Knife splashing

Chapter 701 Zhao Qingxu

How ridiculous!
Upon seeing these paper figures, Li Yan suddenly realized the absurdity and irony!

It's said that consuming "peaches of immortality" can reverse aging...

It's a complete scam!

This is a trick involving "debts in the underworld"!

In Taoism, the term "debt of the deceased" refers to the unfulfilled wishes of the departed soul in their previous life.

Perhaps it is emotional entanglement, broken promises, the sins of killing, deception, or the debts owed in the underworld due to interrupting sacrifices or blaspheming the gods. All of these can cause the soul to linger in the space between the living and the dead, making it difficult for it to rest, thus disturbing the fortune of the living.

Wang Daoxuan had explained this to him in detail.

But more often than not, it is merely a reflection of human nature.

Failure to fulfill filial duties to parents, indebted to friends for something, unintentionally hurting others...

Those unresolved knots and feelings of guilt gnaw at people's hearts day and night.

In this mortal world, who can be without regrets and unresolved issues?

Some people can let go, while others are deeply trapped in it, believing they are burdened with "karmic debts."

A knot in the heart needs a remedy for the heart.

Those with profound Taoist cultivation might use rituals to soothe people's hearts.

However, many charlatans use this as a way to make money.

However, sometimes, the concept of "karmic debt" is not unfounded.

The evil technique of the "Peach Banquet" that plunders the innate Qi of young boys comes at the cost of this real "debt of the underworld"!
A single peach, though granting a brief respite of youth, has already cost many young lives.

This is a forbidden law that goes against the natural order; how could it not be met with retribution?
Even the Qin Emperor and Emperor Wu of Han failed at the last minute, let alone ordinary people.

After consuming the "Peach of Immortality," "human-faced sores" will grow inside the internal organs, causing excruciating pain.

Only by using the numbing cream can the symptoms be slightly relieved.

Even more terrifying is the "karmic debt" incurred as a result.

The Jianmu demon who cast the spell naturally wouldn't take responsibility, so he shifted the blame onto the person who cast it.

Even in death, the souls of these powerful and wealthy are bound to this place, suffering endless torment and enduring the tearing and biting of the wronged souls of children.

The yellow paper pasted behind them was the "signature note".

Like a vulgar person who seeks protection in a desolate shrine, they offer their soul and incense to an evil god.

The price these powerful and wealthy individuals pay for "borrowing their names" is that they will not be freed even after death and will be condemned to eternal damnation!
Li Yan could "hear" the mournful cries coming from inside the paper doll.

The agonizing cries were even more heart-wrenching and desperate than those of the children.

Upon seeing this, a surge of rage, mixed with intense killing intent, exploded within Li Yan's chest.

Although he knew that evil magic was vicious, witnessing this hellish scene with his own eyes, with its naked cruelty and distortion, was still hard for him to accept.

At the same time, the Rabbit God's chariot in front suddenly stopped.

The vermilion sedan curtains rose on their own without any wind.

The plump, white figure, clad in golden chainmail and wearing a tiger-skin hat, slowly floated out of the sedan chair.

Its two long ears trembled slightly, and its dignified demeanor revealed an indescribable, somewhat eerie, festive joy.

"Clang, clang..."

The Rabbit God took out a string of celadon bells from his bosom and slowly shook them, his steps faltering.

Although the movements were somewhat clumsy, the sound of the bell was like a clear mountain spring, tinkling and flowing, dispelling the thick gloom around them.

Almost simultaneously, its monkey "servants" also responded.

These little things each took out gongs, drums, and suonas, and started playing them, shaking their heads and swaying their bodies. The noise was loud and jarring, yet it was a unique tune of its own.

Crash-!
Amidst the clamor of string and wind instruments, the enormous, eerie peach tree trembled violently, its branches and leaves swaying wildly.

Li Yan could see clearly that the child's face, embedded in the gnarled bark of the tree, suddenly twisted, showing extreme pain!
Seeing this, the Rabbit God seemed to be provoked into a fierce rage.

