Chapter 861: Sword Cuts through Clay Sculptures and the Worn-Out Sky

Chapter 861: Sword Cuts through Clay Sculptures and the Worn-Out Sky

Southeast Four Prefectures, Ten Thousand Lives Curse.

Xing Shan Town, One Coin Suppresses All Performances.

In the North, the Iron Gate King and the Long Hero King clashed, with various experts battling fiercely in the war formation, blood splattering, and vying for supremacy.

In the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Hou'er Jiu hung and killed the 60,000 troops of the Chaotic World King, directly pointing towards the Southern Nanzhong Guan Shan Zhu.

Any one of these battles, in the past, would have been the largest magical duel in the last twenty years, aside from the Old Master Lao Jun's peeling of the emperor's skin and the Longjing's curse that killed 170,000 royal family members.

But now, the four-way battles have merged into one, disrupting the balance of Yin and Yang, spanning the Netherworld and the human realm. The stormy and gloomy atmosphere, the bizarre and difficult nature, and the grandeur and intricacy of the battle surpassed even the destruction of the Youyi Clan.

No one knew how many extraordinary people and experts had joined this battle, nor how many half-immortals had died in this sweeping conflict.

It was known that the head-hunting sect, with its thirteen senior head-hunting masters, borrowed the lifespan of their next life, summoned three major Corpse Summoners, and measured the boundaries of heaven and earth, hoping to bring heaven back to counter the Ten Thousand Lives Curse.

But these head-hunting masters, who could dominate the world individually, and these Corpse Summoners, who could cause chaos upon leaving their coffins, were all stopped in this small Four Prefectures area.

One Corpse Summoner, wrapped in black clouds, flew down from the sky.

Someone then lit nine palace lanterns, each lantern casting the shadow of a golden-armored general, battling on the mountain.

A head-hunting master decapitated himself as a ritual, his head floating in the air, eyes glowing with malice, killing with a glance.

Another person set up a twenty-mile incense array along the lake, then used water as a mirror, freezing the lake and casting a spell, reversing the opponent's descending power back onto them.

Someone danced a strange and eerie dance, holding a small knife, cutting their own skin, reciting a spell, and turning their skin into a dark cloud, which spread over the sleeping townspeople.

Wherever the dark cloud passed, all the sleeping people would mysteriously lose their lives. Someone else laughed and spat out a golden pill, emitting a brilliant light, tearing apart the dark cloud.

Before the reincarnated ones acted, no one knew what skills these worldly outsiders had learned or how powerful they were.

But when they truly acted, the head-hunting sect felt a sense of despair.

They had only one night to bring heaven back and block the Ten Thousand Lives Curse. To turn the tide, they even borrowed life from their next incarnation, showing no mercy when they acted.

But that night, they encountered opponents who cared even less about their lives.

They borrowed the lifespan of their next life, but these people didn't even care if they had a next life, burning their lives to the end just to see a joke.

They couldn't win! These head-hunting masters, using every means at their disposal, could only despairingly admit that they truly couldn't win.

On a small town beside Xing Shan, as the black shadows descended and the starving townspeople stormed into the town, this gathering of performances, which had no audience, finally welcomed its due excitement.

For these performers, who were skilled in their craft but no longer identified with their profession, it was the first time they suddenly feared their audience, the very people who supported them.

Someone swallowed clouds and spat out swords, while someone else smeared excrement on their face.

Someone turned fire into weapons, while someone else poured buckets of cold water, drenching them like wet chickens.

Someone summoned hundreds of iron puppets, each armed with weapons, and with a pull of a string, they came to life, slaughtering indiscriminately. But facing the townspeople who stormed into the town, they dared not act.

Farther away, King Fuyao had learned of the chaos in the town, knowing that the Omen Clan's supernatural beings were being attacked by the rioters. He decisively ordered his army to move out.

First, the sky hummed, as the iron-winged army, personally crafted by the Zhao family for King Fuyao, flew towards the town. Then, 70,000 troops, hooves thundering, charged forward.

But as the iron-winged army approached, someone below offered rotten fish and shrimp, summoning black nets that flew into the clouds, entangling and killing the iron-winged army.

