Chapter 400: Chapter 118: Spring Autumn Sword
An almost infinite sword rain knocked Su Li to the ground, but even the Accumulated Corpse Qi from his master’s death could not erode this sword that rectified heaven and earth.
To kill against death, Golden Qi Killing, severing the will to die!
Su Li’s feet hit the ground, but the sword light still poured forth inexhaustibly. He could feel his body becoming stiff, life essence escaping from his wounds, yet it was not simply fading away, but disappearing as naturally as the seasons change.
Just like summer turning to autumn, vitality gradually weakened, transforming from flourishing to withering.
From life vanishing into nothingness, without a hint of death Qi appearing, so it vanished.
The sword light hit the ground like real Sharp Swords piercing the soil, instantly creating a forest of swords all around, and Su Li, at the center of this sword rain, was continuously wounded and completely suppressed. If not for his Star God body from the Ghost Gold Sheep, he might have already lost his life right there and then.
At this moment, a particularly dazzling sword light flew diagonally downwards, its sharpness surpassing that of the previous sword rain, causing Su Li’s eyes to widen and both his body’s instinct and his mind’s perception to simultaneously warn him of the impending crisis.
"Accumulated Corpse Qi, Heavenly Corpse Evil."
Su Li howled, with deathly evil emanating behind him to form a Star Map, conspicuously in the shape of a ram’s head with a long sword reaching for the heavens, dispersing an extreme malevolence and terror, invoking fear in both the Bull-headed being and Xiao Tian.
It was not only the Dao Fruit Divine Power of the Accumulated Corpse Qi but also mixed with some ability to evoke the fear in one’s heart.
Xiao Tian seemed to see himself being strangled to death by starlight chains at this very moment, his dog tongue hanging out long, barking in shock.
Bull-headed saw a blurry vision where he was captured and taken back to the Yin Law Department, then thrown alive into a huge frying pot.
As for Jiang Li, in his eyes, the Su Li below had turned into himself, currently bleeding profusely, his breath faint, a perfect image of a dying man.
It must be said that the master and his two subordinates had truly complementary natures, as the fears in their hearts were all visions of their own deaths, each more reluctant to die than the next.
However, faced with similar scenes, their reactions were completely different.
Seeing himself, Jiang Li’s murderous intent grew even stronger by threefold.
"Dare to block my path, even if it’s myself, I must die just the same."
Fear is one thing, but to think it could affect a heart with a Pure Yang Dao Heart, that was wishful thinking.
Jiang Li could indeed feel fear, but that did not mean he would be influenced by it. To let a vision of his own death cause his actual death, that would be the real joke.
The Sword Light slashed through the illusion, with a momentum like plowing fields and sweeping burrows, meeting the ram-headed Star Map, the cycle of the Four Seasons harnessed upon the sword tip, the sword like Golden Wind, cutting across the Star Map, and then slicing through Su Li’s body.
The Golden Qi erupted, the once dim ram-headed Star Map turned entirely golden, like a Star Cluster, all the Accumulated Corpse Qi completely solidified, even Su Li’s body turned golden like a golden statue.
All signs of life disappeared from him, he transformed from a living person to a lifeless object.
Behind Su Li, Jiang Li’s figure appeared, a sweep of his long sword, light Death Qi scattered on the ground, with sword light still embedded in the surrounding soil yet to dissipate.
In contrast, all the death Qi and grim evil aura dissipated from Su Li, the divine abilities brought by the Dao Fruit leaving that golden lifeless body.
"Hiss—"
Bull-headed and Xiao Tian jolted simultaneously, suddenly snapping awake.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
Bull-headed’s eyes spun, and with a loud shout, a pitch-black iron chain shot from his palm, entering Su Li’s body, and with a swift pull, a wisp of grey-white essence was yanked out by Bull-headed.
This was indeed the Residual Soul of Su Li, not yet completely dissipated.
As a Soul Hooker of the Yin Law Department, Bull-headed had quite a knack for dealing with souls, and bringing him along was not only to find Cui Jue but also with the intent to kill and preserve souls.
The chain retracted, Bull-headed grabbed that strand of Residual Soul and placed it into a rune-covered bag, then rushed over like lightning, kneeling on one knee and loudly proclaiming, "Congratulations, my lord, for slaying a fifth-rank, Your Divinity’s power shines brighter than the sun and moon, truly unprecedented."
