the others said goodbye to the disciples, packed their things, and prepared to return to Near Wuchang City.

Who would have thought that before they even went out, Lu San would arrive at Yuquan Temple.

"Brother Lu San, why are you here?"

Li Yan was somewhat surprised.

Lu San scratched his head and said in a muffled voice, "Baotong Chan Temple asked me to help with something, and I just happened to come over to find you."

"Hahaha..."

Sha Sha Li Fei laughed, "It seems Brother Lu San is our real treasure, loved by everyone. What do they want you for?"

There was also doubt in Lu San's eyes, "They said it was to communicate with some Inside Shennongjia savage..."

(End of chapter)