LWGP - Chapter 258
Chapter 258: The Ice Plains
When Hao Tian's mind was struck by a dizzying impact, his world went dark. He felt two scepters plunge into his body simultaneously.
He wasn't dead, but in that brief moment, he lost control of his character. His mind was reeling from the impact, caught in an endless blind spot as his HP was rapidly depleted.
One second, two seconds... Hao Tian thought he could endure it. After all, he was a cultivator from the first spacetime.
The greatest advantage their long lives gave them was immense HP.
Even if Mo Ran and Xing Yao joined forces, they could at most deplete two-thirds of his HP, as long as he regained consciousness within ten seconds.
Hao Tian held onto hope, but it quickly turned to despair as a hand clamped down on his face.
He heard an ancient and cryptic chant.
Half witch, half ghost.
It was an unknown art, one that branded his very soul.
Watching Wang Jiu, who was responsible for the finishing blow, press down on Hao Tian's face, they saw cryptic threads seep into his face, his head, and engulf his entire body. It was as if they could see Hao Tian's soul being ripped out alive.
To be devoured in the palm of her hand.
Mo Ran and Xing Yao were somewhat stunned, subconsciously recalling their conversation from ten minutes prior.
"To succeed, we must turn six people into five. That way, the three of us will have an easier time. At the very least, we can escape if we can't win."
"Hao Tian must die."
"But killing Hao Tian isn't the hard part. The difficulty lies in concealing his death from the others. Once Wu Geng, the sect leader of Mt. Buzhou, learns that Hao Tian was killed, he will surely guess it was the three of us. They will turn around and hunt us. Wu Geng is the War God of the first spacetime. His power is unfathomable, and he possesses a shadowless immortal art that can endlessly track his enemies. If they decide to hunt us down instead of rushing to open the ruins, we'll be in a lot of trouble."
Mo Ran certainly knew more about the first spacetime than Wang Jiu and Xing Yao. By explaining the situation, she was also assessing the feasibility of this plan.
"I can handle that," Wang Jiu replied directly. Mo Ran and Xing Yao exchanged a look. The latter mused, "That technique of yours... the one you used to seal the Spirit Pool before, it doesn't seem to be a known skill in the game. Is it from the Ghost World?"
Wang Jiu glanced at him and said casually, "You could say that. I'm being kept by a big shot from the Ghost World. I've become his little darling, and he taught it to me."
In truth, she was talking nonsense. She didn't tell them it was her self-created Ghost Dao.
It would be a bit of a humblebrag, after all.
The two were half-convinced, half-skeptical. It wasn't until this moment, seeing Wang Jiu directly devour Hao Tian's soul, that they suddenly realized the goal of her plan today wasn't just about some ruins.
Perhaps she had been after the souls of these cultivators from the first spacetime all along.
The two of them had been used.
But they couldn't refuse being used, fearing that one day they'd be squeezed dry and cast aside.
After all, the woman's moral integrity wasn't exactly stellar.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I never move against my own people." After swallowing Hao Tian's soul, Wang Jiu began to digest it while distributing his posthumous legacy via a random system allocation, as per their prior agreement.
But Xing Yao and Mo Ran remained silent. Using their powerful mecha information processors, they searched through all social records in minutes, directly reviewing a certain someone's history.
Never move against her own people?
It seemed to be true. Perhaps her husband's mistress, the top male celebrity, and the noblewoman who was her foreign business partner didn't count as her own people.
Forget it. Whatever she said, went.
In any case, both Xing Yao and Mo Ran were now on their guard, lest they be backstabbed by a certain someone.
"Hao Tian is dead. How are you going to fake his existence? Don't tell me, after devouring his soul, you can still..." Mo Ran was merely suspicious, but in the next second, she saw Wang Jiu transform into a perfect replica of Hao Tian.
Identical in both appearance and spiritual aura.
Ghost Dao secret art: Spirit Possession.
