[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-62":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Roaring Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2281918,4463,"Chapter 62: Hurry! The Demon Bandits Can","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-62",62,"\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan scolded the woman aloud, but his hands moved without hesitation—he drew his sword and charged forward, closing in on the hooded elder across the roof ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap-tap-tap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Taishu Dan had switched allegiances multiple times; some said he betrayed his master and destroyed his lineage, others called him short-sighted and greedy, yet no one ever said he was weak in skill!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Xie Jinhuan’s direct, unreserved assault to his center, Taishu Dan did not halt his absorption of the hall’s blood qi—he merely curled his left hand’s five fingers lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sss-sss-sss—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five lifeless puppets standing frozen in place suddenly surged forward, encircling in a crescent formation, even displaying subtle coordination like living warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding-ding-ding—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan charged forward with his sword, instantly colliding with the five puppets, thrusting repeatedly to pierce through the crescent formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment his blade pierced a puppet’s torso, the puppet twisted its body, bending the sword—behind it, the spearhead pierced through the cloak and drove straight into its chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shhh—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that instant, a whistle rang from Taishu Dan’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xie Jinhuan’s sword was momentarily trapped, his spiritual sense trembled and went blank for a heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet just as the spearhead pierced flesh, he yanked back his blade, leapt backward, and created distance, dragging a few droplets of blood behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan raised his vine staff; behind him, one puppet simultaneously lifted its sword upward, striking the floating blood droplets and sending them slamming into the skull’s brow atop the staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan then knelt on one knee, leaning on his staff, murmuring arcane incantations:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mee-mo-mo~…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold wind howled along the ridge, flaring the hooded cloak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wooden skull carved on the staff, under the spell, glowed faintly red in its eye sockets!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan fought the five puppets, his body surging with qi—but deep within his spiritual core, a wave of helplessness surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if his soul were being drained from his body, his limbs numb, his movements flawed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, a voice came to his ear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Soul-seizing spell—lock the soul gate and Shen Ting with true qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan did not hesitate—he condensed a thread of true qi and sealed his internal acupoints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such precise manipulation was nearly impossible for a fourth-rank peak cultivator, but after entering the Spirit-Qi Realm, it came as naturally as breathing—this was the very edge that allowed martial artists to stand against spellcasters of equal rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As true qi flooded the acupoints, Xie Jinhuan felt his skull ripped open—unbearable agony spread through every inch of his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the helplessness deep in his spiritual core vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sss—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan pulled back, sheathed his sword, then snatched up the seven-foot leopard-tail spear and unleashed a full-power spin:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seven-foot spear shattered into a crescent, carving a circular arc across the rooftop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five encircling puppets were instantly flung away; the already shattered tiles erupted upward like a towering wave, crushing forward and exposing the frame beneath—and the mist-choked hall below!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan realized Xie Jinhuan had broken free of the soul-seizing spell—he rose to his feet and pointed his staff forward:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black ink dragon burst from the staff, slamming into the tile wave—shattering bricks and tiles as it punched straight through, swallowing all living things behind it in black mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xie Jinhuan clearly feared no poison mist—he swept aside the puppets, spun his spear, and dragged the churning black fog along its tip, drawing a sharp, resonant gathering sound:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sssss~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan’s expression shifted—he now realized Xie Jinhuan’s martial techniques could be adapted to any of the eighteen weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with each weapon, his combos differed—this move was clearly “Coiling Dragon Circling the Mountain” followed by “Black Dragon Ramming the Pillar”!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also understood now why Xie Jinhuan’s protective aura didn’t cover his entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, “Coiling Dragon Circling the Mountain” was a spear technique blending defense and offense, using an unbreakable wind of spear qi to repel attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering the third rank, one could command qi with spirit—no spear needed to guide its flow—and thus evolved into the aura circling his body just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name “Coiling Dragon Circling the Mountain” clearly meant: the spear moves like a coiling dragon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan spun his hands rapidly; as the qi compressed to its peak, he surged forward with the spear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The venomous mist surged forward, blasting apart flying shards of tile!