Bai Hongtu’s single touch just now had effortlessly reduced the heavy, solid terracotta warrior to ashes. This couldn’t be taken lightly! Li Yanchu even had a bold suspicion that perhaps Master Shenshan was trapped within one of these terracotta warriors. Though there was no wind, the talisman suddenly ignited on its own. It couldn’t even get within a chi of the warrior. Though this talisman was just an ordinary evil-warding charm with very faint spiritual resonance, it was quite effective at detecting yin and evil energies. And now, even before it got close, it had been triggered by the sinister qi surrounding the warrior. Suddenly, a strange gleam flashed in Li Yanchu’s eyes. Daoist Yuanyi didn’t cultivate Flying Sword Technique but was a Daoist adept in profound sword techniques, but he was not particularly known for delicate spellwork . However, as the head of a major Daoist temple with a thriving incense offering, he had certainly seen his fair share of the extraordinary. “If Master Shenshan is truly within this, and it was our actions that caused the terracotta warrior to be reduced to ash, thereby harming him, then that would be our grave sin!” With that said, he raised his ancient, dignified longsword and drew a cut across his hand, where blood started bleeding freely. At that moment, Li Yanchu felt a powerful living being within the tomb chamber steadily weakening. Then, Daoist Yuanyi let out a sharp cry and smeared his fresh blood across the blade. Already a fierce weapon designed to slay demons and evil spirits, the sword now flared with a burst of azure light. After three swift strikes, a massive earthen-yellow dragon, composed entirely of sword qi, surged forth and coiled tightly around the terracotta warrior Li Yanchu had just pointed at. No matter how that person had sealed Master Shenshan into the warrior, Daoist Yuanyi had already committed to fighting with all his might. “All Methods Return to the Source[1]!” Guided by Daoist Yuanyi’s flowing movements, the sword-dragon began tracing an intricate spiral path as he chanted, circling around the terracotta warrior in a mesmerizing pattern. Daoist Master Yuanyi’s sword qi, shaped like a massive dragon, began swirling in a strange trajectory as he moved through his sword forms. Eventually, it coiled into a spiral, circling around the terracotta warrior. Fragments began falling from the warrior’s body, and upon hitting the ground, they disintegrated into ash. Gradually, the figure of an old monk clad in Buddhist robes was revealed beneath the crumbling shell. Seeing this, a gleam of joy lit up Daoist Master Yuanyi’s eyes. His sword danced with even greater ferocity, and the dragon-shaped sword qi let out a resounding dragon’s roar. Suddenly, a violent gust of yin wind surged through the tomb chamber, and dense black smoke billowed from all directions. The surrounding flames flickered wildly, becoming unstable and dim as they cast shifting shadows across the faces of the terracotta warriors, whose expressions now flickered between gloom and malice. From the void came wave after wave of shrill, anguished howls, brimming with bitter, venomous hatred. To the group’s surprise, the terracotta warriors around them suddenly turned their heads in unison and locked their deathly stares on Daoist Master Yuanyi, who was in the middle of casting his spell to rescue Master Shenshan. “Die!” a towering warrior-like terracotta general bellowed, then charged forward in great strides with a bronze spear in his hand, which was stained with glaringly red blood. No one could tell whether the bloodstains were accidental marks left during construction, deliberately applied by the craftsmen to evoke a sense of murderous power, or the result of real blood soaked in from past killings. Now awakened from its slumber, the blood on the terracotta general’s spear grew even more vivid. In the dim tomb, it was strikingly bright and red! Instantly, Li Yanchu raised his blade and blocked the sharp bronze spear, thereafter sparks exploded as metal met metal. The solid stone tiles beneath their feet shattered from the force, and both of them sank into the floor at once. Li Yanchu’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. This strike from the terracotta general was on par with the Ghostslayer Saber Art of the exorcist, Yan Chixiao. The bronze spear swept through the air in a wide arc, slashing across in a half-circle. Its momentum was powerful and heavy without the slightest hint of ornamentation or flourish. Immediately, Li Yanchu moved with lightning speed and brought his saber down in a direct, vertical strike. Instantly, the scorching, razor-sharp