"Crash!"
Golden flames poured down, spreading along his golden body. Chiluo's body-protecting treasure light had already been shattered by the lethal light of Mingyang; after just a fleeting gasp for breath, the faint glimmer of light he had just managed to kindle was once again incinerated clean by the scorching true fire, tearing a gruesome roar from his throat.
Li Ximing used the Shangyao Subduing Light to resist the pressing pagoda, while Audience at the Heavenly Gate flickered under the detonation of the enemy's treasure. Bringing it down in an urgent descent to shield himself, the remaining two had already charged before him, poised to slam into the still-unrecovered Audience at the Heavenly Gate.
Right at this moment, the glittering, radiant golden disc carved with runes of the eight directions shone once more in Li Ximing's palm!
The three-eyed Lianmin reacted fastest. In almost an instant, he cast aside the treasure in his hands and stepped back to shield himself with magic power. But the sword-wielding Lianmin had no time to react at all; he could only brace himself and crash head-on into the divine ability with all his might, detonating a spray of heavenly light.
Yet the Chongyang Governing Star Treasure Plate in Li Ximing's hand did not kindle any light at all; it was merely held in his grasp—where would he find the divine ability magic power to activate this precious spiritual artifact right now!
"Cough, cough..."
Yet just as Lianmin succeeded by their unwieldiness, so too did they fail by it. It turned out this sword-wielding Lianmin had gambled correctly. Audience at the Heavenly Gate dispersed into heavenly light, and Li Ximing's vision went dark; his divine ability grew dim, leaving him noticeably weakened. Fortunately, at least one of them had held back his strike. Li Ximing patted his waist, and a Xuanque Heart-Channeling Medicine was already swallowed into his mouth.
Even though Li Ximing had not suffered any severe wounds at this moment, his divine ability magic power had been drained by the Chongyang Governing Star Treasure Plate, and then he had forcibly exerted his divine ability only to be blasted by his foe's desperate counterattack. His divine ability magic power was already disordered, and his heavenly light grew thin.
Yet Chiluo across from him was in no better shape. A Lianmin was ultimately still a Lianmin. Having suffered the lethal light of Mingyang, the divine ability Audience at the Heavenly Gate, and the Violet Palace spirit fire in rapid succession, more than half the runes across his entire body were now burned away. Half-black and half-gold, he appeared utterly wretched.
Seeing that his two companions had reached this point and still failed to shatter their opponent's divine ability, Chiluo was almost driven to infuriated laughter. If even one of the remaining two Lianmin had possessed some battle experience, matters would never have come to this... If these three were replaced by a Five-Eyed Lianmin who also served under the Golden Lotus, Li Ximing would already have been gravely wounded!
Chiluo had not underestimated Li Ximing from start to finish, yet he had not known about the Chongyang Governing Star Treasure Plate and had taken that blow practically defenseless. Right now, heavenly light was still running rampant within his body while true fire surged over his surface. His eyes crimson, he bellowed:
"Fools! Shine your treasure light on him!"
Sure enough, with just those few glances earlier, Chiluo had already discovered the weakness of Gen Earth Spirit Absorption. Hearing his words, white light instantly converged at the center of the three-eyed Lianmin's brow, while the sword-wielding Lianmin took the initiative to press forward, determined not to let Li Ximing catch his breath.
Li Ximing cursed internally. The Mountain-Driving Profound Screen lit up, already showing signs of strain, and he countered with the Solar Yingli Technique. As the sword-wielding Lianmin closed in, the advantages of a golden body became apparent; he could still pose a threat to him and tie him down for now. Although Li Ximing's divine ability magic power was rapidly recovering as he regulated his breathing, it was not advisable to summon his divine ability to suppress him within such a short window.
Watching the white light between Pingling's brows grow denser and denser, Li Ximing had no choice but to shift his gaze and observe the situation across the battlefield.
Li Ximing could not tell what trump card Kuiqi had brought out, but black qi gushed forth and dense gray mist veiled his face; he had already fought Pijia to a draw, but he would not be able to free his hands anytime soon.
