Fangxian Heretical Path

Chapter 224 Flesh-Pulling Hermitage: Fleeing Side by Side
The five of them followed the secret passage straight back to the elegant pavilion.

No more thieves appeared to stop them, which made the group happy, thinking that their trip might be coming to an end without any real danger.

However, when they were only one step away from the private room they had booked, the white-robed protector in front of them immediately stopped, his expression changing from calm to gloomy.

"What's wrong?" someone in the group asked in a voice, sounding slightly agitated.

The White Protector carefully examined the exit of the secret passage ahead. She sighed, then picked up a crimson talisman and hurled it towards the exit.

Boom!

A loud clap of thunder rang out, followed by the strong smell of sulfur and saltpeter.

The secret passage was instantly blown to smithereens, and screams could be heard from outside:

"It's a Six Tribulations Thunderfire Talisman!"

At this moment, Fang Shu and the others either showed expressions of "I knew it" or were shocked, all realizing that thieves had ambushed them outside the exit.

The Zhuang-surnamed warrior cursed several times: "Damn it! How did these guys discover our movements?"

After the White Protector unleashed a Thunderfire Talisman, he then flung out even more talismans, throwing the thieves outside the secret passage into chaos.

She said in a deep voice, "Fight your way out."

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman immediately jumped out of the secret passage.

In such a dangerous place, they could live if they gathered together, but would perish if they scattered, so Fang Shu and the others naturally followed closely behind.

As soon as they emerged from the secret passage, the dilapidated and charred scene of the elegant pavilion outside came into view.

Some of the Taoist soldiers and immortals lay on the floor, their faces or legs rotten, or like dead fish, looking utterly miserable.

A series of shouts from servants and waiters also rang out:
"Thief! The thief is out!" "There really is a thief!"

Aside from the panicked cries, another squad of armored, snake-scaled Taoist soldiers suddenly surged towards Fang Shu and his companions. The leading green snake general growled:

"Kill without mercy!"

This group of Taoist soldiers was quite organized. Even though their encirclement failed and many of their men were killed by Protector Bai's thunder and fire talismans, they still managed to catch Fang Shu and the others off guard before they landed steadily.

"You won't get your life!" the Zhuang-surnamed warrior shouted.

A surge of fierce and malevolent energy erupted from his body. He showed no fear of the snake-scale soldiers' attack. Instead, he raised his hands and flung his bones out, which instantly transformed into two giant bone axes. He wielded them around his body, impervious to water, thus giving Fang Shu and the other three a chance to gain a foothold.

The remaining four then unleashed their full range of tactics.

Some might wield swords, their blades gleaming with a hissing light. Even a Qi Refining soldier would suffer a gruesome end if caught in their blade.

Or they would pinch talismans in their hands, scattering them in all directions like celestial maidens scattering flowers, causing the elegant room to flicker with spiritual light and the sounds of wind blades and fire swords to resound.

Then there was the old pharmacist, whose face was calm. He immediately took out a large handful of medicinal powder from his sleeve and scattered it around. A strong smell of realgar rose up, making the snake-scale soldiers nearby weak and powerless.

Fang Shu was among them. He also used his magic to manipulate objects, wielding several paper knives to kill a few snake-scaled Taoist soldiers.

In just a few breaths, the group of snake-scaled Taoist soldiers who had surrounded them were cut down on the spot, leaving the scene a bloody mess.

Such ruthless methods made the Green Serpent General look surprised and suspicious. It subconsciously led its men back a few steps, intending to stabilize its position before attacking Fang Shu and the others.

At this moment, the White Protector whispered, "Don't linger in battle, retreat quickly!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she didn't go out. Instead, she turned around, slashed open a wall, and rushed towards the adjacent elegant room.

Fang Shu and the others continued to follow closely behind.

In the adjacent private room, there were immortals who had shed their feathers and were completely naked, like chickens and ducks. They suddenly discovered that the walls had been broken open and a group of fierce creatures had broken in, and they were so frightened that they let out clucking cries.

Fortunately, Fang Shu and the others did not care about the other people. Led by Protector Bai, they continued to rush towards the adjacent elegant pavilion, breaking through four or five pavilions in the process, alarming the entire dragon boat.

Upon hearing the shouts of battle and magical combat, the various immortals on the boat all abandoned their playful mood and were filled with surprise, doubt, and fear.

The snake demons on the ship originally intended to handle the matter on a small scale, but now they no longer cared about the size of the commotion. Immediately, several sixth-tribulation snake demon immortals rushed towards Fang Shu and the others to intercept and kill them.

"Thieves, please leave!"

Among them were both men and women, all with expressions of resentment. However, upon seeing the golden birdcage in the White Protector's hand, their faces turned to shock, anger, and fear, and they cried out in alarm:

"Stop them!"

"Kill them all! Don't let a single one escape!" "Quickly seal off the entire ship's formation!"

