Chapter 266: with translation of the chapter title

267. Chapter 264 Mantian Guo Hai enters the temple and sees the Sword Immortal; Lü Chi props up his waist, Xixi slaps the princess's mouth.

The eerie mist surged, amidst the pattering spring rain, like waves in an immortal realm's mist.

Constantly shifting its shape and appearance.

A burly figure, clad in divine envoy robes, with muscular arms crossed over the chest, stood with arms folded.

The wind and mist dispersed, the air waves raged wildly!

Feng Zhiqu stood with arms folded, like an unparalleled martial warrior standing atop the peak, a single glance could bend all airflow.

"Get lost!"

Feng Zhiqu looked at Huang Jianjiu wearing a bamboo hat; a strange color flashed in his eyes, yet when he spoke he was utterly blunt, without any politeness.

He looked at Huang Jianjiu; his powerful martial will and Heaven-Man resonance let him sense that something was off about Huang Jianjiu.

It felt as if what stood before him was not a person, but a ghostly apparition!

Huang Jianjiu pressed down his hat, a strange hue flickered in his eyes, his heart trembled, yet he also felt somewhat wronged.

"Lord Feng, it's me, Jianjiu."

Huang Jianjiu said, feeling somewhat wronged.

He goes to this Guiyi Miao every day; previously Feng Zhiqu didn't necessarily come out to block him, so why did he deliberately step out today to stop him from entering?

Feng Zhiqu's eyes flickered with faint lightning intertwining and moving; relying on his overbearing Heaven-Man resonance, he distinguished reality from illusion.

In fact, as one's martial prowess increases, the ability to discern right from wrong, reality from illusion, grows stronger.

Because the martial will merges with the power of heaven and earth, the higher one's martial cultivation, the more the resulting Heaven-Man resonance aligns with heaven and earth, naturally making the perception stronger.

"The past is the past, the present is the present……"

"You, Huang Jianjiu, have already left the Primordial Origin Divine Sect; you are not considered a true disciple on the sect's lineage. According to the agreement between the Temple Garrison and the Primordial Origin Divine Sect, if one is a true lineage disciple, they may naturally enter freely, but you are not……"

"So I have the right to stop you."

Feng Zhiqu laughed.

After a long while, his eyes drooped, and he let out a soft sigh.

"This is."

A faint voice fell.

Feng Zhiqu stepped forward, pacing ahead.

As if descending from the mountaintop, in just an instant his aura underwent a drastic change!

As if the heavens collapsed and pressed downward, countless wind waves wailed without cease, myriad billows were pushed aside, and raging gusts surged forth like a flying dragon!

In an instant, the entire Guiyi Miao area began to tremble, dust flying!

As if there stood an invincible warrior on the battlefield, a dragon-like, mighty martial saint, glaring angrily.

Boom—!!!

Huang Jianjiu only felt boundless pressure.

Although he had reached the Sword Saint level, his sword in hand was not disadvantageous; he could slay Su Wenxi.

But Feng Zhiqu, a three-opened Martial Saint, has walked the martial path to its peak, an existence far beyond what he can now oppose.

The gap between a one-opened and a three-opened Martial Saint is no less than that between a Master and a Grand Master!

Within Huang Jianjiu's sword sheath, sword intent rang out.

Instantly, it was as if facing a full-force charge of ten thousand troops.

Boom!

Above the heavens, it seemed as if rolling thunder surged!

Countless rain threads were torn apart, the tumbling dark clouds rolled like thick ink without cease.

A Martial Saint, whose will intertwines with heaven and earth, is called Heaven-Man resonance; when Heaven-Man resonance reaches its utmost, a single thought can alter celestial phenomena, changing winds and clouds.

If one truly reaches the four-opened Martial Saint, an existence that has opened the heavenly gate, they can even envelop the airflow of several li of land, causing it to surge and boil; with a move, wind and thunder accompany, with a thought, they can burn mountains and boil seas.

