Cultivation Method and Spell Both Break Through

Seeing Tang Qi's aura float all the way up to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, the expressions of the Transformation Class disciples on the field changed.

They were geniuses, that much was true, but they were still too young.

They were a whole generation below Tang Qi.

At Tang Qi's age, they would have reached at least the Golden Core stage, but for now, they were merely a group of Qi Refining stage cultivators who had just stepped onto the path of immortality.

Nor was Tang Qi an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. He was one of the core disciples of a Devil Dao Sect.

Whether it was spiritual artifacts, spells, or cultivation methods, he lacked nothing.

As they were now, they were no match for such a devil cultivator.

The only people they could rely on were Murong Qing and Jiang Li.

The former was a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator with astonishing spells, while the latter had comprehended the devastating move known as Sword Aura Manifestation, allowing him to slay Foundation Establishment cultivators with a Qi Refining body.

"Protect Brother Jiang!"

Shen Lin and the others immediately understood their situation.

They all moved to stand before Jiang Li.

Li Xi, the girl in azure robes, placed her delicate little hand on Jiang Li's body, her tiny face stern. "Senior Brother Jiang, I'll help you restore your Mana."

Jiang Li was stunned at first.

Then he discovered that the depleted Mana within him had miraculously recovered completely.

In exchange, seventy percent of Li Xi's Mana vanished into thin air.

Holy shit.

Was she a humanoid mana potion?

The kind that instantly filled the bar to the brim?

That effect was a little insane.

He could see it now. This girl's role in the team was that of a healer.

Not only did she possess healing spells, she also had the ability to replenish her teammates' mana at crucial moments.

With her around, it was like carrying a hidden reserve power source.

The others also each displayed their own abilities.

Of the twin brothers, one tossed out an array disk, instantly forming an array that enveloped Jiang Li, while the other scattered talismans and pasted them onto the array barrier, causing golden light to burst forth.

Shen Lin and Fang Shi, the two Half-Step Foundation Establishment fighters, guarded both sides like left and right protectors.

They formed a flimsy line of defense.

Murong Qing stood outside the array several hundred meters away, battling Tang Qi through the air. Sword Qi rained down and shot into the heavens. Her offensive was ferocious; though she could not inflict much damage, she successfully kept the enemy occupied.

Everyone performed their own duties.

They did their utmost to play their respective roles well.

At a glance, the situation seemed to have stabilized.

But Jiang Li knew this was only temporary.

Tang Qi, who had fused with the scarlet python, had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. The scales covering his body were invulnerable. Murong Qing, having only just entered Foundation Establishment, was suppressing an enemy at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, but that was already her limit.

The moment her Mana ran dry, no one on the field would be able to stop him.

Their excellent situation would collapse overnight.

Unfortunately.

The other side had run into a cheat like him.

As long as he remained in an unmanaged state, he could use every hidden function of his cultivation methods and spells, including the heaven-defying ability to draw Spirit Stones dry and infinitely stack Mana.

Give him endless Spirit Stones, and he could split open the heavens.

That was no joke.

With that thought.

Jiang Li took out a large number of Spirit Stones from his Storage Ring.

He began extracting the spiritual energy within them in bulk.

These were cultivation resources his teacher Zhang Song had given him. He had counted them before; there were more than three thousand in total. If he drained them all, he could unleash at least Golden Core-stage combat strength.

But against Tang Qi at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, he did not need that many.

Fifteen hundred would be about enough.

Even fewer would do.

After all.

Tang Qi was now recognized as a dragon in the eyes of the spell "Dragon Slaying Sword." The Dragon Bane trait had been triggered, increasing damage by 110%.

Very soon.

A pale golden, tangible sword aura condensed once more in Jiang Li's palm.

The color of the sword aura grew increasingly solid.

It shifted from pale gold to brilliant gold, then gradually turned toward orange-gold.

An extremely terrifying, razor-sharp aura swept out from Jiang Li's body.

Its edge was so sharp that Shen Lin and Fang Shi, who guarded his sides, could clearly feel their skin being pricked. The glare was so blinding they could not open their eyes.

"What exquisite control. He can even use Mana that isn't his own to condense a spell's killing move and keep it from collapsing. Even cultivators with divine sense couldn't accomplish this."

The group was secretly shocked.

Stormy waves churned in their hearts.

Even the feeling of shock had disappeared.

Shock was what one felt upon seeing something within the bounds of one's understanding. What stood before them had already exceeded the scope of their understanding.

They were heavenly prodigies, but Jiang Li was a monster far beyond them.