His enormous body circled the giant peach, his feet stepping on the seven stars, and the celadon bell in his hand jingled more and more rapidly!

Snap!
With a sharp crack, the face of a little girl at the very bottom of the peach tree, along with half of her neck, was torn off the bark by an invisible, immense force.

Blood and tears instantly welled up in her empty eyes, and her mouth opened wide in an unbelievable arc.

However, his tongue had already been pulled out by the roots, leaving only a bloody hole in his mouth!

The scene before me was like a nightmare, a plunge into an abyss.

"Eee-ya!"

Suddenly, the Rabbit God let out a mournful and high-pitched song, its plump white body twirling and spinning around the peach wood.

Finally, the girl's tormented soul was completely ripped from the tree, turning into faint fireflies that struggled to rise into the twilight sky.

Correspondingly, a large "peach" in the tree canopy quickly rotted and fell to the ground.

Please perform a ritual to guide them to the afterlife!

Li Yan finally understood, and carefully restrained his Qi, not daring to disturb him.

However, this process of deliverance is far from easy.

The smooth, porcelain-like body of the Rabbit God first lost its luster, then peeled off piece by piece, revealing the gray, decaying clay underneath.

The porcelain-like sheen on the surface quickly dissipated, and cracks spread like a spider web.

Li Yan was stunned.

This scene is so similar to the Great Luo Dharma Body!
Could there be some connection between them?
Before he could think any further, another dramatic change occurred on the field!

Two streams of thick, black liquid were seen flowing from the pupils of the fierce Queen Mother statue.

The gnarled peach tree roots suddenly began to writhe wildly like living creatures, like greedy serpents, and abruptly grabbed several paper figures standing still on the ground, stuffing them hard into the hole in the tree trunk exposed by the child's lingering soul.

In the blink of an eye, the cavity was filled with new "filler".

The twisted faces of those powerful figures at the "Peach Banquet"!

Li Yan knew that these peach eaters had now become "debt piles," nailed into peach wood, to suffer this soul-stripping punishment in place of the wronged child's soul!

These guys absolutely deserved it.

However, the Rabbit God's condition is already precarious.

After a brief period of treatment, a large area of ​​its glaze has peeled off.

Not only was the clay figure itself revealed, but the divine light emanating from it was also faint and about to extinguish.

Clearly, performing the ritual to guide the departed souls had greatly depleted this mortal deity's resources.

Li Yan hesitated for a moment, his expression turning serious.

He originally intended to search for the Jianmu demon and then find an opportunity to completely destroy this evil place, but that would inevitably cause the children in the tree to be terrified.

Now that we see the Rabbit God sacrificing his very essence to save a tiny soul, how can we stand idly by?

With this in mind, he no longer hesitated, revealed his figure, and tried to approach.

"Ya ya ya—!"

The group of monkey lackeys noticed the commotion and immediately dropped their instruments, squeaking and screaming as they rushed forward, blocking the way between Li Yan and Tao Mu.

"May I have a chance?"

Li Yan solemnly clasped his hands in greeting, his gaze passing over the monkey and meeting directly into the rabbit god's cloudy, weary clay eyes.

The Rabbit God swayed, dust falling from its mottled clay form, and finally stopped ringing the bell, its empty eye sockets staring intently at Li Yan.

Seeing nothing amiss, Li Yan didn't hesitate any longer. He lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped into the air to the peach tree.

His hands moved in a series of hand seals, his steps were like those of a celestial being, and he chanted the "Northern Emperor's Technique for Eliminating Calamities" rapidly.

"Qing Jia! Heaven saves humanity, and strictly controls the Northern Feng! The Divine Lord has received his mandate to sweep away all misfortune! The Eight Powers spew forth poison—"

As soon as the incantation was uttered, Li Yan sensed something was wrong.

He had already built a four-story building, which allowed wandering spirits to roam freely, but when he used his magic here, it was as if he were stuck in a quagmire, and its power was greatly reduced.

