Chapter 1824: Deep Fractures Upon The Body (II)
Chapter 1824: Deep Fractures Upon The Body (II)
Li Ximing had already put away the golden tower. With a wave of his sleeve, he carefully retrieved a profound drum with a white hide and golden rim, along with a glass lotus throne of Valley Water, from the glass raining through the sky. Then, choosing a suitable divine ability, he picked up the kasaya lying on the ground with a great hole torn through it.
With a slight curl of his finger, the golden spear on the ground leaped up and landed in his palm like a young swallow returning to its nest. Approximately two point two six meters long, it shone with stunning colors and blazed with fierce flames. A fine treasure indeed!
Naturally, no one would contest these spoils with the Li Family, leaving Li Ximing free to collect them to his heart's content!
Yet for all his delight, Li Ximing had still noticed the cracks in Li Zhouwei's [Heaven-Venerating Gate]. However satisfying Guangchan's death might be, he sent a private voice transmission with a hint of concern.
How bad are your injuries?
Li Zhouwei remained utterly motionless, seemingly struggling to regulate his breathing after suffering serious injuries. In truth, turbulent surges were already coursing through his body, and all manner of visions flickered before his eyes, brightening before fading away!
It was the energy bestowed in return by [Illuminating Sun and Moon]!
The power gained from slaying Guangchan was considerable indeed... When he emerged from seclusion, his Dao attainment had already surpassed that of Daoist Masters such as Helian Wujiang, who focused primarily on arts and spells. Now he had taken another great stride, far exceeding Helian Wujiang and reaching the third rank.
Unfortunately, although Chen Yin had placed cultivators such as Chi Buzi and Changxiao in the second rank when he had first devised these divisions, Dao attainment was difficult to measure. The deeper it grew, the vaster it became and the harder it was to advance. The gulf between Chi Buzi and Helian Wujiang was terrifyingly wide, enough to fit more than two Azure Pond Sects within it.
After this battle, Li Zhouwei understood all the more clearly the benefits of profound Dao attainment. Its influence was subtle, yet it greatly aided both combat and cultivation. He was in no hurry.
Guangchan is only one man... There will be more opportunities... Now that I have reached the Purple Immortal Threshold, I have plenty of time to stir up the world!
In response to Li Ximing's concern, he gave a slight nod. In truth, he was not in particularly good condition. Although the mana of his divine abilities, which had been completely depleted during the battle, was rapidly replenishing, the damage to the [Heaven-Venerating Gate] caused excruciating pain in his Shenyang Mansion, which continued to tremble in wave after wave.
Though the [Heaven-Venerating Gate] is powerful, it was never meant to be used this way. It cannot withstand damage like this. Anyone else who took such a blow would suffer severe damage to their divine ability and need more than a decade to nurse it back to health. Fortunately, my foundation is strong; I came well prepared; and I wore the royal cloak... It is manageable...
Thus, his injuries lay between light and severe. It had recovered slightly when [Severed Crimson Arrowhead] withdrew, and his White Qilin life force had been driven to its peak. Having successfully braved the danger, he immediately received power in return, with the additional ninety percent going toward repairing the damage...
I estimate that this energy will stabilize my divine ability within three days, allowing me to use it again. In three months, the injury should become a minor one, though the energy will be exhausted by then. With some recovery and pills, I should be fully healed within a year.
It is a pity that the Pure Essence of [Profound Vast Art] can only repair the dharma body, not divine abilities. Otherwise, I would recover even faster!
Seeing his elder nod in relief, the King of Wei, under everyone's gaze, casually took the halberd carried in the mouth of a qilin formed from billowing clouds. He turned its blade around, his golden eyes crossing the distance to settle on the two Merciful Ones, who stood meek as quails with water and fire wrapped around them.
These are all immortal merits...
The two went deathly pale as that fearsome gaze fell upon them. Seeing the curved blade turn, Yang Ruizao finally stepped out from the crowd and said respectfully, "Your majesty, please spare them. They must be captured and presented before the emperor."
