Chapter 378: Ascension of the Peach Garden Hero

Qianyuan Divine Sect’s greatest hero, Li Che, has successfully ascended to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

Ascended to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

Ascended…—.

A voice, resounding like an ancient bell, exploded into a torrent of sound that crashed like falling thunder, leaving the heroes from every faction in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard utterly stunned, their faces a mix of confusion, shock, and disbelief.

The sound reverberated throughout the Peach Garden, ringing in every ear whether they wanted to hear it or not.

The first hero to ascend to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

A number of faces subtly shifted as they processed the news!

Within the Peach Garden.

Zhang Xuanlei lifted his head, sparks flickering in his eyes. His black Taoist robe whipped dramatically as a fierce, overwhelming aura radiated from him.

Yet his face still bore an expression of pure bewilderment.

How could it be so soon?

Li Che had gathered five Thousand-Year Peaches and reached the second phase of his ascension to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard?

Why?!

How could he be so fast?!

Zhang Xuanlei clenched his fist as if containing a raging storm of thunder, the power in his palm warping the very air with a terrifying intensity.

He had planned to meet Li Che in the first round and defeat him so he’d never reach the second phase.

But before he could track Li Che down and exact his revenge to settle their feud, Li Che had already moved into the second phase.

It was too soon!

The Peach Labyrinth was in constant flux; every peach tree slowly shifted its position, changing the pathways every time.

Even though the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard was enormous, for a hundred heroes scattered within it, crossing paths was no small feat.

Zhang Xuanlei was fortunate enough to locate a hero from Xuanfu Divine Sect, Yang Ziyun, thanks to their close proximity. Locking onto his aura, he relentlessly chased after him.

Remember, Zhang Xuanlei’s cultivation was extraordinarily powerful – his very soul had to strain to sense and pursue his target.

So how did Li Che manage to find four other heroes so quickly and even snatch peaches from them?

“Damn it!!!”

Fury surged in Zhang Xuanlei as his delay felt like a dagger plunging into his heart.

It caused him unbearable pain and endless rage.

Most of all, his pride was brutally wounded.

“The Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, huh—”

Suddenly, thunder erupted at his feet; divine power exploded around him, casting his shadow into multiple afterimages as he sped off toward the peach grove.

At breakneck speed, he dashed in the direction of the Peach Grove.

It grew even faster as Li Che became the very first hero to enter the second phase—

Zhang Xuanlei panicked.

His golden hair whipped around wildly as a torrent of dreadful aura surged about him. With a mighty punch that seemed backed by the phantom of a giant beast, he thrust forward.

Goldmane easily subdued a Divine Sect hero and snatched away the peach he’d gathered.

The hero, from the Seven Treasure Divine Sect, had deployed divine weapons after divine weapons to fend off Goldmane’s assault. Ultimately, none of those weapons could change the outcome.

Yet Goldmane did not kill the Seven Treasure hero; he let the gravely wounded man flee.

Goldmane wasn’t foolish. After all, he was within the borders of the Dajing Dynasty.

Taking part in the Dajing Dynasty’s Peach Festival, he could not recklessly kill. Rampant slaughter would surely confine him within the dynasty’s limits.

Still, Goldmane didn’t really need to kill – merely defeating these Dajing heroes would suffice.

That would secure face for Witch God Mountain and complete his mission for Goldmane.

This wasn’t Goldmane’s first time at the Peach Festival; the rules of this event had surprised him, but he found them quite entertaining.

A burning determination surged within Goldmane – fueled by his wager with Li Che.

Even if Li Che appeared to pull off a fast one, Goldmane cared about only one thing –

Winning!

Not only did he need to beat Li Che, but he had to win the entire wager.

The pride of Witch God Mountain would not let him lose easily.

With his golden hair streaming and his eyes briefly closing, Goldmane’s phantom hound appeared behind him, as if sniffing out other heroes’ auras in the Peach Labyrinth.

