Chapter 2241: One Strike Kills the Enemy

Tu Shan God cackled, moving invisibly across the battlefield, assassinating Dragon Army generals everywhere while casually leading Hu Min on a chase. It revelled in the sight of these mortals gnashing their teeth in frustration, unable to catch it. Although it had been wounded several times, once even suffering a pierced belly, it quickly healed thanks to the life force transmitted by Goddess Xun Yu.

Just then, Goddess Xun Yu's cold words echoed in its ear:

"The divine power you borrowed is almost depleted!"

Tu Shan God was startled. "What? How can it be so soon! The battle isn't even halfway over."

"You've spent too lavishly; naturally, it's not enough." The allocated power was finite, not to be squandered indiscriminately.

Tu Shan God immediately said, "Lend me some more; this time I'll use it more carefully! My true self will settle the debt with you." In three millennia, this was only its second descent to the mortal realm, and it was truly getting into the fight.

"There isn't much left to give you; I still need to supply others," Goddess Xun Yu said, showing no mercy. "Our opponent is Mitian; these large rhinos are wasting too much of my divine power!"

"Give me more credit!" Tu Shan God roared. "We must help Beijia capture Immortal Spirit Lake; this is an order from above. Have you considered the consequences of disobedience?"

Although the Dragon Army was skilled in battle, their numbers were only a little over a thousand. Once Immortal Spirit Lake was captured, the Dragon Army's efforts would backfire, and the Beijia army would then be chasing them.

"But Mitian is here!" Goddess Xun Yu didn't want to confront Mitian head-on. She couldn't win anyway and would only lose divine power and a clone.

"Precisely because Mitian is here, we cannot simply retreat!" Tu Shan God cried. "Our superiors will certainly demand more information about Mitian!"

That was indeed true. Goddess Xun Yu reluctantly said, "Use it sparingly."

Immediately after, a blue light emanated from Tu Shan God's body, and its previously pierced belly quickly healed. Goddess Xun Yu's face, however, visibly sunken with deeply recessed eye sockets, looked more like a skull than a human face.

At this moment, He Lingchuan pulled out a bug whistle and blew a secret signal, telling Hu Min:

"Drive Tu Shan God over here!"

Time was pressing. He lightly nudged his horse's flank, and the fine steed shot forward like an arrow. At this moment, Tu Shan God happened to be only twenty zhang from He Lingchuan and General Hong. Relying on its invisibility, it moved unhurriedly. He Lingchuan had calculated this distance precisely.

Hu Min had long been waiting for this order from General Huyi. Hearing the signal, he turned, no longer chasing Tu Shan God. Instead, he sprinted two steps up a small hill nearby and gently pressed the compass disk to the ground:

"Rise!"

Immediately, green flames ignited on the ground. Bird demons looking down from mid-air at the lakeside would have seen a triangular pattern appear on the ground, ten zhang long and wide, its lines ablaze with fierce green flames, precisely trapping Tu Shan God within.

In reality, Hu Min, holding the compass, would lightly step on the ground to mark each chosen spot; he had made countless marks on this hillock. The moment He Lingchuan gave the order, he swiftly completed the last marking point. Then, the three closest points centered around Tu Shan God would automatically connect with lines of green fire.

In other words, with He Lingchuan's command, it was time to close the trap.

Three fire walls rose from the ground, startling those nearby. However, soldiers from both sides of the battle soon realized that these flames didn't burn and seemed intangible.

But Tu Shan God didn't think so.

After it crashed into the fire wall, it suddenly dropped out of the void, blue flames fiercely burning on its body. A huge blue flame monster emerged from the fire wall, looking particularly like a miniature Jujin, and swung its fist straight at Tu Shan God's face. Tu Shan God lowered its head and charged fiercely, making the entire fire wall tremble thrice. But it was actually bounced back, unable to break through.

Logically speaking, this kind of divine spell would struggle to trap a Sky Demon; even a Sky Demon clone descending from a deity would be difficult to contain. But Xu Shichu used a clever trick: the blue flames grew out of Tu Shan God's own flesh and skin, which would at least hinder it... for a few breaths.

This short time was enough.

He Lingchuan pointed at Tu Shan God and bellowed, "Kill!" The surrounding Dragon Army warriors received the order and swarmed to attack. At this point, there was no talk of martial ethics; it was best to quickly pin this creature down and kill it on the spot.

Still four zhang away, He Lingchuan launched himself from his horse, as fierce as an eagle swooping down to snatch a chick. He was pressed for time, burning with anxiety. The vital energy throughout his body glowed a reddish-purple. With this single strike, his essence, qi, and spirit all reached their peak.

Tu Shan God had just sent two warriors flying when it felt a chilling sensation behind its head. General Huyi, who was clearly still several zhang away, had suddenly attacked from behind! It was astute, knowing this person was difficult to handle and his blade hard to parry. So, it grabbed a soldier and threw him backward, then spun half a circle close to the ground, launching a counter-attack on He Lingchuan. It had heard that General Huyi of Dragon City had strong support from his army and figured he wouldn't cleave his own soldier in half with one strike; this would buy it some time.

To its surprise, just as the soldier was about to collide with General Huyi, the latter suddenly vanished.

"Where is he? Not good!"

Tu Shan God sensed danger and stopped pouncing. It pushed off the ground with its long legs and leaped sideways, this movement even more powerful than a normal jump. Its reaction was undeniably swift, but unfortunately, it was too late. Its hasty change in direction inevitably exposed a slight flaw at its waist. Then, a dazzling, chilling blade-flower suddenly bloomed at its side, also appearing from the void.

Tu Shan God still tried to block with a claw. However, when the sharp claw met the blade, the vital energy upon it suddenly erupted! The moment the two made contact, the Floating Life Blade sliced through the claw as if splitting open a hard bamboo joint! In front of such vital energy, the right claw of a deity, tough as diamond, was no match. Immediately after, the blade-flower bloomed into a vivid blood-flower at its waist!

A soul-severing strike, and its body was severed at the waist!

He Lingchuan himself slowly materialized from the void. Without waiting for his opponent to fall, he then scooped off its head with another strike. Fast, precise, ruthless!

Within two breaths, Tu Shan God was cut into three sections. Neither friend nor foe had time to react, and distant Wu Xianxian was even more stunned. Was this a joke? A Sky Demon descended from a deity defeated just like that? Both strikes were vital. Even if Goddess Xun Yu poured more life force into it, she couldn't save this physical body.

Immediately after, He Lingchuan stopped, sheathed his blade, and grabbed his bow and arrows, all in one smooth motion. He knew what would happen next. Indeed, a speck of blue light flew out from the severed head, soaring straight into the sky. That was Tu Shan God's divine soul. As long as it returned to the demon realm, its loss wouldn't be significant. Its escape speed was naturally fast, but it couldn't outrun He Lingchuan's arrow. It had barely risen five zhang from the ground when an arrow, launched later, arrived first and directly blew it apart!

Before the bow and arrow were even put away, He Lingchuan vanished from his spot. Everyone's attention was focused on the battle between He Lingchuan and Tu Shan God. Unexpectedly, from the crown of an old banyan tree to General Hong's side, a small golden orb suddenly circled out and rapidly flew towards General Hong! The old banyan's branches and leaves were exceptionally lush, completely blocking even sunlight.