Chapter 992: Chapter 48: The Choice Between Life and Death
A Porcupine Spirit furiously roared and shot out quill-like steel needles, hitting the Golden Armor of a Yellow Turban Warrior, but only sparking slightly before being deflected away.
A Jiao Dragon Spirit attempted to summon a torrent of water, only to be thwarted by several Daoist Children who joined forces to perform the “dispelling technique.” The nascent water flow instantly collapsed and dispersed!
Xiao Jie watched anxiously, thinking: A bunch of fools! The array flags! Go destroy the array flags! He screamed inwardly but couldn’t voice it. Those demons were just fixated on fighting the copper wall and iron bastion before them, repeatedly getting seriously injured and captured without anyone realizing where the weakness of the Big Array was!
I can’t wait any longer! With a flash of ferocity in his eyes, Xiao Jie unsheathed his treasure sword with determination! He transformed into a swift wind, dashing towards the nearest flag-bearing warrior! The sword momentum condensed, secret technique about to unleash!
“Boom-ka—!” Without warning, a purple lightning bolt as thick as a bowl crashed directly on Xiao Jie’s head!
Uh ah! Xiao Jie trembled violently, as if pierced by ten thousand needles, instantly paralyzed from head to toe! Only through the formidable bones tempered by his powerful inner strength and demon power did he resist it, but the gathered sword momentum was forcibly interrupted!
He gathered his inner strength anew, but then the second and third bolts of lightning followed closely!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Xiao Jie was struck by several bolts of thunder, feeling immense pain all over; his vision darkened, as he spat a mouthful of blood, before his consciousness slipped entirely into darkness.
After what seemed like an eternity, Xiao Jie awoke laboriously amid the acrid smell of sulfur and overwhelming heat. Opening his eyes, he found himself lying on a cold, hard ground, wrapped in ropes emitting faint golden light, densely covered in talismans drawn with vermillion. He secretly tried to wield his inner strength and demon force, but it was like disappearing into the sea; his Elixir Field and demon core were firmly locked by a powerful restrictive force!
Looking up, he saw all around bound in messes were Great Demons and Demon Kings, each sharing his fate; their energies were listless, eyes filled with despair. This was precisely the inside of that grand stone hall earlier, though now there was no trace of the ephemeral “Immortal Fate,” only the pitifulness of lambs awaiting slaughter. Read full story at n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
In the center of the hall stood an ominous giant tripod furnace! Five zhangs tall, six or seven zhangs wide, its entirety forged from unknown dark metal, its surface engraved with countless writhing runes. Below the furnace, seven Daoist Children formed a circle, fully focused chanting spells; some were harnessing earth fire, others called fierce winds, with raging flames of five colors licking the furnace walls, rendering the entire giant furnace glowing red and emitting fearsome heat, twisting the surrounding air. Multicolored smoke rose slowly from gaps in the furnace lid, carrying a strange, nauseating sweet aroma.
The True Man Qi Xiazi was seated on a lotus platform nearby, with eyes partly closed as if inspecting an artwork, observing the furnace’s heat.
There were children continuously adding various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures inside, with each addition enhancing the smoke within the furnace.
“Good, good, good! That’s exactly the heat we need!” Qi Xiazi clapped lightly and laughed, his voice rife with greed and impatience, “The Mixed Element Cauldron is open, the fire is thriving, a perfect time for refining demons! Disciples, swiftly cast these ‘main materials’ into the furnace! Don’t forget those ‘supplementary ingredients.'”
“Rest assured, Master! The disciples remember well, there will be no error!” A sword-carrying Taoist answered respectfully, wearing a fawning smile, “These fools from Canglin State are truly easy to trick, bringing along so many rare ‘supplementary ingredients’ to our door, saving us countless troubles!”
Xiao Jie bitterly smiled inside: It’s beyond foolish—they’re deliverymen who bring their own seasoning!
