Chapter 170: A Fateful Confrontation Amidst Underworld Shadows
by xennovelI might be dying…
How could I possibly die?!
Xue Dufu’s eyes were bloodshot, but his once turbulent martial resolve hardened into an unbreakable determination!
The threat of death was very real.
But…
How could a grand master let a mere danger shake his inner resolve?
Xue Dufu thought he’d been taking it too easy lately!
He had lost his touch with recognizing true peril!
Countless streams of silvery gang energy tore through the air, whipping Xue Dufu’s dark hair into a frenzy.
The energy gathered relentlessly at the gaps in his arms.
It was as if bones, meridians, and blood were being reborn!
Astonishingly, two brand-new arms began to grow right where his arms had been broken!
The gang energy solidified into true arms!
Even though the Divine Monkey had shattered one of his arms, as a martial grand master, Xue Dufu certainly had ways to counter it.
With half his face swollen, his expression took on a savage, fearsome look!
How could a grand master of martial arts tolerate being beaten by a monkey—even having his face slapped? He simply couldn’t stand it!
He wouldn’t tolerate it!
He was determined to kill that monkey!
Xue Dufu roared in fury.
Inside his dantian, his flesh crucible contracted violently before erupting; terrifying gang energy burst from every pore!
His energy took on a reddish hue, becoming wild and volatile—a technique where a martial grand master burns through his life force in an all-out assault!
Bloodburn Secret Technique!
It intensified his gang energy into a raging inferno, strengthening his martial will beyond measure!
Rumbling thunderously—
Within the ruined pit, blood-red gang energy wreathed around Xue Dufu, eerily echoing the crimson aura that enveloped the Divine Monkey.
He threw his head back; in the depths, his disheveled hair whipped wildly and his twisted features radiated unyielding murderous intent!
Disgrace…
It must be repaid in blood!
…
…
Silence!
All of Jingguang City fell into a hushed quiet.
Every cultivator watching the battle felt their heart tremble with shock.
No one expected the Underworld’s Divine Monkey to be so terrifying—unleashing one trump card after another.
It even possessed a fearsome ability to transform into the Golden Divine Monkey!
It had shattered the one arm of the martial grand master who had fought relentlessly under King Ping Luan’s Ji Mo Li!
Although Xue Dufu wasn’t the top-tier among the grand masters under King Ping Luan,
and he was merely at the early stage of a gang grand master,
he was still a bona fide grand master whose refined martial will could almost imbue the environment with a divine aura.
Here, ‘god’ meant nothing more than the grand master’s martial resolve!
The essence of martial arts: Man can conquer nature!
In the distance.
Lu Yao and Wang Kuyu, both Divine Practitioners, watched with eyes that sparkled with intensity.
Lu Yao was confident—his strength surpassed Xue Dufu’s, and he believed he could suppress him given his nascent grand master status.
Though grand masters might rival Divine Practitioners, at equal levels the divine ones were simply stronger.
A grand master’s only chance was to use his formidable physique to close the gap to the divine practitioner in an instant.
Only then could victory be within reach.
Lu Yao was amazed by the Underworld Divine Monkey’s endless array of tricks.
“Not just any grand master—a man who can suppress a grand master and even kill at that level!” Lu Yao exclaimed, his eyes alight with fury.
“And what about that last form… the Golden Divine Monkey? It seems oddly familiar…”
Lu Yao murmured to himself.
Not only him, but Nan Lihuo nearby trembled visibly; his silver hair whipped wildly in the night breeze.
At that moment, he looked as if he’d seen a ghost.
That sense of familiarity… was overwhelming!
“Is that… the Golden Heavenly King?”
“It resembles the power of the Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit from the Golden Divine Hall!”
Nan Lihuo, who spent his days in the Divine Temple worshipping the 【Sevenfold Shéli Ruyi Golden Pagoda】—also known as the Heavenly King Tower—knew that power all too well.
He was intimately familiar with the strength of the Golden Heavenly King.
“Heavenly King Temple Spirit? Has this Underworld Divine Monkey come into contact with the Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit?”
Nan Lihuo took a deep breath and exclaimed in disbelief.
