Chapter 439: Souls, Fate, and the Ascension of Destiny

Clang, clang, clang, clang——

The clatter of chains resounded ceaselessly, as if a spectral vessel laden with restless souls was silently sailing atop the gloomy River of the Underworld.

On that vessel, every chain was ensnared with a tormented soul, struggling in vain.

Li Che’s deep, commanding voice rang out like the decree of the Lord of the Underworld.

Slowly, the ghostly ship released one of the chosen souls.

It was as if countless streams rushed by, resembling the churning, bubbling waters of the netherworld, from which stark white bones emerged.

In Mo City, ink-dark raindrops continuously fell, pooling together on the streets.

As that somber voice—seemingly echoing from the depths—reverberated through Mo City, a shadow gradually emerged from the accumulating black waters.

Amid this desolate, deathly realm, a jet-black aura drifted over, merging with the soul of Gu Yinxuan, who had just been successfully bound by Spiritual Confinement.

Above Li Che’s head, the fire of the Divine Calamity burned relentlessly, his eyes dark and profound.

Gazing at Gu Yinxuan, who had freed himself from his chains, a hint of contemplation flashed in Li Che’s eyes.

Are these confinements drawn from the netherworld?

Does his nascent Divine Power, Spiritual Confinement, wrest the ownership of souls from the supreme beings in the Underworld?

Does this realm even abide by the law of reincarnation?

Every return enabled by Spiritual Confinement involves capturing and fusing the Dao Essence from the nether with life and death, granting eternal existence within the cosmos…

“Dao Essence is the inherent spirit of the Way; with it, one is born and dies… In the realm of Divine Calamity, cultivation hinges on Dao Essence, harnessing the force of calamities.”

“Moreover, the birth of Spiritual Confinement requires two kinds of Dao Essence…”

“The essence of life is acquired from the mortal realm, while the essence of death is captured from the Underworld; their fusion bestows the power of life and death.”

Li Che pondered these thoughts.

Only by comprehending Dao Essence could one break through the Divine Calamity.

Yet Li Che’s Divine Transformation was still lacking; even with his tireless recent cultivation, devouring the Divine Essence from the Three Purities’ Divine Crystals had only just propelled his Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate form to the Three-God Transformation.

The leap to the realm of the Four Gods remained out of reach.

Thus, Li Che felt that meditating on Dao Essence was a bit premature for him.

In truth, the challenge in breaking through Divine Calamity wasn’t in capturing Dao Essence but in solidifying one’s Dao position amidst the trials of three calamities and nine tribulations.

Bzzzz——

Gu Yinxuan, clearly conflicted, slowly opened his eyes. He glanced at the Underworld Ghost Emperor, who sat in deep contemplation, his face twitching briefly.

The Underworld Ghost Emperor…

Could it really be him!

According to the news that had been relayed back, the Underworld Ghost Emperor was nothing more than a twenty-five or twenty-six-year-old youth, not even at the Divine Calamity or Martial Saint stage.

Yet just moments ago, his silhouette—with his back turned to all living things—and the ominous aura of impending doom that enveloped him had sent chills down Gu Yinxuan’s spine.

Gu Yinxuan’s eyes were filled with bafflement.

Li Che dismissed the Dragon Elephant Vajra from his head and looked calmly at Gu Yinxuan.

“If you refuse to submit, then you can give up.”

“I’m willing to offer you a chance to surrender.”

“If you won’t submit, there are plenty who will.”

Li Che stated coolly.

Spiritual Confinement—Li Che never lacked it.

Not submitting?

To refuse submission is to embrace death!

Gu Yinxuan wasn’t foolish; the ingrained teachings made it immediately clear what his predicament was.

Furthermore, Li Che’s words on the brink of death had given him a severe jolt.

By submitting to Li Che, he could witness the divine tide that surged once in countless ages!

“Your humble servant, Gu Yinxuan, pays homage to you, Master!”

Without hesitation, Gu Yinxuan knelt—he surrendered, wholeheartedly.

Although he was a cultivator at the Two Calamities stage of Divine Calamity, kneeling before a twenty-five or twenty-six-year-old youth felt entirely natural.

After all, he had been shattered and slain by Li Che when at his peak.

What was there left for him to uphold?

Lacking skill, submission was his only option.

“Very well.”

