Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 692 Demon Lord
In an instant, the air seemed to freeze.

Wu Ling's eyes, hidden behind the mask, suddenly narrowed, her sharp gaze fixed on Liang Jin.

She could even hear the frantic pounding of her own heart like a drum!

A drop of cold sweat slid down her pale neck, which was covered with bluish-purple veins, and landed on the steaming bluestone crack in the ground, silently spreading into a small, dark, damp spot.

She clearly realized that Liang Jin was not bluffing, nor was he joking.

For those three Thunderstruck Fruits containing the power of creation from the thunder of heaven and earth, this man truly did not mind making an enemy of the Yaoshui Queen who reigned supreme in the Southern Continent, nor did he mind breaking ties with the infamous and unpredictable Wuxu Demon Lord!

Even... if forced by circumstances, he might actually dare to stand on the opposite side of both at the same time, using his own strength to resist the two strongest forces in the Southern Continent!

This thought sent a chill down Wu Ling's spine.

Does this leader of the Way of Peace, revered as a god by countless followers, truly possess such power?
Her thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the moment when she briefly clashed with Liang Jin.

The battle didn't last long, but it left a deep impression on her.

Liang Jin defeated her, but an instinctive feeling from a martial artist told her that Liang Jin's strength was like the deep sea, and what she had glimpsed was only the tip of the iceberg.

He must still have untapped trump cards, and even more unfathomable power hidden beneath that seemingly peaceful, even slightly weak, exterior.

What would it be like if he were to unleash his hidden power without reservation?

Perhaps... looking across the entire Southern Continent, only the reclusive and enigmatic Queen Yaoshui is qualified to be his opponent.

Or... it would require the personal intervention of the Demon Lord of Wuxu, who single-handedly stirred up the winds and clouds of the Southern Continent and struck fear into the hearts of countless tribes, to suppress him!

The sorcerer could not give a definite answer.

All she knew was that every time she faced this man, even if he was weak and his steps seemed heavy, a nameless fear and pressure from the depths of her soul would always follow her.

It wasn't just pure power pressure; it was more like the instinctive vigilance and fear that arises when facing an unknown abyss.

Just as the heavy atmosphere was about to materialize and freeze the two of them completely—

"Ah……"

Liang Jin suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter, though not loud, strangely broke the deadlock.

With that soft laugh, the faint, yet subtly palpable, chilling aura surrounding him vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.

He even leisurely raised his hand and lightly dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeve.

“National Master Wuling, there’s no need to be so nervous.”

His voice regained its previous calmness, carrying a hint of familiarity that was almost indistinguishable from reality:

“We are close friends. No matter how the situation changes, I, Liang Jin, will always treat you with courtesy.”

Close friend... best friend?
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly beneath the witch's mask, and he almost lost his composure.

She remembered clearly how she was shaken by this man's domineering palm strike, causing her blood to churn and her internal organs to shift.

If he hadn't been burdened with so many secrets, he probably would have been "sent off" to meet the King of Hell on the spot.

Is that what you call treating someone with courtesy?
She was about to speak.

Perhaps she wanted to say something sarcastic, or perhaps she wanted to ask him about his true intentions, but before she could utter the words, they were stuck in her throat.

Because Liang Jin, who was standing opposite her, suddenly turned icy cold and sharp as a hawk in a fraction of a second, his eyes, which had been carrying a hint of mockery, swept sharply toward the other side of the street!
"Humph!"

His voice was as sharp as tearing silk:
"Hiding your head and showing your tail, do you even deserve to be called a demon?!"

Wu Ling's heart skipped a beat. She was slightly surprised and was about to follow his gaze and ask him a question.

However, she didn't need to ask any questions, nor did she need to consciously perceive them—

An extreme danger warning, stemming from biological instinct, pierced her entire body instantly like countless fine ice needles!
My hair stood on end, and a chill ran down my spine!
because……

It's so quiet!
The moment Liang Jin finished speaking, the once bustling narrow street fell into a deathly, chilling silence!

