Chapter 306: The Confinement of Fate

“Spiritual Confinement!”

A low, resonant voice issued from Li Che, clad in the Ogre Mask, its sound reminiscent of bubbling infernal water churned in the depths of hell.

At the moment of the explosive burst, it was as if countless brittle bones surged and rolled forth.

That deep, haunting tone seemed capable of unsealing the gates of hell with each subtle movement of his lips.

Appreciating Su Lei Ba’s final act as a formidable swordsman—igniting two Divine Seeds to kindle the blade’s will—

he unleashed the Thunder Dragon Slayer Blade,

much to Li Che’s satisfaction.

Thus, Li Che granted him the honor of becoming his Spiritual Confinement brother on the Cosmic Chessboard.

Without wasting a moment, Li Che activated Spiritual Confinement the instant Su Lei Ba met his death.

Suddenly, a flicker of emotion stirred within Li Che.

In that instant of confinement, his Star Plucking Gaze flared, his eyes growing eerie as he activated his passage into a realm between the netherworld and reality.

Under his observant scrutiny,

he perceived thin streams of black energy, like writhing, sluggish worms, rising from Su Lei Ba’s corpse.

Soon, within the bleak, decaying netherworld, similar dark currents drifted over, merging with the currents emanating from Su Lei Ba’s remains.

Finally, they slowly twisted together into Su Lei Ba’s very own form of Spiritual Confinement!

Bit by bit—

the essence was pulled from the nether into the real world!

Buzz—!

Li Che shut his eyes, severing the Star Plucking Gaze’s view of the nether, his heart trembling slightly.

“That is…”

“Dao Essence?”

“The Netherworld Dao Essence—fusing with the scattered soul energy expelled at Su Lei Ba’s death to form Spiritual Confinement?”

“After death, can one’s essence still imprint upon the nether? And is Spiritual Confinement the act of plucking that dead soul out?”

The cosmos is imbued with Dao Essence.

For instance, in this world, Dao Essence exists—and evidently, even in the nether, it abounds.

However, most mortals cannot even sense the nether; not even a Martial Saint can truly reach it.

Li Che, through his divine abilities and passage technique, can glimpse and enter the realm of the nether.

“Could the Bizarre Temple of the Bizarre Temple be connected to the nether?”

Li Che mused thoughtfully.

Even as he pondered, Su Lei Ba’s Spiritual Confinement had fully taken shape, gradually coalescing into a recognizable form.

After scarcely three deep breaths, Su Lei Ba’s confined form slowly opened its eyes.

His expression turned remarkably complex.

He…actually—

has come back to life!

Moreover, he clearly understood who was responsible for his resurrection!

Now he comprehended just how terrifying the figure behind that Ogre Mask really was!

Resurrection!

In fact, Su Lei Ba now sensed that his indestructible nature would allow him to live forever.

He glanced toward the figure wearing the mask—what had once been an endearing Cute Cow Mask now appeared dreadfully fearsome in his eyes.

For beneath that mask hid an identity he had never imagined.

Could it really be… him?

No!

Ogre—

it turned out to be Li Che!

The recently ascended Divine Condor Half-Saint of the Qianyuan Divine Sect—the unassuming and honest swordman formerly devoted solely to crafting the Divine Condor—

left Su Lei Ba feeling utterly absurd, his spirit reeling from a tremendous shock.

How could it possibly be…

him?!

Ever since the Su Family’s misfortune, Su Lei Ba had been investigating the Underworld, yet despite all his efforts, he had never discovered who truly controlled it.

The Underworld’s latent power repeatedly filled him with dread and despair.

Especially considering the Underworld’s Yama—

an existence rivaling the mightiest at the pinnacle of power!

Though no one could gauge Yama’s true level, even the formidable Yue Huanglong and Hong Shifo felt an overwhelming gravity and caution.

It was enough to prove that the Underworld Yama was a force of the highest order!

Of the utmost peak—

a true top-tier powerhouse capable of sustaining an eternal dynasty!

And yet—

having now been transformed into Spiritual Confinement, Li Che had come to know a wealth of secrets previously hidden from him.

It turned out that behind the ruthless, merciless slaughter of Underworld fiends—

stood none other than the honest and unpretentious Divine Condor Half-Saint, Li Che!

Drawing a deep breath,

Su Lei Ba gradually regained his composure.

