Chapter 1071: Rely on You, My Left Arm

Xu Xiaoshou stared blankly in mid-air as Jiang Buyi's soul was utterly consumed by the Hundred Ghosts of Fengdu. He had a thousand words he wanted to say, but in the end, only two emerged from his lips: "Holy crap!"

Jiang Buyi was dead? A Demigod, slain by Mr. Mei with a single sword? Was he completely gone? Xu Xiaoshou recalled how during the fight against the 'Other,' they first destroyed the body, then severed the soul. Mr. Mei's "Soul Control Spell" differed significantly from "Phantom Extinction Finger." The latter silently extinguished a soul, while the former inflicted far more pain. With even his soul devoured, what could Jiang Buyi possibly use to resurrect?

Even so, Xu Xiaoshou still couldn't believe it. Even cultivators of the Throne realm faced great difficulty in dying; for Path Cutting and Void Grandmasters, it was even harder. Logically, a Demigod shouldn't be so easily defeated. Or was it not that Jiang Buyi was weak, but that Mr. Mei's status simply couldn't be measured by an ordinary Void Grandmaster... no, by an ordinary Demigod? In Xu Xiaoshou's eyes, Mei Jiren was no longer just a Void Grandmaster-level figure. This was a Demigod Iron Wolf in sword immortal's sheepskin. Despite appearing harmless, when he unleashed his true power, he was more terrifying than anyone Xu Xiaoshou had ever encountered.

Just as the onlookers were still immersed in the shock of Mei Jiren's single sword strike annihilating Demigod Jiang Buyi, suddenly, thunderclouds gathered in the sky, and an enraged roar echoed throughout the entire Forest of Miracles.

"Mei, Ji, Ren—"

It was Jiang Buyi's voice! Xu Xiaoshou looked up in astonishment, seeing the void thunderclouds coalesce into an enormous face of Jiang Buyi, twisting and shifting amidst endless clouds of furious flames.

"As expected, he's not dead..."

"I knew it, a Demigod can't die that easily!"

"But his soul was consumed by the Hundred Ghosts, and his body was shattered by the Nine-Arrow Sword. How could he still be alive?"

"...Willpower?"

Xu Xiaoshou remembered his battle with the 'Other' that day: destroy the body, there's still the soul; destroy the soul, there's still the willpower. His face immediately darkened. However, unlike the 'Other,' Jiang Buyi's willpower, now manifest as thunderclouds in the sky, did not seem without the power to fight. On the contrary, those thunder-fire clouds, which threatened to shatter the entire Forest of Miracles, resembled a long-prepared attack, no weaker than the sum of all the sacred martial arts he had previously unleashed.

"Sigh..."

Mei Jiren also looked up, sighing deeply after a long moment. He had long anticipated all these changes, but when the reality unfolded, he still couldn't help but feel regret and lament. How he wished what he had just destroyed was Jiang Buyi's demigod avatar. A Demigod, capable of growing to this extent and suppressed by the Holy Divine Palace, should logically keep their true body secluded and not move around carelessly. Because they feared unforeseen incidents more than anyone, and what they feared most were naturally "man-made" accidents, whether from the major dark forces on the continent, or falling victim to someone's heavenly scheme, subsequently losing their demigod status.

Therefore, Mei Jiren assumed that given the danger of Void Island, Jiang Buyi's true body wouldn't be here! If it were merely a demigod avatar here, then with his previous sword strike, all escape routes would have been sealed. Jiang Buyi's demigod avatar wouldn't even be able to transmit a single shred of information back to his main body before dying. Even if it could, across Void Island, it was questionable whether the death message would reach the main body on the Holy Divine Continent. But Mei Jiren never expected Jiang Buyi to be so bold! He hadn't come to Void Island as a demigod avatar, but as his true self!

