Chapter 0633 – The Eerie Oasis

To think that the Flower King had actually escaped certain death in such a bizarre fashion—one had to admit, his ability was truly formidable. As long as he had the chance, even when faced with a fatal situation, he could use someone else as a substitute to die in his place. This kind of substitution divine power was downright overbearing and unreasonable. If someone wanted him dead, he would simply let another die instead.

That much was already clear from what had just happened.

"In this Golden Sand Desert, there are countless people who want to kill me. But none have ever succeeded. If I don't want to die, no one can kill me. I am the Flower King, who walks through a hundred gardens without a single petal sticking to me. Flower General, you'll be mine sooner or later."

The Flower King's voice rang out with boundless confidence.

"Hmph!"

Yi Tianxing snorted coldly and, with a thought, the Yin-Yang Mirror changed again. The mirror turned toward the Flower King, and that terrifying black divine light reappeared, shooting toward him with unmatched speed.

The Flower King reacted instantly. Before the divine light could strike him, he swapped places with Wushuang Ghost in a flash—the two switching positions completely. The one caught in the divine light was now Wushuang Ghost.

Boom!

Struck by the Yin-Yang divine light, Wushuang Ghost's eyes shut as his massive body toppled backward and hit the ground stiffly.

"Impressive, truly. But no matter how powerful your technique is, if you can't hit me, all you'll do is hurt your own allies."

The Flower King sneered, a smug expression playing on his face.

"You're courting death!" Yi Tianxing's eyes flashed coldly, and he again directed the Yin-Yang Mirror at the Flower King.

The Flower King's heart skipped a beat. He sneered, "I'm done playing with you. Flower General, you got lucky this time. But next time, you won't escape so easily. And those women—don't blame me for being cruel. This is all your fault."

With a sharp, eerie laugh, the Flower King vanished. In his place stood a black-clad thief, clearly bewildered and unaware of the situation. Before he could react, the divine light engulfed him—he dropped to the ground, lifeless.

"Such a despicable villain… his methods are unbelievably ruthless!"

Hua Mulan's face darkened with fury.

"His awakened life aperture divine power lets him swap himself with others at will. When facing a mortal threat, he can effortlessly escape danger. Unless we can restrain that ability beforehand, killing him will be near impossible."

Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and spoke solemnly.

"General, are you alright?"

At that moment, Xiao Que returned with the troops, and upon dismounting, immediately rushed toward Hua Mulan, her face full of concern.

"What happened to Wushuang Ghost?"

Upon landing, she noticed the three fallen bodies. Two were clearly dressed as thieves, while the third was unmistakably Wushuang Ghost. Her eyes filled with alarm.

"Wushuang Ghost… has perished."

Hua Mulan said with a hint of sorrow in her voice.

"What about the Flower King?" Xiao Que asked.

"He escaped," Hua Mulan replied grimly.

"Wushuang Ghost isn't dead."

Yi Tianxing said calmly. With a thought, the Yin-Yang Mirror shifted, and a beam of white light shot out, bathing Wushuang Ghost in its glow.

In an instant, Wushuang Ghost's eyes snapped open. He grabbed his flying wheel and stood up.

"My Lord!!"

He scanned his surroundings. Not seeing the Flower King, a trace of confusion crossed his face.

Just moments ago, he had felt himself forcibly switched into danger by the Flower King. Struck by the Yin-Yang divine light, his senses had gone blank—his body immobilized, his soul plunged into a state of utter confusion, like he had entered a void of chaos and nothingness.

But shortly after, he had once again sensed his body and awakened.

"He's really alive again!"

Xiao Que gasped in astonishment. Just a moment earlier, she had clearly felt Wushuang Ghost's life force vanish completely—no soul trace left at all. He was dead beyond doubt. Yet now, under the divine light, he had returned to life, as if merely awakened from slumber.

The sensation of returning from death was indescribably surreal.

