"You... " Xiao Yuan stared at this beautiful head, her sense of guilt and sorrow suddenly stalling as soon as Yin Yao, the Princess, spoke. She had never seen a ghost who could speak after being beheaded—though this ghost, the one from Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, was different from ordinary ghosts, it still fell outside her experience. "Are you all right?" she asked, seeking confirmation. "I'm not entirely well, but since this is a spiritual realm, I can still breathe and circulate the Yin energy on my own. However, my spiritual scroll array within my body has been damaged, and I need treatment," said Princess Yin Yao, her lips moving slightly. From afar, the small speaker emitted a voice: "Within three hours, repair my body using the spiritual scrolls and materials, and I will survive." Xiao Yuan nodded, bracing herself to sit up—her body, once weak and limp, now surged with adrenaline and a strong desire to survive. With great effort, she retrieved the clay jar, reached in to touch the contents inside, only to stop suddenly. The jar was now completely empty—the rejuvenation worm had been used up. At once, it felt like a bucket of cold water had doused the fragile sense of survival she had just managed to stir up. The light in her round eyes dimmed swiftly, and she collapsed weakly, her chest gradually losing its rise and fall, now teetering on the brink of death. At this moment, in her peripheral vision, she saw the hungry general, having regained strength, take a decisive step forward, reaching her and the Lady Bingyao’s heads, raising his long sword. On the other side, the serpent’s body twisted and surged, crushing trees and uprooting soil, as the strange yet beautiful serpent woman surged into the battlefield, her pupils blazing with a deep crimson glow. Behind her came Yuchuan and his hundred-man squad. Their objective was clear: to strike first at Lady Bingyao and the young girl, defeating the weaker opponents, killing the two, and then gradually consuming the official’s sons one by one. "Clang!" A narrow, long sword, wrapped in thick yellow light, spun through the air and struck heavily against the blood-red blade. A flash of sparks erupted—this sword seemed unusually heavy, and the hungry general stumbled back, his grip on the sword cracking at the base of his hand The narrow-mouthed long sword landed not far from Xiao Yuan and Princess Yin Yao, creating a dramatic depression and showering them with stones like a downpour. At another battlefield, a resonant "roll" echoed, followed immediately by the roar of an explosive flame wave. Gongzi Jiang Ju, resembling a rocket thruster, surged forward, radiating a fierce, intense wave of crimson fire from his body. He faced the three attackers advancing from the slope, stepping forward with his left foot with a solid "thud," then swinging his right arm back, delivering a punch with his fiery half-finger gauntlets blazing as bright as the sun. In an instant, a sea of fire materialized, crashing into the three serpent maidens, its blinding brightness and scorching heat engulfing the area. The lush grass and trees instantly turned to charcoal, while sand and stones warped and melted into dark red lava. Yuchuan Mei, the serpent maiden, and the hundred-sword warrior all blinked in shock, hastily retreating and drawing out every defensive item from their inventory to withstand the devastating surge of flame. Successive light shields of green, yellow, and black flickered and shattered. The flames consumed the three of them. Three figures from IChuan Mei screamed with heart-wrenching agony, as if alive beings were being thrown into a cremation furnace—the intensity of their cries perfectly conveyed the sharpness and depth of their suffering. Rolling and writhing in the flames, their scales cracked and flesh melted, suffering severe injuries in a single encounter. As one of the few saints in the official ranks who could stand alongside Fu Qingyang, Jiang Ju's full power was truly formidable. After delivering this punch, Jiang Ju's vitality rapidly declined. His Flame Fist was not a special ability, but rather a direct eruption of compressed fire spirit energy—simple, raw, and forceful, relying entirely on sheer power. While Huang Taiji chose to abandon his refinement process and rushed to join Xiao Yuan and Princess Yin Yao, he entrusted the last vial of life essence to Xiao Yuan. Then, with a single step, he raised the earth wall, which quickly rose to form a compact mound. Even the corpse of Princess Yin Yao, far away, was similarly enveloped by this small earth mound. The Greedy God watched with a cold gaze, chuckling, "Your lawful moral standards—truly a flaw that proves itself time and again, a weakness that never fails. By abandoning the Mountain God's ability, you've effectively weakened yourselves." He glanced once more at the three companions still smoldering in the distance, their bodies blackened, and smiled, "Come on, don't let Jiang Ju cut you down. Heh, it's finally our time for the hunt." With that, he took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, then exhaled a dense, misty vapor that surged outward like a tide, spreading to cover dozens of miles. "Your attack has been steady and measured—no signs of haste. It seems you've planned well before taking action," Huang Taiqi said, his brows furrowed. Whether urgent or not, that was his criterion for judging the enemy's strength. The less urgent the enemy, the more dangerous they were. The more urgent the allies, the less reliable they proved. The mist was the core ability of the Mist Lord, and the Greedy God had held back until now—this meant every move prior had been precisely anticipated by the opponent. "Whew... Whee..." Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blew, causing the thick, heavy fog to tremble violently and surge upward, revealing the figures of the greedy general and others. But in the very next moment, more fog poured in, one after another, filling the area. "It's no use—the fog has spread too far. We can't disperse it with the wind alone. The Rain Lord must intervene," said Jiang Ju, biting into a black whistle. Taking advantage of the clear view he had just gained, he had come to join Huang Taiqi. "We can't disperse it," Huang Taiqi frowned, his voice steady. "How many life essence vials do you still have?" Jiang Ju, remaining alert to the swirling fog around him, replied, "Two. And you?" "I brought three, but I've used them all," Huang Taiqi said slowly. "Two went to the Primordial Sovereign, and one to the one he's been developing a romantic interest in." "The Yi-chuan team has been scorched by you—recovery will take time. We must seize this brief window of opportunity and devise a plan to turn the tide, or we'll be in serious danger. In the thick fog, it's difficult to overcome the Greedy Divine General." Besides the Greedy Divine General, who moves in and out of sight like a ghost in the mist, there are also two strong support figures—the Dream Master and the Spirit Seer. Jiang Ju's brows were furrowed in concern: "You've given away all three Life Source Liquids? You're such a good-natured person—well, I won't stand for that. How could I possibly lose to the Greedy Divine General? What's the point of thinking of strategies? I'll just go in and fight straight through. I still have one move left—the self-explosion—which I haven't even used yet." "The self-explosion is your ultimate sacrifice move—don't use it casually," Huang Tai-qi felt a deep sense of helplessness: "Can't you even think for yourself?" "...There's one more possibility. If Cai Long's turtle grandson steps in, we might still have a chance," Jiang Ju said. Cai Long is reserved, self-centered, cold, and unyielding—often as indifferent as water itself. This temperament is not uncommon among water spirits. When the wind is favorable, he may step forward; but when it's against him, he'll hardly give his all. Right now, the wind is strongly adverse. He's likely hiding within the Sword Pavilion, waiting for the right moment to strike, letting both Jiang Ju and himself serve as expendable assets. After all, neither Cai Long nor Jiang Ju has yet reached their limits. After speaking, Jiang Jū injected half a tube of original life fluid into his arm, revitalizing his cells and restoring some of his strength. Together, they rushed toward the earthen coffin. Suddenly, Jiang Jū stopped and looked at the mound. "Then what about you two?" A voice from within replied, "My injuries are nearly healed. As long as you take the coffin, you'll draw the enemy's attention, and I'll be safe." "Hm, this seer of yours is surprisingly clever!" Jiang Jū praised with delight, then said no more, following Huang Taiqi toward the earthen coffin. Huang Taiqi's palms radiated yellow light, gently pressing against the sides of the Nine-Drake Enclosure and then pulling it free. The massive glass dome rose swiftly, shrunk, and was drawn back by Huang Taiqi. He then carried the yellow earthen coffin, walking steadily toward the Mountain God's Villa. Throughout this process, a powerful gravitational field enveloped him over a radius of several tens of meters, layer upon layer of stone armor covering both his body and the coffin, providing solid protection. Jiang Jū moved alongside, guarding and constantly intervening to fend off any enemies attempting to seize the coffin. "Thud... thud... thud..." Huang Taiji's steps were heavy and steady, soon bringing him to the foot of the manor. Along the way, in his perception, the Greedy God and others moved slowly behind, watching their opportunities carefully, yet never launching an attack. "Ah~" Jiang Ju, holding his whistle, blew through the thick mist and spotted the cracked stone steps. He was overjoyed: "Up there—we'll complete the main quest!" Huang Taiji took a single step forward and stepped onto the stone steps. Suddenly, his expression changed: "No spiritual realm prompt..." At that moment, behind him, the sound of soil bursting erupted, followed by Xiao Yuan's puzzled and startled voice: "Where have you two gone? Why aren't you protecting the coffin!" She had healed her injuries and was about to assist her teammates, only to find Jiang Ju and Huang Taiji had abandoned the coffin and vanished. As Xiao Yuan's voice echoed, something seemed to have been punctured—Jiang Ju and Huang Taiji looked up, only to find the coffin was gone. They had been enchanted. Under the veil of mist, unconsciously ensnared by a spell, he had been lured away from his post. The coffin! Cringing, Jiang Ju's body erupted with flames, transforming into a streak of light and returning swiftly, clutching the black iron whistle tightly and blowing it forcefully. "Whoa-whoa—" The wind surged, lifting the mist and scattering it to either side as he advanced. He saw the coffin of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn lying still, placed firmly in its spot. Meanwhile, the Greedy General and the Hundred-Slice Warrior raised their long swords, vigorously striking with determined force.