Liu Dashao let out a scornful laugh, his lips curling into a sneer as he assumed a posture of disdain. The two special forces soldiers exchanged glances before shouting simultaneously and charging at Liu Dashao. With a long whistle, Liu Dashao was instantly enveloped in white qi, his talisman held tightly in hand, shaking straight before he flung it forward. The two soldiers cried out in pain as they were sent flying backward with a whoosh, landing on the ground with two thuds, unconscious.
At this moment, Fan Debiao burst into laughter, pointing at Dr. James, and said, “Yankee, is this the best your superhumans can offer? They’re really pathetic!”
Before Jia Zhuangyuan’s words had even faded, the black-clad figure with a mask suddenly turned to the already bewildered Dr. James, who had been stunned by Liu Dashao’s overwhelming power, and said, “Doctor, I told you we shouldn’t have brought them to China. You underestimated the extraordinary individuals of the East.” His voice was hoarse and hollow, as if it had risen from the depths of hell.
As he spoke, his body and feet remained still, yet he seemed to drift slowly to the center of the hall. A chilling aura erupted from him like a tidal wave, sweeping over the group. In an instant, everyone felt an intense cold, as if they had been suddenly transported from summer into winter.
Liu Dashao’s expression turned grave as he took another step forward, standing face to face with the black-clad figure. In a cold voice, he said, “Remove your mask. Let me see who you are.”
The black-clad figure remained silent for a moment before replying, “You need not know who I am. The Taoist arts of Zhengyi Sect are profound. Today, I shall test your skills.”
Liu Dashao nodded sharply and said, “You know me. If I’m not mistaken, I know you too. After more than a decade apart, you’ve become a dog for the Americans. You’ve turned against your own country and your own kin.”
The black-clad figure’s chest heaved slightly, and he suddenly roared hoarsely, “Enough! Let’s settle this with our skills!” With that, he spread his hands, revealing a blue-tinged flexible sword. With a flick, it straightened and, accompanied by his chilling aura, he lunged at Liu Dashao.
Everyone seemed to hear a faint sigh from Liu Dashao before he waved his talisman, blocking the black-clad figure’s strike.
The two clashed—black against yellow, sword against talisman. Liu Dashao’s Taoist qi and the black-clad figure’s chilling energy filled the hall. Both the Chinese and the Americans felt the pressure of the energy field, unable to stand steadily and involuntarily retreating.
As everyone steadied themselves and watched the intense duel between Liu Dashao and the black-clad figure, Jia Zhuangyuan suddenly noticed that Zhao Wendeng was missing. Realizing something was wrong, he quickly warned everyone, “Zhao Wendeng and the Purple Gold Corpse King are gone. Everyone be careful! This man is extremely sinister and might suddenly appear to attack us.”
By this time, the group had already retreated to the foot of the platform where the seven Nüwa statues stood, affected by the energy from Liu Dashao’s and the black-clad figure’s clash. Just as Jia Zhuangyuan finished his warning, they heard Zhao Wendeng’s sinister voice echoing from above, “Old man, you’ve realized too late. Here I come.” Everyone looked up and saw Zhao Wendeng and the Purple Gold Corpse King descending like lightning bolts from the sky, landing before them.
Zhao Wendeng, now clearly beyond words, raised his single arm, tapped the Corpse King’s head, and muttered an unknown incantation. With a howl, the Corpse King leapt forward, claws outstretched, eyes blood-red, fangs bared, ready to pounce on the group. Jia Zhuangyuan raised his Yin Official Soul-Shattering Nail and said, “Don’t be afraid. He won’t dare come near.”
When Zhao Wendeng saw the Soul-Shattering Nail in Jia Zhuangyuan’s hand, he hesitated, then let out a sinister “Hehe,” extending his arm like a claw, his eyes slowly turning red. Jia Zhuangyuan knew he was about to activate his zombie power. Quickly drawing his whip from his waist, he warned the group, “Be careful of the vampire. I’ll handle Zhao Wendeng.”