"Lord Feng…… I just want to have a look, the Sword Immortal passed down his sword intent to me; I now…… want to go back and take a glance, shouldn't that be allowed?"

Upon Huang Jianjiu's body, sword Qi glittered and hummed; the sword's hum seemed ready to tear the nine heavens.

Although facing an unparalleled martial warrior of the three-opened Martial Saint realm, Huang Jianjiu felt no fear; at worst it would be death, and now he fears nothing!

Hum—

Huang Jianjiu clenched his five fingers; instantly, sword Qi raged and intertwined, twisting into a blade of light that swept across!

The sword light slashed toward Feng Zhiqu; instantly, one strike split into nine!

"Lord Feng, please try this sword I have comprehended from the Sword Immortal's temple; this sword is called Sword Nine!"

Huang Jianjiu's whole body blazed with extreme brilliance, as if endless black clouds were pierced at once; golden sword Qi raged, pouring down from the high sky.

As if nine sword Qi long dragons slashed toward Feng Zhiqu.

Around.

The martial warriors and cultivators of the Temple Garrison all had shining eyes, filled with astonishment.

Yuwen Wenlong arrived, standing tall in the distance, his bright eyes observing.

He did not worry about Feng Zhiqu; in his view, Huang Jianjiu's sword thrust at Feng Zhiqu was more a request for advice, with many elements of seeking instruction.

"Good that you came."

"Perfect, let me take a look at this sword of yours that stunned the entire Primordial Origin Dao City—just how stunning is it!"

Feng Zhiqu's eyes blazed; facing Huang Jianjiu's sword, he felt no anger or hostility, only boundless appreciation.

After all, Huang Jianjiu dared to draw his sword against him……

This is a courage and boldness surpassing that of countless people.

Amidst the howling gale, Feng Zhiqu's eyes glowed slightly brighter, his five fingers spread, and he thrust out a palm strike.

At the very first move, wind and cloud colors shifted!

His crystal-clear, glowing fingers trembled in the void, then fiercely grasped at Huang Jiujiu's sword — one blade split into nine, then nine merged back into one.

Hummm—

In a daze, everyone felt as if a towering mountain had risen from the ground, spanning heaven and earth, majestic and unclimbable!

Huang Jiujiu's sword aura was already stunning, yet under the grip of those five fingers, all nine strands of sword light were seized by his palm and then crushed apart!

It seemed as if his palm contained myriad transformations.

Countless sword auras raged wildly around his body.

Feng Zhiqi burst into laughter: 'Indeed, a fine sword.'

Huang Jiujiu's eyes flickered; after all, this was not a life‑or‑death clash, so he did not exert his full strength in this strike.

He gave Feng Zhiqi a strange glance, then tapped his toe down — his whole body exploded into black mist and vanished.

Feng Zhiqi watched the vanishing Huang Jiujiu, his smile lingering, then slowly faded.

What a fine Huang Jiujiu...

Feng Zhiqi's eyes gleamed; then his mighty martial will merged with heaven and earth, giving rise to a heaven‑man response that swept across like radar.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Just now… it seemed something had slipped through Huang Jiujiu's sword aura.

Feng Zhiqi had just been admiring Huang Jiujiu's sword, yet he had missed something.

With a single step, Feng Zhiqi tore open the strange mist in an instant and plunged into it.

……

……

Bang——

The black mist exploded, then re‑condensed into form.

Huang Jiujiu's figure appeared beside Li Che, who sat cross‑legged under the eaves, gripping a fifth‑tier middle‑rank divine crystal.

Taken care of, my lord.

Huang Jiujiu crouched beside Li Che and said.

Li Che nodded: 'Well done.'

Feng Zhiqi is too strong — Martial Saint Third Opening… his martial will nearly coincides with the will of heaven and earth, terrifyingly powerful…

Huang Jiujiu voiced his feelings after crossing swords with Feng Zhiqi.

