This Taoist priest is so unprofessional!

Zhang Chen's heart sank to the bottom.

The Azure Stone is a magical artifact crafted using secret methods from Longhu Mountain. It is incredibly hard and has been engraved with suppressing runes, remaining as stable as Mount Tai for hundreds of years.

Even the azure stone cracked, indicating that what was in the well had become extremely violent.

"This is not a natural disaster."

Zhang Chen hung up the phone, his eyes narrowed, and a cold glint flashed in them.

"The Dragon Suppressing Well is protected by a century-old grand formation set up by my sect. Even if the dragon awakens, it cannot break through the seal so quickly."

He looked at Wang Xiaoer and said, word by word.

"This is a man-made disaster."

"It's highly likely that heretical cultivators are behind this!"

"They want to release the evil dragon and disrupt the fortunes of the province. The more chaotic things get for us, the easier it will be for them to profit from the chaos and cultivate their evil arts!"

Wang Xiaoer suddenly realized.

From the murderous trap set in the cemetery to the present-day Zhenlongjing (Dragon-Suppressing Well).

These heretical practitioners have far greater appetites than he imagined!

This is no longer just about harming a few people; it's about wreaking havoc on an entire province!

The level of the incident was suddenly escalated to a height he could never have imagined before.

An hour later, the high-speed train came to a smooth stop at the provincial capital station.

Without lingering for a moment, the two took a taxi directly to the address sent by their senior.

The place is located in the center of the old town, in a public park open to the public.

The park is not large, but it is lush with vegetation and has artificial hills and ponds, making it a good place for nearby residents to exercise in the morning and evening.

But today, the park seemed unusually deserted.

The park's main entrance was blocked by several signs that read "Emergency repairs to municipal pipelines, please detour," and a long cordon was set up around it.

Several uniformed security guards stood expressionless at the entrance, turning away any citizens who wanted to approach.

Zhang Chen led Wang Xiaoer through an inconspicuous side door.

Deep in the park, at the foot of an artificial hill, a group of people were gathered.

There were more than a dozen of them, all dressed in Taoist robes, each with a solemn expression, as if facing a formidable enemy.

These people should be all the disciples of Longhu Mountain near the provincial capital.

The leader was a middle-aged Taoist priest in his forties, with a square face and an anxious expression, pacing back and forth around an ancient well.

When he saw Zhang Chen, it was as if he had seen a savior. His eyes lit up and he rushed over to greet him.

"Junior brother, you've finally arrived!"

The middle-aged Taoist priest grabbed Zhang Chen's arm with astonishing strength, his palms covered in cold sweat.

"Look at this well!"

Zhang Chen and Wang Xiaoer looked in the direction he was pointing.

It was an ancient well made of bluestone, with a diameter of no more than one meter, and it looked quite ordinary.

But at this moment, the ancient well resembles an entrance to hell, constantly spewing poisonous gas.

Visible plumes of black mist were gushing out of the wellhead.

The black mist was as thick as ink, carrying a chilling cold and a foul stench. Wherever it passed, even the surrounding grass quickly withered and turned yellow.

What's even more chilling is that faint metallic clanging sounds can be heard coming from the bottomless well.

"Splash... splash..."

It was as if an enormous iron chain was being frantically dragged and struggled by something down in the well.

Accompanying the clanking of chains were low, angry roars.

The roar seemed not to travel through the air, but to resound directly in everyone's minds, shaking them to their core and making their chests feel tight.

The leading Taoist priest, who was also Zhang Chen's senior brother, Li Xuanqing, pointed to the well opening, his voice hoarse.

"We tried all sorts of suppressing talismans and set up three layers of magic arrays, but they could only delay the attack; they couldn't suppress it at all!"

His eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept for a long time.

"The dragon-locking pillar down in the well is about to break!"

Wang Xiaoer took a closer look and his heart skipped a beat.

