Chapter 123: The Fourth Calamity of Ten Deaths

The battle between women became as fierce as that of men. Qiao San’s heart quivered, sensing the pain deep within Beigong Zhen’s soul. At the very moment his thoughts subtly shifted, the blood mark on his brow violently pulsed, and crimson light flooded his struggling eyes.

Without warning, fury surged into his head. Just as Shi’er was being ruthlessly overwhelmed by the two women, Qiao San, still in the pit, suddenly roared in rage: “Beigong Zhen, stop now! If you dare harm Shi’er, I will kill you, you wretched woman!”

“You!” Her Demon-Exterminating Bow frozen mid-air, Beigong Zhen abruptly shifted from extreme motion to utter stillness. Her gaze, deathly and piercing, locked onto Qiao San’s face.

Silence fell suddenly. The real world remained noisy, but between Qiao San and Beigong Zhen, there was a vacuum—a deathly, silent void.

“You… called me a wretch… and you want to kill me?!” Each word was spoken with excruciating effort. Silent tears streamed down her face, drop by drop. Beigong Zhen wasn’t questioning—she was repeating, reliving the moment that shattered her heart.

“Ahh—” A mournful cry from the depths of her soul echoed endlessly, its piercing shriek piercing countless spirits. Even Longmu and Yushan, hovering in midair, turned their gazes downward.

The howl still reverberated through wind and clouds. Beigong Zhen—passionate and vengeful—shifted from love to hatred in an instant. Her Demon-Exterminating Bow spun, and her shadowless arrow now targeted the only man she had ever loved.

“Qiao San, I would rather see you dead than have my child bear a demon as a father!”

“No!” At the moment the bowstring trembled and its sound lingered, Shi’er’s face paled. She threw herself forward desperately. She could have easily struck Beigong Zhen down with one palm strike, but the thought of her beloved’s unborn child acted like invisible chains, binding her hands and feet.

“Thud!” The little fox girl embraced Beigong Zhen and rolled aside. While saving Master San, Shi’er had to carefully shield the “murderer,” her efforts filled with hardship—truly worthy of Qiao San’s heartfelt love.

As Shi’er and Beigong Zhen continued struggling, a scream pierced the heavens. They turned their heads and saw Qiao San pierced through by Xuan Nu’s sword, lifeless.

Then, a red glow enveloped Qiao San’s “corpse.” Within the crimson light, a mysterious, spinning treasure slowly emerged.

“Ahh!” Overcome with grief, Beigong Zhen instantly lost all strength. Qiao San’s death left her crumpled on the ground, bitterness flooding her heart.

In contrast to Beigong Zhen’s sorrow, a barely perceptible glimmer of joy flickered in Shi’er’s eyes. The little fox girl, who knew Qiao San so well, nearly laughed aloud. She hadn’t expected Master San to be so lucky—falling once again into a deadly tribulation.

The fourth of ten deaths—the strange transformation Qiao San had long awaited had finally arrived. The power of the Ten-Yang Pearl began to surge upward.

Red light flickered, the divine pearl rotated, and Qiao San was on the verge of rebirth. Suddenly, a beam of light descended from the heavens, engulfing Qiao San, the red glow, and the pearl, instantly pulling them into a clamshell-shaped treasure.

“Crack!” The clamshell snapped shut. The red light vanished without a trace. The glow receded, the treasure shrank, and then steadily landed in a pair of graceful, round, and beautiful jade hands.

Longmu—again Longmu! Somehow, the ruler of the Four Seas had already shaken off Yushan Princess’s interference. At the most delicate moment, the dragon clan’s secret treasure had given Qiao San a huge “surprise!”

“Longmu, what have you done?” Yushan finally caught up, staring at the treasure in Longmu’s arms, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’ve sucked him into the Divine Water Realm! What are you planning?”

Just as the climax of the battle between good and evil erupted with sudden twists, Longmu, the unexpected ace, smiled arrogantly. “Yushan, don’t think only you know how to play tricks. This is a special place I’ve prepared especially for the Ten-Yang Body. You wanted him to stir up the impure energies of the mortal world, huh? Haha… I’ll make sure he can neither be born nor die, trapped forever in this Water Divine Realm, never experiencing those ten death tribulations again!”

At the dawn of heaven and earth, chaos was like an egg; when chaos broke, heaven and earth separated. The shattered “eggshell” became a hundred divine treasures, later known in the Three Realms as the “Taixu Divine Treasures.” A special compendium, the “Taixu Divine Treasure Catalog,” was even compiled. The revived Taixu Heaven-and-Earth Sword was one of them, and the “Divine Clam of Severing Waters” in Longmu’s hands was also recorded within.

“So ruthless! Let my Master San go!” The power of Taixu divine treasures was far beyond ordinary artifacts. Yushan’s expression wavered with shock and doubt, while Shi’er, beside her, grew desperate with anxiety. She leapt forward, streaking through the air like lightning, crashing toward Longmu.

