At this moment, it felt as though all the prior preparations and arrangements had transformed into a joke; the meticulously laid plans and formations turned into futile efforts.
Lin Shuyou was just about to tear off the Cleansing Talisman from his body to summon a spirit, while Tan Wenbin held an umbrella in one hand and a shovel in the other, ready to step forward and protect Little Yuan.
A strong sense of failure might push some people into despair, but it could also ignite a fierce spirit in others, compelling them to fight back with all their might.
Since they had been discovered, they might as well charge ahead boldly!
At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan placed his hands on their shoulders, applying gentle pressure to stop them.
The two, who were about to leap out, immediately fell silent.
A good team may engage in extensive democratic discussions beforehand, but when an incident occurs, only one will lead with their will.
The young man was not unable to accept that he had been played with; rather, he couldn't comprehend the old woman's motives for acting this way.
Granny Yu had long observed the trio's actions, deliberately watching them set up various formations right under her nose, only to stand up at a critical moment to deliver a mocking taunt.
Even if her intent was to tire them out, it made no sense since she had allowed them ample time to rest.
If the other party was truly powerful enough to engage in such meaningless acts, wasn't there a negligible difference between them taking the initiative to strike and waiting to be attacked?
Most importantly, Li Zhuiyuan realized that the other party was not a corpse but a living person, meaning that while she appeared to be the "Granny Yu" they were familiar with, she wasn't truly her.
Regardless, Li Zhuiyuan understood that his first strike must be directed at Granny Yu; everyone else simply did not deserve it.
It was this fleeting moment of calm during the pivotal time that shifted the course of events.
Suddenly, the sound of children laughing wafted over.
"Hee hee..."
"Ha ha..."
"Hehe..."
It was the laughter of countless children, mechanical and forced, as if they were required to laugh under duress.
One could almost envision their hollow expressions, smiles without any real joy.
There wasn’t a single child in sight.
Li Zhuiyuan understood that if one walked the dark path now, they would see a throng of children gathering around the old woman.
This meant that the targets of Granny Yu’s recent call were not the three of them.
Lin Shuyou was keenly aware of the unsettling aura, and he quickly grasped the situation.
Tan Wenbin could tread the dark path, though he lacked the sharp intuition that Little Yuan possessed.
Nonetheless, he was starting to understand something as he picked up on little sounds in the air, helped by Little Yuan's attitude.
Both Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin lowered their heads, pressing their foreheads against the ground, quickly processing their heightened sense of nervousness while calming their racing hearts.
This wasn't fear—it was the rapid transition of roles from ambushers to prey, enough to unsettle anyone with a normal mindset.
Only Li Zhuiyuan continued to observe the transformations ahead with focused attention.
The old woman, with her long legs, waved a lantern while scanning the surroundings tirelessly.
It was less about searching the distance and more akin to a kindergarten teacher keeping watch over a group of children at her side.
"Do you miss your daddies and mommies...?"
Still, the children's mechanical laughter continued; no one answered her question.
Or perhaps these "children" had forgotten their biological parents altogether.
"I'll tell you... your daddies and mommies... really miss you..."
The old woman began to swing her lantern, almost like she wielded a whip.
Li Zhuiyuan felt a faint pain resonate in his eardrums.
This was while still in a non-dark state; if he truly walked the dark path, he would see how ruthless Granny Yu's methods were.
No wonder Baibei had cried out in terror when he had shown her the image of Granny Yu.
Even in a hypnotic episode where Baibei recalled Granny Yu's stories, she could still wake up terrified.
Scars on the body could slowly heal with time, but the mental scarring inflicted by such whippings might become permanent.
Baibei had been sold to the Wang couple for half a year.
This couple was definitely not kind people, but they hadn't treated this "son" poorly.
This implied that even if these children had been sold, Granny Yu could still bind parts of their souls with some means.
In ordinary times, there was no visible trace, allowing them to live normal lives, but the fear resided deep within their hearts, sealed away.
However, the future would still be impacted; it resembled a curse and, as these children matured, this inexpressible fear would twist their character and even scar their souls over time.
With the whippings ceasing, the children's laughter fell silent, replaced with the sobs of adults, echoes of the grief from the parents of those children.
Through the torment of the children, she drew out the sorrow and tears hidden within the parents.
For those grief-stricken parents, this could merely be another ordinary night where they wept over missing their children in their dreams.
