Chapter 178: Chapter 175: Ride the Righteousness of Heaven and Earth
"Boom!"
Thunder roared, Thunderbolt Lightning tore through the Sword Gang, while Yang Ji was enveloped in thunderclaps, with bound Thunder Light intertwining in his Thunder Eye above, almost turning into Thunder Water.
"Hand over the Rain Master Token, and I will let you leave this place alive."
The voice of the Young Sect Leader of the Taiping Sect accompanied the booming sound, like the Thunder God descending to earth, and even a giant Dharma Manifestation faintly appeared behind him.
To protect the talisman, he was ready to use his trump card.
However, Jiang Li just held the talisman and chuckled, "The Young Sect Leader’s Killing Move must indeed be earth-shattering and ghost-weeping, beyond my capability to withstand. But, what if, while you use your Killing Move on me, Zhong Shen Xiu seizes the opportunity to strike at you with a Fourth-Grade Killing Move? What then?"
Yang Ji surely had more than one trump card up his sleeve, but deploying them all at once was impossible. Trump cards had to be played one at a time or else both body and Divine Soul would struggle to withstand the power, harming oneself before even affecting the enemy.
Moreover, even if a third-grade strong person was willing to grant a trump card, it couldn’t achieve third-grade power. Below Sixth Rank, a Cultivator could at most withstand a Fourth Grade Technique, and even third-grade people could only control their power to stay within the fourth grade.
Furthermore, Zhong ShenXiu also had a third-grade master.
Yang Ji’s already manifesting Killing Move suddenly froze, for he knew Zhong ShenXiu indeed could, and had the capability to, pull it off.
This moment of hesitation allowed Zhong ShenXiu to grasp the opportunity keenly: his blade struck through the air, seemingly a simple "Power Splitting Huashan," but whether it was the force, energy, or timing, everything was perfectly executed. It appeared as though it was he who slashed at Yang Ji, yet it seemed as if Yang Ji had voluntarily walked into the blade.
While the Sword Style seemed simple, it was profoundly intricate and deeply understood the subtleties of blade techniques.
The Confucianism’s Eighth Grade Dao Fruit is divided into the Six Arts. Now, it seemed that Zhong ShenXiu, when he was at Eighth Rank, must have incorporated the Numerical Dao Fruit. He controlled every bit of his own power so precisely, doubtlessly aided by the Dao Fruit Ability.
"Zhong ShenXiu, you!"
Yang Ji hadn’t expected Zhong ShenXiu to act so decisively and take advantage of the moment. Instantly, his eyes emitted electric snake-light, striking the blade edge, breaking the formless Sword Force, and his Thunder Eye above unleashed Thunder Seal, forcibly imprinting it all around.
Seeing this, Jiang Li stepped back, ready to flee.
But Zhong ShenXiu instead made a grabbing motion with his other hand as if holding a long sword, yet it seemed he grasped a Dragon and Snake. Blade Energy leaked from his fingers, entwined into a blade shape, energy, hand, and body resonating in that moment, like a dragon soaring to the sky, bursting with an extremely strong power.
"Whoosh—"
The blade edge howled. Suddenly, the Blade Energy shot out, transforming into a Flood Dragon with fully revealed scales and claws, flying towards Jiang Li.
As he struck at Yang Ji, Zhong ShenXiu also attacked Jiang Li, handling two opponents at once, fiercely overpowering.
This wasn’t the studying of Analects typical of a scholar; it clearly resembled learning "The Analects of Confucius."
"Since you’ve come, why rush to leave?"
Zhong ShenXiu spoke leisurely, his demeanor relaxed, his long sword diagonally slashing at the Thunder Seal, the Flood Dragon striking with enough force to counter two attacks, yet still seemingly not exerting his full strength, calm and composed.
"Staying after arriving, wouldn’t that make me an unwelcome guest?"
Jiang Li slightly smiled, his fingers reaching forward to grasp, Innate Qi flowing like water into a sphere, then, with a pushing motion turning claw into palm, collided with the Blade Energy Flood Dragon.
Three Points Return to the Primordial Qi!
