Chapter 305: Spirit Spine Mountain Summit
No one had expected that Wang Shu, after being silent for three days, would actually break through to the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven at this moment.
His cultivation had advanced a major step.
A Heavenly Prodigy of Successor Level, in the Dao Seed Realm Third Heaven, would find it very difficult to defeat a Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven Martial Cultivator in reverse. Whether or not they had condensed a Dao Lotus made a huge difference.
However, once a Successor also condensed a Dao Lotus, their combat power would directly place them among the top experts in the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven. As their cultivation continued to improve, they could even reverse-defeat Fifth Heaven Martial Cultivators in the future.
Just as all the spectators felt that Yang Qingxi would have her Dao Heart External Manifestation shattered by Wang Shu and be directly suppressed.
“Crash!”
Dense black mist billowed out from Yang Qingxi’s body, releasing bone-chilling ice energy.
A majestic Yin Ghost Commander manifested in the black mist, clad in armor and wielding a war halberd, with a sheep’s head and flaming eyes, standing forty zhang tall, like a towering humanoid mountain.
Its war halberd stood like a pillar to block, colliding with Wang Shu’s palm force.
“Boom!”
The intense impact force erupted outward.
At this moment, the mountain peak of Lingji Mountain was shrouded in black mist, with the ground covered in a thick layer of black ice.
Yang Qingxi retreated backward, blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth under the veil—she had been injured by Wang Shu’s palm force. But her eyes brightened with confidence; the power of the Ghost Flag was even stronger than estimated.
After the Ghost Flag appeared at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, many older generation figures recognized its origins and saw that the Departed Spirit sealed inside was far more than just a Ghost General.
The level of combat power it could unleash depended entirely on the strength of the Martial Cultivator’s Magic Energy.
With Yang Qingxi’s Magic Energy strength at the Dao Seed Realm Second Heaven Peak, the Departed Spirit in the Ghost Flag transformed into a Yin Ghost Commander forty zhang tall, with power reaching the level of the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven.
Of course, the Yin Ghost Commander’s wisdom, combat skills, and reaction speed were all inferior to a true Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven Martial Cultivator; in a real fight, there would still be a gap in combat power.
After one clash, Wang Shu retreated, quickly steadying his stance: “As expected, it’s an extraordinary guardian Battle Treasure! If it were in my hands, I could immediately possess the combat power to enter the 《Jia Zi List》.”
“Yang Qingxi, offer this item, and you and I join hands to deal with Li Weiyi. I can let bygones be bygones. At that time, the Blood Handprint Demonic Armor will be yours!”
Yang Qingxi held a silver long sword, her figure flickering in and out of the black mist: “Against you who has stepped into the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven, I have no chance of victory. This is indeed a good idea!”
Wang Shu knew very well that there were no unbreakable allies in this world, only shared benefits and the ability to judge the hour and shape the situation.
Thus, he smiled: “I knew you were a smart person. Li Weiyi’s Zu Tian is already crippled, with limited future potential, while I am rising like the sun in the east, improving every day. Becoming my ally is the wise choice.”
Yang Qingxi held the Ghost Flag and walked toward him.
Suddenly.
“Roar!”
“Crash!”
The Yin Ghost Commander spat out Du Ling Cold Fire, flames pouring out like a waterfall, without heat but burning rocks to melt, instantly annihilating the silver-leaf pines on the cliff edge.
Wang Shu had been on alert beforehand and hadn’t fully trusted Yang Qingxi, using his movement technique to narrowly evade.
The hem of his clothes and a lock of hair ignited, which he quickly extinguished.
“Yang Qingxi, I underestimated your relationship. It seems you and Li Weiyi are true love. For him, you’ve actually chosen a dead end. Do you think just this Yin Ghost Commander can block me?”
Wang Shu had extremely high comprehension, not only successfully cultivating the Great Technique “Golden Armor Mountain Moving Technique,” but also achieving Great Accomplishment in the first layer of the minor movement technique “Hanging Thread Shadow Wander Technique,” with elusive and incredibly fast movement.
His figure leaned left and right unpredictably, dodging the war halberd swung by the Yin Ghost Commander and chasing after the rapidly retreating Yang Qingxi.
His arm turned golden, skin like golden armor.
His palm blade swung down, shaking the air with explosive roars.
“Crash!”
Yang Qingxi had nowhere to evade and used the Ten Absolute Sword Technique to block, with layers of sword shadows in front of her.
A slender and graceful figure flashed out behind her.
That figure also held a fifth-grade Hundred Character Artifact level silver long sword, identical in build and appearance to Yang Qingxi, but with no color in her face, her skin eerily pale.
It was Yang Qingchan!
The two joined hands, one on the left and one on the right, over a thousand scriptures flying out from the two silver swords, forcing Wang Shu back again.
Yang Qingchan’s body was thick with Yin Energy, her long hair disheveled: “I think Wang Shu’s proposal is actually not bad. The things on Li Weiyi are more attractive and easier to deal with.”
