Chapter 552: The Yin General Fights the Fiendish God

"Little Brother Yan!"

Seeing Li Yan arrive, Sha Lifei's eyes lit up.

He did not think him a savior, but had feared Li Yan had suffered harm or fallen out of alignment in his cultivation—now he finally felt at ease.

"Mm."

Li Yan scanned the surroundings with cold eyes, assessed the battlefield situation, and said firmly: "Leave this to me. Go deal with the others."

"Got it!"

Without hesitation, Sha Lifei led Wu Ba away and gave a signal to Lu San at the cave entrance.

The three immediately vanished into the dense forest, circling around toward the opposite side.

Li Yan did not look back, but fixed his gaze on the opposite side.

On the way, he had learned the enemy's identity from the Blood Parrot.

This "Ghost Troupe" had sent only a small squad—few in number—but they had previously scattered the Chengdu underworld gangs.

Their main experts were only three: Old Lady Chang, Xie Sanyang, and Doggie.

The rest of the troupe served mainly as support.

Though few in number, their strength was not to be underestimated; each expert had unique abilities, complemented each other to offset weaknesses, and used firearms.

To be honest, their fighting style bore some resemblance to theirs.

The Chengdu underworld gangs were numerous, yet still scattered.

Li Yan found this unsurprising.

Clever people usually share one trait: their circumstances vary, but they always play the cards they're dealt well.

And this world never lacked clever people.

Against such enemies, battle strategy mattered greatly.

His arrival had just revitalized the situation.

Right now, Old Lady Chang was dueling Wang Daoxuan. If he pinned down Xie Sanyang hidden across the way, victory would be decided.

Far away in the woods, Xie Sanyang's face was grim.

He clearly understood the current situation.

He had heard from Wang Fu's people how troublesome Li Yan was, and wished to avoid entanglement—but he had no choice.

Wang Daoxuan was performing the "Seven Arrow Secret Incantation" inside the cave.

If the spell was not broken, Old Lady Chang would surely die.

Old Lady Chang was a veteran of the Ghost Troupe.

If he failed to protect her, he would face punishment upon return.

Thinking of this, Xie Sanyang slowly removed the Di Qing mask, then took out two remaining masks from his waist.

One was Wu Sheng Guan Yu.

The other was bizarre: green-faced, fanged, with crimson hair and golden-silver patterns etched across the face, and a character " Diao " written on the forehead.

Xie Sanyang's technique originated from spirit-invocation rituals.

But true deities never descend; any spirit summoned by such rites could not be the original, not even a fragment—merely a replica formed from incense and devotion.

Thus, the root of this technique was mimicry of shamanism.

"Wu Sheng Guan Yu" was Xie Sanyang's second power, his most proficient form—he even wielded a guandao.

Normally, using it could decide a battle in one strike, but the cost was high; even when fighting Wu Ba earlier, he had not used it.

Xie Sanyang had already grasped the "Wu Sheng Guan Yu" mask, but seeing Li Yan's expressionless face in the distance, his heart suddenly trembled.

An inexplicable sense of danger surged within him—as if pinned by a predator.

He gritted his teeth, snatched up the third grotesque mask, and without hesitation placed it over his face, then chanted: "Banner and drum cast gloom on the Youtan; the ritual drum strikes, shaking the star demons; the second drum thrums, chilling the soul; the Mingluo tolls softly, shaking the Yin Mountains; incense curls, candlelight dims; I humbly invite the Death Messenger to descend…"

When summoning Di Qing, he had not chanted.

This time, he prepared at length.

Moreover, after chanting, he struck his entire body with force—loud, rhythmic slaps.

In spirit-invocation terminology, this was called "pressing qi," or "slapping the calamity."

Invoking a spirit inevitably brings in chaotic energies.

After all, he was still flesh and blood; without knowing the "slapping the calamity" method, after battle he would be bedridden for months.

