Chapter 435

This bone whistle is the false ascetic's natal magic item; beneath its bone-white bones lies a small section of cinnabar spirit bone.

The bone whistle unleashes terrifying mana by drawing power from the cinnabar spirit bone.

The false ascetic uses the bone whistle to control flocks of birds and corpses, the price being enduring the bone whistle's powerful backlash.

Earlier I wanted to ask Jin Wuya to engrave sutras on the bone whistle to suppress this backlash, but he failed; if we continued forcing the engraving, the bone whistle would likely be destroyed.

If we merely regard it as an evil artifact, destroying it would be destroying it, which would be doing heaven's work.

But it's clearly still useful to keep.

For instance, right now, facing the enemy's successive attacks, Dang Pu's core strength has already been seized by the formation array; to seize control of the "Luan" formation in one go, using the bone whistle is the most direct and most assured method.

I held the bone whistle in my mouth and briefly recalled the melody Liu Junyan taught me when she handed me the bone whistle.

At the moment the bone whistle sounded, everyone gasped.

That tune was gloomy and sharp, like someone slowly drilling a needle into the eardrum until it suddenly burst, after which the whole space instantly twisted incessantly, the world spinning.

Meanwhile, the flock of birds attacking from above instantly fell into chaos, crashing wildly.

It's obvious I lack practical experience; the first time I blew the bone whistle, my breath was unsteady and the pitch was off.

If it were the false ascetic, or even Liu Junyan blowing this bone whistle, they should be able to mobilize the "Luan" formation to counterattack.

I even recalled how the little novice monk, when he blew that nine-eyed heavenly bead, produced a constantly shifting melody whose effects were entirely different.

It seems that after this, if I can withstand the bone whistle's backlash, I still ought to study and learn more about it.

As I watched the birds be scattered in disarray, and Hu Sanjie also managed to stand up, a loud whistle sounded from not far away.

That whistle was like a command; the birds instantly found direction, then they continually circled above Dang Pu, various bird species interweaving in rows, layer upon layer overlapping and expanding downward, forming a tower-like roof over Dang Pu's main courtyard.

No, that isn't a roof; the more I looked at the birds' arrangement, the more familiar it seemed—it was… a well‑patterned ceiling?!

Yes.

It is the well‑patterned ceiling.

Back when I was on the second level of the Revolving Wheel Tower, I saw a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha; atop its head was a well‑patterned ceiling, multicolored, and the scene of countless birds forming above the main courtyard now is virtually identical.

The difference is that the well‑patterned ceiling in the Revolving Wheel Tower has a cover, whereas this one has no cover, so even raindrops can fall through the opening at the top.

I furrowed my brows, feeling something was off.

The next moment, I widened my eyes and shouted, "Qingying sister, run!"

The others couldn't leave, but Li Qingying was free.

If we are destined to perish together, getting one of us to escape counts as a gain.

Li Qingying, however, did not move; she stood firmly beside me.

Almost the instant I issued the warning, a huge white dragon head thrust through the opening of the "well‑patterned ceiling," letting out a dragon's roar that shook heaven and earth.

I only heard a ding, and the bone whistle in my hand shattered in response.

A powerful gust surged down from above, toppling me and Li Qingying, as well as the four people restrained by the formation array.

They fell to the ground, and each immediately clutched their chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.

They suffered internal injuries from the shock, but at least they were freed from the formation array's control and could move.

I grabbed Li Qingying and pulled her up; before I could reach for anyone else, I heard the clanking of iron chains striking.

I knew that sound all too well—it was the clatter of the Qiankun YuanYang Hook on the main hall's offering table.

Previously, Dang Pu was absolutely safe: first, its own formation array deterred intruders; second, Liu Junyan's presence kept ordinary filth at bay.

But after suffering several heavy damages, Dang Pu's formation array had already loosened, and Liu Junyan… my heart skipped; for them to dare move the Qiankun YuanYang Hook now, could it be that Liu Junyan's side is already undergoing tribulation and can no longer look after Dang Pu?

A flicker of worry crossed my mind, but it was quickly dispelled by the clashing of the Qiankun YuanYang Hook's iron chains, for I sensed it was about to emerge from the main hall.

I shouted, "Quick! Those who can move, get moving—run outward; if you can't run, crawl!"

Hu Sanjie and Hui Moqiong rose to their feet; Li Qingying helped Bai Shulan up; meanwhile, Huang Fan… he reverted to his true form, becoming a yellow-skinned creature, and swiftly leapt to crouch in the corner of the courtyard wall.

Although they instinctively retreated in all directions, nobody actually left.

I, however, took a few steps forward and extended my palm to meet the Qiankun YuanYang Hook charging out of the main hall.

I swiftly formed seals and chanted, summoning the Cangwu Dark Seal.

Countless roots shot out—some black, some green, and a third were blazing red.

They rose to meet the Qiankun YuanYang Hook, wrapping around it; in the blink of an eye, the roots seemed to have grown on the hook itself, the two suspended in mid‑air, pulling against each other with equal force.

What's more terrifying, during this process the fiery red roots clustered together, and tiny flames began to flicker.

As my shamanic incantation sped up and my seal‑making fingers flew, the small flames accumulated, spreading like a prairie fire until they engulfed the entire Qiankun YuanYang Hook.

Above us, the white dragon's massive head kept sinking down from the opening of the "well‑patterned ceiling."

Hu Sanjie's voice suddenly rang out: "It isn't a physical entity; it is formed by the mana of the bird array and this heavy rain condensing. To break it, there are two approaches: one, block the rain curtain; two, disperse the bird flock!"

I could hear Hu Sanjie analyzing and deploying.

Hearing her say that, my heart churned with countless thoughts.

The white dragon's head that just appeared is clearly the very one that chased me in Linghai before.

I said, it was perfectly fine—how could it possibly have run out of Linghai at this moment?

Turns out it isn't a solid body; it should be merely a condensation of dragon qi, aided by this rain and the bird assault.

Its purpose is to seize back the Qiankun YuanYang Hook and kill us.

The Qiankun YuanYang Hook is the natal magic item of the deity Yanlan; he has already taken one back, while another remains with me. This thing is extremely ferocious; when I first enshrined it in Dang Pu, even the filthy spirits dared not enjoy it.

Back then I only thought it was because too many human lives clung to it, making its yin‑evil qi too heavy; I never imagined it had another identity.

Today, if I can't hold on and let go, allowing this Qiankun YuanYang Hook to rampage indiscriminately, none of us present will survive.

Fortunately, I am not fighting alone.

The already overcast sky suddenly turned completely black.

The rain that had been pattering nonstop ceased, with not a single drop falling.

Waves of fragrance pressed down from above.

Even the Heaven and Earth Mandarin Duck Hook that opposed me, its explosive power wasn't that strong either.

Only then did I lift my head and look; what met my eyes was a expanse of fluffy, snow‑white…