Chapter 17: Live Until the End to Be the Ultimate Victor

"Kun position, advance four. Li position, retreat six. That venomous creature has already begun to move to the left."

Hidden in the warm and comfortable trunk of the old cypress tree, Li Changshou continuously sent voice messages. Youqin Xuan’ya was now no more than three hundred zhang away from the tree.

This cliff was a horizontally protruding structure. At this moment, the three-eyed emerald wave snake had already swum out of its original hiding crevice, slithering along the rock face beneath the cliff. Its head poked out beside the cypress tree’s trunk.

It had been startled by Youqin Xuan’ya and the six pursuers, but it hadn't been discovered by Yu Wenling, who was in the air. This saved Li Changshou more than half of his planning.

Li Changshou multitasked: he suppressed the circulation of aura within his body, continuously guided Youqin Xuan’ya with voice messages, and constantly observed the demon creature’s movements. He couldn't disregard "Poisonous" Xuan’ya’s life or death. He couldn't butcher the donkey for meat before the flour was even ground.

Here it comes. Youqin Xuan’ya was now only a hundred zhang away from the large cypress tree!

The three-eyed emerald wave snake’s attention was completely drawn to the combatants. It slowly slithered along the rock face, subtly blocking the path to the immortal-dissolving grass, yet not moving away from it. It was an experienced hunter, well-versed in the art of ambush. At this moment, it was quite patient, already viewing Youqin Xuan’ya and the pursuers ahead as its main course and snacks.

Li Changshou could already imagine how terrifying and thrilling it would be when this three-zhang-long venomous snake suddenly darted out without warning. This world was inherently this terrifying.

Next…

With the Wood Escape spell flowing, Li Changshou moved freely up and down within the tree trunk, slowly descending to its root system.

Li Changshou’s voice messages continued incessantly, drilling into Youqin Xuan’ya’s ears:

"Kan position, advance three. Zhen position, retreat nine. The venomous creature has now fixed its gaze on you. Soon, focus on my guidance. When I say 'Jump,' you must immediately launch yourself into the air with all your might. Do not hesitate for even a moment."

Youqin Xuan’ya hummed in acknowledgment in her heart again. Her sword fingers continuously slid, and the flying swords imbued with firelight shuttled back and forth around her. Riding her sword, her long skirt fluttering, she was like a fairy dancing in flames, incredibly captivating and dazzling.

In the air, Yu Wenling held Yuan Qing’s shoulder, helping him resist the surrounding miasma. Yuan Qing gazed at Youqin Xuan’ya below, his eyes revealing intense infatuation.

"General Yu Wen! This time, we absolutely cannot let Xuan’ya escape again!"

"Fourth Young Master, rest assured. Last time, we weren't prepared for her teleportation talisman," Yu Wenling replied in a deep voice. "Her magical power is already low. When she retreats to the edge of the cliff, I will make my move to force her, and then the Young Master can appear from the side and protect her. If she only feels aversion towards the Fourth Young Master, the love charm’s effectiveness might be halved. We need her to develop some good feelings towards the Fourth Young Master."

Yuan Qing’s expression was somewhat grim. He nodded and replied, "General Yu Wen, you've gone to great lengths."

Yu Wenling then added in a deep voice, "This subordinate is also somewhat puzzled. How could the Fourth Young Master have failed to win the heart of the Sixth Princess for sixty years? If this matter doesn't succeed today, or if the love charm fails to work, we must kill the Sixth Princess here. Please prepare yourself, Fourth Young Master."

Yuan Qing clenched his fist tightly, a hint of anger in his eyes, but he said nothing more.

Below, Youqin Xuan’ya had retreated near the cliff, about to enter the area covered by the cypress tree's canopy. Li Changshou, who had already descended to the tree’s roots, suddenly had a sharp glint in his eyes. The words 'Jump' penetrated Youqin Xuan’ya’s ears through a spell!

Firelight surged from the flying sword beneath Youqin Xuan’ya’s feet, and her graceful figure shot skyward, causing several incoming streams of light to miss their mark! Meanwhile, the six individuals pursuing Youqin Xuan’ya, unaware of the danger ahead, directly charged into the area covered by the cypress tree’s canopy!

They had no intention of stopping, planning to rush a few more steps forward before leaping up to continue the pursuit. Little did they know, the edge of that tree canopy was a red line of life and death!

Whoosh—!

A violent whooshing sound erupted as the three-eyed emerald wave snake, which had been waiting by the cliff for a long time, darted out without warning!

Yu Wenling, in the air, shouted, "Retreat quickly!" But at that moment, the masked person on the far left was already caught in the venomous creature’s gaping maw! With sharp teeth clamping down, the snake’s head yanked fiercely, instantly tearing off half of the person’s body…

Hidden in the roots of the old cypress tree, Li Changshou secretly mused that he would indeed have difficulty winning a direct confrontation with this venomous beast.

The remaining five immediately tried to retreat, but how could the three-eyed emerald wave snake let go of such delicious prey right at its mouth? Its tail whipped out streaks of afterimages, directly smashing one person to the ground, and then blocking the retreat paths of the others. Its fine scales all over its body flared open, spraying plumes of highly toxic dense mist, instantly engulfing the remaining individuals.

