Chapter 215: Clash of Titans in the Grand Pavilion

Crack! Crack!

Thunder roared and lightning flashed!

The magnificent pavilion trembled violently in that instant, its wooden floorboards groaning under the unbearable strain.

“Who do you think you are?”

Long Tai, with a chicken leg stuffed into his mouth and eyes blazing, fixed his gaze on Ogre the moment his words fell.

With a savage bite, Fangya chomped down so forcefully that even the chicken bone shattered, swallowing it whole.

Yet within him surged an awe-inspiring martial will!

It was the indomitable spirit of an Inherent Grandmaster at the peak of unison with heaven and man, so powerful it seemed to pull down the entire sky and press upon the soul!

Heavy, oppressive, claustrophobic…

Body and spirit sunk into inertia, even thoughts slowed to a crawl.

Ogre bore the brunt of that concentrated martial will.

Beneath his mask, Li Che’s 【Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit】 pounded furiously. The tremendous pressure shattered his mental defenses, his own martial will barely forming a three-inch barrier against the onslaught.

It was as if the power of heaven and man had been summoned!

This is the true terror of an Inherent Grandmaster—their strength is bolstered by the very force of the heavens and earth!

Li Che’s heart raced, his blood boiling, while the searing intensity in his Star Plucking Gaze burned like molten fire. That subtle sense of imminent crisis spurred every muscle and tendon into action!

His flesh expanded, growing ever more robust, like a mountain rising steadily from the earth.

Boom—!

Ogre lunged forward as if a razor-sharp steel blade had sliced through the oppressive martial will of the grandmaster.

His force slammed onto the wooden floor of the pavilion, causing it to cave in instantly with splintering cracks and shards flying everywhere.

“What guts! To stand up against my commander’s martial will, defying the very forces of heaven and earth—you could be proud among the Divine Guts Grandmasters!”

Long Tai stood nearly nine feet tall, his muscles bulging, exuding an air of domineering authority.

Before City Lord Su Huai Li, he towered like an ancient fortress, unyielding against the elements!

This was…

Heaven-Man Unity!

An Inherent Grandmaster!

One in tune with the cosmos!

Boom—!!!

Outside, the torrential spring rain seemed to hold its breath.

Long Tai charged forward; in a heartbeat, his rushing qi and blood roared like thunder, accompanied by a terrifying, serpentine vortex of power weaving through the heavens and earth.

Amidst it all, a streak of dazzling white energy emerged.

It burst forth with overwhelming light and heat!

An unseen ripple of qi spread violently from the lofty floor of the pavilion, its waves extending ten feet beyond.

In an instant, the spring breeze and rain evaporated into mist, swirling like drifting clouds!

Then, that murky vapor, carried by a rebellious air current, flooded into the pavilion.

In that moment, it was as if the very heavens changed hue.

Long Tai had struck!

A surge of oppressive power, blistering in speed—within a blink, his fist seemed destined to crush Ogre!

Ogre’s foot tapped the ground, unleashing his Lingxu Baqi Steps!

Shattered afterimages erupted, with one ghostly image after another materializing as if made tangible.

Long Tai’s fearsome punch was swiftly followed by his Inherent Divine Guts, manifesting like a semi-transparent, living python, complete with glistening scales and flowing whiskers.

Dominating!

Unparalleled!

The pressure…

Was unlike anything ever felt before!

Heaven-Man Unity Grandmasters truly surpassed the Divine Guts masters, and Long Tai’s martial arts were no ordinary styles—they were raw, brutal power!

In Li Che’s eyes, countless surges of fierce emotion churned.

His fingers clenched into a fist; a massive muscle fiber along his back trembled as torrents of blood and exuding qi burst from every pore, intermingling in a turbulent display!

Roar——!

Dragon and Elephant in Unison!

A Thousand Dragons Roar!

Primordial Chaos!

Three martial techniques fused into an explosive outpouring of Divine Guts, culminating in the Threefold Divine Guts!

Three become One!

In an instant, it was as if the mythological Dragon-Elephant had descended!

Amid roars, collisions, and brutal clashes!

Hm?!

