Chapter 192: Chapter 189: Gaining Tao Brings Much Help
They were common folk.
These five individuals appeared to have cultivation, but in reality, they were just spectators who had come to watch the Praying for Rain ritual.
The onlooking crowd had hurriedly retreated at the onset of the great battle, trying their best to stay clear of the battlefield. There were numerous stampede incidents, and many suffered, but eventually, the area was mostly cleared. Unexpectedly, some people were still nearby.
Zhong Shenxiu felt particularly weak because they were all ordinary people without any trace of cultivation.
Killing these five individuals caused even Zhong Shenxiu’s mental state, usually calm, to unexpectedly become turbulent.
The Red Sword Light immediately intensified threefold, moving in a straight line like a meteor from beyond the heavens, striking the Observation Blade and dispersing its blade edge. Yang Ji, his body wrapped in Thunder Light, dashed forward. Chains of Thunder and Lightning, like silver chains, wrapped around Zhong Shenxiu’s left arm, violently tearing his sleeve and leaving his arm scorched.
Zhong Shenxiu’s True Qi naturally rebounded, resisting the thunder, but his fingers went numb from the Thunder Strike, causing the Flood Dragon Pearl he was holding to be shaken free.
"Zhong Shenxiu, who would have thought you would have a day like this!"
Yang Ji laughed heartily as he caught the Flood Dragon Pearl and summoned more Thunder Light.
"Zhong Shenxiu, does my Confusion Technique rise to the level of the refined and elegant?"
A small boat drifted by on the Fengquan River, with Xiao Jiuniang standing at the bow, her fox tail raised behind her like an umbrella, her vertical pupils carrying a teasing look as she said with a coy laugh, "Back then, you said my Confusion Technique was vulgar and gave me a sword cut. Now that you see this technique again, how do you feel?"
It was Jiuniang who had just controlled the civilians with her Confusion Technique, stimulating their blood Qi and making them charge into the battlefield like the dead in a slightly weaker tide, exchanging their lives for the emotional disturbance in Zhong Shenxiu’s heart, which led to the scene just witnessed.
"Who would have thought that Zhong Shenxiu, the most distinguished scholar of the Imperial College, merciless against his enemies, would have such a weakness, all because of a few mere ants exposing a flaw."
Jiuniang giggled provocatively with her words to disturb his mind.
Meanwhile, Yang Ji’s Thunder Eye opened wide, and square Thunder Seals struck from the sky.
Zhong Shenxiu’s face remained unemotional, even the emotional surge from just now seeming to have been smoothed out. The Observation Blade emitted a light like clear jade, transforming into a Blade Energy Dragon biting into the Thunder Seals.
The earlier disturbance had completely disappeared, and even now if Xiao Jiuniang again manipulated puppets with her Confusion Technique, Zhong Shenxiu would likely still strike them down without error. The earlier moment was unexpected, but once Zhong Shenxiu was prepared, he would undoubtedly have the resolve to swing his blade.
But another person did not have such a mental state.
Ming Yang trembled all over, his Sixth Grade Realm body breaking out in cold sweat as he muttered under his breath, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
He thought that the leaker might very well be himself, Ming Yang.
That time in Linsan Town, Zhong Shenxiu spoke of the Gentleman Dao Fruit needing to follow the way of the gentleman, ordered a pause in the pursuit to take care of the civilians. That was Zhong Shenxiu’s own enlightenment on the Dao Fruit, and he who spoke and also included the Gentleman Dao Fruit definitely matched the definition of a gentleman.
If this was taken into consideration, could one deceive Zhong Shenxiu using straightforward means?
Thus came the scene seen moments ago.
Upon thinking this, Ming Yang suddenly turned to look at Ji Chengye.
Such Dao Fruit enlightenment was not to be spoken to outsiders; Ming Yang had only mentioned it while talking with Ji Chengye, meaning if the leaker was him, Ming Yang, then Ji Chengye definitely could not be unrelated.
Then, he saw Ji Chengye standing calmly not far away, like an outsider, indifferently watching everything unfold.
While Jiang Zhihuan, the Prefectural Governor of Fufeng County, silently stood on the sidelines as a guard.
