bookbashuk Chapter 23 Surrounded
Chapter 23 Surrounded
Night falls deeper in Blood Moon Valley than elsewhere.
After the setting sun completely disappeared behind the western mountains, the miasma in the valley turned into a thick, blood-red color, like spilled blood, stickily enveloping every inch of land. The sounds of fighting at the valley entrance gradually subsided, but the stench of blood that permeated the air grew even stronger, mixed with the putrid stench of the shikigami and the eerie aura of the onmyoji's magic, making one want to vomit.
Zhang Yulei, leaning on his sword, knelt on the ground. His dark-colored outfit was torn in several places, and blood soaked through the fabric, spreading a dark red stain on the ground. His chest heaved violently, each breath accompanied by a burning pain. Just now, to cover Zhang Zhiwei, he had taken the combined attack of three Yin-Yang Masters at the peak of the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation stage, and his internal organs felt as if they had been displaced.
Looking up, I saw that the cliffs on both sides of the valley entrance were now filled with people.
Those people were all dressed in black kimonos, holding banners painted with strange runes, their faces as pale as paper, their eyes filled with fanatical killing intent. They were the Japanese Onmyoji who had retreated from Misty Ridge and Falling Wind Cliff, and there were now more than a hundred of them, completely surrounding the exit of Blood Moon Valley.
In the clearing at the center of the valley, the Ghost-Faced Lord stood with his hands behind his back, his body swirling with black energy, like a monstrous beast ready to devour its prey. His gaze swept over the disheveled Zhang Yulei, then landed on Zhang Zhiwei, who stood with his hands behind his back in front of him. From beneath his ghostly mask came a hoarse, grating laugh: "Zhang Zhiwei, you think you two can break through my Blood Moon Valley? How naive and laughable!"
Zhang Zhiwei stood before Zhang Yulei, his blue robe still standing tall and straight, though the cuffs were corroded by black energy, leaving holes, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. His initial clash with the Ghost-Faced Lord had seemed evenly matched, but in reality, he had been invaded by the opponent's evil magic, and he was currently circulating his Qi to forcefully suppress that chilling aura.
He glanced around at the Onmyoji, his brows furrowing slightly.
Although these Onmyoji's cultivation levels varied, their sheer number made them formidable, and each was proficient in combined attacks and skilled in controlling shikigami. Had he not intervened in time, Zhang Yulei would likely have been severely injured by those three Onmyoji. Even more troublesome was the fact that as these Onmyoji gathered, the malevolent energy within the valley grew increasingly dense, showing faint signs of forming an array.
"Ghost Face, do you think you can stop me by gathering these shrimp soldiers and crab generals?" Zhang Zhiwei's voice was calm as he slowly unfolded his folding fan. The four characters "Dao Fa Zi Ran" (The Way Follows Nature) on the fan surface, amidst the blood-red miasma, surprisingly exuded a righteous and awe-inspiring aura. "My Longhu Mountain sect has been established for a thousand years, slaying countless demons and monsters. How could we fear such unorthodox methods as yours?"
"Unorthodox methods?" The masked man laughed wildly, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. His laughter shook the miasma in the valley. "Zhang Zhiwei, do you know that my Blood Moon Valley is a Soul-Devouring Array of Yin Soldiers, set up with the lifeblood of three thousand people? Today, you two are the final sacrifices for this array! As long as I devour your Qi and souls, my shikigami will be able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage and reach the Grandmaster level! At that time, the entire Central Plains world of supernatural beings will grovel at the feet of my Great Japanese Empire!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man abruptly raised his hand, revealing a jet-black token engraved with a ferocious ghost head, radiating a chilling aura. He held the token high and roared, "Yin Yang Masters, heed my command! Form the formation!"
"I will obey your orders, sir!"
Hundreds of Onmyoji responded in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized, carrying an eerie fervor. They simultaneously raised their banners, chanting obscure and incomprehensible incantations. As the incantations rang out, the blood-red miasma in the valley surged wildly, converging towards its center.
Within the miasma, countless twisted figures faintly emerged, all dressed in tattered civilian clothes, with empty eyes and uttering silent roars. These were the souls of the three thousand civilians harmed by the Ghost-Faced Lord, now transformed into ghostly soldiers by his evil magic, becoming part of the formation.
"Those are... the souls of the common people!" Zhang Yulei's eyes widened in fury as he abruptly stood up, his sword humming angrily. "Ghost Face! You beast! You actually used the souls of the common people to forge an array! I will tear you to pieces!"
Ignoring his injuries, he charged toward the masked man.
"Junior Brother, come back!" Zhang Zhiwei called out in a low voice, reaching out to pull him back. His eyes were grave. "This formation is sinister; we must not rashly enter!"
Before the words were even finished, the gathered blood-red miasma and the souls of the ghostly soldiers coalesced into a massive black light screen, enveloping the entire center of the valley. Above the light screen, ghostly head phantoms continuously appeared, emitting mournful shrieks. Outside the light screen, hundreds of Yin-Yang Masters formed a formation, holding banners and continuously injecting Qi to maintain the operation of the formation.
"The ghostly soldiers devour souls, and heaven and earth fall silent!"
With a fierce shout, the Ghost-Faced Lord brought down the ghost-head token in his hand.
Within the black light curtain, countless ghostly soldiers and their spirits surged forth like a tide, rushing towards Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei. These ghostly soldiers and their spirits were all formed from resentment and malevolent energy, impervious to swords and spears, and immune to water and fire. Once entangled, they would have their vital energy drained and become part of the formation.