Li Che laughed, welcoming two more masters of Divine Calamity. Among them was the outstanding talent Gu Yinxuan. Li Che was genuinely pleased.

His mood soared.

Gu Yangxuan also approached, his corpulent body drenched in sweat.

At that moment, Gu Yangxuan trembled with fear, fully aware of the foolishness he had committed in life.

He had dared to set his sights on Li Nuǎnxi, intending to transform her into a medicinal ingredient…

It was utterly…

foolish!

But Gu Yangxuan never imagined that behind the mighty Underworld stood only a man—a seemingly insignificant man!

Who would have thought?!

Gu Yangxuan fell to his knees; though a master of Divine Calamity, he was now consumed with terror.

Li Che’s black robes fluttered as his windblown hair burst forth with strength.

Watching the greasy Gu Yangxuan kneel, sweat beading on his brow, Li Che’s eyes remained void of emotion, his pupils as deep as abysses.

A trace of disgust flashed in Li Che’s gaze as he regarded Gu Yangxuan.

To use his daughter as medicinal material?

To absorb and refine her?

Such a notion truly repulsed Li Che.

Since it was revolting…

then Gu Yangxuan had no place here.

But before that, Li Che had matters to attend to.

“Display your Qiankun Caverns.”

Li Che commanded without question.

At the Divine Calamity stage, treasures aren’t stored in Qian Kun Jade but in the opened Qiankun Caverns.

Without hesitation, Gu Yangxuan tore open his Qiankun Cavern and presented it before Li Che. In addition, he knelt in submission, drenched in sweat and repeatedly kowtowing.

“Master, could you spare your mercy in exchange for the treasures I’ve offered?”

It must be said that once a Divine Calamity cultivator transforms into Spiritual Confinement, their intelligence, consciousness, and memory far surpass those of a Martial Saint or one in Divine Transformation.

Not to mention, after becoming Spiritual Confinement, even a clueless Grandmaster is far inferior.

And now, Gu Yangxuan dares to bargain?

Li Che chuckled.

He ignored the kowtowing Gu Yangxuan.

With a sweeping gaze from his Heaven and Earth Soul, Li Che inspected the Qiankun Cavern.

Hmm?

“Is that a Dao Essence Divine Crystal?!”

Even Li Che, usually calm as still water, found his breath quickening at that moment.

Three Four-Yu Dao Essence Divine Crystals!

Dao Essence Divine Crystals are even more precious than Divine Crystals, for beyond the Divine Calamity, besides Divine Essence, cultivation demands Dao Essence.

The Four-Yu Dao Essence Divine Crystals are the lowest grade…

Strictly speaking, only the Sanqing Bizarre Temple can birth Dao Essence Divine Crystals. The one Gu Yangxuan collected came from the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple under exceptionally harsh conditions.

An unexpected delight!

Gu Yangxuan was indeed extremely well-off…

though his wealth stemmed more from his avarice.

He had plundered all the resources of the Tian Dan Divine Sect.

He even developed Dengxian Pills, constructed the Dengxian Pavilion, and seized the resources of cultivators from Guangling Daocheng and disciples of the Tian Dan Divine Sect…

In addition to the three Four-Yu Dao Essence Divine Crystals, he had ten lower-tier Sanqing Divine Crystals!

Of course, Divine Crystals and Dao Essence Divine Crystals were just part of Gu Yangxuan’s vast collection.

Countless rare elixirs, spirit materials, spirit woods, spirit ores, and more…

They were innumerable—a dazzling array!

As one of the most renowned alchemical sects in the world, the Tian Dan Divine Sect controlled nearly half of Great Realm’s pill supply and gathered half of the nation’s alchemical masters, so wealth was never an issue.

But now, all that wealth had been snatched by Li Che.

Li Che chuckled, snapping his fingers. The black chess piece surged in size until, in the next moment, it transformed into the form of Gu Changqing’s Spiritual Confinement.

“Master.”

Accompanied by two child spirits—remnants from the human-head toad pill furnace—Gu Changqing approached.

The two children, frightened, hid behind him, unwilling to come near Gu Yangxuan’s corpulent Spiritual Confinement.

Even as Spiritual Confinement, a terror from the depths of the soul was impossible to dispel.

“Will these resources allow you to refine a Martial Pill of the Sanqing level?” Li Che inquired.

