Chapter 160: Fierce Battle Against the Wolf Demon

While Ye Dong and Guangqi fled in both directions, Chen Yao and the Wolf Demon were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle!

"I never would have imagined, truly never imagined, that a mortal and a dragon could reach such terrifying heights!" Though the Wolf Demon secretly admired the golden-radiant Chen Yao before him, his desire to devour the Primordial Heavenly Mystery Dragon burned even hotter.

"Dealing with wolf fiends and wolf demons like you is more than manageable!"

Seeing the injuries covering the Primordial Heavenly Mystery Dragon, Chen Yao felt a surge of deep anxiety. *Fighting three wolf fiends single-handedly is proving far too strenuous for Brother Long, and I can barely manage a stalemate with the Wolf Demon. If this continues, Brother Long will collapse sooner or later.*

Hiding in the corner, Xiaobao and Dachun worried intensely about how much longer Chen Yao could hold out, especially given the enemy's overwhelming numerical advantage.

"This is the first time I've ever seen Master struggle this hard," Wenxing said, his brows deeply furrowed. "This Wolf Demon is a full tier stronger than any fiend Master has ever faced. If this keeps up, I'm afraid Master will be at a disadvantage!"

Xingxing, standing beside him, shared the deep concern. "It's just a pity that Senior Grand Uncle hasn't arrived yet. If he were here to join forces with Master, even setting aside subduing this demon, driving him off would be a great outcome."

"Rihui, I've become a burden to you."

Floating in mid-air, the Heavenly Mystery Dragon had lost many of its scale armors, and distinct wounds marred its neck and lower belly. Dragon blood dripped rhythmically onto the ground, staining the piles of shattered Buddha clay.

"Brother Long, it is I who dragged you into this murky mess," Chen Yao replied with a bitter smile. "It seems the two of us brothers still need to practice our coordination more often during peaceful times."

"Rihui, do you remember our bitter struggle just like today's?" The Heavenly Mystery Dragon chuckled. "I was being swarmed back then, too."

Chen Yao smiled in response. "Of course I remember. It was during that fierce battle with the Night Demon, when we rescued Daoist Kongming."

"It seems the situation this time is far more severe than the last," the Heavenly Mystery Dragon coughed dryly. "If I survive this, I suppose I'll need to step up my cultivation."

"Rest assured, we won't die." Chen Yao smiled with quiet confidence. "As long as Yue Lang remains unpunished, neither of us brothers will die, nor can we."

"Why haven't Silver Dragon and Weizi arrived yet? Did they fall asleep?" The Heavenly Mystery Dragon let out a cold snort. "Those two brothers are far too used to a leisurely life; they are endlessly sluggish when it comes to getting things done."

Glancing over at the Wolf Demon's faction, aside from the Second Wolf's somewhat heavier injuries, the others were entirely unscathed.

The Wolf Demon flashed a wide grin and called out to Chen Yao, "Rihui, if you hand over the Primordial Heavenly Mystery Dragon, my wolf clan guarantees not to harm a single hair on anyone from the Zhengyi Sect. How about it?"

Chen Yao shook his head and smiled. "Tell me, Wolf Demon, did you bang your head or did your seclusion training fry your brains? Do you even hear yourself?"

"Save your glib tongue; I know you're just stalling for time." The Wolf Demon cast a greedy look at the Heavenly Mystery Dragon. "Since you refuse to comply, this old man will simply take your life as well!"

With a grand wave of the Wolf Demon's massive hand, thick, billowing wolf smoke accompanied by the howling sound of tearing wind swept in like a tidal wave!

"Rihui, the fiendish aura in his wolf smoke is far too heavy and will easily provoke our temper. You must steady your mind!"

"Understood!"

Chen Yao let out a low shout. "Origin Prime pacify the settlement, universally proclaiming to all numinous powers. True officials of peaks and rivers, local deities and spirits. Great Monad Heavenly Venerate, act with haste as decreed!"

The moment the *Exorcism Incantation of the Earth Deity* was invoked, eight colossal pillars of lightning instantly erupted around Chen Yao and the Heavenly Mystery Dragon. The lightning between the pillars interconnected, forming two massive energy barriers that blocked the fiendish wolf smoke unleashed by the Wolf Demon!

"I never imagined the *Exorcism Incantation of the Earth Deity* could possess such power when wielded by Master!"

Dachun gripped Xiaobao's hand tightly. "I honestly thought this incantation was merely used for setting up altars and protecting the caster!"

Wenxing explained from the side, "This incantation is used to set up altars, perform rituals, and summon local and mountain deities so they may petition the heavens on behalf of mortals and safeguard the righteous path. That is merely one of its applications. In the eyes of grandmaster-tier Daoist priests, this is a genuine, heavy-duty defensive technique, and an extremely useful one at that!"

"Indeed, even the exact same incantation yields vastly different effects when used by practitioners of different levels," Xingxing chimed in. "It seems only a master of Master's caliber can utilize the hidden potentials of these spells so thoroughly!"

