Chapter 1737: Self-Destruction

However, an ice cone was even faster.

It dodged twice in the air, but the ice cone also turned twice, getting closer and closer. This thing suddenly split from one into five, flying in several different directions.

To everyone’s surprise, the ice cone also split into five the next moment! With several whooshing sounds, each ice cone hit its mark. Some were nailed to tree trunks, some to rocks.

He Lingchuan turned around and saw Xiao Wencheng’s ashen face. Needless to say, these ice cones were conjured by Grandmaster Xiao. The immortal’s divine abilities were extraordinary, and his reaction speed was incredibly fast. He Lingchuan’s slight contempt for these immortals immediately vanished. Beyond just strategy, the immortals’ cultivation was exceptionally strong.

Dong Rui also dug out a small yellow figure from the ground, which was what He Lingchuan had previously knocked down with his saber hilt: a dead beetle. As for Xiao Wencheng’s ice cones, they had also pinned down five insects. Four of them were ordinary beetles, slightly larger in size, some golden-green, some yellowish-brown. Only one black insect was strangely shaped, shorter than a pinky finger, resembling a scorpion but without a pointed stinger, and its tail had several long, branching tendrils.

In simple terms, it seemed to have grown its antennae on its tail, and they were still wriggling. “This is a brainworm; in some places, it’s called a ‘brain-devouring demon worm’!” Aunt Zhu also walked over to observe. “It can infiltrate the seven orifices of living creatures, bite through the palate to invade the brain, and then control the victim’s every word and action. Those slender tendrils on its tail are used to connect to the prey's brain.”

Dong Rui poked its tail with a small knife: “Is the host dead or alive?” “Dead, it died when it was invaded. However, the brain-devouring demon worm can secrete a substance that temporarily keeps the body active, so the muscles won't loosen and the corpse won't rot.” “Otherwise, the brain-devouring demon worm could deceive humans but not other scent-sensitive monsters.” “Some animals, even without becoming demons, can smell the unique scent emitted by dying creatures, such as crows, vultures, and wild dogs.”

“It also has a unique ability: when it devours the brain, it can access the host’s memories,” explained Aunt Zhu. “That’s why this creature is very suitable as a scout. If we hadn’t discovered it in time, it would have carried all the intelligence from Shilong Peak to Bai Ziqi after escaping.”

Shilong Peak had strict formations and excellent defenses; any bird or insect demon from the Heavenly Palace that approached would be attacked. As a result, the enemy sent such a covert little monster, the brain-devouring demon worm, attached to an Illusion Sect disciple, to ascend the mountain. Alas, there was no guarding against such a tactic.

He Lingchuan stared at the strange insect on the tree, feeling a sense of familiarity. That's right, he had seen this thing... during the Battle of Yuheng City in the Panlong world! At that time, Fu Shanlie sent insect demons to infiltrate Yuheng City to assassinate the city lord and even tried to ambush He Lingchuan; that battle was incredibly difficult. So, it turns out that real-world Beiga truly has brain-devouring demon worms!

“It’s not dead yet,” He Lingchuan turned and asked the Spider Queen. “Auntie, can we extract any information from it?” “I’ll try,” she replied.

Aunt Zhu sent out small spiders, which covered the brain-devouring demon worm in spiderwebs. Xiao Wencheng waved his hand, and the ice cones disappeared. The small spiders then took the brain-devouring demon worm aside for interrogation; their acidic fluid had corrosive properties, which most insect demons couldn't withstand.

Xiao Wencheng immediately summoned two disciples for questioning. Li and Wu, having just narrowly escaped death, were now shivering with fear and quickly recounted everything in detail. “This thing was lingering near Xianguang Cave?” Xiao Wencheng suddenly realized. “The entrance to Xianguang Cave is guarded by a Ghost-Masked Beast, leaving no place for mischievous spirits to hide. It couldn’t get in, which is why it rode an Yingtai vehicle up the mountain to gather intelligence.”

Li and Wu touched their necks, deeply relieved to have survived the ordeal. If that monster had suddenly attacked midway, they would have been finished.

“The Haoyuan Golden Mirror is a renowned ancient treasure, and Miaozhantian likely knows its power and divine abilities,” Xiao Wencheng said, also feeling somewhat fortunate. “If the brain-devouring demon worm had reported its current status to the Heavenly Demon, it would have been even more disadvantageous for us.”

If Miaozhantian knew they were using the Haoyuan Golden Mirror, and if they discovered its poor condition, they would certainly adjust their countermeasures. “However, its attempt to infiltrate Xianguang Cave indicates that Miaozhantian has designs on our treasury,” Xiao Wencheng said, frowning deeply. “They are also facing a shortage of spiritual energy and must use mystic crystals as a supplement!”

He Lingchuan nodded: “They need large quantities of mystic crystals to power their lighthouses. It seems Miaozhantian won’t be satisfied with just one or two barriers.”

Elder Liu suddenly rushed out of the main hall, crossing to the mirror's edge in a single stride: “Not good! Old Du’s soul lamp has gone out!” Every immortal had a soul lamp kept in a side hall. When a person died, their lamp extinguished. “What?!” Everyone’s expressions changed.

Just over a quarter of an hour ago, Elder Du led a team to Honggang to prevent the Heavenly Palace from establishing a lighthouse there. Honggang, named for its “ridge,” was a large steep slope, but the battle there was exceptionally fierce. Honggang had been flattened by two layers, leaving only a small mound. Just now, Xiao Wencheng and the others had witnessed Elder Du displaying great power, first repelling Beiga’s demon immortals, then successively slaying five cultivators, when the brain-devouring demon worm came to steal intelligence. Everyone was distracted dealing with it and didn't pay attention to the Haoyuan Golden Mirror. Who knew that in just a few dozen breaths, the situation at Honggang could have changed so drastically?

