Chapter 212: Boarding the Boat

“No wonder she didn’t dare meet my Five-Lightning Spell head-on. It turns out you planted a yin spirit on her!” Li Yanchu sneered coldly.

The Five-Lightnings Talisman had not only dispelled illusions, but also stirred the pure yang energy within him.

With the talismanic armor reinforcing it, lightning and fire aura surged around his body.

The fake Ding Rou’s smile instantly froze, but she quickly recovered with a smirk. “So what if you figured it out? Do you really think you can undo my methods?”

“Come out!” Li Yanchu shouted sharply, and he turned his hand and grabbed forward.

Divine Astral Hands! Crane Control Hand, Dragonbind Hand!

His blood and qi surged like a blazing sun, and his battle intent roared to life.

“Aaaah!” a piercing shriek echoed, and a black shadow was forcibly yanked out of Ding Rou’s body!

Boom!

In the next instant, it was obliterated by searing internal force, reduced to nothing but ashes.

Ding Rou’s expression suddenly relaxed. That strange, oppressive sense of control vanished completely! The fake Ding Rou’s face changed dramatically.

“Impossible! This isn't an immortal spell!”

Li Yanchu’s eyes were icy, killing intent radiating from him. “You soul-corrupting abomination... Do you really think you can toy with everyone as you please? You’re courting death.”

Li Yanchu took a single step forward; the ground shook, and the mountains trembled!

With a single punch, a domineering fist force appeared right in front of the fake Ding Rou. Divine Astral Hands, Mountain-Splitting Strike!

Boom! The fake Ding Rou was forced back by Li Yanchu’s scorching, domineering martial aura. A deep ravine split open behind her from the force, and sharp black light flared in her hands as she launched a direct strike toward Li Yanchu.

Shing

!

Li Yanchu channeled his qi into the Jiaoslayer and brought it down in a devastating arc. The fake Ding Rou’s attacks, fierce as they seemed, were nothing in the face of the Jiaoslayer.

One of her arms was severed instantly.

Li Yanchu moved like lightning, lunging forward. His saber light swirled like a hurricane!

In an instant, the fake Ding Rou was sliced into countless bloody fragments. The Jiaoslayer was especially effective against these flashy, deceptive tricks. Even though the fake Ding Rou was a rare and cunning demonic entity, her recovery still couldn’t keep up under such pressure.

Li Yanchu immediately summoned the Heaven-Illuminating Seal! The ancient seal expanded rapidly with the wind, and in the blink of an eye, divine fire engulfed the fake Ding Rou completely!

“

Aaagh

!” She didn’t even have time to scream before she was utterly incinerated!

Her lingering demonic aura was forcibly scattered from the area, and heaven and earth rejected her presence. A demon skilled in deception and manipulation was completely annihilated by Li Yanchu with overwhelming force. It was utterly suppressed.

Ding Rou was stunned. How could this fellow Daoist Li’s cultivation be so tyrannically powerful?

She stepped forward to express her gratitude, as Li Yanchu had once again saved her life. Had he not intervened, she would’ve likely become the next vessel for that demon.

Li Yanchu gave a slight nod, and he accepted her thanks calmly.

This Ding Rou was indeed rather unlucky. To think something like

that

would show up this time!

“Daoist Master Li, I have a question I’d like to ask you,” Ding Rou suddenly said.

Li Yanchu smiled. “You want to know how I was able to tell the real you apart?”

“That’s right,” Ding Rou replied. “The Five-Lightning Spell, those with an impure heart dare not look directly at it. Earlier, the one you struck with your saber should logically have been me.”

Li Yanchu said, “Even the Eight Trigrams Mirror can’t reveal that demon. Do you really think it would be afraid of a little lightning aura?”

Ding Rou was stunned. “It was that simple?”

Li Yanchu smiled faintly. “Based on what I know of you, if you were truly faced with mortal danger, you wouldn’t behave like some timid girl. You’d be ready to go down fighting.”

Ding Rou froze, then fell silent.

“Thank you,” she said softly after a moment.

