"Hu Li the Immortal is breaking through to the eleventh tier?" Tushan Qing was taken aback upon hearing this.
The calamity that befell Hu Li the Immortal is not a secret among the Demon Race. After all, Hu Li the Immortal transformed from a mighty Great Han into a child, a change in physique that could not be concealed from those with keen eyes.
"How could it be so fast?" Tushan Qing was astonished to hear this. From the time Hu Li the Immortal lost his cultivation to stepping back into the tenth tier and gaining a foothold among the Demon Race, to now breaking through to the eleventh tier, the speed is simply too fast!
Upon hearing Tushan Qing, Zhang Chen shook his head: "Hu Li the Immortal is undergoing rehabilitation, and coupled with his fortunes like the Innate Ba Snake, it’s not exaggerating for him to quickly regain his eleventh-tier cultivation."
Of course, the most crucial factor is the Reincarnation Mark. The Reincarnation Mark not only connects with the past but also assists Hu Li the Immortal in thoroughly washing away all rebirth disadvantages on his body, eliminating any final hidden dangers.
"If Hu Li the Immortal can leverage the pressure to break through to the eleventh tier later, today’s battle has already been decided and cannot be changed," said Tushan Qing.
The two conversed as they lifted their heads to gaze at Hu Li the Immortal clashing in the void with the two Shen Family tenth-tier deities. The whole battle in Jinling City now placed entirely on the shoulders of these three individuals.
Facing Shen Li, who ignited his origin and reached his peak, especially with that terrifying Immortal Slaying Sword Qi, even Hu Li the Immortal seemed to be in danger, finding himself at a disadvantage against the two Shen Family deities.
Shen Li chose a life-risking fighting style, with only death awaiting him after ascension, so he didn’t care about his injuries. In the confrontation with Hu Li the Immortal, the method used was entirely life-for-life, wound-for-wound. Against the terrifying sharpness of the Immortal Slaying Sword, even Hu Li the Immortal needed to retreat cautiously and dared not to seize its edge.
They are all at the tenth tier; although Hu Li the Immortal is stronger than the two, they are all fully entrenched at this level. No matter how powerful, how much of a gap can there be?
It’s just like a fighting champion against an ordinary person. Even if there’s a gap, they are both human; how big can the difference be?
Especially when that ordinary person is wielding a sharp treasure sword. Even if the fighting champion had mastered fighting skills, avoidance would be the best choice for him.
"Die for me, you accursed beast! Instead of staying well-behaved in the Southern Border, you dare to act wantonly in Jinling City. Do you really think my Shen Family is made of clay and can be bullied?" Shen Li’s sword qi raged, with a fierce killing intent in his eyes. Together with the other Shen Family deity, they pushed Hu Li the Immortal into a perilous situation.
"Although Hu Li the Immortal is in jeopardy, as long as he withstands Shen Li’s ascent, victory belongs to him," Zhang Chen silently analyzed the battle as he watched from high above.
"It seems Shen Li is playing for keeps, and I’m afraid he won’t give Hu Li the Immortal a chance for ascension!" Tushan Qing’s voice was full of worry.
Zhang Chen ignored Tushan Qing’s words and instead sensed the Reincarnation Mark within Hu Li the Immortal. Now as Hu Li the Immortal has fallen into danger, the power released from his Reincarnation Mark was at least three times faster than usual. Under this extreme pressure, his bloodline was undergoing a deeper change, rapidly regressing to its origins.
Around the two Shen Family ancestors, mists swirled, belonging to the Law of Water. The poisonous mist surrounding Shen Li was thick with toxins, while the mist surrounding the other Shen Family ancestor contained cold air, with snow and wind coursing through it.
The Power of Wind and Snow slowed Hu Li the Immortal’s movements, and the poison caused his muscles and bones to start numbing, slowing his actions down.
However, as Shen Li’s toxins invaded his skin, it also stimulated the resistance of his internal bloodline power, treating the toxins as a whetstone, constantly refining his bloodline power. Yet, combined with the external cold air, Hu Li the Immortal’s actions inevitably slowed down. At a certain moment, due to his slowed movements, he failed to evade in time and was directly stabbed in the chest, causing blood to spurt. The terrifying sword qi in the wound began to estinguish Hu Li the Immortal’s bloodline power, preventing the wound from healing.
"Such terrifying sword qi! It can even prevent my wound from healing and is consuming my soul and Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Had this sword pierced deeper, I’m afraid I’d have to account for myself here today," Hu Li the Immortal looked at the scar on his chest with horror in his eyes and turned his head to shout into the night sky:
"I say, if you guys don’t make a move, I’m going to run!"
"Old Ancestor, don’t be anxious; we’re on our way! Just focus on the one with the sword; leave the other one to me. I’ll hold them off for you." A laugh echoed from the void as a blue light flickered in the distant darkness. Emerging from the night with a blue banner was a figure blocking the path of the swordless Shen Family tenth-tier deity: "Master of the Flood Banner of the White Lotus Sect: Chen Zhifei, greetings, my fellow Daoist."
Hearing the name reported, Zhang Chen turned his head towards the night sky, a glint of surprise in his eyes: "Is he the father of that unlucky fellow Chen Ming?"
He had killed Chen Ming, creating a deep enmity with the man.