Moisture began to form inside the old woman's two white lanterns, more and more accumulating as they swayed with the lanterns.
But suddenly, she paused.
Reaching out, she punctured one lantern, releasing a stream of half-black and half-white liquid.
Then, she smoothed the hole over with her hand, revealing her displeasure and anger, as though reflecting dissatisfaction with defective dirty goods that nearly tainted other, more perfect items.
The old woman turned, carrying her bounties back.
The disturbances of the "children" faded as the adults' cries slowly receded.
Once her figure retreated behind the white tent, tranquility returned, as if nothing had ever happened.
Li Zhuiyuan knew that what he had just witnessed was a ceremony, or more accurately, a harvest.
He suddenly understood why the circus performers were so attentive to those parents who brought their children along.
Because harvesting required efficiency.
Due to harsh realities, many parents loved their children no less than others yet could not always be around to accompany them.
However, from the perspective of the circus, their harvest came at a cost, so they had to choose the most profitable raw materials.
Moreover, despite being rare, there truly existed parents who cared little or outright neglected their own children.
It wasn’t uncommon for divorced parents to view their former children as burdens after establishing new families.
And then there was himself...
When it came to himself, Li Zhuiyuan found that he truly didn't belong to that category.
Though his father had left his life, Li Zhuiyuan could understand him.
As for Li Lan...
Even Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t claim Li Lan didn’t care about him.
She rejected phone calls from her biological parents and had her secretary take those calls, yet when her son picked up the receiver, she would return to talk, even if her words were harsh.
She preferred to engage in risky projects and display erratic behavior to distance her son from her life, which, when viewed from another angle, meant that even if facing life or death, even in pain and madness, she found it impossible to erase her son from her consciousness.
You could say she did care.
Back on the slope, Li Zhuiyuan said to Lin Shuyou, “Draw the face.”
“Alright.”
Lin Shuyou opened his makeup kit and began to apply the face paint.
Realistically, one could still summon spirits without the face paint or costume.
Had it not been for Li Zhuiyuan's unique circumstances making it difficult for him to summon spirits, he could have simply used his fingers to dab some red marks on his face and succeeded that night in the schoolyard.
It wasn’t a necessity but rather a sense of ritual that lifted one's confidence and immersion, much like the rites performed by the ancestors, which, while unreasonable from a rational viewpoint, could provide immense emotional value to the individual and their family.
Lin Shuyou felt similarly; he required the face paint as a means to switch personalities.
The more one depended on this method, the harder it became to maintain one's nature, and one could say mental issues were almost inevitable in his future.
“Just now, that old woman was not Granny Yu. The real Granny Yu should still be in that white tent; our primary target remains there. When we carry out our move, we all charge that white tent. You two are responsible for clearing the way and blocking any interference while I go to destroy her true self.”
“Understood.” While Tan Wenbin nodded vigorously, he checked his pockets and waist.
Midway through painting his face, Lin Shuyou blandly asked, “What sort of evil spirit is it? Sounds a bit strange.”
Tan Wenbin raised an eyebrow, almost ready to slap Lin Shuyou on the head and curse, “Are you pretending again?”
Li Zhuiyuan replied, “It's a Fallen Emotion Mud Doll.”
Lin Shuyou froze for a moment, then smacked his lips lightly, “So it's fixing itself.”
Previously, Li Zhuiyuan had only hazily guessed, but after witnessing earlier events, he could now affirm.
Wei Zhengdao’s writings had documented Fallen Emotion Mud Dolls; these were not the kind that merely died; they indicated a means of self-repair for a corpse.
Corpses born from grievances, when some powerful spirits attain sentience, will attempt to heal themselves just like a human.
Fallen Emotion Mud Dolls utilize the emotional ties in humanity to mend their own wounds, functioning as a form of dark sorcery that severely disrupts the natural order.
Records in the Yin family genealogy spoke of one such instance during the Ming dynasty when a member of the Yin family, while traveling, encountered two fishing masters.
Upon learning he was a descendant of Yin Changsheng, they invited him to sit and chat.
Of course, in essence, he merely leveraged his ancestor's fame to gain a listening ear during their discussion about a celestial deity.
One master said the deity was deceived by evil beings, believing in the false concept of two dragons not meeting.
Another master laughed, suggesting that perhaps the evil being was preparing a Fallen Emotion Mud Doll.
Upon returning from his travels, that Yin ancestor inscribed this experience in the clan's genealogy, framing it as merely overhearing a conversation between two masters discussing heavenly matters.