The longer the "slapping the calamity," the more powerful the spirit invoked.

Xie Sanyang even used hidden force.

Each slap vibrated with yin-sha energy.

The sound grew louder; snow around them tumbled down in cascades.

Seeing this, Li Yan frowned slightly.

He knew exactly what was happening.

Though he did not know which spirit was being summoned, the aura clearly indicated it was no ordinary one.

But it was not yet time to act.

The enemy's sharpshooter was still aiming at him—he must draw attention to buy time for Sha Lifei and the others.

Also, Wang Daoxuan was behind him; he could not flee recklessly.

Thinking of this, Li Yan also formed a hand seal; from his waist pouch, eight straw spirit paper figures shot out, circling his body…

…………

Whoosh!

Branches swayed, snow fell.

Sha Lifei and the others ran through the snowy forest.

The valley was large, flanked by cliffs and steep slopes, with tall bamboo groves covering much of the terrain.

The ground was covered in snow, beneath which lay soft earth.

Sometimes, with a single step, they sank deep into pits.

Under such conditions, hiding their presence was impossible—but Sha Lifei's group had no intention of concealing themselves, making no effort to muffle their noise.

After circling around, they finally reached the sharpshooter's hiding spot.

There, in the dim bamboo grove, a middle-aged man in a white cloak held a Divine Fire Gun, aiming toward Li Yan's direction.

He wore official boots—clearly from the Commandant's Office.

Hearing Sha Lifei's approach, his face darkened; he spun and fired.

Boom!

A thunderous crack—rows of bamboo collapsed, splinters flying.

At this range, accuracy was poor; Sha Lifei's men had already scattered, dodging the gunfire.

Boom!

Sha Lifei returned fire.

The opponent rolled away effortlessly.

Sha Lifei was not surprised.

He had tangled with this man all morning—he knew the man was experienced and had uncanny perception; unless close enough, hitting him was nearly impossible.

Of course, his goal was merely to distract.

Hum!

Lu San had already acted; a swarm of venomous bees suddenly surged from the opposite side, diving straight at the sharpshooter.

The sharpshooter startled, turned, and fled.

"Roar!"

But at that moment, a deafening roar echoed.

Wu Ba stomped the ground, charging through the bamboo like a beast—bamboo shattered along his path, then he leapt violently.

He trained in Baji Quan, which emphasized keeping feet grounded.

But this move—he had copied from animals while training in Shennongjia; it was called "Tiger Leap."

With terrifying force and his powerful frame, he launched himself over three meters into the air, soaring eight meters forward.

Moreover, mid-air, Wu Ba reached out, snapped off seven or eight bamboo stalks, and as he landed, hurled them violently.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

With terrifying whistles, the bamboo spears shot through the air.

The sharpshooter's agility was remarkable—he rolled sideways like a lazy donkey, dodging the flying bamboo.

Though he escaped death, he was now delayed.

Hum!

The venomous bees surged from behind.

"Dang-dang-dang~"

From the distant woods, the sound of a willow zither rose.

The melody was urgent, like rain on a pipa—famous "Ten Thousand Ambushes."

The bee swarm, affected, flew wildly in all directions.

Clearly, the trio in the troupe sensed trouble and sent one to assist, while the other two continued guarding Old Lady Chang.

They were simply a step too late.

The gunner had just dodged the poison bees when he heard a rumbling shake behind him; he spun around and drew his steel saber.

The Divine Fire Gun loaded its magazine easily, but still required time.

He had just fired one shot and hadn't yet replaced it.

But without firearms, he was no different from a venomous snake with its fangs pulled.

Wu Ba charged forward, suddenly accelerating—his feet sank into the mud as his body lunged forward, head snapping up.

Thud!

With a muffled crash, the gunner flew over ten meters, smashing through a dozen bamboo stalks along the way; his ribs shattered completely, and he collapsed, lifeless.

