CHAPTER 472: CHAPTER 466 TIME TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS

SWISH...

Shima Town, recently shrouded in deep night and utterly dark, now saw more and more lanterns light up, one by one, like resurrecting red dragons, bringing the town and its inhabitants back to the human world.

The townsfolk on the long street felt as if they were waking from a heavy and uncomfortable dream. However, as they slowly opened their eyes, they saw the Divine Platform moving once again. The Lantern Festival resumed, its atmosphere even more enthusiastic than before.

The red lanterns on the platform emitted a faint red light. Unlike before, it seemed as if countless deities were now protecting them. The vivid red light dispelled the town’s gloom.

Standing at the four corners of the Divine Platform, the Magic King appeared more solemn than before, sprinkling drops of sweet dew toward the surrounding townsfolk.

The sound of gongs and drums resounded once more; prayers and chanting filled the air again.

The liveliness returned to this street, and so did the human presence.

The largest and most bustling Lantern Festival in history began on this street. It seemed to bring things long lost to this world back to the people.

...

...

Outside the town, however, it was eerie and terrifying. Countless figures flashed chaotically, rushing out of Shima Town from all directions. They made strange cries, filled with demonic aura, as they rushed forward to meet the various Hall Officers approaching the town with unfriendly expressions.

The pressure from the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer’s physical presence, while significant, was unlike the mysterious and terrifying power Young Master Meng had displayed. He mounted the Tiger Skin Louse-Headed Horse and led the Iron Armor Warriors behind him, their speed increasing as they charged ahead.

From afar, one could only hear the sound of falling rocks, like an earthquake destroying everything, drawing closer.

In other places, four small Hall Officers also led their men forward. Their shouts shook the sky, and their murderous aura was overwhelming, putting the town in jeopardy.

"Short, big-headed Tie Jun old man, don’t be arrogant..."

But facing this terrifying momentum, the demon people of the Not Eating Beef Sect emerged from within the town to greet them. They all exuded an evil aura. Swiftly approaching from the forest, they called out loudly before even confronting them directly.

A giant, twice the size of an ordinary person, holding a Single-Horned Spear, stepped out from among them, shouting fiercely, his mouth spewing foul language, "Junior Brothers, move aside! Let me, the East Sea Giant Spirit God, face him. I’ve been fighting this Shousui Grand Hall Officer for a long time."

"We won’t bully him; let’s follow the jianghu rules..."

"..."

As he shouted, his body seemed to swell continuously, and a rolling soul light appeared above his head. Suddenly, he took a deep breath. It seemed as if he swallowed all the air within a ten-yard radius into his stomach before raising his enormous weapon above his head.

SWISH...

As he smashed down with force, a storm erupted around, far beyond just targeting the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer. It seemed powerful enough to smash even the Iron Armor Guards beside the Grand Hall Officer into meat pulp.

"HMPH!"

Facing this powerful attack, the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer’s face darkened. He rode on his horse, ignoring the demon’s foul language without even a glance.

He lifted his large saber effortlessly, and with a loud BANG, the saber collided with the One-legged Copper Spear held by the giant man. The impact, seemingly small, sent the One-legged Copper Spear flying into the air.

The giant was also sent flying instantly, tumbling through the air and breaking a tree with a trunk as thick as a man could embrace.

"My goodness..."

The giant man rolled on the ground twice more before he sat up. He wiped his face, showing no signs of exhaustion or redness, then picked up his weapon from the ground. He pointed at the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer and shouted, "Junior Brothers, I’ve tested this Big Head Ghost’s skill for you!"

"Against these lackeys of the Ten Surnames, there’s no need for rules! Let’s go together and kill him, and that’ll be the end of it..."

"..."

HEH...

Yet, the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer never glanced at him, nor did he slow his horse. After sending the giant flying with a single strike, he continued charging forward. But suddenly, from his horse, strange hooked iron chains extended, aiming straight for the giant man’s neck.

Just as the giant man was about to be entangled by the neck and pulled from his horse, a petite girl suddenly flipped down from a nearby tree. She intercepted the hooks with her small hands, sending them flying back.

She giggled, saying, "I knew Junior Brother Peng couldn’t handle it. You’ve been dueling the Li family of the ghost gate all these years; your skills for dealing with living people have fallen behind!"

With her laughter, figures continuously emerged from the nearby trees and the depths of the forest. Some stood by, watching the spectacle and laughing eerily. Others stood on nearby branches, flicked their sleeves forward, and performed some unknown dharma method.

WHOOSH...

At that moment, the surroundings suddenly turned into a storm of flying sand and gravel, covered in dark clouds. The strange horse under the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer was mighty and marvelous, and the fierce Iron Armor Guards following him showed no fear in the face of these demon people.

