Chapter 149
Chapter 149: Ning Jiao The Cunning Flood Dragon
Witchcraft traps had been laid everywhere in Painting Town. The Enlightened San Wei had known that it would be difficult even for him to head directly to the second floor to attack his enemies. Therefore, he had chosen to stay on the first floor and continued to hammer his disciples’ corpses into the ground.
Something had suddenly appeared out of thin air within Painting Town. Its speed was so fast, even Wen Leyang’s telegnosis ability which was capable of taking himself out of the situation could only sense that something had flashed past him once. He could not even clearly see what it was.
The chimpanzee Leyang Tian finally let out a long breath. His gaze which was trained towards the first floor was filled with hysterical excitement. His huge hands grabbed onto the handrail strenuously, he appeared to be wild and insane as he burst out laughing, “It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!” There was the sound of a loud bang as Leyang Tian’s red snake vital fire appeared and coiled around his body. It raised its head and hissed at the first floor as if it was confronting a formidable enemy.
The toads on the ground had reduced in number one by one; each toad seemed to be there one moment before disappearing in the blink of an eye in the next moment.
Occasionally, the hissing sound of a snake could be heard. It cut through the air like a sharp razor blade which slashed past bitterly before flickering once and disappearing…
When the Little Supreme Leader Liu Zheng had used his heaven and earth telepathy earlier, he had exerted the cultivation base of his entire body in an attempt to destroy one of the corpses within the corpse formation. He had gathered so much strength from his body, so much so that a chunk of iron ore would be pulverized. However, the corpse had unexpectedly not even budged an inch. Instead, he had been severely injured. He does not know how many bones in his body had been broken.
Wen Leyang did not waste any time. His back was slightly arched like a leopard which was ready to strike as he aimed himself at a corpse. At a corner of the room, his body had compressed itself in preparation to launch the fatal strike at any time! Suddenly, Leyang Tian glowered at them as he shouted sternly, “Stop moving, do you want to die? My witchcraft spell is complete. It’s best if you can behave yourself and stay put!” Upon saying that, his gaze shifted and he glared at the Enlightened San Wei, “Are you done with your spell formation already?”
The Enlightened San Wei appeared to be unaffected by the unusual scene in his surroundings and Leyang Tian’s shouting. After he had shielded the corpses against the Thunder Heart Sand, he had then concentrated all his effort in pounding his disciples’ corpses like a sculptor who was fully concentrated on completing the most important work in his life. The sound of slapping was heavy and compact as if every slap was delivered straight into everyone’s heart!
After Leyang Tian had finished crafting his witchcraft spell, his temperament turned ruthless and he roared loudly, “Reveal yourself, Ning Jiao the Cunning Flood Dragon!” Soon after that, he burst into hysterical laughter once again!”
The red-colored vital fire abruptly turned into a scorching hot flame with a sharp raging howl. In a short while, the flaming glow had wrapped around Leyang Tian’s entire person. At the same time on the first floor, Wen Leyang could feel the vision before his eyes turn dark as a black-colored python the thickness of a pail appeared before his eyes with a huge toad still dangling from its mouth! It seemed as if it felt slightly unaccustomed to revealing itself in front of humans; the moment it appeared it had immediately coiled itself around. Its humongous head was raised high as it looked at its surrounding in a ruthless manner.
Only then did Wen Leyang figure out that those huge toads had been used to feed the snake. Nevertheless, he peeked at the Little Supreme Leader Liu Zheng next to him in a puzzled manner.
Liu Zheng understood that Wen Leyang was inexperienced so he explained to him strenuously, “This is not a python, it’s a dragon! It’s the child of Kun Peng the legendary bird and a Divine Dragon… Ning Jiao is estimated to be… a type of flood dragon, I guess?”
A streak of fire appeared gracefully out of the burning vital fire which then rapidly approached Ning Jiao’s body. Ning Jiao’s expression was oddly satisfied as it rubbed continuously against the flames intimately.
Wen Leyang had never read any of the ancient records before but he had heard stories in the past. He knows that the Ning Jiao belonged to the dragon genus with a ruthless and violent temperament and that it lived in water. He took a closer look at the Ning Jiao before his eyes, no matter how he looked it still looked like a python. Only its skin seemed slightly out-of-the-ordinary as if it had just slithered back from the equator recently. He asked in hesitation, “Is that it?”
