348: The Demonic Movement in the Fengshen Mountain Temple

At this moment, the Mountain God in the Mountain God Temple opened his eyes.

Two hundred miles away, in the Qingshan County yamen, Zhang Cheng in red raised his eyebrows.

"Qiaofu Mountain!"

In the brightly lit yamen hall, where the entire city was under martial law, Lian Nishang, who was sitting with a sword, suddenly stood up, a glint of light shooting from her almond-shaped eyes.

"Captain Lian!"

Below, Zhang Cheng, the county magistrate on night duty, was slightly startled to see this, and called out.

But in the next second, the woman in front of him swayed and disappeared from her original spot.

At the same time, in the night, some dark figures wandering on Langdang Mountain suddenly stopped, their scarlet-green eyes swiveling, and then they all rustled towards one place.

Snowflakes rustled, and these dark figures moved silently through the mountain forest, seemingly the masters of the mountain.

"Squeak, squeak."

Sixty miles southeast of Qingshan County, a Little Squirrel stood on a bare tree branch, the branch heavily weighed down.

The Little Squirrel's obsidian-like eyes rolled as he looked at a white ape and a Mountain Pig in the snow not far away, suddenly letting out "Aooo ah ah ah" and "Hmff hmff" sounds, then turned around and rushed directly northeast, moving very fast, as if he had suddenly received some command.

The Little Squirrel squeaked, calling down below.

Soon, a white fox poked its head out from the snow below.

The Little Squirrel squeaked while pointing his chubby little paw towards the direction where the two Contracted Demons were galloping.

Then, his belly swelled up like a pufferfish, and with a whoosh, he leaped down from the tree branch.

The branch trembled, and snow rustled down, while the fat ball that the Little Squirrel had transformed into spread his arms, gliding down.

Meanwhile, the white fox ran through the snow, synchronizing with the Little Squirrel's gliding direction, then suddenly leaped, wrapping its two paws around the Little Squirrel's legs.

With that, the Little Squirrel's belly swelled again, his downward momentum stopped, and he shot downwards, forming a "U" shaped parabola, then crossed the mountain forest and chased after the two Contracted Demons to the east.

And just as the demons of Langdang Mountain surged east, above Qingshan County, two figures with deep gazes watched a red figure shoot from the direction of the county yamen towards the northeast of the county town!

It was Li Boya and Demon Ren Tianxing, who harbored ill intentions.

Li Boya, seeing the direction the red-clad figure shot off to, realized something, his eyebrows moved, and he raised his hand to draw a circle in the Void Realm in front of him.

Then he blew a puff of white Qi, which transformed into a stream of light, and as it rotated with the circle he drew, it instantly formed a mirror.

Soon, images flickered within it.

A dilapidated Mountain God Temple, with wind and snow howling outside, a bonfire burning and flickering, a dozen Hunters sitting around the fire, their gazes fixed on an old man being helped up by a Hunter beside the fire.

Li Boya narrowed his eyes, then dispersed the white Qi, letting out a chuckle.

"It seems this woman still has some tricks up her sleeve. She rushed off in such a hurry, she must have found the person. It seems I was right, this old man is very important to them. Hehe, now it's my turn to make an appearance."

"Wait until I bring the bodies of these two back to Your Excellency."

"I hope Your Excellency Ren will not disappoint me."

Demon Ren Tianxing, who was nearby, saw that Li familys Wu Zang, who possessed connections to the imperial court, had already developed murderous intent. His frightening eyes rolled around, smiling faintly, his gaze somewhat ferocious, "Is Your Excellency not afraid of the warning from the one at Qingshan Inn?"

But Li Boya, his calculating eyes narrowed, said lightly, "Even if that Senior is a half-step Dragon Tiger, he surely wouldn't fight to the death with my Li Family over these people. He also has clan members. At worst, if I kill someone, I'll simply leave after the deed is done. What can he do to me?"

Saying that, he stroked his beard and chuckled, his laughter piercing the night sky like a night owl.

And when Wu Zang Demon Ren Tianxing heard this, his terrifying black eyes with golden pupils flickered with a thought-provoking smile,

"This Venerable One also had the same thought."

"A half-step Dragon Tiger in his twilight years, coming to Qingshan County for unknown reasons, but wanting this Venerable One to retreat with just one sentence? Is he perhaps underestimating my Place of becoming a Saint too much?"

"I'm just afraid that when the main act begins, this one might not dare to step forward."

"It seems Your Excellency has something else you haven't told me!" Li Boya's heart slightly trembled as he heard the Demon's tone, remembering that the people of Place of becoming a Saint were all insane. He guessed that this one probably wasn't just plotting to vent his hatred on a county, but also had his own plans.

"Li familys Wu Zang will know very soon!"

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak, Li Boya simply smiled to himself,

"Alright, since Your Excellency doesn't wish to elaborate, I will go and retrieve the bodies first, to add to Your Excellency's excitement."

