PD -Chapter 170 Boundless Black Waters

The Immortal-Slaying Sword suddenly blazed with brilliant light. What had been a one-handed sword transformed into a massive, imposing greatsword.

“Liu Xiaopeng!”

I gritted my teeth and shouted his name, trying to bring his consciousness back and send Liu Bowen, whom he had invited into his body, away.

But it was clearly useless.

The giant sword was already raised high above his head, as if it would come crashing down the next second and execute both me and the Ghost Emperor behind me.

“Argh…!”

Suddenly, the Ghost Emperor behind me let out a pained roar. Black and crimson spiritual energy clashed violently throughout her body, and she clutched her head in agony.

By now, the Nine Dragons Spirit-Trapping Formation had been withdrawn by Liu Xiaopeng. The Ghost Emperor cried out painfully, then immediately fled toward the still-open rift leading to the Divine Realm.

My heart skipped a beat.

I couldn’t let her escape.

In desperation, I drew the Black Jade Gun once more. Gritting my teeth, I aimed at her thigh. After hesitating for a moment, I finally pulled the trigger.

The black bullet instantly embedded itself in her leg.

A faint pain tugged at my heart as I watched.

The bullet formed an earth-yellow chain around her leg, linking her to the stone wall below. It was the Golden Stone Chain, an earth-element spell.

Her body jerked to a halt.

She tried to break free, but with the bullet lodged in her thigh, there was nothing she could do.

At that moment, Liu Xiaopeng had already appeared before her.

The enormous sword descended.

In the next instant, it would split her head in two.

“Shanshan!”

My heart clenched, and I shouted her name.

Only then did I realize that this was the first time I had called Tang Shanshan so intimately and without reservation.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

I watched as the giant blade gradually approached her head.

That familiar face showed not the slightest trace of fear.

Instead, it carried an expression of relief.

She actually turned her head and looked at me.

That gaze…

It felt strangely familiar.

“Stupid Daoist…”

The words were incredibly soft.

Her lips barely moved.

Yet to me, it was as though she had spoken directly beside my ear.

My mind exploded with a buzz.

Every ounce of spiritual energy within me ignited instantly.

I became a blur and rushed in front of her, raising both hands in an attempt to stop the descending blade.

Before my hands could even touch the sword, the domineering sword aura sliced a massive gash across them.

Gritting my teeth, I held on.

My feet slid backward a step.

All my spiritual energy concentrated into my arms.

The blade felt as heavy as a mountain.

Pain surged through my hands.

I had the distinct feeling that the next second, my bones would be severed completely.

Just as I was reaching my limit, the blade suddenly began to rise.

It lifted away from my hands.

The crushing pressure on my body instantly vanished.

I looked up at Liu Xiaopeng.

His face was twisted in pain.

The golden light in his eyes flickered chaotically, as though he was gradually suppressing it.

“H-Han… Brother Han…”

The words were squeezed out through clenched teeth.

His entire body trembled.

He was fighting against the consciousness of his ancestor, Liu Bowen, inside himself.

“Go! Quickly!”

Liu Xiaopeng lifted the massive Immortal-Slaying Sword.

The overwhelmingly powerful spiritual energy surrounding it was forcibly withdrawn back into his body.

Blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

I gritted my teeth and picked Tang Shanshan up.

Just as I was about to remove the chain from her leg, I suddenly felt her icy hand clamp around my throat.

I froze.

Looking at her face, I saw that it had once again become incomparably cold.

Her grip tightened.

I felt as though my throat were about to snap.

Breathing became impossible.

“Shanshan… I know you’re still in there…”

I forced the weak words out from deep within my throat.

Raising the hand that had been slashed by the Immortal-Slaying Sword’s aura—so deeply wounded that bone was visible—I grabbed the arm choking me.

But she merely snorted coldly.

Then she snatched the Black Jade Gun from my waist.

Click.

She cocked the firing pin.

The muzzle pointed directly at my head.

Black and crimson light alternated in her eyes.

Her expression was colder than ice.

“Die.”

The familiar voice sounded beside my ear.

Yet it carried a chilling coldness that made my heart tremble.

“Brother Han!”

Liu Xiaopeng finally noticed what was happening.

While struggling to suppress his ancestor’s consciousness, he tried to rush over and help me.

But I simply smiled at him and shook my head, signaling him not to come.

Then I turned back to the familiar face before me.

I stared into her eyes, searching beneath that icy exterior for the softness and innocence that had been sealed away.

I believed that Tang Shanshan’s consciousness still existed within this body.

What I had felt when facing the Immortal-Slaying Sword earlier…

There was no way the Ghost Emperor could have faked that.

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed her hand and unleashed the Spirit-Exploration Divine Art with every last bit of spiritual energy I had left.

My consciousness transformed into pure spiritual awareness and entered her mind.

A moment of dizziness passed.

Then everything around me became endless darkness.

Within that darkness, dark-red tides surged across the sky, endlessly devouring the surrounding space.

I stood there, trying to call Tang Shanshan’s name.

But I discovered that no sound could emerge from my throat.

Just as I tried to move forward, I suddenly realized that the darkness beneath my feet had transformed into surging water as well.

In an instant, it swallowed me whole.

I sank into the pitch-black waters.

It felt like a bottomless abyss that would never end.

It reminded me of that missing-children case at the deep pool that Tang Shanshan and I had investigated together.

The feeling of suffocation grew stronger and stronger.

I had no idea how much time passed.

Eventually, my consciousness became numb.

I no longer knew whether I was breathing.

I no longer knew whether I was alive.

Then…

Deep beneath the black water, I vaguely saw a shadow.

My heart, which had nearly stopped beating, jolted as though struck by electricity and began to revive.

I struggled desperately against the current, swimming toward that figure.

Within the black waters, the silhouette appeared small and fragile.

A sharp ache welled up in my chest.

I swam with all my strength.

Finally, I saw her face clearly.

“Shanshan…”

I forced the word out.

Though my voice was weak, she heard it.

I saw her slowly raise her head and look at me.

Chains bound her hands and feet, clinking softly.

“I knew you’d come, Stupid Daoist.”

This time, her voice was much clearer than before.

My heart seemed to melt instantly.

A warm current suddenly flowed through my mind, clearing away the haze.

“I’ll take you out of here.”

Though it still felt as though someone was gripping my throat, I was finally able to speak.

Without hesitation, I began burning the power of my spiritual consciousness.

A faint golden glow radiated from my body, illuminating the surrounding darkness.

Then I swam to Tang Shanshan’s side and grabbed the chains imprisoning her.

“Hiss—!”

The instant I touched them, it felt as though I had seized a red-hot iron rod.

Scorching heat erupted through my hands.

The pain was immediate and unbearable.

I couldn’t help but gasp sharply.

But there was no air in these black waters.

At once, thick, black yin energy rushed into my nostrils, choking me.