White Bone Demon Trail

Chapter 14 Cang Shen
The people of Black Stone Village felt a chill run down their spines. Someone cried out urgently in the darkness, "Quickly, summon the God of No Form! Quickly, summon the God of No Form for protection!"

A group of people huddled together beside the person holding the Formless Bone Jade. In the pitch-black forest, the six pieces of Formless Bone Jade emitted a soft white light, dispelling their fear and becoming the only source of peace of mind for everyone.

Li Yiguang rushed to the back of the group, wanting to rescue Sanmaozi, who had been captured by the mandrill. But suddenly, a pair of bright green eyes appeared in the dark forest, staring straight at the group with greed in their eyes.

"Mountain demons! How can there be so many?" Zhao Lengxiang exclaimed in shock.

Li Yiguang glared at his surroundings and roared furiously, "A bunch of beasts, all you do is hide and play tricks! If you have the guts, come out and fight me!"

An angry voice echoed through the forest. A sudden gust of wind blew up, and a terrifying tiger's roar startled the birds. Even the mountain demons hiding in the darkness retreated.

The people of Black Stone Village were so frightened that their bodies trembled. As soon as the tiger roar came out, even the white light emitted by the Formless Bone Jade dimmed by three points. The pure yang energy of the tiger roar not only warded off ghosts and demons, but even minor gods were shocked.

A large tiger with piercing eyes and a white forehead suddenly leaped out, and a strong wind arose, blowing sand and stones so that people could hardly stand on their feet.

"roar~"

A fierce roar came, and the tiger spirit pounced, biting at the back of Li Yiguang's neck.

Li Yiguang, a veteran of countless battles, was clearly no ordinary man. He immediately roared and leaped up, slamming his double hammers, each weighing several dozen kilograms, down with his innate strength, landing with a weight of two to three hundred kilograms and crashing into the tiger's head.

But instead of the flesh-and-blood sensation he had imagined, it felt like hitting iron and stone. A tremendous force rebounded, causing blood to flow from the tiger's mouth of his hands. His hammers were also knocked away, and Li Yiguang was thrown several meters away, landing on the ground.

"Swish swish~"

A sharp sound rang out as three silver-gleaming throwing knives darted towards the tiger spirit's waist the moment it landed on the ground.

"Bang~"

Unexpectedly, the tiger spirit simply twisted its body and its long tail swept out, knocking down three flying knives.

The tiger spirit turned its head, its two piercing eyes staring intently at Zhao Lengxiang on its tiger face that resembled a worm. An aura of the king of beasts emanated from it, which actually made her body stiffen and her mind unable to function.

"Hmph, you tiger spirit, this is not your Tiger King Stronghold's territory."

A chilling voice rang out, and the flock of birds in the sky strangely gathered into a tide, landing on the ground and transforming into a cold and aloof man dressed in a black robe with a hooked nose.

The people of Black Stone Village huddled together, trembling. Before the monsters in the mountains, they, these mortals, were nothing more than food.

Zhao Lengxiang finally snapped out of her shock at the tiger spirit's imposing aura. She quickly and carefully stepped back and helped Li Yiguang, who had collapsed to the ground, to his feet.

The mountain demons around them still kept their eyes fixed on them, and the people of Black Stone Village could only huddle in place, not daring to leave. They could only secretly pray that the tiger demon and the eagle-hooked man would spare their lives.

Upon seeing the strange man before him, the tiger spirit spoke in human language, saying, "I was the one who first set my sights on these prey. You bird monster, do you think you can steal their food from me?"

"If I hadn't summoned my spirits to surround these people and mislead them, how could you have stumbled upon them?" the man sneered. "What? You tiger spirit, how many years have you cultivated? You already dream of becoming a mountain lord?"

"Roar~" The tiger spirit seemed to be provoked by the other party's words, and roared angrily. A strong wind suddenly rose, and the terrifying aura of the mountain tiger pressed down.

The hooked man remained motionless, but suddenly two huge gray eagle wings unfolded behind him, and a phantom eagle head appeared above his head, letting out a long cry.

"唳~"

Suddenly, the cry of the giant eagle was louder than the roar of a tiger, piercing the ears of everyone in Black Stone Village, almost making them deaf.

The tiger spirit was also overwhelmed by this aura and couldn't help but take two steps back.

The hooked man said coldly, "Aren't you leaving? If it weren't for the immense power of your Tiger King Mountain Lord, I would have already taken your life!"

"Ow~"

The tiger spirit was filled with resentment, but it still had no choice but to retreat, its tiger heads staring at its opponent as it slowly retreated into the darkness.

As the man with the hooked neck watched the other party leave, a smile appeared on his lips. He turned around and looked at the people of Black Stone Village.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Lengxiang immediately knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "Greetings, God of the Azure Sky! I beg you, God of the Azure Sky, to spare the people of my Black Stone Village!"

