Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 371 - 368 Old Friends Gather

Chapter 371: Chapter 368 Old Friends Gather

At the same time, in a corner of the straw warehouse at Lin Tingkou Pier.

Piles of yellow straw were stacked one against another.

Stored here was the lowest grade of horse feed, specially prepared for the horse caravans that traveled from south to north and weren’t particularly wealthy.

However, any driver with even a bit of conscience wouldn’t continuously feed their worn-out horses such stuff.

All of it — stiff straw, grass stems, and even old tree bark — not only lacked nutrition but would wear down even the best of teeth over time.

Locals found them quite useful for starting fires, though.

Surprisingly, at the darkest spot inside the warehouse, a black and a white massive creature were chomping down the dry hay voraciously.

The hay that could make a mule’s mouth sore posed no challenge for them.

As they ate, they also grumbled to each other:

"Speaking of which, it’s been several months since we followed the Yellow-Skinned Dharma King across the border into Great Yan.

Here in Red County Shenzhou, we no longer have to work for the ’Heaven Righteous Dharma Dao’ or make a living selling whips and stir-fried kidney flowers.

But even wanting a bite of fresh, tender grass is difficult here.

Without money, it’s hard to get by in this place!

Most importantly, as spirit monsters, we don’t even dare to eat humans — I’m afraid we’d struggle to make a name for ourselves anywhere.

By the way, Old Zhu, has the ’vigor’ you discarded grown back with Limb Regeneration?"

A white stag chewed another large mouthful of dry grass and turned to ask the large black pig lying next to him.

"Hmph, no, I think I’m quite content with my current state, and I should never need that bothersome thing again.

Old Lu, don’t you forget the supreme survival strategy we realized with the help of the Poverty God!"

Then, the stag and the pig looked at each other and chanted in utmost sincerity:

"As long as we’re pathetic enough, even deceits would be too lazy to eat us, and we can keep scraping by!"

After chanting, the White Deer Spirit kept nodding as if still not fully satisfied:

"Actually, I didn’t let my antlers grow back either.

You know what, I’ve found that ever since I lost my ’vigor,’ my mind has been free of distractions, and I’ve lost interest in those slick young does.

Over time, hey, I feel much more spirited as a whole deer."

The big black pig nodded in agreement:

"Hmph, you’re absolutely right. I’ve noticed that there are many domestic pigs raised here in Great Yan, and there’s even a skill of ’castrating pigs.’

Those castrated pigs are not only pure in heart and plump in build but also free of any gamey smell in their meat.

This is what truly clean and beneficial for cultivation!"

Suddenly, the ears of the two spirit monsters twitched.

They peeked outside through the cracks in the walls of the warehouse.

But immediately they shrank their necks back.

There was a duel going on outside!

...

Wuuu wuuu wuuu....

On the dismal and crude street, the bone-chilling wind howled and rolled in.

"Zhong, you can’t run away! Hand over the Luban Ruler willingly, and I might plead with the Taoist Master to spare your life!"

When the Zhong family father and son defected, one was only at the True Qi stage, and the other wasn’t even at the stage of Red Seal.

Junior Brother Qian, who was cultivating the ’Dharma Money Botany,’ had already reached the Yin God stage.

Even with the Luban Ruler to aid them, capturing them was more than manageable.

Seeing that his thunderous roar had no effect and that the opponent was only concerned with fleeing, Junior Brother Qian immediately waved his hand and threw a stack of golden Dharma Money.

The sound of copper coins clinking echoed in his ears like scripture: "Money, tastes sweet, very hot, toxic... It is prevalent and can command divine spirits, penetrate ghostly energies!"

Then, one after another, huge ghost wolves sprang up from the ground, each with a Dharma Money on its head.

This was the Daoist Skill from the ’Dharma Money Botany’ — money makes the world go round!

Under Junior Brother Qian’s command, a pack of ghost wolves roared madly, blocking the path of the "Zhong family father and son."

Of course, inside the skins of the "Zhong father and son" were actually Wang Yuan and the Earth Official ghost baby — the imposters.

Sometimes you don’t need to swap identities as intricately as would a sect. If you resemble the exterior and practice similar Daoist Skills, that’s often sufficient.

For someone like Old Master Wang, who was so skilled he could win best actor even when cross-dressing, it was no challenge at all.

Even the panic on "Father Zhong’s" face caused by an unexpected encounter with a formidable foe from his own sect was perfectly portrayed.

"Get out of the way! Don’t force me, I’m not afraid of you!"

The puppet seated upon the trunk also raised a wooden ruler in its hand.

Written on it were eight characters: Wealth, Illness, Separation, Justice, Official, Calamity, Harm, Origin — precisely the sought-after Luban Ruler from the "Six Desires Worldly Path."

Instantly, countless strands like taenia, constantly twisting, fine red threads shot out.

Without the "Eye Color as Dark Blue," or another Dharma Eye at hand, it would be difficult for an average Magician to detect the peril within.

Any impatient ghost wolf that came within three feet by accident, as soon as the puppet chanted, "One, two, three, wooden man," would instantly stiffen and turn to attack the other ghost wolves.

Ability: Once the "Puppet Tether" is laid, depending on the distance and meeting certain conditions, it can transform living beings and the newly deceased into "living puppets."

One, within the utmost limit of one li and beyond a range of three feet, if the puppet repeats "one, two, three, wooden man" three times and the opponent hasn’t moved, they will be captured.

The strongest power is within the range of two to three zhang.

Within this range, no matter if the opponent is moving or not, as long as they are looking at you and then let you finish saying, "One, two, three, freeze."

