Chapter 30: A Fatal Strike

Amidst the sudden upheaval in the restaurant, Ma Qin's nerves were strung to their tightest limits.

He had already deduced from his conversation with Gu Xu earlier that Peach Blossom Town, in essence, was a ghost town.

On the one hand, the town's architecture was plagued by various taboos that accumulated a gloomy aura, unfit for human habitation but a paradise for ghosts.

On the other hand, the food served in this restaurant was reminiscent of ritual offerings—implying that everyone here, patrons, and employees alike, could not possibly be alive.

Now, it seemed these ghosts were ready to take on the two outsiders.

Ma Qin had prepared for this.

As the owner of the restaurant approached, brandishing a butcher knife, Ma Qin decided to strike first.

Though he had lost hope in the competition for office, he believed that the prominent figure from the capital was still observing his performance outside of the illusion.

Falling slightly behind Gu Xu in solving mysteries was tolerable—the younger man's mind was naturally sharper.

However, if he were to hide behind Gu Xu even in battle, the figure from the capital might see him as a useless dead weight, diminishing his chances for future promotions.

Therefore, seizing the opportunity to display his abilities was crucial.

With this thought, Ma Qin suddenly rose, pushed away the table, clenched his fists, and swung vigorously at the shopkeeper, who held the butcher knife with an eerie smile.

"Iron Fist of the Boulder."

This was a basic martial arts technique that Ma Qin had practiced, valued at six hundred merits.

Although he was best at saber techniques, there were many special occasions when he could not carry his weapon. Thus, he had purposely exchanged a boxing technique for self-defense.

This was the perfect opportunity to put it to use.

His fist and the entire arm transformed into a hardened stone-like material, and behind him, the apparition of a small mountain appeared.

"Bang!"

The moment his stone fist made contact with the butcher knife, a clang echoed through the restaurant, as if metal had struck stone.

Subsequently, conspicuous cracks appeared on the butcher knife in the shopkeeper's hand—as if it had become a thin, fragile ceramic piece, shattering into fragments all over the floor.

At that moment, Gu Xu could feel the vast power contained in Ma Qin's fist.

It was the robust elemental force of a second-stage cultivator.

"I wonder if I could possess such immense strength after my realm breakthrough," Gu Xu thought to himself.

But the ghosts were not about to back down.

Seeing that his butcher knife had shattered, the shopkeeper tossed the bare handle onto the ground and wielded his cane, aiming a ruthless strike at Ma Qin's head.

The surrounding attendants were not to be outdone—they armed themselves with pots, pans, knives, and forks, and charged at Ma Qin, trapping him in a tight circle.

Meanwhile, the patrons of the restaurant rose, throwing utensils and food at Ma Qin, cheering for the staff as if they were watching a thrilling performance.

In such a situation, Ma Qin cursed internally: These ghosts gang up on me when they can't beat me one-on-one, that's truly devoid of any morals!

The "Iron Fist of the Boulder", while excellent in offense and defence, had a potent destructive power and granted Ma Qin an unassailable position in a one-on-one fight. However, it only held the ability to attack single entities, unable to inflict area damage.

This implied that facing more than ten ghosts while dodging the dishware thrown by the patrons was quite strenuous for Ma Qin.

He had already transformed both his arms completely into the stone using the "Iron Fist of the Boulder". His tactic was: as long as I can withstand the attacks from all sides and not let these ghosts break through my defenses, I can take them down one by one.

However, at that moment, a rotten egg, most likely another long-placed offering at a grave, flew out of nowhere and struck Ma Qin's head squarely.

The stinking egg white mixed with the yolk trickled down Ma Qin's cheeks.

The ghosts in the restaurant broke into bone-chilling laughter.

Low damage, extremely insulting!

Ma Qin was enraged.

"Brother Gu, aren't you going to act?" he shouted at Gu Xu, who was still sitting at the table.

At this point, Ma Qin had abandoned all pretenses of bravery.

Somehow, he held inexplicable confidence in Gu Xu—perhaps it was because Gu Xu had been calm and confident ever since they entered the illusion. Even though Gu Xu's cultivation level was a whole realm lower than his, he felt that Gu Xu should be able to handle these ghosts.

Gu Xu, with a faint smirk at the corner of his lips and an unwavering gaze, casually said, "Fear not, Brother Ma! I've got this!"

Then, Gu Xu slowly rose, sweeping his eyes over the room full of ghosts. He addressed them politely, "Dear villagers of Peach Blossom Town, thank you for your warm hospitality. The food and fine wine here, carrying such an enticing aroma, give me a sense of familiarity.

"But I must apologize. From now on, this homely tavern will cease to exist."

As his words fell, the ghosts surrounding Ma Qin suddenly all turned their greedy, icy, and sinister gazes toward him. Yet Gu Xu's calm demeanor never wavered.

"Ever heard of the 'Supreme Northern Pole Demon-Slaying Ghost-Killing Talisman'?" He chuckled softly, pausing for a few seconds before continuing, "No matter if you haven't.

"The stage is set, and soon you'll be able to appreciate its splendid brilliance."

Upon hearing this, Ma Qin was a bit puzzled.

He knew that Gu Xu was a highly skilled talisman master.

However, this illusory world inside the pot was a realm of consciousness where weapons, including talismans, could not be brought in.

Moreover, since entering the illusion, Gu Xu had no pen or paper, and there was no chance for him to draw a talisman on the fly.

So, where did these ' Ghost-Killing talismans' come from? Could it be that Gu Xu could conjure a prison to suppress evil spirits, just like the Imperial Tutor of Great Qi, using the world as paper and spiritual power as ink?

Just moments later, Ma Qin got his answer.

He heard Gu Xu softly chanting a familiar exorcism mantra: "Five Stars Bind the Spectrum, Light Shines on the Mysterious Abyss. Thousands of Gods and Saints, Protect my True Spirit..."

He saw beneath the floor of this room, brilliant light seeping out, as if golden ink flowing on rice paper, sketching complex, mystical, and uniquely beautiful runes.

It hit him like a bolt of lightning.

Ma Qin's jaw dropped, and his right hand slapped his thigh.

The spilled osmanthus wine! That was the key!

Gu Xu had thought about dealing with these ghosts right from the moment he entered the tavern!

His long, undisturbed patience was to prepare for this fatal strike!