Chapter 483: Five-Lang Shadow-Splitting Spear

Inside the attic stood another man in black robes, his face painted with a bold, colorful mask—it was none other than the "Ghost Painted-Face."

Li Yan's guess was correct; this man was a notorious expert of the evil path.

Many years ago, the "Ghost Opera Troupe" had been quite famous in the martial world. Similar to Li Yan's group, they were also "Wandering Immortals," but on a larger scale, with forty or fifty members, making them a significant force in the Mystic Sect.

The difference was that the members of the "Ghost Opera Troupe" were unstable in temperament. They wandered everywhere, stopping at nothing to achieve their goals, eventually inciting public outrage and becoming wanted by the Enforcement Hall.

Righteous experts swarmed to surround and annihilate them; the troupe leader was beaten to death, and the rest either died or fled.

The martial world constantly produces new talents; those who still remember them are few and far between.

Through the window, the "Ghost Painted-Face" watched the crowded street below and said coldly, "Once the opportunity arises, open fire!"

A gunman turned abruptly, "What do you mean?"

This gunman was dressed as a peddler, but his demeanor and actions were entirely those of a hardened military commander.

That was indeed the case; he was a personal soldier of the Prince of Shu, responsible for this squad's operation. He was not under the "Ghost Painted-Face's" command, nor did he care for the ways of these sorcerers.

If they opened fire recklessly and exposed this force of the Wang Fu, he would be unable to shirk the blame. Furthermore, since the "Ghost Painted-Face" had changed the plan on a whim, he naturally had to voice his objection.

"One must always be flexible in doing things."

The "Ghost Painted-Face" said with a calm expression, "The situation has changed. That brat likely had precautions in place long ago. He knows evasion arts; if he escapes, finding him again won't be easy."

"I have already ordered men to bring some explosives. We will detonate them in the crowd; it will mask the sound of the Divine Fire Guns and can be blamed on the brat's enemies..."

"No!"

Upon hearing this, the commander of the firearm squad felt even more disgust. He refused without hesitation, "There is no wall in the world that doesn't leak wind. The Censor is right here in Chengdu Prefecture; we must be even more careful in our actions. We absolutely cannot act recklessly!"

"And those arrangements of yours—withdraw them all immediately. It doesn't matter in the wilderness, but in this bustling place, we must not leave any handle for others to grasp."

Seeing him lose his temper, the other gunmen also stopped.

They were all military elites. Though they still appeared to be aiming out the window, the muscles in their backs were already tense, ready to turn and fire at any moment.

One of the reasons this firearm squad was formed,

was to keep these sorcerers in check.

"Since you have ordered it, Zhao Tongling, we shall do as you say."

The "Ghost Painted-Face" said expressionlessly.

Seeing him back down, the firearm squad commander quickly offered a way out, "If we fail this time, sir, you can find a way to lure him outside the city. When that happens, we will surely grind him to dust!"

"Hmm."

The "Ghost Painted-Face" nodded in response.

His mask was ferocious, revealing not a hint of expression.

……

The atmosphere above was subtle, while below, the killing intent was heavy.

"State your name."

Li Yan slowly drew his Dust-Severing Blade, his cold eyes fixed on the man, "You're old enough, yet you don't understand the rules. I do not kill nameless nobodies under my blade."

"Lotus Sect, Wang Han."

The black-faced man also drew the long spear from his back and sneered, "You're arrogant now, brat, but in a moment, I won't let you laugh."

"Speak, what are the terms?"

According to martial world rules, the rules of a duel are set by the challenged party.

Although he had no intention of holding back, the words still had to be spoken.

"A fight to the death!"

"Good, you've got guts!"

Wang Han laughed, spun the long spear in his right hand, and slammed it heavily into the ground. His left hand pinched a yellow talisman.

The yellow talisman was quite large, with lotus patterns drawn on the top and bottom. On both sides, a Green Dragon and White Tiger formed the shape of a shrine, inside which was drawn a shadow holding a spear. The head of the talisman was inscribed with an imperial decree, the spell was filled in, and the deity's name was smeared with cinnabar.

