A humble Daoist, Jiang Sheng, respectfully invites the River God to his death

A humble Daoist, Jiang Sheng, respectfully invites the River God to his death

Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan exchanged a glance, their faces full of bitterness.

They had considered the gap between Foundation Establishment and the Purple Mansion Realm, but they had never expected it to be this vast!

"River God, do you require my help in dealing with them?" Young Master Kongxu stared at Xu Xiao, his eyes as unsettling as a venomous snake's.

The River God's enormous, savage head nodded. "That female cultivator from the Moon-Embracing Sect is yours. The late Foundation Establishment one belongs to me."

Young Master Kongxu was naturally delighted. With a tremor of the Azure Water Ritual Sword in his hand, he charged straight at Xu Xiao, while the River God raised his trident and rushed toward Qiao Xuan.

In an instant, Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were separated by Young Master Kongxu and the River God, plunged into a bitter battle.

Meanwhile, atop Qingping Mountain, Jiang Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the surging floodwaters beyond the mountain. "Using dozens of Rogue Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm as bait, and the living beings of Qingshan County's six towns as the lure... I finally led you here, step by step."

"How certain are you, Daoist Jiang, that you can eliminate that demon?" Zhang Qingyun's voice came from behind him, his expression somewhat tense.

Zhang Qingyun could hardly be blamed for being nervous. The price of this operation had been enormous. If they failed to kill the River God, never mind punishment from the imperial court—there would no longer be a place for him in Qingshan County, let alone 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 frozen pale, yet the sparkle in her eyes could not be concealed. "Rest assured, Daoist. Wang Tianfang and the others have already finished their preparations outside Qingping Town."

Jiang Sheng nodded, then answered Zhang Qingyun's question. "If all goes smoothly, that demon will certainly perish here today."

With that, the group once again turned their gaze toward the distant battlefield.

At this moment, Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were already showing signs of defeat under the combined assault of Young Master Kongxu and the River God.

The River God alone, a demon of the Purple Mansion Realm, had been difficult enough to handle. With Young Master Kongxu, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, assisting from the side, they were even less of a match.

Young Master Kongxu continuously tangled with Xu Xiao. The ritual swords in their hands clashed again and again, waves of deep-blue and icy sword qi flying back and forth as the two fought without pause.

Young Master Kongxu continued to needle Xu Xiao with his words. "Fairy Xu, why struggle so bitterly? As long as you submit to me and allow me to brand a slave seal upon your divine sense, I may yet spare your life."

"How could being an inner disciple of the Moon-Embracing Sect compare to following this young master in carefree splendor? And for a celestial body as pure as yours, Fairy Xu, to go unappreciated would be far too great a pity. Rest assured, Fairy, this young master will surely cherish you well."

Xu Xiao's expression did not change in the slightest, utterly unaffected by his filthy words. How could she not know that Young Master Kongxu was deliberately trying to provoke her?

Seeing that Xu Xiao remained unmoved, Young Master Kongxu narrowed his eyes. Something slipped from his sleeve into his left palm. As the two drew close once more, he directly tossed it out. "Since Fairy Xu refuses to surrender without a fight, then go die."

It was unmistakably an Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder. Its explosive force was comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator detonating themselves. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator struck by one would be left without even bones remaining.

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 boom. The blast echoed across ten li, smoke billowed upward, and the powers of earthly baleful intent and yin thunder ran rampant.

Young Master Kongxu had just begun to feel smug when he suddenly sensed Xu Xiao's aura amid the raging power of the Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder. Her aura had not weakened in the slightest!

An ice-blue sword qi cleaved through the smoke and came surging toward him. Young Master Kongxu stared in astonishment at the center of the explosion, where a curtain of flowing light and water shielded Xu Xiao's entire body.

Spiritual light flowed across that watery curtain, pure qi arising naturally from it. It was clearly no ordinary treasure!

"A second-grade Profound Water Talisman?" Young Master Kongxu's eyes were filled with suspicion and vigilance.

Xu Xiao said nothing, though her heart pounded wildly.

Had Zhang Qing not stuffed this Profound Water Talisman refined by Jiang Sheng into her hands, that Earthly Baleful Yin Thunder would likely have blown her to pieces just now.

Looking at the deeply wary Young Master Kongxu, Xu Xiao abruptly turned and charged toward the battlefield between the River God and Qiao Xuan. "Old Master Qiao, retreat!"

Qiao Xuan nodded and produced a pitch-black little sphere, launching it at the River God.

The River God was well traveled and well informed. At a glance, he recognized the pitch-black sphere as a Yin Thunder Orb, immediately summoning a great expanse of waves to wash over it.

The Yin Thunder Orb exploded with a crash. Lightning power burst forth in all directions, directly blasting a vacuum through the ceaseless, towering waves.

Qiao Xuan seized the opportunity to retreat with Xu Xiao toward Qingping Mountain.

The River God watched Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan withdraw, his expression grave as a faint sense of unease rose within him.

Young Master Kongxu came to the River God's side. "Qingping Mountain is the cultivation ground of Jiang Sheng of Penglai."

"He is merely a Foundation Establishment Daoist." The River God replied coldly.

Young Master Kongxu naturally did not argue with the River God over such matters. "Then, River God, shall we continue the pursuit?"

The River God said without hesitation, "Of course we pursue! If that disciple of the Moon-Embracing Sect is allowed to return, how could there ever be peace afterward? She must be slain here!"

At those words, Young Master Kongxu also expressed his agreement.

It would have been one thing if no conflict had arisen between them. But now that they had already exchanged blows, to still hope that nothing would come of it was simply too naive.

To cut the grass, one must pull up the roots!

