Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Chang Xu grasped this hard-won opportunity. His formless demonic power surged violently, pressing the oppressive dark clouds hanging over Little Green Mountain lower still. A few rays of sunlight abruptly pierced the thick cloud layer, descending from the sky.

The golden light seemed almost tangible. Wherever it fell upon the Yellow Fur, wisps of black smoke rose as if from a scorch.

The Yellow Fur roared with continuous roars, ignoring the tree vines transfixing its limbs as it struggled violently to break free. Several of the thick vines snapped under its frantic struggle. A fresh, red liquid, indistinguishable from blood, flowed from the wounds.

In the distance, Eldest Madam Sang's face darkened. Those tree vines were her companion vines, the condensed essence of her demonic power. Now that several had been broken, her heart ached as if bleeding.

It *must* die here today. It could not be allowed to continue wreaking havoc upon the world.

While her heart ached so much she could stamp her feet, Eldest Madam Sang at the same time drove more tree vines forward to assist in the battle.

The Yellow Fur nimbly dodged the descending beams of light. Its heavy, labored breaths carried bloody froth, yet its movements showed not a hint of sluggishness. Instead, they became even more ferocious and frenzied. Chang Xu refused to be outdone. He knew that in this situation, dodging was useless—dodging would only lead to a faster death. Only by risking everything in a desperate gamble might there be a sliver of hope.

The Yellow Fur let out a deafening roar, concentrating all its demonic power into its mouth. An indescribable pressure suddenly descended upon the area. A violent purple light flashed within its maw, actually breaking through the barrier between the realms of Yin and Yang to manifest in the mortal world!

[Not good!] Second Grandpa growled in a low voice. The Yellow Fur was going for mutual destruction! He could no longer care about anything else. Charging into the fray, his long tail whipped through the air. Under the Yellow Fur's full-power assault, Second Grandpa withstood all the pressure and vanished from the spot with Chang Xu!

In less than an instant, Chang Xu reappeared a good ten meters away. Even so, that purple light still grazed past Chang Xu's spine. They heard a horrifying crack, and a gap actually appeared on Chang Xu's spine—yes, a gap, where both bone and flesh had vanished together.

With a sickening *squelch*, blood sprayed from Chang Xu's body.

Ten meters was not a short distance, but for the Yellow Fur, it was merely a turn of the head.

In the blink of an eye, the purple light arrived again. The soil in front of Chang Xu churned wildly as tree vines surged forth, forming layer upon layer of shields interwoven before him. Poisonous snakes swarmed madly toward the Yellow Fur, but the Yellow Fur no longer cared, not even moving a muscle.

—It only wanted Chang Xu dead.

The purple light melted through the tree vines as if they were nothing. Second Grandpa teleported away with Chang Xu once more. How could the Yellow Fur let them escape? Every time Second Grandpa shifted position, the purple light followed.

[Damn it to hell!] Second Grandpa cursed angrily as he continuously fled with Chang Xu, trying to evade this deadly light.

[At worst, we die here today!] This thought flashed through Second Grandpa's mind. Suddenly, it occurred to him that dying here might not be so bad. As long as Chen Ji survived, he would surely enshrine his memorial tablet in the future, probably offering incense three times a day during all the festivals and seasons—thinking this, he suddenly felt there was nothing to regret.

Gritting his teeth, Second Grandpa suddenly teleported with Chang Xu nearly a hundred meters away. But the next instant, he saw in despair the purple light was right before their eyes, heading straight for them!

At this life-or-death moment, a rumbling sound suddenly came from the sky. A large hole was torn open in the overcast clouds, and a golden tribulation lightning bolt arrived in an instant! The purple light was fast, but the heavenly lightning came even faster. The moment the purple light made contact with the heavenly lightning, it dissolved away like fallen leaves!

The Yellow Fur looked at the sky in disbelief. It couldn't understand why this heavenly lightning had appeared. Who had summoned it?! Who possessed such power?!

But the heavenly lightning was not finished. Several bolts of five-colored heavenly lightning descended from the sky, striking toward the Yellow Fur!

Second Grandpa had thought death was certain this time, never expecting to survive. Staring at the heavenly lightning, he was dumbfounded: [Good heavens... what in the world?!]

This was heavenly lightning imbued with the golden light of merit?! Which great being had summoned it?!

Boom—!

Boom, boom, boom—!

The Yellow Fur desperately dodged. The heavenly lightning fell too fast and pursued too relentlessly. It was inevitably struck several times. It roared, venting its fury. Its body resembled a doll barely held together. The ground was nearly dyed red. But as it watched the heavenly lightning grow increasingly vast and swift, it could only let out a roar of utter despair.

