Chapter 1573: Chapter 800: Back-and-Forth, Reversal of Fortune (Part 2)

The Hundred Bone Taoist saw the situation, his face instantly filled with disgust and murderous intent.

This old monster, even in his youth, had been dragged down by so-called companions, thus he preferred to act alone. Even after joining the Jianmu Organization, he detested useless teammates the most.

Even against Lady Lai Yin, he harbored murderous thoughts.

Much more so with this half-assed Earth Immortal, Lin Zhongweng.

Afterward, he would inevitably refine him into a puppet...

Such thoughts flashed by in an instant.

But just as the Hundred Bone Taoist’s mind was distracted, a gleam of brilliance shot from Li Yan’s eyes.

Under his feet, lightning flickered, his speed suddenly increased, and at the same time, he chanted: "Heaven has records, Earth has laws, the Yin Bureau arrests souls, the living people avoid!"

"Hahaha~"

The Hundred Bone Taoist laughed at this sight, mocking: "I was already guarding against that move, the Hook Paper has been taken by the Ghost Theater Troupe, what are you relying on..."

Before he could finish, he tapped his Bone Staff and quickly retreated.

He saw a fierce wind brewing on the riverbank, and darkness spreading swiftly.

"How could this be..."

The Hundred Bone Master was shocked, his face full of disbelief.

He never expected that Li Yan could summon Yin Bureau Soldiers without a Hook Paper, and the plan had gone awry from the start.

However, this old demon did not panic.

In a turn, he transformed into black smoke, soaring upwards.

His speed was no less than that of the Yin Bureau soldiers.

Having joined the Jianmu Organization just in recent decades, and having hidden for hundreds of years since the Southern Song, how could he not have some means of protection?

The Escape Skill was so exquisite that it was enough to evade the pursuit of the Yin Bureau soldiers.

Boom!

Just then, from the darkness on the riverbank, a bolt of lightning whistled out.

One could vaguely see it was a humanoid figure, tall in stature with two Thunder Fire Ribbons flying from his shoulders, resembling a Thunder Department Divine Soldier descending.

It was Li Yan, having used the Thunder God Transformation.

Lightning flashed, his speed even faster. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

In almost an instant, he intercepted the Hundred Bone Master.

Crackle~

The Duan Chen Blade’s thunder fire surged, directly dispersing the black mist.

"Courting death!"

A furious shout erupted, and the Hundred Bone Master materialized and landed on the ground.

The Thunder Astral had the power to break evil, yet it merely shredded his clothing.

Li Yan was unfazed; his goal was merely to obstruct him. He concentrated fully, paying attention to his hands.

Sure enough, the Hundred Bone Taoist reached into his bosom, pulling out a scroll.

It was the Earth Official’s Absolution of Sins Treasure Decree!

How many of these damned things from heaven are out there!

Li Yan was furious in his heart, but he acted quickly, closing the distance, while suddenly pulling out a flintlock gun.

Faced with this situation, he had planned ahead.

No matter how powerful the Earth Official’s Absolution of Sins is, my Yellow Silk can shatter it before the yin soldiers retreat, rendering it useless.

"Get lost!"

The Hundred Bone Taoist was also taken aback, swinging his Bone Staff, which ignited spontaneously in mid-air, and with a surge of green ghost fire, it stabbed towards Li Yan.

The timing was perfectly grasped.

If Li Yan didn’t evade, his head would explode directly.

At the same time, the Earth Official’s Absolution of Sins was already soaring into the air.

Wild winds howled, and the sound of chanting arose.

The black mist of the Yin Bureau soldiers showed signs of dispersing.

Boom!

Just then, there was a roar in the darkness.

The Earth Official’s Absolution of Sins, which hadn’t yet exerted its power, shattered immediately.

It was Wang Daoxuan and Lv San who had already come ashore from another side.

Lv San set down the smoking Bone Flower, letting out a cold laugh.

"No!"

The Hundred Bone Taoist was full of panic, retreating hastily.

However, it was already too late.

In a breath, he was engulfed by the darkness pouring in from the riverbank, followed by the sounds of chains clanking, armor clattering, and angry roars of unwillingness.

On the other side, Lin Zhongweng, who had fallen to the ground, his body scorched black, also had billowing black smoke emanating from within, seeping towards the ground.

This fellow saw the unfavorable situation and attempted to abandon his damaged physical body and escape.

But by doing so, he exposed himself like being naked in the midst of ice and snow.

Almost effortlessly, amidst the clinking of chains in the night sky, the black smoke formed by his yin soul stiffened, took human form, and struggled as it was enveloped by darkness.

On this riverbank, there were still many vicious followers of the Silk Cocoon Sect.

Originally eager to give it a try, they were petrified by the terrifying scene and the fact that both Immortals had been slain, causing them to flee in all directions, their legs weak with fear.