Li Che gave it a brief thought and understood the worth of a Martial Saint Third Opening expert.

Know this: against Huang Jiujiu, who unleashed at least eighty percent of his power in a single strike, Feng Zhiqi merely flicked his fingers and shattered the sword technique.

This shows Feng Zhiqi possesses absolute overwhelming power over Huang Jiujiu.

Feng Zhiqi is this strong — then… what about Ji Molie?!

Faint arcs of electricity flickered in Li Che's eyes as he sensed an inexplicable pressure, like a dam bursting and a river rushing forth.

Pingluan King Ji Molie is an absolute Martial Saint of the Fourth Opening, also a great divine cultivator of the Divine Fetus Four Transformations, his overall strength surpassing and exceeding Feng Zhiqi's!

Huang Jiujiu took off his wine gourd, drank a sip of the wine he had begged from his wife; now that their relationship is public, he no longer needs to run a tab, and he drinks with ever greater delight.

"When I first stormed the Su clan, the one I truly feared was the Su patriarch, Su Leiba… his cultivation was at the Martial Saint Second Opening, and he was also a cultivator of the Divine Fetus One Transformation."

"I had to call upon the Inner Sect Elder to act; otherwise, if Su Leiba returned, I might not even be able to kill Su Wuming."

Huang Jiujiu said.

"Only after truly stepping into the Martial Saint realm does one realize that the gap between openings is like crossing seas and mountains — nearly impossible to bridge."

Li Che nodded.

"It's actually not hard to grasp: the higher the realm, the more it seems to differ by just one level, yet the distance that must be crossed and made up between them… could be vastly beyond imagination."

"The higher the realm, the more terrifying the rank‑based oppression, and the greater its influence."

Huang Jiujiu nodded in agreement.

He swayed to his feet, bade Li Che farewell, then drifted out of the courtyard.

It seemed he merged into the darkness, beginning to use the Corpse God Seal fused within his Niwan Inner Vision to seek out the evil members of the Corpse God Sect lurking in Qianyuan Dao City.

Li Che watched the departing Huang Jiujiu, withdrew his gaze, his mind stirred, and linked with the Flying Thunder Chess Piece.

This Flying Thunder Chess Piece was enveloped within the sword aura Huang Jiujiu unleashed toward Feng Zhiqi; as the aura was shattered by Feng Zhiqi, the chess piece fell into it.

As long as the Flying Thunder is in place, Li Che can go anywhere in the world!

His eyes opened and closed, electric currents surging!

His black robe rustled loudly; Li Che did not immediately employ the Flying Thunder Chess Piece, but entered the Guiyi Miao of the Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Sword Immortal.

Instead, he remained seated, drawing in and swallowing the power of the condensing, churning divine liquid droplets within the divine crystal.

Spring wind and rain nourish all things.

The pattering drizzle struck the black tiles and the stone platform, producing a clear sound.

Li Che silently refined his spirit, calming his mind and breath.

He was not in a hurry to act.

He waited for a nightfall.

……

……

Rattle‑clatter——

The crushed axle fragments fell onto the official road; a withered leaf, dampened by the spring rain, stuck to the wheel, gathered mud, and rolled along.

An extravagantly luxurious carriage, drawn by pure‑blooded, noble jiao horses, galloped along the official road.

Inside the carriage, there was an unparalleled tranquility, isolated by heavy soundproofing material, soft and comfortable.

Lü Chi sat in the carriage, his whole body surging with rolling divinity, and he took out an extraordinarily precious medicinal pill and stuffed it into his mouth.

It was the Fifth-Rank Divine Pill 【Hundred Herbs Minor Return Pill】, famed as the most renowned product of the Guangling Dao Divine Pill Sect, each pill exorbitantly priced, capable of transforming martial arts foundation and talent, cleansing the flesh, and enhancing qi and blood.

