15: Chapter 15 Three Powers Locking Evil, Specially Countering Yin and Evil

As he pondered, Liu Three-Knives' voice turned as cold as a blade's edge: "Lu Zhao! Do not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

Behind him, the ten Black Armor Guards had already formed a Formation. Three held shields in front, with pale golden runes flowing across the shield surfaces, faintly connecting into a curtain of light that suppressed the churning dark blue cold mist in the deep pit to three feet below the pit's mouth.

Seven others held blades in the rear, their edges pointed toward the ancestral hall, filled with Killing Intent.

"This Formation is called the 'Three Talents Locking Evil' and is specialized in suppressing Yin Evil, but it can only be maintained for a quarter of an hour." Liu Three-Knives pointed his horse whip toward the deep pit. "Within this quarter of an hour, if you go down into the pit to investigate the truth, my Liu Family will join hands with you to eliminate the evil. Otherwise..."

He paused, cold light shooting from his triangular eyes. "I will first slaughter Yangjiao Ravine, then find another way."

As his voice fell, the Black Armor Guards let out a low roar in unison, striking their blades against their shields with a resounding "clang." The pale golden light curtain flared, forcing the cold mist at the pit's mouth down another three inches.

The expressions of everyone in front of the ancestral hall changed. Yan Meng gripped his broken spear tightly, his knuckles turning white: "Sir, you cannot go! That pit is extremely dangerous; going down is just walking to your death!"

He Shan, whose shoulder wound had not yet healed, still gritted his teeth and gripped his bow: "Liu Three-Knives is forcing you to scout the path. If you die down there, he can just annex Yangjiao Ravine; if you luckily come back up, you will be exhausted and at his mercy!"

Zhong Tiegu roared: "At worst, we fight to the death!"

"Fight?" Lu Zhao shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the elderly, weak, women, and children in front of the ancestral hall. "With what shall we fight? The Black Armor Guards are all clad in heavy armor, fighting in Formation, and protected by the Locking Evil Formation. We are injured and disabled; how can we be their opponents?"

He paused, his voice dropping low. "But Liu Three-Knives said one thing correctly—the thing underground poses the greatest threat to Yangjiao Ravine. If it is not eliminated today, it will break through the earth tonight, and by then, no one in the village will survive."

Granny Xue stepped forward tremblingly, her withered, thin hand grabbing Lu Zhao's sleeve: "Child, you cannot go... That thing is extremely fierce. You saw it just now; touch it and you die!"

Lu Zhao gently patted the old woman's hand, but his gaze was fixed on the deep pit. The cold mist in the pit was suppressed by the golden light, churning ceaselessly, and one could faintly see a dark blue light flickering in the depths, as if something was lurking and peering from below.

Within his spiritual platform, that surge of Evil Qi palpitation not only did not diminish but, because of the external suppression, became even more manic and violent. He took a deep breath. Going down into the pit meant a nine-in-ten chance of death. Not going meant the whole village would die. There was no choice.

"Deacon Liu." Lu Zhao turned and faced the village entrance. "I can go down into the pit. But there are three things you must agree to."

Liu Three-Knives raised an eyebrow: "Speak."

"First, while I am in the pit, the Liu Family must not harm a single person in Yangjiao Ravine. If anyone is missing from the village when I return, it will count as you breaking the agreement." "Agreed."

"Second, the Locking Evil Formation must be maintained until I come back up; you must not withdraw the Formation midway." "This Formation can only be maintained for a quarter of an hour; if you wish to stay longer, I am powerless to assist."

"Third..." Lu Zhao paused. "If I determine the truth of the situation, I will need to meditate for half an hour after coming up before we discuss how to eliminate the evil." Liu Three-Knives' eyes flickered, and after a moment, he nodded: "Granted."

Lu Zhao said no more and turned toward the ancestral hall. Yan Meng, He Shan, and the others hurried to follow. "Sir!" Lu Zhao waved his hand, took out the few Formation Plate fragments from his bosom, and hid them close to his body. He also asked Granny Xue for a few packets of medicinal powder for dispelling cold and protecting the Meridians, tucking them into his bosom. Finally, he looked at Qin Wan: "Sister Qin, do you have a sturdy long rope?"

Qin Wan's eyes were red, and she gritted her teeth: "Yes! The hemp rope we twisted the day before yesterday, thirty zhang long, soaked in tung oil; it is very tough!" "Bring it here."

