111: Trapped in a life of deceit, take the elixir of deceit.

Fang Huai injected spiritual energy into the Formation node where Deng Yu was located, attempting to sever his connection with the Longevity Ghoul, while Cultivator Deng Ping chanted a mantra, trying to dispel the Death Qi on Deng Yu's body.

Deng Yu's entire body trembled violently; the red numbers on his chest were still plummeting rapidly, and his body was tottering like that of a hundred-year-old man.

He circulated his spiritual energy with all his might, moving toward the outside of the Formation, but the contaminated node seemed to have taken root. The Death Qi solidified into black vines that tightly entangled him.

"Brother, save me!"

In despair, Deng Yu reached out his hand toward Cultivator Deng Ai.

"Damn it, I can't worry about that much anymore."

Cultivator Deng Ai had held back from acting, fearing he might harm the Longevity Ghoul and affect the quality of the ghoul pill.

But if Deng Yu's Lifespan hit zero, the Longevity Ghoul would surely use Deng Yu's body to escape the Soul Locking Array, making it even harder to deal with then.

"Profound Fire Sword Technique!"

The spirit sword in Cultivator Deng Ai's hand suddenly surged by several feet, its blade surrounded by raging, masculine flames as he slashed directly at the Longevity Ghoul.

The Sword Qi roared like a fire dragon, striking directly at the Longevity Ghoul's location.

He shouted angrily, "Damned thing, die for me!"

Boom—

The Sword Qi passed through the Soul Locking Array's light screen and struck the black mist on the Longevity Ghoul's body, the spiritual fire making the mist sizzle.

The black mist visibly shriveled, but the Longevity Ghoul hiding within sustained no substantial damage.

This Longevity Ghoul had absorbed too much Mortal Lifespan. Although it was only at Qi Refining Perfection, its strength already far exceeded an ordinary Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.

Although the power of Cultivator Deng Ai's Spell was high, it was not a Spell specifically designed to counter soul bodies, so its damage to the Longevity Ghoul was limited.

Combined with the black mist around the Longevity Ghoul acting as a shield, Cultivator Deng Ai found himself unable to handle the evil entity for the moment.

Just as Cultivator Deng Ai was attacking frantically, Deng Yu's sorrowful cry rang out:

"No, don't!"

Deng Yu let out a miserable wail; the blood-red numbers on his body were about to hit zero.

Li Xuanbing shouted, "If we can't kill the Longevity Ghoul, then kill Deng Yu.

We cannot let Deng Yu die at the hands of the Longevity Ghoul, otherwise it will escape!"

Cultivator Deng Ai's heart tightened. The Longevity Ghoul was cunning; if it escaped this time, it likely wouldn't show itself again for months.

If the refinement of the lifespan pill was delayed because of this and the City Lord blamed him, he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.

At this thought, Cultivator Deng Ai made a decision.

He turned his blade and slashed directly at Deng Yu, saying, "Brother, I will take good care of your wife and niece for you!"

Deng Yu was beyond saving; he couldn't let the Longevity Ghoul escape because of him.

Bang!

The expected sound of sword light cutting through flesh and bone did not occur. Instead, it was the sound of sword light striking a protective barrier.

Deng Yu's eyes were bloodshot as he gritted his teeth and said, "Why is it me who has to die? Even if I die, I won't make it easy for you."

With that, he slapped his Storage Pouch and sacrificed several defensive spiritual talismans.

These talismans were of extremely high quality; even with Cultivator Deng Ai's Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, it would be difficult to break through them layer by layer in a short time.

The red numbers on Deng Yu's chest had already dropped below 10, and the Longevity Ghoul's form became ethereal again.

"Not good, it's about to break free from the Formation!" Li Xuanbing's expression changed drastically as her hands quickly formed seals, attempting to reinforce the Soul Locking Array.

But the Longevity Ghoul's killing was a Law of the Heavenly Dao; how could it be affected by this minor Soul Locking Array?

The moment Deng Yu's Lifespan hit zero, the black mist within the Soul Locking Array vanished, and the Longevity Ghoul disappeared as well.

A few breaths later, Deng Yu let out a despairing roar. His eyes turned pure black, the Death Qi around him surged several times over, and he instantly lost his life force.

Hideous black patterns appeared on his chest and rapidly expanded—a sign that the Longevity Ghoul was about to burst out of his body.

While the other Cultivators were in a state of chaos, Fang Huai watched coldly.

