Knife splashing

Chapter 737 A Sudden Visitor

Rumble!
The heavy church doors collapsed backward.

Four skilled officers from the Commandery instantly entered the area. Two of them held swords and looked around, while the other two leaped and rolled over, crouching as they stood up, holding muskets.

The group has both ranged and melee combat skills, which is enough to handle most situations.

People in this world are definitely not that stupid.

Drawing on his past life's experience, Li Yan immediately devised tactics for his squad after the advent of new gunpowder. Although the imperial court was slow to react, it continued to experiment.

For example, the Sharpshooter Team of the Commandery is specifically designed to deal with Grandmasters.

The church hall remained dimly lit, with flickering torches and a pungent smell of spices masking a faint stench of decay.

A large group of men in black were kneeling densely in front of the altar of the deity.

Hearing the commotion, the men in black did not panic. Instead, they silently stood up and turned around, their faces pale, their eyes dark and indifferent, and their skin covered with large ulcers.

Swish swish!
Several people suddenly produced short knives and rushed towards the door.

"Something's not right with them, make your move!"

The officers from the Commandery were also experienced and immediately opened fire.

boom!
Guns roared, and smoke filled the air.

The two cult members at the front were beaten to a pulp on the spot.

But the remaining people seemed to be possessed, their bodies twisting strangely, and they scattered instantly in an animalistic crawling posture. Some climbed the walls, some jumped onto stone pillars, and some even hung upside down on the roof, rushing towards the group from all directions.

Despite this bizarre situation, the officers of the Commandery remained completely calm.

"retreat!"

At the leader's command, the men immediately began to exert force with their feet.

The floor tiles shattered with a crack, and they were sent flying backward by the force of the impact.

It turned out that the people who entered were all masters of internal strength.

As soon as they leaped out of the gate, they immediately scattered, while the musketeers outside, who had already lined up in formation, pulled their triggers in unison.

boom! boom! boom!
Gunfire continued, and the dozen or so cult members who rushed out were also killed without a trace.

If others encountered such a bizarre situation, they would likely be terrified and suffer heavy casualties, but the members of the Duwei Division under Luo Mingzi's management were already used to it.

Moreover, there were Taoist priests from the Enforcement Hall providing backup.

"Master, what should we do?"

On the wooden frame high up in the church, the samurai Sanada asked in a low voice.

They have arrived, but they are left with no support.

"This place is surrounded. Let's use our escape techniques to get out!"

Yu Yiyuan, attending to the coffin, gave the order without hesitation.

As he spoke, he bit his thumb, drawing a nine-character seal on his palm: Lin, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Zai, Qian. Simultaneously, he rapidly chanted in Japanese: "Heaven and earth are in darkness, dust and wind vanish. Earth spirits pave the way, wood spirits shift their forms—"

This is the secret mantra of escape techniques recorded in the Japanese book "Mansenshukai".

As for the samurai such as Sanada, they simultaneously threw out "ground dust," a mixture of ashes and cinnabar, causing a grayish-yellow smoke cloud to rise from the ground instantly.

This is the "Earth Spider Technique" of the Iga school of Toyo (Eastern Japan) from the book "Seininki".

The group worked together to perform a large-scale escape technique. The essence of this technique was to use the evil energy of the filth to cover the yang energy of the living, making the practitioner hide underground like an insect.

Led by Yu Yiyuan, who served as the coffin attendant, they jointly performed magic, which was also the source of their confidence in infiltrating the Divine Land.

Call ~
Dust rose from the ground, and everyone had vanished.

At the same time, a cloud of dust rushed into the dark alley behind the church and spread outwards.

Ring ring ring!
Just as the gray smoke was about to cross the street, a continuous tinkling of copper bells suddenly rang out from the street corner.

"Humph!"

A Taoist priest from the Law Enforcement Hall on the street let out a cold laugh, waved his law flag, and the "Soul-Startling Banner" adorned with five Emperor coins immediately rattled loudly.

The sound surged with the Qi, like a large net surrounding all directions.