It was his minor Divine Nucleus Technique – a small yet effective tracking method.

Goldmane’s ambitions soared; he believed that with this tracking technique, he would thrive in the Peach Labyrinth like no other.

The wager with Li Che was simple: whoever secured the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach would be declared the winner, and Goldmane would drag the useless Jin Taisui back to Witch God Mountain for punishment by the Great Witch God.

That spineless, soulless Jin Taisui!

The mere thought of Jin Taisui filled Goldmane with disgust and disappointment.

Suddenly.

Goldmane trembled as his eyes narrowed.

He heard the sound echoing throughout the Peach Grove.

Li Che—

Ascended!

The first hero to ascend to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!

What’s his deal?!

Does he have a dog’s nose?!

Goldmane was both shocked and furious!

He was astonished that Li Che had managed to gather five peaches so quickly – while even with his long-range Divine Nucleus Technique, he’d barely secured his first peach.

Anger boiled within him: if Li Che truly sped ahead and ascended into the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard in one swift move to claim the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach –

What then?!

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!”

Goldmane roared as his golden aura flared, and he bolted off in a burst of speed.

“Fine – let the first hero of the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard have his glory. I can still compete for the title of first ascendant in the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!”

Goldmane reassured himself as his fighting spirit reignited.

A voice like a public announcement echoed through the Peach Grove, stirring tension and raising hearts.

Li Che, the first to step into the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard…

Will he maintain his lead at every turn?

Having entered the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard so early, what will Li Che do next?

And who will be the second hero to ascend to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard?

A sense of urgency spread instantly among all the heroes.

At near-visible speed, heroes who had been cautiously navigating the Peach Garden broke into full sprint as they raced to locate one another!

Because once heroes gathered five peaches and ascended, the peaches left in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard would dwindle – until, eventually,

They could no longer collect enough peaches and would remain lost in the labyrinth forever!

In Divine Capital’s Second City,

At Jade Plaza,

The Celestial River’s water curtain poured down in cascading streams, each droplet bursting with a flash of brilliant light.

As if the Celestial River had burst its banks, every droplet collided with another, creating subtle vibrations that even produced sound from the waterfall.

Then, like a raging storm, the sound roared over Jade Plaza!

“Li Che, greatest hero of Qianyuan Divine Sect, has ascended to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard!”

The voice resounded like a massive bell – a converged roar born from countless droplets.

Wind and waves surged like a tidal rush; inside the sprawling pavilions of the Dajing Dynasty, mighty heroes from various sects and noble clans looked on in startled awe.

“Li Che?”

“Is that Li Bansheng of Qianyuan Divine Sect?!”

“Good fellow – those who got their Qian Kun Jade and peaches snatched away, not even the Celestial River’s splendor could chase them down – it is indeed Li Bansheng!”

After a few breaths of silence, a tumult erupted like a storm.

Inside the main banquet hall of Qianyuan Divine Sect,

Lü Taibai couldn’t help but laugh heartily – it was undoubtedly his doing…

Sure enough, with his characteristic style, Lü Taibai suspected that Li Che was behind it all.

His miraculous Breath Convergence, his extraordinary surveying skills, and his unmatched expertise with Qian Kun Jade and peach thievery had all pointed to him.

When his comrade Liu Qing of Tian Dan Divine Sect suffered a brutal blow, Lü Taibai had already suspected as much – and now his suspicions were confirmed.

XiXi, with a chicken drumstick stuffed in her mouth, her eyes wide with astonishment, soon beamed with unabashed joy!

“No wonder XiXi’s Father quietly accomplished something huge!”

Mumbling with a mouthful of chicken, XiXi gestured excitedly to her little friends.

Her father’s glory was her glory!

Zhang Ya’s eyes shone with pride and delight.

Sure enough, a husband remains a husband!

Yet even as the booming announcement echoed, some faces darkened, even flushing with anger.

