Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 315 Please vote for me!
The sedan chair in front came down.

The eldest son of the Zhao family raised his hand, and the people from the main branch of the family stopped in their tracks.

The second wife stepped out of the sedan chair first, holding two golden maces in her hands, crossed behind her head, as if they were both a stand and a pillow.

Given her current image, making this gesture creates a striking contrast, almost like a female version of Cheng Yaojin.

Next was Master Zhao. He put his hand on his wife's shoulder, but instead of pulling her back so that he, the old man, could stand in front, he pushed her forward a couple more steps so that she could better shield him.

When his tall son, Zhao Yong, got out of the sedan chair with a shovel, Second Master Zhao stepped aside to let his son be at the front.

Tan Wenbin had considered using "drama" to buy time.

But this is too risky, because the eldest son's family clearly doesn't like acting; otherwise, they wouldn't have pretended to be sick and refused to work after being replaced.

Don't let yourself be putting on a great show, spitting as you go, when one of the four from the eldest son's family suddenly rushes forward and gets yourself killed.

However, with his "wife and son" in front of him, Tan Wenbin felt confident enough to liven things up, and shouted towards them:

“Brother, we brothers haven’t been close for a long time. Look at the scenery here, it’s quite nice. How about our two families have a picnic first, and then we’ll wait for our third and fourth brothers.”

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Zhao pulled out a sturdy little axe, with two small skulls inlaid on both sides of the axe, and his mouth was opening and closing, making a "giggle" sound.

Seeing this, Tan Wenbin laughed and said, "Brother, you really have a childlike heart. This toy is so interesting!"

Old Master Zhao: "Are you from the second branch of the family human or ghosts?"

Tan Wenbin: "That's a long story..."

The old man from the Zhao family pointed his axe at Tan Wenbin: "Then let's not talk about it."

Tan Wenbin smacked his lips twice. Sure enough, the conversation was going nowhere, and trying to stall for time with words was not a good idea.

Li Zhuiyuan has come out.

From Li Zhuiyuan's perspective, it would be best to maintain a superficial understanding first, and then let everyone enter the Zhao family's ancestral home and make their move against the Zhao family's elder before tearing off their pretenses. This would maximize their interests.

After all, the nominal purpose of this group was to kill the Grand Elder.

As for what unexpected events might occur during the killing of the Grand Elder, and what new changes might result after the killing of the Grand Elder, that would actually be something Li Zhuiyuan could leverage.

Because Li Zhuiyuan's target in this wave was Zhao Wuyang.

The more trouble they caused at the Zhao family's ancestral home, the less pressure the teenagers felt.

But Zhao Yi didn't do that.

Zhao Yi took action before even entering the ancestral home.

The changed preconditions forced Li Zhuiyuan to make a new choice.

Alternatively, help these people who have crossed the river overcome Zhao Yi's obstruction and eventually gather at the Zhao family's ancestral home;
Alternatively, they could simply ignore it, since their second branch was the least conspicuous and they could continue to play dumb. They could do their own thing while they waited at the ancestral home in sedan chairs.

Alternatively, you could side with Zhao Yi and help him stop the people.

The three choices correspond to three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior.

Now, Li Zhuiyuan has chosen the worst option.

The new partnership requires a period of adjustment.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think he was acting on emotion. He felt it was based on his understanding of Zhao Yi, temporarily ignoring immediate interests in order to maximize safety and gains in the later stages of this wave.

Ultimately, however, the word "understand" itself carries a bias.

Especially when you only know Zhao Yi, but don't know your opponent.

thus,
This time, getting out of the sedan chair could be said to be a gamble on her past relationship with Zhao Yi.

The boy believed that Zhao Yi could sense the position and changes of the two sedan chairs, and could also know from them what choice he had made.

This time, it was Li Zhuiyuan who stepped in first to help, placing the chips on the table.

It's as if the teenager was the one who first issued the "ally request".

If Zhao Yi does not accept or respond, then he is an enemy, and the level of hostility will be far beyond the ordinary, and will be deeper and more intense.

Li Zhuiyuan did not stand at the back of the team, but took a few more steps forward. "Second Master Zhao" consciously continued to retreat, placing his wife and children in front of him.

No sooner had they successfully switched places than a dark figure appeared behind them, its cold light flashing, an attack about to strike.

Tan Wenbin realized this; before this, he had heard Xiao Yuan's warning in his mind.

After completely suppressing and controlling the four spirit beasts, Tan Wenbin's five senses had reached an extremely high level, but the high level of his abilities made it more difficult for him to operate them smoothly.

However, because of the connection between the red thread and his consciousness, his perception naturally became synchronized with Li Zhuiyuan's.

The unexpected situation was like a problem assigned on the spot. Before I had even finished reading the problem, Xiao Yuan had already solved it and tossed the paper to me to copy.

Tan Wenbin copied it verbatim.

He didn't turn around, but instead made a mudra with his hands, joined his two index fingers together, and touched his forehead at the same time.

"Chengde."

To ensure the success of the sneak attack, the dark figure eliminated as much of its burden as possible, but this also meant that it was completely unprepared.

Just as the knife in his hand was about to cut into "Master Zhao's" neck, suddenly, a pair of snake eyes appeared on the back of Master Zhao's head.

The shadowy figure's spatial perception immediately became disordered.

When the sneak attack failed, he immediately retreated, and the shadow quickly disappeared.

However, the Second Grandmother, who had been standing in front, now appeared at the back.

A golden mace slammed down, and the black shadow that had not yet completely dissipated instantly exploded, turning into a cloud of dust with a "bang".

Just as Lin Shuyou was about to habitually use the "Boy's Art" to trap the dust and continue the torture, he heard Xiao Yuan's voice in his mind and immediately stopped, failing to maximize the benefits of this successful counterattack.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped them because if they continued down this path, a fierce battle between the two sides would naturally begin.

My goal is to stop the other party, and the lower the cost, the better.

"puff!"

