Taoist priests in the supernatural world

Chapter 74 Daoist Qianhe, the Feathered Immortal

"The human heart is more venomous than a demon..."

Hongwu silently recited these words.

The moonlight on the river was cool and clear, and the awning boat swayed gently.

After the vengeful spirits dissipated, the water returned to calm.

Hongwu stood at the bow of the boat, gazing at the dark, murky river, his heart filled with unease.

Is this world truly human, or a realm of demons?

The two set off again.

They traveled through mountains and rivers, passing through prefectures and counties.

They had seen corrupt officials prey on the people, and they had also killed evil spirits in the countryside who used ghosts to harm people.

When encountering patients, he would use talismanic water to treat them.

When encountering a wrongful conviction, use divine sense to uncover the truth.

When encountering evil spirits, one should slay them with a single sword stroke.

Hongwu followed him all the way, and his understanding grew clearer and clearer.

He originally only knew Western learning, military strategy, and the principles of firearms.

Along the way, he witnessed firsthand the evil in people's hearts, the suffering of the common people, and the intricate web of ghosts, gods, magic, customs, and human relationships in the Chinese countryside.

He began to understand that relying solely on foreign guns and cannons might not truly save the country.

Having traveled through half of China, Huang Bai hadn't changed much.

He has seen too many worlds and too many chaotic times.

The Hongwu Emperor underwent significant changes.

He gradually combined what he had learned about Western military strategy, Japanese organizational techniques, and Chinese indigenous methods.

In the years to come, this experience will benefit him for the rest of his life.

Soon, the group arrived in western Hunan.

……

Folk customs in western Hunan.

Two courtyards are situated in the desolate wilderness.

One was a Taoist priest's residence, and the other was a Buddhist monk's courtyard.

The two households are not far apart, separated only by a bamboo grove and a few paths.

The fog had not yet dissipated in the early morning.

White mist billowed in the mountains, and dewdrops clung to the blades of grass.

The sound of roosters crowing came from the distant village, and birds in the forest began to chirp incessantly.

bang bang bang! ! !

Master Four Eyes, wearing round glasses, carrying a bundle on his back, and holding a bell, led a line of zombies all the way to his doorstep.

He was travel-worn and looked exhausted, clearly having traveled all night.

"Jiale!!"

"Jiale!!"

Master Simu stood at the door, shouting at the top of his lungs.

There was no response from inside the house.

His apprentice, Jiale, was fast asleep in bed, the blankets rolled up in a ball, sleeping soundly.

Master Simu knocked on the door for a long time, but there was still no response from inside.

"Damn it, you brat."

Master Simu was so angry his nose almost twisted out of shape.

"Master drove corpses all night back, and you're sleeping like a log."

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, and suddenly his eyes lit up as he turned and stood in front of the row of zombies.

The zombies, with yellow talismans pasted on their heads and wearing old robes, stood motionless outside the courtyard with their arms hanging stiffly in front of them.

Master Four Eyes took out a talisman from his robes and began chanting incantations:

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits."

"If you hear 'hey,' hit them; if you hear 'ah,' beat them up."

"Kill this brat!"

After saying that, he burned the talisman and blew out a breath of fresh air.

The pure energy landed on the zombie, and the power of the talisman immediately dispersed.

Master Four Eyes distributed wooden sticks to each of the zombies and then pointed to the door.

"go!"

boom!

The zombies burst through the door and lined up to jump into the room.

A moment later, Jia Le's groggy voice came from inside the room.

"Why?"

The wooden stick was raised instantly.

"ah!"

The wooden sticks fell like raindrops.

"Ouch!"

"ah!"

"Master! Help!"

Jia Le was beaten so badly that he ran around in a panic, clutching his head.

Each time he cried out "Hey!" or "Yah!", it would trigger an even more violent beating.

The house erupted into chaos.

This skill of controlling corpses demonstrates the extraordinary nature of Master Simu's ability to manipulate them.

After a period of chaos, things finally settled down.

Jiale crawled out of the house with a bruised and swollen face, looking aggrieved.

"Master, you're too cruel."

"ruthless?"

