Undying Life

Chapter 928: The Battle with Yan Hui

Zhong Shan frowned as he flew, but after only a thousand miles, he came to a halt.

Landing on a mountain peak, the Nine-Tailed Princess and Su Afo stopped as well.

"What's wrong?" they asked, puzzled.

"We can't escape. Yan Hui has been lying in wait," Zhong Shan shook his head.

Sure enough, as they stopped, numerous figures emerged from all directions, clad in white Confucian robes, surrounding Zhong Shan. There were thousands of them—Confucius' disciples were indeed numerous.

The crowd didn't attack but merely encircled Zhong Shan, preventing any escape. This drew the attention of nearby onlookers, but none intervened, not willing to cross Confucius' lineage for Zhong Shan's sake.

Zhong Shan stared intently northward.

In the northern sky, a figure appeared out of thin air—a man in a large blue robe. Yan Hui!

He had once stormed the Lingxiao Heavenly Court but was ultimately forced back by the followers of Zhuangzi.

Zhong Shan and Yan Hui locked eyes.

"Zhong Shan? It's been over a hundred years. How has your rusty copper root bone grown so fast?" Yan Hui said with a mix of surprise and disdain.

"Yan Hui? Is Confucius here?" Zhong Shan asked in a grave tone.

Confucius?

The mention of the name made everyone's pupils contract. Confucius, the Sage of Grand Scholars? Was he coming too?

From what Ying had told Zhong Shan, the opening of the Nuwa Realm was about more than just Nuwa's relics. Those arriving were not here solely for the treasures. With the likes of Ying and the Snow Plum Patriarch present, it suggested something greater at stake.

Were there sages involved?

Zhong Shan had been speculating until he saw the white-robed youth before entering the Nuwa Realm. He was now certain—a sage was involved. The youth's unmemorable face was more than a simple trick.

Memory is not easily altered by external influences. Zhong Shan had a clear recollection of the Snow Plum Patriarch's white hair and beard, yet the youth's features were impossible to recall. It wasn't just him; the Nine-Tailed Princess couldn't remember either.

In Zhong Shan's memory, only one person's face was unmemorable: the sage's corpse from the purple giant coffin, guarded by the Immortal-Slaying Sword.

Zhong Shan knew that the one who had just appeared was a sage.

The involvement of sages in the Nuwa Realm hinted at complexities far beyond mere treasure hunting.

Yan Hui's arrival raised the question: was Confucius here?

Zhong Shan wasn't sure, so he tested Yan Hui with his words.

As expected, Yan Hui's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

Both Confucius' disciples and distant onlookers fixed their gaze on Yan Hui.

"Hmph, how dare you utter my master's name so carelessly? Zhong Shan, don't try to sow discord. Today, you won't escape. If you had stayed with Ying, perhaps I couldn't have touched you, but now, you're asking for it!" Yan Hui sneered.

Zhong Shan deduced from this that regardless of whether Confucius was coming to the Nuwa Realm, he wasn't currently with Yan Hui or couldn't protect him.

"Yan Hui, your master's name is well known, but do you think it alone will intimidate me?" Zhong Shan said, standing his ground.

"Hah! Arrogance will be your downfall," Yan Hui retorted.

With a wave of his hand, the surrounding Confucian disciples tightened their encirclement. The tension in the air thickened as Zhong Shan, the Nine-Tailed Princess, and Su Afo prepared for a confrontation.

Zhong Shan knew the stakes were high. Yan Hui's confidence indicated that he had something up his sleeve. This battle would not be an easy one.

As the disciples closed in, Zhong Shan's mind raced, strategizing how to counter the imminent attack while gauging Yan Hui's true intentions.

The conflict was about to erupt, and the outcome could shape the future of all those vying for the Nuwa Realm's secrets.

Upon reaching this conclusion, Zhong Shan felt a wave of relief. The fluctuating colors of the Red Luan Pink Lotus—alternating between red and blue—indicated uncertainty, leaving Zhong Shan to trust his own judgment.

"Is that so? I don't recall having any enmity with you. Why do you keep opposing me?" Zhong Shan asked calmly.

"You killed Kong Lietian, and you claim we have no enmity?" Yan Hui replied coldly.

"Even so, there's no need to say more. Come, let me see how capable you really are, Yan Hui!" Zhong Shan stepped forward boldly.

"Zhong Shan, have you gone mad? He's an Ancient Immortal!" Su Afo exclaimed.

Not only Su Afo, but everyone around was also shocked. Had Zhong Shan lost his mind? No matter how strong he was, he couldn't possibly be a match for an Ancient Immortal. This was suicide.

Even Yan Hui was taken aback. He had planned to humiliate Zhong Shan before killing him, but now it seemed Zhong Shan was asking for death.

"A mere Heavenly Immortal dares to challenge me?" Yan Hui said incredulously.

With that, Yan Hui struck out with a hand, conjuring a massive spectral palm in the void. The hand radiated a terrifying aura, causing those nearby to feel a sense of overwhelming dread, let alone Zhong Shan himself.

