Chapter 382: 384. Chapter 377: Heaven-Earth Chessboard Full Map Unlocked, Li Half-Saint's Rapid Ascension to the Five-Thousand-Year P

384. Chapter 377 Heaven-Earth Chessboard full map unlocked, Li Half-Saint super fast ascension Five-Thousand-Year Peach Garden【Seek Monthly Ticket】

Whooo—

Inside the Peach Garden, it was as if a fierce wind had suddenly been stirred up, raging and intertwining, whooshing and blowing, causing the branches and leaves of every peach tree to sway left and right!

Rustling sounds, constantly echoing!

Like a forest sea hearing waves, it all finally gathered in Li Che's ears, or rather in the perception of the Heaven-Earth Chessboard, converging into three words.

"Save me……"

Li Che's pupils constricted slightly.

His body hair stood on end, every pore flung open, as if scorching hot streams were gushing forth from within!

What sound is this?

Where is this sound coming from?!

Li Che only felt his head a bit dizzy, and the 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit in his chest emitted an unprecedented reaction and change!

Greed, excitement, longing……

Such an anomaly of the Dao Fruit, Li Che had basically never encountered it before.

That longing emotion was like parched grass in a desert yearning for the moisture of cool water; that longing will surged forth from the Dao Fruit, causing Li Che's complexion to involuntarily change.

What on earth is this situation?

Li Che stood still in the Peach Forest, his gaze sharp and flashing, he suddenly swept his eyes around.

The Heaven-Earth Chessboard hovered high above.

That vague sound from somewhere kept reverberating.

"In the depths…… deeper depths……"

Li Che turned his head toward a direction, that being the depths of the Peach Garden Forest.

There, other fences were opened up, separating into other Peach Garden Forests; without a doubt, it should be a Peach Forest with older peaches.

"Is it five-thousand-year, or seven-thousand-year, or perhaps…… nine-thousand-year Peach Forest?"

Li Che furrowed his brows.

Anyway, he could be certain that the "help" sound, which made the 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit long for it, came from the depths of the Peach Forest!

"Moreover, who exactly is making that help sound?"

"Is it a person, a demon, a weird, or a peach……"

Li Che only felt his head full of fog.

His mind kept guessing, yet he could not figure out the reason.

But Li Che was unwilling to give up……

Because being able to make the 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit so excited, so anticipating and longing, this was a state never before experienced.

Li Che wanted to go see what exactly was causing it.

Moreover……

Li Che was also quite anticipating.

Because his 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit has now reached Level 5 Rank at 90% maturity.

Only a step away from the Four Transformations, promotion to Level 6 Rank is imminent!

Once the Dao Fruit undergoes the Four Transformations, it can give birth to a Dao Guide.

For Li Che, the Dao Guide is an extremely powerful force and enhancement.

Whether it was the Dragon Elephant Combined Furnace or the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart, both gave Li Che tremendous aid, raising his combat power to an exaggerated degree.

For each Dao Fruit's Dao Guide, Li Che naturally looked forward to it greatly.

"I cannot give up; the other's cry for help is so loud, as a warm-hearted person I absolutely cannot pretend I didn't hear it!"

"Brother, wait for me!"

Li Che's eyes gleamed.

"Looks like…… I need to go deeper into the Peach Forest."

Li Che muttered a sentence.

Suppressing the turmoil in his heart, perhaps because of the Dao Fruit's excitement and agitation, Li Che also couldn't help but become excited.

Slightly closing his eyes, the Niwan Palace throbbed nonstop, the Divine Fetus Secret Technique Emulate Heaven and Earth began to retract and dissipate.

In the instant his black robes tore through the air, Li Che opened his eyes.

The Heaven-Earth Chessboard still hovered high above.

The cry for help seemed to merge into the wind, vanishing without a trace.

Li Che tossed the Thousand-Year Chilong Blood Peach in his hand.

Inside the Peach Forest, he could not store the peach into the Heaven-Earth Jade, as if there were a clear restriction of rule-power.

Li Che didn't mind; with a flick of his finger, the peach instantly floated up, hovering beside him.

