Chapter 2200: 罗刹残心阵

The Mortal World

The Dragonfish was indeed incredibly powerful. As long as the Black Pagoda remained intact, the Immortal Child had a chance to breach the Four-Element Sword Array.

There was no opportunity to use the Wandering Sword at this moment. Facing a late-stage Void Refinement realm expert, Qin Sang dared not hope for a swift victory. In fact, forcing the Immortal Child to reveal a trump card now was beneficial.

Nevertheless, the power exhibited by this Dragonfish companion beast still surpassed Qin Sang's expectations. Even the formidable companion beasts of Lord Si Huang and Young Master were no match for it.

Qin Sang's thoughts spun rapidly as he pondered a counter-strategy.

He had been closely observing the Immortal Child's demeanor and actions. After consuming the Blood Pill, the Immortal Child appeared even more agitated, blindly charging towards the Chaos Nebula.

"Could it be that..."

A thought struck Qin Sang: perhaps the Blood Pill's medicinal effects couldn't be sustained for long.

The Blood Pill's medicinal power was exceedingly volatile. By conventional reasoning, the potency of such an elixir couldn't endure for long, and its user would undoubtedly experience immense strain. However, a grand cultivator from the Saint Realm defied common understanding; if this pill was bestowed by the Immortal Child's ancestor, it might indeed be an exception.

Qin Sang couldn't verify the accuracy of this assessment, but the Immortal Child's expression and actions offered circumstantial evidence. With even a fifty percent chance, he could devise a strategy: to exhaust all means to prolong the fight, pin the Immortal Child down, and wait for the Blood Pill's effects to diminish!

Ideally, he would be able to destroy the Black Pagoda!

With this in mind, Qin Sang continued to activate his lightning techniques, fiercely assailing the Black Pagoda. He unleashed a barrage of various lightning talismans and secret lightning arts, bombarding the structure relentlessly.

The Black Pagoda vibrated wildly, appearing precarious, yet each time it seemed on the verge of collapse, the Immortal Child would promptly repair and re-stabilize it.

After several exchanges, Qin Sang made another discovery: for the Immortal Child to repair the Black Pagoda remotely, he first needed to disrupt the sword array, at which point the Dragonfish would unleash its full power. Whether by lashing its tail or ramming with its head, its attacks were incredibly forceful, causing turbulence throughout the star sea. This action, necessary for the Immortal Child to maintain the Black Pagoda, consistently impeded their forward momentum.

Evidently, the sword array's restrictions were still in effect. Qin Sang's relentless assault on the Black Pagoda, even if it couldn't destroy it, could at least keep the Immortal Child preoccupied.

However, this approach only bought time; it couldn't prevent the Immortal Child and the Dragonfish from drawing closer to the Chaos Nebula.

'Whoosh!'

Layers of cold light formed undulating waves, trailing the Dragonfish like the vast, surging waters of the Celestial River, leaving distinct trails among the stars.

The Immortal Child navigated the Dragonfish through the star sea, riding the wind and cleaving through waves. Regrettably, they were constantly impeded by a formidable adversary: the Thunder Beast Guardian!

The Thunder Beast Guardian's offensive was so rapid that its form was indistinguishable. All that could be seen were countless bolts of thunder and lightning encircling and ceaselessly assailing the Immortal Child and the Dragonfish.

'Rumble!'

The thunder suddenly converged to a single point.

The next instant, a shimmering silver disc, composed entirely of lightning, appeared directly above the Immortal Child's head.

Above the lightning disc, an infinite amount of lightning power accumulated, manifesting its true form as a towering mountain of thunder.

The Thunder Beast Guardian materialized atop the lightning disc, hoisted the thunder mountain, and forcefully slammed it down onto the Dragonfish's head!

'Whoosh!'

The thunderous might was abyssal, and the lightning shimmered like a cascading waterfall.

The Thunder Beast Guardian's combat style was ferociously aggressive, with each attack delivered with immense force and weight. Even against the Blood Pill-enhanced Dragonfish, it maintained its intimidating aura.

"Roar!"

The Dragonfish roared, its cry imbued with fury.

Its dragon eyes blazed with light, and the two whiskers at its maw whipped high, transforming into long, whip-like appendages. Moving with the speed of wind and thunder, they savagely lashed towards the thunder mountain.

