As a witch-guisher at the Saintly Realm, she possesses strong immunity to curses, and within just two breaths, the dark aura hovering over the mage's head swiftly dissipates. Clarity returns... "Boom!" The first to act was Guan Ya. She raised her gun barrel in an instant, aiming precisely, and with the trigger pulled, a plume of smoke erupted from the long barrel. The mage, just regaining his composure, suddenly reeled backward, as if struck on the head—cracking sound from his forehead, the hard keratin layer splitting open, and a steady flow of emerald sap gushing forth. After breaking the enemy's defense with a single shot, Guan Ya immediately drew out half a tube of diluted Life Primordial Fluid, holding it in her palm, ready to administer an injection at a moment's notice, in case the foe used her injuries as a conduit for a curse. Fortunately, she was surrounded by reliable teammates. At the very moment the gunshot rang out, the Queen removed a silver pendant from her earlobe and hurled it with determination. The silver ring spun through the air, striking the mage's broad, two-meter-tall frame, then instantly transformed into a water ring, piercing through This effectively constrained the opponent's movements, interrupting the subsequent curses. Seizing the opportunity created by teammates (enemies), Li Xianzong and Zhang Yuanqing advanced in unison, closing in on the mage from both front and back. Li Xianzong wielded a steel spike in one hand and a butterfly dagger in the other, while Zhang Yuanqing held a Fumagong mallet and a Blood-Soaked Blade. Both carried weapons infused with the essence of the enchanting spirits, which inherently weakened armor and could penetrate tough keratin defenses. At this moment, the mage, bound by two rings of water, knelt on both knees, murmuring incantations. Coincidentally, this kneeling motion allowed him to narrowly avoid the attacks from both sides, with the weapons grazing just past his left and right ears. The core skill of a Level 4 Wugui Master—Prayer! Prayer is a form of magic. At this level, Wugui Masters typically gather materials, perform a formal prayer ritual, and then recite their unique incantations to address the great beings beyond the veil, seeking their protection and ensuring a smooth execution of their actions. When engaging in combat, due to the lack of ample time, the ritual preparation step can be entirely skipped, and prayer can be made simply by reciting incantations—though the effectiveness will be significantly reduced. Nevertheless, even such a prayer by a Master-level Wu Gu master, recited with mere incantations, is sufficient to withstand enemies at the transcendent stage, far surpassing the capabilities of Li Xianzong, who relies on physical props for his prayers. Under the force of a massive rebound, his feet tingled, and he slightly lifted off the ground, retreating backward. The mage did not pursue the enemy but spun in the air, then delivered a sweeping back kick. *Crack!* Li Xianzong raised his arm to block, staggering under the impact. "All of you must die!" The mage's voice was low and commanding, raising his staff high so that the dark gem at its tip emitted a deep, steady glow. Every person present felt their hearts squeezed tightly, as if they might suddenly collapse at any moment. Li Chunfeng, leaning against the wall, heard a soft *thump* and felt his heart sink. He turned to investigate and saw Li Xianzong collapse to the ground, his pupils becoming blurred. Though weak and frail, Li Xianzong could no longer sustain himself and lost consciousness. Yet the most critical moment wasn't Li Xianzong's collapse—it was the fact that he was the closest to the mage at this very instant. After casting his curse upon the others, the mage "teleported" to Li Xianzong's side, raised his staff, and prepared to smash the man's head. *Bang!* A sharp crack echoed in the ears of all present, and the mage suddenly leaned back, dodging what he thought were bullets. Yet there were no bullets— the sound was a fabrication created by the man with the flat head. With one hand resting against the wall and the other pressed to his lips, he mimicked the gunshot sound of Guan Ya. Kexianzong, half-kneeling, his face veins bulging and his expression fierce, the once-magical serpent-appearing demon who had slain saints, now unleashed a terrifying surge of potential, leaping upward and materializing as a blur, crashing into the mage’s chest. Plunged! The butterfly knife penetrated the mage’s abdomen, piercing through the hard keratin. He had not used the curse spikes because that consumable item lacked the ability to penetrate armor. "Roar!" the mage roared in anger, and the gem at the top of his staff shifted its glow, switching to a new curse. Kexianzong gasped, his abdominal muscles tearing open, blood gushing forth. The mage raised his staff once more, preparing to cast a full-area curse. Then—crack! The gunshot sounded genuine, this time, as Guan The monk pulled out successive streaks of residual shadows, evading precise bullet strikes. Suddenly, the delicate tendrils on his forehead twitched, sensing movement from behind. He spun abruptly, drawing his back and shoulders taut, then delivered a fierce blow with his staff. *Clang!