Chapter 1589: Oath Of Western Xiao (II) |
So he finally came!
Daoist Master Lìn raised an eyebrow slightly. Among everyone present, his expression was the calmest. Clearly aware of the grievances between the parties, he seemed content to sit back and watch the spectacle unfold. Jiao Zhongzi rode upon his black qi, his expression unreadable, yet a trace of anticipation gleamed in his eyes.
Only Murong Yan, short and stout as ever, looked completely different from before. The eagerness and amusement that had once filled his face had vanished without a trace. In their place rose a deep gloom, while his eyes stayed fixed upon the sky with undisguised suspicion.
Li Zhouwei… Li Zhouwei!
Murong Yan was no fool. He had his own backers within the Murong Family, and the danger he had faced by the riverbank had awakened him to reality. After numerous discussions and inquiries, he had gradually come to understand his true situation!
Now, at the sight of Li Zhouwei, countless suspicions surged through his mind.
Regardless of what each of them was thinking, Jiao Zhongzi was still intent on restraining Shilou Yingge, while Murong Yan wanted absolutely nothing to do with Li Zhouwei. Their mutual caution and interference created a brief stalemate, allowing the [Heaven-Venerating Gate] to descend unhindered.
Boom!
Divine abilities collided, stirring a terrifying spiritual energy storm. The Profound Foundation of the grotto heaven had long since failed, and the formation was weakening with every passing moment. At last, the jade platform swaying within the tempest could no longer endure and exploded into fragments!
Everyone present possessed formidable divine abilities. Murong Yan and Shilou Yingge were effectively working together, making it difficult to seize the treasure directly. It was far better to exploit their mutual restraint, release the contents hidden within, and snatch them amidst the chaos.
Sure enough, the white radiance shattered instantly, and six streaks of golden light shot outward at incredible speed!
"What a pity…"
A trace of regret flashed through Shilou Yingge's heart, but the divine ability in his hands did not slow in the slightest. His golden robes billowed as golden-red True Fire erupted around him.
"[Radiant Pheasant March][1]!"
The radiance of the shamanic spell art dispersed as True Fire coiled around one of the golden streaks and dragged it into his palm. Shilou Yingge narrowed his eyes. Resting in his hand was indeed a jade fragment etched with golden patterns, emitting a faint glow.
Only one-sixth…
There was little joy on his face. He already knew that obtaining any of the remaining items was impossible. Turning around, he stared at the golden-eyed youth not far away, who had likewise seized one of the golden streaks.
Their eyes met silently across the sky.
One golden streak and one crimson streak shot into the sky. Traveling at terrifying speed, they streaked across the horizon of the grotto heaven, leaving shrill sonic booms in their wake. Countless landscapes flashed by in an instant. At last, after crossing an interminable distance, both lights came to an abrupt halt!
Boom!
In an instant, golden-red True Fire swirled across the heavens, transforming the sky into a sea of flames. Golden-red True Fire surged forward, filling one’s entire field of vision. A jade-white hand emerged from within the flames, with four crimson swords engraved with profound patterns revolving above its palm. Their reflections shone within Li Zhouwei's golden eyes.
However, rising to meet them was the brilliant white edge of a halberd.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
[Da Sheng] swept through the air, its bright golden body and the illusory, pure-golden [Effect Attachment] mystic alternating in flashes. In a single instant, it collided with the four crimson profound-patterned swords over a hundred times, causing heavenly light and True Fire to explode together. The four swords immediately flew back into Shilou Yingge's sleeve.
He blurred like a phantom, his eyes cold as ice.
[Radiant Pheasant March]!
The divine ability was being driven to its limits. Hundreds of Radiant Pheasant phantoms formed from True Fire emerged from his body. Within the boundless sea of flames, they transformed into hundreds of Shilou Yingges. The eyes of every fiery phantom lit up simultaneously as they formed seals before their chests.
"[Garrison-Profound Light of Celebrated Peace]!"
There was not the slightest pause between divine ability and spell art. From this move alone, one could see the depth of Shilou Yingge's mastery over True Fire!
The radiance of a hundred streams of True Fire erupted forth. Under their brilliance, Radiant Fire was born and swept across the heavens. Yet Li Zhouwei merely flicked his wrist and tossed out a streak of green light.
The green light expanded as it flew, transforming into a square green cauldron. The patterns of a profound bird upon its surface suddenly blazed with light. A tremendous suction force erupted from within, drawing in all the incoming True Fire and sealing it tightly inside!
[Supplementary Court Verdant Profound Cauldron]!
Li Zhouwei hovered in the air, heavenly light blazing from head to toe. He remained completely unharmed amid the raging Radiant Fire. Then the [Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light] between his brows burst forth, slicing across the sky like a golden blade of light. It swept through the battlefield in a single arc, annihilating every phantom in its path.
Clang!
Radiant Fire surged violently, and the four crimson swords engraved with profound patterns suddenly appeared at his side. Shilou Yingge himself emerged directly from the Radiant Fire, taking form amidst the flames!
But those golden eyes showed no surprise. Li Zhouwei had already raised his hand, as though he had anticipated this from the very beginning. His fingers plunged into the flames and seized the hand Shilou Yingge had struck out with.
Cracking sounds rang out as his grip tightened. At the same time, the light at the center of his brows began to darken from within. The darkness spread until it occupied the entire circle, and the omen of a solar eclipse emerged!
Shilou Yingge's gaze remained sharp as a blade as he stared directly at Li Zhouwei. The True Fire surrounding him had long since transformed into Radiant Fire, and the crimson within his pupils suddenly expanded, revealing the vision of a colossal profound pillar snapping in two.
Boom!
