Chapter 425: The Final Battle (Part 3)

"Found him! Over here!"

In the hospital, Cheng Kexin, Lin Qingye, and Song Jinhe, who were in a flurry of activity, finally discovered where Gongyong Zhibo had gone.

Cheng Kexin stared at the surveillance screen and said, "This child didn't even enter the hospital with us. As soon as the car arrived here, he snuck away on his own while we weren't paying attention."

"The last footage from the surveillance shows the child heading north."

Cheng Kexin switched the screens, her brows locked in a frown: "But why would this child head north?!"

"Never mind why he went there; at least we have a lead now," Lin Qingye said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Song Jinhe sighed: "It's possible the child witnessed his parents' accident and suffered a mental shock."

Cheng Kexin closed the screen and said, "I'll go north to look for him; you two keep watch here."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the entire hospital suddenly trembled violently, swaying a few times, and a massive explosion echoed across the sky, deafening to the ears.

"What happened now?!"

The three of them quickly ran out of the hospital and looked toward the source of the sound. On the street, many people had stopped in their tracks, all staring in unison at the northern sky.

"My god, what is that?!" Lin Qingye exclaimed in shock.

They saw that in the northern sky, a seven-colored divine beast, the Qilin, and a skull emitting black Qi were confronting each other with two opposing forces.

"If I remember correctly, that's the direction of the Li Family... that should be Chen Che's technique!"

Song Jinhe knitted her delicate brows, "But the only enemy capable of forcing Chen Che to use his full strength is that Cult Leader."

"It looks like the Li Family really did collude with the Cult Leader!" Cheng Kexin said: "We can't worry about finding the child now; we're going to the Li Family immediately!"

Lin Qingye said: "Although I still don't quite understand what you're talking about, it's useless for us to go to a battle like this."

"If we can't help with the big things, we'll help with the small ones!" Song Jinhe said: "Zanpu Dunzhu is no ordinary enemy. Since Chen Che has used an unprecedented Artisan Technique, that alone explains the gravity of the situation."

Cheng Kexin suddenly looked down, and a short, sharp beep came from the Micro Radio. She said with pleasant surprise: "Second Senior Sister has rushed back from the border!"

"So fast?! Did she fly back?!" Song Jinhe asked in surprise.

However, just as she finished speaking, a fighter jet streaked low across the city sky, its violent sonic boom deafening and causing everyone on the street to gasp.

"Damn, she really did fly back!" Lin Qingye watched the fighter jet disappear into the northern sky and said, dazed.

"Now our family is finally all together. Let's go! To the Li Family!"

Cheng Kexin jumped into the car first and turned the ignition.

"You still haven't told me who this Cult Leader you keep mentioning is," Lin Qingye asked.

Song Jinhe pulled Lin Qingye into the car: "I'll tell you on the way, let's go!"

………

Above the Li Family, the Qilin and the skull confronted each other, releasing a brilliant, intense light.

At the center of the blinding light, the figures of Chen Che and Zanpu Dunzhu were flickering in and out of view. Both were gritting their teeth, continuously outputting their power, attempting to overwhelm the other.

"Boom—Boom-rumble!!!!"

The collision between the Qilin and the black skull continued, each impact accompanied by a massive explosion of energy, as if the space itself were being torn into black fissures.

Chen Che gritted his teeth, his ten fingers tightly locked together to maintain the shape of the Artisan Technique seal. His eyes glowed with a sacred golden radiance, and Heavenly Book Characters swirled rapidly around his body, flying in unison toward the Qilin under the drive of some command.

As the characters merged into the Qilin's body, every scale on the divine beast radiated a dazzling light. Its eyes shone with spirit as it let out a roar that shook the heavens: "ROAR!!!"

In an instant, Zanpu Dunzhu's face turned pale. His power began to falter, and the light of the black skull gradually dimmed. He gritted his teeth, letting blood flow from between his teeth: "I won't lose! I absolutely will not lose!!!"

Zanpu Dunzhu roared wildly, and dark purple Heavenly Book Characters also flew out from his body, embedding themselves into the skull.

For a moment, the golden light and the purple light simultaneously released infinite power, each illuminating half the sky!

It wasn't just Wu Qingkui and the others guarding the perimeter of the Li Family; everyone in Beijing had their eyes stung by these two overbearing lights, and even their skin felt a burning pain under the radiance of these two glows.

Chen Che narrowed his eyes, his whole body tense, the sound of his bones grinding against each other audible. He saw his own body becoming translucent bit by bit—a sign of his life force slipping away.

Yet, even so, his eyes remained filled with determination and resolve.

"Zanpu Dunzhu, it's over!" Chen Che shouted, exerting all his strength to urge the Qilin to launch the final strike.

"ROAR!!!"

The Qilin let out a roar that shook the heavens and earth, the seven elemental powers on its body merging together to form a seven-colored light, which shot toward the black skull.

Under the impact of this seven-colored light, the black skull instantly crumbled and disintegrated, turning into a mass of black Qi that dissipated into the air.

"No! No!! I don't believe it! I don't believe it!!!"

