Knife splashing

Chapter 774 Street Fight
Wang Daoxuan's incantations are indeed terrifying.

Faced with the threat of death, Zhu Suanpan disregarded everything and summoned the "Netherworld Stage".

This object is infamous for its malevolence. In the past, ghost troupes relied on it to dominate the martial arts world. Now that it has been rebuilt, it has been forged in large quantities with the help of unknown forces.

Every theatrical troupe has a statue to suppress its fortune.

With the help of this treasure, Zhu Suanpan immediately escaped danger.

Just as Wang Daoxuan was about to recite the incantation, a tangible force of resentment suddenly rose from the Netherworld Stage, forcibly severing the secret incantation connection between him and Zhu Suanpan.

"Hmm~"

The backlash from the curse caused Wang Daoxuan to groan and his face to turn slightly pale.

He quickly withdrew the spell, and the straw figure in his hand burst into flames with a whoosh.

Even so, frost condensed on her fingertips and then quickly spread across her arms.

"What powerful resentment! Watch out!"

The Taoist priest's vision blurred, but he endured the pain and warned Lü San.

On the other hand, Zhu Suanpan was also having a hard time.

"puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of black blood, and his aura instantly weakened considerably.

Firstly, he was injured by Wang Daoxuan's curse, and secondly, the summoning and forced use of the Netherworld Stage almost drained his strength and life essence, leaving his face withered and his hair roots turning white at a visible speed.

However, his strong will to survive made the murderous glint in his eyes even more intense.

"You bastards, none of you will live!"

Despite the excruciating pain, Zhu Suanpan's withered fingers frantically spun around on the abacus, his operatic voice growing increasingly desolate and eerie, "Come! Come! Come! Let's erase the debts from the Book of Life and Death, rebuild the old stage with the walls of the underworld, let's set up the stage!"

Having said that, he directly tucked down a few abacus beads and flicked them out with a wave of his hand.

The abacus beads tore through the air and shot out with a whooshing sound.

But the target was not Wang Daoxuan and his companion, but the unconscious infant Ling on the ground.

Puff puff!
With several muffled thuds, it all shot into the infant's body.

At the same time, inside the Netherworld Stage in front of the rich man's mansion, countless distorted, blurry, howling, and struggling ghostly phantoms were forcibly extracted, turning into billowing black mist. It swirled and rolled in the air, like a filthy flood bursting its banks, pouring into the dying infant's body.

"Ugh—!"

The dying infant let out a shrill, inhuman wail.

It was a child's innocent voice mixed with the wails of hundreds of fierce ghosts.

His body trembled incessantly, expanding and twisting violently as if being inflated.

His already pale skin instantly lost all color, like a floating corpse that had been submerged in water for many days, covered with bluish-black blood vessels.

The small face's features are displaced, the mouth is wide open and torn open, splitting all the way to the ear roots, and is covered with fine, sharp teeth.

In the empty eye sockets, only two wisps of pale green ghost fire remained, leaping wildly and devouring everything.

Thick, impenetrable black mist surged wildly from his body, churning and rising, enveloping his entire form, leaving only a vague human silhouette visible.

"Hundred Ghosts and Infant Demons!"

Wang Daoxuan's eyes widened, and he said urgently, "Quick, help me protect the formation and break it. Only Brother Yan can deal with this thing!"

Having said that, he took out a purple talisman from his bosom, bit his middle finger, and while making hand seals and drawing the talisman, folding it into a paper crane, he quickly chanted: "The crane rides to the sky, the talisman connects to the nine netherworlds, Yu steps on the Dipper, the mist disperses and the clouds clear, the golden light opens the way, the precious mirror shines brightly—Imperial decree!"

It's no wonder Wang Daoxuan was terrified; this "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" was a legendary evil creature.

Some pregnant women die, but the fetus in their womb remains alive, unnoticed. It is sealed in a coffin and buried, thus the fetus is said to coexist with the life force of death, and will become a ghost infant after death.

However, the glimmer of life in these fetuses often attracts unclean things, sometimes devouring the ghost infants, and sometimes merging with them, taking over the ghost fetus to cultivate.

Over time, this attracts a large amount of malevolent energy, which is called "Infant Malevolence".

The place where a ghost fetus is buried will gradually turn into a cursed place, where many strange things will happen.

