Chapter 190: Shattered Wills and Rising Might

The spear trembled as the Tiger-Leopard Thunder roared in a sweeping shockwave!

In an instant, it transformed into a streak of crimson-gold light – like a meteor tearing through the dark night!

It cleaved into the eerie mist, shattering the distant illusion of the Divine Dragon.

A cry of agony erupted from within that dragon phantom, its roar echoing with a will reminiscent of the Martial Saint – a being born from Ji Haihui’s bloodline.

Yet, as Ji Haihui’s strength was lacking, the wills born of both bloodlines were equally feeble.

Even the Martial Saint’s will left by Ji Mo Li was meant to be infused into the Yulian Yin Divine Sword to garner greater force.

Alas…

The Yulian Yin Divine Sword had been suppressed prematurely by Li Che’s relentless interference.

Thus, Ji Mo Li’s entire scheme crumbled in an instant.

It was as if two chessmasters had their grand dragon formation decimated by one decisive, misplayed move.

The Divine Dragon illusion, consequently, grew even weaker.

Drained of almost all its strength by the Martial Saint’s will, it was now nothing more than a hollow, dragon-shaped shell.

Moreover, every activation of Ji Haihui’s Dragon God power drained the dragon’s spirit further.

Now, one strike from Li Che had completely pierced its core.

Pinned within the eerie mist, it thrashed and struggled desperately.

As the wild winds subsided, the mist gradually settled.

Li Che exhaled a cloud of stale breath; inside, his Dao Fruit calmed and the boiling blood within him slowly stilled.

“Martial Saint… truly formidable!”

“King Ping Luan’s Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant is nothing short of cataclysmic – even at Grandmaster level, it can shake the heavens!”

Li Che marveled inwardly, his eyes flickering as he replayed the battle in his mind.

A ripple of emotion stirred within him.

It was astonishing that a mere spark of will hidden in an offspring’s bloodline could burst forth with such explosive power from miles away.

Imagine how fearsome King Ping Luan would be at his peak!

And with his Myriad Dragon-Falling Martial Saint technique, Li Che’s own signature move – Hun Yuan Yi Gun – had completely overwhelmed his opponent, powered by the elevation of his Dao Fruit.

In terms of technique, he admittedly lagged behind his foe.

“Martial Saint…”

Li Che closed his eyes as a tremor surged through his heart.

An inexplicable, mountain-like pressure suddenly descended upon him.

In the face of such unyielding strength, no elaborate stratagem could hold any sway.

Even using the Feilei Chess Pieces to shift his position would scarcely allow him to evade the impending danger.

The pressure…

When Li Che reopened his eyes, he was painfully aware that his strength was far too feeble.

There was no room for self-satisfaction – he had to strive relentlessly to grow stronger.

“Martial Saint powers must have their tiers… I wonder where King Ping Luan stands within that spectrum.”

Li Che shook his head, admitting that the divine levels were beyond his comprehension.

Even the distinctions within Grandmaster levels were only half understood by him.

XiXi blinked her big, sparkling eyes, filled with wonder.

“Daddy is amazing!”

Overjoyed, XiXi felt completely fulfilled and safe.

Grinning foolishly, she ran over as soon as Li Che finished the fight, clinging to his leg.

Li Che scooped her up and inspected her, relieved to see she was unscathed.

After ruffling the little girl’s hair, his gaze drifted to the distant corpse of Ji Haihui, his eyes flickering with a trace of melancholy.

Then, as if remembering something, XiXi wriggled in his arms.

She wriggled free and darted away on nimble feet.

Reaching the nearly draconic corpse of Ji Haihui, she fumbled for a moment before unearthing his Qian Kun Jade!

Bursting with delight, she skipped merrily back to Li Che.

“Daddy! Look!”

Like presenting a treasured prize, XiXi offered the jade to Li Che.

“This is your loot – keep it safe.”

Yet Li Che rarely refused.

