The Coming Storm

In the dead of night, a dark cloud loomed over Flag Mountain, and a light rain began to fall through the haze.

A group of six people arrived on horseback, with five large carts following behind them.

The Zhang Family's demon-slaying team was much smaller than last time, but it wasn't because the Zhang Family lacked people. It was because they knew Shen Leling had no more Dao cultivation, and that too many burdens wouldn't necessarily hold her back.

No matter how many ordinary Martial Artists came, they would just be throwing their lives away.

Therefore, this time, they were all elites, top-tier Martial Artists who had undergone Three Essences Body Tempering. This was the strength the Zhang Family had cultivated with great resources amidst the chaos, almost representing all their accumulated power.

Zhang Quan asked Mr. Feng, the Ghost Shadow, "Are you sure the Water Woman is in this mountain?"

Mr. Feng carefully observed the celestial phenomena before replying, "She's in the mountain. However, a Monster also used to live in Flag Mountain."

Zhang Quan laughed heartily, "That won't be a problem. The Water Woman hiding in Flag Mountain is practically seeking her own death."

"Flag Mountain is the cave dwelling of Old Daoist Wulong. His true form is a Wild Dog, he's eaten countless people, and his Magic Power is immense. A few years ago, he disguised himself as a cultivator and went around scamming people, gaining a notorious reputation. His intention was to infiltrate the 'Tuolan Gathering' by the Banks of the Yishui River and discuss profound theories with the scholars there."

"But unexpectedly, at that Tuolan Gathering, a rogue cultivator with profound Dao cultivation was invited. Thus, Wulong was exposed and suppressed on the spot."

"However, this old dog turned misfortune into fortune, becoming a mount for a powerful figure and being taught the Way. He's now considered a Righteous Path demon cultivator."

Mr. Feng turned back and said, "Is that so? But he's not in his cave dwelling. The Demonic Aura in Flag Mountain is all from him, left behind a long time ago."

Zhang Quan grunted and immediately gave some orders to his subordinates.

The subordinate galloped away on his horse, heading in the direction of Fei County.

"It's fine. I know where he is. Send him a message saying his cave dwelling has been occupied, and he might rush back."

Mr. Feng chuckled, "If that's the case, I won't need to meddle in this battle."

With that, he prepared to retreat back into the Bronze Contract.

"Whoa, whoa!" Zhang Quan quickly stopped him. "That won't do. Whether Wulong comes or not is another matter. He's already a mount and has lost his freedom. If the powerful figure doesn't allow it, he can't come either."

"Mr. Feng, you barely put in any effort last time. If you had just helped me block the Water Woman's demonic arts, I wouldn't have suffered such severe internal injuries."

"I've brought fewer people this time, so I'll have to ask you to use your Corpse Soldier Technique."

With that, he waved his hand, and his subordinates uncovered the large carts. Four of them were filled with the corpses of elderly villagers, and the remaining one was filled with weapons and armor.

"Mr. Feng, I've prepared the corpses. Please raise them."

"..." Mr. Feng's expression turned astonished when he saw that these were fresh corpses. "Why go to such lengths? I can just use my Dao techniques. That Water Woman's Dao techniques are crude; she must have learned them herself. In the same realm, how could she be my opponent!"

Zhang Quan sneered, "So, Mr. Feng, you still remember your Dao techniques!"

Mr. Feng's face darkened. "Even for the Corpse Soldier Technique, a skeleton is sufficient as a medium. There's no need for fresh corpses."

"Fresh Corpse Soldiers will be stronger," Zhang Quan stated.

"Heh, as expected of a clansman of Zhang Tong. Ruthless. Impressive!" Mr. Feng applauded with a cold laugh. If he weren't bound by the Bronze Contract, which prohibited him from harming the holder, he would have slapped Zhang Quan to death.

Zhang Quan sighed, "Mr. Feng, it's not that I'm heartless. In this chaotic world, the elderly are useless, and human lives are like grass. The people I've brought here are all top experts cultivated by my Zhang Family. The Family Head doesn't want anyone to be lost."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Mr. Feng said gleefully, glancing sideways. "That's why they say your Zhang Family has heroes emerging generation after generation!"

Zhang Quan's face stiffened. Their family was in decline, and he couldn't refute that. Otherwise, with the Old Ancestor's death, there would hardly be anyone to uphold their name in the cultivation world.

"Alright, if you truly don't wish to work for my Zhang Family, then please leave!" Zhang Quan said sternly.

Mr. Feng quickly put on a fawning smile. "This monster is very powerful. How about this, I'll risk my life to deal with her! After it's done, I'll give you an extra pound of Jade Marrow!"

