Chapter 180: Cave God

"Found you, dog!" Guo Danqing glanced at the increasingly agitated red-sleeve male insect in his hand, a surge of delight rising in his chest.

Jia Simou swallowed hard, his face utterly pale.

"Young Master Chu, spare a life when you can," Jia Simou said, neither kneeling nor weeping, but laying out the stakes: "If you kill me today, you may well meet the same fate tomorrow."

"Leave a thread of mercy—future encounters will be easier."

Guo Danqing sneered. "So you can summon the Black Flag Army to come kill me, right?"

By the time he spoke, Da Bao had already lunged forward.

Jia Simou had never trained in martial arts—he stood no chance against Da Bao. Before he could take two steps, he was torn to shreds.

There was no time to bury him; Guo Danqing simply tossed the fragments aside onto the roadside.

During the process, Guo Danqing found an item among the fragments—the Nine Ding Map's collection progress increased to (6/9).

It was a dragon-headed, fish-tailed creature perched atop the eaves—the Chiwen.

【Chiwen Scroll · Fortune】

【Type: Equipment · Scroll】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Devouring Misfortune, Embracing Fortune (Passive): Luck +1】

【Misfortune and Fortune Interdependent (Passive): Lose 0. % of maximum HP per minute when not in combat】

【Equipment Requirement: None】

Guo Danqing didn't hesitate—he equipped it immediately.

The side effects were severe, but with Bai Bai beside him, his HP wasn't a concern.

"You old bastard keep finding opportunities—looks like this Luck +1 helped," Guo Danqing muttered.

Jia Simou already held a high position and excelled at seizing chances; even a +1 to luck was minor, but combined with his other advantages, it became extremely useful.

If this had been given to an ordinary person, the effect would've been negligible.

Guo Danqing didn't expect this extra +1 luck to help him much—but who would ever turn down better fortune?

Unless you were a Follower of Luck or Fortune, this +1 wouldn't accomplish much.

"Next, I need to figure out how to eliminate the Falling Flower Maiden and the Falling Flower Lord," Guo Danqing muttered, pondering his strategy.

There was one option: divert the danger—lure the Black Flag Army into confronting them directly.

But checking the time, he feared he wouldn't have enough.

The deadline for exterminating the Vermilion Bird Tower had been twenty-four hours; adding the trip to Insect Tail Valley and the subsequent maneuvers left no time to return and submit the quest.

"I'll ask Guo Ming first—hope he can handle it."

"And bring Xiong Zhigang along too."

"He's probably asleep by now, but if he's free, he'll help me fight," Guo Danqing knew Xiong Zhigang worked during the day and only slept at night.

Using his sleep time to help him wouldn't interfere with his daytime duties.

It was a bizarre idea, but Xiong Zhigang would surely be glad to oblige.

【You summoned Alliance Object #1 and #2. This consumed 2080 Paradise Points.】

【Alliance Object #1 has responded.】

【Alliance Object #2 is responding.】

【Alliance Object #1's cognitive rationalization has been updated.】

Guo Ming stepped forward—this time, he no longer carried Hanquan's Shadow; instead, a flying sword hovered beside him.

This sword was not one he had forged from the Twelve Zodiac Sword Scripture—the Zi Shi Divine Empress Sword or Chou Shi Great Auspice Sword.

It was the Su Nü Sword Guo Danqing had given him, but it had clearly been refined and re-forged.

Guo Danqing didn't waste time on pleasantries—he immediately explained the situation to Guo Ming.

Guo Ming's expression turned grave, especially upon hearing that the target had withstood the combined assault of the Son of Heaven, the Ghost Mother, and the Moon Orchid Martial Shadow.

The latter two meant little to him in terms of stats, but the Son of Heaven came from his own trial world—he understood him far more clearly.

"A goddess's daughter, with the slumbering consciousness of a deity, plus Paradise's power," Guo Ming said, still uncertain about the Falling Flower Maiden before even seeing her.

Meanwhile, Xiong Zhigang also responded.

He arrived accompanied by one hundred seventy-nine Flying Bear Iron Cavalry.

His leadership value rose from 176 to 179—naturally, he could now bring more troops.

Simultaneously, his Military and Tactics base skills were instantly overwritten.

Unlike Guo Danqing's Strategist template, Guo Ming received the Foot Soldier template.

Thus, their temporary base skills and temporary legion skills were entirely different.

Guo Ming sensed the changes within himself.

Though less immediately obvious than Guo Danqing's Summoning and Command boosts, the new skills gave him a different kind of enhancement.

"Young Master Chu, Young Master Guo," Xiong Zhigang bowed upon appearing.

"Grand Coordinator Xiong," Guo Ming replied, his attitude toward Xiong Zhigang having shifted.

Though Xiong Zhigang was weaker, his future was limitless and he had yet to rise—perfect timing to form an alliance.

Past coldness might have left a mark, but with shared interests, it could be mended.

"This is the situation," Guo Danqing repeated briefly.

Xiong Zhigang frowned, thinking—his trial world held no gods or ghosts.

