CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 380 WITCH GU FIGHTING

"Hmm?"

A sudden sight of a black mass of crows taking flight startled even Hu Ma. He hadn’t expected the gu to invade as soon as the red lantern was taken down. Hurriedly stepping back, he didn’t forget to reach out for Zhou Datong, who had just leaped off the archway, fearing Zhou Datong couldn’t escape in time. But his grab missed. Zhou Datong had jumped down and dashed into the valley without a moment’s hesitation, running even faster than Hu Ma himself, needing no reminder.

"He really saves me the trouble..."

Hu Ma marveled, but he also focused his gaze, remaining vigilant and not daring to relax.

His current Shousui abilities were by no means weak. However, seeing as these demonic entities had managed to poison even Mine Chief Zhuang, a Shousui man of the Five Organs realm, to such a state, he had no intention of personally testing their limits.

"The rotten crow gu!"

As they retreated, just as that black, oppressive shadow was about to flap its way into the valley, a low shout came from the hut, "Nengneng, you handle this!"

Following the voice from the hut, Wuya and Nengneng, who had both initially moved to confront the rotten crows, saw Wuya immediately step back. The Witch boy named Nengneng, however, drew a waist drum from his belt, positioned himself before the flock of rotten crows, and suddenly began to beat it.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

The drumbeats were muffled and strange, each strike accompanied by a deep, heavy rhythm.

The flock of rotten crows, flapping chaotically in the air, looked as if they were about to surge into the valley. But upon hearing the drumbeats, they suddenly fell into disarray, bumping into one another. Damp, messy feathers flew everywhere.

It seemed that once the drumming started, they couldn’t find the way into the valley. They could only circle aimlessly outside, continually colliding and, one by one, falling to the ground.

The more they failed to enter, the more agitated and rapid their flight became. Inside the valley, Nengneng beat his waist drum with increasing force, his pale face flushing crimson.

The people in the valley, who had initially been positioned at its edge, all retreated. However, upon seeing this miraculous sight—the crow flock seemingly blocked and posing no immediate danger—they didn’t flee directly back to their rooms. Instead, they stood about three to four zhang from the valley’s edge, watching blankly.

They watched as the crow flock, initially halted, began to fall to the ground in increasing numbers. It was as if they were inherently dead things, capable of occasionally leaping up to harm people, or, like now, flying as if alive.

But their stamina was ultimately limited. The longer it dragged on, the less they were able to fly.

This was precisely the method the Witch boy Nengneng used to hold back the crow flock. As long as they weren’t allowed to rush in, he could dispel this gu once a certain amount of time had passed.

Unexpectedly, as the crows outside dropped to the ground one after another, the drumbeat grew slightly hoarse. Just then, two or three crows suddenly slipped through an opening, flapping erratically into the valley, their rotting claws reaching for Zhao Zhu’s face.

Zhao Zhu couldn’t be blamed for this. Although he usually appeared honest and unassuming, when it came to taking action, he was always the type to silently grab a pitchfork and charge to the front.

Seeing the strange happenings in the valley, he had positioned himself right beside Hu Ma, even a bit ahead, his eyes wide as he watched, eager to help. He hadn’t expected the crows to fly towards him.

He wasn’t afraid, though. He grabbed his pitchfork, ready to thrust it.

But Hu Ma frowned, seeing that Zhao Zhu’s movements were already too slow. Even if he managed to skewer one, he would still be hit. So, Hu Ma stepped forward and, with a sudden tug, pulled Zhao Zhu behind him.

He then spun around, raised a single palm—his five fingers resting lightly on his ribs—and then his tongue unleashed a clap of spring thunder, his three organs vibrating in unison.

"HAH!"

The rotten crows that had rushed in seemed to collide head-on with an invisible wall of air and instantly exploded.

Even the flesh, blood, and scattered feathers from their exploding bodies were carried by the air current stirred by Hu Ma’s shout, blown out of the valley, and splattered all over the ground.

"WHOOSH!"

Witnessing this, the surrounding people all showed expressions of shock and suspicion as they looked towards Hu Ma. Nengneng, in particular, who had been beating his waist drum until his face was crimson and blood was about to seep from his Seven Apertures, stared at Hu Ma, utterly dumbfounded.

He had worked so painstakingly to tame the gu, and this person shattered them with a single shout?

He vaguely felt that this manager sent down from the Red Lantern Society seemed to possess abilities far more formidable than he had imagined.

No wonder Old Master Qingyi and Red Lantern Lady were defeated so easily back then, all their enterprises swallowed up. Just look at the kind of talent these people have under them...

"Witchcraft is truly bizarre and terrifying," Hu Ma said, meeting the crowd’s gaze. He patted Zhao Zhu’s shoulder, smoothing out the wrinkles he had made in his shirt, smiled, and continued, "However, our Shousui men’s skills, when facing Witchcraft, probably have a little bit of use, right?"

"Not just a little, it’s quite formidable..." The crowd stirred. The eyes of the nearby Meat Cutting workers were filled with extremely complex emotions. They only dared to agree in their hearts; no one dared to say it out loud.

In the valley, the first to submit to Hu Ma was Zhuang Erchang. After all, he had sparred with Hu Ma and knew his profound expertise; even at his peak, he wouldn’t be Hu Ma’s rival.

