Chapter 276

A hundred li away from the ruins of Guiyun Peak.

Near the fire column formed by antimatter annihilation, residual embers drifted like crimson starlight rain, continuing for days without end.

The warriors who survived the disaster wore expressions of unprecedented dread.

Emperor Xiang Hongtu Hongtu's knotted muscles were crisscrossed with black cracks resembling cooled lava; his right arm, raised to punch, hung limp.

His left arm and right ankle had vanished entirely; the stumps were pitch-black, and his entire body had shed a layer of skin.

His former imperial crown and black dragon robe had long since turned to ash within that torrent of energy.

This tyrant who had opened heaven with his fists, enduring pure physical resistance against fifth-transformation-level destruction, was now more disheveled than ever.

But this was merely superficial flesh wound.

With the recovery capacity of most fourth-transformation cultivators.

As long as they weren't killed instantly or had no opponent's mind-image will lingering in the wound, they would heal within a stick of incense.

But they were still in the midst of battle—a stick of incense was far too long, and dragging this wound severely hampered combat.

Aside from Emperor Xiang Hongtu Hongtu, the other warriors present were largely unharmed.

The golden-haired fourth-transformation teenager not only remained untouched himself, but had also effortlessly carried out a third-transformation.

The fourth-transformation of the Chi Nation towered in stature, his massive body over ten meters tall, lacking any human face.

His exposed skin bore a metallic red-silver-tricolor coating.

The diamond-shaped crystal on his chest now glowed brilliantly; his eyes had transformed into two warm yellow-lit lamps.

On the other side, the elder of Qiyi Pavilion and Yan Chuqing had both escaped the antimatter surge, showing no apparent injury.

Ji Donglai and Fang Can and others had solemn demeanors, knowing the real showdown was yet to come.

Even though they had eliminated fourteen fourth-transformation cultivators at once, such a favorable opportunity would not come again.

They had studied intelligence on these fourth-transformation cultivators; these cultivators had studied intelligence on them too.

Thanks to the Bǎixiǎoshēng's 【All-Eyes】 doctrine, they had killed a few more fourth-transformation cultivators.

But their methods would now begin to be revealed one by one before the eyes of all nations in the coming battle.

After this battle, their fame would indeed shake the world, but they must also beware the retaliation of the remaining dozen or so fourth-transformation cultivators.

Without the advantage of information asymmetry, these psychics would be extremely vulnerable to targeted strikes.

"Brother Ji, how much GDP reserve do we have left?" Fang Can asked through the mental network, speaking directly into Ji Donglai's mind.

"Since this is an overseas operation with no territorial advantage, I converted all my GDP reserves into foreign currency."

"There's roughly thirty trillion GDP value left; once it's gone, it's gone unless we return to the New Nation to replenish."

Ji Donglai felt regretful—though the New Nation had existed for over a hundred years, with GDP growing rapidly every year.

But expenses flowed like water; this sum was the hard-earned nest egg he had painstakingly saved.

Fang Can calculated: with the 15-fold enhancement from Li Huowang's replication of the Divine Being ability, Ji Donglai could now unleash approximately 450 trillion GDP purchasing power.

This purchasing power was barely sufficient.

You can't possibly spend all this money in a single battle, can you?

Would one battle wipe out Ji Donglai's century-long foundation?

Then who would absorb the damage from the fourth-transformation cultivators who might follow the livestream?

Those fourth-transformation cultivators weren't fools; seeing how powerful he was, they'd surely stick together.

So they had to budget meticulously, using the most frugal tactics possible to ensure this battle didn't exceed its budget.

Moreover, the simple brute-force effect of "strong man throws brick" was now limited.

Surviving that previous antimatter explosion's numerical damage meant these fourth-transformation cultivators all had some kind of mechanism.

Ji Donglai's power suffered diminishing marginal returns from pure numerical damage.

"What if… we just run?"

The Mind-Energy King hesitantly suggested: "These fourth-transformation cultivators are among the absolute strongest in their realm; there's no need to clash head-on."

"No. We must kill them all now while they're isolated and defenseless."

Ji Donglai insisted: "Otherwise, once they gather other fourth-transformation cultivators and meet again, their threat will multiply."

Since Ji Donglai, as the primary financier, insisted, everyone reluctantly agreed—they'd fight one more battle.

The group had barely formulated a tactic in an instant of mental-network exchange when it was interrupted by a roar.

"Chì (You're truly despicable—attacking us by surprise)—"

The Chi Nation's fourth-transformation glared with furious lamp-like eyes, uttering an indescribable accusation.

But under the influence of his mind-image, thought transcended language, making everyone present understand the meaning of his words.

Ji Donglai's expression carried mockery; he retaliated through Fang Can's released mind-image:

"When did I ambush you? I already announced I'd eliminate half of you."

"How's my Heaven-and-Earth-Share-Life effect?"

"Hā (Despicable psychic—I, Chi Huo, will kill you to avenge my comrades)—"

As the fourth-transformation Chi Huo roared, Emperor Xiang Hongtu Hongtu's mind-image reached his ears.