That was Xuan Jiu Zhuan, the patriarch of Xuanfu Divine Sect!

Clenching his fist, sorrow deep in his eyes, he cried out,

“Yang Ziyun!”

This was a hero from Xuanfu Divine Sect, whose Divine Nucleus Transformation had once promised him peaches at the festival.

But while everyone marveled at the sound of the Celestial River’s cascade, one of the nine-grid screens revealed a shocking image: Zhang Xuanlei, the top hero of Purple Mansion Divine Sect, ruthlessly slaying Yang Ziyun of Xuanfu Divine Sect.

Not only did Xuan Jiu Zhuan see this, but many disciples of Xuanfu Divine Sect witnessed the scene, their hearts trembling with grief.

A young white-dressed dragon disciple covered her mouth and screamed in agony as tears streamed down her face.

Yang Ziyun – he was the father of that little dragon.

“Purple Mansion Divine Sect!”

With a face contorted in grim determination, Xuan Jiu Zhuan turned toward the Purple Mansion Divine Sect’s banquet hall, his eyes locking on Sect Leader Zhang Wuji.

Zhang Wuji, having observed Zhang Xuanlei’s every move, had been alert all along.

Seeing that Zhang Xuanlei left no escape, unleashing relentless cruelty that resulted in the immediate execution of Xuanfu’s hero, Zhang Wuji sighed in regret.

It was as if Zhang Xuanlei had transferred his grief for Yang Ziyun’s death onto the hero of Xuanfu Divine Sect.

Dressed in a billowing purple robe with his sleeves raised in an apologetic gesture, Zhang Wuji said,

“Zhang Wuji, no need to act so tough!”

Xuan Jiu Zhuan, his face ice-cold, swished his sleeve fiercely, “From now on, Xuanfu Divine Sect will raise the price of our divine talismans for Heavenly Master’s Way by 30%! No talisman shall be sold to anyone from Purple Mansion Divine Sect!”

As the foremost powerhouse in divine talismans under Dajing, Xuanfu Divine Sect controlled most channels.

After all, they boasted a Talisman Saint!

The standoff between Xuanfu Divine Sect and Purple Mansion Divine Sect was merely a minor skirmish.

After all, the Peach Festival was a contest of magical arts where life and death were common.

At that moment, all eyes turned back to the Celestial River water curtain.

On the water curtain, a new image emerged.

The nine-grid display vanished, replaced by a single striking figure.

It was Li Che, his dark robe billowing, his jet-black hair slicing through the air like lightning.

A gentle golden glow appeared on his forehead as five peaches floated around him, rotating slowly.

Then, luminous beams burst forth from the peaches, transforming into five surges of divine aura and energy that enveloped him like immortal mists.

Like an immortal treading on clouds, Li Che ascended.

Crash after crash, peach trees shuddered and aligned before him as if forming a celestial path.

Their swaying branches released streams of divine energy, forming a radiant river that lifted Li Che as if he were riding on clouds, propelling him straight into the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

Then the image faded, and silence returned.

The nine-grid display in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard resumed, showing anxious heroes dashing about to confront one another.

For a moment…

Both the Second and Third Cities of Divine Capital fell into eerie silence.

At the Peach Festival’s main banquet table,

The Empress’s pale white fingers gripped the Celestial Scepter as a soft smile appeared on her face.

“So… it turns out it is Li Bansheng.”

“Not even the Celestial River could track the moment Li Bansheng bested the other heroes.”

“His techniques truly are unfathomable.”

The Empress smiled gently, her eyes twinkling.

Indeed, this hidden fellow had finally been exposed – though his identity was a surprising revelation.

Beside her, the Emperor’s face was lined with divine power and blood Qi, his eyes deep and mysterious.

“Is it mere luck, or can Li Bansheng really pinpoint the positions and tracks of his foes within the Peach Labyrinth?”

“Otherwise, how else could he so swiftly and accurately locate every hero, snatching their peaches with ease?”

