Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 252 Military Calamity, Killing Tian Shu in Its Budding Stage

Xu Laohu was persuaded by Miss Cao and waited an extra day and a half.

By the evening of the following day, another twenty or thirty people arrived and gathered at the foot of the hillside.

Among the newcomers, twelve were dressed as Taoist priests and nuns, all with their hair tied in Taoist buns and wearing Taoist robes. Some carried whisks and ruyi scepters, while others carried triangular command flags and fish drums.

The Five Witches Cult, under its leader, holy woman, and deputy leader, also has twelve preachers scattered throughout various regions.

In terms of extensive knowledge of magic and techniques, these twelve people might not be considered masters.

However, their compilation of the Five Witches Sect's scriptures, propagation of its doctrines, and holding of sacrifices were all done with great familiarity and skill.

Through prayers to the Five Witch Gods, they received divine blessings, and the spiritual power of each of them was no less than that of a renowned local sorcerer.

In any battle, if their ordinary curses are broken by the opponent's magic, they will simply fly away in their soul form, sparing no expense to wear down the opposing sorcerer to death.

In any case, their soul foundation can be replenished through sacrifice, which is a huge advantage compared to normal sorcerers.

Xu Laohu had also heard of the names of these preachers.

At this moment, it was clear that the aura of these twelve people was quite different from that of ordinary sorcerers.

Unlike proper Taoist priests who are upright and self-disciplined, or even evil sorcerers, they are not so sinister and eerie.

Even though these twelve people were wearing Taoist robes, they exuded a majestic and fierce aura.

If we hadn't known beforehand that they were preachers and practitioners of magic, we would have been in a different situation.

Just by looking at their demeanor, one might think that these twelve are all seasoned veterans of battle and fierce warriors with superb martial arts skills.

The Five Witches Gods were originally, after all, ghosts and gods that symbolized war and premature death.

These preachers, constantly influenced by divine power, all harbored a degree of malevolent intent, ready to bring about war and calamity.

In contrast, there was another group of true martial arts masters, each with their own distinct temperament, who were not all as fierce as the preacher.

Compared to the preachers who wore relatively uniform attire, these martial arts practitioners had a wide variety of outfits.

They were not members of the Five Witches Cult, but rather skilled martial artists recruited by various generals of the Beiyang Army with large sums of money. Along with their relatives and followers, they all enjoyed a life of luxury.

This time, the Cao family summoned these experts to Luoyang, promising them benefits for their family and sect, demonstrating their sincerity.

However, when they arrived and reunited, they discovered that in addition to their own group, there were so many other experts involved in this operation.

Some people felt a chill run down their spines, realizing that the difficulty of this matter would far exceed their expectations.

Some people, however, were simply curious.

"What kind of person could be in Luoyang who would warrant such a grand display?"

The speaker was an old man in a tight-fitting outfit with white hair and beard that were slightly yellow. He was tall and had a thin face, but his skin was rosy and glowing.

He seemed to be in a state of slight intoxication at all times, his voice deep and warm.

Xu Laohu had also heard of this person's name; he was none other than Qian Zuiweng.

This person was a master who had cultivated the Guanyin Bone and Dragon Entanglement techniques in his prime. Over the years, he has often drunk medicinal wine and followed the path of immortality through food, so he should have reached about 70-80% mastery of these techniques.

He has the air of a great man, but he is ruthless and unrestrained in his actions.

Back then, only President Yuan could tolerate him and invite him to be his personal bodyguard commander.

After the Yuan family declined, this person disappeared without a trace, and it seems that he was also recruited by the Cao family.

Even his fellow warriors on this mission kept their distance from him after recognizing his identity.

Xu Laohu thought to himself that before he obtained the original text, he would definitely not be a match for this person in a one-on-one fight.

However, with Xu Laohu's current sharp eyesight, he can see it.

Among the many martial arts practitioners, there are two others who pose a threat no less than this Thousand-Drunken Old Man.

One was a chubby old man with thinning hair, wearing a gray cotton coat, with a big smile on his face, and he was sitting on a low stool with him.

The other was a middle-aged man with neatly trimmed eyebrows and a short beard, a serious expression, jet-black hair covered in hair wax, and wearing a long blue cloth robe with his hands loosely folded up to reveal white skin.

Xu Laohu mainly noticed the man's hands; his palms were clean, his skin was smooth, and his nails were neatly trimmed.

"It must be General Xu, who was loyal to the emperor back then and now stands alone against Jiangdong."

The middle-aged man noticed Xu Laohu, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Ma Bucheng, a swordsman from Zhili."

Xu Laohu also cupped his hands in greeting, remembering the man's identity.

It turns out he was the top swordsman in Zhili back then. I heard that Ma Bucheng once received a secret order to assassinate Old Master Sun in the embassy. He didn't use a gun, only a knife, to carry out the assassination.

Although the knife missed its target, it tore open the car and allowed him to escape unscathed.

When many people heard Ma Bucheng's two sentences, they realized that Xu Laohu was also there, and they were all filled with surprise and astonishment.

Even with Miss Cao, the Holy Maiden of Five Witches, bringing along the ninjas raised by the Cao family to meet with Tiger Xu, the Cao family in the capital still couldn't rest easy.

They also summoned twelve lecturers and so many experts.

This lineup is truly magnificent.

Let alone killing Sun Feng'an, it feels like a direct assault on Luoyang, crushing the main force of the Zhen Song Army, would be a piece of cake.

The words of the old drunkard have now become the sentiment of everyone.

