At that moment, the female ghost in brilliant red bridal robes, her skirts and veil flying, returned to Yuanshi Tianzun's side. Zhao Chenghuang, wreathed in black mist like a savage evil ghost, led Sun Miaomiao, Yuan Ting, Crossing Pawn, and several other experts into the stone temple.
Fierce fighting erupted at the temple entrance, mixed with gunfire.
Outside the temple, the Mountain Ghost Camp and the orderly faction's members had clashed.
The Mountain Ghost Camp members, who had intended to make a desperate bid for the staff, hesitated when No Taboos shouted for a retreat. Gritting their teeth in unwillingness, they confronted Zhao Chenghuang and the others rushing into the temple while backing toward the entrance.
Though they were closer to the staff than Zhao Chenghuang's group, that slight difference in distance could be erased in an instant and was hardly an advantage.
Moreover, after being tormented in turn by the boots and the robe, they were somewhat wary of the black jade doll in Yuanshi Tianzun's hand.
—That was why No Taboos had ordered the retreat. The Mountain Ghost Camp members' resolve had wavered, and they had lost the courage and determination to press forward in one burst.
Zhao Chenghuang glanced at Yuanshi Tianzun in the distance and the Mountain God statue behind him. Seeing the staff held in the statue's hand, his expression relaxed slightly. Without needing Zhang Yuanqing to prompt him, Zhao Chenghuang tacitly allowed the Mountain Ghost Camp enemies to withdraw.
Sun Miaomiao, Yuan Ting, and the others also let out sighs of relief, their expressions visibly easing as though a huge weight had been lifted from their hearts.
On their way here, the only thing they had prayed for was—Yuanshi Tianzun, just hold on a little longer!
Yet unexpectedly, he really had held the line.