Volume One: The Misty Cloud Immortal Palace Chapter Seventy-Four: The Fisherman’s Gain

Chapter Seventy-Four: The Fisherman's Gain

At this moment, Zhou Hao and Su Qing stood side by side, facing twenty disciples from the four great powers. Among them, several from the Thunder Mountain faction were wounded, including the strongest, Lei Yan and Lei Shan, whose purple robes were stained with blood. Their faces twisted in resentment, they stood supported by others, hatred burning in their eyes.

In the midst of the disciples, two men stood out. One wore crimson robes, tall and handsome, long hair draping his shoulders and sharp light flickering in his eyes. On his back was a scarlet treasure bow, though oddly, no arrows were visible. He was Huo Yi, the strongest disciple of Fire Plains, who had recently broken through and become a Golden Immortal master. The other wore azure robes, upright and stern-faced, with black hair cascading to his waist. In his left hand he held a three-foot green blade, exuding an air of elegance. He too had recently ascended to the Golden Immortal realm, and was Feng He, the foremost young master from Wind Desert, who had just spoken.

"My principle is simple: I never provoke unless provoked," Zhou Hao said calmly, gazing at the cold-faced man before him.

"Excellent. Since you claim the four powers have offended you, come and reclaim your honor!" Feng He's eyes were indifferent, yet a strange smile curled at his lips.

In the next instant, Feng He's figure abruptly vanished from the space, startling everyone—he was truly enraged, about to strike at Zhou Hao!

All knew that Golden Immortals and quasi-Golden Immortals existed on entirely different planes; the former could crush the latter with a single blow.

"Let him come. So what if he's a Golden Immortal? I'll defy the odds and defeat him!" Zhou Hao muttered, not quietly, and all present—being experts—heard him clearly.

Some mocked him immediately: "Ignorant brat! How could a quasi-Golden Immortal hope to defeat a Golden Immortal? Utter lunacy!"

Others echoed: "Indeed! The weaklings of the insignificant Immortal Hall are reckless, daring to openly challenge us. Today, he must pay with his life!"

The disciples' tongues grew ever more venomous, cursing Zhou Hao and proclaiming his inevitable defeat. In their eyes, it would not be long before Feng He's immortal sword reduced Zhou Hao to minced flesh.

Yet, as Feng He vanished, Zhou Hao was already prepared. The dark stone sword in his hand was ancient, dull, but far from ordinary. He was attuning to sword intent, sensing the danger in the surrounding space—certainly, Feng He was brewing a sword strike, so he must counter sword with sword!

The air rang with a metallic clang; a streak of azure sword light appeared before Zhou Hao, its speed impossible to evade. His body, at that moment, seemed frozen like a statue.

"Wind Slaughter Sword!"

A gasp erupted from the crowd, recognizing the famed technique, enough to inspire terror.

As everyone's eyes fixed on the azure sword light about to pierce Zhou Hao's throat, he suddenly swept his sword sideways, blocking as if to commit suicide—but in truth, using the blade to parry the attack.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The grating clash of metal resounded, the azure sword light, forged as if from blue-gold, struck Zhou Hao's stone sword with a powerful vibration, yet failed to break through. Throughout, Zhou Hao did not retreat a single step.

To the others, this was remarkable. Zhou Hao simply swung to block, yet truly repelled the attack. The Wind Slaughter Sword was one of Wind Desert's strongest moves—capable of piercing stars, shattering earth; ten quasi-Golden Immortals wouldn't withstand it.

But now, Zhou Hao had easily caught Feng He's sword strike. Did this mean he was not weaker than a Golden Immortal, or perhaps was a Golden Immortal himself?

"Have you achieved Golden Immortal strength?" After his defeat, Feng He was not overly furious. He hovered in the void, gazing down at Zhou Hao.

"High and mighty, aren't you, Brother Feng?" Zhou Hao did not answer, only narrowed his eyes at Feng He.

"Your attitude displeases me. Whether you are a Golden Immortal or not, your fate today remains the same—death, by my hand!" Feng He's expression shifted, agitated by Zhou Hao's dismissive words and demeanor. He could not tolerate such disrespect from one he considered an ant.

With his final word, Feng He's aura transformed, becoming a raging storm, his entire being erupting with power. The three-foot green blade in his right hand shone with a blinding radiance, almost tearing the sky apart.