“A Divine Martial Pill?” Gu Changqing glanced at the resources inside Gu Yangxuan’s Qiankun Cavern, gasping as his face trembled.

“Master, to refine a Sanqing-level Martial Pill, one must reach the Divine Calamity realm. I might have the alchemical skills, but lacking cultivation, the failure rate is high and would waste immense resources,” Gu Changqing admitted.

Li Che nodded. “Then strive to break into the Divine Calamity realm.”

Gu Changqing’s eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile, the sweat-drenched Gu Yangxuan, still kneeling, bristled with fear.

“Master—!!!”

Gu Yangxuan’s face trembled violently, “Master, have mercy!”

“You’ve already given up all your treasures and resources… consider it a favor if you die once.”

Then, add: “Die twice, and truly be finished.” A trace of disgust flickered in his eyes.

In one swift motion, Li Che flung Gu Yangxuan’s Spiritual Confinement toward Gu Changqing.

Gu Changqing shuddered briefly before clasping his fists in thanks, “Grateful for your reward, Master!”

His eyes turned red in that moment.

Even if it were the Ancestral Patriarch…

So what?

Now that everyone was Spiritual Confinement, by devouring, one could become a god!

Li Che then turned his gaze toward Gu Yinxuan. Despite the fate awaiting Gu Yangxuan, Gu Yinxuan remained impassive—his eyes complex yet aware of his current status—and said nothing to interfere.

He had no right to interrupt.

“I hear from Gu Changqing you possess a copy of the ‘Tian Du Divine Pill Scripture’? That Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill comes from it?” Li Che asked.

Gu Yinxuan immediately retrieved the scripture from inside the Qiankun Cavern and silently presented it with both hands.

The ruthless Poison Saint only cared about survival.

Li Che, not one for pleasantries, took the scripture and casually flipped through it.

Inside were various Tian Du Pills, each more noxious than the last.

Li Che bared his teeth at what he read.

“The Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill is listed as the tenth Tian Du Pill in this scripture?”

Li Che handed the scripture back to Gu Yinxuan.

“Then refine the first seven poisons I mentioned.”

Gu Yinxuan’s eyes gleamed with fervor, his spirit surging with enthusiasm.

This was also his ambition!

He hadn’t expected that his Master shared the same dream!

At that moment, Gu Yinxuan’s heart, as Spiritual Confinement, came alive.

“I won’t let you down, Master!”

“But Master… the higher ranked poison pills require greater cultivation. I need to improve my strength!”

“The next, ranked ninth – the Three-Legged Golden Toad Pendant—I can manage it at my current Two-Calamity stage, but the following one, the ranked eighth ‘Myriad-Bone Centipede Powder,’ would require me to reach the One Calamity Three-Tribulation stage, or I risk fatal poisoning…”

Gu Yinxuan explained.

Li Che glanced back at him.

Throughout Mo City, the agonized screams of Gu Yangxuan being torn and devoured echoed…

“Refine with abandon, and if you perish, so be it. Perhaps by dying, you’ll become like Gu Changqing, who refined his first Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill that way.”

“Besides, the advancement of Spiritual Confinement is even easier than you imagine.”

“Don’t be hasty. Remain calm.”

Gu Yinxuan nodded with reverence, his mind slightly adrift…

For now, he was no longer afraid of death.

Could his insufficient cultivation really allow him to brew these poison pills at the cost of his life?

Li Che ignored Gu Yinxuan’s concerns and began gathering three Four-Yu Dao Essence Divine Crystals along with ten lower-tier Sanqing Divine Crystals.

He left the alchemical resources for Gu Changqing.

Gu Yinxuan, being a Poison Saint, specialized in brewing poison pills; when it came to regular pills, even Gu Changqing surpassed him.

Thus, the two alchemists—one righteous, one sinister—perfectly fulfilled Li Che’s every need.

With a sudden stirring of his heart and mind, Li Che departed the Underworld Fengdu…

…

…

In Guangling Daocheng.

The poisonous mist had completely dissipated.

Gu Qianchi stared intently at Mo City Fengdu. When the gate of that Underworld Fengdu gradually vanished, he was left dumbfounded.

What of Gu Yinxuan and Gu Yangxuan?

Were they dead?

