Immortals Clash

At a ferry crossing on the opposite bank of the river, row upon row of light boats and sampans stood ready to depart.

The Five Gods Cult disciples dressed in black sat aboard them with powerful crossbows on their backs, awaiting orders.

These were Hongyan Crossbows transferred from the Mountain God Altar, forbidden by the imperial court and rarely revealed. Once exposed, they could easily bring grave trouble.

But this time, to kill the sword immortal Kongchenzi, who had destroyed the River God Altar and continued hounding the entire Five Gods Cult without relent, they had brought them out.

When the Poison God Altar Master spoke of giving it their all, it truly had not been empty words.

At that moment, Feng Yusheng suddenly appeared and dropped to one knee before the Poison God Altar Master.

"Altar Master, the Poison God has arrived."

The Poison God Altar Master slapped his thigh and rose. "Well done, Protector Feng! You have indeed not disappointed this Altar Master."

"Something must have happened aboard the Cloud Tower Painted Boat. Otherwise, that old ghost would not have failed to send even a message. What a pity."

"But now that the Poison God's divine carriage has arrived, and Kongchenzi has fallen into our encirclement layer upon layer, it no longer matters."

The worry and gloom on his face vanished in an instant, replaced by a smile on his sullen features that said everything lay within this Altar Master's calculations.

"Soon, the Mountain God Altar Master and the Mountain God's divine carriage will arrive as well. The brothers of the Mountain God Altar have long since lain in ambush on the opposite bank."

"All disciples, listen carefully. If that Daoist falls into a disadvantage later, immediately row over and fire your crossbows at him with all your strength. If he flees toward our side, release your arrows at once as well."

"Make sure you shoot him dead."

At the Poison God Altar Master's command, everyone at the ferry answered in unison.

"We obey the Altar Master's order."

The Poison God Altar Master looked toward the Cloud Tower Painted Boat in the middle of the river. Songs still lingered around its rafters, while dancing and music continued within. "Whether he flees toward this bank or the other, that demon Daoist Kongchenzi has only one road ahead—death."

"That demon Daoist is likely still enjoying himself at this very moment, never imagining that he has already stumbled into the deadly trap laid by this Altar Master."

"What? The Mountain God Altar Master and the Mountain God's divine carriage have arrived as well?" Feng Yusheng grew somewhat anxious upon hearing this. The Altar Master had actually joined forces with the Mountain God Altar Master.

At that moment, wind and waves rose in the center of the river, and banks of mist spread out. The Poison God Altar's people noticed immediately.

The Poison God Altar Master laughed loudly. "The Poison God descends!"

"Let the ignorant fools of the world see just how powerful the Five Gods Cult's Five Gods truly are."

All Poison God Altar disciples kowtowed toward the center of the river and cried out the Poison God's name.

A croak rang out, startling countless people on both banks from their drunken dreams of paper and gold.

Along the riverbank, the merry songs and dances in every embroidered tower and wine pavilion glowing with lantern light, along with the noisy clamor of the night market, all came to an abrupt halt.

Those seeking pleasure, drinking wine, making merry, and strolling through the night market all turned to look toward the river's center.

The lights on both banks and the bright moon faintly illuminated the river. Vast mist suddenly billowed forth, shrouding the water in moments, and within it, something seemed to gleam with golden light.

"Golden light! Do you see it? There's golden light shining from the river!" A group of drinkers atop Tianxiang Tower pointed excitedly below.

"Where did such heavy fog come from in the middle of the night?" In the lantern-lit night market, people watched the mist gradually approach the shore, unease creeping into their hearts.

"What was that cry just now?"

"It sounded like a toad croaking?"

A golden silhouette slowly rose, towering above the mist.

Only then did everyone discover that it was an enormous Golden Toad as tall as Tianxiang Tower, crouching upon the river amid swirling clouds and mist.

Its entire body gave off a faint golden glow, like a divine beast descending to the mortal realm.

