The Inescapable Fate

A bead of sweat appeared on the boy's forehead; those four simple words sent a chill down one's spine.

The distance between Zhongyuan and Bei'ao is shorter, and trade is more frequent. The Divine Ark from Bei'ao to Dongying arrive every half month, but those to Zhongyuan arrive every five days. However, this time is not insufficient; the journey takes even two days longer than You Su's journey from Kong Yuan Divine Mountain to Xuehu Port.

If Tao Yaoyao is right, Hua Jing, First Seat successfully delayed Heng Lian during the Zhongyuan Festival, then the fastest Heng Lian could arrive would be on the next Divine Ark after Tao Yaoyao's, which would leave a five-day time difference.

Even if Tao Yaoyao's journey from the port to the sacred mountain to deliver the message took longer than You Su's journey on the Jade Curtain Flying Boat, it would still be no more than two days. Therefore, the Sovereign Lord Sister had already meticulously calculated for him that as long as he rushed to the port with all his might, he would definitely be able to board the ship to Japan before Heng Lian arrived.

But plans never keep up with changes; how could he have arrived ahead of schedule?!

The boy's mind raced; he only wanted to find a way out of this premeditated trap.

He suddenly pressed down on the Fairy's shoulders, his palms burning hot enough to scorch through the light gauze:

"Go away."

Qianhua Venerable was slightly taken aback, but the young man continued to give instructions:

"You must do everything in your power to get my senior sister away. He wants me, and I will fight desperately to keep him from being distracted by capturing you. You must not be captured by him, otherwise he will have no evidence that you helped me, and you can have another excuse afterward. Then, secretly find a way to return to Zhongyuan."

You Su had given all the instructions, but seeing that this usually shrewd woman was standing still, he couldn't help but shake her delicate shoulder:

"What are you standing there for! Your foundation and that of the Qianhua Pavilion are still in Zhongyuan. He now wields immense power in Zhongyuan. Breaking ties with him will only bring you harm, and exposing your relationship with me will only implicate you. Staying hidden might give me a glimmer of hope! Let's go!"

You Su urged anxiously, believing it to be the best decision he could come up with in a short time.

The female fairy just stared at him blankly. Her gaze was perfectly ordinary, but You Su couldn't understand what she was thinking.

Suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, he stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. "Hand me over to him! You hand me over willingly, and he'll say you arrested me! That way, he'll have even less reason to punish you for your involvement! Hurry up!"

"Actually..."

The fairy's lips suddenly curved into a slight smile, devoid of any mockery.

You Su couldn't understand why she still had the mind to laugh at a time like this!

"Actually what?!"

"In fact, Master could order me to fight him to the death and protect you back to the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain. I cannot disobey you. If you return to the Void Plains, the Sovereign Lord will protect you, which is far better than your fate if you are captured by him."

You Su took a deep breath. He couldn't understand why this usually selfish businesswoman had suddenly stopped prioritizing her own interests at this moment.

"I promised you I wouldn't harm Qianhua Pavilion! You're not a chore! You're mine! Tie me up now!"

The boy's voice was fierce. The female fairy looked into the boy's eyes, and his eyes reflected the sky outside the curtains, which had suddenly darkened, even though it was only early morning.

The silk threads bound the boy's hands and knees; she could not defy the commanding force in those words.

It won't harm Qianhua Pavilion... Even in his current state, does he still remember the bottom line he promised her? But the bottom line she demanded wasn't bound by any family power; he could simply disregard it if he wanted to...

Since she began practicing Daoism, she had seen too many instances of sacrificing pawns to save the king, but this was the first time she had ever seen someone choose to sacrifice the king to save the pawn.

Why would a handsome guy who's only fit to hide in those few compartments and be protected sacrifice himself to protect a vehicle that's basically at his beck and call?

'You're not disposable, you're mine!'

These words echoed in the woman's mind. She straightened the glasses that were always half-dangling from her nose and stood up gracefully.

"Is it worth betting on such foolish generals?" she asked herself.

