Chapter 283: Chess Sage Lv.5 Dao Fruit and Three Transformations, Daughter's Bounty Causes Father's

Chapter 283: Chess Sage Lv.5 Dao Fruit and Three Transformations, Daughter's Bounty Causes Father's Anxiety

Twisted muscles, like twisted dough, covered the body, pores expanded, and powerful true essence erupted from the flesh.

The spine trembled, like a raging dragon roaring, piercing through the heavens!

Black hair, strong and vigorous, seemed to whip the air like a divine lash.

Li Che did not suppress the power of his physical body, and his stature began to grow taller and taller... This was the transformation of the flesh brought about by the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit.

An intense killing intent rolled like a torrent from the Nine Underworlds.

Li Qingshan, wearing a cat face mask, felt as if he was facing a terrifying storm, and his blue robe clung tightly to his hunched and frail body.

How terrifying! Li Qingshan's eyes narrowed, was this... the current Li Che?

So powerful!

Just the aura alone was suffocating!

Could it be that the current Li Che already possessed the combat strength of a Martial Saint? The Dragon Queen Consort's ultimate transformation, breaking through to the Martial Saint realm and fighting Li Che, was something Li Qingshan had not witnessed. Now he realized that Li Che might have single-handedly defeated a Martial Saint!

This meant that even though Li Che was only a Grand Master, he still possessed the combat strength of a Martial Saint!

What a monster! Li Qingshan's body trembled slightly, feeling an unbelievable shock, like a mountain tsunami pounding against his soul.

He remembered the young man in Flying Thunder City who once needed his protection. Unknowingly, he had grown to such heights? Fortunately, Li Che was his colleague! If he had to face such a formidable opponent, it would truly be despairing and terrifying.

No wonder so many people, after being targeted by the Netherworld, would feel boundless fear, unable to breathe, and extremely repressed.

If roles were reversed, and Li Qingshan were to face Li Che as an enemy, thinking about it carefully, having such a rapidly growing opponent would make it hard to sleep at night.

"The Hunter Sect in Golden Light Mansion was once eradicated by the Netherworld..."

"Then why not the one in Primordial Dao City?"

Li Che spoke in a low voice.

Beneath the Bull Demon mask, his eyes shone with a light filled with killing intent and madness.

Li Qingshan swallowed, unable to hold back, "The Bull Demon... is still a bit different."

"The Hunter Sect in Dao City and the one in Golden Light Mansion are quite different..."

Li Qingshan was afraid that the Bull Demon would do something foolish.

"The Hunter Sect originally only operated in Dao City, so each Hunter Sect in Dao City has been in business for over a thousand years, with deep roots and countless assassins. Its information network covers the entire Primordial Dao City..."

"The handover points for the Hunter Sect alone number over ten within Dao City, and the main base has never been exposed..."

Li Qingshan, through the cat face mask, looked at the towering Bull Demon, whose oppressive aura filled the air.

"Most importantly... the assassins of the Hunter Sect in Primordial Dao City are incredibly powerful!"

"The Hunter Sect in Golden Light Mansion is just a branch of the one in Dao City, a trial product. Of course, it can't compare in terms of strength. According to my recent understanding, there are at least five Constellation Assassins! And this doesn't even include the top-tier Hunter King assassins of the Hunter Sect!"

Li Qingshan's heart pounded as he shared the information he had gathered from the Hunter Sect.

Li Che glanced at the tense Li Qingshan, unsure what he was worried about, and said calmly, "Rest assured, I'm confident."

Without absolute certainty, Li Che would never act rashly.

The Hunter Sect in Primordial Dao City was a formidable force, not weaker than the Temple Control Office or the Heaven Gazing Office, perhaps only slightly weaker than the Heavenly Origin Sect.

However, the Hunter Sect in Primordial Dao City was merely a branch of the Hunter Sect.

In terms of overall strength, the Hunter Sect was even stronger than the Heavenly Origin Sect.

The current Netherworld would not easily engage in a direct confrontation with the Hunter Sect.

The Hunter Sect's leader, the Hunter King assassins, and the Constellation Assassins...

