Manifestation of the Avatar

“Arc Moon Mountain’s Heavenly Master! Why are you here? Is it because of that promise from back then? You said that if I ever dared to appear before Qiu Qianyu again, you would come and ensure I couldn’t harm her in the slightest. But how is this possible? How could you arrive so quickly?!” Qin Gou, pretending to be the Heartless One, screamed in terror as the stone puppet gripped his neck tightly.

“Leave…” the stone puppet, under Qin Gou’s control, managed to utter a single word in its lifeless tone.

Qiu Qianyu’s tear-streaked face lit up with determination. “Leave? How could I do that? Master, I want to fight alongside you. As long as you’re here, I’m not afraid of anything,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. She cast a cautious glance at the disguised “Heartless One.”

“Leave!” the stone puppet repeated, its voice unwavering.

“No! You’re trying to imprison me while letting Qiu Qianyu escape, separating us forever and erasing my existence for eternity?! Never! I won’t let you succeed!” Qin Gou, still acting as the Heartless One, shouted, thrashing wildly in the puppet’s grip.

Hearing this, Qiu Qianyu covered her mouth, her peach blossom eyes filled with disbelief and hope. Could her master truly have the power to separate her from her nightmare forever? The realization that her master had never forgotten her and had always been thinking of ways to protect her filled her heart with overwhelming guilt and remorse. She wanted to kneel at his feet and cry out her repentance.

This time, Qiu Qianyu didn’t hesitate. Tears streaming down her face, she looked at the stone puppet and said, “I’ll leave now, Master. Once I’ve sorted everything out, I’ll return to Arc Moon Mountain to stay by your side forever!”

With that, a fragrant white lotus bloomed beneath her feet. As the petals fell, her figure vanished without a trace.

—

Thud.

The stone puppet released Qin Gou, letting him collapse to the ground.

Rubbing his sore neck, Qin Gou muttered with a wry smile, “Doesn’t she realize that if she’d delayed any longer, I might’ve actually died on the spot?”

But it was worth it. His quick thinking had resolved a significant threat. From this moment on, the unrelenting nightmare that haunted Qiu Qianyu would be forever extinguished, replaced by the image of her master as her savior.

“System, does this count as completing the task? Even though my real form appeared, the puppet couldn’t speak convincingly, and Qiu Qianyu left because of my words,” Qin Gou asked.

“Ding. Congratulations to the host for completing the task ‘Outsmart the Calamity.’ You successfully forced Qiu Qianyu, the ‘Thieving Enchantress,’ to retreat without revealing your identity as the Heavenly Master of Arc Moon Mountain. Reward: 300 merit points and one lottery chance.”

“Reminder: The host now has two unused lottery chances.”

“Good, at least you’re fair,” Qin Gou said, satisfied.

—

The rest was simple. Within the Falling Immortal Forest, no one could match the stone puppet. With the remaining Mystic Maiden Palace disciples, Qin Gou easily eliminated the remaining Nine Hells disciples without lifting a finger.

One by one, the defeated Nine Hells disciples emerged from the forest, their shattered identity tokens in hand. Yet, the Nine Hells Old Ghost remained unfazed. To him, the outcome was already decided. Without Qiu Qianyu’s interference, his disciples would have stood no chance against the Mystic Maiden Palace.

“Interesting. It seems there’s been a twist,” Ye Qishuang said, her arms crossed as she watched the scene unfold with amusement.

“A twist? Surely you jest, Palace Master. You know better than anyone the strength of the Thieving Enchantress,” the Nine Hells Old Ghost sneered, casting a disdainful glance at his own disciples.

Ye Qishuang didn’t respond. Her gaze was fixed on the Mystic Maiden Palace disciples, who, led by Qin Gou, were now emerging from the forest in an orderly line.

“See? What did I tell you?” The Nine Hells Old Ghost’s smug laughter echoed as he prepared to celebrate.

But Qin Gou and his group approached Ye Qishuang, bowing respectfully. “Palace Master, we’ve eliminated all the Nine Hells disciples.”

“Well done,” Ye Qishuang said, a hint of surprise and delight flashing in her eyes.

“What?!” The Nine Hells Old Ghost’s laughter stopped abruptly. He finally noticed that all of Qin Gou’s group still had their identity tokens intact. His face darkened as he roared, “Impossible! Qiu Qianyu is still in the forest, and you’ve left without defeating her. According to the rules, this counts as your surrender!”

Qin Gou’s voice was calm and steady. “We didn’t encounter anyone named Qiu Qianyu in the forest. It seems she left long ago.”

Ye Qishuang nodded thoughtfully.

“That’s impossible!” The Nine Hells Old Ghost bellowed, leaping into the air and unleashing his spiritual energy to search the forest. Moments later, he returned, his face twisted with rage. “Damn it! Where did she go? How could she leave without me noticing?”

Ye Qishuang smiled serenely. “It’s not surprising. With my junior sister’s unpredictable nature and unmatched Divine Step Technique, she comes and goes as she pleases. This battle’s outcome still favors the Mystic Maiden Palace.”

Grinding his teeth in fury, the Nine Hells Old Ghost spat, “That damned Qiu Qianyu! I should never have trusted her. Those Magic Seed Pavilion disciples are all scum! How could I have been so foolish to believe her lies?”

—

Magic Seed Pavilion?

The mention of those three words sent a chilling light through Qin Gou’s eyes. He stared at the Nine Hells Old Ghost, only to feel an even stronger wave of hostility emanating from Ye Qishuang. The oppressive aura rippled outward, causing everyone present to shiver involuntarily.

“Magic Seed Pavilion? You’ve got some nerve!” Ye Qishuang said coldly, her sleeve flicking as she issued her command. “Mystic Maiden Palace disciples, return to the sect immediately. There’s no need to wait for me.”

As her words fell, a towering humanoid avatar appeared, its massive form blotting out the sky. The figure bore a striking resemblance to Ye Qishuang, its hands clasped before its chest, exuding a serene, benevolent aura like a goddess of salvation. Yet, its back sprouted eight grotesque spider legs covered in black bristles, blending divinity and malevolence into a twisted, deadly beauty.

This was the Avatar of the Cursed God’s Mother.

A single spider spear, impossibly sharp and swift despite its massive size, pierced through the Nine Hells Old Ghost in midair.