The sharp shouts made Fang Shu and the others, who were trying to break through the encirclement, feel a chill run down their spines.

What made their hearts sink the most was an aura that made everyone tremble, which burst forth from the center of the cabin, and its pressure was comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment Immortal.

And indeed, the dragon boat formation in front of them was rapidly closing up.

Seeing that everyone was about to be trapped, even the White Protector looked surprised.

However, this woman was indeed well-prepared. Holding the spirit-stabilizing bead in her hand, she quickly communicated with Fang Shu, who was skilled in formations, and then suddenly struck the bead towards the entrance where everyone was boarding the ship.

With a snap, the Spirit-Stabilizing Pearl, such a wondrous object, shattered on the spot, transforming into tiny specks of starlight.

And the dragon boat formation that was being mended also developed a gap.

This opening was their only chance of survival.

Seeing this, the five of them used all their skills and rushed toward the opening.

Just as they were about to rush out, a series of drumbeats sounded throughout the entire dragon boat, causing all the immortals on board, regardless of whether they were guests or not, to let out a scream.

The sound of this drum directly affects the soul of every listener. With a single beat, it causes one's vital energy to surge, one's blood to boil, and one's head to throb with pain.

Fang Shu and the others stopped in their tracks, their thoughts seemingly frozen.

Immediately afterwards, they heard a cold, sharp voice behind them: "Hey! Shen Yin from the Skin and Flesh Hermitage is here! How dare you, you cowards, act so presumptuously!"

It was a woman's voice, filled with murderous intent. Her surging true energy burned like a torch in the night sky, and she immediately rushed towards the five people.

Hidden within his shouts was the resounding thud of drums, which continued to suppress all directions, terrifying the passengers on the boat, and causing Fang Shu and his companions to move even more slowly.

"Foundation-building artifact?"
"A divine soul artifact?!"

A look of surprise appeared on the faces of Fang Shu and the others.

A graceful figure flew out of the cabin and appeared on the deck, looking at them with a mocking smile.

However, at this moment, the five people who had been suppressed by the sound of the magic drum once again used all their skills and actually showed signs of breaking free from the sound of the drum and regaining their senses.

The white-clad protector even sneered and shouted, "If you're not at the Foundation Establishment stage, what are you pretending for!"

The woman drew her sword and slashed at the nun from the Leather Nunnery behind her. Her blade was sharp and emitted a ghostly whistling sound, actually reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, suppressing the drumming sound. Meanwhile, Protector Bai leaped forward, appearing ready to fight the nun.

This action slightly startled the nun from the flesh-covering nunnery, who blurted out:
"Who are you, to have joined the thieves!"

Shen Yin of the Skin and Flesh Hermitage quickly dodged the blade's edge and cast a spell to summon her protective magic weapon, intending to first securely protect herself before engaging in a fierce battle with the White Protector.

However, after Protector Bai leaped out and shattered most of the dragon boat pavilion with a single strike, she returned, gracefully circling in mid-air like a swallow turning its head, before continuing her descent towards the entrance of the formation.

As she passed Fang Shu and the others, the woman still had the leisure to shout:
"Hurry up! There's more than just this maid on board."

The four people's expressions changed.

The first person to respond to Protector Bai's call, and who had already moved when Protector Bai launched his attack, was not the murderous Zhuang-surnamed martial artist, nor the cunning old apothecary Sun, but the formation master Fang Shu, whose cultivation appeared to be the weakest.

He gripped a broken thumb ring tightly in his hand, his figure swaying, leaving afterimages on the deck. His speed was no less than that of Protector Bai, which made Protector Bai glance at him again.

And as he ran toward the exit, he was confronted by a female talisman master surnamed Luo who seemed to be blocking his way but happened to be standing right in front of him.

Fang Shu did not choose to bypass the woman, but instead charged recklessly without any regard for her safety, refusing to move an inch.

The sheer force of the commotion startled the female talisman master surnamed Luo, who was about to flee. Realizing the danger, she hurriedly dodged to the side, nearly falling to the ground in the process.

Crackle!
Fang Shu and Protector Bai escaped from the dragon boat almost simultaneously.

Following closely behind were the martial artist surnamed Zhuang and the old pharmacist Sun. Seizing the last opportunity, they also managed to slip out a few breaths later and escape the encirclement of the formation.

"Go away!"

Suddenly, another angry scream rang out from inside the dragon boat. The sound was hissing and should have come from the snake fairy in charge of the dragon boat.

At this moment, the female talisman master surnamed Luo's expression suddenly changed.

Because she was a step too slow, she was at the very back of the group. Just as she was about to step out of the formation, a hairpin flew out with a buzzing sound and stuck into the exit of the formation, emanating a heavy killing intent.

If she dares to take even half a step forward, the hairpin will take her life.

The female talisman master surnamed Luo dared not step forward and could only watch helplessly as the opening in the formation closed.

