Chapter 221: On The Five Hearts Bridge
After mutually applying the Six Desires Talisman, the two squeezed in the coffin had their tense nerves greatly relaxed.
No longer as highly vigilant as before.
As long as the Six Desires Talisman did not activate, it had no effect on the body or mental state. As for what would happen in the future or whether they could smoothly resolve each other’s talismans, they could not think that far ahead right now.
Young Lady Yang muttered with a self-mocking tone, “Life’s encounters are truly wondrous. One year ago, I never imagined that the Spring Gushing Realm novice boy being pursued and killed by Sui Sect forces outside Jiu Li City would today lie in a coffin with me, leaving me helpless, forced to let him plant the Six Desires Talisman on my body.”
Her tone naturally carried unwillingness and humiliation, as well as astonishment at Li Weiyi’s achievements today.
One year ago at that time and place, she had considered herself able to stand in the clouds looking down on him like an ant, like a soldier at her arbitrary disposal.
“Young Lady Yang, stop lamenting spring and grieving autumn as if you’ve suffered a great loss. Move your face a bit; your shoulder is pressing on me and making it numb! How much combat power do you have left now? What level of strength are you exactly? I think in this situation, it’s best for us to be completely open with each other and stop concealing strength.”
Li Weiyi had once heard Zuo Qiu Ting say that between Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan, one of them still had concealing strength.
He had originally thought Zuo Qiu Ting meant Yang Qingchan’s Tai Xuan Flying Swordsmanship.
Now it seemed that the one concealing strength was Yang Qingxi.
Otherwise, she absolutely could not have escaped from the masters of the Far West Ash Region.
The coffin was very narrow; no matter how they lay, their bodies were squeezed together. This kind of close and intense physical contact was something neither had experienced on any opposite sex before.
Like dancing with a venomous snake, tense and thrilling, but no matter how soft or smooth, there would be no stray thoughts.
Because being bitten by the venomous snake would kill.
Yang Qingxi did not move her cheek, lying there like a dead snake draped over a tree, regulating her breathing and healing: “Hua Yuzi is very strong; his magic energy has invaded my veins, very difficult to refine in a short time. Currently, if fighting desperately at all costs, within five moves, I can erupt with ordinary successor level combat power. Within twenty moves, I won’t lose to Yang Qingchan. After twenty moves, I might die violently…”
“Hundred Veins All Silver?” Li Weiyi said.
Yang Qingxi casually let out a soft hum.
Li Weiyi was secretly shocked and glad for the cramped space inside the coffin, which greatly discounted the effect of her abundant magic energy. The two were more competing in physical body power and reaction speed; otherwise, earlier he really might not have been able to fight her to a draw.
The coffin was not dark, illuminated by the spiritual light at his brow.
Suddenly, Yang Qingxi’s phoenix eyes widened: “A total of three carriages! We’re in the middle one, one zhang and seven chi from the front carriage, two zhang from the rear carriage; definitely all within the attack range of the formation. Clearly, earlier at the Sui Sect outpost, we didn’t have time to trigger the attack formation, but turned misfortune into fortune. At this moment, they would never dream that this coffin in the carriage, which they violently attacked dozens of times, actually contains a terrifying killing formation.”
Li Weiyi nodded lightly: “Thinking from their perspective, if the coffin harbored dangerous power, with your emotional state at the Sui Sect outpost at the time, you definitely would have triggered it immediately. Since it didn’t erupt with dangerous power then, obviously there was no danger. You’re right; it really is turning misfortune into fortune, creating an excellent opportunity to kill Hua Yuzi.”
Yang Qingxi said, “Hua Yuzi definitely isn’t on this middle carriage with the coffin; two zhang apart, the attack formation might not be able to kill him. How about I pretend to surrender and lure him over first?”
“No, that would backfire.”
Li Weiyi said, “Earlier, the coffin was attacked for so long; the people outside might already think they’ve shaken you to death inside. If you speak now, it would undoubtedly tell them this coffin holds something extraordinary, arousing suspicion.”
“Right now we need to consider two things. First, is Hua Yuzi in the front carriage or the rear?”