With his current Heaven-Earth Soul power, using will to levitate a peach was hardly difficult, hardly consuming any energy.

"Quick battle, quick decision, swiftly advance to the second round, Five-Thousand-Year Peach Forest……"

Li Che spread his arms, faintly in his gaze as if lightning crackled and jumped out.

The Niwan Palace underwent violent trembling.

Lü Xuan Sword Immortal Golden Core was still refining the power of the Four Sovereigns Golden Celestial King Temple Deity, making a final push toward the Divine Fetus Realm.

If the push succeeds, Li Che's foundation will become a bit stronger.

"Within this Peach Labyrinth, the Heaven-Earth Soul's perception range is only ten zhang……"

"Perhaps as cultivation increases, the perception range will grow; for Divine Fetus Three God Transformations or Martial Saint Three Openings cultivators, the Heaven-Earth Soul and Heaven-Man Induction's explored range will become somewhat larger……"

But it is also limited in size.

Li Che tried to sense with Heaven-Man Resonance in his vague thoughts; the perceptual range did not expand much, but this slight advantage is also an advantage.

If mastered well, opening a gap from weaker cultivators, one could pull off a surprise……

However, it's too troublesome.

Li Che's Heaven-Man Resonance could also do that; his martial cultivation had reached the second opening of the Qi Sea, and the Qi Sea Golden Pool even surpassed a hundred zhang in range……

With the strength of pure martial Heaven-Man Resonance, it even rivals a third-opening Martial Saint.

As for explosive power, plus the detonation of seven Qimen divine seeds…… it even surpasses the realm of heroes.

However, this heroes' gathering takes place under the reflection of the heavenly river curtain brought forth by the Empress using the Three Purities rank divine weapon 【Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin】.

Li Che naturally cannot lightly unleash his martial cultivation.

Relying solely on his divine cultivation, Li Che would indeed find it somewhat strained, but he is not incapable of fighting.

"Too troublesome..."

"I have the Heaven-Earth Chessboard; just turn on the cheat."

Li Che placed his hands behind his back and took a step toward the constantly shifting Flat Peach Labyrinth.

If it were before, Li Che might have planned to use the Heaven-Earth Soul to slowly tug.

But now, deep in the Flat Peach Gardens, an elder brother is calling him, so Li Che naturally needs to speed up.

He does not want to waste any more time.

Gather five flat peaches……

The difficulty really isn't great.

Under the perception of the Heaven-Earth Chessboard, Li Che immediately locked onto a hero outside a hundred zhang who was attempting to take a flat peach.

Within the Heaven-Earth Chessboard, and according to the aura strength this hero exudes, he is a cultivator at the Divine Infant First Transformation stage—let alone…… he's also an old acquaintance.

Li Che's lips curled into a smile; he tapped the ground with his toes, and the soft frost grass seemed to be instantly suppressed and burst apart slightly by an invisible force, whereupon Li Che's whole body drifted out like a ghost.

The Dragon-Elephant Diamond Dao Fruit trembled slightly.

The slumbering dragon-elephant trait was triggered.

Li Che's whole body seemed like a mass of black water, merging into the Flat Peach Labyrinth, amidst the swaying, drooping black shadows of the flat peach trees.

Soundless and traceless, hard to catch.

Even……

Even the heavenly river curtain hanging from the 【Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin】 was slipped past by Li Che, who had concealed his aura.

……

……

Shendu Second City.

The night was deep, the spring rain drizzling, slanting like cow's hair, pouring down upon the world.

This Flat Peach gathering has already endured a day; now it is night, and the spring rain still has not ceased.

After the battle of the fledgling dragon chieftain, atop the white jade square reduced to ruins, the void seemed to be torn open, a jade hairpin slashed across, and a heavenly river appeared.

The heavenly river hung down as a water curtain, reflecting an image.

The faintly radiating light scattered the night.

Splash splash——

The sound of the water rushing kept echoing; the droplets pouring down from the heavenly river seemed each to emit myriad rays of fine light.

These fine lights intertwined to form the image on the water curtain.

