There is a trick

Chapter 145: Disaster Banner Rises (6K, 1/1)

"The cursed bone is in the ghost grave?" Zhou Chang narrowed his eyes, "You had a fierce battle with the plague meat dumpling before, and later cooperated with him. It must be that he couldn't do anything to you and couldn't take the cursed gall from you, and you couldn't do anything to him either.

In desperation, both sides had to cooperate.

Since cooperation is a helpless act, it mostly leads to disunity.

You and Plague Zongzi will not cooperate sincerely, and you are not willing to entrust the Curse Gallbladder to him. I think you have other means to restrain the other party.

Is this cursed bone the key you use to restrain him?
The agitation flag is the source of the three plague winds. If Hu Asi controls this divine flag, wouldn't the plague energy in your body also have nowhere to go? But you are willing to cooperate with him to awaken the divine flag and let him control it...

is it possible--

In the Black Desolate Mountain, there is actually no so-called "Dryness Divine Banner"?
Or maybe there is no such banner in the world?
After reciting the mantra, what is finally awakened is actually another terrifying existence? "

After Zhou Chang finished speaking, Cui Ai's face was already filled with horror.

He did not remind Zhou Chang of anything about this matter.

However, Zhou Chang had already guessed most of the facts through some clues and hints!
What kind of freak is this?

How does the brain grow?

Cui Ai was horrified and became more determined not to offend the person in front of him.

He also completely gave up the idea of testing the other party.

He replied, "You are indeed very smart. You can actually guess the fact that there is no so-called Divine Banner in the Black Wasteland Mountain..."

Yes, just as you said, there is no so-called divine flag in the Black Desolate Mountain.

There is no such thing as a divine flag in the world.

The 'Dysphoric Divine Banner' was just a gimmick used by 'Plague Envoy Li Qi' to deceive the four families of Hu, Ren, and Li.

Li Qi is a strange immortal who has surpassed the level of 'Locking the Seven Natures'. From this stage onwards, the decay of his physical body will not hinder his true spirit. Instead, his true spirit can escape to the afterlife through the disintegration of his corpse.

His soul has now escaped into the dark mine under the Black Desolate Mountain.

But he was also unwilling to truly abandon his own physical body, so he dissolved his corpse and integrated his blood into the bodies of the four ancestors of the Qingtan Grand Masters, namely Hu, Ren, and Li. With the help of the four ancestors' bloodlines continued from generation to generation, his own flesh and blood also continued from generation to generation to this day.

The "cursed bones" preserved in the Yin Mine are actually his ghost bones.

The ghost bones were laid out at the entrance to the Yin Mine, preventing anyone else from setting foot in the Yin Mine under the ghost tomb of the Black Desolate Mountain.

When someone gathers "Li Qi's flesh and blood" and recites the incantation in front of the tomb in the Black Desolate Mountain, trying to awaken the divine flag, all the gathered flesh on his body will quickly disintegrate and merge with the ghost bones in the ghost tomb.

Li Qi's body will grow back.

This body will also follow me into the Yin Mine to search for its soul."

Zhou Chang digested the information provided by Cui Ai.

Even though he has saved Cui Ai now, it doesn't mean that he will trust the other party.

He was still wary of this 'strange person'.

"It seems that there is really a hidden mine in the ghost tomb of Black Desolate Mountain?" Zhou Chang's eyes gleamed. "Now, it seems that Hu Ah Si has gone to Da'an Village to collect the flesh and blood of the four masters...

Do you want to use him as a key to open the Yin Mine portal that was sealed by Li Qi's ghost bone?"

“It’s not me…” Cui Ai shook his head, expressionless, “It’s us.

We all need this to open the portal to the Yin Mine.

In the way of the strange immortal, after achieving the level of "locking the seven natures", a ghost bone will grow in the body.

This ghost skeleton is no different from a real demon.

With your or my abilities, unless we can lure this ghost skeleton to leave the Yin Mine entrance on its own initiative, it is impossible to break through its guard and enter the Yin Mine."

Zhou Chang nodded:

"It seems that... there is more than just this 'Forgotten Ghost' in the Black Desolate Mountain Ghost Graveyard.

