PDLP Chapter 114 What?! Master Li? Master Zhang?! Are you kidding me?!
Chapter 114 What?! Master Li? Master Zhang?! Are you kidding me?!
The snow-covered plains stretched endlessly, and the cold wind was like a knife.
The gate of the Hu family compound creaked open, and Hu Yun led the way out, followed by Liu Dayuan, Bai Sanniang, and seven or eight other key figures of the shamanic practitioners.
Everyone was wrapped in thick fur coats, their faces solemn, their eyes burning with a light that seemed to indicate a desperate gamble.
Several old SUVs were already waiting outside the yard, their exhaust puffs of white smoke coming out of their tails.
"Get in the car!" Hu Yun gave a brief order.
Silently, everyone got into the cars, and the convoy drove over the thick snow, heading deeper north towards the mountain range known locally as "Old Black Mountain".
Master Chang's "cave dwelling" is located halfway up the most precipitous peak of Laoheishan Mountain.
Chang Xian is the Snake Immortal. This Third Master Chang was transformed from a black-scaled python that had lived for nearly three hundred years in the mountains. He was violent, bloodthirsty, and greedy. Without exception, all the Liu family disciples who signed a contract with him died young, their blood and energy exhausted, leaving behind several corpses.
But the ancient bloodline contract is like an iron lock, which the Liu family cannot break unilaterally and can only endure for generations.
More than an hour later, the convoy could no longer move forward.
Everyone got off the bus and started hiking up the mountain.
The mountain path was steep and covered in ice and snow, making it quite difficult for even these shamans, who were physically strong and spent years in the mountains, to traverse.
Liu Dayuan walked at the front, his expression the most solemn, and his breathing somewhat heavy.
A pale-faced boy followed behind him, his eyes filled with barely concealed fear. He was Liu Xiaoshuan, the grandson of Liu Dayuan, and also a contractor of Master Chang's generation.
The closer you get to the mountainside, the stronger the fishy smell in the air becomes, mixed with a chilling, unsettling atmosphere.
Finally, a dark hole appeared ahead.
The cave entrance was small, only wide enough for two or three people to walk side by side, but looking inside, it seemed bottomless, with a chilling wind blowing out from within, carrying a heavy, fishy smell.
This is Master Chang's "cave dwelling".
The group stopped ten feet away from the cave entrance, looking wary.
Liu Dayuan stepped forward, cleared his throat, and gathered a breath, his voice, though not loud, carrying clearly into the cave:
"The heads of the various families of the Northern Shamans—the Hu, Huang, Bai, Liu, and Hui—have come to pay their respects to Master Chang."
A few seconds later.
"hiss!"
A low, hoarse hiss came from deep within the cave.
Immediately afterwards, a strong, fishy stench suddenly gushed out of the cave!
The air was cold, sticky, and nauseating, causing everyone's robes to flutter wildly. Several people with weaker cultivation levels couldn't help but take a half-step back.
In the darkness, two crimson lights appeared, like two small blood-red lanterns, slowly approaching.
It was a giant black python as thick as a water bucket!
Most of its body remained hidden in the shadows of the cave, with only a small part of its torso and its ferocious triangular head peeking out. Its black scales gleamed with a cold metallic luster in the dim moonlight, and its scarlet tongue flickered in and out from time to time. Its vertical pupils coldly and mercilessly scanned the people outside the cave.
"Hehehe..."
Master Chang spoke in a mocking tone:
"A visit? Liu Dayuan, you've brought so many people here, are you trying to give me an extra meal?"
"Perfect timing, I've been feeling... a bit hungry lately."
Its scarlet vertical pupils greedily locked onto Liu Xiaoshuan behind Liu Dayuan.
Liu Xiaoshuan trembled, and his face turned even paler.
"Third Master Chang!" Liu Dayuan suppressed his anger and stepped forward.
"Your contract with the Liu family was originally intended to be mutually beneficial."
"But over the years, you have become increasingly demanding and insatiable, resulting in heavy casualties among my Liu family members."
"We have come here today to discuss renegotiation of the contract with you."
