Chapter 307: Ultimate Trump Card… One

Upon hearing the warning from the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, Li Changshou's mind tensed, and his immortal sense caught a faint disturbance appearing in the cosmos.

Above the sea, an unseen force, like a blade, was rapidly closing in on the four of them!

"Watch out!"

Li Changshou shouted loudly. The four figures on the cloud darted forward, with the three Heavenly Generals simultaneously casting Wind Escape Arts. Their figures transformed into three wisps of green smoke and vanished.

Li Changshou, however, turned around and actively moved to meet the direction of Golden Cicada's surprise attack. He had barely put away his whisk when a thin blade, shimmering with golden light, eerily appeared before him, drawing a fine golden line and slashing towards his neck!

Before the blade, layers of ripples appeared in the cosmos, like undulating water, surprisingly possessing a sense of ethereal beauty.

Ripples of Slaughter.

Times had changed. How could Li Changshou sit idly by and await his fate?

At some point, a sky-blue spiritual pearl appeared in his left hand. The pearl flickered slightly, and Li Changshou's figure astonishingly transformed into a mass of seawater! The thin golden blade passed through the water without any obstruction, effortlessly...

After the blade had passed, the two streams of water merged again, reforming into the white-robed immortal elder, completely unharmed.

Li Changshou looked up towards the distance, with a faint smile in his eyes. The spiritual pearl in his hand was precisely one of the Five Elements Spiritual Pearls gifted by Daoist Duobao.

At this moment, the three Heavenly Generals had already disappeared.

A hundred *li* away, on the sea surface, Golden Cicada stood with his hands behind his back, his lips curling, his voice tinged with sarcasm: "If you wanted to find this humble Daoist, why go to Spirit Mountain? What, is the Sea God willing to talk with this humble Daoist this time?"

Li Changshou's right hand now held a spiritual treasure longsword, his left hand clutching the Water Spiritual Pearl. He said calmly: "Golden Cicada, this humble Daoist came to find you today to settle the score for the disrespect you showed me previously. Since you attacked me last time, don't blame me for being ruthless today!"

Golden Cicada's narrow eyes were full of mirth. He said leisurely: "Sea God, you came with those three Heavenly Generals. Do you perhaps think this humble Daoist is foolish? Unable to guess that those three Heavenly Generals are also your avatars and are currently heading to set up an ambush ahead? Tsk, originally, this humble Daoist thought that you, Sea God, were resourceful and deep-scheming, and could be considered a kindred spirit. Unexpectedly, today you exposed your weak cultivation and ignorance of wondrous techniques. You are merely somewhat cunning, that's all."

Li Changshou: "You talk too much."

Golden Cicada's words halted. The flames in his eyes intensified, and killing intent surged.

Li Changshou quietly took a breath. The immortal power around him began to surge rapidly. The sea beneath his feet gushed forth dense water spiritual energy, pouring into the pearl in Li Changshou's left hand. It seemed he was ready for a direct confrontation!

At this moment, on the coast thirty thousand *li* to the east, the three Heavenly Generals had just arrived and were only now beginning to rapidly set up a grand formation. It was exactly as Golden Cicada had said.

The sarcasm in Golden Cicada's eyes intensified. Six thin golden wings slowly appeared behind him, his figure enveloped in a faint golden light, possessing an indescribable sense of divinity.

Li Changshou's heart remained unperturbed, and he even felt a little like laughing.

Golden Cicada slowly raised his right hand, his thin wings spread open. Hundreds of light spots appeared on them, and within these light spots, thin blades slowly solidified...

"Sea God, these four avatars of yours, this humble Daoist will accept them today!"

Before the final syllable had landed, Golden Cicada's right hand weakly waved forward. The light wings unfurled, and hundreds of thin blades tore through the cosmos, accompanied by a piercing shriek, slashing towards Li Changshou's figure!

Li Changshou, at this moment, raised his immortal power to a critical point. Facing the sky full of golden light and looking at the thin blades eerily appearing before him, his mouth twitched slightly.

The Five Elements revolved, merging into one! Water flows eternally, ceaselessly creating! Water...

