Chapter 728: Inside and Outside

The heavy rain in the Divine Capital for days brought a different scene; the city walls, bricks, and tiles were thoroughly washed bright as new.

Poets with bright futures wrote magnificent poems, poets frustrated in their careers wrote confused poems, and even the dullest people felt the unusual nature of this celestial phenomenon. Everywhere in the Divine Capital, there were topics about this rain. The common people sighed and complained, spreading legends about water anomalies; the martial artists searched for its origin. Naturally, those who had watched with their own eyes by the Wei River that day were popular.

For the same event, people at different levels obtained information at different levels.

The black cat squatted on the desk by the window, looking out, enough to overlook the entire Divine Capital.

Li Jian also stood by the window.

"Are you not going to make a move yourself?" the black cat said.

"The Immortal Hunt is concerned, so it is chaotic." Li Jian said, "It is not appropriate for me to make a move easily."

"Afraid of exposing your methods?"

"Exposing methods is fine; I'm just afraid of exposing that I have no methods, then it would be ruined." Li Jian's face was plain and sturdy; I don't know if he never joked, or if he had this expression when joking.

The black cat felt that neither situation was very good.

"You said there is a General Chan underwater, so who did you entrust to go? Can Li He beat him alone?"

"Two swords."

On the night Seeing Pei Ye entered the water, on the empty small boat, the fire candle had not yet completely extinguished, and a middle-aged man holding an umbrella and carrying a sword suddenly appeared at the bow.

He tucked the umbrella handle under his arm and was eating a bowl of noodles in his hand. Thus, his back was soaked, but the noodles in his hand were covered very tightly.

After a moment, a woman's voice came from behind: "Ming Ming Jianzhu Li, long time no see."

Li He had just brought a mouthful of noodles to his mouth. At this moment, he put them down and repeated: "Ming Ming Jianzhu Li, long time no see."

He lowered his head and sent the mouthful of noodles in.

"Both are in the Divine Capital, we might as well talk more later."

"I dare not, I dare not; Li He is loyal to the monarch and loves the country."

The woman's voice laughed, and she walked up, her red skirt fluttering in the wind: "Why didn't you have time to eat before rushing over? You have been running around on the Eight Waters these days; you have worked hard, poet."

"Li Jian urged me tightly. I said I would eat a bowl of noodles before coming, but he said no." Li He lowered his head and continued eating noodles, "He said it was to deal with someone, but didn't say when, where, or how to deal with them. Do you have any news?"

"I asked Li Jian, and he said he didn't know."

Li He raised his head from the noodles: "Mm?"

"Mm."

Li He thought for a while and continued to lower his head to eat noodles.

There seemed to be wind in the water.

The newly grown Luo God flowers swayed, and two figures, one holding a spear and the other a sword, faced each other.

Yongji stood in place without moving, and Seeing Pei Ye walked toward him step by step.

They had just—

fought and killed just a few hours ago, and the blood on both of them had not yet been wiped clean.

Although that fight was short, both sides had pulled the confrontation to an extremely high intensity within a few rounds, all aiming to kill the other, Intent Sword, True Hou Qi, Immortal Authority, Heart Sword... ordinary means were almost invisible.

The outcome of that fight was also very clear. In close combat, Seeing Pei Ye almost effortlessly stabbed Yongji three times with his sword and once with his spear, but not once could he leave a real wound on him, while Seeing Pei Ye could hardly parry one of Yongji's punches, and the immense power was almost double that of the youth.

When reaching the realm of Immortal Authority, 【Bai Shui】 completely suppressed 【Mystic Fire】. If not for Li Xizhou carrying the youth away in time, even if the monk hadn't come, Yongji would have been enough to kill him.

But now Li Xizhou set up such a barrier, just to allow the two to fight again.

Yongji really couldn't figure out what changes could happen to a person's strength in a few hours. Could the Princess of the Li family strengthen muscles and bones?

Seeing Pei Ye walked within ten zhang.

Yongji slowly raised his spear.

Seeing Pei Ye stared at him, bent his knees, hunched his body, and a white line rose in the water in an instant, with a bright sword blade at the very front.

