Chapter 1024: Chapter 1018: Empty Mountain Island
The former commander of one of the Shadowfell Prefecture’s three armies fell into his hands.
Behind Li Xinnian stood the towering, three-meter-tall Blood Spirit Dharma Image. Its massive palm gripped Divine Archer Guan Mingxuan.
Yet, this Divine Archer Guan Mingxuan, who barely clung to half his life, cursed neither the Wu tribe nor the Li Clan members who had damaged his foundation.
One could hear a pin drop within the Void Refinement Space.
Guan Mingxuan was no longer the awe-inspiring Divine General of the tiger-wolf army; he was merely a deceived man on his deathbed, tearfully accusing the person who had wronged him in this life, having finally awoken to the truth.
Nothing caused the tiger-wolf army to collapse inwardly more than the sight of Bi Shihu fleeing Highsun City.
They had trusted the honor Bi Shihu promised like devout believers, revered his title of “Undefeated,” and believed his excuses for fleeing time and time again.
But in the end, all they got was a single phrase: “Preserve our useful bodies.”
“You will die a horrible death, a horrible death…”
Under the three Top-Grade Dharma Treasure arrows fired by Li Changyao, how could Guan Mingxuan possibly be in a good state?
After an angry roar, only the panting murmurs of his dull gaze remained, his body slumping weakly in the palm of the Blood Spirit Dharma Image.
This became the only sound echoing continuously within the Void Refinement Space.
“Hmph!”
However, after his initial stupor, Bi Shihu’s gaze remained vigilant as he looked around.
Exchanging glances with his junior sister, they were clearly transmitting their voices through their Primal Souls, searching for a way to escape.
His demeanor caused everyone in the Void Refinement Space to frown.
Looking at Bi Shihu’s eyes, Li Xinnian understood.
Even with Guan Mingxuan tortured to death right in front of him, Bi Shihu wouldn’t feel the slightest bit of guilt.
Even having fallen into such a desperate situation, in Bi Shihu’s eyes, he was likely still entirely without fault.
He would believe that it was the Shadowfell Prefecture that forced him to wander to Deston Prefecture.
It was the persecution by Spear Saint Gu Fenghua and the Azure Cloud Li Clan that reduced him to Highsun City.
It was the military and civilians of the Azure Cloud Li Clan and Highsun City who betrayed him.
It was Venerable Elder Yuanliang of the Wu tribe who was not of his kin… and indeed, he was not of his kin.
“Fellow Daoists of the Li Clan, this lowly one has heard a bit about you all.
I can help you take down Bi Shihu, and from then on, I will return to the Wu tribe and never take another step into the Azure Dynasty!”
Venerable Elder Yuanliang possessed Half-step Body Integration Spiritual power.
The Wu Spiritual power cultivated by Wu tribe cultivators and the Daoist Spiritual power of the human race ultimately reached the same destination by different routes.
A towering totem pillar engraved with a phoenix was also the emblem of the “Divine Bird” tribe to which Venerable Elder Yuanliang belonged.
The totem channeled Spiritual power.
This old man held twin swords; with a single thrust of his sword, thousands upon thousands of phantoms of human cultivators appeared behind him.
This was the Dao of the “Human Slaughterer” he intended to break through.
When his body moved, the phantoms moved; a single person was like an army of thousands.
However, as Venerable Elder Yuanliang looked at the Li Clan members at this moment, his expression was calm, but his heart was filled with fear.
His initial pursuit of Bi Shihu was a smokescreen. By staying with Bi Shihu, he could lure away a large number of human Void Refinement experts, making it easier for his tribesmen to win.
Who could have known that the battle inside Highsun City would be lost so thoroughly?
The Azure Cloud Army’s “Spear Forest Array Tactics” was something even ordinary Void Refinement experts had to evade, and the Azure Cloud Army still had two long spears on their backs.
The Azure Cloud Army array tactics circulating within the Wu tribe hadn’t even been fully utilized yet.
It seemed that over these hundreds of years, the Azure Cloud Army’s training had reached a whole new level.
But just as his words fell, Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s heart ran cold, his gaze shifting erratically just like Bi Shihu’s. No one from the Li Clan responded.
What kind of strength did the four Void Refinement experts of the Li Clan possess?
Right after Venerable Elder Yuanliang spoke, it was actually Bi Shihu’s junior sister, Wei Yu, who shouted coldly, “Who dares touch my Senior Brother!”
These words were not meant for Venerable Elder Yuanliang, but rather directed at the Li Clan members, which also caused the newly arrived Feng Tu’s expression to change.
“My Senior Brother and I inherited our lineage from the Empty Mountain Island in the Eastern Sea.
If our Life Tablets shatter, our Master will definitely be furious and make you pay with your lives!”
Wei Yu raised her smooth chin. Even while protecting Bi Shihu, she revealed a sense of confidence and pride.
Just looking at Wei Yu’s demeanor, Li Xinnian knew that this was likely not a bluff.