In that instant, the spiritual consciousness of the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda transmitted to Li Changshou's primordial spirit, projecting a calm remark: "Don't worry, kid. Even if it's just an avatar, I'll still cover you..."

The Yellow Exquisite Pagoda's spiritual consciousness hadn't fully conveyed its message when a faint light was about to flash from a small cloth pouch in 'Li Changshou's' sleeve! But 'Li Changshou's' figure swayed slightly, and with a 'splat', it astonishingly transformed into a mass of clear water that instantly dispersed!

At this moment, of course, it was time to use Water Escape!

Hundreds of thin blades slashed wildly, creating crisscrossing grooves on the sea surface. The cosmos trembled, spiritual energy surged, and the weather instantly changed.

Meanwhile, Li Changshou's figure reappeared a thousand *li* away, leaving behind a burst of laughter, and turning to rush towards the grand formation the three Heavenly Generals were setting up!

Although he was escaping, he inexplicably exuded a heroic spirit, as if holding a saber to the sky and laughing.

"Golden Cicada, do you dare to pursue me!"

"Sea... God!"

Golden Cicada roared angrily through gritted teeth. The six golden cicada wings on his back trembled slightly, and his figure vanished from the sea surface, leaving behind only a few piercing wind whistles.

Golden Cicada's angry roar then echoed for ten thousand *li* around: "Do you truly think you can escape!"

Li Changshou raised an eyebrow. The immortal power of this paper effigy erupted, perfectly concealing the fluctuations within his sleeve, and his figure, merged with the seawater, suddenly accelerated! Golden Cicada's shouts actually faded into the distance! So fast?

Golden Cicada, who was rapidly pursuing from behind, also paused in surprise. His anger intensified. The six cicada wings on his back began to flap rhythmically. Each flap caused his figure to flash forward once, leaving behind a circle of vertically expanding ripples, like large smoke rings, in his wake.

But Golden Cicada was astonished to discover that while he could indeed catch up to the Sea God at this moment, it would only be after tens of thousands of *li*! This Sea God's escape technique... Could it be that because he's in the ocean, he's receiving the blessing of Heavenly Dao's power?

Golden Cicada actually guessed right this time... Half correct.

The immortal power fluctuations from Li Changshou's paper effigy were merely a cover at this time. The one truly performing the Water Escape was actually his main body, hidden within the paper effigy's sleeve.

This was the first time Li Changshou unleashed his immortal power with all his might, employing his most favored divine ability and spell— The Art of Water Escape!

Ten thousand *li* passed in but a moment. The normal scenery was almost distorted. Enhanced by the Water Element Spiritual Pearl; enveloped by the Sea God's divine power; and the grand Water Escape Art, which he had continuously researched and improved since transcending his Golden Immortal tribulation...

At this moment, it seemed there was a little figure within Li Changshou's heart shouting loudly: "As long as I escape fast enough, no divine ability can hit me!"

And the situation currently unfolding had already been anticipated by Li Changshou when he first devised this plan. The ambush location was a position he had meticulously calculated and fully accounted for the possibility that Golden Cicada had concealed some of his cultivation...

Everything was developing in the direction Li Changshou had deduced, except that in his heart, he was currently enduring a mental assault from a certain Pagoda Lord.

"Why are you running? Just fight him! That's all there is to it!"

"Kid, why are you so skilled at running away? With this strength, why can't you just fight him later?!"

"I am the Heaven-and-Earth Exquisite Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, impervious to all techniques, unbreakable except by ultimate killing treasures. Your running like this really makes me... quite embarrassed..."

Li Changshou could only respond with a smile and repeatedly apologize. He repeatedly requested that if no attack directly struck his main body, the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda should not reveal itself.

Fortunately, with his escape power fully unleashed at this moment, tens of thousands of *li* passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Changshou plunged into the grand formation set up by the three Heavenly General paper effigies and turned to face behind him. In the air, the rapidly shooting golden line stopped abruptly several hundred *zhang* away. Golden Cicada spread his thin golden wings, looked at Li Changshou with a smile, and was just about to utter a taunt.

Li Changshou smiled slightly, preempting him by half a beat, and declared loudly: "This humble Daoist is skilled in spatial displacement and possesses extreme speed. It might be troublesome for you all to try and keep me."

