Chapter 387: Father and Daughter, Champions of the Peach Festival, the Palace's Peach Orchard is Emp

Chapter 387: Father and Daughter, Champions of the Peach Festival, the Palace's Peach Orchard is Empty [Seeking Monthly Votes]



Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The cold, sharp spring breeze blew, and the night sky descended, obscuring the sun and leaving only endless darkness.

The leaden clouds gathered under the wind's caress, slowly piling up, hiding the moonlight from mortal eyes.

In the Second City of the Divine Capital.

On the White Jade Square.

The Empress held the Heavenly River Jade Hairpin, tearing through the river's waters, which poured down in a dazzling display. The scene reflected in the water curtain captured everyone's attention.

The Hero Festival was nearing its climax, and everyone knew that the battle between the Golden Furred Dog and Li Che would determine the ultimate champion.

Because only one person could obtain three Immortal Peaches and advance to the fourth round.

And in the fourth round, they would enter the Nine Thousand Year Peach Orchard, meaning... the winner of this round would be the true Hero Champion and could enter the Nine Thousand Year Peach Orchard to pluck the Nine Thousand Year Peach!

The Great Jing cultivators were tense, as none of them wanted the champion of this Peach Festival to be an outsider from beyond the Great Jing, a cultivator from Witch God Mountain.

After all, Witch God Mountain was under the influence of the Great Li Royal Court.

So, everyone's palms were sweaty, and they held their breath as they watched Li Che face the formidable Golden Furred Dog.

However, when the battle truly commenced, everyone was stunned because it was nothing like they had imagined. Li Che was not completely overwhelmed by the Golden Furred Dog; instead, he managed to counter-attack using various means.

"Is that... the Thunder Strike Peach Wood Sword of the First Hero of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, Zhang Xuan Lei?"

"It seems so. I never expected... Li BanSheng to be so proficient in Thunderbolt Sword Techniques!"

"How could Li BanSheng, who is renowned for his sword skills and has earned the title of Taibai Killer Star, be so skilled in Thunderbolt Sword Techniques?"

...

The exclamations of surprise echoed continuously.

Everyone was trembling, both physically and mentally, as they witnessed the intense and terrifying battle scene reflected in the water curtain of the Heavenly River.

Even the water curtain seemed to struggle to contain the scene, with droplets quivering and bursting, creating a mist that constantly revealed the battle.

The howling winds and deafening explosions were like thunderclaps, shaking everyone to their core!

It was too awe-inspiring!

Was this the battle for the Hero Champion?

A true Absolute Apex battle, a genuine fight between gods!

The cultivators who had gathered in the Divine Capital, with their martial and divine cultivation, were not weak, but at this moment, they could only feel tremors.

It was too powerful!

Too thrilling!

And most astonishingly, Li Che's divine technique allowed him to control the Peach Wood Sword with his divine essence, piercing through the Golden Lion King's physical body, which was transformed by the Golden Furred Dog, severely wounding it!

Many had seen Li Che use this sword technique before, during his battle with Zhang Xuan Lei.

But they never imagined that even the Four Open Martial Saints, the Golden Furred Dog, could not withstand this sword strike!

Just how powerful was this sword strike?!

When Li Che manipulated his mechanical beast and unleashed the same overwhelming mechanical lotus bomb that Xi Xi had used during the Dragon Hatchling Festival, the crowd erupted in astonishment.

The Dual-Winged Minor Dragon King opened its mouth, releasing a terrifying mechanical lotus bomb.

It was as if a world-ending lotus flower was blooming in the peach orchard, and a brilliant mushroom cloud rose.

Even through the water curtain of the Heavenly River, the crowd felt a world-ending aura spreading.

"My father is invincible!"

Xi Xi stood at the edge of the White Jade Square, hands on her hips, her little belly protruding with pride and satisfaction.

This fireworks display was truly magnificent, far surpassing Xi Xi's own!

However, Xi Xi also realized that her father had hidden something. He had not allowed her to set off such a powerful firework...

As Xi Xi's mind wandered, a continuous chorus of exclamations snapped her back to attention, and she quickly rubbed her big eyes, focusing on the water curtain of the Heavenly River.

And then...

The entire square fell into a deafening silence, as if struck by a heavy hammer, leaving everyone speechless.

A complete and utter silence.

Because, within the water curtain of the Heavenly River, a scene unfolded.

In the scene...

