Chapter 411 - 375: Intercept

Chapter 411: Chapter 375: Intercept

A mixture of indescribable chill and fury surged within Gao Changhe as he opened his mouth to shout.

"Such a waste of breath!"

A cold, impatient voice suddenly rang out, interrupting him.

Star Monarch Water-Participating Ape was clearly already impatient with such verbal sparring, his eyes holding only the cold killing intent of a predator locked on its prey.

The long saber at his waist slid from its sheath.

"SHING...!"

A clear, resonant ring of the blade tore through the night sky.

The moment it was unsheathed, the long saber erupted with a brilliant light. The blade swelled with the wind, transforming into a terrifying beam of light over a hundred feet long.

The beam of light tore through the air with a piercing shriek, imbued with an indomitable, tyrannical will to annihilate all in its path. It slashed down viciously toward Chen Li.

One slash: fast, ruthless, and precise.

The killing aura caused the temperature to plummet in a radius of dozens of zhangs, and a thin layer of white frost even formed on the ground.

Faced with this earth-shattering slash, Chen Li’s figure swayed like a phantom and simply vanished into thin air.

BOOM!

Having lost its target, the terrifying beam of blade light, over a hundred feet long, struck viciously at the broken tree where Chen Li had just stood, and the earth behind it.

With a world-shaking crash, splinters rained down and shattered rock flew. A terrifying trench, several feet deep and over two hundred feet long, was torn into the ground, sending a plume of dust and smoke soaring into the sky.

Almost at the same instant Chen Li vanished, a figure materialized out of the void above Gao Changhe’s head as if by teleportation.

It was Chen Li!

A jet-black long staff had somehow appeared in his hand, and he simply stabbed down at Gao Changhe below.

The moment the staff’s tip jabbed out, Gao Changhe felt the surrounding air crush down on him as if the entire sky were collapsing.

His very presence was locked down, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Gao Changhe was terrified beyond belief; he had never imagined that he would be Chen Li’s primary target.

He mustered all his strength. The Soft Sword at his waist shot out, becoming a nimble streak of silver light as it tried to parry the lightning-fast blur of the staff.

However, his Soft Sword had yet to even touch the black staff.

KRAK!

A shattering sound rang out.

Starting from the tip, the Soft Sword shattered inch by inch, turning into countless metal fragments that flew in all directions.

"PFFT...!"

The staff hadn’t even made contact, but its incredibly condensed Staff Intent had already slammed into his body.

Gao Changhe felt as if a colossal hammer had slammed into his chest. A sweet taste welled up in his throat as he violently spewed a mouthful of blood. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Thankfully, at that very moment, an incomparably sharp streak of blade light swept in like a shadow, just in time to intercept Chen Li.

"ROOOOOMBLE...!!"

The clash of saber and staff let out a tremendous boom that shook the night sky.

A shockwave visible to the naked eye violently spread out with the two of them at the center.

Wherever the ripple passed, the road surface was torn up inch by inch, as if it had been plowed.

Trees on both sides of the road were uprooted or snapped in half, the turf was peeled away, and dirt and rocks shot into the air.

Du Runian and Li Xinghe, already pale with fright, grabbed Luo Pingyuan and fled frantically. They didn’t feel the terrifying gale—strong enough to rip flesh from bone—begin to subside until they were over a hundred zhang away.

The center of the clash was already shrouded by raging Gang Qi and swirling dust.

Only two blurry figures could be faintly seen within, frantically crossing and colliding at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.

The ceaseless clang of metal and the boom of exploding Qi Strength echoed like a violent storm.

Each collision caused the ground to tremble slightly, setting off clusters of dazzling light and plumes of dust that shot to the sky.

The two peak experts had engaged in a direct, no-holds-barred melee.

The battle had become white-hot from the very beginning.

Meanwhile, Gao Changhe suppressed his injuries and circled the periphery of the battle, his eyes locked on Chen Li, searching for an opening to provide support.

But the more he watched, the colder his heart grew.

’I never imagined Chen Li’s power would be this monstrous! He’s deflecting the Water-Participating Ape’s torrential onslaught and even seems to be gaining the upper hand.’

