https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-611-The-Unwilling-Killer-and-the-Monkey-Wine/12919778/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-613-The-Reincarnator-s-Peculiarity/12919780/
Chapter 612: Gua Prefecture Lightens
Chapter 612: Gua Prefecture Lightens
"Damn, how did I become the main force in this battle?"
As Hu Ma took action, everyone was startled. He was clearly just a bystander at first...
Surrounded by his fellow villagers, he had no intention of showing off in front of them. After all, he hadn't stepped onto the bridge, nor had he ever fought those who had. He had no idea how big the gap between them was.
The only reason he could fight alongside the ancient demoness of the Yan family was due to the power of the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal and his advantage as a Shou Sui person.
...Moreover, if they succeeded, the fame and benefits would still be his.
But unexpectedly, after only a few exchanges, something felt off. Both the Shrine Deity with the negative spirit and the friend with the giant vat were skilled, and on top of that, he was barely managing to hold off the ferocious Yan Laotai.
Yet, after only a few rounds, both of them began to retreat simultaneously, their movements filled with hesitation, and the pressure fell upon him.
Wait, they're already backing off?
Just as Hu Ma was feeling bitter inside, he suddenly sensed something, and his heart skipped a beat.
It was Yan Laotai who was acting strangely. Unlike other zombies or the oddities of the Illusion School, after emerging from the well, his corpse qi not only didn't dissipate but seemed to grow more ferocious.
Layers of black aura swirled around him like dark clouds, within which faint streaks of lightning flickered incessantly. This mass of black aura seemed to draw in the dark clouds above the vast Gua Prefecture, covering the entire city in darkness.
As the wind and rain intensified, the sky changed, and evil permeated the streets and alleys.
Countless residents of Gua Prefecture seemed to have their spirits suppressed. A putrid odor invaded their nasal passages, making them feel nauseous and lightheaded.
Above their heads, the dark clouds thickened, but there was no sign of rain. Instead, the air grew drier, as if the moisture in the world was being sucked away by the clouds above, leaving the atmosphere increasingly arid.
Not only moisture, but even the dust, the earthly smoke, and the spirits of those with weak willpower seemed to be drawn away.
The dark clouds gathering above seemed to be stealing everything from the mortal realm.
As the clouds converged, the entire Gua Prefecture was also becoming...
...lighter!
Hu Ma, who was facing Yan Laotai head-on, suddenly realized the truth.
"Just like Official State, Gua Prefecture is becoming lighter..."
"Even in an ordinary realm, if a Dry Bone Stake appears, it will turn the land barren, causing plagues and misery. But Yan Laotai is even more sinister..."
"It's not just the faint imperial aura that's frightening, but the celestial qi. If this thing is left here, it's likely that plagues and disasters will soon follow, and this prosperous land will turn into a place as desolate as Official State!"
"..."
Such consequences were still far in the future, but the changes in Gua Prefecture were making Yan Laotai increasingly formidable and difficult to deal with.
It was said that strength came from the earth, but facing him now, Hu Ma felt a sense of lightness. His knife seemed to weigh nothing, and his power and skills were becoming feeble and weak.
How could they fight like this?
Both the Shrine Deity with the negative spirit and the friend with the giant vat felt this strangeness and had no choice but to hold back. It wasn't that they didn't want to exert themselves, but they couldn't understand what was happening.
They had seen the skills of those who had crossed the bridge and had fought ferocious opponents before.
But they had never experienced a situation where the more they fought, the lighter they felt, and their skills became increasingly ineffective. This made them both uneasy, affecting their performance. Even the reincarnators watching from the sidelines couldn't help but grow somber, their laughter fading.
"Be careful, everyone. This is related to something called 'immortals.' Our realm is becoming lighter..."
At this critical moment, Hu Ma could only grit his teeth and rely on the Punishment Official Saber in his hand, summoning the might of the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal to confront Yan Laotai.
He also felt himself becoming lighter, and the sensation intensified as he fought. However, by unleashing the power of the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal, he managed to hold his ground, unlike the others who were at a severe disadvantage.
Moreover, this perilous battle unexpectedly evoked a long-forgotten sense of exhilaration.
The ancient demoness was ferocious and formidable, her power overwhelming, and she was tainted with all sorts of evil auras. His skills from the Two Doors Mansion were barely sufficient to face her, and even his divine form seemed as if it could be dispersed by her corpse qi.
Yet, deep within his spirit, a sense of excitement was stirring, and the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal became more refined, allowing him to vaguely grasp a hint of its true essence, gradually approaching perfection.
This was how it should be!
A good move needed a worthy opponent.