The dust and smoke that had been billowing on the ground immediately dissipated like boiling water poured on snow.

puff!
Several warriors stumbled out, revealing their figures, black blood seeping from their mouths and noses.

This is the consequence of the backlash from the escape technique.

A layer of murky black spots appeared on the Hundred Demons Entangling Blade of the deputy leader Sanada, and the wails of vengeful spirits could be heard in the air.

As Yu Yiyuan attended to the coffin, the "nine-character cutting mark" on her palm turned charred black, and her finger bones were strangely broken in the opposite direction.

This is also a backlash, as the saying goes, "Those who use the escape method against the natural order will inevitably suffer the bite of the finger by evil spirits."

"How dare these petty foreign tricks cause trouble in China!"

Tian Qianhu emerged from the morning mist with a cold laugh.

He had been besieged and attacked by the Japanese in the south, so he naturally wanted to vent his anger this time. Without hesitation, he waved his hand and ordered, "Kill!"

Suddenly, the clicking of the crossbow's mechanism rang out like a sudden downpour.

This is also a treasure of the Commandery. All the arrows are made with peach wood shafts and wrought iron blades, with arrowheads engraved with evil-dispelling cloud patterns, specifically designed to deal with mystical sorcerers.

The crossbow bolts tore through the air, weaving a web of death.

The samurai leader, Sanada, drew his sword with a fierce roar. The blade was shrouded in a dark purple aura of resentment; it was the "Hundred Demons Entangling Blade," a magical weapon of his lineage.

He moved his feet left and right alternately, wielding the knife in both hands like a bolt of lightning.

Dangdang Dangdang!
As the blade flashed, arrows flew, and the others took the opportunity to rush forward.

These Japanese samurai were all fierce and brave men, and they knew they had no choice but to fight to the death.

"Can you leave?"

The Hall of Enforcement not only houses Taoist priests, but also practitioners of other magical lineages.

A young man wearing a small hat smiled slightly, then suddenly took out the Wenwang Drum from behind him, and started playing and dancing while singing.

"The old immortal sits firmly in the Hall of Gathering Souls, with foxes, weasels, white foxes, willows, and gray foxes suppressing all directions. At midnight, he tells me to go east, for a malevolent star will fall upon your head!"

Not only that, but he also shook his head, squatted and stomped the ground, as if he were possessed by something.

"Master Huang, holding a lamp, illuminates the soul's shadow; the seven spirits are nailed to the soul-guiding banner."

To other people, the singing didn't sound like anything special.

But to many Japanese people, it sounded like something that would upset them and make their blood boil.

Sanada, who was the first to be hit, was momentarily stunned.

puff puff!

Two crossbow bolts pierced his shoulder blades in an instant.

"Protect the Dharma Master!"

Sanada is quite loyal; even after the demon sword landed, he didn't forget to remind her.

But before he could finish speaking, he was shot and his head exploded.

"Dharma Master, leave quickly!"

The remaining warriors also frantically blocked the coffin of Yu Yiyuan.

As for Yu Yiyuan serving at the coffin, she was equally miserable.

He had just been affected by the escape technique, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The ancient sword "Moon Coffin" in his arms was trembling violently, and frost was spreading from the gaps in the scabbard as he tried his best to suppress it.

"Break his legs!"

Upon seeing this, Luo Mingzi immediately gave the order.

This group of Japanese people committed many crimes in the capital and naturally could not escape death, but they were clearly connected with Jianmu, so it would be best to capture them alive for interrogation.

But at this moment, something strange happened.

From the shattered church doors, more than ten priests with jet-black eyes roared and charged out!
They had oilcloth bags tied around their chests, which were hissing and emitting smoke.

"retreat!"

Commander Tian hastily ordered a change in formation. However, it was too late.

Amidst the deafening roar, black smoke billowed, and deep craters were blasted into the bluestone streets.

The stench of minced meat, carrying a menacing aura, splattered everywhere.

The encirclement of the Commandery was breached by the explosion, and several soldiers were affected. Although they were not injured, their bodies were covered in foul-smelling grease that was burning fiercely.

