"Mu Linglan!" Behind Xuehu Laozu, Wei Lingyang threw his head back and bellowed.
Mu Linglan had long since made up his mind. He clenched his teeth, and in a movement faster than even Zhao Lianyun's, shoved the frail girl into Ma Hongyun's arms.
"Live well!"
With those words on his lips, he spun around, spread his arms, and seized Xuehu Laozu around the waist.
Xuehu Laozu struggled desperately, but his momentum was halted, and the reverse current immediately swept him downstream.
The crisis facing Ma Hongyun and Zhao Lianyun was temporarily resolved.
"Hurry — go!" Ma Hongyun supported Zhao Lianyun, his heart hammering in his chest.
"Damn you!" Xuehu Laozu loathed Mu Linglan with every fiber of his being. In the water, he drove his knee into Mu Linglan's chest again and again.
His body was inscribed with countless Dao marks, far surpassing Mu Linglan by an immeasurable degree.
Mu Linglan was only at the Seventh Transformation — how could he possibly be a match?
It wasn't long before his bones shattered and great mouthfuls of blood sprayed outward, dyeing the surrounding river water red.
After a dozen or so breaths, Mu Linglan could hold on no longer. His life force extinguished completely, and he perished right there.
Seeing a companion die before their very eyes, every last one of the Central Continent Gu Immortals had eyes practically splitting with fury.
"Mu Linglan — your sacrifice will be remembered by the Central Continent! It will be remembered by the Heavenly Court!" Wei Lingyang roared, lunging at Xuehu Laozu.
Xuehu Laozu, with Mu Linglan clinging to him in a death grip, had already been dragged down to the third formation.
He was immediately swarmed by the grief-stricken and enraged Central Continent Gu Immortals.
"Xuehu!" Lady Wanshou, frantic with worry for her husband, turned back to support him.
The two sides became tangled together, hurtling downstream, and before long collided with Ying Wuxie's group in the fourth formation.
In an instant, a massive number of Gu Immortals were engaged in hand-to-hand combat in the river. The scene devolved into complete chaos.
Bi Chentian and the others watched from high above, struck dumb.
Exalted Gu Immortals, all dignity stripped away, brawling in the water like common mortals — it was almost farcical.
But by now, even if Bi Chentian wanted to intervene, it was far too late.
Before long, rivers of blood dyed the water crimson, and the corpses of numerous Gu Immortals drifted downstream with the current.
"Ying Wuxie!" Fang Yuan plunged into the melee — he had finally arrived.
"Where is my master?!" Ying Wuxie, amid the chaotic fighting, had finally located Xuehu Laozu and shouted.
"Still upstream!" Xuehu Laozu replied.
It turned out that while Xuehu Laozu had been entangled with Mu Linglan, Zishan Zhenjun had gone upstream alone, intending to capture Ma Hongyun and Zhao Lianyun alive.
This was precisely why Xuehu Laozu had been willing to engage the Central Continent Gu Immortals — it had been his delaying tactic all along.
Ying Wuxie received his answer and let out a sharp howl, leading Hei Loulan and the others out of the fight to rush toward Zishan Zhenjun.
"Ying Wuxie — where do you think you're going?!" Fang Yuan roared.
Ying Wuxie sighed, then bellowed: "Taibai Yunsheng — where are you?!"
"Go!" Taibai Yunsheng responded immediately, his face set with the resolve of a man ready to die, and hurled himself at Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan was stalled.
Ying Wuxie, Hei Loulan, and Bai Ningbing managed to break free.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Every one of Fang Yuan's strikes carried devastating force. In moments, Taibai Yunsheng's bones were fractured and his tendons torn.
But Taibai Yunsheng had already abandoned all thought of survival. He clung to Fang Yuan in a death grip — holding on for dear life, even resorting to biting and headbutting.
For a time, Fang Yuan actually couldn't break free.
In a flash of urgency, he bellowed: "Old Bai! Do you still remember the Wang Court Blessed Land?!"
Taibai Yunsheng faltered, revealing an opening.
A vicious gleam flashed in Fang Yuan's eyes. His two fingers pierced through Taibai Yunsheng's eyes without the slightest hesitation.
Taibai Yunsheng suffered a devastating blow. Great gouts of blood erupted from his empty eye sockets.
Fang Yuan pressed his advantage and struck again with merciless force. Taibai Yunsheng's body finally went still, perfectly motionless.
He was dead.
"Hmph!" Fang Yuan cast aside Taibai Yunsheng's corpse, pushed through the water with renewed vigor, and gave chase after Ying Wuxie.