Chapter 1248: The Commander

At the moment Li Luo silently roared in his heart, his body suddenly swelled, dragon scales sprouting from beneath his skin, his stature rising, his palms transforming into sharp dragon claws brimming with destructive power.

His gray-white short hair surged wildly in the wind, cascading down like a waterfall from behind.

Within mere breaths, Li Luo had transformed into a half-dragon form, fierce and majestic, his breaths exhaling violent gusts like thunder.

Li Luo gripped the Dragon-Elephant Blade in his dragon claw and swung it casually; even the void was sliced with faint traces. With his cultivation now advanced to Da Tian Xiang Jing, his "Dragon Transformation" had grown vastly more formidable.

The physical strength of this half-dragon form surpassed the combined might of his previous Thundering Body and Nine-Scale Heavenly Dragon Battle Body.

Yet, this was not yet over.

To stand against Li Qingbai, who had reached the top-tier Marquis Realm, this half-dragon form alone was clearly insufficient.

Thus, the Ascending Dragon technique activated simultaneously.

From within his Dragon Lei Xiang Palace, an ecstatic dragon roar echoed, reverberating through every part of his body, further amplifying the half-dragon form—his blood flowed like Dahe, pouring forth immense, overwhelming power.

And when the Ascending Dragon activated, the most dramatic change occurred in Li Luo's Tian Xiang Jing.

The original eight-thousand-four-hundred-zhang Tian Xiang Jing trembled violently; a thunderous dragon roar erupted from within, and the dragon shadow inside rapidly grew larger.

As it swallowed clouds and spat mist, the scale of the Tian Xiang Jing expanded explosively.

This was because Li Luo's Long Xiang had been forcibly elevated to the lower ninth rank!

The enhancement of his Xiang nature naturally purified his Xiang force, causing Li Luo's Xiang force to surge dramatically.

Amid countless astonished gazes, Li Luo's Tian Xiang Jing expanded at an astonishing rate—from eight thousand four hundred zhang to nine thousand five hundred zhang!

Vast torrents of celestial and terrestrial energy surged in, flooding into the magnificent, colorful Tian Xiang Jing.

Observing that Tian Xiang Jing, several Marquis Realm experts present wore expressions of deep shock, for they sensed six distinct Xiang natures filling the image.

Six Xiangs?!

Some Marquis Realm experts from Tianlong City could not help but be stunned—this Li Luo possessed six Xiang natures?!

This number was simply too monstrous!

Only now did they understand why Li Luo dared challenge a top-tier Marquis Realm cultivator with only Da Tian Xiang Jing—he too was a prodigy of the highest caliber.

Beneath the gaze of countless eyes, two spirit envoy shadows appeared behind Li Luo.

They were the lower ninth-rank Water Xiang and lower ninth-rank Long Xiang!

Celestial and terrestrial energy surged in, pouring into the Tian Xiang Jing.

Members of the Tianlong Five Guards could not help but gasp; even Li Zhihuo's eyes narrowed as he murmured, "Lower ninth-rank Water Light Xiang, lower ninth-rank Dragon Lei Xiang, and upper eighth-rank Wood-Earth Xiang..."

"Truly a Three Palaces, Six Xiangs—and the ranks exceed even my expectations."

"Everyone's eyes were fixed on Jiang Jiang Qinge, but this Li Luo is just as extraordinary. With the talent he's revealed now, when he breaks into the Marquis Realm, he may even challenge the Ten Pillar Golden Platform!"

Li Zhihuo's expression was complex—if Li Luo truly forged the Ten Pillar Golden Platform, this year's Longya Guards would truly ascend to heaven.

After all, a single guard producing two Ten Pillar Golden Platforms—such a configuration had never occurred since the Tianlong Five Guards were founded.

For now, they could only hope Li Qingbai, through his rank superiority, could first crush Li Luo and dampen his momentum.

This would buy Li Zhihuo more time, for his goal was to become Da Wei Zun and obtain the priceless "Little Saint Seed" of the Li Li Tianwang lineage.

"Even if he has Three Palaces and Six Xiangs, he's still only Da Tian Xiang Jing! Li Qingbai's top-tier Marquis Realm isn't some wandering cultivator's trash!" Li Hongque gritted her teeth.

This battle determined Jiang Qing's fate—it was a thorn in her heart, so Li Hongque absolutely did not wish Li Luo to win.

Li Zhihuo nodded slightly; Three Palaces and Six Xiangs were indeed extraordinary, but could they truly block a top-tier Marquis Realm?

Probably not.

Amid the crowd's astonishment, Li Qingbai in the arena stared at Li Luo with envious eyes—how could this fellow be so lucky?

His natural talent was exceptional, his appearance handsome, and he possessed a fiancée deeply devoted to him who had already embarked on the Peerless Path.

