Chapter 57: Who Said That?

What Lu Zhiyao's true strength is, in fact, remains an unknown variable for Gu Jiangming.

Because the only information Gu Jiangming has about him is that he is the Sixth Junior Uncle of Wang Qinghe in the Zhenggang Sect.

It is not just about seniority; Lu Zhiyao's credentials within the Zhenggang Sect are extremely deep, and he is not even an ordinary disciple who joined the sect with prior training.

His attainments in the way of formations alone make him one of the top figures in the Zhenggang Sect, not to mention that after Wang Jiangxing was severely injured, he was given full authority to manage the major affairs of the sect.

This person is absolutely a pivotal figure in the Zhenggang Sect.

However, what is even more dire is

The Zhenggang Sect is by no means the most important link; it might just be one small part of countless links.

【"It is Earthquake and Mountain Collapse." Wang Qinghe saw the trick in it at a glance.】

Wang Qinghe is not a cultivator who specializes in the path of cultivation, but she excels with an astonishing talent for the path of formations; Gu Jiangming had already witnessed this back at the Taicang Ruins.

However, Gu Jiangming would not miss out on mastering any secondary profession either, and over the years, he has also secretly learned quite a bit within the Zhenggang Sect—or rather, learned quite a few formation divine abilities through non-standard means.

【"He wants to force us out." Wang Qinghe looked at Yi Lezhi, "We need to find the secret passage and escape as soon as possible."】

【Yi Lezhi's expression was not good, "Something is wrong. The location of the secret passage seems to have changed; it has been altered by someone. It is possible that someone came here a long time ago."】

【"There are not many people who could know about this secret passage."】

【"So you really did want to leave through this secret passage." Lu Zhiyao's voice came from the dark path on the other side.】

【As his voice landed, the gravel beneath the ground seemed to possess some kind of sentience, shooting toward the position where Gu Jiangming was located.】

【Gu Jiangming had anticipated this and dodged the strike.】

【"Bang, bang, bang—"】

【The gravel from beneath the ground transformed into stone awls and continued to pierce rapidly toward the direction of the three.】

【"I never would have imagined, Sixth Junior Brother, that you are also an expert at the Enlightenment Stage." Yi Lezhi's eyes were cold and stern, "I also don't know how long you have been hiding it."】

【Lu Zhiyao was silent for a moment, "Originally, it did not have to be this way."】

【"Among the Seven Great Sects, four have already submitted, and there are still three that remain stubborn, abandoning the greater good for their own small interests. If the Senior Brother had let go of his obsession with one family, one sect, and one household, the Zhenggang Sect would not have fallen to this point."】

【"I will say it again: if you are all willing to accompany me to the meeting, I will let bygones be bygones."】

【"Otherwise, do not blame me for not considering our past friendship."】

【Gu Jiangming smiled lightly: "Considering our past friendship? When those disciples of the Zhenggang Sect were slaughtered for no reason, did you consider our friendship?"】

【"Since you have chosen to resist, then you must accept the price of resistance." Lu Zhiyao's gaze turned to you, "That sword intent from just now was yours, Junior Nephew Gu, right?"】

【"With a single strike, I fear even an ordinary Enlightenment Stage expert would not be your match. When you think about it, you have hidden even deeper than I have."】

【"Having the fortune to encounter a Sword Intent True Explanation that can be mentioned in the same breath as Heaven and Earth Enlightenment, I also want to see just how powerful this legendary sword intent really is."】

【Lu Zhiyao walked forward step by step, and several layers of formation amplification appeared faintly beneath his feet; clearly, his true moves are to resist enemies through formation divine abilities.】

【Flames formed by the formations beneath his feet suddenly erupted, and the entire grotto-dwelling became bright because of it.】

【The Heavenly Gang Five Thunders divine ability struck from a blind spot that Gu Jiangming could not see; Wang Qinghe bit her finger lightly and sprinkled her blood on the ground.】

【"Bang—"】

【A wall of earth rose suddenly, blocking the area around Gu Jiangming, but clearly, Lu Zhiyao's formation divine ability was a cut above. Even though Wang Qinghe burned her essence blood to cast the formation at the fastest speed, it only helped Gu Jiangming slightly reduce the damage from the opponent's divine ability.】

【But it must be said that this gave Gu Jiangming sufficient room to react, and his Flying Sword, wrapped in Non-Self Sword Intent, directly sliced through the incoming Heavenly Gang Five Thunders.】

What Wang Qinghe has focused on all these years is cultivating Gu Jiangming; she has poured all of her own resources onto him.

Doing this has indeed slowed her own growth rate, and her progress in cultivation has not been satisfactory, but the problem is that Wang Qinghe feels that even if she kept dumping resources into herself, the effect might not be that great.

In her way of thinking, Gu Jiangming is her lover from a past life; whether she is strong or not is not the issue. As long as her lover from her past life is strong enough, doesn't that mean she, Wang Qinghe, is equally strong?

It is not as if Gu Jiangming would stop protecting her just because she gave him enough resources.

Very clearly, Gu Jiangming has brought returns beyond Wang Qinghe's imagination.

In fact, these returns are not important in Wang Qinghe's heart; what Wang Qinghe likes more is the emotional value Gu Jiangming brings.

That temperament of being cold and indifferent usually, but never standing idly by at critical moments—she loves it so much, okay?

He is reliable!

"This Sixth Junior Uncle really does hide deep." Wang Qinghe was also in a state of deep thought; her main direction of cultivation these years has been formations.

She once felt that her research into the Zhenggang Sect's formations had reached the top tier, never expecting that this Sixth Junior Uncle, who usually kept a low profile, would almost bring the entire Zhenggang Sect to the point of collapse the moment he made a move.

