The Burial Mound Attack and Lin Munan's Appearance
A black mist surged in like a tide, instantly enveloping the clearing around the Soul Gathering Grass. The mandarin duck woman's head hovered in mid-air, tears of black blood streaming from her rotting eye sockets. These tears dripped onto the ground, and sharp black vines instantly sprouted, wrapping around Meng Yao's ankles. Meng Yao's steps suddenly stopped, her body frozen in fear. The camera slipped from her hands and hit the ground with a clang. The already shattered screen shattered completely, sending fragments flying and scratching the back of her hand.
"Meng Yao! Be careful!" Li Ye roared as he rushed forward, the metal tip of his trekking pole piercing the base of the vine. Black liquid dripped down the tip, making a sizzling sound of corrosion. But the vine seemed to have the ability to repair itself, and new branches quickly sprouted from the broken parts. They twisted around Li Ye's arm, and the barbs snagged on his sleeve, instantly tearing a long gash. Blood oozed out, mixing with the black liquid, a particularly glaring sight.
Lin Shen, dagger in hand, attempted to sidestep and protect Meng Yao, but the Evil Witch God's controlled form, the Mandarin Duck Woman, suddenly blocked his path. A longsword, condensed from black mist and bearing a biting chill, pierced his chest. Lin Shen was forced to duck sideways. The sword grazed his ribs, causing a stinging sensation. The numbness in his arm intensified. The black mist had already spread to his heart. He could clearly feel the Evil Witch God's consciousness clamoring within his mind, attempting to completely take over his body.
"Brother Lin Shen!" Xiuxiu cried weakly, trying to raise her peach wood sword to help, but her fingers barely had the strength to even grip it. The sword trembled slightly in her hand, its last glimmer of light threatening to go out at any moment. Chen Ba shielded her behind him, pulling out the last of his evil-repelling powder and sprinkling it at Yuanyang Girl. The moment the powder hit the black mist, a faint white light erupted, temporarily pushing it back. However, the effect was like a drop in the bucket, quickly swallowed by the thicker fog.
Su Wan clutched the fragment of talisman paper Zhou Tang had left behind tightly. The golden light on the fragment was almost invisible. She could only press the fragment against Xiuxiu's chest, trying to use her remaining spiritual energy to stabilize Xiuxiu's soul. "We can't just passively take a beating like this!" Su Wan's voice was tearful, but still revealed a hint of determination. "The Evil Witch God is targeting the Soul Gathering Grass. He wants to stop us from rescuing Xiuxiu. We must find a way to obtain it!"
At that moment, a sharp scream erupted from the Yuanyang Woman's head, and countless distorted faces emerged from the black mist, all the souls of those she had killed. These faces lunged at the crowd, some trying to burrow into Lin Shen's ears, others trying to wrap themselves around Su Wan's neck. The entire mass grave instantly transformed into a living hell, and a sense of despair permeated everyone's heart.
Meng Yao huddled on the ground, a sharp pain piercing the wound on the back of her hand. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at the scene before her. She remembered Zhou Tang's dying eyes, Chen Mo's expression when possessed by the evil witch god, Xiu Xiu's frail face, and a wave of resentment welled up in her heart—were they really going to be completely wiped out here?
"Get out of here!"
A cold female voice suddenly rang out from the entrance of the mass grave, like an icicle piercing the dense fog, instantly drowning out the screams of the mandarin duck woman and the wails of the wronged souls. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a slender figure standing at the cave entrance against the light. A black leather jacket outlined her tall and straight figure. Her waist-length black hair was casually draped over her shoulders, a few drops of rain still on the ends, swaying gently with her movements.
Her features were as exquisite as a divinely crafted work of art. Her brows were sharp, her eyes slightly upturned, and her pupils were a deep, dark color. She surveyed the mass grave with a chilling gaze. In her hand, she held a silver longbow, a gleaming arrow resting on the bowstring. Intricate runes engraved on the arrowhead clearly indicated it was a weapon designed specifically to combat evil.
"Lin Munan!" Lin Shen called out her name in surprise, his tone filled with disbelief. Lin Munan was a member of their expedition team and the most mysterious person on the team, proficient in various exorcism techniques and fighting skills. Before, when they were preparing to leave for Qingwu Town, she had left the team due to an emergency. She didn't expect to meet her here.
