Liu Sandao, having parted ways with Bai Suxiang, headed straight for the hospital.
He needed to quickly ascertain whether the rumors, which were mere whispers, were true, and if the deceased individuals had truly succumbed to a virus.
"Hahaha, another one. This method is truly brilliant, like fishing. The Commander-in-Chief truly thought of everything!" a soul flattered Lu Fang.
"Less nonsense, hurry up and get to it. The fortune fruit from the person who just died is too meager!" Lu Fang said sternly.
"Yes, yes, yes, your subordinate obeys!" The soul immediately set about pulling a thread-like object.
One by one, fruit-like things slowly ascended. Moments later, a root-like object was unceremoniously yanked into the sky. Lu Fang rejoiced, quickly seizing the fortune root and stuffing it into a specially made bag. The previously planted seeds had now matured, and with a slight exertion of magical power, the fortune root could be easily harvested. Of course, for those whose fortune roots were taken, only one outcome awaited – death!
"Quick! The second one!" Lu Fang commanded.
"Stop!" Liu Sandao arrived in the nick of time, shouting loudly.
Lu Fang felt a chill wind rush towards him. He quickly cast a spell to evade, and was not struck. The soul, in the process of pulling the fortune fruit, was caught off guard and killed with a single palm strike! There was no struggle, no pain.
"Go back and tell Na Qianlai, don't be so arrogant. The mortal realm is not a place where he can do as he pleases!" Liu Sandao said sharply to Lu Fang.
"Hahaha, ridiculous! Do you need me to convey that message? You can tell him yourself. Oh, right, I forgot to mention, he will be here soon. You should be more concerned about whether you will be the one to be struck down!" Lu Fang roared with laughter.
Today, Na Qianlai would also come to supervise the battle. The primary reason was that it was the time for a large batch of seeds to mature, yielding abundant fortune fruits and roots that could be harvested. Moreover, new methods had made the extraction of fortune roots simpler and more effective. This was the perfect opportunity to showcase his prowess before Na Qianlai.
"Hmph! I'll deal with you, the accomplice, first!" Liu Sandao said coldly and immediately began casting spells against Lu Fang. He activated the "Ruoshui Fu" (Soft Water Blessing), and the surrounding air seemed to solidify. Lu Fang felt a wave of coldness wash over him. A beam of light shot out from behind Liu Sandao, transforming into threads in the air as it ascended, spraying towards Lu Fang.
Lu Fang knew Liu Sandao's strength. Although his cultivation had improved considerably recently, he could only hold out for a while. If he couldn't wait for Na Qianlai, the consequences would be unthinkable. He needed to find a way to stall for time, not to engage in a head-on battle.
The water threads seemed to have eyes; no matter where Lu Fang dodged, they would reach him. After a moment, Lu Fang began to feel strained. The water threads, as they sprayed, carried a chilling coldness. Lu Fang dodged with all his might but still had his battle robe torn.
"This won't do, if this continues, I'll be finished here!" A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately feigned an attack towards Liu Sandao.
Liu Sandao showed no sign of fear. In fact, after a period of engagement, it was evident that Lu Fang was becoming fatigued. He wasn't exerting himself to his full strength, as he wished to capture Lu Fang alive. If he could extract information about Na Qianlai's background from Lu Fang, it would be of immense help in resolving this matter. Therefore, from the beginning, he had been toying with Lu Fang. He neither wanted Lu Fang to realize he was holding back his strength, nor did he want Lu Fang to feel he could easily escape.
Seizing an opportunity, Lu Fang made a move as if to counterattack and flew towards an open space in the sky. How could Liu Sandao let him escape so easily? He quickly tightened the water threads, making them resilient, like a net, converging on Lu Fang from all directions. Lu Fang flew into the sky, his hands reaching upwards as if he were a fish swimming in the vast ocean.
Just as he was inwardly rejoicing at his impending escape, his heel was ensnared by something!
"Ah!" he cried out in alarm, his entire body firmly grasped by a hand-like object. Instantly, many more threads appeared around him, slowly thickening into finger-thick ropes.
"Let go of me! Let go of me! You might as well kill me with one blow and give me a quick end!" Whether he truly wasn't afraid of death, Lu Fang knew well, but he had to put on a brave front before his supposed demise.
"Don't worry, I won't let you die so quickly!" Just as Liu Sandao was about to say this, someone spoke for him.
Upon seeing the arrival, Liu Sandao's heart tightened! Lu Fang, seeing the newcomer, rejoiced, "My Lord, save me! My Lord, save me!"
The person who arrived was Na Qianlai, followed by the Headless Corpse and the Fat and Thin Ghosts.
"Liu Sandao, let go quickly! Perhaps our Lord will spare you, otherwise, you will die without a burial place!" the Headless Corpse commanded sternly.
Never had he felt such a sense of satisfaction.
"Hmph! And what if I refuse?" Liu Sandao said, all the while channeling more magical power.
"Ah!" Lu Fang cried out in a piteous scream. The water threads seemed to have grown thorns, piercing into his body. He couldn't help but cry out:
"My Lord, my Lord, please save me!"
The Headless Corpse's eyes widened as he looked at Lu Fang. Though he was often jealous of Lu Fang, seeing him die so painfully brought a flicker of reluctance. The Fat and Thin Ghosts, however, were terrified by Lu Fang's agony and stood there with their mouths agape, silent.
"Hmph! A mere trick!" Na Qianlai said indifferently and casually unleashed his magic. A black aura shot towards the bound Lu Fang.
"Crack! Crack!" Instantly, the ice threads that encased Lu Fang burst apart, transforming into wisps of rain that drifted down!
"Hahaha! My Lord is mighty! My Lord is mighty!" the Headless Corpse quickly flattered. The Fat and Thin Ghosts echoed, "My Lord is mighty!"
Liu Sandao was greatly alarmed. He hadn't expected Na Qianlai's magic to have increased again, and he felt a sense of dejection. He, a dignified Immortal Venerable, had never imagined he would be so vulnerable. Yet, in truth, ever since descending to the mortal realm, he had almost never been able to match Na Qianlai.
Lost in his lamentations, he was suddenly interrupted by Na Qianlai's words.
"Liu Sandao, if you are willing to serve me, I can guarantee you a much more comfortable life than you have now! And if you wish, I can even make you my second-in-command!" Na Qianlai's words sounded sincere. But only he knew the principle of utilizing resources to their fullest.
"Hmph! Never! Even if I die today, I will not let you succeed!" Liu Sandao was desperate. The disparity in strength was immense, and he had no confidence in surviving today.
"Hahaha, you are exaggerating! I don't want your life! Look, what is that!" Na Qianlai laughed heartily, pointing at the hospital below the sky.