Chapter 141: Raging Waters and Divine Schemes
by xennovelThe Jiulong River roared fiercely as its turbulent waters surged.
Its roar crashed against the reefs, sending up cascades of white froth like heaps of snow.
Although heavy snow fell from the sky and a chill gripped all of creation, the river’s surface showed no sign of freezing.
The water flowed with an unusual warmth.
It was as if a blazing furnace had been lit beneath the riverbed, making the entire waterway boil relentlessly.
Along the riverbank.
Several figures stood there, some tall and some small.
At the forefront, a man in a black and white robe—tall, slender, with a flowing beard—squatted by the bank, plunging his hand into the rushing water.
He attuned himself to the terrifying, raging divinity within the river.
Opening his eyes, a fleeting vertical streak appeared on his brow as astonishment crossed his face.
“What a magnificent Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple—truly among the elite Four-Yu Bizarre Temples…”
The Taoist murmured his praise softly.
Behind him, besides a few young men and women, several small children—no more than six or seven years old—followed.
“Master, can we hurry into Jingguang City? We’ve been on the road forever and are exhausted. We long for a hot meal,” one pleaded.
A chubby kid wearing a felt cap panted continuously as he brushed away the biting cold and called out to the Taoist playing in the water.
Wiping the droplets from his hand, the Taoist retorted, “Always eating—you glutton! I shouldn’t have brought a foodie like you along!”
“This time the temple spirit resonance hasn’t even hit 70 percent. Let’s see if I end up putting you on a fast!”
A divine mark flared on his brow as he glared fiercely at the chubby kid.
“We journeyed thousands of miles from Daocheng just for this resonance and the chance to unlock the mysteries of the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple—and maybe even secure the Four-Yu Divine Weapons!”
“Rumor has it the Third Prince Temple God’s divine arms come as a full set—yes, a complete set!”
“In the face of such an opportunity, you all better perk up!”
“And don’t forget—Jingguang City has accepted a prodigy this year who isn’t any pushover!”
The Taoist folded his arms and said calmly.
The chubby kid magically produced a boiled corn cob and began nibbling on it while grumbling, “How can Jingguang City’s prodigy compare with us?”
“We are the authentic prodigies of Daocheng!”
“Heaven and divinity favor us—what are these minor city prodigies compared to us… Master, want a bite?”
The chubby kid felt the Taoist’s piercing gaze—as if it could carve away all his plump flesh.
Startled, he shivered and quickly handed over his half-eaten corn.
“No way!”
“Don’t be so cocky. Li Nuǎnxi of Jingguang City is ranked 21st on the Lingnan Daocheng Prodigies List!”
The Taoist remarked.
“Master, I’m number 18!”
Unfazed, the chubby kid waved his plump hand and added, “Besides, word is that that little girl only snagged 21st because of her youth.”
“She’s nothing to worry about—not even a real competitor.”
“The Third Prince’s legacy is mine for the taking.”
After finishing his corn, the chubby kid tidied up his trash and then grabbed a bowl of strawberries, shoveling them into his mouth one by one.
The Taoist shook his head in resigned amusement.
He glanced at the other prodigious youths he had brought from Daocheng; they all exuded the same overconfidence.
They brimmed with self-assurance and carried the bias of Daocheng cultivators, utterly dismissive of Jingguang City’s prodigies.
That attitude was sure to come back and bite them.
His eyes then shifted to the towering temple standing resolute at the center of the great river.
Just one glance filled him with an oppressive dread—as if a chained child engulfed in black flames below was roaring in fury!
The Taoist’s eyes narrowed.
Compared to the top-tier Four-Yu Bizarre Temple subdued by the Qianyuan Main Sect, the Four-Yu Third Prince Bizarre Temple in Jingguang City was visibly agitated, teetering on the brink of eruption.
This time, besides bringing his genuine disciples, he had come to monitor the turbulent state of the Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple.
If it ever exceeded the suppressive power of Jingguang City, he would have to report back and summon the Divine Soul Real Person to take charge.
“Let’s go, into Jingguang City.”
