Though the flesh-and-blood monster possessed boundless strength and thick hide, it ultimately fell into disadvantage under the coordinated pincer attack of Wang Lang and Wei Qing, two experts far surpassing ordinary mid-stage Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators.
Its movements were clumsy, its attacks straightforward. Restrained by Wang Lang's immense strength and weakened by Wei Qing's control, it found it difficult to mount an effective counterattack.
After merely seven or eight exchanges, Wang Lang seized an opening. All six arms moved at once, and his precious staff gathered all the Vajra Qi and Grand Righteous Qi within his body,
transforming into a brilliant golden streak that smashed into the monster's dark-red heart with the force of thunder!
"Roar!!!"
The monster let out one final agonized howl. Its chest was pierced through, and its dark-red heart abruptly went dark.
Its colossal body convulsed violently, while the flesh and blood composing it seemed to lose their binding force,
rapidly rotting and melting into foul-smelling black-red sludge all over the ground.
That great chopping blade also clattered to the ground, swiftly rusting into scrap iron.
Once the minor boss died, the skeleton soldiers cowed by the pressure of the Black Tortoise Dharma Idol
had the green flames in their eye sockets extinguished all at once. With a clattering crash, they collapsed into heaps of dry bones and fell still.
The battle had ended quickly, yet no one felt the slightest relief.
Wei Qing swiftly darted to the alley entrance from which they had come.
The squirming substance formed from dry bones, minced flesh, and black mist still blocked the way.
She gathered the power of the Black Tortoise and struck it with her palm!
The substance rippled violently, yet it was like an exceedingly resilient gel. It dispersed and neutralized the force before returning to its original state.
"This substance... contains some kind of formation and deathly qi. Forcing it open will require a stronger burst of power." Wei Qing's face darkened slightly.
"Let me try." Wang Lang maintained his thirty-foot Dharma Idol form as he strode forward heavily.
He took a deep breath, poured all his power into the tin staff, and brought it crashing down!
The substance caved in violently, stretching inward into an astonishing arc as black mist and flesh swirled madly within it,
yet it still did not shatter. Instead, it conducted away and dispersed most of the impact.
"Hm?" Wang Lang raised a brow. Its toughness exceeded his expectations.
Refusing to believe it, he willed it, and a more violent power within him began to awaken.
It was the Grand Intent from the Intentional Blast Punch trait!
Wang Lang's entire Vajra Dharma Idol seemed to transform into a molten-gold war god on the verge of eruption, its aura surging once more!
Holding nothing back, he poured the small portion of Grand Intent he could currently mobilize into the Town Mountain Tin Staff without reservation.
This strike was completely different in both sound and spectacle.
Like a blazing sun breaking through dawn, a scorching, fierce crimson-gold torrent followed the tin staff and struck a single point on the substance!
Screech!
That incomparably resilient squirming substance finally could not withstand this concentrated,
unbelievably tyrannical impact, and was forcibly blasted open into a hole several meters wide!
The path was open.
The astonishment in Wei Qing's eyes as she looked at Wang Lang deepened.
The instantaneous might of that strike had made her heart tremble.
It had not merely been powerful; it had also carried an unstoppable will that crushed all in its path!
She even felt that the edge of that blow was no less formidable than the full-force strike of some late-stage Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators.
Wang Lang withdrew his Dharma Idol and returned to his ordinary form, his expression unchanged.
To him, continuously maintaining the Dharma Idol at high intensity and unleashing Grand Intent had been no more than a warm-up.
He glanced at the blasted-open hole, then at the outline of the distant Star Gazing Platform. His mind was already made up.
Turning to Wei Qing, he said, "Vanquisher Wei, the people of this city likely have no chance of survival."
"Yet the demons behind this have laid such a deathtrap for no small purpose."
"You should take Centurion Zhao and the others and withdraw from Black Stone City through here at once."
Wei Qing immediately understood what he meant and urgently said, "Young Master Wang, are you planning to go to the Star Gazing Platform alone?"
"No! The enemy is hidden while we are exposed. It is far too dangerous!"
Wang Lang waved a hand. "If this fiend is not eliminated, we may be able to retreat today, but since it has already cast its net, Black Stone City is likely not its final stop. The future trouble will be endless."
"Since Wang has some modest ability, I must at least try to sever this root of calamity."
"So you should withdraw first and support me from outside. If things prove impossible, I will escape on my own."
Wang Lang's confidence naturally came from the Ageless and Undying trait.
If he truly could not win, he would merely die once and revive outside the city.
Although recent incidents had come one after another, leaving him unable to focus wholeheartedly on secluded cultivation,
with the boost from the Innate Primordial Qi trait, he had been growing stronger every moment.
Wei Qing still wanted to persuade him, but Wang Lang spoke no further and turned to dart toward the Star Gazing Platform.
Wei Qing's outstretched hand froze in midair. Looking in the direction where he had vanished, she was filled with a tangled mixture of emotions.
