The Red Lotus Karmic Fire surged turbulently, filling the cave with frost. Thick ice congealed on the rock walls, and the once teetering falling rocks were frozen solid.

“Damn it, why are there so many!”

Zhang Kui paused to catch his breath, unable to resist cursing angrily.

The entrance was coated with thick white ash wrapped in solid ice, remnants of the artifact spirits burned away. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire incinerated everything, and after being cut open by the Purple Evil Sword Light, these so-called anomalies were no longer a threat.

But their numbers were simply overwhelming!

Zhang Kui activated the Tongyou Skill, and the Sun and Moon Light Wheel spun in his pupils, instantly bringing into clear view the scene outside the cave.

Artifact spirits, all artifact spirits!

They gathered into a black sea that covered the hills, surging forward madly, relentlessly attacking the cave entrance as if crazed.

The kind of artifact spirit the Old Turtle Demon mentioned, as big as hills, were present too, not just one or two, struggling to move amidst the sea of artifact spirits with rumbling vibrations.

The smaller artifact spirits along the way were crushed into pulp but soon merged into parts of the gigantic artifact spirits, growing larger like snowballs.

Boom!

The ice wall formed from the frozen white ash of the artifact spirits shattered, and like a breached dam, the dense artifact spirits flooded in again.

“Courting death!”

Zhang Kui shouted angrily, and the dragonbone cannon at the ship’s bow erupted with power. Dragon roars howled, scales and claws danced, and the frenzied artifact spirits rushing in were immediately pulverized as the Red Lotus Karmic Fire spread across the cave entrance.

The dragonbone cannon was immensely powerful but required absorbing massive spiritual energy to amass power. It took about half an incense stick’s time to charge, and although the dragonbone could store three shots, they had all just been used up.

Boom!

Suddenly, the cave roof collapsed, and the black swarm of artifact spirits fell like leaking water. It turned out these anomalies had dug deep holes, and more than one passage was being excavated.

Dozens of artifact spirits jumped and clung like ants to the golden energy shield of the dragonbone ship.

Zhang Kui’s Purple Sword Light surged up and down, and Bao Wuxin, wrapped in demon fire, invoked a divine artifact stone drum. The booming drum shakes the space around, instantly shattering the advancing artifact spirits.

Zhang Kui was anxious; he saw in just a brief moment those artifact spirits corroding the golden shield of the dragonbone ship.

Unfortunately, while piloting the dragonbone ship, he also had to maintain the Karmic Fire, significantly reducing his combat capability.

Moreover, the dragonbone ship was precious, a refuge in a crisis. If not carefully guarded, it would inevitably be devoured by the artifact spirits.

It could be said they were caught in a dilemma.

At this moment, Zhang Kui suddenly had an inspiration, remembering that the dragonbone ship had several small functions.

One of them was refining ship slaves, suppressing and erasing the consciousness of powerful divine souls, making them parasitic on the dragonbone ship, obeying commands, equivalent to automatic piloting.

If enough were gathered, it could even use the hidden dragonbone crossbows on the ship for combat.

Powerful divine souls…

Zhang Kui furrowed his brows, producing a small silver sphere in his hand, radiant with profound light, floating with a dazed Yellow Armored Evil God in the spiritual mist.

Not sure if this thing could work?

With the situation urgent, there was no time for contemplation, and Zhang Kui immediately tossed the silver sphere, controlling the dragon ship to slowly integrate it into the deck.

Buzz!

A Yellow Turban Warrior, similar in height to Zhang Kui, wearing golden scale armor, with a grim face and bulging muscles, slowly rose from the deck.

The imposing divine soul of this Yellow Turban Warrior was shockingly strong, making Zhang Kui and Bao Wuxin feel a chill, its body formed entirely of condensed spiritual energy, fierce and elegant.

The Yellow Turban Warrior’s eyes showed a hint of intelligence, bowing slightly to Zhang Kui, seemingly awaiting orders.

“You steer the ship!”

Zhang Kui commanded without hesitation.

The Yellow Turban Warrior immediately turned, fully taking over the dragonbone ship, maintaining the energy shield, steering the dragonbone to absorb spiritual energy, and gracefully tilting the ship to dodge rambling artifact spirits.

“Good!”

Zhang Kui rejoiced, leaping out of the ship, hovering in midair, and shouting angrily.

Buzz!

A colossal illusionary dharma statue rose up, clad in a Sun, Moon, and Stars Purple Robe, wearing a Taoist crown, exuding an aura of chaos and majesty.

Having reached the Mahayana Realm long ago, Zhang Kui easily used the illusionary dharma statue, though he rarely needed it against most enemies.

In this situation, it was most suitable.

As Zhang Kui performed the sword technique, the illusionary dharma statue mimicked his movements. A terrifying influx of spiritual energy caused the purple sword light to double, transforming into a whirling purple storm.

At the same time, he took a deep breath, and the illusionary dharma statue puffed its cheeks, filling the cave with sanguine Karmic Fire instantly.

A large number of artifact spirits turned to flying ash, and before long, with delight on his forehead, Zhang Kui reached out and tapped, causing a silver sphere to spring from the white ash on the ground.

Reproducing the same actions, another evil god appeared on the deck. With a swipe at the edge of the cabin, a ship crossbow made of jade dragonbone appeared.

The gigantic golden crossbow arrow illusion, imbued with dragon energy, appeared out of thin air. The emotionless evil god controlled it, and as the crossbow arrow illusion flew out with a dragon roar, it exploded a large swath of artifact spirits at the cave entrance.

Although this was far inferior to the dragonbone cannon, it excelled in continuous firing. The terrifying explosions repeatedly sounded, significantly relieving Zhang Kui’s pressure.

