Chapter 64

Jiang Sishui added his martial arts experience as usual, then looked at a pearl before him.

The size of an adult's fist, its surface uneven, its entire body emitting a faint blue-silver glow, it looked somewhat illusory, hovering between existence and non-existence.

"Sun Golden Wheel… projection…"

Having received the object's information, Jiang Sishui understood in his heart.

The Sun-Moon Golden Wheel, one of the seven great Dharma treasures of *The Legend of Shu Mountain*. The Moon Golden Wheel is for offense, the Sun Golden Wheel for defense; when the two wheels unite, offense and defense become one.

And this "Sun Golden Wheel Projection" possessed a portion of the original body's defensive power.

Furthermore, the energy within the "Sun Golden Wheel Projection" was limited. Once the energy was exhausted, the projection would dissolve into nothingness.

Regarding this, although Jiang Sishui felt some regret, he could fully accept it.

Because the true "Sun Golden Wheel" was a treasure of the Xianxia World; for it to appear in the Martial Arts World was truly absurd. If he were to say he became invincible the moment he transmigrated across the Nine Heavens, that would be far too fantastical!

Furthermore, although the energy within the "Sun Golden Wheel Projection" was limited, according to the information, it was enough to withstand the continuous attacks of a mid-stage Celestial Being for twelve hours!

Twelve two-hundred-fifty-seven hours, at first hearing doesn't seem like much, but in fact it was already very long.

When true experts crossed swords, it was often a Quick battle, quick resolution; from probing to killing blow, a quarter of an hour was already considered long.

As for those in some Wu Xia Works where fights drag on for days and nights, that basically wouldn't happen in reality.

Because even if your body could hold out and your true Qi could keep up, you still had to guard against lurking sixth men.

So generally, in evenly matched situations, either a few moves decide life and death, or they agree to fight another day; rarely did anyone stubbornly fight until the sky turned dark.

And Jiang Sishui's "Sun Golden Wheel Projection"…

Put yourself in their shoes: if you were fighting someone, and the result was that the other party didn't even move, remaining completely unharmed, making it impossible for you to break through their defense—what would you do next?

Risk enraging the opponent by stubbornly pressing on regardless of the cost?

Or stop wasting effort, cease fighting, and stay on guard?

Or without a second thought, turn tail and run?

Jiang Sishui felt that if it were him, he definitely wouldn't choose the first option.

"With this wheel, my safety is finally secured."

"It can withstand a mid-stage Celestial Being's attacks for twelve hours; I'm afraid even an ordinary Demigod, in a short time, couldn't break through it, right?"

"Its energy is certainly limited, but by the time the energy is completely exhausted, I probably won't need it anymore."

Jiang Sishui was very satisfied with this reward and felt it came at just the right time.

Because he was about to go find Wu Wu Ya Zi next, and danger could easily occur along the way.

Originally he had planned to bring Zhao Qiying along, but now it seemed unnecessary.

"'Sun Golden Wheel Projection'… this name doesn't roll off the tongue; from now on I'll just call it 'Sun Shadow Golden Wheel'."

At a thought, the illusory "Sun Shadow Golden Wheel" merged into his body.

Once Jiang Sishui encountered danger, it could activate its automatic master-protection function.

"On the ninth day, the 'Heavenly Sword Drawing Technique' can slay mid-stage Grandmasters."

Jiang Sishui was quite satisfied in his heart, and pondered: "The first, fourth, and ninth days have extra rewards, so from now on it would be the sixteenth, twenty-fifth, thirty-sixth… before another one appears?"

He estimated this was the pattern.

Afterwards, Jiang Sishui ate with the others, told Zhao Qiying he was going to see that old senior and would see her again tomorrow, then left.

Zhao Qiying watched his figure disappear into the night.

She had offered to escort him, but Jiang Sishui refused.

Zhao Qiying didn't know why he dared to go alone, but she knew Jiang Sishui wasn't a hotheaded fool who showed off; he must have his own reliance.

"Could it be… the newly obtained reward?"

Zhao Qiying was lost in thought.

……

Tomorrow was the "Zhenlongqi Society"; from the foot of Leigu Mountain to its mid-slope, the various forces had staked out their own grounds and camped.

At this moment, Leigu Mountain could be said to be a place where tigers and dragons lay hidden; even Grandmasters were unknown in number, making it very dangerous.

Precisely because of this, Jiang Sishui hadn't let Zhao Qiying come along.

To avoid trouble, he had earlier asked Zhao Qiying to prepare a set of clothes belonging to an ordinary escort agent for him. After putting them on, he jogged up the mountain, looking like a little errand boy delivering letters for a Central Plains escort agency.

Others who saw him only thought he was a Knows martial arts minor character, and didn't come to make things difficult for him.

Even if some people wanted to amuse themselves by bullying the weak, upon discovering his Central Plains escort agency background, they gave up the idea, unwilling to make enemies for no reason.