“Other branch sects from different regions will surely send cultivators with prodigies… So perform well. Remember, you’re the authentic disciples of Daocheng—don’t let the branch disciples outshine you.”
After speaking, the Taoist led the children into the carriage.
The wheels turned, grinding through wind and snow as the carriage slowly made its way toward Jingguang City.
“Master, I’ve got some roast chicken. Want some?”
“Shut up! Stop eating—are you a pig?!”
Amid the jolting carriage, an eager child’s voice rang out.
It was quickly followed by the Taoist’s furious scolding.
……
……
Suddenly, the entire snowy plain trembled as countless snowflakes whipped into a relentless frenzy.
It was as if the ground had collapsed in an instant, with turbulent air roaring and wrenching at the drifting snow.
The black robe billowed while the Cute Cow Mask on his face seemed eerily alive.
He stared at the nearby mountain peak, from which a dense miasma of death and corpse aura burst forth.
It was the resonance of the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal, its sensing energies intermingling!
Within the Cosmic Chessboard.
The suppressed Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal trembled incessantly.
Li Che’s Divine Perception manifested as his fingers flicked to conjure Pure Heart divine chess pieces.
They exploded like a massive avalanche, their divine power battering the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal.
Waves of black energy surged outward, smashing against the mountain peak.
The black flames evoked on the mountain, like signal fires amid drifting snow and in Li Che’s eyes, burned with an inescapable brilliance.
“So it’s you…”
Li Che, his bamboo hat drawn low and his black robe billowing, showed an expression of shock behind his Cute Cow Mask.
He couldn’t believe that the one lurking in the shadows—who had even beguiled Shangguan Qinglei—would wield the Sevenfold Divine Weapon to try and betray XiXi…
It turned out to be him!
The mountain surged upward like a radiant sword, its savage, dominating aura slashing through the air!
Before Li Che stood one of the Four Elder Peaks… Flowing Sword Peak!
Flowing Sword Peak!
It housed the Enforcement Hall of the Divine Sect’s Jin Guang Branch!
Li Che took a deep breath as turbulent energies swirled around him, clearly shaken by the sight.
Xu Jiuying…
So it was him!
The Cosmic Chessboard illuminated, rapidly expanding from Li Che’s position as a star point and slowly enveloping Flowing Sword Peak.
Within Flowing Sword Peak, Li Che saw Xu Jiuying seated cross-legged.
Black corpse aura and flames surged from Xu Jiuying.
Li Che had initially suspected someone else might be on Flowing Sword Peak.
But no!
After several scans, it was conclusively determined…
It was indeed Xu Jiuying.
That Enforcement Hall elder of the Jin Guang Branch turned out to be… an agent of the Corpse God Sect!
That undercover agent had managed to climb this high in the hierarchy!
It left Li Che utterly astonished.
Li Che had assumed that anyone bearing the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal must have reached the Divine Vision stage.
Within the Divine Sect, only the four great elders and Sect Leader Nan Lihuo possessed such Divine Vision.
With Nan Lihuo cleared of suspicion, the four elders remained as suspects.
There was Zhang Qingzheng of Liangxiu Peak, Zhu Hongdou of Hongyun Peak, Xu Jiuying of Flowing Sword Peak, and Weng Wuyou of Nanshan Peak!
Initially, Li Che had targeted Elder Weng Wuyou of Nanshan Peak.
But while that was his suspicion, he couldn’t ignore the other three peaks.
Thus, Li Che expanded the Cosmic Chessboard, repeatedly striking the Corpse Curse Seal with explosive Pure Heart divine power.
It was as if a deity were patrolling the mountains in search of clues.
At Liangxiu Peak, although Zhang Qingzheng was the least suspicious, he was not let off the hook.
Sure enough, Liangxiu Peak showed no sign of the Corpse Curse Seal’s aura.
Then came Hongyun Peak and Flowing Sword Peak, with Nanshan Peak last.
But Li Che hadn’t expected…
that as soon as he reached Flowing Sword Peak, he would uncover the hidden rat of the Corpse God Sect.
In an instant, the entire realm fell silent.
Wearing his Cute Cow Mask, Li Che let out a soft chuckle.