“Whoosh!” Longmu flicked her sleeve, and Xuan Nu swiftly moved. Shi’er, struck by a paralysis spell, was now a captured prisoner.

“Yushan, now it’s your turn!” Stepping onto a cloud beneath her feet, Longmu rose into the air. Dozens of cultivators surged forward with renewed vigor, their momentum like a thousand galloping horses, charging toward the isolated and helpless Princess of the Myriad Demons.

The battle between the women became as fierce as that of men. Qiao San felt a pang in his heart, sensing the pain in Beigong Zhen’s heart. At the very moment his thoughts underwent a subtle change, the blood mark on his forehead throbbed violently, and a crimson light filled his struggling eyes.

Without warning, rage surged to the top of his head. Just as Twelve was being overwhelmed by the two women, Qiao San, still in the pit, roared, “Beigong Zhen, stop! If you dare harm Twelve, I’ll kill you, you wench!”

“You!” The Demon-Slaying Bow paused, and Beigong Zhen went from extreme motion to complete stillness, her deathly gaze fixed on Qiao San’s face.

Silence suddenly descended. While the real world remained noisy, between Qiao San and Beigong Zhen, there was a vacuum, a deathly vacuum.

“You… called me a wench, and… you want to kill me?” Each word was uttered with great difficulty, tears streaming down her face without a sound. Beigong Zhen wasn’t asking a question; she was repeating the moment that shattered her heart.

“Ah—” A mournful cry from the soul echoed for a long time, piercing countless souls. Even the Dragon Mother and Jade Fan in mid-air were drawn to the sound.

The howl still reverberated in the wind and clouds. Beigong Zhen—bold in love and hate—instantly turned from love to hatred. The Demon-Slaying Bow shifted, and the invisible arrow aimed at the only man in her life.

“Qiao San, I’d rather you die than have my child have a demon father!”

“No!” Just as the bowstring trembled and the echoes lingered, Twelve, pale with fear, lunged forward. She could have struck Beigong Zhen away with a single palm, but the thought of her lover’s child acted like an invisible shackle, firmly binding the little fox girl’s hands and feet.

“Thud!” The little fox girl rolled on the spot with Beigong Zhen in her arms. Twelve not only had to save the Third Young Master but also had to carefully roll with the “murderer.” Her efforts were truly worthy of Qiao San’s genuine love.

As Twelve and Beigong Zhen continued to struggle, a scream pierced the heavens. They turned to see Qiao San being struck down by Xuannü’s sword.

Immediately, a red light enveloped Qiao San’s “corpse.” Within the light, a mysterious, spinning pearl faintly appeared.

“Ah!” Beigong Zhen, filled with grief, instantly lost her strength. Qiao San’s death left her collapsed on the ground, an endless bitterness flooding her heart.

In contrast to Beigong Zhen’s pain, a faint glimmer of joy flashed in Twelve’s eyes. The little fox girl, who knew Qiao San well, nearly laughed out loud. She hadn’t expected the Third Young Master’s luck to be so good, entering yet another death calamity.

The Fourth Death Calamity—the long-awaited transformation of Qiao San had finally arrived. The power of the Ten Suns Pearl began to surge upward.

The red light flickered, and the divine pearl spun. Just as Qiao San was about to be reborn, a beam of light descended from the sky. Qiao San, the red light, and the divine pearl were all sucked into the beam, instantly drawn into a clam-shaped treasure.

“Snap!” The clam shell closed, and the red light disappeared. The light retracted, and the treasure shrank, then steadily landed in a pair of beautiful, round jade hands.

The Dragon Mother—it was the Dragon Mother again! At some point, the ruler of the Four Seas had freed herself from Princess Jade Fan’s entanglement. At the most delicate moment, the Dragon Clan’s secret treasure gave Qiao San a tremendous “surprise.”

“Dragon Mother, what have you done?” Jade Fan finally caught up, staring at the treasure the Dragon Mother had tucked into her bosom. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’ve sucked him into the Water-Severing Divine Realm! What are you trying to do?”

The battle between good and evil, already at its climax, took another sudden turn. The Dragon Mother, with her unexpected move, smiled proudly. “Jade Fan, don’t think you’re the only one who can play tricks. This is the perfect place I’ve prepared for the Ten Suns Body. You’re hoping he’ll stir up the mortal world’s filth, aren’t you? Ha, ha… I’ll make sure he can neither live nor die, forever trapped in this Water Divine Realm, never to experience the Ten Death Calamities!”

At the beginning of the world, chaos was like an egg. When chaos broke, heaven and earth separated. The shattered “egg shells” turned into a hundred magical treasures, later known as the “Taixu Treasures” by the Three Realms. A special tome, the “Taixu Divine Artifact Compendium,” was even compiled. The resurrected Taixu Qiankun Sword was one of them, and the Dragon Mother’s “Water-Severing Divine Clam” was also listed in the compendium.

