Chapter 228

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Protagonist:

Jiang Xuan

The Venerable of Virtue was taciturn by nature, often keeping the words "non-action" on his lips; no one could fathom his depths.

Yet unexpectedly, in the final battle, he silently let Jin Huang unwittingly become the stepping stone for his ascent to the Dao Fruit position.

Ordinarily he seemed to do nothing at all, yet in truth he heard thunder in silence, quietly gathering all opportunities and benefits into his grasp — truly a hidden master, the supreme adept of "non-action's stratagem."

As for Jin Huang, she ought truly to be bestowed a "Little Golden Man of the Other Shore" to commemorate her "merits."

She shouted slogans about slaying Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang that shook the heavens; her layouts were intricate as a heaven-and-earth net, her schemes meticulous as if leakproof.

To any onlooker, she appeared to bear a sea-deep grudge against those two, an irreconcilable enmity, and would not rest until they were dead.

Yet who could have guessed that all her painstaking, exhaustive scheming was ultimately to push those two onto the Other Shore realm.

Such roundabout, unfathomable methods are truly astonishing; one cannot help but marvel at the profundity of her planning and the exquisiteness of her layouts.

Jiang Xuan mused inwardly: compared to this world full of exhaustive scheming, the Zhetian World's straightforward, fist-to-flesh struggles are, by contrast, rather simple and honest, direct and benign.

Looking at Meng Qi's expectant expression, his eyeballs rolling every which way, Jiang Xuan said with a smile:

"Young man, I observe you possess extraordinary innate bones, a martial arts prodigy one in ten thousand, encountered once in a hundred years; the heavy task of protecting all living beings under heaven and sweeping away the world's evil falls to none but you!

"Today I have on hand a Golden Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier and a Silver Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier; I wonder your inclination — which one do you desire?"

As Jiang Xuan finished speaking, his hands slowly manifested a golden Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier blazing with golden light and containing endless mysteries, and a silver Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier flashing with silver light as if mysterious power circulated within it; wearing a smile, he gazed at Meng Qi.

At this moment, Yuan Mo caught sight from afar of the sinister, eerie atmosphere here, cold and terrifying like the Nine Nether Hells, and immediately wanted to withdraw and flee this place of trouble.

It moved its body cautiously, only wanting to escape quickly, to avoid that terrifying man who had heavily wounded it to the brink of death with a casual word. In its heart, a resolve firmly took root:

As a demon, if it wished to preserve its life in this chaotic age, it must stay clear of worldly entanglements, find a tranquil secluded place to enter closed-door cultivation, meditate on the Dao, and practice — from now on severing all grievances with this troubled mortal world — only then could it secure its own peace.

"If you dare retreat half a step more, I will make your soul fly apart and scatter, never to recover through ten thousand kalpas!"

A huge boom exploded, rolling sound waves sweeping through the air.

Yuan Mo felt this sound was like an unbreakable shackle, instantly binding it tight to the spot, unable to move a single fraction.

Its whole body trembled; fear drowned it like a tide; the shadow of death had never been so clear and imminent — the Sword of Damocles hanging above its head would cleave it open at any moment.

Under the pressure of this vast, majestic aura, like that of a master of heaven and earth, even its soul seemed about to be crushed; how could it dare harbor the slightest thought of escape?

Do not look at Jiang Xuan as merely a strand of divine sense now; even if the current Generation's Most Honored period's Heaven Ranking experts gathered together and attacked jointly, for him to defeat them one by one would be but a leisurely stroll, an effortless matter.

Let alone this nameless junior Yuan Mo before him.

"Great Emperor, aiyah, the Golden Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier and Silver Extreme Dao Emperor Soldier you speak of — neither belongs to me."

Meng Qi's face was streaked with blood; inwardly he cried bitterly without cease: how could this Great Emperor act so mysteriously and unpredictably, so hard to fathom?

One moment he plays an old beggar, the next he becomes a River God — truly puzzling.

"Great Emperor, please be so kind as to exercise your power that penetrates heaven and earth, and dispose of that Demon Head."

Meng Qi pursed his lips toward Yuan Mo's direction, a glint of shrewd cunning flashing in his eyes.

"That Tathagata God Palm is still clutched in his hand?"

As he spoke, Meng Qi looked at Yuan Mo, the corner of his mouth curling up slightly with a few parts of complacent swagger, as if saying: "You blind fool, just wait — you'll suffer. My backer isn't to be trifled with; that's a figure who can overturn heaven and earth, throw the universe into chaos!"

Jiang Xuan looked at Meng Qi's antics — playing the fool, acting ingratiating, bedraggled yet feigning calm — and said with a smile: "Since that's the case, these two Extreme Dao Emperor Soldiers have no connection with you."

The words barely fell when the golden and silver Extreme Dao Emperor Soldiers vanished like illusory bubbles, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Immediately after, Jiang Xuan raised his arm, his palm bringing a whistling wind like a tiger roaring in the mountain forest; with a "pa" it landed solidly on the back of Meng Qi's head.

"Hmph, take this slap as a lesson, so you know the matters of this world are not all as simple as you imagine."

