Chapter 33: Even Amidst the Frost and Northern Snow

Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan exchanged a glance, their faces etched with bitterness. They had anticipated a gap between the Foundation Establishment and Purple Mansion stages, but they had not expected it to be so immense.

"Lord River God, do you require my assistance in dealing with them?" Young Master Kongxu fixed his gaze on Xu Xiao, his eyes as unsettling as a viper's.

The River God’s massive, hideous head nodded. "The female cultivator from the Lanyue Sect is yours; the one at the late stage of Foundation Establishment is for me."

Young Master Kongxu was more than happy to oblige. With a tremor of his Greenwater Dharma Sword, he lunged straight at Xu Xiao, while the River God raised his jagged trident and charged toward Qiao Xuan. In an instant, Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were separated by their adversaries, plunging into a desperate struggle.

Meanwhile, at the summit of Qingping Mountain, Jiang Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the surging floodwaters beyond the peaks. "Using dozens of Qi Refining rogue cultivators as bait, and the lives of the six towns of Qingshan County as the lure—I have finally drawn you step by step to this place."

"Daoist Jiang, how certain are you that you can eliminate that demon?" Zhang Qingyun’s voice drifted over, thick with anxiety. It was no wonder he was nervous. The cost of this operation had been staggering; if the River God were not slain, he would not only face the wrath of the imperial court, but there would also be no place left for him in Qingshan County, let alone any hope for his future.

Jiang Sheng did not answer, instead asking, "Miss Zhang, where are Wang Tianfang and the others?"

Wrapped in a thick brocade robe, Zhang Qing’s delicate face was pale from the cold, but the intensity in her eyes could not be masked. "Rest assured, Daoist. Wang Tianfang and his team are already in position outside Qingping Town."

Jiang Sheng nodded, then finally addressed Zhang Qingyun's question: "If everything goes according to plan, that demon will certainly perish here today."

With that, the group returned their focus to the distant battlefield. Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan were already showing signs of exhaustion against the combined assault of the River God and Young Master Kongxu. A Purple Mansion-stage demon was difficult enough to handle on its own, but with a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Young Master Kongxu assisting, they were hopelessly outmatched.

Young Master Kongxu relentlessly engaged Xu Xiao, their blades clashing repeatedly as arcs of azure and icy sword energy crisscrossed in a fierce stalemate. Young Master Kongxu taunted her incessantly: "Fairy Xu, why struggle so bitterly? If you submit to me and allow me to brand your consciousness with a slave seal, I might just spare your life."

"What joy is there in being a disciple of the Lanyue Sect compared to living freely with me? It would be such a pity for a body as pure and icy as yours to go unappreciated. Rest assured, Fairy, I shall treat you with the utmost tenderness..."

Xu Xiao’s expression remained unchanged, completely unfazed by the lewd remarks. She knew well that Young Master Kongxu was merely trying to goad her into a lapse in judgment. Seeing that his words had no effect, Young Master Kongxu’s eyes narrowed. An object slid from his sleeve into his left palm. As they closed in once more, he hurled it forward. "If you refuse to yield, then go to your death!"

It was a Terrestrial Yin Thunder, a weapon with explosive power comparable to the self-detonation of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Any ordinary cultivator struck by it would be left with nothing but dust. Upon seeing the thunder-bead, Xu Xiao’s expression shifted.

The next moment, the Terrestrial Yin Thunder detonated. The thunderous roar echoed for ten miles, smoke billowed, and the destructive power of the Yin energy ravaged the surroundings. Young Master Kongxu felt a sense of triumph, but then he sensed Xu Xiao’s presence amidst the chaotic energy—it had not weakened in the slightest!

An icy blue streak of sword energy parted the smoke, surging toward him. Young Master Kongxu stared in astonishment at the center of the blast; a shimmering water curtain protected Xu Xiao. The spiritual light rippling across the barrier was clearly no ordinary item.

"A Tier 2 Profound Water Talisman?" Young Master Kongxu’s eyes were filled with suspicion and wariness.

Xu Xiao said nothing, though her heart pounded against her ribs. Had it not been for this talisman, refined by Jiang Sheng and given to her by Zhang Qing, she would have been obliterated. Seeing the cautious Young Master Kongxu, Xu Xiao abruptly turned and dashed toward the battlefield of the River God and Qiao Xuan. "Elder Qiao, retreat!"

Qiao Xuan nodded and cast a pitch-black orb at the River God. The River God, experienced and cunning, recognized the Yin Thunder bead instantly and summoned a massive wave to wash over it. The bead exploded, scattering lightning that carved a vacuum through the crashing torrents. Taking advantage of the opening, Qiao Xuan and Xu Xiao retreated toward Qingping Mountain.

The River God watched them flee, a sense of foreboding gnawing at his heart. Young Master Kongxu approached him. "Qingping Mountain—that is the dojo of Jiang Sheng from Penglai."

"A mere Foundation Establishment Daoist," the River God replied coldly.