Sha Li Fei and the others didn't even glance back; they kept racing toward the dense forest…

…………

Behind the boulder, Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes at the sound of distant gunfire, slowly drawing his new Duan Chen Dao—but he didn't strike yet. Creak… creak…

With heavy footsteps crunching snow, a figure emerged from the dark opposite—Xie Sanyang, who had invoked the Spirit Summoning Technique.

He clearly looked off.

His eyes were pitch black, and with that eerie face paint, he had lost all human aura; black smoke curled from his entire body.

This was a sign of intense Yin Sha energy.

Moreover, every plant and flower he passed withered instantly.

A sense of ill omen spread around him…

"The Mourner?"

Li Yan frowned upon seeing him.

He finally knew who the man had summoned.

The Mourner Star Lord!

Not a single word, not a single line, not a single detail was wrong!

He is a celestial star deity; according to the Records of the Yearly Calendar, he is the malevolent star of the Year Star, governing disease and sorrow, dwelling two constellations behind the Year Star.

There's a common saying: "Better to meet the Black and White Impermanence than the Mourner and the Funeral Gate."

"Funeral" means rushing to a funeral; "Mourner" means offering condolences—these two demonic stars carry great misfortune, and no one wishes to encounter them.

Most people are more familiar with the Funeral Gate Star.

But the Mourner Star is no less fearsome.

When the Mourner arrives at the door, someone is destined to die; all undertakings are inauspicious.

How could this boy possibly summon such a thing?

Li Yan found it strange.

Summoning the Mourner Star Lord clearly came at a great cost.

At this moment, Xie Sanyang resembled a demon, silent, his entire being saturated with malice, hatred, and murderous intent, locked firmly onto Li Yan.

Swish!

The opponent's figure vanished from his original spot.

But Li Yan had already prepared.

He leapt forward himself, raising his left hand.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two Soul-Grabbing Chains shot out.

Now, the Soul-Grabbing Thunder Chains had reached fifteen meters; though invisible to ordinary people, the two chains twisted and writhed like giant serpents, sealing off the space ahead.

Whoever charged forward would fall into the trap.

Sure enough, ten meters ahead, Xie Sanyang suddenly appeared, swinging his guan dao left and right as if using the Chaotic Wind Blade Technique.

His blade was likewise coated in thick Yin Sha energy.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The Soul-Grabbing Thunder Chains were effortlessly deflected.

Li Yan's eyes narrowed.

He used this move only as a test.

The Soul-Grabbing Chains held no Thunder Gang; the opponent's invocation of the Mourner Star Lord brought not only Yin Sha energy but also Star Sha.

Pure Soul-Grabbing Chains could not bind him at all.

"Hmph!"

Li Yan didn't hesitate—he immediately pulled out the flintlock pistol at his waist.

This was a tactic he had developed.

Against enemies with strange speed, there was no need for brute force—first bind them with the Soul-Grabbing Thunder Chains, then shoot to kill.

Boom!

A deafening explosion sent smoke scattering.

But Xie Sanyang had vanished—easily dodging the gunshot, black smoke rising as he reappeared ten meters to the left.

Indeed, it was Shadow Dashing!

With the power of the Mourner Star Lord, he had elevated Shadow Dashing to such a level—appearing and disappearing without trace.

Though he seemed mad, he was in fact extremely calm—he immediately abandoned Li Yan and charged toward the cave where Wang Daoxuan was.

But when he was still seven or eight meters away, he suddenly stopped swinging his blade.

Clang!

A sharp ring, sparks flying.

It was Li Yan, suddenly appearing ahead to intercept.

At this moment, Li Yan had also changed his appearance.

Eight Straw Spirit Paper Figures circled him, fluttering up and down.

Li Yan himself was shrouded in rolling black mist; outsiders could see only a towering black shadow four meters tall.

The Law of Fengdu—Transformation Spell!

