Because the mystical fog in the Ancient Secret Realm hinders investigation, Zhang Kui, who just left, didn't realize he narrowly escaped a disaster.

Though there weren't any traps or mechanisms here, just the eerie Dragon Bone stage made this Ancient Ji Temple a true dead end.

Still concealing his figure and ensuring the Celestial Tribulation Realm Old Demon couldn't detect him, Zhang Kui noticeably picked up speed.

Before long, he saw a collapsed grand hall in front of him, dilapidated and turned to ruins.

However, there was no divine statue in sight.

Suddenly, Zhang Kui frowned and looked at the ground, where he saw a plaque lying not far away, covered in dust but the three ancient characters could still be discerned:

Drought Demon Hall.

Damn, could he already be outside?

Zhang Kui was startled and quickly looked around.

Still, the yellow fog drifted, making it impossible to distinguish direction.

The surroundings were very quiet, so quiet there was an inexplicable sense of oppression, as if something was secretly watching.

Something was not right!

A fierce light flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes, and he began to search quietly with lighter footsteps.

Though the Drought Fiend had been skinned and dismembered, suppressed for so long, who knows what state it's in now.

From deep within the fog, a voice seemed to emerge.

Zhang Kui squinted slightly, suppressing his qi mechanism, slowly approaching, as the eerie yellow fog came at him and then quickly dissipated.

"Darling, have you forgotten me?"

Suddenly, along with a vague, resentful sigh, a woman appeared in the yellow fog.

Delicate and alluring, eyes shimmering.

It was indeed the fox demon Hu Meiniang who drained his former self.

Zhang Kui frowned, "Illusion Skill!"

It seemed his Invisibility Skill could fool the Celestial Tribulation Realm but not this sealed demon.

"Hmph, courting death!"

Zhang Kui shouted angrily, and his Lu Li sword shot out.

Hu Meiniang instantly dispersed like smoke...

"Dao brother, all past matters are but illusions. I want to be a human in this life, to be your wife..."

A familiar voice suddenly sounded beside him.

Zhang Kui turned around,

only to see Lian standing aside, looking indifferent.

"Junior, do you have intentions towards both my master and disciple?"

Gu Ziqing and Ling Qiushui from the Celestial Water Palace also appeared, holding hands seductively and looking at him, emitting enticing soft breaths.

Then, more and more women appeared — the courtesan Ling Yanchen, Helian Wei, Huo Yu, and even Li Dong'Er — the atmosphere became captivating.

"Damn, I'm not a breeding pig!"

Zhang Kui was furious but just as he intended to act, his mind turned fuzzy.

The Lu Li sword swooshed back into his body, his body involuntarily relaxed, and his eyes began to grow hazy...

Within the yellow fog, the copper statue of the Drought Fiend eerily appeared.

With three heads and six arms seated on the lotus platform, forming dharma seals that were sacred yet bizarre.

The three heads all bore the appearance of delicate women, unlike those from the Central Plains, each had a mouth filled with ferocious fangs.

One face wore a sinister smile, another angry and glaring, terrifying and intimidating. The face facing Zhang Kui, however, was filled with lust.

But without exception, all eyes were a bloodshot red.

The statue floated eerily in the air, approaching slowly, with creaking sounds echoing as the statue's mouth opened wide like a snake revealing its fangs.

Meanwhile, its six arms began to twist and distort.

At this moment, in Zhang Kui's dull mind, deep in the darkness, the stars representing his mastered Guiding Skill and Demon-slaying Skill suddenly shone brightly.

Swish!

The previously fuzzy brain felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over it.

Zhang Kui was suddenly awakened, instantly seeing the copper statue of the Drought Fiend, with blood-red gleaming eyes right before him.

Hideous and twisted, grotesque and sinister.

Zhang Kui was immediately on edge, instinctively stretching out his large palm like a fan.

Smack!

A loud slap.

Then his figure swiftly retreated, disappearing into the fog...

The Drought Fiend copper statue buzzed loudly from the slap, stunned in place, seemingly not registering what had happened.

For a moment, its eyes suddenly gleamed with intense bloodlust.

The Drought Fiend's heads turned rapidly with a few swishes, turning its fierce angry face forward, then swoosh, disappearing into the yellow fog...

Hundreds of meters away.

"Damn, this creepy thing is really hard!"

Zhang Kui's heart was pounding; while nursing his aching hand, he cursed under his breath, weaving through the ruined pavilions.

