Chapter 396: Dagger Killing the Red Essence Son

Yang Jian left Xiqi, stepped on auspicious light, borrowed earth‑evade to arrive at Kunlun Mountain.

Not yet having reached Yu Xu Palace, a figure behind shouted.

"Disciple! Hold your step!"

Yang Jian turned his head and saw it was the Red Essence Son of Yunxiao Cave in Taihua Mountain.

The Red Essence Son is the second disciple of the Primordial Celestial Venerable, so Yang Jian naturally recognized him.

Yang Jian hurriedly bowed: "Yang Jian salutes you, Senior Master!"

"In my haste I failed to notice my senior uncle; I beg you to punish me!"

"No problem, you didn't stay in Xiqi to assist Zi Ya, why are you here?" the Red Essence Son asked with some surprise; seeing Yang Jian in a hurry, he called out.

"Senior Master, I have come to request that a senior master descend the mountain to defeat General Cheng Tang."

"What?"

"Do you know the opponent's background?"

"The opponent is only said to be a wanderer of Bi You Palace, named Mu Yi; other details unknown, but in the army he can crush generals Nezha, Jin Zha, etc., within a few rounds."

"Heavenly numbers are obscure, cannot calculate anything…"

The Red Essence Son frowned, repeatedly counted on his hand, then his face became as still as water.

"Fine, I'll lead the way; I'll follow you to Xiqi for a visit!"

The Red Essence Son knows the heavenly mechanism; in theory the Yin‑Shang War will not have major variables, those who should appear will appear, Bi You Palace generally won't act rashly, nor cause the same upheaval as before that even startled several Celestial Venerables.

Everyone just goes through the process, pushing history forward.

This round of process also amounts to re‑proving the Dao, beneficial to Yu Xu Palace, Bi You Palace, and the Heavenly Court's deities, so Jiuzhou continuously maintains the Investiture of the Gods war.

But ultimately it's a projection of history, not history itself; a native god defeated and absorbed by Jiuzhou might emerge from somewhere, especially since the Jie Sect claims ten thousand immortals attend, and we don't know how many locals are inside.

Though not the original body, he inherited part of its true spirit, being the administrator who maintains order in this world, so when Yang Jian arrived, he immediately sensed Yang Jian's trace and hurried to inquire.

Although knowing the heavenly mechanism means no big issues in the main direction, many details still cause problems.

No matter the world's Investiture of the Gods projection, there will always be some accident; the Red Essence Son has become accustomed to it.

It's like the network professionals summoned by King Zhou this time; they are a variable, but as a variable that assists the heavenly order, the Red Essence Son turns a blind eye.

After all, this network was something the saints delegated, and they treated it with tolerance.

Yet if there are those who rebel against heaven, they will be eliminated outright.

This is exactly what the Twelve Golden Immortals must maintain.

Jiang Ziya felt uneasy; after Yang Jian left for three days, Mu Yi, leading Wen Zhong and four generals, provoked for three days, even raided a camp.

Though Nezha and others fought back and repelled Mu Yi's forces, the morale of the Western Qi main camp now nears the ice point.

Jiang Ziya had no good solution; Mu Yi and Wen Zhong are seasoned soldiers, he cannot surround them with a massive army, only act like a shrinking turtle taking blows.

But that is not a solution; Nezha and others dare not leave to seek aid, without them Mu Yi could truly break into the formation and behead Jiang Ziya.

Regarding the network professionals, Jiang Ziya's attitude shifted from satisfaction to displeasure; if these people could fight to the death, Mu Yi could never breach the camp.

Yet these people each harbor hidden motives, doing no work but causing trouble, making the battle so hard.

In the Yin‑Shang main camp, both sides clinked cups; Wen Zhong greatly admired Mu Yi, initially thinking Mu Yi was just a stronger Qi‑cultivator, but he didn't expect Mu Yi's knowledge of marching formations was no joke.

They worked side by side, cooperating, making Jiang Ziya suffer unbearably.

"Report, a person is at the front of the formation requesting Mu Immortal Master to answer!"

"Ah! Finally arrived!" Mu Yi chuckled, said to Wen Zhong: "It's Jiang Ziya's reinforcements, likely one of the Chan Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals; I'll meet him, you organize the troops, this time we'll kill Jiang Ziya together!"

Mu Yi at this moment had set his mind on defying heaven.

Not because he's overly reckless, but because someone backs him.

Last night, while he was cultivating, a boy appeared before him and handed him a sword.

The sword bore a thick killing intent, so strong that a single glance made one feel a wail of life.

The sword is named Zhu Xian.

