Below the city walls.
Ink River flicked his grappling hook and nimbly climbed the several-meter-high city wall. After ascending, Ink River tossed the lantern to Zhang Hanshan, who grabbed the chain and was pulled up by Ink River.
Zhang Hanshan looked at Ink River's calm demeanor and knew that this was when Brother Chuan was truly angry. Although he showed no emotional fluctuations on the surface, it was because he was about to abandon all his bottom lines and principles, entering a state of absolute rationality.
To observe the situation in the military camp from the city wall, the two had to adjust their distance. They crouched and moved along the wall for a long time, finally finding a suitable position.
From there, they could see the battle on the rooftop, the progress of the hundred ghosts' night parade, and all the captured survivors, while also hiding their figures and remaining undiscovered by the ghosts.
Ink River frantically scanned the girls floating around the wine gourd, but he could not find Mo Fei's figure.
"Brother Chuan! Over there!" Zhang Hanshan tugged at Ink River and pointed quietly.
Ink River immediately looked and saw Mo Fei, He Lanxin, and Tang Jingjing floating in the air, their limbs hanging limply, clearly in a coma.
Ink River stared at the floating people, lost in thought.
Seeing a few more people being sucked into the wine gourd and chewed, Zhang Hanshan's eyes turned red with anxiety. He stood up, ready to rescue them immediately, but Ink River grabbed him.
"Brother Chuan! We can't wait any longer! If Sister He and the others are in trouble, it's over!"
"What's the point of going now? Is it fun to throw your life away?" Ink River coldly stated, his eyes fixed on the battle and the changing situation. "Wait, find an opportunity to join the fray."
Zhang Hanshan looked at Ink River's devilish eyes and broke out in a cold sweat.
Meanwhile, in the city.
The Wang brothers, Wang Hu, Wang Lang, and Wang Bao, each carrying or holding an elder or child, hurried towards the Erlang Temple.
Nanshanzi frowned and cast one talisman after another, repelling the ghosts. After dispersing a round of attacks, he shouted, "Run into the Erlang Temple! This poor Taoist will cover your retreat!" He then flicked a few more talismans, immobilizing several ghosts before turning and running towards the Erlang Temple.
Seeing Nanshanzi run into the temple, Wang Hu quickly closed the courtyard gate and, with Wang Lang's help, bolted it shut.
"Phew... Phew... Daoist Priest, what do we do now?" Wang Bao asked, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
"We wait for the ghosts outside to withdraw, and then we'll send these elders and children to the nearest shelter."
"..." Wang Bao clearly wanted to say more, but Wang Hu patted his shoulder and shook his head, so Wang Bao said nothing further.
Nanshanzi bowed to Wang Hu and turned to enter the main temple.
The familiar statue still stood on the altar. Nanshanzi sat cross-legged on the prayer mat in the temple, subtly wiping the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth.
"This poor Taoist... might not last long..." Nanshanzi closed his eyes, quietly suppressing the poison within him.
"Junior Sister... you must find young friend Mo... he is the hope of ghost cultivation..."
Meanwhile, at Qingzhou First High School.
The massive body of Yamata no Orochi coiled on the sports field, its eight heads occasionally scanning its surroundings and swallowing anything it wanted to eat.
"So many... stones here... only this one... open space can fit... us," Yamata no Orochi scanned, and suddenly saw a man emerging from the ruins.
The man was somewhat bald. After looking around for a moment, he climbed out of the ruins, then reached back and pulled out another man and a woman.
These three people hurried away, appearing quite anxious.
Three of Yamata no Orochi's heads quietly watched the actions of the three humans, as if watching a play.
Principal Liu, who had just emerged from the basement, was with Teacher Hu and a teacher from the medical department, intending to find some medical supplies.
Suddenly, all three felt a terrifying gaze and shivered in unison.
Principal Liu looked behind him and saw a snake head as large as a truck staring at him with large, golden eyes.
More terrifyingly, behind this head, at least three other heads were staring at them from a distance.
Instantly, Principal Liu felt cold sweat drenching his entire back.
Yamata no Orochi narrowed its eyes and flicked its tongue at the three stunned people before them.
"Run!" Principal Liu, having recovered, leaped into another pile of ruins, shouting a warning to the other two.
The other two, also having reacted, quickly sought nearby cover.
"Hehehehe... My favorite game of hide-and-seek has begun..." Yamata no Orochi, like a cat playing with mice after a full meal, slowly roamed through the ruins of the academy with three heads, searching for the three figures.
Flicking its tongue, Yamata no Orochi sensed the location of the three. Their terrified warmth and panicked breaths betrayed their positions.
"Here I come~" Yamata no Orochi quietly bypassed a section of broken walls, turned its snake head, and immediately met the school doctor hiding behind the ruins.
"Found you~" Yamata no Orochi grinned and flicked its tongue.
"Ahhh!! --" The school doctor screamed loudly, constantly backing away, but soon had nowhere else to go, pressing against the wall.
Just as Yamata no Orochi was contemplating how to bite, a flash of green light streaked past, and the side of the snake's face instantly split open, its black scales like shields crashing to the ground.
"Ah! -- Who is it!!"
...
Xin Lei threw Da Yue Wan's charred body in front of Shuten Doji's palanquin. Black smoke and liquid continuously emanated from it, while the Lu Ming Sword was nowhere to be seen.
Shuten Doji's eyes twitched imperceptibly, and he then looked at the other two battles.
On the other side, the Master of Kawakaze desperately dodged Ping Huo's bombardment. The scorching Samadhi True Fire had reduced his haori to ashes, revealing his charred back and scales sparking with embers.
As for Umibozu, due to geographical constraints (lack of sufficient water), he was completely drained by the Nine Heavens Divine Tree summoned by Yi Mu, leaving only a tin staff lying alone on the ground.
The veins on Shuten Doji's forehead bulged, and he said, "Ibaraki, Sutoku (Great Tengu), you two go."
The two nodded. Great Tengu suddenly flapped its wings and soared into the sky. Facing Xin Lei, who was riding the clouds, and Yi Mu, who stood on the treetop, it waved its fan.
"Divine Wind: Razor"
Two giant tornadoes appeared out of thin air, shredding everything around them like razors and rushing towards the two.
On the ground, Ibaraki swept his empty right sleeve towards the ground, and a giant purple ghost hand erupted from the earth, blocking Ping Huo's bombardment for the Master of Kawakaze.
"Rashomon!"
Ibaraki Doji let out a sharp cry, and a purple portal opened behind him, absorbing the dense ghost energy from the surroundings. At the same time, it fed back to Ibaraki Doji himself, causing his figure to enlarge several times.