Chapter 421: Off-the-Board Moves

Outside the Star Gate of the Seven Kills Secret Realm deep in the Daqing Mountains, a ray of starlight suddenly appeared.

The next instant, the starlight suddenly turned into a figure that landed; it was none other than Sun Fujia, who had been killed three times in a row by Xu Jin.

Sun Fujia's face was full of anger, but he was also trying his best to suppress it.

Humiliation!

To be killed three times in a row by the same person in the same place—this was a humiliation he had never experienced since he began his cultivation path!

Since embarking on the path of cultivation eight years ago, he had been advancing triumphantly, and had also received the full cultivation of his master, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun.

Invincible among his peers, killing enemies across a major realm was a common occurrence.

He was the kind of existence that was "the neighbor's child."

But today, he had been killed across realms by a Fifth Tier, Third Layer expert, and killed three times at that!

"Eh, Sun Zi? You were also..." Some disciples from Chen Guo and the Heavenly Yang Star Palace who had been eliminated earlier were guarding outside the Seven Kills Secret Realm Star Gate to receive their own people.

At this moment, suddenly seeing Sun Fujia appear, they were greatly shocked.

Logically speaking, Sun Zi Fujia belonged to the group of people in their minds who were impossible to be eliminated.

But now, he had been eliminated, so they were naturally extremely surprised.

However, thinking about it from another perspective, there were Eighth Tier alien races in the Seven Kills Secret Realm; it was normal for Sun Zi to be eliminated by an Eighth Tier expert.

But just as they opened their mouths, they were frightened by Sun Fujia's gloomy and angry gaze, causing them to shrink back the rest of their words.

"You all guard here; I'm returning to the Star Palace first."

Sun Fujia stepped on starlight and soared into the sky; while flying, he pondered and reviewed the previous battle.

When his third chance to substitute his death was used up, and he had to choose between continuing or leaving, Sun Fujia had actually hesitated for a moment.

For a moment, Sun Fujia had impulsively wanted to go back and have another battle with Qi Qi Tian Sheng.

Could he really kill him four times in a row?

However, reason and his teacher's teachings made him decisively choose to give up continuing the battle and return!

The inheritance of the Seven Kills Tianyang Xingjun was not important to him.

What was important was the True Meaning of the Divine Dao.

But for the True Meaning of the Divine Dao, Senior Brother Watching Zhang Lin was enough.

He didn't need to risk his life!

From the moment the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun took him as a disciple, he had been emphasizing one sentence: "Caution leads to no great mistakes; when fighting, one must always maintain a heart of walking on thin ice."

This sentence had been said hundreds of times in eight years.

Therefore, today he decisively chose to leave.

He had been a bit hesitant at that time, but now, reviewing it, Sun Fujia was instantly covered in cold sweat.

He began to rejoice in his own caution.

Fortunately, he didn't go back to join the battle.

If he had gone back to join the battle, the life-saving measures he could use, all the means he could use, would have been powerless under Qi Qi Tian Sheng's third round of chain attacks!

Especially that Divine Soul attack; it was very strong and could affect his Divine Soul, preventing him from even using his life-saving emblem.

This was too terrifying!

While cold sweat trickled down, Sun Fujia began to review and think about another matter: if he encountered Qi Qi Tian Sheng again in the real world, could he slay Qi Qi Tian Sheng?

Or, if he encountered Qi Qi Tian Sheng again, could he escape alive from Qi Qi Tian Sheng's hands?

Sun Fujia considered this question very carefully and thoroughly, even calculating in the few means and life-saving abilities he had hidden.

Calculating to the end, Sun Fujia even factored in the future increase in his cultivation!

The more he calculated, the paler his face became!

The more he calculated, the uglier his face became!

Encountering Qi Qi Tian Sheng alone, the possibility of him killing Qi Qi Tian Sheng was too low!

In the short battle, he felt that Qi Qi Tian Sheng was very strong in all aspects: his defense was extremely strong, his attack was extremely strong, and it wasn't singular—he knew both Thunder-element and Earth-element, and his Divine Soul cultivation was also stronger than his.

From his perspective, he couldn't find any weaknesses!

Counter-killing was impossible.

The probability of escaping alive from Qi Qi Tian Sheng's hands was even smaller.

According to the current cultivation progress, the next time he encountered Qi Qi Tian Sheng alone, he would most likely be killed again!

Even escaping with his life was impossible!

This was too terrifying!

Sun Fujia even deduced the situation a few years later, but the result of the deduction was even more desperate!

His cultivation was at the Sixth Tier, Seventh Layer, and he was about to encounter his first major bottleneck: the bottleneck of breaking through to the Seventh Tier.

