Chapter 286: Chapter 10: Determining Superiority and Deciding Life and Death
Sword Light crisscrossed past, and in an instant, Jiang Li’s figure showed signs of being cleaved, as if wounded by the Sword Light.
But in the next moment, accompanied by the burst of shattered Sword Qi, the image of being cleaved became more evident, only to realize it wasn’t that Jiang Li was injured, but that the Sword Light had been forcefully shattered by his body.
Atop Jiang Li’s head, the Three Flowers blossomed together, covered in golden light, embodying perfection without flaw. The lead, gold, and jade flowers were lifelike, nearly solidifying into substance. The Dragon Palm extended its claws, penetrated the Thunder Light, and suddenly enlarged by a third, seizing the Sword Qi in its grip.
"Bang!"
The unified Sword Qi was actually crushed in one grip, with fierce Qi Force spraying between the fingers and palms, sparking upon the keratin and Scale Armor in his grasp, yet only producing a sound akin to metal clashing against iron.
After advancing to the Sixth Rank, even though he hadn’t become familiar with his Dao Fruit Ability, Jiang Li’s power still experienced a considerable increase. The Innate Qi was always dominant in quality. Now, before reaching the Sixth Rank, within the same Realm, aside from Zhang Daoyi, there was possibly no one who could contend with Jiang Li in sheer power.
With one palm crushing the Sword Qi, Jiang Li advanced further with his steps.
The figure clad in a black robe, seeing the Sword Light could not harm its target, immediately initiated the sword formula. An invisible sword momentum was unleashed, a pure Sword Intent mingled with Perception, and stole away all sight and sound.
Suddenly, darkness enveloped the area, and one couldn’t see their own fingers before their eyes, nor could they hear anything.
Facing Jiang Li’s aggressive attack, Yuan Zhen could no longer afford to hide and used the Xiyi Sword Skill to disturb Jiang Li’s senses, while his own body swiftly retreated, like a shadow tracing across the sky.
But at that moment, fierce gales erupted, whirlwinds arose from all directions, forming a fierce and peerless tornado. Gusts of Wind Force, like rings or chains, tightly ensnared the retreating shadow.
Within the storm, Jiang Li reached out with an empty grasp, and the Mo Wu Sword transformed into countless shards, racing along with the Wind Force. The sharpness merged with the wind, forging the Natural Sword, the Wind and Rain Sword, piercing towards the figure entangled by the Wind Force.
"Wait!"
A clear shout echoed from afar, one instant in the distance, the next almost upon them.
Zhang Daoyi strode forward, his True Qi surging like dragon roars and tiger howls—the dragon symbolizing yang and the tiger yin. With yang leading yin, a great black wind arose, surging grandly towards the tornado storm.
If these two winds met, the Evil Qi formed by the Five Vile Qi would have enough power to break Jiang Li’s Wind Force lock, giving Yuan Zhen a chance to break free.
Even though Yuan Zhen disguised his figure with a black robe, Zhang Daoyi’s prior suspicion, combined with the exceedingly coincidental timing, led him to immediately recognize the shadow as Yuan Zhen and come to his aid after sensing the intense Qi Mechanism collision.
"Bang!"
As the two winds clashed, faced with the Five Vile Qi, the tornado was almost powerless to resist being dissolved, and Sword Light flared suddenly upon the shadow. It transformed into a sword, bearing an invincible momentum, launching towards the Wind and Rain Sword.
"Hiss—"
With a sound like tearing silk, the air was ripped apart, creating a True Void where the swords collided. The agitated Sword Qi and Wind Force shot in all directions, slashing the surrounding buildings to the verge of collapse, and all the flowers, grass, and trees withered away.
Zhang Daoyi, arriving on the scene, felt a slight relief in his heart, because that one sword strike had, after all, been blocked.
But in the next instant, Jiang Li burst through the aftermath like a Demon God of this world, crossed the True Void, and with the pose of a dragon soaring in the sky, hammered his gigantic Dragon Claw on the shadow’s body.
"Boom!"
