Chapter 399: A Clash of Titans and Destiny

Pressure!

It was like a mountain collapsing and the Tianhe dam bursting, an overwhelming force crashing into his flesh!

It made Feng Zhiqi’s face contort in utter disgust.

He stared at the leg that had just been raised and then slammed onto the stone steps, feeling as if the entire limb had gone numb.

Feng Zhiqi abruptly lifted his head, his eyes swirling with shock!

He was certain that Li Che had just broken through to the Martial Saint realm. Looking at the stormy clouds above—the same ones from Feng Zhiqi’s own breakthrough—it was unmistakably the Martial Saint calamity cloud, brewing the Martial Saint Heavenly Thunder!

But why did Li Che, who had only just reached the Martial Saint realm, exude such overwhelming pressure?

It was unreasonable!

Yet, almost immediately, a furious glint ignited in Feng Zhiqi’s eyes.

“Li Bansheng—”

“I can feel it!”

Boom!!!

Feng Zhiqi’s qi and blood roared as countless streams of crimson surged like serpentine dragons, lashing out around him and enveloping his body.

A vast torrent of energy erupted from his body, as if numerous currents collided at high velocity, violently radiating shockwaves in all directions!

Even the rain plummeting from the sky burst apart on impact!

Feng Zhiqi’s fighting spirit soared; his martial will condensed into a tangible force, plummeting rapidly from the heavens!

He took a decisive step forward, then another, climbing the mountain path as the oppressive force was cleaved apart by his razor-sharp martial will.

“I, Feng Zhiqi, have trained in martial arts since childhood!”

“At ten, I joined the masters, dedicating my life to martial arts. I dreamed of standing atop that peak, towering over countless warriors scrambling for glory!”

“Now, even as I’m stuck at the apex of the Martial Saint Third Opening for twenty long years, I refuse to accept a lifetime of stagnation!”

“I will rise from this peak! I will gaze at the heavens and witness the Heavenly Gate!”

“I will chase after the martial path that is mine!”

“No matter who dares stand in my way—I only crave a battle that’s utterly exhilarating!”

Feng Zhiqi’s eyes blazed with resolve.

His form grew more imposing as intermingled streams of qi and blood surged about him, like countless fiery dragon silhouettes circling his body.

With every step he took, the water pooling on the mountain trail evaporated in a steamy, twisting mist.

Feng Zhiqi’s pace quickened!

He sprinted along the mountain road!

He roared defiantly along the path!

Roar!

Every bone in his body seemed to resonate as he spread his arms, as if every pore released a flurry of sharp blades.

They soon converged into a massive qi-blood blade that threatened to cut through the very heavens.

Upon the stone path mid-mountain,

Li Che’s eyes flared open, golden mists swirling about.

After fully refining the Millennial Paotao, Li Che achieved a monumental transformation. He had spent over a month in Mo City, and finally discovered his own martial mountain in the boundless Golden Qi Sea!

The instant he set foot on that martial mountain,

Li Che sensed a shift within his own martial essence.

It was a denser, purer martial will—almost as if that of a Martial Immortal!

[Dragon Elephant Furnace: Pure Martial Purity (96%)]

The complete refinement of a Millennial Paotao brought an enormous boost, as his transformed qi became extraordinarily pure, elevating the purity of Li Che’s pure martial body to 96%!

Li Che could feel his flesh transforming—his strength, muscles, tendons, and skin all evolving!

It was as if an iron core had been repeatedly forged and purified until it became as sharp as a divine blade!

Dragon tendons!

Elephant bones!

The Dragon Elephant Furnace had been compressed by Li Che to an incredible degree, stored within his very organs!

His eyes flashed as if golden lightning danced inside.

On the mountain path, Feng Zhiqi charged forward like a blood-red battle axe, his slashes cracking the stone trail as if slicing through cake!

In an instant,

Feng Zhiqi appeared before Li Che with a fierce, determined expression, his form transforming into a long blade as he delivered a punishing strike!

Feeling Feng Zhiqi’s martial intent and will, Li Che clenched his fist as his body resonated with a brilliant, humming surge of blood and flesh!

Crisscrossing streams of golden qi and blood intertwined—without the aid of any Qimen Divine Seed, not even a single divine seed was ignited!