The most primal Innate Qi, specializing in overpowering all sorts of flashy moves, although Zhong ShenXiu’s Blade Energy Flood Dragon was extremely mystical, seeming alive, it couldn’t overpower the quality of Innate Qi. The collision of Three Points Return to Primordial Qi with the Flood Dragon immediately collapsed it into countless blade-like gusts.
"Don’t leave!"
Yang Ji’s gaze was focused, and above his head, the Thunder Eye connected with the Calamity Cloud, intertwining electric snakes, ready to split with a strike of Heavenly Thunder.
At the same time, the middle-aged man in a yellow robe who was seen in the temple stepped forward and attacked, wielding a copper whip in his hand, sweeping it toward his target.
"Where is the Powerful Warrior?" Jiang Li immediately called out.
He had not forgotten his dear brother.
"Powerful Warrior is here."
Feng Manlou charged forward, his arms capable of running horses were swiftly raised in front of Jiang Li at a critical moment, blocking the copper whip.
He had plans for Jiang Li, so naturally, he could not let Jiang Li face danger. Thus, even though he knew Jiang Li was setting him up, he had no choice but to jump into the pit himself.
"Bang!"
The copper whip struck the arm, emitting a dull sound, and cracks appeared on the arm, like shattered pottery.
Feng Manlou grimaced, appearing to be in unbearable pain, but his arm muscles suddenly swelled and contracted, a brute force burst forth with the swing of his arm, forcing the Sixth Rank middle-aged man to retreat. Then, swinging his arms like hammers, he shattered the incoming fox tails, causing Xiao Jiuniang, in the distance, to also contort her face in pain.
Meanwhile, Jiang Li flipped onto Feng Manlou’s shoulder, a black snake-like whip slid out of his sleeve, suddenly transforming into a long sword in his hand, guided by the Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill, pointing towards the sky.
"Boom!"
Heavenly thunder guide my sword.
The thunder struck the sword, and the thunder from heaven and earth caused Jiang Li’s body to tremble; his sword-wielding palm turned blackened, but in the next instant, Innate Qi met the thunder, blending perfectly with the purest essence.
"Using the righteousness of heaven and earth, I command the distinction of the Six Qi."
Jiang Li, with the Dao Fruit Ability of "Unity", discerned the transformations of Essence Qi. Using Innate Qi, he borrowed the might of Heavenly Thunder, slashing down with his sword, causing the thunder to explode, turning into hundreds of electric arcs, striking down like claws toward the earth.
The power of Heavenly Thunder and the ability of Innate Qi combined, as fierce thunders plowed through the earth, engulfing both Yang Ji and Shen Xiu.
The thunderous brilliance reflected in their pupils, the life and death, destruction, and creation of thunder, the power of Heavenly Thunder matched with Innate Qi reached a level that even Shen Xiu could not ignore.
His eyes suddenly became vacant, showing an indifferent expression as if representing the lofty Heaven, supremely impartial, neither public nor private, considering all beings as mere straw dogs, his Observation Blade sweeping horizontally without strength, yet effortlessly slicing through the thunder.
"Heaven..." Jiang Li heard someone whisper amidst the thundering noise.
That voice came from right beneath his feet.
On the other side, Yang Ji formed hand seals, surrounded by a network of electricity, guiding thunder with thunder. The electric arcs striking the electric net intensely intertwined, producing dazzling blue-purple sparks, yet failing to harm Yang Ji inside.
As the Young Sect Leader of the Taiping Sect, Yang Ji’s cultivation in Thunder Technique was exceptional, and the Dao Fruit he wielded was predominantly geared toward Thunder Control; how could he be easily harmed by thunder.
Both men used different methods to obstruct the Thunder Strike, but the fierce thunder still roared across the land, leaving numerous scorched marks, deterring others from approaching.
And at the same time—
"Swoosh!"
Torrential rain poured, blurring everyone’s vision. Jiang Li and Feng Manlou seemed to disappear into the curtain of rain, their figures swiftly fading.
"No need to see us off, everyone."
A faint voice echoed in the rain, suddenly a gust of wind blew, making the voice even more ethereal, also making those two figures vanish without a trace.