As a Saint-stage Witch Doctor, the sorcerer possessed formidable immunity to curses. Within merely two breaths, the black mist shrouding his head dissipated rapidly, and his sanity returned.
Bang!
Guan Ya was the first to strike. Raising her muzzle, she aimed in a split second, and as the trigger was pulled, gunsmoke billowed from the long barrel.
Having just regained his senses, the sorcerer jerked backward violently as though struck across the head with a cudgel. A sharp crack sounded from his forehead as the tough chitin split open, spewing dark green fluids.
Having broken the enemy's defense with a single shot, Guan Ya immediately produced half a vial of diluted Life Essence and gripped it in her palm, ready to inject it at any moment in case an injury was used as a medium to cast a curse.
Fortunately, beside her was a group of trustworthy teammates.
The instant the gunshot echoed, Queen unhooked a silver hoop from her earlobe and hurled it with all her might.
The spinning silver ring collided with the sorcerer, and upon contacting his two-meter-tall burly frame, it rapidly transformed into a ring of water, penetrated his flesh, and tightened viciously.
This restricted his movements effectively, cutting off his subsequent curse.
Seizing the opportunity created by their teammates—and enemies—Li Xianzong and Zhang Yuanqing lunged at the sorcerer in tandem, one from the front and one from behind.
The former held a steel nail in one hand and a butterfly knife in the other, while the latter wielded the Demon-Subduing Pestle in one hand and the Bloodthirsty Blade in the other.
Both carried weapons of the Bewitching Demon class, which possessed innate armor-piercing properties capable of cleaving through tough chitin.
Right then, the sorcerer bound by the water rings dropped to both knees, muttering under his breath.
Whether by coincidence or not, dropping to his knees allowed him to dodge the pincer attack entirely, letting the weapons stab empty air past his left and right ears.
The core skill of a level 4 Witch Doctor—Prayer!
Prayer was a form of witchcraft. Witch Doctors of this rank would typically gather materials and conduct a prayer ritual prior to taking action, reciting unique chants to pray to the great entity looming in the unseen void, beseeching its blessing for smooth success in their endeavors.
When facing an enemy, however, it was impossible to have ample time. The ritual setup could be bypassed entirely, allowing them to pray simply by chanting incantations, though the efficacy would be greatly diminished.
Even so, a Prayer invoked through chanting by a Saint-stage Witch Doctor was more than enough to handle Transcendent-stage foes, completely beyond anything Li Xianzong could achieve relying on an item.
Bang!
With a heave of his arms, the sorcerer shattered the water rings by brute force. Springing up from his kneeling stance, he launched a flying knee strike forward.
Unable to dodge in time, Zhang Yuanqing—who was wearing the Eye of the Insightful—saw through his opponent's action in advance. Hastily retracting the Bloodthirsty Blade, he summoned the red dancing shoes with a thought.
Two entwined wisps of dim red light wrapped around his feet, turning his sneakers into a pair of brand-new, oversized dancing shoes.
Since he couldn't dodge on his own, he would leave it to an item that could.
Under the control of the red dancing shoes, Zhang Yuanqing's right foot kicked upward involuntarily while his torso leaned back, planting his sole squarely against the savagely incoming knee.
Thud!
Under the immense recoil, numbness shot through the sole of his foot, and he flew a short distance, hurtling backward through the air.
Instead of pursuing, the sorcerer spun midair and whipped out a backward kick.
Crack!
Li Xianzong raised his arms to block, only to stumble from the impact.
"All of you shall die!"
The sorcerer's voice was deep and commanding. Raising his cane high, he caused the black gem at its tip to emanate a somber glow.
Everyone present relived the terrifying sensation of having their hearts clutched in an iron grip, on the verge of sudden death at any moment.
Leaning against the wall, Li Chunfeng heard a thud and felt his heart sink. Looking over, he saw Chi'ou collapse to the ground, his pupils dilating.
Frail and depleted of vitality, he could no longer hold out and lost consciousness on the spot.
Yet the most lethal threat was not directed at Chi'ou, but at Li Xianzong, who was currently closest to the sorcerer.
Having unleashed his curse on the group, the sorcerer "flash-stepped" before Li Xianzong, swinging his cane to shatter his skull.
Bang!
A loud gunshot echoed in everyone's ears. The sorcerer jerked backward violently to dodge the bullet.
Yet there was no bullet at all; the gunshot was an auditory hallucination produced by the crew-cut man.
Supporting himself against the wall with one hand, he had pressed his other hand to his lips, perfectly mimicking Guan Ya's gunshot.
Half-crouched, veins bulged across Li Xianzong's contorted face. This Bewitching Demon who had once hunted a Saint erupted with terrifying potential in the face of despair, springing up into a blur that slammed into the sorcerer's chest.
Squelch!
The butterfly knife sank into the sorcerer's abdomen, piercing through the tough chitin.
