Chapter 635: Tu Ji Dies

“No, Lord Commander, this is far too dangerous!” Cang Xu blurted out his objection without hesitation upon hearing the fishman youngster still wanted to linger.

But the youngster's resolve was far more unwavering than his own.

“Cang Xu, you know me.”

“I will never abandon Xiao Guai!”

"He calls me Father. He's still waiting for me there."

"What father could ever abandon his child so easily?"

Cang Xu knew the fishman youngster well. He didn't doubt the boy's unwavering resolve at this moment.

But he couldn't back down now!

So, he pleaded earnestly: “Commander, staying here means facing certain death.”

"Two saint level foes are launching a surprise attack. Zhou Zhang alone can hardly hold them off. Even with the Snow Pear Octopus, the tide won't turn."

“The reason is simple: this is the heartland of the Charming Blue Church. Defending here will inevitably cost them the initiative.”

"Even if those two saint attackers don't breach our lines, merely maintaining constant activity on the periphery would cause Zhou Zhang immense trouble, firmly tying down her attention."

"Furthermore, with the Ocean Mother Nest now destroyed, the arrangements of Charming Blue Goddess no longer hold. Remaining here would likely subject you to a saint level investigation."

“Even if those two hostile saints cannot breach this location, they can still launch remote attacks.”

“That single strike already speaks volumes about how dire the situation is!”

“The Ocean Mother Nest has become the most perilous place of all!”

The fishman youngster shook his head: “Xiao Guai...”

Cang Xu cut in: “My Lord, sometimes we must make necessary choices and sacrifices.”

"You are our commander. If you were to die trying to rescue Xiao Guai, what would become of the rest of us?"

Cang Xu had struck at the heart of the fishman youngster's hesitation.

The youngster was indeed deeply troubled by this prospect.

Yet after a moment's thought, he shook his head. Fixing Cang Xu with a piercing gaze, he said, "Cang Xu, I recall you have a son too. If you were standing in my place today, and your son faced the same predicament as Xiao Guai, what would you do?"

Cang Xu: “...”

The fishman youngster's words left him speechless.

The fishman youngster smiled and patted his shoulder, his eyes brimming with satisfaction, but his tone turned resolute: “Now I command you, Cang Xu!”

“Continue piloting the Deep Sea Monster Fish. Escape first, and stand ready to pick me up.”

“Once I handle Xiao Guai's situation, I'll leave this place.”

Cang Xu's face darkened as he refused outright: "My Lord, if you don't leave, how can I possibly escape? Let me go with you..."

"No. If I fall, someone must clean up the mess. You are the only one."

At this, the fishman youngster sighed deeply: “I know this isn't a rational decision.”

“But I can't do it!”

“I'd rather risk myself than abandon Xiao Guai without even trying!”

"You've already done so much for him. Without you, he wouldn't have escaped Mystifying Monster Island.” Cang Xu lamented, vowing, “I absolutely will not sail the ship away again."

“Though the Deep Sea Monster Fish is only gold level, it can still withstand some of the saint level attacks.”

“It can increase your chances of survival, Commander.”

“I'd rather kill myself now than sail the Deep Sea Monster Fish away.”

The fishman youngster opened his mouth to speak, but Cang Xu cut him off: “Lord Commander!”

“Just as you're determined to save Xiao Guai now, my resolve is the same as yours.”

“I obey the orders you gave me. I'm leaving now.”

"Time is critical. Every second counts for Xiao Guai. Lord, you mustn't delay any longer!"

Their exchange wasn't spoken words, but mental waves.

The principle resembled the duelists' long-distance communication. Except duelists required the Dueling God, relied on Tranquil Hill, and drained their own divine favor and power to achieve it.

The fishman youngster and Cang Xu stood face-to-face now, needing none of that.

Mental communication was incredibly swift. Though their exchange felt lengthy, in reality, only an instant passed.

Cang Xu swiftly disembarked alone, while the fishman youngster commanded the tower spirit to steer the Deep Sea Monster Fish further into the depths. He himself immediately entered the prayer chamber, his heart burning with anxiety and tension as he initiated another long-distance connection.

Divine spell - Perceive Believer.

Divine spell - Divine Power Channel.

Divine spell - Divine Artifact Mastery.

Divine spell - Deceptive Scheming.

Divine spell - Distortion Filter.

Using all five divine spells simultaneously placed an immense strain on his mind, causing both his divine power and mental energy to deplete at an alarming rate.

The fishman youngster had no idea how long he could hold on. he was simply fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed!

Da Dou and the others were in dire peril!

The big guy, unaware of the fishman youngster's gaze, wept silently within.

The Main Earth Elemental God's divine spell formed a colossal earthen cone mid-air, crashing down toward the big guy!

Yet in Tu Ji's perception, Hong Zhu had become the target of the massive earthen cone's assault.

"No! That's my only lead!!" Tu Ji roared madly.

He had paid such a heavy price to capture Hong Zhu, only to fail in the end?

He couldn't accept it!

He was a member of the Blood Light Punishment Institution. His faith was unwavering. From the day he joined, he had pursued necromancers with his whole heart, risking his life without a moment's slack or hesitation.

Just now, he had detected hesitation in the Main Earth Elemental God's gaze. But that hesitation stemmed solely from this calculation: Would a timely retreat better serve my pursuit of the necromancer?

