All of the protagonist's Daoist partners are mine!

"So that's how it is. Is that why my spell existed? Was it meant for this moment?" Mingli, on the verge of destruction, suddenly had an epiphany and said to Danjing, who was swooping down towards her, "Junior sister, do you still remember our unfinished combined attack technique?"

Even the longest conversation between strong individuals can be completed in a fraction of a second.

Why are you suddenly bringing this up?

"It's nothing, I just wanted you to know... this time, I won't leave you behind and go first."

In a flash, Xing Moxie had already grabbed Mingli: "You ignorant fool, still flirting even when you're about to die? Fine, I'll send you on your way first, so you can go to another world and see how your junior sister gets messed up after becoming a widow! Yay!"

"No, Senior Brother—!"

No won't help either.

To avoid any unforeseen complications, just crush it in one go!

Seeing that Ming Li seemed to have some other tricks up his sleeve, Xing Moxie changed his mind about cutting him into pieces and instead destroyed him so that not even a single grain of ashes remained!

boom!

The moment Mingli was crushed, a surge of spiritual energy radiated outwards along with the explosion.

"Any further resistance?" Xing Moxie instinctively went on the defensive, but nothing seemed to happen: "What are you doing? Just a bluff?"

"Senior brother—" Dan Jing raised her hand to block the surge of spiritual energy that swept past her, then exclaimed in surprise, "Senior brother?!"

"Hehehe, already in heaven... Huh!? What!?"

Xing Moxie originally wanted to elevate his status with a single sentence, but when he saw that Dan Jing's severed right hand had been restored and that Ming Li's spine was actually in her hand, even Xing Moxie, who had seen many storms, found it hard to remain composed.

What's all this fuss about? Didn't he already crush that last bastard? The feeling just now was definitely real, and he was on guard against illusions the whole time, so this can't be possible!

"Senior...Senior Brother?" Dan Jing was also confused, looking at the bone whip in her hand with an uncertain expression.

The next second, the bone whip spoke: "Don't be surprised, I'm not so easily defeated. Now, let's join forces and blast this opponent down!"

"Oh, okay!" Dan Jing swung the bone whip, the same feeling as before. The difference was that she felt her spiritual energy was more abundant, and the arcs of electricity above her head had unknowingly accumulated many layers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several lightning bolts struck, forcing Xing Moxie to revert to a defensive stance. Dan Jing, on the other hand, grew increasingly energetic with each strike, feeling like she was in unprecedented form!

"Hahaha! Again, again! That's awesome, senior brother! I can feel our teamwork getting more and more perfect. If it were us now, no matter who the opponent was, we wouldn't lose!"

"Damn it, what's going on?" Xing Moxie flew close to the ground, constantly dodging and weaving. Every whip and every bolt of lightning exploded where it was closest to him.

He clearly destroyed that bone whip, so why did it reappear? And Dan Jing seems to be in a drug-induced enhanced state; her cultivation and power are noticeably higher than before. Could it be that even the Ice Man can achieve a breakthrough in battle?

If he didn't figure out these strange occurrences, he wouldn't be able to defeat this duo. At this moment, Xing Moxie was certain that he hadn't fallen under an illusion, and that everything happening before him, so illogical, was part of reality.

"Oh! Could it be..."

Xing Moxie suddenly realized, why not think about it from the other side?

The surge of spiritual energy when his spine was crushed must have had its purpose. If he wasn't under an illusion, could it be that Dan Jing was?

Mingli's mastery of illusion magic is enough to influence reality.

In other words, could it be that Mingli cast an illusion spell on Danjing before he was crushed, and that the illusion spell was then projected into reality through Danjing's perception?

22 The Last Illusion

Mingli is dead, but he lives on in Danjing's perception. Is this some kind of love between a human and a ghost? And he returns to reality through Danjing's perception. What kind of new method of possession and resurrection is this?

