Chapter 115: Thunderous Vengeance

Boom—!

Thunder roared across the sky as flashing lightning illuminated the human world.

A cute Cow Mask, dappled with raindrops, fixed its piercing, fire-like gaze.

Liu Jinsong’s hair stood on end—in that instant, he felt as if the blood in his veins had frozen solid!

Ogre?

Ogre!!!

No, how dare he?!

Liu Jinsong’s eyes narrowed, and a deep, inky ferocity seemed to spread from his pupils like a dark stain.

A surge of bitter resentment and murderous intent erupted from Liu Jinsong!

A ridiculous mix of anger and disbelief bubbled up inside him.

Was Liu Jinsong already in such a desperate state?

As a proud Illusory Form cultivator, could he really be hunted by Ogre on his own?

You reckless, unthinking brute!

Liu Jinsong’s urge to kill Ogre was more intense than ever. If not for this Ogre, how would he have come to this point?

Every time he tried to capture Ogre before, the beast slipped away with its peculiar repositioning technique. That bastard was not only devious but maddeningly slippery.

Mastering that repositioning technique made him an excruciatingly troublesome foe.

Yet Ogre never dared engage him head-on—after all, Ogre’s strength was limited; he only targeted the lower echelons of the Fisher Gang.

Now, Ogre even dared to try and take advantage of his injury?

Really…

Reckless fool!

Boom—!

Liu Jinsong unleashed an insulted roar, his true qi erupting like a force capable of splitting stone, hastening the generation of fresh vital energy.

Meanwhile, the illusory divine form that Li Qingshan had shattered with one strike was now barely coalescing, riddled with cracks and its power greatly diminished.

But it was still nothing more than an illusion!

Countless currents of air roiled as divine essence shattered the raindrops into innumerable specks.

Dense divine energy, as if awakened from a deep slumber, slowly merged within the swirling, indistinct air.

Liu Jinsong couldn’t beat Li Qingshan—yet he had the nerve to face you, Ogre?

A cowardly sneak, skulking about!

Boom—!

The ground exploded as countless stones were crushed into dust under the overwhelming pressure of the illusory form, sending debris flaring into the air.

Though injured, Liu Jinsong showed no sign of fear.

Ogre…

So what?

Perfect—it’s his own hand that will deliver death!

Liu Jinsong had never feared Ogre. Unlike Li Qingshan, Ogre’s trick lay in his cunning and evasiveness, and that disappearing repositioning technique was especially maddening.

But in a true face-to-face clash, ten Ogres were no match for the threat Li Qingshan posed!

Suddenly.

Liu Jinsong’s eyes locked as he saw Ogre’s hulking form hurled forward with astonishing force.

In an instant, six dark, bulky objects resembling misshapen crows slammed into the ground, each impact accompanied by a thunderous boom.

Fine dust, ground from countless Divine Crystals, swirled and enveloped Liu Jinsong.

“This is…”

Divine Crystal dust?!

Liu Jinsong’s eyes narrowed as he immediately recognized the swirling particles, and he thought grimly, ‘This can’t be good!’

He stomped heavily, and a burst of terrifying blood qi surged from within as he launched a fierce palm strike toward Ogre.

Roaring shockwaves swept the air, scattering raindrops and driving the swirling dust aside!

“The dust of the Eight Extremity Divine Crystal… my divine essence… it’s paralyzed!”

His heart sank to the depths.

Liu Jinsong could only feel his furious, fragmented divine form twist into a distorted haze as it was severed from the divine essence in the Niwan Palace.

In an instant, his already feeble illusory form crumbled completely!

What a beast, Ogre!

Knowing the illusory divine essence was too overwhelming, Ogre had obtained Eight Extremity Divine Crystals, ground them into powder, and detonated it to create a field that suppressed divine power!

Was he trying to level the playing field by forcing a brawl of mere mortal qi?

That was rather clever!

But in terms of divine essence, Ogre stood no chance. He could never cultivate a Six Department Divine Matrix like Li Qingshan— even Li Qingshan’s was no match for true illusory divine power.