He was now in the Grain Avoidance Realm, coupled with mastering the Great Strength Skill and Swallowing Knife Skill, making his body as tough as vajra. He could crush solid copper blocks with his bare hands, yet he almost had his palm shattered by that Drought Fiend copper statue.

No go, it seems this thing is as weird as that Dragon Bone stage; it needs further planning.

Thinking of this, Zhang Kui oriented himself and headed towards the Water and Land Hall where Elder Huayan hid.

Shortly after he left, the Drought Fiend copper statue slowly appeared, hovering in the air, spinning a few circles, and then moved in another direction.

If Zhang Kui saw this, he would definitely be amazed at the power of this yellow fog, which not only obscured him and those Celestial Tribulation Realm Old Demons but even this eerie copper statue.

Wham!

The Water and Land Hall gates were opened.

Zhang Kui jumped in, closing the door behind him, speaking with a serious face: "Senior, sure enough, it's bad, not only the Dragon Bone stage but even that Drought Fiend copper statue has broken free..."

He described what he saw in detail.

Elder Huayan was appalled by the news.

The awakened Immortal Crane beside them also shook its head, "Damn, there's such an eerie thing. With two evil entities roaming outside, aren't we just like rats trapped in here?"

Elder Huayan rolled his eyes, then pondered deeply with a furrowed brow: "I heard there was once a lost Great Divine Power that could transform into Three Heads and Six Arms, but only temporarily."

"Back in the Capital City, foreign monks from the Peacock Buddha Country were spreading teachings, saying there's a legendary race over there with Three Heads and Six Arms."

"Could this Drought Fiend have come from the Peacock Buddha Country?"

"Possibly..."

Zhang Kui recalled the face of the Drought Fiend copper statue that didn't resemble someone from the Central Plains and shook his head, sitting down.

"Right now, there's no attention for the origin of the Drought Fiend. This thing had been suppressed, skinned, and deboned. What I suspect is, does it want to resurrect as a lingering spirit, or is it just residual evil energy acting up?"

"And besides…"

Zhang Kui thought about the eerie sedan chair and the man-eating ruined temple he encountered in Qingzhou, frowning: "Everything I see, it looks like artifacts coming to life."

"Artifacts coming to life should not be this fierce and eerie..."

Elder Huayan shook his head slightly, suddenly experiencing a flash of insight, his eyes widening as he sprang up.

"I've got it!"

His expression turned somewhat tense, "I have been excavating ancient secret realms and know a thing or two about Divine Artifacts."

"The biggest difference between Ancient Artifacts and Divine Artifacts is that Divine Artifacts have Artifact Spirits, capable of evolving and upgrading..."

Zhang Kui's eyes brightened at this, "Could these things have been turned into Ancient Artifacts? Human ancestors truly had great means."

At the same time, he thought of his own "Longevity", which should be the embryo of a Divine Artifact, given the Vine Demon as its Artifact Spirit.

"If that's the case, all the better..."

Elder Huayan's face turned quite grave, "In the classics, I once read an account. At this level, besides Divine Artifacts, there are also Evil Artifacts and Demonic Artifacts."

"Although Divine Artifacts require some sacrifices, they can be controlled by humans! Evil Artifacts are strange, often devouring their masters. Demonic Artifacts are more ferocious; whether human, demon, ghost, or evil, they devour to nurture themselves upon sight."

"As an old Daoist, I was foolish not to realize this on seeing that Dragon Bone stage."

At one side, Zhang Kui stood dumbfounded, having not expected there were so many complexities to Ancient Artifacts.

But after pondering a moment, he relaxed and laughed, "Don't worry, Senior; every loss has its gain. Although this Demonic Artifact is terrifying, it doesn't have the world-calamitous power of causing endless droughts or devastating floods, which is fortunate."

Elder Huayan's expression softened a bit, "You're right, but to prevent unforeseen events, we should take down those creepy demons from the Jingjiang Water Mansion and find a way to seal this place."

Having decided on their course of action, the two of them and the Immortal Crane immediately left the Water and Land Hall, heading towards the back of the Ji Temple.

Soon, they discovered two Celestial Tribulation Realm Old Demons with twisted tentacles on their heads, sneakily entering a grand hall.

Zhang Kui and Elder Huayan exchanged a glance, then followed without hesitation.

Not long after they left, the ominous Dragon Bone stage slowly appeared and then gradually disappeared...

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