Li Zhuiyuan had no clue whether the other party was intentionally avoiding taboo topics or truly unaware that the emperor of the time was the legendary Jiajing Emperor.
However, this record implied that the practice of Fallen Emotion Mud Dolls had persisted for quite some time; there were even tales of someone having attempted to exploit the ties between celestial parents and their children, not knowing which fearsome spirit they were aiming to repair.
It was evident, however, that Granny Yu was not in a position of power; she could only harm children and thus siphon off the emotional bond parents had for their offspring to heal herself—taking a quantitative approach to her methods.
She was like a wounded beast, lurking in the shadows, quietly licking her own wounds.
The circus poster bore an introduction to the Yu Family Circus, established in the year '50— a subtle year when the Long Kings of Liu and Qin halted their legacies due to certain reasons, and she emerged from the dark corners to utilize these sinister tactics to heal herself.
To put it simply, with the dragons absent from the river, all sorts of foul creatures gradually crawled to the shore.
Her true form must have been subjugated by some Long King from the Liu or Qin family all those years ago.
Feeling emboldened again, she started presenting herself before Ah Li, lighting up lanterns as she cast spells.
Especially after her grand declaration of warning, the very next day, other vile spirits kept a distance, yet she still dared to stand at the forefront, posting herself at the threshold and exhibiting her strength.
It truly fit her style, engaging in malefic acts while cheerfully wanting to play the role of the lead character.
Li Zhuiyuan's choice to target her as the first selected task upon entering the rivers and lakes wasn't an emotional decision; remarkably powerful spirits would likely despise attaching themselves to lonely girls during their decline.
The batch that had followed her, however, were akin to the “bullied scraps” Liu Yumei had described.
This one, however, was quite possibly the most brainless among them all.
A perfect fit for Li Zhuiyuan's selection!
Once Lin Shuyou finished painting his face, there was no longer a trace of his original innocence—the confidence radiated from his brows.
“When serving the spirit, when facing evil beings, simply kill, don't rescue. You two, especially you, stay clear of me; I fear that the boy will still recall your previous deception and bear a grudge against you.”
Tan Wenbin opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Li Zhuiyuan.
The young man wore a calm smile and replied, “Alright.”
Lin Shuyou remarked, “I respect your identity, but you'll really be able to assist only once you are an adult and start wandering the rivers.”
“You’re right,” the young boy agreed.
This contradiction in temperament was greater than before, perhaps due to the face paint signaling a return to earlier humiliations.
Even though he now knew he was a disciple of the Long King family, he was oblivious to the fact that he had already entered the rivers and lakes.
This was his first trial after formally stepping into society; regardless of how foolish Granny Yu might appear, and no matter how her injuries had yet to heal, she had once been suppressed by a Long King, no less.
At least two doors stood between them, each just waiting for the opportunity to collide and solve the problem head-on.
Li Zhuiyuan was too exhausted to engage in idle talk; he understood that Lin Shuyou transitioned through three phases: Lin Shuyou, the one in face paint, and the White Crane Boy.
The face-painted version of him was high-spirited, but his power had not escalated as he had yet to summon spirits; he was in a frustrating stage of stubbornness and ineptitude.
There was no need to chat with someone like that.
“Creak...”
The door to the distant white tent creaked open once more, and the earlier old woman appeared to have removed her makeup and donned common attire.
Besides having a slight resemblance to Granny Yu, she resembled a stooped old lady.
She stepped out, uttering soft sounds akin to a cicada's call.
Soon, a young woman who had performed “dating with a python” earlier emerged from the adjacent tent, supporting the old woman as they walked toward the rear, where a larger tent presumably housed the troupe's supplies and equipment.
Li Zhuiyuan spoke in a low voice, “Here’s our chance; let’s move!”
Lin Shuyou ripped the Cleansing Talisman from his body, retrieved a half-armed trident from his bag, twisted his neck to chant incantations, and his demeanor shifted accordingly.
“Evil spirits and vile entities shall be slain but not saved~”
As his voice fell, his eyes turned into slits as the White Crane Boy took over.
The White Crane Boy lowered his head to face Li Zhuiyuan.
Li Zhuiyuan met his gaze, and perhaps due to the presence of a genuine demon, the White Crane Boy didn’t account for being deceived earlier but instead proceeded with a series of steps, two illusive and one solid, his figure moving fluidly with traces, heading straight toward the position where the old woman and young woman stood.