Soon, the hemp rope was brought. Lu Zhao tied one end firmly to the stone mill in front of the ancestral hall, and tied the other end around his waist, tying a tight knot. He then asked He Shan for a short blade and tucked it into his boot.

Prepared, he looked around at everyone, letting his gaze linger on each face for a moment. "If I do not come back up in a quarter of an hour, or if the rope breaks..." His voice was calm. "Brother Yan, take the people and protect the elderly and weak, and leave through the secret passage in the cave behind the mountain. The exit of the secret passage is on the shaded side of Wild Wolf Slope. After going out, head east; there is an abandoned Mountain God Temple thirty miles away where you can take temporary shelter."

This was the retreat route he had discussed with Yan Meng and He Shan last night. Stating it in public now was to reassure everyone and also to force Liu Three-Knives to keep his word—if he broke the agreement, the people of Yangjiao Ravine could still escape. Yan Meng's tiger-like eyes filled with tears, and he nodded heavily.

Lu Zhao said no more, turned, and walked toward the deep pit. The Black Armor Guards made way. The pale golden light curtain swirled overhead, pressing the dark blue cold mist below, forming a narrow passage. Lu Zhao stepped into the light curtain and felt a warmth all over his body; the bone-chilling cold was surprisingly mostly blocked out.

But the further down he went, the thinner the light curtain became, and the heavier the cold air grew. After walking about three zhang deep, he reached the bottom of the pit. The bottom of the pit was wider than expected, about five zhang in radius, with a thick layer of dark blue ice on the ground. Beneath the ice, one could faintly see crisscrossing black patterns, which were of the same origin as those eerie patterns deep in the rock cave.

In the center, there was a hole the size of a washbasin, bottomless, with cold air continuously surging out from it. At the edge of the hole, a few shattered black armor plates were scattered—the remains of the Black Armor Guard who had been dragged down earlier.

Lu Zhao squatted down to look closely, pushing his spiritual platform's perception to the limit. [Earth Pulse node, Yin Evil Spring Eye. One of the cores of the ancient battlefield's remnant Formation, awakened by the stimulation of blood Qi, it is currently devouring Earth Pulse energy to strengthen itself.] [Warning: There is a fierce spirit lurking in the depths of the Spring Eye, its aura equivalent to the Peak of Qi Refining Level 6, and it is connected to the Earth Pulse, with nearly infinite energy.]

Qi Refining Level 6 Peak! Lu Zhao's heart sank. With this kind of strength, let alone the fact that he was currently only at the beginning of Qi Refining, even if Liu Three-Knives came down personally, he would just be walking to his death. He had to find its weakness.

His gaze swept over the black patterns under the ice on the ground, and suddenly, a thought occurred to him. He took a Formation Plate fragment from his bosom and gently pressed it onto the ice surface. The moment the fragment touched the ice, it suddenly became scorching hot! Not only did it become hot, but it also began to vibrate violently, and the incomplete runes on its surface actually lit up with a faint light on their own, resonating with the black patterns under the ice!

The ice gave a slight "crack" and split into several fine lines, with the light of the black patterns shining through the cracks, flickering unsteadily. At the same time, a low roar came from the depths of the Spring Eye, filled with violence and... pain?

Lu Zhao's spirits lifted. This fragment was indeed of the same origin as the fierce thing underground! It might even be a part of what sealed it back then! Just as he was about to explore further, the hemp rope around his waist suddenly tightened, and Liu Three-Knives' stern shout came from above: "Time is up! Come up!"

Lu Zhao looked up and saw that the pale golden light curtain had begun to fluctuate and thin, clearly indicating the Locking Evil Formation was nearing its limit. He dared not delay, put the fragment back into his bosom, took one last look at the depths of the Spring Eye, and turned to climb up the rope.

Just as he climbed to the mouth of the pit, the golden light curtain shattered with a "pop," dissolving into a sky full of light points. The dark blue cold mist, losing its suppression, surged up with a roar, shrouding the pit's mouth once again. Lu Zhao flipped out, stumbling a step as he landed, his face as pale as paper.

It was not an act—although he had only stayed at the bottom of the pit for less than a quarter of an hour, the cold air had invaded his body, consuming more than half of his Nine Yang True Qi, and now his Meridians were aching faintly.

Liu Three-Knives looked him up and down: "How was it?"

Lu Zhao caught his breath and said slowly: "The bottom of the pit is a Yin Evil Spring Eye, connected to the Earth Pulse, with infinite energy. The fierce spirit lurking in the Spring Eye has strength equivalent to the Peak of Qi Refining Level 6."

