The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 264 - 180 Gunpowder and Spells_2

Chapter 264: Chapter 180 Gunpowder and Spells_2

Three Left Path Magicians looked ahead.

This place was now a desolate wilderness. The bandits who had died two days ago remained unburied, their bodies torn open by wild beasts, some already darkening slightly with decay.

Even from a distance, the stench of death assaulted their noses.

The trio exchanged a glance, and the black-clad crone stepped forward, pried open the eyelids of a corpse to take a look, then turned her head and said hoarsely, "Find some black cloth to block the light; the old woman will ask him."

Talk to the dead?

The bandits felt a chill in their hearts and looked at each other.

"What are you standing there for?"

Yuan Zhetian frowned and scolded, "We can still kill when alive, what’s there to fear from the dead? Go, find a piece of black cloth to cover it."

"A true man!"

The one-eyed monk gave a thumbs-up and praised, "Yin souls arise from the obsessive passions of the seven emotions and manifest through the force of Yin Evil Qi. With the malevolent aura embodied by Brother Yuan, ordinary ghosts wouldn’t dare come close."

"Senior Xiao Yue flatters me."

Yuan Zhetian laughed it off but became even more vigilant on the inside.

Don’t be fooled by his nonchalant demeanor or the fact that he even threatened the three with explosives; he was always on guard.

He dared to cooperate because he had already made inquiries.

The big monk named Xiao Yue was once the master of a small temple, but with a nature inclined toward lust, he practiced Enchantment Evil Skills and committed atrocities against female pilgrims who came to the temple. After his deeds were exposed, he fled into the pugilistic world.

Not only did he survive, but he became even stronger.

The Daoist carrying a gourd, known as "Daoist Bao," came from Lao Mountain and was obsessed with Evil Skills, leading to his expulsion from his sect. Like him, he specialized in the business of murder for hire...

As for the old crone, nicknamed Silver Flower Snake, she was a Gu Granny from Xiangxi, equally notorious, but she had lived until now due to some backing...

None of these three were good people.

They were unwelcome in the Mystical Sect, acting without restraint, and if not for their clean and efficient work, they would have long been captured by the Law Enforcement Hall.

Of course, Yuan Zhetian also harbored ill intentions.

He already had in mind, as soon as Li Yan’s spells were broken, to immediately act and blow these three to death!

While the few of them feigned politeness, the bandits worked swiftly to pull up a large black cloth, shielding the Gu Granny and the corpse from view.

The Granny "Silver Flower Snake" took a bunch of dry grass from her bosom, lit it with a Flint, and then held it above the head of the corpse.

Three circles to the left, three circles to the right, muttering words under her breath.

"It’s... alive!"

In no time, everyone around widened their eyes, and even Yuan Zhetian couldn’t help but lean in to look.

The pungent smoke from the burning dry grass surged into the nostrils of the decaying corpse, as if the rotting body were breathing.

The Granny shook her head and waved her arms, the strange incantations growing louder and louder...

The bandits felt goosebumps, and some couldn’t help but rub their eyes as if they saw the corpse suddenly turn its head, opening a pair of pallid eyes, grinning viciously at them.

"Ah—!"

Finally, someone couldn’t help but scream out, retreating repeatedly.

Matters of life and death were always taboo.

Though they were unflinching in killing on ordinary days, when faced with such events, they still couldn’t help but feel fear.

"What are you all doing?!"

Smack! Smack!

Although Yuan Zhetian was feeling a chill himself, he was inherently courageous and immediately drew his riding whip, lashing it wildly.

Bloodstains appeared on the faces of the retreating bandits.

Though whipped, it helped dissipate some of their terror.

After all, ghostly harm might not happen for certain, but this Yuan Zhetian in front of them was like King Yan himself, ruthless in killing.

Fortunately for them, the ritual of the Granny "Silver Flower Snake" ended quickly. She looked at the small mountain above and shook her head with a cold laugh, "These people were caught by evil during their nocturnal assault."

"The concentration of Yin Evil Qi here, they must have summoned a swarm of ghosts, forming a Ghost Wall. Now, at noon, when Yang energy is at its strongest, it’s the perfect time to act!"

"Good!"

Yuan Zhetian had the same intention and immediately agreed, sneering, "That man surnamed Li is hiding in the tombs, thinking I’ll be as foolish as the rest, crawling through thievery tunnels to find him?"

"Light the wolf smoke, force him out!"

"Right away, Big Brother!"

The bandits quickly headed up the mountain and soon found several thievery tunnels, extracting large bundles of grass from their packs, lighting them, and piling them at the entrances, fanning the smoke with large fans.

The bundles, made of who knows what, emitted a thick, pungent smoke upon ignition, which poured into the mountain through the tunnels.