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a single point of cold light followed—Xie Jinhuan thrust both hands forward with full speed, and mid-air, a thunderous sonic boom erupted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear, wrapped in a black dragon’s ferocious qi, tore through tiles and timber, striking Taishu Dan straight ahead with lightning speed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spellcaster facing a martial artist’s ultimate killing technique—with minor spirits suppressed, spells broken, poison unable to reach him, puppets blocked, and curses useless in direct combat—was virtually certain to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Taishu Dan’s strength lay in his mastery of multiple sects—he was no longer a witch cult sorcerer, but a minor leader of the Demon Dao!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demon Dao’s strength lay in their monstrous, inhuman physiques and terrifying regenerative power—life unending so long as blood qi flowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the unavoidable, terrifying spear thrust, Taishu Dan did not dodge—he exploded outward:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His cloak and robes tore apart, revealing the bulging, knotted muscles beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black keratin surged across his skin; his body swelled instantly—his arms stretched like those of a long-armed black ape, and he raised the vine staff high for a downward slash:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the roar, the staff, wreathed in a torrent of blood fury, slammed onto the leopard-tail spear—the spear snapped and bent downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unstoppable black mist dragon, as if its neck had been broken, plunged downward into the ship’s deck, then burst out through the side wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a massive diagonal hole opened in the ship’s deck, pointing toward the river, gushing blood mist!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he shattered the spear, Taishu Dan lunged forward and smashed his head into Xie Jinhuan’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a spellcaster’s technique was crude, “One Force Overcomes Ten Tricks” was a fundamental truth of martial arts!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan had pushed himself to his limit, only to realize his cultivation had caught up—he could barely resist the spells—but his body simply couldn’t match this old bastard!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the almost unbelievable burst of speed, Xie Jinhuan planted his feet on the main beam like “Pan Dragon Across the Ridge,” his muscles bulging, qi flooding every meridian—he became an immovable boulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the headbutt struck his chest—his ribcage didn’t cave in, yet his lower body couldn’t hold firm—he was launched backward like a cannonball, tearing through the roof until he caught hold of a beam at the far end of the ship, barely avoiding falling into the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash-splash-splash—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the strike, the turmoil paused briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan’s head bore a dark bruise, but it didn’t hinder him—he twisted his neck, cracking it, his aged face shifting as muscles surged into a demonic, wrathful visage, radiating murderous intent and ferocity:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The witch cult is all show and no substance—no wonder they were driven to the southern frontier to hide in rat holes. Demon Dao is far more effective!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan flipped up from the beam, landing atop it, and muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“F***, there’s a second stage?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taishu Dan only caught the first half, but it didn’t matter—he glanced at the river and saw several figures emerging from the direction of the Peony Pool; the city’s experts were still far off—he raised his left hand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hoo~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boundless blood qi surged from the hall; Du Qingyi’s headless corpse also released mist, all flowing into Taishu Dan’s arm—the dark bruise on his forehead visibly faded, and his depleted qi restored before their eyes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan tossed aside the broken spear shaft and strode swiftly along the massive beam, thick as two men’s arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap-tap-tap…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His steps accelerated!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, on the riverbank:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo sprinted forward with sword drawn, eyes wide with shock at the giant red mist arc shattered in the river’s center and the ship’s roof nearly torn open:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So fierce! Has the demon bandit already died?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning, twin sabers strapped to her back, scanned the flying debris and spotted two figures charging again—her brow furrowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet. Too many offerings on the ship—the blood qi flows endlessly. If Xie Jinhuan can’t kill him in one strike, he won’t wear him down—he’ll hold out a while longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi, who had been filled with dread, now saw Xie Jinhuan even more ruthless than the demon bandit—she felt immense relief:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could he not kill him in one strike? With this, the demon bandit won’t last. If the elders in the city don’t come soon, he’ll slaughter us all…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Hou and Liu Qingzhi stood beside her; behind them followed ten Wu Zu soldiers and a few righteous volunteers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the titanic qi surging from the river’s center, all were struck with awe—they knew this was a clash between third-rank or higher masters, and both were hardened veterans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qingzhi turned, sword in hand, scanning the surroundings:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not sure. Should be soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This demon bandit better hold on—Lizhou’s people’s safety rests entirely on him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, if the demon bandit dies, who can stop Master Xie?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s sneak closer. If the demon bandit falters, we’ll distract Xie Jinhuan and buy time for the experts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Princess Changning dove into the river, slipping beneath the water; the others followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above the ship, another thunderous explosion rang out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1594,"2026-06-20T01:38:11.747Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5d795394f9fe1bda97476771e92670c9311f34855ae7cb0b3f7adfa5dc6a96b3","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-63","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-61",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]