Chapter 73: The Wooden Puppets Hidden in the Dark Forest

“Master Chen’s magical arts are superb!”

Zheng and Yuan hurriedly flattered him.

They didn’t understand magical arts, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t speak.

Yet Chen Faqiang’s face held no smile; his eyes dark and urgent, he snapped: “What’s there to celebrate? This spell only blocks people from climbing the mountain—the real threat is below!”

The intruder must be one of us. He’s already sent one command; in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he’ll send a second. When the third command is released, the spirit troops of the City God Temple will arrive—we’ll all die!

Zheng Heibei’s back prickled with fear. “What? Then let’s flee at once!”

“Flee?”

Chen Faqiang gritted his teeth. “To accomplish great deeds, trials must come. If we miss tonight, we’ll have to wait three more years—we can’t afford to wait!”

“Yuan Qu, go down the mountain.”

“No need to fight directly—just disrupt his spellcasting!”

Yuan Qu’s face paled; he was about to refuse when Chen Faqiang swung his peachwood sword, snatched up a talisman, lit it, and pointed it sharply at him while chanting: “Om Hum Hum, heaven attaches, earth attaches, earth attaches, human attaches, flying soul crosses the sea, seize the living soul—haste!”

The moment he finished speaking, Yuan Qu froze stiff.

He felt a cold, murderous yin energy rising from the ground, surging straight into his body—he felt as if plunged into an ice vault, his mind going blank.

But soon, that yin energy surged out of him, gathering on the blood-red talismans etched across his skin, and his awareness returned.

“You… you alright?”

Zheng Heibei swallowed hard beside him.

Yuan Qu stared at his hands, eyes wide with disbelief, then clenched them tightly—CRACK!—grinning fiercely: “I’m fine. I’m better than ever!”

He felt a sudden force rising within him, as if clad in a layer of icy iron armor; his fear vanished entirely, replaced by boundless murderous intent.

A faint voice kept whispering in his ear:

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

WHOOSH!

Without hesitation, Yuan Qu reversed his daggers, leaped five or six meters away, then kicked off with both feet and shot out of the tomb.

Zheng Heibei watched, dumbfounded.

That was the Monkey’s Leap from the Zhou family’s Monkey Fist style—power erupting from hidden leg strength in an instant, closing distance to strike.

In a way, it was a finishing move.

But it drained immense energy; one had to recover breath immediately, or the opponent would seize the opening—so it was used only in critical moments.

Using it just to travel was truly wasteful.

And Yuan Qu hadn’t even taken a breath after using the Monkey’s Leap!

Is this the power of the Mystic Gate…?

Thinking of this, Zheng Heibei’s confidence surged.

Meanwhile, Chen Faqiang’s face remained grim; his fingers kept calculating time, his eyes showing a flicker of anxiety…

……………

In the dense forest, Li Yan and Luo Mingzi were advancing.

The slope here was extremely steep, the soil and rocks loose, but thick pines and cypresses grew abundantly, making climbing easy.

“There’s definitely a setup.”

Seeing the faint mist rising around them, Luo Mingzi wasn’t surprised; he said calmly: “This is the Yin Ghost Lock Mountain technique of the Nine Yuan Sect—a heretical art that stirs the yin poison of the earth veins, summoning wandering ghosts to form a ghost maze.”

“The yin energy is thick enough for spirits to see, but you have the invisibility spell—they can’t see us. Just don’t look at them, and you won’t be noticed!”

“Yes, Elder!”

Li Yan nodded seriously.

He knew the elder was deliberately guiding him—he wouldn’t refuse such goodwill.

Besides, he had activated his Nasal Divine Sense, keenly sensing the cold yin energy around him, and from afar underground, he detected the stench of decay and resentment rising.

Indeed, not far ahead, he saw something strange.

Beneath a pine tree, a shadow flickered in and out of view.

It was a short man dressed in coarse black cloth, face pale as paper, head bowed, back turned to them, utterly motionless.

A Soil Rat!

Seeing his attire, Li Yan immediately guessed.

Sure enough, a tunnel entrance appeared farther off, overgrown with wild grass—clearly ancient.

Most likely, a poor soul betrayed by his own partner.

Li Yan had seen such things before and was mentally prepared—he quickly turned his head away and kept walking.

Not long after, they saw more yin spirits.

These entities still wore their living clothes and retained their deathly appearance.