It was merely the force of a simple punch!

That punch unleashed an explosive force!

It burst forth with the brilliance of a drawn divine sword, soaring upward!

Feng Zhiqi’s sweeping punch, like a scarlet divine blade, carried the weight of his two-decade meditation atop the Martial Saint peak!

In contrast, Li Che’s punch exuded sword qi, as if a divine sword had been unsheathed, charging straight into the firmament!

Though they exchanged punches, both attacks resonated with the clashing tones of blades and swords!

Clang!

!

Clash!!

The collision of sword and blade unleashed a sound like a barrage of cannon fire, echoing relentlessly.

Li Che’s punch met Feng Zhiqi’s blow head-on!

The very mountain path of Qianyuan Divine Sect trembled as stone tiles shattered into dust!

The resounding clangs formed relentless waves, like a tsunami of terrifying energy surging in all directions!

They battered the surroundings, overwhelming everything in their path!

Boom!

Feng Zhiqi’s eyes gradually lost their fanatical fighting spirit—the once fiery determination began to fade like a spent flame!

It was as if his burning fire had finally burned out!

Then Li Che’s punch released a dazzling sword light, splitting into six distinct hues that reflected in his eyes—

An awe-inspiring destructive force, wrapping around Feng Zhiqi’s arm, nullifying his sword intent!

“So beautiful…”

Feng Zhiqi murmured.

It was as brilliant as a burst of fireworks.

Then,

A deep, thunderous roar reverberated like the beating of a celestial war drum—Feng Zhiqi’s own heartbeat!

Li Che’s punch shattered Feng Zhiqi’s accumulated sword intent, striking his chest with a resounding impact!

A deadly threat surged, sending shivers down Feng Zhiqi’s spine!

Could a Martial Saint, barely in his breakthrough, really kill him with a single punch?

Feng Zhiqi roared with laughter, tilting his head back.

He never imagined that a newcomer to the Martial Saint realm, still struggling through his tribulation, could exert such terrifying pressure and dominance!

Boom!

Blood splattered continuously as Feng Zhiqi’s massive frame was blasted away like a cannonball from mid-mountain.

He crashed down before the archway at the Qianyuan Divine Sect Mountain Gate.

The powerful impact and searing sword qi carved a gash in the earth that stretched for miles!

Feng Zhiqi’s towering body stood amid the devastation.

Every wound on him seethed with burning heat, with blood dripping like translucent agate beads. One punch had nearly killed him.

“To break into the Martial Saint realm and wield such domineering power…”

“Such swordsmanship is unparalleled.”

Feng Zhiqi tilted his head, his hair flying as his qi and blood gathered, emitting a low, rumbling sound.

“I’m impressed.”

“Hats off to you, Li Bansheng!”

Feng Zhiqi laughed heartily.

Amid his laughter, there was a trace of melancholy in his tone.

“I once believed I was the pride of the martial world!”

“I was sure I’d eventually reach that pinnacle, laughing down on countless warriors in pursuit of greatness.”

“But today, in the presence of a true prodigy—I feel like nothing more than a speck in the vast sky!”

Feng Zhiqi shook his head.

As his qi and blood roared and swelled like a writhing dragon, his martial will intensified. Behind him, a mountain of martial energy emerged, towering as he stood, gazing skyward.

Slowly, he raised his hand.

It was as if a Heavenly Gate was materializing before him.

Though the Heavenly Gate remained sealed, it was activated by undeniable might!

Today, Feng Zhiqi broke into the Martial Saint Fourth Opening!

Yet, despite this breakthrough, Feng Zhiqi felt none of the expected elation.

Perhaps his lifelong pursuit was destined to be within easy reach for others with a bit more effort.

Li Che stood midway up the mountain, his dark robe fluttering as strands of golden hair caught the wind.

He gazed calmly at the breakthrough Feng Zhiqi, his expression serene.

Meanwhile, Feng Zhiqi stood amid the ruined gully, bowing towards Li Che from afar.

“Thank you, Li Bansheng, for making this possible!”

Li Che nodded.

Having reached the Martial Saint Third Opening with a 96% pure martial body, Li Che—who was invincible without even activating a Qimen Divine Seed—could have ended Feng Zhiqi with one punch, though that might be an exaggeration.

