Knife splashing

Chapter 795 The Earth Immortals Attack
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately became vigilant.

The Ghost Opera Troupe is an old rival, and they have gathered a lot of intelligence.

This organization is a resurrection from the ashes. Originally, it was just a brutal and unscrupulous force that was wiped out by the martial arts world, but after its reconstruction, it has been completely transformed.

With the support of the Jianmu Organization and the tightening of the imperial court's control over cultivators, many evil cultivators and sorcerers joined, causing the Ghost Opera Troupe to grow rapidly.

Apart from the most mysterious "troupe leader," the information of the others has also been investigated.

This "ghost opera troupe" has been divided into countless small teams, mostly consisting of five people: male, female, painted-face, old man, and clown. They are a mixed bag with varying levels of skill.

And these two in front of us are the core members.

The "Ghost-Faced Rakshasa" was originally named Liu Hongyu. She was a descendant of a family of puppeteers. Her ancestor, Liu Guchan, was exterminated for "using a play to satirize the emperor" because he secretly hid a puppet that satirized the current political situation while performing "Mulian Saves His Mother" in the Prince's Palace.

At the tender age of twelve, Liu Hongyu witnessed her relatives being turned into human shadow puppets and hung on the stage as a "warning to others." Driven mad by resentment, she merged the family's inherited "Puppet Illusionary Play Manual" with the vengeful spirits to create an evil art.

Because half of his face was disfigured by a branding iron, he wore a demon mask all year round. He had an extreme obsession with opera and often slaughtered an entire village to make shadow puppets to control the performances.

In the Jiangnan region, it has become a legend of demons and monsters.

As for the scholar with the bloody hand, his name was Huang Jiuming. He was the top scholar in the provincial examination of Yingtian Prefecture. He was dismissed from the examination because his essay exposed the eunuch faction. He burned himself in the examination hall in resentment.

Its resentment merged with a precious inkstone, transforming into an evil entity.

After the inkstone was bought, it constantly haunted and tormented its host, eventually possessing the body and learning the secret methods of the Ghost Cult. It then began to kill those with official titles and honors, peeling off their tongues and sticking them on fans, a practice known as "collecting all the eloquent tongues of the world."

In short, they were all notorious villains in the martial arts world.

The simultaneous appearance of two demons could not help but raise everyone's guard.

"Watch out, they're coming for us!"

Wang Daoxuan was also a seasoned veteran. A thought flashed through his mind, and he already had a guess. He gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master Yan just left, and they came to our door. They want to capture us as pawns!"

After saying that, his expression suddenly changed, "No, they must also have Earth Immortals among them!"

These words sent a chill down everyone's spines.

This situation in Jinling may seem to have started from a small point, but in reality, Jianmu had been planning it for a long time. Like a whirlpool, it grew larger and larger, affecting the entire southern part of China.

If things go wrong, it could be a catastrophe.

The Jianmu organization had been planning for many years and had gained an initial advantage, but the imperial court and the orthodox sects of Shenzhou had already reacted, and experts were constantly gathering in this direction.

These sorcerers may seem powerful, but the fact that the imperial court could order the orthodox religious lineage guarding the blessed lands of Jiangnan to mobilize troops to assist them is an overwhelming and terrifying force that can shake mountains and rivers.

Even with the Yangzhou Cauldron, it would be virtually impossible for the Jianmu organization to overthrow the imperial court and the orthodox religion. Therefore, their victory would be achieved simply by causing widespread suffering among the people of Jiangnan.

The Twelve Zodiacs, after all, are just a small team that was established not long ago. Although they have made quite a name for themselves, they are only able to establish themselves in Jinling now because of one thing:
Li Yanhuo's identity as a ghost messenger!

The reason for the surprise attack is most likely this.

"Hee hee~"

A demon-faced Rakshasa, appearing and disappearing in the thick fog, let out a soft laugh. With a flick of its sleeve, it materialized like a ghost on the other side of the wall. "You are quite clever, aren't you? What a pity, such a beautiful day is wasted!"

With a mournful and melodious opera tune, she flicked her pale white sleeves, and countless dense silver threads shot out, but not towards the crowd, but rather protruding into the thick fog outside the wall.

