Chapter 605: Beacon Fires in the Foggy Night

Armor surged, crushing the flying snow all over the ground.

Red lanterns cast a dim red glow through the snow mist.

Looking down from high above, the Chongqing Prefecture reinforcements were like a black torrent, tearing apart this scarlet and heading toward the Shu Prince's Mansion.

In the center of the crowd, Yang Chenghua looked at the bronze flower basket in his hand.

After undoing the curse, this ancient national sacrificial artifact returned to its original dilapidated state, showing no abnormalities.

However, Yang Chenghua could perceive that there was a will within it, slowly gestating under the wrapping of incense power.

It felt familiar yet strange to him.

Familiar, because it was derived from the Great Lord Jiang Shen; ever since the Erlang True Lord temple appeared, one of its important tasks had been to suppress this demon's residual thoughts.

It could be said that the karma had been established from the very beginning.

Strange, because the Dragon Lady had already seized the divine charm.

A new, powerful water god was about to appear.

Thinking of this, Yang Chenghua's eyes grew complex.

"Is the Daoist friend leaving?"

A weathered voice suddenly rang out from behind.

It was Cheng Jianxin and Chang Tianque.

"No more attachments."

Yang Chenghua nodded, not surprised.

Among everyone present, except for Li Yan who knew his identity from the start, the others were all somewhat confused.

Mingshanzi had some guesses but dared not be certain.

But this Sword Immortal Cheng, although aged, had once stepped into the realm of ascending to godhood and had seen through his identity.

Recalling the things he had occasionally heard, Yang Chenghua couldn't help but ask: "You were only one step away back then; why did you cut off your own path?"

Cheng Jianxin was silent for a moment, a smile appearing on his aged face, "Perhaps it was disappointment. That place might grant longevity, but it is still hard to find freedom; the sea of suffering is boundless."

"This old man has drawn his sword too many times in his life and is already tired. I cannot bear to part with this mortal world and only wish to be buried here."

"You are not a person of this world; you could indeed take a trip..."

After saying this, he continued forward, supported by Chang Tianque.

Only Yang Chenghua was left, looking at the flower basket in his hand, then at the thunder and thick fog in the sky, shaking his head slightly...

………

With no obstacles on the street, the army moved faster.

Finally, they also arrived on the street outside the Shu Prince's Palace.

Mourning lanterns were cold as snow, and red lanterns filled the thick fog.

Between the red and white, the two armies stood in confrontation, hundreds of meters apart.

Clatter!

On the Shu Prince's Mansion side, countless fire guns were raised.

The Chongqing reinforcements also aimed their firearms.

The cold wind blew, and both sides held their breath, extremely tense.

New-style firearms had greater power, and the Shu Prince's Mansion side was equipped even more powerfully, but they were guarding all sides of the Prince's Mansion.

The number of troops at the main gate was not much different from the Chongqing reinforcements.

Opening fire in this situation, neither side would find it easy.

Zhao Xianda stood tall on his horse, his eyes suddenly rolling, and he shouted loudly toward the distance: "Listen, you comrades!"

"That Shu Prince Xiao Qipan has long been controlled by evil people. They are performing evil arts inside to destroy the entire Shu! The strange phenomena in this city are also all their doing!"

These words were clearly intended to shake their morale.

In fact, they had an effect.

Many of these garrison soldiers had long been suspicious, as the scene before them was truly eerie, and the Shu Prince's Mansion had made preparations long ago.

Could it be that they had all been used?

But things had come to this, and a great disaster had been brewed; what should they do...

Seeing these people hesitate, Zhao Xianda felt joy in his heart, drew his saber with a clang, and pointed at the thick fog surging in the sky:

"Look at this city full of nightmare curses! You are also children of Chengdu; your wives and children might even be going mad on the street. How dare you still help the tyrant?!"

His voice was like a great bell, echoing through the snowy night.

"Audacious!"

Just as the Chengdu garrison soldiers were hesitating, a leader of the Black Feather Guards suddenly rode out and said sternly:

"Rebellious thieves, how dare you spread evil words to confuse the public!"

After saying this, he raised his hand and fired a divine fire gun.

Boom!

With a loud bang, firelight splashed everywhere.

Zhao Xianda felt a chill on the top of his head; his hair bun was directly scattered, and he was disheveled in the wild wind, so scared he hurriedly lowered his body.

He luckily escaped, but the soldiers beside him were not so lucky.

Some let out a muffled groan, blood bursting from their chests and abdomens.

Some had their heads pierced by shattered pellets and fell to the ground dead.

But this action was like pressing a switch.

"Kill!"

The Chongqing Prefecture reinforcements fired their guns one after another.

It was still a three-stage attack; the roar of gunpowder sounded continuously, tongues of fire shot out, and the smoke merged into the snowy night.

Bang bang bang!

The Black Feather Guards took the lead, divine fire guns roared, and the remaining Chengdu garrison soldiers also felt tense and fired subconsciously.