"This is my divine ability—the Yin-Yang Mirror," Yi Tianxing explained."One side kills, the other restores. Those who die from the Yin side can be brought back to life by the Yang side—so long as it happens within three days. After that, even a Golden Immortal can't save them. The mirror's power becomes useless beyond that window."

This was the terrifying power of the innate Yin-Yang divine ability.

With its speed, if not for the Flower King's substitution divine power, he wouldn't have even had time to dodge—he'd have been struck instantly, with life and death entirely under Yi Tianxing's control.

That was also why Yi Tianxing wasn't afraid of accidentally striking one of his own—he had the means to bring them back.

"What a miraculous Yin-Yang Mirror," Hua Mulan murmured in awe.

She had assumed Wushuang Ghost had been mistakenly killed. She'd even felt guilty. Now, that guilt turned to astonishment. Even if they hadn't captured the Flower King, she still felt content—they had at least killed two thieves.

"It's good Wushuang Ghost is unharmed. But now that the Flower King has escaped, I fear those abducted women are in grave danger. I plan to keep tracking him. If we can locate the Desert Marauder Gang, we might be able to save them. The Flower King has revealed his trail—he'll be easier to find now."

Hua Mulan took a deep breath and spoke decisively.

After witnessing the Flower King's strange power firsthand, she knew how difficult it would be to capture him unless she could seal off his substitution technique. But saving the women might still be possible.

"The Flower King's strength is about equal to yours. In a direct fight, he might not be able to beat you. As long as you're careful of his tricks, you needn't worry too much. But now that he's escaped, we can't afford to keep chasing. The Devil Oasis could shift locations at any time—we have to move quickly.

Still, if you're in real danger, crush this jade talisman. I'll know immediately. Unless I'm tied down, I'll come to help."

Yi Tianxing glanced around at the gathered troops, nodded, and handed over a jade talisman he had personally crafted. It was a messaging talisman, capable of transmitting signals unless blocked by extreme distance.

During this period, Yi Tianxing had never stopped refining talismanic arts. Every day, he would personally craft various talismans, adding them to his Ten Thousand Talisman Banner. His mastery of talisman arts had steadily grown.

"Thank you, Daoist Yi, for your assistance. I don't have much to offer in return, but here—this jar of Hundred Flower Tea is my humble gift. It's soothing and good for calming the heart and mind."

After a moment of thought, Hua Mulan offered him a jar of tea.

"That tea is excellent. Then I won't refuse. Here—these jars of wine are my return gift."

Yi Tianxing accepted. He knew Hundred Flower Tea was ideal for female cultivators, and intended to bring it back for Cai Yan and Mu Guiying to enjoy.

Before long, Yi Tianxing and Wushuang Ghost rose into the air. A spatial gate opened before them, and they stepped inside, vanishing into the void.

"General, quick—let's see what kind of wine he gave us. It better not be just a few jars of swill!"

Xiao Que looked curiously at the storage pouch in Hua Mulan's hand.

"Mhm."

Hua Mulan opened it. One of the wine jars appeared in her hand.

"Dukang!!"

Xiao Que exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Is this the legendary Dukang Wine? The drink to dispel sorrow—said to be the finest of all wines!" Hua Mulan was stunned. She never expected the return gift would be something so rare and prestigious.

"Looks like Daoist Yi isn't an ordinary man."

A thought stirred in Hua Mulan's heart.

Meanwhile, atop a distant hill…

A spatial gate opened out of thin air. Yi Tianxing and Wushuang Ghost stepped through together.

Looking out ahead, they spotted an oasis just a few dozen li away—not far in desert terms, though deceivingly so. The visual illusion of distance in the sands often proved deadly.

"That's a huge oasis. Could that be the legendary Devil Oasis? Its shape… looks like a massive skull," Yi Tianxing observed from high above.

From his vantage point, the oasis resembled a giant head lying on the ground—a grim and eerie sight. It seemed like a devil's maw, open wide and waiting to swallow unsuspecting prey.

"I've heard the same. The Devil Oasis got its name because it looks like a skull—like a demon hidden in the sands, luring the living into its trap."

Wushuang Ghost nodded.