Wet viviparity

Chapter 777 Lake Demon, Pillar Rock
Ding Ruyi held the imperial edict between her fingers; the cinnabar characters on the silk were very eye-catching.

At this moment, his brows furrowed. This transfer order meant that he would be moved from the fortified Linghe Tower to the more dangerous "Pillar Rock," or even to a more forward counterattack area.

It wasn't that he was resisting the imperial decree or unwilling to leave, but rather that he felt the transfer order came abruptly, which inexplicably made him wary.

However, it is wartime now, and he dares not disobey orders, nor can he disobey orders.

He took a deep breath, the icy moisture mixed with the essence of the Earth element filling his lungs. The spells in the Stubborn Stone Divine Skill were activated spontaneously, and the metallic color of metal was faintly visible under his skin, suppressing the fatigue from days of fierce fighting.

He telepathically instructed his fellow disciples, who were lurking in the nearby misty waves, and then stomped heavily on the stone pillar. The essence of the Earth element receded like a tide, and the stone pillar sank into the cold waves with a crash. Its body shot out like an arrow, heading straight for the most precipitous pillar rock in the southeast.

As soon as you approach the area around the Pillar Rock, a chilling aura hits you, far surpassing the coldness of the Spirit Harmony Tower.

This pillar rock is not a natural reef island, but a giant stone beam extending into the lake from the Tianhe Branch Altar. Shaped like intertwined vine roots, it stretches down for more than a hundred miles, forcefully carving out a foothold in the surging, turbulent waves.

In the lower middle section of the pillar rock, there is a huge, rough cave shaped like the belly of a tiger.

The cave walls inside were rugged with chisel marks and covered with various talismans.

Several talismanic ropes, adorned with bells, were tangled like a spider web inside the cave. In the center of this cave was a mirror that could reflect the presence of demons within a radius of two hundred miles. When a bell rang, it indicated from which direction a demon was attacking.

When Ding Ruyi arrived, there were only a few disciples in the cave.

He noticed that these disciples were all transferred from various branch altars, large and small, and it seemed that they were not skilled in combat, so they were left in the cave to perform the function of central coordination.

Master Tiger Eyes is a True Man of Tianhe Peak. In the Tianhe Upper Altar established by Tianhe Peak, he is a renowned spearhead for attacking fortified positions. The spirit companions he trained, the "Stone Tiger Yin Riders," are known for their fierce courage and seamless teamwork.

It is said that many elite disciples from the Upper Palace and Tianhe Peak, and even some True Immortals, have gathered around Master Tiger Eye.

It is extremely strange that the Tiger-Eyed Zen Master, a special and extraordinary individual who transformed from a tiger demon into a human and then entered the mountain sect, could have such influence today.

Of course, given Ding Ruyi's current level of understanding, she is already able to see through the truth hidden behind this bizarre event.

The mirror reflecting the mountain shimmered with light, clearly showing the scene of the nearby cold waves and turbulent undercurrents. These scenes constantly shifted, accurately depicting the battlegrounds around the Pillar Rock.

Deep inside the cave, a yellow tiger slowly walked over. Ding Ruyi immediately recognized it as the transformed artifact of the Tiger-Eyed Zen Master.

The voice of the Tiger-Eyed Zen Master came from Huang Hu's mouth, "Ruyi has arrived? Good, take the Yin Phosphorus Talisman Net and hurry to Dingpan Pass. There, the Water-Opening Vanguard of the Jiao Demon Palace is leading a group of fish demons and monsters to invade. Nephew Zhang Ning and the others have misjudged the number of water demons, and the situation is critical."

A palm-sized paper net was handed to Ding Ruyi. This was one of the Taoist treasures of Master Tiger Eye. It was a first-class skill in making talismans. Once released, it could form an invisible net of incantations. If an enemy was caught in it, he would be engulfed in yin fire in an instant, and there would be little chance of survival.

Ding Ruyi carefully put away the Yin Phosphorus Talisman Net, as it was a disposable item and had to be used with caution.

