Chapter 1861: Casting Beans Into Soldiers

The Mortal World

True Immortal Zuo and True Immortal Sword-Wielder knew each other, but there was a layer between them and Qin Sang. Based on this relationship alone, Qin Sang couldn't fully trust them.

If True Immortal Zuo's goal was to make him continuously deplete the Spirit Nether King, then take advantage of the weakened state, it would inevitably force him into a death battle with the Spirit Nether King.

Even if he could ultimately slay the Spirit Nether King, Qin Sang's condition would not be optimistic. Facing True Immortal Zuo alone, what if True Immortal Zuo harbored ill intentions? How would he protect himself?

Given the current situation, he might not be without a chance to escape the Spirit Nether King, seemingly eliminating the need for such a risky endeavor.

However, among the three parties, he was the weakest. Some matters would always be beyond his control.

How to navigate between the two powerful individuals and preserve himself required careful consideration.

As Qin Sang pondered, True Immortal Zuo calmly spoke again: "Such old demons are the most vigilant, cunning and treacherous. Any anomaly will alert them. Unless it's a long-planned scheme, it's hard to lure them into a trap. Ultimately, a straightforward battle is inevitable. You don't need to fight the old demon to the death; this humble Taoist will make some arrangements. Just follow my telepathic instructions."

True Immortal Zuo seemed to have discerned Qin Sang's thoughts and had no intention of making him bait.

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang felt a slight relief.

He, of course, understood that while True Immortal Zuo's words held some truth, being able to deplete the Spirit Nether King's strength further was by no means a bad thing.

True Immortal Zuo did not choose the most assured approach, clearly considering Qin Sang's concerns and showing his sincerity by indicating he regarded him as a collaborator, not merely a pawn.

Affairs in the world are rarely perfect, and True Immortal Zuo clearly understood the art of compromise. The Spirit Nether King's pursuit of Qin Sang until now had actually depleted some of its own strength. The priority now was to gain Qin Sang's trust.

This was an offer Qin Sang could not refuse.

Regardless of whether he could ultimately slay the Spirit Nether King, his crisis would be resolved, bringing him only benefits and no harm.

After a pause, True Immortal Zuo added: "The Ghostfang Nation is a grave threat to the Taoist sect, and this demon king's hands are stained with the blood of our fellow practitioners. If you help me slay this fiend, this humble Taoist will surely report your meritorious service to the Taoist Court upon my return. When rewards are distributed, this fiend can be considered a true demon king. Whatever you request, the Taoist Court will try its best to fulfill..."

Hearing these words, Qin Sang's heart stirred.

It was well known that the Taoist Court had always rewarded merit without asking about one's background, and they were never stingy.

Qin Sang couldn't say precisely how great the merit for slaying a demon king would be, but even if he only received a small fraction of the credit, it would be unimaginable for ordinary people.

"Heavenly Demon Refinement" was already in its late Fifth Transformation, and while "Primordial Spirit Sword Cultivation Chapter" was in its mid-eleventh level, advancement to the late stage was within reach after this battle.

Next, Qin Sang would need to plan for his breakthrough to the Void Refinement stage, but his understanding of this stage was almost nonexistent, and he had no master to guide him.

Taking this opportunity to connect with the Taoist Court and meet Grand True Immortals was a rare stroke of luck. It would be even better if he could receive personal guidance from a Grand True Immortal.

Furthermore, slaying the formidable Spirit Nether King would provide endless benefits when comprehending the Dao of Slaughter in the future.

Qin Sang could not think of a reason to refuse, though he still maintained his usual caution. After a moment of thought, he agreed.

Receiving his reply, True Immortal Zuo fell silent.

Qin Sang's expression remained unchanged. He collected his thoughts and focused on dealing with the Spirit Nether King's tidal wave of attacks.

The subtle struggle continued.

Outside the Celestial Wall.

After winning over Qin Sang, True Immortal Zuo flipped his right palm, and a jade bowl materialized in his hand.

The jade bowl was flatter than ordinary bowls, made of an incredibly translucent black jade.

The bowl was empty.

Holding the jade bowl in one hand, True Immortal Zuo raised his other arm, shook his sleeve, and tiny golden lights flew out, scattering into the bowl.

