Chapter 77 One Wave Subsides, Another Rises

Lingjing Xingzhe, the Night Wanderer, Chapter 77: One Wave Subsides, Another Rises

Fu Qingyang gave Wan Yan Batian a deep look, then turned around and transformed into a beam of sword light, fleeing. He didn't need to talk to defend Linxia City. As an eighth-level Yan Shi (puppet master), he already understood Wan Yan Batian's expression.

Descending from the city wall, Fu Qingyang looked around and summoned a Bai Fu Zhang (centurion) who was directing the civilians to clean up the battlefield.

Fu Qingyang coldly said, "Send my order. All first-class masters and Xiaozongshi (grandmaster) level experts in the army are to assemble at the drill ground."

Before the Bai Fu Zhang could respond, he transformed into sword light again and flew toward the barracks.

A quarter of an hour later, Xia Hou Aotian and the others gathered at the marshal's camp. Their teammates, who had just finished a fierce battle, had wanted to rest but were summoned by Fu Qingyang's soldiers.

Seeing Fu Qingyang sitting solemnly at the table, with a grave expression, the four or five people looked at each other, equally solemn, and sat down. Xia Hou Aotian muttered, "What's wrong?"

Fu Qingyang got straight to the point. "I just saw a large force gathering at the drill ground. Are you planning to attack the enemy camp outside the city?"

"I went to the Northern Dynasty barracks. Tuoba Guanghe and the Juque Army are not there."

The faces of Mo Yan and the others changed. Zhao Chenghuang said in a deep voice, "Tuoba Guanghe didn't participate in the siege tonight."

Ling Jun raised an eyebrow, realizing, "He went to steal our home?"

Mo Yan jumped up, clenched his fists, and shouted, "Retreat to the capital!"

"If anyone retreats, it's me." Although Fu Qingyang's expression was solemn, his tone was calm and his emotions stable, displaying the demeanor of a great general. "I will lead a force to the capital. You stay here to hold back the main force of the Northern Dynasty. Linxia and the capital are more than forty miles apart. At the marching speed of the Juque Army, they are probably already at the capital."

Tianxia Guihuo asked in confusion, "Why would Tuoba Guanghe lead the Juque Army to attack the capital alone?"

This development caught them off guard and seemed illogical. The capital had the Imperial City Division and the elite city defense army, with better equipment and more abundant resources.

In terms of experts, the Southern Dynasty capital was definitely not lacking in Saint and Overlord-level figures. Tuoba Guanghe, leading only the Juque Army, might not be able to take the capital in a short time. And without their commander, the Northern Dynasty camp might be taken advantage of by Fu Qingyang, who could lead his troops to encircle and annihilate them, completely defeating them.

With three Overlords sitting in the Southern Dynasty garrison, they definitely had the strength to do this. If they succeeded, the Northern Dynasty would lose its good position, and the Southern Dynasty would recover, turning the situation around.

Fu Qingyang said calmly, "Tuoba Guanghe is an experienced general. He must have his reasons for doing this. Something may have happened to the capital, leaving it in its most vulnerable and weakest state, so Tuoba Guanghe is confident that he can break through the city in a short time."

"If he succeeds, then the Linxia garrison will become an isolated army and will inevitably be defeated." He spoke quickly, "You few hold Linxia, hold back the main force of the Northern Dynasty, and when necessary, you can take the initiative to attack."

After explaining everything, he supported himself on the table and stood up, striding towards the door.

A gust of Yin wind blew, and the figure of the Guoshi (National Preceptor), with his white, withered hair, instantly appeared before him.

Zhang Yuanqing drew out the Form and Spirit Extinguishing Blade, activated it, and covered the blade with a layer of faint golden flames, slashing down suddenly.

The blade, burning with golden flames, skipped the "chopping" process and landed directly on the probing black ghost claw. The ghost claw was severed at the wrist.

Zhang Yuanqing nullified the process of physical movement, allowing his blade to strike the enemy instantly.

So far, among the Illusionist's skills, only "Void" could barely be used against enemies. Mental strikes, emotional guidance, emotional explosions, illusions, and other active skills would have no effect on Yin objects.

This was because Night Wanderers were also proficient in illusions and had strong and resilient spiritual bodies, and there was also a difference in levels.

From the severed wrist, a ghost claw instantly regenerated, piercing through Zhang Yuanqing's throat, the sharp claws protruding from the back of his neck.

