Chapter 311: Chapter 34 Sent?
"A picturesque landscape is also a sword, and the Green Mountain River blocks two powerful strikes, but there’s one that cleaves the sky, suddenly piercing through the clouds and mists of Qing Mountains, aiming directly at Jiang Li."
"Li Qinglian, having been thwarted by Jiang Li, naturally wouldn’t allow Jiang Li to have it too easy, and this powerful strike was reserved for Jiang Li."
"Hisss—"
"The wind was torn apart, the atmosphere cried in agony, and the Strength came slashing like a blade’s edge."
"Life in Desolate Places, Unbeatable."
"Jiang Li circulated his Innate Qi, conjuring layers of Star Dust. His True Qi morphed, advancing in yin and retreating in yang, firm then yielding. Strength assaulted him, layers of Star Dust like a net, continuously caving inward, bearing the force that could split mountains and fracture peaks. Even though shielded by the Star Dust, Jiang Li still felt the might of this power."
"Yet, it was ultimately blocked."
"Once the Star Dust reached its extreme indentation, it dispelled the sharpness and momentum; swirled around him and transformed the Strength. Jiang Li suddenly surged forward, flying towards the illusory image of the Green Mountain River."
"Zuo Zhao arrived."
"Reality is not turn-based; Zuo Zhao wouldn’t wait for Jiang Li and Li Qinglian to neutralize his attack before making his second move."
"As Jiang Li and Li Qinglian stopped the strike that split the sky, Zuo Zhao came like a bolt of lightning, crossing the final distance. He raised his right foot high in the air, causing wind and cloud to stir, and a great strength pressed down from the firmament—a transparent footprint formed, crushing the air."
"As Jiang Li surged forward, it was right when this strike was descending."
"Liezi rides the wind calmly, it’s good indeed. For ten days he moves, then returns. For those seeking blessings, this is hardly a frequent occasion. Even though spared from travel, there still awaits a need. For those who command the righteousness of Heaven and Earth and navigate the Six Qi, immersed in the boundless—where would they wait?"
"Jiang Li chanted leisurely, stirring up the heavenly wind, clouds billowing and churning with color."
"A boundless Qi Force filled the sky, Innate Qi shifting at his fingertips to their limits, yin and yang, wind and rain, dark and bright, the debate of the Six Qi became apparent in his palm, like a raging storm assaulting the heavens."
"Boom!"
"The overwhelming Qi struck the footprint, the winds and clouds undulated like tumultuous waves, and an unrivaled momentum surged, raising the waves of Spiritual Energy."
"This!"
"Zuo Zhao’s stern visage changed color at once, as he sensed that Jiang Li’s strike was evenly matched with his own."
"Heaven and Earth Qi!" he exclaimed."
"In this Cave Heaven Blessed Land, cultivators could use not only their own True Qi but also the Qi of Heaven and Earth."
"However, today’s cultivators had long since modified their Cultivation Techniques, all techniques and magic avoiding the draw of Heaven and Earth Qi, so that even though it was all around them, it was difficult to utilize at a moment’s notice."
"Only Jiang Li, practicing Qi Tomb, immediately absorbed and utilized the Heaven and Earth Qi upon contact."
"Spiritual Energy waves swept across the sky; momentarily, the heavens resembled a sea, constantly turbulent and restless."
"Jiang Li, as if struck by a heavy blow, was swiftly carried by the Qi wave, whereas Zuo Zhao forcibly withstood the aftermath."
"He hung in space, trampling the Qi waves, pursuing, but a Sword Light suddenly emerged."
"Taibai in his vast expanse, the stars above arrayed."
"The sword, like a shooting star, broke through the Qi waves, cold and peerless, streaking through the sky."
"Travel three hundred miles to heaven, far-removed from the world."
"Li Qinglian’s sword moved as it willed, Man and Sword Integration, similarly stirring the wind and clouds, drawing the waves of Spiritual Energy into his sword, his momentum like a great star slamming against Zuo Zhao—the Sword Light pierced through him like starlight."
"Boom!"
"A new surge filled the space, and Zuo Zhao, meeting another powerful strike, was finally repulsed, tumbling backward in mid-air."
"While Li Qinglian bent his Sword Light, turning towards the ginseng fruit tree."
"With a morning departure, Bai Di’s colorful clouds appear, a thousand li to Jiangling returned in a single day."
"He recited the verse, flying over the earth with elusive colorful clouds."
"At this rate, not to mention a thousand li in a day, even ten thousand li could be returned."
"Jiang Li’s gaze met with him momentarily, then he decisively dove towards the ground, the two of them almost simultaneously flying into that area and disappearing into the fluctuating haze."
...
...
"As far as the eye could see, the large tree grew more distant, the original yellow earth turning into clear and interwoven rivers, forming a dense water network. The moment he entered this area, the scene around Jiang Li transformed as if he had arrived at a land of rivers and lakes."
"He frowned slightly, riding the wind down to the water’s surface, feeling the ripples beneath his feet, and quietly said, ’It’s indeed Qimen Dunjia.’"
"As a practitioner of the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate, how could he not recognize the changes before him?"
"This was clearly the Dunjia Heaven and Earth, evolved after the complete mastery of the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate."
"The crisscrossing rivers before his eyes seemed real yet illusory, conjured of the spirit of water. If one were to sink into the river, they could thoroughly experience drowning."
"The surrounding space could also shift at any moment. Although one could clearly see the ginseng fruit tree at the far end, if they were to fly straight, they would never reach their destination."
