Chapter 1005: First Battle Ends

With a snap, the creature immediately opened its mouth as soon as it appeared. A red shadow seemed to flash past, too fast for the human eye to discern, followed by a loud scream.

Wan Qisong was swept into its mouth.

He never expected this thing to snatch prey with its tongue, just like a frog.

Even if its speed were slowed down seven or eight times, an ordinary person still wouldn't be able to see it clearly.

He wanted to raise his axe to cut the red silk binding him—which was, in fact, the monster's tongue—but immediately, everything went pitch black before his eyes.

There was no light at all.

Seeing that Wan Qisong had been restrained, He Lingchuan immediately turned and hurried towards Qingyun Road.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his embrace sighed, saying, "It's a good thing your divine ability has progressed, otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to trick Wan Qisong and lure the snake out of its hole."

Over the past few months, He Lingchuan's cultivation had made great strides. He had also frequently pondered over divine abilities in secret, and his control over the "Clone Technique" had reached a new level.

This divine ability was originally recorded on the skin of a Gold-Swallowing Beast, and was completely different from the Mirror Image ability taught in Panlong City. He Lingchuan did not know its origin, but after practicing it for so long, he discovered that this Clone Technique could still evolve, though its direction was not fixed.

When the Mirror Image ability was cultivated to a high level, it could create several mirror images. This was a fixed path, the same for anyone who practiced it. However, the Clone Technique improved based on the user's own circumstances.

After He Lingchuan's Clone Technique improved, its duration could reach an astonishing fifty breaths of time, and it no longer immediately disappeared after being injured. However, its reactions, just like the real person's, would be slowed by injuries.

If killed by someone, the body would also not disappear on the spot, until the fifty breaths were up.

He Lingchuan had conducted experiments beforehand and repeatedly confirmed this point.

It was also fortunate that he had died and revived countless times in Panlong City, experiencing various ways to die. Otherwise, the act of cutting off his own head would have seemed bizarre no matter how one looked at it.

That's why when Wan Qisong cut off his clone's head, he felt the axe connect perfectly and harbored no suspicion whatsoever.

Of course, once the fifty-breath limit was reached, the clone would disappear. Therefore, the head and body had to be retrieved within the time limit, or the deception would be exposed.

To be safe, Qiu Hu had also prepared a headless corpse as a backup, though it wasn't used tonight.

As for the blood that splattered on the ground after the beheading, it would also disappear after fifty breaths. This required the cooperation of the illusion created by the Mirage Demon. Otherwise, if Wang Xiang had stood there for a long time, it wouldn't have been difficult for him to find a flaw.

After finishing its work on Qingyun Road, the Mirage Demon rushed to the next location; it was very busy. It had hidden and cast spells from beginning to end, never showing its face, so He Lingchuan still didn't know what it looked like.

These were all minor tricks, but stringing them together without revealing the deception was not easy, requiring meticulous cooperation from all parties.

For He Lingchuan, although the battle of feigned death was not a high-stakes engagement, it was the battle where he had invested the most effort. If he couldn't deceive Wan Qisong, he couldn't deceive Yu Zecheng, and then subsequent actions would be impossible to carry out.

At his speed, he returned to Qingyun Road in just a couple of steps.

Earlier, He Lingchuan had returned the favor, using the Golden-Armored Bronze Figure to ambush and send Wan Qisong flying. The Bailong people naturally rushed to save their master. However, more than two hundred people then rushed out from the roadside, led by Qiu Hu!

Zhao Yibing of Rongshan followed closely behind. He was a puppeteer, with three finely armored puppets following him, each one more robust than the last, looking formidable.

He merely formed a hand seal, and the puppets charged forward along with the Golden-Armored Bronze Guards and the Yangshan Guard Team.

Their purpose was to separate Wan Qisong from the Bailong people, because their master wanted to deal with Wan Qisong personally!

At this point, it became clear that the combat strength of the Yangshan Guard Team indeed still lagged behind that of the Bailong elite.

They couldn't even beat them two-on-one.

Fortunately, He Lingchuan only needed them to hold back the Bailong people for a short time, to act as human sandbags to block the road. This was not a difficult task.

The two sides engaged in a fierce melee. Just as a few Bailong people tried to break through the defensive line and rush into the forest, He Lingchuan himself emerged first, and loudly commanded: "Everyone stop! Otherwise, Wan Qisong will surely die!"

His voice was imbued with true power, as if he were shouting directly into each person's ear.

He shouted twice in a row. The Golden-Armored Bronze Guards also grabbed tree trunks and swept them horizontally a few times, making the trees crackle and snap, forcing back the charging Bailong people.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and their scalps tingled.

Had they seen a ghost? Some people retreated several steps, their faces turning pale.

Lord He... Lord He, alive?

Behind him, Dong Rui was walking out of the forest, leading Wan Qisong by his side!

Wan Qisong was trussed up tightly, a strip of cloth stuffed in his mouth, bloodstains on the corners of his mouth and his lapel, his hair and body covered in mud, looking extremely disheveled.

With their leader captured, what was the point of fighting?

So when He Lingchuan gave his third command, the fighting mostly ceased. A few guards, formerly pirates, even took the opportunity to kick their opponents a few more times.

The Bailong people exchanged glances, uncertain of what to do.

Qiu Hu and the others were also surprised.

Although it started with a surprise attack, their lord had captured Wan Qisong too quickly, hadn't he?

The group skirmish here on the road hadn't even warmed up yet.

They didn't know that while He Lingchuan appeared calm, he was actually dying of anxiety inside.