“Hahaha!” Qi Xiazi laughed aloud, “They aren’t foolish, they’re greedy! Whether humans or demons, once desire clouds the mind, even knowing there’s a blade mountain and a fire sea ahead, they’ll deceive themselves and jump in! This red dust’s desires are the best primer for refining you!”
The first unconscious demon was easily lifted by a Yellow Turban Warrior and casually tossed into the crimson furnace entrance like throwing garbage. Then came the second, third… By the fourth one, that demon happened to wake and, seeing the hellish furnace entrance and scorching heat waves, let out a heart-wrenching scream:
“Immortal! Grandmaster Immortal, spare me! I’m willing to be your ox or horse, your servant or maid! I beg you, spare this humble life!”
“Spare you?” Qi Xiazi sneered, looking at it as if it were an ant, “This seat is refining the ‘Nine-Turn Immortal Pill,’ requiring a massive amount of spiritual energy! Now with nature’s spiritual energy depleted, where else can I draw from if not from you naturally nurtured ‘treasure medicines’? Not a single one can be spared! Rest assured, once this seat succeeds, I’ll remember your ‘merit’—throw!”
The demon, amidst hopeless cries, was mercilessly thrown into the fire sea.
Xiao Jie felt his body lighten and was also picked up by a Yellow Turban Warrior. Knowing the struggle was futile, survival instincts still drove him to twist vigorously.
“Hmm? Hold on!” Qi Xiazi suddenly raised a hand, signaling the warrior to pause. He paced forward, eyes cloudy yet flashing with sharpness, carefully scrutinizing Xiao Jie, showing a hint of “mercy” mixed with curiosity: “Little brother, strange indeed! Though surrounded by demon energy, your bone structure is purely Human Clan! Speak, are you human or demon? Though I, Qi Xiazi, undertake such extraordinary matters to pursue the Immortal Path, I know well about heaven’s mercy, and would never harm innocent humans. If you’re truly human, freeing you is no bother.”
Xiao Jie staggered at the words, his heart jolting! A massive temptation and deadly choice laid before him! His belief in the “illusory nature” of this world had long been shaken, and Qi Xiazi’s words came as the final straw.
Should he speak, admitting to being human, perhaps he could live! If this world is real, this is the only lifeline! Even if this world is fake, keeping silent and being thrown into the furnace would lead to task failure…
But what if speaking is a trap? Would decades of perseverance go to waste?
His mind was a battlefield of divine and mortal conflict; his lips moved, yet no sound could be uttered.
“Heh, unwilling to clarify?” Qi Xiazi’s “mercy” instantly turned cold, “Bai Ze, Dida La! Since he is obstinate, send him down!”
“Yes, Master!” The two Daoist Children answered and moved forward.
Bai Ze—Dida La! Xiao Jie was profoundly shocked! These strange names! He abruptly looked at the surrounding Daoist Children—several familiar faces appeared before him! The very ones from his memory, long “dead” teammates!
He was swiftly lifted, suspended above the scorching intimidating furnace entrance. The cold metallic face of the Yellow Turban Warrior was close at hand, yet it was eerily familiar, indeed it was from I Want to Be Immortal…
His mind resonated with memories once blurred now clear again—that fierce battle with Master Hongchen, teammates falling one by one before him—all vividly replaying again.
No doubt, it’s all fake, the real world awaits on the other side, I mustn’t utter a word, even if there’s a sliver of chance, I must gamble everything.
Not only for himself but for those companions who sacrificed for him.
“Last chance, are you human, or demon?” Qi Xiazi’s voice was like ice.
Xiao Jie closed his eyes, took a deep breath of scorching air, all hesitation and fear instantly solidified, transformed into unwavering resolve! He sharply opened his eyes, no longer looking at Qi Xiazi but fixedly at the familiar yet strange face of the Yellow Turban Warrior, no longer confused!
Rest assured, brothers, I will persist, finish the trial, resurrect you!
Seeing this, Qi Xiazi lost patience, with a wave of his hand: “Throw!”
Xiao Jie’s body arced through the air, falling into the all-devouring crimson fire entrance!
Following this, demon after demon was cast in succession.