This is a type of "煞" that causes great headaches for geomancers.

The more vengeful ghosts it attracts, the stronger the "Infant Evil" becomes.

To form the most terrifying "Hundred Ghosts Infant Evil," one also needs demonic energy. Once formed, it leaves a trail of poison for miles, and can only be sealed and suppressed, and destroyed by the Qi of Heaven and Earth.

As for what Wang Daoxuan used, it was the Xuanmen "Spirit Crane Breaking the Miasma Technique".

He knew that with the Netherworld Stage, which served as the core of the formation, being repurposed, the illusionary formation covering the entire city had developed a flaw. As long as he helped find the core of the formation, Li Yan could break through it and escape.

Just in case, the Taoist also used high-grade talisman paper purchased at the Qingcheng Cellar Opening Ceremony.

Wow~
As soon as the incantation was complete, the purple paper crane immediately took flight and soared into the black mist of the mansion…

Beside him, Lü San had already raised his mace and was firing at Ying Ling repeatedly.

boom! boom! boom!
Three consecutive booming sounds were heard, followed by billowing smoke and flames.

Although the black mist surrounding Yingling was violently churning, it remained condensed and did not dissipate.

"Whoa-!"

The piercing cries of a newborn baby echoed from the black mist.

The crying was shrill, it felt like it could tear my eardrums.

Zhu Suanpan, who was closest to the victim, was the first to be hit.

Even though he was the one in control, he felt a sharp pain in his soul, his vision went black, and he almost lost control.

Wang Daoxuan and Lü San felt as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer.

Wang Daoxuan reacted extremely quickly. The Ruyi Pearl emitted a burst of clear light to protect the two of them, but he was still shaken and his blood and qi surged.

Lu San had already deactivated his hearing ability, but his hearing was still far superior to that of ordinary people. He felt a "buzz" in his head and stumbled around. The scene before his eyes was distorted and blurry, as if countless vengeful ghost faces were roaring and rushing towards him.

An ordinary person would probably lose their composure instantly.

Fortunately, Lü San was determined and gritted his teeth to hold on, but he was powerless to fight back. Even the little white fox Chu Qi was affected, her fur stood on end and she cried out in alarm, instinctively hiding behind him.

Even more frightening is that this is just the beginning.

The "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" shrouded in black mist screamed again, and its pale body vanished without warning in the next instant.

When it reappeared, it carried a strong stench of corpses and a bone-chilling cold. It flashed to within a foot of Wang Daoxuan's side, and its pale little hand with black fingernails silently reached for the Taoist's throat.

This evil creature, half-human and half-ghost, possessed a movement technique even more unpredictable and bizarre than the "shrinking the earth to an inch" technique.

"Go!"

Wang Daoxuan was prepared. He pulled Lü San backward and raised a copper pipe at the same time.

This is the "Netherfire Gun" restored by Sha Lifei based on the "Thunderbolt and Thunderfire Sutra". Because it is too exquisite and difficult to make, only a few were made and all of them were given to Wang Daoxuan for protection.

Call ~
In an instant, crimson phosphorescent flames erupted like dragon's breath.

The "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" screamed as it was forced back.

Taking advantage of the moment, Wang Daoxuan immediately took out the Five Directions Luofeng Flag, planted it beside the two of them, made hand seals, and practiced the Five Divine Techniques. The Qi he had been cultivating in his chest was then expelled from his mouth like a bolt of lightning.

The Five Directions Luofeng Banner was activated almost instantly.

Five battalions of ghost soldiers were kept inside, and a strong, eerie wind suddenly arose, vaguely protecting the two of them in the middle. They saw two streams of black mist colliding wildly, with various shrill screams, causing hallucinations to appear before their eyes...

…………

While the magical battle raged outside, a turning point also appeared in the wealthy man's mansion.

The Netherworld Stage was repurposed, and the black mist that shrouded the hall and isolated the five senses suddenly stopped.

Li Yan, who was trying to find a way to break the formation, suddenly looked up and sensed something was wrong with the energy flow.

"Something's up, be careful!"

Xu Zhenshan of the Yangzhou Enforcement Hall also sensed something was wrong.
Just then, a purple paper crane rustled through the black mist and flew in from the sky.

"Don't move, we're on the same side!"