The man was not surprised that the other party called out his name. He simply said, "Black Stone and Azure Cloud Villages are adjacent to each other. The number of living beings in the eight hundred miles of Cloud Marsh Mountain is limited and cannot support so many people."

You should just be considered as food for my divine race.

There was not a trace of pity in his eyes. Having cultivated in Yunze Mountain for decades, he had long been accustomed to the baseness, cunning, greed, and selfishness of these mortals. Humans were the least deserving of sympathy.

"roar~"

"Ang~"

A tiger's roar that shook the mountains and forests suddenly rang out from not far away, causing the Azure God to frown.

The tiger's roar lacked much of its imposing power, instead possessing a somewhat mournful quality.

However, the tiger's roar lasted for more than ten breaths before abruptly stopping.

Cang Shen frowned even more deeply. It seemed that the tiger spirit was dead.

The people of Black Stone Village were all bewildered. Fear had driven them to madness, and only the faint glow of the bone jade gave them a last glimmer of hope.

"Whoo~"

A mountain breeze blew by, but unlike the chilling wind from the tiger, it carried a kind of cold and gloomy chill.

Li Yiguang, who was paralyzed on the ground and unable to get up, suddenly opened his eyes wide. He seemed to know that it was that person who had come!

The chilling wind seemed to alert the people of Black Stone Village, who knelt down and prayed, bowing before the slowly rising bone jade, shouting excitedly, "Our village's deity has come! It's the God of No Form! The God of No Form has come to save us!"

Zhao Lengxiang also sensed this chilling aura, but this time it was different. She felt an overwhelming surge of emotion, like a redemption on the verge of death. For the first time, she, who had never believed in gods, knelt on the ground, her voice choked with fervor, and prayed:

"Welcome to the God of No Form!"

The people of Black Stone Village all knelt down devoutly, chanting, "Welcome the God of No Form!" "Hahahaha~"

A series of eerie and deep laughs came from all directions. Under the white light of the bone jade, the shadows of people, trees and flowers that were originally normal all began to leap wildly on the ground, as if countless demons were dancing wildly in the light. The light and shadow crisscrossed, and everything around was no longer a desolate mountain forest, but a strange abyss where countless evil spirits gathered.

A look of surprise flashed across Cang Shen's eyes. The strange laughter around him was very similar to the bizarre laughter he had seen in mortal operas outside the mountains, but it also revealed a feeling that made living beings extremely uneasy.

His instincts, as a demon and a beast, told him that this place was dangerous! Extremely dangerous! He might face death just like any other mortal beast!
But the God of the Azure Clouds' reason prevailed over his animal instincts. He had been worshipped by the people of the Azure Cloud Village for over sixty years. Not only was his strength far superior to that of ordinary demons, but he also possessed a divine power that allowed him to command mountain spirits and wild monsters, and to have all sorts of wonderful uses.

In this Yunze Mountain, apart from the Tiger King Mountain Lord of Tiger King Village, he has never been afraid of anyone!
"Whoo~"

A cold wind blew again, causing the grass to sway and the branches to flutter. The mountain demons were so frightened that they fled in all directions, ignoring even the call of the Azure God.

The bushes parted, and the tiger spirit that had left not long ago stumbled over.

The tiger spirit was extremely strange at this moment. Its body seemed to have lost all flesh and blood, with only a tiger skin sticking to its bones. It was emaciated, and its eyes had lost their luster, with no pupils, only pure white eye sockets.

The Azure God stared at the bizarre scene before him, a sight he had never witnessed in his eighty or ninety years of life, yet he still sneered, "What kind of demon is this, playing tricks on us?"

"Whoo~"

Another gust of cold wind blew in, and the eerie laughter that had been terrifying suddenly disappeared. The surroundings were as silent as if there were no living creatures. The wind brushed past Cang Shen's ear, as if a vengeful ghost was breathing in his ear.

He seemed to sense something, and suddenly lowered his head and stepped on his own shadow. The ground within a radius of more than ten feet was suddenly shattered, and countless cracks appeared in the soil and rocks.

A dark shadow writhed and twisted on the ground, then slowly rose up and transformed into a human shape.

Bai Wuxiang appeared, ignoring the other party, and simply stretched out his palm to examine the full flesh and blood lines of his hand in the moonlight. He said with satisfaction, "The tiger is the king of beasts, and its blood is pure yang, truly excellent."

"So you are the spirit worshipped in this Black Stone Village?" Although Cang Shen did not show it on his face, he was already wary of this strange creature. He was also somewhat frightened by this thing that was even more bizarre than a demon.

Bai Wuxiang smiled and casually stretched out his hand, and a piece of bone was pulled out from the tiger spirit's body and fell into his hand. He played with it for a few moments before replying, "That's right, my name is Wuxiang."

After saying that, his physical body instantly fell down like a piece of paper, while the tiger skin next to him swelled up and stood up vividly as if a tiger spirit had come back to life.

