Chapter 119: The White Dragon Immortal Slays Demons and Monsters

Uncle Nan threw out his broadsword, harboring a deep wariness toward the sudden sorcery cast by the mountain bandit.

Yet, given the current predicament, he had no intention of letting the enemy in.

Zhou Bai, standing off to the side, felt a hint of disdain. This person possessed not a shred of true qi within his body, relying entirely on the forced expenditure of his own vital essence to project those spiritual talismans.

This was clearly a lingering aftereffect left behind by practicing an orthodox Daoist cultivation technique and taking a disastrous detour.

However, in the eyes of the ignorant mortals belonging to the caravan, it presented an entirely different spectacle. The man was shrouded in a thin, mist-like layer of spiritual radiance, making it no exaggeration to call him an immortal.

The strategist with the canine face let out a cold laugh, continuing his advance toward the caravan while shouting loudly, "My master is an immortal from the Underworld Ministry. Once the demonic entity reveals itself, I shall certainly slay it. Now, let me through so we can face this together!"

"What immortal? If you were truly an immortal, how did your companions meet such a miserable end?"

Uncle Nan retorted aloud, yet the gazes of the guards beside him already betrayed a trace of wavering. Having survived a life-or-death flight over the past few days, their subconscious minds were desperate to grasp at even a straw dangling over a cliff.

With a fierce grit of his teeth, the canine-faced strategist sliced open his palm with a dagger, letting blood flow out. A meager flame flickered to life, managing to incinerate a small fraction of the mid-air mosquitoes.

Some among the guards already began to talk back to Uncle Nan, and for a moment, morale within the caravan began to fracture.

Just then, Sheng Li emerged from the carriage. Her mere appearance immediately stabilized the chaotic situation. Having successfully led them out of the clutches of demons and monsters on several previous occasions, she naturally commanded immense authority.

All the guards looked toward her, awaiting her final verdict.

"Esteemed Immortal Master, I, Sheng Li, am merely a drifting duckweed in these chaotic times, seeking only self-preservation. I pray you will forgive us."

As these words left her lips, the triumphant expression that had momentarily graced the strategist's face instantly froze. He had originally planned to use the caravan as a shield and slip away covertly while the spiritual talisman's enhancement lasted. Now, his hopes had undoubtedly turned to dust, an empty basket drawing water.

Zhou Bai could not help but chuckle softly. It seemed this bait would find it impossible to unhook itself.

"You ignorant mortals know nothing of what's good for you! I offered you a chance at life, and you refuse to cherish it. Step aside and clear a path this instant!"

Driven to rage and panic, the strategist had never learned any martial arts. Combined with his advanced age and excessive loss of vital essence, he was already panting heavily after walking just a few paces.

A few arrows came whistling through the air. With Sheng Li present, everyone obeyed her every command implicitly, prompting Zhou Bai to hold a higher regard for this young woman.

To possess the courage and capability to navigate a wasteland teeming with demons and monsters at the head of a caravan, entirely unfazed by rumors and gossip, was truly exceptional.

Yet Sheng Li was not as calm as Zhou Bai imagined. Being a mortal after all, her heart was strained to the absolute limit.

With a wave of her hand, a volley of arrows was loosed once more, forcing the strategist to keep his distance from the caravan. At the same time, Sheng Li explained in a low voice, "Even if he is an immortal, if we don't back him into a corner, he will likely treat us as mere fish on the chopping block while remaining ready to flee at any moment."

Everyone responded immediately. The arrows they loosed served only to deter the strategist from approaching the caravan, forcing him to act as a barrier when the demon arrived.

Unfortunately, the weather refused to cooperate. The gentle drizzle gradually intensified, turning into a torrential downpour.

The kerosene in the caravan's possession was now less than half, and the flames were barely sustained at a height just over half a person.

The spiritual light barrier shielding the strategist began to flicker erratically. Gritting his teeth, he bolted toward the side, intending to slip away and make his escape.

However, the muddy mountain path was far too slick. He tripped clumsily and tumbled to the ground, eating mud in a most undignified fashion. The very last remnants of the talisman's power vanished completely.

Mudwater splashed into the strategist's eyes, blurring his vision, but his ears clearly caught the alarmed cries of the caravan members not far away.

His heart skipped a beat. Rubbing his eyes with his hands, he forced them open to find a pair of jade-smooth feet standing right before him. They stepped barefoot into the mud, yet remained completely unstained by any filth.

Next, a crisp, silvery chime of laughter rang out from above, stirring ripples in the hearts of all who heard it.

Involuntarily, he raised his head. A slender and graceful woman stood before him.

She wore a delicate layer of gossamer robes that left her curvaceous figure faintly discernible. Her features were as exquisitely carved as a fairy's, and a cascade of long hair fell to her waist.

"...Save me... There are demons..."

The strategist instinctively cried out for help, only to see the woman cover her mouth with a light giggle.