And Li Qi's ghost bone is guarding the entrance of the Yin Mine...

Hu Asi and other four Qingtan masters were blown to the foot of the Black Desolate Mountain by a strange wind more than a hundred years ago. Because their eyes were blinded by the wind, they had to settle down at the foot of the Black Desolate Mountain, forming the current "Da'an Village"...

Based on this, the 'plague envoy Li Qi', as the ancestor of the four families, came to the Black Wasteland Mountain and sneaked into the Yin Mine for a longer time than the four families' grandmasters.

Then, could it be that the Yin Mine in the Ghost Graveyard of Black Desolate Mountain has already been completely infiltrated by this strange immortal who has been entrenched in the Yin Mine for hundreds of years, or even controlled by it?"

"I don't know." Cui Ai said, "However, the time in the Yin Mine is not in sync with the time in our area.

In our case, decades have passed, and perhaps only one day has passed...

The speed of time flow in each Yin mine is different from that in the current world.

So we are rushing to the Yin Mine now, and perhaps only half a month has passed there.

It is unlikely that Li Qi will be able to control a Yin Mine in just half a month."

"The speed of time flowing in the Yin Mine and in the real world is different..."

Zhou Chang pondered for a moment, then looked at Cui Ai and said, "Many years ago, you once set foot in the ghost tomb of Black Desolate Mountain. Even the blind people in Da'an Village didn't know about this. This is indeed a rare advantage.

So you can plan your operations and design ambushes here.

But your ultimate goal is probably to step into the ghost tomb again and find your son?"

“Yes.” Cui Ai nodded, his eyes somewhat sad. “I stayed at the foot of the Black Wasteland Mountain just to be able to return to the Ghost Tomb one day and rescue my son!”

There is a 99% chance that Cui Ai's son has died in a haunted grave.

The chances of survival are slim.

But rescuing his son has become Cui Ai's obsession for survival.

Zhou Chang had no intention of revealing to Cui Ai that his son was most likely dead. He frowned and thought, and did not say anything for a while.

Cui Ai took the initiative to say to Zhou Chang at this time: "You are wise and resourceful, but your strength is ultimately low. Although I am not as calculating as you, I still have some strength... If the two of us join forces and jointly explore the Yin Mine, it will be very feasible.

After all, the road ahead is full of dangers. After Li Qi's body is revived, its ferocity may be no less than that of the demon you call 'Forgotten Ghost' that already fills the ghost tomb.

If we join hands, we may be able to overcome this danger!"

"The three plagues must have all come from Li Qi.

When Li Qi's body is revived, won't the plague energy you control also be absorbed by it?" Zhou Chang did not respond to Cui Ai's suggestion, but suddenly asked him a few questions.

Cui Ai said: "I have a secret method that can retain the sad plague energy. I am confident that even if Li Qi's body is revived, he will not be able to take the sad plague energy back."

"Are you using the tragic event of 'losing your son' to keep the sad plague within yourself?" Zhou Chang suddenly asked.

Hearing this, Cui Ai looked at Zhou Chang coldly without saying anything.

Zhou Chang laughed instead.

If Cui Ai did not have any obvious weaknesses, he would never have cooperated with the other party.

But that is clearly not the case.

"Okay, we can cooperate!" Zhou Chang nodded happily at this time, and he didn't even put forward any additional conditions.

Cui Ai's expression slightly changed, and he nodded: "Do we need to ask the gods and ghosts to be witnesses and swear an oath to each other right now?"

"No need." Zhou Chang simply shook his head. "Cooperation always requires both parties to treat each other sincerely. When both parties have something to hide and don't trust each other, they need to swear an oath.

But I believe that you will cooperate with me sincerely.

Don't you believe me?"

Zhou Chang looked at Cui Ai with a playful look.

In his heart, he didn't believe that Cui Ai would cooperate with him sincerely.

He also didn't believe that the so-called oath and swearing could really play any role - after all, he himself had already mastered the art of swearing and swearing, and had even used swearing to trick a lot of information out of the 'lacquered ghost Zhou Yang', but in the end he still 'broke his oath' and killed him.

"Since you have said so, there is no need for me to swear an oath.