To engage the Golden Heavenly King, one must have access to three Heavenly King Towers.
One of which is in Jingguang City.
Nan Lihuo was convinced that this monkey had no chance to touch the Heavenly King Tower.
First of all, it couldn’t possibly have reached the Jingguang Mansion’s Heavenly King Tower.
That left only the second Heavenly King Tower within the Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Mountain Gate.
And also…
the one in the Divine Capital!
“The Divine Sect Heavenly King Tower, guarded by three great elders… this monkey could never get near it either,”
Wang Kuyu stated with firm conviction.
As one of the three core legacies of the Divine Sect, the Heavenly King Tower was under extremely stringent guard.
“So, could this Underworld Divine Monkey… possibly be from the Divine Capital?”
Lu Yao narrowed his eyes.
Divine Capital…
Eight-Armed Yulian Furious Third Prince…
Have already drawn the attention of the top experts in the Divine Capital?!
The Divine Capital certainly wasn’t short on Four-Yu Bizarre Temples…
“I can only say… the origins of this Underworld force are far from ordinary—perhaps not merely a local minor faction as we assumed.”
“Rather, it’s a major power that spans from the Divine Capital to local regions,” Wang Kuyu said coolly, flicking his dust whip.
“Yet it’s strange—why have we never heard of such a force before?”
Lu Yao said gravely, “And that’s not all…”
“Doesn’t the staff technique used by this Underworld Divine Monkey seem familiar to you?”
“It’s the peerless Martial Saint Technique passed down from Qitian Temple—the Hun Yuan Qi Tian Staff! There’s an old copy in the Imperial Watch, but the technique is incomplete. Though it’s a Martial Saint method, hardly anyone practices or masters it!”
“So, this monkey has actually mastered it… Could it be that the Divine Monkey has ties to Qitian Temple?!”
“Could the Underworld force originate from that once-mighty Qitian Temple?”
Lu Yao took a deep breath and said in a low tone.
He served as the deputy overseer for the Imperial Watch in Daocheng.
With extraordinary insight, his words struck like thunder from the sky, stunning everyone.
“Qitian Temple? This… how could it be?”
Wang Kuyu was utterly shocked.
Lu Yao shook his head, “Of course, it’s too early to jump to conclusions… The Underworld is engaged in assassination activities much like the Lie Shen Pavilion.”
“If the Lie Shen Pavilion finds out, the Underworld might…”
Hearing this, Nan Lihuo’s eyes flickered.
Underworld… Qitian Temple…
The appearance of a Divine Monkey.
It completely upended the world’s perception of the Underworld.
The Underworld.
It was bound to become famed!
…
…
On Long Street, dust and smoke billowed thickly.
A crimson divine staff was planted into the ground as the Divine Monkey balanced perfectly on it—its foot gently tapping the staff.
Golden radiance shone with dazzling brilliance.
Wearing a Divine Monkey mask, Li Che could even hear his own ragged breathing beneath it.
It was overwhelmingly powerful!
After he had completely crushed the Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit Divine Chess Piece,
his mortal body now…
barely managed to hold on; he could even feel his flesh straining, bursting with wounds and oozing blood beneath his black robes.
But at least…
it endured!
It withstood a Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit Divine Chess Piece!
and unleashed its power!
That was enough!
He casually tossed Xue Dufu’s Qian Kun Jade into his Qiankun Space, feeling absolutely elated.
He had snatched it while relentlessly hammering Xue Dufu.
Li Che hadn’t intended to take it.
But his hand acted on its own accord…
He thought, ‘Well, might as well claim the corpse early.’
It’s no big deal.
Xue Dufu’s eyes turned blood-red as he watched the Divine Monkey shamelessly pocket his Qian Kun Jade—his heart bleeding with agony!
This was simply…
the ultimate humiliation.
Having his face struck, his treasured relics snatched away!
This vendetta!
An unquenchable grudge!
A long howl resounded.
His twin arms, forged of silver gang energy, burst open like a volcanic eruption of divine energy!
His fingers clenched the Crescent Blade, embedded far off in the ground; with a shudder, it shot back into his grasp in an instant.