Li Yan quickly stopped Xu Zhenshan, who was about to attack.

Before everyone's eyes, the paper crane circled up and down, finally landing in a hidden corner of the front hall gate. Its form suddenly froze, and it fell out of control, spontaneously combusting.

"It turns out to be here!"

Li Yan's eyes gleamed brightly, and without hesitation, he pulled out the broken gun and pulled the trigger.

He was not good at breaking formations and was somewhat at a loss with such a sophisticated formation. He only knew that finding the formation's core was the key. After searching haphazardly for a long time, he smelled Wang Daoxuan's scent on the paper crane and immediately knew that he had come to help.

boom!
With a loud bang, the corner of the doorway exploded with debris, including a distorted bronze mirror.

Like a lake surface tossed with a giant rock, the surrounding thick fog cracked and dispersed.

The illusion array was broken, and in an instant, the black mist that had enveloped the entire mansion began to dissipate.

"It's broken!" someone shouted in surprise.

"The fog is still outside!" Some people immediately became alert.

"go!"

Li Yan was the first to rush out, and with a powerful kick, the door was blasted open.

His expression was solemn; he could already sense the terrifying atmosphere outside.

Xu Zhenshan waved his hand and led his disciples to follow behind.

He glanced at Wang Maode on the ground with a sinister look, but knew now was not the time.

Without uttering a word, he moved with lightning speed, leading his disciples to rush out after Li Yan.

As for the remaining salt merchants, servants, and guards trapped in the mansion, they seemed to wake up from a dream. Some rushed out to watch the excitement or help, while others stayed behind to guard the distraught Wang Maode.

As soon as they stepped outside, everyone saw what was happening on the street.

The sight before them shook them to their core!

Thick, impenetrable black fog churned in the center of the street.

Before the gate, a bronze stage trembled violently, its yin energy surging and emitting a shrill cry.

What's most chilling is a pale figure shrouded in thick black mist.

Its pale limbs appeared and disappeared in the black mist, relentlessly attacking the black mist in the center of the street.

"court death!"

Li Yan's eyes were bloodshot, and his killing intent surged.

He could tell, of course, that the black mist was the Five Directions Luo Feng Banner in a defensive state. Using this method to protect himself would damage the five battalions of soldiers raised inside, which would need to be replenished in the future.

Wang Daoxuan will not use it unless it is absolutely necessary.

That pale figure was able to grab and devour ghost soldiers, displaying ferocity and rage.

"Hundred Ghosts and Infant Demons!"

Upon seeing this, Xu Zhenshan's eyes widened, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Suddenly remembering something, he quickly turned around and said urgently, "Young Master Li, I know you are a living ghost messenger, but this thing cannot be captured. If it is forced to self-destruct, half of Yangzhou will suffer!"

"I know."

Without turning his head, Li Yan said in a deep voice, "You all hurry back to the City God Temple, take control of the local troops, and inform the Commandery that the Japanese pirates have probably already entered the city!"

Now he has seen through the enemy's scheme.

First, through the hands of the wealthy salt merchant Wang Maode, they found the magical treasure "Jade Mirror Platform," and then they infiltrated the City God Temple, using the combined power of the two to set up an illusionary array on the Netherworld Stage.

But the illusion array will eventually be broken, so what they need is time.

The biggest threat now is the Japanese pirates hiding outside the city.

Leaving these ordinary people here would only be a hindrance.

Sure enough, Zhu Suanpan was startled when he saw Li Yan escape. He quickly made a hand seal and commanded the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demons" to rush towards the crowd.

Before the evil spirits arrived, terrifying shrieks could already be heard.

Xu Zhenshan and the others were immediately injured, their eyes went black, and several disciples with low cultivation levels even turned fierce and raised their swords to attack their companions.

"With a mighty roar, the sun rises in the east; I bestow this divine talism to sweep away all misfortune!"

Xu Zhenshan immediately made a hand seal and cast a spell, his fingertips flashing with electricity as he slapped several disciples on the head.

These disciples suddenly collapsed to the ground, black smoke billowing from their mouths and noses.

Xu Zhenshan knew that staying here wouldn't be of much help. Although he didn't know what methods Li Yan was going to use, he still obediently said, "Young Master Li, be careful!"

Having said that, he led his disciples away by a detour.