Liu Zheng laughed forcefully, soon after that, his laughter triggered his wounds and his face convulsed with agonizing pain, “Those are all legends, no one has ever seen it before!” Upon saying that he meditated for a while before adding softly, “No matter what, we must capture the Enlightened San Wei alive!”
Wen Leyang was startled, “Capture him alive? San Wei? A person who can even defend against the Thunder Heart Sand can be captured alive by me?”
Leyang Tian’s hysterical laughter had continued ceaselessly, it made one feel confused and uneasy.
Liu Zheng took out a few medicinal pills strenuously which he then stuffed into his mouth. He chewed loudly and it almost sounded like he was chewing peanuts instead, “Nine Taoist priests with a steadfast Taoism ideology had sacrificed their lives for a magic spell by transforming their bodies into corpse nails. Once the nine Eyang Sect disciples had died, the demon priest San Wei’s formation had already started to take form.”
Wen Leyang was astonished, “Take form? Then why he is still nailing the corpses one by one… What is the purpose of nailing the corpses? Do you know about this conjuration formation?”
Liu Zheng pulled a bottle of green tea out from his side and took a gulp from it, swallowing the pills in his mouth into his stomach, “The formation has already taken form but each time the nine corpse nails are nailed further into the ground, the power of the formation grows by a portion. As for this formation here, I’ve never seen it before though I can roughly guess its origin!”
As Wen Leyang and Liu Zheng were talking to each other softly, the line of fire which had been rubbing against the Ning Jiao intimately suddenly lifted and pointed at the Taoist priest San Wei!
Ning Jiao’s yellow-colored eyes turned ferocious immediately as it leaped up from the ground. Not only was the Ning Jiao unaffected by the muddy swamp witchcraft spell’s limitation, it was even more swift and agile as if it had inherently lived in this kind of situation! The skin which was wrapped around its body suddenly rippled and stripped away in layers before stretching out into a pair of black-colored wings with a pop! The python’s body underneath the beneath the wings suddenly transformed into a dazzling and shimmering silver color!
The Little Supreme Leader Liu Zheng was just about to explain the formation of the nine ‘corpse nails’ when he saw the black and white body coloration of the Ning Jiao. He immediately seemed to recall something from his memory and sat up straight all of a sudden, forgetting all about the agonizing pain in his body. He made a muffled growl in astonishment, “Black wings and a white body, it’s the spirit of the muddled pool!”
The Ning Jiao spread out its wings as it pounced towards the enemy under the guidance of the fiery line. Wen Leyang felt his heart somersault once as he felt a strong energy erupting from the Ning Jiao. This force was surprisingly very similar to the Poison of Life and Death’s power within his body. He had never heard of such a monster in the past at all nor could he actually see the entanglement and surging of the Poison of Life and death within Ning Jiao’s body, but it was a familiar sensation. Just like a woodcutter who was watching another person chopping wood, or the chef who was watching another person cook, and the thief who was watching another person steal!
Everything flickered by in a flash, the Ning Jiao bit San Wei’s shoulder as it firmly coiled its serpentine body around the Taoist priest. The Taoist priest San Wei could not resist even for a moment; he opened his mouth and spat out blood continuously as a muffled cracking sounded from his body. It sounded like the bones of his entire body were slowly being crushed by the tremendous force.
The Taoist priest San Wei had been capable of resisting being hit by the Thunder Heart Sand but under the Ning Jiao’s entanglement, it looks like he would soon meet his death!
Perhaps Leyang Tian was overconfident about the Ning Jiao he had summoned, he did not seem to be affected by how everything seems to happen too easily. The laughter within his vital fire only grew louder!
The Enlightened San Wei opened and closed his mouth strenuously as if he was muttering an incantation. However, his voice was overwhelmed by Leyang Tian’s hysterical laughter!
Wen Leyang stared vigilantly at the Ning Jiao which was leisurely killing the Enlightened San Wei, he directed the topic of conversation softly and pointed at the nine corpses which were scattered on the first floor, “What’s this formation here?”
Liu Zheng’s expression showed that he was genuinely worried about San Wei. Under Ning Jiao’s merciless attack, the Taoist priest San Wei looked like he could be snapped into two at any time.
