Chapter 316: Chapter 39: Asking the Gentleman to Enter the Urn
From battling Yuan Zhen until now, almost two hours had passed, and Jiang Li was once again able to use his ultimate move.
But this ultimate move was also his last resort. And a last resort held power only when kept in hand; once used, no matter the outcome, its deterrent effect was lost.
If it succeeded, that would naturally be for the best; if it failed, then he would be plunging himself into the most powerless of situations.
That’s why the Fourth Prince could laugh at Jiang Li’s apparent desperation.
This move should not have been used here, not at this time—it was far from the right moment.
Being forced to resort to one’s last resort, wasn’t that a sign of desperation?
Jiang Li knew all this, but say a thousand words, speak ten thousand—once the ultimate move was released, there was no room for regret.
"Seven Killings and Army Breaking, Yang Ling strikes with cruelty."
The Seven Killings and Army Breaking stars rose together, radiating extreme murderous intent, and two slightly dimmer large stars ascended, bringing ominous and evil omens.
Qingyang and Ling Star, these were precisely Yang Ling.
These two stars were also Killing Stars; when they met with the two fierce stars Seven Killings and Army Breaking, the Evil Qi churned violently, representing the extreme of ill omens.
The surrounding light was entirely obscured by the stars of evil omen, four stars transformed into swords, and the pitch-black Sword Light pierced through space, the overwhelming Evil Qi causing the ginseng fruit tree to emit a vast and wild Qi, as though to ward off the killing force.
However, before these four swords, there was a misty cloud hue, vast and powerful, transforming into a realm.
"Nine Heavens Gathering Immortals, the Mysterious Cloud Realm."
The space around the tree seemed to suddenly expand, and in an instant, clouds were seen floating all around, with Immortal Qi lingering, as if it was the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm.
The moment Bu Yusheng played her trump card was when Jiang Li was swept into the Cave Heaven Blessed Land, and the timing was not far from when Jiang Li used "Taiyin Ju Zi."
Now that Jiang Li could barely use his ultimate move again, so could the opponent.
The space twisted, mists spread everywhere, just to see four swords piercing into the clouds, the killing intent racing, the pitch-black Sword Light like the origin of evil omen, tearing apart countless fragments.
The scenery changed before their eyes, one moment the cloud hue was ethereal, the next instant the cloud space was shattered, endless destruction twisted everyone’s perception, a sense of crisis made their consciousness selectively ignore the pervasive evil omen, and their vision was filled with vast darkness.
The Cloud Realm collapsed, dark Evil Qi broke through the suddenly emerging space, crisscrossing atop the tree, as the tree itself erupted in Dao Light at the same time, its grand Qi repelling in all directions, forcing everyone to leave the tree.
The Fourth Prince and Bu Yusheng only felt the shock of their Qi mechanisms shaking their internal organs, clashing with the Dao Light, they were sent flying backward like broken-winged birds, plummeting from midair.
Compared to Jiang Li, Bu Yusheng’s strength was still slightly inferior; Jiang Li was able to control some of the power of the ultimate move, while she, focused on defense, was still broken through, resulting in being shaken by the residual force.
However, this move was ultimately blocked.
Jiang Li was at the end of his tether.
The Fourth Prince truly felt an urge to laugh out loud with satisfaction; repeated targeting, yet always falling short at the last moment, but this time, he was finally about to remove this thorn in his side.
The stronger Jiang Li was, the more uneasiness the Fourth Prince felt. He had been troubled all this time; half because of the relentless pursuit by the Second Prince, and half because of Jiang Li.
Fortunately, at this moment, this thorn would finally be gone.
"Zuo Qing!" the Fourth Prince called out.
Zuo Zhao locked his eyes on Jiang Li, who had flown out from the other side, moving through the air like an unrestrained steed, his Sky-splitting Leg Power cutting through clouds and breaking wind, forming a massive silhouette like a huge pillar, striking across at Jiang Li.
"Roar—"
Jiang Li’s True Qi boiled over, and his figure turned in midair, transforming into a pure azure dragon.
Yinglong Transformation!
Innate Qi formed his shape on the outside, Three Flowers Gathering at the Top unifying the Three Elements, determining the dragon’s form. The Qi of Wood brought forth life, and the movement of wind was embraced within the body. Double Wings stirred the clouds.
