Chapter 1801: Source of Evil

How many female martial artists in this world can truly reach the Dao Integration realm? To still view her through the mundane lens applied to other female martial artists is the ultimate irony for this powerful female assassin god.

Faced with Xu Yang's insulting tactics, the female assassin god clenched her teeth and lunged at him again without hesitation. Yet, only when her movement speed reached its limit did she finally realize she had fallen for Xu Yang's trap once more.

Indeed, the moment her body committed fully to the sprint, her defensive capabilities plummeted, leaving her utterly vulnerable to Xu Yang's other techniques.

The instant the dagger, glowing in her palm, seemed to pierce Xu Yang's body, his form completely vanished. It wasn't his true self, but merely a shadow he had left behind, while his actual body had already moved behind the female assassin god.

With a light touch, Xu Yang once again completely sealed the surging martial power within the female assassin god's meridians.

Having succeeded, Xu Yang shook his head with a sigh, uttering a truly infuriatingly smug remark.

"How regrettable. The same script has played out between us once more. You, woman, always believe you've reached the pinnacle of martial cultivation, yet you ultimately cannot shed the human emotions and desires inherent to a woman. If you truly wish to advance further in your cultivation, letting go of these emotional attachments is the path you should truly follow. As you are now, you're still far from it."

Xu Yang's words were not meant to alarm; they were, in fact, a genuine, heartfelt reminder for the female assassin god before him.

Throughout their two exchanges, Xu Yang had already observed that all the qualities the female assassin god exhibited when calm were utterly flawless, beyond reproach.

However, the moment she allowed her more emotional, 'feminine' side to surface, she would reveal fatal weaknesses.

If Xu Yang wished to kill her, he would only need to provoke her volatile emotions to exploit her countless vulnerabilities.

This particular reminder did indeed bring significant enlightenment to the woman, but the immediate consequence was equally apparent: she had lost all ability to move.

"Tell me, what kind of 'game penalty' would you like this time? This is the second time I've captured you, and just like before, I won't take your life. However, I will impose a punishment more severe than the last. If you can't offer any suggestions yourself, then I'll have to devise one personally."

No sooner had Xu Yang finished speaking than Long Kun and Qing Ya, who had been observing the spectacle, seemed to stir. Long Kun, in particular, approached the female assassin god, excitedly rubbing his hands together.

"Heh heh, Boss, this game is my absolute favorite part! How about I personally remove her mask to see what kind of face lies beneath? If she's a beauty, we'll let her go. But if she's truly hideous, then, heh heh heh."

As Long Kun spoke, he reached out his hand without waiting for Xu Yang's command. Unexpectedly, at that very instant, Xu Yang's cold gaze intensified. He quickly let out a low growl, signaling Long Kun to stop immediately, but it was ultimately one step too late.

The moment Long Kun's hand reached within three inches of the female assassin god, a pitch-black, ice-cold dagger instantly pierced his palm. The powerful martial energy subsequently unleashed sent Long Kun flying over a hundred meters away, knocking him unconscious.

While this level of power wouldn't claim Long Kun's life or inflict any fatal injuries, it appeared he wouldn't be able to recover to his peak combat state for quite some time. The female assassin god, meanwhile, offered another cold, disdainful sneer.

"Last time, I suffered a significant defeat at your hands. This time, I came fully prepared, specifically to prevent you from suppressing me again and then inventing all sorts of inconceivable punishments. I never imagined this poor wretch would take that punishment in your place. I truly wish the one lying on the ground wasn't him, but you."

Xu Yang merely shrugged helplessly.

"Just put that thought out of your mind. You will never gain any advantage against me. If that day ever truly arrives, it will mean I no longer consider you an enemy."

Though these words sounded like a mere casual remark, they quietly flowed into the heart of the female assassin god before him.

Her utterly cold heart suddenly perceived a unique warmth.

However, the instant her emotions showed the slightest ripple, she immediately realized Xu Yang had hoisted her onto his shoulder, utterly clueless as to what trick he was planning now.

"Damn you! Let me down at once! Don't touch my body! What exactly are you trying to do?! You'd better kill me quickly, otherwise, sooner or later, I will tear you to shreds!"

Carrying the female assassin god on his shoulder, Xu Yang continued deeper into the area known for depleting life force. The aura of decay, which had largely faded, grew dense once more with his every step.

"Qing Ya, stay here and look after Long Kun. I'll be right back. Let's deal with this woman first, then we can proceed."

Upon receiving Xu Yang's command, Qing Ya wasted no time. She immediately went to Long Kun's side to help him recover, while Xu Yang, carrying the female assassin god, had already ventured deeper into the jungle.

Supported by his powerful spatial compression ability, he traversed hundreds of miles from the original combat area in what seemed like mere minutes. And in this place, just as Xu Yang had anticipated, the aura of decaying life force, which had seemingly withered into complete oblivion, surged forth once more.

Had her body not been pressed tightly against Xu Yang's shoulder, the mere aura of decay emanating from the surroundings would have been enough to reduce the female assassin god to a withered skeleton.

Even with her immense power, she was ultimately mere flesh and blood. Upon entering this 'life forbidden zone' level jungle, she remained powerless against that potent aura of decay.

Soon, Xu Yang once again located the malevolent source emitting that aura, but this time, it was far more than just a single colossal snake head.

Suddenly, over a dozen thick, snake-like tentacles, similar to the one encountered earlier, emerged.

Evidently, this was the true source of evil Xu Yang had been seeking.

"It truly is a case of searching far and wide only to find it right here. The only thing beyond my imagination is that you possess so many snake-headed tentacles. But then again, it's no wonder; without such an enormous physical body, you could never have single-handedly controlled the life and death of all living creatures in such a vast jungle."

As Xu Yang finished speaking, the dozen gigantic snake-headed tentacles before them began to writhe. Each tentacle led towards a central core, deep within a dark cave at the jungle's heart.

Soon, a colossal, spider-like spherical object emerged. This object stood at least a dozen meters tall, appearing as though its entire mass was a single, enormous brain. The dozen or so snake-headed tentacles extending from its exterior served as the conduits through which it released the source of decay contained within its body.