Chapter 386: Five Spirits True Origin Strike [Monthly Ticket Bonus, Requesting Monthly Tickets, Second]

BOOM!

An invisible shockwave scattered the spiritual energy before the white jade steps.

At this moment.

Five-colored light flickered where Li Rui's five viscera lay, the Five Elements' true qi interweaving.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

"Hurry!"

Li Rui muttered softly.

The true qi within him rapidly gathered into a single point, converging at his fingertip, then erupted as a divine ray, striking the green stone tile beside him.

A thunderous explosion rang out.

A massive pit, several zhang in diameter, was blasted into the ground before the white jade steps.

Li Rui slightly raised his eyebrows.

"Incredibly brutal!"

That divine ray was the technique of the second level of the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture: the Five Spirits True Origin Strike.

He had tested it before; the ground of the Grand Void Dao Hall was far harder than ordinary ground.

Even so, it had still carved out such a large pit.

If this struck a martial cultivator's flesh, it would leave not a trace of corpse.

Yet in the blink of an eye.

The original pit before the white jade steps vanished.

"It can repair itself automatically?"

Li Rui was slightly surprised.

But remembering that the Grand Void Dao Hall was a place where reality and illusion overlapped, and that it belonged to the Lord of the Immortal Court, he felt no shock.

Having perfected the second level of the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture.

Li Rui's state reached an unprecedented peak; his essence, energy, and spirit were all utterly full.

He gazed at the steps before him.

Without hesitation, he took a step forward.

He stood firm.

Another step.

Still solidly planted—he ascended two steps at once, and the spiritual shock did not shake Li Rui in the slightest.

He lifted his foot again.

Charge the third step!

A chilling wind howled upon the white jade platform, striking the soul with bone-deep cold, making the spirit tremble.

Li Rui ignored the spiritual wind.

He resolutely stepped forward.

Drawing on past experience, as soon as his foot touched the step, he sharply turned his head—five spirit shields rose behind him, fully prepared.

"Hmm?"

Li Rui frowned slightly, a look of confusion on his face.

That small flying sword had not appeared this time.

"Is it random?"

Li Rui murmured to himself.

Then he continued climbing.

With the Five Spirits Body Refinement Scripture nearing completion and his soul strengthened, this time he ascended over ten steps before the white jade steps' spiritual shock obliterated him again.

Outside the window, the moonlight was bright and clear.

Li Rui slowly sat up.

The familiar insomnia.

But the feeling of death was truly unbearable—even within a dream.

Li Rui rubbed his temples, then rose to wash and groom himself before stepping out into the courtyard to begin his morning training.

Faintly, he could hear the servants moving about within the mansion.

When he was with the Zhu family, it was much the same.

In his youth, he had been lazy, overslept, and been beaten and scolded by the steward—sometimes even whipped.

Later, as he grew older, he could no longer sleep well, became a stable hand, and never took another beating.

By comparison.

The Assistant Regional Commander's mansion was now far more lenient.

Of course.

Even without harsh intentions, Li Rui had expelled three servants with impure motives.

Governing a household could not afford softness.

Li Rui did not want a traitor in his own home.

He trained until dawn.

The courtyard gradually grew louder with activity; he was just about to return indoors to change clothes.

When he saw Tie Kuang sprinting out from the back courtyard, ecstatic.

"Li kid, I've broken through!"

Tie Kuang was beaming.

He never imagined he'd ever have a chance to reach the threshold of the top three ranks.

Li Rui sensed Tie Kuang's aura.

It was indeed vastly stronger than before.

"Congratulations, Elder."

Li Rui bowed in salute.

Tie Kuang had urged him to call him brother, but Li Rui had never fully taken it to heart; Tie Kuang had aided his cultivation, and he owed him the title of Elder.

"Come quickly, let's spar!"

Saying this,

he could hardly wait to test himself against Li Rui.

There was no choice.

Since that day, he had never beaten Li Rui again.

Now that he'd broken through, with his realm suppressing Li Rui, this might be his last chance to dominate him—he couldn't wait.

He truly feared he'd never get another chance.

So he had to fulfill this wish at once.

Li Rui smiled and nodded: "Since Elder has such a desire, I shall oblige."

The two immediately went to the Assistant Regional Commander's training ground.

Tie Kuang didn't put on any Elder airs; he let out a sharp cry and launched a punch wreathed in fierce flame true qi toward Li Rui.

Having broken through the Heart Trials,

his true qi was vastly thicker than before, and its power had surged dramatically.

Coupled with his formidable external martial arts,

it was terrifyingly powerful.

As the assault came, Li Rui stood still.