***

"Is this really going to work?" System Cat asked uncertainly.

"Don't know," Chen Ji replied, busy bustling about inside the Three Pure Ones Hall. Nearby, the Taoist priests listened numbly to the notification sounds from the payment QR code scanner.

"Payment received, 68 yuan."

"Payment received, 1 yuan."

"Payment received, 888 yuan..."

Chen Ji reached out to take the corresponding amount of incense sticks, lit them, bowed three times to the statues, offered the incense, and silently prayed in his heart: Demonic creatures are causing trouble at Little Green Mountain in Y Province. I humbly beseech the Three Pure Ones to intervene and save them.

Behind him, a group of camouflage-clad men numbly poured various sacrificial offerings into the large cauldron outside the hall.

The blue-robed ghost fairy didn't mind hitching a ride on their vehicle, flying alongside it. She smiled and asked, "Planning to flee to where?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "Not sure. Let's send these gentlemen back first! As for me, it's the same wherever I go."

The blue-robed ghost fairy lightly settled onto the safety bar of the cat car, propping her chin on one hand, looking particularly relaxed and carefree. "The way things are, as long as it survives, fleeing anywhere won't do you any good."

"Can't be helped," Chen Ji said indifferently. "If I die, there's some karma involved. It wouldn't be an unjust death. But if these gentlemen die, it would be too unjust."

The blue-robed ghost fairy's expression suddenly turned somewhat mysterious. She whispered, "Ah, of all people to offend, you had to offend a deity..."

"No, it's not a deity anymore," Chen Ji interrupted, then quickly and concisely explained the situation.

After listening, the blue-robed ghost fairy's eyes lit up. She said rapidly, "Oh, so it's not a mountain god anymore, that means it's just a demonic creature now... hmm, well then, a demonic creature causing trouble, forcibly occupying a deity's domain... Chen Ji, if you can't defeat it, you could go ask others for help..."

Having said that, she vanished.

And so, Chen Ji ended up here, at a very small Three Pure Ones temple with only a few Taoist priests who relied on selling handmade incense and offerings and some state subsidies.

As for the incessant payment notification sounds, it was because Chen Ji was offering to burn incense on behalf of others. System Cat had produced several tear-jerking video advertisements, and with the help of a little mysterious power from a certain party...

Chen Ji understood the principle well: if you're going to lodge a complaint, you must do so from the top all the way down.

Chen Ji handed a freshly drawn Five Thunder Talisman to an Elder Taoist Master who had just arrived: "Trouble you, please direct it toward these coordinates..."

At the same time, several staff members were performing similar operations at the City God Temple, the Thunder God Temple, the Dragon King Temple, the Earth God Temple... and so on.

The Yellow Fur was already in a wretched state but still struggling to hold on. It glared fiercely at the distant, near-death Chang Xu, revealing a ferocious grin.

***

They were originally one entity. If one must die, then they should die together.

The Yellow Fur charged toward Chang Xu amidst the heavenly lightning. The continuous roar of thunder deafened everyone, beast, and demon, their heads buzzing. A bolt of heavenly lightning pursued the Yellow Fur. Just as the Yellow Fur was about to dodge, it suddenly felt its body go numb for an instant—Fifth Grandpa's snake venom had finally taken effect!

Though it was only for an instant, that instant was enough!

Boom—!

The heavenly lightning struck the Yellow Fur's head squarely. The spiritual power throughout its body suddenly halted, then, like a punctured balloon, began to leak out madly. The next moment, the entire Little Green Mountain became as bright as day. A bolt of heavenly lightning, nearly encompassing the entire mountain peak where the Yellow Fur stood, crashed down!

The Yellow Fur didn't even have time to make a sound before it was reduced to fine dust, dissipating into the air.

...

Chen Ji suddenly sensed something and turned to look in the direction of Little Green Mountain—anyone with eyes could see something was wrong over there. The surrounding area was clear and sunny for miles, but that one spot was covered in dark clouds. Even from a great distance, one could see a black spot in that area.

He watched as that black spot gradually dispersed. Suddenly, he pulled out a small doll from his pocket.

It was a small felt tiger made from black and white fur.

He stroked the little tiger, murmuring, "Are you still alive?"

The little tiger lay quietly in his palm, motionless.

Chen Ji lowered his head, his expression unreadable, as calm as it was on any other day.

...

Suddenly, the little tiger stirred, nuzzling against Chen Ji's finger with difficulty.

Someone's phone chimed with a notification: "One PM."

Noon was over.