A cut above the rest
The cave was unusually dark, Qi of Earth Sha was intense.
In other words, everyone present must possess special abilities to see through the darkness unaffected.
Zhiyuan remained silent, knowing that Zhou Wuji wanted to impress True Person Zhihua and gain True Person approval.
However, True Person Zhihua was eccentric and a powerful figure in the Yuheng Lineage, so Zhou Wuji's actions were actually not very meaningful.
Fortunately, with him and True Person Zhihua watching over them, even if they couldn't defeat Chen Dalu, they wouldn't face much danger.
Zhiyuan still hoped that Zhou Wuji could win, so he pointed and activated the Golden Light Incantation.
A thick golden light unfolded like a curtain, completely covering the dense Qi of Earth Sha inside the cave. The golden light then quickly contracted into a ball of light, blocking the earthly passage from which the Qi of Earth Sha was gushing out.
The intense golden light emanating from the golden orb not only illuminated the entire cave but also dispelled all kinds of foul and yin Yin Qi.
Chen Dalu was somewhat dazzled by the golden light. The mother Gu hidden deep in his mind felt the suppression of the golden light and let out an uneasy scream at the level of his Divine Sense.
The mother Gu, having absorbed a portion of the Yin Dragon's soul, greatly increased in power, but also became extremely frenzied.
Chen Dalu had been suffering from severe headaches for the past two days. He didn't flee far away because he wanted to retrieve the remnants of the Yin Dragon soul from the zombie as soon as possible. Merging these broken dragon souls would greatly benefit the mother Gu.
The zombies that had merged with the broken dragon soul were all killed by Zhou Wuji, which made him hate Zhou Wuji even more.
Ultimately, his tragic end was all caused by Zhou Wuji.
With Zhihua and Zhiyuan here, he has no chance of escape. If he has the opportunity to kill Zhou Wuji, that would be the best outcome.
Chen Dalu used his Divine Sense to communicate with the mother Gu, and the mother Gu guided his True Qi to gather in his Dantian Qi Sea.
The mother Gu, which had merged with the Yin Dragon's soul, doubled his speed of circulating True Qi and provided him with even more powerful Qi and Blood.
If he can maintain a stable state, he can advance to the Fifth Rank in less than a year or two. If he can completely subdue the Yin Dragon Soul with the Mother Gu, advancing to the Third Rank is even possible.
The power that Chen Dalu unleashed through the mother Gu filled his limbs and bones, even reaching his hair.
His skin was an abnormal red, his messy hair flew wildly, and his black short-sleeved shirt swelled and swayed under the surge of energy.
Before even making a move, Chen Dalu had already displayed a powerful aura.
The Golden Light Divine Incantation protecting Zhou Wuji had not yet dissipated, and although Chen Dalu's aura was strong, it had no effect on him.
He first cast Rejuvenation Technique on himself, restoring his body and True Qi to their optimal state.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, he converted all twelve zombies he had killed into Origin Profound Qi.
A blue light flashed in his sea of consciousness, and streams of pure Origin Profound Qi blessed his entire body, flowing repeatedly between his nine orifices before finally converging into the Divine Aperture between his eyebrows.
In the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, his True Qi amounted to 2,400, an increase of 20% in total.
Zhou Wuji was quite satisfied with this, considering that his True Qi level was already very high.
A 20% increase in True Qi provides a significant boost to both Law Technique and Swordsmanship.
After his nine orifices were refined by the Origin Profound Qi, they became increasingly clear and stable, directly enhancing his six senses and further increasing the power of the Mind Mirror.
The process of empowering the Origin Profound Qi is extremely fast; the changes in the Profound Qi within his body are imperceptible to outsiders.
Zhou Wuji mastered the Northern Dipper Tianshu Scripture to perfection, and was fully aware of the many changes of True Qi.
In addition, he possesses a clear Mind Mirror that allows him to perceive both his inner and outer states, enabling him to clearly understand the state of his own Origin Profound Qi.
With the Golden Light Divine Incantation separating the inside from the outside, Zhihua Zhiyuan would not be able to detect any problems from the outside.
