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Page 177
For the first time, his usually somewhat languid face revealed an undisguised seriousness.
He subconsciously stretched out his right hand, his thumb rapidly calculating on the knuckles of the other four fingers.
As he continued his deductions, the color drained from his face at a visible rate.
He not only foresaw Zhang Chulan's calamity, but also the immense crisis inherent in Biyou Village itself, a crisis capable of devouring everything.
Fine beads of cold sweat even seeped from his forehead.
Those eyes, which were always half-open, suddenly snapped open at that moment, revealing a flash of disbelief, horror, and...fear.
"Tsk, it seems like you can't escape trouble no matter where you go."
He exhaled a long breath, a bitter smile more painful than a grimace appearing on his face:
"First it was Lao Qing, then Lao Zhang... why are they all jumping into this hellhole!"
He looked at Zhang Yunyuan, and the nonchalant attitude that belonged to a sorcerer vanished at this moment, replaced by a solemnity and determination that came from seeing through the secrets of heaven.
"Personally, Zhang Chulan is my friend, and I can't watch him die."
Wang Ye's voice became extremely serious:
"Sir, this place is filled with deathly aura; the calamity is sealed. Once it erupts, it will surely cause widespread destruction. What have the common people done to deserve this calamity?"
He stood up and solemnly performed a Taoist deep bow to Zhang Yunyuan.
"Senior, I saw it."
This village is a doomed place; the situation is already set, and there is no escaping it.
To save innocent lives, and to protect my thoughtless friend, I'll take on this.
Zhang Yunyuan looked at him, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
Wang Ye's answer was both sentimental and righteous.
He nodded. "Remember, the most important thing is to protect yourself."
Only by staying alive can you save others.
"After this matter is over, whether it succeeds or fails, I will owe you a favor, and you can come to me anytime."
After saying that, his figure swayed slightly and disappeared back into the night.
Wang Ye was left alone, standing on the hillside, gazing at the seemingly peaceful village with a furrowed brow.
He knew that a storm powerful enough to overturn the entire world of supernatural beings was about to brew and take shape here. And both of his friends were already deeply involved.
Chapter 211 A Mixed Bag, First Exploration of Biyou Village
The following morning, a special "guest" arrived at the entrance of Biyou Village.
He was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a faded, cheap tracksuit and carrying a worn-out backpack.
His face showed a hint of naivety and unease, like someone just entering society, but his eyes darted around, revealing a cleverness that didn't match his appearance.
Behind him followed a petite girl in an ill-fitting blue jumpsuit. She had delicate features, but her eyes were somewhat vacant as she stared blankly ahead, like an emotionless puppet.
These two were Zhang Chulan and Feng Baobao, who came to "seek refuge" after being exposed to Zhang Yunyuan's "Thousand-Faced Ghost Hand".
"Stop! Who is it?!"
The guards at the village entrance blocked their way, their eyes sharp, scrutinizing, and wary.
Zhang Chulan immediately put on a frightened expression, instinctively shielding Feng Baobao behind him, and forced a fawning smile that looked worse than crying at the two guards.
"Two...two brothers, don't get agitated, we're on the same side, we're on the same side."
As he spoke, he pulled two crumpled cigarettes from his pocket and offered them to him obsequiously.
"My name is Zhang Defu, and this is my younger sister, Zhang Zhaodi."
My brother and I were originally wandering cultivators practicing Qi outside the Great Wall. A few days ago, we accidentally offended a major local sect and were chased by them. We fled all the way here, but we had nowhere else to go..."
His performance was so vivid and moving; he perfectly captured the character's dejection and humility.
When she got emotional, she even managed to squeeze out a few tears.
Zhang Chulan's acting skills are far superior to those of young heartthrobs.
It's such a pity that he doesn't act.
"I've heard...I've heard that Chief Ma of Biyou Village is benevolent and compassionate, teaching without discrimination, and willing to take in us unfortunate people..."
My brother and I are just looking for a place to settle down and a meal. We hope you two brothers can do us a favor.
The two guards exchanged a glance, and one of them snorted and pointed to the half-person-high heart-testing stone at the village entrance.
"You can enter the village, but you have to follow the rules. Put your hands on it first."
"Yes Yes Yes!"
Zhang Chulan nodded repeatedly, then, pulling Feng Baobao along, he shakily placed his hand on the cold stone.
Countless runes lit up instantly on the surface of the stone, enveloping the brother and sister.
On the stone surface, a series of heart-wrenching and tragic scenes, fabricated by Zhang Yunyuan using the Bright Soul Technique, began to appear.