The youngest son behind the eldest son coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Madam Zhao: "There was no formation, no barrier, and no pre-spread of miasma."

Grandpa Zhao: "That's what you hear or smell, it's based on your five senses."

"They've hidden them really well; Zhao Yi deliberately concealed them."

"They've sided with Zhao Yi."

"How dare they?"

"They must have something to rely on."

"So, are we still performing now?"

"No more acting."

"Perfect timing, I'm tired of acting too."

Grandpa Zhao opened his mouth and let out a low growl. His face quickly blurred, all of which gathered into a bead on the tip of his tongue. When he closed his mouth, the image of a middle-aged man with a cold gaze appeared.

This kind of quality, forged through fierce battles, is something that the old man Zhao could never cultivate by scheming and managing clan affairs at home.

Madam Zhao also opened her mouth, and after a moment of illusion, she transformed into a middle-aged woman with a mole on the corner of her mouth. She wasn't exactly stunningly beautiful, but she still possessed a certain charm.

The two "sons" behind him followed suit, revealing their true colors. One was covered in scars and had a strong physique, while the other was obviously weak, and his oversized clothes swayed against his body when the wind blew.

Li Zhuiyuan glanced at the young man who looked weak. The dark figure that had just attacked was released by this young man, but it was not a puppet.

Moreover, the blood that the young man had vomited earlier did not seem to be his own.

Li Zhuiyuan's mind raced as he tried to figure out what kind of technique the other party was using.

The conclusion reached after the screening process surprised even the teenagers.

How come this method is so closely related to the traditions of the underworld?
It's somewhat like my own "Spirit Binding and Commanding", but it's much lower-end and cruder. It's not a basic approach, but the effects and attributes are similar.

"Brother Binbin, have the people on the other side announce their names."

"clear."

Tan Wenbin flicked his sleeve and said disdainfully:
"Using such underhanded tactics is a bit too low-class. What kind of small family did they come from? Don't they know any manners at all?"

Originally, the eldest son of the Zhao family did not take it seriously, but the four of them had already locked onto their own auras, which was a sign that they were about to make a full-scale attack.

But after being reminded by Li Zhuiyuan, Tan Wenbin's next words made them pause in shock.

Tan Wenbin: "Ha, a bunch of laughable, lost souls."

Grandpa Zhao straightened up again, his expression serious.

Madam Zhao whispered, "Have we been seen through?"

Old Master Zhao: "Let's find out first."

After speaking, Old Master Zhao held the axe horizontally in front of him, twirling it to create a mournful sound, as if a vengeful ghost were wailing.

"The Valley Priest of Living People - Bu Chen".

Madam Zhao placed the ruler horizontally to her lips, and the sound of a flute rose, as if the plants on both sides echoed her.

"The Judge of the Valley of Living People - Qiu Chuyin".

The young man, covered in scars, clenched his fists and brought them to his sides, creating a powerful sonic boom.

"Luo An, a convict from the Valley of Living People"

The frail young man gave a sinister smile, followed by various echoing laughter emanating from his body, and said coldly:

"Zheng Ming, a convict from the Valley of Living People".

Etiquette in the martial arts world is not simply about going through the motions. If you come from humble beginnings, it doesn't matter; but when you're in the martial arts world, what you need to be wary of are those with complicated backgrounds. If you accidentally kill or harm someone, it can lead to a series of subsequent troubles.

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "Phew, these four people look so sinister."

Lin Shuyou thought to himself, "They have such a strong ghostly aura about them."

When we faced Qiu Huaiyu's team before, there was one of them nicknamed "White Impermanence," but he only resembled the underworld after the mechanical surgery. In fact, he had nothing to do with the underworld.

The four people in front of them had the same aura and attributes. Of course, when they introduced themselves, they also mentioned a place.

Li Zhuiyuan thought to himself, "The Valley of Living People is located in Yuxi, Yunnan. That place now has another name, Ailao Mountain."

It's normal to have ghostly energy on your body. Fengdu isn't the only place in this world called the Underworld. It's just that the Great Emperor was too powerful and expanded his own Daoist temple to be the only one in mythology.

In reality, there are many small underworlds in various places, and the Valley of Living People is a sect based on this.

Li Zhuiyuan learned about this sect from a fragment of a health preservation manual in his great-grandfather's basement. The author of the book was a wandering master who had tried to find the secret method of regenerating flesh from bones.

The book records his experience of going to the Valley of Living People. He thought he was finally fortunate enough to receive the true teachings, but the final result greatly disappointed him. This was not the immortality he wanted.

As can be seen from the description in the book, the Valley of Living People is a small underworld.

If a Bodhisattva wants to build a new hell, he must first seal off the existing Great Underworld. Similarly, the reason why those Small Underworlds have a "Small" prefix is ​​because Fengdu is suppressing them there.

What is now known is that Zhao Heming, the replacement for Chen Cuier in the third wife's family, comes from a Buddhist family, possibly guided by the hand left by the Bodhisattva.

The river-walkers who emerged from the Lesser Underworld of the Living Valley were most likely guided by the Great Emperor's "ennoble conferment of titles upon the entire Zhao family."

Although they are not from the same faction and are even in competition with each other, if you were in that situation, you would also be curious about the unusual actions of the force that is pressing down on you.

The river, it seems, utilizes this very point, using different forms of waves to connect people from different backgrounds and identities who travel along the river.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the sky, which almost explicitly stated: Heaven's will conduct political vetting.

Now that the other side has introduced themselves, it's time for us to introduce ourselves.

Tan Wenbin, who was shouting at the bow of the boat, didn't know how to bring it up, mainly because they had many identities, and different identities represented different choices.

"Brother Binbin..."

"clear."

Tan Wenbin smiled, tore off his mask, and revealed his true face.

Lin Shuyou and Runsheng also removed the ceramic figurine and put it back in their pockets.

Runsheng didn't care, but Lin Shuyou finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This passionate young man has been playing the role of a young mistress for the past few days, which has really made Ah You feel stifled.