Did I make the wrong choice just now? Should I have taken advantage of separating them and dealt with Dan Jing first?

Xing Moxie already had a plan: "No matter what, this kind of illusion that can affect reality can't last long. Illusions are ultimately illusions, and once they exceed the limits that reality allows, they will be punished. As long as we can hold out until then..."

“If that’s what you think, you’re sorely mistaken.” Mingli anticipated his thoughts and said to herself, “I only cast three illusions on Danjing. First, I inputted all traces of my existence into her mind, creating the illusion that I was not destroyed. Second, I gave her the suggestion that she was always at her peak, enabling her to instantly cast spells that originally required prerequisites. Third… that’s not important.”

"The combined attack technique I conceived back then was originally intended to be constructed using illusions, allowing Danjing to unleash power beyond the realm of reality without any restrictions in actual combat. The incompleteness of this technique lies in the fact that once Danjing uses spiritual power beyond its limit, the illusion will collapse because it is too detached from reality, and maintaining an illusion that affects reality will also take a great toll on me. However, these weaknesses were all resolved with my death."

"The first death freed us from the shackles of the living. Now our power comes from the chaotic curse, and the almost inexhaustible source of spiritual energy means that even if Danjing fights without restraint under my guidance, he will not stray from reality. As for me, who is constructed from illusion... if the original body were still alive, the existence of two versions of myself would inevitably be punished by reality. In a sense, I should thank you for being ruthless enough to destroy my true form to the point of complete obliteration. Therefore, this second death has made up for the final flaw in my illusion."

"So go, junior sister, our spell is complete. Now let this world fear us!"

boom!

Open the Thunder Pool! Open!

One lightning disc, already quite formidable, opened up one after another in the sky, while reflections of the sky gradually appeared on the ground.

"This thing can fire in rapid succession!?"

That's bad. If we get targeted by so many dangerous targets, even a god wouldn't be confident of escaping heavy damage.

"Alright, the distance should be enough. Demonic Illusion!"

If we continue to conceal our abilities, we might just get burned. We're already far enough away from Xiao Fan and the others, and with the wind and snow interfering with our divine senses, the spiritual energy fluctuations here shouldn't be detected.

It's time to end this farce!

“Ah——!”

The Human Emperor Sword continued to grow larger, and the Heavenly Demon's avatar pierced through three Thunder Pools with a single sword strike, heading straight for the Pill Crystal!

Dan Jing's whip clashed head-on with the Human Emperor's Sword, the powerful lightning force blasting them apart.

"So he really has some tricks up his sleeve? But enemies at the Mahayana Realm are not uncommon in our time!" After regaining his footing, Dan Jing pointed his whip to the sky again: "Thunder Pool, open—"

One after another, lightning discs reappeared, almost covering the entire sky, indicating that she still had inexhaustible strength!

She possesses the power to transform an icy plain into a sea of ​​lightning!

boom!

Before Dan Jing could even unleash its devastating thunder to defend itself, the thunder pools crumbled one by one with a series of crisp cracking sounds, scattering away in the wind. Bang, bang bang bang bang!

“What…” Dan Jing’s expression suddenly returned to normal after her frenzy.

What happened? Why isn't her magic working?

"A dream born of illusion will eventually end." The spiritual power of the Heavenly Demon's illusory body converged towards the center, compressing into a smaller but more powerful Heavenly Demon True Body Dharma Form. Xing Moxie sheathed the Human Emperor Sword and replaced it with the Bull-Bull Halberd: "Now, let me bring you back to reality."

Whoosh—an absurdly strong gale blew in from the north, carrying a gust of air that howled like ghosts as it passed through narrow places.

This storm is strange; it's more intense than blizzards in other places!

"Not good! Junior sister, get out of here quickly!"

"This, this, this location is..." Dan Jing looked around and finally understood what had happened.

This place is located to the west of the previous village, and the huge shadow of the Hengduan Mountains to the north is already faintly visible in the wind and snow. Several miles due north is the narrow path that passes through that mountain.

