The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 180 - 134 Snake Witch_2

Chapter 180: Chapter 134 Snake Witch_2

"Well, well!"

Sha Lifei was amused. "If you can’t beat them, just admit it. Scared? Then, say you’re scared. But to still talk tough, I’ve never seen such shamelessness."

Liu Wenchen had a slight chill in his gaze, not bothering to conceal his intent to kill, "And who are you? You have no right to speak here!"

He had read the information on Sha Lifei, who was neither part of the Mystical Sect nor significant in the pugilistic world, so naturally, Liu Wenchen didn’t show him any respect.

He said this and then turned his head towards one side, greeting respectfully with cupped hands, "Which one of the Daoist friends will go first to teach them a lesson?"

"It’s the old body’s turn."

A black-clad old crone slowly stepped forward, hunchbacked and stooped over, even wearing a hood that concealed her face, puffing on a large tobacco pipe spewing clouds of smoke.

In a raspy and strange voice, she said, "It’s so bitterly cold; this old woman’s body is frail and can’t really endure it. I should finish this quickly and go back to rest."

As she spoke, she slowly raised her head, revealing a face covered with scars, grinning with a mouthful of broken teeth, "At home, I still have several children waiting..."

"Snake Ghost Hag?!"

Crimson Yaksha’s eyes widened in fury. She rebuked, "Liu Wenchen, to think you are a demon hunter, don’t you know this old ghoul eats children and has become a monstrosity?"

Liu Wenchen’s expression remained unchanged as he shook his head, "You’re mistaken. This lady is called Black Hag. She is a Daoist friend from Tianshui."

It was obvious to everyone that he was blatantly lying.

"That’s right, the old body is called Black Hag."

The black-clad old crone also let out a sinister laugh, revealing a mouth full of gaps between her teeth, "I’ve heard your lady’s estate has plenty of children, and this old woman is very fond of children..."

"Seeking death!"

Crimson Yaksha drew her sword with a backhanded motion, ready to step forward.

Her fury had truly been ignited.

"No rush."

Li Yan raised his hand to stop Crimson Yaksha, his gaze thoughtful as he looked across, speaking in a deep voice, "This old ghost hag is deliberately provoking you to act. She likely has a method specifically aimed at you."

Feng Feiyan also hastily grabbed hold of Crimson Yaksha, her expression serious as she said, "Sister Hong, there is indeed a deception!"

With Li Yan’s reminder, everyone could sense that something was wrong.

People from the Mystical Sect were different from martial artists, and within their ranks were various classifications. Some specialized in rituals involving magic platforms, others in close-quarters combat, and there were those who only engaged in supporting roles.

Like craftsmen of the Mystical Sect, or those who specifically made various types of talisman paper, scriptures, and array flags, adept at consecrating talismans.

They were comparable to artifact refiners of the Mystical Sect.

Crimson Yaksha was a demon hunter, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and used various spells, traps, and magic artifacts, specifically targeting demons and zombies.

This old ghost hag could barely walk; it was likely that before she could even use her spells, Crimson Yaksha would have decapitated her.

She wouldn’t dare to provoke others without having something to rely on.

Li Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Crimson Yaksha, "Sister Hong, since you know this person, you must understand who she is and what her origins are?"

Crimson Yaksha had calmed down by now, "The witch of Qinling, who was once enchanted by a snake demon from the wild, altered her nature, killed her own child for cultivation, and practiced witchery and exorcism spells."

"She is also the Crimson Incense Master of the pugilistic world’s Yan Clan, often disguising herself as a servant to infiltrate employers’ homes to steal infants, and has been wanted by the Law Enforcement Hall."

"She deserves death!"

Hearing there was such a demon, killing intent also rose in Li Yan’s heart, but he shook his head, "But you must not act, just in case."

With that said, he turned his head to look around, a trace of puzzlement in his eyes.

"Night Wail" and another "Shadow", who had both agreed to lend a hand, should have arrived by now, so why hadn’t they appeared?

And furthermore, there was no smell indicating their presence. Perhaps they didn’t arrive.

Could something have happened...

It seemed, he would have to be the one to take the first bout.

Just then, Wang Daoxuan, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke, looking ahead, "Three years ago, at Luo’s estate, a child cried incessantly, and I went to expel the ’fright’, but the next day the child disappeared, with his organs all hollowed out."

"Now that I think about it, the old woman who served the mother of the house bears some resemblance to you. Did you do it?"

The old ghost hag, seeing that Crimson Yaksha was not fooled and being questioned by Wang Daoxuan, seemed slightly disappointed and sounded a bit irritated, her raspy voice stating, "The old woman’s memory isn’t what it once was..."

As she spoke, she wiped her dry palm across her face.

"Do you mean this, or this..."

As she spoke, her face, mottled with scars, began to shift like Sichuan opera’s face-changing act, donning one human skin mask after another.

They were all old women, but each had a different face and bearing.

Just this art of face-changing alone was extremely extraordinary.