Once the guns fired, all reason was gone.

Everyone frantically pulled the triggers.

Fortunately, the main street leading to the Shu Prince's Mansion had many restaurants and eateries on both sides, providing plenty of cover.

After dozens of casualties, the Chongqing Prefecture reinforcements quickly scattered; some climbed onto restaurants to fire, and others passed through other dark alleys to fire from another street.

Before coming, everyone had been given their mission.

Their goal was to drag down the troops at the Shu Prince's Mansion main gate, acting for the other two parties.

The Shu Prince's Mansion side also suffered heavy losses.

Some had their heads burst and fell to the ground, and the gunpowder and fire guns they carried were immediately taken by others to return fire.

Thick fog permeated, and the night was dim.

At a distance of 300 meters, these ordinary soldiers couldn't see the opponent at all and couldn't aim, only firing wildly.

For a time, the scene was in chaos.

On the roof of the Top Scholar Building in the dark, Li Yan watched all this, his eyes cold, his killing intent hard to suppress.

To tell the truth, he wouldn't call himself a good person.

His father was a famous blade-master, and killing for money was the norm.

He had been tricky since childhood, never willing to suffer a loss, mixing in the martial world, understanding all kinds of deceptive means, and had also implicated others.

Along this journey, he had truly seen too much.

Murder for goods, setting traps to frame others, using evil arts to harm people...

He had encountered all kinds of wicked things.

But people like Zhao Changsheng were truly hard for him to accept.

They viewed all living things as ants.

To achieve their goals, they could trample on them at will.

In just these few days, he didn't know how many people had died.

At this moment, Li Yan suddenly felt that the *Heavenly Law* was not bad.

These demons hiding in the mortal world.

Not a single one should exist!

"Young Hero Li, concentrate!"

Mingshanzi's reminder came from behind.

At this moment, everyone from the Qingcheng Sect was in position, and the Dharma flags in the Jingyang Dharma altar had their Gang energy connected into one piece.

This Gang energy was simulating "Jingyang."

It was a warm and bright power, as if in the vast winter day, shining under the sun, and even the surrounding snow began to melt.

Li Yan stopped thinking wildly, took the "Bing-Ding Ghost-Born Talisman," and guarded his spirit.

He dared to guarantee it with his chest, and there was a reason for it.

First, he had already visualized Mount Luo Feng and, with the help of that immortal mountain Boshan furnace, built the Eight Generals Palace of the outer altar, allowing him to use the purest Fengdu method.

Second, his identity as a Heavenly Official.

This "Bing-Ding Ghost-Born Talisman" came strangely; just after the Thunder Department's test ended, this thing was ordered to be delivered to his door.

It could be seen how unwilling the old Daoist Juechen was at the time.

Li Yan already had a guess in his heart.

In the Great Luo Dharma Realm, there was a group of people who wanted to cause trouble.

And now, others had also become active.

They should be supporters of the *Heavenly Law* who cannot descend to the mortal world actively, violating the Heavenly Law, so they wanted to borrow his hand...

While the Qingcheng crowd was busy, the Chongqing army also began to set off.

Boom boom boom!

Ten thousand armors surged, and the ground trembled.

The snow on the rooftops on both sides fell with a clatter.

The murderous aura seemed to want to disperse the thick fog ahead.

Such movement naturally attracted the attention of the commoners on the street.

"Ah~"

Dense fanatical roars rang out.

These commoners were completely mad at this time, their eyes blood-red, their mouths and eyes distorted, drooling as they rushed toward the army.

"Prepare!"

Zhao Xianda gave an order, and the soldiers raised their firearms one after another.

Three-eyed guns, bird guns, divine fire guns...

Their firearms were clearly not as good as the Shu Prince's Mansion.

But for killing, they were more than enough.

Zhao Xianda had cold sweat on his forehead.

If possible, he didn't want to take action against these innocent commoners.

But the cursed commoners were too fanatical.

Once they got close, there was a possibility of being infected by the curse.

The real enemy was the Shu Prince's Mansion army, and Zhao Xianda didn't want to lose a large number of troops here because of mercy.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Yang Chenghua.

But he saw that in the crowd, Yang Chenghua was carrying the bronze flower basket, and the people around him scattered one after another, letting him reach the front of the formation.

"Rise!"

Without complex incantations, Yang Chenghua just let out a low shout, and wild winds howled in the surroundings, snow swirled, wrapping him up.

Many people behind saw this, their faces changing slightly.

They were experts in numerology; if prepared properly, they could also create such a scene.

What truly shocked them was that on Yang Chenghua's body, a rich incense smell suddenly erupted, pouring into the bronze flower basket.

This level of incense power was something even the vulgar gods in the temples on the mountain couldn't possess, and it was still growing continuously.

Hum hum hum!

With the injection of incense power, the bronze flower basket trembled more and more violently.