Li Qingshan’s strength came not only from his Six Department Divine Matrix but also from his grandmaster physique, having mastered the Divine Sect’s ultimate art, ‘Eight Jiao Overturning.’

That was the true foundation of Li Qingshan’s power.

So what did Ogre have to rely on?

Even without divine essence, he was still a master of true qi!

Ogre showed no fluctuations of true qi. Clearly, he wasn’t a master-level fighter—how could he possibly prevail?

With a few deft gestures, Liu Jinsong produced a long blade from the Qian Kun Jade and slashed fiercely at Ogre.

A torrent of true qi converged into that strike, dazzling as the midday sun as it split the sky. The tearing air cried out before the blow shattered with an earth-shattering explosion!

The resplendent blade, wrapped in surging true qi, seemed to cleave through the divine crystal dust, creating a clear, flowing path!

One masterful slash—Ogre was finished!

Thud—!

Liu Jinsong couldn’t help but smirk as his blade drove into Ogre’s body—the Cute Cow Mask shattered into fragments, and Ogre was cleaved in two from the shoulder!

It was almost as if he was slicing through a melon.

Ogre, is that all you’ve got?

But Liu Jinsong soon sensed something was off—there was no blood!

No trace of a metallic scent!

That strike had split Ogre, yet not a single drop of blood was spattered!

Liu Jinsong’s eyes hardened as a dreadful premonition surged within him.

He then saw Ogre explode into a burst of vivid dust, spewing out in a kaleidoscope of colors from his shattered form!

In his master-level form, Liu Jinsong seemed to channel the heavens and earth, his every breath reminiscent of a whale’s mighty spout and gulp.

Gulping in the dust-laden air, his face turned ghastly green in shock!

“Lime? No… it’s lime mixed with divine crystal and toxic powder!”

“It’s highly poisonous!”

“Disgusting!”

Liu Jinsong roared in anger, clamping his mouth and nose as he spat out the ingested toxic powder.

He stomped forcefully and let out a bellowing roar.

Wielding his long blade, he swept it in a wide arc; the gleaming edge sent shockwaves rippling through the air, repelling the toxic crystal dust!

But suddenly, an overwhelming, oppressive force erupted from behind him—a pressure so chilling it made his scalp tingle and hairs stand on end!

“Boom—” echoed the sound of a body shattering its confines and expanding explosively.

Turning around, Liu Jinsong beheld an unforgettable, towering figure.

Radiant golden light burst from the figure’s eyes, as shimmering golden mist spilled from his pupils.

A cascade of dark, vigorous hair fell to his waist like a heavy ebony cloak, billowing wildly in the fierce wind.

Massive, sinewy strands, reminiscent of colossal serpents, writhed beneath skin tinged a near-crimson hue.

Unbreakable. Perfectly honed!

The nascent form of divine power appeared: Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower!

Ogre stomped heavily, and a black Temple Spirit chess piece was suddenly crushed underfoot!

Explosive black mist surged upward and poured out from beneath Ogre’s mask!

His inner qi now seemed stained red, as if boiling with fire!

Ogre unleashed a White Tiger Turbulent Wind Fist!

After reaching the Divine Meridian realm, Li Qingshan activated his Ascending Stance once again, his augmented physical strength undergoing a remarkable transformation!

He even manifested the power of Dragon Elephant!

Unleashing his Dao Fruit’s force—a blend of dragon and elephant!

He threw a punch like an ancient giant elephant flinging its trunk, as Liu Jinsong’s body shook, his sinews and blood seemingly frozen, with an irresistible, dominating force slamming downward!

Though it appeared slow, its speed was blindingly fast, crushing the air as it slammed into Liu Jinsong’s chest!

In the next instant…

Liu Jinsong’s master-level body felt an unmistakable surge of power.

It was as if a mighty dragon and a colossal beast had merged—the force, carried by that punch, battering his body relentlessly.

Was that… inner qi?!

Liu Jinsong glared furiously, his skin reddened, yet he was powerless as the qi filling him shattered his masterly true qi, his sinews, tiger bones, and meridians!