"However, at the moment, the key seemed not to be Dunjia Heaven and Earth."
"The shadow of Tianxuan reflected in his right eye, he muttered thoughtfully in Jiang Li’s ear, ’Poetry and Sword, both extraordinary. This must be the ability of the Sixth Grade Unique Tao Fruit—Immortal Poet Li Bai. But this Dao Fruit already has an owner; it should not appear on anyone else.’"
"Who is its master?" Jiang Li asked.
"Naturally, it’s the Sect Master of the Daode Sect—Taibai True Monarch Li Xuan."
Tianxuan’s voice was grave, "Li Xuan was once unrestrained and unrivaled, his Dao Fruit is known to all his peers, I would never mistake it."
"Could it be that Li Qinglian is a split body of Taibai True Monarch?" Jiang Li speculated.
Having dealt with Heluo God before, he immediately thought of a possibility.
Moreover, Heluo God’s split body was three grades lower than the original body, and Li Qinglian was also three grades below Taibai True Monarch, which corresponded.
"It’s indeed possible," Tianxuan said, "Now that I think about it, Li Qinglian’s temperament does indeed resemble Li Xuan’s when he was young. Manipulating the Qi of Heaven and Earth is not something other sixth-ranks can easily do; only fourth or third-grade cultivators could reach such a high viewpoint in a short time to familiarize themselves with the spiritual mechanism and accomplish this."
"It seems that there are many peculiarities in this Cave Heaven Blessed Land, and Li Xuan himself might be involved."
The figure in Jiang Li’s right eye straightened its posture, gazing steadily forward, as if looking not just ahead but directly at Jiang Li, "Disciple, pay attention, next, I will use the Ethereal Illusion Realm to control your body from afar to lead you out of the Dunjia Heaven and Earth, do not resist."
While speaking, a faint unease lingered in Tianxuan’s heart as she had originally controlled Gongsun Qingyue with this method.
If Jiang Li were to discover something...
She was genuinely afraid that she might kill the disciple to silence him.
In fact, it was possible for Tianxuan to guide Jiang Li through here, but given the current circumstances, it would be too time-consuming to instruct Jiang Li to break the formation; it would be better for her to take action herself.
As she spoke, the figure in Jiang Li’s right eye was slowly growing larger, as if it was about to step out from the eye and into reality.
A wondrous feeling arose in Jiang Li’s heart, as if he now had two bodies: one was his own, and the other...
Was it his master’s?
He felt as if he had become two people, with a strange sense of discomfort.
Simultaneously, in the dream’s vast emptiness, the white fog began transforming, rivers appeared, forming a network of water, and the scenes evolved were identical to those in reality.
The dream and reality shared identical surroundings; the only differences were Tianxuan and Jiang Li, but Jiang Li felt as though he was both in reality and in the Illusion Realm, and while Tianxuan used the dream to control his body, Jiang Li could also feel Tianxuan’s body.
’Hmm...’
Jiang Li mused with a small jump.
’This fluttery shaking, I can’t feel the expected heaviness...’
’Sure enough, I can slightly control the master in the dream.’
The weight and fluctuation before his chest informed Jiang Li that this was indeed his master’s body.
After all, one still has to rely on the chest to identify the master.
"What are you doing?"
A spectral voice suddenly echoed in his mind, as if it came from beneath the Nine Netherworld, carrying an eerie chill.
It seemed... Jiang Li’s actions had exposed something.
"I was considering how master should break the formation."
Jiang Li suppressed the turbulence in his heart to avoid his body sweating coldly.
Now that Tianxuan was controlling his body, if he began sweating, Tianxuan would feel it too, and what might happen afterward, Jiang Li didn’t dare to imagine.
"Really?"
"Do you need something, master?" Jiang Li countered.
This counter-question seemed to dispel some of Tianxuan’s suspicions, she fell silent and began controlling Jiang Li’s movements.
Yet, Jiang Li felt as though an invisible gaze was constantly observing him, scrutinizing him, as if it could see into his heart.
’Could it be that master can also discern some of my emotions?’
Thinking of the sudden increase in his understanding of Tianxuan, Jiang Li felt as if his hairs were standing on end.
In this silent tension, Jiang Li’s body floated into motion, sidestepping several paces, entering an abruptly appearing ripple and reaching another part of the river region.
Yet the unchanged surrounding water seemed to tell him: his position was never altered.
Afterward, Jiang Li’s body sometimes rose into the air, sometimes flowed like water, sometimes flickered back and forth, roaming everywhere.
With the constant movement, Jiang Li passed through ripple after ripple, and finally, the surrounding water network began to change.
At the same time, Jiang Li could feel the Tianxuan in the dream reacting; her facial expression gradually tensed, marked by solemnity.
"Dunjia Heaven and Earth shouldn’t be this peaceful, just trapping without killing, this Array..."
Jiang Li’s body passed through another ripple and suddenly appeared above a lake.
"This Array has already been broken. The one who set up the Array..."
Tianxuan said with a grave tone.
Jiang Li also saw the scene before him at the same time.
It wasn’t that the river had suddenly turned into a lake, but rather a giant hand had been pressed onto the intertwined rivers, pushing down all the river sand, beaches, stones, and blockages in between, allowing the individual rivers to merge into a vast lake.
This Array was already broken; the Array Core had been flattened.
Which means, the first generation temple master of the Iron Pillar Temple—Ji Jiji, was probably dead.