Within the image, divided into a nine-grid layout, it altogether showed the nine heroes inside the Queen Mother of the West's anomalous temple's anomalous gates, within the thousand-year flat peach forest.

Whether the many strong ones seated behind the main banquet table in the pavilion, or the martial artists on and off the walls of Shendu Third City, all stared at the image presented by the heavenly river water curtain.

Nine heroes……

Each was rushing along, each like a headless fly rushing along.

Within the flat peach forest, each flat peach tree changes at any moment, without rhythm or rule; one never knows when the flat peach trees growing in the forest will, like a little princess lifting her skirt, tiptoe and sneak away.

This is the first time anyone has seen the image within the Queen Mother of the West's flat peach garden.

As a treasure land within the Three Purities rank anomalous temple that produces flat peaches capable of extending life and boosting vitality, too many people are curious.

Yet people do not even know where this Three Purities rank Queen Mother of the West anomalous temple is located.

How then could one find the flat peach forest?

Therefore, at this heroes' gathering, people have the chance to glimpse the flat peach garden's image; naturally everyone came interested, craning their necks to look closely.

Yet these moving flat peach trees leave everyone somewhat dumbfounded.

Qianyuan Divine Sect, the main banquet area.

Xixi shrank in Zhang Ya's embrace, stretched her neck, widened her eyes like black dates, staring at that Milky Way water curtain; the nine scenes were looked over by her again and again……

But no matter how she looked, she couldn't find Li Che's scene!

Xixi instantly became unhappy, pouting her lips.

"How come there's no picture of Daddy?!!"

"Not fun, not fun at all! Xixi wants to see Daddy!"

Xixi said indignantly.

This Milky Way water curtain doesn't understand anything.

It actually doesn't give Xixi even a little picture of the Great Emperor's father!

However, Xixi's gaze was quickly attracted to the sneaky moving peach tree in the scene.

"Hey, this peach tree looks like a little thief!"

Using Dad's words, it's just that the feeling of stealing is really strong!

Xixi stretched out a finger, pointing at the screen and exclaimed in amazement.

So, the peaches Xixi loves to eat actually grow from such peach trees?

Just as everyone overlooked the countless heroes in the screen, like headless flies, they began to focus on appreciating the scene of the peach forest.

Suddenly—

The Heavenly River Water Curtain trembled slightly.

Water flew and splashed, then the nine screens exploded and collapsed into a single screen.

In the screen……

A hero, with nothing left to live for, fell to the ground, reduced to utter ruin.

As soon as this image appeared, everyone froze……

Even the Empress, who was manipulating the Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin, paused for a moment, her face turning strange.

This person seems to be the top hero of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect… Liu Qing?

Yes, yes, yes, it's him; in the preliminaries, he fought Li Half-Saint of the Heaven's Origin Divine Sect and was instantly defeated!

Huh? Looking at his disheveled state, it seems he was robbed, his peaches stolen?

Probably, and it happened too fast… even the Heavenly River Water Curtain didn't have time to react?

……

The murmuring voices echoed without end; whether in the main banquet area of Shendu Second City or among the wandering martial artists on the walls of Shendu Third City, they all let out cries of surprise.

Many people…… looking at the screen, at Liu Qing's state of despair and indignation mixed with a hint of bewilderment, couldn't help but laugh.

Is the top hero of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect just a clown brought in by a monkey?

Are they a professional comedian?

Are they a professional instantly-defeated hero?

Back in the preliminaries, Li Che instantly defeated him, and nobody reacted; but now……

On the main banquet, it was the same instant defeat; even the divine weapons of the Three Pure Rank overseen by the Empress didn't react in time, lagging by a beat.

Heavenly Pill Divine Sect, main banquet area.

Gu Changqing's face was as black as ink, and from his nostrils he coldly snorted out two streams of hot air.

Liu Qing was his personal disciple, and yet he ended up causing this.

But now, everyone present became curious.

Who exactly……

Which hero abused and tormented the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect's Divine Fetus First Divine Transformation realm cultivator?

And still remain undiscovered?!

……

……

Millennium Peach Orchard

Liu Qing lay limp on the ground, his clothes in disarray; the peaches he had just picked…… were gone!

