Chapter 317: The Shattering of Celestial Limits

One stick!

Smash Southern Heavens! Transcendent True Martial Way!

This was the Transcendent True Martial Way that Li Che had never truly mastered. Even though he had acquired the technique, he hadn’t internalized it. After all, it’s a martial art that skips the beginner, intermediate, and advanced stages, matching the pinnacle of Divine Seed skills in power!

Naturally, such a technique was extraordinarily difficult. Even with the unmatched support of his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit, Li Che couldn’t master it in a short time.

Yet this time, Li Che donned the dual-toned Underworld Yama Mask.

He activated five Qimen Divine Seeds and once again employed five Temple Spirit Divine Chess Pieces…

It was the Six-Eared Yulian Divine Monkey Two-Hearted Sage Temple Spirit. As Li Che unleashed that divine power, his formidable physique seemed destined to break through in an instant, as if he suddenly comprehended the entire martial art!

In that very moment, he unleashed it completely! Smash Southern Heavens!

Boom——!!!

A single strike from his stick sent vibrations throughout; it made the heavens and earth seem to freeze in time.

The winds died down, and even the drifting dust in the air seemed to stand still. Not even the torrential rain falling from the Heavenly Dome could disperse; each raindrop hung suspended in midair.

Throughout Daocheng.

Hundreds, even thousands of cultivators, warriors, and divine practitioners all felt an indescribable shock wave spreading rapidly—a force that seemed to suppress and seal everyone in its grip!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh——

All that could be heard was the sound of the stick striking, shattering space itself.

No one could even move. In their eyes, the moment the Su Lei Ba explosion shattered apart, it was as though a portal had materialized. That portal was violently struck by a terrifying, blazing red divine staff!

The earth trembled, the mountains shook, and the heavens roared!

It was as if a summer storm had burst forth from behind the clouds—with violent thunderclouds, blazing lightning nets swarming across the sky!

In the instant the calamity struck, almost no one had time to react.

Standing before Li Che, Fang Han Shu—wearing a scholar’s robe with a flowing beard—his eyes suddenly narrowed as he fixed his gaze on the former figure of Great Master Huang Mei. He saw that the past form of Huang Mei had been brutally struck by a stick that seemed to tear through space, as if it had emerged from another world!

It was utterly unstoppable, too fast to defend against!

Within that single stick, endless afterimages of the strike roared in a resplendent, overwhelming surge!

Many cultivators felt that in that blow they saw a magnificent portal towering above the clouds—a portal through which countless immortals traversed. It was the gateway to the heavenly courts!

Yet this portal…

Was brutally shattered by that red iron stick, as if delivered from another world!

Shattered! Annihilated!!! One stick! It broke the celestial portal of the immortal palace! Boom——!!!

The past form of Great Master Huang Mei was struck mercilessly by the stick and couldn’t evade. At such close range, with such a terrifying explosion, a hideous fissure suddenly appeared on the surface of the Holy Hand Divine Eagle!

An overwhelming surge of divine might burst forth from the broken crack, gushing out like a deflating balloon!

It was as if a burst of multicolored afterglow and countless Buddha lights exploded—Bang——!!!

A terrifying explosion ripped open in the skies above Daocheng! Buddha light collided with the formidable stick imbued with life force!

Above Daocheng, the aftershocks of the collision spread like raging waves, surging back against the current!

The shockwave spread thousands of feet like a mushroom cloud, soaring upward and colliding with the clouds, evaporating endless torrents of rain!

The grand scene could be seen clearly for miles around! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The furious gusts buffeted the onlookers in Daocheng, ripping at their robes. Many couldn’t even steady themselves as they were tossed about. Fang Han Shu’s swirling qi shielded Li Che.

Meanwhile, the skirmish between Gongshu Jingjun, Tang Xiejia, and Wu Gang came to an abrupt halt as they retreated. Wu Gang trembled all over; the burly monk’s eyes were bloodshot.

When Huang Tuo escaped from Mo City in the Underworld, Wu Gang heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that Master Huang Tuo had fled safely. But in the next moment, when Huang Tuo unleashed a terrifying blade technique to ambush the past form of Great Master Huang Mei, Wu Gang was completely stunned.

Then, a fearsome stick apparition smashed out from another world and shattered not only Huang Mei’s past form…

It also crushed Wu Gang’s rising hope! Wu Gang was utterly despaired.