The Emperor’s words made the Empress’s eyes glimmer with a subtle light.

Turning her head, her exquisite features showed a look of astonishment.

“Your Majesty, do you mean…?”

“That Li Bansheng might have connected with that divine weapon?”

That divine weapon – the one the Dajing royal family had spent centuries seeking in the Sanqing Bizarre Temple of Xi Wangmu’s Bizarre Temple?!

The Emperor’s brilliant yellow robe fluttered in the wind.

His gaze, as deep as a black hole, declared, “The Kunlun Mirror.”

A cascade of xenon-like currents intertwined and slowly dispersed.

Li Che’s forehead-mud pellet pulsed as the Cosmic Chessboard retracted, his dark robe billowing as if propelled by unseen forces from the peach trees to the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

And then the nine-grid display in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard reappeared, showing anxious heroes dashing about once more.

For a moment…

The entire Second and Third Cities of Divine Capital sank into complete silence.

Within the Peach Festival’s main banquet,

The Empress’s pale white fingers clutched the Celestial Scepter as her face lit up with a smile.

“So, it is Li Bansheng!”

“Not even the Celestial River could capture the moment Li Bansheng defeated the others.”

“His techniques truly defy understanding.”

The Empress smiled softly, her eyes shimmering.

Indeed, the hidden fellow had finally been exposed – though his identity was unexpectedly revealed.

Her husband, the Emperor, remained solemn, his eyes deep and mysterious.

…

Li Che’s journey continued as he locked onto a peach hanging from a towering tree.

Within the Peach Labyrinth, his senses detected that the divine energy and fragrance had become even denser, almost tangible.

Li Che inhaled deeply, feeling the surge of profound energy.

“What a perfect place!”

“Not only is it ideal for cultivating divine power, it’s also a treasure trove for martial training – a true paradisical realm!”

His eyes sparkled as he observed that these peach trees, towering a hundred zhang high, far surpassed those in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

Where once the trees stood at ten zhang, now they soared to a hundred, their lush green leaves pulsing with vibrant energy.

Longing to glance back at the old Thousand-Year Peach Grove, he found the path seemingly severed forever.

He could see no trace of the familiar grove – it was as if he had stepped into an entirely different realm.

Li Che raised an eyebrow in silent wonder.

He gestured, and his mud pellet began to glow.

The Cosmic Chessboard roared back to life; its crisscrossed lines shot upward into the Heavenly Dome, ensnaring the towering peach trees within its network.

The number of peach trees in the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard was clearly far fewer than in the Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

Yet that dazzling display wasn’t Li Che’s main aim.

Instead, oppressive currents roiled around him.

Then, a sudden explosion rang out in his ears!

“Help me – please help me!!!”

The desperate cry pounded like thunder, unmistakably fierce and urgent!

Li Che’s hair stood on end.

He felt as if his very mind was shaken by the tumult.

“It’s nearby! Closer now!”

Li Che’s eyes shone as he pinpointed the sound emanating from the deeper parts of the Peach Labyrinth.

The Five-Thousand-Year Peach Grove wasn’t deep enough!

Yet to advance to the next stage, he needed to gather five peaches, just as in the first round.

Now, in the entire Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, he was the sole hero present.

Thus, gathering five peaches was simply impossible.

“Hmmm? Since the second round hasn’t started yet – don’t the Peach Festival rules say nothing about this?”

“And besides, the outside Celestial River water curtain can’t see me – might I pluck a peach early?”

Li Che’s eyes flickered as they rested on the gargantuan peach trees, their trunks like winding dragons forming broad avenues.

With a tap of his foot, the frost-crisp grass beneath shattered, launching him into a sprint through the Dense Forest.

The Cosmic Chessboard quickly latched onto a Five-Thousand-Year Peach tree.

As Li Che moved, the tree’s serpentine roots writhed like a coiled dragon, shifting its position.

