Chapter 256: Plague-Dispelling Talisman, Baxia Chaofeng!

It was too terrifying! Just moments ago, those few humans had incredibly strong auras, which were dangerous even for it to face. Yet, with a single strike, this young man had killed them. It was simply beyond comprehension!

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Even the fierce beast

Fei

from the

Classic of Mountains and Seas

was unwilling to provoke such a person.

Li Yanchu gave it a long, deep look, then turned to the other two. “Let’s go. This is no place to linger.”

Feng Jiu grew anxious. “Master, we haven’t killed the

Fei

yet!?”

The

Fei

couldn’t help but shudder at that. Its single eye turned toward Feng Jiu, filled with resentment.

What a vicious girl!

Unfortunately for it, Li Yanchu insisted on leaving, and Bai Hongtu agreed. Feng Jiu’s proposal was shelved.

Her fair, pretty face was full of disappointment. In her view, Li Yanchu absolutely had the strength to slay the

Fei

. After all, those three people from before had seemed formidable too; yet in just one exchange, two had died and one had been seriously injured. For someone with such power not to kill the

Fei

... it felt like such a waste!

The three of them prepared to leave, while the

Fei

stayed silent.

But, things never went as one wished. A wisp of black qi surfaced in the

Fei

’s heart, yang turning to yin. Its aura instantly grew incomparably sinister and evil, and that huge single eye now brimmed with venomous malice.

ROAR!

The

Fei

let out a furious howl, and layer after layer of airwaves rippled outward from it as the center, shaking heaven and earth.

Bai Hongtu frowned. “Why is this thing so damn strange? Did it get possessed or something?”

His words actually gave Li Yanchu a hint.

The sudden change in the

Fei

’s aura... was it because it had been overtaken by yin qi and turned into a demon?

Chains of black qi visible to the naked eye enhanced off the entire cave dwelling, forming a powerful formation barrier. Even the spiritual energy within their bodies began to circulate sluggishly.

Around the

Fei

, black mist spread outward like a tide.

“Where it passes over water, the water dries up; where it passes over grass, the grass dies. Its appearance brings pestilence to the world.” —

Classic of Mountains and Seas · Eastern Mountains

This fierce beast was a harbinger of disaster!

A Plague-Dispelling Talisman appeared in Li Yanchu’s hand.

“Heaven turns, earth revolves, I step the Seven Stars. Treading the astral paths, I align with the Nine Spirits. Ferocity lies hidden, demons collapse; Ten thousand calamities are destroyed, and I attain immortality. Swiftly, in accordance with the command!”

This was a Plague-Dispelling Talisman he had personally enhanced four times!

A five-colored divine radiance instantly flared from the talisman, illuminating heaven and earth. The black mist was immediately suppressed and dissipated.

Not only that, the aura of disaster clinging to the

Fei

was continuously eroded by the five-colored light, until at last, all the poisonous and pestilent qi was completely annihilated.

ROAR!

The

Fei

couldn’t help but let out a furious bellow. The venomous hatred in its single eye deepened with unwillingness, yet it still could not resist the power of a four-times enhanced Plague-Dispelling Talisman.

From the void, Li Yanchu drew out two divine wooden plaques. One he had obtained from the Baxia stone statue; the other he had taken from the Mount Mao Daoist, Hong Baiwei. He had long been unsure of their use.

Later, after comprehending the Taiji Yin-Yang Diagram Visualization Method of Mount Longhu and greatly increasing his primordial spirit cultivation, he finally grasped the plaques’ purpose.

Forming a hand seal with a solemn expression, he said, “Decree of Bestowal!”

At his words...

ROAR!

ROAR!

Two deafening beastly roars erupted beside his ears, and from the plaques burst forth two fierce beasts wreathed in golden light!

They were none other than Baxia and Chaofeng[1]!

This scene made Bai Hongtu and Feng Jiu’s eyes go wide in disbelief!

Baxia and Chaofeng radiated awe-inspiring divine might, their killing intent razor-sharp.

The

Fei

, already gravely weakened and wounded by the four-times enhanced Plague-Dispelling Talisman, stood no chance at all against these two divine beasts.

In the blink of an eye, it was torn to shreds!

+ 9,000 merit points!

The merit for slaying it was counted entirely toward Li Yanchu.

The

Fei

, a fierce beast recorded in the

Classic of Mountains and Seas

, was ripped apart and then devoured by Baxia and Chaofeng. The aura of the two majestic divine beasts surged even higher!