Yongji hit and pushed aside this sword with his spear shaft, saying indifferently: "Hou."

His eyes turned into a dark red, and his true Qi simultaneously transformed into the same color, lingering on the spear body. Red always gave people a fresh and dazzling feeling, but the vermilion on Yongji's spear was dark and majestic, like blood layered a thousand times over.

Seeing Pei Ye's long sword in front of him was knocked away, and amidst the flying hair, he actually raised his fist at him first.

Yongji also raised his fist to face him, true Qi and water waves roaring on his fist at the same time, but the next moment Yongji's pupils shrank. The youth with cold eyes in front of him seemed to suddenly possess a strange foresight. He released his sword with his right hand, twisted his wrist to bring over the incoming punch, and then pulled his fist like a full bow, smashing it straight into his face!

Yongji's head tilted, his hair scattered, and his mouth was suddenly full of a fishy sweetness. Seeing Pei Ye furiously raised his knee again. Yongji leaned back to avoid it. Seeing Pei Ye hovered above him, raised his hand to catch the returning long sword, held the hilt with both hands, raised it high, and stabbed down fiercely.

Yongji roared, his arm strength suddenly erupting. The long spear swept out a half-moon-shaped void in front of him, sweeping it away when the sword entered his abdomen by a foot. The next moment, true Qi and angry waves roared toward the youth. The water area was turbulent in an instant, and dense water bubbles were like a blizzard.

The next moment, Yongji's cold and angry face broke through, pressing straight to the youth's front. A punch smashed down, and Seeing Pei Ye blocked with his sword, his body shaking violently as he endured the remaining force of this punch. The next moment, the heavy iron spear was smashed by Yongji with one hand, and countless chaotic currents exploded within several zhang.

Seeing Pei Ye suddenly became quiet for a moment. When this spear smashed over, the sword tip circled lightly. That miraculous sword technique appeared again, and the whole person was like a light, formless soul. Under 【Drifting Returning Wind】, he hovered over Yongji's face again in an instant.

The sword light pulled horizontally furiously. Yongji very quickly—

blocked with his arm in front of his face, splashing out a hot blood spray. Seeing Pei Ye faced this flying blood, roared, and smashed his fist onto his chest again fiercely!

At this moment, Yongji raised his head abruptly, his pupils shrinking, staring dead at the youth close at hand.

This punch did not bring him serious injury. The youth's fist was like a heavy hammer; he was a rare swordsman with an extraordinary physique, but it did not make him stunned.

He suddenly became extremely adapted and extremely skilled at everything in the water area, agile like a phantom. He had already felt it in the first round.

But what he truly confirmed in this punch was that his control over the water had truly weakened by another point.

—He was taking away the 【Bai Shui】 inside his body!

Under the hundred-foot tall tree.

The Shark Pavilion closed, and the Luo God wood peaches were still growing and spreading sparsely, but the figures of Yongji and the other were no longer touchable.

Li Xizhou looked at the monk. The monk stood the spear in his hand. The Luo God Old Pavilion covered a hundred zhang, and beyond a hundred zhang, black lightning connected, forming another, more massive cage.

Several great demons of the Mirage Realm lay on the ground, staring coldly, slowly surrounding the woman from all directions, and shadows slowly covered her.

The woman had no cultivation. Within the turbulent world of several hundred zhang, she was the only one facing this Heavenly Tower.

But the woman had no fear. The paleness on her face was entirely due to blood loss. The saliva of several great demons hung beside the shark silk, but she seemed unable to see it.

The monk looked quietly at this Palace of Luo God. It was not unaffected by the world; black cracks climbed toward it, and the Luo God wood peaches it touched annihilated like fly ash, and the shark silk also dissipated bit by bit.

But it was clearly still able to support for longer. The structure woven by shark silk was complex and exquisite, not looking like it would collapse at a touch.

"The Princess's methods are miraculous." The monk turned his head, folded his hands in a salute, "Is this the legacy of the late Empress?"

"Does General Chan recognize my mother?"

