novellhall Chapter 31 [Earthly Fiend Tribulation] Master and Brothers
Chapter 31 [Earthly Fiend Tribulation] Master and Brothers
"Senior brother, wake up!"
"Senior brother!"
……
Lu Qingfeng suddenly opened his eyes, the cold, hard stone under his buttocks digging painfully into him.
What came into view was a young boy's face.
He looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a faded coarse cloth robe, his hair was hastily tied up with a wooden hairpin, his face was covered in dust, and his eyes were red-rimmed.
He was shaking Lu Qingfeng's shoulders forcefully.
Hey buddy, who are you? Do we even know each other?
Almost instinctively, Lu Qingfeng raised his arm, and a tremendous force surged out, easily pushing the boy in plain clothes back a few steps, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud.
"Ouch!"
The boy cried out in pain, then looked at Lu Qingfeng with a mixture of surprise and anxiety, "Senior Brother Yun Che? What happened to you! I am Xuan Ji! You...you're confused from the fall?"
Who? Yun Che? Then who am I?
Lu Qingfeng was now fully awake.
But they were completely dumbfounded.
Fortunately, the sudden return of his memories helped him understand the current situation.
Xuanji... Senior Brother Yunche...
These two names were like keys, instantly unlocking the floodgates of memory!
Countless fragmented images flooded into Lu Qingfeng's mind!
In my past life, the bookstore, the Taoist scriptures, the comprehensive network, the dark gray invitation... all those things from the past are clearly visible!
In this life, in the backyard of Yinxuan Temple, the morning bells and evening drums, the Taoist scriptures taught by the dim light of the lamp, the gaunt yet stern face of the master, and the adoring eyes of the junior brother Xuanji as he clumsily practices the basic sword techniques…
And, that sudden and terrifying disaster...
Beside the ancient well, nine dark gold talismans were spontaneously combusting, turning into wisps of smoke.
Thick, black gas, writhing like ink tentacles, gushed from the wellhead, instantly withering and petrifying any vegetation it passed through.
A palm-sized, cracked ancient bronze mirror floated above the well opening, its light shimmering as it struggled to suppress the black aura.
Master Shouzhenzi stood before the well, his hands forming a mudra, his mouth chanting a secret mantra, his body trembling slightly.
His face was ashen, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and the front of his Taoist robe was soaked with sweat and blood.
"The Yin Meridians of Earthly Fiends are out of control... For some unknown reason, the spiritual power of the Yin-Yang Suppressing Mirror, which is the core of the seal, is flowing backward... I can only forcibly use my essence blood as a guide, combined with the Yin Meridians of Earthly Fiends, to construct a temporary seal, but... it can only last for seven days at most."
"If the seal is not secure at that time, the earthly evil will erupt in full force, the yin energy will transform into evil, and all living beings within a hundred miles will be wiped out, turning the area into a dead land."
"Three hundred miles away, in Jiangzhou City, the Zhenxie Division."
"Report this immediately! Have them send people to reinforce the seal! Also, notify my sect!"
"Human hearts are unpredictable! Che'er, remember this! Within the Demon Suppression Division, factions abound! If things turn against you, discard the token to save your lives and leave Jiangzhou immediately. This whole mess originated in Jiangzhou! Don't drag you two brothers into it!"
"My soul is severely injured; there is no chance of survival. Only by living can there be a future! Tell this to Ji'er as well!"
Memory is interrupted at this moment—
Seemingly during his desperate escape, Yun Che collapsed from exhaustion and injury.
The true spirit is reborn.
The dungeon is called "Earthly Calamity".
The master, at the cost of being severely injured and on the verge of death, managed to hold off the evil spirit.
Lu Qingfeng instantly understood!
The random dungeon invitation obtained from the core of the evil artifact did not teleport him to a specific location, but instead directly cast his soul into a dungeon world called [Earthly Calamity], making him a young Taoist priest on the run.
The notification from the comprehensive network also arrived at the opportune time:
[Web site loading successful...]
[Main Quest for Dungeon: Sealing Evil]
[First Phase of the Dungeon Quest: Request for Help, Begin!]
[Mission Description: You have successfully unraveled the mystery of your unborn state and awakened, but what lies before you is a broken, evil artifact and your severely injured master.]
[Mission Objective: Reach Jiangzhou City within the specified time!]
