181: Tree crown

As the sound of footsteps approached, everyone's gaze began to focus on the courtyard entrance.

It was none other than Chen Ping and his two companions who entered the courtyard; they had fled back to their original location in a panic, guided by Tao Wu's subtle leading.

'Thunder Palm - Shatter Stone and Crack Earth!'

Thud!

Han Yi's fists, clad in spiked gloves, also struck out fiercely at Da Mao's chest, seizing the moment when Da Mao was distracted.

However, this punch, with a force no less than a thousand jin, whistling fiercely, enough to split mountains and crack earth, only caused Da Mao's body to sway and him to retreat several large steps.

Swish!

Bai Sanren wielded the Wu Chou Sword, twisting his waist, circling the long sword, and sweeping it horizontally at Tao Gu's waist.

No matter how high your lightness skill, or how strange your movements, if you're cut in half, you won't be able to jump around!

"Oh, what a rotten old man, so bad, he doesn't understand romance at all~"

However, Tao Gu performed an aerial front roll, lightly leaping over the Wu Chou Sword; she let out a charming laugh, still having the leisure to tease others at this moment.

Bai Sanren was about to give chase, but Han Yi pulled him back.

It turned out that as Chen Ping and the others ran into the courtyard and reunited with Han Yi and his group, Tao Wu, who had been following them, also stopped.

Unbeknownst to them, Han Yi's group of Martial Artists had been surrounded by a group of villagers led by Tao Wu, and the Martial Artists in the middle stood back to back, forming a circular defensive formation.

Under the cover of night, it was dim and gloomy; the moonlight had disappeared at some point, and the only visible light was a bonfire in the middle of the courtyard, flickering, casting the monstrous Tao Wu family's shadows on the wall like menacing figures with bared fangs and claws.

The scene fell silent for a moment, with only the Martial Artists' gasping breaths as they regulated their Qi, and the crackling of the burning flames.

Hoo, hoo, hoo.......

"Esteemed guests, why did you not rest obediently in the house, but instead injured my obedient grandson?

"Could it be that you dislike my poor hospitality? I even cut off my daughter's flesh for you to eat!"

Tao Wu suddenly spoke, his voice sinister.

"What? The meat pies we ate were actually..."

"Chen Ping, weren't you fighting me for food during dinner? Ugh~~"

He didn't speak earlier, but when he did, it was a bombshell. Chen Ping, Sun Yunsheng, and Jia Hao, having fled early, were hearing this for the first time. They immediately bent over, clutching their stomachs and retching.

"Damn it, Chen Ping, you cowards, you still have the nerve to run back......."

Huang Long couldn't help but curse.

"Shut up!"

Huang An glared fiercely at Huang Long. In his heart, he was equally indignant about Chen Ping and his companions' escape, but now, with a great enemy before them, they needed to unite against the outside. Only by surviving could they consider what came next.......

"Heh heh, the host's hospitality is naturally good, but if guests wish to leave, you can't always stop them, can you......."

Bai Sanren stepped forward, holding his sword in one hand and stroking his beard with the other.

The scene fell into a deathly silence once more.......

After a long while, Tao Gu suddenly burst into a wild laugh: "We're waiting for Peach Mómomo, what are you waiting for?"

Tao Wu and the others also began to smile sinisterly, though their faces were covered by withered tree bark, making their expressions unreadable to others.

"What?"

The Martial Artists present were greatly alarmed upon hearing this and looked around.

During the previous exchange, Chen Ping and his companions had quietly informed Han Yi and his group about the intelligence gathered during their escape, providing them with quite a bit of information.

Among the information, the most frequently mentioned were the 'ghost wall' phenomenon and the abnormal transformation of the Old Peach Tree in the center of the village, known as Peach Mómomo!

Everyone looked up and saw a colossal Old Peach Tree, obscuring the sky, growing taller at a visible rate.

Its enormous canopy first covered the entire courtyard entrance, then spread throughout the entire courtyard, continuously expanding outwards!

Root-like tendrils, like vines, hung down from the canopy, emitting a faint gray mist that permeated the entire courtyard.

And above the canopy, countless wishing plaques, symbolizing wishes, Ru Yi, and blessings, swayed continuously with the growth of the canopy, like countless blood-red eyes radiating malice!

Finally, the canopy stopped growing and expanding....... This massive canopy was like a pitch-black bowl, inverted, completely covering the entire courtyard!

Both comical and eerie, bizarre and terrifying!

All sorts of emotions, like a heavy mountain, pressed down on everyone, indescribable!

This pressure was not only mental but also physical; as the gray mist spread, the Martial Artists present found that the cold Qi in their glabella became denser, their hands and feet grew cold, and their bodies became increasingly stiff and weak.

"Ah!!!"

"Those who block me die!!!"

Among the Martial Artists, someone shouted, turning and rushing towards the nearest courtyard wall. He swung his iron rod, preparing to strike at the transformed villagers.

The tumultuous, frightening, and bizarre events encountered throughout the night had pushed Jia Hao's mind to its limit; he was now like a taut spring, ready to rebound with the slightest stimulus!

And now, he finally couldn't bear the pressure, his mind collapsed, and he only wanted to escape!

But strangely, the villagers closest to him seemed not to see him at all, and did not launch any attacks against him!

He, who had been ready for battle and prepared to die, was unexpectedly unimpeded and successfully rushed to the courtyard wall.

"Get out of the way!"

At full sprint, Jia Hao forcefully pushed aside the Qi roots with his iron rod, then suddenly leaped forward, wanting to pass through this thin layer of gray mist and jump onto the courtyard wall.

Bang!

"Ah!!!"

Huang An cried out in pain, wailing as he fell to the ground. The moment his body touched the gray mist, he felt as if he had crashed into a deep, evil ancient castle, with no echo at all, and then a greater rebound force surged from within!

What had seemed like a thin wisp of smoke, easily dispersed with a wave of the hand, instantly became an indestructible, insurmountable chasm!

"Hahahahaha, you ate my daughter's flesh, you want to leave? It's not that easy!"

Tao Wu swung his cane, which he used to cover his ears, and cackled grotesquely.

Tao Gu and the others with him also laughed unrestrainedly, their gazes on Han Yi's group of Martial Artists filled with appetite, like butchers staring at lambs on a chopping block.

This scene could be described as evil holding sway, with demons dancing wildly!

Crash!

Suddenly, another Qi root suddenly dropped from the middle of the canopy, landing in front of Han Yi and the others!

Clang!

These Martial Artists immediately became vigilant, abruptly drawing their weapons.

However, after a moment, this Qi root remained hanging there, without any movement, except that at its lower end, something human-sized seemed to be suspended, swaying in the wind.......

Swaying, swaying.......

Finally, the object hanging from the Qi root was directly facing everyone!

By the not-so-bright bonfire.......

It was a person!

A person hanging from the canopy!