Chapter 104: Immortal Slays Immortal

With his Xuanqing Thunder God Dharma manifestation destroyed, the Wine Taoist’s divine radiance dimmed instantly. Disheveled and sallow, with his Taoist robe torn to shreds, he looked utterly wretched. Yet, he burst into loud laughter, relishing the fact that Luo Xu of the Red Body Sect had been deceived.

The Wine Taoist had long since quietly smuggled his natal magic treasure, the Yellow Skin Gourd, into the city of Luodu. At the opportune moment, he unleashed it to instantly annihilate the Fire Toad Xiang Jie and severely wound the Zombie Taoist Lumingzi, all while relying solely on the *Shenxiao True Interpretation* to fend off his enemies.

Luo Xu had previously learned from the winged Zhao Lei that the Wine Taoist’s sword mastery was formidable and that he possessed the ability to split sword light. During their duel, Luo Xu had deliberately held back thirty percent of his strength to guard against a sneak attack. Never had he expected the Wine Taoist to be a mere paper tiger, bluffing his way through the fight without even showing half his true capability. Had he known, a mere twenty percent more effort would have sufficed to slay this powerful foe. Now, however, the children infected by the Golden Crow had been rescued, and his own plans were half-ruined. Without those lives in his grasp, it was uncertain whether the Great Master Molo would accept his failure. Furthermore, his master, Granny Jinhua, surely knew he had killed her disciple. If she were to purge the sect, it was unclear whether the completion of the Red Yin Demon-Gathering Sail would even matter. After all, she was a loose immortal who had survived the second heavenly tribulation. He blamed the Wine Taoist for all of this!

Channeling his Taoist incantations to the limit, Luo Xu unleashed his full power. The Mother-and-Child Yin Soul Swords surged, the thirty-six flying swords transforming into a monstrous, towering python. In an instant, it pierced the golden light of the Heaven-Escape Mirror and shot toward the Wine Taoist. Simultaneously, Luo Xu’s body dissolved into a cloud of insects, enveloping the ancient sword. Ignoring the biting sword light radiating from the blade, he began to gnaw at the ancient weapon, the hissing and scratching sounds incessant.

The ancient sword, possessing a spirit of its own, refused to be destroyed. It trembled violently, its light flickering erratically, but Zhao Zhuo was already exhausted and could only watch as the blade was dismantled. Though golden-threaded insects fell and died, the white light was gradually swallowed by the insect cloud until not a sliver remained.

As for the hundred-foot serpent formed by the thirty-six immortal swords, it opened its maw, covering thirty feet. Underneath it, the Wine Taoist looked like a mere ant. Fortunately, he was seasoned and possessed many treasures; he quickly produced a silken handkerchief and tossed it into the air. It transformed into a hundred-foot expanse of cyan mist, shielding his surroundings. This was the Azure Cloud Kerchief, crafted from a thousand gathered cloud vapors from the peak of Mount Qingcheng; it could expand or shrink at will and feared no flying sword.

The serpent’s massive jaws snapped onto the mist, but it was like a blade striking cotton—there was no purchase to be found. It could only ram the mist with brute force, gradually pushing it back into the massive web formed by the Red Yin Demon-Gathering Sail. With a screeching sound, the demon net buckled, and the serpent, along with the mist, crashed into the city of Luodu. The hundred-foot serpent lay across thousands of houses and towers, casting a massive, suffocating shadow over the city.

The impact of the serpent and the mist hitting the ground created a crater ten miles wide, with fissures spreading for a hundred miles. The earth shook, the deafening roar collapsed buildings, and tens of thousands of civilians were killed or injured. Deep within the crater, the Wine Taoist coughed up a mist of blood, his chest caving in slightly; he did not know how many ribs he had broken. Even his immortal, refined body could not withstand such a blow. The Azure Cloud Kerchief dissolved into a fine drizzle. After this battle, the Wine Taoist had lost two precious magic treasures: the Azure Cloud Kerchief and the Heaven-Escape Mirror.

The serpent’s head shattered, reverting into thirty-six wailing immortal swords that fled into the sky with a continuous whistling sound. Suddenly, a buzzing drone filled the air as the insect cloud transformed by Luo Xu descended, blanketing the sky—a moment of life and death.

The Wine Taoist slammed his hands onto the ground, creating two small pits, and roared, "Commanding Thunder Technique!"

A hundred feet before him, countless thunder nets manifested out of thin air, crackling with energy. As the golden-threaded insects fell into them, they were decimated. This was no ordinary lightning; it was the supreme technique of the *Shenxiao True Interpretation*—the Shenxiao Demon-Extinguishing Immortal Thunder, a secret transmission of the Heavenly Mansion, the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, possessed of peerless power.

He pushed his arms forward with all his might, and the thunder nets transformed into a dense swarm of arrows, launching into the sky. Amidst the continuous roaring and blinding flashes of light, the activity lasted for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before falling silent.

The Wine Taoist scanned the area and saw nothing. He knew Luo Xu had escaped. He chuckled like an old fox; he had unleashed such a powerful forbidden technique precisely because he had calculated that Luo Xu was the type to plot before acting and would not easily risk his own life. He did not know that his own body was now completely hollowed out—let alone a sword immortal, even a common mortal with a wooden club could have finished him off. Trembling, he crawled up, coughing blood with every step, and headed toward the Hu Mansion. The damage this time was too severe; he did not know how many years it would take to recover.

The two ghost thralls had been destroyed by the Innate Taiyi Falling Thunder Sword Array, sparing the two of them. Zhou Qian let out a long breath, sighing in relief that his life had been saved. He turned to look at Ying Zhao’er, only to see her wearing a strange expression, her eyes fixed on him with unusual tenderness. Not noticing anything amiss, Zhou Qian was about to speak when she interrupted him—

"Go help your master, I will wait for you here."