Yang Qingxi, facing Wang Shu with her Dao Seed Realm Second Heaven, was fighting desperately with every clash, her injuries worsening: “If we offer the Ghost Flag to Wang Shu, the next moment, you and I will be planted with Six Desires Talismans by him and turned into his playthings on the bed. But with you, me, and the Yin Ghost Commander, we can completely fight him, just waiting for Li Weiyi to come after rescuing the people. With numbers on our side, the odds of victory are still high.”
“You seem to trust that Li Weiyi a lot?” Yang Qingchan said.
Yang Qingxi found it hard to describe that feeling.
During the fierce battle with Hua Yuzi, Li Weiyi had said, “As long as you have a breath left, I will definitely take you away with me.” Given the dire situation at the time, for Li Weiyi to say and do it was truly not easy.
When she woke up in the Evergreen Temple, the first person she saw was Li Weiyi, and her heart was filled with deep, unique emotions.
Having such an experience, how could she not trust Li Weiyi?
The battle erupted again.
Yang Qingchan’s internal Departed Spirit had extremely high cultivation, but restricted by her fragile physical body, the combat power she could unleash was extremely limited. Even joining hands with Yang Qingxi, they could only barely restrain Wang Shu.
The group of young disciples all fled down the mountain.
Only Sikong Jingyuan and Sikong Yanlun stood on a distant cliff, their eyes both revealing burning excitement.
Sikong Jingyuan stared fixedly at the Ghost Flag in Yang Qingxi’s hand: “The legendary Du Ling Cold Fire! This Ghost Flag must absolutely come from that Ghost City in the depths of the Nether Realm of the Dead. Could the Departed Spirit sealed inside be a Ghost Marquis or Ghost Lord?”
In the Nether Realm of the Dead, Yin soul-type Departed Spirits were divided in strength as: Fierce Souls, Ghost Generals, Yin Ghost Commanders, Ghost Marquis and Ghost Lords, Ghost Kings.
Yin Ghost Commanders were equivalent to human race Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivators and Spirit Mind Masters.
Ghost Marquis were equivalent to Longevity Realm Martial Cultivators.
Ghost Lords were equivalent to those with Great Longevity who had lived for hundreds of years.
Even within the same Longevity Realm, the strength gap was enormous.
During their training in the Nether Realm of the Dead, Sikong Jingyuan and Sikong Yanlun had heard that in the depths of the Nether Realm, there was an endless Ghost City called the Cave Ruins Ghost City, ruled by existences above Ghost King.
Its influence reached a million li radius of the Nether Realm world, and the six Living Realms dotted within this Nether Realm world, including the Lingxiao Life Realm.
Sikong Yanlun’s gaze, however, fell on Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan, laughing: “These two little sixes are like fiery rouge steeds, with a captivating hatred that makes one want to conquer them, and their figures and beauty are both peak level. I like them.”
Sikong Jingyuan said: “Then it’s settled— the people go to you, the flag to me.”
“The level of the Departed Spirit sealed in that flag isn’t clear yet! If you pick wrong, don’t regret it.” Sikong Yanlun laughed loudly.
“Boom!”
To the east of the Fourth Divine Son’s Mansion, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, the mountain body trembling.
Li Weiyi used a box of Thunder Law Profound Ice to break the protective formation of the Divine Son’s Mansion, holding the Yellow Dragon Sword, and directly walked in through the breach in the wall.
He moved swiftly and soon found Qi Xiao and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo locked on the stone wall in Wang Shu’s cultivation room.
The two had once been high-spirited, both with Pure Immortal Bodies.
One was the number one person of the Qi Family’s younger generation, the other a Successor Level Heavenly Prodigy of the Northern Territory Tuoba Clan.
Cultivating Dragon Seed Dao, they had bright futures ahead.
But now, they were tortured beyond recognition, their blood drunk and swallowed by Wang Shu daily, their bodies shriveled and emaciated, like two disheveled, hunched old men.
One was missing an arm, his body pierced by chains.
On the stone walls behind them were formations each. Once they tried to break free or someone came to rescue them, the formations would activate.
Li Weiyi was a Three-star Spirit Mind Master, his Mind Power stronger than the array setter’s, quickly finding the key points of the two formations.
“Sizzle!”
The Yellow Dragon Sword thrust out, breaking the formation on the stone wall behind Qi Xiao.
Then he swung two more swords, severing the iron chains locking Qi Xiao, and held the skeletal figure who weighed only sixty or seventy jin.
Li Weiyi felt deep guilt and immense pain in his heart, blaming himself so much he wanted to punch himself twice.
If not for him, how could Qi Xiao have fallen into the Twin Rice Cult and ended up like this?
“Be… careful…”
Qi Xiao weakly warned.
Without his reminder, Li Weiyi had already released the Earthly Nerve, his perception extremely sharp, detecting the rapidly approaching yin cold aura from above, but pretending not to know.
Wang Zhi dropped from the roof, hand forming a Claw Seal, baring snow-white teeth, imagining piercing through Li Weiyi’s head with one claw.