"Qi Refining Level 6?!" Liu Three-Knives' expression changed drastically. Although he was at the Peak of Qi Refining Level 4, compared to Level 6, the difference was as vast as heaven and earth. Not to mention that the fierce spirit had the support of Earth Pulse energy, making it nearly immortal and indestructible.

"However..." Lu Zhao changed the subject. "I discovered a flaw." "What flaw?"

"The ground around the Spring Eye is engraved with remnant patterns of an ancient sealing Formation. Although the fierce spirit is strong, it is still bound by the remnant patterns and cannot completely break free from the Spring Eye." Lu Zhao took the still-scorching fragment from his bosom. "This object is of the same origin as the remnant patterns and might be used to reinforce the Seal, or even... counter the fierce spirit."

Liu Three-Knives stared at the fragment, his eyes burning: "Where did you get this?" "Obtained by Opportunity." Lu Zhao put away the fragment and said calmly, "Deacon Liu, it is time to fulfill your promise—I need half an hour to meditate."

Liu Three-Knives was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Fine, half an hour." He waved his hand. "Black Armor Guards, retreat ten zhang and rest in place." The Black Armor Guards retreated according to the order.

Lu Zhao walked back to the front of the ancestral hall, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to meditate. The Nine Yang True Qi slowly circulated within his body, dispelling the cold air and repairing his Meridians. Yan Meng, He Shan, and the others stood guard with weapons at his side, watching the Liu Family's direction vigilantly.

Time passed bit by bit. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a sharp whistle suddenly came from the direction of the mountain forest west of the village!

Immediately after, dozens of figures poured out from the forest. They were not the bandits of the Funiu Gang, but another group of people—all dressed in gray tight-fitting martial attire, holding standard long blades, moving with considerable discipline, and even faintly forming a military Formation!

The person in the lead was about forty years old, with a fair face and no beard, riding a green-maned horse, with a long sword hanging at his waist, and cloud patterns carved on the scabbard.

When Liu Three-Knives saw this person, his expression changed slightly, and he actually dismounted and clasped his hands: "Deacon Zhao, why have you come?"

That Deacon Zhao reined in his horse, his gaze sweeping over the people in front of the ancestral hall, and then glanced at the direction of the deep pit, saying calmly: "I heard there is an anomaly in the Earth Pulse of Black Mountain, and the Qinglan Sect has been ordered to investigate. Deacon Liu, what happened here?"

Qinglan Sect! Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Yangjiao Ravine belonged to Black Mountain, and Black Mountain was within the sphere of influence of the Qinglan Sect. This Sect was one of the three major immortal cultivation Sects within a thousand miles, with strict Sect rules and overbearing conduct.

Liu Three-Knives did not dare to hide anything and briefly recounted the fierce thing underground and the Funiu Gang's attack, omitting the part about forcing Lu Zhao to go into the pit, saying only that they were investigating together.

After hearing this, Deacon Zhao's gaze fell upon Lu Zhao: "Oh? You are that Lu Zhao who repelled Boss Wu with a Mortal body?"

Lu Zhao stood up and clasped his hands: "Just by luck."

"Luck?" Deacon Zhao smiled mockingly. "Boss Wu has cultivated the Black Evil Skill for over ten years; although he is only at Qi Refining Level 3, his body is filled with Evil Qi, and ordinary Qi Refining Level 4 cultivators would not dare to easily clash with him. You were able to beat him until he felt fear and retreated... This cannot be explained by the word 'luck'."

He paused, his voice turning cold. "What Cultivation Technique do you Cultivate?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the scene suddenly tightened. Liu Three-Knives' eyes flickered, and he stepped back half a step, clearly not wanting to get involved. The Black Armor Guards were even more focused on their own noses and hearts, like clay sculptures or wooden carvings.

Thoughts raced through Lu Zhao's mind. The Qinglan Sect claimed to be a righteous Sect, but in reality, they valued interests the most. If he were targeted for the Nine Yang Divine Skill he possessed, it would definitely be a calamity rather than a blessing.

"Reporting to Deacon." Lu Zhao lowered his head and said, "What this Junior Cultivates is just a superficial health-preserving technique passed down by my family, merely for strengthening the body. Being able to repel Boss Wu was entirely due to the advantage of the terrain and the help of my companions."