Some wore simple garments, bodies shattered—likely herbalists who’d been ambushed and torn apart by beasts…

Others wore ancient artisan robes, heads severed from necks…

As for the elaborately dressed tomb owners, there were almost none—since the Wei-Jin era was far too distant, few spirits endured until now. As Luo Mingzi said, once these wandering ghosts appeared, the yin poison within the rocks and decaying leaves immediately came under their command, swirling in circles around the forest paths.

Ordinary people encountering this would be haunted by the poison, suffering illusions, losing their way, even being possessed—called a “ghost maze.”

But Li Yan had divine senses—this trick couldn’t stop him.

He tightened his invisibility incantation and pressed on with Luo Mingzi.

WHOOSH!

As they neared their destination, a violent noise erupted ahead—as if something was racing through the forest at high speed.

Luo Mingzi yanked Li Yan behind a tree.

A figure dashed toward them, astonishingly fast, like a madman—ignoring branches, charging straight through, his clothes torn by thorns.

In a blink, the figure vanished.

“Yuan Qu?”

Seeing the figure, Li Yan frowned sharply.

It was indeed Yuan Qu—but his body was entangled in yin poison, as if possessed, his strength greatly enhanced.

!.

“It’s the Medium’s Possession technique.”

Luo Mingzi glanced casually. “Just summoned a few yin spirits and demons—minor sorcery. Zhao Daozhi and the others can handle it.”

Though worried, Li Yan knew what mattered more.

Destroy the altar, rescue Wang Daoxuan’s soul—everything would resolve itself.

But as he turned, a voice called from behind:

“Young Master Li, wait for me…”

The voice was faint, indistinct—clearly Sha Lifei.

How did Sha Lifei catch up?

“Don’t answer!”

Before he could turn, Luo Mingzi warned urgently: “It’s a puppet’s Soul-Calling spell. Your invisibility is crude—you’ve been detected. Respond, and you’re trapped!”

Li Yan froze, slowly turned.

He smelled a chilling coldness—behind him, ten meters away, perched on a branch, was a wooden puppet.

Dressed as a female opera role, no taller than an arm, spider-like, hanging upside down, staring at him with a rigid face, mouth opening and closing, the calling voice echoing in his ears.

It was indeed Soul-Calling!

Li Yan had encountered this before when fighting Cold Altar Demon Soldiers—he wasn’t alarmed.

This technique, favored by yin entities, specifically targets the heart.

He’d seen Yuan Qu leave and worried for Sha Lifei—so the voice he heard was Sha Lifei’s.

As Luo Mingzi said, his invisibility was basic, learned only that afternoon—enough to fool wandering ghosts, but useless against this.

The puppet’s gaze was fixed entirely on him; it ignored Luo Mingzi completely—clearly hadn’t noticed him.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

At that moment, rustling filled the surrounding leaves.

Five puppets—Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou—appeared, surrounding him.

“Elder, I’ll draw them off—don’t reveal yourself!”

Li Yan said firmly, loosened his left hand seal, abandoned invisibility, revealed his form, and turned to run.

Luo Mingzi frowned slightly and followed closely behind.

He understood Li Yan’s plan: since invisibility was useless, he’d use himself as bait to draw Chen Faqiang’s attention, creating an opening for a surprise strike.

Though dangerous, it was the best strategy.

WHOOSH!

Li Yan no longer concealed himself—his speed surged.

But danger followed immediately.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

On both sides of the tree trunks, the five puppets leaped and climbed like spiders, moving swiftly, forming a new encirclement.

Meanwhile, the wandering ghosts on the mountain also fixed their gaze on him.

Instantly, yin winds howled, shadowy figures flickering into view everywhere.

Clang!

Li Yan drew his blade and activated the Spirit-Sealing Coin tassel.

The tassel swayed, and a chilling killing intent surged outward.

This treasure was formidable; countless wandering spirits vanished like startled rabbits.

Luo Fengzi saw this and his eyes lit up instantly.

He had not expected that this minor outsider sorcerer, who hadn’t even built the first floor of his pavilion, possessed such a magical artifact.

Of course, the wooden puppets were not frightened away.

Whizz!

The wooden puppet dressed as an old scholar rushed forward with a whistle.

Its white hair and white beard gave it a benevolent face, but the dragon-headed cane in its hand was like a sharp spike, moving with astonishing speed, stabbing straight for Li Yan’s head…

(End of Chapter)