“I, Su Lei Ba, salute you, Master.”

Without any thought of resisting—in fact, Su Lei Ba even felt a measure of gratitude.

Had he not returned to life, his lingering regret would have been unbearable. Now, his sole wish was simply to survive.

Li Che, watching Su Lei Ba quickly submit, nodded in approval.

While he genuinely respected Su Lei Ba, should the latter ever choose to defy his Spiritual Confinement, his existence would be unnecessary.

He would simply become fodder for the likes of Huang Jianjiu, You Liqing, and others.

It was precisely that—a mere consumption of one more Martial Saint Spiritual Confinement—that would propel them to the second breakthrough.

“Not bad.”

Li Che nodded once more.

With a swift gesture, he retrieved Su Lei Ba’s Golden Dragon Slayer Blade and tossed it to him, then carefully retracted Su Lei Ba’s Qian Kun Jade.

Su Lei Ba had pooled most of the Su Family’s resources—assets he planned to use along with his clan to establish a foothold in the Divine Capital.

Li Che was naturally very eager for this development.

Upon reaching the Martial Saint level, the resources required for cultivation increased dramatically.

Much like the expensive mid-grade fifth-tier pills that Martial Saints require—each one exorbitantly priced.

For Li Che, who even needed high-grade Martial Pills for cultivation due to his profound inner essence, the costs far surpassed those of ordinary Martial Saints.

Every bit of cultivation demanded more investment.

A rushing, piercing sound tore through the air.

Huang Jianjiu, You Liqing, and Dragon Queen, the three Martial Saint Spiritual Confinements, drifted back gracefully.

“My Lord.”

Clad in golden armor, You Liqing intoned gravely, “The Supreme Commander of the Divine Guard Army, Yan Jing, has slipped away. With cultivation at the pinnacle of the Qi Sea Realm, we cannot stop him.”

Huang Jianjiu, You Liqing, and Dragon Queen—three top-tier Martial Saints whose might even allowed them to withstand injuries and ignite Divine Seeds—could not impede Supreme Commander Yan Jing.

Yet none could prevent him.

Yan Jing, recognized as the foremost expert under Yue Huanglong’s demonic command and the leader of the four armies in Daocheng for the Divine Guard, possessed extraordinary power—a true second-breakthrough Martial Saint at the pinnacle of the Qi Sea Realm!

In sheer might, even Su Lei Ba at his peak could not compare to Yan Jing.

After all, Yan Jing had been in relentless practice, never neglecting his martial cultivation, while Su Lei Ba, having assumed control of the Su Family, had not drawn his blade in an entire cycle—the gap was evident.

“Yan Jing is the powerhouse dispatched by Master Yue Huanglong of the Dao Master Residence to escort me out of Lingnan Path—”

Su Lei Ba recounted truthfully.

Reformed into Spiritual Confinement, clutching his Dragon Slayer Blade, he even appeared as vibrant as his prime—a wild swordsman in every sense.

“The Third Prince faction—”

Li Che’s eyes gleamed with a fleeting spark.

Yet he showed no intention of pursuing Yan Jing further.

He held no personal grudge against the Supreme Commander; there was no need.

After all, his Underworld Ogre was not a bloodthirsty being.

“Enough. It’s time to return.”

Li Che pressed down the Ogre Mask on his face, his body stretching as a thunderous rumble reverberated, his overwhelming aura stirring the void.

“Yes.”

Huang Jianjiu, You Liqing, and Dragon Queen—now in Spiritual Confinement—bowed deeply before transforming into black confinement chess pieces that hovered around Li Che.

Su Lei Ba hesitated while holding the Golden Dragon Slayer Blade…

“Speak.”

Li Che cast him a glance and said.

Though Li Che could forcefully probe the thoughts and wills of his confined disciples, it was unnecessary.

Most of the time, he allowed them to remain as living beings,

ensuring they had their own thoughts and privacy.

“My Lord, your subordinate wishes to check on the other two Su Family teams—”

Su Lei Ba bowed and said gravely.

“Consider it my final token as the Su Family head.”

At these words, Li Che raised an eyebrow.

“If you don’t remove the roots, even a spring breeze will see them grow anew.”

“The Underworld never hesitates to crush any threatening enemy—it leaves no loose ends.”

