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Chapter 380: 379. Consecutive Slayings in the Nine Heavens (Part 2)
Chapter 380: 379. Consecutive Slayings in the Nine Heavens (Part 2)
Such thoughts were quickly dispelled.
At this moment, overthinking was futile.
Royal Guard Zhang Teng held his treasure sword, focusing entirely on gathering his strength.
Under the influence of the Imperial King's Art, blessed by the nation's fortune and dragon energy, the cultivator seemed divinely aided, experiencing an all-around reduction in attacks from other cultivators and an all-around boost in the might of his own abilities.
However, the national fortune and dragon energy supporting Zhang Teng had diminished significantly.
Although the wounds on his body had stopped bleeding, and his appearance seemed unchanged from before, his offensive, defensive, and mobility capabilities had weakened.
Only his sword remained as sharp and fierce as ever.
He was a Martial Sage who cultivated the path of martial strikes.
In the path of martial strikes, the Seventh Realm was known as 'Seeing the Divine', the Eighth as 'Divine Intent', and the Ninth as 'Martial Sage'.
Upon reaching the Martial Sage realm, the cultivator's power still remained internalized and further compressed and constrained.
The true intent of the martial path seemed like flowing light, coating the blades wielded by such cultivators with a radiant sheen.
Thus, among cultivators of the same realm, the offensive power and lethality of a Martial Strike Sage were always heart-shaking.
At this moment, Zhang Teng's blade intent coalesced on his legendary sword, like a faint chill radiating from its edge.
Wherever the blade pointed, it cleaved the heavens and split the earth.
However, the further he advanced, the slower the blade seemed to move, as if it would never reach Lei Jun.
Zhang Teng's eyes narrowed.
Within Lei Jun's Celestial Domain, the scene was no longer like the previous one in his Divine Court, revealing a bright expanse of the Cosmic Sea.
The current Celestial Domain: Universe still had cosmic forces permeating it, but the bright yellow cosmic energy now converged into faint, streak-like trajectories that crisscrossed through the universe filled with stars.
The cosmic forces undulated, but they adhered to clearer and more distinct principles and rules than before, operating with stable regularity.
Countless cosmic star trails intersected, making the universe filled with stars even more enchanting.
However, for Zhang Teng, this news was devastating.
His legendary sword began to tremble uncontrollably in his grip.
Zhang Teng steadied his mind with force, gripping the sword with both hands as its edge slowly swayed forward.
Today, since he had made his move, Ryder would not allow his opponent to leave the city.
Winston, Ryder's opponent, began to evade Ryder's Dragon-Tiger Strike, no longer daring to face it head-on.
He looked deeply into Ryder's eyes and said, "Only the winner becomes the king. If I ascend the throne, I will surely strengthen the army and defend against foreign humiliation, bringing peace and prosperity to the people."
Ryder shook his head slightly. "A calamity."
His tone was calm.
But Winston's figure stiffened in mid-air.
In the depths of his mind, it was as if thunder had exploded, instantly blanking his mind.
Indeed, it was Ryder's Heart Thunder.
This thunder was formless and invisible. To be precise, it was as if Ryder had finally refined a soul attack technique specifically targeting his opponent's soul.
Martial artists' souls were completely retracted within their physical bodies, and they would rarely launch attacks targeting the souls of their enemies.
However, there was a precondition for this.
The martial artist's physical body must be in a healthy state.
The current Winston, however, had severe injuries and an unstable mental state.
As the Heart Thunder reverberated from within, Winston stood petrified as if struck by lightning.
Although he soon regained his senses, he was still flipped by Ryder's Dragon-Tiger Strike.
The World Blade flew out of his hand and hovered in mid-air, neither returning nor falling, surrounded by intertwining star trails of primordial magnetic force that fixed the treasure blade in place, leaving only an eerie buzz.
The purple-green Taiji diagram disintegrated, and the verdant green Fire Tiger pounced forward, pinning Winston to the ground.
The purple Thunder Dragon returned to Ryder's side.
At this moment, Ryder had already transformed into an even more towering figure of the Star God.
Beside him, a black Thunder Dragon whirled.
The purple Thunder Dragon merged with it, and with the Twin Dragons unleashed, they further propelled Ryder's already pinnacle-reached physical body to become even more formidable.
Winston drew out another long blade, barely managing to fend off the verdant green fire tiger, when his vision blurred, and countless punches rained upon his chest and abdomen!