The next instant, countless streams of black-and-gold [Imperial Divergence Light] erupted forth, engulfing the golden-robed man before him. The beams pierced through his chest and shins, detonating wave after wave of Radiant Fire light.
Li Zhouwei's eyes shifted slightly as doubt arose within him, Something's wrong…
He suddenly leaped upward. Multicolored radiance appeared across the horizon as heavenly light descended from above, manifesting into layer upon layer of heavenly gates crashing downward!
Bang!
The Shilou Yingge before him exploded with a thunderous blast. Pure True Fire swept outward, forcing the [Heaven-Venerating Gate] back several meters. Shockwaves rippled through the air as the four crimson profound-patterned swords shot forward once more. At the same time, Shilou Yingge himself emerged from above the heavenly gate.
His golden robes had transformed into a gold-and-crimson Daoist robe. His eyes shone a brilliant red, while a dark crimson halo floated behind his head. Endless True Fire surrounded him, twisting into intricate patterns throughout the sky. He resembled a deity born from True Fire itself!
Li Zhouwei stood amidst radiating heavenly light. The [Heaven-Venerating Gate] intercepted every stream of incoming True Fire. High above, the [Supplementary Court Verdant Profound Cauldron] brimmed with dharma light before releasing torrents of white qi that cascaded over his body like a mantle. His halberd was locked against the crimson profound-patterned swords, while countless reflections danced within his eyes.
Still [Radiant Pheasant March]… What an incredible divine ability!
Admiration aside, he keenly sensed the brief stuttering in his opponent's movements. The technique was indeed formidable, but escaping from the [Imperial Divergence Light] had not come without cost. Though Shilou Yingge appeared imposing, he had yet to fully recover his breath and circulation!
The golden light at the center of his brows grew ever brighter. Mysterious scale-like patterns spread across his face, gradually covering it completely. [Sovereign In Peril] had already been pushed to its absolute limit.
Clang!
The halberd suddenly broke through the blockade, scattering the four crimson swords. Ignoring the raging True Fire, it drove straight toward Shilou Yingge's heart!
What a domineering divine ability!
Shilou Yingge was operating [Radiant Pheasant March] at full power, supported by numerous enhancements. Its might was anything but ordinary. An average cultivator's dharma body would be left in agony upon contact. Even cultivators who had mastered Body Divine Ability could not simply ignore it so effortlessly!
Seeing that Li Zhouwei had identified his weakness and was pressing the attack, he brought two fingers together and thrust them forward. Instantly, waves of True Fire radiance poured down.
Shilou Yingge possessed superior Dao conduct and exceptional spirit artifacts. He had been free to devote himself entirely to cultivation for years, unlike Helian Wujiang, who had spent his life rushing about and managing affairs for his family. His strength was naturally on a higher level. More importantly, his understanding of Bright Yang far surpassed that of Helian Wujiang!
Helian Wujiang's golden light was purely a technique of confusion and immobilization, lacking any additional destructive force. Furthermore, it was rooted in baleful qi from a devil technique and was naturally countered by Li Zhouwei at every turn, rendering it nearly useless.
Shilou Yingge's True Fire radiance, however, was different. While it possessed the power to bewilder the senses, its true strength lay in the intertwining fusion of light and baleful force. The attack descended with precision and settled directly upon Li Zhouwei.
The radiance of [Sovereign In Peril] rose as expected, sweeping away the bewildering effects of the divine ability. Yet the divine ability was followed immediately by waves of light-infused baleful force. They drifted onto his body one after another, slowing his advance and gradually halting the momentum of his charge.
Li Zhouwei had already gained further insight into the mystics of [Sovereign In Peril] while competing for the Radiant Fire spirit treasure earlier. As a result, the current development came as no surprise to him. His halberd thrust forward with explosive speed. Even Shilou Yingge was startled by the sheer swiftness of the strike.
As he hurriedly recalled the crimson profound-patterned swords, he could not help sighing inwardly, I can't hold back any longer!
He parted his lips slightly. A blaze of bright light shone within his throat as the dharma light he had nurtured within his Juque acupoint for nearly a century erupted forth. It flashed rapidly through the air as overwhelming Supreme Yang radiance spread across the world, drowning out both True Fire and heavenly light.
[Supreme Yang Equilibrium Profound Light]!
Buzz…
Brilliant Supreme Yang radiance instantly enveloped the world. The terrifying might of the foremost radiance of the daytime heavens revealed itself without reservation. Blazing rays descended and slammed into Li Zhouwei with a metallic crash, sending him plunging into the clouds like a falling meteor!
Boom!
Vast Supreme Yang light surged upward from the ground, raising a brilliant white storm. The multicolored clouds were swept away along with the surrounding cloud cover, leaving behind a gigantic circular void in the sky.
Shilou Yingge's face had turned pale. He took two deep breaths before recovering somewhat from the tremendous mana expenditure, then looked down at the storm raging beneath the clouds.
No traces of Bright Yang remain… Still, [Sovereign In Peril] is incredibly resilient. That strike won't seriously injure him. I'll need at least one or two more.
The moment that thought settled in his mind, his vision suddenly blurred. It felt as though a spirit sword had plunged into his consciousness and begun viciously stirring it. Intense pain flooded his spiritual sense. He tried to open his eyes, but countless strands of golden light burrowed viciously into them, nearly forcing a cry of pain from his lips.
"This is bad!"
Shilou Yingge's heart lurched. Forcing his eyes wide open and channeling his divine ability into them, he finally managed to discern something amid the chaotic sea of golden light.
It was a pair of golden profound rings. The rings were no thicker than a finger and appeared utterly unremarkable at first glance. Yet they emitted a faint platinum radiance as they trembled continuously and shot toward him at incredible speed, rapidly growing larger in his vision.
A spirit treasure!
1. Previously known as Pheasant Li March.