Soon, the soldiers collapsed to the ground, their bodies turning purple and convulsing.

"It's a Nanyang Fire Bomb! Be careful!"

Upon seeing this, Tian Qianhu's expression changed drastically.

The Xuan Dynasty developed a new type of gunpowder, which was very effective on the southeastern battlefield. How could this not attract the attention of the surrounding foreign states?
Even after the gunpowder formula was leaked, research continued.

This "corpse fire thunder" is one of them. It combines Southeast Asian black magic with corpse oil from graveyards. Although it only uses ordinary gunpowder, it is exceptionally difficult to deal with.

Corpse oil is highly poisonous; even a single drop will kill an ordinary person.

Clang!
In the chaos, Yu Yiyuan, holding the coffin, gritted her teeth and pulled out the ancient sword.

His family has worshipped the spirit "Yu Yiyuan" for generations.

The ancient sword "Moon Coffin" is both a seal and a container.

Chichi~
As the ancient sword was drawn, a large amount of white, cold mist surged outwards.

In an instant, snowflakes fell from a radius of ten feet, and ice crystals formed on the ground.

Amidst the swirling fog of wind and snow, the silhouette of a woman, blurred by the flying snowflakes, could be vaguely discerned.

This is the demon goddess "Yu Yiyuan".

In some parts of Japan, she is also known as Yuki-onna (Snow Woman).

This method was used to wipe out the small squad of the Commandant's Division in the outskirts of the capital.

Two Taoist priests from the Enforcement Hall nearby were unable to dodge in time and were instantly frozen into ice sculptures that shattered!

Yu Yiyuan, who was serving at the coffin, had a deathly pale face, blue pupils, and no expression.

He has been possessed by a demon, and "Yu Yiyuan" also uses him to cast spells.

"evil creature!"

In the distance, the old man's shout was as loud as thunder.

At the top of a teahouse on the street corner, an old Taoist priest in a purple robe stood with his hair and beard bristling.

It was none other than Zhang Ruochen, the Imperial Preceptor who was stationed at Longhu Mountain in the capital region.

Zhao Qingxu's identity has been verified, and Longhushan is guilty of negligence. They cannot pretend to be ignorant for both public and private reasons, so they were also invited to participate in this event.

He snorted coldly and took out a bronze seal from his sleeve. The seal knob was decorated with a coiled dragon and engraved with the four characters "Du Tian Lei Huo". It was clearly a inherited magic artifact of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

The old Taoist priest took out his ritual implements and began chanting incantations and performing magic on the rooftop.

zizi~
Tiny arcs of electricity emanated from the space around the coffin of the possessed Yu Yiyuan.

True thunder magic requires the right timing, location, and people to attract heavenly lightning; it also requires setting up an altar in advance, making it quite troublesome.

The old Taoist priest used the power of the magical artifact to unleash lightning magic from a distance.

Although it is powerful, its effectiveness is not strong.

Yu Yiyuan, undaunted by the coffin, twisted her neck and vanished instantly.

When it reappeared, it was already above Luo Mingzi, its neck and right arm completely covered in ice, which condensed into sharp ice spikes on its hand and stabbed down fiercely.

This speed was beyond reason, and Luo Mingzi had no time to dodge.

However, what he urgently shouted was, "Leave them alive!"

Before the words were even finished, a green shadow had already swept across the battlefield like a ghost.

Bang!
With a muffled thud, the ice on Yu Yiyuan's coffin shattered, and her bones cracked as she flew backward and crashed into the wall, barely clinging to life.

"Senior Huo?" Tian Qianhu asked in astonishment.

Wang Daoxuan and the others, who were watching from a distance, were also taken aback.

Unexpectedly, Grandmaster Huo Yin also came here.

Unbeknownst to them, Huo Yin, the Divine Fist, had been stationed at the academy for a long time but had not received any clues about Zhao Qingxu. Therefore, upon hearing of the discovery, he immediately came to investigate.

Originally, they intended to remain hidden, but seeing the demon's rampant behavior, they had no choice but to take action.

Yu Yiyuan, who possessed the best kung fu skills, was crippled while serving the coffin; the others posed no threat whatsoever.