Then Jiang Xuan extended his large hand, like a hawk seizing a rabbit, grabbed Meng Qi by the collar as if lifting a chick, and violently flung him toward Yuan Mo.

"Go on, Xiao Meng."

The instant Meng Qi was thrown, a wondrous mysterious thing happened: the wounds on his body actually healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; a vast, surging aura capable of piercing the clouds continuously welled up from within him, his momentum climbing higher and higher, like a soaring Kunpeng spreading its wings, ascending straight up ninety thousand li.

"Great Emperor! Help, I'm gonna die!"

Meng Qi screamed at the top of his lungs, his face full of terror. He had thought bringing this great deity would mean peace of mind; who knew he would instead fall into such a dangerous plight — he truly regretted his earlier decision.

"Aren't you dead set on taking that Demon Head's life? Then do it yourself; stop yelling. If you've taken my slap and still can't handle him, hmph, I'll go find the Venerable of Virtue and have him seek another capable person! Don't think I'll keep protecting you — this jianghu road, in the end, you must still tread yourself."

Jiang Xuan's expression was stern; he treated Meng Qi's shouts as if unheard, standing with hands behind his back.

He still held a thread of expectation for Meng Qi — just watching whether this kid could seize the opportunity, prove himself, and not disappoint his painstaking effort.

"Senior, Xiao Meng is absolutely no match for that Yuan Mo."

Qi Zhengyan forced his swaying body to rise, like a candle in the wind; after paying respects to Jiang Xuan he said:

"No matter; that Yuan Mo is doomed to perish today."

Jiang Xuan's expression was indifferent, transcendent of the mundane; he waved his hand unconcernedly, then turned his gaze to Qi Zhengyan. Recalling his future storms and deeds, he couldn't help but curve his lips with a teasing tone: "Young man, I think highly of you! Don't let the present predicament bind you; harbor grand ambition, and you can achieve a great undertaking."

Who could have guessed that this seemingly dull, wooden-faced, expressionless youth would one day stir up such shocking waves, accomplishing an earth-shaking, history-etching great enterprise.

Qi Zhengyan's face remained cold and stern as ever, unruffled, yet his heart was already in turmoil.

He faintly felt that this unfathomable senior hidden above the nine heavens seemed to have seen through some secrets he kept deeply buried.

But how could that be possible? Utterly inconceivable, like a fantasy tale.

On the other side, Meng Qi had already engaged Yuan Mo in close combat.

Only to see "Heaven's Injury" blazing with radiant light, the fierce sun hanging high, flowing light overflowing; Meng Qi wielded it with tigerish vigor, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, blade lights flashing, every move carrying fierce killing intent, hacking heavily at Yuan Mo, like the Thunder God and Lightning Mother enraged, wanting to smash this world's evil to powder.

Facing Meng Qi's attacks, Yuan Mo neither dodged nor evaded, but chose to meet them head-on and withstand.

However, with each blade it endured, Yuan Mo let out miserable shrieks, utterly lacking the bearing of a seasoned Outer Scene expert, instead resembling a greenhorn novice of the Aperture Opening stage.

Meng Qi quickly sensed the anomaly; his mind cleared that this must be the Great Emperor secretly employing methods; his gaze at Yuan Mo grew ever more ferocious, like a starving wolf pouncing on prey, his smile sinister: "You evil thief, you've mutilated my companions to this state and beaten me into this shape — now do you have the guts to fight again? Still dare to be arrogant?"

At this moment, Meng Qi displayed that fox-assuming-the-tiger's-might, dog-relying-on-human-power posture to the fullest, truly a monkey in a crown.

Although Yuan Mo had the intention to strike back, he fundamentally could not injure Meng Qi in the slightest. The long saber in Meng Qi's hand moved like a dragon; various saber techniques came readily to hand, changing patterns as they attacked Yuan Mo.

In no more than a few exchanges, Yuan Mo let out a miserable scream, his body instantly turning to flying ash, like dust blown away by the wind, dissipating between heaven and earth.

"Saber Suppresses the Eight Directions, horizontally slaying an Outer Scene Yuan Mo in a Mo Jie Fragment!"

Meng Qi planted his long saber on the ground, standing proudly upright, towering between heaven and earth, his back lonely and lofty, exuding the bearing of a peerless master, even not forgetting to give himself an imposing, incomparably cool title, like a victorious general returning home, immensely pleased with himself, his tail practically wagging to the sky.

Meng Qi suddenly felt a chill strike his back, like the cold wind of the twelfth lunar month; he hurriedly turned to look, his face instantly piling on a fawning expression, like a little dog currying favor with its master; after a glance at Jiang Xuan, he sprinted to Jiang Zhiwei like a rabbit escaping, like a filial son and virtuous grandson, carefully feeding her a Great Return Pill.

"Xiao Meng, I myself also urgently need a Great Return Pill to heal my injuries……"

With Yuan Mo already executed, Zhang Yuanshan forcibly endured coughing up several mouthfuls of fresh blood, like a wounded lion, speaking with a few points of teasing intent.