An indescribable oppressive force permeated all directions, far surpassing what it had been like in the charnel ground.

He had no time to think further. He focused his mind and transformed his hand gestures into sword fingers, then suddenly pointed at the peach tree.

"Edict!"

The innate malevolent energy from the underworld was drawn here.

Unlike the human world, what is seen here is exceptionally clear.

Pieces of darkness surged from the void, guided by the sword technique, and landed on the peach wood.

"Squeak—hiss!"

As if branded with a red-hot iron, the peach tree trembled violently, emitting a piercing shriek that made one's teeth ache and stood on end, like the hiss of a poisonous insect!
boom!
The pale, remnant souls of several children were forcibly torn from the tree by the raging Northern Emperor Fawei, turning into faint phosphorescent flames that rose into the sky.

But Li Yan's expression also changed drastically!
A vicious and malevolent curse, brimming with resentment, struck in an instant. It was so fast that there was no time to react.

Click!

A sharp pain spread throughout my body.

Li Yan's face was grim. His already battered Great Luo Dharma Body was now cracked and widened.

If you had been just one step later, a soul flame would have been extinguished.

He abruptly interrupted his incantation, staggered backward, and his gaze suddenly locked onto the ferocious statue of the Queen Mother of the West.

The source of the curse is this very thing!

Its fierce divine intent has merged with this Soul-Devouring Blood Peach.

This method of grafting the essence of the divine statue with the cursed evil wood was beyond his comprehension.

call--!
Just then, a biting cold wind rose up from behind without warning.

Li Yan's hair stood on end, and he suddenly spun around.

A dark shadow, shrouded in a heavy, deathly aura, appeared like an arrow and hovered in the air!

Its entire body was wrapped in a rotten, tattered, pitch-black cloak, its face hidden beneath the hood. Only a pair of pale, withered, giant claws with protruding joints protruded, tightly gripping a thick, long, rusty iron chain stained with dried blood.

The warrant in Li Yan's arms suddenly became scalding hot.

He is a night wanderer corrupted by demonic energy!

"Squeak~"

The monkeys scattered in fright, then hurriedly picked up the rabbit god with its faint aura.

Wow!
The Night Wanderer, corrupted by demonic energy, immediately flung out the iron chain in his hand.

This thing is none other than the Great Luo Divine Power "Soul-Hooking Rope".

This method is the most powerful for dealing with evil spirits and spirits.

The iron chains stretched rapidly through the air, but just as they were about to reach the Rabbit God, another iron chain came whistling through the air.

However, Li Yan's "Soul-Snatching Thunder Rope" also reveals its true form here.

Unlike his opponent, Li Yan had a dark iron claw at the front of his chains.

This is a fossil treasure left behind by an ancient night owl, which he refined into the Soul-Hooking Rope, making it even more powerful.

The iron claws flew, directly binding the opponent's soul-snatching rope.

Almost instantly, Li Yan felt a tremendous force coming from the air, and at the same time, the two iron chains tightened.

"Humph!"

Li Yan snorted coldly and urged his thoughts forward.

Zizi!

Lightning crackled and flashed above the iron chains.

The Night Wanderer, corrupted by demonic energy, froze instantly, black smoke billowing from his body.

"Come on!"

Li Yan gave a low shout, and the monkeys immediately carried the Rabbit God away.

Meanwhile, the "Night Wanderer" in the sky gradually broke free from the lightning, exhaling a cloud of black mist that spread along the Soul-Hooking Rope.

Li Yan knew that demonic energy was immortal and could not be destroyed by simple lightning magic.

Seeing that the Rabbit God's figure had disappeared, he gripped the talisman without hesitation and said in a deep voice:

"Heaven has its rules, earth has its order; the underworld collects souls, and the living must avoid it!"

In an instant, a fierce wind arose, and dark, ghostly energy emerged, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

But this time, the underworld troops did not come out.

Li Yan could feel a chilling aura suddenly descend upon him.

