Chapter 278: The Pure Body Mantra! The Woman’s Long Hair! The Old Beggar!

His comrades immediately rushed forward to support him.

“What’s wrong, Du!?”

“Is he under attack!?”

Everyone was shaken.

In just a few short breaths, this burly man, whose blood and qi usually surged wildly, was already turning purple in the face. He was about to suffocate to death before their eyes!

Lu Ying was young and accomplished with great swordsmanship, and her treasured saber was imbued with righteous qi, yet even she found herself helpless in this moment.

Watching the old veteran who had followed her for years in such a state, she couldn’t help but frown.

“Step aside!” a steady voice rang out. Though not loud, it was abnormally clear.

Li Yanchu walked over.

“Daoist Master Li, I beg you to step in and save his life. I will be forever grateful to you.” Lu Ying’s normally stern face showed rare urgency.

Hearing this, Li Yanchu gave her a slight nod. He squatted down and lifted the burly martial guard’s eyelids for a look, but there was no dark haze that would indicate possession.

He thought for a moment, then pressed his palm firmly against the martial guard’s chest. A surge of robust, blazing yang qi immediately flowed from his Shanzhong[1] acupoint upward.

This was the pure yang qi cultivated from the Primordial Chaos Technique.

“Urgh!” The burly martial guard suddenly rolled over, retching violently. Before long, he vomited out a large mass of pitch-black filth.

Looking closer, it was a great clump of a woman’s hair. Everyone felt their scalps go numb. In a flash, they remembered something. Could it have been that disheveled-haired female ghost from earlier!?

But Li Yanchu knew it was not so simple. That ghost was nothing more than a malicious spirit refined by the Beaked Daoist. And it had already perished with its master at his own hand! Of that, there was no doubt.

He steadily continued channeling the vigorous yang qi into the martial guard’s Shanzhong acupoint. The man kept vomiting in great heaves.

Soon, the ground was covered with long black strands of a woman’s hair, which looked terrifyingly eerie.

But at last, the martial guard’s eyes ceased rolling white, his face ceased turning purple. His breathing returned to normal.

“Thank you... Daoist...” he spoke weakly.

At this, Li Yanchu inclined his head slightly. Seeing this, the other burly martial guards all cupped their fists toward him in gratitude.

But suddenly, one of the martial guards collapsed. His eyes rolled white, and his face was flushed purple!

Thud!

Thud!

Two more fell in succession.

A frosty layer spread across Lu Ying’s face.

“Who dares play these ghostly tricks? Get out here!” She held her sword in hand, her gaze icy.

Li Yanchu frowned slightly. “Celestial Venerable of spirit treasures, grant peace to my body. This disciple’s soul and spirit, the dark mysteries of the five viscera... Azure Dragon and White Tiger, their ranks in tumult; Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise, guarding my true self. Swiftly, in accordance with the command!”

It was one of the Eight Great Divine Mantras, the Pure Body Mantra!

It could transform the qi of the five viscera into the Gods of the Four Directions, returning them to their proper positions to safeguard and protect the body.

As he chanted, an invisible ripple spread outward from him. The several Heaven Official’s Blessing martial guards gradually regained normal color, each turning aside to vomit violently. Great clumps of black hair spilled onto the ground.

As Lu Ying watched, all of that black hair seemed to converge toward Lady Yun. At this time, Lady Yun’s face twisted with malice and shadow.

Their gazes met, and Lu Ying barked coldly, “So it was you behind this trickery!?”

Then, her sword thrust out. Sword-light flashed, darting like a dragon in flight.

Lady Yun looked startled, her body trembling uncontrollably. Then, in the next instant, she vanished.

Lu Ying’s strike pierced empty air. Her expression darkened, and from her sword erupted a surge of dazzling and radiant righteous sword qi.

Suddenly, Lady Yun’s figure appeared at another spot. Lu Ying flicked her sword-tip lightly, stabbing straight at her. But then, her whole body was suddenly seized and dragged backward by an unseen grip.

She spun around, glaring angrily. “What are you doing!?”

The one who stopped her was none other than Li Yanchu.

Thinking of how Li Yanchu had just saved her martial guards, Lu Ying’s tone softened a little in the end, but she still glared at him furiously. Could this young Daoist have been bewitched by that rustic woman’s beauty!?

The thought flashed through Lu Ying’s mind.

Li Yanchu frowned slightly. “You attacked without reason, you’ve clearly fallen into someone else’s trap.”

However, Lu Ying was unconvinced, and she snorted coldly, “I clearly saw that all the black hair on the ground came from this woman’s body! How can you say I acted without reason!?”

