Such a lifelike and enormous statue made all of Xiaoxiao’s hair stand on end.

She silently observed for a while before being shooed away by the guards.

Xiaoxiao said nothing more and continued forward on horseback. But after riding for a while longer, the surrounding scenery remained the same.

Demon City, which should have been reached shortly, was completely nowhere to be seen. Ahead lay nothing but thick fog.

Xiaoxiao had encountered this situation before—this was being trapped by ghost walls. She seemed to be confined by some kind of formation set by someone.

Just then, a clear voice spoke to her: “You’re in such a hurry to travel. Why don’t you join me for a cup of tea?”

This voice was very familiar. Xiaoxiao turned to look, and as the fog dispersed, she saw a grove of magnolia trees. The jade-like young master Qin Lingxiao was brewing and drinking tea at a tea table beneath the trees.

Xiaoxiao knew that the current Qin Lingxiao had been possessed by Dong Yuan, but this scene was the same as when she first encountered Dong Yuan.

Xiaoxiao warily held two talismans in her hands. Without dismounting, she coldly sneered: “What? Are you going to make me smell the fragrance of Paramita flowers again?”

Dong Yuan smiled warmly: “Just flower appreciation. These magnolia trees were Weifeng’s favorite in her previous life, and I cultivated them carefully in the divine realm. Moving their forms and fragrances to the mortal world wasn’t easy. Why must we discuss those scenery-spoiling old matters? Why not just sit down and drink a cup of tea?”

Xiaoxiao still refused to dismount: “Tea isn’t necessary. I need to travel, so please let me pass, Your Lordship.”

Dong Yuan smiled and waved his hand. Xiaoxiao’s horse immediately swayed and collapsed, looking as if it had gotten completely drunk.

Xiaoxiao nearly got crushed by the horse but managed to flip and jump down just in time.

But just as she jumped down, Dong Yuan was already standing beside her, very, very close, handing her a cup of tea: “Although the mortal world is boring, the earthy tea leaves are more robust than the clear ones in the Heavenly Court. Try the tea leaves I picked and see if they’re fragrant enough.”

Xiaoxiao now had blood decline syndrome, and her cultivation and spiritual power had decreased considerably. When confronting Dong Yuan now, this sense of inadequacy felt even more obvious.

She didn’t even know when Dong Yuan had moved to her side. If they came to blows, she alone would be no match for Dong Yuan…

She casually looked left and right: “Where are your lackeys? Just you alone?”

Dong Yuan smiled and said, “It’s rare for us to be alone together. How could I arrange for scenery-spoiling vulgar people to be nearby?”

Hearing such flirtatious elegance, Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but sneer mockingly again. Dong Yuan looked at her slightly pale lips and seemed to understand what she was experiencing.

While sipping the tea in his hand, he asked casually: “You should also know the drawbacks of being a demon clan saint by now, right? Although your bloodline awakened and your magical power is strong enough, you’re nothing more than nourishment to sustain the demon clan. But it doesn’t matter—as long as you’re willing, I’ll help you avoid dying from blood loss syndrome.”

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao looked up: “You have such a bodhisattva’s heart? I just wonder what price I’d need to pay for Your Lordship’s assistance?”

Dong Yuan looked at her slightly raised phoenix eyes and that seemingly docile but challenging gaze. No matter how he looked, he felt she was Weifeng.

He slowly drank the tea in his mouth, letting the bitter-sweet taste flow over his tongue, and said with a light laugh: “How can it be called a price? It’s just abandoning darkness for light. I’ll not only help you escape blood decline syndrome but even help you become an immortal and enjoy eternal bliss. However, you must leave Wei Jie and stay by my side.”

Such bold and direct words contained the most despicable implications, which Xiaoxiao naturally understood.

But her delicate eyebrows didn’t move, and she continued smiling as she probed: “Oh, what miraculous plan do you have? Let me hear it first.”

Dong Yuan smiled slightly: “Divine status can supplement fortune. Your blood decline syndrome can likewise be supplemented. You just need to find someone with abundant spiritual power and exchange bloodlines with you, then you can recover completely. If you don’t believe it, look at Lord Can—he’s a decrepit old man, but do you see any signs of decline in him?”

Xiaoxiao nodded in understanding, then tilted her head and asked: “You say I should stay by your side—does that mean you’re willing to exchange your bloodline with me to ensure my longevity?”