A thunderous bolt sounded in the sky, the shadow was hurled away, entwined with black electric light, clearly struck by Yin Thunder that specialized in harming the vitality of life.
He was thrown ten zhang away, his feet touching the ground, carving long grooves in the stone floor, held in place by Zhang Daoyi’s outstretched palm.
"Master Yuan Zhen..."
Zhang Daoyi felt liquid-like motion under his palm—as if Yuan Zhen’s body was continuously squirming, Sword Qi and Yin Thunder colliding. He immediately cried out in shock, but before he could finish, the body before him collapsed downward, dispersing into tiny mercury beads, and the black robe fell to the ground.
"This is... Incarnation Golden Core!"
Zhang Daoyi then realized that this shadow was not Yuan Zhen’s true body but an incarnation he had condensed out of his Incarnation Golden Core.
The real Yuan Zhen, after unleashing the fourth-rank killing move, had escaped, leaving behind only an incarnation to observe the scene.
And on the other side, Jiang Li landed slowly, the countless shards pulled by the Qi Mechanism, reassembling in front of him into a long sword.
He clasped the Mo Wu Sword around his waist, the sword tip pointing to the ground, his imposing presence unabated as if ready to fight again.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang!"
Zhang Daoyi hurriedly said, "This incident was indeed the fault of someone from our sect. If there is blame to be taken, our sect is willing to bear it fully."
"Bear it?" Jiang Li shook his head indifferently, "I don’t want Daode Sect’s offerings. I only want his life."
As soon as these words came out, Zhang Daoyi’s expression tensed, and the True Qi within him accelerated, ready to burst forth.
If Jiang Li truly insisted on taking a life, then as a fellow sect member, Zhang Daoyi certainly could not stand by idly. This matter wasn’t about right or wrong but about stance.
Even if Yuan Zhen was at fault, the Daode Sect would punish him themselves. Whether it came to killing or flaying, it would be the sect’s own doing, not allowing others to intervene. This was an expression of a sect’s cohesion.
Moreover, Yuan Zhen’s interference in Jiang Li’s advancement was also for Zhang Daoyi’s sake. Even though Zhang Daoyi was unaware of this action and did not agree with it, he owed it to Yuan Zhen to acknowledge this sentiment.
Sect members supporting each other was the very foundation of a sect.
Jiang Li was well aware of the situation; after all, he was a member of a sect.
"Fellow Daoist Zhang, do you intend to stop me?"
Jiang Li noticed the fluctuations in Zhang Daoyi’s Qi Mechanism and saw it all, but he didn’t rush to make a move. Instead, he spoke in an indifferent tone, "Actually, there’s no need for you to stop me. In terms of power, even if I were to advance, I wouldn’t be able to kill forcefully. Both of you have life-saving measures, and even if I were willing to suffer injuries to execute my killing moves repeatedly in a short period, it would hardly affect you."
"Moreover, people like Temple Master Tong Yuanzi, the Fourth Prince, Meng Xiwu, and others would seek to mediate."
"When it comes to interests, if I were to forcibly take action and kill Yuan Zhen, it would doubtlessly make an enemy of Daode Sect, which would be greatly detrimental to the current situation. Hence, I will not kill forcefully."
While Jiang Li spoke, Tong Yuanzi shook his Palm-Leaf Fan somewhat awkwardly, his hands also pressing down the two small heads that peeked out behind him.
As the host, Tong Yuanzi had the responsibility to protect his guests. Although Yuan Zhen previously launched a killing move brazenly, as the head of the Iron Pillar Temple, he still needed to avoid trouble at his own place.
As for the Fourth Prince, who soon arrived with his guards, it went without saying that he would certainly also want to prevent any conflicts.
Jiang Li looked around, taking everyone in with his eyes, and then declared in a loud voice, "Yuan Zhen, by hindering my advancement, you’re endangering my life; this feud is irresolveable. For Daode Sect to have a disciple like you is a disgrace to the sect’s name. Today, I, Jiang Li, formally challenge you to a duel to the death."
