Eternal Life by Daily Divination

Chapter 160: Chapter 160: It’s You! Li Chang’an

The corpse had vanished.

This made the three men in the cavern realize what had happened.

Li Chang’an’s beheading had been nothing more than an illusion from start to finish.

And the real Li Chang’an now stood in the center of the cavern, silently watching them struggle in agony.

“Li Fan!”

Jin Mu’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the reappeared Li Fan.

He was filled with murderous intent, wanting to rush forward and tear him apart.

But he was powerless to move. The Spiritual Power in his body seemed to have solidified, and he couldn’t use even a shred of it.

Under the effects of the potent, mixed poison, he was now even weaker than a mortal.

Any random mortal with an ordinary hatchet could take his head!

“Li Fan, I can’t believe you’ve been plotting against us all along!”

“Daoist Jin, why would you say that?”

Li Chang’an feigned a look of surprise.

“I intended to split the treasure with you from the very beginning. The only reason I released the Illusion Poison was as a precaution. I never thought you would actually make a move against me.”

“You…”

Jin Mu was about to curse him, but another mouthful of blood surged up, choking off the rest of his words.

Seeing him in this state, Li Chang’an shook his head and sighed softly.

“Daoist Jin, I, Li Fan, can swear on my Dao Heart. Before this, I truly never thought of killing you two brothers.”

Upon hearing this, both Jin Mu and Jin Zhe were stunned.

An oath on one’s Dao Heart was no laughing matter.

Breaking a Dao Heart oath would, at the very least, spawn a Heart Demon. At worst, it would result in immediate death.

“Li Fan, you really didn’t plan to strike first and kill us?”

“Of course not.”

Li Chang’an shook his head, denying it.

Hearing this, Jin Mu and Jin Zhe looked at each other, filled with regret.

If only they hadn’t coveted the Venerable Soul Banner, everything would be fine now.

They wouldn’t be poisoned, they would have gotten a share of the treasure, and the Array Materials in their Storage Pouches were quite valuable. The trip would have been incredibly fruitful!

But because of that one sliver of greed, it had all come to nothing!

“Daoist Li, I coveted your Venerable Soul Banner. Greed clouded my mind, and I was completely in the wrong! Please, be merciful and spare my life. I know I was wrong!”

Jin Mu’s face was pale, his mouth full of blood, as he began to beg for mercy.

Beside him, Jin Zhe also began to beg for mercy.

Hearing their pleas, Li Chang’an felt nothing. He had heard too many people beg for their lives, so many that he had become numb to it.

“You two really know you were wrong?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Daoist Li, if you give us the antidote, we will be at your command from now on!”

“At my command?”

Li Chang’an thought for a moment.

“Alright. Since you’re willing to be at my command, I’ll oblige.”

As he spoke, a dark light flashed in his hand, and a sinister Soul Banner materialized.

The Venerable Soul Banner!

The moment they saw the banner, despair flooded the faces of Jin Mu and Jin Zhe.

This wasn’t what they meant by being ’at his command’!

“Daoist Li, I…”

Jin Mu opened his mouth, about to beg for mercy again.

But Li Chang’an couldn’t be bothered with his nonsense. He flicked a finger, sending out a strand of Sword Qi that lopped off the man’s head.

Jin Zhe, at his side, didn’t escape either.

His head was cut off as well.

“Come!”

With a soft beckoning gesture from Li Chang’an, two terrified souls materialized in the cavern.

In the next instant, the Venerable Soul Banner trembled and absorbed the two despairing souls.

’Two souls from the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. They can serve as Main Souls. Not bad!’

Li Chang’an was quite satisfied.

Then, he turned to look at Huang Feng.

“Daoist Li…”

Huang Feng trembled and forced a smile.

“I’m not like them. You and I have no grievances, and I never made a move against you. Please, spare me.”

“No grievances?”

Li Chang’an couldn’t help but smile.

He reminded him, “Daoist Feng, I recall you saying just a moment ago that my death would allow you to get an extra share of the treasure, and that it would be a ’worthy death’.”

“I…”

Huang Feng was struck speechless, silently cursing his rotten luck.