【Lu Zhiyao's face did not show the slightest change, but in his heart, he was actually surprised by the sharpness of Gu Jiangming's sword intent.】

【To shake an Enlightenment Stage expert with the stature of the Transformation Stage, and even not fall into a disadvantage during the exchange—from the perspective of the outside world, this is absolutely a fantasy.】

【However, he remained the party with the absolute advantage.】

【The gap in cultivation realms cannot be made up for by a single move or style.】

【His peripheral vision was fixed on Yi Lezhi on the other side; the one who has always been the biggest threat to him here is actually this Seventh Junior Sister of his.】

【For a cultivator who could walk step by step from a mortal to the Enlightenment Stage, the fortuitous encounters they have met are countless. If it were truly that easy to deal with, the Enlightenment Stage could not be the peak experts standing in the Seven Great Sects.】

【"Kid Gu."】

【A voice suddenly rang out in Gu Jiangming's heart.】

【It was Yi Lezhi's voice.】

【"I have a divine ability that can make him lose his focus for the duration of a single breath. Do you have the confidence to seize this fleeting moment to kill him in one strike?"】

【Gu Jiangming took a deep breath.】

【I can try.】

【"Good, my life is tied to you now."】

【At this point, Yi Lezhi no longer had the reserve of a righteous sect member; she stopped caring about her image and vented the pent-up malice in her heart.】

【"If you fail, I will remember you for the rest of my life."】

【As her voice fell, Gu Jiangming no longer hesitated. The Black Dragon in his Qi Sea spat out dragon breath, and a pressure of supreme dominance erupted from his body, standing proudly in this Grotto-Heaven; a dragon shadow seemed to appear around his entire figure to protect him.】

【Gu Jiangming's Flying Sword fell back into his hand.】

He sprinted toward Lu Zhiyao at an astonishing speed, killing as he swept past as if traversing space and time.

"Do it!"

Gu Jiangming shouted in his heart.

Lu Zhiyao seemed to have been prepared for this; a sand and earth wall capable of completely enveloping him rapidly formed under his feet, attempting to block this fatal blow.

Suddenly, his vision went black.

Yi Lezhi's gaze became unfocused at the same time.

Afterward, she quickly regained her senses.

And Lu Zhiyao, inside the sand and earth wall, also regained his senses; at the same time, he realized he had been overconfident.

No, he hadn't been overconfident.

It was this brat. Why was he able to see that the flaw in this array was right here?

Every Array Eye in his array divine ability was actually deeply hidden within the divine ability, concealed in positions difficult to peer into.

Before Lu Zhiyao could continue to ponder the reason for this.

The sand and earth wall was torn apart by a straight beam of sword light.

Lu Zhiyao could not see the sword, but he saw the sword light.

When he tried to find that sword again, the sword light had already fallen, and when he reflected on it again, the Flying Sword had already appeared behind him.

Only Gu Jiangming's striking composure remained; behind him, the Flying Sword slowly fell into its scabbard, and the sky-covering sand exploded instantly following the sound of the sword sheathing.

Wang Qinghe's expression went from tense to relaxed in just a single held breath.

Yi Lezhi ran extremely quickly to Lu Zhiyao's side, kicked him unceremoniously, and then crouched down, touching his forehead with a finger, seemingly performing some strange and bizarre evil divine ability.

"Pfft—"

A mouthful of blood foam spilled from the corner of Yi Lezhi's mouth.

"The location of the secret passage was indeed falsely covered by his array, changing its course." Yi Lezhi pointed to the location.

An option emerged right then.

1: Leave the secret passage together. (Selecting this option will end this Reincarnation)

2: Let Wang Qinghe leave the secret passage first; you have new plans.

Gu Jiangming did not hesitate and immediately chose the second option.

You took Lu Zhiyao's Storage Ring in front of the two of them and placed the other party's corpse inside it.

After finding the secret passage, you looked at Wang Qinghe, timed it right, and gave a gentle push.

Following the teleportation effect of the array in the secret passage, Wang Qinghe was sent away from the Zhenggang Sect.

Just as Yi Lezhi was about to leave via the secret passage's teleportation.

You reached out to stop her.

After looking at each other in dismay.

You took out the Flame Dharma Robe and a Rakshasa Mask symbolizing identity from that ring in front of her.

Afterward, you put that Rakshasa Mask on your own face.

Through years of experience, you had long since mastered a method to restrain your aura; you instantly restrained your aura to facilitate concealment.

Shushan File, Gu Jiangming's biggest mistake was actually not realizing that the Reincarnation World was closely linked to reality, to the point that much information was not fully obtained.

But this time, Gu Jiangming would not make this mistake again.

Even if he died, he had to figure out the ins and outs of it.

Information was undoubtedly the most important thing; only with information could one act as the party with foresight to make more accurate judgments.

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I've thought about it... there are no other better choices right now."

"So you want to set me up?"

"Only by taking you as a pledge of loyalty will I not be suspected when I impersonate his identity."

"Can't Wang Qinghe do it?"

"She is my wife."

"Besides, you have a way to talk to me like this; I can tell this is not a divine ability of the Zhenggang Sect."

"Listen, footsteps are coming."

"Act out a good play with me."

"But you don't even know the Zhenggang Sect's arrays! How are you going to..."

A familiar sound rang out from under Gu Jiangming's feet, followed immediately by a massive commotion like the earth shaking and mountains swaying.

"Who said that?"

"You?!"

The voice coming from within Yi Lezhi's heart was full of incredulous, dumbfounded shock.

"It was just to take care of my foolish and cute wife, so she wouldn't feel like she was useless."

(End of this chapter)