PCJ – Chapter 417 Mutual Destruction

“Jiaohua, can that Taoist defeat this old softshell turtle?” the mute man asked in a hushed voice, fearing the turtle in Luoa Pond might hear.

Zhang Jiaohua shook his head. “No way. That old Taoist hasn’t even caused the turtle real pain. If this big turtle climbs ashore, the Taoist will have no choice but to flee for his life.”

“Maybe the Taoist still has some tricks up his sleeve?” the mute man suggested.

Xie Yunliu was already sweating profusely. He hadn’t expected the creature in Luoa Pond to be this formidable. Had he known it would be this challenging, he would have summoned more allies beforehand. A spirit beast as powerful as this one must be guarding something extraordinary. Xie Yunliu had hoped to claim it all for himself, but now, realizing he couldn’t handle the situation alone, he was willing to share the spoils.

Xie Yunliu wanted to retreat, but the turtle was unwilling to let him go. The repeated attacks had thoroughly enraged the creature.

“Roar!”

“Splash!”
The pond exploded as though a bomb had detonated, sending water soaring into the air. A massive black figure surged out from the water.

“Foul beast! How dare you!” Xie Yunliu roared, his fury igniting. This time, he meant business. He drew his peachwood sword, bit the tip of his tongue, and sprayed a mouthful of blood onto the sword. Chanting an incantation, he unleashed a beam of sword light that shot straight at the turtle. The turtle, recognizing the threat, hurriedly retracted its head into its shell.

Clang!
The sword light struck the turtle’s hard skull, producing a crisp sound. A crack appeared on the head, and fresh blood gushed out.

This attack dealt a significant blow. The turtle staggered, its steps unsteady as it occasionally crashed into the diesel pumps on the bank, sending them tumbling.

However, Xie Yunliu was not in much better shape. This desperate move cost him dearly. He wouldn’t have used such a self-damaging technique unless he had no other choice. The spell depleted his vital energy, leaving him weakened.

Although the turtle’s skull was thick, comparable to its shell, Xie Yunliu’s strike hadn’t been enough to shatter it completely. The blow left a deep wound but didn’t cause fatal damage to the brain. After a brief pause, the turtle recovered and roared in rage. It charged at Xie Yunliu with reckless abandon.

Seeing the turtle’s ferocity, Xie Yunliu muttered to himself, “I’m doomed!” But with no other options, he braced himself for another clash. Spitting more blood onto his peachwood sword, he chanted another incantation and released another beam of sword light.

This time, the turtle didn’t dodge. It charged straight at Xie Yunliu.

Clang!
Xie Yunliu’s hand trembled slightly under the pressure, causing his attack to miss its mark and strike the turtle’s shell instead.

The turtle showed no signs of stopping. It lunged at Xie Yunliu, slamming a massive claw into him and sending him flying like a straw doll. He landed heavily on the sloped bank of Luoa Pond and rolled down to the bottom.

Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Xie Yunliu looked helplessly at the turtle, which was still glaring at him.

The turtle, still enraged, refused to let him off so easily. Letting out another roar, it leaped into the air, aiming for Xie Yunliu.

“It’s over!” Xie Yunliu closed his eyes, resigned to his fate.

At that moment, a bolt of mystical lightning descended from the sky.

Boom!
The power of this lightning far exceeded that of the thunder talismans Xie Yunliu had previously used. Even the enraged turtle couldn’t ignore it.

Panicking, the turtle tried to retract its head and limbs into its shell, but it was too late. The lightning struck one of its front legs with a deafening crack.

Bang!
Smoke rose from the turtle’s burned leg, accompanied by the stench of scorched flesh.

The turtle let out a mournful wail before retreating into the pond.

The chaos left by the turtle’s rampage was evident. Many diesel pumps had been overturned, and pipes were scattered along the bank. Only a few pumps remained operational, and the pond’s water level, instead of dropping, had begun to rise slowly.

The bolt of lightning had been Zhang Jiaohua’s doing. He hadn’t acted to save the Taoist but rather to drive the injured turtle back into the pond, preventing it from escaping and causing harm. The turtle’s defenses were too strong for even Zhang Jiaohua to subdue easily. Taking advantage of the turtle’s injuries from its fight with the Taoist, Zhang Jiaohua had launched the surprise attack.

“Jiaohua, these people are no good. Why did you help them?” Zhang Yuanbao asked, confused.

“They deserve what they get, but what if the turtle goes to Meizi’ao Village? I might be safe, but what about the villagers? The hotel isn’t far from here, and my mother works there,” Zhang Jiaohua explained.

“Is the turtle dead? Should we kill it to prevent future trouble?” Zhang Yuanbao asked.

“This is its territory. Without draining the pond, there’s no way to deal with it,” Zhang Jiaohua replied, shaking his head.

The mute man nodded. “Exactly. It has the advantage of the terrain. To defeat it, we need to lure it out of the pond.”

Though Zhang Jiaohua wanted to eliminate the turtle, he didn’t dare take unnecessary risks. If he failed, the turtle could wreak havoc on the village. Oddly, it had stayed confined to Luoa Pond all these years, causing no trouble except for the deaths of Jinhu and his companions. Perhaps something in the pond restricted its movements.

“What now?” Zhang Yuanbao asked, staring at the now-calm pond.

“Let’s go back. These people won’t give up easily,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

Sure enough, shortly after they left, He Shouye and Long Wuyi arrived to rescue Xie Yunliu. Despite suffering multiple fractures, Xie Yunliu had no severe internal injuries and could recover after a long rest.

“Daoist Xie is unreliable. We’ll have to find someone else,” Long Wuyi remarked.

He Shouye nodded. “But we still need Xie Daoist. He knows Luoa Pond best and has connections with other cultivators. It shouldn’t be hard to find reinforcements.”

Realizing he wouldn’t gain anything from this, Xie Yunliu was reluctant but agreed. He contacted three acquaintances: Bai Daxian, a wandering Taoist; Wang Zhenren, another rogue cultivator; and Chen Jing, a martial arts enthusiast known for his ironclad skills.

When the trio arrived, they immediately demanded a hefty price for their services. He Shouye, ever the tactful negotiator, offered them an irresistible deal, ensuring their cooperation.