Invoking the power of the Eight Generals of Fengdu Mountain's Outer Altar, transforming the Soul-Grabbing Thunder Chains into armor to bear Yin Spirits' energy far beyond mortal capacity, augmenting his own body.

Li Yan had mastered this technique and naturally wanted to test its power.

Xie Sanyang was clearly startled.

Sensing the terrifying aura, he hastily retreated.

But Li Yan's speed was even greater.

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, Xie Sanyang, who had been using Shadow Dashing, was forced into visibility and blasted backward.

Before he could land, Li Yan reappeared, a sharp long blade extending from the black mist, stabbing toward his heart.

Pfft!

Xie Sanyang barely dodged, avoiding the heart but still being pierced through the chest.

Li Yan's new Duan Chen Dao was forged from a dragon's horn.

Such a magical weapon is typically called a Dragon-Slaying Blade; in any magical sect or lineage, it would be sufficient to serve as a sect's treasured artifact.

Although Li Yan, following the Fire Monk's advice, chose to refine it into a Thunder Blade—usable only with Thunder Arts—it was still sharp enough.

Puff~

Xie Sanyang, pierced through the chest, once again turned into a shadow and retreated, reappearing ten meters behind.

He gasped for breath, clutching his chest; his black eyes slowly filled with madness.

Suddenly, Xie Sanyang reversed his grip on the blade and slashed three deep cuts across his own forehead—blood gushed freely.

Li Yan watched, puzzled.

He vaguely remembered Wang Daoxuan mentioning this method.

This technique originated in ancient shamanic rites.

Some sorcerers would scar their faces to strengthen their spells.

On battlefields, soldiers would cut their faces to boost courage.

But this man had invoked a deity…

Before Li Yan could react, strange phenomena erupted.

Xie Sanyang's face streamed with blood; white mist seeped from the gashes in his face paint, carrying a chilling aura that flowed around his body.

Demon Omen!

Li Yan finally understood what the man was doing.

This fellow had infused a trace of demonic Omen Qi into his face paint!

The white Omen Qi spread rapidly, mixing with Xie Sanyang's Mourner Sha Qi, becoming even more ominous.

"Hmph!"

Li Yan didn't hesitate—he immediately formed a hand seal with his left hand.

Zzzt!

As his left hand pressed against the hilt, lightning crackled across the blade.

This was the Heavenly Thunder Subduing Hammer.

With the power of the Eight Outer Altar Generals enhancing it, its might was even greater.

Crackling!

Soon, the blade shimmered with lightning.

Swish!

Both sides leapt forward almost simultaneously.

In an instant, fierce winds howled and lightning flashed around them.

This was pure martial art combat.

Xie Sanyang was already a master; seeing he could not prevail, he gave up all restraint and unleashed his secret technique, absorbing the demon qi.

Even if he survived, he would most likely become a cripple.

Yet the heretical arts clearly could not match the orthodox methods.

Amidst the howling wind and flying snow, two figures darted up and down, lightning mixed with spurting blood—Xie Sanyang's wounds multiplied rapidly.

After all, there was only a trace of demon qi.

Puff!

The demon qi was ground to dust by the thunder art; Xie Sanyang's protective spells vanished entirely. A flash of blade light—his head rolled to the ground.

Li Yan wiped the blood from his blade with a backward flick.

The black mist on his body dissipated completely, revealing his true form.

At the same time, the sound of the qin echoed through the valley.

Li Yan glanced toward the distance, narrowed his eyes, and did not go to aid them; instead, he turned back toward the cave.

Wang Daoxuan's face was now deathly pale.

His cultivation was lower than Aunt Chang's, and yet she had somehow used an unknown method to hold out this long.

His spirit was beginning to falter.

"Master Daoist, let me help you!"

Clang!

Li Yan sheathed his blade, stepped forward two paces, reached the altar, and took the summoning scroll from his robe, placing it upon the altar.

Hhh~

The candles on either side instantly turned a deep green…

(End of Chapter)