Chapter 1434: Broken Jade (I)

Crimson thunderfire crashed down from the sky. Helian Wujiang knew that once Yehui appeared, there would be no room for compromise. So, unlike the monk, he did not bother to speak. Black qi flowed through his eyes as he raised his divine ability to resist the purple waters descending from above.

Yehui's Dao lineage came from Douxuan. Moreover, Helian Wujiang had already fought for a long time and had lost the initiative. For a moment, danger closed in from all sides. The pitch-black [Rakshasa Sea] that once covered the sky was collapsing into rolling frost as it was suppressed by the purple waters. The bright sky gradually came back into view.

Li Ximing steadied himself in midair with his divine ability. The reprieve allowed the medicinal pills he had taken to take effect. His mana, once sluggish and constrained by Baleful Qi at every turn, started to flow again, circulating through his dharma body.

The battle had already run its course for quite some time. It was only when Helian Wujiang appeared and that spirit blade closed in that Daoist Master Luo's voice reached his ears, telling him that reinforcements had arrived.

Still, Li Ximing had not quite believed him. He relied on his probing technique to verify it, and only then learned that the reinforcement was Yehui. If Yehui truly showed himself, Li Ximing could not tell whether he had come to help or to kill him.

To Helian Wujiang, Yehui was merely a nuisance. However, to Li Ximing in his current state, Yehui was deadly. Yehui was not Helian Wujiang. The divine abilities of the Capital Guard could affect the great void itself. Escaping from him was an entirely different level of difficulty.

By all logic, he should have fled long ago. The only thing he could trust was that this Daoist Master had been waiting silently in the great void near Helian Wujiang, rather than lurking beside him.

Now the two were locked in combat. Li Ximing unleashed his divine ability and spell arts to support him, while adjusting his breathing with pills. He quickly regained his footing among the clouds, his emotions unexpectedly complicated. He thought,

So there really comes a day... when I fight alongside Yehui.

Helian Wujiang was immediately put in a difficult position.

Yehui's [South Chou Waters] and [Eastern Feather Mountain] had sealed the field. A single technique from [Capital Guard] drove out ghosts and awakened spirits; it was proving especially effective against Baleful Qi. In particular, the South Chou Waters completely suppressed [Rakshasa Sea]. Not a trace of Baleful Qi remained in the sky. Only a biting wind howled, as if snow were about to fall.

With [Rakshasa Sea] broken, the mystic power of Helian Wujiang's dharma body dropped sharply. Yet the thunder in the sky did not cease. Li Ximing’s [Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light] and [Bright Light Heavenly Surge] alternated in tandem to restrain his actions. A streak of heavenly light came from one side and a surge of radiance from the other, while [Ruler of Manifested Mountains and Rivers] shattered illusions. The pressure was relentless.

After several exchanges, Helian Wujiang was strongly considering retreat. He rode his black qi, weaving through the thunder for a long while as he dissolved Yehui's spell arts. At last, his two fingers reached the short blade at his waist.

Buzz...

Yehui let out a faint laugh. He had watched from the side for a long time and already understood Helian Wujiang's techniques well. How could he forget this move? With a light flick of his finger, thunder and fire gathered in the sky. A hazy yellow radiance emerged from within them.

[Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials]!

This [Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials] had been brewing for who knew how long, hidden within the clouds. This profound light belonged to the Douxuan Dao lineage. Nothing within range of its radiance could escape it. When used against spirit artifacts, it could even separate divine abilities and reveal the true form with remarkable effect.

It slipped from Yehui's fingertips, seeming both near and far as it circled in the air. The short blade's target shifted like a reflection in a mirror, falling away from Yehui himself and onto that profound light.

The [Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials] moved like a shadow beneath the moon. It split into three hazy lights from a single point at its tail. A soft sound followed,

Bang!

One of the three hazy lights vanished as the purple waters were split apart by surging blade qi. Helian Wujiang's expression turned extremely grim. The pitch-black short blade reappeared before him even as his divine ability was still surging upon the spirit artifact. It had not suffered the slightest loss, yet it had clearly returned without achieving anything.

Yehui did not wait. He stepped upon thunder and closed in. Helian Wujiang reacted at once. Billowing black smoke surged beneath his feet. His escape spell was already in motion as he attempted to break away!

The young man before him simply raised his palm with a faint smile.

[Western Sky Plateau]!

The great void shifted abruptly as snow began to fall. Jagged and steep terrain seemed to take shape. An endless gale carrying snowfall emerged from nothing beside him.

The wind swept close, pale cyan in color, locking him in place. Yehui's long hair lifted in the gale. The two strands of [Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials] surged in from afar and fell behind his head.

Thunder and fire lit up within his pupils as his voice rang like thunder, "Hey!"

