Chapter 194: Heavenly Omen of Fortune and Misfortune

Chapter 194: Heavenly Hanging Auspicious and Inauspicious

The Daoist in embroidered white robes, the martial artist in black clothes stained with blood.

The wind howls, the cold rain reaps slaughter.

Those who should flee have fled clean, those destined to die are walking the path.

"The seven-grade ritual mask. No wonder the Dao Master couldn't trace your whereabouts—turns out you were hidden by that giant rat."

Wang Wenqin stared at the mask covered in cracks, his eyes growing more ferocious, "You barely escaped death from Yu Canghai's grasp, yet you don't act like a man with a tail between his legs. Are you so eager to seek death?!"

Raindrops struck the martial artist's wrist, mixing with the blood flowing from his palm to congeal at his fingertips.

The next moment, a sudden gust blew them away.

"Of course I'm eager—but to kill you!"

The words were left behind as the martial artist stepped forward and charged.

"A nest of snakes and rats, today the Dao Master will liberate you all!"

Wang Wenqin let out a cold snort, his sleeve fluttering as several crimson jade talismans flew out in succession.

If Wang Xie were present, he would surely recognize the inscriptions on these talismans—they were identical to those used by Zhang Jiyun.

The only difference was the material: Zhang Jiyun used wooden carved talismans available on the market.

What Wang Wenqin wielded were made of extremely precious red jade.

Even an ancestral Daoist method must be ranked by wealth.

"Qixia technique, invading like fire, swift as the swift command—Imperial decree!"

Boom!

The talisman exploded in midair without delay.

The thunderous roar shook the ears, flames surged skyward, the bluestone slabs on the square were blasted into powder, and the scattered, mangled corpses were instantly reduced to charcoal.

In an instant, the square was ablaze, the firelight scorching the eyes, too intense to gaze upon directly.

The annoying black martial uniform had been devoured by the flames, leaving no trace.

Yet Wang Wenqin's face showed no hint of joy, only growing darker.

"Ziwu righteous eyes, open!"

The Daoist's eyes narrowed slightly, a green light suddenly flashing in his pupils, countless tiny celestial generals leaped onto his eyelids. Excess colors were instantly drained, leaving only black and white.

The dancing talismans marked a rushing black line upon the dancing white wave!

Almost in the blink of an eye, Wang Wenqin's vision was pierced by a pair of eyes brimming with malicious flames!

"Qixia technique, still as a mountain, swift as the swift command—Imperial decree!"

Whoosh!

A fist wrapped in sparks struck a talisman carved with Kuijia mountain patterns, emitting a clear, sharp metallic resonance.

The sparks faded, the talisman shattered.

Five fingers pierced through the scattered jade fragments, striking the Daoist's face.

The latter revealed a cold smile, his body unmoving, hands forming seals, pressing one against his chest.

Pfft!

At the critical moment, a golden pestle grazed the Daoist's temple and shot out, striking Li Jun's palm squarely.

The pestle and sword plunged into the wound carved by the flying sword, spurting a large volume of blood.

Li Jun's face showed no pain; his wrist twisted, gripping the pestle and pulling forward.

His feet advanced in arrow steps, his left arm raised to elbow, thrusting forward like a spear!

The Daoist caught between them paled abruptly, hastily leaping backward.

Thud!

The impact sound made one's heart feel oppressed.

A pair of cloud-headed shoes embroidered with golden threads sank into the ground, plowing a fissure through the shattered bluestone, earth and rocks surging upward.

He retreated several zhang before barely dissipating the force.

Li Jun did not rush to pursue but squinted, examining the half-kneeling golden-armored deity before him.

His figure was massive, his talisman-covered face blood-red, clutching a demon-subduing pestle.

The word "Lingguan" on his chest was cracked all over, revealing steel-reinforced bones inscribed with "Dao Gate's Green Words" in cinnabar.

There was also a humming, beating azure mechanical heart.

The white-robed Daoist stood atop this yellow-clad strongman's shoulders, his face ashen and grim.

"How could the Qingcheng Group's trash let a martial artist grow to this level under their noses?"

Earlier, his flying sword had been snapped by Li Jun's bare hands, and Wang Wenqin had merely been startled, not overly surprised.

For mastering flying swords was never his forte.

But now, this yellow-clad strongman, carefully nurtured and transformed from a soldier, had been struck by a single elbow to damage his mechanical heart.

This left him deeply unsettled.

"Was it true that Yu Canghai nearly pinned him with a single sword? Damn it—was Yu Canghai too strong, or was I, the Dao Master, too weak?"

Listening to the slightly sluggish sound from the strongman's chest cavity, Wang Wenqin fell into contradiction.

If he let Zou Siji go now, what would become of the stolen cave heaven permissions?