Yet death should leave celestial omens. Their lack of such portents signified that they hadn’t perished—so where had they gone?

Had they fled?

Gu Qianchi’s body tensed; the pressure from Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan was overwhelming…

He was fortunate not to have joined the fray, lest even a trace of poison left him gravely injured.

Xie Yunshen’s eyes sparkled as Li Che’s message arrived like lightning. He realized that Gu Yangxuan was utterly finished—destined to become sustenance for numerous Spiritual Confinement souls…

Eventually, he would serve as a miraculous pill to help other Spiritual Confinement cultivators break through.

Tian Dan Divine Sect…

They had been breached!

Even as Spiritual Confinement, Xie Yunshen’s conviction burned strong. Now, he fought not for the Great Realm but for his Master!

No longer did he strive for Great Realm glory; he fought for Li Che’s cause…

Thus, breaking a major sect—amassing energy for the Great Realm—was a cause for celebration for Xie Yunshen!

Bzzzz——

Gu Qianchi floated over to Xie Yunshen’s side. Now he understood the situation.

Xie Yunshen descended from his sedan chair, his feather fan gently swaying, his crane cloak billowing.

He slowly strode toward the Tian Dan Divine Sect.

Atop the main plateau of the sect’s peak, he stood surveying the land.

Above the firmament, dark clouds roiled and white snowflakes swirled.

Xie Yunshen reached the edge of a cliff, standing at its summit, gazing over the entire expanse of Guangling Daocheng.

“With the first fallen sect of the Divine Calamity campaign, the mountain has been breached!”

Xie Yunshen bellowed.

Immediately, the Imperial Army of the Court surged with fervor, brandishing swords and spears, roaring in excitement.

For the army, this battle was nothing short of exhilarating!

At last, victory!

If they lost again, they’d begin questioning their very existence.

Now, under the guidance of the National Master, a sect dominating a key territory had been breached!

Xie Yunshen retrieved a small cauldron from Qian Kun Jade, then took out a gourd filled with rain-root water he had stored.

After the cauldron was filled with the rain-root water,

Xie Yunshen stepped back and performed three deep kowtows, as if in prayer to heaven and earth—asking the mountains and rivers for guidance!

Boom——

In the next moment, before the astonished eyes of Gu Qianchi and others, the small cauldron began to tremble, causing the entire mountain gate of Tian Dan Divine Sect to shudder.

The earth trembled, winds and mists intertwined in turbulent waves!

Across the heavens and earth, countless raindrops shattered the haze.

Then, from within that cauldron, a golden lotus slowly blossomed.

The golden lotus bloomed amidst the cosmos, swaying gracefully—it had absorbed the entire energy of the Tian Dan Divine Sect!

Now, the sect’s energy condensed into a Qi Yun Golden Lotus!

One of the Eleven Routes of the Great Realm’s energy was secured!

…

…

In Divine Capital.

In the First City.

Thump, thump, thump, thump——

In the Palace Corridors of the Divine Temple at the Sky Palace.

The halls towered, resplendent in gold and jade, majestic and imposing!

The Emperor sat on his main seat, the Empress gracefully beside him, while ministers stood below, holding jade tablets and bowing in deference.

As the deep chime resonated, the Emperor’s eyes—veiled in divine light—suddenly shone with delight.

He sprang to his feet, his golden robes billowing, his eyes glittering as he looked toward the second city of Divine Capital, in the direction of the Lotus Pavilion.

Ministers and officials alike turned their gaze, witnessing above the Lotus Pavilion…

A golden lotus quietly blossomed in the sky, its radiance bathing the entire building as if gilding it with splendor!

“The Qi Yun Golden Lotus!”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

“Our National Master has ascended!”

The Emperor unfurled his sleeve and roared with laughter.

Such an omen signified that with each breached sect and each Qi Yun Golden Lotus plucked by the National Master, the energy of the Great Realm swelled!

It would lead Great Realm toward even greater glory!

“If all the Eleven Divine Calamity sects are conquered and their energies gathered into Great Realm—plus the realm’s own Qi Yun Golden Lotus, making a total of twelve—then a Twelve-Rank Mountain and River Qi Yun Golden Lotus can be formed!”

“Great Realm will then be unassailable, its national destiny secured for three thousand years!”

The Emperor laughed heartily.

