Chapter 2049: Counterattack

The Blood Demon’s attempt to block was futile; the arrow leisurely struck its target. This arrow was named “The Counter-Strike.”

It quickly turned to remedy the situation, but after the white arrow struck the tree trunk, it immediately dissolved into a large swarm of white termites, which burrowed directly into the cracks in the bark! Wood-dwelling termites are extremely destructive to trees. The specialized specimens Qingyang held came from a ghoul-beast laboratory. Although the lab hadn't developed powerful ant-demon puppets, these mutated termites were hundreds of times more potent than common varieties, making them perfectly suited for the current situation.

As soon as they burrowed into the bark, the Blood Demon found itself somewhat helpless. Immediately, an eerie rustling sound emanated from within the tree. That was the sound of termites gnawing on the tree trunk. The wonder tree was now incredibly sturdy, requiring at least four people to encircle its trunk. Its outer bark was like iron; even the Azure Meng Sword Array might not be able to cut through it. This was a distinct characteristic of the Dao-Seeking Tree.

However, specialization prevails; the acid secreted by the termites was precisely the sharp tool needed to corrode the tree trunk. Just by listening to the sound, one could tell these creatures were relentless and efficient. They say there's no wall that can't be undermined, but for termites, there's no tree trunk they can't gnaw clean.

The Blood Demon released a mass of red mist, which diffused under the bark to kill the termites. This move was effective; termites rained down like a sudden shower. However, it was far from enough. Many termites had already burrowed deep into the trunk, beyond the immediate reach of the red mist. What to do? If a countermeasure wasn't quickly found, the tree might collapse before it even had a chance to fully grow! Although Qingyang did not directly engage in combat, the trouble she caused was almost greater than everyone else's combined.

Just then, the Blood Demon suddenly paused. Instead of catching termites or confronting an enemy, it abruptly retracted its form and retreated three *zhang* away! The opponents were slightly surprised, unsure of the meaning behind this reaction. No sooner had the Blood Demon retreated than the green flames on the ground suddenly flared, spiraling wildly up the tree! It was as if a tornado had specifically carried the green flames up the tree. The fire-warding barrier on the ground also disappeared.

The Wood-Aligned True Monarch outside the cauldron quickly cast a spell to extinguish the flames beneath the tree. But it was too late; the green flames had already been absorbed into the trunk, branches, and leaves, thoroughly permeating every inch of the tree. Even if the mutated termites could reproduce, they possessed no fire resistance. The moment the green flames enveloped them, they were incinerated to nothing before they could even turn to charcoal.

Just as the woman withdrew her hand, a shadow quietly emerged from the void behind her: it was He Lingchuan! It turned out that what the great snake Pan Qing had just swallowed was not He Lingchuan himself, but rather the Golden Armored Divine General, disguised by him using the Great Derivation Heavenly Pearl. No one here possessed the True Eye of the Mystical Void, so they failed to see through He Lingchuan's deception.

After the Golden Armored Divine General was swallowed by Pan Qing, it entered the great snake's internal space. Its connection with its master was forcibly severed, and it could no longer receive commands. Had it still been the former Bronze General, it would indeed have followed a strict one-command, one-action protocol, remaining still without orders. However, after its promotion to Divine General, it gained a slight degree of independent consciousness. It was able to comprehend He Lingchuan's instruction: first, to be swallowed by the giant snake, then to expand its body to its maximum size! It was a colossal monster capable of reaching a height of twelve *zhang*, and this action indeed caused Pan Qing's belly to burst open.

He Lingchuan was well aware that competing with this great snake immortal in terms of speed or strength offered him no chance of victory, especially since this was the Wood King Cauldron, the enemy's home ground. To defeat Pan Qing, he had to resort to an unconventional or even underhanded tactic.

Upon seeing him, the man beside the woman crossed his hands, fingers forming tiger claws, and sharply thrust them outwards! "Grand Cleavage Art!" The space where He Lingchuan stood was instantly ripped to shreds. Only the resilience of an immortal's body could withstand such spatial cleavage. He Lingchuan, of course, could not. Everyone watched helplessly as he was torn to pieces, blood gushing forth!

Xutuo was too stunned to even curse. In just a few dozen breaths, how many times had it seen He Lingchuan in peril? It should have been heartbroken, terrified, and furious, but now it felt somewhat numb. The first thought that came to mind was: He Lingchuan probably didn't die again, did he?

Just as everyone's attention was drawn by the Cleaving Art, a Twin Moon Halberd extended from the void behind the giant snake Pan Qing, cutting out an exceptionally perfect semicircle. Its killing intent, however, was so perfectly reined in that not a single trace leaked out. It was as if this halberd had emerged from hell, glowing with faint blue and red light, and fiercely chopped down onto the back of Pan Qing's neck!

Pan Qing had long been an immortal, and its bones were exceptionally strong. Even if someone were to chisel at it with a mortal weapon for a day and a night, they couldn't possibly sever even half a bone. However, this halberd strike amassed all the power of the Great Emperor of the Nine Nethers, mobilized all of General Tigerwing's vital energy, and unleashed the halberd's greatest ferocity since its creation! It had been dormant beneath the earth for too long; when it had followed the Nest Sea Yaksha King to slay the Azure Dragon, its master had perished along with a formidable foe; now, having finally gotten another chance to slay an immortal, it needed to prove its worth! For a true divine weapon to achieve unparalleled renown, it must have illustrious accomplishments.

With this strike, He Lingchuan even felt as if the precious halberd had come alive, as if two resentful, powerful souls were hidden within it, roaring to tear apart enemies and devour their flesh and blood!

Pan Qing sensed the sudden onset of danger, shrinking its form and preparing to flee; Qingyang, ten *zhang* distant, also sensed something was wrong, turned her bow, and fired an arrow; the woman also disregarded her vessel's tolerance, pointed at the figure beside Pan Qing, and loudly commanded, "Freeze!"

Alas, it was all too late. He Lingchuan's body burst forth with a brilliant red light; the small white light emitted by the divine art was instantly swept away, unable to adhere even slightly. With this single halberd strike, Pan Qing was cleanly decapitated, beyond salvation even by immortals. He Lingchuan successfully slew an immortal!

A wisp of black light emerged from the snake's head, forming a small ethereal shadow in Pan Qing's likeness—its nascent soul had escaped. Inside this sealed cauldron, it had nowhere to go, so it merely hissed at He Lingchuan: "No, why!" Its voice was filled with both shock and fury, brimming with disbelief. He Lingchuan couldn't be bothered with its feelings. With a gesture, the wisp of light was absorbed by his divine bone necklace—that was Pan Qing's divine soul.

This scene made every knowledgeable observer's heart skip a beat: He could actually resist the effects of divine arts! Was He Lingchuan's own cultivation sufficiently powerful, or did he possess a rare treasure capable of nullifying divine arts, or perhaps… Qingyang's fleeting thought was even stranger: Could it be due to primal energy? As everyone knows, primal energy has a counteracting effect on spells and magical abilities, but it typically has little effect on divine arts. But ever since the frequent outbreaks of the Emperor's Flowing Sap, or more precisely, since the end of the Battle of the Upside-Down Sea, Qingyang had perceived that the laws of heaven and earth were undergoing change. What exactly had changed, no creature could entirely know. What if primal energy also changed? This had always been the focus of her recent thoughts.

As for the arrow she shot towards He Lingchuan, he didn't dodge or evade at all. The Haoyuan Golden Mirror suddenly appeared, blocking in front of him, its surface facing Qingyang.