Chapter 144: Diverting The Trouble Eastward
That night, the moon was hidden and the stars were sparse.
Chen Shun’an led Sun Xiao to sneak into the icy well bottom, moved aside the stone rhinoceros at the bottom, took only two buckets of Eight Treasures Mercury, and after seeing no new mercury bubbling up, hurriedly floated back up.
In the end, Chen Shun’an turned back and strangely looked at the deep well bottom.
He didn’t know if it was Chen Shun’an’s illusion, but the water eye behind the stone rhinoceros, the dragon vein that Lin Shou Zhuo and others spoke of, this time gave Chen Shun’an a feeling of increasingly active and violent unrest.
Strands of yin cold aura wrapped around him, actually making his grass talisman tremble slightly.
Chen Shun’an shook his head, not wanting to meddle; if the sky fell, there would be tall ones to hold it up, and overthinking now was of no benefit.
After climbing out of the well, the water cart was loaded, and the triangular water flag was inserted.
Chen Shun’an’s face was solemn, revealing a majesty different from usual, and he said in a deep voice,
“Set off!”
Sun Xiao and the others were momentarily dazed; the figure of Chen Shun’an issuing orders before their eyes vaguely overlapped with Lin Shou Zhuo, but was greatly different.
Old Chen really… had changed…
Everyone sighed inwardly, said no more, and silently pushed the cart forward.
Chen Shun’an took the lead, guiding the convoy towards Banye Ferry Crossing.
……
“Kid, I’m your Third Uncle Li; I even held you when you were little. Why kill me?”
In the vast dusk, a gaunt old man slumped on the ground, his eyes full of confusion and fear.
Li Yaozu’s face was calm, only a faint ripple passing deep in his eyes, soon replaced by icy coldness.
He suddenly pressed down the dagger with both hands!
With a crunch, the sharp blade cut the windpipe, emitting a teeth-grating leak, and warm blood sprayed out.
Li Yaozu didn’t stop, took out a certain demon’s hand claw from his bosom, and in Third Uncle Li’s still-dissipating terrified gaze, viciously scratched his body, creating combat traces.
Third Uncle Li immediately stopped breathing.
Li Yaozu left various demon claw marks at the scene, then exerted force to crash through the earthen wall, throwing the demon claw onto the broken bricks.
He stood behind the drainage ditch.
In the deep autumn countryside, the crops were already harvested by eighty or ninety percent; on the vast fields, only rows of stubble cut at the root remained, swaying in the wind.
Third Uncle Li’s vegetable plot and sorghum field were managed impeccably.
Though an old bachelor, his home was also tidied neatly.
Li Yaozu vaguely remembered that when he was young, Third Uncle Li always carried load after load of heavy rice grains and melons, fruits, and vegetables to his home, without taking a single coin.
Perhaps it started from that time?
Li Yaozu narrowed his eyes, not knowing what he thought of.
He discovered that the demon infestation didn’t seem entirely bad.
In chaotic times, human lives were like weeds.
It was the same now.
Using demons to kill—who could discover it?
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Breaking air sounds rang sharply.
Not long after, figures in plain uniforms flashed over.
Brother Fang glanced at the damaged house and the old man’s corpse, a chill passing through his eyes, and noticed the demon hand claw in the collapsed brick pile.
“Where’s the demon?”
“It fled into the mountains; I didn’t keep it.” Li Yaozu coughed.
Brother Fang nodded and said urgently: “Let’s go!”
Moments later.
Deep in the dense forest, the bloody smell mixed with the demon’s stench lingered.
By a forest pool, Brother Fang kicked the wolf demon’s collapsed ribs, spat blood-mixed saliva; the blade in his hand was sticky with demon blood, dripping.
“Damn it, this month has gathered all the demons I haven’t met in my lifetime!”
“This beast has harmed so many lives; even dismembering it a thousand times is too lenient!”
Brother Fang cursed angrily.
Li Yaozu and others were still panting, about to dig out the demon core and dissect the wolf corpse.
This wolf demon frequented the water’s edge, quite skilled in water skill, having eaten who knows how many precious fish and demonic fish, unexpectedly gaining intelligence and steel-like muscles and bones.
Fortunately, the group had planned ahead and severed one of its claws; otherwise, it might have escaped today.
Suddenly, in the nearby turbid water pool.
A slippery black shadow pounced out silently like a ghost!
“Careful!”
Brother Fang warned, throwing the broadsword in his hand.
Before the cry ended, the thing was already there.
It was a water monkey covered in blue-black, slimy mucus, with hook-like sharp claws, bringing a pungent stench.
With full force, Brother Fang’s broadsword carried the oppressive force of a True Intent Master, but ultimately struck the water monkey’s slippery skin, leaving only a faint white mark.
Crack!
In one clash, the water monkey’s sharp claws tore a soldier’s throat, blood spurting, dead on the spot!
“Comparable to Slay Two Thieves? Run, quick escape!!”
Brother Fang was shocked upon seeing this.
He never expected another great demon hiding in this pool.
Though he was also a True Intent Master, only at Slaying One Bandit level, and having lost the initiative, without time to set up traps and tools against water demons…
Today, if not careful, it would be total annihilation!
The water monkey issued human-like hissing laughter, its movement technique eerie and swift, gouging out one’s heart amid screams.