"Your Highness, Qianyuan Dao City is approaching."

Outside the carriage, two figures sat upright as straight as divine spears, reminding in a low voice.

Lü Chi opened his eyes; inside his stomach, the stomach walls wriggled, refining the medicinal potency of the Minor Return Pill, and his qi and blood grew ever more vast and powerful.

"Qianyuan Dao City..."

Lü Chi's eyes held no emotion, while the prison-lotus divine mark on his brow glowed brightly.

"There are still some days until Qingming; arriving early at Qianyuan Dao City to acclimate is also good..."

Lü Chi said lightly.

"Your Highness, having entered Qianyuan Dao City, are we to reside in the Dao Lord's Manor?"

Opposite them in the carriage cabin, an elderly man with a full head of silver hair slowly opened his eyes, looked toward Lü Chi, and inquired.

Lü Chi tilted his head, lifted the curtain, and gazed at the continuous spring rain outside the window, momentarily dazed.

After a moment, he asked: "Old Mo, does the Pacification King's Consort reside in the Dao Lord's Manor?"

The old man nodded: "According to the returned news, indeed."

Lü Chi's eyes flickered: "Then we shall stay there."

Old Mo paused, then gave a light smile: "Good, we will stay at the Dao Lord's Manor; I will have someone send word ahead."

He was somewhat surprised: Your Highness clearly despises the Pacification King's Consort, so why would you reside in the Dao Lord's Manor?

However, Old Mo didn't mind.

"I never expected that Your Highness could obtain the deity's divinity inheritance from the Eight-Armed Prison Lotus Wrath Third Prince Guiyi Miao, and that Your Highness could resolve to sever the seven emotions and six desires, passing the Third Prince's trial of pulling out bones to repay the father and cutting flesh to repay the mother..."

"Indeed, it is somewhat beyond this old man's expectations."

"Her Highness is greatly pleased for Your Highness... the royal family has no kin; only in Her Highness's eyes does Your Highness truly have the qualification to enter the fray and compete with the other highnesses."

Old Mo stroked his beard and said.

Lü Chi's eyes were indifferent: "Just a faint hope; basically no hope can be seen, and the empress dowager has never placed any hope in me."

"The Grand Preceptor having you accompany me is merely consolation; I ultimately failed to meet the Grand Preceptor's expectations... My talent, I know clearly in my heart, and besides, I have only obtained twenty percent of the Third Prince's Temple Deity divinity inheritance..."

"If I could obtain more than fifty percent of the Third Prince's Temple Deity divinity inheritance, perhaps then I would have a chance."

Upon hearing this, Old Mo was struck speechless, saying nothing further.

Royal children always mature faster than other children.

Inside the carriage, they fell into a silence.

Lü Chi watched the spring rain, the overflowing spring rain continuously intertwining within the leaden clouds.

Vaguely, an image of a chubby little girl sprang to mind, sitting happily laughing on a twisty car.

He drew a deep breath and suddenly shut his eyes.

"We have come for the last personal transmission quota of Patriarch Lü; if I could become his disciple..."

"... then that hope would be greater."

"... and at the Empress's Peach Blossom Festival, we would gain an extra chip."

Lü Chi said in a deep voice, opened his eyes again, his eyes utterly cold and indifferent.

Devoid of feeling, only profit remained.

……

……

The leaden clouds roiled, silvery crystal raindrops leaping from behind the clouds, tearing the sky like sword light, illuminating specks of faint light in the night.

Crackle-crackle!

A streak of azure electric arc rolled and leapt within the cloud layers, like a divine dragon flicking its tail!

Wind racing, lightning flashing—spring thunder first rumbled!

Qianyuan Dao City.

Listening Thunder Lane.

Rainwater flowed down the black tiles, gathering into a transparent water curtain on the eaves.

Li Che loosened his grip on the mid fifth-rank divinity crystal in his hand; the divinity liquid inside the crystal trembled slightly, splashing, with still more than one-third remaining.