Bang bang bang bang~
Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps echoed from the darkness all around.

Numerous dark figures emerged from the wall, their movements stiff and eerie yet incredibly swift, like puppets on strings, leaping into the courtyard.

In the dim light, everyone could see that they were highly decomposed corpses, emitting a strong stench of decay.

Some of them were dressed in tattered peasant tunics, some still had remnants of soldiers' armor, and some were just bare bones with rotting flesh hanging on them, their foreheads covered with copper talismans.

"Be careful, it's the Ghost-Faced Rakshasa's 'String Pulling Trick'!"

Fatty Lin looked grim and quickly reminded everyone.

The Ghost-Faced Rakshasa technique is very famous in the Jiangnan Xuanmen (Taoist sect). Unlike ordinary evil spirits that can be exorcised with talismans, the walking corpses it controls must be completely destroyed.

Ghosts singing opera in the deep mountains at midnight has become a taboo and strange tale among the people.

At the same time, the mournful singing of the Ghost-Faced Rakshasa rang out again:

"As the saying goes, 'What a pity that such a beautiful day and lovely scenery are wasted'."

Little did I know that I would be caught in a web of deception, leading me to the brink of death!
The bone bells shattered the night, and the Rakshasa held a lamp curtain.
On this secluded platform, all things are but puppets on strings…

"You coward, keep yelling!"

Shalifei turned his gun around and quickly pulled the trigger.

boom!
With a deafening roar, smoke billowed out, and half of the opposite wall collapsed. But the Ghost-Faced Rakshasa, though clearly struck, vanished into a thick fog just as before.

The collapsed walls, ironically, allowed even more puppets to pour in.

Don't bother!

Lu San's face was gloomy as he stopped Sha Lifeng. "The entire garrison has been trapped in an illusion array, which should be the Netherworld Stage. Even supernatural powers have been interfered with, so you can't find the true body."

"Hold the formation and protect the Taoist priest!"

Shalifei gritted his teeth and stopped making reckless moves.

At this moment, he was also filled with helplessness.

The power of firearms goes without saying. His musket sniping and Wu Ba's tiger crouching cannon are the team's most ferocious long-range forces at present, and countless enemies have lost their lives because of them.

However, when faced with this situation, they were completely at a loss.

What's the use of great power if you can't even hit the enemy?

Just like Wu Ba's Tiger Crouching Cannon, one shot could directly shatter the front gate of Duweisi, but if the array's core cannot be found, the illusion array still cannot be broken, and instead, the people outside will suffer.

As Lü San said, we can only defend now.

With a plan in place, everyone stopped acting recklessly and took their positions, guarding Wang Daoxuan's altar in the center to prevent it from being destroyed by the puppet zombies.

At the same time, Wang Daoxuan also fully activated the Five Directions Luofeng Banner.

Five black magic spells fluttered in unison, and a howling wind enveloped them.

The power of this great Luo magic weapon was immediately manifested.

The eerie singing of the Ghost-Faced Rakshasa, which originally possessed the power to bewitch and sway the soul, causing people to feel uneasy and restless, was now as if it had been blown away by a gale, making it difficult to affect them.

boom!
Wu Ba swung his fists, his powerful blows shattering the charging corpse puppet. The others also brandished their swords, firmly guarding the defensive line.

But the puppets of the demon-faced Rakshasa seemed endless, constantly pouring in.

"Damn it, how did they even get them in?!"

Shalifei dared not waste ammunition recklessly, and aimed his musket at the surroundings.

He only complained, but he knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart.

In Jinling City today, no one knows who the Jianmu Organization's mole is. It could be corrupt officials, commoners blinded by hatred, or even the King of Jinling who is hosting the banquet tonight!
The Great Xuan Dynasty was powerful, suppressing the entire martial arts world and its mystical sects, preventing them from making any rash moves.

However, after more than a century of development, its internal structure is also riddled with problems.

Corrupt officials and powerful families vie for profit, accumulating countless grievances.

The Jianmu organization has maintained its advantage precisely because it has relentlessly attacked this weakness.

Although they protected themselves, those on the outside did suffer.

