Chapter 143: An Immortal King as a Maid, Far Beyond Our Reach

This fire bird was originally the core of the formation and not a living creature. Scorched by the extreme high temperature comparable to the True Fire of Eight Elements, its struggling posture gradually weakened.

Hantuo seized the golden opportunity and ruthlessly unleashed an imperial strike. The emperor's might surged magnificently, cooperating with the concerted efforts of the Immortals Kings, descending like a torrential storm across the starry sky. In an instant, the Nine Phoenixes Singing at Dawn formation was shattered.

Countless fragments were cleared away before they could transform into tiny fire birds.

"Seven consecutive strikes!"

Normally, one should wait for the fire bird to undergo Nirvana and strike it the moment it reappeared. However, Wuyun pointed out the spatial location, executing seven consecutive strikes to eliminate the seven light spots. When it manifested again, only a single head remained, standing there dazed and dumbfounded.

"Collect!" Following Wuyun's prompt, Hantuo made a hand gesture and sucked the creature into his imperial artifact pouch.

The little bug, who had been chanting scriptures, was startled by the sudden appearance of the Nine Phoenixes Singing at Dawn. Upon hearing that it could not be killed outright, the bug made a bitter face and asked, "Is this thing going to kill me?"

Even with only a single head remaining, its power surpassed that of an Immortal King; how could the little bug possibly contend with it?

However, its arrival disrupted the delicate balance here. The various baleful energies, which had just recovered a trace of sanity under the soothing effect of the little bug's scriptures, now frantically surged toward this foreign intruder.

Countless moths flew into the flame, streams of grievances were roasted into gaseous baleful energy, accompanied by Wuyun's mumbling.

"Only a small portion of the True Fire of Ten Elements was refined before it was lost. Such a pity. This foolish fire bird should be able to make up for some of my losses!"

Within the space, Hantuo and Luohuawu stood facing each other from a distance, accompanied by all the Immortal Kings.

At the weakest point of the central formation, an illusory shadow gate appeared. Several inner sect elders of the valley and the surviving factions from other planets rushed over eagerly to investigate the cause, but no matter what they tried, they could not make the shadow gate materialize.

Although Luohuawu possessed formidable strength, she still required a professional when it came to formations; otherwise, the Hundred Flowers Valley's formation would not have been managed by Heibai Zhang.

Behind her, Immortal King Tunsheng flew over, circled around for a close observation, and reported, "Valley Master, this is a spatial Yin-Yang gate. One side is in the Immortal Realm, and the other faces this different space. If we wish to make this gate manifest, there are two methods."

"Immortal King Tunsheng, you are a master of formations. Speak your mind directly!"

Faced with the Valley Master's acknowledgment, Tunsheng cleared his throat and said, "One method involves sacrifice, generating powerful baleful energy to meet the conditions for its manifestation. From my observation, immortal blood can be absorbed by it across space. If there is enough of it, we can make the gate appear."

Luohuawu nodded. This method was feasible; immortals' blood could regenerate. Although it would cause a temporary weakening, with the vast number of immortals taking turns in rotation, it should work.

She gestured for Tunsheng to state the second method.

Tunsheng hesitated and said, "A joint strike by all the Immortal Kings can temporarily tear open space, allowing us to leave. However, everyone below the level of Immortal King must remain here."

Luohuawu fell silent, then ordered the immortals to bleed. Countless streams of immortal blood converged, crashing against the shadow-like gate.

With each impact, the pooled blood diminished slightly. Meanwhile, inside the imperial artifact where the little bug was located, it began to rain blood. Before these blood droplets hit the ground, they transformed in mid-air into various immortal beasts, shaking their heads and looking immensely smug.

Seeing the little bug's puzzlement, Wuyun transmitted his voice: "Originally, this immortal blood and divine souls should have been contained within Old Mother Silhao's four imperial artifacts. I don't possess such foreknowledge or grand abilities."

Countless streams of fresh blood were poured in. Had Old Mother Silhao been alive, the imperial artifact would have automatically stopped once a certain capacity was reached, and the gate would have slowly emerged. Who could have expected that she would be converted, and the spatial-connecting imperial artifact would fall into enemy hands? Without perfect control, the gate remained indistinct, flickering between visible and invisible.

