Chapter 388: Resonance of the Peach Orchard

The roaring wind surged and billowed relentlessly.

A thunderous sound, like muffled thunder, erupted and roared continuously!

Ancient, weighty chimes echoed ceaselessly between heaven and earth, resonating among the swaying peach trees of the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

The sound of an old bell lingered in Li Che’s ears.

A buzzing, droning sound soon arose from the earth, reducing it to ruins as countless mounds of soil surged; the roots of the peach trees burst forth like fierce dragons from the exposed pits, rolling and soaring like coiling serpents.

Yet, thanks to protective restrictions, these peach trees remained unscathed, untouched by the clashes between Li Che, Goldmane, the Jiaguo Monk, and others.

Only a few roots were injured; for a peach tree towering three hundred zhang high, such damage was negligible.

With a resounding rumble, the three-hundred-zhang-tall peach tree began to shudder violently, opening a path for Li Che.

Dozens of dense, alabaster xian qi surged out in a misty torrent, forming a cloud of auspicious vapor beneath Li Che’s feet.

It carried his body onward toward the next peach garden.

One by one, the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach trees swayed as if overjoyed to see the pestilent spirit finally driven away!

Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

Li Che arrived atop flowing clouds; wherever his gaze fell, the glittering fence gates swung open without impeding his path.

Underfoot, the soft, undulating soil resembled rolling waves, with sharp, frost-like grass sprouting in clusters. Li Che plucked a blade, noticing its quality rivaled that of some divine weapons from the Eight Extremes or even Seven Origins.

Within the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, the peach trees stood perfectly straight, piercing the sky at over eight hundred zhang, as imposing as a veteran general’s spear on the battlefield!

Banners fluttered, totems spun!

Scorching, searing heat!

Li Che stood on the soft earth and looked up. Although the peach trees soared eight hundred zhang high, their flourishing canopies nearly obscured the entire heavens, swallowing all light.

Yet the world was not plunged into darkness – every leaf shimmered with radiance, casting a brilliant glow among the grove.

Raising his head, Li Che split his brow with a fierce display of his Star Plucking Gaze.

By peering deep, he saw that the leaves of the peach trees were capturing the Kunlun Death Light from the Radiant Kunlun Mirror.

It was as though the Kunlun Death Light was being diluted before being absorbed into the leaves.

“Intensifying… getting even more fervent! It almost feels as if the Heaven and Earth Soul is suspended in air, drawing near to the Kunlun Mirror,”

he thought. “Sure enough, as the peach garden ascends higher, it’s as if the barrier between it and the Kunlun Mirror is ripped apart—the older the peach garden, the closer it gets to that Radiant Kunlun Mirror!”

A surge of fervor welled up in Li Che’s heart.

He did not choose to immediately pluck a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach.

Having rarely arrived at this peach garden, why would Li Che wish to leave so easily?

For he was the sole person stepping into the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard. Plucking a peach would signal the end of this grand gathering and force him out of the garden.

Li Che had no desire to leave so soon.

Even though he knew the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin’s water curtain would capture his every move in the garden,

every action of his would be broadcast on its screen.

If Li Che dared to engage in any small trickery, he’d immediately be scrutinized by countless eyes.

But Li Che was unbothered.

The alabaster xian qi beneath his feet gradually dissipated as Li Che stretched, his muscles crackling with energy. His supple form exuded newfound strength.

Expanding his Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che scanned the entire peach garden.

The Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, compared to others, occupied scarcely less space; every peach tree soared to eight hundred zhang, its abundant branches blotting out the sky.

The nearly millennial peach trees were like ancient relics.

Under Li Che’s perception, he realized the number of peaches in this grove was unexpectedly large.

“There are five Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches?”

“And after picking one as a reward for XiXi…”

Li Che rubbed his hands together.

It seemed the gene for pilfering peaches was reactivated at that very moment.

