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Chapter 176 Impermanence (Two Chapters Combined)

boom!
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.

But Wang Xi pulled out the revolver given to him by Commander Dong and fired at the sack that was approaching in mid-air.

Fire bursts out.

The sack swayed and a hole appeared in it.

But the hole reappeared in the blink of an eye.

'Conventional methods cannot harm Him...'

Wang Xi squinted and stared intently.

The following entry immediately appeared on the sack:
"Qinghe God (Demonized/Nemesis/Five-Star/Hero)"

Silver frame with five stars.

According to the peddler, the terrifying aspect of Qinghe God's transformation into a demon lies in its "transformation" ability—it can forcibly turn people into locust monsters, wreaking havoc on the world.

Although its own combat power is almost zero, it is still rated as a five-star silver-framed creature because of this special ability.

Qinghe God is like a "legion manufacturing machine".

If left unchecked, it will continuously produce locust monsters, eventually triggering a large-scale locust plague.

The impact will extend beyond Maoli Village and Qingwei Town, and may even spread to Fengdang City and Jingu Province.

But to say that He could destroy the entire Morning Kingdom...

Wang Xi was also skeptical.

After all, this kind of locust plague is not contagious and must be converted one by one by Qingheshen, which is too inefficient.

The "Seclusion Preview" did not predict the future of Qingwei Town being destroyed by the locust plague, indicating that even if Wang Xi did not intervene, the peddler would still be able to deal with Qinghe God.

"careful!"

At this moment, the martial arts performer Luo Qu spoke up to warn him.

Before she finished speaking, the tattered sack swooped down like a ghost, its mouth wide open, heading straight for Jiang Xiaolan.

The actress reacted extremely quickly, her long knife flashing across the silver arc, the blade slicing open the sack with a hiss. But strangely, the sack healed in the blink of an eye, completely undamaged.

The sack wriggled, as if mocking her futile efforts.

"Well?!"

Jiang Xiaolan's pupils contracted sharply; she was about to be trapped.

Emergency moment.

The mute musician arrived swiftly, grabbing her shoulder and leaping several meters away on tiptoe. At the same time, silk strings shot out from his sleeves, weaving a silver net between the sack and Jiang Xiaolan.

hiss-

The sack shattered upon impact with the silk string, halting the attack.

Once it recovered, Wang Xi placed his palm on it.

puff!
This was no ordinary palm strike.

Wang Xi added something to it.

— "Lord of Scorched Earth" "A Stroke of the Brush"

The fire element did not erupt, but condensed in the palm, forming a terrifying high temperature, and then fell with a "side point", containing hidden force.

The brushstroke falls sharply to the side, then returns to its starting position to finish.

For example, the first dot in the "Eight Principles of Yong".

The high temperature distorted the air, and the palm wind and heat wave swept around, startling Master Mei, Luo Qu, Jiang Xiaolan and others.

Is Young Master Wang practicing the ultimate Yang internal energy technique?

Otherwise, how could the palm strike be so intense?

Bear!!

The sack, struck by a palm, trembled violently and spontaneously combusted. Simultaneously, it emitted a piercing scream like a baby's cry and frantically took flight.

Like a piece of paper money that hadn't been completely burned, it was blown into the air by the cold wind and drifted away into the distance.

Wang Xi did not pursue, knowing that conventional methods could not kill Qinghe God. The sack was not the real body; as long as the bamboo pole was not found, it was virtually immortal.

His own fire magic palm strikes could only force it back; once it recovered, it would surely return.

"While Qinghe God is away, quickly find a bamboo pole!"

Mei Yanxi brandished her red-tasseled spear, pointing the tip directly at the unsearched houses in the village: "Move faster!"

"it is good!"

Just as everyone was about to continue their search, the ground suddenly trembled violently. With a deafening roar as earth and rocks crumbled, a gigantic locust monster, as large as a bear, burst forth from the ground.

