Chapter 241: Talisman

Chapter 241 Talisman

Within the interlocking rock caves beneath Qingqiu, Li Huowang and his group stood under a patch of silver light, gazing at the exit outside.

"So high, and almost entirely vertical. How are we supposed to climb up?" Gouwa craned his neck, looking at the speckled starry sky beyond the cave, speaking with difficulty.

Such a matter might be a major problem for others, but for Li Huowang as he was now, it was easily solved; even if he couldn't solve it himself, those around him had other methods.

Li Huowang turned his head to glance at Bai Lingmiao, raising his chin toward her. A hint of hesitation appeared on Bai Lingmiao's face, but ultimately she nodded, covering her head with her red veil.

Seeing this scene, Li Huowang's expression tightened slightly, yet he said nothing.

"Boom boom boom~!! Head wrapped in binding cloth, feet treading the Ziwei earth~! Today ascending the pass brings much luck, Southern Dipper relies on Northern Dipper, Southern Dipper Star Six One Elder resides, within the Northern Dipper's mouth Ziwei abounds~!"

Accompanied by drumbeats and divine chants, Bai Lingmiao, possessed by the Immortal Family, suddenly threw her head back, gazing through the red veil at the speckled stars in the sky.

Bai Lingmiao's body began to twitch briefly; when the convulsions ceased, she snatched the iron chain from Gao Zhijian that was meant to bind Li Huowang, and immediately her body seemed boneless, collapsing instantly onto the ground.

She writhed her soft body, swimming up the smooth cave wall like a human snake.

On the nearly vertical cave wall, Bai Lingmiao moved as if on flat ground, swimming to the cave opening at incredible speed.

Soon, the chain used to bind Li Huowang was thrown down. It landed before the others. The trouble was easily resolved.

"You go first, I'll cover the rear." Li Huowang stood firm in the moonlight, vigilantly watching the darkness beyond the moonlight.

"Senior Brother Li, you're injured like this, you should go first." Sun Baolu looked at the wounds on Li Huowang's body, speaking with great concern.

It was no wonder he thought so; Li Huowang's appearance was truly miserable. The missing fingers on his left hand were still dripping blood, most of the skin on his chest had been stripped away, and there wasn't a single good spot on his body.

"What dilly-dallying? If I tell you to go, just go!" Li Huowang directly rejected his kindness.

He understood that in this situation, his strength was the greatest; during the retreat, if anything unexpected happened, he could handle it.

But if someone else covered the rear and truly encountered trouble, they might really be gone.

Under Li Huowang's repeated commands, the others began climbing up along the chain.

The others were manageable, but the most difficult was the constantly writhing Black Tai Sui. After much effort twisting and turning, it was finally bound to the chain and forcibly dragged up by Gao Zhijian.

Looking up at the others struggling to climb the chain, just as Li Huowang was estimating how much time remained, his expression instantly became unusually grave, and he suddenly turned to look at the darkness to his left side.

Somewhat disheveled, Han Fu emerged from the darkness atop his two deformed heads. His yellow Taoist robes were stained with much blood, clearly caused by Li Huowang's previous attacks.

He did not step into the moonlight, but stopped at the boundary between moonlight and darkness.

Looking at Li Huowang gripping the sword hilt, Han Fu regarded him with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "Daoist Xuan Yang, it seems the unimportant people have all left?"

"Yes, they've all left." The five fingers of Li Huowang's right hand creaked as they gripped tight.

"Senior Brother Li! Is everything okay down there?! Who are you talking to?" Gouwa's shout rang out from the cave opening.

Hearing the hollow echo above, Li Huowang, brows furrowed, shouted loudly, "It's fine! I'm talking to hallucinations! Keep climbing!"

Then Li Huowang coldly looked at the Taoist before him, "You actually arrived early, right? Waiting this long just for me to be isolated. Do you truly think you can fight me?"

Han Fu shook his head, a trace of pride appearing on his face as he said, "Heh, haven't you noticed? Those talismans on the sword earlier have already been stabbed into your body, wrapping around your internal organs?"

Finishing his words, he spread his hands wide; as his broad sleeves waved through the air creating whooshing sounds, surrounding Li Huowang, a massive ghost talisman three zhang long instantly manifested on the ground around him.

The moment the talisman, identical in color to the rotten teeth in their mouths, appeared, it enveloped Li Huowang entirely, and immediately Li Huowang felt unable to move an inch.

"Om Ti Da Pin Na Ji Ji Li Shei!!"

With a low roar from Han Fu, the giant talisman on the ground came alive; twisted black-and-yellow lines instantly crawled all over Li Huowang's body, burrowing in through the wounds.

Watching Li Huowang frozen in place, no longer moving, a trace of pride appeared on Han Fu's face. "A living Heart Essence obtained so simply. It was obviously easy to catch. I truly don't know why those people always say not to use force against a Heart Essence."

"What do they know? Heart Essences are so rare. A bunch of guys who've never seen a pig discussing how to slaughter one will definitely come up with nothing." Han Fu's fist-sized head sang harmony with the other self.

Han Fu walked over, continuing to critique the frozen Li Huowang. "This Heart Essence, from the outside, feels no different. Why is it so cherished? Who should we sell it to?"

"Selling it to others isn't appropriate, is it? Others might see our strength is weak and snatch our Heart Essence. Better we use it ourselves."

"How do we use it? Strip it naked and throw it in a pot to boil and eat? We only heard Heart Essences are rare, didn't hear where the rarity lies. Better sell it."

"We don't even know where the rarity lies, who knows the price? What if we sell it at a loss? Go back and ask Master, he has seen much and knows much."

"But what if Master kills us to snatch our Heart Essence?"

Just as Han Fu's two heads were still discussing how to dispose of Li Huowang, the frozen Li Huowang suddenly extended his hand.

Before Han Fu could react, with a wet squelch, he thrust the long sword in his hand into the other's belly.

"Th-this... how is this possible! I clearly sealed your..." Han Fu, blood slowly flowing from the corner of his mouth, looked incredulously at the murderous Li Huowang before him.

"Kid! If your skills aren't refined, don't imitate others in robbing!" Accompanied by Li Huowang's low roar, he directly raised the long sword stabbed into his belly, both hands gripping the hilt exerting force upwards violently, the blade slicing through the navel, splitting straight up towards the head.

Even at this point, Han Fu still refused to give up struggling, raising his hands to form a seal, but just as they reached his chest, Li Huowang's long sword had already sliced through.

Along with the splashing blood, several severed fingers also flew out.

"How is this possible!" In Han Fu's cry full of reluctance, the long sword in Li Huowang's hand swiftly yet firmly sliced across his Adam's apple, mouth, nose, and forehead one by one.

(End of Chapter)