Chapter 597: Slaying the Two Demons, Duty of Longevity

Two strikes arrived in an instant.

They were less than a hundred steps away from Wei Tu and Cao Mi, close enough to reach their bodies in the blink of an eye.

But at this moment, neither the black-robed man nor the young woman looked pleased. Instead, their faces were filled with wariness as they stared at the battlefield, even secretly preparing their escape artifacts.

A single blow to win? They weren’t that arrogant.

This strike was only meant to test Wei Tu and Cao Mi’s strength.

If their strength was close or a bit weaker than theirs, then there was no reason to waste energy in a drawn-out fight.

After all, the immortal cultivation world was not only about killing.

Seeking the Dao was the real path.

Battling equals often ended in serious injuries or even death. Without certainty of victory, it was unwise to risk everything.

Always think of defeat before victory.

Of course—

If Wei Tu and Cao Mi turned out to be weak, they would have no problem harvesting the lives of same-realm human cultivators, boosting their foundations and gaining riches.

But the result disappointed them.

"Retreat first!"

"Call for reinforcements, then deal with him."

The next moment, when they saw Wei Tu and Cao Mi activate their corpse-controlling plaques, sending out Yin-Yang Demonic Corpses to block their attack, their faces immediately changed.

A fourth-rank superior refined corpse could match a late Nascent Soul cultivator in a short fight.

On top of that, the flawless coordination between Wei Tu and Cao Mi showed they were battle-hardened veterans, not easy opponents.

Unfortunately for the two demons, they had overlooked one thing—their secret signals could never escape Wei Tu’s perception, whose mastery over the Spirit Eye technique was profound.

Just as they were about to withdraw, their escape route was already sealed by him.

"Little Big Dipper Divine Technique!"

Wei Tu gave a low shout. His body swelled to over a hundred zhang, draped in a starry "false dharmic form." With his right palm pressing downward, the sea sank a hundred zhang deep, raising monstrous waves that forced the two demons out of the ocean where they tried to hide.

"Law of Heaven and Earth? Impossible!"

The black-robed man’s technique backfired, blood spilling from his mouth. He couldn’t hide his shock. After all, Law of Heaven and Earth was the hallmark divine ability of Divine Transformation experts.

Even knowing this was most likely a "counterfeit form" mimicking the true divine ability, the sheer power was far beyond anything ordinary late Nascent Soul cultivators could produce.

He didn’t realize that Wei Tu, though appearing mid-Nascent Soul, had surpassed late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators in mana, body, and soul alike.

In other words, setting aside appearances, Wei Tu was no different from a late Nascent Soul expert.

And that was not even counting his fourth-rank mid-stage body refinement strength.

"Brother Gui, what now?"

The young woman was blasted back, her face pale, eyes wide with fear as she turned to the man.

But before he could respond, a field of ghostly blue flames silently expanded, covering dozens of li around them.

Within the field, dense azure fire froze vapor and seawater alike. In an instant, all around turned to frost.

"Fire Lotus Technique!"

At Cao Mi’s cry, the ghostly flames surged toward the two demons like moths to flame, condensing into two enormous ice-colored lotus blossoms.

The black-robed man reacted quickly. He ignored her words, let out a roar, and transformed into a giant azure tortoise, several dozen zhang long. The shell on his back shone with dazzling light, forming a blue barrier that wrapped both him and the young woman within.

All this happened in an instant.

But as the barrier formed, the icy lotuses fully took shape, enclosing the two demons. Countless icy flames blanketed the azure barrier, burning away layer after layer of its glow until the once three-inch-thick shield thinned like paper, riddled with cracks and holes.

"Sister Cao’s strength after breaking into mid-Nascent Soul has soared."

Wei Tu nodded inwardly.

Though the azure shield was hastily formed, it contained the tortoise demon’s innate divine ability, far stronger than what an ordinary cultivator could break.

For Cao Mi to force it to such a state meant her combat strength now ranked among the stronger second-tier mid-Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Now it’s my turn!"

A lion strikes even a rabbit with all its strength. How much more against foes on par with Lüqiu Jinyuan?

Seeing Cao Mi temporarily trap them with her Fire Lotus Technique, Wei Tu seized the chance. Using the Curse Ghost Blood Escape, he closed in instantly, his right fist striking straight at the young woman’s chest.

They say: ‘Capture the thief, first catch the king.’

But there are exceptions.

Though the tortoise demon was stronger, his thick hide made him nearly impossible to finish in a few moves.

Better to kill the young woman first, reducing their numbers and crippling their strength.

"He’s aiming for me?"

Alarm bells rang in her heart. She bit down hard, her delicate jade hand transforming into a black serpent. Its gaping maw lunged at Wei Tu, a feint born from her intent to attack in order to defend.

She knew escaping the icy lotus would be difficult, and fleeing might expose her back to a fatal strike.

Risky though it was, attacking gave her a higher chance of survival—even if it meant ending up seriously injured.