His resolute will scorched the void.
His martial resolve swelled and burst forth, twisted into a frenzied, almost maddening force.
Under the Bloodburn Secret Technique, Xue Dufu’s combat prowess soared dramatically!
Even if that monkey possessed even a trace of Six Command Golden Heavenly King power, so what?
“Come on, you damned monkey!”
Xue Dufu roared.
Blood-red energy lashed out at the earth, shattering it into fragments as swirling dust exploded upward.
Inside him, blood spurted uncontrollably—this was the zenith of a grand master’s martial will elevated by the Bloodburn Secret Technique!
The Crescent Blade danced with a wild, weightless ferocity, as though wielded by a madman!
Bloodburn, fighting spirit, murderous intent—
All systems go!!!
Divine Monkey, perish!
Boom—!!!
Under the onslaught of frenzied murderous intent, his Qian Kun Jade was snatched away, his shattered arm reduced to rubble, his pride utterly demolished in a cascade of humiliation.
Like a war god, Xue Dufu unleashed a torrential surge of blood-red energy, displaying his grand master techniques in full glory—evoking images of lonely desert dunes, drifting smoke, and a setting sun over a long river.
The scarlet blade gleamed like a crimson sun plunging amid endless, twisted desert sands!
Li Che felt the overwhelming, unparalleled dominance radiating from Xue Dufu.
A flicker of shock passed through his heart.
Under the grand master’s wild, desperate, life-risking assault…
he was, indeed, immensely terrifying!
In a head-to-head clash—even with a Golden Heavenly King Divine Chess Piece blessing—
the risk of severe injury would be enormous!
Trading life for life?
Li Che, at twenty-three, possessed unparalleled divine abilities and five Dao Fruits, with extraordinary talent and a limitless future!
Would he exchange his life with some old geezer who’s already lost two arms?
Anyway, you dared to insult my daughter… I’ve vented all my anger.
I’ve beaten you up and even socked you in the mouth.
And the compensation you offered was so blunt…
In that case.
Only a fool would trade lives with you.
Even though Li Che wore the Divine Monkey mask, his temperament had become bold and arrogant…
but he wasn’t foolish.
And that’s not all…
Within his chest,
the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit pulsed wildly as a warning—letting him know that besides the crazed, bloodburned Xue Dufu…
there was an even greater threat looming!
“Heh heh heh—”
Beneath his Divine Monkey mask, Li Che smiled mysteriously.
In the next moment, a swirling crimson aura surged as he drew the Liuxue Stun Spear embedded in the ground, launching it skyward.
With a snap of his fingers, he gripped it firmly.
Amid the overwhelming and frenzied martial will of Xue Dufu,
the Divine Monkey…
was gone.
Vanished!
Disappeared into thin air!
Boom—!!!
The Crescent Blade slashed down forcefully, cleaving a hundred-yard-long fissure along Long Street.
With his hair flying wildly, Xue Dufu’s gang-forged arms ceaselessly hammered at the air.
“Ah—!!!!”
“You damn fool! Dead monkey!”
“You bastard!”
Xue Dufu gripped the Crescent Blade and relentlessly smashed the ground!
He was infuriated beyond measure!
Ah! His rage was maddening!
He had activated the Bloodburn Secret Technique!
Risking severe damage to both his life force and mortal body, he fought for survival!
But that damned monkey…
escaped!
It had damn well run away!
It felt like all his passion had been thrown to the dogs!
Frustration and anguish!
So enraged that his whole body twisted in fury, his vital energy seething uncontrollably, he could only lash out chaotically at Long Street.
Eventually, his gang-charged arms clutching the Crescent Blade exploded in a burst, carving deep, jagged gashes into the earth all around.
Xue Dufu staggered, his body trembling violently.
He burst out a thick mass of blood.
Damn it, I’m so frustrated I could die.
Buzz—
A shadow-like figure, seemingly fused with Xue Dufu’s silhouette, suddenly appeared and pressed a hand against his back.
Gradually, his turbulent vital energy calmed, his frenzied martial will cooling down, yet an unprecedented emptiness overwhelmed his spirit.