These assassins were formidable, capable of challenging even the divine. However, the assassins of the Hunter Sect were motivated by profits, and without profit, even the Hunter Sect leader would struggle to command them.

In short, the Hunter Sect appeared strong on the surface, but in terms of cohesion, it fell far short of the Heavenly Origin Sect.

The assassins worked primarily for profit and survival.

"Xixi's bounty is ranked third. I wonder which assassin will take up the task..."

Li Che's towering stature exuded a powerful oppressive aura that filled the courtyard. He pondered as he stood there.

The Hunter Sect had placed his daughter on the third rank of the bounty list. He, Li Che, couldn't just stand by and do nothing...

"There are no restrictions on who can take up the bounty, and it's impossible to know who will accept it, because any assassin can do so... These assassins could be Golden-Faced or Jade-Faced, or even Three Flowers Rakshasa, or Constellation Assassins..."

"Even Hunter King assassins are possible."

Li Qingshan spoke in a deep voice.

"Hunter King assassins are so named because they are at least Divine Embryo Four Transformations Great Deities, and some are even Martial Saints who have opened the heavens!"

"They are the kings among assassins, truly unparalleled."

Li Qingshan's words made Li Che's heart grow heavy.

Li Che slowly closed his eyes.

Lu Tai Bai had told him about Xixi's upcoming appearance on the Hunter Sect's bounty list, but at that time, he hadn't felt such pressure. Now, hearing Li Qingshan's words, Li Che felt a chill down his spine.

If a Hunter King assassin were to target Xixi?

If a Constellation Assassin were to ambush Xixi?

Although...

Xixi was just a five-year-old child, but what if this Hunter King assassin had no shame?

"I'm still... not strong enough..."

Li Che opened his eyes, his entire body trembling slightly.

If a Hunter King assassin were to target Xixi...

What could he do?

He could only use the Flying Thunder Chess Piece to teleport her away, without even a shred of resistance.

The gap was too vast.

Even...

Li Che's scalp tingled as he faced the Hunter King, comparable to a Martial Saint who had opened the heavens, standing at the pinnacle of martial arts. The Flying Thunder Chess Piece... could it be of use?

In fact, it had been proven that the teleportation of the Flying Thunder Chess Piece could be affected.

When the Dragon Queen Consort wanted to trap the Cat Face, she used Su Dao Ling's Calming the Winds Divine Talisman to seal the space, and the teleportation of the Flying Thunder Chess Piece was slowed.

For truly top-tier assassins, that slight delay was enough for a thousand attacks. However, Lu Tai Bai should also be aware of this, and during this time, he should be doing his utmost to protect Xixi's safety.

Xixi, the designated young master of the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect, is of utmost importance, impacting the sect's reputation, essence, and fate.

Lu Tai Bai naturally pays close attention to her safety.

However...

"The threat is too great!"

"She's only five years old and already ranked third on the Reward Board. As a father, I can't rest easy!" Li Qingshan exclaims, his gaze fixed on the towering figure of Lu Tai Bai, whose black hair billows in the air, and whose aura seems to freeze in this moment as he faces the Bull Demon under the spring rain.

Li Qingshan sighs inwardly. If it were him, with such a terrifying force targeting his child, assassins could appear at any moment, ready to strike.

He would probably feel so anxious that he might go insane.

That feeling of being stared down by evil in the darkness is terrifying and painful, as if it freezes one's soul.

Li Qingshan knows that the Bull Demon is Li Che, so he understands Li Che's worries. As a father facing this situation, how could he not be terrified?

Time passes, and Li Che looks towards Li Qingshan.

"Senior Brother Qingshan, on the Reward Board, am I listed?" Li Che asks.

Raindrops gather on the Cat Face Mask, forming at the jawline and then dripping down.

"The Bull Demon is ranked tenth on the Netherworld's Reward Board."

"The Fifth Elder of Divine Eagle Ridge, Li Che, is ranked forty-third."

Li Qingshan had already been aware of this and promptly responds.

"The Bull Demon is only tenth..."

"And Li Che is forty-third?"

Li Che smiles.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

"You're welcome," Li Qingshan waves his hand dismissively.