According to what his teacher, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun, said, even for him, with the help of his teacher's various resources, he would likely need one or two years of hard cultivation accumulation to have a possibility of breaking through to the Seventh Tier.

Within three or four years, his cultivation would be at the peak of the Sixth Tier, Ninth Layer.

But what about Qi Qi Tian Sheng?

He was only at the Fifth Tier, Third Layer.

In the next three or four years, his cultivation would constantly and rapidly improve.

Perhaps three or four years later, Qi Qi Tian Sheng's cultivation would improve to the mid-stage of the Sixth Tier.

But what about him? He would still be at the peak of the Sixth Tier.

Qi Qi Tian Sheng's strength improvement speed was much faster than his.

Encountering Qi Qi Tian Sheng again, he would still be at a disadvantage, and the gap would be even larger.

Improving Divine Soul cultivation was also a direction.

His teacher, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun, had said that when his cultivation reached the peak of the Sixth Tier, Ninth Layer, he would help him condense his Primordial Spirit in one go to break through to the Seventh Tier earlier.

However, Qi Qi Tian Sheng's Divine Soul cultivation was already stronger than his now.

What about in the future?

There was still no hope!

In no direction was there any hope of surpassing Qi Qi Tian Sheng.

The gap would even get larger and larger!

This made this peerless genius, Sun Fujia, feel a sense of despair for no reason!

In the next three or four years, when he saw this Qi Qi Tian Sheng, he would have to avoid him or team up with other experts.

Even for four or five years, it would be the same.

Endless frustration.

And if he wanted to surpass Qi Qi Tian Sheng in strength, he could only wait until after the early stage of the Seventh Tier, or even the mid-stage of the Seventh Tier!

Six years later.

At the earliest, it would be six years later.

To be safe, it would be ten years later!

Subsequently, Sun Fujia remembered the relationship between Ning Yuchan and Qi Qi Tian Sheng.

It looked very intimate, very solid.

Because Qi Qi Tian Sheng knew his identity, and after seeing him, he had charged up without any hesitation.

This showed that their relationship was very good.

The grudge between him and Ning Yuchan, of her broken leg and disability, was impossible to reconcile.

He regretted a little that if he hadn't listened to the Palace Master back then and had directly killed Ning Yuchan instead of crippling her, he wouldn't have the current crisis.

Now it was bad; because of Ning Yuchan, his relationship with Qi Qi Tian Sheng would likely be a life-and-death struggle in the future.

And in terms of strength, he couldn't surpass him in the short term.

Such a crisis was not something Sun Fujia wanted to accept!

He didn't want to have to drag an Eighth Tier expert along every time he went out in the future.

How could an Eighth Tier expert be so free?

As a peerless genius, Sun Fujia was extremely intelligent.

Along the way, he had witnessed the premature death of countless so-called geniuses.

There were quite a few that he had personally strangled.

A genius who couldn't grow up was nothing!

In an instant, three words appeared in Sun Fujia's mind—"Off-the-Board Moves"!

The crisis brought to him by Qi Qi Tian Sheng and Ning Yuchan had to be resolved.

To resolve it, he had to use off-the-board moves!

And to use off-the-board moves to resolve this crisis, there were many methods.

As a peerless genius of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace, he possessed a great deal of resources and power.

In an instant, more than a dozen methods appeared in Sun Fujia's mind.

Even more.

However, many off-the-board moves required planning and timing.

But now, there was an extremely formidable off-the-board move that could be used immediately.

The sooner it was used, the better.

Once used, perhaps one day good news would be sent back.

One hour later, Sun Fujia traveled through transmissions all the way back to the Heavenly Yang Domain, where the main hall of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace was located.

Upon arrival, he went straight to the Heavenly Yang Hall to see his master, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun.

On the way, he had already told his master, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun, about his defeat.

Because it concerned the True Meaning of the Divine Dao, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun had asked him to report everything in person the moment he returned.

The moment the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun saw Sun Fujia, he didn't ask who had eliminated Sun Fujia, but instead carefully inquired about the details of the entire Seven Kills Secret Realm and the many matters related to the True Meaning of the Divine Dao.

Sun Fujia answered carefully one by one, focusing on describing the Eighth Tier Ju Xuan.

Then he said that according to the current situation, the two Seventh Tier experts, Watching Zhang Lin and others, should be able to obtain the True Meaning of the Divine Dao.

Finally, naturally, he talked about his own experience of being eliminated.

When talking about being killed three times in a row, Sun Fujia showed fear on his face, slightly exaggerating Qi Qi Tian Sheng's combat power a little bit.