“Thank you…”
Xue Dufu exhaled, spitting out the blood from his lips as he said,
“My main goal is to keep the Little Prince safe.”
A calm voice emerged from the shadow.
“I was about to intervene and help you massacre that monkey, but just as I moved, it seemed to sense something and escaped.”
“To kill that monkey, one must use a divine secret technique that seals the void.”
The shadow murmured softly.
Xue Dufu was stunned, his face trembling uncontrollably.
Then the shadow melded back into the darkness and vanished.
Xue Dufu knew the figure had returned to the Little Prince’s side.
Feeling his inner energy being soothed, his mortal body—potentially fatally damaged by the Bloodburn Secret Technique—managed to recover considerably.
But he was still fuming…
“Damn monkey!”
“Underworld!”
Murderous intent swirled in Xue Dufu’s eyes.
Just as the shadow had warned, to kill that monkey one needed a divine secret technique capable of sealing space.
Otherwise, it would be nearly impossible.
The Underworld’s Ogre, Ma Mian, and even the Divine Monkey all seemed to wield this space-shifting technique.
“Something akin to the Corpse God Sect’s Time-Space Corpse Technique…”
But if there’s a next time…
I will definitely kill that monkey!
…
…
“That is…”
Lu Yao’s eyes narrowed as his primordial spirit surged, and his divine essence radiated uncontrollably.
That shadow behind Xue Dufu…
“Divine Practitioner?!”
“A Divine Practitioner and a martial grand master of vital energy… Ji Mo Li really does favor this little brat with an impressive protective lineup.”
Lu Yao said solemnly.
Nan Lihuo’s heart sank suddenly.
“What is with this shadow… I wonder what it’s up to?”
Lu Yao’s eyes flashed, “It must be one of the elite Shadow Guards from Ji Mo Li’s Black Armor Four Guards!”
Shadow Guard?
Nan Lihuo took a deep breath.
The most mysterious of Ji Mo Li’s Black Armor Four Guards!
Tricky and formidable!
But luckily…
When they first paid respects on the mountain, this Shadow Guard’s Divine Practitioner hadn’t intervened.
“The Shadow Guard’s purpose is likely to protect Ji Haihui quietly; they wouldn’t act unless the Little Prince’s life was in danger.”
“If they remain hidden, we wouldn’t even notice them.”
Wang Kuyu shook his head.
Lu Yao exhaled deeply.
No wonder…
The Little Prince Ji Haihui had survived an assassination attempt by the Lie Shen Pavilion’s assassins unscathed.
It seems a hidden elite Shadow Guard had stepped in to save him.
…
…
In the Capital, at Luohua Alley.
Inside a small courtyard.
A sudden burst of vital energy enveloped the area like a red electromagnetic field.
Li Che, wearing his mask, appeared out of nowhere.
In his palm, he crushed a Feilei Chess Piece.
It shifted back into place.
Li Che, sitting on the ground, panted heavily.
The Golden Heavenly King Divine Chess Piece had already faded.
His mortal body felt utterly overwhelmed; the recent transformation of his Dao Fruit made all his pent-up frustration suddenly vanish.
All that remained was emptiness.
The 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Dao Fruit pulsed strongly.
Quickly healing the wounds his body suffered from the overload of the Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit Chess Piece.
Not only was Li Che’s body exceptionally resilient, but with the aid of his Dao Fruits, his recovery far exceeded that of ordinary men.
Removing his Divine Monkey mask, Li Che let out a long, deep sigh.
“There are still higher experts…”
“The Chess Sage Dao Fruit has issued an alert—the threat is even greater than that posed by Xue Dufu, the martial grand master of vital energy.”
“A Divine Practitioner hidden in the shadows…”
Li Che’s eyes flickered.
When Xue Dufu sought a life-or-death battle with him, the Chess Sage Dao Fruit flared in rapid warning, signaling that beyond the mortal threat of facing a grand master…
there was yet another danger bearing down on him.
So Li Che didn’t hesitate to retreat—after beating up Xue Dufu, venting his anger, and collecting his due compensation…
Li Che left, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
“Right now… without the Temple Spirit Divine Chess Piece, even facing an ordinary grand master would be a struggle—it wouldn’t be an even match, perhaps more like a 20-80 split.”
