Chapter 667: Better Luck Than You

Lin Jiu and Guang Qi immediately engaged in a life-or-death struggle, unleashing one deadly move after another, knowing that in such an environment, anything could happen, leaving little time at all.
It should be noted that outside the Mysterious Array, there was also the enigmatic Meng Luo, who could intervene at any moment to rescue Tian Yu. Once that person got involved, the situation would become even more complicated, with no one able to predict the ultimate outcome…
Still, despite the intensity of the fight, each attack had to be highly concentrated, with a limited range, to avoid triggering a chain reaction in the Qianyuan Dual-Pole Mysterious Array.
Currently, Tian Yu was under the influence of “Wood Transformation,” leaving the entire array uncontrolled. However, if their duel became too noisy and activated the array’s automatic defense system, the Qianyuan Mysterious Array would enter full activation mode. In that case, Tian Yu, who seemed within reach, would slip away once again.
In just over a dozen breaths, the duel had reached a boiling point, with a winner likely to emerge at any moment—meaning one of these old friends would die.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…
Guang Qi’s Green Dragon Barrier Aurora resembled a sword hundreds of feet long, sweeping back and forth in pursuit of Lin Jiu, surrounded by streams of colorful light.
This colorful light was his most skilled defensive technique, closely linked to the teleportation spell above his head, allowing him to divert the force of attacks into a spatial artifact.
This spatial artifact was a mid-tier immortal artifact, with an internal space of over 5 million square miles—equivalent to the land area of five Qi Yuan Stars. This meant that the destructive force unleashed by the opponent would have to be strong enough to destroy five planets at once to rupture the artifact and harm Guang Qi’s physical body.
The Green Dragon Barrier Aurora had the ability to penetrate space and barriers, so Lin Jiu’s massive defensive shield could not block its rays. It could only continuously absorb them using the black hole effect of the Star-Draining Mirror.
At the same time, the first two stages of his ultimate killing technique—the tangible “Spatial Blade” and the intangible “Soul Slash”—alternated, constantly attacking Guang Qi’s colorful defenses.
The Spatial Blade would surely be blocked by Guang Qi’s colorful defenses, and the killing force transmitted into the defensive space would vanish without effect. After all, an attack like the Spatial Blade did not possess the power to destroy five planets in one strike.

What could pose a threat to Guangqi should be the invisible soul-slaying attack. It is a mental assault without a physical form, unpredictable, and thus impossible to block.
The colorful glow could not transmit the power of soul-slaying to the defensive space, forcing Guangqi to endure it directly. Fortunately, he had already prepared against Lin Jiu’s deadly techniques—a mid-grade immortal artifact designed to protect the soul kept emitting golden light within Guangqi’s mind, safeguarding his spirit and preventing harm.
Yet, nothing in the world is absolutely impregnable; there are always loopholes or weaknesses. Both Lin Jiu and Guangqi were aware that their strengths were equal, with their offensive and defensive abilities on par—there was no clear victor. What mattered now was nothing but “luck.”
The one with slightly better luck could spot the other’s flaw or oversight first, then seize the opportunity for a fatal strike!
As the two clashed, using every trick at their disposal—including their respective masterful techniques—and occasionally mixing in other powerful powers—nearly fifteen more minutes passed without a clear advantage. Suddenly, both Lin Jiu and Guangqi sensed a slight disturbance in the spatial energy around them, the very situation they least wanted to see.
The automatic defense system of the Qianyuan Dual-Pole Mysterious Array had been triggered.
Although they had been extremely cautious, the intensity of their fight made it inevitable that they might lose control at times—especially for two powerful Xuanxians, whose unleashed powers could cause tremendous upheaval.
At that moment, they couldn’t determine which of them’s momentary lapse had activated the array’s automatic defense system.
Click, click, click…
The crystal giant, which had stood motionless beside Su Che like a lifeless statue, seemed to be reactivated as it slowly raised its head, its 136 crystals beginning to glow…
The so-called automatic defense system was actually a protective function inherent in the array. Earlier, after identifying Su Che as its master, all control rights had been handed over to him, shutting down its automatic operation mode. This was why, after Su Che was petrified, the core of the array—the “Crystal Giant”—entered a dormant state.
However, if the entire array suffered sufficient external damage, it would revert to automatic operation mode. Though the Crystal Giant lacked true intelligence, the purpose of the array was “protection.”
Originally meant to guard a treasure trove of elixirs, it now served to protect its master, Su Che.

