[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-64":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},2281920,4463,"Chapter 64: Ghost Wall","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-64",64,"\u003Cp>Splash splash~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than a dozen personnel from Mudan Pond swam near the houseboat and found the earth-shaking noise had abruptly ceased; everyone froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo floated in the water, his heart full of anxiety as he stared at the suddenly silent boat deck:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why’s it silent now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning drifted before him, frowning tightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who won?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unclear. If the demon bandits won, they’ve already fled. If Xie Jin won, trouble’s huge.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone clearly realized the gravity of the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But without knowing the boat’s condition, they couldn’t slip away quietly—what if Xie Jin was badly wounded and could still be saved?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi wanted to go up and check, but as a witch, she dared not act rashly aboard; she could only ask:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning considered using her martial skill to sneak a glance, but before she could even touch the boat, she spotted Meiqiu diving from above and landing atop the deck, peering down:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gukji gukji~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the boat deck erupted in thunderous noise; a figure shot skyward, landing atop the bare central beam. He glanced at the giant bird, then swept his gaze left and right, then:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire river fell utterly silent!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi, submerged in water, saw Xie Jin above—her eyes blazed with excitement and desire, so intense she felt like fainting; her heart lurched:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No good—run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, a piercing shriek tore through the air above the deck, accompanied by a crisp, refined tone of Daqian elegance:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“F***ing ugly bastard, dare scare me?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than ten men burst from the water, brandishing blades and weapons, scattering in panicked flight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash splash—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi’s heart turned to ash; she’d assumed Xie Jin would catch her and torment her, but after running only a short distance, she realized her allure wasn’t that great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to look—and saw Xie Jin, brimming with murderous intent, completely ignoring the pale-faced Linghu Qingmo, Liu Qing, and others, charging straight toward Princess Changning’s direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, everyone froze in shock and immediately moved to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning drew her twin knives from her waist, utterly bewildered, screaming as she fled at full speed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why’s he chasing me? How did I scare him?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jia, the chief steward and loyal lackey, never left her side; his sly eyes darted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Jin thinks Your Highness is ugly and scared him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Qing and the ten Wang Fu Wu Zu were terrified, shouting from afar:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Steward Hou, don’t stand in front of the Princess—he’s coming for you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?! This brat’s blind as a bat...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though displeased, Hou Jia understood Xie Jin had bad eyesight and mistook him for the ugly monster; he immediately broke away from Princess Changning and shot across the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as expected!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin had just been startled into a shiver; now, seeing that face—terrifying, soul-shaking—his murderous aura surged. He spun and chased after Hou Jia, yelling as he ran:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dare scare me?! See where you run today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did I scare you?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jia used his two legs as four, sprinting desperately across the river, still shouting back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other dozen men turned at once and chased after Xie Jin, trying to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xie Jin’s explosive speed was already terrifying; now, like a madman, he left them dozens of zhang behind in an instant, closing in on Hou Jia’s rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his loyal lackey about to be slaughtered, Princess Changning clutched her twin knives, desperate but helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fortunately, ugly people have ugly luck—someone here could still rescue him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xie Jin raced full speed, terrifying Hou Jia into shrieking, he suddenly noticed the figure ahead had vanished!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a colossal figure sixteen chi tall appeared nearby, shoulder bearing a red umbrella, eyes taunting:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brat, weren’t you gonna cry for me? Come on~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he revealed a plump, fair, long leg, his hips swaying like a giant pendulum!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy shit?!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could Xie Jin withstand this? He drew his sword like a rabid dog and charged toward the ghost bride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom boom boom—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jia felt he was about to die, sighing, “Beauty always dies young,” when he saw Xie Jin suddenly turn and charge toward the empty river; his eyes widened:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s more like it—I knew this brat’s eyesight was bad and he mistook me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh whoosh whoosh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin moved at incredible speed, but only circled endlessly over the empty river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lin Wanyi and the others stared blankly; after tense moments, confirming no threat remained, they sank back into the water, floating where they were:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong with him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo didn’t understand either; after thinking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably a ghost wall—possessed during battle with witch cultists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning thought it plausible; she turned toward the houseboat:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go aboard first—save whoever you can!