Since you treat me sincerely——" Cui Ai's face was slightly touched, and he nodded, "I will definitely treat you sincerely!"

Cui Ai continued, "I have an agreement with Hu Asi that he will go to Da'an Village to collect the 'blood and flesh of the immortal master', and I will wait for him here at the Black Wasteland Pass.

I think he will get here soon.

I will disguise you first so that he won’t get suspicious when he sees you.”

Zhou Chang responded.

Then, a stream of water immediately rose from the black river under Cui Ai's feet.

In a moment, the water gathered into the shape of a villager from Baiguo Village, but the face of this villager had no facial features.

The 'villager', with the river water of sorrow flowing through his body, walked closer to Zhou Chang.

Its body melted and boiled like a candle, wrapping Zhou Chang inside it.

In Zhou Chang's sports watch, the 'antibodies to the plague of grief' continued to grow for a while, and finally returned to calm.

The plague-like river water wrapped around Zhou Chang's body and instantly shrank back into the black river under Cui Ai's feet.

Under the Black River.

Zhou Chang was lying on his back.

Everything happening on the river was still clearly visible in his eyes.

He watched Cui Ai stay there for a moment, then turned and walked towards the arch formed by rocks - the Black Desolate Pass.

In fact, it would not be a bad idea for Zhou Chang to leave and hide in the tombs in the Black Desolate Mountain, waiting there for Cui Ai and Hu Asi to arrive together.

But once Zhou Chang left, Cui Ai, who was being stared at by the Forgotten Ghost, would almost immediately be in danger.

He will quickly forget everything related to himself and will eventually be killed by the 'Forgotten Ghost'.

Now that Zhou Chang stays here, as long as Zhou Chang does not forget Cui Ai, he is indirectly helping Cui Ai save his life.

Both of them are well aware of this.

Cui Ai waited in front of the rock archway for a while.

Suddenly, a black wind blew between heaven and earth.

This gust of black hair wind was initially fine and sporadic, just like the black hair wind that appeared from time to time before.

Surrounded by the fine black wind, Cui Ai did not react at all.

This level of black wind could not harm him at all. But soon, in just a moment, the fine black wind suddenly became fierce!

The whistling sound of the wind turned into the howling of ghosts!

The strong wind blew away the thatched roofs of the collapsed houses in the distant deserted village, tore the weeds into pieces, and painted the sky and the earth black!

Endless black hair swirled in the wind, like the outstretched arms of a ghost, constantly passing over Cui Ai's body - dark tears suddenly flowed from Cui Ai's eyes, and a layer of black water also floated on his body surface.

The black water of the plague began to boil on Cui Ai's body surface, resisting the invasion of the strong wind blowing between heaven and earth!
Even under Cui Ai's feet, ripples began to appear on the silent surface of the Black River!
Cui Ai looked at the river with sad eyes, and looked at Zhou Chang who was hiding under the river.

He didn't say anything, but Zhou Chang understood the look in his eyes.

——This gust of black hair wind was caused by Hu Asi, who had collected a body of "immortal master flesh".

It was deliberately provoking Cui Ai.

"Hu Asi, show yourself quickly!"

"Don't you want to get the Divine Banner from the Ghost Tomb?!"

Cui Ai’s current situation is actually quite difficult.

He was stared at by the Forgotten Ghost, and sometimes he would even suddenly forget how to control the sad plague.

It was at this time that Hu Asi raised the black wind to provoke him. All he could do was to threaten Hu Asi with his own "curse gall" to force him to retract the black wind.

The 'Faza Divine Banner' is the divine object that Hu Asi desires, and it is his lifeline.

So as soon as Cui Ai’s cry sounded, the strong wind that was blown up in all directions was immediately stopped.

In the gradually dying down black wind, Hu Asi slowly approached the mountain pass carrying a bamboo pole.

Thick, black yet illusory hair spread out from behind Hu Asi and drifted towards the sky.

At the end of those clumps of hair, there were bloody human heads.

The many heads had different expressions, some were looking at Hu Asi who was walking below with fear, some were angry, and some were sad. Zhou Chang also recognized a few faces among those heads - those heads were all villagers from Da'an Village.

Hu Asi walked closer to Cui Ai.