"Health-preserving technique?" Deacon Zhao sneered. "This is the first time I, Zhao, have heard of a health-preserving technique that can suppress the Evil Qi of the Black Evil Skill."

He suddenly raised his hand, and a jade talisman flew out, hovering three feet above Lu Zhao's head, casting down a faint cyan light.

"This is the 'Spirit Inspection Talisman', specifically designed to test the attributes of a Cultivation Technique. Use your Qi to resist; if it is truly a health-preserving technique, it should be upright and peaceful; if it is some evil, heretical path..."

Before he could finish speaking, the jade talisman flared with intense green light!

Lu Zhao felt an invisible pressure envelop his entire body, as if he were deep underwater; every pore on his body was being suppressed, and his Nine Yang True Qi began to circulate on its own to resist!

"Hum—"

The jade talisman trembled, and a glimmer of golden-red light faintly emerged from within the green glow!

Deacon Zhao's expression changed: "Supreme Yang attribute?! No... such pure Supreme Yang True Qi is definitely not a health-preserving technique! Speak! Where exactly did you obtain such a Legacy?!"

Killing Intent already appeared in his eyes.

Liu Three-Knives breathed a sigh of relief—since the Qinglan Sect had set their sights on Lu Zhao, they would no longer care about the trivial matter of the fiendish creature underground.

Lu Zhao gritted his teeth, his Nine Yang True Qi surging through his Meridians to resist the suppression of the Spirit Inspection Talisman, yet he dared not unleash it fully—once his true cultivation was exposed, it would be a dead end.

Just as they were in a stalemate, a sudden change occurred in the direction of the deep pit!

Perhaps stimulated by the spiritual power fluctuations of the Spirit Inspection Talisman, the cold mist in the pit surged violently, and a brilliant, deep blue light flared. An icy crystal arm, several times thicker than the previous one, reached out. It did not grab at a person, but instead grasped at the air, actually seizing the Spirit Inspection Talisman in mid-air!

"Crack!"

The jade talisman shattered, and the green light was extinguished.

The icy crystal arm retracted into the pit, not even leaving behind a fragment.

Deacon Zhao's face turned livid, and he stared fixedly at the deep pit: "You wicked beast! How dare you destroy my Magical Artifact!"

Behind him, ten Qinglan Sect Disciples drew their swords in unison, their sword light chilling and sharp.

"Form the 'Qinglan Sword Formation'! We shall slay this fiendish creature first, then discuss the rest!"

The ten people moved in response, stepping into position. Their sword lights connected into one, like a great green net, descending to envelop the deep pit!

Before the sword Formation even arrived, the Sword Qi had already caused the cold mist in the pit to churn violently.

But the next moment, a deafening roar came from the bottom of the pit!

The entire ground shook violently, and countless streaks of deep blue cold Qi shot into the sky like a volcanic eruption, actually forcibly dispersing the Qinglan Sword Formation! The ten Disciples groaned and retreated, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths.

Deacon Zhao was both shocked and furious, and just as he was about to strike again, the cold mist in the pit suddenly contracted inward, and then exploded!

Countless icy crystal fragments shot in all directions like a torrential rain!

The Black Armor Guard hurriedly raised their shields, Liu Three-Knives swung his blade to parry, and the Qinglan Sect Disciples' sword lights flashed repeatedly. In front of the ancestral hall, Yan Meng, He Shan, and the others also brandished their weapons to protect the elderly and weak.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft—"

The icy crystal fragments were incomparably sharp, piercing through leather armor and embedding into walls. Several Black Armor Guards and Qinglan Disciples who could not dodge in time fell to the ground screaming; frost rapidly formed over their wounds, and their life force weakened abruptly.

In the chaos, icy crystal arms reached out from the bottom of the pit again—this time, there were as many as five of them!

The five arms flailed like giant pythons; three grabbed toward the Qinglan Sect group, and two grabbed toward the direction of the ancestral hall!

"Form up! Protect the teacher!" Yan Meng roared. The youths of the War Martial Hall gritted their teeth and formed a circular Formation, shields pressed against each other, spears pointing forward.

But the icy crystal arms came too quickly. One arm swept across, knocking three youths flying along with their shields; the sound of ribs breaking was clearly audible.

Another arm plunged straight into the heart of the Formation, grabbing toward Lu Zhao!

Just as Lu Zhao was about to dodge, he suddenly felt his whole body tighten—he had actually been locked by Deacon Zhao with an invisible Qi force!