Young Master Kongxu did not argue. "Then, Lord River God, shall we pursue?"

The River God spoke without hesitation: "We must! If that Lanyue Sect disciple escapes, how will we ever have a moment's peace? They must be executed here!" Young Master Kongxu agreed. They had already crossed the line into open conflict; to hope for a peaceful resolution would be naive. One must cut the weeds at the root.

The River God and Young Master Kongxu gave chase. If they could slaughter these two, the operation would be perfect. Xu Xiao and Qiao Xuan had already consumed much of their spiritual energy in the duel, and the flight was draining them further. Qiao Xuan glanced back at the pursuing River God and asked, "Fairy Xu, what is Miss Zhang’s ultimate plan? If there is no follow-up, you and I are doomed!"

Xu Xiao looked toward Qingping Mountain with a complex expression. "Do not worry, Elder Qiao. All will be revealed once we reach Qingping Town."

Throughout the chase, the River God harassed them with water arrows and waves, pushing their spiritual reserves to the brink. Finally reaching Qingping Town, they descended, appearing ready to make a final stand. The River God followed, but upon seeing them land in the empty town, he stopped in mid-air.

Young Master Kongxu arrived behind him. "Lord River God, what is wrong?"

The River God surveyed the deserted town. "Something is not right."

Young Master Kongxu chuckled. "You are a deity of the Purple Mansion realm; surely you do not fear two cornered Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

The River God nodded. His hand, larger than a fan, seized the unsuspecting Young Master Kongxu and hurled him into the town. "In that case, go and scout the situation for me!"

Young Master Kongxu had never expected the River God to act so suddenly. Before he could react, he was thrown into the sky above Qingping Town. Before he could even cry out, four chains erupted from the four cardinal directions of the town. In a few heartbeats, they bound him tightly in the air. Terrified and furious, Young Master Kongxu screamed, "I am not the River God! Don't attack, I am not the River God!"

The River God grinned. "An ambush, indeed."

Seeing the chains fail to bind the River God, Xu Xiao felt a pang of disappointment, but she raised her sword and charged at the bound Young Master Kongxu. Hearing the whistling blade and sensing the bone-chilling killing intent, Young Master Kongxu shrieked, "Fairy Xu! Do not strike! I am willing to join forces with you against the River God! I am willing to swear a blood oath!"

Before he could finish, a streak of icy sword light pierced the sky. With a single slash, his body was severed in two.

"Is that your final trump card?" the River God’s mocking voice rang out.

Xu Xiao ignored the vengeful corpse of Young Master Kongxu and turned to face the River God. "What if it is, and what if it is not?"

The River God gripped his trident, his golden slit-pupils blinking. "If I am not mistaken, you intended that Foundation Establishment Daoist from Penglai to be your final ace."

"You want a Foundation Establishment Daoist to... kill a god?"

A terrifying pressure erupted from the River God. The aura of the Purple Mansion realm unfurled, accompanied by howling winds and surging tides. His ten-foot-tall golden body emitted a brilliant radiance, looking truly like a solemn and majestic deity. "You clearly do not understand what the Purple Mansion truly is! None of you shall escape. Die!"

The River God swung his trident, appearing instantly before Xu Xiao. The massive weapon tore through the air, leaving afterimages. Xu Xiao’s face paled as she raised her sword to block, only to be sent flying, blade and all. Seeing this, Qiao Xuan once again cast a Yin Thunder bead at the River God.

Sensing the terrifying fluctuations, the River God flicked his trident, and a torrent of water washed down, detonating the bead in mid-air. "You think you can stop me? Arrogant!"

"Waters, rise!"

The River God’s voice echoed over Qingping Town. As he raised his trident, dark winds began to howl and storm clouds gathered. In an instant, a torrential downpour began, and behind the River God, waves rose a hundred feet high, as if to swallow everything in existence. The momentum was cataclysmic.

The villagers hiding at the foot of Qingping Mountain shrank in terror, their hearts filled with despair. They had never imagined that even after abandoning their homes and fields to flee to the mountain, they would still face death.

"Heavens, someone save us!"

"The River God is enraged! The County Magistrate has angered the River God, and we are all going to die!"

"I don't want to die! I offered incense to the River God every year! Why is he flooding my home?"

Cries of agony filled the foot of the mountain. Children wailed, elders wept, men held their wives and children in despair, and women clutched their little ones tight. Everyone knew there was no path left to survival.

Just then, a figure flew out from Qingping Mountain. The moment the figure appeared, a clear, spiritual aura calmed the panic of the villagers. Hope stirred in their hearts: "It is Daoist Jiang from Qingping Mountain! Daoist Jiang has come to save us!"

"So, you are Jiang Sheng of Penglai?" The River God eyed the young Daoist.

Jiang Sheng wore a simple green robe, a jade crown, and stood with an upright posture, his aura tranquil. With a faint smile, he bowed slightly to the River God.

"I am Jiang Sheng, a Qi Refining practitioner of Qingping Mountain."

"I have come here specifically to invite the River God to his death."