Feeling the True Qi flowing within his sea of consciousness, Zhou Wuji slowly chanted incantations and performed hand seals, using several dozen breaths to bless himself with the Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation.
With the azure star-patterned robe draped over his body, Zhou Wuji silently recited the incantation for a while before nodding to Zhiyuan to indicate that he was ready.
Zhiyuan a flick of his long sleeves, Zhiyuan silently dissipated the Golden Light Divine Incantation that had enveloped Zhou Wuji.
Chen Dalu, who had been waiting for the right moment, swung his iron staff and slashed down. At this moment, his strength and True Qi increased by at least 30%. His simple move of splitting mountains and shattering the earth was used with unparalleled ferocity.
Chen Dalu knew very well that Zhiyuan and Zhihua would not stand idly by and watch Zhou Wuji get hurt.
He went all out from the start, forcefully suppressing Zhou Wuji and keeping the battle at a very intense level.
It's one thing if Zhou Wuji doesn't dare to accept the challenge, but if he did, he would have a chance to kill Zhou Wuji with a single blow during such a fierce battle.
Zhou Wuji was unaware of Chen Dalu's scheme; the opponent's fierce iron staff did indeed make him feel a great threat.
But if he wants to kill Chen Dalu, he can't afford to take shortcuts.
The opponent is Sixth Rank martial artist, a seasoned veteran, and has even cultivated a special Gu worm. Trying to outsmart him could easily backfire.
To gain Zhihua's appreciation, one cannot hide one's abilities; one must demonstrate true talent.
Zhou Wuji had a clear understanding of this. Although Chen Dalu's iron staff was powerful, he met it with a flick of his long sleeve.
The star-shaped robe formed by the Big Dipper Seven Stars Divine Incantation shone with a bright blue light and wrapped itself around the iron staff first.
Although the iron staff possessed immense power, it could not possibly pierce the Azure Star Garment with a single blow.
Chen Dalu felt as if he had cleaved through the river; seemingly separating the water, the fierce power of the iron staff was completely consumed and neutralized.
He was experienced in combat and highly skilled in martial arts. Realizing the wonder of the Azure Star Robe, he immediately changed his tactics.
The straight slash of the iron staff turned into a fierce thrust forward; in fact, he was using the Mountain-Breaking Spear Technique with the iron staff.
The Mountain-Breaking Spear Technique was passed down within the military and then spread to various places through the soldiers.
This spear technique is simple yet fierce and powerful. Chen Dalu uses the Five Elements True Qi to unleash its power, and the iron staff he thrusts with contains subtle variations of rotation and penetration.
Zhou Wuji, using his Mind Mirror to see through Chen Dalu's various changes, had already taken precautions.
Just as Chen Dalu raised his staff to thrust, Zhou Wuji's hand, hidden in his sleeve, grabbed the tip of the iron staff.
Chen Dalu was both shocked and furious. This kid actually dared to grab his iron staff, which showed him no respect whatsoever as a Sixth Rank martial artist.
He immediately shook the iron staff with force, which was also a surefire way to break the opponent's grip on the weapon.
The vibrating iron staff contained powerful changes in True Qi, and even if an opponent's cultivation was higher than his, they would not be able to hold the iron staff if they did not know about the changes in True Qi.
Not to mention Zhou Wuji, a mere Seventh Rank, this blow was enough to make his bones weak and his muscles numb. He could simply take advantage of the situation and finish the kid off with a thrust of his iron staff.
Before the iron staff could vibrate, Zhou Wuji changed his grip to a palm. He simultaneously circulated his True Qi through all nine orifices, releasing nearly 80% of his True Qi through his left palm, using the perfected Heavenly Pivot Hand.
This palm strike was not only powerful and violent, but it also struck the tip of the iron staff, which was least susceptible to force.
Chen Dalu immediately sensed something was wrong. This kid's True Qi was strong and definitely not at the Seventh Rank level. However, he had already exhausted his moves with his successive changes and had no energy left to react. He could only grip the iron staff tightly to prevent it from slipping out of his hand.
With a powerful palm strike, the iron staff was flung high into the air. Although Chen Dalu had used all his strength, the impact still caused his arm to go numb and his tiger's mouth to crack. The iron staff almost flew out of his hand.