The previous cacophony of sounds, belonging to the everyday life of the city—the vendors' melodious cries, the children's laughter and play, the conversations of passersby haggling over prices, and even the faint sounds of dogs barking and roosters crowing in the distance…

Everything came to an abrupt end at this moment!

It wasn't that the sound gradually became quieter, but rather it was as if an invisible giant pair of scissors had precisely severed all the vocal cords at the same time, silencing all sound sources.

The witch spirit suddenly looked around.

The sight before her made even someone as used to bizarre scenes as her feel a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head!
On the street, all pedestrians, regardless of age or gender, remained frozen in place, as if they were puppets under a spell.

A middle-aged woman carrying a shopping basket was standing with her mouth slightly open, seemingly about to greet an acquaintance next to her, but the warm smile on her face froze into a stiff mask.

A child squatting in the corner playing, his outstretched finger still hovering in mid-air, his target an ant carrying food, his round eyes filled with focused curiosity.

Several men, chatting idly together, still wore relaxed smiles on their faces, their arm-waving gestures frozen in mid-air.

Vendors, pedestrians, children, the elderly... Looking around, at least two hundred people on the entire street were frozen in time, their dynamic moments transformed into absolute stillness.

Their eyes were empty, devoid of any sparkle, as if their souls had been ripped away in an instant.

The whole world seemed to consist only of her and Liang Jin, two living beings who could still breathe and think.

This bizarre scene was as if... time on this street had been forcibly stopped by some incomprehensible force!
However, time, of course, cannot be stopped.

As a seasoned national advisor of the Demon Kingdom, Wu Ling quickly and sharply scanned the still human figures after her initial shock.

She soon noticed something was amiss.

At several key joints such as the neck, shoulder wells, and waist of those frozen in time, countless tiny, almost invisible silver needles were silently inserted!

The needle's tail glowed with a faint blue light in the dim light.

"Soul-Freezing Blood-Stemming Needle!"

The witch's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of pinpoints, and she was horrified.

She certainly recognized this insidious substance.

This is a mysterious hidden weapon passed down in the Southern Continent. It is a hollow needle containing a mixture of potent poison extracted from century-old corpse moss and several poisonous herbs.

Once it enters the human body, the toxin will instantly enter the bloodstream, causing it to coagulate rapidly. At the same time, it will paralyze the nerves, causing the muscles to completely lose their ability to contract and become stiff and hard like rotten wood.

This poison has an extremely violent onset. The poisoned person often loses the ability to resist or call for help the moment they notice something is wrong with their body, and can only feel their life and body temperature rapidly slipping away in boundless fear.

A skillful technique of striking pressure points from a distance, combined with this deadly poison that kills instantly, can indeed create a terrifying effect of "mass immobilization" in the blink of an eye.

but……

To simultaneously and silently strike over two hundred people on the street with so many poison needles, ensuring no one is missed, requires terrifying skill.

What level of exquisite and astonishing skill is required in mastering internal strength, concealed weapon techniques, and timing?

As for who could possess such terrifying abilities, Wu Ling already had the answer in his heart.

Without hesitation, she immediately concealed her presence, knelt on one knee, and bowed deeply towards the darkest part of the street, speaking with utmost respect, even a hint of trembling:
"Your subordinate, Wuling, pays homage to Your Majesty!"

As if in response to her call.

The next moment, amidst the still crowd that resembled a group of eerie sculptures, a figure slowly and ghostly "flowed" out.

He was also dressed in the dark casual clothes common in the South, and his face was covered by a mask.

But unlike the other "still" people, he was the only "being" who could move in this place, besides Liang Jin and Wu Ling.

Moreover, he seemed completely unconcerned about revealing his identity. As he walked out, he casually removed the mask from his face and tossed it aside.

Beneath the mask was a rather young face.

Her skin was as white as jade, and every feature of her face was as if it had been carefully sculpted and combined by a god to form a near-perfect face.

