Chapter 338: 340. Chapter 334: Dao Fruit Shedding, Ink City Sovereign—Invincible with Me; Dàjǐng

340. Chapter 334: Dao Fruit Shedding, Ink City Sovereign—Invincible with Me; Dàjǐng's First City Confronts the Princess Demon Ritual 【Seeking Monthly Votes】

The heavens and earth are vast and desolate, and heavy snow drifts.

Lead‑colored clouds pile above the ten‑thousand‑foot sky, yet countless white snowflakes flutter down from within, as large as a woman's palm, dancing and shifting.

On both sides, the mountain ridges are cloaked in silver, with continuous white snow covering everything, leaving only a swath of white, like two long white dragons flowing slowly alongside the Grand Canal.

Against the backdrop of the two impeccably white ridges, the water of the Grand Canal appears a deep black hue.

The solitary, flowing long river rushes silently.

On the great river, a lone boat maintains the same speed as the nine‑layer Yellow Dragon mystic‑wood treasure ship a hundred li away, keeping the hundred‑li distance.

On that lone boat, Li Che, clad in a black shirt, sits calmly in meditation, his jet‑black, vigorous hair rustling wildly, whipping the air.

At his brow, it seems flesh tears apart to both sides, revealing a golden pupil.

It is the nascent divine skill, Star‑Plucking Eye.

Countless analyses endless, peering into void to return truth!

This is an auxiliary nascent divine skill that has greatly aided Li Che.

It helps Li Che analyze many things beyond his comprehension.

It also refines and concentrates Li Che's primordial spirit, clearly the effect of the divine skill.

When carving the divine eagle, Li Che also activates the Star‑Plucking Eye, using its spirit‑focusing trait; likewise, when ingesting divine crystals, he does the same.

Speaking of divine crystals, Li Che cannot help but think of the Qian Kun Jade.

Li Che has not yet opened Yue Huanglong's Qian Kun Jade to investigate what treasures lie within; after all, it is the Sovereign of the Dao's Qian Kun Jade, though not all valuables may be carried on one's person.

Nevertheless, as a Qian Kun Jade of a top‑tier, first‑class martial saint, it surely contains some delights that will surprise Li Che.

However, after that battle, Li Che spent three consecutive days recovering and adjusting, leaving no time to examine it.

Of course, there is no hurry; after all, the Qian Kun Jade is already in his hands.

Whether opened early or late, the jade remains there.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

The drifting snow lands on the flat boat's black canopy, producing a soft rustling, accompanied by a mildly warm river breeze, highlighting the desolation of heaven and earth.

On the lone boat.

Under the Star‑Plucking Eye, Li Che's eyes slowly open and close, as if two dense swirls of ink rotate within the pupils.

Within his chest, the Dao Fruit 【Painting Immortal】 hops wildly, exploding incessantly.

Painting Immortal Dao Fruit…

Lv5!

Three metamorphoses!

The Dao Fruit's third transformation will give birth to a dual‑heaven divine skill!

Li Che's black shirt flutters, the corners of his mouth lift into a slight curve, and a smile blossoms.

Li Che speculates that the Painting Immortal Dao Fruit's metamorphosis is inseparably linked to Yue Huanglong, who, ablaze with fat, tore open the Heavenly Gate, pouring out its divinity; after Li Che killed him, that divinity merged into Ink City.

Moreover, Yue Huanglong's departed heavenly‑earth soul returned to the heavens and earth, and was also devoured by Ink City…

Thus, this feedback causes the Painting Immortal Dao Fruit's maturity to accelerate at an extraordinary rate, unnoticed by Li Che.

Buzz—!

A powerful force erupts from the ink‑colored vortex of his twin pupils.

The vast heavens and earth manifest in his eyes, and his whole being now appears in this world.

The ground erupts upward; a terrifying Dao Tree pierces the clouds, its canopy a net. On the earth, roots and vines twist like an earth‑dragon turning, spreading densely in all directions, as if anchoring deep into the planet.

Whooo—

A gale howls, whipping Li Che's hair and black shirt.

He hovers high in the sky, gazing straight at the vast Dao Tree; even though he can now match a supreme martial saint, before this towering tree he still feels insignificant.

