Knife splashing

Chapter 802 Suppressing Demons on a Rainy Night
"Ok?"

The troupe leader, who was standing at the edge of the stage and controlling the whole situation with ghost music, suddenly stopped singing.

He turned his head sharply, staring in the direction of the ruins of Xiwang Township.

Meanwhile, Granny Corpse Clothes was also taking advantage of the chaos.

The old witch was cautious, fearing that she might be accidentally injured by the navy's random cannon fire. Therefore, even with the ghost troupe's elaborate array of ghosts, she still dared not approach. Instead, she hid in the thick fog and poured the bubbling green water from the pottery jar in her hand into the river.

In an instant, a large number of dead fish floated to the surface of the river.

The dead fish's eyes quickly turned white, maggots sprouted from their bodies, and then they seemed to come back to life, shaking wildly.

The Corpse-Clad Granny grinned menacingly, flung off the robe sewn from human skin, and then transformed into human-shaped shadow puppets. These puppets wrapped the dead fish teeming with Gu worms, plunged into the water, and rushed toward the naval warships.

These weird things move incredibly fast.

Once they climb onto the deck of the warship, if they are broken, a stench of dead fish slurry mixed with Gu worms will burst out, quickly infecting and spreading the disease.

Those who were hit all turned blue-purple, foamed at the mouth, and fell to the ground.

This old witch is most skilled at casting spells and poisons, and she skins people to make her own "Hundred Corpse Robes".

Back in the day, he was a renowned figure, but was besieged and suppressed by a coalition of righteous masters, and had no choice but to join the Jianmu Organization.

The ghost troupe set up an encirclement, and she released poisonous venomous insects, demonstrating perfect teamwork.

Fortunately, there was Long Yan'er on the ship.

As a former holy maiden of the Gu sect in Miao territory, she was also proficient in Gu techniques.

Faced with the old hag's terrifying offensive, he dared not be careless in the slightest and immediately released his natal zither worm.

The lyre-insect vibrates its wings, producing a melodious lyre sound that cannot be drowned out by thunder or artillery fire.

Within the range of the sound, all the Gu worms were commanded, detached from the soldiers' bodies, and flew into the fire on their own.

However, the gap in cultivation level cannot be bridged.

Long Yan'er could only protect the people on her own boat.

"Fellow Daoist in Corpse Cloak, something's not right!"

Just then, the leader of the ghost opera troupe suddenly spoke.

"what?"

Granny Corpse Cloak stopped flicking her fingers and looked up at the distant sky with disbelief and astonishment:
"...It's broken? How could the aura of the Hundred Bones Old Ghost... have... dissipated?!"

Both of them had faces so dark they looked like they were about to burst with water.

They could clearly sense that the pure Yin energy that had been flowing continuously from the direction of the ruins of Wangxiangtai, supporting the operation of the Netherworld Stage and amplifying the power of the Ghost Music Illusion Array, was now rapidly thinning and becoming intermittent, as if the source of the water had been cut off, and it was about to dry up.

"not good!"

"Something seems to have happened over there!"

The two of them made the same judgment at the same time.

"how is this possible?"

Granny Corpse Clothes said in a deep voice, "That old devil Bai Gu is as cunning as water. Without the Gou Die, what else can we use to deal with him?"

Upon hearing this, the troupe leader immediately turned around and shouted, "Where is the stuff?"

"The troupe leader is still here!"

The clown in the red robe immediately stepped forward, tore open the yellow cloth wrapped with blood-stained symbols, revealing Li Yan's warrant inside.

The troupe leader didn't touch it, but frowned and said, "The item is definitely correct, so how did he..."

As they were talking, his eyes suddenly widened.

But then, the talisman began to vibrate and hum on its own.

However, it was Li Yan, who had rushed over at top speed, who was sensing the situation.

After "Hundred Bone Taoist" and "Old Man in the Forest" were banished to the Netherworld, the rewards from the Netherworld were immediately poured into the summons, adding two more orders. Since Li Yan was not nearby, it naturally reacted.