Even Eunuch Lian, his purple robes billowing and his head bowed, listened as the Emperor’s hearty laughter echoed through the Cloud Palace.

His eyes sparkled.

Then he stooped and cried out, “Heaven bless Great Realm! Hail to the Emperor! Long live the Emperor and Great Realm forever!”

Ministers and officials, holding their jade tablets, bowed in unison and cried out.

“Heaven bless Great Realm! Hail to the Emperor!”

…

…

In his study, Li Che sat cross-legged, his five fingers curled around a smooth, small cauldron.

Clad in his ink robe, he squinted his eyes as his dark, billowing hair streamed behind him in the silent current.

In his hand was the very cauldron borrowed from Xie Yunshen, which concealed within it the Qi Yun Golden Lotus of the Tian Dan Divine Sect!

Xie Yunshen stood respectfully beside Li Che, his scholarly robe flowing as his feather fan swayed lightly.

“Master, the Eleven Routes of Great Realm yield eleven Qi Yun Golden Lotuses, and along with Great Realm’s own, that makes twelve.”

Li Che’s eyes glinted, “When these energies converge, can they form a Twelve-Rank Mountain and River Qi Yun Golden Lotus?”

Xie Yunshen nodded, “A Twelve-Rank Mountain and River Qi Yun Golden Lotus… is the coveted prize of every major dynasty in the Central Plains. Throughout generations, only that peerless Emperor who pioneered our era succeeded in gathering it!”

“Alas, that peerless Emperor, driven by ambition, sought to breach past the Martial Saint realm with the Twelve-Rank Mountain and River Qi Yun Golden Lotus during the era before the Bizarre Temple emerged… but in the end, a single misstep led to his downfall in the calamity of the heavens and earth.”

Li Che was, of course, familiar with the legend of that first mortal Emperor.

The one who, in an age before the Bizarre Temple or the birth of Divine Essence, ascended to the pinnacle of humanity.

A truly gifted one.

Li Che did not absorb the Qi Yun Golden Lotus from the small cauldron.

Instead, he returned the cauldron to Xie Yunshen.

“Old Xie, now that the Tian Dan Divine Sect has been breached, what is our next target?”

Li Che inquired.

Xie Yunshen’s eyes shone as he gently waved his feather fan, “Reporting, Master…”

“Qitian City is about to open. According to the Grand Inspector, this city is of great significance—it concerns the Bizarre Temple’s land, the connection between the Inner and Earthly Weird Sanctuaries, and the mysteries of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths…”

“All the heroes of the world will inevitably converge…”

“Thus, our next Divine Calamity target cannot be the Haoran Academy of Jiangnan Dao. I believe we should choose Qingyun Dao Xuanfu Divine Sect.”

Li Che frowned, “Xuanfu Divine Sect?”

His eyes flashed as he continued, “Are you aware that the wife of Lü Taibai, the sect leader of Qianyuan Divine Sect, hails from Xuanfu Divine Sect?”

Xie Yunshen nodded, then shook his head, “Master… something has transpired within Xuanfu Divine Sect…”

“Sect Master’s Wife Xuan Qisha, if she so desires, might very well lead a counterattack back into Xuanfu Divine Sect—breaching it themselves.”

Xie Yunshen’s words made Li Che arch an eyebrow.

He recalled that Xuan Qisha seemed to have been practicing the Locking Talisman technique…

Sealed away in the Divine Talisman Pavilion, refining the Locking Talisman until her body resembled that of a child.

Certainly, there was purpose and underlying sorrow in it.

In hindsight, that sorrow seemed to lie within Xuanfu Divine Sect itself!

“Master, during the Imperial Court’s campaign against Qianyuan Divine Sect, Lü Taibai must have sent a letter to Xuanfu Divine Sect for aid… yet there was no response.”

“It appears that the ancestral secret of Xuanfu Divine Sect has been gravely compromised.”

Xie Yunshen admitted, “As for what truly transpired, I cannot say… it remains one of the sect’s most guarded secrets.”

Li Che did not probe further; with a dismissive wave of his hand, he ordered Xie Yunshen to depart and return to the Tian Dan Divine Sect to prepare for the next campaign.

After all, Xie Yunshen was not battling for the Great Court but was working to amass the world’s energy for Li Che.

The study fell silent.