"A Che, what do you plan to do?"

Li Che raises his hand, and on his palm, like a fan, raindrops gather, collide, and explode as they continuously bounce.

"Fishing."

Fishing is Li Che's specialty.

With Xixi ranked third on the Reward Board, using her as bait will undoubtedly attract the attention of the Hunter Sect's assassins, who will go crazy with their attacks.

However...

Li Che dares not, and he is unwilling.

If something were to happen to her, Li Che would be heartbroken for a lifetime.

Even if he were to use the Immortal Art Electromagnetic Cannon, a divine art fruit, to draw a copy of Xixi as bait to lure the Hunter Sect's assassins...

Li Che is unwilling to use his daughter as bait.

This is a father's persistence!

"If my ranking were higher, wouldn't that be better?"

This is Li Che's response to Li Qingshan.

"Senior Brother Qingshan, if you have time, please spend more time with Mu Po Po..."

Li Che sincerely expresses his thoughts to Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan, usually as hot-tempered as the sun, suddenly falls silent, and after a moment, he nods and quickly leaves with a few leaps.

Li Che watches his departing figure and then looks up at the sky again.

He clenches his five fingers tightly.

It's as if five furious dragons are darting through the courtyard.

In an instant, all the rain in the courtyard evaporates and explodes.

...

...

Trumpets and suona horns sound.

The melody is small, but the rhythm is grand!

On the main road of Heavenly Origin City, a sea of red flows like a stream.

The palanquin bearers, dressed in festive red, effortlessly carry the palanquin. In front, a dragon horse with a red flower tied to its head, a middle-aged man from the Su Clan, wearing a groom's robe, exudes a vibrant aura, rides the dragon horse, and continuously bows.

"The Su Clan is getting married again."

"Didn't the Su Clan just lose a lot of people? They're getting married again, unbelievable!"

"It's precisely because they lost so many people that the Su Clan is in a hurry to marry and produce new descendants to continue their lineage!"

"Moreover, this bride seems to be a genius girl from the small Lei Clan, right?"

...

The surrounding commoners and Jianghu guests, while sharing in the festive atmosphere, can't help but point and gossip.

Pointing at the vibrant middle-aged man, they whisper.

If they haven't mistaken him, this is the Su Clan's middle-aged man's thirteenth wife.

Inside the palanquin, a girl dressed in red, with a red veil covering her head, sits quietly and gracefully. She doesn't know what awaits her.

Married off to the Su Clan by her family, she feels lost and doesn't understand why her family would treat her as a commodity despite her many talents.

She clenches her fists, and under the red veil, her eyes stare blankly, having lost their sparkle long ago.

But she dares not move or show any sign of resistance.

Even though her heart already belongs to a certain young man, she has no choice.

Two Su Clan guards, dressed in red robes, sit quietly with their eyes closed, exuding a pressure that prevents the girl from moving a single finger.

They are Divine Embryo Cultivators!

Outside the crowd, a young man in tattered clothes grits his teeth and sprints, his blood surging, though it's only a Blood Realm transformation.

"Yun'er!"

The young man's eyes turn red, and his surging blood reaches his chest. He pushes through the crowd and shouts.

The Su Clan guards react swiftly, stepping forward to block the young man.

Inside the palanquin, a girl named Yun'er struggles to lift her head. She listens to the angry roars outside and hears the young man's cries as he's pinned to the ground.

With lifeless eyes, tears stream down her face.

"Don't come over here..."

"Don't be stupid!"

The old man slowly opens his eyes, looking down at the girl like a hunter admiring his prey.

"Your talent is not bad. Join the Su Clan, and you'll enjoy wealth and prestige. If you give birth to a divine child for the Su Clan, your family will surely prosper. This is something that poor boy could never give you."

"Forget about him. Countless people yearn to enter the Su Clan but cannot."

"You're a lucky girl, little lass."

The old man's appreciative gaze turns greedy as he examines the girl's graceful figure.

The girl bites her lip, and large tears silently roll down her face.

"Ah—"

Suddenly, a young man's voice comes from outside. The palanquin.

