novel bin Chapter 111 Sudden Appearance
Chapter 111 Sudden Appearance
A cold wind carried the floating clouds away into the distance, leaving only the waning moon casting a hazy glow in the sky.
The town seemed like a ghost town, desolate and bleak; eerie and terrifying.
Despite the loud noise, Wugu Town remained completely still, as if everything had come to a standstill.
Amidst the ruins piled with broken bricks, tiles, rags, and beams, a bust identical to the statue of the Goddess of Fertility exudes an eerie charm.
Just as Fang Hongxuan was about to completely devour the remaining half of the Goddess of Fertility's body, Zhang Desheng, who had been lurking in the dark room, could no longer restrain himself. He burst out from the platform, wielding his dragon-bearded staff, and glared angrily at Fang Hongxuan, whose eyes were bloodshot.
"This is outrageous!"
Although he didn't know why he was so angry that he charged out recklessly, there was no turning back now that the arrow had been released. He had no choice but to put on a tough front and shout sternly.
Seemingly regaining some of his senses, Fang Hongxuan then noticed that beneath the altar lay a deep, dark chamber. All of this reminded him of another Taoist temple beneath Qingfeng Temple and the Tongyou Rakshasa hidden within it.
"Could there be some connection?"
Thinking of this, he chuckled to himself.
"It must be a coincidence..."
After a moment of reflection, Fang Hongxuan casually tossed the half-dead "Goddess of Fertility" into the rubble. He moved his right hand, which was gradually regaining sensation, while his eyes flashed with undisguised murderous intent.
"I was just about to go looking for you, but I didn't expect you to come to me like this..."
"We are all born of the same root, why are you so eager to harm me... We are family... Why won't you let me off the hook?"
The broken half-body statue on the ground was continuously sending a hazy light towards Zhang Desheng, which immediately dampened Fang Hongxuan's interest in saying anything.
"He... he's stalling for time..."
"If what he said earlier is true, then his remaining soul still exists inside this statue... Delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances, so it's best to capture him as soon as possible..."
Thinking this, Fang Hongxuan no longer hesitated, brandishing his knife and lunging at Zhang Desheng. Although the two were separated by three zhang (approximately 10 meters), Fang Hongxuan traversed that distance in an instant. His movement stirred up clouds of dust from the ruins.
In the darkness, all that could be heard was the constant clanging of sticks and blades, and the fluttering of robes!
The heavy blade, wielding lightning, slashed down towards Zhang Desheng's head.
'Thump...'
The sound of the collision was like a muffled bell, leaving listeners feeling shaken and numb all over.
Amidst the flying sparks, the Dragon Beard Staff, carrying endless heat and Zhang Desheng's hatred, charged straight at Fang Hongxuan's fierce attack. Invisible shockwaves erupted once again from the point of impact between the clashing weapons, even forcibly stirring ripples in the moonlight.
Two completely different faces were reflected on Fang Hongxuan's snow-white blade: the former had eyes bulging with rage, while the latter remained cold and silent.
And, in front of his face, two weapons clashed helplessly, the club with its jagged edges and the heavy blade gleaming as new.
Clang... clang... clang...
The steel knife and the wooden stick clashed together, producing a chilling creaking sound, and then the two weapons suddenly separated, just like the fierce warriors wielding weapons.
Before Zhang Desheng could create distance, Fang Hongxuan charged in again.
Grip the hilt tightly and swing the blade.
Unlike before, this time Fang Hongxuan had the upper hand.
After all, Zhang Desheng had already lost an arm, and this battle was merely a desperate attempt to forcefully wield his Dragon Beard Staff, fueled by his inner rage. However, even the strongest momentum eventually fades, and Zhang Desheng's earlier attempt to create distance was simply a way to alleviate his nearly exhausted energy. Unfortunately, Fang Hongxuan noticed this small move and pressed forward relentlessly, giving Zhang Desheng no chance to catch his breath.
"Damn demon-slaying captain! If I hadn't lost an arm, I could have fought you for dozens more rounds!"
Zhang Desheng was filled with hatred, but now he had no chance to attack. Even if he defended, it would only be a matter of prolonging his life and delaying the time of defeat.
However, even the most impenetrable defenses will eventually have loopholes.
Before Zhang Desheng could even raise his Dragon Beard Staff, which he was holding with one hand, Fang Hongxuan's blade had already touched his chest and abdomen.
The next second, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and skin was torn open!
"My life is over!"
Just as the blade was about to pierce Zhang Desheng's vitals, Fang Hongxuan caught a glimpse of Li Chengxiang, who was standing on the ruins watching from somewhere, as well as the few people who had been released earlier. Behind them stood a hundred or so believers armed with knives, guns, and clubs.
After a slight hesitation, Fang Hongxuan did not kill Zhang Desheng on the spot.
He used his foot instead of a knife to kick Zhang Desheng into the ruins, then turned and stared at Li Chengxiang, who was looking down at him.
If Li Chengxiang was different from others, it was because his body was shrouded in deathly aura and his skin was devoid of any human warmth.
"Commander Fang, why did you destroy the Goddess Temple in Wugu Town in the middle of the night without a pillow? Do you really think you can control everything here?!"
Li Chengxiang's face was so gloomy it was almost dripping with water, and the believers behind him were furious, their eyes bulging as if Fang Hongxuan had killed their fathers.
"What happened... why has even the last trace of humanity they had vanished without a trace..."
"If you don't give us an explanation today, then you can stay here!"
Fang Hongxuan, however, sneered repeatedly.
"They're just a bunch of evil spirits, what can they do to me!"
Despite his boastful words, Fang Hongxuan had no intention of taking on a hundred men single-handedly. After all, his old wounds had not yet healed, and he had been injured again. It would be extremely unwise to engage in combat at this moment, especially since he had not yet grasped the situation here and could not act rashly.
A massive crowd poured out, their shouts of battle echoing throughout the land.
Having already spotted a good escape route, Fang Hongxuan no longer hesitated and crossed the corridor, heading straight for the lake below.
The night was pitch black, with no lighting, and Fang Hongxuan's shadow was nowhere to be seen on the dark river surface.
Holding torches and wielding weapons, the believers walked to the spot where Fang Hongxuan had jumped into the water and gazed down for a long time before stopping. As for the dying Zhang Desheng, he was carried by the crowd and brought to Li Chengxiang.
"Master Li, what should be done with this man?"
Li Chengxiang narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of anticipation flashing in them.
"Lock him up in my manor's prison and interrogate him after I've dealt with these matters..."
...
The lake water was naturally freezing cold in winter. Even when Fang Hongxuan had not activated his talent, he felt his whole body tremble, as if he was about to convulse.
"The timing of our arrival is so opportune; there must be something fishy going on... Perhaps the Li family holds clues I haven't considered... Intruding now should catch them off guard..."
As for the location of the Li family mansion, Fang Hongxuan had already found out during his casual conversation with Fugui. One hundred and twenty steps west of the Niangniang Temple, there was a courtyard with stone lions of different shapes standing at the entrance, and the vermilion doors were tightly closed; that was the Li family mansion.
"It is said that the serene and beautiful ponds and waterways within the Li family mansion are connected to this unnamed river, making it a perfect place to sneak in..."