Starting with the Earth God, the path to immortality is deduced!

After the thunder.

The coffin shop was deathly silent.

Only that dim oil lamp.

It was teetering on the brink of collapse in the wind and rain.

Uncle Liu's fingers.

Pressed firmly onto the sheepskin map.

The fingertips turned white from excessive force.

Look here.

His voice was deep.

It carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

Zhou Yuan and Ma Ling'er immediately went over.

All I could see was where Uncle Liu's finger had traced.

The original dark red cinnabar mark.

It's slowly turning black now.

It looked like there were countless tiny insects.

It wriggles within the texture of the map.

It is gradually eroding the original red color.

"This is……"

Ma Ling'er's eyes widened.

I felt nauseous.

"This is the result of evil influence."

Uncle Liu's expression was solemn.

"The ancient well at the City God Temple."

"It's a huge source of poison."

"Lin Xuan used the 'Soul-Guiding Array' inside."

"It is continuously drawing spiritual energy from the earth's veins."

"at the same time."

"To remove the filth and evil energy of the Void Abyss."

"Reverse injection into these nodes."

Zhou Yuan heard this.

My heart sank suddenly.

He slowly closed his eyes.

He activated the divine seal within his body that represented the "Fengzhou Earth God".

boom!

A sudden roar filled my mind.

The gaze seemed to penetrate the flesh.

It is directly connected to the earth beneath its feet.

pain!

Excruciating pain!

It's like being in your own blood vessels.

It was forcibly stuffed with countless rusty iron nails.

Zhou Yuan grunted.

Cold sweat instantly beaded on my forehead.

He "saw" it.

Within that intricate network of ley lines.

Several streams of poisonous gas, as black as ink.

Just like a venomous snake.

It frantically tore at the original golden earth energy.

Especially those points marked on the map.

It was filled with black mist.

Like a festering wound.

It is oozing pus.

"It's true..."

Zhou Yuan opened his eyes.

His face was extremely ugly.

"I felt it."

"The earth is wailing."

"If we don't stop it..."

"In less than three days."

"These nodes will completely fail."

"At that time."

"There's no need to wait until the Ghost Festival."

"The entire geomantic network of Fengzhou will collapse immediately!"

Uncle Liu nodded.

A hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

There was also some worry.

"Since you can sense it."

"That makes things easier."

"Time is of the essence."

"We must split up and act separately."

He stretched out his withered fingers.

I emphasized it twice on the map.

"The stone lions at the South Gate."

"And there's that sweet water well in the West Market."

"These two places."

"Closest to the City God Temple."

"It also suffered the most severe erosion."

"I'll handle it."

Zhou Yuan frowned.

I was just about to speak.

Uncle Liu raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Don't argue."

"I know what you're trying to say."

"But these old bones of mine..."

"It's almost falling apart."

"But how do we deal with the underhanded tricks of the Wukong Sect?"

"I'm still more experienced than you guys."

Uncle Liu said.

He coughed violently a few times.

That ashen face.

An unnatural flush appeared.

But there was a firmness in his eyes.

But there is no doubt about it.

"Those two places."

"There must be some tough guys from the Wukong Sect guarding it."

"You go."

"I'm worried."

Zhou Yuan looked at Uncle Liu's trembling hands.

A pang of sadness welled up in my heart.

he knows.

Uncle Liu is risking his life.

It was the last embers of his life.

Pave the way for them.

"it is good."

Zhou Yuan took a deep breath.

Suppress the bitterness in my heart.

"And the rest."

"Leave it to me and Ling'er."

He pointed to the east side of the map.

"The old locust tree on East Street."

"There's also an abandoned stage to the north."

"These two nodes."

"Although it's remote."

"But it is the key hub connecting the earth's veins."

"We must take it!"

Ma Ling'er was no longer smiling and joking.

She picked up the panda that was still gnawing on bamboo.

They were stuffed into the bamboo basket on their backs.

"Old Zhou."

Stop dawdling.

"Now that the tasks have been divided..."

"Let's do it!"

"Grandma's Demon-Slaying Staff."

"I'm incredibly hungry and thirsty!"

The three exchanged a glance.

No further words are needed.

That's something that happens in this moment.