Zanpu Dunzhu's face was twisted in a grimace as he was also struck and sent flying by this power, crashing heavily to the ground, vomiting blood, his breath fading.

Chen Che flashed over to Zanpu Dunzhu's side, his long sword pressed against his throat.

"You lost," Chen Che said coldly.

Zanpu Dunzhu looked at Chen Che, his eyes full of unwillingness and resentment, but he was now too weak to fight again. He couldn't even speak, and could only wait for death to arrive.

With the defeat of Zanpu Dunzhu, this intense and tragic battle finally came to an end.

The night sky gradually returned to calm, but the Li Family Courtyard had become a ruin, and the surrounding land had been ravaged by the battle.

Wu Qingkui and the others, who had been guarding the perimeter of the Li Family, had all been blown over by the shockwave. Now, they struggled to climb up, looking toward the battlefield at the first opportunity.

Wu Qingkui peered into the distance, and only when she found Chen Che's figure did she let out a breath of relief. However, what happened next caused her just-relaxed nerves to tense up again.

Chen Che thrust his long sword into Zanpu Dunzhu's chest, and the seven elemental powers spread through the sword into Zanpu Dunzhu's entire body.

Expressions of terror, remorse, unwillingness, and pleading flashed across Zanpu Dunzhu's face, and finally, with a roar, he vanished into thin air.

As Zanpu Dunzhu turned into dust, the True Qi within his body rotated and converged, and the figure of Gongyong Zhibo gradually solidified.

At the same time, the Heavenly Book Characters within Zanpu Dunzhu's body regained their luster, circling and flying in the air.

Chen Che dropped his long sword and formed seals with both hands. The Heavenly Book Characters within his own body flew out to interact and entwine with the other half. Finally, guided by the Heavenly Book within him, the other Heavenly Book Characters all flew into Chen Che's body.

With this, all the Heavenly Books were gathered in Chen Che alone.

Chen Che's eyes were tightly closed, his whole body radiating a soft yet dazzling light. His figure gradually became half-translucent and half-solid, as if he were on the boundary between the mortal world and the spiritual realm.

At this moment, his consciousness was immersed in a vast and mysterious realm—the world of the Heavenly Book. Endless runes and the power of laws, like nimble ribbons of light, poured into the center of his brows one after another, merging with his soul.

Under this miraculous phenomenon, the night sky was torn open by an irresistible, mighty force; a circular hole radiating holy light emerged, the Heavenly Gate opened, and a sacred aura permeated the surroundings, as if summoning those fated to step toward that supreme divine realm.

Chen Che's body slowly lifted off the ground, rising gradually toward the Heavenly Gate.

"Chen Che!"

Realizing something, Wu Qingkui was instantly thrown into a panic, running toward Chen Che regardless of everything, her hair flying wildly in the wind.

She reached out her hand, attempting to grab that hem of his robe as it flew further and further away, yet her fingertips touched only cold air.

"You... are you leaving just like this?"

Her voice was choked and broken, carrying endless reluctance and despair; every word sounded like a weeping, blood-stained cry, echoing in this vast, empty world.

Wu Qingkui smiled bitterly and slowly retracted her arm. She knew she had no reason to stop Chen Che; that was his choice, and it was also the lifelong pursuit of his master, Taixuan.

"The things you didn't accomplish, your disciple has accomplished for you; you can consider your wish fulfilled..."

Wu Qingkui's expression was desolate as she muttered to herself: "It's just that the disciple you taught is just like you, so heartless and unfeeling, leaving just like that without even leaving a word of farewell."

However, just as Wu Qingkui was feeling dejected and heartbroken.

At the moment Chen Che was about to step into the Heavenly Gate, he seemed to sense something and suddenly opened his eyes, his deep pupils reflecting countless figures.

His figure paused, and a complex emotion, intertwined with determination and attachment, flashed in his gaze.

The next moment, he resolutely turned around, defying that powerful force of ascension, and plummeted rapidly toward the ground.

Chen Che landed steadily on the ground; the moment his feet touched the earth, his ethereal body returned to solid form, and he formed a hand seal, waving it forcefully, causing all the Heavenly Book Characters to fly away from his body and embed themselves into a collapsed wall in front of him.

The departure of the Heavenly Book drained all of Chen Che's strength; he spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes blurred and swaying, yet he plunged headlong into a slightly warm embrace.

Chen Che tilted his head slightly and called out weakly: "Mistress..."

Wu Qingkui held him lovingly, gently stroking his hair, revealing a tenderness rarely seen except in front of Chen Che, and asked: "Why did you come back?"

Chen Che wrapped his arms tightly around Wu Qingkui's waist and said softly: "Without you by my side, what would be the point even if I really went to the Heavenly Kingdom?"

"Tch, you brat, at least you still have a bit of a conscience." Wu Qingkui's smile was as gentle as water as she chided him playfully.

A breeze brushed past, unable to disperse the two who were tightly embracing; their figures, in this world shrouded in strange light, were like an eternal painting, witnessing this deep affection that transcended the temptation of becoming a god.

……… "Grand finale tomorrow!"