"I had a shallow fate with the late Empress; when I joined the army, she was no longer in the Northern Frontier. But the Prince of Yan mentioned past events of the former Emperor to me several times, so one can imagine the demeanor of a strange person. Now there are many ways to deal with the barbarians in the army that were left by the late Empress. Sometimes when practicing, one thinks of her."

"Mm." Li Xizhou raised her head, looking at the dreamlike water waves, "This is also my mother's legacy."

The monk held up a single palm, closed his eyes, and bowed his head in a salute.

"Ten thousand things have been the same for twenty years; suddenly east and west at the crossroads." The monk said in a low voice, "Now that we meet with naked blades, the little monk truly feels a sense of sorrow."

"Pour wine for you, you are at ease; worldly affairs turn over like waves." Li Xizhou raised her hand gracefully, her voice and expression faint, "General Chan, please choose."

The monk opened his eyes and raised his head, looking silently at the woman. In an instant, it was as if the whole world pressed down on her. Li Xizhou's face turned pale again, as if she felt the world spinning, and she held onto the high stone beside her, somewhat swaying.

She swayed twice but still didn't fall down, smiling weakly: "That day the Prince of Yan's assassin killed me, it was only half an inch off. Since then, my will has never been taken away. Do you think I am afraid of death today?"

The monk was silent for a long time.

"Now both of you are in my palm."

"Not bad. The Shark Palace will be annihilated by the General sooner or later. When the world is sealed, it will only take the General a finger to kill the two of us." Li Xizhou said.

"The Prince carries 【Bai Shui】 and has a body of mountains and seas; he is the hardest to be assassinated by a strange sword. Within twenty rounds, the outcome will be decided."

"Not bad. No matter how one thinks, Seeing Pei Ye cannot win against Yongji at this time." Li Xizhou smiled faintly.

"The Princess is making a desperate struggle."

"Indeed."

The monk looked at Li Xizhou, and Li Xizhou also looked at the monk.

Long silence.

"Twenty rounds have already passed." Li Xizhou lowered her eyes and extended her hand again, "General Chan, please choose."

Seeing Pei Ye raised his whip leg and smashed down fiercely, smashing Yongji from the air three zhang high onto the ground heavily.

Then he rushed down, raised his knee to smash Yongji's abdomen again. Yongji gritted his teeth, still coughing up a mouthful of blood. Seeing Pei Ye, riding on him, had loose hair like a lion or tiger, his fist pulled like a full bow, smashing toward Yongji's face.

Yongji raised his arm to block, and at the same time, a punch hit the youth's ribs, the sound of bones creaking.

The blood of the two mixed together, fighting skin to skin. Yongji occasionally brought obvious wounds to the youth, but at the same time, he was completely overwhelmed. Seeing Pei Ye's attack was like a storm, fists, sword, heart-spirit... Yongji hardly ever met a Pulse Realm who could hold his own in unarmed combat, but the youth was indeed one.

He clearly hadn't received much training in fist and foot martial arts; the few famous fist and palm techniques in the Jianghu didn't match at all, but he happened to have a very keen perception and very correct understanding of fighting, especially now, with the blessing of the Mirage Dragon True Blood and the Quail Head, Yongji was almost unable to parry.

More importantly, he was also unable to focus on the fight.

The passing of 【Bai Shui】 was the most important problem.

Yongji was tied hand and foot, almost not daring to have too much contact with him, while Seeing Pei Ye seemed to have no concerns, every punch carrying wind and thunder.

And as the youth also controlled a portion of the 【Bai Shui】 Immortal Authority, the advantage brought by manipulating water had obviously become smaller.

Twenty rounds passed. Yongji had been passively defending, staring at him with gritted teeth and cold eyes, wanting to find the reason for the change. At this time, he didn't even dare to enable the Zi Star Guard, fearing that 【Bai Shui】 would be directly taken away the moment it was exposed.

Until he suddenly noticed Seeing Pei Ye only used his sword for a turn again, raising his fist to smash over. Warm blood splashed onto his face, and he suddenly had a moment of clarity.

His pupils shrank and he roared: "On your body, how can there be Mirage Dragon True Blood?!"

Seeing Pei Ye did not answer, rushing straight over again.

But Yongji's face had completely cooled down, without a trace of expression.