Zhang Yuanqing swung his blade in a counter-attack, but the Guoshi retreated first, ghost-like, and circled behind Zhang Yuanqing, tearing open the armor on his back with a "ripping" sound, cutting through the flesh, revealing the spine and ribs.

Zhang Yuanqing swung his short blade to counter-attack, but in the Guoshi's shifting speed, he was like a clumsy child, or an adult chasing flies with a fly swatter.

He didn't manage to cut the enemy, but the scratch marks on his body increased. The Guoshi retreated a distance, forming a hand seal.

Zhang Yuanqing's body suddenly stiffened. The wounds quickly congealed with white frost, freezing the flesh. The Yin energy that invaded his body from the wounds froze the limbs and bones along with the blood.

The Guoshi was using the Yin energy from the wounds to cast some kind of Yin poison spell. With a whoosh, golden flames rose, and a round, imitation gold-painted blazing sun mark appeared on Zhang Yuanqing's forehead. His short hair floated, dyed gold, his skin refracted a golden luster, and his pupils turned molten gold.

"Chi chi," wisps of black smoke steamed out of his body.

He activated the Raging Sun God of War skill. Zhang Yuanqing opened his inventory, revealing a mottled oil painting. The scenery in the painting was twisted and chaotic. Rivers floated in the sky, clouds were spread on the ground, the sun and stars hung on the treetops, and figures resembling humans walked upside down.

He flung the oil painting at the Guoshi. The colors in the painting separated and splashed into reality. The real world was quickly polluted. A painted river appeared in the sky, the sun and moon hung on the treetops, and the concepts of front, back, left, and right were reversed.

The Guoshi's body, which was in it, twisted. His limbs were twisted behind him, his head collapsed and sank, as if it were about to shrink into his chest, and the sound of bones cracking came from his body.

Suddenly, a vortex of Yin energy appeared in the Guoshi's body. The surrounding spiritual power gathered at one point and burst out suddenly.

A shockwave-like Yin energy spread, shattering the surrounding intense colors.

These colors reunited and turned into an oil painting, falling powerlessly. This Overlord-quality item was forced back to its original form.

Zhang Yuanqing used the Void skill to make the falling oil painting appear in his hand and retrieved it into the inventory.

As the Guoshi broke free from his restraints, Silver Coin Princess transformed into starlight and appeared on the Guoshi. Her skirt fluttered, her beautiful hair danced wildly, and a rich Yin energy permeated within a few meters around her.

Silver Coin Princess pointed like a sword, her lips moving, chanting a spell.

The surrounding Yin energy came alive, outlining black runes. With Silver Coin Princess's sword finger pointing out, they shot towards the Guoshi like a rain of arrows. These were modified Spirit Sealing Charms, specially designed to seal the remnants of Yin objects.

The Guoshi opened his mouth slightly, and the countless charms rolled into his mouth, turning into spiritual nourishment. Then, his body disappeared.

Seeing this, the clone Zhang Yuanqing unhesitatingly used Sun Rise, scattering dazzling, pure golden light in all directions.

The Guoshi's figure was forced out and appeared in front of Silver Coin Princess.

A black light flashed, and Silver Coin Princess's head flew high, falling to the ground.

The Guoshi grabbed her body, opened his mouth with interlaced fangs, and bit towards the severed neck, wanting to devour the Yin object's spiritual essence after continuous battles, he had consumed a lot and this was just what he needed.

A short blade pierced out from the Guoshi's mouth. At the critical moment, Zhang Yuanqing used the Lingyue (Spirit Moon) pendant.

Zhang Yuanqing Night Wandered to the Guoshi's back and attacked. Zhang Yuanqing twisted his wrist, and the short blade rotated, shattering half of the Guoshi's head.

His other hand grabbed a thin, long bamboo stick and slammed it hard on the Guoshi's body.

"Pa!"

With a crisp smack, the raging Taiyin (Great Yin) power in the Guoshi's body suddenly became calm and slow. The headless body did not move.

Zhang Yuanqing waved his short blade and cut off the Guoshi's arms.

Silver Coin Princess's body fell to retrieve her head.

The next second, the Taiyin power surged. The Guoshi's head flew back and landed on his neck. The severed neck bones connected, and flesh grew together again.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Zhang Yuanqing, who had activated the Raging Sun God of War state, engaged in a fierce battle with the Guoshi.

Using elbows, knees, and blades, they collided more than a dozen times in seconds.

