Chapter 839: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

Hong Zhi's Martial Domain was like a kingdom of ice and snow, carrying extreme cold while possessing absolute solidity and order.

This Martial Domain covered a radius of one kilometer, and with several hundred city guards enveloped within it, all ordinary soldiers were frozen to death on the spot!

The supernatural abilities of Zhao Cai-shu and the others were also suppressed and could not be unleashed.

The three of them showed expressions of terror, but fortunately, one after another, gale winds like blades immediately rushed into this kingdom of ice and snow from the outside, blowing away the wind and snow and carving gashes into the ice mountains!

"Hong Zhi, today is your death day—"

Liu Changwen's voice was like thunder, piercing into Hong Zhi's Martial Domain.

Gale winds blew in gusts, and tornadoes appeared one after another above the frozen landscape!

The two Martial Domains began to collide, and the pressure borne by Zhao Cai-shu and the others lightened accordingly, allowing them to use their supernatural abilities once more.

Boom—

The earth shook, the concrete ground cracked, and gravel flew everywhere.

Two figures collided, and the resulting fierce winds swept toward the surroundings.

Except for Zhao Cai-shu and the other two, everyone else was sent flying by the shockwave.

Hong Zhi used palms, Liu Changwen used fists; neither of them used weapons.

Fists and palms collided, and the majestic Dao force was like mountains and seas, clashing head-on.

Both of their Dao forces were at the Profound Realm level and had not reached the Creation Realm.

Both of them also possessed four supernatural abilities each.

Where Hong Zhi was stronger than Liu Changwen was in his deeper cultivation base and his more exquisite application of the variations derived from his supernatural abilities.

Outside the Martial Domain, after Liu Changwen made his move, Li Fei decisively gave the order:

"Chief Liang, Sect Master Wang, Vice Principal Qin, you go!"

"Marquis."

Liang Xin looked at Li Fei, wanting to speak but hesitating.

This Chief of the Stop-War Department did not know beforehand what this operation was intended to do, and he was already very uneasy in his heart.

Once he understood the situation, he became even more unsettled.

Facing a Grandmaster, even with Liu Changwen blocking in front, if there were any mistake, it would not be difficult for a Divine Derivation Realm Grandmaster to kill him.

Therefore, Liang Xin was one hundred percent unwilling to go down and participate in the battle; he would rather Li Fei send him to the city walls to fight against Martial Masters or True Persons.

Li Fei did not speak, his cold gaze meeting Liang Xin's.

Liang Xin felt a shock in his heart and was immediately unable to speak.

Because of the Lu family, he had always felt guilty when facing Li Fei.

Although he did not participate in the affair involving Shangguan Xiao and Hao Yi back then, he had, after all, been very close to Lu Wenzheng over these years.

Therefore, he had always wanted to repair his relationship with Li Fei.

If he refused the order this time...

"Yes!"

Liang Xin gritted his teeth, bowed to Li Fei, and was the first to leap off the "Mirage," killing his way into the two colliding Martial Domains.

Subsequently, Wang Yilong, Qin Zhen, Master Jimin of the Thunder Zen Temple, and the rogue cultivator Yu Lei—these four Martial Masters—also leaped down together.

With the sudden addition of five Martial Masters, Hong Zhi immediately felt immense pressure.

Now, his Martial Domain not only had to target Liu Changwen's Martial Domain but also simultaneously suppress seven Martial Masters and one True Person.

The total number of supernatural abilities these people possessed added up to fifteen!

If Liu Changwen were not there, Hong Zhi could still suppress these people, but suppressing fifteen supernatural abilities while fighting Liu Changwen was too much of a stretch for him.

As everyone began to exert their supernatural abilities to the fullest, joining the siege on Hong Zhi, the Ice and Snow Domain was gradually suppressed, and the ice and snow began to melt.

At this moment, Li Fei, Qiu Zi'an, and Huo Hansi remained on the deck without joining the fight, and inside the tower ship, there were still over a hundred Imperial Camp soldiers from Datong Prefecture, dozens of Dao Foundation stage martial artists, and Possession stage Great Mages.

Under Li Fei's deliberate control, he still had many trump cards in his hand.

"The Marquis of Jing'an does not seem happy?"

Huo Hansi stood beside Li Fei, looking at this excessively young big shot, and asked.

He could feel that Li Fei did not have the joy of impending success and seemed to be faintly guarding against something.

With the battle having reached this point, Li Fei and the others could be said to have victory in their grasp.