Moreover, what he lost was not just a single peach!

And also the Heaven-Earth Jade!

"You're dead; this Heaven-Earth Jade is your payment for your life…"

That person ambushed him, making off with his peaches and Heaven-Earth Jade, and threw down a sentence that was practically an insult.

Liu Qing's eyes were blood-red, his grief and indignation so intense he almost coughed up blood.

That bastard……

He's obviously that strong!

And he still ambushed!

A silent, soundless ambush!

By the time Liu Qing reacted, that person had already vanished into the distance, accompanied by the shifting of the peach tree steeped in a strong feeling of theft.

Liu Qing couldn't find anyone at all!

Liu Qing, grief-stricken, climbed up from the ground, but he had to admit that the opponent could so easily crush him and then openly steal his peaches and Heaven-Earth Jade.

This shows that, in strength, the opponent had an overwhelming superiority over him.

That feeling……

It made Liu Qing inevitably think of that battle at the hero preliminaries between him and Li Che.

That battle……

He too was overwhelmed.

He was instantly killed.

And today, this familiar feeling.

Although he hadn't seen Li Che, …… his intuition told Liu Qing that the bastard messing with him was Li Che!

"Although I've lost my peaches…… I still have a chance!"

"As long as I gather five peaches, I still have a chance to advance to the second round!"

Liu Qing took a deep breath, his body leaning forward, he began to sprint at full speed, continuing to run, continuing to weave through the maze in search of the peach trees bearing fruit!

……

……

Splish-splash——

The flat peach tree's branches and leaves collided and rubbed, as if its roots and stems were swiftly wriggling through soft ground.

Then, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

Two flat peaches hovered around him, the second being a thousand-year flat peach, namely a longevity flat peach, its fragrance spreading everywhere.

"Liu Qing of the Heavenly Elixir Divine Sect?"

Li Che gave a faint smile.

He didn't employ a killing move; merely taking the flat peach was enough. Moreover, because he showed mercy, he also slipped away with Liu Qing's Cosmos Jade.

"It's money to buy one's life."

Li Che pressed his two fingers together, tore open a Cosmos space, and tossed this Cosmos Jade into it.

He wasn't in a hurry to check what was inside.

This time, entering the flat peach forest via the Queen Mother's divinity on the flat peach branches, Li Che vaguely felt that death here… would truly be death!

Unlike before, he wouldn't rely on the Queen Mother's divinity to preserve his life; he would merely pay a small price of injury.

Here, killing is permitted, and death is truly real.

Of course, if encountering an unbeatable opponent, one could, via spiritual communication with that connected Queen Mother's divinity, choose to withdraw from this Heroes' Triumph Convention.

As for Liu Qing… Li Che still showed some mercy, mainly wanting to keep Liu Qing around to fish in troubled waters; as long as Liu Qing lived, he had a chance to vie for other flat peaches.

Although he could no longer pluck flat peaches himself, he could continue to seize flat peaches from others' hands.

With one more person sharing the flat peaches, gathering five would become all the more difficult.

In this Heroes' Triumph Convention, there are not a few opponents that make Li Che wary.

Relying solely on the power of divinity, there are still many strong ones who can put pressure on Li Che.

For example, the Golden-haired Xuan of Witch God Mountain, who is a Third Opening Martial Saint, possesses tremendous combat strength, being the lineage holder of the Great Witch God of Witch God Mountain, naturally not to be underestimated.

Besides that, there is Zhang Xuanlei of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, the biological father of Zhang Yunlong.

Li Che and this person naturally could not settle things peacefully, after all Xixi killed his son, and Zhang Xuanlei also declared that the grudge between the children would be personally settled by the two fathers.

Thus, Li Che and Zhang Xuanlei are bound to have a battle.

And Zhang Xuanlei, the top hero of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, is also extremely strong, coming to this Heroes' Triumph Convention to vie for the championship.

Moreover, the Purple Mansion Divine Sect's second and third heroes are Zhang Xuanhe and Zhang Xuanyu, respectively.

The three great heroes of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect are all no weaklings; they hail from Dàjǐng's top divine sect, and their goal is surely to vie for the championship!