"If you win, my Dao Fruit will belong to you, and you can take back the Incarnation Golden Core that you previously lost to me, thus burying your secret for good."
"If you lose, I won’t ask for more, just your life. Do you dare to accept?"
His voice carried the decisiveness of slaughter, like the ringing of a sword, and a cold and resolute will spread with his words. The spring-like climate seemed to take a sharp turn straight downward, as if returning to the bleakness of autumn.
Jiang Li did not forcefully make a move but, righteous in his demand for advancement, formally declared war.
If Yuan Zhen did not respond, his secret would be exposed, and Daode Sect’s reputation would suffer greatly. And as a Sword Cultivator—
In such a situation, to not dare to accept the challenge would indicate that he already harbored the expectation of defeat within him, that he did not dare to fight. In his Mental State, a harsh imprint would be left, an indelible flaw.
Jiang Li was of equal cultivation Realm to him, even younger in age, and there was the reputation of the sect as well as his own fame...
All these considerations meant that if he did not accept the challenge, all the implications that came with it would create the greatest impact on his psyche.
Yuan Zhen was undoubtedly a qualified Sword Cultivator and a qualified disciple of Daode Sect. As soon as Jiang Li’s first sentence was uttered, a sword momentum emerged around Yuan Zhen. By the time Jiang Li had finished speaking, Yuan Zhen’s figure had already quietly appeared not far away, just outside the range of the residual waves.
"This battle, I, as Daoist, accept."
He stared at Jiang Li with focused eyes, displaying resolve and decisiveness, accepting the challenge.
"Very well," Jiang Li nodded in approval, "The time shall be on the first day of the ninth lunar month. I’ll give you time to heal, allowing you to recover to your prime. The location shall be at your choosing."
Yuan Zhen’s Incarnation had been destroyed, and he himself had sustained no minor injuries. Jiang Li’s conditions were quite fair.
"Dragon Abyss Lake, the Shooting Flood Dragon Platform," Yuan Zhen replied without hesitation.
He did not choose terrain that was advantageous to him, nor did he shamelessly propose a settlement at Daode Sect but chose the most suitable nearby Shooting Flood Dragon Platform.
This was because Yuan Zhen’s heart would not allow him to respond weakly, and also because, given their respective sect backgrounds, if both parties were to battle, it would only be a fair fight.
"First day of the ninth lunar month, the Shooting Flood Dragon Platform."
Jiang Li repeated the time and location in a calm tone, his gaze deep like dual abysses, exuding a profundity that seemed to swallow everything, "To distinguish the superior from the inferior, as well as to decide life and death."
"Agreed."
Yuan Zhen nodded, "To distinguish the superior from the inferior, as well as to decide life and death."
His face, too, bore an expression of resoluteness, his mind clearly set.
Jiang Li’s challenge, he could not refuse, nor did he wish to.
If it were an assassination behind the scenes, then he would resort to unscrupulous methods, but facing an open challenge like this, Yuan Zhen would absolutely not shrink back.
Thus, the battle was set.
"Master Yuan Zhen..." Zhang Daoyi opened his mouth as if he wanted to persuade him, then slowly held back his words.
He couldn’t offer persuasion.
"To distinguish the superior from the inferior, to decide life and death..." the Fourth Prince’s eyes lowered, his thoughts inscrutable.
As for Meng Xiwu, he observed the surroundings quietly, seemingly planning something.
Without a doubt, the battle between Jiang Li and Yuan Zhen would cause the undercurrents of Divine Capital to churn even more violently and also bring great subsequent impacts.
Even if it was a fair and square challenge, if it resulted in injury or death, the Dinghu Sect and Daode Sect would inevitably bear grudges against each other, which would also be quite unfavorable for Jiang Li.
But since the enmity was already formed, it was natural to kill if possible. And considering the current conduct of Daode Sect, it was inevitable that there would be confrontations with Dinghu Sect in the future.
After decades in a dream, Jiang Li understood his own heart, and his actions were increasingly aligned with his intentions.