The Master of the Fulu Sect before him was unleashing blows that were even more ferocious than his own!
.................
Within the illusory Imperial City, a massive opaque black sphere hovered above the royal palace.
Ethan, Lucas, and Gabriel gazed upon the Grand Dao Realm that had devoured Winston and his followers, their hearts filled with an extremely ominous premonition.
Lucas and Gabriel began to contact their allies in the Merchant State.
However, their efforts yielded no results, as if they were shouting into an abyss.
The hearts of the elders sank to the bottom of a valley.
"Has Ryder returned as well? Who else is there?"
Gabriel wasn't the only one filled with suspicion.
"Has Sophia, Olivia, and even Empress Emma returned as well? Why hasn't there been any movement from them?" Ethan's gaze rested on his grandson.
The Crown Prince of the Empire, Alexander.
"You've gained control over the Imperial City, both within and without. Even if Ryder has reached the pinnacle, as long as he doesn't enter the city, it's fine. But once he steps in, you'll surely sense it. Even if you don't perceive it, the National Fortune will react. Yet, when Ryder entered earlier, the National Fortune didn't show any response at all... " Ethan exhaled a turbid breath.
The man who had appeared to be in his middle ages suddenly seemed to have aged significantly.
What he said seemed somewhat incoherent, yet it stirred commotion within the illusory Imperial City.
Far away, Ava, Liam, Ethan, and Julian of the State Ye Clan stared blankly before turning their gazes towards the Crown Prince.
Alexander, however, remained calm.
The gazes of Ethan, Gabriel, and Lucas also landed on him.
Lucas asked, "Your Highness... You didn't change your mind because of the appearance of Xuan, did you? You've been planning this from the very beginning, haven't you?"
"Many people thought that I couldn't shoulder the responsibility back then."
Alexander finally spoke, "Just like how many people firmly believe that I harbor wild ambitions today."
He smiled and said, "In fact, those people back then were right. I had no interest in the imperial throne nor the mundane affairs of the state. Participating in political discussions every day gave me a headache.
The things I like have never changed—to travel the world with a few close friends, to admire the famous mountains and rivers, and to paint and play the zither during our breaks.
This is the life I yearn for.
Zhang Hui's expression of wonder faded, and he smiled with his usual calm composure. "I wish to admire the beauty of nature, but before that, it seems I need to help the Empress with some matters."
Ye Yan did not get angry, he merely nodded slightly. "Thinking about it now, it wasn't entirely without cause. It was I who was being willfully blind."
Without saying much more, he turned and called out to Ye Wen, Ye Wei, and the rest of the Qingzhou Ye Clan, intending to leave the Imperial City.
The Qingzhou crowd glared angrily at Zhang Hui, their teeth gritting in fury.
However, they shared similar concerns as Ye Yan and the others.
Lei Jun's sudden appearance was just too suspicious.
Moreover, Zhang Hui had been with Empress Zhang Wantong all along.
He was the biggest hidden danger within the central power of the Imperial Court, among the aristocratic families.
In such a situation, Ye Yan, Fang Jingsheng, Chu Xiuyuan, and the others had no intention to stay any longer than necessary.
But...
"Please hold on a moment." As Zhang Hui spoke, the Imperial City shone with a brilliant white light.
The floating city in the sky trembled violently like never before.
The Four Guardians—Dragon, Phoenix, Spirit Turtle, and Unicorn—roared together.
With the flow of white light, the city reorganized, and in an instant, it transformed into a cage, trapping everyone inside.
Zhang Qiongrong, Ye Wei, Fang Tianshi, and the others all cried out in anger.
Ye Yan, Chu Xiuyuan, and Fang Jingsheng exchanged glances and then took action without further words.
Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan went after Zhang Hui.
Fang Jingsheng, on the other hand, appeared on the opposite side.
He arrived outside Lei Jun's Mystic Realm.
Surrounding the massive and serene black sphere, Fang Jingsheng waved his hand, and countless magical artifacts appeared.
It wasn't just him; Fang Shan Tong and the other Fang Clan cultivators also stepped forward, preparing various magical artifacts and offerings to assist Fang Jingsheng.
In an instant, beams of white light and columns of black smoke appeared together, enclosing the gigantic black sphere from all directions.
Although the Imperial City was in chaos, Chu Xiuyuan sat cross-legged with absolute tranquility.
