Chapter 885: Who Is the Number One?

“Alright, I’ve told you about what happened back then. Now you’ll die understanding why. It’s time to begin the final ritual.” Xu Fu recounted his proud schemes from all those years ago. Seeing the shocked expressions on everyone’s faces, he felt sufficiently satisfied. Now it was time for business.

Hearing his words, Bi Linglong gripped Zu An’s hand tightly. Her body trembled slightly. Although she had come to terms with life and death, her body’s instinctive reaction was beyond her control.

Zu An patted her hand reassuringly, then looked at Xu Fu and asked, “What do you need us to do for this ritual?”

Bi Linglong admired him secretly. Many men boasted endlessly on ordinary days, but when truly faced with mortal danger, they would all panic and fall apart. Yet, Zu An, whether facing the Emperor before or Xu Fu now, remained composed. And it wasn’t a feigned calm; he was genuinely tranquil, as if the concept of life and death didn’t exist in his mind.

“It’s rare to see such a composed sacrifice,” Xu Fu said, a little surprised. “Naturally, I will refine you within this blood pool, extracting your pure Yang and pure Yin essences, and finally merging them with the power of the Five Elements to achieve immortality.”

Zu An suddenly looked a little embarrassed. “But I’m not a virgin anymore,” he said.

Bi Linglong: “???”Mi Li: “…”

This guy’s thoughts really jumped around. It took both of them a moment to process what he said, and they secretly cursed him.

Xu Fu also looked bewildered for a moment before laughing. “Haha, that doesn’t matter,” he said. “A pure Yang body is different from a pure Yin body; that aspect isn’t important for it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have targeted Ying Zheng back then.”

“Why doesn’t a pure Yang body need to be a virgin?” Zu An asked indignantly.

“Virginity…” Xu Fu’s eyelid twitched. He wondered if this guy had a screw loose.

Mi Li and Bi Linglong remained expressionless; they had already grown accustomed to him.

He snorted coldly. “I won’t waste any more words on you. Her Highness is still Her Highness, and must be respected. We’ll start with you.”

As he finished speaking, the blood pool on the ground surged. A tentacle formed of blood swiftly coiled around Zu An’s body.

Although Zu An had been speaking frivolously moments ago, he had actually been preparing himself. He immediately used the Great Wind technique to appear beside Xu Fu and swung his longsword at him.

Xu Fu’s body flickered, moving several feet sideways in the air. “Oh, so it’s the Qin Emperor’s sword. You’re not worthy to wield it. Give it to me,” he said.

After speaking, he made his move, directly grabbing the sword’s blade. Then he pressed down forcefully, and an immense power traveled along the blade to the hilt.

Zu An felt a tremor in his hand and almost lost his grip on the sword. However, he hadn’t intended to hold onto it. Soon, a dark dagger appeared in his hand. He stabbed it at a red tentacle nearby, using a tricky angle. He knew it would be difficult to hit Xu Fu’s true body given his cultivation, but the dagger of certain death would work just as well if it hit anything else connected to him.

Indeed, Xu Fu clearly hadn’t anticipated this turn of events. A section of one of the tentacles was severed.

Xu Fu frowned, drawing the severed tentacle close to him. “Your combat skills are quite impressive, young man,” he said.

Zu An’s eyes widened. “How are you unharmed?” he asked.

Xu Fu smiled, his gaze falling on the dark dagger in Zu An’s hand. “I sense a strong aura of death on it. Perhaps others would die instantly if struck by this dagger, but I am different. I long ago abandoned my flesh-and-blood body. Now, I have merged with this blood pool. Naturally, your dagger poses no threat to me.”

Zu An didn’t waste a moment in frustration. Instead, he immediately summoned the Ice Phoenix and cast the Snowflake Divine Sword, and a thin layer of ice gradually formed over the blood pool.

Xu Fu’s brow furrowed slightly. He snorted and flicked his sleeve. A surge of bloody mist spread out, instantly shattering the thin ice.

Zu An didn’t stop. He immediately summoned the Fire Phoenix, which flew towards the blood pool. He aimed to give Xu Fu a taste of both ice and fire, hoping to evaporate the blood pool.