Perhaps it would take two punches.

For a brief moment, the entire Qianyuan Dao City fell deathly silent.

Notable heads from the Zhou, Yun, and Zhong families—prosperous clans enriched by the downfall of the Su Family—wore expressions of amazement.

Even the high-ranking generals of the Divine Guard Army, such as Yu Wen Wenlong and Han Qizhong, were silent as they observed.

Feng Zhiqi—

Defeated?!

Could he really have been crushed by a single punch from Li Che?!

Gazing at the ominous calamity clouds above, they knew this was the Martial Saint Heavenly Thunder—

though lacking the insight of someone like Fang Han Shu, most perceived it simply as the calamity of the Martial Saint realm.

Thus, they felt an overwhelming shock at Li Che’s crushing blow against Feng Zhiqi!

Is this truly Li Bansheng?

To think a newcomer to the Martial Saint realm could shatter a peak-level Feng Zhiqi of the Martial Saint Third Opening with a single strike?!

What kind of monster is he?!

Many were left in a daze, their admiration for the rumors of Li Che growing ever greater.

A rugged woodcarver from humble origins rising to such heights was simply astonishing.

With Feng Zhiqi vanquished by Li Che’s punch, everyone understood that the fate of Qianyuan Dao City was about to change forever!

No one could prevent Qianyuan Dao City from finally breaking free of the Imperial Court’s grasp and falling into the hands of the Qianyuan Divine Sect.

Several figures cut through the sky.

It was Lü Taibai and Fang Han Shu.

Though Feng Zhiqi had broken into the Martial Saint Fourth Opening and was formidable, against Lü Taibai and the enigmatic Fang Han Shu, his chances were slim.

Feng Zhiqi’s aura was shifting as he laughed and bowed to the two.

“Master Taibai, my intervention this time is my own choice. If I fall in battle, it’s the end of my story. The development of the Imperial Court forces within Qianyuan Dao City is none of my concern anymore!”

“But if I break through during the fight, I will renounce my position as an official of the Great Jing Court and join the Qianyuan Divine Sect!”

Feng Zhiqi bowed deeply.

Behind him, the spectacle of the Heavenly Gate’s pull added even more impact to the scene, shaking all factions in Qianyuan Dao City.

Fang Han Shu stroked his beard with satisfaction.

Feng Zhiqi’s awareness of the times pleased him greatly.

Unlike Yue Weizheng, who was entangled with Yue Huanglong and Yan Jing and only sought to survive, Fang Han Shu, frustrated, had no intention of sparing him.

Yet Feng Zhiqi wanted to live, and Fang Han Shu was giving him that opportunity.

“Since the position of Fourth Elder in the inner court of Qianyuan Divine Sect is vacant, how about you take it, Feng?”

Fang Han Shu looked at Lü Taibai and proposed.

Lü Taibai smiled and then turned his gaze to Feng Zhiqi.

Feng Zhiqi grinned broadly and nodded in agreement.

Fang Han Shu then addressed him, “Within Qianyuan Dao City, please keep an eye on the Divine Guard Army and the Temple Guardian Division.”

“In a short while, I will arrange the induction ceremony for Elder Feng, honoring the Ancestral Patriarch.”

At these words, Feng Zhiqi’s face turned serious.

“Having overseen the Temple Guardian Division in Qianyuan Dao City for many years, I am well aware of the actions of the Qianyuan Divine Sect. We work hard to suppress the Bizarre Temple; should any sinister or demonic creatures escape from there to harm the people, the Divine Sect is even more proactive than Qianyuan Dao City—”

“I am both ashamed and awed by this.”

“In my youth, I journeyed through the Great Jing lands and visited many martial cities, witnessing the arrogance of various Divine Sects. They treated the Bizarre Temple as a treasure trove, caring little for the lives of common folks.”

“That is why I admire Qianyuan so much, and it is the main reason why I wish to join Qianyuan.”

Feng Zhiqi clasped his fists and spoke in a deep voice, conveying that he was not joining Qianyuan merely to survive.

Lü Taibai’s expression softened considerably.

After all, he did enjoy hearing flattering words.