* Sparks flew as the bloodthirsty blade caught the staff. No opportunity to continue casting the curse—attacks had to follow seamlessly, or the entire force would be wiped out. Zhang Yuanqing, whose surprise attack had failed, caught sight of the Fire Deity's army advancing. With a surge of intense flame from his palms, he coalesced it into a long, scorching red flame blade. The tendrils on the monk's forehead stirred, detecting the growing threat. Without hesitation, Zhang Yuanqing clasped his hands tightly and pressed them together. A thunderous *boom* echoed, and the shockwave, carrying the flames, radiated outward in all directions. The tendrils on the monk's forehead trembled violently, losing their precise sense of perception. At that very moment, the Fire Deity's army arrived, their steps heavy as they swept across the ground with their blazing blades. *Pffft!* The scorching, sharp blade struck precisely at the butterfly sword's abdominal thrust, expanding the wound into a dark, gruesome gash. The mage roared in fury, raising his staff. At that moment, two rings descended from the sky—one binding the upper body, the other securing the feet—once again interrupting the spell. "Bang!" Both Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng fired simultaneously, their bullets striking the mage. The queen dashed forward, shouting to Zhang Yuanqing, "Give me the sword!" Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate—he launched the Blood-Drinking Blade. The queen reached out, caught it, leapt high, and with the willow blade, struck hard at the mage's skull. Pfft! The mage's head tilted, the Blood-Drinking Blade piercing his shoulder, spewing out thick, savory blood that splashed all over the queen. At this moment, as the queen pressed close to the enemy, Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng ceased firing. The wounded mage, heavily damaged, roared in deep anger, heaving his arms to break free of the rings and unleash his curse. The queen's shoulders burst open, but instead of flesh and blood, it was clear water splashing outward. With the ability of a water spirit, she skillfully evaded the curse's counter-effect. The queen stepped back decisively. Seeing the mage not pursuing her, but staggering in place, she felt a surge of relief and called out, "His condition is deteriorating!" The shout was both for her teammates and directed toward the evil forces. As she spoke, she suddenly let out a soft "ah," her legs giving way, her body growing weak, and her throat itched fiercely, her lungs burning with intense coughing. "Cough, cough, cough..." Zhang Yuanqing and the Fire Deity's army all began to cover their mouths and cough vigorously. Poisoned! This enemy was a witch-guisher, particularly skilled in toxin-based magic. Guan Ya and Li Chunfeng exchanged a sharp glance, then promptly fired their shots, creating an opening for their captain. At that moment, the members of the evil faction seemed to see their chance. A well-dressed middle-aged man donned two finger guards, stepped forward with crisp leather boots, and briskly charged toward the mage. The lean middle-aged man bowed low, his face elongated into that of a mouse, fine black whiskers sprouting along his cheeks. His leg muscles tore the fabric of his pants, and a tail the thickness of a small arm extended from his vertebrae. In an instant, he transformed into a mouse-being. Already his hands, now claws, reached out from the inventory and grasped a slender black bamboo tube. The bald man roared, wrapping his arms tightly around the house behind him, and with a forceful thrust, he uprooted the entire structure—including its foundation—and hurled it toward the wizard. This was clearly a spell, yet in the wizard's perception, danger was imminent. Instinctively, he stepped aside, only to feel a sudden pain in his abdomen—where a jade-green poison needle pierced through the charred wound of his blade, the needle then melting and seeping into his body. The spell and the poison needle worked in synergy, achieving a successful ambush. Yet as a wizard of the Saintly Realm, this minor toxin posed no discomfort to him. From the very beginning, the forces of evil had been outmaneuvered. From afar, Guan Ya drew inspiration, firing as the chaos unfolded. The sharp rifle bullets struck the mage precisely at the back of the head, exploding with a powerful impact. The mage staggered forward, just as he collided with the iron fist of the suit-wearing man, whose fingers were wrapped in finger guards. Thump, thump, thump! A relentless barrage of fists rained down upon the mage's face and abdomen. Though only level 2, the mage, born with innate combat prowess, delivered fierce, unyielding combos that left the boss completely unshaken. The wood-based young mage, who had been observing the battle all along, now steadily pulled several teammates suffering from poison wounds