It was as if all the frustration and suppression he had suffered in the last twenty rounds would erupt at this moment.

Since he knew it was Mirage Dragon True Blood, there was no need to blindly guess. The only way was to thoroughly utilize the advantage it brought before 【Bai Shui】 completely flowed away, ending this battle.

After twenty rounds, 【Bai Shui】 had only flowed away by one-fifth.

Under Bai Shui, can you persist for another twenty rounds?

"Zi Star Guard, Bai Shui Phantom Lord Position." Yongji looked coldly at the youth, gritting his teeth and shouting.

Inside the Shark Palace, dozens of zhang of water area surged like giant waves.

"I understand." After a long time, the monk sighed lightly, "It is Mirage Dragon True Blood."

Li Xizhou did not speak.

"When the Princess entered the Mirage Realm, it was for this thing; when the Princess obtained this thing, she had already thought of today." The monk looked at the woman, "That is why you let that youth in? But how could he inherit the Mirage Dragon True Blood?"

"The road is exhausted, the dream is far, and the spirit is seen; such a gentle world." Li Xizhou raised her hand, dreamlike water waves rippled in her palm, and she said softly, "General Chan, you have never looked squarely at the Mirage Realm, so how can you touch the soul of the Mirage Realm... Every Immortal Hunt has its inclination when signing a contract, and the Mirage Realm certainly has one too."

The monk was silent for a moment: "But even facing Mirage Dragon True Blood, the Prince is still enough to win after being caught off guard."

"Yes, please choose."

Li Xizhou and the monk looked at each other calmly.

What to choose? Both knew it well.

After Yongji entered, the Shark Palace became a black box.

When it opened again, no one knew what the result inside was.

General Chan had already controlled most of the world here; he had many choices.

Continue to sit for seven or eight hours. No one here could threaten him. The Mirage Realm would sooner or later be thoroughly brought under his control. At that time, all problems would not be problems.

Or what he should do most: lock the world, consume the shark silk. When the woman was far away, he didn't have much of a way, but now the two had thrown themselves into the net. Li Xizhou had clearly used all her strength. Yongji would kill Seeing Pei Ye, and he would kill the woman in front of him.

Or there were some more extreme choices.

He had already controlled eighty percent of this world. He had transcendent power. He could pay many prices, including his own body and life—leave here, or open this Shark Palace in a shorter time.

No matter which one, it meant he was forcibly fighting against the rules of this Mirage Realm.

If he chose this, it meant he believed that in that black box, Yongji would lose.

Yongji lost, and he would die.

Could the Prince of Yan's Mansion accept this—

result?

The Prince of Yan's Mansion could not accept it.

The monk looked at the pale woman opposite. Her eyes were slightly tired but quiet.

She knew the Prince of Yan's Mansion could not accept it.

Li Youlong had just gotten engaged to Yongji; they hadn't gotten married yet. The Prince of Yan's Mansion had operated in the Divine Capital for a while. If they couldn't bring back 【Bai Shui】, they at least had to bring back the Scale Blood.

The most wonderful thing was that Li Youlong's engagement was promoted by this woman.

Even if he made a choice, General Chan and Yongji would still have to die at least one.

If he really made a choice, General Chan and Yongji could still live at least one.

... But all of this was built on the negligible possibility of Yongji's failure in the black box.

Yongji would naturally win, of course he would win. If he consumed everything in his hands to interfere with the Shark Palace, then it was equivalent to saving Seeing Pei Ye. And the world would lose its blockade. All the efforts made to control the world beforehand would be wasted, and he would fall into weakness... the two people in front might be able to use the shark silk to leave again.

Was he going to make this self-destructive behavior just because he was bluffed by this woman in front of him?

The monk was silent.

It really had nothing to do with cultivation. One move, and even a Heavenly Tower had to sit on the opposite side of the chessboard and play a move against her.

After the monk was silent, he was silent again, finally turning into a sigh.

"The Princess is walking into danger alone; she truly has courage."

He closed his eyes. When he opened them, all hesitation was thrown away, as if he were accompanying his senior brother in chanting scriptures in the palace when he was young.

He raised his hand without hesitation. ===== CHAPTER 729 =====