Battle the Thousand-Year Tree Demon

The next day.

An Yang sat in the attic, staring at the worn copy of the Diamond Sutra and the Copper Bell that looked ancient at first glance. He felt as though his entire outlook on life had been shaken.

So this was what legendary magical artifacts looked like!

He turned the bell and the Diamond Sutra over and over, yet found nothing unusual about them. They were completely ordinary—a bell and... a battered book.

And yet, once the bell was rung, even Yan Chixia could hear it from far away. The Diamond Sutra was even more extraordinary. In the end, it directly slew the powerful Black Mountain Old Demon, bringing about the plot's ridiculous... ahem, perfect reversal.

He had thought that the magical artifacts in the story looked plain and unremarkable simply because of limitations in special-effects technology. He had never expected them to be this ordinary in reality.

Night gradually descended.

An Yang glanced at the several diesel-filled wooden barrels above his head and the hidden talismans all around him, and gradually relaxed.

In the middle of the night, Nie Xiaoqian arrived. She wore a pale Fairy Dress and light makeup. The moment she entered, she threw herself into An Yang's arms. "Young Master An Yang."

An Yang nodded, put an arm around her, and sat down beside her. "There's something I need to tell you."

Nie Xiaoqian was naturally intelligent and immediately guessed what he wanted to say. "Is it about Grandmother?"

An Yang nodded and told her about his plan with Yan Chixia. His voice sounded particularly calm in the dead of night.

Nie Xiaoqian gradually looked astonished, then said worriedly, "Are you sure you can do it? Grandmother isn't easy to deal with!"

An Yang patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. I've already discussed it with Big Brother Yan. As long as you help him this time, he won't interfere with our affairs anymore!"

Nie Xiaoqian gritted her teeth and quickly agreed. Women in love were easily moved by words like these, especially when their lover was making plans for their future together. That was why there had been countless stories since ancient times of women being deceived for love—even records of women helping men count the money after being sold.

She removed the Silver Bell from her ankle and handed it to An Yang.

"Y-you must be careful."

An Yang put on a deliberately relaxed smile. Holding the string of Silver Bells, he took a deep breath and gently shook them.

"Jingle, jingle..."

A series of extraordinarily penetrating chimes rang out, setting the bells beneath the eaves of Lanruo Temple trembling nonstop. The sound carried an unknown distance.

An Yang picked up the Copper Bell from the table with one hand and the ancient Diamond Sutra with the other. He turned to Nie Xiaoqian and said, "Hide first. If we fail, it'll have nothing to do with you. We only used you as part of our plan, understand?"

Nie Xiaoqian froze. Without those words, she might still have left, but now that An Yang had said this, how could she heartlessly abandon him? Besides, he was only a mortal. What if Grandmother killed him?

She shook her head firmly. "I'm not leaving. I'll face this with you. I'll protect you too!"

An Yang frowned. "Then hide for now. Don't let the Thousand-Year Tree Demon see you!"

Nie Xiaoqian continued shaking her head and said resolutely, "I won't hide. Since I've decided to be with you, I have to sever ties with Grandmother. If Grandmother kills you both, I won't go on living either!"

An Yang was about to say something when a rustling sound came from outside Lanruo Temple, as though something were moving at high speed. He immediately tightened his grip on the Copper Bell.

"Bang!"

The wooden door was suddenly smashed open, and something enormous, resembling a tongue, rapidly thrust inside!

An Yang's expression changed. He hurriedly raised the Diamond Sutra and shook the Copper Bell with his other hand!

"Jingle, jingle..."

"Sizzle..."

White smoke rose from the Thousand-Year Tree Demon's enormous tongue, which quickly withdrew. An angry shout, neither male nor female, came from outside. Then the entire attic began to rustle, sending chills down the spine!

"You damned scholar, how dare you hurt me! I'll make sure you never reincarnate!"

Nie Xiaoqian's expression changed, and she hurriedly stepped in front of An Yang.

"Young Master An Yang, be careful!"

An Yang pushed her aside and went to the back of the attic to open the window. Sure enough, a huge tongue was twisting and writhing outside, like the roots of an old tree.

What an opportunity!

He hurried back into the room, grabbed a rope, and pulled. Boards came down one after another, revealing all the talismans he had previously hidden on the walls.

At the same time, a sticky tongue thrust through the window, but it seemed to touch a red-hot branding iron. White smoke rose from it, accompanied by an unbearably foul stench!

"Bang!"

Blocked by the talismans, the Thousand-Year Tree Demon could not enter, but it showed no intention of leaving. Instead, it extended its ever-lengthening tongue and wrapped it layer upon layer around the entire attic, repeatedly striking the talismans!

An Yang set down the Diamond Sutra, pulled Nie Xiaoqian up, and pointed at the roof. "Come on, help me splash this fuel onto the Thousand-Year Tree Demon outside!"

Nie Xiaoqian immediately understood. She blew toward the roof, and the little barrels hanging there flew outward. The fuel poured from them, splashing with astonishing evenness!

"What is this stuff? You damned scholar, you're courting death!"

"Ah! Xiaoqian, you're actually helping this scholar deal with me? I'll destroy your ashes and scatter your soul!"

A glint flashed through An Yang's eyes. He snatched a talisman from the window and threw it out, shouting the only incantation from A Chinese Ghost Story!