’The Water-Participating Ape is a Star Monarch from the Garrison Command, renowned for his ferocious combat abilities! He’s practically unrivaled within his Realm and even has a legendary victory where he fought and killed seven opponents at once.’

’But now, against Chen Li, his deadliest killing blows can’t even pose a real threat.’

’A Dharma Aspect?!’

Gao Changhe was horrified, the corners of his mouth turning down in a bitter grimace. He couldn’t be certain, but it was the only thing that made sense.

Chen Li, in the thick of the fight, was also somewhat surprised.

This Star Monarch Water-Participating Ape’s Cultivation Realm was indeed only at the Guiyuan Pass; he had not ascended to a Magic-Related Realm.

But, the ferocity of his fighting style and the exquisite ruthlessness of his combat techniques were something Chen Li had never seen before in his life.

The incredible techniques for generating power, the impossibly acute attack vectors, and the savage fighting style that completely forsook defense to trade wounds for a kill—Chen Li had never encountered any of it.

His combat experience was so vast and his killing instincts so potent that he was likely several times stronger than the Seven Kills Ancestor.

’No wonder he has such an astonishing battle record.’

’If I weren’t suppressing him with my higher Realm, if we were on equal footing, I’d probably be in serious trouble against a madman born purely for slaughter like this.’

Chen Li was inwardly sobered.

’The Star Monarchs of the Garrison Command really live up to their reputation.’

But despite his surprise, Chen Li was not the least bit flustered.

His Primordial Qi had long since filled the three hundred and sixty-five Acupoints and Eight Extraordinary Meridians of his body, circulating endlessly and inexhaustibly.

Moreover, his body was reinforced by the Righteous Wealth Law; when it came to endurance, he had nothing to fear.

’A protracted battle?’

Chen Li was actually pleased with this.

’This is the perfect chance to study these killing arts, born from countless life-and-death struggles and tempered to perfection. I can use this to hone my Staff Technique and gain more experience in true mortal combat.’

The two fought speed with speed, their figures under the moonlight almost becoming two entangled phantoms.

The explosive sounds of the saber and staff clashing were endless, like thunder from the nine heavens rolling across the earth.

The stray Gang Qi cut the official road to pieces. The rocks and trees on both sides fared even worse, leaving a scene of utter devastation.

In less than half an hour, the two had already exchanged over a thousand blows.

The Water-Participating Ape had already sustained several wounds. While not fatal, they had disrupted the flow of his Qi, and his assault was no longer as unstoppably ferocious as it had been at the start.

The blood-hot, ferocious light in his eyes—a light of pure battle and slaughter—gradually receded, replaced by an almost glacial clarity.

"Exhilarating!"

With a long cry, he disengaged from the fight, a trace of satisfaction on his face.

His gaze first glanced at the distant Li Xinghe and Du Runian, and he spat out four cold words: "You two, leave now!"

Li Xinghe and Du Runian took Luo Pingyuan and fled frantically, disappearing into the night in an instant.

Next, the Water-Participating Ape’s cold gaze swept over Gao Changhe. "Primordial Spirit. Stall him for a moment."

Hearing this, Gao Changhe’s face turned bitter, and he nearly cursed aloud.

’A battle of Primordial Spirits is the most dangerous and unpredictable form of combat! One wrong move, and my soul will be utterly annihilated.’

’His Realm is clearly higher than mine, and he wants me to use my Divine Embryo to stall Chen Li?’

’How is that any different from suicide?’

The Water-Participating Ape’s gaze was as cold as a blade. He only spat out four words: "Otherwise, we all die!"

Gao Changhe trembled all over.

All sorts of emotions flooded his heart, but looking at the Water-Participating Ape’s determined gaze, he knew that if he backed down now, both of them would likely be buried here today.

’Chen Li will never let us go.’

"So be it!"

Gao Changhe steeled his heart, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

He grit his teeth. With a flash of purple light, a Divine Embryo that was identical to him in every way, shimmering with a violet glow, shot forth from his body.