Next, as long as they seized the right moment, whether it was Li Fei or Huo Hansi who struck, they would have a chance to severely wound Hong Zhi!

Therefore, Huo Hansi did not understand what Li Fei was worried about.

"The battle has not yet concluded; it is not yet time to be happy."

Li Fei said calmly.

"Oh?"

Huo Hansi was about to ask when his expression suddenly changed, and he turned his head sharply to look below.

A white sword light suddenly bloomed from a nearby grand hall.

White clouds swirled, immortal cranes circled, immortal music played pleasantly, and thirty-three layers of palaces stacked upon one another, together forming a fairyland that descended upon this place.

Hook-Deep Sword Sect's Creation Sword Art—"Palaces in the Sky"!

In the entire Hook-Deep Sword Sect, the only one who had practiced this sword art to the Creation Realm was the Hook-Deep Sword Master, Bai Chen.

Bai Chen still could not help but make a move.

Although the Third Imperial Prince had told him to hide himself well and play a more important role at a critical moment in the future.

But he could not watch his sect be destroyed.

Moreover, if he could take the opportunity to wipe out the invading Li Fei and the others, that would also be a great achievement!

Striking at this moment was the undisputed critical juncture!

The brilliant sword light, carrying peerless sword intent and the thirty-three layers of palaces, pierced into the intersecting Martial Domains, stabbing toward Liu Changwen within!

"How is this possible..."

Liu Changwen showed an expression of astonishment, unable to believe it.

Hong Zhi, who was fighting him, seemed to have expected this long ago; he suddenly erupted, his supernatural abilities coordinating with his Martial Domain to freeze Liu Changwen, giving him no chance to dodge.

All of this happened in an instant.

Bai Chen's strike was too fast and too ruthless, with no warning whatsoever, to the point that even Huo Hansi, a Grandmaster, was too late to intervene.

On the "Mirage," although Li Fei was also somewhat surprised, he had been prepared; the moment the sword light appeared, he unleashed 【No Distance】, blocking in front of the sword light after a few blinks.

Golden light bloomed, and the 【Primordial Sword Realm】 descended.

His 【Primordial Sword Realm】 was, after all, not a true Martial Domain and could not be released at will like a Grandmaster's.

Being able to construct the 【Primordial Sword Realm】 in this split second and block in front of Bai Chen's sword light showed that Li Fei had long ago expended his supernatural power to complete the combination of several abilities.

He seemed to have guessed long ago that there was another Grandmaster hiding in the dark!

The thirty-three layers of palaces, along with Bai Chen's Martial Domain, "crashed" into it, and the 【Primordial Sword Realm】 was like a piece of exquisite porcelain, instantly covered in cracks!

Li Fei did not hesitate to use his 【Refine Matter】 ability, refining 2, 00 Blood Souls to merge into the 【Primordial Sword Realm】, repairing the cracks and reinforcing this small world.

Immediately following this, another Martial Domain "crashed" over.

However, it was not attacking Li Fei, but rather colliding with Bai Chen's Martial Domain.

It was Huo Hansi on the "Mirage" who had finally had enough time to act.

"Bai Chen, you actually didn't die?!"

Huo Hansi held a long spear, standing beside Li Fei with a wary expression, not daring to attack rashly.

He had heard of the Hook-Deep Sword Master's reputation many years ago.

The opponent was at the peak of the Divine Derivation Realm and had mastered several Creation Sword Arts; below the Establishing Dao Realm, few Grandmasters could defeat him.

Huo Hansi was only a Grandmaster of the Flourishing Realm, so facing Bai Chen now, he could not help but feel fearful.

Bai Chen ignored Huo Hansi and instead looked at Li Fei, frowning slightly.

With that sword just now, he had been certain he could beat everyone else to it and severely wound or even kill Liu Changwen with one strike!

As long as he succeeded, the outcome of tonight's battle would be decided!

He had not expected Li Fei to react so quickly and strike so opportunely.

"Was he guarding against me beforehand? How could he know I wasn't dead?"

Bai Chen's thoughts raced.

Li Fei was also silently observing Bai Chen not far away.

Compared to last time, the opponent looked much younger, no longer having gray-white hair, but a head of black hair.

Besides that, the sword intent, sword momentum, and sword Qi of that strike just now were all stronger than when they fought last time!

"Not only did he not die, he actually got stronger; what kind of supernatural ability is this?"

Li Fei was also secretly astonished.

He truly did not know that Bai Chen was alive and hiding in the dark.

