Chapter 205: Everyone Is the Second Wife

At this command, the Baling soldiers, armed with swords, spears, and halberds, attacked Red General. Even an iron man would have been riddled like a hornet's nest.

However, as the first spear tip struck, Red General's figure suddenly vanished. There was no warning, no afterimage of movement; he simply disappeared. The subsequent thrusts, slashes, and hacks met only empty air. Only a cicada shell, the size of a pinky finger, was left behind, which floated lightly into the sky with a gust of wind.

This was the Art of Substitution. The first time Red General entered the stable, he had secretly placed a cicada shell, unnoticed by anyone. If He Lingchuan had seen this, he would likely have smiled knowingly.

Red General, who had swapped places with the ghost-cicada shell, naturally appeared in the stable. Shao Yingyang's gaze swept across, and he was instantly horrified: a figure had appeared in the inn's stable, wielding a blade to hack at the copper talisman on the ground.

Too startled to think, he bit his tongue, pointed at the stable, and roared, "Suppress!" A silver-white lightning bolt appeared mid-air, striking directly at Red General's crown with immense force. This lightning bolt illuminated half of Weicheng, suggesting its astonishing power, as thunder is considered a righteous force of heaven and earth, theoretically capable of breaking all evil spirits.

To everyone's surprise, Red General extended his left index and middle fingers, clamping them above his head, as if he had anticipated it. The formidable lightning bolt was actually caught in his hand, effortlessly. It crackled and popped, struggling like a live snake, but couldn't escape Red General's grasp. His long blade in his right hand wasn't idle; he smoothly drew a "Z" shape on the copper talisman. The blade moved deftly, yet the inscription was deep, almost piercing through the copper talisman. As a result, the blue light vanished, and the formation immediately became ineffective.

The three-corpse worms, previously scattered and fearing the thunder, became frenzied once Red General crushed the lightning snake and damaged the copper talisman. They launched fiercer attacks on the nearest targets, as if enraged. Hundreds of three-corpse worms invading hosts created an indescribably sinister and bizarre scene. Anyone who witnessed it firsthand would surely never forget it.

The Baling soldiers, who had been grappling with Xiao Maoliang and others, froze. Their pupils gradually unfocused, and their facial muscles contorted. Then they turned around, howling and swinging their weapons at their comrades behind them. The battle suddenly became one-sided; the Baling army completely collapsed. At this time, the Baling people had not yet discovered more effective means to deal with the three-corpse worms.

Red General's plan was ultimately completed, despite many twists and turns along the way. With the enemy suddenly turning, Xiao Maoliang and the others breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pushed the city gates open again. The enthusiastic sound of hooves finally arrived outside the city. The Great Wind Army had arrived, coordinating from inside and out.

Summoning the lightning snake was already a huge drain, and when it was subdued instantly, Shao Yingyang immediately coughed up two large mouthfuls of blood. His spirit instantly wilted, his face sagged, but his eyes were fixed on Red General: "Impossible, even a divine envoy couldn't withstand a minor Heavenly Thunder..."

A subordinate quickly supported him, crying, "General, the city gates are breached, Weicheng cannot be held much longer!" Weicheng's gates were wide open, and the Great Wind Army poured in like a tide.

Although this ambush force consisted of only four hundred men, the Baling garrison in Weicheng still numbered over a thousand. However, most of the latter were infested by the three-corpse worms and had almost no fighting capability. Even those around Shao Yingyang had to use magic artifacts and light talismans to ensure they weren't mind-controlled. Weicheng, under Baling's control, was a lost cause.

Shao Yingyang looked around. No matter how unwilling he was, he had to order a retreat from the north gate. He mounted his horse, gritting his teeth as he looked at the stable: "There are gods three feet above your head, Mitian, you cannot escape..."

He had intended to utter a final threat before fleeing, but then a long spear suddenly shot out from the inn, swift as lightning, surrounded by crackling electricity, its power unparalleled. Shao Yingyang had no time to dodge. Just as he was about to be skewered, a massive dark figure suddenly collided with him, directly blocking the path. It was the giant stone golem. With a resounding "crack," the stone golem's chest was pierced, and its massive body disintegrated amidst the electrical discharge. This lightning was Red General's complete repayment.

The spear, its momentum undiminished, then pierced straight through Shao Yingyang's throat, bringing forth a gush of red blood. The stone golem's obstruction couldn't change his ultimate fate. Shao Yingyang fell from his horse without a sound. Such was the power of a single strike.

Only then did everyone realize that what Red General had thrown was not a long spear at all, but a stable pitchfork, with only its prongs broken off. He simply used whatever was at hand. "Too much talk."

The remaining Baling soldiers were terrified, losing all will to fight. They picked up Shao Yingyang's corpse and retreated north. This time, it was the Great Wind Army that pursued relentlessly. However, Weicheng's streets, alleys, and houses presented countless obstacles, hindering the Great Wind Army's interception efficiency. Moreover, the copper talisman array still active on the north gate helped many Baling soldiers regain their senses. In the end, over a hundred riders galloped out of Weicheng's north gate and fled east.