"Kid, I'll borrow you for a moment!" Deacon Zhao sneered. With a wave of his sleeve, a gentle force pushed Lu Zhao toward the icy crystal arm!

He was actually using him as bait to test the reality of the fiendish creature!

In a flash of lightning, a cold glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes.

Since you want to test it—

He stopped resisting, and instead, facing the icy crystal arm, he struck out with both palms! His Nine Yang True Qi erupted without reservation, and the golden-red palm print collided fiercely with the deep blue ice claw!

"Boom!"

A wave of air exploded, and ice shards flew everywhere.

Lu Zhao used the force to fly backward, spitting out a small mouthful of blood, his complexion turning three shades paler.

But that icy crystal arm was also repelled, and a tiny crack appeared on its palm.

Deacon Zhao's eyes lit up: "As expected! Your Supreme Yang True Qi can harm it!"

He did not hesitate any longer and shouted sternly: "Qinglan Disciples, heed my command! Protect that kid and let him pin it down from the front! Liu and I will attack from the side; today we must slay this fiendish creature!"

The ten Qinglan Disciples moved in response, their sword lights rising again, but instead of attacking the icy crystal arms, they formed a sword circle, shielding Lu Zhao in the center—in reality, it was to trap him and force him to fight to the death.

Liu Three-Knives, though unwilling to be commanded by Deacon Zhao, had no choice but to grit his teeth and swing his blade, tangling with two of the icy crystal arms, as the fiendish creature was right before them.

Trapped by the sword circle, Lu Zhao had nowhere to retreat. With three icy crystal arms attacking him in turns before him, he had no choice but to push the Heaven and Earth Great Shift and the Nine Yang Divine Skill to their limits, shifting the force and fighting while retreating.

Every collision shook his Qi and blood, making his Meridians feel as if they were about to tear.

But strangely, the fiendish creature seemed to "care" for him particularly, with the majority of the three arms' attacks landing on him, while it only kept Deacon Zhao and Liu Three-Knives at bay.

As if... there was something on him that was attracting it?

Lu Zhao's thoughts raced, and he suddenly remembered the scorching fragment in his bosom.

That's it! This object shares the same source as the Seal; the fiendish creature senses it and naturally wants to take it back, or even... devour it?

Just as he was pondering, his spiritual sense jumped abruptly:

[Warning! The Fierce Spirit is extracting Earth Vein energy, preparing to launch an 'Extreme Cold Burst'! Range: Fifty zhang radius! Power: Full-force strike of a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator!]

Lu Zhao's pupils constricted.

A strike of a seventh-level Qi Refining cultivator could not be blocked by anyone present! The fifty-zhang range covered the entire Yangjiao Ravine!

It must be interrupted!

He looked up sharply, looked at Deacon Zhao and Liu Three-Knives, and roared hoarsely: "It's about to launch an Extreme Cold Burst! Retreat quickly!"

Deacon Zhao and Liu Three-Knives were both stunned, and immediately sensed the terrifying aura rising crazily from the bottom of the pit, their expressions changing drastically.

"Retreat!" Deacon Zhao made a prompt decision, his sword light swirling as he prepared to take his Disciples and retreat.

Liu Three-Knives did not hesitate even more, turning and fleeing.

But, it was too late.

A piercing, extreme shriek came from the bottom of the pit!

The five icy crystal arms retracted violently, and the deep blue cold light in the pit condensed to the extreme, forming an ice-blue sphere the size of a human head. Electric light flickered on the surface of the sphere, emitting a "crackle" popping sound.

The next moment, the sphere exploded!

There was no sound.

Only a pure, absolute deep blue cold light swept in all directions like a tidal wave!

Wherever it passed, the air froze, and ice crystals condensed out of thin air. The ground, walls, trees, weapons... everything was encased in ice.

The ten Qinglan Disciples remained in their retreating posture, frozen into ice sculptures. The Black Armor Guards raised their shields to block, turning into ice blocks along with their shields.

Deacon Zhao and Liu Three-Knives had the highest cultivation and reacted the fastest, each employing their life-saving means.

Deacon Zhao used his sword light to protect his body, turning into a green cocoon of light; Liu Three-Knives condensed his Black Evil Qi into thick armor.

But as the cold light swept past, the cocoon of light shattered, the Black Armor disintegrated, and both sprayed blood and flew backward. When they landed, their bodies were covered in frost, and their life force was weak.

In front of the ancestral hall, Yan Meng, He Shan, and the others were even worse off. Before the cold light even arrived, the terrifying low temperature had already made everyone's movements stiff and their thoughts sluggish.