Zhao Wendeng’s eyes flashed like a wolf’s, his body undergoing terrifying changes. His skin turned red and swollen, his mouth opened wide, letting out a low, beastly growl. His fangs lengthened and reddened, protruding from his lips, his face becoming increasingly hideous.
At the moment Jia Zhuangyuan’s attention wavered slightly, Zhao Wendeng suddenly struck like lightning, clawing his right shoulder where he held the whip. A sharp pain coursed through Jia Zhuangyuan’s arm, numbing it completely, and the whip clattered to the ground.
Just then, his companions behind him cried out in alarm. The Purple Gold Corpse King beside Zhao Wendeng let out a howl, lunged forward, and together with Zhao Wendeng, its claws landed on Jia Zhuangyuan’s shoulders. Its long fangs aimed straight for his neck. In desperation, Jia Zhuangyuan, his shoulders burning with pain, used both hands to push upward, breaking free from the Corpse King’s grip. With his right hand, he clenched the Soul-Shattering Nail and punched straight into the Corpse King’s abdomen. With a piercing scream, the Corpse King was sent flying by the nail’s spiritual power, crashing heavily into the giant stone coffin with a loud “Bang,” collapsing lifelessly against it.
As Jia Zhuangyuan struck the Corpse King, Zhao Wendeng realized the danger. He kicked the whip on the ground, sending it flying. With a whistle, it landed several meters behind Jia Zhuangyuan, deep inside the platform. Remembering how the whip had severed his arm before, Zhao Wendeng, now filled with fear, decided to act first.
As Jia Zhuangyuan sent the Corpse King flying, Zhao Wendeng roared in fury and charged at him. His single arm swung like a massive hammer aimed at Jia Zhuangyuan’s chest. At the last moment, Jia Zhuangyuan swiftly sidestepped, dodging the blow. With a clear whistle, he leapt into the air and kicked Zhao Wendeng’s left ribs. The impact felt like striking solid steel, sending a tingling sensation through his toes. Fortunately, Zhao Wendeng staggered backward from the kick.
Jia Zhuangyuan thought to himself that Zhao Wendeng’s body was as hard as iron, and he probably couldn’t defeat him barehanded. With a thought, he turned and ran toward the platform to retrieve his whip.
Behind him, Zhao Wendeng’s furious howl rang out again. He must have guessed Jia Zhuangyuan’s intention and was desperately trying to catch up to stop him from getting the whip.
Jia Zhuangyuan felt Zhao Wendeng’s sinister aura approaching fast. Zhao Wendeng was faster, and Jia Zhuangyuan feared that before he could grab the weapon, Zhao Wendeng’s giant claw would strike his back. With no choice, he was about to turn and fight again barehanded when he saw Cai Qingchong and Fan Debiao rushing toward him from below the platform.
Cai Qingchong shouted, “Master Jia, don’t look back. We’ll hold him off for you. Hurry and get your weapon!”
Grateful, Jia Zhuangyuan glanced at them and continued sprinting forward. In an instant, he heard Zhao Wendeng’s furious roar behind him—likely blocked by Cai Qingchong and the others, making him even more enraged.
Jia Zhuangyuan firmly grasped the whip. As he turned around, he saw Fan Debiao and Cai Qingchong already knocked to the ground by Zhao Wendeng’s overwhelming power. With the whip in hand, Jia Zhuangyuan’s spirit soared. Roaring, he charged at Zhao Wendeng, who now resembled a prehistoric beast.
Zhao Wendeng, about to pursue Cai Qingchong and Fan Debiao, saw Jia Zhuangyuan with the whip and let out a furious howl. Extending his single arm, he revealed a golden ring glowing with a halo.
Jia Zhuangyuan’s mind raced. As he neared Zhao Wendeng, he roared and lashed the whip with lightning speed.