When she had organized this expedition into the city, she had thought that many hands made light work, and that ordinary patrolmen could also contribute to rescue efforts, investigation, and defenses.
But now there were no living people left in the city. Against enemies of this level, ordinary patrolmen had instead become burdens requiring protection.
Moreover, Wang Lang was the powerful reinforcement she had invited. By both sentiment and reason, she could not simply watch him venture into danger alone while she led the others away.
Just as her thoughts raced, Centurion Zhao and the others gathered around her with tense expressions.
"Lord Wei!"
Wei Qing looked at those around her, then in the direction Wang Lang had departed,
and finally made her decision, speaking rapidly:
"Centurion Zhao! Immediately lead the other brothers out of Black Stone City by the way we came!"
"And what about you, my lord..." Centurion Zhao asked urgently.
"I will go support Young Master Wang." Wei Qing's tone was resolute. "He has risked himself for the Demon Subduing Division. I cannot stand by and do nothing."
"You will withdraw at once. That is an order!"
However, Xiong Yue suddenly spoke from the side in a deep, booming voice. "Lord Wei! Xiong has something to say!"
Wei Qing looked at him.
Xiong Yue straightened his back and said gravely:
"Earlier, when you said we should retreat by the way we came, Xiong had no objections. That was for the greater good."
"But now, it is clear that the demon behind this wants to catch us all in one net! Even if this escape route has temporarily been opened, there is no guarantee we will be safe on the way back!"
"Young Master Wang is righteous and dares to lead from the front. Though I, Xiong Yue, am merely a ninth-level Body Tempering martial man who knows nothing of qi refinement, this blood, flesh, and bone of mine are not just for show!"
"If Lord Wei is going forward to assist Young Master Wang, Xiong is willing to go as well! One more person means one more measure of strength!"
Having said that, he did not wait for Wei Qing's clear response.
He cupped his fists toward Centurion Zhao and the others, then charged after Wang Lang.
"Brother Xiong is right!"
"Lord Wei, Young Master Wang came to help us. We cannot let him face danger alone!"
"They are only demons and ghosts! Even if we must stake our lives, we will tear a chunk of flesh from them!"
"There are no cowards in the Demon Subduing Division who flee in the face of battle!"
Xiong Yue's actions seemed to ignite the fierce blood in everyone's hearts.
Their strength might have been lacking, but after dealing with evil beings for years, they had long placed life and death beyond consideration.
Amid this fervent, impassioned atmosphere, a discordant voice timidly sounded:
"G-gentlemen... calm down, calm down!"
Everyone looked over. It was Zhou Xuantong, his face pale and his gaze shifting about.
Forcing out a smile, he cupped his hands toward Wei Qing. "Lord Wei, Zhou admires the valor of everyone present!"
"However, Black Stone City's situation is dire, and reinforcements must be requested immediately! Zhou is willing to undertake this duty and set out for Yuan Province's prefectural seat at once to report to the Prefect!"
Though his words were filled with righteousness, inwardly he was already regretting it beyond measure and only hoped to escape as quickly as possible.
Had he known that the situation within Black Stone City was so bizarre, when Meng Qianfan had slipped away, he should have followed without a second word!
What were face and rewards compared to one's life?
As these thoughts spun through his mind, his feet had already imperceptibly edged half a step backward.
Wei Qing gave Zhou Xuantong a deep look but did not stop him.
"Since Fellow Daoist Zhou has such intentions, take care on the road." Wei Qing replied calmly.
Zhou Xuantong looked as though he had received a pardon. He nodded repeatedly. "Lord Wei, take care! Everyone, take care! Zhou will not fail his mission!"
Before his words had even faded, he deployed his movement technique and sped toward the breach Wang Lang had blasted open without looking back.
He was astonishingly fast, afraid that if he were even one step slower, he would be called back to share their hardships.
Watching Zhou Xuantong's retreating figure disappear, Wei Qing felt no ripples in her heart.
However, his words had reminded her of something.
Wei Qing immediately took the Myriad Miles Communication Talisman from her robes and attempted to contact Prefect Jiang of Yuan Province.
Yet the talisman had only just glimmered faintly before seeming to be disrupted by some invisible force and rapidly dimming again.
"As expected... the black mist shrouding the entire city can cut off communication." Wei Qing's expression was grim.
At this point, she hesitated no longer. Her gaze swept over Centurion Zhao, Patrolman Li, and the remaining six patrolmen:
"Centurion Zhao! Carry out the order. Lead them out immediately!"
"Xiong Yue and I will go support Young Master Wang. If we can find the key to breaking this situation, we will find a way to escape."
"Keep this talisman safe. Once you are out, you must urgently report Black Stone City's abnormality to Prefect Jiang!"
As she spoke, she handed the talisman in her hand to Centurion Zhao.
Centurion Zhao accepted it. Knowing that his group's strength was limited and that staying behind would only make them a burden,
he heavily cupped his fists and swiftly led the others away.
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