Chapter 263: Laughable or Not

The sky was a dull blue, and the air above Four Corners Town was thick with the stench of blood and decay, the acrid scent of fire, and the damp earthiness left behind by the rain.

The muddy ground of East Corner Village was scattered with small puddles, each holding a murky mix of black ash and crimson-streaked water.

Judging by the accumulated rainwater, it was clear that a heavy downpour had fallen the previous night.

Inside the inn at the end of the alley, a group of people had gathered in the main hall. The External Agents were filthy—either smeared with blood or caked in mud. Feng Wei and Guo Teng, in particular, carried such a strong stench of blood that red footprints trailed wherever they walked.

By now, everyone had shared their reports on the events in the villages from the second night.

Despite their victory, not a single External Agent wore a smile. They sat stiffly, staring blankly at the plain porridge and side dishes before them, showing no intention of picking up their chopsticks.

In contrast, Qiao Min and the others, seated beside Gu Ning’an, ate their meal quietly, unbothered by the previous night’s events.

“If not for that sudden downpour last night, I fear everyone in that courtyard would have charged out together…”

Feng Wei’s unexpected remark drew all eyes to her.

She pulled out two bloodstained blades from her waist sash—each roughly the length of a man’s forearm.

“I found these two knives in the fire,” she said.

“Tell me… how could someone, with two blades sewn into their stomach, still run so fast and with such force—rushing headlong into the flames?”

“Did she not feel pain?”

A heavy silence followed. Everyone knew that what Feng Wei and the others had witnessed last night had left a lasting mark on them.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have spent the entire night hunting down and killing every person in East Corner Village who had taken part in setting the fire.

Nearby, Zhou Zhongtian, his face just as grim, finally spoke.

“Tonight… I don’t think I’ll be able to do much.”

“The Village Guardian is dead… He clung to the opera-clad ghost, drained his own lifespan, and died of old age.”

“You ever seen someone die of old age while still standing, with a smile on their face?”

“I have now.”

“Tonight’s the last night. I plan to go all out against that opera-clad ghost. If I die and my body’s still intact, I’d appreciate it if one of you could find a good burial spot for me.”

With that, Zhou Zhongtian picked up his bowl of porridge and began shoveling it into his mouth.

“Grandpa Donkey wants to take me as his disciple… Maybe after this job, I’ll quit being an External Agent and just follow him to learn the craft.”

After that short remark, Liu Feng lowered his head and silently continued eating his porridge…

By the riverside outside East Corner Village, six riders galloped forward, their tall horses kicking up mud and water.

All six were clad in gray embroidered robes, each bearing a varying number of diamond-shaped daggers stitched onto their chests.

Among them, four were those who had “slipped away” from Four Corners Town’s Golden Guard, fleeing for their lives. The other two were new faces.

One of them bore a striking resemblance to the soul-drawn Golden Guard Yang, though he looked older.

This man was Yang Wang’s elder brother, Yang Wei. His robe bore three diamond-shaped golden daggers.

Leading the group at the very front was a Golden Guard whose chest displayed five diamond-shaped golden daggers—a sign that he was the highest-ranking among them.

In the Golden Guard, each additional dagger represented the number of powerful demons and malevolent spirits a warrior had slain. Five daggers marked the highest level achievable!

This man’s name was Zhao Li.

Strapped to his back was a gleaming silver bow, his sharp, hawk-like eyes constantly scanning the horizon.

The bow on his back was called Demonbane, a gift personally bestowed upon him by Princess Ye, who had entered the Immortal Sect.

This bow required no arrows—simply pulling the string would unleash a legendary shot said to pierce through any demon or evil entity!

“Whoa—”

Suddenly, Zhao Li reined in his horse.

The Golden Guards behind him hastily pulled their mounts to a stop as well.

Yang Wei looked at Zhao Li in confusion and asked cautiously, “Lord Zhao, East Corner Village is just up ahead. Why have we stopped?”

Zhao Li gave no answer.

Silently, he reached for the silver bow on his back, gazing into the sky as he placed a hand on the bowstring.

At the sight of this, the Golden Guards tensed, immediately drawing their weapons and scanning their surroundings in alarm.

Whoosh!

Zhao Li gently pulled the bowstring and released it in an instant. A streak of radiant light shot toward the sky!

With a resounding boom, the light burst above East Corner Village, revealing a shimmering barrier of spiritual energy where the sky had been empty.

The barrier’s flowing radiance looked like layers of shifting mist, intertwining as it formed an inverted bowl over Four Corners Town.

Buzz!

Zhao Li drew his bow once more, forming a half-moon arc. But before he could release the string, a figure emerged midair from behind the mist—an elder clad in black robes!

“Daoist friend, please stay your hand!”

“I am the temple keeper of the Universal Temple. This formation was set to prevent demons from descending!”

As he spoke, the elder, Temple Keeper Huang, descended slowly to the ground and bowed respectfully to Zhao Li.

Zhao Li stowed his bow and said coolly, “Universal Temple? Another one of those newfangled cult shrines?”

“To dare establish a temple for worship in Great Wu… You must have quite the nerve. Aren’t you afraid of drawing the attention of the two great demons of Northern Huangtian?”

At this veiled jab, Temple Keeper Huang responded calmly, “There is no such thing as a cult shrine within Great Wu. The Universal Temple venerates the Universal Immortal, a figure of the orthodox Immortal Dao.”

“As for the great demons of Northern Huangtian, let’s see if they can even leave Northern Huangtian first…”

Zhao Li narrowed his eyes and let out a mocking laugh.

“Universal Immortal, huh? Orthodox Immortal Dao, you say?”

“Would an orthodox Immortal Dao allow a demon like you to be its temple keeper?”

Temple Keeper Huang replied coldly, “All things in the world are beings of existence. Whether human or demon, all are part of the all beings of this world.”

“A human may serve as a temple keeper of the Universal Temple, and so may a demon.”

“We are not like certain cowardly individuals. Though we are demons, we choose to protect humans.”

“And yet, the Golden Guards behind you, upon learning of the formidable demons in Four Corners Town, simply turned and fled…”

“Tell me—do you not find that laughable?”