Chapter 867: Qi Integration

“Why are you out here... Wait. You managed to create a clone?” Kou Chongxue stared at Shang Xia’s clone with a strange gaze. Even someone like him nearly couldn’t tell that it was Shang Xia’s clone!

With a light chuckle, Shang Xia’s clone replied, “I barely managed to do so. However, the situation doesn’t seem too favorable at the moment...”

Kou Chongxue paused for a second and asked, “How is the progress in the Stellar Cauldron?”

“It just passed the halfway mark.” Shang Xia’s clone replied truthfully.

Staying silent for a moment, Kou Chongxue seemed to be making some calculations. After some time, he sighed, “It’s not enough!”

Shang Xia’s clone stared at Kou Chongxue before turning to look at the ships outside. “My true body also had the intention of dragging things out. That’s why I was sent here.”

“You?” Kou Chongxue started to examine the clone properly before asking again. “What idea does he have?”

After Shang Xia refined his seventh set of fate dipper essences, Kou Chongxue could feel the shocking change in him. Deep down, he started to see Shang Xia as someone on the same level as himself.

If Shang Xia had come personally and allowed Kou Chongxue to learn of his strength, breaking out of their predicament wasn’t entirely impossible.

However, the person standing before Kou Chongxue was a mere clone...

Noticing Kou Chongxue’s hesitation, Shang Xia’s clone tapped his chest and a soft buzz came from within his body. A five colored light appeared beneath his feet.

With his eyebrows twitching, Kou Chongxue mumbled, “Five Element Ring? The kid even let you bring this out... Are you able to control it?”

With a smile on his face, Shang Xia’s clone didn’t say anything. Instead, a powerful light ring emerged from beneath his feet. When Kou Chongxue was bathed in the light, his expression changed and a trace of shock and excitement flashed in his eyes.

“My abilities are limited at the moment and we should gather our strength and take down one of those ships before we do anything else.” Shang Xia’s clone laughed.

Falling silent for a moment, Kou Chongxue eventually mumbled, “Wait a second. I’ll change up the deployment.”

The words barely left his lips when he transformed into a ball of dipper qi and disappeared. A strand of divine will seemed to return to his main body as it flew through the air above the city.

With the scale of the attack they were facing, there was no way Kou Chongxue could abandon his position to speak with Shang Xia. He merely sent a clone over.

Watching Kou Chongxue’s clone leave, Shang Xia’s clone didn’t waste time as he quickly disappeared. By the time he reappeared, he arrived at the eye of the grand formation on the highest layer of the platform.

“Why are you here?!” Chu Jia gasped in shock the moment she saw him.

She might be in the Martial Extermination Realm, but she was a Formation Grandmaster and she had the qualifications to remain on the highest platform.

Sweeping his gaze across the platform, Shang Xia looked at the other Formation Grandmasters. Other than 2 of them who were in the Martial Dipper Realm, the others were in the Martial Extermination Realm. Moreover, all of them were Formation Grandmasters.

Even so, not a single person present was able to differentiate Shang Xia’s clone from his true body.

With a smile on his face, Shang Xia’s clone chuckled, “I was just curious and came here to learn about something. Do you remember how the original grand formation around the city had the ability to restrict space? Now that you guys modified it, does it still possess that property?”

Chu Jia answered immediately. “Of course it does. The ability is extremely special and we won’t get rid of it easily. Haven’t you discovered that no matter how those ships fly around outside the city, they don’t dare to fly over the city?”

“So that’s it...” Shang Xia’s clone nodded. “Can you project the ability and force those ships to land?”

Before Chu Jia could answer, someone behind her lost it and laughed out loud.

“If you don’t know anything about formations, you shouldn’t be running your mouth off here. Do you know what price we will have to pay if we try to project the ability outwards?”

Shang Xia’s clone stared at the others before looking back at her. “If we just have to pay a certain price to make it happen, it’s not impossible! What will happen if we try?”

The Formation Grandmaster behind Chu Jia snickered again without a change in expression. However, no other insults came.

A bitter smile formed on Chu Jia’s face. “We need to modify the formation and it will definitely affect the strength of the defensive formation around the city. What’s more, if we project the ability outwards, we will need to use up a lot of world origin...”

“World origin isn’t a problem.” Shang Xia’s clone interrupted.

Helpless, Chu Jia continued, “The only problem is... No one can control such a terrifying storm of world origin...”

“What about me?” Shang Xia’s clone spoke again.

“You...?” Chu Jia was taken aback. However, a strange look appeared in her eyes when she stared at him again. “No. If you’re Shang Xia, who’s controlling the Origin Holy Artifact in the Yanlin Holy Land? Could...”

“Damn brat, you ran all the way here... Do you know how hard I was trying to look for you?!” Kou Chongxue appeared suddenly. Chu Jia, who was about to use the formation to attack Shang Xia’s clone, paused for a second.

“You... Who are you?!” Chu Jia stared at Shang Xia’s clone with a look of suspicion.

By that time, Kou Chongxue arrived above the platform and he stared at the various Formation Grandmasters present. “The brat managed to create a clone. There’s no need to panic.”

After he was done, he turned to look at the clone again while complaining. “Right. Because of your idea, I changed the deployment of our forces. Why the hell did you run all the way here alone?!”

Shang Xia’s clone gestured to the platform and explained, “I might be able to help them with the modification of the formation such that we can project the ability to restrict space outwards.”

A light flashed in Kou Chongxue’s eyes and he turned to Chu Jia and the others immediately. “Can you do it?”

The Formation Grandmasters in the Martial Dipper Realm maintained their firm stance. Of course, the person who ridiculed Shang Xia earlier was part of them. “Theoretically, we can do it. However, if we attempt to expand the range of the ability to restrict space, the qi in the city will definitely go crazy. None of us can control it...”

Kou Chongxue didn’t bother letting them finish. “Alright. Just make the preparations and get ready!”

After he was done, he nodded towards Shang Xia’s clone. Both of them disappeared into the city the next second.

In the skies above the Yanlin City, several clones stood in the air. When Kou Chongxue brought Shang Xia’s clone over, they stared at him in unison.

“Kid, are you really able to integrate our inner qi?” Yifeng’s clone was the first to speak. From his tone, one would think that he was questioning Shang Xia to make him admit his weakness.

Shang Xia’s clone was slightly surprised before giving the answer. “No... If I wish to integrate your inner qi, I’m afraid my true body will have to come personally.”

When Yifeng heard the first word out of his lip, he was about to pop off on Shang Xia and rage at the youngster. However, he fell silent after hearing the other half of what Shang Xia had to say.

Even though Yifeng wasn’t saying anything, Jiu Du didn’t keep silent. “Are you sure? Are you certain your true body will be able to integrate our dipper qi?”

Other than Kou Chongxue, everyone expected Shang Xia to be unable to do something like that. However, he had to say that his true body would be able to accomplish the feat. All 4 of them felt that Shang Xia was merely boasting at that point.

If not for the fact that Kou Chongxue personally requested for them to head over for the discussion, they wouldn’t bother splitting off a clone.

Shang Xia’s clone turned serious the next moment. “My true body definitely has the capability to do it. However, he can’t leave the Origin Holy Artifact. I might not be able to integrate your inner qi, but I am confident that with the Five Element Ring, I should be able to integrate 30 to 40 percent of your inner qi!”