The clone Zhang Yuanqing swooped in and joined the battle. Wearing the Sacrificial Heaven Set, he was even stronger than the original body, greatly relieving Zhang Yuanqing's pressure.

However, the Guoshi was still able to fight two enemies with ease. He didn't defend at all, relying on his terrifying physique to fight the two Raging Sun Gods of War to the death, leaving scratch marks on their bodies with his claws.

Red firelight descended from the sky. Fire Fiend Gang Leader transformed into a whirlwind of fire, powerfully cutting into the battlefield. Xiao Yuan, in the distance, operated at the spell table, first performing a prayer to bless her four companions, then casting a Curse of Misfortune on the Guoshi.

Palace Mistress sang a high-pitched song, encouraging her teammates, while stroking the Demon Refining Pot, pouring out streams of life essence to heal their injuries in time. With the blessing of two powerful support characters, Silver Coin Princess and the other three suppressed the Guoshi, hitting him so hard that he had almost no power to resist.

However, Zhang Yuanqing's heart was unusually heavy. The Raging Sun God of War state had a time limit, and the Sacrificial Heaven Set only lasted for fifteen minutes. Once he and his clone lost the Raging Sun God of War state and the bonus of the Sacrificial Heaven Set, the situation would be reversed. Despite the Guoshi's occasional broken hands and feet, appearing battered, his Yin energy remained strong, and even the greatest injuries could be quickly restored.

The Taiyin's endurance was unparalleled. This wouldn't work! He couldn't win like this!

A protracted battle would inevitably lead to defeat. If he dragged on any longer, the Devouring Beast's cooldown time might be over!

He had to concentrate his power and inflict a heavy blow on the Guoshi.

Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced, "Everyone, this old fellow's aura is endless, he can't be defeated in a long battle."

Fire Fiend Gang Leader asked the conventional question among Fire Masters, "What should we do?"

"Concentrate our power to eliminate him," Zhang Yuanqing said.

The clone Zhang Yuanqing and the original body were connected in thought, so he immediately distanced himself and used the Mysterious Suit effect again, briefly restraining the Guoshi with four kinds of spiritual power.

Palace Mistress stopped singing, and thousands of silk ribbons drilled out from under her skirt. They surged towards the Guoshi, binding him. Countless threads, like tentacles, gently and rapidly caressed the Guoshi's abdomen.

"Buzz!"

A Gu worm the size of a washbasin, holding a jet-black, broken hand, landed on Xiao Yuan's spell table. Xiao Yuan grabbed a short knife and cut open the broken hand, dipping her index finger into the flowing black blood and drawing a spell on a yellow paper talisman, then slapped it on a straw doll.

The straw doll "boom" ignited with black flames and was quickly destroyed.

In the distance, black flames also rose on the Guoshi's body, and his jet-black, tough skin began to melt. He roared in pain.

Curse Kill!

At this time, Palace Mistress's pregnancy skill finally succeeded after repeated failures. Her abdomen continued to expand, soon becoming like that of a woman about to give birth. The sound of an infant's cry came from her belly.

The Guoshi's power was further weakened.

Zhang Yuanqing roared, "Palace Mistress, give me the Thunder Spear."

Palace Mistress quickly opened her inventory and threw a lightning-flashing Thunder Spear towards him.

Suddenly, the Guoshi's robes tore open, and a round, bulging abdomen revealed an infant's face.

The face quickly became twisted and made a piercing cry. The fetus in his abdomen had been transformed into a ghost infant by the Guoshi. Everyone's minds "buzzed!" Warm blood flowed from their nostrils, their ears rang, and their heads ached as if they were about to be torn apart.

This feeling was too familiar—a mental strike!

The infant's cry created an effect similar to a mental strike.

The Guoshi had used a vicious spell, transforming the fetus in his abdomen into a ghost infant with attacking power.

Palace Mistress endured the pain, her red lips slightly moving, humming a melodious and gentle tune—a lullaby.

The constantly screaming ghost infant was soothed by its mother and gradually calmed down, falling asleep in the gentle maternal love.

Zhang Yuanqing caught the Thunder Spear and threw it towards the Guoshi, roaring like a beast. On the other side, the Guoshi's body wriggled and tried to regenerate, but he was unable to do so. His aura was extremely weak.

Zhang Yuanqing "whooshed" a breath of coldness. Most of the Yin energy in his body was expelled, successfully suppressing the mutation.