He knew… it was over!

“Underworld… Yama!!!”

Wu Gang’s voice turned hoarse as he roared.

Only the Underworld Yama—only he could pull this off!

The Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff had fallen into the hands of the Underworld Divine Monkey, who was now controlled by the Underworld Yama and used to unleash a ferocious assault. After all, even with the Divine Monkey’s might, he couldn’t fully exploit its explosive power.

Yet the Underworld Yama could!

“Such terrifying life force, as if shattering five layers of mortal limitations to become godlike!” That was Underworld Yama!

Within the rising mushroom cloud from the explosion,

A crack appeared on the Holy Hand Divine Eagle, and divine energy continued to leak out in torrents, sending the magnificent eagle shooting upward. Its long-beaked visage twisted as if gaining its own consciousness, with a Buddha-like essence writhing in anguish!

“Good.” Suddenly,

A light cheer echoed down from the Heavenly Dome. In the next moment, a resplendent humming exploded into earshot.

Then—— Buzz, buzz, buzz——

A dazzling sword light flashed like wind, water, aura, or a falling star—devoid of murderous intent, its edge seemingly blunt as it cascaded down from the heavens! Yet…

With that one strike, the sword light unveiled an unprecedented, terrifying spectacle! Wherever it passed, everything dissolved into nothingness!

Be it raindrops, air currents, light, or dust!

Every material—tangible or not—was obliterated under that sword strike! It was a strike like that of a true sword immortal!

The past form of Great Master Huang Mei was slashed by the sword light; the already shattered Holy Hand Divine Eagle was completely blown to pieces!

“Lü Taibai!!!”

A roar erupted as countless Buddha lights twisted upward from the shattered fragments of the Divine Eagle. It was as if a radiant yet icy Buddha emerged between heaven and earth, glaring furiously at the hunter who had materialized from the sword light!

Everyone knew that this hunter was Lü Taibai.

But at that moment, only the shattered past form of Great Master Huang Mei dared to call out his name. As the Buddha light began fading under the sword light’s might,

Finally… it all crumbled into nothingness.

Lü Taibai stepped off the sword light as he plummeted downward. Clenching his five fingers, he gathered every shattered fragment of the past form of Great Master Huang Mei’s Divine Eagle until they coalesced into a pile of fragments.

This was a fragment of the Holy Hand Divine Eagle! Undoubtedly, it was exceedingly precious!

At that moment, Lü Taibai abandoned his pursuit of Ji Mo Li’s heavenly avatar. Instead, he focused on retrieving those wood-carved fragments, for he knew the significance of the Divine Eagle fragments to Qianyuan Divine Sect.

For now, Li Che had become a Divine Condor Half-Saint…

And if he were to ascend to become a Holy Hand Divine Eagle, he would need the inspiration from a true Holy Hand Divine Eagle!

Had someone else been a Divine Condor Half-Saint without guidance from a Holy Hand Divine Eagle, it would have been impossible to break through. But Lü Taibai believed that Li Che’s innate talent might just be enough.

It was a mutual recognition and trust between geniuses.

Just as Lü Taibai himself was a prodigy of swordsmanship, he trusted that Li Che, the chosen one of the Divine Eagle, would also prevail! From the beginning, Lü Taibai never intended to let Huang Mei’s past form leave Daocheng.

Since he noticed that Master Huang Tuo still bore traces of Huang Mei’s past form, Lü Taibai had kept a close watch. He planned to maximize his gains now that he had struck.

Thus, he forced out Ji Mo Li’s heavenly avatar and planned to drive out the Dao Master Yue Huanglong, who aimed to oppose him. Unfortunately, Yue Huanglong wasn’t deceived…

Seeing no other option, Lü Taibai, now allied with the Underworld, no longer held back. The moment his sword flashed its pristine edge, the whole world was stunned!

Then, it all subsided——

The majestic sword intent soared like a celestial blade piercing the skies, dispersing the thick leaden clouds to reveal a star-studded night. The starlight shimmered, and the Milky Way flowed as if the sky had been washed anew.

Boom——

Mo City loomed between heaven and earth.

Perched atop Mo City’s walls, the Underworld Yama in his black and white mask sat in meditation. The Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff had been tossed to the Divine Monkey, who now clenched it tightly.