With a flick of her finger, a flying sword danced nimbly. A stunned Mo Ran could only watch as this detestable 'Sword Cultivator' gave her a slight smile. "I took a look at his chat history with you. Not bad. Has your social interaction already escalated to discussing the feasibility of dual cultivation? Let me see, this dual cultivation immortal art is called Lord of Water and Fish. How subtle. I didn't even think of the 'pleasures of fish and water'; all I could think of was boiled fish."
Teased once again, Mo Ran's expression remained blank as a single word escaped her red lips.
"Scram."
His future daughter-in-law had a sharp tongue. He'd have to be more careful during their collaboration.
Xing Yao immediately changed the subject. "Can we confirm where Wu Geng and the others are now? I doubt even Hao Tian knew the location of those ruins."
Wang Jiu had devoured Hao Tian's soul and confirmed he didn't know. However, she had a hunch that Mo Ran did, because Mo Ran had decided to participate the moment she said she could solve the problem of faking Hao Tian's death.
"Over in the ice plains," Mo Ran confirmed, providing the answer.
Facing their curious gazes, Mo Ran turned her face away and said flatly, "Hao Tian isn't the only annoying person from the first spacetime."
Wang Jiu and Xing Yao had a realization: Hao Tian probably wasn't the only one pursuing Mo Ran. And this other suitor was clearly more privy to secrets than Hao Tian, and also a worse player, to have actually told her such a secret.
It was probably that Liu Jin, Sect Leader Wu Geng's dear younger brother.
Just as the three were about to set off for the ice plains, Wang Jiu suddenly said, "A message just came in from that Liu Jin."
Mo Ran and Xing Yao saw the screenshot from Wang Jiu. Liu Jin was relaying a message: Wu Geng wanted Hao Tian to arrange for the thirty thousand sword cultivators from his immortal mountain to attack Gobi.
Wang Jiu, disguised as Hao Tian, replied, "Attack now? What about Mo Ran's side?"
Liu Jin: "Same for her. My brother's intention is for you both to attack simultaneously."
Next, Mo Ran also received a message from Liu Jin. But compared to his business-like tone with Hao Tian, Liu Jin was much more enthusiastic with Mo Ran, telling her to do a good job taking Gobi, then seize the Spirit Pool...
The classic strategy of a young man pursuing a goddess.
Mo Ran had no intention of replying, as she had always ignored him. But Wang Jiu said, "Send him a reply. Bait him into giving you specific coordinates."
Mo Ran looked at Wang Jiu as if she were a lunatic. "He's not that stupid."
Wang Jiu smiled. "My dear, trust me. If you just send him one sentence, he will definitely tell you the coordinates."
Mo Ran frowned. "What sentence?"
Xing Yao was curious as well.
Could Liu Jin really be that foolish?
Wang Jiu: "Ask him what Hao Tian meant by sending you the cultivation manual Lord of Water and Fish, and whether there are any hidden dangers."
Mo Ran narrowed her eyes, thought for a moment, and actually sent it.
It wasn't long before a reply came. Liu Jin must have read it and replied instantly.
"Don't trust him! That's an evil art! He definitely has designs on you. I'm at coordinates XXX, YYY. Come here. My brother and I will protect you."
Mo Ran and Xing Yao both had an epiphany. Without needing Wang Jiu's explanation, they understood the reason for Liu Jin's words and actions. Among the six of them, Liu Jin was at the bottom. He was unlikely to be content with being the weakest. If Hao Tian succeeded in dual cultivation with Mo Ran, their power would increase dramatically. At that point, it would be difficult for Wu Geng to show favoritism toward him. Therefore, to ensure Hao Tian couldn't succeed, he would incite Mo Ran to go to him.
This time, Mo Ran didn't need to listen to Wang Jiu. She replied on her own, "Lord Wu Geng's order was for me to attack Gobi."
Liu Jin: "I know, but one Hao Tian is enough for Gobi. Let him tie down Wang Jiu... Besides, the two of you can't kill her even if you work together. It's better for you to stay away, lest you be harmed by Hao Tian. And don't you want to know about the ruins?"
Mo Ran didn't reply, which was her habit. Liu Jin would assume she would comply.
Xing Yao: "Because of a man's inherent flaws, he thinks he already has you in the palm of his hand."