“But with the Temple Spirit’s divine power, the odds are significantly improved.”
“Once I fully adapt to the Six Command level of the Golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit, with a body able to bear its full force, I should be able to take down someone like Xue Dufu—even at his nascent grand master stage.”
Even among grand masters, there are variations in strength.
Since he had only just touched this level, Li Che hadn’t delved deeply into its nuances.
But indeed, the realm of grand masters has its hierarchies.
The most evident difference is between those who have attained a Divine Pill and those who haven’t—they exist in entirely different realms.
Facing a grand master of Divine Pill level would likely require one who had truly mastered the Martial Saint Technique—and pushed his body to the limit—to stand a chance.
Sitting on the ground, Li Che’s body simmered as heat waves evaporated the winter rain above in a crackling cascade.
This winter rain was a side effect of a battle between grand masters.
Falling snow was scattered and melted into a downpour.
“The Golden Heavenly King’s divine power is only at the Six Command level… My body is barely holding up; if it were Five Elders or even Four-Yu, I’d be doomed…”
Li Che’s eyes flashed.
He finally understood the importance of a strong mortal body.
For divine cultivation, your body must be equally resilient.
“Hmm… this battle completely drained the Golden Heavenly King Divine Chess Piece… I wonder when I can enter the Golden Heavenly Temple again.”
Li Che frowned.
He wondered if the Heavenly King’s aura had dissipated.
Without the Heavenly King’s Divine Chess Piece…
Li Che felt utterly exposed.
The Heavenly King provided a profound sense of security.
Li Che couldn’t help but crave more.
“I’ll wait a couple of days until I’m fully recovered, then visit the Golden Divine Temple again…”
“I hope the Golden Heavenly King welcomes me; otherwise, I’ll have to hitch a ride with XiXi.”
Li Che mumbled to himself.
Then he closed his eyes slowly and began to replay the invaluable battle with the grand master.
Images flashed before his mind’s eye.
He studied Xue Dufu’s techniques intently, learning various martial strategies from the fight.
Li Che had few mentors in the art of vital energy martial cultivation…
Thus, every opponent became his greatest teacher.
Each review was an exceptional opportunity to enhance his battle awareness, skills, and overall combat prowess.
After a moment, the review concluded, and Li Che abruptly opened his eyes.
Dazzling lights swept across his vision in a rapid blaze.
In the next instant, he sprang from the ground.
His fingers gripped the Liuxue Stun Spear—now transformed into a long staff enveloped by vital energy.
After a sudden jolt, shockwaves shattered the air, leaving deep craters as countless staff silhouettes intertwined densely!
Hun Yuan Qi Tian Staff!
It was as if fortune had smiled upon him—thanks to his prodigious martial insight, he had finally mastered the pinnacle of the Martial Saint Technique.
He had even grasped its signature finishing moves.
Hun Yuan Qi Tian Staff…
There were only two finishing moves.
At the pinnacle, one could master the finishing move ‘Hun Yuan’.
At the master level, one could comprehend the finishing move ‘Qi Tian’!
Hun Yuan, Qi Tian!
Those were the two major finishing moves of this Martial Saint Technique!
However, truly grasping a finishing move wasn’t easy—not something one could instantly understand upon reaching the pinnacle.
It required not only talent but also the right opportunity.
With the 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Dao Fruit boosting his martial insight, Li Che’s talent was commendable, and the opportunity…
today’s battle with Xue Dufu was that chance!
Countless staff silhouettes layered and intertwined, as if shrouding the entire courtyard.
The void erupted with explosive roars as shockwaves and currents howled!
Slowly…
Countless staff images faded away.
Li Che, drenched in sweat, his vital energy boiling like that of a furnace master, saw huge droplets break free and cascade down.
“The finishing move ‘Hun Yuan Yi Gun’… I’ve barely grasped it. It really is tough.”
Li Che couldn’t help but sigh.
He felt as though his mind had been pushed to overload.
Only just barely had he managed to control ‘Hun Yuan Yi Gun’.