[Task Rewards: 1000 Experience Points, 500 Disaster Coins]
[Optional Mission: Uncover the Truth]
[Note: This mission is quite dangerous]
[Special time-space slicing, teleportation, forums, and other functions are disabled.]
This is a long-term dungeon; rewards for each stage of the quest can be calculated instantly.
This instance features a unique open-world mechanic and offers exploration rewards.
[Special Dungeon Mechanism: Two Incarnations]
As time goes by, you can gradually regain the power you possessed in your past life.
The inventory has been temporarily locked.
"Senior brother! You're finally awake!"
Xuanji struggled to his feet, his face a mixture of pain and joy. Ignoring the ache in his backside, he urged repeatedly, "Hurry! We have to go! Master..."
Xuanji's voice was choked with sobs, clearly recalling the image of his master, Shouzhenzi, facing that terrifying well alone.
Lu Qingfeng took a breath and forcibly suppressed the churning sensation of the merging memories of his two lifetimes.
He could clearly sense the state of this body: weak, with multiple abrasions, and the left arm seemed to be dislocated.
"Xuanji, I'm alright."
Lu Qingfeng's voice was a little hoarse. He tried to move his body, and the intense pain made him frown.
He saw a scattered bundle and an antique-style longsword beside him, which would become his sword in this life.
Help me up.
Lu Qingfeng said in a deep voice.
Xuanji quickly stepped forward and carefully helped him up.
Despite the pain, Lu Qingfeng snapped his dislocated left arm back into place with a swift and decisive motion.
Although the power has not been regained for the time being, the realm has not diminished.
With Lu Qingfeng's profound understanding of the subtleties, reattaching an arm would be a piece of cake.
Xuan Ji's eyes widened.
"Senior brother, you..."
"Stop talking nonsense, where's the token? The token from the Exorcism Bureau that Master gave us!"
Lu Qingfeng asked in a deep voice.
"In...in your arms, senior brother!"
Xuan Ji quickly pointed to Lu Qingfeng's chest.
Lu Qingfeng reached into his robes and touched something hard.
Upon taking it out, it was a black token that was neither gold nor jade. It felt cold and heavy to the touch. The front was engraved with an ancient character for "town," while the back was decorated with intricate cloud and thunder patterns.
This is the pass to Jiangzhou City, three hundred miles away.
Having confirmed that he had the token, Lu Qingfeng no longer hesitated.
Their gaze swept around, and they found themselves in a rugged mountain forest.
"Which way, senior brother?"
Xuanji gripped the bundle straps tightly, his face filled with fear and uncertainty.
"Master said Jiangzhou City is three hundred miles away... Taking the official road is the fastest, but it's also the most likely to cause trouble."
After all, they only learned of the existence of the evil creature at the bottom of the well today.
The master covered it up so well, how could it suddenly erupt out of nowhere? There must have been an unexpected situation!
Moreover, the mastermind behind it all has become a mission!
Lu Qingfeng quickly searched for geographical information among the merged fragments of memory, and combined this with his experience from his previous life to judge, "The official road is crowded and noisy. We are seriously injured, and it's hard to guarantee that we won't be targeted by someone with ulterior motives. Let's take the mountain road and find a shortcut!"
He pointed to a more secluded forest path.
This path was the wild trail Yun Che remembered his master taking him to gather herbs. Although it was difficult to walk, it was well hidden.
"Okay! I'll listen to my senior brother!"
Xuan Ji felt a sense of relief at the decisiveness shown by his senior brother Yun Che at this moment, and quickly nodded.
Lu Qingfeng took a deep breath, feeling the weakness of his body and the burden of his injuries.
His profound understanding of subtlety remains, allowing him to precisely control every bit of strength and avoid unnecessary exertion, but the decline in his vital energy and the soreness in his muscles are real.
However, Lu Qingfeng could already feel his power returning. To call it a return was an understatement; it was more like... a recharge.
Thinking too much is pointless; you might as well use that time to make good use of your extraordinary powers in this life.
He picked up the ancient longsword that had fallen to the ground. The sword was named Qingfeng, and it seemed to have a connection with his previous life. Although it was not a divine weapon, it was resilient.
He tucked his longsword into his simple straw rope belt and slung the bundle containing his dry rations and water bag over his shoulder.
It's time to go.