【Dao Fruit: Immaculate Heart (LV5, 5%)】

Indeed, the first divinity of this new-rank divinity crystal, after the Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit absorbs it, sees its maturity increase at an extremely rapid pace.

However, once saturation is reached, the speed slows down.

Having stored the divinity crystal still containing a third of its divinity liquid droplets, Li Che bathed in the rain, rushing down as the spring wind, laden with rain mist, swept over him.

He rose to his feet, his dark robe fluttering.

He entered the house.

Six painted-immortal avatars of Li Che were gripping divinity crystals, absorbing divinity, and gathering the divinity of the Six Desires Divine Foundation to completion.

"Six Desires Slay Evil..."

Li Che exhaled a breath, his pupil light flashing a glint.

According to the inspiration given by Huang Jiujiu, Li Che felt that using the power of the Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Sword Immortal Temple Deity to directly forge a divine aspect would be a fine choice.

The Six-in-One Divine Aspect...

Can it succeed?

Li Che also had no idea.

But once this thought took root, it could not be quelled no matter what.

Isn't it better than forging?

He pinched two fingers together, tore open the air, and from his Qiankun space took out the cute moe ox mask, placing it on his face.

He donned the straw hat and black robe.

Woom—bang!

A muffled thud sounded as Li Che's body suddenly shot up and bulked up, like a pagoda mountain, his veins pulsing and jumping like thunder!

His five fingers slowly slid over the mask, he lifted his head, his vigorous black hair flying wildly, and beneath the mask his pupils burst forth with golden smoke and electric arcs.

His five fingers clenched tight, and when they grasped a white flying thunder chess piece...

Li Che's figure had already vanished into the independent workshop courtyard.

The eerie mist roiled, silken strands of the temple god's divinity, like a darting flood dragon, ravaged silently within the mist!

Li Che wore the ox-demon mask, his burly body instantly appearing within the Guiyi Miao's divine essence intertwined, forming the strange realm of the Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Sword Immortal.

He looked up, as if he had arrived in a brand-new world.

Splash—splash!

He looked down to see the ground covered in shallow puddles that submerged his feet, exuding a bone-piercing icy chill.

Li Che's qi and blood surged, scorching hot, driving away the cold.

He raised his hand and tapped his brow.

The heaven-and-earth chessboard sprang up, sealing off his qi.

Then, the flesh at his brow tore open to either side.

An eye radiating golden light leapt forth—this was the Star-Plucking Pupil.

Myriad analysis endless, gazing into the void to return to truth!

Golden light from the Star-Plucking Pupil burst forth, sweeping like a vast ocean as he gazed at the boundless strange realm.

The eerie mist roiled like boiling water, in a world suffused with chill, the mist turning hazy.

The Star-Plucking Pupil's gaze swept over, and the eerie mist was completely seen through.

Instantly.

A magnificent, blinding sword light shot up from the distant sea surface, piercing the heavens!

Utterly brilliant, it poured into the strange realm's upper air, stirring layers of mist waves.

Li Che's eyes narrowed.

"Found it."

The location of the Guiyi Miao!

The Five Old Guiyi Miao...

Li Che's purpose in entering the Guiyi Miao this time was mainly to probe, and he had no intention of dealing with other temple gods by summoning their spirits as he usually did.

After all, it's the Five Old Guiyi Miao; its temple god... cannot be summoned.

Li Che landed on his tiptoes.

Powerful qi and blood flooded his soles, and instantly water waves exploded!

Void-Traversing Eight Qi Steps!

After bursting a water wave, Li Che's figure surged forward, pulling a continuous string of afterimages, as if shattering the air and stirring layers of white waves!

His goal clear, he headed straight for the Guiyi Miao situated within the strange realm.

Cultivators who enter the strange realm lose their sense of direction, making it hard to pinpoint the Guiyi Miao's exact location amidst the entwining mist.