As the 70,000 iron cavalry approached, figures with cold smiles appeared on the hills.

They occupied the harmful positions, bowed from afar, and purple qi rose, turning the vast plain into a sinister and deadly land. Any troops that entered died mysteriously, piling up, and the remaining troops were terrified, pulling their reins and blocking the path of the rear forces.

They could only watch from a distance, feeling as if they were being called by the King of Hell, too scared to take another step.

Only after the long night passed, the morning light appeared, and the sun rose, dispersing the thick fog, did they discover that the people on the hill had already died from the excessive malevolent qi, stiff and dead on the hill.

But their faces still bore a look of triumph.

"Father..."

Amidst the chaos of the town, with the sounds of battle, fire, and drums, Zhao San Yi was in a panic, running to the Zhao family head: "What are we waiting for?"

"Those people are crazy..."

The distinguished lineage of the Ten Surnames, his face now showed indescribable fear: "They are fighting outside the town!"

"They are driving the starving people into the town and blocking King Fuyao's iron cavalry outside. This is flesh and blood, how can they stand against thousands?"

"Duels have winners and losers, and even losers can live, but they... they are seeking death."

"We should let them into the town and fight us..."

"..."

Facing Zhao San Yi's nervous appearance, the Zhao family head seemed somewhat weary, looking at the copper coin in his hand, as if lost in thought or just waking from a dream.

After a long pause, he looked up at Zhao San Yi and said softly, "San Yi, are we Zhao family members of the jianghu or lords of the hall?"

Zhao San Yi was stunned, urgently saying, "You usually have twenty maids serving you a meal, and you ask me this?"

The Zhao family head only smiled bitterly and slowly shook his head, "Then, you should know what our Zhao family's true and most powerful skill is."

Zhao San Yi shivered, swallowed, and whispered, "It... it's the Skin Stripping Technique!"

The Zhao family's lineage, the Three-Part Heaven Hand, can steal anything from the world.

But the Zhao family's most powerful technique is the Skin Stripping Technique, derived from the Cloak Removal Pavilion, one of the Eight Scenic Spots of the Netherworld.

All living beings in the world, humans, birds, and beasts, are said to return to the netherworld after death, where they weigh their karma and reward the good while punishing the evil. Regardless of their status in life, they all come to the Cloak Removal Pavilion to strip away their earthly garments, which is also a symbol of their identity.

In the pavilion, humans, birds, and beasts are laid bare, with no distinction between them. To be reborn, they must don human skin, animal hide, or bird feathers once more and return to the mortal realm.

The Zhao Family worshipped the Cloak Removal Pavilion and even stole three parts of this skill, bringing it to the mortal realm, thus creating the unique and distinctive art of skin stripping within the Playful Gate Sect.

However, this method is truly cruel, so even when Zhao Sanyi mentioned this name, he became hesitant and stammered.

"So..."

The Zhao Family's master sighed and tightly gripped a copper coin in his hand. He slowly raised his head and sighed, "We've already lost this battle."

"Because we have no skin to strip!"

Zhao Sanyi didn't understand as the master looked at the angry faces all over the town. His voice seemed to be filled with endless despair, "They only have a mouth left to eat."

"Before, we could still wrap rat skins around them, scare them, and use the living to control them. But now, they no longer recognize us. Sanyi, the Worldly Outsider opened their eyes, not to let them see through all our methods..."

"But to let them, and us, see clearly that the skin we wrap around ourselves..."

"..."

Zhao Sanyi never thought he would witness this scene. His father, who always seemed to hold the wisdom pearl and had superior insight, was now covered in old tears and pointed wearily at the angry townsfolk:

"Strip their skin?"

"Or strip the skin of those reincarnates?"

"Sanyi, if we attack them, our Zhao Family won't be able to maintain our dignity in life, and after death, our ancestral graves will be dug up..."

"Admit defeat!"

He seemed to have exhausted all his strength to say these words, "When strength surpasses reason, and reason surpasses the heart, our Zhao Family is best at stripping skin, but they, from the very beginning, stripped our skin first!"

...

...

In the north, Tie Jian Wang and Chang Xiong Wang's armies faced off against each other, and the battlefield was filled with rolling blood and energy.

