Chapter 1852: No Shortcomings

Despite missing his right foot and having difficulty moving, he chose to fight on the narrow city wall rather than on flatter ground because the confined space made it difficult for three opponents to surround him.

After just two exchanges with He Lingchuan, Miaozhantian realized that He Lingchuan's soul power far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators, almost rivaling an immortal. Thus, instantly defeating him in a few moves was impossible, especially with Xiao Wencheng and the Blood Fiend, who were also formidable opponents, by his side. Therefore, the best strategy was to use the city wall's terrain to gain time and recover from his injuries.

His soul power was no longer what it once was, and recovery was exceptionally slow. Every step he took, his right leg's stump striking the ground, sent agonizing pain through him. Blood smeared the ground with each step. Fighting while bearing such wounds would continuously deplete his soul power, much like bleeding reduces physical stamina.

Yet, Miaozhantian took a deep breath, striving to block out the pain and remain focused. Even with three adversaries, he believed he still had a chance to emerge victorious. Before entering the Inverted Sea, he had also researched Xiao Wencheng. He knew that if He Lingchuan died, Master Xiao's likelihood of surrendering would significantly increase, allowing him to persuade Xiao Wencheng to yield once more. Thus, the crux of the conflict remained centered on He Lingchuan. His priorities were clear: recover as quickly as possible, and seize the opportunity to kill He Lingchuan. These were Miaozhantian's two primary objectives in the battle.

As Miaozhantian dashed into the city wall, the newly arrived Xiao Wencheng was about to follow. However, He Lingchuan pointed to a spot ten zhang away on the wall. "No need to rush," he said, "we'll take the wall top and intercept him there." The entire outer wall was bare and flat; no one could discern the internal structure from outside. Xiao Wencheng hesitated, but He Lingchuan had already spoken: "Trust me."

The high walls of Panlong City's South Gate were anything but simple. They consisted of three layers, inner and outer, with narrow passages snaking within them, connecting one section to the next, forming a complex, multi-level maze. He Lingchuan understood as soon as he saw the archways in the wall. The Grand Divination Pearl had perfectly replicated Panlong City, meaning the passages within the walls would be identical to those of the real, historical Panlong City. He had traversed this section of wall at least eighty, if not a hundred, times, knowing it so intimately he could navigate it blindfolded. The reason he directed Xiao Wencheng to intercept ten zhang away was that there was a path leading down from the wall top at that point, which served as the entrance from the third wall to the second. The passages within the second wall were even more intricate; if Miaozhantian managed to slip past them, it would be far more difficult for the trio to corner him.

So, the two clambered onto the wall top and sprinted towards the designated spot. Running on the wall top was smoother and more level than navigating the internal passages, and unlike Miaozhantian, they were not encumbered by disabilities, allowing them greater freedom of movement.

He Lingchuan, however, secretly swallowed a mouthful of rising internal bleeding. His recent clash with Miaozhantian had indeed left him with internal injuries, but he possessed no true spiritual power to heal them—nor did anyone else, otherwise Miaozhantian’s wounds would have long since healed. However, He Lingchuan had no intention of suffering in silence, knowing full well that his two temporary allies were not entirely dependable. So, he quietly took a small white flower from his pocket and ate it.

This was a unique product of the Juluo Tree Casket. He had obtained this item as spoils of war from the Ghost King's underground palace. The "Ghost King's" original body had been hidden inside, but He Lingchuan replaced the Human-faced Peach with the Juluo Tree, which altered the flowers and fruits it produced. The Juluo Treasure Casket could still absorb the souls of living beings as fertilizer, and the small white flowers it now bore were capable of healing soul wounds. It was a sudden impulse that led him to pick some of these white flowers and bring them along.

