Knife splashing

Chapter 497 The Story of the Ghost Qiang

"It's a flying zombie, be careful!"

Yuntong of the Tiefo Sect roared.

Without him saying anything, others had already become alert.

Zombies are a large category of evil creatures.

There are many types and the causes of their formation are also different.

Some are classified into blood corpse, shadow corpse, flesh corpse, skin corpse, jade corpse, walking corpse, fake corpse, sweat corpse...

Some are divided into spirit corpses, gold corpses, silver corpses, purple corpses, white corpses, green corpses, incorruptible bones, flying corpses...

Flying zombies are undoubtedly the most terrifying of them all.

Some people say that this creature is a zombie that has transformed into a demon. It can kill immortals and swallow gods, walk like the wind, fly a thousand miles, and suck people's blood within a hundred steps.

Some people also say that this thing can be called the drought demon.

There are many legends about it, but few people have actually seen it.

Even these demon hunters are no exception.

"Quick, form a formation back to back!"

Yu Qing had the most experience and immediately gave the order loudly.

The other demon hunters understood what was going on and immediately retreated inward, holding bows, crossbows and spears, standing back to back, watching the movements in all directions.

"Form a circle!"

Captain Liu also shouted loudly.

Although the soldiers of the garrison were all ordinary people, they were better trained. They immediately formed a circle, with spears and halberds like a forest, and muskets pointed outward.

This is the circular formation used by the army in combat.

"Sun Bin's Art of War - Ten Formations" says: "There are ten formations: square formations, circular formations... The circular formation is used for defense."

"槫(zhuan)" means "to be a group", which indicates that the circular formation is mainly a defensive formation used to resist enemy attacks.

This kind of formation is also usually used when one is in dangerous situations.

With their comrades standing back to back and muskets in hand, the soldiers finally felt a little safe.

"Master Youji, do you have any solution?"

Yu Qing asked in a low voice among the crowd.

As the saying goes, he is well-informed and has the highest level of skill among the monster hunters. He is more aware of how powerful Wang Daoxuan is, but he is not as shameless as Chen Sanbang and the others to curry favor with them.

Wang Daoxuan looked around and said in a deep voice, "This flying zombie is extremely fast. We didn't find it just now, which means it is good at hiding its aura."

"There are too many trees here, let's find an open area!"

After hearing this, Yu Qing frowned slightly and looked towards the village entrance.

As the sun set, fog rose in a short period of time, making it difficult to see anything, indicating that the evil place of the trapped dragon had been fully activated.

Even if he used the forbidden step, it would be difficult to escape.

"Let's go, form a formation and enter the village!"

He gave the order without hesitation.

Captain Liu on the opposite side also looked at Yun Tong, and when he saw him nod, he ordered his soldiers to form a formation and move towards the village.

Suddenly, the two soldiers stopped.

"Ho ho..."

Their faces were filled with fear and strange phlegm-like sounds came from their mouths.

The people nearby turned their heads and were immediately horrified.

The two men were seen trembling all over, their eyes quickly becoming bloodshot, their mouths open, and tiny beads of blood oozing from the tips of their tongues and their eyes and nasal cavities.

There was a strong wind blowing all around, and the blood beads were sucked away by a force and floated towards the depths of darkness.

"Over there, fire!"

Captain Liu shouted angrily and gave the order immediately.

Boom boom boom!
Suddenly, there was a continuous roar of musketry.

They are no match for the Shu Palace's musketeers.

The musket is just the most common fire gun. These things were eliminated by the Daxuan Shenjiying many years ago.

With the new muskets, they were distributed to the garrisons in various places.

Secondly, there is no method, just shooting randomly.

But even so, the dense muskets were quite powerful.

"Roar-!"

An inhuman roar was heard in the dense forest.

Then the sound of swaying branches faded away.

Plop! Two soldiers also fell to the ground, their faces pale, blood gushing out of their seven orifices, and they were no longer breathing.

"Go, let's go!"

Captain Liu was so angry that his eyes were about to burst out and he quickly gave orders.

It's not like he hasn't seen zombies before. All kinds of strange things have happened on the battlefield.

But such brutality is unheard of.

Without paying attention to the two corpses on the ground, everyone continued on their journey. Fortunately, after the flying zombie was scared away, it did not continue to attack.

We had a safe journey and finally entered the village.

The village was built on the mountainside, with many earthen slopes and stone steps. The houses, large and small, have all been abandoned. It looks messy, but there seems to be a certain pattern to it.

They came to an open platform halfway up the mountain in the village.

The terrain here is open and there are no obstructions around. The nearest house is more than a hundred meters away. The ground is paved with bluestones. I don't know what method was used, but the grass is very sparse.

Everyone deployed their troops and defended carefully.

At this distance, even if the flying zombie launches a sneak attack, it can still be seen.

"Well, let's stay here in the threshing floor until daybreak!"

Captain Liu looked around and gave orders in a deep voice.

He already felt a little regretful at this moment.

