CHAPTER 343: CHAPTER 221: UNDYING VS. CURSE-DEFYING CALAMITY LIVING BODY

A crow landed on the rooftop, looking down to observe the commotion in the alley.

The stout monk leapt from the rooftop, executing a double-handed strike directly at the temples of the Immortal Vine Cultivator.

The masked oddity known as Liao Fan extended his hands to grab the Immortal Vine Cultivator’s arms, allowing the branches from his body to entwine him, penetrate him.

The stout monk seized the opportunity to strike with both hands, causing the Immortal Vine Cultivator to shudder violently.

If a normal person were hit like that, their skull would have long been shattered.

Yet the Immortal Vine Cultivator showed no reaction; instead, the intense pain fueled his greater rage, and the branches atop his head swiftly covered the monk’s hands, absorbing the blood within him.

"Liao Fan! Don’t hold back! Otherwise, if we can’t handle him, we’ll end up being drained by him!" the monk anxiously shouted.

Beyond worrying about the strength of the Immortal Vine Cultivator, he was concerned about the imminent appearance of the subordinates of the third Speaker.

Being appointed Speaker of the Evil God Council, the subordinates sent to seize the Immortal Vine Cultivator are naturally not to be trifled with.

If they were to fall into a stalemate and lose the Immortal Vine Cultivator, they’d have a hard time explaining to Li Mian.

Even the Eight Great Vajra cultivated by Li Mian would receive dreadful punishment if they committed such a grave mistake.

Upon hearing the monk’s cry, the masked oddity suddenly ceased his actions, allowing the Immortal Vine Cultivator’s branches to swiftly encase his entire body, absorbing his blood.

The burlap covering this individual’s face was torn into shreds, slowly revealing Liao Fan’s visage beneath.

It was a dark and rugged square face, but horrifyingly, his eyes were not eyeballs.

They were two Five Emperors Coins, seemingly embedded alive, with traces of branding still visible on the skin around the eye sockets.

As the branches crept near the Five Emperors Coins, attempting to infiltrate, black flames suddenly erupted from Liao Fan’s eye sockets.

The moment the branches made contact with the flames, they began to wither uncontrollably, lifelessly drooping onto the ground.

Seeing Liao Fan finally remove his burlap hood, the stout monk satisfactorily nodded, confident that with Liao Fan’s power, they should be able to subdue the Immortal Vine Cultivator.

The crow on the rooftop tilted its head at the sight.

Meanwhile, Sun Yan, driving toward the scene and witnessing Liao Fan’s appearance through Crow Yidan’s shared vision, exclaimed in astonishment, "Exorcism Skill?"

In the "Mountain Chasing Manual," Sun Yan had read records about Exorcism Skill.

Exorcism Skill is an ancient form of witchcraft.

’Exorcism’ means ’to suppress by loathing,’ a witchcraft that achieves suppression of people, objects, or monsters through curses or prayers.

To perform Exorcism Skill, an Exorcism Object is first needed, which is commonly not so mysterious, typically used to decorate homes.

Examples are on rooftops: Warrior Riding Lion Statue, Wind Lion, Wind Chicken, Leaking Tail Jar, Fireproof (Cactus), Treasure Pagoda, Baking Oven, Gourd, etc.

On door lintels: Eight Trigrams, Jiang Taigong Riding Beast Statue, The Four Virtues of the Dao, Heavenly Official’s Blessing, Compass, Swallowing Sword Lion, Mountain and Sea Town, Demon-Revealing Mirror, Talisman, Iron Plow Head, Brush, Ruler, Horseshoe Crab Shell.

On walls: Shi Gandang, gate deities Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong, Shen Tu, as well as Stone Lion, Wind Lion, Stone Mani Heap in alleyways.

These Exorcism Objects lay down a net of protection against evil spirits, very effective in suppressing malevolent forces.

The most common Exorcism Object is Exorcism Coin, also known as Victory Coin; auspicious or exorcism items shaped like coins.

The front of these coins is inscribed with words like "Ten Thousand Years," "Peace Under Heaven," "Auspicious In And Out," "Suitable For Homes," while the back features designs of stars, fish, turtles and snakes, dragons and phoenixes, specifically for wearing and play.

Usually found at ancient trinket stalls, they’re also called ’fanciful coins.’

In "Dream of the Red Chamber," under Ma Daoist’s instigation, Lady Zhao used paper figures to curse Jia Baoyu, also a form of Exorcism Skill.

During Emperor Gaozong’s reign, Empress Wang was blamed for Wu Zhaoh’s daughter’s sudden death due to lack of evidence, yet Empress Wang became anxious.

She conspired with Lady Xiao Shufei and Daoists to use Exorcism Skill to harm Wu Zhaoh, enraging Gaozong when discovered, leading to them being deposed and imprisoned in the cold palace.

Emperor Gaozong, backed by court ministers like Li Ji, eventually decreed: "Conspiracy with poison and Exorcism Skill to harm court members, undermining the exemplarity of a nation’s mother," deposing Empress Wang and Lady Xiao Shufei, imprisoning them as commoners, exiling their families and siblings, stripping off nobility.

In An Anthology of Historical Writings, Volume Seven quotes from Ming Dynasty, Yang Mu’s "West Villa Miscellaneous Records."

There are stories. "Fighting Figures" depicts a carpenter sneaking two naked wooden dolls fighting with disheveled hair into beams, causing household to hear perpetual fighting noises at night.

"Brick In Mourning" portrays Gaoqiao Han Clan suffering funeral loss for over forty years due to carpenter’s mischief, discovering brick wrapped in mourning scarf in a worn wall.

"Burning Dragon Bone" tells of a Wu Region merchant suspecting carpenter’s intention due to thin provisions, overseeing carpenter using axe chanting spells at boat’s dragon keel, confirming its effects—constant storms or rain for two years. Merchant, suspicious, fries dragon keel in boiling oil, carpenter dying next door knowing exposure, begging mercy granted.

It’s said once Exorcism Object is discovered, casting it into fire or frying it in boiling oil destroys its witchcraft power, restoring peace to household, while perpetrators incur consequent punishment.

Du Pu has a poem: "Don’t you see Governor of Shu during Qin dynasty, three stone rhinos sculpted. Although Exorcism Skill exists since then, river flows east, naturally unperturbed for millennium in Zhang Yi Tower. Guankou drains households, perhaps disgracing gods."

In ancient alchemist circles, Exorcism Skill has always been an essential topic.

However, in today’s age, many ancient witchcrafts have gradually faded away, like Artificial Beast, Exorcism...

Sun Yan never expected to witness these ancient witchcrafts resurface repeatedly in Saint Anna City during this time.

Without disguising as a deity and obtaining the True Monarch of Pure Origin and Mysterious Dao’s Magical Treasure, facing these individuals, he’d truly be no match for them.

"Xu Fu, Overseas Immortal Mountain of Vine, could this Xu Fu they speak of be historical Xu Fu? Might Xu Fu’s voyage for Emperor Qin Shi Huang seeking Immortal Island not have failed nor fled, but encountered other events never returning?"

Sun Yan felt a great doubt arise within him.

He remembered previously hearing the title ’Master Xu’ in East Sea Chai Family Village within Spirit Realm.

If this Master Xu refers to Xu Fu, then it’s truly terrifying.

It seems Xu Fu has never died, wandering across eras and places.

What exactly is he planning? Or has he discovered something that allows him to achieve immortality, sowing his schemes everywhere?

Sun Yan felt a tightness in his chest, realizing that circumstances were indeed far from peaceful.