vstars Chapter 72 Minions, prepare the sedan chair, it's time to set off.
Chapter 72 Minions, prepare the sedan chair, it's time to set off.
Xu Changqing's eyes lit up as he looked at the clay statues of gods in front of him.
"Perfect timing! I was just about to need a proper entourage for my trip, so here it is!"
He chuckled softly, raised his hand and made a grasping motion. Crimson killing energy surged from his palm like a living thing, strands of it like viscous blood, completely enveloping the seven clay figures on the ground.
The six clay terracotta warriors rolled and shrank in the crimson light, their armor patterns gradually becoming clearer, their forms solidified like iron, and finally transforming into six imposing generals, each about eight feet tall, clad in armor and wielding weapons, standing on the left and right. Though their faces were blurred, they exuded a chilling aura.
The clay mountain god was even more imposing, transforming directly into a nine-foot-tall, burly divine general.
It stands barefoot, its feet treading on auspicious cloud patterns, clad in golden armor and a red robe, holding a Bagua Xuanhua axe with hidden thunder patterns flowing across its surface.
The face, which was originally crooked and blurry, is now round and full, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. It is grinning with a big mouth, exuding a kind of honest and cheerful charm, much like the lucky gods and door gods in folk New Year paintings.
"Not bad, not bad."
Xu Changqing looked at the seven newly forged divine generals with satisfaction in his eyes.
Immediately, he made a hand seal, and the black helmeted palanquin with the beast-faced design flew into the air and hovered above everyone's heads.
The sedan chair shook violently, and pieces of black paint peeled off, revealing the dark wood underneath.
The wood grain twists and grows, carving itself into the image of a coiled dragon amidst clouds; the eaves extend, transforming into a double-layered eave, with pearl and jade tassels hanging beneath, rustling softly in the wind.
At the top of the sedan chair, a demonic dragon coiled and solidified, its scales menacing, its head lowered, looking down at all directions.
At the same time, the old banner umbrella at his waist flew out on its own, and the umbrella unfolded with a "whoosh." The colorful silk ribbons split and flowed, turning into five small flags, which stood in five directions in the sedan chair. The flags moved without wind, displaying their majestic power.
Xu Changqing took out the Jin Prince's Guest Token, which he had obtained from Tan Chan, and casually hung it on his waist.
Immediately, the banners fluttered, his bones cracked softly, and his face and body changed like ripples on water, transforming in the blink of an eye into the shape of a toad.
He straightened his robes, stepped into the sedan chair, and sat down comfortably.
In the distance, the sound of wind and rain suddenly appeared, like a faint dragon's roar...
Xu Changqing looked up at Minghai and inexplicably felt that a god was welcoming him on the road ahead. He was lost in thought and could not find the answer, so he raised his voice.
"Men, prepare the sedan chair; it's time to set off."
With all six members working together, the newly renovated palanquin with its double eaves adorned with dragon patterns rose steadily.
Fu Jiang took the lead, wielding an axe to clear the way, his steps heavy as a mountain.
The six sedan chair bearers followed closely behind, their steps light and steady, the sedan chair barely swaying.
The colorful banners shimmered with a faint light, and the demonic dragon slowly swam atop the sedan chair, its eyes flashing with a hint of blood.
A procession of ceremonial guards broke through the overgrown weeds in front of the temple and turned into the mountain path.
The sound of chanting faintly echoed in the void:
"At that time... he often used his divine power to save all living beings. He helped them to leave the path of delusion, but the living beings were unaware of this, like blind people seeing the sun and moon."
"..."
"Saving from all sins, delivering from all calamities. Boundless and transcendent celestial source, naturally pure and expansive. All rely on the power of the Great Dao to subdue all demonic spirits."
......
Minghai City, famous for its proximity to the Rong River and its maritime trade, was originally a rather prosperous county town in southeastern Xiangzhou.
Unfortunately, the city walls were no longer lit up with the usual lights; only thick smoke billowed up from several places, turning half the sky a murky dark red.
Inside, eerie shadows loomed, and shouts, laughter, weeping, and chewing sounds mingled together, carried on the wind from afar, sending chills down one's spine.
However, high in the sky to the northwest of the city, a colossal, imposing phantom hovered, with three heads and six arms, its body wreathed in crimson flames that seemed capable of scorching the heavens and boiling the seas, illuminating that area as if it were daytime, creating an eerie standoff with this half of the demonic realm.
The southeast corner of the city was originally a place where wealthy families lived, with high walls and large courtyards stretching for miles.
