The man with his hand on Tong Jingcheng's shoulder, though not appearing fierce, emanated an aura of extreme danger to Tong Jingcheng.
One had to understand that Tong Jingcheng was renowned as a once-in-a-millennium genius of the Lushan Sect, and he was no longer a young man but an elder far older than an ancient being like Lu Jingheng, who had lived for over a hundred years.
This man behind him looked no more than forty-something. By seniority, he could likely be Tong Jingcheng's grandson.
Yet, it was precisely this man who exuded a dangerous aura, forcing Tong Jingcheng to be on guard.
"Stay put and watch quietly. Once this matter is settled, I'll settle accounts with you slowly," Yan Chou said to Tong Jingcheng with a smile.
A hint of anger flickered across Tong Jingcheng's face.
The Great Array of Refining Yin and Rebirth concerned the life and death of the one he loved, and he had prepared for it for who knew how many years.
With the matter on the verge of success, how could he simply abandon it?
Even though Yan Chou posed a great threat to Tong Jingcheng, he had to act!
However, as Tong Jingcheng raised his hand, the dog Taoist immediately slapped it down. "I told you not to move, don't you understand?"
"I..."
"Shut up!"
"..."
At this moment, Xue Kai also spotted Yan Chou and his companions. He hurried over and knelt on one knee before Yan Chou. "Master!"
"Get up. What's the situation?" Yan Chou asked casually.
Xue Kai replied, "Lin Zitong was killed by Tong Jingcheng. The Great Array of Refining Yin and Rebirth has been activated. Shouyi flew into the sky with Lin Zitong's body, almost losing control of the malevolent energy. But somehow, the malevolent energy on him suddenly disappeared. Then, Lin Zitong erupted with purple light, and it seems there's another change."
After hearing Xue Kai's words, Yan Chou did not seem surprised, merely nodding casually.
"Master..." Xue Kai said, lowering his head. "This disciple failed to protect Shouyi properly. I beg Master's punishment."
"No need. You've done enough," Yan Chou said. "The rest is for him to handle himself."
While Yan Chou and Xue Kai were conversing, the group of hangers-on around Yan Chou began to size up Yan Shouyi in the sky, chattering amongst themselves.
"Is the one in the sky our grand-nephew Yan Shouyi? Yo ho, back then when I saw this kid, he was running around the village with his pants down. I never expected him to grow up so quickly!"
"Amitabha, grand-nephew appears to have great spiritual potential. He should have studied Buddhism with this humble monk back then, but alas, he was misled by the Lu Ban curse!"
"You two, don't just discuss. Tell me what's happening. Are you trying to bully me because I can't see?"
The dog Taoist, the serene Buddhist monk, and Zou the blind man bickered incessantly, turning the scene into a chaotic mess.
The beautiful woman cast them a disdainful glance. "Can't you all talk less? Shouyi seems to be in trouble now."
"With so many uncles and aunts here, are you afraid we can't solve grand-nephew's problem?" the dog Taoist laughed heartily.
Yan Chou smiled. "He can resolve his own matters. We just need to watch quietly and prevent others from disturbing him."
The "others" in his words naturally referred to Tong Jingcheng.
Tong Jingcheng was growing increasingly anxious.
On one hand, Yan Shouyi seemed to have found a way to break the Great Array of Refining Yin and Rebirth, and on the other hand, he was being held back by Yan Chou and his group.
If he continued to wait idly, his decades of effort would be completely in vain!
Therefore, Tong Jingcheng decided not to wait for death!
He quietly shook the soul-calling bell.
The dozen or so burly men previously stationed around the ancestral hall were immediately possessed by ghosts!
They all stared with wide eyes, stood on their tiptoes, and lunged viciously at Yan Chou and his group!
Discovering the situation, the dog Taoist's expression darkened. "I told you not to move, why don't you listen?"
Tong Jingcheng seized the opportunity to break free from Yan Chou's restraint. A black mist appeared beneath his feet, lifting him towards Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong in the sky!
"Someone go deal with that guy!"
The dog Taoist finished speaking, snorted, and flicked his whisk, sending the burly man in front of him flying.
The burly man fell to the ground, the evil spirits within him also expelled. Before they could even scream, they were scattered into nothingness.
The serene Buddhist monk was even more decisive. He wielded his staff so skillfully that within a few breaths, all the burly men were knocked to the ground, their limbs and ribs broken. Not a single one was intact.
As for the evil spirits controlling the burly men, they were all "transcended" by Miaoji – a physical transcendence.
Zou the blind man, hugging his Guqin, flailed about in confusion. "What's happening again? Someone tell me, damn it!"
Having easily dealt with Tong Jingcheng's subordinates, the dog Taoist and the serene Buddhist monk quickly looked up at the sky.
Tong Jingcheng had already reached Yan Shouyi!
Yan Shouyi also sensed Tong Jingcheng's presence and quickly ordered the San Yuan to engage Tong Jingcheng.
But unexpectedly, Tong Jingcheng had no intention of fighting Yan Shouyi. Instead, he lunged directly at the purple flower enveloping Lin Zitong!
Yan Shouyi's eyes narrowed.
He would not allow Lin Zitong to be harmed again!
So he stood up, jumped directly from San Yuan's back, and fearlessly lunged at Tong Jingcheng!
"Get lost!" Tong Jingcheng kicked at Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi endured Tong Jingcheng's kick but managed to grab his leg and climb up!
"Stay away from Zitong!!" Yan Shouyi said fiercely.