That handsomeness was no less than that of Liang Jin's clone!
But between his brows lingered an inescapable arrogance and fierceness, as if nothing in the world mattered to him.

What is most eerie and chilling is his eyes.

A normal person has two eyes, one pupil and one eyeball.

And in each of his eyes, there were clearly two pupils!

Four deep, ancient pools, seemingly capable of swallowing light, swirled slowly in those pale eye sockets, radiating an inhuman, eerie glow that dared not be looked at directly!

Double pupils!

This is actually a person with double pupils from ancient legends, possessing extraordinary features and destined to be either a saint or a demon!
Ignoring the lifeless "sculptures" around him, he walked leisurely, as if strolling in his own backyard, and slowly approached the witch spirit who was still kneeling on the ground.

His double pupils were indifferent! Cold!
It carries an inhuman feeling that penetrates the deepest veil of the soul!
He lowered his eyes slightly, glancing with a half-smile at the shaman spirit crawling on the ground, as insignificant as dust.

immediately.

Those double-pupiled eyes were fixed on Liang Jin!

The cold light in Liang Jin's eyes did not diminish with the appearance of the other party; on the contrary, it became even more icy.

He met the gaze of those double pupils, his voice steady, yet every word carried a chill:

"It seems that you are the Demon Lord Wuxu who has turned the Southern Continent upside down."

"The Demon Kingdom's army is about to arrive, yet the king of a nation dares to personally infiltrate the heart of the enemy city. It seems that not only is the Grand Preceptor exceptionally courageous, but the Demon King is also remarkably bold, not to be outdone."

His gaze swept over the frozen bodies around him, their faces beginning to turn ashen, and his tone no longer concealed his disgust and sarcasm:

"But... the Demon Lord is truly ruthless! He slaughtered all the innocent people on this street with a single move."

"What? Is the Demon Lord trying to give me a hard time?"

These people were completely lifeless, their blood frozen, their muscles stiff, turning them into true human-shaped "sculptures".

This kind of unnecessary and cruel killing, purely for clearing the field or to show off power, made him feel extremely disgusted with this demon lord he was meeting for the first time.

The young man with double pupils—the Demon Lord of Wuxu—burst into laughter.

The Demon Lord of Wuxu's laughter echoed with a powerful, resonant force, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing, shaking the frozen air.
"This world is like a stage, and all are spectators. Wherever I wish to go, neither gods nor demons can stop me!"

A hint of elegant cruelty curved at the corners of those flawless lips:

"The clamor of ants is an eyesore..."

"Just erase it!"

A chilling inhuman coldness swept across the depths of those dual pupils:
"Moreover, the people of this place, in my eyes..."

"Long gone, just bones!"

He looked at Liang Jin again, his eyes filled with a pure, scrutinizing gaze, as if he were examining a powerful prey.
"Wu Qing praised the Great Teacher as a genius of our time, whose magic was divine."

A sudden change in tone! Like a divine gift:

"If you are willing to submit! Wait until the day I set foot on the ruins of Yaoshui, and the position of Supreme National Preceptor of this Demon Kingdom will be yours..."

"The Great Teacher is already in my grasp!"

Upon hearing this, Liang Jin merely gave a cold laugh, his laughter filled with disdain.

This Demon Lord of Wuxu clearly already considers Yaoshui City as his own, and sees all the creatures in this place as his future slaves.

"Our Taiping Dao uses talismanic water to heal the sick and wounded, and to relieve people from their suffering."

"And you-"

Liang Jin's withered vines touched the ground, like a cold judge applying his vermilion brush:

"Indiscriminate killing and bloody cruelty."

"We are not on the same path, and there is nothing more to talk about."

The words fell!
Liang Jin turned away with a flick of his sleeve!

He treated the demon lord, who was right next to him, as if he were nothing!
As the Demon Lord of Wuxu watched Liang Jin's seemingly slow back, a murderous intent surged and condensed within his double pupils, as if it were a tangible substance.