But besides the sense of smallness, Li Che also feels…

gratitude and joy.

Seeing the abundant fruits on the Dao Tree, Li Che cannot help but think of his daughter; each year she grows safely, the tree seems to enlarge, rise, and become more majestic, and new Dao Fruits hang from its branches, glittering brilliantly.

That is a sense of achievement!

Besides raising his daughter…

He is also nurturing this Dao Tree!

Li Che knows this Dao Tree is surely deeply linked to his daughter, at least bound by a so‑called bond.

It is this bond that allows Li Che to gradually reach such heights.

Li Che does not know whether these bonds will fade, and he need not ponder them.

The Dao Tree's emergence makes him powerful, and that power lets him protect his daughter's safe growth, which in turn feeds back to the Dao Tree…

Such a complete loop is enough.

Buzz—

When his gaze fell on the Painting Immortal Dao Fruit that had just reached Lv5, a massive surge of ink burst forth.

Suddenly.

Li Che's eyes landed on the vast earth, and instantly he saw an ink‑colored city rise from the ground, materializing out of thin air!

Towering ink mist swirls endlessly.

Li Che was slightly stunned.

"Ink City?"

Ink City... actually appeared within this vast heaven and earth?!

Li Che felt a slight tremor in his heart, and with a sudden impulse, his whole body began to plummet rapidly; a moment later, he fell into Ink City.

In the next instant, Ink City suddenly shuddered.

Li Che, within the city, suddenly looked up.

He discovered that over Ink City, as if a colossal scroll had abruptly unfurled, sweeping across the sky above the city like a celestial curtain.

It obscured the towering Dao trees and everything between heaven and earth.

Only the immense white scroll remained.

The scroll was utterly blank, like a boundless white expanse of heaven and earth.

Suddenly.

Within Li Che's gaze, in that white expanse…

a speck of jet‑black ink seeped out.

On the scroll, slowly…

it coalesced into a black eyeball!

That black eyeball, through the scroll, gazed down upon Ink City and upon Li Che within Ink City!

Li Che felt his breath suddenly seize—

as if an invisible massive hand were gripping his heart fiercely.

It was…

whose eye?!

Boom—!!!

Heaven and earth trembled, thunder roared!

The vast heavens poured a rain of ink, drenching everything into black.

Thus the world was left with only black and white, yin and yang, two colors.

Li Che's consciousness completely withdrew from the boundless heavens.

Aboard a lone black‑sheltered boat, he suddenly opened his eyes, gasping heavily, while fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

The cold snow that fell on him instantly sizzled away in the heat.

"Whose eye was that?"

Li Che breathed in and out, calming his mind, his brows slightly furrowing with a hint of gravity.

However, having encountered so many mysteries now, he had already become calm.

He would not indulge in excessive speculation; he would act according to the extent of his ability.

When his cultivation level rises, he will naturally be qualified to engage with these.

Before his eyes, a flowing light resembled ink‑scented agarwood.

【Dao Fruit Lv5, Three Metamorphoses, Divine Skill First Heaven (Ink City) Ascension, Divine Skill Second Heaven (Ink City Sovereign)】

Boom—!!!

A golden‑like hint materialized, and Li Che's eyes suddenly hardened.

His emotions rippled slightly!

Dao Fruit Three Metamorphoses!

Divine Skill Second Heaven… Ink City Sovereign!

Ink City Sovereign?!

This transformation is truly simple, direct, and brutal!

A direct ascension metamorphosis built upon the foundation of Ink City?

Previously, when many Divine Skills appeared, Li Che was bewildered and could not grasp their effects, but this time seemed different.

Ink City Sovereign… even a fool like Li Che can comprehend its basic effect.

Nevertheless, doubt still surged in Li Che's eyes.

After all, when he previously manifested Ink City, it was essentially equivalent to being its sovereign; within Ink City… his advantage could be greatly amplified.

But since this is a Dao Fruit Divine Skill ascension metamorphosis, there must still be differences and changes.

Before him, ink swirled.

