Chapter 5, Young Girl [2]

The gaps and flaws in the circular formation grew increasingly larger. The hastily assembled formation began to gradually collapse as personnel losses mounted. The figures of the young women in white moved faster and their transitions became increasingly strange and unpredictable, yet they seemed to be a single entity. Dozens of identical slender figures coalesced into a whirlwind, continuously probing, squeezing, and tugging at the center. Occasionally, a scream would pierce the air, followed by a burst of flesh and limbs exploding within the whirlwind of white figures, only to dissipate and fall, becoming part of the blood and severed limbs on the ground. The figures of the young women in white moved faster and their transitions became increasingly strange and unpredictable, yet they seemed to be a single entity. Dozens of identical slender figures coalesced into a whirlwind, continuously probing, squeezing, and tugging at the center. Occasionally, a scream would pierce the air, followed by a burst of flesh and limbs exploding within the whirlwind of white figures, only to dissipate and fall, becoming part of the blood and severed limbs on the ground.

Yunzhou's great Han also heard it and trembled as he got up. He was not pretending to be dead; he was simply waiting for death, and he did not know what else he could do besides waiting for death. Those two spirit beasts' souls could be somewhat effective against ordinary people in the martial world, such as ghosts and demon beasts, but they were already at a disadvantage when facing experts like Elder Zeng and Protector Hu. Moreover, those two beast souls did not originally belong to him. Although he was vomiting, he could clearly see how the old Taoist who raised the yin souls had died.

No one is paying attention to what the Great Han of Yunzhou is doing anymore. With the last two incense masters' screams, the protective circular formation has completely collapsed. The white-clad young women at the outermost edge suddenly vanished and then instantly appeared within the circular formation, rushing towards the center where the young Xia, holding the spiritual talisman, is located

With a sudden sound, the bird-shaped mechanical beast on the other side, which had been fluttering, exhausted its power, and one of its wings crookedly plunged into the ground. The dog-headed mechanical beast had long since ceased to move, and the remnants of its fire quietly crackled on the severed limbs of the corpses on the ground, emitting a strong burnt odor, mingling with the pervasive stench of blood in the air.

Just like during the time of Hu Hufa, the figures of the other white-clad young girls suddenly vanished, leaving only the girl who was being held by the man from Yunzhou. With a swift motion of her other foot, she executed a dance-like kick towards the man from Yunzhou. The man reacted almost faster than he had charged in, releasing the girl and dodging to the side. However, that delicate little foot still grazed past his chest and abdomen, causing the man from Yunzhou to let out a wolf-like howl of agony, as he fell to the ground, blood gushing forth.

The young girls in white who lunged at Xiaoxia vanished under the sword light, but Protector Pei himself was pierced in the chest and abdomen by a small hand from behind. Warm blood splattered all over Xiaoxia's face

This time, someone has finally died. The incense master with a severed arm and the knife wielder with a shattered face can no longer fight. A gap has appeared between the circular formations, and the figure of a young girl quietly materializes beside a incense master of the Luoshui Gang. With a vertical palm strike, the incense master is cleaved in two. Amidst the screams, the furious monk, using the Vajra Subduing Demon Fist technique, arrives, but can only shatter the figure of the young girl.

Suddenly, a female voice rang out, and it was none other than Hu Qian, the silent female master of the Divine Mechanism Hall. She had not spoken a word from the beginning, merely wielding a pair of short blades that sprang forth from her armor, directing two mechanical beasts to intermittently shoot hidden weapons and crossbow arrows, silently guarding a corner of the circular formation like a mechanical figure, unnoticed by anyone. Yet, her sudden exclamation drew attention to the Yunzhou man who had almost been forgotten.

The girl's brows were tightly furrowed, and for the first time, a hint of panic appeared on her face. Her seemingly delicate and slender hands and feet kicked in the air a few times, but it was of no use. The dragon and tiger phantoms radiated an overwhelming aura of majesty and ferocity, slowly revolving around her. It seemed that white figures were constantly trying to materialize beside her, but under the encirclement of the dragon and tiger phantoms, they merely flickered in and out of existence.

That was Yunzhou's great Han. The only ones who could emerge unscathed from that fiery inferno were him and the monk Mie Nu. The previous lethargy, where he had nearly vomited to the point of death, was completely gone. His movements now were agile and powerful, devoid of any formal footwork or lightness; he relied solely on actions that were as simple and direct as those of an animal, fast enough and precise enough. At the moment he leaped out of the flames, he had already caught up with the retreating figure of a girl in white, and with a swift grasp, he seized her delicate ankle.