“Because once the attack formation activates, we must immediately exit the coffin. Against such a master, we even have to seize every blink of an eye; only by catching him off guard and striking fast against strong can we have a chance to kill him.”
“Absolutely cannot exit the coffin and then waste time judging whether he’s in the front or rear carriage.”
Yang Qingxi’s face finally moved away from Li Weiyi’s shoulder.
Her ear pressed tightly to the coffin wall.
The sound of water flow rose in the coffin, but her Long River Intent was invisible; she was using some supernatural auditory method.
Listening to the outside through the coffin and formation.
“Judging by breathing sounds and patterns, the two on our carriage are not martial cultivators; they should be the two Calamity Fire Realm great mind masters from San Chen Palace.”
“The three from the Far West Ash Region, I met for the first time today, so I’m unclear on their breathing patterns. But the left and right attendants are ash spirits, different from normal living beings; their breathing is easy to recognize.”
“Chen Wenwu, I’m very familiar with him; he’s in the rear carriage. That long drawn-out breathing with him in the carriage is ten to one Hua Yuzi.”
Li Weiyi said, “Then we only need to consider the second thing. If the attack formation doesn’t injure Hua Yuzi, what then?”
Yang Qingxi fell silent.
After all, the attack formation on this coffin was one-time use, never activated by anyone before; they could only roughly judge its power. Whether it could cross two zhang to injure a master of Hua Yuzi’s level was unknown.
Li Weiyi said, “I’ll make the decision! If it doesn’t injure Hua Yuzi, after exiting the coffin, we immediately use Water Escape to flee; no shred of unrealistic hope.”
“If it injures him, then our first move after exiting the coffin is the best chance to kill him. If he withstands the first move, he’ll have a chance to release battle intent and Hundred Character Scripture Magic Tool, greatly increasing the difficulty.”
“At most five moves; if unable to kill the enemy effectively in five moves, we must retreat, no lingering in battle.”
Yang Qingxi felt strong killing intent from Li Weiyi on her body, quite surprised: “I have reason to fight desperately. You seem obsessed with killing Hua Yuzi too…”
In Li Weiyi’s mind appeared the miserable states of Yin Ten, Yin Fifteen, and Yin Sixteen: “I just want to send a big gift to Luan Sheng Lin You. Lest after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, when he returns to the Far West Ash Region, I have to travel ten thousand li to find him.”
This kid…
Is quite a ruthless character.
…
As Yang Qingxi had foreseen, the three carriages from the Far West Ash Region traveled along Jade Li Main Street.
Night had fallen, with foul weather.
On the ten-zhang-wide street, snow accumulated three chi thick; cold winds howled fiercely, no pedestrians in sight.
The three carriages broke through the snow, not slow.
On the middle carriage, a young female great mind master was driving, while the other male great mind master guarded inside.
The blood mud coffin inside the carriage was bound circle after circle with magic tool chains, and suppressed with a formation, to prevent Yang Qingxi from suddenly escaping if not dead.
“Don’t be so tense! After Young Lady Yang escaped inside, she suffered successive heavy blows; even an iron man would be shattered inside.” The driving great mind master chuckled lightly.
A colorful bee hummingbird flew into the rear carriage, landing on Hua Yuzi’s shoulder, emitting strange bird calls.
As Hua Yuzi, who possessed the bloodline of the ancient immortal giant beast Six-Colored Peacock, could understand bird speech.
“Tang Wan Qiu still couldn’t hold back; mastering the Jiu Li Clan’s card made him too arrogant, actually directly attacking Ge Xian Tong.” Hua Yuzi laughed.
Chen Wenwu asked, “Cang Li, Li Jiufu, Li Ling—all have considerable combat power, plus a group of successor strong practitioners from Snow Sword Tang Court; Ge Xian Tong is done for too?”
“The battle on New Year’s Eve has fully shown that the struggle for the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival can’t be broken through by pure martial force.” Hua Yuzi said.
Chen Wenwu said, “Snow Sword Tang Court failed?”
The mask on Hua Yuzi’s face was liquid, always flowing and changing shapes, laughing: “Tang Wan Qiu underestimated Ge Xian Tong too much; not only did the scheme fail and grasp at air, but was also raided at home by Ge Xian Tong, suffering heavy losses—reportedly many Dragon Seed Vouchers and Dragon Bone Tickets were snatched.”
