Chapter 289
Chapter 289
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 289
>Chapter Title: Reinforcements
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Chapter 289: Reinforcements
> Leaning against the tree trunk, Li Huowang fell into thought, seemingly pondering something. “Senior Chen, could you recount in detail everything that happened when you first came here?”
>
> “After all, this junior is new to this place. I need to first understand the exact situation before I can make any plans. As you know, every technique of our Sitting Oblivion Cult comes at a great cost.”
>
> Blind Chen nodded in agreement and prodded the muddy ground with his staff before slowly speaking. “Sigh, I took a job, you see. They said there was something going on here and asked me to come check it out. So I disguised myself as a fortune-teller and came to Ganyuan Village.”
>
> “For the first few days, I felt up plenty of faces. Then on the third day, the things inside the walls actually came over to have me read their bones!”
>
> “They thought Blind Chen’s eyes were blind and that I couldn’t see a thing, so they tried to fool me. Heh! My eyes might be blind, but my ears are sharper than anyone else’s by who knows how much.”
>
> “That night, there was clearly only me in the room, but in just that short moment, three different voices rang out! And none of them had footsteps.”
>
> “Where could they have come from? They obviously crawled out from the mud. These evil things were putting on an act, mimicking human speech to get me to read their bones.”
>
> “I did it. It was the first time Blind Chen ever read bones for evil spirits. You wouldn’t believe it—their bones were just like a human’s. But guess what the result was? All three faces had the physiognomy of violent deaths!”
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> “Right then, I jabbed my staff toward them and killed one on the spot while wounding another.”
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> “After that, I figured that after Blind Chen helped the people of Ganyuan Village get rid of the evil, they’d at least treat me to a meal. But guess what? Not only did they not, they grabbed hoes and shoulder poles and chased me out!”
>
> “Once I got over it, I realized—the villagers’ minds had all been bewitched by these evil things. They won’t get better until these evils are cleared out.”
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> “That’s why every night, once they’re all asleep, I come to the village to carry out justice on heaven’s behalf.”
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> “But as you’ve seen, they’re slippery as mud eels. Some nights, they even try to ambush Blind Chen, but I always see through it.”
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> After talking for so long, Blind Chen’s throat was parched. He squatted down and scooped up some water from a small muddy puddle left by a cow’s hoof to drink.
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> Feeling his throat ease a bit, he turned toward Li Huowang’s direction and said, “Kid, I’ve said so much—are you even listening? Hurry up and think of something.”
>
> Soon, Li Huowang’s voice came from the other side, entering his ears. “This junior is listening, Senior. Don’t worry—I’m just thinking about which method to use to force them out.”
>
> “Mm, hurry it up. Next time I take a job, it’s gotta be closer. This road’s way too much hassle.”
>
> Blind Chen sat back down on the moss-covered stone. He turned and carefully took out a mirror shaped like a bagua from the bamboo basket on his back, wiped it with a cloth, and put it back.
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> “Senior, I’ve got a plan. Where do these mud ghosts go most often during the day?”
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> “The Mud Bodhisattva Temple. For some reason, they love going to the Mud Bodhisattva Temple.”
>
> “Let’s head to that Mud Bodhisattva Temple first.”
>
> “We’d better hurry. If dawn breaks, those fools will come stirring up trouble again. What then—kill them or not kill them?”
>
> After Blind Chen finished speaking, he tapped his staff repeatedly on the ground, following the sound of Li Huowang’s footsteps as they headed back toward the village.
>
> The village had been empty earlier, and now in the dead of night, it was still deserted. On the narrow paths between the houses, only the faint glow of fireflies lit their way.
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> Suddenly, Blind Chen’s expression grew grave. He planted his hands on the ground and flattened himself to listen.
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> “Ears, kid, be careful—someone’s coming. This sound’s off. I never heard it in the village before. Four people total—two men, two women. One man’s huge, and from the weight, he’s wearing armor!”
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> Li Huowang glanced around cautiously, his face grim as he said, “Four outsiders showing up in the middle of the night? They’re up to no good. I’ll go meet them.”
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> Before Blind Chen could respond, Li Huowang rushed forward.
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> Blind Chen didn’t get up. He kept prone on the ground, listening intently to the sounds.
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> Gradually, he heard the four veering off and leaving the village.
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> “Senior, I’m back. I cast an illusion on those people and led them away from Ganyuan Village.” The returning Li Huowang said to the blind old man before him.
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> “Let’s go. Finish this quick and get out of here. More people means more trouble.” Li Huowang nodded and hurried to catch up.
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> By the second watch of the night, the two had arrived before the Mud Bodhisattva Temple—or rather, not quite before it, still separated by a narrow alley.
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> “This is as close as we get. Any closer and you’ll alert them. You got spotted last time because you went inside.”
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> Li Huowang gauged the distance and nodded. He pulled a dao bell from his robes. “Senior, bear with me. It might get a bit noisy in a moment.”
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> With that, Li Huowang immediately shook it. The piercing bell rang out like thunder exploding in Ganyuan Village.
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> As Li Huowang vigorously shook his head, the Wandering Lord before him split rapidly into eight.
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> Li Huowang dug a clump of mud from the ground and shoved it into his mouth, speaking to the eight Wandering Lords. “Ōng zhān yūn! Zhì rǎn xié dāo duò!!”
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> The Wandering Lords, composed of various lines, nodded in unison and plunged into the ground one after another.
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> Blind Chen couldn’t hear what happened next at all—the piercing noise enveloped him completely.
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> “Ears, kid, this method of yours won’t work! You’ve woken the whole village!” He shouted toward the direction of the bell.
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> “Don’t worry, Senior Chen! It’s noisy, sure, but it’ll force them out quick!” Li Huowang shook the dao bell even harder.
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> Blind Chen stumbled toward Li Huowang. Just as he reached behind him, he felt his staff touch something on the ground and bent down to pick it up.
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> In that instant of bending, a cold gleam flashed. Blind Chen thrust the bamboo staff toward Li Huowang’s waist.
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> This move was extremely insidious, and under the cover of the dao bell, it made almost no sound.
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> But just as the slender staff tip was about to pierce, Li Huowang’s body twisted unnaturally. The hilt of the sword on his back shifted over, blocking the staff’s point.
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> Though it blocked, the force was immense, sending Li Huowang flying several meters away.
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> At the same time, the Wandering Lords already lying in ambush on the ground slowly rose, surrounding Blind Chen completely.
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> Li Huowang, eyes bulging as he stood, opened his mouth in furious intent to say something when the other spoke first.
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> “Hmph! Sitting Oblivion Dao! You bunch of swindlers!! Did you really think Blind Chen would buy your nonsense? I never asked for any aid—where the hell did you fraudulent reinforcements come from!”
>
> (End of chapter)