Annihilating the Pursuers

After Li Yang and his companion settled on a plan, they used their escape techniques again.

When the techniques ended, they relied on Thousand Mile Travel Talismans and their movement techniques to sprint the rest of the way. They seemed to have had a destination in mind from the start.

The people who bore them ill will were remarkably patient, following them for two whole days and nights.

Although they lost track of Li Yang and his companion several times along the way, they quickly reacted and picked up their trail again.

Of course, that was also because Li Yang and his companion had deliberately left a few traces behind.

Li Changshou said, "This should be far enough. We've gone deep into the Chaotic Miasma Treasure Forest. Martial Uncle Jiu Jiu's Immortal Sense definitely can't reach us here."

Relying only on their Ninth Stage of Spirit Transformation and First Stage of Refining Void cultivation, the two had sprinted for two days and nights before finally leaving the range of Martial Uncle Jiu Jiu's Immortal Sense.

Li Yang replied, "I've used the spiritual sense of the Ninth Stage of Spirit Transformation to probe along the way, but I haven't detected anything. So this guy has a way to evade spiritual sense detection.

"But using the passive detection method you taught me, Senior Brother, I've determined that there are five people following us."

Li Changshou lightly rubbed the Triple-Eyed Spider Silk between the fingers of his left hand, piecing together the information he had gathered over the past while, including what he'd just learned.

"Five people. They're all wearing gray hemp robes and conical hats, and they've clearly concealed their builds and faces. They're also quite skilled in movement techniques.

"The long sabers at their waists should be lethal weapons, and they all have a fierce air about them. They're probably used to living by the blade.

"Based on my initial assessment, four are at the Return to Void Realm, around the Seventh or Eighth Stage, and one is at the Returning Dao Realm, around the Third Stage.

"Considering they may be concealing some of their cultivation, I'd revise that estimate: the four at the Return to Void Realm are probably actually around the Sixth Stage of Returning Dao, with the Seventh Stage being the more likely possibility.

"As for the one at the Returning Dao Realm, his cultivation should be at the Ninth Stage. He can briefly use Sky Riding, and it's possible he's already become an immortal—in fact, quite likely.

"Junior Brother, given the circumstances, what do you think we should do?"

Li Yang had also assessed them based on the information he'd gathered over the past few days, and then compared his conclusions with Li Changshou's.

Compared with the Original Novel, there were quite a few more of them, and their cultivation was also much higher. That was probably because he was here now, and because Senior Brother had revealed that he was at the First Stage of Refining Void.

So this assassin organization was also extremely cautious and steady. They believed in using all their strength against even a lion hunting a rabbit, then killing with a single strike.

Li Yang quickly considered their options, then said, "Senior Brother, let's treat all five of them as immortals and deal with them using the fastest, strongest methods we have."

They were both Old Sixes, after all, and naturally had ways to deal with ordinary immortals. At the very least, an ordinary Origin Immortal was nothing to fear.

"You and I will send out fifteen Origin Immortal clones. We'll use the other clones as decoys. Junior Brother, you're good at formations, so I'll leave those to you."

"Sounds good, Senior Brother. I'm not good with poison, so you handle the ambush."

"Sure. I'll use poison first and try not to give them a chance to react. Then you can trap them with a formation, and we'll strike together!"

The two quickly worked out a plan, trading suggestions back and forth.

They did so without letting it interfere with their movement or their preparations for the formations and traps. Their minds were working at full speed.

"Senior Brother, their ill will has turned into killing intent. They're about to make their move."

"Good. Get ready."

Li Changshou took out a Paper Man and quickly began casting.

"Five Elements Rotation, thick earth brings life, heavy and solid without hindrance, earth in the center!"

Li Yang held a 'Golden Pill' in his hand and went over to a large tree.

"Five Elements Rotation, vitality flourishing, flexible and spreading, wood in the east!"

In an instant, the two disappeared using Earth Escape and Wood Escape.

The preparations they had made were also quickly put into effect through their escape techniques.

"Hmph. Are those two rats? They sure can run."

The five assassins darted to the spot where the two had vanished. Their leader gave a cold snort and carefully investigated the area.

"They went that way. After them!"

With that, the five figures vanished into the poisonous miasma forest.

As soon as Li Yang and his companion's techniques ended, a sudden whoosh rang out. But compared with the sound, the bone-chilling killing intent had arrived long before it.

