Refined in an Instant!

Tsk.

Had he always been this bold?

The Bian Empress seated in that chair was very likely a Golden Core True Lord. Yet Li Jiejian dared to speak to her like that, without fearing she would strike him dead on the spot.

Even with a Golden Core True Lord of the Eastern Bian Li Clan protecting him in secret, this was plainly courting death.

After all, to a Golden Core True Lord, once someone at Fifth-Turn Qi Refinement had outlived his usefulness, his death was of no consequence. His value was already gone.

As these thoughts passed through Zhang Yuan's mind, he began pondering what Li Jiejian had just said.

He had even called him brother-in-law. It seemed the Eastern Bian Li Clan really had come to steal the groom this time.

It was strange, when he thought about it. He and the Eastern Bian Li Clan were mortal enemies, yet now they had come to steal him away from his wedding.

He wondered whether the Li Clan Daughter he was betrothed to was here.

Zhang Yuan scanned the members of the Li Clan, his gaze settling on the cloaked Li Zhongshuang.

Here after all. But why keep wearing a cloak?

"How could the Princess's Consort be your brother-in-law? Junior of the Li Clan, do not make an unreasonable scene here, or do not blame me for disregarding our ties and throwing you into prison."

The Bian Emperor, whose eyes had been unfocused, suddenly spoke.

The Bian Empress herself, whom Li Jiejian had challenged, merely watched him with a smile, showing not the slightest sign of panic.

Li Jiejian refused to yield. "The Princess's Consort is betrothed to a daughter of our Eastern Bian Li Clan. Even for the Third Princess, stealing another woman's husband would hardly sound good if word got out. Your Majesty, please allow my brother-in-law to return with us."

"Betrothed to a daughter of the Eastern Bian Li Clan..."

The Bian Emperor murmured, then continued, "Convey my verbal decree. Effective immediately, the betrothal between the Princess's Consort and the Li Clan Daughter of the Bian Kingdom is dissolved."

Li Jiejian's expression froze.

"That settles the matter. Continue the wedding bows."

Once the Bian Emperor finished speaking, the light in his eyes faded again.

"First bow, to heaven and earth."

Zhang Yuan and Dongfang Caibai bowed to heaven and earth.

With a sudden surge—

Zhang Yuan's pupils trembled violently after the bow. He felt an inexplicably mighty power settle upon him.

This power had no substance, nor did it directly strengthen his cultivation or power. Instead, it enhanced his fortune predestination and fortune!

This was the Bian Kingdom's national fortune!

The national fortune of an entire kingdom had been divided in two by the Bian Empress and bestowed upon him and Dongfang Caibai.

At a loss, Li Jiejian stood frozen, turning to look at his fifth uncle, Li Houxuan, and Li Houjin.

Chu Miaofu furrowed her brows.

Her Dao status as a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being allowed her to see the national fortune bestowed upon Zhang Yuan and Dongfang Caibai trickling away, flowing toward the Bian Kingdom's Demon Empress seated before them.

We can't wait any longer. If they finish the wedding bows and truly become husband and wife, the Demon Empress may devour every last bit of the national fortune.

"Make your move," Chu Miaofu said.

Li Houjin gave a slight nod.

Apart from the emperor, Dongfang Jing, and the Third Princess, Dongfang Caibai, the Demon Empress had slaughtered every member of the Bian Kingdom's imperial family, direct and collateral branches alike.

She had done so to weaken the imperial bloodline's influence over the Bian Kingdom's national fortune.

Now Dongfang Caibai was the sole remaining heir of that imperial bloodline. Once the reigning emperor, Dongfang Jing, died, she would be the undisputed successor to the imperial throne. Even as a woman, she could bear the Bian Kingdom's fortune.

But heaven and earth possessed the ultimate principle of yin and yang. Dongfang Caibai could bear only half; the other half required a Princess's Consort.

Thus, they only needed to kill the Princess's Consort, and the Demon Empress's scheme would collapse without a fight!

Without the slightest hesitation over harming an innocent, Li Houjin struck with his palm, aiming straight for Zhang Yuan's life.

As before, his palm strike appeared gentle, yet concealed murderous intent.

Even a casual palm strike from a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being was far beyond what a Qi Refinement Perfected could withstand.