According to the situation of past Flat Peach Conventions, the likelihood of each of them contending for the championship is extremely high.

Of course, besides these people, there are also Buddhist monks from the Western Regions Buddhist Land; the Western Regions Buddhist Land… is an external force affecting the Little Spirit Sound Temple, and could even be the birthplace of the heretical Buddha.

In previous conventions, the Western Regions Buddhist Land had never sent monks, but this time is different; they seem to have anticipated something in advance.

Regardless, judging by a small sign, the Little Spirit Sound Temple is already extremely troublesome, let alone the Western Regions Buddhist Land behind it.

Also, there are disciples of Ji Moli such as Zhou Chihuo, etc……

"The pressure is indeed not small……"

"If one doesn't use martial arts, it's quite hard to deal with."

Li Che's brows furrowed slightly.

Most importantly……

The rules of this Heroes' Triumph Convention contain a loophole, which perhaps isn't even a loophole; that is……

Perhaps there exists a situation where the heroes join forces to deal with a single person.

"Never mind……"

"Continue."

Li Che exhaled a breath, the point between his brows twitching slightly, his divinity like a surging river.

Then, his whole person merged into the shadow of the flat peach tree.

The Heaven-Earth chessboard hovered above the flat peach forest.

It locked everyone's situation in crystal clarity.

Since it was the first round, Li Che did not go seek out the Golden-haired Xuan, Zhang Xuanlei, etc.; instead, he directly picked the weak ones, taking their flat peaches in a manner unknown to gods and unseen by ghosts.

Li Che also did not harm their lives, leaving them to continue fishing in troubled waters.

……

……

"Who?!"

Hualala——

A flat peach tree, accompanied by the hualala sound, had its branches and leaves rubbing and colliding, then moving like a ghost.

Afterward, Li Che, clad in black robes, his jet-black hair dancing vigorously, stepped out from the darkness.

Clenching his five fingers, a moment later, vast divinity gathered and intertwined, a terrifying rank pressure descending like a mountain.

It left a third hero from the Seven Treasures Divine Sect stiff all over, lacking even the strength to turn his head.

He could only watch helplessly as his flat peach was seized by an outstretched slender hand.

Yet this hero was drenched in sweat, soaked through, and could only watch helplessly as the opponent took his flat peach as if committing a crime.

When the flat peach tree's hualala movement sound resonated.

This hero went limp on the ground, panting heavily……

"Too strong! I'm a First Opening Martial Saint…… but…… my martial will and heaven-man sensing tell me that behind me lurks a terrifying existence like an ancient true dragon!"

"Can't afford to provoke……"

This hero is quite savvy.

He no longer felt sentimental, nor had time to feel sentimental……

He knew that as time passed, the flat peaches would only dwindle further, and he must quickly encounter heroes of comparable strength to seize the flat peaches they held……

With good luck, gathering five early would directly allow promotion to the second round.

……

……

Shendu Second City.

The Heavenly River Water Curtain flowed with a la-la-la sound, reflecting a splendid picture.

In the picture……

Only the Seven Treasure Sect's heroes remained, sweat-drenched, enduring frustration, strongly rising from the ground, wiping sweat, continuing to struggle.

"Heavenly River Water Curtain…… slowed again……"

"How fast, from taking the flat peach to vanishing without a trace…… less than a breath?"

"The Heavenly River Water Curtain is meant to capture battle scenes, but…… the opponent's battle ended too quickly, right?"

"Who exactly? So fast!"

……

Shendu Second City and Third City, inside and out, transmitted clamorous sounds.

Many felt an itch in their hearts, very curious about who was playing tricks on the Heavenly River Water Curtain.

Most importantly, after doing such a thing, the Heavenly River Water Curtain still couldn't lock onto his form?

Main Banquet Area.

On the empress's beautiful face, a flash of surprise also appeared, her long lashes trembling, she narrowed her eyes, revealing interest.

The emperor also turned his head over, curious.

"Empress…… are you playing?"

The emperor couldn't help but ask.

The empress pressed her red lips: "Your Majesty…… do you think this palace is playing?"