With a crisp clinking sound, the golden lights dispersed, revealing what were surprisingly individual soybeans. However, they were rounder and plumper than ordinary soybeans, with surfaces that seemed gilded, shimmering with a flowing luster.

There were probably dozens of soybeans.

True Immortal Zuo held the jade bowl before him, gazed at it for a moment, then lightly shook his wrist.

'Whoosh...'

Suddenly, a faint sound of water was heard.

Looking inside the jade bowl again, it was now filled with clear water.

As the soybeans soaked in the water, fine bubbles appeared, the water in the bowl was absorbed, and the skin of the soybeans cracked open, as if they were rooting and sprouting in an instant.

However, the soybeans did not sprout. Instead, a strange scene unfolded: all the soybeans grew limbs and heads.

In the blink of an eye, half a bowl of soybeans transformed into soybean-sized golden figures, clad in golden armor and wielding weapons, clearly golden armored warriors, though their stature was extremely tiny.

True Immortal Zuo flicked his fingers repeatedly, sending a divine talisman into the bowl. It split into specks of flowing light that vanished into the foreheads of the golden figures.

'Whoosh!'

The golden figures suddenly opened their eyes, radiating divine brilliance, and came to life.

With a rustling sound, the golden figures spontaneously formed a square formation in the bowl, bowing uniformly to True Immortal Zuo.

A fierce and ominous aura, though latent, emanated from them. No one dared to underestimate these soybean-sized golden figures.

True Immortal Zuo stroked his beard and smiled. Though he did not maintain an army, he was skilled in the art of imbuing spirits and deploying generals, the technique of "scattering beans to form soldiers"!

"Fellow cultivator, be careful!"

True Immortal Zuo looked down at the ground, telepathically warned Qin Sang, then flipped his palm, inverting the jade bowl.

In the jungle.

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. Suddenly, he abandoned his defensive stance and surged forward.

Just as two long whiskers struck, Qin Sang saw two streaks of white light crisscrossing before him, approaching with extreme ferocity. Yet, he showed no intention of dodging. Extending his hands, he actually used his bare palms to grab the white whiskers.

'Swish!'

The white whiskers were extremely swift.

Aided by his Divine Eye ability, Qin Sang accurately caught the trajectory of the white whiskers and snatched at their tips like lightning.

'Thud!'

As the long whiskers came into his grasp, Qin Sang felt as if he had caught two smooth icicles, difficult to get a hold of, and experienced a terrifying impact force that struck hard against his palms.

Qin Sang grunted, his arms aching severely. He desperately clenched his hands, gripping the tips of the whiskers tightly.

Seeing his unusual action, the Spirit Nether King's heart skipped a beat, and it felt an inexplicable unease.

Furthermore, the Spirit Nether King noticed that the surrounding starlight suddenly grew brighter.

As Qin Sang moved, the stars shifted, and the center of the Star River aligned directly above the Spirit Nether King's head. The sword formation consequently underwent a dramatic transformation.

The sword formation was still the same, but its range significantly contracted. The star-glow became sharper, the Star River more compact, and the sword-force more condensed!

As the stars shifted, starlight connected heaven and earth. It was as if a fierce tiger was about to leap out; the formation's changes were unpredictable.

At the same time.

Specks of golden light pierced through the Celestial Wall. Initially soybean-sized, they rapidly expanded as they descended at high speed.

"Get lost!"

The Spirit Nether King roared.

The black fish avatar violently shook its head. Its long whiskers flashed with dazzling white light, and their tips erupted with terrifying power.

'Snap! Snap!'

Qin Sang felt as if his fingers would break. He only held on for a moment before the whiskers broke free. Fierce light glinted in his eyes. A blood-red sword materialized in his right palm, and he slammed it forcefully against one of the long whiskers.

'Boom!'

Though the whiskers didn't break, they swung far away.

The Spirit Nether King couldn't ignore the force of that palm. Its fish body was involuntarily tilted, but it didn't retaliate. Instead, it lashed its long tail and surged towards the Star River.

At this moment, the Sea-Swallowing Clam also manifested in the Star River, transforming into a colossal, heaven-devouring clam. The water within the clam had vanished at some unknown point, and its shells were wide open, aimed towards the Hyades constellation among the Seven Mansions.