He couldn’t help but recall the day when Xu Jiuying had led the inner sect attendant Zhao Jianmian in with such grace.
In hindsight…
it seemed they were merely testing him to see if the loss of the Corpse Curse Seal had exposed him.
A righteous sword cultivator—one as upright and unyielding as Li Qingshan—couldn’t be expected to be an agent of the Corpse God Sect.
No wonder he had remained hidden within the Divine Sect for so long.
This past year of “thief calling for the capture of thieves” was simply…
ridiculously shameless!
You’re so damn cheeky!
Killer intent burned in Li Che’s eyes.
Thinking of Xu Jiuying—the true culprit plotting his daughter’s demise—and his feigned righteousness parading before him,
he saw an ostentatious display of virtue, a vow to expose the evils of the Corpse God Sect…
Li Che’s murderous intent reached an all-time peak!
“A righteous sword cultivator could never be an agent of the Corpse God Sect… That remark must have made Xu Jiuying burst with glee,” he mused sarcastically.
“Is it the thrill of having everyone at your mercy?”
His murderous intent shone unmistakably in his eyes.
He now wanted to kill Xu Jiuying immediately!
His desire to kill was so intense it couldn’t be hidden—nor did he care to hide it!
Who cares about the greater picture.
Who cares about not alerting the enemy…
Did he care?
When it came to harming his daughter…
Then you’d die!
Cold fury burned in Li Che’s eyes.
In an instant, as snow danced wildly over the vast plain, his foot struck the ground—his body vanished and reappeared atop a gnarled old tree branch.
He raised his hand, forming a converging sword gesture that sliced through the air, and produced the “Namo Celestial Craft Barrett”!
Then he swapped his Ogre Mask for Ma Mian.
In that instant, his entire demeanor transformed dramatically.
If his earlier, unbridled, savage murderous intent had shattered the drifting snow into powder,
then now, as Ma Mian, he exuded only cold composure and unflinching calm.
A top sharpshooter must remain unruffled, with absolute coolness!
“Xu Jiuying… at the Divine Vision stage—can he be killed?”
“Not necessarily killed outright, but…”
“I might not need to kill you with my own hand.”
“Within the Divine Sect… if you expose yourself, how can you survive?”
Ma Mian’s eyes were deep and pitch-black, like two voids drawing in every bit of light and heat.
Li Che closed his eyes, pondering his next move.
Xu Jiuying…
He was formidable, even exceptionally so.
Being at the Divine Vision stage meant he was an incredibly powerful sword cultivator—and a top expert of the Corpse God Sect, wielding the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal, no doubt having mastered the Cursed Copper Corpse technique…
This was the toughest opponent Li Che had ever faced.
To kill such a being was extremely difficult.
But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean one shouldn’t try.
Li Che mentally mapped out every possible move, preparing his Feilei Chess Piece; if the assassination failed, he’d immediately retreat!
He hadn’t informed Li Qingshan.
Li Qingshan had just hurriedly departed, visibly eager—set to break through to Divine Vision in three days. Any misstep now would jeopardize that.
Then his breakthrough would be impossible.
Besides…
Li Che had a nagging feeling that if Li Qingshan were to join in…
it wouldn’t be helpful in taking down Xu Jiuying—it might even hold him back.
After all, Li Qingshan couldn’t maneuver as freely as Li Che, who could rely on his Feilei Chess Piece for swift strikes and quick escapes.
Carefree and unbound!
Therefore…
He didn’t need Li Qingshan!
He raised his hand and pressed a Mud Pellet against his brow; in an instant, his divine energy surged forth, and his qi and blood intertwined into divine ink before his eyes.
With a flick of his finger, his Pure Heart divine energy transformed into flawless white paper.
Spreading his fingers wide, he swept them forward—and in a flash, five Pure Heart painting papers appeared.
Dao Fruit [Painted Immortal]!
Inky hues spread like fireworks bursting on pristine paper!
In an instant, each of the five sheets produced a “Dragon Tooth Bodhi.”
The five Dragon Tooth Bodhis floated out from the papers, hovering before Ma Mian.
