Sixty-three
Inside the Guanyin Pavilion, it was deathly silent, like a tomb.
Zhan Zhao and his elite troops advanced slowly in a fan shape, their footsteps rustling softly on the accumulated dust. The Giant Sword remained sheathed, but its hilt was damp with the sweat from his palms. The sinister aura in the air grew stronger, mingled with dust and a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of blood.
They crossed the front courtyard and entered the main hall. The hall was covered in cobwebs, and a dilapidated statue lay askew on the floor, its face bearing an eerie smile. A few beams of pale sunlight streamed through a hole in the roof, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air and adding to the sinister atmosphere.
"Lord Zhan, there's no one here," a yamen runner whispered, his voice echoing softly in the empty hall.
Zhan Zhao frowned, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across every corner of the hall. His gaze finally settled on the particularly heavy shadow behind the statue. There seemed to be something there.
He made a hand gesture, and the two constables understood, carefully flanking the shadows from the left and right.
Just as the two were about to touch the shadows, a sudden change occurred!
"Crack—Boom!"
The ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed! It was the entire floor of the main hall! The enormous pit, like the gaping maw of a giant beast, instantly swallowed up the dozen or so elite soldiers from Kaifeng Prefecture who had stepped into the hall!
"Watch out!" Zhan Zhao reacted extremely quickly. The moment he felt the ground loosen under his feet, he gathered his strength and leaped forward. His toes touched the cracking floor tiles, and he flipped backward like a hawk, landing precariously on the threshold of the palace gate.
His men, however, were not so lucky. Screams, the sound of falling, and the muffled thuds of heavy objects hitting the ground mingled together, accompanied by the horrific sounds of bones cracking and tendons breaking, coming from the bottomless darkness below, before falling silent, leaving only a few painful groans.
A trap! It was indeed a meticulously designed, deadly trap!
Almost simultaneously, Bai Yutang's angry shouts and the sharp clang of clashing weapons echoed outside the hall! The left flank had also been ambushed!
Zhan Zhao's heart sank. Ignoring the casualties inside the hall, he flashed out to rush to Bai Yutang's aid. However—
"Whoosh whoosh!"
Countless poisoned crossbow bolts rained down like a storm, shooting out from the windows, holes, and even the ground around the main hall, all aimed at Zhan Zhao at the hall's entrance! The arrows covered every possible angle of evasion, ruthless and cunning beyond measure!
Zhan Zhao's pupils contracted sharply, and the Giant Sword was finally drawn! The sword light surged instantly, transforming into a fierce ball of light that protected his body.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
A dense barrage of metallic clangs erupted! Most of the crossbow bolts were shattered or knocked away by the sword energy, but there were simply too many and too densely packed arrows, and their force was incredibly strong, clearly indicating that they were powerful crossbows from the army! Zhan Zhao felt a tingling numbness in his arms, and the sphere of sword energy was compressed smaller and smaller. Several stray arrows grazed his arms and calves, leaving bloody marks that stung painfully.
That's not all!
Several dark figures silently slid down from the rooftops and pillars! Dressed in night clothes that blended seamlessly with the darkness, wielding strangely shaped curved blades, their movements were eerie and ghostly—they were members of the Black Witch Cult! The moment they appeared, they attacked Zhan Zhao without hesitation, their blades flashing and weaving a web of death, completely sealing off all his escape routes in conjunction with the constant stream of arrows fired from outside the hall!
Zhan Zhao was surrounded and faced attacks from all sides alone. His swordsmanship was like a mighty river, impenetrable and flawless. With each swing of his giant sword, a Black Witch Cultist would fall to the ground, bleeding profusely. However, his opponents were numerous, well-coordinated, and fearless, often trading blows for injuries, risking their lives, just to leave a wound on him.
The fighting outside the hall grew increasingly intense, interspersed with Bai Yutang's angry curses, clearly indicating that he too was engaged in a fierce battle.
Zhan Zhao knew he had to break through and reunite with Bai Yutang as soon as possible, otherwise, if they were separated and surrounded, the consequences would be unimaginable. He changed his sword stance, switching from defense to offense, unleashing a move called "Star River Reversal," where his sword energy swept wildly in all directions like an exploding star river!