The monk Jialuo, who seemed to have been reborn in the Western Buddha Land, suddenly burst into action, attempting to control the Golden Furred Dog.

If the monk Jialuo were to successfully control and subdue the Golden Furred Dog, Li Che would face two top-tier powerful heroes.

In that case, Li BanSheng, who was originally the undisputed champion, might suffer an unexpected setback.

Although Li BanSheng might not fear fighting two opponents, after battling the Golden Furred Dog to a draw, having someone interfere and take away his hard-earned victory would undoubtedly be a significant blow.

And then...

Before anyone could worry further, they witnessed Li Che, with an overwhelming display of power, suppressing and crushing the monk Jialuo.

With a mere flick of his finger, a dazzling thunderbolt sword bead pierced through the monk Jialuo's forehead.

His head exploded!

Blood mist sprayed, red and white, filling the air.

Whether it was the Golden Furred Dog or the cultivators watching from the water curtain of the Heavenly River, they were all stunned like wooden chickens.

Was the monk Jialuo... stupid?

Did he not know how to dodge?

Why did he foolishly wait for Li BanSheng's sword bead to pierce his forehead, exploding within his skull and shattering his life force?

At this moment, not only were the cultivators shocked, but even the sect leaders of the various divine sects, each a top-tier Absolute Apex and top-tier Great Deity, revealed expressions of astonishment.

"Is this... the Divine Realm of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect?"

"The intertwining chessboard resembles the Divine Realm of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, which is formed by borrowing the Temple Deity's rank aura to project the Deceptive Pavilion... How could Li Che possess such a technique?"

"Jialuo is not dodging, but he cannot dodge. There's a terrifying aura suppressing him, preventing him from moving."

...

The sect leaders of the various divine sects had extraordinary vision, having experienced countless events, and naturally understood Jialuo's situation.

It was as if they were directly facing the terrifying aura of a Divine Tribulation Realm cultivator.

Their performance would not be much better than Jialuo's at this moment.

Divine Tribulation Realm cultivators were too powerful and terrifying, so powerful that even the heavens and earth could not tolerate them, expelling them with the Three Calamities Nine Tribulations.

Li Che was definitely not some Divine Tribulation, but why was a monk like Jialuo, with his cultivation, in such a state?

Jialuo's cultivation was not weak. Although he was crushed by the Golden Furred Dog, it was because Jialuo was plotting against the Golden Furred Dog. If they were to truly fight, Jialuo would be able to touch the realm of the Divine Embryo Four Divine Transformations.

However, in front of Li Che, Jialuo, who had reached this realm, seemed like he was only at the Divine Embryo One Divine Transformation, instantly defeated in the blink of an eye.

Without any resistance, he was completely no match for Li Che.

The Grand Master of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, Zhang Wuji, had his hair and beard flying, and the dust in his hand was rippling slightly.

Obviously, the mood of the Grand Master of the Great Jing's first divine sect was not as calm as his expression.

"Divine Realm?"

"Not quite..."

"How is it like... the authority of the Dao position?"

"Unfortunately, separated by the Heavenly River Hairpin, I can't sense it clearly."

At this moment, many powerful cultivators' eyes flashed, and their hearts couldn't help but tremble.

...

...

Within the Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard.

The entire peach orchard was filled with smoke and dust, and the ground was completely overturned twice.

The soft soil was splashed and then fell back down, and the frosty grass was twisted and mangled.

The hot dust floated in the distorted high-temperature ruins.

The restrictions on the peach trees were still flashing with brilliance.

The entire peach orchard was quiet, leaving only the howling wind, stirring up dust and rustling the leaves.

The Buddhist light on the Golden Furred Dog's body exploded, splattering into dust.

His eyes still held a sense of bewilderment and palpitations that had been stirred up many times.

Jialuo's future body, the third life of the monk, emerged and plotted against him. From the Buddhist light imprint, Jialuo's divine cultivation was not weaker than Li Che's Absolute Apex realm.

But...

He was instantly defeated by Li Che!

The Golden Furred Dog felt a bit unreal.

If Li Che had this strength, then why did he, the Golden Furred Dog, fight to the point of being covered in wounds?

If Li Che had the strength to instantly defeat Jialuo, then he probably also had the strength to defeat the Golden Furred Dog.

So, Li BanSheng earlier...

Was he just playing with the dog?!