Grasping one of them, he loaded it into his “Xiangong Barrett.”
The remaining four hovered in front of Ma Mian.
He slowly raised the Xiangong Barrett.
His eyes suddenly flashed, and in an instant, a sprawling chessboard burst forth from his sclera…
Cosmic Chessboard—I am the star point!
Envelop!
In an instant.
The entire Flowing Sword Peak was shrouded within Li Che’s Cosmic Chessboard.
In a heartbeat, Li Che’s spirit coalesced into perfection, locking onto the seated Xu Jiuying!
“It’s time…”
“Time to make the move.”
In an instant!
A dazzling burst of golden light erupted like a dragon’s roar.
A golden dragon spanned the sky, tearing through the air and distorting space; shockwaves pulverized every snowflake in its path in a blink!
This shot!
Assassin Divine Vision!
……
……
Bang—!
At the very moment the explosion rang out, echoes reverberated throughout the Divine Sect Mountain Gate.
Flowing Sword Peak.
Seated cross-legged inside the palace, Xu Jiuying, burdened by a sword that subdued his streaming aura, closed his eyes to cultivate.
Suddenly, a tremor of premonition surged within him!
It was a foretaste of death!
He snapped his eyes open as countless sword auras erupted from his pupils, roaring savagely as if breaking free!
Then, Xu Jiuying saw!
He beheld a faint, blood-tinged gleam—like an enraged dragon baring rows of razor-sharp fangs!
It came silently!
A straight beam of light blasted across from east to west at a terrifying speed, its explosive booms resounding as it passed!
“This is…”
“What the…?!”
It was dangerously terrifying, sending chills down Xu Jiuying’s spine!
Remember, he was a formidable force at the Divine Vision stage—a power among the best in Jingguang City.
“Ambush!”
“Is someone trying to ambush and assassinate me?!”
“Who is it?”
In an instant, Xu Jiuying’s mind raced with countless thoughts.
But ultimately, all those thoughts converged into a powerful palm strike; countless sword auras erupted from the treasured sword he bore.
The sword aura, adorned with flowing light, gathered ahead, intertwining to barely form a misty shield.
And that blazing stream of light arrived without a sound!
Its speed was such that the roaring sound of tearing air couldn’t even catch up.
Thud—!
Like a boulder plunging into a lake, it stirred up terrifying waves and ripples!
The frightening sound waves exploded suddenly at that moment!
Circular shockwaves spread out in concentric rings, fracturing the floor into a web of cracks!
Seated on the ground, Xu Jiuying barely had time to rise, resorting to piling sword auras in front of him!
He thrust his palm forward, his eyes blazing, as the raging gusts tousled his meticulously kept hair!
But then, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
And what he saw was…
At the center of the sword aura shield, it seemed as if countless resounding explosions were taking place!
A terrifying penetrating force burst forth from the incoming beam of light!
Countless sword auras shattered with resounding cracks!
Then emerged a blood-red, grotesquely patterned, bizarre contraption resembling a Dragon Tooth!
“A contraption?!”
Xu Jiuying barely had time to register the thought.
The next moment, his sword aura shield twisted, revealing a gaping void!
The Dragon Tooth Bodhi Bullet tore through his shield!
It was too fast!
Xu Jiuying saw his palm—charging his shield—erupt into a burst of blood mist, the flesh there pierced into a gaping hole!
Yet even so, the Dragon Tooth’s force was reduced, its impact on his shoulder producing a burst of blood mist.
But the truly terrifying part was…
the explosive force unleashed once the Dragon Tooth pierced his shoulder!
In an instant, the Dragon Tooth disintegrated into countless rays of light, coursing rapidly along his inner meridians to every limb.
Crunch, crunch…
The fragmented Dragon Tooth Bodhi fibers curled violently, as if ready to rip open his flesh and extract tear-like droplets of blood!
“How venomous!”
“So ruthless!”
“Ma Mian!”
In an instant, Xu Jiuying’s mind flashed with recognition.
That hidden sharpshooter who once shot and killed Shangguan Zhengheng—the head of the Shangguan Family!
Ma Mian!
