The Ferocious God in the Celestial Master's Mansion

Chapter 18: Lure the snake out of its hole

The moment the black shadow vanished into wisps of smoke, Zhang Yulei's pupils constricted sharply, and his grip on his sword tightened instantly, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the force. He could clearly sense the sinister aura emanating from the black shadow, identical to that of the Japanese monsters from before—clearly the same group.

"Senior brother!" Zhang Yulei abruptly turned to look at Zhang Zhiwei beside him, his voice filled with barely suppressed killing intent. "That dark figure is from Japan! Letting him go will definitely cause future trouble!"

Before he finished speaking, his body tensed, like a sharp sword poised to strike, ready to pounce and intercept the dark figure at any moment. Zhang Zhiwei's thunderous power in the valley had shocked him, but it had also fueled his fighting spirit. "Cut the weeds and wipe them out at the root"—this was a lesson he had learned from the battle of Black Stone Ridge. Moreover, these Japanese bastards all had the blood of their compatriots stained on their hands; there was absolutely no reason to let them go!

But just as he was about to leave, Zhang Zhiwei glanced at him lightly.

That glance, calm and serene, carried an undeniable pressure. It was as if an invisible hand had gently suppressed his restless anger, causing him to abruptly stop in his tracks.

Zhang Yulei was puzzled and unwilling. He turned to Zhang Zhiwei, his brows furrowed: "Senior brother, why did you stop me? If this villain isn't eliminated, he'll become a major threat! If he goes back to report, it will definitely alert the other Japanese supernatural beings, and they might even call in stronger reinforcements!"

Zhang Zhiwei didn't answer immediately. He simply looked up in the direction the dark figure had disappeared, his gaze deep and penetrating, as if it could pierce through the dense forest. He slowly raised his hand and reopened the folding fan, revealing the four large characters "Dao Fa Zi Ran" (The Way Follows Nature) on its surface, which shone brightly in the sunlight. In the valley, the lingering smell of blood and gunpowder hadn't yet dissipated. The wind blew through his blue robe, causing it to flutter, giving him an air of detachment from worldly affairs.

After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice still calm, yet carrying a hint of intriguing meaning: "Junior Brother, it's certainly right to nip it in the bud, but what if this root leads to an even deeper snake?"

Zhang Yulei was taken aback, his brows furrowing even more deeply: "Luring the snake out of its hole?"

"Not bad." Zhang Zhiwei nodded, his gaze turning to the villagers in the valley who were still in shock. They were helping each other, cleaning up the corpses and bloodstains on the ground, their faces filled with relief at surviving the ordeal. "Those seven Japanese freaks, able to summon such ferocious shikigami, must have a much larger force backing them. That shadowy figure was just a scout running errands. Killing him might relieve our anger temporarily, but it would also cut off our leads. Letting him go, he'll definitely relay all the news from here back to his lair."

He paused, then gently waved his folding fan, sending a breeze that dispelled the stench of blood from the air. "What we've killed today is merely their vanguard. The real big fish is still lurking in the shadows. Rather than searching everywhere and exhausting ourselves, let this shadowy figure lead the way."

Zhang Yulei's eyes gradually cleared. He wasn't stupid; he had simply been blinded by the murderous intent in his heart. After Zhang Zhiwei's prompting, he instantly understood the key point.

Yes, these Japanese supernatural beings dare to run rampant in Jiangxi Province; they must have more than just the people in front of us. Their ability to capture villagers and create shikigami with impunity suggests a well-organized stronghold behind them, possibly even a powerful leader. Killing this scout might be satisfying, but it also cuts off our leads. To completely eradicate this Japanese force, we must find their hideout and wipe them out!

"But Senior Brother," Zhang Yulei still had some worries, "if we let him go back, he'll definitely report our strength. If those Japanese supernatural beings are on guard, or even move their bases in advance, wouldn't we have wasted our time?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwei's lips curled into a faint smile, a smile brimming with an air of domineering confidence: "Defense? Relocation?"

He chuckled softly, his voice low but carrying a chilling confidence: "So what if they find out? So what if they bring reinforcements? Before absolute power, any schemes and tricks are nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot, a sure path to self-destruction!"