When the ever-aloof Mo Ran asked him about Hao Tian, Liu Jin subconsciously assumed that she was tacitly acknowledging his dominance for her own safety.
After all, he was Wu Geng's younger brother. In terms of both martial power and influence, he could suppress Hao Tian.
Mo Ran: "The coordinates he gave me are definitely not for the ruins. Fearing that others would find out he leaked the location of the ice plains to me, he would avoid Wu Geng and the others, giving me coordinates only he knows. He'll wait for me to go there and then ambush me. I suspect he also has a secret manual similar to Lord of Water and Fish. After gaining benefits from me and improving his strength, he can then explore the ruins and reap the greatest rewards. With a brother like that, Liu Jin is not content to be second-best."
So, the question was, if Liu Jin was going to separate from the main group...
Wang Jiu said nothing, but made a gesture—she raised a hand and drew it across her neck.
The other two also remained silent, teleporting away with Wang Jiu.
Destination: the ice plains.
But before that, Wang Jiu threw down a few Spirit Bodies.
Weren't Hao Tian's immortal mountain and Mo Ran's Heiyan Empire supposed to attack Gobi?
Then let them fight.
If you're going to put on a show, do it right.
After finishing his conversations with Hao Tian and Mo Ran, Liu Jin's thoughts were indeed just as Wang Jiu and the others had predicted. He was both annoyed at Hao Tian for being so eager to make a move on Mo Ran, and also thinking that he needed to avoid Wu Geng's group and take down Mo Ran first.
Mo Ran was no ordinary woman. Like Xing Yao, she was a descendant of the Primordial Spirits, possessed a unique constitution, and held prestige over half a spacetime. Capturing her would save him several hundred years of struggle.
Liu Jin had grown up taking advantage of his older brother's influence. He understood the benefits of taking shortcuts all too well.
So, when Mo Ran gave him an 'opportunity,' he seized it. However, he wasn't a complete fool and had a cautious side. He immediately used the surveillance network he had placed in Luoyang. When he saw Hao Tian's immortal mountain and the Heiyan Empire suddenly declare war on Gobi, he breathed a sigh of relief. While Wu Geng and the other three were fully engrossed in searching for the ruins, he found a chance to distance himself under the pretext of scouting, rushed to the coordinates he gave Mo Ran, and set up an ambush to kill her.
His strength was comparable to Mo Ran's. To control her in a short time with minimal disturbance was nearly impossible, but there were tricks.
Liu Jin took out a seal. It contained a mental attack from his brother, Wu Geng, which could instantly strike Mo Ran's spiritual body once, incapacitating her.
Liu Jin's eyes glinted as he lay in wait, waiting for Mo Ran to teleport over.
After a short while, the glow of a teleportation appeared.
Liu Jin locked onto his target instantly and was about to use the seal, but he quickly discovered that an incompetent fraud who relied on his 'brother' to get ahead was ultimately no match for three ruthless individuals who had fought their own way to the top.
When it came to initiating an attack, a fraud was no match for the speed of the ruthless.
Besides, the one who teleported wasn't Mo Ran herself, but one of her clones.
There was no second or third round. Even Hao Tian hadn't been able to withstand it, let alone Liu Jin, who was weaker than him.
Mo Ran and Xing Yao watched as Wang Jiu used her old trick to devour Liu Jin and then distributed his legacy.
Mo Ran obtained the single-use mental-impact item from his brother. Wang Jiu glanced at it and took something out to trade with her.
"Wanna trade? This thing of mine is good stuff too."
Mo Ran glanced at it, ignored her with a blank expression, but her brow twitched with restrained annoyance.
Xing Yao knew his old rival well and thought to himself that Wang Jiu was probably dancing on the very edge of the Female Emperor's tolerance.
He glanced over. Oh, it was Joyous Union Art.
No wonder.
Wang Jiu really wasn't teasing Mo Ran on purpose. The Joyous Union Art was genuinely a good item, because the system identified it as a legendary-grade secret manual.
Sigh, why wouldn't she believe her?
Just as Wang Jiu was about to try and persuade Mo Ran, a video call from Wu Geng suddenly popped up, making Wang Jiu jump.
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