The berserk Chen Dalu unleashed a ferocious barrage, shaking Yunjiang Tower so violently that it seemed ready to collapse at any moment.
Beneath his feet, the floorboards were blasted into a gaping hole.
As leader of the Five Dragons Gang, Chen Dalu had fought through the martial world for decades and possessed immense combat experience. Knowing how vexing Zhiyuan's Golden Light Incantation was, he had immediately seized on the clever tactic of smashing through the floor to evade it.
No matter how furious he was, Chen Dalu had no desire to clash head-on with Zhiyuan here.
The lower abbey had numerous experts, while his own subordinates had suffered catastrophic casualties. Zhang Shiheng was watching on coldly with no intention of intervening.
Chen Dalu did not trust Zhang Shiheng either. All he wanted now was to slip away as quickly as possible and return to Old Dragon Island.
There, he still had thousands of men and the advantage of treacherous terrain. Even if Zhang Shiheng brought a large army, he could hold out for quite some time. Once he caught his breath, with so many men at his command, he would never let the lower abbey have an easy day!
Chen Dalu had calculated it all clearly. But just as he was about to drop through the hole in the floorboards, Zhiyuan had already reacted, holding a mudra once more to invoke the golden radiance.
The golden light that had been undulating like ripples solidified again, and within it emerged thousands of golden talismans. Forming an orb of radiant light, they enveloped Chen Dalu completely from head to toe.
Chen Dalu sensed disaster. He pushed his Five Elements true qi with everything he had to resist, yet he could not keep out the viscous, crushing golden light.
The incantation talismans condensed from the golden radiance shone with holy brilliance, piercing into Chen Dalu's body like tens of thousands of golden needles, sinking deep into his bones and internal organs, and even plunging into the depths of his sea of consciousness between his brows.
At Chen Dalu's heart, the Five Dragons mother Gu curled into a motionless ball, looking as though it were dead.
The Five Dragons divine aspect coalesced at his glabella was pierced through by myriad rays of golden light, and his mental sea of consciousness was completely filled with magnificent, righteous divine luminescence.
The brilliance of the golden light was so vast that it bound the physical form without, subdued the Gu worms within, and thoroughly suppressed all formless consciousness and soul on the spiritual plane.
Though Zhiyuan was emaciated and withered in stature, in Chen Dalu's eyes he now loomed towering and majestic, like a divine mountain propping up the sky.
Chen Dalu's heart turned icy. He knew that the orthodox arts of the Daoist sects countered all heterodox ways and naturally held the upper hand over his Gu arts. Yet he had never imagined Zhiyuan's Golden Light Incantation would be so formidable. It not only ruthlessly suppressed the Five Dragons mother Gu, but also clamped down on his blood vitality and true qi, and even smothered his very soul, making him feel an involuntary awe toward Zhiyuan.
He knew this was being cowed by the opponent's divine sorcery, not true cowardice or fear of death.
Yet no matter what he tried, he could not resist the Golden Light Incantation, and the fierce malice in his heart was completely snuffed out!
Chen Dalu even felt a pang of despair. If this continued, he would either be crushed to death by Zhiyuan or captured alive.
Regret began to creep in. He had been so fixated on his grand scheme that he had overlooked the immediate peril before him. A blunder—an absolute blunder...
In battles between high-level experts, life and death hung by a thread. To be taken alive by Zhiyuan could only mean that the gap in their strength was immense.
Bound by the Golden Light Incantation, Chen Dalu thought for a moment of fighting to the death; as the proud leader of a gang, even if he died, he should die with dignity. But then he thought again: once a man was dead, everything was lost. By swallowing a moment's humiliation to preserve his life, he would still have the chance to take his revenge in the future.
Distracting thoughts surged and churned in Chen Dalu's mind, throwing him into total disarray.
Whether a martial artist or a cultivator, one required an unshakeable mind to command power. Even though Chen Dalu was a rank six martial artist capable of wielding Gu worms, his scattered focus caused him to lose ground steadily under the pressure of the Golden Light Incantation.
Before long, the incantation runes formed of golden light imprinted themselves deep into Chen Dalu's skin and bones. The golden runes linked together, weaving a tight net of light that bound him layer upon layer.
Even the Five Dragons mother Gu at his chest was sealed tight by the Golden Light Incantation.
At this point, Chen Dalu was thoroughly sealed, left without the slightest ability to resist.