A massive cloud of blood mist hung in the air as Liu Jinsong was blasted some thirty zhang away!

His body crashed down like a thousand-pound weight, the earth sinking and a ring of dust erupting like a perfectly timed firework!

Liu Jinsong lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes vacant and bewildered.

How could he be so strong?

How could Ogre possibly be so powerful?!

The inner qi had torn through his true qi, sinews, and meridians!

Is this the breakthrough of his meridians?!

That was Liu Jinsong’s final thought.

After Ogre’s punch shattered his resistance, a mountain of inky darkness surged forward.

A striking, crimson long spear burst forth with divine pressure; as it trembled into being like a peacock’s display, countless spear shadows pierced his body.

It snuffed out his remaining life!

When the dust finally settled,

At the edge of the ruins, the imposing figure of Li Che, with jet-black hair billowing like a cape and his eyes enshrouded in golden mist, appeared almost divine against the howling stormy skies.

He gazed upon Liu Jinsong’s shattered corpse lying in a deep pit.

Li Che’s expression remained as inscrutable as an Ogre mask as he slowly raised his hand, his five fingers curling inward.

Above Liu Jinsong’s corpse, countless wisps of divine essence swirled upward, converging into the shape of a human figure.

“Bind spirit…”

“Submit to me.”

……

……

Countless raindrops were torn asunder as figures shot forth like missiles; the very air trembled with rippling waves!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Several figures descended rapidly, closing in with incredible speed.

Divine energy intertwined behind them, twisting into a blurred divine visage.

With graceful, full-bodied movements that concealed their feet, Gong Yunli furrowed her brow as the fabric of a junior officer’s robe rustled in the storm.

“You’re too late,” she declared.

Beside her, Gongyang Liancheng’s expression darkened as he stroked his beard.

Approaching the edge of the pit, he spotted rotting flesh amid the ruins, and his eyelids twitched in disbelief.

He narrowed his eyes and, clutching his hand, felt a sphere of qi coalesce in his palm.

His divine perception detected the energies swirling within the sphere, and his expression grew strangely serious.

“Arsenic, Jian Shou Qing Powder, He Ding Hong, Lime… and Divine Crystal dust. Such treachery—and this lingering divine essence of the Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord…”

“The attacker is undoubtedly Ogre,” Gongyang Liancheng concluded.

“Ogre? That Ogre… dared to kill an Illusory Form cultivator?”

“Just a wounded Illusory Form cultivator,” Gongyang Liancheng added solemnly.

With one hammer strike from Li Qingshan, Liu Jinsong’s illusory form shattered; his divine power barely reached 30%, and his master-level body was battered into coughing blood.

In every way, he was far from his peak—it was no exaggeration to call him nearly lifeless.

“But Ogre’s performance is impressive! Even when the top fighters of the Fisher Gang laid out a trap to capture him, he still dared to ambush—Ogre, you’re something else!” Gong Yunli exclaimed.

A surge of qi blasted through as Li Qingshan appeared gracefully with his arms crossed, wearing a Cat Face Mask and concealing a Goat-Horn Hammer in his sleeve.

He stared at the grim remains of Liu Jinsong in the deep pit.

The expression behind Li Qingshan’s mask was twisted in near-disbelief.

That kid… did he really have that much nerve?

Daring to kill an Illusory Form cultivator?

What if he ends up being counterattacked by an Illusory Form?!

After all, an Illusory Form cultivator was only half a step away from achieving true divine status!

After a long moment, Li Qingshan exhaled a tangled sigh.

“Ogre…”

He could only murmur in resignation.

If others didn’t know who Ogre was, how could he not?

Just a year ago, Ogre was nothing more than a blood-exchanging fighter.

Before reaching the Capital, Ogre had barely tapped into his qi veins.

And now, he even took down an Illusory Form cultivator—even if he was barely holding on!

But even a wounded Illusory Form cultivator had far more vitality than a mere qi vein practitioner!

“Impressive…”

Li Qingshan suddenly chuckled, realizing he might have underestimated the situation.

This Li Che might possess potential on par with his exceptional Prodigy.