All of these actions were naturally observed by Wang Daoxuan and the others.

They lay on a side ridge of the hill, all with serious expressions.

"It seems these people came prepared!"

"What do we do?"

"Make a move, or Brother Yan will be trapped inside!"

Despite the large and powerful group below, the three felt no fear.

Wang Daoxuan had set up the magic platform, but given the high noon when yang energy was at its peak, Rampaging Soldier could not be summoned, so the main fighters were Sha Lifei and Lv San.

Sha Lifei quickly loaded the flintlock and set it aside before picking up the longbow and nocking an arrow.

There, tied to the front of the arrowhead, was a bamboo tube.

This device, known as a bamboo thunder arrow, was equipped by garrisons throughout the Great Xuan Dynasty for its simple construction. Its lethal effect was modest; its main purpose was to startle horses.

During the battle at Niubei Mountain, the garrison soldiers used such arrows to send the bandits’ horses into a panic, which led to a crushing defeat.

Sha Lifei raised an eyebrow at Lv San, "Brother Lv San, your firearm may be powerful, but when it comes to using this thing, I’m the expert."

"See that? Their horses will panic, and a few are bound to be trampled to death!"

Lv San cast a casual glance, "You talk too much."

"Heh heh."

Unperturbed, Sha Lifei tightened the bowstring, lit the fuse of the bamboo tube, and then released it with force.

Whoosh!

The rocket arrow whistled into the sky, plummeting toward the bandits’ horses.

"Be careful, those are hidden projectiles!"

Yuan Zhetian, with the highest level of martial prowess, immediately heard the noise.

But as he turned his head, his pupils shrank, and he shot upwards, his legs brimming with Hidden Energy, as he leapt behind a boulder to hide.

The three Magicians, each with Divine Skills, also sensed the imminent danger and desperately sought cover in alarm.

Phump!

Sha Lifei’s arrow landed right beside a bandit’s saddlebag.

Seeing the smoking bamboo tube, the bandit’s pupils instantly contracted.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Like a series of muffled thunders, dust flew, and flesh splattered everywhere.

These bandits were novices with gunpowder, thinking more was better. Nearly each one had two gunpowder packages on their horses, and they huddled together.

What was worse, the packages were crudely made black market goods, almost igniting upon contact.

The ground shook and soil and rocks tumbled down.

Startled, Sha Lifei covered his head, and only after the explosions had ceased did he cautiously poke out his head, dumbfounded.

Seeing Lv San beside him with a ghostly stare, Sha Lifei quickly shook his head, "It wasn’t me. These idiots were carrying gunpowder packages..."

Speaking, a smug look appeared in the corner of his eye, "See, not just anyone can handle this stuff."

Lv San, contemplative, whistled into the sky, and the hawk above swooped down, flashing its wings.

"Are there more? Make the fuse longer!"

"Smart!"

Sha Lifei immediately gave a big thumbs up, rushed over to the cave opposite the ruined temple, and carefully took out an item.

It was a clay pot adorned with iron fragments, about the size of a fist, and had a chain on top like a Meteor Hammer.

"This thing is called fire thorns."

Sha Lifei said proudly, "An artillery piece from the Song military. I’ve improved it according to the ’Military Classics,’ and it’s quite powerful. Can your precious hawk carry it?"

"Almost." Lv San looked it over and nodded.

Sha Lifei’s face lit up with excitement, "Then good, I’ll make the fuse a bit longer..."

As they were busy, Yuan Zhetian also crawled out from behind the boulder, his face covered in dirt, and upon seeing the carnage ahead, his eyes turned blood red:

"It’s Li Yan’s accomplices; I want their lives!"

Without another word, he ran up the slope.

Already at the peak of Hidden Energy, he drew his twin blades with a clang and, as energy surged under his feet, he dashed toward the ridge, mud flying everywhere.

The old Gu Granny, "Silver Flower Snake," although skilled in Divine Skills, was not versed in hand-to-hand combat and was slower, getting her face bloodied by flying stones.

Her appearance was ferocious as she roared: "Two Daoist friends, quickly catch those on top and force that kid to hand over the item!"

The one-eyed monk Xiao Yue and Treasure Daoist immediately understood.

"Hmph!"

Xiao Yue the monk picked up his handy shovel, his Hidden Energy bursting forth, and he followed closely behind Yuan Zhetian.

Treasure Daoist, meanwhile, set down the large gourd on his back and placed it on the ground.

He pulled out the gourd’s stopper, lit a Yellow Talisman, and with incantations in the air, pointed abruptly upwards, "Go!"

Buzz buzz buzz!

From the gourd, a swarm of furious bees burst forth, heading toward the mountaintop with a great noise...