Chang Sheng Wang joined the battle, but before he could determine a victor, someone else rushed out impatiently, shouting heroic words as if afraid they wouldn't get a chance to fight.

Chang Xiong Wang's side consisted of Year-Guarding Sect members, each with true skills. Now, they had chosen to engage in a battle of generals, and they were confident of their victory, as any Year-Guarding Sect member dared to claim invincibility within their army.

Unless they encountered each other.

But as the battle of generals began, it quickly became unexpected. Among them, Chang Sheng Wang was naturally qualified to challenge.

The Zhou Family had long noticed him. He was a Year-Guarding Sect member who had raised troops early on and honed his skills in battle. After borrowing Meng Family's bridge, his abilities in both water and fire had already formed a unique style.

When he fought with Zhou Family's second uncle, the battle lasted for hundreds of rounds, with fierce winds, flying sand, and rolling stones, leaving others in awe, which was within expectations.

However, when others joined the fight, the Zhou Family immediately felt something was amiss. Those in the Playful Gate Sect recognized their reputation and skills, but they didn't expect that each opponent who emerged was unfamiliar, yet possessed formidable abilities.

One person used the Head Harm Technique to borrow strength from others, continuously drawing power from others onto himself.

Borrowing strength from three or five people was manageable, but when he borrowed from twenty, a hundred, he became a monster. With ten pounds of strength borrowed from each person, this hundred people combined already had a thousand pounds of strength.

With one hammer strike, even a Year-Guarding Sect member on the bridge would find it difficult to withstand.

Moreover, he was oblivious to the danger, borrowing almost all the strength of those people, accumulating a thousand pounds of strength within his body. He fought fiercely, causing the Year-Guarding Sect's generals to struggle to hold their ground.

But his body was clearly torn apart, his five viscera burning, yet this madman was still laughing.

Another person used the Life Control Technique, inserting silver needles into acupoints and igniting his soul, then swallowing a large amount of Blood Grand Age, Purple Qi, transforming himself into a half-human, half-ghost monster.

Someone else displayed the Spirit Binding Technique, which was a cure for the situation. It was well-known in the jianghu that only one person could be bound at a time.

But since the Meng Family's downfall, there hadn't been anyone who dared to claim they could bind multiple spirits. Yet, today, they encountered someone who had invited hundreds of fierce ghosts.

When they saw the person with heavy footsteps and layers of ghostly shadows rushing towards them, the Year-Guarding Sect's branch hall official turned and ran.

He felt it was incomprehensible: "You've invited so many ghostly things, even if you win against me, how can they let you go?"

But the opponent laughed heartily, chasing him around the field, shouting words that no one understood, "Do you know what kind of bullshit I did in my previous life? Before returning home, I had a taste of every platform..."

"How could this be?"

Even Tie Jun Dangguan, the most hardworking one, gradually became flustered. He had taken up Zhou Ying's challenge and had already fought several hundred rounds without a clear victor.

But the atmosphere of this battle made him afraid and confused.

Finally, when Men Dou Lu unleashed his boldness and challenged three opponents at once, defeating two and beheading the third, he was stabbed through the chest by the headless corpse of his opponent.

The Year-Guarding Sect's ghostly soul drifted and entered the netherworld, passing through the Ghost Gate. However, Chang Sheng Wang, or Men Dou Lu, burst into laughter and sat cross-legged.

Tie Jun Dangguan's face changed instantly.

He watched the opponent's soul dissipate, and his body sat cross-legged on the ground, but he didn't see anything pass through the Ghost Gate. With a strong grip, he pushed Zhou Si away and then stared intently at the direction of the Red Wine Lady.

"Farewell!"

The Red Wine Lady watched as Men Dou Lu's ghostly soul disappeared, and then she turned to look at Tie Jun Dangguan, smiling, "Do you understand now?"

"Your ten battles are destined to be lost."

"We come from beyond the world and are not of this realm. Therefore, after death, we disdain entering the Ghost Gate and only wish for the freedom of our souls, eternal tranquility."

"To determine victory or defeat by entering the Ghost Gate, not just ten battles, but even a hundred battles, we will not lose."