Dong Yuan’s smile didn’t diminish: “Finding someone with an abundant bloodline is easy. I can help you think of a way.”

Xiaoxiao laughed: “What way? Like when your divine status wasn’t enough, so you secretly deceived the Great Qi royal family’s fortune behind Heaven’s back? I’m truly puzzled—aren’t immortals supposed to preserve goodness in the world? How is it that when it comes to you, you’re so base that even street swindlers and rogues are better than you?”

Dong Yuan’s smile gradually faded as he said lightly: “Back then, the Great Qi Emperor voluntarily offered his fortune to demonstrate his devotion—no one coerced him. And whom have I ever harmed? Which of them wasn’t driven by greedy desires and brought it upon themselves? I’ve lived much longer than you and can see human baseness more clearly! Having become a god, I despise human inadequacies even more! As for the demon clan, they’re not tolerated by the Heavenly Court. Even if I killed them all, it would be acting on Heaven’s behalf, following the great vehicle path!”

Xiaoxiao was nearly laughing from anger. When Dong Yuan had set traps to deceive the foolish Great Qi Emperor, he had specifically chosen a place that blocked heavenly hearing, evading Heaven’s punishment.

Moreover, that foolish emperor was now dead—truly a case with no witnesses left alive.

As for the other bad deeds he’d done, each had a shield, or he used Lord Can, that running dog, to kill with borrowed knives.

This scoundrel was truly watertight when doing evil! Yet he relied on his status as the Heavenly Emperor’s son to become increasingly lawless.

Seeing Xiaoxiao’s sarcastic laughter, Dong Yuan also knew her thoughts: “You needn’t think me hypocritical and base. When the time comes, I’ll find some deeply sinful people to extend your life—this way, they’ll also accumulate merit. How about it? Besides me, this god, no one can save you like this. If you persist in your delusion, you’re destined for a dead end.”

Xiaoxiao said lightly, “Are you finished? Then can I leave now? After all, I’m a dying person—I’m not worth dirtying the divine hands of someone as pure and noble as you, this god.”

Seeing that Xiaoxiao still wouldn’t stay by his side, Dong Yuan stopped smiling entirely. He said slowly and flatly, “Weifeng, your eyes have been blinded by barriers in the red dust, and you’ve lost yourself. I can’t let you continue making mistakes.”

After saying this, he waved his large palm and pointed toward Xiaoxiao.

This time, he absolutely wouldn’t let Xiaoxiao return to that scoundrel Wei Jie’s side—he was determined to take her away.

Xiaoxiao was fully alert at this moment. When Dong Yuan’s expression slightly changed, she had already silently recited incantations, summoning water flow to separate herself from Dong Yuan.

After raising her water shield, she said coldly, “I’m not Weifeng, and I don’t need you to save me!”

Dong Yuan looked down on such minor tricks from the Talismonger Sect, speaking in a tone used to coax children: “You’re now lacking in qi and blood and can’t exert spiritual power at all. Do you think your resistance is useful? Be obedient—I’ll treat you well…”

After saying this, he struck the water shield with his palm, and it immediately turned into a puddle of water on the ground.

Xiaoxiao’s tricks were nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot—in Dong Yuan’s eyes, they were all child’s play.

Xiaoxiao had no other options for the moment and could only retreat repeatedly, pale-faced, shaking her head: “Don’t come closer! I forbid you to approach me!”

When Dong Yuan took another step forward, Xiaoxiao was at her wits’ end and could only grit her teeth and try to raise another water shield.

Unfortunately, Dong Yuan had lost patience. He impatiently waved his palm to brush aside the water shield and prepared to pull Xiaoxiao into his embrace.

But just as he brushed aside this water shield, his expression suddenly changed. As if scalded, he retreated repeatedly. That water shield had suddenly sprouted sharp spikes, and his palm had been cut by the spikes.

This ordinarily wouldn’t have mattered, but in the instant Dong Yuan struck the water, he caught a whiff of an indescribable fishy snake smell.

He looked down at his suddenly blackened palm, his expression gloomy, and said coldly: “What ghostly trick did you pull?”

Xiaoxiao no longer showed her previous panicked appearance and smiled: “Wei Jie needs to experience seven bitter tribulations in the mortal world before he can return to his immortal status. You, this pampered divine son, can run around between heaven and earth—where’s the fairness in that? So I’m letting you taste the first tribulation Wei Jie endured. Let’s see if you, this immortal, can withstand the Po Hun Snake’s toxicity?”