Master Four Eyes glared at him.

"If I come back any later, are you planning to sleep until next year?"

Just then, the gate to the neighboring courtyard opened.

An old monk led his young female disciple in.

The old monk was dressed in monk's robes, with a kind face, and held prayer beads in his hand.

The pretty and lively girl beside him couldn't help but chuckle when she saw Jia Le's bruised and swollen face.

"Four Eyes, can you please stop arguing?"

The monk Ikkyu frowned and said, "These old bones of mine can't stand all this noise."

Upon seeing the monk Yixiu, Master Simu immediately flew into a rage, as if he had swallowed gunpowder.

"What business is it of yours if I make a scene in my own home? I asked you to sell the house to me, but you refused."

The monk Ikkyu was not to be outdone.

"Hmph, I'd rather sell it to anyone else than to you!"

"That loser is always eyeing my house."

"You old bald monk, who are you calling a loser?"

"Whoever answers, I will say so."

"you……"

The two of them started arguing back and forth immediately.

Jiale and Jingjing stood by, watching this scene helplessly.

The two apprentices were already used to it.

The masters were in a bad mood, and they couldn't easily mediate.

Interrupting at this point would only draw criticism back at you.

If one day they suddenly stop arguing, that would be truly terrible.

Once the atmosphere had eased a little, Jia Le quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Jingjing, cook for the master and your teacher."

Jingjing nodded quickly.

"Oh!"

"I'll go right away."

After we had eaten and drunk our fill, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door.

The sounds of horses' hooves, wheels, and soldiers' shouts slowly approached along the mountain road.

Everyone went outside to see what was happening.

A group of soldiers escorted the sedan chair, slowly making their way along the official road.

A child dressed in a red official robe and wearing an official hat sat on the sedan chair.

The child was young, with innocent features, yet he carried himself with an air of royalty.

Beside him was a eunuch with an extremely effeminate air.

The eunuch had powder on his face, made a delicate gesture with his fingers, walked with a swaying gait, and spoke in a high-pitched, thin voice.

At the rear of the procession, a carriage was pulling a golden coffin.

The outside of the coffin was covered with ink lines.

A tent was also erected above the golden coffin to shield it from the sun and wind.

Hearing the commotion, everyone came out of their rooms.

Master Simu was still frowning as he examined the golden coffin.

Suddenly, he saw the yellow-robed Taoist priest beside the coffin, and his face lit up with joy. He shouted:

"Junior Brother Qianhe!"

The Taoist priest in the yellow robe also looked up.

"Brother Four Eyes!"

The two stepped forward and performed a special Taoist salute.

Master Simu was initially quite pleased to see an acquaintance.

But as he walked around the coffin, his expression gradually became serious.

"A bronze-cornered, golden coffin wrapped in ink netting... could it be that inside is...?"

Master Qianhe nodded, his expression serious: "That's right, it is a zombie."

Master Simu's expression changed.

"Why didn't you burn it?"

Master Qianhe gave a wry smile and explained, "These are members of the royal family from the border regions. We can only escort them to the capital to await the Emperor's judgment."

The monk Ikkyu also stepped forward and looked around the golden coffin.

"If it's a zombie, why cover it up?"

The monk Ikkyu pointed to the tent above the coffin and said.

"Why not dismantle the tent and let the coffin absorb the yang energy, which will also help drive away the yin energy?"

Master Qianhe thought about it for a moment and found it to be reasonable.

He then turned and gave instructions to his four disciples.

"East, South, West, North, take down the tents."

"Yes, Master!"

The four disciples immediately stepped forward and took action.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

The eunuch beside the young prince was immediately displeased.

He raised his pinky finger and shouted in a shrill voice:

"You're dragging your feet and delaying the imperial mission. Can you afford to take responsibility for that?"

Master Qianhe frowned slightly, but still held back.

He borrowed some glutinous rice from Master Simu, checked the coffin talisman again, and then let the team continue their journey.

Escorted by soldiers, the procession departed in a grand procession.

The wheels rolled over the mud, and the golden coffin swayed gently on the carriage.