Only when Tie Kuang reached his front did he raise his right palm.

SMACK!

A crisp sound of fist meeting palm exploded.

Tie Kuang's pupils shrank sharply—he felt as if he'd struck a mountain, utterly immovable; then, violent force surged like a raging river, and his tiny boat was instantly overturned.

His entire body was flung over three zhang into the air, then slammed hard onto the ground.

Just one move!

"Damn it!"

Tie Kuang cursed.

He barely managed to rise, clutching his aching waist.

He stared at Li Rui in shock.

"You kid—"

Li Rui bowed respectfully: "Elder, I barely broke through and hadn't had time to tell you yet."

Tie Kuang's eyes widened.

How long had it been since his last breakthrough?

He'd broken through again!

"Damn, you're a monster."

Tie Kuang immediately began grumbling—his hope of reclaiming dominance over Li Rui was now utterly gone.

Didn't see it.

Just now, Li Rui defeated me with just one slap.

What's the point of fighting then?

No need to think—maybe in a few decades, Li Rui only needs to look at me, and I'll be dead.

Tie Kuang's excitement from his breakthrough instantly faded by half.

He walked listlessly toward the back courtyard.

Li Rui stared at his own palm.

"Did I use too much force?"

"But I already held back."

With his current combat power, he was nearly invincible at his own realm.

Why "nearly"?

Of course, there are always greater people beyond people, higher mountains beyond mountains—never say things absolutely.

Li Rui's style was such that even against a first-rank opponent, he never claimed ten percent, let alone nine point nine.

"Senior Brother, the Master wants you to come to the martial hall."

Feng Yu arrived at the Deputy Commander's residence.

Li Rui was slightly surprised.

Previously, it was always Feng Yu's fellow disciples who came—yet this time, Feng Yu, the acting master of the hall, came himself.

"Alright."

Li Rui nodded: "I'll change my clothes."

Saying this, he returned to his room and soon came out again.

He immediately followed Feng Yu out of Annan Town's camp, and moments later, the two arrived at Qianhe Martial Hall.

At this moment, the door to He Qianian's courtyard was tightly shut.

Feng Yu called out from outside: "Master, Senior Brother Li has arrived."

Then He Qianian's voice came through: "Let him in."

Hearing this,

Feng Yu obediently stood to the side and gave Li Rui a glance.

Clearly,

this was meant for Li Rui alone to enter.

Li Rui stepped forward, pushed open just enough of a gap for one person to slip through, and with a creak, the courtyard door shut again.

He Qianian was not sitting in the courtyard as usual.

When Li Rui reached the door,

he caught a faint scent of blood.

The door was slightly ajar; when he pushed it open, he saw He Qianian, battered and bloodstained, slumped helplessly against the bedframe.

Li Rui was startled.

He took two quick steps forward.

Then pulled a healing elixir from his pouch and gave it to He Qianian.

"Elder."

Li Rui helped He Qianian sit up.

With the elixir's power, He Qianian's complexion visibly improved, and he finally had the strength to speak: "You're sharp, kid—knew to bring a grade-three elixir."

The elixir Li Rui had just given He Qianian was a grade-three great elixir.

He wasn't some charity boy.

He certainly didn't carry great elixirs around casually.

He'd sensed something was off—Feng Yu, as acting master of Qianhe Martial Hall, had no reason to come personally; even if he valued Li Rui highly, sending his second or third disciple would've been enough.

He Qianian was not a careless man—he highly valued martial world etiquette.

Anything unusual must hide a trick.

So Li Rui concluded He Qianian was in trouble.

But he should've already escaped danger, or else Feng Yu wouldn't have been sent to fetch him.

His return to the room wasn't to change clothes—it was to get the elixir.

And he was nearly certain it involved the Shadow Guards.

"Elder, what exactly happened?"

He Qianian took a deep breath: "Old man went with that Jiang kid to the Purple Gold Palace."

Li Rui's pupils contracted slightly.

No wonder he hadn't seen Jiang Linxi for days—he'd sneaked into the Purple Gold Palace with He Qianian.

Clearly, He Qianian's injuries were sustained inside the Purple Gold Palace.

Li Rui pressed urgently: "What about Brother Jiang now?"

He Qianian forced a faint smile: "That kid's stronger than me—he deliberately lured away the Blood Shadow. With Gu Changsheng's methods, he'll be fine."

Hearing He Qianian's words,

Li Rui finally exhaled in relief.

If He Qianian said he was fine, Jiang Linxi was definitely fine.

He Qianian wouldn't exaggerate on this matter.