Zhang Chen looked at the other party’s face and saw that it was handsome, without any trace of the rugged heroism of the Martial World, but rather exuded an indescribable nobility.
He wore coarse cloth and hemp garments, with Qi mechanisms swirling around him, and Incense Qi enveloping him, a deity of the ninth tier.
"A mere ninth-tier deity dares to claim to block a tenth-tier master..." Zhang Chen’s gaze rested on the banner, which had powerful Qi mechanisms swirling around it, and Zhang Chen couldn’t discern the details.
"I am the Bright Moon in the Nine Heavens, you are but a mere ninth-tier expert, comparable to a firefly. How dare you speak so arrogantly?" The Shen family patriarch’s face was frosty as he struck at Chen Zhifei from a distance with a palm.
"Heh heh, Shen Liang, though you are a tenth-tier master and my cultivation does not equal yours, I hold an Exotic Treasure specifically designed to counter the Bloodline Power of the Shen family." The banner in Chen Zhifei’s hand swayed and unexpectedly neutralized Shen Liang’s attack, then swept towards Shen Liang proactively.
As the banner unfurled, the void seemed to transform into an Infinite Sea, churning with turbulent waves, disturbing the Law of Heaven and Earth, and shaking the boundless void.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" Chen Zhifei shouted as he clashed with the Shen family patriarch, Shen Liang. For a time, he did not fall behind, wielding that banner, which could manipulate the Law of Water, and inversely affected the Shen family’s bloodline.
Shen Liang was surrounded by the Law of Ice, with icy fog spreading in the void. However, all the cold air was dissolved by the flagpole when it approached Shen Liang.
"That banner is indeed a fine Magical Treasure." Zhang Chen looked up at the sky-blue flagpole, a glint of Golden Light in his eyes as he examined its Origin.
The flagpole had the power to manipulate the Law of Water, rendering Shen Liang’s Power of Law useless and putting him at a disadvantage.
A Magical Treasure capable of bridging the gap between a ninth-tier and a tenth-tier expert, not allowing the tenth-tier expert to gain the upper hand, is not a simple treasure.
"I heard some rumors that the banner is called the Profound Yuan Water Control Banner. It possesses the power to control the Law of Water, and this Magical Treasure is designed to counter the Shen family’s Bloodline Power. I heard that the White Lotus Sect has five major halls, each wielding a banner. These banners are the origin of the sect’s five halls." Tushan Qing said.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen was shocked. Hearing the name ’Profound Yuan Water Control Banner’, he inexplicably thought of the Five Directions Banner. Upon hearing Shen Liang mention the Five Directions Banner, he couldn’t help feeling shaken, looking at Shen Liang and asking, "What are the names of the five banners controlled by the White Lotus Sect?"
Tushan Qing said: "You’ve seen the Profound Yuan Water Control Banner before you, having the power to control the great Dao of Water, so I shall not elaborate. Its Flame Banner, possesses the Southern Earth-Departing Flame Banner. The Sharp Gold Banner, holds the Plain Cloud Banner. The Earth Banner, possesses the Central Earth Yellow Banner. Its Giant Wood Banner holds the Eastern Cyan Treasure Lotus Banner. These five banners each have their own mysteries, filled with all sorts of incredible powers, they are the fundamental inheritance of the White Lotus Sect. Even after undergoing purges through successive dynasties, they have continued to exist, relying on these five banners."
Zhang Chen felt his head buzzing. He could no longer hear what Tushan Qing was saying, with only the names of the Five Directions Banner left echoing in his mind, a thought flickering within his Primordial Spirit: Primordial Chaos! Primordial Chaos!
"Immortal Slaying Sword, Five Villages Temple, Heaven and Earth Treasure Mirror, Five Directions Banner, this is absolutely no coincidence! There must be some unknown connection between this world and Primordial Chaos in the depths of the void." Zhang Chen felt his head buzzing, not even focusing on the battlefield before him. He was distracted at this moment.
"What are you thinking?" Tushan Qing’s words at this moment pulled Zhang Chen back from his contemplation, Zhang Chen returned to his senses, hurriedly gathering his thoughts, though his lapse was fully noted by Tushan Qing, whose eyes reflected a trace of contemplation.
"Just recalling some old stories," Zhang Chen replied unhurriedly.
Tushan Qing clearly didn’t believe Zhang Chen’s words, watching him with eyes filled with curiosity, sensing secrets within him that he wouldn’t disclose.
While the two were conversing, another change occurred in the field, as Chen Zhifei and Shen Liang departed. In the sky, only Hu Li the Immortal and the Shen Family’s patriarch Shen Li were engaged in a life and death struggle. Facing Shen Li’s desperate fight, Hu Li the Immortal found himself at a disadvantage.
As the two clashed, suddenly the Eight Gates Locking Gold Array enveloping Jinling City trembled slightly. An inexplicable Qi mechanism swirled, covering Hu Li the Immortal. Then, Hu Li the Immortal’s body froze, and the next moment, Shen Li seized the opportunity, thrusting the Immortal Slaying Sword into Hu Li the Immortal’s body, then kicking him away.
"Yellow Heaven Dao!!!" As Hu Li the Immortal flew backward in the air, he roared at the sky, his voice filled with rage.
"What is this???" Zhang Chen was greatly dismayed by this scene: "Is this a coincidence or a deliberate act by Yellow Heaven Dao?"