Tan Wenbin exclaimed, “Not there—it's...”
“Bingbing, it’s the same; let’s go!”
Li Zhuiyuan dashed toward the white tent, with Tan Wenbin hot on his heels.
Originally, the plan was to charge headlong into the white tent as three, but Li Zhuiyuan had already anticipated contingencies during the formation of this plan.
After all, the White Crane Boy would seek out the most powerful evil on site, so let him do it! Whether taking the initiative or defending passively, he could hold off their opponent's attention.
As a utility, it sufficed if it yielded results.
Upon reaching the white tent, Li Zhuiyuan lifted the curtain and directly faced Granny Yu's mud doll resting atop a water basin.
In that instant, the mud doll quivered violently.
“Did it recognize me?”
The tremors of the mud doll escalated, appearing to plead for help.
“Bingbing, smash her jar!”
“On it!”
Tan Wenbin discarded the soul-retrieving umbrella in favor of the Yellow River Shovel, wielding it with all his strength as he brought it crashing down onto the water basin.
“Umbrella...”
Li Zhuiyuan hadn’t expected Bingbing to toss aside the umbrella, but it was too late to offer a reminder; he merely shuffled his position behind Tan Wenbin.
“Bang!”
The water basin shattered and some of the dark liquid splattered out, a small amount landing on Tan Wenbin.
Suddenly overwhelmed by emotions, Tan Wenbin, still in love for the first time, felt as if he had many children—each of whom had been taken from him.
Pain and sorrow flooded his heart.
Tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably.
“Little Yuan... why am I... so sad... whimper...”
“Stand guard at the entrance.”
With the basin destroyed, the mud doll stood unshaken, as though on stilts.
Li Zhuiyuan stepped closer, eyes wide, entering the dark path.
In his new sight, the mud doll seemed ensconced in swirling black mist, covered in cracks, like a pottery piece painstakingly glued back together after shattering.
Most of it had been repaired, but the eyes remained hollow voids—dark and lifeless.
If granted just a bit more time, the eyes would surely mend, turning the mangled shard into a semblance of wholeness.
It was no wonder she dared to be the first to provoke; she believed she could soon rise again.
Li Zhuiyuan deeply realized how correct his self-selected path and consequential deductions had been.
This not only positioned him advantageously but also prevented the enemy from attaining full recovery.
His hands fell into his pockets, squeezing clay seals, drawing symbols on his arms with concentration.
Next, his thumb grazed his ring finger, drawing blood from the tips, and used it to apply a layer of spell on both arms.
Following this, Ah Li's anti-demonic charms, hastily crafted, adorned his arms completely.
Lastly, Li Zhuiyuan bit his tongue, drawing fresh blood, letting droplets spill onto the talisman paper.
Given the chance for a surprise attack, one must deduce all possible leverage to wield their full strength.
Ordinary folks might master one technique but wouldn’t be able to combine them seamlessly—Li Zhuiyuan alone could lie on his bed and brainstorm this during sleepless nights.
Completing all preparations, bloodshot eyes filled with fervor, he formed seals with his hands.
First, the thumb slithered down to the tip of the left hand, and then the left thumb slipped down to the right hand's tip.
His thumbs aimed directly toward Granny Yu's empty, hollow eye sockets! This was a prime vulnerability, the most significant flaw in her current state.
"Boom!"
A powerful wave of energy erupted, a piercing shriek resonated from within the mud doll.
Blood oozed forth from its form as if years of hidden healing effort, painstakingly accrued through suffering, were forcibly ignited by the youth.
“Plop... plop... plop...”
Peeling off, the mud doll gradually revealed the black, rotting flesh that writhed within like a monstrous humanoid.
It extended its arms and lunged forward.
Li Zhuiyuan sidestepped deftly, and as its hands struck the ground, a pit formed, dirt and debris flying around the tent.
When its arms swept again, Li Zhuiyuan anticipated its moves and evaded behind the behemoth.
Its hands touched the interior wall of the tent, and with a fierce “whoosh,” the entire structure toppled over, yanked out into the air.
Though it was blinded and gravely injured at present, even in its confused state, it retained terrifying destructive power.
It sought Li Zhuiyuan, looking for the boy who had nearly sabotaged everything.
In a split second, as it attempted to turn, Li Zhuiyuan climbed onto the beast's towering back, leveraging the previous experiences gleaned from Runsheng's surface.