Saying that, this Li familys Wu Zang flicked his sleeve and turned, then walked through the Void Realm towards the northeast as if strolling leisurely.

His speed was not fast.

Good soup needs slow fire, he just wanted to wait until everyone was gathered before making a move. Even if that woman found the old man, what then? Everything was under control.

As Ren Tianxing watched the Li familys Wu Zang depart, his figure gradually vanishing into the heavens and earth, his snake-like golden pupils transformed into a vertical slit. Then his figure continued to soar higher into the sky, where he raised a single hand, forming a sword-finger, and pressed it onto the Yin and Yang fish pattern in the lotus crown directly above his eyebrows.

He saw the Yin and Yang fish being pinched by his sword-finger, plucked out, and struck towards the sky.

Instantly, the Yin and Yang fish grew in the wind, becoming ten zhang in size, spinning in the Void Realm. The Yin fish and Yang fish slowly opened from their dividing line, revealing a shocking bloody light within.

Demonic sounds howled inside, as if it were a passage!

But the crack quickly closed, and then the Yin and Yang fish separated, transforming with a bang into a white Qi and a black Qi, stirring up the wind and clouds in the high sky where wind and snow danced.

"Boom!"

A clap of thunder exploded.

A blue lightning bolt split the night sky.

Immediately following, "Crash, crash, crash," heavy rain poured down.

Qingshan Inn, a room on the sixth floor, was now pitch black.

"Poof."

Suddenly, a flame lit up.

Behind the screen, on a futon, the Fang Family Old Ancestor's eyelids, dry as old tree bark, opened, and a pair of eyes flickered with the uncertain light of a candle.

Then, his figure disappeared from the room and appeared above the inn.

His eyes, in the night filled with rain and snow, saw clearly as if observing a fire, scanning inside and outside Qingshan County, yet he found nothing strange.

The flames in his eyes slightly contracted; he had just felt a strong spatial fluctuation for an instant, but it quickly disappeared.

And he could no longer detect it now.

Was it an illusion?

No, he knew that the two fellows from today must be causing trouble.

The Li familys Wu Zang from the Central Plains, and the Demon from Place of becoming a Saint, it seems they didn't take his words seriously.

On the other side, two hundred miles northeast of Qingshan County, Songqiao Mountain.

"Boom!"

A flash of lightning split the night sky, illuminating a Mountain God Temple with flickering firelight at the foot of the mountain.

"Damn it, it's raining!"

Inside the temple, the crackling of firecrackers occasionally sounded, and the bonfire dispelled the chilling air blowing in from outside.

Listening to the heavy rain pouring down outside, complaints arose from within.

"With all this wind, snow, and rain, it looks like we can't leave today."

"Quickly bring in all the game you hunted, otherwise, if the snow gets wet from the rain, the smell will come out and easily attract things from the mountain."

The Hunters from Zhuangjia'aozi quickly braved the rain and snow to go out and bring in the game they had hidden in the snow outside.

They were all wild pheasants, rabbits, and some larger ones like roe deer and mountain goats.

These hunted animals had all been bled and placed in the snow outside to keep them fresh, and also to mask their scent. However, with the rain now falling, they all had to be brought inside, otherwise, if the snow was washed away by the rain, the hidden bloody smell would be released, easily attracting things from the mountain.

These were all experiences of the Hunters in the mountains.

"Hiss, ha."

"Sigh, ha."

The Hunters hastily brought their spoils into the temple and placed them. Fortunately, these hunted goods were already frozen solid, so they wouldn't give off much smell. But after their trip out, drenched in rain and feeling the heavy chill, they exhaled white mist and quickly came to the bonfire to warm themselves.

"Zhuang Lao Er, why aren't you going out? It's raining heavily outside, be careful your game gets ruined." Someone asked when they saw the Hunter hadn't moved.

"I threw away everything I hunted. The stuff was heavy, and at the time I was thinking of saving someone. Then it started snowing halfway, I was afraid of getting blinded, so I rushed back." Zhuang Lao Er, at this moment, was holding a wood-chopping knife, splitting firewood, throwing the chopped wood into the bonfire in front of him to make it burn brighter. He also occasionally touched the body temperature of the unconscious old man next to him, continuously adding wood, saying indifferently.

Everyone listened, understood the reasoning behind it, and glanced at the old man again.

One of the older Hunters, a respected elder in the village, sighed,

"Why did you have to do that? Your family of six depends on your trip into the mountains this time."

"This old man's body was already weak, and he was injured. His body is stiff, barely breathing. I'm afraid he won't make it through the night. Our little bit of soup and herbs won't save him."

"Alright, everyone's from the same village, we came into the mountains together, we'll share some with you."

When this was said, some people were displeased.

After all, everyone has their own reasons and difficulties.