Su Lei Ba bowed, “Understood.”

Li Che nodded. He trusted that the submission of his confined disciples was a confidence borne of their divine abilities.

The Cosmic Chessboard expanded.

A glimmer of peculiar light flickered in Li Che’s eyes as he slowly fell silent.

“Go.”

“Fulfill your final duty as head of the Su Family.”

“From today onward, you shall be the Underworld’s… Dragon Slayer!”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Su Lei Ba paused, Li Che’s tone leaving him momentarily speechless.

Then, with a sigh, he clenched his blade and bowed.

“Thank you—My Lord.”

Amidst a flurry of cold, drifting snowflakes,

the heavy snow on the ground bore mingled streaks of deep red as blood slowly bled into the white, blooming like fierce crimson flowers.

A shattered carriage lay overturned; even its once-mighty wheel, now half-broken, creaked as it turned slowly.

Snowflakes accumulated thickly on the wheel’s rim.

“Has everything been cleared?”

A hoarse voice echoed as several masked figures, sporting bamboo hats and clutching bloodstained long knives and spears, stood on the snowfield.

All around lay corpses—the entire Su Family convoy, hundreds of Su Family disciples, utterly wiped out.

The Su Family’s leading Grandmasters and Divine Practitioners, assigned to guard the convoy, had all perished.

Bodies lay sprawled across the snow, a gruesome spectacle.

Not a single survivor remained—even the small children caught in the carnage were cleaved in two by a single stroke.

“We found no trace of that secret Taoist art, said to drain a woman’s innate talent from the West—that mysterious technique seems to be with Su Lei Ba.”

A deep, resonant voice reverberated across the snowfield.

“With Yan Jing of the Dao Master Residence escorting him, coming here would only be a death sentence. It’s a pity—”

“We thought the Su Family, skilled in such cultivation methods, would know the detailed records of that secret art.”

“The Su Family is supposed to be formidable—

but if they were truly that strong, how could a renowned dynasty, witnessing centuries of change, fall to this extent?”

“The Su Family is utterly doomed. Even if they retreat to the Divine Capital, in that merciless land one wouldn’t have any chance to flourish.”

“Join the Third Prince? As if he’d care for you!”

Those masked figures sneered coldly.

Their cultivation was formidable, enough to overwhelm the Su Family’s Grandmasters and Divine Practitioners with sheer might.

These very experts hailed from powerful clans within Daocheng.

Su Lei Ba had managed the three great Su Family factions, but when it came to these minor clans and splinter groups, he had little interest—they had little time left anyway.

Su Lei Ba hadn’t imagined that such small forces would dare to ambush the Su Family convoy.

“Withdraw—The Su Family’s end is sealed—”

“Yet the Su Family still holds some sway in the Divine Capital. Rumor has it that the Su Family martial prodigy, guarding two Su Family women married into royalty, may have already established his own sect.”

“Why worry—even if all the blame falls on the Underworld, who would know? And besides, we gain nothing from this—”

“Moreover, we have powerful backers—the orders come from the Dao Master himself!”

One among them laughed indifferently.

Scanning the snowfield littered with the frozen corpses of the Su Family,

he couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of the once-great Su Family reduced to ruins.

Overhead, the heavens roared with a ferocious wind.

The storm intensified.

Snow whirled furiously in the gale, lashing like whips against the air.

Everyone’s vision blurred beneath the swirling haze.

Then, those experts who had decimated the Su Family convoy felt an icy dread well up inside.

Even the weakest among them—beings of innate Grandmaster level—possessed keen senses.

In an instant, as they noticed the change, they turned to see a shadow exuding inky darkness trudging through the wind and snow.

The furious storm seemed to part like curtains at his approach!

Every present expert felt their limbs freeze.

A sudden flash of lightning struck like a Thunder Dragon, lancing through the turmoil.

Bang!

A masked innate Grandmaster was instantly struck; his head exploded in a burst of blood and gore as misty crimson fog erupted, blooming like a gory flower in the stark whiteness.

The overwhelming martial will pressed down like a mountain!

It was as if a severed-headed colossal dragon, revived in fury and resentment, with its blade-glints slicing through the air, blocked every possible escape!

“Such forceful martial will—”

“A divine response from a Martial Saint! This is unmistakably the work of a Martial Saint!”