The moment his words fell, Zhang Zhiwei's aura surged dramatically. An invisible pressure spread out, causing even the surrounding trees to sway slightly, their leaves rustling as they fell. Zhang Yulei could clearly sense that his senior brother's aura was even stronger than when he had just killed the Japanese alien. It was a kind of power that had returned to its original simplicity, seemingly calm but unfathomably deep, like a calm sea concealing a turbulent force.

At that moment, Zhang Yulei understood completely.

The reason why my senior brother dared to let that dark figure leave was because he had absolute confidence in his own strength!

Whether it's the Japanese supernatural beings or the forces behind them, they are all no match for Senior Brother!

Zhang Yulei's resentment and doubts vanished instantly. Looking at Zhang Zhiwei's upright figure, a surge of intense admiration welled up within him. This was the true demeanor of a strong person—strategizing and winning from afar, even if it meant releasing a tiger back into the mountains, he had absolute confidence in slaying the tiger along with the pack of wolves behind it!

"Junior brother understands." Zhang Yulei bowed respectfully, his voice sincere. "Senior brother has considered everything very thoroughly."

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand, put away his folding fan, and patted him on the shoulder: "You're just too impatient. You're too aggressive and easily swayed by your emotions. Remember, as a disciple of Longhu Mountain, you not only need the power to slay demons and monsters, but also the wisdom to assess the situation. Power is for protection, not for violence."

Zhang Yulei nodded, firmly remembering Zhang Zhiwei's words. He looked down at his blood-stained hands, then looked up at the busy villagers. The murderous intent in his heart gradually faded, replaced by a heavy sense of responsibility.

Yes, power is for protection.

He had only thought about killing and revenge, but he had overlooked the responsibility that came with this power.

Looking at the smiles on the villagers' faces, Zhang Yulei felt a sense of satisfaction he had never experienced before. This satisfaction was far stronger and warmer than the thrill of killing enemies.

"Alright, we shouldn't stay here any longer." Zhang Zhiwei's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Let's leave here first, find a secluded place, and wait for the message that shadowy figure brings."

Zhang Yulei nodded, and the two turned and walked out of the valley.

Instead of taking the main road, they chose a hidden path leading deeper into the mountains and forests. After walking for about half an hour, the two stopped at the edge of a cliff. The terrain here was treacherous, with a wide view, allowing them to clearly see what was happening below, making it an excellent hiding place.

The two sat cross-legged on a blue stone at the edge of the cliff, beginning to regulate their breathing and recover. Although Zhang Zhiwei appeared relaxed during the battle, he had actually expended a considerable amount of his Qi. Zhang Yulei, while not having made a move, had been on edge the entire time and was also somewhat fatigued.

The mountains and forests were quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional chirping of birds in the distance.

Zhang Yulei closed his eyes, feeling the Qi flowing slowly within his body. He recalled the Golden Light Spell and Thunder Technique that Zhang Zhiwei had just used, and a sense of longing arose in his heart. The methods of transforming golden light into a whip and using thunder to destroy enemies were truly too powerful. He secretly resolved that after returning, he must cultivate even more diligently and strive to reach the same level as his senior brother as soon as possible.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Yulei slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Zhang Zhiwei beside him and saw that he still had his eyes closed, breathing evenly, as if he had fallen asleep.

Just then, a light footstep came from the dense forest at the foot of the mountain.

Zhang Yulei's eyes sharpened instantly. He listened intently; the footsteps were light yet rapid, clearly indicating it wasn't just one person.

He gently touched Zhang Zhiwei's arm and whispered, "Senior brother, you're here."

Zhang Zhiwei slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the dense forest below the mountain, a cold smile curling at the corner of his lips.

"The fish has finally taken the bait."

A dark figure darted swiftly through the dense forest—it was the Japanese scout who had just fled. Behind him followed dozens of figures, all dressed in kimonos and exuding a chilling, sinister aura. Leading them was a tall Japanese man, dressed in a black samurai outfit, a long sword at his waist, a hideous scar on his face, and a sinister gaze. His presence was far more powerful than the previous Japanese freaks!

"This is it!" The scout pointed towards the valley and respectfully said to the scarred man, "Chief, it's here that our men were killed by two disciples from Dragon Tiger Mountain!"