But the next moment—

The young woman froze in shock.

Wei Tu hadn’t used mana or divine abilities at all. He had rushed in with pure body refinement, engaging her in close combat.

Her clever attempt to meet him head-on had instead delivered her frail-bodied demon form right into the tiger’s jaws.

"Shed—"

Faced with the threat of death, she didn’t hesitate. She withdrew her attack, spat a mouthful of blood essence onto her own body, and forced herself free.

In an instant she slipped out of the ice lotus and reappeared a hundred feet away. Her true form was revealed—a several-zhang-long black sea serpent.

Meanwhile, Wei Tu’s beast-like iron fist crashed down, shattering the ice lotus and landing squarely on… nothing but a cast-off serpent skin.

"So this is that demon’s innate divine ability?"

Though his strike failed, Wei Tu wasn’t frustrated. He simply studied the shedding technique with some surprise.

It reminded him of the Cicada Shedding divine ability tied to the Lifesaving Star Lamp he’d taken from Wei Hua, except this was serpent shedding.

'No wonder Old Demon Zhu said that every sea beast demon is formidable. If even this sea serpent has such a talent, that tortoise will be even tougher.'

Still, though she had escaped his fatal blow, the serpent demon’s aura weakened sharply. Clearly, using that technique came at a steep cost.

At that same moment, the tortoise demon finally burst out of the ice lotus.

His face twisted with bloodlust. He appeared right in front of Wei Tu and slapped down with a massive hand, intending to clash body-to-body against a fourth-rank body refiner.

At first, Wei Tu hadn’t taken him seriously. His fourth-rank physique had crushed every opponent so far. None had dared fight him with pure flesh alone.

But after trading a few dozen blows, his shock grew. This tortoise’s body was no weaker than his own. In fact, it might even surpass him by one tier.

The only difference was that unlike a true body cultivator, the tortoise couldn’t wield the unique "spiritual body force."

"Human cultivator, you’ve truly angered this king. Even if I must burn myself half to death, I’ll kill you here!"

After dozens of exchanges, the tortoise demon sneered coldly, his voice like ice.

No one knew the price he had paid—half his demonic blood already burned away.

If he didn’t kill Wei Tu, swallow his body, and seize his wealth, the losses would be unbearable.

Hearing this, the serpent demon’s eyes lit up with relief. She knew her brother’s strength and temper. He never boasted without cause.

If he claimed he could end Wei Tu’s life, then he must have had absolute confidence.

"Brother Gui, I’ll keep the human woman busy. You finish off the human man."

Her serpentine tail lashed as she lunged at Cao Mi.

Even weakened, she believed defeating an ordinary mid-Nascent Soul human like Cao Mi would be easy. At the very least, she could pin her down, preventing her from aiding Wei Tu with joint techniques.

But—

The instant she spoke, shock twisted her face, followed by raw fear.

She turned just in time to see the tortoise demon, who had seemed evenly matched with Wei Tu, suddenly bound by a golden chain.

Wei Tu had seized the perfect opening, shackling him tight.

And despite his monstrous body, the tortoise couldn’t break free. He was forced into complete submission.

The sight hit her like thunder.

Just a moment ago, they had fought evenly—yet now…

"A high-grade spirit treasure?"

Her heart shook. She realized the golden chain, the Mysterious Spirit Golden Chain, was far beyond ordinary magic tools.

But she had no time to ponder. Wei Tu, having subdued the tortoise, turned his gaze toward her.

"Run!"

She grit her teeth, spat another mouthful of blood essence, and used her serpent-shedding art once more, plunging into the sea and fleeing toward the distant waters of the Chiming Sea, hoping to return to her lair.

Too late.

The moment she moved, the Xuan Spider Robe fell silently under Cao Mi’s control, sealing her within that patch of ocean.

…

Half a day later—

The barren island where the secret realm entrance lay was quiet again. Crimson-stained waves lapped against its shores, leaving no trace of battle.

Wei Tu departed, his storage bag stuffed with the tortoise and serpent demons’ materials.

As for their flesh and blood, he had followed Ancestor Chìlóng’s advice, feeding it to the Two-Forms Infant as nourishment.

After all, the chance for his Five-Element Infant to advance to late Nascent Soul was worth any investment.

The demons had begged for mercy, but he ignored them as though deaf.

"Hongying formed her Nascent Soul?"

Back in the Ying Ding Tribe of the Kang Kingdom, his daughter Wei Yan brought him this happy news.

Of course, it wasn’t unexpected. Before entering the Zunwang Palace secret realm, he had left Kou Hongying a Nascent Infant Pill.

Her successful breakthrough was fortunate, but entirely within reason.

Still, Wei Tu didn’t hurry to Mirror Water Pavilion to congratulate her. Right now, another matter before him was far more pressing.

—It was all to prepare ahead of time, to guard against Ding Lezheng and the others threatening his family in the future.

"Yan’er, do you know of the Overseas Cultivation World?"

Wei Tu paused in thought before asking.