The cold winds from the north of the mountain rush into the narrow passage from north to south. They converge and intensify in the narrow terrain. Finally, when they blow out from the south side of the mountain, the density, power, and sealing force of the wind and snow will be dozens or even hundreds of times greater than ordinary storms!

Although the previous village chief, Ma San, was an imposter, the information he provided was accurate. Perhaps this is a drawback caused by using an illusion technique that is too advanced and too realistic in recreating the deceased's state before death.

Dan Jing and the others were currently positioned directly downwind. Even though she had stronger resistance to wind and snow than the other ice people, the hundredfold sealing power still prevented her from maintaining her spells normally.

We've fallen for their trap!

It turns out that Xing Moxie wasn't fleeing in a sorry state all along, but rather tactically luring her to this position that was absolutely disadvantageous to the Ice Man.

Both Dan Jing and Ming Li were immersed in their immense power, believing they had no chance of defeat, and thus ignored the environmental factors. The result was that they entered the only place that could simultaneously suppress their power—a deadly trap.

"Chaotic Halberd Techniques, Chaotic Pagoda!" Xing Moxie wouldn't give his prey a chance to escape the net, charging forward to unleash his most confident strike in conjunction with his Dharma Image: "Gaining unexpected power blinds one to its true nature; this is a weakness unique to the living. Your defeat stems from the fact that, as people who have already died once, you didn't die thoroughly enough! Hah—"

Damn it, it's too late to evacuate the strong wind zone. Dan Jing has no choice but to fight on the spot: "Defeat? We haven't been defeated yet. My senior brother and I will not be defeated if we join forces. We are invincible! Heavenly Thunder Annihilation!"

Dan Jing concentrated all her power into this whip, sparks crackling from her body and lightning emanating from her seven orifices. With the amplification of her senior brother's illusion magic, she raised her power to an unprecedented level, beyond the limits her body could withstand!

Fight!

Boom!

The two powerful attacks collided, and the resulting burst of spiritual energy shot straight into the sky, creating a blinding white light that obscured everything.

"Whoa..." Dan Jing raised her hand to shield her eyes from the bright light and took a step back, only to feel a solid stomping sensation under her feet.

She looked down and realized that she was standing on a lush green lawn without even realizing it.

A breeze brushed past her cheek; it wasn't the biting wind that ravaged the far north, but a pleasant, warm breeze carrying the scent of flowers and warmth.

"This, this is..."

“This is my most successful spell ever.” A handsome man appeared beside her.

"Senior brother!? You..." Dan Jing couldn't believe that Ming Li, who only had one spine left, had actually recovered to the most complete form in her memory.

Mingli smiled slightly at her, took her hand, and pointed ahead: "Now, let me fulfill my last promise from back then."

Following the direction he pointed, Dan Jing saw a green mountain backed by auspicious clouds, a Wuyou Mountain that had long since disappeared from the world and had witnessed their most beautiful years.

Having understood everything, Dan Jing felt relieved and let go of everything. Crystal tears slid down her cheeks: "Finally, I'm back..."

break!

Amidst the blizzard, Xing Moxie landed steadily, his back to the Danjing that had exploded into a bloody mist. He twirled his halberd and drew his Dharma form into his body: "So you're going to make me eat dog food until the very end? Hmph, you ignorant thing, go back to the other world and continue dreaming."

The last illusion that Mingli's true form cast on Danjing before being destroyed was a beautiful dream that would only be activated when they were completely defeated, a dream that belonged only to the two of them.

Unlike ordinary creatures, the Iceman's soul, eroded and solidified by chaotic forces, may not be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation even after the destruction of its physical body. Instead, it will remain in a place where no one can detect it and continue to suffer torment.

If that's the case, Mingli's final illusion would undoubtedly bring some solace to Danjing's soul.