In the story, a country boy with mediocre talent accidentally enters the world of supernatural beings in order to protect his frail and sickly younger sister. However, due to his ignorance of the rules, he offends a powerful and influential family and begins a life of wandering and escape.
The story was so well-crafted that it saddened those who heard it and brought tears to their eyes when they saw it.
Even the two guards, who were used to seeing all sorts of tragic stories, turned their wariness into a hint of sympathy after reading it.
The leader waved his hand, and the light on the Heart-Testing Stone went out.
He looked Zhang Chulan and his sister up and down, his tone softening considerably:
"Go in. Our village chief said that anyone who sincerely wants to live a peaceful life here is welcome."
But if you dare cause trouble inside, well, you'll have to bear the consequences.
"Oh! Thank you so much, brother! Thank you so much, brother!"
Zhang Chulan immediately revealed a look of ecstatic joy, as if he had survived a disaster. He bowed repeatedly to the two of them, and, pulling the still expressionless Feng Baobao along, thanked them profusely as they walked into the village.
The moment Zhang Chulan stepped into the invisible energy field at the village entrance, his expression instantly changed, replaced by a solemn look.
He could clearly feel that the concentration of spiritual energy here was almost liquefied, and every breath felt like swallowing the purest elixir.
The peaceful and tranquil scene in the village, and the heartfelt smiles of satisfaction on the villagers' faces, made him feel uneasy.
It's too perfect, as perfect as a meticulously laid trap.
Just as he was becoming wary, on the other side, a man dressed in a monk's robe and wearing gold-rimmed glasses also sneaked into the village in the same way.
He called himself "Shixin," a traitorous monk expelled from Buddhism, who was hunted down by the righteous sects for practicing some kind of evil Buddhist teaching.
The Heart-Testing Stone also presents scenes filled with bloodshed and slaughter.
But unlike the fear of the others, the monk "Shixin" had an indescribable, almost perverse excitement in his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, the moment he stepped into Biyou Village.
He looked at the strange people in the village, each with their own unique aura, like a hungry glutton seeing a table full of delicacies.
He licked his lips, a gentle yet eerie smile appearing on his face.
This... seems like a nice place.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the village, Zhuge Qing was following Ma Xianhong with great interest.
As he introduced the various magical creations in the village, the two would occasionally engage in heated discussions about the details of a certain formation, as if they had known each other for a long time.
Wang Ye, on the other hand, remained as lazy as ever, following behind the two of them and listening half-heartedly.
His gaze, however, inadvertently swept over every villager who passed by him.
He saw that although the villagers all had smiles on their faces, beneath those smiles lay a faint, suppressed violence and madness.
Although their Qi appears powerful, it is based on a weak foundation and is impure and mixed.
The feeling was like a group of fruits that had been forcibly ripened, looking bright and shiny on the outside, but already rotting inside.
Wang Ye's heart sank little by little.
He knew that Senior Zhang Yunyuan was right.
This seemingly utopian village is actually a powder keg filled with swamp gas.
With just a spark, this place, and everyone here, could be blown to smithereens.
What he needs to do now is to find the fuse before the sparks fall and figure out a way to cut it off without detonating the entire powder keg.
Night fell once again.
Biyou Village remains peaceful and serene.
After a day's work, the villagers gathered in twos and threes, or in the square at the village entrance, listening to Ma Xianhong describe his beautiful vision for the future.
Or perhaps they are enjoying this hard-won peace in their own homes.
Unbeknownst to anyone, beneath this peaceful facade, several undercurrents from different directions had quietly converged.
A storm that will determine the fate of countless people is quietly gathering over this seemingly secluded paradise.
All that's left is a thunderclap.
Chapter 212 Visitors from the Immortal Realm
Ma Xianhong led Zhuge Qing, Wang Ye, and the new guest who called himself "Li Fei" towards the enormous creation that was enough to overturn the entire world of supernatural beings.
When the cultivation furnace, which stood quietly in the center of the underground space, was fully revealed to everyone.
Even someone as proud and arrogant as Zhuge Qing couldn't help but show a hint of extreme shock in his eyes.
The object blended ancient runes with sophisticated modern structures, exuding a timeless sense of oppression, like a silent giant god emerging from mythology.
"Village Chief Ma, this...this is the Body Refinement Furnace?"
Zhuge Qing's voice trembled slightly.
Wang Ye still looked like he hadn't woken up yet, his hands in his pockets, only lazily lifting his eyelids, but in his half-closed eyes, a trace of solemnity that no one noticed flashed.
Ma Xianhong's face once again showed that almost manic pride unique to creators.