The combat power between a "Demigod True Body" and a "Demigod Avatar" didn't differ much; the only thing affected was external items—a demigod avatar might not carry as many life-saving artifacts as the true body. However, beyond combat power, the most fundamental difference between the two was that if a "Demigod Avatar" died, it was truly dead. But if a "Demigod True Body" was accidentally killed, it could transfer all damage to a "Demigod Avatar" before death, thus preserving the true body's life. Why were Demigods powerful? Not only because they touched the Saint Path, but also because they could condense demigod avatars. Why were demigod avatars powerful? Because they could inherit up to 100% of the true body's power, and as long as there was one demigod avatar, the demigod themselves gained an extra life; with three, they gained three extra lives!

Mei Jiren was puzzled. He thought the situation wouldn't be this bad, but he never expected Jiang Buyi's true body to dare come to Void Island. What was he after? Xu Xiaoshou's life? Was he insane or something? How could a mere junior like Xu Xiaoshou provoke a Demigod's true body to personally come for his life? But besides Xu Xiaoshou, what else could he be after? The Jiang family of the Northern Region... Oh, right, given that past reason, was he after the 'Child of Tears'? But how could the 'Child of Tears' end up scattered on Void Island? Could Jiang Buyi have been tricked into Void Island?

"I'm tired..."

Mei Jiren didn't want to fight anymore. He was fully aware of his own condition; he only looked impressive, and that sword strike just now had taken an enormous toll on his body. This was like an old man who hadn't exercised in decades suddenly feeling youthful and energetic again, running five laps around the Holy Divine Continent. After running, he was utterly exhausted. Fighting truly isn't my forte. This old man just wants to be a teacher who doesn't have to exercise... Mei Jiren mused inwardly as he looked at the thunder-fire tribulation clouds in the sky, but he couldn't show it, immediately feeling even more helpless.

"Stop, Jiang Buyi."

"This old man concedes. That last sword strike consumed all my power. If we continue, both of us will suffer greatly."

The thunder-fire tribulation clouds violently trembled, and a booming sound erupted. Jiang Buyi's voice crashed down from the sky, utterly uncontrolled, as if he had gone mad.

"But you severed one of this Saint's demigod avatars!" Jiang Buyi's rage soared to the heavens, yet he was also on the verge of tears. He had thought the worst outcome of this battle would be damage to his soul, requiring several years of recovery. But he had never anticipated that Mei Jiren would use a "Space-Time Leap" technique at the end, ignoring soul defenses and pouring all damage into his true body. A dignified Demigod, he was slain! Gone in one sword strike! The undefended soul body was instantly annihilated under the fourfold realms of the Nine Great Swordsmanship, without even a ripple.

Jiang Buyi was terrified. If he hadn't transferred the damage to a demigod avatar before dying, there would be one less Demigod in the world right now! What a terrifying fact! Mei Jiren! Sword Immortal! Possessing the power to slay Saints! How difficult it was to refine a demigod avatar... Jiang Buyi was filled with regret and hatred. Mei Jiren's sword strike had forcibly erased 30% of his power, permanently!

"You were the one who insisted on testing the sword. This old man warned you beforehand," Mei Jiren said calmly, looking at the thunder-fire tribulation clouds overhead, trying not to provoke the other party with his tone. "Think about why you came here, Demigod Jiang. If you truly wish to continue fighting, even if this old man perishes here, what will you gain?"

Indeed, what would this Saint gain? Jiang Buyi was momentarily lost. He had thought Mei Jiren couldn't possibly harm him, so he hadn't taken anything seriously before. But now, after genuinely treating his opponent as an equal Demigod, he realized that even if they fought to the death, and one of them died here, with Jiang Buyi surviving... what would he gain? Kill Xu Xiaoshou to vent his anger? Spend decades refining a demigod avatar for the life of a junior, only to end up with nothing substantial? No matter how he calculated it, it wasn't worth it!

But the problem was... For this battle, he had already sacrificed a demigod avatar, decades of cultivation. Now, not only was his demigod avatar gone, but he had also lost face. If he really slunk away with his tail between his legs, what would that even mean? Wouldn't it become a timeless joke: "Demigod Jiang Buyi, scared away by Seventh Sword Immortal Mei Jiren's single sword strike"?!