Inside Weicheng, Xiao Maoliang asked Red General if they should pursue. The latter simply said, "Enough. The leader is gone; do not pursue the remaining bandits." He had only brought four hundred cavalry to sneak into the city, and their forces were not abundant. For now, consolidating their gains was sufficient. Furthermore, the Baling people still had forty thousand troops roaming the wasteland, ready to counterattack at any moment.

"Guard Weicheng well, and the Winding Dragon Wasteland will naturally help us repel the Baling army." Xiao Maoliang acknowledged and went to arrange the city defense tasks.

This time, Weicheng was captured without strong-arm tactics; the city itself was intact, and even its gates only had a few extra arrows. Incidentally, Weicheng's walls and gates had been reinforced by the Baling people, with several defensive fortifications installed. The Great Wind Army also found many defensive supplies in nearby warehouses, and even food and salt were surprisingly abundant. Clearly, after Hua Mukou captured Weicheng, he intended to operate it as a bridgehead, further extending his influence into the Winding Dragon Wasteland later. Who knew that Shao Yingyang's command of the army would instead cause Weicheng to fall back into enemy hands? When Hua Mukou found out later, he would likely be furious enough to spit blood.

Red General walked over to the stone golem. Stones of various sizes were scattered on the ground, and one fist-sized rock was still trembling. Red General cut it in half with a single stroke of his blade. Inside was a red crystal inscribed with delicate runes. A golden lacquer was embedded in the crystal; this was a sealing spell. If one looked closely, a wisp of smoke-like substance seemed to be moving within the crystal.

Red General scraped off the golden lacquer with the tip of his blade, then squeezed hard, and the crystal opened. The wisp of smoke floated out, transforming into a spectral bear before Red General. "So, it was driven by a bear soul," Red General said, waving his hand. "You are free. Go." As he raised his hand, the wisp of smoke fearfully drifted four feet away, then bowed twice to him before dissipating in place.

Iron, stone, and similar materials have no life inherently. Golems made of such materials, if they are to move and fight, must be driven by the souls of living creatures. The stronger the creature in life, the more solid its soul will be, and the greater the golem's power. The core of this stone golem was the soul of a savage bear, three hundred years old in life, yet after its death, it remained trapped in the golem, controlled by its killer. The golem's core could be reused repeatedly. If Red General had not opened the seal, it would never have found release.

Red General then looked at his left hand. His palm was almost pierced through, a charred mess. It was either red or black; apart from the back of his hand, there was no good flesh, and bone was visible at the base of his fingers. In truth, it was almost impossible for anyone in the world to directly withstand heavenly lightning without paying a price. Shao Yingyang was still quite capable.

A keen-eyed personal guard noticed: "General, you're injured! Should we find someone to treat your wounds?" Red General clenched his fist: "No need."

He Lingchuan's speed was undoubtedly fast, but when he reached the front of the passage, he found his way back was sealed by thick spiderwebs! Turning back, the spider was already several dozen feet away. Despite its large abdomen, its movement speed was astonishingly fast. The spider even spoke: "Little thing, where do you think you're going?" He Lingchuan swallowed: "Zhu Erniang?"

"Who else did you think it was?" It didn't just look like Zhu Erniang, it *was* Zhu Erniang! This monster had returned to its lair silently and had woven webs to block his retreat path in advance before going to the cave to trap him. Not only was her combat power high, but her mind was also more meticulous than a human's.

"Was it you who set the fire?" Zhu Erniang, upon receiving reports from her spiderlings, rushed back to find her nest engulfed in raging flames, which truly infuriated her. Although she used her magical abilities to extinguish the massive fire, at least a third of her aphid pasture, cultivated for many years, had been destroyed. With autumn and winter approaching, her spider army would likely face food shortages.

"Only this one burrow," He Lingchuan honestly replied. "The fires in the other burrows were caused by the Baling people."

"The damage they caused is not even a fraction of yours!" Zhu Erniang laughed in extreme anger. "I will personally dissolve your muscles, tendons, and bones, turning you into a liquid sac. When my children eat you, you will still be fully conscious!"

Zhu Erniang slowly ambled closer, countless spiders emerging behind her. Rustling and scuttling sounds filled the entire cave—from the ground, rock walls, and ceiling—sending shivers down one's spine. There was no escaping this. He Lingchuan cupped his fists: "Since I can't possibly escape, could you please enlighten me before I die?"

The young man was already her captive, with no hope of escape. Seeing his particularly sincere attitude, Zhu Erniang stopped: "Ask." She had seen and eaten many who weren't afraid of death, but rarely one who could ask questions so calmly before dying. She was a little curious. Zhu Erniang's descendants in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest were endless; even she didn't know how many burrowing spiders there were. But these foolish creatures had limited intelligence; they would prostrate themselves before her and dare not speak. Alas, there was no one she could chat with. She was a Zhu Erniang who loved to talk.