"Slash!"

Feng He, lofty in the void, stepped forward, wielding the green blade with a single-handed strike. Sword light swept toward Zhou Hao, its force savage and sharp; merely watching caused one's body to tremble.

---

Across from him, Zhou Hao raised his brows and charged forward. Just as the sword light threatened to engulf him, he dodged with uncanny agility, and in the next moment appeared in the void, speeding directly toward Feng He.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Sword lights flashed in the void as Feng He unleashed dozens of azure strikes in an instant, aiming to intercept Zhou Hao at close range, leaving little room to dodge.

Buzz! Suddenly, Zhou Hao burst forth with golden light—more precisely, his stone sword emitted the glow, forming a spherical barrier, a miniature defensive domain. No matter how fierce Feng He's sword lights, they failed to penetrate. The golden sphere enveloped Zhou Hao as he charged at Feng He.

Feng He's expression changed. He had never expected Zhou Hao to ignore his attacks and come at him so relentlessly. Yet he did not panic. As the golden sphere neared, he struck with his left hand, fingers clawed and wrapped in dazzling azure light.

The two clashed in the void, the golden sphere and Feng He's claw matching each other evenly. The spectators were stunned, falling silent as they realized the duel was not as one-sided as they'd assumed. Zhou Hao might have been feigning weakness all along!

Pop! The golden sphere finally shattered. Feng He surged forward, about to tear Zhou Hao's skull with his claw. But what met him was the tip of the dark stone sword—Zhou Hao thrust the blade swiftly at Feng He's palm. Unable to withdraw in time, Feng He's hand was pierced, blood streaming.

"Argh!" Feng He staggered back, clutching his bleeding hand and howling at the sky, like a wounded beast. His agony echoed throughout the space.

"Feng He, are you alright?" Below, Huo Yi, who had been watching, was incensed by the scene. He shouted up at Feng He, then stomped the ground and soared into the void, twin fiery serpents shooting from his eyes toward Zhou Hao.

Bang! Yet before Zhou Hao could respond, a massive five-colored hand descended from above, quelling the fiery serpents. The hand, delicate as a beauty's jade palm, was Su Qing's Five Element Palm.

"Fine, very well! Today, let's have a fair two-on-two. I want to see why Immortal Hall disciples dare challenge the four great powers!" Huo Yi gritted his teeth, standing with Feng He, flames flickering in his eyes.

"Zhou Hao, I will slaughter you!" Feng He, once aloof, now wore a grim, terrifying expression.

"You've been threatening to kill me since the start. My ears are numb. Can you actually back up your words?" Zhou Hao mocked.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Feng He erupted, slashing giant azure sword beams with his green blade. The air exploded; even Zhou Hao dared not meet them head-on. He danced through the void, using his Immortal Traces to dodge and weave between the massive sword lights.

Meanwhile, Su Qing and Huo Yi had also engaged. Huo Yi drew his scarlet treasure bow, stringing it taut as a full moon. A flame arrow appeared from nowhere, its blazing light illuminating the space. The arrow shot forth like a fire dragon, charging at Su Qing. But Su Qing, also at Golden Immortal level, was unfazed. She wielded her radiant silver immortal sword, slashing at the flaming arrow midair, as if wielding a dragon-slaying blade.

In mere moments, the battle reached its peak. The four-way duel was spectacular—colorful immortal light intertwined, killing intent filled the air. None could have anticipated such ferocity between the four powers and the Immortal Hall.

"Man and weapon as one!"

Finally, Huo Yi and Feng He were forced to unleash the ultimate kill technique practiced by disciples of the four great powers. Both were bleeding, their bodies quickly transforming into a blade and sword—two weapons radiating a volcanic killing intent sensed by all.

Zhou Hao and Su Qing, too, were blood-stained. The opponents were indeed formidable; Zhou Hao's realm was a step lower, and Su Qing, having recently ascended during her rescue of Zhou Hao and the Rain Lake disciples, was not yet stable in her Golden Immortal state (Why Su Qing did not undergo the Golden Immortal tribulation will be explained later).

"Let's combine our strength and see if we can withstand their man-weapon unity!" Zhou Hao said firmly, gazing at Su Qing. Her bright eyes were full of trust, and she nodded without hesitation.