One as brutal as an Ogre, and one as cunning as Ma Mian…
They were now the two most enigmatic figures in Jingguang City!
Truly, they were to be feared.
Ogre had sided with a fisher gang.
Meanwhile, Ma Mian nearly ended Shangguan Zhengheng, the family head allied with the Corpse God Sect!
But now…
Ma Mian was actually aiming to kill him!
Xu Jiuying felt the Bodhi fibers burrowing into his limbs as if determined to rip away every ounce of his flesh.
His eyes flashed with a cold resolve.
A potent burst of divine perception enveloped him, and his body began to emit an intense bronze glow!
The perfected… Cursed Copper Corpse!
Crunch, crunch…
The Bodhi fibers that had pierced him were suddenly halted by Xu Jiuying’s overwhelming flesh, unable to coil further!
Xu Jiuying rose to his feet, and the bronze flesh of his wounded hand writhed as it miraculously healed amid regrowth.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
“You dare try to assassinate a cultivator at the Divine Vision stage?”
Xu Jiuying’s face turned icily severe.
Yet at that moment, his heart pounded wildly, and a chilling sensation made the hairs on his back stand on end!
Why?
Why was Ma Mian targeting him for a sniper attack?
Why him and not someone else?
He…
Had he been exposed?!
Ma Mian had been operating alongside Li Qingshan and Lin Xiu; now that Ma Mian had struck…
Did that mean Li Qingshan had discovered his secret?
That identity he had hidden so well…
Could it have been exposed?!
As Xu Jiuying’s mind raced with these thoughts…
Just when he thought Ma Mian’s missed strike would force an exit and allow him to conceal his Cursed Copper Corpse power, but…
A second, lightning-fast beam of light silently raced toward him again.
With a ‘pfft’, it slammed into his chest, followed by a roaring, thunderous sound!
Waves of terrifying force, like a landslide, pounded into his body!
“There’s a second shot?!”
Thud—
The explosive sound, the immense impact, and the terrifying piercing force!
It burrowed deep into Xu Jiuying’s perfected Cursed Copper Corpse body.
His chest caved in as if a chunk of flesh had been carved away, revealing a gaping wound!
Staggering, he took a step back and thudded heavily onto the ground.
The entire room trembled violently as countless bricks shattered and flew, with streams of heat bursting from the web-like network of cracks!
His hair whipped wildly as a trace of ferocity spread across Xu Jiuying’s eyes!
So infuriatingly frustrating!
He hadn’t even seen them coming—two hidden darts struck him from an unknown distance!
It was impossible to defend!
Even a master at the Divine Vision stage, he couldn’t react fast enough to block them!
Dense corpse aura and the stench of death burst out from his sunken flesh.
That Dragon Tooth was embedded in his Cursed Copper Corpse body!
It hadn’t completely pierced his flesh!
Bang bang—bang—!!!!!!
However.
Before he could regain his composure, three booming explosions erupted like tidal waves, their terrifying roars echoing all around!
Xu Jiuying’s caved-in chest had already been pierced by three spiraling, high-speed Dragon Tooth Bodhi Bullets!
Xu Jiuying thudded…
As he continuously retreated, each step crushed the ground beneath him!
A Grandmaster’s Later Stage cultivation forged his organs to be incredibly resilient.
Coupled with the might of his Cursed Copper Corpse…
yet even that proved insufficient…
Ma Mian’s sniper shot—locked in with the Cosmic Chessboard and unmatched in precision!
A continuous strike on one spot could pierce even the thickest walls!
In that moment, his Cursed Copper Corpse-empowered body was breached!
Explosive sprays of blood mist erupted, filling the room in an instant.
Xu Jiuying gripped his treasured sword, his eyes burning with murderous intent as his chest was pierced and blood flowed.
But suddenly, the four Dragon Tooth Bodhi Bullets lodged in his body began to vibrate violently.
His Divine Perception revealed that these bullets were disintegrating into myriad Bodhi fibers, which coalesced into five chess pieces radiating intense divinity.
Four black, one white!
Five chess pieces!
That divine force…
Illusory Form!
