I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 237 Communication and Subsequent Developments, Blood Serpent Kin

When Wang Chao arrived at the backyard, he saw a group of dozens of people dressed in Ming Dynasty clothing. They were disheveled, emaciated, and constantly frowning as they looked out.

"Huh? What happened at the Shaman's Mansion? How come anyone is still staying there?"

Besides, wasn't this place occupied by the Qing army? How could Ming people have entered?

Looking at that group of people, Wang Chao was filled with curiosity.

Just then, a young man in his early twenties sitting near the center asked a question to a man in his thirties sitting in the center.

"General, are we really safe hiding here?"

Seeing that everyone around him was turning to look, the middle-aged man smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and comforted him:
"Do not worry.

Based on my observation, unless they cause a major disturbance, the Blood Serpent and its eerie retinue will not approach this place.

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew, that's good, that's good!"

At least I don't have to live in constant fear, worried that I'll be killed by those strange things at any moment.

"Sigh~, but this is only for the sake of temporary peace."

Without food, we can't last much longer.

Upon hearing these words, everyone around fell silent, looking out of the mansion with a mixture of despair and longing.

When will they be able to leave this ghost town?

After listening to their conversation, Wang Chao couldn't help but frown slightly.

What is this scenario?
What blood snake? What strange kin?
The "blood snake," as Wang Chao roughly understood it, likely referred to the blood-red python.

But what is this strange family?
Suddenly, however, Wang Chao seemed to have thought of something, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

Mysterious Family
Could he be someone like that Qing general who escaped, tainted by the eerie blood mist?

Looking at the silent crowd, Wang Chao really wanted to go up and ask them directly.

However, that is obviously unrealistic.

The projections and illusions in the underworld, once questioned by him, would likely instantly fall into that bizarre attack state.

After a moment's thought, Wang Chao's mind stirred, and the surrounding strange energy rapidly converged upon him, condensing his seals, unleashing his supernatural powers, and refining his Qi.
Originally, Wang Chao wanted to raise the energy within his body to the level of supernatural powers.

However, when the strange energy within the dynasty approached the realm of supernatural powers, the surrounding space and the projected illusions instantly rippled like reflections in water, appearing as if they could not withstand it.

Only then did the dynasty have to stop gathering its eerie aura, and even slightly disperse some of it.

He almost forgot that these underworld spaces that were not suppressed by the City God's power could only contain power at the Qi Refining realm at most.

Even those projection illusions
Wang Chao looked thoughtful.

Perhaps, those projected illusions can only withstand the power of the Qi Refining realm as well.

Wang Chao shook his head slightly, and his mind instantly spread out, enveloping the entire shaman's mansion. He mobilized the surrounding eerie energy and began to erode the projected illusions within.

As his mind delved deeper, subtle and profound information began to emerge in Wang Chao's mind, and his creation-of-the-world supernatural powers were subtly enhanced and perfected.

Finally, Wang Chao felt his mind suddenly break through some kind of barrier and obstacle.

In an instant, the dynasty's mind began to plummet.

Countless rays of light rapidly receded, transforming into a dazzling and mysterious passage, much like the legendary quantum tunnel or spatial passage.

In what seemed like an instant, yet also like an eternity, the dynasty's mind suddenly awoke. The dazzling lights around them were gone, replaced by a dilapidated manor, where the midday sun shone down, bringing a touch of warmth.

Wang Chao looked up and saw a group of people dressed in Ming Dynasty attire.

At this moment, they seemed not to have noticed him and continued to do their own thing as they pleased.

Looking at himself, he was surrounded by eerie energy. Although it was nearly half as weak as the eerie energy he had gathered in the underworld, it was still much stronger than the last time.

Sensing carefully, there were no blood-red pythons in the manor this time, but it was filled with a faint eerie atmosphere.

On the contrary, somewhere to the west outside the manor, the dynasty sensed a faint but special connection.

The blood-red python...did it really not collapse and perish?
Wang Chao couldn't help but smile faintly.

In an underground cave in the west of the city, a blood-red creature, as thick as a bowl, suddenly raised its two heads, one human and one snake, looking eastward.

"sizzle"

"My lord, have descended."

On the other side, after sensing something, a smile appeared on Wang Chao's face.

