Chapter 10, Demons and Monsters [4]

Hu Qian did not speak, standing silently in place for a while, before a sigh escaped from beneath her helmet: "What a pity, these two mechanical beasts are merely prototypes, and now they can no longer be used."

In the pool of internal organs and blood on the ground, the body of the man from Yunzhou, still burning with flames, was desperately struggling. He could still emit a few low growls from his throat, but such injuries could hardly be considered wounds; they were merely a sign of passing. Finally, after a full half a tea's worth of time, he gradually ceased all movement, transforming into a pile of charred and dismembered remains.

Unfortunately, this is still only a semblance; it is not yet a true corpse. The remaining left arm of the great man from Yunzhou surprisingly swung fiercely, causing Li Yutang, who was leaping forward with both person and sword, to tumble headlong out.

Hu Qian pointed again at the white-clad girl on the ground in the distance, emphasizing coldly with her characteristic mechanical tone: "But unfortunately, both of my mechanical beasts have been destroyed. If we were to carry that demon with us, we would not be able to move quickly. We can only leave her here under the master's supervision, and wait until we bring back more personnel to escort her back."

"Demon, do not be so arrogant, accept your death!" It seemed that only at this moment did Li Yutang realize what was happening, as he rushed over with his sword drawn, swiftly stabbing at the nearly half-dead body of the man from Yunzhou lying on the ground.

Li Yutang's pair of deformed sword-like eyebrows trembled again and again, and the nosebleed that had clearly stopped began to flow once more. In the end, he still took out a few banknotes from his bosom, pulled out one, and handed it to Xia Xia along with a shriveled water pouch

With a thunderous roar, it was as if a spring thunderclap suddenly erupted in the morning woods.

Brother Xia, do you have any water there? If not, use the condensation spell to produce some clean water for the master, as the master will be waiting for us here for a few days

This monk has only external injuries; his magical power remains intact. This demon has been sealed by talismanic magic. You should go quickly and return swiftly; it should not pose too much of a problem. The enraged monk also nodded, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, seemingly preparing to meditate and heal his wounds

After filling a bag with water and placing it in front of the angry monk, Xia Xia then filled half a bag for Li Yutang, and no more clean water flowed from her fingers. Throwing the water pouch back to Li Yutang, Xia Xia drew the Rainbow Shadow Sword from her waist and began to stab the ground repeatedly with a sharpened thick branch.

Using such a branch to pry open a pit large enough to bury a great man from Yunzhou is certainly not a task that can be completed in a short while. It is evident that Hu Qian and Li Yutang have no intention of offering assistance or waiting for him. After some contemplation, Xiao Xia sighed and said, "Then, Hu Xiangzhu and Hero Li, you may leave first. I will bury Brother Huang before I depart."

Xiao Xia, instead, appeared as if she had seen a monster and said: "As a wild Taoist with shallow cultivation wandering the Jianghu, I usually earn a few meals by drawing talismans for sale. Now that the situation is perilous and opportunities are rare, it is only natural to raise my prices. I offer clear and fair prices; this is not a case of coercive buying or selling inferior goods. How can you accuse me of extortion, Hero Li? If you do not wish to buy, then so be it"

This water-congealing talisman can probably hold half a bag of water, and it only costs fifty taels of silver, which should be enough for the hero Li to return to Luoshui City

Yet there are still a few moments left. Although the Han man from Yunzhou is howling in agony, he does not roll on the ground like those who were burned before. He suddenly turned his head, and the muscles on his face, contorted by excruciating pain and near-mad rage, no longer resembled those of a human. The flames in his eyes were brighter, hotter, and more searing than the fire consuming his body. With a powerful push of his hands against the ground, he lunged towards Hu Qian, propelled solely by the strength of his hands. In mid-air, his lower body was bent at a rather strange angle, as if the collision with that dog's head had broken his waist.

Master, it seems that this injury may render you unable to walk. What should we do then

Are you not planning to leave then

With a loud crack, the mechanical beast with wings fell apart, seemingly due to the internal mechanisms exceeding their limits. The two wing blades, propelled by the full force of the mechanisms, moved at an incredible speed, creating two white streaks of light in everyone's line of sight. The giant from Yunzhou in mid-air barely had time to react before one streak of light severed him in half, while the other cut off his right hand and a portion of his head.