The purple Divine Embryo transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight towards Chen Li’s Divine Hall Acupoint.

The instant Gao Changhe’s Divine Embryo left his body and lunged at Chen Li, the Water-Participating Ape moved!

He seized the moment when Chen Li would have to divert his attention to deal with this attack aimed directly at his Divine Soul. His figure suddenly charged forward, his long saber erupting with unprecedentedly brilliant light, as he launched his most ferocious assault on Chen Li.

It was an all-out, life-or-death gamble of a move, instantly forcing Chen Li back and halting his momentum.

At the same time, the Water-Participating Ape used the momentum to retreat explosively, instantly creating distance from Chen Li’s physical body.

Immediately after, a beam of light, as dazzling as white gold and carrying a chilling, murderous aura, suddenly shot up from the Baihui acupoint on the crown of his head.

"White Tiger, descend!"

A silver light shot to the sky, surging and transforming violently above his head.

In an instant, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi suddenly became violent, crazily converging towards that white light.

Even more shockingly, high in the dark night sky, the seven stars of the eastern constellation, the White Tiger Seven Stars—stars that presided over slaughter—suddenly flared with immense brilliance.

Seven silver streams of starlight, each containing a sharp, metallic killing Qi, descended as if drawn by an invisible force and merged with the white light.

"ROAR...!!!"

A tiger’s roar that shook the very Divine Soul, filled with endless majesty and killing intent, rocked heaven and earth.

Under the infusion of starlight, the white light rapidly expanded and transformed...

In the blink of an eye, it had transformed into a giant White Tiger formed from brilliant starlight and countless flowing, leaping, silver mystical runes.

The White Tiger stood on the void, its body wreathed in a sharp aura that could slice through anything.

An ancient, pure aura of slaughter swept out in all directions like a tidal wave.

’Heaven and Earth Laws?!’

Chen Li’s expression changed.

...

From Gao Changhe’s Divine Embryo lunging out to the Water-Participating Ape’s outburst and Primordial Spirit Transformation, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Facing Gao Changhe’s resolutely lunging purple Divine Embryo, Chen Li’s face showed no sign of panic.

With a slight shift in his thoughts, the Tuo Dragon Pearl silently appeared.

The Second Divine Embryo within his Divine Hall Acupoint suddenly opened its eyes. Just as Gao Changhe’s Divine Embryo was about to crash in, the Second Divine Embryo suddenly stepped out and pulled it in.

Gao Changhe’s vision blurred, and the surrounding scenery instantly changed.

"Where... is this?!"

He looked around in horror.

Below was a vibrant green meadow. In the distance were the phantoms of rolling mountains. In the sky, dense Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, almost mist-like, flowed slowly. A single breath made him feel an indescribable sense of comfort.

The purity and density of this Primordial Qi was over a hundred times greater than the outside world’s!

If he didn’t know he was in the middle of a life-or-death battle, he would have been tempted to immediately sit down and absorb this pure Primordial Qi for his Cultivation.

He snapped his head around and saw a figure floating silently not far away.

The figure looked identical to Chen Li, but its form was slightly illusory. It radiated no powerful aura, not even a trace of Spirituality.

"This is... a Divine Embryo?!"

Gao Changhe could hardly believe his senses.

He could clearly sense that this was definitely the source of Chen Li’s Divine Embryo; there was no mistaking it.

But the state of this Divine Embryo... it was clearly only recently solidified. Judging by its strength, its Cultivation Realm was, at most, at the Fifth Level of the Spirit Realm, the Void Transformation level.

"How is this possible?!"

An expression of absurdity and terror appeared on the face of Gao Changhe’s Divine Embryo.

’A Void Transformation cultivator fighting a Guiyuan cultivator—and not just any Guiyuan, but the Star Monarch Water-Participating Ape, whose combat power far exceeds a normal Guiyuan—and gaining the upper hand?!’

’Had the world gone mad, or had he?!’

For a moment, Gao Changhe’s Divine Embryo froze in place. It couldn’t advance, nor could it retreat. It didn’t dare to launch any attack against this seemingly "weak" Divine Embryo before it.