The brothers, sensing Sister Shuye's desperate plight, activated the forbidden Reverse Art of Merging. All six clones merged into a single body—one being with overwhelming power. Though Little Life held the dominant consciousness, the others remained aware, able to see and hear everything, but unable to act—paralyzed within.
With their souls united, they reached the Split Soul Realm for a limited time. They knew the cost: once the hour passed, their cultivation would drop from peak to middle stage, or worse—they might suffer serious injuries to both body and soul.
Disguised using a transformation art, they appeared as a middle-aged man in his late 40s, with black hair and simple white robes. Without hesitation, they rushed into the battlefield.
The scene was grim.
Sister Shuye stood bloodied and barely upright, her breaths ragged. Her two clan masters were critically wounded, retreating in desperation. The last enemy left standing with power was Jin Sitin, a Fire Clan master, protected by a Diamond Rank treasure: the Cloak of Protection. This full-body robe channeled his Qi to shield him, capable of withstanding even a Split Soul-level strike. But the price was steep—it consumed Qi from those around him. His disciples, drained to near death, had nothing more to give. Only Jin Sitin remained conscious, barely.
Suddenly, the massive Cobra Snake roared and hurled molten lava toward them.
Little Life dashed forward, forming a radiant shield of light, intercepting the lava. The explosion rocked the ground, but Sister Shuye and her clan masters remained unharmed behind his glowing protection.
Shuye gasped, "Senior! Thank you for your intervention… I beg of you—please save my clan members. Let them escape."
Little Life looked at her calmly. "You want me to save them, and not you?"
Shuye lowered her gaze. "Senior, I am the Great Elder of the clan. They are inner and core disciples. It is only right that I protect them first."
From the sky, the Cobra Snake bellowed, its scales glowing. "Do you think I'm just here to watch?! I will not let anyone escape alive! You disturbed my meditative slumber!"
Little Life narrowed his eyes. "Cobra Snake, we're both at the Split Soul early stage. If we fight, both sides will suffer."
"Hmph!" the snake hissed. "Then step back. I will kill them."
A second barrage of boulder-sized lava rocks hurtled toward them. Little Life summoned another Light Shield, shielding everyone again.
He responded coolly, "Do you really want to fight me, Cobra Snake?" He flicked his wrist, unleashing seven Light Bombs. Each one capable of vaporizing a giant rock into dust.
The Cobra Snake retaliated with a Lava Beam, but couldn't evade all seven—two Light Bombs struck him squarely on the head and chest.
"AARRGH! You dare injure me?!" the Cobra Snake thundered in fury. "Do you have a death wish?"
Little Life's tone remained steady. "I didn't want to fight you. But if you're trying to kill her… I won't allow it."
Infuriated, the Cobra Snake shouted, "Fine! If you can withstand my ultimate attack, I'll let them leave safely."
Little Life raised a brow. "Who said I want to save everyone? I only care about her… and her clan."
The Cobra Snake grinned menacingly. "Then I can eat the others?"
Little Life shrugged. "Do what you want. I only protect her and her people."
Moved, Sister Shuye dropped to one knee. "Senior… I swear a Heaven Vow to never betray you. You saved my life. From this moment forward, I will remain loyal to you."
He nodded. "Very well. Gather your clan members. Go back down the mountain and wait for me at your camp."
She hesitated. "You… will come with us?"
"Yes. But not as a senior." He smiled faintly. "I will come… as your disciple."
Shuye blinked in disbelief. "My… disciple? You must be joking!"
"I'm not. I'll explain later." He waved her off. "Now go. You've taken your vow—rest well."
She bowed deeply, then hurried to help her people.
Now alone, Little Life turned toward the Cobra Snake. "Go ahead. Eat the rest or kill them. But… leave their treasures behind."
"You're too greedy!" the snake scoffed.
Jin Sitin, trembling, shouted, "You don't know who I am! I'm Jin Sitin of the Jin Family—an inner disciple of the Fire Clan! My grandfather is a Split Soul Middle Stage cultivator! My master is at Split Soul Peak Stage, close to achieving Perfect Soul Creation!"
Ignoring him, Little Life glanced at Shuye. "You know this man?"
Her expression darkened. "Yes. He's a disgrace. He tried to force me into becoming his concubine. When I refused, he threatened to kill my father."
Little Life frowned. "Your father should be a strong cultivator. How could he be threatened?"
Tears welled in her eyes. "My father was poisoned with three poisons: Paralysis Poison, Qi-Eroding Poison, and worst of all, Heart Parasite Poison. We've removed the first two, but the third is embedded in his heart. It keeps regenerating the others. He was at Split Soul Peak… but he's fallen to Law of Element Peak Stage. If we can't remove it, he'll either become mortal… or die a slow, painful death."
"A cruel fate," Little Life murmured. "Whoever planned that is truly wicked."
Shuye bowed again. "Thank you again, Senior… I will repay this debt."
She returned to her camp, while Jin Sitin groaned on the ground.
"Help me! I can reward you with treasures if you escort me back!" he begged.
Little Life scoffed. "Why should I help a stranger?"
"You bastard!" Jin Sitin screamed at Shuye. "You little bitch, shut your mouth or I'll kill you!"
The Cobra Snake slithered closer. "Noisy brat."
And with that, it swallowed Jin Sitin whole.
His Cloak of Protection, unable to be digested, was expelled as the snake turned back toward the forest.
Little Life stepped forward and picked up the shimmering treasure. At that moment, the Reverse Art ended. The brothers separated from the unified body. Their luck held—they avoided serious injury or cultivation drop.
The Cobra Snake paused and turned, blinking as seven figures now stood before him.
"You…" it murmured. "You weren't a single cultivator… You're clones."
Little Life nodded. "Why didn't you attack us now that we're vulnerable?"
The Cobra Snake chuckled. "Because I'm not stupid. Anyone who can merge clones without backlash has either trained together for a hundred years… or is part of something far more dangerous."
"It's true we're clones," Little Life admitted. "But you could have still taken a chance."
The snake grinned. "No thanks. With your bond and coordination, I wouldn't survive. And who knows where your main body is hiding? I've lived long enough to pick my battles wisely."
He slithered away. "Go where you belong, brat."
The brothers watched as the Cobra Snake disappeared into the wilderness, back to his meditative slumber.
Above them, the sky began to clear.
But war had only just begun.
[To Be Continued]