Li Yanchu’s voice grew heavy. “Your eyes are bloodshot, and your killing intent is overflowing. You’ve clearly been struck by an evil spell.”

A surge of anger rose in Lu Ying’s heart. Behind Li Yanchu, Lady Yun once again cast a venomous glare at her as her long hair whipped about like ghostly hands.

But in truth, in Li Yanchu’s and Lady Yun’s eyes, this young noble sword-maiden’s eyes were blood-red, as if she had fallen into a nightmare.

“The Supreme Tai Star, responding without ceasing. Expel evil and bind demons, preserve life and protect the body. May wisdom shine clear, the spirit be at peace; three souls eternal, seven spirits unbroken. Swiftly, in accordance with the command!” Li Yanchu invoked the Pure Heart Mantra, one of the Eight Great Divine Mantras.

At once, Lu Ying’s mind grew clear, and the blood-red faded from her eyes. And before her, Lady Yun no longer bore that venomous, sinister look from moments ago.

Thinking back on her own condition just now, Lu Ying couldn’t help but feel a chill; she had been ensnared by someone’s illusion. If she had slain an innocent with her own hands, or even slaughtered all her loyal martial guards, the result was something Lu Ying dared not even imagine...

She bowed in gratitude to Li Yanchu.

“Thank you, Daoist Master Li, for saving me, otherwise I might have committed a terrible mistake!”

“Don’t mention it,” Li Yanchu replied lightly.

By now, the burly martial guards had already returned to normal; the strange suffocating sensation had vanished completely. Even the clumps of black hair on the ground had disappeared. It had all been an illusion!

“This person’s mastery of illusions is terrifying. Without a sound or trace, they trapped us so easily,” Lu Ying said with a frown.

According to what the rat-faced old man had just said, the Mountain Lord of Qingfeng Ridge had three followers under him.

But which one of them had just struck from the shadows? Or was it the Mountain Lord himself? Or perhaps it wasn’t even the forces of Qingfeng Ridge at all, but some other power at work.

Lu Ying’s expression remained calm, but there was a faint trace of worry in her eyes.

This mission to escort the relics to Jinshan Temple[2] was proving far deeper and more dangerous than she had imagined.

The situation was perilous, and the methods of these heretics were simply impossible to guard against.

She lifted her gaze to Li Yanchu’s stern face and voiced her thoughts.

“Daoist Master Li, with such an enemy lurking in the dark, the danger truly couldn’t be greater,” Lu Ying said in a low voice, with a hint of unease.

For one as proud and headstrong as Lu Ying to admit this, it struck even greater dread into the hearts of the burly martial guards.

Their own lives were one thing, but if anything were to happen to Lu Ying, that would be a calamity of the highest order.

The men exchanged heavy looks.

Li Yanchu said calmly, “That’s easy enough. just drag the culprit out.”

The corner of Lu Ying’s mouth twitched slightly. “Daoist Master Li, surely it’s not so simple. We are in the open while the enemy hides in the shadows. How can we possibly flush them out!?”

She thought to herself,

You make it sound so easy.

Li Yanchu only smiled faintly, not bothering to argue. With a wave of his hand, he produced the Eight Trigrams Mirror. He aimed it into the void and gave a loud shout, and his voice boomed like thunder. “Demon! Show your true form, reveal yourself at once!”

From the Eight Trigrams Mirror burst a beam of white divine light, striking directly at a spot in the air.

“Ahhh!”

With a miserable scream, a figure tumbled from the void. It was an old beggar. He was one-eyed, white-haired, and his clothes were in tatters. His face was haggard, blood seeping from all seven orifices. Clearly, he had suffered a grievous blow!

1. Shanzhong (also known as Yuan’er, Xiongtang, Yuanjian, and Upper Qihai) belongs to the Conception Vessel and is located on the anterior midline, level with the 4th intercostal space, at the midpoint between the nipples, on the body of the sternum. In this region are the anterior perforating branches of the internal thoracic (mammary) arteries and veins, as well as the medial branches of the anterior cutaneous branches of the 4th intercostal nerves. It is indicated for treating asthma, dysphagia, chest pain, insufficient lactation, palpitations, restlessness, and cough. ☜

2. 金山寺 (Jīnshān Sì, “Golden Mountain Temple”) is a common name for Buddhist temples in China, symbolizing spiritual radiance and sacredness. Mountains (山) are traditionally seen as sacred spaces, and gold (金) connotes purity and value. The most famous Jinshan Temple, in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, has a history of over 1,600 years and features in legends such as The Legend of the White Snake (白蛇传), giving the name both religious and literary significance. ☜