Sensing the murderous intent and resentment surging from behind, the woman felt a chill run down her spine. She immediately dropped to the ground, discarded the talisman in her hand, and screamed:
"Wait a moment, gentlemen! I am an inner disciple of the Dry Bones Sect!"

The shout came at the right time, causing the crimson snake shadow that had lunged out in anger to tremble slightly. In the end, it chose to pass by the woman instead of striking her dead.

Shen Yin, who followed closely behind the Crimson Serpent Immortal Clan, also looked at the prostrate Luo-surname female talisman master, narrowed her eyes, and stopped patting the small drum at her waist.

Seeing that the two did not make a move, Luo Fuyin raised her anxious face, which turned pale.

Although she was a sixth-tribulation immortal, she was not at the peak of the sixth tribulation, and she did not possess any magic artifacts at the quasi-foundation or foundation-building level, so she was no match for these two at all.

Whoosh!

The crimson snake shadow paused briefly at the entrance of the formation, and after recognizing the direction in which Fang Shu and the others had fled, it suddenly shot out again, a wisp of smoke curling around its body, flying like a sharp arrow.

However, after the Crimson Serpent Immortal left, Shen Yin of the Skin and Flesh Nunnery did not chase after him. She stood slowly beside Luo Fuyin, looking at him with a half-smile.

This made Luo Fuyin look flustered, and as she looked in the direction Fang Shu and the others had fled, she clenched her teeth, her face showing fear and regret.

………………

the other side.

The fact that Fang Shu and his three companions successfully escaped from the dragon boat did not mean that they had completely escaped.

There were still pursuers behind them, and once the people on the dragon boat had fully realized what was happening, they would definitely send out even more men to hunt them down.

As soon as they escaped the dragon boat, the group of people who had been fighting side by side just moments before scattered like monkeys.

The martial artist surnamed Zhuang transmitted his voice: "Protector Bai, take care of yourself. I have helped you rescue that dragon seed. I'm leaving now."

With a sway of his body, before Protector Bai could respond, he leaped towards the Floating Mountain Market near the dragon boat.

This person probably believed that as long as he entered the territory of the market, he would be protected by the rules of the market and would not be chased and killed by the snake-like immortals on the dragon boat.

Pharmacist Sun also let out a low shout, and with a whoosh, he changed direction and fled:
"I am old and weak, so I will not be a burden to the Dharma Protector."

However, instead of fleeing into the Floating Market, he chose to head out of Floating Mountain.

Faced with this situation, Bai Yangyang's eyes flashed with coldness, showing no surprise whatsoever.

In such a scene of being chased, it's normal for her "friends" to scatter in all directions. Not to mention that she had already delivered the jade slip secret order to that person beforehand.

It would be abnormal if that person didn't take advantage of her, the one who was getting herself into trouble, to escape. But that person's choice was exactly what she had planned.

These guys saw her as bait, and she saw them as pawns.

Suddenly, Bai Yangyang looked at her side in surprise and found that there was still one person who had not left.

That person was Fang Shu.

He used his leaping technique to follow closely behind Bai Yangyang.

What surprised Bai Yangyang even more was that, like the others, the other person did not avoid any of the rocks, grass, or trees, passing through them one by one, as if they also knew some kind of escape technique.

Feeling a strange thought, Bai Yangyang couldn't help but transmit her voice:
"Why hasn't Fellow Daoist Hu taken the opportunity to escape yet? This task is indeed completed."

Fang Shu kept his head down and ran around.

The reason he didn't abandon Bai Yangyang and run away was very simple: he was also very curious about the benefits that the dragon seed brought and the opportunity to establish his foundation that Bai Yangyang had promised.

Furthermore, he thought that if he used the Hundred Gu Banner of the Dragon Spine and joined forces with this woman, they might be able to withstand the pursuers behind them and even help them fight back!

However, before he could finish speaking, Fang Shu simply said, "Fellow Daoist has not deceived me, so why should I abandon you?"

These words startled Bai Yangyang for a moment.

She was even more suspicious and wanted to ask more questions, but in the end she didn't say anything. She just carried the golden birdcage and led the way with her head down.

"If Fellow Daoist Hu trusts me, then follow me closely."

Followed by.

To Fang Shu's great surprise, the White Protector did not take any of the escape routes prepared on the jade slip. Instead, he headed west, not only rushing out of Fudang Mountain but also heading towards the mortal realm.

During this time, the crimson snake shadows repeatedly appeared behind the two of them, enraging them so much that they bit down hard.

But with Protector Bai's twists and turns, the opponent was always left behind.

After fleeing for a whole day, the two finally escaped the territory of Youqiong Kingdom and arrived at the dangerous and treacherous border region that leads directly to the vast desert.

　Sorry, my updates have been unstable lately. I've noted the missed chapters, and including the one chapter owed for the bonus chapters from monthly tickets, I owe a total of two days' worth of four chapters, or 8,000 words, which I'll count as 10,000 words. I'll start making up for it tomorrow!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)