The young man is pinned to the ground, and the two Su Clan guards' heads suddenly fly up, spraying blood, causing the young man to cry out in shock.

The clanging of sword energy echoes.

The young man turns his head and sees a youth in tattered clothes, carrying a sword case, and holding a wine gourd, smiling at him.

"Young man, your courage is admirable."

"However, your strength is a bit weak."

Huang Jianjiu burst into laughter.

His gaze then fell upon the wedding procession that had been disturbed.

The middle-aged man from the Su family, riding atop a large red dragon horse, trembled all over, his eyes filled with terror.

The nightmare of that night was unforgettable for every member of the Su family!

"Huang... Jianjiu?!"

Huang Jianjiu narrowed his eyes, "The Su family... still the same as ever... as disgusting as ever, still harming young girls with talent..."

"From the elders to the youth, they all exude a nauseating aura."

The middle-aged man quickly looked towards the palanquin.

However—

A loud thud echoed.

The four palanquin bearers felt their faces flush red, their shoulder bones shattered instantly, and the palanquin crashed to the ground.

The entire street cracked open.

The curtain was lifted, revealing a terrifyingly large figure, like a mountain, squeezed into the small palanquin.

The old man, a Tai Xi Tuo Great Real Man, was grabbed by a hand as large as a fan, and lifted out like a chick.

The tiny palanquin could barely contain his terrifying and towering physique.

His divine essence control over his physical body was almost divine.

"Bull Demon!"

A terrified roar shattered the air!

The groom, riding on the dragon horse, immediately fell off and ran away without looking back.

But then, a sword energy circled his neck, and his head dropped to the ground, spraying blood and staining the street red.

The Tai Xi Tuo Great Real Man, who had been lifted out of the palanquin like a chick, revealed a horrified expression beneath the Bull Demon mask.

Under the mask, his eyes glowed with golden smoke, exuding an icy coldness.

A buzzing sound reverberated.

In an instant, both the Bull Demon and the Tai Xi Tuo Great Real Man disappeared.

When the light before his eyes cleared, the Su family's Tai Xi Tuo Great Real Man found himself in a city shrouded in pitch-black rain.

The Bull Demon's hair grew, like a hanging cloak, shedding raindrops.

His terrifying blood energy erupted!

...

When the Su family's patriarch, Su Daoling, received the news, he led a group of powerful Su family members to the scene.

What they saw was the slain Su family groom and the Su family's Shen Yuan Great Real Man, reduced to a pile of mangled flesh.

"Huang Jianjiu!"

"Bull Demon!"

Su Daoling's body trembled violently, as if the entire world was distorted. A terrifying face seemed to appear above his head, as if a deity was overlooking the mortal realm.

This was the Heavenly Soul manifestation of a Divine Embryo Cultivator!

Su Daoling, a Divine Embryo One Divine Transformation Cultivator, was enraged, struggling to contain the manifestation of his Heavenly Soul.

This was the third Shen Yuan Cultivator the Su family had lost in this short period!

Huang Jianjiu and the Bull Demon were determined to target the Su family.

They would kill anyone who enticed young girls.

How hateful!

Huang Jianjiu and the Netherworld were determined to uproot the Su family!

...

...

Primordial Origin City.

Thunder Listening Lane.

Li Che clenched his five fingers, grasping the white Flying Thunder Chess Piece, and his entire being returned to the courtyard.

A surge of energy rippled, and his eyes flickered.

All around him, countless Tai Xi Tuo Great Real Men's divine essence chess pieces, with their black hair shining, fell onto the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

This was the third Shen Yuan Cultivator Li Che had killed from the Su family in this short period.

Huang Jianjiu was overjoyed, drinking heartily. He despised the Su family's arrogant attitude, their manipulation of young girls' emotions, their absorption of girls' talent, and their destruction of talented individuals' lives.

With such a lord, what more could Huang Jianjiu ask for?

Li Che couldn't be bothered to pay attention to Huang Jianjiu. He sat cross-legged on the ground.

Raising his hand, he touched his brow.

Within the Niwan Inner Realm, rumbling sounds echoed.

Numerous Temple Deities, on the verge of breakthrough, trembled.