"Qinghe Divine Left Protector (Nemesis/5-Star/Elite)"

Click, click, click!

It had completely lost its humanoid features; its carapace was an ominous blood red, and its compound eyes gleamed with malice. Its sickle-like forelimbs tore through the air, slashing down at Mei Yanxi with a piercing shriek.

"Teacher, be careful!" Zhao Hama shouted.

Mei Yanxi remained calm and composed, her spear flashing like a dragon. The red tassel transformed into a streak of blood as she engaged the locust monster in fierce combat.

Clang!
Dang Dang Dang!
He lived up to his reputation as a Grandmaster, wielding his red-tasseled spear with the grace of a dragon soaring through the clouds, using the spearhead's dragon head to precisely deflect the powerful enemy's attacking claws, producing a series of clanging sounds.

They moved with ease and skill.

"Young Master Wang, leave this to me!"

Mei Yanxi shouted.

Wang Xi nodded and was about to act when the surrounding houses collapsed one after another. Dozens of locust monsters swarmed out of the ruins and surrounded the opera troupe.

"Formation!"

Zhao Hama, wielding two swords, stood back-to-back with Luo Qu and Jiang Xiaolan. Uncle Ya's fingers flew across the strings, the silk strings gleaming coldly in the sunlight, forming a protective net around them.

Despite the critical situation, Wang Xi remained calm and composed.

A strange feeling inexplicably arose in his heart.

—"A stroke of genius (branding)"

The primordial spirit was extremely active at this moment, as if it had sensed the source of danger in the village.

In an instant, his intuition told him that powerful locust monsters were lurking near the well to the east, inside the barn to the west, and under the old locust tree to the north.

And in the south, there is a simple shrine to the Earth God.

That area is the most dangerous.

'The most dangerous place is where people are most likely to hide.'

Wang Xi thought.

His figure shot southward like lightning.

Two locust monsters tried to stop him along the way, but he smashed their heads with a single blow and then disposed of them casually.

Five or six breaths.

Wang Xi then rushed to the dilapidated earth god shrine.

The incense burner overturned, and the offering table rotted.

Clearly, the villagers of Maoli Village had not worshipped the land god for a long time before the evil event occurred.

Inside the simple stone shrine, a mottled earthen statue was pierced through the chest by a black bamboo pole, and its entire head was missing.

'Found it! It's right here!'

Wang Xi's lips curled into a smile when he saw the black bamboo pole.

He didn't rush forward.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion, and an icy hand appeared out of thin air, several meters away.

——"The Heart Thief"

The icy hand grabbed at the black bamboo pole.

Wow!

Suddenly, the ground in front of the shrine rose up, and a crimson elite locust monster burst out of the ground, its scythe-like claws slashing towards Ice Hand.

Clang! !

Ice Hand neither dodged nor avoided, but met the punch head-on.

Amidst the clanging of metal against metal, it was the crimson locust monster that staggered backward, its sharp arm blades chipped open.

"Qinghe Divine Right Protector (Nemesis/5-Star/Elite)"

Wang Xi was radiating magical power.

Then, the icy hand that was suspended in mid-air conjured another ice sword, making him seem like a low-budget version of a "sword immortal".

The "flying sword," controlled remotely, was as fast as lightning, piercing straight at the right protector's vitals with a tricky angle.

Whoosh! Clang!
The right guardian's strength was far beyond that of ordinary locust monsters. Its two arms wielded blades so tightly that they were impenetrable, parrying the "flying sword" attacks. It even tilted its head back and used its mouthparts to bite and try to cut the swords off.

when! !

The "flying sword" slammed open the ferocious maw, spun backward, and flew upside down, its crystal-clear blade shrouded in a thick layer of bloody mist.

——"Elegy for the Blood Orchid"

Three perfect parries, and he was ready to strike.

Wang Xi stomped his foot.

Click-click——

A cold mist spread out, and ice crystals spread out in a fan shape, eventually climbing up the two leg segments of the Right Protector and freezing him in place for a short time.