With a light flick of his left hand, the yellow talisman immediately ignited.

He then closed his eyes, chanted a spell, and stomped his left foot repeatedly.

"Flags, drums, and incense burners reflect the three altars; one beat of the dharma drum shakes the nine heavens. The second beat moves the earth, and the underworld gongs tap to stir the universe. Incense smoke curls, candle flames flicker; respectfully inviting the heroic soul of Yang Wulang..."

Hearing this, Li Yan's eyelids twitched. He shouted to the surrounding crowd, "Everyone, get back! Lest you be caught in the crossfire!"

The Art of Divine Striking is also known as inviting a deity to possess the body.

But true deities do not possess bodies, so while it is called "inviting a deity," it is actually inviting a ghost.

According to the teachings of the Mystic Sect, this is a chaotic art.

By housing a spirit within the body, one consumes the root nature of the body itself.

The lowest form of this method is inviting an underworld soul.

Only the more advanced versions are called "inviting a deity."

But true deities certainly won't respond, so this method uses special techniques to nurture spirits, using incense ash from offerings to deities to create a divine body, transforming into a deity.

To put it bluntly, even if you invited the Buddha from the Western Heaven, it would still be a fake.

Moreover, this art has major drawbacks.

A martial artist's body is as precious as oil, and a sorcerer's soul is the same.

The soul values clarity and lightness, but this method requires housing a spirit in the body and absorbing the incense qi containing the residual thoughts of all living beings, which inevitably contaminates the soul.

In Divine Striking terminology, this is called "Pressure Qi."

Some people who use Divine Striking slap themselves repeatedly; this isn't to show how powerful they are, but to slap out the impure qi, which is called "Slapping Away Calamity."

The hidden dangers are not small, yet it is widely used simply because of its power.

Inviting an ordinary nameless wild deity is one thing.

But anyone with a name and surname is difficult to deal with.

This Wang Han was inviting Yang Wulang from the Generals of the Yang Family. He had many folk followers and was also known as "Grandmaster Yang."

Once the user can no longer suppress the qi, everyone around will suffer.

However, the commoners gathered on the street didn't understand this. With so many people, they kept pushing inward, making the space even tighter.

Meanwhile, Wang Han opposite him had already undergone a change.

Whoosh~

Ghostly winds rose all around, mixed with the rich scent of incense, converging madly toward Wang Han. His demeanor and temperament also changed.

His eyebrows stood upright, his eyes were cold and indifferent, his waist became straight, and he stood with his spear held horizontally. His entire person seemed to have grown taller.

Bang!

He suddenly performed a scraping kick, striking his iron spear.

The spearhead had been stuck in the ground; the force of this kick was so ferocious that it kicked up a large amount of dirt and stone, splashing toward Li Yan.

At the same time, the spearhead instantly lifted. Wang Han held the middle of the spear with his right hand, his feet stepped firmly on the ground, and he whistled forward, thrusting toward Li Yan.

It really was the Yang Family Spear.

In the martial world, there are generally two types of Yang Family Spear.

One was created by Yang Miaozhen, wife of Li Quan, leader of the Red Jacket Army in the late Southern Song Dynasty, known as the "Twenty-Year Pear Blossom Spear, invincible under heaven."

The other is this one, the Yang Family Zhao Tongling Spear technique.

Known as "The front hand is straight, the back hand is hard; both the upward hand and the closing hand have openings."

"Going like an arrow, returning like a thread; hands fast, eyes quick, piercing the face."

This opening move, "Poisonous Dragon Exits the Cave," fits that description perfectly.

Of course, seeing Wang Han invite Yang Wulang, Li Yan had been prepared in his heart and had even guessed the opponent would play this hand.

But he didn't resist head-on. Instead, he drew his blade and retreated, turning his body and leaping into the air by stepping on the pillars of the inn.

Crack!

Wang Han's spear momentum was too fast; it actually pierced through the inn's wooden pillar, which was as thick as a water bucket, with immense force.

And while in mid-air, Li Yan didn't turn to attack.

It looked like the spear was stuck, but it was actually a trap.

With their strength and control, how could they make such a mistake?