When she lowered her hand, the mouth she revealed stretched all the way back to her ears. "Truly devoid of flesh and blood, so scrawny and lean. The taste must be utterly dreadful."

Following this, she widened her mouth and inhaled forcefully toward the sky. The dense swarm of mosquitoes rushed directly into her throat as if it were a black hole.

Moments later, the woman licked her lips, flashing a charming smile. "This blood is passable enough. It should add a bit to my cultivation."

***

The canine-faced strategist was frozen in place by the horrifying spectacle before him, trembling uncontrollably until a warm stream soaked his trousers—he had wet himself in terror.

Seeing that the demon had finally appeared, Zhou Bai straightened the bamboo hat upon his head. He flipped down from his horse's back, took two steps forward, and was just about to exert his strength when a delicate hand grabbed his arm.

Zhou Bai turned his head to see Sheng Li shaking her head. "There is no need to resist. This demonic entity is no ordinary minor fiend—didn't you see she has already assumed human form? We cannot match her in combat. We can only rely on the campfire to hold out until dawn."

"By what right do you expect mere mortal fires to stop her?"

Sheng Li spoke with brutal honesty, "I do not know either. But we have survived these past few days by doing just this, and right now, this is all we have to pin our hopes on."

Pointing toward her carriage and addressing the others, she ordered, "Dismantle the carriage! Throw all those logs into the fire! Let it burn a little longer, every second counts!"

"Understood!"

Facing the threat of life and death, everyone cast aside their prejudices, but the situation turned out far more grim than they had imagined.

The torrential rain poured down relentlessly, and the kerosene-fueled flames finally gave up the ghost. With a soft hiss, they were completely extinguished.

The complexions of everyone in the caravan drained of color. Under such circumstances, their surroundings plunged into an even deeper darkness, illuminated only by the faint light piercing through the storm clouds.

The demon lowered herself, picked up the terrified and paralyzed strategist by the scruff of his neck, and stalked toward the caravan.

Stopping when she was still about ten meters away, she sneered, "You morsels are truly detestable. Not only do you resist, but you insist on using things this concubine abhors."

No one answered her. Absolute silence reigned among the dozen or so souls in the caravan. Desperation fell short of capturing the profound terror gripping their hearts at that moment.

At that instant, Zhou Bai stretched leisurely, pulled out his Sea-Gathering Gourd to take a casual swig of wine, and strolled out of the formation of his own accord.

No one stopped him. After all, the present situation offered nothing but a dead end, and many of the younger guards could not help but weep softly.

Meanwhile, Sheng Li's gaze was somewhat vacant, her eyes brimming with regret.

"Uncle Nan, you won't blame me, will you? All of this was my own stubborn doing."

A look of paternal affection softened Uncle Nan's weathered face. He smiled and replied, "How could I? Recovering the family estate in Xizhou was the late master's dying wish, after all."

With those words, his courage somewhat restored, he drew his other broadsword and stepped out of the ranks as well.

"This old man has escorted countless caravans in his lifetime. Even in death, I refuse to go out in such a cowardly manner. Surely I cannot lose to a newcomer just entering the jianghu..."

His blade was drawn, its edge still bearing the marks of past battles. Yet he froze mid-stride, struck dumb by the unbelievable sight unfolding before him.

A visible aura emanated from Zhou Bai's body. The falling raindrops could not even touch him; as if terrified of the man, they frantically swerved away.

"This rain is truly displeasing. Disperse."

His right hand rested gently upon the Tang dao at his waist. The scabbard was covered in a layer of scales interwoven with crackling lightning.

Qinggui's jaw dropped, tear tracks still wet upon her cheeks as she muttered involuntarily, "Miss... what is that?"

With a complex expression, Sheng Li gave a self-deprecating reply, "Having eyes yet failing to recognize a true immortal... and here I foolishly fancied myself capable of reading a person's depths at a glance..."

*CLANG!*

The Tang dao was unsheathed, revealing a blade infused with spirit-fusion that looked far more like a dragon than a mere weapon.

With a single slash toward the sky, Zhou Bai brought down his blade. A deafening clap of thunder erupted, sending a violent shockwave rippling outward in all directions.

Everyone in the caravan instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces. The rainwater scattered wildly under the impact, momentarily forming a dense, blinding mist.

Following that, a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the muddy ground below.

The torrential downpour stopped as abruptly as it had begun, coming and going with fierce haste.

When Sheng Li looked back up at the sky, she could clearly see that the cloud cover had been cleaved clean in two. The rain had ceased over this small hill, though it continued to pour elsewhere.

The demon stood frozen in her tracks, a chilling dread crawling up her spine to engulf her entire body. She could not help taking several steps back in retreat.

Despite her cultivation being just a hair's breadth away from that of a blood demon, she slipped clumsily in the mud before Zhou Bai, sprawling ungracefully upon the ground.

