https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-670-The-Old-Man-of-Five-Deficits/12919840/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-672-New-Grievances-and-Old-Debts/12919842/
Chapter 671: The Sixth Arrow Pierces the Dragon's Lair
Chapter 671: The Sixth Arrow Pierces the Dragon's Lair
"Are you sure this is the place?"
"Absolutely sure!"
"Then why can't we see that mountain, and why do the surroundings look different from what's on our map?"
An old man, with his sleeves and pant legs rolled up, deep wrinkles on his face as if he had spent his entire life farming, rode on a donkey, accompanied by the sound of jingling bells, as he led a group of people on their way into the depths of the mountains.
Following him were three men and a group of laborers, some carrying poles on their shoulders and others with wood, chisels, and other tools, resembling well diggers.
As they walked, they constantly compared their surroundings with the map in their hands, but the more they looked, the more confused they became. They even began to doubt if they were on the right path. The old man on the donkey sighed softly and said, "The direction is off. Let's clear the way!"
The porters behind him quietly agreed, and some of them stepped forward, using wood to create a door frame, which they placed by the roadside. They wrote the directions of east, south, west, and north on both sides and also pasted red talismans.
The old man on the donkey led the way through the door frame, followed by the others. After the last person passed through, they burned the door frame and continued forward as before.
The road remained the same, with wastelands on both sides, but as they walked, the scenery gradually changed and became more similar to what was on the map.
For many years, the Dragon Well Master had been searching for the lair of the Noble Zhang Family, knowing that it was the root of all these significant events. He had already identified a location and, seeing the familiar red mountain cliff not far ahead, everyone became more alert.
"It's just ahead. The dragon's lair is inside the mountain, but we don't know the exact location!"
"Once we enter the mountain, with our abilities, finding it won't be difficult!"
"..."
They had received the summons from the senior apprentice brother and hurried over as quickly as possible. However, no one knew what was happening.
The distinctive red mountain cliff seemed not too far away, only a few hundred zhang away, but the closer they got, the more confused they became. Not only did they not get closer, but the red mountain cliff seemed to be moving further away from them.
So, the old man on the donkey ordered the laborers to build a bridge on dry land, and an arched bridge was soon erected on the road. As they crossed it, they saw the red mountain cliff that had been a few hundred zhang away just moments ago, now appearing right before their eyes as if it had been pulled closer.
But when they reached the side of the red mountain cliff, they searched for the path up the mountain as indicated on the map, but it was nowhere to be found.
Finally, the senior apprentice brother slowly dismounted from the donkey and went to the foot of the mountain himself. He burned a pile of spirit money.
The smoke rising from the paper pile seemed to curl outward, stinging the eyes of the group.
When they looked up again, they were all startled and took a slight step back. They saw that in front of the mountain, there was a group of people standing there, seemingly out of nowhere. They looked like villagers, with men, women, and children of various ages.
Their bodies were semi-transparent, and they stood hand in hand, heads bowed, blocking the path to the mountain and preventing others from seeing inside.
"Why do you have to make it so difficult?"
The Dragon Well Master looked at the people blocking the mountain path, and his brows furrowed with deep fatigue.
He slowly raised his head and looked forward, saying in a low voice, "The Harmful Head Sect steals the heavens' ingenuity, but why do they have to be so cruel?"
"The Noble Zhang Family has been high above for four or five hundred years, including the previous dynasty..."
"But it seems... they don't have to treat people so inhumanely, do they?"
"..."
"The Dragon Well's demon, like a sewer rat, has been hiding for so many years, and now you finally show your face!"
As the words fell, a figure wearing a gray cloth robe and a small hat appeared from behind a cypress tree on the mountain path. He looked down indifferently and said, "This world has no shortage of people, but not everyone is worthy of being called human."
"Just the things they did to our Noble Zhang Family's Second Young Master are enough to send them to the eighteenth level of hell without any injustice."
"How so?"
"You Dragon Well demons have been hiding for so long, but now you say you can't bear to watch and want to speak up for them?"
"..."
The Dragon Well Master sighed softly and said, "What's the point of speaking up when the person is already dead?"
"I, Dragon Well, won't do such useless things. I only remember my master's teachings and wish that there will be no more people like you in this world."
"..."
"Stop the idle chatter!"
These words suddenly provoked the people on the mountain, and a cold voice said, "It's only because the Ten Surnames are too busy to deal with you rats, allowing you to be so arrogant for so long. Now that you've finally shown yourselves, if you have the ability, come up the mountain and let us see your Dragon Well skills!"
As he spoke, figures appeared at various intersections on the mountain, glancing out briefly before disappearing.
Clearly, they had already formed a formation and were prepared for a battle of skills.
On the mountain, an old man who had worn the same clothes for many years, now dirty and tattered, had just finished bathing and changing into a brocade robe with the help of his grandnephew.
However, the years of ascetic cultivation had left its mark on his body, and no amount of washing could remove the traces of wind and frost. The brocade robe didn't fit him well, and only the arrogant and domineering expression on his stiff face carried the air of the Noble Zhang Family.