The black mist emanating from the wellhead seemed to be alive, with a viscous texture. Any yellow talisman that was stuck on it would quickly lose its cinnabar runes, and then the entire talisman would silently turn into ashes.

The roar from the bottom of the well grew louder and louder, like the howl of a giant beast or the wailing of countless wronged souls, filled with immense resentment and ferocity, piercing straight to the top of one's head.

"Splash... splash..."

The heavy creaking of the chains made everyone present's heart clench with pain with each sound.

The dozen or so Taoist priests present were all prominent figures in the province's metaphysical circles, yet they all looked worried and helpless.

"Senior brother, we can't wait any longer!" shouted an impatient young Taoist priest. "If this continues, once the evil dragon breaks free, the entire provincial capital will be doomed!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" an older Taoist priest beside him replied irritably. "Look at this malevolent aura. Apart from my fellow disciples, who can get within three steps of the well?"

"How about...using a sacrifice?" A voice echoed from the crowd, "Ancient records state that a human blood sacrifice might appease the dragon's ferocity..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Xuanqing suddenly turned around, his eyes fierce as if he wanted to devour someone.

"shut up!"

He angrily refuted them, his voice echoing throughout the surrounding area.

"My Longhu Mountain is a legitimate sect of Taoism. When did we ever resort to such unorthodox methods?"

"If anyone dares to utter another word, I'll be the first to offer them a sacrifice!"

The Taoist priest who made the suggestion shrank back in fright after being shouted at, and dared not utter another sound.

Zhang Chen did not participate in their argument. He walked around the ancient well, squatted down, and carefully examined the remaining traces of the array on the ground.

The array patterns that should have been radiant were now dull and lifeless, and some of the core nodes even looked as if they had been corroded by strong acid, leaving several fist-sized pits.

He picked up a bit of soil from the hole with his fingers, put it to his nose, and smelled it.

A chilling aura, a mixture of the stench of corpses and resentment, assaulted my nostrils.

"Is it the Five Ghosts Gate again?"

Zhang Chen stood up, walked to Li Xuanqing's side, and lowered his voice.

"The core of the formation was destroyed by someone using the 'Yin Sha Corrupting Bone Nail'."

Li Xuanqing's face instantly turned ashen.

"They were the ones who did it all!"

"These rats in the gutter!" A cold glint flashed in Zhang Chen's eyes. "They're definitely hiding somewhere nearby, waiting for the evil dragon to emerge and disrupt the province's fortune so they can reap the benefits!"

Just as the two were talking.

"boom--!"

Black gas suddenly burst out of the wellhead, like a volcanic eruption!

The black shockwave surged fiercely in all directions. The outermost array of light, which was maintained by several Taoist priests, only lasted for less than a second before it shattered with a cracking sound like breaking glass!

"puff!"

The Taoist priests maintaining the magic array all coughed up blood, their faces turning deathly pale as they fell backward.

A violent, malevolent aura instantly spread out.

Wang Xiaoer was closest to the source of the evil aura. When he was hit in the face, he felt a bone-chilling cold instantly penetrate his limbs and bones. His chest felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer, making it hard for him to breathe.

He felt extremely uncomfortable, and his stomach churned violently.

Instinctively, Wang Xiaoer lifted his leg and tried to move to the side, wanting to get away from the well and escape the nauseating smell.

However, perhaps because he had been in the car for too long, he lost his footing and stumbled towards the well.

An unbelievable scene has unfolded!

As Wang Xiaoer approached, a golden light suddenly emanated from his body, like an invisible blazing sun rising abruptly!

The originally surging, menacing black aura seemed to have encountered its nemesis. Like the receding tide, it let out a reluctant hiss and frantically retreated back into the well!

Even the furious roars and clanging chains from the bottom of the well seemed to diminish by a third, as if a howling dog had suddenly been choked.

In that instant, the entire park fell into an eerie, deathly silence.

One second it was hell descending, an apocalyptic scene.

The next second, all was calm, with only the panting of a few Taoist priests remaining.