Even Li Che, relying solely on the heaven-and-earth chessboard, would have his five senses and six consciousnesses veiled, forcing him to rely on his naked eyes.

Because divine sense in the strange realm is weakened by the eerie mist, visibility drops to only about ten meters.

Fortunately, Li Che possesses the Star-Plucking Pupil.

The Star-Plucking Pupil's ability—myriad analysis endless, gazing into the void to return to truth—lets Li Che navigate the eerie mist with ease.

Bang—bang—bang!

The heaven-and-earth chessboard sealed his aura; Li Che's burly, broad frame, with a clear direction, shot forward at high speed.

The pressure between heaven and earth grew ever stronger.

It felt as if a sharp sword intent kept drawing near, nearly pressing against his brow.

Li Che's eyes narrowed.

Electromagnetic orbital operation.

Instantly, the field around him shifted, and together with the heaven-and-earth chessboard's isolation...

Li Che seemed to have been wholly erased from the strange realm.

The strange realm's terrifying pressure was completely lost on him, leaving him unaffected.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!

The closer he approached the Guiyi Miao, the calm water on the ground continually surged, waves striking and stacking into a line of white foam.

Clap—clap—clap!

Each lash of the tide would explode.

Suddenly.

Li Che halted his steps, his brows slightly furrowed.

He looked toward the distance.

In the distance, the eerie mist was heavy and hazy.

It reflected two enormous black shadows.

The Star-Plucking Pupil glowed, instantly tearing open the strange mist, revealing those two colossal beings.

Those were two burly corpses whose bodies shone with black jade, entwined with floral patterns, swollen and bloated, each kneeling on one knee, with a huge sword planted before them.

Like an enormous black jade sculpture, devoid of life, yet filled with a terrifying oppressive presence!

"Temple Guard Corpse!"

"Moreover…… it is a demigod-level Temple Guard Corpse!"

Beneath the ox-demon mask, Li Che's eyes were entwined with golden smoke, revealing a solemn hue.

These two Temple Guard Corpses……

The oppressive feeling it gave Li Che was immense, far surpassing even that of the Corpse God Seal that had once forged Huang Jiu's demigod corpse body.

They are all Temple Guard Demi-God Corpses of the Five Elders' Upper Rank!

Absolutely cannot be confronted head-on!

Li Che never imagined that, after shielding his aura and perception, he would actually encounter the obstruction of two demigod Temple Guard Corpses right before the Ghost Temple's gate……

Moreover, Li Che had a premonition that even with the shielding of the Heaven-Earth Chessboard and the Thunder-Magnetic Track, he could not get past these two to enter the Ghost Temple.

The domain of these two demigod Temple Guard Corpses invisibly warped every area within a hundred-zhang radius of the Ghost Temple!

Just like the Eight-Armed Prison Lotus Furious Third Prince Ghost Temple on the Nine Dragon River of Jin Guang Prefecture, within the Ghostly Barrier, the area within a hundred zhang around the Ghost Temple is a forbidden zone.

"However…… it's not a big problem."

Li Che flicked his finger, and two black God‑Binding Chess Pieces instantly drifted out, rising with the wind and transforming into two figures.

One was Huang Jiu, the other was You Liqing.

You Liqing was clad in golden armor, his eyes snapping open as lightning intertwined.

Having refined the God‑Binding power of Martial Saint Su Wenxi, You Liqing's God‑Binding aura surged, and he has finally broken through to the Martial Saint realm.

"My lord!"

You Liqing respectfully clasped his fists.

Even after breaking through to Martial Saint, the God‑Binding will etched into the last of the three hun and seven po remains unchanged.

Li Che gazed at those two terrifying Temple Guard Corpses……

He drew a deep breath.

Let Huang Jiu and You Liqing each hold a Flying Thunder Chess Piece, replicate the method, and send the piece into the Ghost Temple.

Boom——!