"Throw it far away, let's go!"

The troupe leader, his face grim, gave the order.

The "goudie" is a beacon connecting the Great Luo Dharma Realm and the human world.

It is not powerful in itself, but what is terrifying is the power of the Great Luo Dharma Realm that surges from it.

Even if destroyed, it will reappear in a new place. In addition, Li Yan's warrant is different, of a higher rank, and also has the blessing of the Heavenly Official's Decree. Therefore, they dare not destroy it easily and can only suppress it.

"Yes, Master!"

Without wasting words, the red-robed clown gripped the warrant, and with a flick of his arm, it resembled a python turning over.

Whoosh!
The hook immediately shot out of the air at great speed.

But at the same time, Li Yan finally sensed the message.

With a splash, he burst out of the water and immediately began chanting incantations: "Qingjia! Heaven above, earth below, darkness without light, earth without gate, yin people send forth their troops, yang people retreat, evil spirits retreat, ghosts perish, I obey the decree of the Northern Yin Fengdu, hasten as the law commands!"

This is the incantation for summoning the soldiers of the underworld, which requires the consumption of Gang Tokens.

Those earth immortals all possess magical artifacts that conceal their aura, and since they are far apart, this is the only way to achieve this.

Call ~
Suddenly, a strong wind arose on the river.

The goblet suddenly stopped in mid-air, and darkness rapidly spread outwards from it.

The sounds of armor and chains clanging rang out simultaneously.

The eerie music played by the ghost opera troupe was suppressed almost instantly.

Without the support of the Yin energy of the Looking-Home Terrace, the illusion array was also rapidly collapsing.

"Brother Yan is here!"

Shalifei's eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Listen to me, all soldiers, close your eyes!"

"Don't look around, or you'll lose your life!"

Although the naval soldiers were puzzled, they saw the thick fog around them dissipating, and the local cultivators from Jinling on the ship all closed their eyes. They wisely obeyed the order and dared not look any further.

Meanwhile, the ghost opera troupe suffered the consequences.

Not long after the messenger was thrown away, the underworld troops were mobilized, and the most conspicuous Netherworld Stage became their target.

A chilling wind, shrouded in darkness, enveloped the Netherworld Stage almost instantly.

The nearest ghost opera troupe was also enveloped in it.

These guys, along with the ghost opera troupe, have harmed many people; each of them carries a deep aura of resentment and malevolence.

Some people were immediately bewitched and cleverly jumped into the water, but they soon turned pale, their eyes lost focus, and they stopped breathing.

"idiot!"

The troupe leader cursed angrily and immediately ordered his men, "Split up and retreat!"

His heart was bleeding; compared to his men who were skilled at killing, these bands were much harder to assemble.

After all, one must be proficient in music and also be a sorcerer; an ordinary itinerant performer wouldn't suffice.

Now that they've all been taken, who knows when we'll be able to gather them all back together.

Although I'm annoyed, the more important thing now is to leave.

Once you're targeted by the underworld, that's when things really get dangerous.

Having said that, he rolled up his sleeves and vanished into black smoke.

The escape technique he displayed at this moment was actually stronger than that of the other Earth Immortals.

Seeing their leader flee, the rest of the ghost troupe immediately scattered as well.

But by this time the illusion array had been broken, the thick fog had dissipated, and their whereabouts had been exposed to the naval army.

"Do it!"

With a furious roar, Shalifei immediately ignited the Exploding Fire Crow.

hum!
The terrifying sound of the crossbow strings reverberated.

Several fiery crow mechanisms rose into the sky like fiery meteors.

This thing was incredibly fast. Kuai Da had specially made wings. The bamboo and wooden wings changed constantly with the airflow. First, it suddenly shot into the sky, then spun around like a hawk swooping down, and suddenly rushed towards the wooden boats of the ghost troupe.

This design was originally intended to avoid enemy arrows.