"But—" Zhou Qian hesitated. Although the ghost thralls were destroyed, many Yin spirits still roamed, and sister Zhao’er was a weak woman...

"Look at these flickering electric lights; the ghosts dare not enter. Go quickly!" Ying Zhao’er urged him, acting quite out of character.

Zhou Qian looked around and saw that the array still held residual power; electric lights flickered in the air, and not a single malevolent spirit could be seen within a ten-mile radius. He sighed internally, "You go quickly, don't worry about me."

At that moment, Zhou Qian did not know that the Zombie Taoist had already been killed by Zhou Xun. In his haste, he did not overthink it. He nodded and ran out, while Ying Zhao’er watched him depart.

The careless Zhou Qian did not notice that sister Zhao’er had been clutching her abdomen, nor did he know that while she was rolling to dodge, a streak of black energy had pierced through her body.

Ying Zhao’er’s willow-leaf brows knitted together, as if in great pain, but her eyes remained fixed on the direction Zhou Qian had vanished. She said softly, "Forgive me, Zhao’er. I cannot wait for you any longer..."

Her delicate body slowly lay down on the grass, and a fragrant soul drifted away quietly.

When Zhou Qian reached the front courtyard, he happened to meet Zhou Xun and the others returning. They were all overjoyed. Zhou Qian quickly asked about Lumingzi’s whereabouts. Upon learning he had been killed, he felt fortunate, and hearing that Zhou Xun had made a breakthrough brought further delight. While they were talking, a streak of light descended from the sky—it was the Emei disciple Xie Yudie.

Seeing that everyone was safe, Xie Yudie breathed a sigh of relief and told them what she knew. She herself did not know the outcome of the battle outside the city, which left the three of them deeply worried.

"If Master Uncle Wine lost, then all our efforts have been in vain," Zhu Fei said dejectedly.

"What should we do now? Advance or retreat?" Zhou Xun asked.

"These web threads are extremely tough and are the manifestation of that demon’s magic tool. If we four try to flee Luodu now, we will certainly be discovered. It is better to wait here."

Zhou Qian disagreed. If the Wine Taoist won, fine, but if he lost, waiting here was tantamount to suicide.

"It is best for the four of us to find the location where the Wine Senior and the devil are fighting. You two are disciples of prestigious sword sects with various methods; my master has cultivated the Non-Phase Sword Qi, and I also have my own means. We may not win in a frontal assault, but we can seize a chance to strike."

Before Zhou Qian could finish, a giant serpent crashed into the sky above Luodu, carrying clouds with it as it slammed down. The thunderous roar echoed throughout the city. The four were shocked; they looked at each other and rushed toward the impact site.

Meanwhile, Luo Xu had arrived at the zenith of Luodu, where the giant webs intersected. Dark clouds billowed there, and Luo Xu dove into the depths. A blood-red giant sail floated amidst the clouds, countless threads coiled around it, and countless faces were biting and cursing. As the Wine Taoist had expected, Luo Xu intended to secure the treasure first and kill the people later. This was the result of his cautious nature; he wanted to ensure there was no risk.

Blood light surged on the sword sail, and it was filled with vital essence. Luo Xu felt a secret delight. Just as he reached out to summon it, a figure blocked his path. Luo Xu was startled; black clouds billowed above his head, ready to transform into countless malevolent spells at any moment.

"I wondered who had such grand ambitions. So it is the Granny’s second disciple. What, do you not recognize me?" the person said coldly. It was a woman in a veil with a slender figure, her phoenix eyes fixed on Luo Xu.

Luo Xu froze. Deep in his memory, he recalled a certain demoness and quickly said, "So it is Lady Shiji who has come in person. Your nephew failed to welcome you properly. Please forgive me, please forgive me."

It was no wonder he was so nervous. Lady Shiji was a rare powerhouse of the Western Demon Sect, equal in reputation to his own master. Even in his prime, he would have been no match for her, let alone now, when he was already heavily wounded.

"Since you are at fault, then give me 100,000 spirits as penance," the woman said in a clear, calm voice.

Luo Xu’s face twisted in bitterness. If he lost 100,000 spirits, he did not know when the Red Yin Demon-Gathering Sail would be completed. Moreover, he had committed this act against the laws of heaven and provoked righteous sects like Emei precisely for this item. Now, with a single request, she had taken half his results. It was too much to ask. Just as he was about to argue, he saw the cold light in the eyes of this bane, and his heart skipped a beat. If he refused, he feared the consequences would be even worse.

"That is perfectly fine!" Luo Xu nodded quickly. With a wave of his hand, countless mortal souls surged from the sail—some cursing, some pleading, some dazed. Lady Shiji nodded slowly. Such behavior proved these souls still retained their spirits, indicating they were freshly harvested. Suddenly, she gave a light exclamation, her eyes sweeping over a female ghost. She had never before seen a female ghost in such a serene posture...

As the four made their way, they slaughtered any Yin spirits or malevolent ghosts they encountered. Along the way, they arrived at a winery and found the half-dead Wine Taoist. They surrounded him and offered their concern.

The Wine Taoist opened his hazy eyes, let out a hiccup, and said, "So it’s you lot! I thought Luo Xu had chased me down."

"What exactly happened?" Zhou Xun asked.

The Wine Taoist slowly told them what had transpired. The four were instantly shocked.

"I suspect that Luo Xu has gone to claim the magic treasure that covers Luodu. After that, it will be our turn to die."

"Then aren't we doomed?" Zhu Fei collapsed to the ground in despair, and the others felt equally heavy-hearted.

"Actually, there is a way—" the Wine Taoist said, taking a swig of wine and speaking every word with deliberate care.