Even the Yin God realm would find escape difficult and transformation would immediately begin.

Taboo: The abilities of the "Luban Ruler" are extremely weird; the moment the user touches it, they would be puppetized in an instant.

They would become a puppet that lies between living and dead objects, completely losing the ability to move.

Unless external forces forcibly separate them, in just a quarter of an hour, the holder will be completely reduced to a henchman slaughtered by the "Luban Ruler."

Therefore, it must be used simultaneously by two people, and should not be entrusted to someone else’s hands if there is no absolute trust.

Just like the "Yin Yang Heart Bell", this is a powerful deceit object that can only be used by two people working together.

If one does not know the situation, the former Penglai Immortal Mountain serves as a warning from the past.

Unfortunately, there are far more than one "Luban Ruler", and its precepts and taboos are not only clear to the Zhong family father and son.

Junior Brother Qian, who knew it thoroughly, was not at all apprehensive.

He leapt onto the back of a ghost wolf, formed a sealing technique with his hands, and once again shouted lowly:

"Exit the body!"

Suddenly, the Yin God, riding a gust of yin wind, leapt out from the Mud Ball Palace.

Having learned from the lesson of Senior Brother Song, he entrusted his meat body to the protection of the ghost wolf.

And the Yin God used the "Five Emperor Coins" from the eras of Ancestor, Taizong, Emperor Renzong, Xuanzong, and Emperor Ying of the current dynasty as his Daoist Skill Technique.

He immediately shot to the top of the heads of the "Zhong father and son."

A strong smell of copper surged from his body, and there was even a hint of the Dynasty Dragon Qi rejecting Daoist Skill.

Clearly, these "Five Emperor Coins" were not from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, but their essence was extraordinary.

First, the coin making must be decreed by an imperial decree, supervised by the Ministry of Works for smelting, and each coin bears the reign title of the current emperor, naturally carrying the Dynasty Dragon Qi;

Second, the primary copper material of the coins comes from selected veins throughout Red County Shenzhou, combined with other metals, to achieve a high strength and wear-resistant optimal ratio;

Third, choose an auspicious day on the Yellow Path to start the furnace and smelt, thus giving the Five Emperor Coins not only strong Earth Qi but also the best timing;

Fourth, circulated in the market for a cycle of 60 years, passed through countless commoners, merchants, officials, scholars... traveled around every corner of the Divine Land.

With such innate and cultivated blessings, these ancient coins absorbed all kinds of Red Dust Qi, witnessed time, and experienced the world, naturally becoming enlightened.

Inherently, they were top grade treasures of Earth Essence.

Greatly enhancing the Dao Industry of the "Dharma Money Herblore".

On the other side, "Father Zhong" saw that the situation was sinister and flipped open the box he was carrying on his back.

Clack clack clack...

The sound of colliding joints thundered loudly, and a large group of wooden puppets with twisted limbs surged out of the box like a tide.

Some had their hands turned into iron claws, others had spring-loaded legs, some had iron cannons in their mouths, while others crawled on the ground as fast as spiders with eight legs...

They were the last remnants of the Yan Armor Soldiers after they were struck by the "Morality" Wolf Fang Club.

Controlled by the "Luban Ruler", they charged madly towards the Yin God, giving their last ounce of effort.

Unfortunately, the Yin God moved through the air like lightning, and ordinary Yan Armor Soldiers were simply no match for him.

"Ha, have you run out of tricks?"

"There are money stars in the sky, money spirits on the earth. Yin and Yang create, harmoniously molding all. Above and below heaven, different yet identical forms.

"Containing the four symbols, corresponding to the five elements. Tornado Envoy, General of Fierce Flames. Spread by wind, transformed by fire, perfection and integrity, Brother Kong Fang, aid me! Quick as a decree, imperial command!"

Junior Brother Qian formed a mantra with his hands, gently drawing towards Lin Tingkou Port behind him.

The five Five Emperor Coins within him shone brightly at once.

The coins, round on the outside, square on the inside, represent heaven on the outside, the earth on the inside, and the emperor’s reign title in the middle representing humanity.

"Heaven, Earth, Human," the three talents are complete, also granting Junior Brother Qian the Divine Skill to summon a certain number of copper coins cast by the current dynasty.

No sooner had he spoken.

Clang clang clang...

The sound of numerous copper coins colliding immediately rang in his ears.

Then, whether it was the coins in the merchant’s cashbox, money pouch, buried under the ground in pottery jars... or even the copper coins in the Earth Temple’s Merit Box, they all vibrated with a buzz.

Turning into thousands of streaks of light, they pierced the sky.

Forming golden meteors in the air, they savagely smashed down upon those Yan Armor Soldiers and the "Zhong father and son."

Right next to them, a warehouse was also caught in the unwarranted disaster.

Boom boom boom...

In an instant, like a bombardment, half of Lin Tingkou was resounding with vibrations.

This was the secret Daoist Skill of the "Wealth and Pleasure Tower": A Throw of a Thousand Gold, hurling money at people!

"Hahahaha..."

Pleased with himself, Junior Brother Qian already couldn’t help laughing boisterously as he envisioned his beautiful future life.

No matter how strong the True Qi realm was, under such an attack, they were bound to end up with not a single bone intact!

At that moment, from a dilapidated courtyard not far away, suddenly came an agonizing young woman’s voice.

"No! Don’t go, my last five Wen Jianming Tongbao coins—!"

This kind of heartbreaking scream was truly saddening to listeners and tear-inducing to onlookers, making one think she lost not just five coins, but five strings of coins!