The drive from Jiangcheng to Jinling took about two hours.
When Liu Nanfeng arrived in Jinling, he checked the GPS again. "Su Jinxiu" had already reached Jingkou.
Liu Nanfeng got out to buy a few bottles of water. Without stopping, he headed straight for Jingkou.
It took about an hour and a half to drive from Nanjing to Jingkou.
Midway, he checked the GPS and found that "Su Jinxiu" had already left and was heading towards the outskirts of Jingkou.
Liu Nanfeng naturally dared not delay, and continued driving through Jingkou, heading in the direction where "Su Jinxiu" was.
"White Bone Demon, leave the Samsara Mirror, and I will let you go."
The burly man held lightning in his hand, his voice booming.
He was originally the mountain god of Maoshan. By chance, he obtained a scripture and mastered the art of controlling lightning, which made him even more powerful. In this world where the heavenly way was not apparent, he became one of the foremost great gods in the land.
However, the White Bone Demon opposite him had an extraordinary origin, possessing ancient inheritances and formidable strength.
One chasing, the other fleeing, the two were in a stalemate for a time.
"Maoyanfang, this White Jade Bone of mine has been refined for a hundred years, tempered by lava and cleansed by lightning fire. It is comparable to divine weapons and precious artifacts. To exchange it for your Samsara Mirror is more than enough. Why are you so unwilling? Do you find the value too low? Just tell me, and I will agree to anything, but you won't say anything..."
"Too much nonsense. I have great use for this mirror." Maoyanfang said no more, launching another bolt of lightning.
But the White Bone Demon was faster. A palm-sized white bone shield appeared before her, just managing to block the lightning strike. However, it emitted a deafening roar, and the surrounding mountains and forests were affected, causing trees to fall.
As for the wild beasts, they had already scattered everywhere.
"Big Brother Mao, I also have great use for this item. How about this: I will give you this White Jade Bone, and you lend me the mirror. I will return it after I'm done."
The White Bone Demon tried to appeal to his emotions again.
"No, this mirror needs thirty-two years to recover after one use. I cannot wait that long."
"Since that's the case, then there's nothing more to say. I must have this mirror."
Thus, the two began to fight again, using all their techniques, and remained in a stalemate for a time.
It was not that the White Bone Demon was stronger than the Maoshan mountain god, but mainly because one walked a path of agility, while the other walked a path of solidity.
The White Bone Demon's footwork was nimble and agile, while the mountain god was steady and heavy. Although his strength was great, it was useless if he couldn't hit anyone.
The only offensive means that was relatively flexible was the lightning he controlled, but it was blocked by the White Bone Demon's bone shield.
Thus, they were in a stalemate for a time.
"You demoness, how can you be so shameless, stealing my treasure, you've angered me to death."
Seeing that his persistent attacks were ineffective, Maoyanfang was consumed by rage.
"Your treasure? As far as I know, this item has been passed down through generations by the Qi family of Jingkou. How did it become yours? Moreover, eight years ago, several members of the Qi family all died from lightning strikes. Don't tell me you had nothing to do with it?"
"They were just a few mortals who guarded this item without knowing its true nature. Besides, this item never belonged to the Qi family; they obtained it by chance." Maoyanfang said dismissively.
The longer one lived, the less reverence and respect they had for life.
Coupled with the fact that he was a god born from human desires, he treated life as mere grass.
Most gods were more terrifying than demons or ghosts, because gods were born from human desires.
Humans respected and believed in gods out of fear, not love.
"Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the Ninth Division?"
The Ninth Division mentioned by the White Bone Demon was an official organization of the government that managed demons and monsters in the human world. It possessed immense power, vast influence, and produced an abundance of talents. All demons and monsters in the world feared it deeply and did not wish to get involved with them if they could avoid it.
"You court death."
Upon hearing the White Bone Demon's threat, Maoyanfang was truly enraged. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and countless lightning bolts hovered in the air. His body grew several meters taller, and the lightning wrapped around his body, which was composed of green rocks.