Seeing that all the immortals had bled half their blood yet the gate remained unchanged, Tunsheng stopped. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he stammered, "This shouldn't be. Is this not how it's opened?"

With the first method failing, the second method was even less of an option. If the Immortal Kings departed and left these disciples behind, what would they face in the future if they couldn't be rescued later?

At their wit's end, Hantuo spoke up: "I have a way to leave. But, Valley Master, you also know that my life-saving divine ability diminishes with each use. Every time I use it, it represents one of my lives."

Hearing Hantuo's words, none of the immortals dared to refute him. Especially the Immortal Kings behind Luohuawu, who had learned some inside information from her and understood the true identity of the dark horse; they dared to speak even less.

Even the First Inner Sect Elder, who usually shouted the loudest, maintained a stony silence.

"If the Daoist friend has any conditions, feel free to state them. This time, I have brought along all the assets of the Hundred Flowers Valley; I am not afraid of whatever you ask for!"

Luohuawu offered her soul sea, manifesting countless miraculous immortal pills and immortal artifacts. As a sect whose foundation lay in cultivating immortal herbs, having this much resource was barely acceptable.

Hantuo shook his head as three imperial artifacts floated into view. "Do you take me for someone lacking treasures?"

Luohuawu nodded in silent acknowledgment. Meanwhile, Hantuo glared fiercely at Wuyun behind Yue Qi, an expression that Elder Xiong and the others caught and interpreted as—I lack treasures the most!

"It's very simple. You only need to agree to one condition of mine, and all the disciples of the Hundred Flowers Valley will be saved!"

"Even if it scatters my soul, as long as it can save my valley's disciples, I, Luohua, will not shrink from it!"

Luohuawu's words were resonant, resolute, and decisive. The elders and disciples behind her dropped to their knees in unison, begging the Valley Master to take back her words.

Once one reaches the realm of a Star Lord, every word becomes like a sacred oath that cannot be rescinded!

Hantuo smiled with satisfaction. Elder Xiong walked over, cupped his fists toward Jia Youke, and said, "Your destined Dao companion can be married right away. You brat, you are blessed with great fortune. But you must quickly raise your cultivation level, or else, hehe, don't get eaten up entirely!"

Jia Youke lowered his head, feeling conflicted inside. He glanced at the stunned Jieli, who was equally shocked. Even if this Senior Wuyun was no longer present, he still had subordinates wholeheartedly fulfilling his arrangements.

"I won't let your soul scatter. On the contrary, this is a tremendous fortuitous encounter."

As soon as Hantuo spoke, Long Yi and the others were puzzled: why was he dragging things out just for a Dao companion?

"Do you see the little darling behind me and the clone he cultivated? As long as you serve him as he grows up, I guarantee you will attain the realm of an Emperor. Furthermore, all the disciples of the Hundred Flowers Valley will be delivered from this place."

"It's a deal!"

"Never go back on your word!"

The expression on Wuyun's dazed face shifted from shock to anger. Elder Xiong kicked the Battle King and said, "Look at that, this dark horse has arranged everything for Senior perfectly. Our generation can only look up in despair!"

Regardless of whether Wuyun was feigning reluctance while profiting, Hantuo continued, "Jia Youke and Daoyuan were destined by fate to be a couple. Call her out; if she is unwilling, I will never force the matter!"

At this juncture, Daoyuan showed no intention of backing down. When her beloved Lada was injured, she had felt profound grief in her heart as well. Yet whenever she recalled the words of her father, King Daoshan, a wave of piercing pain always washed over her. When she finally stepped forward, Hantuo spoke briskly: "Are you willing to become Jia Youke's Dao companion?"

"I... am not willing!" Daoyuan flatly refused. What a joke—Jia Youke's cultivation was merely at the Great Immortal realm, while she was at the mid-stage Mysterious Immortal realm. To dual cultivate with him would be utterly absurd if spread abroad. At the very least, he needed to be a Mysterious Immortal to be a proper match and avoid public ridicule.

Hantuo's expression shifted. Pointing at Luohuawu, he said, "Your Valley Master has humbled herself to serve as a maidservant to our young master. By what virtue or ability do you think you are qualified to be the mistress of the Piaoyi Great Immortal Sect? State your reason, and I will refute it!"

"His cultivation level is too low. We are an ill-matched pair. Tell me, if I accidentally take a breath and blow him to death, whose responsibility is it?"

