Chapter 220: First to Ascend: Divine Medicine (Requesting Monthly Votes)

From the distant forest, a figure leaped and sprinted toward them.

Its speed was like that of a formidable Wu Xiu.

But upon closer inspection, one could still tell its movements were stiff and unnatural.

Xu Yuan, hidden in the shadows, watched the figure: "This must be Tian Da Wang."

The figure shot forward like lightning into the ranks of Shanhe's men.

Both palms, sharp as blades, pierced through a man's chest with a hiss!

A Wu Xiu Captain roared, his body swelling larger still, and swung his iron ruler down onto the figure's head.

Gong!

It rang like striking wrought iron, spraying sparks everywhere!

Tian Da Wang remained unharmed, whirled to glare at the Wu Xiu, and clamped his hand around the man's throat.

One twist!

Crack!

The Wu Xiu's head slumped sideways.

Another Shen Xiu released three yin soldiers—one lunged for the head, two grabbed the arms—and charged together.

Tian Da Wang let out a guttural roar, and all three yin soldiers shattered at once!

He stepped forward and brought his palm down onto the Shen Xiu's skull.

The Shen Xiu's forehead caved in, blood and brain matter spraying in all directions!

A few drops landed in Tian Da Wang's mouth.

His anger and madness surged uncontrollably.

Xu Yuan watched secretly, astonished: After becoming a Jiangshi, and having spent years in Xiao Yu Shan, how had he retained his sanity and never fully fallen into evil?

Tian Da Wang opened his mouth and let out a deafening roar to the sky.

Countless fleshy tendrils burst from his mouth, writhing wildly.

His black hair snapped free of its blue binding cloth, twisting like a nest of venomous snakes.

He strained his arms and tore the Shen Xiu's corpse in two!

Just as Tian Da Wang was about to lose all control, a weak voice emerged from the cinnabar mist: "Xiao Tian."

Tian Da Wang's reason forcibly suppressed his madness.

He closed his mouth, and his hair fell back down.

Liang Yan struck at that moment.

He unleashed his method, unspooling the bundle behind him—dozens of ropes tumbled out, each alive, some soaring through air, others slithering along the ground, all vying to coil around Tian Da Wang.

He cultivated the "Official Law."

He could wield every trick of a minor yamen clerk.

Personally, his greatest skill was binding and restraining—ropes and chains alike obeyed his will.

Tian Da Wang had just suppressed his inner madness when several ropes instantly wrapped around him.

Wei Huchen, in perfect sync, had silently crept up from behind Tian Da Wang, his Fu Zhong Huo long simmering, waiting only to blast forth and burn this evil to ash.

But suddenly, his foot caught on a rope.

Wei Huchen least expected a rope to trip him.

Thus, the moment his Fu Zhong Huo erupted, he tumbled headfirst to the ground.

The timing was perfect—the Fu Zhong Huo shot downward, propelling Wei Huchen backward.

He was launched like a projectile, spinning three or four times midair before crashing heavily several zhang away.

His head buzzed dizzily.

In the chaos, no one clearly saw what had happened.

Not even Lady Fu Shuanghui or Liang Yan.

After tripping Wei Huchen, the sinew rope instantly reverted to its pill form and hid among the wild grass.

Liang Yan frowned: "What are you doing?"

But Liang Yan still manipulated the ropes to drag the Tiger-Head Guillotine closer.

He gripped the blade and raised it with a crisp swish!

Tian Da Wang had dodged Wei Huchen's Fu Zhong Huo and recovered—his hands, sharp as blades, severed every rope binding him.

But immediately, he was caught by the "Tiger-Head Guillotine!"

A tremendous force seized him, forcibly dragging him toward the blade.

Even if he still retained human reason, he was still an evil entity.

"Aaah—"

Tian Da Wang roared, his whole body tensing against the force.

His feet gouged two deep furrows into the earth!

Liang Yan's mind flashed—he sent the remaining ropes to coil around Tian Da Wang again, pulling him toward the Tiger-Head Guillotine.

The three-zhang demon and the yin python charged forward together.

Wei Huchen had already recovered, spewing Fu Zhong Huo to form a wall of fire that blocked the two yin soldiers.

Tian Da Wang was cornered—when suddenly, from the surrounding forest, a swarm of giant snakes burst forth with a rustling rush.

These snakes were clearly the ones Tian Da Wang had raised, yet they differed from those Lady Fu Shuanghui and the others had seen before.

Each was three zhang long, their scales mutated into thick, metallic-lustered armor.

Their fangs stretched three chi long, their tails flattened and edged like blades.

The serpent horde surged forward and overwhelmed the remaining Captains of Shanhe.

Ma Xinrong struggled amid the serpent tide, only to be pierced through the abdomen by a serpent's tail.

Immediately, several more serpents rushed forward and devoured him in just a few bites!

Lady Fu Shuanghui looked at the giant serpents and sneered: "Those official boats on the river were indeed your doing!"

"This is the 'First Assault Divine Pill' specially forged by the court for the Southern Jiaozhi army!"

After consuming this pill, soldiers would become as fierce and fearless as these giant snakes—skin hardened, strength immense, hands transformed into sharp claws!

It was used when assaults stalled: select a band of death-seeking warriors, feed them the pill, and let them seize the 'First Assault Glory'!

Tian Da Wang struggled to pull a jade vial from his bosom, pried off the stopper, and upended it.

A stream of golden liquid poured from the jade vial!

It gurgled endlessly.

The tiny bottle, no larger than a fist, seemed to contain an entire river's worth of golden liquid.

This was also a craft artifact he seized from the official boat.

The golden liquid, obeying Tian Da Wang's will, coalesced into a two-zhang-tall golden figure that charged toward Liang Yan.

Each step was crushing, thudding heavily and shaking the ground.

When it reached close range, it raised its fist and swung at Liang Yan's head.

Liang Yan hid behind the Tiger-Head Guillotine, sidestepped—and the fist passed cleanly beneath the blade.

Liang Yan controlled the rope to coil around the handle and yanked it downward.

Crack!

The Tiger-Head Guillotine severed the golden figure's arm!

The heavy arm crashed to the ground, then re-melted into golden liquid, flowing back to rejoin the golden figure's body!

The golden figure was a craft artifact, not a demonic entity.

The Tiger-Head Guillotine could injure it, but not kill it.

The golden figure regrew its arm and circled the Tiger-Head Guillotine, chasing Liang Yan.

Lady Fu Shuanghui sneered: "Since we long knew you had raided the official boats, do you think we'd have no preparation for these artifacts?"

She pulled out a blowdart and blew it at the golden figure.

A tiny arrow struck the golden figure's body.

It shattered with a pop, instantly releasing a wave of freezing cold that encased the golden figure in ice!

With the golden figure no longer pursuing, Liang Yan returned to the Tiger-Head Guillotine and raised the blade.

Lady Fu Shuanghui then drew another waterskin, pulled the stopper, and sprinkled its contents onto the monstrous serpents.

The medicinal liquid splashed onto the serpents' bodies.

"This is the antidote to the First Assault Divine Pill!"

Without the First Assault Divine Pill's 'fearless ferocity' enhancement, the giant serpents scattered in panic at the sight of Lady Fu Shuanghui.

"Hahaha!" Lady Fu Shuanghui laughed triumphantly: "Use whatever tricks you still have left!"

"If you have no more methods," Lady Fu Shuanghui raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword: "then watch helplessly as I, your official, slay this dragon-bait and ascend!"

(End of Chapter)