But at this moment, they couldn’t help but rein in their steeds. Some even covered their mounts’ eyes. Looking ahead, they couldn’t help but show surprise.

They suddenly saw that the path ahead, which had been a gentle slope in the mountains and an easy ride across, had inexplicably turned into a cliff, full of strange rocks and sinister clouds. The wailing of ghosts could be heard.

The horses were startled, not daring to charge across the massive chasm. The Iron Armor Guards on their backs frowned, trying to see through the illusion but perceiving nothing.

If they could see through the illusion, it was an illusion. If not, it was real.

WHOOSH...

At that moment, from alongside the cliff, accompanied by strange laughter, Evil Ghosts crawled out one by one. They grabbed at the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer and the Iron Armor Guards behind him, sinisterly attempting to pull them all into the abyss.

The charging small Hall Officers were all shocked and halted, not daring to act rashly.

On the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer’s side, the Iron Armor Guards and their mounts saw the rolling black smoke ahead transform into a treacherous cliff, with countless Ghost Hand Vines extending from the precipice. They showed signs of panic, and their formation destabilized.

The Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer, however, merely furrowed his brow. He regarded the cliff and ghosts as if they were nothing and instead suddenly inhaled deeply.

The next moment, he shouted fiercely, exhaling a gust of wind so powerful it seemed to turn day into night, blowing sand and stones into the air. The world became a blur, and countless surrounding trees snapped under the force.

The massive cliff ahead, the ghost qi reaching from it, and the spectral mist shrouding the mountains were all blown away by this single breath. Faintly, it seemed as if even the mountain peak before them had been blown to collapse.

Amidst the haze, countless figures of demon people could be seen being swept away by the wind, accompanied by strange cries and bewildered, frantic voices.

Once the fierce wind passed, the area ahead was clean, nearly devoid of stones. There were no cliffs or dangerous peaks, just a meandering path through the forest leading directly to the town.

But in front of this path stood three figures: one standing with hands behind his back, one in a half-squatting position, and one hanging from a tree with one hand.

Among them, the one standing in the center was the Leader of the opera troupe, his face still smeared with greasepaint. The half-squatting one was a straw-hatted man, and the one hanging from the tree was the girl who had acted earlier. It seemed only these three had been able to withstand that furious gust of wind.

"After all, we’re old acquaintances..."

Facing the Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer, the Leader of the opera troupe appeared quite composed, smiling as he said, "Old Brother Tie Jun, why so rude? Meeting face to face without even saying hello? Have you no interest in greeting an old acquaintance?"

"You are demon people of the Not Eating Beef Sect, and I am a Hall Officer of the Zhou Family, overseeing the West Ridge Road."

The Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer, seeing them, slowly raised his hand, signaling his men to stop. Still on horseback, he sighed lowly and said, "We each serve our own master now. What is there to say?"

"Or do you think your trick door’s little games can get the better of my Shousui skills?"

"..."

The Leader of the opera troupe, Jin Chen, laughed, "They all say Shousui subdues the trick door. It’s hardly new for you to make such arrogant claims before my trick door. But even if the trick door cannot hold you, do you also look down upon the Not Eating Beef Sect?"

The Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer, hearing this, suddenly fell silent. Clearly, even he could not claim to disregard the Not Eating Beef Sect.

"We all understand each other; why push things to this extreme?"

That opera troupe Leader laughed again, "Old Brother Tie Jun, if you insist on attacking our altar, we of the Not Eating Beef Sect have no fear. Success or failure aside, though you Shousui men wield sharp blades, plenty of your small Hall Officers and runners will likely die at our hands."

"We’re all old acquaintances, and we’re both just carrying out orders for our superiors. This isn’t worth it. So, let’s all cool our fire qi and avoid a reckless fight. How about we make a wager instead?"

"..."

Tie Jun was slightly stunned, then said ominously, "What kind of wager?"

"Let’s bet on whether you have the ability to reach Shima Town within the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn!"

The opera troupe Leader laughed heartily. "If you have this ability, you won’t need your underlings to risk their lives. I will surrender Shima Town and the Beef Avoidance Sect Disciples to you."

"If you don’t have this ability, then don’t swing your blade around madly. Just obediently return to your Shousui master and kowtow!"

"Of course, since we proposed this wager, we must show some sincerity. My sincerity is this: during the time it takes for those three incense sticks to burn, while you are charging towards Shima Town, I guarantee on behalf of our Big Senior Brother that he will not personally intervene. How about that?"

"..."

The Iron Steed Grand Hall Officer on horseback nodded slightly, then roared with fury, "I am the Shousui Sword-Catching Great Hall Officer, here only by command to execute rebel monsters! Who wants to wager with you bunch of demon people?"

"Men, heed my command! Support me in battle, and watch how I slay these demon people..."