The giant clam's shells obscured a large portion of the Star River, capable of swallowing all the stars within the constellation in a single gulp.

Just then, True Immortal Zuo passed through the Celestial Wall and leisurely stepped into the jungle domain. With a gentle downward motion of his palm, a wooden bead rolled down.

The wooden bead fell into the Star River, easily passing through the sword formation, and with a flicker, appeared at the opening of the clam shell.

The Sea-Swallowing Clam's closing motion abruptly ceased, its suction power thrown into disarray. The wooden bead was firmly wedged between its shells, unmovable for a time.

With the Sea-Swallowing Clam restricted, its two long whiskers suddenly sprang up, lashing towards the Star River. However, the Cloud-Traveling Sword was also a spiritual treasure; even if the sword formation couldn't defeat them, it wouldn't be easily overwhelmed.

Moreover, Qin Sang did not pause for a moment. He stomped his foot heavily, furiously fanned his phoenix wings, and charged defiantly towards the black fish avatar.

Since his engagement with the Spirit Nether King, Qin Sang had rarely taken the initiative to attack. His massive spiritual wood body leaped high, opened its arms, and tightly embraced the fish tail.

"You're seeking death!"

The Spirit Nether King roared in furious rage.

'Thump, thump, thump...'

The fish tail thrashed wildly in his embrace. With every twist, Qin Sang felt as if he were being lashed, his entire body's bones dislocated, pain everywhere. The precious light of the Bright Mountain Armor also flickered, as if struggling under the strain.

"Hmph!"

Ignoring his injuries, Qin Sang exerted all his strength, intending to drag the black fish avatar towards the ground.

At this moment, the sword-star shifted, and the fierce White Tiger manifested, diving down with immense ferocity.

The fierce White Tiger crashed into the two long whiskers, and a thunderous roar echoed across the sky.

The whiskers swayed, and then a spiritual sword shot out from between the White Tiger's brows, passing between the two long whiskers. In an instant, the sword light radiated ten thousand feet, as if seven phantoms flashed and disappeared, merging into the sword light, swiftly striking the black fish avatar!

This sword strike had already transformed into the Seven Souls Killing Formation, which was more adept at slaughter.

Even if the Spirit Nether King was more powerful, it dared not underestimate this sword. Previously, Marquis Dingxiang had nearly perished under this very sword!

The Spirit Nether King's rage was sky-high, but it could only suppress it. It hurriedly retracted its long whiskers, and the white light detached from them, transforming back into a thin white rope that connected at both ends, forming a white ring.

The white ring, resembling carved jade, protected the Spirit Nether King from above. Still uneasy, he opened his mouth and spat out the scale-shaped treasure, sending it towards the center of the white ring.

Looking down at the clinging Qin Sang, the Spirit Nether King's eyes blazed with fury, as if wanting to burn him to ashes. With a roar, its upper body twisted, and it frantically lunged at Qin Sang, its fangs rapidly enlarging in Qin Sang's vision.

'Crash!'

The two colossal monsters, entangled, crashed into the ground, tearing the earth apart and creating crisscrossing ravines.

In mid-air, the sword light struck the white ring directly. The white light and sword light intermingled, exploding with dazzling intensity.

With a tremor, the white ring separated at its ends and drifted downwards like a spiritual snake.

The Cloud-Traveling Sword paused briefly, then rose to strike again!

Just as Qin Sang desperately clung to the Spirit Nether King, whooshing sounds resonated throughout the jungle.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Golden lights descended from the sky with a mighty momentum, like falling meteors, and immediately the earth rumbled.

The golden lights slammed into the ground, causing the jungle to shake violently, and dozens of large craters appeared on the surface.

Inside the craters, golden lights shimmered. Golden-armored warriors leaped forth, no longer soybean-sized, but ten zhang tall and majestically imposing.

'Thud! Thud! Thud!'

The golden-armored warriors landed precisely around the battlefield.

All the golden-armored warriors wielded the same weapon: a golden iron chain.

True Immortal Zuo stepped onto a talisman altar, slowly descending. Within the altar, the Nine Heavens Soldier Talismans gleamed brightly.

He formed a sword seal with his fingers, holding a yellow talisman between two digits. Drawing upon the power of the Nine Heavens Soldier Talismans, he flicked his hand downwards and commanded: "Form the array!"

