activa-t Chapter 23 River Demon
Chapter 23 River Demon
The monster's slippery tentacle, carrying the stench of mud, whooshed towards Zhou Xing's face!
Zhou Xing's listening skill has reached its peak; he can even clearly "hear" the subtle airflow as his hand breaks through the air, from the opening and closing of the whip hairs.
He shifted his feet, his shoulder dipped slightly, and his waist and hips seemed to turn almost imperceptibly, as the tentacle brushed past his ear.
With a "smack," it struck the brick wall, scattering debris and leaving behind a pool of smoking black water.
With his other hand, he reached back and grabbed the limp He Jiu by the collar, throwing him behind a pile of broken opera boxes.
When the tentacle missed its target, the whip-like bristles at its tip suddenly opened with a strange "snap" sound, creating a suction force out of nowhere!
Zhou Xing felt a tightness in his skin, as if all the blood and energy in his body were being pulled out!
Alarm bells rang in his mind, and he immediately regained his composure.
The feeling of "inner vision" of the Qi and blood in my body is still there when I was fighting against the Yin Opera.
His mind raced, and using the puppet's technique to control the skin's pores, he forcefully "locked" the surging blood and qi within his body.
The skin tightened instantly, like the surface of a cowhide drum.
The suction force came down, but it was like trying to grab a slippery, solid iron ball—all in vain.
Zhou Xing's heart skipped a beat:
This method of generating force through a vacuum, with the whiplashes closing and then opening, creates a penetrating force that bursts forth suddenly from within.
It bears a striking resemblance to the technique used by masters of internal energy to control the opening and closing of their pores and instantly unleash "yuan li" to injure their enemies!
This demon... also understands "energy"?
Before he could think further, the tentacles, like a monstrous python, turned over, poking, sweeping, and coiling, launching a relentless attack.
Zhou Xing lunged forward, his left arm sweeping across, his forearm like an iron bolt, slamming hard into the middle of the tentacle.
This collision uses the "leaning" force from short-range fighting, not to injure the enemy, but only to make their movements pause.
The tentacle froze, then suddenly retracted, before sweeping across at an even more cunning angle. Another tentacle also flanked from the flank, creating a somewhat coordinated attack.
Zhou Xing's heart skipped a beat: This thing wasn't a wild beast pouncing on its prey; it was more like a martial arts master proficient in soft weapons!
He maneuvered through the gaps between the two intertwined tentacles, relying entirely on his hearing to anticipate the subtle changes in the sound of the wind breaking and the fishy smell, a perilous situation.
Zhou Xing gradually found it difficult to move. This thing was incredibly strong, and its touch was slippery and tough. When he punched or kicked it, it felt like hitting a piece of worn-out leather, and the shock made his arms go numb.
Under the pressure of life and death, the insights gained from the Yin Opera, the superficial understanding of the human puppet form, and the current confrontation with the evil force...
A series of subtle insights suddenly collided and connected!
Zhou Xing felt a surge of heat explode in his dantian, instantly flowing through his limbs and bones.
A series of fine popping sounds echoed from the spine all the way to the coccyx, and the speed and power of the blood and energy surging throughout the body suddenly increased to a new level.
As the blood flowed, it made a faint, babbling sound, heavy yet powerful.
Peak of Ming Jin!
His steps became more steady, his dodges more agile, and seizing an opening, he swiftly pulled the Colt from under his arm with his left hand and fired three shots at the tentacles!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Flames burst forth.
The bullet struck the slippery, tough watch face and made a dull "thud" sound, bouncing off!
A ricocheting bullet grazed past Zhou Xing's ear, taking a few strands of hair with it, before striking the brick wall behind him, sending sparks flying.
Where did this tentacle monster come from!
Zhou Xing cursed under his breath, "This thing is thick-skinned and tough, bullets can't hurt it!"
He dodged another sweeping attack, his right hand already reaching down to his waist, gripping the hilt of the short sword given to him by the Gong family.
The sword was drawn from its sheath, like a pool of autumn water, emitting a soft "hum" as it flashed a cold light in the dim cellar.
Zhou Xing was testing the waters. He watched the trajectory of the tentacle as it was being flung, then lunged forward and slashed diagonally with his short sword!
"Sizzle!"
A soft sound, like a hot knife cutting into solidified lard.
The slippery tentacles that were previously impervious to bullets were now slashed with a half-foot-long gash!
Thick, dark red, almost black blood with a strong, foul odor gushed out, splashing onto the ground with a sizzling sound.
With another gentle flick of his short sword, a triumphant sound filled with a sense of satisfaction.
Zhou Xing was greatly shocked:
"This knife..."
"Aww!!!"
The monster let out a horrific howl, and the entire cellar seemed to tremble.
The excruciating pain from the wound, and the aura it loathed most about the dagger, drove it completely mad!
It suddenly exerted its strength, and its huge body struggled violently, squeezing completely into the already small cellar!
This made the cellar feel even more crowded, and the stench was overwhelming.
The monster's tentacles lashed wildly, their movements disordered due to shock and rage, but they covered a wider area and were more powerful, forcing Zhou Xing to retreat repeatedly.
Zhou Xing weaves through the pulsating tentacles, keeping a watchful eye on everything around him.