The flesh of his two eyebrows tore open, and his Star-Plucking Eye opened, emitting a blinding golden light that soared into the sky!

Before his eyes, a stream of light flashed by.

[Dao Fruit: Chess Sage (Lv5, 0%)]



Finally...

Success!

Li Che's eyes opened simultaneously, and in an instant, countless lines seemed to divide his pupils, creating a web-like pattern!

Black and white lights intertwined in his pupils, flashing and merging, darkness and light intertwining!

"Huff—"

"Suck—"

The entire courtyard fell silent, leaving only the sound of Li Che's strong heartbeat in his chest.

Then, a powerful force erupted.

Li Che felt a familiar pulling force drawing him into the familiar vast heavenly realm!

Looking out, he saw an endless expanse.

A towering Heaven-Ascending Dao Tree rose from the ground, its branches and leaves flourishing, its canopy spreading wide, blocking the sun.

On its branches, the green leaves were crystal clear, and the veins on them seemed to come alive, forming a landscape of mountains, rivers, and other natural wonders.

Li Che floated in the air, and in his sight, he saw numerous Dao Fruits hanging on the tree.

They were abundant, some glowing with vibrant rainbow hues.

The [Chess Sage] Dao Fruit shone the brightest, intertwining black and white lights, rotating endlessly, never ceasing.

Boom boom boom—

The sound of the Dao Fruit pulsing was in sync with Li Che's heartbeat.

The next moment, a chessboard spread from beneath Li Che's feet, and his position was at the lower left star position!

It's coming...

Li Che's heart tightened, and he felt an immense oppressive force pressing down like a mountain!

Beyond the chessboard, a vague figure seemed to cast a shadowy figure breathed a sigh.

...

Li Che opened his eyes, shaking off the daze. He exhaled.

In his pupils, black and white forces seemed to race within, containing a unique and profound essence.

A yin and yang, the essence of heaven and earth!

"This is..."

Li Che's thoughts stirred, and he discovered the black and white energies entering his Niwan Inner Realm.

"Heaven and Earth Essence?!"

Indeed, this was undoubtedly the power of the Heaven and Earth Essence.

Although Li Che had never mastered the essence, he had felt its power within the Heaven and Earth Archway, from the body of the Ancestral Master's Divine Falcon.

It was only a faint trace...

But Li Che was thrilled beyond measure.

He felt a tremor within his spiritual eye, the Niwan Palace, as if a momentous transformation was about to unfold.

However, at this moment, Li Che suppressed the restlessness in his spiritual eye.

His eyes were as calm as an icy lake, and within them, golden light flickered and danced.

【Divine Art Fruit lv5, Third Transformation, Divine Ability First Heaven (Black and White Extreme Collapse), Promotion, Divine Ability Second Heaven (Abyssal Passage)】

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Third Transformation of the Divine Art Fruit!

The Chess Sage's Divine Art Fruit finally completed its third transformation, unlocking the Second Heaven of Divine Ability—Abyssal Passage!

Li Che sat cross-legged in the courtyard, his eyes filled with countless intertwining lines, forming a chessboard that seemed to connect to a unique realm.

That realm... was as dark as ink, as if it could swallow everything!

Li Che's consciousness sensed this for a moment, and he felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss, plummeting into the eighteen layers of hell!

It was terrifying!

Li Che's consciousness returned, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Before him, the prompt changed again.

【Infinity (Divine Ability): Black and White Placement, Yin-Yang Infinity, Boundless, Ultimate Heaven-Penetrating】

【First Heaven: Black and White Extreme Collapse】

【Second Heaven: Abyssal Passage】

【Yin-Yang Darkness, Placement in the Nether, Profound and Unfathomable, Ultimate Nether-Penetrating】

...

Abyssal Passage...

Abyssal Passage!

The prompt vanished, and Li Che's eyes suddenly shone with a radiant light.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—!

His spiritual eye, the Niwan Palace, trembled continuously. As the black and white essences of the Heaven and Earth Essence flowed through him, Li Che's left eye flickered with black energy, and his right eye blossomed with white energy.

With his dual-colored eyes, he seemed to see through everything.

