Chapter 526 - 495: Ignoring Advice, Regretting Too Late

Chapter 526: Chapter 495: Ignoring Advice, Regretting Too Late

"What’s going on?"

"Who is this person?"

Ye Shaoqiu, who had been on guard against another potential attacker, could only stare, dumbfounded.

He was well aware of He Gaohang’s strength. While no match for himself, He Gaohang was still a first-rate expert. He had earned the position of Vice Chief of the Sacrificial Hall step by step through his own merits...

’He couldn’t even withstand a single one of the man’s moves?’

Everyone had assumed he was just Xiao Chan’s lackey, so all their attention was focused on the rebel disciple. Who would have thought this man’s power was so terrifying—that he was even stronger than Xiao Chan!

There were plenty of renowned Sword Cultivators in the world, but few were this formidable.

WHOOSH—

The silence, punctuated only by the churning waves, stretched on.

In the end, it was Ye Shaoqiu who broke the silence:

"Your Cultivation is profound. Why involve yourself with a rebel disciple from my Sect? Aren’t you afraid the Primordial Sect will exterminate your entire clan? I’ll give you a chance to atone for your actions. Capture Xiao Chan for us, and we will let bygones be bygones."

As the Great Protector, he had the authority to make such an offer.

Besides, a man of his strength could easily take He Gaohang’s place.

Chen Che hovered in mid-air and spoke in a deliberately raspy voice:

"I’m only here for money. Leave the cargo from this ship, and I’ll let you all go."

"HA HA HA HA!"

Ye Shaoqiu’s expression shifted before he threw his head back and roared with laughter. As he laughed, the grinding of gears echoed from the ship’s rails. Rows of Bed Crossbows swiveled in unison to aim at Chen Che, their countless Magic Patterns flaring to life once more:

"Since you’re so determined to die, Fellow Daoist, then I suppose I must oblige you."

The instant the words left his mouth, the dozens of Bed Crossbows aboard the Spiritual Boat released their strings in unison.

SWOOSH—

Dozens of Crossbow Arrows shot out like streaks of lightning. The Magic Patterns etched upon them erupted, transforming them into crackling thunderbolts, spears of ice, or multiplying them a hundredfold. They tore through the air, sealing off the entire area.

Weapons deployed for offense by the Primordial Sect were naturally no trivial matter. The power of the Bed Crossbows had already been demonstrated—they could easily kill at least one Golden Core cultivator.

As everyone watched, Chen Che showed no intention of blocking or dodging. With the longsword of condensed seawater in his hand, he executed a single, sweeping slash.

BOOM—

There was still no discernible technique to the strike; it was the simplest of Sword Techniques. But powered by a Golden Core Sixth Layer Realm, a single swing unleashed a blinding Sword Rainbow that crashed forward like a furious tidal wave.

When the blade swept past him, it left a perfect arc hanging in mid-air.

"BANG!"

The arc of the sword expanded outward, and the air it shredded rushed in all directions like a tempest. The dozens of incoming Fury Arrows exploded the instant they collided with the shockwave.

The Golden Core cultivators from the Primordial Sect, however, were not intimidated. They seized the opportunity, their True Essence erupting as they transformed into streaks of Escape Light and charged toward Chen Che.

Their primary target had been Xiao Chan, but after witnessing the power of Chen Che’s single strike, they immediately changed their objective.

"HAH!"

But Chen Che was not fighting alone. Just then, Xiao Chan advanced, raising his banner.

Xiao Chan was only at the Golden Core Fourth Layer, hardly a standout among the other Golden Core cultivators present. The Soul-Calling Banner, however, more than compensated for his lack of strength. Seeing the others charge, he held nothing back. With a wave of the great banner, a torrent of countless Divine Souls poured forth.

The Divine Souls formed a black tide reeking of violent energy, and it surged toward their enemies, blotting out the sky.

In a single moment, the clear sky was consumed by the Divine Souls, plunging the world into a darkness so complete you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

’What an absurdly powerful Soul-Calling Banner. No wonder so many Golden Core cultivators have died by his hand.’

Ye Shaoqiu’s heart went cold. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind before he quickly barked his orders.

The charging Golden Core cultivators immediately split into two groups. He and Tu Zhenxi of the Three Protectors lunged for Chen Che, while the others swarmed Xiao Chan. Ye Shaoqiu was extremely experienced; he could tell Chen Che was a Sword Cultivator who was purposefully not using his Weapon, obviously to conceal his identity.

He could also tell the man’s power was even greater than he was letting on, which was why he’d decided to engage him personally. As he charged, he waved his hands, summoning an endless torrent of seawater.

WHOOSH—

Thousands of columns of water erupted, weaving and spiraling with the movements of his hands. They formed a giant Queen of the Night cactus flower, whose petals abruptly closed in on themselves.

RUMBLE—

Space itself trembled, and the displaced seawater violently surged in all directions.

Ye Shaoqiu, using the sea as his cage, had struck! He had sealed Chen Che within the watery prison!

Right behind him, Tu Zhenxi accelerated violently. He lunged forward, his movement like a zig-zagging bolt of lightning. His right hand swung his Ring-Headed Saber, unleashing an incredibly solid blade of light that slashed directly toward Chen Che’s body. As the blade passed, it felt as though everyone’s vision was being split in two.

