PFC Chapter 514: Awakening 4
Chapter 514: Awakening 4
"Eh? It seems there’s no movement over there?" Suddenly, a skilled martial artist from the Snow Rainbow Pavilion beside Yue Hanquan spoke unexpectedly.
"No movement? Could it be that the Red Turban Army changed direction?" A Wushan official speculated.
"Maybe there’s something more attractive to them." Suda Heqi gently relaxed a bit.
If that’s the case, then they are really lucky. Spirit Flying Heaven truly blessed them!
In the direction they were looking.
Just ten miles away from the Wushan Prefecture city on the official road.
Bodies lay haphazardly on the ground, each person’s flesh shriveled and withered, as if dried by the wind for many years, their sizes reduced dramatically.
A tall man with black hair cascading over his shoulders and dark red eyes gently extended his hand, bringing the last drop of blood on his fingertip to his lips, licking it.
"Young flesh... pleasant feelings... all of this feels like a dream..."
"If it’s really a dream, let me wake a bit later... a bit later..."
Swish!
The figure suddenly vanished from the spot, leaving behind over two hundred bodies of Red Turban bandits who had died from blood loss.
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"The phenomenon of a thousand cries, all beings tremble, life and death alternate, touring the four directions."
Inside Qianjin Mountain, in a clearing in the forest that had been opened.
Circles of black runes surrounded a strangely shaped black sculpture in the center, forming enormous concentric circles.
Around it, men and women dressed in black with half-shaved hair held daggers in their hands, dancing an unfamiliar, bizarre dance devoutly.
Their movements were neat and synchronized, expressions wooden, eyes tightly shut, performing this dance countless times.
Torches were supported by wooden stakes driven into the ground, providing illumination.
Zhou Yitang held a thick book with black and red patterns, reciting the sacrificial verses loudly.
Before long, he finished the last line, closed the book, and glanced at the person awaiting beside him.
"It’s about time. You can speak now."
The person nodded slightly, said respectfully, "Sect Leader, the arrangement around is almost complete. We can act directly. Capturing the Prefecture city will give us more numbers, and after transformation, we’ll have greater confidence."
"I don’t need you to tell me how to do things." Zhou Yitang frowned slightly.
As the Sect Leader of Mingshen Sect, also the main person responsible in Mountain Province, now stirring up large-scale unrest with the Red Turban Army, Mingshen’s influence is rapidly increasing. He seized the opportunity to expand and promote Mingshen Sect, achieving great results.
Therefore, in such moments, he’s more reluctant to end it, dragging on for as long as possible.
"Sect Leader, I dare not show any disrespect to you. It’s just the wish of the master... you see." The man reiterated.
"King Mu Li?" Zhou Yitang was somewhat displeased. But there’s an agreement between the Thousand Teachings Alliance and King Mu Li, they must unconditionally follow his orders.
He pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Alright, I understand. I’ll arrange future actions before leaving."
"The Sect Leader’s understanding is appreciated." The man replied respectfully.
Zhou Yitang was silent for a moment, then raised his right hand.
Soon, skilled individuals within the sect noticed and approached.
"What orders do you have, Sect Leader?"
"Immediately mobilize everyone now, prepare the transformed troops to leave with me. Others will attack Wushan Prefecture." Zhou Yitang ordered.
"Sect Leader, are we retreating?" The person asked in confusion.
"Not at all, there’s just a more important matter to attend to. Take only the transformed troops. As for the others, take as many as needed, it’s unnecessary to worry."
"Yes."
"Go." Zhou Yitang said calmly.
"Subordinate is excusing himself."
Watching the silhouette quickly departing, Zhou Yitang still felt somewhat disappointed. Just when development reached a crucial point, they were called to leave, it’s really unfortunate.
But there’s no choice.
With layers of orders disseminated, soon the entire Qianjin Mountain began to bustle.
A flock of birds flapped towards the distance.
More messengers, akin to birds on land, rushed away carrying instructions.
"Brother Zhou, did orders come from above?" The elder surnamed Hu, who drank with him before, leapt from behind and landed, asking.
"Yes, I have to evacuate immediately. It’s a pity. If we could capture Wushan Prefecture, I could personally convert at least 300,000 Red Turban soldiers. Such troop strength is free for us. I’ve already handled everything smoothly." Zhou Yitang sighed.
The elder surnamed Hu pondered.
"Is this departure to gather with King Mu Li?"
"Yes, the faster the main attack and thrust is, the better." Zhou Yitang nodded. "Luckily, we’ve moved most of the supplies these days."
"That’s good. But understandable, due to the number, consumption is also high, so above can’t sustain it for long." The elder surnamed Hu said with a smile.
Watching many congregants already starting to pack up and leave, leading banners from the forefront, heading down the mountain path first.
"Let’s go. Next, it’s the main attack." Zhou Yitang sighed.
The two no longer spoke, regretfully glanced towards Wushan, turned back to return to the carriage amidst the troops.
"Report!!" Just then, someone unfolded their body technique and quickly approached Zhou Yitang.
"Urgent report for the Sect Leader!"
Before the person arrived, their voice reached first.
Zhou Yitang’s brow furrowed slightly, stopped, and looked towards the approaching person.
"What’s the matter?"
The person quickly arrived in front of him, kneeling on one knee.
"Sect Leader, the transformed troops in Dongcheng County encountered trouble. There’s a claim that mysterious intruders from the Human Immortal Temple suddenly attacked and killed many of us.