"..."

"That's called losing one's soul!"

Even the Execution Hall Official Tie Jun couldn't help but whisper angrily, "That's the greatest curse in the world and the most tragic outcome. How dare you speak of it so lightly, even treating it as a joke?"

"Do you... do you all not fear losing your souls?"

"..."

The Red Wine Lady smiled and glanced at him, saying, "Seeking neither fame nor fortune, only to leave a mark in the mortal realm, proving that we have lived..."

"Do you find this terrifying?"

"But we only feel that it's so romantic..."

"..."

On the battlefield, only laughter could be heard, and behind him, in the formation, others were constantly pushing forward. The various experts of the Lifesaving Zhou Family were, for the first time, being pushed back by the Year-Guarding Sect.

...

...

In the Southern Hundred Thousand Mountain Range, the Guan Shan Zhu Family was driven to desperation and directly gathered the seven patriarchs, invoking the last drum of the three drums.

The Guan Shan Zhu Family had three types of poison, the first drum being the Malevolent Heart Drum, which had already been given to the Chaotic King, capable of awakening the mountain snakes. Now, it had been broken.

The second drum was the Ten Thousand Toxins Drum, which could forcefully control all the poisonous insects in the world, but the Zhu Family dared not use it.

Now, they directly invoked the Soul Sending Drum, the third drum. Once this drum was sounded, it could summon dark clouds to cover the sun and heavy fog to fill the sky. Within the fog, one could hear the sound of dogs barking.

Anyone shrouded by the heavy fog would be torn apart by invisible evil dogs fighting over their flesh. When the fog dissipated, no evil dogs could be seen, and there were no visible injuries on the bodies, but those affected would become muddled and confused, their spirits incomplete, turning into foolish people.

This drum was connected to the Evil Dog Village in the Yellow Springs' Eight Sceneries. It was said that after death, one would pass through the Evil Dog Village. In the village, wild dogs would gather and howl. Those with money and offerings would feed the dogs and pass through safely, while those without money would be torn apart by the dogs.

The larger the portion of the body bitten off by the wild dogs, the dumber the person would be in their next life, as their innate intelligence would be devoured by the dogs.

The Guan Shan Zhu Family had mastered the method to summon the Evil Dog Village to the mortal realm, allowing them to make people smart or foolish as they pleased.

Hou'er Jiu, backed by the Hundred Thousand Mountain Range, saw the drums sounding in the distance on the mountains. Fog began to spread between heaven and earth, like a tidal wave, rolling towards him. Within the fog, one could hear the fierce barking of dogs, some near and some far.

He couldn't help but laugh, "A bit of cultivation, but not much."

"I've never understood why you use your intelligence not for creation and research but only to make those without wealth in the world even dumber?"

"..."

Amidst the laughter, he raised his flute.

The mountain breeze blew through the holes of the flute, and its sound rose above the mountains. Behind him, the dense Hundred Thousand Mountain Range, which had been lifeless, suddenly seemed to come alive, constantly changing its position behind him.

Then, the sound of mountain rocks collapsing and crushing could be heard from the mountains, as if something living was stirring within. The next moment, massive flesh and blood erupted from the mountains, growing wildly like giant pythons turning over.

Except for Hou'er Jiu and the Guan Shan Zhu Family, no one could stand firm, let alone see what was happening.

These were bamboo baskets that Hou'er Jiu had buried at various locations in the mountains.

There were five bamboo baskets in total. One contained a Black Grand Age, one a White Grand Age, and the others were Green, Red, and Golden.

The five Grand Ages grew wildly, making the Hundred Thousand Mountain Range seem alive. Enormous tentacles surged, spreading underground, breaking through the earth and rocks, and drilling towards Hou'er Jiu's feet, lifting his body into mid-air.

Hou'er Jiu, burdened by the bloated and crazed Grand Age flesh and blood, seemed to calmly look down at the mist below, and said, "I use the mortal Grand Age to refine poison, breaking your witch's evil dogs..."

"In this way, can I persuade your witch's sect to reveal the path you've hidden?"

"..."

"..."

"This guy looks even scarier than the Grand Age."