Inside the Commandery, the soldiers and clerks who were bewildered by the illusion array were completely unprepared and were pounced on by the swarming zombie puppets, their flesh and blood flying everywhere.

After the zombie puppets dispersed, the dead soldiers and clerks stumbled to their feet, their bodies stiff and twisting, and joined the puppet ranks.

Outside the altar, Kuai Dayou kept waving two steel cones.

Although he is a craftsman, he comes from a legitimate lineage of Xuanmen (mystical arts), with a long history, so how could he not have a way to protect himself?

Aside from the art of craftsmen, he is also skilled in Bagua Xingyi. Although he cannot compare to those monsters with amazing martial arts talent, he can still gain a foothold in the Beijing-Tianjin area.

The several puppets that rushed up were easily torn to shreds by him.

But unlike the others, he would observe intently whenever he tore the puppet apart.

His family's inherited skills also included making puppets, but those were wooden puppets used for performances and to assist in the work; they weren't as strange as these things in front of him.

What puzzled him was how the other party was controlling it.

He brandished the knife, the strings controlling the puppet weren't even above his head.

Finally, Kuai Dayou discovered the anomaly.

As he tore a puppet apart, a white shadow flickered beneath his feet. Without a word, Kuai Dayou swung his blade violently, sending dirt flying. Several white threads fell, twisting and turning on the ground before quickly charring.

"underground!"

Kuai Dayou hurriedly shouted, "He used Leiyin's silkworm silk to control something! There's something hidden underground!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Ba raised his leg and delivered a side kick, sending the charging zombie puppet flying backward and knocking down a group of them. Then, he swung his gauntlets, exhaled, and slammed his fist into the ground.

With a loud thud, the ground trembled.

He has only barely reached the Transcendent Realm, but his bloodline and physical body are exceptionally gifted. In addition, he has obtained the Eight Extremes Inheritance. In terms of fist and foot techniques alone, even Li Yan cannot stop him.

This strike used the force of hitting a cow across a mountain, and everyone felt a jolt beneath their feet.

At the same time, all the corpse puppets became stiff.

The ground rapidly rose, the soil churned, and a dark, boar-sized creature emerged, remarkably similar to the sacred silkworm worshipped in Huai Shu Village. However, it had clearly been altered, its skin now resembling rhinoceros hide, like a giant black maggot.

White silk gushed from the mouth of this strange silkworm, splitting into strands that connected to the feet of the puppets.

boom!
Without saying a word, Shalifei pulled the trigger.

The strange silkworm immediately burst open, splattering thick liquid everywhere.

"what--!"

The demon-faced Rakshasa let out a shrill and venomous wail, its figure flashing as it appeared on the rooftop behind it. It stumbled, causing tiles to fall with a crash.

Clearly, the killing of the Divine Silkworm also caused her to suffer a backlash.

This is the real thing!
Shalifei was overjoyed and quickly turned his gun around.

But his view was blocked by the eaves, so he stepped back.

Suddenly, a bloody hand emerged from the ground.

It was the Blood-Handed Scholar who had just disappeared who grabbed Shalifei's ankle.

Almost instantly, Shalifei froze, unable to control his body, his vision blurred, and his consciousness sank lower and lower.

"careful!"

Seeing that things were not going well, Fatty Lin grabbed Sha Lifei and tried to pull him back.

But the moment he touched Shalifei, a chilling coldness surged into his body like an electric current, along Shalifei's arm, and his mind seemed to freeze.

This is a martial art that incorporates curses, making it both bizarre and powerful.

Fatty Lin had some guesses, but it was too late.

Kong Shangzhao, on the other hand, was quick-witted. He made a hand seal with his left hand, recited Confucian and Taoist classics, and his righteous energy rose from within him. He grabbed Lin Pangzi's collar and pulled him back.

He was on guard and was indeed not corrupted by the spell.

However, the Blood-Handed Scholar's hand possessed extraordinary strength. Kong Shangzhao, a mere scholar who had barely entered the realm of internal strength, was even more weak and was directly pulled and staggered.

Lu San suddenly turned around and waved his hand.

call out!
The sharp steel cone whistled out and pierced the bloody hand directly into the ground.