"Interesting, something strange seems to have happened."

However, Wang Chao quickly suppressed his thoughts and turned his attention to the group of people dressed in Ming Dynasty attire.

At this moment, they stood up, chatting and laughing, and walked out in twos and threes.

"Boss, we absolutely have to find enough food this time we go out."

"Yeah, boss."

"Don't worry, I will definitely lead you to find enough food."

"General, we should still check the surrounding area to see if there are any of the Blood Serpent's remnants."

"Yes, we definitely need to check it carefully."
"You, you, you, come with me to patrol the surrounding area. The rest of you, all of you, go and search for food."

Wang Chao watched everyone's actions and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hehe, if your legs weren't shaking so badly, it would probably look even more like it."

The chilling words reached the group's ears, causing them to stiffen and their lips to twitch involuntarily.

That thing seemed to realize they had discovered him.
In an instant, endless fear enveloped my heart.

This time I'm really doomed.

Looking at those people whose legs were trembling like leaves, the man in the lead, who was called a general, couldn't help but curse him inwardly as a piece of trash.

Although his legs were trembling slightly, they were much stronger than the others.

"Gudong!"

He swallowed hard, forcing down his fear. His mind raced, and suddenly a brilliant idea struck him. He smirked and cursed.

"You bunch of bastards, you've only gone two days without food, is it really necessary for your legs to be trembling with hunger?"

Upon hearing his words, the others gradually realized what was happening and began to speak.

"General, we are so hungry."

"Yes, my body is so weak I can barely stand."

"Look at my legs, they're shaking like crazy, I'm just so hungry."

"Tsk, you reacted pretty quickly."

Wang Chao looked at the leader and sighed slightly.

"However, you should stay here for now."

Otherwise, hehe.”

The legs that everyone was about to lift froze once again, and they all turned to look at the leader.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Zhang Zhaoyi felt his scalp tingle.

Damn it, what can he do against these monstrous things?
Taking a deep breath, a resolute glint flashed in Zhang Zhaoyi's eyes.

This strange thing in front of me seems to be able to communicate.

Since that's the case, let's take a gamble. Once he made up his mind, Zhang Zhaoyi turned around abruptly, forcing a stiff smile onto his face.

"Hehe, this ghost, ghost lord"
"Please do not hesitate to give me your orders. I am just a minor officer in the Gaizhou Garrison of the Ming Dynasty, but I am not without some ability."

Zhang Zhaoyi looked up at the dynasty and was instantly filled with endless fear, as if he were seeing an endless hell and the deepest abyss.

Instantly, Zhang Zhaoyi lowered his head, staring intently at his toes, no longer daring to look up.

Feeling the sudden surge of terrifying power emanating from the Ming army's small flag, several times stronger than before, Wang Chao couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

What's going on? You were so scared after just one glance at him?
Unconsciously, Wang Chao looked at his own body again.

There doesn't seem to be anything special about it.

Well, aside from the faint, unsettling aura emanating from it unconsciously.

"Hmm~?"

Wang Chao suddenly realized what was happening.

Could it be because of the eerie atmosphere?
It seems that the influence of eerie energy on people's minds and consciousness is far greater than he estimated.

It seems that we should be more cautious about sending students to the underworld for trials.

However, at the same time, the dynasty also noticed something.

That is, my control over power in this world has decreased, and I am unconsciously emitting strange energy.

Furthermore, the eerie aura has become more active, far less restrained than it was in the Heavenly Dynasty's Underworld.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why people's consciousness has been so greatly affected.

Despite the various thoughts and ideas churning in my mind.

However, Wang Chao, in the blink of an eye, instantly gathered the wisps of eerie energy that were unconsciously emanating into his body, and at the same time separated a wisp of consciousness to seal them all inside his body.

Then, Wang Chao looked at the small flag and asked:

"What's your name? What happened in this city?"

"Ghost, sir."

Hearing his form of address, Wang Chao frowned slightly.

What kind of weird name is this?
"Yes, you can call me the Underworld Emperor!"

Emperor of the Underworld?

Zhang Zhaoyi couldn't help but lift his eyelids, but when he caught sight of Wang Chao's toes, he quickly lowered his eyes again.

But in his heart, a monstrous storm had already been brewing.