At Tiger Gate, Er Guotou, who had set up a divination altar to observe the world, also saw the various situations in all directions. He witnessed the battles, the rise and fall of lives, and the shifting fortunes between heaven and earth.

He looked towards the southeast four prefectures, feeling a weight on his heart. Seeing those who were risking their lives to block the Chen Family's corpse summoning, he felt a deep sorrow, as if he shouldn't be showing his sadness while these carefree people were doing their carefree deeds.

He watched as the Zhao Family's Hundred Plays were broken, and the common people's eye-opening move stripped Zhao Family's bones. He couldn't help but applaud, his heart stirred, wanting to join in.

He saw the battle between the Iron Gate King and the Long Hero King, and he thought, who said the Longevity Gate didn't have brains?

They were clearly the most intelligent, weren't they?

But it was a pity for those brothers who wanted a clean death; they would have to find their own way...

He saw the Sweet Potato Burn going crazy in the Hundred Thousand Mountain Range, and Hou'er Jiu going even crazier, feeling a bit startled and thinking that this guy was even a bit terrifying beyond description...

"Have a bite to eat..."

Outside the altar, a fragrant breeze lingered, and a woman in a bright red dress, holding a red lantern in one hand and a food box in the other, appeared outside the altar.

She cautiously watched as Er Guotou's figure flickered in and out, clearly the figure of a small woman.

Red Lantern Lady had followed the Food Protection Army on their expedition, serving as their protector. But now, she was of no use, as all the talented people in the world had already taken action. She was just a small Earthlord forced to step forward, and what help could she offer them?

She returned in a daze, thinking left and right, and only felt pity for the Right Protector, who seemed to have not eaten anything for several days. So, she brought her own offerings to him.

"You don't eat the food, but you drink the wine."

Er Guotou allowed Red Lantern Lady into the altar and took a bottle of wine from the food box. He removed the cork and slowly poured the wine onto the ground before him.

"Farewell, my friends..."

As he poured the wine, he couldn't help but find it amusing. Who could drink or even smell this wine now?

So, he put it away and drank the remaining half himself, then threw the jar far away, laughing, "Our generation has been cautious for twenty years, and who could have imagined we'd play such a big game in the end?"

"But since we've started this..."

In Red Lantern Lady's worshipful gaze, he stroked his beard and suddenly burst into laughter, turning his gaze to the southwest and curling his lips:

"But since we've started this, let's play an even bigger game!"

"..."

He first signaled Red Lantern Lady to hide, then pressed his palms together, and in an instant, the altar flags flew in the air, the stars in the sky seemed to dance, and the light from his eyes shot towards the southwest.

"Heaven wills to kill, and man wills to kill as well."

At this moment, Bright State King Yang Gong, who had taken the initiative to face this Slaughter Calamity, felt a sudden surge of heat throughout his body after hearing the woman with the white cat challenge him, asking if he dared to cut down this "villainous Heaven."

For a long time, every step had been fraught with disaster, every day filled with hardship. He had already harbored endless anger in his heart. Clenching his teeth, he said, "If it's a matter of cutting, why should I hesitate?"

"But, my soldiers who are frostbitten, my brothers who died in the ghost disaster..."

"..."

"Heaven does not save people; people save people."

The White Wine Lady, holding the white cat, looked at Yang Gong. She was naturally proud, and even reincarnates rarely saw her speak seriously: "We cannot rely on the gods in the sky, for true divinity lies in the heart. The divine is that indomitable spirit."

"The spirit of our ancestors is our deity, the spirit of the living is our backbone!"

"Without this spirit, there is no true divinity in this world, only demons and evil spirits that deceive and prey on the people, ignoring their suffering and disasters, not bestowing blessings. What use are they?"

Yang Gong was no longer the naive man he once was, easily enlightened by a single word. He understood the matters at heart, but the setbacks had left him hesitant. These words, however, resonated deeply with him.

"Yes."

He smiled. "He who aligns with my spirit is a deity, he who disrupts my path is an evil spirit."

"I am truly grateful to have met people like you, who give me courage when I am afraid."