A tacit understanding that only comrades-in-arms can comprehend.

"Come back alive."

Uncle Liu gave Zhou Yuan a deep look.

Then his figure flashed.

It transformed directly into a streak of earthy yellow light.

It burrowed underground.

That's authentic "Earth Escape Technique".

"Let's go too!"

Zhou Yuan grabbed Ma Ling'er.

"Ling'er".

"Is your teleportation technique difficult to use to carry people?"

Ma Ling'er rolled her eyes.

"Whom do you look down on?"

"As long as you don't get so fat you look like a chubby baby."

"I could take you flying, no problem!"

Before he could finish speaking...

A golden light flashed beneath her feet.

The two Swiftness Talismans instantly burned.

call!

The two were like two ghosts.

They smashed open the door of the coffin shop.

It plunged into the vast darkness of the night.

……

After an incense stick has burned.

East Street.

This area was originally the wealthy district of Fengzhou City.

The lights are always on.

At this moment, however, all was deathly silent.

A thin layer of gray mist hung over the streets.

Visibility is extremely low.

Even the sound of the night watchman's clapper could not be heard.

"There it is!"

Zhou Yuan stopped in his tracks.

His gaze was fixed on the end of the street.

There is an old locust tree there, so thick that it would take three people to hug it.

It is said to have lived for five hundred years.

On weekdays, the branches are luxuriant.

It is the landmark of East Street.

But at the moment.

This old locust tree, however, seemed incredibly eerie.

The leaves were originally emerald green.

Everything turned yellow and black.

On the tree trunk.

It was covered with fist-sized lumps.

Swaying slightly in the wind.

They resembled beating hearts.

Even more terrifying.

The soil around the tree roots.

It has turned completely purplish-black.

It was oozing foul-smelling blood.

"vomit--"

Ma Ling'er covered her nose.

He looked disgusted.

"This taste..."

"It's even more pungent than my second uncle's smelly socks!"

"Those bastards from the Wukong Cult."

"What exactly did they do on that tree?"

Zhou Yuan remained silent.

In his eyes.

It shimmered with a faint blue light.

That was a sign that the "penetrating eye" had been opened.

In his field of vision.

This is not a tree.

It's clearly a giant ghost nest!

Countless black chains.

It extends from the roots of the tree.

It burrows deep into the ground.

It is frantically extracting the essence of the earth's veins.

Inside the tree trunk.

It seems there's something else hidden.

Breathing rhythmically.

"careful."

"There is a barrier."

Zhou Yuan reminded him in a low voice.

He raised his hand.

In the palm of your hand.

A bronze lamp appeared out of thin air.

Blue Ghost Lamp!

At the wick.

The tiny flame flickered violently.

It seemed to sense the intense malevolent energy surrounding it.

It surged instantly.

It transformed into a fire dragon.

It hovered around Zhou Yuan's arm.

"Ling'er".

"Break the formation!"

Zhou Yuan gave a low shout.

"Yes, sir!"

Ma Ling'er had been unable to contain herself for a long time.

She pulled out a magic-subduing staff as thick as an arm from behind her back.

It was covered with densely packed shamanistic runes.

"Get out!"

"Time to get to work for your auntie!"

She shouted loudly.

In the bamboo basket on the back.

The black and white dumpling suddenly popped out.

At this moment, the rolling...

There was no trace of his adorable, innocent appearance left.

It stood up upright.

Their body size increased dramatically due to the storm.

In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a giant beast over three meters tall.

His whole body was covered in knotted muscles.

On black and white fur.

It has a metallic sheen.

"roar--!"

It roared and tumbled towards the sky.

The sound was like thunder.

It directly dispersed the surrounding gray fog.

Ma Ling'er leaped into the air.

It jumped directly onto Rollon's broad shoulders.

He raised the demon-subduing staff high in his hand.

"For my great-aunt..."

"open!"

Boom!

The rolling thing looks like a heavy armored vehicle.

With an indomitable spirit.

It crashed violently into the air surrounding the old locust tree.

boom!

A loud crash, like glass shattering.

In the void that was originally empty.

A dark red light shield suddenly appeared.

Under the brute force of the rolling waves, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks.

The light shield trembled violently.

The surface was instantly covered with cracks.