“Damn it—”

“I can’t move—Move! Run!”

The experts felt as though a massive, heavy bell tolled within them—sweat prickled all over while their bodies, despite desperate attempts, could not budge an inch.

Even an unrivaled innate Grandmaster at the zenith felt completely paralyzed at that moment.

For this sensation was not borne of any ordinary Martial Saint—it was that of a second-breakthrough Qi Sea Martial Saint!

The wind and snow ceased abruptly as if all of nature had been reduced to ashes beneath a flurry of blade light.

Amid the flurry, Su Lei Ba, leaning on his Golden Dragon Slayer Blade, stood silently in the storm.

Gazing upon the carnage that spared not even children from the slaughter of the Su Family convoy,

Su Lei Ba’s heart was wracked with overwhelming complexity.

“Yue Huanglong…”

Su Lei Ba murmured hoarsely.

Beneath his murderous intent simmered the volatile promise of an exploding bomb at any moment!

Having been escorted by Yan Jing, his fate was sealed—whether it was protection or surveillance, the truth was that Yue Huanglong’s objective

was none other than the rest of the Su Family!

Yue Huanglong coveted that secret Buddhist technique which absorbed a woman’s innate talent to boost his own gifts!

The Joyful Chan Buddhist Maiden Absorption Technique!

Yue Huanglong had hoped to acquire it from other Su Family disciples, but…

The Su Family imparted the technique in two parts; the disciples only knew part of it,

with the crucial process kept solely by the head of the family.

Thus, Yue Huanglong’s scheme was doomed from the start!

Never had anyone imagined that Yue Huanglong would slaughter every single member of the Su Family.

“You…”

“All of you deserve death!”

In a sudden, furious outburst, Su Lei Ba’s dark hair whipped wildly as his body swelled and turned a deep purple; innumerable sharp, slicing energies radiated outward!

His aura peaked magnificently as he attacked with no reservation, like a raging dragon soaring!

“Flee!”

Several Grandmasters and Divine Practitioners, who had just broken free with secret techniques, attempted to escape, only to be knocked down by the terrifying force bursting from the storm.

One masked figure after another…

“Underworld!”

The mighty experts gasped in horror!

How could the Underworld possibly be entangled with Su Lei Ba and the Su Family?!

Wasn’t the Su Family locked in a relentless vendetta with the Underworld?!

Now—

how could they appear together?!

Huang Jianjiu, wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a large Liquor Gourd, his face half obscured by a silver mask, appeared nonchalant.

You Liqing, in golden armor and a golden mask that concealed his features,

and Dragon Queen, masked with a ferocious dragon visage exuding lethal intent.

Though their faces were hidden, their identities as powerful Underworld experts were unmistakable.

“Sword Immortal of Wine!”

“Golden Demonic Python!”

“Purple-Boned Demonic Dragon!”

Martial Saint-level experts—

all these were formidable Martial Saints!

Damn—

they cursed, “The Dao Master has doomed us!”

Su Lei Ba’s anger erupted like a volcano dormant for millennia, spewing forth with unbridled force!

In an instant, sweeping blade light and raging Qi Sea Martial Saint power exploded as he, after igniting two Divine Seeds, unleashed the true might of the Thunder Dragon Slayer Blade!

Countless tufts of snow melted in that moment, turning into a vast lake whose ripples radiated outward in perfect concentric circles!

Thud, thud, thud—

One by one, powerful experts wailed in agony as they were cleaved by his blade light, dismembered into a blood mist!

Su Lei Ba resembled a reawakened demonic blade; after countless cycles without drawing his sword, today he unsheathed it!

Leveling mountains and turning the world upside down!

Blood flowed like rivers!

Su Lei Ba had split the Su Family into three convoys, each guarded by a Divine Practitioner.

Even one Divine Practitioner was among the top fighters of Daocheng.

Yet, the Su Family still couldn’t be saved.

Their planned escape from Lingnan Path was fully exposed, every detail laid bare.

Su Lei Ba knew he would be hunted by the Underworld, so he took the main road, while the other two convoys took hidden paths.

Those secret trails, though rougher, offered concealment and safety.

However, these routes were entirely exposed, ambushed by powerful hidden figures from across Daocheng—every last life, including women and children, was obliterated.

Not a single soul spared!

