Chapter 253: The Shattering of Destiny

Roar, roar, roar—

A scorching, overwhelming aura ascended into the sky, melting the icy, frozen flakes into torrents of water that cascaded down.

Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the heavens; the jagged bolts tore through the darkness, illuminating the entire Qianyuan Daocheng.

This was the stronghold of the Orca Gang.

It had almost become a no-exit zone.

One terrifying, overwhelming aura after another enveloped a ten-mile radius centered on the Orca Gang’s base, as if an unseen force warped the sky and made even the falling raindrops slant.

Wearing his Cat Face Mask, Li Qingshan felt a despair so cold it froze his very blood.

The oppressive, unparalleled menace left him utterly breathless!

Lie Shen Pavilion’s Triple Flower Rakshasa Assassin!

Back when Lie Shen Pavilion had settled in Jin Guang Mansion, they had dispatched top fighters to contact Li Qingshan.

Thus, Li Qingshan was well aware of the assassin rankings within Lie Shen Pavilion.

A Gold-Masked Assassin represented a Grandmaster of Divine Guts, while a Jade-Masked Assassin equated to an Innate Grandmaster; some top-tier Jade-Masked Assassins even reached the pinnacle of Triple Flower cultivation.

Beyond that, the assassins who ranked above were Triple Flower Rakshasa Killers – each one meticulously trained by Lie Shen Pavilion to be among the elite.

They must reach the zenith in both martial prowess and divine nature.

A Supreme Grandmaster of Triple Flower Martial Dao, with divine power at the Breath-Retention Transformation stage!

A Triple Flower Rakshasa Assassin was equivalent to a You Liqing.

Granted, facing them head-on was no match for You Liqing – but they were assassins…

Their methods were as devious as they were ruthless!

Li Qingshan was completely stunned.

Besides the Triple Flower Rakshasa Assassin, there was also the Corpse God Sect’s Cursed Jade Corpse – an equally top-tier power rivaling the pinnacle of Triple Flower Grandmasters.

And as if that weren’t enough…

There was also a Five Elder Lower Deity Talismaster!

Not to mention the bloodthirsty Dragon Queen!

This lineup…

One might think they were targeting a martial saint!

His Underworld Cat Face – with such credentials?

Underworld Cat Face compared to a martial saint!

Li Qingshan took a deep breath as three Spiritual Confinement Assassins converged around him.

Yet even so, he had little means of resistance against this terrifying array!

The Dragon Queen descended gracefully, her entire being seemingly aglow; every inch of her trembling flesh, her long lashes shivering, revealing a murderous intent that bordered on madness beneath her eyes!

The Underworld…

The Underworld!

She had once sworn to annihilate the Underworld, and now…

Not a single Underworld member would be spared!

“Underworld Cat Face?”

“You actually… are you really from the Underworld?”

Dragon Queen Ao Yuxin perched atop a towering wall. Her luminous, pale skin even seemed to emit a glow as scales of a dragon materialized while she spoke.

Air streaming from her mouth and nostrils splintered as if piercing through metal and stone, showcasing the formidable physical power of the Dragon God Clan that she wielded.

Her nearly half martial-saint level physique made each raindrop evaporate like mist.

Behind her towered a colossal, elongated true dragon silhouette—over ten zhang long, coiled like a monstrous serpent with horns and the body of a crocodile—roiling wildly behind the Dragon Queen as it bellowed!

Crack, crack!

Above in the heavens, through leaden clouds, thunder clashed repeatedly, lighting up the entire Qianyuan Daocheng!

A bead of sweat trickled down Li Qingshan’s brow.

Gripping the Horned Hammer tightly, the crushing pressure left him unable to muster even the strength to swing it.

It was simple—the gap was too vast.

His only pride was his Grandmaster-level cultivation of Divine Guts, while the Dragon Queen…

Her physical prowess, as part of the Dragon God Clan, was naturally exceptional—just one breakthrough past the dragon barrier would elevate her to martial saint status!