But Li Che quickly restrained himself – after all, it wasn’t wise to blatantly steal peaches while under the gaze of all.

Besides, if he stole them now, wouldn’t that signal to the Empress that the peaches from the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach Grove were taken by him?

Li Che had no intention of self-incrimination.

Yet, with each ripe, weighty peach hanging there as if ready to fall,

they threatened to drop and spoil,

or worse, fall into the mouths of the guarding beast-men.

That would be such a waste.

Having endured hard times, Li Che was no one to squander resources.

Surveying his surroundings, Li Che’s eyes gleamed with contemplative light.

The Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin could spy on the garden’s every detail.

It was as if a camera hung over his head – how to shield it, then?

Li Che sat cross-legged, choosing not to pluck a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach immediately despite the watchful eyes.

“Why not project a false image on the camera?”

“So that what everyone sees is entirely different from what I’m really doing.”

Li Che chuckled softly.

Otherwise, under so many eyes, he couldn’t act at will.

As for stealing peaches from the Great Realm’s Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard—

in truth, Li Che wasn’t exactly stealing.

That peach grove belonged to the Temple Spirit of Xi Wangmu’s temple, not the Great Realm’s royal domain.

If the Great Realm could pluck them, so could Li Che.

And altering the image seen by others…

Li Che raised a hand, his Cosmic Chessboard ensnaring every corner of the peach grove.

Then, deep in his chest, a Dao Fruit began to throb rapidly.

Thump, thump, thump – that Dao Fruit was none other than the [Dream Celestial] Dao Fruit.

It had awakened in Li Che shortly after XiXi turned six – its effects simple and its help modest.

Yet at this moment, it unexpectedly solved the problem he faced.

Altering the scene seen by everyone…

His consciousness stirred slightly.

The Dao Fruit pulsed, as if releasing streams of seven-colored light in rapid spurts.

It was like a butterfly controlling dreams, its delicate wings scattering countless dreamlike illusions, transforming everything before his eyes into the vision he wished to project.

A swirling, prismatic mist enveloped the surroundings. Li Che opened his eyes, scanning the scene as a small smile tugged at his lips.

Through the Feilei Chess Piece on XiXi, Li Che peered at the Tianhe light curtain from her perspective.

And there, he saw the image it displayed.

In the vision, Li Che sat cross-legged, breathing steadily as he absorbed the intense divine aura and the celestial essence of the peach grove.

He then stood and stretched; even in the vision he was meticulously refining the Divine Crystal.

With a flick of his finger, the Little Yinglong King appeared, unfurling its wings with a keen metallic gleam as it sliced through the air with savage force.

Yet on the Tianhe water screen, Li Che remained seated, calmly practicing his cultivation.

In an instant, a spark at his feet propelled him upward. With a snap of his fingers, he unleashed the Thunderstrike Peachwood Seven-Star Sword.

Arcs of electricity danced, thunderbolts entwined.

Meanwhile, on the Tianhe water screen, Li Che continued his serene breathing and divine refinement.

A satisfied smile spread across his face.

After all, the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin was merely a tool to relay images – although it displayed every detail of the peach grove,

it was still an inanimate object, incapable of discerning truth or illusion.

Now, with the [Dream Celestial] Dao Fruit at IV3 level, if the sect masters of major Divine Sects personally entered the grove, their keen eyes would clearly see through its dreamlike disguise.

But the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin, standing between them, prevented any such discernment.

Suddenly, the wind and waves intensified. Ferocious gusts battered the peach trees, even those towering eight hundred zhang, making them sway violently and clamor noisily.

A shower of leaves cascaded down, like a rain of peach foliage.

Li Che stood atop the Little Yinglong King, his dark hair billowing, his gaze sharp as lightning.

He absorbed the scorching brilliance cast by the radiant Kunlun Mirror.

His heart pounded – this peach garden was truly an exceptional place.

Li Che no longer held back.

He spotted a direction where a Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach hung in midair.