Who in the River Prefecture region could fail to recognize what it was? For generations, they and their ancestors had worshipped this Golden Toad as a god, praying for peace and protection, for calamities to be driven away.

"The Poison God!" The scholars hosting a banquet atop Tianxiang Tower were jolted sober, each slapping his own face to see whether drunkenness had blurred his vision.

"The Five Gods Cult's Poison God? That thing actually exists?" Scholars were naturally different. Having read many books, they were not so easily fooled. Most had believed the Five Gods Cult's deities were fabricated, and seeing one for real now left them unable to accept it.

"Such an enormous Golden Toad? Could this truly be the divine beast of legend?"

Yet most of the people along both riverbanks were even more excited. Groups of men, women, old folk, and children fell to their knees before the Golden Toad amid the dense mist.

Many had worshipped the Five Gods Cult's Five Gods for decades. The belief that they were immortals had long been rooted deep in their hearts.

"It's Grandpa Poison God! It's Grandpa Poison God!" An old candied-haw vendor sprawled flat on the ground, leading his little granddaughter in repeated kowtows.

"An immortal! An immortal has descended to the mortal realm!" Seeing someone kneel, the crowd on shore followed suit one after another. This herd mentality spread without end, until a vast swath of people knelt beside the river and throughout the night market.

"True Lord Xuanzhu, bless us. Grandpa Poison God, bless us. Grandpa Mountain God, bless us. Grandpa River God, bless us..." The people of Jiangting Commandery did not know that the River God had long since died. Kneeling on the ground, they recited the names of all the Five Gods Cult's deities from beginning to end.

But the Poison God did not care in the slightest about the commotion on shore. In his eyes, these tiny people were nothing but food.

Following the scent, he immediately locked onto the Cloud Tower Painted Boat upon the river.

He noticed the white-clad figure standing aboard the painted boat and looking toward him.

"Croak!"

The Poison God Golden Toad moved, and towering waves immediately exploded across the river.

It leaped into the air and smashed directly toward the Cloud Tower Painted Boat.

Like a golden Meat Mountain crashing down from the heavens, it spewed thick poisonous smoke from its mouth, surging mightily toward the entire Cloud Tower Painted Boat.

This time, it was no longer white cloud-mist, but black smoke. Whoever touched it would die.

It was on an entirely different level from the River God's giant serpent.

Facing the black clouds sweeping down like they covered heaven and earth, and the Poison God Golden Toad crashing toward him like a mountain, the white-clad youth standing aboard the Cloud Tower Painted Boat remained as steady as a mountain.

He tossed the silver jug in his hand into the air.

What poured forth was not wine, but towering flames.

The blazing fire cascaded down like a waterfall, burning the black smoke over the river clean away before surging toward the Poison God Golden Toad without losing any of its force.

It blasted the Poison God Golden Toad out of the air, while the firelight illuminated the sky and laid the entire scene upon the river bare before every eye.

"Who is that?" The people kneeling on both sides of Jiangting's pleasure district had not even finished kowtowing when they saw this sight before them. They were struck dumb, utterly at a loss for words, unsure whether they should continue with the rest of their kowtows.

"Could that be an immortal too?" Seeing that snow-white figure who scattered fire from a jug and set the heavens ablaze, many cried out.

"He must be an immortal! If he were not, how could he possess such means?" This claim immediately won the murmured agreement of many.

"The Five Gods Cult's Grandpa Poison God is fighting another immortal?" Many people had lived their entire lives without ever seeing such a scene, let alone hearing of such a tale.

The Golden Toad let out a mournful cry as it was washed down by the towering flames.

But it was not over yet. A Divine Donkey emerged from the flames, its hooves treading upon roaring fire, and kicked the Poison God Golden Toad squarely with one hoof.

The blow sent flesh and blood flying, blasting it into the river.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Warty toad, your Grandpa Donkey has been waiting for you for ages."

Donkey Guardian General had been lying in wait here for a long time, waiting only for the Golden Toad to take the bait.