Zhang Shiheng had watched in silence from the side. Only when Chen Dalu was completely subdued did he frown and look toward Zhiyuan. "Master, if you do not have a justifiable reason, I will not simply stand by and watch."
He had stood by earlier out of deference to Zhiyuan, and also to gauge the abilities of both Zhiyuan and Chen Dalu.
In literature there was no definitive first, but in martial prowess there was never a second. Poetry, prose, calligraphy, painting, and music possessed no strict objective standards; they depended mostly on the preferences of superiors and the social climate. Thus, men of letters could only compete in fame, and it was hard to definitively rank top literary giants. Martial artists and cultivators were different: regardless of reputation, the moment they crossed hands, superior and inferior were decided at once.
Chen Dalu enjoyed immense fame in Yunyang Prefecture, praised and flattered by over ten thousand gang members, who in turn influenced countless common folk below them. In sheer momentum, he had even far outshone Zhiyuan. But once blows were exchanged, fame was useless; he was brought down directly by Zhiyuan's Golden Light Incantation.
Zhang Shiheng had seen it clearly from the sidelines: Zhiyuan surely had a powerful magic implement hidden in his sleeve. Even so, Zhiyuan's Golden Light Incantation was genuinely formidable.
Zhiyuan kept a very low profile in Yunyang Prefecture, rarely making public appearances, and virtually no one had seen him fight. Now that he had revealed his true cultivation, it proved to be exceptionally pure and profound.
Zhang Shiheng felt a heavy threat, and his regard for Zhiyuan deepened considerably.
If Zhiyuan could not produce an unassailable, legitimate reason, Zhang Shiheng would definitely tilt the scales to protect Chen Dalu. He would also hold Zhou Wuji accountable for killing the Five Dragons Gang's experts without authorization.
Zhou Wuji's swordsmanship was truly terrifying. In the vast Zhang family, aside from himself and Banshan, no one else could stand against Zhou Wuji. This man was simply too dangerous.
Zhang Shiheng had made up his mind: this time, he would take an uncompromisingly hard stance, even if it meant a complete break with the lower abbey.
However, before making a move, he had to get the matter straight. His position as battalion commander had not come easily; the main clan had exerted enormous effort to let him preside over Yunyang, and he could not afford to make a mistake.
Zhiyuan glanced at Zhang Shiheng and said soberly, "Commander, please wait a moment."
Beside him, Zhishan reached out and seized the bound Chen Dalu. To prevent any escape, Zhishan produced another talisman and slapped it onto Chen Dalu's forehead.
The Seven Stars Demon-Sealing Talisman could suppress not only demons and evil spirits, but also a person's soul, consciousness, and any unusual surges of true qi.
Chen Dalu was completely powerless to resist and could only let Zhishan do as he pleased. The moment the talisman was applied, invisible incantation marks sank deep into Chen Dalu's sea of consciousness like an incorporeal shackle, tightly locking down his thoughts and divine sense.
If Chen Dalu wanted to circulate his true qi or blood vitality, he would have to break through the Seven Stars Demon-Sealing Talisman first before attempting to break the Golden Light Incantation. Suppressed by dual incantations, even the slightest movement on his part would be instantly detected.
Zhang Shiheng merely watched cold-eyed as Zhishan worked. A double layer of talismans would not kill Chen Dalu.
Only then did Zhiyuan speak unhurriedly: "Commander, the Five Dragons Gang erected a private altar and performed blood sacrifices on hundreds of people. Such wicked deeds draw the wrath of both gods and men; the crime is unpardonable!"
Zhang Shiheng's long brows arched. "This is a grave matter. Does Master have proof?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Dalu. He had long known that the Five Dragons Gang secretly conducted blood sacrifices to cultivate their Gu. But sacrificing hundreds of people still shocked him. Chen Dalu's audacity was staggering!
Although Chen Dalu's divine sense was sealed by the talisman, he could still hear and see. Hearing Zhiyuan's words, his heart gave a jolt. Even though his face remained expressionless, the subtle shift in his eyes could not escape experts like Zhiyuan.
Zhang Shiheng cursed inwardly: *What a useless wretch! Committing evil is one thing, but to let others get leverage on you?*
Seeing Zhiyuan's certainty, the Daoist unquestionably possessed evidence. Furthermore, a blood sacrifice of several hundred people inevitably involved all levels of the Five Dragons Gang. Only a massive organization like the Five Dragons Gang could round up so many people. With so many involved, keeping it secret was impossible. Any investigation would expose it.
