Cui Jiuyang whispered to the Turtle Chancellor, "That bargain son of yours has quite a high-grade demon core. Your Water God seems very fond of it."
"A demon core from an aquatic creature naturally appeals to my lord more than two ordinary treasures," the Turtle Chancellor replied.
"Can't you pull some strings for Ninth Lady? Must you make them compete at the altar?" Cui Jiuyang asked.
“If my lord were still here, I would only need to circle the chief officiant's name on the list. But now...” the Turtle Chancellor said.
Cui Jiuyang could see that if he waited any longer, the statue would acknowledge the demon core. By then, anything he said would be too late.
He formed a spell seal with his fingers and waved his hand, sending several streaks of blue-green light toward Abe and Togo.
The light landed without fading. Vines sprouted from it, reaching toward the two Japanese.
Just as two snakelike vines were about to seize them, Togo waved his hand. Several swarms of insects flew from his body and settled on the vines, gnawing away.
Cui Jiuyang had yet to cross the threshold of the First Extremity, after all. His vines were not particularly sturdy, and the insects devoured them in moments.
He was about to cast another spell when Togo raised a hand. "Wait. Erecting lofty ritual platforms and dueling with magic in midair belongs to the old era. I have a new idea."
Togo stood by the entrance. With a wave toward the outside, he sent a crowd of men clattering through the doors.
Their faces were full of murderous intent, and each carried a rifle. Once inside, they took their positions and aimed at Cui Jiuyang's group.
From diagonally behind him, Cui Jiuyang heard Meng Er exclaim in alarm, "Japanese New Golden Hook rifles? Where are these men from?"
The last to enter was an elderly man. Leaning on a jade-inlaid walking stick, he shuffled inside, step by step.
The old man lifted his head, and Meng Da cursed viciously under his breath. "It's that bastard Lu Zhongqian from the Fuxiang Commercial Association. He wasn't hosting the Japanese on Deputy Adjutant Chen's behalf at all. He's thrown in his lot with them!"
Lu Zhongqian looked at the people opposite him and smiled. "Gentlemen, why come to blows and spoil the harmony?"
He glanced at the two Japanese beside him, who looked more like ghosts than ghosts did. "Whether it was the emperors and high officials of the former Qing, or today's presidents and military governors, not one of them has our interests at heart! Every last one acts for himself."
Lu Zhongqian coughed a few times. "Today Wang fights Li; tomorrow Zhang fights Sun. As they keep fighting, their purses grow fatter and fatter, while we common folk lose our heads."
Cui Jiuyang watched coldly, curious what other lofty pronouncements this elderly guild chairman who had sided with the Japanese could offer.
"These two distinguished guests, who have traveled all the way from Japan, introduced me to an advanced idea."
Lu Zhongqian actually clasped his hands and saluted the horizon to show his respect, for he was speaking of the Japanese emperor. "Across the sea, the Emperor of Japan advocates cooperation in East Asia to usher in an age of prosperity."
"At last, we need no longer listen to all that talk about shutting the country off from the world, or saving the nation from extinction..."
"I am very fond of the idea of cooperation. Just now, Meng Da and Meng Er said I had thrown in my lot with the Japanese... Don't think that because I'm old, I'm deaf and blind. I heard you."
"That phrase, 'thrown in my lot,' is quite inappropriate. You still cling to outdated notions of allegiance, loyalty, hierarchy, and rank."
"That is very... antiquated. Even an old man like me can embrace openness and cooperation. Can you young people truly not understand it?"
"Old Fifth Yang hates foreigners. He refuses dealings with the West and cooperation with the East.
"As head of the Twelve Merchant Guilds, how much business has he cost us?
"How much silver has he kept us from earning?
"Isn't all that silver the price we pay for outdated thinking?"
Once he finished, he did not wait for a reply. He simply moved aside, leaving the rifle-bearing guards to obey the Japanese.
Togo gave a cold chuckle. Without wasting words, he was about to order them to open fire.
Faced with this scene of "My lord, times have changed," Cui Jiuyang had never imagined he would become the victim of that saying.
Fortunately, the Turtle Chancellor on his shoulder declared, "Outrageous! This is the Qingyuan Shrine. Let's see who dares fire a weapon here!"