Pei Hufa let out a beast-like howl, his hands dancing with the sword to form two whirlwinds, yet he did not pay attention to himself, still striking towards the white-clad girl who was pouncing on Xiaoxia. Although he himself wished he could tear this three-legged cat into pieces, he also knew that this was not the right moment.

It turns out that this talisman of the celestial master does not immediately unleash divine light to dispel the demonic arts upon being activated? Pei, the protector, was taken aback and quickly turned to Master Mie Nu, urgently asking: "Master Mie Nu, is it possible to break this demon's sorcery and reveal her true form?"

Whether they flew in or appeared out of thin air, the young women in white instantly surrounded the circular formation, leaving no gaps. All the weapons, hidden weapons, fists and feet in everyone's hands, as well as every possible ultimate move, lethal strike, and life-saving technique, were unleashed towards the multitude of young women arriving from the sky

Hurry up... I can't hold on much longer... Xia was trembling all over, her clothes soaked with sweat, and that thin paper talisman felt as if it weighed hundreds of pounds

The spiritual talisman was immediately handed over to Xiaoxia. It was precisely because of this talisman that the Luoshui Gang sought to recruit a Taoist master skilled in talismans, which provided him the opportunity to infiltrate. However, strictly speaking, Xiaoxia was not a master. This high-grade spiritual talisman was indeed of exceptional quality; according to the grading system of the Divine Machine Hall, it was at least of the sixth or seventh grade, while his own magical cultivation was at most of the second or third grade. Therefore, he found it very strenuous, sweating profusely, with all his mental energy concentrated in his hand to activate the magic within this talisman. Faint spiritual lights gradually flickered from the talisman paper.

"What tricks do those barbarians have that they haven't used yet! Do you think you can survive after we are dead?" Pei Hufa was well-versed in the ways of the martial world and could easily discern the situation of this man from Yunzhou, knowing exactly what to say to make him understand

"Is that brat named Xia not ready yet?" Pei Hufa glared at Xia with eyes that seemed to want to chop him into pieces, tear him apart, and swallow him whole, yet his sword still had to dance around him, creating a protective barrier of sword light.

The sudden emergence of this mechanism unleashed a power that far exceeded everyone's imagination. Even with Hu Qian's warning, the flames of the dog-headed mechanism beast engulfed the injured incense master with a severed hand and another expert. The incense master, completely engulfed in flames, let out a pitiful scream before his head and abdomen exploded under the intense heat of the fire. The other expert, while attempting to evade, only had his calf burned, but no matter how he slapped and rolled, the fire on his leg would not extinguish. His clothes turned to ash in an instant, and his muscles and skin shriveled up like vegetables on a hot stove. The flames were evidently fueled by a combination of the Five Elements Dao and secret medicines, burning at a temperature even higher than molten iron. The bird-headed mechanism beast transformed into a whirlwind of metal, indiscriminately slashing through everything, including the still-living Pei Hufa and the last incense master of the Luoshui Gang, who were both caught up in the chaos. In the blink of an eye, they were reduced to flying pieces of flesh, moving even faster than the white-clad maidens.

Another scream echoed, this time from a master of the three-section staff who was seized by two young girls in white, who directly pulled the staff from his hands, dragging him into their circle. In the blink of an eye, this master was torn to shreds among the dozens of swiftly moving figures in white. The three-section staff, released from his grip, was hurled back towards the circular formation by one of the girls, crashing through three long swords before smashing the heads of two individuals into a pulp. This master was torn to shreds among the dozens of swiftly moving figures in white. The three-section staff, released from his grip, was hurled back towards the circular formation by one of the girls, crashing through three long swords before smashing the heads of two individuals into a pulp

Such a powerful mechanism technique, merely its impact nearly wiped out the remaining allies completely, and the figures of the white-clad young women also vanished largely amidst the flames and the whirlwind of metal. The remaining six or seven quickly retreated in all directions. Just as they were retreating, a massive figure also lunged forward to follow.

The circular formation hastily formed, with the talisman in the center, was also seen by the young women in white surrounding it. They seemed to sense the extraordinary nature of the spiritual talisman in Xiaoxia's hand, their brows furrowing slightly. Some of them vanished on the spot, while others suddenly soared towards this direction.

Xia, who used this talisman, collapsed onto the grass, her body going limp. Her face was pale, drenched in sweat, and she was gasping for breath as if she had just run five hundred miles carrying a weight of five hundred pounds

At this moment, Pei, the last remaining protector among the three great guardians of the Luoshui Gang, took out a talisman from his bosom and shouted loudly: "Everyone, do not panic! I have here a spiritual talisman, personally drawn by Master Zhang from Longhu Mountain! Everyone, protect the center well; as long as we use this talisman, we will surely be able to subdue this monster!"