Meng Qi instantly flushed red to the ears, like a ripe tomato, extremely embarrassed, hurriedly fumbling to distribute injury medicine to the other companions, like ants on a hot pan.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Xuan could not help but burst into laughter; this little baldy who values beauty over friends, sees a bone and forgets his master.

Afterward, he slightly raised his eyes, his gaze traversing the boundless Void, landing on a green-robed man sitting peacefully in a stone chamber within the True Realm, like a gaze spanning Time.

"Clang!"

The long sword on the green-robed man's leg instantly returned to its scabbard, his expression calm and composed, directly facing the gaze Jiang Xuan cast.

"Qian Sui!"

Jiang Xuan slightly nodded, taking it as a response.

"Su Wuming……"

Jiang Xuan silently recited this name in his heart, like a high monk chanting sutras; a smile curled his lips — the person before him was yet another Great Divine Ability User destined to step onto the Peak of the Creation Realm in the future.

Simultaneously, on the other side, with Yuan Mo's destruction, the demonic qi around that dry corpse gradually dissipated; the mist was scattered by the sunlight, and his eyes regained their clarity.

"Amitabha, this old monk's dharma name is Jiu Zhen."

The dry corpse pressed his palms together, respectfully saluting Jiang Xuan, addressing him as Qian Sui. Although his physical body had previously been occupied by Yuan Mo, he knew all the events that occurred outside clearly.

Jiu Zhen recounted in detail to Meng Qi and the others the reason for Yuan Mo's emergence this time, identical to the original Plot.

This was merely what Jiu Zhen himself thought was the reason, yet absolutely not the true root cause.

Immediately after, Jiu Zhen asked Meng Qi for the Fo Qian Qing Deng, intending to thoroughly suppress and kill Yuan Mo, leaving no future trouble.

Meng Qi was just about to nod in agreement — after all, this Green Lamp was originally prepared for this — but was stopped by Jiang Xuan raising a hand.

"The Buddha's long-accompanying lamp, how can it be lightly damaged."

Jiang Xuan said with a smile, as if unwilling to see such a Buddhist Treasure destroyed, "As for thoroughly exterminating Yuan Mo, it is merely a matter as easy as turning one's hand."

Having spoken, Jiang Xuan directly stretched out a hand, reaching into the Primordial Qi depths of the Mo Jie Fragment, precisely locating Yuan Mo's trace, then gently pinched, completely erasing that little Demon Head which Jiu Zhen regarded as the Mo Jie being indestructible and Yuan Mo undying.

The so-called indestructibility is ultimately only relative.

Seeing this, Jiu Zhen could not help but stare dumbfounded, like a mortal who had witnessed a miracle; although he knew Qian Sui's strength was extraordinary, he never expected it to be tyrannical to this degree — truly an ant gazing up at a high mountain.

"Amitabha, this method of resolution is perhaps more proper; many thanks, Qian Sui."

The Fo Qian Qing Deng was preserved, and Yuan Mo was also executed; Jiu Zhen's heart was naturally overjoyed, like a long drought meeting sweet rain.

"Many thanks for Qian Sui acting to help; this old monk possesses nothing of value, only one Buddhist Treasure, to slightly express my feelings."

Jiang Xuan wore a smile, readily nodding, thinking to himself: This is excellent; what I seek is precisely this Buddhist Treasure.

Bixia Yuanjun's face drastically changed; this Buddhist Treasure was precisely their target this trip, but Jiang Xuan's unfathomable figure instantly deflated, like a burst balloon, filled with regret as he muttered to himself: "Once a peerless treasure was placed before me, yet I did not cherish it properly……"

Meng Qi gave Bixia Yuanjun a strange look, secretly speculating: Could it be this person once went to some peculiar worlds?

Jiang Xuan held a light green Bodhi Seed in his palm; in an instant, time stopped, and he immediately sensed a Great Buddha manifest in the endless Void — only to see that Buddha one hand holding up heaven, supporting heaven and earth, one hand touching the ground, Zen intent pervading his whole body.

"In heaven above and earth below, I alone am honored."

Buddha light bloomed, glittering brilliantly; the sun rose initially, countless Great Dao principles interweaving within.

Simultaneously, far away at the location of Jiang Xuan's true body, the Bodhi Tree also emitted resplendent Buddha light, resonating from afar.

Precisely the Tathagata God Palm First Form — I Alone Am Honored!

Jiang Xuan's mood was refreshed to the extreme; this trip's biggest target had already been achieved; the Tathagata God Palm had obtained its second.

"When I have comprehended it thoroughly, I will transmit the God Palm to you."

Jiang Xuan put away the Bodhi Seed, turned his head and said to Meng Qi.

Meng Qi nodded, indicating the Great Emperor could do as he pleased; that appearance seemed to say his Xiao Meng was not someone greedy for the God Palm.

The rest of the people were all shaken in their hearts, secretly guessing what relationship Mad Blade had with this mysterious powerhouse.

Not only did he have Divine Sense protecting him close, even a peerless divine skill like the Tathagata God Palm could be so easily said to be transmitted, just like that.

This is even closer than a biological son?!

(Chapter End)