The ghost before me... Hmm, the Underworld Emperor, he actually calls himself the Underworld Emperor.

Thinking back to the scene when I saw him, it was as if I saw an endless hell, a deep abyss.

Perhaps, what we see before us is truly the Emperor of the Underworld.
Considering what has happened in Gaizhou City recently, perhaps the Underworld Emperor descended to earth to resolve the current situation?

Suddenly, a burning passion rose in his heart.

Perhaps this is not just a crisis, but also a tremendous opportunity.

His tone unconsciously became more enthusiastic.

"Your Majesty the Underworld Emperor, my name is Zhang Zhaoyi, and I am a minor officer in the Ming army."

"Hmm, tell me what's going on here?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhang Zhaoyi respectfully agreed, then paused, recalling the events of the past few days, and after organizing his thoughts, he finally spoke:
About a month ago, the Qing army breached the walls of Gaizhou.
Then, a giant, blood-red serpent suddenly appeared. It first slaughtered the Qing soldiers here, and then slaughtered the Qing soldiers who came to reinforce them. Only a very few survived.

As Zhang Zhaoyi recounted his story, Wang Chao gradually gained an understanding of what had happened here after he left.

After slaughtering the Qing troops who came to reinforce it, the blood-red python roamed the city, spreading fear with its eerie aura to maintain the balance of its internal power.

However, although the city's population was large, they were relatively scattered, and the blood-red python's power and body continued to dissipate.

In the end, military camps with relatively concentrated numbers of soldiers became its primary targets.

Furthermore, based on the accounts of those who escaped back to the Qing army, many Qing soldiers and generals have confirmed that a strange demonic snake exists within the city of Gaizhou.

Therefore, as the blood snake roamed and wreaked havoc, everyone instinctively thought of the blood snake when they sensed its chilling aura.

In this way, there will always be someone who resonates with it at the end and sees the existence of the blood serpent.

Then came a massacre.

After repeated killings, the Qing army eventually abandoned Gaizhou Garrison City, as the presence of the Blood Serpent made it impossible to occupy and defend it.

However, they also blocked the entrances and exits of Gaizhou Garrison City at the same time, fearing that the people leaving would attract the blood snakes in the city.

Thus, the people of Gaizhou Garrison City could only struggle to survive within the city.

However, even if the blood-red python is discovered from time to time, leading to a massacre, it will gain a powerful boost.

But in the end, it still only became as thick as a bowl.

However, at this point, it did not shrink again.

It seems that the number of people in the city now is enough to maintain the balance of its dissipating power.

Furthermore, as the people in the city struggled to survive, they gradually discovered some patterns.

That's the Blood Serpent's attack; it needs to confirm that a human has seen it.

As a result, the people in the city began to disguise themselves and pretend they couldn't see the blood snake in order to avoid its attacks.

In the very beginning, some people in the city still suffered from time to time.

But overall, life has indeed improved a lot.

However, about ten days ago, some people suddenly appeared in the city who wielded the power of the blood serpent.

They claimed that the Blood Serpent was the Willow Fairy from the celestial realm, and that those killed by the Blood Serpent were people who disrespected and blasphemed the Willow Fairy.

Now, they have received the blessing of the Willow Immortal and have gained control of the eerie energy and the Willow Immortal's divine power.

As long as the people of the city join them, they will receive the protection of the Willow Fairy and will no longer be harmed.

In the beginning, many people did join them with some skepticism.

They can also use their own power to protect the people from the attacks of the blood snakes.

After being enveloped by their power, the blood serpent seemed to consider them as part of itself, and then it stopped attacking.

However, later on, those people's minds gradually became twisted and tyrannical, killing people at will, and even began to sacrifice living people to the blood snake.

Thus, people gradually began to distance themselves from them.

Ultimately, they became people everyone hated.

However, having mastered the abilities of eerie energy and blood mist, they are naturally not people that ordinary people can fight against.

It is unknown how many people were killed by them during this period.

In the end, they completely lost their minds, wandering throughout the city, killing any humans they encountered and devouring their flesh and blood.

They can even corrupt others with their own power, turning them into blood serpent servants as well.

As time passed, the number of blood-red relatives increased, and the people of the city could only desperately search for places to hide and wait for death.

Zhang Zhaoyi and his group were among them.

(End of this chapter)