Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

Nearly twenty days ago, at noon.

Yao Guan Crossing, by the banks of the Wujang River, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air, creating quite a lively atmosphere.

Today was the annual boat race at Yao Guan Crossing, and it was also a significant day for honoring the ancestors who had come to this land.

Many sturdy youths, shirtless, were seated in boats, ready to spring into action, while on the riverbank, numerous young women and wives, adorned with rouge and powdered faces, wearing waist drums, cheered on the strong men.

"Elder leader, you're of considerable age now, yet you still compete with us young blokes," Gou Wazi joked with the elder leader as he warmed up by the riverbank. "How about we find you a wife so you can go home and retire."

"Get lost, Gou Wazi, you can't spit anything good out of that dog mouth of yours. Just make sure you row your boat well and don't lose to this old coot," the elder leader replied irritably.

Although his hair was white with age, he was still spry and energetically greeted everyone.

The elder leader had long since lost his family, or rather, every person in Yao Guan Crossing was his family; he had dedicated his life to the town.

He had braved death to bring back the "Gecko Climbing Dragon Technique" from the outside world, and over the years, he had painstakingly studied the cultivation techniques of some common medicinal herbs, achieving great success, all of which he unreservedly taught to the villagers.

Thanks to his dedication, the rate of injury during herb gathering decreased, the quality of herbs gathered increased, and the income soared. Within a hundred miles, the mention of Yao Guan Crossing would earn a thumbs up, and many women from other places were willing to marry into their town.

Watching the town develop and grow strong step by step was the elder leader's lifelong wish.

He had achieved it.

But he had also aged and was no longer able to work.

Today was his last time participating in the ancestral boat race. After the competition was over, he would announce that he was passing the position of chief to his capable disciple, the former leader's son, Guan Daniu.

Guan Daniu was respected, capable, and ambitious in the town. It seemed he would take the town to a new level.

There is always a new generation of talented people to take over; it was time for this old coffin to step down.

This race would be the elder leader's final battle, marking the end of his tenure as the chief. He took it very seriously and had arrived early at the shore to prepare.

The elder leader could have never imagined that he would die today, assassinated by his own people.

His own villagers, whom he had dedicated most of his life to, could be so ruthless.

The river breeze was gentle, but as the drumbeat on the shore sounded, it suddenly turned into a fierce competition, with everyone rowing frantically towards the river center three hundred meters away.

The elder leader exerted all his strength, but due to his old age and waning energy, he fell behind. However, just then, an unexpected change occurred.

Without any warning, a sudden demon wind kicked up on the river surface, so fierce and unpredictable that it was hard to even maintain the boat's course.

Such strange occurrences could only mean one thing: demons were at work.

The elder leader's expression changed dramatically, and he quickly called for the villagers to retreat.

At the elder leader's urgent call, everyone began to panic and turned to head back to the shore.

But then, another unexpected event happened.

Suddenly someone on the shore yelled out, "Everyone run! A whirlpool has appeared below, a huge whirlpool, and it's getting bigger. Be careful!"

On hearing this, the elder leader looked and was struck with horror. An enormous whirlpool had appeared downstream on the river, growing larger by the moment.

At the center of the whirlpool, it seemed as if a monster lurked, eager to devour anyone in its path.

"Run! Everyone head for the shore! Don't panic! Manage your Inner Qi and strength!" While commanding everyone to escape, the elder leader, undaunted by his already limited Inner Qi, helped those who were rowing slower due to lack of strength by expertly pushing their boats from behind to accelerate their escape.

Under the elder leader's command, the chaos began to stabilize, but it was then that he noticed his own boat was leaking.

This discovery chilled him, but he then reassured himself.

There was no need to panic; his fellow villagers were close by. He could just catch a lift on any passing boat.

However, what happened next plunged the elder leader into despair.

"Dazhuang, stop for a moment, my boat is leaking. Give me a ride," the elder leader called out as someone rowed past him.

Contrary to his wishes, the passing boat hesitated upon hearing the elder leader, then sped away even faster.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The elder leader could swear that Dazhuang had heard his cries for help. A moment of disappointment washed over him but was swiftly quashed.

Dazhuang had three sons at home; it wasn't his fault, it wasn't his fault. There were still other villagers.

"Erzhu, my boat is leaking. Give me a ride," the elder leader shouted as another boat rushed past him.

Soon, the light in the elder leader's eyes faded.

People came and went; more than a dozen boats had passed, but everyone hesitated briefly before rowing away vigorously.

The elder leader couldn't understand why they were doing this.

Among those who had passed, many had learned their inner skills directly from him, many owed him favors, some even owed their lives.

But everyone ignored his pleas for help.

This filled the elder leader's heart with a cold dread; he could no longer deceive himself. His boat was sinking fast.