Long Tai’s eyes flickered slightly…

“Divine Guts?!”

“What kind of Divine Guts is this?!”

Thud—!!!

After tearing through five afterimages of Lingxu Baqi Steps, Long Tai’s punch collided head-on with the counterattack that Ogre had unleashed!

Rumble!!

The terrifying impact shattered with a blast, sending surges of churning waves in all directions.

The grand pavilion’s roof was ripped away, reduced to endless splinters and dust, flung clean by the raging wind!

As the explosion faded, swirling air battered around Long Tai and Ogre.

Where the two had stood, the wooden floor was blown into a massive crater, yet they remained unfazed—as if suspended in midair.

In their fighting stances, the Threefold Divine Guts and Inherent Divine Guts crashed against each other like twin bolts of lightning!

Bang, bang, bang—!

The searing, fearsome torrents of qi erupted continuously!

Long Tai’s eyes widened in utter astonishment.

“Impossible!”

“How can Divine Guts possibly withstand Inherent Divine Guts?!”

Long Tai roared low in disbelief.

He was utterly incredulous.

What sort of Divine Guts could be so perfected? Within Ogre’s unleashed Divine Guts, Long Tai sensed an overwhelming blend of qi and the true essence of martial technique!

It proved that Ogre’s mastery of his Divine Guts technique was no lowly rank—it was, at the very least, Martial Saint True Intention!

But even Martial Saint True Intention shouldn’t be able to counter Inherent Divine Guts, right?!

Unless…

It wasn’t just one, but several Martial Saint True Intentions at once!

How could that be?

Martial Saint techniques are notoriously difficult—many spend ten years just to grasp the basics, another ten to make minor progress, and achieving mastery can be lethal; attaining true essence and refining Divine Guts might be an impossible dream in a lifetime!

Every Martial Saint technique is nurtured from a young age…

Who would raise a child to study multiple Martial Saint arts simultaneously?

Wouldn’t that drive a child insane?!

Long Tai, boasting top-tier martial talent, had taken a full ten years to progress from the pinnacle of Divine Guts to Inherent Grandmaster level…

Imagine if he had to master three Martial Saint arts at once—it might be better to send him back to the womb!

Meanwhile, behind Ogre’s mask, Li Che was experiencing pure bliss!

It was sheer pleasure and indulgence—the raw taste of martial combat!

He had finally discovered the unadulterated essence of the martial way!

The genuine clash of flesh and power!

Yet Li Che well knew that his true objective was not merely to battle Long Tai.

It was…

To kill!

To kill Su Huai Li!

At that moment, Su Huai Li had already retreated to the edge of the pavilion, turning to smash through its walls and escape using his divine prowess!

Crazy!

Absolutely mad!

That Ogre… has truly gone mad!

It hadn’t been long since they’d met, yet Ogre was already capable of taking on an Inherent Grandmaster!

What kind of demon is he?!

Run!

And Su Huai Li knew Ogre all too well…

Ogre was deviously cunning and would never fight honorably!

There’s no way he would engage Long Tai in a straightforward, head-on battle!

Ogre’s target… would surely always be him!

Su Huai Li had long anticipated that Ogre would mark him, coming to kill him—his life claimed by the Underworld!

And now, it had finally arrived!

Behind Su Huai Li, his Divine Essence Golden Pill flared vibrantly!

Suddenly…

A chill crept up from his every pore!

It surged along his spine, enveloping him like a hidden venomous serpent stalking from the dark!

Darkness…

Su Huai Li’s eyes narrowed.

His shadow!

Looking down, he saw his shadow writhing; emerging from it was a figure so dark it absorbed all light—a dagger inches from his neck!

A top-tier assassination move!

“Divine Guardian!”

Su Huai Li’s scalp prickled as he howled. His Golden Pill jerked, then burst forth, unleashing staggering waves of divine power!

Before he knew it, a silver spear materialized in his hand, pressed hard against his neck!

Clang—!!!

Sparks flew in all directions!

They burst forth relentlessly!

Su Huai Li was blasted by the terrifying force of the Grandmaster’s strike, sending him flying.

