Chapter 715: The First Might of the Halberd

Gong Xiao is a personal disciple of Ye Huai, and he cultivates the "Southern Sorrow Water," the most prized divine ability of this True Person. It looks more like "Water Virtue" than "Capital Guard." Stepping into the grey water and facing the light shining down from above, he withdrew his hand and formed a seal:

"Go."

He was clearly well-prepared. An ancient bronze mirror flew out from his sleeve, swallowing the heavenly light in one gulp, while his other hand released a sheet of talismans.

These talismans were filled with white shadows, manifesting the profound and deep sound of chanting. Following this, a sheet of wind and sand shook loose from Gong Xiao's sleeve, blowing against the white shadows and sweeping forward.

This wind and sand looked unremarkable, yet it pierced through the Mingyang heavenly light like a hot knife through butter. Li Li Zhouwei saw at a glance that it was a "Xi Qi" lineage that countered his own, so he formed a seal:

"Heavenly Pattern Vertical and Horizontal, Yang Departure Punishing Fire!"

Brown-yellow, light yellow, goose-yellow, bright red, and vermilion—five types of flames pressed down ferociously. The firelight soared into the sky, immediately suppressing the wind and sand. Li Li Zhouwei had already charged to the front of the formation, his long halberd sweeping horizontally.

Li Li Zhouwei's long halberd was illuminated by heavenly light, stained with dark shadows. The halberd technique he practiced was the "Jiazi Soul-Refining Halberd Technique," which used the destruction of sects and clans as its method of refinement. He had entered the path after destroying the East Shanyue royal court during his Fetal Breath stage.

Although the Northern East Shanyue population was large, they were ultimately just a small force at the Qi Refining level, barely enough for him to enter the path. Later, after destroying the Miyun Cave, a Jiangbei force with many Foundation Establishment cultivators, this Jiazi Soul-Refining Halberd Technique finally made great progress!

Now, dark shadows leaped from the halberd, creating all sorts of sounds of slaughter. Before the long halberd even arrived, it had already caused the Baipu River water to surge. Gong Xiao was a pure spell cultivator who had fought in the East Sea for many years; naturally, he knew not to let Li Li Zhouwei get close. He simply pressed two fingers to his lips and blew hard.

Immediately, a gust of air blew up a solid sheet of white light. The halberd light swept across, only to be pushed away gently and softly by this white light. Gong Xiao had used this spell to deal with countless cultivators and didn't think much of it, but then he felt a chill on his back. He caught a glimpse of a pitch-black magic flame that had already jumped onto Li Li Zhouwei's hand, flickering.

"Clang!"

But he had no time to think. Li Li Zhouwei's halberd technique was ruthless and fast; the second strike was already stabbing toward his face. He had no choice but to use a spell to block again. With this push, pitch-black magic flames rose around Li Li Zhouwei again. Seeing them increase to two, Gong Xiao suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

Gong Xiao was a personal disciple of a Early Zifu cultivator and had seen countless spells. Seeing Li Li Zhouwei's black flames, he guessed that nine times out of ten, it was a spell that continuously buffed the user. Naturally, he could not let the enemy continue uninterrupted.

He immediately activated his magic treasure. A black bell appeared behind him, ringing with a "ding-dang" sound, but it turned around to shine a grey curtain that enveloped the area. Li Li Zhouwei then channeled his magic power, and the Shangyao Shangyao Fu Guang light erupted from his brow, speeding away.

Although this black bell looked strange, it was a genuine Capital Guard magic treasure. Unlike the cultivators Li Li Zhouwei had fought before who collapsed in one blow, it let out a mournful cry when struck by the Shangyao Shangyao Fu Guang, actually managing to block it.

Gong Xiao took the opportunity to pull away. He had only retreated two steps when he immediately activated his "Southern Sorrow Water" Immortal Foundation, turning his body into water of magic power and merging into the grey water sprayed by the Daoist book in his hand, reappearing on the other side.

Having opened up the distance, Gong Xiao formed seals while taking the opportunity to peek at the black flames on Li Li Zhouwei's body, only to find that the flames had not disappeared and were still burning fiercely. He frowned secretly:

"I don't know what kind of spell this is."

The unknown was the most terrifying. As he retreated, Li Li Zhouwei also freed up his hands. Forming a seal and extending a finger, a light of the sun leaped from his hand, erupting with Departure Fire.

【Sun Response Departure Technique】!

This technique followed the user's intent and had no fixed form. Li Li Zhouwei used the Sun Response Departure Technique to pin him down. Red and yellow flames leaped beneath his feet, and a small flag painted with a vermilion bird flew up, throwing itself into the grey water.

It was the Yang Departure Vermilion Bird Flag! Gong Xiao's wind and sand were merely a spell, a rootless duckweed. Although there was no principle of mutual generation or restriction between Departure Fire and Xi Qi, it was still quickly ground away and flew to this spot.

Li Li Zhouwei seized this moment, turning into heavenly light and leaping in front of Gong Xiao. The long halberd stabbed out, colliding with the grey curtain and emitting a crisp sound.

"Clang!"

Gong Xiao's expression changed suddenly. Relying on the feedback from the black bell, he quickly realized how much force was in the halberd light of the person before him. Previously, with the spell pushing it, he hadn't thought much of it, but now, having taken one halberd strike, his magic power plummeted, and a chill grew in his heart:

"The long halberd in his hand is likely also an ancient magic treasure..."

His gaze swept quickly across the field. His side had gained the overall advantage. On the side of the Li clan and Xuanyue, the only ones who could fight were the Auxiliary Axe-wielder holding the golden axe and that scholar-like figure. The rest were nothing but rabble, collapsing at a single touch. Many were already injured, and his heart relaxed greatly:

'Just keep wearing him down!'

In this short thought, the grey curtain had already taken three halberd strikes, and his breath was slightly stifled. Seeing a sheet of black flames light up on Li Li Zhouwei, Gong Xiao did not notice the change in his own mindset and formed seals to cast a spell again.

Li Li Zhouwei also saw the situation on the field. He looked around, adjusted his long halberd, and instead of caring about Gong Xiao in front of him, he turned around and stabbed toward General Gongsun Bofan.

Although General Gongsun Bofan's saber technique was exquisite, he was a mere rogue cultivator; how could he be a match for Cui Cui Jueyin, a direct descendant of Chongzhou Island? Cui Cui Jueyin was silent, hanging several spells on him that left him unable to advance or retreat. The "Long-Bright Steps" appeared, wandering and weaving in mid-air, beating General Gongsun Bofan until he was dizzy.

Now that Li Li Zhouwei had suddenly stabbed over, the saber-wielder was terrified, not caring that his magic power was reversing and causing him to spit blood. He drew his saber and turned around, only to see that the bright, flashing long halberd had turned back, causing him to lunge at empty air. He felt even more uncomfortable as Li Li Zhouwei circled him into his side.

"He wants to fight two with one!"

How could Gong Xiao not understand? Anger rose in his heart as if he had suffered a great humiliation, and the spells in his hands became faster and more ruthless. Cui Cui Jueyin, however, saw clearly and retreated to help the Xuanyue people.

General Gongsun Bofan had no profound lineage foundation. Facing Li Li Zhouwei, his long saber clashed with the long halberd several times. Seeing the black flames billowing on Li Li Zhouwei, he still felt strange. Gong Xiao had a spell in his mouth and couldn't remind him, so he just spat out with effort:

"Halt!"

A burst of red light flew out from his mouth. Li Li Zhouwei's expression turned solemn. He forcibly raised his halberd and turned back, the Sun Response Departure Technique silently operating, turning into a heavenly screen to block in front of him.

This red light was extremely sharp. It paused in front of the Sun Response Departure Technique, shattering it into pieces. As Li Li Zhouwei used his halberd to block, he immediately realized something was wrong in his heart:

'This red light is a marvelous technique of the Capital Guard lineage, accumulated for a long time, while my Sun Response Departure Technique was a temporary reaction... yet it could slightly stop it... I fear the Sun lineage has a slight restraint over the Capital Guard lineage!'

Li Li Zhouwei had used the Yang Departure Vermilion Bird Flag before; the Capital Guard lineage did not fear Departure Fire, so it could only be the Sun. Li Li Zhouwei was overjoyed in his heart:

'This is no small harvest!'

Li Li Zhouwei had always been at a disadvantage in battles with the Capital Immortal lineage. The reputation of the Mingyang lineage was too great; as long as a cultivator had some lineage inheritance, they knew that Xi Qi countered Mingyang. Gong Xiao had specifically prepared the Xi Qi wind and sand, and who knew what other trump cards he had.

But the Capital Guard lineage was too ancient; many cultivators didn't even know such a lineage existed... so its weaknesses were hard to mention. Now that he knew this, whether using magic treasures or spells, there would always be a way to respond.

As this thought flashed through his mind, he heard a dull thud. The Da Sheng long halberd was raised high. Li Li Zhouwei finally spat out a mouthful of blood, bright light flashing on his chest as the 【Yuane】 armor scales rose one by one.

【Yuane】 was something Li Li Xuanfeng had ordered the Mount Qingchi cultivators to build with all their might back then. One ability was to assist Li Li Zhouwei in using heavenly light to shuttle, buffing his footwork like a ghost. Just now, Li Li Zhouwei relied on heavenly light shuttling; one was "Flowing Sun Light-Folding," and the second was relying on 【Yuane】.

And 【Yuane】 had another ability: it could buff magic power and resist spells. Except for spells of the Xi Qi lineage, all other spells landing on his body were shared by the 6,200 armor scales on 【Yuane】, giving it extremely strong life-saving capabilities.

Li Li Zhouwei had been able to escape from Fu Dou's hands repeatedly, and this armor deserved much of the credit.

Now, having taken Gong Xiao's spell head-on, he only spat out a mouthful of blood. This mouthful of white blood rose in mid-air, and a strange peony fragrance permeated the air. Gong Xiao realized he was injured and also secretly relaxed, but then he noticed a dark-colored mountain peak rising in the sky.

"Someone from Xuanyue has fallen!"

Li Li Zhouwei discovered it even faster. It wasn't just that someone from Xuanyue had fallen; two guest elders had already been seriously injured and retreated. His own side's forces had been reduced to twelve, all of them injured. The Auxiliary Axe-wielder and Cui Cui Jueyin were already struggling to contain four people each, barely maintaining the situation.

And no one from the Capital Immortal lineage had any major injuries yet...

Just at this moment, thunder rumbled in the sky, silver light rippling. Surging thunder appeared, and Li Cheng drove the thunder to entangle with the two, fighting as he advanced. Below, Cui Cui Jueyin looked up, only then knowing why Li Cheng had come so slowly.

"The Capital Immortal lineage still has people intercepting!"

The two Li Cheng faced were both direct descendants, not guest elders, and the pressure was immense. It seemed he couldn't free his hands. Li Li Zhouwei glanced slightly, blocked the spells of Gong Xiao and General Gongsun Bofan, and the Yang Departure Vermilion Bird Flag actually chased after to block Guan Guan Lingdie.

Guan Guan Lingdie saw the aggressive flames pressing down, so angry she laughed out loud. She hesitated slightly, turned to instruct the people beside her, and said:

"You, and you, go block him first!"

The direct descendants on both sides actually didn't want to face Li Li Zhouwei. They hesitated slightly, and an old man, Guan Kan, came out from behind, letting Cui Cui Jueyin go to block the flag. Li Li Zhouwei shook his head as he watched, the flames on his body flickering more and more:

'The Capital Immortal lineage is an East Sea lineage. Although their forces are formidable, their command is not unified.'

Guan Kan was at the late Foundation Establishment stage. With the two joining, they finally suppressed Li Li Zhouwei. He drove the water and sped over, taking more than ten interlocking cold iron small rings from his sleeve. This old man was very old. He squinted, threw the magic treasure lightly, and while Li Li Zhouwei was blinded by the Xi Qi wind and sand sprayed out by Gong Xiao, he said loudly:

"Light covers ten thousand miles, green reverses a thousand mountains, following the Kan water, binding ten thousand difficulties."

His Immortal Foundation "Hate River Departure" operated at full power, actually echoing with the cold iron small rings in mid-air. The water light in the more than ten small rings converged, spraying out ropes of river water, falling onto Li Li Zhouwei one by one.

Li Li Zhouwei retreated, stepping on heavenly light. Who knew that the cold iron small rings were unusual? The sprayed water ropes were extremely fast, one after another winding toward his weapon.

"This old man is not simple... he is a character like an elder of the Capital Immortal lineage."

The water ropes scattered and gathered again, impossible to drive away, and with the buff of late Foundation Establishment magic power and Immortal Foundation, it actually became the hardest one to deal with. Li Li Zhouwei had the 【Yuane】 armor on his body and the Sun Response Departure Technique, so the threats from Gong Xiao and General Gongsun Bofan were not great; what he feared was softness overcoming hardness!

He hurriedly pushed his magic power to recall the flying Yang Departure Vermilion Bird Flag, using Departure Fire to counter Kan water. Gong Xiao reacted extremely quickly, the black bell in his hand about to fly over to block, but he heard a low shout:

"Hit!"

'Still have a magic treasure?'

Gong Xiao was slightly stunned, but then discovered a brilliant light rushing into the sky, manifesting clusters of colorful clouds. Where the clouds and mist parted, a Heavenly Gate descended from the sky, its corner towers towering high. Gong Xiao's eyes were stung with pain, and he cursed secretly:

"Forgot about the Immortal Foundation that the Li family suppresses!"

His Capital Immortal lineage also had a "East Feather Mountain" that was similar to this. In the end, it was just achieving one spell divine ability, but this type of Immortal Foundation had great power when establishing the Foundation, allowing one to take many advantages. Two white city corners smashed down squarely, pressing on his black bell magic treasure that he had nurtured for many years, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood in pain.

【Visiting Heavenly Gate】!

Li Li Zhouwei had achieved it through the "Minghua Jinyang Huangyuan Scripture." It was originally the "Visiting Heavenly Gate." At first, he thought it was the "Jinyang Huangyuan Pass" and felt it was quite different from Li Li Ximing. Only after his own Early Zifu appeared did he know the prestige of the Immortal Foundation.

Li Li Zhouwei's figure appeared on the Heavenly Gate. Guan Kan's cold iron rings were also suppressed under the Heavenly Gate. This old man finally nodded, shook his sleeves, fell from mid-air, and pinched talismans to fight.

Although the grade of the Visiting Heavenly Gate was extremely high, it was ultimately just an Immortal Foundation for polishing and suppression. Li Li Zhouwei's battle experience was far higher than Li Li Ximing's back then. He didn't use the Immortal Foundation to suppress the enemy from the start, always hiding it and not revealing it.

Now, he had finally suppressed the enemy's two most powerful magic treasures in one fell swoop, led back the freed Yang Departure Vermilion Bird Flag, and faced the enemy under the bright light of this Heavenly Gate, echoing with the Immortal Foundation. Although it was still fraught with danger, he had held on.

One must know that with Guan Kan entering the fray, there were a full two late Foundation Establishment cultivators and one mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, two of whom were direct descendants of the Immortal Sect. Tuoba Tuoba Zhongyuan back then was only so-so...

Although Guan Kan was a notch below Li Xi's governance back in the day, Guan Gongxiao was far superior to Yu Wei, and General Gongsun Gongsun Baifan was better than Quan Yi to a degree that could not even be measured! It was a pity that Li Li Zhouwei's cultivation was slightly inferior; Tuoba Tuoba Zhongyuan could suppress all three of them, while Li Li Zhouwei fought himself into a precarious situation, occasionally spitting out white blood.

It was just that Foundation Establishment cultivators with some ability were not so easy to kill. Cultivators who practiced the Dharma Body or had deep magic power could even fight few against many for a short time. The three only fought until Li Li Zhouwei had only the strength to receive moves. Clearly, it was a situation of being suppressed bit by bit, yet Gong Xiao's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

There was no other reason; the black flames on Li Li Zhouwei's body had already rushed into the sky.

"Don't take his halberd head-on!"

Gong Xiao shouted quite sternly. General Gongsun Bofan knew the other party was talking about him. Half of Li Li Zhouwei's black flames were beaten out by him, but he, General Gongsun Bofan, practiced saber technique. Besides using the saber to receive it, what else could he do? He couldn't just let others hack him, right?

He braced himself and met a few moves, preparing to retreat and change people, but Li Li Zhouwei chased him and hacked while bearing the attacks of the two. Finally seeing the black flames rising like flowing water, Li Li Zhouwei's blood-stained face showed a smile. He took a light breath, and the black flames all flew into his mouth and nose.

It was exactly the "Jiazi Soul-Refining Halberd Technique"!

The unease in Gong Xiao's heart was finally fulfilled. Li Li Zhouwei raised his long halberd back, and his lips and teeth, stained with several drops of white blood, spat out that burst of black flames. As soon as it left his teeth, it rapidly expanded and enlarged, dropping sparks of fire.

"Boom!"

Thick black shadow flames erupted. Li Li Zhouwei turned his head, and those slightly ruthless eyes stared over, but they made Gong Xiao feel colder in his heart than any cold, icy gaze.

"He..."

In Gong Xiao's deep black pupils, Li Li Zhouwei's billowing black flames were reflected. Two black flame-condensed arms were breaking out from under his ribs, rushing into the sky with the stained black light.

And the black flames spat out by this man condensed into two long halberds, falling into the two black shadow arms. The two arms slowly straightened, the long halberds pointing obliquely at the ground. Gong Xiao felt his throat go dry.

"What kind of demonic art is this?... Isn't his family a righteous path... I am the one who is an East Sea cultivator!" ===== CHAPTER 746 =====