They turned to look at the Haoyuan Golden Mirror and witnessed the most horrifying scene: Honggang, the fiercely contested location between the Illusion Sect and the Heavenly Palace, had silently collapsed into a massive pit! It wasn't an explosion, but an inward compression and collapse. This irregular colossal pit was over fifty zhang in diameter and more than five zhang deep. The inside of the pit was completely clean, scorch-yellow, with no carbonized remains or impurities.

Aunt Zhu exclaimed, “Soul Implosion!” Immortals and cultivators with exceptionally powerful souls, upon realizing their impending death, might initiate a soul explosion to severely wound their enemies or achieve mutual destruction. A soul implosion forms like a black hole, compressing objects within its attack range. If it affects living beings, their bodies are literally squeezed, but no bone, blood, or muscle splatters outward. This effect differs from a soul outward explosion but is more difficult to defend against.

He Lingchuan was greatly astonished. Immortals who lived to such an age cherished their lives. If Elder Du had found even a sliver of hope for survival, he would not have initiated a soul explosion. What happened?

Elder Du was killed in action, but Honggang had also become Hong Pit, no longer a contested area for the Heavenly Palace, forcing them to reluctantly abandon it and prepare to retreat.

Xiao Wencheng stroked the frame of the Haoyuan Golden Mirror and said, “How did Old Du die? Let me see!” The mirror suddenly blurred, then became clear again, displaying the scene everyone had just missed. “Damn,” He Lingchuan secretly marveled, “this mirror actually has a replay function?”

Elder Du was skilled in magic, and the battle pace was swift. For the first half, he suppressed the opposing demon immortal with a barrage of attacks. Then, Heavenly Palace reinforcements arrived. Two golden rings flew out from unknown origins, intersecting in the air, and with a clang, became four. The four then collided with each other, doubling their number again... By the time they flew a hundred zhang away, the two golden rings had multiplied into one hundred and eighty, each appearing with afterimages, colliding and spiraling in all directions, making them impossible to guard against.

Even more terrifying, their sound was not only deafening but also carried a strong disruptive effect, making listeners dizzy, nauseous, and feeling a blockage in their chest. It was like a summer cicada chorus suddenly amplified a thousand times right in one's ear! Over a hundred yakshas and more than a dozen Illusion Sect disciples were sent flying, some spitting blood, others with their brains spilling out.

Elder Du, enraged, let out a furious roar and threw a blue light to repel them, otherwise, the golden rings would have claimed countless more lives. These things also had a boomerang effect, passively circling back.

Behind Elder Du, an additional person had appeared unnoticed—short, thin, and dark-skinned, appearing to be in his forties. He raised a saber and struck directly at Elder Du’s back of the head. Elder Du wouldn't be easily ambushed; he dodged two steps away before turning to face his assailant. However, upon seeing the person, his eyes widened, and he cried out in alarm—

Just like Elder Liu suddenly pointing at the mirror, his face full of shock: “Junior Brother Diyun! Senior Brother, th-that’s actually Junior Brother Diyun!” His eyes were wide with disbelief. Given his status and cultivation, he shouldn't have been so distraught.

Xiao Wencheng followed his gaze, his eyes narrowing, his face also ashen: “It truly is Junior Brother Diyun! These lackeys of the Heavenly Palace are truly detestable. I will surely flay them, tear out their sinews, and roast their souls for thirty-six days to console Junior Brother Diyun’s spirit in the heavens!”

He Lingchuan also looked at the Haoyuan Golden Mirror. Elder Du, too stunned, failed to notice a shadow darting out from behind a tree, ghost-like, stabbing him in the back of the neck. Another demon immortal! Three against one, and a sneak attack to start—completely without martial ethics. This time, Elder Du couldn't dodge. Enduring a severe throat injury, he managed to counter twice before being struck down.

The opponents moved to seal his acupoints and suppress his soul to prevent self-detonation, but Elder Du still got there first— This was the Illusion Sect's first immortal to die in the Upside-Down Sea!

Honggang had become Hong Pit, and over a hundred people from both sides were obliterated with no trace left. The immortals watching before the mirror were all furious, their hair standing on end. If the brain-devouring demon worm hadn't distracted the immortals before the mirror just now, they could have immediately passed through the mirror to support Elder Du! Infuriating! Detestable!

Seeing the immortals' immense frustration, He Lingchuan timely asked, “Who was the person holding the golden rings?” What kind of person could shock Elder Du so much that he let down his guard?

“He is my fellow junior brother, ranked forty-ninth under the Immortal Venerable!” Xiao Wencheng’s gaze was fixed on the mirror, which had now switched back to its original perspective. “Three hundred years ago, Junior Brother Diyun left seclusion on the Immortal Venerable’s orders to handle affairs and was never heard from again. We sent people to investigate, but found no trace of him. To think that we would see him again today, in such a situation!”

Elder Liu added, “He and Old Du were like brothers, fighting side-by-side countless times in ancient times.”

Dong Rui tentatively asked, “To console his spirit in the heavens?” So, Diyun didn't defect to the enemy?

Xiao Wencheng pointed at the person in the mirror: “That is no longer Junior Brother Diyun; a Heavenly Demon has possessed his body!”

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui had already guessed, but still felt a shiver down their spines. Everyone stared intently at the mirror. Before long, sand stirred in the fresh pit at Honggang, and then a person emerged—it was Senior Diyun. In other words, the Heavenly Demon.