But he had just said the most beautiful love words in the world to her... at least, the most beautiful words she heard.

Thunder suddenly roared outside the cabin, and the jade curtain was lifted by a jade hand.

"Bei Ao doesn't make thunder, so if I'm not mistaken, could it be Venerable Heng Lian's arrival?"

A beautiful woman dressed in a magnificent black and gold cheongsam, with her arm linked with hers, smiled and waved to the person in front of her.

Above the airship, a towering figure slowly turned around.

He wore a dark brocade robe with flowing lightning patterns. His face was cold and stern, like the water of a cold pool. His nose was hooked like an eagle's, which made his eagle eyes cold and sharp, as if they could terrify the world's wickedness.

Give him to me.

His voice, like muffled thunder, rolled through the clouds. This towering, mountain-like man showed no intention of exchanging pleasantries with the stunning beauty.

"Whom are you referring to, Venerable One?" Qianhua Venerable feigned ignorance, You Su, bound behind the curtain, widened her eyes slightly, surprised that this woman was different from the one she had been instructed to speak to.

"You know who it is." The Heng Lian First Seat put his hands behind his back, a dark cloud hanging over his head.

"Even if you are the head of the Evil Warding Department, you can't just snatch people from my private flying boat, can you?" Qianhua Venerable smoothed her hair, which was ruffled by the cold wind, showing no fear of the man's imposing presence.

"I have come to exorcise this evil spirit; this is the final warning."

"Catching evil spirits?" Qianhua Venerable waved his sleeve lightly and snorted coldly. "I also catch evil spirits. If you want it, Venerable, I will hand this villain over to the Divine Mountain when we reach the Zhongyuan Festival. Isn't it beneath your dignity to directly steal someone else's credit?"

The man's thick eyebrows furrowed slightly, his imposing presence radiating authority. "Hand him over to me, and you will receive every penny of the reward promised by the sacred mountain."

The woman smiled, her smile as alluring as a poisoned peony, "Why bother with your pretense, Venerable One? Do you know the price I paid to capture this brat? The reward from the Divine Mountain is probably not even enough for eleven, so there's no need to intimidate me with the name of Evil Demon. He's just a bit more troublesome than ordinary Condensed Water cultivators, and you call him the Fifth Evil God. Others might believe it, but I won't!"

"Refusing to cooperate with official duties will have serious consequences."

Another thunderclap resounded, making You Su's heart skip a beat.

"Stop pretending! Everyone knows that the Venerable One came for the Heavenly Awakening Spiritual Light on him! Now that I've finally forced him to willingly offer his treasure by dissecting his spirit, the Venerable One wants to steal it. If word gets out, no one will believe that the Venerable One came to eliminate evil and uphold justice! The Venerable One is a senior, but it's not so simple for him to snatch fortuitous opportunity from a junior!" She lightly touched the deck with her toes, and the nine layers of golden silk barriers outside the Jade Curtain Flying Boat suddenly bloomed.

Upon hearing this, the Heng Lian First Seat sighed deeply, as if his patience had also reached its limit.

"If you want spiritual insight, let him give it to you. This deity only needs a person."

"Your Excellency makes it sound so easy. If he could really hand him over so easily, why would I have dragged this out until now?" The woman was no longer so unyielding. She turned half her body slightly and said leisurely, "In any case, Your Excellency is going to take him back to the mountain anyway, which is on my way. Whether he releases his spiritual light or not when we get to Henggao, I will not force him. Your Excellency can take him away as you see fit."

Qianhua Venerable took two more graceful steps and increased her bet once again:

"Qianhua has also made Heavenly Dao Oath to the Venerable One that if I obtain the spiritual light, the Venerable One will receive a share after I have finished comprehending it. Qianhua is by no means a selfish person, but simply does not wish to spoil the harmony. Venerable One, what do you think?"

The towering man high in the sky suddenly closed his eyes, and Qianhua Venerable's heart pounded with alarm. She knew that this was not because the chief was considering her suggestion, but because he did not intend to answer!

"Bewitched!"