“Shangguan Zhengheng?!”
Xu Jiuying was dumbfounded, but in the next moment the chess pieces detonated within him like hidden bombs!
Four successive explosions!
He felt his refined organs on the verge of bursting apart!
His perfected Cursed Copper Corpse form was invincible on the outside, yet his internal organs were merely those of a Grandmaster’s Later Stage!
Only if his Cursed Copper Corpse reached the Master stage could his organs become truly resilient.
If he reached Transcendence, every part of him would be flawless!
That would be truly indestructible!
But as it was, he had not reached that level.
A terrifying force burst from within him like an avalanche, causing Xu Jiuying’s mouth to spill blood!
His eyes bulged with fury, maddened by the sensation!
His mighty Divine Vision aura swept outward, intent on subduing everything.
Every speck of dust clung to the ground as shattered bricks trembled relentlessly!
Ma Mian!
Xu Jiuying seethed with rage, yet he had no chance to locate Ma Mian and eliminate the shadowy sharpshooter!
He didn’t even dare to deactivate his Cursed Copper Corpse power.
He feared another Dragon Tooth Bullet might be fired from the darkness!
But he couldn’t maintain his Cursed Copper Corpse power indefinitely…
Over time…
It would eventually expose him!
He had to hide his identity, and his aura had been leaking for far too long!
Xu Jiuying’s face shifted in uncertainty!
He couldn’t be sure if Li Qingshan had discovered his secret.
But if Ma Mian had found him, it meant Li Qingshan was close behind in uncovering the truth!
He could hide no longer.
Damn it…
An enraged Xu Jiuying fumed, “How have I been exposed? Why is Ma Mian after me?”
“Why? Why?!”
Suddenly, a surge of thought streaked through Xu Jiuying’s mind.
“Could it be that… Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal!”
“This is bad!”
“I must go!”
Without hesitation, Xu Jiuying grabbed his treasured sword and prepared to flee!
But just as he began to move…
At an unknown moment,
the white divine chess piece that had accompanied the Dragon Tooth Bullet vanished.
In its place…
amid howling dust and tearing winds, a figure materialized silently behind him—a ghostly presence!
Boom—!
Scorching and searing!
Dragon roars, elephant trumpets!
A terrifying surge of blood and qi erupted like a blazing furnace, accompanied by the grind of bones and the shuddering of organs!
A deep, oppressive sound…
echoed eerily behind him.
“Tower Ascension…”
Xu Jiuying’s hairs stood on end. What the hell is that?!
“When?”
In a fleeting glimpse, he saw a face—remarkably cute amidst the raging currents…
Cute Cow Mask.
……
……
Atop Flowing Sword Peak.
A terrifying explosion erupted, its force shaking the heavens and the earth!
Its chilling might, like an avalanche, unsettled the soul!
The disciples on Flowing Sword Peak heard the blast; faces turned pale as they rushed out, witnessing the Elder Hall tremble violently amid swirling dust and smoke!
Meanwhile…
At Golden Light Peak’s Divine Temple.
Sect Leader Nan Lihuo, deep in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze like two golden flames swirling intensely!
His brows furrowed sharply.
An expression of anger emerged!
Who…
dared attack the Divine Sect Mountain Gate so brazenly!
The City Lord’s Residence?!
It would finally expose Su Huai Li!
Nan Lihuo stood up as fierce winds whipped around him, his robes clinging tightly to his body; with broad sleeves flapping, he folded his arms behind him.
With one swift step, he dashed out of the Divine Temple like a streak of gold.
He appeared above the temple.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Two streams of light shot in swiftly—it was Liu Yangyuan and Sang Guanyin!
“Master!”
Both looked extremely grave.
Nan Lihuo raised his hand slightly, silencing them.
He sprang upward, soaring and hovering over a hundred zhang high at Golden Light Peak as if riding the wind.
Glancing upward, he saw the direction of the explosion…
It was Flowing Sword Peak.
Flowing Sword Peak… Xu Jiuying?!
Nan Lihuo’s eyes blazed with overwhelming golden flames.
Xu Jiuying…
There is corpse aura!
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