But none of that matters. The only thing Xing Moxie cares about is ultimately achieving victory and obtaining the prize!

"However... this is only the first real enemy I've encountered since arriving in the far north..." Xing Moxie couldn't help but worry about the road ahead.

I don't know how far it is from that ancient city beneath the frozen soil. Assuming that ancient city is the lair of the Ice People, there must be even more ancient masters inside.

If Dan Jing and Ming Li aren't even considered minor bosses in the Ice Man's faction, then that's really a shame. With their current lineup, can they really handle this task?

Xing Moxie glanced at the narrow passage to the north, then turned and flew towards the direction where Xiao Fan and the others were.

……

On the other side, after a fierce battle, the rest of the group also blasted away all the attacking icemen!

"Yay, aww!" Stone Knife King smashed the last ice man into a pulp, thus declaring a partial victory.

Elder Yangping and Elder Mu, their faces bruised and swollen, got up from the ground: "See? How could a mere Ice Man possibly be a match for us?"

"Indeed, we are all too strong."

"You guys didn't put in much effort at all, did you?" Xiao Linglong rolled her eyes and complained.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, what you say is unbelievable. Without spiritual power to activate the puppet, I have no way to use my skills," Elder Mu defended himself.

In terms of physical strength, the puppeteer was definitely disappointing. Even after luring the ice man into the snowstorm, he still couldn't secure many kills.

"Next, we'll see if things go smoothly for Brother Lu. If he loses to that woman who uses lightning, I'm afraid we'll be doomed too."

No sooner had Xiao Fan finished speaking than a shout came from the west.

"oi~!" Xing Moxie waved and ran towards them through the wind and snow, like an Ultraman human returning to his team after a battle.

"Ha, Brother Lu, I knew you wouldn't lose."

"Wow, Fellow Daoist Lu not only didn't lose, but he also didn't suffer any injuries. It's a great victory!" Stone Knife Heavenly King said joyfully.

Elder Yangping, who had suffered the greatest embarrassment, quickly stepped forward and asked, "Fellow Daoist Lu, how did you win? I thought that ice-woman was quite skilled!"

23 Prison Tea

Knowing their strong curiosity and their relentless pursuit of answers, Xing Moxie briefly described the key points of luring Danjing to a narrow, windy passage and using the terrain to defeat him.

After listening, Stone Knife Heavenly King praised him generously: "Haha, Fellow Daoist Lu won with wisdom. As expected, the Ice Man's brain is not so good."

"Yes, yes..." Elder Yangping echoed, somewhat annoyed. He thought to himself, "Now I've become the most useless person?"

"I know you all want to celebrate, but the most important thing right now is to get back to where we were and find a way to remove the ice and snow seal from our bodies," Xiao Fan, as the leader of the team, stepped forward to give instructions.

Without spiritual power, let alone encountering enemies again, we wouldn't even be able to cross that mountain to the north.

So the group returned to the destroyed village to rest. When they passed through the storm wall, they found Shi Yingtao already waiting there.

Upon seeing them return in perfect unison, Shi Yingtao immediately greeted them with great enthusiasm: "Wow, all of you bosses, you've worked hard. Would you like to eat first, or take a shower first, or... wow, da shi..."

Everyone else was speechless. Elder Mu spoke first: "Damn piece of trash! You disappear at crucial moments. What use are you?! I might as well dismantle you to strengthen my puppets and increase our combat power!"

As he spoke, Elder Mu summoned his magical screwdriver and spiritual wrench, lunging towards Shi Yingtao. From the moment he first saw the tree-man puppet, he had been eyeing every part of Shi Yingtao. He desperately wanted to disassemble her and study her thoroughly.

Elder Mu couldn't find a suitable opportunity to betray his allies because they had provided crucial intelligence and support. Now that Shi Yingtao had deserted, it gave him the perfect excuse to act!

But Shi Yingtao raised her hand and punched him away!

boom!