Lin Munan didn't respond, his eyes locked on the Yuanyang girl's head. With a slight loosening of his fingers, a silver arrow shot out like a meteor, piercing the black mist with a sharp sound, striking the part where the Yuanyang girl's head and body met. With a loud "sizzle," the black mist was instantly ignited by the runes on the arrow. Golden flames spread through the mist, quickly enveloping the Yuanyang girl's head and body.
The Yuanyang girl let out a shrill scream, her head falling from mid-air, her body collapsing to the ground. The black mist struggled in the flames, unable to break free. The evil witch god's remnant soul was forced from the Yuanyang girl's body, transforming into a black shadow. It attempted to escape towards the deep forest, but was struck by Lin Munan's second arrow. The shadow roared angrily and instantly dissipated, leaving only a faint wisp of mist that burrowed into a crevice deep in the mass grave.
"Don't chase her. She's not a threat for now." Lin Munan put away his longbow and walked in front of the crowd. His eyes fell on the frail Xiu Xiu, and his brows furrowed slightly. "Her soul is about to dissipate. We must use the Soul Gathering Grass to refine the elixir as soon as possible, otherwise even a god can't save her."
Everyone finally reacted and hurried towards the Soul Gathering Grass. The golden flames illuminated the leaves, making their red glow even more pronounced. It exuded a delicate fragrance that alleviated the dull pain in the chest. Chen Ba carefully uprooted the Soul Gathering Grass and placed it in a prepared cloth bag, fearing it would damage the herb's aura.
Lin Munan squatted beside Xiuxiu and pulled a small silver box from her pocket. She opened it, revealing some white powder. She sprinkled the powder on Xiuxiu's forehead. The moment it touched her skin, it transformed into a streak of white light and penetrated her body. Xiuxiu's face gradually regained some color, and her breathing became more steady. Although still weak, she was at least temporarily out of danger.
"This is 'Soul-Fixing Powder,' which can temporarily stabilize her soul," Lin Munan explained, his voice still cold. "We now need to find a safe place to use the Soul-Gathering Grass to refine the 'Soul-Gathering Pill.' Only then can we completely repair her soul."
Lin Shen looked at Lin Munan, his heart filled with gratitude: "Fortunately you showed up in time, otherwise we really don't know what to do. Why are you here?"
Lin Munan stood up and glanced at the scene in the mass grave, his eyes filled with a hint of solemnity. "After I left the team, I have been investigating the origins of the Evil Witch God. I discovered that his true form was actually a wizard who lived thousands of years ago. He was sealed underground in Qingwu Town for practicing evil magic. This time, because the yin energy in Qingwu Town is too strong, he broke the seal. I followed the remnant of the Evil Witch God here, and I didn't expect to meet you."
Everyone then understood the Evil Witch God's origins. Li Ye helped Meng Yao stand up and looked at the wound on the back of her hand, frowning, "Your wound needs to be treated, otherwise it will easily be infected by evil spirits."
Lin Munan pulled out a first aid kit from his backpack and tossed it to Li Ye. "It contains a special ointment that can reduce inflammation and pain, and it can also dispel evil spirits. Please help her treat the wound. We must leave here as soon as possible. Although the evil witch god has escaped temporarily, he will definitely come back for us. Besides, the remnant spirit of the mandarin duck girl is still there. It's not safe here."
Everyone nodded, and Li Ye immediately helped Meng Yao treat the wound. The ointment applied to the wound, bringing a cool sensation that quickly lessened the intense pain, and the redness and swelling around the wound gradually subsided. Meng Yao looked at Li Ye's serious profile, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart, diluting much of the fear and despair she had felt before.
Lin Munan carried Xiuxiu on his back, Lin Shen supported the old lady, Li Ye and Meng Yao followed behind, and Chen Ba carefully protected the cloth bag containing the Soul Gathering Grass. They all walked towards the exit of the mass grave. The black mist in the mass grave had gradually dissipated, and the golden flames slowly extinguished. Only some black ashes remained, scattered on the ground, as if telling of the fierce battle that had just taken place.
By the time we left the mass grave, it was already completely daylight. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air in the mountains was exceptionally fresh, carrying the scent of earth and grass, which lifted our spirits.
"Where should we go to refine the Soul Gathering Pill now?" Su Wan asked, a hint of worry in her eyes. "Our previous hotel has been burned down, and the town is not safe either. There is no suitable place at all."