He had not used the Nail of Curse because that consumable lacked armor-piercing properties.
"Roar!"
The sorcerer let out an enraged bellow. The somber light atop the cane shifted, switching curses.
Li Xianzong grunted as the flesh of his lower abdomen tore open, blood gushing forth.
The sorcerer raised his cane once more, preparing to unleash an area-wide curse.
Bang! A gunshot rang out. This time it was no hallucination, but Guan Ya pulling the trigger.
Leaving afterimages in his wake, the sorcerer evaded the pinpoint shot. Suddenly, the antennae on his forehead twitched, picking up movement from behind.
Whirling around, he torqued his back and shoulders to slash his cane downward with savage force.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the cane was parried by the Bloodthirsty Blade.
*I can't give him the chance to keep casting curses. The attacks have to be linked seamlessly, or we're all done for...*
Having failed his sneak attack, Zhang Yuanqing caught sight of Huode Xingjun charging forward from the corner of his eye. Blazing fire erupted from Huode Xingjun's palms, condensing into a scorching crimson broadsword.
The sorcerer's antennae twitched, detecting the danger.
Without hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing clasped his hands together before his chest. With a thunderous boom, a shockwave enveloped in flames blasted outward in all directions.
The sorcerer's antennae trembled violently, disrupting his precise perception.
At that exact moment, Huode Xingjun arrived. Stamping down hard, he swept the blazing crimson broadsword horizontally.
Splat!
The searing, razor-sharp edge struck squarely along the puncture wound left by the butterfly knife, tearing it wide into a charred, gruesome gash.
The sorcerer let out a furious roar and raised his cane.
Right then, two rings dropped from the sky—one binding his upper torso, the other shackling his feet—interrupting the cast once again.
Bang! Bang!
Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng fired simultaneously, bullets pelting into the sorcerer one after another.
Queen sprinted forward, shouting to Zhang Yuanqing, "Give me the blade!"
Without a second thought, Zhang Yuanqing tossed the Bloodthirsty Blade.
Queen caught it, leaped high, and gripping the yanagiba, drove it viciously toward the sorcerer's skull.
Squelch! The sorcerer tilted his head, and the Bloodthirsty Blade stabbed into his shoulder instead. Rank, thick fluid spattered out, drenching Queen.
Because Queen was locked in close combat with the enemy, Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng ceased fire. Suffering heavy damage, the sorcerer let out a guttural roar, snapped the water rings with his arms, and triggered a curse.
Queen's shoulder burst open, but what splashed forth was not flesh and blood, but crystal-clear water.
Using her abilities as a Water Ghost, she skillfully evaded the curse's backlash.
Queen retreated decisively. Seeing the sorcerer stagger in place rather than give chase, she cried out in delight, "His condition is deteriorating!"
This shout was meant for her teammates as well as the evil faction.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly let out a faint whimper. Her legs went weak, her strength drained, and an itch rose in her throat while her lungs burned like fire, sending her into a fit of violent coughing.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Zhang Yuanqing and Huode Xingjun also clutched their mouths, coughing violently.
Poisoned!
The enemy before them was a Witch Doctor, a master of toxins.
Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng felt a chill in their hearts, decisively pulling their triggers to create an opening for their captain.
At this moment, the members of the evil faction seemed to sense an opportunity. The middle-aged man in the suit donned a pair of brass knuckles and charged at the sorcerer in his polished leather boots.
The emaciated middle-aged man crouched low, his face elongating into that of a rat with thin black whiskers sprouting along his cheeks. The muscles in his legs tore through his trousers, and a tail as thick as a forearm extended from his tailbone.
In the blink of an eye, he morphed into a ratman. Reaching into his inventory with a clawed hand, he produced a pitch-black bamboo tube.
The crew-cut man let out a low roar and wrapped his arms around the house behind him, ripping the entire structure and its foundation straight out of the ground before hurling it toward the sorcerer with all his might.
It was an illusion, of course, but to the sorcerer's perception, mortal peril was bearing down on him.
Instinctively dodging aside, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. An emerald poison needle struck the charred sword wound, quickly melting and seeping into his body.
The combination of illusion and poison needle made for a successful ambush.
Yet as a Saint-stage Witch Doctor, such a meager amount of poison was nothing more than an itch to him.
From the very start of this battle, the evil faction had been completely hard-countered.
Watching from afar, Guan Ya drew inspiration from the chaos and took aim. A pointed rifle bullet struck the back of the sorcerer's head, detonating on impact.
The sorcerer stumbled forward, slamming directly into the suited man's iron fists.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A barrage of iron-fisted blows rained down upon the sorcerer's face and abdomen. Though merely level 2, Bewitching Demons were natural-born combatants, yet the ferocious flurry did not budge the boss in the slightest.
The Wood Demon youth, who had been observing from the sidelines, steadily dragged the poisoned teammates away. Pulling pills from his pocket, he distributed them to Zhang Yuanqing and the other two. "Chew before swallowing."
