Chapter 623: Fox Immortal Lady! This Technique of Yours Was Taught by Your Master, Right?! Restraints!
Li Yanchu circulated the magical power within his body. The qi sea inside him was nearly empty, as today’s battle with the beautiful woman had consumed far too much strength. His qi and blood were also significantly depleted, no longer boiling with the same intensity.
That beautiful woman’s techniques had been profoundly mysterious, second only to Jia Chuanfang’s former body. This was the first time he had ever encountered a demon capable of restraining the Dharma Form of the Fire Virtue Star Lord.
He took out Bodhi Pills and Spirit-Replenishing Pills from his Universe Pouch and swallowed them, along with Mount Jinting jujubes.
With these spirit pills, miraculous medicines, and precious natural treasures replenishing him, his condition quickly returned to its peak. This was the difference between having resources and having none.
Li Yanchu released his divine sense, spiritual light flashing in his eyes. He once again cast the Spirit Eyes and the Qi Sight to scan the surroundings, but still detected no unusual aura.
He took out the Heaven-Earth Demonbane Godshuttle and flew up into the clouds. A streak of flowing light cut across the sky as he departed.
Before long, he returned to Gaoling County. At this moment, constables from the Gaoling County yamen were moving in and out, maintaining order. The earlier phenomenon between heaven and earth had been far too terrifying. It was a peak-level battle that shook the mountains and the earth itself. Those common folk still had no idea that they had been standing under the threat of utter annihilation.
Li Yanchu piloted the Heaven-Earth Demonbane Godshuttle and paused above Gaoling County, deliberately releasing his aura.
At once, many townsfolk noticed him again. His purpose was to draw Minghe’s attention and locate her.
Minghe understood immediately and flew over on her sword to Li Yanchu’s side.
“How was it? Are you alright?” Minghe asked.
“That woman’s divine abilities were profound and troublesome, but she’s already been slain,” Li Yanchu said with a smile.
Minghe let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this. “That’s good, then.”
The two entered Gaoling County. After several twists and turns, they quickly avoided the crowds without drawing anyone’s attention.
“Your sword-riding technique is really impressive,” Li Yanchu said with a smile.
Only cultivators of the third realm and the Yang Spirit realm could normally fly through the air.
Yet Minghe’s sword-riding technique seemed not to be bound by that restriction.
“What, you want to learn it? I can teach you,” Minghe said with a grin. “When sword-riding is cultivated to great completion, one can traverse a thousand li in an instant, with sword and person as one. I haven’t reached that level yet, though.”
Li Yanchu shook his head. “I’m more used to using a saber.”
“So who exactly was that beautiful woman? And what’s really going on with the Fox Immortal Lady in Gaoling County?” Minghe smiled, then lowered her voice as she asked.
“All three of them are the Fox Immortal Lady of this Fox Immortal Lady Temple, the result of that Land Immortal’s Three Corpses Severing Art back then. It’s just that the three of them never met each other, and none knew of the others’ existence,” Li Yanchu said.
“The Three Corpses Severing Art? So that’s how it is...” Minghe said, somewhat surprised.
“You know about the Three Corpses Severing Art as well?” Li Yanchu asked.
“I’ve seen it in ancient texts. It’s an extremely mysterious technique. By the Three Corpses Severing Art, the good corpse, the evil corpse, and the self-corpse, one can ascend and become an immortal,” Minghe said calmly.
“The man-eating white fox we saw tonight had a ferocious nature. It should be the evil corpse. That beautiful woman was different from the other two, and her realm was the highest. She should be the self-corpse among the Three Corpses.
“As for the Lady Hu who seized people’s true spirits, that must be the good corpse. Even though it’s called the good corpse, since it needs to be severed and so many years have passed, many changes would naturally have occurred,” Minghe said.
Her expression changed, as if she had thought of something. Her entire body stiffened as she slowly turned her head to look at Li Yanchu.
“That’s not right! Then who was the very first Lady Hu we met? She had merit light around her, completely different from the three of them!” Minghe said in astonishment.
“Obviously, she was the Fox Immortal Lady who severed the Three Corpses and achieved the immortal realm, the true Fox Immortal Lady,” Li Yanchu said with a smile.
Minghe drew in a sharp breath, eyes wide, staring at Li Yanchu in shock.
“The Fox Immortal Lady?!” she exclaimed.