The Great Heavenly Emperor Seal, a formidable skill, was something Hu Ma had diligently practiced. However, he soon acquired the Exorcism Golden Cudgel, a powerful weapon, which almost led him to neglect his Year Guardian abilities. As a result, he hadn't mastered the Dharmic Form skill.
It was only when he decided not to use the Golden Cudgel and encountered the formidable Yan Family Patriarch that he regained his confidence.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, his strikes became heavier, and his Dharmic Form solidified.
In the darkness of the night, thunder rumbled, and the blade's glow illuminated the surroundings.
From a distance, one could see a bizarre three-headed, six-armed ghost deity battling a monster bound in iron chains. It was as if they had stepped into an illusion.
Hu Ma's usual prowess came from the might of the Punishment Official Saber, but this time, it was his own malevolent aura that suppressed the blade. In his hands, the sword was merely a weapon, and the true menace was himself.
"Ah..."
As Hu Ma sensed the malevolence of the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal and fought fiercely with the old demon, even the nearby reincarnators noticed something amiss. They widened their eyes in astonishment at the Senior Magistrate's bravery.
"What a guy! Daring to confront the Ancient Demoness with just the strength of the Two Doors Mansion."
"No wonder he dared to get close to the Ten Surnames. No wonder he has the courage to gather other reincarnators with his skills."
"This guy is a real man..."
"What did he mean by 'Immortal' earlier? What kind of ghostly thing is that?"
"I've heard of it vaguely. It seems to be the biggest secret of the Ten Surnames."
"..."
"Is this the time to be discussing that?"
Amidst the intense battle, Hu Ma inadvertently overheard their comments and was momentarily speechless, his sword-wielding arm losing strength.
No, I'm still here facing Yan Laotai!
Compared to the half-Imperial Corpse, half-zombie old monster, his skills were far inferior. Fighting alongside two experts was one thing, but if he had to face the old monster alone, it would be a different story. With the others' energy diminishing, he could rely on the Year Guardian's foundation to endure longer, but single-handedly challenging the old monster was too much.
That's going too far, isn't it?
This was indeed an excellent opportunity to refine his Great Heavenly Emperor Seal, but he couldn't afford to risk his life.
At this moment, he keenly felt his Four Pillars Dao Cultivation rapidly strengthening within him. To deal with Yan Laotai, he had to grit his teeth and unleash the Great Heavenly Emperor Seal. Any delay would result in that weightless, uncontrollable sensation.
"Do I really need to use the Exorcism Golden Cudgel?"
The thought crossed Hu Ma's mind, but he knew that doing so would nullify his previous efforts, and he hesitated.
The situation had already progressed this far. If he used the Exorcism Golden Cudgel, not only might the reincarnators be scared off, but the Hu Family might also become a laughingstock.
The Yan Family Patriarch, with his unorthodox methods, was indeed bizarre, but his true nature was unknown to outsiders.
Others wouldn't think much of him using the Golden Cudgel; they would assume he was a Wandering Ghost from the Hu Family, challenging the minor Yan Family and needing the Golden Cudgel to kill an immortal elder. It would only make the Hu Family seem lacking in confidence and overly involved in their affairs.
Of course, those who knew the Yan Family's secrets might find the use of the Golden Cudgel reasonable, but even they might pretend otherwise to ridicule him.
"Clang!"
Just as everyone was deep in thought, a sudden thunderclap reverberated from outside, startling everyone.
They looked in the direction of the sound and saw a black shadow rushing forward with a blade. He leaped over the collapsed walls of a house and charged straight towards Yan Laotai.
Facing the old monster, whose human form was obscured by the malevolent aura rising like a cloud covering Guazhou City, he didn't hesitate. He dashed forward and slashed fiercely at the monster's face.
"Clang!"
In the instant he struck, he seemed to have employed some unknown technique, causing endless flames to erupt from the blade.
From a distance, the strike appeared to trail flames for several yards, awe-inspiring, as if enhanced by computer graphics.
"Huff!"
Yan Laotai seemed to sense the danger within the layers of his Dharmic Form and abruptly turned, spewing a stream of corpse qi towards Hu Ma. This qi connected with the dark cloud in the sky, erupting like a flood, engulfing Hu Ma's figure.
But in the next moment, sparks pierced the cloud, and the blade descended. Although it was slightly off target, it still sliced off Yan Laotai's shoulder.
"Crackle!" The monster's arm fell to the ground, and even the dark cloud in the sky seemed to sink slightly. The reincarnators' feeling of lightness became more substantial.
"Another one on the Upper Bridge?"
The nearby reincarnators were startled, their eyes widening in surprise. But soon, they realized, "It's not the Upper Bridge..."
"But this guy isn't using human skills. His blade is tainted with the blood of the Blood Pool."
(End of Chapter)
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