"We agreed on five pounds in total, and there won't be any more, Mr. Feng." Zhang Quan smiled. "If you don't want it, then forget it. Actually, we just need to keep an eye on this female demon... Once the Family Head invites True Person Shen Wuxing, you can rest."

Mr. Feng was dumbfounded. So he was just a scout?

"Shen Wuxing... that name sounds so familiar?"

Zhang Quan recalled for a moment and said, "The year you died, he should have just become the Prefect of Pingyuan!"

"What! Him? Doesn't he not have an Immortal Bone?" Mr. Feng was astonished.

Zhang Quan explained, "That's the legendary part of True Person Shen. He became the Prefect of Pingyuan at twenty, already the designated heir of the Shen Family. Then one day, he was discovered to have a Heavenly Spirit Immortal Bone! It turns out that when he was young, his elders missed it when examining his immortal bone, not checking his head... So he resigned his official post and went to Mount Cangwu to cultivate. It's been fifty years now."

Mr. Feng pondered, "He's coming out to slay demons. Could he already be in the Calamity Tribulation Stage?"

Many families and sects require cultivators not to slay demons and eliminate evil before reaching the Calamity Tribulation Stage... Otherwise, it's easy to fall into a Killing Tribulation without realizing it.

Once in the Calamity Tribulation Stage, if there's danger or if one is targeted by malice, Heaven's Will will provide a warning, allowing one to judge whether to proceed with demon slaying.

"Yes! He reached it a few years ago," Zhang Quan said.

Mr. Feng was extremely dejected. Shen Wuxing was fifteen years younger than him, yet he was already in the Calamity Tribulation Stage, while he was trapped in the Bronze Contract, an old ghost in the Mystical Stage.

"What did this female demon do that a cultivator in the Calamity Tribulation Stage is willing to come in person?"

Zhang Quan said excitedly, "In the past few decades, the Shen Family has not had many male heirs. Starting from Shen Wuxing, the direct lineage has only had one descendant per generation..."

"This female demon killed the direct descendant of the Shen Family twenty years ago. He was Shen Wuxing's only descendant in that generation. Why do you think Shen Wuxing is stepping forward?"

Mr. Feng curled his lips, "No wonder... So your Zhang Family wants me to kill this demon as a gift to Shen Wuxing, right? Damn it, you're only giving me five pounds of Jade Marrow? Have some decency!"

"It really can't be increased, Mr. Feng," Zhang Quan said, shaking his head firmly. Resources for increasing Dao cultivation were never given generously.

Mr. Feng was annoyed. Last time he absorbed two pounds of Jade Marrow, his Dao cultivation began to increase that very day, and it would continue to increase for the next year.

After this task was completed, there would be another three pounds, equivalent to a total of two and a half years of Dao cultivation in the future.

He had been stuck at the Mystical Stage for fifty years, far beyond ordinary Mystical Stage cultivators. With these two and a half years of Dao cultivation, it wasn't entirely impossible to break through if he tried.

Once he reached the Spiritual Sense Stage, this Bronze Contract wouldn't be able to hold him anymore! Let's do this! If he waited for Shen Wuxing to deal with this monster, then there would be nothing for him.

"Hmph..." Mr. Feng silently recited a three-part incantation, his body exuding a chilling aura of ghostly energy.

Suddenly, fifty streams of ghostly energy split off and shot into the corpses. The corpses slowly stood up, their eyes flashing with a ghastly green light.

They consciously got out of the car and put on their armor, picking up their weapons.

Immediately afterward, Mr. Feng pointed at them again. Balls of black mist coiled out, making the group of corpse soldiers look like demons crawling out of hell.

"Enter the mountain!" Zhang Quan waved his hand.

The five powerful Martial Artists dismounted and entered the mountain. The fifty corpse soldiers also galloped like the wind, moving as if on flat ground along the mountain path.

Pairs of green eyes sent chills down one's spine in the darkness.

In the mountain forest, Huang Banyun saw this and turned to run. As he ran, he used his True Qi to activate the water bead within him.

As long as he discovered Martial Artists entering the mountain, he had to notify Shen Leling. Although he really wanted to escape, he was afraid the water bead would take his life, so he could only obey.

"The female demon ordered us, a group of Martial Artists... This, this isn't a group of Martial Artists, it's clearly a group of demons!"

Huang Banyun was both shocked and enraged. He was enraged that it was only natural for powerful figures to eliminate demons, yet they had killed fifty villagers for this.

He was shocked because, judging by the agile movements of the corpse soldiers, their strength was probably even greater than his own.

What did that even mean? A group of ordinary villagers' corpses had instantly transformed into fifty top-tier experts! And that didn't even count the terrifying aspects of the black mist. He probably couldn't even defeat one of them in a one-on-one fight!