And in terms of divine nature, the Dragon God Clan was equally formidable; the Dragon Queen herself possessed Breath-Retention Transformation level power.

That Sect Master’s Wife Xuan Qisha could easily suppress the Dragon Queen because her command over divine talismans had reached a semi-saint level!

But what was Li Qingshan?

Who did he think he was?

Yet, Li Qingshan soon regained his composure; his upright stance suddenly bent forward, his hands clasped behind his back as his black robe billowed in the wind.

“Since you’ve been discovered… there’s no use in pretending anymore.”

“Underworld Cat Face, greetings from King Ping Luan.”

“Is the Princess colluding with the twisted folks of the Corpse God Sect against me, Cat Face?”

Li Qingshan replied coolly.

Though his spirit had been long crushed, his will was far from broken.

Time to spill some dirty water first.

Besides, Li Qingshan clutched a Feilei Chess Piece gifted by Thunder Dragon, which could let him escape at any moment.

With that thought, Li Qingshan fully relaxed.

Having an escape is all the confidence he needed.

Even if he couldn’t escape, so what?

Li Qingshan smirked as he brushed the dust from his black robe. Behind his Cat Face Mask, his eyes remained unnervingly calm and deep as he displayed the unyielding spirit of a mountain.

If only it meant death.

Hmm?

In the distance, surrounding the wall and sealing off every escape route for Cat Face, were figures from Lie Shen Pavilion, Corpse God Sect, the Su Family, and the Dragon Queen—all with a hint of an unusual air about them.

Could it be that Underworld Cat Face was this defiant?

From behind, the Dragon Queen’s dragon silhouette roared, “Where are the Underworld Ogre, Ma Mian, Divine Monkey, and Black and White Wuchang?!”

“Where is your Underworld garrison?”

The Dragon Queen demanded coldly.

“Hehehe…”

“Princess… have mercy. Don’t rush to kill; capture him and we’ll interrogate him slowly.”

The aged Su family talismaster’s hoarse voice echoed as he declared, “I’ve laid out eight pieces of ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans—all Five Elder Lower Deity Talismasters. Let’s see if Underworld Cat Face can break through my ‘Calming the Wind’ array with that unique Underworld Relocation Technique.”

The bent, ancient Su family master spoke with playful mockery in his tone.

He was exceedingly proud of his ‘Calming the Wind’ array of divine talismans.

As one of the old masters of the Su Family, he was naturally incensed by the recent troubles the family had faced.

Especially since his own younger brother, Su Huai Ming, Master of the Divine Eagle Technique, had been involved.

The two brothers, one following the path of divine talismans and the other that of the Divine Eagle, had both reached the level of Five Elder Lower Deity Divine Eagle Masters under Su Family’s vast legacy.

It was an extremely high level—anyone reaching it had a chance to break into the semi-saint realm!

But then…

Su Huai Ming had actually died!

Killed by the Underworld!

Yes, the Su Family’s investigation revealed that the culprit was not the Corpse God Sect but the Underworld!

Su He Lian had died at the hands of the Underworld, and now Su Huai Ming too was slain by an Underworld assassin!

How could the Su Family tolerate this?

At last, the Su Family’s talismaster, Su Huai Yin, chose to step in himself.

And once he acted, he went all out!

Underworld Cat Face?

Just a Grandmaster of Divine Guts?

Then let’s deploy the eight Five Elder Lower Deity ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans!

The Underworld’s baffling ability to vanish with its uncanny Relocation Technique had become a headache for many.

To move about freely in Qianyuan Daocheng with such a Relocation Technique, probably only the precious, small Underworld Relocation Talisman drawn by a semi-saint divine talisman master among the Five Elders could do it.

Thus, to capture Underworld Cat Face…

the Su Family went all in, sparing no expense. All eight Five Elder Lower Deity ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans were activated!