At this moment, he was like a piece of stubborn gum, impossible to shake off. Tong Jingcheng, enraged, directly carried Yan Shouyi and crashed them violently into the ground!
Boom—
They crashed into the ground like meteorites, creating a deep crater.
Yan Shouyi, heavily injured, bled uncontrollably from his mouth and lay at the bottom of the crater.
Even as a Heavenly Yin Corpse Puppet, he would find it difficult to recover in such a short time!
Tong Jingcheng climbed out of the crater in a disheveled state, looking down at Yan Shouyi from above, and let out a burst of mockery:
"Hahahaha! You're just a brat, and you think you can stop me?!!"
Severely wounded, Yan Shouyi stared intently at Tong Jingcheng.
He managed a cold smile and said, "What a so-called genius of a millennium, you're nothing special yourself..."
"What do you mean?" Tong Jingcheng's expression darkened.
Just as he was about to get angry, he suddenly felt a wave of weakness.
Looking down, Tong Jingcheng's face changed drastically!
His lower abdomen had been pierced by a coffin nail made of wutong wood during the scuffle with Yan Shouyi!
And he hadn't even noticed it!
Wutong wood could inflict real damage on the body of a Heavenly Yin Corpse Puppet. Even though Tong Jingcheng's cultivation was tens of times deeper than Yan Shouyi's, in front of wutong wood, he was merely an ordinary mortal.
Yan Shouyi took a few deep breaths and stumbled to his feet. He laughed.
"Last time at Ping An Building, I realized my own weakness. To remind myself, I carried that wutong wood coffin nail with me. Who would have thought it would become a weapon to counter you!"
Tong Jingcheng's face was extremely grim. He gritted his teeth, pulled out the wutong wood coffin nail from his abdomen, and threw it aside.
Swoosh!
Unexpectedly, as soon as one coffin nail was pulled out, a second one pierced his chest!
Yan Shouyi was holding the other end!!
"Last time, I couldn't protect that silly girl, but this time... even if I die, I won't let you touch her again!!" Yan Shouyi roared.
Boom—
The thunderclouds in the sky rumbled again. Everyone was surprised to find that the purple flower enveloping Lin Zitong's corpse was slowly blooming!
"Get lost!!"
Tong Jingcheng pushed Yan Shouyi away, ignoring his injuries, not even intending to pull out the coffin nail in his chest.
At this moment, all he wanted was to stop Lin Zitong from reviving and complete the Great Array of Refining Yin and Rebirth!
Like Yan Shouyi, Tong Jingcheng was also determined to succeed or perish!
If Lin Zitong died, Su Yirou would live.
If Lin Zitong lived, Su Yirou would die!
For both Yan Shouyi and Tong Jingcheng, this was a struggle for the chance to save their loved ones. They would go all out, risking everything!
"Yirou... wait for me... I will definitely... bring you back!!"
Tong Jingcheng dragged his broken body, leaving a trail of blood, and hobbled towards Lin Zitong.
Yan Shouyi also pursued him.
His condition was slightly better than Tong Jingcheng's, so he quickly caught up and tackled Tong Jingcheng to the ground.
Yan Shouyi still held a third coffin nail in his hand!!
He didn't know where Tong Jingcheng's heart was, so he could only attack blindly.
Tong Jingcheng gritted his teeth, pulled out the coffin nail in his chest, and aimed it directly at Yan Shouyi's Tianshu acupoint!
"You don't know my weakness, but I know yours! Come! If you dare, let's gamble and see if you die or I die!!!" Tong Jingcheng roared hysterically.
"Let's gamble! I've experienced the most painful things in life, so why fear death!!"
Yan Shouyi also fell into madness. Even if it cost him his life, he had to hold back Tong Jingcheng until Lin Zitong revived!
Swoosh!
Yan Shouyi's coffin nail instantly pierced Tong Jingcheng's right chest.
As for Tong Jingcheng's coffin nail, it was just a hair's breadth away from Yan Shouyi's Tianshu acupoint!
Tong Jingcheng's eyes widened, staring at the scene in disbelief!
His coffin nail had been caught by Long Feicheng, who had been waiting in the wings to seize the opportunity!!
That unremarkable fellow whom Tong Jingcheng had overlooked from beginning to end!
Long Feicheng tightly gripped the coffin nail, his hands even bleeding from the cut, but he refused to let go.
He gritted his teeth. "Brother Yan... as your brother, I will never leave you at a critical moment!"
Yan Shouyi glanced at Long Feicheng. Though he said nothing, his gaze conveyed a thousand words.
Then, he shifted his gaze to Tong Jingcheng's face.
He saw the unwillingness, fear, and despair in Tong Jingcheng's eyes.
Yan Shouyi understood that he had gambled correctly.
Tong Jingcheng had moved his heart to his left chest!
So, Yan Shouyi gritted his teeth and used all his strength to shove the coffin nail deep into Tong Jingcheng's body.
Tong Jingcheng could no longer bear the intense pain and cried out in agony!
"Ah!!!!!"
In his screams, there was pain, but more so, there was endless regret.
Decades of planning had gone up in smoke today.
The woman he loved had already died in his arms once, and this was the second time.
Yan Shouyi could understand this heartache, but it didn't mean he would sympathize.
Yan Shouyi also used all his strength, flipped over, and fell beside Tong Jingcheng.
Looking at the sky, at the slowly blooming purple flower, Yan Shouyi showed a hint of a smile and said weakly,
"Tong Jingcheng... you should understand, you and I are the same kind of people. You are willing to give up everything for her, and I am just like you..."