Its vivid red looked as if blood were about to spill.

A dense, irresistible fragrance spread rapidly, and Li Che couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

Nine-Thousand-Year Peach!

Like aged fine wine, its flavor was rich and profound; Li Che’s deep inhalation made his taste buds come alive.

He truly longed to take a bite!

Inside him, his qi and blood churned uncontrollably, boiling like water.

Having ingested two Seven-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peaches, Li Che had not yet fully absorbed their energies to replenish his Qi Sea Golden Pool – his mind already fixed on the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach.

But one couldn’t help but notice that with a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach hanging before him, the speed at which he assimilated the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach’s energy increased dramatically.

His Qi Sea in the dantian grew stronger, a torrent of qi and refined essence surging like crashing waves!

A subtle stirring of his consciousness ensued.

[Dragon Elephant Furnace: Pure Martial Purity (91%)]

His eyes flashed with golden light, revealing an unusual gleam.

The opening of his Qi Sea Golden Pool brought about a 1% boost in his Pure Martial Purity, courtesy of the two Seven-Thousand-Year Peaches!

Sure enough, as one advances, raising Pure Martial Purity becomes ever more arduous.

“The Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach should also enhance my Pure Martial Purity—”

Li Che exhaled deeply.

Then, with another snap of his fingers, intertwined sword light and thunderbolts zipped toward a cluster of peach trees.

But behind the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach tree, a massive tail suddenly lashed out—a tail so enormous and razor-sharp that it resounded with a clattering roar.

However, his Divine Xiao Jail Thunder Sword sliced through the whipping tail, and with clanging explosions, countless thunderbolts burst forth.

Immediately, the colossal creature that had been lurking behind the peach tree revealed itself.

A gigantic Snake King emerged, hissing venom as it slowly revealed its head—a huge, triangular skull with eyes sharp as blades. Every spittle it spat seemed to warp the very air.

This Snake King possessed peak-level strength, its demonic aura soaring; its venomous spit even distorted the atmosphere,

mingling with a faint, interlacing toxin.

“The guarding beast of the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach tree is truly on another level—”

Li Che murmured in awe.

Then, with a snap of his fingers,

he swapped places with the Feilei Chess Piece perched on the Peachwood Sword. In that very instant, his five fingers spread wide and he grabbed the massive snake’s tail.

On his Cosmic Chessboard, Mo City roared open.

With a single toss, Li Che hurled the Snake King straight into Mo City.

With a resounding boom, the gates of Mo City slammed shut.

Inside Mo City, Yue Huanglong, flanked by several Spiritual Confiners, awaited the beast. Their combined might was more than enough to slay the Snake King.

Li Che need not worry at all.

Sure enough, with the camera obscured, actions became far more unrestrained.

Li Che did not pluck the peach himself but instead let the Little Yinglong King do it.

However, the moment the Little Yinglong King plucked the Dragon Blood Peach, the Kunlun Death Light pierced through instantly—

its terrifying, scorching power leaving the Little Yinglong King utterly defenseless as a myriad of mechanical seals activated simultaneously, resulting in a destructive penetration.

Scalding hot, the wound on the Little Yinglong King melted almost away.

Li Che collected the Dragon Blood Peach, its aroma so potent it nearly became a tangible fragrance. Then, with a snap of his fingers, his Cosmic Chessboard absorbed the Kunlun Death Light from within the Little Yinglong King.

The extracted Kunlun Death Light converged with the one Li Che had refined.

Where the Tian Dog had once taken a huge bite, the space slowly filled up.

“It’s beginning to resemble the gleam of a mirror reflecting light.”

Li Che’s eyes shone as his anticipation grew.

Could he really harness that brilliance to summon the divine Kunlun Mirror at the Three Pure Ones level…?

He lifted his head, his gaze nearly piercing through the towering peach tree that seemed ready to burst through the heavens.