Yet barely had he landed than his Divine Guardian sprang from his own shadow, flinging four ebony chess pieces…

Chess pieces?

Su Huai Li loved chess, but at that moment, seeing these black pieces evoked a sense of mortal doom!

As the black pieces swelled in the stormy wind, they transformed into three twisted, dark silhouettes that enveloped him, all wearing ink-black masks!

They were minions of Bai Wuchang!

Additionally…

A terrifying, overwhelming slash of blade-light swept in—a dazzling white cut!

“Xue Dufu—!”

Su Huai Li’s voice sharpened with anger!

They were familiar faces—damn familiar…

Yet these ‘familiar’ figures had long been dead!

How could they all be alive?!

Did they all join the Underworld behind his back?!

Xue Dufu, wearing a pure white mask, bore a gash from a fingernail that was chilling to behold. With a swing of his Crescent Blade, terrifying lunar energy erupted.

Thirty streams of Divine Guts erupted in unison, leaving Su Huai Li almost too weak to move!

His Divine Essence Golden Pill trembled visibly.

Su Huai Li knew that with his current divine cultivation, nothing could stop—

Absolutely nothing!

A Grandmaster…

Damn, a Grandmaster!

Four Grandmasters in all!

Is this the true might of the Underworld?!

What a lineup!

Has he reached the Underworld’s stronghold in Daocheng?!

The Underworld even has forces stationed in Daocheng?!

Rumble, rumble—!!!

Suddenly.

A terrifying peal of rolling thunder exploded, tearing through the barrier of the Cosmic Chessboard with blinding speed!

It was as if heaven itself had split in two, the curtain of the sky ripped open!

The surging heavenly river poured forth!

“Divine Archer!”

In the distance, behind Ogre’s mask and clashing with Long Tai, Li Che’s eyes narrowed.

There was a Divine Archer…

And his arrow’s power even surpassed the sniper-like precision of Ma Mian!

The arrow carried qi, martial will, and divine essence far beyond that of a Divine Guts Grandmaster!

A Divine Archer of Heaven-Man Unity level?!

An Inherent Grandmaster… doesn’t come for free!

But Li Che knew he was fortunate—a survivor’s bias indeed. Grandmasters in Daocheng were exceedingly rare.

This Grandmaster was clearly the backup arranged by You Liqing!

In the military camp, he was among the elite!

Bang—!

The arrow slammed into Bai Wuchang Xue Dufu’s Crescent Blade. The tremendous impact not only repelled the thirty streams of Divine Guts but pierced through Xue Dufu’s chest, sending dark, dense mist surging from his shoulder!

Such an arrow was the epitome of brilliance!

Like a bluebird soaring above the dust!

Unstoppable!

Yet the Divine Guardian and the three Lie Shen Pavilion Assassins, masters of Spiritual Confinement, remained unfazed, storming toward Su Huai Li!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The fearsome arrows continued to shred through the skies, like the cries of phoenixes—within the blink of an eye, they were upon him!

Four arrows fired simultaneously!

Targeting all four assassins, including the Divine Guardian, they streaked past, reducing the pavilion to rubble!

Then, the Divine Guardian melted into darkness while the remaining three assassins were blasted into black mist, vanishing into nothingness.

“Huh?!”

A note of bewilderment echoed through the heavens.

It was as if something was sensed…

As if these assassins were not quite alive.

Amid the ferocious surge of wind and qi, Long Tai’s booming laughter suddenly rang out.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

“This is exactly how Divine Guts should look when facing Inherent power—utterly miserable!”

Long Tai referred to the Bai Wuchang Xue Dufu, who had been shot in the shoulder by the Inherent Grandmaster Divine Archer with hardly any chance to fight back!

After being halted by Ogre’s punch, ending in a stalemate, Long Tai’s men were dumbfounded—wondering if perhaps he had been an Inherent Grandmaster all along, his strength stunted since birth!

But now he understood—it wasn’t that he was weak; it was that the Underworld’s Ogre was simply too strong!

And now…

He was eager to settle this with Ogre once and for all!

That fearsome fighter had made Long Tai’s fists itch with excitement!