"Discuss? What's there to discuss with you blood-feeding creatures?" Master Chang sneered. "Back then, your ancestors begged to sign a contract with me, borrowing my power to protect this region. I'm just collecting a little extra interest."
Its massive body jutted outwards further, creating an even stronger sense of oppression:
"What? You think the interest rate is too high? Want to back out?"
"The contract is here."
Heaven and earth bear witness, can you... possibly go back on your word?
These words were full of blatant contempt and provocation.
Liu Dayuan was trembling with anger, but he was speechless. The contract was a fact, and they really couldn't go back on their word.
At this moment, Hu Yun suddenly spoke up: "Third Master Chang, times have changed. Now that spiritual energy has been revived and the world has been reopened, the old contracts of the past may not be suitable for the new era."
Upon hearing this, Master Chang's vertical pupils turned to Hu Yun: "Oh? Little girl from the Hu family, quite the big talker. What, have you found a new backer?"
It let out a hoarse, eerie laugh: "Too bad, no backing can touch me! The contract was signed by your ancestors, unless they crawl out of their graves, otherwise..."
Before he could finish speaking, several hazy halos of light suddenly appeared in the snow-covered forest on both sides of the cave.
Within the halo, several illusory figures were vaguely visible.
There was a phantom image of a fox, pure white with gleaming eyes.
There is a silhouette of a weasel with glossy fur and cunning eyes.
There is a cute yet composed hedgehog silhouette.
There was also a hazy, swift-moving shadow of a mouse.
Clearly, it was the spirits from several other families who were disturbed by the commotion here.
"Chang San, don't speak too definitively." The white fox phantom spoke in human language, "The Hu family girl is right, times have indeed changed."
The weasel phantom chimed in, "That's right, we've known each other for so many years, and you've been sucking away at the Liu family's resources far too much. You've almost drained the Liu family dry."
Seeing this, Master Chang was not afraid at all; instead, he sneered:
"What? You lot are teaming up against me today?!"
"You worthless cowards clinging to life?!"
Its scarlet vertical pupils swept over the several illusory immortal figures, filled with greed:
"Very well! By devouring you old geezers, I might be able to completely shed this mortal body and achieve a true demon-immortal form!"
"At that time, I will be the one to call the shots in this northern land!"
The atmosphere instantly became tense!
The auras of several immortal figures fluctuated, clearly indicating that they were enraged, but they also seemed to be somewhat wary of Master Chang.
Seeing that the time was right, Hu Yun gave Liu Dayuan a wink.
Liu Dayuan stepped forward, facing the ferocious black python, and began to form hand seals with a slow and solemn rhythm.
What he was reciting was not the prayer of "requesting Master Chang's help" that he had made in the past when there was an equal contract.
Instead, it was a new prayer that Hu Yun and others repeatedly deliberated and revised!
"Master Li's decree, may all spirits heed its call!"
"There are members of the Liu family in the north who are facing difficulties."
"By order of Master Li, the power of the local immortals is mobilized to cleanse the evil spirits and protect this region!"
"Chang Xian, heed my command!"
Liu Dayuan's voice trembled slightly at first, but became more and more determined as he read, and the last few words were almost shouted out!
The true energy within his body, along with the "initiator" connecting the shaman disciple to the immortals through the contract, vibrated at a peculiar frequency with this new prayer and hand seal!
Everyone outside the cave held their breath, their hearts pounding in their throats.
Liu Xiaoshuan clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
Hu Yun and the others stared intently at Master Chang's reaction without blinking.
Master Chang was taken aback at first, a hint of surprise flashing in his vertical pupils.
Then, it burst into deafening laughter!
"Ha ha ha ha!!!"
"Liu Dayuan! Have you lost your mind?!"
"What Master Li and Master Zhang? And they're 'obeying orders' and 'following commands'?"
"Are you kidding me?! Reciting the incantation for spirits like that, I think you're just trying to hasten your grandson's death?!"
It laughed so hard its body trembled, and pebbles fell from the cave entrance.
However, its laughter stopped abruptly the next second!
It felt like someone had suddenly grabbed my neck!
Its scarlet vertical pupils suddenly shrank to the size of a pinhead!
Its massive body trembled violently!