Calamity Descends

A fiery lotus flower burst into bloom, blazing in all directions, attempting to force back enemies from all sides.

However, the guards He Qichang were no pushovers either. The four of them joined forces, unleashing a barrage of swords, spears, and clubs, each employing their unique skills. The club on the left moved like Soaring Flood Dragon and a rising phoenix, while the spear tip on the right resembled a strange snake playing with shadows. Their movements, alternating between long and short, and between real and feint, shattered the red lotus flower, turning it into petals that withered away.

He Qichang suffered a backlash from the energy, vomiting blood and retreating. However, he retreated not in any other direction, but precisely towards the round altar where the "sacred fire" had been lit.

Shi Kelang realized the other party's intention and hurriedly said, "Stop him quickly!"

But it was too late. He Qichang used his sword as a medium to ignite the flames in the altar and unleashed the Demon Blade: Red Lotus Style again. Instantly, the fire fueled the sword's power, transforming into a flaming lotus three times larger than before, which descended upon everyone. At first glance, it looked as if the God of Fire had descended.

The four guards' expressions changed, and they hurriedly made their moves to counter, but they had just used their ultimate moves and their strength had not yet returned. They were still somewhat weak, and even with four against one, they were still unable to withstand the attack. They were forced to retreat several steps, their tiger's mouths went numb, and their palms felt as if they had been burned.

Shi Kelang was also within the range of the Red Lotus and was forced to take action. He immediately activated his powerful Internal Cultivation, raised his staff and thrust it forward, instantly piercing through the clouds like a sharp peak and suppressing the sea like a mountain, shattering the fiery Red Lotus.

Chapter 172 The Strange Event Arrives

"Ignorant sinner! It is because of foolish and unaware people like you that God has brought punishment upon the world to cleanse it of its filth. Because of your disrespect for God, so many people have lost their loved ones and friends. A selfish person like you will never be able to understand the suffering of others!"

Shi Kelang swung his staff at He Qichang as if to strike, but halfway through, he suddenly let go, allowing the staff to fly out and deflect the blade. Then, without moving his waist, he suddenly raised his left leg and swept a side kick towards He Qichang like a whirlwind.

However, the staff was too heavy and difficult to move. It was fine for self-defense, but it was too cumbersome for fighting enemies. Therefore, he switched to fist and foot techniques and used the staff as bait to feint an attack.

He Qichang had not expected that his opponent would abandon his weapon midway through the fight. It was too late to change his move. He hurriedly slammed his left palm down, colliding with the incoming leg. He immediately felt a venomous internal force burrow into his arm and travel along his meridians. He groaned and leaped more than ten feet along the ground. He then used three streams of True Qi to dispel the strange force.

"Sinner, repent your sins to God!"

Before his opponent Shi Kelang's figure suddenly swayed, as if he had vanished into thin air. When he reappeared, he was already behind He Qichang, like a flying snake, spinning left and right, and throwing three punches in succession.

"You are the one who needs to repent; I have completed my task."

He Qichang flicked his left sleeve, and a folded short knife fell into his palm. As he activated his True Qi to trigger the mechanism, the short knife instantly transformed into a long knife.

"Demon Blade? Torrent!"

The blade spun rapidly, unleashing a continuous stream of blade energy that formed a vortex that trapped Shi Kelang, seemingly containing boundless rage as it surged forward like waves.

"Is this a binding technique?"

Shi Kelang grew suspicious. Given the opponent's current predicament, he should either retreat immediately or make a desperate, all-or-nothing assassination attempt. This tactic, designed to trap the enemy, could only be used to buy time or create an opportunity for his comrades...

Companion!

Shi Kelang felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously looked up, only to see an arrow falling from the sky like a meteor, heading straight for the top of his head.

Silent Skyfall Arrow!

This is a projectile archery technique that uses gravity to accelerate the arrow's descent. Because it falls from the sky, it is difficult to see within the normal human field of vision, and therefore impossible to defend against. In addition, the archer attaches special internal True Qi to the arrow shaft to eliminate sound, making it even more difficult to defend against. Often, the target is hit by the arrow without even knowing where the culprit shot it from.

Of course, this kind of archery also has a significant drawback, namely its extremely low hit rate. Because from the perspective of the impact surface, it is destined to hit only one point. It can be easily avoided by simply moving the position. Moreover, the speed is not very fast. In contrast, normal shooting is a line, and the speed varies from person to person. The arrow shot by a master of Internal Cultivation is not much slower than a bullet.

However, the weakness of the Silent Skyfall Arrow was compensated for by the Demon Blade Art. Shi Kelang was caught in a dilemma. The killing arrow was above his head, which he could have avoided with a single step, but he was trapped by the blade and could not move an inch.