After all, since Ji Haihui had been overturned by XiXi’s cunning, the treasure belonged to her.

It was good practice for XiXi to learn the habit of collecting spoils from a young age.

But XiXi shook her head, “I can’t give this to you, Daddy!”

“When I grow up, I’ll have a mountain of treasures to collect.”

XiXi puffed out her cheeks and smiled proudly, her face lit up with joy.

Li Che smiled at her, accepting the Qian Kun Jade.

After all, letting XiXi keep such a conspicuous treasure wasn’t the best idea.

This was Ji Haihui’s very Qian Kun Jade – too recognizable; if XiXi were caught with it, it would expose her as the one who defeated Ji Haihui.

But now, with the Martial Saint’s will shattered by Li Che, only the struggling Divine Dragon spirit and the onlooking Third Prince remained.

The dragon spirit, pinned in the void, was doomed.

Thus, the real problem lay with the Temple Spirit Third Prince.

To suppress the truth of XiXi’s deed, Li Che insisted on keeping it under wraps – especially given King Ping Luan’s overwhelming might and his own formidable Martial Saint cultivation.

Even the grandmasters and Divine Practitioners under King Ping Luan posed a significant threat to his family.

Li Che always acted with caution – never recklessly.

He had always believed in humble, steady growth.

Thus, suppressing the news was the only sensible course.

He even went so far as to muddle the details further.

“King Ping Luan’s Martial Saint will, shattered by me, can never return to its original form – meaning the truth behind Ji Haihui’s death will remain hidden even from afar.”

Li Che nodded subtly.

He stowed away Ji Haihui’s Qian Kun Jade, ruffled XiXi’s head, and stepped out; countless eerie artifacts burst into swirling clouds, their shockwaves dispersing as he reappeared before the Divine Dragon illusion pinned within the mist.

“Wretch! You killed my son!”

“You’re dead!”

“All of you are dead!”

The Divine Dragon illusion bellowed in fury, cursing as it struggled in the void – like a bereft mother scorned.

Li Che regarded it coldly – indeed…

He sensed a murderous, vengeful intent.

He could not allow that will to reform and expose the truth behind Ji Haihui’s demise.

Clenching his hand around the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Split Gold Spear, the weapon trembled and swelled like sinister red veins pulsing with blood!

With a powerful twist, a fearsome shredding force erupted from the spear!

Boom—!!!

Terrifying true qi burst forth, as if transforming into countless blades that surged into the Divine Dragon illusion…

With a tremendous explosion, the illusion shattered into pieces!

It splintered into dense mist!

Only a seething mass of angry, vengeful will churned within the eerie fog.

Li Che gripped the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Staff in one hand, raised it, and brought it down upon his brow…

Flesh split apart as a brilliant, lively eye burst forth – the Star Plucking Gaze!

With a gaze as tangible as if it were real, it swept across the eerie mist!

It passed over the shattered remains of the Divine Dragon illusion…

Slowly, it managed to seize the last remnants of the dying spirit. Li Che snapped his fingers, unleashing powerful primordial energy…

In an instant, he eradicated every trace of the Divine Dragon spirit!

Amid the echoes of a dragon’s roar, the mist fell silent.

He did not withdraw his Star Plucking Gaze.

Instead, its radiant light shone as it scanned the mist – as though unveiling a surging, ominous sanctuary.

Behind that eerie refuge, countless phantom images clung desperately to the edges of the mist.

They fixed their gaze intently upon Li Che and XiXi.

In that moment, goosebumps erupted all over his skin!

It was as if every cell in his body froze and the blood within him halted its flow.

What were these…?

Were they monsters lurking within the eerie sanctuary?

Li Che’s eyes narrowed, his heart pounding.

Roar—!

The creatures within the sanctuary, sensing that Li Che could see them, began pounding the mist wildly, as if tearing it apart to charge at him!

Boom—rumble—!