Whoosh~

Finally, the wild wind swirled, forming a tornado above the basket.

Different from before, the tornado, having absorbed a massive amount of incense energy, became as thick as a water bucket, winding and twisting deep into the high sky until it disappeared.

This tornado also vaguely took the shape of a dragon.

Soon, the incense energy in the surrounding streets all gathered frantically toward Yang Chenghua.

Rumble!

In the night sky, thunder roared.

Not long after, a light rain started to fall from the sky.

This light rain was bone-chillingly cold.

Falling on the ground, the blood-red snow began to melt.

Falling on their faces, the commoners also stopped blankly, staring blankly at the sky, the blood color in their eyes gradually fading...

Some soon regained their clarity, looking at the surroundings at a loss.

"Go!"

Zhao Xianda ordered loudly, and the army moved forward again.

They advanced in a Mandarin Duck formation, raising their firearms one after another, and following the order from the front, fired at the sky in unison.

The commoners who had regained their clarity saw this and fled in all directions, revealing the main street leading to the Shu Prince's Mansion...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 606 =====

Since that's the case, it would be better to use news to lure Young Master Wuxiang away, lest he ruin their grand plan.

"The Nine Cauldrons?!"

Young Master Wuxiang's eyes lit up, finding it somewhat hard to believe.

But looking at the group's demeanor, it didn't seem like they were faking it.

Thinking of this, greed rose in Young Master Wuxiang's heart; he held up the gunpowder barrel and slowly retreated while facing the crowd.

Afterward, he turned and ran, disappearing into the darkness.

"Finally gone."

Sha Lifei said happily, "He wants to enter the Prince of Shu's Mansion; he certainly doesn't know we're here to blow up the wall."

"Let's go quickly, lest more trouble arise."

Hearing this, the group didn't waste words and continued to press on with their heads down.

After traveling for another half-stick of incense, Lu San suddenly stopped.

"It's that one in front."

The group looked up, only to see that the stone wall of the secret passage ahead was gone, replaced by a wall built of human skulls.

Although there was no evil qi, it still made one feel oppressed.

"Chengdu really has this thing?"

Cui Bai of the Yin-Yang Brush was also somewhat surprised. "I've checked some archives; when Chengdu Prefecture fought a great war against the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom back then, there were countless casualties, so they cast the enemies into a 'Jingguan' (monument of skulls) and buried it underground to suppress Chengdu's fortune."

Yue San'er, standing to the side, shook his head. "That's all to fool the common people; this thing has no effect at all..."

As he spoke, he took out a Luo Pan to check.

Finally, he slapped his palm against a dirt pit on the side. "The Prince of Shu's Mansion was built with the ground rammed solid; it's more suitable from here."

No sooner said than done, Sha Lifei immediately took the gunpowder packs he was carrying, wrapped and secured them in various ways, and pulled out a long fuse.

"Run!"

The group fled at high speed, leaving only the fuse hissing as it burned...

Outside the Prince of Shu's Mansion, the battle grew increasingly intense.

The greatest threat was still the Black Feather Guard.

The heavy-armored musketeers among them were not only immensely strong, but their firearms were also a cut thicker than everyone else's.

Through several coordinated efforts, they even collapsed a century-old shop.

"Beat the drums! Switch to armor-piercing arrows!"

Zhao Xianda sensed something was wrong and immediately gave the order.

Creak, creak, creak~

The soldiers of the Chongqing Garrison immediately took them out.

In an instant, a dense swarm of arrows whistled out.

Accompanied by the sound of *pu-pu-pu*, those heavy-armored musketeers were instantly riddled with arrows, looking like black men.

Rumble, rumble~

Just at this moment, the ground trembled slightly.

With a loud boom, the main gate of the Prince's Mansion was blown to smithereens, and even the surrounding city walls began to collapse...

The moment had arrived!

Li Yan suddenly opened his eyes and began to pinch seals and chant incantations.

"Supreme General of Earthly Deities, righteous god of the world. Governing the earthly deities, overseeing temples and shrines. Assisting the Dharma and protecting the spirits, illuminating the martial hero and fierce Taibao. Purple-haired Demon King, Iron-faced Great Judge..."

This was the precious proclamation of Wen Lingguan.

However, after chanting it several times, there was no reaction at all.

Seeing the people from Qingcheng looking suspicious, Li Yan gritted his teeth, pinched the Dharma seal again, and channeled his power to the fullest.

Clatter, clatter!

Two soul-snatching ropes flew out from his back, absorbing a large amount of yin evil qi and wrapping around his entire body.

This was Li Yan using the "Divine Transformation Technique."

At this moment, he was shrouded in black mist, taking control of this Dharma altar and chanting prayers incessantly.

Rumble, rumble~

Lightning flashed within the thick fog in the sky.

It seemed as though a massive shadow was darting rapidly through the clouds...

(End of chapter)