'Crack!'

The thunder mountain momentarily stalled, then instantly splintered into fragments. Amidst the chaotic lightning, the Thunder Beast Guardian was abruptly sent flying backward, its body narrowly grazed by the dragon whiskers. However, the Dragonfish itself also paused for an instant.

By momentarily impeding the Dragonfish, the Thunder Beast Guardian had achieved its objective. It quickly stabilized itself, the whip marks on its chest fading at a visible rate, and then it resumed its relentless assault.

Although many of the Dragonfish's scales were damaged, the creature remained entirely unfazed. The Thunder Beast Guardian, seemingly an embodiment of lightning, was equally impervious to injury. Its fighting spirit remained perpetually high, steadfastly executing Qin Sang's commands.

After repelling the Thunder Beast Guardian once more, the Immortal Child felt a surge of secret anxiety. The Dragonfish had attempted numerous divine abilities, yet it could only repel the Guardian, never truly eliminating it.

As the Dragonfish revealed more of its divine abilities, the Thunder Beast Guardian's responses grew increasingly composed—an unmistakably ominous sign.

Logically, the Immortal Child possessed four companion beasts. With the four beasts combined, each could receive an enhancement in pill-derived power. Allowing the four companion beasts to manifest alternately should have been sufficient to sustain him until he reached the Chaos Nebula.

The issue wasn't that he was unwilling to switch companion beasts; rather, the combat capabilities of his other companions were vastly inferior to the Dragonfish's.

Among his four companion beasts, only the Dragonfish was genuinely proficient in battle.

Fundamentally, he had few opportunities for combat within the Holy Land. He had initially believed the Dragonfish's combat prowess to be sufficient, and when selecting his other companion beasts, he prioritized different attributes.

For instance, one companion beast was a Wandering Crane. While this creature served as his mount and possessed decent flight speed, it was inferior to demon beasts genuinely skilled in evasion, and certainly incomparable to Qin Sang's lightning evasion technique.

What he truly prized was the Wandering Crane's remarkable bone structure, its extraordinary and ethereal disposition. Riding the Wandering Crane to traverse the land was often seen as embodying the refined demeanor of an immortal. Furthermore, having celestial cranes echo during poetic recitations was an elegant spectacle, envied by many.

While these companion beasts possessed some combat capabilities, he was now confronting the fearlessly relentless Thunder Beast Guardian and Qin Sang, who was equally unafraid of death!

The Dragonfish's momentum was ferocious, and for a time, the Thunder Beast Guardian struggled to halt it. On occasion, when lapses occurred and other methods were insufficient to compensate, Qin Sang, the array's master, would voluntarily materialize, joining the fray to personally intercept the beast!

Cultivating brute force was Qin Sang's weakness. Even with the Sun Wheel Seal and Inner Lion Seal at his disposal, engaging in such close combat was extremely risky.

He could have remained concealed within the array, launching long-range attacks using lightning techniques, sword arts, and other methods. The Immortal Child wouldn't have been able to harm him unless he first breached the sword array.

This action was tantamount to exposing himself to the enemy, at times even risking injury merely to momentarily impede the Dragonfish.

Observing Qin Sang's apparent recklessness, the Immortal Child naturally sought to trap him, yet failed to seize any opportunity. On their most recent encounter, as Qin Sang vanished, his pale face and the lingering streaks of blood at the corners of his mouth were etched into the Immortal Child's memory, persisting long afterward.

Prior to this, he had never encountered anyone as maniacal or fearless as Qin Sang. He felt a deep chill, and a flicker of... fear!

"Heh heh..."

The Immortal Child suddenly heard a cold chuckle.

"How long has it been, fellow daoist, since you last faced a life-or-death struggle?" The laughter echoed in his ears, laced with mockery.

The Immortal Child remained silent, unable to respond.

How long had it been since he last faced a life-or-death struggle? Or rather, had he ever truly experienced a fight for survival quite like this one?

He still recalled a time, long ago in the fourth stage of the Yuan Realm, when he believed his divine abilities had achieved minor mastery. He had secretly left the ancestor's dojo to travel alone and nearly perished amidst a beast horde. Fortunately, his senior brother arrived just in time. He wondered if that even qualified.

Within the Holy Land, the vast and resource-rich territory was sparsely populated.