Li Yutang was taken aback and quickly said, "Oh? Master Hu Xiang, the implications of that monster are significant..."

Indeed. Let's go. Hu Qian glanced at Xiao Xia's back again, her mouth moved slightly beneath the helmet, as if she smiled, and then turned to walk towards the already bright eastern horizon.

"It is of no concern. The master's Buddhist teachings are profound, and there are no wild beasts or monsters in this forest, so there is no danger to life. After we set out, we can quickly go to Luoshui City to find someone to rescue the master." Hu Qian had been silently gazing at the remains of the two mechanical beasts, and at this moment, she suddenly took over the conversation from Li Yutang.

The voice of the monk Mianru resembled the sound of a nearly torn bellows. Just a little more, and the strong man from Yunzhou could have completely torn his neck apart with a single grasp. As he spoke, he took out some golden wound medicine to apply, his blood already soaking through his entire monk robe, combined with his fierce and twisted expression, making him look like a malevolent spirit just pulled out from the blood pool of hell

Xiao Xia turned her head to look at Li Yutang's lips, which were almost bleeding, and suddenly asked: "Hero Li, do you need some water? My skills are limited, but I can still pour some more."

Hu Qian's words instantly brightened Li Yutang's eyes, and he clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Exactly! We should set off quickly and return to find someone to rescue the master!"

But... how could this barbarian become so powerful? Li Yutang glanced at the still burning corpse on the ground, the smell of charred flesh mingling with a hint of roasted meat, causing him to involuntarily swallow.

As the sunlight gradually rises, one can faintly see the clear sky stretching for miles, which certainly cannot be thunder. What has exploded is the dog-headed mechanical beast beside Hu Qian. It is unclear when her hand had been resting on the mechanical beast, but just as everyone was caught off guard, the dog head of the mechanical beast erupted with a loud bang, shooting out a burst of flames at an almost imperceptible speed, striking the waist of the man from Yunzhou, sending him flying, along with the white-clad girl who was about to be bitten.

"It is of no consequence. Although this injury is severe, it is not life-threatening. I shall rest here and recuperate for a few days." The monk, Mie Nu, appeared quite weak, yet he made an effort to force a smile through his anger, which, combined with his bloodied face, rendered the smile somewhat terrifying. "Fortunately, I have used my spells to discern the direction, and it seems that the operation of this demonic formation has also ceased today. You should be able to take this opportunity to escape, so there is no need to worry about me for the time being."

The body of the great Han from Yunzhou, severed into two halves yet still brimming with momentum, soared forward even after passing Hu Qian, leaving behind a trail of copious blood and entrails along the way, until it finally fell to the ground several zhang away. The two golden iron wings, transformed into white light, only embedded themselves into the trunk after slicing through several trees as thick as a bowl.

Before the action had even begun, Xia stood at a distance, but the battle unfolded with such swiftness and unexpected turns that it seemed to leave him in a daze. Up until now, he remained there, staring blankly at the corpse of the man from Yunzhou on the ground. Upon hearing Hu Qian's words, he suddenly seemed to come to his senses, nodded, took the water pouch from his waist, removed the stopper with his left hand, and then with his right hand, he traced a symbol in the air. He murmured a couple of incantations, and as he pointed the tip of his right hand towards the opening of the water pouch, droplets of water began to coalesce at his fingertips, gathering into a fine stream that dripped into the pouch. This water-conjuring spell was merely a basic talisman of the Five Elements Sect; he could only draw it in the air using his spiritual consciousness, which gave it an air of sophistication, but in reality, he could probably only use it once a day.

Not only had the bird-headed mechanical beast fallen apart, but the dog-headed mechanical beast also lay motionless on the ground, its limbs broken. It was evident that it could not withstand the recoil force when the dog head was fired. The neck, now headless, was left with a hollow cavity, from which blue smoke billowed out like a chimney, making it clear that they were indeed no longer usable

"Hu Xiangzhu, let us go. If this brat misses the opportunity and cannot get out, it is his own death, so why bother with him?" Li Yutang took a few sips of water, feeling much more comfortable, but when he thought that each sip of water was worth several taels of silver, he felt a sharp pain in his heart. He was quite pleased to see such ignorant juniors seeking their own demise.