"Prajnaparamita!"

"Boom!"

Flames erupted over the Thousand-Year Tree Demon, instantly igniting the diesel on her body. Towering flames illuminated the area outside the attic!

"Ah~!"

A shrill cry pierced the night sky!

Yan Chixia, who had been waiting for this moment, also leaped into action. He took out a talisman, stuck it to his sword case, and shouted—

"Prajnaparamita!"

"Clang!"

An ancient sword shot into the sky and transformed into a streak of golden light that flew toward the burning Thousand-Year Tree Demon!

"Urgh... ah!"

An even more agonized scream rang out. The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's tongue thrashed outside the attic before rapidly burrowing into the ground to escape!

Yan Chixia's gaze sharpened. He bit through the tip of his finger, drew a Yin Yang diagram on his other palm, and said, "You want to run? Heaven and Earth, Limitless, Cosmos Borrow Law!"

He struck forward with several palms, triggering a series of violent explosions. The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's tongue was blasted apart inch by inch!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

As the flames scattered, a huge root suddenly shot through the air. The raging fire burning on it instantly went out. The root split apart like a wide-open mouth, revealing a human head in the middle that glared viciously toward the attic.

"A scholar and a Taoist priest—how dare you scheme against me? I'll make sure you both die without a burial place!"

Watching the flames burning outside the attic, which had already burned away the talismans, Nie Xiaoqian knew they could not stay there much longer. When she saw the Thousand-Year Tree Demon's true body attack, her expression changed, and she immediately shoved An Yang aside and rushed forward!

"Urgh..."

Nie Xiaoqian's body flew backward and fell to the ground like a broken kite. She coughed several times, her face growing even paler.

"You shameless wretch! How dare you help outsiders attack me? I'll kill you!"

A tree root emerged from somewhere and suddenly lashed toward Nie Xiaoqian on the ground, the wind howling around it.

Nie Xiaoqian drew a painful breath and closed her eyes in despair.

An Yang abruptly opened the Diamond Sutra, shouted the incantation, and flashed over, pressing the Diamond Sutra against the tree demon!

"Sizzle... ah!"

The tree root that had just emerged immediately withdrew. Only the Thousand-Year Tree Demon's head remained visible among the roots as she watched him warily.

An Yang produced a pistol with a turn of his hand. He had no idea whether it would work against the tree demon, but he had no time to worry about that. He aimed at the Thousand-Year Tree Demon's head amid the roots and fired!

"Bang!"

At the same time, Yan Chixia's figure shot through the air, and the Xuanyuan Divine Sword descended in a flash of golden light!

The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's roots immediately retracted and transformed into human form as she faced Yan Chixia. Her body was covered in burn marks and reeked of charred flesh. One hand had been severed by the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, blood drenched her entire body, and a bullet was embedded in her forehead. She looked utterly wretched!

"Bearded One, I never interfered with you living in Lanruo Temple. We could have simply left each other alone. Why are you helping a scholar kill me?"

Yan Chixia snorted as he looked at the severely wounded tree demon. He thought An Yang's method had indeed worked. Fire truly was this tree demon's bane. Then he said, "I don't care if you kill bad people, but if you want to kill good people, I'll get rid of you!"

The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's gaze turned cold. She knew she had fallen into their trap. The ambush had left her severely wounded, and she no longer had the qualifications to fight Yan Chixia. She pointed at Nie Xiaoqian in An Yang's arms and said, "Then I promise not to come out and harm anyone for a hundred years, and I'll spare this scholar too. But I've already promised my maidservant to Black Mountain Lord. You should at least return her to me!"

Yan Chixia glanced at An Yang, then narrowed his eyes until they resembled two Copper Bells. "Don't try to bargain with me. You've already been severely weakened, so you couldn't leave for a hundred years anyway. Besides, I, Yan Chixia, would never do something that tears lovers apart!"

The Thousand-Year Tree Demon said, "Then what do you want?"

"Hmph, what do I want? You've killed countless people and committed every evil under the sun. Of course I'm going to uphold justice and rid the world of you!"

Yan Chixia threw out the Xuanyuan Divine Sword in his hand, shaped his index and middle fingers like a sword, and pointed them at the Thousand-Year Tree Demon. "Form and spirit as one with the sword—behold the sword!"

The Thousand-Year Tree Demon's heart jolted. Her limbs and head withdrew into her clothing, and she burrowed underground and vanished, leaving behind only a large hole!

"Whoosh!"

The Xuanyuan Divine Sword flashed past, piercing only a layer of clothing!

An Yang's expression changed slightly, and he shouted, "Big Brother Yan, get over here! She's going to take Xiaoqian!"

The moment he finished speaking, layer upon layer of branches thrust up from underground and tightly wrapped around Nie Xiaoqian!

Yan Chixia also rushed over. Chanting an incantation, he took out a talisman and stuck it to the branches!

"Boom!"

Flames erupted, instantly burning the branches to ash. Nie Xiaoqian collapsed limply to the ground.

An Yang hurriedly picked her up. He would never forget that Nie Xiaoqian had been injured while shielding him from the attack. He asked anxiously, "Xiaoqian, are you all right?"

Nie Xiaoqian's face was as pale as paper, but she gently shook her head.