"Senior brother, what should we do?" Zhang Yulei gripped his sword tightly, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes. He could sense that the number of these Yin soldiers and ghosts was constantly increasing, while the Yin-Yang Masters outside the formation were continuously injecting Qi. If this continued, the two of them would eventually be worn down and die here.
Zhang Zhiwei didn't answer; his gaze was fixed on the black light barrier and the Ghost-Faced Lord behind it. He could sense that the core of the formation lay in the Ghost-Faced Lord's ghost-head token. Destroying the token would cause the formation to collapse on its own.
The problem is that to get close to the Oni-Masked Lord, one must first break through the blockade of hundreds of Onmyoji and the obstruction of countless ghost soldiers and ghosts.
"Junior Brother, heed my command!" Zhang Zhiwei suddenly spoke, his voice steady and carrying an undeniable authority. "I will use the Golden Light Spell to temporarily suppress the baleful energy of the formation. You seize the opportunity to break through the Yin-Yang Master's formation and destroy the token in Ghost Face's hand! Remember, go and return quickly; do not linger!"
Zhang Yulei was taken aback, but then he understood Zhang Zhiwei's intention. His senior brother was using himself as bait to restrain the Ghost-Faced Lord and most of the Yin soldiers and ghosts, creating an opportunity for him.
"Senior brother, no! It's too dangerous!" Zhang Yulei exclaimed urgently. "We'll go together! I will never let you face this alone!"
"Nonsense!" Zhang Zhiwei frowned, his tone suddenly turning stern. "Do you think this is the time to act impulsively? Destroying the token is the only way to break the formation, save our lives, and avenge the dead! This is an order!"
Zhang Yulei looked into Zhang Zhiwei's resolute eyes and felt a jolt in his heart. He knew his senior brother was right. This was not the time to be reckless; only by each fulfilling their duties could they find a glimmer of hope.
He gritted his teeth and nodded heavily: "Junior brother obeys!"
Zhang Zhiwei nodded with satisfaction. He slowly turned around to face the surging ghostly soldiers and spirits, and took a deep breath. The Qi around his body surged like a river, frantically converging towards his hands.
"Golden Light Mantra - Suppressing Heaven!"
A furious roar echoed throughout Blood Moon Valley.
Zhang Zhiwei thrust his hands forward with a mighty force, and a magnificent golden light burst forth from his palms like a blazing sun. The light was pure and intense, carrying an aura of majesty that suppressed all evil spirits. Wherever it passed, the blood-red miasma melted away like ice and snow, and the ghostly soldiers and their spirits let out mournful screams as their forms dissipated.
The golden light transformed into a massive pillar of light, shooting straight into the sky and illuminating the entire Blood Moon Valley as if it were daytime. The Yin-Yang Masters maintaining the formation were struck by the golden light and immediately coughed up blood, causing the formation to become slightly chaotic.
Lord Ghostface's expression changed. He hadn't expected that Zhang Zhiwei's Golden Light Spell would be so powerful that it could suppress his Yin Soldier Soul Devouring Array.
"Baka! Stop him!" the Ghost-Faced Lord shouted fiercely, simultaneously channeling his internal energy into the Ghost Head Token. On the black light screen, the ghost head phantom became even more ferocious, and the number of Yin soldiers and ghosts surged once again.
"Junior brother, make your move!" Zhang Zhiwei's voice came through the golden light, tinged with exhaustion. Maintaining such a powerful golden light spell was extremely taxing on him, and he couldn't hold on for much longer.
A resolute glint flashed in Zhang Yulei's eyes. He gripped his sword tightly, and lightning surged around him. He charged towards the Onmyoji formation like a black bolt of lightning.
"Stop him!"
"Don't let him near the adults!"
Dozens of Onmyoji reacted quickly, waving their banners and commanding their shikigami to rush towards Zhang Yulei.
"Thunder Sword Technique - Heaven Burning!"
Zhang Yulei roared, his sword sweeping horizontally, unleashing a blazing golden arc of lightning that roared forth like a fire dragon. Wherever the lightning passed, shikigami were incinerated, onmyoji screamed in agony, and a gaping hole was torn in their formation.
Without pausing, he exerted force with his feet, his figure like a ghost, rushing towards the masked man in the center of the valley.
As Zhang Yulei drew closer, a murderous glint flashed in the Ghost-Faced Lord's eyes. He abruptly slammed the Ghost-Head Token into the ground, formed hand seals, and chanted an even more powerful incantation.
"Shikigami - Pseudo-Orochi, appear!"
With a sharp shout, the ground trembled violently. A huge crack appeared in the ground in the center of the valley, from which a thick stream of black gas spewed out. Then, a giant snake's head emerged from the crack.
The serpent's head was over ten feet in size, with crimson eyes and spewing poisonous mist from its mouth. All eight heads simultaneously unleashed a deafening roar. It was none other than the Pseudo-Orochi, the strongest shikigami forged by Lord Oni-Masked with countless hours of painstaking effort!
Zhang Yulei's pupils suddenly contracted. He could sense that the strength of this pseudo-Orochi far surpassed any shikigami he had encountered before, and it had even faintly reached the level of a grandmaster!
At this moment, Zhang Zhiwei's Golden Light Mantra had begun to dim. His face was as pale as paper, and blood kept seeping from the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating that he had reached his limit.
The ghostly soldiers and their vengeful spirits surged forth once more from the valley entrance.
Blood Moon Valley is fraught with danger.
Zhang Yulei looked at the fake Yamata no Orochi before him, then glanced at the swaying Zhang Zhiwei behind him, a ruthless glint in his eyes. He gripped his sword tightly, and the Qi in his dantian surged wildly towards the blade.
Even if it means his own destruction, he will destroy that ghost head token!
He suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes, and charged towards the fake Yamata no Orochi!