Like distant thunder, the mist roiled as if fiery energies surged from its depths.

Even separated by the dense fog, one could feel the searing, burning force of their will.

Li Che frowned.

Was this… the eerie sanctuary of the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple?!

Every eerie sanctuary spawned from a bizarre temple was imbued with unspeakable peril.

Had Elder Jiao Shaoqiu not fortified it with the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, stepping into the sanctuary would mean facing the rampaging monsters within!

Attacking a bizarre temple was tantamount to quelling the monstrous forces hidden in its sanctuary.

The eerie sanctuary of the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple…

Its denizens were undoubtedly formidable.

Perhaps even Martial Saints were not in the minority?

Li Che’s hair stood on end as he sensed an immense, terrifying force drawing near – as if it longed to tear through the mist.

The Star Plucking Gaze closed, and eventually he averted his eyes.

The tumult and clamor vanished as soon as his gaze shifted.

A bead of sweat formed on his forehead as he exhaled deeply.

The true terror still remained unknown.

Yet…

A profound uncertainty gnawed at his heart.

“The Four-Yu Bizarre Temple… according to the records of the Jin Guang Branch, the guardians infused with the Temple Spirit’s divinity shouldn’t be so numerous…”

“I’ve never seen so many monsters…”

“They don’t seem to be possessed by the Temple Spirit’s divinity – rather, it’s as if…”

“They’ve been gathered from the deepest parts of the sanctuary?”

Li Che’s hair bristled once again.

He had been inside bizarre temples before.

For instance, he had set foot in the Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple and even observed its sanctuary with his Star Plucking Gaze.

He had seen only a few Temple Protection Incantation specters and demons tainted by divine essence…

Could it be that a powerful force had swept them clean?

Li Che withdrew his Star Plucking Gaze.

His heart pounded in his chest.

But the difference was staggering.

That eerie sanctuary was nearly choked with monsters – enough to trigger a severe case of trypanophobia.

The Temple Spirit’s divine essence could never spawn so many creatures…

So where had these monsters come from?

“Hehe…”

Suddenly, a cackling laugh echoed in Li Che’s ear.

His eyes narrowed.

In a flash, Li Che appeared beside XiXi. After tucking away the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Split Gold Spear, his gaze fixed on a black lotus pedestal emerging from the mist.

Seated atop the pedestal was a child clad in a dark bellyband.

An overwhelming, terrifying pressure descended like a collapsing mountain from ancient myth, threatening to crush Li Che!

Oppressive… suffocating!

It was an inconceivable level of rank pressure!

Even though Li Che – within the inner realm of Mud Pellet Palace – possessed the Eight-Wheel Divine Foundations, normally able to shrug off even a Primordial Cultivator’s pressure, he now felt as if he were drowning.

XiXi, meanwhile, was frozen like a sculpture.

Only her curious eyes continued to blink.

Both father and daughter appeared as immobile wooden statues under the crushing rank pressure, utterly unable to control their bodies!

But then…

A thunderous pounding erupted from Li Che’s chest, like the solemn toll of a massive bell – a heartbeat breaking free!

His Dao Fruit flickered, pulsating like a beating heart, shattering the oppressive weight!

【Xiangong】, 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】, 【Pure Heart】, 【Chess Sage】, 【Painted Immortal】…

Five Dao Fruits on Li Che’s body burst into brilliant light!

On the lotus pedestal, the Third Prince, who had been laughing mischievously, suddenly fell silent.

He sat up straight, eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on Li Che.

After a long moment…

The Third Prince appeared desolate.

“I never expected you to break the stalemate in such a way… so different, completely different.”

“Had you never considered what you’d do if you couldn’t overcome that dragon or that man?” he asked.

Li Che smiled gently, “I simply escaped with my daughter.”

“When I’m strong enough… I’ll come back to settle the score.”

The Third Prince’s lips twitched like that of a scoundrel.