Of course, the worst outcome is that he's really afraid he'll get used to acting if he keeps doing it for too long.

Tan Wenbin began by introducing himself:

"The successor of the Fengdu Underworld, acting on the will of the Great Emperor, has come here to proclaim the decree!"

As soon as Tan Wenbin finished speaking, the mark between Lin Shuyou's eyebrows appeared, revealing the aura of a ghost general.

Ah You's position as Ghost General has been affirmed by both the Great Emperor and his successor, making it as authentic as can be.

With Li Zhuiyuan's palms facing down, two faint phantom images of soul-locking pillars appeared behind everyone.

The phantom of the Soul-Locking Pillar and the aura of the Ghost General were enough to prove their identities.

Li Zhuiyuan deliberately did not open the ghost gate illusion.

This left the four people from the Living Valley on the other side somewhat bewildered.

Bu Chen: "People from Fengdu?"

Tan Wenbin: "That's right."

Bu Chen: "But I've never heard of any inheritor in Fengdu?"

Tan Wenbin: "Heh, there are plenty of things you haven't heard of."

Bu Chen: "Since you are from Fengdu, why are you helping Zhao Yi from Jiujiang?"

Tan Wenbin: "Do I, as the underworld official of Fengdu, need to explain my actions to you?"

Bu Chen: "Zhao Yi from Jiujiang was once a bodhisattva's hound, blocking the gates of Fengdu. Shouldn't he be your enemy in Fengdu?"

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "Why does this sound so awkward?"

It's clear that the Bodhisattva was defeated and suppressed by the Great Emperor, so why does it sound like the Bodhisattva won?
Lin Shuyou's thoughts were more direct: "How come the story has fallen to Three-Eyed again?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "The Bodhisattva is using the pretext of entering Fengdu, and he has already entered; the Great Emperor is busy suppressing the Bodhisattva, and the Gate of Hell has also been closed."

From an outsider's perspective, it is indeed difficult to determine who really won.

As for Zhao Yi... Living Valley should have sent people to Fengdu to investigate. Zhao Yi was in charge of the Yinmeng Coffin Shop contract, and he also accompanied Xiuxiu and her brother to the street office to complete the formalities.

Furthermore, since the Emperor's bestowal of the title of "Marquis" upon the entire Zhao clan of Jiujiang was not an official decree, few people should have known about it initially. After the opposing side killed the members of the eldest branch of the family, they discovered that their souls would be enveloped by the spider lily and taken to the underworld of Fengdu. Naturally, they would interpret this as the Emperor's revenge against Zhao Yi, a henchman of the Bodhisattva.

Lin Shuyou's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Wow, that makes perfect sense!"

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "Brother Xiao Yuan, should we continue making this up?"

Li Zhuiyuan responded, "Yes, it's just to buy time. You're free to do whatever you want."

Tan Wenbin nodded and said loudly:

"The face that Fengdu has lost must be regained by Fengdu itself. My Great Emperor's personal disciple has already boarded the first sedan chair. In no more than three incense sticks' time, we will be able to kill and bind Zhao Yi of Jiujiang and bring him back!"

Bu Chen: "The Zhao family patriarch has also been replaced?"

Tan Wenbin: "That's right, that clan leader is none other than my young lord!"

Bu Chen: "We intend to enter the Zhao family's ancestral home and kill the Zhao family's wicked leader. Please do not stop us."

Tan Wenbin: "My young lord has strictly ordered that Zhao Yi must be apprehended by him personally, in order to present a complete victory before the Emperor. No outsiders are allowed to interfere. If you continue to step forward, then don't blame us for being impolite!"

Bu Chen and Qiu Chuyin exchanged a glance, their eyes meeting.

Qiu Chuyin: "They are targeting Zhao Yi, which means they are also helping us deal with the Zhao family."

Bu Chen: "I just feel like something's not right."

Qiu Chuyin: "Something's not right?"

Bu Chen: "I can't explain it."

Qiu Chuyin: "It's impossible that the people from the Underworld would really be in cahoots with Zhao Yi, right?"

Bu Chen: "My mind is a mess."

Qiu Chuyin: "Quiet down, or the evil spirit inside you might try to cause trouble."

Bu Chen: "Then...wait a minute?"

Qiu Chuyin glanced back and said, "Let's wait a bit, and also wait for the two houses behind us."

Bu Chen: "The time it takes for three incense sticks to burn?"

Tan Wenbin: "For my young master, this is enough!"

Qiu Chuyin opened her palm, and three incense sticks appeared in her palm. In an instant, the three incense sticks joined together, pierced the ground, and began to burn.

Afterwards, all four people from Living Valley sat cross-legged.

Qiu Chuyin stared at the incense, Luo An counted on his fingers, and Zheng Ming swayed back and forth.

Bu Chen closed his eyes, and ghostly figures appeared and disappeared on his face, as if he was suppressing something.

Tan Wenbin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "They actually managed to fool me. No wonder they're the least likely to use their brains when acting."

Lin Shuyou thought to himself, "Those four people on the other side seem to be a little slow on the uptake."

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "Even you think they're not thinking straight, so they really must be."

Lin Shuyou: "Brother Bin, are you making fun of me?"

Tan Wenbin: "He's praising your keen insight."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The problem is that the information they have is flawed. They firmly believe that the information they have is correct, so they ignore and suppress other points of conflict."

The real major events in the martial arts world often leave most people in the dark. Only the top forces in the martial arts world can see things clearly at the first moment, as they are truly capable of exchanging information.

When the Great Emperor unleashed his power and wiped out the entire family, I hadn't even returned home from my journey across the river when Grandma Liu received the news.

The first incense stick has burned out.

Qiu Chuyin looked up and gazed ahead.

Tan Wenbin said loudly, "It seems that Zhao Yi from Jiujiang does have some skills, but that's about it."

The second incense stick has burned out.

Except for Bu Chen, who was still with his eyes closed, the other three all looked at Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin: "It is a bit tricky, but he is destined to never escape the grasp of my young master!"