Despite his seniority, Yang Ruizao still felt apprehensive before Li Zhouwei. He lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding his eyes. Fortunately, the King of Wei nodded, took a written decree from his sleeve, and said, "Tinglan, Zhaojing, return at once to reinforce Tongmo Prefecture and Mount Xiping. Be on guard against Western Shu turning against us again."
Li Zhouwei's arrival had achieved the goal of crushing the Buddhist forces, but the south was still weaker overall, and its position remained precarious. The network formed by Xuanmiao Temple and Shanji Prefecture was like a nail, penetrating Jiangnan while also digging into the vulnerable flank of Mount Tangdao and the three rivers. It was an awkward predicament indeed.
And the Qing Family is fickle. They certainly would not hesitate to probe eastward again to undermine Great Song's gains... There is no avoiding it...
Ultimately, Li Zhouwei, Chen Yin, and the others would certainly place the safety of their own territories above Great Song's interests. If anything truly happened, they would have no qualms about abandoning their splendid gains.
To ease his concerns, Yang Ruiyi had already dispatched Wenqing of Purple Smoke Gate, clearly having made arrangements well in advance. The two accepted their orders and immediately withdrew.
Reassured, Li Zhouwei said, "Baixiang Valley has fallen, and Zhao's cultivators have scattered. Yet the Baiye region remains in our vulnerable flank, backed by Xuanmiao Temple. If they send out troops, our rear will surely be thrown into disorder. Please hold Baixiang Valley and use the Turbid Slaughter Mausoleum to form an encirclement, keeping Baiye and Xuanmiao in check."
After they agreed, the King of Wei turned to Liu Bai with a smile. "Protector-General, let us coordinate our efforts from east and west and lift the siege of Mount Tangdao together!"
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Golden light filled heaven and earth.
East of Guanlong and north of Lower Luo, yellow earth stretched across the towering Taihang Mountains. The terrain rose and fell as river valleys crisscrossed the land. Five peaks soared above it all, their summits bare of trees and covered with countless golden temples and shrines. This was Five Peaks Mountain of the brilliant dharma realm. Its highest dharma realm was the [Clear Understanding Terrace].
Countless golden statues stood atop this Buddhist terrace. Beside it, the western terrace was the [Jeweled Fang Terrace], home to innumerable temples and even more monks. Many cultivators flew in and out, lodging there during their travels.
But now, an unsettling atmosphere hung over the [Jeweled Fang Terrace]. Hurried footsteps sounded everywhere as monks bustled up and down, some whispering among themselves and others speaking bitterly. Some Venerable Ones even coughed up blood and collapsed, only to be hastily carried into the temples.
Amid the commotion, an old monk hurried up with a terrified expression, pushed open the doors of the highest temple, and entered. At its center stood a statue with golden eyes and a bare body, radiating boundless brilliance, with a qilin beneath its seat. It stood approximately three hundred and four metres tall, only one foot shorter than the supreme statue on the [Clear Understanding Terrace].
Beside it stood another statue, depicting a handsome monk with refined features. Pure white from head to toe, it stood approximately one hundred and seventy metres tall. Yet now... a golden-white mark was spreading down from the handsome monk's smooth head and disappearing beneath his collar!
The meaning of this sight could not have been clearer!
"My lord!"
The old monk felt his entire world collapse. He dropped to his knees with a thud, sobbing so hard that he could barely speak, frantic with terror. After weeping for some time, he stumbled and crawled back toward the door, crying out in anguish, "Quickly, fetch... Quickly, fetch the young ancestral master!"
Yet all the commotion in the temple fell silent in an instant. A pair of plain cloth shoes stepped into the hall. The young monk in black helped the old man to his feet, his expression conflicted. He wiped the tears from the old man's face, then looked up at the cracked statue.
The statue seemed ready to shatter at any moment, yet an invisible hue held its form together, preserving it as a whole. The dense cracks covering its body looked almost ornamental, fitting perfectly into its appearance.
Yet the kasaya remained unbroken. After gazing at it for a while, the black-robed monk stepped forward and opened his hand. The kasaya on the statue dissolved into brilliant light on the breeze, cascading across the floor like a magnificent waterfall.
His eyes reddened as he said quietly, "The deep fractures upon his body tell me that my martial nephew's wish has been fulfilled. He did not die with regret."