The Golden Furred Dog's mouth twitched, and his golden fur drooped.

"I surrender..."

"I admit defeat."

"I admit defeat in this bet. I have lost."

Whoosh...

The wind blew past, stirring up the dust.

The Golden Furred Dog no longer suppressed his injuries, and a muffled groan came from his throat. A mouthful of crimson blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth, its vivid color making his disheveled appearance even more apparent.

The flames in his eyes seemed to have completely subsided, and he looked at the young man with a complex expression.

He was indeed young.

The Golden Furred Dog was in his forties, but Li Che was only twenty-five years old. At such a young age, he possessed such formidable strength, which was truly unbelievable.

The Golden Furred Dog felt a sense of dizziness as he saw the young and gentle face of Li Che, and he seemed to see the shadow of the Great Sorcerer in him.

Just like the Great Sorcerer in his youth, he was incredibly mysterious and powerful.

It was said that the Great Sorcerer, in his youth, was so powerful that he even ventured into the depths of the Deceptive Pavilion, fighting against the powerful Temple Deity in the camp of the gods, and battling against the demons and evil beings in the depths of the Deceptive Pavilion!

Perhaps, this young man before him would also reach such heights.

With this thought, the Golden Furred Dog completely surrendered.

Perhaps, following such a young man wouldn't be a bad choice?

The Golden Furred Dog had specifically investigated Li Che due to the matter involving Golden Tai Sui. He knew of this young man who had almost created a legend.

Six years ago, he was just a humble woodcarving laborer in a small town, struggling to survive in a tiny woodcarving shop that the Golden Furred Dog had never heard of.

But in just six short years, Li Che's strength grew from nothing to its current height. He even defeated and suppressed the Great Sorcerer's proud disciple, Golden Tai Sui!

The Golden Furred Dog was actually quite satisfied with his cultivation speed. Even his younger brother, Golden Tai Sui, was not as fast as him. Many disciples on Witch God Mountain admired his cultivation speed.

But compared to Li Che, Li Che's cultivation speed... was even more astonishing.

So, Li BanSheng earlier...

Was he just playing with the dog?!

The Golden Furred Dog's scalp tingled, and he finally spat out, "Master."

As he spoke, the Golden Furred Dog felt as if all his strength had been drained. The humiliation, frustration, despair, and shame he had once felt did not surge into his heart at this moment.

Perhaps it was because Li Che, with a flick of his finger, had directly suppressed and defeated Jialuo, dispelling the intimidation Jialuo had brought.

This was the awe inspired by a powerful cultivator!

Of course, it was also because Li Che, while primarily targeting Jialuo, did not avoid the Golden Furred Dog when he opened the Heaven Surpassing Domain.

Therefore, the Golden Furred Dog also sensed the oppression of the domain. The heavenly aura descended, suppressing Jialuo's cultivation to the level of the Divine Embryo One Divine Transformation...

This made the Golden Furred Dog feel as if his cultivation had plummeted.

So, the Golden Furred Dog obediently surrendered.

If he didn't surrender...

He might have faced death!

Although the Golden Furred Dog was straightforward and reckless, he was not stupid!

"Mm, good boy."

Li Che smiled.

His mood instantly brightened.

Then, Li Che clenched his five fingers, and the Thunder Strike Peach Wood Seven Star Sword that had pierced the Golden Furred Dog's shoulder was instantly drawn out, causing a spray of blood.

"Master, I, the Golden Furred Dog, admit defeat in this bet. Please accept my soul seal."

The Golden Furred Dog raised his hand and touched his forehead. The next moment, a shining soul seal floated out.

This was the essence of the Golden Furred Dog's Heaven Earth Soul.

Li Che's eyebrows rose, pleased with the Golden Furred Dog's attitude and self-awareness. The Golden Furred Dog was indeed straightforward, and he and Golden Tai Sui were indeed straightforward brothers.

Golden Tai Sui also admitted defeat in the bet.

The Golden Furred Dog wasn't much different.

Li Che didn't hesitate to accept the Golden Furred Dog's soul seal and casually threw it into the Heaven and Earth Chessboard.

With the soul seal in Li Che's hand, it meant that the Golden Furred Dog's life and death would be manipulated by Li Che's thoughts. As long as Li Che was willing, he could crush the Golden Furred Dog's soul seal with a mere thought, destroying his soul and taking his life.

As the soul seal was taken, the Golden Furred Dog's heart suddenly felt a sense of loss.