With a swing of his arm, mountains collapsed and rivers overturned, exhibiting boundless might.
The White Bone Demon, caught off guard, was brushed by the gust of his fist, immediately feeling her entire body go numb. Her body involuntarily faltered.
Maoyanfang seized the opportunity and threw a punch. Although the White Bone Demon blocked it with the white bone sword in her hand, she still felt the sharp pain of her bones cracking.
She knew she was no match for Maoyanfang and dared not prolong the fight, turning and fleeing.
Maoyanfang immediately gave chase. Although his figure was massive, as long as his feet were on the ground, he could borrow the power of the mountains and the earth.
Furthermore, he was originally the mountain god of Maoshan and knew the art of terrestrial travel.
The White Bone Demon ran directly towards the riverbank. Maoyanfang was originally a unique stone on Maoshan. After being worshipped by people for a long time, it gained sentience.
Later, he was enlightened by the Patriarch of Maoshan and became the mountain god of Maoshan, guarding Maoshan and its gates.
However, many years ago, the world underwent drastic changes. The heavenly way became obscure, the Daoist sects declined, and gods went into hiding. Demons, ghosts, and monsters even integrated themselves into humanity, concealing their true selves.
This was an era of great chaos, where all "people" were waiting for the next opportunity to arrive, though none of them knew what that opportunity was.
And although Maoyanfang had already become a god, his true form was still a stubborn stone, inherently unable to swim.
Therefore, the White Bone Demon ran towards the riverbank, intending to escape by water.
Maoyanfang also guessed the White Bone Demon's intention, so he felt even more urgency and pursued her relentlessly. If she managed to escape into the river, he would never have another chance to capture her.
"Captain, should I really do nothing about this?"
"As long as they don't endanger the surrounding civilians, we don't have to intervene."
"But... but..."
"There's no 'but.' You have to understand that these past few years... Forget it, it's too early to tell you these things. We'll just watch from a distance."
"Huh, someone else is coming..."
"Idiot, that's also a monster."
"They're all so beautiful. Captain, why are monsters so good-looking?"
"It's natural selection; the ugly ones were eliminated. Monsters cultivate for a hundred years and endure countless hardships to become demons, so of course, they should be beautiful. It's also possible that their original form was like this."
"Take this White Bone Demon, for example. She was once a young lady from a prominent family in Jinling, dignified and beautiful. Unfortunately, fate was not kind to her. She died young and went to the underworld, but due to an opportune encounter, her bones transformed into a demon. She is indeed a pitiable person..."
"So that's how it is. Captain, you know so much."
"It's not that I know a lot, but because such basic information is all available in the department's files. You should read them when you have free time; it won't hurt you. Don't just play games and lurk on websites, giggling..."
"Got it, got it. Captain, you're as nagging as my dad."
"Your dad? I'm old enough to be your grandfather."
"Grandpa..."
"Damn it, you shameless brat..."
"White Bone Demon..."
Thick dark clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning shuttled through them like dragons, looking down upon the earth.
Liu Nanfeng glanced at the sky through the car window, feeling somewhat surprised. Was it going to rain heavily?
He checked the car's navigation. The signal was completely lost. Looking at the narrow cement path ahead, Liu Nanfeng hesitated whether to continue driving.
With a thunderous roar, a lightning dragon descended from the sky, striking the ground.
...
This lightning dragon that descended from the sky caught the White Bone Demon off guard, striking her and leaving her weak all over, her body scorched black, her bones seemingly cracked.
She was a demon transformed from white bone. Her entire skeletal structure had been refined to be crystal clear like jade and exceptionally durable. Few things could harm her.
However, heavenly lightning was inherently the most yang and pure, naturally restraining yin and evil things, thus causing her significant damage.
Although the White Bone Demon was blackened and her hair singed by the lightning, she recovered in an instant. However, her face became even paler, and she appeared to be swaying precariously.