The thunderous sound rose again, Heng Lian First Seat suddenly opened his eyes, lightning flashing in them!

Between the sea and the sky, thunderclouds surged. With a flick of his sleeve, the Heng Lian First Seat unleashed thousands of purple lightning bolts that blasted Qianhua Venerable's golden silk barrier into dust.

As the gold dust fell in a flurry, Qianhua Venerable lightly touched the mast with his toes, and nine layers of silk ribbons shot out from his sleeves.

This was no longer the lingering, affectionate silk thread she used when flirting with You Su, but each strand shimmered with a stardust-like, deep blue—the most renowned Thousand Mechanisms Silk of the Qianhua Pavilion!

There were only nine threads, yet they intertwined into a massive, impenetrable net, each one reflecting the lacerated face of the Heng Lian First Seat.

"It was the Heng Lian First Seat who attacked first!" the female immortal shouted angrily.

Before the words were even finished, the lightning bolt struck him like divine punishment. Qianhua Venerable fingers flew, and the Thousand Mechanisms Silk suddenly gathered into an umbrella, bursting forth with dazzling brilliance the moment it collided with the lightning.

The sea was cleaved by the aftershocks, creating deep trenches hundreds of feet deep, with waves surging like angry dragons soaring into the sky. The thunder's power was immense, and the aftershocks not only affected the sea area in front but also shattered the Formation Technique rear city of this small winter harbor, leaving screams and cries of terror echoing throughout the peaceful port.

Qianhua Venerable suddenly raised his jade palm, and a gray-black jade stone on it shone with light:

"A dignified Immortal Official of Henggao not only steals fortuitous opportunity from others but also recklessly harms innocent civilians! Heng Lian First Seat, don't be so headstrong!"

Heng Lian First Seat eagle eyes narrowed slightly; he naturally recognized what the woman held in her hand— Imprint Stone!

"Despicable tricks!" The Heng Lian First Seat sneered, Hand Seals. The Nine Heavens Thunder Pool appeared as summoned. "My conscience is clear; why should I fear your wicked schemes!"

The Qianhua Venerable's gold-rimmed glasses flashed with a cold light, but it didn't diminish in the slightest.

She was determined not to let You Su be captured, but also not to let the other side discover her affair with You Su. Therefore, confusing the public and insisting that she was only after Ling Guang was the best cover, which also gave her a reasonable motive to retaliate.

Ultimately, she wasn't known for her fighting prowess. Even if she was likely no match for the Heng Lian First Seat, she would at most be seen as a loser in the struggle for fortuitous opportunity, not as an accomplice who protected Evil Demon. If she then publicized the Heng Lian First Seat's theft of fortuitous opportunity, no matter how renowned the Heng Lian First Seat was, even if he was only after capturing You Su, he would still taste the bitterness of 'possessing a treasure and being punished'.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a loud noise drew everyone's attention, and two Divine Ark by the harbor began to shake violently.

Suddenly, the icy sea exploded with towering waves, and dark tentacles carrying a putrid stench broke through the ice.

The evil creature resembled a rotting giant bird skeleton, with crimson flesh membranes clinging to its jagged bones, and eerie green flames flickering in its empty eye sockets.

It flapped its bony wings and went straight for the two venerable ones suspended in the sky!

Fear surged through everyone's hearts in that instant, and everyone was astonished.

A terrifying, evil creature that can fly, just like the manta ray of the South China Sea, has appeared on the shore of the North Sea without any warning!

The Nine Heavens Thunder Pool raged violently, but when the first bolt of purple lightning struck the evil spirit, the Heng Lian First Seat's pupils shrank sharply—the rotting bones were actually corroding the lightning!

But what's even more despairing is yet to come; it's not the only one... it's just the first!

They can all fly... They can all leap over the Divine Radiance Stone that has blocked evil spirits for thousands of years!

"Run!"

The woman's voice suddenly reached You Su's ears, and the ribbons binding his hands and legs loosened in response.