To capture the demonic energy, the arrival of underworld deities is inevitable.

Although he couldn't see the other person's appearance with his eyes closed, he could sense that this deity was at least ten feet tall.

Boom!Boom!Boom!
The ground trembled, and heavy footsteps echoed.

Immediately afterwards, a mournful and unwilling roar came from the air, along with the sound of chains breaking.

A fierce wind howled, the darkness quickly dissipated, and the demonic energy, along with the corrupted Night Wanderer, vanished without a trace.

Li Yan glanced at the peach tree behind him and frowned slightly.

He originally thought that the underworld god would take away all the evil things behind him, but the other party didn't bother with it.

It seems that he is the one who will save the souls of the deceased children.

Performing a ritual to deliver the deceased will inevitably result in a backlash from the curse of the Queen Mother's statue.

If we take direct action, the souls of innocent children will be hard to save.

I don't know if there's any other way...

Just as Li Yan was deep in thought, the feeling of impending death descended upon him once again.

He looked up and saw plumes of black mist rushing in from all four directions.

The remaining four demonic energies!
Li Yan grasped the talisman again, but did not utter the incantation.

Four dark figures occupied the four directions of the sky, completely surrounding him.

Meanwhile, on the opposite ruins, another figure appeared out of nowhere.

The other person was dressed in a green robe, with a graceful figure, holding a folding fan in his hand, but wearing a white mask on his face.

Wow!

With a flick of his wrist, the folding fan unfolded, revealing a large character for "money"!

More importantly, the other party was also holding a yellow brocade in his left hand.

It is the "Precious Proclamation of the Earth Official for Pardoning Sins"!
With this item, even if you summon the soldiers of the underworld, they will be temporarily driven away.

"Zhao Qingxu?"

Looking at the other person's figure, Li Yan's face darkened.

"It's just a name..."

A clear voice came from behind the mask, "Zhao Changsheng said you were a major threat and issued a kill order. Now it seems he is indeed remarkable, managing to find such a remote hiding place."

As he spoke, he looked around and said, "I'm very curious, what benefits have the Heavenly Court and the Underworld given you that make you work so hard? Is it just those magical tokens?"

Li Yan said coldly, "What's it to you!"

"Of course it is."

Zhao Qingxu wasn't angry. He waved the folding fan with the character "money" on it and said, "The world is bustling with people, all for profit. With your talent, it's a real pity to be a dog for those guys in the Great Luo Dharma Realm. You'd be better off joining my ranks."

Li Yan laughed and scoffed, "You're not worthy!"

"Hahaha…"

Zhao Qingxu reached into his robes and took out another item.

It was yet another "Edict of Pardon from the Earth Official"!
He joked, "Money can make the devil turn the millstone, even gods and immortals are no exception."

"This item is rare, yet we can obtain it so easily. Do you really think that everyone in the Heavenly Court is pure and abstinent?"

Looking at the two copies of the "Edict of Pardon from the Earth Official" in the other party's hand, Li Yan's heart sank.

No wonder this demon dared to show himself.

Even if he could buy time and summon Wen Lingguan with the Bingding Shenggui Talisman, the opponent could still avoid it.

Li Yan gritted his teeth and said, "Since we have this treasure, why are we making such a fuss!"

He had already decided to fight to the death, using divine transformation to become the God of Thunder.

"Not urgent."

Zhao Qingxu's tone was somewhat playful, "How about we make a deal?"

Li Yan asked in a deep voice, "What kind of deal?"

Zhao Qingxu looked at the peach tree behind him and said, "I am not confident that I can keep you here. This place is very good, and I am too lazy to leave. As long as you pretend that you do not know the layout of this place, I will hand Kong Hui over to you to complete the task."

Li Yan was taken aback. "Aren't you companions?"

"Companions? Hahaha..."

Zhao Qingxu laughed and said, "Human nature is inherently selfish; as long as the price is right, people are willing to sell out anyone."

"Even selling Zhao Changsheng isn't out of the question..."

(End of this chapter)