Ding~
The demon shadow pounced at Li Yaozu; he only had time to grip the long-handled axe.
It felt like a body smashed into him.
His grip split, intense pain came, a huge force shaking Li Yaozu’s qi and blood.
It was Brother Fang who blocked in front of him, intercepting the water monkey’s strike.
The water monkey retreated a few steps, vaguely feeling this person ahead was troublesome.
Its scarlet eyes turned, actually knowing to avoid danger, cautiously waiting for an opportunity.
Brother Fang’s one hand hung powerless at his side, somewhat trembling.
In a flash, colleagues who had lived and slept together daily died miserably—two of them.
Brother Fang’s face was ugly, swallowing the sweet blood in his throat, yet saw the other soldiers, though afraid, no one fled; instead, they prepared for mutual destruction, holding weapons and surrounding.
Seeing this, Brother Fang felt no joy.
Without reaching True Intent, one doesn’t know the earth-shaking strength change from each Slaying One Bandit.
Unless innately gifted with a martial body, killing enemies across realms was almost impossible.
Martial artists fighting demons was better; with ample preparation, tools to counter, fire attacks, or salt soaks, there was still chance to win with weakness.
But clearly, neither applied today.
“Today… am I really going to die here…”
He gazed at the prowling demon shadow, his heart sinking inch by inch into the abyss.
On the line between life and death, the stench approached.
Li Yaozu behind Brother Fang caught a glimpse with corner of his eye at the distant mountain foot.
On the rugged official road between mountains, several figures in tight-fitting clothes were pushing carts,
“Brother Fang, there are people at the mountain foot… water carriers delivering water; let’s lure the demon there!”
Li Yaozu reacted sharply, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
He still wanted fame and glory; he didn’t want to die inexplicably here!
“This…” Brother Fang hesitated.
Wasn’t this diverting disaster eastward?
What if innocents were implicated…
The other soldiers, hearing this, had their resolve to fight to the death waver, faces showing struggle.
The water monkey seemed to lose patience, growling lowly from its throat, eyes blazing with ferocity.
Li Yaozu quickly said: “Brother Fang, this isn’t time for woman’s mercy! Either we die or they perish! Besides, we’re in the same boat; united as one, joining forces might give us a chance!”
Right!
At these words, Brother Fang awoke as if from a dream.
This pool wasn’t far from the official road; if they died, those water carriers pushing carts might not escape either.
Yes, yes, this is joining forces!
Brother Fang finally resolved, gritting his teeth:
“Fight while retreating, head to the official road!”
Crack!
At that moment, under the night curtain, lightning seemed to flash, thunder rumbling.
“Screech!”
A dragon gall bright silver spear suddenly flew over, passing before Li Yaozu, Brother Fang, and others.
The water monkey’s slimy mucus skin tore like thin paper before the spear tip.
A majestic strength beyond imagination emanated from the dragon gall bright silver spear, with boundless momentum, making everyone suffocate, minds going blank!
The water monkey was nailed dead to the ground.
This great demon lurking in the pool, forcing the soldiers into peril, was slain on the spot without even a scream!
The sharp spear intent instantly destroyed its flesh and blood, all organs!
Everyone was shocked speechless.
Brother Fang and Li Yaozu were dumbfounded.
Their gazes followed the rising moonlight, gradually brightening.
From behind vines hanging from ancient trees, a man in red robes and wide belt jumped down, with majestic brows and beard, handsome and spirited, full of masculinity.
In their eyes, he was truly like a heavenly god descending.
The man reached out with his right hand, pulling the dragon gall bright silver spear through the air; he casually twirled a spear flower, looked at Brother Fang and asked,
“Fellow townsman, I’m asking you about someone.”
Brother Fang was stunned, said: “Senior, please, speak.”
“Do you know Chen Shun’an? I have urgent business with him.”
At this, the man seemed to sense something, looked toward the mountain foot, and said,
“Finally found him; no need to trouble you all. Thanks.”
……
“Brother Xu Hong?! How did you come?”
Just hearing crackling explosions from the mountain.
Chen Shun’an then saw a somewhat familiar figure emerge from the mountain, using his spear to carry a demon corpse, a wine gourd at his waist.
Behind him followed several soldiers with complex expressions, clutching chests and limping.
Brother Fang and Li Yaozu each carried a corpse, expressions heavy.
Xu Hong sized up Chen Shun’an thoroughly, glared fiercely, and said,
“You bastard, confess honestly: last time I came asking for the cultivation manual, had you already swapped out a ‘Chong He Martial Tendon Body’?”
The visitor was the martial scholar Xu Hong, hired by Zhang Family Village with heavy gold.
That day, without his covert protection relaying messages to Chen Shun’an and Old Lady Zhang, Chen Shun’an wouldn’t have comprehended the Six Sceneries Rotation True Cultivation Manual.
Sun Xiao looked at the water monkey corpse, recognized Brother Fang and others, and couldn’t help saying,
“You all…”
Brother Fang felt guilty, uncomfortably replied,
“On orders to search the mountains, chasing a wolf demon, then encountered this water monkey… Fortunately, this Senior Xu helped, otherwise, sigh…”
Xu Hong took the gourd from his waist, drank some wine, tossed the water monkey corpse onto the water cart, then held his spear, looked at Chen Shun’an, and said,
“A word in private?”