With a clang, You Liqing lowered the golden visor from his helmet, shielding his face; then, gripping tight, he took hold of the eight‑zhang serpent spear, his whole body turning into golden light as he shot forward in an instant!

Huang Jiu also smiled, sword qi sweeping forth as he rode the wind on his sword!

The Heaven‑Earth Chessboard dispersed its shroud……

The aura erupting from the two great God‑Binding beings instantly stirred the two demigod Temple Guard Corpses!

Pat‑pat‑pat!

The endless water surface seemed to boil, as if countless droplets were jumping and trembling, crackling without cease.

Roar——!!!

The raging howl of air exploded in an instant; the two ten‑meter‑tall demigod Temple Guard Corpses snapped open their eyes, crimson light sweeping across like four infrared beams!

Upon You Liqing's body, countless dragon roars burst forth instantaneously; gripping the eight‑zhang serpent spear, two divine seeds detonated with a boom!

Blood mist permeated, the divine seeds roared.

Heavenly King's Wrathful Gaze, Zhang‑Magic Python Spear!

Huang Jiu burst into loud laughter, sword light sweeping forth, shimmering ripples darting out.

Boom——!!!

The huge sword was drawn out; the two Temple Guard Demi‑God Corpses opened their mouths to roar, sharp fangs jutting outward, their appearance mutated by stimulation of the temple god's divinity, extremely ferocious and hideous.

Li Che stood upon the raging waves, his brows furrowing beneath the mask as he gazed at those two ferocious and terrifying Temple Guard Corpses, unable to help recalling what he had seen through the ghostly mist in the Third Prince's Ghost Temple……

Those countless beings cloaked in ghostly mist, separated by the ghostly barrier, densely packed and terrifying……

Are these Temple Guard Corpses…… truly mutated by the influence of the temple god's divinity?

This Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Sword Immortal Ghost Temple……

How could the temple god's divinity infect and produce ghostly, demon‑like Temple Guard Corpses?

Since it is Six Desires Slay Evil, how could it breed evil things?

Or perhaps……

Are these Temple Guard Corpses not born from the temple god's divinity's contamination?

A hint of doubt gradually rose in Li Che's heart.

Ghostly Barrier, Ghostly Mist, Ghost Temple……

A greenish finger, the deceased temple god……

One piece of information after another flashed before Li Che's eyes, full of mystery, making him unable to see through, giving him a feeling of being ensnared by a great net, almost suffocating.

But soon, he closed his eyes, expelling all that information from his mind.

Those things are too far away from him.

What he needs to do now is to increase his own strength.

Only when the power he wields is strong enough will he have the capital to clench his fists and resist when facing disaster and terror.

……

……

Temple Suppression Office.

The Five Elders' Rank Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Sword Immortal Ghost Temple, outside the Ghostly Barrier.

Feng Zhiqi snapped his eyes open, a sharp gleam almost solidifying, his martial will merging with the power of heaven and earth, a terrifying heaven‑man resonance forming a domain that twisted everything.

"Impudent!"

"How dare you trespass into the Five Old Guiyi Miao!"

Feng Zhiqi's face flared with fierce anger!

The tremor erupting inside the Strange Gate was instantly sensed by the patrolling spirit officials, who then spread the word.

Feng Zhiqi's martial will, locked onto the Strange Gate, also sensed something amiss.

Someone actually dared to provoke the two temple‑guarding demigods!

Who is it?

What audacity!

A suicidal act!

Most importantly…

Feng Zhiqi's eyes boiled with killing intent, his heart intertwining cold cruelty and resentful fury.

Who…

How could someone slip past his garrison unnoticed and enter the Sword Immortal's Strange Gate?!

"Guard every exit; aside from this monk, whoever comes out… kill them!"

"Here!"

All the supervising officers and chief constables who had gathered bellowed!

In the distance.

Within the Temple Garrison Manor, Yuwen Wenlong, who was handling documents, also sensed something amiss and rushed over swiftly.

