Chapter 625 - 339: Advance or Die, Two Flower Realm as the Whetstone

At that time, he didn’t even consider Li Heng of the Li Family, Tao Shengjiang of the Tao Family, and others worth his attention, merely a bunch of privileged heirs relying on their ancestral shade.

However...

Thirty years later, he still remained at the Two Flowers Realm, blocked by the Taoist Sect gate of Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, unable to progress beyond the Third Grade for over thirty years.

To overcome this, Sikong Li did not hesitate to collaborate with someone to attack the Young Master of the Cyan Fish Gang, seeking to break through with the help of the formidable adversary, Baili Feng.

If he could kill such a genius as Baili Feng, it would clear his mind and perhaps lead to a breakthrough.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Baili Feng’s strength and eventually failed. Recently, he chose to attack the Prefectural Governor’s ships. At the point of life and death, he did gain something, but Xue Ping’s half-step Third Grade strength was too formidable, and he was defeated too quickly, failing to meet Sikong Li’s expectations.

"Is it true that I, Sikong Li, may never even glimpse the opportunity of the Upper Three Grades in this lifetime?!"

After a few breaths, Sikong Li could only sigh.

Thirty years of wasted time smoothed the once dazzling brilliance of a genius, making him deeply feel the gap between mediocrity and true genius, and he realized the limits of human effort.

In this world, some things cannot be achieved merely by hard work; perhaps being innately insufficient means never reaching them.

Yet, he couldn’t give up.

On the Martial Dao path, life is short; to not advance is to die!

"Moo moo moo——!"

Just as Sikong Li closed his eyes again to continue cultivating, an urgent warning horn sounded loudly outside, with flames and chaos rushing in.

"Enemy attack? Is it that old rascal Xue Ping or..."

Sikong Li’s phoenix eyes suddenly opened wide, unable to hide a hint of ferocity. He reached out and grabbed the Tiger Head Saber lying across his lap, his blood-colored robe billowing as he stood up solemnly.

"Discovered?!"

The moment the horn sounded, the thousand disciples of the Cyan Fish Gang hesitated only slightly before drawing their blades together. Since the intruders had discovered them, there was no point in hiding. Unless Sikong Li’s men were blind, it would be nearly impossible for so many people to land on the island without being noticed!

Then they would slaughter their way in.

"Kill, kill your way in for me!"

In the center of the island, amidst the flickering flames, one by one, the Sea Pirates were startled awake from their dreams and rolled out of bed. They grabbed the blades on their bodies immediately, despite being surprised at how quickly the pursuers arrived. However, they were elites with their hands stained with human blood and quickly regained their composure.

"Those warships landing on the island bear the Cyan Fish Gang insignia; they are from the Cyan Fish Gang!"

"Cyan Fish Gang?"

The Sea Pirates reacted quickly, soon confirming the identity of the attackers. Upon knowing it’s the Cyan Fish Gang, a sense of panic flashed in their hearts.

The Cyan Fish Gang and the White Whale Gang were established through maritime shipping; naturally, they had a never-ending feud with these river bandits plundering passing merchant ships. It was a conflict born of mutual interests that was almost impossible to reconcile.

Moreover, earlier on, under Sikong Li’s leadership, they had attacked the Cyan Fish Gang’s Young Master Baili Feng, likely prompting this revenge attack.

"Defeated warriors, Baili child, you still have time to withdraw, don’t mislead yourself!"

The Cyan Fish Gang disciples had yet to approach the island’s center when a thunderous roar came from the distance; the shout swept over them with immense pressure, shaking many of the Cyan Fish Gang disciples, causing their faces to change!

Upon hearing this, Baili Feng sneered and spoke.

"Sikong Li, you dare speak of defeated warriors before me; if it weren’t for that dog villain using a sneaky arrow to attack your grandpa Baili, the outcome would still be undetermined. Today, I will definitely chop down your head to intimidate the scoundrels!"

"Kill them all!"

Soldier against soldier, general against general.

Many Cyan Fish Gang disciples collectively let out roars as they charged toward the island’s center.

"Fire the arrows!"

Sikong Li’s subordinates, the Sea Pirates, with rich combat experience, immediately commanded the battle. The river bandits took strong bows and drew strings, firing arrows from a high position.

Striking from above, the tactical advantage was undeniably theirs.

"Whiz whiz whiz!"

Arrows rained down, and even though the Cyan Fish Gang disciples quickly activated Qi Blood to shield themselves and pour Power into their armor, the arrows obstructed their charge.