Six Yang Force surged into his Jiaoslayer domineeringly. The clash of their weapons rang out like thunder, echoing like a crashing bell in their ears. “Daoist Master Yuanyi, focus on saving him! Leave these warriors to me!” As Li Yanchu shouted, his momentum not only undiminished but surged even stronger. The battle spirit around him erupted like a wave, and he brought his saber down again with a mighty overhead strike. The terracotta general responded by lifting his bronze spear in a vicious upward sweep swiftly and aggressively. It was no longer being used as a spear, instead it was being wielded like a blade. Seeing this, Li Yanchu furrowed his brows, and his arm was starting to go numb from the impact. He had clearly underestimated this terracotta general; the opponent’s strength was brutal, and the attacks from the bronze spear were incredibly fast. A hint of confusion stirred in Li Yanchu’s heart. There was something oddly familiar about the general’s fighting style... Meanwhile, a few other terracotta warriors had already clashed with Granny Chang and Bai Hongtu. In this instant, Granny Chang quickly revealed her formidable strength and the razor-sharp fine thread in her hand, and in an instant, she had one of the warriors entangled. With a fierce yank, the warrior was torn to pieces! At that moment, its clay core was revealed. It was indeed not made of living flesh, and just like the others, it crumbled to ash upon hitting the ground. Seeing this, Li Yanchu’s gaze sharpened slightly. “This terracotta general’s combat style... Why does it remind me of Yan Chixiao!?” Yan Chixiao was an exorcist; his physique was strong, his strength was overwhelming, and his ghost-head saber was both fast and deadly. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel(ꜰ)ire.net If they swapped the general’s bronze spear for a thick-backed, thin-edged ghost-head saber, his movements would be identical to Yan Chixiao’s. At this time, Granny Chang said in a low, serious tone, “Exactly! No wonder I found it strange, this warrior lunges in close and attacks with hooked fingers... Isn’t that Old Ghost Wu’s exact fighting style!?” In front of her, one terracotta warrior was exceptionally agile as it deftly weaved through her sharp threads. Each time it struck, its five fingers curved like steel claws, aiming straight for Granny Chang’s heart as if to tear it out. Bai Hongtu shouted loudly, “Then what’s up with the two I’m fighting?!” He had just launched his Flying Sword, which pierced through a terracotta warrior’s chest. The blade had gone clean through sharply and precisely. However, the warrior retaliated by sweeping its bronze spear with overwhelming force, and its sheer momentum made it feel like a massive, heavy weapon. If Bai Hongtu hadn’t activated his golden light body shield, he might have already been injured by a warrior that should have been “ordinary.” Hearing his words, Li Yanchu glanced at him. Seeing that Hongtu, who had already already slipped into his nimble, evasive fighting style, was shouting loudly but actually dodging with finesse, he chose to ignore him. As for the warrior Hongtu was facing, its fighting style was imposing and solemn and clearly resembled Master Huizhen, who wielded a staff to subdue demons. Only a heavy demon-subduing staff could generate that kind of power and momentum! “What in the world is going on here!?” Li Yanchu’s brows furrowed deeply. In this tomb chamber, some terracotta warriors would crumble to ash at a touch, while others somehow possessed the exact combat techniques of fallen exorcists, and even used the demon-subduing staff style of Master Huizhen. Could it be that this entire tomb was alive in some way and capable of copying and recording the fighting styles of exorcists who had appeared within it, then embedding those techniques into these cold, lifeless statues? Or was there an invisible hand behind the scenes, manipulating everything from the shadows? Just then, Li Yanchu’s gaze slowly lifted to the massive black cloud looming in the air above the tomb. From within it emanated a presence of unspeakable horror, enough to send chills down the spine. 1. All Methods Return to the Source 万法归宗 signifies that although the myriad phenomena of the world may vary endlessly in form, their essence or ultimate goal remains unchanged, all ultimately return to the Dao (the Way). In the Daoist context, it refers to the idea that all doctrines, scriptures, ritual systems, schools of practice, moral precepts, and methods of cultivation must ultimately return to and align with faith in the Dao, the cultivation of the Dao, and a sincere aspiration toward the Dao. ☜