He had long known that this great teacher of the Way of Peace was no ordinary person, but was destined to be a formidable enemy on his path to future dominance, and perhaps even a major threat.

He originally thought that he would have to wait until he unified the Southern Province and consolidated his forces before he would confront the enemy head-on on his journey north.

But unexpectedly, by sheer coincidence, they met in Yaoshui City, deep in the heart of Nanzhou.

Moreover... the aura emanating from this great teacher at this moment is far too weak!
The difference between him and the various legends he had heard, and the unfathomable descriptions made by the witches, was vast!

The light flashing in those four pupils grew increasingly dangerous.

The kneeling witch spirit keenly sensed the chilling killing intent emanating from the monarch beside her.

Her heart tightened, and without thinking, she hurriedly looked up and reminded him:

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! This is the core area of ​​Yaoshui City, surrounded by powerful figures, and the Yaoshui Queen is even more..."

She hadn't finished speaking—

"presumptuous!"

The Demon Lord of Wuxu snorted coldly, not even glancing at it, and casually waved his hand.

A vast, powerful, and chilling internal force, like an invisible hammer, slammed into Wu Ling's shoulder!
"puff!"

The witch spirit didn't have time to use her powers to resist—or rather, she didn't dare to resist.

After taking the full force of the blow, her petite body was like a kite with a broken string, tumbling backward several times before she could barely steady herself by bracing herself with her hands.

A sweet taste rose in his throat, and a trickle of blood seeped from the bottom edge of the mask.

"I have my own destiny to determine."

"What right does a lowly slave have to interfere?!"

The voice of the Demon Lord of Wuxu was like the coldest ice in the netherworld! His double pupils were filled with the raging flames of anger that burned away all who defied him.

Wu Ling lowered her head, enduring the excruciating pain in her shoulder blade, and dared not utter another word.

But a fleeting hint of suppressed anger and humiliation flashed quickly in the depths of her lowered eyes.

At this moment, Liang Jin, who had already taken a few steps, paused slightly.

The bamboo staff in his hand suddenly drove into the bluestone, three inches deep!
He didn't turn around, but his calm yet imposing voice clearly returned:

"Does the Demon Lord know..."

He slowly turned his head and looked calmly at the Demon Lord of Wuxu, but beneath that calmness, it seemed as if a storm was about to erupt.

"Wu Ling is my closest friend."

“To punish my friend like this right in front of me…”

Liang Jin's voice suddenly turned cold, each word like an ice bead falling onto a jade plate:

"The Demon Lord is far too presumptuous!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Ling abruptly raised her head, her face beneath the mask filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Liang Jin... he actually stood up for me?

Was it because of a joke made by that so-called "closest friend"?

Or was it because he was already dissatisfied with the brutality of the Demon Lord of Wuxu, and was just using this as an excuse to vent his anger?

Or perhaps, both?
Wu Ling's mind raced, and she leaned towards the latter.

In this world where interests are intertwined and power reigns supreme, so-called "friendship" is far too fragile and not nearly as reliable as actual interests and power balances.

Liang Jin's actions were probably more of a test of the Demon Lord of Wuxu's bottom line.

Or, it could be a more direct pretext for potential conflict.

The Demon Lord of Wuxu's perfectly sculpted eyebrows suddenly twitched!
Within the double pupils, a storm begins to brew!
The killing intent suddenly reached its peak!

However, at this moment——

"Ahhhhh!! Someone's dead!!"

"What happened? What's wrong with them?!"

"Quickly! Go and inform the city defense troops!"

...A sudden commotion, screams, and commotion came from both ends of the street.

It turns out that the eerie silence of this street had also attracted the attention of other pedestrians and residents in the vicinity.

Someone mustered up the courage to gently push one of the motionless "people," and the person immediately fell to the ground, their body stiff as wood or stone, their face bluish-purple, clearly already dead.