True Person Zhihua chuckled upon seeing this. This Chen Dalu was quite foolish. He clearly had excellent martial arts skills and was enhanced by Gu worms. His True Qi and strength were superior to Zhou Wuji's, yet he was so pathetic when he actually fought.
It can only be said that Zhou Wuji's Cultivation Method are both superb, especially his grasp of opportunities and his skillful use of martial Law Technique in battle, which can be described as exquisite.
Such combat talent is unmatched even by many in the Upper Court.
Chen Dalu had suffered a loss, and he knew he couldn't stubbornly resist, so he immediately took a step back, using the force of the iron rod.
At the same time, Chen Dalu also mobilized the power of the Mother Gu in his sea of consciousness to stimulate the circulation of True Qi and Blood, thus eliminating the various discomforts in his body.
Zhou Wuji advanced with his sword, the Falling Goose Sword moving with unparalleled speed, aiming straight for Chen Dalu's throat.
After recovering his strength, Chen Dalu shrank back and raised his iron staff high, smashing it down on Zhou Wuji once more.
Zhou Wuji might not be able to pierce his throat with this sword, but he would definitely be able to smash it into Zhou Wuji's head.
Even if the opponent has protective Law Technique, this staff strike can still send Zhou Wuji flying.
Zhou Wuji did not back down at all, and with a flick of his long sleeve, he met the iron staff again.
Having learned his lesson once, Chen Dalu was prepared; he suddenly exhaled and spoke.
Unlike ordinary martial artists, the True Qi he exhaled condensed into a dense white light.
The thunderous sound generated by this True Qi was merely incidental; its true power lay in the condensed, blade-like golden qi within.
Zhou Wuji saw Chen Dalu's lips twitch and his breath rise, and he already guessed what the other party was going to do.
He swayed to one side like Flowing Clouds, avoiding the white light.
The white light shot straight out for several meters before landing on the ground, leaving a deep crack in the thick rock.
Chen Dalu didn't care that his attack missed, and immediately swung his iron staff, launching a fierce attack on Zhou Wuji like a storm.
Zhou Wuji used his Flowing Cloud Movement Method to dodge and move around, but Chen Dalu's iron staff was long and fast, and his martial arts skills were also very high, so he didn't give Zhou Wuji much room to maneuver.
Unable to avoid it, Zhou Wuji used the Night Rain Sword to forcefully block the iron staff.
Night Rain Sword's power is dense and profound. No matter how fierce Chen Dalu's iron staff is, it is like a stone sinking into the sea when it hits the Seven Star Sword. It can't do anything to Zhou Wuji.
The Zhiyuan priest frowned as he watched. Chen Dalu's True Qi power was far superior to before. Absorbing the Yin Dragon Soul had truly made Chen Dalu much stronger.
The Yin Dragon Soul is unpredictable and has penetrated deep into Chen Dalu's sea of consciousness. If it were to take Chen Dalu away from Old Dragon Island, who knows what unexpected changes might occur.
That's why he and True Person Zhihua decided to kill Chen Dalu directly to prevent future trouble. It wasn't that they were afraid Chen Dalu would say anything inappropriate...
Although Chen Chaofeng is Fifth Rank martial artist, he poses little threat and can be taken back to the Upper Court for questioning.
Seeing that Zhou Wuji's condition was not good, and that he would be seriously injured if he failed to withstand a blow from the staff, they realized that Zhou Wuji was in serious danger.
The Zhiyuan priest was genuinely worried. In his view, such a risk was not worthwhile, but he still suppressed the idea of activating the Golden Light Divine Incantation.
With True Person Zhihua here, there's no way Zhou Wuji will actually be beaten to death...
Zhihua, however, watched with keen interest, her bright eyes sparkling.
Although the Night Rain Sword technique was exquisite, Zhou Wuji was ultimately far inferior to Chen Dalu in every aspect.
Once again, the sword and staff clashed. No matter how Zhou Wuji tried to deflect the force with his Seven Star Sword, the blade was still deflected by the iron staff.