Ignoring the demon—though his aura locked onto her securely—Zhou Bai walked over to the canine-faced strategist, who had been scared completely out of his wits.

Squatting beside the trembling wretch, Zhou Bai demanded, "Where did you learn that Daoist technique?"

"I... I... Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving my life! Thank you, Immortal Master, for sparing my life!"

"Where did you learn that technique?" Zhou Bai repeated, his tone carrying a trace of impatience.

Sensing the impending irritation in those words, the strategist blurted out in a rush, "I encountered a traveling Daoist during a raid years ago and seized it after killing him! But it has nothing to do with me, the chief did all of it! He... he committed every conceivable evil... he deserved to die!"

By now, the demon had regained a shred of courage. Seeing that Zhou Bai continued to ignore her, she attempted to turn and slip away.

At that moment, a miniature white snake wriggled out from the collar of her garment, its dark-gold eyes locked relentlessly upon her as it flicked its scarlet tongue.

In that instant, an inexplicable terror enveloped the demon, freezing her limbs so that she was powerless to move.

She could finally empathize with the dozens, if not hundreds, of victims who had died at her hands. The shadow of death felt as tangible as iron, chilling her soul to the bone.

A look of delight crossed Zhou Bai's face as he pressed on, "Do you have the remaining cultivation manuals and secret texts?"

"Yes... yes... I do!" Sensing that he was in a good mood, the strategist felt a heavy stone lift from his chest and hastily added, "The chief—no, that bandit leader keeps them on his person! They are credentials for the Xu Family Trading House in Wancheng. All the valuables are kept there, the Immortal Master may take them as he pleases."

"No omissions or anything left behind?" Zhou Bai stood up and turned around.

"How would I dare hold anything back? This lowly one has finally turned over a new leaf. In truth, I have always deeply admired the Underworld Ministry..."

The more the strategist spoke, the more emboldened he grew, chattering on endlessly. Seeing this, Zhou Bai flicked his finger, sending a bolt of spiritual light shooting from his fingertip to decisively end the man's life.

Witnessing such ruthlessness, the demon instantly forced down the terror gripping her heart. She waved her hand, releasing a billow of black smoke that shrouded the clearing.

Just as she attempted to slip away in the chaos, she heard the roar of a dragon. The white snake coiled around Zhou Bai's arm swelled against the wind, transforming within mere breaths into a massive white dragon nearly twenty meters long.

Though Xianyu was still some distance away from becoming a true dragon, it already carried a trace of true dragon might. It lowered its head—missing only its dragon horns—and parted its jaws, exhaling a foul, fishy gale.

The caravan members had never witnessed such a spectacle and were frozen stiff under the dragon's majesty. Sheng Li and Uncle Nan, who were familiar with Zhou Bai, even felt the surreal sensation of dwelling within a dream.

The tourist from the jianghu who had been chatting and laughing with them only moments ago had instantly transformed into an immortal capable of summoning a divine dragon. The contrast was simply too staggering.

After a brief pause, Xianyu lunged to snap at the demon, but just as its jaws closed, its target shattered into tens of thousands of mosquitoes that scattered in all directions.

Frowning, Zhou Bai stood atop Xianyu's head and stamped down heavily.

Despite possessing numerous demonic Dao techniques—and despite Xianyu's attacks actually carrying greater destructive force than his own—the creature still harbored a stubborn fondness for blindly brawling with brute physical force. It was a terrible habit.

"Always leaving me to clean up your messes! You need to break this habit of trying to scare people all the time!"

Under Zhou Bai's reprimand, the aggrieved Xianyu shrank back into a white snake and slithered back into his sleeve.

He conveniently omitted the fact that his own demonic cultivation had yet to master a true form, and Xianyu was merely a paper tiger whose actual strength was on par with that demon's.

Watching the swarm of mosquitoes attempt to slip beyond his field of vision, Zhou Bai immediately unleashed his curse-killing divine ability, vanishing from the spot as a streak of golden lightning.

There was no need to assume his bone-fiend true form; his current physical strength alone was more than sufficient. Moreover, paralyzed by extreme terror, the demon lacked even the slightest intent to fight back.

Immediately afterward, countless blade-flashes illuminated the mountain forest. Leaves were shredded to dust, and towering trees were severed mid-trunk, their cut surfaces left mirror-smooth.

When Zhou Bai reappeared, his Tang dao was already back in its scabbard, and the reward points he sought had been safely secured.

With a peculiar expression, he crouched down to search the bandit leader's corpse, fishing out a sheepskin credential and stowing it away in his storage pouch.

During the battle, he had finally figured out why the demon feared fire.

Her true form was composed of exactly thirteen thousand five hundred and sixty-seven mosquitoes.

While each mosquito possessed an independent consciousness, they remained unified as a collective whole. When every single mosquito instinctively recoiled from fire, even though her cultivation level was not truly vulnerable to ordinary flames, her primal instincts made her dare not approach it.