Wang Daoxuan fired two shots, taking down two of them, and then paid no more attention.

He knew there were more important matters at hand.

As for Lv San, he quickly rushed into the forest where the Forest Elder had been, and upon seeing the top of the demon gourd damaged, his eyes were filled with pain.

It had just been a move of mutual destruction.

The spiritual charm was damaged, and all the Poison Bees within were also burned to death.

The fortunate part was that the spirituality of the demon gourd had not dissipated.

If he could find a way to nourish and repair the gourd, it might recover.

Without thinking too much, Lv San secured the demon gourd and hurried out of the woods to Li Yan’s side, "Brother Yan, what should we do next?"

Li Yan looked at the river in the distance, where the sound of cannon fire was incessant.

"You and Daoist stay here."

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Find a way to break the array here. Without the support of Yin Sha Qi, the Netherworld Stage won’t be a concern. Leave the rest to me!"

"Okay!"

Lv San didn’t waste any words and immediately followed Wang Daoxuan to search for the Array Eye.

Li Yan ran quickly, leaping and landing in the water with a splash, using the North Emperor Mysterious Water Escape, disappearing swiftly like an arrow off a string...

...

The Qinhuai River water rolled like ink.

On a small boat, thick gray fog centered around the Netherworld Stage, surged, and enveloped the entire river surface.

Beside the Netherworld Stage, there was another small boat, and on its deck were several black-clad people, sitting or standing, holding instruments such as erhus, flutes, and sanxians, shaking their heads and playing intently.

These were the music band of the Ghost Theater Troupe.

Their martial arts and Dao might be average, but they were all skilled in music and magicians capable of activating magic artifacts, painstakingly gathered by the Ghost Opera Troupe Leader.

The music band itself was an array. When the music started, it not only captivated ears like magical sounds, inducing illusions in people, but also enhanced the power of the Netherworld Stage.

The sound of silk and bamboo of the Ghost Music Class pierced through the mist; the tune was mournful and twisted, performing "The Interrupted Dream from the Peony Pavilion," each word sung seemed to cry blood.

Du Liniang’s tenderness transformed into a life-seeking wail, reverberating in layers through the fog.

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

On the deck of another boat, the Ghost Opera Troupe Leader stood at the center of the stage, clad in a colorful opera robe, with vivid face paint, but with only half a dan role face painted, the other half showing ghastly white bones.

His Flowing Cloud Water Sleeve fluttered, seemingly engrossed in his own singing, each flick of the sleeve stirring up denser gray fog, muttering incantations.

This was him using the power of an Earth Immortal to activate the "Netherworld Stage."

The Great Array was formed, the Illusion Realm spontaneously appeared!

On the deck of the naval warship in the thick fog, the ordinary sailors bore the brunt, unable to withstand this terrifying array.

The mist infiltrated their seven orifices, and their vision drastically changed.

They saw deceased loved ones, drenched, climbing aboard from the ship lines, former comrades transforming into blue-faced, fang-bearing fiends charging to bite, the deck beneath their feet turning into pulsating, bloody swamps...

Fear bred madness; some screamed and aimed their firearms at "phantom" comrades, some frenziedly jumped into the roiling black waters, instantly swallowed by the undertows.

Without anyone controlling, the warship circled aimlessly in the mist like a headless fly.

The local Mystical Sect cultivators from Jinling aboard, likewise, had sweat on their foreheads, their talismans flying wildly with little effect.

"Earth Immortal, it’s an Earth Immortal!"

Someone’s voice trembled, unable to resist speaking.

To be honest, when Zhou Yinyao personally took action, taking the risk, and shamelessly invited Li Yan, the living Yin messenger, to sit, they had still been dismissive.

But at this moment, they understood the might of an Earth Immortal.

Without binding, there was a suppression at the level.

A high disciple of the Qingwei Sect wielded a Golden Light Body Protection Talisman, but the golden light was eroded layer by layer by the gray fog, like a candle in the wind; a disciple of the Heavenly Heart Righteous Law Sect stepped the Yu Step, invoking Beidou Star Power, yet the starlight could not penetrate the curtain of resentment and ghost music intertwined.

An old Daoist gritted his teeth, casting out the Thunder-Attracting Wooden Sword, which whistled into the fog, only to vanish without a trace, met only with a sharp, ear-piercing laugh from within:

"Such measly Dao conduct, how dare you disturb my Dharma field?"

Bang!

The main cannon of the warship roared futilely again, conjuring up towering waves.

The power of the new artillery, naturally, was beyond question.

But whatever it hit, all would dissolve into dense fog and vanish.

"Oh?!"

At this moment, the Ghost Theater Troupe Leader suddenly stopped his performance, turning his head towards the pitch-black river, his heart pounding inexplicably.

This was his Divine Skills sensing a crisis.

He hadn’t felt this in many years...