The third incense stick burned out.

Bu Chen opened his eyes and stood up: "We're not waiting anymore."

Tan Wenbin: "My young master is definitely fighting Zhao Yi to the very last moment, it'll be over soon!"

Bu Chen: "We can go help him."

Tan Wenbin: "I do things in Fengdu, why should you interfere? Do you really think you're something special?!"

Bu Chen: "If it were just a matter for your Fengdu, it would be simple. My Living Valley should give you face. But today's matter is in accordance with the will of Heaven, and you cannot stop it!"

Tan Wenbin: "Aren't you afraid that my Emperor will be enraged and issue a decree!"

Bu Chen: "Is the Great Emperor still the same Great Emperor now? If the Great Emperor is truly as powerful as he was in the past, why would it take so long to punish the entire Jiujiang Zhao?"

Tan Wenbin: "Insolence!"

Bu Chen: "The Fengdu catastrophe has brought about a change in the underworld. From now on, the underworld will no longer be ruled by Fengdu alone!"

Tan Wenbin thought to himself, "These people are really strange. They hesitate when they should hesitate, and they are decisive when they should be decisive."

Li Zhuiyuan: "They all carry something that suppresses and interferes with their thinking."

Tan Wenbin: "No wonder, they're all neurotic."

Qiu Chuyin threw the tortoise shell on the ground and began to whip it repeatedly with a ruler. Runes appeared and spread to the surroundings, indicating that she was setting up an array.

Li Zhuiyuan: "We can start now."

The boy opened his right palm, and a blood-porcelain-colored array flag condensed. He clenched it and shook it continuously.

The duel between the two formation masters began before the teams started.

Upon contact, Qiu Chuyin noticed her tortoise shell beginning to tremble and immediately spoke up:
"Hurry up and make your move! The enemy has a master of formations there. I'm far inferior to him. Don't give him a chance to set up the formation!"

Bu Chen, axe in hand, lunged forward to the right, while Luo An, his arms scarred, charged forward from the left.

Zheng Ming pinched his fingers, and a sinister laugh emanated from him once again.

Runsheng, holding a Yellow River shovel, stood at the very front.

He didn't rush over on his own initiative. As the blocking side, it was unnecessary to take the initiative to attack. Besides, his side had the advantage of formation masters, and the other side was definitely more anxious.

Bu Chen's axe fell, and Run Sheng blocked it with his shovel.

The moment the collision occurred, Bu Chen felt a tightness in his chest. The other person, wielding a shovel, stood there like a heavy iron gate.

"Gluck... cluck..."

The skull on the axe let out a strange laugh, and a strong hallucinogenic aura surged toward Runsheng.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Bu Chen swung his axe down again.

"Bang!"

However, Runsheng continued to use his shovel as usual, blocking the way in the same unpretentious and simple way as before.

Bu Chen frowned slightly. Was this guy even alive? How could he be unaffected by such decadent music?

Runsheng didn't know what interference was. As long as he didn't use his brain to think about this and that, he wouldn't have any worries.

However, since returning from Fengdu, his habits have changed a bit. Every day, he would take a little time to sit on the edge of his bed before going to sleep and use his brain to think about someone.

But certainly not now.

Bu Chen unleashed a series of axe strikes, all of which were deflected by the opponent, who didn't even move an inch.

Luo An, who was supposed to find a breakthrough by going around to the other side, was also recalled to attack Run Sheng together with Bu Chen.

The scars on Luo An's body split open, and where there should have been bone, they turned into chains, indicating that he had undergone bone replacement.

Runsheng faced two opponents, which increased the pressure on him. He began to retreat when receiving attacks, but would actively push forward when exchanging force.

He enjoyed the pressure and used it as an opportunity to build up his strength.

Lin Shuyou was originally prepared to deal with Luo An, but Luo An went back to deal with Runsheng, so he just stood there without moving or going to help.

Zheng Ming: "Hehehe..."

Qiu Chuyin: "Mm."

The woman slid the ruler into her palm, making a cut. Blood soaked the ruler, and she then struck the tortoise shell with even greater force. The runes that spilled out immediately became more numerous and larger.

Li Zhuiyuan appropriately withdrew his attack, creating the impression that his side was temporarily suppressed.

After all, the opponent has used their essence blood to amplify their power, so I should be weaker too.

"Buzz!" "Buzz!" "Buzz!" "Buzz!"

Eight dark figures appeared in succession, each carrying a murderous intent.

It was obvious that Qiu Chuyin was putting pressure on Zheng Ming, creating an opportunity for his sneak attack.

Tan Wenbin took a deep breath, tilted his head back, and spread his arms out.

With so many targets at once, he really didn't know how to handle them.

Fortunately, he only needed to do as Brother Yuan asked.

Centipedes, green oxen, and snake eyes continuously appeared from above, locking onto targets. Tan Wenbin's blood ape power erupted, and he leaped up, smashing in one direction, stomping in the other, and crashing into the next spot.

The speed was fast, but the posture was awkward, like a student frantically copying answers before handing in their paper, no longer caring whether their handwriting was neat or beautiful.

Lin Shuyou watched Runsheng take on two opponents at once, and then watched Brother Bin jump around like a crazy monkey.

Ah You was a little anxious. He really wanted to help, but Brother Xiao Yuan must have a reason for telling him to stay.

In the boy's team, as long as he stays clear-headed, no one will disobey his orders.

Soon, Ayou stopped being in a hurry, because a series of numbers appeared in his mind.

These numbers are an extension of the formation's orientation, and Lin Shuyou had no choice but to do his best to quickly memorize and understand them.

If Tan Wenbin was rushing to hand in his paper, then Lin Shuyou was cramming for the exam right before it started.

A smile appeared on Zheng Ming's lips, and a faint light shone from his chest, illuminating his clothes.