If she hadn’t been completely ignorant of the ways of the world and pampered like a princess by her sect and Bi Shihu, she wouldn’t have been able to say something that made people wonder if she had a pineapple growing on her neck instead of a head.
“The Empty Mountain Island in the Eastern Sea. A sect with five disciples.
Immortal Master Deshou has existed since before the dynasty was even established.
There have long been rumors that Bi Shihu’s lineage was not simple; it seems they are true.”
Feng Tu, who had originally come to help, was so shocked he stopped in his tracks and sent a solemn voice transmission: “Everyone, please be cautious.”
“Hahaha!” At this moment, it was actually Venerable Elder Yuanliang who laughed loudly.
“Empty Mountain Island in the Eastern Sea? Never heard of it. Everyone, I can help with this favor! Just stop fighting in Highsun City and let me take my subordinates back!”
This time, Venerable Elder Yuanliang no longer mentioned the matter of “never taking another step into the dynasty.”
At this moment, the atmosphere within the Void Refinement Space was bizarre.
Pairs of eyes fell upon the Li Clan members, only to see their peculiar expressions. Even the inherently cautious Li Changsheng wore a strange expression.
“You’re bragging about your background to us?” Li Tianqi pointed to his own nose.
“What?”
Wei Yu’s face turned cold. Having followed her Senior Brother in the outside world for many years, she hadn’t been without her share of troubles.
But as long as she uttered the five words “Eastern Sea Empty Mountain Island,” the various factions of the dynasty would invariably treat her as an honored guest.
“Do you know that our Empty Mountain Island…”
“Did you suffer a Qi deviation and go mad during your cultivation?” Li Tianqi rolled his eyes.
Casually tossing out the Void Refinement Spiritual art “Array With a Glance,” pieces of tortoiseshell formed a simple barrier within the massive space where the numerous cultivators were gathered.
He casually said, “Decades have passed; did you think we knew nothing about you? We dug up your entire background long ago.”
The Li Clan members wore peculiar expressions.
“Your background isn’t worth a fart. A faction that has already moved its sect overseas, and you really think you’re a big shot.
Your Senior Brother has already become a deserter and doesn’t even dare to bring up your sect; he only dares to say he comes from a major faction.”
Li Tianqi sneered, paused for a moment, and then said, “What? Too many enemies, don’t dare enter the dynasty?”
“You…” Wei Yu was furious.
But just as she was about to speak.
Li Tianqi looked at Bi Shihu, whose gaze was dodging, and sneered,
“Big Sis, you are truly somewhat ridiculous. What kind of person is Bi Shihu?
Even the subordinates loyal to him have seen him clearly, yet you’re the only one looking at people through an asshole?
Is it that Bi Shihu doesn’t want to trouble his sect? It’s that out of all your martial siblings, including your Master, you are the only one willing to help him!”
“No, you’re lying!” Even though Bi Shihu didn’t say a word, Wei Yu still shouted sternly.
Sometimes it’s not that people are stupid; it’s that they are poisoned too deeply and refuse to believe it.
Li Tianqi waved his hand, unwilling to entangle himself further with Wei Yu.
The spatial ring on his finger flashed, and several letters appeared before her eyes, leaving her dumbstruck like a wooden chicken.
The four letters floating in the cloudy sky caused Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s expression to change drastically.
He had originally intended to use this opportunity to seek a chance for negotiation, but now even that chance was gone.
[This boy is a coward, unworthy of creation. Now that he has become a deserter, he brings disgrace to our sect… Written by Deshou in person.]
[Junior Brother abandoned his army and fled as a Marshal? Who is playing such a joke on me?]
[Hmph, trash.]
[Oh.]
Four letters, each shorter than the last.
When the Li Clan members learned of Bi Shihu’s sect and informed Empty Mountain Island of the matter, their initial thought was also to probe the sect’s attitude.
But when the letters from Empty Mountain Island actually arrived, the Li Clan members couldn’t even believe they were truly replies from Bi Shihu’s sect.
“These are the handwriting and auras of Master and my Senior Brothers; it’s impossible…”
Looking at Wei Yu again, the Li Clan members’ expressions grew even more peculiar.
It seemed they truly were reply letters from the master and disciples of Empty Mountain Island. The decades-old difficult problem was solved today.
Wei Yu looked at her Senior Brother in disbelief; he had never told her any of this.
“Senior Brother, these letters…”
“It’s true. Master has never favored me, and neither have my martial brothers.” Bi Shihu’s face was pale.
“I want to bring glory back to Empty Mountain Island. I am victorious in every battle; I am undefeated!”
Bi Shihu’s Spiritual power surged.
In his previous battle with Venerable Elder Yuanliang, he had already been covered in scars, yet now he still wielded his heavy hammer.
His eyes were bright, and pairs of purple Dharma Eyes appeared throughout the entire Void Refinement Space.