From time to time, there were gurgling sounds coming from its stomach.

As its stomach growled, the head that was being pulled by the hair on its back disappeared silently.

The human head was completely "digested" by it.

"I'm just playing a game with you, but you're scared like this?" Hu Asi smiled coldly at Cui Ai. He looked at Cui Ai and suddenly asked, "Have you caught that outsider?"

“He fled from here into the Black Wind Mountain.

The three plagues are raging in Black Wind Mountain, he is definitely going to die." Cui Ai replied to Hu Asi without even raising his eyelids, turned around and walked across the mountain pass.

Behind the rock arch, a plague wind was raging. The howling wind blew on Cui Ai, causing endless circles of black water ripples on his body.

However, Hu Asi felt like a fish in water when walking here.

It had a very pleased look on its face, and the number of heads flying up behind it kept decreasing.

The disappearance of every human head means that it has gained another piece of "immortal master's flesh and blood".

The two walked one after the other, neither holding hands to support the other nor speaking anything to each other.

Both of them had their own ulterior motives. The closer they got to the ghost tomb in the Black Desolate Mountain, the more their minds were focused on the ghost tomb, and the more reluctant they were to deal with the 'collaborator' beside them.

Zhou Chang hid under the Black River.

He used the thought thread to pass the message to Bai Xiu'e, asking everyone in the tomb to make some preparations.

In fact, there is nothing to prepare for. Zhou Chang just wants everyone to have an expectation psychologically.

After all, while everyone is in the tomb of the Plague God, they can still get his protection, but once they leave the tomb, they will have to face all kinds of emergencies.

The tomb over there is actually the safest place.

Once the ghost tomb changes and the Yin mine opens up, people will be able to "get the moon first because they are close to the water".

……

The three plagues raging in the Black Desolate Valley were no big deal to Cui Ai and Hu Asi.

Although it took them some time to cross the area where the three plagues were rampant, it was still much easier than Zhou Chang and his group.

Not long after, the two passed by the big dead tree in the mountain, cut off the green threads of spring plague that were wrapped around its body, and then gathered at the foot of the mountain grave that rose like a mountain and was covered with lush vegetation.

"The Divine Banner of Irritation..."

Hu Asi looked at the towering tombs in front of him with fanatical eyes.

He opened his chest, revealing the word "fire" surrounded by thick hair on his chest.

"Let's chant the mantra together!"

Hu Asi grinned as he spoke.

The clumps of illusory long hair behind it trembled, completely tearing the human heads on the top into pieces!

The bloody rain poured down on Hu Asi's body. Every muscle on his body grew lips made of clumps of black hair. They swallowed the rain falling from the sky and became more and more swollen.

In just a moment, Hu Asi's body grew a whole circle bigger!
Hu Asi turned his head and looked at Cui Ai with his eyes wide open.

There was actually a pair of pupils in each of its eyes.

The eyes that originally belonged to Hu Asi were filled with fanatical emotions.

The other pair of eyes belonging to 'Master Li' were icy cold.

The illusory black hair behind Hu Asi turned into arms and made hand seals in the air. It turned to face the big dead tree covered with green lines not far from the grave, and its lips moved.

Then, a strong black wind blew around the big dead tree!
In the wind, a cold incantation could be heard: "Rotten wood gives rise to miasma..."

Cui Ai lowered his head and followed the chanting of the "Banner Mantra": "Rotten wood gives rise to miasma..."

"Wow!"

As the two chanted the spell, the green lines of spring plague covering the big dead tree were washed by the wind and billowed into billowing green smoke!
The smoke gathers towards the sky, painting the sky!
But in the blink of an eye, green clouds rolled in the sky!
A large green cloud poured down over the heads of Hu Asi and Cui Ai, and gradually covered the graves in front of them!

"Rotten wood produces miasma, black wind refines plague pills..."

"The cesspool gushes out turbid springs, the filthy land forms disaster banners..."

"The three plagues feed all ghosts, and the five poisonous diseases open the coffins..."

"The god of the flag is awakened immediately, and he must obey the orders immediately - he must obey the orders immediately without delay!"

The black wind is howling!