Upon hearing Wen Leyang’s question, Liu Zheng explained in an extremely fast pace, “The nine Heaven’s Cone Nails on the Black and White Island had received the power of all living things in the Universe. They used the vital energy of the Heaven and Earth to suppress the nine-headed Xiang Liu! The demon Taoist priest San Wei is using the corpse nails as cone nails. Once these have been nailed into this nine land of evil spirits here, it will be the exact opposite of the Black and White Island’s demon-suppressing great formation. It will receive the ghost power from the Netherworld! Even though this power is much more inferior, the approach is correct. The demon priest’s formation is just the reverse of the Black and White Island’s Demon-Suppressing Nine Cone Nails Great Formation!”
Wen Leyang frowned and his train of thought was a little messy, “Does this Taoist priest San Wei know about the conjuration formation of the Black and White Island…” Before he could finish his sentence he was suddenly enlightened, “How could he have learned about the conjuration formation of the Black and White Island? Had he come from the Black and White Island?”
Liu Zheng squinted, his tone of speaking too turned solemn and dignified, “Other than my three respected teachers and I, there is only one other person who would know about the Black and White Island’s conjuration formation!”
Wen Leyang’s brain was booming as he pointed at San Wei, “So are you saying that he… He is Xiang Liu’s evil soul?”
Wen Leyang had just finished his sentence when his expression stiffened abruptly. A muttered incantation which was so soft it could not be heard was now gradually turning louder and less constrained. The Taoist priest San Wei continued to chant as if he would die at any moment and persisted with his last breath. His eyes were shut tightly as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, “A life in the world, there is always thousands and millions of ghosts…”
Leyang Tian’s laughter suddenly stopped and changed to a bitter whistle. Under Leyang Tian’s urging, the Ning Jiao constricted its body even more. At the same time, the black-colored long garment on San Wei’s body glowed with an ink-colored radiance. There was a squeaking sound as he resisted the Ning Jiao’s tremendous force!
The Little Supreme Leader Liu Zheng pushed Wen Leyang aside vigorously as he urged with a nervous voice, “Destroy the corpses first then figure out a way to deal with the Ning Jiao. If San Wei is indeed Xiang Liu’s evil soul, then he cannot be allowed to die!”
Wen Leyang was more concerned about that fate of Xiang Liu’s evil soul than Liu Zheng. Once the evil soul was killed, Zhui Zi, who shared the same life as it would also certainly die. The Black and White Island’s Demon-Suppressing Great Formation would then lose its hope for reform and Xiang Liu the nine-headed monster would struggle free from its shackles eventually. By then, Grand Master Tuo Xie’s efforts for the past two thousand years would be wasted. Chang Li, who was as beautiful as magic, would be struck by divine punishment and her soul would be shattered and dispersed!
Wen Leyang ground his teeth as he looked up and yelled loudly at Leyang Tian, “This demon Taoist priest is the evil soul of Xiang Liu, don’t kill him!” Soon after that, the Poison of Life and Death within Wen Leyang’s body surged and he used the Faulty Punch to dissolve the muddy swamp witchcraft spell. He then dashed rapidly and pounced towards the ‘corpse nail’ which was closest to himself!
Leyang Tian was the descendant of Painting Town so of course he had known about the relationship between Xiang Liu’s evil soul and Zhui Zi. Naturally, he would not kill Xiang Liu’s evil soul but Leyang Tian was so engrossed in his witchcraft spell at this moment that he paid no attention to Wen Leyang’s shout. One could see his savage and ruthless expression indistinctively through the fire’s glow as he continued to whistle, urging the Ning Jiao to boost its effort in killing the Taoist priest San Wei!
Just as the Poison of Life and Death started to circulate within Wen Leyang. The Ning Jiao which was in the middle of its killing attack against San Wei suddenly released its bite on the Taoist priest’s shoulder. Its head which was bigger than a washbowl raised up high and its yellow-colored eyes glimmered with bitter radiance. It looked as if it had suddenly discovered a new prey which was exceedingly tempting as its yellow gaze pinned itself on Wen Leyang abruptly!
Soon after that, the snake’s body which was as thick as a pail shook once and with the sound of a ‘pop’, the Taoist priest’s body was tossed aside. Its wings trembled once before it suddenly appeared in front of Wen Leyang!