"Pfft!"

"Pfft!"

Just as expected, both Li Yang and his companion were pierced through the chest, and even their heads went flying.

The leading assassin pulled the sword from Li Changshou's heart, letting the wind stir the front flap of his conical hat as he calmly wiped away the blood.

"As expected, one at Spirit Transformation and one at Refining Void. That was easy money. This job—wait, no!"

His words suddenly caught in his throat. He looked down sharply at his feet.

The 'Li Changshou' whose head had been severed had actually reached out and grabbed his ankle!

The other assassins reacted too, all trying to retreat at once.

But for some reason, their vision suddenly blurred, and it felt as though all the strength had been drained from their bodies. Their Mana and aura grew sluggish, and they couldn't circulate them at all!

They looked at the corpse's belt and saw a small pot that had been opened...

The substance spilling from the pot wasn't any particularly potent poison. It was Soft Immortal Powder, which could even bring immortals to their knees. It had been developed by Senior Brother Li Changshou himself and contributed with all his heart. Everyone agreed it worked like a charm.

"Poison! We've been tricked!"

The five assassins were all seasoned killers, and they reacted decisively, biting down hard on their tongues to try to clear their heads.

But Soft Immortal Powder was so potent that they couldn't even muster the strength to bite through their tongues. Their vision grew hazy and heavy.

At that moment, light streamed all around them, then vanished. The five assassins heard a faint voice.

"Heaven Swapping Array, rise!"

An array spanning a hundred-odd zhang instantly cut this area off from the outside world!

Then Li Yang and Li Changshou emerged from the ground. They swept their hands out to either side, and a batch of Paper Men and fifteen Golden Pills changed shape in the wind. With two successive poofs, they all turned into human figures and lunged at the five assassins.

Before the clones could reach the assassins, Li Yang formed a hand seal.

"Myriad Spears Array, rise!"

In an instant, light streamed through the array, then shot toward the five assassins.

Li Changshou could see clearly that every spear was made from condensed Geng Metal Qi.

Those spears were so thick, and moving so fast. Wouldn't they smash a person into pieces?

Sure enough, countless spears rushed in. Before the five assassins could react—or even utter a word—they were shattered beyond recognition in an instant.

Even the conical hats they'd worn to look cool were reduced to gray dust. No one ever saw their faces; they were already nothing but mangled flesh.

At that moment, thirty clones reached the five assassins and began their work in an orderly fashion.

Each assassin had three 'Golden Pill' clones and three Paper Figure clones.

Li Yang's 'Golden Pill' clones formed seals and set up immortal-grade formations to prevent the assassins' Divine Souls from escaping.

One of Li Changshou's Paper Figure clones brought out a little banner that belched black smoke, using it to bind their three souls and pin down their seven spirits. Another gathered all the bits of flesh, then burned them to ashes with true fire.

The last clone muttered an incantation, using a soul-subduing and ghost-destroying spell to completely scatter the five assassins' souls.

Seeing this, Li Changshou stepped forward and tossed out a Treasure Pearl about the size of his thumb. It turned slowly, absorbing faint wisps of pale green light, leaving not a trace of the enemy's soul behind.

But Li Yang said, "That's not enough, Senior Brother. Just watch."

With that, Li Yang formed a hand seal.

"Blazing Fire Array, rise!"

In an instant, the hundred-zhang space grew unbearably hot.

"Ice Seal Array, rise!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the temperature in the hundred-zhang space plunged, and everything turned to powder.

The ground was now spotless. Nothing remained.

Li Changshou had wanted to scatter someone's ashes, but there had to be ashes to scatter in the first place.

Still, Li Changshou was quite satisfied and decided he'd do the same from now on.

Li Yang didn't hesitate at all. "Senior Brother, there's one last step."

"Good!"

The thirty clones immediately sat cross-legged and began rapidly reciting scriptures.

Ten clones recited the Daoist Scripture for Ferrying Souls, ten recited the widely circulated Rebirth Mantra of the Western Teachings, and ten recited the Daoist Disaster Aversion and Blessing Mantra.

After reciting their respective scriptures, the two recalled their clones. Only then did Li Yang reach out and draw over a poisonous insect.

"Senior Brother, look at this..."

"Bang!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Changshou sent out a sword qi and completely annihilated the insect before it could even reach them.

"Everything's settled. We shouldn't linger here. Let's go!"