Chapter 99: Talismans Summon Heavenly Thunder |
A blue streak of light pierced through Li Tianxiu''s head, continuing forward for dozens of yards before embedding itself into a white wall with a thunk—it was a section of green bamboo.
The bamboo sank about a foot into the wall. A few splashes of blood, bright red like plum blossoms, adorned the white surface, creating a somewhat unique artistic mood.
One could not tell at all that this bamboo had just passed through a human brain.
No one had anticipated this sudden turn of events. By the time they reacted, the green bamboo had already pierced Li Tianxiu''s skull, leaving no possibility of saving him!
Among the Li Family members were many experts, especially the family retainers. They were all selected from the most capable and astute Xiucai to serve as Embroidered Uniform Guards. Many were veterans who had descended from frontier garrisons, soldiers who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, possessing extremely high combat experience. Among them were even experts who had cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage!
Yet, despite so many experts, not a single one had been fast enough to block that piece of green bamboo!
That bamboo had been too fast, so fast that by the time the sound was heard, Li Tianxiu''s head was already penetrated!
"Protect the Mistresses!"
At Sister-in-law Gu''s command, the crowd immediately shifted. Dozens of people flashed to the side of the carriages carrying the family members. With a light pat at their waists, beams of golden light erupted. Massive golden bells inverted and descended, their surfaces swirling with golden radiance—these were Golden Bell Talismans, protecting the carriages to prevent the assailants from harming the womenfolk.
The bell tolls echoed melodiously.
Additionally, Eight Trigrams Protection Talismans rose up, divine light forming the eight hexagram symbols of Heaven, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Water, Fire, Mountain, and Lake. They began to revolve slowly around each carriage.
River Chart Life-Preserving Talismans, Life-Extending Protection Talismans, and other talismans were also activated, similarly guarding the carriages.
At the same time, the Li Family retainers leapt in all directions, jumping onto the eaves of various buildings, attempting to seize the high ground. From an elevated position, they could see where the enemy was coming from.
However, just as they leapt, a piercing sound of something tearing through the air assaulted them.
"Whoosh—"
A Li Family retainer felt a tremendous shock in his chest, as if struck by a primordial savage ox, and was sent flying backward.
While still in mid-air, he looked back and saw his own back explode open. Blood blossomed in all directions like water splashed when a giant rock smashes into a lake. Simultaneously, a piece of green bamboo shot through the air toward the distance.
"Is it a magic treasure? So fast!"
He had just thought this when suddenly all his strength dissipated.
This bamboo had pierced his heart, severing his life force.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
One piece of green bamboo after another shot forth like death warrants. Seven retainers had attempted to leap up this time, but six were pierced through by the bamboo. One managed to activate a Golden Bell Talisman in time, but the bamboo still pierced through it. Fortunately, the Golden Bell Talisman blocked it for a moment, preventing the bamboo from exiting his body.
However, that momentary block caused the front end of the bamboo to explode. Countless bamboo splinters embedded themselves in his chest, piercing his heart and both lungs.
Struck, panic filled his heart. He tried to breathe forcefully, causing his heart to burst and his lungs to explode. By the time he fell, he was already a corpse, having died an extremely gruesome death.
The seventh person did not die by the green bamboo, because the moment he leapt up, he was impaled by a giant mao bamboo over seventeen feet long!
The force transmitted by that giant bamboo was immense. While piercing his body, it executed a forceful "Hunyuan Twist."
The so-called Hunyuan Twist is a key spear technique principle. Holding a large spear with both hands, the base of the spear tucked at the waist, power is generated from the waist, driving the force of the whole body into the spear shaft. All the force travels through the shaft to the spear tip, where it explodes, drawing a large circle.
After cultivating a Golden Core, with the core''s enhancement, when the core draws a circle, even a Diamond Indestructible Body would be shaken apart!
Although that Li Family retainer had also cultivated a Golden Core, with one shake from this giant bamboo, all 206 bones in his body were displaced. He was tossed aside like mud.
It all happened faster than words can describe. Many Li Family retainers had already flipped onto treetops, occupying high points. Others retreated into the courtyards, summoning their Golden Cores to guard against attacks from the rear.
The rest activated their miniature shrines and Divine Embryos, mobilized spells, circulated sword energy or jade wheels, making their preparations.
Some Embroidered Uniform Guards, though only at the Divine Embryo realm, took bird guns from their backs, loaded gunpowder, scattered, and prepared to fire at any moment.
The Xinxiang Zhao Family could not compare to the Quanzhou Li Family. The Quanzhou Li Family had deep heritage, a long and storied history. First, strict family discipline; second, experts emerging in every generation; third, a multitude of followers.
Although the attackers were fierce, having killed eight in a row, for the two governor''s wives, Xia Weiyin and Yan Jingshu, this was not yet a crippling blow.
Everyone looked toward that giant bamboo and saw a man in blue robes, holding the seventeen-foot bamboo, walking toward them.
The blue-robed man''s clothing was not particularly splendid, but it was quite refined, without any patches.
For the convenience of combat, he wore no decorative items like jade pendants. On his feet were cloth shoes, well-fitted, allowing for light steps.
Behind him followed a youth, wearing the blue robes of a newly advanced Xiucai, still brand new. However, he wasn''t wearing the small black hat of a Xiucai. His sleeves were torn off, and his long robe was rolled up and tucked into his waist, revealing loose white trousers.
The youth carried a fish basket on his back. Inside were several pieces of green bamboo, one end sharpened to a fine point, tips facing upward. There was also a yellow oil-paper umbrella, inserted handle-down into the basket.
Behind the youth followed a black dog, completely black without a single strand of stray hair. Its pace was neither hurried nor slow, seemingly completely unafraid of the murderous scene ahead, which was rather surprising.
"Master Fu, I killed seven. You only got one."
The youth said, "Although you are the teacher, you haven''t grasped the essence of the Master''s Analects."
The blue-robed elder snorted but did not reply.
The two and the dog walked forward as if no one else was around.
The youth held his left hand in a sword seal, his right hand also in a sword seal, but between his index and middle finger, he held a yellow talisman.
"Activate—"
The youth uttered a clear command. The yellow talisman in his hand ignited, flames carrying the talisman as it spiraled up into the sky.
Everyone''s gaze fell upon these two, each stunned. "Two Xiucai?"
These two both appeared to be Xiucai, especially that youth, only eleven or twelve years old, his appearance youthful and immature, a few years younger than Li Tianxiu. Judging by his attire, he was clearly one of the newly advanced Xiucai from this Confucian Temple exam.
But... was it he who controlled those green bamboos earlier?
How could they be so domineering, so brutal?
Master Zeng looked at the two and said in a deep voice, "Are you Fu Leisheng, Master Fu?"
Fu Leisheng strode forward, holding the giant bamboo, charging ahead as he shouted, "It is indeed I, Fu!"
As soon as his voice fell, the sound of Li Tianxiu''s corpse hitting the ground was heard, followed by the clatter of horse hooves. The fine steed, freed from its master''s control, galloped wildly down the street.
"CRACK!"
Thunder rumbled in the sky. Lightning pierced the thick dark clouds, brilliantly white.
Simultaneously, an immense force tore through the clouds, transforming into beams of radiant light descending from the heavens. This was the Confucian Temple''s sacrifice to Heaven. The Celestial True God, sensing the incense offerings and worship from the Confucian Temple, descended a divine blessing.
Within those beams of radiant light was the Divine Embryo formed from the True God''s power, responding to the sacrifice, descending toward the Mudball Palace of the Xiucai who had passed this County-level Imperial Examination.
The Mudball Palace is where the Primordial Spirit resides and also where the miniature shrine forms. When a cultivator activates their cultivation technique, the shrine projects behind their head, allowing the Divine Embryo to take its seat within the shrine. It helps the cultivator manage true energy, balance yin and yang, subdue water and fire, gather spirit, and temper the physical body.
At this moment, as dusk was falling, beams of radiant light, shimmering with different colors, appeared extremely dazzling.
Not only in Xinxiang County, but in all sixty counties of Xinxiang Province, and in every county and provincial capital across the other forty-nine provinces of the Western Ox New Continent, bright radiant light pierced the sky. Whether it was rain, dark clouds, or storms, nothing could block those beams of light descending from the heavens.
This phenomenon was called the True God''s Descent!
Once every three years, magnificent and spectacular, it attracted countless people to look up and watch!
Near the Confucian Temple in Xinxiang County town, people knelt and kowtowed toward the radiant light. Some even stepped forward, trying to touch a bit of the divine aura, hoping their own children could also achieve good results.
Yet, outside the Lingnan merchant''s estate, a murderous atmosphere reigned. As Fu Leisheng charged, four people immediately rushed toward him from the front-left, rear-left, front-right, and rear-right directions. Four attackers converging, each summoned their Golden Core, forming four layers of golden core force fields, their power immense.
The force fields each enveloped an area, forming spheres about three yards in diameter, protecting front, back, up, down, left, and right.
Moreover, the four cultivated different paths, so the attributes of their Golden Cores differed. When one core was summoned, objects within its force field would spontaneously combust; even the ground began to emit a charred smell.
Another''s golden core force field contained Xun Wind, a gloomy wind. From a distance, it looked like countless black hairs dancing within a sphere. Those were not actual hairs, but a visual illusion caused by the extreme ferocity of the wind.
Another''s golden core force field contained water flow, formless in gathering and dispersing, washing back and forth. With a light sway of the force field, everything dissolved, and a large chunk of ground vanished.
The force field formed by the fourth Golden Core was incredibly heavy, golden and gleaming. Wherever it passed, everything was crushed; even the ground was pressed into large pits!
These four possessed extraordinary skills. Where their four Golden Cores intersected, Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire converged, instantly annihilating everything!
The four converged, attacking. Even without spells, just these four Golden Cores were enough to claim Fu Leisheng''s life.
At that moment, thunder cracked ominously in the sky. The yellow talisman Chen Shi had activated transformed into a streak of firelight shooting into the air, swaying uncertainly in the sky.
Master Zeng looked up. It was a yellow talisman, the paper yellow, about a foot long and a palm''s width. On it, drawn with cinnabar and black dog blood, was a talisman pattern, crimson as blood.
Now the yellow paper had burned away, revealing the talisman. The crimson runes emitted a brilliant golden light, five yards wide, eight yards long, covering about an acre, hanging down!
"Do not summon your Golden Cores or Nascent Souls!"
Master Zeng''s face changed dramatically as he urgently shouted, "There''s a Nine Yang Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman in the sky!"
Before his words finished, a tremendous CRACK sounded from the sky. Rolling thunder and fire descended from the heavens. The lightning, passing through the Nine Yang Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman, struck straight down onto the Water-attribute Golden Core!
Golden Cores have form but no substance. External objects cannot harm them, spells cannot break them, they cannot be taken or scattered. But what they fear most is heavenly thunder.
With this bolt of thunder descending, the Water-attribute Golden Core instantly shattered. That Golden Core expert coughed up large mouthfuls of blood, his body stiffened, and he fell to the ground.
"CRACK!" "CRACK!" "CRACK!"
Heavenly thunder continued unabated in the sky, grazing past the burning Nine Yang Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman as it struck down. The Earth, Wind, and Fire Golden Cores, not yet withdrawn, were shattered by the heavenly thunder!
The three men each emitted black smoke as they fell to the ground, alive or dead unknown.
"A Talisman Master!"
Master Zeng''s heart turned cold. This youth with the fish basket on his back was absolutely a formidable Talisman Master. To activate a Nine Yang Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman at this moment meant their Golden Cores and Nascent Souls could not be summoned.
Today was overcast, with thick dark clouds. Although it hadn''t rained yet, thunder lurked within the clouds, rumbling.
Heavenly thunder belongs to the ultimate Yang. Golden Cores and Nascent Souls both contain Yin energy, especially Nascent Souls, which are even called Yin Spirits. During thunderous weather, they must be nurtured and kept within.
Otherwise, if a Golden Core is summoned or a Nascent Soul is raised, and thunder rumbles past, they would be pulverized into dust!
Those four Golden Core experts just now had their cores shattered by the heavenly thunder drawn by the Nine Yang Heavenly Thunder Summoning Talisman!
"Master Fu, with the heavenly thunder suppressing them, we can start killing now," Chen Shi said gravely.
With a light flick of his left hand''s sword seal, a piece of green bamboo in the fish basket stirred restlessly, then shot out.
Fu Leisheng snorted. "What if there were no dark clouds, no thunderstorm? What would you do then?"
Chen Shi moved his fingertip. "In my sleeve, I still have Spring Rain Talismans and Five Thunder Talismans. If there''s no rain, I''ll summon rain. If there''s no thunder, I''ll summon thunder!"
"Whoosh—"
The green bamboo shot through the air, piercing through it, even faintly carrying the sound of thunder!
Chen Shi gripped the firewood knife at his waist with his right hand. His body sank, thighs tensed, energy coursing through his fascia. His two legs instantly became immensely thick and powerful as he launched himself forward in a sprint!
The moment he sprinted out, one piece of green bamboo after another leapt from the fish basket on his back, emitting piercing sounds as they shot forth!
Fu Leisheng also charged forward in a full sprint, his giant bamboo like a large spear, its tip whistling as he stormed toward the carriage convoy, his speed increasing.
Black Pot stopped, sitting back on its haunches, watching as Chen Shi moved with meteor-like speed, the firewood knife slashing one person''s throat, green bamboo piercing through the bodies of one Embroidered Uniform Guard and family retainer after another.