Beside the Divine Monkey stood the burly Ogre, Ma Mian hefting a stick crackling with lightning arcs, Thunder Dragon enveloped in swirling storm winds, the infamous Black and White Wuchang, the liquor-wielding Immortal of the Wine Sword, and the demonic serpent wielding the Zhangba Snake Halberd in gleaming Golden Armor.

Each of these fearsome Underworld fiends, renowned throughout Daocheng, stood atop the Mo City towers. And those towers were crucial.

Donning a mask of black and white stars, the Underworld Yama had five swirling divine seed vortices behind him, slowly coming to rest. The triggered Qimen Divine Seeds had, before everyone’s eyes…

Miraculously restored intact! In that moment…

Even Lü Taibai’s hunter mask betrayed a look of utter shock. How was it possible?

They had triggered the five divine seeds with such ease and precision?!

That was the art of triggering Divine Seeds… as if opening the floodgates! And the Underworld… was not done yet.

There was also the technique that allowed Underworld Yama to fatally wound the past form of Great Master Huang Mei…

It seemed to be the Transcendent True Martial Way!

However, for Lü Taibai the Transcendent True Martial Way was of little concern. What truly mattered was the other method unleashed by Underworld Yama—something that tore through from another world!

It directly and lethally wounded the past form of Great Master Huang Mei! “Youmian…”

Beneath his mask, Lü Taibai’s eyes shone brilliantly as he murmured the two words, “Youmian…”

Could it really be that Youmian exists in this world?!

Daocheng fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the formidable Underworld fiends assembled atop the ancient Ink-Dark City. This was the first time…

The Underworld fiends had revealed themselves so unmistakably before everyone’s eyes! Hm?

Yet… it seemed something was missing.

Most chose not to dwell on it or pay any heed. “Underworld Yama…”

“Thank you.”

Lü Taibai, wearing his hunter mask, smiled and bowed slightly.

The Underworld Yama, seated on the tower of Ink-Dark City in his black coat and mysterious dual eyes, only nodded slightly. Then…

Before everyone’s startled gaze, the Underworld fiends…

Along with the Ink-Dark City, completely vanished into the void. Rumble, rumble——

The oppressive qi immediately dissipated.

The torrential rain continued to pour. The melted snow washed over the entire city, cleansing the aftermath of the bloodshed.

High above…

The heavenly avatar of Ji Mo Li, occupying the body of Ji Li Shou, glanced deeply at the vanished Ink-Dark Ancient City. With a swaying motion, he transformed into streaks of light and dashed beyond Daocheng.

After all, Great Master Huang Mei’s past form had been slain!

That avatar, if left behind and encircled, might also perish. Yue Huanglong, the sly old fox, sensed the shifting tide and betrayed them…

Staying behind now would mean waiting for death!

Naturally, Ji Mo Li wouldn’t sacrifice a heavenly avatar without reason!

At the Dao Master Residence,

The torrential rain pounded on the black tiles, shattering the accumulated snow. In the quiet Pavilion, there was only silence.

Yan Jing, bearing a large halberd, wore a grave expression.

Yue Weizheng was already sweating profusely, cold sweat dripping down.

His face flushed crimson as his body trembled, each hair on end. Fortunately,

Fortunately, Yue Huanglong hadn’t struck.

Underworld Yama was just that terrifying in flesh! “So fearsome…”

“How terrifying can Underworld Yama’s mortal form truly be?!” Yue Weizheng’s face went pale as he wiped cold sweat from his brow.

Yue Huanglong’s fat face narrowed his eyes slightly: “What a Lü Taibai. He really set the trap for me… His swordsmanship seems to have advanced again—he’s now a step closer to the Divine Tribulation. Luckily, I remain steady.”

Yue Huanglong exhaled a cloud of foul breath.

“As for this Underworld… it’s simply unfathomable.”

A deep apprehension filled Yue Huanglong’s eyes.

Because this time, Underworld Yama’s technique that fatally wounded Great Master Huang Mei’s past form involved… Youmian! To emerge from Youmian so suddenly and catch Huang Mei off guard: “Underworld… Youmian.”

“Truly inscrutable.”

Yue Huanglong’s voice turned incredibly low,

While Yue Weizheng tried to console him: “Father… no matter how powerful the Underworld may be, their supreme Yama is only at the apex—and he needs to trigger five Qimen Divine Seeds to nearly mortally wound Great Master Huang Mei. Compared to our eternal Yue clan…”

“Foolish!”

