Chapter 888: Can't Kill Them All, Absolutely Can't! (II)

Although Xiao Wuyin fled at incredible speed, the idea that she could actually escape an eighth-realm existence like the Black Golden Crow was wishful thinking.

The only reason the BLack Golden Crow didn't immediately give chase was because, just as he spread his wings to pursue the whirlwind, someone stepped out from the far side of the mountain.

With that face that inspired pure loathing—who else could it be but that wretched Mount Shu Sect disciple?

"RAWRARARARAYAAAAAA!"

The Black Golden Crow nearly exploded from rage on the spot.

This was the second time!

Chu Liang had clearly escaped earlier and even used some underhanded trick to mislead him, almost sending him in the wrong direction.

Yet, here he was again, stepping out from another corner as if nothing had happened. It had to be deliberate. It had to be a mockery.

The Black Golden Crow knew the formation over the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings better than anyone. Within this space, no puppets or clones could possibly exist. That meant these Chu Liangs were neither illusions nor the result of any cloning technique.

This meant that Chu Liang was just trying to humiliate him!

Driven by fury, the Black Golden Crow turned in midair and flew straight toward the Chu Liang standing on the far side.

This particular "Chu Liang" was, in fact, the Demon King of the Verdant Foxhills—Caiyi in disguise. From afar, she had seen that the Black Golden Crow was about to kill "Chu Liang" and had rushed over to intervene.

If the demons ended up killing Chu Liang, no one could predict how the Demon God would react. Once she found out the truth, her fury could spiral beyond control. That was why Caiyi insisted that, if Chu Liang had to die, it had to look like he had died at the hands of a human.

The Demon God was easy to fool, but only if one put in the effort.

However, just as Caiyi arrived, she saw the Black Golden Crow suddenly change course and charge straight toward her.

Caiyi had no intention of engaging in a direct clash or revealing her disguise. She immediately chose to retreat.

As Black Golden Crow swooped in, she dove into the nearby stone forest, transformed, and vanished into the jagged landscape.

By activating the power of the Great Dao of the Myriad Forms, she blended seamlessly into the surrounding stone columns, becoming completely indistinguishable from them.

The Black Golden Crow had already considered leveling the entire stone forest earlier. Now that he had the chance, he unleashed his fury. Black flames poured from his beak, flooding the area with demonic fire, ready to burn everything within to ash.

His goal was to force Chu Liang out. And if that failed, he had other tactics prepared.

He did expect Chu Liang to come out, but he did not expect that he would see two at the same time!

...

Xiao Wuyan had been hiding deep within the stone forest, narrowly escaping death at the claws of the Black Golden Crow. Fortunately, the White King Xiao had arrived earlier and drawn the Black Golden Crow's attention away.

But the Black Golden Crow had never left. She didn't dare move, choosing instead to stay hidden and hope he would eventually fly off so she could escape.

She never expected the situation to spiral so wildly. One Chu Liang after another had appeared and vanished, only for another to arrive again. All she could do was grit her teeth and curse her rotten luck.

When the Black Golden Crow unleashed a torrent of black flames and turned the entire stone forest into a blazing inferno, she couldn't endure it any longer. She immediately transformed into a blast of dark wind and shot out from the flames.

From the Black Golden Crow's perspective, it looked as if Chu Liang had been struck so hard that he split into two.

But one fled east and the other fled west. How? There were no clones or puppets allowed atop this mountain!

As one of the more decisive and ruthless members of the demon race, the Black Golden Crow didn't hesitate. He immediately locked onto the faster, stronger version of "Chu Liang," deciding to eliminate the tougher target first and return for the slower one later.

Caiyi's escape speed was no joke. Even the Black Golden Crow nearly lost sight of her with only a brief delay.

However, she had just escaped when she saw another Chu Liang appeared in front of her!

Including the one who had been blasted apart and the one who had hidden beside her in the stone forest, she had already encountered two Chu Liangs. Counting herself, that made three in total.

What in the world is going on?

she thought.

There was no need to think any further. It didn't matter if the one before her now was real or fake. None of these Chu Liangs were a friend of hers.

So, without the slightest hesitation, Caiyi struck at the "Chu Liang" before her!

A flash of white light burst forth as Caiyi's massive fox tail lashed out like a bolt of silk, sweeping straight toward her target.

That "Chu Liang" was actually Xiao Wuyin, who had taken on the disguise to draw attention away from White King Xiao. She had been prepared to face a demon king, but she hadn't expected to run into another impersonator instead.