Clear boundaries existed between the dojos of the various ancestors. While movement wasn't forbidden, no one dared to trespass into their dojos or contend with them for cultivation resources.

Consequently, irreconcilable conflicts rarely arose among cultivators in the Holy Land. If someone lacked a resource, mutual exchange was common. Those inclined to communicate could attend Dao discussion gatherings, and sparring matches were typically friendly, stopping short of serious harm.

During their leisure, three or five friends would gather to savor wine, compose poetry, and live a carefree, almost divine existence.

When occasionally dispatched by the ancestors to the lower realms, clansmen would invariably treat them with utmost reverence, fearing to cause offense, which further cultivated their arrogance. To them, the Holy Land was an immortal realm, leading some to regard themselves as "immortal folk" and view the clansmen in the Misty Sea as "lower folk."

Even those of high status, such as clan leaders and elders, had to exert themselves intensely to vie for opportunities within the Holy Land, sometimes even succumbing in the process.

Yet, many of the opportunities and supreme treasures that others fought desperately to acquire were legacies of the ancestors. These individuals merely needed to await the ancestors' emergence from seclusion and serve them diligently; perhaps the ancestors, in a benevolent mood, would casually bestow them.

It wasn't just him; Brother Tang and Brother Qi likely also had very limited experience with life-or-death combat.

Reflecting on their previous pursuit of Qin Sang, was there truly no opportunity to capture him?

Firstly, Brother Tang's excessive caution meant he always preferred others to lead the charge. Secondly, while opportunities might have presented themselves, they were fleeting, and they simply couldn't seize them.

Suddenly, the Immortal Child snapped back to reality, a cold sweat breaking out. At such a critical juncture, he had been unexpectedly distracted by a single remark from his foe.

The intense battle raged on, both sides feeling almost numb as they relentlessly pursued their objectives.

Despite Qin Sang's myriad tactics, he couldn't prevent the Immortal Child and the Dragonfish from drawing closer to the Chaos Nebula. The Immortal Child's connection to the Black Pagoda grew progressively clearer, gradually reinvigorating him.

Just then, the Immortal Child observed a deceleration in the Thunder Beast Guardian's offensive.

"It seems you aren't truly impervious to harm..."

This thought flashed through his mind, filling the Immortal Child with elation. He immediately commanded the Dragonfish to seize the opportunity and launch a fierce assault.

They had already reached the edge of the Eastern Azure Dragon Sword Array, nearing the Northern Chaos Nebula. They could easily break through in a single decisive push.

'Thwack!'

The Dragonfish's tail suddenly lashed out, creating a tangible wave that rapidly propagated, instantly detonating the surrounding sword stars.

The Thunder Beast Guardian instantly appeared directly in front of the Dragonfish, its lightning spear thrusting fiercely towards the creature's brow. The Dragonfish, without dodging, caused a blue scale to emerge on its brow, firmly blocking the spear and preventing it from piercing even a fraction of an inch.

'Boom!'

The Dragonfish rammed with immense force, causing the Thunder Beast Guardian's entire body to convulse violently and its lightning spear to shatter inch by inch. Concurrently, the lightning talismans and sword lights assaulting it from all sides were also sent flying by the Dragonfish's impact.

The Immortal Child's eyes glinted with hidden murderous intent. If Qin Sang dared to show himself now, he would ensure his demise!

Qin Sang did not appear. The Dragonfish suddenly leaped, and the Immortal Child finally saw the Chaos Nebula with absolute clarity!

In that instant, both the Immortal Child and the Dragonfish felt the binding force drastically weaken, akin to a fish leaping the dragon gate or a dragon entering the vast ocean!

Achieving his objective with such ease, a flicker of doubt arose in the Immortal Child's heart. His premonition proved accurate, as he immediately sensed an unprecedented fluctuation, causing his expression to change abruptly.

Outside the Sword Array.

Although the fierce battle raged within the sword array, its potent aftershocks still affected the exterior. The poisonous river had long been thoroughly churned.

Anyone standing by the riverbank at that moment would witness ceaseless, tumultuous waves, as if the poisonous river could be shaken apart at any instant.

On the murky yellow riverbed, surrounding the battlefield, certain areas displayed a deeper hue than their surroundings. There were seven such spots in total, where the potent venom from the river incessantly converged. During Qin Sang and the Immortal Child's prolonged battle, this venom had accumulated to a terrifying extent.