The rolling black wind swept up the three plagues in the Black Desolate Valley and poured them all onto the mountain graves!
The black rain flooded the lush vegetation on the mountain graves, causing them to wither and rot!

The black wind swirled above the mountain grave, connected to the green cloud of spring plague at the sky!

As Hu Asi and Cui Ai chanted incantations, the three plague energies that gathered on the mountain graves merged together - the green clouds of spring plague in the sky now spread clean rain, which washed away the black rain of sorrow and plague that had poured on the mountain graves, and washed away all the rotten vegetation on the mountain graves!
But the soil and rocks above the grave were still pitch black!
The dark earth and rocks shook violently, and under the gaze of Hu Asi and Cui Ai, the towering tomb suddenly collapsed at a certain moment!
Deep cracks spread from the top of the tomb to the foot of the mountain, covering the entire tomb like a spider web!

A bone wrapped with blood vessels and tendons suddenly emerged from the crack on the top of the tomb!
This bone, which is exactly the same as a human hand or arm bone, stands on the top of the tomb like a giant tree dozens of feet tall!
The white bones spread out their five fingers and inserted them into the green cloud in the sky!
The three plagues' energy hovered around this huge bone arm and was completely absorbed by the blood vessels and tendons wrapped around the bones!

At this moment, the white bone arm that was inserted into the green cloud, causing the spring plague green cloud to boil and dissipate, was just like a terrifying flag!

Hu Asi stared at the "flag" on top of the tomb with enthusiasm, and shouted loudly: "Divine flag! Divine flag!

I have recited the complete spell to raise the flag, and the divine flag should belong to me!
Come on! Come on! "

Amid Hu Asi's fanatical shouts, the "divine banner" on top of the tomb evaporated the green clouds in the sky, causing the sky to become dark again. Then, it began to shrink back into the cracks of the tomb, foot by foot.

After the white bone arm absorbed the three plague energies swirling in the valley, it unknowingly grew a lot stronger.

So when it shrank back this time, it squeezed the soil and rocks on the grave and caused them to fly.

The entire towering mountain tomb is like a flower bud, blooming——

Earth and rocks poured down in all directions, like a sudden mudslide!

Even Cui Ai had to retreat repeatedly under the sudden blooming tomb!
Only Hu Asi, at this moment, went against the rolling flow of earth and rocks, flying between the huge rocks, chasing after the white bone arm that kept shrinking!
Its cry could be heard above the howling wind: "Divine Banner! Divine Banner!"

At a certain moment, it finally approached the bony arm.

At the same time, the skeletal arm suddenly turned around, with its five open finger bones facing the oncoming plague rice dumpling!
"Give me the divine banner!"

Hu Asi looked up at the huge bony arm.

Its mind was agitated, and it only wanted to possess this terrifying flag, and rely on the power of the flag to gain everything it wanted!
The 'divine banner' satisfied it...

The five fingers of the white bone arm suddenly covered Hu Asi.

His five fingers closed together like a flower bud and he wrapped Hu Asi in it like a rice dumpling.

It is steep and stands upright among the collapsed mud and rocks.

“Gala, gala—”

It shrunk back into the earth.

In the tomb chamber surrounded by mud and rocks, the sound of chewing food could be heard.

……

Seven or eight people walked out of the collapsed grave.

The leader Yang Rui was holding a tablet of a deity, standing in front of a crack in the distance, looking vigilantly at Cui Ai, who was dressed in black.

Zhou Chang emerged from the slightly dried-up Black River at Cui Ai's feet.

He stood in front of Cui Ai, waved and greeted his companions.

At that time, he was in constant contact with Bai Xiu'e and reminded everyone in time, so that everyone was able to escape from the Tomb of the Plague God. Otherwise, they would have been buried in the sudden mudslide.

It was a long time before the sounds of chewing food disappeared completely in the center of the collapsed rock.

Cui Ai nodded, and everyone walked slowly towards the other tomb chamber exposed in the center of the collapsed rock.

They stood on the rocks, looking down at the dark tomb below.

This tomb chamber exposed to the sunlight is the "ghost grave" in the Black Desert Mountain.

This is also the 'entrance' to the Yin Mine area.

(End of this chapter)