Chapter 318: Chapter 211: Raid_1
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“Puh!!!”
The dagger pushed out, hitting nothing but air, yet from ahead a dull thud resounded as if flesh and blood were being cleaved by a sharp blade.
Qing’s body shuddered as she looked up, only to see an indistinct, towering figure clad in pitch-black armor, astride a ghastly white warhorse, wielding a crescent blade that cruelly struck down upon “Doctor Mo.”
The blade, too, was a ghastly white, except for a slash of bright red at the edge, seemingly as thin as paper, but in his hands it faced no obstruction, delivering a force of a thousand jin that cleaved Doctor Mo’s head in two.
However…
“Roar!”
Although its head had been split open, its mouth and throat cut in half, it still let out an extreme roar and leaped forward, wrapping its arms around the Ghost General and its legs around the paper horse, constricting them like a python strangling its prey, with the intent to merge the opponent within its own body.
With such a posture, “bizarre” was the only fitting description for a human form, totally unsuitable for exerting force.
Yet for it, it posed no problem; foul-smelling pus and blood splattered, its limbs growing rapidly, with many blood-red tendrils and bits of flesh sprouting and completely enveloping the Ghost General’s body.
“Glug-glug!”
A sound so disturbing it made one’s teeth ache echoed through the dimly-lit medicine shop.
Qing, gripping the dagger, stood rooted to the spot, trembling uncontrollably, unsure of what to do.
In a blink, a massive flesh ball, oozing pus and blood, formed before her.
What kind of flesh ball?
It was akin to a pregnant woman several months along, her not yet fully grown fetus being extracted prematurely, along with the uterus and flesh, all laid bare before one’s eyes.
The flesh ball tumbled and rolled; within the sac, it was impossible to distinguish which part was the Ghost General, which was the paper horse, and which was the original shape of Doctor Mo.
There was only such a flesh ball there, trembling, contracting, as if it were a beating heart or a womb nurturing life.
“Puh!”
With a final muffled sound, the flesh exploded, but not completely. Several thin arms, like those of an infant, stretched out, growing and spreading rapidly, reaching towards the bewildered Qing.
A true Demon Object—Ghost Fetus Dried Human Placenta!
All these events, while lengthy in description, occurred in but an instant.
In that instant, the Ghost General was dead, and the Demon Object was born.
Qing still did not understand what had happened when those pale, slender arms were already upon her.
Just then…
“Boom!”
In the darkness, a thunder dragon appeared, roaring and thundering forth.
“Bang!!!”
Lightning like a dragon, dazzling brightness, illuminated the room for a moment and engulfed the Ghost Fetus Demon Object within it. A thunderous boom shook the heavens, causing the entire medicine shop and surrounding buildings to tremble and collapse.
The power of a single strike was truly terrifying!
“…”
Qing stood in place, her eyes tightly shut, shaking like chaff in the wind.
She desired to do something, but her body acted on instinct and was beyond her control.
She could only endure passively until everything ceased, and calmness returned to her surrounding, and then she finally managed to open her eyes with difficulty.
As her eyes flew open, they beheld ruins, broken walls, scorch marks from lightning strikes, and numerous charred, unrecognizable items scattered about.
But Qing hardly paid any attention to that, her eyes filled with fear as she frantically looked around for the small figure.
“Little brother!!”
“Over here.”
No sooner had the cry left her mouth than she heard a voice in response.
Startled, Qing turned to see, and there was Xu Yang, nonchalantly stepping forward, with several indistinct figures following him, cradling her unconscious brother in their arms.
“It’s you!”
They had met only once, but the memory was vivid. Qing looked at Xu Yang, unsure of what to do.
Xu Yang, without saying much, glanced at the charred remains on the ground, then at the silent, desolated houses around him and shook his head, calmly stating, “Follow me.”
After speaking, he turned and left.
Watching him, and her brother being led by several Underworld Soldiers, Qing, not daring to inquire further, hurriedly followed.
Soon, the group arrived at Fish Market Pier.
“Wait here for me for a bit.”
Xu Yang instructed, then turned away, paying no heed to Qing’s reaction.
Qing could do nothing but stand there, helplessly, watching him disappear into the increasingly thick fog alongside several Underworld Soldiers.
…
“Demon Realm!”
“Demon Catastrophe!”
“The Demon Realm seals the sky and creates Death Land, with entry but no exit!”
“The only way to survive is to stand guard and protect an area until the Demon Realm recedes.”
“Within the Demon Realm, the Demonic Qi surges; ordinary people who do not cultivate, who do not understand martial arts and are unfamiliar with Qi Cultivation Mana Points, accumulate Demonic Qi daily in their bodies. The corruption is severe, the demonic nature deeply rooted, hence they are quickly transformed by the Demon Realm into the living dead, such as Demon Corpses or other Demon Objects.”
“You, Martial Artists, with robust Qi Blood, can refine Demonic Qi, thus you can endure for a time.”
“As long as everyone works together, holding this place, and preventing the Demon Objects from breaking through, there is hope to survive this Demon Catastrophe.”
“The Demon Catastrophe is great terror; you must not bear any delusion of luck—only with one mind can you possibly escape with your lives.”
“We humbly adhere to the Immortal Master’s commands, to go through fire and water, without hesitation!”
“Good, you may leave.”
“…”
The area around Wuzhe abounded with manors, as it was full of canals and fertile fields, convenient for planting and irrigation, making the cultivation of thousands of hectares a trivial matter.
Every capable landlord would build manors on their land, and even retain numerous servants and family members, storing various weapons and even armor, to deal with the Martial World powerhouses and mountain bandits.
Consequently, villages and manor compounds with tall walls appeared.
Usual outings turned into places to lodge.
In times of conflict and crisis, they transformed into fortified strongholds.
Now, it was time to hold firm.