Before today, He Lingchuan had never considered the Juluo white flowers to be of great use, as he rarely had occasions to sustain soul wounds and typically only used them for mental refreshment. But upon tasting it now, it melted instantly in his mouth, delivering a sweet, honeyed flavor, like a spoonful of ice cream, sending a jolt of exhilaration from his body to his mind. His internal organs, which had been burning with discomfort, felt much better with the immediate relief of its cool sensation.

"Good, good, as long as it works." He Lingchuan was delighted! Accelerating recovery in this isolated Panlong City was no easy feat. Miaozhantian had exhausted every method, even resorting to devouring his own twin sister. Meanwhile, the Blood Fiend squeezed into the archway, pursuing Miaozhantian closely to prevent him from suddenly turning back and escaping.

After running six or seven zhang, Xiao Wencheng indeed spotted a set of descending stairs. He leapt down the stairs, taking them two at a time, and as expected, there was another archway. The city wall passages were wide enough for three people to walk abreast, and at regular intervals, there were storage rooms, or "duncang," meant for supplies and soldier rest areas. These also served as easily defensible chokepoints.

No sooner had Xiao Wencheng jumped in than a cold glint flashed before his eyes: Miaozhantian's blade was slashing directly at his nose. The timing was impeccable; had they been a moment slower, Miaozhantian would have rounded the corner and entered the second wall. The Great Demon's speed surpassed He Lingchuan's expectations, clearly indicating that his soul power remained considerable.

Without a word, the two immediately engaged Miaozhantian. The battle unfolded in the narrow passage—a true test of courage in close quarters, where both sides fought with all their might. At this point, it became evident that Xiao Wencheng's raw strength surpassed He Lingchuan's; he could directly withstand the weakened Miaozhantian without needing to constantly deflect blows. However, his martial arts skills, compared to those of Miaozhantian and He Lingchuan, were rather unexceptional and straightforward. He had always practiced Daoist magic and divine abilities, typically relying on spells and artifacts to harm others. He had never anticipated a day when he would be forced into close-quarters combat with a Great Demon.

Miaozhantian, however, was truly a prodigious talent skilled in both magic and martial arts. Even in such a confined space, his blade strikes were continuous and at treacherous angles. Though unable to wield divine power, his martial prowess was exceptional, allowing him to deflect, cling, impede, and redirect. Xiao Wencheng's sword thrusts, though fierce, were repeatedly guided off course or felt like striking cotton, rendering him intensely frustrated. Truly worthy of being one of the top three Great Demons under the Spirit Void True God, he possessed virtually no weaknesses.

Xiao Wencheng also observed that Miaozhantian's left arm, originally severed at the shoulder, had grown back to the width of a fist. The stump of his right leg had also stopped bleeding and had regrown by about an inch, making his movements slightly more agile than before. "Attack quickly!" Xiao Wencheng urgently cried out, "Miaozhantian is recovering!" They could not afford to waste any more time. This demon, with a severed arm and leg, was already so formidable; if they waited for him to fully recover, would they even survive to leave the isolated Panlong City? No, by then, the isolated Panlong City might well have collapsed!

Fortunately, he still had allies by his side. He Lingchuan, using clever and subtle force, positioned himself beside Xiao Wencheng, allowing his ally to bear the brunt of the strongest attacks. He rarely engaged Miaozhantian in a direct clash, even employing a "shaking blade" technique to deflect the force of blows. After being deflected twice by He Lingchuan, Miaozhantian couldn't help but ask, "Is Mitian not dead?" "What makes you say that?" He Lingchuan managed to glance behind him, noting that the Blood Fiend had only just appeared. Miaozhantian said nothing, but He Lingchuan's occasional moves truly resembled Mitian's! The "shaking blade" technique was one such example.

Noticing Miaozhantian's momentary distraction, He Lingchuan immediately feigned two openings to draw an attack. When Miaozhantian's blade came, He Lingchuan trapped it in the corner of the city wall, making it almost impossible to withdraw. Inside this isolated Panlong City, other structures were easily demolished as they were already ruins. Only these city walls, from exterior to interior, remained inexplicably robust.