However, facing Li Che, there was an additional layer of awe from a physiological perspective.

"Master."

The Golden Furred Dog transformed into a human form and bowed respectfully.

"I still prefer your Golden Lion King form, with your untamed and unruly attitude, which I admire greatly."

Li Che said.

Upon hearing this, the Golden Furred Dog was stunned for a moment. He took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and his body began to swell and transform. Golden lion mane exploded and fluttered, and his entire body glowed with a golden hue, dazzling and radiant.

Li Che's Pineal Gland, the Seven Apertures Crystal Heart, trembled slightly. Then, a mass of Impure Mind Divinity surged into the body of the Golden Furred Dog, causing his injuries to heal instantly. The Divine Heaven Cage Lightning Sword, which had been wreaking havoc on his Internal Organs, also dissipated without a trace.

Golden Furred Dog: "(!)"

What was that thing that wandered around inside his body?!

Moreover... it felt so comfortable! The speed of his recovery was greatly accelerated, even surpassing the healing power of the Fourth Rank Upper Divine Essence Crystal!

Because the Golden Furred Dog was well aware of the severity of his injuries.

That Divine Heaven Lightning...

Damn, it was a Three Calamities-level power! Although it was only a tiny bit, it tormented him to the point of ecstasy. If it weren't for maintaining his Golden Lion King's unruly posture and dignity, he would have been rolling on the ground long ago!

Li Che had no intention of giving him Impure Mind Divinity, but since the Golden Furred Dog was now on his side, Li Che didn't mind giving him a taste of it.

"Master, more!"

The Golden Furred Dog moved his golden lion body, his mane shaking, and his two large eyes, the size of copper bells, looked at Li Che with a hint of longing.

Li Che lightly tapped his toes, and his entire body rose into the air, sitting sideways on the Golden Lion King's back. He rubbed the soft back, feeling as comfortable as sitting on a genuine leather chair.

With a thought, several peaches began to float in the air.

The peaches of Jialuo, Jade Guanyin, and the Golden Furred Dog hovered in front of Li Che.

Together with Li Che's own peach, there were now four Seven Thousand Year Peaches.

"Hey..."

"There's one extra."

"The Empress probably wouldn't want me to give away this peach, would she? I can't bear to lose face, after all, I earned this peach with my own abilities." Li Che smiled and spoke loudly.

The Golden Furred Dog beneath him was puzzled.

The entire Peach Orchard was left with just the two of them. Were the extra Seven Thousand Year Peaches meant for him to eat?

The Golden Furred Dog was momentarily excited.

Li Che seemed to understand the Golden Furred Dog's thoughts.

He patted his head.

"Feeding a Seven Thousand Year Peach to a dog? What are you thinking?"

Golden Furred Dog: "..."

Then why did you shout so loudly?

Li Che smiled and, without further explanation, put away the extra Chi Dragon Blood Peach. With the remaining three peaches, they had just enough.

(End of Chapter)An extra Peach of Immortality appeared, and Li Che collected it without any issues, as there was no risk of confiscation.

However, with this, the Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard was now devoid of any Seven Thousand Year Peaches.

Li Che felt a deep sense of regret.

He had originally wanted to leave behind a Flying Thunder Chess Piece in this Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard.

He intended to visit frequently in the future.

"What a pity, the Six Thousand and Eight Thousand Year Peach Orchards... I couldn't visit them and leave behind my precious Flying Thunder Chess Piece."

Li Che sighed softly in his heart.

He wanted to enter other Peach Orchards, but there seemed to be rule restrictions, though he wasn't sure what they were.

Nevertheless, Li Che was now quite satisfied.

Dong, dong, dong—

A sound akin to the evening drum and morning bell suddenly reverberated, as if an ancient deity in the depths of the Peach Orchard were striking a heavy ancient bell, creating layer upon layer of invisible sound waves that spread throughout the entire dilapidated Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard.

"The first hero of Quanyuan Divine Sect, Li Che, successfully gathered three Seven Thousand Year Peaches, advancing to the fourth round of the Hero Festival, and becoming the top hero of this festival!"

"Successfully ascended to the Nine Thousand Year Peach Orchard!"

...

...

Second City of the Divine Capital.

On the White Jade Square.

Divine energy intertwined like writhing serpents, transforming into the disheveled figure of the Galuo Monk.