Feng Zhiqi, however, paid him no heed.

Lunging forward, his terrifying qi and blood surged like countless roaring dragons, bursting out instantly; his surrounding airflow exploded, revealing a void as countless turbulent currents howled and raged.

Turning into a streak of light, he plunged into the strange mist and charged into the Strange Gate!

And as Feng Zhiqi crashed into the Strange Gate,

Li Che's black robe billowed as he pressed down on his ox‑demon mask.

After passing through the two temple‑guarding corpse talismans, he landed on the flying thunder chess piece before the temple gates.

He shifted his form and concealed his presence.

He set foot inside this ancient Sword Immortal temple with flying eaves and upturned corners.

He finally beheld the Sword Immortal.

…

…

Rattle‑rattle—

Rainwater poured down from the towering heights in a mighty cascade.

Before the Dao Lord's manor.

Young Dao Lord Yue Weizheng, holding an umbrella and accompanied by a few attendants, waited in the night.

In the distance, a splendid carriage, likened to a blossom unfurling in the heavy spring rain, tore through the drizzle and came slowly, its wheels churning the standing water into white waves, finally halting before the lord's manor.

The curtain was lifted.

Mo Lao's white hair flew as he held up an umbrella for Lü Chi and stepped out of the carriage together.

Yue Weizheng's gaze fell on Mo Lao, his eyes narrowing slightly.

This person… seems somewhat familiar.

He seems to be a divine‑fetus cultivator under the State Preceptor Xie Yunshen!

However, Yue Weizheng could not determine his exact identity.

Yue Weizheng looked toward Lü Chi, a strange hue flickering in his eyes.

He had heard of Lü Chi's deeds; previously hiding his identity in Jin Guangfu, he participated in the Divine Resonance Assembly of the Three Prince Temple hosted by the Qianyuan Divine Sect.

It was rumored that this obscure prince of Shendu, Lü Chi, despite his modest talents, had obtained twenty percent of the divinity of the Three Prince Temple's deity at the assembly.

If not for Li Nuanxi alone securing seventy percent of the temple's divinity, this prince might have alone claimed at least fifty percent.

The plain‑clothed State Preceptor of Dàjǐng paid close attention to the Prison Lotus Wrathful Three Prince Guiyi Miao in Jin Guangfu…

If Prince Lü Chi could obtain fifty percent of the temple's divinity, he would likely be able to directly win the patronage and backing of State Preceptor Xie Yunshen.

Now… it's a pity; this prince can only gamble for a chance to receive the sect master's personal transmission.

"Your Highness Prince, your lodging has been arranged; please follow this humble official."

Yue Weizheng said with a smile.

After the carriage came to a stop, the party entered the Dao Lord's manor.

The Dao Lord's manor is spacious.

Passing through the corridor, passing through the waterside pavilion garden.

Lü Chi's large head jerked to a halt; his gaze swept over and fell into the distance, where in the leisure pavilion the somewhat irascible Dragon Princess Consort Ao Qingqing, undergoing special training, was present.

"Get serious! How can you hope to beat that lowly girl Li Nuanxi if you keep slacking off?!"

The Dragon Princess Consort was strict, holding a ruler, as if sensing something, she lifted her gaze.

She then saw several people standing in the corridor, her brows furrowing.

In the corridor.

Lü Chi's gaze was indifferent.

"She is the dragon‑princess wife of Princess Moge of the Pacification King, united in marriage with the Dragon God clan?"

Yue Weizheng heard the words, his face showing a strange expression, and he also thought that the prince Lü Chi, who is favored in Shendu, intended to win over the princess.

Exactly.

Should this humble official go invite the princess to come see Your Highness?

Yue Weizheng said with a smile.

A lowly girl?

Lü Chi turned his big head expressionlessly, looking at Mo Lao who stood beside him.

Mo Lao…… slap her mouth.

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