"Both Divine Ark have already anchored! The Divine Ark are irreplaceable treasures of the Five Continents, and the captains dare not leave them in the Evil Tide! Henglian can't get away for the time being, so you'd better get on board and run!"

Countless strands of silk shot out from Qianhua Venerable's sleeve, seemingly to bind the Evil Demon with fluttering bone wings in front of him. But only You Su knew that she deliberately created such a grand scene to cover his whereabouts!

You Su was trembling violently. Without the slightest hesitation, he jumped off the flying boat!

He was not yet at the Feather Transformation Realm, but this was by no means the first time he had fallen from such a height. He quietly used the Ruyi Wind-Controlling Technique and seemed to vaguely sense what it felt like to fly.

The Heng Lian First Seat's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Although the faint glint was dazzling, he still managed to catch You Su's movements!

Although he was the head of the Evil Warding Department, at this moment, even if this unprecedented winged evil spirits rushed into the heart of Beiao, it was none of his business. All he needed to do was capture You Su!

Both Divine Ark began to hum at the same time, one being the Japanese ship that had been docked for three days, and the other the Western Wilderness ship that had just arrived at the shore.

The man's hawk-like eyes locked onto the leaping You Su, and he quickly identified the direction he was heading—he was going to board a ship from Japan!

With a sudden tremor of his arms, countless bolts of purple lightning descended from the sky. He seemed to become the epicenter of a thunderstorm, engulfing vast areas in a raging inferno, from flying evil spirits to the bricks and tiles on the ground!

Qianhua Venerable almost cursed him for his indiscriminate attack, but he had no choice but to temporarily retreat. However, the female immortal immediately realized that he was trying to force everyone around him to retreat in order to build up his strength to target You Su!

The man's eyes were sharp as a hawk, and sure enough, a three-zhang-long Thunder Spear materialized in his palm! The arcs of electricity that exploded from the spear tip resembled a dragon, instantly illuminating the entire gloomy sea as if it were daytime.

His charging time was only a single thunderclap! The Thunder Spear was hurled, and in an instant, the heavens and earth roared, the ice layer of the harbor shattered, and half of Xuehu Port turned into scorched earth in the lightning.

Qianhua Venerable turned pale instantly. How could Ning Shui possibly withstand such a spear thrust!

With a light touch of her toes on the crest of the wave, You Su shot towards the Divine Ark bound for Japan like an arrow released from a bow.

He deliberately filled his robes with Mystic Qi, causing them to burst into a dazzling silver light amidst the lightning—this was a bait he created using the Shadow Stream technique, and also his only chance of survival!

The real him had already concealed his presence and blended into the fleeing crowd, using the cover of thunder, fire, and ice fragments to quietly approach the giant ship bound for the Western Wilderness!

You can't escape.

The Heng Lian First Seat suddenly sneered, as if a god had given a final verdict on You Su.

His hawk-like gaze pierced through layers of smoke and dust. The lightning patterns on his loosely clenched palm surged, and the Thunder Spear that had pierced through the evil spirits unexpectedly returned, carrying a world-destroying force as it stabbed straight at the divine ship heading towards the Western Wilderness!

You Su's pupils contracted sharply, and his blood seemed to freeze—the Thunder Spear was locked onto him, covered in dust and dirt, mixed in with the refugees!

The chill of death crept up her spine, You Su had never felt the web of fate closing in so clearly.

The lightning from Henglian not only illuminated his true form, but also revealed the deepest struggle in his heart—

Could it be that he really couldn't escape that person's gaze?

The piercing shriek of the Thunder Spear tore through the air, tearing at his eardrums. You Su gripped the Ink Pine Sword tightly with his fingertips. Before the sword was even drawn, the overwhelming power of the lightning made his bones crack.

But at this critical moment—a clear, melodious sword cry suddenly pierced through the thunderstorm!

A gleaming longsword fell from the clouds, its blade shimmering with a golden sheen. Wherever it passed, the lightning vanished.

You Su stared blankly at the immortal Immortal Sword blocking his head; of course he recognized the sword—

The sword of my Mistress that has no scabbard!