Because he couldn’t compete against the young Hu Ma, he also developed a great reverence for the mysterious "Old Yin Mountain Second Master Zhou" behind him. After all, if the disciple was this formidable, how strong must the master be?

He must be at least a Shousui man who has entered the Prefecture, right?

Shousui men value lineage; the master and heritage behind them are also part of their influence and cannot be ignored.

As for Zhuang Erchang’s apprentices and the Meat Cutting workers, they had only thought Zhuang Erchang lost the spar because he was afflicted by a gu, so they didn’t hold much reverence for Hu Ma. But now, witnessing this scene, they were truly shaken, and their opinions were slowly, involuntarily changing.

Old Zhuang, a single rotten crow managed to harm you like that. This man faced three rotten crows, and with a low shout, he made them vanish, blood and bone. This really makes you look a bit inadequate...

"The Shousui Path is renowned in the jianghu for its true skills. We Witches have always admired it; no one has ever dared to underestimate it," the Wugong Clan Chief in the hut also said in a low voice. "But what Wu Song uses to seal the valley is his Twelve Paizi Formation, which means there are twelve types of gu he can command. You must be extremely careful..."

There are eleven more?

The faint comfort that had just begun to settle in their hearts was shattered by these words, and their thoughts turned heavy once more. Just then, they suddenly heard the sound of scales rubbing against dry leaves from outside the valley. Simultaneously, they smelled a fishy, foul odor, and a feeling of dizziness and confusion washed over them.

"Hmm?"

Just as they were about to turn back into the valley, everyone was startled and hurriedly turned their heads to look.

Then, they clearly saw the grass outside the valley swaying, as if something was slithering through. Wherever it passed, the lush green grass actually curled up and withered, showing signs of turning gray and dim. It was approaching the valley, getting closer and closer.

"Life-eating Gu!" the Wugong Clan Chief’s voice from the hut held a hint of alarm as he called out, "Wuya."

The young woman, Wuya, who had been standing guard by the hut, had been vigilant all along. Hearing his words, she hurriedly stepped forward, took the basket from her back, and opened the lid. Instantly, a snake, entirely emerald green, slithered out.

Hu Ma had seen it in the forest before; Wuya had once used it to gather medicinal herbs. This snake seemed to have a bit of acrophobia.

Now released from the basket, this green snake also raised its head, full of fighting spirit, and slithered towards the outside of the village. It swiftly arrived beside the large patch of withered grass. Hissing, it engaged in a struggle with something. Only then did everyone see clearly that it was a white snake, as thick as a wrist.

The two snakes coiled their bodies, entangling and biting each other. They tumbled and rolled outside the valley, fighting incessantly. The onlookers, merely watching, found themselves swaying unsteadily.

When the white snake gained the upper hand, they felt their noses and mouths fill with a fishy stench, making them dizzy and muddle-headed, as if their bodies were out of control and they were about to faint. When the green snake gained the upper hand, this fishy stench would recede slightly.

It was as if the moment the white snake approached the valley, everyone would be affected.

Hu Ma, being a Shousui man, was relatively fine. He frowned slightly and suppressed the discomfort. Some of the Meat Cutting workers beside him, however, had already turned pale, and their bodies were beginning to tremble.

They didn’t understand the situation and dared not speak at this moment, fearing the fishy stench would pour in through their mouths. They could only stare blankly as the two snakes fought.

Finally, after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the white snake suddenly went limp during the struggle. The green snake seized the opportunity, bit its head, and then, bit by bit, swallowed the white snake whole into its belly.

It was only then that everyone felt the pervasive fishy stench suddenly and completely recede. Dazed, they felt as if they had just woken from a long dream, unsure of what had just happened.

Over there, Wuya squatted down and guided the green snake, now clearly more than twice its original size, back into her basket. Her snake had won the fight, but looking at her, there seemed to be little joy on her face.

"Wuya won against Wu Song’s Life-eating Gu. He probably won’t make a move again so soon," the Wugong Clan Chief in the hut said in a low voice. "But Wuya’s victory was also a fluke. Her green snake and Wu Song’s white snake were originally twin-born from the same egg, both excellent materials for gu refining. Wu Song, deferring to his younger sister, took the weaker one and gave the green snake to Wuya.

"Otherwise, Wuya could not have defeated him."

"..."

Hearing this, everyone was even more astonished. They all looked at Wuya, causing the girl’s expression to become even more downcast as she lowered her head.

Now, she looked nothing like the clever and adorable girl they had first met.

It’s probably not just that he let her have a snake. When they started fighting just now, the white snake clearly had the upper hand but suddenly stopped moving. Perhaps it sensed something and voluntarily conceded defeat...

Hearing this, others couldn’t help but think, vaguely feeling that perhaps that elder brother truly doted on his younger sister.

"However, to better refine these two snakes, he later went so far as to kill a pair of twin sisters in the village, using their lives to nurture the gu nature," the Wugong Clan Chief sighed softly and said. "That is Wu Song. Not only did he commit sins himself, but he also had to drag Wuya down with him. It was also because of this incident that we decided to expel him from the village back then."