Lu Zhao bore the brunt of it.

The instant the cold light reached him, the fragment in his bosom was so hot it almost burned through his skin! His Nine Yang True Qi spontaneously protected his body, and golden-red light erupted from every pore on his body, fiercely resisting the deep blue cold light!

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!"

Like cold water poured into hot oil.

The golden-red light retreated step by step, and the cold light eroded it inch by inch. Lu Zhao felt as if his entire body was about to crack from the cold, the circulation of Nine Yang True Qi in his Meridians slowed down more and more, and his consciousness gradually blurred.

Am I going to die...

Unwilling...

Deep in his spiritual platform, that wisp of purple Qi spun crazily, but it could not break through the icy confinement.

Just at this moment—

"Hum!"

The fragment in his bosom suddenly exploded with a scorching golden light! It actually forced the cold light that had invaded his body back by three inches!

At the same time, the incomplete runes on the surface of the fragment detached from the fragment itself, flew out into the air, and imprinted onto Lu Zhao's chest! The runes entered his body, turning into a scorching torrent that rushed straight into his Dantian along his Meridians!

"Boom!"

The wisp of purple Qi in his Dantian was struck by this torrent, and it suddenly expanded, turning into a ball of scorching golden flames!

Wherever the golden flames passed, the ice melted completely, and his Meridians became unobstructed!

Lu Zhao felt an unprecedented, massive power erupt within his body, and he couldn't help but roar at the sky!

The roar was like a Dragon's cry, piercing the clouds and splitting stones!

The golden-red light around his body surged, actually forcibly driving back the deep blue cold light! With him as the center, within a radius of three zhang, the ice layer melted, and water vapor steamed!

From the deep pit came a painful shriek.

The fiendish creature seemed to have suffered a backlash; the deep blue cold light dimmed rapidly, and the five icy crystal arms broke inch by inch, falling as ice shards.

The cold wave receded.

The scene was in ruins.

Most of the Qinglan Disciples and Black Armor Guards were frozen into ice sculptures, their lives unknown.

Deacon Zhao and Liu Three-Knives were heavily injured and fell to the ground, barely maintaining consciousness.

In front of the ancestral hall, although Yan Meng, He Shan, and the others were mostly protected by the golden-red light that Lu Zhao finally erupted, many still suffered frostbite and were shivering.

Lu Zhao stood alone in the field, the golden-red light around his body slowly receding, but his complexion was as pale as paper—that eruption just now had almost drained all his True Qi, and even that fragment had exhausted its power, turning into powder.

He staggered a step, using his sword to support himself on the ground so he wouldn't fall.

In the deep pit, the cold mist had thinned considerably, and the deep blue light was dim, obviously the fiendish creature had also suffered heavy injuries.

But it was not dead.

Lu Zhao could feel that the fierce, evil aura was still there, just temporarily dormant.

"Cough, cough..." Deacon Zhao struggled to sit up and stared at Lu Zhao, his eyes filled with shock and suspicion, "You... that golden light just now..."

Lu Zhao ignored him and turned to look toward the ancestral hall.

Granny Xue was leading people to treat the wounded, Qin Wan was supporting Zhong Tiegu, and He Shan's shoulder wound had burst open, blood dyeing half his body red, yet he was still forcing himself to nock an arrow and stay alert.

Fortunately... most people were still alive.

Lu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, but his vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

Just at this moment, a burst of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the village!

The hoofbeats were like thunder, approaching from afar, and in the blink of an eye, they reached the village entrance. In the flying dust, more than ten riders galloped in; the riders were all wearing mysterious black outfits, with an ice flower embroidered on their chests.

The leader, about fifty years old, had a face like cold iron. His gaze swept over the tragic state of the scene and finally landed on Lu Zhao, coldly speaking:

"Xuanshuang Sect Deacon Wang Tong, acting under orders to investigate the Earth Vein anomaly."

He paused, his voice even colder.

"Who is in charge here? Come out and answer me."

Wang Tong's gaze was like a knife, slowly sweeping over everyone, and finally fixed on Lu Zhao's face.

The corners of his mouth suddenly curled into a cold smile: "I wondered who it was, so it's you, this cripple. What, having luckily not died, you are now here causing trouble, stirring up the Earth Evil, and harming the villagers?" Before he could finish speaking, two Xuanshuang Disciples behind him had already drawn their swords, the cold air chilling and sharp!