Zhang Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.

Li Houjin again. Time after time, he had tried to take his life.

"How dare you!"

Just as Zhang Yuan was about to be killed by that palm, the force restraining Dongfang Caibai abruptly slackened. With a sharp rebuke, she waved her hand and blocked Li Houjin's attack.

Beneath her red bridal veil, Dongfang Caibai's eyes burned with anger. She was deeply displeased with Li Houjin.

After their first bow to heaven and earth, the national fortune had settled upon them, linking Zhang Yuan's life to hers. Now, glory for one meant glory for both; ruin for one meant ruin for both.

Li Houjin's attack was not merely an attempt to kill Zhang Yuan, but to kill her along with him. He truly had no regard for the rules.

His gaze indifferent, Li Houjin took a step forward.

In an instant, silence fell over the Third Princess's Residence. Space warped like colored glass, the wind passing through the hall abruptly froze, and an invisible hand erased every clamor. All was utterly still, as though the residence had been severed from the world outside.

[Eternal Present Tranquility Domain].

This was no divine ability, but a Dao domain possessed only by Foundation-Building Heavenly Beings.

By evolving a domain from their own Dao, they isolated external laws. It existed within them, yet stood independent of heaven and earth, upholding their Dao status and giving rise to myriad transformations. The Dao domain could be called the very foundation of a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being.

Within such a Dao domain, a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being was akin to the Heavenly Dao itself. Every word and deed embodied the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

At this moment, Li Houjin's Dao domain had enveloped the Third Princess's Residence.

Had Li Houjin unleashed his Dao domain last time, Xiao Yuanjun could never have snatched away the [Iron Chain Baleful Force], even with her Dao status approaching that of a Heavenly Being. Whether she could have escaped at all would have been in question.

Once a Dao domain formed, only a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being of the same realm could clash with it using another Dao domain, competing to see whose Daoist attainment was greater. Qi Refinement Perfected had no power whatsoever to resist.

Dongfang Caibai frowned, knowing Li Houjin was getting serious. She was about to unleash her own Dao domain and meet him head-on.

But just then—

An unforeseen change erupted.

A dazzling, almost imperceptible shimmer of light fell from the void, landing upon Zhang Yuan and Dongfang Caibai.

This shimmer was none other than the [Shared-Lifeforce Baleful Force], which embodied the imago of sharing life and death!

Frozen in place, Xiao Yuanjun immediately unleashed her fourth life-bound divine ability, [Heaven-Sundering Four Absolutes Immortal Domain], upon seeing this earthly baleful force, instantly raising her Dao status to just below that of a Heavenly Being.

"I can only move my fingers? Still, that's enough."

Xiao Yuanjun moved a finger. "Swiftly!"

[Fivefold Body-Rending Qi] [Ninefold Harmonizing Qi].

Defiling wind and clear qi emerged together, instantly pressing the entire [Shared-Lifeforce Baleful Force] onto Zhang Yuan.

"Refine it, quickly," Xiao Yuanjun said gravely.

As the shimmer landed on him, Zhang Yuan felt its abundant imago and immediately circulated his cultivation method, beginning to refine the [Shared-Lifeforce Baleful Force].

Li Houjin frowned.

Refining an earthly baleful force right in front of me? How naive.

Never mind that Fifth-Turn Qi Refinement and Six-Turn Qi Refinement make no difference to a Heavenly Being. Given the difficulty of refining the heavenly dipper and earthly baleful forces alone, he might not even refine half before he dies...

Hm?

Yet less than two breaths after Zhang Yuan touched the shimmer, he had completely refined the imago of the [Shared-Lifeforce Baleful Force].

That fast? How is that possible!

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Zhang Yuan broke through to Six-Turn Qi Refinement.

[Iron Chain Baleful Force] [Linked-Chain Baleful Force] [Shared-Lifeforce Baleful Force].

Although the imagos of these three earthly baleful forces differed in some respects, they were broadly similar.

Previously, Zhang Yuan had not understood why Xiao Yuanjun wanted him to refine three earthly baleful forces with similar imagos. Now, however, understanding dawned within him.

Xiao Yuanjun wanted him to condense a divine ability with an extreme effect.

A divine ability that would link his karma to hers, and his life to hers!