Moreover, Li Rui trusted Jiang Linxi's abilities. He Qianian leaned weakly against the bedhead and spoke: "Damn it, the Purple Gold Palace dares to commit the crime of stealing heaven—building a Great Heaven-Seizing Array to siphon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

The Great Heaven-Seizing Array was an ancient array long lost since antiquity.

It had the power to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth.

In ancient times, it was merely an offense against heavenly virtue—but today, it cuts off the path of all top-tier martial cultivators.

Unforgivable!

He Qianian pulled a letter from his pouch:

"Leave the city immediately and deliver this letter to Marquis Yuan."

In the Purple Gold Palace, in the grand hall.

"My Lord, the intruders were Yu Kingdom's Shadow Guards—one is Jiang Linxi, the other is He Qianian."

"They've discovered the Great Heaven-Seizing Array."

!

Blood Shadow Ancestor's face turned grim.

He bowed deeply before Si Feng.

Si Feng's expression didn't change; he merely nodded slightly.

Blood Shadow Ancestor: "Jiang Linxi fled to Wu Kingdom—Wan Xie Dao Ren has already gone to hunt him down. He Qianian escaped into Qinghe City."

Si Feng narrowed his eyes slightly:

"Send people to watch. This news must not leak—especially not to Yuan Dingting."

Blood Shadow Ancestor immediately obeyed:

"Yes!"

Saying this, he turned and left.

After Blood Shadow Ancestor departed, a figure emerged from the depths of the hall.

The withered, corpse-like Sheng Daoist chuckled dryly: "Si Feng, what if Yuan Dingting finds out about the Great Heaven-Seizing Array?"

Si Feng glanced at Sheng Daoist and snorted coldly:

"Don't forget—the Great Heaven-Seizing Array doesn't just absorb spiritual energy; it's also a supreme protective array. As long as I'm within it, even if the top ten martial masters of the realm gather, I won't fear them."

Sheng Daoist grinned:

"I hope so."

Finished speaking.

Si Feng no longer responded to Sheng Daoist.

He turned and walked toward the direction of the Great Heaven-Seizing Array.

In no time, the Great Heaven-Seizing Array will be complete—then even if Yuan Dingting learns of it, he won't be able to stop me.

This was Si Feng's confidence.

Sheng Daoist watched Si Feng's back and chuckled softly.

Then he turned and returned to his own quarters.

Darkness—absolute darkness.

Sheng Daoist's residence held not a single glimmer of light; it was thick, impenetrable black ink.

"Heh, heh."

Sheng Daoist's ghostly laughter echoed through the palace.

Suddenly,

a faint green light flickered slowly.

In an instant, the number of green lights multiplied—thousands of them—finally forming the shape of a banner in the darkness.

"Thousand Souls Banner"

A broader smile spread across Sheng Dao Ren's face.

These past days.

In the great battle between Annan Town and the Purple Gold Palace, countless souls perished in those branch halls.

Sheng Dao Ren moved like a ghost among the battlefield.

Wherever he went, he casually seized the lingering souls— not only from Yu Kingdom's soldiers, but also from Purple Gold Palace elders and disciples— and absorbed them all into his banner.

Less than a month.

He had already perfected the Thousand Souls Banner.

Though his strength had not yet recovered, with this banner in hand, Sheng Dao Ren finally had some confidence.

With confidence came restless thoughts.

"This body is useless now."

Though Si Feng used a secret technique to revive him, his body had grown even more fragile.

It could no longer support his magic power.

Si Feng claimed he would find him a new body, but he had made no move.

"Si, do you think I don't know what's in your mind?"

Wan Fadian accepts all, regardless of origin.

He knew dark arts; Si Feng knew them too.

Si Feng didn't revive him out of any true loyalty—he only wanted to wait until Sheng Dao Ren's strength recovered enough to devour his primordial spirit and strengthen himself.

Sheng Dao Ren would never let him succeed. He narrowed his eyes.

A figure surfaced in his mind.

"Li Rui."

At the other end.

In Qinghe City.

After receiving He Qian Nian's letter, Li Rui acted as if nothing had happened—even drank wine with Xiao Yu and several fellow disciples.

Then, drunk, he boarded the carriage already waiting outside Qianhe Martial Hall.

The carriage ride was perfectly smooth.

He felt not the slightest jolt.

Li Rui sat upright, his face showing no sign of intoxication—his eyes cold and terrifying.

He did not rush to leave the city.

Jiang Lin Xian and He Qian Nian now knew such a great secret; the Purple Gold Palace would not fail to eliminate them.

Inside the city, Zhou Dinghai was present; the Purple Gold Palace dared not launch a direct assault.