Su Lei Ba’s shame was unbearable—even as Spiritual Confinement, he retained most of the feelings and thoughts from his past life.

After all, he was still the head of the Su Family,

yet now, the Su Family of Daocheng…

was no more!

“Ah!!!”

“Yue Huanglong!”

Su Lei Ba knew that only Yue Huanglong had revealed the routes of the other Su Family convoys—

he had shared that secret with no one but the sly Yue Huanglong…

Tears wouldn’t fall from Su Lei Ba anymore; since becoming one with Spiritual Confinement, most of his human emotions had faded away, leaving only blind devotion and adoration for Li Che.

In the midst of the swirling snow,

Li Che strode silently over the snow, and the storm seemed to still at his approach.

With a nonchalant glance at the scene—a grim tableau of snow-covered Su Family elders, women, and children sprawled lifeless—

Li Che’s eyes betrayed no emotion.

“Yue Huanglong…”

“Still trying to frame the Underworld?”

Behind the cold glare of his Ogre Mask, Li Che’s eyes burned with ferocity.

“If it was the Underworld, they’d surely come to account. But if it wasn’t—”

He would not tolerate being smeared.

“My Lord!”

Kneeling before him, Su Lei Ba gripped the Golden Dragon Slayer Blade.

“I wish to kill him!”

His eyes were a fierce, deep red.

Li Che regarded Su Lei Ba and said coolly,

“So be it.”

Glancing over the corpses of slain assassins from Daocheng’s many factions,

he raised his fingers toward the heavens and intoned,

“Spirit,

return!”

The bodies of top-tier Grandmasters, Divine Practitioners, innate Grandmasters, and those in the Primordial Transformation stage collided with the nether, as if the Dao Essence of both realms sparked brilliant fireworks!

Then—

across the vast white snowfield,

a cold wind howled as the snow sliced like blades!

From the distorted shadows of corpse-clusters, figures in Spiritual Confinement began to rise—

one wave after another.

Li Che, arms crossed and levitating in midair, his dark hair flowing, watched silently as figure after figure of Spiritual Confinement emerged.

His gaze finally rested on Su Lei Ba, who knelt before him.

“I bestow my favor upon you.”

“Perform well—

let me see how sharp your blade truly is!”

Su Lei Ba lifted his head, his eyes growing ever more crimson.

“Rest assured, my Lord!”

“The Underworld Dragon Slayer will one day be sharp enough to fell the Yellow Dragon!”

In truth, even if all his Spiritual Confinements were consumed, none would match the boost garnered from one Martial Saint’s Spiritual Confinement.

But nothing can be wasted.

Advancement is achieved bit by bit.

And from this day forward, Su Lei Ba…

will be the sharpest blade in the Underworld aside from Li Che himself!

Li Che, hovering midair, glanced downward and gave a faint smile.

With a mere flick of his fingers,

he vanished into the raging snowstorm.

He had important business to attend to.

At the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s Bizarre Temple.

The sound of wind and snow abruptly faded into silence.

Inside the Bizarre Temple, an eerie calm reigned.

No disturbance from the outside reached it.

Although today the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s Bizarre Temple was officially open for any Martial Saint-level, divine fetus experts to enter and vie for the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff,

it was clear that none could actually breach its confines for now.

Outside, the raging wind was abruptly cut off; the temple was insulated from the biting cold and frost.

Li Che raised his hand and touched his brow.

The Cosmic Chessboard roared, expanding overhead.

Seated in meditation with crossed legs, Li Che showed no haste to search for the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff in the Bizarre Temple.

His duel with Su Lei Ba had been his first challenge after breaking through to the Martial Saint level—one he thoroughly enjoyed.

The exhausted blade-will of Su Lei Ba had laid bare the pure conviction of a swordsman,

which left Li Che exceedingly satisfied.

In that instant, his mind stirred.

Streams of light interwove before his eyes, coalescing into a prompt:

【Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV 75%)】

Upon ascending to Martial Saint, Li Che’s Dao Fruit maturity soared—and after the duel with Su Lei Ba,

he gained a 5% boost in maturity.

Yet for Li Che, that 5% was more than enough.

That maturity boost could even be converted into a martial breakthrough feedback!

Previously, he had relied on breakthrough feedback to step into the Martial Saint level, so he hadn’t received martial breakthrough feedback then—a regret he still felt.

