Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 144 - 141: Netherworld Ghost Soldiers, Midnight Crying (Second Update)

Chapter 144: Chapter 141: Netherworld Ghost Soldiers, Midnight Crying (Second Update)

Ooooh...

Wang Yuan used the "Yin Soldiers Talisman" as a guide and spent almost half a day

It wasn’t until near dusk that he finally managed to find all 111 souls of the "White Tiger Elite Soldiers" from the three routes, without missing a single one.

Yesterday, the slaughter wasn’t limited to the troops led by Nie Hongying.

The other two banners of Daoist Soldiers hadn’t gone far; in fact, they had been annihilated by the Inverted Taoist even before Nie Hongying.

At that moment, Wang Yuan was quite relieved that the continuous rain in the heavens prevented the Daoist Soldiers’ military souls from being destroyed under the scorching sun.

Immediately afterward,

Wang Yuan came near a river and stood by a stone stele marked "Chen Family Village," within the domain.

He rebuilt the Dharma Altar in a hollow on the mountainside that could shelter from the wind and rain, but this time it was not a "Soul Summoning Altar" but a "Gathering Soldiers Platform"!

Other wicked Magicians who wish to enslave Yin Soldiers probably need to cruelly chop off the heads of their Yang spirits and stack them under the Dharma Altar before they can start the ritual.

But the Yin Mountain Taoism, even though it’s from the Ghost Path, is a righteous law that’s rare in the world.

Wang Yuan directly placed that "Yin Soldiers Talisman" on the divine case atop the Dharma Altar, and then called Lady Peach Fairy to start drawing Talismans together—the "Netherworld Ghost Soldiers Talisman."

After successively reciting the "Imperial Paper Charm," "Imperial Water Spell," and "Imperial Brush Ink Stone Spell," Wang Yuan’s hands touched Lady Peach Fairy’s slightly cool delicate hands.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

The brush dashed like dragons and snakes, danced like flying phoenixes, forming talismanic lines that dazzled the observer.

The talisman system inherited from Red County Divine Land mainly comes from three sources, namely "Dragon Pattern Phoenix Seal," "Cloud Seal Thunder Text," and "Jade Word Red Book."

All are the direct embodiment of Dao after being activated by knowledge.

Among them, "Dragon Pattern Phoenix Seal" is derived from various completely Dao-transformed "Divine Beasts."

The "Mountain and Sea Strange News Scripture" states:

"There is a bird whose form resembles a chicken; it is colorful and patterned. Its name is Phoenix, the pattern on its head stands for virtue, on its wings for righteousness, on its back for propriety, on its chest for benevolence, and on its belly for faith."

These natural Runes on Divine Beasts all come from their transformation by the Dao and are the earliest sources of Runes.

The legend goes that every time they appear in the world, they are accompanied by auspicious qi, in colors of five shades, and with radiant eight-faceted halos, possessing infinite might.

However, if one cannot understand them, it is better; at most, one will become insane.

Once one understands even a sliver of its phrases, one is likely to be changed from inside and out, mutated into a "Weird" being without self.

At least in today’s world, there has never been a Magician who has seen those terrifying "Divine Beasts."

They seem to only exist in legends.

Of course, others say they are indeed "myth come to life," and naturally, they wouldn’t appear in front of people at will.

"Cloud Seal Thunder Text" mainly comes from the natural Daoist Skills of Cultivators, a "Heavenly Gift."

The traces of Dao rhyme are inevitable in the cycle of heaven and earth, and this trace can be found in clouds, rain, thunder, lightning, wind, flowers...

Many Cultivators may have divine travels to the thirty-three heavens, the Great Thousand Worlds during meditation, and gain this dangerous "Heavenly Gift."

It’s just slightly safer than the "Dragon Pattern Phoenix Seal."

The third kind, "Jade Word Red Book," comes from the Immortal Mansions, Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands.

It’s the Rune passed down after generations of interpretations by "Corpse Dissection Immortals," Sage Zhuan, and Yellow Seal Mage.

In this process, the more the text is interpreted by people, the farther the original meaning of the words moves away from the tainted Dao, making it safer to use.

But the cost has been countless elders in the Cultivation World who went mad in the midst.

As for the runes used by "Yin Mountain Taoism," they are neither of the three mentioned above, but are called "Ghost Repelling Talisman," also known as "Yin Mountain Ghost Script."

Their might may not be earth-shatteringly mighty, but they are certainly safer and more suitable for use in Ghost Dao Techniques than the other three types.

Soon, the two finished drawing one hundred and eleven "Netherworld Ghost Soldiers Talismans" and arranged them one by one on the divine case.

Then they lit Incense Candles, and a "Talisman・Fire Dragon Coiled Sword" was placed to suppress one corner of the Dharma Altar.

Wang Yuan held a freshly quickened Peach Wood Sword from Lady Peach Fairy, and his feet moved in a star-doubling step.

With Sealing Technique in hand and Rootless Water in mouth, he sprayed fiercely onto the open space in front of the Dharma Altar.

Wuuu—!

A piercing cold wind suddenly howled in the hollow, allowing the over a hundred fallen military souls to materialize out of the mist, crowding together densely.

At this moment, each of them was covered in blood stains, with either exploded heads or severed limbs, all retaining the visage of death at the moment of their demise.

Wang Yuan touched the space between his eyebrows with his index finger, and a brilliant golden wheel suddenly burst forth from the back of his head.

"Merit Golden Wheel! Decree!"

He then emulated Nie Renxiong’s method, sprinkling a layer of "Merit Golden Light" upon these armless, legless, and bewildered ghost soldiers.