"【Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin】 truly never sensed the hero who obtained three flat peaches; this hero…… likely employed an extremely powerful concealment technique, hiding from the 【Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin】's sensory probe."

"Moreover…… I always feel that this hero's perception is extremely strong, as if…… able to accurately locate other heroes……"

"Your Majesty also knows that my refinement and control of the 【Heavenly River Ruyi Hairpin】 have not yet reached thirty percent."

The emperor, upon hearing this, paused.

"Then this hero…… is really interesting……"

"I don't know which one it is?"

"This hero who is playing with something quite new, who exactly are they?"

For a moment, everyone became curious.

"Other heroes are still studying the rules of the flat peach forest…… while this hero has already gathered three flat peaches, and moreover deliberately spared those heroes' lives to fish in troubled waters……"

"Truly a hero with ideas."

"Rest assured, with his speed of gathering flat peaches, he should be the first to collect five millennium flat peaches and enter the second round; then…… the flat peach grove will tell us."

"He won't be able to hide for long."

The empress smiled lightly; although curious in her heart, she was not anxious.

……

……

The Heaven and Earth Chessboard hovered.

The intersecting vertical and horizontal lines, like a network of paths, outlined a net.

The Level 5 Rank Heaven and Earth Chessboard's concealment is far greater than before; even when hovering high, shielded aura, no one can sense it.

Yet everyone else, under his perception, has nowhere to hide.

Li Che doesn't oppose using cheats; having cheats and not using them, what's the difference from a salted fish?

If one can easily pass, why bother eating bitter hardship for no reason?

Three flat peaches hovered around Li Che; a slight stir of his mind, and the Heaven and Earth Chessboard seemed to become his eye, sweeping over.

Unfortunately, the Qianyuan Divine Sect, because the Chiyu Kuang, first in the true transmission scroll, being a prince of the Da Li Royal Court, did not participate in this heroes' gathering; and Huang Jianjiu died, while Su Wuming was killed by Huang Jianjiu……

In one fell swoop, it cut off the entire tier of heroes who could participate in the heroes' gathering.

Otherwise, Li Che could still help the Qianyuan Divine Sect's heroes quickly obtain flat peaches and enter the second round.

Even if the Qianyuan Divine Sect's heroes lack competitiveness in the second round, they could still choose to withdraw carrying the harvested flat peaches.

Although withdrawing would affect the situation……

But Li Che doesn't care, because it doesn't affect him who possesses the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, like a hawk's eye overlooking the whole situation.

Touching the ground with his toes, his whole body silently entered the tree shadows, stepping forward, fierce wind howling, weaving through black shadows.

After a moment, he appeared behind a hero.

This hero was merely a grand master of the Peak Three Flowers; to Li Che, he posed no threat.

In an instant, he completed the suppression and the seizure of the flat peach.

He took the flat peach and retreated into the black shadows.

Having finished, he brushed off his clothes, hiding his achievements.

……

……

Boom——!!

The ground's frost grass suddenly exploded, as if struck by a mighty force and shooting forth without cease.

Zhang Xuanlei's face was extremely cold and grim, as if it were about to drip water.

Talisman after talisman exploded before him, yet the red dot like a jujube at his brow trembled, divine power spreading like a tide, causing the air to ripple as if wrinkled.

Bang bang bang——!!!

Talisman after talisman detonated, powerful undulations and qi intertwining wildly; when the shock hit the peach trees, divine seals instantly appeared on the trees, blocking the aftermath of the clash.

Otherwise, under the ripple of this clash, the peach trees would likely be damaged and unable to continue bearing peaches.

Zhang Xuanlei slowly raised his hand; countless lightning bolts intertwined on his shoulders, condensing into a divine arrow of darting lightning.

"The Xuan Fu Divine Sect… seems to be on good terms with the Qian Yuan Divine Sect, huh?"

Back when Lu Taibai overturned the table, the sect master of the Xuan Fu Divine Sect, Xuan Jiuzhuan, had taken Lu Taibai's side.

Thus, at this moment, Zhang Xuanlei's eyes burst with extremely intense killing intent.