Chen Wenwu naturally smiled along: “Ge Xian Tong can act so freely without worries because Jiang Ning is stationed at the Governor’s Mansion, guarding the Longevity Pill Vouchers and steadying the Imperial Court base. Like Lord Hua to the Young Esteemed One, one attacks and one defends, dividing the battle into two places. The other masters all lack Lord Hua’s supernatural ability to stand alone.”
“In contrast, that Tang Wan Qiu lacks such a top Number Two figure, hence today’s defeat.”
Hua Yuzi pushed open the carriage door; cold wind howled in.
Ahead, the lights atop the stone fish heads on the Five Heart Bridge had appeared in view.
The Five Heart Bridge was a stone bridge wide enough for two carriages abreast, twenty zhang long. On the railings on both sides of the stone bridge were carved thirty-four stone beasts, with square jade stone lamp covers atop their heads.
From afar, the bridge above and below was all bright yellow lights, reflections creating an interesting sight.
Hua Yuzi said, “After crossing this bridge, we enter Western City; then use the heavy artifact to break the coffin. No matter what, Yang Qingxi’s Dragon Seed Voucher must be seized.”
“One Dragon Seed is enough to cultivate a top Dao Seed Realm master in a short time. Its value can’t be measured by money; where else to find it besides the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival?” Chen Wenwu said.
Longevity Realm tycoons—San Chen Palace had only three in total.
Many Million-Strong Clans even had only one Longevity Realm tycoon.
With a Dragon Seed, there was a chance to grow into a strong practitioner second only to the three old ancestors within a few years. Who wouldn’t go mad for such a treasure?
“Clang clang!”
All three carriages had driven onto the Five Heart Bridge.
Without any warning.
From the middle carriage erupted a circle of dazzling white profound light.
“Whoosh!”
In an instant, the formation’s power shattered the magic tool chains on the coffin, tore apart the formation set by the two great mind masters of San Chen Palace…
Second circle, third circle…
The white profound light spread out like water waves, layer upon layer.
“Whoosh! Whoosh…”
Nine layers overlapped in an instant; the formation’s profound light power reached its peak, silently shattering the centralmost carriage into powder. The two great mind masters, closest, couldn’t react in time, turned into flesh and bone frames, flew out, plummeting toward the Li Shui River below the bridge.
The front and rear carriages two zhang away were instantly flipped, torn into four pieces.
The left and right attendants in the front carriage had no time to react before being severely wounded by the profound light; their human skin melted, revealing ash spirit true forms, sparks flying everywhere, crashing toward the other end of the bridge.
Fortunately, they carried protective treasures, preserving their lives.
Hua Yuzi, ever vigilant, at the moment the profound light spread, mobilized magic energy to activate the magic tool talisman robe on his body.
But only a few runes had emerged on the clothes when the profound light fell on him.
“Puff!”
Like struck by a heavy fist, his internal magic energy immediately scattered chaotically, organs in agony, throat sweet with blood; he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Chen Wenwu reacted a fraction slower than Hua Yuzi, but the Chen family excelled at refining defensive implements, and for him, the most outstanding leader of the young generation, naturally spared no heavy defensive power to protect.
Of his four layers of defense, one activated passively.
He was actually injured the lightest!
The flying backwards Hua Yuzi and Chen Wenwu had yet to land when the blood mud coffin suddenly burst open.
“Splash!”
A swift water flow sound rang out.
A silver long river rushed from the coffin, radiant and brilliant, illuminating both banks of the great river. Yang Qingxi stood atop the long river, phoenix eyes sharp, holding Yang Qingchan’s Tai Xuan Needle, slashing a sword through the long sky straight toward Hua Yuzi.
This was the true form of “Long River Intent,” not scattered streams.
Almost simultaneously, with a bang, Li Weiyi slapped the coffin lid flying toward Hua Yuzi. Then he leaped from the coffin, stepping Qing Xu Cicada Escape Step, closely following behind the coffin lid, charging on the ground; he deliberately roared loudly, “Kill Chen Wenwu first!”