"Uncle Guaizi, everyone here has several mouths to feed, relying on these meager provisions. We don't even know when this snow will stop. Please don't agree to things on behalf of others. It's Zhuang Lao Er's own business to be a good person with a righteous heart, don't drag me into it."

"Exactly."

"If Zhuang Lao Er hadn't delayed us a bit, we probably would have returned to the village by now. Being trapped here, we're all a bit uneasy."

Everyone also had their share of complaints.

"Ai," the one called Uncle Guaizi opened his mouth, but found it hard to say much more.

The Hunter named Zhuang Lao Er knew he had caused trouble for everyone, "I'm sorry, everyone. We are all unfortunate people struggling to make a living. I couldn't just stand by and watch him die. As for whether he can be saved, that's up to the old man himself. I, Zhuang Lao Er, will only do my best."

"It seems we can't go back today, so I'll stay up and keep watch. Everyone, rest up, and let's try to get back early."

This Hunter was an honest man. He volunteered to keep watch, diffusing everyone's resentment, and also intending to stay and care for the old man to see if he could survive the night.

"Alright!"

"We can only make do here for the night."

Everyone didn't say much more; they were all from the same village. Although they might not all be of one mind, it was not good to say more, after all, the person was saving someone.

The Hunters had been hunting all day in the snowy mountain forest and were already exhausted. Seeing the snow and rain outside, they knew they couldn't go back today, so they simply gathered around the bonfire and slept in their clothes. Soon, the entire Mountain God Temple became quiet.

Only the crackling sounds from the bonfire remained, along with the rising wisps of smoke, interspersed with the rustling of dying embers.

And so, time slowly passed.

The splashing sound of rain outside, and the occasional thunder, highlighted the small temple in the mountain forest.

While these Hunters slept and only Zhuang Lao Er kept watch, no one noticed that behind the bonfire, the mud-plastered Mountain God statue, under the flickering firelight, had a pair of stone eyes constantly watching them, appearing somewhat eerie under the illumination of lightning.

Time passed, no one knew for how long.

Suddenly, the hunting dogs, quietly curled up in a corner behind the bonfire, twitched their ears, and then one of them suddenly stood up.

"Woof!"

This sound was particularly piercing in the silent temple.

Immediately following, the other hunting dogs also woke up, all barking wildly towards the door.

"Woof, woof, woof!"

This quickly woke up the Hunters.

The first to react was Zhuang Lao Er, who was on watch. He gripped the wood-chopping knife in his hand, immediately jumped up, and at the same time grabbed the large bow and quiver hanging on a nearby pillar. Then, with a vigilant gaze, he slowly moved towards the outside, where wind and rain raged.

The other Hunters also woke up from their sleep.

"What happened?"

"Grab your tools."

Everyone quickly grabbed the tools placed beside them, their eyes fixed on the pitch-black outside.

At this moment, everyone's hunting dogs barked wildly, rushing to the door, emitting low growls from their throats, their backs arched and fur bristling.

But very quickly, this large group of hunting dogs seemed to sense some danger, retreating while whimpering from their throats.

Suddenly,

"Boom!"

A flash of lightning streaked across, tearing through the night sky.

Outside the temple, on the paper windows, several huge and ferocious silhouettes were reflected.

Pairs of eyes, some crimson, some eerie green, gradually emerged from the darkness.

"Hou!"

Outside the house, a ferocious beast roar suddenly erupted.

The next second,

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The two doors and three windows of the Mountain God Temple were violently blown open by an invisible immense force.

Instantly, howling wind, snow, and rain were swept in by the biting cold wind.

And under the flickering bonfire inside the temple, the Hunters' eyes widened one by one as they looked outside, their faces greatly changed.

Outside, huge demonic creatures revealed their true forms.

A two-zhang tall white ape, a three-zhang long Mountain Pig with ferocious fangs, a large python coiled up to be two stories high...

And a Squirrel and a white fox, like a fat orange cat, flew onto a window.

"Demon... monster!"

The Hunters were scared stiff, their faces pale, their feet retreating, and their hands holding their tools went limp.

"Roar!"

Outside the temple, the white ape let out a loud roar, then lunged directly into the temple.

Its tall and sturdy ape body stared directly at the ceiling, its scarlet eyes sweeping over the startled and retreating crowd, then its gaze fixed directly on the old man by the bonfire. It bent down and extended its large hand, grabbing directly.

Just then,

A whoosh tore through the air.

A flaming arrow shot directly towards the demon ape's large hand.

Then, with a "ding" sound of metal clashing, the flaming arrow fell down.

Then, a figure was seen blocking in front of the unconscious old man.

"Zhuang Lao Er!"

Someone exclaimed, calling this fellow's action 'a mantis trying to stop a chariot'.

But the demon ape suddenly grabbed towards Zhuang Lao Er with one large hand, catching him.

Just as everyone thought this guy was certainly dead, the demon ape gently placed him aside.

Then, with two large hands, he gently lifted the unconscious old man lying on the ground! (End of Chapter)