"Oh?" Li Yutang was somewhat surprised and taken aback. He had already lost quite a bit of his water, which the big man from Yunzhou had taken to drink earlier, and now, although he was extremely hungry, he was also very thirsty. However, he had always been at odds with this young man, making it difficult for him to speak up.

To be precise, the sound of the explosion was twofold. At the moment the dog's head collided with the man from Yunzhou, it also exploded. However, the sound of this explosion was not loud, drowned out by the first tremendous noise, while the flames that erupted engulfed a small portion of the man's body from Yunzhou.

The mechanisms of the Divine Machine Hall are indeed unparalleled in the world, their power is astonishing! This time, we must also thank Master Hu. Just as Li Yutang, who had just crawled up from the ground, covered his nose, blood flowed continuously from between his fingers, yet he could not help but cheer. Fortunately, at the moment of death, the man from Yunzhou still had only one arm; otherwise, this hero from Qingzhou would have lost more than just his nasal bridge.

Hey, this wild Taoist kid has shallow skills, yet his talismanic arts are quite profound. Li Yutang snorted coldly and smacked his lips.

This... this is also the case. Li Yutang suddenly shivered, not knowing what he was thinking about.

Master's noble intentions! However, in these past few days, having fought alongside the Master through thick and thin, we cannot abandon him in this difficult moment..." Li Yutang was initially invigorated, but soon revealed a look of difficulty. Regardless of how great the temptation to engage in battle may be, the spirit of chivalry that dictates one must not forsake their companions must not be forgotten, at the very least, it must not be left unexpressed.

Xia Xia nodded and said: "After all, we have known each other for a while, we cannot just watch him die in the wilderness."

It is likely that the demon's soul has awakened the beastly nature within this person's bloodline The distant Monk Mianru finally managed to sit up with great effort

The man from Yunzhou, who had been knocked to the ground, let out a howl that could almost rival the earlier deafening roar. It was the same fire that the dog-headed mechanical beast had spewed forth before. As soon as it touched him, the clothes and hair on the Yunzhou man were instantly reduced to ashes, and the robust muscles beneath the flames visibly shriveled and withered. Even though only a small part of his body was burning now, it would take no more than a few breaths for the flames to roast the other side of his body as well.

Do not worry, although the master has sustained some injuries, that monster is also under the suppression of the Qiantian Demon-Sealing Talisman. We will go and return quickly, and there will be no major issues. Do you still wish to carry that monster and travel overnight?

You! Do you dare to extort me?

Hu Qian was retreating swiftly. When the dog-headed mechanical beast shot out its head, she seemed to have already anticipated the counterattack from the man of Yunzhou. Nevertheless, the man from Yunzhou, relying solely on his hands, was much faster than her, who was encased in armor. In just two breaths, he had caught up to her, and at that moment, she had already retreated to the side of another mechanical beast. This was the bird-headed mechanical beast, whose pair of blades forged from gold and iron had already risen on its back. A faint creaking sound could be heard from within, reminiscent of a bowstring being drawn tight. Accompanied by a low murmur from Hu Qian, the golden iron wings immediately whirled and slashed out.

"Are you preparing to bury this barbarian from Yunzhou?" Hu Qian suddenly asked

The people of Yunzhou have historically worshipped mountains, rivers, birds, and beasts as deities. It is said that in ancient times, humans and demons coexisted, and some of the bloodlines of the Yunzhou people may harbor the blood of demons and beasts. These two demon souls, both refined through the witchcraft of Yunzhou, are not the individual's innate demon beasts, yet I, a humble monk, have suppressed the beast souls deep within his spirit, allowing the beast souls to gradually awaken the bloodline within him, merging into one, transforming him into a half-demon with immense strength and agility. In fact, we should have been alerted when his appearance and physique began to change a few days ago. If it were not for Master Hu Xiang and these two mechanical beasts today, it would have likely been uncontrollable...

Hu Qian fell silent, merely watching Xia Xia poke the ground with a branch, her gaze from beneath the helmet carrying a peculiar expression.