Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 275 - 272: Truth Returns, A Sudden Development

Chapter 275: Chapter 272: Truth Returns, A Sudden Development

"Huh, even after being targeted by the fleet’s concentrated fire, there’s still a body remaining. Truly befitting of a demon who cultivated the ’Magic and Martial Unity!’"

Wang Yuan, who had thought it impossible for any spoils of war to remain, was just about to prepare to go out and provide support.

Unexpectedly, at the bottom of the charred crater, he found a significant surprise.

Just now, Red Xiazi had been completely annihilated under the bombardment, with the fierce Thunder Power of the [Thunder Sails Cannon] not even giving it a chance to become a ghost.

However, the huge pincer it had used to unleash [Nine Yang Cannon Fist] was still intact.

It was a rich crimson all over, emitting a seductive, mutated fragrance.

A bright yellow [Divine Power Talisman] looking like a large prawn with its claws outstretched, was struggling bit by bit to escape from that pincer, and in the next moment, it was about to completely vanish into thin air.

Slap!

It was swiftly slapped back by the quick-eyed, quick-handed Wang Yuan.

He had long discovered that the possibility of a [Divine Power Talisman], containing all of a Magician’s Daoist Skills and knowledge, voluntarily turning into a [Deceit Object] after their sudden death was not high.

The vast majority of [Divine Power Talismans], which hold the entirety of a Magician’s Daoist Knowledge, would follow a mysterious trajectory and be embraced by the "Taoist Lineage," vanishing completely from the Mortal World.

Yet the high-ranking entry of his own "Small Book of Life and Death" could interfere with this process.

Intercepting the food of the [Heavenly Official], greatly increasing the production efficiency of [Deceit Objects]!

One could see the pincer, which should have been indestructible, rapidly expanding and distorting under the influence of the [Divine Power Talisman], gradually turning into a crimson Gun.

It somewhat resembled the [Hexagonal Iron Cannon] equipped by the Imperial Dragon Guard, but several times larger.

Measured seven feet and five inches long, thick as a bowl at its mouth, somewhere between a cannon and a gun, and with a handle at the back.

Considering its size, it also resembled a type of medium-sized firearm commonly used by the Great Yan Army—the shoulder-cannon.

Wang Yuan didn’t even blink as he swiftly cast over a dozen [Enlightenment Immortal Lights], taking it under his command.

Glancing over the biography that appeared on the "Small Book of Life and Death," Wang Yuan’s first thought was:

—After the "Wolf Fang Club • Morality," the "Firearms • Truth" has finally found its place as well.

[Gun • Truth]

Biography: Originating from a Yellow Seal Mage Realm level mantis shrimp, it contains the formidable racial talent honed through thousands of trials of this species.

Ability: Effective range of twenty miles, capable of shattering small city gates with a single shot!

Taboos:

[One, the power is strongest when launched underwater in rivers, lakes, and seas, followed by being slightly weaker when fired by the side of big rivers, and weaker still when powered by water-based Daoist Skills.

If water power is insufficient, this Deceit Object is nothing more than an ordinary cannon and cannot exert its true power.]

[Two, the holder will become extremely thirsty and must drink a large amount of water immediately after use, to avoid dying from dehydration.]

[Three, it requires the cooperation of two or more people to use: one to lift and stabilize the cannon mouth as a support frame, another to fire the cannon.

It would be best if a third person could provide water-based skills for additional power to the cannon.

A maximum of three shots can be fired per day; exceeding this usage limit will cause permanent damage to the firearm.]

...

Above the Turbid River, within that vast white fog where one couldn’t see their own fingers.

Qing Yezi, Yu Jiezi, and the Ghost-Faced Monk—three sinners of the Yellow Seal Demon People, with a "Debt" so heavy it almost congealed into a crimson sea of blood overhead.

Naturally, this allowed the effect of "Convince with Virtue" to be maximized.

Supported by the powerful military aura of the Long Water Camp, Zhou Jinhuan transformed into his ultimate form—the "Military Dao Dharma Image·Sea-Covering Dragon King."

Wielding the Morality Cudgel, with just one strike, he knocked down Qing Yezi’s Lifebound Magic Treasure that carried the three of them—the "Canghai One Leaf Boat"—from the sky.