The void was sealed—there was nowhere to hide!

They would capture Underworld Cat Face first, then deal with him!

Meanwhile,

the moment the Su Family’s talismaster began speaking, Li Qingshan felt every hair on his body stand on end.

He watched as the eight floating, directional, slowly burning Xuan Huang Talisman Papers sealed the area.

It felt as if the entire world had frozen.

The air, the divine nature, and even the breeze were halted, as if caught in divine immobilization!

Cold sweat dripped down Li Qingshan’s face. Could it be?

Eight Five Elder Lower Deity divine talismans?

Is it really necessary?!

Under his Cat Face Mask, unease finally overtook Li Qingshan.

The Feilei Chess Piece bestowed by Thunder Dragon was his only hope for escape.

But now, it seemed that his escape route…

had already been anticipated by the enemy!

Li Qingshan’s expression shifted as he suddenly took a step back and dropped to the tip of his toe!

His hand spread open before clenching fiercely again. In his palm, a white chess piece burst with radiant brilliance as powerful mental energy slammed into the Feilei Chess Piece.

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

Li Qingshan sensed a slight tremor in the sealed void around him.

……

……

Tinglei Alley.

Private Workshop Courtyard.

Perhaps the overwhelming burst of vital energy had forced the clouds to part, melting the snowy clouds into rain.

Patter, patter, it fell unceasingly, splattering on the brim of a bamboo hat until it burst open.

Li Che, with his burly, robust build and wearing an Ogre Mask, pushed down his bamboo hat.

The eyes behind his mask shone with the glimmer of countless streams of light.

In that moment when Li Qingshan gripped the Feilei Chess Piece, Li Che felt a message pulsate from the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit.

“They really came prepared, laying a web in the heavens to ambush the Underworld cultivators…”

“Lie Shen Pavilion, Corpse God Sect, the Su Family, and even the Dragon Queen…”

“It seems all the Underworld’s foes have gathered in unison.”

A slight smile curved Li Che’s lips behind his mask.

“With eight Five Elder Lower Deity ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans sealing space and freezing the field…”

“Even the highest Relocation Techniques can’t be instantly deployed; one would need at least three breaths to move out.”

“Three breaths… enough time for Senior Qingshan to be torn apart a hundred times.”

This was the state of the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit after reaching level 4 maturity.

Previously, if the enemy used such a method, the countdown would have stretched to ten breaths!

Ten breaths of countdown.

Facing this suffocating encirclement was akin to waiting for death.

“I was simply too weak…”

Li Che murmured to himself.

Reflecting on how Cat Face had nearly been dismembered by this overwhelming onslaught and divine net, he took away a bitter lesson.

Li Che conducted a deep self-reflection.

But the next moment, his back straightened sharply as his eyebrows tightened and his Star Plucking Gaze ignited!

In an instant, the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit thumped fiercely in his chest.

Boom—!!!

Li Che looked up suddenly; beneath his towering frame, his eyes burst forth with dazzling golden radiance!

The Cosmic Chessboard instantly connected with Cat Face’s Feilei Chess Piece across the void!

At the same moment, arms veined like coiled dragons rose mightily; fingers clenching tightly as a drop of inky black essence, as dark as concentrated ink among raindrops, floated in his palm.

It seemed as though that drop held an entire city within it!

With a bang, the rain and air before him exploded into fragments!

……

……

Behind his Cat Face Mask, Li Qingshan’s eyes contract slightly!

In the next moment, he sensed the space loosening—a mysterious connection forming in the void.

He looked up sharply.

Above the courtyard, a gigantic, semi-transparent chessboard suddenly appeared.

Across the interlaced grid, black and white chess pieces dotted the surface like stars in a brilliant sky.

Not only Li Qingshan behind the mask, but also the Triple Flower Rakshasa Assassin of Lie Shen Pavilion, Corpse God Sect’s Cursed Jade Corpse, the Su Family’s talismaster, and the Dragon Queen all raised their heads.