"Ah!"

In the sky, he suddenly roared in fury. The tribulation clouds churned, covering half of the Forest of Miracles. "Boom, boom, boom!" Streaks of crimson lightning struck down, devastating tens of thousands of miles of land.

Mei Jiren understood. Jiang Buyi didn't want to fight either, but he couldn't retreat. If he did, his demigod's dignity would be gone. However... Since he wouldn't take the hint, Mei Jiren had no choice but to be impolite. As crimson lightning struck down from the heavens, Mei Jiren stood unharmed, looking up calmly and saying: "Jiang Buyi, though this old man is tired, what I just said was not false... I said three sword strikes, and it will be three sword strikes. If you still want to fight, this old man has two more sword strikes remaining. I just wonder how many demigod avatars you have left to serve as scapegoats?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the heavenly tribulation clouds suddenly swelled, expanding their coverage from tens of thousands of miles to hundreds of thousands of miles.

"Shut up!"

Jiang Buyi was truly on the verge of madness from anger. Endless lightning descended from his ethereal cloud body, striking the earth and devastating the entire Forest of Miracles into a dismal wasteland. But unexpectedly, not a single stray bolt of lightning managed to deviate and affect Mei Jiren in the slightest.

"Holy crap..."

In his vanished state, Xu Xiaoshou watched in shock. Was this the "impotent rage" of a Demigod? Affecting the entire Forest of Miracles like this, it was far more terrifying than all the cultivators undergoing tribulation under the deep sea combined. Yet, such a terrifying Demigod... Mei Jiren stood quietly, with the heavenly thunderclouds behind him, endless flames as his backdrop, arms crossed, standing alone, observing the doomsday scene with cold eyes. Jiang Buyi, however, didn't dare to touch him!

"What does 'unrivaled grace' mean? What does 'overwhelming ancient times' mean?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes were truly opened. It turned out that below the Demigod realm, someone could indeed slay a Demigod with a single sword strike and infuriate a Demigod with a mere sentence. This was no longer "like"; Jiang Buyi's true body had transformed into thunderclouds!

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Just then, the Saint Emperor Dragon Scales, which had returned to peace due to Mr. Mei's arrival, suddenly began to beat rapidly at an extreme frequency. The sound waves even created a "reverberation" force in Xu Xiaoshou's chest, piercing straight into his head, making his mind swell and nearly collapse.

"What the hell?"

Xu Xiaoshou keenly sensed impending danger. Without hesitation, he pinpointed the source of the danger to the thunder-fire clouds in the sky. "Jiang Buyi, is he trying to kill me?"

It wasn't surprising Xu Xiaoshou thought this. He just put himself in Jiang Buyi's shoes for a moment... "If I were Jiang Buyi... Entering Void Island, the Water Ghost trapped me; killing Teng Shanhai, Xu Xiaoshou tricked me; being decapitated of a demigod avatar by Mei Jiren, that's also because of the Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou. Now that things have come to this, I can't even confidently defeat a Seventh Sword Immortal, so I definitely have to escape. But if I leave in such a disgraced manner, where will my damn demigod's face go? I definitely have to take a life with me..."

As Xu Xiaoshou thought about it, his face turned pale. Of course, Jiang Buyi couldn't take Mei Jiren's life. But Jiang Buyi already knew he was hiding here earlier, and he had explicitly said that as soon as the Saint Domain shrank, Xu Xiaoshou's position would be obvious. So, whose life to take to try and save some face... Was that even a question anymore?

"You dog!" Xu Xiaoshou was so angry his teeth hurt. Couldn't defeat Mr. Mei, so he was coming for him? The Saint Emperor Dragon Scales were still beating wildly. At this moment, the information panel was also restless. "Being targeted, passive value, 1."

What the hell are you targeting?! Xu Xiaoshou panicked. If his previous speculation was 99% accurate, then with the word "targeted," it was 100% certain: Jiang Buyi intended to take his life! How would he do it? Xu Xiaoshou couldn't figure it out; he could only think of an escape plan.