As the coffin traveled further and further away, Master Simu watched the procession gradually disappear at the end of the mountain road, feeling that something was amiss.

Anything that is related to the royal family is different in nature.

They lived a secluded life in the countryside, much like the hermits of Maoshan, indifferent to worldly wealth and status, and unwilling to get too involved with the secular government.

Chizuru is not someone who covets wealth and status.

His willingness to escort this royal zombie to the capital suggests that he recognized the immense danger posed by the zombie and feared that ordinary people would be unable to handle it, thus forcing him to intervene.

However, if a Taoist practitioner breaks a taboo, it often means that disaster is about to strike.

"I hope my junior brother is alright."

Master Simu said in a low voice.

After returning to the house, he went to the altar, lit incense, and offered sacrifices to the ancestral spirits.

Wisps of smoke rose into the air.

Master Simu made a hand seal with his hands, his expression much more serious than usual.

boom!

A bolt of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky.

The once clear sky suddenly darkened.

In the distance, dark clouds rolled in like a black curtain, pressing down on the mountains.

……

Outside the county seat of Xiangxi.

Two fine horses galloped at full speed.

The horse's hooves splashed through the muddy water, sending up a string of sprays.

As Hongwu rode on his horse, gazing at the gloomy sky ahead, he couldn't help but ask:

"Master, does the golden coffin hold the answers we seek?"

A solid gold coffin swaggering down the street, it's hard to go unnoticed.

The news had already spread far and wide.

If it weren't for the elite soldiers escorting them along the way and the Taoist priests suppressing them, many heroes would have already set their sights on seizing this golden coffin.

Huang and Bai rode in front.

"To be precise, the answer lies in the body inside the coffin."

The resurrection of the royal zombies was too coincidental.

Beside them were relatives, Taoist priests, and a group of escorting soldiers.

Once revived, the zombies can use the blood they have to grow stronger and more powerful.

Therefore, the key to finding the answer given by the Heavenly Decree lies in the royal zombie.

Another thought popped into Huang Bai's mind.

"By the way, I wonder if the Four Eyes in Uncle Zombie and Mr. Zombie are the same person?"

If it's the same person, then Uncle Nine should be near Yuecheng.

However, I am currently in western Hunan and do not have time to look for Uncle Jiu.

boom!

A sudden clap of thunder.

The forest suddenly brightened.

Huang Bai looked up at the sky.

Dark clouds rolled in, and thunderous energy gathered.

The air now had a damp and chilly smell.

"The zombie is about to undergo its tribulation."

"Can zombies undergo tribulation?"

"It is not about cultivating the Tao and transcending tribulations."

Huang Bai explained, "Instead, it was the thunder that broke the seal, and the corpse energy was activated by the heavenly lightning."

"Once you get through this hurdle, you will become a bronze-armored corpse, impervious to swords and spears, and immune to water and fire."

In the original storyline, when the zombies first started to recover, Master Qianhe was still able to stab them with a bronze sword.

As time goes on, the zombies will become stronger and stronger.

In the end, even the magical artifacts of Maoshan gradually lost their effect on him.

Splash!

It rained heavily.

The world quickly became pitch black, with no visibility of one's own hand in front of one's face.

Thunder roared, and lightning bolts cleaved the night sky one after another.

The two rode their horses galloping through the wind and rain.

Soon, they saw corpses scattered all over the ground ahead in the wind and rain.

The surrounding tents had collapsed, the vehicle frame was broken, and the golden coffin had been opened.

A heavy stench of death mixed with the smell of blood permeated the air in the wind and rain.

Ahead, a tall, royal zombie dressed in indigo official robes was biting a disciple's neck.

The disciple was convulsing, his eyes filled with terror.

In the blink of an eye, his essence and blood were drained, and he turned into a dried-up corpse.

"what!"

"East, South, West, North!!"

Master Qianhe's eyes were wide with fury.

He was covered in wounds, his yellow robe was torn, and his body was stained with blood and mud, yet he still dragged his crippled body and leaped up.

puff!

He spat a mouthful of blood onto the bronze sword.

hum!

The bronze sword emitted a golden light, exuding an aura of extreme strength and masculinity.