“If only I could use breakthrough feedback during battle—”

Li Che mused.

He imagined the result would be phenomenal…

But whether the Dao Fruit’s maturity gained from slaying a formidable foe could be converted into breakthrough feedback,

that was the puzzle he was keen to solve.

Incidentally, after this breakthrough, Li Che had already elevated his remaining Divine Seed Martial Arts to the Grandmaster stage,

so he temporarily had no need for breakthrough feedback—he could stockpile it.

As for propelling his Divine Seed Martial Arts into the Transformational stage…

that challenge proved far greater than expected.

Even his signature Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant was still a distant dream of transformation.

The Transformational Divine Seed Martial Art—

known separately as True Divine Martial Art!

Based on Li Che’s understanding of the Martial Saint realm, from the stages of Body Qi, Qi Sea, Mountain Paths to Heavenly Gate—

each step becomes tougher than the last.

In truth, progressing from Body Qi to Qi Sea was relatively simple—a matter of accumulated breakthroughs.

With a body refined like a sword, the amassed energy forms the Qi Sea!

But advancing from Qi Sea to Mountain Paths was daunting indeed.

It was said to be even more difficult than moving from Grandmaster to Martial Saint!

The Qi Sea is boundless—it’s easy to get lost within it,

and even top Martial Saints may spend their lives adrift after opening their Qi Sea…

Many a brilliant Martial Saint has been stymied, unable to find the Mountain Path for life.

Only by taking that next step upward can one begin to ascend the mountain.

A boundless Qi Sea can only be conquered by forging the Mountain Path with True Divine Martial Art—

thus, mastering True Divine Martial Art is the basic requirement for the third breakthrough—a key to carving one’s Mountain Path.

Without True Divine Martial Art, one will forever wander the endless Qi Sea.

“True Divine Martial Art…”

Li Che’s eyes flashed subtly.

It was undeniably challenging!

At least with his mastery of the most proficient Divine Seed Martial Arts, transformation still seemed far off.

Inhale… exhale…

Li Che’s measured breathing steadied his inner tumult.

“No rush.”

Li Che smiled.

Then, his mind stirred once again.

Bringing his two fingers together, he suddenly tore through the air before him.

In an instant, the space was ripped apart—

and slabs of Qian Kun Jade tumbled out with a clatter.

These were the Qian Kun Jade pieces seized from the Su Family convoy experts—

even after reaching Martial Saint, Li Che remained true to his humble beginnings,

never looking down upon the collections of Grandmasters and Divine Practitioners.

Wealth and resources are accumulated slowly, bit by bit.

Moreover, after Su Lei Ba liquidated the Su Family’s assets, the resources were divided among nine Qian Kun Jade pieces,

secreted within the Su Family members’ possessions.

Now, they had all come back together in Li Che’s hands.

The tremendous impact of his primordial spirit shattered the sealing of the Qian Kun Jade,

and Li Che began to tally up his bounty.

Yet, someone like Li Che, with his expansive vision, seldom moved by ordinary resources.

However—

this time, Li Che was moved.

That damn extravagant fortune…

had finally stirred even this steely Martial Saint’s heart!

The Su Family… had given far too much!

“Hiss—!!!”

“Lower-Rank Divine Crystal of the Four Emperors?!”

At the Six-Eared Yulian Divine Monkey Two-Hearted Sage’s Bizarre Temple,

the Bizarre Temple trembled as strands of eerie mist crashed and intertwined.

Li Che’s Painted Immortal Clone was delicately cradling the third-form Divine Condor of the Two-Hearted Great Sage when he had ascended to the Divine Condor Half-Saint level,

and he walked slowly through the Bizarre Temple.

As the eerie mist swirled around him, it appeared to be split apart by an invisible force,

like falling agarwood, scattering and drifting aside in two streams.

Li Che’s Painted Immortal Clone halted, lifting his gaze to the distance.

At the center of the Bizarre Temple stood the old, dilapidated Two-Hearted Great Sage’s Bizarre Temple.

Thick, pervasive mist drifted, rendering the temple ethereal like a palace among the celestial realms.

And three hundred zhang in front of the temple,

a gigantic, mountain-like Demon Monkey sat in meditation.

Its inky black fur and twisted features made it appear almost demonic,

while it gripped a massive golden divine staff—a pillar as thick as a mountain standing firmly in the sanctuary’s ground.