He was desperate…

to beat him to death!

His clenched hand summoned the Golden Crocodile-Headed Axe, its heavy, golden blade materializing with a forceful swing. The overwhelming pressure of Six Divisions Divine Weapons surged as it rolled forward!

Long Tai had grown serious!

Boom!

The axe swung down mightily, its irresistible martial will locking Ogre in place, sealing off any escape, forcing him into a titanic clash of strength with the axe!

Each explosive strike roared like thunder from behind the clouds!

“Come on! Unleash that unique Divine Guts forged from the fusion of three Martial Saint True Intentions!”

Long Tai’s face twisted into wild, ferocious madness!

Let’s see…

if you can still hold out!

Rumble, rumble!

His mighty axe sliced through the air, its wild mane of energy swirling as the Inherent Divine Guts entwined around it like a colossal serpent—threatening to split mountains and sever rivers!

Squelch—

Then…

the hard-edged, raw romance of battle that a man craves failed to appear.

Instead, there was a smooth, soft, lingering sensation…

As if a painting was being gently unfurled.

In that moment, Ogre thrust out his own punch with overwhelming presence—and was promptly split in two by Long Tai’s axe!

Long Tai’s crazed eyes froze, his ferocious expression locked in place.

What was happening?

Was he nothing but a paper tiger?!

Wait a minute—

Long Tai’s cleaving force hadn’t yet spent its strength; it was still building momentum.

Meanwhile, in the blasted black mist where the Lie Shen Pavilion Assassin had been shattered by the Divine Archer’s blast, a white Divine Chess Piece shone brilliantly,

then seemed to be grasped by a giant hand as though fanned like a palm!

Ogre’s towering form, reminiscent of a mountain, had managed to slip free from his duel with Long Tai and reappear before Su Huai Li!

He had shifted—

Ogre’s signature skill of Nuo Yi!

As expected…

He was elusive and untraceable—a true marvel of movement!

…

…

Heavy rain pelted down, each droplet as large as a bean, icy and bone-chilling.

It was as if the lingering winter cold was being completely vented in this violent spring storm!

In a flash, You Liqing transformed into a streak of golden light, tearing through the air toward the lands ruled by the Yun Family.

“The [Bai Zhuan Youmeng Guilingtu] Bizarre Temple falls under Yun Family’s control. As one of Daocheng’s three ancient clans, Yun Family wields a profound legacy. It’s said they possess a divine technique to transfer the Temple Spirit into the body of a newly born prodigy before the innate qi dissipates…”

“In doing so, they secure nearly all of the Temple Spirit’s will and divinity.”

“Could it be that Yun Family has found the prodigy perfectly suited to the Rabbit Temple Spirit, thereby capturing it entirely? Is that why the Bizarre Temple collapsed?”

“Alternatively… if it wasn’t Yun Family, could it have been the work of the Corpse God Sect or Lie Shen Pavilion?”

Speeding through the air, immense qi dissolved the raindrops in a blazing explosion.

You Liqing fell into deep thought.

“Nowadays in Daocheng, chaos reigns. People from all walks hide among the masses, all under the guise of recruiting disciples for the Divine Sect’s progeny.”

“But in reality… it’s all a bid for the inheritance of the Five Elder Bizarre Temple!”

That temple…

Is linked to the legacy of the once unrivaled Qitian Temple!

“My teacher sent me here for that very inheritance… Whoever inherits the legacy of the Five Elder Bizarre Temple will be granted access to the pinnacle of Qitian City—finding that fabled staff!”

At that thought,

Even You Liqing, usually unflappable, felt a stir of unease.

His blood and qi surged as his mind roiled.

“Hey—what are you daydreaming about now? Getting a brain orgasm?”

Suddenly, raucous laughter shattered his thoughts.

You Liqing’s eyes narrowed. Beneath his golden armor, powerful qi and martial will interwove, only to be cleaved apart by a razor-sharp sword aura.

“Quit staring! We’re old foes; you know me as well as I know you…”

Below,

At the ruins of the [Bai Zhuan Youmeng Guilingtu] Bizarre Temple, a disheveled and carefree figure appeared, carrying a sword case and clutching a wine gourd etched with battle scars as he bantered.

