Chapter 37 The Witcher's Demise

The effective range of the substitute puppet technique wasn't long.

At least, not with the old Taoist's current level of cultivation; it was limited to within ten *li*.

Especially since Zhang Ru was able to tear off one of his arms, the bloody scent was impossible to conceal.

Wei Yuan gripped his sword and, with the aid of the Thousand Mile Tracking Talisman, pursued him rapidly, his feet treading the breeze, his speed extremely fast. In his current state, his senses, enhanced by the Thousand Mile Tracking Talisman, were extraordinarily sharp. Just as he was about to catch up, he suddenly received a call from the Special Operations Team.

"Curator Wei, have you found that Taoist?"

"If you have, please bring him back into custody."

"These heretical Taoist sorcerers need to be handed over to the Celestial Masters' Mansion for disposal, along with the Justice Department of Da Hua, to be judged and sentenced. Although their crimes are heinous, the legal procedures must still be followed. It's unavoidable; he is, after all, a human being…"

Wei Yuan paused, his expression calm, and said, "Mm."

He hung up the phone and placed it on a nearby stone.

Wei Yuan, pressing his hand on his sword, walked into this desolate area on the outskirts of Quanshi. It leaned against a small mountain, and there was a village, but it had long been abandoned. The young people had gone down the mountain, and the old people had gone to live with their children. Almost no one came here. The old Taoist, his arm torn off, leaned against a rock, his face pale, but there was a hint of composure in his expression as he looked at Wei Yuan. He grinned.

"Little fellow, you're a step late. Are you here to see that demon off on its final journey?"

"A good heart, but alas, I've already reported myself to the authorities."

"I'll be going to court soon, life or death depends on fate. At the very least, I'll be inside for the rest of my life. But in the meantime, you righteous cultivators have to protect this old Taoist's safety, provide food and lodging, and treat me well."

Wei Yuan's voice was cold as he hummed in agreement.

He slowly sheathed his long sword and walked forward.

As he approached, the old Taoist sensed that something was wrong and emphasized, "I've already surrendered myself."

"According to the laws and regulations, you can't lay a hand on me."

"Mm."

Wei Yuan still replied with the same unhurried tone.

The old Taoist, experienced in such matters, knew something was wrong. His expression changed drastically. His remaining right hand grabbed a phone and hurriedly tried to press the emergency call button, but then there was a loud bang. His withered hand and the phone were pierced by a bullet from a specialized weapon designed for demons and ghosts. The old Taoist screamed miserably and fell to the ground, his face deathly pale, his body trembling.

Wei Yuan raised the gun:

"Unfortunately, I'm not a member of the Special Operations Team."

The old Taoist's face was deathly pale. He had planned to make one last move, go to prison, and then find a way out, but he hadn't anticipated this. Seeing the murderous intent on Wei Yuan's face, he hurriedly said, "Stop! In this age of spirit energy, besides you and me, there are other mountain spirits and wild monsters listening. If they are summoned and questioned, your actions can't be concealed."

"You're still young; there's no need to die with an old man like me!"

In order to survive, he coughed up blood and heavily slapped the ground, shouting:

"Land spirits, monster spirits, come quickly, come quickly!"

Calling for land spirits, but they were only harmless little monsters.

Wei Yuan did indeed sense a pair of eyes around him.

They were the spirits that had existed since ancient times, the spirituality of objects, slowly awakening after the resurgence of spirit energy.

They couldn't harm people, but they were also difficult to eliminate.

Those with cultivation could be summoned to inquire about matters.

The old Taoist gasped, his face like gold leaf.

Before he could speak, Wei Yuan pulled the trigger again, and the armor-piercing bullet directly pierced the old Taoist's right knee. Another scream, and then he fired again, piercing through his right leg. Then, he raised the muzzle slightly, this time aiming at his brow. The old Taoist roared.

The armor-piercing bullet fired, but it only hit a scarecrow; another substitute puppet technique.

But this time, the old Taoist's body appeared not far away, gasping for breath.

The invisible mountain spirits around them watched this scene.

The old Taoist roared, "If I die, don't even think about having a good time!"

"Who are you? Which faction are you from?! Don't you know the rules?!"

The mountain spirits and wild monsters seemed to be whispering to each other.