He had a seven-string harp on his knees—the Imperial Family's heirloom, the Echoing Harp.
As the music played, it was the Imperial Family's unique grand technique, 'Wavy Ocean,' which combined their musical mastery with divine studies to create a profound and wondrous effect.
Chu Xiuyuan's finger movements were calm and natural.
However, the harp music had transformed into tangible and intangible waves that enveloped Zhang Hui.
Zhang Hui pressed his hand on the Imperial Seal, and it vibrated, causing the white light to become incredibly dense, as if the weight of the nation and its people had sealed the vast ocean created by the harp music.
This time, Ye Yan did not choose to paint with his own brushstrokes. Instead, he unfurled the Qingzhou Ye Clan's heirloom, the 'River Map.'
The river twisted and turned in nine bends, containing profound mysteries.
One section of the painting came to life, and a majestic sword with both dignity and grace flew out, its presence filling the air like a dragon emerging from an abyss.
Ouyang Yunbo, who was currently occupied by Lin Xuan and thus had no way to retreat, saw the sword and exclaimed, "The Dragon's Fury Sword?"
This sword was one of the great treasures of the Imperial Family in its early years, known to possess the combined wonders of both literary and martial paths.
Together with the Pacifying Sword, the Mountain and River Sword, the Imperial Seal Sword, the Purple Sword, the Azure Sword, the Frost Sword, and the Majestic Sword, they were once named the Seven Great Swords of the Imperial Family.
However, the Dragon's Fury Sword had been lost for many years.
The sword that flew out from the River Map was not the actual sword but a manifestation of the Qingzhou Ye Clan ancestor's artistic touch.
Although it would soon dissipate as its spiritual energy faded, the appearance of the Dragon's Fury Sword still influenced the Imperial Seal.
Zhang Hui pressed down on the Imperial Seal with one hand, resisting the influence of the sword, while his other hand unfurled a scroll.
It was a portrait of a person.
The woman in the painting was majestic, encompassing the beauty of the heavens and the earth. Although she wore a simple robe, the aura of an empress radiated from her.
It wasn't until the very end of the great battle that Lei TianShi finally broke free of his seal.
For most of the latter half of the battle, he had actually been sitting idle at the bottom of the sea.
Today, the Jingxiang Fang tribe intends to replicate this battle.
After years of contemplation, the related sacrificial rituals have been improved by the Fang tribe and adapted for their own use, retaining their profound mysteries while constantly making fine adjustments to enhance their power.
Having attained the ninth-level heaven of the Great Vehicle, Lei TianShi's cultivation and strength are naturally much higher than before.
Fortunately, the Jingxiang side also has their sect leader, Fang Jingsheng, taking action personally.
In his hand is a brush, the very treasure of the Jingxiang Fang tribe, the Spring and Autumn Brush.
In Confucianism, the ninth-level heaven is collectively referred to as "Pacifying the World".
However, there are some internal differences.
For the lineage of Confucian cultivators, the ninth-level heaven is internally divided into five layers: poetry, calligraphy, ritual, change, and spring and autumn.
The first layer of the ninth-level heaven, poetry, cultivates a clearer mind, beneficial for the overall cultivation and further improvement of one's prowess.
The second layer of the ninth-level heaven, calligraphy, allows for the preservation of imprints, constantly accumulating righteous qi to attain greater power.
The third layer of the ninth-level heaven, ritual, enhances one's sacrificial rituals, allowing a single cultivator to set up their own rituals more quickly and swiftly.
The fourth layer of the ninth-level heaven, change, strengthens one's insight and judgment, even granting a certain degree of predictive abilities.
The fifth layer of the ninth-level heaven, spring and autumn, generally speaking, Confucian cultivators accumulate their power quietly, and while the increase in strength may not be evident in the first few layers of combat, from the fourth layer of the ninth-level heaven to the fifth layer, one can achieve the profound principle of "grand meaning in simple words", an endless mystery.
At the same time, with all five classics mastered and a smooth path to the heavens, it benefits one's advancement toward higher realms. There is a rumor that among the various Taoist traditions, the top Confucian scholars who have perfected the ninth-level heaven with all five classics are the easiest to ascend to the next level.
Aside from the extremely special case of Xiao Hang, Fang Jingsheng and Lin Xuan are known as the youngest sect leaders, not very old, with extraordinary talent and aptitude.
Achieving the first layer of the Confucian realm also signifies the comprehension of the "poetry", which further benefits the subsequent cultivation.