Controlled by Xu Zhenzhi, the "Nine Manifest Cloud Dragon Formation" immediately split the formation space into countless parts.

Not only did it lock them firmly within the formation, but it also prepared to suppress and shatter each of them individually.

However.

Qing Yezi, after all, was a Mage of the Earth Essence realm, and his adaptability was remarkable. In the instant he fell, he immediately cried out:

"Junior brother!"

Yu Jiezi, who had been with his senior sister day and night for many years, instantly understood and together with her, manifested his long-cultivated "Lotus Root Dharma Body."

Water and fire enshrouded them, with three heads and six arms, pushing open the lotus.

A technique called "Connected as a Lot" tightly bound them together, with the "Canghai One Leaf Boat" hovering high above their heads, manifesting a shade of "endless green lotus leaves reaching into the sky."

The golden and white Dharma Light above their heads united, forming a giant pair of scissors that "snipped" chaotically in the mist.

Colliding repeatedly with the Wolf Fang Club that was once again attacking, they emitted a series of grating, metallic clangs.

By relying on this combined attack technique, they finally managed to block the subsequent assaults and steadied their footing.

Only, faced with sudden great changes, Qing Yezi and Yu Jiezi gradually found it difficult to see the current situation clearly.

Was the backstab from "Peach God Tao" real or fake? This powerful "Daoist Soldier" showing only its head and tail, did it come from the Court, or from other rebellious armies trying to rise to power?

How many unknown forces wanted to partake in the struggle for the dragon? Who else might be in ambush? Without Great Yan falling, did they want to start an internal conflict in advance?

With just a casual toss of a smoke bomb, Wang Yuan made them deeply suspicious and confused.

On the other side, the Ghost-Faced Monk did not have the same luck as those two, as his body was swallowed by the formation right after leaving the "Canghai One Leaf Boat," instantly transferring him to a separate space.

A large group of Ghost Pirates, already lying in wait aboard their Ghost Ships, had opened their killing formation.

"Killing me won’t be that easy!"

The Ghost-Faced Monk snorted coldly and pulled out a blood-red centipede about a foot long from the animal skin pouch at his waist, stuffed it into his mouth, and rapidly chewed and swallowed it.

Then he drew a short knife and chopped off his own head.

Miraculously, his ugly head did not fall to the ground but rose into the air bathed in a glow of blood, with a gruesome trail of the bloody heart, liver, stomach, and intestines still attached...

It was the most fearsome of the Curse Techniques—the "Flying Head Curse"!

At the initial stage of the Flying Head, it still needed to carry a stomach full of organs for blood-sucking ventures, but at its highest level, nothing remained but the head and a cloud of red mist.

Able to endlessly change bodies and escape death, prolonging one’s lifespan.

The flying head that soared high into the sky grew swiftly with the wind, and in a blink, it became as large as a rural house, appearing even more frightening and hideous.

A filthy red Dharma Light encircled its body, resembling countless writhing tiny insects, making one’s scalp tingle at a single glance.

The Fat Corpse Dharma Body cultivated through the Flying Head Curse!

Immediately afterward.

The heart, liver, stomach, intestines, and other flesh trailing beneath the head proliferated rapidly, mutating and swelling into a corpulent form with a thousand hands, a thousand eyes, a thousand intestines...

The limbs were covered with giant mouths drooling with a putrid smell, conveying the world’s deepest malice as they lunged towards the group of Ghost Pirates like a flesh waterfall.

Cursed Technique: Fat Corpse Downfall!

But before this malicious Curse Technique could fall upon the pirates,

An imperial decree, imbued with heavenly might, suddenly exploded in the ears of the Ghost-Faced Monk.

"Wielder of Yin and Yang, summoning the Thunder Department! Decree!"

The demon person looked up in overwhelming fear and saw that at some point, his head had been encircled by imposing Thunder Gods towering like mountains.

The Thunderbolt Capital Commander, the Thunder Order Master, the Heavenly Thunder Grand Minister, the Five Thunders Institute Envoy, the Thunderclap Immortal, the Fire Bell Immortal, the bearer of Wind fierce Officer, the Zhenwei God, the Dianlei God, the Five Thunder Bright Elder, the Silver Teeth Fierce Officer...