The shout seemed ordinary, yet empowered by the [Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials]. Helian Wujiang's body shuddered. Confusion filled his eyes as his divine ability shattered. Before him, Yehui had already turned his palm into a blade and brought it down in a sudden strike.

Helian Wujiang’s body was split open in an instant, sending Baleful Qi twisting wildly. Yet he was no ordinary opponent. His mouth suddenly expanded to the size of a man. Blood dripped as he swallowed the incoming divine ability and spat out a white talisman.

The white talisman unfurled to over three meters in length. It dissolved the incoming light and quickly wrapped around him. Helian Wujiang had coughed up blood; his Baleful Qi had been scattered by his opponent's arts; and his divine ability could no longer gather. Even so, he forced up a gale that carried him several meters away.

Having retreated a step, Helian Wujiang did not hesitate. [Non-Empty Tribulation] activated in an instant. His body dissolved into surging Baleful Qi and scattered in all directions.

Yehui let out a cold laugh. The talisman and seal in the sky activated at once. Then, from the distant horizon, a roar like mountains collapsing and seas surging resounded. Thunder crashed as a vast surge of white qi rose and swept away all the crimson that covered the sky.

Yehui’s expression shifted slightly as the divine ability in his hand halted. A trace of caution and hesitation arose in his heart as a name surfaced,

Dao of the Observation Transformation Heavenly Tower... Wei Xuanyin!

In that brief instant, Helian Wujiang dissolved into black qi before him. Two golden scaled insects burst forth from within. Each insect had twelve legs and a pair of wings, its body divided into four segments and covered in fine scales. Wrapped in multicolored light and raging wind, they rose like dragons breaking free of their chains, blazing with golden radiance as they shot forward like meteors.

"Good!" Li Ximing was overjoyed. He stepped forward at once, letting the wind-riding insect land on half his face. The creature rolled happily and coiled within his nasal cavity. White bone appeared as flesh writhed, and his golden eyes reappeared once more.

The other insect flailed and died, spitting blood. Its corpse fused with his severed limb, turning into bone while its flesh became new tissue. The arm that had been torn off reformed.

These two insects were none other than his severed remains!

Those severed remains had been trapped within Helian Wujiang's divine ability and never refined. Now that he had been forced to dissolve into Baleful Qi and flee, cutting off his tail to survive, those remnants naturally returned to their master.

Now Li Ximing was bathed in pure heavenly light. Though a faint mark remained on the bridge of his nose, it was barely noticeable unless examined closely. At the very least, his dharma body was no longer in such a miserable state.

As the Baleful Qi receded and the purple waters dispersed, Yehui did not pursue. He turned back with a smile and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhaojing! It's been a long time."

Helian Wujiang's defeat and retreat had been inevitable. Yehui had waited on the sidelines for a long time. Once he revealed himself, forcing Helian Wujiang back would have been enough. But using his arts to break his divine ability and release the severed remains had shown his goodwill.

Though Li Ximing still felt uneasy, he raised his gaze and said, "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist..."

Before he could finish speaking, a soft sound rang in his ear.

Bang!

The jade talisman at his waist lit up silently. Cracks spread across it as black light flickered. In the blink of an eye, it shattered into fine powder and drifted down along his robes.

This is bad...

Li Ximing's heart sank at once, a chill rising within him.

This talisman had been given to him by Kuiqi of the Great Xiukui Temple. He was not the only one who had a portion. Daoist Master Luo had one as well. They could sense each other through it, and it served as a signal during battle. Now that it had shattered, it meant they were to drop everything at once and return to Mount Tangdao for defense...

Something must have happened on Kuiqi's side as well...

Li Ximing had known this matter would not be easy to handle ever since Helian Wujiang appeared. Trouble was inevitable. The only reassurance he had was that Kuiqi had sent him the [Surging Yang Star Command Treasure Disk], which at least suggested that Kuiqi had anticipated Helian Wujiang's arrival...

Now the shattered talisman confirmed it. He lifted his gaze and looked toward the north.

The sky was dim, flickering between light and shadow. The red glow on the horizon was rapidly fading, and no other phenomena could be seen.

It must be suppressed by some treasure. No surge of light piercing the sky... that can't be a good sign...

With Helian Wujiang gone, the two monks also had no choice but to retreat into the great void. Daoist Master Luo did not delay in the slightest, nor did he try to take advantage of their divine abilities to strike. Clearly, the shattered talisman had startled him as well. He turned back at once.

Seeing Yehui standing with hands behind his back, Daoist Master Luo said anxiously, "Go, go. Leave at once!"

Neither of them hesitated. Li Ximing was still injured and unwilling to linger. He immediately retreated into the great void. Yehui's expression had grown slightly grim as he asked, "Leave? Where are the two of you going?"

The question was harsh, yet unavoidable. No one knew how the main force of the Supreme Yang Dao lineage had fared. Should they each return to their own strongholds, or continue toward Mount Tangdao?