Wang Xi's right hand, fingers joined like a sword, slashed through the air—

The "flying sword" turned its tip mid-air and swept across with lightning speed. The frost-covered sword energy swept past, and the Right Protector, unable to react in time, was instantly cut in half at the waist.

Oh!

The mangled body crashed heavily to the ground, and the green bodily fluids had no time to gush out before being frozen solid by the cold air.

"Hiss!!"

The right guardian was extremely tenacious and did not die. Its upper body struggled violently, and it managed to get up, still wanting to fight again.

But Wang Xi waved his hand coldly.

bass!
The flying sword immediately pierced through the locust's head!

"The target has been killed!"

"Have you captured the abilities of 'Qinghe Divine Right Protector'?"

'Yes. '

Wang Xi said inwardly.

A dark green ball of light flew out from the two halves of the locust monster's corpse and went straight into his brow.

In the distance, the tattered sack flew back into the air.

"I'm late, oh dear."

Wang Xi glanced and then looked away.

He strode forward and grabbed the black bamboo pole that was stuck across the ground like a chest.

Snapped!
The moment I touched the bamboo pole, a desolate and sorrowful emotion surged into my heart—it was the obsession of the Green Rice God to protect the fields for many years, the helplessness of witnessing human suffering, and the despair of finally falling into madness!

"rest in peace."

Wang Xi said softly, pulling out the black bamboo pole with force.

hum-

A strange resonance spread throughout the village.

Even outside the village.

All the locust monsters froze simultaneously, then collapsed to the ground like puppets with broken strings. The suspended sack let out a final whimper, automatically flying towards the black bamboo pole in Wang Xi's hand, and tied to the top like a weary bird returning to its nest.

Silence suddenly descended.

"Target defeated!"

"Should we capture the power of 'Qinghe God'?" Wang Xi silently replied.

Three orbs of light, one dark blue and two blue, appeared on the bamboo pole and burlap sack in his hand and disappeared into his brow.

Upon seeing this, he was overjoyed.

...

...

"Young Master Wang, did you succeed?"

Jiang Xiaolan's eyes lit up when she saw Wang Xi approaching, carrying a bamboo pole with a tattered burlap sack tied to it. She wiped the sweat from her brow and greeted him with a smile.

"I have fulfilled my mission." Wang Xi returned the greeting with clasped hands. "Thanks to everyone's great help, this disaster has finally been quelled, and the souls of the dead in Maoli Village can finally rest in peace."

Mei Yanxi put away the red-tasseled spear and slung it back on her back.

Having just survived a fierce battle, he remained calm and said, "Young Master Wang, you flatter us. If you hadn't found the key item, we would likely have been in dire straits..."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the horrific battlefield outside the village.

"Those dark-skinned people actually helped out."

Everyone followed his gaze—

Limbs and bloodstains were everywhere, along with tattered uniforms of the Black Eel Army scattered across the fields. Several blood-stained military flags were stuck askew in the mud, indicating that the unit had retreated hastily after suffering heavy losses.

"Let's go back to town."

Wang Xi shook the dust off the hem of his long gown.

Everyone naturally agreed without objection.

It was early afternoon (around 1 p.m.), and the blazing sun made the bluestone slabs scorching hot.

When the group returned to the south gate archway of Qingwei Town, several young apprentices from the opera troupe had already prepared cool tea and were waiting for them.

Mei Yanxi took the teacup and drank it all in one gulp. He then cupped his hands to Wang Xi and said, "Young Master Wang, shall we go to the peddler's place to report back?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Wang Xi nodded.

The two walked together along the narrow path toward the crooked tree. The chirping of cicadas tore at the stagnant air, and the thatched roof of the peddler's house distorted slightly in the heat.

Just as I stepped outside the fence gate, I heard the peddler's hearty laughter coming from inside:
"You two have worked hard, please come in and have a seat."

Wang Xi and Mei Yanxi exchanged a glance, then pushed open the door and entered.