【White Jade Capital (Divine Skill): Immortals within the painting, Ink White Jade Capital, enumerating the immortal ranks, mythic ascension】

【First Heaven: Ink City】

【Second Heaven: Ink City Sovereign】

【Within the city, the populace is restrained, ten thousand hearts united; the city exists because its people exist, with me, invincible】

The true‑word prompts about 【Ink City Sovereign】 continuously flickered before Li Che's eyes.

Li Che's eyes suddenly glowed with a dim light, as if thick ink were churning, as if he could see a city where countless ink‑colored silhouettes moved gracefully.

Buzz—

Within the mud‑marble at his brow, a vein of ink‑colored Dao seemed to vibrate continuously.

Accompanied by the vibration, Li Che felt his whole body turn ink‑colored, and with a thought, he instantly found himself inside Ink City.

Ink City…

It seemed to have expanded; originally it was only the size of a small lightning city, but now it resembled the grand Upper Qianyuan Dao City!

Boundlessly vast and endless, the entire city became more realistic and exquisite; ink‑colored floor tiles were laid, and the soaring eaves and angular buildings were arranged in orderly rows.

Li Che walked within Ink City and could even see the real interiors of each house: dining tables, beds, and on the beds lay quilts stacked like blocks of tofu.

It was as if a genuine city, no longer the false semblance of the original Ink City.

Pitter-patter, the ink-colored rainwater poured down from the high sky.

Li Che raised his head: "The rain stops."

In an instant, the ink-colored rain stopped, not falling a single drop.

"It's snowing."

Li Che said.

The sky of Ink City began to drift down ink-colored snowflakes.

"Snow stops, clear sky."

Li Che said again.

The snowflakes instantly melted, the black clouds dispersed, revealing a white blazing sun hanging high in the sky, shedding white light over the whole Ink City.

Li Che's eyes flickered slightly.

Sovereign…

This is the Sovereign, able to dominate everything in this city!

Words become law, a thought arises, and can change everything in the city!

He could make a pavilion a hundred zhang high rise from the ground at the center, turn that pavilion into an office building, and then transform the office building into a bird's nest…

Any building he could imagine could be altered and produced by a change of his thought.

However, it consumes a bit of mental strength.

Just from continuous alterations, Li Che felt his mind slightly dazed.

Finally, at the city's center, he constructed a square and upright building whose outer walls were entirely office-building-like.

And his own figure stood atop the office building hundreds of meters high.

Below were ancient-style buildings with flying eaves and upturned corners; a distinctly angular office building from a past life rose from the ground—indeed, it gave Li Che a feeling of unreality.

Looking down over the whole city, it seemed as if countless ink-colored threads connected the entire Ink City, subject to his control at will.

As long as his spirit is strong enough, he can even let Ink City keep expanding!

Li Che drew a deep breath, his eyes involuntarily showing a hint of excitement.

This is a kind of…

A feeling like that of a deity!

Everything is within grasp, as one wishes.

Suddenly, Li Che recalled a line from the Ink City Sovereign's True Words: "All the detained citizens in the city are of one heart."

Detained citizens?

Detained gods?

Li Che raised his eyebrows, flicked his finger, and instantly black detained-god chess pieces shot out, meeting the wind and swelling in the air, turning into silhouettes entwined with black light.

Except for Yue Huanglong standing respectfully on the black‑canopy boat, all the other detained gods appeared.

Yan Jing, Su Lei Bao, Su Dao Ling, You Li Qing, Huang Jianjiu, and so on…

Each detained god hovered in the air.

They looked toward Li Che, who stood atop the strange mirror‑like building, his dark robe fluttering to the side.

They eagerly clasped fists, bowed, and performed the salute.

"We pay our respects, my lord!"

Their voices overlapped in unison, the air seemed to roar and explode!

Li Che glanced at these detained gods indifferently.

With just a thought, he could mark these detained gods as Ink City's detained citizens; once they became Ink City detained citizens, as long as they remained within Ink City's bounds they could achieve true immortality.

Even if blown up thousands or tens of thousands of times, they could maintain peak condition!

Li Che hesitated not, and gave each detained god the detained‑citizen mark.

Like ID cards, these detained gods fell to the ground of Ink City; as the detained‑citizen mark was imprinted, they each gained their own house within Ink City.

