The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 73: The Hidden Wooden Puppet in the Secluded Forest

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: The Hidden Wooden Puppet in the Secluded Forest

"Master Chen’s magic is superb!"

Zheng and Yuan hurriedly flattered him.

They did not understand magic, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t speak.

However, Chen Fagui’s face showed no trace of a smile, his eyes dark and his voice urgent, "Happy for what, this spell is only to block people from climbing the mountain, the threat lies below!"

"The one coming must be from my sect, he has already sent out a command, in the time it takes an incense stick to burn he will send out a second, and when a third command is issued, the Society Order Army from the City God Temple will arrive, and we’ll all die!"

Zheng Hebei was terrified, "Ah? Then shouldn’t we hurry and escape!"

"Escape?"

Chen Fagui gritted his teeth, "To achieve great things, a disaster must be overcome, after tonight, it would be another three years, I can’t wait!"

"Yuan Qu, you go down the mountain once."

"No need to fight hard, just disturb his spellcasting!"

Yuan Qu’s face turned pale, just about to refuse, but saw Chen Fagui already waving the peach wood sword, picking up a talisman paper, igniting it with a sharp point at him, and simultaneously chanting, "Om hum hum, heaven attaches to earth, earth attaches to man, soul flies across the sea, draws out living soul, swift!"

As soon as the words fell, Yuan Qu’s whole body stiffened.

He could feel a surge of Yin Qi carrying an icy killing intent rising from the ground, directly pouring into his body, making him feel as if he were plunged into an ice cellar, his mind blank.

But soon, the Yin Qi surged out from his body, gathering on the blood-colored talismans on his body surface, and he regained consciousness.

"Are you... are you alright?"

Next to him, Zheng Hebei swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Yuan Qu looked at his hands, his eyes filled with incredulity, then he clenched them hard, a cracking noise echoed, and he grinned savagely, "Nothing, I’m... I’m fine!"

He could feel a surge of power rising out of nowhere within his body, his body surface feeling as if clad in cold iron armor, his fear vanished and a boundless murderous intent surged up.

Faintly, there was a voice shouting relentlessly in his ear,

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Swish!

Without any hesitation, Yuan Qu reversed his grip on the dual daggers, leaping four or five meters away, then launched off with both feet, darting out of the tomb.

Zheng Hebei watched from the side, dumbfounded.

This was the Ape Jump from the Zhou Family’s Zihou Fist, a technique that burst forth with great power from hidden energy in the legs, allowing for close range assault and assassination of the enemy.

To some extent, it counted as a secret move.

But this move consumed a lot of energy, mainly relying upon a single breath coming back, otherwise, the opponent would seize the flaw, which is why it was used only in critical moments.

Using it like this for travel was truly extravagant.

And Yuan Qu had used the Ape Jump without even catching his breath!

Was this the power of the Mystical Sect...

Thinking of this, Zheng Hebei couldn’t help but gain confidence greatly.

Meanwhile, Chen Fagui’s expression remained grim, continually calculating the time with his fingers, showing a hint of urgency in his eyes...

...

In the dense forest, Li Yan and Luo Mingzi were on their way.

The slope here was particularly steep, with loose soil and rocks, but fortunately, thick pine and cypress trees grew, which made it easy to climb using them for support.

"Sure enough, there are traps."

Seeing the faint mist rising around, Luo Mingzi seemed unimpressed, saying indifferently, "This is the Nine Elements Sect’s Yin Ghost Mountain Locking Technique, a side-door sorcery, which mobilizes the Yin Evil Qi in the earth’s veins, attracting wandering ghosts, creating a ’Ghost Wall.’"

"The Yin Qi is strong, the ghosts can be seen, but with your Invisibility Technique, those things can’t see us, don’t gaze upon them, and you won’t be discovered!"

"Yes, senior!"

Li Yan nodded seriously.

He knew the other party was deliberately hinting, and such goodwill naturally couldn’t be declined.

Moreover, he had activated his sense of smell, able to sharply sniff the cold Yin Qi around, and from afar underground, some decayed and mournful scent rose.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long to see bizarre phenomena.

Under a pine tree, a figure loomed faintly.

It was a man in coarse black clothes, small in stature, his face deathly pale, bowing with his back to them, motionless.

Groundhog!

Seeing the outfit, Li Yan immediately had speculation.

Sure enough, there was a thieves’ tunnel on the ground in the distance, surrounded by wild grass, evidently of ancient date.

Most likely, it was an unfortunate soul betrayed by companions.

Li Yan was not seeing this for the first time, and since he was mentally prepared, he quickly turned his head away, avoiding viewing, and continued forward.

Before long, they saw more yin souls.

These things retained their clothing from life and maintained their appearance at death.

Some wore simple clothing, their bodies shattered, supposedly medicine farmers going up the mountain, ambushed and bitten to death by wild beasts...