The "Li Mansion," which occupies the largest area and has the most magnificent gate, was originally in chaos and ruin due to the demons' invasion of the city, but now it presents an eerie tranquility.
Inside the courtyard, several smiling children dressed in neat Taoist robes were meticulously sweeping away the already scarce fallen leaves and dust.
Under the eaves, several lanterns were even lit, their dim yellow light spilling onto the carefully trimmed flowers and trees, creating a peaceful scene that was inexplicably eerie.
"Hmm, not bad, not bad, another good fellow traveler has arrived..." A gentle voice came from the brightly lit main hall.
Inside the hall, a handsome young man with a sinister expression leaned back in the main armchair. Upon hearing this, he lightly tapped the armrest with his fingertips.
He looked up at the person who was standing with his hands behind his back, peering through the crack in the window into the night, and asked with a smile, "Master Man, did you see someone interesting?"
Upon hearing this, the man called Master Man slowly turned around.
He had a full head of white hair, wore a lotus crown, and a moon-white Taoist robe. He had a full forehead and a round face, and should have looked like a sage with a blessed and long life.
However, upon closer inspection, one can discover a dark scar between his eyebrows, resembling an unopened eye, which adds an indescribable air of wickedness and malevolence to his otherwise auspicious face.
Master Man smiled knowingly, but his voice was calm and pleasant: "Isn't Young Master Guang in need of top-quality materials to replenish his blood sacrifice? Just now, this old Taoist sensed a powerful aura coming towards Minghai from the northwest. The aura was condensed and did not dissipate, with a faint blood-red light, yet it also carried a hint of purity... Such a person's soul and essence must be the best materials."
"Oh?" Zhen Daoguang sat up straight, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes. "To actually pique Master Man's interest, it seems the visitor is no ordinary person."
"His aura is unfamiliar; he doesn't seem to be a person of any renown." Master Man shook his head. "But it doesn't matter; his arrival is an opportunity."
Another person sat cross-legged on a prayer mat to the side of the hall, remaining silent throughout.
He was a young monk, dressed in a monk's robe, with a fair and handsome face, but his eyes held a lingering gloom.
He slowly twirled a string of black prayer beads in his hand, his gaze shifting back and forth between Zhen Daoguang and Master Man, a hint of jealousy flashing in his eyes from time to time, so he twirled the beads even slower.
Just then, a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy rippled in the courtyard outside the hall, and a bronze-colored light flashed, revealing a portly man covered in jewels.
He was adorned with gold and silver, his jade belt was studded with gemstones, his fingers wore several large rings, and even his hair was embroidered with a gleaming golden counting rod that jingled as he moved, making him look like a walking gold mine.
Before the person arrived, the voice preceded them; a smooth, ingratiating voice rang out: "Brother Guang, please forgive me; Master Man, please forgive me. I'm late, I'm late."
Zhen Daoguang glanced at him, letting out a cold snort: "Young Master Mei, you really have a bad memory. It's been two days since the city fell, and you're only now showing up. We agreed yesterday that we would work together from the inside and outside to completely disrupt the city's defenses, but we haven't seen a trace of you, Mei Liangxing. What, are you reluctant to part with your shops in Minghai, or... have you changed your mind?"
The man reeking of money was none other than Mei Liangxing, the half-brother Mei Qianqian had mentioned.
Upon hearing this, his chubby face immediately filled with a bitter smile, and he repeatedly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect: "Young Master Guang, you've really wronged me! I didn't want to delay either, but unfortunately, the plan was just about to be finalized, and my dear sister was keeping a close eye on me. She has spies everywhere in the market. If I had appeared in Minghai yesterday, the news would probably have reached the pavilion immediately. If she had caught me red-handed and impeached me before the Ancestor, saying that I colluded with outsiders to cause chaos in the area and damaged the reputation of the Four Seas Pavilion, then I'm afraid I would have been killed by the Ancestor with one blow, with no chance of ever recovering."
"Hmph," Zhen Daoguang's face remained unpleasant, "That's quite a high-sounding statement. Don't forget, this wasn't something my Zhen family begged you for; you came to us yourself. You said you absolutely couldn't let that girl Mei Qianqian use the merit of excavating the Ziyang Temple ruins to advance further, otherwise you'd have no chance of inheriting the Sihai Pavilion. Now, my Zhen family has borne most of the risk, and you, hiding behind, are only now coming to reap the rewards. Do you think you can get all the benefits in the world?"