Golden Cicada's face instantly turned ashen. This was the exact phrase he had previously spoken to Li Changshou on the Dragon Clan immortal boat. Hearing it now, however, made him exceptionally uncomfortable.

"Unexpectedly, the Sea God also possesses such abilities," Golden Cicada said calmly. "You are indeed worthy of being a righteous god of the sea, having developed the Art of Water Escape to such a degree."

Li Changshou twirled his spiritual sword and said, "Golden Cicada, do you dare enter the formation?"

"Hahahaha! Why wouldn't this humble Daoist dare?" Golden Cicada let out two hearty laughs, but his feet remained unmoving. He extended his left hand forward, and a purple arrow appeared before him. Golden Cicada flicked the purple arrow with his finger. The arrow shot through the air, directly reaching the formation Li Changshou had set up, and shattering instantly!

Streaks of intertwined purple and red aura drilled into the grand formation. The spiritual energy circulation within the formation immediately became imbalanced, and a small portion of the formation bases used to set up the grand formation successively exploded!

The grand formation dissipated, revealing the three hidden Heavenly General paper effigies.

Li Changshou's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure. The three Heavenly General paper effigies, however, looked somewhat dull. Golden Cicada took in all these details and chuckled: "I can see that the formation you set up, Sea God, is quite ingenious. It's just a pity that your cultivation realm is still a bit lacking, and you don't understand the true profound mysteries of formations."

Li Changshou said calmly, "Since that's the case, this humble Daoist will take his leave today."

"Sea God, why not look around?" Golden Cicada said calmly. Li Changshou's gaze swept around, only to see six golden cicada wings appear in the east, south, and north directions!

The heavens and earth suddenly darkened. The six cicada wings vibrated rapidly, sending out ripples that instantly enveloped an area of a hundred *li*! The sea waves solidified, the wind ceased, and the clouds stopped. Everything seemed to have been put on pause.

This was a grand Cosmos Art, Golden Cicada's proud divine ability, its name unknown.

On the distant sea surface, Golden Cicada was at ease and even demonstrated some of the mysteries of this technique to Li Changshou. Golden Cicada revealed his true form at this moment, which was astonishingly a wingless golden cicada, and it had its back to Li Changshou. This golden cicada was not ugly; it even subtly conformed to a certain Dao rhythm, giving it a sense of beauty. And the six thin wings that appeared on his 'back' in his human form were actually six cicada legs!

Golden Cicada's true form merely flickered and returned to human shape. The triumphant look in his eyes grew even stronger. In the blink of an eye, the situation reversed. He had completely seized the initiative of this place.

Li Changshou sighed softly, a hint of unwillingness showing in his eyes.

Golden Cicada said no more. He gestured with both hands, grasping two short blades, one held in a standard grip, the other reversed. Behind Li Changshou, the three Heavenly General paper effigies quickly gathered around Li Changshou, their auras linking up. Golden Cicada's figure flashed, and he plunged straight down!

Li Changshou's mouth twitched slightly, as if resigned to his fate. The immortal power within the four paper effigies began to surge wildly... Did he intend to make his avatars self-destruct?

Golden Cicada snorted softly. His figure flickered continuously, and the six thin wings in the other three directions simultaneously vanished. In an instant, golden light flashed. Three heads flew into the air, and the figures of the three Heavenly Generals instantly deflated, falling to the ground as paper figures.

"Hahahaha!" Golden Cicada's figure appeared before Li Changshou, with a short blade pressed against Li Changshou's forehead. "Next time," Golden Cicada said calmly, "come see me in your true form, and I will naturally..."

Golden Cicada's words suddenly stopped. This wasn't because he noticed something unusual and was interrupted; it was purely because his lips couldn't move, and his body was suddenly frozen in place! How could this be...? Why had the cosmos suddenly lost its connection!

The heavens and earth darkened once more, but this time, it was an area of a thousand *li* that was put on pause. What Golden Cicada could not see—

A Water-Fire Taiji Diagram eerily appeared in the air. The water and fire energies between heaven and earth were continuously transformed into Yin and Yang qi, drawing upon the Great Dao and completely sealing off all ten directions of the cosmos!

