Chapter 4, Ghostly Mist and Elusive Trails, Slaying Demons and Communicating with the Spirits

The collapsed stone shrine has not been repaired, its base shattered and overgrown with vines. The people of Yutang County usually regard it as a landmark, leading to two different townships

A group of burly men nearby watched with wide eyes, and after Zhang Kui finished his performance, they all applauded loudly and shouted their approval

A sharp whistling sound rang in the ears, and the ghostly soldiers dissipated into a wisp of dark energy with a puff.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several strong men were so frightened that they pushed through the crowd and ran away behind them

They have just passed through this place

The crowd of Han people clasped their fists and said, "Yes, big brother!"

Suddenly, a faint pain emerged between Zhang Kuimei's eyebrows, as a sharp, cold aura pierced directly towards his head

The bloodshot eyes fixedly stared ahead, though there was nothing there, he could sense a much larger and colder force slowly approaching.

Severe killings in all directions, the corpses depart

But the impressive part comes later

Zhang Kui's eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, as he roared and charged towards the several ghost soldiers that had suddenly appeared.

Given Zhang Kui's physique, he would be exhausted no matter what he rides

Elder brother, how have we returned here again

Ghost hitting the wall

Zhang Kui shouted angrily, but it was already too late

The next level of the Gangsha can be doubled in refinement, enhancing both weapons and the body, inflicting significant damage to both tangible and intangible entities, including gods, demons, ghosts, and humans, with a consumption of 5 mana points per second

Ah!

Although Zhang Kui's subordinates were quite arrogant, they had never encountered such a situation before, and upon witnessing it, they were all trembling with fear

Do not move recklessly

Skill Description: Unlocking the Yin-Yang Eye allows one to see intangible spirits.

A thin mist envelops the street, reducing visibility to about seven or eight meters.

As the departure time approached, the sky had begun to brighten slightly

As long as the formation technique is used in the fog, with a larger range, it can even trap an entire army

All the Han people felt a chill run down their spines, and Niu Er beside them stuttered and was unable to speak

Ah!

Zhang Kui feels an overwhelming sense of pressure at this moment

The surrounding ghost soldiers all revealed their figures, numbering approximately 80, with faces that were decayed and ashen, and eyes that were hollow.

Level 1 can create a dense fog within a range of 100 meters, consuming 5 mana points every ten minutes

Zhang Kui took a sip of the pig offal soup and nodded

I ... ... I also heard ... ...

Among the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Techniques, there is the Five Elements Technique

Skill Description: Condensation into Essence, can be applied to weapons and the body, inflicting damage on both tangible and intangible entities, including deities, demons, ghosts, and humans, consuming 2 points of mana per second

After he woke up, he felt that his subordinates were quite narrow-minded, sometimes to the point of being amusingly dull.

Although the slaughter knife is said to be filled with a menacing aura, its lethality against ghostly soldiers is limited, often requiring several strikes to kill one.

Zhang Kui looked at the slaughtering knife in his hand

Well, brother, this ... ...

As noon approaches, the thick fog has not dissipated; instead, it has transformed into a dark mist, accompanied by gusts of chilling wind, rendering visibility to the extent that one cannot see their own fingers.

Zhang Kui looked at the pale white sky

The torch traced an arc through the darkness

Zhang Kui took out the ancestral pig-killing knife, glanced at the forest path shrouded in thick fog, and coldly snorted, "We are retreating back to the county town"

However, these ghost soldiers clearly mastered the art of coordinated attacks in battle formations. Zhang Kui had already developed numerous wounds on his body, his skin cracked, surrounded by a mass of dead flesh

However, things were not as he expected

Zhang Kui remained silent, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the pig slaughtering knife

With a swift motion, Zhang Kui hurled the butcher's knife backward, his gaze fixed on the towering figure approaching him. In an instant, his expression turned fierce, and his arms were enveloped in a faint red aura that burned like flames

The nun and the Taoist priest come to meet, hey!

When you open your eyes again, the world is completely different

However, as they walked, the leader noticed something was amiss

Zhang Kui squinted his eyes, a menacing aura emanating from between his brows, "Don't panic, let's take another route"

Do not panic

Quick, light the torch!

Zhang Kui seized the torch from the person next to him and threw it in the nearest direction

However, an hour later, they did not see the city wall of Yutang County, but instead arrived at a small river.

He knows what this is

The carriage rolled over the cobblestone road, producing a creaking sound as it passed through the city gate. The soldiers, eager to please, nodded and asked, "Where is the esteemed official Zhang heading so early?"

With weapons drawn and armor donned, the banners obscure the sun

Surrounded by a shroud of black mist, visibility is obscured, and one can only sense the chilling and oppressive force closing in from all directions

Zhang Kui was not concerned; the road to the countryside was very familiar to him. Moreover, this place was damp and foggy, and usually, the fog would dissipate after a while

With a thud, Niu Er collapsed to the ground, his face turning dark blue, and his eyes gradually losing their luster

In the distance, a ghostly general clad in armor and wielding a spear is slowly approaching on horseback, with green ghostly flames burning in his eyes

It appears to be nothing remarkable, nor does it possess any lethal power; it merely gathers阴气 to induce fog, and even some slightly skilled demons and spirits can manage to perform it.

As the malevolent energy was drawn away, the originally cold and menacing butcher's knife quickly decayed and rusted

What should be done

The blade sliced through the air, accompanied by a faint sense of delay. A ghostly soldier, with a face ashen and decayed, suddenly appeared, staggering backward a few steps, yet still alive.

Here, it is at the other end of the county town

The Buddha has opened His eyes to see, hey!

Demon-Slaying Technique (Level 1): Active Skill

Zhang Kui did not hesitate to click twice.