Up until now, only the members of the Righteous Society knew of the Overseas Cultivation World. For the sake of secrecy, even their own children had been kept in the dark.

Now he mentioned it with clear intent: to move Wei Yan and other close kin into the Overseas Cultivation World, to settle there temporarily and avoid disaster.

He had considered this before, back when Daoist Liu Yu posed a threat. But since Liu Yu’s menace was limited and the Ying Ding Tribe could handle it, he never put the idea into action.

"Overseas Cultivation World…"

Wei Yan froze, then shook her head.

Seeing this, Wei Tu didn’t hide anything further. He nodded slightly and revealed what he had experienced there over the past century, including how he had been forced to offend Shengya Mountain and the Hehuan Sect within the Zunwang Palace secret realm.

"Daughter is willing to go."

This proposal was a blessing—Wei Yan had no reason to refuse.

But after she spoke, hesitation showed on her face.

"Father, I have no attachment to the Ying Ding Tribe and can leave anytime. But… Changshou is now the Right Virtuous King of the tribe…" she said softly.

"What? Changshou has taken the position of Right Virtuous King?"

Wei Tu was startled. He quickly guessed that this title was likely granted by Divine Master Du Long and the others to curry favor with him.

Normally, he would have been pleased. The Ying Ding Tribe had treated him well, and having the Wei clan bound even closer to them would have been welcome.

But now this advantage had become… a burden.

The title of Right Virtuous King drew countless eyes. If he made Wei Changshou step down and leave, it would practically be announcing to Ding Lezheng and the rest that something was off.

They might even connect the dots and realize he was "Daoist Fu" himself.

In other words, this unexpected change made it much harder to keep his "Divine Master Wei" identity and move his family safely.

Of course, he could abandon the identity entirely and remain in the Overseas Cultivation World, returning only once his strength surpassed Ding Lezheng and the others.

But while he could endure that… the Ying Ding Tribe could not.

He could not utter the words, "better my Daoist friend dies than me," when it came to them.

"To wear the crown is to bear the weight."

"Yan’er, tell Changshou that for the clan and for the Ying Ding Tribe, it is now his turn to shoulder the burden!"

After a moment of thought, Wei Tu found the only workable solution: let Wei Changshou remain as Right Virtuous King, drawing attention.

Meanwhile, he would take Wei Yan, her siblings, and some of Changshou’s more gifted descendants into the Overseas Cultivation World.

That way, even if the Wei clan of the Ying Ding Tribe were exterminated, it would not cut him too deeply.

This might seem cold, but the title had only been given to Changshou for Wei Tu’s sake. Since he accepted it, he had to accept the risks as well.

When calamity struck, the one who took the benefits should be the one to stand up.

If he bore the risk now, then in the future Wei Tu would not forget him when good fortune came.

But if he refused… then their bond would end.

"Yes, Father."

Wei Yan had no objections. After all, the Wei clan owed its prosperity to Wei Tu alone. They couldn’t share in blessings but shirk hardship.

It might be pitiable for Changshou, but if he didn’t bear it, he would be contemptible.

"Daughter will go speak with Changshou now."

She bowed and left, light flashing as she flew toward the Right Virtuous King’s residence in Hujie Immortal City.

…

Half a day later.

Wei Yan returned to the Divine Master’s mansion.

"Father, Changshou agreed. He will remain as Right Virtuous King in the Ying Ding Tribe to cover for us," she said with a sigh.

Now that she had spoken with him, she knew his true nature. She couldn’t help but pity what might await him.

She had watched him grow up, and after his mother Mei Zhen’s passing, she had even raised and taught him for a time.

"And Xiuwen? What of his opinion?"

Wei Tu’s divine sense had already noticed she had visited Wei Xiuwen’s residence after leaving the Right Virtuous King’s manor.

"Xiuwen… will stay with Changshou in the tribe," Wei Yan answered after a brief hesitation.

"Brothers fight tigers together, fathers and sons go to war side by side. Xiuwen’s devotion is good."

Wei Tu nodded. He wasn’t surprised by Xiuwen’s choice.

After questioning her, Wei Tu thought for a moment, then flicked his sleeve and appeared at Wei Xiuwen’s cave estate, knocking at the door.

"Unfilial son greets Father."

Wei Xiuwen hurried out to bow.

Wei Tu nodded slightly. He didn’t waste words. He simply pulled out a yellow gourd from his sleeve and handed it over.

"This Huangtian Gourd was taken from Ji Wuya when I killed him. I have left three strikes of my mana within. If you and Changshou are in danger, just tap it three times and it will carry you both away."

Wei Tu explained patiently.

The gourd’s escape speed couldn’t rival Ding Lezheng, Gongshu Chou, or Madam Yinlian, all late-Nascent Soul experts. But it was more than enough to let Xiuwen and Changshou escape from ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

In this way, their lives could be safeguarded to a degree.

As for giving up this treasure, the loss to Wei Tu was minimal.