Chapter 225: Hanging Paintings to Ward Off Evil

The Dragon Qilin ascended on fire clouds, soaring into the sky and racing out of the valley. Daoist Qingyu sat up and unleashed a palm strike forward. Immediately, thunder surged, and countless bolts of lightning, twisting like a galloping azure dragon, struck towards the Dragon Qilin.

Daoist Qingyu suddenly coughed up blood, his hand trembling. The palm lightning veered off course, blasting a hole in the mountain ahead of the Dragon Qilin.

Qin Mu was startled. Even though these Heaven Human realm experts were injured, the power of their divine abilities remained astonishing. If he were hit, he would undoubtedly suffer a gruesome death.

Lu Wenshu, Arhat Puhsan, and the others shakily rose to their feet, each unable to stop themselves from spitting blood. They felt a lingering fear, realizing they had underestimated the Ursine Great Demon God summoned by Qin Mu. A single blow from the Ursine Great Demon God had gravely wounded them. Had Daoist Dried Leaf not interrupted Qin Mu's summoning, the resulting Ursine Great Demon God would have been even stronger, likely capable of killing all of them combined!

"Should we still pursue them?" Lu Wenshu murmured.

At that moment, Daoist Dried Leaf sat cross-legged, his aura withered, and gave a bitter laugh. "This old Daoist can no longer accompany you fellow Daoists in subduing demons and defending the Dao. My life force was severed by that demon god; this mortal shell is now useless..."

A pang of sadness struck everyone.

Daoist Dried Leaf softly recited, "Life is but a withered leaf, destined to fall into the Yellow Springs. Fellow Daoists, you must slay the Heavenly Devil Cult Master. I want to see him on the Road to the Yellow Springs. I shall go first..." With these words, he passed away.

Lu Wenshu wept openly, bowing. "Farewell, Daoist brother! We will surely send that devil to meet you!"

Arhat Puhsan sighed with profound melancholy, pressed his palms together in a respectful gesture, and solemnly said, "This life's but a foul skin, shed to see the Tathagata. Go well, Daoist brother."

"Go well!" Daoist Qingyu said, tears streaming down his face.

Luo Sanpo said, "That Dragon Qilin is fast. We must catch up quickly, or if he summons a second demon god, we'll be in serious trouble!"

Lu Wenshu's killing intent was palpable. "He won't get that chance! There are even more powerful beings awaiting him further along the path, ready for him to walk right into their trap!"

Despite this, everyone forcefully suppressed their injuries, swallowed healing elixirs, and hurried in the direction Qin Mu had departed.

On the Dragon Qilin's back, Qin Mu retrieved a white bone altar, attempting to summon a second demon god. However, the Dragon Qilin's galloping was too bumpy, making it difficult for the talisman treasure to align with the runes on the demon god effigy. Even a single misplaced rune would lead to failure, forcing him to abandon the attempt.

Qin Mu checked himself and found not a single injury. Fox Spirit remained unharmed, and the Dragon Qilin, with its thick hide and protective dragon scales, was also unscathed. Only the Dutian Devil King was somewhat deformed from the impact.

Qin Mu used Vermillion Bird vital qi to heat the Dutian Devil King's body red-hot, then corrected his distorted limbs. The Dutian Devil King was too ashamed and indignant to speak. Being scorned and even stepped on by the Ursine Great Demon God was a profound humiliation.

Qin Mu oriented himself geographically, pulling out the Yankang map to compare it with the surrounding mountains and rivers. He sighed in relief. "We're very close to the Great Ruins now. At the Dragon Qilin's speed, we should reach its border in about half a day. However, passing through Mishui Pass is no longer an option."

Their pursuers had forced them off course, moving them away from Mishui Pass and also far from Yanbian Pass.

"Our only option now is to use the hidden passage my cult established during our smuggling days."

Qin Mu pondered for a moment. Between the Great Ruins and Yankang lay the Divine Severance Mountain Range. Each peak of this range was equipped with Profound Mechanism Crossbows, which would automatically fire at anyone attempting to cross.

The Profound Mechanism Crossbows operated autonomously, said to be crafted according to divine decrees. Anyone passing through the Divine Severance Mountain Range, whether by walking through the valleys or flying over the peaks, would be shot down.

The Heavenly Devil Cult had previously engaged in smuggling, establishing a passage through the Divine Severance Mountain Range via the Desolate Ridge Canyon, allowing travel between the Great Ruins and Yankang. The two Profound Mechanism Crossbows there had been destroyed by the cult. However, the innkeeper in Xianglong City had mentioned that the path had been abandoned for many years.