Fog Technique

The reason for leaving early is the inconvenience of transportation

Big brother, this is...

Seek death!

Zhang Kuibao's eyes widened, and with a thunderous roar, he executed a low-waisted turn, raising the butcher's knife in his hand upward.

Come on

The moon hangs over the willow tips, the sky is dark, hey!

The malevolent aura entwined above is being rapidly absorbed by both hands, merging with the surrounding cold and sinister energy, continuously coalescing and emanating a dark red blood light

The heavens and the earth dimmed, as if falling into the abyss of darkness

There was no time for joy; relying on the instincts of a warrior, Zhang Kui rolled over and looked up, only to see several spearheads thrust into the ground, which suddenly vanished.

Despite having true energy and a system, Zhang Kui felt that martial arts seemed to have no end; the more one practiced, the more one would feel that the abyss ahead was as vast as the sea

Discussing Buddhism and philosophy without lighting a lamp, hey

The ancient trees are dense along the road leading to the countryside, appearing even more indistinct and hazy under the shroud of mist, with only a dirt path leading into the depths of the fog.

He is certain that the invading evil worshippers are definitely not the eunuchs without testicles mentioned by Master Li

It is indeed a "regret".

The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and amidst the howling of the ominous wind, strange sounds faintly emerged.

Zhang Kui charged forward without hesitation, the pig-killing knife whistling through the air, and in the blink of an eye, he struck a dozen blows.

Accompanied by the sound of sniffling, Zhang Kui guided his energy with intention, urging his strength with that energy, each move and stance possessing the momentum of a collapsing mountain.

At this moment, do not speak of protecting the brothers behind you; even he cannot ensure his own safety

After washing my hands, just as I picked up the pig offal soup, it caught fire. At that moment, Niu Er walked in through the door and said in a gruff voice:

No wonder Hu Meiniang said that the entire Yutang County would face disaster, it turns out that the other party has already sealed off this place

Spirit Passage (Level 1): Passive Skill

The strength of this body is now manifesting, as Zhang Kui flips and maneuvers among the ghostly shadows, narrowly evading the suddenly appearing long spears, while eliminating the ghost soldiers one by one

His intuition is much stronger than that of others, how could he not hear it

Do not run around aimlessly, it is all in vain

Give me a torch

Before me, beneath the gnarled ancient tree, there lay a collapsed shrine, marking the point where the path began to diverge

Even a small area can have a resounding name

Zhang Kui felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, his hair standing on end, his throat dry, "The ghostly soldiers are passing through!"

However, even after taking a different route, I still found myself back here after wandering around for more than ten minutes

Zhang Kui looked at everyone and said, "Let us find a place to rest and recuperate."

Alright

Although Yutang County is not large, the summer has not yet ended, and to create such a momentum, it cannot be an ordinary zombie

Where should I escape to

Under the impetus of the vital energy, with each step taken, the ground trembles. Over the course of these days, the loess field has been compacted, forming plates that subsequently shatter again

Zhang Kuilin remained calm in the face of danger, instilling confidence among the Han soldiers, who found an open area to stand guard with peace of mind

Elder brother, I just inquired with Master Li, and he said he has already informed the authorities; the personnel from the Astronomical Bureau should arrive very soon

Zhang Kui has already discerned the characteristics of these ghost soldiers; they move swiftly and silently, only revealing their forms when they concentrate their sinister energy during an attack

At this moment, I am extremely frustrated with my own indecision; I should have set out immediately yesterday

Zhang Kui also had a grim expression

They finally saw each other

Everyone burst into hearty laughter, with continuous sounds of teasing and scolding, and the atmosphere of the group gradually became more lively

Although there are demons and ghosts in this world, the deities and Buddhas do not manifest their powers, which leads to a lack of sincere faith among the common people

Ancient texts often describe: a certain general's army advancing, when suddenly fog arises, making it impossible to discern the directions of east and west

Suddenly, the surrounding chill dispersed, and Zhang Kui also stopped, panting heavily

Early in the morning, before dawn, Zhang Kui had already begun practicing his punches in the courtyard

The sound of screams continuously emanated from beside us

As the surging forces drew closer, the burly men behind finally became aware, their faces turning pale as they frantically waved their torches, looking around in terror

The river surface is shrouded in mist, resembling the River of Forgetfulness, while a solitary unmanned boat drifts by the shore

Zhang Kui laughed and said, "I am going to the countryside to collect pigs"

Among the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends Techniques, there are indeed methods to break the spell, but not to mention that Zhang Kui is currently destitute, even if he were to activate his magical power, it would still be insufficient

A few cries of anguish rang out, and they, along with the torches, were completely engulfed by the darkness, disappearing from the sight of the crowd

Zhang Kui walked a bit bored, chuckling, "Niu Er, come, sing a little tune for the brothers."

Big... big brother... I heard someone speaking...

This technique is subdued by sunlight, with the sunset last night stretching for a thousand miles; today, it is bound to be a scorching sun. Let us discuss this again at noon

Although horses were not scarce during the Great Qian Dynasty, Zhang Kui and his companions primarily operated in the county town and only kept two nag horses for pulling carts

Come and bring the common name

The next level can see through basic illusions

Zhang Kui slowly closed his eyes, and before he knew it, two skill points had already appeared on the interface of "The Seventy-Two Arts of the Earthly Fiends"

It was the sound of armor and weapons clashing, the faint and elusive sound of footsteps, and the mournful and desolate sound of singing

They were a group of soldiers, appearing and disappearing, with shattered armor and decaying bodies, wielding ancient long spears, approaching in a flickering manner

However, it is good enough to be able to cut it down

Niu Er, this boisterous fellow, immediately became animated, raising his voice and howling loudly.

Then it's settled, everyone hurry up and eat well, we will set off after the meal