Branches and leaves fluttered wildly, casting dark shadows.

Yet every leaf shimmered as if capturing the Kunlun Mirror’s light.

“Huu—”

“Every breath of Li Che summons the dense forest, triggering a roaring gale.”

He sat cross-legged on the massive branch of the peach tree he had just plucked from, his dark robe fluttering and his jet-black hair whipping in the wind.

His forehead, marked by a mud pellet, trembled incessantly.

In an instant, the Three-in-One Heaven and Earth Soul soared skyward.

It transformed into Li Che’s ethereal divine form, steadily ascending toward the base of the Radiant Kunlun Mirror.

The searing, volcanic heat made his Heaven and Earth Soul nearly unbearable, threatening to shatter it completely.

Clearly, the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove was drawing even nearer to the Kunlun Mirror.

Li Che sensed that in a single thought, he could seize a massive chunk of the Kunlun Death Light.

Without hesitation, his Heaven and Earth Soul, his primordial self, shot forth with all five fingers reaching for a thick stream of Kunlun Death Light.

In an instant, as if the Radiant Kunlun Mirror itself trembled, it projected a striking beam of light,

piercing straight through his Heaven and Earth Soul.

Li Che felt a searing pain in his brow; the next moment, his Heaven and Earth Soul exploded into fragments, unable to withstand the impact.

It shattered completely.

Yet, his Seven Apertures Heart stirred – the untarnished divine consciousness surged wildly, allowing his Heaven and Earth Soul to coalesce once more.

And within the reformed Heaven and Earth Soul was a captured shard of the Kunlun Mirror’s Death Light—

Li Che, still seated cross-legged, maintained his stoic expression as he once again channeled his Heaven and Earth Soul outward.

He continued refining the Kunlun Death Light as he honed his Heaven and Earth Soul.

With each cycle of explosion and reformation, his Heaven and Earth Soul became more resilient and potent.

And as his Heaven and Earth Soul strengthened, the divine essence of the two temple deities he had summoned – the Golden King Tower Temple Spirit and the Dark Heavenly Court Thunder Temple Spirit – was consumed faster.

One could almost hear their agonized, piercing howls.

The Dark Heavenly Court Thunder Temple Spirit, being only of the Five Elders level, melted away like ice cream under a scorching sun.

Yet the Golden King Tower Temple Spirit, as one of the Four Yu Temple Spirits, despite having lost much divine essence, persisted without perishing.

Li Che, by honing his Heaven and Earth Soul with the Kunlun Death Light and feeding on the temple spirit’s form, fortified his Divine Transformation.

Within the realm of his inner vision, the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate Divine Transformation let out a roar.

A massive Golden Pill burst forth with radiant brilliance; his pulsating heart beat strong and forcefully.

One could even discern the flawless display of his internal organs!

Booming, Li Che felt the divine essence within his inner realm surge like a terrifying storm!

His expression darkened as he accelerated the absorption of the temple deities’ divine essence, and with a single motion, produced a Four-Yu Upper Divine Crystal.

Using his Seven Apertures Heart, he swiftly extracted the divine essence from within the Divine Crystal, merging it into his Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate Divine Transformation.

Clang—

—

As the divine essence fused continuously,

Li Che began to hear the sound of bones colliding in his ear, as if countless divine essences were accumulating

within his Divine Transformation, spawning new bones!

It was as if the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate spread its arms wide in the transformation, letting out a long, resounding howl.

A single spinal bone, like a pillar, emerged to support the True Primate’s frame!

Suddenly, Li Che’s eyes burst open, radiating dazzling divine light.

The Divine Transformation underwent a second metamorphosis – sprouting bones all over!

Having just entered Divine Capital, it was the evolution from Divine Essence Golden Pill to Divine Transformation.

In just a short time, he achieved a second metamorphosis of the Divine Transformation, sprouting bones everywhere!