This horrific scene instantly triggered panic, with screams erupting everywhere.

The crowd was pushing and shoving!

Cries! Footsteps! Screams! The sound of overturned and shattering utensils! Like broken musical notes intertwining wildly!

Immediately afterwards, heavy and orderly footsteps approached from afar, clearly indicating that patrolling soldiers from the city, drawn by the commotion, were rapidly gathering in this direction.

The Demon Lord of Wuxu raised his head slightly, as if admiring a flawed painting.

A cruel hint of regret, like a crack in perfectly polished porcelain, curled at the corner of his lips.
"Purity... was ultimately invaded by filth."

The double pupils turned towards Liang Jin, like two bottomless pieces of black jade absorbing all the light:
“Great and wise teacher, this is where we shall end today.”

"The next time I return to this city, it will surely be the day when my ten thousand demonic troops march forth and breach the city walls!"

His tone was filled with absolute confidence and ruthlessness.

"As for that lightning-struck fruit..."

At this point, he slightly raised his head, extended his pale, slender finger, and pointed towards the top of the towering, magnificent Thunderwood tree in the center of the city. His voice was resolute, as if making a vow:
"I will collect it myself at that time!"

The next moment, without any apparent movement, he seemed to merge into the ripples in the air, accompanied by a barely perceptible gust of cold wind. His figure changed from solid to ethereal, and finally disappeared completely from the spot, leaving no trace.

Liang Jin stood quietly in place, making no move to stop him, and his aura did not even waver.

This Demon Lord of Wuxu wants to fight me, but only if he can win the final battle against Yaoshui Kingdom first.

Seeing that the monarch had left, Wu Ling dared not linger any longer.

She struggled to stagger up from the rubble.

The dirt and bloodstains stained her coarse cloth clothes, unable to conceal the disheveled state of her slender body.

She then tried to transform into a black shadow and escape.

"The Witch Spirit National Preceptor".

Liang Jin's voice rang out again, not loud, but clearly reaching her ears.

The witch spirit paused, stopped in place, and did not turn around.

Liang Jin watched her retreating figure, his tone calm, yet carrying a profound meaning:

“I remember… you seemed to have said that if your lord, that Demon Lord of Wuxu, were to unfortunately fail and die…”

"Then you can relinquish your position as Imperial Preceptor and consider... submitting to my Way of Peace?"

Wu Ling's petite figure seemed to freeze for a moment.

She slowly turned her head and glanced at Liang Jin out of the corner of her eye. Her expression was obscured by her mask.

She did not answer, neither admitting nor denying.

Then, her figure swayed again, disappearing into the shadows of the street corner like a ghost, leaving only a faint, lingering fragrance in the air.

At this moment, more passersby and fully armed soldiers from the Yaoshui Kingdom had poured into this death street. Terrified screams, soldiers' shouts, and chaotic footsteps mingled together, creating utter chaos.

Liang Jin knew that he could not stay here any longer.

Then, accompanied by a sudden gust of wind that swept up fallen leaves and dust, his figure vanished from the spot, leaving only terrified civilians and bewildered soldiers facing a block full of death sculptures.

Liang Jin returned silently to the secluded courtyard in the west of the city that Li Ba had arranged for him.

The atmosphere in the courtyard remained somber.

The people attending the exorcism gathering did not disperse; they remained gathered around the stone table in the courtyard, discussing the matter in hushed tones.

Before them lay a rough map of Yaoshui City's defenses, with several winding lines drawn in charcoal, clearly indicating that they were discussing and formulating a detailed plan to escape the city under cover of night.

When Liang Jin returned, the crowd paused their discussion for a moment, and they turned to him with complicated expressions.

There was reverence, curiosity, and a subtle, almost imperceptible sense of detachment.

Liang Jin ignored this.

He never intended to leave with them; his goal remained clear—the Lightning Strike Fruit.

He didn't care whether these people stayed or left.