This template was even stronger than his father, Li Tai Zhu Xuan.

"This is likely my only chance to suppress him."

Li Qingbai knew well: once Li Luo entered the Marquis Realm, he would no longer be his match. This opportunity might be his lifetime's only one.

If so, then seize it—crush Li Luo first!

Yet, the instant this thought flashed through his mind, Li Luo's body shot forward, his gray-white hair whipping wildly; wielding the Dragon-Elephant Blade, he lunged like lightning.

"Dragon-Elephant Divine Might!"

"Dual Xiang Power!"

"Nine-Scale Heavenly Dragon Battle Body!"

"Thundering Body!"

"......"

In that instant, Li Luo unleashed countless techniques, then slashed through the void with a chilling blade light, striking first at Li Qingbai's head.

He had struck first.

Seeing this, Li Qingbai laughed bitterly with rage—he hadn't faced such an assault from a Da Tian Xiang Jing cultivator in many years.

Li Qingbai swept his sleeve; from above, the Marquis Platform summoned a torrent of emerald Marquis Divine Smoke, within which flowed countless sharp, gleaming scales.

The Marquis Divine Smoke clashed directly with Li Luo's blade.

Clang!

The Marquis Divine Smoke howled, its countless sharp scales striking the Dragon-Elephant Blade repeatedly, sparking brilliantly, ringing with sharp, clattering sounds.

In this collision, Li Luo clearly felt the Dragon-Elephant Blade trembling and humming violently—the sharp aura constantly tried to invade his body.

So this is Marquis Divine Smoke? Truly mysterious.

This was the first time Li Luo had resisted such a Marquis Realm technique with his own strength.

The contact brought him considerable pressure—even with all his enhancements, he could barely hold his own against a single Marquis Divine Smoke.

"Li Luo, if you were a Marquis Realm cultivator—even just a lower-tier one—I might not dare fight you today. But unfortunately, you're not!"

Li Qingbai, sensing Li Luo could not break through his Marquis Divine Smoke, smiled coolly, then pointed a cold finger.

Only then was a branch seen falling from the Sword-Scale Tree standing atop the Marquis-Founding Platform.

The branch swayed with the wind and transformed into a green wooden sword.

The wooden sword was covered in scales; the scales shimmered with cold light, rendering it as if it were an peerless treasure sword whose sharp qi surged toward the heavens.

The wooden dragon coiled upon the Sword-Scale Tree exhaled emerald dragon breath; the rolling dragon breath fell upon that green wood scale sword, causing the wooden sword to instantly swell, expanding to a thousand zhang in size. At the hilt, green qi condensed, forming a ferocious dragon head.

The green wood scale sword hovered in mid-air, releasing boundless green qi.

From the Dragon Blood Guard side, voices of surprise emerged; even Li Zhihuo nodded slightly, saying, "This is the inferior-grade Yan Shen-class Marquis-Founding Art cultivated by Li Qingbai, the Azure Dragon Ten Thousand Scales Sword."

"Indeed, he did not become careless merely because Li Luo is only at the Da Tian Xiang Jing realm."

"This move is one he has unleashed with all his might; if nothing goes wrong, the outcome of victory or defeat will appear very soon."

Li Hongque, standing nearby, also showed a hint of joy in his expression. Li Qingbai was not foolish enough to drag things out with Li Luo; possessing an advantage in Xiang Li grade, he should have suppressed Li Luo with the speed of lightning before one could cover one's ears, in the most domineering posture, leaving Li Luo no chance to resist.

And as long as Li Luo is defeated here, Jiang Jiang Qinge over there will sooner or later fall into a two-person siege; thus, for this wager, victory is already certain for them.

In contrast, on the Dragon Tooth Guard side, many showed expressions of worry, having evidently perceived how terrifying Li Qingbai's upcoming assault would be.

Li Fulu stared at Li Luo's figure; at such a moment, if the latter had no trump card up his sleeve, it would be very difficult to withstand this sword strike of Li Qingbai.

Under the gaze of many, Li Qingbai summoned the rolling Marquis-Founding Divine Smoke to descend, bestowing it upon that "Green Wood Scale Sword"; then, without the slightest hesitation, he pushed forward with his palm, and Xiang Li erupted.

Voom!

That green giant sword, covered in sharp scales, directly pierced the sky, transforming into a beam of green light that, carrying a mighty and sharp momentum, shot violently toward Li Luo's location.

Green qi rolled like an azure dragon diving down; sword qi surged, continuous and unending.

Within it was contained the ceaseless vitality of Wood Xiang power, as well as the sharpness and ferocity bestowed by the "Sword-Scale Tree."

Clearly, Li Qingbai had intended this from the very beginning.

To defeat Li Luo with a single sword strike.