Master Qianhe gripped his sword with both hands, and with his last ounce of strength, thrust it towards the neck of the royal zombie.

clang!

The bronze sword pierced the zombie's neck, producing a metallic clang.

Sparks flew.

The bronze sword broke instantly due to the recoil.

"roar!!"

The royal zombie slowly turned around.

His dark, stiff face no longer resembled a human.

His eyes gleamed with a fierce light, and his mouth was stained with blood.

It thrust its hands fiercely into Qianhe's chest.

Chizuru reacted extremely quickly, barely dodging the fatal blow.

However, he suffered severe internal injuries, which slowed his movements considerably.

The zombie's claws slashed across his abdomen.

puff!

Chizuru's abdomen was ripped open, and her intestines immediately spilled out.

Rainwater mixed with blood, quickly staining the muddy ground beneath their feet.

The zombie continued to press forward.

Master Qianhe gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes.

He was ready to fight to the death to entangle the zombie.

Even if it can only buy time, we must fight for the survivors and give them a chance to live.

boom!

Just then, another clap of thunder sounded.

A three-foot-long bolt of lightning pierced the sky.

Although the lightning was small, it carried an extremely strong masculine force and struck the zombie's chest hard.

boom!

The royal zombie flew more than ten meters backward, crashing into several trees and breaking them.

The broken log collapsed with a crash, splashing mud and water everywhere.

However, the zombie was not fatally wounded.

It rolled out of the mud and let out a low growl.

Seemingly sensing that the newcomer was not to be trifled with, it did not continue to pursue Qianhe, but instead quickly disappeared into the night with a few leaps.

"Who? Could it be the eldest disciple?"

Chizuru collapsed in the puddle, blood continuously flowing from her abdomen, staining the surrounding ground red.

The moment he saw Lei Ting, his first thought was that his senior brother had arrived.

After all, there are very few people in the Maoshan lineage who can use such thunder magic.

On the other side, a white dot appeared in the sky.

The white spot quickly grew larger.

Amidst the wind and rain, a figure in white feathers streaked through the air.

Only then did Chizuru see the true face of the person who had come.

White hair and golden eyes, with wings growing from its back.

With a human head and a crane's body, it resembles the winged immortals described in ancient books.

"Human head and crane body..."

Chizuru's pupils contracted slightly, and her voice was weak.

Who is this person?

With her mind in turmoil and her injuries too severe, Chizuru finally succumbed to her injuries and fainted.

Huang Bai landed in the muddy water, glanced at the night where the zombies had disappeared, and then looked down at the unconscious Qian He.

"Carry Master Qianhe into the tent," he said to Hongwu.

"Yes."

Hongwu quickly stepped forward and carefully helped Qianhe up.

Huang Bai watched as Qian He fell into deep thought.

Chizuru is also an unlucky person, always running into tough characters.

It's such a pity that such a capable and responsible Taoist priest died like this.

the other side.

"Help!"

Someone's dead!!

A sharp, piercing sound cut through the mountains and forests.

The eunuch, along with the seventy-first prince, fled in a sorry state to the residence of the Taoist priest Simu for help.

The two men were covered in mud and water, their faces pale, clearly terrified.

Before long, a monk and a Taoist priest arrived at the camp.

Master Four Eyes and Monk Ikkyu arrived despite the rain.

"this……"

Upon seeing the corpses scattered all over the ground, Master Four Eyes' heart sank.

The four disciples from the east, west, south, and north also fell into the muddy water, already lifeless.

The golden coffin was broken open, but the stench of death lingered.

The scene was horrific.

With so many people dead, wouldn't Chizuru be...?

Master Simu's face turned pale.

Ignoring the rain, he hurriedly ran towards the tent where candlelight still shone.

Inside the tent, the firelight flickered.

Wow!

Si Mu suddenly lifted the tent flap.

I was prepared to see Chizuru's body.

The scene inside the tent left him frozen in place.

Master Qianhe lay to one side, his breath faint, but he was still alive.

Upon seeing the person standing next to him, Master Simu instinctively exclaimed in surprise.

"Master Huang Tian!"

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