Before Yue Weizheng could continue, he was rebuked sharply by Yue Huanglong.

Yue Weizheng had never seen Yue Huanglong so enraged, even when warning him about charging to death. But once Yue Weizheng spoke, Yue Huanglong instantly flew into a rage.

“Underestimating your enemy is the same as being careless with your own life…

“The Yue clan is indeed formidable, but here in Daocheng, our own strength and stability is imperative for survival. Only our wits will determine whether we live through this!”

Yue Huanglong glared at Yue Weizheng. “Moreover…”

“How can you be sure…”

“That there’s only one Underworld Yama?”

Thunder roared in the Heavenly Dome!

Both Yue Weizheng and the Divine Guard Army’s Grand Marshal Yan Jing, wielding a long halberd, shuddered in terror!

Underworld… could there be more than one Yama?!

In Daocheng. In Long Street. In the Private Workshop Courtyard.

The torrential rain continued unabated, as the energies of top-tier cultivators clashed, boiling and melting vast portions of the clouds overhead. Li Che maintained his grip with all five fingers.

Back in the Workshop Courtyard,

Amidst crackling sounds, in the center of the yard, red-hot qi surged, evaporating every raindrop in its vicinity. “Hoo—”

“Sigh—”

With each breath, a terrifying airflow erupted.

Li Che removed the black and white Yama mask, his rippling muscles twisting like cords as he gradually relaxed. His scorching life force roared, and the divine thunder armor on his body slowly dissipated.

Several breaths later,

Li Che slowly reopened his eyes, brilliant golden light shooting forth like arrows. His mighty primordial spirit swept over everything.

He could feel that within his flesh…

The injuries from triggering all five Qimen Divine Seeds were now significantly reduced!

Strangely enough, Li Che wasn’t surprised. Previously, his martial path was only at the Grandmaster level—his body, though strong, hadn’t yet evolved into that of a Martial Saint.

But after ascending to Martial Saint, triggering five Qimen Divine Seeds again…

His body became even more robust. The injuries, though present, were hardly any worse than when he had triggered two or three seeds before. Deep in his chest, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit pulsed wildly.

Thump, thump, thump——

Every beat unleashed a surge of Dao Fruit energy, flooding Li Che’s limbs and bones, rapidly mending his injuries.

“Indeed…”

“When my martial path grows strong enough, recovering from injuries is no longer a problem.”

“If I remained merely at the Grandmaster level, I might never complete the passage of the Eight Divine Seeds. Even if I managed it, triggering all eight might very well kill me.” Li Che exhaled heavily.

“For now, it’s fine… Just this once, triggering five Divine Seeds has restored half of my injuries.”

“Though it’s not as fast as when I triggered just two seeds, it’s still impressive.”

“After a good sleep… I should be as good as new.” Li Che smiled broadly, his spirits high.

Of course… Li Che’s eyes shone with anticipation.

He looked forward to what lay ahead. Although…

Great Master Huang Mei’s past form remained unreachable without the Qian Kun Jade.

But the experience of triggering five Qimen Divine Seeds in a clash with such a formidable opponent—leaving a visible crack—would surely accelerate the maturity of his Dao Fruit!

“Besides… the Transcendent True Martial Way [Smash Southern Heavens]—thanks to the feedback from his Temple Spirit Divine Chess Pieces—has now become imprinted in my muscle memory after one successful use.”

“I should soon master this Transcendent True Martial Way!” Li Che’s heart trembled slightly.

Today’s battle, though fought with all he had, had not only eradicated the threat from Xiao Lingyin Temple’s strong cultivators but had also enriched him greatly. Sitting cross-legged, as the rain evaporated around him,

Li Che inhaled steadily, regaining his calm. In his eyes,

A stream of golden light gradually emerged.

[Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV5 90%)]…

Daocheng was shrouded in rain.

Torrential rain continued to fall upon Long Street, cleansing the ground. Everyone stood in silence beneath the downpour.

And Wu Gang, clad in a gray monk robe, stood dazed—his eyes blank. He looked around, utterly lost.

Gazing at the rain-washed Daocheng, he felt the world spinning. The vast city seemed to have no place for him now.

Where would he go?

With Master Huang Tuo dead and his body nowhere to be found… what path was left for Wu Gang?

Return to Xiao Lingyin Temple?

