When the people inside the villa recovered from the sonic vibrations and saw the spider woman already dead by the window,
how had he done it? The official Pilgrim was both stunned and delighted.
The spider woman possessed strong vitality and self-healing abilities—ordinary attacks were ineffective and could only gradually wear her down.
Yet their colleague, a newcomer, had swiftly dispatched her with just a few slashes.
How could such a young person be so powerful…? The two-level Pilgrims were amazed but also puzzled in their minds.
“Excellent! Excellent!” Li Dongze clutched his shoulder, propped up by a walking stick and hidden behind the kitchen area, shouting loudly:
"Guan Ya, fully support Bai Long and Da Ji Ba—don’t worry about anyone else. Yuan Shi, you two work together with the Green Vine Captain to kill that insect creature. Tang Guoqiang, hold on just a bit longer."
Indeed, an excellent scout—clearly orchestrating behind the scenes now.
The residents upstairs—Bai Long, Da Ji Ba—and the Green Vine Captain downstairs were all greatly inspired; if they could only manage to divide their attention further, they would surely praise Yuan Shi Tian Zun’s youthful performance wholeheartedly.
Though a newcomer, his combat strength was nothing short of impressive—he was more dependable than even his own Chief.
Tang Guoqiang, tightly gripping the large snake's tail while being wrapped in its body, sighed with relief and now focused entirely on struggling against the serpent.
Indeed, the Enchantment Demon is born for slaughter… Zhang Yuanqing felt the blood-sucking blade drinking life from the creature and immediately sensed a surge of strength returning to him—his resolve and desire to fight burned fiercely. He dashed straight toward the insect being.
When the blood-sucking blade drinks blood, it drains vital essence from the body and returns it to its owner. The Enchantment Demon also has a similar passive effect—a condition that enhances their stamina and vigor as combat continues.
Guan Ya stepped smoothly past Zhang Yuanqing, brushing by him, and smiled: “Well done.”
As they passed each other, Lao Si Ji switched her magazine and unleashed a stream of bullet bursts down the hallway, creating deep craters in the walls—significantly increasing pressure on the Unimpeded.
Unimpeded scanned the scene downstairs, didn’t bother to address the large snake, and called out to his fellow:
“Come up and help!”
The official Pilgrims were splitting the battlefield, aiming to defeat foes one by one—this was precisely what Unimpeded had planned, though the swift death of the spider woman had disrupted their momentum.
At this moment, they could no longer act independently.
As for why he hadn’t descended himself—the floor below was overcrowded with official Pilgrims; if he went down, both the Fire Master and Water Spirit would follow, placing him deep within enemy territory.
On hearing the call, the insect being bent its knees, extended one leg—cracking the tiles—and launched itself upward like a high-speed vehicle, crashing into the elegant lady in her silk dress.
Zhang Yuanqing, who had just been approaching, quickly drew out his willow blade and opened his arms to receive the flying woman.
But he underestimated the force of this impact—the two bodies collided with a loud crack, rolling together until they came to rest beneath a glass cabinet behind the television—where Zhang Yuanqing could faintly hear the sound of his bones nearing fracture and felt his heart momentarily stop.
The insect being rose from the crash in midair, opening its sheath wings that vibrated like delicate membranes, creating a powerful gust of wind.
Lying in Zhang Yuanqing’s arms, the Green Vine Captain reached out with one arm and flung a vine into the air—its brown stalk soared, wrapping tightly around the insect’s ankles and suspending it mid-air like a kite.
How strong is this Wood Demon? Zhang Yuanqing couldn’t help but observe this woman whose age was indistinct—only to notice that during the collision, her chest buttons had come loose, one corner of her collar now flapping open—revealing a dark lace trim and a soft, snowy arc beneath, creating an intense visual impression.
The Green Vine Captain, her collar undone… Zhang Yuanqing silently reminded himself, stepping back—he was still young, never to be seen watching such intimate moments.
“Burn off his wings!”
With all of her strength pressed against Zhang Yuanqing’s chest, the Green Vine Captain held firm with arms tensed and locked.
At the sound of this command, both Fire Masters instantly opened their mouths, taking deep breaths—then at the insect’s crotch, two sharp “pff” sounds emerged as a dark yellow gas erupted, enveloping the two below.
The two muscular men suddenly stiffened like they’d drunk fake wine—then staggered and fell to the floor, foaming at the mouth.
Zhang Yuanqing, still some distance away, immediately detected a sharp, slightly sour odor that stung his tongue—his speech momentarily paralyzed—and quickly held his breath as the pills he had been holding in his mouth began to take effect, neutralizing the mild toxin.
The insect struggled for a moment, then couldn’t free itself from the vine—seeming suddenly aware of something—lowering his gaze to inspect his ankles—the moment after, his lower legs collapsed into a swirling stream of water.
The vine could no longer hold the flowing water—it fell slack and powerless.
By instinct, the Green Vine Captain slammed hard into Zhang Yuanqing’s chest—her face pale: “Oh no…”
Suddenly, as she had just been moving toward the second floor to assist Unimpeded, the insect paused mid-air, seemingly engaging in a mental battle with the very air around him.