All gathered protectively around a black-robed young boy who stood with his Seal Technique ready, his cold gaze cast downward.

Dark clouds and hidden lightning flickered behind them.

In the instant that the Ghost-Faced Monk looked up, the world around him darkened, and then a brilliant white light flared.

It seemed as though the world reduced to that single resplendent bolt of heavenly thunder, solidifying into a line, plummeting straight down.

[Thunder Skill: Summoning Thunder Department]!

That was exactly it: the pivot of Yin and Yang, summoning gods and dispatching emissaries, transforming into thunder!

The thunderlight struck in an instant.

Crack crack crack...

All the evil objects the Ghost-Faced Monk carried on his body—skeletons, mummies, poisonous insects, Corpse Oil—all burst into pieces at once, turning into ashes.

The Curse Technique, such as the Flying Head Curse, was completely overcome by the Thunder Skill, potentially leaving no room to fight back even if the two were of equal realms.

The thousand hands, thousand eyes, thousand intestines all surged upwards amidst his roars of fury but were still charred and cracked under the intensely brilliant thunderlight.

They were mercilessly ground into remnants.

As the thunder in the clouds faded, the ghostly face on the Ghost-Faced Monk’s head had not only lost all its viscera, but even the five senses were reduced to five blackened, gaping holes.

However, within the span of a breath, the Fat Corpse Dharma Body began to regenerate quickly.

These nefarious entities, despite their immense hazards and strict precepts, possess an incredibly tenacious life force—each one notoriously difficult to kill.

"Aaaargh! Let me see how many times you can use your Thunder Skill, I’m going to eat you alive!"

The Dharma Light around the flying head rose again, emitting mad howls from its mouth.

Just then.

Another thunderclap suddenly came from the distant horizon.

By a stroke of ill-disfortune, perhaps due to the excruciating pain all over his body, the Ghost-Faced Monk inadvertently shook his head a little.

He accidentally moved his charred brow directly in front of a streak of blue-white flame.

Boom!!!

Fierce light erupted heavensward, and once the blaze had dispersed, there was no trace of the Fat Corpse Dharma Body left on the spot.

Several miles away, at the boundary of the [Nine Manifestations Cloud Dragon Formation].

Heave-ho, heave-ho...

Zisu and Hualing, still human from the waist up, jointly hoisted a heavy red Iron Cannon.

Their lower halves transformed into [Wind Body Cloud Body], ceaselessly drawing moisture from the vicinity to form a vast ring of water flow, swirling around the muzzle, powering [Truth].

Being [Water Officials], they were the perfect cannon stand!

Behind them stood Huáng Wǔ with [Truth], encircled by the [Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Formation].

It was clearly her utilizing the long-range offensive prowess of the [Hundred Birds Battle Formation] to shoot down the flying head from several miles away!

"We hit it!"

Upon seeing the result of their shot, the trio cheered in unison.

Of course, part of this success was attributed to the [Old Almanac].

When the targets were a group of Yellow Seal Mages, the [Old Almanac] couldn’t eliminate them as easily as it would lesser enemies.

However, when they were battling peers of the same level, any small mistake could lead to fatal consequences.

As in this instance, the Ghost-Faced Monk, who had just been severely beaten by Wang Yuan, inadvertently stumbled into the cannon fire from Huáng Wǔ and her sisters.

At this moment.

The One-Eyed Stone Man and Pei Yulou were locked in a fierce battle, while Qing Yezi and another were entangled by the formation.

The situation had reached a delicate balance.

This was precisely what Wang Yuan and his allies wanted.

Demon slaying wasn’t the goal; the longer time dragged on, the more advantageous it was for them.

The moment the younger aunt Long Shao breaks through the third [Living Dragon Gate] and successfully transforms into a dragon, it would simultaneously free Qingyan, and instantly their side’s Mage-level combat power would soar to six!

At that point, they could easily take the offensive or fall back defensively.

But just then,

"Ah—!"

An unexpected, earth-shattering scream suddenly came from the direction of the [Yu Dragon Gate].

"What are you doing, Jiang Baimei?!"