After all, from the very first time Li Yanchu met her, this young Daoist priestess had shown she would rather die than be humiliated, even if it meant shattering herself completely.

Now, the two stood side by side, saying nothing more. They simply waited quietly for the ferry to arrive.

Li Yanchu wasn’t paying attention to Ding Rou’s inner turmoil at the moment. Instead, his thoughts were focused on one thing,

What exactly was that demon?

At first, he’d assumed it was some fearsome being that had infiltrated the ruins of this Blissful Land, disguising itself as a demon to stir up trouble.

But after killing it, the way heaven and earth rejected its very existence, that was exactly how all genuine demons were treated.

He glanced around at the deep, desolate ruins of Mount Jinting, and a chill crept into his heart.

“This is no immortal sanctuary. This is a place of true horror. For the so-called chance at immortality... Who knows how many more will die?”

Suddenly, a thought struck him like a lightning bolt!

If demons from back then are still active in these ruins... could there also be Daoists who survived from that time?

Ordinary cultivators did not live long enough to survive across eras. But what about the Earth Immortals who had once presided over this Daoist stronghold?

Has that immortal really fallen?

Though he had received gifts from the immortal, and even witnessed the remnants of the immortal’s soul returning to Mount Jinting, that didn’t necessarily mean that the Earth Immortal had truly perished!

A chilling stillness filled the air. Across the wide river, the ferry slowly approached. The fierce and powerfully built ferryman stood at the bow, his eyes cold and sharp like lightning.

Suddenly, a thought struck Li Yanchu.

That mysterious and cold-faced man... wasn’t he someone from Mount Jinting

?

His heart stirred at the realization.

As the ferry reached the shore, he handed a Daoist temple artifact to the ferryman, and the ferryman stepped slightly aside.

Li Yanchu stepped lightly onto the boat. It didn’t feel like he was stepping on wood. Instead, it felt more like paper. He turned around to look, and Ding Rou stood by the shore, wearing a troubled expression.

“What’s wrong?” Li Yanchu asked.

“My artifact was destroyed,” Ding Rou said softly, “I don’t have any divine artifacts on me.”

Li Yanchu nodded lightly. “Then don’t go.”

Ding Rou fell silent at his words.

Li Yanchu turned to the ferryman and said, “Alright, sir, let’s go. She doesn’t have fare.”

The ferryman, ugly and expressionless, simply gave a small nod, then began to push the boat away.

“Wait!” Ding Rou called out.

Li Yanchu glanced at her.

Ding Rou’s expression was a little awkward as she said softly, “Fellow Daoist, if you have an extra artifact on you... could you lend me one? Once I find another, I’ll repay you.”

Although she didn’t intend to do so originally, Ding Rou was actually asking to borrow something valuable for some reason.

Li Yanchu was slightly surprised and said, “I’ve saved your life multiple times and never asked for anything in return, yet now you’re asking me to lend you a magical artifact?”

Ding Rou’s cheeks flushed red. Daoist temple artifacts were extremely rare. Aside from possibly finding one near the temple ruins when people first arrived, most Daoist ruins contained no such items at all.

And even when they did, those artifacts carried unique protective power and shielded the user from demonic influence, which made them priceless treasures.

She herself realized that asking to borrow one was a bit inappropriate.

Li Yanchu sighed lightly, “This journey ahead holds unknown danger. With your terrible luck, you might not make it out alive.”

Ding Rou fell silent.

“I came here... to change my fate,” she said softly. “My master said I was fated to die, and only a destined benefactor could help me escape this calamity.”

Li Yanchu raised an eyebrow. “So basically, you think

I’m

that destined benefactor who’s supposed to save you?”

Ding Rou blushed again, lowering her head without replying. After a moment’s thought, Li Yanchu pulled out a magical artifact and tossed it to her.

Seeing this, Ding Rou looked up, clearly moved.

“This is the last time,” Li Yanchu said. “We’re just strangers passing by each other in this life. I’ve already gone above and beyond.”

He still planned to question the ferryman later, about that mysterious man he had temporarily replaced.