Suddenly facing the Falling Flower Maiden was a shock to his worldview.

"Grand Coordinator, think of these so-called gods as merely stronger humans," Guo Ming explained. "If they were truly omnipotent, Young Master Chu wouldn't have waited for our response."

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze turned toward the rear.

He spat out spiritual energy—the Zi Shi Divine Empress Sword and Chou Shi Great Auspice Sword shot like streaks of light into the night.

Among those present, Guo Ming had the highest stats—and thus the strongest perception.

"Impressive power," came the layered voice of the Falling Flower Lord and Falling Flower Maiden as the two swords returned.

Only then did Guo Danqing see its form.

Its head was gone—but it was not yet dead.

Battle damage had torn its clothing, exposing its chest.

Two enormous holes, like eyes, oozed thick black mist; along its abdomen, a jagged gash had sprouted sharp teeth—resembling a gaping mouth, occasionally dripping grease.

"My child, you betrayed me," two glowing red-flower lights flickered within the mist, fixing their gaze on Da Bao.

Hearing this, Guo Danqing instantly realized: the body was not controlled by the Falling Flower Lord or Falling Flower Maiden as Follower—this was the Cave God.

"False god, how dare you?" Guo Ming roared. All three flying swords surged forward, launching their attack at once.

Bad news: it truly was a god. Good news: it was only consciousness—and incomplete.

At most, it was a fragment—so its power was weak.

But he couldn't say that aloud.

It would shatter morale.

Guo Danqing's heart sank—he reactivated the Tai Ping Ring, the Nine Ghost Mother Scroll, and the Thousand Faces Martial Shadow Stone.

The Son of Heaven, the Ghost Mother, the Moon Orchid Martial Shadow, the Ghost Infant, and the Yellow Turban Warriors all appeared.

Clearly, it hadn't broken off to chase them—it had destroyed all of Guo Danqing's summons before advancing.

But it had paid a heavy price: its head was gone, and its body was riddled with wounds.

Guo Ming was the main force; the remaining summons provided support; the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry stood ready, awaiting orders.

Under Xiong Zhigang's command, they immediately overwhelmed the Cave God's consciousness.

As for Guo Danqing, he was filing a report to Paradise.

This was clearly an invasion—surely Paradise would strike it down with lightning.

But Paradise gave a clear reply: this was the effect of a hidden class and class bloodline.

The Falling Flower Maiden was the class; the bloodline was the Cave God.

Moreover, the entity had violated no Paradise rules, and since this was the Follower's own choice, Paradise would not interfere.

Even if the Follower were truly possessed by the Cave God, as long as the Cave God fulfilled the Follower's duties and obeyed Paradise's rules, it was effectively transformed from a native into a Follower.

Guo Danqing thought, "What the hell"—wondering if there were native-type Followers too.

No feedback—he immediately activated the Five Element Spirit Array's active effect, applying a second layer of buffs.

The already overwhelming advantage in power and numbers made the Cave God's situation even more desperate.

"Fly! Charge!" Xiong Zhigang barked. Guo Ming and the remaining summons instantly rose into the air.

The one hundred seventy-nine Flying Bear Iron Cavalry activated both Iron Cavalry Charge and Spearhead Formation. Their collective aura merged into a white-browed tiger with wings sprouting from its flanks.

Correct: "Flying Bear" didn't mean flying bears—it meant winged white-browed tigers.

As the ancients said: King Gaozong of Shang once dreamed of a Flying Bear, and found Fu Yue among the bricklayers; today, our lord dreams of a tiger with wings—this is the Bear.

The charge crushed, the Flying Bear pounced—and instantly reduced the Cave God to a pulp.

One charge wasn't enough—the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry wheeled around and crushed it again.

"Grand Coordinator Xiong, you're this strong?" Guo Danqing asked.

"I owe it all to your help, Young Master Chu. With your Summoning, Command, and three base skills, plus all the buffs, I could unleash this."

"Once I return home, I won't be able to summon the Flying Bear's spirit again."

"My stats and those of the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry are too low; our skill levels and talent effects are insufficient—it's just a trick." Xiong Zhigang explained.

He hadn't grown much stronger—just barely grasped the concept, and only managed to summon it thanks to Chu Danqing's enhancement.

"Don't waste time chatting yet—we're not dead." Guo Ming landed, three flying swords circling him; on the Su Nu Sword, a half-phantom figure of an ancient-dressed woman appeared.

This was the Su Nu Sword spirit, clad in white robes as cold as ice.

The rest was fine, but the sniper rifle slung over his shoulder made the scene jarringly out of place.

That sniper rifle was the Cold Spring Shadow.

Chu Danqing had assumed Guo Ming had upgraded and discarded the Cold Spring Shadow, never expecting it had been forged into the Su Nu Sword for the sword spirit to use.

But Chu Danqing paid no mind to the Su Nu Sword spirit's transformation—his immediate enemy mattered far more.

Chu Danqing could summon Guo Ming across realms; as another Apostle, the Cave God's extraordinary power would not be punished by the Paradise.

(End of Chapter)