Daoyuan showed no mercy as she pointed out the underlying reason. Yet Hantuo smiled coldly and asked, "Do you possess an imperial artifact?"

Daoyuan was momentarily stunned and blurted out, "If I had an imperial artifact, I would have been slaughtering across the realm long ago!"

With a flick of Hantuo's finger, the Seven-Section Heaven-Shattering Imperial Staff floated into Jia Youke's hands. While the latter was still trembling in awe, Hantuo declared, "He possesses an imperial artifact, as well as the token of the Piaoyi Sect Master. How could he be unworthy of you? By what virtue or ability do you think you are worthy? Right now, he is a Great Immortal, and soon he will attain the Mysterious Immortal realm. By then, if you fail to become an Immortal King, you will be casually crushed by him. By what virtue or ability do you dare claim you are a match for him?"

Having said that, Hantuo's tone softened. "Even your father knows that your marriage with Jia Youke is ordained by heaven and cannot be altered. Call your father out; if he utters a single word of dissent, this matter ends here!"

Daoyuan was dumbfounded. Even when the planet was pierced through, her father had not dared to show his face for fear of being claimed by the heavenly tribulation. She opened her mouth and chanted a secret mantra. An image of her father emerged from her immortal artifact, speaking with majestic solemnity: "I have already divined many heavenly secrets. I can only say that your marriage with Jia Youke is decreed by heaven and unalterable."

"Furthermore, Jia Youke is an emperor-patterned monarch. He wasn't one before, but someone has rewritten his destiny. If you follow him, one day you will understand your father's painstaking efforts." Daoshan muttered in conclusion, "Following Jia Youke is a path of survival. I could never bear to watch you die out of sheer stubbornness. My daughter, wrong yourself this time!"

True Immortal Daoshan vanished immediately. This was the activation of a pre-imprinted trace; no one knew where he currently was, but under the protection of the formation, he remained safe and sound.

Daoyuan stood dazed. After a long while, she finally nodded, walked behind Luohuawu, and awaited the final arrangement of the Valley Master.

Nearby, Elder Xiong couldn't help muttering, "A forced melon is not sweet. If you don't want Jia Youke, why not come fetch water and carry shoes for our young master!"

The Battle King hurriedly covered Xiong's mouth. Afterward, Hantuo nodded with satisfaction, drew a teleportation formation, and directed the elders to construct it, while Luohuawu went to bid her final farewells to the Immortal Kings!

"Misfortune is also a blessing—who can predict it? When I return once more, it shall be as Empress Luohuawu, lording over one side!"

Luohuawu approached Yue Qi. The latter took a step forward, inhaling the scent of childhood milk, while his so-called clone took a step back, wanting to turn tail and flee.

Countless emotional debts, countless entanglements of love and hatred—who could truly understand them? How many women who held feelings for him had he let down?

Even though he was merely a cloud back then, the dashing and handsome cloud had captured the hearts of countless maidens...

Wuyun wanted to retreat, but Yue Qi boorishly blurted out, "My clone cultivation went awry. As long as you can make him, make him..."

Suddenly recalling the expressions of Jia Youke and Jieli, Yue Qi made up his mind and declared, "As long as you can make him cry out in a way that is both painful and joyful, your mission is accomplished. As for attaining some Emperor realm, that goes without saying!"

Luohuawu was taken aback. What did "painful and joyful" refer to? Could it be that this brat's body also belonged to a masochist who needed to be whipped before he felt comfortable? She couldn't figure it out, but she figured this task must be easy enough.

Thus, she walked up to Wuyun, first inspecting his body. His divine soul and physical form were indistinguishable from Yue Qi's—the genuine article. Yet his eyes were fearful and darting, utterly inconsistent with the sincere Yue Qi. Remembering a certain art of soul-splitting that she considered ordinary, she walked behind Wuyun, kneaded his shoulders, and set aside her dignity to massage him.

"As long as I am both in pain and happy, you can become an Emperor. Isn't this a bit too child's play?"

Hearing this, Hantuo pointed at Yue Qi and said, "Not a word of falsehood. If you can achieve this, you will definitely become an Emperor. If you fail, what harm is there in handing this brat of a clone over to you!"

Wuyun shivered, feeling as though his winter was about to arrive.