Although "Earthly Que Golden Book" is of a very high level and has an extremely high ceiling, after its separation from Yin Mountain, there might be a very few who had actually practiced this "Heavenly Department Dao Skill," and it could be that Wang Yuan was the only one from the beginning to the end.

In the application of some Daoist Skills, he might not be more adept than others.

Only impermanence is the everlasting constant in the world.

The one thing in the world that never changes is "change"!

It’s like the principle of the Taoist Inheritance Artifact, which is actually the collision of knowledge and insights from all disciples and students of the Tao lineage, from which new Daoist Skills are born.

Superior Daoist Skills are not necessarily born from top to bottom; they may also emerge from the bottom up, created by the collective wisdom of many.

Modern people are not necessarily inferior to ancient ones.

Wang Yuan is not one to completely put his faith in the Heavenly Department Dao Skill and cling to its deficiencies.

He uses what works.

Clearly, his choice was correct.

When this beam of Merit Golden Light was cast, the stains of blood and injury on the Military Souls were instantly washed away, and their eyes gradually gained the burning look of intense flames.

Even the Ghost Bodies solidified considerably, even gaining some sense of reality as if they had completed the "Refining Form."

Wang Yuan’s movements were unceasing; his Peach Wood Dharma Sword tapped and lifted on each of the Netherworld Ghost Soldiers Talismans, and one hundred and eleven pieces of talisman paper flew out at once.

Turning into dazzling lines of fire, they drilled precisely into the chests of each Military Soul.

At the same time, he rapidly chanted:

"The Great Unity Taiyi, Spirit presides over the troops. To guard the world’s soil, to protect the vitality of life.

Illustrated garment and embroidered skirt, Right Crown Green Cloth. Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right as guests. Donning the Dragon Sword, Chapter of the Five Blessings. Commanding the divine officials, Generals of Three and Five. Slay the evil at sight, Demolish the monsters on fight.

Swift as an imperial decree! Order!"

In a moment.

All the Netherworld Ghost Soldiers Talismans in the chests of the Military Souls began to burn with a bluish flame, engulfing the entire troop in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, a group of broken and defeated soldiers had transformed into a neat and elite troop of Daoist Soldiers fully equipped with armor and weapons.

Brandishing their weapons, they all shouted in unison:

"For vengeance! To kill thieves! To exterminate evil demons!"

This was the obsession of the Military Souls who were loath to leave the Yang World and go to the Underworld Yin Department.

Only now they were no longer the White Tiger Elite Soldiers of the thirty-six camps of the Great Yan Daoist Soldiers but the Netherworld Ghost Soldiers under the banner of "Yin Mountain Taoism"!

The difference lay not just in life and death but also in the stark contrast between their methods of cultivation.

The Taoist Military Skill that used to focus solely on physical training was no longer applicable; instead, it shifted to "External Training," much like how the Ma Brothers were transformed into Iron Armor Corpses.

Through continuous refinement with the Netherworld Soldier Skill, Daoist Skills of Yin Attribute, incense, Yin Morality...etc., controlled by their commander, they could be continuously strengthened.

Until all remnants of their Yin energy were shed, becoming the Dharma Protector God Generals of Yin Mountain Taoism, repairing their fractured souls, and restoring their spiritual wisdom to its original state.

This would allow them to step back onto the path of cultivation once more.

And this path would certainly offer them far greater prospects than if they were to directly enter the Underworld Yin Department.

After all, even if they had the chance to be reborn through reincarnation, the likelihood was that they would have been born as an imbecilic child.

"Hongying!"

"Yes, Dharma Master!"

Nie Hongying took the Gold and Silver Bronze Tiger Talisman bestowed by Wang Yuan and faced the transformed soldiers under her command.

Using this Tiger Talisman as a guide, Wang Yuan reorganized the 111 Daoist Soldiers into the Netherworld Ghost Soldiers.

The original Tiger Talisman for the White Tiger Elite Soldiers naturally became the Yin Soldiers Talisman for this group of Netherworld Ghost Soldiers, serving as the commander’s banner of loyalty.

The spirited female general lifted the Tiger Talisman above her head, and the group of Netherworld Ghost Soldiers, driven by their obsession as sharp as swords, instinctively knelt down.

"We pay homage to the Dharma Master!

We swear to follow the General to the death!"

After the Ghost Soldiers knelt three times, they re-established their allegiance.

Immediately, a gust of yin wind picked up, rushing into the Merit Golden Wheel behind Wang Yuan.

Just as there are multiple layers of protection within an imperial city, those stationed at the Five Senses Altar City are close ministers, while those within the Merit Golden Wheel are Outer Ministers.

If one day other disciples from "Yin Mountain Taoism" were to "Receive the Talisman and Enter the Path," Wang Yuan would be able to allocate troops and horses to his disciples like other sects, ensuring their safety along their Daoist journey.

Immediately after.

Huang Wu and Lady Peach Fairy helped clean Nie Hongying’s corpse, temporarily dressing her in Lady Peach Fairy’s clean clothes and placing her inside the Wanxiang Bag.

The bones of the other hundred-plus White Tiger Elite Soldiers could not be carried at the moment, so they gathered them as best as possible and buried them on the spot.

They could only wait until Wang Yuan had his own stronghold to return and relocate their bones for burial in the Mountain Temple.

After everything was packed and ready, it was already midnight.

As Wang Yuan was hesitating whether to seek shelter in "Chen Family Village" or just make do in the wild for the night,

He suddenly heard a very faint sobbing coming from the seemingly sizable village at the foot of the mountain.

Even the crying seemed to be suppressed in fear, not daring to cry too loudly.

"This... seems to be two children?"