Yet Li Che’s target was clear: the Five-Thousand-Year Peach tree as sensed by the Cosmic Chessboard.

Cautiously, he didn’t pluck the peach himself – he instead flicked his fingers.

In an instant, a black chess piece floated out, surging like a shadow.

It was none other than Xue Dufu’s Spiritual Confinement, long absent.

Now, having reached the pinnacle of the Third Flower Grandmaster, Xue Dufu’s Spiritual Confinement obeyed Li Che’s command and sped toward the peach.

Boom –!!!

In a flash, a torrent of demonic energy burst forth like a cataclysmic tide, striking Xue Dufu.

But how could a Grandmaster like Xue Dufu withstand it? He was blasted by the energy, reduced to black smoke, and vanished without a trace.

Li Che, his dark robe billowing, turned his gaze to a giant serpent that had materialized suddenly – a monstrous snake crowned with sharp, spiraling horns, its eyes like blooming flowers and its scales densely packed.

The beast stared in stunned silence at the spot where Xue Dufu had been obliterated.

“A creature rivaling a Martial Saint’s Second Awakening!”

Li Che chuckled lightly.

He no longer summoned Xue Dufu; with his strength, Xue Dufu wouldn’t have been able to harvest a peach in the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard anyway.

With a snap of his fingers, the black chess piece expanded rapidly into the solid form of Yue Huanglong.

Yue Huanglong appeared and grinned broadly, his rotund frame erupting in flames as if oil had met fire.

His top-tier aura burst forth as his five fingers transformed into enormous hands, reaching out to seize the horned serpent.

The giant snake roared in terror, its razor-sharp fangs exposed.

But it was futile – Yue Huanglong, now blazing with supreme power, effortlessly subdued the beast!

His five plump fingers, like divine spears, tore through the air with staggering force, leaving deep impressions in the turbulent currents.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

In a matter of strikes, the beast—comparable to a Martial Saint’s Second Awakening—was dispatched by Yue Huanglong!

Wearing a mask, Yue Huanglong carried the snake’s corpse with an almost sycophantic manner, allowing the blood from its wounds to flow before Li Che.

“Master, please accept this humble offering,” he said.

The eyes behind his mask shone with an endearing, goofy smile.

Li Che, not one to be polite, declared, “Spiritual Confinement is mine – no ifs or buts.”

After delivering the snake, Yue Huanglong sprang toward a peach tree and snatched a peach radiating intense divine energy and aura.

But as Yue Huanglong reached to pluck the peach, his expression changed.

A sudden, terrifying oppressive force descended with overwhelming authority.

Yet Yue Huanglong, gritting his teeth and undaunted, forced the peach free with a snapping motion – crunch – and the Five-Thousand-Year Peach was plucked.

“Master, the peach!”

Yue Huanglong swiftly tossed the peach to Li Che.

Then, as radiant qi from Qimen Divine Seed erupted on his burning, chiseled form, he looked upward,

Only to see that the peach tree’s branches were tearing apart.

A beam of light shot down at an incredible speed.

That speed—it was blinding!

As if it had reached light speed itself!

Even Li Che’s reaction wouldn’t suffice to dodge it!

Even escaping with his Feilei Chess Piece for teleportation, he’d be pierced by that light before he could move!

That beam of light was almost as fast as light itself!

“What is this?!”

Li Che’s hair stood on end.

Then the beam sliced through Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confinement like a hot knife through butter.

Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confinement was obliterated!

In other words –

This beam was capable of fatally injuring, even slaying, a top-tier Martial Saint!

Li Che’s face changed, a trace of astonishment evident.

Yet the peach—plucked by Yue Huanglong—landed in Li Che’s hand, untouched by the beam’s fury.

Though Li Che was the one behind the peach plucking, the cost had been the life of Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confinement.

【Five-Thousand-Year Black Phoenix Spirit Peach】

Clutching the peach, as large as two fists, its vibrant red flesh and tender white texture contrasting with its blackened branches and leaves, Li Che felt a surge of jubilation.