They could even freely control the appearance of these houses.

However, they could only control functions tied to the shape of their own houses.

Boom—boom—boom!!!

One after another, buildings like the rectangular office building beneath Li Che's feet rose from the ground, though none of the other office buildings were as tall as his.

Huang Jianjiu, You Li Qing and the other detained gods stood upon them, bowing respectfully to Li Che.

Li Che paid no heed to these formalities; his eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the ink‑colored threads linking each detained god completely to Ink City.

A puppeteer's threads control the puppet.

Li Che clenched his five fingers.

A thought moved!

Instantly.

The detained gods' power surged into Li Che's body, making him feel his strength growing ever stronger.

Huang Jianjiu, You Li Qing, Lei Bao Su, and Yan Jing—these four Qi Sea Martial Saints' primordial vigor and blood energy were all superimposed onto Li Che's body!

Li Che felt the vast and mighty power, his eyes gleaming brightly.

Although this empowered power was not as immense as that gained from detonating six Qimen Divine Seeds.

But the problem is…

This power has no side effects, can be stacked infinitely, as long as Ink City's detained citizens can be turned into fuel for his stacking!

Li Che's eyes burned brightly…

The upper limit is actually greater than that of the mighty Eight Qimen Technique martial art.

Because……

The number of detainees in Mo City…… can have no limit!

Furthermore, if we drag a few top-tier supreme experts into Mo City to become detainees.

Then the power Li Che can draw upon would become even greater.

"So…… this is what 'united as one' means?"

"The hearts of myriad people…… are my heart."

Li Che's lips curled up slightly with a smile.

Indeed……

"He truly deserves the title of 【Sovereign】!"

And besides that.

Li Che also sensed another ability of the second heavenly layer of this divine power he just shed.

"【Sovereign】 Clone!"

Whoosh——

As if countless streams of ink were flowing out.

Countless threads formed on Li Che, who stood atop the office building, weaving together into ink-colored bones, blood vessels, meridians, viscera, and skin……

Finally, the ink color faded, forming a shape identical to Li Che.

If there is a biggest difference from the painting immortal's clone, perhaps it is…… this clone has flesh and blood; upon receiving a fatal wound, it will bleed and be injured, rather than exploding into a cloud of ink like the painting immortal's clone.

Besides that, if Li Che suffers any serious injury, he can transfer it entirely onto the Sovereign clone's body.

And the Sovereign clone can also transfer all the damage Li Che suffers onto the ground of Mo City.

Unless the released power exceeds what Mo City can withstand, causing Mo City to completely collapse and become unable to bear a second lethal blow for Li Che, then the Sovereign clone must bear all the power.

When the Sovereign clone also shatters, that third lethal force……

only then does Li Che need to bear it!

In other words, he now has three lives!

With three lives, the room for maneuver…… becomes enormously large.

As for the Sovereign clone perfectly bearing his martial arts and divinity, unless Li Che bestows it, the clone cannot possess the divine abilities of the Dao fruit.

However, this Sovereign clone can, like Li Che, gather the power of the detainees and obtain a burst of strength at the power level.

"Invincible……" Li Che murmured.

"Moreover, as the Dao fruit's maturity increases…… the number of Sovereign clones can also increase."

"At most three more can be added, meaning that 30% of the Dao fruit's maturity can condense one Sovereign clone!"

Li Che stood at the highest point of Mo City.

Suddenly he couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Looks like I need to give my city……"

"Find more detainees."

"The livelier, the better."

……

……

He slowly opened his eyes.

The heavens and earth remained as desolate as ever.

The sound of the Grand Canal's waters being torn apart by a lone, black-canopied boat echoed in his ears, giving a feeling of cleansing the soul.

"My lord."

"Here."

Yue Huanglong, smiling with eyes narrowed, handed over the inspected Qiankun Jade to Li Che.

"Most of my treasures are kept in the lord's treasury; among the Qiankun Jade I carry, the finest is a Four Symbols Upper Divine Crystal…… intended to fully complete the 【Fetus to God】 transformation."

Li Che blinked slightly.

A flash of strange color appeared in his eyes: "Four Symbols Upper Divine Crystal?!"