The emergence of these bones was like gaining a backbone – his entire aura transformed, and the oppressive divine might surged immensely.

He achieved a massive breakthrough!

Li Che’s brow trembled slightly as invisible ripples spread outward, warping space and forming a storm of energy in all directions!

The frost-grass on the ground was swept aside like a scythe’s cut, erupting in rings before being suspended mid-air by an unseen force.

A smile tugged at Li Che’s lips.

The Divine Transformation had evolved again.

Sure enough, with the help of his Seven Apertures Heart, his progress in cultivating divine essence was unprecedented.

Had it been before, it would have taken him much longer to reach such heights.

Suddenly, as Li Che’s Divine Transformation surged anew, all his senses sharpened – a metamorphosis at the soul level.

Accompanied by a gentle breeze,

it was as if a distant voice began to drift near.

“Help me…”

“Help me!!!”

It came again!

The voice exploded in his ears like thunder. Within his chest, the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit throbbed excitedly, each pulsation shaking Li Che’s body.

Closer––

Even closer––

But!

It still wasn’t here!

Li Che’s brows furrowed slightly.

He stood up, eyes flashing like lightning, as he scanned the depths of the peach grove.

“Didn’t that sound come from within the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove?”

“Could there be another peach grove atop the Nine-Thousand-Year one?”

Li Che’s heart skipped a beat.

“A Wan-Year Peach Grove?!”

In that instant, his heart ignited with fervor.

“Could there really be a Wan-Year Peach Grove? That means there are Wan-Year Peaches?!”

Li Che drew a deep breath, his every breath rolling like thunder, his excitement unmistakable.

“But how does one ascend from the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove into a Wan-Year Peach Grove?”

For Li Che, it was clearly a monumental challenge.

Before, gathering enough peaches triggered the Bizarre Temple’s rule, transporting one from a lower to a higher peach grove,

but now Li Che only vaguely suspected the existence of a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove without knowing the rules to ascend.

“Not knowing the rules—then how can one ascend?”

Li Che groaned in frustration.

If he didn’t even know of a Wan-Year Peach Grove, it might pass.

But now that he did…

Li Che felt unwilling to leave.

After all, neither the irresistibly alluring call of the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit nor the overwhelming temptation of Wan-Year Peaches would let him give up easily.

“What should I do?”

Li Che’s breathing grew rapid.

He stood, his entire body emanating brilliant, golden energy – as if his blood and flesh were transforming into dense, golden war smoke.

His gaze shot forth like an arrow, as if he could see distant, suspended Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches.

“What to do?”

“Perhaps… the key is to pluck the peaches!”

Li Che’s heart settled into a decision.

According to the rules, whether ascending from a Thousand-Year Peach Grove to a Five-Thousand-Year one, or from a Five-Thousand-Year to a Seven-Thousand-Year grove,

the criterion of ascension was simply whether enough peaches were plucked.

Thus, Li Che resolved.

To attempt ascension into the Wan-Year Peach Grove—

he would have to offer every single peach from the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove!

“Then I shall pluck every last peach from the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove!”

Li Che’s eyes blazed with determination.

“But now, since I am alone in the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Grove,

if all the peaches were plucked, the Great Realm’s court would surely suspect it was my doing,

inviting unnecessary trouble.”

Li Che pondered.

“Since that’s the case—I’ll pluck them in plain view,”

“I will openly pluck the Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches, only to offer them as sacrifices to ascend into the Wan-Year Peach Garden.”

“The Empress surely won’t blame me…”

That thought swelled rapidly, impossible to contain.

His five fingers pressed against his chest,

and his heart pounded, bursting forth with dazzling, prismatic radiance!

In the next moment, under his control, the [Dream Celestial] Dao Fruit altered the image.

In the new scene, instead of continuing his cultivation, Li Che stood up and charged at the venomous Snake King guarding the Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches.

As the scene played,

Li Che snapped his fingers.

Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confiners materialized; the moment he appeared, he knew his duty and charged toward a suspended Nine-Thousand-Year Peach.

Then, another Snake King surged out from the peach tree with enormous fan-like wings.

But Li Che, his fingers clenched, did not conceal his martial prowess. His boiling qi surged forth from his Qi Sea Golden Pool,

pressing down upon the heavens like a bolt of lightning as he ruthlessly charged at the royal snake.

The Snake King roared in anguish, visibly shaken.

With one resounding punch from Li Che, the snake’s head was struck, sending splatters of blood flying as its massive body shot out like an arrow, straining rigid.

Meanwhile, Yue Huanglong ascended eight hundred zhang to pluck the black Feng Ling Peach – perhaps the second Nine-Thousand-Year Peach to be harvested.

High above, the Radiant Kunlun Mirror seemed to seethe; as it shuddered, a fierce beam of light shot forth with a loud bang.

It instantly obliterated Yue Huanglong’s body.

But Yue Huanglong had long mastered the art of tossing the peach to Li Che.

Li Che did not stow the peach; instead, he let it hover on his shoulder,

standing firm on soft ground as a torrent of mighty qi cascaded around him.

He swept across and appeared in front of a third peach tree.

Soaring upward, he aimed to pluck a third Nine-Thousand-Year Peach!

Perhaps due to the overwhelming might of Li Che’s fearsome qi, the beast guarding the peaches fled immediately.

Or maybe the beast sensed a cataclysmic threat looming over it.

Ignoring Li Che, it bolted away in panic.

Seeing this, Li Che spared himself further trouble; with a snap of his fingers, Su Lei Ba’s Spiritual Confiners emerged to harvest the peaches.

However—

This time, an unexpected twist occurred.

The thick Kunlun Death Light suddenly shifted its target; instead of locking onto the Spiritual Confiners,

it seemed to track the very aura of its origin – directly aimed at Li Che!

At that moment, Li Che felt an endless chill engulf his body – a deathly aura that threatened to obliterate his soul!

Just as Li Che prepared to ignite the full might of his Qimen Divine Seed,

a slight flicker stirred within his heart.

Then, the [Qi Tian Face] suppressed within his Cosmic Chessboard trembled unexpectedly.

“Hehehe…”

Suddenly,

a laugh resonated from within the Qi Tian Face.

Li Che’s expression turned peculiar.

He gripped the Qi Tian Face tightly and pressed it over his face.

His fingers slid gently downward.

Then, with his eyes wide open, they gleamed like molten gold!

Golden monkey hairs danced in the wind.

With his arms outstretched, his muscular, knotted hair appeared to be tinged with gold, billowing like a cape behind him as he moved – truly like a divine, agile monkey!

His hand closed into a fist.

Facing that overwhelming Kunlun Death Light, Li Che, masked by the Qi Tian Face, threw a mighty punch.

An inexhaustible surge of qi erupted!

His Qi Sea Golden Pool roiled as if boiling, expanding to over a thousand zhang and stirring a ten-zhang tide, roaring mightily!

Matching his punch against the Kunlun Death Light, an earth-shattering explosion burst forth!

The devastating force nearly dissolved the flesh and blood on Li Che’s fist, melting his meridians, bones, and arm – almost erasing his very limb!

Yet, the Qi Tian Face on his features shimmered ever so slightly.

In the next moment, his eyes flowed with molten gold as he managed, with a simple shake of his head, to capture the fiercest Kunlun Death Light he had ever encountered!

Thud!

The explosion forced Li Che’s legs into the soft earth; countless blades of frost-grass disintegrated as the ground erupted into a deep pit.

Beneath the mask, Li Che’s eyes shone with incandescent light, exuding waves of heat.

“Hehehe…”

A deep, low laugh emanated from beneath the Qi Tian Face.

A broad smile spread across Li Che’s face.

“I see…”

“Monkey Steals Peaches, Temple Spirit Resonance!”