Huang Banyun ran desperately, rushing to the mountainside.

He saw that the area was shrouded in mist. In the open space outside the cave dwelling, over three hundred Vine Armor Soldiers had already been deployed, standing like a forest of spears.

"Hiss!" Huang Banyun's scalp tingled. Was this a magical duel or a war?

However, it wasn't over yet. As he walked forward, he vaguely saw through the mist that behind the military formation, eight Vine Armor Soldiers were carrying a square platform made of birchwood.

Shen Leling stood on the platform, her robes fluttering, her posture dignified and solemn.

Her hands were clasped in front of her like she was holding a flower, her eyes closed, and she was chanting silently.

Within a radius of several hundred feet, water vapor swirled. Mist rose from the soil, the trees, and the streams.

And the dark clouds overhead grew heavier, the light rain turning into a downpour.

"So the dark clouds in the sky were condensed by her..."

In this cycle of water vapor, Huang Banyun was soaked, feeling as if even his breath was water.

This water clung to his body, cold and damp, causing Huang Banyun to shiver uncontrollably.

But the group of Vine Armor Soldiers, bathed in this water, only grew taller and stronger, their vines coiling.

One could imagine that their vine armor was even tougher, and their brute strength was even greater.

Huang Banyun dared not linger. He quickly passed through the military formation and ran up the mountain, observing silently from a high vantage point.

"Swish swish!"

The Zhang Family Martial Artists arrived extremely quickly. In front of the Flag Mountain cave dwelling, each expert stood on a treetop like a phantom.

"The Water Spirit Physique is indeed extraordinary! To have so much Magic Power..."

Mr. Feng hovered in the air. He watched the continuous light rain and the humid environment, lamenting, "Here, my Ghost Fire will have little effect."

Zhang Quan frowned, "Can it be broken?"

Mr. Feng sneered, "These Vine Armor Soldiers are protected by Mysterious Water, making it almost impossible to break them with conventional methods. We'll have to kill them by force! Although they are numerous, my corpse soldiers are stronger!"

"I will cloak you in Ghost Qi Armor, so you don't need to worry about her Essence Absorption Secret Art."

Zhang Quan immediately drew his sword and charged. The Martial Artists and the fifty corpse soldiers all charged out ruthlessly, each of them also shrouded in black mist.

"Eliminate the demon!"

"Kill!"

The two armies immediately clashed. The Vine Armor Soldiers advanced in formation, each thrust carrying brute force.

In contrast, the corpse soldiers were indeed stronger. They spread out, and within the clash of blades, ghostly energy took shape, causing the Vine Armor Soldiers to splinter.

It was clear that the combat power of the corpse soldiers was far superior to that of the Vine Armor Soldiers.

Thus, fifty top-tier experts, plus five peak experts, formed a goose formation, unstoppable.

In just one exchange, the front-row Vine Armor Soldiers were shattered.

"Hahaha, female demon, no matter how well you prepared, you're still no match for us!"

"You dare not flee and still choose to stay and fight?"

Zhang Quan sneered. His Sword Qi was the strongest; he killed one with each strike, continuously shattering several Vine Armor Soldiers.

The other Martial Artists were not much different. They were like sharp blades, piercing through the Vine Armor Soldiers' defenses and heading straight for Shen Leling.

"You dare come to die!" Shen Leling suddenly opened her eyes, divine light radiating from them.

Then, with a boom, a massive torrent of water descended from the sky, as if the dark cloud overhead was gushing a waterfall.

The water surged extremely fast, carrying immense power as it crashed down from above!

"Oh? Used it all in one go?" Mr. Feng was a little surprised. He had already noticed the dark clouds overhead, accumulating vast amounts of water vapor, which was undoubtedly the medium Shen Leling would use to cast her water-element Daoist magic.

But what he hadn't expected was for Shen Leling to unleash all the water at once, instantly bursting forth.

Leaving no magic power behind? Isn't that wasteful? Does she really think I'm unprepared? That I'll be crushed to death in one go?

With almost no prelude, Mr. Feng immediately pointed at the mountain and shouted, "Ha!"

A tremendous roar echoed as the mountain directly split open. Layers of soil churned, and a massive gravel rock rose from the ground.

This giant rock acted like a huge umbrella, propped up above everyone's heads. It directly withstood the impact of the waterfall-like water flow, protecting the Martial Artists and Spirit Puppets below.

The rolling dark clouds unleashed a great flood, like the Milky Way pouring down, scouring the stubborn rocks and splashing countless droplets of water.

If viewed from a distance, the scene would have been incredibly spectacular.

p.s: Sorry.