But to his astonishment, even after being pierced, the bloody hand still gripped Shalifei's ankle and refused to let go. And with a series of thuds, the ground cracked and five or six more bloody hands appeared.

What kind of evil magic is this?!

Lu San was both shocked and furious. Just as he was about to continue his attack, he suddenly felt a chill and looked up at the night sky.

But in the black night sky obscured by thick fog, a whooshing and buzzing sound appeared, growing louder and louder, as if something was descending.

It's the old man in the woods!

In an instant, Lü San realized what it was.

After Tian Qianhu's tragic death, based on the scene, he deduced that it was some kind of beast-taming technique, and that it used some unknown strange beast or insect.

The old man in the forest is also the sorcerer they are hunting.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lü San patted the demon gourd at his waist, and poisonous bees shot out like black smoke, while shouting, "Fellow Daoist Long!"

Unlike others, he was reserved and always addressed Long Yan'er as a fellow Daoist.

Long Yan'er immediately understood and waved her arm, releasing the Sesame Gu.

The venomous insects clung to the poisonous bees and roared out.

This was a tactic they devised, specifically designed to deal with the Old Man in the Forest.

No sooner said than done, the thing that had attacked from the night sky finally appeared.

But unexpectedly, it wasn't some strange insect, but countless tiny hummingbirds, each only the size of a thumb, interspersed with a few enormous owls.

These owls have faces like human faces, and their eyes gleam with a cunning and sinister red light.

In an instant, the poisonous bees collided with the flock of birds that swooped in from the sky.

Those thumb-sized hummingbirds were extremely ferocious. Their heads twitched, and their beaks moved with lightning speed, devouring poisonous bees one after another, while their feathers blocked the bee stings.

It can be said that it is the nemesis of Lü San's demon gourd.

However, the sesame worms on the bees also use this opportunity to burrow into their bodies.

Soon, the hummingbirds went mad with pain and began attacking their own kind.

The air instantly descended into chaos.

"Go!"

Wang Daoxuan, standing in the center of the altar, brandished his coin sword and pointed it forward.

Call ~
The candles on the bill burned fiercely, their flames shooting towards the ground. The blood-red, monstrous hands that were pulling at Shalifei immediately began to twitch and burst, bubbling with blood.

Kong Shangzhao seized the opportunity and finally pulled the two back.

Shalifei's face turned pale. When he came to his senses, he was still shaken.

But in that chaotic moment, a "ghost-faced owl" swooped down from the sky, its sharp claws tearing at a Five Directions Luo Feng Banner.

The Five Directions Luo Feng Banner is a Great Luo magic artifact, so the demon beast naturally couldn't take it away. It was invaded by the pure Netherworld Qi and instantly lost its life force. Frost condensed on its body, turning it into an ice lump.

It fell to the ground with a thud, but it also loosened the position of the flag.

"Singing farewell for so long, sorrow turns to ashes, the most vibrant red... ultimately turns into smoke and ashes!"

May someone remember whom, in the years of the netherworld!

Then, the venomous singing of the demon-faced Rakshasa began.

The magic array was breached, and everyone's spirits were immediately lifted.

Call ~
Suddenly, strong winds blew around.

A plume of black smoke billowed in, took the shape of a human figure in the air, and landed on the altar. The candlelight instantly turned a ghastly green, illuminating the cold, indifferent face of the old man within the black smoke.

A wandering ghost!

Before anyone could react, two hands emerged from the black smoke, knocking Wang Daoxuan and Lü San unconscious. They then swept the two away and disappeared into the night sky.

"He's an earth immortal..."

Fatty Lin's face turned deathly pale.

The spirits roam the land and can abduct people.

Only Earth Immortals can use this technique, and even then, only the most outstanding Earth Immortals can do so.

At the same time, a yellow scroll floated down from the sky.

Li Gouhun Shitai Jian:

Two of your esteemed 'star actors' are temporarily borrowing our troupe to rehearse a new play. To ensure their physical appearance and spiritual well-being, please prepare a soul-reaping iron tablet in exchange.

One day later, at midnight, at the "Red Silk Lane" on the Qinhuai River.

We eagerly await your arrival to enjoy this wonderful performance.

Anonymous...

(End of this chapter)