“Huang Jianjiu.”

You Liqing descended gracefully.

He glanced coldly at Huang Jianjiu, too irritated to engage further.

They had nothing much to discuss—only endless bickering.

Though Huang Jianjiu was formidable, You Liqing knew his drunken antics were utterly pathetic.

Gazing at the empty ruins of the Bizarre Temple—the sheer disappearance was astounding.

Thinking of the consequences behind it made his hair stand on end.

“You better explain yourself, Xiao You.”

You Liqing ignored him while Huang Jianjiu clung on, staggering as if about to fall in the rain.

Huang Jianjiu didn’t even need any aura to shatter the falling raindrops; he simply let the water wash over him, searching for his own style amidst the disarray.

Yet to You Liqing, the drunkard was nothing but a simpleton.

“It’s gone… truly gone…”

You Liqing’s eyes hardened as he stepped forward.

Taking a deep breath, he resolved to inform his master. Perhaps the teacher, or even King Ping Luan Ji Mo Li, would understand what had happened to the Bizarre Temple.

Otherwise, an unsettling feeling would continue to fester within him.

Suddenly,

You Liqing’s eyes narrowed.

He whirled around, and with his head shaking, torrents of rain exploded like splattered watercolors!

“How dare you!”

“Do you have any guts?!”

You Liqing’s eyes blazed with murderous intent.

Su Huai Li was under assassination!

Barely had You Liqing set off when Su Huai Li was attacked!

It was as if they paid no heed to You Liqing at all…

Arrogant, brazen—and utterly insolent!

Boom—!!!

A surge of terrifying qi erupted; even Huang Jianjiu, nearby, was visibly shaken as his qi soared skyward!

It was as if the very heavens were ignited by martial fury!

For ordinary mortals, qi can deplete, but for a Grandmaster who has reached the Three Blossom realm, qi circulates perfectly—virtually endless!

You Liqing roared, and with a searing burst, the surrounding rain evaporated instantly.

He stepped forward with intent!

Rising like a beacon,

He soared toward the sky. In the next moment, a white-haired, purple-eyed hawk beat its wings and was deftly stamped down on its back by You Liqing.

From high above, the fallen roof of the grand pavilion and the fearsome, unyielding qi lay hidden from sight.

You Liqing’s gaze hardened as he furrowed his brow into a glare of fury.

“Seed of Divinity—Enraged Heavenly King Gaze!”

You Liqing’s primordial spirit surged from behind.

In an instant, in his divine twin gaze,

He beheld…

A translucent chessboard spanning the heavens, its grid of intersecting lines sealing away the revelations of qi, divine essence, and perception!

“What is this?”

You Liqing stared intently.

But with little time to ponder, as he leaped from the hawk’s back,

The white-haired, purple-eyed hawk let out a screech and plunged downward.

And You Liqing transformed midair into a blazing golden spear!

He aimed to plunge it downward with lightning speed.

Yet, just as he moved,

His golden divine spear froze mid-strike.

…

…

Su Huai Li’s eyes bulged in rage!

It was indeed Ogre!

No question about it—Ogre!

Every calculated move, every devious intent!

Su Huai Li couldn’t fathom why he harbored such relentless grudges. Was it because he once sent Wen Longshan to kill Ogre?

Or because he once incited Ji Haihui to pay homage by the mountain?

But none of that was his doing.

Wen Longshan was dead; Ji Haihui had perished…

Wasn’t that enough?!

“Not enough?! Ogre!”

Su Huai Li’s eyes turned blood-red; his pristine white robes billowed dramatically, his jet-black hair swirling in the wind.

He roared, a ferocious, murderous gleam in his eyes!

“I’ve studied you thoroughly—I know your Nuo Yi and your treacherous nature. I know you’re out to kill me, and even if it takes from the highest heavens to the deepest abyss, you will!

But I refuse to simply wait for death—do you think I’ll go down defenseless?!”

No longer the refined gentleman,

Su Huai Li flung a long-hidden orb from his palm with furious determination!