"Who goes there?!"

"How dare you ruin the important affairs of my Holy Church!"

The moment the barrier shattered.

A sharp, piercing scream.

It came from the canopy of the old locust tree.

Followed by.

Several dark figures appeared like bats.

It leaped down from among the leaves.

Those were several members of the Void Cult dressed in black robes.

Each person held a pale white bone knife.

The area above was gloomy and eerie.

It was clearly coated with a potent poison.

"You can have the small fry."

"I'm going to clean up the nodes!"

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Yuan's eyes.

Instead of retreating, they advanced.

It passed directly between the rolling crotch.

It rushed towards the tree roots.

"rest assured!"

"These few punks."

"Not even enough to fill a tooth gap!"

Ma Ling'er burst into wild laughter.

It commands the rolling, waving giant hands.

He slapped the cultist who was at the front.

It flew away like a fly being swatted.

The cultist was still in mid-air.

He immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.

Most of his bones were broken.

Zhou Yuan completely ignored the battle behind him.

He rushed to the old locust tree.

He slammed both hands onto the ground.

"I am the local deity of Fengzhou."

"here."

"It's under my jurisdiction!"

boom!

The divine seal within his body was operating wildly.

A pure, earthy yellow halo.

Following his hands.

It was injected into the ground in a frenzy.

That is the authority of the Earth God!

It is also a divine power that purifies all defilement!

sizzle-

It was like throwing a red-hot iron into a snowdrift.

The purplish-black blood on the ground.

The moment I came into contact with the golden light.

It immediately boiled over.

It turned into wisps of black smoke and dissipated.

"ah--!"

The old locust tree seemed to have come to life.

He let out a piercing scream.

The fleshy growths on the tree trunk burst open one after another.

It oozes foul-smelling pus.

But Zhou Yuan remained unmoved.

He gritted his teeth.

The power of the soul was unleashed without reservation.

Utilize your natural connection with the earth's veins.

They forcibly removed the black chains that were rooted in the earth's veins.

Pull them out one by one!

"Give me……"

"Break!"

Zhou Yuan roared angrily.

Click!

A crisp snapping sound.

It came from deep underground.

The old locust tree trembled violently.

Black mist on the tree trunk.

It fades rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye.

The leaves were originally withered and yellow.

Surprisingly, it has regained a touch of green.

"call……"

Zhou Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

I felt as if most of the divine power within my body had instantly vanished.

But he dared not stop.

"Ling'er!"

"Stop playing!"

"There's one more node!"

Ma Ling'er's side.

The battle is nearing its end.

Rolling around is like a bulldozer.

They beat those few Wukong followers until they cried for their parents.

"Okay, okay!"

"Let's go!"

Ma Ling'er knocked out the last follower with a single blow.

He jumped off Rolling's shoulder.

He wiped the sweat from his face.

"Where's the next place?"

"North Suburb Stage"

Zhou Yuan stood up.

His gaze, however, became even more serious.

"There……"

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

……

Northern suburbs.

An abandoned stage.

This used to be the busiest place in Fengzhou City.

Later, a fire broke out.

Many people were burned to death.

It was then abandoned.

at this time.

On the dilapidated stage.

Two stark white red lanterns were lit.

The wind blows.

The lantern swayed gently.

It casts ghostly shadows.

Ee-ee-ya-ya—

A faint, indistinct sound of opera singing drifted through the air.

It came from behind the stage.

The voice is high-pitched.

It sounded like someone was crying in a pinched voice.

Zhou Yuan and Ma Ling'er had just approached this place.

I could feel the temperature around me.

The temperature suddenly dropped by more than ten degrees.

Even the breath I exhaled turned into white mist.

"Old Zhou..."

"This place."

"That's a bit weird."

Ma Ling'er rubbed her arms.

I felt the hairs on the back of my head stand on end.

Gun Gun also became somewhat anxious and restless.

It growled in a low voice.

They refused to come forward.

Zhou Yuan stopped in his tracks.

The blue ghost lamp in my hand.

The flames turned an eerie green.

And it huddled up in a ball.

Shivering.

"careful."

"There's a big guy here."

Zhou Yuan's voice was very low.

His soul perception.

