The Unruly Immortals

Seeing Li Huowang under attack, a game elder in the distance quickly flew back and slammed fiercely into Second God.

What had always been an intangible entity now faced a tough nut to crack. The game elder hit Second God hard, not only failing to pass through but bouncing back from the impact.

"Ah ah!!" A gruff roar rose as a thick wooden stick swung by, grazing Li Huowang's face and smashing violently onto Second God's head.

With a "rip," the sound of flesh tearing arose. Although Second God was sent flying, a large chunk of flesh was torn from Li Huowang's shoulder.

Excruciating pain nearly made Li Huowang faint, but he couldn't afford to pay it any mind now, he stuffed two bottles into the hands of the nearby Dog Wa who was trying to help him up.

"One's poison, the other's knockout drug, smear them on your blades, and help me trap this thing."

He couldn't afford to be attacked from both sides, he had to break free on one front.

Watching Second God struggle to rise even with half its head blown off, Dog Wa, holding his own head, obviously felt weak in the knees. "Brother Li, are you sure this stuff works on that thing?"

At this, Xiao Man didn't hesitate, snatched the bottles, clenched his teeth and steeled his heart, and charged with his sword raised. "It doesn't matter if it works or not, let's use it first and see!!"

Li Huowang knew it was a stretch, but he couldn't worry about that now. If he didn't take care of Li Zhi, the Immortal Sects would only keep coming in greater numbers.

In the distance, three game elders kept circling Li Zhi. Each time they attempted to approach, some invisible force interfered.

Seeing Li Huowang walk this way, Li Zhi continued to belt out passionately, clutching his belly.

"As the old immortal descends, don't forget to bring the Three Sects Treasure, oh the Three Sects Treasure, Immortal Lock, Fairy Rope, and don't forget the Soul-Sealing Bottle after the rest. Fling the Three Treasures upon the disciple, if not well caught, kick it with your foot; if not well tied, stomp it with force, hey~~"

After singing, Li Zhi raised the short whip in his hand for drumming and flung it violently in the direction of Li Huowang.

Even though nothing appeared, the game elder clearly sensed something.

One of the game elders quickly flew back, shielding in front of Li Huowang.

Moments later, accompanied by a crisp sound, the game elder, formed from various lines, just exploded away.

Li Zhi slashed hard in this direction once more, and if hit, the result would surely be the same as that of the game elder.

In a split-second decision, Li Huowang swiftly reached behind him and held the Heavenly Book in front of him.

With a "clang," Li Huowang felt a numbness in his hand, "Blocked it! This Heavenly Book really is tough!"

So there he stood, holding the shield in one hand and ringing the bell with the other, gritting his teeth as he rapidly closed in on Li Zhi.

As he violently shook his head, the number of game elders around him doubled instantly.

"Clash clang clang!" At Li Huowang's command, the doubled number of game elders instantly attacked Li Zhi from all sides.

Li Zhi desperately held on, but Li Huowang wasn't faring much better.

Due to the vast number of game elders, he felt an intense wave of nausea, instinctively wanting to vomit.

Now it was a matter of who would give out first.

In the midst of chaos, Li Huowang suddenly realized that in his current state, he could see the members of the Immortal Sects that were obstructing the game elders.

These transparent entities, like white smoke, were odd and varied.

With human and animal forms, half-human and half-beasts, they came in all shapes and sizes, and they constantly changed over time.

Everything that made up their bodies vibrated with the rhythm of Li Zhi's drumming.

They were like a book; the moment he saw them, Li Huowang also understood them.

There were many, many Immortal Sects, and they were omnipresent, like a swarm of entities whose bodies were forever ethereal and invisible.

Should they wish to make contact with reality, they had to do so through a certain melody. Drum sounds were the requirement for their appearance.

"Drum sounds!" Li Huowang, returning to his senses, gritted his teeth and continued to charge forward, ringing the Taoist Bell louder and louder in his hand.

As he drew closer, the sound of the bell gradually overpowered the drumming, and the defenses on Master You's side began to crumble.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Li Zhi's expression tensed, and as he opened his mouth, the corners of his lips were instantly torn. A crimson tongue, like a snake's flicker, slithered out.

His voice changed into a mournful wail, "Smo~ke~ and~ Clouds~ Ah~"

No sooner had these words been spoken than a fierce wind arose, and once again the drumming overpowered the sound of the bell.

And a woman's faint whispering began to sound by Li Huowang's ear, warping everything before his eyes.

Gradually, the sounds of the wind, the drums, the bells, all the noises around him, began to be replaced by other sounds.

Conversational chatter, the sound of a Rubik's cube turning, footsteps of leather shoes, notification tones from cellphones.

By the time he came to, he found himself, dressed in the blue and white uniform of a mental hospital, being led on a walk within the courtyard of the institution.

"It's all fake! All illusions!"

Li Huowang suddenly looked around with a ferocious expression, and instantly saw Old Liu being escorted by his daughter, heading towards the exit of the courtyard at the very same distance that had separated him from Li Zhi moments ago.

"Huowang, what's wrong?"

Li Huowang let out a sinister sneer, realizing this was another attempt at an illusory trick. They had miscalculated. He might be lacking in other areas, but illusions were utterly useless against him.

With a thrust, he shrugged off the hand supporting him and stepped on the garden stairs with his right foot, sprinting towards Old Liu in the distance.

The voices discussing in the distance started to reach Li Huowang's ears. "Doctor, thank you so much. If not for you, my father wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

"Hehe, don't mention it, it's our duty as doctors. Remember, Master Liu, make sure to take your medicine on time after you get home."

"Sure."

"Li Zhi!" Li Huowang's shout made everyone instinctively turn their heads, including Old Liu, who had changed into a fresh outfit for his discharge.

"Bang!" Li Huowang's punch landed solidly on Old Liu's cheek, a set of false teeth mingled with blood tumbling through the air.

The next second, the illusion swiftly faded away, and Li Huowang saw Li Zhi before him, his head thrown back from the punch, his nose bleeding profusely.

The Immortals nearby attempted to come to the rescue, but they were blocked by the six Masters You.

"I'll teach you to keep drumming!"

With a "clang" of metal, the Longsword was drawn, and with all his might, he thrust forward.

The extremely sharp tip of the sword cut off Li Zhi's fingers and pierced through his lifted flesh, plunging deeply into the center of his abdomen.

This sword silenced both the drumming and the ringing, while the Immortal Sects Masters You gradually dissipated, and everything around them quieted down once more.

Li Zhi looked at his abdomen, bleeding profusely, took two staggering steps backward, and then collapsed onto the ground.

Panting, Li Huowang glanced at the dying Li Zhi, then turned to look behind him, finding that the Second God, who had been entangled with others at a distance, had also fallen apart.

"Hehe, Master Li, my apologies..."