Undying Life

Chapter 931: The Misfortune of Sima Zongheng

Zhong Shan, accompanied by his divine beast, annihilated the Ancient Immortals Yan Hui and Nuzi, along with thousands of Confucian disciples. This news spread throughout the Nuwa Realm within two days.

Zhong Shan's sudden display of power left many in disbelief. After all, the rumors claimed he was only at the Heavenly Immortal level. How could he possibly have wiped out two Ancient Immortals in such a short time?

However, Zhong Shan's strength wasn't the main focus for many. Finding Nuwa's treasures was still the top priority.

Zhong Shan, along with Su Afo and the Nine-Tailed Princess, wandered around the Nuwa Realm. It was their first time here, and Zhong Shan seemed to be casually observing the terrain, taking it all in.

The Nuwa Realm was immense, a testament to a sage's power. It took Zhong Shan two whole months to get a rough idea of the landscape. Afterward, he found a place to stop.

The terrain was divided into eight distinct areas: some were vast oceans, others deserts; some were constantly struck by lightning, while others were battered by fierce winds.

"Eight Trigrams?" Zhong Shan frowned, realizing the world resembled a gigantic Eight Trigrams formation.

"Zhong Shan!" the Nine-Tailed Princess suddenly called out.

"What is it?" Zhong Shan asked, puzzled.

"The Sage King seems to be in trouble. Can you help...?" she asked, looking at Zhong Shan with a hopeful expression.

"Trouble? How do you know?" Su Afo asked, perplexed.

"What kind of trouble?" Zhong Shan inquired.

The Nine-Tailed Princess hesitated, then made up her mind. "The Sage King found the broken Qiankun Cauldron!"

"What? Princess, don't talk nonsense. How could you know about the Sage King's situation while you're here?" Su Afo exclaimed.

Ignoring Su Afo, the Nine-Tailed Princess looked at Zhong Shan with certainty.

"Lead the way," Zhong Shan said, frowning slightly.

"Alright!" She immediately took the lead.

Su Afo was bewildered. "What's going on? Why is the Princess acting so mysteriously?"

"What's the situation now?" Zhong Shan asked while flying.

"The Sage King, the Demon Chess Sage, and Sima Yuan, the head of the Sima family, have found a safe place. However, when they discovered the Qiankun Cauldron, its radiant glow was seen by a group of other strong individuals who are now pursuing them," the Nine-Tailed Princess explained.

"Princess, are you telling a story? How can you know this as if you saw it with your own eyes? You've been with us these past two months!" Su Afo said, exasperated.

Zhong Shan didn't seem bothered. After all, he could also recount events from the Underworld.

"So they are temporarily safe?" Zhong Shan asked.

"For now, yes. But we don't know when those people might catch up. The Qiankun Cauldron, though broken, is still a precious treasure of Nuwa," the Nine-Tailed Princess replied.

Su Afo stopped questioning and fell silent. He had asked multiple times, and the Nine-Tailed Princess had remained tight-lipped. There was no point in pressing further.

The three of them flew at high speed. Five days later.

"We're almost there, just up ahead!" The Nine-Tailed Princess showed a hint of joy on her face.

"Wait, hold on!" Zhong Shan suddenly stopped, his brows furrowing.

"What's wrong?" Su Afo asked.

Zhong Shan looked into the distance where a fierce battle seemed to be taking place. The ground was littered with corpses, all dressed in the attire of the Taichu Holy Court.

"What is this?" Zhong Shan, Su Afo, and the Nine-Tailed Princess all instinctively headed towards the battlefield.

As they approached, they saw sand and stones flying, and thick smoke covering the area, indicating an intense fight. In the nearby forest, the smoke seemed to form a massive and mysterious array.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion sent a powerful shockwave through the area, dispersing much of the smoke.

"The Sima family? Sima Zongheng?" Su Afo said, puzzled.

At the center of the battlefield, Sima Zongheng stood atop a massive, hundred-zhang beast, sweat pouring down his forehead. Behind him, eight strong Sima family members were confronting a white-robed man.

The white-robed man stood on another hundred-zhang beast, this one looking like a dog but with a single vertical green eye on its head. The beast's white fur made it look strangely beautiful and ominous.

"That's... the 37th-ranked divine beast? The Reverse Flow Beast?" the Nine-Tailed Princess recognized it immediately.

The white-robed man smirked at Sima Zongheng.

"What do you want? I, Sima Zongheng, have never provoked you!" Sima Zongheng said, frustrated. It was an absolute case of unprovoked disaster. This man, along with his beast, had suddenly attacked. While their strengths were similar, the Reverse Flow Beast was overwhelmingly powerful. It had easily broken the formation Sima Zongheng's subordinates had just set up. What did he want?

"Sima Zongheng? Perfect. Finding you means I can find him," the white-robed man said with a wicked grin.

"Who are you looking for?" Sima Zongheng was speechless.

"I'm looking for Zhong Shan," the white-robed man replied.

Sima Zongheng was on the verge of coughing up blood. Looking for Zhong Shan? What did that have to do with him?