“How cruel! Release my Third Young Master!” The power of the Taixu Divine Artifact was far beyond that of ordinary magical tools. Jade Fan’s eyes were filled with doubt and fear, while Twelve, beside her, was frantic with worry. She leapt into the air, her body crackling with lightning, and charged at the Dragon Mother.

“Swish!” The ruler of the Four Seas flicked her sleeve, and Xuannü flashed through the air. Twelve, now under a binding spell, became a prisoner.

“Jade Fan, now it’s your turn!” The Dragon Mother rose on auspicious clouds, and dozens of cultivators suddenly became highly motivated. The momentum of the Heavenly Realm was like ten thousand galloping horses, charging towards the isolated Princess of Ten Thousand Demons.

“Whoosh…” The treasure fan stirred up a mighty wind. Though it couldn’t move the enemies, the Princess of Ten Thousand Demons easily flew away, her voice carried by the wind, filled with resentment.

“Dragon Mother, the Earth Realm won’t let you off! I’ll make sure your Four Seas are overturned, your waters dry, and your clan destroyed!”

“Lord Beigong, please handle the aftermath here!” The Dragon Mother waved her hand, and the secret sheepskin scroll flew back from the old emperor’s hands. The two great immortals soared into the clouds and disappeared in an instant, along with the captured fox demon princess, Twelve.

The old emperor in the stands only now came to his senses. His legs gave way, and he collapsed into the dragon throne. The old man finally fully understood the vast gap between human and immortal power. The national teacher he had thought was a master was nothing more than a small fry. At this moment, he didn’t even dare to think about seizing the map, only letting out a wail in his heart: “My heavens, how terrifying!”

In the vast void, clouds and mist swirled.

A flash of light, and the two halves of the secret sheepskin scroll finally merged. With the Dragon Mother, a Great Luo Golden Immortal, present, the sealing magic on the scroll melted away like snow in the spring sun.

“Ah, the half belonging to Bold Three isn’t reacting. Could it be a fake map?” Even the inheritor of the Plain Maiden’s Secret couldn’t hide her panic, given the stakes involving the Primordial Heavenly King’s life.

“It’s real, but someone has tampered with it!”

The Dragon Mother of the Four Seas quickly made a definitive judgment, then added with a hint of confusion, “Such a unique seal is extremely rare. In the entire Heavenly Realm, only the Literary Star could perform such a rare immortal technique, but he couldn’t possibly…”

“Book Spirit pays her respects to the Dragon Mother and the Purple Mansion Saintess!”

The Dragon Mother’s confusion still lingered in the void when a gentle immortal voice suddenly rang out. The half of the sheepskin that hadn’t reacted suddenly glowed with flowing light. Then, a humanoid figure slowly “floated” out from the sheepskin.

Her face veiled, her eyes gentle, her figure carrying the maturity and charm of the mortal world—the Book Spirit had appeared. She had emerged from the secret sheepskin scroll. As Qiao San’s exclusive spirit, she showed deep respect to the immortals, a respect that was genuine and impossible to fake.

“Longmu, the Underworld will not forgive you! I will surely turn your Four Seas upside down until your waters dry and your people perish!”

“Lord Beigong, please handle the aftermath here!” With a wave of her hand, the emperor’s ancient scroll flew into Longmu’s grasp. The two senior immortals rose into the clouds, vanishing in an instant, along with the captured fox demoness, Princess Shi’er.

Only now did the old emperor on the viewing platform regain his senses. With a thud, his trembling legs gave way, collapsing into his throne. At last, he fully understood—the vast difference in power between mortals and immortals. The so-called “great master” he had once revered was merely a lowly soldier in the sea of cultivators. Now, he dared not even entertain the thought of seizing the scroll, only able to cry out silently in his heart: My heavens, how terrifying!

In the boundless void, clouds and mist swirled.

A flash of light, and the two halves of the ancient scroll finally joined together. With Longmu, a Golden Immortal of the Great Luo Heaven, present, the seal on the scroll melted away like spring snow.

“Ahh, the third bold character’s half shows no reaction. Could it be a fake map?” Concerned with the life of the Primordial Heaven King, even the disciple of the Su Nu Manual couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“It’s real, but someone has tampered with it!”

Longmu of the Four Seas quickly confirmed her judgment, then added with puzzlement, “Such a unique seal is extremely rare. Throughout the entire Celestial Realm, only the Star of Literature would possess such an esoteric technique. Yet he couldn’t possibly…”

“Book Spirit pays homage to Lady Longmu and the Purple Mansion Holy Maiden!”

While Longmu’s doubts still lingered in the void, a gentle celestial voice abruptly sounded. The half of the scroll that had shown no reaction suddenly radiated light. Then, a human-shaped shadow slowly emerged from the scroll’s surface.

Veiled face, gentle eyes, a figure of moderate grace carrying the allure of worldly maturity—the Book Spirit had appeared. Emerging from the scroll itself, she showed deep respect to the immortals, a reverence so genuine it could not have been feigned. As Qiao San’s personal spirit, she naturally bore this sincere devotion.