The Gray-Robed Daoist tossed a crumpled purple paper at Shen Zhao, his voice raspy. "Simple. Write your Eight Characters on it, and I'll check your recent fortune."
Shen Zhao glanced at the paper, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Strange. Don't fortune tellers usually use yellow or white paper? I've never seen purple paper before."
The Gray-Robed Daoist chuckled. "Those you've met are mere charlatans, concerned only with swindling money. Those who can truly divine the secrets of heaven are rare and precious."
"Heh, you seem quite confident in your abilities?"
"This old Daoist has lived 130 years. I dare not claim expertise in all matters, but my divinations have never been wrong."
"Is that so? Perhaps today will be the day you're proven wrong."
"Then please, friend, write down your Eight Characters."
Without hesitation, Shen Zhao picked up the brush and inscribed his Eight Characters on the purple talisman.
"Done. Now, tell me, how can I avert this impending disaster of blood?"
"Heh heh."
The Gray-Robed Daoist took the purple talisman, glanced at it casually, then revealed a mouth full of black teeth.
"Don't rush. This old Daoist will soon dispel your misfortune. Just try not to struggle when the time comes."
In the next instant, a crimson glow flickered in the Daoist's sunken eyes.
The purple talisman in his hand burst into a ghostly blue flame, dissolving into a cloud of ash.
At that moment, a palm wreathed in sinister light and bristling with sharp claws descended slowly from above Shen Zhao's head.
Yet Shen Zhao remained standing motionless, as if oblivious.
"Anyone who dares obstruct my Nine Netherworlds' Eternal Grand Scheme must die!"
The Gray-Robed Daoist immediately shook the Soul-Seizing Bell at the corner of the table.
The moment the bell rang, time seemed to freeze. The scene before Shen Zhao began to distort, and his eyes gradually closed.
When he reopened his eyes, the surroundings were eerily strange. It was pitch-black, the Gray-Robed Daoist having clearly pulled him into a deep layer of his Consciousness Space with a special secret technique.
Suddenly, a cackling laugh echoed in Shen Zhao's ear.
"Fresh ingredients! Don't resist, don't struggle. Let me savor this flesh-and-blood feast... Hahaha!"
As the laughter drew closer, Shen Zhao remained as still as a mountain.
Feeling the cold, eerie wind sweeping across his face, carrying the oppressive aura of demonic energy, he was silently calculating something.
"Hahaha! Who do you think you are? A mere mortal trying to disrupt the Nine Netherworlds' Eternal Grand Scheme?"
The mocking voice continued, and Shen Zhao sensed his opponent's speed had increased significantly. The next moment would be the attack.
"Die!"
The killing intent was palpable, inches away.
Just as the Monster's sinister blade was about to pierce Shen Zhao, he finally moved.
*Crack~*
*Boom~*
*Crackle~*
A crisp fist struck the Monster, the sound of cracking bones echoing.
*Pfft!*
The Monster instantly vanished into the shadows, exclaiming in shock, "How is this possible? How could you possibly track my movements?"
Shen Zhao scoffed. "It seems you're the mastermind I've been searching for. That explains everything. And as for your petty Nether Illusion Art... what power does it hold over me?"
"You actually know about the Nether Illusion Art?"
"Come out willingly, or I'll send you on your way."
"Ha! Do you think such crude intimidation tactics work on me?"
Despite his words, the Monster immediately retreated deeper into the shadows.
Shen Zhao took a deep breath and declared, "Since you refuse to show yourself, die in the darkness."
As his voice fell, the Southern Brightfire erupted, instantly dispelling the eerie darkness and bathing the Consciousness Space in azure light.
"Threefold Divine Finger - Urgent as a Hundred Thousand Fires!"
A single finger pierced the heavens, channeling boundless primordial energy to cleave through the Consciousness Space and strike at the heart of the shadows.
"Ah—!"
A piercing scream echoed as a pool of black-green blood splattered across the Consciousness Space.
Simultaneously, in a secluded corner of Yanhuang City, a Black-Robed Daoist meditating suddenly opened his eyes. In the next instant, a finger strike pierced through his forehead, and he collapsed to the ground without a sound, his life extinguished in an instant.
To the end, his eyes remained wide with disbelief.
At that moment, the Gray-Robed Daoist, who was activating the Soul-Seizing Bell, felt his heart tighten as he stared at Shen Zhao in disbelief.
"He can actually break through the Consciousness Realm to strike down a physical entity? This brat is truly extraordinary. I cannot let him live."
