A Night of Desperation

Chapter 326: nights 2

"Thankfully... it avoided the lung lobes and just passed through the gaps. It was the stretching force of the bullet that created an internal cavity; otherwise, the injury wouldn’t have been so severe." Meng Chengshuang shook her head. "I was careless this time; I did not expect the Seven Evil Alliance would dare to employ such high-level experts. The Neurological Technique used was so extensive, it’s not something ordinary people could achieve."

"You mean, besides these two, there were other experts? Sent by the Seven Evil Alliance?" Yu Hong frowned, recalling the person he had just made eye contact with.

That person wearing the Phoenix Silver Mask, judging by the exposed skin on his hands, was definitely not young, most likely an elderly man.

"Definitely, the Mud Doll Sect couldn’t have deployed a Neurological Technique of such scale. This isn’t just a Taboo Technique; the drain on one’s own Daoist Skills is also terrifying." Meng Chengshuang nodded, "But there’s no need to worry now. The Mud Doll Sect has been severely damaged, and what follows is just a simple cleanup operation."

"What about those experts?" Yu Hong asked, surprised.

"The structure of the Seven Evil Alliance is very loose. The opponent likely hired mercenaries with a lot of money from the Mud Doll Sect; they wouldn’t die for the Mud Doll Sect. After all, the core of the Seven Evil Alliance is the Seven Evils Seven Organizations, and within it, the Mud Doll Sect is just a minor power." Meng Chengshuang coughed a few times, then suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood and casually continued.

"Sister, I think you should go and rest.... I’ll keep watch here." Yu Hong said helplessly.

"It’s okay, it’s just a congealed... blood spurt!" Meng Chengshuang bent her head and sprayed out a large cloud of bright red blood mist, her nose and mouth completely muddled, then immediately her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backwards.

Yu Hong supported her with one hand, exhaled a Dao Breath, and instantly sensed extreme weakness throughout her body, with blood vessels blocked by injuries everywhere. If delayed further, she would need emergency ICU care...

After all, with blood vessel blockage and internal organs lacking airflow, they would quickly be deprived of nutrition and oxygen and begin to necrotize.

"Everyone likes to act tough."

Without a word, he picked up this tough woman and headed towards the military convoy where an ambulance was already waiting.

As for those three from the Mud Doll Sect, he was just a regular Dao Seed Disciple. Even if somewhat talented, directly knocking down three Mud Doll Sect senior experts was a bit of an exaggeration.

Relying on the Inheritance Dao Artifact for his previous achievements was already terrifying, doing it one more time would not just be terrifying, but frightening.

After all, compared to that at the beach, here Meng Chengshuang was an Earth Level Dao Artifact holder.

The person who had injured her this badly, his strength must far exceed Vice Sect Master Lin Shan from the beach.

Having transported the casualty to the ambulance,

the fog over the ruins of the township slowly began to dissipate.

The fire blazed fiercely, and the plastic and wood materials in houses released pungent smoke while burning.

At a glance, everything was black and red.

"Elder Brother Zheng Rou, Master’s call." Zheng Xia walked over and handed her cellphone to Yu Hong.

"Why didn’t he call me directly?" Yu Hong took it and asked.

"Your phone wouldn’t connect." Yu Mo’s voice came through from the other end.

Yu Hong quickly fished out, indeed pulling a pack of smashed phone pieces from his pocket; it was clear it had been broken at some unknown time.

"How is the situation?" Yu Mo quickly asked.

"Sister Meng has been taken to the ambulance." Yu Hong replied.

".....even she was injured so badly!?" Yu Mo was shocked, suddenly making a loud noise on the phone, clearly hitting something in surprise.

"How is she? Is she in danger?!"

"She’s alright, just lost a lot of blood, needs to rest, no fatal wounds or anything." Yu Hong answered.

This time he had planned to come and reveal a bit more of his power to solve the issue with the Mud Doll Sect.

Unexpectedly, Meng Chengshuang herself endured the enemy, and the official artillery support was very effective, directly bombing the Array foundations and blasting the two high experts away.

When he arrived, it was basically all over.

"That’s good.... glad to hear, it’s been quite tragic, even Meng Chengshuang got hurt so badly.... if it was just us alone against them, it would be unimaginable…" Yu Mo thought about it and felt chilled.

"About Zheng Hong…" Yu Hong began to explain.

"No need to say, I already know. Zheng Xia and the others reported to me in person, all of us old folks are aware. You did well."

"I didn’t really want this either." Yu Hong sighed, "Why do people always like to act as traitors and disrupt everything?"

"People have their own aspirations; since they chose another path, then let them bear the consequences themselves." Yu Mo scoffed. "For such traitors, if they’re still alive, they should be disciplined according to the rules when they return. I wish I could cut off their limbs and make them example poles to deter others!"

Zheng Hong’s betrayal nearly killed the entire team.

Had it not been for Yu Hong’s sudden burst of strength rising to the challenge, this time their entire Dao Seed Class might have been wiped off.

After a few more words, he hung up the phone, and Yu Hong saw Commander Liu Shanhe approaching.

"Commander Liu." He greeted proactively, "We owe you a lot this time."

"I was just treating a dead horse as if it were alive, following the military Magician’s suggestion for targeted demolition." Liu Shanhe shook his head, "Lucky we gambled right, otherwise…"

He didn’t finish his sentence.

After a pause, he scrutinized Yu Hong who had arrived just in time for support.

"In this round, we’ve almost wiped out all the bases of the Mud Doll Sect. But they have not been eradicated; the Sect Hierarch and the Vice Sect Hierarch are still alive, albeit severely injured, but we need to continue strict monitoring going forward."

