Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Although Nan Zhi did not know what was inside that gourd, her instincts told her it was nothing good. She instantly summoned a Water Shield before her.
The green pus shot forth with frightening speed, slamming violently against the Water Shield. With a sizzle, half of the shield dissolved away in an instant—
Nan Zhi felt a jolt of alarm.
What deadly pus!
“It seems I underestimated you!”
Seeing her block the strike, Ma San's eyes filled with venom. “Judging by where you came from, you've already seen those meat sheep, haven't you? In that case, all that talk about a white tiger pelt was just utter nonsense to trick me onto the deck! If you ask me, you'd better hand over everything you have right now if you want to spare yourself from suffering later!”
Now that all pretense was dropped, he stopped holding back. Chanting an incantation, he recalled the gourd hovering above them.
The gourd spun with a gurgling sound before flying back into Ma San's hand. His green Taoist robe lay discarded on the ground like a piece of unwanted rag.
Nan Zhi sneered and pinched a spell seal. “If you want to fight, then fight! What's with all the useless drivel? If I don't give you a proper beating today, I suppose you won't realize what I'm capable of!”
Strike first to gain the upper hand!
Nan Zhi repeated her previous tactic, conjuring a thick wooden vine that shot straight for Ma San's face. Not to be outdone, Ma San flipped and launched into a Seven Star Kick. He tipped the gourd's mouth wide open, spitting out several jade-green peach leaves that swooshed down right between them!
Sizzle!
The moment the peach leaves touched the ground, they transformed into four hedgehogs as large as millstones, lunging at Nan Zhi in a desperate rush!
Nan Zhi recognized them at a glance—all four hedgehogs were the ones she had seen back at the foot-shop!
Among them, a slightly smaller red hedgehog froze upon seeing Nan Zhi. Then, with its bristles standing on end, it let out a sharp, squeaking screech, whirled around, and began viciously biting its companions!
It was the little red hedgehog she had saved!
Nan Zhi paused her movement to chant the Thunder Curse, suddenly unsure of whether to strike.
Though small, the little hedgehog was surprisingly fierce and valiant. Its pointed snout targeted the soft bellies of the others. For a moment, fighting one against three, it actually held its own!
“Squeak! Squeak!”
“Squeak! Squeak!”
“Squeak!”
In an instant, the deck was filled with the shrieks of biting beasts and broken spines scattering everywhere.
“You stupid beast! Foolish creature! White 49! I ordered you to bite her!”
Ma San cursed in red-faced fury, raising his foot to stomp the little red hedgehog to death. But before he could make a move, a fireball shot straight toward his face!
This rogue was indeed an old veteran of the world. In his desperation, he opened his mouth and spat out a jet of clear water that hit the fireball dead-on, deflecting it by an inch—
The fireball flew half a zhang before plunging straight into the river. A flash of light flickered briefly and vanished without a trace.
The deck remained pitch-black, save for a single light glowing at the bow.
Nan Zhi and Ma San stared at each other from across the distance.
“Foolish girl! Your spiritual energy is limited! So what if you know a few more spells than I do? I refuse to believe you can still cast a spell of that caliber!”
Ma San pointed at Nan Zhi and burst into loud laughter. As he spoke, a steel blade hidden up his sleeve flew out, aiming straight for her neck: “Try this!”
The blade moved at extraordinary speed, targeting her vitals. Nan Zhi instinctively raised a Water Shield to block it, but it only managed to delay the weapon for a split second!
The flying blade arrived in a flash, yet Nan Zhi's physical instincts proved far faster than her thoughts.
She flipped backward, conjuring a vine in her hand to sweep and block. A sound like clashing metal and jade rang out as the flying blade stabbed straight into the wooden vine, cleaving it in two—
Thud!
The flying blade embedded itself several inches deep into the deck, leaving a jagged hole where it struck, showcasing its immense force.
“You're merely in the Qi Refinement stage, yet you still have energy left to cast spells?”