The scarred man's gaze swept over the wreckage of the valley, a glint of rage flashing in his eyes. He abruptly drew his longsword, its blade gleaming coldly in the sunlight: "Disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain? How dare they! They dared to kill warriors of my Great Japanese Empire! Today, I will tear them to pieces and avenge my fallen comrades!"

The Japanese outsiders behind him also drew their weapons, roaring angrily and exuding murderous intent.

"Chief, those two disciples from Longhu Mountain are very strong! Especially the one in the blue robe, his Golden Light Spell and Thunder Technique are incredibly powerful!" the scout hurriedly warned, a hint of fear on his face.

"Hmph!" The scarred man sneered, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "So what if they're strong? They're just two greenhorns! Today I've brought thirty elite disciples, and also my meticulously crafted ultimate shikigami! Even the Celestial Masters of Longhu Mountain would meet their end here!"

After saying that, he suddenly waved his hand: "Search! Dig three feet into the ground, find those two bastards!"

"yes!"

The thirty Japanese assailants responded in unison and immediately dispersed to search the surrounding valley.

Perched atop the cliff, Zhang Yulei glared at the arrogant Japanese spies below, a murderous glint in his eyes. He gripped his sword tightly and whispered, "Senior brother, let's make our move!"

Zhang Zhiwei shook his head, his gaze falling on the scarred man, his eyes sharpening: "No rush. Let's see what his ultimate shikigami is capable of first."

Zhang Yulei nodded, suppressing the killing intent in his heart, and continued to observe the movements below the mountain.

The Japanese assailants searched for a long time, but couldn't find a trace of the two men. The scarred man's face gradually darkened.

"Baka! Where are they hiding?" the scarred man roared, his eyes practically overflowing with murderous intent.

Just then, the scout suddenly pointed towards the cliff and screamed, "Chief! Look! Up on the cliff!"

The scarred man looked in the direction he was pointing and saw two figures sitting cross-legged on the cliff, looking down at them.

It was Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Yulei!

"Found them! They're there!"

A flicker of wild joy flashed in the scarred man's eyes, quickly replaced by rage. He pointed at the two figures on the cliff edge and roared, "You two little beasts! How dare you toy with me! Today, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!"

He suddenly waved his hand and shouted sharply, "Summon your shikigami!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the thirty Japanese supernatural beings simultaneously raised their samurai swords and began chanting eerie incantations.

As they chanted their incantations, a chilling wind howled through the valley, and the ground trembled violently. A massive crack slowly split open from the center of the valley, and a thick, pungent stench of blood and malevolent energy gushed forth from it.

Zhang Yulei's pupils suddenly contracted. He could feel that an extremely terrifying power was contained within the crack!

From within the crack, a colossal black shadow slowly rose. The shadow was at least ten zhang in size, its body covered in hard armor, with two enormous horns on its head and eyes the size of lanterns, gleaming with a bloodthirsty light. Behind it grew six thick arms, each wielding a massive scythe, its blade gleaming with a cold, icy light.

"This is... the ultimate shikigami?" Zhang Yulei's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

Zhang Zhiwei's expression turned serious. He could sense that this shikigami's strength far surpassed the previous ones. It exuded a chilling, malevolent aura, clearly crafted from the blood and essence of countless people.

The scarred man stared at the enormous shikigami, a smug smile spreading across his face: "You little bastards! Have you witnessed the ultimate shikigami of my great Japanese Empire? Today, you'll taste what it's like to be torn apart by a shikigami!"

He suddenly waved his hand and shouted sharply, "Shikigami! Kill them!"

The ultimate shikigami let out a deafening roar, and its six arms swung simultaneously, the huge scythe slicing through the air with a whooshing sound as it cleaved towards the two people on the cliff!

Before the sickle arrived, a sharp gust of wind swept in, making the clothes of the two men flutter loudly.

Zhang Yulei gripped his sword tightly, about to make a move, when he saw Zhang Zhiwei slowly stand up.

He was still dressed in a blue robe, his clothes fluttering in the wind, with a faint smile on his face.

"Junior Brother, watch closely." Zhang Zhiwei's voice clearly reached Zhang Yulei's ears, "This move is called Golden Light Suppressing Prison, Thunder Shattering the Nine Heavens!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Zhiwei formed hand seals, and his Qi surged wildly around him.

In an instant, golden light surged across the sky, and lightning snakes danced wildly!

An unprecedented pressure emanated from him, enveloping the entire valley!