"Second Uncle, I've brought your favorite preserved fruit and good wine. Please have a rest."
The eldest young master of the Zhang family attended to the old man attentively, opening the wine jar for him to smell. With a smile, he said, "The ones who have arrived at the foot of the mountain are merely a few insignificant demons. Mr. Blackhead and the others will take care of them. There's no need for you to personally intervene yet. Just wait patiently."
"..."
The old man caught a whiff of the wine's aroma and silently smiled, waving his hand vigorously for the young master to pour him a drink.
At the foot of the mountain, the Three Sect Leaders who didn't eat beef exchanged glances, each secretly encouraging the other. One of them laughed and said, "Since our masters haven't shown up, our leader has been busy every day. No one has been able to lift this strict order."
"For twenty years, we've never had a fair chance to fight the Ten Surnames. I really don't know where we, the Three Sect Leaders who don't eat beef, fall short compared to them..."
"..."
The Three Sect Leaders and their disciples were all mentally prepared.
The elderly master brother with a pale complexion slightly shook his head and slowly walked forward. In his hand, three incense sticks had appeared, which he held reverently and took a few steps towards the mountain's base.
On the mountain, the Four Great Officials of the Noble Zhang family were also on high alert, focusing their minds and ready to take action.
The battle between the Harmful Head Sect and the Noble Zhang family had always been about strategy. Some attacked, while others defended. Whether it was harming or injuring, it all happened invisibly. A single misstep, a moment of distraction, or a wrong word could change the situation and lead to harm.
They spoke, but they didn't dare underestimate the Three Sect Leaders who had survived for twenty years without dying out. Especially the senior apprentice brother who didn't eat beef, his every move commanded caution, and they were even prepared to fight to the death.
However, they didn't expect the senior apprentice brother to walk forward, only to raise the incense sticks high and bow deeply.
The surroundings were quiet, without a sound.
The people on the mountain waited for a long time, and some were surprised. Suddenly, one of them laughed and said, "Have you finally realized your mistake and come to beg for mercy?"
"Just bowing isn't enough. You must kneel and kowtow before you can enter the Zhang family's door!"
"..."
"I can't kowtow."
The senior apprentice brother who didn't eat beef slowly said, "Both my master and the leader have said that we must not kneel!"
"Also..."
He slowly raised his head and looked up at the mountain. He saw the hidden dangers all around, not knowing how many experts the Noble Zhang family had sent or what kind of preparations they had made. However, his face remained calm, like a still well, and he sighed softly, "We're not here to fight with you, the Noble Zhang family. We're just waiting for the dragon's lair, nurtured by the Noble Zhang family, to be destroyed, so we can slay the dragon!"
"Of course, you can also understand that we're here to clean up the mess and witness the Dragon Well Master's arrow..."
"..."
"Nonsense!"
The people on the mountain listened and scoffed, shouting angrily, "Where is your master? Show yourself!"
"Show myself?"
Upon hearing this, the senior apprentice brother who didn't eat beef laughed, "They say that no one in the Zhang family understands the true skills of the Harmful Head Sect. I didn't believe it before, but now I've gained some insight!"
"The true skill of the Harmful Head Sect is calculating the mysteries of heaven and earth. If we still need to show ourselves, meet people, and then take action, how can we be considered skilled?"
"..."
"You..."
The people on the mountain were instantly enraged and wanted to say more, but the senior apprentice brother who didn't eat beef suddenly looked up.
For a moment, his aged eyes were filled with endless excitement and joy, "He's here..."
"Not good!"
At that moment, the Four Great Officials of the Noble Zhang family, who had made various preparations on the mountain, were also startled. They felt as if the sun above them was suddenly blocked, and their vision went dark.
They were extremely shocked and quickly focused their minds, ready to take action. The old man in the stone cottage threw the wine jar aside and stood up abruptly. His hunched figure straightened, despite missing a leg, his body was exceptionally robust.
Even his tongueless mouth opened wide, and he began to mutter words that others couldn't understand but seemed to influence this world of mountains and rivers. It was a speech that shook heaven and earth and intimidated ghosts and spirits.
But in the next moment, his body suddenly stiffened.
The expected battle that would astonish heaven and earth and move ghosts and gods did not materialize. Everything happened invisibly, like a gentle breeze passing by, and the earth quietly revived without disturbing the remaining snow on the ground.
He kept his mouth wide open, maintaining the posture of chanting a curse, but suddenly froze in place. His soul and consciousness vanished without a trace.
Behind his stone cottage, a small jade wall appeared, and a crack formed. The spider web-like crack gradually widened, and black water began to seep out from the stone wall.
At that moment, no one on the mountain or at its foot reacted, except for the senior apprentice brother who didn't eat beef. Holding the three incense sticks, he bowed deeply, his eyes turning red as he shouted, "The ten sects are nothing compared to heavenly skills. The immortal's arrow descends from the sky!"
"Fellow disciples, the dragon's lair is broken. Follow me, and let's slay the dragon for the sake of the world!"
(End of Chapter)
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