San Yuan flapped its wings, dodging the giant python's attacks, and seizing opportunities to leave claw marks on its body with its sharp talons.
Meanwhile, Yan Shouyi, leveraging the physical advantages of his Heavenly Fiend Corpse Puppet, harassed and attacked A Gong.
Initially, A Gong was unaware, but after noticing the unusual state of Yan Shouyi's body, he became cautious and wary.
Thus, after only a few exchanges, A Gong found himself at a disadvantage under the double pressure.
Concurrently, Zhu Shanzao had already rushed into the room where the coffin was kept.
It immediately spotted Liu Yiren lying on the bed.
However, Liu Yiren was currently unconscious.
Zhu Shanzao hurried to the bedside, calling Liu Yiren's name a few times. Liu Yiren finally showed some reaction, furrowing her brow before slowly opening her eyes.
"Zhu Shanzao?!"
Upon waking, Liu Yiren saw Zhu Shanzao by her bedside, her expression immediately changed, and she desperately tried to escape.
But her body was too weak; she had no ability to flee.
Zhu Shanzao quickly explained, "I've turned over a new leaf. Yan Shouyi sent me to save you!"
Liu Yiren still didn't believe Zhu Shanzao. Zhu Shanzao added, "He's fighting A Gong outside right now. Look for yourself if you don't believe me!"
San Yuan had opened a large hole in the roof of the house. Even lying on the bed, Liu Yiren could see Yan Shouyi fighting A Gong on the backs of San Yuan and the giant python.
Liu Yiren finally believed Zhu Shanzao's words, but she anxiously asked, "Between Yan Shouyi and that A Gong, who is more powerful?"
Zhu Shanzao chuckled, "Naturally, it's Yan Shouyi!"
It was smug about having chosen the right side, completely forgetting that Yan Shouyi had beaten it to a pulp that very day.
In this regard, Zhu Shanzao's mind was quite pure and simple; it recognized whoever was stronger as the leader, and the stronger the leader, the happier it would be.
Zhu Shanzao enlarged its body, transforming from a small fragrant pig into its original wild boar form, and then carried Liu Yiren out of the house.
Just as Zhu Shanzao was about to take Liu Yiren away, Liu Yiren seemed to hear something and couldn't help but look towards the backyard of the Liu family ancestral home.
She said, "Zhu Shanzao, take me to the backyard..."
Zhu Shanzao said with a wry smile, "My dear grandma, at a time like this, you still have the mood to go to the backyard?"
"The backyard... someone is calling me!"
Although Liu Yiren found it incredible, she was sure she had heard a voice.
The voice was both familiar and strange, yet Liu Yiren felt that the person calling her name seemed to have a great connection with her.
Therefore, her subconscious mind insisted that she had to go and see, no matter what.
Zhu Shanzao had no choice but to quickly run towards the backyard of the Liu family.
At the same time, A Gong also noticed that Liu Yiren had been taken away by Zhu Shanzao.
He felt a wave of annoyance, especially upon realizing he might not be Yan Shouyi's match.
Thus, A Gong hardened his resolve.
He wanted to bring honor to paper figures!
He wanted to defeat Yan Shouyi!!
San Yuan was diligently fighting the giant python when it suddenly noticed a shift in the python's fighting style.
It seemed the python no longer cared about its own life and only wanted to perish together with San Yuan!
On several occasions, the python, risking injury, tried to bite San Yuan, forcing San Yuan to retreat.
This point was somewhat similar to Yan Shouyi. Yan Shouyi also did not fear injury, so in every exchange, he disregarded A Gong's actions, causing A Gong to be repeatedly forced back.
Now, A Gong understood.
San Yuan was a living being.
And the giant python was lifeless.
A Gong himself feared injury, but Yan Shouyi did not.
Therefore, he should focus all his control on the giant python to attack San Yuan!
This was the key to his victory!!
San Yuan noticed the change in mentality of the giant python and A Gong. Before it could inform Yan Shouyi, the giant python seized an opportunity, and, risking injury, bit down on San Yuan's wing!
Subsequently, the giant python quickly dragged San Yuan to the ground and coiled its body tightly around it!
Upon landing, Yan Shouyi's gaze turned cold.
The giant python had consciousness but no pain, whereas San Yuan could feel pain!
Therefore, he immediately summoned his Zanpakuto, crawled up the python's body, all the way to its head. He raised his Zanpakuto and fiercely plunged it into the python's skull!
Even at the last moment of Yan Shouyi's strike, there was no trace of fear in the python's eyes; it simply continued to coil around San Yuan tightly!!
The Zanpakuto pierced the giant python's head. After struggling for a bit, the giant python slowly lost its strength.
A Gong stood by, impassive, seemingly unconcerned about the python's fate.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi felt a sense of dread.
This was likely A Gong's trap!
He applied force to his hand, sliding the Zanpakuto horizontally, forcefully creating a large gash in the python's head!
Through the opening, Yan Shouyi saw that the python's body was densely covered with talismans!
At this moment, all the talismans ignited simultaneously. Yan Shouyi smelled gunpowder in the air!
"Not good!!"
Yan Shouyi's expression changed drastically. He recognized these talismans as explosion talismans from the Maoshan sect!