The Galuo Monk stumbled a few steps, leaving the Heaven Surpassing Domain, and the compressed power returned, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

The surroundings were quiet, and countless gazes shot towards him.

The Galuo Monk felt as if he had a thorn in his back.

"Amitabha."

The Galuo Monk brushed off his kasaya, feeling deeply saddened by the loss of two of his Dharma bodies. What's more, he hadn't obtained a single Peach, and he had even lost the Heaven and Earth Jade.

There was nothing he could do; it was only right for it to be taken as spoils of war. Otherwise, Li Che could have killed him and still taken the Heaven and Earth Jade.

"My Heaven and Earth Jade... isn't something that can be taken so easily."

The Galuo Monk took a deep breath.

Then, his gaze shifted, landing on the Yellow Eyebrow Great Mage in the main banquet area of Little Ling Yin Temple.

He nodded slightly towards the Yellow Eyebrow Great Mage.

The moment the Galuo Monk left the White Jade Square and returned to the main banquet area, the entire square erupted with dazzling cheers!

"It's done, it's done!"

"The top hero of the Hero Festival... is one of our Great Jing cultivators!"

"Li Bansheng is amazing, Li Bansheng is truly invincible!"

"Li Bansheng is the top hero, and his daughter Li Nuoxi is the top dragonlet! In a single Peach Feast, a father and daughter occupy both top spots! The Quanyuan Divine Sect alone obtains both top honors! My goodness!"

...

The cheers reverberated through the Second and Third Cities of the Divine Capital.

Those cheering in the Second City were undoubtedly disciples of the Quanyuan Divine Sect, each one excited to the point of their faces turning red.

Xi Xi stood with her hands on her hips, her little belly protruding, and laughed heartily towards the sky.

Her friends were also overcome with excitement, unable to contain their emotions.

They ran wildly, and even Yun'e, a girl with a calm temperament, couldn't hide her excitement, joining Xi Xi and the other Quanyuan Divine Sect children in jumping and cheering on the White Jade Square, attracting everyone's attention.

The Heavenly River Curtain poured down water, creating a continuous splash.

But it couldn't drown out the children's joyful laughter.

On the White Jade Square, the heroes and dragonlets of various divine sects looked on with complex and envious expressions.

A single divine sect had obtained both the top hero and top dragonlet honors in the Peach Feast, and it was a father and daughter who had achieved this together!

Such a grand occasion...

Was truly rare!

No, it should be said that since the Peach Feast began, such a situation had never occurred!

Ji Mo Li sat upright at the main banquet table, clad in black armor, his eyes deep as he gazed at Xi Xi, deep in thought.

Lotus Pavilion.

National Master Xie Yunsen, dressed in plain clothes, stroked his beard and smiled lightly, "What a Quanyuan Divine Sect... to have such a father and daughter, they've truly hit the jackpot."

Lu Chi, on the other hand, looked at the children jumping with joy alongside Xi Xi with a mix of melancholy and envy.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the qualifications to join them.

Main Banquet Area.

The Emperor and Empress sat upright at the table, the Empress listening to Li Che's loud and clear voice from the Heavenly River Curtain, her dignified expression revealing a hint of daze...

Her red lips pursed slightly, and she murmured.

"Gone... not a single one left..."

"My Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard has been emptied!"

The Empress's expression was dazed, and her emotions were in turmoil.

The Emperor was speechless, sensing that something was amiss.

How could the Peaches in the Seven Thousand Year Peach Orchard be completely gone?

The Empress, who managed the Peach Orchard, would never do such a thing.

Even for the Peach Feast, she would have estimated the number of Peaches in advance...

"Could someone have stolen the Peaches from my Great Jing Royal Family?!"

The Emperor asked in a deep voice.

The Empress snapped out of her daze and forced a smile.

"Your Majesty..."

"Don't worry, Empress. Let's use the Heavenly River Hairpin to review the situation."

"If that doesn't work... during the Temple Deity Resonance Ceremony, we can try communicating with the Xi Wang Mu Temple Deity to find out who dared to steal the Peaches of my Great Jing Royal Family!"

The Emperor spoke in a deep voice.

The Empress's expression changed slightly.

Communicate with the Xi Wang Mu Temple Deity?! Indeed, they didn't know who had stolen the Peaches...

But how could Xi Wang Mu not know?! As the Emperor and Empress pondered,

End of Chapter

Chapter end