The Longevity Ghoul breaking the Formation was clearly the work of Jin Xiaoxiao after she had performed Possession on Li Xuanbing.

She had deliberately sabotaged the Soul Locking Array, wanting to use this to stir up conflict between Sanxian City and the Profound Sword Sect.

Jin Xiaoxiao's family had died at the hands of the Profound Sword Sect; she wouldn't miss any opportunity to weaken the Sect's strength.

He just didn't know how she intended to end this farce.

"Soul Locking Nails!"

Li Xuanbing gave a soft shout as several pitch-black soul nails flew from her hand and pinned themselves into Deng Yu's body.

By now, the Longevity Ghoul had already torn through Deng Yu's chest, revealing a hideous head, its giant mouth reaching for Deng Yu's head.

But hindered by the power of the Soul Locking Nails, it could not leave Deng Yu's body for the time being.

Fang Huai's gaze swept over the Longevity Ghoul, and he was alarmed to see that its cultivation had already reached the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

Such a ghastly creature was terrifying; if it were allowed to kill a Golden Core Cultivator, wouldn't it bring a devastating catastrophe to the State of Chen?

Li Xuanbing said urgently, "Three Fellow Daoists from Sanxian City, I have trapped the Longevity Ghoul within Deng Yu's corpse. Quickly extract the ghoul pill!"

"Why didn't you use the Soul Locking Nails when the Longevity Ghoul was breaking out of that Mortal's body earlier?" Cultivator Deng Ai roared.

Li Xuanbing explained, "Using the Soul Locking Nails is a last resort; it affects the quality of the ghoul pill.

I was afraid the ghoul pill you extracted would be too inferior to account for to City Lord Deng."

Cultivator Deng Ai suppressed his anger and took out a black talisman, sticking it onto the Longevity Ghoul's forehead.

The Longevity Ghoul instantly stopped struggling, the black mist around it receding to reveal a body covered in eerie patterns.

Cultivator Deng Ai said, "Brother Fang, this talisman can only control the Longevity Ghoul for one hour. Quickly extract its ghoul pill."

Fang Huai nodded, took out the skinning knife, and injected the Four Elephant Shattering Body Evil Qi into the Longevity Ghoul's body while glancing at Li Xuanbing.

After Fang Huai took out the skinning knife and used the Four Elephant Shattering Body Evil Qi, Li Xuanbing understood instantly. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she nodded to him.

Fang Huai sat cross-legged in silence for half an hour. Once the Four Elephant Shattering Body Evil Qi took effect, he inserted the skinning knife into the Longevity Ghoul's skin.

The blade glided through, quickly cutting open the Longevity Ghoul's body. Upon seeing the ghoul pill, he carefully peeled it away from the surrounding tissue.

A quarter of an hour later, Fang Huai handed the ghoul pill to Cultivator Deng Ai and said, "Fortunately, I have fulfilled the mission."

Seeing the ghoul pill, Cultivator Deng Ai's expression softened slightly. He said, "As expected of someone the City Lord favors. Your skill is superb; the ghoul pill isn't damaged in the slightest."

He injected spiritual energy into the ghoul pill, and a set of black numbers appeared on its surface:

3157422

He said with satisfaction, "Not bad. This Longevity Ghoul absorbed so much Mortal Lifespan. If it's refined into a top-grade lifespan pill, it could increase the City Lord's Lifespan by at least two hundred years.

Even if it's refined into the lowest-grade lifespan pill, it can still increase it by fifty years.

In that case, even if a Deng Yu died, the City Lord won't be overly harsh on us."

After the ghoul pill was removed, the Longevity Ghoul's Realm plummeted from the Early Foundation Establishment Stage down to the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.

Li Xuanbing removed the Soul Locking Nails and, with a wave of her hand, summoned the dying Longevity Ghoul out of Deng Yu's corpse.

"Amnesia Spell!" She chanted a mantra, and a black glow from her fingertip merged into the top of the Longevity Ghoul's head.

The Longevity Ghoul's violent gaze became dazed. Seeing many Cultivators surrounding it, it quickly turned into black mist and vanished.

Cultivator Deng Ai snorted coldly, "Repair the Soul Locking Array properly. If such an incident happens again the next time we come for a ghoul pill, City Lord Deng will certainly not forgive you!"

Li Xuanbing hurriedly replied, "Rest assured, there will absolutely be no more accidents.

Fellow Daoists, please wait in Lingxi City for a few days. Once the Sect's Alchemist arrives, the refinement of the lifespan pill will be completed in a few days."