On the stage ahead.

It was as if a ferocious beast was lurking there, ready to devour its prey.

That sense of oppression.

Far surpassing any enemy before.

"Since you're here..."

"Why don't you go up on stage and listen to a song?"

Sudden.

The singing of opera stopped.

A voice that was extremely feminine.

It came from the stage.

Followed by.

A gust of cold wind swept by.

The curtain on the stage was suddenly pulled open.

A person dressed in a bright red opera robe.

A figure with thick layers of face paint.

He was sitting upright in the grand master's chair.

He was playing with two walnuts made from human skulls in his hands.

It made a rattling sound.

He slowly raised his head.

Those eyes.

There was no white in his eyes.

It was pitch black.

Like two bottomless black holes.

He stared intently at Zhou Yuan.

"Fengzhou Tugong?"

"hehe."

"That's interesting."

"I didn't expect that."

"These days, there are still people practicing this damned way of worshipping local deities."

The man slowly stood up.

The opera robe trailed on the ground.

It makes a rustling, frictional sound.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Yuan stepped forward.

He shielded Ma Ling'er behind him.

The blue lamp floated above his head.

A beam of blue light shone down, protecting the two of them.

"This seat..."

"The Left Protector of the Wukong Sect".

"Personal pronouns..."

"The Man of a Thousand Faces"

Before he could finish speaking...

The figure in the opera robe suddenly vanished from the spot.

So fast!

Zhou Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

There was simply no time to react.

I felt a stench hit me.

"Be careful!"

Ma Ling'er shouted.

He instinctively swung the demon-subduing staff in his hand.

clang!

A deafening clang of metal clashing.

Sparks flew everywhere.

Ma Ling'er felt a tremendous force strike her.

The tiger's mouth split open instantly.

The whole person, along with the Demon-Subduing Staff.

He was thrown more than ten meters away by the blast.

It slammed heavily against the wall.

"Ling'er!"

Zhou Yuan was greatly alarmed.

But before he could turn around...

Several long, black needles as thin as cow hair.

It had silently pierced through the protective blue light of the Azure Lamp.

It went straight for his brow!

"Hehehe!"

"Little Land".

"Your soul."

"I accept it!"

The sinister laughter of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.

It exploded in Zhou Yuan's ears.

Is this the strength of a Dharma Protector?!

too strong!

He's several levels better than the previous "ghost scholar"!

These black needles are coated with a deadly poison specifically designed to target the soul.

Once stabbed.

Even a god couldn't save him!

At a critical moment.

Zhou Yuan remained calm.

He was on the verge of life and death.

Instead, he became surprisingly calm.

"You want to take my soul?"

"You don't deserve it!"

Zhou Yuan suddenly bit the tip of his tongue.

He spat a mouthful of blood onto the Azure Lamp.

"Azure Netherfire!"

"burn!"

call!

They received the blessing of essence and blood.

The Azure Lamp instantly erupted with a blinding blue flame.

The temperature is frighteningly high.

The moment those black needles touched the flame...

It emitted a piercing, shrill cry.

It was burned to ashes!

"Um?"

"The aura of a primordial spiritual treasure?"

The figure of the man with a thousand faces appeared not far away.

A glint of greed flashed in his eyes.

"My darling."

"It's mine now!"

He waved his hands.

His bright red opera robe suddenly shattered.

It transformed into countless red ribbons.

Like countless venomous snakes.

It swept towards Zhou Yuan like a tidal wave.

On each piece of silk.

They were all covered with distorted human faces.

It emitted waves of disturbing wailing.

"Strange Tales of the Supernatural!"

Zhou Yuan roared inwardly.

he knows.

Relying solely on the blue lamp.

They couldn't withstand that attack.

The only chance to turn things around.

It's in that book!

hum!

Deep in my mind.

The ancient, strange book was suddenly turned over.

The pages rustled.

It seemed to sense its master's impending crisis.

A longing.

A yearning for higher-level evil spirits.

It came from the book.

"You want to eat, right?"

"Then you can eat your fill!"

Zhou Yuan's eyes hardened.

Instead of retreating, he advanced.

He charged straight towards the sky filled with red ribbons.

"Night tour!"

"Out of body!"

In this extremely dangerous situation.