Zhao Wendeng quickly raised the yellow ring to block. At the moment their eyes met, Jia Zhuangyuan saw a flicker of fear in Zhao Wendeng’s gaze, boosting his confidence. Without hesitation, he brought the whip down hard.
At the moment whip and ring clashed, a thunderous boom echoed, and sparks of black and yellow flew. Jia Zhuangyuan felt a jolt in his palm, nearly losing his grip on the whip. He quickly stepped back, inspecting the whip’s body—luckily, it remained intact.
Zhao Wendeng staggered backward, “Teng, teng, teng,” his golden ring’s glow dimming, even showing signs of damage. His single arm hung low, clearly affected by the impact.
Jia Zhuangyuan switched the whip to his left hand, shook his numb right hand, and strode forward, staring at Zhao Wendeng. Zhao Wendeng, clearly shaken by the exchange, glared at Jia Zhuangyuan with a sinister grin and snarled, “Old bastard, you win this round. We’ll settle this next time.” With that, he turned and fled with the ring. Jia Zhuangyuan hesitated, surprised that the Taoist had admitted defeat.
Before Jia Zhuangyuan could react, Zhao Wendeng vanished again. Jia Zhuangyuan inwardly cursed, realizing he had let him escape once more.
At that moment, Jia Zhuangyuan turned and saw that Liu Dashao and the black-clad figure had also ended their duel. Liu Dashao’s right hand was in a sword gesture, motionless, pointing at the black-clad figure’s chest, just centimeters away. The black-clad figure stood still, arms hanging low.
Liu Dashao stared at the figure and said slowly, “Master Zhang, my master said before his death that if we ever met and you showed remorse, he would still accept you as his junior brother in the afterlife. If you still refuse to repent, I am to spare you this once, but the next time, I must cleanse the sect of you. Master Zhang, what is your choice?”
The black-clad figure silently stared at Liu Dashao without speaking.
At this moment, the so-called superhuman beside Dr. James had regained consciousness, supported by the special forces behind him. Seeing Zhao Wendeng gone and the black-clad figure defeated, Dr. James waved his hand and swiftly led his men out of the hall.
Fan Debiao quickly said, “Master Liu, the American is trying to escape!”
Yang Weidong smiled and said, “Let them go. This is on Chinese soil. Even if they escape, the PLA will capture them, including that so-called superhuman.” Hearing Yang Weidong’s words and recalling how easily Liu Dashao had dispatched the American, everyone burst into laughter.
Suddenly, the black-clad figure rasped, “Nephew, where is my senior brother buried?”
Liu Dashao was momentarily stunned before replying with some sadness, “Master Zhang, do you still care where my master is buried? If you still have a conscience, abandon your stubbornness and greed and go to his grave to repent. My master is buried beside the Five Manifestations Temple in Xiushui Village, marked by a willow tree.”
With that, he gently lowered his hand, turned his face away from the black-clad figure, and whispered, “Go.”
The black-clad figure let out a long sigh and said, “Nephew, I’ve made many mistakes in my life. I no longer have the face to see my senior brother. When you visit him again, tell him for me that Zhang will be a good man in the next life.” With that, he turned and walked out of the hall.
Liu Dashao watched the black-clad figure’s back disappear and whispered, “Master Zhang, I hope the next time we meet, we won’t be enemies again. I also hope you can live the rest of your life as a decent person, not betraying the sect or the nation.”
Everyone gathered around Liu Dashao, who looked deeply troubled, unsure of what to say.
Liu Dashao turned to the group and forced a smile, saying, “Alright, the Americans have fled. I didn’t expect their superhumans to be so weak. We’ve completed half our mission. The next step is to enter the ‘Wuji Daozang’ and the ‘Ninety-Nine Heavens’ to find what we need. Everyone, rest for a bit and study the map to determine our route.”
