Time returned to dusk.
Mo Chuan and his four companions established a small base near the outer city wall, camouflaging it slightly with turf, stones, and mud, before planning to wait for the examination to conclude.
Niu Ben and Liang Hui thanked them and departed after Nana woke up. They only possessed the blood samples from the four white-eyed spiders and needed to find their teammates to continue collecting.
"Everyone give your blood sample tubes to Zhang Hanshan. We basically don't need to fight anymore. We just need to wait until the examination ends, and then we can go back directly."
However, as the group chatted, a colossal pillar of purple light shot up from the inner side of the outer city wall. The immense spiritual energy fluctuations even blew away the camouflage on their base, revealing the five of them.
"What... is this..." He Lanxin frowned, summoning her Overlord Halberd. She felt a malevolent aura within it, which made her profoundly uncomfortable.
Seeing this, Zhang Hanshan and Tang Jingjing also activated their special abilities.
Mo Fei immediately hid behind Mo Chuan, while Mo Chuan narrowed his eyes, sensing the ghostly energy contained within the powerful spiritual energy.
"Have they arrived..."
...
Yu Yuju, sensing the spiritual energy gushing out from behind her, laughed heartily, "The ritual has begun! Who can stop me now? Hahahaha—"
A long spear shot up from downstairs, grazing Yu Yuju's shoulder as it soared into the sky. It then spun a few times in the air before piercing the rooftop of the concrete ground.
"Who exactly are you?"
Yu Yuju glanced at the blood slowly flowing from her shoulder. She didn't frown or cry out, but calmly looked at Zhao Qingfeng, who had already flashed to the spear's side. Smiling, she dipped her finger in a small amount of blood and applied a blood-red eyeshadow to herself.
"Soul Summoning Banner!"
Yu Yuju casually beckoned. As spiritual energy surged, it transformed into a semi-corporeal ghost wearing a white ghost robe, a paper hat with "天下太平" (Peace Under Heaven) written on it, and holding a Soul Summoning Banner.
"B-class wanted criminal White Impermanence has appeared! All personnel, pay attention! Proceed with immediate arrest!"
With Zhao Qingfeng's order, all soldiers immediately opened fire, while the special combat units also began unleashing their special abilities.
White Impermanence chuckled. With a wave of his Soul Summoning Banner, several ghost hands extended from it. Some blocked the bullets and spiritual energy attacks, while others swiftly lunged at Zhao Qingfeng.
Facing the ghost hands surrounding him from all directions, Zhao Qingfeng shifted from a horizontal spear stance to a vertical one. He charged forward, thrusting and sweeping, clearing a large number of ghost hands with a few precise moves.
Just as Zhao Qingfeng was about to charge at White Impermanence, the latter clearly changed tactics. He summoned a small number of solid, skeletal ghost hands and grabbed Zhao Qingfeng's spear.
Although Zhao Qingfeng possessed considerable strength, under the tugging of numerous ghost hands, he was restricted by the overwhelming control.
"Bright Silver Flash!"
Zhao Qingfeng swept his spear horizontally. The snow-white spearhead sliced through the air, emitting a thunderous shriek. As the spear tip moved, arcs of electricity flashed and crackled.
Upon encountering the electrical arcs, the ghost hands shattered like ice meeting the scorching sun, disintegrating into wisps of ghostly energy that dissipated into the air.
The ghost hands around Zhao Qingfeng were instantly cleared. To White Impermanence's astonishment, Zhao Qingfeng thrust his spear again, stepped forward, twisted his waist, and exerted force with his legs, accelerating and closing in on White Impermanence.
"Wh-what..." White Impermanence's pupils constricted. In a panic, he attempted to block.
However, just as Zhao Qingfeng's spear tip was about to make contact with White Impermanence's body, a more intense spiritual energy fluctuation emanated from the pillar of light. In an instant, it transformed into a surging airflow that blew the airborne Zhao Qingfeng away, slamming him against the wall.
Seven purple streams of light descended from the sky, rushing into the center of the magic array. Su Daji, seeing this, stopped channeling spiritual energy and instead knelt on the ground, quietly absorbing the power of the Yata no Kagami fragment.
Zhao Qingfeng got up from the ground, supporting himself with his spear. His complexion was somewhat pale—the impact from the surge had clearly caused him considerable damage. Coupled with the backlash from having his technique forcibly interrupted, Zhao Qingfeng's actual exertion was far greater than it appeared.
A gourd, a naginata, a broken horn, a folding fan... seven items descended from the sky, slowly circling the center of the magic array.
Following this, a violent surge of spiritual energy, mixed with ghostly and demonic energy, abruptly thickened the pillar of light.
"Hahaha... the Hyakki Yako is about to begin! What will you use to stop it!?" White Impermanence, his face contorted with madness, watched the troops scattered and defeated by the spiritual energy fluctuations and let out a pathological laugh.
Before White Impermanence finished speaking, the seven items entered the pillar of light one after another. When they emerged again, they had transformed into seven demons of various appearances.
The first to emerge was a monk, but this monk was made of water. He held a tin staff, and his faceless visage "scanned" the surroundings. As he appeared, a fine rain began to fall from the sky.
The second was a blue-skinned being. He was exceptionally tall, wearing an open azure mink-lined haori, and casually fanned himself with a folding fan. As he appeared, the fine rain turned into a downpour.
The third and fourth were a giant snake with eight heads and a short man with distinct fish-like features. The former's jet-black scales shimmered with an ominous light. The latter slung a katana across his back and wore a fishbone-like belt. As they appeared, a pale purple mist began to spread around them.
The fifth and sixth were a blond-haired man with a pair of black wings, wearing an opulent golden and black-patterned haori, and a silver-haired woman whose hair reached her waist. The latter had a single purple horn on her forehead but seemed to be missing a hand. As they appeared, the airflow around them accelerated, gradually forming strong winds. The dark clouds grew thicker, and purple lightning danced wildly in the sky.
The last to emerge was a black-haired woman, but she had a pair of long horns on her forehead. She swayed gracefully as she walked slowly to the front of the gathered spirits.
Su Daji, maintaining her nine-tailed fox form, quietly stood alongside the seven demon kings.
"Shuten-doji, Ibaraki-doji, Tengu, Yamata no Orochi, Otaegimaru, Lord Kawano, Umibozu..." Zhao Qingfeng said grimly, looking at Su Li. "...and Tamamo-no-Mae..."
"Hahaha—Welcome, King of Demons! I hope Lord Demon King will assist me—"
Before White Impermanence could finish, Lord Kawano waved his fan, and the former turned into a pool of blood, leaving no trace of anyone having been there.
"Noisy." (Please automatically convert to Japanese qwq) Lord Kawano frowned and spoke.
"Yin and yang reverse, the demon gate opens wide. All demons, heed my command, welcome my arrival."
As Shuten-doji's voice fell, a palanquin carried by eight giant green demons emerged from the pillar of light. She leaped up and landed lightly on the palanquin, saying:
"Hyakki Yako, let's begin."