Because of their vigorous blood and energy, they and their three musketeers were the most attractive targets to the monsters. The three of them, back to back, cooperated well and managed to put up a tough fight.
The Taoist brother and sister were also in a precarious situation, being targeted by several tentacles.
But the Taoist priest used the Yu Step, his figure darting around in the narrow space, avoiding the direct attack of the tentacles. At the same time, he made hand seals, and his fingertips had somehow already held several yellow talismans.
The yellow talisman ignited spontaneously without fire, transforming into a pale golden streak that struck precisely the tentacles attacking him.
The flesh sizzled and emitted a pungent white smoke, causing the tentacle to convulse and retract.
On the other side, several spectators who knew a little about magic were also frantically throwing out talismans and copper coins, which jingled as they hit the tentacles.
Although it didn't cause serious damage, it did irritate the monster, causing its tentacles to flailing wildly.
Every now and then, someone would be sucked up by the tentacles in mid-air and immediately become shriveled.
It seems that Taoist arts are more effective at restraining it.
After being injured several times, its attacks became even more frenzied, with its tentacles lashing and piercing indiscriminately, sending bricks and stones flying through the cellar and causing screams of agony.
Just then, Zhou Xing caught a glimpse of the edge of the hole through which the monster had squeezed in; due to the twisting of the wall, a slightly larger gap had appeared.
Meanwhile, He Jiu, that guy, had already crouched down and silently slipped to the edge of the gap, peeking out and preparing to crawl inside.
opportunity!
He noticed that after the monster was injured, its attacks, though fierce, became less methodical and more vulnerable.
It poses a greater threat to ordinary people, but for those who are skilled and have sharp eyes, it presents an opportunity!
"I still have the energy, I don't want to die here!"
Zhou Xing suddenly took a deep breath and spoke, his voice overwhelming the noise in the area.
"Listen to my call! Those with good fists and feet, entangle the tentacles around the Taoist priest!"
Those who know magic should use talismans and other magical tools to attack the spot where the Taoist priest was striking!
Taoist priest, don't hold back! Aim for the wound and strike with deadly force!
Once the monsters lose their pattern, run towards the cave entrance!
At the critical moment of life and death, his voice carried an unquestionable determination.
The three musketeers, who were in a state of panic, instinctively glanced towards Qingxu upon hearing this.
Zhou Xing set an example by getting close to the tentacle, and the Gong family's short sword was thrust out from time to time, slashing the tentacle and causing black blood to splatter everywhere, creating an opportunity for Qingxu.
The three gunmen cursed and lunged at the base of the tentacles Zhou Xing had pointed to, punching and kicking to draw the nearest tentacles' attack.
The other survivors trembled as they threw out their last few talismans, which landed near the burn wound inflicted by the Qingxu talisman.
Yun Qing raised her hand, and several copper coins shot out. Although they did not break through the thick skin of the tentacle, they stuck to it and emitted a faint light.
Several groups of people who didn't get along actually managed to cooperate quite well at this crucial moment.
A complex emotion flashed in Qingxu's eyes, but his hands did not slow down at all; his fingers moved like a sword, and he chanted rapidly.
"Yuqing commands, to seize your spirits! Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, swiftly descend with your mighty power! Break!"
A purple-patterned talisman shot out and precisely pierced the wound that had been attacked multiple times and was already torn open!
"Pfft!"
With a flash of purple light, half of the tentacle was blown off from the inside, leaving only a bit of skin and flesh connected, hanging limply.
Foul-smelling black blood gushed out like a fountain, hissing at the cut.
"what!"
A warlock was unable to dodge in time and was drenched in black blood. He screamed and rolled away, his skin and flesh charred black.
The monster roared in agony, its remaining tentacles lashing wildly in all directions like raging whips!
The earth shook violently, a strong wind howled, a stench filled the air, and rocks flew everywhere.
It's now!
Zhou Xing moved like a fish, rushing towards the hole in the wall amidst a flurry of whip shadows and splattering corrosive blood. The gap was exposed more as the monster twisted and turned.
He moved quickly, and in a few leaps he was close to the cave entrance.
Just then, a malevolent wind arose from behind!
It turned out to be the gunman's leader. Taking advantage of the moment when he rushed forward and turned his back to the crowd, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he stabbed his short knife at his lower back!
Cooperation and fighting a common enemy are all bullshit when it comes to killing Zhou Xing!
Zhou Xing's listening skills were incredibly sharp; he abruptly reversed the forward momentum, like a fish wagging its tail, as the tip of the knife grazed the corner of his clothes.
He took the opportunity to lower his waist and twist his hips, kicking the old man's shinbone.
"Rushing to be reborn?"
Zhou Xing coldly tossed out a sentence without slowing down.
The old man felt a numbness in his calf, cried out in pain, and staggered backward.
"You bastard surnamed Zhou! I'll fuck you..."
He started cursing.
Before the cursing had even stopped, a soft whip-like tentacle swept in front of him, startling him so much that he quickly scrambled away.
Zhou Xingli ignored it and rushed to the cave entrance in a few steps. He could escape with just one leap.
In that instant, a thought struck him, and following a strange feeling, he abruptly turned his head and glimpsed:
On the upper half of that bloated torso, where the roots of several tentacles were intertwined, beneath the tangled seaweed and moss, was a dark metal armband!
It's a token!
In a flash, a thought struck: run or steal?