"Master, this Qi Qi Tian Sheng killed me three times in a row. Judging from his performance, let alone having another chance, I fear that even if I had three or five more chances, I would still be slain by Qi Qi Tian Sheng. This Qi Qi Tian Sheng is too strong!"

"Master, this Qi Qi Tian Sheng is not only strong in Star Arts, but his Divine Soul cultivation is also strong! He has definitely condensed a Primordial Spirit, and it wasn't just condensed. His Divine Soul Star Art directly hard-controlled me for half a breath. It didn't even give me a chance to use my life-saving space emblem, and he bombarded and killed me!"

"Master, this Qi Qi Tian Sheng's potential is too strong! You know, this disciple possesses the strength to slay Seventh Tier early-stage experts and fight Seventh Tier mid-to-late-stage experts. But this Qi Qi Tian Sheng could slay me, and could slay me three times in a row. What's terrifying is that his cultivation is only at the Fifth Tier, Third Layer. If this Qi Qi Tian Sheng's cultivation breaks through to the Sixth Tier, Third Layer? Wouldn't Seventh Tier peak experts be a piece of cake? If he breaks through to the Sixth Tier peak, he might even be able to deal with Eighth Tier experts. If he is allowed to break through to the Seventh Tier, I fear that ordinary Eighth Tier mid-to-late-stage experts would be no match for him!"

Subsequently, Sun Fujia said the most heavyweight sentence: "Master, I feel that we cannot let this Qi Qi Tian Sheng grow up! This Qi Qi Tian Sheng, at the current speed, doesn't need to grow to the Eighth Tier; he only needs to grow to the Seventh Tier late-stage or peak, and I fear he could contend with the most top-tier Eighth Tier experts of the current age! If he is allowed to break through to the Eighth Tier! I fear he would be invincible in the world!"

"Enough!"

The Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun slammed the table and glared at Sun Fujia, which gave Sun Fujia a fright, and he hurriedly stopped speaking.

After a long while, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun said, "Jia'er, you make me a little disappointed."

Sun Fujia was puzzled.

"Jia'er, failure is not terrible! In my life, I have also been defeated quite a few times. But I became stronger the more I was defeated! What doesn't kill me will eventually make me stronger! You are the same! Do you understand! Defeat is not terrible! What is terrible is that your heart has been thoroughly defeated! From the bottom of your heart, you have admitted defeat!" The Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun looked at Sun Fujia and said.

Sun Fujia was stunned.

Had he admitted defeat?

He hadn't!

Moreover, he was just speaking the truth!

"Master, what this disciple said is true in every word, without half a word of exaggeration! You can ask other junior brothers; this Qi Qi Tian Sheng, in the third stage, previously survived under the full-force pursuit of the Eighth Tier Ju Xuan." Realizing something, Sun Fujia said urgently.

"I understand!"

The Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun waved his hand and frowned, "Alright, this training must have been a great warning to you. You must know that there are heavens beyond heavens, and people beyond people. Being defeated a few times is also good! Know shame and then be brave! In the future, you must strive to catch up!"

Although he was lecturing, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun still gave out a box of Long Gui Duan Po Pills, as well as two portions of Fifth Tier Divine Soul-type spiritual herbs.

"At this moment of frustration, you should strive to catch up! Go into seclusion! First, meditate for ten days, one Long Gui Duan Po Pill every day, and then take these Divine Soul spiritual herbs. By then, you can condense your Primordial Spirit in one go! At that time, I will pass on a few secret arts to you, and your strength will surely advance greatly! You will definitely be able to slay Qi Qi Tian Sheng with your own hands." The Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun said.

"This disciple thanks Master for the gift!"

After Sun Fujia knelt and thanked him, he took the treasures and left.

He knew that his Divine Soul cultivation breaking through the Fifth Tier was already a sure thing.

However, after his Primordial Spirit broke through the Fifth Tier, with his strength greatly advanced, could he slay Qi Qi Tian Sheng?

He feared he couldn't!

He didn't have that confidence!

He still had to use off-the-board moves.

The off-the-board move from Master's side had already taken effect.

After his cultivation improvement ended, he still had to use off-the-board moves from time to time to clear hidden dangers.

The identity of a direct disciple of the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun and the number one peerless genius of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace—these identities had extremely great influence and were easy to use!

Inside the Heavenly Yang Hall, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun looked at the information about Qi Qi Tian Sheng in front of him and frowned in thought.

The information about Qi Qi Tian Sheng had long been sent over by the Sixth Elder, Xia Zhong, who was in charge of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace's intelligence agency, Chijing.