Zhou Yuan actually chose to have his soul leave his body!

A semi-transparent figure.

It emerged from above his head.

He held the physical copy of "Strange Tales of Gods and Monsters" tightly in his hand.

"court death!"

Upon seeing this, the man of a thousand faces...

He was overjoyed.

Out of body.

This is a sitting duck!

But what he didn't expect was...

Zhou Yuan wasn't there to die.

He's here to hunt!

"Sacrifice!"

Zhou Yuan's soul let out a roar.

The book "Strange Tales of Gods and Monsters" in his hand was suddenly opened.

It's like a gaping maw of an abyss.

A terrifying suction force.

It appears out of thin air.

Those imposing red silks.

In the instant I got close to the book.

It was as if they had encountered their natural enemy.

It began to tremble violently.

Then I was sucked in uncontrollably!

"What is that?!"

The man of a thousand faces finally panicked.

He sensed the evil power within him.

It's being lost at an alarming rate.

Along with his soul.

That book is going to drag us out!

"No!"

"That's impossible!"

"What kind of evil magic is this?!"

The man with a thousand faces wants to disconnect.

They wanted to escape.

But it was too late.

The first volume of "Strange Tales of Gods and Monsters".

Several jet-black chains shot out.

Splash!

The chains pierced through the void in an instant.

It wrapped itself directly around the neck and limbs of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman.

"Got you?"

Zhou Yuan's face was pale.

But a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Give me……"

"Come in!"

collapse!

The chains tightened suddenly.

The Thousand-Faced Gentleman let out a desperate scream.

He was being dragged along.

It flew towards the open page of the book.

"Master, save me—!"

The final wail abruptly ended.

Snapped!

The book "Strange Tales of Gods and Monsters" was closed again.

Between heaven and earth.

Silence fell instantly.

All the red silk.

All the wailing of ghosts.

They all disappeared.

Only that ancient book.

It floats silently in mid-air.

It emits a faint, dim light.

Followed by.

An unprecedentedly vast surge of Yin energy.

It is the feedback that comes from the book.

It instantly flooded into Zhou Yuan's soul.

Cool!

Zhou Yuan's soul couldn't help but tremble.

That feeling.

It's like eating a ginseng fruit.

The soul, which was originally covered in cracks due to injury.

Nourished by this yin energy.

It healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

even.

It's even more concise than before!

Even more powerful!

Not only that.

Zhou Yuan could still clearly feel it.

The pages of the book are turned.

A new page.

Slowly open.

A strange figure dressed in a theatrical robe was prominently depicted on it.

Below is a line of small print:

[A thousand-faced ghost, skilled in disguise, who delights in feeding on souls.]

[Supernatural Power: Thousand Faces of a Painted Skin.]

[It can transform into anyone it has ever met, mimicking their aura so convincingly that it's difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.]

"A thousand-faced mask?"

Zhou Yuan's soul returned to his body.

Slowly open your eyes.

A smile appeared on his lips.

"This is... a really good thing."

"Old Zhou!"

"Are you alright?!"

At this time.

Ma Ling'er limped over.

That happened too fast.

She didn't even see what was going on.

That ridiculously strong freak.

That's it? Gone just like that?

"fine."

Zhou Yuan stood up.

He patted the dust off his clothes.

Feel the surging power within my body.

"Not only is nothing wrong."

"It turned out to be a blessing in disguise."

He turned to look behind the stage.

The ley line nodes there.

Because the guardian of the Thousand-Faced Gentleman has been lost.

The black aura is dissipating rapidly.

"node."

"It's been cleared out."

Ma Ling'er breathed a sigh of relief.

He plopped down on the ground.

"That scared me to death!"

"That guy just now."

"What exactly is this thing?"

"A deliveryman."

Zhou Yuan smiled.

His gaze turned south.

A hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

"We've got it sorted out on this side."

"I wonder about Uncle Liu's situation..."

"How is it?"

at this time.

In the distant night sky.

Suddenly, a blood-red firework exploded.

That is……

Uncle Liu's distress signal!

Zhou Yuan and Ma Ling'er's expressions changed drastically in an instant.

"Uncle Liu is in trouble!"

"Walk!"

"quick!"