Ruan Di used his pale yellow, hardened nails to scrape the cheek of the charred head, easily removing a layer of carbonized skin.

Underneath the carbonized skin was an ugly face with a dark complexion, frozen in an expression of extreme fear. It was a face they recognized: Wu Hu.

CRACK.

From the broken neck of the charred head, a large clump of blackish-green viscous substance fell out. It looked like countless plant-like fibers twisted together, dense and interwoven. As it landed on the dust-covered ground, it squirmed ceaselessly, like springy, slippery jelly.

Ruan Tian and Ruan Di felt a shiver run down their spines. They hurriedly threw the head aside and retreated several steps. Only then did they notice that other parts of the charred corpse also contained the blackish-green plant fibers.

Bunches of plant filaments, along with a dark red, unidentified viscous liquid, continuously poured out from the cross-section of the corpse's waist and abdomen, spreading and sprawling across the ground.

No internal organs were seen spilling out... Which meant this body had long been hollowed out.

Ruan Tian and Ruan Di felt an icy chill spread throughout their bodies. Their eyes widened in sudden horror as they clearly saw innumerable fibers piercing through the charred body's skin. The fibers twisted together, forming slender tentacles that touched the ground. Deceptively quickly, they reattached the lower half of the headless corpse to its upper half.

Finally, the headless body, now covered in "green fuzz," picked up the charred head from the ground, stood up, and slowly pressed the head back onto its neck.

"Well, well, looks like I've been discovered," a rather frivolous voice said from behind the dilapidated temple.

The two maidservants retreated abruptly, leaving only Wu Hu, clad in tattered clothes and wearing a smile, standing alone.

"Who exactly are you?!" Ruan Tian growled, his voice fierce despite his inner fear, his trembling hand gripping the hilt of his short dagger tightly.

Wu Hu, or rather Li Ang, didn't answer. He scratched his cheek as if unbearably itchy, tearing off a layer of skin. "Why did you have to meddle? If you had just left the corpse alone, that would have been great. I could have mingled with you all and taken a tour around Lvzhou or something."

Li Ang sighed and scratched his cheek more vigorously, completely tearing off the human skin Mask transformed from the Origin of Life.

Scholar Xiao stepped back cautiously, trying to keep as much distance as possible from Wu Hu's corpse and Daoist Xi Menzi. He asked gloomily, "What is this thing?! What have you done to Wu Hu?"

"Nothing much. Just invited him for a little meal, that's all." Li Ang carelessly flicked away the skin flakes from his fingertips and smiled casually. "Don't worry, you all will be 'eating' soon enough too."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ruan Tian saw Wu Hu's corpse standing still with a dull expression. His heart felt as if it had plunged into ice. He would rather die than become such a ghastly, horrific figure, devoid of any human dignity.

"You want me to die? I'll make you die first!" With a fierce expression, Ruan Tian roared and threw two thumb-sized iron cylindrical projectiles from his palm.

BOOM—

The two iron cylindrical projectiles, known as Soul Hunting Sand, traced a straight line before exploding in mid-air right in front of Li Ang. They unleashed a thick, choking, gray-white smoke, and hidden within it, tiny poisonous iron grains spread out in a fan shape.

Li Ang, unfazed, retrieved a black cloak from his backpack slot and activated his breathing technique, infusing Ripple Energy into it. The garment became as stiff and rigid as a Shield. He held it in his hand and slung it diagonally into the air, perfectly covering all the fine iron grains.

The Ripple Energy dissipated instantly, and the black cloak returned to its original state. With a flick of Li Ang's hand, the fine iron grains cascaded to the ground. But Ruan Tian and Ruan Di were nowhere to be seen in the dilapidated temple. They had seized the opportunity amidst the smoke to smash through the temple wall, slip through the opening, and flee.

Scholar Xiao's expression changed drastically. Before he could inwardly curse the Ruan Brothers for abandoning their fellow sect members and acting so despicably, the corpse of Wu Hu, covered in "green fuzz" and standing dazedly in place, moved.

With a push off the ground, its stiff legs propelled it out of the temple doors with an agility that belied its appearance. Guided by the Scout Soldier Bee flying overhead, it locked onto the fleeing Ruan Brothers.

Ruan Tian heard frantic footsteps behind him. He turned his head to see Wu Hu chasing him with a smile. From Wu Hu's gaping mouth, several plant tendrils emerged between his teeth, swaying and shaking.

"Die!" Ruan Tian was terrified to his core. A faint red glow emanated from the giant fish tattoo on his back as he threw two long, sharp iron needles with all his might.

These two needles were items the brothers had acquired years ago from an unknown sunken ship while working as Sailors. Once they made contact, they could drag a person into an illusion, making them believe they were at sea, facing towering waves and surging tsunamis, panicked and awaiting their slaughter. It was precisely with these needles that the brothers had murdered their former employer and embarked on the path of maritime bandits.

HUM—

The two needles smoothly pierced Wu Hu's skull, and his figure did indeed pause for a moment.

Success! Ruan Tian and Ruan Di were overjoyed. They didn't have time to mourn their last two Hallucination Needles and quickened their pace, sprinting frantically.

They weren't devout followers of the Holy White Lotus; they had no obligation to sacrifice their lives for mere maidservants. Besides, there were people in this world capable of lifting the Three Corpse Torture Extermination Talisman. As long as we're alive, there's hope...

One second, two seconds. Wu Hu's corpse stood in place, silent for quite a while. Then, it calmly removed the needles and, with the same rigid running motion, continued to chase after Ruan Tian and Ruan Di.

This corpse had long been hollowed out by fungal filaments and was immune to any Illusion Technique or hallucinations. It had always been Li Ang, disguised as Wu Hu, manipulating it.

「———」

"A mere decoy was enough to draw out all your tricks," Li Ang said, shaking his head in the ruined temple. He looked at the silent Scholar Xiao and the maidservants. "Now that two of your companions have run away, perhaps it's time to consider surrendering?"

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