"Qian Meng, take Ruyi over there to provide support."

Inside the cave, a young Taoist priest with fuzzy hair at the corners of his mouth stepped forward and led Ding Ruyi out of the Pillar Rock. During the journey, Ding Ruyi did not utter a sound and kept a distance from Qian Meng.

The two traveled one after the other through the misty waters.

Ding Ruyi relied on her powerful physique to walk on water at high speed, while Qian Meng sat on a plate-shaped, blue-backed, white-bellied ray-like creature, gliding close to the water.

Uncle Ding

Qian Meng was about to speak when Ding Ruyi stopped him with a look and he shut his mouth.

Ding Ruyi could tell that Qian Meng seemed to have something special to say, but he was likely being observed by the Observation Mirror, so he needed to say it in the right environment.

Of course, there is also the option of using the primordial spirit to transmit sound. However, given the relationship between Ding Ruyi and Qian Meng, they are not at the point of being able to accept the other party's primordial spirit to transmit sound. Wartime is not like ordinary times. If the other party has malicious intentions, what can be transmitted will not only be sound.

"Follow me." Ding Ruyi exerted force with his feet, overtaking Qian Meng's ray-like water spirit, and crossed the lake waves to arrive at Dingpan Pass, which was built on a lake island.

Above the pass outside Dingpan Pass, the cracks in the brickwork are filled with lake water. The foul-smelling waves, manipulated by the water demon, keep crashing against the pass, gradually raising the water level on the island, intending to flood Dingpan Pass.

When the water demons who were riding the waves and shouting saw Ding Ruyi and his companion arrive, they immediately shrank back into the water and retreated into the deep water with the waves, without recklessly pursuing them.

Ding Ruyi ignored these scoundrels and walked straight towards Dingpan Pass, while Qian Meng behind her hesitated to speak.

Outside the stone wall of Dingpan Pass, the continuous booming sound seemed to gradually subside and stop as the two arrived. A demonic figure, more than three zhang tall, turned around in the misty water vapor.

"Roar!" After two strange laughs, the demonic figure pushed aside the thick, wall-like water vapor.

As he walked, his body continued to shrink, until he reached the pass at the same height as Ding Ruyi. "Ruyi, I have long admired your name. I have witnessed the great achievements of Lord Shande, which makes my brothers' hearts burn with excitement. It is a pity that we are now enemies, otherwise we would definitely have a drink and a long talk."

"Furthermore, I know you've been guarding the Spirit Harmony Tower. Our Jiao Demon Palace, out of respect for the difficult reforms of the Benevolent and Just Affairs Department, has always ordered our children not to invade your territory. Now that you've been transferred here, I'll give you some face; you'll retreat later to avoid battle."

This demon has a wide mouth with turned-up lips, and two whiskers at the corners of its mouth that lash out like whips. When it speaks, its two bulging eyes keep darting around, giving it a naturally wicked and sinister feel.

Seeing that Ding Ruyi remained silent, the demon became somewhat impatient and asked with feigned laughter, "With my refined elixir and dragon-like appearance, I wonder if I could serve as a protector under the Daoist Service Department?"

"The Daoist Service Department has its own rules. Regardless of which of the three forms of cultivation—Illusion, Metamorphosis, or Change—one must start by serving others and accumulate a certain amount of good deeds before applying for a Firework Contract and undergoing examination by the Heart Lamp."

Before she could finish speaking, Ding Ruyi's figure had already vanished in a flash.

Before the lake demon could react, a sharp pain shot through its abdomen. Looking down, it saw a palm strike its lower abdomen. The gentle force of the palm caused its thick belly to sway like flowing water, and even more foreign objects seemed to seep into its meridians.

With a "poof," the demon could not bear the abdominal pain and vomited, spewing out a filth that covered more than half an acre of land. The filth consisted mostly of snails, shellfish, fish, and shrimp, as well as a large number of undigested humanoid corpses.

"evil creature!"