He walked straight to his quiet room in the corner, preparing to continue practicing his internal energy to further adapt to the pressure of the [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock] and to think about his next move.

However, just as he was about to reach out and push open the door—

"Amitabha."

"Great and wise teacher, please wait."

A deep, peaceful Buddhist chant sounded behind me.

Liang Jin paused slightly, but did not turn around; he simply stopped walking.

Then, the old monk Beikong from Wanfo Temple, holding prayer beads, slowly walked to a spot not far behind Liang Jin and stood still.

His face was filled with compassion and solemnity. He first chanted a Buddhist prayer before explaining his purpose:
"Judging from the recent actions of the Great Master, it seems... that he has truly decided to stay in Yaoshui City for a long time and does not intend to return to the Taiping Dao headquarters in Minzhou for the time being?"

Liang Jin nodded slightly, which was taken as acquiescence.

There is no need to hide this matter.

Seeing that he admitted it, Bei Kong's face grew even more worried. He stepped forward and said earnestly:
"Since the Great Master has made up his mind to leave, this humble monk will not try to persuade him further."

"However... this humble monk once again implores the Great Virtuous Teacher to consider the well-being of all people and entrust the evil bones of the 'Uncorrupted Corpse in the Void' to this humble monk to take back to Wanfo Temple, so that they may be suppressed day and night with the supreme Buddhist Dharma, purifying their malevolent energy, so as to prevent them from causing endless harm!"

Seeing that Liang Jin remained unmoved, he further explained the advantages and disadvantages, his voice filled with sorrow:

"Great wise teacher, you are wise! This place in Nanzhou is inherently mountainous and densely forested, rife with miasma and extremely heavy yin energy. And this Yaoshui City is an even greater gathering place of yin—towering trees block out yang energy; rivers encircle it, and water vapor permeates it; moreover... moreover, this place is ruled by a woman, and the signs of yin dominating yang are already evident!"

"Now the evil spirits gather like an abyss, and turbid waves are about to surge to the heavens. This humble monk observes that the body of the Great Sage Master seems to have merged with the evil spirits of this place..."

He paused deliberately, his implication extremely sinister:
"Entangled by malevolent spirits, one may be burdened by evil bones!"

"In the long run, this will not only be detrimental to your cultivation, but may also lead to the invasion of inner demons and the danger of going astray! What's even more terrifying is that if the evil energy gets out of control, or if this thing is used by someone with ulterior motives, it will surely cause a great disaster and bring immense suffering to all living beings!"

Bei Kong's voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of urgency:

"As for me and my fellow martial artists present, we have found a relatively safe escape route and have decided to take advantage of the situation tonight, when Yaoshui Kingdom is locked in a standoff with the demon army and the city's defenses may be weak, to risk leaving this dangerous place!"

"I implore the leader of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom to prioritize the well-being of all people! Entrust the bones of that calamity to this humble monk! Let my golden body of ten thousand Buddhas suppress them and send them to the far north! Only then can peace and safety be guaranteed."

This time, Bei Kong had clearly made prior arrangements with most of the participants in the demon-slaying conference.

As he finished speaking, the martial artists who had been observing began to chime in with their own opinions:

"Yes, great and wise teacher! Master Beikong is absolutely right! Keeping that evil bone around will ultimately be a disaster!"

"Wanfo Temple is a sacred Buddhist site, and its Buddhist teachings are boundless. It will surely be able to suppress that evil spirit!"

"We implore the Great Teacher to consider the bigger picture and hand over the evil bone to the Master to take away!"

"If we stay here and the Demon Lord seizes us, the consequences will be unimaginable! Leader, don't make a mistake!"

……

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, creating a cacophony that seemed to exert an invisible pressure of public opinion, enveloping Liang Jin.

It seems that if he refuses, he is disregarding the overall situation and the common people.

Liang Jin listened quietly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Only when the noise of the crowd subsided did he slowly turn around, his gaze calmly sweeping over everyone present, finally landing on Bei Kong's face, which was earnest yet had an unusually firm look in his eyes.

