If the thread could be severed or obstructed, the adversary would not have made such arrangements from the outset.
"Hahaha, hahaha, you overestimate yourself!"
The Ten-Faced Rakshasa guffawed, yet made no move to stop the interference of those useless guardian spirits.
He stood aside, watching the spectacle, feeling akin to an audience at a monkey show: the performers below scrambling and fumbling, while the spectators were amused and at ease.
But this was not the whole picture, for where there is struggle, there is danger.
For the adversary, danger was an inherent part of his being. Usually, he brought it to others, not the other way around.
"It's coming out! It's coming out!"
The Ten-Faced Rakshasa shouted excitedly.
The adversary and the other spirits swiftly turned their attention to Cai Rong's body. They saw that the root of fortune indeed seemed to be loosening, like a seedling about to be uprooted, about to detach from the soil.
"Ah! ... Ha!"
Unexpectedly, Liu Sandao let out a sudden roar and, with lightning speed, struck out with a palm at the fierce god.
The fierce god, caught off guard, was sent reeling.
The Ten-Faced Rakshasa and the other spirits panicked. Some leaped aside; others scurried close to the adversary, hoping their lord would grant them protection.
Without the incantation's support, the golden light in the sky was quickly consumed by the deadly, immense red and black void.
"Hahaha... haha... ha!" The Ten-Faced Rakshasa's laughter gradually became unnatural.
A voice interrupted him, or perhaps it was upon hearing this voice that his laughter slowly turned awkward.
"Heaven and Earth, profound and mysterious; Dao is the sole supreme. My body is encased in golden light, mirroring my form. Encompassing Heaven and Earth, nurturing all beings. May golden light appear swiftly, protecting the true person. Hasten as the law commands!"
A child's voice echoed through the sky.
All eyes converged upon him.
He appeared as a golden child, a visible phantom.
Riding on the back of a qilin, he charged forth from the darkness, soaring rapidly into the sky.
Perhaps due to the child's volatile nature, he somersaulted several times on the qilin's back.
"Thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump-thump!"
All surrounding noise vanished, as if dispelled by the rhythm of the hooves.
Accompanied by the chanting, the sound resonated throughout the night sky.
Liu Sandao had gained some cultivation from his recent defeat of the fierce god.
Before he could fully integrate it, he was captivated by the scene before him.
The qilin, heading in his direction, lunged towards him.
Behind the qilin, a shimmering golden point slowly grew larger. Liu Sandao gradually discerned it: it was the Book of Fortune.
"Heaven and Earth, profound and mysterious; Dao is the sole supreme. My body is encased in golden light, mirroring my form. Encompassing Heaven and Earth, nurturing all beings. May golden light appear swiftly, protecting the true person. Hasten as the law commands!"
The voice continued unbroken, the child chanting ceaselessly.
His body suddenly split into five shadows, all resembling children. Sudancn.com
The golden light from the Book of Fortune instantly burst forth in five beams, each drawing one of the five phantoms.
The five phantoms flipped thrice in the air, then converged into a single point of light, which, along with the qilin, darted towards Liu Sandao.
"Whoosh!"
It merged into Liu Sandao's body with a soft sound.
"Boom!"
With a thunderous crash, a colossal phantom clad in armor appeared in the sky.
"Hmph! Trying to trick me again! You overestimate yourself!"
The adversary sneered and spoke.
He had already secretly gathered his true energy, preparing to unleash a full-power strike.
The phantom, however, was not to be outdone, immediately unleashing a golden light to slay the adversary.
The adversary's cultivation was now far greater than before, and he naturally felt no fear.
Having suffered a hidden loss last time, he was unwilling to yield so easily this time.
Moreover, the previous two instances involved phantoms manifested by guardian spirits. This was merely a phantom of a child; it might yet be Liu Sandao's trickery.
"Clang!"
After a resounding impact, a massive beam of golden light, shaped like a yanyue saber, cleaved into the enormous red and black sphere that the adversary had conjured using the Asura Dao Calamity.
Wonder filled the eyes of the onlookers.
Who would have imagined this phantom possessed such immense power?
After all, the adversary's sphere had shown no reaction whatsoever last time, betraying no sign of difficulty.
Yet this time, it appeared to have been slightly flattened, like a ball under pressure, demonstrating the beam's potency.
"Quickly recite the incantation from the Book of Fortune!"
The voice urged.
Liu Sandao hastily began chanting.
This voice was Fu Ruhai's, so this phantom must indeed be Fu Ruhai.
As the words "Fortune spread for a thousand years, virtue embraced for ten thousand generations" rang out, the adversary felt he could no longer hold on.
He had never experienced such a sense of defeat: after cultivating for so long, he was still no match for a mere beam of light.
A trace of melancholy suddenly surfaced in his heart.
But a death god was a death god; he would show no hint of retreat. He quickly set his sights on his goal: to obtain the root of fortune and elevate his power.
Leveraging his formidable strength, he gritted his teeth, unleashed all his might, and fought with all his being!
"Bang!"
With another deafening sound, the giant golden light yanyue saber was repelled, granting the adversary a moment's respite and an opportunity to escape.
Disregarding Cai Rong's root of fortune, he swiftly retracted his killing strike.
"Withdraw!"
With a command, the spirits followed him in retreat.
Seeing them truly withdraw, Liu Sandao's heart finally relaxed.
It was only then, as he caught his breath, that he realized he was drenched in cold sweat.
Meanwhile, Fu Ruhai's phantom had collapsed beside Bai Suxiang.
He spoke weakly, "Quickly! Quickly go... to the Hall of Fortune. If you delay further, I fear..."
"Listen to him and go quickly. We are here! Don't worry."
The speaker was Cai Rong's guardian spirit, the only one capable of doing anything at this moment.
Entrusting the handling of Cai Rong's root of fortune to him seemed like a prudent choice.
Liu Sandao could only hurry to the Hall of Fortune. Besides saving Bai Suxiang, he also needed to save Fu Ruhai.
Arriving at the Hall of Fortune, a familiar route, Liu Sandao carried Bai Suxiang directly to where she used to stay.
Fu Ruhai's phantom had already entered the Kylin Jade and was now quiet.
The Ancestor of Fortune did not appear immediately; it was clear he was absent once again.
It was strange. Despite guarding such a vast palace, containing many treasures within, he seemed utterly indifferent. He never locked the doors, the Hall of Fortune had no guards, and no barriers were erected.
Liu Sandao was unlike Fu Ruhai, who would shout loudly; nor was he like Bai Suxiang, who was lively and would softly inquire, "Is anyone there?"
All he could do was wait. Fortunately, Bai Suxiang was merely unconscious, her breathing steady.
Yet, this was enough to cause him considerable unease.
Liu Sandao considered himself to have achieved enlightenment, but a sliver of turmoil still stirred within his heart.
Perhaps Bai Suxiang was his entanglement.