The Living Immortal used the Immortal-Demon Lure, a demonic art, to restrain everyone.
Furthermore, he absorbed their cultivation for his own use.
Given enough time, the immortal sects were bound to lose.
At that point, they would all be drained dry by the Living Immortal, their cultivation lost, and they would die.
The Living Immortal hovered in the air, a smug look on his face, appearing to have victory in his grasp.
He was already calculating how, after seizing everyone's cultivation, he would break through the Golden Lotus, kill Ming Yue, and seize the exotic treasure.
This excursion out of the valley, though fraught with twists and turns, had yielded considerable rewards.
Not only had he obtained a treasure, but he had also, by chance, gained a significant amount of power for free.
However, just then, two intensely powerful forces.
Flowed along the Immortal-Demon Lure, like seawater pouring back, or a river bursting its banks.
They surged madly into his body, nearly causing him to explode.
The power was incredibly violent, catching his meridians completely off guard.
Several were instantly severed, but the two streams of power did not cease.
They detonated within him, transforming into purple-gold, domineering flames.
And began to burn ferociously inside his body.
Nong Qing and the others, who had been struggling desperately, were battling the Immortal-Demon Lure, which had transformed into a massive black net.
But they were at the end of their strength, on the verge of collapse.
Suddenly, they felt a release of pressure; the suction of the Immortal-Demon Lure vanished.
Looking up at the Living Immortal in the air, his body, with a series of explosions.
Sent forth purple-gold flames from within.
The Living Immortal let out a beast-like howl, no longer able to remain airborne.
He tumbled from the sky.
And in the raging inferno, turned to ash.
The flames were familiar; they were the Golden Crow Fire.
Everyone turned their gaze to the Golden Crow Fairy and Ji Shiyou in the air.
The two were smiling, looking at everyone.
It had been Ji Shiyou's idea, the result of their combined efforts.
The Living Immortal had used the Immortal-Demon Lure as a medium to absorb and seize everyone's cultivation.
Normal cultivators, when encountering the Immortal-Demon Lure.
Would surely guard their dantian, resisting the lure to prevent their cultivation from leaking.
No one had ever actively output their cultivation.
But Ji Shiyou had a flash of inspiration.
Since the Immortal-Demon Lure, acting as a medium, could transfer everyone's immortal essence into the Living Immortal's body, it could also redirect attacks.
So he quietly told the Golden Crow Fairy his idea, and they stopped resisting the lure's suction.
Simultaneously, they unleashed the most potent state of the Golden Crow Fire, the Golden Crow Manifesting the Sun.
Following the suction of the Immortal-Demon Lure, they directly transmitted it into the Living Immortal's body.
Then they controlled the Golden Crow Manifesting the Sun to erupt, burning through the Living Immortal's meridians and even his dantian.
The principles of immortal and demonic cultivation were the same; immortals cultivated immortal essence.
Demonic cultivators cultivated demonic energy, but the methods were identical.
Both required circulating energy in a specific manner within the dantian and meridians, then gathering it in the dantian.
Thus, the Golden Crow Fairy and Ji Shiyou joined forces, both unleashing the Golden Crow Manifesting the Sun.
The Living Immortal was unprepared and caught off guard, his meridians and dantian destroyed in an instant.
The Golden Crow True Fire erupted from his body, and in his unpreparedness, he was burned to nothing but dust.
Seeing that the Living Immortal had been eliminated, Ji Shiyou and the Golden Crow Fairy unleashed the Golden Crow Manifesting the Sun once more.
The once ink-black summit of Mount Wuliang was suddenly illuminated by two resplendent purple-gold suns.
The space enveloped by the Immortal-Demon Lure was lit up as bright as day.
Golden light radiated outwards, piercing the black net in the sky.
The Living Immortal was dead, and the Immortal-Demon Lure was no longer controlled.
Upon encountering the golden light, the black lines formed from demonic energy instantly melted like ice and snow.
The vast demonic energy dissipated, and the blue sky and white clouds reappeared above Mount Wuliang.
Everyone's expressions relaxed, and smiles bloomed.
Having survived the ordeal, they rejoiced.
Disciples of the Golden Crow Palace began to clear the devastated ruins left by the great battle.
They carried away the bodies of the fallen, preparing to send them back to their respective sects.
