Chapter 2515: Wind and Cloud Converge

Meanwhile, Yumen Baiqing and the Mermaid Queen were propelled several miles by a powerful force before finally coming to a halt.

The Mermaid Queen turned to head back, but Yumen Baiqing grabbed her. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"How can I let Brother An face such danger alone while I escape?" the Mermaid Queen declared with a resolute expression.

Yumen Baiqing let out a frustrated laugh. "Do you not realize those two were Heavenly Gods? Their cultivation levels are far beyond yours. With your current strength, going back would be nothing but suicide. Why act on such a whim?"

The Mermaid Queen replied gravely, "I understand the disparity, of course, but I excel at providing various forms of support. I can assist Brother An, creating an effect where our combined efforts are greater than the sum of our individual strengths."

"Furthermore, even if the worst comes to pass and we cannot win, dying alongside Brother An would be a good outcome for me."

After saying this, she ignored Yumen Baiqing's attempts to stop her and hurried back.

Yumen Baiqing stood rooted to the spot, her expression a mix of complex emotions. Why did that man always manage to earn such unwavering devotion from so many women?

She stomped her foot in frustration, then reluctantly followed.

Her original plan was to divert the Mermaid Queen and secretly return to rescue him herself, but with the current circumstances, she could only proceed one step at a time.

Meanwhile, Zu An felt the entire space enveloped by Qin's iron claws. Since evasion was impossible, he decided to confront the threat directly.

He summoned the Tai'a Sword, slashing it out to meet the opponent's iron claws.

Remarkably, the opponent's flesh and blood body, upon clashing directly with the divine weapon, emitted a shower of sparks.

With a mighty boom, both combatants were forced back several dozen feet.

Qin hovered in the sky, his eyes fixed on the Tai'a Sword in Zu An's hand. "A fine sword," he commented.

Zu An frowned inwardly. Although the direct clash seemed evenly matched on the surface, he had the advantage of a divine weapon and had to utilize the Gluttonous Devouring Heaven Art to absorb the various energies from the opponent's attack to achieve that result. The opponent's strength was clearly superior to his, even stronger than Wei Yueyan, whom he had faced previously.

He still didn't understand how the strength and cultivation levels of these Heavenly Gods were categorized.

However, he felt no panic or fear. This wasn't his first time fighting against a stronger opponent, and over the years, he had accumulated vast experience in such battles.

Ironically, having recently gained control over the laws of the cultivation world had made battles too easy, almost causing him to forget the thrill of a challenging fight.

Just then, two figures came running from a distance. "Brother An, I've come to help you!" a voice called out.

Hearing the Mermaid Queen's voice and seeing Yumen Baiqing's figure following close behind, Zu An felt a headache coming on. If they had departed earlier, it would have been far easier for him to escape by himself.

Now that they were back, a battle to the death seemed inevitable.

Yet, he knew he couldn't blame them. For a woman to disregard her own life and stand with him through thick and thin was a privilege many men could only dream of.

With that thought, a surge of heroic spirit filled him. "Very well, then let us fight side by side!" he declared.

While the enemy was stronger, victory was not entirely out of reach.

"Mere ants, speaking with such grandiosity," a sinister voice echoed. All around them, the rustling sound of snake bodies slithering through branches filled the air.

Zu An and the others' expressions subtly shifted. Looking up, they saw that the serpentine body of the Heavenly God named Gu seemed to fill the entire forest, with snake shadows clinging to virtually every tree. His upper body hovered high in the air, gazing down upon them.

An inexplicable pressure permeated the entire space, causing the faces of all three of them to turn pale involuntarily.

This wasn't merely an overwhelming difference in power levels; it felt like a mysterious, profound divine might pressing down on mere mortals.

Zu An's heart sank. If it were only Qin, he would still have a decent chance, even against a Heavenly God.

But with the addition of the even stronger Gu, even if he used every trump card, the hope of victory seemed slim.

At best, it would be a mutually destructive fight, and he would have to see if he could ensure the survival of Sister Ling'er and the Mermaid Queen.

At this moment, the Mermaid Queen was also deep in thought. This situation was almost certainly a death trap, but she resolved to find an opportunity later to activate her ancestor's forbidden art, hoping to secure a sliver of hope for Brother An.

Yumen Baiqing, too, was secretly contemplating how she could discreetly intervene to save him without Zu An realizing. It was quite a predicament.

"So, those who flaunt their family background and bloodline truly believe they are gods?" A burst of hearty laughter echoed from a distance.

As he spoke, a figure strode swiftly from afar. The surrounding snake bodies attempted to block him, but he punched a bloody hole straight through them.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Zu An was both surprised and delighted. "Brother Yi, what are you doing here?"

Yi cupped his hands toward Zu An, his gaze momentarily pausing on the Mermaid Queen before he quickly regained his composure. "I was tracking that pig's primordial spirit and happened to be in the vicinity," he explained. "Then I sensed that the jade pendant I gave you had shattered nearby, so I came to investigate the situation."

Hearing this, Zu An reached into his robes and pulled out a shattered jade pendant. It seemed that during the recent clash with Qin, he hadn't fully dissipated the opponent's powerful energy, and a small portion had permeated his body.

While his formidable physical body could endure the force, the jade pendant Yi had given him clearly could not.

"Yi?" Gu's expression darkened. He clearly recognized the newcomer, realizing the situation had become quite tricky.

"Gu, you're truly regressing as you age," Yi said, standing casually with a mocking tone. "You're a Heavenly God, after all. Why are you abusing your power to bully a few mortals?"

"Instead of worrying about my affairs, you should worry about your own," Gu chuckled sinisterly. "I heard you have an engagement with the Saintess of the Chang clan. Why is your fiancée running around with another man?"

Hearing his words, Yi's expression changed. He looked at the Mermaid Queen. "You are Chang'e?"

No wonder he had felt an inexplicable sensation upon first seeing her.

The Mermaid Queen felt a flicker of fear, but she wasn't the type of woman to hide behind a man and let him bear the brunt. Taking a deep breath, she said, "There's a misunderstanding here. Once this matter is resolved, I will explain everything to you."

"Alright!" Yi didn't press for details; simply knowing she was Chang'e was enough.

At that moment, Gu, as if eager to stir up trouble, remarked, "Oh, who would have thought the renowned Yi was such a cuckold? I just saw Chang'e and this man looking utterly devoted, ready to live and die together."

Yi's face twitched. "No one will assume you're mute if you don't speak," he retorted.

With that, he unleashed a direct punch at his opponent.

Yi's Rage Value: 119,119,119...

Zu An, standing by, felt a thin line of sweat form on his forehead. It seemed Yi was still quite bothered by the situation. The only silver lining was that his rage remained within a controllable range.

Yi's fist instantly condensed into a massive phantom, materializing before Gu.

Gu's body glowed with five-colored divine light as he raised a hand to dissipate the incoming punch.

Nevertheless, his body still swayed, indicating that deflecting the punch hadn't been an easy feat.

"Brother Fengdu, take them and go first! I'll find you later!" Yi said with a grim expression. He knew that Heavenly Gods were formidable opponents and was concerned that the upcoming battle might harm Chang'e.

"Brother Yi, take care!" Zu An wasn't one for prolonged goodbyes. He bowed to Yi and then departed with the two women.

Gu said coldly, "Qin, those ones are yours."

Qin chuckled. "Yes, my lord!"

With that, he flapped his wings and pursued them.

Yi tried to intervene, but Gu moved slightly, blocking his path. "Your opponent is me," he stated.