Another low roar echoed from the air. "Left altar and right deity, let none dare alarm! Return to the righteous path, inner and outer clarified! Great Monad Heavenly Venerate, act with haste as decreed!"

A blinding wave of golden light radiated from a single point, instantly illuminating the entire Great Buddha Hall to a brilliant degree!

Even with the Wolf Demon and his followers possessing bodily sensory abilities, they could not help but instinctively dodge three paces away from the glare, fearing a trap.

*These stupid wolves—I'm just using the golden light to scare them and buy ourselves a bit more breathing room,* Chen Yao thought with inward amusement, deliberately shouting to the Heavenly Mystery Dragon, "Brother Long, let's seize this opportunity to launch an attack!"

With tacit understanding, the Heavenly Mystery Dragon echoed the shout, roaring aloud, "Right! Let's catch them off guard!"

Hearing the threats from Chen Yao and the dragon, the fiend and the three wolves could not help but tense up, vigilantly guarding their vital acupuncture points!

After waiting for over a minute without seeing an attack, the Wolf Demon realized he had been duped. Enraged, he cursed, "As a dignified master of Daoist arts, you actually resort to such underhanded tricks?! How laughable!"

Chen Yao chuckled lightly. "Wolf Demon, all is fair in war—why don't you understand that? To think you've cultivated for a thousand years without picking up even a shred of worldly experience. I suggest you go back to herding sheep!"

"Insolent wretch, how dare you provoke this old man?!"

With a furious roar, the Wolf Demon spat out a dark, viscous liquid from his mouth, which tightly wrapped around the shimmering ripples of energy protecting Chen Yao!

"What a disgusting creature!"

Anger flared in Chen Yao's chest. *That is the Wolf Demon's fiendish Qi. Getting touched by that is no joke; it could befuddle one's mind in a matter of seconds!*

"Secure each direction, guard the altar court. The Supreme has decreed, hunt down evil spirits!"

With those thoughts, Chen Yao executed another technique. The ripples of energy rapidly expanded, counter-surrounding the disgusting mass before miraculously causing it to vanish.

The Wolf Demon sneered coldly. "You're far smarter than your master. You actually split up the single *Exorcism Incantation of the Earth Deity* into three major techniques—truly, the younger generation commands respect. What a pity that you are destined for an untimely death and will vanish into smoke!"

His gaze darted to the side as the three wolf fiends lunged at the Primordial Heavenly Mystery Dragon, while he himself closed in directly on Chen Yao!

With a cold chuckle, Chen Yao chanted the final verse of the incantation: "Dharmapala divine kings, protect the chanting of scriptures. Take refuge in the Great Dao, primal, auspicious, and persevering!"

At that moment, shouts echoed from all directions like a roaring army of thousands, drowning out the surroundings with overwhelming volume. A fresh ripple of energy generated once more, tightly enveloping both warring factions within.

"You really thought I was scared of a Wolf Demon just because I played along?!"

Chen Yao's eyes flashed like lightning. Clenching his fists tight as if striking drums, he threw open his arms and battered the empty air before him with sweeping, powerful blows!

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Drumbeats capable of shaking the Wolf Demon's very soul seemed to emanate from Chen Yao's fists, endlessly reverberating within the energy ripples!

Dachun squinted and saw that the energy ripples had somehow transformed into a colossal drum. Two giant drum mallets materialized above it, beating against the giant drum in rhythm with Chen Yao's fists!

*Thud! Thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!!!*

The faster Chen Yao moved his hands, the faster the giant pair of hands beat the drum, and the overwhelming cries echoing within the drum grew increasingly frenzied, vibrating endlessly!

*Thud-thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud!*

The Wolf Demon's heart raced wildly in time with the drumbeats and battle cries. He felt his Qi and blood surge, plunging him into intense discomfort.

"Damn it, I'll block my ears!" Driven to desperation, the Wolf Demon clamped his hands tightly over his ears!

Seeing this, Chen Yao burst into hearty laughter. "These are heavenly soldiers beating the drum of war—how could mere hands block them?"

Rolling his blood-red demonic eyes, the Wolf Demon roared in fury, "Damn it! So your earlier *Exorcism Incantation of the Earth Deity* was deliberately split apart just to summon this divine drum?!"

"It seems you aren't completely stupid, just a bit slow on the uptake!"

Chen Yao laughed loudly. "Though these heavenly soldiers' drums cannot defeat you, they are more than enough to deal with your three subordinates!"

With that, the force behind his fists grew even greater. Gritting his teeth, he hammered blow after blow into the empty air before him!

Though every punch struck only empty air, the momentum of the giant hands pounding the drum possessed the might of a thunderbolt—majestic and awe-inspiring!

*Pfft!!!*

Being mere fiends after all, the three wolf wolves could no longer endure over a minute of the heaven-shaking drumbeats. Their minds fell into utter chaos, causing their demonic Qi to reverse flow, and they spat out gouts of dark essence blood!