The eight dark figures that followed served as cover, while a blood-red figure silently appeared behind Li Zhuiyuan. Tan Wenbin noticed this and instinctively wanted to stop him, but the reminder from his brother Xiaoyuan made him act instinctively instead, punching the dark figure in the distance.

The blood-red shadow's head split open and it bit down on the boy.

The boy continued waving the array flag with his right hand, while his left hand reached back and pierced into the mouth of the blood shadow.

In an instant, black karmic fire surged forth, completely filling the blood shadow.

Blood Shadow's body stiffened, and Li Zhuiyuan's left hand slowly withdrew from Blood Shadow's mouth, revealing a wriggling, transparent ball of flesh clenched in the boy's hand.

Zheng Ming stopped laughing.

His clothes were undone, revealing his emaciated body, and the appearance inside was quite eerie.

He himself was like a dead tree covered with dense mushrooms, which were fleshy growths of different sizes and colors.

Zheng Ming reached out and grabbed the one that was turning black, preparing to crush it.

But as soon as he touched it, he hesitated. He had nurtured this tumor for a long time; it was the most elusive and had the best assassination effect.

Moreover, even if that boy could unleash karmic fire, he couldn't destroy his own Blood Shadow with just karmic fire.

He should have been decisive.

But it is human nature to be decisive in times of crisis, and how many people can be willing to pay any price from the very beginning?
Li Zhuiyuan held the transparent fleshy ball in his left hand, his eyes half-closed. Karmic fire burned fiercely, but he was still unable to refine this blood shadow.

Zheng Ming smiled again.

Perhaps because he was preoccupied with too much, the young man also fell into a disadvantageous position in the battle of formations with Qiu Chuyin.

They had been trading blows, each trying to outmaneuver the other, with the goal of making it impossible for either of them to set up a formation. Now that the boy's resistance has decreased, Qiu Chuyin's first formation is almost complete.

The boy seemed to finally realize the danger, and his eyes widened.

He released his left hand, and the fleshy mass that he had been unable to subdue returned to the Blood Shadow's body, and the Blood Shadow began to dissipate.

Zheng Ming looked down at the shriveled tumor, his gaze gentle, as if he were looking at his beloved pet.

But his smile froze.

As the tumor broke open and pus and blood oozed out, the blood shadow, now nourished, condensed again and bit Zheng Ming's neck.

Zheng Ming couldn't understand why the Blood Shadow he had carefully nurtured would turn against him and attack him at this moment.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Runsheng, press down!"

Runsheng forcefully swept his shovel across, suppressing Bu Chen and Luo An. However, Runsheng's momentum was not strong enough, so this shovel caused his blood and qi to surge, and many of the grooves on his body "broke through".

It wasn't serious, but it was still a minor injury.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Lin Shuyou, go!"

Lin Shuyou rushed out at top speed, heading straight for Zheng Ming.

At this juncture, Bu Chen and Luo An were being suppressed by Run Sheng and were unable to break free to stop him.

Lin Shuyou was able to make his way in unimpeded, while he was still rapidly counting numbers in his mind.

Zheng Ming, who was already at a loss, became even more flustered, but the three fleshy tumors under his neck showed a kind of eager excitement.

Qiu Chuyin threw the tortoise shell in front of her to Zheng Ming, who quickly reached out and grabbed it, using it as a shield.

Lin Shuyou read out the numbers.

change!
Lin Shuyou, who was originally heading straight for Zheng Ming, suddenly turned and rushed towards Qiu Chuyin.

Qiu Chuyin remained calm, even a smile playing on her lips. Her first formation was already set up, making her the safest person in the entire area.

The woman held the ruler horizontally and then swung it up and down, activating the formation and unleashing suppression.

However, the next moment, Qiu Chuyin's pupils suddenly contracted.

The young man wielding the double maces began to use extremely strange movements, each landing point precisely on the life gate of his own formation.

Even if I were to change the formation now, it would be too late. This is not simply because the formation's suppression effect is completely ineffective against it. On the contrary, it has been given the formation's assistance, increasing its speed to an unbelievable level.

At this moment, Qiu Chuyin finally realized that the boy was pretending to be suppressed by her. In fact, he was deliberately letting her set up the first formation first. He directly predicted the formation in advance and broke it immediately.

However, there is another possibility: that the young man wielding the mace is a genius in formations and has seen through everything.

But looking at him running around like a madman, he doesn't seem like it at all...

If all of this was the boy's plan, then didn't he start it from the moment Zheng Ming first tried to ambush them?

Is this really... a human?

Lin Shuyou is in a lot of pain. He was charging at top speed and adjusting his position based on the numbers Xiao Yuan had given him earlier. As he adjusted, his speed became increasingly outrageous, to the point that even his body could not withstand the pressure.

But now Ah You can't care about anything else. There are still a few strings of numbers left. He has to finish them!

Lin Shuyou rushed towards Qiu Chuyin without any hindrance and even accelerated.

Li Zhuiyuan, a formation master who doesn't practice martial arts, is indeed very rare, but most formation masters, even if they practice martial arts, only develop superficial skills. Compared to true masters, they are simply no match.

When Lin Shuyou was able to get close to Qiu Chuyin face to face in this way, the ending was already predetermined.

"Young boy, young boy!!!"

Lin Shuyou shouted in his heart.

He needed the boy to help him lift the mace. At this speed, he couldn't make any movements at all, not even inserting a needle to raise it. If this continued, he would crash into Qiu Chuyin.

Although, when it comes to who has the stronger physique, Lin Shuyou is definitely not afraid.

But after finally memorizing those numbers and combining them with Xiao Yuan's ingenious plan, he finally created an opportunity for himself to face the array mage head-on, only to end up killing her by crashing into her.

Boy: "That's really awful!"

Lin Shuyou and Tongzi worked together, each exerting all their strength, and raised both golden maces before crashing into each other.

This action made Li Zhuiyuan, who had arranged all of this, blink twice.

In his deduction, the plan was for Lin Shuyou to smash the opposing formation master into a pool of blood mist at extremely high speed.