“The Great Realm owes me a favor.”

Li Che beamed with satisfaction.

Then, with one decisive step, he stomped down – the ground shattered into countless web-like cracks, launching him skyward toward the fourth peach tree.

His speed was akin to a cannonball in flight!

This time, Li Che used his very body to pluck the peach!

He no longer resisted; his body picking the peach meant he might be teleported out of the grove!

Yet, even after successfully plucking it,

the Kunlun Death Light did not fall, nor was Li Che teleported out of the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

The reason was clear – that peach had always been destined for Li Che ever since he ascended into the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

And the fact that he had the Little Yinglong King, Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confiners, and Su Lei Ba’s Spiritual Confiners plucking peaches was against the rules – their actions invariably attracting the all-seeing Radiant Kunlun Mirror’s wrath, resulting in their obliteration.

“That makes four Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches…”

“I can already sense the call of the rules.”

Li Che laughed.

In truth, when he obtained the third peach, he realized that the rule for ascending into the Wan-Year Peach Grove was to amass three Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches.

Plucking three such peaches was no trivial feat – the threat of the Kunlun Death Light alone could slay any peerless Martial Saint!

Such power, if not for Li Che’s formidable strength and countless stratagems, would have been unattainable.

“There’s one more Nine-Thousand-Year Peach left…”

Li Che glanced briefly.

“It’s too lonely; let’s keep it company.”

He chuckled.

Li Che donned the Qi Tian Face once more.

His body blasted off.

At that moment, the [Dream Celestial] Dao Fruit began to weave a new image.

After all—

Qi Tian Face, Qi Sea Golden Pool, Monkey Steals Peaches—

these scenes were not meant for public display.

Divine Capital Second City.

Night deepened as dark clouds drifted.

The Tianhe water curtain cascaded with a crashing sound, displaying the scene of the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the display on the water curtain.

Faces gradually twisted with strange expressions.

Some even gasped in astonishment.

For in the image, after Li Che subdued the Snake King and plucked the first Nine-Thousand-Year Peach,

he did not stop but rushed toward the second peach.

Then, as he plucked the peach, he was struck by the Death Light, collapsing and sending shockwaves that reduced the ground to rubble.

Amidst the astonishment, when everyone thought that the emerging hero would perish in the peach grove due to his greed,

Li Che, with iron will and strong faith, staggered to his feet.

He continued toward the third peach.

Even after being hit by the annihilating light while plucking, leaving his qi faint and teetering on the brink of death,

he still managed to rise, sit cross-legged, and after recovering his injuries, pluck another peach…

At the moment when Li Che’s life force was nearly erased by the deadly light as he reached for the third peach,

every heart in the audience pounded.

Yet, Li Che once again stood strong.

In the glow of the Tianhe water curtain, amidst wounds and bloodstains,

Li Che broke into a determined, brilliant smile.

Then, the three Nine-Thousand-Year Peaches hovering on his shoulder burst into radiant brilliance.

The next moment,

a gigantic portal stretched across the sky.

Divine Capital Second City, Third City… the silence was profound!

However,

as all eyes fixed upon the scene on the Tianhe water curtain, no one could sit still!

The National Teacher Xie Yunshen of Lotus Pavilion, King Ping Luan, Ji Mo Li of the First Divine Sect’s Purple Mansion, and Temple Guardian Division Grand Governor Ye Pengju, along with many other powerful figures, all stared in disbelief, rising to their feet.

“Is this… Temple Spirit Resonance?!”

And at the royal banquet,

the Emperor, clad in a radiant yellow dragon robe, suddenly stood up.

His eyes shone with dazzling light, his anger unmistakable.

The Empress, resplendent in her phoenix crown and flowing robes, appeared unsteady.

The empty, disquieting feeling transmitted by the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin intensified the fear in her eyes.

“The Wan-Year Peach Garden—”

“Has it opened?!”