"Puff puff puff!"
Three approaching Black Witch Cult members were pierced through the body by the sword energy and died instantly. A sliver of a gap appeared in the encirclement!
Zhan Zhao moved with lightning speed, about to burst out of the gap.
Just then, an extremely cold and condensed killing intent, like a venomous snake, silently attacked from behind! Its speed was beyond the reach of sight!
Zhan Zhao felt a chill run down his spine; it was an instinctive warning honed from countless brushes with death! Without thinking, he swung his sword backward to block!
"Clang—!"
The ear-piercing metallic clang almost ripped my eardrums!
An immense, chilling, and eerie force surged through the sword. Zhan Zhao felt as if he had been struck in the chest, his blood churning, a sweet taste rising in his throat, and he nearly coughed up blood. He used the force to propel himself forward several steps, then abruptly turned around.
Suddenly, an old man dressed in a dark red cloak, his face withered like a skeleton, appeared behind where he had just stood. In his hand, the old man held a strangely shaped black bone knife, the blade swirling with tangible black energy—it was none other than the "Crimson Nightmare Venerable"! The aura emanating from him was even more sinister and terrifying than when they fought at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, clearly indicating that his power had improved again.
"Zhan Zhao, today this Guanyin Pavilion will be your burial ground!" The Crimson Nightmare Venerable's voice was hoarse like a night owl, and his eyes flashed with a cruel and excited light.
Without another word, he swung his bone knife, his body moving with the blade, transforming into a black and red afterimage as he pounced on Zhan Zhao once more! His swordsmanship was unpredictable and ruthless, each strike carrying a chilling and malevolent aura that eroded internal energy, coupled with his elusive and ghostly movements.
Zhan Zhao suppressed his surging blood and qi, and the Giant Sword emitted a clear, resonant hum. He wielded the sword to its fullest extent, its light like a bolt of lightning, clashing head-on with the bone knife. Both men fought with speed and ruthlessness, exchanging dozens of blows in an instant!
The explosive sounds of clashing energies were deafening, and the entire dilapidated hall shook violently, with dust falling in gusts.
Zhan Zhao possessed exquisite swordsmanship, profound inner strength, and an awe-inspiring righteousness, making him a natural nemesis of evil arts. However, this Crimson Nightmare Venerable not only had mastered the "Copper Corpse Skill," rendering him impervious to blades and spears, but the sinister power contained within his swordsmanship was also constantly eroding Zhan Zhao's meridians, causing his inner strength to gradually stagnate. To make matters worse, Black Witch Cultists were constantly launching sneak attacks from the surrounding area, and cold arrows continued to fly from tricky angles, forcing Zhan Zhao to be distracted in his defense.
Prolonged defense inevitably leads to defeat. In the midst of the fierce battle, Zhan Zhao was a fraction of a second too slow in his attempt to deflect a sneak attacking arrow. The Crimson Nightmare Venerable seized the opportunity, his bone blade piercing through the sword net at an extremely bizarre angle, slicing a deep gash to the bone beneath Zhan Zhao's left ribs! Black mist swirled around the wound, and the blood was a dark purple, sending waves of numbness through him.
A sharp pain shot through him, and Zhan Zhao groaned, his swordplay faltering slightly.
The Crimson Nightmare Venerable grinned maliciously, intensifying his attacks. Seeing their leader succeed, the other Black Witch Cult members, like sharks smelling blood, launched an even more frenzied assault.
Zhan Zhao gritted his teeth and persevered, his sword still flashing fiercely, but his steps were already faltering, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, his official robes soaked with blood and sweat. He knew he was likely doomed. Images of Bao Zheng, Gongsun Ce, and Bai Yutang flashed through his mind, finally settling on Xuan Yuan Tianyi's cold and beautiful face and her protruding belly…
"Tianyi..." he murmured to himself, a sense of unwillingness and a strong will to survive sustained him. The Giant Sword emitted a mournful tremor, and its sword energy surged once again, instantly slicing several approaching Black Witch Cultists in half at the waist!
A hint of surprise flashed in Venerable Crimson Nightmare's eyes, which then transformed into an even stronger killing intent: "A dying struggle!"