Li Yanchu put away the two wooden plaques, and Baxia and Chaofeng vanished.

Inside the cavern, the

Fei

, a creature said to bring great calamity to the world, had been slain just like that. Even the three mighty ones of Shaman Sect were utterly destroyed, their bodies reduced to nothing and their souls scattered.

The reversal of the situation was simply shocking!

Li Yanchu activated his talisman armor, his blood and qi blazing like the midday sun.

With a single slash, the domineering, razor-edged saber light tore apart this space, which had lost its master’s binding.

Gasp!

Bai Hongtu sucked in a sharp breath. This was... seriously badass! He suddenly realized that maybe Li Yanchu hadn’t been bragging after all.

The three of them prepared to leave the cavern, but in the next instant, a dazzling blue light swallowed them whole.

That day, the entire region around Mount Hengduan was in an uproar, as everyone had seen a colossal celestial palace appear, a sight that could only be described as the work of immortals. It was easy for people to link it to the secrets beyond the frontier, the Heavenly Palace of Myriad Phenomena!

Li Yanchu and the other two only felt their vision blur, and in the next moment, they found themselves standing on an enormous flight of steps! Each step of the staircase was about the height of a person, and looking upward, it soared into the clouds.

At that moment, the three of them seemed like travelers journeying together. After exchanging a glance, Li Yanchu was the first to ask, “Feng Jiu, is this the clue to the Heavenly Palace of Myriad Phenomena you mentioned?”

Feng Jiu gave a slight nod. “That’s right, this is the divine stairway leading to the Heavenly Palace of Myriad Phenomena!”

She had never revealed the specific details about the palace before, so Li Yanchu had assumed this little girl was just boasting. But unexpectedly, she seemed to really know something.

Li Yanchu gave a light leap and landed on another step. The sensation was strange, tinged with an unreal, illusory feeling.

With every step they took, it was as if an invisible giant hand yanked them back with a deathly grip. It was unbearably oppressive!

When the three of them finally struggled their way up to a higher point, they discovered before them stood a massive bronze gate, covered in intricate patterns. The towering gate was weighty, exuding a heavy, ancient aura.

What’s more, there was a special mechanism on the gate, and two keyholes exposed upon its surface. Although the bronze gate was enormous, the keyholes were positioned at a height that matched that of an ordinary person.

“Looks like you’ll need keys to get into the Heavenly Palace of Myriad Phenomena after all,” Bai Hongtu remarked.

But Li Yanchu’s brow suddenly furrowed. He said in a low voice, “Forget that for now... we’re being followed!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he spun around and slashed.

Clang!

The saber’s force stirred a wave of scorching heat. This slash carried the blazing

yang

fire of a martial artist, and it was ferocious and deadly.

A hazy, phantom-like figure emerged; first its outline, then its limbs and torso, and at last, its face. It was a face with firm, chiseled features and a striking, refined air. It looked exactly the same as Li Yanchu!

The three of them couldn’t help but freeze when they saw it.

“Impudent fiend, how dare you impersonate me!” Li Yanchu let out a loud shout.

With the pure

yang qi

of the talisman armor empowering him, he threw a punch straight at it.

Boom! His fist carried an overbearing force and the scorching heat of his blood energy, instantly shattering the phantom figure that looked identical to him!

But Li Yanchu’s brows furrowed deeply, and he was a little surprised.

1. Cháofēng (嘲风), in Chinese mythology, is the third of the ‘Nine Sons of the Dragon.’ He is considered the leader of scaled creatures. His father is the Dragon, while his mother is said in different accounts to be a Phoenix, a bird, or a lynx. He has the form of a beast, and his image is preserved in the ridge ornaments found on palace and temple rooftops. Cháofēng himself embodies the forces of disaster, governing earthquakes, tsunamis, and heavenly fire. The prototype of Cháofēng comes from the Phoenix. The Phoenix was regarded in ancient legend as the king of birds. Later, it evolved into the symbol of the empress, while the dragon came to represent the emperor. Cháofēng, fond of danger throughout its life, is usually placed on the roof ridges of palaces or houses. According to Lu Rong of the Ming dynasty in

Shuyuan Zaji · Ancient Vessels with Unusual Names

: ‘Its form resembles a beast, and its nature is to gaze afar, thus it is set on the corners of roofs.’

Here is a

reference image

. ☜