All the answers were in their silence.
"Why..." Ming Yang gritted his teeth and asked, "Why?"
Why leak the information? Why as a member of the Royal Family would he secretly assist the Taiping Sect? Why be so malicious?
All this was what Ming Yang wanted to ask.
Unfortunately, Ji Chengye won’t answer.
Not answering means everything is unrelated to him. Answering could bring trouble his way.
Given Ji Chengye’s caution, he naturally wouldn’t make such an error.
Zhong Shenxiu was injured and now could hardly free himself; Ming Yang, being a Confucian cultivator, had his mental state collapsed and could hardly be counted as combat power. The only ones left were four people from the Daode Sect and Hui Lun from Buddha Country.
"Oooh—"
The White Dragon let out a soft chant, Hui Lun put his hands together in prayer, and quickly yet seemingly slowly, moved in front of the people from Daode Sect. He smiled and said, "Amitabha, two respected Daoists, this humble monk wishes to experience the Mystic Sect’s techniques and hopes you would be generous with your teachings."
As he spoke, the invisible power of decay started to affect the four people from the Daode Sect, and the two disciples of Yuan Zhen immediately turned pale and lifeless.
Heavenly Beings Ability·Five Declines of Heavenly Beings.
If the strengths were similar, one might resist a bit. If there is a huge disparity, the Dao Fruit Ability would be a massive weapon, essentially unparalleled in mowing down enemies.
Zhang Daoyi and Yuan Zhen both shivered slightly and shouted, "Back away."
As they spoke, the two struck simultaneously with their palms, True Qi enveloping the two Daoists as they flew back. Following this, Zhang Daoyi waved his sleeve, sending an ancient sword flying from within, whereas Yuan Zhen used his sword finger to summon a pure white sword light in front of him.
The two raised their Qi, ready to strike. However, Hui Lun just gave a slight smile and chanted languidly, "The Three Realms as a wheel, the transient life like flowing water."
A Buddha Wheel slowly rose behind him; the myriad dust of the mortal world seemed to converge here instantaneously. As the wheel turned, the scene surrounding the three became dreamlike, and in a blink, they seemed to have entered another world.
If Taiping Sect’s plan succeeded, it would also be advantageous for Buddha Country.
"This is how the acquired path aids."
Yang Ji laughed heartily, preparing to utilize the Thunder Technique again.
Huqi Mountain helped him, Upper Pure Sect assisted him, people from the court secretly supported him, and now Buddha Country was aiding him too. None of these people were genuinely sincere, but they were indeed helping Taiping Sect.
This was the trend of power.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Rashamon Ghost King, dyed in dripping blood, stood in front of Jiang Li, blocking the way. A middle-aged man in a yellow robe obstructed Jiang Li’s retreat.
This man was indeed the follower of Taiping Sect whom he had encountered in the temple at Linsan Town, ranked at the Sixth Grade Realm, and...
"Hm?"
Jiang Li frowned.
He was now fully presenting the Divine Farmer’s appearance, his aura spreading and unexpectedly detecting a wave of bloodline fluctuation.
"Are you from the Jiang Clan?" Jiang Li looked at the middle-aged man in the yellow robe.
The bloodline fluctuation came from this person.
"Jiang Clan, Jiang Daoshan," the middle-aged man in the yellow robe slowly spoke, "I am the guard of the Third Young Master. I had joined Taiping Sect to act as an envoy for the Third Young Master to coordinate with Taiping Sect, but little did I expect that my last farewell to the Third Young Master would be the last."
"Jiang Li, as a person from Jiang’s branch family, you defied the main family, murdered the Third Young Master, do you understand what your crime should be?"
Jiang Zhuyun indeed had connections with Taiping Sect.
With the Qi Mechanism of two people locking onto him, Jiang Li glanced over at Ji Chengye and thought, ’Ji Chengye can’t attack me directly, nor can he openly help Taiping Sect. He can only remain neutral, which means, aside from that Daoist from Upper Pure Sect, these people here are all they can muster.’
’But I still have cards to play. In that case, things are simple.’
Jiang Li smirked crookedly and replied, "What main family young master? I merely eliminated a traitor named ’Ji Yunliu’."