A Will Eternal

All of this takes a bit of time to describe, but actually happened in only a split second. Howling, Bai Xiaochun slashed the enormous Greatsword of the North down toward the bone galleon!

Blinding blue light shone out in shocking fashion as the aura of a world treasure shook everything. The sky went dim, and massive pressure weighed down. Within the massive eruption of blue light, it was possible to see a projection of the landmass that was the northern Heavenspan region!

Massive rumbling sounds could be heard as the sword made contact with the blood mist which, because of its weakened state, was incapable of holding firm.

As the blood mist shield exploded with a huge bang, the Greatsword of the North continued on unhindered to slash into the battleship!

However, it was also in that moment that Ghostmother’s hands hit the surface of the ship! The galleon shuddered as all of the bones which made it up turned crimson. Blood-red mist then began to pour out of it, which then settled onto the bone lizard… in the form of flesh!

The bone lizard howled as flesh began to build up on it. In the blink of an eye, it was no longer made from bones, but rather, flesh and blood!!

Even the battleship was covered with flesh, as well as a blood membrane that protected it like a physical shield. Both the lizard and the battleship began to thrum with shocking, unparalleled levels of energy that… blocked the Greatsword of the North!

A deafening boom exploded out because of the backlash, and blood sprayed out of Bai Xiaochun’s mouth. The Greatsword of the North was flung away, and he along with it, seriously injured, and unable to stop coughing up blood.

The Giant Ghost King was also hit with a backlash, and was severely hurt as he tumbled backward, coughing up blood.

The moonflower and the laughing-crying ghost face similarly retreated, also clearly in bad shape.

“Dammit! Dammit!!” wailed the ghost, whose form had already dissipated by more than half. “The Vile-Emperor personally upgraded this battleship for Ghostmother. How could we possibly do anything to it?”

However, the combined attack of Bai Xiaochun and his allies was not something the lizard could escape unscathed. Howling, it lunged backward by 3,000 meters, during which time a gaping wound opened up on its head. Blood poured out of the huge wound, and yet despite that, the blood membrane had not been penetrated!

On the other side of the membrane, Ghostmother looked out with shining eyes. Bai Xiaochun and his team had put everything on the line, and yet were now seriously injured. Bai Xiaochun had even pulled out his Greatsword of the North, and yet, it had done no good.

“Time’s running out,” Ghostmother murmured to herself. “Any more delays could result in unexpected developments….

“Bai Xiaochun has most likely gone through all of his trump cards. Even if he has a few more, they won’t change the final outcome of the battle!” Killing intent burning in her eyes, Ghostmother performed an incantation gesture with her right hand, sending the lizard flying straight toward the injured Bai Xiaochun.

However, even as the lizard began to move in his direction, Bai Xiaochun suddenly looked up and shoved his arm out viciously!

Water vapor roiled out in all directions, which was none other than the Waterswamp Kingdom! Yet again, the crocodilian head rose up, accompanied by a howl that seemed to originate in ancient times. Opening its mouth wide, the crocodilian creature snapped at the lizard battleship.

Using the Waterswamp Kingdom again so soon caused Bai Xiaochun’s injuries to worsen. His powers of regeneration simply couldn’t keep up. Coughing up blood, he lurched to the side, and then began to fall down toward the Eternal Sea.

From the look of it, he was out of tricks, and was going to try to flee under the surface of the water!

Normally speaking, the cautious Ghostmother would handle the Waterswamp Kingdom first before giving chase. But in this situation… if she maintained direct control of the battleship, it would cost her several breaths of time.

That would be enough for Bai Xiaochun to disappear into the Eternal Sea, and then perhaps use some unknown escape magic to get so far away she couldn’t catch up.

Worse, Bai Xiaochun would get some breathing room to recover a bit. Considering the level of his powers of regeneration, Ghostmother didn’t feel that she could afford such a delay.

“I can’t be any less vigilant,” she thought, “but there are also times to be decisive. Clean and efficient! Besides, I’m a celestial, and since he’s used most of his secret weapons already, I know that I can handle all of them!” Eyes flickering with decisiveness, she blurred into motion…. Ignoring the gaping crocodilian maw that was the Waterswamp Kingdom, she unleashed the power of her celestial cultivation base, leaving the battleship and appearing above the Eternal Sea, right behind Bai Xiaochun! This was… her first time stepping off the battleship!

Without any hesitation, she reached out toward Bai Xiaochun.

“You’re mine, Bai Xiaochun!” she said, her eyes glittering with anticipation.

In the instant that she reached out, the bedraggled and blood-soaked Bai Xiaochun suddenly looked up, his eyes shining with strange light.

“So, finally got you out in the open!” The moment he spoke his words, his injuries all healed.

Then, Ghostmother’s face fell as he reached out, not toward her, but toward the lizard battleship! Pointing at it with his finger, he softly said, “One Glance Abyss Crystallization!”

All of the Eternal Seawater that was visible in the area was sealed, causing cracking sounds to ring out as it turned into crystal.

The crystal then shattered, becoming crystalline swords that exploded up from the sea, smashing into the lizard before crumbling back down to pile up below it. They became… an enormous, crystal lampstand!!

“You!!” By now, Ghostmother realized that everything up to this point had been a ploy to get her off of her battleship! Then, her mind reeled as Bai Xiaochun spoke a second time.

“Heavenly Canopy Lampshade!”

Rumbling sounds echoed out as a huge, invisible hand seemed to rip apart the sky of the Eternal Lands and transform it into a lampshade. As the lampshade covered the battleship, sealing it, Ghostmother’s face fell further. Now she wanted to get back to her ship, but wasn’t able to. Suddenly struck with unease, she unleashed the power of her cultivation base, summoning countless evil ghosts to try to break through to her ship.

“Boundless Longevity, Endless Life!” Countless longevity characters filled the world, settling into place on the lampshade, causing its sealing power to skyrocket in intensity! As of this moment, Ghostmother was completely incapable of penetrating that seal!

“Thou Art The Candle!!” The lizard battleship, which had been sealed in place on top of the crystalline lampstand, and covered with the heavenly canopy that was the lampshade, suddenly turned white… like wax!!

“Live Forever Lamp… Integrate!”

Rumbling sounds filled heaven and earth as the lizard battleship transformed into a huge Live Forever Lamp. As the intense power of the Daoist magic erupted out, it created something that not even a celestial like Ghostmother could defeat quickly!

That was the main reason Bai Xiaochun had used it on the ship instead of Ghostmother herself. After all, Ghostmother wasn’t Daoist Heavenspan, and Bai Xiaochun didn’t want to bet on how much time it would take her to break out from it.

If she escaped too quickly, and then returned to her battleship, he would be doomed to be defeated.

Therefore, instead of sealing her, he sealed the lizard battleship. After all, he was quite confident that, without Ghostmother to control it… the battleship would not be able to escape easily from the Live Forever Lamp.

And of course, he would not give Ghostmother the chance to go to its aid!

“Bai Xiaochun!!” Ghostmother shrieked, her expression unsightly to the extreme. Furious at the realization that she had been plotted against, she suddenly began to chuckle. “Maybe I don’t have my battleship, but I’m still a celestial, and I can crush you with ease!”

Throwing her arms wide, she sent mist roiling out in all directions, creating something that looked like an enormous ghost city.