The Desolate Ridge Canyon was his only route into the Great Ruins.

"The pursuers shouldn't know about this passage."

Qin Mu's spirits lifted, and he suddenly chuckled. "It's truly difficult to go home for New Year's, almost like fighting my way through an army!"

Having learned their martial arts from the villagers, he had also inherited their optimism. Despite countless ambushes along the way, he maintained a positive attitude. Influenced by his mood, the Dragon Qilin and Fox Spirit also relaxed considerably.

Unbeknownst to them, dusk had fallen, and the surroundings grew increasingly desolate. After traveling for a long time, they couldn't spot a single village.

"Entering the Great Ruins at night would be suicidal; we must wait until daytime."

As they drew closer to the Great Ruins, they could already see the towering black silhouette of the Divine Severance Mountain Range, blocking their path like a massive wall spanning heaven and earth.

This Divine Severance Mountain Range, stretching for countless miles, would be incredibly difficult to traverse even without the Profound Mechanism Crossbows covering it, let alone flying over it.

As Qin Mu was considering where to stop for the night, he suddenly saw lights below. It was a village, and oil lamps had been lit as night fell.

"Young Master, be careful of a trick," Fox Spirit said nervously.

The Dutian Devil King sneered, "There hasn't been a single village for a thousand miles around, yet one suddenly appears here. It's obviously a trap."

Qin Mu replied, "Dragon Fatty, keep going. Pay no attention."

The Dragon Qilin, still riding fire clouds, continued towards the Divine Severance Mountain Range. After another several dozen miles, lights appeared below once more. It was a frontier village with dim, unclear lights and about a dozen houses.

The layout of the houses and the positions of the oil lamps were almost identical to the previous small village!

"Keep going," Qin Mu said, his pupils constricting slightly.

The Dragon Qilin pressed on, and after another few dozen miles, they saw the same village again. The houses, the lights, every detail was exactly the same as the previous two villages, without any change!

Even the Dragon Qilin sensed something was wrong and burst into a furious gallop, covering several hundred miles. Along the way, they encountered over a dozen such villages, all identically arranged!

Yet, the Divine Severance Mountain Range ahead still appeared just as distant. After galloping for hundreds of miles, they should have reached the foothills, but their distance from the mountain range seemed not to have changed at all!

"This person's abilities are extraordinary; they have folded space."

The Dutian Devil King, utterly dispirited, shook his head. "Brat, you can't escape."

"We're going into the village!" Qin Mu declared fiercely.

The Dragon Qilin and Fox Spirit were startled. Qin Mu, angered, lowered his voice: "Anyone who dares to stop me from going home for the New Year, I will kill! Into the village!"

The Dragon Qilin descended, shrinking back to its normal size. Qin Mu leaped from its back, while Fox Spirit coiled around his neck like a fox-fur scarf. The Dutian Devil King followed behind him, its four faces looking around, glancing about with alert vigilance.

Qin Mu walked towards the village entrance. The village appeared quite ordinary; there was a flagpole at the entrance, with a dismounting stone and hitching post beneath it. The village was very quiet, except for a dog barking furiously at them, baring its teeth, looking quite fierce.

The fox around Qin Mu's neck subtly opened its eyes, startling the dog. A wicket gate opened, and an elder emerged from behind it, holding an oil lamp. The dog quickly went behind the elder, regaining its courage, and continued barking fiercely at Qin Mu.

Qin Mu, with a gentle expression, bowed respectfully and said, "We are travelers passing through this esteemed land. It's growing dark, and there's nowhere else to stop. Heaven be praised that we encountered an elder. Would you be so kind as to grant us a place to rest?"

"The Heavenly Devil Cult Master is too polite," the elder said, his eyes long and narrow, his white brows hanging low. "The village is small, but most of our guest rooms are empty. If the Cult Master doesn't mind, feel free to find a room and rest."

The fur on the fox around Qin Mu's neck bristled, and it shivered.

The Dutian Devil King and Dragon Qilin also felt a chill in their hearts. This white-browed elder made no attempt to conceal his knowledge, directly addressing Qin Mu as the Heavenly Devil Cult Master. He clearly had no intention of hiding anything, nor did he disdain to do so.

And the fact that they had been going around in circles was likely the elder's doing!

Qin Mu thanked him and asked, "Elder, how many people are in this village?"

The white-browed elder replied, "Currently, there is only one person and one dog. However, I've already hung lamps in all the rooms, and the villagers will arrive shortly. There will be a carnival then, probably quite noisy, so please don't mind, Cult Master. We are all laborers, people who toil and risk our lives, unaccustomed to formalities. If we cause any offense, please forgive us, Heavenly Devil Cult Master."