A slight, ambiguous smile played at the corners of his lips; his voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

"I have my own plans on how to handle this matter."

"There's no need for you, Master, to worry about it."

After saying that, he turned around again, intending to push the door open and enter.

"Great and wise teacher! Please think it over!"

Bei Kong seemed determined, stepping forward again, even subtly blocking Liang Jin's path, his tone carrying an unprecedented gravity and... a hint of barely perceptible firmness:

"A great battle is about to break out here. Swords have no eyes, and the danger is immense! Although the Great Teacher's achievements are unparalleled, if he insists on staying, what if... what if something goes wrong and something terrible happens to him..."

He paused deliberately, emphasizing his words:

"If such an evil creature falls into the hands of that cruel and ruthless Demon Lord Wuxu, who has no bottom line, he will surely use its power to wreak havoc on the world and cause endless slaughter, given his heart that regards all living beings as worthless!"

"At that time, rivers of blood will flow, and countless lives will be lost. This heinous crime... can you, my great and virtuous teacher, bear the responsibility?!"

He shouted almost at the top of his lungs:
"I implore the Great Master to consider the well-being of all people! Entrust this evil bone to this humble monk to be disposed of by Wanfo Temple. This is the safest and most appropriate course of action at present! This is also for the sake of your reputation and safety, Great Master!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding crowd stirred up another commotion and echoed their sentiments, their voices louder and more "righteous" than before.

The faint smile on Liang Jin's face finally disappeared completely.

He slowly turned around, his gaze no longer calm as before, but sharp as a knife and cold as snow, slowly sweeping over Beikong and the passionate warriors behind him.

"Humph!"

A cold snort, like a thunderclap, suddenly exploded in everyone's ears, making their blood boil and their eardrums ring!

"How I decide is none of your business!"

Before he could finish speaking, Liang Jin suddenly swung his sleeve!
A powerful yet incredibly refined internal force, like an invisible raging torrent, surged forth!

"Go away!"

Two words! They resounded like thunder from the heavens, echoing deep within every soul in the courtyard! The shockwave caused dust and plaster to fall from the walls!

"Bang bang bang!!"

The people blocking the way were struck as if by an invisible, giant iron hammer! They screamed and groaned as they were sent flying backward!

The jade-faced fire monkey perched on Liang Jin's shoulder bared its teeth and let out a sharp, piercing screech. Its fiery red fur stood on end, and its monkey eyes gleamed fiercely as it stared at the crowd as if it might pounce and tear them apart at any moment.

The entire scene fell silent in an instant!

You can hear the needle drop!

Apart from a chorus of heavy, terrified gasps!

Over the past few days, Liang Jin has mostly been quiet and reserved, which makes him seem very easygoing, to the point that people have mistakenly thought he was easy to talk to.

Who could have predicted that this great and wise teacher, once angered, would be so domineering and unparalleled, turning on people in an instant without any regard for anyone's feelings!
He didn't even care about the voices of the eminent monks of Wanfo Temple or the many fellow martial artists present!
Under the complex gazes of the crowd, a mixture of shock, fear, anger, and disbelief.

Liang Jin didn't look at anyone again. He tapped his bamboo cane on the ground and slowly walked into the narrow, dilapidated room that belonged only to him.

"boom!"

Doorway

The doors slammed shut!

It isolates us from all prying eyes, coercion, and malice!
It was like a silent slap in the face to most of the people in the courtyard.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and most of them instinctively shut their mouths, remaining silent as if trembling with fear.

With such a vast difference in strength and status, even if they harbored resentment, they had no right to complain.

This is a world where the strong rule, the most naked reality.

Only a very few people still had resentment and anger on their faces. They subconsciously crowded around Bei Kong, whose face was turning pale and then red, and cast angry glances at the closed door.

Beikong held the prayer beads in his hand, his fingers turning slightly white from the force he exerted.