Sure enough, seeing Li Yan didn't take the bait, Wang Han flicked his right hand, and the inn's wooden pillar immediately shattered.

If Li Yan had slashed while in mid-air, the opponent could have followed up with a "Rain of Pears" thrust. A horizontal blade is shorter than a long spear, and being in mid-air would have placed him in immediate danger.

This is combat with weapons; one moment of carelessness determines life and death.

Of course, Li Yan had another concern.

This old ghost used Divine Striking, his mind was contaminated, and he only cared about the fight, not whether he harmed the innocent.

Clatter!

Just as Li Yan expected, the inn's wooden pillar was destroyed, and a corner immediately collapsed. Bricks and stones fell, smashing toward the surrounding commoners.

"Damn it!" "Are you blind..."

Accompanied by curses, the onlookers retreated in a panic.

Fortunately, only the front eaves of the inn collapsed. Even if some people had their heads broken by bricks and tiles, it wouldn't be fatal.

After this, they knew the danger.

The crowd retreated one after another, not daring to get close again.

Facing the surrounding curses, Wang Han ignored them entirely. He held his spear horizontally, his cold eyes fixed on the space above, "What are you running for?"

Li Yan said calmly, "It's too narrow here; I can't stretch out."

Having said that, he exerted force with his feet and leaped to the right.

Wang Han also carried his long spear, leaped onto the roof in two or three steps, his figure as fast as lightning, in hot pursuit.

The two of them, one after the other, leaped over eaves and walls, heading toward the wharf.

!.

In the blink of an eye, the two of them had vanished.

The onlookers looked at each other. Some felt an itch to follow, but others, seeing those injured by the falling debris, shook their heads slightly, not intending to continue watching the excitement.

As for those in the martial world, they wouldn't miss the opportunity.

Such a duel between experts was not common.

"Quick! Quick!"

"At the wharf!"

Immediately, one figure after another chased after them.

In the chaotic crowd, several people looked at each other; they were the other experts who had come to surround and kill Li Yan.

Their brows furrowed slightly as they looked into the distance.

That was exactly where the gunmen were lying in ambush.

Li Yan's departure rendered the gunmen useless; after all, they were too far away, and no matter how powerful the guns were, they couldn't hit anyone.

And once they reached the wharf, there was no way to hide.

Could it be that this brat knew the gunmen had arrived?

If the gunmen could succeed, that would be for the best.

If not, they might have to take action themselves.

As long as the mission was completed, no one wanted to stick their neck out—except for that fool Wang Han.

But the Prince of Shu's mission had to be completed.

Helpless, the group followed toward the wharf.

Meanwhile, in the distant attic, the "Ghost Painted-Face" was silent for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "Let's go first and intercept them on the river."

The firearm squad commander narrowed his eyes, "You don't think Wang Han will win, sir?"

"Or rather... was he a decoy from the start?"

The "Ghost Painted-Face" said calmly, "You worry too much. I just don't want to fail, just in case."

As he spoke, his voice turned cold, "Once on the river, there will be no one around. You can take action then, right?"

"That goes without saying."

……

Swish!

On the wharf, Li Yan had just stopped when a sharp sound rang out behind him. It was Wang Han, who had followed closely, dragging his spear with his body lowered.

The spear blade carved a long mark on the bluestone slabs.

As they were about to close in, Li Yan suddenly raised his hand, and the invisible Soul-Hooking Rope whistled out, heading straight for Wang Han's face.

No matter how long a spear is, it isn't longer than the Soul-Hooking Rope.

However, Wang Han seemed prepared. He exhaled, pulled his spear back, and the Yin Sha Qi overflowed, directly knocking the Soul-Hooking Rope away.

The Soul-Hooking Rope is invisible, but after Wang Han used the Divine Striking method, his eyes were covered with a layer of black mist, allowing him to see it vaguely.

And because the spear was imbued with incense qi, it could block the Soul-Hooking Rope.

Seeing this, Li Yan wasn't surprised.

As he traveled the martial world, he had learned that the Soul-Hooking Rope wasn't a great secret; powerful living underworld messengers could all use it.