"How dare you, beast!"

A furious roar came from the air, and the bulky figure was seen breaking through the clouds and mist. He first threw down the broad axe in his hand, then directly pounced towards the three-eyed emerald wave snake.

The three-eyed emerald wave snake, with fleshy horns on its head, immediately sensed the threat. It raised its head and struck the falling broad axe with its snake head. The oddly-shaped fleshy bump on its head, full of a sinister aesthetic, was actually the hardest part of its body!

A clanging sound exploded. The giant axe was directly deflected, and the three-eyed emerald wave snake’s head slammed onto the ground. A slight crack appeared in the fleshy bump, and wisps of golden blood flowed out from within. The venomous creature instantly became enraged. With a shake of its tail, it sprang up.

Yu Wenling, plummeting from the air, raised his hand to recall his great axe. He was already holding the axe, ready to smash it down head-on!

At the roots of the tree, Li Changshou clutched three paper effigies in his right hand. After a slight hesitation, he took out a fourth; a moment later, he took out a fifth and a sixth. In his left hand, he held his strongest tranquilizer—the supreme-grade soft immortal powder.

Li Changshou waited for the right moment to scatter the soft immortal powder. He intended to make his move only when the three-eyed emerald wave snake could no longer hold on. The three-eyed emerald wave snake was not afraid of poison, but Yu Wenling was.

At the same time, Li Changshou did not forget to fully extend his spiritual perception, searching back and forth within a ten-li radius to check for any hidden dangers.

On the other side, Youqin Xuan’ya had, as per Li Changshou’s guidance, taken the opportunity to retreat to the rear side of the cliff. Without Yu Wenling’s protection, Yuan Qing dared not remain in the clouds and mist. He finally made his own move, charging from mid-air towards Youqin Xuan’ya, holding a three-foot green blade, intending to stop her from leaving.

However, Youqin Xuan’ya had no intention of retreating at this moment. She controlled her numerous flying swords with a backhand, instantly suppressing Yuan Qing. Although Yuan Qing’s cultivation was slightly higher than Youqin Xuan’ya’s, he could only struggle defensively.

But Youqin Xuan’ya dedicated most of her attention to observing the fierce battle on the cliff with her spiritual perception. She could sense that Li Changshou, who was constantly sending her voice messages, was there, but at this moment, she had no idea of his exact location, and a growing anxiety stirred in her heart.

However, the entire situation was under Li Changshou’s control.

The three-eyed emerald wave snake regarded Yu Wenling, a nascent Immortal, as its greatest threat. It refused to yield an inch, guarding the immortal-dissolving grass. Yu Wenling, at this moment, gripped his great axe and continuously chopped, protecting the three subordinates who had been poisoned by the snake and lost their consciousness behind him.

In such circumstances, it was difficult for Yu Wenling to hold back. Both sides fought with full might.

Li Changshou patiently lay in wait, standing still at the base of the old tree, awaiting the opportune moment to strike, and ready to escape at any time. Because this incident was sudden and purely an adaptive measure, Li Changshou also slightly lowered his expectations for himself. This time, a 98% certainty was enough to act. Always aiming for 100% certainty was a bit unrealistic.

After a brief period of intense battle, the somewhat bare canopy of the old cypress tree had been half-chopped away. The air waves generated by the great axe’s swings created numerous gullies and caused portions of the cliff to collapse.

After all, the three-eyed emerald wave snake had not yet achieved immortality. Even against a nascent Immortal with no powerful magical treasures, it quickly became unable to resist. Its entire body was gushing with toxic blood from the cuts, and it was about to be slain there.

'Good work, big guy.'

Li Changshou murmured in his heart. With a gentle shake of his left hand, the colorless aura from the bottle of supreme-grade soft immortal powder, enveloped by his magical power, was first sent to the cypress tree’s trunk, then quickly seeped out and silently sprayed towards Yu Wenling.

Soon, Yu Wenling’s movements became slightly sluggish, and he felt somewhat dizzy.

'This python’s poison is so potent!' Yu Wenling cursed inwardly, his eyes wide and bloodshot. Despite feeling drowsy and light-headed, he still let out a powerful roar.

He dared not linger in battle any longer. He immediately unleashed an extremely powerful strike, leaping into mid-air, surging with immortal power to immobilize the large serpent. His great axe chopped directly towards the three-eyed emerald wave snake’s neck! At this moment, the three-eyed emerald wave snake felt a desire to retreat and turned to leave, but it hesitated, glancing at the three immortal-dissolving plants by the cliff.

It was precisely this hesitation that cost it its chance to escape. The great axe, wielded by two thick, strong hands, chopped down directly from its nape. The snake’s head flew up, and toxic blood immediately splattered everywhere!

Yu Wenling’s figure landed, but his footing was unstable. He stumbled a few steps, only preventing a clumsy fall by propping himself with the great axe. He pulled out a bottle of detoxification pills and poured them directly into his mouth, but his movements were becoming increasingly sluggish.

