Tier 1 Wind Talisman

BANG!

With an explosion, the Monster's head disintegrated. It stopped struggling, its body stiffening, no longer moving.

Ning Gongdao had directly blown its head apart with his Inner Qi.

A pool of black-green fluid slowly dripped from its body.

WHOOSH! Its entire corpse erupted in flames, turning into countless wisps of black smoke and ash that dissipated within a few breaths.

"Too weak."

Slightly disappointed, this Monster seemed not to have fully advanced yet, or perhaps it hadn't had time to familiarize itself with its new powers after advancing.

Its realm might have already been Blood Sha level, and its combat power was infinitely close to that tier, but it still felt like something was missing.

"Pathetic."

Ning Gongdao's expression was blank. This Monster felt even weaker than the previous ones. Opponents like this couldn't even force him to use his full strength.

He opened his palm. A silver talisman flickered in his hand.

"After all my caution and preparation, I didn't even get to use this hard-earned talisman."

He put the talisman away, tucking it inside his chest.

Turning, he prepared to leave.

He placed his hands on the large door and pulled gently. The door came off its hinges.

Huh?

A cage of willow branches, forming a vast network of roots, had been constructed. Now that he had killed the Monster, the Talisman Soldiers should have sensed it and the cage should have dissipated.

"But in reality, the blockade hasn't lifted." Ning Gongdao looked in the direction where the Monster had been killed. The spot was empty, with only a faint silhouette of ash.

"Meaning... the Monster isn't dead yet?"

His gaze turned cold. This Monster wasn't dead. "Are you toying with me?"

SWISH!

He took a step forward and slammed his palm down. Rolling Inner Qi, like a surging tide, pressed down onto the silhouette of ash on the ground.

WHOOSH! In an instant, the silhouette of ash on the ground seeped into the earth like flowing water.

BOOM! Bricks and stones shattered, sending debris and dust flying. A one-meter-wide crater appeared on the ground.

Ning Gongdao's eyes were sharp as he looked towards the distance. A figure in a white dress emerged from the ground – it was the Monster whose head he had just blown apart.

"What kind of technique is this?" Ning Gongdao frowned.

"Hehehe... it hurts..."

"It hurts..."

As it spoke, the Monster's figure flickered like an illusion. In just a few steps, it appeared to the left, right, front, and back of Ning Gongdao, as if he were surrounded by its figures.

"You..." Ning Gongdao lowered his gaze. He realized this Monster might be troublesome.

In an instant.

All the surrounding Monster figures dissolved into illusions and shot towards Ning Gongdao like lightning.

"Tricks." He whispered. Ning Gongdao's Body Refining protective Inner Qi surged outwards, his entire Inner Qi exploding like a bomb.

Inner Qi could not only protect the body, but also injure the enemy.

BOOM!!!

Almost simultaneously, the figures surrounding him landed on Ning Gongdao and were blown apart by the exploding Inner Qi.

Visibly, a wave of white energy, centered on Ning Gongdao, surged outwards like a raging river.

RUMBLE!! The Monster's white figures were instantly blasted away. Countless white fragments scattered, then reassembled, reforming the Monster's silhouette.

"It hurts...", the white-dressed Monster cried out in pain, then let out a light laugh. "But, goodbye!"

It raised its hand, fingers together, surrounded by swirling black and red energy. It lightly pointed at Ning Gongdao.

Suddenly, a sense of mortal danger descended, instantly engulfing Ning Gongdao's mind.

What is this?

Ning Gongdao looked down at his chest. Blood-red numbers pulsed rapidly, and a deafening roar echoed in his ears.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

That was his heartbeat.

So, it's not just hearing knocking that makes the numbers on my chest increase; my own heartbeat can do it too?

He looked up. Was this the greatest ability this Monster had gained upon advancing?

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The white-dressed Monster repeated its trick, its figure constantly shifting. Black claws grew from its fingers, and with sharp shrieks, countless figures lunged forward.

THUMP-THUMP. His heart began to ache violently. Hiss... Ning Gongdao took a deep breath, enduring the intense pain in his chest. His protective Inner Qi exploded once more, creating an opening as the Monster was blasted back. He reached into his robes with one hand and took out the silver talisman.

"Didn't expect to have to use this."

No time to wear down the Monster. The blood-red numbers in his heart were climbing rapidly. Once they reached three hundred, the curse would erupt, and even a god couldn't save him!

Inner Qi swirled, activating the silver talisman.

Buzzz!

The instant the silver talisman was activated, a sudden gale swept through the small space sealed by the willow's roots. The leaves of other plants in the courtyard swayed, and an oppressive aura permeated the air.

Ning Gongdao even had the illusion that the world had turned dark, and the sunlight overhead began to dim rapidly.

The wind grew stronger and fiercer, and then, a small tornado appeared.

The moment the tornado formed, the Monster, which had been shattered by Inner Qi and hadn't had time to reform, was sucked into the vortex by an irresistible, immense force.

This small tornado was no natural phenomenon; it was an inscribed-rank wind talisman, generating talismanic power. Within the tornado, a chilling, tearing force surged.

The tornado stood, over ten meters tall, engulfing the entire courtyard. Countless bricks and plants were sucked in and shredded by the tearing force within.

Ning Gongdao watched the tornado. The silver talisman above his head emitted a clear light that enveloped him, preventing him from being caught in the crossfire.

In his heart, the blood-red numbers had vanished. The Monster had been killed, with no chance of recovery.

He opened his hand, and the clear light from the silver talisman dissipated as it fell into his palm.

He observed the dimmed runes on the silver talisman, its power seemingly exhausted.

"One more use left." He put away the silver talisman. The root-seal in the sky had already disappeared.

Since the Monster was dead, there was no need to borrow the power of the Talisman Soldiers again.

The protective power of the Talisman Soldiers had already begun to function. Now, he could sweep through the Monster that had infiltrated the village.

He walked out of the courtyard and called out to the bald man, "The Monster is dead. We'll go support the other squads now. Do you know which of the three village patrol teams is under more pressure?"

The Monster was dead?

Hu Xing's heart finally settled. He secretly glanced at his chest; the blood-red numbers had finally disappeared.

The curse was gone, meaning the Monster had truly been killed.

He felt invigorated. After all, everyone in the village, including himself, had been cursed by the Monster, and they had lived in constant fear.

Now that the Monster was dead, the curse was finally lifted, and he truly felt much safer.

He cupped his fists in salute. "Sir, according to the reports from below, the Xiaoqiu Village patrol team is not doing well."

"Oh?" Ning Gongdao raised an eyebrow. "I recall Xiaoqiu Village had twenty people, more than Yuyang Village."

"Did Yuyang Village not encounter many Monster?"

He asked casually.

"No," the bald Hu Xing twitched the corner of his mouth. "Yuyang Village actually encountered more Monster than Xiaoqiu Village."

"But the three leaders in Yuyang Village are powerful fighters, so they resolved the Monster very efficiently!"

PS: Requesting recommendation tickets.