Who exactly is this person who deserves such a grand display?

"Your targets this time are all in Luoyang City. There are two people in total. One is Sun Feng'an, whose background is self-evident."

"There is another one, named Chu Tianshu, who is now the real controller of Luoyang. Many of the orders implemented in various parts of western Henan are obviously his orders."

Miss Cao's voice came from inside the carriage.

The old man asked in bewilderment, "So it's just a new warlord, still an unknown figure. Is it worth taking such action?"

Everyone present could tell that, according to Miss Cao, Chu Tianshu was even more troublesome than Sun Feng'an.

"This same person once escorted Cai Shanjun across the river back to Kunming. The moment he appeared in Yuzhou, he seized the Zhen Song Army, killed my seventh uncle's only son, captured the vice leader of my Five Wraths Sect, and severely injured the Yuanzai Sect Leader!"

Miss Cao's voice grew deeper.

"Isn't it far more terrifying for someone who is still an unknown person to have done these things than someone who is already famous?"

The setting sun cast a rosy glow, and the mountains turned a warm yellow.

The wind blew across the hillside, rustling the grass.

Those present raised their eyebrows, as if a gust of wind had stirred up a great deal of unease in their hearts.

Cao Ying's son is dead, so what? It's no big deal.

They were well aware of the rampant power of Liu Xueya of the Zhen Song Army and the formidable strength of the leaders and deputy leaders of the Five Witches Sect.

A person has done all these things, yet remains an unknown figure.

This only shows that he handled everything that happened in Yuzhou with ease and never let the situation get out of control, so it did not attract much attention from the outside world.

"That's not all..."

Miss Cao lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out.

Her black hair fell to the side of her neck, her brow bones were slightly high, and her features were exceptionally clear. Her beauty had a sharp edge to it. Although she was the Holy Maiden of the Five Witches, she was wearing a shirt and trousers and a pair of white gloves.

"The cult leader has already sensed signs of the gathering of the power of the original scriptures in this person."

"If we give this person more time to fully utilize the power of the original text, who can guarantee that he won't appear in the capital next time?"

Miss Cao scanned the crowd. "If the situation really deteriorates to that point, my Cao family's important officials in various regions will also be implicated. Among you all, who is confident that they can escape the purge by such a top expert?"

"Or, look at the way the Han family operates. Do you think that if you fawn over them, they'll let you continue to enjoy their riches and honors?"

Some people, some organizations, just by existing in this world, can make many people feel like they have a thorn in their side.

Before the campaign against Yuan Shikai, the Han government could only be considered a relatively disciplined warlord.

But after the campaign against Yuan Shikai, things became increasingly unacceptable to those present.

Fortunately, there's still the Cao family.

Everything under the Cao family's rule, whether it was an ancient city like the capital or an industrial hub like Liaodong, no matter how things changed on the surface, felt so familiar at its core, still retaining that old flavor.

It is truly difficult to predict how much each member of the Cao family would suffer if the Cao family were to fall.

"Miss Cao, there's no need to provoke us with your words."

The old man with the thousand-year-old gaze opened and closed his eyes. "Among those present, none of them are greenhorns."

"Our family business was not given to us by anyone, but was earned through hard work and struggle. We have the confidence to fight again."

"If we let Chu Tianshu live, he'll definitely try to take our things in the future. So let's make sure he has no future!"

The old man on the bench chuckled, "The Cao family knows all of us inside and out. As for how to increase our chances of success in this operation, Miss Cao, please make the arrangements."

In order to maintain their power and status, people like Qian Zuiweng, who have joined the Beiyang Army over the years, have spared no effort in suppressing any emerging talents.

Yet, one Han-style mansion still grew up unevenly.

And there's this strange tree, Chu Tianshu, that keeps growing.

So offensive, it stirred up my murderous intent!

Upon seeing this, Xu Laohu burst into laughter.

"It's a rare and grand event to be able to gather so many experts together."

"Xiao Cao, say something! I'm really going to have a good time killing people today!"

Xu Laohu's men, all standing beside their warhorses, raised their guns and shouted as soon as they heard Xu Laohu's impassioned words.

This kind of shouting has no specific words or writing; it is a powerful, resonant sound.

They seemed to be able to sense Xu Laohu's feelings; even if Xu Laohu didn't specifically speak to them, these people could still respond.

Xu Laohu's laughter grew even more unrestrained.

Warriors, sorcerers, and ninjas all turned their heads in surprise, as if they sensed an invisible, burning aura spreading from these people.

Experts are often more difficult to unite than mediocre people.

Because they are all proud, and they all feel they have leeway and a way out, they are not decisive enough.

However, with the statements from several top experts and the momentum generated by Xu Laohu leading his men, it was a great boost.

Considering the sheer number and high quality of the formidable opponents present, everyone at the foot of the hill no longer felt any fear.

There was only a murderous aura that seemed eager to strike.

Indeed, such an experience of so many masters battling it out is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The twelve lecturers sensed the murderous aura emanating from these people, and each of them had a strange expression, as if they had seen an unparalleled delicacy.

"Please give the order, Holy Maiden!"

The twelve preachers bowed to the carriage simultaneously.

Miss Cao looked westward and ripped off her gloves.

Her hands were covered with red runes that looked like ants crawling on the ground, and they crawled even faster when exposed to sunlight.

Inside the carriage, an ancient human skeleton, sitting cross-legged, trembled slightly.

"Then let's make Luoyang lively tonight."

(End of this chapter)