He raised his bone knife high, gathering black energy, ready to deliver a fatal blow.
At this critical moment—
"Cat! Fifth Master is here!"
A long howl came from outside the hall, followed by several screams. Bai Yutang, like a white-robed Asura, covered in blood, charged in through the hall door, wielding the Huaying Sword! He had clearly also been through a fierce battle, his clothes torn in many places, but his eyes were still as sharp as knives. Wherever his sword flashed, the Black Witch Cultists blocking his way fell like grass.
His arrival instantly relieved Zhan Zhao's pressure.
Zhan Zhao's spirits lifted, and he stood back to back with Bai Yutang, their swords clashing together, their sword light weaving into a net, temporarily stabilizing their position.
"Damn it, there are so many of these bastards!" Bai Yutang spat out a mouthful of blood and cursed.
"Brother Bai, thank you." Zhan Zhao gasped for breath and quickly pressed several acupoints on his left rib to temporarily stop the bleeding, but the cold and evil energy continued to erode him.
"Enough talk! Let's fight our way out!" Bai Yutang's gaze swept over the wound on Zhan Zhao's ribs, and his expression changed. "You've been poisoned?"
"It's alright." Zhan Zhao shook his head, his gaze fixed on the approaching Crimson Nightmare Venerable. "Take care of him first!"
Seeing the two reunite, Venerable Crimson Nightmare showed no fear, instead letting out a sinister laugh: "Very well, I'll send you both on your way! Form the array!"
At his command, the remaining Black Witch Cultists quickly shifted positions, chanting incantations. A thicker black mist emanated from them, merging with the original sinister aura within the hall to form a bizarre force field.
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang suddenly felt a sinking sensation all over their bodies, as if they were sinking into a swamp. It became extremely difficult to circulate their internal energy, and even their movements became much slower.
"It's the 'Spirit-Eroding Blood-Corroding Array' from the Southern Frontier!" Bai Yutang, with his vast knowledge, exclaimed in shock, "This ghostly array can corrode internal energy and erode one's life force!"
The Crimson Nightmare Venerable stood at the center of the formation, his bone blade radiating intense black energy. He licked his lips, his eyes filled with cruelty: "To die beneath the Holy Church's secret formation is your honor! Prepare to die!"
With a swift movement, he merged into the black mist. The next moment, countless sharp and incomparable black sword energies attacked from all directions, each containing a bone-corroding and heart-destroying evil power!
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang stood back to back, unleashing their swordsmanship to its fullest extent, desperately defending themselves. However, under the suppression of the formation, their strength was greatly diminished, their sword light was constantly compressed, and wound after wound appeared on their bodies. The wound on Zhan Zhao's ribs worsened under the corrosive influence of the black energy, blood gushing out and staining half of his body red, his vision beginning to blur.
"Cat! Hold on!" Bai Yutang shouted urgently, his Huaying Sword dance was so dense that it blocked most of the attacks for Zhan Zhao, but he himself was hit by several knives in the process, and his white clothes were turned red.
Zhan Zhao's consciousness gradually faded. He leaned on the Giant Sword to support his body and prevent himself from collapsing. The Qilin jade pendant in his arms seemed to sense its master's perilous situation and emitted a faint warmth, but this warmth was like a firefly compared to the bright moon in the face of the overwhelming demonic energy.
He seemed to see Xuanyuan Tianyi standing in the distance, his red robes like fire, smiling at him.
"Tianyi...I'm sorry...I...broke my promise..."
The final black blade of energy, imbued with all of the evil power of the Crimson Nightmare Venerable, silently pierced through Zhan Zhao's crumbling defenses, passing right through his vital back!
With a clang, the Giant Sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
Zhan Zhao's body stiffened abruptly, his pupils dilated instantly, and all his strength receded like a receding tide. He glanced one last time at Bai Yutang's bloodshot face, then at the gloomy sky outside the hall, and then the whole world was plunged into boundless darkness.
"Zhan Zhao—!" Bai Yutang roared in despair, but was held back by several Black Witch Cult members. He could only watch helplessly as the tall, red figure slowly and heavily fell to the cold, blood-soaked ground.
Blood stained the Guanyin Pavilion.
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