As expected of the Dao Lord of Qianyuan Dao City…… a Four Symbols Upper Divine Crystal, extremely rare and precious!

Ordinary cultivators of the Divine Fetus Four Transformations can only afford the Four Symbols Middle Divine Crystal, mainly because the Upper one is too costly!

Besides divine crystals, there are some martial pills; alas, the highest quality of the Four Symbols Middle Three-Colored Heavenly Pill is merely a Four Symbols Lower Hundred Grass Great Return Martial Heavenly Pill produced by the Guangling Dao Heavenly Pill Divine Sect.

In the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect, divine pills of the Four Symbols rank are called Heavenly Pills, divided into Martial Heavenly Pills and Divine Heavenly Pills.

They serve the martial and divine paths respectively; the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect makes this distinction very clear, with extreme specificity and professionalism.

After all, one must not take medicine recklessly.

As for martial and divine techniques, as well as precious spiritual wood and divine eagles, there are basically none; after all, coming out to see the fun, Yue Huanglong surely wouldn't carry such good stuff on him.

Of course, if Li Che truly needs martial or divine techniques, he can simply ask Yue Huanglong.

He unceremoniously accepted these inspected divine crystals and Four Symbols martial pills.

What use is a Heavenly Pill to a dead man like Yue Huanglong?

Lu Taibai might have noticed Yue Huanglong's condition, yet still gave him the Four Symbols Middle Three-Colored Heavenly Pill.

He is also a straightforward person.

"Old Yue, can you now open the Heaven Gate?"

Li Che suddenly thought of a question.

He still remembered that when Yue Huanglong was beaten to death by him, it seemed he burned all his body fat and opened the Heaven Gate……

Yue Huanglong heard the words, the endearing smile on his face vanished.

He looked at Li Che, his expression grew more solemn.

"My lord…… I was just about to report to you."

"During the siege when we attacked the Heavenly Elixir Golden Vajra avatar of the sect master of the Heavenly Elixir Divine Sect, Gu Changqing…… I burned my body's fat, my heaven‑man resonance surged; logically I should have sensed the Heavenly Gate……"

"But, I failed to open the Heavenly Gate, instead……"

"I sensed another gate!"

Yue Huanglong said with utmost solemnity.

On the black‑canopied boat, Li Che's eyes also grew solemn.

"Another gate? Not the Heavenly Gate?"

"Does that gate come from the Netherworld?"

Li Che suddenly thought of it and involuntarily asked in a low voice.

Yue Huanglong nodded.

"That gate is utterly unlike the Heavenly Gate, wreathed in flames as black as ink, outlined into a gate, as if……"

"The fire of the Prison Lotus!"

Li Che's breath caught sharply.

……

……

Qianyuan Dao City.

Dao Lord's Residence.

Heavy rain poured down; in the winter clouds, bolts of lightning suddenly appeared, flashing and bursting forth with deafening roars.

In the splendid garden of the Dao Lord's Residence stood an octagonal pavilion.

The young Dao Lord, Yue Weizheng, sat there trembling all over, his strength completely drained.

His son, Yue Linghu, followed the Yellow Dragon Mystic Wood Treasure Ship to Shendu.

However, his father Yue Huanglong, together with Yan Jing, the Grand Marshal of the Divine Guard of Qianyuan Dao City, also disguised their identities and boarded that Yellow Dragon Mystic Wood Treasure Ship.

Yue Weizheng was aware of this.

But ten days have passed; according to the speed of the nine‑layer Yellow Dragon Mystic Wood Treasure Ship, it may reach Shendu in a few more days.

But Yue Huanglong and Yan Jing…… have not returned yet!

Yue Weizheng is not stupid; such a long absence must mean something happened……

He sent scouts to investigate and learned that the nine‑layer Yellow Dragon Mystic Wood Treasure Ship had been attacked by the Corpse God Sect and the Hunter King assassins.

But the Corpse God Sect was repelled, and the Hunter King assassin who attacked was even slain……

That means the treasure ship suffered no hindrance and continued onward to Shendu.

But……

"His dad?!"

"Saying he went to watch the excitement, his dad?!"

Yue Weizheng's body trembled incessantly.