At this point, she had completely lost the will to fight and only wanted to reach the riverbank as quickly as possible.
She weaved through the mountains like a sprite.
But Maoyanfang, with his towering physique, trod upon the earth, yet his steps were surprisingly light. The entire earth seemed to lend him strength, with power surging from his feet. His figure flickered in and out of sight, covering several miles in an instant, moving at extreme speed.
"Return my item, and we can let this matter go. Otherwise, I will pursue you to the ends of the earth."
The White Bone Demon lowered her head and did not reply. Holding her twin white bone swords, she streaked through the air like two white lightning bolts, crashing forward. The vegetation in front of her was uprooted, blocking the path behind her.
"Stubborn fool. If that's the case, then die."
Maoyanfang also became ruthless. With a wave of his hand, countless lightning dragons descended from the sky, and the ground began to tremble. This was his innate divine ability—Driving Mountains.
Countless rocks and mountains levitated into the air, blocking the White Bone Demon's path.
The two observing from afar also had extremely grim expressions.
"Is this Maoyanfang crazy? He's not holding back at all."
Moving mountains and rivers was no small matter. At best, it would cause mountains to collapse and rivers to change course.
At worst, it could trigger crustal movement, leading to frequent earthquakes.
In any case, for ordinary humans, these were disasters of immense magnitude, causing countless casualties.
"If gods were so considerate, would they still be gods?"
The young man beside him couldn't help but retort.
He then said with a hint of envy, "That White Bone Demon's twin bone swords are truly formidable."
Because at this moment, the White Bone Demon, wielding her twin swords, was cleaving through mountains, piercing them directly, as easily as slicing tofu, without the slightest pause.
"That White Bone Demon's heritage is extraordinary. If not for her shallow cultivation, this Maoshan mountain god would not dare to be so arrogant."
Although the massive rocks and mountains that now blocked the White Bone Demon's path were being pierced one by one, she was actually at the end of her rope.
When the lightning that had been brewing in the sky for a long time struck again, the White Bone Demon had little power left to resist.
But at this moment, a long brocade sash suddenly floated down from the sky, intercepting the falling lightning.
"Sister, I'm here to help you."
Then, she pulled the White Bone Demon and fled.
The White Bone Demon was overjoyed. The riverbank was not far, and with her sister's help, she saw hope again.
Meanwhile, Liu Nanfeng stopped his car by the river, as there was no road ahead.
He got out of the car and looked at the sky filled with dark clouds, feeling a bad premonition.
He checked the GPS on his phone. "Su Jinxiu's" last location was here, and then the signal was gone.
Looking at the desolate wilderness around him, he felt a moment of helplessness, unsure where to begin searching.
Should he just go back? But he felt unwilling.
Just then, countless lightning bolts fell from the sky. The immense sound made his ears ring, causing temporary deafness.
Liu Nanfeng felt something explode in his mind, causing excruciating pain. Just as he was about to cover his head and crouch down.
He saw two figures flying towards them from a distance. Their eyes met, and Liu Nanfeng was stunned. The two "people" in the air were also stunned.
Liu Nanfeng felt them open their mouths, as if saying something, but because of his deafness, he heard nothing.
"What happened?" Liu Nanfeng asked.
He didn't realize that his voice was particularly loud at this moment.
Standing before him were two identical Su Jinxius. If it weren't for the text above their heads, he wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
Just then, the real Su Jinxiu, his wife, pulled him with a nervous expression, opening her mouth to say something, but Liu Nanfeng couldn't hear a word.
So he pointed to his ears, indicating that he couldn't hear.
But before Liu Nanfeng could speak, the two sisters immediately and nervously shielded him behind them.
Seeing their tense expressions, Liu Nanfeng also quickly took out the short sword that Feng Hongjin's mother had given him, cautiously on guard.
"So you came for him?"
Just then, a tall figure suddenly appeared before them.
His voice was like thunder, filled with pressure.