And in recent years, under his management, the Qianyuan Divine Sect had indeed adhered to its core principles—keeping the Bizarre Temple’s corruption at bay and always watching over the common people. At the slightest sign of demonic disturbances, they would immediately intervene to protect the people.

Thunder roared in the sky as lightning cracked.

Feng Zhiqi looked upward, and both Lü Taibai and Fang Han Shu followed his gaze.

The destructive power of the calamity thunder pressed down, as if the entire vast Qianyuan Dao City was shackled by its oppressive might. Countless cultivators felt a profound unease in their hearts.

It was as if an enraged deity had emerged from the dark clouds, its face woven from relentless thunder, spewing out bolts like piercing spears destined to shatter mortal souls!

A tumultuous wind arose!

As the dark clouds tore apart, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky, as brilliant as if a divine spear had been hurled from the heavens, descending at breakneck speed!

At the Divine Sect Mountain Gate on the mountainside,

Li Che’s jet-black hair whipped wildly as he stepped forward, his entire being rising in a defiant surge, his golden, radiant body emanating dazzling brilliance.

A divine spear slammed onto the top of his head, clashing like steel before erupting in a thunderous boom, as if the spear itself had exploded in protest.

Ripples surged outward in concentric circles, expanding across the sky like a howling hurricane!

It was as if the very heavens and earth were overturned, mountains and rivers collapsing!

Like an apocalyptic disaster, the entire Dao City quaked!

Lü Taibai’s eyes narrowed as he watched the splintering lightning—slowly being absorbed by Li Che’s body.

Exchanging a glance with Fang Han Shu, both of them grew suddenly serious.

They recognized it immediately:

That which Li Che had withstood and shattered with his might was none other than…

One of the Three Calamities… the Divine Xiao Thunder!

Although not all of it was Divine Xiao Thunder, at least one-third of its power was present!

Feng Zhiqi didn’t quite name it; he only felt that Li Che’s current Martial Saint Heavenly Thunder was far more terrifying than his own thunder calamity.

Gazing at Li Che, who sat cross-legged midway up the mountain, bathed in relentless lightning and absorbing its fearsome essence,

Feng Zhiqi exhaled with awe.

A newcomer to the Martial Saint realm could suppress him with one punch,

And Li Che’s future was bound to be remarkably formidable.

With a talent like his, even if the Qianyuan Divine Sect were to clash with the Imperial Court, what difference would it make?

In truth, Feng Zhiqi harbored a quiet disappointment with the Court.

From dispersing their forces to delegating the defense against Bizarre Temple’s corruption to the Divine Sect, leaving the common people to fend for themselves—he was deeply dissatisfied.

Although the Court still had enough power to protect the masses from the Bizarre Temple’s encroachment, they chose to retreat, abandoning the people.

Li Che hailed from Feilei City—a city once nearly razed to the ground when the Court’s forces were siphoned off to suppress the Divine Sect and the Bizarre Temple—leading to many cities like Feilei.

But many cities fared far worse.

Under the Corpse God Sect’s dominion, groups like the Lingying, Gui Mu, and Hehuan factions were nothing short of a nightmare for ordinary people.

Only the Qianyuan Divine Sect, with its burning hatred for evil, upheld the belief that the practitioners of the Corpse God Sect must perish, saving city after city!

That was why Feng Zhiqi chose to abandon the Court and join Qianyuan Divine Sect.

As Feng Zhiqi mulled over these thoughts,

The crossing of calamity thunder gradually neared its end.

The rolling thunder posed little threat to Li Che, who possessed the Thunder Magnetic Conduit—truly a natural lightning repellent. Even the pure, extreme Martial Saint Heavenly Thunder, laced with Divine Xiao Thunder, was easily weathered by him.

Buzzing, Li Che slowly opened his eyes after the ordeal, his body exuding an overwhelming celestial energy.

Lü Taibai, Fang Han Shu, and Feng Zhiqi drifted down to the broad plateau halfway up the mountain.

“Master, Elder—”

Li Che, his dark robe fluttering with his aura now subdued and his lightning long gone, greeted them with a gentle, clasped-hands smile.

“Congratulations to Li Bansheng for entering the Martial Saint realm!”

Feng Zhiqi offered his congratulations.

He had heard of Li Che’s exploits in the Divine Capital.