Truly worthy of a Sect Protector; their level of experience was beyond imagination. If Rong Zhongxuan, the Protector of Jinyun Valley, were here, he would likely die of shame on the spot. It was obvious the two had fought together many times. They didn’t just attack; they struck with the intent to kill.

On the reef, Zhao Changping’s expression fell. He could see that Chen Che was trapped. Though formed from seawater, the flower was held together by Ye Shaoqiu’s immense Divine Sense, making it as strong as a Magical Artifact.

In a one-on-one fight, there might have been a chance.

But with one of the Three Protectors watching like a tiger, there was no opportunity to be had. Even if Chen Che managed to dodge Tu Zhenxi’s blade, Ye Shaoqiu would strike at that exact moment. Against their combined assault, Chen Che’s death seemed all but certain.

The sight caused Xiao Chan’s face to pale, but he was tied up by five Golden Core cultivators. Even with the Soul-Calling Banner, he was in no position to help.

A smirk even began to form on Tu Zhenxi’s lips, but the smile froze the instant it appeared.

BANG—

Trapped in the water flower and seemingly at a dead end, as the blade descended, Chen Che pushed his True Essence to its absolute limit. With a deafening roar, he burst free from his prison, a great wave of water erupting with him.

As he burst out, man and sword moved as one, meeting Tu Zhenxi’s descending blade head-on.

"BANG!"

The two figures collided in mid-air. Tu Zhenxi was sent flying backward.

The scene left the Primordial Sect’s Golden Core cultivators stunned. The aura Chen Che was projecting was that of a Mid-stage Golden Core at best, but the sheer volume of his True Essence was simply absurd.

However, Ye Shaoqiu was a veteran Golden Core of the Primordial Sect. He didn’t panic. Instead, he simply raised his hand and waved.

The exploded seawater rapidly contracted and solidified into a massive, crystal-clear sphere of ice that shot forward with overwhelming force. He began to chant in a low, deep tone. The sea surged once more, forming a shimmering Water Dragon that coiled and lunged.

Simultaneously, his hands blurred through a series of Sealing Techniques. Each seal was a Magic, making it seem as if dozens of Golden Core cultivators were attacking at once. The Great Protector was displaying the full extent of his immense Divine Sense.

BOOM—

Chen Che had just blasted Tu Zhenxi away when he was met with this overwhelming barrage of Magic. Mixed within it were several insidious spells emanating black qi. Clearly, the Great Protector had also dabbled in some Evil Techniques.

Such a vast number of spells sealed the area completely. No one could have possibly dodged or blocked such an attack.

And yet, Chen Che simply raised a hand...

FWOOSH!

Like fledglings returning to their nest, the countless spells flew toward him and were absorbed.

’You son of a bitch!’

To unleash hundreds of spells in one go, only to have them effortlessly snatched away... The feeling was like betting your entire fortune on a single outcome, only to realize you’d perfectly managed to pick the one wrong choice. Even in the heat of battle, he couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

"What kind of Magical Artifact is that? A gourd?"

Through the dazzling light, he could only vaguely make out a Gourd in the man’s hand.

Before he could process it, light flared in Chen Che’s eyes, and a wave of Divine Sense crashed down upon him.

’Good!’

Ye Shaoqiu was overjoyed. ’He’s actually trying to fight me with Divine Sense? Everyone in the Sect knows I’m famous for the strength of my Divine Sense!’ His Divine Soul stirred, and he lashed out with his own, holding nothing back.

The two invisible, formless waves of Divine Sense collided in the void with the force of two behemoth ships crashing into one another.

"I..."

Ye Shaoqiu’s sea of consciousness churned violently. His ears went deaf, and blood streamed from them. His mind reeled with disbelief.

’His Divine Sense is that powerful... Could he be at Golden Core Great Perfection?’

"Fellow Daoist, the cargo on this Spiritual Boat is yours..."

Ye Shaoqiu said hurriedly, backing away as fast as he could.

’The man’s only after money. There’s no need for me to fight him to the death.’

"Fellow Daoist Ye, I advised you to let go, but you wouldn’t listen. It’s too late for regrets now!" ’He’s weakened; now is the time to kill him. He already saw me use the Thunder Jade Gourd to absorb those Magic spells.’

’Letting him leave would only invite future disaster.’

VMMMM—

He wrapped the Thunder Jade Gourd in True Essence to conceal its appearance, then swung it down with all his might. The attack triggered a celestial phenomenon. A bolt of lightning shot out, transforming into a thunderbolt hundreds of zhang long. Like a meteor streaking through the daytime sky, it crashed toward the sea with a deafening CRACK.

"Rise!"

Horrified, Ye Shaoqiu waved his hands, calling upon the endless sea in a desperate attempt to block the attack.

With that one gesture, it seemed as if the entire Black Tortoise Calm Sea was being lifted into the air. At the same time, he released countless Talismans. But the Magic drawn on the talisman paper was no match for a full-power strike from the Thunder Jade Gourd.

His defenses didn’t last even a single breath before the Thunder Jade Gourd smashed through them, and he was completely submerged beneath the endless waves.