It was something that needed special attention.

The strength description was that he possessed the ability to challenge across realms.

However, it was far from as terrifying as his disciple Sun Fujia had said!

According to what his disciple Sun Fujia said, this Qi Qi Tian Sheng, as long as he broke through to the Sixth Tier, would be hard to kill without an Eighth Tier expert.

Breaking through to the Seventh Tier peak, he could suppress the current age.

Breaking through to the Eighth Tier, he could be invincible in the world.

In other words, as long as this Qi Qi Tian Sheng was allowed to grow to the Seventh Tier peak, even he, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun, would be suppressed!

How could this be possible!

Sun Fujia must have exaggerated.

However, it was just an exaggeration.

In the intelligence, Qi Qi Tian Sheng's cultivation was only at the Fifth Tier, Second Layer; now it was Fifth Tier, Third Layer, which was normal.

And he knew his disciple's strength even better.

Ordinary Seventh Tier mid-stage experts were no match for him.

But now, he had been killed three times in a row.

Then this Qi Qi Tian Sheng was truly extraordinary.

Perhaps, after the Eighth Tier, there really was a possibility of suppressing the current age.

That was something he was unwilling to see.

Thinking of this, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun frowned again; how come geniuses were emerging one after another in Chen Guo recently.

First there was Xu Jin's stunning talent.

Now there was another Qi Qi Tian Sheng who might suppress the current age in the future!

Could it be that the mandate of heaven was in Chen Guo?

This was absolutely not allowed!

A few breaths later, the Sixth Elder, Xia Zhong, who was in charge of Chiying, arrived.

After the greeting, the Heavenly Yang Tianyang Xingjun directly threw the jade tablet containing Qi Qi Tian Sheng's information over, "Thoroughly investigate this Qi Qi Tian Sheng again—his birth, cultivation process, current interpersonal relationships, everything must be investigated clearly! After investigating clearly, report back quickly."

"Yes, this subordinate will arrange for people to handle it immediately."

The Sixth Elder of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace, Xia Zhong, took the order and left.

Inside the Seven Kills Secret Realm.

Ning Yuchan's expression was very complicated.

She wanted to slay Sun Fujia with her own hands to take revenge, so she wanted Sun Fujia to escape from Xu Jin's hands, but she also understood that if even Xu Jin had no way to slay Sun Fujia, then the possibility of her slaying Sun Fujia in the future would be minimal.

Without needing to ask more, Xu Jin already understood what was going on between Ning Yuchan and Sun Fujia.

Ning Yuchan had only mentioned to him before that her broken leg was related to the selection and related to the Heavenly Yang Star Palace.

He didn't expect it to have been ruined by the peerless genius of the Heavenly Yang Star Palace, Sun Fujia.

Xu Jin could tell that Ning Yuchan wanted to slay Sun Fujia with her own hands to take revenge more than anything.

However, this difficulty was truly...

Sun Fujia's strength was extraordinary.

Even he had used all his strength to slay Sun Fujia, and had continuously used Divine Soul Star Arts to restrict Sun Fujia, only then slaying him three times in a row.

But Ning Yuchan, in terms of Divine Soul Star Arts, was far behind.

Even with the Cheng Po Star Pattern, it was estimated that it would take several more years.

And Sun Fujia's strength would also advance by leaps and bounds.

"You aren't injured, are you?" Ning Yuchan asked with concern.

"No, what about you?" Xu Jin asked.

"Neither." Ning Yuchan shook her head, "It's just that my Star Qi was heavily consumed, basically gone. By the way, did you find the Seven Kills Token?"

Ning Yuchan didn't want to mention the past, so Xu Jin wisely didn't ask more.

"Found it, but one is still missing; I still have to go find it." Without needing to ask, Xu Jin sensed that Ning Yuchan hadn't obtained a Seven Kills Token.

He had only discovered Ning Yuchan on the way to track the Seven Kills Token.

"Hmm, I'll go with you." Ning Yuchan said.

"Forget it, your Star Qi is exhausted; find a place to recover well, and I'll come find you when I find it." Xu Jin said.

Hearing this, Ning Yuchan nodded lightly.

The next instant, just as Xu Jin was about to leave, Ning Yuchan suddenly called out to Xu Jin and handed over a star jade tablet.

"What is this?" Xu Jin was puzzled.