Li Che had long broken through to the Divine Nucleus stage, and with the help of the Divine Nucleus Technique, he dominated the Heroes’ Contest in the Divine Capital.

“Governor Feng, since you join our Qianyuan Divine Sect, you are now one of us.” Lü Taibai introduced.

Li Che raised an eyebrow, his face softening even more.

He understood Feng Zhiqi’s decision.

After all, a break with the Great Jing Court meant complete control over Qianyuan Dao City, limiting the Court’s influence.

Of course, the Imperial Watch was excepted—they were always in lockstep with Qianyuan Dao City.

After chatting for a while, Li Che and Lü Taibai returned together to Taibai Peak, while Fang Han Shu left with Feng Zhiqi to gradually assume control over the Divine Guard Army and the Temple Guardian Division.

Lü Taibai and Li Che drifted peacefully onto Taibai Peak.

On the Grand Plaza,

XiXi puckered her lips as if sulking while practicing martial arts with her friends Jin Taisui, Lü Qingxuan, Zhou Peng, and Yun’e.

Regarding combat prowess, XiXi, who had reached the Grandmaster and Divine Vision realms, was a force to be reckoned with. Although her dragon head was mechanically acquired, her fighting power was indisputably peerless.

“Daddy!”

As Li Che and Lü Taibai returned,

XiXi, who had been sulking in a horse stance while circulating her qi to condense her flesh, spotted Li Che—whom she hadn’t seen in over a month!

Her face immediately lit up with a brilliant smile.

Any hint of discontent vanished in an instant!

She abandoned her friends, threw off her small shoes, and sprinted toward Li Che!

Mid-run, sparks flew continually from XiXi’s feet, propelling her forward like a speeding cannonball.

“Daddy, I’m coming!”

XiXi’s head barreled forward like a cannonball.

Were it Zhang Ya instead, she might have been hurt—but with her powerful and mysterious daddy, XiXi felt free to play without restraint.

Then, Li Che caught hold of her head, halting her abruptly.

XiXi, like a cat caught by the scruff, was stunned for a moment,

then her limbs began to flail about.

“Stinky Daddy, don’t you care about my pride?!”

Instantly, XiXi’s face turned bright red.

Li Che laughed heartily, delighted by his energetic daughter, holding her close while XiXi embraced his neck.

“Daddy, I missed you!”

XiXi’s little face rubbed against Li Che’s cheek.

Nearby, Lü Taibai watched the affectionate scene between father and daughter with a tinge of envy.

At least, he didn’t have a daughter to cuddle—but he did have a wife for company.

“So… did you get on my mom’s bad side again?” Li Che ruffled her head as he smiled.

At those words, XiXi pouted fiercely, her face almost as round as a teapot.

“Daddy, the sect master said my cultivation is strong enough for field training now.”

“It’s the rule set by the Ancestral Patriarch: every junior sect master of Qianyuan Divine Sect must venture into the mortal world for trials, to be tempered by the red dust.” XiXi pouted, tears welling as if seeking her father’s justice.

Li Che immediately understood the source of this second family dispute.

Nearby, Lü Taibai interjected, “That’s indeed the rule laid down by our Ancestral Patriarch. I followed the same path as a junior sect master—journeying through the vast world, absorbing the power of the red dust.”

Li Che raised an eyebrow, “The power of red dust?”

After a moment’s thought, Lü Taibai explained, “It’s a unique secret of our Qianyuan Divine Sect. It allows one to form a Red Dust Seal that absorbs the red dust’s energy. Once it’s fully charged, it releases and feeds back, propelling one’s cultivation to great breakthroughs—often surmounting an entire realm.”

“Usually, junior sect masters of Qianyuan Divine Sect who reach the Grandmaster or Divine Essence realms are sent on these pilgrimages. Their journeys span the Eleven Routes of Great Jing,”

“And during these travels, they accumulate red dust energy. On returning, once their Red Dust Seal is filled, they usually break into the Martial Saint or Divine Nucleus realms.”

“A pilgrimage is a form of cultivation.”

Lü Taibai explained.

He recalled that he didn’t break into the Martial Saint realm solely by his Red Dust Seal, but he did establish a 3000-zhang Golden Qi Sea with its help!