Now, Li Qingshan felt an irresistible urge to see someone immediately…

But tonight’s events were far from over; the turmoil had just begun. He had to quell his anticipation and curiosity.

“Let’s go—he’s dead cleanly with nothing left for me.”

“What’s so appealing about a mangled corpse?”

“The Fisher Gang is finished; it’s time to settle their misdeeds once and for all.”

Li Qingshan chuckled.

“In the Capital… someone now arrives who despises evil even more than I do.”

……

……

Inside the Study, candlelight flickered softly.

Li Che slowly opened his eyes as the chess piece he held merged back into the Dao Fruit on the chessboard.

Removing his bamboo hat and stowing away his mask and black robe, Li Che reabsorbed the Lin Da Divine General from the Hanging Willow Body back into the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Li Che exhaled deeply, sitting in a Grand Master’s chair, his gaze fixed on the dancing flame as a smile he could no longer hide spread across his lips.

Liu Jinsong, a true Illusory Form cultivator, had always been a tremendous source of pressure for Li Che—even though Li Qingshan had reduced him to a wounded state.

Yet he was no pushover; the oppressive force of the Illusory Form, though not matching genuine divine power, was enough to sap 20–30% of Li Che’s combat ability.

Thus, Li Che immediately employed the powder from the drained Eight Extremity Divine Crystal—only such a powder could restrain the divine essence of an Illusory Form.

He did it in two stages: first, a Crow Grenade blasted open the dust; then, a mix of poison and lime with Divine Crystal ensured Liu Jinsong could no longer tap into his divine power.

At that moment, he reactivated his Ascending Stance.

After breaking through to the Divine Meridian, the amplification from his Ascending Stance surged to unparalleled levels—he even awakened the power of Dragon Elephant!

With full force, he shattered Liu Jinsong’s sinews and bones, then unleashed a relentless barrage to finish him off.

“If Liu Jinsong weren’t injured, it would have been a grueling battle…”

“Ambushes always have the best cost-effectiveness.”

“People really should avoid getting hurt—better to attack others than to be attacked.”

Reflect, learn, and innovate—take lessons from a foe’s demise.

Li Che began a thorough post-battle analysis.

After the review, he adjusted his breathing, exhaled a murky sigh, and calmed the surging turmoil within.

Li Che lowered his eyes as he started sorting through the spoils.

The harvest from one Illusory Form cultivator set his heart racing with anticipation!

Though merely the vice-leader of the Fisher Gang, the man was still a master of the Illusory Form!

In the Capital, experts of the Illusory Form were among the elite!

And their personal treasures were never in short supply.

Moreover, masters at that level always kept their prized treasures on them—hidden safely rather than exposed.

Thus, Li Che eagerly anticipated what he would acquire next.

The first item Li Che fixed his gaze on was the Divine Crystal.

There were a couple of Jiuyue Divine Crystals, followed by twenty Tendu Divine Essence Crystals.

The haul was nothing short of enormous!

Li Che was visibly excited; the thrill of sudden wealth always left him savoring the moment.

Yet, he felt a twinge of regret—Liu Jinsong’s collection lacked the Eight Extremity Divine Crystal.

After all, the Eight Extremity Divine Crystal was rare and valuable; if Liu Jinsong had any, he would have used it for cultivation immediately.

It certainly wouldn’t fall into Li Che’s hands cheaply.

Once the Divine Crystals were accounted for, Li Che reined in his excitement and continued tallying his spoils.

Among his acquisitions was a divine weapon—a top-grade Jiuyue long blade of considerable value.

Then came an unexpected find: ninth-level Corpse God’s Deathly Aura Martial Pills from the Corpse God Sect—three bottles with nine pills each.

“This Liu Jinsong has completely allied himself with the Corpse God Sect, reaping huge benefits to cultivate a cursed corpse body!”

Li Che’s eyes sparkled as he realized why Liu Jinsong had so many Deathly Aura Martial Pills.

As for martial techniques, Li Che didn’t gain much.

Liu Jinsong’s divine essence belonged to the sorrowful aspect of the Seven Emotions—the same origin as Li Che’s Chin Ku Zhen Gui.

