Chapter 273

In a moment, the Hutou Gou villagers who had originally run from all directions to the vicinity of the Wang Family to watch the excitement, after listening to the conversation between Cheng Yong and Wang Lin,

More accurately, it was hearing Wang Lin say that Xuanqing Daozhang had once been defeated by a monster, and the monster now forcefully breaking into the Wang Family is precisely the one that had previously defeated Xuanqing Daozhang.

Unable to suppress the fear in their hearts any longer, they fled in all directions like birds and beasts.

Preparing to go home, they fled toward Qingyang County Seat.

This is not them overreacting; it is the monster's brutality. They often learn from rumors that they have enjoyed many years of peaceful days, which is because Xuanqing Daozhang has settled in the surrounding area.

Now even Xuanqing Daozhang is no match for that monster; if that monster were to escape from the formation Xuanqing Daozhang set up at the Wang Family,

No need to think; likely the entire Hutou Gou will have nothing good to eat.

Perhaps Hutou Gou will end up with corpses strewn across the field!

They had better, while Xuanqing Daozhang's formation still traps the monster, quickly flee Hutou Gou, run to the county seat, and perhaps still save their whole family's lives.

After Cheng Yong finished speaking, he also dared not stay longer, and just as he was preparing to turn and leave, he saw Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua standing still in place, saying, 'Old Brother Wang, Elder Sister Zhang, why aren't you running?'

'Run?'

Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua seemed to have heard some joke, they gave a self‑mocking laugh and said, 'Dongzhu and Ping'an are still at home; they haven't left yet, so why should we go? And if anything happens to them, there's no point in us staying alive.'

'Old Brother Wang, Elder Sister Zhang, Dongzhu and Ping'an are indeed inside, but isn't Xuanqing Daozhang still in there? Xuanqing Daozhang will surely protect them; you'd better come with me and run to Qingyang County Seat first.'

Cheng Yong spoke these words even he didn't believe, but he hadn't forgotten that Wang Lin had personally said just now that Xuanqing Daozhang had suffered a defeat.

Don't look at the fact that the monster is now trapped in the formation; listening to one muffled explosion after another, it is obvious that the monster is destroying the formation.

The formation can trap the monster for a while, but it cannot trap it for a lifetime.

Without the formation's help, Xuanqing Daozhang is very likely to suffer a second defeat at the monster's hands.

With Xuanqing Daozhang's abilities, he might perhaps escape with his life, but that monster was drawn here by their family's Ping'an, and no matter what it will not let their Ping'an flee.

Their family's Dongzhu would bring their family's Ping'an along to search for treasures; she would never abandon their Ping'an.

Afterwards.

What will happen is obvious.

'Village Chief, you don't need to persuade me; you should still take your whole family and flee to Qingyang County Seat!'

Wang Lin smiled and did not take Cheng Yong's false words to heart.

His eyes aren't blind either; how could he not see that the spirit turtle above his home clearly shows cracks, having suffered a fierce attack from the monster? It won't be long before the spirit‑turtle formation is destroyed by that monster.

Cheng Yong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing that both Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua had made up their minds—clearly they would not abandon Liu Dongzhu and Wang Ping'an to survive in disgrace—the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

'Old Brother Wang, Elder Sister Zhang, take care!'

Cheng Yong let out a faint sigh, rose, and left.

He is the Village Chief of Hutou Gou; his greatest responsibility is, before danger arrives, to notify all the villagers of Hutou Gou to flee; as for resolving the danger…

Sorry, he doesn't have that ability!

He respects Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua's choice, but asking him to stay here and wait for death is something he cannot do.

Wang Lin and Zhang Guihua exchanged a glance, paid no heed to Cheng Yong's departure, and in unison said, 'Old lady/old man, our family likely has to go report to the Yama King, which means suffering for our family's Dongzhu and Ping'an.'

Dongzhu has run into that beast, and Ping'an has only just come into this world not long ago, hasn't even properly seen it yet, and now they have to go report to the Yama King again. We hope our grandson will be reborn into a good family in his next life and not come back to suffer in our family.

'How could this be, how could this be?'

Xuanqing Daozhang's face was extremely solemn; he never expected that, after using every ounce of his knowledge again and again, employing one powerful spell after another, he actually could not wound Hu Meiniang, who was trapped by the spirit‑turtle formation.

Although.

Monsters are mostly known for their strong, sturdy bodies, and their physiques are terrifying, but Hu Meiniang is a fox demon who cultivates that kind of yin‑yang absorbing technique.

No one expected that her fleshly body would still be this terrifying.

However.

Xuanqing Daozhang had no time to worry that his own spells could not wound Hu Meiniang; his gaze was mostly on the sky, fixed on the spirit turtle that was about to shatter, his face and eyes filled with panic.

The spirit‑turtle formation is a high‑level array; when he finished setting it up at the Wang Family, he felt quite pleased, thinking that even if it couldn't permanently trap Hu Meiniang, it could at least hold her for three or five days.

Who would have thought…

Not to mention three or five days, there isn't even a full day; one can see that Hu Meiniang is about to destroy the spirit‑turtle formation he set up.

In this novel, you have arrived.

If.

If Hu Meiniang had found the weak point in the spirit‑turtle formation he set up, that would explain why she destroyed it so quickly; he might have felt somewhat relieved, but he never expected that Hu Meiniang was relying solely on brute force.

This is a reality he is unwilling and unable to accept no matter what!

One must know that the spirit‑turtle formation is renowned for its defensive power; countless arrogant cultivators have suffered defeat before it.

'Dongzhu, this place is no longer safe; quickly take Ping'an and leave here!'

Xuanqing Daozhang, out of the corner of his eye, saw Liu Dongzhu in the bedroom beside the window, holding Wang Ping'an and peeking out; he hastily shouted, but before he could finish his words, a deafening explosion rang out.

It was the spirit‑turtle formation he had set up at the Wang Family, destroyed by Hu Meiniang's sheer force.

Xuanqing Daozhang looked at the courtyard, where Hu Meiniang was surrounded by monstrous aura; a flash of determination crossed his eyes, and he said solemnly, 'I will hold off that fox demon; you take Ping'an and run to the county seat!'

'Daozhang, you, you, you take care!'

Liu Dongzhu watched Xuanqing Daozhang walk toward Hu Meiniang as if facing death, her voice trembling as she held Wang Ping'an and left.

She stayed in the bedroom for so long, hiding by the window to watch Hu Meiniang trapped in the formation, not because she believed Xuanqing Daozhang thought that, even if he couldn't slay Hu Meiniang, the spirit‑turtle formation could at least drive her away.

Although.

She had once thought that herself!

She did not flee because she feared that Hu Meiniang outside still had other means to deal with her; the terror of Hu Meiniang was deeply imprinted in her very marrow.

Only by staying beside Xuanqing Daozhang could she barely feel any sense of safety.

If it were not a moment of utter desperation, she would neither want nor dare to stray far from Xuanqing Daozhang.

'Old Daoist, your turtle formation isn't anything special!'

Hu Meiniang savors the flavor.

(End of chapter)