Ever since he retracted the Yin Divine Sword, his pitiful airs had revealed his inferiority.

The Third Prince leapt from the black lotus pedestal, hands clasped behind his back.

“Fine.”

“You’d never give up on your daughter, would you?”

Li Che nodded faintly.

“A father would never abandon his daughter.”

“I envy you,” murmured the Third Prince.

Lowering his gaze to his feet before looking at XiXi, he added, “I truly envy you for having such a father.”

Hearing this, XiXi proudly lifted her chin.

After all, her father was the very best!

This was her beloved father!

After the Third Prince finished speaking,

black lotus petals suddenly swirled around him on the pedestal.

In an instant, he burst through the mist and vanished.

Li Che, holding XiXi close, watched the disappearing Third Prince with a flicker of bewilderment in his eyes.

His senses spread out, yet he could capture no trace of the Temple Spirit’s will.

Lifting his gaze toward the distant mist, he saw it gradually part.

Revealing an ancient, dilapidated bizarre temple.

This was a true bizarre temple.

Now, the steps before the temple were empty – no other child like XiXi sat there.

Li Che lowered XiXi.

“Go on…”

He ruffled XiXi’s hair.

There was a trace of regret in his eyes – he could not enter this bizarre temple.

Or rather, none of the prodigies or temple children could truly step inside; they could only approach.

The closer they got, the greater the blessing from the Temple Spirit.

“How can one enter this Four-Yu Bizarre Temple?”

Li Che couldn’t hide a note of regret.

He had planned to enter the temple, to observe the statues of the Temple Spirit and leave behind a Chess Sage piece as a token – a door to return in the future.

But now…

That thought had to be abandoned.

Shaking his head, he watched as XiXi ascended the temple steps.

Li Che tiptoed forward and, in a flash, reappeared beside the half-man, half-dragon corpse of Ji Haihui.

Gazing impassively at the corpse,

he fought the urge to obliterate it.

Memories of Qin Fenghuo and the stifling aura of death from the Qin Family carriage flooded back.

“Yuan Jingang…”

Li Che murmured.

The enigmatic seven-element Corpse God Envoy of the Corpse God Sect, Yuan Jingang.

It turned out he had been hidden within the Qin Family all along.

Li Che had scoured the Qin Family several times, yet never discovered him.

One could only conclude…

The potency of the Corpse Curse Seal he wielded must have exceeded seven elements, reaching the level of the Six Divisions!

This time, the Corpse God Sect had undoubtedly planned something during the Temple Spirit Resonance Conference.

So…

Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to set someone up?

Li Che smiled.

Clenching his fingers tightly,

he drew lingering death aura and corpse energy from the Seven-Element Corpse Incantation Mother Seal, and with a surge, the Dragon Elephant Silver Guts sprang forth upon his fingers.

They merged and were driven into the wound on Ji Haihui’s corpse,

crafting the illusion of a kill by a formidable Corpse God Sect warrior wielding Cursed Silver Corpse.

Of course, this was merely Li Che’s ploy to obscure the truth.

Apart from the Temple Spirit and himself, no one would know that XiXi was responsible for Ji Haihui’s death; and to be safe, he even smeared a layer of blame onto the Corpse God Sect.

This made it even harder to suspect that XiXi was the culprit.

As for the conflict between Ji Haihui and XiXi…

Can quarrels between children truly be called a conflict?

After it was all done, Li Che smiled, and with a tiptoe step, the mist rippled as he vanished.

XiXi did not look back – she trusted that her father would always be there.

She walked boldly and freely.

Though she had acquired two divine weapons – a Gold Brick and a Jin Guang Wheel – the true blessing from the Temple Spirit remained with her.

When XiXi reached the temple steps,

a sudden, thunderous sound reverberated through her mind.

Her tiny body froze, and she settled cross-legged on the steps.

Thus began her inheritance of the Temple Spirit.

…

…

“Is it over?”

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu’s withered, bark-like face flowed with a strange hue.