’Back then, how could I have known Li Chang’an would come back to life!’

’If I’d known, I would have kept my mouth shut and said nothing at all.’

’But it was too late for all that!’

Huang Feng had already sensed Li Chang’an’s killing intent.

He reflected honestly.

’If the roles were reversed, I would have done the same thing—killed everyone and taken all the treasure in the cavern for myself.’

“Daoist Li, is there any room for negotiation?”

Huang Feng spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.

He looked as if he still wanted to beg for mercy.

But in the very next instant…

His figure blurred. With an explosive burst of speed, he shot out of the hidden room and raced toward the cavern exit!

’Oh? He can still move!’

Li Chang’an was surprised. ’Looks like the dose of poison wasn’t strong enough.’

As expected of a disciple from Huang He Master’s lineage.

The poison in his body hadn’t been neutralized; he was only able to move because he had used an Antitoxic Pill from Yellow Crane Immortal City to forcibly suppress it.

Furthermore, he had also activated a Life-Burning Secret Technique.

His speed was now astonishing. In the blink of an eye, he reached the cavern entrance.

It seemed he was about to escape with his life.

However, with a sharp CLACK…

…Li Chang’an, holding the Forbidden Spirit Chessboard, placed a white stone upon it.

Huang Feng’s body seized up.

He froze in place as if flash-frozen, completely immobile.

At this moment, he was less than thirty feet from the cavern entrance.

He could already see the light from the outside world.

But those last thirty feet were the gulf between life and death!

’No… Why is this happening…’

Unwilling to give up, Huang Feng stared desperately at the cavern entrance, trying to inch forward just a little more.

But under the binding power of the Forbidden Spirit Chessboard, he couldn’t move an inch. The Magical Power in his body stopped circulating, and even the Life-Burning Secret Technique he had activated was forcibly cut off!

Li Chang’an’s expression was calm as he unhurriedly walked in front of him.

“Daoist Feng, why bother struggling? Wouldn’t it be better to just enter my Venerable Soul Banner?”

“You…”

Huang Feng was about to curse furiously when he suddenly saw the Forbidden Spirit Chessboard in Li Chang’an’s hands.

He froze as if struck by lightning.

He recognized that chessboard.

“This is the Forbidden Spirit Chessboard, it belongs to my master! How is it in your hands?”

Huang Feng stared intently at Li Chang’an.

He stared as if trying to see through the mask of skin to the true face beneath.

In that instant, he thought of his master Murong Kang’s recent failure, and of Lu Yuanji’s Skin Painting Technique.

A bolt of lightning seemed to flash through his mind, parting the fog of his confusion.

“It’s you! Li Chang’an!”

Huang Feng’s voice was hoarse, and his bloodshot eyes seemed ready to spew flames of fury.

He never would have imagined.

That the teammate who had traveled with him all this way would actually be the greatest enemy of his life!

He had been kept in the dark from the very beginning.

He had been completely played for a fool by Li Chang’an!

“Daoist Huang, a name isn’t important. It’s merely a label.”

Li Chang’an had a smile on his face, his tone very relaxed.

From Huang Feng’s words, he could now confirm that his previous attacker was indeed Murong Kang.

“Li Chang’an!”

Huang Feng’s eyes bulged with rage. The poison surged to his heart, no longer suppressed, and he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.

Seeing this, Li Chang’an wasted no more words. He flicked out a strand of Sword Qi, intending to take his head.

However, to his surprise, the strand of Sword Qi failed to completely sever the man’s neck.

’Huh?’

Li Chang’an was surprised.

’Could it be that Huang Feng also practices a Body Refining Technique?’

But…

The crimson glow emerging from the wound made him dismiss the thought.

Li Chang’an’s brow furrowed. He remained vigilant, carefully observing the bloody light.

“Daoist Huang, what is this bloody glow inside your body?”

He took out a Copper Mirror and held it up for Huang Feng to see.

“What bloody glow?”

Consumed by rage, Huang Feng was about to squeeze in a few more curses before he died.

But when he saw the bloody glow… he froze.

“What is this thing? Why is it inside my body?”