But outside the city? That was different.

Li Rui was nearly certain the Purple Gold Palace had dispatched elite assassins to lie in wait beyond the walls—leaving now would be walking straight into a trap.

This could not be rushed.

As Li Rui pondered, the young coachman's voice came: "Master, we've arrived."

Li Rui pulled back the carriage curtain.

The young coachman had already leapt down and placed the step stool beside Li Rui's right side.

Li Rui stepped down.

He walked straight into his room.

The first thing he did was burn He Qian Nian's letter to ash.

He had already memorized its contents.

Keeping the letter would only give the enemy evidence.

Keeping it served no purpose.

He Qian Nian gave him the letter hoping he would find someone trustworthy to secretly deliver it.

But Li Rui believed the Purple Gold Palace might be even more insane than He Qian Nian imagined.

After watching the letter burn completely.

Li Rui resumed his training as usual.

He Qian Nian had been mortally wounded, yet after returning to Qinghe, he still lived.

This proved the Purple Gold Palace had some restraint—meaning, in Qinghe, he was at least safe.

Since he was safe,

there was no need to live in fear—better to train harder.

First he completed a round of Da Heng Lian in his room, then crawled into bed. No insomnia—within mere breaths, Li Rui's light snoring could be heard.

When he opened his eyes again,

he stood before the White Stone Steps of the Grand Void Dao Field.

It had come to this.

Begin cultivation.

Outside Yunzhou City.

On the only road leading from Qinghe to Yunzhou.

Several corpses lay scattered across the forest beside the imperial road; several black-clad men held blood-dripping blades, their eyes cold.

"Blame your bad luck."

"Why did you have to come to Yunzhou now?"

A commanding officer sneered.

They were all assassins sent by the Purple Gold Palace.

At that moment,

a figure appeared behind the black-clad men.

They immediately bowed: "Ancestor, we've searched them—nothing suspicious on their persons."

Blood Shadow Ancestor nodded:

"Good. Clean up the bodies."

To stop He Qian Nian from sending the letter, the Purple Gold Palace had deployed hundreds.

Anyone leaving Qinghe was tracked.

Those heading elsewhere were spared—but anyone bound for Yunzhou met a dead end.

Blood Shadow Ancestor did not know who He Qian Nian would send, but it didn't matter.

He killed them all.

Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let one slip through.

Yet what frustrated him was:

The Purple Gold Palace had lain in wait for over ten days—and still had no trace.

Qinghe's government had noticed and sent investigators.

The truth couldn't be hidden much longer.

The only relief was that the Yunzhou Marquis's mansion had shown no movement.

That meant,

the Duotiandazhen secret had not reached Yuan Dingting.

The black-clad commander hesitated: "Ancestor, Qinghe's officials seem to be entering Yunzhou City—should we...?"

Blood Shadow Ancestor narrowed his eyes slightly.

After a long silence,

he slowly spoke:

"Kill!"

"Master, I had wine with the Jail Warden—just as you predicted, something happened."

"Lately, many who left Qinghe have vanished—almost all heading toward Yunzhou."

Liang He said.

Now he carried himself with the bearing of a league lord.

Moreover,

he had recently broken through—he was now a sixth-rank martial cultivator.

He could barely hold his position as leader of the Heaven and Earth League; the previous five leaders had all retired as Supreme Elders—now he was the sole leader.

As leader,

mingling with city officials was unavoidable.

Liang He added: "Don't worry, Master—I didn't enter the government office. I heard it at Zui Xian Pavilion."

Li Rui nodded approvingly:

"Well done."

Liang He had grown into someone capable of standing alone—his actions were reliably trustworthy.

If my guess is correct,

The Purple Gold Palace must have spies in the city too.

The Thousand Cranes Martial Hall is certainly under surveillance, and so is my general's residence.

"Alright, go back for now."

Li Rui waved his hand.

Liang He bowed respectfully, then withdrew slowly.

Though he had become the leader of the alliance, his respect for Li Rui had not diminished in the slightest.

After Liang He closed the door.

Li Rui's smile faded gradually, even turning slightly icy.

The Purple Gold Palace has indeed moved.

And just as he suspected—completely insane, planning to leave not a single soul alive.

Those who traveled from Qinghe County to Yunzhou have likely all been killed by the Purple Gold Palace.

Li Rui narrowed his eyes.

Then he stood and walked to the center of the room.

A pale yellow true qi instantly enveloped him.

The next instant.

His entire body vanished into thin air, sinking deep underground.

Since he wouldn't travel above ground.

Then he'd go beneath it!

(End of Chapter)