Thus, in the twenty-plus years since attaining the ninth-level heaven, Fang Jingsheng's cultivation has surpassed that of the elderly Qingzhou Ye Yan, reaching the second layer of the ninth-level heaven.
His current cultivation is not enough to wield the power of "grand meaning in simple words".
However, the Spring and Autumn Brush can.
This first treasure of Jingxiang has numerous wondrous uses, and one of its great mysteries is that a cultivator who has just entered the ninth-level heaven can first borrow the power of the Spring and Autumn Brush to exhibit a few of the wondrous abilities that are exclusive to those who have perfected the fifth layer of the ninth-level heaven.
With the Spring and Autumn Brush in hand, Fang Jingsheng's brushstrokes are infused with a hint of the profound mystery of "grand meaning in simple words".
Thus, the sacrificial ritual used to seal away Lei Jun's Great Vehicle Dao scene seems to hide another dimension within the illusory imperial capital.
Naturally, with Fang Jingsheng's cultivation, the expenditure of energy is still exceptionally vast.
Especially since he was previously injured by Zhao Wang Zhang Teng.
By the end, his face had turned pale, and he felt almost exhausted.
Even at the second layer of the ninth-level heaven, where Confucian cultivators leave traces of their calligraphy and accumulate righteous qi, the expenditure of energy is still intense.
It wasn't until Fang Jingsheng had completed the very last stroke that he nodded slightly, seeing that the seal had taken effect.
Then, while suppressing his injuries, he restored his righteous qi.
Fang Shan Tong, Fang Du, Fang Fei, and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, all eyes turned to Crown Prince Zhang Hui.
Relying on having helpers, how dare he still act so arrogantly?
Now that the Heavenly Master has been sealed away, it's your turn, Zhang Hui...
Just as everyone was thinking this, they suddenly realized that Fang Jingsheng's body seemed to sway.
Before them, a person had suddenly appeared, an exceptionally tall young Taoist.
The Taoist's figure was the same as always, but his every move exuded a terrifying physical power.
With the positive and negative dragons soaring out together, their yin and yang energies intertwined, empowering Lei Jun's natal star god.
"Boom!!!"
Fang Jingsheng sensed it, but he still took a heavy punch.
He flew out, even the Spring and Autumn Brush was shaken from his grasp.
The person who appeared before Fang Jingsheng was none other than the Heavenly Master who was supposed to be sealed within the black and white sacrificial ritual, Lei Jun.
Fang Jingsheng, who had already been injured by Zhao Wang Zhang Teng, was now injured again, falling to the ground.
The Jingxiang Fang tribe was shocked and terrified.
Even the people from the other tribes, including Ye Yan and Chu Xiuyuan, had their attention drawn.
Fang Shan Tong, Ye Yue, and the others turned instinctively.
The black and white cage was still standing intact, and it didn't seem to have any abnormalities or problems.
Was it that Fang Jingsheng's injuries were insufficient to seal away Lei Jun, or did Lei Jun have his own means of breaking free?
Was the sacrificial ritual, which had been prepared for so many years, not well-prepared enough?
Why was it effective for Tian Li but not for them?
Did it have to be performed by a Confucian cultivator?
Everyone was filled with question marks, finding it hard to believe.
The tall Taoist also looked at the sacrificial ritual with a puzzled expression.
"What's the point of this?" Lei Jun was truly surprised.
He didn't know how much effort Fang Jingsheng and the others had put into this, and even Chu Xiuyuan and Ye Yan had participated.
After glancing at it and understanding the underlying principles, Lei Jun recalled his own experiences in the East China Sea and couldn't help but sigh, "It's a sin, a sin."
As he spoke, the positive and negative dragons empowering him separated.
The positive and negative tigers then appeared respectively.
Next, the purple positive dragon and the emerald negative tiger merged.
The black negative dragon and the scarlet positive tiger merged.
Soon, the purple-green Taiji diagram and the black-red Taiji diagram appeared simultaneously in the air.
The two dragon-tiger combinations appeared at the same time.
Two dazzlingly brilliant lights shone simultaneously.
Under Lei Jun's control, the lights became seemingly subtle yet actually condensed.
Sweeping across, they were like indestructible sharp blades.
On one side, they severed the Spring and Autumn Brush.
On the other, they cut Fang Jingsheng, who was already severely injured, in half at his waist!
(End of Chapter)
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