He could survey everything, even seeing through human hearts. These Dharma Eyes also became inscriptions, leaving him virtually without any flaws.
The purple heavy hammer weighed 15000 kilograms; with just a slight movement, the sound of tearing through the void could be heard.
Bi Shihu’s gaze was as firm as a boulder.
“Junior Sister, believe in me. I am the Undefeated Marshal of the Shadowfell Prefecture, the Marshal of the tiger-wolf army!”
“I will not be defeated. Even in desperate situations, there is always a sliver of hope.
My heart is as firm as a boulder; it has been this way for ten thousand years, it was this way in the past, and it is this way today.”
“They cannot stop me. Junior Sister, follow me and carve a bloody path out!”
“Whoosh!”
Bi Shihu’s Spiritual power erupted within the entire Void Refinement Space, but faster than him were Venerable Elder Yuanliang and the Li Clan members!
In an instant, the phantom of a divine bird materialized on the totem pillar within the Void Refinement Space.
The totem inscriptions on Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s body glowed brightly.
The Spiritual power of his Void Refinement realm caused the countless phantoms of cultivators behind him to charge out as well.
The old man’s twin swords could cleave long rivers and shatter illusions. A horizontal sweep of his twin swords actually carved a crack into Li Tianqi’s tortoiseshell.
Subsequently, Venerable Elder Yuanliang intended to take advantage of the Li Clan members being caught off guard to escape.
“Worthless Empty Mountain Island!”
Venerable Elder Yuanliang fled without hesitation.
The four mid-stage Void Refinement experts of the Li Clan were absolutely not opponents he could defeat.
But Venerable Elder Yuanliang knew even better that his intelligence was completely false.
The Li Clan members, who were originally supposed to be just one Void Refinement and three Divinity Transformation cultivators, had all become mid-stage Void Refinement experts.
What about the other Li Clan members from the intelligence? What about Li Yunlin?
But just as he shattered the void, Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s face turned ashen.
Li Changyao unhesitatingly fired a Top-Grade Dharma Treasure arrow.
The majestic aura of the Top-Grade Dharma Treasure, along with its Water-attribute Spiritual power, repaired the Void Refinement Space while simultaneously carrying the formidable power to purify Spiritual power.
Following right behind it were Li Yunbing’s top-tier hidden weapon, the “Hidden Void Needles.”
Li Xinnian’s Blood Spirit Dharma Image also clashed with Bi Shihu’s heavy hammer.
The Spiritual power fluctuations were like crashing waves.
In just a single exchange, the Blood Spirit Dharma Image was knocked back.
The right hand of its massive body twisted, and even Li Xinnian’s main body heard a “crack” as his right arm contorted.
He merely frowned and muttered, “Formidable.”
His arm, like rubber, returned to its original state amidst rising blood mist, and he charged out once more.
Li Tianqi was also not to be outdone.
He continuously used Spiritual arts to repair the shattered Void Refinement Space while using “Array With a Glance” to refine array formations.
The tortoiseshell on his body attached itself in all directions, as he deployed the only Grade 4 array formation he held in his mind.
Behind them, Feng Tu brought a Void Refinement cultivator.
The two did not dare to be negligent, gritting their teeth to engage the enemy alongside the Li Clan members.
However, they did not dare to attack Bi Shihu; instead, they attacked Venerable Elder Yuanliang.
“You’re courting death!”
Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s plans had failed time and time again, and he could no longer care about anything else.
“No matter who you are, surviving a desperate situation requires fighting to the death.
I am at the Half-step Body Integration realm; invincible below Body Integration!
Bi Shihu and Wei Yu can keep the Li Clan occupied for me. Not a single person here can face me alone. I can take this opportunity to kill them one by one!
With this thought in mind, Venerable Elder Yuanliang struck out with his twin swords.
The densely packed phantoms behind him soared into the sky alongside the sword shadows, blocking Li Yunbing’s elusive Hidden Void Needles and Li Changyao’s Top-Grade Dharma Treasure longsword with what could be described as effortless ease.
This made him laugh loudly. “Just the likes of you dare to stop me? So what if there is someone hiding in the dark? Below Body Integration, I am truly undefeated!”
Only a few snaps of the fingers later.
Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s shout received a response.
Black mist surged out from within the space, gradually forming a human silhouette.
The only bright eyes within the black mist of this person were grave.
“Truly worthy of a Half-step Body Integration expert. Even the power of spatial laws couldn’t escape your eyes.”
“…”
The sounds of slaughter echoed. As Li Wei’s words fell, Venerable Elder Yuanliang’s smile gradually froze, and he didn’t say a word.
Li Wei was also stunned. The two stared at each other, maintaining silence for a long time.
Li Wei understood something, and his expression turned gloomy.
“You want to kill my descendants? You are courting death!”
—
Donate on Ko-fi ➡️ [] ⬅️
Get Early Access to 90 Chapters: Search for “Dark Tea” on Ko-fi (Explore tab) and join my membership to read ahead!