"The descent of Xiang and Fire—it was true after all."
The Heavenly Official murmured mournfully.
This was the "Nail God Talisman" of Xiang and Fire. As a god of the Heavenly Dome, the Heavenly Official naturally recognized the origins of this talisman.
Yet the Painter and the Music Master were unaware, thinking only that Lord Jian’s divine arrow was invincible.
Lord Jian, being one of the Eight Incenses and someone who had delved deeply into the Time Law, also knew the source of this talisman.
and the two figures hidden in the shadows knew as well.
Those two sighed softly and left White Cliff Mountain. They were none other than the Saint Heir and the Saintess of the Bone Elder Association.
The Saint Heir and Saintess, as Lord Jian had said, sought to seize the Heavenly Official’s divine soul,
but upon seeing the Nail God Talisman from Xiang and Fire, they realized their opponents tonight were not only Lord Jian but also the incense fire Taoist.
Even though the incense fire Taoist could not take action in the Human World, merely empowering Lord Jian’s divine arrow was more than enough for the Saint Heir and Saintess. Knowing they stood no chance, they had no choice but to retreat.
"Thank you, old Taoist, for lending a hand."
Lord Jian clasped his hands to the north, then turned to face the Heavenly Official.
The Nail God Talisman, after the divine nail pierced the body, worked like a grinding mill, shifting positions within the Heavenly Official’s form and steadily obliterating his divine soul.
The only exception was the golden glow radiating faintly from the spine at the back of the Heavenly Official.
Lord Jian flipped the Heavenly Official’s body over with a single hand, reached his hand into the Heavenly Official’s body,
and when his hand reemerged, he held a single golden seed.
Clutching the seed in his grasp, he drew his bow as though nocking an arrow and shot the golden seed into the Heavenly Dome.
A resonant twang came from the Heavenly Dome, as if in reply to Lord Jian.
"Gong Zheng has already taken control of the Heavenly Official’s divine status; the Heavenly Official of the Bone Elder Association has fallen."
Lord Jian declared aloud, and the Painter and Music Master’s expressions darkened slightly.
If not for the great flood that devastated Mingjiang Prefecture waking them to their senses, based on their past dispositions, they would never have willingly relinquished a divine status tied to the Bone Elder Association.
Li Chengfeng communicated with Zhou Xuan: "Young Master, the Heavenly Official is dead."
"On my way," Zhou Xuan replied.
While things had quieted at White Cliff Mountain, East River Town was ablaze with activity.
Zhou Xuan tossed the Bright Moon Reflection down into East River Town, summoning Lord Jiu over.
Shang Wenjun, Lady Hong Guan, Xia Jin, and the Second Master of the Witch, Hua Qingying of the Seven Incenses, all joined in a head-on assault against Ghost Hand.
Lord Jiu and Lord Jian couldn’t be more different in approach; the former had no qualms about throwing out the concept of a fair duel. Blowing on Mr. Ye’s paper banners, he rallied everyone to gang up on Ghost Hand.
The alien ghost "Ghost Hand" of the Divine Stealer Hall found himself subjected to an unprecedented thrashing of his life.
Because East River Town was the most submerged in the floodwaters of Mingjiang Prefecture, Ghost Hand had chosen it as the place to quietly ascend and return to the Heavenly Dome,
but ironically, the very floodwaters made it Lady Hong Guan’s domain.
A Bitter Ghost’s abilities become all the more domineering the greater the presence of water.
She summoned dozens of coffins from within the waters engulfing East River Town, arranging them into a coffin formation to trap Ghost Hand.
Of course, the coffin formation alone couldn’t hold Ghost Hand, but with Shang Wenjun and Hua Qingying’s witch-red silk binding him,
Lord Jiu, sitting cross-legged and looking carefree, unleashed the Evil Ghosts from the paper banner to shred and bite at Ghost Hand.
Meanwhile, Xia Jin assailed Ghost Hand relentlessly with cold arrows,
executing what could only be described as a righteous ganging-up on him.
Only Zhou Xuan seemed mildly anxious as he shouted, "Lord Jiu, go easier with the mauling; I still need his corpse intact!"
"Don’t worry, I’ll save it for you," Lord Jiu said, invigorated by the brawl.
But it was Yuan Buyu of the Zhou Family Troupe who looked particularly agitated.
"I haven’t even made it to Mingjiang Prefecture yet."
Yuan Buyu itched for a chance to take on a God-level being.
"Elder Yuan, don’t fret. You’ll get your chance sooner or later."
Though Ghost Hand was already being overwhelmed, he wouldn’t die just yet. Zhou Xuan decided to take a Day Trip back to White Cliff Mountain,
musing, "Using a god as a sacrifice... this is a first."
Zhou Xuan couldn’t help but wonder, for such an extraordinary offering, what kind of price the Blood Well would demand...