Chen Yin, however, appeared even more hard-pressed under Daixi's techniques. His Fushui divine ability seemed firmly contained by the Kongxi Demon-Subduing Bowl, and were it not for a sharp, chilling blade that inspired dread, he likely would have suffered injury by now as well.
As for the remaining Real Person Luo, he truly was someone who could not be relied upon, just as Kuiqi had said. He was locked in battle with three Lianmin—who lacked a leader from the Golden Lotus seat like Chiluo—yet they traded blows back and forth. Whether his divine ability was lacking or he was holding back, he failed to make any headway.
Scanning the surroundings yielded no good news. Instead, the Eight-Spoked Dharma Wheel in midair flickered erratically, and unexpectedly, a golden body leapt out from within it.
This golden body was exceptionally magnificent, a size larger than Chiluo's. Resplendently radiant, it bore a ferocious expression, clutching two charred, broken cudgels in its hands.
"What?!"
Li Ximing was startled. The three before him had already forced him onto the back foot; if another arrived, his life might be in jeopardy. Yet as his spiritual sense swept over the newcomer, his brows furrowed slightly in a mixture of joy and worry.
As it turned out, though this fellow appeared to be a formidable Lianmin originally, he was currently covered in flames, shrieking in agony. The fire coiled in layer upon layer, displaying the indigo-green and lustrous blue hues of the two polarities, hovering over his golden body.
The moment he saw these flames, Chiluo nearly jumped out of his skin, his expression turning ugly. If others could recognize it clearly, how could Li Ximing fail to? He had wielded this flame himself; it was Tinglan's Measureless Water-Fire!
Li Ximing felt both joy and worry. He was glad because, after all the commotion, Tinglan's situation inside was evidently not bad; he was worried because now that this burly Lianmin had appeared, he was in deep trouble.
That fellow's complexion was somewhat dim, but taking in the surrounding battle, he suddenly caught sight of the man in platinum robes. Startled, he rode the wind, turning into a cloud of golden sand that rushed over.
'He actually knows movement techniques... completely different from Chiluo...'
A chill ran down the back of Li Ximing's neck. Paying no heed to steadying his magic power, he summoned his divine ability, his gaze turning fierce. Spouting forth both the Shangyao Subduing Light and the Violet Palace true fire, he reawakened his divine ability and suppressed the churning within his body. Holding high the Mingyang, he finally sat enthroned within once more.
Yet before Audience at the Heavenly Gate could even slightly stabilize, that streak of treasure light had already shot across. Although Pingling was not very strong, having attained the rank of Lianmin, he still possessed discernment; he had been waiting precisely for the moment Li Ximing raised his divine ability to strike with the treasure light.
Yet the Chongyang Governing Star Treasure Plate in Li Ximing's hand was already shining brightly. The thick rim of white runes around its edge rotated, divided into four concentric rings of runes, with the outermost turning from bright to dark. Holding the treasure plate inverted, four specks of golden light separated once more. Though not as bright as before, they formed an inverted manifestation: the Shangyao above and the Yangji below!
The radiant light in the sky snapped inward in an instant. Audience at the Heavenly Gate drifted like colorful clouds, shimmering across the sky as four bright stars trailing golden light rose. As the heavenly light gathered and retracted, the surroundings dimmed, unexpectedly evoking the feel of a night sky.
The treasure light flying from the brow of the three-eyed Lianmin Pingling was obstructed by these four golden stars. In barely a breath, the four stars pulsed like respiration and detonated with a crash:
*Clang!*
Water-like heavenly light cascaded downward. Though far less imposing than the lethal light of Mingyang, it possessed a quality that cleansed all directions and wound around to bind, not only forcing the burly Lianmin who had turned to golden sand out of midair, but also bringing all four enemies to a sudden halt.
Li Ximing flickered briefly not far away. Before he could cast Audience at the Heavenly Gate, he sensed something. His gaze hardened as he silently watched the world before him.
A tiny eight-pointed snowflake spun through the air, drifting gently down.
Lifting his gaze slightly, the entire mountain range was already blanketed in fluttering snow, gradually turning pristine white. Li Ximing was initially stricken with horror, his mind going briefly blank, but he soon realized:
'There is no pine scent! Thank goodness there is no pine scent...'