Wen Leyang was almost petrified to death. He hastily pinned himself onto the ground like a nail and did not dare to move at all.
The Ning Jiao’s gaze was icy-cold and lifeless. There was not an ounce of emotion in its eyes as it slowly lowered its huge head on a swaying neck and stared straight into Wen Leyang’s eyes. No matter which direction was the beast’s head was pointed at, its gaze was firmly pinned to Wen Leyang’s eyes.
No one had expected this to happen, Leyang Tian scolded in rage out of exasperation, “What the hell are you doing!”
Wen Leyang stood up in front of the Ning Jiao and dared not move at all as he asked softly, “I was just about to ask you the same thing!”
After Leyang Tian had scolded Wen Leyang, he then continued to whistle but the Ning Jiao took no notice. Before its eyes, nothing else was as important as Wen Leyang who possesses the Poison of Life and Death.
The Enlightened San Wei’s body had been constricted by the Ning Jiao into a ghastly twisted and mangled mess. Nevertheless, his chanting had not halted for even a moment. The initial soundless voice has turned into a soft muttering before its volume grew to a loud, unconstrained voice. Finally, the incantation turned into the booming sounds of Heaven. Every word which was chanted by the Taoist priest was amplified as if he had utilized all the strength of his entire body from the blood vessels, tendons, bones, skin, and flesh, “Head for the divine is far, head for the ghost is near. The vast wondering soul, now… Edict!”
With a popping sound, every ray of light was extinguished within the final incantation and the growl was accompanied by fresh blood!
From a bird’s eye view, the magnificent and beautiful city which was ablaze with lights just a moment ago suddenly turned pitch black, as if it had vanished into thin air.
Everyone could not help but become silent for a moment. In the hushed silence, a crow’s caw suddenly echoed and sounded like the brave sound of a charging horn!
Soon after that, a series of loud trumpeting, accompanied by a gloomy trace of the Netherland, echoed sonorously from the depth of one’s heart. There was the sound of horses neighing and humans growling as well as the sound of thunderous footsteps which repeatedly stabbed into everyone’s heart. Even someone who did not know about magic arts could understand that there was a huge army with a thundering, murderous intent who was galloping towards them from beneath the ground!
The Taoist priest San Wei burst out laughing as he stretched his twisted arm to point at Leyang Tian, “Your Art of Witchcraft, those soldiers were fake, those admirals were fake, and those war horses were fake too! My magic art has invited the real evil soldiers and admirals of the Netherworld!”
Before his voice had died away, the entire Painting Town shook once vigorously as if another burst of tremendous force was about to break through the soil!
Wen Leyang could not care less about the event which was taking place before his eyes. How could he care about those evil souls and corpse nails when the Ning Jiao is staring at him? He took a step back and the Ning Jiao followed his movement like a soundless shadow. The distance between its huge head and Wen Leyang’s head never exceeded half a foot. If Wen Leyang were to smoke a cigarette, it would be easy for him to burn the Ning Jiao’s nose.
Leyang Tian was both nervous and angry; Painting Town’s location was naturally remarkable as this was once the estuary of an old river. The river had converged into the sea for millennia. The waters would flow and surge as it advanced and retreated. During the flood season, the great river converged into the sea. During the drought season, the seawater flowed back and the two sides would fight for a long period of time. The rage which was ingrained into the vast water, not only was it beneficial in casting witchcraft spells, it was also capable of luring in the monsters which favored water such that the sorcerer could disperse at his pleasure. This was Leyang Tian’s most important support. If he leaves Painting Town, his Art of Witchcraft’s spells would suffer a great reduction in power. He might not have been able to even deal with the nine Eyang Sect disciple’s formations, much less the Enlightened San Wei.
The Netherland’s tide surged underground as the murderous sound of men and horses echoed louder and louder. Finally, with a loud booming noise, a huge hole the diameter of a dozen meters opened up beneath Painting Town! Leyang Tian yelled and he no longer cared about the Ning Jiao. His plump body directly somersaulted downstairs as his red-colored vital fire burned vigorously. All the unique skills of the witchcraft spells within Painting Town was being launched at once!
Wen Leyang, who was still face-to-face with the Ning Jiao right now, laughed reluctantly…