Chapter Forty: The Great Fish

That small banner must surely be a magical implement, capable of summoning wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—its power could not be underestimated. If only it could be seized, nothing would be better...

At that moment, An Huayuan used his magical artifact to conjure a shimmering shield of light, tightly enveloping both himself and Elder An within its protection. But as he watched every attack dissolve into nothingness, a sense of dread flickered in his heart.

“Master Daoist! It’s your turn!” he shouted loudly toward Chen Jiu.

Meanwhile, the paper effigy hidden in the clouds cast a glance toward Chen Jiu in the distance, then sneered coldly, “What can a half-baked Daoist do?” With a flick of the small banner in his hand, he cried, “Wind!”

The words held the force of law. Suddenly, powerful gusts surged through the threshing ground, rising from nowhere. The haystacks around began to sway wildly, and the archers hidden within clung to each other in terror, afraid of being swept into the sky.

“Lightning!” The command shifted. In the darkening clouds, golden flashes danced and then a bolt of lightning split the sky, crashing down upon An Huayuan’s shield and sending up a spray of sparks.

“No, I can’t keep this up for long,” An Huayuan said gravely. He was no true cultivator; the artifact he used was only imbued with spiritual power beforehand. Once that power was spent, the artifact would be rendered useless.

“Master Daoist, what are you waiting for? Kill this demon!” An Huayuan bellowed, seeing Chen Jiu unmoved.

Chen Jiu sighed inwardly. How could he not wish to act? That banner was a great temptation to him as well. But An Huayuan did not know—the demon in the sky, though seemingly the mastermind, was but a small fish. The real threat was surely lurking in the shadows. That was why Chen Jiu hesitated to reveal his true strength so easily.

Yet with An Huayuan in dire straits, he could not afford to offend him—without the support of the Deputy Director of the Pacification Bureau, his own plans would face great obstacles.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Jiu formed a sword seal with his fingers and summoned his spiritual sword. It glimmered with surging energy, no longer than a palm but sharp beyond measure.

High above, the paper effigy looked down at Chen Jiu as he prepared to enter the fray, his white robe billowing. Cracking his dry lips, he spat, “Rain of Death!” and pointed the small banner at Chen Jiu.

In an instant, the clouds boiled violently and countless raindrops, sharp as arrows, hurtled down at Chen Jiu in a deadly barrage.

Just then, a beam of golden light shot over from An Huayuan’s side. “Master Daoist, catch!” Delighted, Chen Jiu reached out instinctively and caught the glowing object. It was a small jade seal, inscribed with the words “Spirit Deer Academy.”

Without hesitation, Chen Jiu raised the jade seal high. At once, it radiated a gentle glow like dawn’s first light, shielding him from the arrow-like rain.

The paper effigy’s attack had failed. Furious, he fixed his gaze on An Huayuan, his eyes dark and foreboding. “Lightning Death!” he roared.

Thunder rolled as a bolt of gold lightning, thick as a pillar, shot toward An Huayuan’s location.

With a cracking sound, An Huayuan’s shield began to fracture visibly under the onslaught of the thunder. His face went rigid. Disaster! But it was too late. As the lightning faded, his barrier shattered, exposing the two men inside.

The paper effigy gave a sinister chuckle and swept his hand. Fierce winds erupted once more across the field.

“No!” An Huayuan cried as a gale swept past him. It seemed almost to have hands and feet, and as it brushed by, it snatched up the bamboo scroll, carrying it away toward the clouds where the paper effigy awaited.

Chen Jiu, now beneath the clouds, saw the bamboo scroll spiraling upward and frowned deeply.

The paper effigy’s smile did not waver. He looked at the helpless An Huayuan and said coldly, “This is not something mortals like you should possess.”

Chen Jiu’s eyes flickered. Suddenly, he urged his sword forward, sending it streaking toward the paper effigy in a flash of rainbow light. At the same time, with a flick of his sleeve, five yellow beans slipped silently into the sky, drawn along by the pillar of wind.

The paper effigy, seeing the sword’s fierce approach, nearly laughed. He raised his banner, crying, “Wind!”

A gale howled, as strong and solid as a wall of bronze, and the sword was blown back.

An Huayuan’s face fell in disappointment, but Chen Jiu seemed unconcerned.

The paper effigy frowned, noticing the five yellow beans before him. “What’s this? Some cheap trick of that half-baked Daoist?”

With a sneer, he snatched both the bamboo scroll and the beans from the wind. “With such feeble skills, you dare oppose me?”

An Huayuan and Elder An’s faces were grim, but Chen Jiu only smiled. “Is that so?” With a hidden gesture, he formed a seal and whispered, “Transform!”

In the next instant, the five yellow beans in the paper effigy’s hand burst with a crackle, transforming into five plump, white children!

The paper effigy was struck with terror.

Sharp-eyed, An Huayuan saw this dramatic turn and was taken aback. Looking at Chen Jiu anew, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of respect. No wonder the Daoist had seemed so calm—he had planned all along.

Under Chen Jiu’s guidance, three of the little fat children laid a furious beating upon the paper effigy, while the other two seized the banner and bamboo scroll from his hands.

Though short-limbed, these little ones struck with surprising force; even a grown man would be left howling in pain if struck full force.

Caught off guard and robbed of both banner and scroll, the paper effigy flew into a rage, but the five little fat children quickly leapt down from the sky, banner and scroll in hand, from a height of more than ten yards.

Chen Jiu’s heart leapt with joy—success!

He called out to An Huayuan, “Now! Shoot him!”

There was no need for Chen Jiu’s reminder—An Huayuan already knew what to do. The archers were poised, waiting only for his command.

“Loose!” With his shout, several blazing arrows streaked through the night like roaring dragons, striking the paper effigy’s body as fear contorted his expression.

Sizzling, the moment the fire arrows struck, thick black smoke billowed from the paper effigy. Within moments, his agonized screams were swallowed by flame, and, together with the black cloud, he was utterly consumed, scattering as ashes on the wind.

Chen Jiu gathered up the little fat children and stowed them away. Holding the banner, feeling the surging power within, his heart raced with excitement. Another marvelous treasure gained!

“Master Daoist! That demon—!” An Huayuan’s voice was uneasy, disturbed by the uncanny way the demon had perished.

Chen Jiu’s expression was grave. He nodded. “Indeed, I suspect that today’s visitor was not the true threat…”

At his words, An Huayuan’s heart sank.

“Deputy An, we should leave this place quickly, before the ‘big fish’ arrives,” Chen Jiu urged.

An Huayuan nodded in agreement and waved his hand. “Take the master and run! The Daoist and I will cover the rear!”

Chen Jiu muttered inwardly, Who wants to stay behind with you? What if the next foe is a thousand-year-old monster?

As the thought crossed his mind, the temperature across the entire valley suddenly plunged.

“Did I say you could leave…?”

A chilling, merciless voice echoed without warning. It seemed to speak directly into every heart, yet also came from all directions, carrying a soul-shaking force.

An Huayuan and Chen Jiu both blanched.

In that instant, a powerful presence descended upon the valley, and Chen Jiu felt as though facing a mortal enemy.

This aura…yes! A cultivator of the Jade Core stage!

Now, they had truly kicked a hornet’s nest…