A powerful allure emanated from the peach, enticing his very soul.

It radiated a seductive force inherent to the peach – though in his current state, Li Che resisted eating it.

After all, he was still competing in the Peach Festival – consuming it would forfeit his qualification, leaving him with nowhere to turn.

To prevent any mishap, Li Che used two fingers to carve open a gap in Qiankun Space, safely securing the peach.

“If I trade Spiritual Confinement for life, could I harvest every peach in the Peach Garden?!”

Li Che’s eyes burned with determination.

He finally understood.

“Is this the perk for the first hero to ascend the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard?”

“A little entertainment while waiting for the other heroes?”

Li Che laughed aloud.

Stealing peaches?

No – he was openly harvesting peaches!

The Cosmic Chessboard roared as Li Che locked onto another peach and raced toward it.

Gazing at the peach hanging from a tree – exuding intense dragon blood and divine energy, rivaling a top-tier celestial gem from Tian Dan – Li Che paused.

He detected a divine restriction emblem woven among the tree branches, barring him from plucking the peach.

“They’ve imposed restrictions on me – with the second round of the Peach Festival yet to begin, I cannot pluck it.”

But then…

Deja vu – Li Che flicked his fingers again, summoning Yue Huanglong’s Spiritual Confinement once more.

This time, however, the Spiritual Confinement barely appeared before being shattered by that blazing beam of light.

Li Che was left speechless and horrified.

The speed of that light was simply too extreme!

Even if directed at him, he wouldn’t stand a chance!

He sensed the mounting intensity of the light, as if it were about to unleash its full fury.

Li Che abandoned his plan to use the Spiritual Confinement for peach harvesting.

Somehow, he felt that the oppressive aura surrounding both the Spiritual Confinement and Yue Huanglong was a dire warning.

“That aura…”

Li Che’s eyes suddenly lit up with understanding.

He sat cross-legged, seizing the lull before any hero ascended the Five-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, and opened his heart to cultivation.

His mind merged with the Cosmic Chessboard, and soon a chess piece materialized – the very embodiment of Spiritual Confinement, representing Yue Huanglong’s lost form.

At that moment, a thin white beam, like a fiber-optic strand, slowly emerged from the black chess piece.

Boom –!!!

As the white light appeared, the Cosmic Chessboard trembled violently.

Within his chest, the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit pulsed continuously, its resonance echoing like the toll of a great bell through every fiber of his being!

Following the thread of the aura along the Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che’s spirit soared, swelling like an inflating balloon as it steadily ascended.

Under his perception, the hundred-zhang peach tree grew ever smaller.

He surged upward toward the Heavenly Dome, where a deep blue sky and a colossal sun reigned.

And that beam of light – it originated from that mighty sun!

A fine, thread-like aura connected him to the dazzling sun.

The sun radiated an awe-inspiring pressure, so terrifying and transcendent that even Li Che’s heart trembled.

“This is…”

Li Che drew a deep breath.

Allowing his soul to follow the slender thread of light, he ascended slowly –

Becoming one with that immense sun!

A torrent of brilliant light tore through the endless radiance as Li Che’s soul chased the aura, seeking to capture its essence.

At that moment, an intense, searing heat overwhelmed him.

Then, in an instant, his pursuit evaporated, as if dissolved away!

Back in the Peach Labyrinth,

Wild whirlwinds erupted with every breath, and countless peach leaves swirled like ocean waves in tumult.

Li Che suddenly opened his eyes, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

“That is—”

A trace of fear lingered in his eyes.

But soon after, a look of exhilaration burst forth from deep within, like a pent-up volcano finally erupting!

The colossal sun, its brilliance tempered, revealed a bronze-framed silver mirror!

It was none other than the long-sought Sanqing Divine Weapon: the Kunlun Mirror!

【Sanqing Qiankun Haori Kunlun Mirror】