Chapter 183 Believers
After the black bear named Yue Tu had eaten its fill, Ji Rong pointed at Yue Tu and asked Zhan Shi, "Senior Zhan Shi, why did you have him tell us that we can't go any further ahead?"
Zhan Shi glanced at Ji Rong, then closed his eyes and said, "This is a long story. Do you want to hear it carefully, or briefly?"
Without a second thought, Ji Rong said, "Please tell me in detail. I have been serving in the deep mountains for a long time and rarely come out, so I am not familiar with the situation here."
Zhan Shi then sat down and said, "Let me tell you about the current situation first. The Jin clan in Liangzhou has openly rebelled. They set up an array in front of us. Before, my soldiers were surrounded and captured alive as soon as they went forward. Now, they have probably had their cultivation destroyed, their weapon patterns removed, and have been used as flesh and pills."
"If you go forward, you will not escape; I have already learned this many times."
As he spoke, he stood up and showed his legs to Ji Rong. His legs were covered in ravenous fur and wounds. He then turned his back to Ji Rong, revealing his back, which was also in a state of disarray.
Upon seeing this, Ji Rong took out the newly refined pill that the old Taoist Gu Lin had not yet used and gave it to Zhan Shi, saying, "This thing was refined by a pill saint from the Jade Void Palace. See if it's suitable for you."
After seeing the effects, Zhan Shi opened the bottle and put three pills in his mouth. He then tossed one to the black bear Yue Tu, who picked up the pill and swallowed it raw as well.
Ji Rong exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Zhan Shi, how can you eat so much? You can't eat these pills like that."
Zhan Shi said dismissively, "It will get better faster." Then he closed his eyes, sat down in front of the stone, and began to recover, holding the spirit crystal given to him by Ji Rong.
Yue Tu guarded the right flank of Zhan Shi and soon fell asleep.
Shan Wu said to Ji Rong, "Nephew, after they've had a good meal, they're so at ease about us now?"
Ji Rong put Baoshan into the cage, frowned and shook his head, saying, "I don't know. Uncle, you can ask them when they wake up."
Before the sun had set, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead, accompanied by the rattling sound of chains.
Upon hearing this sound, Zhan Shi opened his eyes and said, "The Jin clan members are driving their slaves here to hunt us again."
They're experts at digging tunnels in the sand; it's impossible to defend against them. Let's quickly retreat into the cave and not let them see our position.
As he spoke, Zhan Shi grabbed his gun and led Ji Rong and Shan Wu into the crevice. Then, Zhan Shi stood on one side inside the crevice, throwing the gun out with perfect accuracy.
Through the crack, Ji Rong peeked out and saw that the slaves outside were led by a lizard cultivator at the Illusionary Transformation Realm, interspersed with several frog cultivators at the Spiritual Connection Realm, and behind them were a dozen or so large-eared sand foxes between the Enlightened and Spiritual Connection Realms.
They all wore shackles around their necks, their bodies were covered in earthen yellow, and they moved with a light step, blending into the sandy land.
Behind these creatures with their necks handcuffed were ten python cultivators at the Profound Spirit Realm Supreme level.
Their eyes gleamed a scarlet dark light in the darkness, making them look extremely ferocious.
These chained slaves must be the original inhabitants of this land.
Zhan Shi used his spiritual energy to power his spear and hurled it at the snake cultivators in the distance, piercing one with a single thrust.
But he was injured after all, and hadn't had a good night's sleep in days. After piercing six blood-eyed pythons with his gun, he felt mentally exhausted, and his claws trembled. His gun trembled along with his claws, and he couldn't kill as efficiently.
This time, Zhan Shi threw his gun at a slightly off angle. The gun grazed a lizard cultivator in front of him, piercing his arm and exploding it into minced meat.
The lizard was not dead yet, and instead of retreating, it bowed to the sky and said, "Thank you for saving me, Lord Baosheng!"
"The God of Life Protection?" Upon hearing this, Ji Rong immediately stopped Zhan Shi from swinging his spear again.
She pulled Baoshan and the two beasts out of the cage and said, "Look, aren't these your followers?"
Upon seeing the lizard-like cultivator, Baoshan nodded and said, "Yes, I just obtained a trace of faith power from him."
Ji Rong pecked Bao Shan on the head and said, "Why are you calling yourself 'Wu'? Say 'I' instead."
Then Ji Rong said to Shan Wu, "Uncle, could you perhaps get rid of those pythons?"
Shan Wu, breathing out hot air, said, "Nephew, watch me skin some snakes for you." He then rushed out, leaping several times to appear behind the remaining four python-like cultivators.
He swung his claws straight at the python cultivator's vital spot, then slashed downwards, tearing out the python's heart, liver, gallbladder, and intestines.
Then he quickly threw the snake onto a rock, and grinned as he charged at the other three pythons. The pythons were terrified and began to thrash their tails, hissing as they tried to communicate with the others.
Shan Wuhua transformed into a tiger, pinned them to the ground, and then bit them one by one at their seven-inch mark, carefully cutting the snakes into several pieces with his claws.
Then, he swept the broken snake carcasses into a pointed pile, stepped over the trembling slaves, and began skinning snakes beside the stone, saying to Ji Rong, "Nephew, I can only give you one snakeskin. Those three dared to pass messages in front of me; I chopped them into pieces."
"What a pity, these snakes cultivated blood magic, they're not tasty. Otherwise, I could have made snake soup for you; my snake soup is delicious."
Ji Rong flapped his wings inside and praised, "Uncle is indeed unparalleled in bravery! Among the current emperors, I'm afraid none can rival you!"
"Hahahaha!" Upon hearing Ji Rong's praise, Shan Wu stood up on his own, his tail swishing incessantly. Grabbing the snake corpse, he laughed loudly towards the sky and said, "Nephew, you really know how to talk. I'm almost embarrassed, but I love what you say."
After praising Shan Wu, Ji Rong said to Bao Shan, "These minor cultivators outside might recognize you. If so, go out and ask them what happened and have them welcome you back."
Baoshan nodded slightly, and with the two earth beasts, he strode out on his short legs.
He patted the heads of the two earth beasts and walked away. Wisps of smoke rose from the heads of the two earth beasts and merged into Baoshan's body.
Baoshan's figure gradually grew taller and more imposing. By the time he reached the outside, he had become a four-armed figure, with one pair of hands to save lives and the other to protect them.
He cradled the severed arm of the wounded lizard monk with his life-saving hands. Faith was drawn from within him, coiling around the severed arm, while Baoshan's figure shrank continuously, becoming extremely small.
Ji Rong watched this scene from inside and thought to herself that this Baosheng Jun was indeed as He said, worthy of the gods. She began to respect this weak creation of faith.
Once the lizard monk's wound had stopped bleeding, Baoshan stopped and looked up at his followers, saying, "Why are you all wearing shackles now?"
Upon seeing Baoshan, the lizard cultivators all knelt down excitedly. Then, the lizard cultivator with the missing arm, looking dejected and covered in dirt, said, "After you were split open and captured, we were all captured as well. Now we have all become slaves of the Jin clan. We are here today to be used as bait to lure and capture a bear."
Baoshan said, "You all wait here for me."
Then, He quickly strode into the crevice with his short legs, and bowed with difficulty to Ji Rong, saying, "Lord Ji Rong, I am willing to serve you. Please save my followers."
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