For a beast blinded, the most perilous location turned into the safest haven.
More importantly, he still had to continue to bleed it dry!
Li Zhuiyuan formed seals with his hands, invoking the Twelve Edicts from Fengdu, channeling purging fire to scorch the lost souls.
Previously, during the confrontation with the corpse demon on the construction site, this was exactly the technique that had delivered the final blow.
Now, in the physical world, as he peered down, his hands twisted and writhed, and Li Zhuiyuan's fingers dove toward the creature's eye sockets.
“Ahhh!!!”
The screams echoed again, even more heart-wrenching than before.
Earlier, Li Zhuiyuan had vanquished its healing accumulation, but now he sought to bury it fundamentally!
In the past, when the Long Kings from the Qin and Liu families battled her, they couldn't completely finish her because, even when her physical form was shattered, the grievances lingered on, allowing her to resurrect later.
Now, she had already consumed considerable grievances to reforge herself.
If dispersed now, her presence wouldn't merely extinguish in demise; it would face obliteration!
Perhaps, at the time, the Long King thought someone could contiguously tie up loose ends for future descendants but could not have anticipated the family dynamic shifts that allowed these spirits to make a comeback.
Flames seared fiercely, causing Granny Yu to frantically whirl without discernment, screeching madly as she spun around, wildly.
The racket naturally roused the entire circus troupe.
People poured out from the trucks and tents.
But as they stumbled down, some began to spin in place, others became embroiled in fights, and some knelt in tears.
The inner formation pre-set earlier was now taking effect against ordinary people who lacked knowledge of formations; it felt like grappling with a high-level ghost wall the moment they rose.
...
Inside the equipment tent.
Granny Yu stood before the cages holding Xu Dong and Liangliang, a large one and a small one—the pair were bound and gagged, only able to whimper.
Sister Rou reached out to remove Xu Dong's gag, asking harshly, “He’s not your son?”
Xu Dong glanced at Liangliang in the adjacent cage, his heart aching, then glared menacingly at Sister Rou, "He is."
"Bang!"
Sister Rou kicked Xu Dong, knocking him down.
Gritting her teeth, she seethed in anger.
For today's harvest, a thread had encountered problems; it could change colors but was impure in quality.
This suggested that despite carrying parental affection, the ties weren't blood-related.
In simple terms, it couldn’t be utilized and contaminated other batches of the same collection.
Yesterday it was fine; today it had issues, evidenced by the new arrival.
To Rou, children could have been abducted, or their parents could have neglected them; it was acceptable to pass them off as second-rate goods.
However, a situation where something could change color yet remained without blood ties was infuriating.
“You are not this child's true father; his biological parents are indifferent to him, so what are you fretting about?”
Sister Rou continued to kick Xu Dong ruthlessly, leaving him bloodied.
Initially, she thought to send Xu Dong to a coal mine to keep him alive to continue supplying emotional nourishment, but now she just wanted him dead.
Suddenly, the old woman beside her began to quiver, grasping Sister Rou's arm abruptly.
“What? Is something wrong?”
Sister Rou was startled, abandoning thoughts of executing Xu Dong to accompany the old woman outside the tent.
Just as they stepped out, a trident came thrusting in their direction, aimed straight at the old woman.
Sister Rou’s stooped form straightened instantly—first, she shoved Sister Rou aside, then caught the trident in her hand.
After a tussle, the trident stopped mere inches from her brow.
Sister Rou, seeing this, intended to assist, but a look from the old woman quickly silenced her.
Realizing what to do, she darted out.
The White Crane Boy turned his slitted eyes toward her, preparing to intercept.
Yet, the old woman ducked beneath the trident and, with a swift turn of her hands, brought two lantern sticks into play, aiming a rapid strike at the White Crane Boy's chest.
The White Crane Boy shook at the impact, loosening his grip.
The missed trident plummeted to the ground, but he quickly regained it, thrusting it into the old woman's back and wrenching it to the side.
“Rrip...”
The robe, along with a layer of flesh, was torn away, revealing the old woman's vulnerable body beneath.
Her flesh seemed clustered in her face, while the rest of her lower body was abysmally thin, resembling a threadbare apparition; even a bedridden elder wouldn't appear as brittle as she did.
Her two bones began to misalign as the trident clamped down.
She straightened, her hardened shoulder colliding with the White Crane Boy's arms, knocking him back and impairing his hold on the trident.