Lin Munan stopped and looked deep into the mountains. "I know a place. On the top of a mountain, there is an abandoned Taoist temple. The spiritual energy there is very strong, and the terrain is difficult to find. The Evil Witch God and the Mandarin Duck Girl will have a hard time finding it. It's perfect for refining the Soul Gathering Pill."
Everyone agreed and decided to follow Lin Munan to the abandoned Taoist temple. Lin Munan, carrying her sleeves on her back, led the way. Her steps were light and steady, and she seemed very familiar with the terrain of the deep mountains. She soon led everyone out of the dense woods and came to a narrow mountain road.
The mountain path was rugged and steep, with cliffs on either side, making it a terrifying sight. Lin Shen supported the elderly woman, walking cautiously, fearing she might fall. Meng Yao and Li Ye followed behind. Meng Yao was a little exhausted, so Li Ye offered to help her carry her backpack, occasionally offering a hand to help her.
After about two hours of walking, we finally reached the top of the mountain. There, indeed, stood an abandoned Taoist temple. The gate was dilapidated, with much of the paint peeling off, revealing the wood grain underneath. The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, but its former sprawl was still evident, clearly a sign of its prosperity in its heyday.
"Let's go in," Lin Munan pushed open the gate of the Taoist temple and walked in. "There is an alchemy furnace in the main hall of the Taoist temple. Although it has been abandoned for a long time, it can still be used after cleaning."
Everyone followed Lin Munan into the main hall, which was covered with dust and cobwebs. There was indeed a huge alchemy furnace in the center. The surface of the furnace was engraved with complex runes. Although some parts were worn, the exquisiteness of the runes could still be seen.
Chen Ba immediately began to clean the alchemy furnace, Li Ye and Lin Shen helped clean the dust and cobwebs in the main hall, Su Wan and Meng Yao took care of Xiu Xiu and the old lady, and Lin Munan patrolled around the Taoist temple to make sure no evil creatures were following them.
As the sun set, the main hall was finally cleaned, and the alchemy furnace was also cleared. Chen Ba took out the Soul Gathering Grass and prepared to begin refining the Soul Gathering Pill. Everyone gathered around the alchemy furnace, their eyes filled with anticipation—if only the Soul Gathering Pill could be refined, Xiuxiu would be fully restored, and they would have more power to fight against the Evil Witch God and Yuanyang Girl.
Chen Ba lit the firewood in the alchemy furnace, placed the Soul Gathering Grass in it, added some special herbs, and began to pat the surface of the furnace in a specific rhythm. A sizzling sound came from the furnace, and a faint fragrance wafted from the furnace mouth, filling the entire main hall.
Just as the Soul Gathering Pill was about to be successfully refined, a shrill scream suddenly came from outside the Taoist temple. It was the voice of the Mandarin Duck Girl! Everyone's faces changed instantly - the Evil Witch God and the Mandarin Duck Girl had actually found their way here!
Lin Munan immediately tightened his grip on the longbow in his hand, his eyes turning cold: "You guys continue to refine the Soul Gathering Pill, I'll go hold them off!"
"No! It's too dangerous!" Lin Shen immediately stopped him. "The Evil Witch God and the Mandarin Duck Girl are very powerful. You're no match for them alone. Let's go together!"
Lin Munan shook his head and said firmly, "The Soul Gathering Pill cannot be interrupted, otherwise Xiuxiu will be completely hopeless. You stay here to protect Xiuxiu and the alchemy furnace. I have a way to hold them off temporarily."
After saying this, Lin Munan turned and walked out of the main hall, heading towards the temple entrance. Everyone watched her from behind, their hearts filled with worry, but they also knew she was right. They could only continue to guard the alchemy furnace, praying for Lin Munan's safe return and that the Soul Gathering Pill could be successfully refined.
At the entrance of the Taoist temple, the head and body of Yuanyang Girl have gathered together, and the residual soul of the evil witch god is attached to Yuanyang Girl's body. Black mist covers the entire Taoist temple. The black long sword condenses in her hand, and with a biting cold air, it stabbed towards the gate of the Taoist temple.
Lin Munan stood at the entrance to the Taoist temple, her longbow already drawn, three silver arrows resting on the bowstring. The runes on the arrows shone golden in the setting sun. Her eyes were icy, and a sneer curled the corners of her mouth. "If you want to get in, you'll have to get past me first!"
A new battle began again at the gate of the Taoist temple. This time, not only was Xiuxiu's life at stake, but the safety of everyone else. Lin Munan knew she couldn't lose.
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