Chapter Eight: Villains Meet Their Match

A piercingly cold surge of spiritual energy shot into Li Chengzhu’s body, wrenching him from the depths of unconsciousness. His eyes snapped open, and before he could utter a word, a fresh mouthful of blood spattered from his lips. Only after laboriously bringing the rampaging spiritual power within him to heel did he feel the agony relent, if only slightly.

That crushing and almost tangible spiritual pressure still bore down on him like a mountain. Li Chengzhu had to summon every ounce of his strength just to keep himself from collapsing to his knees beneath its weight.

He looked up at Gu Linglong and could only sigh inwardly at his run of terrible luck. How had this harbinger of disaster managed to track him down?

Hiding within the Heaven-Enshrouding Earth-Binding Grand Array should have been the pinnacle of safety, yet months of wandering had dulled his vigilance, and he had forgotten that in this dazzling world, there was still a woman quietly waiting for him outside.

Unable to cry out, Li Chengzhu wept in his heart. He recalled the misery he had suffered upon first awakening in the Immortal Realm and almost wished the qilin beast had finished him off back then—a swift end would have been preferable to this drawn-out torment.

So what if he’d accidentally absorbed half her Ascension Immortal Light? Was that really reason enough for her to fix him with such a murderous glare, as if she would never relent?

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Li Chengzhu forced a sheepish grin and raised his hand. “Hi!”

Gu Linglong fought to restrain her trembling body, unsure whether the cause was rage or excitement. A thousand years of cultivation had finally culminated in her ascension to the Immortal Realm and a place among the immortals. Yet, unbelievably, at the moment of her ascension, this mere mortal before her had somehow seized half of her Ascension Light.

Deprived of half the transformative power of that light, the immortal qi her body could hold was now pitifully limited, leaving her weaker than even the most mediocre of immortals in this world. She had become the butt of a cosmic joke, and was ultimately assigned as the administrator of this remote, insignificant town.

Gu Linglong knew well that such positions were reserved for lesser immortals lacking power or influence. Those who were truly formidable, or who had powerful backers, would never waste centuries in obscurity managing a town of cultivators. Immortals, too, needed to cultivate and advance—how could they hope to break through their current limits if they were tethered to one place?

And all of this—every last humiliation—was the fault of the man before her.

She had originally planned to report to the Immortal Emperor before seeking him out, but to her chagrin, the Heaven-Enshrouding Earth-Binding Grand Array had barred her entry.

With no choice, Gu Linglong had been forced to take up her thankless post in the city. Yet, against all odds, this very man had stumbled right into her domain. Had she not sensed the faint ripple of the tracking spell she had once planted on him, who knew when she would have found him again?

Gu Linglong gazed impassively at the man before her, who was swaying unsteadily beneath her spiritual pressure. She could scarcely believe that in just two years’ time, he had reached the late Nascent Soul stage—a pace so shockingly fast that even she, with all her prodigious gifts, had required nearly a century to reach this level. Even the transformative power of the Ascension Light could not account for such a meteoric rise. Had he stumbled upon some rare elixir?

But perhaps this was for the best. With power to shield himself, maybe—just maybe—he wouldn’t die quite so easily under her hands.

A cold, cruel smile curved across her flawless features.

Li Chengzhu shivered as the air around him seemed to plummet in temperature. He mustered a nervous grin. “Miss? Immortal Lady? May I ask... what business you have with me?” Since she hadn’t immediately exposed him, he decided to feign ignorance.

Jolted from her reverie, Gu Linglong was inwardly startled. She had always prided herself on her composure, yet in his presence, her heart churned with tumultuous emotion. Clearly, this was a grudge she would never be able to let go.

She took a deep breath to steady herself and spoke. “Do you really have to ask what you’ve done?”

Li Chengzhu managed a wry smile. “I may not be the most upstanding man, but I don’t recall offending you, Immortal Lady.” He had made up his mind to brazen it out, come what may.

Gu Linglong’s chest, which she had just calmed, began to heave once more. She shouted, “You stole my Ascension Light and violated my body—either crime alone would be enough to see you utterly destroyed!”

Her voice rang out with the force of the Shocking Word Incantation, and Li Chengzhu’s cultivation was no match for it. He was pressed to his knees again, his chest roiling with blood—only by great effort did he keep from vomiting it up.

Damn it, he cursed inwardly. Should he take out the God-Slaying Bow and end her right here? If she tormented him a few more times, he’d be coughing blood to death soon enough. But thinking it through, even the God-Slaying Bow would likely be useless against an immortal of her caliber, and would only expose his own strength for nothing.

But there are limits to what a man can endure. He, a grown man, had already been forced to kneel twice today—when had he ever suffered such humiliation? Fury surged in his chest. He climbed to his feet and glared at Gu Linglong. “Damn it, do you think I wanted any of this? I was minding my own business climbing a mountain, when I got struck by heavenly lightning, and then, for my sins, got dragged up to the Immortal Realm with you! How is any of that my fault?”

Gu Linglong clenched her fists, her whole body shaking. “Dragged you up to the Immortal Realm? You were the one clinging to my body, and no matter how I tried, I couldn’t shake you off! If it weren’t for the fact that magic is useless within the Ascension Light, I’d have blasted you down with a palmful of thunder long ago.” She glared at him, teeth clenched in fury. “Fine, fine! Very well!”

Li Chengzhu blinked. “Fine what? What’s so great about any of this? None of it was my fault.”

Gu Linglong closed her eyes, took a moment to regulate her immortal qi, and then spoke. “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve reached the Nascent Soul stage, haven’t you?”

Li Chengzhu straightened. “So what if I have? What’s so special about the Nascent Soul stage?” A nasty thought seemed to occur to him, and his voice trembled. “You venomous woman, don’t tell me you mean to devour my nascent soul? That’s a grave taboo! Are you truly so willing to defy the heavens?”

Gu Linglong smirked. “Did I say I wanted to devour your nascent soul? With your meager spiritual power, how could you possibly make up for the immortal strength I lost?”

Seeing her malevolent expression, Li Chengzhu couldn’t help but shrink back. “Then what do you want?”

Gu Linglong’s voice was laced with malice. “Hmph. What if I were to shatter your body and extract your nascent soul? Wouldn’t that be amusing?”

Li Chengzhu recoiled in horror. “How can you even think of something so monstrous?”

“Hmph!” Gu Linglong uttered no more. In a flash, she appeared before him, grabbed him by the collar like a chicken, and whisked him away with a single teleportation.

The world spun, and before Li Chengzhu could gather his wits, he found himself in a vast hall. Gu Linglong released him, and he tumbled to the floor.

Teleportation—what shocking speed!

Before he could even marvel, a familiar female voice rang out. “Sister, have you caught your enemy?”

He turned, and a figure clad in fiery red burst into view.

Li Chengzhu scratched his head awkwardly and raised his hand in greeting. “Hi. What a coincidence, everyone’s here! Heh... heh...”