Capturing Wan Qisong and these hundred-plus Bailong people was merely the prelude to tonight's events.

The main event wasn't here at all. He was eager to rush to the next location.

"The warehouse didn't explode at all. Your accomplices at the dock have already been brought under control. Don't expect them to come rescue you." With a few words, He Lingchuan shattered their hopes. He said solemnly to the hundred or so Bailong people, "You have lost completely. Any further resistance is a dead end! Now, all of you, kneel and surrender, otherwise, Wan Qisong will be the first to lose his head!"

Dong Rui immediately pulled out a dagger and pressed it against Wan Qisong's neck. The latter struggled a few times, muttering sounds from his mouth, but with the cloth strip stuffed in, how could he speak?

The ropes binding him were still spider silk ropes, impossible to break free from.

Hearing only bad news, the Bailong people looked at each other, intimidated by Lord He's resurrection after death, and hampered by their leader's capture. Finally, someone threw down their blade and axe, slowly kneeling to the ground.

With one person leading the way, the others followed suit.

So the Yangshan Guards swarmed forward, tying them up one by one.

He Lingchuan didn't wait for them to finish their work. He patted Qiu Hu's shoulder and said, "Both here and the dock are now in your hands."

Qiu Hu struck his bronze staff into the ground and declared, "My Lord, rest assured!"

"Once the work at the dock is finished, you all hurry to the east to support the Spider Demon." He wanted to help Second Sister Zhu as much as he could.

"Yes!" Every Rongshan person had important responsibilities. Three of them were at the dock, and should be clearing the area now.

He Lingchuan didn't want to waste a second. He said to Dong Rui, "Let's go!"

Dong Rui couldn't help but worry, "Hey, do Big Sister Zhu and Second Sister Zhu really not need our help?"

Compared to the ambush here, the Spider Demon was facing a truly big and tough battle; the difficulty was not even on the same level.

"No need!" These words weren't spoken by He Lingchuan, but by Big Sister Zhu, whose voice came through the Eyeball Spider. "Time is short; you go take care of your business!"

"If you can't hold out there..." Even if He Lingchuan's plans were as thorough as possible, this situation still had an unknown variable: the combat strength of the Beijia people.

He had put a lot of effort into investigating this, but he hadn't uncovered anything until tonight.

The Beijia people were also extremely cautious, unwilling to reveal their true capabilities.

Yu Zecheng dared to hunt an ancient Great Demon; what reliance did he have? Tonight, he would definitely show his hand!

Could Big Sister Zhu and Second Sister Zhu handle it?

That was almost the strongest lineup and highest combat strength He Lingchuan could send out, except for—

He subconsciously pressed the scale hidden in his embrace.

He still had that card, but he wouldn't play it unless absolutely necessary.

Once revealed, it would no longer be a trump card.

Big Sister Zhu said bluntly, "Don't worry, oh, these guys... they really do have some tricks up their sleeves!"

Second Sister Zhu cut into the channel and shouted, "Run! Why are you fighting them to the death?!"

"Run from what?! I haven't even used two-tenths of my full ability!" Big Sister Zhu said angrily, "Fight! Just keep fighting!"

It was truly deafening. Dong Rui rubbed his ears, seeing He Lingchuan's grim expression.

Within the scope of his abilities, he had done his best.

Man proposes, God disposes.

Dong Rui spat on the ground and said, "Why the long face?"

He Lingchuan frowned deeply. "Besides the trouble with the Beijia people, I'm also worried about the remaining four hundred-plus Bailong people!"

According to his estimation, if Uncle Wan Qi and Nephew Wan Qi acted together, his side could, with some effort, capture them all in one fell swoop.

However, the reality was that Wan Qisong had been caught, but Wan Qifeng and the other Bailong people were in hiding.

This remained a hidden danger.

He Lingchuan disliked such unexpected developments. Suoding Island was a guest island open to all travelers. The Bailong people messing around here was very detrimental to the Yangshan Archipelago's external image.

But troubles had to be dealt with one by one.

Don't forget, there was still a major highlight tonight that hadn't happened yet: the Emperor's Dew.

He needed to act fast.

The two quickly ran into the woods. The Snail Toad was waiting there, even having time to munch on the thorny sprouts on the ground.

After several modifications by Dong Rui, it no longer needed to consume large amounts of selfheal. Its diet had become much broader. If He Lingchuan had been tracking this version of the Snail Toad back then, he would have barely been able to set traps or track its whereabouts.

"Where do you want to go? Tell me!" Dong Rui wiped the rain from his face. "I'll take you on a shortcut!"

On such a rainy night, with the Snail Toad employing its earth-burrowing technique, its speed was far greater than that of a galloping horse.

For tonight's operation, the Bailong people's transportation was also provided by the Lu family.

On the southwest beach of Suoding Island, the boat captains were hidden in a cliff cave, sheltering from the wind. Watching the waves crash higher and higher on the shore, their faces were all grim.

"Aren't these troublesome guests still planning to set sail? A hurricane is coming, and they still haven't returned."

"They won't be able to leave in a while."

"A while? Bah, it's already difficult to leave now!" At this moment, the sea was already rough with high winds and surging waves, and there was a risk of capsizing with the slightest inattention.

Earlier, when they went to Heiye Island to pick up the Bailong people, several boats were late. The Bailong people criticized them, and two of the captains became displeased, muttering obscenities.

Then, they were beaten black and blue.

The one who cursed the most had half an ear cut off.

The boat captains were as silent as cicadas in winter, but after dropping the Bailong people ashore, they began to scheme in their minds.