"By your decree!"

The golden-armored warriors roared in unison.

'Clatter!'

The iron chains connected, and the golden-armored warriors formed three layers, an inner and outer, creating a massive three-tiered iron chain formation that completely encircled the tree and fish in the battlefield.

Precisely because of Qin Sang, the Spirit Nether King was unable to break out of the encirclement in time, watching helplessly as the golden-armored warriors formed their array.

'Whoosh!'

The yellow talisman floated into the formation.

The golden-armored warriors spun rapidly, and in a moment, their figures became indistinct. On the ground, three golden circles first appeared, and as the golden light grew denser, the circles connected.

In an instant, a golden Bagua array diagram materialized on the earth.

Within the formation, Qin Sang withstood a blow from the Spirit Nether King, retreated a few steps, and swiftly absorbed wood spirit energy to recover.

At this very moment, the situation had reversed. The Spirit Nether King no longer had the presence of mind to control the wood spirit energy.

"It's you!"

The Spirit Nether King stared intently at True Immortal Zuo in the sky, clearly recognizing him.

"Old demon, still hale and hearty?"

True Immortal Zuo smiled faintly. "It seems we were destined to cross paths, heh heh... This humble Taoist was hindered for a reason and missed out on a great achievement. To be able to eliminate an old demon like you, this journey won't have been in vain."

"Old geezer, you dare to be here? Aren't you afraid of missing the Divine Court, bringing an end to your Taoist lineage, and seeing humanity become food for my demon race!"

The Spirit Nether King's tone was grim, but its mind tightened.

It hadn't expected a Grand True Immortal to remain here. The fact that it dared to disregard the Divine Court conflict to seek treasure implied another hidden reason.

Normally, the conflict over the Divine Court concerned the rise and fall of both the Taoist sect and the Ghostfang Nation. Neither side had a retreat; only a death battle remained!

Its current situation was extremely precarious. True Immortal Zuo alone was enough to put it on high alert. Coupled with Qin Sang, who was slightly weaker but held all the geographical advantages, the Spirit Nether King suddenly felt a wave of unease.

These words seemed to hit True Immortal Zuo's sore spot. His eyes revealed a clear murderous intent as he coldly stated: "This humble Taoist will send you to the Yellow Springs first, and let you see which lineage is truly extinguished!"

Before his words fully faded, True Immortal Zuo stepped out in a magical stride, chanting a divine incantation.

"Great Emperor of Northern Yin, command the Nine Netherworld.Swiftly summon the wardens, descend with scattered qi.According to the Emperor's decree, seize and examine evil in prison.Tens of thousands of blades and soldiers, sever corpses and transform shapes.Hurry, hurry!"

While chanting the incantation, he drew in the void with conjoined fingers, effortlessly creating three incredibly complex divine talismans.

The three divine talismans glowed differently: one black, one green, and one gold.

The talisman light rained down, scattering upon the earth.

With the talismanic power, the golden-armored warriors' aura surged dramatically, as if they had transformed into true divine generals, manifesting in the world to subdue evil.

'Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!'

Dozens of golden chains shot through the air, all aiming at the Spirit Nether King within the formation. The golden chains resembled soul-reaping divine ropes in the hands of a jailer, not only incredibly hard but also imbued with strange powers to seize souls and suppress evil demons.

The Spirit Nether King immediately felt a terrifying pressure descend upon it, as if several massive mountains were weighing on its heart.

With the restrictions gone, Qin Sang could finally act freely, absorbing wood spirit energy extensively. After a brief adjustment, he charged towards the Spirit Nether King once more.

'Boom! Boom! Boom!'

Each step Qin Sang took made the earth tremble, as if he was venting the frustration of having been beaten down before. His aura continuously accumulated. Rushing before the Spirit Nether King, his right hand transformed into a palm, and dazzling Buddhist light appeared in his palm.

In the blink of an eye, the Buddhist light condensed into a colossal Buddha Seal, imbued with astonishing qi and blood power, and with Qin Sang's palm, it slammed down with a resounding crash.

Above, the wooden bead was still contending with the Sea-Swallowing Clam.

The Spirit Nether King tried several times but could not force the wooden bead back. It was too late to recall the Sea-Swallowing Clam, and the attack had already arrived!