However, before Lu Wenzheng died, he used some classified information as a trade to ensure Li Fei would not harm his children, and part of that classified information concerned the Hook-Deep Sword Sect:

"... he Hook-Deep Sword Sect may possess more than just this one Grandmaster, Bai Chen!"

This was the secret Lu Wenzheng told Li Fei.

After learning that the Hook-Deep Sword Sect was on his side, Lu Wenzheng had specifically conducted an investigation.

Coupled with the fact that the First Imperial Prince had specifically revealed some information during their conversation to boost his confidence.

That was why Lu Wenzheng had this suspicion.

For this operation, Li Fei had been preparing to face two Grandmasters from the very beginning!

However, he did not inform everyone of this matter from the very beginning.

Firstly, to maintain secrecy; secondly, to avoid shaking the morale of the army.

If he had said from the start that the Hook-Deep Sword Sect might still have another Grandmaster, Xiao Ruihang and the others might not have agreed to this operation.

A thirty percent risk was still within an acceptable range.

Once the risk exceeds fifty percent, many people lack the courage to gamble.

It was just that Li Fei had not expected that the Hook-Deep Sword Sect did not just possess two Grandmasters, but two Hook-Deep Sword Masters?!

"All Dao Foundation realm martial artists and Possession realm Great Mages, go to the city wall immediately to help, and swap Xiao Ruihang and Xiao Tao out!"

On the "Mirage," Qiu Zi'an gave the order on Li Fei's behalf.

Li Fei trusted this senior who had shared life and death and weathered hardships with him, so he had informed her of the truth beforehand.

At this moment, seeing Bai Chen make his move, Qiu Zi'an immediately followed the tactics she had discussed with Li Fei in advance and utilized the remaining trump cards.

She led one hundred and fifty Imperial Camp soldiers off the ship, preparing to join the battle.

The "Mirage" was then controlled by that True Person retainer of the Xiao family, carrying seventy-nine Dao Foundation realm martial artists and twenty-five Possession realm Great Mages as they rushed toward the city wall.

With the addition of these Dao Foundation realm martial artists and Possession realm Great Mages, at least two Martial Arts Grandmaster-level combatants could be pulled away from the city wall to rush over.

Huo Hansi, Li Fei, Qiu Zi'an, one hundred and fifty Imperial Camp soldiers, plus Xiao Ruihang and Xiao Tao.

This lineup was even stronger than the siege Bai Chen had faced last time!

Bai Chen glanced at the "descended from the heavens" Qiu Zi'an and the Imperial Camp soldiers, and thrust his sword directly toward Li Fei.

In an instant, mountain after mountain, river after river appeared in the surroundings.

The mountains were towering, the rivers were vast, and the atmosphere was magnificent.

Creation Sword Art — "Great Thousand"!

The mountains and rivers converged toward Li Fei one after another; Bai Chen intended to "suppress" Li Fei first, just like last time, before freeing himself up to deal with the others.

Li Fei appeared to be only a "quasi-Grandmaster," but with a Grandmaster providing "support" to help him withstand the suppression of the Martial Dao Domain.

In Bai Chen's view, the threat posed by Li Fei was in no way inferior to a Divine Extension realm Grandmaster!

Therefore, Bai Chen chose the same fighting style as last time.

Although the lineup faced today was stronger than the last.

But Bai Chen saw the flaw at a glance—this time, the hearts of the people were not united.

Huo Hansi had not mastered the Creation realm Dao power, his combat strength was inferior to Shi Caiming, and he was even less likely to risk his life with every move like Shi Caiming!

At this moment, as Bai Chen targeted Li Fei, Huo Hansi did not launch an all-out attack on Bai Chen like Shi Caiming had done back then, which had broken Bai Chen's defensive divine ability.

Facing the famous Hook-Deep Sword Master, Huo Hansi's fighting style was more conservative.

His long spear vibrated, and he chose to intervene to help Li Fei neutralize the "Great Thousand" sword art.

And this was exactly what Bai Chen had hoped for.

Meeting moves with moves, comparing changes in techniques, combinations of divine abilities, and the application of the Martial Dao Domain, he was enough to look down upon the entire field!

"Idiot, kill him first—"

Qiu Zi'an, surrounded by purple flames, cursed while charging toward Bai Chen.

Her fighting style had always been proactive and very aggressive; she never thought about meeting moves with moves against Bai Chen, and went straight for the person himself!

She had fallen from the Grandmaster realm and had yet to recover, remaining only a Five Divine Abilities Martial Arts Grandmaster, yet she was the first to launch an attack on Bai Chen.