Li Che aspired to forge his Seven Emotions Divine Matrix but still needed the divine essences of Fear and Sorrow.

Techniques born of the same origin held little true value.

“What a pity… The treasure vault of the Fisher Gang—one of the Capital’s great clans and sects—must be splendid… I never even got a glimpse of it.”

Li Che was pained, clenching his chest in despair.

“They won’t give me time—I’ll just have to wait until I grow stronger.”

With a huff, Li Che stowed away his spoils.

He began to sense the transformation and growth within himself from this battle.

A fleeting glimmer danced before his eyes.

[Dragon Elephant Vajra (lv3 20%), Pure Heart (LV3 5%), Chess Sage (LV2 68%)]

The Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit had improved remarkably—taking down a wounded Illusory Form cultivator in a comeback had boosted its maturity significantly from battle experience.

But even more impressive was the surge in the Chess Sage Dao Fruit’s maturity.

After absorbing Liu Jinsong’s divine essence, the Chess Sage Dao Fruit’s maturity leaped by 20%!

If he absorbed a few more Illusory Forms, it could easily hit level 3!

And besides that…

Li Che’s divine perception swirled as he felt a slight sting in his flesh—a small strain from unleashing the Dragon Elephant power via his Ascending Stance.

“Dragon Elephant power… a dragon and an elephant—could it be because I’ve opened my divine meridians?”

Li Che closed his eyes briefly, savoring the surge of Dragon Elephant power in his Ascending Stance.

He retrieved an Angry Xuan Jiao Blood Martial Pill; its potent force crushed through his strong stomach lining, sending a surge of medicinal power throughout his body.

In his Study, Li Che slowly practiced the White Tiger Turbulent Wind Fist.

It was as if the roars of dragons and trumpeting elephants echoed around him as his sinews and muscles twitched!

Abruptly, his eyes snapped open—the candlelight flickered, and his gaze shone as brilliantly as the rising sun!

“Dragon Elephant power… is this a form of body-tempering derived from the lingering energy of the Dao Fruit?”

The [Dragon Elephant Vajra] Dao Fruit had evolved a supplementary technique.

The intensity of battle had inspired the first inklings of this art within him.

With his exceptional martial talent, Li Che began to envision it clearly in his mind.

Gradually, an imperfect martial art derived from the Dao Fruit took shape in his thoughts.

“A technique born from the Dao Fruit—imperfect and incomplete—it must be refined over time.”

“To create a technique via the Dao Fruit…”

Li Che’s eyes sparkled with vibrant brilliance as his emotions surged.

“Thus… let it be called ‘Dragon Elephant True Might’—a force nurtured by qi, blood, inner power, and spirit, steadily raising the explosive potential ceiling.”

“A nurtured strength, in turn, nurtures the person!”

“From one dragon and one elephant, who knows—maybe in the future ten, a hundred, or even a thousand!”

Li Che’s gaze burned fiercely.

Though ‘Dragon Elephant True Might’ was still imperfect, Li Che believed its inception was extraordinary—already rivaling supreme martial arts.

Its potential ceiling was remarkably high!

“They say to break through to grandmaster level, one must master a technique imbued with true essence. Isn’t this absolute art, derived from my Dao Fruit, the very key to my future as a grand master?”

Li Che smiled.

Master techniques—acquired!

The path to grand mastery lay right before him!

Even though it was only a preliminary formation and far from perfect.

Li Che would have to continually innovate and integrate the essence of other supreme martial arts into ‘Dragon Elephant True Might’—an ideal prospect.

That way, he could ensure his breakthrough to grandmaster level would be smooth and without unforeseen setbacks.

“Supreme martial arts are exceedingly rare—even if they exist, they’re treasured by every faction… What Old Li demonstrated tonight, ‘Eight Jiao Overturning,’ seems to be the Divine Sect’s ultimate art. If only I could…”

Li Che’s eyes gleamed as he couldn’t help but direct his thoughts toward Li Qingshan.

But he quickly dismissed the notion.

“Alright, no rush.”

“It will come, eventually.”

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