"Brother Chi Huo, I recall your 【Jushan Chaoliba】 lineage's transformation cannot last long—hold that man off for just one breath, and I'll come to aid you immediately."

"Hè (No problem)—"

With a thunderous roar, Chi Huo's transformed body—now Jushan Chaoliba—immediately moved.

That massive, fifty-meter-tall mountain-like form now moved like a rocket.

A deafening explosion, capable of shattering mountains, ripped through the air.

The giant's multi-ton body defied magnetism, hovering upward, then surged toward Ji Donglai at speeds far exceeding sound.

Seeing the silver body before him, Ji Donglai's mind instantly flooded with gathered intelligence.

The Chi Kingdom's fourth transformation, a fifty-meter body, must be from the Jushan Chaoliba lineage!

Since ancient times, all martial artists who climbed upward have been excavating the latent power hidden within their bodies!

To become taller! Faster! Stronger!

After ascending the Heavenly Path, these martial artists have tried nearly every path imaginable.

After countless years of exploration, they have largely figured out the mechanism of their human wish-granting machine.

Although named a wish-granting machine, it is in fact a human alchemical array based on equivalent exchange!

To gain greater power, one must pay a corresponding price.

The more extreme the conditions, the more grotesque the requested ability, the greater the power unleashed.

Thus, the martial artists of the Chi Kingdom lineage were born!

To obtain sufficient power in battle, they chose transformation!

After ascending the Heavenly Path, these martial artists sacrificed all their cultivated power!

The sacrifice included every ounce of strength, speed, recovery ability, and cognitive capacity they had gained since becoming martial artists, forging a corresponding terrifying transformation device!

When not transformed, their bodies were utterly ordinary humans.

All the power from the Heavenly Path was stored within the transformation device.

According to the generations-old tradition of the Chi Kingdom, the transformation device stores the martial artist's body's 【Eight Gates】 power, which can only be unlocked when truly needed.

Once the restriction is lifted, one gains terrifying power exceeding their original by dozens of times!

Among them, the 【Superpower Gauge】 lineage's transformation device is a green wristwatch worn on the arm, capable of transforming into various mythical beasts from the imagination!

To preserve this knowledge, they recorded these mythical beasts in a book.

Because each of these mythical beasts could move mountains and fill seas, possessing bizarre abilities, this recorded volume was named — The Classic of Mountains and Seas!

The 【Masked Squad】's transformation device, meanwhile, is a belt of varying colors.

After transformation, they manifest as suits of different colored armor, with their ultimate technique being the knight's kick named 【Night Kai】!

This lineage often operates in groups; five martial artists of the same rank, each in a differently colored suit, can summon a colossal mecha!

Finally, the Jushan Chaoliba lineage's transformation device is a Divine Light Rod of varied forms and materials!

With the help of the Divine Light Rod, they can transform into giants tens of meters tall.

And by limiting each transformation to only three minutes, followed by at least twelve hours of rest before transforming again!

With Qidonglai's thoughts, nearly every spectator's mind simultaneously conjured scenes related to it!

Yes, Baixiaosheng is still at work!

Seeing the silver giant in the scene, a martial artist exclaimed: "There are still fourth-transformers who spend most of their time like ordinary people!"

"Hey! If all these Chi Kingdom martial artists' power is stored in their transformation devices, couldn't I just steal their devices and gain fourth-transformation power myself?" A martial artist's heart stirred with greed.

"Fight hard! Jushan Chaoliba! Avenge your comrades!" cried the citizens of the Chi Kingdom!

Unfortunately, Baixiaosheng's current ability can only display a scoreboard, not add comments.

The thoughts of the masses cannot yet converge or communicate.

Otherwise, with the Chi Kingdom's cheers and encouragement, Jushan Chaoliba would surely have been more motivated.

Before them, as the atmosphere screamed in anguish, Chaoliba's terrifying form appeared before Qidonglai.

That fist, as large as a building, now swung toward the man.

As the deposit number shrank, Qidonglai's neural reaction instantly rose to a level allowing him to respond effortlessly in battle.

Watching the terrifying fist, capable of piercing through Shanfeng, hurtling toward him, Qidonglai stood motionless, his eyes filled with contempt.

Wealth can reach the divine; pure numerical values meant nothing to him!

In an instant, Qidonglai teleported behind Chaoliba by deducting funds, then slammed his right fist into the opponent's nape.

"Cha — (Useless!)"

Transmitting the thought through the mind-link, Chaoliba effortlessly blocked Qidonglai's punch with a joint-bending motion unnatural to a human body.

This transformed colossal body was a final weapon forged for battle.

Its internal structure consisted of pure, high-density energy — there was no such thing as human joints.

Thus, it could endure any strike at any point, just like T1000!

But then, Chaoliba's eyes flickered slightly, sensing Qidonglai's punch as light and feeble.

When he turned his head, he saw a black sphere forming on his own arm — and Qidonglai's figure had vanished.

Yes, that spherical thing was called the 【Antimatter Bomb】!

"Cha (Cheating!!!) —"

(End of Chapter)