When Wang Daoxuan caught sight of one of the faces, he sighed slightly, as if relieved, "Yes, it was you."

"At that time, I had just started learning our Dao, and I thought it was my mistake that drew in the demon. I almost took my own life..."

Having said that, he turned towards Li Yan, "This round, let this poor Daoist take action."

"Daoist master, don’t be impulsive!"

Sha Lifei, seeing this, hurried to stop him.

However, Wang Daoxuan didn’t utter a word and merely rummaged through his box of spells, clearly having made up his mind.

This old Daoist, usually so amiable, could be as stubborn as a mule when he set his mind to it.

Li Yan no longer tried to stop him, secretly holding a spell in his hand, he went over to Wang Daoxuan’s side and patted his shoulder, "Daoist, please be careful."

As he spoke, he slipped the Hook Paper into his hand.

The Hook Paper contained three Astral Orders, capable of summoning armies of Ghost Soldiers.

He had activated the Hook Paper already; as soon as Wang Daoxuan set up the magic platform and used the method of summoning soldiers, one Astral Qi could be consumed to call forth the ghost soldiers.

This method, from Taibai Mountain to Chang’an, had already been agreed upon with Wang Daoxuan.

Wang Daoxuan nodded, not refusing, he picked up a large bag of Magic Artifacts, didn’t even look at that snake ghost crone, and walked directly towards the left side of the ruins.

Across from him, the old ghost crone let out a cold laugh and went to the right.

Neither was skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and the snake ghost crone was even quite elderly, ordinary people could knock her down with one punch.

Both, as if by silent agreement, chose to set up altars to duel with spells.

The old ghost crone, seemingly with difficulty walking due to her bound feet, but surprisingly robust, stepped firmly on the ground, quickening her pace with each step, and preempted him by entering the ruins.

As she walked, she shook.

Crash!

From her body fell several black venomous snakes.

The species of these venomous snakes was unknown, yet even in the winter snow, they were not frozen, and they swiftly slithered toward Wang Daoxuan.

"Despicable!"

Sha Lifei immediately cursed furiously upon witnessing this.

Such tactics were clearly meant to disturb Wang Daoxuan’s setup of the altar.

Li Yan, of course, had already smelled it but didn’t care.

Even Wang Daoxuan calmly continued setting up his altar.

But just as the venomous snakes were about to close in, Wang Daoxuan suddenly took out some Mugwort, twined it left and right, and simultaneously performed the Step Gang with a spell, "Nuogao, carry three stars on the left, three prisons on the right, heaven and earth turn upside down... Hastily, like this decree!"

It was the Thousand Gold Protection Spell.

Li Yan had obtained this technique on Zhongnan Mountain and, of course, did not keep it to himself. He had taught it to Wang Daoxuan along with the Baopu Mountain Climbing Skill.

Wang Daoxuan was at the second level of Dao, and although his Magic Artifact was merely some Mugwort, the power of this technique when executed was quite astonishing.

"Roar—!"

Amidst the wind and snow, there seemed to be the sound of a tiger’s roar.

The venomous snakes were cultivated by the snake ghost crone using Gu Poison methods, unaffected by the cold or heat, with rapid speed and venom containing Gu Poison, which could inflict Gu with a single bite and were extremely malicious.

However, precisely because of this, they were also deeply susceptible to spells.

The Thousand Gold Protection Spell originated from the orthodox methods of the Northern Ghost Emperor in the Yin Bureau. Tigers and leopards fled at the sound of it, and evil spirits were even more likely to be intimidated by it.

With a tiger’s roar, the Gu snakes immediately stiffened.

Wang Daoxuan, who was setting up his magic platform, quickly pulled out a small hand ax and leaped out, thud, thud, thud, chopping off the heads of all the venomous snakes.

Li Yan, seeing this, had a smile on his lips.

This item, it was he and Sha Lifei who had passed it to Wang Daoxuan.

Who said a Mage couldn’t use weapons?

With this gadget at least they could protect themselves, and if they encountered Magicians who were also not skilled in hand-to-hand combat, they could just whip it out!

He hadn’t expected it to be used here.

After killing the venomous snakes, Wang Daoxuan didn’t hurry away. Instead, he surreptitiously pulled out a talisman, held a spell, and smeared it on the bodies of the snakes.

The wind and snow swirled, and that snake ghost crone, being perceptive, hadn’t noticed Wang Daoxuan’s little action at all.

Seeing the Gu snakes were killed, she wasn’t surprised but instead set up her magic platform before Wang Daoxuan.

Setting up several black altars, she quickly began to manipulate the spells, starting to chant.

Meanwhile, Wang Daoxuan stepped on the Astral Step, sprayed out a mouthful of water, and after opening his magic platform, he first brandished the Peach Wood Sword to unseal the Rampaging Soldiers.

A swing of the Magic Flag could stimulate them to action.

After doing all this, he then took out a straw man, and stuck the Yellow Talisman he had prepared onto it...