That single journey allowed him to leap over the barriers between the Martial Saint Second and Third Openings, reaching the Martial Saint Fourth Opening!

His red dust ordeal was like climbing a mountain of martial arts.

“So… must XiXi also journey into the red dust?” Li Che asked.

Lü Taibai nodded, “But XiXi is still too young. She can wait until she grows older.”

“Sect Master! I’m not a little child anymore!” XiXi, clinging to Li Che’s neck, protested angrily.

She couldn’t tolerate her sect master undermining her.

Upon hearing that she could go on a red dust pilgrimage, XiXi was so excited she hardly slept for three days.

Even though she’d miss her parents,

XiXi was determined to become stronger!

This trip to the Divine Capital had sparked something in her.

The importance of strength was indelibly etched in her mind. If it weren’t for the Underworld Yama’s appearance in the Divine Capital, they might have all been trapped there!

Worse yet, she might have been forced to become a Crown Princess—and that would have been disastrous!

Li Che smiled as if he could read XiXi’s thoughts and ruffled her head.

He wasn’t worried about her training.

After all, no matter where XiXi went, as long as a Feilei Chess Piece remained with her, she’d always be protected.

Besides, did she really think the numerous Spiritual Confinement soldiers Li Che had weren’t well fed?

Not to mention that Li Che had dispatched top-tier protectors like Yue Huanglong; XiXi wouldn’t be in any real danger.

“Training in the field isn’t out of the question. XiXi still needs the Third Prince’s legacy. She’s missing two Mythic Weapons: the ‘Undying Yulian Hun Tian Ling’ and the ‘Xuanlei Vajra Qiankun Ring’.”

“The Undying Yulian Hun Tian Ling is located on the Ancestral Dragon Island of the Dragon God lineage, and the Xuanlei Vajra Qiankun Ring originally belonged to the Dragon Abyss Path—but it is now in the hands of the Corpse God Sect.”

Li Che murmured.

Lü Taibai’s eyes flickered.

It appeared Li Che favored having XiXi train in the field.

However, Li Che quickly added, “But your mother is worried. She wants you to wait until you’re older. So you must listen to her.”

Li Che’s words instantly made XiXi feel aggrieved and throw a little tantrum.

For so long, XiXi had been well-behaved and understanding.

But perhaps now her temper flared as she wriggled free from Li Che’s embrace, crossing her arms and turning away, leaving only her nape visible.

“Daddy is so mean! He only cares about Mom’s feelings and never listens to mine!”

XiXi sulked.

The sect master had declared that her strength was sufficient for field training.

Moreover, XiXi had become the Dragon Leader of the Peach Festival—a truly formidable feat!

“Is the little girl sulking again?”

Li Che couldn’t help but smile at her pout.

He turned her around by cradling her head.

“Your mama only worries because she doesn’t want you to suffer. She’s concerned you might get hurt, cold, or mistreated—she truly cares about you.”

Li Che knelt down slowly, patting XiXi on the head gently.

“If you want to train and become strong enough to protect us from future wrongs—in the Divine Capital where we were so wronged—

if you reach such strength that you could even strike down the Emperor, then there’s no reason to be upset.”

Li Che paused, as if picturing the defiant sparkle in XiXi’s eyes.

“How about this: I’ll talk to your mama. When you’re seven years old, you can finally go on your pilgrimage.”

Li Che gently ruffled XiXi’s head, smiling warmly.

XiXi’s tearful eyes immediately brightened.

“Really?!”

Li Che chuckled, “Do you think I’d ever lie?”

XiXi pounded her little fist, then crossed her arms with a joyful little belly, and teasingly interlocked her pinky with Li Che’s.

Her laughter bounced as she swayed her twin pigtails.

“Seven… it’s almost here.”

The last rain of late spring arrived like a cordial greeting between old friends.

Water droplets from the black-tiled eaves splattered on the ground, shattering into countless pieces as if crushed by time.

Since Feng Zhiqi had joined Qianyuan Divine Sect as a Fourth Elder,

the Temple Guardian Division and Divine Guard Army in Qianyuan Dao City had completely ceased to resist. Under Fang Han Shu’s steady control, they were firmly in his grasp.

Fang Han Shu even personally trained the temple guardians and divine soldiers.