However, the boy underestimated the young people's obsession with and pursuit of image, especially since there was a "boy" over there who sounded even younger.

These two guys managed to make Li Zhuiyuan's deduction go wrong.

However, this mistake does not affect the result.

First, he swung the mace.

"boom!"

Qiu Chuyin's head was smashed.

The next blow pierced Qiu Chuyin's chest, then spun, causing her body to explode completely.

The White Crane True Lord opened his mouth, and the remnant soul of Qiu Chuyin after her death was sucked into his mouth.

After doing all this, Lin Shuyou continued his charge, plunging his double maces into the ground and carving out two long, deep trenches to dissipate his energy.

When his body finally came to a stop, he first leaned forward slightly, but did not fall forward. Instead, he drew out his double maces and raised them high to the sides.

He turned around, facing the crowd, straightened his chest, raised his chin, and put away his mace.

With their own formation master dead, leaving not even a scrap of flesh or soul, Bu Chen and Luo An immediately retreated and stood with Zheng Ming.

Bu Chen's mouth was open, one hand pressed against his forehead, sometimes looking up with red eyes, sometimes looking down and murmuring.

Zheng Ming squeezed his tumor until it burst, and the blood shadow disappeared with it, but a deep red mark remained on his body. He stood there, but his body was twitching uncontrollably.

The three fleshy growths under the neck were constantly moving towards the head, attempting to take control of the body.

Li Zhuiyuan clenched the array flag in his hand, and the first array was set in motion, followed by the second, the third...

These temporary formations are neither long-lasting nor sturdy, but they can play an important role in timely conflicts.

Runsheng stood there, leaning on a shovel with both hands.

The feasibility of the previous plan was based on Runsheng's ability to block all visible threats in front of the boy. On this basis, everything could be done calmly, and it wouldn't matter if they failed.

Lin Shuyou's face was flushed; his face and arms... all the skin facing forward was red, but his heart was still pounding.

Looking at Xiao Yuan, and seeing that Xiao Yuan didn't seem to intend to continue fighting, Ayou was still a little puzzled.

Under the red thread of fate, Ayou's heartfelt words were heard by Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan: "The most useful one among them, who was also the easiest to die, has already been killed. The remaining three are not easy to kill."

Bu Chen's body clearly contains some kind of ferocious creature, and Luo An's chains have even more ways of manifesting themselves.

Looking at Zheng Ming, with those three tumors reaching his chin, Li Zhuiyuan suspected that he could no longer be considered a human being, but rather a collection of tumors. Even the current Zheng Ming might be a case of a tumor successfully invading his brain in the past.

These three guys all possess secret techniques similar to Lin Shuyou's acupuncture and Run Sheng's full opening of the Qi Gate. After eliminating the opponent's formation master, they will definitely be no match for our side in team battles. However, it will take time and effort to kill them... and it may even be difficult to completely eliminate them in the end, so we will have to choose to suppress and seal them.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan finally understood why the Dragon Kings of the past sealed away those evil spirits to ensure their extinction over time. They were indeed powerful enough to defeat, but also incredibly difficult to kill. If something went wrong, even a part of these creatures could escape and cause new disasters.

Originally, the purpose of this trip to Jiujiang was to access the Zhao family's treasure vault, intending to take the materials back to craft talisman armor and then set up a permanent array area in the fields.

A thought arose in Li Zhuiyuan's mind: to seal them away, take them home to continue suppressing them, and keep them under his personal supervision.

Immediately, Li Zhuiyuan himself was slightly stunned. Wasn't this the ancestral home of the Dragon King's family?

Previous generations have encountered the same problems, had the same ideas, and even put them into practice.

No, that's too much trouble. Leaving the problem to future generations would just be repeating the same thing.
Li Zhuiyuan didn't like doing it this way; he preferred to eliminate everything completely, leaving no residue.

At that moment, a sentence echoed in the boy's mind:

It was destroyed by the righteous path.

In "Tales of the Strange and Unusual in the Martial World," all the deaths of evil spirits follow a uniform pattern: they are destroyed by the righteous path.

Li Zhuiyuan had many guesses about this sentence before, especially after he learned that the author's name was "Wei Zhengdao".

But now it seems that this sentence may have another meaning. Wei Zhengdao had crossed the river, so he must have also been troubled by this. Has he found a way to completely eliminate him?
Li Zhuiyuan decided that when he got back, he would take some time to reread all the books he had read before, hoping that the answers might actually be in those books.

If Wei Zhengdao thinks about it, it's the same as if he thought about it himself, which will save him a lot of time.

After suppressing the things inside his body again, Bu Chen straightened up, first looked at the spot where Qiu Chuyin had died, then looked at the boy in front of him, and took a step forward.

Luo An followed suit and took a step forward, while Zheng Ming remained where he was. The three tumors had now climbed onto his face, as if in a competition, trying to burrow into his head.

Tan Wenbin nodded to Xiao Yuan, stepped forward, and called out:
"If you want to avenge her, then come on. But if you fight like before, you are no match for us. If you want to fight, then show us your true skills and bring out your best tricks."

Then...we promise to turn around and run, we absolutely won't fight you!

Bu Chen: "..."

Secret techniques have a time limit, and the more powerful the technique, the more terrifying the side effects. They haven't even entered the real Zhao family ancestral home yet, and they haven't even seen the target of this wave, the Grand Elder. If they were to use their real techniques here, those three would probably all faint when they arrived at the entrance of the Zhao family ancestral home, truly becoming "gifts" delivered to their doorstep.

Seeing their expressions, Tan Wenbin felt very happy, as if he were seeing the scene of himself and the others collectively collapsing in the past. Sometimes, Xiao Yuan had to time it so that everyone would collapse twice in one wave.

"I suggest you wait for now. There are still your third and fourth brothers and their families coming up."

And so, the eerie silence continued.

During this time, one tumor entered Zheng Ming's brain first, while the other two tumors wriggled downwards and returned to his neck.