"Mortals call me the God of No Form, but whether I am a god or not, only I know."

The tiger spirit chuckled in a deep, sinister voice, "What do you think, Azure God?"

Seeing the other party switch between different appearances so quickly, Cang Shen was astonished. What was this thing? But he still said coldly, "Since you are worshipped by mortals, you are either a god or a god. It seems you want to save these mortals?"

"Heh, what do I care about the lives or deaths of these mortals?"

The tiger spirit's skin collapsed again like a deflated balloon, while a mandrill in the grass suddenly let out a sharp, eerie laugh, saying, "But if they become your food, where will I find food?"

The mandrill's body went limp again, and Bai Wuxiang returned to the human skin. His clear voice chuckled like that of an extraordinary young master: "Azure God, Yunze Mountain has its own rules. Black Stone Village is mine, including these mortal blood offerings. Don't have any more inappropriate thoughts."

"Hmph, I have cultivated for decades, why would I fear a mere pretender like you? Whether on the mountain or down, strength is what matters!" The Azure God was very uncomfortable with the evil creature before him. Even though he couldn't tell what was real about it, he still decided to personally test its strength.

Having said that, he suddenly spread his arms, and the image of a giant eagle reappeared. The giant eagle, which was more than ten feet long, swooped down on Bai Wuxiang, its iron claws and golden beak gleaming with a chilling light, and fiercely grabbed at him.

Bai Wuxiang chuckled lightly, his figure instantly disappearing into the shadows, leaving the giant eagle with nothing to catch.

At the same time, the shadows around him, which had just returned to normal, began to twist and turn wildly again. Ancient opera melodies from the human world resounded, with the melodious voices of women and the ferocious roars of men intermingling and filling the ears of the Azure God.

His blood was boiling, and he felt as if a fire was being lit within him, gradually burning up. His instincts told him again: Run! Run!
Unable to bear it any longer, the Azure God revealed his true form, transforming into a giant eagle with a wingspan of six zhang (approximately 33 meters), raising his head and letting out a long cry: "Screech!"

Like the resounding clang of weapons piercing the night, shattering the chaotic illusions, everything returned to normal.

The Azure God reappeared in human form, coldly glaring at the monster on the ground whose illusion had been shattered by his eagle cry, and sneered: "The monsters that exude deathly aura are mostly skilled at bewitching people's hearts. Apart from this set of methods, they have no other abilities."

You have been conjuring up countless illusions, instilling fear in this god's heart; I must say, your methods are quite remarkable. But fortunately, my methods are quite effective against illusions; otherwise, even a centuries-old demon would have fallen into your trap without realizing it.

Bai Wuxiang, whose illusion had been broken, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said unwillingly, "Hmph, your methods are superb, I admire you!"

Goodbye!

"Want to leave? Do you think you can leave?" The Azure God looked down at the monster before him with murderous intent. "The entire area within dozens of miles is controlled by my flock of birds. Since you're here, then stay! My temple happens to be lacking a monster as skilled in transformation as you. If you submit to me, you might still live."

As he finished speaking, countless cries of birds echoed from the sky, each one piercing the pain of Bai Wuxiang as he rolled on the ground. Tortured to the point of exhaustion, he cried out in terror, "Lord Cang Shen, spare my life! This little demon is willing to submit!"

"Hmph, you're smart enough to know your place." Looking at the monster that had submitted to him, Cang Shen felt a surge of pleasure in conquering living beings. He pointed his finger, and a golden divine seal landed on the monster's body. He laughed wildly, "From now on, Black Stone Village will also have to worship this god!"
You too are a servant of this god, remember that?

"Yes, sir! This humble demon obeys!"

A fawning expression appeared on Bai Wuxiang's handsome face, and he even knelt down at his feet again, submitting to him wholeheartedly.

"I shall return to the mountain now. Deliver all these offerings to my temple." The Azure God glanced down at the spirit kneeling at his feet and gave a wicked laugh as he commanded.

"Yes! Your lord!"

The Azure God rose triumphantly and soared into the sky. Subduing such a spirit was a great help!

He was in a very good mood, leisurely looking down at the forest below, flying over the mountain peaks as he prepared to return to the temple.

But after flying for a long time, Cang Shen still couldn't see the familiar Cangyun Mountain Village. He was puzzled. Could it be that he flew in the wrong direction?

But as he flew over one mountain after another, the scene before him was still the same mountain. From high above, he could see that the monster on the ground was still kneeling, and the group of blood prey was still trembling in the same spot, as if, as if nothing had ever changed.

"wrong!"

Cang Shen suddenly felt a chill run through his body as he considered an extremely terrifying possibility.

That is, he is still in a hallucination!
Cang Shen hurriedly looked down again, only to find that the monster kneeling on the ground had a strange smile on its face. Even the mortal blood offerings had unnatural smiles on their faces as they slowly raised their heads to look at him in the sky.

(End of this chapter)