away, then produced pills from his pocket, distributing them to Zhang Yuanqing and the others, saying, "Chew them well before swallowing." As he spoke, he retrieved a thick, finger-sized incense stick from his inventory and said, "Fire De Star Army, you take care of lighting this one." The Fire De Star Army, visibly drained, chewed his pills and, with two fingers, rubbed the incense gently. A steady stream of pale smoke rose, carrying a refreshing aroma of herbs and plants that filled his nasal passages. He "Just wait a moment longer, and your poisons will be cleared," the wood spirit youth continued, applying incense to Zhang Yuanqing and the queen, then promptly extinguished the candle. "This is a consumable—each use diminishes it." It was reassuring to have a restorative wizard in the group... Zhang Yuanqing thought, his eyes fixed intently on the distant battlefield. The wizard raised his hand, grasped the suit-clad man's neck, and swung him hard to the ground. Crack! Cracks spread across the floor tiles, and blood welled from the man's mouth and nostrils. The mouse person immediately provided remote support, firing off a steady stream of poisoned needles—some deflected by the wizard's keratinous surface, others piercing wounds. While they caused sharp pain, they could not shake the saint-level witch-guisher. Li Xianzong, bloodied in the abdomen, bent low and closed in on the wizard like a leopard, driving his curse spikes firmly into the already cracked keratin of the wizard's back. That wound had been inflicted by Guan Ya. The monk snapped the西装 man's neck with a crisp sound, then bent low, deflecting Li Xianzong's surprise attack. With the other hand holding his staff, he swung it upward. Thwack! The staff struck hard against Li Xianzong's wrist, shattering the humerus bone and sending the curse pin plummeting. Li Xianzong's face remained calm. Gently, he lifted his foot and kicked the curse pin toward the mouse-like creature. Having completed this maneuver, he was ready to absorb the monk's close-range assault—yet at that moment, a gunshot rang out from afar, striking the monk square in the chest, piercing his armor and leaving a wound one inch deep. The boss had indeed begun to falter—he could no longer evade the bullets. Li Xianzong's eyes lit up. He stepped forward, offering his butterfly knife to the wound on the monk's left chest. "Ah—" The blade pierced the monk's heart. He screamed in agony, "You all—these court-appointed henchmen—you shall all die!" With his final strength, he raised his staff, and the black gem at its tip glowed with a deep, dim radiance Everyone turned pale, their hearts pierced like by knives, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of pain and suffocation. The cumulative effects of three consecutive curses made each person feel their lives slipping away, as if they were nearing the end at any moment. The sensations were especially acute for Li Xianzong, Zhang Yuanqing, the Queen, and the Fire-Star Army. Zhang Yuanqing's vision blurred, his mind went blank, and he lost all capacity for thought. Oh, this is so unbearable—I'm going to die... Li Chunfeng's face turned ashen; he staggered and collapsed beside the unconscious eater of lotus roots, grabbing the straw figure on the ground, pressing his two fingers to the figure's head, and exerting a strong force. The mage stiffened, a layer of black mist enveloping his head—the curse was momentarily interrupted. Li Xianzong regained consciousness first, bending low and rushing into the mage's arms, opening his arms to embrace the mage's waist, while simultaneously sinking his hips and tightening his entire body to achieve the effect of "thousand pounds of weight pressing down." "Now, attack his back of the head!" Li Xianzong roared. Immediately, the mouse figure inserted the curse pin into Pfft! The curse spike successfully pierced through the ruptured wound in the mage's back of the skull. The mage's body froze, his spiritual essence rapidly dissipating. He stood rigid for several seconds before collapsing with a thunderous sound. The battle—ended. Witnessing this, everyone exhaled deeply, breathing heavily as though they had just completed a long journey, finally reaching the destination, their exhaustion surging. At the same time, the spiritual travelers from both factions heard the spiritual interface notifications: 【Ping! You have successfully defeated the evil mage. Please claim your rewards immediately and proceed to defeat the opposing faction.】 Instantly, members of both the evil and the lawful factions suddenly sat up, stood up again, and their eyes converged simultaneously on the staff beside the fallen mage's body. Unlike the others, Zhang Yuanqing received a second notification: 【Ping!】 You've completed the hidden quest—the Greedy Mage (3/3). The Greedy Mage: To seize the treasures left behind by Yin-Yang Sanren, he conspired with Zhao Yuanwai and Wang Poqi of the town, and orchestrated the downfall of Yin-Yang Sanren's descendants. Yet, aside from a staff imbued with a powerful curse, he secured nothing else.