Zheng Ming stopped smiling and instead looked miserable, making sounds similar to sobbing.

Bu Chen and Luo An were worried that the other side would take advantage of Zheng Ming's brain transplant to launch an attack, so the two of them stood on the left and right sides to protect Zheng Ming, but the other side did not make any move.

The silence was broken by people arriving from behind.

A monk and a nun walked over slowly.

Their breaths were weak and disordered, most of their robes were burned, and their bodies were covered with shocking wounds, deep enough to expose the bone.

The fact that even the most basic wound treatment wasn't done means that there are still residual forces inside that can't be cleared out for the time being.

Li Zhuiyuan roughly guessed what they had gone through.

Zhao Yi must have set fire to his own ancestral grave.

It's truly remarkable that they managed to survive coming out of that area.

The monk Huiwu looked at the two sides locked in a strange standoff with some doubt, then clasped his hands together in prayer towards Li Zhuiyuan, who was blocking his path:

"Amitabha Buddha, benefactor, could you please step aside and make way for this humble monk?"

Tan Wenbin: "Wait a little longer."

The monk Huiwu smiled and said, "No problem, then let's wait a little longer."

After saying that, he and Abbess Huiyin held hands and sat down on a stone by the roadside.

One helps the other clean the small stones and dust from the wound, while the other helps tear off the robe that is fused with the skin and flesh.

The two of them meticulously groomed the items, oblivious to everyone else, occasionally pausing slightly to ask if they had hurt each other.

A while later, the people from the fourth branch of the family arrived.

A small man and a large woman, the small man sitting on the woman's shoulders, both of them looking very relaxed and at ease, without the slightest sign of injury.

But their twins have disappeared.

The monk Huiwu took the initiative to ask, "Amitabha, shouldn't there be four of you?"

The young man swung his leg as he answered, "They sacrificed themselves to cover our escape from the Zhao family's guards."

The strong woman nodded: "Yes, that's right."

The monk Huiwu sighed, "Alas, he is truly admirable."

In reality, everyone knows what's going on. There are situations where people might willingly sacrifice themselves for their partners, but it's unlikely that two people would survive completely unharmed.

It can only be said that those two were "voluntarily" sacrificed by the two of them.

This behavior is not uncommon on the river; in fact, it can be considered widespread.

However, the fact that they were able to survive this ordeal by "sacrificing" themselves suggests that those two were no ordinary cannon fodder. Their loss was a huge blow to the fourth branch of the family.

The young man looked at the monk Huiwu and said, "On the way here, we passed a burnt-out ruin. I even made a bet with my husband that you must have been burned to ashes. Who would have thought that you would make me lose the bet?"

The strong woman said, "I told him you wouldn't be burned to death, but he said he wanted to collect the relics."

Monk Huiwu said, "Amitabha. It was a certain death situation, but thanks to the Buddha's protection, I was able to save my life."

The young man pointed ahead and asked, "Why are we stopping?"

Monk Huiwu: "The second branch of the family is blocking the way."

"Oh?" The young man looked over. "How did you tell... Oh, I see. That young man still looks the same. How interesting. The second wife has truly integrated into the Zhao family's life."

Monk Huiwu: "Yes, I am no match for them. I have only learned the superficial aspects."

The young man shouted, "Hey, you second wife, aren't you afraid of divine retribution for blocking the road like this?"

After that shout, the older woman carried the younger man and stood in a row with Bu Chen and the other two.

Monk Huiwu and Abbess Huiyin also came over.

Together, the three families exerted pressure.

Tan Wenbin laughed and said, "That's more like it. A family should be all together. What's the point of worshipping ancestors if everyone is missing?"

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and knocked on the sedan chair. The sedan chair stood up again, and the young man stepped into it. The sedan chair then began to move.

Runsheng, carrying a Yellow River shovel, followed behind the sedan chair, while Lin Shuyou walked in front of it.

Tan Wenbin reached out and grabbed the sedan chair, stepping on it with his toes, as if he had hooked himself onto a moving bus.

The reason for keeping the sedan chair is that it will have to travel on its own from here on out, and it will save trouble if it encounters any forks in the road. Also, it is necessary for Zhao Yi's side to use the sedan chair to know their current location.

Why don't they all sit in the sedan chairs?
Because they were afraid of being ambushed.

The procession of sedan chairs is still going strong.

Master Huiyin stepped forward and, after some effort, dispelled the remaining formation. It was a temporary formation, and since the master of the formation was no longer present, dispelling it was naturally not difficult.

However, after solving the problem, Abbess Huiyin still exclaimed, "This formation is truly profound."

Monk Huiwu: "I've rarely seen you praise other people's formations."

Master Huiyin: "I am not as good as him. This formation itself is very common and ordinary, but it not only contains the power of feng shui and weather, but also has exquisite and meticulous arrangement methods. No matter which aspect, it is a level that ordinary formation masters cannot comprehend even if they spend their entire lives."

The young man asked, "Then who exactly is this boy? Whether Zhao Yi came down from the river or not, he's been going crazy, so why is this boy willing to help him?"

Bu Chen: "They are from Fengdu. Among them is a young lord who is said to be the successor of the Great Emperor. That young lord has replaced the Zhao family patriarch and is sitting in the first sedan chair. He is currently fighting with Zhao Yi."

The young man: "Is that really true?"

Bu Chen: "I think they lied to me, but the aura was definitely from Fengdu."

Monk Huiwu: "Truth and falsehood are intertwined, and the best lie is one that is half true and half false. Perhaps you can listen to it selectively, for example:"

"Among their ranks is a descendant of an emperor; Zhao Yi is currently engaged in fierce combat with the clan chief inside the first sedan chair."

Young man: "The Great Emperor's successor?"

Monk Huiwu: "If the Zhao family patriarch has indeed been replaced, then he shouldn't be on the same side as his second branch. There's no reason for them to act together on both sides. Benefactor, how can you believe such a thing?"

Bu Chen frowned.

