Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan exchanged a glance, bitterness written all over their faces.
They had imagined the gulf between Foundation Establishment and the Purple Mansion Realm, but never expected it to be this vast!
"Lord River God, would you like me to lend a hand?" Young Master Kongxu stared at Xu Xiao, his snake-like eyes deeply unsettling.
The River God nodded his enormous, hideous head. "You take the female cultivator from the Moon-Embracing Sect. Leave the one at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage to this god."
Young Master Kongxu was only too pleased. His Azure Water Ritual Sword shuddered as he charged straight at Xu Xiao, while the River God raised his pronged spear and rushed at Qiao Xuan.
In an instant, Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were separated by Young Master Kongxu and the River God, each locked in a bitter struggle.
Meanwhile, atop Qingping Mountain, Jiang Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the surging flood beyond the mountain. "Dozens of Qi Refining rogue cultivators as the lure, the living souls of Qingshan County's six towns as the bait. At last, I have drawn you here, step by step."
"Daoist Jiang, how confident are you that you can eliminate that demon?" Zhang Qingyun asked, his expression tense.
Zhang Qingyun could hardly be blamed for his nerves. The price of this operation was so immense that, if they failed to kill the River God, never mind punishment from the imperial court—there would be no place for him in Qingshan County, much less any future to speak of.
Jiang Sheng did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Miss Zhang, where are Wang Tianfang and the other three?"
Zhang Qing was wrapped in a thick brocade robe, her pretty face pale from the cold, but nothing could conceal the sparkle in her eyes. "Rest assured, Daoist. Wang Tianfang and the others have finished their preparations outside Qingping Town."
Jiang Sheng nodded, then answered Zhang Qingyun's question. "If everything goes smoothly, that demon will fall here today."
With that, they turned their eyes back to the distant battlefield.
Under the combined assault of Young Master Kongxu and the River God, Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were already showing signs of defeat.
The River God alone, a demon in the Purple Mansion Realm, was difficult enough to handle. With Young Master Kongxu, a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator, assisting him, they were even more hopelessly outmatched.
Young Master Kongxu kept Xu Xiao entangled in battle. Their Dharma Swords clashed repeatedly, streaks of deep-blue or icy Sword Qi flying back and forth as they fought furiously.
Young Master Kongxu also kept needling Xu Xiao with his words. "Fairy Xu, why struggle so desperately? Submit to me and let me brand a slave seal on your divine sense, and I might just spare you."
"How could being an inner disciple of the Moon-Embracing Sect compare to the carefree pleasures of following me? Besides, wouldn't it be a terrible waste if no one enjoyed that immortal body of yours, pure as ice and spotless as jade? Rest assured, Fairy, I will cherish you most tenderly."
Xu Xiao's expression remained unchanged, utterly unaffected by his filthy words. How could she fail to see that Young Master Kongxu was deliberately trying to enrage her?
Seeing that Xu Xiao remained unmoved, Young Master Kongxu narrowed his eyes. Something slipped from his sleeve into his left palm. As they closed in on each other once more, he hurled it straight at her. "Since you refuse to surrender, Fairy Xu, then die."
It was an Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder charge, its explosive power comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator's self-detonation. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator struck by it would be blown apart, leaving not even bones behind.
The moment the Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder appeared, Xu Xiao's expression changed.
The next instant, the Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder exploded with a thunderous roar that resounded for ten li. Smoke billowed upward as earthly baleful power and yin thunder power ran rampant.
Young Master Kongxu had barely begun to feel smug when he suddenly sensed Xu Xiao's aura within the raging power of the Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder. It had not weakened in the slightest!
A streak of ice-blue Sword Qi sliced through the smoke and surged toward him. Young Master Kongxu stared in shock at the center of the explosion, where a shimmering curtain of water protected Xu Xiao.
Spiritual radiance flowed across that water curtain, and pure energy arose from it. It was clearly no ordinary thing!
"A second-grade Profound Water Talisman?" Young Master Kongxu's eyes filled with suspicion and wariness.
Xu Xiao said nothing, but her heart pounded.
Without the Profound Water Talisman Jiang Sheng had crafted and Zhang Qing had pressed into her hands, that Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder would probably have blasted her into nothing.
Looking at the wary Young Master Kongxu, Xu Xiao abruptly turned and rushed toward the battle between the River God and Qiao Xuan. "Old Master Qiao, retreat!"
Qiao Xuan nodded, brought out a small black sphere, and launched it at the River God.
With his extensive experience, the River God recognized the little black sphere as a Yin Thunder Orb at a glance. He immediately summoned a vast surge of waves to wash over it.
The Yin Thunder Orb exploded with a deafening boom. Lightning burst outward in a raging torrent, blasting a pocket of empty space straight through the endless, terrifying waves.
Qiao Xuan seized the opportunity to retreat toward Qingping Mountain with Xu Xiao.
The River God watched Qiao Xuan and Xu Xiao withdraw, his expression grave, a faint sense of foreboding stirring within him.
Young Master Kongxu came to the River God's side. "Qingping Mountain is the cultivation ground of that Jiang Sheng from Penglai."
"Merely a Foundation Establishment Daoist," the River God said coldly.
Young Master Kongxu naturally would not argue with him over this. "Then, Lord River God, shall we pursue them?"
The River God answered without hesitation. "Of course! If that Moon-Embracing Sect disciple makes it back, how could we ever know peace again? She must be killed here!"
Young Master Kongxu agreed.
Had no conflict arisen between them, that would have been one thing. But after exchanging blows, hoping they could pretend nothing had happened was far too naive.
To cut down weeds, one must pull out their roots!
Thus, the River God took Young Master Kongxu and chased straight after Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan.
Once they killed those two on the spot, this operation would be perfect!
Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan had already expended considerable energy in battle. Now, fleeing for their lives, they burned through their spiritual power even faster.
Qiao Xuan occasionally glanced back at the River God pursuing them relentlessly, then asked, "Fairy Xu, what else has Miss Zhang planned? If there are no further preparations, you and I will perish here!"
Xu Xiao's feelings were complicated as she looked toward Qingping Mountain. "Rest assured, Old Master Qiao. We will know once we reach Qingping Town."
Throughout the chase, the River God repeatedly unleashed water arrows and waves to harry Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan. Under this attrition, their spiritual power was almost exhausted.
At last, they reached Qingping Town. Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan descended straight into it, seemingly intending to fight to the death.
The River God pursued them, but upon seeing Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan land in the town, he suddenly stopped in midair.
Young Master Kongxu followed close behind. "Lord River God, what is wrong?"
The River God surveyed the deserted Qingping Town. "Something is amiss."
Young Master Kongxu smiled. "Lord River God, you are a revered god of the Purple Mansion Realm. Surely you do not fear two cornered Foundation Establishment cultivators?"
The River God nodded. His clawed hand, larger than a palm-leaf fan, seized the unsuspecting Young Master Kongxu and hurled him into the town. "In that case, go investigate for this god!"
Young Master Kongxu had never expected the River God to turn on him at this moment. By the time he reacted, he had already been thrown into the air above Qingping Town.
Before he could cry out, he saw a chain shoot skyward from each of the town's four directions.
Within a few breaths, the chains bound him tightly above Qingping Town. Shocked and furious, Young Master Kongxu shouted, "I am not the River God! Do not attack! I am not the River God!"
The River God grinned broadly. "An ambush, just as I thought."
Seeing that the chains had failed to capture the River God, Xu Xiao could not help feeling disappointed. Still, she rose with her sword and charged straight toward the bound Young Master Kongxu.
Hearing the whistling rush from below and sensing the bone-chilling killing intent, Young Master Kongxu hurriedly shouted, "Fairy Xu! Fairy Xu, do not attack! I am willing to join you against the River God! I am willing to swear a blood oath!"
"I—"
An icy streak of sword light shot into the sky. Before Young Master Kongxu could finish his last words, the Sword Qi cleaved his body in two!
"Is this your final trump card?" the River God's mocking voice rang out.
Xu Xiao ignored Young Master Kongxu, who had died full of venomous resentment, and turned to face the River God. "What if it is? What if it is not?"
The River God gripped his pronged spear and blinked his golden, slit-pupiled eyes. "If this god is not mistaken, you have made that Foundation Establishment Daoist from Penglai your final trump card."
"You expect a Foundation Establishment Daoist to slay a god?"
With that, terrifying pressure erupted from the River God. The aura of the Purple Mansion Realm spread outward, fierce winds howled, and waves surged. His ten-foot-tall golden body shone with dazzling golden light, making him seem like a true deity, solemn and majestic.
"You fools have no idea what the Purple Mansion Realm truly means! None of you will escape! Die before this god!"
The River God swung his pronged spear. In a flash, he appeared before Xu Xiao, then thrust the enormous weapon through the air, trailing a blur of afterimages.
Xu Xiao's expression changed. She hurriedly raised her sword to block, only to be sent flying, sword and all.
Seeing this, Qiao Xuan hastily brought out another Yin Thunder Orb and launched it at the River God.
Sensing the Yin Thunder Orb's terrifying fluctuations, the River God swept his pronged spear aside. Torrential waves washed down, detonating the orb in midair.
"You think the likes of you can stop this god? Arrogant fools!"
"Water, come!"
The River God's voice echoed above Qingping Town. As he raised his pronged spear high, chilling winds began to howl and dark clouds gathered.
In an instant, rain poured down in torrents. Behind the River God, surging waters rose into a wave a thousand feet high, as though poised to swallow everything.
Its sheer force seemed to overwhelm the heavens!
The townspeople sheltering at the foot of Qingping Mountain were already huddled together in terror at the sight, their hearts filled with despair.
They had never imagined that, even after abandoning their homes and fields to flee to Qingping Mountain, they still could not escape death.
"Heavens, someone save us!"
"Lord River God is angry! The county magistrate has enraged Lord River God! We are all going to die!"
"I do not want to die! I do not want to die! I burn incense for Lord River God every year! Why does he have to flood my home?"
"We are all going to die here! We are all going to die here! There is no hope for us."
At the foot of Qingping Mountain, cries and wails filled the air. Children sobbed, old people wiped away tears, men embraced their wives and children and wept bitterly, and women clutched their children tightly as tears streamed down their faces.
One glance at the River God standing in the sky, the dark clouds gathering overhead, and the enormous wave behind him that seemed capable of swallowing everything was enough for anyone to know that no path to survival remained.
Just then, a figure suddenly flew out of Qingping Mountain. The moment he appeared, his clear, numinous aura calmed the people's panic.
Hope seemed to stir anew among the people at the mountain's foot. "It is Daoist Jiang from Qingping Mountain! Daoist Jiang has come to save us!"
"You are Jiang Sheng of Penglai?" The River God examined the young Daoist who had appeared before him.
Jiang Sheng wore azure robes and a jade crown, his posture straight and his aura tranquil.
Smiling, Jiang Sheng gave the River God a slight bow. "I am Jiang Sheng, a humble Daoist and practitioner of Qingping Mountain."
"I have come expressly to invite the River God to his death."
The first update, the first update! Gentlemen, if you have recommendation votes or monthly votes, please send a little support my way. Lin Yuan is counting on your tips for a bowl of noodles. Sob, sob~
(End of chapter)
Sorry for the trouble, but please take a moment to share this website on Facebook so that we can keep it running.
Before you continue