Behind Zhiyuan stood the Arctic Sect, and above them was the Celestial Master Mansion. A matter of blood sacrifices would reach the ears of the Emperor himself. No matter how much power Zhang Shiheng wielded, he could never protect Chen Dalu. Let this fool bear the consequences of his own misdeeds!
Having spent two or three decades in officialdom, Zhang Shiheng was thoroughly seasoned. He knew immediately that this matter could not be undone; meddling blindly in it would easily drag himself and the Zhang family down with it.
Chen Dalu had only ever been a pawn. Now that he had lost his value, he naturally had to be abandoned at once.
Still, an organization as massive as the Five Dragons Gang needed to be handled properly in Chen Dalu's absence. Even if he could not prop up another leader, he would at least seize the wealth of Chen Dalu and his cronies for himself.
Thoughts raced through Zhang Shiheng's mind, and he had already reached a decision. He said in a deep voice, "A case of such magnitude cannot be decided by Master's word alone. This falls precisely within my jurisdiction; I will take Chen Dalu into custody to investigate thoroughly."
Zhishan and Zhiyuan both nodded slightly. The Daoist sects were responsible for dealing with demons, monsters, ghosts, and heterodox paths. But when mortal affairs were involved, they always had to coordinate with the Pacification Office and relevant imperial authorities. Just as Zhang Shiheng said, this matter fell squarely under the Pacification Office's authority, and it was entirely legitimate for him to take Chen Dalu away.
With ironclad evidence in hand, they were not afraid of Zhang Shiheng playing tricks.
By regulations, Zhang Shiheng had no right to serve as the battalion commander of Yunyang Prefecture's Pacification Office. After all, the Pacification Office was the Emperor's private army; how could prominent regional clans be allowed to insert themselves into it? Yet through whatever means the Zhang family had employed, Zhang Shiheng had stayed firmly in Yunyang Prefecture, controlling the majority of the Pacification Office. It was precisely because of his presence that this branch of the Zhang family in Yunyang Prefecture had grown increasingly brazen.
If Zhang Shiheng dared to shield Chen Dalu, Zhiyuan would welcome it with open arms, using the opportunity to remove Zhang Shiheng as well.
Zhang Shiheng turned to Zhang Yunfeng beside him. "Take Chen Dalu back and interrogate him thoroughly."
"Wait."
While Zhiyuan and Zhishan had no objections, Zhou Wuji did. He suddenly spoke up, interrupting Zhang Shiheng.
Zhang Shiheng was already in a foul mood. Frowning at Zhou Wuji, his gaze turned considerably colder.
He had not yet held Zhou Wuji accountable for slaughtering so many people just moments ago, yet Zhou Wuji dared to speak out of turn. What kind of place was this? Since when was it Zhou Wuji's turn to speak?
Even without employing a visual spirit technique, the spiritual pressure a rank five martial artist exerted was like an invisible spear thrusting fiercely into the soul. Zhou Wuji immediately felt crushing pressure.
In such a contest of wills, Zhou Wuji could only condense his sword intent to resist, but he still inevitably suffered a disadvantage.
Zhiyuan took a step forward, blocking Zhang Shiheng's gaze. He said placidly, "Commander, Wuji hates evil like a deadly enemy; that is why he showed no mercy against the Five Dragons Gang villains. There is no need to take it to heart..."
Zhiyuan did not unleash his dharmic power, but his standing spoke for itself. Not wishing to clash directly with Zhiyuan, Zhang Shiheng promptly reined in his martial intent.
Yet Zhou Wuji seized this opening to slip behind Zhiyuan. Just as Zhang Shiheng withdrew his intent, Zhou Wuji abruptly raised his sword and thrust.
Zhang Shiheng sensed Zhou Wuji's movement, but with Zhiyuan standing between them, even his supreme martial arts were not fast enough to intervene.
He could only sneer. If Zhou Wuji dared to kill Chen Dalu, no one would be able to protect him!
Zhiyuan sensed Zhou Wuji's strike as well, but after weighing the situation, he did not stop him. After everything they had been through, he understood Zhou Wuji quite well. This young man struck with ruthless finality, but he possessed a sharp mind and would never do something foolish—especially not right in front of a battalion commander of the Pacification Office.
Chen Dalu, however, saw it with total clarity: Zhou Wuji's sword was driving straight for his heart. His heart plummeted. This boy was going to kill him!
With a soft *shhk*, the sharp, gleaming blade of the Seven Stars Sword plunged deep into Chen Dalu's chest...
Chapter 102