Some wore ancient craftsmen’s garb, their heads separated from their necks...

As for the gorgeously dressed tomb owners, there were hardly any, after all, the Wei-Jin period was too distant from now, few yin souls could endure until this time.

Just as Luo Mingzi had said, after these wandering ghosts appeared, the Yin Sha within the underground rocks, withered branches, and fallen leaves immediately had a leader, swirling around the forest path in circles.

Ordinary people encountering such a situation would have their divine souls disturbed by the Qi, experiencing various illusions, becoming lost, even running into spirits, known as "Ghost Walls."

But for Li Yan with his divine skills, such a small trick naturally couldn’t stop him.

He clenched the Invisibility Technique hand seal, continuing forward with Luo Mingzi.

Shuffling!

When they were about to reach their destination, a violent noise suddenly came from the front, as if something was rushing through the woods.

Luo Mingzi pulled Li Yan behind a tree.

They saw a figure sprinting forward astonishingly fast, as if mad, not dodging branches along the way, crashing straight through, with even his clothes torn by thorns.

In the blink of an eye, the person disappeared.

"Yuan Qu?"

Seeing that person, Li Yan immediately furrowed his brows.

It was indeed Yuan Qu, but his whole body was entangled in Yin Sha Qi, as if possessed by a ghost, his prowess immensely enhanced.

"It’s the Divination Child technique."

Luo Mingzi merely gave a slight glance, "Just invoking some yin ghost’s possession, a minor art only, Daoist Zhao and the others can handle it."

Though worried in his heart, Li Yan knew what was more urgent.

Breaking the magic platform, rescuing Wang Daoxuan’s divine soul, and everything would resolve itself naturally.

Just as he was about to turn, a shout came from behind:

"Brother Yan, wait for me..."

The voice was faint, blurry, precisely Sha Lifei’s.

How did Sha Lifei follow them?

"Don’t make a sound!"

Just as he was about to turn, Luo Mingzi beside him urgently reminded, "It’s the Puppetry Soul Summoning Technique, your Invisibility Technique is not fine-tuned, and you’ve been discovered, responding means falling for it!"

Li Yan’s body went stiff, slowly turning around.

He could already smell a cold, chilling intent, and upon turning, he clearly saw on a branch ten meters behind, a wooden puppet crouched.

Dressed in a flower dannet costume, its arms long like a spider, hanging upside down looking at him, its face stiff, mouth opening and closing, the constant calling endlessly ringed in his ear.

It was indeed the Soul Summoning Technique!

When dealing with the Cold Altar Rampaging Soldier, Li Yan had encountered it once, hence he was naturally not panicked.

This technique, skilled by yin creatures, was aimed directly at the human heart.

Seeing Yuan Qu leave, he worried about Sha Lifei, naturally hearing Sha Lifei’s voice.

As Luo Mingzi said, his Invisibility Technique was basic and, having only learned it for an afternoon, it worked to fool wandering ghosts but not this kind of creature.

The puppet’s gaze was fixed wholly on him, disregarding Luo Mingzi entirely, evidently unnoticed.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Just then, noises kept arising amid the branches and leaves around.

Raw, dan, jing, mo, chou, five puppets appeared, encircling him.

"Senior, I’ll lead the way, you mustn’t reveal yourself!"

Li Yan said in a low voice, relaxing the Invisibility Technique hand seal with his left hand, giving up concealment, and began to run.

Luo Mingzi frowned slightly, following closely.

He understood Li Yan’s plan, since Invisibility Technique no longer worked, he would use himself as bait to draw Chen Fagui’s attention, creating an opportunity for an attack.

Though it meant falling into danger, it was the best countermeasure.

Swish!

Li Yan no longer hid his figure, accelerating dramatically.

Notwithstanding, danger followed.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

On both sides of the trunks, five puppets leapt like spiders, climbing swiftly, forming once again a forming circle.

Simultaneously, the mountain’s wandering ghosts also set their sights on him.

In an instant, gusts of Yin Wind arose, with shadows looming faintly.

Clang!

Li Yan drew his blade, urging the Demon Suppressing Coin Blade Tassel.

The blade tassel swayed, unleashing its cold killing intent in all directions.

This artifact’s power was extraordinary, causing numerous wandering ghosts to vanish like startled rabbits.

Seeing this, Luo Mingzi’s eyes brightened with surprise.

He hadn’t expected even this little mage, whose first-level temple hadn’t been built yet, to possess such a magic artifact.

Naturally, those wooden puppets weren’t frightened away.

Whoosh!

The wooden puppet dressed as an old student came whistling forth.

Its white hair and beard, with a kindly face, but its dragon head staff in hand was like a sharp awl, moving with amazing speed, aiming directly to pierce Li Yan’s head...