Water-Fire Reversion Array!

Moreover, the illusory images of nine stone tablets appeared between heaven and earth. Chanting sounds arose, and intertwining black chains materialized out of thin air. These chains were imbued with Yin and Yang power, one end extending into the void, the other end wrapping around Golden Cicada's entire body, completely binding him before becoming invisible!

Nine Spirits Profound Qi Array!

This was a grand formation laid out by Grandmaster Xuandu, far beyond Golden Cicada's ability to recognize or break.

At this instant, Li Changshou did not utter a single word, did not waste a moment of time. His lips pressed tightly together, he flung out paper figures from his hand! These paper figures surprisingly did not transform into human form but instead directly pounced onto Golden Cicada!

Seventy-two paper figures, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, as if clothing Golden Cicada in a robe. Each paper figure possessed the power of a peak Heavenly Immortal, a half-step Golden Immortal, closely resembling the spirit-exploding paper figures Li Changshou had repeatedly tried and failed to create before he comprehended the 'Golden Core Immortal Power Balancing Technique.'

And for these seventy-two paper figures, Li Changshou truly spared no expense, practically using up a small portion of the spiritual trees' accumulated essence on Little Qiong Peak!

His ultimate trump card— Earth Fiend Spirit Explosion Array!

This was the strongest instant offensive Li Changshou could unleash at this moment! No sooner said than done, this scene unfolded in the blink of an eye. As Li Changshou's 'paper effigy' lightly tapped its toes and retreated rapidly, his hands conjured seventy-two streaks of light, injecting them into each of the paper effigies! Then, his spiritual consciousness forcibly attached itself to them, balancing the rhythm of immortal power surging within the seventy-two paper effigies, pushing them all to the brink of a spirit explosion!

Golden Cicada watched this scene with wide eyes, but only now reacted, attempting to break free from the grand array's shackles.

But it was too late.

One breath, two breaths...

The heavens and earth fell silent, and in this silence, seventy-two faintly shimmering lights appeared.

At this instant, Golden Cicada suddenly understood. Calculations, all calculations! The Sea God going to the Dragon Palace was to lure him out! First showing weakness to him, then suddenly displaying an escape technique, which sparked his desire to compete! This Sea God had even calculated precisely that he would rush forward to personally finish off this avatar of his...

Yes, the Sea God had secretly laid a powerful trapping array here beforehand, yet deliberately set up another layer of formation right in front of him, and let him break this outer layer, making him believe he was in control of the situation. In reality, the true trap was hidden beneath the trap! Deception and reality, interwoven!

Golden Cicada watched the Sea God's retreating back, and a sudden wave of fear swept through his heart. No, this wasn't the most terrifying part. This human, after only a few encounters, had already grasped his weakness!

'Sea God!' Golden Cicada was screaming in his heart, his eyes begging for mercy!

However, as Golden Cicada rapidly figured all this out in his mind, the seventy-two paper effigies wrapped around him had already completed their activation! Their originally peaceful and abundant immortal power suddenly veered into a violent extreme, and the layers of talismans inscribed on these seventy-two paper figures were also catalyzing and accelerating the immortal power's turbulence! The Heavenly Dao forbids it, thus it cannot endure!

These seventy-two paper figures! These seventy-two paper effigies carrying Li Changshou's immortal power! Seventy-two of them, each with a total immortal power comparable to an early-stage Golden Immortal, now like seventy-two newly cultivated Golden Immortals, yet they were paper effigies huddled together, ready to self-destruct!

Ignited simultaneously!

Li Changshou instantly recalled his dispersed spiritual consciousness. His main body felt as if it had been drained, controlling the paper effigy wearing the old immortal's skin to turn and escape into the earth!

Behind him, it was as if seventy-two solar stars had been ignited! As the furious spiritual energy began to surge, it tore layers of ripples into the cosmos. The heavens and earth trembled, and the grand formation vibrated!

Li Changshou had only escaped a hundred *zhang* when Golden Cicada's figure was already swallowed by the light. Golden Cicada was roaring silently, yet he was instantly torn to shreds by this formidable spiritual energy!

