Multiple Personalities

"This place looks so scary." Lin Yue said fearfully, clutching the Crane Immortal's clothing tightly.

The Crane Immortal frowned and said, "Everyone be careful, there might be danger here." He glanced around warily, grasping his sword tightly.

Just as they were about to pass through the village, a strange sound suddenly came from deep within the village. The sound was like someone crying, yet also like a beast's roar, causing chills to run down their spines.

"Master, what is that sound?" Lin Yue asked nervously, a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

The Crane Immortal shook his head and said, "I don't know either, let's go check it out." He cautiously walked towards the direction of the sound, with Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue closely following behind.

When they arrived at a dilapidated temple deep inside the village, the sound became clearer. They slowly pushed open the temple door, and a waft of putrid smell hit them. The temple was extremely dark, with only a few faint moonbeams shining through the broken windows onto the ground.

In the center of the temple, a massive coffin was placed. The sound was coming from inside the coffin. The Crane Immortal was shocked, and he clutched his sword tightly, slowly walking towards the coffin.

Just as he was about to reach the coffin, suddenly, the coffin lid was violently flung open, and a zombie emitting a putrid odor jumped out of the coffin. Its eyes glowed with a ghostly green light, as it opened its bloody mouth and lunged at the Crane Immortal.

The Crane Immortal swiftly dodged, his movements light and agile. With a gentle tap of his feet on the ground, he shot to the side like an arrow leaving the string. At the same time, he shook his wrist, swinging his icy sword. The blade gleamed with a chilling light, fiercely striking at the zombie. The sword wind howled, carrying a fierce momentum, as if it would slash this ominous creature in one swift move.

The zombie was surprisingly agile, its body stiff yet oddly twisting, like a puppet controlled by invisible strings. It tilted its head, and with a swift move of its emaciated arm, evaded the Crane Immortal's attack, and lunged at him again, emitting an eerie sound, "Ho ho," which seemed like a summons from Hell, sending chills down one's spine.

Shen Jingqi and Lin Yue were shocked, knowing that they couldn't afford to retreat a single step. Shen Jingqi widened his eyes, full of determination, and shouted, "Crane Immortal, I'll help you!" With that, he swiftly drew his sword from his waist, the blade flashing with a cold gleam in the dim temple. He stomped the ground forcefully, charging at the zombie like a tiger descending the mountain, his sword pointed at the zombie's back.

Lin Yue was equally resolute. Her graceful movements were like a dancing fairy, yet her sword contained immense power. She shouted, "Look at the sword!" Her figure swiftly moved to attack the zombie from the side, each sword technique carried the sound of cutting through the wind.

The three of them engaged in an intense battle with the zombie, sword light flashed like meteors across the temple, crisscrossing. The sound of fighting echoed in the temple, shaking the dust off the beams. Although the zombie moved bizarrely under their fierce attack, it struggled to get close to them for the time being. It occasionally swung its arms, trying to grab their weapons, sometimes jumped away to avoid their attacks.

As the Crane Immortal fought the zombie, he pondered inwardly. Why did this zombie suddenly appear in this dilapidated temple? And why was it so agile? Was this all deliberately arranged by someone? Thinking of this, a trace of caution flashed through his eyes, and his grip on the sword tightened.

Shen Jingqi fought with increasing bravery, his mind filled with only one thought: to quickly subdue this zombie. He shouted loudly, "This zombie is nothing, let's put more effort, we can definitely kill it!" Yet, there was a slight worry in his heart, wondering if there was a bigger conspiracy waiting for them.

Lin Yue seemed more cautious, constantly watching her surroundings to prevent other unexpected occurrences. She thought to herself that the appearance of the zombie was too strange, perhaps it was just a bait, and the real danger was yet to come.

However, just as they were engrossed in a fierce battle with the zombie, a chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the temple. The footsteps were disorganized yet carried a sense of urgency, as if an army was rushing towards them.

The Crane Immortal's heart sank, sensing something was amiss. He shouted loudly, "Be careful, something's happening!" Before his words fell, a swarm of black-clad attackers surged in from all directions, each clad in black, with faces covered by black veils, revealing only pairs of sinister eyes, as if they had walked out of the darkness.

This group of black-clad attackers surrounded them, their weapons gleaming with a cold light, exuding a chilling murderous intent. Their movements synchronized, clearly well-trained.

"You can't escape." The leader of the black-clad attackers said with a sneer, his eyes showing a smug expression, as if he had everything under control.

The Crane Immortal gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, the texture of the hilt pressing painfully into his palm, yet determination was evident in his eyes. He roared, "Who are you? Why do you keep opposing us? Was the zombie also your doing?" His voice echoed in the temple, filled with endless anger and doubt.

The leader of the black-clad attackers did not answer his question, but instead waved his hand, the motion casual yet filled with menace. He said coldly, "Go, capture them all! Don't let them ruin our plans."

Following his command, the black-clad attackers surged towards the Crane Immortal, Shen Jingqi, and Lin Yue like a tide. Their weapons swung with fierce momentum, each attack aimed directly at the trio's vital points.

The Crane Immortal understood that they were in a desperate situation but couldn't afford to sit and wait. He shouted, "Fight!" and was the first to lunge at the black-clad attackers. His swordsmanship was extremely fierce, each strike leaving a wound on the black-clad attackers. He charged left and right, attempting to carve a bloody path.

Shen Jingqi showed no fear, swinging his sword, engaging in close combat with the black-clad attackers. His sword techniques were powerful and forceful, each strike carried an unstoppable momentum.

Lin Yue utilized her nimble movement, weaving between the black-clad attackers. She occasionally attacked their lower bodies, and sometimes targeted their vital areas, leaving the attackers defenseless.

During the intense battle, the Crane Immortal noticed that the black-clad attackers' fighting techniques were peculiar, unlike those of the Central Plains sects. Their methods of attack were unique and often unexpected, making them hard to defend against. Moreover, their coordination was seamless, almost like a single entity, heightening his suspicion.

"Where exactly did these people come from? What is their purpose? Could it really be related to the Divine Artifact?" The Crane Immortal pondered continuously, his sword never pausing.

Suddenly, the zombie that had been entangled with them seemed to receive some kind of summons, its actions turning frenzied. It no longer just attacked the Crane Immortal and the others but began to assault the black-clad attackers. Its arms swung like windmills, repelling the approaching attackers one by one.