Soon, all the Japanese samurai were captured, and all the possessed cultists were killed. The sorcerers of the Enforcement Hall lit talismans to ward off evil and rushed into the dark church...

…………

The following day, at Qiankun Academy.

"What a pity, we didn't find Zhao Qingxu."

Inside the main hall of the courtyard, Wang Daoxuan's eyes were full of helplessness. "We've seen it. The statue in that church has been parasitized and corrupted by the demonic energy of the demon god Liu Yuanheng. Most of the believers are ordinary people, so they were easily controlled."

“This church took a lot of effort to build. It’s called a ‘holy site’ in the West, and the believers mostly don’t interact with outsiders, so no one discovered it…”

"The leaders of those Japanese samurai have confessed that their plot to steal the steam engine blueprints was a spur-of-the-moment decision. They didn't expect to fall into Zhao Qingxu's trap, and coupled with the domestic unrest, they were stranded in the capital..."

"Zhao Qingxu still has no leads. After the Peach Blossom Mountain wood was taken from Wu Shenhan, it didn't go to the church; its whereabouts are unknown. According to the confession of the Japanese leader, the person who helped Zhao Qingxu was a Japanese spy using the alias 'You Er'..."

Li Yan listened to Wang Daoxuan's story, seemingly lost in thought.

He looked out the window, listening to the clanging sounds from the workshop, and shook his head slightly, saying, "This demon Zhao Qingxu originated from human greed and has been active in the capital since the Song Dynasty. The capital has always been a place where the filth and corruption of the world converge. The fact that he has been able to hide until now shows that his methods are not bad."

"I have a guess in my mind: the demon's target is very likely the yet-to-be-born 'True Lord of the Flint Wheel,' and all this trouble is just to cover up his real actions!"

Wang Daoxuan frowned, stroking the whisk in his hand. "This demon is indeed difficult to deal with, and it has great ambitions. If it is not eliminated, the danger will be no less than that of the Jianmu tree."

"Ah."

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "The Taodu Mountain wood is the key. Zhao Qingxu's emphasis on concealing it must be the key to his plan."

“The capital is too big. We can’t play cat and mouse with him. Tell Luo Mingzi about this. Even if we can’t find him, we should still cause some trouble for Zhao Qingxu.”

“‘True Lord Suilun’ is the key. We should stay in the academy and protect the statue during this period.”

"Alright."

Wang Daoxuan stroked his beard in agreement.

Just as Li Yan was about to speak, his ears twitched slightly, and he turned his head to look out the window.

A clerk from the academy rushed over, knocked on the open wooden door, and then burst in without paying any attention. He was panting and bowed, saying, "Mr. Li, please forgive my rudeness. A distinguished guest has arrived at the academy. The supervisor and Lord Yan are receiving him. Please come over."

"Who's here? Do I need to go get them?"

Li Yan frowned slightly, feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

Although he is now a member of the academy, he joined under the guise of offering sacrifices, and the relationship between the two parties is more like a cooperative one. He has no desire to participate in these trivial matters of welcoming and sending off guests.

Dian Bo swallowed hard. "It's Eunuch Zhao from the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan's expression also turned serious.

When discussing the power of the imperial court, two individuals are indispensable.

First is Grandmaster Huo Yin, one of the top two in combat power among the ten Grandmasters. He is both the Emperor's bodyguard and the leader of the Divine Fist Society, indirectly controlling the martial arts world through this vast organization...

The other one is Zhao Wujiu, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

No one knows exactly how powerful he was, but there are many legends about him. He was deeply trusted by the emperor, and he was involved in palace coups, imperial expeditions to the north and south, and later reforms of the court. Countless people died at his hands, making him infamous.

Even the Commandery was indirectly under its jurisdiction.

Many of his infamous reputations stemmed from him. Although Zhao Wujiu later resigned from his post as Commandant in order to appease the public, he still maintained control behind the scenes.

The sudden arrival of such a person naturally put everyone in the academy on alert.

What's strange is, why send him there...?

(End of this chapter)