【Zhu Xian Sword】

Item Level: 40

Quality: Eternal

Type: Weapon/Artifact

Special Effects:

1. Unbreakable: Any material below this weapon's grade will be destroyed by it.

2. Indestructible: This weapon is bound to the world and cannot be damaged.

The sword comes with an inscription.

"Heavenly Expansion Fifty, Great Dao Forty‑nine, seize one!"

Mu Yi instantly understood the big brother's meaning; the big brother wants him to defy heaven.

With the big brother's support, Mu Yi's courage surged.

Previously he hesitated to kill the great forces of the Western saints, rescued by Yang Jian, and later dared not kill Nezha and others; only minor soldiers he could target, focusing on those network professionals.

But those guys are also thieves, lingering beside Jiang Ziya, a large group huddled; Mu Yi saw no way to strike, for in the chaotic troops these guys each could block a move.

With Nezha and others at his side, Mu Yi truly cannot eradicate them.

Yet this time, with the Zhu Xian Sword in hand, everything changes.

"I, the humble Red Essence Son, where does the fellow Daoist practice in a mountain cave?"

The Red Essence Son looked at Mu Yi and felt utterly unfamiliar; at first he thought he was a local native with a Bi You Palace wanderer title coming to defy heaven.

But sensing the aura of Upper Purity Immortal Law and the Eight‑Nine Profound Skill on Mu Yi, he instantly changed his mind; this is something only the direct lineage possesses.

Yet he knows the direct lineages of Bi You Palace, Yu Xu Palace, and Doushuai Palace, and wonders where Mu Yi emerged from.

"If you want to fight, then fight; why ask so many questions!" Mu Yi raised his sword and slashed; he was already here to defy Heaven, and announcing his lineage was just looking for trouble.

"Karmic obstruction! Let me capture you before questioning!" Chi Jingzi snorted coldly, neither dodging nor evading, and summoned his artifact, the Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe.

Mu Yi swung a blade, all the force rebounded back, shaking his own hand with pain.

"Artifacts really are troublesome!" Mu Yi sneered; Chi Jingzi's Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe was far more ruthless than Da Shi Zhi's Buddha relic.

This was Chi Jingzi's own artifact, almost soul‑bound; unless he himself consented, no one could sever his link to the artifact.

Yet an artifact ultimately requires magical power; Mu Yi flicked his finger to unleash the Hell Path, and countless hungry ghosts lunged at the Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe, making Chi Jingzi feel his own cultivation power draining rapidly.

However, his cultivation was profound, so for a short while he did not mind.

"You have the wondrous methods of the Three Teachings yet fail to study them diligently, instead learning only Heterodox Paths!"

Chi Jingzi still maintained an ethereal, lofty demeanor, paying no mind to the malicious ghosts of the Hell Path, and instead scolded Mu Yi, lamenting his iron that failed to become steel.

Mu Yi's mouth twitched; he thought he needed to raise the intensity against Chi Jingzi, otherwise that attitude was rather displeasing.

"Hell Path!"

The nether fire instantly enveloped Chi Jingzi in roaring flames, yet he remained calm and composed.

"My Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe can ward off weapons, water and fire disasters; your Heterodox Paths cannot pierce it," Chi Jingzi snorted, disdainful of Mu Yi's tactics.

"Asura Path!"

Mu Yi pointed a finger, and an endless Sea of Blood surged toward Chi Jingzi, but after half a wash, Chi Jingzi remained unharmed, the Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe firmly shielding him.

Mu Yi scratched his head; Chi Jingzi's cultivation might not be stronger than the remnants he defeated in the Trial lands, but the issue was whether this artifact was too defiant of Heaven.

Indeed, as he claimed, it could evade weapons, water and fire disasters; whether nether fire, Sea of Blood water, or the Great Summer Dragon Sparrow Blade, none could affect this artifact.

"It can't be that we have to rely solely on this thing, right?"

Mu Yi glanced at the Executioner Immortal Sword in his pack, feeling annoyed; if he couldn't even take down a Twelve Golden Immortal, how could he speak of defying Heaven?

"I won't believe it today!"

The Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe isn't some Tai Chi diagram or Eastern Emperor Bell; how could it truly render Chi Jingzi invincible?

Mu Yi unfolded the Reincarnation Barrier, and the Human Realm army poured out in droves.

Chi Jingzi, seeing this, remained steadfast, watching Mu Yi's moves with a cold eye; Mu Yi's cultivation wasn't weak, and capturing him alive wouldn't be easy, so letting Mu Yi waste energy first was the better strategy.

To better drain Mu Yi's power, Chi Jingzi lifted his hand, and another artifact, the Water‑Fire Edge, flew out.

Blazing fire accompanied the sword edge, enveloping Mu Yi from all sides, but the raging Sea of Blood intercepted the flames midway.

