Chapter 727: Ghost-Slaying Blood Talisman
The Ghost-Slaying Talismans in Zhang Changqing's possession, used to combat the ghost, had been entirely expended in the recent battle. Although he had held quite a number of Ghost-Slaying Talismans at the time, each activation consumed them in large quantities. Such a usage pattern meant that no matter how many talismans he had, they couldn't withstand the drain.
Now, with no Ghost-Slaying Talismans left in his personal space, he had no choice but to draw one on the spot to deal with this ghost. That was why he roared at Zhang Changchun, hoping Zhang Changchun could find a way to buy him some time.
Whether Zhang Changchun could indeed buy him enough time, he wasn't entirely certain in his heart, but he didn't dwell on the question. As his roar echoed, he retrieved a talisman brush from his personal space.
There were many talismans effective against ghosts, not just the Ghost-Slaying Talisman. However, in his current predicament, among all the talismans Zhang Changqing knew, he felt only the Ghost-Slaying Talisman was most suitable. Therefore, the talisman he decided to draw now was the Ghost-Slaying Talisman, renowned for its immense destructive power against ghosts.
Yet, the Ghost-Slaying Talisman he was preparing to draw now was vastly different from the ones he usually drew. To be precise, the materials used for drawing the talisman were different.
After taking out the talisman brush, he didn't retrieve any special black talisman paper, nor did he take out the cinnabar needed for drawing talismans. Instead, he simply took out a talisman brush from his personal space and nothing else!
Holding the talisman brush, Zhang Changqing's expression was grave. Then, his brows furrowed, and a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes as he suddenly slammed his other hand against his own chest.
A mouthful of vital blood sprayed from his lips. However, the vital blood did not scatter onto the ground as usual; instead, it transformed into blood beads of varying sizes, floating suspended in the air.
Taking a deep breath, Zhang Changqing held the blood-soaked talisman brush and began to draw a talisman in front of himself, using the empty heavens and earth as his talisman paper.
Yang Haoran had once witnessed this technique demonstrated by Zhang Li. Drawing talismans with vital blood was not an arcane secret; many Talisman Masters knew how, and Yang Haoran, having researched it, was naturally no exception now. However, this method was rarely employed by Talisman Masters unless absolutely necessary.
This was because such a technique was extremely damaging to the body. Vital blood was entirely different from ordinary blood; it was the essence of blood. Each expenditure required a long period of recuperation and recovery. Overdrawing the vital blood in one's body could even lead to losing one's life.
Thus, Talisman Masters would not easily use vital blood to draw talismans unless it was a critical moment.
However, although drawing talismans with vital blood greatly harmed a Talisman Master's body, the power of such talismans was incredibly potent. Talismans of the same grade and type paled in comparison to those drawn with vital blood; their power was worlds apart and simply couldn't be mentioned in the same breath.
Therefore, with no Ghost-Slaying Talismans left, Zhang Changqing wanted to deliver a powerful, heavy blow to this ghost, and so he thought of drawing a talisman with his own vital blood!
The brush tip moved through the void, leaving behind twisted streaks of blood. The empty space before him no longer looked like empty space; it resembled a solid talisman paper.
Under his rapid strokes, a talisman far larger than a regular one gradually manifested under his brush tip.
While Zhang Changqing was drawing his Blood Talisman, Ma Yuanjin's expression was solemn, his eyes tightly shut, and his hands rapidly forming seals. So fast was his sealing that his hands left streaks of afterimages.
Besides forming seals, he was also softly chanting a spell. His chanting speed was equally fast, making it impossible to discern the specific words of his incantation.
As the two of them separately employed their powerful techniques, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing simultaneously controlled their respective Soul Armaments to attack the ghost while also casting Ghost Arts.
However, the Ghost Arts employed by Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were not as complex as the techniques Ma Yuanjin and Zhang Changqing were currently using. Thus, while the former pair consecutively cast two Ghost Arts, the latter two had yet to complete their preparations.
Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing both, by unspoken agreement, first deployed Yin Qi Shields, utilizing their potent defense to protect themselves and prevent unexpected attacks from suddenly harming their physical bodies.
After successfully manifesting their Yin Qi Shields, they then unleashed the Ghost Art, Ghost Fiend Soul Chain. This Ghost Fiend Soul Chain was a Ghost Art with considerable destructive power, and even though their full strength wasn't currently unleashed, its might was still formidable.
As for Zhang Changchun, his most powerful technique at the moment seemed to be only the Soul Suppression Tower. So, apart from fully activating the Soul Suppression Tower, he didn't employ any other methods.
Pushing the Soul Suppression Tower to its full power seemed to have brought him to his limit; he simply had no surplus energy to cast any other techniques.
However, compared to this ghost, whose power was rapidly approaching that of a Ghost King, their combined strength was still far too disparate. Even their joint effort failed to gain the upper hand, and in a short span, all three sustained injuries of varying severity.
Wang Yiming, who had only recently become a Black Talisman Master, found his techniques had little to no effect on this ghost, their impact being quite limited. Yet, he didn't give up. After his Ghost-Slaying Talismans ran out, he prepared to imitate his master Zhang Changqing, drawing a talisman on the spot using his vital blood.
Although he knew this would cause considerable exhaustion to his body, he no longer cared about such concerns in his desire to inflict more damage upon the ghost.
Standing beside him, Zhang Changqing guessed his intentions. Just as Wang Yiming was about to act, Zhang Changqing immediately spoke up to stop him.
"Yiming, stop!"
Wang Yiming paused, looking at Zhang Changqing beside him. He saw a substantial blood-red talisman already hovering before Zhang Changqing. In that short amount of time, Zhang Changqing had successfully drawn the Blood Talisman.
As a Talisman Master, Wang Yiming instantly recognized the talisman as a Ghost-Slaying Talisman. However, the power fluctuation emanating from this Ghost-Slaying Talisman was truly overwhelming.
"If you also fall into a weakened state from drawing a talisman with vital blood, our master-disciple duo's situation today will become even more perilous. It's beneficial for you to conserve some strength."
Zhang Changqing spoke, though his face was pale, his aura weak, and even his words sounded listless.
"Master, are you alright?"
Wang Yiming's face was filled with worry, and he tried to reach out to support Zhang Changqing.
Zhang Changqing waved his hand, signaling him not to bother. He fixed his gaze on the blood-glowing Ghost-Slaying Talisman before him, rapidly formed a hand seal, and let out a fierce shout!
"Go! ! !"
Zhang Changqing, who had previously sounded utterly listless, widened his eyes when he bellowed that single word. His voice was not only full of power but his aura was also remarkably strong. The substantial blood-red Ghost-Slaying Talisman before him instantly erupted with a dazzling blood-red light, tearing through the void and streaking with extreme speed towards the ghost currently locked in fierce combat with Yang Haoran and the other two.
Ever since it broke free from the Soul Suppression Tower, the ghost had remained remarkably calm. Even when facing the combined assault of the group, its expression hadn't changed, maintaining an air of absolute confidence.
However, now, facing the rapidly approaching Ghost-Slaying Blood Talisman, the smile on its face faded, and its expression grew considerably more serious.
It was clear from its reaction that this Ghost-Slaying Blood Talisman made it feel a certain threat, hence the change in its demeanor.
The Ghost-Slaying Blood Talisman moved incredibly fast, reaching its target in the blink of an eye. The ghost wanted to dodge, but how could Yang Haoran and the other two allow it to succeed? They all employed their techniques, attempting to prevent its successful evasion.
Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing controlled their respective Ghost Fiend Soul Chains, blocking all possible escape routes for the ghost, while Zhang Changchun activated the Soul Suppression Tower, intending to use suppression to impede the ghost's movements.
The ghost's brows furrowed slightly. It gathered its power, instantly tearing apart the Ghost Fiend Soul Chains condensed by Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing's Ghost Arts, reducing them to Yin Qi that dissipated into nothingness.
At the same time, the power from the Soul Suppression Tower that had coiled around its body was also shattered with extreme speed.
However, just as it was about to dodge after completing all this, the Ghost-Slaying Blood Talisman, like a bloody bolt of lightning, struck its body.
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