The moment he finished speaking, an icy presence swept through the Jidu Shrine. Every Fuxiang Commercial Association guard felt his rifle turn into something like a block of ice in the depths of winter, too cold to hold.
One man tried pulling the trigger, only to find that his rifle did not respond at all.
The Turtle Chancellor had demonstrated to Cui Jiuyang that, at least within the Jidu Shrine, the times had not changed.
Togo reacted swiftly. Seeing that the rifles would not fire, he waved his hand, releasing a buzzing black cloud of venomous insects.
Cui Jiuyang swept his sleeve forward, sending out two Fire Talismans. A large swarm caught fire and turned to drifting ash in midair.
Abe ordered her Shikigami, the Demon Horned Imperial Guard, to charge. Its bloody aura surged skyward, and a rank wind swept in with the towering demon in an instant. The Shikigami's sinister power was even greater than before!
A gleam flashed in Ninth Lady's hand, and a Nuo Mask appeared over her face. Silver scales covered it, pearl tear tracks hung from the corners of its eyes, and its lovely features lay veiled behind translucent silk.
Ji River Hundred Ghosts · Shark-Silk Mist!
The Nuo Mask was modeled on a Pearl-Weeping Merman, an aquatic creature that lived at the mouth of the Ji River. On every full-moon night, these merfolk wept on the reefs at the river's mouth, their tears turning to pearls when they fell into the water. Skilled at weaving sheer silk into clothing, they draped it over themselves, their skin appearing and disappearing beneath it in the moonlight.
Holding the Three-Foot Autumn Rainbow Sword she had brought out of the Water God’s Tomb, Ninth Lady flung out white silk to bind the Demon Horned Imperial Guard, then charged straight at Abe.
A bronze mirror appeared in Abe's hand. A flash of golden light dazzled Ninth Lady, and when she looked again, Abe had vanished.
Behind her, the Demon Horned Imperial Guard roared and tore apart the silk wound around him. Ghostly energy billowed from his hand, forming a massive nine-ring saber that came cleaving toward Ninth Lady's head.
Seeing Ninth Lady in danger, Cui Jiuyang pulled out three paper talismans, tore them up, and scattered the pieces. They fluttered like butterflies, all landing on Ninth Lady before vanishing into her.
This spell drew on the illusory nature of mirages, making its recipient fleet-footed and as light as smoke.
Ninth Lady was already exceptionally agile after donning the merfolk Nuo Mask, renowned for its nimbleness. With Cui Jiuyang's spell enhancing her further, she easily dodged the Demon Horned Imperial Guard's attack.
While everyone inside fought in a chaotic tangle, another group came pouring through the entrance.
Every one of them was a sturdy man carrying a rifle. Following behind them was none other than Fifth Master Yang!
Chapter 45: Fifth Master
Ever since Fifth Master Yang learned that Lu Zhongqian of the Fuxiang Commercial Association had made contact with the Japanese, he had kept his guard up. He posted men to watch their movements around the clock, and even the days of heavy rain had not made him recall them.
His men had just reported that Mr. Cui's group, along with Meng Da and Meng Er, had hurried out of town when the men watching the Fuxiang Commercial Association also came back with news.
Master Lu of Fortune and Auspice had led a squad out the back gate and toward the outskirts, each man carrying a weapon wrapped in black cloth that looked like a rifle.
Fifth Master Yang was alarmed. What were they planning, bringing out blades and guns?
He called for his men to bring their guns and headed over as well.
Fifth Master Yang entered with his men, all armed with Hanyang Rifles. One man saw the chaos as he stepped through the door and tried to fire a warning shot into the air.
Yet when he pulled the trigger, his rifle did nothing.
Nearby, Meng Da and Meng Er stood back-to-back, surrounded by Fortune and Auspice's men. Fortunately, the brothers were fighting together, and both were highly skilled. Otherwise, the mob would have beaten them to the ground long ago.
Sharp-eyed Meng Er spotted their allies and shouted, "Stop pulling the triggers on those fucking fire pokers! This is divine ground. They won't fire! Get over here and help us!"
Seeing that both Meng Da and Meng Er were already wounded, Shengdelong's guards rushed over to help.
For a time, inside the shrine-
Mystics and monsters unleashed their powers, demons flying alongside paper talismans, fire blazing together with thunder techniques.