"Great Solar Palm!"

"Five Element Palm!"

In the void, golden light and multicolored brilliance flashed. Two mountain-sized palm imprints surged forth, colliding with the fire blade and wind sword charging from left and right—a decisive blow!

The air was thick with killing intent and radiant light, the void seemingly on the verge of exploding. A scorching, sun-like palm met a thousand-meter-long azure sword; a dazzling, five-colored beauty's hand met a thousand-meter-long flaming blade.

The entire void was saturated with these four terrifying forces. The disciples below immediately retreated beyond the Dragon King's coffin, for the heat and cold pools were being agitated by the energy above, streams of hot and cold intertwining, water and fire merging, the space swirling with mist and chaotic energy. There were battles, collisions of hot and cold pools—chaos reigned.

---

"Who could have guessed that without my intervention, you'd already beaten each other senseless. Excellent, truly excellent. Now, you shall... die!"

At this moment, Zhou Hao, Su Qing, Feng He, and Huo Yi lay collapsed along the winding path beside the coffin, their immortal power nearly exhausted. Suddenly, a slender man emerged from the mist. His first words made the four instantly understand the situation.

"Despicable wretch! So you've been lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike us from behind," Huo Yi, fiery by nature, cursed at Cai Lingzi.

"Only now you realize? Isn't it a tad late?" Cai Lingzi wore a triumphant smile. His face, already beautiful to the point of being almost demonic, now appeared even more exquisite than a legendary beauty.

"I'll kill you!" Huo Yi spat forth a flaming dragon toward Cai Lingzi.

But Cai Lingzi ignored its power entirely, letting it pass through his body. In the blink of an eye, he stood before Huo Yi.

"You like fire? Then go play with it below, ha ha ha ha." Cai Lingzi reached out, gripping Huo Yi's neck, lifting him effortlessly into the air, then casually tossing him toward the blazing fire pool.

Zhou Hao cursed inwardly, realizing he too had been outmaneuvered—was this truly the end?

Soon, Feng He was also seized by the neck, lifted and thrown like garbage toward the icy pool at the other end.

"Did you know? Compared to those two, you both are far more loathsome to me!" Cai Lingzi slowly approached Zhou Hao and Su Qing, his tone low.

"I didn't take you two ants seriously, but you allied with the four powers to hunt me, leaving me gravely injured—still not fully recovered. Otherwise, would I have let you fight like clams, so I could reap the fisherman's gain? You've caused me pain and disgrace, so your deaths will be even more miserable!" Cai Lingzi sneered.

"What do you want?" Zhou Hao shouted angrily.

Stab!

His reply was a sword through the abdomen—the sword left by Feng He, forged of refined bronze. Zhou Hao's stomach was pierced, pain stabbing through him as if enduring a real mountain of blades.

"Zhou Hao!" Su Qing called weakly, her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh? The famed first beauty of the Sixteen Immortal Halls, Su Qing, moved to tears? What an interesting discovery," Cai Lingzi remarked, delighted at the sight of Su Qing in blood-stained white, weeping.

"To encounter a pair of star-crossed lovers in such dire straits, and to find the lead is you, Su Qing. I've changed my mind. I won't torture you and your little lover... I'll grant you an ending where you die with unfulfilled wishes, forever separated!"

Cai Lingzi's smile chilled the heart; his words made clear his cruelty and depravity.

"Turtle, act now or we'll die here!" At the final moment, Zhou Hao pleaded to the turtle in his arms.

Yet the turtle did not respond, nearly driving Zhou Hao to curse aloud. If half the reason for their predicament was the turtle's fault—having devoured so many dragon blood herbs, no wonder the four powers wanted to kill it. Now, seeking help, Zhou Hao felt utterly betrayed.

But in truth, the turtle was undergoing intense transformation, its cultivation rapidly advancing. The effects of the dragon blood herbs were manifesting, and the turtle had entered deep slumber within its shell, destined to break through upon awakening.

Thud!

Cai Lingzi grabbed the man and woman, tossing each into separate pools—Zhou Hao into the fire pool, Su Qing into the ice pool. In an instant, their figures sank beneath the surface. The pools rippled briefly, then returned to calm.