Seeing so many corpses, Ding Ru gritted his teeth and forced out a sound.

The lake demon's bulging eyes turned red. Seeing Ding Ruyi strike again, it quickly raised both arms to counter.

With a loud thud, the strong wind generated by the impact swept around, and Ding Ruyi's feet sank half a foot into the ground. Shards of stone flew everywhere, but her body remained as still as a stubborn rock.

On the other hand, the lake demon felt as if it had struck an immovable rock. The terrifying recoil force surged back through its hands, causing the scales on its arms to crack, its blood to churn, and its massive body to stagger backward.

"long!"

The lake demon, swinging its blood-soaked arm, roared and its body swelled up to about two zhang tall. Suddenly, its body stiffened, and the key acupoints within it became stagnant, making it difficult for its spiritual energy and demonic magic to flow through its entire body.

"What kind of magic is this?"

As he spoke, he spat out a greenish-blue Yuan Dan, using it to knock Ding Ruyi, who was closing in on him, away.

Immediately afterwards, Yuan Dan spun in the air, dragging out a stream of Yin-corrupted true water like a bolt of lightning, which shot straight at Ding Ruyi's back. Ding Ruyi didn't even look at it, and instead shot out a soil nail with his backhand.

The nail sank into the true water, releasing a pure and heavy earthy aroma. Like throwing ice into a boiling oil pan, the stagnant true water stopped churning and instantly became as viscous and stagnant as a swamp.

A mere earthen nail can turn real water into mud. Ding Ruyi has mastered the transformation of the Earth element in the magic of the Stubborn Stone Technique to an extraordinary degree.

However, what is even more miraculous is the Silk-Cutting Technique he created through the Feather Transformation Secret Refinement. This technique was refined with the help of Lü Hua and he rarely used it in public. It was one of his trump cards.

This thread has form but no substance, like a celestial demon that is invisible and unpredictable. Once released, it can penetrate the skin, entangle the meridians and acupoints, and block the flow of true qi, just like forcibly applying a forbidden spell, which is extremely insidious.

As soon as the first palm strike landed on the lake demon, Ding Ruyi's Silk Severing Technique was already unleashed, firmly locking down the opponent's spiritual energy and demonic magic, preventing it from engaging in full-force combat.

After the corrupting true water, which had been refined over many years, was dissolved, the lake demon panicked and was eager to retrieve its primordial core and escape. However, Ding Ruyi gave him the feeling that the land several feet beneath his feet was all under his control. This was clearly a deterrent effect given to him by some profound magic.

As a seasoned and experienced demon who had undergone many battles, he naturally knew that this intimidation was not an empty threat. If he continued to stay within a few feet of Ding Ruyi, he would be defeated sooner or later.

After slightly stabilizing its body, which was being gradually locked by the foreign object inside its body, the lake demon became even more ferocious. Ignoring the injuries to its arms, it roared and swung its fist down again, as if determined to smash Ding Ruyi into a pulp.

Ding Ruyi took a deep breath, and the essence of the Earth element surged around him. His skin turned a golden color, and his bones glowed with a faint golden light. He stomped his feet on the ground, lowered his waist and sat on his horse stance, and brought his fists to his ribs. With the foundational hard skills of the Stone Stubborn Divine Skill, he adopted a stance for a head-on confrontation.

As their fists clashed, the moment they made contact, the lake demon's fist slipped on the water, and its body flew backward like a torn sack. Just as it flew backward, it managed to catch its Yuan Dan, and with a flip, it turned into a trail of water vapor that drifted away from the island.

"Chase!"

Ding Ruyi's eyes flashed, and with a sway of her body, her blood-red brocade robe instantly expanded like clouds, enveloping Ding Ruyi and Qian Meng as they disappeared into the clouds and chased after them off the island.

Amidst the clouds, Ding Ruyi showed no urgency in pursuing them. With her arms crossed, she addressed Qian Meng, "No one can observe what's happening inside these clouds. What do you have to say?"

(End of this chapter)