"Squelch!"

Some Cyan Fish Gang disciples, lacking strength or luck, were turned into pincushions by the rain of arrows and died on the spot.

They were indeed the elite of the Cyan Fish Gang, but the other side was also the elite among the river bandits, among them were the presence of middle-grade martial artists, and the special armor-piercing arrows infused with qi blood and power posed a great threat.

"Whiz!"

A streaking red arrow left a blazing trail across the night sky, amidst a scream of despair, a pirate bending his bow to shoot was instantly killed by a red arrow, exploding into a mass of blurred flesh.

Then the sound of whooshing continued, five consecutive arrows hit their mark perfectly without fail among the thousand-man pirate crowd, precisely exterminating five archers.

"Don’t panic, first row disciples form groups of fifty, raise shields and form a defensive formation!"

"Cyan Flood Dragon Hall disciples, stand ready at all times."

"Rear archers, prepare!"

Baili Hongtang’s red dress rustled in the sea breeze, her heroic eyes surveyed the field, controlling the bowstring with composure while issuing commands.

"Sikong Li, come and meet your end!"

With his sister in command, Baili Feng brandished his domineering blue Whale-Slaying Saber, drawing it to slay several surrounding pirates, leading the vanguard, directly charging toward the center of the island through the rain of arrows.

"Don’t mind him, leave him to me."

Sikong Li instructed, and immediately the pirates’ archers gave up shooting at Baili Feng, as Baili Feng was protected by top-grade fourth-grade defensive Dharma Artifact, Cyan Fish Armor, which ordinary arrows could not harm.

His fierce eyes scanned the field, his gaze lingered only briefly on the Baili siblings, as Sikong Li saw only Baili Feng and Baili Hongtang as threats, the rest were beneath him.

"A defeated foe dares to speak of courage, I’m not afraid of you, child!"

Sikong Li wielded a Tiger Head Saber and shouted sternly, his qi blood surged like a tide, instantly forming a seven-foot five-petal Blood Lotus above his head, with power and martial momentum bursting forth.

Another six-foot Martial Force Lotus formed, the first two flowers were now solid, only the third was unstable between reality and illusion, only three feet big.

With the Three Flowers overhead, a terrifying aura centered around Sikong Li spread, as if the fog in the sky was driven away and tinged blood red.

"His strength is not weaker than Gongyang Jue... perhaps even stronger by a margin!"

Su Mu saw this from afar, feeling slightly alarmed.

However, he had no reason to worry, as his big brother Baili Feng had taken the Small Yellow Court, gaining the Cyan Fish Gang’s Great Elder’s Small Yellow Court, and his strength had been rapidly growing this period.

If one dares to openly lead the fleet to the island, naturally they have confidence!

"Boom!"

Baili Feng also unleashed his inner power, tearing through the fog with rolling qi blood, a towering nine-foot Blood Lotus formed first, followed closely by an eight-foot Martial Force Lotus.

"Nine-foot Blood Lotus... and an eight-foot Martial Force Lotus!"

Sikong Li’s expression changed greatly upon seeing this, yet he relaxed slightly as there seemed to be no sign of a third lotus forming.

"Die!"

Baili Feng roared, charging into the battle of thousands unimpeded, colliding heavily with Sikong Li, their terrifying auras crushing each other fiercely.

"You’re the one who will die!"

The entire island shuddered momentarily, as the two ’Two-Flower Realm’ powerhouses with large flowers overhead began fierce life-or-death combat, saber lights entwining.

A river bandit caught in the aftermath of Baili Hongtang’s arrow only managed to scream once, as his body burst into countless blood threads.

With blood gushing, his body was torn asunder, this fifth-grade river bandit instantly transformed into a pile of debris.

"Big brother is suppressing his own martial momentum, he plans to use Sikong Li as a whetstone before breaking through!"

Su Mu’s eyes gleamed with clarity as he clearly sensed a faint yet solid martial momentum from the Whale-Slaying Saber piercing the sky, showing Baili Feng intentionally suppressing his martial momentum to sharpen himself using Sikong Li.

But...

Sikong Li was not simple either.

Baili Hongtang’s brow furrowed slightly like distant mountains as her inherently gifted eyes perceived Sikong Li’s Martial Momentum Flower overhead, restless, hinting at signs of Three Flowers Gathering at the Top.

While her brother sharpened himself using Sikong Li, Sikong Li was also using her big brother to attempt the breakthrough to Three Flowers Gathering at the Top!