But against an enemy who has no will to resist and is trying to escape, it is obviously a bit of a waste of effort.

The most ingenious design is yet to come.

The moment it touched the sail, the fire crow's beak pressed back like a button, and the internal gears immediately activated, causing its entire body to explode. A large amount of solidified grease and new gunpowder were ignited in an instant.

boom!
A fireball the size of a room exploded, scattering countless pieces of poisoned iron in the air.

"what--!"

Immediately, screams erupted.

The wooden boat was quickly set ablaze. Many of the ghost opera troupe members who had tried to escape were injured when pieces of metal were embedded deep in their internal organs. The toxins erupted, causing dizziness and disorientation, and they were blown around on the ground by the surging air currents. After all, the ghost opera troupe members were still a minority.

Most of them were followers of the Cocoon Cult.

Most of them were either paid a large sum of money or were lured into joining as outlaws.

No matter how strong one's kung fu is, they are powerless against this terrifying weapon.

Wu Ba, who had been feeling stifled for a long time, became even more ferocious.

He had already spotted the boat that Granny Corpse was on, and immediately charged forward with the Tiger Crouching Cannon in hand.

Boom boom boom!
With each heavy footstep, the wooden planks of the deck beneath their feet crumbled underfoot.

Reaching the edge of the boat, he exerted force with both legs and leaped into the air with a thud, actually landing on a small boat belonging to the Cocoon Clothes Sect while holding the Tiger Crouching Cannon.

Several terrified members of the Cocoon Cult were thrown overboard and into the water by the shock.

He then raised the cannon and pulled the trigger.

boom!
With a loud bang, the small boat quickly moved backward.

"court death!"

The old woman in the corpse clothes, who was collecting the Gu worms, let out a strange cry, furious.

But sensing the terrifying killing intent, she didn't bother with any nonsense, and didn't even have time to use any escape techniques. She simply flipped over and jumped into the water.

The moment it hit the water, the warship above exploded with a deafening roar.

Countless pieces of wood flew like arrows, splattering everywhere and impaling Granny Corpse all over her body.

Even though this old monster had cultivated to the point of being half-corpse and half-human and was not afraid of pain, the violent shockwave still made her dizzy and disoriented.

"not good!"

Granny Corpse was deeply shaken, sensing an even greater threat.

But before she could react, her ankle suddenly tightened.

It was Li Yan who had approached without anyone noticing. Like a water ghost, he rose rapidly from the darkness of the deep water, raised his left hand, and two soul-hooking ropes surged out, covering the lower half of the zombie-clothed old woman's body.

But after all, he is an earth immortal; how could he be controlled by a soul-stealing device?

"Roar--!"

A strange, inhuman howl burst forth from his chest.

Li Yan, who was in the water, suddenly felt dizzy, nauseous, and his vision went black.

This is suppression from the level of cultivation, the sheer spiritual pressure of a mere Earth Immortal.

Granny Corpse Cloak couldn't afford to perform any magic, especially since she was in the water, so she chose this method.

She thought she could knock Li Yan unconscious, but she miscalculated again.

As Li Yan activated his Great Luo Dharma Body, his mental discomfort quickly disappeared, and he then activated his divine sense.

Crackling!

The stored thunder energy in the Soul-Hooking Thunder Lock was released in its entirety, resembling two bolts of lightning.

Even the entire surface of the water was completely illuminated.

Lei Gang is the nemesis of evil spirits. Granny Corpse Clothes was struck so hard that she was completely disoriented. Although she was a highly skilled cultivator, her soul was only injured, but her body, which was filled with yin energy, was charred from the inside out.

Call ~
Black mist churned in the water, transforming into a struggling human shape, while a sharp whistling sound echoed in Li Yan's mind:
"You little brat, just you wait, your grandma will make sure you never get reincarnated!"

Immediately, it completely broke free from the bindings of the Soul-Hooking Thunder Lock and tried to escape as a spirit.

But a cold smile appeared on Li Yan's face.