The Po Hun Snake’s venom was the greeting gift Wei Jie had given Xiaoxiao when they first met. That snake’s poison had originally filled an entire water pouch.

Although Xiaoxiao had used some afterward, there was still some left. Just now, she had first shown weakness, luring Dong Yuan to shatter the water shield, but the second time, Xiaoxiao had added highly toxic ingredients to the water shield!

Cunning as Dong Yuan was, he had also fallen for Cui Xiaoxiao’s trick this time.

Dong Yuan was almost amused by the devious girl before him: “You think mere snake poison can subdue me?”

Xiaoxiao smiled as she held the talisman in her hand: “The feeling is mutual. Didn’t you also think that because I have blood decline syndrome and can’t mobilize true qi, you could treat me like a plaything and manipulate me at will?”

Saying this, Xiaoxiao flicked the fire talisman in her hand. Immediately, both her hands burst into roaring flames, and her body was surrounded by true fire.

At this moment, Xiaoxiao’s aura was fully unleashed, surrounded by fireballs, as she said coldly: “My master is a mediocre talent in cultivation, which is why he founded the Talismonger Sect. The Talismonger path was originally established for insufficient mediocrities—it doesn’t require super-strong spiritual power support. I may have lost spiritual power due to blood decline, but if you want to manipulate me, why don’t you compete with me in magic and see if my Talismonger path can exchange three to five rounds with you, this true god?”

After saying this, fireballs had already transformed into fire arrows under Xiaoxiao’s control, striking fiercely.

The current Xiaoxiao was no longer the outsider who had just mastered the Talismonger Sect. Since crossing back two hundred years, she had experienced several adventures and fought with the Ghost Sect. Her understanding of the talisman path even far exceeded her master, Tang Youshu.

She could now control water and fire, freely changing their shapes. This supreme realm of talismans meant becoming one with the elements of natural dao.

When those fire arrows sped toward Dong Yuan, they still emitted the fishy smell of Po Hun Snake poison.

Dong Yuan knew that if he struck these fire arrows, sparks would scatter everywhere. These were all poisonous fires—once contaminated, it would be terrible!

But when he flew to dodge, he unconsciously used true qi. The snake poison he’d been hit with earlier rapidly spread throughout his body, causing such pain that his handsome face contorted. He staggered and fell beside a magnolia tree.

This snake poison that could once make Wei Jie fall into demonic cultivation was no ordinary mortal snake poison. Although Dong Yuan was a true god, the body he currently occupied was Qin Lingxiao’s mortal flesh.

So the pain that mortals couldn’t endure was faithfully transmitted to Dong Yuan, hurting him so much that he couldn’t help rolling on the ground, no longer showing his lofty banished immortal appearance.

Dong Yuan was in such pain that he couldn’t help but have his primordial spirit leave his body. But at this time, there was no divine light from the Heavenly Mother to guide him back, and he couldn’t return to the Heavenly Court himself. He could only quickly assess the situation and attach himself to the horse Xiaoxiao had been riding.

Before he could adapt to the horse’s body, Xiaoxiao slapped a soul-controlling talisman on the horse’s long forehead.

Thus, the primordial spirit of the true god Dong Yuan was locked in the body of the horse Xiaoxiao had bought for thirty taels of silver.

Having just gotten onto the horse, Dong Yuan could only remain rigidly motionless.

At this time, Qin Lingxiao, whose original soul had returned to its place, was still rolling on the ground in pain.

His body had been occupied by Dong Yuan’s primordial spirit all along. Now that he had finally regained control, he felt bone-deep, marrow-penetrating pain.

Xiaoxiao had no antidote and could only throw him a heart-clearing pill given to her by the Wei family grandmother: “Take this pill and circulate your energy—it should temporarily suppress the toxicity.”

Qin Lingxiao was in such pain that his facial features had shifted. Gritting his teeth, he asked: “How… how could you treat me like this?”

Xiaoxiao innocently shrugged: “It was Dong Yuan who touched my poison shield with your palm. If you want to vent your anger, he’s in the horse’s body—I can lend you a whip to beat him. Besides, haven’t you always been dissatisfied with Wei Jie, wanting to compete with him? Now the opportunity for his snake poison demonization has fallen on you—you should make good use of it! Maybe you can achieve higher accomplishments than he!”