The old woman intended to dart away—trouble had arisen at the mud doll, and she needed to be there now.
Despite losing her weapon, the White Crane Boy advanced steadfastly, countering with punches.
The old woman swung her sticks at him; he did not evade but took the blows directly, only to have one arm drop lifelessly.
However, he reached out with the other hand, seizing part of the old woman's body, precisely a segment of bone, and pulled her back.
This posture resembled lifting a humanoid spider.
The White Crane Boy then hurled her violently into the ground.
“Bang!”
The earth was dented, forming a human-shaped pit.
The old woman lay there, unmoving.
As she prepared to retrieve the trident for the next cut, suddenly, the old woman’s legs stretched, extending beneath the White Crane Boy.
With a sudden thrust of power, he stumbled back but managed to steady himself.
The old woman capitalized on the opportunity to vault up, swinging both sticks at the White Crane Boy's head.
The White Crane Boy, realizing avoiding it was futile, opted to retaliate with the still-functional arm, tightening his fist to strike at the old woman's chest.
“Bang! Bang!”
“Bang!”
The old woman was sent flying.
Standing firm, the White Crane Boy was bleeding profusely from his head, swaying slightly, his slitted eyes beginning to glaze over.
He had indeed chosen the right target; before Li Zhuiyuan could break open the real Granny Yu's shell, this old woman—bearing a close resemblance to her—was the strongest in this circus.
At sixteen, she had been sold to a landlord by her parents, enduring beatings and suffering.
After the landlord's demise, she was further pressured to be buried with him.
Thanks to the landlord's reluctance to supply a fine coffin, she dramatically dug herself out after being interred, dragging her bloodied hands away, akin to a restless spirit that had wandered.
On the riverside, she stumbled upon an earthen pot, from which soothing words emerged, comforting her in that moment.
From then on, she became a servant to that voice.
She cared little about becoming more and more like it, perceiving it as her honor and reward.
Reviving it became her life's obsession.
“No one can thwart Granny Yu’s revival; no one can come close!”
As she roared, she reached to set her shattered ribs and discarded fragments on the ground.
This was her means of ensuring it wouldn’t impede her actions moving forward.
Simultaneously, confusion swirled in her heart:
“Why is there a spirit servant here?”
The White Crane Boy was on the verge of collapse.
He drew three incense sticks, inserting them into his crane crown— the incense igniting to lead him down the yellow spring path.
Blood from his forehead quickly dried, and the limp arm rose slowly.
At that moment, a piercing howl erupted, and simultaneously, Li Zhuiyuan assaulted Granny Yu's true form with purging fire.
Panic washed over the old woman's face; she yearned to rush over, but just as she began to move, the White Crane Boy crossed a step to block her path.
…
Tan Wenbin was struggling, still lamenting the children he had never owned yet had lost.
Originally standing guard at the entrance of the white tent, he found himself without a post when it was suddenly blown away.
He had seen Little Yuan atop that bloodied monster's head, clawing its eyes; he yearned to help, but the creature was ferocious.
A mere swipe could unleash a wave strong enough to create craters in the ground.
Tan Wenbin fretted that if he got too close, a scrape from the monster would turn him into mere mush.
Then the circus awakened around him, and he prepared himself for a brawl.
But the formations kicked into action, trapping each of them in their places.
Tan Wenbin struck a pose but could only watch as Little Yuan persisted in his brave duel, weeping alone in the wind.
He even contemplated how to describe his contributions when he returned home to discuss the ordeal with Ruosheng and Yinmeng.
Should he tell them he had smashed a jar?
Fortune, however, did not betray his tears.
Tan Wenbin espied a figure stumbling inside.
It was Sister Rou.
Her face was marked with handprints, her lips cracked and bloodied.
In contrast to the other members of the circus, she bore down on herself fiercely.
Using extreme measures to break free from the formation's influence, she had entered here.
Regrettably, neither she nor her grandmother knew anything about formations; they merely followed the sketches that “Granny Yu” had gifted in her dreams, merely replicating them.
Their tactics mainly involved engaging in trafficking amid their performance, leaving those whose children had gone missing muddled as they subconsciously returned home without recollection of their actions that day.
Li Zhuiyuan noted their inadequate formation skills while observing their performance tent construction; hence, he resorted to stealthily setting up a formation at their doorstep.
