American variety show world begins with subduing Jason

She knew what was going to happen next.

This is a scene that has happened countless times since I can remember.

She stopped in front of a dilapidated two-story old house, and her trembling little hands forced her to pound on the door.

The beige wooden door, its paint peeling off, creaked open, followed by a low, trembling growl.

"Carrie—!"

The tall, thin woman opened her eyes wide, clutched her old-fashioned black apron tightly, and the muscles on her haggard face twitched.

Why is it so dirty?

Why are you back so late?

Have you done anything improper? Almighty Lord, I want to confess to you…

The barrage of unfounded questions felt like icy seawater flooding her mouth and nose, making the girl feel like she was suffocating.

Everything in front of me seemed to turn gray and white.

This is my life.

—That's what she thought.

Chapter 292 Possession, Departure

After exhausting all her words to barely evade the barrage of accusations, the girl had no appetite whatsoever. She used all her strength to brace herself against the stair railing and dragged her weary body up the stairs step by step.

Running to the school to complain, banging on the table with the principal and teachers to argue your case? The intimacy and comfort of an embrace? Sorry, those things don't exist in this home.

In this spiritual world, there is only room for one thing...

"All misfortune stems from doubt in one's faith..."

We are pure and innocent, blessed, and only by walking in God's way will we receive the Savior's grace..."

On the gleaming silver cross, a gaunt saint, crowned with thorns and surrounded by expensive essential oils and flowers, gazes down at the incessantly chattering woman below, his face filled with deep compassion.

In the dim light, Carrie glanced at her mother kneeling before the altar, praying devoutly, then walked back to her bedroom on the second floor with difficulty, her face expressionless.

She slammed the door shut, locked it, and drew the thick linen curtains. She hastily dried herself, took off her cold, iron-like clothes, and crawled into bed, covering her head with the covers.

It's as if by doing this, all frustration and sorrow can be shut out.

The rough textiles scratched against my skin, causing a slight itching sensation, and the bedding, which hadn't been changed in a long time, had a faint musty smell.

My mother believed that a life of hardship, free from external possessions, could better cultivate a steadfast faith, and this applied to everything in the household, from food and clothing to daily necessities.

Even though it wasn't exactly comfortable, this small, dark space still provided the girl with some warmth, both physically and spiritually.

"Holy Father... Angel... the only Savior..."

Faint prayers drifted from downstairs. The girl gave a bitter smile, and in her bright eyes, a burning flame of resentment flickered.

Angels? Whatever kind of being they are, anyone who can save me from this kind of life is an angel!

With thoughts that her mother considered utterly rebellious churning within her, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The wind and rain outside the window grew stronger, and water dripped from the eaves.

In her dazed state, the girl seemed to see a star, shimmering with a jewel-like blue-purple light, sliding down from the sky and gently falling into the space between her eyebrows.

In a daze, the face of a beautiful yet indifferent woman flashed before her eyes.

She unconsciously turned over, blinked a few times, and then fell asleep peacefully again.

In the small, dimly lit bedroom, a strange spiritual energy rippled out:

"Severely damaged... Suitable host found... Classification... Witch bloodline, according to calculations, compatibility percentage 100%... Initiating fusion and activation..."

……

……

Beside two Ford Raptors, one black and one gray, Edkins and his men hurried back and forth, carrying packages of various sizes out of the house and packing them into cargo boxes.

Aren't you coming with us?

Beverly covered the luggage with a brown-grey waterproof canvas, took the rope that Holger threw to her, and quickly tied a knot to secure it, her tone tinged with regret.

“I have some things to attend to and will be staying a few more days. I’ve already spoken to people in Los Angeles; the housing and school arrangements have been made. You can just go to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce office to complete the formalities.”

Zhu Mingyao smiled and patted the head of the Edkins girl beside him. Before she could throw a tantrum, he handed her a newly released handheld game console, which made her turn from angry to happy and generously forgive the strange uncle's teasing.