"This is the Metal Lei Lei Xiangxing Pattern I researched and deduced earlier; I used ten Silver Stars and two Gold Stars to deduce it to the Sixth Tier. Deducing Elephant-type Star Patterns is several times harder than deducing Metal Source Star Patterns! You use it first! I estimate that after I break through to the Fifth Tier, Eighth Layer, I should be able to obtain another Gold Star, and it's also possible that this will be the last Gold Star I obtain in my life. By then, I will be able to deduce the Metal Lei Lei Xiangxing Pattern to the Seventh Tier. Once deduced, I'll give you the latest version." Ning Yuchan said.

"Good."

Xu Jin accepted it.

No wonder Ning Yuchan's combat power had greatly advanced; a full-force output could force Sun Fujia into only being able to take a beating.

It turned out she had deduced the Metal Lei Lei Xiangxing Pattern to the Sixth Tier.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin stepped on starlight and rose, activating Heavenly Human Sensing, while tracking the direction of the last Seven Kills Token, he began to review the previous battle, and also began to think about another matter.

Under what circumstances would Ning Yuchan have the possibility of slaying Sun Fujia?

He could tell that Ning Yuchan wanted to slay Sun Fujia extremely badly!

But in Xu Jin's view, with Ning Yuchan's strength, even if her cultivation improved again, there was no possibility of slaying Sun Fujia.

After a few more years, Sun Fujia's cultivation would inevitably break through to the Seventh Tier.

Once Sun Fujia's cultivation broke through to the Seventh Tier and above, Ning Yuchan would have even less possibility of slaying Sun Fujia!

Not even the possibility of defeating him to take back her leg.

In that case, wouldn't Ning Yuchan have regrets for the rest of her life?

This was not something Xu Jin was willing to see.

For a time, Xu Jin began to rack his brains.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 422 =====

But in terms of spirit and star arts, Ning Yuchan is far behind.

Even with the Clear Spirit Star Emblem, it will likely take several more years.

And Sun Fujia's strength will also advance by leaps and bounds.

"You aren't hurt, are you?" Ning Yuchan asked with concern.

"No, what about you?" Xu Jin asked.

"Neither am I," Ning Yuchan shook her head. "It's just that my star power was exhausted too heavily; it's basically all gone. By the way, did you find the Seven Kill Token?"

Ning Yuchan did not want to bring up the past, so Xu Jin wisely did not ask further.

"I found it, but one is still missing. I have to go look for it again." Without needing to ask, Xu Jin could sense that Ning Yuchan had not obtained a Seven Kill Token.

He had only discovered Ning Yuchan while on the path of tracking the Seven Kill Token.

"Mm, I'll go with you," Ning Yuchan said.

"Forget it, your star power is depleted. Find a place to recover properly; I'll come find you once I've found it," Xu Jin said.

Hearing this, Ning Yuchan nodded lightly.

The next instant, just as Xu Jin was about to leave, Ning Yuchan suddenly called him back and handed over a piece of Star Jade Tablet.

"What is this?" Xu Jin asked, puzzled.

"This is the Golden Lei Lei Xiangxing Emblem I researched and reverse-engineered earlier. I used ten silver stars and two gold stars to evolve it to the sixth tier. Evolving elephant-type star emblems is several times harder than evolving gold-source star emblems!

You use it for now!

I estimate that after I break through to the fifth tier, eighth layer, I should be able to obtain another gold star. It is also possible that this will be the last gold star I obtain in this life.

At that time, I will be able to evolve the Golden Lei Lei Xiangxing Emblem to the seventh tier.

Once I evolve it, I'll give you the latest version," Ning Yuchan said.

"Okay."

Xu Jin accepted it.

No wonder Ning Yuchan's combat power had increased so much; a single full-power output was enough to force Sun Fujia into a position where he could only take hits.

It turned out she had evolved the Golden Lei Lei Xiangxing Emblem to the sixth tier.

A few breaths later, Xu Jin rose by stepping on stars, driving his Heaven-Man Resonance to track the direction of the final Seven Kill Token, while simultaneously reviewing the previous battle and pondering another matter.

Under what circumstances would Ning Yuchan have the possibility of slaying Sun Fujia?

He could tell that Ning Yuchan desperately wanted to slay Sun Fujia!

But in Xu Jin's view, given Ning Yuchan's strength, even if her cultivation base improved again, there was no possibility of slaying Sun Fujia.

In a few years, Sun Fujia's cultivation base would inevitably break through to the seventh tier.

Once Sun Fujia's cultivation base broke through to the seventh tier and above, Ning Yuchan would have even less possibility of slaying him!

There wouldn't even be a possibility of defeating him to take back a leg.

Wouldn't Ning Yuchan then have to carry that regret for the rest of her life?

This was not something Xu Jin wanted to see.

For a time, Xu Jin fell into deep thought.

(End of chapter)