His son had died; the immense, repressed killing intent in Zhang Xuanlei's heart could not be vented.

And this Heroes' Assembly is precisely the moment for him to vent that killing intent.

In fact, unless he encounters a hero of the Zi Fu Divine Sect, Zhang Xuanlei will kill anyone he meets.

And the Xuan Fu Divine Sect just happens to be on good terms with the Qian Yuan Divine Sect, which includes Li Che and Li Nuanxi…

Merely thinking of those two, Zhang Xuanlei's anger surged like a raging river, his killing intent rolling and impossible to suppress.

Thus, he redirected his killing intent toward this cultivator of the Xuan Fu Divine Sect.

Pfft——!

The lightning arrow pierced through; the third hero of the Xuan Fu Divine Sect, Yang Ziyun, turned deathly pale as the defensive talismans before him were repeatedly pierced.

It was utterly indefensible; the gap in strength was too great!

Although he possessed the cultivation of a Divine Fetus with one divine transformation, facing Zhang Xuanlei's sky‑high killing intent at this moment, he was not even on the same level.

"I'll hand over the peach, give me another chance!"

Yang Ziyun coughed up mouthfuls of blood, hurriedly taking out the peach he had just picked.

Zhang Xuanlei appeared beside Yang Ziyun as if shifting form and shadow.

Lightning intertwined incessantly in his eyes.

He spread his five fingers and plucked the peach.

Yang Ziyun let out a breath of relief.

But the next moment, resentment flashed in Yang Ziyun's eyes!

"You——!!!"

Yang Ziyun's heart jolted.

He hurriedly tried to move his mind to sever that divine connection of the West Queen Mother Temple…

However, a powerful thought ruthlessly flooded his mind, an immensely terrifying rank pressure that made Yang Ziyun's Divine Fetus nearly twist and scream!

Behind Zhang Xuanlei, a divine shrine slowly rose.

It coldly stared at Yang Ziyun.

"Opportunity?"

"You only have death."

Thud——

Zhang Xuanlei clenched his fist; the head of Yang Ziyun of the Xuan Fu Divine Sect instantly exploded.

A Divine Fetus shot up into the sky, but was seized by a green arm, bristling with intertwining lightning, that thrust out from within the shrine; amid endless terror, Yang Ziyun's Divine Fetus was dragged into the shrine.

Zhang Xuanlei's black Daoist robe fluttered wildly, his fingers gripping a peach, his visage full of ferocity and killing intent.

"Li Che!"

"I will surely take your Divine Fetus to feed my temple deity!"

Creak creak……

A hair‑raising chewing sound slowly echoed from within the shrine.

Making each peach tree seem as if dyed with a bloody glow.

And Yang Ziyun's corpse fell onto the frost‑grass ground; the frost grass seemed to come alive, entwining his dead body…

But only for a few breaths.

This corpse then completely dissolved.

Zhang Xuanlei had two peaches hovering above his shoulders; he glanced at the situation and narrowed his eyes.

"These frost grasses…"

"They devour corpses and flesh?!"

This peach forest seems stranger than imagined.

But Zhang Xuanlei doesn't care about that; he now only has rampant killing intent and the unbearable grief of losing his son!

"Li Che…"

"I will find you."

He flung his arms wide, his wide‑sleeved Daoist robe billowing, lifting the two peaches as his body shot forward like a projectile.

However……

His body had only just shot forward a short distance.

Accompanied by several peach trees with an extremely eerie feeling, swiftly shifting, Zhang Xuanlei's body abruptly froze in place.

He slowly lifted his head.

Electric currents intertwined and surged in his eyes.

Rumble——

A gust of wind blew through the Peach Forest.

It sounded as if an ancient bronze bell had been struck, and almost at the same moment it boomed throughout the entire Peach Forest.

It rang out in the ears of every hero who, still like headless flies, was bumping around randomly in the Peach Labyrinth.

«Qianyuan Divine Sect's foremost hero Li Che successfully gathered five 1000-year flat peaches, advancing to the second round of the Heroic Champions' Assembly! »

«Successfully ascended to the 5000-year Peach Garden. »