The collision moments before had been fearsome.

They had nearly reached the level of a Grandmaster confrontation!

Initially, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu had feared that monsters might have torn through the mist from the sanctuary, that chaos had erupted!

If that were so, everyone at the Temple Spirit Resonance Conference – including him – would have perished.

Even with his command of the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, the outcome would be the same.

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu exhaled.

He resumed his hand seals, choosing not to dwell on these events.

For now, he focused on overseeing the Temple Spirit Resonance Conference until its conclusion.

If the sanctuary truly erupted, it was beyond his power to quell.

A Four-Yu Bizarre Temple in chaos could shake the entire Lingnan Path, calling for Martial Saints and Divine Giant Cultivators to intervene.

It was not something a Divine Practitioner, no matter how far he’d progressed, could handle alone.

“The Grand Inspector once said… this Four-Yu Bizarre Temple of the Jin Guang Mansion is extraordinarily unique, though he never explained exactly how… I despise such riddles…”

“But he also said that for at least ten years, this Eight-Armed Yulian Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple would not witness a major sanctuary uprising…”

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu’s eyes flickered as he gazed at the blazing Jin Guang Wheel.

He held great faith in the Grand Inspector of Divine Capital.

Thus, he never gave up.

He continued to preside over the Temple Spirit Resonance Conference.

For the children attending,

this conference might very well change their fate.

The opportunities offered by the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple…

Could influence the course of their lives!

…

…

Li Che returned to the carriage and dispelled the 【Painted Immortal】 clone left on its wheel – as if the two had merged, the clone dissolving into thin, ink-like mist.

Woo woo woo—

The fierce wind howled mournfully.

Giant raindrops pounded relentlessly upon the Stone of Listening to Fury.

The tense atmosphere slowly eased.

Li Che exhaled deeply.

His departure and reappearance passed unnoticed by everyone.

Even Shangguan Qinghong and Zhang Ya in the carriage remained oblivious.

Li Che leaned back against the carriage, his muscles popping as he relaxed completely.

He lifted his gaze to the center of the Stone of Listening to Fury.

Slowly, the oppressive aura began to dissipate.

Due to a sudden clash of Grandmaster-level forces within the mist, Divine Guardian realized it was the work of the Young Prince.

It must have been the Martial Saint’s will, embedded within the Little Prince’s body, that had erupted.

That killer…

was undoubtedly finished!

Divine Guardian had begun to anticipate…

Eagerly awaiting the moment when the mist would tear apart again, revealing the supreme Martial Saint’s will in all its glory.

That was King Ping Luan!

Not only an incomparable Martial Saint, but also a Divine Giant Cultivator!

Even a mere trace of his Martial Saint’s will commanded universal reverence.

Su Huai Li’s eyes sparkled as he exhaled, dusting off his garments with fervor and excitement.

It had been too long since he last saw his mentor.

Now, to witness even a vestige of a Martial Saint’s will filled him with contentment.

He even assumed a respectful posture, ready to bow and salute.

Divine Guardian did not linger any longer.

The Divine Essence Golden Pill returned to the inner realm of Mud Pellet Palace.

Meanwhile, six Black Armor Blood Guards sheathed their Zhanma Dao; behind cold, helmeted faces, their fervor was unmistakable.

Lu Yao and Wang Kuyu both sighed in relief.

If a full battle were to erupt, it would spell only trouble.

They felt their hearts tremble, sensing the lingering shockwave of Grandmaster-level power from the Jiulong River.

“King Ping Luan… Ji Mo Li?”

Both Lu Yao and Wang Kuyu wore grave expressions.

Wang Kuyu even swung his Dust Whip, his face etched with bitter resignation, “So, Ji Mo Li dispatched Ji Haihui. There’s clearly a grand scheme at work.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t enrage the Temple Spirit – lest it trigger a full-blown sanctuary uprising in the bizarre temple…”

“Right now, Jin Guang Mansion simply doesn’t possess the power to quell the fury of the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple or stave off a sanctuary revolt.”