He Lingchuan pointed at the rock wall: "What's with those seven spider demons, like nesting dolls? Are they your ancestors?" This place was like an exhibition hall. Did spider demons have a tradition of collecting the remains of their predecessors? This question made Zhu Erniang clearly hesitate before replying, "Both yes and no." She stood beside the largest giant spider, their size difference immediately apparent: "All seven shed skins here are my previous forms!"

This answer deeply shocked He Lingchuan: "What did you say? All seven are you?"

"Ignorant human, do you think I am some nameless roadside monster?" Zhu Erniang said proudly. "In ancient times, I roamed the Winding Dragon Wasteland—then called the Winding Dragon Wilderness—with this very body. This is my dwelling, Qixia Dwelling!" He Lingchuan finally understood what was inscribed on the large stone tablet outside the burrow.

"What about the later shed forms?" What was called "shed skin," in He Lingchuan's understanding, meant discarded skin or bodies.

"Later, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth rapidly declined, insufficient to sustain my original form, just as giant whales cannot live in shallow water," Zhu Erniang's voice was full of helplessness. "I had no choice but to abandon my original body and molt into a new self." He Lingchuan was deeply moved. This great demon meant that its original form was even more powerful in ancient times, but unfortunately, it couldn't adapt to the dramatically changing environment, so it had to voluntarily abandon it and change into a weaker body? Her way of speaking was also very interesting: "molting." For such a great demon, wasn't it essentially de-evolution?

He Lingchuan tentatively asked, "Does that mean abandoning cultivation to preserve your spiritual consciousness?" This should be a species talent; humans probably couldn't do it. The old turtle demon's "body dissolution" technique was quite similar; one could only say that creation was truly miraculous.

"Yes. Through such long ages, I have compressed my cultivation seven times to find my current way of survival," Zhu Erniang sighed deeply. "All the spores here, emitting light and heat, originate from the residual power of my shed forms." In a deep burrow environment like this, without luminescent spores, one couldn't grow moss carpets, nor could one raise giant aphid colonies. In other words, she had sustained her entire species single-handedly. Who could understand the hardship of her struggle for survival over these millennia? Not only did she have to survive well herself, but she also had to support her family.

"Answer given. Where do you want me to bite?" She walked towards He Lingchuan, growing a little impatient.

"I have two last questions!" He Lingchuan seized the moment. "Was ancient times the era of immortals, and why did spiritual energy rapidly decline?" Regarding the decline of spiritual energy, historical theories were highly controversial, with no consensus among the myriad schools of thought. Later generations looked and looked, becoming increasingly confused.

Zhu Erniang tapped the ground: "Yes." She tapped the ground again, indicating her answer to the second question: "I can't remember clearly. During the process of changing these seven forms, I lost many crucial memories." Reducing one's cultivation and secretly seeking immortality was inherently defying the heavens; how could there be no price to pay? Of course, most importantly, her patience had run out, and she was too lazy to answer further. Enough chatting. This cat-and-mouse game should end now. That's right, she was the impatient Erniang.

"Regarding ancient times, I only remember scattered fragments and scenes, and none of them concern you!" With her tall, long-legged frame, she reached He Lingchuan in a few strides, opening her mouthparts to reveal sharp, venomous fangs. From He Lingchuan's perspective, looking up, the fangs were dark and glistening, as large as two curved forks, with saliva dripping from their surface. For prey injected by these fangs, "unable to live, unable to die" would be an understatement.

"You're right, it doesn't concern me." He Lingchuan gave a bitter smile, and with a clang, drew his long blade. This ant-like human still wanted to resist? Come on, come on, she loved to see her prey struggle; it made them taste better later. Zhu Erniang gave a disdainful smile, but then saw him swiftly and cleanly slash his own throat with a backhand movement! A true man should die quickly and cleanly, to avoid suffering.

Something flew across the sky, circling Weicheng twice. Red General lifted the luminescent spores and shook them twice. Only then did the creature confirm its location, flying down to land on his shoulder. It was the Peregrine Falcon that had returned.

"The reinforcement army from Panlong City has reached the outskirts of the Ghost Needle Stone Forest, coordinating with General Nanke to jointly defend against Hua Mukou," the Peregrine Falcon said, tired. Its journey had been fast and urgent; its wings hadn't rested all night. "On my way back, I also saw Captain Sun's troops; they were circling the Baling army on the wasteland." The mission of that Great Wind Army unit was to draw away the main Baling forces, allowing Red General to seize the opportunity to raid the city.

It breathed heavily, mouth open, dissipating heat, and continued: "General Nanke was at a disadvantage against Zhu Erniang in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest and had to burn down her lair to distract her. Only then did he successfully lead his army out of the Stone Forest." After that, it recounted the entire process.

Red General personally fed it water and stroked its feathers—his hand had already healed—and after letting the Peregrine Falcon rest for over a quarter of an hour, he instructed, "Go find Captain Sun and tell him to return to Weicheng. From now on, we switch from offense to defense." Dawn broke, and the battle was about to enter its second half. The Peregrine Falcon took the command, flapping its wings and flying away. Red General glanced in the direction of the Ghost Needle Stone Forest, falling into deep thought.