The Su Family master’s eyes flashed with an unmistakable odd hue!

“What is this…?!”

A vague chessboard ghost appeared and vanished.

“Damn!”

The Su Family talismaster, Su Huai Yin, controlling the eight ‘Calming the Wind’ talismans, finally sensed something. His weathered face creased with shocking anger!

“What the hell is this?!”

“Eight Five Elder Lower Deity ‘Calming the Wind’ talismans can’t hold him?!”

A look of grim astonishment and horror filled his eyes!

The eight Five Elder Lower Deity ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans sealed space in all directions!

Such a method could only be broken by a prodigy of Relocation Technique mastery!

“There’s indeed a Divine Seed behind the Underworld!”

The Su Family talismaster roared.

Then, with a fierce clap of his hands, he formed seals.

From his talisman pouch, one after another, Xuan Huang divine talismans soared skyward!

“Six-Department Supreme Divine Talisman, Sever the Flow!”

“Cut it for me!”

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

A total of eighteen Six-Department Supreme Divine Talismans charged into the clouds, transforming into a terrifying, massive cleaver as if to sever the bond between the Cosmic Chessboard and Cat Face!

Elsewhere,

the Dragon Queen’s jet-black hair whipped around; the moment her gaze fell upon the Cosmic Chessboard, she recoiled sharply.

In the blink of an eye, her formidable physique propelled her forward with long strides.

Bang!

Concentric white waves exploded in the air as if the air itself shattered under the force!

The raging airflow, unable to disperse in time, was smashed to pieces!

Her fingers transformed into draconic claws, crushing the very air!

They lashed out at Li Qingshan’s form, determined to crush his organs, obliterate his acupoints, and burst his flesh into fragments!

Simultaneously, an overwhelming, domineering divine aura erupted from her sapphire eyes.

Within those eyes, a piercing, blue, almost tangible divine light shot straight for the inner depths of Li Qingshan’s brow, intent on completely nullifying Underworld Cat Face’s cultivation!

Both his martial and divine essence were to be shattered!

Leaving Cat Face as nothing more than a broken husk!

The Dragon Queen believed that such an exquisite Relocation Technique must be supported by immense cultivation—without it, even the most ingenious technique was futile!

Li Qingshan’s eyes lost their divine radiance as he faced the Dragon Queen’s hand, which struck with the full force of her half-martial-saint level physique from the Dragon God Clan.

He felt as if the entire world dimmed!

It was as though all light had been snuffed out!

He could no longer see a thing!

That overwhelming pressure had rendered him momentarily blind!

Compared to the Dragon Queen, his cultivation… was far too weak.

Like a mortal who cannot gaze upon a deity, the insurmountable gap in power meant that her unleashed aura could shatter his very eyes!

He couldn’t block it…

Not in the slightest.

Was this the end for him?

Was his sinful life as Underworld Cat Face finally about to conclude?

Then,

the white Feilei Chess Piece in Li Qingshan’s palm suddenly turned a deep black.

The transition from white to black occurred in an instant!

In that moment, the inky black burst forth like a massive, ancient ebony gate slowly creaking open, drawing Li Qingshan entirely into its maw.

“What?!”

“What is this now?!”

The Dragon Queen’s eyes froze. With a terrifying speed, her fist accelerated like a landslide, slamming into the swirling ebony vortex!

Bang—!!!

The tremendous force exploded, unleashing the indomitable martial will of the Dragon God Clan that crashed down like a tidal wave!

Boom, boom, boom—!!

In an instant, the dazzling light of her ferocious punch burst forth!

Radiant as the sun, vast as drifting clouds!

The inky mist shattered into fragments under the colossal power, and the Dragon Queen’s unrestrained punch landed squarely on the ground of the Orca Gang’s stronghold!

Boom—!!!