The Green Vine Captain swiftly turned her head and saw the boy's eyes filled with dark, viscous substance—she immediately recognized it: magic!
Without hesitation, she once again flung out the vine, securing the insect’s ankles.
By instinct, the insect reconfigured its upper body into flowing water—the Green Vine Captain cried:
“Now!”
The two Earth Oddities moved in unison—both knelt on one knee, pressing palms to the ground—causing the living room floor to crack open and mud surge through the tiles, engulfing the insect.
Earth’s sand manipulation, Water Spirit’s water control, and Fire Master’s fire control—all skills learned at level two, the hallmarks of these three core professions.
The insect fell from the sky—he now had nothing below his knees—only a murky, struggling mass of mud attempting to return to form—but hindered by the embedded sand, unable to reconstitute itself.
Earth overcomes Water.
Seizing this opportunity, the Green Vine Captain twisted her body sharply and launched herself into motion—running swiftly, leaping, then kneeling down to press firmly onto the insect’s body.
At that moment, both Earth Oddities and Wood Demons surged forward, clamping onto the insect’s hands and feet.
The Green Vine Captain pulled her right arm back, straightened her chest, and with a rigid posture resembling a drawn bow, delivered powerful downward punches.
A man drunk in wine could hardly match this level of force.
Crack! Crack! Crack… Each punch landed with heavy impact—the insect’s head shattered into fragments—white brain tissue and bright red blood splattered across the floor—and accompanied by an oily green stench.
Another fallen—one more confirmed victory. Zhang Yuanqing felt a surge of joy.
The enemy had lost two monsters while the official side only suffered one level-three Scout, two Fire Masters—the battle balance clearly now favored the officials.
Though it was a close call, it wasn’t serious—no need to use my reserves!
Just as this thought formed, Zhang Yuanqing noticed a dark silhouette flying past his vision—like a cannonball—hitting directly into the elegant form of the Green Vine Captain.
That was Tang Guoqiang, wearing the Miner’s Hat—the two were thrown together and tumbled across the path, knocking over furniture in their wake.
“Pff… Ah!” The Green Vine Captain gasped, her face pale—spewing a large pool of blood.
What on earth? Is the construction foreman unable to withstand the giant serpent? Zhang Yuanqing was just thinking this when he suddenly felt an itch in his throat—a sharp, dry cough that intensified—he then felt sudden numbness and stiffness in his arms and legs—as though fat lactic acid had accumulated from intense exertion.
His legs weakened—his knees gave way—and he collapsed to the ground—completely unaware of what had happened.
At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing heard Guan Ya softly exhale—a sound like a sigh—then lean against a pillar, slowly sinking into her seat.
Almost simultaneously, in the open kitchen, Li Dongze; at the insect’s corpse; four elite members near the wall; and Tang Guoqiang and the Green Vine Captain—all exhibited varying degrees of coughing and showed signs of exhaustion.
The large snake that had thrown Tang Guoqiang—now with its tail weary and drooping by the second-floor railing—also seemed affected.
“We’re poisoned… cough, cough…”
The Green Vine Captain’s face was now ashen.
Poisoned? When did this happen? Zhang Yuanqing felt a deep sense of concern—before this moment, he had been completely unaware of any bodily discomfort. As a vibrant Night Wandering Deity, if toxins entered his body, he would have sensed it instantly.
Moreover, the Wood Demons from the Baihua Association possess life-based skills that make them especially sensitive to such substances.
Yet clearly—Guan Ya and two other Wood Demons—including the Green Vine Captain—had not noticed any abnormal symptoms.
“Crack!”
The second-floor railing snapped—the racing suit-wearing Bai Long tumbled down, along with her black long blade.
Then a flame drifted downward—a sudden expansion—and formed into a hunched figure struggling to keep upright—none other than Da Ji Ba.
He bore severe penetrating wounds across his abdomen—large streams of blood oozed from him—he could barely manage to cover them—with deep red claw marks streaking all over his robust frame.
The two Captains looked worn and weak—their hands and feet trembling, their limbs soft and uncooperative.
A tall figure leapt down from the second floor—its impact shaking the ground.
Unimpeded’s scales were cracked with blood seeping through—he quickly dashed toward Da Ji Ba.
With a sharp knee lift, he launched himself into the air—and delivered a powerful kick that resembled an upward-sweeping long blade.
This strike would shatter the third-level Fire Master’s jaw like a watermelon.
In this urgent moment, the healing specialist—the Green Vine Captain—still had a fraction of strength and immediately used her vine to wrap around Tang Guoqiang’s ankle, then propelled him forcefully toward Unimpeded.
Unimpeded changed his kick into a whip-like motion.
Crack! Tang Guoqiang soared through the air like a football.
Clearly, during this battle, Unimpeded had developed resentment against Da Ji Ba—and ignored Tang Guoqiang entirely, advancing with determined steps to strike down his rival.