Liu Nanfeng looked past the shoulders of the two sisters and gasped.
Name: Maoyanfang
Race: Spirit
Cultivation: One thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight years
Identity: Maoshan Mountain God
Origin: A stubborn stone in the mountains transformed by incense and wishes.
This was the highest-cultivated "monster" Liu Nanfeng had ever seen, and one that did not require the triggering of preceding causes.
"I stole your precious mirror first. This is my fault. I will return it to you. Let us leave, and I will give you a White Jade Bone as compensation. What do you think?"
"You know you were wrong now, huh..." Maoyanfang chuckled, it was unclear whether he agreed or disagreed.
"Do you really want to fight to the death? Although the two of us sisters cannot defeat you, you will absolutely not emerge unscathed." Su Jinxiu said with resolute determination.
Liu Nanfeng watched her from behind. He had never seen his wife display such steadfastness and decisiveness.
Maoyanfang pondered for a moment, perhaps thinking Su Jinxiu's words were reasonable, and nodded.
Seeing that he had agreed, Su Jinxiu reluctantly took out an ancient mirror, her face showing reluctance to part with it.
"Sister."
Su Huamei also looked anxious. She knew how much effort and heart Su Jinxiu had invested in finding this ancient mirror.
Su Jinxiu shook her head, signaling her not to say anything more. With a gritted teeth, she threw the ancient mirror over.
Liu Nanfeng watched from behind, unaware of the full story, and felt it wasn't appropriate for him to comment.
Maoyanfang extended his massive palm and gently caught the flying ancient mirror.
But at that moment, Su Jinxiu's expression changed drastically, and she shouted, "You're cheating!"
Countless lightning bolts rained down from the sky.
Behind them, a giant wall rose, blocking the retreat path towards the river.
"Quickly, take Nanfeng and go." Su Jinxiu blocked the charging Maoyanfang with one hand, while the other pushed Su Huamei and Liu Nanfeng behind her.
"Sister..."
"Go!" Su Jinxiu yelled.
A white aura on her sword blade slashed towards the charging Maoyanfang.
"Stay here, all of you."
Maoyanfang's voice remained as deep and resonant as muffled thunder, devoid of any emotion.
With each step he took, his figure seemed to grow larger. Sand and stones from the earth flew out from the ground and adhered to him, increasing his strength.
With each stride he took, the ground trembled.
"How can we fight this?"
Liu Nanfeng also showed a look of fear.
With a "boom," they collided.
Su Jinxiu was sent flying back. Liu Nanfeng instinctively reached out to catch her, and then he too flew backward, crashing into the giant wall behind him.
"Cough..."
Liu Nanfeng felt a salty taste rise in his throat, choking him into coughing repeatedly.
"Nanfeng."
The two sisters turned and cried out in unison, reaching out to help Liu Nanfeng.
"Be careful... cough..."
Liu Nanfeng was horrified, for he saw Maoyanfang's sky-obscuring fist descending heavily towards the three of them.
Su Huamei reacted the fastest. A brocade sash flew from her sleeve, blocking in front of the three of them.
But it only managed to pause the fist for a brief moment before being torn through and crashing down heavily.
Su Jinxiu and Su Huamei, the two sisters, threw themselves onto Liu Nanfeng, wanting to shield him from this heavy blow.
However, Maoyanfang's punch was aimed at killing the three of them, accumulating all his rage, and its power was immense.
The stone wall behind them was directly smashed open, and the three "people" fell into the river together.
"Jinxiu, Huamei..."
Liu Nanfeng's heart felt like it was cracking. The fingers gripping the sword hilt turned white, and then he lost consciousness, sinking into the river.
"Taosheng, you must remember, there is nothing in this world that cannot be cut."
"Yes, Master."
"How many times have I told you, I am not your master. I only teach swordsmanship, I do not take disciples."
"Yes, Master."
"You fool, chop ten thousand times."
"Chop—"