Leaning back in his chair, Li Che slowly exhaled, as though a massive stone had finally been lifted from his heart—the threat posed by the Two Mysteries having been neutralized.

With his daughter XiXi no longer representing the weight of both a Divine Calamity and a Poison Saint, Li Che’s heart felt considerably lighter.

Before him, golden light began to flow gently.

【Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV7 10%)】

Upon reaching LV7, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit demanded ever greater maturity.

Even slaying formidable foes like Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan yielded only marginal enhancements in maturity.

“As the Dao Fruit advances, its progress becomes increasingly arduous…”

“Its ultimate ceiling should be the Nine Transcendences…”

Li Che fell silent.

From the visions evoked by the Dao Fruit, it seemed that none of the mighty who had wielded them had ever achieved the Nine Transcendences.

Could he, Li Che…?

Moreover, with so many Dao Fruits in his possession…

He decided not to overthink it. As Li Che prepared to seclude himself in the study for further cultivation,

a thunderous noise suddenly erupted in his mind.

The sound of clashing swords—Lü Taibai’s sword light shaking the ether.

At once, Li Che terminated his seclusion, stepping out and vanishing from the study to appear atop Taibai Peak.

Now on Taibai Peak, shadowy figures gathered.

Li Che spotted Monitor Hong Shifo, as well as the Ancestral Patriarch Lü Qiankun and others.

“Ah Che is here.”

Lü Taibai’s silver hair flowed as he smiled upon seeing Li Che.

“The Grand Inspector has transmitted from the Imperial Watch Headquarters in Divine Capital through the eleven cities of the Imperial Watch: Qitian City is about to open… we must prepare to depart.”

Lü Taibai addressed Li Che,

“This time, as we head for Qitian City, Qianyuan Divine Sect will be led by the Ancestral Patriarch, myself, the Great Elder, and you, Ah Che.”

“Old Zhao, Elder Ding Zi, and the remaining Four Elders, the sect will be safeguarded by you all thereafter.”

Lü Taibai gave his orders.

Feng Zhiqi, massive and sturdy, clasped his fists in respect, “Rest assured, Sect Leader.”

“We shall depart in three days. Although the true succession of Qitian Temple won’t appear for another month, we are merely heading to Qitian City to handle matters with the demons from the Myriad Demons Grotto and the Vast River—no more than that.”

“However, we must not delay too long.”

The assembly of Qianyuan Divine Sect’s elite on Taibai Peak discussed their plans fervently.

After all, this expedition to Qitian City was of utmost significance and even carried the risk of demise.

Should all four of them fall, Qianyuan Divine Sect would face a monumental upheaval.

Yet, faced with this grand opportunity, neither Lü Qiankun nor Lü Taibai could abandon their ambitions, for to do so would only benefit those already at odds with Qianyuan.

It was simply that destiny drove them to contend and seize power.

Even Fang Han Shu was to accompany them; neither Lü Taibai nor Lü Qiankun objected, feeling that Fang Han Shu had been stuck at the peak of the Great Master realm for too long—this was his chance to breach into Divine Calamity.

After their discussion concluded,

Li Che returned to the Elders’ Court in Disciples’ City.

He spent some tender moments with his wife, informing her that in three days he would set out for Qitian City, then returned to his study to cultivate further.

He took out a lower-tier Sanqing Divine Crystal—one of Gu Yangxuan’s prized possessions.

Clutching the Sanqing Divine Crystal, Li Che closed his eyes. Inside his brow’s Mud Pellet realm, his Seven Aperture Luminous Heart fluttered.

Each beat unleashed a powerful suction, drawing out the Divine Essence from the crystal.

Yet…

With every beat of his Seven Aperture Luminous Heart, there was an additional, subtle fluctuation.

Li Che abruptly opened his eyes.

With his heightened perception, he effortlessly detected this extra surge…

After a brief moment of contemplation, Li Che’s eyes lit up.

With two fingers pressed together, he tore open the Qiankun Space…

And with a grab of his five fingers, a Dao Essence Divine Crystal fell squarely into his hand.

Li Che cast a fleeting glance at the Dao Essence Divine Crystal; his left hand clutched it while his right gripped the Sanqing Divine Crystal.

With a stirring of his heart and mind, he initiated the Divine Essence Technique.

Boom——!!!