"Ao!"
A giant Dragon Claw clutched thunder and lightning, the cooperating and restraining forces of two streams of Innate Qi produced a three-zhang-long Sword Light within the claw, drawing the Qi of Heaven and Earth.
The Divine Dragon soared, unifying with Heaven and Earth, carrying an overwhelming momentum and slamming its sword against the pillar-like silhouette.
"Boom!"
Thunder and lightning exploded, washing over the land. On the surface, harder than gold and iron, successive scorched marks were carved, creating fissures.
The Sword Light in the Divine Dragon’s right claw collapsed, and the wind and thunder swiftly moved across the sky; even half of its claws disappeared, clearly at a disadvantage.
But the leg silhouette was also shattered, sending Zuo Zhao forcefully retreating in midair.
Though consuming the Ginsengfruit was akin to the eight precepts, Jiang Li gradually felt the benefits the Ginsengfruit brought him. His body returned to the origin, purging the acquired Dirt Qi and growing closer to Heaven and Earth. In this Cave Heaven Blessed Land, free of the Five Vile Qi, Jiang Li achieved Unity of Heaven and Man in his Mental State.
The Unity of Heaven and Man in mentality and physically, doubled up, made Jiang Li as if he was making Heaven and Earth his limbs, invoking their tremendous momentum and great strength, forcefully driving Zuo Zhao back.
The Divine Dragon revolved majestically in the sky, moving dynamically, its head seen but not its tail, seizing the opportunity to soar past, preparing to escape.
However, just then, distracting thoughts resurfaced in Jiang Li’s mind, a malevolent Qi reached through the air, grasping the trajectory of the Divine Dragon’s escape, and a dark shadow materialized with a Dragon Claw, striking the dragon’s body.
"Nine Insect Technique, Sore Swelling Paralysis."
In the moment his palm struck, Jiang Li sensed his True Qi thrown into disarray as numerous tiny runes burrowed into the dragon’s body, squirming madly, with bumps appearing on the surface of the dragon’s body. Inside, black Qi surged, taking shapes resembling facial features as if they were tiny heads.
Sea of Consciousness surged with miscellaneous thoughts, consciousness roiled like boiling water, seeking to warp the five senses.
In terms of strangeness, this Cultivation Technique was the most Jiang Li had ever seen in his life.
The Ji Family’s "Form Tomb" was about sculpting the body with magic, refining the body with runes, by analyzing the bodies of God Demons and the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth, achieving the transformation of taking on various forms into the body, embodying many forms.
Generally speaking, the Cultivation Techniques derived from the "Form Tomb" were all about borrowing the greatness of the heaven, earth, and God Demons to transform oneself.
But the Fourth Prince’s Cultivation Technique did the opposite; it did not borrow from the grandeur of God Demons, but the minuteness of insects. It transformed into the nine worms of the human body through the Cultivation Technique. Once it struck the body, it would burrow in and devour one’s form, which could be described as extremely insidious.
Combined with the Three Corpses God Dao Fruit’s ability to erode the heart, it appeared even more vicious.
The Fourth Prince’s strike instantly caused the dragon form to show signs of decay. Nevertheless, Jiang Li managed to manipulate Qi with intent, making the Divine Dragon race through the sky and, seizing the chance, he dashed dozens of yards away, vanishing in the ripples that dispersed.
He entered the Dunjia Heaven and Earth.
"Thinking of escaping? Can you really escape?"
Dark Qi surged, and the Fourth Prince pursued relentlessly with tail in mouth.
Now that the ginseng fruit tree was erupting with Dao Light, it was difficult for others to approach, and there was no need to worry about anyone else sneaking away. The Fourth Prince immediately charged into the Dunjia Heaven and Earth, followed by Zuo Zhao.
...
...
It was like passing through a veil of water, the dragon form moved sinuously, entering the Qimen Inner Realm.
"Go left four steps and forward five, then right three steps and back one," Tianxuan’s voice urgently advised Jiang Li next to his ear.
Innate Qi dispersed from his body’s surface as if it were shedding a layer of skin, along with it the strands of peculiar dark Qi also detached.