His heart still unsettled, but he still soul-hooked at the first opportunity, Bull-headed steadied the trembling in his calves while presenting the soul collecting bag.
This series of actions made real bootlickers stare wide-eyed, their mouths agape involuntarily, their teeth flashing coldly.
Indeed, this Bull-headed must not be allowed to stay.
However, Jiang Li was not in the mood to watch the heart-wrenching intrigue between a Ghost and a dog; his gaze looked forward, the three facets swirling in his eyes, falling directly upon a large tree not far away whose branches and leaves had already turned withered yellow.
The swordsman in green stood on the branches of this tree, quietly watching, his eyes still seemingly holding the remnants of the scene just passed.
The sword that killed Su Li could be described as earth-shattering. This Anomaly could be seen within a hundred-mile radius; it was only natural for Li Qinglian to have noticed and rushed over. However, Zhong Wuqi did not come.
It seemed that this duel had already concluded.
"Excellent sword!"
Li Qinglian praised and asked, "What is the name of this sword?"
Jiang Li looked at him, the divination flickering uncertainly in his eyes, but his expression remained extremely calm as he lightly replied, "It was created borrowing the opportune moment of nature, coming into being today; it shall be called ’Spring Autumn.’"
From spring to autumn, precisely the transformation of the seasons. This name indeed matched the mood.
As Jiang Li spoke, the Golden Wind rose again, the desolate autumn wind carrying with it the decaying intent to kill.
Li Qinglian also became restless, unable to help pressing his hand against his sword, but the injuries he bore reminded him that he was far from his prime.
"What a pity..."
Li Qinglian shook his head in regret, reining in his surging desire for battle as he said, "The Devil God Sect agreed to attack Cui Jue on behalf of the Taiping Sect, and now that Cui Jue is dead, there is no need for you and me to be enemies."
"The Devil God Sect?" Jiang Li repeated these two words.
Shouldn’t it be the ’Devil Sect’?
"I have yet to report my name," Li Qinglian said with a light laugh. "Li Qinglian from the Desolate God Sect, at your service."
The Desolate God Sect...
Jiang Li held deep respect for the professional conduct of the sect, even embracing Li Qinglian.
Li Qinglian’s entry into the Devil God Sect was clearly a move to sever ties with the Daode Sect and conveniently find a power to take the blame for him. Jiang Li did not believe that the Great Venerable of the Devil God Sect was unaware of this. Yet he had accepted him.
He truly would take on any blame.
Upon considering this, Jiang Li’s gaze lowered to the black book he held in his hand. "I wonder if your esteemed sect has the business of taking on blame?"
Li Qinglian had already intended to leave, but at Jiang Li’s words, he stopped once more.
The experience of Taibai True Monarch’s incarnation was immense; with just a little contemplation, he understood what Jiang Li meant.
"How interesting, you wish to throw the blame for Cui Jue’s death onto me."
Li Qinglian laughed heartily, "Sure, once you’ve joined the Desolate God Sect, it’s embarrassing not to take on a few black marks. I’ll take the blame for Cui Jue’s death, and even say that the Book of Life and Death fell into my hands."
Li Qinglian spoke, glancing meaningfully at the pitch-black book in Jiang Li’s hand.
"So, what’s the price?" Jiang Li asked.
The other party was so readily agreeable, surely not just because he liked him. There must be an ulterior motive; it couldn’t possibly be that he valued the hero and thus, valued the peer.
Although Jiang Li felt he had done right by his Sect, his family, the Sacrificial Altar, his mentor and could be considered fully proficient in benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety—an exemplary hero—Li Qinglian likely did not see it the same way.
"The price... would be a fight with me."
Li Qinglian vanished into the forest, and while his figure disappeared, his laughter lingered. "The next time we meet, Li Qinglian shall test your ’Spring Autumn’ with the sword in my hand. I hope you won’t disappoint me."
As his voice faded, and the laughter receded, even Jiang Li had difficulty sensing Li Qinglian’s presence.
"Just one fight?" Jiang Li murmured to himself, a peculiar expression in his eyes. "That price is too light; perhaps you are not aware that I have another pot I’m ready to hand over to you."