The druid girl scoffed at his childish behavior, casually plucked a shriveled seed from a roadside bush, and with a flick of her finger, nurtured it into a sweet-smelling, delicate red rose. She then coaxed the little girl to climb onto the seat.

The warlock who passed by put down a bag of clothes, a hint of envy in his eyes.

The spell was cast instantly, with movements that were effortless and graceful. Clearly, after absorbing the four-leaf clover transformed from the remains of a nature fairy, the comrade's strength had improved significantly.

Is being pretty really that advantageous? He sighed silently, "I wish I had a rich guy gifting me some extraordinary treasure. If only there were a magical ritual that could transform me into a beautiful girl..."

"Okay, everything's done. Thank you all for helping me move. Once we get to our destination, I'll treat everyone to a good meal."

After handing the last box of valuables to his wife and carefully placing it under the seat, Edkin clapped his hands with a smile, beckoning his companions to get on the train and prepare for the long journey.

In the group of four, apart from him, the others were all people who only had themselves to feed and had very few belongings. If they hadn't been waiting for him, they could have set off the day before yesterday.

"Take care and have a safe journey!" After offering his sincere blessings, Zhu Mingyao nodded goodbye to his new friends and got into the hotel's car to return to his residence.

Thin rays of sunlight peeked through the gaps in the clouds, passing through the maple trees on both sides of the road that were reddened by autumn, and when they fell to the ground, they left only patches of dim light.

The number of pedestrians on the streets has recovered slightly compared to the previous two days, but it is still much less than the same period in previous years. Presumably, a considerable number of tourists have already left this place of trouble.

The car wheels sped by, and outside the window, a figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a mask covering his face, and a long black trench coat wrapped tightly around him hurried past.

"Bloodlines?"

Zhu Mingyao raised an eyebrow in confusion. When did dark creatures dare to walk openly in the sunlight? Are they trying to wade into this mess?

His gaze swept across the other person, and a black obsidian button on the cuff suddenly caught his eye.

The buttons are unadorned, smooth and perfectly round like the moon, which, in the eyes of an expert, reveals the owner's status and origin.

So it turns out they've sided with the government's Black Night Clan... No wonder they can walk the streets so openly and no one pays them any attention.

Zhu Mingyao stroked his chin thoughtfully. As news of Halloween Eve spread, the atmosphere in New Orleans had become somewhat treacherous in just a few days. Now that even vampires had appeared, it seemed that a fierce struggle was truly brewing.

However, none of this concerned him much. Although he was emotionally inclined towards the witches, Zhu Mingyao could not make a decision on behalf of Hualian or publicly support one side when it came to such a significant division of interests and changes in spheres of influence.

However, he was not just going to stand idly by. Yesterday, he had already asked the Special Investigations Bureau to send a bottle of Fountain of Youth, which was the reward for the operation, to the temporary residence of the Sisterhood of Witches. This was a subtle way of expressing his stance and also a way of doing his part for the two girls.

Furthermore, his actions later on should give them some momentum in the subsequent turmoil...

"call."

The silver Chevrolet disappeared from sight, and the vampire in the long trench coat finally breathed a sigh of relief. She stretched her stiff body, glanced around with her deep blue eyes under her hat, and quickened her pace to disappear into a hidden alley.

The gaze she had just received belonged to a powerful figure from some unknown force, and it felt like the blazing midday sun, making her feel as if she had thorns in her back, and almost unable to muster any resistance.

After catching her breath, her bright red lips, hidden beneath the mask, curled upwards.

The situation here is indeed as complicated as expected, which is a good opportunity to break free from the family's control and find a chance to escape!

Victor is dead, and that good-for-nothing Craven won't stop you from pursuing freedom!

Chapter 293 Another Advancement, the Mystic Altar Takes Initial Shape

On the roof, floor, and four walls, yellow talismans and silver threads outline magical patterns, creating a wonderful blend of Eastern and Western styles that tightly protect the interior from external interference.

Zhu Mingyao sat cross-legged on the carpet with his head bowed and eyes lowered, in an extremely relaxed posture.