He looked down at the ground, and it felt as if the earth beneath him was collapsing, forming a bottomless pit.

"What is this?"

Li Che took a deep breath, sensing the terror of the endless dark pit. The Second Heaven of Divine Ability, Abyssal Passage!

Penetrating the Nether?!

Li Che closed his eyes, and a fine stream of consciousness flowed through his mind...

It conveyed all the detailed information about the divine ability 'Abyssal Passage' to Li Che, helping him understand its essence.

"Placing chess pieces to communicate with the Nether... to acquire, the energy of the Nether!"

"So... this is a substitution!"

"A substitution on the level of power!"

"Using divine essence chess pieces to substitute for the energy of the Nether!"

Li Che's mind suddenly cleared.

It was as if he was playing chess with someone in the Nether, and when he placed a chess piece, his opponent would respond by condensing the energy of the Nether to place a piece.

"The energy of the Nether..."

"Boundless and endless."

Li Che exhaled, and a smile involuntarily curved his lips.

He clenched his fist, and countless black divine essence chess pieces gathered around him.

These were the chess pieces of the Su Clan's Divine Origin Great True Man, whom he had just killed, and they were now all gathered here.

A hundred divine essence chess pieces, formed during the Embryonic Transformation stage of the Divine Origin realm, floated in the air.

Li Che's thoughts stirred.

"Divine Ability: Abyssal Passage!"

The next moment—

Li Che raised his hand and saw a black vortex in his palm.

He instinctively crouched down and slammed his palm onto the ground.

The Heaven and Earth Chessboard suddenly enveloped the entire courtyard of the independent workshop.

And then...

The independent workshop courtyard underwent a dramatic transformation, with the buildings becoming extremely dilapidated, as if they had been uninhabited for centuries.

The world grew dark, the light dimmed, and Li Che felt as if he had entered another space.

"Penetrating... the Nether?"

Li Che looked around, and a chill surged towards him.

He activated the Dragon Elephant Vajra Divine Fruit, but the chill was so intense that it suppressed his cultivation, and even with the fruit's power, the coldness continued to seep in.

"I can't stay in the Nether for too long, or I'll be eroded and lost..."

Li Che's consciousness stirred, and the floating divine essence chess pieces began to fall, landing on the chessboard.

Boom, boom, boom—

The chess pieces exploded one after another, and finally...

To Li Che's astonishment, countless dark energies gathered from the heavens and earth, forming a single... pitch-black Nether chess piece.

A single chess piece formed from the divine essence of a Divine Origin Great True Man in the Embryonic Transformation stage?

It was a substitution, but not an equal one.

Was this really necessary?

"How many Nether chess pieces could I exchange for the divine essence chess pieces of a Shrine Deity?"

Li Che took a deep breath.

But soon, his eyes revealed a strange light.

He clenched his fist, and countless energies of the Nether gathered, swirling and coalescing in his palm with great difficulty.

It was as if he was about to form a Nether chess piece, but compared to using divine essence chess pieces, the process was far more challenging.

"If I combine a Nether chess piece with an Immaculate Heart chess piece and release a Great Snow Avalanche, what would it become?"

Li Che's heart raced with anticipation.

But the most important thing now was...

"Can I use Abyssal Passage to approach enemies during combat and harm them from within the Nether?"

Li Che looked towards a corner of the building, and his body floated down, his finger flicking.

The corner of the roof exploded with a loud bang.

After doing this, Li Che landed on his toes.

He retracted the Abyssal Passage divine ability.

Instantly, brilliant sunlight poured down from the sky, illuminating the entire courtyard.

The previously silent world suddenly seemed to come alive with noise in Li Che's ears.

Li Che opened his eyes, squinting against the blinding sunlight.

He looked at the pitch-black chess piece in his palm, which devoured all the sunlight and emitted a chilling black aura.

Cold, bone-chilling, freezing...

It was a truly terrifying power.

Li Che clenched his fist.

His gaze shifted, landing in front of him.

At this moment, he had just exited the Abyssal Passage state.

The position he exited was where he had teleported in the Nether.

And in front of him...

A corner of the building had been blasted open, revealing a gaping hole.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end