Chapter 1764: Group Beating

Zhao Youshen’s intention in adopting this strategy was very clear:

He wasn't interested in personal glory; his sole aim was to pin Elder Liu and the others down here. Given enough time, whether reinforcements arrived from the Heavenly Palace or Real Person Jieshui escaped from the mine, as soon as help came, he would immediately switch from defense to offense.

Watching from the side, Dong Rui cursed under his breath, "They say immortals are timid, but I see no difference with the Sky Demon."

Old Lady Zhu’s voice echoed in their ears: "Although these Sky Demons occupy immortal bodies, the divine descent process consumes a massive amount of Nightmare Qi. Even if the bodies can withstand more power infusion, they are far from reaching their full strength. Therefore, they tend to adopt a conservative fighting style and won't recklessly risk their lives against immortals."

As expected of the Spider Demon, known for its love of combat in ancient times, it quickly analyzed the opponent's weaknesses. Both sides were holding back, a situation He Lingchuan did not want to see.

His eyes flickered. "Then let's add some fuel to the fire."

Zhao Youshen also couldn't hold back. With one move, he forced Elder Liu back, then swept his arm not at Elder Liu, but at He Lingchuan, who was in another direction.

How could he stand by and watch these individuals relentlessly hunt down his subordinates across the field? This time, it was again the 'Seeing Small in Large' divine ability. The phantom fist-wind, swinging towards He Lingchuan's waist, was already as large as two door panels, sweeping across the ground with a terrifying whoosh that sent shivers down one's spine.

He Lingchuan's most sensible choice would have been to leap away, as Zhao Youshen had several follow-up moves waiting for him.

To everyone's surprise, He Lingchuan had no intention of dodging. He took a half-step forward, lowered his body, gripped his saber with both hands, and diagonally slashed towards the wind-fist.

This 'Horse Stance Slash' technique, which he had frequently used on the Panlong battlefield, would either send a shielded enemy's shield flying or cut an unshielded enemy in half at the waist, rarely resulting in a third outcome.

Now, however, he was using it against an immortal's wind-fist.

Even Elder Liu thought the young man was being too reckless, fearing he would be swept off the cliff. The event happened so suddenly that Elder Liu, several yards away from He Lingchuan, had no time to intervene. Yet, the outcome astonished everyone: as the cold light of the Floating Life Saber flashed, the gust of palm-wind was indeed cut in half!

The violent wind cleanly split into two streams, sweeping past He Lingchuan, fluttering his clothes but not sending him flying like a ball. Even the nearby Ghost Ape was swayed, indicating the immense power of that punch.

A single saber strike, cutting the wind—it actually worked.

Over there, Zhao Youshen let out a low growl and retracted his fist.

Dong Rui, sharp-eyed, noticed crimson-golden blood dripping from his fist, drop by drop. "Oh, you hurt him!"

Moreover, from the wound, it was likely that Zhao Youshen's palm bone had been severed in one blow! How did this young man do it?

He Lingchuan flicked his wrist. The crimson-golden blood on the saber tip wasn't shaken off; instead, it was rapidly absorbed by the blade.

Immortal blood was rare, and the Floating Life Saber apparently wanted to taste it.

It always had a unique property: the ability to cut 'the formless and intangible.' In the past, He Lingchuan mostly used this property to cut down ghosts and elemental spirits of water and fire. However, as his understanding of combat became more refined, he realized his perspective had been too narrow: "Why can't divine abilities be cut?"

Aren't many simulated divine arts and techniques also formless? Why can't they be cut open or intercepted?

Furthermore, after absorbing a massive amount of Imperial Flow Dew, the Floating Life Saber gained a new property called 'Tracing the Origin.'

If He Lingchuan used the 'Cut Formless' property to completely destroy an opponent's simulated divine ability or clone, then that damage could potentially trace directly back to the opponent's main body.

Zhao Youshen's 'Seeing Small in Large' divine ability was, at its core, nothing more than remote damage, ensuring that whether he hit or missed, his opponent could not directly harm him.

It allowed him to inflict damage while staying safe.

However, the Floating Life Saber firmly redirected that damage back to him, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Although the chance of this property activating was still 'sometimes' or 'possibly,' He Lingchuan already considered it a divine skill.

Zhao Youshen, unexpectedly struck and in pain, revealed a small opening, and his speed consequently dropped by half a beat.

Elder Liu seized this combat opportunity but didn't immediately strike, because he spotted a dark shadow swinging down from above!

Several large trees above the mine entrance grew at a slant from the cliff face, appearing particularly defiant.

Just then, something leaped from the treetop like an arrow from a bowstring, landing directly on Zhao Youshen's back. Its eight legs clamped on like springs, and a pair of fangs snapped shut, biting deeply into Zhao Youshen's nape!

The Revolving Turtle Armor, of course, reappeared, but the fangs instantly pierced two holes in the ethereal shell, injecting a full tube of venom directly into the Spirit Jar Immortal's neck!

If this venom had struck his leg or arm, Zhao Youshen would have unhesitatingly amputated the limb to survive, but there was truly nothing he could do when it struck his neck. He was just about to use his True Energy to seal off the venom and prevent its spread throughout his body, but to his surprise, this infernal creature's venom reacted to True Energy like oil to fire, sizzling and burning even more intensely!

Only then did he clearly see that what had ambushed him was a black scorpion, as large as a calf.

This was the very spider-scorpion that had appeared in the fake mine shaft earlier. What "mine-guarding spiritual beast"? It was clearly an enemy ambush!

Had he and Real Person Jieshui been completely blind moments ago? How could they not see such an obvious trap!

But strangely, the scorpion's ambush on Zhao Youshen just now wasn't with its stinger, which usually hung at the end of its tail, but with its fangs.

Don't scorpions usually use their tail stinger to poison prey? And while scorpions do have eight legs, how could they leap with such agility?

Of course, Zhao Youshen had no time for such detailed thoughts now. He slammed two heavy fists onto the ground, like driving stakes, directly collapsing the open space outside the mine entrance.

This protruding platform had already endured too much and could no longer bear the strain. Everyone felt their footing lighten and their bodies begin to fall.

Meanwhile, Zhao Youshen transformed into the Revolving Turtle Armor again, took advantage of the chaos, and flew towards the sky.

He realized that two of his opponents were immortal-level, and there was also someone who could inexplicably wound his true body. Fighting three against one while severely injured, there was no point in staying. Besides, his Heavenly Palace cultivators had already been dealt with by He Lingchuan, the Ghost Ape, and the Bat Demon Puppet.

Here, he was truly isolated and helpless, and the objective of seizing the mine was now unattainable.

His only option now was to quickly rush to Banchiu to rendezvous with his Heavenly Palace comrades, recover from his injuries, and then return. However, just as he began to fly, he felt his meridians swelling, his whole body burning, and a touch of dizziness.

The venom was incredibly potent!

Many demon creatures achieved immortality by refining their potent venoms until even immortals could not resist them.

His luck was truly terrible; he had encountered a Poison Immortal even here.

A venom of this potency would corrode a deep hole if dropped onto the stone platform, and if injected into an ordinary cultivator, the latter would turn into a puddle of pus within twenty breaths, completely dissolving flesh and bone without a trace.

He quickly shoved a pill into his mouth.