Although Lin Jiu and Guang Qi were not masters of formation arts, they still understood these principles and were fully aware of the stakes involved. At this moment, the two exchanged glances—both with cold, calm expressions, and an identical determination in their eyes. No words were needed; just a glance was enough for them to reach a consensus: one strike would decide life and death, instantly determining victory or defeat! They had to decide the outcome before the Qianyuan Xuan Formation’s automatic protection mode fully activated, otherwise, Su Che would be transported elsewhere by the formation’s power, and chances were high he would never be found again. Opportunities to change fate often come in just an instant; if you miss it, you’ll lose it forever. In such moments, there’s no time for hesitation—only the choice to go all in without regret. Victory belongs to the winner, and defeat to the loser! Lin Jiu had experienced such situations more than once in his life. It was his courage to take risks, combined with a bit of luck, that allowed him to rise to the level of a Xuanxian by trampling on his opponents’ bodies. Today, he was convinced he would win again, and this victory would push him to the pinnacle of power as an Immortal Lord. It had to be that way—he was certain! “I believe this victory will surely be mine!” Guang Qi shared the same conviction. Click, click, click… The crystal giant slowly turned its head toward where Lin Jiu and Guang Qi were, seemingly trying to pinpoint their location. Once it identified them, there was no doubt they would be sent back into the maze, and all their previous efforts would be in vain. Both Lin Jiu and Guang Qi realized that if Su Che managed to break free from his wooden state, he would never fall for it again. For him, it was better to abandon the Xuan Formation than to let them escape and be trapped forever in the maze, unable to fight him head-on. Being trapped in a maze for eternity was worse than dying immediately—this was the outcome they feared the most. Let’s go all in! Whoosh! Whoosh! Unconsciously, Lin Jiu and Guang Qi simultaneously removed all their defenses and retracted all their immortal artifacts, relying solely on their fragile flesh to confront each other head-on! Only by doing this could they decide life and death with a single strike. If their defenses remained, the collision between their two impenetrable “turtle shells” would result in the same outcome: neither could defeat the other. At the same time, this move also reflected an unspoken trust between them.

A friendship spanning over a million years—so much understanding, so much unspoken understanding. There’s no need to say anything more about it all.
I will kill you!
But even if I die, I will bless you.
If possible, I will preserve a fragment of your soul. When the time is right in the future, I will ensure you are reborn and return to the human world…
Boom!
A sound of an extremely dull collision.
After the collision, Guangqi’s body remained intact, but Lin Jiu’s entire body was like porcelain, cracked with countless intersecting fissures, seemingly on the verge of completely collapsing at any moment.
Had Lin Jiu lost?
No!
On the contrary.
Guangqi smiled bitterly: “I never expected that I would really be refined by you… You still… deceived me.”
“I just had a bit more luck than you.”
Lin Jiu’s voice trembled, extremely hoarse, as if his vocal cords had also been shattered.
“Yes, luck…”
Guangqi closed his eyes, his last words being: “Good luck, little brother Lin…”
After that, his life force vanished completely.
But Lin Jiu didn’t have much time to express the complex emotions in his heart, because the Qianyuan Dual-Pole Mysterious Array could send him into an endless maze of illusions at any moment. He had to hurry and capture Su Che in his wooden state.
As long as he captured him, the Qianyuan Mysterious Array could no longer harm him, because the master of the array was now his hostage and could no longer harm its master.
Swish!
With a wave of his hand, Lin Jiu stored Guangqi’s corpse in his personal space. Keeping his promise, he would preserve Guangqi’s yet-unvanished soul, ensuring his chance to return to the human world in the future.
Without pause, he instantly crossed dozens of feet and landed at the feet of the crystal giant, grasping the thick wooden stake representing Su Che in his palm.
Sure enough, the crystal giant’s eyes flashed brightly, but it made no move to attack.
Of course, it itself had no offensive capabilities; it could only activate the array to send Lin Jiu into a maze or a killing array. But now that Su Che was in Lin Jiu’s hands, such a possibility no longer existed.
“I won!”
“I won!”
“In the end, it’s still me who won!”
“Brother Guangqi, I beat you!”
“Because I had more luck than you—this opportunity fell into my hands, and I captured it!”
The cracks on Lin Jiu’s face were slowly healing, and his declarations of victory grew louder and more intense.

But then, he heard a deep voice speaking in his ear—a voice that shouldn’t, and couldn’t, speak!
“On the contrary!”
Su Che’s voice echoed around him, making it impossible to determine his exact location. “It should be said that your luck is worse than his—far worse!”
“Tian Yu?”
Lin Jiu was shocked and panicked. The cracks on his face, which had just begun to heal, split open again, even worsening slightly.
Even though he was firmly holding onto that wooden stake, he instantly realized: It seems I’ve been tricked!