Playing Right into His Hands

The two Nascent Soul cultivators were the first to clash. From their very first exchange, neither showed the slightest mercy, each bent on driving the other to death. Having traded blows numerous times, they knew each other well. Their cultivation bases were comparable, and neither possessed any divine ability capable of a decisive kill. In a one-on-one duel, defeating the other in short order was next to impossible. Barring unexpected developments, fighting on like this would merely replicate the outcome of their previous encounters: trading minor victories and defeats, neither gaining an advantage, before sullenly withdrawing after a drawn-out struggle. Even so, the clash between two Nascent Soul experts was far from purposeless. In their respective camps, they were the bedrock of confidence for all the lower-realm cultivators. On the battlefield, they were the very center of attention, watched by thousands of eyes. Every move they made—every technique exchanged—swayed the morale of their forces and could even alter the course of the battle. Thus, even knowing they could not kill the other, neither held back. With a flick of Old Demon Tan's arm, the fire cord wrapped around it uncoiled. With a whoosh, it slipped free. Old Demon Tan gripped one end, while the other did not drop to the ground; instead, like a fiery serpent, it reared high, its tip pointing straight at Si Di. It coiled and darted with startling agility. Only now could the true form of this magic treasure be seen. The fire cord was over ten feet long yet exceedingly thin. Though composed of interlocking clasps linked one after another, it looked more like a single strand of thread. Flames raged across its surface, radiating scorching heat. Aimed at Si Di, the fire cord snapped forward with immense force. Flames surged out, and with a hiss, a colossal fireball tore away from the cord, hurtling toward his opponent with overwhelming momentum. Though the fireball appeared somewhat ethereal, its destructive power was undeniable. Drifting snowflakes vaporized instantly, the bitter winds could not penetrate the heat, and the empty sky was dyed a blazing crimson. Refusing to be outdone, Si Di formed a hand seal. The Yuejin Mirror abruptly hovered before him, spinning rapidly. Only now was it clear that the golden nodules on the Yuejin Mirror were no mere ornaments. Beams of golden light shot out from each nodule like the sword rays of a sword cultivator, razor-sharp. Covering the sky and piercing every corner, they drove straight into the fireball. As flames raged, golden blossoms bloomed inside, swiftly transforming into arm-thick golden pythons. Ferocious and menacing, they devoured the tongues of flame in massive gulps. Bang! Spent of its force, the fireball detonated and scattered, and the golden blossoms and pythons perished alongside it. At a glance, the exchange appeared evenly matched. Si Di sneered disdainfully, "Tan, looks like you haven't made the slightest progress all this time!" "Right back at you!" Old Demon Tan chuckled coldly. "Let this old man see just how capable you really are!" Before his words even finished fading, Old Demon Tan tossed the fire cord forward. Crossing his hands before his chest, he sent a dazzling flurry of hand seals into the cord. The fire cord twisted and instantly formed into the shape of a lotus. The flames upon it flared even more intensely; the entire magic treasure resembled a fire lotus blooming in the void. The fire lotus drifted toward Si Di, seemingly slow yet deceptively swift. At the same time, its color deepened from fiery red to crimson, and a faint blue tint emerged at the heart of the flame. The temperature and aura surged violently, instilling instinctual dread. Si Di's expression turned solemn. Without a second thought, he tossed the Yuejin Mirror high into the air. The Yuejin Mirror flipped abruptly, its surface aligning with the fire lotus. With a resonant hum, a pillar of white light shot from the center of the mirror, even faster than the fire lotus. The white light was chillingly stark, possessing a tangible solidity like metal. Every tongue of flame radiating from the lotus was swept clean wherever the beam passed, and then the pillar plunged straight into the core of the fire lotus. No shattering occurred. Instead, the white light coalesced into a white ring, locking the fire lotus firmly inside and sealing away the blazing power alongside it. Be it a magic treasure or a Daoist art, anything struck by it risked being pinned down by the Yuejin Mirror. Had his opponent been weaker or caught off guard, Si Di might have seized the treasure outright. Crack, crack... As the ring tightened, the compressed fire lotus began to deform. Yet Old Demon Tan knew Si Di and the Yuejin Mirror inside and out. Unhurriedly, he tapped forward with a finger. The lotus's power contracted for a fleeting moment, only to erupt violently! Boom! The fire lotus burst, its frenzied flame force shattering the white ring in an instant. The shockwaves morphed into countless fire pythons surging in all directions. Amidst the chaos, the fire cord lashed upward, whipping fiercely toward Si Di. Exceedingly thin and concealed within the swirling flames, the cord struck with insidious venom. Si Di's face paled slightly, but as if anticipating this, he beckoned toward the Yuejin Mirror without hesitation. The mirror flew back, intercepting the cord's path, while golden light swirled across its nodules to form a golden film. Crack! The instant the golden film solidified, the fire cord struck. The Yuejin Mirror trembled, rippling with light. Both magic treasures rebounded back to their masters' hands, and neither cultivator was harmed. Others, however, were not so fortunate. Though the cultivators around them did their best to keep clear of a Nascent Soul battle, evading it on such a crowded battlefield in short order was nearly impossible. A considerable number were caught in the crossfire, their lives consumed by the stray force. Si Di glanced down, waving a hand to dispel the shockwaves rolling toward his own camp. Sweeping his gaze around, his figure flashed repeatedly as he flew toward the outer edge of the battlefield. Seeing Si Di's movement, Old Demon Tan understood he wanted to take the fight elsewhere to avoid pointless casualties; their clashes invariably caught both camps in the fallout. Yet an odd glint flickered in Old Demon Tan's eyes. The direction Si Di had chosen was precisely where Chanling was lying in wait! Their original plan had been to wear Si Di down for a bit, and once Old Demon Pei stabilized the lines with the Nether Crystal Pagodas, Tan would lure Si Di toward Chanling to coordinate a lethal ambush. Unexpectedly, Si Di was rushing straight into the trap on his own. "There is no door to hell, yet you throw yourself right in! Since you're courting your own death, don't blame this old man!" Old Demon Tan sneered inwardly. Si Di's move was playing right into his hands. Without the slightest hesitation, he sent a secret signal and gave chase. Elsewhere on the field. Qin Sang and Jinglin, who had long been waiting in hiding, saw this and knew their moment had arrived. Circling around to the rear, they stealthily approached the Nether Crystal Pagodas. "Get back here!" Old Demon Tan put on a show of relentless pursuit, lashing out furiously with his fire cord. At the same time, he summoned another magic treasure: a blue triangular banner. Not very large, its fabric was woven from cloud brocade, seeming to ripple with clear waves. The next moment, the triangular banner soared high. Streams of water cascaded from the banner, transforming the surrounding void into a vast body of water in an instant. One water, one fire—forces that should have opposed each other achieved a strange harmony where water and fire complemented one another! Colossal fiery pythons rampaged across the mist-shrouded waters. Layers of massive waves, each fiercer than the last, empowered the fire cord, sending its momentum skyrocketing with monstrous fury. Turning back to face the terrifying onslaught pressing close behind, Si Di flew backward. Composed and steady, his lips moved as he silently chanted an incantation. Clang! The Yuejin Mirror suddenly vaulted upward and anchored itself high in the sky, blazing with light like a radiant golden sun. Its golden light was as sharp as swords, stinging the naked eye so fiercely that none could look upon it directly. Both the fire cord and the triangular banner were enveloped beneath the brilliant golden rays!