Ming Yue retracted her golden crown and, with Zhu Ji and Cheng Zui, walked towards Ji Shiyou.
Seeing the Living Immortal perish so abruptly, He Lianbiao and Yong Gaoya were momentarily stunned.
The turn of events was too swift; neither could believe what was happening before their eyes.
The Living Immortal, in their eyes, was an invincible being.
And he had simply vanished? They found it impossible.
But whether they believed it or not, the Living Immortal's body.
Had indeed disappeared in the Golden Crow Fire, and they themselves were bound by the Golden Crow Fairy's fiery net.
Now, they were dejected. Their identities as spies from the Heavenly Demon Valley had been exposed.
What awaited them was the severe torture and soul-searching of the immortal sects.
They wished they could self-destruct immediately, at least to find a swift end.
But their cultivation was completely suppressed by the fiery net, rendering them unable to muster any power.
To self-destruct would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
"Escort them to the Hall of Punishment for detention and interrogation.
There must still be their accomplices within the immortal sects."
Yong Gaoya and He Lianbiao had been hidden within the immortal sects for centuries.
They must have cultivated considerable influence, and it was imperative to eradicate them completely.
The Golden Crow Fairy instructed Tian Jian and Nu Tao to take them away for interrogation.
However, before Tian Jian and the other could even approach, a streak of cyan light appeared out of nowhere.
It enveloped He Lianbiao and Yong Gaoya, and a figure emerged.
The person wore a cyan robe and had a clear, handsome face.
His long hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin, as dark as ink.
But a strand that fluttered at his temple was as white as winter snow, appearing quite peculiar.
"Qing Lan!"
Others might not recognize this person, but the Golden Crow Fairy and the three of them.
Were intimately familiar with him. Two hundred years ago, they had been sworn friends.
They had adventured together in the martial world and fought against the Heavenly Demon Valley.
This suddenly appearing man in green was the Qing Lan of old.
According to Cheng Zui, he was also the Living Immortal, and indeed a Heavenly Demon.
But if they were all one person, and the Living Immortal had just been killed,
Qing Lan should also be dead. Why had he suddenly appeared?
This left those who knew Qing Lan, like the Golden Crow Fairy, utterly bewildered.
Ling Ge, in particular, cried out in shock at Qing Lan's sudden appearance.
"My esteemed friends, we meet again.
It has been a long time. I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime.
Unexpectedly, life is unpredictable, and we are reunited.
Surprised, aren't you? This reunion is thanks to the Golden Crow, and this young friend here.
You are called Ji Shiyou, aren't you? Qing Lan thanks you.
As a token of my gratitude, I shall send you directly to the afterlife!"
Qing Lan's face bore a roguish smile, appearing capricious and unrestrained.
One moment his smile was amiable, the next his expression turned fierce.
In reality, was the Living Immortal dead?
He was indeed dead, yet not dead.
This was because the Living Immortal, the Heavenly Demon, and Qing Lan were one person.
But do not forget, he had two bodies.
Besides the Heavenly Demon and the Living Immortal's body, he had once used a clone to become Qing Lan.
Qing Lan possessed an independent body. Although the Heavenly Demon had been severely injured back then.
And his cultivation had merged with Qing Lan's, he had left behind a body.
He had not discarded it, but kept it in his storage bag.
Just now, due to his carelessness.
The Golden Crow Fairy and Ji Shiyou had exploited a loophole, striking two Golden Crow Manifesting the Sun into his body.
Just as the Golden Crow Fire erupted within him, destroying his dantian and meridians.
The Living Immortal decisively abandoned his body.
He transferred his divine consciousness and all his cultivation into Qing Lan's body.
Therefore, what was destroyed just now was the body of the Heavenly Demon and the Living Immortal.
It was equivalent to the Heavenly Demon and the Living Immortal dying, but the Living Immortal and Qing Lan shared the same divine consciousness.
They were, in essence, one person, merely changing their outer shell. One could say he was not dead.
Qing Lan looked at the stunned group, then placed a palm on He Lianbiao and Yong Gaoya's bodies.
The fiery net on their bodies vanished, and their confinement was lifted.
Then, with a wave of his hand, a purple-gold gourd, about eight inches in size, hanging from He Lianbiao's waist.
Flew up and landed in his hand.
"Master!"
Seeing Qing Lan uncap the purple-gold gourd, He Lianbiao's expression changed drastically.