Chapter 58: The Expert Strikes Part 2

Old Tang sensed something off about the child. He pinched a piece of Talisman Paper, chanted a low incantation to open his Heavenly Eye, and clearly saw the previously snow-white, tender-skinned six- or seven-year-old face transform into the ghost-like, painted visage of a seventy- or eighty-year-old crone. He shivered and yelled, “Fuck, it really is Ghost Granny! What’s going on? How did she pop out in broad daylight?” Before his words finished, Old Tang felt someone charging out from the house with formidable momentum. His hand gripped the hilt of his Tang Dao. With a crisp clang, the Tang Dao was unsheathed and held horizontally before his chest. Then he saw seven or eight men of varying ages burst out from the house.

Zhang Qingshui turned to face those from the house, flicking her hand to summon the Azure Dragon Vine. She demanded in a low voice, “Who are you people?” As soon as her words fell, three of them charged straight at her. But in the next second, Old Tang was already in front of her, swinging his Tang Dao at the oncoming trio. These three were no slouches; seeing Old Tang draw his weapon, they reached behind their backs and drew their own.

Ghost Granny knew the terror of the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower in Wang Ya’s right hand. With an “Ahh!” of feigned agony, she swung her Cane, leaped into the air, and smashed her Ebony Staff fiercely toward Wang Ya’s flower-pinching right palm.

Wang Ya neither dodged nor evaded. Her right hand still pinched the flower while she gathered Demonic Power in her left palm and slapped toward the Ebony Staff. At the same time, she flicked her flower-pinching right fingers forward, intent on forcibly delivering Ghost Granny’s Yin Soul.

Ghost Granny’s Ebony Staff smashed hard into Wang Ya’s left palm. Vast Demonic Power surged from the palm, shocking her into flying backward and crashing heavily into the wall, cracking the tiles! In the instant her back hit the wall, Wang Ya’s flower-pinching right palm was already thrust before her. Ghost Granny raised her Ebony Staff to block desperately at Wang Ya’s fingertips, preventing the Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower from advancing even an inch.

Wang Ya slowly raised her red-glowing left palm and slapped toward Ghost Granny once more!

Suddenly, she heard a whooshing sound as something shot from the house straight at her, accompanied by an extremely fierce Supreme Yang Gang Qi laced with thunderous force crashing down like lightning. Startled, Wang Ya retreated several steps in a flash, her left palm’s gathered energy slapping toward the incoming gang qi.

Yin and yang energies collided, shaking the air. A “buzz” rang in Wang Ya’s ears as the impact force sent her stumbling back four or five steps. She steadied herself and looked fixedly ahead. There stood an old man who appeared to be in his fifties. His features were utterly ordinary, his face lean and clear, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, his aura overwhelmingly powerful. He gripped a Peach Wood Sword crackling with lightning aura, exuding the vibe of “with this sword in hand, the world is mine.”

The old man had forced Wang Ya back with one strike, resolving Ghost Granny’s crisis. He raised his hand and flung out twelve talismans glowing with divine light, enveloping Wang Ya. Despite his ordinary looks, his move revealed a utterly fierce and domineering aura. The Twelve Heavenly Official Talismans sealed her completely.

Wang Ya was an expert in talismans herself and recognized them at a glance as the Twelve Heavenly Official Talismans. From their glow and circulating energy, she knew they were extraordinary—leagues above the ones she usually drew. Danger closing in, she wanted to retreat but found it too late. The old man had positioned the twelve talismans in the heavenly positions in the blink of an eye, activating their power. The instant Wang Ya identified them and sensed the peril, she saw the Dharma Images of Soaring Snake, Vermilion Bird, **, Gouchen, Azure Dragon, Nobleman, Heavenly Queen, Lunar, Black Tortoise, Grand Chancellor, White Tiger, Sky manifest together, occupying the twelve heavenly positions and locking her down firmly. A world-destroying aura descended upon her!

Fast! It all happened too fast! So fast that Wang Ya didn’t even have time to react!

In that instant, a thought flashed through her mind: In all martial arts under heaven, only speed breaks through; a true expert needs but one move to take a life.

A destructive explosion surged around her, engulfing her. Wang Ya didn’t want to die. The moment she sensed the explosion rising, she condensed her Demonic Power to its utmost and blasted against the oncoming power of the Twelve Heavenly Officials.

A dazzling Yellow Springs Other Shore Flower bloomed to its extreme from her body, releasing torrential Demonic Aura amid flashing red light!

The flower manifested for less than a second before colliding with the power of the Twelve Heavenly Official Talismans!

Wang Ya heard only a massive boom. She felt as if swept into countless chaotic currents, blasted until her vision spun, ears rang incessantly, and she flew backward. She crashed heavily onto the road outside the farmstay. Her internal organs throbbed with numb pain, and a warm surge rose from her throat. When she opened her mouth, it sprayed out, splattering the ground with a bloodstain nearly two feet long.

The old man snorted coldly, gripped his sword—tip aimed at Wang Ya’s brow—and charged out from the house. In almost an instant, he was upon her.

Wang Ya knew she was no match for this old man and couldn’t withstand even one of his sword strikes. Unwilling to wait for death, she could only condense her body’s Demonic Power once more, form seals swiftly, and slap her palm toward the old man.