Thus, the River God led Young Master Kongxu in direct pursuit of Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan.

As long as they killed these two as well, this operation would be perfect!

Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan had already expended much of their spiritual power in battle. Now that they were fleeing for their lives, their spiritual power drained even faster.

Qiao Xuan occasionally turned to glance at the River God relentlessly pursuing them from behind, then asked, "Fairy Xu, what exactly is Miss Zhang's plan? If there are no further arrangements, you and I will be buried here!"

Xu Xiao's feelings were complicated as she looked toward Qingping Mountain. "Old Master Qiao, rest assured. Once we reach Qingping Town, all will become clear."

As they fled and were pursued, the River God continuously unleashed water arrows and surging waves to harass Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan. Under such expenditure, the two of them were nearly out of spiritual power.

At last, they reached Qingping Town. Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan descended directly into the town, seemingly intending to make their final stand.

The River God pursued them there. Looking at Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan landing in the town, he suddenly stopped in midair.

Young Master Kongxu followed close behind. "River God, what is it?"

The River God surveyed the deserted Qingping Town. "Something is wrong."

Young Master Kongxu laughed. "You are a venerable god of the Purple Mansion Realm, River God. Could you truly fear two Foundation Establishment cultivators with nowhere left to run?"

The River God nodded. His hand, larger than a palm-leaf fan, seized the wholly unprepared Young Master Kongxu and flung him directly into the town. "Then go scout out the situation for me!"

Young Master Kongxu had never expected the River God to strike so suddenly at such a moment. By the time he reacted, he had already been thrown above Qingping Town.

Before he could even cry out, chains rose into the sky from the east, west, south, and north of Qingping Town.

Within a few breaths, the chains had tightly bound him in the air above Qingping Town. Frightened and furious, Young Master Kongxu shouted, "I'm not the River God! Don't attack! I'm not the River God!"

The River God bared his teeth in laughter. "As expected, there is an ambush."

Seeing that the chains had failed to bind the River God, Xu Xiao could not help looking disappointed. Yet she still raised her sword and charged straight toward the bound Young Master Kongxu.

Hearing the whistling air beneath him and sensing the bone-piercing killing intent, Young Master Kongxu hurriedly cried out, "Fairy Xu, Fairy Xu, do not attack! I am willing to join forces with you against the River God. I am willing to swear a blood oath!"

"I—"

A streak of icy sword light shot into the sky. Before Young Master Kongxu could finish his last sentence, his body was cleaved in two by the sword qi!

"So this is your final trump card?" The River God's mocking voice rang out.

Xu Xiao ignored Young Master Kongxu, who had died with venomous resentment, and turned to face the River God. "What if it is? What if it isn't?"

Holding his trident, the River God blinked his golden vertical pupils. "If I am not mistaken, you must be treating that Foundation Establishment Daoist from Penglai as your final trump card."

"You intend to have a Foundation Establishment Daoist slay a god?"

With that, terrifying pressure erupted from the River God. The aura of the Purple Mansion Realm spread out, wild winds howled, waves surged, and his towering golden body shone with blazing radiance. He truly looked like a deity—solemn and majestic.

"You clearly do not understand what the Purple Mansion truly is! None of you will escape. Come die for me!"

The River God swung his trident. With a flash, he appeared before Xu Xiao, and the enormous trident came tearing through the air with a trail of afterimages.

Xu Xiao's expression changed. She hurriedly raised her sword to block, only to be sent flying together with it.

Seeing this, Qiao Xuan hurriedly produced another Yin Thunder Orb and launched it at the River God.

Sensing the terrifying fluctuations of the Yin Thunder Orb, the River God casually swung his trident. Torrential waves swept over it, detonating the Yin Thunder Orb in midair.

"With the likes of you, you still wish to stop me? Arrogant!"

"Water, come!"

The River God's voice echoed over Qingping Town. As he raised his trident high, yin winds began to howl and dark clouds gathered.

In an instant, rain came pouring down. Behind the River God, waves surged and rose a hundred zhang high, as though they would swallow everything whole.

The momentum soared to the heavens!

The townspeople hiding at the foot of Qingping Mountain had already shrunk into trembling clusters 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 enraged! The county magistrate angered Lord River God—we're all going to die!"

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I offered incense to Lord River God every year. Why does he have to flood my home?!"

"We're all going to die here, all die here... There's no saving us..."

At the foot of Qingping Mountain, cries and wails filled the air. Children sobbed, elders wiped away tears, men clutched their wives and children as they wept bitterly, while women held their children tightly and shed silent tears.

All it took was one glance at the River God standing in the sky, the dark clouds gathering overhead, and the colossal wave behind him that seemed capable of devouring everything for anyone to know that they had no way out.

At that moment, a figure suddenly flew out from Qingping Mountain. The moment he appeared, a clear and ethereal aura calmed the panic of the people.

The townspeople at the foot of Qingping Mountain seemed to regain hope. "That is Daoist Jiang of Qingping Mountain! Daoist Jiang has come to save us!"

"You are Jiang Sheng of Penglai?" The River God examined the young Daoist before him.

Jiang Sheng wore a robe of green, a jade crown upon his head. His posture was straight, his aura serene.

With a faint smile, Jiang Sheng gave the River God a shallow salute. "This humble Daoist is Jiang Sheng, a Qi Refinement practitioner of Qingping Mountain."

"I have come to respectfully invite the River God to his death."

First update, first update! Esteemed lords, if you have recommendation tickets or monthly tickets, I hope you will reward me with them. Lin Yuan is counting on your rewards to afford a bowl of noodles. Sob sob~

(End of chapter)