"So, this means our Qingchen Temple’s involvement is pretty much concluded?" Yu Hong understood.

The pursuit was handled jointly by the Taoist Sect and the officials.

"Pretty much, we’ll handle the aftermath, there’s still a lot to do here..." Liu Shanhe looked towards the vehicle collecting the corpses, sighing deeply.

Seeing his somber mood, Yu Hong didn’t speak further, turned his head, and looked at the Dao Seed Disciples gathered together talking.

Several Dao Seed Disciples all arrived together, Zheng Ming and Zheng Ying were injured and poisoned, weak and feeble.

Zheng Xia looked tired and haggard, her Daoist robe also had several tears, probably injured by the blast.

Zheng Hong was gone.

There was also Zheng Yun the reserved quiet one, following behind with a pale face. One of his arms drooped powerless at his side, it’s unclear whether it was broken or something else had happened.

Qingchen Temple had mobilized just these few people; the rest were primarily officials and official magicians.

"Taoist Zheng Rou, in the future, if Taizhou faces any tough situations, we may need the Taoist’s substantial assistance," Liu Shanhe said courteously.

"Of course, I am also a part of Taizhou and should naturally assist," Yu Hong stated with resolution.

Pleasantries were of course offered first, but whether or not he would help would depend on the specifics of the situation.

"After this battle, within Qingchen Temple, perhaps Taoist should be regarded as the strongest," Liu Shanhe sighed.

"General Liu flatters me," Yu Hong shook his head.

Not far away, Cheng Shu, Red Snake, and Headless Sword gathered once again, watching as body after body was carried out.

The three of them stood in silence.

After a few minutes of silence, Headless Sword finally spoke softly.

"Are you sure, this isn’t some kind of joke?"

"No one has the time to joke at a time like this," Red Snake answered gravely. "We saw it with our own eyes, Taoist Zheng Rou suddenly appeared next to the Vice Sect Master of the Mud Doll Sect, and with one punch, he was gone."

"That speed... it’s too exaggerated, the strength too. The Techniques were shattered instantly, and the man was thrown dozens of meters away into the sea!" Red Snake still felt tingles down his spine thinking about it.

A difference of over ten meters, a moment, an appearance, then one punch, and the battle was over.

Such an action could already be considered an instant kill.

"If you didn’t have any illusions, then from now on, in the whole of Taizhou, perhaps Zheng Rou will be number one..." Headless Sword spoke again, then looked towards Cheng Shu.

"If what you said is true, does what you said before still stand?"

"Of course it does." Cheng Shu nodded. "Taoist Zheng Rou is very interested in the secret techniques of us wild mages, hoping to exchange with us using the Techniques of his own Sect."

"Qingchen Temple will agree to this?" Red Snake asked.

"Not before, but after today, I guess as long as it’s not a core Technique, there won’t be any problems," Cheng Shu sighed.

It felt like a dream to her now, so unreal.

It had only been a few days, but Zheng Rou had soared to become the top expert of the Taoist Sect in Taizhou.

"Think about it," Cheng Shu said softly. "This is a rare opportunity, you know, it’s only at this stage where Zheng Rou, who hasn’t cultivated for long, is interested in loose cultivator Techniques. It won’t be long before his accumulation catches up and his interest in loose Techniques fades..."

The other two understood her words.

Loose Techniques, though powerful, actually come with severe side effects.

But look at the speed and strength of that Taoist Zheng Rou, others might covet their Techniques.

But this one, perhaps was truly only interested.

*

*

*

One hour later.

Qingchen Temple.

Inside the grand hall, the old Daoists of the Yu generation stood up, welcoming Yu Hong and other Dao Seed Disciples as they crossed the threshold.

Silence.

The old Daoists approached but stopped a few meters away, scrutinizing them closely.

Especially Yu Hong, they looked very intently.

Yu Mo, at the forefront, had a complex expression mixed with a trace of worry.

"Zheng Rou, did you... really win head-on against Lin Shan and Yuan Ming!?"

"It was just luck," Yu Hong revealed an expression of lingering fear, "At that time, my Daoist Magic Techniques had run out of options, utterly defeated, I had no choice but to take a different path and rush forward to deliver a fierce punch while they were unobservant. I didn’t expect it to work!"

He shook his head.

"Thinking back, there was a lot of luck involved. That punch was the peak performance of all my punches, irreproducible! It really felt like heaven and earth were helping me...."

"....." Behind him, Zheng Ming, Zheng Ying, and others had strange expressions on their faces, internally marveling at how thick-skinned Yu Hong was to lie so blatantly in front of so many witnesses without batting an eye.

They intended to clarify but remembering Yu Hong’s ferocious punch that blew up Lin Shan of the Mud Doll Sect, their words retreated to the tip of their tongues.

"No matter the method or approach, you won... that’s the result," Yu Mo shook his head, not addressing those so-called excuses.

"That’s true," Yu Hong quickly nodded.

"Sigh... what Level has your Dao Practice reached now?" Yu Mo asked again.

"I am Condensing the Seventh Layer Horror Shadow," Yu Hong confessed.

The Seventh Layer!!

The surrounding disciples and the old Daoists of the Yu generation all gasped. It hadn’t been long, but he was already starting to challenge the boundary of the Absolute Boundary.

Success in cultivating the Seventh Layer meant crossing the Absolute Boundary, with spiritual power undergoing a fundamental transformation, becoming a Temple Master Level master.

This marked the entry into mastery, the threshold to becoming a true expert!