Wu Gang trembled. As a Martial Saint, ever since breaking through to that realm, his martial arts had soared—but he’d never experienced such helpless uncertainty. Then suddenly,

Amid the raging storm,

Wu Gang heard the tinkling sound of an ancient bronze bell. Ding-a-ling—ding-a-ling——

His neck stiffened as he slowly looked up into the distance. There,

In the midst of torrential rain and swirling mist, a figure emerged. One hand cradled a dark ledger, the other clutched a wolf-hair brush. Surrounded by swirling dark qi, the figure advanced steadily.

The Cat Face Mask he wore, washed by rainwater, collected droplets along its chin that trickled down like fine threads. “Heh heh heh, heh heh heh—”

A cold, eerie, sinister laughter echoed, as if it enveloped the entire world.

On Long Street, it wasn’t just Wu Gang.

Cultivators from every faction in Daocheng turned their gazes toward the Underworld Cat Face who emerged slowly from the rain. The moment they saw him,

Everyone finally understood! The strange presence over Ink-Dark City earlier was missing one crucial element—Underworld Cat Face! And now…

Cat Face had arrived! “Wu Gang…”

“Your name is also recorded in the Life and Death Book.”

Cat Face flipped open the ledger. With a swift stroke of his wolf-hair brush, he traced over Wu Gang’s name. Wu Gang suddenly looked up in shock…

Then, behind Cat Face, a burst of golden lightning intertwined with sparks erupted! It was…

In an instant.

A beam of golden light silently shot from dozens of miles away along Long Street, instantly evaporating torrents of rain as it carved a narrow, vaporous void in the air!

It appeared right before his eyes.

Within his gaze, the image rapidly expanded—expanded! Bang——!

Meanwhile, from afar the echo of an explosion in golden light resounded; Wu Gang roared in anger!

Stunned, he was both surprised and incensed!

The Underworld… aimed to kill him! To eradicate him completely! With one mighty bellow—Big Mighty Heavenly Dragon! Invincible as diamond!

As Buddha light erupted, a radiant glow enveloped Wu Gang from behind. His flesh shimmered with golden brilliance!

Straining to block Ma Mian’s distant, pinpoint assassination attempt,

Yet in the very moment his qi surged and his life force roared, that bullet shattered his head. His proud, sturdy monk body, in the face of the intertwining thunder and lightning,

Became as fragile as soft tofu! Bang——!!!

Between heaven and earth, only a dense blood mist remained! After the bullet blasted through and shattered Wu Gang’s head,

It aimed to surge forth again,

But was halted by a figure who reached out with extended fingers to snatch the bullet!

Feng Zhiqi of the Temple Guardian Division, his robe buffeted by wind and rain, battled the torrential airflow and cascading rain!

The mighty life force clashed as he gripped the rapidly spinning bullet, feeling an intense piercing force that nearly tore his flesh apart! “Such an incredible piercing force!”

“The piercing force transformed by the power of thunder—nothing even a Martial Saint could withstand!” “That Ma Mian…”

With all five fingers at the peak of Martial Saint, Feng Zhiqi gripped the searing bullet tightly.

Though the bullet unleashed by the Super Electromagnetic Cannon of Xiangong was formidable, the piercing force it carried was what troubled him most. In the midst of it all, the Underworld Ma Mian…

The power of the concealed armaments had grown even stronger. Wu Gang’s head exploded…

At the moment Cat Face inscribed his name in the Life and Death Book, he was slain by Ma Mian’s shot!

Much of it was due to Wu Gang’s loss of composure, and his inability to grasp the terrifying piercing force of that Super Electromagnetic Cannon. “Heh heh heh…”

“Yama decreed you should die by the third watch—who dares keep you until the fifth?” “Underworld Cat Face…”

“I have come to see you off!”

Cat Face closed the Life and Death Book, and beneath his smiling mask, a low voice echoed along Long Street. In that moment,

Everyone couldn’t help but get goosebumps—not just from Wu Gang’s death.

For it wasn’t the first time the Underworld had eradicated its foes.

It was the funeral rites of Cat Face and the Life and Death Book that sent chills down many spines…

In that moment, the very name “Life and Death Book” made many shudder, even causing Feng Zhiqi’s face to tremble.

One couldn’t help but wonder… if their names were also written in that ledger. Underworld Cat Face…

Though weak, he was undeniably a bit frightening!