Right now, the Fire Protector is leading people into battle, but they’ve fallen into a disadvantage and might not be able to hold out for long.
Several squads near Wushan Prefecture have disappeared inexplicably, and traces of other vanished squads have appeared elsewhere. It’s suspected that this is due to the involvement of the Human Immortal Temple."
"Human Immortal Temple?" Zhou Yitang searched his memory for information, "Wasn’t that the small sect wiped out over fifty years ago?"
"No...it should be a coincidence with the same name." The old man with the surname Hu countered, "And there are strange people appearing? To what extent are they strange?" He was smiling, seemingly intrigued.
In today’s Mountain Province, with the tacit cooperation among various sects, there is hardly any threat. Both of them indeed have nothing to fear.
"The main thing is, that person... that person doesn’t worship gods, yet cannot be killed!" The subordinate reporting this recalled, still feeling a chill in his body.
"Doesn’t worship gods, yet cannot be killed?"
Zhou Yitang and his companion exchanged a glance, and a deep curiosity arose in their hearts.
"Shall we go have a look?"
"Together then. A slight delay won’t matter." Zhou Yitang nodded.
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Dongcheng County.
Burning houses, chaotic streets.
Bodies lying everywhere, and the continuous sound of guns and cannons exploding.
Everything seemed like a scene from a city ravaged by war.
But the ones causing this were just three people.
"Kill!!" A group of Red Turban rebels swung hoes and machetes, rushing at a red-clad elder standing on the street.
"Those who block me shall perish!!" The head of the Red Turban screamed in anger, with turbulent spiritual lines flowing in and out of his mouth and nose.
Swoosh!
Their movements were as agile as that of a Martial Artist, but just as they were about to touch the elder, they all found themselves striking empty air.
The leader shouted angrily, searching for the target everywhere.
His machete trembled in his hand, as if eager to cut into some living being.
But the elder had disappeared without a trace; he couldn’t be found at all.
Thud!
Suddenly, a muffled sound, and a red figure descended from the sky, none other than the red-clad elder.
He fiercely pounced on a sturdy Red Turban man, immediately followed by a hair-raising sucking sound.
In just a moment, the strong and muscular man shriveled into a dry, withered corpse.
The red-clad elder’s figure flickered like a giant bat, grabbing two more people and soaring into the air, disappearing into a small building to the right.
The others wanted to charge in and attack, but their speed and body technique were too slow, completely unable to catch up.
Only the leader barely rushed in, but in an instant was thrown back by a powerful force.
With a bang, the wooden wall of the building shattered, and the red-clad elder stepped out, intoxicated and slow.
It seemed his body was more youthful than before, and his speed and strength had also increased....
"A young body... vibrant vitality... I can feel... my body getting stronger.... even stronger than I was in my prime!"
The massive blood absorption was transforming the Daoist’s physique to resemble that of Zhang Rongfang, the founder.
"You rebels, disorderly soldiers!" The Daoist’s lips curled up with irrepressible joy on his face. "Become the foundation of my immortality, won’t you?"
He spread his arms wide, his body technique faster than before, charging at them like a giant bat.
At merely the level of entry-level Martial Artists, they stood no chance against these Super Grade experts who had suppressed their power for decades only to step into the path of immortality in a single day.
Weapons struck him, leaving wounds that didn’t last even a breath before healing from the blood he absorbed.
The speed, strength, and techniques, none could withstand his onslaught.
From afar, one could see a blood-red figure darting swiftly among the crowd. In just half a minute, all the Red Turban rebels had turned into dry corpses and collapsed dead.
Leaving only the last leader, who roared with his blade in the air, and then...
Bang!!
His entire body exploded, turning into a large swath of silver lines that severed the red-clad Daoist’s body.
But the freshly severed body quickly reconnected and healed from the massive amount of blood absorbed by the Daoist.
When the time for the spiritual lines passed, the Daoist stepped forward, absorbed blood, finished his work, and delivered the final blow.
After finishing off this group of rebels, the Daoist continued deeper into the county, with a look of intoxicated delight, as if he wasn’t killing but enjoying himself.
At the highest point of the county, atop a square Taoist temple.
Zhang Rongfang stood alone on the rooftop, looking down on all the battles occurring within the city.
A pure black cloak let him blend into the night, unnoticed by any.
"Honestly, I still don’t know if unleashing them to hunt freely is right or wrong." He murmured softly.
"Compared to worshipping gods, we remain under your control, so there’s nothing much to worry about." Hongxian Daoist and Spirit Turtle were behind him, accompanying him in viewing this attack and raid.
Alongside forty-plus others, they dispersed throughout the Wushan Prefecture, quickly locating one of the sources of the transformed rebels, right here — Dongcheng County.
So the three of them rushed here swiftly.
The strength of over forty Super Grade masters was indeed much quicker than Zhang Rongfang alone.
Compared to the slow accumulation of Ding Yu and Zhang Zhenhai and a mere few other Super Grades before, this kind of expansion was indeed too addictive.
Just one drop of blood could create a Super Grade master.
Though loyalty couldn’t be guaranteed, as long as Zhang Rongfang wished, he could summon and reclaim the blood within these bodies at any time.
Within a certain range, he held the power over their life and death.
At this moment, witnessing the forces of the Human Immortal Temple sweeping through and annihilating the Red Turban rebels with overwhelming force, he should have been at ease.
But....