"Not at all, not at all."

Qin Mu bid farewell to the white-browed elder and went to the center of the village, choosing the largest courtyard. "Elder, please return. We will settle down here."

The white-browed elder smiled. "Have a good sleep, Heavenly Devil Cult Master."

"Thank you for the good wishes."

Qin Mu pushed the door open and stepped inside. His smile vanished instantly, and he quickly said, "Don't speak. Get into the main room and sleep. No one open your eyes!"

The Dragon Qilin and Fox Spirit didn't understand, but the Dutian Devil King said, "That old geezer has ill intentions..."

With a casual flick, Qin Mu immobilized the Dutian Devil King. He opened the main room door, tossed the Dutian Devil King onto the floor, and closed his twelve eyelids.

The Dragon Qilin squeezed inside, its bulk causing the doorframe to crack and the two wooden doors to fall to the ground.

Just as the Dragon Qilin was about to speak, Qin Mu made a shushing gesture, indicating for it to close its eyes. Fox Spirit slipped from Qin Mu's neck, climbed onto the Dragon Qilin's back, and closed its eyes.

Qin Mu opened his Gluttonous Bag, took out a scroll, and with his eyes closed, nailed the painting to the wall directly opposite the main room door.

"Grandpa Cripple said this painting is of the village chief, drawn by Grandpa Deaf in his younger days, and that it can ward off evil. Let's see if Grandpa Cripple was lying to me."

He lay down fully clothed, facing the door, eyes wide open and motionless.

Silence enveloped them.

After a moment, disorderly footsteps approached from outside. A somewhat familiar voice, seemingly Lu Wenshu's, said, "Elder Qingshan lit lamps in the night and summoned us. Has he perhaps found the Heavenly Devil Cult Master?"

Another female voice, resembling Daoist Qingyu's, added, "It's shameful to admit, but despite our pursuit and blockade all this way, we failed to kill him. Instead, Daoist Dried Leaf fell victim to his poisoned hand, killed by the demon god he summoned."

The white-browed elder's voice came then. "The Heavenly Devil Cult Master is already asleep in the village."

"Elder Qingshan still has excellent methods! I'll go kill him now!"

"No hurry. Let's wait for the other fellow Daoists to arrive, then take his life and celebrate this great victory!"

A moment later, the footsteps of over a dozen more people were heard. Upon learning that the Heavenly Devil Cult Master was in the village, everyone couldn't help but cheer and laugh, each lifting a burden from their hearts.

Outside, sounds of drinking and bright lights indicated that these powerful figures were celebrating.

"Although the Heavenly Devil Cult Master's cultivation isn't high, his methods are numerous and truly troublesome. It's shameful to admit, but several of us were injured and nearly killed by the demon god he summoned."

"Resolving this scoundrel today will bring justice to the world. Come, let's drink to this!"

"Is Senior Brother Feng Qiwu here? Come quickly, let's celebrate the Demon Extermination Assembly!"

The bright lights outside cast dappled, shifting shadows on the window frames of Qin Mu's courtyard. The weather was very cool and cold. Qin Mu saw Fox Spirit trembling and reached out to cover her small belly.

Fox Spirit looked back, and Qin Mu quickly extended two fingers to cover her eyelids.

Outside, more and more experts who had been pursuing Qin Mu arrived from various locations. The laughter grew louder, cups clinked together, and the celebration continued. After a long while, the white-browed elder's laughing voice was heard: "Everyone, it's getting late. It's time to send the Heavenly Devil Cult Master on his way."

Fox Spirit trembled, hearing the creaking sound of the courtyard gate opening, yet not daring to open her eyes.

Lu Wenshu stepped into the courtyard first, chuckling, "The Heavenly Devil Cult Master is actually asleep, sleeping soundly..."

Suddenly, his head silently slid from his neck, and his body toppled to the ground. A grand master of the Heaven Human realm had met such an unexpected end.

"There's a master in the courtyard! Brother Lu has suffered a terrible fate!"

A clamor erupted outside the courtyard, followed by a thunderous crash as powerful figures smashed through the walls and burst in. Their bodies blazed with light and flame, and behind them stood the ethereal shadows of gods, their aura immense!

The moment they landed, one by one, their heads silently slid from their necks. No matter how formidable their abilities, they died without explanation.

It was as if an invisible god in the courtyard was wielding an invisible sword, severing the heads of anyone who dared to enter.