He felt his whole person suddenly become utterly empty.

All along, Yue Huanglong had been a great mountain pressing down on his head; though it gave him immense pressure, it was also Yue Weizheng's greatest source of confidence and support.

And now……

The mountain…… has collapsed.

Rumble rumble.

The torrential rain washed the black tiles of the octagonal pavilion.

Suddenly.

Yue Weizheng's gaze turned toward the distant garden, where he saw a scholar in Confucian robes holding an oil‑paper umbrella, standing silently and gazing at him.

"Fang Hanshu?!"

Yue Weizheng started in shock!

"You……"

Fang Hanshu stroked his handsome beard, raised his finger, and placed it against his lips.

Then Yue Weizheng saw Fang Hanshu elegantly produce a mask from his bosom and press it onto his face.

Yue Weizheng glanced at it, his pupils constricted to the extreme, boundless terror gushed forth.

His body trembled violently like chaff in a sieve.

With a bang.

He knelt on the ground.

"I……"

"I want to live."

……

……

Rumble rumble—

The sound of the sails snapping and flapping in the wind echoed without cease.

The Yellow Dragon Mystic Wood great ship cut through the waves, speeding across the river surface with extreme swiftness; thick mist roiled, so dense that visibility dropped to extremely low.

"Father!"

"Take this!"

On the deck, Xixi grasped the Prison Lotus Sun Divine Sword, let out a loud shout, and the wind‑fire‑gold‑light wheel at her feet spun rapidly, spewing countless sparks, instantly pulling out lingering after‑images that circled around Li Che.

Li Che's black shirt fluttered, a gentle smile playing at the corner of his lips.

He stood in the very center, waiting for Xixi's move.

In the distance, many children were watching, each extremely nervous; Zhang Ya, cradling Yun'e's plump rabbit, stood far away watching her own daughter and husband spar.

Besides them, Zhao Fangzhou, Jianzheng Hongshifo and others were also spectating the battle.

Above the top of the pavilion, Lu Taibai's silver hair fluttered as he sipped tea, also observing.

However, this fight was essentially without any suspense.

Lu Taibai knew Li Che's Underworld Divine Monkey identity, indicating that Li Che had already reached the Saint of Martial Arts realm.

And how could a little girl like Xixi possibly handle that?

Xixi was still a hair's breadth away from Grand Master, though her divinity had already reached the Divine Form realm, her martial path was still blocked by her age and bone marrow.

Sure enough.

Watching on the deck, Xixi launched a flamboyant flurry of attacks, only to have Li Che's sudden brain‑burst bounce it back onto her forehead.

Xixi Great Emperor's rebellious grand plan… started but collapsed midway.

"Father! You let me go!"

Xixi, feeling aggrieved, plopped onto the deck and didn't want to get up at all.

This was her twenty‑eighth challenge to her father in the past half‑month, each ending in a brain‑burst defeat.

Xixi suddenly felt a bit depressed and deflated.

Xixi hasn't grown strong yet; even if she did, a great change… seems useless!

In the past half‑month, Xixi has become adept at harnessing Divine Form power, even able to trigger the power to command divine weapons.

Unfortunately…

Facing her unfathomable father, Xixi felt she was merely a false strength.

"This is just to let you taste failure early… I heard this Peach Banquet is extremely difficult; you shouldn't be crying after losing later."

Li Che walked over smiling, patted Xixi's head, and lifted her up.

Taking advantage, Xixi wrapped her arms around Li Che's neck, proudly raising her head: "Xixi Great Emperor will never lose! Xixi will win the Peach Banquet for mother and father!"

"No one can see Xixi crying!"

Xixi Great Emperor went wildly berserk.

"Except mother and father!"

But thinking again, she added another line.

Li Che burst into hearty laughter, set Xixi down, and let her train with her little companions; after all, whenever Xixi gets beaten by Li Che, she goes to her companions to regain confidence.

The biggest sufferer among them was Tie Shancai.

Tie Shancai now truly can't keep up with Xixi's breakthrough to the Divine Form realm, and is almost always getting beaten.