Upon witnessing the deranged, whirling crimson flesh, Sister Rou's eyes burned with rage.
Originally, progress had been smooth; success was imminent.
At that point, she would receive “Granny Yu's” blessing just like her grandmother had.
But unexpectedly, much of the hard work led to waste this night, indicating even to restart, she would need to traverse the same path her grandmother had for decades.
She was unwilling, didn't want to; she was still young and did not wish to end up akin to her grandmother!
Sister Rou's attention caught on the young man above.
“It’s you?”
She readied herself to approach and tear him away, for “Granny Yu” was spinning in agony, attending only to her own afflictions without noticing the boy on her back.
“Whoosh!”
A Yellow River Shovel intercepted Sister Rou's approach.
Tan Wenbin wailed through sobs, “Wah... woman!... your opponent... is me.”
With the shed teardrop, he swung the shovel.
Sister Rou evaded, her palms pressed against the ground.
Tan Wenbin swung the shovel horizontally again.
Sister Rou leapt, dodging the shovel as she descended onto Tan Wenbin.
Tan Wenbin lifted the shovel to strike her aside, but the moment he raised it, she grasped the edge.
She hoisted the shovel's head, advancing forward with her shoulder, her right hand poised to strike at Tan Wenbin's face.
Tan Wenbin recoiled, pressing the shovel’s mechanism while stepping back.
The shovel shaft revealed serrated edges.
“Thud...”
Sister Rou's shoulder was punctured, bringing her to a halt.
The Yellow River Shovel was a finely crafted multi-tool; it could be employed for various techniques.
Ruosheng could use it directly as a blunt instrument, but Tan Wenbin had perused the user's manual thoroughly.
Though the wound was not deep, Sister Rou clutched the shovel and kicked toward Tan Wenbin.
Tan Wenbin had intended to raise the shovel and cut her, but the woman’s strength was formidable, and he found it impossible to budge the shovel.
Seeing the approaching kick, he had no choice but to relinquish the shovel, stumbling backward and landing clumsily on the ground.
In the end, though Sister Rou wasn’t as ferocious as her grandmother, she was still capable, her methods not too different from her grandmother's.
She had evolved beyond the limits of an ordinary practitioner.
Ultimately, she too would morph into a being indistinguishable from her current grandmother—something that resembled humanity yet was not quite human.
Sister Rou wrenched the shovel from her shoulder, ignoring the pain from her wound as she lifted the shovel, ready to crush Tan Wenbin beneath her.
Just then, Tan Wenbin thrust his hand into his pocket, grasping a fistful of something and tossing it toward her, causing a cloud of white to fill the air.
Sister Rou, alarmed, dodged aside.
As her injury was reached, a sudden sting erupted.
“Lime?”
Tan Wenbin felt no remorse; as an ordinary person faced with a host of monsters, should he not secure himself some means?
“Die for me!”
Sister Rou exclaimed, charging into the white dust, prepared to strike down Tan Wenbin.
Yet, just as she aimed to strike him down, her momentum faltered.
Ahead stood a young man, grasping a hand cannon, leveled directly at her.
“Wah... don’t move... or I will fire... wah...”
Sister Rou shifted her gaze to the gun's muzzle.
With a downward thrust, as she saw the gun muzzle dropping also, her Yellow River Shovel propped up as a shield before her.
Next, a pained look crossed her face as her bones began dislocating in many places, directly resulting in an explosive strength.
Tan Wenbin barely registered a blur before he felt the woman vanish, reappearing right in front of him.
Damn!
That speed was lethal; the gun had become a means of self-destruction!
In this instant, Tan Wenbin experienced the same sensation as when his old father had once shot at Lin Shuyou.
At that time, Lin Shuyou, unarmed yet instinctively evasive, would have avoided bullets.
If he had summoned spirits and aimed for a direct assault, Tan Police Officer’s own firearms would have been inconsequential.
Tan Wenbin could not even rotate the gun before he felt a sharp grip on his wrist, forcing his hand to release the weapon before he was is kicked away to the ground.
Sister Rou seized the gun from his limp grasp, pivoted, and aimed the muzzle of the weapon at Tan Wenbin's forehead.
“Bang!”
“Ah!”
Tan Wenbin screamed, a yellow plastic bead fell from his forehead, leaving a faint red mark.
Sister Rou stared aghast at the gun's muzzle,
A toy gun?
There will be another chapter tomorrow morning.
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(End of Chapter)