The blood pool quickly boiled, but unfortunately, there was no sign of it evaporating.

Xu Fu laughed. “I used a secret inheritance technique from the deep sea as a foundation, combined with the power of the Five Elements, to refine three thousand boys and girls,” he said. “And all those Qin palace experts who accompanied me. This blood pool is already impervious to water and fire, indestructible and immortal. How could your methods possibly deal with it?”

“If you were truly indestructible and immortal, why would you still be so keen on achieving longevity?” Zu An refused to believe him and charged forward again.

Unfortunately, the gap between their powers was too vast, and he was quickly knocked to the ground. However, his recovery ability was strong, and he charged forward again. He was quickly knocked down again, repeating this cycle.

Seeing him covered in injuries, being tossed around like a tattered sandbag, Bi Linglong rushed forward to help mid-fight. But in a single exchange, the tentacles whipped her so hard that her body almost fell apart, and she couldn’t get back up. The disparity in their cultivation was simply too great; she didn’t even have the right to fight desperately.

Watching Zu An’s miserable state, her eyes were already wet with tears.

“Ah Zu, let’s give up. We can’t win. I’ll die with you, saving us from further torture,” she said, her voice choked with sobs.

Zu An spat out a mouthful of blood and chuckled, his gaze exceptionally resolute. “A person can be defeated, but never knocked down. How can we give up until the very last moment?”

Watching this scene, Mi Li fell silent. She recalled their first meeting, when he had also been beaten into a bloody mess by her, yet he had never surrendered, fighting relentlessly…

Xu Fu nodded in appreciation. “You’re a tough one, young man,” he said. “And it seems you’ve cultivated the Qin imperial family’s *Primordial Chaos Scripture*. This body is quite good; if refined again, it would be worthy of becoming my new body.”

Zu An: “…”What’s going on? If it were pretty girls lusting after my body, that would be one thing, but why is it always old monsters coveting my flesh? What did I ever do to deserve this?

Then Mi Li spoke. “Ah Zu, rest for a moment. You can’t defeat him like this. Let me handle it.”

Zu An was surprised. “You can move?” he asked.

Mi Li didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said, “Take that little girl and leave here quickly, as fast as you can.” Immediately, her form, which had been flickering, became much brighter. Her entire aura surged.

Zu An thought she had broken free, but before he could rejoice, he heard Xu Fu say, “You intend to detonate your soul and perish with me? Unfortunately, you’re trapped by the great formation. Even if you self-destruct, you won’t harm me much, and your pure Yin energy will only be refined by this formation even faster.”

Mi Li said, “To do something even when you know it’s impossible. Whether it works or not, one must always try. I learned that from a certain little scoundrel.” After speaking, she glanced at Zu An, her eyes full of amusement.

Zu An’s heart tightened. He knew Mi Li had resolved to die, and from Xu Fu’s tone, it was clear her action would be of little use. He hurried over to stop her, saying, “Master, don’t be rash. I have a way.”

“You have a way?” Mi Li frowned. They had been together for so long that she knew Zu An inside out; what method could he possibly have now?

“Trust me.” Zu An gripped her hand, his eyes resolute.

Mi Li’s gaze softened. For some reason, she felt an inexplicable persuasive power in his voice. So, she temporarily halted her self-destructive action, and her form stabilized.

At this, Xu Fu burst into laughter. “You have a way? What method could you possibly have? Hahaha, young people love to boast, even when facing death.”

Zu An ignored him, looking directly at Mi Li. “Who is the number one expert in all your memories?” he asked.

Mi Li answered instinctively, without hesitation, “Ying Zheng, of course.”

Zu An nodded, then looked at Xu Fu. “And you, who do you think ranks first?” he asked.

Xu Fu snorted. “Back then, it was indeed Ying Zheng, but now, I’m afraid it’s me.”

Mi Li scoffed, clearly finding his claim audacious.

“Very well,” Zu An stood perfectly straight again, an inexplicable aura emanating from him. Then he activated the “Sword Come” skill, and a majestic voice echoed through the room: “I am Ying Zheng.”