The sword edge turned, and torrenting river water seemed to cascade from the heavens, while nether fire surged upward, just managing to block the water.

Within the Reincarnation Barrier, for a moment a standoff of water versus fire manifested.

Mu Yi mobilized the Human Realm army, gathered Cloud Energy, and swung his sword outward.

A sword blade hundreds of meters long and wide descended from the sky, thrust toward Chi Jingzi; the Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe activated again, the blade snapping inch by inch, yet Chi Jingzi remained unscathed.

"Again!" Mu Yi, refusing to accept defeat, swung his sword down once more.

Chi Jingzi stood unmoving, placing absolute trust in his Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe.

One attacks, one defends; truly a clash of blades.

"Celestial Human Path!"

Mu Yi again presented a sword, this time infusing it fully with Celestial Human Path divinity.

"Break it for me!"

Mu Yi's body flashed like a streak of light as he rushed before Chi Jingzi, a sword beam soaring upward.

This sword light radiated divine awe, without a hint of hesitation, filled with dazzling, majestic hue.

"Futile!" Chi Jingzi said, looking at the Mu Yi standing with his sword sheathed, his face utterly indifferent.

Seeing Mu Yi's effect be excessive, he immediately intended to move and capture Mu Yi alive.

Yet in the next instant, Chi Jingzi's face showed startled doubt, while Mu Yi's bore a hint of smile.

The previously flawless Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe now bore a crack, and under the bites of countless evil ghosts, the fissure spread outward.

"If it were a native Jiuzhou Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe, I could never break it, but a lower‑realm treasure cannot exceed this world's limits; no matter how sturdy, repeated strikes at the same spot will eventually surpass its capacity!"

A smile lingered on Mu Yi's face; from this moment, the whole attack‑defense dynamic had completely shifted.

"Even without this Purple Ribbon Celestial Robe, I can still take you down!"

Chi Jingzi could no longer keep a detached expression; a treasured mirror appeared in his hand, his most powerful artifact, the Yin‑Yang Mirror.

Its yin side is white, yang side red; red signifies life, white signifies death,

The Yin‑Yang Mirror flashed toward Mu Yi, a burst of white light appeared, yet Mu Yi remained completely unaffected.

"Hahaha!"

Mu Yi laughed three times; the Yin‑Yang Mirror could judge life and death, but it could not judge his Heavenly Court shadow spirit, so the white light that would cause unconsciousness or death was directly absorbed by the Book of Life and Death.

The Yin‑Yang Mirror itself has flaws; it cannot affect non‑flesh beings, being ineffective even against Nezha.

Now it has another nemesis: Mu Yi, such a shadow spirit.

Seeing all his artifacts fail, two white lotus flowers floated beneath Chi Jingzi's feet as he attempted to flee.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Mu Yi produced a Judge's Pen, wrote a huge "Death" character on Chi Jingzi; the white light the Book of Life and Death had just absorbed surged out instantly, landing on Chi Jingzi.

The white light struck Chi Jingzi, his body trembling, his cultivation power halved, and now powerless against the light, he let out a howl and fell from the white lotus.

Mu Yi stared at the now ethereal Chi Jingzi, raised the Great Summer Dragon Sparrow Blade, and as he was about to strike, sensed a massive change in Chi Jingzi.

Chi Jingzi opened his eyes and glanced at him; he felt a chill to the bone, as if the Chi Jingzi before him was no longer ethereal but an unknown, unfathomable great terror.

"Cut!" Mu Yi forced himself to swing a blade down; Chi Jingzi instantly perished on the spot, his true spirit immediately sent by Mu Yi into the Reincarnation Barrier, without a chance to return to the Fengshen Platform.

It should be noted that Jiang Ziya could revive a soul and body from death; Chi Jingzi certainly could too, but sending him directly to reincarnation was more reliable.

Once in the Reincarnation Barrier, even if he could be enlightened and recall past memories, cultivation still inevitably requires time.

When Mu Yi slew Chi Jingzi with a single stroke, gathered his three magic treasures and returned to the battlefield, he suddenly felt the heavenly might vast; raising his head, he saw darkness on the horizon, beyond the firmament, as if a huge fleshy palm pressed down, that palm covering the sky and blocking the sun, as if possessing infinite power.

Mu Yi broke out in a cold sweat; he did not know whether this was Chi Jingzi's true body taking action, or the projection of the Primordial Heavenly Venerable of this world acting, but he could be certain that the opponent was absolutely a powerful being of great magical power and great divine abilities.

That palm sealed off all his escape routes, covering the sky and blocking the sun, as if the world consisted solely of that palm.