“What a truly splendid treasure!”

Zhang Kui laughed heartily, looking at the ever-increasing influx of artifact demons, a change subtly flickered in his eyes…

…

The night was as dark as ink, with no light from stars or moon, a bleak mist rose from the four corners of the earth.

Billowing black smoke swiftly darted out from the mountain forest, revealing its shape only when it reached the stormy coastal reefs; it was a Divine Travel Realm demon wrapped in armor, with the head of a wolf.

He turned around to look high up, and saw flames soaring from the mountain peak piercing the clouds, a terrifying shadow rampaging amidst the mist and fire.

Mad, completely mad!

The wolf demon spat blood, his eyes full of terror.

He hadn’t anticipated the Sect Leader would return from outside leading many Mountain Lords with such heavy casualties.

Even more tragic was that the once renowned Baoshan Master within the sect was now labeled a traitor. Though they, the former followers, had been dismissed, they were still implicated.

Watching the terrifying shadow on the mountain top gradually dissipate, the wolf demon finally breathed a sigh of relief, as the Sect Leader and four Mountain Lords were scavenging everywhere, they should be safe for now.

Suddenly, he remembered something, hesitated in his eyes, then pulled out half a stick of purple incense and lit it with a swipe…

In a residence near the Snake God Temple in Taiyuan City, Bai Lang leisurely sipped tea, occasionally picking up a snack to taste.

Although Taiyuan City wasn’t as abundant in Spirit Veins like the Ten Thousand Demons Cave mountains, the duty he received was, indeed, far from the Emperor, very enjoyable.

In the courtyard, a Rat Spirit, disguised as a storyteller, stood respectfully.

Bai Lang squinted, “I hear all of you have gotten Demon Citizen Certificates, preparing to serve the humans?”

The Rat Spirit broke out in a sweat, showing a flattering smile, “Master, my cultivation is shallow, and without reliance, for survival, I can only act like this.”

“Relax…”

Bai Lang smiled slightly, “You’re not from my Spiritual Sect, so it’s reasonable to rely on humans. I called you over just to inquire how Kaiyuan Sect arranges you all.”

Seeing Bai Lang’s expression as not pretending, the Rat Spirit breathed a sigh of relief, “Master, what you’re curious about isn’t a secret.”

Saying this, he took out a yellow bamboo slip engraved with a talisman from his bosom and respectfully handed it over, “Master, this is the Demon Citizen Certificate.”

“After obtaining the Demon Citizen Certificate, households will be recorded in the Divine Path. A hundred miles beyond, a Demon City is being constructed, and we’ll move there in the future, conducting business as before, without hiding our movements anymore.”

“As long as we behave and restrain our Yin Qi, we may even continue living in Taiyuan City…”

“That doesn’t seem to have any benefits, though.”

Bai Lang frowned, “Even though there’s a household registry, we’re under the constant jurisdiction of the Divine Path; it doesn’t feel free at all. Why are you all eager to join?”

“Master, you may not know.”

The Rat Spirit spoke with excitement, pulling out a talisman from his bosom.

“Only by being registered, and working for Kaiyuan Sect accumulating human merit, can we use Divine Path talismans; our cultivation is shallow, but relying on the Divine Path, we finally have a way to protect ourselves.”

“Oh…”

Bai Lang’s expression turned solemn, having seen humans wield certain strong Divine Path talismans that could even harm the Mahayana Realm.

Indeed, with the Innate Divine Being, True Man Zhang, humans were showing signs of soaring.

But compared to the Forbidden Land, it’s still lacking quite a bit…

Just then, he suddenly felt something within and looked into the house, where half a stick of purple incense in the altar suddenly ignited by itself, curling smoke upwards.

“You may leave now…”

Waving his hand to dismiss the Rat Spirit, Bai Lang strode into the house, continuously changing a spell, then frowned and said, “Brother Hei, this Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Incense is incredibly precious, do you have something urgent?”

Amid the sound of waves opposite, the wolf demon’s voice was unusually bitter, “Brother Bai, a major change has occurred within the sect, I fear we may wander the world in the future…”

After hearing the account, Bai Lang was dumbstruck, his voice stuttering, “How… how could such a thing happen?”

The voice on the other side grew anxious, “Brother Bai, I heard the Sect Leader plans to lead his followers to massacre humans. You have a good relationship with Baoshan Master, they might not spare you. Flee quickly, I’m leaving too…”

As he spoke, no more voice came from the other side, and the incense extinguished itself.

Bai Lang stood in a daze for a long while, then his eyes gradually wavered between light and dark, “Trouble from heaven indeed, seems a retreat path must be found…”

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth, walked out of the courtyard, transformed into rolling black smoke, heading toward the Astronomical Bureau.

Chi Lin felt humiliated, deliberately not mentioning Zhang Kui; in his view, the latter was already a dead man.

But Bai Lang of course wasn’t aware, thinking that with Zhang Kui guarding the humans, he might as well report this, perhaps even earning some merit points.

Upon learning the news, Taiyuan City, and even all coastal cities heightened their vigilance, Power of Incense Fire constantly tilted in this direction.

Before long, Zhang Kui also received the message from the Divine Court Bell, and was instantly enraged.

“This Chi Lin is truly shameless, damned!”

Aboard the Dragonbone Ship, there were now four yellow-clad strong men, though their appearances differed, each looked more ferocious, wielding Dragonbone Ship Crossbows, continuously blasting large swathes of artifact demons.

Zhang Kui had killed countless, yet artifact demons multiplied, and the black ocean outside the cave grew ever larger…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep