“Junior apprentice… this time, senior apprentice will drag you down with me…”
Le Song Zhenren gazed at the thunderous clouds overhead. He did not want to dodge, though in truth, there was no escape.
“What a formidable Heishan Jun! The true Heishan Dharma Realm is rooted in the land’s veins, using the three-hundred-mile Heishan as its vessel. Unless the entire Heishan is destroyed, it cannot be stopped…”
“Furthermore… its range is vast, encompassing the entire Guzhu Kingdom. Its power is far more ferocious than before… it doesn’t just affect the dead, but the living as well…”
“To unleash such a catastrophic calamity, how could this old Daoist still have a life to live?”
At this thought, two beams of white light flew into the female Taoist’s arms.
“These two treasures of fortune are entrusted to you, junior apprentice. Since you haven’t taken action, and possess this treasure to suppress fortune, you still have a sliver of hope for survival. If you escape with your life, remember to prioritize preserving our sect’s teachings. Never seek revenge for me!”
“Senior apprentice?!”
Hearing these words of farewell, the female Taoist couldn’t help but let tears stream down her cheeks.
“Go!”
Le Song Zhenren did not wish to say more. With a single flick of his sleeve, a mighty yet gentle force immediately pushed the female Taoist out of the palace hall.
Crash!
At that moment, the lightning brewing in the sky of thunderous clouds struck down. Thunderbolts as thick as water vats, carrying the majesty of heavenly justice, flashed like firestones, reducing the entire palace to ruins.
Strands of electric light even traced back to their source, striking the female Taoist.
Boom! Boom!
Fortunately, at this moment, the two fortune treasures emitted a burst of white light, enveloping the female Taoist in protection.
Even so, the female Taoist still blacked out for a moment, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood.
“Rest assured, senior apprentice. I will inherit your will. The Zhengyi sect’s teachings will not perish through me…”
Gritting her teeth, the female Taoist, with tears in her phoenix-like eyes, did not look back at the ruins even once, quickly fleeing.
…
“What is this…?”
The scene of the sudden darkened sky and a black smoke column rising into the heavens stunned Wu Ming’s group.
“A Dharma Realm! This is a force of the Dharma Realm far more powerful than before—actually forcibly pulling the souls of the living…”
The old Taoist priest tore out his beard in shock, not even caring about the pain, exclaiming in alarm.
Even just now, his yin spirit had trembled. As for ordinary people…
“It’s even worse than that…”
Wu Ming saw more. Within Heishan, all the birds and beasts, flowers and trees, seemed to lose their “spirituality” in an instant. Birds and animals collapsed, and plants withered, presenting an apocalyptic scene.
“Indeed, it’s the technique of forcibly pulling living souls… The higher one’s cultivation, the stronger the resistance?”
A clear light flashed around Wu Ming, accompanied by electric sparks: “How are you all holding up?”
“I can still suppress it…”
Gong Yunshang’s pretty face turned deathly pale, as if all the blood had drained away: “But this pulling force seems to be continuously increasing. Eventually, my yin spirit might directly fall into the Netherworld…”
Under current circumstances, if the yin spirit fell into the Netherworld, it would not be as simple as before.
“I… damn! This old demon Heishan Jun wants to destroy the world!”
Li Suihan seemed on the verge of collapse: “Heavens! What kind of bad luck did we have to get a world-ending task like this?”
“It shouldn’t be like this…”
Wu Ming pondered.
At this moment, only he could maintain inner calm and think carefully.
“Logically speaking, the Chenghuang of Heitai City and Heishan Jun should be evenly matched, or at least capable of self-defense. How could they fall into such a dire situation so suddenly? There must be something I haven’t noticed…”
“Hmm?”
Scanning his body with spiritual awareness, something stirred.
Wu Ming raised his eyebrows and immediately took it out—it was the Zhengjiu Pin land god decree!
At this time, the land god decree, having gained heavenly virtue and merit, imperceptibly turned crimson, indicating an ascension in divine rank!
Stimulated by the Heishan Dharma Realm outside, a white barrier expanded from the divine rank as its center.
“Hmm? The power of the Dharma Realm has disappeared…”
Gong Yunshang was slightly startled, looking at the item in Wu Ming’s hand, her pupils constricted: “Divine decree?!”
Wu Ming had no time to attend to the others. He immediately chanted a spell and infused it into the divine decree.
Boom!
A circle of crimson light rose. The divine decree transformed into a red halo, like a full moon wheel, within which a golden seal was visible. Scenes immediately emerged from it, all depicting spirits praying and chanting scriptures in the Netherworld.
“So many… It seems Huang Weiqing and Qing Mangzi did well!”
From these scenes, Wu Ming could also see the changes in the Netherworld, even more terrifying than the mortal world.
Under the Dharma Realm’s influence, only powerful ghosts and spirits, along with the land god’s followers, could barely protect themselves by relying on their spirit flames and the protective light from chanting scriptures, like small fishing boats in a storm, teetering on the brink.
“In both the mortal and spirit worlds, this is indeed an apocalyptic calamity!”
Through the divine decree’s connection, Wu Ming’s gaze seemed to pierce the veil between life and death, reaching into the Netherworld.
…
“Heishan is unjust; it must be punished!”
A mighty cavalry charged through the ghost kingdom of Heishan, led by Qing Mangzi: “If you want to survive, follow me in this desperate fight!”
“Indeed, Heishan Jun leaves us no path to live, so don’t blame us for rebelling…”
Numerous ghost deities roared, struggling. The establishment of the Dharma Realm and the rapid loss of spirit flames and yin power immediately prompted their decision: “We pledge allegiance to Taiyi Heishui Jiuku Tianzun and march against Heishan!”
Countless torrents converged, instantly flashing with light. The cavalry numbered in the tens of thousands, forming a massive force like a black dragon, charging straight toward the capital of the ghost kingdom of Heishan.
…
“…With utmost reverence, we prostrate before the Qinghua Changle Realm, the Eastern Extreme Divine Palace. The seven-jeweled fragrant grove, the nine-hued lotus throne. Ten thousand immortals gather in attendance. Amidst countless beams of auspicious radiance, the Blackwater Earth Deity manifests as the primordial Mysterious Origin. Through vast kalpas, compassion descends—the great merciful gate of sweet dew. The profound Dao’s true form, the purple-golden auspicious manifestation, answering prayers with boundless vows. The Great Sage of Great Compassion, the Great Mercy with Great Vow. Transforming throughout the ten directions, universally delivering all beings. Across innumerable kalpas, saving limitless souls. Responding to cries of distress—Taiyi Blackwater Savior of Suffering Heavenly Worthy!”
In a small valley, dense chanting voices invoked glowing runes, forming a light curtain sealing the valley entrance, isolating the Dharma Realm’s draining force.
“Teacher, you really are going?”
At the valley entrance, Huang Weiqing radiated a full aura, nearly several zhang high, with dense magical markings on his face, showing firmness: “For benevolence and righteousness, for the people’s survival, even if all others oppose, I shall go forth!”
With this thought, the qi above his head surged, soaring into the heavens. He laughed three times, his face ablaze with the fervor of a martyr, then turned and strode away with unshaken resolve.
“Teacher, take care!”
Several students behind him bowed, tears streaming down their cheeks.
…
In the mortal world, Heitai County.
Wei Shouren took a jar of gold, hugging it tightly, and had his household servants prepare a carriage, driving along the main road.
The scenery on both sides passed quickly. For some reason, his unease continued to intensify.
This immediately made him tighten his grip on the small jar, shaking his head: “Strange? What am I so nervous about? The servants outside are third-generation household retainers who only know I’m going to Qingyun City, but not about my official-seeking plans…”
Since receiving this ancestral gift, Wei Shouren had decisively decided to use gold and silver to bribe his way through connections.
However, on this journey, his mind grew increasingly restless, with cold sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Ah Hu, how much longer until we reach Qingyun City?”
Unable to bear it any longer, he finally lifted the carriage curtain and asked.
“Reporting to Master, we’ll arrive in another half hour or so…”
Ah Hu lived up to his name, looking tiger-headed and honest, quite simple-minded, tall and strong, with considerable strength, and most rare of all, was loyal and faithful.
Otherwise, among so many household servants, he wouldn’t have been chosen to drive the master’s carriage.
Upon hearing his master’s question, he immediately replied respectfully: “Is Master going to stop for a rest?”
“No need… My master values etiquette most; I mustn’t miss the appointed time!”
This wasn’t actually the real reason, but how could a master show fear in front of his subordinates? Wei Shouren said at once.
“Rest assured, Master. I’ve traveled this road countless times; I guarantee we won’t be late!”
Ah Hu chuckled heartily, suddenly lifting his head: “Why is the sky suddenly getting dark? Could it be about to rain?”
“The sky? Getting dark?”
Wei Shouren also looked up and saw a mass of black clouds starting from the Heitai County behind him, almost covering the heavens and surging forward. In no time, the entire sky and earth were dyed pitch-black, so dark that one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face.
“Master, we can’t go on!”
With visibility suddenly dropping, Ah Hu dared not continue driving, stopping the carriage by the roadside, anxiously saying: “This cloud is too strange… In all my life, I’ve never seen black clouds come so quickly and be so dark without raining. Could it be a solar eclipse caused by a celestial dog?”
“Nonsense!”
Wei Shouren frowned, though deep down he somewhat agreed with his servant’s guess. However, years of scholarly cultivation allowed him to maintain outward calm: “Light torches… We… We…”
As he spoke, his eyelids grew heavier, an overwhelming drowsiness strongly attacking him.
“What… What’s happening? Sorcery? Evil techniques?”
Looking at Ah Hu, already collapsed and snoring soundly beside him, Wei Shouren leaned against the carriage wall, his face filled with shock and confusion: “What kind of vicious demon is this? Actually capable of changing heaven and earth?”
He lasted only a little longer than Ah Hu before collapsing too, unconscious.
Behind them, within Heitai County, under the sky-darkening black clouds, people lay sprawled on the road, unconscious. Regardless of gender or age, whether old or young, male or female, officials or commoners, all had fallen into slumber. Moreover, strands of their three souls and seven spirits began to be pulled out, sinking into the Netherworld.
And ahead, where the darkness spread, one county after another fell into unconsciousness.
Thick black smoke even covered the capital of the Guzhu Kingdom, plunging the entire palace into deathly silence.
…
In the Netherworld.
“The retribution for sins has finally arrived…”
Wei Shanchu bore the last flicker of light, seemingly seeing the current state of his descendants in the mortal world, yet could only smile bitterly: “I thought I could escape to Heitai, transfer to safety, but now I realize, in a grand heavenly calamity, no one can escape…”
Puff!
With this final bitter smile, the last flicker of light above his head extinguished completely, his entire being scattering into points of light, his soul utterly destroyed.
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