His old face shifted between light and shadow, and finally, all his emotions culminated in a long, low sigh filled with disappointment and helplessness:

"Sigh... Never mind, never mind."

He shook his head, his tone carrying a fatalistic sorrow:
"Sitting on a lotus before the Buddha...burned by hellfire..."

"It's up to him...to choose!"

He closed his eyes and murmured, as if speaking to some unseen being:

"If one day he goes astray and falls into evil ways."

"Then perhaps all of this... was predetermined in the dark. It is beyond human power to force, nor can this humble monk reverse it."

After saying that, he stopped looking at the door, turned around and walked towards the crowd, his back view appearing somewhat hunched and lonely.

Time, amidst repression and conflicted thoughts, slowly slipped away.

The night, as thick as ink, completely enveloped Yaoshui City.

A strict curfew was in effect in the city, and all was silent except for the sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps.

In the courtyard, the demon-slaying group had packed their belongings, weapons in hand, and gathered at the gate, ready to sneak out of the city under cover of night and escape from the perilous city that was about to become a battlefield, according to their plan.

Bei Kong, elected as the leader by the crowd, stood at the front of the group and whispered his final words of advice, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet night:

"Heroes, we will proceed later. Concealment is of utmost importance. Remember, do not alert the skilled patrols within the city, especially the guards in the trees."

"Near the water gate on the north wall, at three-quarters past midnight! Only quiet, speed, and precision are required!!"

Everyone held their breath and nodded silently; the atmosphere was extremely tense.

However, just as everyone took a deep breath, preparing to open the courtyard gate and begin their operation—

A sudden change occurs!
"Boom——!!!"

A deep, muffled sound, as if originating from the depths of the earth, suddenly erupted without warning!
The drumbeats did not come from the city tower, but rather from some corner of the city, or even underground. They carried an eerie penetrating power, instantly spreading to every corner of the city, making people's hearts tremble and their blood boil.

next moment.

The once deathly silent night in Yaoshui City, filled only with the sounds of wind and insects, was utterly shattered!
"what--!"

"Help!!"

"Monster! A monster bit me!!"

"Don't come any closer! Ah—!"

……

The shrill, terrified, and desperate screams, like a plague, erupted almost simultaneously from all parts of the city!

Rising and falling, one after another, stretching endlessly, spreading and intertwining rapidly, as if the entire city had fallen into some incomprehensible and terrifying purgatory in an instant!
This sudden and shocking change was completely beyond the expectations of everyone at the Demon Extermination Assembly!
"what happened?!"

"what happened?!"

"Where are those screams coming from? They're everywhere!!"

……

The crowd looked at each other, their faces filled with surprise and panic.

They never expected that, just as they were preparing to escape silently, such a bizarre and terrifying riot would break out in the city!

"Bang!!!"

A loud, wood-splitting explosion rang out right at the courtyard gate!
The two not-so-thick courtyard gates were smashed to pieces by an incredibly powerful force from the outside!

Amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd, under the moonlight, several figures staggered and roared as they rushed in!

They were several ordinary citizens of Yaoshui City, men and women, dressed in tattered clothes, their bodies covered in dark red bloodstains and filth.

But what's most chilling is their condition—

Their eyes were bloodshot, bulging like copper bells, almost popping out of their sockets, filled with madness and primal bestiality!
Their mouths were wide open, twisted to an inhuman angle, and thick saliva mixed with blood flowed down from the corners of their mouths like streams, dripping onto their blouses, but they were completely unaware!

From their throats came strange, hissing roars like broken bellows. Their faces were devoid of any human reason or emotion, only the purest, most extreme... greed and desire for flesh and blood remained!
They rushed into the courtyard, their blood-red eyes immediately locking onto the "living" members of the exorcism assembly. Like hungry wolves spotting plump lambs, they howled excitedly and pounced on them without hesitation!

They want to tear apart! They want to devour!
We must turn all living beings into food to fill their endless hunger!
(End of this chapter)