In that instant, a terrifying surge of deathly and corpse energy erupted from the orb in a wild torrent!

In the distance,

An axe cleaved through Long Tai’s Painted Immortal Clone as he swung his great axe, staring dumbfounded at Su Huai Li, whose orb burst forth with overwhelming deathly energy and corpse aura!

In a fleeting glance, he saw Su Huai Li cast forth an orb laden with death and decay!

“Corpse God Orb?!”

Long Tai’s body trembled uncontrollably.

Over a hundred feet away, a lithe Divine Archer stood motionless. Under his bamboo hat, his brows knit in disapproval.

His drawn bow suddenly released with a violent snap.

“A wretch from the Corpse God Sect?”

A cool, disdainful voice seeped from beneath the bamboo hat’s red lips.

It brimmed with uncontainable revulsion.

Her arrow…

Was meant to execute that stinking wretch from the Corpse God Sect.

Her arrow…

Was not pure anymore.

The Female Divine Archer nearly drew her bow to kill the foul creature.

But in the end, she did not.

After all, Su Huai Li was the junior of the Great General…

Everything would be decided by the Great General.

The Female Divine Archer gazed coolly,

While Su Huai Li cared nothing for the opinions of others.

His entire being was drenched in deathly and corpse energy.

Meanwhile, a horrifying will emerged from the shattered Corpse God Orb he had crushed.

Roar—!!!

A terrifying distortion of space!

It was as if countless bolts of black lightning cascaded down.

“Corpse God’s Will!”

Both Long Tai and the Female Divine Archer’s expressions changed subtly.

Su Huai Li… had concealed such a technique?!

The mid-rank Corpse God’s Will within the Six Divisions!

That was Su Huai Li’s trump card!

It was the key to his confident counterattack against Ogre!

Though the backup arranged by You Liqing—Long Tai and the Inherent Grandmaster Divine Archer—provided some assurance, it wasn’t enough.

They were outsiders; he couldn’t fully trust them!

Only this Corpse God’s Will, at his beck and call, could make him feel truly secure!

The Corpse God’s Will twisted and expanded, emerging from the swirling vortex of death and dark energy.

That Corpse God Orb, harboring the Corpse God’s Will, was extremely precious!

Su Huai Li had acquired it as a disciple of Ji Mo Li—it was his greatest asset.

The Underworld had pressed him too hard!

All Su Huai Li wanted was to kill!

Kill Ogre!

“Kill!”

Su Huai Li roared manically.

The moment the Corpse God’s Will emerged, it burst forth with a vengeance of pent-up hatred.

It had long been stifled,

Its fury now unleashed!

Su Huai Li’s bloodshot eyes, driven mad by the Corpse God’s Will, locked onto Ogre in the distance.

Then…

Su Huai Li froze. The crimson in his eyes began to recede.

He saw:

The mask on Ogre’s forehead cracked open, revealing a golden eye radiating brilliance!

Then…

A tidal wave of divine energy surged!

Behind Ogre,

A divine visage emerged!

A visage…

Growing ever grander in an instant, towering ten feet high, grasping the heavenly thunder that vanquishes evil…

The Golden Ape God!

A colossal, vivid simian roared as it bellowed with fury!

It was like an ancient, revered bell from a snowy mountain temple, struck with brutal force, unleashing terrifying sound waves that overwhelmed everything!

Under that roar…

Su Huai Li’s maddened mind began to clear.

“What… what is this?”

“How can there be such a divine visage?!”

It was merely a divine image, as if it completely suppressed even the might of the Corpse God’s Will!

Su Huai Li looked on in dismay and confusion.

His eyes shifted stiffly, his pupils trembling violently as he saw…

The sound of Ogre’s mask shattering echoed as pieces of red-hot wooden fragments flew about,

Revealing a face covered in golden monkey hair!

Seven Thousand Words—sorry for the delay. I had to spend half the day at the hospital. The doctor said there was an issue and I ended up in the emergency room until night. I’ll have to go back tomorrow. I’m updating now, and the two updates tomorrow will go on as usual. This book is doing well, and Old Li will work hard. Today’s the last day of the month—please cast your votes!