Chapter 518: Taking Someone With Me

Lu Sangjiu was a master of escape. At this moment, she was as slippery as an eel; Ji Li couldn’t catch her at all.

As Lu Sangjiu put more distance between herself and the Ascension Platform, she couldn’t help but think, ‘Whether Ji Li keeps chasing me or returns to guard the Ascension Platform, at least one of us—me or Xie Ningyuan—should be able to escape safely.’

However, just as this thought crossed her mind, a Spell suddenly blasted toward her from ahead, instantly blocking her escape route!

Alarmed, Lu Sangjiu could only dodge hastily.

This brief delay was all Ji Li needed to catch up. By the time Lu Sangjiu tried to flee again, she was already trapped between Ji Li and another person.

Ji Li’s face lit up with joy when he saw the newcomer. “Master, you’re finally here!”

‘Ji Li’s master, Dan Yang? Another Immortal King!’

In that instant, Lu Sangjiu’s heart sank. She felt that this time, there was truly no escape.

Dan Yang shot Ji Li a glance. “Useless. You can’t even handle a single cultivator at the Heavenly Immortal Stage.”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Ji Li’s face, but he admitted his fault readily. “I was useless. Thankfully, you arrived in time, Master. If we join forces, we can certainly kill them both right here!”

Ji Li glanced at the wary Lu Sangjiu, then over at Xie Ningyuan. The second bolt of the Heavenly Tribulation had yet to fall; clearly, there was still a long way to go. A smirk touched Ji Li’s lips. “Now, I have all the time in the world to play with you.”

Ji Li was filled with immense hatred for Lu Sangjiu. Now that he had the chance, how could he resist torturing and toying with her to death?

‘Killing her quickly would be letting her off far too easily!’

So, Ji Li spoke up, “Master, if you would please stand guard and prevent her from escaping. I’ll deal with her myself.”

Honestly, when Lu Sangjiu heard this, a sliver of hope ignited within her.

‘As long as they don’t team up to kill me immediately, I might still have a chance!’

Thus, despite knowing Ji Li’s sadistic intentions, she didn’t back down or give up. Her fighting spirit flared!

Unfortunately, fighting spirit couldn’t bridge the gap in their power. Despite her best efforts, Lu Sangjiu was wounded again and again as they clashed.

Before long, her body was covered in gruesome wounds of all sizes.

Ji Li was clearly satisfied with this outcome, his face a mask of smug triumph.

“Aren’t you strong? Aren’t you capable of fighting above your station? I’d like to see what tricks you can pull today!”

“If you’re holding out, hoping Xie Ningyuan will complete his Tribulation Crossing, then you can forget it. I will take your life long before the ninth bolt of the Heavenly Tribulation falls.”

Lu Sangjiu turned a deaf ear to Ji Li’s taunts, simply gritting her teeth and holding on.

By the time the seventh bolt of Xie Ningyuan’s Heavenly Tribulation fell, Lu Sangjiu’s injuries were severe, and Ji Li’s guard was completely down.

“Only two bolts left. I suppose it’s time to put you out of your misery.”

However, just as Ji Li was about to unleash a final, powerful move to end the fight, Lu Sangjiu suddenly released Duoduo!

Duoduo had benefited greatly from the Secret Realm in the Immortal World. During her time at the Qiyue Sect, she had already broken through to the Earth Immortal Stage.

With her cultivation at the Earth Immortal Stage, and by using a Secret Technique Lu Sangjiu had acquired, Duoduo’s combat power could be temporarily boosted to the Heavenly Immortal Stage.

Of course, if that were all, she would only be at an ordinary Heavenly Immortal Stage, still useless in a fight against an Immortal King.

But things became different after Lu Sangjiu consumed two Divine Artifacts.

Duoduo was connected to her by a contract. It seemed that through this contract and her Secret Technique, Lu Sangjiu’s sliver of Divinity could be temporarily transferred to Duoduo, allowing the Spirit Beast to share her ability to fight above her station!

This was Lu Sangjiu’s trump card. She had been saving Duoduo for a critical moment to snatch a surprise victory.

With Duoduo’s sudden appearance, Ji Li’s master, Dan Yang, was completely caught off guard and couldn’t react in time to help.

The instant Duoduo appeared, the Ice Seal Technique swept toward Ji Li. He dodged in surprise but failed to get clear completely.

The Ice Seal Technique caught his ankle, and in the next moment, the Spell crept up his leg, instantly freezing the entire limb solid.

Ji Li had tried to dodge, but in truth, he hadn’t taken the Ice Seal Technique seriously.

‘After all, he could tell Duoduo was at the Heavenly Immortal Level at most. Surely she couldn’t be as absurdly powerful as her master, also capable of fighting above her station, right?’

But as it turned out, she was.

Ji Li never imagined that a mere Spirit Beast brought up from the Lower Realm could possess such powerful ice abilities.

He tried to break free, only to find that he couldn’t escape its grip.

Seizing the opportunity, Lu Sangjiu unleashed the Demon Eye Fire at Ji Li!

The Demon Eye Fire was incredibly powerful. It ROARED toward Ji Li, threatening to swallow him whole just as it had those Immortal Stones.

Ji Li could feel the immense power of the Demon Eye Fire. His pupils constricted, and terror seized him in an instant.

By now, Lu Sangjiu was nearly exhausted. Facing two Immortal Kings, she couldn’t find an opening to use the Immortal Demon Attraction, a technique capable of killing an Immortal King. The Demon Eye Fire was her last resort.

‘Her plan was simple, leaving no room for her own escape. Even if she died, she had to drag Ji Li down with her.’

‘As for whether his master Dan Yang would kill her afterward… she didn’t care.’

The Demon Eye Fire did indeed swallow Ji Li. But unfortunately… he was an Immortal King. He didn’t die.

The instant he was engulfed, he protected himself with a Defensive Immortal Artifact. He survived the Demon Eye Fire, but at the cost of his Immortal Artifact being half-destroyed.

The moment Dan Yang reacted, he struck out at Lu Sangjiu with one palm before rushing toward Ji Li and striking the Demon Eye Fire with another.

The flame was partially scattered by the blow. With a WHOOSH, it shot back into Lu Sangjiu’s body, utterly depleted.

Meanwhile, Duoduo reacted instantly to Dan Yang’s attack, throwing up an Ice Wall. But it wasn’t enough to block the full force of the blow. The remaining power slammed into Lu Sangjiu, sending her flying into the ground and gouging out a large crater.

Duoduo was unharmed. She cried out and rushed to Lu Sangjiu, her face etched with worry.

Lu Sangjiu wasn’t dead. She coughed up a mouthful of blood and tightly hugged Duoduo as she rushed over.

She said apologetically, “Good girl, I’m afraid I’ve dragged you into this, and we’ll both die here today.”

Duoduo seemed to sense her sorrow. This little Spirit Beast, once so terrified of death, now hugged Lu Sangjiu back tightly with her short arms.

‘Suddenly,’ she thought, ‘death didn’t seem so scary anymore.’

Although Lu Sangjiu believed they wouldn’t spare Duoduo after killing her, she recalled the Spirit Beast to her Spirit Beast Bag anyway.

‘Every extra moment of life is a victory,’ she thought. ‘What if Duoduo can last until Xie Ningyuan’s Heavenly Tribulation is over?’