That was his future qualification to join the 'Immortal Rank'!

In the vast sea of people, finding these elusive yin-yang practitioners again would not be easy.

As for tracing back through the Huangliang network, there was no need to consider it—the name of the Huangliang big rats was not earned in vain.

But if he didn't let go...

Wang Wenqin's brow furrowed as he spoke in a deep voice: "Li Jun, have Zou Siji return the stolen cave heaven permissions, and I shall not hold past grievances. Let us turn weapons into jade and silk. From now on, within the Chongqing Prefecture, our waters shall not encroach upon each other's rivers!"

"Alright."

Li Jun agreed crisply, not turning his head as he shouted: "Old Zou, you stole someone else's thing?"

Zou Siji, standing afar, sneered: "I took back my family's key. Can that be called stealing?"

"Whose key?"

"My family's!"

Li Jun's jaw jutted toward the Daoist: "You thief calling others thieves?"

Wang Wenqin's face turned ashen: "Do you truly wish to join forces with these Huangliang big rats?"

"Go to hell, you rats—you bunch of thieves!" Zou Siji cursed angrily.

Wang Wenqin ignored him, eyes fixed on Li Jun: "These yin-yang practitioners are all stray dogs, unable to amount to anything, nor protect you."

"If you are willing to cooperate with me and help me reclaim the Dongtian authority, I can petition Bai Yu Jing for a pardon for you!"

The Daoist's words were hurried and sharp, his shrill voice grating like metal on stone.

"Once you have Bai Yu Jing's pardon edict, neither the Buddhist nor Taoist orders will dare trouble you again. In this vast world, you may walk freely henceforth."

At that moment, Li Jun suddenly burst into laughter, cutting off Wang Wenqin's words.

"What a vast world, what a pair of Buddhist and Taoist sects!"

Li Jun slowly extended a finger, tapping the cracked blue bricks beneath his feet, his brows and eyes brimming with mockery and ridicule.

"Remember this: when you beg others in your next life, do not stand. Kneel properly before you speak!"

The words had barely fallen when Wu Fu had already shattered the rain curtain, his speed surpassing even before, arriving before the Daoist in the blink of an eye.

Huff.

Within three inches of the fist's edge, the raindrops were all swept away by the force of the wind.

"Heaven's auspiciousness and misfortune, impermanence—danger!"

In Wang Wenqin's monochrome world, the crimson "danger" glared starkly.

But the fist was already upon him, and there was no time left to perform the ritual.

At the critical moment, the Daoist hastily clasped the "Ding Jia" talisman, shouting in alarm: "Spirit Marshal, protect me!"

Whir.

The mechanical heart buzzed loudly, and the half-kneeling spirit marshal suddenly rose, wielding a golden mace, and slashed down at Li Jun with all his might!

Clang!

A thunderous explosion rang out as the golden mace shattered on impact, the spirit marshal's massive form flying backward, its components scattering in all directions.

Standing atop the spirit marshal's shoulder, the Daoist unfurled his large sleeves, swiftly pasting two cups of red talismans on either side of his thigh.

Suddenly, countless wisps of steam erupted forth, accompanied by countless ethereal, dreamlike Daoist chants that invaded Li Jun's mind.

The Daoist hid within the steam, riding clouds and mist, his figure flickering as he fled rapidly.

Crack!

Li Jun's ceremonial mask cracked completely, yet in the midst of the hypnotic illusions, he precisely locked onto that figure, like a lost dog.

He stepped forward, gripped the throat.

Two fingers like blades pierced through the body and heart.

Splash!

The mask adhered to his face peeled away in pieces, revealing those fierce features carved by axe and chisel.

Li Jun withdrew his arm, a scarlet blood droplet splashing onto his cheek, slowly trickling down his jaw.

"A useless thing that can't even take a beating."

[Mastered 75 points]

[Remaining Mastery Points: 98]

Bang!

At that very moment, a thunderous gunshot erupted.

Almost simultaneously, a shower of sparks exploded beside Li Jun's ear!

A golden mace that had silently approached unknown when was struck by a bullet into the air, whizzing into the ground.

On the mountain path, a figure wrapped in a black robe slowly emerged.

A four-foot-long spear gun was slung over his shoulder, its barrel still emitting faint blue smoke, adorned with dark golden dragon patterns, forming two small seal characters at the muzzle—Jing Ke.

"Little Li, Master Ma's spear technique for shooting javelins still holds up, doesn't it?"

"Magnificent!"

Li Jun wiped the fresh blood trickling from his ear, raised his thumb toward the distant mountain path.

"So the source of the disturbance in my mind was here all along."

Zou Si Jiu watched the "resurrected" Yellow Turban warrior, a sneer of contempt freezing on his lips. "There's still enough prepared for me—should I truly make this a grave-turning affair?"