He strictly enforced the rules in Qianyuan Dao City, requiring every martial cultivator entering to register in detail—a constant state of war readiness.

Soon after Li Che broke into the Martial Saint Third Opening, Li Qingshan, Nie Yang, Jin Taisui, and others returned from the Divine Capital.

Even Jin Taisui, admitting defeat, became Li Che’s subordinate; regardless of Li Che’s neglect, he arrived straight from the Divine Capital.

Thus, Qianyuan Dao City gained even more might.

A month later, as summer began, Monitor Hong Shifo returned from the Divine Capital with news that sparked an uproar.

The Peach Festival had incited the wrath of Emperor Jing, who ordered National Teacher Xie Yunshen to enter Divine Capital’s First City on nine consecutive occasions for secret consultations.

Ultimately, at a court meeting a month ago, Emperor Jing granted the National Teacher an imperial edict to apprehend the Underworld culprit Li Che in Divine Capital and to bring charges against the Qianyuan Divine Sect for harboring him!

Additionally, Emperor Jing urgently dispatched another edict to Jizhou, ordering King Ping Luan and Ji Mo Li to lead troops to Lingnan Path to join the National Teacher in indicting Qianyuan!

The news, delivered by Monitor Hong Shifo, sent shockwaves through everyone.

Despite this, Qianyuan Dao City—firmly held by Fang Han Shu—showed no immediate signs of chaos. Instead, the major clans were summoned to form a massive army alongside the Divine Sect’s disciples.

While the news of the expedition spread, the Imperial Court’s reaction was notably sluggish.

Li Che’s days soon returned to calm.

XiXi, meanwhile, diligently trained, determined to grow up quickly, as if more cultivation would speed her growth.

Time passed silently like sand slipping through an hourglass amid the hues of summer rain and autumn wind.

Li Che’s life remained peaceful despite his recent breakthrough.

As the Fifth Elder of the Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Divine Eagle Ridge, his days were filled with rigorous training, absorbing the Temple Spirit’s essence, teaching the Divine Eagle Technique to his disciples, and carving the Half-Saint Divine Eagle.

During this time, Li Che also labored to refine the Eighth Qimen Divine Seed. With his pure martial body now at 96% purity, he felt confident in his ability to refine the final Qimen Divine Seed!

Training, spirit refinement, mechanisms, and the divine eagle—these were the fulfilling, beautiful days he cherished.

When the summer cicadas hidden in the trees emitted their final cry,

the autumn wind soon withered all the trees, sending embers of crimson maple leaves dancing in the air before the northern chill set in.

A single snowflake tumbled, glistening like a crystallized flower of the cosmos,

settling on the earth in a thick blanket of snow.

Qianyuan Dao City.

Disciples’ City, Elders’ Court.

Li Che sat quietly in the courtyard.

It was as if an invisible field had formed around him, barring the falling snow and the invading chill.

This was the terrifying domain unique to a Martial Saint—a natural celestial aura, ever alert.

The Cosmic Chessboard spanned the sky above.

Li Che’s spine trembled, as though seven tiny vortices were swirling and coalescing, twisting the very energy of the heavens and earth.

Beneath those seven swirling eddies, Li Che’s focus intensified as streams of terrifying golden qi and blood pounded relentlessly,

straining to form an eighth vortex!

To coalesce the Eighth Qimen Divine Seed!

Then, as if an invisible force slammed down upon the world,

the nearly-formed vortex of qi and blood exploded suddenly.

Once again, Li Che’s attempt to forge his divine seed had failed.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

In the courtyard, all was serene— the wind had calmed and the snow gently fell.

Li Che’s Martial Saint aura gradually dissipated.

He sighed, “It’s still not working.”

He murmured, “The Eighth Qimen Divine Seed is truly a challenge. To push the human body to its utmost limits is a defiance even the heavens cannot forgive.”

He looked upward.

Once his Martial Saint aura faded, pristine snowflakes began to drift gently,

one snowflake spiraling onto Li Che’s palm.

It melted slowly into a cool drop of water.

Li Che’s lips curved into a soft smile.

It was as if, amid the falling snow, he recalled his early days in Feilei City as a new father—with all the expectant hopes and dreams.

He whispered, “My dear XiXi.”

Then, softly, “You’re seven now.”