'What kind of poison is this? How can it be so potent!'

"General… we…"

Weak shouts came from behind. Yu Wenling was about to turn around to rescue them when his foot slipped, and he nearly fell again. The detoxification pills had no effect whatsoever, and his vision spun wildly.

Just then, a whooshing sound suddenly came from the side! A wooden arrow shot from the side, directly piercing Yu Wenling’s neck. The bulky man’s body trembled. He turned, glaring furiously in the direction of the cypress tree’s trunk.

There, a 'Li Changshou' slowly squeezed out from the cypress tree, threw out the Sky-Changing Treasure Umbrella, gripped a bronze crossbow, and incidentally scattered three paper effigies.

Poof, poof, poof!

The paper effigies transformed into clones and charged towards Yu Wenling to attack! The 'Li Changshou' then circled to the side, quickly reloaded the bronze crossbow with a wooden arrow, and pulled the trigger again. Treasure light surged on the crossbow, and the launched wooden arrow possessed extraordinary force.

Yu Wenling was now deeply poisoned and completely unable to fight. He was hit by another arrow in the neck, and immortal blood splattered across the ground. The three paper effigies rushed around Yu Wenling, immediately positioned themselves in a triangle, and simultaneously sprayed the green mist from the porcelain bottles in their hands. The green mist, like a living entity, coiled around and enveloped Yu Wenling. A sizzling sound echoed throughout the sturdy man’s body. His last ounce of strength was spent in a furious roar, filled with agony.

Unfortunately, the Sky-Changing Treasure Umbrella had already set up a formation, completely isolating the area, preventing any sound from escaping.

Yu Wenling’s immortal body was rapidly corroded within the green mist. Many areas exposed white bone, and transparent bubbles appeared around him. He struggled to counterattack, his great axe sweeping clumsily and slowly, but the three paper effigies nimbly leaped backward.

Whoosh!

A third wooden arrow penetrated Yu Wenling’s corroded chest, piercing his heart meridian! The three paper effigies simultaneously began to form hand seals, spewing three streams of white flames from their mouths, directly engulfing Yu Wenling!

Only then did Yu Wenling recognize Li Changshou, weakly uttering a cry: "It's… you…"

A nascent Immortal, though having only recently achieved immortality, had at this moment already stepped with more than half his body into the gates of hell. However, an Immortal was still an Immortal; how could he willingly accept such an end?

Yu Wenling suddenly closed his eyes amidst the white flames. Several immortal lights surged from his already somewhat horrifying remains, forming a faint ethereal silhouette above his head! His Primordial Spirit exited his body!

"Die!"

Yu Wenling’s Primordial Spirit roared, enduring the effects of the soft immortal powder, and unleashed a palm strike at Li Changshou! This palm strike was like Mount Tai pressing down, like a sudden mountain flood!

Li Changshou immediately tried to dodge, but his ankle was suddenly gripped tightly by a hand. Looking down, he saw a masked person, who had been poisoned by the snake and affected by the soft immortal powder, had suddenly made a move. This person’s entire body was trembling erratically, having somehow resisted the severe poison within him, seemingly by burning his three souls and seven spirits, just to extinguish Li Changshou’s last chance at life.

Tsk, miscalculation.

Li Changshou shook his head slightly. The palm strike from above had already descended, directly smashing his upper body. Yu Wenling’s Primordial Spirit revealed a sneer.

'Though this boy’s spells and schemes are powerful, he is, after all, not yet an Immortal...'

Whoosh—!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!

Whooshing sounds came again from beneath the cypress tree. Seven long nails flew at extreme speed, simultaneously striking various parts of Yu Wenling’s Primordial Spirit! Each long nail was engraved with intricate restrictions, and shallow white ethereal flames surged from them!

Yu Wenling’s Primordial Spirit looked down in some astonishment, only to find that the three paper effigy clones around him had never stopped spewing fire. When his Primordial Spirit exited his body, his physical form had already been burned down to just a skeleton.

At this moment, the masked man who had burned his own soul looked up blankly, watching half a paper effigy fluttering in the wind, ignited by a wisp of flame. He had burned away all hope of reincarnation, only to gain half a paper effigy as his burial accompaniment.

Beneath the cypress tree, the newly appeared 'Li Changshou' opened his left hand, aimed his palm at Yu Wenling’s Primordial Spirit, and gently clenched his five fingers. The seven difficult-to-forge soul-extinguishing nails instantly detonated!

At the cypress tree’s roots, Li Changshou observed the still-burning Immortal skeleton with his spiritual perception, a slight frown on his brow. He controlled Paper Effigy Five to throw out the Soul-Absorbing Pearl, and instructed Paper Effigies One, Two, and Three to intensify their fire-spewing. This chilling profound flame was a bit insufficient in terms of damage against Immortals. He still needed to find a way to obtain the sect’s Samadhi True Flame.

After waiting a while longer, the skeleton crumbled, turning into a pile of ashes on the ground. The three paper effigies began chanting scriptures as programmed, and Li Changshou finally moved. Such a ceremonial step as scattering the ashes still needed to be done personally to ensure peace of mind.