Based on his past battles, this trump card of his was likely already known, and people would be on guard against it in the future.

Of course, few people knew that his Soul-Hooking Rope could store Heavenly Thunder, so it could still serve as a trump card.

But in public, he obviously couldn't expose it.

Seeing Wang Han pull back his spear to block the Soul-Hooking Rope, Li Yan immediately leaped forward, closing the distance between them.

In weapon combat, distance is crucial.

An inch longer is an inch stronger.

An inch shorter is also an inch more dangerous.

Almost instantly, Li Yan had closed in.

His horizontal blade technique, aside from the hundred-battle military blade techniques like thrusting, stabbing, slashing, chopping, sweeping, lifting, and pushing, also incorporated the "Fast Blade of Guanzhong."

Before he arrived, the blade was already close.

Ding!

With a crisp sound, Wang Han blocked horizontally with his spear, just in time to stop Li Yan from slashing his head.

Wang Han was naturally very skilled in the method of "using a long weapon for short-range combat." He spun the spear, and a powerful spiral force knocked Li Yan's blade upward. Then, with a pull and a half-turn of his body, the back of the spear shaft thrust toward Li Yan's throat.

A long spear doesn't only injure with the spearhead.

If this thrust landed solidly, Li Yan's throat bone would shatter instantly.

But just then, a flash of blade light passed by.

Wang Han was shocked and hurriedly retracted his spear to parry.

Ding!

A crisp sound rang out, but the Soul-Severing Duanhun Feidao spun in the air, deflected, and attacked him again.

"Flying Sword Art!"

In the distant crowd, gasps of shock immediately arose.

Ordinary martial artists didn't know the reason and thought Li Yan had mastered the legendary Flying Sword Art, though he had replaced it with a blade.

Mastering this art made him a figure like a Sword Immortal.

"Flying Sword Art, my ass..."

In the crowd, an old Daoist sneered softly.

His name was Tan Wanpei, the Dharma Master of the Pu'an Temple in Shu.

A woman beside him, wearing a bamboo hat to cover her face, whispered, "Daoist Tan, don't just watch the show. Wang Han is likely failing; help him out in secret."

"Very well."

Tan Wanpei nodded, staring fixedly at Li Yan in the crowd. He pinched a spell in his sleeve, chanting under his breath, and cast a curse.

Unfortunately, halfway through the chant, he shook his head and said, "It won't work. This brat is carrying the 'Wish-Fulfilling Treasure Pearl.' Without a medium for the spell, I cannot curse him from a distance."

Just as they were speaking, Li Yan had closed in again.

He used the Soul-Severing Duanhun Feidao to interfere, while his horizontal blade slashed left and right, one strike after another.

Wang Han was equally skilled, retreating with continuous steps, his long spear dancing left and right. Sparks flew with every "ding-ding-dang-dang" sound; neither the Soul-Severing Duanhun Feidao nor the Dust-Severing Blade could break through his defense.

This guy was actually using the spear as a staff, employing the "Five-Lang Eight-Trigrams Staff."

The Five-Lang Eight-Trigrams Staff was also created by Yang Wulang, emphasizing "using the spear to transform into a staff; Taiji gives birth to two forms, two forms give birth to four images, four images give birth to eight trigrams, evolving into sixty-four points of staff technique."

It fits the number of the inner and outer eight trigrams—eight times eight, sixty-four. It uses both long and short, single and double, with endless variations.

With the blessing of Divine Striking, it was as if Five-Lang himself had arrived.

Not only that, as he swung the long spear, ghostly winds rose, dust flew, and one figure vaguely split into two.

Two figures then changed into four.

This was the martial art of the Lotus Sect, the "Lotus Dharma Body."

Of course, he didn't have a true "body outside the body." To some extent, this method also belonged to illusion arts, but combined with the variations of the "Five-Lang Eight-Trigrams," it made it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Li Yan was also taken aback.

He used his divine sense to perceive, but he smelled several scents at once, and they were intertwined. With the figures flickering, he soon couldn't tell the real from the fake.

He didn't know that this was Wang Han's ultimate move:

Five-Lang Shadow-Splitting Spear.

(End of Chapter)