The man from Yunzhou has actually always been there; it is just that he has been vomiting from the very beginning, vomiting to the point of extreme distress, until he could no longer vomit and simply curled up on the ground, as if he had vomited himself to death. The battle was intense, and no one paid him any attention. When the circular formation was formed, several people even stepped over him without noticing, fortuitously protecting him within the formation. It was not until Hu Qian's call that everyone remembered that the spirit beast essence on this man from Yunzhou could still have such an effect. The battle was intense, and no one paid him any attention. When the circular formation was formed, several people even stepped over him without noticing, fortuitously protecting him within the formation. It was not until Hu Qian's call that everyone remembered that the spirit beast essence on this man from Yunzhou could still have such an effect.

The remaining figures of the young girls flew away and jumped to a spot more than ten zhang away from the crowd. They paused briefly, seemingly to catch their breath, and then the girls stomped their feet in unison, causing several more figures to appear, once again charging towards the circular formation of the crowd.

Ugh... I don't know if it was exhaustion from overexertion or if it was only at this moment that I had the time and mood to feel anxious, but Xia Xia threw up.

With a loud shout, the golden pillar of flame suddenly extinguished, while the dragon and tiger phantoms beside the girl in white shone brightly. Accompanied by two sounds that seemed both real and illusory, the dragon and tiger suddenly pounced towards the girl. After a flash of golden light, they all merged into the girl's body. The girl trembled all over, and all her expressions and movements came to an abrupt halt, as if she were a puppet with its strings cut, falling from mid-air and landing motionless on the grass. On her back, a golden talisman was faintly visible.

The flames that Xiaoxia conjured in his hands grew increasingly vigorous and bright, shining not in the color of fire but in a dazzling golden hue akin to the sun. His left hand, which held this golden fire, seemed completely unaffected by the heat. As he opened his mouth, a bite on the tip of his tongue caused fresh blood to spray onto his hand. The golden flames surged skyward, forming an almost endless pillar of fire that connected with the sun in the sky. At that moment, Xiaoxia opened his bloodied mouth and shouted: "Heavenly Master, seal the demons, and lock the monsters in the heavens! Command!" As he opened his mouth, a bite on the tip of his tongue caused fresh blood to spray onto his hand. The golden flames surged skyward, forming an almost endless pillar of fire that connected with the sun in the sky. At that moment, Xiaoxia opened his bloodied mouth and shouted: "Heavenly Master, seal the demons, and lock the monsters in the heavens! Command!"

The fleeing individuals also bought time for those who remained. Seizing this opportunity, the others formed a circle under the command of the furious monk. Almost everyone’s face was ashen, and a few had their throats bobbing, as if they too wanted to vomit profusely like the burly man from Yunzhou in the center. The heroes of the martial world are not particularly afraid of death, but that is a death in battle after a fierce struggle, where one is outmatched, which is entirely different from being crushed and torn apart like an insect. What sustained them in standing here and forming a formation was no longer their fighting spirit. The heroes of the martial world are not particularly afraid of death, but that is a death in battle after a fierce struggle, where one is outmatched, which is entirely different from being crushed and torn apart like an insect. What sustained them in standing here and forming a formation was no longer their fighting spirit

This statement somewhat invigorated the crowd. Longhu Mountain has been in control of the Daoist sects for hundreds of years, and Zhang Tianshi is regarded as the foremost figure in the world. The talismans he personally crafted can naturally break all demonic spells and suppress all evils in the world. Half a month ago, the leader of the Bai clan spent a full five thousand taels of gold and still owed a significant favor to obtain such a talisman. Unfortunately, the actions of Elder Zeng and Protector Hu were too swift, and they perished too quickly. It was only at this moment that Protector Pei finally remembered to take out this treasured talisman.