What you regret is not coming here. Soldiers eat the emperor's food and earn military merits. Without any background or support, you have to fight with swords and guns everywhere.

What he regretted was that he was too anxious and afraid that the rebellious monster would escape, so he entered the village in the evening, but he didn't expect to encounter these things.

"My Lord, this is not a threshing floor."

A flag bearer next to him saluted and said, "This is the forum."

"I am from a Qiang village. Every village has this 'discussion platform'. Whenever there is an important event, the 'village chief' and 'village elders' will call together all the adult males in each household to participate. Everyone can speak. It is called 'Ermuzibaba' in Qiang language."

"Well, focus."

Captain Liu frowned, obviously not caring.

He was having a headache at the moment and had no time to care about the local customs and practices.

But Wang Daoxuan, who was behind, seemed to be thinking about something when he heard it.

This place is not suitable for building a village. Even the land cannot be used for farming, let alone a threshing ground.

But it can last for so long, it must have been supported by external materials.

Thinking of this, Wang Daoxuan whispered to Yu Qing beside him.

Yu Qing nodded, walked to Captain Liu, and said with a bow, "Master Liu, Taoist Youji wants to talk to this military officer."

Captain Liu frowned slightly, but did not stop it.

Although he doesn't understand magic, he can read people's expressions.

He could also see just now that these monster hunters were very respectful to the Taoist priest and were willing to listen to his advice.

After the small flag was brought over, Wang Daoxuan asked with a smile: "I heard from this military officer that this is the Qiang village?"

"I dare not. I am Vasaj."

The little flag quickly bowed.

Wasaji is a common name among the Qiang people, meaning a boy born in the year of the monkey.

Wang Daoxuan nodded slightly and continued to ask: "Have you ever seen this kind of local custom in your Qiang village?"

Xiaoqi looked around and shook his head, saying, "We Qiang people have 'Shibi', which means Duangong in Chinese. It says that we should live facing the sun and live in a place where the sun shines, then the White Stone God will bless us."

"Oh?"

Wang Daoxuan quickly asked, "Can you tell me about this White Stone God?"

The little flag nodded and said, "Shibi often tells us a story about the battle between Qiang and Ge."

"We Qiang people are also descendants of Yan and Huang, descendants of King Yu. After the Shang Dynasty destroyed the Xia Dynasty, we were forced to migrate south. We fought with the 'Goki people' here. According to the instructions of God, we defeated the 'Goki people' with white stones. Since then, white stones have been sacred objects."

"In every Qiang village, every household worships the White Stone God. We have a saying that goes, 'A stone-built building has a stable foundation, with three white stones on top.' As long as there is the protection of the White Stone God, there will be no disturbance from evil spirits." "I see..."

After hearing this, Wang Daoxuan became even more confused.

He originally thought that this was some secret arrangement of the Dragon Worshiping Cult, but now it seems that it is not the case.

An abandoned Qiang village was deliberately built in this evil place. What was the Dragon Worshiping Cult doing here?
Wang Daoxuan's heart moved, he looked into the distance, and said in a deep voice: "On the way here, did you see a house dedicated to Bai Shi?"

"That's what I'm going to say."

Xiaoqi said solemnly, "This village is made of stone houses. It is indeed an ancient Qiang village, but there is no White Stone God enshrined there. And it was built in this place. There is definitely something strange."

"You don't have to say that."

A demon hunter nearby was listening intently and said speechlessly: "This is a damn evil place. Only ghosts would live here."

"It's a ghost!"

The little flag swallowed his saliva and said, "I suspect this is the legendary ghost Qiang in the story of 'Shibi'."

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

"During the Qiang-Ge war, there was a type of Goki people who were very scary. They were short and strong, with protruding eyes and tails. They were like demons, could use magic, and turned into demons after death."

"Some of the 'Shibi' among the Qiang people united and stopped worshipping the White Stone God. Instead, they transformed themselves into ghosts to suppress the wronged souls of the 'Goki people.'"

"I have been to many Qiang villages and heard stories about the 'Ghost Qiang', but no one knows where it is."

These words made Wang Daoxuan even more confused.

The Qiang people are also an ancient tribe.

Just as this small flag said, they are also descendants of Yan and Huang, related to Dayu, and dependent on Xia. Later, they were attacked by Shang, and in the Battle of Cutting Shang, they cooperated with Zhou to destroy Shang.

Those ancient tribal feuds have become nothing more than legends.

According to what this small flag said, the Qiang-Ge War should have taken place during the Shang Dynasty. It is estimated that it has been many years since the Gui Qiang tribe made such arrangements here.

How is it related to the Dragon Worship Cult again?

Bang!
At this moment, a roar suddenly sounded in the north of the village.

This shot immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Yu Qing raised his head quickly and said solemnly: "Chen Sanbang and his men don't have guns, there are other people here!"

"It must be the evildoer behind this!"

Captain Liu's eyes lit up as well. He walked over and said through gritted teeth, "Ordinary guns don't make this sound. It's a new-style musket!"

As he said this, his heart was pounding.