Wang Kuyu sighed.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the Stone of Listening to Fury,

the carriage driver working for Elder Jiao Shaoqiu and Zhu Chaoyang – two grandmasters from the Temple Guardian Division – tensed as their qi roiled beneath their skin; their Martial Dao wills were being forced into submission.

“Martial Saint… Martial Saint…”

Zhu Chaoyang exhaled deeply, his voice rumbling like thunder.

Surely it wasn’t the Martial Saint in person – it was only a trace of his will capable of unleashing such unstoppable Grandmaster-level power!

It was simply terrifying!

Inconceivably so!

Yet Zhu Chaoyang’s curiosity grew – who could possibly stand against Ji Mo Li’s Martial Saint’s will?

Even a trace of that will exuded a uniquely crushing oppression!

Who, then, could dare challenge a Martial Saint’s will?

The Qin Family carriage.

A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, sending them fluttering repeatedly.

The silhouettes within remained hidden.

But when the Martial Saint’s will erupted with Grandmaster-level force, the shadows inside trembled momentarily.

For a moment,

there was complete silence atop the Stone of Listening to Fury.

Everyone waited,

with a mix of anxiety, curiosity, and anticipation…

For when the mist tore apart,

the flash of Martial Saint elegance would emerge!

…

…

Everyone waited.

Yet Li Che remained serene.

Waiting for a display of Martial Saint grandeur? They were in for a disappointment…

Ji Mo Li’s Martial Saint will had been shattered by him – chiefly because Li Che had the nerve to notice when the Yulian Yin Divine Sword was fueling that will…

He promptly seized the moment, retracting the sword into the Cosmic Chessboard.

This cut off the Martial Saint’s will from its continuous energy source.

Bereft of sustenance, after an exhilarating clash, it simply imploded.

A slight smile played on Li Che’s lips.

A gentle breeze stirred as rain pattered softly.

Before his eyes, a streak of light slowly emerged.

[Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV4 40%)]

In battling the Martial Saint’s will, the maturity of his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit surged to 40%!

Though it had been a fleeting encounter, the gains for Li Che were immense!

Fighting strong opponents sharpened his martial comprehension and bolstered his battle experience.

The subtle benefits of confronting the mighty were now clear.

Battles with the weak might drag one down,

but clashes with powerful foes forged true strength!

“This is only a trace of the Martial Saint’s will. If I could defeat a true Martial Saint…”

“Then the maturity of my Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit would soar beyond measure!”

Li Che chuckled.

Of course, expecting to vanquish a true Martial Saint was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Alas…

A mere trace of the Martial Saint’s will cannot be contained by Spiritual Confinement.

Boosting Dao Fruit maturity is far more difficult than one might imagine.

This time, the significant surge was likely due to harnessing the sheer force of the ‘Martial Saint’ title.

As the maturity of his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit increased, it would, in turn, empower Li Che.

Thus…

At this moment, Li Che once again had the chance to enter a state of martial epiphany.

But he did not immediately succumb to the insight; instead, his mind stirred as the Cosmic Chessboard retracted, enveloping the carriage to mask all perceptions and qi. Then, he grasped Ji Haihui’s Qian Kun Jade.

Within Mud Pellet Palace,

a primordial spirit, long dormant above the Yulian Yin Divine Sword, suddenly opened its eyes.

Its divine perception swept across, tearing apart the defenses of the Qian Kun Jade.

Then, its sensory power sank deep into it, overwhelming everything in its path.

Li Che’s eyes flickered.

After a moment, he brought his index and middle fingers together.

Out of the Qian Kun Jade emerged a gold-leaf paper, inscribed with intricate, dense script.

His gaze fixed upon it, reading four brilliant characters that shone forth:

Martial Saint Absolute Technique…

Wanlong Fushen!

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