This demon has committed numerous atrocities without anyone knowing, clearly indicating that none of its subordinates have survived. Moreover, the demon employs the great illusionary wheel-turning divine power of Moli Zhitiān, capable of conjuring illusions with a mere thought. Its true form can interchange with these illusions at will, and under the influence of its magical power, the illusions can kill just as effectively as its true form, making it extraordinarily formidable. Everyone must not harbor any delusions of escaping; we must form a circular formation, with our backs against each other, in order to have even a slim chance of survival

Ensure to protect that spiritual talisman! Lean against each other, do not leave too large a gap, so that the demon cannot use illusions to move behind us! The furious monk's voice was hoarse and unpleasant, like the sound of a pig being slaughtered, a pig driven to the utmost fury

What? Upon hearing this sentence, and looking again, it was still unclear; the sky was filled with what seemed like dozens of butterflies flitting about, and Pei Hufa was nearly driven to madness

Since ancient times, righteousness and evil cannot coexist. Today, even if we lose our lives here, it is for the sake of upholding heavenly principles and justice! The righteous path of the world will forever have our mark!" Li Yutang shouted loudly with his sword raised, his voice dry and hoarse like a broken gong. The muscles on this hero from Qingzhou twitched, his eyes bloodshot, completely devoid of the imposing seriousness he usually displayed. As he roared, bubbles of saliva spilled from the corners of his mouth, which he was oblivious to, making him appear more like a desperate epileptic.

"Good..." Little Xia was drenched in sweat, all her mental energy focused on her palm, where a yellow talisman was faintly swirling with the illusory figures of a dragon and a tiger. "... as long as I find the opportunity to uncover the true form of this monster, it will only take a blink of an eye."

Despite most of the techniques and weapons missing their targets, merely bursting the girl’s figure like a bubble, a few did indeed strike true, hitting something solid. The words of the monk, Mie Nu, seemed to hold some truth; in this round of attacks by the girl in white, surprisingly, no one died. Only the arm of a fragrant master from the Luoshui Gang was torn off, and a hired swordsman had half of his face crushed by a single grasp.

At that moment, a gigantic illusion of a dragon and a tiger suddenly appeared above the girl's head, causing her to halt mid-air. In the distance, the talisman in Xiao Xia's hand had already ignited; he held the talisman in one hand while the other hand pointed forward, directing his fingers towards the dragon and tiger illusion suspended in the air, as well as the white-clad girl who was also caught in the illusion. With the sudden force exerted by Hu Qian's two mechanical beasts and the unexpected miraculous performance of the man from Yunzhou, he finally seized this fleeting opportunity. In the distance, the talisman in Xiao Xia's hand had already ignited; he held the talisman in one hand while the other hand pointed forward, directing his fingers towards the dragon and tiger illusion suspended in the air, as well as the white-clad girl who was also caught in the illusion. With the sudden force exerted by Hu Qian's two mechanical beasts and the unexpected miraculous performance of the man from Yunzhou, he finally seized this fleeting opportunity

The Yunzhou barbarian lying dead on the ground! Quickly use your spirit beast's essence! Perhaps by borrowing the spirit and intuition of the beast soul, we might be able to see through the true form of this monster

The monk, in a moment of carelessness, was momentarily disrupted by that demon's sound, which disturbed his spiritual focus, making it difficult for him to wield his magical powers. Now, he can only attempt to force the true form of this demon out using his martial arts skills. At this moment, the furious monk had already shed his robe, exposing his bare upper body as he unleashed a flurry of punches, the fierce wind of his strikes revealing his formidable energy. He managed to fend off four-tenths of the white-clad girl's attacks. This guardian Vajra of the Pure Land Zen Temple, even when relying solely on his martial arts, was not inferior to the top experts in the martial world. However, this was all he had left to rely on.

Be careful! Everyone get out of the way! Amidst Hu Qian's scream, the two mechanical beasts beside her suddenly sprang into action. Previously, these two puppets, made of metal and wood, seemed to have little effect aside from launching some hidden weapons and coordinating with Hu Qian's movements. However, at this moment, under the command of the female leader of the Divine Mechanism Hall, they unleashed the true power of the mechanisms. One of the dog-headed beasts spat out three iron tubes from its mouth, shooting forth fierce flames, while the other bird-headed beast retracted its limbs and a pair of blade-like wings sprang from its back, spinning rapidly. Under the command of the female leader of the Divine Mechanism Hall, they unleashed the true power of the mechanisms, transforming into a whirlwind of metal and fire swirling through the air.

Yunzhou Dahan truly understood. Even though he was extremely frightened, to the point of feeling dizzy, he still comprehended the situation; after all, he was a clever man. He smiled as if in a spasm, raised his hand to take off the pair of bone bracelets, brought them to his mouth, and bit down on them. With a crunching sound, he quickly shattered and swallowed the pair of not-so-hard bone bracelets.

That delicate little white hand was right in front of him, flawless as soft jade, vivid and lifelike, so real that if it were to stretch out another half a foot, it could pierce a large hole in his chest. Yet, Xia still held back, not releasing the talisman that was poised to strike in his hand. He understood better than anyone that this opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance