Chapter 378: Fortune Secret Technique

"Boom!!"

The colliding fist and seal erupted in an earth-shattering boom.

Furious shockwaves exploded in a ring, completely clearing the clouds high in the sky.

The Nine Dragons Seal forcefully bounced upward, the roar of dragons echoing through the vast sky.

Ye Fan plummeted over thirty feet, his feet stamping ripples into the empty air, but he immediately stabilized his posture.

"Hm? What a powerful physical body!"

Liu Qiankun's gaze narrowed through the beads of his imperial crown, revealing a look of surprise for the first time.

The Nine Dragons Seal was the state-suppressing Dharma Tool of Great Liang, as well as the inherited bloodline treasure of the Liu lineage.

Having been nourished by two generations of Golden Core cultivators and over a thousand years of Great Liang's imperial providence, it had already reached the rank of a Mid-Grade Magic Treasure.

'Could this person be a dual cultivator of dharma and body as recorded in the Ancient Classics?'

This thought flashed through his mind in an instant, deepening his shock.

This path was arduous, and those who achieved success in it were exceptionally rare.

However, anyone who managed to succeed would inevitably become a prodigy among their peers.

If cultivated to profound depths, they could even rank among those wielding Greater Divine Abilities.

"It is impolite not to return what one receives!"

Ye Fan let out a long howl and seized the initiative to attack.

His figure moved like lightning, his fists, palms, legs, and knees all transforming into terrifying weapons.

Wrapped in blazing True Yang fire and boundless, majestic strength, he unleashed a torrential storm of attacks upon Liu Qiankun.

He had achieved Divine Ability Core Formation through his Battle Intent Divine Ability.

The longer he fought, the more intense his war intent burned, and the greater his strength surged.

Liu Qiankun wore a solemn expression, driving the Nine Dragons Seal to smash, crash, or summon phantom golden dragons to pounce.

At the same time, he circulated his Cultivation Method. Radiant, majestic golden light enveloped his palms and fingers as he engaged Ye Fan in close combat.

The two fought from the high heavens down to the cloud layer, and then from the clouds down to the sky just above the city walls. They moved so fast that they left behind trails of afterimages, the deafening booms ringing endlessly.

Waves of spirit power fluctuations crashed like tsunamis against the imperial palace's grand array and the city below.

Countless people were drawn to look up in sheer horror.

Previously, during Ye Fan's battle against Cao Jiyi, the opponent had been unwilling to utilize his heritage and thus couldn't withstand a single blow.

In the fight against Sima Chengdao, the enemy had trapped him using formations and ordered a siege, never engaging Ye Fan in a fair, head-on confrontation.

But now.

Ye Fan was finally able to fight with all his might.

His True Yang Divine Ability manifested a Golden Crow, while his Battle Intent Divine Ability stacked his combat prowess.

Even with the Mid-Grade Magic Treasure, the Nine Dragons Seal, in hand, Liu Qiankun could not gain the upper hand.

As time went on, Ye Fan's monstrous physical strength and seemingly inexhaustible bodily endurance gradually took control of the battle.

Liu Qiankun's protective spiritual light trembled violently from the impacts, and the sleeves of his dragon robe were torn by the astral fist winds, leaving him looking somewhat ragged.

"His Majesty is actually losing?!"

A minister of Great Liang exclaimed from below, his voice full of disbelief.

A flash of anger and absolute resolve gleamed in Liu Qiankun's eyes.

Having sat on the imperial throne for so long, he hadn't been suppressed like this in years.

"Imperial Dynasty's Fortune, heed my command!"

He suddenly let out a deafening shout, his hands forming an ancient, arcane seal.

In that instant, the entire imperial city seemed to tremble slightly.

Wisps of bright yellow aura—invisible to the naked eye yet distinctly real—surged from every corner of the city, from the tops of countless civilians' heads, and even out of the thin air itself.

Like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, they flooded into Liu Qiankun's body and the Nine Dragons Seal in his hands!

"Roar—!"

The Nine Dragons Seal let out a heaven-shaking dragon roar.

The nine golden dragons carved onto the seal seemed to come alive. With scales and claws flailing, its golden light exploded, and its size expanded once more.

The pressure it emitted sharply elevated by several tiers, faintly rivaling the might of a High-Grade Magic Treasure!

The Xu Family possessed several High-Grade Magic Treasures themselves.

Therefore, Ye Fan could easily judge this detail.

As the might of the Nine Dragons Seal skyrocketed, Liu Qiankun's own aura also climbed relentlessly.

Empowered by the Imperial Dynasty's Fortune, his imperial majesty was vast and imposing.

His mana surged like the rising tide, unexpectedly elevating his power from the fourth layer of the Golden Core stage all the way to the seventh or eighth layer.

The beaded fringes of the crown atop his head rattled violently, his eyes burning like twin suns. "Again!"

The Nine Dragons Seal transformed into a golden meteor, crashing toward Ye Fan with several times its previous ferocity!

This time, Ye Fan's astral fist aura was effortlessly shattered, and his crossed arms and chest took the heavy blow head-on.

"Pfft!"

Ye Fan was blasted backward for hundreds of meters. A sweet coppery taste filled his throat as blood rushed up, but he forcefully swallowed it down.

A sharp pain radiated from his arms, his chest felt tight, and his internal organs trembled violently. He had clearly been injured.

'He can actually draw out the complete might of a High-Grade Magic Treasure?!'

Ye Fan locked his gaze onto the Nine Dragons Seal. 'So this is the heritage of Great Liang!'

'A Fortune Secret Technique... borrowing the providence of an entire dynasty to temporarily elevate a magic treasure and his own cultivation?'

'With such a trump card, he's practically invincible within the imperial city of Great Liang. I'm afraid that even a Late-Stage Golden Core True Lord with divine abilities might not be able to take him down.'

'No wonder they managed to survive the previous Demon Tribulation.'

Thinking of this, Ye Fan fell into deep thought again. 'Then what about the trump cards of Great Wei and Great Jin? If they didn't have something of a similar caliber, it would have been absolutely impossible for those two powers to endure until now since the last Demon Tribulation.'

Great Liang's heritage had been revealed.

Seeing Liu Qiankun surging with momentum and driving the empowered Nine Dragons Seal toward him once more, Ye Fan decided not to meet the attack head-on.

"The Emperor of Great Liang truly lives up to his reputation! I have learned much today. Farewell!"

He fiercely flicked his sleeve robe, sending a Crimson Shield shooting out. It instantly expanded to block his front.

"Clang—!!!"

The Nine Dragons Seal slammed heavily against the Crimson Shield, producing a deafening ring like a massive temple bell.

Crimson light flashed wildly across the shield's surface as numerous hairline fractures appeared.

Yet, it ultimately managed to block this frenzied strike.

Using the counter-shock, Ye Fan unhesitatingly retracted the now slightly dim Crimson Shield.

His figure transformed into a blindingly swift streak of escaping light, shooting toward the distant horizon without looking back.

His speed was so extreme that, in the blink of an eye, he became nothing more than a tiny speck in the sky.

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Liu Qiankun roared furiously, driving the Nine Dragons Seal in pursuit, but Ye Fan had already seized the initiative.

Furthermore, Ye Fan's speed was astonishing, flying beyond his effective pursuit range in an instant.

His expression darkened as he halted, staring in the direction Ye Fan had vanished. The Nine Dragons Seal slowly shrank and flew back into his hand.

A short while later.

The borrowed Imperial Dynasty's Fortune gradually dispersed, and his aura receded to its original level.

His complexion appeared slightly pale and weakened.

An old general with completely white hair and a beard, clad in black iron armor, flew close and bowed with cupped hands. "Your Majesty, shall we dispatch elites to give chase?"

"There is no need."

Liu Qiankun slowly shook his head, his gaze deep. "This person possesses an extremely formidable combat strength and wields a Mid-Grade Defensive Magic Treasure. He is not someone an ordinary Golden Core cultivator can match.

No matter how many of you go, it will only result in meaningless casualties."

He paused before adding in a heavy voice, "However, send men to investigate. Investigate thoroughly!

See if there are any newly advanced Golden Core cultivators in Great Wei, Great Jin, or the surrounding regions in recent years.

Judging by his aura, he should be a newly promoted Golden Core cultivator."

"This old subject obeys your decree!" the old general accepted the command with reverence.

Liu Qiankun said no more.

He turned around, his dragon robes fluttering, and returned to the imperial palace to recuperate under the gaze of countless complex stares.

Great Liang's imperial city had long since erupted into chaos.

In teahouses and taverns, on the streets and down the alleys, everyone was discussing the earth-shattering battle that had just taken place.

They all wildly guessed the origins of the mysterious, scarred Golden Core cultivator.

Thousands of kilometers away, deep within a barren mountain range.

Ye Fan grounded his streak of escaping light, landing beside a clear pool.

His face was slightly pale as he took out a jade bottle, poured out a Nine Revolutions Rejuvenation Pill, and swallowed it.

Liu Qiankun's full strength rivaled that of a True Lord wielding divine abilities. Taking that strike head-on had truly inflicted a severe internal injury upon him.

About an hour later.

Ye Fan slowly opened his eyes, his injuries mostly healed.

'The Cao Clan's heritage is unknown, the Sima Family's is just beginning to show, and the Liu Family's heritage is the Imperial Dynasty's Fortune and fortune magic treasures,' he pondered inwardly. 'The task Honored Master entrusted to me is complete. It is time to return and report back.'

He stood tall and identified his direction.

Once again, he transformed into a streak of light and tore through the sky.

——————————————

News of the middle-aged scarred warrior crushing the Cao Clan Ancestor in the Great Wei Imperial City reached Guangling Commandery.

The various marketplaces and teahouses under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Martial General Alliance were no longer peaceful.

Rumors regarding the mysterious scarred Golden Core cultivator storming the Cao Clan alone and slapping their ancestor escalated fiercely.

Many Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Imperial City even came to investigate.

"Say, do you think that scarred warrior will ride this momentum to our Immortal Martial Alliance to challenge the Grand Elder?"

"Perhaps. However, it's not far from the Imperial City to Guangling Commandery. Since he hasn't come, he has either left or gone to challenge other Golden Core ancestors."

"It's a pity that Great Jin and Great Liang are too far away. Even if the Sima Clan Ancestor and the Emperor of Great Liang were challenged, the news wouldn't reach here so quickly."

"Indeed."

The moment such rumors concerning a Golden Core Perfected Being surfaced, the hidden agents of the Xu Family immediately relayed them back to Dongxi.

The same was true for the news coming from Great Liang and Great Jin.

When Xu Chonghui saw the transmitted intelligence, he compiled it and drew a conclusion. "It seems that this scarred warrior is indeed traveling around challenging Golden Core cultivators.

Then the next target should be grandfather.

The Old Ancestor's reputation is relatively unknown. Even if there are rumors outside that he has stepped into the Golden Core stage, it has never been confirmed."

The reason the Xu Family's intelligence was so swift was due to the recently replaced, specially forged communication tokens.

These tokens could transmit messages across a distance of over fifteen thousand kilometers.

This was enough for the Xu Family to grasp firsthand information from various regions.

'I should still report this matter to the Old Ancestor so we can prepare in advance.'

Xu Chonghui thought for a moment and immediately sent a message to Xu Chuan.

Xu Chuan replied, "I am already aware of this matter. You do not need to concern yourself with it."

"Yes, Old Ancestor."

Under the Kurong Tree.

Xu Chuan sent a message to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan, who was currently approaching the Immortal Martial Alliance Territory, abruptly halted and took out the communication token from his robes.

[Divert your course to the Immortal Martial General Alliance and challenge their Grand Elder. You and Mingwei can fight without holding back, but the final outcome must be your victory. Leave arrogantly, while Mingwei enters secluded cultivation with injuries.]

Ye Fan's mouth twitched slightly, and he replied briefly: [Yes, Honored Master.]

Stowing the token away, he sighed softly, his tone filled with helplessness. "Honored Master, you really have orchestrated your disciple's every single step with absolute clarity."

Saying this, his streak of light carved a sharp arc through the sky, pivoting toward the location of the Immortal Martial General Alliance.

Almost at the same time.

Xu Chuan transmitted his divine sense to Xu Mingwei.

A moment later, Xu Mingwei responded calmly, "This child understands. Once the General Alliance sends the summons, I will set out."

Over two hours passed.

Outside the Mountain Gate of the magnificent Immortal Martial General Alliance, a black-robed, scarred figure stood proudly in the void. His Golden Core Pressure poured down without any restraint, shaking the Mountain-Protecting Great Array so fiercely that its radiant light trembled wildly.

"I heard that the Grand Elder of the Immortal Martial Alliance, Xu Mingwei, bears the title of Arrow Demon, so I came specifically to seek guidance! Tell him to hurry up and fight me!

Otherwise, I don't mind smashing the Immortal Martial Alliance's mountain gate to pieces!"

His booming voice rolled out like thunder, echoing across the mountain ranges.

An uproar erupted within the General Alliance, and the expressions of the several elders who stayed behind turned grave.

He actually came!

Left with no other choice, they urgently messaged the Guangling Branch, requesting the Grand Elder to intervene.

After all, only the Guangling Branch had a way to contact Dongxi in the shortest amount of time.

The Guangling Branch quickly replied: "Dongxi has responded. Elder Mingwei has already departed and will arrive in fifteen minutes."

The elders of the General Alliance felt slightly relieved.

They all gathered at the plaza and stared anxiously at the black-robed figure outside the grand array.

Just as fifteen minutes passed.

A fierce streak of light tore through the horizon, arriving with a piercing whistle.

Xu Mingwei, draped in a black-and-gold Dharma Robe, approached while stepping on the clouds, exuding a calm and majestic aura.

"You are Xu Mingwei?" Ye Fan's disguised scarred face revealed a ferocious battle intent. "I heard your Dao of the Arrow is unmatched in offense. Today, I'm going to see if you truly live up to your name!"

Xu Mingwei did not waste a single word.

With a raise of his hand, a longbow materialized in his grasp.

Their gazes met in midair, and their war intent ignited instantaneously!

Xu Mingwei did not use the Mid-Grade Magic Treasure bow and arrow set that Xu Chuan had given him upon his return.

Instead, he faced the enemy using his usual Top-Grade Magical Artifact set.

Yet, even so, every subtle twang of the bowstring made Ye Fan's brows twitch.

Before the arrow was even fired, the chilling killing intent and the sensation of being locked onto pierced him like an icicle to the bone!

Empowered by his Swift Wind Chasing Lightning Fate Frame talent, Xu Mingwei's movement technique was so fast that he only left behind streaks of afterimages in the air, consistently suppressing Ye Fan by a slight margin.

With the Eagle Eye lock-on, no matter how Ye Fan dodged or maneuvered, the cold gleam of the arrowhead clung to him like a maggots in a corpse, aiming directly at his vital points.

This forced Ye Fan to dedicate the majority of his focus to predicting and enduring the strikes.

What shocked Ye Fan even more was Xu Mingwei's physical strength.

Despite being just a regular cultivator, his strength was extraordinarily immense.

He drew the bow like a thunderbolt, and the arrow shot forth like a meteor!

Every single arrow condensed an utterly terrifying true intent of the Dao of the Arrow!

Even when Ye Fan blocked them directly with his early-stage Third-Tier physical body, his protective mana and tough skin were torn apart layer by layer wherever the arrowheads struck, leaving behind bloody gashes of varying depths.

Though they were merely flesh wounds, the stinging pain was unmistakable.

'To possess such power with just a top-grade magical artifact...'

Ye Fan was horrified inwardly.

He could almost imagine what would happen if Xu Mingwei used that Mid-Grade Magic Treasure-level bow and arrow set meticulously refined by Xu Deling.

Even if he could hold on for a short while, he would ultimately be nailed completely through by those magic treasure arrows!

The two engaged in a fierce battle high in the sky.

The shrieks of arrows tearing through the air intertwined with the explosive booms of astral fists.

Xu Mingwei maintained his distance at all times, firing a continuous stream of arrows to completely seal off all of Ye Fan's advancing routes.

In response, Ye Fan pushed his True Yang Divine Ability to its absolute limit, his blazing fist seals incinerating the air and continuously shattering the incoming projectiles.

Whenever he occasionally managed to close the gap, Xu Mingwei would ingeniously deflect the attacks by combining his profound footwork with the physical body of the bow to block.

In the blink of an eye, an incense stick's time passed.

Xu Mingwei's firing speed seemed to slow down by an imperceptible margin, his breathing grew slightly heavy, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

While dodging one of Ye Fan's large-scale area-of-effect fist attacks, his figure experienced an incredibly brief moment of sluggishness.

'Now!'

Ye Fan's body broke through the arrow net like a phantom. Launching a completely unadorned straight punch that condensed his entire body's strength, he viciously smashed it into Xu Mingwei's crossed forearms and the blocking bow!

"Bang!"

Amidst a muffled thud, the bow snapped. Xu Mingwei was hit as if struck by a falling mountain, his protective mana barrier instantly shattering.

His entire body plummeted toward the barren plains below like a cannonball.

Xu Mingwei staggered to his feet, a trace of crimson blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. His face was entirely drained of color, making it obvious that he had suffered heavy injuries.

'Is this the true strength of a dual cultivator of dharma and body?'

'A single moment of carelessness can result in severe injuries, or even the complete loss of combat ability.'

Xu Mingwei gazed into the sky, feeling deeply moved in his heart.