After weighing it, he concluded it would not.

Thus, he remained in the fray, sacrificing his arm and detonating himself to join forces with Da Dou.

Now, facing the Main Earth Elemental God's direct assault, his emotions surged. Death held no fear for him. He leapt upward without hesitation.

Soaring into the air, his body stretched wide like a cross, he stood tall and proud, positioning himself directly above “Hong Zhu” (the big guy).

Boom!

The next instant, the earth spike struck the ground, but missed Tu Ji, landing beside him instead.

The earth shook violently, a massive shockwave sending the ground rolling like a tidal wave. Da Dou, the big guy, and others nearby were all violently hurled backward.

The Main Earth Elemental God unleashed divine power once more, conjuring a barrage of earth spikes that surged toward the big guy.

Tu Ji plunged forward, blocking the path before “Hong Zhu” (the big guy).

The sharp spikes halted abruptly, the closest spike's tip mere inches from Tu Ji's nose.

The entire crowd gasped in shock.

Drenched in sweat, blood smeared across his face, Tu Ji's expression grew even more frenzied. “Hahahaha!”

“I am from the Blood Light Punishment Institution! This operation is to hunt down necromancers!”

"To eradicate necromancers, nearly all deities have signed a covenant. Cooperation is a fundamental clause. Even for an earth elemental deity, if you kill me, it counts as breaking the covenant!"

Tu Ji shouted, explaining while rallying himself.

After finishing his speech, he glared fiercely at the gold level earth elementals surrounding him.

These elementals had closed in once more.

Their expressions were complex.

This madman, Tu Ji, had risked everything to block the line of fire for a single clue.

And yet, he succeeded!

The Main Earth Elemental God had truly ceased attacking.

Heaven forbid, this world was utterly insane!

But the next moment.

Pop.

The earth spike closest to Tu Ji suddenly shot forward.

Tu Ji opened his mouth in laughter, but before he could react, the spike was already thrust into his mouth.

Sharp spikes protruded from the back of his skull.

As he died, Tu Ji's battle qi erupted violently, but it was useless.

A flash of golden battle qi shone briefly before being effortlessly suppressed by the Main Earth Elemental God's overwhelming divine power!

Tu Ji was dead!

Silence fell over the battlefield as everyone stared in stunned silence once more.

The Main Earth Elemental God's power slowly dissipated. The earth elementals snapped out of their trance, erupting in deafening cheers.

To them: this madman Tu Ji had been effortlessly crushed by their own deity.

To Da Dou and the others: Tu Ji was utterly insane, daring to openly defy a god! Even with a covenant, what did breaking it once matter to a god?

Therefore, Tu Ji died!

Like a mere ant, he had no chance to resist.

Yet to the Main Earth Elemental God, it was not Tu Ji he had slain, but the big guy!

With a sense of satisfaction, the Main Earth Elemental God gradually withdrew his divine power.

Inside the Deep Sea Monster Fish, the fishman youngster was exhausted to the point of collapse.

He knelt on the floor, hands braced against the deck, the only way to keep himself from collapsing.

To sustain the five divine spells, the fishman youngster had pushed beyond his limits, draining himself completely.

His entire body ached, darkness swirled before his eyes, and his temples throbbed painfully!

The divine artifact, The Mermaid Fairy Tale, lay discarded nearby. Only five or six pearl bubbles remained inside the shell!

To deceive an entity like the Main Earth Elemental God, even the Mermaid Fairy Tale had been squeezed dry. Nearly all the pearl bubbles collected earlier had been consumed!

“I, I did it!”

“I succeeded...” An unparalleled sense of accomplishment washed over the fishman youngster, filling his body and mind with a soaring, exhilarating sensation.

“But I must hold on, Xiao Guai is still surrounded by the earth elemental army!”

The fishman youngster refocused his attention, casting a concerned glance.

After Tu Ji's death, the earth elemental army's morale soared, continuing their relentless pursuit of Da Dou and the others.

“What should I do?”

“Maintaining the Believer Perception and the Divine Power Channel is already pushing my limits. I can't cast a third divine spell!”

A chill gripped the fishman youngster's heart.

The big guy was trapped in mortal danger, with no outside help!

Meanwhile, after leaving the Deep Sea Monster Fish, Cang Xu fled for his life.

“Jian Gui?!” Along the way, he unexpectedly discovered Jian Gui.

Sealed by Zhou Zhang, Jian Gui appeared as an ordinary person.

But a sea beast, sacrificed as an offering, had broken free from its bonds and entered a frenzied state, about to crush Jian Gui.

A thought struck Cang Xu, and he immediately cast an undead spell to save Jian Gui.

“Come with me, Lord Jian Gui.” Cang Xu grabbed Jian Gui's arm, ready to flee further.

Jian Gui seemed slightly surprised, halting him with a smile: “A bit unexpected, yet not entirely surprising.”

“In any case, I'm pleased.”

Cang Xu sighed. “We can talk about that later, Lord Jian Gui.”

“We need to get out of here fast.”

“No need,” Jian Gui replied calmly. "I'm rather intrigued by the Ocean Mother Nest now. If you dare, escort me there."

Cang Xu: “?!”

He stared intently at Jian Gui, suddenly feeling a violent tremor throughout his body and mind.