The peddler wearing a straw hat stopped hoeing, wiped his sweat, and looked at the bamboo pole in Wang Xi's hand, letting out a long sigh:
"Farmers toil in the fields, hoping for a good harvest in the autumn... The God of Green Rice, who protects the fields with virtue, has become a popular deity."

"But even the gods couldn't survive this world. In the end, they became demons, unleashing a man-eating locust plague. How pitiful and lamentable!"

He put down his hoe and solemnly bowed to Wang Xi and Mei Yanxi:
"Thanks to your righteous intervention, the souls of the dead in Maoli Village have found peace, and a great scourge has been removed from Qingwei Town. On behalf of the people of this region, I thank you both."

Wang Xi was about to politely decline when the peddler suddenly smiled mysteriously: "The opportunity you promised that day should be fulfilled."

“However—” he pointed northeast. “This opportunity is not in Qingwei Town, but in Fengdeng, the provincial capital.”

"The provincial capital?" Mei Yanxi raised an eyebrow slightly. "Could you please specify, sir?"

The peddler chuckled, "On the path of cultivation, each step is a new level. This opportunity may allow you two to advance even further."

Wang Xi and Mei Yanxi were both overjoyed.

They are both grandmasters.

Take it one step further…

That is to embark on the path of cultivation!

The peddler suddenly stopped smiling and said seriously, "But you two shouldn't be too happy yet. Whether you can seize the opportunity when it comes depends on your own fate."

As he spoke, he walked to the shelf next to the table, pulled out the topmost small compartment, and took out two finger-sized, oval-shaped dogwood berries.

With a gentle flick, two dogwood berries landed steadily in Wang Xi and Mei Yanxi's palms.

“Take this to the ‘Listening to the Rain Pavilion’ in the south of Fengdeng City. He will guide you on your way.”

The peddler said meaningfully.

"Opportunities may be good, but don't force them."

...

...

The two did not linger.

As Wang Xi left the thatched hut, he looked back and saw the peddler carrying the bamboo pole and burlap sack, gently stroking it and whispering, as if to comfort him or to express his feelings.

Finally, the peddler stuffed it into the cabinet.

Wang Xi and Mei Yanxi have done good deeds by eliminating harm for the people today, and each of them has received a "certificate of opportunity," putting them in high spirits.

The two returned to the archway, and Mei Yanxi clasped his hands in a fist and said with a smile, "It is a great pleasure to have seen Young Master Wang's demeanor today. If you don't mind, why don't you come up to my place for a couple of drinks and discuss martial arts?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Master Mei," Wang Xi returned the greeting. "I'm just a little tired and would like to go back to the martial arts school to rest first. I'll definitely do it next time."

"That's fine then." Mei Yanxi felt a little regretful, but didn't insist. "Young Master Wang, please rest well. If there's an opportunity in a while, we can go to Fengdeng City together again..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Wang Xi understood.

It means going together with a token to fulfill the opportunity.

"Okay," Wang Xi replied with a smile.

After the two parties parted ways.

Wang Xi walked straight towards the martial arts school.

But just as they arrived at the main street where the martial arts school was located, a thunderclap suddenly rang out overhead—

Boom! !
Wang Xi was startled and stopped in his tracks.

Looking up, I saw that the once bright and sunny sky had suddenly become covered with dark clouds.

The sun was already obscured.

What's even stranger is that, by sheer coincidence, the dark clouds happened to fall right over this street.

'This is bad...'

Wang Xi suddenly had a bad feeling.

In the previous "Seclusion Preview", I was caught in a sudden downpour and died for the third time.

Most likely now?!
With a light touch of his toes, he sped off like a whirlwind.

He activated his innate Qi and unleashed his full movement technique, heading straight for the entrance of the martial arts school.

According to the peddler's method of survival, if caught in a heavy rain, one must take shelter in a house and close the doors and windows tightly...