It was the Temple Protection Incantation Corpse King!

The Corpse King Demon Monkey blocked the path at the temple,

brandishing the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff, its body covered with countless writhing Undead Curse Seals,

as a dense aura of death and decay spread behind it, seemingly transforming into a tattered, black cloak flapping in the wind.

Three hundred zhang was a particularly significant measurement.

In the Third Prince’s Bizarre Temple,

the divine prodigies participating in the Temple Spirit Resonance were similarly halted at the three-hundred-zhang mark, unable to proceed further.

At that moment, scores of Martial Saint and divine fetus cultivators had gathered here.

They observed from afar the imposing, mounted figure of the Temple Protection Incantation Corpse King—against which they felt as minuscule as ants.

Within Daocheng’s Qianyuan Divine Sect, Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and the three inner Elders of the Dao Master Residence, including the young head disciple Yue Weizheng,

along with a deputy inspector from Imperial Watch…

these were the formidable figures of Daocheng.

Alongside them were the ascetics from Xiao Lingyin Temple, such as the monk Wu Gang, as well as experts from Xuanfu Divine Sect, Tian Dan Divine Sect, and Seven Treasure Divine Sect,

not to mention the dragon-kin masquerading as Lie Shen Pavilion Assassins, led by Long Zi Ao Lie…

All these Martial Saint and divine fetus artists wielded energies that intertwined with heavenly souls,

yet none could break through the oppressive presence of the Demon Monkey Corpse King.

“This Corpse King—does it seem to be waiting for something?”

Wu Gang of Xiao Lingyin Temple pressed his palms together; his robust frame causing his monk robes to strain as his flesh trembled, and with a face full of determination he spoke.

Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and the others squinted their eyes, casting wary glances at Wu Gang.

Suddenly, everyone looked toward the distance.

They beheld Li Che, in all his splendor, emerging from the parted eerie mist while carrying the Divine Condor.

“Elder Li!”

Gongshu Jingjun’s eyes sparkled.

Could it be…

is the Corpse King awaiting Li Che to carve the Temple Spirit’s Divine Condor?

All the Martial Saint-level and divine fetus experts shared the same thought.

After all, Li Che was the Master of the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s third realm of Divine Condor!

At the very least, he was the key to activating the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff!

Yet—

when Li Che, carrying the Divine Condor, stepped among them, he smiled warmly,

nodding to Gongshu Jingjun and Tang Xiejia before placing the Divine Condor on the ground.

About a hundred zhang from the Demon Monkey,

all eyes were fixed on it.

But—

to everyone’s astonishment,

the massive, imposing Temple Protection Incantation Corpse King Demon Monkey still did not open its eyes.

A collective gasp arose among the experts.

“Not him?”

“Not Li Che?!”

“Not even the Divine Condor Half-Saint’s insight into the Two-Hearted Great Sage’s essence could stimulate the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff?”

A howling wind swept past.

It stirred the sandy ground of the Bizarre Temple, causing the minute grains to shift.

The Painted Immortal of Li Che wore a gentle, honest smile, stepping back three paces with a growing smile as he stood amid the Bizarre Temple.

Having tallied his bounty of riches in satisfaction,

Li Che stretched lazily.

At the front of the Bizarre Temple,

while everyone lamented that the proof of the Divine Condor Half-Saint’s transcendent might had failed to rouse the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff…

suddenly, all eyes narrowed in shock.

Even these Martial Saint and divine fetus experts could scarcely believe it:

right before the Divine Condor,

there crouched a figure sporting an audaciously flamboyant Divine Monkey Mask.

The Underworld Divine Monkey!

A tremor rippled through everyone’s hearts!

Then, the Divine Monkey slowly stood up.

As it rose, its aura underwent a staggering transformation.

Tendrils of eerie mist began to coalesce behind it,

gradually forming what appeared to be a massive white python entirely composed of mist!

At the moment the Divine Monkey raised its hand in a casual stretch,

the misty python coiled and slowly reared its head,

as if saluting the Bizarre Temple,

stretching leisurely.

BOOM!

The Bizarre Temple trembled violently!

The once-mountainous Demon Monkey, its eyes previously closed in intense focus,

abruptly snapped open and glared directly at the Divine Monkey!