Having said that, he pointed at the temple in the snowstorm and shouted forcefully, "Our Righteous Army rose to protect the people, but we have faced continuous disasters, unable to take a single step. Clearly, this is the work of ghosts and deities. I, Yang Gong, hereby hold a court and question the heavens and earth:"

"If I am destined by heaven, then the ghosts and deities must bow to me, protecting my soldiers and their lives."

"If I, Yang Gong, am just a commoner, without any heavenly mandate..."

He paused, his voice turning stern. "Then I will not submit to your rule. If you dare to bring disaster upon me, whether you are a deity, a ghost, Heaven, or a monster, I will cut off your head!"

As he spoke, he ordered his men to tear down the temple and drag out the statue inside.

The wind and snow intensified, the sky darkened with dense clouds, and it seemed as if the earth's veins were cracking, with the cries of ghosts and deities filling the air.

With the temple broken, it seemed as if countless monstrous beings emerged from the mist, roaring in fury or fear, as if they were thoroughly enraged by his actions or simply terrified.

In the midst of the snowstorm, the supply army's camp was layered with green tents. The clay statues were dragged and thrown before the tents.

The soldiers, trembling with fear, had joined Bright State King for food and survival. But with the constant disasters and rumors spreading through the army, they began to doubt whether the person they followed was truly just a commoner and a monster, and whether following him would lead to a fate of being despised by gods and ghosts, with no face to show their ancestors after death.

Many of them were already afraid.

Holding a court to execute the deity was a grave act of disrespect. Would it not bring divine retribution?

Amidst these worried gazes, Yang Gong sat in the court, while Evil Man Chiang stood by the clay statue, holding a knife.

"Heaven does not save people; people save people."

Yang Gong gazed at the clay statue below, slowly raised his hand, and shouted, "This blade will clear the sky and disperse the snow!"

"I will make the ghosts and deities bow!"

"I will make Heaven hear the cries of the people..."

Evil Man Chiang's eyes gleamed with excitement, unable to wait any longer. He held up the reassembled precious saber and, as soon as Yang Gong's words fell, raised it high and slashed down forcefully at the clay statue.

...

...

At the same moment, at Tiger Gate, Er Guotou watched the blade fall, his heart filled with fervent passion. He declared fiercely, "Slaying all the demons and evil spirits will win the hearts of the people like a dragon!"

"Since my little brother has chosen you, I will lend you this blade to slay all the false deities in the world!"

The intense killing aura made the Red Lantern Lady beside him shudder.

In the next moment, the flag by Er Guotou's side suddenly split and flew in all directions, the loud wind causing the golden armor around him to rustle.

At the same time, the Ghost Walkers across the land were all stirred.

This included Ghost Walker and Questioner Zhang Agu, and Reasoner Qi Gula, as well as countless commoners seeking survival amidst the chaos and desolation.

At the altars and before the statues, they burned their last silver coins in incense and bowed, yet their bellies remained empty, and no heavenly lord came to save them. But that night, they saw golden-armored deities appearing everywhere.

Breaking through the temple doors, they stormed in, dragging out the clay statues and chaining them.

The wandering deities, altar deities, mansion lords, and temple ghosts, once enshrined and served by the nobles and officials, were all dragged out by the golden-armored warriors. The temples that received offerings were destroyed, and the golden statues cast with great expense were smashed.

They knew what was happening and relayed the message from the altar to the people: "Do not panic, this is just a renewal of the old!"

Amidst the chaos and turmoil, while some Bull Slayer Sect disciples joined the army, others followed the Great Master to implement the "returning the divine to the people" plan, channeling the incense offerings from Old Yin Mountain through this Slaughter Calamity to all corners of the land.

However, as they expanded their efforts, they encountered increasing difficulties.

In every place, the local clans, noble families, wandering deities' temples, and mansion lords' shrines all obstructed them. Although their techniques could solve some issues, they could not openly engage in mass slaughter.

Finally, at this moment, they heard the commotion outside and rushed out, seeing the temples on fire and the golden-armored deities escorting the chained statues. Their faces broke into genuine smiles.

"Heaven is dead, Yellow Heaven shall rise!"

"Master, as you predicted, this day has finally come..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end