As the bell tolled, a sudden cry of pain cut through the banquet. A guest collapsed to the floor.
All eyes turned to the source—the young man Boss Lin had called “Young Master Su” was now holding a blade, having just slashed one of the staff members. Chaos erupted instantly.
“Murder! Someone’s attacking!”
Screams and gunfire filled the air.
At the same time, Beidou operatives flooded the restaurant, swiftly securing every room with practiced efficiency.
Su Mo never took his eyes off Mei Xian. The moment the crowd’s attention shifted to Ye Qingyi, he lunged onto the stage like lightning and drove his Tetanus Blade straight into her chest.
Blood splattered across the floor. Mei Xian went limp almost immediately.
Huh?
Su Mo’s heart sank. This Mei Xian is a fake. No way she’d be this weak.
“Commander Shen, Target One is an imposter! We’ve been tricked!”
“Initiate Plan B! Retreat now!”
The order came instantly—but it was already too late.
Time and space seemed to freeze. Darkness swallowed everything, so thick that even a raised hand vanished before his eyes.
A familiar dread washed over Su Mo. He immediately moved toward Ye Qingyi and Xia Qingqing.
The moment the three regrouped, their vision returned.
The bright banquet hall was gone, replaced by a shadowy realm. Tentacled monsters oozed mucus as they attacked indiscriminately, friend or foe.
Within moments, the ordinary guests and weaker supernaturals were devoured alive.
“Stay sharp. This is Soul Immortal’s domain,” Su Mo warned—only to realize their earpieces were dead.
Ye Qingyi frowned. “But Soul Immortal’s already dead.”
“He was. Looks like he’s back.”
“Wait, people can actually come back to life?!” Xia Qingqing darted through the horde of monsters like a nimble rabbit, her blade flashing.
The tentacle creatures were weak—mostly E-rank—but their numbers seemed endless.
This was where area attacks shone.
“Gather close.”
The three huddled together as Su Mo flicked a wisp of Yin Fire. Dark blue flames erupted, icy tendrils spreading like wildfire. The hall cleared in an instant.
“Whoa, your fire leveled up!” Xia Qingqing’s eyes sparkled.
Su Mo locked onto a direction. “Follow me!”
“Going somewhere?” A stranger’s voice echoed. Thick tentacles surged from all sides, trapping the trio. But Su Mo already knew—this was Soul Immortal.
“Soul Immortal. You really didn’t die.”
“How could I, when you’re still alive, Su Mo?”
Xia Qingqing blinked in confusion. Why’s he calling Qingyi ‘Su Mo’?
Then it hit her. Wait… last time, Ya Xian also said… Oh no.
A wild theory sprouted in her mind: Did they swap genders AND identities?!
“Don’t flatter yourself. We couldn’t care less about your nonsense. You think this’ll threaten us? Dream on.”
“Oh?” Soul Immortal let out a bone-chilling laugh. “Little girl, let me tell you a secret about these two.”
“No need!” Xia Qingqing puffed her chest. “If Qingyi didn’t tell me, she must have her reasons. You won’t break our sisterhood!”
Soul Immortal paused, then sneered. “How rude.”
A tentacle thick as a barrel lashed toward her—only to be severed by Su Mo’s blade.
Greed flickered in Soul Immortal’s eyes.
Damn it, Su Mo. If the Sect Master hadn’t ordered you kept alive, I’d kill you and loot your treasures right now.
Then again… taking one or two items doesn’t count as ‘harming’ him, right?
He lunged for the Tetanus Blade. Su Mo saw it coming and handed it over.
“Spare us, and this blade is yours.”
“Smart boy.” Soul Immortal examined the weapon—just as dark flames erupted from the steel, searing his flesh with icy fire.
“ARGH!” He hurled the blade back, howling.
“Changed your mind? Pity.” Su Mo caught it, his eyes burning crimson.
Rage Mantra—activate!
Soul Immortal had been B-rank before death. Even now, he couldn’t be much weaker. Their only hope was going all-out from the start.
“I’ll cover you!” Ye Qingyi’s energy churned. “Qingqing, guard me.”
“Got it!”
Her irises shimmered gold, ancient runes swirling within.
Great Destiny Art!
This was her evolved ability after reaching D-rank—judging a target’s destiny to manipulate their fortune temporarily.
To outsiders, it sounded like superstition. But those who’d faced it knew the terror of rule-based powers.
Both Su Mo and Soul Immortal shuddered as the art took effect.
For Soul Immortal, dormant side effects from his resurrection flared up. The scientist had assured him: “Unless something goes wrong, these issues won’t surface. After adaptation, this body will be fully yours.”
Well. Something had gone very wrong.
And it was man-made.
Yet he blamed bad luck, not Ye Qingyi’s art.
Su Mo’s change was more drastic. His Rage Mantra usually doubled physical stats—always exactly twofold. But under Great Destiny Art, it tripled. Raw power flooded his veins, bringing a delirious “I could crush anyone” euphoria.
Soul Immortal reverted to his true form, wiping blood from his lips. “No way a D-rank trash is beating me!”
The side effects forced this shift. His tentacles retracted—he’d fight as a cultivator now.
“This body’s only C-rank, with one Snow Mountain in the energy sea. But it’s enough for you.”
“So you stole someone’s body. No wonder you ‘revived.’”
“Pot calling the kettle black. You’re no different.”
“Don’t lump me with scum like you!”
Their battle raged amid taunts. Three moves in, Soul Immortal’s arm snapped.
“Damn it!“
He’d planned to crush Su Mo with higher cultivation. Instead, he was the one getting crushed.
“Only C-rank? Shouldn’t have wasted my energy.” Su Mo sheathed his blade. His energy sea boiled—unlike Ye Qingyi’s, his was fueled by the Green Core, radiating pressure beyond ordinary Qi Sea cultivators.
Coupled with his tripled stats, Soul Immortal mistook him for B-rank and bolted—only to slip spectacularly.
What the hell? Since when do I trip?! Is that Ye Qingyi’s doing?!
Too late.
“Mountain-Sea Fist!“
This was Su Mo’s first use of the technique since unlocking his energy sea. It drained him dry like a vampire—but the payoff was monstrous.
The punch tore through Soul Immortal’s torso, leaving a gaping hole.
Before Xia Qingqing or Ye Qingyi could react, the ground trembled violently.
“Not another explosion?!” Xia Qingqing paled, recalling the hospital disaster.
She sprinted to catch the collapsing Su Mo. “Run! It’s coming down!“
“I’ll carry him! You’re exhausted.”
“No! You’re too short—you’ll scrape his feet!”
She remembered too well—last time Su Mo carried her, his toes had been raw and bleeding…