The underworld troops finally arrived, and in an instant, the area was enveloped in darkness.

The sounds of armor clashing, chains rattling, and piercing screams continued for several breaths before gradually subsiding.

As darkness dissipated, Granny Corpse's charred body slowly sank to the bottom.

Li Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief after seeing this.

This time, he was set up and a risky move was made to break the trap. Although the crisis was resolved, the information that he could summon the underworld army without needing a warrant will definitely be leaked, and the next attack will surely be even more ferocious.

Therefore, we must eliminate these evil spirits and treacherous villains as much as possible.

The troupe leader was too cunning and had already vanished without a trace.

Many of his men were killed, and his forces suffered heavy losses. They must hate him to the core.

The old hag in front of me is skilled in Gu poison, and her destructive power is even greater.

If they escape, that will lead to endless trouble.

correct…

Suddenly, Li Yan had a thought and quickly caught up with the old witch's corpse.

After a moment of searching, he quickly found two items.

Those evil contraptions of the other side had already been destroyed by the thunder and ghostly soldiers.

Only these two items remain intact.

With a kick of his legs, Li Yan surfaced with a splash.

He looked at the two objects in his hands.

One is a hollow cylindrical jade cong with a square outer shape and a round inner shape. It is carved with a pattern of gods and beasts, symbolizing communication with the power of heaven and earth. The material is Hetian green jade, which was favored by the Song Dynasty imperial family, and the shape is also from the Song Dynasty.

Li Yan glanced at it and lost interest.

They had already obtained several national treasures, but this one was the most ordinary, only good for concealing one's aura, so they might as well sell it for a better price.

As for the other yellow silk scroll, it excited him.

Sure enough, it was the "Precious Proclamation of the Earth Official for Pardoning Sins"!
This thing is a protective treasure; it can even fend off ghostly soldiers and save lives in critical moments.

He had already figured out the pattern: almost every powerful Earth Immortal in the Jianmu organization possessed one.

It's somewhat rampant, but the quantity isn't as large as one might imagine.

He deliberately waited until Granny Shirt fell into the water before making his move, fearing that she would use this item.

This time, at least I gained something.

Thinking of this, Li Yan looked up and around.

Without the cover of the ghost troupe's grand formation, the navy's combat power was fully unleashed.

In a very short time, the Cocoon Cultists who followed were completely wiped out.

The water was littered with charred ship debris and corpses.

Suddenly, Li Yan looked up at the distant night sky as if he had a premonition.

I have this inexplicable feeling of palpitations...

……

Rumble!
Thunder rumbled and the wind howled.

The leaden-gray rain curtain tore at the reeds along the Qinhuai River.

A plume of black smoke streaked across the sky above the reeds, tearing through the rain curtain before landing after a mid-air spin.

It was the runaway ghost opera troupe leader.

This infamous earth immortal, who once rode in a paper sedan chair and carried paper figures, now bears no resemblance to his former sinister self.

His soaked brocade robe clung to his body, covered in mud and charred soot, making him look quite disheveled.

He glared fiercely in the direction of the battlefield and said through gritted teeth in a deep voice:
"One wrong move and the whole game is lost. It seems we underestimated Li Yan."

"For the Jiangnan Plan to succeed, this boy must be eliminated!"

Having said that, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he prepared to leave, seemingly lost in thought.

But just as his toes were about to touch the shadows of the reeds...

"Buzz!"

A clear and melodious bell rang out in the noisy rainy night.

The troupe leader of the ghost opera froze and stopped in his tracks.

He looked around and saw three figures slowly emerging from the rain, surrounding him.

The leader was dressed in a dark purple Taoist robe, wearing a hibiscus crown, with a thin face and deep, unfathomable eyes.

He stood with his hands behind his back, and raindrops that came within three feet of him slid off on their own.

The troupe leader's eyelids twitched slightly.

"Zhang Jingxuan, you're pretty quick..."

(End of this chapter)