With that, he walked directly to the edge of the platform, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes. Everyone knew he was in a bad mood and said nothing more. Cai Qingchong softly said, “Everyone, rest for a bit. Master Jia, you’re the expert. Please check the map and plan our next move.”
Jia Zhuangyuan agreed, and everyone sat down to rest.
After about twenty minutes of rest, they continued onward. Based on the map left by Zhang Jue, Jia Zhuangyuan discovered a hidden passage mechanism beneath the platform.
He activated the mechanism, revealing a dark tunnel. Jia Zhuangyuan said, “According to Zhang Jue’s map, this tunnel leads directly to an underground river. Following the river will allow us to bypass several cities before reaching the Wuji Daozang.” He signaled everyone to turn on their flashlights and enter the passage. As Liu Dashao looked into the dark tunnel, a strange unease stirred in his heart. He suddenly said, “Wait, something feels off.”
Jia Zhuangyuan looked at the group and turned to Liu Dashao, asking, “Master Liu, should we still take this passage?”
Liu Dashao thought for a moment before replying, “In my opinion, if Yin Changsheng left the map and used star mechanisms and the vampire to guard it, he had no reason to deceive us. Let’s go ahead.”
Hearing Liu Dashao’s words, no one objected. Jia Zhuangyuan nodded and said, “As long as it’s not some strange creature, I believe we can handle it.”
Seeing everyone agreed, Liu Dashao grinned and said, “Even if ghosts appear, I can handle them. Let’s move out. Cai Qingchong, you’re agile. You’ll lead with me this time.”
Cai Qingchong agreed, pushed to the front, and entered the tunnel with Jia Zhuangyuan, flashlight in hand. The others followed in a line.
Inside the tunnel, Jia Zhuangyuan waved his hand and lit a fire stick, then turned back and said, “Everyone, move slowly. This tunnel has been here for who knows how many years. The moment I entered, I felt the air was damp and stuffy. I lit this fire stick for safety. If the flame suddenly goes out, it means the air is bad, and everyone should retreat immediately.” Everyone nodded and followed.
After advancing about dozens of meters, the dampness in the tunnel became colder. The passage sloped downward. Although the city of Fengdu was already underground, the tunnel, though gently sloping, was descending. Liu Dashao estimated they were now over a kilometer deep.
Suddenly, Jia Zhuangyuan whispered, “Everyone, be careful. I sense something ahead.” His words immediately tensed everyone. Jia Zhuangyuan continued, “I feel it. These things seem formless.” He signaled everyone to stop and took out a handful of sticky rice from his backpack, holding it in his hand. He turned back and said, “You all stay still. I’ll go ahead and see if they attack me.”
As Jia Zhuangyuan spoke, he slowly moved forward. Everyone’s hearts raced. Cai Qingchong hesitated and turned to Liu Dashao, asking, “Master Liu, I feel these things are unusual. Should I go with you?”
Liu Dashao nodded and said, “I’ll go with you. I don’t feel right either.” With that, he followed Cai Qingchong toward Jia Zhuangyuan.
Yang Weidong and Fan Debiao, left behind, exchanged uneasy glances. Jia Zhuangyuan and Liu Dashao’s instincts told them that these formless entities were far from simple—they likely concealed deeper secrets. Jia Zhuangyuan, unfamiliar with Taoist techniques, assumed formless entities were ghosts. The three figures—Jia Zhuangyuan ahead, Liu Dashao and Cai Qingchong following—gradually disappeared into the darkness ahead. Everyone couldn’t help but worry. What exactly were these formless entities Jia Zhuangyuan mentioned? Would Jia Zhuangyuan and the others face danger?
Suddenly, from ahead, came a sharp whistle from Liu Dashao. In the narrow tunnel, the sound was distorted, making everyone’s hearts tighten. Then came Cai Qingchong’s shout and the sharp hiss of Liu Dashao’s qi. It seemed they had already engaged these strange entities.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage