Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Thunder Seed Received

"Aaaaaargh..."

After a series of agonized screams, four streams of Evil Qi surged into the Five Thunders Order one by one. The order’s Thunderbolt refined them, transforming them into currents of Thunder Power that nourished Gu Zhao’s Dantian Sea of Consciousness, muscles, bones, and flesh.

With Gu Zhao and Taoist Yan Song fighting at full strength, and Zhuo Qingyan and the Silk Embroideress coordinating perfectly, the four demons were annihilated before they could even fight back.

The thunderclouds dissipated, the Wind and Fire faded, and the waves settled.

Two large fish, a black newt, and a patterned toad floated on the water’s surface. They were a size larger than their ordinary counterparts, but now they were half-charred black, covered in slash marks, and utterly lifeless.

SPLASH—

The waves in Crescent Bay suddenly roiled as a green light shot out from the water. It instantly pierced the barrier of the Great Dragon-locking Talisman and shot toward the heavens, then a dark shadow flashed beneath the surface.

"Silk Embroideress! Keep it up!" Gu Zhao bellowed, raising his hand and smiting the water with a Palm Thunder.

The Silk Embroideress had also spotted the dark shadow. The moment the Great Dragon-locking Talisman failed, she threw out another seven or eight Talismans. After a rapid series of hand seals and Chanting, they transformed into streaks of light, sealing the surrounding space.

The Bian Ancestor was right there, under the water. The Great Dragon-locking Talisman was like a massive shield descending to cover all of Crescent Bay. It didn’t block earth, water, wind, or fire—only living things.

The next moment, a dark shadow slammed into the light curtain formed by the Great Dragon-locking Talisman. A transparent ripple appeared and spread through the air, but the barrier held firm, refusing to shatter.

"The old turtle’s trying to run?" Taoist Yan Song’s eyebrow twitched. "This son of a tortoise is a real coward!"

Gu Zhao produced several more Mountain Thunder Talismans. "We obviously came well-prepared. We killed his four top Commanders the moment we attacked. It’s understandable that he’s scared and wants to run."

Taoist Yan Song shook his head. "He’s a patriarch, after all. I thought he’d at least utter a few threatening words."

SWISH!

Another green light flared, emanating immense Demon Power that shattered the Dragon-locking Shield’s light curtain.

This time, without waiting for Gu Zhao’s command, the Silk Embroideress had already tossed out several more Yellow Talismans. In a flash of flowing light, they formed another Dragon-locking Light Curtain, trapping the Bian Ancestor once more.

Taoist Yan Song was a bit astonished. "Just how many Talismans did you draw?"

"I prepared as if I’d be facing the whole world alone," Gu Zhao said calmly. "If I hadn’t figured out that the power of the Talismans increases with my Cultivation, I would have made two or three times more."

Taoist Yan Song glanced at the cloth satchel slung over the Silk Embroideress’s shoulder and shook his head. "Well, I guess this is one way to clear out your inventory."

Gu Zhao was speechless. "It’s not like I need to balance the books."

Taoist Yan Song chuckled. "Call it a drill."

A moment later, having failed to break the Restriction twice, the river water in Crescent Bay began to surge. It churned violently, stirring up a monstrous wave mixed with thick Demon Power. The wave transformed into a boundless wall of water, rising thirty zhang high and lunging toward the four of them.

Taoist Yan Song opened his mouth and exhaled a violent gale. The wind collided with the wave, instantly turning it into a torrential downpour and a sky full of water vapor that fell from above, filling the space.

HUM! HUM! HUM!

Three streams of Sun and Moon Gang Qi instantly erupted from the Silk Embroideress, blasting outward in all directions. They swept the surrounding rain and vapor away, providing complete protection for the Silk Embroideress, Bai Ke, and Zhuo Qingyan.

"Worthy of an ancient demon!" Taoist Yan Song took a step forward and blew a breath of air toward the upper reaches of Crescent Bay. A tornado then formed on the bay’s edge, pulling the upstream water onto the banks and reducing the amount of water inside the Dragon-locking Shield.

"That must consume a ton of Magical Power!" Gu Zhao exclaimed in admiration, then unhesitatingly threw the Yellow Talismans in his hand. They transformed into more than ten sharp, glittering golden bolts of lightning, shooting toward the Bian Ancestor, whose form was about to be revealed in the water.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG...

After a series of impacts, the Bian Ancestor revealed his true form. He hadn’t manifested a human shape; what appeared before them was a giant turtle with a shell over two meters wide!

A black pearl hovered over its head, shrouded in a hazy mist and faintly glowing with a bloody light. The aura it radiated, while slightly unstable, was deep and substantial.

"The Old Ao Primordial Pearl?" Gu Zhao exclaimed. He finally noticed the connection between the Bian Ancestor and the Primordial Pearl overhead—their Divine Souls were even faintly merging. ’Is the blood sacrifice still in progress?’

Seeing Taoist Yan Song holding back the river water and Gu Zhao brandishing more Yellow Talismans capable of shooting that golden light, a flicker of fury showed in the Bian Ancestor’s eyes, but still, he said nothing.

Demon Power flared as the Bian Ancestor connected with the Primordial Pearl. Channeling all his Magical Power, he spat a beam of green light. After breaking the Dragon-locking Shield, his Demon Power surged, shredding Taoist Yan Song’s tornado. He then charged straight upstream.

Zhuo Qingyan lowered her Jade Flute and urgently warned, "He’s heading to Wuhe County to complete the blood sacrifice for the Primordial Pearl!"

To prevent other powers from discovering his secret, the Bian Ancestor had hidden alone in Wuhe County’s Crescent Bay. He had sent out only five Commanders to commit the killings, using the excuse of celebrating his birthday to spread the murders over thirty days.

But now that Gu Zhao had discovered him and killed several of his Commanders, the original plan was clearly ruined. Deciding to go all in, the Bian Ancestor prepared to head directly to Wuhe County and slaughter its people to rapidly complete the blood sacrifice.

’As long as I complete the blood sacrifice and break through my five-hundred-year Dao Practice bottleneck,’ he thought, ’this strange combination of humans, a Female Ghost, and a Fox Demon will be nothing more than a meal!’

SWISH!

But just as the Bian Ancestor advanced less than ten zhang, another light curtain descended from the sky, blocking his path and sending him into a rage!

’Casting such a large-scale Restriction Magic has to consume an enormous amount of Magical Power,’ the Bian Ancestor thought. ’Even with a Magical Treasure, you can’t cast it that many times! It costs me a fortune in Magical Power every time I break the seal, so how can you all cast it on a whim?’

The Bian Ancestor was both shocked and enraged. He looked at the small group on the summit of Yueya Mountain, knowing they had come fully prepared. If he couldn’t kill them, he feared he wouldn’t be able to break out of here anytime soon.

The next moment, the Bian Ancestor abruptly burst from the river. His body, a full zhang long from head to tail, charged toward the mountaintop like a small hill. Simultaneously, he swept up the waters of the Chang River, transforming them into chains of Black Water that he whipped toward the group.

The Bian Ancestor knew they weren’t here to serve justice for the people; they were after the Old Ao Primordial Pearl. So, unlike his foolish subordinates, he didn’t bother asking who they were.

Identities were irrelevant at this point. They had made it clear they were here to kill him, so naturally, he had to kill them first.

With a wave of his sleeve, a yellow opera mask appeared on Taoist Yan Song’s face. He drew his longsword, unleashing seven strands of Sword Qi that severed the Black Water chains, then spat out a mouthful of Taiyi Wind and Fire.

Gu Zhao, meanwhile, threw out a dozen Wind and Thunder Talismans to block the Bian Ancestor’s charge. He then formed the Celestial Thunder Seal and chanted the Thunder-Expelling Curse, coordinating with Taoist Yan Song, the main attacker, by launching his own area-of-effect attack.

From the rear, Zhuo Qingyan raised her Dongxiao, and the melody of "Drunken Flower Sleep" rang out, piercing straight into the Bian Ancestor’s Divine Soul.

...

A moment later, the clouds and mist dissipated.

The fight had been perilous, but ultimately without incident. The Evil Qi was in the bank.

The Five Thunders Order trembled slightly. A wisp of Thunderbolt then coalesced, and a new Thunder Seed finally took shape, circling merrily around the order.