Chapter 101: They All Perished

Dozens of shikigami charged toward Gu Xiangnan all at once.

Gu Xiangnan set Tao Yao aside. She was still bound by the demon-binding rope, making her movement difficult for the time being. He would have to wait until this battle was over before untying her.

Zhang Baolian chanted a protective spell, and a shield appeared around Tao Yao. Now Gu Xiangnan could focus on the fight without worry.

He stood up, activated his true energy, and unleashed the Giant Yuan Palm. But this time, his palm did not grow larger; instead, a red aura coiled around it. The crimson glow stood out vividly in the night.

Gu Xiangnan’s heart skipped a beat. This was the first time he had experienced such a phenomenon. Could this be the effect of his senior sisters helping him improve his cultivation?

In the live stream, someone commented: "What game is this outfit from? It looks super cool."

A shikigami rushed before him. Gu Xiangnan swung his palm—but his strike passed right through the shikigami’s body, hitting nothing but air.

Immediately, the shikigami struck back with a heavy blow, knocking Gu Xiangnan to the ground.

His pupils contracted in shock and dismay. Was he no longer a martial artist?

Before he could dwell further, another shikigami appeared before him. Gu Xiangnan flipped up from the ground and swung his palm again—still missing!

This time, he was blasted into the air, then crashed down with blood streaming from his nose.

After all, these were shikigami—spiritual entities with combat abilities far superior to ordinary humans.

If it were someone else, a couple of hits like that would have been fatal.

Zhang Baolian muttered a spell, tossing a talisman onto one of the shikigami, but it had no effect. After all, these were not ghosts but shikigami.

“Ah!” spectators in the square gasped at Gu Xiangnan’s miserable condition, some children even crying in fright.

“Why aren’t you fighting? Make a move!” someone shouted recklessly.

Inside the protective shield, Tao Yao cried out loudly, “My lord, they’re spiritual beings, and you’re a physical one—you can’t hit them!”

Gu Xiangnan wiped the blood from his nose and asked, “Then what am I supposed to do? Just take the beating?”

Tao Yao shouted, “You can let a spiritual entity possess your body.”

Suddenly, Gu Xiangnan thought of Han Fei, who was also a spiritual entity. Could he let Han Fei possess him?

At that moment, another shikigami flew toward him and grabbed his neck. He struggled fiercely, trying to shove it away, but no matter how he moved, his palm couldn’t touch the spirit.

Gu Xiangnan frantically searched his body but realized he hadn’t brought the sword hilt with him.

This was it! Was he truly going to meet his end here?

His face turned purple with effort, yet he refused to give up.

If Han Fei could really possess him, perhaps he could be saved. This thought churned in his mind relentlessly.

Then, suddenly, a sword appeared out of nowhere in his right hand. The blade was made of light—a golden light sword!

The entire square erupted in excitement.

The live stream exploded as tens of thousands of viewers flooded in. The comment section became chaotic.

“Holy crap, is this for real? How did that sword just appear out of thin air?”

“Is he about to counterattack?”

“That sword is so cool! Streamer, share the link—I want to buy one!”

Gu Xiangnan swung the light sword, thrusting toward the shikigami.

“Ah!” A blood-curdling scream echoed as the shikigami released its grip and was pierced through the body.

Then the next one fell.

Gu Xiangnan leapt into the air, slicing through the dark like a meteor streaking across the night sky.

“Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!” Each strike was precise, accompanied by the wails of the shikigami.

Within minutes, Gu Xiangnan had turned the tide.

Ashiya Yoaki’s heart was a tangle of emotions—rage, fear, frustration, and despair all at once. His eyes bloodshot, and the corners reddened.

They were all dead. Every last one.

Only he remained.

Ashiya Yoaki looked at Gu Xiangnan before him, overwhelmed by regret for the first time. He regretted taking this mission.

After years of gathering shikigami and relentless training, he had finally gained such power.

Yet, meeting a true master had shattered everything like a dam breaking.

Ashiya Yoaki knew it would be difficult to leave unscathed today.

If that was the case, he might as well go all out.

He clasped his hands into seals, closed his eyes, and whispered an incantation: “Soul, leave the body, heed the summons. Host’s form, I shall borrow.”

Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide, pointed at Gu Xiangnan, and commanded: “Possess him! Kill him for me!”

This was a forbidden spell, capable of summoning the living to serve one’s will.

At once, everyone in the square shuddered violently, their gazes turning vacant.

They moved stiffly like puppets, advancing toward Gu Xiangnan.

“You are despicable!” Gu Xiangnan shouted angrily.

He could easily kill the shikigami, but not these people.

These were living humans—his compatriots.

He could neither strike nor kill them.

He could only keep retreating and dodging.

“Seventh Senior Sister, what do we do? Think of something!” Tao Yao cried out. She wanted to help but was bound and unable to cast spells.

Zhang Baolian reached into her bag and pulled out paper dolls in handfuls.

After chanting spells, the paper dolls came to life, taking human shape and clawing at the controlled citizens.

Each paper doll restrained one person, managing to subdue them all.

Gu Xiangnan broke free and, sword in hand, teleported beside Ashiya Yoaki, ready to end him.

Ashiya Yoaki panicked and cast a protective spell, summoning a talisman shield around him.

Gu Xiangnan’s sword struck the shield but couldn’t pierce it.

“Damn it, why is this so tough? I can’t cut through!” Gu Xiangnan grumbled.

Zhang Baolian recalled what her grandfather had taught her: Among all spells, thunder magic was the most powerful.

Any monster or evil spirit would flee from thunder magic.

She decided to try it.

She pulled out a yellow talisman, quickly drew symbols with a brush, and chanted the thunder summoning spell.

Once done, she waved her hand, and the talisman seemed to come alive.

It floated into the air, its drawn pattern expanding into a massive magic circle.

At the center of the circle was a black hole, from which black mist poured out endlessly.

The mist gathered in the sky, forming dark clouds crackling with lightning.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning surged from the clouds, striking toward Ashiya Yoaki’s head.

“Boom!”

The lightning shattered the talisman shield.

Ashiya Yoaki’s face went pale with fear. He dared not show himself now, and with his shield destroyed, there was nowhere left to hide.

Back in the live stream, viewers erupted:

“Is this some kind of special effect? Don’t believe it, guys.”

“This is too fake; how could people really use magic?”

“Definitely effects—I could do that too!”

An expert commented:

“This is the Dragon-Tiger Mountain thunder summoning spell. Usually, it’s the Taoist priests who call down lightning to strike enemies. Look at the young priestess in yellow robes—why is she using a purple-robed priest’s talisman?”

“Boom!”

Another thunderbolt crashed down, splitting the protective shield once more.