Yet all the divine ability masters on Mount Xiaoshi looked up in unison, looks of astonishment on their faces. The Eight-Spoked Dharma Wheel suspended in the air finally buckled under the weight, emitting a brittle creaking sound. In an instant, the chill across Mount Xiaoshi deepened drastically as freezing winds howled.
The Eight-Spoked Dharma Wheel dimmed to the extreme as white snow surged violently from it, the speed of its gushing escalating at a terrifying pace. In a breath, it was like an avalanche, transforming within the drifting snow into a pillar of white snow light that pierced the heavens, releasing a mournful wail:
*Crack!*
The scattering radiance was suppressed and swept away in all directions. A sky-soaring killing intent, coalesced from freezing qi brought to its utmost limit, surged out amid the snow. In the sky, countless colored clouds drifted, and a golden body rose, revealing a noble dharma body densely covered with myriad eyes.
"Zhelu!"
The foremost figure beneath the Kongwu Path Dharma Idol, a true Buddhist cultivator who had achieved the Turbid Void Mohe Measured Force and sat enthroned upon the Kongwu Pure Land amidst rains of heavenly Mandarava blossoms—as soon as he appeared, his aura was magnificent. He clearly had not suffered the slightest injury, illuminating an infinite shower of falling lotuses. Immediately afterward, one Lianmin golden body appeared after another.
Beneath Zhelu's golden body, framed by the white snow, stood a tiny purple pavilion. A fairy maiden cloaked in falling snow furrowed her brows tightly, blood at the corner of her lips, holding a sword aimed straight at the sky.
This sword was entirely snow-white with a very long blade and a short, square hilt, exceptionally minimalist, merely half a finger's width thicker than the blade itself. Its body was etched with patterns of Profound Snow and Taiyin ascending to the cosmos, its surface depicting the changing seasons from autumn to winter and the harmonious union of heaven and earth. As alternating radiance played across it, a sky-soaring killing intent arose naturally from it!
'A Violet Palace spiritual sword!'
Seeing this scene, how could Li Ximing fail to guess the sword's origin?
'It is the Qingchi Sect's renowned Daxue Juefeng! There must be some measure placed upon it; it seems they used this sword as an unexpected strike to break the array!'
When Daxue Juefeng had displayed its might, the Li family was not even at Lake Wangyue yet, with who knew which ancestor lingering in some forgotten corner. Back then, Daxue Juefeng did not go by this name, yet it was already known as the Qingchi Sect Master's prized heirloom, one of the world's few spiritual swords. It was said that after the turmoil of Lake Wangyue, it gained great boons and became endowed with countless wonders, henceforth named Daxue Juefeng!
Even by the time the Li family rose, Daxue Juefeng had not appeared in the world for who knew how many years, yet its legend still circulated across the lands of Wu and Yue; even rogue cultivators knew its name.
This was the first time Li Ximing had ever seen this spiritual sword. Beholding this sky-soaring killing intent and spiritual snow, he knew this spiritual artifact was extraordinary—likely the greatest among all the spiritual artifacts he had ever witnessed. Yet he was no sword fanatic and did not become entranced by it. Seeing more and more Lianmin appearing around him in varying conditions, he immediately turned back.
In the midst of the chaos, Chiluo's eyes indeed gleamed with burning urgency and excitement. As this Lianmin swept his gaze around, he saw a golden body descend amidst the snow: three eyes on its face and two more upon its chest, its numerous arms arranged across its torso like petals of a lotus. The radiant light empowering it was remarkably potent, and by the aura it exuded, it seemed even a notch stronger than Chiluo!
His eyes shining, he roared:
"Five-Eyed! Join me at once to surround and kill this Wei-Li remnant!"
The current situation was exceedingly clear. With the Huixu Demon-Subduing Grand Array broken, multiple Violet Palaces were present here. Tinglan and Qiuhu held the Measureless Water-Fire, and the Buddhist Mohe dared not push them too far lest, under mortal peril, they unleash the Solar heritage. Now that the grand array was broken, no matter how poor their condition was, escaping would hardly be difficult.
And right now, to these Lianmin, the most valuable and easiest target to squeeze was none other than Li Ximing!