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone swiftly retreated toward the houseboat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo and Lin Wanyi, worried about Xie Jin’s condition, dared not stray far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, reinforcements from the city weren’t slow; soon, over a hundred armored Wu Zu arrived at the riverbank and sprinted toward the houseboat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment later, powerful wind howled from downstream; a white wave split the river, racing toward them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo glanced briefly, his eyes lighting up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Li Jing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi sighed in relief, hurriedly calling:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Li! Xie Jin took a Strength Surge Pill—knock him out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jing, the first test subject, knew the pill’s horror; he flew over:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How many dead?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The demon bandits are likely all dead; those aboard probably too. Why so late, Master Li?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Danwang Pavilion had a mishap—lured away by a decoy. Fortunately, casualties weren’t heavy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jing stared at Xie Jin circling; though confused by his madness, he quietly approached, preparing to knock him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unfortunately, he was still over ten zhang away when Xie Jin suddenly snapped awake, glancing left and right, then fixed his gaze on him and shouted in crisp, clear tone:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old bastard, dare steal my book!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slashed westward—like a flying immortal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jing, having been cursed by Mu Fuzi after taking the pill, didn’t mind at all; he explained to the juniors behind him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s drugged—insults everyone, no personal grudges involved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jia, loyal guard of the Princess, nodded vigorously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Li’s right—he’s delirious, babbling nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanyi and the others doubted it; after all, Xie Jin hadn’t insulted anyone else—they thought internally:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This “Strength Surge Pill” doesn’t fully scramble the mind—it knows targets: kills enemies first, then turns on allies...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad the pill that boosts power has terrible side effects—can’t be taken twice in short time. All in all, “Zi Su’s product—always garbage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jing, vice-principal of Danyang Academy, a true Grade One martial cultivator, could easily withstand Xie Jin—even if his power doubled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the instant they closed in, Li Jing blocked the green blade with his scabbard, his left hand striking like thunder toward Xie Jin’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jin, eyes blazing with frenzy, collapsed into the water...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the city, Danwang Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the recall signal was sent, many Danyang elders returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the demonic aura upstream had faded, the Danwang sighed in relief—but casualty reports hadn’t arrived yet; he paced anxiously, waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Hunli, Director of the Military Equipment Bureau, opened the lid of the Eight Trigrams Platform, crawled inside, inspected its intricate mechanisms and array patterns, muttering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone jammed the omnidirectional wheel, disrupting the array’s function. Mechanical arrays are inanimate—no matter how expensive, never blindly trust them. Next time something odd happens, always verify from multiple sources.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Wenyuan also realized there was a traitor in the Wang Fu, but many guests and servants had access to the Eight Directions Bright Array; finding the culprit wouldn’t be easy. He stood beside, holding a folding fan, watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eightfold Illumination Array has never failed before; the blood-evil aura from Ziwei Mountain was first detected by this array. No one expected that at such a critical moment, someone would use a feint to draw us away. We are merely mortals; our senses are far inferior to the Eightfold Illumination Array. To verify from multiple angles, we must first rush to Danyun Pass—and that may delay military orders…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Hunli fixed the jammed probe and stroked his beard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is simple. I’ll add a seal to the array so that when it alters its formation patterns, it must first verify the user’s spiritual signature to confirm identity. If it malfunctions, it can alert itself. The Eightfold Illumination Tower in the capital already has this seal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was clearly a good solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the drawback was that Xu Hunli had been invited to upgrade the capital’s Eightfold Illumination Tower and had charged thirty thousand taels for labor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Eightfold Illumination Array is simpler than the mother array. If Master Xu were to add the seal…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Hunli raised his hand and spoke solemnly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The core structure of mother and child arrays is identical, and the same principles apply—so the price must be the same. But considering Master Zhu’s long-standing support of the Academy, I’ll reluctantly offer a ten percent discount.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Zhu Wenyuan’s face turned green; he wanted to shout:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You old miser, have you crawled into a money pit? You just wave your hand and collect tens of thousands of taels—and you call that a sacrifice?