The guards of the two merchant guilds traded punches, nosebleeds and spit spraying everywhere amid the crack of bones and the snap of tendons.
On the statue's shoulder, the Turtle Chancellor cursed in agitation. "You show no respect for the gods! Outrageous!"
During a brief lull in his duel, Cui Jiuyang surveyed the chaotic Jidu Shrine and cursed inwardly. Can this fucking mess get any worse?
Of course it could!
As though it had heard his thoughts-
Thunder suddenly exploded outside, lightning flashed and cracked, and a long dragon's roar rang out beyond the shrine!
The Malevolent Flood Dragon had arrived!
Outside the Jidu Shrine, the Malevolent Flood Dragon descended from the heavens and circled the building. Sensing a trace of a higher-ranking Water God's presence, it dared not enter rashly.
But hidden inside the Jidu Shrine was a magical treasure it needed...
It could have endured heaven's punishment, washed away its sins, and successfully transformed into a true dragon.
Unfortunately, it had hidden inside the great Iron Rhino's belly to evade that punishment, severing its path to transformation.
Even a carp wished to leap through the Dragon Gate. How much more so a flood dragon that had already achieved success in cultivation?
Now, if it wished to become a true dragon, it had to obtain that magical treasure inside the Jidu Shrine.
Through some unseen connection, it could feel the treasure calling to it, drawing it closer.
It could barely restrain itself, yet still did not dare enter. It tentatively scraped a claw against the outer wall, only for a veil of mist to block it.
Not daring to act recklessly, the Malevolent Flood Dragon soared into the sky and began drawing on the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning to wear down the Jidu Shrine's defenses.
The wind raged, the rain lashed down, and lightning flashed amid crashing thunder.
The mist outside the Jidu Shrine gradually began to thin.
Meanwhile.
Inside the Jidu Shrine, the battle had reached fever pitch.
With the Shark-Silk Mist Nuo Mask on her face and the Three-Foot Autumn Rainbow Sword in hand, Ninth Lady fought with overwhelming might. She had hacked the Demon Horned Imperial Guard nearly to pieces. His armor was ruined, black smoke billowed all over him, and his ghostly energy steadily dissipated. He was visibly close to collapse.
Yet the heavy panting from behind Ninth Lady's Nuo Mask revealed that she, too, had expended enormous strength and could barely hold on.
Following the methods for combating Miao borderland gu sorcery recorded in Grandfather's Record of Experiences, Cui Jiuyang assailed Togo primarily with fire spells, supplementing them with Golden Thunder to injure Togo himself.
Togo's insect arts had originated from secret Miao borderland techniques that had spread east to Japan and evolved there. Against Cui Jiuyang, he was soon hard-pressed and on the verge of defeat.
The merchant guilds' fight was the first to reach a conclusion. The Fuxiang Commercial Association's guards lay on the ground with bruised faces, while Meng Da and Meng Er had even captured Lu Zhongqian.
Ever since hearing the dragon's roar, Old Man Xiang had been ceaselessly calculating on his fingers. His expression grew grimmer and grimmer; clearly, the results were troubling.
More troubling still, however, was the Onmyoji Abe.
The bronze mirror she held seemed to possess a concealment art. It repeatedly emitted rays of yellow light, within which her figure kept flickering in and out of sight.
Ninth Lady moved like the wind, further aided by Cui Jiuyang's Mirage Step, yet she still could not catch Abe's shadow.
From time to time, Abe emerged from hiding and flicked out a gust of black wind at Ninth Lady or Cui Jiuyang, disrupting their attacks and giving the Demon Horned Imperial Guard or Togo a chance to breathe.
Suppressed by Cui Jiuyang, Togo's rage kept mounting until he could endure it no longer. He ripped away his bandages, exposing the densely packed insect burrows covering his body, and roused countless insects from dormancy.
"Chinese pig! How could I suffer this humiliation at your hands!" he howled. Then he tore open his own abdomen, and a beetle the size of a washbasin burst out!
Like an insect king, the beetle led all the other insects swarming around it straight at Cui Jiuyang!
Cui Jiuyang sneered. "Going all out already? Then let me teach you another lesson!"
A stream of copper coins shot from Cui Jiuyang's hand.
Before you continue