This made Tie Shancai extremely frustrated; he swore that once he reaches Shendu, he will strike the Divine Form, break through to Grand Master, and avenge himself at the Peach Banquet!

Li Che watched Xixi frolicking with her companions, and smiled as he walked to his wife Zhang Ya's side.

Zhang Ya returned the little rabbit to Yun'e, then linked arms with Li Che, strolling around the deck together.

The two remained silent, walking slowly like this.

Zhang Ya thoroughly enjoyed this tranquil moment; she held Li Che's arm, rested her head on it, inhaled her husband's scent, listened to Xixi and her companions' shrill laughter in the distance, and felt deeply at peace.

She wished time could stay like this, freezing this serenity.

Li Che also quite enjoyed it; with his wife and child beside him, his mood softened.

However, he was also contemplating the threats within Shendu.

Fortunately, Li Che's cultivation had improved considerably; now he possessed the combat power to clash with top‑level apexes, giving him more confidence to protect Xixi.

He wouldn't place all hope on Lu Taibai.

Sometimes, Li Che still preferred to keep the main power protecting his daughter in his own hands for peace of mind.

"The Corpse God Sect within Shendu… shouldn't be many, since Shendu's strong are as numerous as clouds; how could a large rebellious force hide strong ones in Dàjǐng's political power center?"

"But we must not relax or underestimate them."

"Besides that, there are many threats in Shendu; Lu Taibai said… the Tian Dan Vajra avatar of the Guangling Dao Tian Dan Divine Sect's sect master, transformed into a Hunter King assassin targeting Xixi, possibly backed by a Grand Minister…"

"Grand Minister Dàjǐng Xie Yunsen… why does he want to take Xixi?"

"And the Su family… the Su family's foundation in Shendu isn't weak; they even rally the whole clan to support the Third Prince, so the Third Prince might also threaten Xixi, because the Underworld has a grudge against the Third Prince, and the Underworld is closely linked to Xixi…"

Li Che furrowed his brows, silently analyzing Shendu's threats.

It must be said, although they haven't entered Shendu, the threats within Shendu are indeed many.

"And also…"

"The greatest threat…"

Li Che's eyes flickered slightly, as if recalling something.

Suddenly.

Just as he was pondering.

"Shendu Dao Shendu Zone has arrived—!"

On the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Great Ship, the captain, full of vigor, shouted.

The shout echoed around.

The entire Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Great Ship seemed to explode like a pot about to burst.

On the deck, the children excitedly ran about, sprinting wildly across the deck.

Shendu has arrived!

Dàjǐng First City is finally here!

Finally here! Finally we can fight!

……

The excited children ran without rest.

Suddenly.

Xixi, who had been sprinting across the deck, stopped in her tracks.

She lifted her head, staring at the dense fog on the side of the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship's deck.

Within the fog, an immensely huge black silhouette slowly emerged!

That black silhouette…

It was truly massive, overwhelmingly oppressive; Xixi instinctively raised her head, the plump flesh on her chubby cheeks quivered, she blinked, and tried to trace the summit of that black silhouette.

Whoosh—!!!

The dense fog was suddenly torn apart.

Then, a massive dark black warship, three times taller than the nine‑story Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship of Qianyuan Dao City, tore through the river's fog!

It slowly came to a halt at the side of the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship.

The contrast between them was like the difference between a small boat and a giant wheel.

And the bow of that incomparably huge dark black warship.

A towering, imposing figure clad in dark armor stood at the bow, a dark cloak behind him flapping in the wind.

Hands clasped across the chest.

From his lofty height, he looked down over everyone on the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship.

Finally…

His gaze shifted slightly.

It landed on Xixi, who was looking up, tiny as an ant.

Li Che, who was strolling while holding Zhang Ya's hand, narrowed his eyes.

In the pavilion, Hong Shifo's hand, which was holding the Gobang pieces while playing with Zhao Fangzhou, twitched sharply, and a piece fell.

Within the nine‑story pavilion.

Lu Taibai, who was meditating, also fixed his gaze.

The next moment.

Disappeared directly within the pavilion.

Appeared in the sky above Xixi.

Staring gravely at the figure standing on the bow of the dark black warship.

"Pingluan King—"

"Ji Mo Li!"