The Five-Eyed Lianmin with arms like a lotus behind him had just landed when he heard Chiluo's roar. Stupefied, he raised his head, and the moment his gaze fell upon Li Ximing in the distance, it was as if he had been struck by lightning. His legs went weak, and he thought in horror:
'Oh, heavens... that immortal clan from Lake Wangyue!'
Ever since he was captured by that Immortal Lord last time, Five-Eyed had been living like a rat and a thief. Originally, he indulged himself however he pleased on his own turf—hadn't he spent hundreds of years enjoying life that way? Now he couldn't even step out the door, burying his head inside the temple, not even daring to collect rents from the temple serfs!
He knew all too well how many evils his disciples and grand-disciples committed on normal days, so he found every conceivable excuse to massacre them, until everyone below thought he had grown utterly erratic... Five-Eyed tossed and turned day and night, unable to sit or stand still:
'Who? Li Ximing? You want me to kill Li Ximing?! You worthless beast! Looking for death on your own isn't enough, you have to drag me down with you!'
Beside himself with rage, a turmoil of conflicting emotions churned in his heart. Yet upon his face surfaced a glare of wide-eyed fury—fury that was entirely genuine. Chiluo, however, took it as the manifestation of his divine ability and a sign of instant agreement, delight welling in his chest:
"Good!"
Li Ximing had already noticed him. Seizing the moment when the various Lianmin had just landed and had yet to react, while he had extricated himself under the protection of the Chongyang Governing Star Treasure Plate, his first instinct was to immediately flee into the Great Void!
These Lianmin posed threats no lesser than Chiluo's. If they formed a pincer attack, Li Ximing would not only be wounded, but might even be targeted by Daixi and the others. However, most of these Lianmin had been afflicted by Measureless Water-Fire; as long as the flames upon them were not suppressed, they would surely be barred from entering the Great Void, unable to step into it to deal with him!
Yet he had just escaped into the Great Void and had not even had time to catch his breath when a sudden glow appeared before his eyes.
Standing within the Great Void was a middle-aged man clad in Daoist robes, his hair and beard half-white, holding a sword cradled in his arms. His gaze was sharp as a blade, yet a black talisman hung at his waist, cloaking him as if he were lost in dim, murky mist, making him nearly undetectable.
'Senior Ling Mei!'
Li Ximing was overjoyed, but he saw that this Real Person of the Sword Sect no longer possessed the polite benevolence from when they first met years ago. With baleful sharpness in his eyes, he shook his head at Li Ximing, one hand already resting on his sword hilt as he waited in silence.
In just that brief instant, a magnificent rainbow light pursued into the Great Void, traversing the churning void and swelling violently to reveal an enormous golden body. That horse-face with pitch-black eyes appeared particularly terrifying within the Great Void.
It was actually Daixi... Looking at such speed, it had been premeditated!
The iridescent light shone brilliantly, mingled with gold. As though possessing eyes of its own, it flew straight toward Li Ximing, revealing within it a demon-subduing lotus densely traced with intricate patterns.
The Three Retributions World-Entering Lotus!
From beginning to end, this Daixi had been biding his time and running his own petty calculations. His thoughts had clearly been fixed on Li Ximing all along, harboring the intent to eliminate him long ago. Now that the situation had shifted dramatically, this Mohe had not waited for the Lianmin to swarm forward; he had already gathered the power of his treasure to wait for him in the Great Void!
*Clang!*
At the same time, Ling Mei behind Li Ximing finally sneered and raised his wrist. Metal qi surged, and frosty edges crisscrossed. As if echoing the white snow and purple pavilion in the mortal realm, a vast, deathly white sea of sword light leapt forth within the Great Void as well.
The Sword Sect was inherently the foremost in offensive power among the Solar heritage, and Ling Mei was the premier figure of the sword Dao within the Sword Sect. Although he had been encumbered by worldly affairs in his youth and never attained sword intent, his sword Dao spells and divine abilities alike were pinnacle. Who knew how long he had prepared this single strike? Li Ximing felt only a blinding whiteness before his eyes, while a crisp, melodious, and ringing sword hum echoed in his ears:
*Buzz...*
Chapter 893