A strong wind had already picked up, making Wang Xi's clothes flutter in the wind. He glanced at both sides of the street and found that there was no one there.

My heart sank suddenly.

In just two breaths, Wang Xi had already darted to the gate of the martial arts school.

But out of the corner of his eye, he saw two figures standing at the alley entrance opposite the martial arts school.

So there were still people...

Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, I suddenly held my breath.

Those two people—

One black, one white.

It was those two young men from the "Amazing Swan Class"!
When Wang Xi first watched the play, he didn't pay much attention, and his profile only showed him as an ordinary person.

But now, his pupils suddenly contracted.

changed……

The entry has changed!

"Underworld Messenger - White Impermanence - Xie Qi (Neutral/Skeleton/Legendary)"

"Underworld Messenger - Black Impermanence - Fan Ba ​​(Neutral/Skeleton/Legendary)"

Two golden-framed skull-level beings!
The young man in white robes held a plain white oil-paper umbrella, his handsome face smiling at Wang Xi beneath it. The young man in black stood upright to the side, his hands behind his back, his face expressionless.

Black and White Impermanence?!
This was the first time Wang Xi had ever encountered the infamous messenger of the underworld, and his heart was pounding.

Could it be...

They've come to arrest me, haven't they?!

Wang Xi had no time to think and slipped into the martial arts school in a flash.

Well known.

The bed is a protective barrier; as long as one hides under the covers, neither evil spirits nor ghosts will be able to harm them.

After his figure disappeared.

The two young men then looked away.

"Brother, that young master seems quite afraid of us?"

Xie Qi, holding an umbrella, laughed in a slightly childish voice.

The black-clad youth sneered, "Brother, this person hasn't even cultivated the three souls and seven spirits, nor has he attained the inner realm and outer form, yet he's already attracted 'the death of a loved one'... I never imagined the mortal realm would be in such chaos. This person must be a demon."

“Eh.” Xie Qi shook his head. “Brother, you are mistaken. That young master’s body was shimmering with dark light, clearly indicating that he had accumulated great virtue. How could he be a demon?”

"Besides, even if he is a monster, this matter is not our concern."

“Hmm…” Fan Ba ​​pondered for a moment, seemingly agreeing with his brother’s words, and then said, “I hate rain.”

"What a coincidence." Xie Qi nodded. "Me too."

"..."

The two of them looked up at the sky in unison.

With a loud bang.

Wow!
The rain poured down, soaking the street, while the sky remained clear in the distance.

Fan Ba ​​quietly took a step and hid under his brother's umbrella, his expression still as cold as ever.

He seemed to be making conversation for the sake of it all: "That person seemed to know we were coming and deliberately prayed for rain to obstruct us."

"It's alright," Xie Qi smiled. "Let's wait for the rain to stop."

Fan Ba ​​hummed in agreement and said nothing more.

The two young men stood under the umbrella, quietly staring at the Huo family martial arts school across the street.

...

...

As soon as Wang Xi entered the martial arts school, he saw his master, mistress, and others, which put him at ease.

"Brother, you are back!"

Huo Qiao'er greeted them with a smile, carrying a wooden sword.

"Luckily, I got in time and didn't get wet... It's strange, it was sunny just a moment ago, how come it suddenly started pouring rain?"

As she spoke, she peeked out the door.

He does not mean that.

Wang Xi suddenly remembered something.

Among the gifts I gave to my sect, wasn't there a "rain-praying incense"?
This sudden, strange rain...

"Qiao'er, where is Senior Sister?" Wang Xi asked in a deep voice.

This statement came out.

Not only was Huo Qiao'er stunned, but even her master, mistress, and senior brother looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Senior brother, what...what are you saying?"

Huo Qiao'er hesitated, carefully observing Wang Xi.

"Where did this senior sister come from?"

"Besides you, me, Senior Brother Ruiyang, and Junior Brother Fuyun, Father has never taken on any other disciples..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xi stood frozen in place.

(End of this chapter)