The pumpkin was divided into eight segnts, each branded with talisman patterns drawn repeatedly using vermillion black dog blood; hence, it was deeply infused, not prone to fading easily.
However, when Qi-Blood was stimulated, the talisman patterns on these segnts would project around the hamr’s head, about a foot into the air, swinging down with enormous weight, accompanied by thunderous roars, trendously astonishing.
This talisman treasure wasn’t the most powerful artifact among the cultivators of the Tianlao Society present, but it was the one Zhuge Jian was most satisfied with and felt most comfortable using.
He moved with the steps of the Big Dipper, his feet treading on wind and thunder, his speed extrely fast. He charged among the myriad Tianlao Society cultivators, the pumpkin hamrs spinning around above and below, left and right, pounding heads and smashing spine backs, swinging upward with lethal force!
He struck at the chest from the front, the jade pillow from the back!
When Zhuge Jian’s footsteps halted, corpses lay strewn about haphazardly on the ground.
He reached the grand entrance of the Three Elents Inn and kicked open the two vermillion doors; over thirty surviving cultivators of the Tianlao Society stood orderly in the courtyard, so hiding up in trees, standing on rooftops, and behind parapets.
Zhuge Jian slightly smiled and lunged into the courtyard.
Inside the Three Elents Inn, shouts and killing arose simultaneously.
Half an hour later, everything went quiet.
Zhuge Jian arrived at the shrine within the Three Elents Inn, facing the Heavenly Elder, who was desperately drawing upon the Incense Fire Qi, attempting to consolidate the shrine image, and took a deep breath.
"Clang!"
He dropped the twin hamrs in his hand and rushed into the shrine!
Before even getting close to the shrine, he took out two ceramic grenades, the size of human heads, and hurled them into the shrine!
These grenades were ceramic outside, with a celadon glaze and covered in spiny protrusions like a burr fruit, able to hold three catties of gunpowder. Both the ceramic inner and outer walls were carved with Nine Yang Thunder Fire Talismans, maximizing the blast effect!
Zhuge Jian kept the ceramic grenades in his pack behind him. He threw them into the shrine, imdiately perford a flying retreat, and fired his musket twice. The shots hit the two grenades!
"You shall not die a good death!"
The deity figure of the Heavenly Elder had already half materialized; it was a massive head with a face of an old crone which opened its mouth to scream as the grenades entered and exploded resoundingly!
The whole shrine was instantly engulfed by thunder fire, all exceptional powers shattered by the explosion, followed by the shrine burning fiercely.
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Zhuge Jian turned to search the other rooms for account books and soon found the accounts of the Tianlao Society, moved a table and chairs over, removed his musket, and placed it on the table. He found a can of spring tea, boiled water and brewed himself a pot, sipping tea while perusing the Tianlao Society’s accounts.
After finishing the pot of tea, he put away the accounts, his expression grim, stuffed the ledger into his breast pocket, and slotted his musket into the holster on his back.
"Chen Shi was right, the Tianlao Society is nominally the business of Gongzhou’s Xia Family but in reality, it only pays tribute to the Xia Family for peace."
He walked out of the Three Elents Inn, "The true master behind the Tianlao Society is still the young master. Each year, the Tianlao Society has a sum of money, cleaned through gambling, passing through Joy Forest or Rouge Lane before flowing into the young master’s pouch."
He exhaled a breath of turbid air.
He had been blinded by the young master’s little kindnesses, had beco the archivist of Yudou, and turned a blind eye to the young master’s industries, not realizing he had been sheltering such a vast dark power!
As he arrived on the streets of Guxian Town, the townspeople were terrified, hiding in their courtyards, watching him with fearful eyes.
Zhuge Jian strode alone along this long street.
The wind rose, blowing paper money from nowhere.
He felt sowhat somber; the young master’s influence was so imnse, it made him feel suddenly under great pressure.
The young master represented not just one person, but a vast network of power, nurous experts tangled with local nobles and sects!
What should he do to overthrow this colossal entity?
Could he, Zhuge Jian, along with the killer Chen Shi, truly contend with this colossal entity?
It would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, only leading to utter destruction!
"Even if I’m smashed to pieces, I do not fear, for I wish to retain my integrity in this world! No matter the young master’s talents and strategies, wrongdoing is unacceptable in my view!"
He returned to Gongzhou City, planning to rest his feet and soon regroup with Chen Shi, when he spotted a familiar figure.
"Lu Ban Sect Leader Situ Wen? What’s he doing in Gongzhou?"
Seeing Situ Wen, Zhuge Jian recognized him as an old acquaintance, so he approached. Situ Wen, surprised to see him, asked, "Is the archivist here to arrest on behalf of the young master?"
Zhuge Jian laughed, "Why would the sect leader say that?"
Situ Wen, relieved, confessed his alliance with Chen Shi and betrayal of the young master, saying, "I’ve co here to avoid the turmoil in Yudou and also to seek Master Yu from the Red Mountain Hall of the Talisman Master Association for guidance on talismans."
"Master Yu is also a na I’ve long heard of, a real man of responsibility."
Zhuge Jian said, "I will join you in eting him."
The two went to the Red Mountain Hall and t with Red Mountain Master Yu Tiancheng, finding him to be a Divinity Transformation Realm peak expert, earning their deep admiration.
Situ Wen said, "It turns out the archivist and Master Yu are both n of the True King. What roles do you both hold in the Heavenly Court?"
Zhuge Jian heard this, his heart stirred slightly, maintained his composure, but soon fished out the information he wanted to know.
Yu Tiancheng was not so cunning, straightforwardly saying, "I know nothing of any Heavenly Court. Chen Shi is officially the instructor for our Talisman Master Association, getting fifty taels of silver monthly salary. Did he establish an organization called Heavenly Court?"
Situ Wen, upon hearing this, wished he could slap himself twice, regretting his prattle.
Yu Tiancheng laughed and said, "Then I must also join this Heavenly Court. What about you, Brother Zhuge?"
Zhuge Jian said, "This Heavenly Court doesn’t seem like a legitimate organization. The court is extrely wary of factional strife; any act of forming cliques is t with severe purging, let’s not ntion this again."
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