The little man said, "He doesn't know, he's been faking illness all along, he's the laziest guy."

The monk Huiwu looked at the young man and said, "Aren't you also in seclusion?"

The young man said, "That's because the fourth wife I replaced liked to go into seclusion. If she suddenly stopped going into seclusion, wouldn't that arouse suspicion?"

Master Huiyin: "It shouldn't be like this. It is precisely because of our negativity that we have given the other party the opportunity to take advantage of us."

The monk Huiwu nodded in agreement.

He was too embarrassed to say it out loud, but he had personally tested the boy and was fooled by him.

Bu Chen: "But why would the people of Fengdu help Zhao Yi?"

The young man said, "That's right. Isn't it rumored in the martial arts world that Zhao Yi helped the Bodhisattva suppress the Great Emperor in Fengdu?"

Monk Huiwu and Abbess Huiyin remained silent.

The little man looked at them and asked, "Is that not the truth?"

The monk Huiwu said: "Truth and appearance are both illusions."

The young man asked, "Is this rumor false?"

Monk Huiwu: "Benefactor, you are attached to appearances."

The young man said, "That's right, everyone. Things have come to this point, and we should wake up. Before, everyone had their own plans, but now, all those plans have fallen apart."

We had too many ulterior motives, keeping them all hidden and unwilling to reveal our true intentions until the very end, which gave Zhao Yi, that kid, the opportunity to make his move.

Next, we need to mold ourselves into a cohesive unit, even if we're outwardly united, we must stand together and weather this storm.

Monk Huiwu: "What you say is absolutely right, benefactor."

Bu Chen: "Mm."

The younger man asked, "Can we catch up with them now and kill the second wife together?"

Monk Huiwu: "The eldest son's family must have considered doing that, and then they would be one person short."

The younger man said, "I meant that the three of us should join forces."

Monk Huiwu said, "Forgive my bluntness, but the combined efforts of the three branches are generally not as effective as the previous desperate efforts of the eldest branch."

The main problem was that the young man who made the suggestion had previously sacrificed two members of his team as cannon fodder.

The younger man said, "Even if they each have their own agendas, we can wear them down slowly."

Monk Huiwu: "But when they want to exchange lives, which family member will do it?"

The young man: "Heh."

The monk Huiwu pointed at Bu Chen: "This benefactor has already put aside his hatred and put the overall situation first. What are you still clinging to? If we're going to unite, it was you who just proposed it. I originally thought you understood best."

The young man said, "I was just joking."

Monk Huiwu: "Next, we will maintain this alliance until we meet the Grand Elder of the Zhao family. I think that at that time, we will be more motivated to fight to the death."

After looking around, Tan Wenbin lifted the sedan curtain and said, "Brother Xiaoyuan, they're not in a hurry to catch up."

Lin Shuyou, who was walking ahead, turned around and said, "I was really worried that they would swarm us."

Tan Wenbin: "That's not the case. When the three families get together, it's actually the safest time for us. Too many cooks spoil the broth."

Lin Shuyou suddenly asked, "Brother Bin, what do you think Three-Eyed is doing right now?"

Tan Wenbin didn't know.

Li Zhuiyuan began:

"He should be in the woodshed by now."

……

Two sedan chairs were parked in front of the Zhao family's ancestral home.

Zhao Shan'an walked out from inside, glanced back, and saw no trace of the other sedan chairs.

A moment later, Zhao Yi stepped out of the sedan chair beside him.

His appearance hadn't changed much, except that his expression seemed somewhat stiff.

If you were to lift the curtain and look inside, you would see paint, brushes, scissors, needles and thread scattered all over the floor...

During the final stretch of the sedan chair ride, Zhao Yi faced his completely disfigured self, first mending his body and then painting on it.

After all, they came to pay respects to their ancestors, so they should at least show their ancestors a presentable side, even though Zhao Yi could smell the roasted meat emanating from him.

Zhao Shan'an: "Yi'er, is something wrong with your health?"

Zhao Yi shook his head and gestured for Zhao Shan'an to proceed.

Zhao Shan'an: "They haven't arrived yet, let's wait for them."

A sense of insecurity welled up in Zhao Shan'an's heart, who had always been confident. This was partly because the sedan chair behind him had disappeared, and partly because Zhao Yi now gave off an eerie, almost surreal feeling.

But soon, this insecurity turned into excitement.

He even licked his lips with his tongue, disregarding his image.

Zhao Yi smiled.

She only slightly curled the corners of her mouth, and that was the maximum she could manage. If she smiled any more, the lines inside would burst open.

The guy who travels alone across the river and directly chooses to replace his own clan leader is definitely not an ordinary person.

This kind of madness also exists in the man surnamed Li, but he hides it very well, unlike the one in front of us, who can't help but reveal it.

People like them treat walking along the river as a way to gain enjoyment and experience; they're crazy.

Zhao Shan'an: "Are you really not going to wait for them?"

Zhao Yi gestured for him to enter again.

Zhao Shan'an: "Okay, let's go in first and wait there, it's the same thing."

Zhao Yi stepped forward, reached out and grabbed the door knocker, and gently knocked on it.

Zhao Shan'an waited quietly to the side.

A moment later, footsteps came from inside, very light, as if they were floating on the ground.

"Squeak..."

The door was opened from the inside.

The second elder held a lantern, and his thin, old body peeked out from inside; he was a kind-looking little old man.

But when he saw the old man, Zhao Shan'an's eyelids twitched several times. To cover it up, he immediately bowed.

The person standing before us represents the true essence of the Zhao family of Jiujiang.

Compared to that, the outer residence was nothing more than a pigsty.

Second Elder: "You must be tired from the journey. Come in and rest."

Zhao Yi went inside.

Zhao Shan'an straightened up and prepared to go in, but the Second Elder blocked the doorway, still with a kind face.

"Second Elder, what's going on?"

The Second Elder smiled and said:

"How does it feel to be wearing the skin of the Zhao family?"

(End of this chapter)