Liu Sandao immediately took out a fortune fruit from his Fortune Manual and threw it to Hao Yumei.
This was all he could do, pinning his hopes that Hao Yumei's fate and fortune would see her through this tribulation.
"Swish!" A fortune fruit shot directly towards Hao Yumei.
The approaching entity naturally would not let this go.
This time, it was to save Hao Yumei's life, and she had more than one fortune fruit. Liu Sandao rummaged through them, tossing them one by one towards Hao Yumei's direction.
Even if all the fortune fruits could save her life, it would be worth it.
One by one, fortune fruits floated in the air. The guardian spirits who saw them began to whisper amongst themselves, "Look! Her fortune fruits, so many fortune fruits, should be enough to ensure her life is out of danger, right?"
"Indeed. This is the first time I've seen so many fortune fruits!" a short deity exclaimed.
"You? You don't know how many lifetimes it would take for you to be assigned to protect such a great benefactor!"
A tall deity said to him with a hint of disdain.
"Hello, hello! You're not protecting a short-lived ghost either!" the shorter one retorted, clearly not convinced.
Their waist tokens both displayed the character "Lin," indicating they were likely the guardian spirits of those two children.
"Who says?" the tall one questioned. "Don't you see Hao Yumei's fortune fruits? If she casually gave out a few dozen, wouldn't these two children be saved? Besides, if I chose someone else, you wouldn't fare any better!"
"You! Humph!" The short one snorted and turned his head away.
"Let's all say less. Let's watch how that immortal handles the approaching entity! If not, not only will you have to find new charges, but I will too..."
"The guardian spirit with the 'Hao' character spoke, his expression somewhat somber.
As they were discussing, they didn't notice Bai Suxiang watching them, listening to them explain the reasons behind it.
According to the guardian spirit of 'Hao,' this was the first time in a hundred years that he had protected such a great benefactor. Beings with eight stars were rare in the world; those who not only enjoyed the blessings of their eight-star destiny in this life but also continued to act benevolently were even rarer.
He had protected many eight-star individuals before, but most of them only indulged in the merit from their past lives, never considering accumulating good deeds in the present. This made him feel that those he protected were selfish souls concerned only with personal gain and loss, and that their fates were sealed even in death.
Only by protecting Hao Yumei did he feel that his guardianship in this life was not in vain, having truly encountered a seed of benevolence.
He explained that if she continued to do good deeds and accumulated 300 merit fruits, her lifespan would be extended by ten years; with 500 merit fruits, she would live past ninety years with a healthy body; and with 1000 merit fruits, she would live past one hundred and twenty years.
If she could truly reach 1300 merit fruits, she would be reborn as an immortal, free from the suffering of reincarnation.
"Then, how many merit fruits has she accumulated so far?" the short deity asked.
"Let me calculate?" Hao Yumei's guardian spirit closed his eyes and began to count on his fingers. "One, two, three... Alas, at best, it's 298. It's truly a pity. If only she had more time, perhaps..."
He shook his head helplessly, and Bai Suxiang understood that sense of helplessness.
As Liu Sandao scattered the fortune fruits, the approaching entity began to collect them one by one. This was much easier than forcing Hao Yumei's fortune fruits out of her body.
However, these fortune fruits were truly strange. They spun in the air, refusing to enter his grasp no matter what. Even if he managed to stuff them in, they would slip out again.
In this back-and-forth, the dark sky gradually became dotted with specks of light.
"Damn it, I don't have time to play with you!"
The approaching entity grew angry and immediately threw out its life-taking weapon, which could double its effectiveness.
The moment the life-taking weapon was unleashed, the Fortune Manual suddenly broke free from Liu Sandao's hand, and with a thunderous roar, it reverberated throughout the sky!
Startled, all the minor deities covered their ears, and Bai Suxiang was no exception. The Qilin jade on her neck then whizzed out!
"Pat-a-pat, pat-a-pat!"
As if dancing to a song, it circled upwards and soared into the clouds!
"Hiss, hiss! Hiss, hiss!"
The life-taking weapon moved first, beginning to devour the fortune fruits.
The Fortune Manual shot out a beam of immense golden light, striking directly at its head, like a fist powerfully hammering towards the giant red light.
However, the force seemed light and ineffective.
The life-taking weapon appeared unconcerned, continuing to devour the fortune fruits.
Liu Sandao knew that the Fortune Manual's inherent power was insufficient to contend with the life-taking weapon after it had consumed the fortune fruits. He began to chant: "Fortune passes through a thousand ages, virtue blankets ten thousand generations! Fortune passes through a thousand ages, virtue blankets ten thousand generations!..."
With the incantation's enhancement, the Fortune Manual's power clearly increased. The golden light flared, immediately rising several feet, on the verge of engulfing the life-taking weapon!
"You good-for-nothing Liu Sandao, see how I deal with you!"
The approaching entity was not to be outdone and began chanting its own incantation.
The life-taking weapon, already resembling a snake, had a red and black body, exuding an evil aura. Under the incantation's amplification, it became even more blood-red and sinister!
The Qilin, hearing Liu Sandao's chant, also emitted a golden light, which merged with the Fortune Manual's golden light and shot towards the life-taking weapon.
However, due to Liu Sandao's magic being inferior to that of the approaching entity, the struggle between them gradually turned into the life-taking weapon suppressing the Fortune Manual and the golden Qilin.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and help!"
Bai Suxiang called out to the assembled guardian spirits.
This sudden shout jolted the deities out of their despondency. What surprised them even more was that it was a mortal calling to them.
The guardian spirit of 'Hao' had already confirmed this.
He was the most powerful among these minor deities.
"Yes, yes, yes! Let's hurry up and help!"
"But our magic is weak, how can we help him?"
As the 'Hao' deity pondered, the life-taking weapon began to relentlessly suppress the Fortune Manual. The golden light in the sky was completely overwhelmed by the blood-red hue, even in danger of being consumed.
"Let's see how you stop me this time!"
The approaching entity said fiercely.
Liu Sandao had no time to reply as the fortune fruits were being devoured one by one into the belly of the life-taking weapon.
Even more terrifyingly, the fortune fruits within Hao Yumei's body burst out from her translucent form.
It was like ruptured blood vessels, bleeding profusely.
This situation was extremely dire. If no solution was found, not only would her fortune fruits be lost, but her very fortune roots might be plundered!
"There is only one method left, everyone chant with me!"
The 'Hao' deity said, forming his hands into orchid finger gestures, palms facing each other, clasped before his chest. He began to chant: "Heaven and Earth Xuanzong, honored by the Dao. My body bears golden light, shielding my form. Encompassing Heaven and Earth, nurturing all beings. Golden light appears swiftly, protecting the true person. Hasten, as the law commands!"
The deities hurriedly imitated his gestures and began to chant, even Bai Suxiang silently recited along.
In an instant, thunder rumbled, and five ethereal figures appeared in the southeastern sky.