Following Tianxuan’s instruction, Jiang Li swept leftward, taking four steps before advancing five steps forward, walked three steps to the right, then took one step back, colliding with a streak of blue light. The scene before his eyes changed from a black space to a lush forest.
Jiang Li hurried forward a few steps, pressing his hand against a large tree, panting softly. Meanwhile, he used his Dao Fruit Ability to examine the miscellaneous thoughts in his heart, his Heavenly Escape Sword Intent cutting each one down, returning to clarity.
The Luu Dongbin Dao Fruit he harbored was specifically potent against mental powers; any stray or foreign thought was laid bare in his Pure Yang Dao Heart and then slain by the Heavenly Escape Sword Intent.
Indeed, only those with a Pure Yang Dao Heart could ever hope to master the Heavenly Escape Sword Skill to great success.
However, even the strongest Daoist Heart could not make up for the difference in Realm; while Jiang Li could withstand the invasion of the Three Corpses God’s abilities, he could not withstand the Fourth Prince’s power.
While Jiang Li was eliminating his stray thoughts, a faint ripple appeared nearby, and the Fourth Prince along with Zuo Zhao emerged in succession.
They knew the method to enter and exit the Dunjia Heaven and Earth; unless this Dunjia Heaven and Earth came under someone else’s control, they couldn’t be stopped here.
Not to mention, Jiang Li had already been hit by one of the Fourth Prince’s moves; a malevolent aura clung to him like a shadow. In the current situation, Jiang Li had absolutely no time to erase it.
"I am at my wit’s end," said the Fourth Prince slowly, holding a yellowish-brown Big Seal in one hand and a faint black Qi emerging in the other.
The aura exuding from that Big Seal was extremely unsettling, a touch from Divine Sense alone gave a sense of spiritual bewilderment as had the Fourth Prince’s strike from before, which was so corrosive due to its infusion with the power of this seal.
After all, as a prince, even without overt power, it would be impossible not to possess some Magic Artifact or Dao Artifact.
As the Fourth Prince spoke, he remained vigilant, wary of any trick Jiang Li might have up his sleeve. He was quite cautious.
Jiang Li smoothed his Qi Mechanism and looked at the opponent, suddenly revealing a slight smile, "All my tricks laid bare, indeed they leave me without support, but they also leave my Divine Essence undisturbed, allowing me to unleash my full strength."
"At the end of my rope, I’ve also shed any hope of luck, allowing me to press forward without hesitation. How then, can it be said that I’m at my wit’s end?"
However, if that was enough to bridge the gap between Sixth Rank and Fifth Rank, there wouldn’t be so many talented youths who died at the hands of Fifth Rank.
The primary precaution for disciples of major powers when they travel is against Fifth Rank practitioners.
The Fourth Prince scoffed at Jiang Li’s words. After surveying his surroundings with Divine Sense, he prepared to make a move.
This time, he aimed to completely eliminate this thorn in his side, not even leaving Jiang Li the opportunity to serve as a medicinal supplement for Kunxu Immortal Palace.
"Of course, what’s most important is this place."
Jiang Li’s smile grew more pronounced, "Originally, I had planned to lure you outside the Daoist Temple, but it turns out we already have a ready-made place right here within this Dunjia Heaven and Earth."
Though it is a scene evolved from Dunjia, its essence is not illusory. It is transformed by the Five Elements Qi, just like this place, which is evolved from a vast amount of Qi of Wood.
Jiang Li had no ability to absorb this Primordial Qi into himself because he did not have control over the Array here.
Even if five Array Cores were destroyed, as long as the ginseng fruit tree remained, the Dunjia Formation would persist and it would be difficult to wrest control.
But Jiang Li had the ability to use them.
"Wood generates fire; by entering this place, you’ve entered an endless purgatory."
Jiang Li’s smile took on a menacing edge, and suddenly he exerted force with the palm resting on the trunk.
At wit’s end?
No, Jiang Li had made the Fourth Prince feel that he was at wit’s end.
If not for that, how could he have lured him into the trap?
Long-standing impressions led even someone as cautious as the Fourth Prince to overlook one detail—that killing a Fifth Rank does not necessarily require a killing technique.