A quantitative shift triggered a qualitative transformation. The potent venom underwent peculiar changes, beginning to solidify, gradually congealing into form, and finally shaping into massive circular discs.

The seven massive discs were uniformly sized, their color mirroring the river's, though notably darker. Distinct patterns and runes manifested across their surfaces.

The runes on each disc were unique, vividly depicting Rakshasa demons. While their appearances varied, all were depicted as fierce and malevolent.

Seven Rakshasa demons soared from the discs, encircling the battlefield. With cruel eyes, they simultaneously opened their mouths and unleashed ghostly wails.

This was the Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array, the most formidable poison formation documented in the "Poison God Manual." All this time, Qin Sang had been secretly refining the virulent poison from the river water, finally completing the array at this very moment!

No sooner had the Immortal Child breached the Four-Element Sword Array than he was confronted by the Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array. The wails felt utterly piercing, capable of penetrating his very soul, causing his mind to reel. He immediately sensed something amiss; his snake scales, surprisingly, could not repel the virulent poison, and abnormalities instantly manifested within his body.

The surrounding scene and the felt power of the Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array caused the Immortal Child's heart to sink. He had spent too much time in the Four-Element Sword Array, and his pill-derived power was likely insufficient to sustain him through breaking this new array.

At this moment, he seemed to have only one option remaining...

The Immortal Child suddenly closed his eyes. The Dragonfish roared towards the sky, its cry carrying a note of tragic defiance. With a sudden flick of its head, it unexpectedly detached from its master and lunged forward.

In that instant, its body began to swell, its dragon scales rustling, and a thick, bloody aura surged frantically from the gaps between them.

'Boom!'

The Poison River was severed!

The Dragonfish self-destructed!

Self-destructing a companion beast was one of the life-saving secret arts every Siyou clan cultivator learned early in their path. While countless such techniques existed, an immutable rule governed them: the greater the sacrifice, the more potent the self-destruction. The ultimate cost was the permanent loss of the companion beast itself.

The Dragonfish's self-destruction unleashed an utterly terrifying force.

'Clang, clang, clang...'

The seven massive discs vibrated wildly.

'Crack!'

The first disc exploded, its Rakshasa demon vanishing in terror, followed by the second, then the third...

The Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array disintegrated, and a bolt of lightning immediately shot out—it was the Thunder Beast Guardian, its thunderous aura visibly dimmed.

Qin Sang also materialized outside the Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array, drawing a sharp breath. Fortunately, he had anticipated this and he and the Thunder Beast Guardian had withdrawn in time, with the Rakshasa Vexing Heart Array absorbing most of the impact. Otherwise, their chances of survival would have been slim!

The Poison River was cleaved by the explosion, and the aftershocks of the Dragonfish's self-destruction persisted. A dense bloody aura rapidly permeated the air, painting the entire battlefield crimson.

Before the residual power could fully dissipate, a ruthless glint flashed in Qin Sang's eyes, and he unexpectedly turned and charged back into the fray.

Enveloped in the Ethereal Profound Divine Light, Qin Sang wove through the gaps in the bloody aura, swiftly pinpointing the Immortal Child.

The Immortal Child had paid an unimaginable price to secure a sliver of escape, and as he was about to flee, he was horrified to discover Qin Sang closing in. He had never witnessed such madness; even as Qin Sang stood drenched in blood, his Bright Mountain Armor in tatters, his eyes remained as bright and resolute as the sun and moon!

"How long has it been, fellow daoist, since you last faced a life-or-death struggle?" The Immortal Child remembered that phrase, smiled wryly, then abruptly halted, calmly gazing at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang's pupils constricted as he sensed an inexplicable danger, unsure what desperate measure the Immortal Child still held in reserve.

He preferred to capture the Immortal Child alive, but only if it was absolutely risk-free; otherwise, a direct kill would be preferable.

A flash of sword light abruptly appeared.

This was a sword strike imbued with the power of a sword domain. Though not quite matching the Wandering Sword, it was still breathtakingly magnificent!

'Swish!'

The sword light pierced his brow.

The Immortal Child's body stiffened, the light in his eyes rapidly faded, and the Wandering Crane beneath him exploded into nothingness.