Chapter 00074: You’re Not Far from Death
# You’re Not Far from Death
Chapter 74
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 74: You’re Not Far from Death
He Lingchuan was startled, and a wave of fear washed over him.
Sun Fuping’s schemes had nearly wiped them out.
If luck hadn’t been on their side, today would have been the death anniversary of the He father and son.
However, he wasn’t worried about Sun Fuping making a comeback now.
The old man had been casting spells and getting injured repeatedly.
He must be running on fumes by now.
Situ Han added, “We teamed up with the Black Flood Dragon, and it nearly made Nian Songyu spit blood in frustration.”
He Lingchuan looked down and saw that it was true.
The battle below had taken a turn.
The Great Wind Army, working with the Black Flood Dragon, had Nian Songyu completely suppressed.
The Blackwater City soldiers on the walls occasionally fired a few ballista shots to add to the pressure.
“Is that still a flood dragon?” He Lingchuan noticed something unusual about the Black Flood Dragon. “Isn’t that a dragon?”
The last time he had seen it, the Black Flood Dragon, despite its name, had looked more like a large snake with horns.
But now, it had grown four legs, its horns had branched out like tree branches, and a long dorsal fin had sprouted from its back.
In short, it had become a dragon!
Although he had come to this otherworldly realm, He Lingchuan had never expected to see a dragon in his lifetime.
It was said that dragons lived in the spiritual mountains and great marshes, and no one had encountered one in nearly a thousand years.
“How did it change?”
“The Great Wind Army merged into its body, a total of thirty thousand soldiers,” Situ Han scratched his head. “And then it transformed into this.”
After becoming a dragon, the creature’s body had actually shrunk a bit, making it more agile.
However, its main task wasn’t to engage in close combat anymore.
Instead, it chanted one spell after another, enhancing the Great Wind Army and the summoned demon apes with various divine abilities.
Spells that made their companions light as a feather, incredibly strong, or tough-skinned… The battlefield was filled with these buffs, boosting individual combat power exponentially.
A soldier who could previously take on one enemy could now handle at least three.
And don’t forget, their opponent was just one person.
As their strength grew, Nian Songyu’s situation became increasingly dire.
Every second felt like an eternity to him.
This spectacle left the people on the city walls utterly stunned.
Situ Han couldn’t help but comment, “Did it just steal the Imperial Preceptor’s job?”
Wasn’t this what the Imperial Preceptor was supposed to do on the battlefield? These group-enhancing spells were called “Blessings of Grace.” The more people they covered, the more energy they consumed.
Even at the peak of his power, Sun Fuping could only cast three or four of these spells before exhausting himself, and that was only for a thousand soldiers.
But this Black Dragon cast spells as easily as drinking water, as if it had an infinite supply of energy.
Looking at Nian Songyu from this perspective, He Lingchuan couldn’t help but admire him.
Despite being in constant danger and struggling to keep up, Nian Songyu had been fighting at such a high intensity for over fifteen minutes.
He had used every unimaginable technique, a mix of martial arts and divine abilities, leaving the onlookers on the city walls dazzled.
The ground of the South Gate Plaza had been pounded down by nearly ten feet.
It was unclear whether it was the work of one side or the result of their combined efforts.
Nian Songyu himself was now a bloodied figure, with wounds of all sizes bleeding profusely.
Yet, he continued to fight fiercely.
Earlier, he had been able to heal Sun Fuping’s injuries with a wave of his hand, but now he couldn’t even heal himself.
The intense battle had drained the last bit of his strength.
The Black Dragon tried to persuade him, “Your body is on the verge of collapse. Surrender, and you won’t have to suffer.”
Nian Songyu smashed a giant demon ape with a backhand strike and gritted his teeth. “So it was a trap all along! You lured us into sending our avatars here.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Wind Army commander charged in and severed Nian Songyu’s left arm!
Blood gushed out like a spring.
Nian Songyu staggered back two steps, feeling dizzy.
He barely managed to steady himself by leaning on his sword.
He had been fighting with dual blades, but now that he had lost an arm, his combat power had dropped by more than half.
Now, he looked like a bloodied gourd, having lost more than half of his blood.
Even if he stopped fighting and received emergency treatment, his life couldn’t be saved.
Nian Songyu’s body was done for.
His gaze swept over the living people on the city walls, but none of them were suitable.
These human bodies were too fragile.
Even if he forcibly possessed one, it would collapse within moments, let alone sustain high-intensity combat.
Then, his eyes fell on He Lingchuan.
But he dismissed the thought immediately.
His gaze didn’t linger and instead settled on the Black Dragon. “Don’t think your plan was flawless. If I hadn’t been severely injured twice before descending, our situations would have been reversed!”
The Black Dragon looked down at him from above. “There are no ‘ifs’ in battle.”
“Fine.” Nian Songyu dropped his weapons and spread his hands. “I never thought I’d surrender to a mere artifact spirit!”
He surrendered without hesitation, sitting cross-legged as if nothing had happened, ignoring the blood pouring from his wounds.
After all, this wasn’t his real body.
The Black Dragon, however, remained cautious. “Don’t try anything funny. You can’t escape here.”
If they were outside, a celestial being like Nian Songyu might have found a way to flee.
But this illusionary realm was like a sealed jar.
Unless the Black Dragon opened it, no one could leave.
Nian Songyu’s face was as pale as a corpse’s.
In fact, he wasn’t far from death.
But his expression grew calmer. “You must know what I want to ask. Since I’m about to die, what’s the answer?”
The Black Dragon paused for a few seconds. “There is no answer. We are driven by a will of vengeance.”
Nian Songyu asked, “Do you know who I am?”
“No, and I don’t care.” The Black Dragon swam closer, its massive head lowering. “Do you have any last words?”
“I do.” Nian Songyu suddenly turned to look at the city wall. “He Lingchuan, these words are for the body I’m using. You’re not far from death. He’ll be waiting for you. And as for the rest of you—”
He was speaking to the living. “Only if the Black Dragon dies can you leave this place. You know that, right?”
The onlookers were shocked.
Mao Tao exclaimed, “What? But I thought…”
Hadn’t the Black Dragon promised to release them from the illusion?
Before he could finish, his eyes suddenly glazed over.
He reached out, snatched a sword from He Lingchuan’s waist, and slashed at the city wall!
The sudden move caught everyone off guard.
By the time He Lingchuan shouted, “Stop!” Mao Tao had already hacked at the wall three times in rapid succession.
The soldiers behind Mao Tao rushed forward and pinned his arms down.
Everyone noticed that Mao Tao had flipped the blade and was using the back of the sword to strike.
Even so, he had managed to chip away at the wall made of rammed earth, with the deepest cut over three inches deep.
He had used every ounce of his strength, and his palms were bleeding from the impact.
A normal person wouldn’t even be able to hold the sword steady after such exertion.
Mao Tao’s eyes were bloodshot, and he was breathing heavily, struggling with all his might.
Two or three people couldn’t hold him down.
He swung the sword with one hand, and everyone was wary of its sharp edge, not daring to approach and take it from him.
Meanwhile, the Black Dragon opened its massive maw and swallowed Nian Songyu whole, chewing a couple of times for good measure.
*Ahem, any recommendation tickets? Feel free to throw them at my face.*
(End of Chapter)