He didn’t continue practicing further.
He tore off his black robe, revealing a body sculpted with lean, powerful muscles.
With a surge of vital energy, sweat evaporated in torrents.
He sat on the ground feeling refreshed.
Glittering lights flashed before his eyes.
…
【Name: Li Che】
【Bond: Li Nuǎnxi (daughter)】
【Dao Fruits: Xiangong (lv4 1%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (lv4 2%), Unsullied Heart (LV3 30%), Chess Sage (LV3 60%), Painted Immortal (lv1 95%)】
【Divine Abilities: Star Plucking, Radiant Rise】
【Emerging Divine Abilities: Thousand Analysis Hand, Tower Ascension, Spiritual Confinement, Great Avalanche】
【Tip: For every year the bond object safely grows, a Dao Tree can bear one Dao Fruit】
…
A display panel appeared.
Li Che’s eyes glimmered as divine light radiated from him.
That recent battle with the grand master had only boosted the maturity of his Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV4) by 2%—indeed, accumulating Dao Fruit maturity was becoming tougher.
“If I were to slay a grand master, the maturity boost would be significant.”
“Not to mention the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit—it would definitely surge… no, wait, a grand master like Xue Dufu, despite his title, has divine cultivation even weaker than someone like the Southern Sect Leader in the Yuan Phase.”
“Only by absorbing divine chess pieces can the maturity grow rapidly…”
“So, I must kill that Divine Practitioner.”
Li Che stroked his chin thoughtfully.
He eagerly anticipated the divine abilities he’d gain once the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit matured to LV4…
In fact, the Chess Sage Dao Fruit was, by far, his most potent means of survival!
So Li Che was extremely excited!
“The enhancement of the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit relies on absorbing Divine Crystals. A few more Sevenfold Divine Essence Crystals and I could really compete.”
“Hey, somehow the Painted Immortal Dao Fruit is almost LV2…”
“Sure enough, with multiple Painted Immortal clones working, its maturity accumulates quickly.”
Li Che scanned the panel, his mood soaring as he saw that all his Dao Fruits had improved significantly.
The 【Painted Immortal】 Dao Fruit, if matured to LV2, would also bring significant gains.
But once it reached LV3 and began showing emerging divine abilities, the Painted Immortal would truly transform.
Take it slow—everything will fall into place.
Li Che stretched lazily.
He snapped his fingers.
His vital energy merged with divine essence, transforming into Divine Ink that splattered across the Unsullied Heart drawing paper.
Seven individually divine Painted Immortal clones of Li Che stepped out in orderly fashion, each collecting a Divine Crystal from his main body, absorbing its essence.
He looked on at his cultivation clones with contentment.
A brilliant smile spread across Li Che’s face.
Once all his divine bases reached perfection, he could begin refining his Divine Image…
“Seven Divine Images… it’s no easy task.”
Li Che muttered to himself.
Seven divine bases require seven types of Divine Images.
By now, Li Che had already unified all seven of his divine base methods into the Eight Extremes Divine Base Method.
That was the limit his clones could achieve.
As for the Divine Image method, Li Che planned to develop a sevenfold level, enabling all his divine bases to break through with a Sevenfold Divine Image!
Acquiring seven types of Sevenfold Divine Image was no small feat.
Simply buying them with Divine Crystals would require an astronomical amount.
Li Che didn’t even have enough Divine Crystals for his clones.
Spending them on purchases was, frankly, heart-wrenching.
He was gradually accumulating them; he had gained some from the fall of Xinyuan Temple, but was still far from collecting all seven.
Resources and all that…
He had no choice but to earn them honestly—only then could he feel at peace.
With that thought in mind,
Li Che couldn’t help but rub his hands together.
His eyes suddenly lit up.
It’s time for the draw!
The Qian Kun Jade of the Sevenfold Corpse God Envoys hidden by the two Jin Lie Men.
And also…
Xue Dufu’s very recently acquired Qian Kun Jade!
Both priced at 5500. They’re still a far cry from top-tier masterpieces—please vote, recommend, and chase read! Keep following to help Old Li reach the realm of grand masterpieces!