The mountain beneath Zhong Shan's feet crumbled under the pressure.

The Nine-Tailed Princess and Su Afo looked anxious. Although they couldn't block an Ancient Immortal, they could escape if Yan Hui was distracted. Yet, neither fled. The Nine-Tailed Princess prepared to intervene, but Zhong Shan stopped her and Su Afo.

Suddenly, a purple tail materialized in front of Zhong Shan, striking towards Yan Hui's giant hand.

The appearance of the purple tail filled the air with a murderous aura, and countless purple sword energies swirled around it.

"Boom!"

Yan Hui's giant hand shattered instantly.

Although it was a casual strike from Yan Hui, it shouldn't have broken so easily unless met with equivalent Ancient Immortal power.

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail!

The massive Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail appeared out of nowhere, stunning the onlookers.

The eight massive tails swayed, exerting immense pressure that scattered the Confucian disciples.

"What is that?"

"It looks like the mysterious beast of the Da Zeng Holy Court."

"But why did it suddenly appear here?"

"Has it been following Zhong Shan all along?"

The crowd buzzed with speculation.

"Yiya, yiya—"

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail emerged, fully revealing itself to the world for the first time. Facing Yan Hui, it showed no fear, only excitement and a longing gaze.

Seeing the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail's expression, everyone was bewildered. Wasn't this Zhong Shan's beast? Why was it looking at Yan Hui with such longing?

Only Yan Hui understood that the look wasn't friendly. It was the look of a predator eyeing its prey, similar to how a child views a beloved toy.

Of course, Yan Hui didn't realize that the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail saw him not as a toy but as a delectable meal.

"Yiya, yiya—"

Zhong Shan no longer needed to keep the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail hidden. By now, it had grown strong enough to be trusted in battle. Under Zhong Shan's command, the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail joyfully charged at Yan Hui.

The massive tails of the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail exuded an overwhelming aura. As Yan Hui's disciples rushed forward, they suddenly felt dizzy, mesmerized by the vibrant and hypnotic motion of the eight tails.

"Boom!"

A powerful strike from a Grand Immortal clashed with one of the purple tails, but with a thunderous explosion, the Grand Immortal was obliterated, utterly destroyed, his form and spirit shattered by the endless sword energy.

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail's fierce onslaught left everyone stunned. In an instant, it had killed over a dozen of Yan Hui's disciples with just the residual force of its attack.

What kind of monstrous beast was this?

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail quickly reached Yan Hui, its terrifying tail striking at him once more.

Yan Hui suddenly produced a bamboo scroll from his hand.

The appearance of the bamboo scroll caused the space around it to hum. Characters materialized in the void, forming a barrier in front of Yan Hui.

"Boom!"

"Crash—"

The purple tail pierced through the character barrier effortlessly, shattering Yan Hui's first line of defense.

"Yiya, yiya—"

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail continued its relentless pursuit of Yan Hui, ignoring everything else. Its ferocity was astonishing. If it were the size of a small dog, people would find it adorable and want to cuddle it. But at its enormous size, it was a terrifying force of destruction, deadly to anyone who encountered it, including Grand Immortals.

The sheer power of the beast even made Yan Hui break into a cold sweat. What kind of creature was this?

The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail chased Yan Hui relentlessly. Forced to act, Yan Hui finally unfurled the bamboo scroll—an artifact known as the Spring and Autumn Annals, possessed by Confucius' disciples. However, this version was far superior to the one owned by Kong Lietian. While Kong Lietian's Spring and Autumn Annals was a Heavenly Immortal artifact, Yan Hui's was an Ancient Immortal artifact, far more powerful.

The Spring and Autumn Annals unfolded, releasing a torrent of golden light towards the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail. Yet, the golden light seemed ineffective, as the beast's massive maw absorbed it.

The colossal Spring and Autumn Annals blocked Yan Hui's front. With his right hand pressed against the scroll and his eyes wide with intensity, he exerted his strength.

"Rise!" Yan Hui shouted.

The Spring and Autumn Annals surged towards the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail, causing the void to tremble. This tremor wasn't just a fluctuation of aura but a spatial disturbance, a testament to the immense power Yan Hui wielded.

The terrifying pressure caused the ground below to sink, forcing distant observers to retreat even further.

However, this formidable aura didn't faze the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail. Its purple tail struck the Spring and Autumn Annals with a deafening crash.

"Boom!"

The tremor ceased instantly as the momentum of the Spring and Autumn Annals was halted. The Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail opened its jaws wide, attempting to bite the scroll.

Seeing this, Yan Hui's heart tightened. He quickly retreated with the Spring and Autumn Annals, putting a significant distance between himself and the beast.

The Spring and Autumn Annals shrank back to Yan Hui's hand, but now bore a small hole, created by the beast's purple tail. From the hole, purple sword energy emanated.

Seeing this, Yan Hui's expression changed drastically. "The Immortal-Slaying Sword?"