Ma San stared at Nan Zhi in sheer disbelief, as if trying to bore a hole through her. A glint of fanatical greed lit up his eyes: “You really do possess a treasure! Once I slaughter you, I'll take my time inspecting it—”
Before his voice faded, he waved his hand. The gourd floated into midair and spun rapidly. The next instant, countless needles as fine as cow hair erupted from inside!
Ma San was truly unleashing his full strength now.
The cow hair needles descended like a torrential downpour, enveloping the area in a flying mist. Their speed was blindingly fast, and in a flash, crisp sounds of metal piercing wood echoed continuously in Nan Zhi's ears!
Clang, clang, clang—
Clang! Clang, clang!
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!
With Nan Zhi's current cultivation level, her Water Shield could barely protect her chest. Seeing the teal glow glistening on the tips of the cow hair needles, she knew they were heavily poisoned!
The needle shower came too fast and fierce. The hedgehogs still grappling on the deck could not escape; after letting out agonized squeals, they fell completely silent.
“How utterly vicious!”
Nan Zhi cursed under her breath and leaped onto the ship's mast, nimble as a monkey. Tearing off a large section of the thick canvas sail, she wrapped it around herself, dropped onto the deck, scooped up the little red hedgehog into her arms with one hand, and sprang backward!
Noticing the tied-up sail, an idea formed in her mind. With another leap, her body launched into the air, and she scrambled up the ship's mast—
Her movements were extraordinarily fast, light, and agile. In just a few breaths, she reached the very top of the mast.
“Let's see you survive this!”
Ma San grew even more anxious at the sight. Leaping up, he also bounded onto the mast. He slapped the bottom of his gourd toward Nan Zhi, showering her with dozens of dense streams of flying needles once again:
Clang, clang, clang!
Clang, clang!
Clang, clang, clang!
Nan Zhi hugged the red hedgehog tightly, ducking behind the canvas sail. She heard the flying needles pelt the tarpaulin like a sudden hail storm, making a nonstop pitter-patter sound!
Ma San's face grew paler and paler, his frame swaying precariously as the force behind the flying needles diminished rapidly.
Nan Zhi snapped her head up, a look of fierce resolve flashing in her eyes!
Now!
Nan Zhi kicked open the hemp rope securing the sail. The massive sail, previously bound tight, instantly lost its constraint and unfurled with a sharp swoosh.
As the sail expanded, the night wind immediately surged into it, billowing the heavy cloth into a dramatic arc—
“Ah!”
Caught off guard, Ma San was struck head-on by the opening sail. With a sharp shriek of pain, he fell straight down from the mast several zhang high!
Nan Zhi leaped downward after him, pressing her right palm firmly against Ma San's vital chest point. Amidst his terror-stricken expression, her mouth curled into a grin, and her voice rang out loud against the howling night wind as she chanted the Five Thunder Curse:
“Fire burns the world; demons turn to dust!”
...
BANG!!
The dull thud of a body crashing from a high place, combined with the loud noise of the falling sail, jolted everyone awake from their sleep.
Carrying a lantern, the boat owner climbed up to the deck, only to be greeted by total devastation—and a Taoist lying in a crater carved out of the deck, his life hanging by a thread.
The Taoist's face was covered in soot and blood, his garments tattered and stained red as he spat up large mouthfuls of blood nonstop.
His injuries were clearly catastrophic, for chunks of shattered internal organs were mixed within the blood he vomited.
And squatting right beside him was Lady Nan Zhi, her head lowered as she rummaged through the Taoist's clothes for something.
Heavens above!
He truly shouldn't have been so greedy as to bring two living nightmare ancestors onto his boat!
Terrified out of his wits, the boat owner dropped the lantern from his trembling hands. Candle oil spilled everywhere, only for the lantern to be gently picked up by a fair, slender hand.
A beautiful Female Ghost covered her face and chuckled softly. Her pale, ash-gray skin emanated a chilling aura of death:
“A Lord from the Demon Suppression Division is subduing an evil sorcerer. Bystanders, step aside!”
Demon Suppression Division?!
There were demons on the boat!
The moment the meddlers heard those words, all desire to watch the spectacle vanished. They covered their heads, pulled back into their rooms, and dared not utter another sound.
Rate on N.U.