Thus, Jiang Sishui was able to pass through unimpeded.

After walking for about an hour and a half, someone behind him suddenly shouted loudly: "Hold on! Benefactor, stop at once!"

The moment the words rang out, the sound of rushing wind also came through the air—clearly someone was Execute Lightness Skill, pouncing toward Jiang Sishui.

Sensing hostility, Jiang Sishui didn't think twice; the sword intent he had been holding within his body was instantly activated, and as he turned around, he drew his sword from its sheath!

"Cring—"

A clear and urgent sword cry rang out and vanished in an instant. Kuomozhi, who had clawed at Jiang Sishui, forcibly reversed his body and retreated with a backflip.

Looking at his right arm, which now bore a long gash and was still bleeding uncontrollably, his pupils trembled violently, his facial skin twitched, and his heart palpitated with fear.

"What a fast sword!"

Kuomozhi hurriedly applied acupressure to stop the bleeding, his face ashen, his heart seething with rage.

A moment ago, he had observed that Jiang Sishui was not a martial artist, so he hadn't taken him seriously, feeling that capturing him was as simple as catching a chicken—a sure thing.

Who would have thought that a momentary lapse in attention would cost him such a great loss!

Had he not been battle-hardened, with a keen intuition for danger, and pulled back his force at the last moment, that sword strike would have meant far more than just a minor injury.

Even if he didn't die, his right arm would definitely be lost!

Thinking of this, Kuomozhi was so furious his face contorted, wanting to choke Jiang Sishui to death on the spot.

Although that sword strike had wounded him, its killing power was actually only at the Grandmaster level — and he himself was a Great Grandmaster, so what was there to fear?

But when he looked toward the spot, Jiang Sishui had already vanished without a trace.

A fierce glint flickered in Kumojie's eyes, his expression shifting between dark and light, and his lowered gaze swept the surroundings as he said slowly, "Another person has gone in — aren't you worried?"

In the gloomy night, no human figure could be seen, yet several voices drifted over—

"Heh, who'd have thought the Great Master himself would take action personally, only to return defeated and wounded himself into the bargain?"

"He's already gone in, so what can we do? Besides, in the past twenty years, have few people gone in? Isn't the 'Zhenlong Chess Formation' still right here?"

"This kid is strange — he never learned martial arts, yet he carries sword intent within him, and wields such astonishing swordsmanship."

"There is indeed a big problem. If he can come out, we'll have a proper talk with him then."

"Great Master, taking a sword strike for nothing — can you swallow that? Charge in and take him down!"

"Amitabha, it's better to settle enmity than to entangle it."

"……"

Hearing the crowd's words — some mocking, some egging him on — the smile on Kumojie's face grew darker and darker, fury raging in his heart, killing intent boiling over.

Unable to maintain the bearing of a Gao Seng any longer, he gave a cold snort, flicked his sleeves, and left on his own to find a place to apply medicine.

And the spot where Jiang Sishui had originally stood — some unfathomable secret lay hidden ahead of it; he thought it over and over, yet still did not dare step forward, and could only swallow this loss in silence.

070 — The Zhenlong Illusory Formation, Wu Wu Ya Zi

After Jiang Sishui turned and forced Kumojie back with a single sword strike, he instinctively retreated several steps.

But it was precisely this retreat that made him suddenly realize Kumojie had vanished from before his eyes.

To be precise, the entire Leigu Mountain had vanished!

The surrounding environment shifted, as if the stars had been rearranged, and he was teleported through the void into a brand-new heaven and earth.

Jiang Sishui was startled inwardly, but before he could make out the situation around him, a translucent spherical barrier suddenly unfurled outside his body!

In an instant, Jiang Sishui's eyes seemed to pierce through a layer of obscuring fog, seeing straight to the truth.

The mountain was still that mountain, the sky was still that sky, and Kumojie — the one who had taken a sword strike — stood not far away, wearing an expression as if his own father had died.

Around him, oddly shaped stones and lush ancient trees were scattered in an interwoven arrangement, their positions and layout seemingly quite deliberate.

Jiang Sishui knew nothing of geomancy or feng shui, yet he could still sense something extraordinary from it.

"This is… an Illusionary Realm?"

Looking at the spherical barrier that had automatically activated to protect its master, Jiang Sishui understood in his heart.

The "Sun Shadow Golden Wheel" was a Defense Method artifact — this defense was naturally all-encompassing, including spiritual attacks as well.

Having accidentally stumbled into the illusory formation, he was naturally assailed by the formation's power; it was then that the "Sun Shadow Golden Wheel" was triggered, helping him block that wave of illusory force.

And the reason Kumojie had not pursued was, he figured, that he could not see through the illusory formation and did not dare act rashly.

"What a terrifying illusory formation — it makes even a Great Grandmaster hesitate. There was nothing like this in the original work."