Several of them seemed about to come out and persuade Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan put away the empty gun and then took out the Crouching Tiger waist牌 (waist牌), hanging it at his waist.

The air seemed to rumble with the roar of a tiger.

The atmosphere in the deserted village, which had just seemed to be surrounded by many ‘people,’ instantly froze.

Wei Yuan's expression was calm as he raised his hand and drew his sword.

The sound of the blade sliding out of its scabbard was as cold as if it had emerged from the dim memories of history, making the mountain spirits and resurrected monsters feel icy cold.

"The Sili Xiaowei (Imperial Protector) is on duty, idlers stay away."

………………

An instant of deathly silence.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the mountain spirits scattered cleanly.

The land spirits drilled directly into the ground.

The wind spirits lay on the tip of the wind and ran to the horizon.

"...The ancient Crouching Tiger?"

The old Taoist's face was already pale. Wei Yuan exhaled and exerted force, gripping the broken sword in his left hand and the Eight-Sided Han Sword in his right hand, and suddenly launched a violent attack. The old man scattered talismans wildly, but they were directly cut apart by the Eight-Sided Han Sword. The broken sword in his left hand tore through the air, its force frigid, directly cutting a hideous wound into the Taoist's arm.

The Eight-Sided Han Sword in his right hand followed closely, like a *jiao long* (蛟龍, a mythical dragon), piercing through his left shoulder, piercing through bone and emerging on the other side.

The old Taoist raised his hand and gripped the blade, roaring:

"In broad daylight, are you killing a human like me for the sake of a demon?!"

Wei Yuan's expression was calm as he chopped down heavily with the broken sword in his left hand, cutting through a layer of black mist and embedding it in the old Taoist's shoulder.

"He's not a demon."

Blood splattered.

He advanced, raised his arm, and crossed his swords, using the Xuan Yuan Sword Art and battlefield sword techniques in an intertwined manner to attack wildly.

The old Taoist specialized in divine powers and not in slaying demons and exorcising evil like Wei Yuan. In addition, he was injured, his Taoist arts were broken by thunder magic, and as he watched his life-saving methods being constantly shattered by Wei Yuan's sword techniques, a sense of fear gradually arose in his heart. The last sword strike fell, and the sound of a tiger's roar exploded, shattering the last scarecrow used as a substitute.

The old Taoist's face was deathly pale as he retreated, begging for mercy.

"I... stop, I know I was wrong."

"I was also forced into it. If you let me go, I'll definitely die in prison in the second half of my life. Isn't that enough?!"

"I'll give you all the Taoist arts and spells of our lineage, all of them."

Wei Yuan didn't answer, and his actions didn't stop at all.

The two swords slashed wildly, the sword techniques majestic, cutting through all the talismans and spells on the old Taoist's body.

He remembered the words of the Imperial Protector in the Moon Dew Reflection.

Slaying demons and exorcising evil requires no mercy.

Upon the three-foot sword of us, is the clarity of this world!

What is a demon?!

The Eight-Sided Han Sword in his right hand blocked the old Taoist's right arm, and the broken sword in his left hand was held in reverse, slashing fiercely across his throat, tearing apart the protective magic. A burst of blood flowed out, the expression on the old Taoist's face froze, but there was a lingering look in his eyes, and tears flowed down. He thumped to the ground, opening his mouth as if to say someone's nickname.

Wei Yuan placed the long sword on his side.

On the waist tag, the feathers of the brocade bird appeared.

Maximizing the mobilization of demonic power.

The Eight-Sided Han Sword slashed out fiercely. On the body of the sword, the gale howled, and an extremely thin wind reversed at an extremely fast speed, wrapping the corpse of the Taoist and turning it into ashes in the air with its magnificent demonic power. The dense demonic power and baleful aura also shattered Wei Yuan's own aura.

Wei Yuan's face was pale as he slowly sheathed his sword.

……………

"Yes, it's me, Wei Yuan, sorry Officer Zhou, I was one step too late."

Wei Yuan leaned on his sword, looking in the direction where the sword energy and gale had dissipated, and said:

"He seems to have, fled in fear of punishment..."

"Where did he escape to?"

"I don't know."

PS: Thank you to Cat Immortal for the 15,000 Qidian coins, thank you~