What kind of human words were these? But compared to Cui Xiaoxiao, Qin Lingxiao hated Dong Yuan more. So, although entangled by snake poison, after taking the heart-clearing pill and slightly resisting the heart demons, he manifested a qi sword and charged toward that horse.

But just as he was about to act, several Ghost Sect disciples suddenly leaped out, blocking Qin Lingxiao, while Lord Can emerged from the mist behind the magnolia grove.

Seeing another change, Qin Lingxiao’s true qi went awry, causing him such pain that his whole body convulsed. He immediately sat cross-legged without caring about anything else, circulating energy to force out the poison.

“Sect Leader Cui, we meet again.” Lord Can said with a smile.

Xiaoxiao hadn’t expected Lord Can to rush out at this critical moment, but thinking about it briefly, perhaps he had arrived early and had just been hiding, waiting to profit as the fisherman.

Thinking of the secret letter he had given her, Xiaoxiao took a step back and said frankly: “I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”

But Lord Can waved his hand, having several Ghost Sect disciples block Xiaoxiao’s path: “Sect Leader Cui is too hasty. If I can ascend to immortality today, that would be best, but if not, I might still need to use Sect Leader Cui to negotiate conditions with Wei Jie.”

Cui Xiaoxiao glanced at the several Ghost Sect disciples he had brought—each one reeking with a strong stench, they should all be Ghost Sect masters with all five poisons like Wan Lian Shi.

If she had to fight talismans against so many people simultaneously, she would be at a disadvantage.

Thinking this, Cui Xiaoxiao smiled and called out: “Very well, then I’ll respectfully comply and quietly watch how Lord Can achieves his long-cherished wish.”

At this time, Lord Can’s gaze was no longer looking toward Cui Xiaoxiao but was looking with slight pathology toward the motionless horse.

Inside this horse’s body was the immortal primordial spirit he had long coveted! As long as he could successfully kill the immortal, he could successfully occupy Dong Yuan’s divine status, thus escaping mortal flesh and becoming an eternally undying god!

Thinking this, he paced to the front of Qin Lingxiao, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, fighting the snake poison.

At this moment, he was at a life-or-death juncture and couldn’t move at all.

Lord Can took out a small black sword from Qin Lingxiao’s bosom. This sword was covered with witchcraft curse patterns, and when the scabbard was drawn, the small sword grew with the wind.

This sword belonged to Dong Yuan, which was why it was on Qin Lingxiao’s person. This sword was the god-killing sword of the ancient great god Zhulong.

Only the Lord Can knew that in the original trajectory, Qin Lingxiao had used the god-killing sword he had been given to kill Wei Jie.

Now he would use this sword to kill Dong Yuan, then absorb his divine status and claim it as his own!

Ancestors of Great Qi above, the evil god who dared deceive my Xia family royal household will finally be killed by my own hands today!

Thinking this, Lord Can unhesitatingly raised the god-killing sword and chopped toward the horse’s head.

The moment the horse’s head was severed, a divine light shot up to the sky but was intercepted by a blood net that Ghost Sect disciples had prepared early on the side.

When that divine light had nowhere to escape, it could only contract within the net, watching Lord Can approach step by step with a pathological smile, putting on specially made blood gloves, firmly grasping that light orb in his hand, then swallowing it in one gulp.

After swallowing it, he impatiently waited for his body’s transformation—he would become Dong Yuan’s appearance, perfectly replacing his immortal position. Of course, everyone present would also not be allowed to remain…

He waited and waited, but his body showed no change. Lord Can couldn’t quite believe it, suspecting he had done something wrong in one of the steps.

Just then, the sun had risen high, casting down myriad rays of light.

The golden statue in the nearby temple was also bathed in sunlight. That statue’s pair of deep eyes seemed to have mirrors embedded in them, actually able to reflect sunlight, projecting it right toward this magnolia grove.

When Lord Can’s body was bathed in sunlight, his own hands suddenly grasped his neck uncontrollably, then squeezed hard with force.

Lord Can couldn’t breathe, his face turned the color of pig liver, and his eyeballs slightly protruded.

But even like this, his face still carried a trace of a smile as he said grimly: “A mortal occupying divine status to become immortal? You’re just as stupid as your ancestors, inheriting greed in an unbroken line. Accepting my assistance to survive, yet still plotting and betraying the god who showed you grace behind his back? This is humanity! Base goods not worthy of divine pity!”

As he spoke, those around heard a snapping sound. Lord Can’s neck had been broken by his own hands, and he collapsed to the ground.