Li Yanchu brought Minghe back to the Fox Immortal Lady Temple.
“Celestial Master Zhao said that directly calling this one’s name would cause her to sense it. But we don’t even know what her name actually is. Calling out ‘Fox Immortal Lady’ a couple of times shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Li Yanchu said with a grin.
“So the Lady Hu we met at the start wasn’t one of the Three Corpses, but the true Fox Immortal Lady?! That’s just too...” Minghe was utterly stunned.
A chill crept up in her heart. All this time, they had actually been dealing with a Land Immortal?!
“At first, I thought she was the good corpse among the Three Corpses. But later, I realized something wasn’t right. She had merit light around her, and the entire Fox Immortal Lady Temple’s aura was extremely peaceful, it could even dispel demonic and baleful qi, not conceal it. That’s not something an ordinary realm could accomplish,” Li Yanchu said slowly.
“You’re saying the true Fox Immortal Lady has been living together with the Three Corpses in this Fox Immortal Lady Temple all along?” Minghe was quick-witted and immediately grasped the implication in Li Yanchu’s words.
“That’s only my guess. I’ve never interacted with cultivators of that realm either. I don’t know what they’re actually planning,” Li Yanchu said.
They entered the Fox Immortal Lady Temple.
The aura within the temple once again became serene and peaceful, with no trace of that dense demonic qi.
Li Yanchu walked up to the statue of the Fox Immortal Lady and said calmly, “All Three Corpses have been slain. Is the Fox Immortal Lady still unwilling to reveal herself and meet us?”
Minghe was even more shocked, staring at Li Yanchu in disbelief. At the same time, she stiffly turned her head to look at the Fox Immortal Lady’s statue.
The Land Immortal wouldn’t still be in the temple, would she?
At that moment, the statue of the Fox Immortal Lady suddenly came to life and smiled faintly at him.
“Fellow Daoist, though you are young, your mind is so meticulous. I truly admire you,” the Fox Immortal Lady said.
The statue vanished, replaced by a woman who looked exactly like the statue.
“What a fine scheme. You went through so much trouble to sever the Three Corpses, was it your Master who taught you back then, and you didn’t quite learn it properly?”
Li Yanchu said bluntly.
Minghe was shocked. This is a Land Immortal! Is it really okay for you to talk back like that?!
The woman froze for a moment, then smiled and said, “You’ve hit the mark, fellow Daoist. My cultivation method did indeed come from an unorthodox source. That’s why there were problems when I severed the Three Corpses back then.”
Li Yanchu’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked at the Fox Immortal Lady. “All these years, have you really been staying in this Fox Immortal Lady Temple?”
“That’s right. I’ve devoted myself to doing good deeds and accumulated this meager bit of merit, yet in the end I still couldn’t offset the sins committed by those three former bodies,” Lady Hu sighed softly.
This Lady Hu was precisely the one Li Yanchu had met the very first time.
Li Yanchu fell silent. Over the years, all three Fox Immortal Ladies had believed themselves to be the legitimate Lady Hu. They were wandering cultivators of the wilds, who had refined themselves into spirits and calmly enjoyed the incense offerings of Gaoling County. Yet they had never once seen one another.
Whenever one Lady Hu appeared, the others were unable to manifest. This was the karmic entanglement brought about by the Three Corpses Severing Art.
And yet, over all these years, there had been another presence, someone who had been silently watching all three of them. Just thinking about that was enough to send a chill down one’s spine.
“One steals people’s true spirits, one eats and kills humans, and one kidnaps and traffics in human beings. You turned a blind eye to all of it, and that makes you an accomplice!” Li Yanchu barked coldly, placing his hand on the hilt of his saber.
His gaze was icy, killing intent fully revealed.
“Fellow Daoist, please don’t be angry. I truly have hardships that I cannot put into words!”
“My Three Corpses Severing Art was incomplete, I was tricked by my master. After the Three Corpses Severing Art, my realm and cultivation plummeted. The Three Corpses cannot meet each other, and I cannot influence them either. I can’t even speak of them, because of the restrictions of the Three Corpses Severing Art!” Lady Hu sighed.
“Can’t speak of them?” Li Yanchu asked.
“The workings of heaven are layered and obscure, difficult to comprehend. I severed the Three Corpses hoping to contend for an immortal position, but I never expected that even this so-called immortal position would become a form of restraint.” Lady Hu let out another soft sigh.