It was as if she held the momentum that the Hook-Deep Sword Master was nothing more than someone asking for death!

"Zi'an, be careful—"

Huo Hansi was shocked at the sight; unable to care about helping Li Fei, he hurriedly raised his spear to follow.

When he was young and traveling the world, he had accidentally made the acquaintance of Qiu Zi'an.

At that time, Qiu Zi'an was young, talented, skilled in martial arts, beautiful, and had a great figure; she was simply the goddess in the hearts of a generation!

Huo Hansi was inevitably attracted to Qiu Zi'an, but unfortunately, his bitter pursuit was fruitless.

So many years had passed, and even though he had over a dozen grandchildren, he still harbored feelings for the goddess he had secretly loved, unable to let go.

Huo Hansi fully activated his own Martial Dao Domain to form a counter-clash with Bai Chen's Martial Dao Domain, preventing the opponent from exerting too much suppression on Qiu Zi'an, while simultaneously attacking with his spear.

In an instant, like a galaxy from the nine heavens falling into the mortal world, countless brilliant stars poured down from above Bai Chen's head.

Huo Family Spear Technique — 【Mixed Origin Galaxy Fall】!

At the same time, Qiu Zi'an had already transformed her purple flames into blade energy, sweeping horizontally toward Bai Chen.

Facing the attacks of the two, Bai Chen casually summoned a river to surround him, protected by the power of heaven and earth, while simultaneously activating the 【Jade Sword】 divine ability.

A total of nine small emerald swords circled within three feet of his body.

【Jade Sword】 divine ability — the more sword Qi, the stronger the sword intent and the clearer the sword heart, the stronger the defense, and the faster the recovery speed after being destroyed.

Bai Chen possessed the two great divine abilities of 【Sword Heart】 and 【Qi Sea】, enough to push the power of 【Jade Sword】 to the extreme!

Letting the purple flames and the galaxy attack, Bai Chen ignored them and focused all his efforts on targeting Li Fei.

Qiu Zi'an and the hesitant, reserved Huo Hansi joining forces were still a notch below Shi Caiming, who had used the Creation Sword Art in combination with divine abilities to attack with all his might, risking his life regardless of the cost.

Bai Chen was stronger than he was back then!

Therefore, he was not worried about his own safety.

Last time, he failed to kill Shi Caiming in time in a one-on-one; this time, he did not believe that he, having become stronger, could not kill a weaker Huo Hansi!

On that side, Li Fei was pressed toward the ground by heavy mountains, and rivers surged in, forming a Great Thousand world with the momentum of mountains and waters relying on each other.

The weight of heaven and earth pressed down entirely upon Li Fei's body alone!

Before Bai Chen thrust his sword, Li Fei had already consumed 1, 00 Blood Souls to cast 【Blood Rage】, and then reinforced it with the 【Dragon Elephant】 divine ability.

Compared to last time, the speed of the Dragon Elephant power's reinforcement was more than twice as fast.

In just the blink of an eye, his "base strength" had increased by more than double.

Li Fei held the Ghost Slaying Blade, splitting mountains when encountering them, and slashing through water when meeting it!

The golden blade light flickered continuously, and the terrifying power surged like a wild dragon, shaking heaven and earth!

Bai Chen was secretly astonished.

His strength was already a few points stronger than before, yet Li Fei had grown even more!

How much time had passed?

The killing intent in Bai Chen's heart grew stronger, and he drew more power from his Martial Dao Domain to press down on Li Fei.

A black dragon of baleful energy flew in the air, pulling away the rivers that were pressing down on top of Li Fei.

Unfortunately, his strength was insufficient, and he still failed to stop Li Fei from being suppressed bit by bit.

The speed of the Dragon Elephant power's reinforcement still could not keep up with the pressure Bai Chen was continuously applying.

Just as Li Fei was about to be suppressed, a point of red light suddenly flickered a hundred meters away.

The next instant, the red light streaked across a hundred meters of space and arrived behind Bai Chen.

This point of red light exploded instantly, like a volcanic eruption; the violent sword intent, carrying the power of heaven and earth and the power of divine abilities, instantly destroyed the three small emerald swords behind Bai Chen!

"Shi Caiming?!"

Bai Chen was both shocked and furious.

At the critical moment, Li Fei had revealed another trump card!

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!

PS: Traveling back today, the efficiency of typing on the road was low, so this chapter is a bit shorter.

(End of chapter)