With this thought, he activated the Soul-Seizing Bell once more.
The massive claw, which had been slowly descending through the air, accelerated under the bell's urging.
But...
Within the Consciousness Space, Shen Zhao, realizing he hadn't yet returned to reality, decisively unleashed another technique.
"How long can this petty illusion trap me? Nine Netherworld Springs—you've once again pushed yourselves into a dead end."
Focusing Qi in his Dantian, the ground beneath his feet instantly cracked.
With a sudden roar, both in the Consciousness Space and reality, a majestic golden lion materialized around Shen Zhao's body.
"ROAR!"
The lion's roar shattered the evil, its sky-shattering roar shaking the heavens and earth.
The descending claw, along with the illusory realm, shattered into nothingness.
*Pfft!*
The Gray-Robed Daoist was immediately struck by a massive backlash. Blood seeped from the seven orifices of his face as he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily against a wall.
"Fearless Lion's Roar Seal... Could he be...? No, this is the Nine Netherworld Catastrophe the High Priest warned of. I must flee immediately."
Recognizing the opponent's identity through the Fearless Lion's Roar Seal, the Gray-Robed Daoist, in a panic, resolved to escape at once.
"Think you can escape?"
Without a word, Shen Zhao gave chase and brought the Gray-Robed Daoist down with a crack of his palm, sending the man's two front teeth flying.
"Who... who the hell are you?"
Shen Zhao lifted the Daoist, sealed his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, and pinned him against the wall.
The Daoist stared at Shen Zhao as if he were a demon, trembling uncontrollably with fear.
"Won't talk?"
Two words were enough to make the Daoist's heart seize up. The light in his eyes began to fade.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke, "I meant no offense, esteemed sir. I beg you to spare my life."
"Tell me your purpose in the Central Domain, and I'll consider letting you go."
"This matter has nothing to do with you. I thought you would disrupt our plans, so that was all a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding? Heh..."
Shen Zhao tightened his grip around the Daoist's neck, increasing the pressure. "Still won't talk? Fine. I'll personally eradicate every Nine Nether organization in Yanhuang City. Don't doubt me—I keep my word."
The Daoist's face turned ashen. Straining through his fear, he pleaded, "Please don't do that! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
Shen Zhao finally loosened his grip, tossing the man to the ground and casting him a cold, sweeping glance.
"We were ordered by Great Emperor Shura to infiltrate the Central Domain and eliminate a major threat that would hinder the Nine Netherworlds' future descent into the world."
Shen Zhao frowned. "So you colluded with the Xiongnu to carry out your scheme during the Empress's wedding ceremony?"
The Gray-Robed Daoist nodded.
"How did you plan to do it?"
"On the day of the Empress's wedding, the seventy-two nations of the Central Domain, along with the Xiongnu, will launch a coordinated attack. This will plunge the Central Domain into chaos, creating an opportunity for the Nine Netherworlds to plunder the Celestial Dynasty's Ancestral Dragon's Fortune and accelerate the opening of the Gates of the Underworld."
"What was the specific plan?"
"I don't know the details. I'm just one of the executors, responsible for delivering Di Feijing to Song Yanran to deceive the Empress. The true mastermind behind this plan is Elder Haoyue."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. But Elder Haoyue will undoubtedly appear at the Empress's wedding ceremony."
"Hmm, you're quite cooperative."
"Can I go now?"
"Yes, you may. Given your cooperation, I'll allow you to leave with some dignity."
As the words left his mouth, Shen Zhao snapped the Gray-Robed Daoist's neck and immediately activated the Southern Brightfire, reducing the corpse to ashes...
-----------------------
Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Guys, I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! Feel free to check it out-if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
New Addition:
" Dragon Ball: Mr. Satan's Bull-Headed Legend (18+) "
" Chaos Lightning Cultivator "
" After Drugging My Senior Sister, I Can No Longer Hide (18+) "
" The Clueless Girl Gets Fu**ed Every Day (18+) "
" Threatening Heroine at Start—Now the Male Lead Is Wearing the Green Hat (18+) "
" The Succubus Who Just Wants to Slack Off NPH (18+) "
" A Goddess Celebrity Brings Kids My Door, Working Construction Carrying (18+) "
" Houtarou Oreki in the Classroom of the Elite 18+ "
Your support means a lot-thanks in advance, legends!
many more are available 85+
patreon.com/RoyalStories
(End of Chapter)