He no longer had the strength or Inner Qi to swim to the shore. He needed to save himself.

The elder leader dove into the water and swam to the nearest boat, clinging to its edge.

"Tie Niu, my boat..."

Before the elder leader could finish, Tie Niu, with a ferocious look, swung the oar down hard, striking the elder leader on the head, knocking him into the water.

The oar, made of tough ironwood, was so heavy and forceful that it struck the elder leader, causing stars to burst in front of his eyes and blood to stream down.

At the juncture of life and death, the dark depths of human nature were fully revealed.

Everyone's choice was to look out for themselves, pleading for the old clan leader to face death.

Blood flowed down the forehead of the old chief and was soon washed away by the icy river water.

However, at this moment the old chief hadn't given up, he still had a chance.

There were still people behind him.

Once again he swam and clawed his way to the edge of a sampan.

Crack!

This time, before the old chief could speak, another heavy blow struck him.

After two or three such cycles, the old chief's head was swollen, covered with large lumps and gashes, and now, driven by the instinct to survive, he clawed his way onto Doggie's sampan.

By now, the old chief's consciousness was becoming blurred, the bones of his left hand fingers were faintly visible, not knowing who behind him had struck him, nor could he remember anymore.

"Doggie..." the old chief said weakly.

"Old clan leader, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm only eighteen, I don't want to die, my Inner Qi cultivation has only just reached the primary stage, I don't have enough strength, if I take you with me, we will both die."

"That's right, Guan Daniu is right behind, he paddled the quickest earlier, go to him, Guan Daniu's Gecko Swims Through Dragon technique has already reached full mastery, he can definitely take you ashore," Doggie said while wiping his tears and strenuously prying the old chief's hand loose.

Once again, the old chief fell into the icy river.

By now, his heart, after repeatedly experiencing disappointment and betrayal, had grown even colder than the bone-piercing river water.

However, this time the old chief heard that his beloved disciple Guan Daniu was still at the back, he still had a chance.

He strained to open a slit in his unswollen right eye, prying open his swollen eyelids to take one more glance at his departing clansmen, at the brutally hot sun that was blood-red, reflecting rippling waves on the river's surface, and at the colorful world around him.

He summoned his last bit of strength to claw his way to his favored disciple Guan Daniu's boat's edge.

Guan Daniu's somber voice came through.

"Master, you look like a dog now."

"Where is the majesty you had when you stole my father's position as clan leader?"

"If we weren't in the middle of the river now, I would hang your ass from the rafters."

"To be old and not die is to be a thief, master."

"Oh right, master, do you know why your boat was leaking water? It was my doing, master, I only wanted you to be embarrassed, never thought today would be a perfect opportunity, haha."

Guan Daniu's sullen face loomed before the old chief's, as he lifted the wooden paddle made of ironwood. He meant to directly chop off the old chief's hands clawing at the boat's edge, turning them into something akin to Doraemon's stubs, but his inevitable heavy strike missed.

The old chief had long been resigned to his fate, had already let go of his grip voluntarily, and closed his eyes.

He stopped struggling and let himself be pushed by the icy river water towards the whirlpool.

The last glimmer of light in his eyes also extinguished.

The colorful world suddenly turned to black and white, and finally plunged into an endless darkness, silent and cold.

Forever fallen into the abyss.

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That day, the river waves were vicious and swallowed the old clan leader.

In the depths of the whirlpool, a blood-colored token fluctuated, merging with the old chief.

An evil and tempting voice rose from the bottom of the old chief's heart.

"Do you desire power?"

"Do you want to take revenge on those who betrayed you?"

"Surrender your soul, do not resist, merge completely with me~"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!

"Kill to disturb the realm of the dead, a ghastly horror that shakes the netherworld!"

"Blood creates waves that span thousands of miles, corpses amass to form mountains of bones!"

"Ten steps to kill one man, the heart ceases yet the hand does not rest!"

"See them alive, wish them dead, hear their voice, snatch their life!"

"Since ancient times, benevolence and morality only harm people, truth in righteousness has never existed!"

...

"I am willing!" the old chief's face revealed a sinister and ferocious smile, he opened his arms to embrace the blood-colored token, and abruptly, his body was covered with black hairs sharp as steel needles.

...

...

Under the bright moon, the Wu River cold, one after another, undead monsters emerged from the water, swiftly rushing towards the distant ancient town.

They numbered in dense masses, easily a thousand in count, comprising men, women, the elderly, and children alike.

Strangely, upon entering the ancient town, the tide of corpses split in two, half rushing towards the houses ignited by Yi Chen, seemingly trying to protect their homeland, the other half surrounding Yi Chen as if wishing to kill him for a quick release.