The moment she saw the fierce strike coming from the other "Chu Liang," Xiao Wuyin immediately understood that this was neither the real Chu Liang nor her sister. She responded with a counterattack without hesitation.

Caiyi's strike wasn't as overwhelming as one from the Black Golden Crow, but she was still a powerful eighth-realm demon king. Even a casual blow from her was far beyond what Xiao Wuyin could withstand.

With a thunderous boom, Xiao Wuyin was sent flying into the nearby trees and disappeared into the underbrush.

Before Caiyi could follow up, a wave of blistering heat surged in from behind. A feather cloaked in black fire streaked through the air, aimed directly at her.

In the blink of an eye, the Black Golden Crow had arrived. Without a moment of hesitation, he unleashed a devastating strike at the back of the Chu Liang he saw before him.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

This strike was far more powerful than the last. Caiyi took the blow directly to the back and was sent flying into the same grove of trees. Although it wasn't as devastating as the hit White King Xiao had endured, she was clearly battered and left in a disheveled state.

She briefly considered revealing her identity but hesitated. If the Chu Liang she just saw earlier happened to be the real Chu Liang, her entire plan would be exposed. She grit her teeth and chose to endure the pain.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wuyin, who had been thrown into the woods earlier, took the chance to flee. Caiyi also darted off in a different direction, both of them hoping to shake off the relentless pursuit of the Black Golden Crow.

From the Black Golden Crow's perspective, the "Chu Liang" he had just blasted into the woods had now split into

two more

Chu Liangs flying out in separate directions.

"I understand now," the Black Golden Crow said with sudden clarity.

There were no clone or puppet techniques allowed on this mountain, and yet there were so many Chu Liangs.

It was because this Chu Liang... multiplied with every blow!

No matter how many times he was struck, he wouldn't die. He would simply split into more!

After thinking it through, the Black Golden Crow decided to test his conjecture. He locked onto the weaker Chu Liang and fired another flaming feather.

Screeech!

The razor-sharp feather tore through the sky and pierced straight through that weaker Chu Liang!

Due to the repeated heavy blows she had taken earlier, Xiao Wuyin couldn't dodge in time. The flaming feather pierced clean through her body, and she dropped from the sky, falling directly back to the spot where the White King Xiao had been hiding. She had just escaped here, only to be thrown back into danger.

Boom!

With a heavy thud, the White King Xiao, who had only been recuperating for a short while, caught her mid-fall. Without pause, he began working to extinguish the black flames still burning on her body.

He then whispered, "We split up. Leave it to fate."

Both of them were already gravely wounded. Whichever one the Black Golden Crow chose to pursue next, neither could put up a fight. They would be doomed if he hit back even once.

But the Black Golden Crow didn't move... because he had just confirmed his terrifying suspicion.

There is something strange about this Chu Liang!

he thought.

One gives birth to Two, Two to Three, Three to all things... What is this? The living Laozi?

[1]

It must be that he is able to split into many! That must be why!

It’s utterly pointless attacking him. If this continues, the entire mountain will soon be overrun with Chu Liangs. The whole Mountain Range of the Seven Kings will drown beneath a tide of Chu Liangs.

I can't kill them all. Absolutely can't!

the Black Golden Crow thought, his mind spiraling toward panic.

Now that he had uncovered this secret, the Black Golden Crow furrowed his brows in deep thought. Until he could figure out how to deal with this nightmare, he chose to hold back his hand. It was at this moment that he heard the Great High Priest's urgent call echoing across the mountains.

The Demon God Temple was the highest priority. Not a single demon king hesitated. All of them immediately turned and flew toward the temple.

As soon as the Black Golden Crow landed, his eyes fell on Chu Liang, who was calmly seated beside Tuntun on the altar. While the other demon kings flared with rage at the sight of him sitting on the divine throne, the Black Golden Crow froze in place. A chill ran through him.

It's just as I had expected

, he thought.

Chu Liang is really everywhere!

For all he knew, the entire Mountain Range of the Seven Kings might already be surrounded by a sea of Chu Liangs!

"Drag that brat down and kill him!" bellowed the Bull Demon King from the side.

Before anyone else could speak, the usually hot-blooded Black Golden Crow raised a hand and said, "Don't be rash."

The demon kings thought it was strange.

Was he really telling them to hold back? Wasn't he usually the first one to charge into battle?

Then they heard the Black Golden Crow say in a serious manner, "Don't hit him. He'll multiply."

1. Referencing the core concept of

Dao De Jing

. Laozi (老子) is the legendary Daoist philosopher and author of the

Dao De Jing

, credited with foundational ideas in Daoism. One of his famous lines is "The Dao gives birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to all things." ☜