Meanwhile.

Tang Qi had also noticed Jiang Li's movements.

When he saw the sword aura solidify into an orange-gold color, his eyelids twitched wildly, as though an immense crisis was about to descend upon him.

He roared and charged forward.

He wanted to interrupt Jiang Li's casting.

However...

Murong Qing's sword was far too troublesome.

It was a top-tier second-rank spiritual treasure, capable of slicing through iron like mud. He could not truly use his physical body to withstand it head-on.

If he dodged, he would be dragged into her rhythm.

Before her Mana ran out, he had no way whatsoever to break through the encirclement.

Was this the sort of prodigy cultivated by the Heavenly Mystery Holy Land?

He was a core disciple of a devil sect, his cultivation a major realm above hers, yet he could do nothing to her.

And the other one was even more terrifying.

With Qi Refining stage cultivation, he had slain someone across realms, and now he was still charging up a killing move that made Tang Qi feel the threat of death.

Why couldn't supreme prodigies like these all just die off?

Tang Qi felt the injustice more and more keenly.

His eyes turned bloodshot.

He looked utterly deranged.

Murong Qing paid him no heed.

She merely calmly judged how many more seconds her Mana could hold out.

Several more seconds passed.

The sense of threat coming from below grew increasingly severe.

Tang Qi suddenly came to his senses.

He knew he could not wait any longer.

Failing to kill these Spirit Transformation seedlings would at most count as dereliction of duty, but if he stubbornly persisted, he might very well die at the hands of these young cultivators who had only just emerged into the world.

At that thought.

Tang Qi stopped, his venomous gaze sweeping over this group of prodigies.

Then he turned and left.

"You came all this way. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

At that moment.

Jiang Li rose to his feet.

The nine hundred and eightieth Spirit Stone in his hand turned to powder.

The remaining spiritual energy flowed into the orange-gold sword aura in his palm.

Making its radiance grow even brighter.

Tang Qi's expression darkened. Just as he was about to speak, Murong Qing beat him to it and produced a pendulum spiritual artifact.

The pendulum swayed, emitting a crisp tolling sound.

The sound rolled forth mightily.

It brushed over Tang Qi.

Causing him to lose focus for an instant.

This was one of Murong Qing's methods that she had kept hidden. Had she used this spiritual artifact from the beginning, things would have been easier for her, but she had held it back for this very moment.

"Now."

"The chance."

The instant Murong Qing spoke, the same thought appeared in Jiang Li's mind.

The sword aura transformed into a dragon, triggering the "Fire Intent" trait. It became a roaring crimson dragon that howled as it opened its maw and swallowed Tang Qi in a single bite.

The razor-sharp sword light tore apart the body of this cultivator at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage almost instantly.

At the same time, the scorching dragon breath burned his body to ash.

Only a wisp of black ash remained, carried away by the wind and scattered between heaven and earth.

"It's over."

Jiang Li let out a breath of turbid air.

Right then.

The cold system notification sounded one after another.

Ding. The cultivation method "Profound Yellow Heart Refining Art" looked upon the Yin Puppet Sect's secret base, slaughtered to the last, spread its arms, and received the blessings of the wronged souls here. Its Dao Heart grew increasingly clear, and it faintly gained some insight.

Cultivation Method Progress +50%.

Option Mission completed. Completion reward: Heart of Justice.

New trait: Heart of Justice.

Heart of Justice: Knows the hearts of others and distinguishes good from evil. Your eyes are the ruler; they can discern the sins and merits of any living being. Those burdened by grave sins have nowhere to hide before you.

As your conviction in justice has strengthened, the trait "Teachings" has begun to evolve.

Evolving...

Along with that mechanical electronic voice, Jiang Li's aura suddenly surged.

His Mana increased by a large margin out of nowhere.

He officially stepped into Qi Refining Level 7.

He entered the late Qi Refining stage.

Immediately afterward.

Another system notification rang out.

Ding. The spell "Dragon Slaying Sword" slew a Flood Dragon across realms, bathed in dragon blood, and saw its dragon-slaying career flourish day by day. Dragon damage +150%. Obtained Dragon's Might.

New trait: Dragon's Might.

Dragon's Might: When the target of a slash is a dragon-type creature, the slash automatically carries pressure, weakening dragon-type creatures by 30%.

Jiang Li smacked his lips.

A bountiful harvest, a truly bountiful harvest.

Today was truly a fine day.

P.S. This humble author is begging for investment, recommendation tickets, and monthly tickets!!!