Just like a massive Guanyin Lotus Bullet exploding in an instant, the entire base of the Orca Gang trembled as the earth overturned; spiderweb-like cracks raced outward, and scorching heat burst forth from the shattered ground!

Vast amounts of soil, sand, and stone surged up like tidal waves, forming a curtain several zhang high!

The raw shockwave pounded the air, sending ripples like concentric circles, turning the entire courtyard into a sea of turbulent currents!

The Dragon Queen stood amidst the undulating, shattered ground.

Her hair whipping wildly, her sapphire eyes burned with fury and defiance!

Is it over?!

It vanished?!

Underworld Cat Face… had inexplicably disappeared?

Relocation Technique?

No, it wasn’t that!

What kind of technique was this?

A cold dread rolled through the Dragon Queen’s heart as she caught a glimpse of an ancient, mysterious ink-dark city within the ebony mist…

Where had this city come from?!

The Underworld is shrouded in mystery!

This power harbored a veil of unsolvable enigma!

The entire Orca Gang stronghold lay in ruins—walls collapsed, buildings shattered, and cracks spreading outward towards Long Street.

One half-martial-saint level powerhouse’s full-force punch could easily collapse a massive deep pit, shatter all buildings within ten miles, and reduce them to rubble!

The destructive force of a martial saint is truly earth-shattering!

If not for the Su Family talismaster restraining the sound and shock with his Eight ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans…

This scene had Qianyuan Daocheng trembling in its entirety.

Even now, such commotion would surely attract the attention of top experts in Daocheng.

The Divine Sect of Qianyuan, Temple Guardian Division, Imperial Watch, and the Dao Master Residence’s experts—none could have missed it!

“It’s gone? How can it be gone!”

The Dragon Queen nearly lost her mind.

She intended to capture Underworld Cat Face, use him to trace the Underworld’s power, and then… annihilate every Underworld member!

Avenging You Liqing, avenging her son Ji Haihui!

Although she still wasn’t sure who killed Ji Haihui, the Dragon Queen was determined—it had to be the Underworld, without a doubt!

But Cat Face had simply vanished right before her eyes.

“It can’t be a Relocation Technique—eight ‘Calming the Wind’ divine talismans combined with my Sever the Flow divine talisman… even a Divine Seed cultivator would be limited to a ten-breath countdown!”

“On the chessboard, there lies an ink-dark city.”

“Could that city be the Underworld’s stronghold?”

“Is Cat Face trapped inside that city as well?”

Su Huai Yin’s voice was icy cold.

He looked up, and Dragon Queen, the Lie Shen Pavilion assassin, the Corpse God Sect’s Cursed Jade Corpse, and even the retreating Su Family fighters all stared in astonishment.

They saw, on that hazy, semi-transparent chessboard, a vague ink-dark city loomed like a mirage.

“That city…”

The Dragon Queen’s eyes narrowed.

Indeed!

Cat Face had entered that city!

Damn it!

The Dragon Queen roared in anger.

Then, with a pointed step, her body rocketed upward like a cannonball against a raging tide.

Her fingers clenched, and with a resounding roar,

she unleashed a mighty punch onto the fading chessboard and ink-dark city.

……

……

Inside the Ink City,

everything was shrouded in darkness.

The sky wept a thin, inky drizzle.

Cat Face lay on his back, hair splayed out, while the Goat-Horn Hammer slipped by his side, as the inky rain washed over his mask.

Li Che, wearing his Ogre Mask and bamboo hat, did not even check on Cat Face who had once taken a detour near the Underworld’s Gate.

Beside him stood a lithe and towering You Liqing clad in golden armor, his ebony hair whipping wildly. The edges of his armor shimmered faintly with darkness, marking him not as a living man but as a Spiritual Confinement construct.

He stood quietly beside Li Che.

His eyes dark and deep.

Li Che looked at the enraged Dragon Queen charging out of the Ink City with indifference.