The evildoers let zombies haunt them, and there are new firearms...

This is a big fish caught!

Yu Qing frowned when he heard this and shook his head, saying, "They probably encountered a flying zombie. That thing is a threat. We'd better not move."

When Captain Liu heard this, he felt a little unwilling.

Everyone could see how terrifying the flying zombie was just now.

He knew that without the help of these demon hunters, he would only be in danger if he went to capture people rashly.

Not only might the person not be caught, but many lives might also be lost.

But soon, he smiled.

boom! boom!
I heard two more gunshots in the distance.

And the distance is getting closer.

"Quick, set up an ambush, get ready!"

Captain Liu immediately gave the order.

Both soldiers and monster hunters immediately dispersed and hid.

The power of the new firearms is now known to everyone.

No one dares to confront head-on, so it’s best to set up an ambush.

Sure enough, not long after, dense and chaotic footsteps were heard in the distance, accompanied by flashes of fire and continuous screams.

Soon, these people appeared on the opposite side.

There are more than 30 people in total, and their composition is very diverse.

There were monks and Taoists, as well as ferocious-looking gangsters, and even seven or eight hunters dressed as villagers.

Chen Sanbang and several monster hunters who were trapped here were also in the team, but their weapons were taken away and their hands were tied with hemp ropes.

These people did encounter flying zombies.

In the flickering firelight, Wang Daoxuan and others finally saw clearly.

The flying zombie was not tall, with disheveled hair and black skin. Its clothes were rotten and turned into messy strips of cloth mixed with mud, making it impossible to recognize its appearance.

This evil creature was incredibly fast, its body was stiff, and it was emitting billowing black smoke as it flashed back and forth on the ruins.

Every time it passes through the air, someone will be grabbed and torn to pieces.

Among these people, there was also a sorcerer holding a magic fire gun, but he could not capture any trace of the flying zombie and could only fire randomly.

"There's an ambush ahead!"

One of the Taoists suddenly shouted.

Obviously, he had discovered everyone through his magical powers.

Without any escape techniques or formations, and with so many garrison soldiers, there was no way to hide from the sorcerer with supernatural powers.

One of the scarred men immediately put a knife to Chen Sanbang's throat and shouted, "Listen up, anyone who dares to move, I will kill him immediately."

They were being chased by flying zombies and had no way to go. Even if there was an ambush, they could only run quickly to the meeting ground.

This area is open and more suitable for defense.

These people also formed a formation with their backs to each other.

Among them was a lama, holding a demon-subduing pestle, which he suddenly thrust into the ground. He then sat cross-legged, made seals with his hands, and chanted something non-stop.

The sound of chanting was exceptionally deep, echoing in the night sky.

"Tongue power!"

When Wang Daoxuan saw this, he immediately became alert.

When the tongue ability is cultivated to a high level, it can have a blessing effect on mantras. This lama should also be at the third level of Taoism.

And Yun Tong of Tiefu Temple's eyes suddenly became sharp.

"It's the evil monk Dorje!"

Captain Liu asked quickly, "Who is this person?"

Yun Tong said in a deep voice: "He is a monk of the Tibetan Flower Sect, born in Sakya Monastery. He broke the precepts and apostatized from the sect, so he came to Shu to stir up trouble and has been wanted by the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Some time ago, the evil sect in the southwest was causing trouble in Dujiangyan. This person was also involved. No wonder there was no news about him later. It turns out that he ran here to cause trouble!"

Captain Liu seemed to understand these words, but he realized one thing: the big fish they caught this time could eat them if they were not careful.

The secret monk Dorje chanted loudly. Although no one could understand his language, the flying zombie was affected and also roared, seeming to be in pain.

Boom! Boom!
Two people in the team immediately opened fire.

The new musket was extremely powerful. With a loud bang, the flying zombie was unable to dodge and its right arm exploded and shattered.

"Roar--!"

With a shrill roar, the flying zombie quickly disappeared into the darkness.

"shot!"

As soon as the flying zombie left, Captain Liu immediately gave the order.

The surrounding soldiers were already prepared and opened fire.

Bang bang bang!
For a moment, fire burst out.

Chen Sanbang and his brothers were smart enough to fall to the ground the moment they heard the gunshot.

However, these people did not expect that even though they had captured hostages, the soldiers from the imperial guards would still shoot without hesitation.

Suddenly, seven or eight people were shot and fell to the ground.

“Om Benjarsattva Hum!”

The monk suddenly let out a loud roar.

The soldiers who were firing around suddenly felt a buzzing in their ears, their vision became blurred, and their hearts tightened.

Those people took advantage of the situation to escape, jumping off the meeting ground and landing on the still intact stone tower below.

At this moment, the cloth bag behind one of them was shot by a crossbow arrow fired by the monster hunter.

Bang, bang, bang!
An object fell down.

It was a strange golden mask, quite old, with eyes bulging outwards.

If Li Yan were here, he would have discovered that this object was very similar to the Sanxingdui gold mask...

(End of this chapter)