"Zhong Shan isn't here! You've got the wrong person!" Sima Zongheng shouted.

"Impossible. My master, the Snow Plum Patriarch, never miscalculates. He said capturing you would make Zhong Shan appear immediately," the white-robed man said confidently.

Sima Zongheng felt a surge of frustration in his chest.

"So, surrender now, and you'll suffer less," the white-robed man said, brimming with confidence.

"Too much! This is too much!" Sima Zongheng roared.

The massive beast beneath Sima Zongheng charged furiously at the white-robed man, while Sima Zongheng and his eight family members rushed towards him as well. This was infuriating! Even the most patient person couldn't tolerate this, especially since this trouble was caused by Zhong Shan.

"Roar!"

The Reverse Flow Beast opened its mouth, unleashing a powerful airflow that blasted the giant beast backward.

At that moment, Sima Zongheng drew a large sword and slashed it, sending a torrent of sword energy towards the white-robed man with the momentum of a celestial river.

"Hmph!" The white-robed man sneered.

Suddenly, the Reverse Flow Beast's single eye glowed green, and the terrifying sword energy reversed its flow. The immense force seemed to be retracted in an instant.

Seeing this, Sima Zongheng's frustration turned into desperation. His attacks were being countered effortlessly, and the Reverse Flow Beast was proving to be an overwhelming adversary.

The seven figures in the air were suddenly enveloped by a green light.

At this moment, Zhong Shan, Su Afo, and the Nine-Tailed Princess arrived nearby and witnessed this shocking scene.

Under the green light from the Reverse Flow Beast's eye, the nine men showed expressions of extreme terror.

"Ahhh!"

Except for Sima Zongheng, the others screamed in pain. One of them even had his hair turn white instantly.

Although Sima Zongheng didn't scream, he was equally horrified. He realized his cultivation was reversing.

From Great Immortal Realm! To Heavenly Immortal Realm! To Earthly Immortal Realm! To the Sky Extreme Realm! To the Emperor Extreme Realm! To the Nascent Soul Stage!

Sima Zongheng discovered it wasn't a dream; it was real. The Reverse Flow Beast? It was said to be able to reverse attacks, but could it also reverse cultivation?

How could this be?

"Roar!"

Sima Zongheng let out a mournful cry. The eight people behind him had all reverted to mortal status, looking old and frail, as if they were near death.

"Boom!"

The green light disappeared, and Sima Zongheng, now at the Golden Core stage, fell from the sky. The massive beast under him rushed over just in time to catch him, while the other eight fell to the ground and died instantly.

"My master was right; Zhong Shan did come!" The white-robed man turned to look at Zhong Shan.

Sima Zongheng lay on the beast's head, blood spewing from his mouth in frustration. This was beyond absurd. Worse than an unprovoked disaster, this was all because of Zhong Shan. Just to find Zhong Shan? Couldn't they have just asked? Now all his subordinates were dead, and his cultivation had pitifully reverted to the Golden Core stage. What was this?

Turning his head, Sima Zongheng indeed saw Zhong Shan flying towards him. Looking at Zhong Shan, Sima Zongheng couldn't help but spew more blood. Zhong Shan was a jinx. Every time he encountered Zhong Shan, he suffered. Now, even before Zhong Shan arrived, he had suffered this misfortune.

God, what did I do to deserve this? Sima Zongheng silently screamed in his heart.

Zhong Shan looked at Sima Zongheng speechlessly. Then he cautiously observed the white-robed man, especially the Reverse Flow Beast at his feet.

Reversing time? It was similar to Luo Xingchen's supernatural ability. Time manipulation?

No, this might be the Reverse Flow Beast's limit. Otherwise, it wouldn't be ranked only thirty-seventh among divine beasts.

After reversing Sima Zongheng and his group, the Reverse Flow Beast seemed slightly fatigued, indicating that this ability consumed a lot of its energy.

Snow Plum Patriarch couldn't directly calculate Zhong Shan, but as a fate manipulator, he could calculate others to indirectly determine Zhong Shan's whereabouts.

"You were looking for me?" Zhong Shan frowned at the white-robed man.

"Yes, I am. Or rather, I'm looking for your divine beast!" the white-robed man replied with an evil grin.

"Oh?" Zhong Shan raised an eyebrow.

"My master said you're just a Heavenly Immortal, but your beast can devour Ancient Immortals even in its juvenile stage. You're just a Heavenly Immortal; you don't deserve it. Hand over the beast, and I might spare your life," the white-robed man said.

He wants to take the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail? And so directly?

"Did the Snow Plum Patriarch send you?" Zhong Shan frowned. The Snow Plum Patriarch wouldn't typically provoke him.

"Hmph, capturing a divine beast doesn't need my master's instructions. Zhong Shan, I advise you to hand over the Eight Extremes Heavenly Tail now, or else Sima Zongheng here will be your example!" the white-robed man threatened coldly.

Sima Zongheng, lying on the beast, was so frustrated he spat another mouthful of blood. This was beyond infuriating!