Chapter 307 - 120: Chaos

Chapter 307: Chapter 120: Chaos

Prefectural Magistrate’s Office.

’Good heavens, they even used a Decree. Just how cornered is that Zhen Family uncle and nephew pair?’

’Hm? Even the Half-Immortal Illusion, pushed to its absolute limit, was slain?!’

The Prefectural Magistrate gazed toward the Divine Capture Bureau, his pupils contracting violently. "Such peak combat strength... it’s either someone from the Court or from another Half-Immortal Family."

’An operation by the Court? I wasn’t informed! Then it’s most likely the Half-Immortal Families going at each other’s throats. It seems I was right not to get involved.’ ℴ

He was pondering this.

Just then, a subordinate rushed in. "Prefectural Magistrate, sir, this is bad! There are a large number of hidden Zhen Family diehards in both the Four Spirit Guards and the Government Army! They’ve gathered several thousand men and have already marched to reinforce the Divine Capture Bureau!"

"Bastards!"

The Prefectural Magistrate roared. With a flick of his sleeve, he swept a teacup from his desk to the floor. He took a deep breath and ground out through clenched teeth, "We can settle the score later, but later is later! For now... pick up the pace! Reinforce the Divine Capture Bureau immediately!"

His previous course of action—following procedure—was technically blameless. But with his subordinates pulling a stunt like this, if the losses were too great, he would inevitably have to share the responsibility.

Clearly, this was a case of his subordinates forcing his hand!

...

「Divine Capture Bureau.」

BOOM!

A slash pierced the heavens.

The Divine Illusion, seated high above the Nine Heavens and looking down upon the Mortal World with indifference, collapsed like a sandcastle washed away by the tide.

"This... HISS!"

Watching this scene, the expressions on Zhen Yi and Zhen Daoji’s faces shifted from hope to horror, and even a trace of terror.

The Decree had two states.

The first state, as seen at the beginning, was to empower a Second Grade existence, allowing them to cross the threshold into the First Grade—to become, as the legends say, a match for the First Grade.

The second form was the move just witnessed: pushing it to its absolute limit, sublimating its power to summon the Half-Immortal Illusion.

A moment ago, Zhen Yi had done more than just push the Decree to its limit; he had also sacrificed a Second Grade Yin Corpse Puppet. In terms of power, he had faintly surpassed the First Grade Limit.

And yet, even that was slain by a single slash from Fang Rui.

Their strongest attack was useless against Fang Rui. They had truly exhausted all their tricks. Now, they felt the very real threat of death.

But horror and terror, while real, did not stop Zhen Yi from acting.

SWOOSH!

The instant after Fang Rui shattered the Half-Immortal Illusion, Zhen Yi tapped his toes and shot backward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhen Daoji. Their only remaining Decree transformed into a Golden Lotus, rising to hover above their heads.

But this alone was far from enough to reassure him.

"Swift!"

He formed another hand seal, drawing upon the Yin Attribute Dragon Pearl Origin and his own Spiritual Power to fuel the Black Tortoise Shield, which formed a massive armored shield above their heads.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

From his Spirit Ring, one Jade Talisman after another flew out.

Zhen Daoji, in a show of perfect coordination, waved his great sleeve, and from his person, countless Treasures rose into the air: bells, cauldrons, seals, pearls, talismans... an innumerable collection.

In an instant.

A hemispherical barrier formed above the two men. It was centered on the last Decree, with various Treasures embedded in its surface, spinning ceaselessly and shimmering with iridescent light.

They clearly knew they had no hope of killing Fang Rui themselves and were now preparing to dig in, defend, and wait for reinforcements before deciding their next move.

RUSTLE!

Fang Rui descended from mid-air. His robes flapped violently in the shockwave from the shattered Half-Immortal Illusion, his face as grim as a demon’s.

"My turn!"

His aura surged as he raised his saber and strode forward.

"Fang Rui, you..."

"Young friend Fang Rui, could you please stop and listen to what I have to say..."

Zhen Daoji and Zhen Yi’s expressions changed as they both spoke at once.

SWOOSH!

A slash fell. The hundred-foot Sword Qi struck the hemispherical barrier, sending ripples across its surface.

Fang Rui said nothing, but that one slash was his answer!

He had said it before: today, they would not only determine who was stronger, but also who would live and who would die. Those were not idle words!

Moreover, now that he had the upper hand, how could he not press his advantage? One must pursue a beaten foe with all remaining strength, not seek hollow glory and let them escape!

’You think I can’t do anything to you just because you’re hiding in a tortoise shell?’

A glint flashed in Fang Rui’s eyes. He gripped the Gang Essence Light Saber with both hands as his aura surged, continuously building power, fueled by an endless supply of energy from the Yang Attribute Dragon Pearl in his chest.

In the next moment.

WHOOSH!

As Spiritual Light flared around him, his body abruptly moved. He blurred, his entire form seemingly splitting into eight afterimages.

These eight figures surrounded the hemispherical barrier, some slicing, some chopping, some flicking, some thrusting, some hacking... each a different form of attack.

That’s right! In a single instant, Fang Rui had slashed eight times. His speed was too fast for the naked eye to follow, creating the illusion of afterimages.

When Fang Rui stopped, his back was to them.

Behind him.

Encircling the hemispherical barrier, eight massive, hundred-foot blades of Sword Qi fell almost simultaneously.

Each of these blades of Sword Qi might not have been as powerful as the previous ’God and Immortal Slaying’ slash, but they were fast enough and dense enough to create a resonant effect.

WUM! WUM! WUM!

The iridescent, translucent barrier vibrated violently, and spiderweb cracks began to spread across it.

First, the golden Decree, which had seemed indestructible, began to crack. Then, Zhen Yi’s Lifebound Magical Artifact, the Black Tortoise Shield, shattered into pieces with a loud CRACKLE. After that, the other Treasures—bells, cauldrons, seals, pearls, talismans—crumbled one after another!

BOOM!

The sheer force of their confrontation caused the ground to shake as if the earth dragon were turning over.

Amidst the violent explosion, a terrifying shockwave rolled upward, forming a rising mushroom cloud.

The aftershocks swept out with the two men at the epicenter, scraping away the top layer of earth and cracking the ground in a massive, spiderweb pattern.