Cui Xiaoxiao, watching this play of the mantis stalking the cicada while the oriole waits behind, couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.

She suddenly thought of how Lord Can had unshakably believed the description in those incomplete pages about how he could replace Wei Jie’s fate and become a god.

But in her previous life master’s description, this Lord Can had just mysteriously disappeared, and then people from the Xia royal family privately spread rumors that this imperial uncle had become a god.

But his ascension to heaven as a god—no one had personally witnessed it.

Now, hearing Lord Can’s words just now, she could even be certain that those incomplete pages had Dong Yuan’s handiwork in them.

This inherently treacherous deity had merely used a perfectly embellished myth to deceive Lord Can into serving him with complete devotion, becoming a mortal running dog to persecute his nemesis, Wei Jie!

Unfortunately, Lord Can had believed without doubt and had turned his attention to Dong Yuan, not realizing that Dong Yuan had already thought everything through thoroughly, even carefully selecting this meeting place with Xiaoxiao.

Just then, that golden light had quickly returned to the temple. Xiaoxiao’s scalp tingled as she shouted that this was bad!

Then, ignoring those Ghost Sect disciples, she grabbed Qin Lingxiao and ran for their lives.

Those Ghost Sect disciples were also stunned by the changes before them and didn’t know what to do for a moment.

Just as Xiaoxiao barely escaped the magnolia grove, a golden giant foot descended from the sky and trampled the people in the magnolia grove into mush.

Qin Lingxiao turned back to see the golden statue from the temple pursuing them as if it had come alive, then pushed Xiaoxiao forward: “You run quickly. Go to Demon City and you’ll be safe. I’ll cover your retreat!”

Such a reaction from Qin Lingxiao truly surprised Xiaoxiao greatly.

Qin Lingxiao had always been outwardly strong but inwardly weak, fleeing first when encountering trouble. How could he be so volunteering this time?

Qin Lingxiao endured his body’s severe pain and smiled bitterly: “When possessed by Dong Yuan, my consciousness also had a trace of clarity—I understand all the grudges from the previous life. It turns out I was just a chess piece used by that treacherous king and this deity… I know my abilities—I can’t withstand this snake poison at all. Either way, it’s just death, but before dying, I should at least make you think well of me once!”

Having known this former first sect leader of the Sword Sect for so long, Xiaoxiao finally saw in him what a great sect leader should look like. But since he was being so honorable in saying this, how could Xiaoxiao use him as a rear guard for her escape?

Among people of the martial world, gratitude is gratitude and grudges are grudges—each should be considered separately!

Thinking this, she took out displacement talismans and gave Qin Lingxiao two: “Stick these on your feet. This is a new talisman I made—it’s never worked well in previous trials, so we can only fight desperately this time.”

After sticking them on, Xiaoxiao held her breath and concentrated, closing her eyes to recite incantations.

The thunderous footsteps behind them grew closer and closer, but the two people with talismans attached remained motionless.

Qin Lingxiao became anxious and could only grit his teeth to force out a qi sword, preparing to fight that tall statue behind them.

But just as that golden giant foot descended over their heads again, two light shadows flashed past, and both people had completely disappeared.

This displacement talisman wasn’t used skillfully enough.

According to Xiaoxiao’s original plan, she wanted to move herself and Qin Lingxiao to Demon City. But when they finally appeared, they crashed into Demon City’s earthen wall with two loud bangs, then fell to the ground with a thud.

Qin Lingxiao, now entangled by snake poison and badly shaken by the crash, felt as if his whole body had fallen apart. Lying on the ground, he said to Xiaoxiao: “Xiaoxiao, please do me a favor and finish me with one sword stroke. I… can’t endure it anymore!”

Xiaoxiao saw dust rolling in the distance, as if that golden statue was moving toward them again. She could only grit her teeth and drag up Qin Lingxiao, pulling him into the city like dragging a dead dog.

Just then, Demon City’s gates opened wide, and Lady Fu led demon clan warriors out from inside to welcome the saint.

Xiaoxiao couldn’t spare time for many words at this moment and grabbed Lady Fu’s hand, asking: “Where is Wei Jie?”

Lady Fu pointed upward with her hand. They saw a long-haired man dressed in silver armor, like a divine lord, standing on the highest wall of Demon City, holding the Heaven’s Punishment sword. He seemed ready for battle, his face full of murderous intent as he looked at the dust speeding toward them in the distance.