"I'm still in a vanished state; the Saint Emperor Dragon Scales are just a warning. I still have some time..."

"Should I dispel the vanishing art now and hide directly behind Mr. Mei?"

"No! That damned old man has already decided to kill; he'll definitely make the first move. In a rush, before Mr. Mei's sword strike can support me, Jiang Buyi could capture me and crush me to death!" Xu Xiaoshou's mind raced.

"A single step to heaven, combined with spatial attributes, and taking some pills, could I run tens of thousands of miles away?" He looked up; distant hundreds of thousands of miles were now all under the coverage of Jiang Buyi's ethereal cloud body. Running that far, Jiang Buyi would certainly catch him, but Mr. Mei definitely wouldn't be able to keep up! In the current situation, running far meant certain death! Only by staying within the battle could he possibly survive...

"But if I stay here and dispel the vanishing art, Jiang Buyi's demigod will would definitely lock onto me faster than Mr. Mei; if I don't dispel it, I'm passively waiting to die, and he'll eventually lock onto me anyway..." Xu Xiaoshou clutched his head, almost going crazy. Reality and the vanished world, which had no gap in his eyes, suddenly turned into two separate realms of Yin and Yang—one thought, heaven; another thought, hell.

Just then, Xu Xiaoshou's "perception" spread, his attention extending from the battlefield, and he saw the Dean and Big Mouth, crouching beneath a distant spatial barrier. Behind them were hundreds of trembling Stone Giants, too afraid to advance but constantly restless. And in the battlefield, besides Mei Jiren and Jiang Buyi, there had always been another fellow—the Void Servant! The Saint Domain had long been broken! This big guy was still pretending, sprawled out with limbs wide, clinging to the former Saint Domain wall, which was now just air... struggling hard, perfectly like an acting emperor. Xu Xiaoshou had never seen a giant with such poor acting skills! But the Void Servant was too cowardly; it dared not advance, nor retreat, fearing that any movement or stillness would draw the attention of those two monstrous humans in the battle. And then, its life would be casually taken. Consequently, it endured the aftermath of the battle, holding on until now, becoming one of the few remaining solid "walls" in this devastated forest!

"So many people came, even giants, yet Jiang Buyi didn't pay them any attention."

"This means that his attention, apart from Mei Jiren, is solely on me!"

"No! Not 'me,' but 'Xu Xiaoshou'!" Xu Xiaoshou stared intently at the poorly acting Void Servant, looking at the dried, congealed black blood on its body. Suddenly, his pupils dilated, and the corners of his mouth turned up.

"Blood?"

He extended his hand; his fingertips still had traces of the same black blood. This was a liquid he had touched on the Void Suppressing Tablet before encountering Teng Shanhai. He hadn't known what it was before, but now Xu Xiaoshou understood. The Void Servant had bled on the Void Suppressing Tablet at some unknown time!

His left arm wriggled, beginning to "transform," eventually becoming a person identical to Xu Xiaoshou, with both figures tightly adhering to each other. Combining his sword fingers, Xu Xiaoshou endured the pain and severed this part of his body. "The image clone can't fool Jiang Buyi, so now I can only rely on you, my left arm!" Xu Xiaoshou solemnly pressed down on the twin brother he had transformed. What does it mean to be a right-hand man? What does it mean to go through hell and high water for your brother? I'm counting on you! You must act well! If we're discovered, we all die!

The Xu Xiaoshou transformed from the left arm twitched, watching his main body's severed left arm quickly regenerate and heal. He felt like an abandoned spare tire, and two streams of clear tears flowed down his face, wanting to say something. Xu Xiaoshou reached out and covered his mouth, giving him no chance, while simultaneously beginning to grow larger, larger, infinitely larger... Finally, reaching the hundred-zhang critical point, feeling that his Qi Sea was about to give out, Xu Xiaoshou hurriedly pulled out the Imitator, and wiped the black bloodstains remaining on his fingertips onto it.

"Roar!"