The Captains watched helplessly as their colleague fell—utterly helpless.
At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing—the one whose recovery ability was astonishing—gathered a burst of strength, staggered forward, and caught the flying Tang Guoqiang in his arms, placing him firmly in front of Da Ji Ba—as a shield against the advancing assault.
Crack! Crack! Crack… Unimpeded’s punches rained down continuously upon Tang Guoqiang.
Zhang Yuanqing held up this “shield,” retreating step by step.
“You’re being quite overbearing…” Tang Guoqiang said between gasps and coughs.
He was tough—could withstand several blows—but the experience was far from pleasant.
“Excuse me,” Zhang Yuanqing explained, “I’m acting under emergency protection.”
As he spoke, both he and Tang Guoqiang were swept off their feet by a powerful whip strike.
“Stubborn resistance!” He turned to survey the now motionless official Pilgrims, opening his fierce mouth and speaking with confidence:
“I’ve never claimed that my support lies in these three fools—how could they possibly defeat fifteen official Pilgrims? Even after I’ve modified them, it wouldn’t be enough.
“Hah! They are merely distractions designed to confuse you—all the real power comes from my secret prop—it emits odorless, tasteless toxins that affect even a Sage-level Pilgrim.
“And yet, it has limitations—must be in a sealed space—and must have sufficient time to develop its effect. I’ve said this before—I’ve prepared a feast of slaughter for you all—do you like it?”
Li Dongze, the Green Vine Captain, and Bai Long—all their faces now pale.
They realized that from the very moment they entered the villa—their own strategic position had been set—and now they were clearly ensnared in a well-planned trap.
The two-level Pilgrims exchanged glances—filled with despair.
Unimpeded looked at Zhang Yuanqing, his gaze lingering on the blood-sucking blade strapped to his waist—he said:
“This isn’t Ou Xiangrong’s prop, is it? I’ve been eager for it since Ou Xiangrong passed away—I thought it would never be available again—now here it is, right in front of me.”
He then looked at Tang Guoqiang’s Miner’s Hat, Bai Long’s black long blade, Guan Ya’s pistol, the Green Vine Captain’s vine, and Li Dongze’s walking stick.
“Such a rich harvest indeed,” he said—nodding. “My boss was right—killing people and seizing treasures is the path to wealth. As a token of appreciation for your generosity, I’ll give you all a good, satisfying end. Yes—I’ll let the three of you go.”
His amber eyes swept over Guan Ya, the Green Vine Captain, and Bai Long—one by one—repeatedly assessing their curves—the evil Wu Gu Master couldn’t conceal his desires—he chuckled softly:
“I will transform your bodies—strip away your rationality—and make you into mere mother-beasts who only know how to arch their butts and kneel before me.”
The Green Vine Captain’s face changed—it would have been better if she had simply chosen death.
“Hmph!” Bai Long expelled a spray of blood, raised her eyebrows with a sneer: “Then when it comes time—I’ll make certain you don’t forget to bite off my very life-force.”
As Unimpeded spoke, Guan Ya—previously unafraid of death—slowly shivered, feeling nausea and deep fear.
She turned sharply toward Zhang Yuanqing—with a quiet flicker of hope in her eyes.
She knew that Yuan Shi had one special rule-type prop.
He hadn’t yet revealed it—he was clearly still holding back. And if any among them could turn the tide now—she believed it would be him.
Most of the Evil Organization members are villains so thoroughly evil that even dying a hundred times wouldn’t make them any less significant… Zhang Yuanqing stretched his lips, meeting Guan Ya’s gaze, and with effort propped up his weary limbs to rise from his seat, summoning the red veil from his inventory.
After careful thought, only the Ghost Bride could swiftly defeat this foe.
He didn’t want to use his reserve strength too early—but once it came time to deploy it, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“Hmm?” Unimpeded spoke with arrogance on the surface, yet remained vigilant, constantly observing the movements of the official Pilgrims.
He immediately turned his attention toward Zhang Yuanqing and then settled his gaze upon the red veil embroidered with golden thread in his hands.
Unimpeded’s reaction prompted several title leaders to turn their heads and glance at Zhang Yuanqing, especially when he raised the veil high above his head.
What on earth was this? Did he still have more tools up his sleeve? The Green Vine, Bai Long, Da Ji Ba—all of them were both puzzled and full of anticipation.
Li Dongze and Guan Ya, however, looked visibly startled and disappointed—the items Yuan Shi had brought forth fell far short of what they had anticipated.
Zhang Yuanqing met Unimpeded’s eyes with a strange smile and asked:
“Would you like to experience being the groom?”
The Cat King Speaker nestled in his waistband emitted a few crackling sounds, then sounded out an intense, mournful set of suona music:
“She was smiling while weeping—can you guess how she smiled while weeping? And then wept as she smiled….”
The suona melody rang out strangely, hauntingly fierce, and piercing.
Huh! With a sudden movement, he unfolded the red veil and, in the midst of everyone’s bewilderment, draped it over his own head.
……