Li Yan, however, kept his eyes fixed on what lay ahead.

The two Soul-Severing Flying Knives, controlled by the Soul-Hooking Rope, flew up and down amidst lightning, repelling the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" no matter where it appeared.

His biggest concern was Wang Daoxuan and the other person.

Once the "Infant Evil" is attracted, there are naturally ways to deal with it.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Yan immediately took something out of his pocket.

The black wood resembles black jade, with golden patterns outlining its surface. Apart from the complex talismans, there are unreadable characters on both sides, shaped like cloud patterns, which is one of the trump cards, the "Bing Ding Sheng Gui Talisman".

On Mount Qingcheng, he received the lineage of the Northern Emperor's Dharma Earth Sect.

While completing the Fengdu Law, they also obtained this treasure, which can summon "General Wen, the Earth God Zhaowu," also known as Wen Lingguan.

In the Battle of Chengdu, this method was used to suppress all evil.

Previously, it was difficult to control and required others to set up a formation to help.

Now, with his improved cultivation, he is able to barely summon Wen Lingguan's clone.

Even though it's far less powerful than the combined strength of the group in Chengdu, it's more than enough to deal with this thing.

Call ~
The soul-snatching ropes, which were locked in a fierce struggle, suddenly tightened.

Sensing an opportunity, the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" pounced immediately.

But just as it was about to get close, Li Yan, who was bound by the Soul-Hooking Rope, suddenly had a burst of Yin Qi and black mist around him, which transformed into a huge, dark figure, like a god of the underworld.

It is the Yin God Transformation in the "Northern Emperor's Divine Transformation Method".

After the Yin God transformation, speed, strength, and even the controllable Qi of Gang Sha all suddenly increased.

Startled, the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" retreated abruptly, and Zhu Suanpan, who was in the distance, also sensed something was wrong.

But Li Yan gave them no chance, directly grasping the Bingding Ghost-Giving Talisman and chanting: "Earthly General, Righteous God of the World. Commanding Earthly Deities, Overseeing Temples. Assisting the Law and Spirits, Illuminating Martial Might and Valor. Purple-Haired Demon King, Iron-Faced Judge..."

It is the "Precious Proclamation of the Wenling Official"!
Call ~
Suddenly, strong winds blew around.

Within a significant portion of Yangzhou city, the thick fog formed from Yin Qi was swept up and swirled in the air.

Rumble~
A muffled rumble of thunder suddenly sounded.

A strong smell of sulfurous fumes filled the air.

Wen Lingguang is skilled in thunder and fire, and his magic is based on these techniques.

"Stop! I told you to stop!"

In the distance, Zhu Suanpan sensed something was wrong and immediately recalled the intelligence he had seen earlier.

During the Battle of Chengdu, Li Yan summoned Wen Lingguan.

This was something that even they found somewhat unbelievable, so they didn't take it to heart. But now that they were facing it directly, they felt the terrifying crisis.

He had gone completely mad. Once his ferocity was aroused, he gritted his teeth and made a hand seal, intending to make the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" self-destruct.

However, once the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" takes shape, it becomes extremely difficult to deal with. He only managed to control it with the help of the Netherworld Stage and ordered it to self-destruct, which immediately backfired.

Swish!
The "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon" appeared directly behind him.

Two pale arms emerged from the black mist and plunged into his back with a soft "plop".

Zhu Suanpan immediately spat out blood, his skin turned pale, covered with a layer of frost, and he lost all vitality.

Li Yan reached the final step and recited:
"Heavenly fire and earthly essence, the elements of Bing and Ding illuminate each other! In the northern Yin of Fengdu, all gods listen..."

"Wen Lingguan, reveal your true form immediately! I obey the decree of the Great Emperor of Fengdu..."

Suddenly, something unusual happened in the center of the dark clouds swirling overhead.

Thunder roared, but only a single spark fell from the sky.

Before it even landed, it vaguely transformed into a human figure, clad in golden armor, with flowing ribbons, its entire body enveloped in flames, flickering unpredictably, and instantly appeared in front of the "Hundred Ghosts Infant Demon".

Wen Lingguan, having removed the thunder and fire magic, also possesses the "Unfettered Heaven" gold plaque, allowing him to freely enter and exit the South Heavenly Gate.

In other words, it's true teleportation...

(End of this chapter)