"You brat!" The Guoshi's face was full of unwillingness. He stared at Zhang Yuanqing with a venomous gaze, then suddenly sneered, "Tuoba Guanghe has already rushed to the capital. You killed me, and I will suffer the Five Signs of Decay, and your companions are poisoned by my Corpse Curse. Even if the power of the sun can suppress it, they have already been greatly injured. Once Tuoba Guanghe arrives, you will surely die, the capital will fall, and the Southern Dynasty will be destroyed."

"Tuoba Guanghe is coming?" Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat.

"After you destroyed the Zheng family, I sent a Yin corpse to Linxia and met Tuoba Guanghe," the Guoshi said fiercely. "You have harmed me for decades, and my plans have been ruined. If I win, I will help him destroy the Southern Dynasty to vent my anger. If I lose, you will be buried with me."

Zhang Yuanqing closed in on the Guoshi and grabbed his neck, "Then please, Guoshi, take the first step."

Powerful solar power erupted from his palm, engulfing the Guoshi's remains. The golden stream of flames spurted for dozens of seconds before subsiding, leaving only half a skeleton in his hand, annihilated in both body and spirit.

Zhang Yuanqing released his hand, letting the skeleton fall to the ground. He looked at his companions and said in a weak voice, "Come closer to me!"

They basked in the golden sunlight, like a frozen person feeling the warmth of fire. Their limbs gradually regained sensation, and the Yin energy in their bodies was gradually dissipating, but the process was very slow.

It wasn't until Zhang Yuanqing's spiritual power was exhausted that their bodies returned to normal, but their complexions were still pale and their eyes hollow.

The residual poison hadn't been eliminated. Spiritual power, being extremely yang and hard, was also an irritating flash of light towards Yin objects. The thunderbolt hit the Guoshi's head and flew far away. The Guoshi's head regenerated again.

Zhang Yuanqing recalled the Thunder Spear and threw it again. The Guoshi's head exploded again.

Zhang Yuanqing recalled the Thunder Spear again and threw it repeatedly. After four times, Zhang Yuanqing's arms turned into charcoal, but the Guoshi's head regenerated again, but the regeneration speed had clearly slowed down, taking a full dozen seconds to recover.

"His power is weakening!" Zhang Yuanqing shouted.

"No problem, leave it to me." The clone Zhang Yuanqing took off the Sacrificial Heaven Set and threw it back to the main body, then swooped towards the Guoshi, "The meaning of the clone's existence is to die for the main body!"

A miniature sun appeared behind his head.

"Boom!"

The moment the clone collided with the Guoshi, he detonated the solar power in his body. The golden ball of light rapidly expanded, exploding with a bang, solidifying in the night sky for a full three seconds, like a giant sun.

The Guoshi's body was torn to pieces, falling powerlessly.

Suddenly, on that disfigured face, the pale green eyes snapped open and chanted a spell in a hoarse, low voice. The falling broken hands and feet came to life, not reassembling, but turning into black smoke, crashing into Palace Mistress, Xiao Yuan, Fire Fiend Gang Leader, and Zhang Yuanqing.

Their bodies stiffened, rising with bursts of black smoke, revealing fangs and claws. The blood color of their skin receded, turning into the pale white of the dead.

Their bodies were transforming into Yin objects.

Zhang Yuanqing immediately activated Sun Rise, gradually dispelling the cold Yin energy in his body. Looking at Xiao Yuan and the others, they could only resist with their will and spiritual power, lacking effective means to suppress Yin energy. Groans escaped their throats.

Fire Fiend Gang Leader, who had regained his ability to speak, said urgently, "Is what the Guoshi said true? Tuoba Guanghe is leading his troops to the capital? Did Linxia fall?"

"It's true!" Zhang Yuanqing gave a solemn affirmative answer. "But it shouldn't be that Linxia fell, but that Tuoba Guanghe divided his forces for a surprise attack."

Fire Fiend Gang Leader sighed, "Another fierce battle!"

Xiao Yuan and Palace Mistress frowned, their faces gloomy and their eyes worried. "They just had a fierce battle with the Guoshi, and their vitality is greatly damaged. The boss's trump cards are on cooldown. How can they fight the ninth-level Tuoba Guanghe? He's even more powerful than the Guoshi."

Zhang Yuanqing was silent for a few seconds, then sighed, "With Yang Ce's quick wit, he should have already discovered their plan and will think of ways to buy us time." Before he finished speaking, the four of them simultaneously turned their heads and looked north.

A powerful aura was surging towards the capital. At the same time, the drums of war were beaten and the horns were blown at the north gate.