“Swish!”
Li Weiyi calculated the timing and angle with perfect precision, his body suddenly standing up as the Yellow Dragon Sword thrust upward.
The sword light was sharp, the emitted glow turning into a bright sword pillar.
“Not good! My breath concealment actually didn’t fool him.”
Shock appeared in Wang Zhi’s eyes, feeling as if he was actively impaling himself on the sword tip.
With nowhere to evade, he could only mobilize all his power to his palm, five fingers grasping toward the Yellow Dragon Sword.
His cultivation was countless times higher than Li Weiyi’s, every strand of Magic Energy like iron cloth divine gauze. No scriptures appeared on the Yellow Dragon Sword’s sword body, evidently limited in grade in his view, something he could seize barehanded.
The moment he touched it, Wang Zhi regretted it!
His proud, powerful Magic Energy was sliced through by the Yellow Dragon Sword like paper, his five fingers mangled by the sword edge, blood splattering everywhere.
The Departed Spirit in Wang Zhi’s body felt pain and let out a miserable cry, his toes tapping the ground as he rapidly retreated into the distance.
Glancing at his mangled hand, he looked at the Yellow Dragon Sword with extreme wariness. He said: “This sword of yours is strange! With this seat’s Magic Energy strength, I could block a third-grade Hundred Character Artifact barehanded.”
Li Weiyi’s earlier sword had aimed to pierce Wang Zhi’s head in one strike. But Wang Zhi’s cultivation was too high, his reactions lightning-fast; even in such peril, it only cost him five fingers.
Such cultivation and speed made Li Weiyi’s heart sink to the bottom, feeling immense pressure.
This was strength at the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven level!
How to fight?
No chance of victory.
Last time against Wang Zhi, it was only by relying on the power Tang Wanzhou had left in the Divine Snow Sword that he escaped with his life.
Li Weiyi stored Qi Xiao into a pre-prepared Insect Bag, quickly calming himself.
The stronger the enemy, the calmer one must be.
He step by step moved toward Tuo Ba Bu Tuo, saying: “I’m very curious. When Wang Zhi was alive, he was only at Dao Seed Realm First Heaven cultivation, with limited physical body strength. Now fused with his body, why can you match a Fourth Heaven level powerhouse?”
“Because before this seat was refined into a Soul Seed by that Hall Master of the Heavenly Principle Hall, my cultivation far exceeded the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven. My physical body restricted my strength output. Otherwise, I could crush you with one finger.”
Wang Zhi’s aura was extremely strong, secretly refining the Yellow Dragon Sword’s sword qi that had invaded his body, also stalling for time.
Li Weiyi said again: “Then now, are you alive or dead?”
“Neither alive nor dead! If Wang Shu lives, I live. If Wang Shu dies, I die immediately. The Twin Rice Cult knows full well they can’t make powerful Departed Spirits like us truly submit, so they use this method, handing Soul Seeds to Divine Sons, Divine Daughters, Elders, and Great True Disciples to nurture. Using the Twin Rice Cult members’ Soul Spirits to control our life and death.” Wang Zhi said.
Li Weiyi knew very well that Yang Qingxi was no match for Wang Shu and dared not delay further.
He arrived beside Tuo Ba Bu Tuo, seizing the moment to thrust a sword at the formation node on the stone wall.
The formation broke!
Wang Zhi had long seen through Li Weiyi’s intent, waiting precisely for this rescue moment.
“Swish!”
He struck out a White Bones Claw Seal from afar.
Then, Wang Zhi’s figure moved ghost-like swiftly, charging toward Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi was prepared, spiritual light surging from his body, bright and scorching.
The Fusang Divine Tree Light Shadow rose behind him, blocking the White Bones Claw Seal. The branches and leaves of the Divine Tree Light Shadow burst through the roof, golden-red glow illuminating the peak of Lingji Mountain.
“Crash!”
Then, dense blood mist erupted from the Blood Handprint Demonic Armor.
Over nine hundred scriptures branded onto Li Weiyi’s entire body.
His mental state reached its peak, staring fixedly at Wang Zhi, raising his sword to charge and kill.
Using Mind Power to resist Wang Zhi’s Soul Spirit attacks, using the Yellow Dragon Sword to hard-clash the opponent’s powerful Magic Energy.
Li Weiyi was repelled several times but always kept Tuo Ba Bu Tuo behind him, not giving Wang Zhi a chance to approach.
In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged dozens of blows and suddenly separated.
Wang Zhi fought very frustratingly. He could clearly erupt with Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven combat power, but was restrained by the Yellow Dragon Sword and suppressed by the Golden Crow Flame in the Fusang Divine Tree Light Shadow, his left hand heavily injured in the first exchange.
When using Soul Power attacks, Li Weiyi’s Mind Power was just strong enough to block them.
Now, with ten tenths of combat power, he could only exert five or six tenths.
“Why isn’t your combat power that strong?” Li Weiyi questioned, feeling puzzled in his heart.