The simultaneous detonation of such a large number of explosion talismans was enough to blow San Yuan to pieces!
Yan Shouyi immediately retracted the Wood Puppet Heaven's Embrace technique. San Yuan transformed back into a small wooden bird and instantly flew into Yan Shouyi's arms!
Yan Shouyi held San Yuan tightly, curling his body like an armadillo!
A Gong sneered, "Paper figures and wood are ultimately different. The descendant of Lu Ban suffered a loss in this very matter!"
The next second—
Boom!!!
The giant python's body exploded!
The power of the explosion was so great that it directly collapsed the outer wall of the Liu family ancestral home!
Yan Shouyi, too, was torn to shreds by the terrifying explosion!
With his body in pieces, how could he recover?
Yan Shouyi, you should be thoroughly dead now!!
In the smoke, A Gong silently removed his mask.
Revealing his face, scarred and somewhat ugly from burns.
He casually tossed the mask onto the ground and looked towards the direction where Yan Shouyi had vanished, stating coldly:
"The descendant of Lu Ban originated from the common people and should have benefited them. However, you used your learned skills to harm the Liu family. Today, I, A Gong, have acted on behalf of heaven."
Having said that, A Gong turned to leave towards the backyard of the Liu family. He intended to retrieve Liu Yiren and settle scores with Zhu Shanzao.
However, the moment A Gong turned,
the tip of the Zanpakuto was already at his throat.
A Gong's eyes widened, and he looked at Yan Shouyi before him in disbelief.
Yan Shouyi stood there, unharmed, his clothes not even wrinkled. The wooden bird San Yuan perched on his shoulder, chirping as if mocking A Gong's overestimation of himself.
"How is this possible..." A Gong stammered in shock.
Yan Shouyi smiled and pointed towards the direction of the explosion.
As the smoke dissipated, there were no dismembered remains on the ground as expected, only scattered paper fragments.
Yan Shouyi said with a smile, "Our Lu Ban Manual records a supreme skill of paper figure crafting, named 'The Cicada Sheds Its Shell'."
As the name implies, 'The Cicada Sheds Its Shell' is about using paper figures as decoys to make the enemy believe they have succeeded, while the real body has long since hidden away.
A Gong had not expected Yan Shouyi to know their paper figure crafting's ultimate skill, nor had he expected Yan Shouyi to execute it so flawlessly.
Even A Gong himself might not have been able to achieve such seamless perfection!
At this moment, A Gong was disheartened. It was one thing for him, a paper figure craftsman, to be unable to defeat the descendant of Lu Ban, but to ultimately fall victim to his own signature technique was too much.
It was clear that Yan Shouyi, as the descendant of Lu Ban, possessed unfathomable skill!
"What you detonated was merely my substitute," Yan Shouyi said. "I didn't know if you knew this technique, so..."
He suddenly punched A Gong in the face, knocking him to the ground, and then stepped on A Gong's left hand.
Yan Shouyi said, "Therefore, I plan to disable one of your arms first, lest you escape using the same method."
Yan Shouyi raised his Zanpakuto. This wicked blade, sharp enough to cut through iron, could sever A Gong's arm with a mere swing.
A Gong seemed to accept his fate, closing his eyes and waiting for the pain to arrive.
However.
The pain never came.
A Gong opened his eyes in surprise to find Yan Shouyi had lowered his Zanpakuto.
"Why?" A Gong asked.
Yan Shouyi replied, "Just now, from behind you, I heard you say I used Lu Ban techniques to harm the Liu family. Although I haven't fully understood the situation, perhaps there's a misunderstanding between us."
A Gong froze.
Could it all be a misunderstanding?
Yan Shouyi lifted his leg, releasing A Gong. He crouched down and said, "My grandfather and the old master of the Liu family were old acquaintances. I have never harmed anyone from the Liu family; in fact, I have helped them significantly. In my eyes, it was you who cursed the Liu family, altered their feng shui, not only took Liu Yiren but also allowed Zhu Shanzao to act arrogantly at the Liu residence."
Upon hearing Yan Shouyi's explanation, A Gong's expression changed slightly: "No, what you say is incorrect!"
"How is it incorrect?" Yan Shouyi raised an eyebrow.
There was indeed a misunderstanding here.
A Gong then said, "I went to the Liu family that day. Although they drove me out, I had no intention of seeking revenge. I arrived at the Liu family ancestral home and found that someone had been there before me. Those people had destroyed the souls of the Liu family ancestors and disrupted their feng shui. I knew the Liu family's fate was sealed. When I rushed back, the feng shui in Zuihua had already been tampered with. Therefore, I instructed Zhu Shanzao to guard the Liu family, and I personally took Liu Yiren away to protect her from being implicated! As for you, I thought you were here to kill Liu Yiren!!"
The two individuals who had initially been hostile towards each other suddenly cleared their misunderstandings after this explanation.
A Gong believed Yan Shouyi because Yan Shouyi had won and had no reason to lie anymore.
Yan Shouyi believed A Gong because if A Gong had truly intended to harm the Liu family, he wouldn't have needed to expend so much effort; he could have simply killed them all.
With the misunderstanding resolved, both fell into silence.
So, if neither of them committed these wrongdoings, then who did?
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but murmur to himself, "The Bai family... it was all the Bai family...!!"