On the West Sea coastline, a colossal beam of light shot into the sky! This beam then split into dozens, then hundreds of beams, rapidly transforming into an immense ball of light, illuminating the daytime world with a blinding radiance...

Grand Spirit Explosion! Earth Fiend Grand Spirit Explosion!

The Grandmaster, who had been hidden high in the sky, frowned as he watched the scene below; he couldn't help but twitch his mouth, left speechless for a moment. This spirit explosion lasted for several breaths, with all its spiritual energy erupting in the shortest possible time.

Spiritual energy ran rampant within tens of thousands of *li*. A fierce gale blew away the seawater within a thousand *li*, exposing the shallow seabed, and countless marine creatures were tragically pulverized. The uninhabited island directly vanished, transforming into a hundred-*li* diameter deep pit. From this point, fissures spread across the land for thousands, even tens of thousands of *li*. The trembling of the earth continuously spread into the distance.

The West Sea was about to unleash a massive, reverse 'tsunami,' when a divine power descended, causing the seawater to rapidly flow back, minimizing casualties among marine life.

During these few breaths, only the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda, and uniquely, the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda within Li Changshou's body, saw Li Changshou's true form hiding in the shadows, head bowed, engraving something on bamboo slips...

...Immortal power conversion rate still has room for improvement;Seventy-two paper effigies are not the true limit. With the strengthening of his primordial spirit, it might be possible to increase the number to one hundred and eight;The direct activation conditions are too stringent; it must be assisted by a powerful formation, or used as a surprise attack.A second plan can be used: suspend the Earth Fiend Spirit Explosion Array on a paper effigy, and trigger it only when close to a powerful enemy...

Heaven-and-Earth Exquisite Yellow Exquisite Pagoda: ...

His pen did not stop. Li Changshou, splitting his attention, steered the paper effigy back from a thousand *li* away, rapidly heading towards Golden Cicada's location. There, was a ball of golden light...

Li Changshou raised an eyebrow, and felt a surge of admiration in his heart. As expected of a Primordial Fierce Beast, even that couldn't finish it off!

By this point, Li Changshou already understood that it was highly probable he couldn't kill Golden Cicada this time. Looking from afar, the golden light was a golden cicada larva, meaning it was in a state before it had grown wings. Li Changshou carefully perceived the profound Dao rhythm contained within this golden light.

Golden Cicada returning to its shell? This should be one of Golden Cicada's innate divine abilities, allowing his dying self to hide within its old exuviae, abandoning most of its cultivation and memories, and reverting to a state before metamorphosis. Such a divine ability, the Six-Winged Golden Cicada could only use once in its lifetime, as there was only one set of old exuviae whose sole purpose was to save its life once.

There was no calculation error here. This primordial fierce beast's ultimate hidden divine ability was naturally unknown. Previously, Li Changshou had calculated many possibilities for the 'cicada shedding its shell' technique, but he never expected the opponent would 'return to its shell' to save its life. This was a consequence of his limited knowledge.

Li Changshou still held a "give it a try" mentality. With a flick of his sleeve, paper effigies...

"Stop. This spirit has a karmic connection with our Western Sect."

A sighing voice came from the clouds. An obscure and mysterious Dao rhythm slowly unfolded between heaven and earth, layering itself around the golden cicada's exuviae.

Li Changshou suddenly shivered. All the paper effigies he had scattered were discarded, and this old immortal paper effigy was instantly consumed by flames, turning into ashes! As expected, he came!

High in the sky, white clouds dispersed, and streaks of light shimmered across the sky. An old Daoist, dressed in tattered Daoist robes, sat cross-legged on a cloud, his true face obscured by chaos, his somewhat sharp gaze sweeping downwards.

The Grandmaster smiled calmly, bowed to the figure on the cloud, and respectfully said: "Greetings, Sage Lord."

Then Li Changshou's telepathic whisper was heard: "Grandmaster, if you strike the finishing blow now, this Golden Cicada will surely die."

The Grandmaster's mouth twitched a few times, but he did not reply.

Instead, the Yellow Exquisite Pagoda murmured in Li Changshou's mind: "Only now do I understand that *you* are the most ruthless one in our Human Sect... Are you really only three hundred years old?"