Gazing at the Dragon Queen’s unyielding fury,

Li Che thought it was time to unnerve her—a little torment to shatter her spirit.

“Old You.”

“Calm her down.”

Li Che said flatly.

His voice shattered the falling, inky rain.

“There.”

After his words,

with a clank, a golden helmet descended, completely obscuring You Liqing’s face.

Like a ruthless golden-armored knight, his fingers gripped a golden Zhangba Snake Halberd that immediately manifested in his hand.

He strode forward; the ink-dark city gate swung open!

With a twist,

a pass was exchanged.

Without a trace of emotion…

a piercing thrust!

Divine Seed · Zhang Mo Mang Spear!

……

……

The Dragon Queen’s hair whipped wildly as the two dragon horns on her forehead glowed with bloody radiance.

She seemed transformed into a colossal true dragon over ten zhang in size, with dazzling blue scales, horns, whiskers, and eyes radiating a captivating brilliance!

A gigantic blue dragon phantom spanned the sky.

And on its chest, the Dragon Queen clenched her fist as thunderous clouds roiled above, emitting a searing howl!

Her dragon claw slammed out as thunderous roars echoed through Qianyuan Daocheng!

It hurtled toward the vague, mirage-like ink-dark ancient city in midair!

Releasing all her pent-up fury!

The Dragon Queen’s unleashed anger—her grief for a lost child, her disgrace from the talisman calamity, and her heartbreaking loss of a beloved—erupted all at once!

The dragon phantom crashed into the ink-dark ancient city!

Rumble, rumble—

Then suddenly, before the astonished eyes of countless top warriors, the mirage-like ink-dark ancient city on the Cosmic Chessboard abruptly revealed its gate.

From within, a blazing golden Zhangba Snake Halberd was thrust forth!

Countless bursts of blood energy coalesced into a terrifying black magic serpent that roared, colliding as if to split the very mountains!

The magic serpent blotted out the sky, its vast size rivaling the Dragon Queen’s own dragon phantom.

Everyone only saw the magic serpent streak across the sky.

They were all stunned that within the Ink City lay a true powerhouse!

This city was no illusion!

Yet…

Only the Dragon Queen truly faced the gaping gate of the ancient city.

She saw the person emerging with the spear!

She recognized that golden-armored figure, channeling every ounce of strength to twist and fire the spear!

The Dragon Queen’s dragon claw faltered the moment she saw him; her whole body shuddered in disbelief!

That was…

That was!

She recognized that spear!

The second Divine Seed Zhang Mo Mang Spear of You Liqing!

Even if his aura were slightly diminished!

You Liqing…

Is he still alive?!

The dragon phantom and magic serpent clashed midair and exploded!

The vortex in the sky roiled like a stormy carpet, churning with violent ripples!

Thud—!!

The Dragon Queen trembled all over as she felt the terrifying power in that spear—a power so immense that even her half-martial-saint physique was gravely injured, spraying thick blood mist as she floated in midair.

That spear…

Its killing intent was ruthless, sparing no mercy!

Was this… You Liqing?

Was this You Liqing who would rather be gravely injured than take a Locking Talisman blow for her?!

The Dragon Queen was at a loss, her inner turmoil undulating violently.

She struggled to see the golden-armored figure clearly.

But when she looked again…

It was like a reflection in a mirror, a moon on water—the chessboard rippled, the ink-dark bell tower vanished like a mirage, and the golden-armored divine general holding the Zhangba Snake Halberd had disappeared…

The Dragon Queen felt a piercing pain in her heart.

Her body convulsed in agony.

The killing intent was so fierce…

There was not an ounce of softness…

Her eyes showed no compassion; she regarded him as an enemy!

This…

It wasn’t her You Liqing!

Seven-thousand words. I’m stuck again at this point. I’m numb—please vote, recommend, and follow. Keep reading; Old Li’s life depends on it! There’s still a third of this month left. Old Li will keep blasting on!