He focused his attention on the system and opened his personal panel.

Class: Celestial Sorcerer, Level 9

Skill: [Shangqing Secret Manual, Volume 1 (Red)] LV 2

[Small Six Palace Heart-Reading Technique (White) LV3/Max]

[Maoshan Miscellaneous Collection of Yangfu Scripture (White)] LV6/Full

[Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing (Green)] LV3

He scanned the skill list with his mind, adjusted his breathing, and then unhesitatingly added all the points he had accumulated to his main cultivation technique.

Although the adventure on Skull Island required the use of resources accumulated in the early stages on the [Maoshan Miscellaneous Yang-Gathering Talisman Scripture] in order to unleash the Great Spell of the Warlord and defeat powerful enemies, the defeat of the Demon Lord resulted in a substantial reward, making up for about 70-80% of the losses.

With the gradual gains from slaying demons and monsters during this period, after the battle on Halloween night, he finally had enough to upgrade the [Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing] again. He didn't want to wait until he went home to do it, so he stayed a few more days to adjust his mind and body and upgraded on the spot.

Large swaths of golden dust appeared out of nowhere, floating in the Purple Mansion Sea of ​​Consciousness, like a galaxy swirling around a small point, as if something was about to sprout.

At the same time, his true qi and spiritual energy surged rapidly throughout his body. His heart spirit, lung spirit, liver spirit, spleen spirit, kidney spirit, and forehead spirit all emitted faint, brilliant light.

Correspondingly, six strange lights also emerged from within the sea of ​​consciousness, standing firm like solid reefs in the swirling golden dust.

After an unknown amount of time, the golden dust and strange light suddenly converged in the middle, transforming into an indescribable seven-colored pearl, which then burst apart in an instant.

As the clear and melodious Taoist chants echoed, golden threads and pure energy intertwined, and a hazy, three-tiered jade platform slowly took shape.

Six strange lights flew down into the area, one at the top and five in the middle, expanding into six leaping flames, with human figures occasionally flashing by.

At the very top of the hazy altar, a fleeting figure quietly rose up, its face shifting and changing for a moment before finally settling into a form exactly like Zhu Mingyao himself.

He wore a Qing Dynasty hibiscus crown and a purple cloud robe, looking like a god or an immortal, solemn and dignified. With a gentle wave of his hand, a crystal-clear talisman fell into his palm. It was a phantom talisman formed when he cultivated the [Maoshan Miscellaneous Yang-Collecting Talisman Scripture] to its peak, almost like the unorthodox golden elixir of the Dan Ding School.

With the talisman in hand, it was like holding a jade tablet. The aura of the figure and the altar was strengthened again, and the outline became more solid and clear. In addition to the upper and middle layers, two colorful flames also emerged from the bottom layer.

[Shangqing Huangting Neijing Jing (Qing)] LV3—LV4

Celestial Sorcerer Level LV9-LV12

Feeling the surging magical power flowing through his body like a river, Zhu Mingyao opened his eyes with satisfaction. He opened his mouth and blew slightly, and a blackish-red aura with a strong, fishy smell was expelled. It was compressed into a small ball the size of a bean by an invisible force, and it spun around in the air. Golden flames ignited and instantly turned it to ash.

This is a small amount of harmful residue that has seeped into the body over time through eating and breathing, and it is now being completely expelled and refined.

Only now, at its current level, has the Shangqing Huangting Immortal Technique truly revealed its power, easily subduing the accumulated merits of other techniques and turning them to enhance its own might.

This not only marked his official entry into the peak of the Innate Stage, with one hand touching the threshold of the Golden Core/True Talisman Realm, but also allowed him to unlock two new Yellow Court Body Spirits.

【Marrow God Hidden Sea】! [Blood God Chijiang]!

The former is the place where essence and vital energy are generated, which can greatly enhance the body's various recovery abilities. Ordinary people can recover from bone and muscle injuries in a hundred days, but can be cured in seven days by coming here.