He suddenly understood what the other party meant by "completing the mission." If he had the staff in his hand, he could risk some physical injuries to force his way through Torrent of blades. But without the staff for attacking, he could only use his bare body to withstand the sharp blades. He had not learned any external martial arts, so the consequences of doing so were self-evident.

Just as Shi Kelang was caught in a dilemma, the guard with the gun suddenly threw his spear, which struck the arrow and knocked it aside.

"Ha! With the protection of the Primordial Ancestor, how could I fall here? Evil spirits, begone!"

Shi Kelang lit up with joy, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He let out a soft chuckle, his left palm swirling in a circle, executing a move called "Pulling Chestnuts from the Fire," inserting itself into the blade's edge. It possessed a natural suction force, finding the correct blade from the dazzling array of blade shadows with exquisite precision. Meanwhile, his right fist struck out flatly, its momentum slow yet carrying immense weight.

He Qichang's knife was blocked by Shi Kelang's left palm, as if it had been struck into a deep pool, and all its force was dissipated. He thought to himself that this was bad. Before he could even draw his knife, the opponent's right fist came flying at him. The wind from the fist alone was so strong that he couldn't open his eyes. He had no choice but to raise his palm to meet the blow.

However, He Qichang's palm technique was far inferior to his sword technique, and there was also a gap in their cultivation levels. After the fist and palm met, he immediately felt the opponent's palm force was fierce and difficult to resist. He retreated three steps, felt a sharp pain in his chest, his face turned red, and a mouthful of blood surged into his throat, indicating that he had suffered internal injuries.

This delay allowed the guards to recover, and they immediately rushed forward, separating He Qichang and Shi Kelang, thus denying He Qichang another chance to make a move.

Seeing Shi Kelang, Shi Kelang felt relieved. He looked around, trying to find the attacker who had used the Skyfall Arrow, but no matter how he searched, he couldn't find anyone suspicious. Moreover, the crowd quickly descended into chaos, and the believers belatedly screamed in alarm, making the scene even more disorderly and difficult to identify.

"Betray your companions and save the lost lambs, and I may pardon your sins at my discretion. This is your only chance to save yourself."

He Qichang revealed a defiant smile and said, "Do you really think you're safe?"

Shi Kelang clutched his chest and said in a deep voice, "With the protection of the Primordial Ancestor Great Immortal, I am destined to escape danger. No matter how many methods you have prepared, it is meaningless. Under the watchful eye of the gods, all demons and monsters have nowhere to hide. No one can harm me..."

Bang!

Before he could speak, Shi Kelang's head exploded like a watermelon smashing on the ground, splattering red and white filth everywhere.

The believers were so shocked by what they saw that they were unable to react for a moment, plunging the chaotic and noisy scene into a deathly silence. Everyone stood there, frozen in place, mouths agape, unable to speak, as if they had been frozen in place.

Of all those present, only He Qichang reacted. In fact, he had been waiting for this moment, immediately sheathing his sword and preparing to draw it.

"Demon Blade - Gale!"

He Qichang leaped sideways, brushing past the momentarily stunned guards, his feet barely touching the ground as he fled for his life, like a whirlwind passing through the crowd, disappearing into the woods in the blink of an eye.

This move, the Demon Blade: Gale Form, also pursues speed, but unlike the Rushing Thunder Style which pursues instantaneous bursts, it emphasizes endurance. The sword technique incorporates lightness skill, so as long as He Qichang does not draw his sword, he can maintain the state of using lightness skill, just like the difference between a sprint and a marathon.

At the same moment, on a large tree 800 meters away from the altar, Murong Qing put away her spirit gun, which was in sniping mode, and turned to leave, running quickly towards the dock.

According to the rules, she cannot ask Si Ming for help, otherwise it would be equivalent to forfeiting the game, but the rules do not prohibit her from borrowing weapons from Si Ming.

In the plan, He Qichang's entanglement was to force Shi Kelang to stand in the pre-calculated position where he would be easiest to hit. The real purpose of the Demon Blade: Torrent was not to create an opportunity for Liu Qingqing, but to give Murong Qing enough time to aim, since she was not familiar with this gun. Fortunately, she had the assistance of a scope, and the specially made bullets could isolate the interference of wind direction. In addition, the distance was not far, and she finally succeeded in getting a headshot.

Liu Qingqing's arrow was meant to lower Shi Kelang's guard. Due to the influence of habitual thinking, people pay close attention to dangers that have not yet appeared and are always on guard. However, once a danger appears and is safely overcome, people subconsciously relax their vigilance and do not think about whether there is a second wave of danger.

Of course, if Liu Qingqing could kill Shi Kelang with an arrow, Murong Qing would be happy not to have to fire a shot.

"Cult Leader—"