Saying so, he retrieved an incense stick as thick as a finger from his inventory. "Huode Xingjun, help me light this."
His face pale, Huode Xingjun chewed the pill and rubbed two fingers along the incense. Thin wisps of green smoke drifted up, and a refreshing herbal fragrance flooded their nostrils. He felt his spirits lift, the agony in his throat and lungs easing significantly.
"Wait a little longer, and the poison will be cleared." The Wood Demon youth let Zhang Yuanqing and Queen inhale the incense before quickly stamping it out. "This is a consumable. Every bit used is a bit gone."
*Having a healer on the team really is reassuring...* Zhang Yuanqing mused inwardly, his eyes fixed on the battle ahead.
The sorcerer reached out, clamped his hand around the suited man's neck, and smashed him viciously into the ground.
Crash!
The flagstones shattered, blood oozing from the suited man's mouth and nose.
The ratman hastily provided ranged support, blowing poison needles in rapid succession. Some bounced off the chitinous plating on the sorcerer's body, while others sank into his wounds. Aside from causing sharp pain, they failed to shake the Saint-stage Witch Doctor in the slightest.
His abdomen dripping with blood, Li Xianzong arched his back and closed in like a leopard, driving the Nail of Curse savagely toward the cracked chitin at the back of the sorcerer's head.
That was the wound Guan Ya had blasted open.
With a sickening snap, the sorcerer twisted the suited man's neck, then dropped his hips to evade Li Xianzong's ambush. With his other hand gripping the cane, he whipped it upward.
Smack!
The cane struck Li Xianzong's wrist with brutal force, shattering the arm bone. The Nail of Curse dropped instantly.
Without a change in expression, Li Xianzong flicked his foot to kick the Nail of Curse toward the ratman.
Having done so, he braced himself for the sorcerer's close-quarters counterattack. But just then, a distant gunshot rang out, striking the sorcerer squarely in the chest, punching through his armor and leaving a finger-deep wound.
*The boss's condition has definitely dropped; he can no longer dodge bullets.* Li Xianzong's eyes lit up. Stepping forward, he drove his butterfly knife toward the bullet wound on the left chest.
"Aaargh!"
The blade pierced the heart, and the sorcerer shrieked shrilly, "You imperial hounds will all die...!"
Mustering his final strength, he raised his cane, the black gem at its peak erupting with somber light.
Everyone turned deathly pale as agonizing pain wracked their hearts. Suffocation and agony washed over them like a tidal wave. Enduring three consecutive curses had caused the effects to stack, leaving everyone feeling as though their life was rapidly draining away, teetering on the edge of the grave.
Li Xianzong, Zhang Yuanqing, Queen, and Huode Xingjun felt it most intensely.
Zhang Yuanqing's vision swam with darkness, his mind turning completely blank as he lost the capacity to think.
*It hurts... so much... I'm dying...* Li Chunfeng's face was chalk-white as he stumbled over to the unconscious Chi'ou. Grabbing the straw doll from the ground, he pinched its head between two fingers and squeezed viciously.
The sorcerer stiffened, a layer of black mist enveloping his head as the curse was severed.
Li Xianzong was the first to regain his wits. Ducking low into the sorcerer's embrace, he wrapped his arms around the waist, sinking his hips to tense every muscle in his body, executing an immovable root technique.
"Quick, strike the back of his head!" Li Xianzong roared.
The ratman shoved the Nail of Curse into the bamboo tube, drew a deep breath, and expelled all the air in his lungs in a single burst.
Thwip!
The Nail of Curse pierced cleanly into the fractured wound at the back of the head.
The sorcerer's body froze, his spirit body rapidly dissipating. After standing rigid for several seconds, he crashed to the ground.
*I-It's over...*
Seeing this, everyone felt a tremendous weight lift from their shoulders. Panting heavily as if they had reached the end of an exhausting marathon, overwhelming fatigue surged over them.
At the same time, the Spirit Realm notification chimed in the ears of the Spirit Realm walkers from both factions:
[Ding! You have successfully slain the evil sorcerer. Please claim your rewards immediately and eliminate the opposing faction.]
Instantly, the members of both the evil faction and the orthodox faction scrambled to their feet, their gazes locking onto the cane resting beside the corpse.
Unlike the others, Zhang Yuanqing received a second notification:
[Ding! You have completed the hidden quest—The Greedy Sorcerer (3/3).]
[The Greedy Sorcerer: To usurp the treasures left behind by Yinyang Sanren, he conspired with Squire Zhao and Ruffian Wang of the town to murder Yinyang Sanren's descendant. Yet, aside from a staff imbued with potent curses, he gained nothing.]
[Remarks: You shall remain in the town forever, just like me.]
[Quest Item: Yinyang Robe (Unclaimed)]
Chapter 136