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Duke of Dan was a high-ranking official. Though he thought Xu Hunli’s price was exorbitant, as one of the most reputable alchemists in Daqian, his reliability was unquestionable. After brief consideration, he interjected:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there’s a flaw, it must be fixed. If a demon truly wreaks havoc in the countryside and the Wang Fu misjudges it, the losses will far exceed thirty thousand taels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having secured the contract, Xu Hunli beamed with delight:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness truly cares for your people like a father. I shall return immediately to prepare—the array will be operational within seven days…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, Dianjun Tie Fengzhang leapt through the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing “Big Fool Zhang” return, the Duke of Dan’s face darkened with fury:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you died out there? As Dianjun, you only return now, after such a crisis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a loyal confidant, Tie Fengzhang felt no resentment at being scolded and immediately bowed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, please calm down! I went first to Huaijiang Bay and only returned after confirming the demon bandits were exterminated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Dan exhaled inwardly and asked urgently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What were the casualties? Did you save Xie Jinhuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Er…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tie Fengzhang’s expression was odd:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master Xie didn’t need rescuing—he saw no high-level reinforcements arrive in the city and no one guarding the Peony Pool, so he charged in alone and slaughtered every last demon aboard the ship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Dan stared in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Wenyuan and Xu Hunli were equally stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Wenyuan could hardly believe it: “That blood-evil aura, though not a sky-shaking demon, was at least third-rank. Xie Jinhuan killed them all… alone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tie Fengzhang’s eyes held no small measure of awe: “When I arrived nearby, I found the giant treasure ship shattered into pieces—I assumed Li Jing had done it. But after questioning the Wu Zu, I learned it was Xie Jinhuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to his beloved, Doctor Lin, Xie Jinhuan swallowed a ‘Spirit Surge Pill’ to save the entire ship’s civilians. She cried and tried to stop him, but he only said before leaving: ‘If I don’t come back, tell my father I didn’t shame him.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Duke of Dan clenched his fists, nearly moved to tears:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A loyal father, a valiant son—truly a family of heroes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Wenyuan sighed deeply: “The Spirit Surge Pill’s drawbacks far outweigh its benefits. Swallowing it means losing all sense of friend or foe, fighting alone to the death. If Xie Jinhuan fails to slay his enemies, he has no chance to retreat—he’s embraced death, prepared to sacrifice himself for righteousness! Even if he wins, it will be a pyrrhic victory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Dan’s heart tightened; he stepped forward two paces:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is Jinhuan’s condition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One red wound on the chest, internal organ damage, meridians and muscles crushed by excessive strain—no part of his body is unharmed. But over five hundred civilians aboard, half still breathe and are being treated. None of the Wu Zu, government office runners, or civilians were injured.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Had Xie Jinhuan not charged forward with sheer courage to block them, before the main Wu Zu force arrived, the demons would have already slaughtered the ship using blood sacrifice and escaped.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke of Dan slammed his right fist into his palm, paced twice, eyes blazing with fervor:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick! Find me the best physician, the finest elixirs! If this loyal subject suffers even a single lingering injury, I’ll flay you alive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Wang Fu’s Dianjun, Tie Fengzhang bore responsibility for the chaos in Danzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Jinhuan’s actions minimized losses to the greatest extent possible; Tie Fengzhang now wanted to kowtow to him and immediately dashed out to carry out orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Hunli, having listened to the account, stroked his beard with deep admiration:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a loyal son and worthy general—hard to find even with a lantern. If Xie Jinhuan had been wearing the ‘Ice Scale Armor’ I personally forged, his injuries wouldn’t be this severe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ice Scale Armor was a soft armor woven from Ice Soul Silk, a third-rank magic treasure, worth six thousand taels—nothing too expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Hunli, the patriarch of Daqian’s alchemy world, crafted his Ice Scale Armor with a one- to two-grade enhancement. Each suit was custom-made for one wearer; the labor cost alone exceeded six thousand taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Duke of Dan, consumed by emotion, didn’t think twice about spending—he waved his hand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reward him. A fine horse deserves fine saddle—how can a thousand-li steed wear a cloth robe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As the saying goes, a precious sword should be given to a hero—but armor without a weapon is useless…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reward him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As the saying goes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Xu!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Wenyuan also believed Xie Jinhuan deserved great reward, but this “Academy’s golden middleman” might talk the emotionally charged Duke into madness if not stopped—he stepped forward and pushed Xu Hunli’s shoulder:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The demons aren’t fully eradicated yet—the Eightfold Illumination Array must be deployed immediately. Master Xu, return to the Academy first to arrange things. I’ll send the silver to the Academy tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Hunli still wanted to say more, but was forcibly pushed out…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2411,"2026-06-20T01:38:11.747Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","4f6538947a0f2d5ca277904309f6bf998ba00bc143b2efc18ec7149b862839dd","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-65","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-63",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]