Chen Dalu's attack succeeded, turning the sweeping iron staff into a stabbing strike. Zhou Wuji nowhere to dodge and could only once again flick his sleeve to block the iron staff.
Chen Dalu sneered inwardly. He had learned his lesson once and would never give Zhou Wuji another chance to play tricks.
He used seven-tenths of his strength and three-tenths of his strength in this strike, and no matter how Zhou Wuji responded, he could adjust and change accordingly.
The azure long sleeves swirled with light and entangled the iron staff. Chen Dalu, who was prepared, drew his staff and flicked it. His plan was to first tug at Zhou Wuji and try his best to destroy Zhou Wuji's protective star armor.
But to his utter surprise, the iron staff actually lifted up the azure star-patterned robe.
What was clearly a magical protective aura conjured by a spell was now wrapped around the iron staff like a real garment.
Chen Dalu was decisive and immediately threw away the iron staff, but he couldn't stop the azure star robe from falling on him.
He hurriedly circulated his Qi and Blood to unleash his True Qi, and with both palms exerting force at the same time, he tried to tear apart the azure star robe.
With a flick of his left hand, Zhou Wuji sent two glints of cold light shooting towards Zhou Wuji's eyes.
Chen Dalu hurriedly circulated his True Qi throughout his body, and with a boom, the Five Elements True Qi erupted from every 108,000 pores of his body.
His short brown robe was shattered into countless pieces, and the azure star-patterned robe covering his body rippled like waves of light, causing six of the seven stars on his chest to instantly disappear.
The two flying needles that shot towards them were blasted away by the violent True Qi.
Despite unleashing his full power, Chen Dalu failed to destroy the star robe formed by the Northern Pole Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation. Instead, Zhou Wuji seized the opportunity and manipulated the star robe to coil around Chen Dalu's head like a snake.
The Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation is inherently effective against filth and Evil Qi. The Gu worms in Chen Dalu's sea of consciousness were enveloped by the divine talisman, which not only interfered with Chen Dalu's six senses but also disrupted his Divine Sense with the Gu worms.
Chen Dalu felt a strong sense of unease. He knew that Zhou Wuji would definitely take the opportunity to draw his sword, but he had even thrown away his iron staff and his six senses were clouded. The situation was extremely bad.
At this moment, he became truly anxious. He immediately and violently activated the Gu worms again, transforming the Five Elements True Qi into Geng Metal Qi, which circulated throughout his body before being suddenly expelled.
Another thunderous roar erupted, tearing through Chen Dalu's azure star-patterned robe with a burst of white light. The blade-like white light flew more than ten feet before slowly dissipating...
Zhou Wuji had already arrived behind Chen Dalu and thrust his sword straight at Chen Dalu as he spoke and exhaled.
Before Chen Dalu could even turn around, his right palm had already grabbed the blade of the Seven Star Sword.
He transformed the Five Elements True Qi into Geng Metal True Qi, and with the blessing of the Mother Gu, his body was now as hard as refined steel.
Even if you hold the sword blade with your hands, you will not be injured by it. Instead, you can hold the blade firmly with your stronger True Qi and power.
Zhou Wuji activated the Evening Bell Sword, its blade humming as it tried to break free from Chen Dalu's grasp.
Chen Dalu had already turned around using the power of the sword. He also gripped the Seven Star Sword with his left hand, and twisted it with both hands at the same time, not only suppressing the vibrating Sword Qi on the blade, but also twisting the blade into a distorted shape.
Knowing Zhou Wuji's Swordsmanship was formidable, he used all his strength in his palms, intending to cripple Zhou Wuji's sword.
Zhou Wuji ignored the transformed Seven Star Sword and instead extended his left palm to feint an attack on Chen Dalu.
After unleashing his True Qi three times in a row, Chen Dalu was nearing his limit, but he was confident that he could still suppress Zhou Wuji. Without hesitation, he raised his right palm to meet the attack.
As their palms clashed, a four-foot-long azure light sword suddenly appeared between Zhou Wuji's hands.
This change was quite subtle. Although Chen Dalu sensed the change in Law Power, he was powerless to change his move after the continuous bursts of power. He could only grit his teeth and strike hard with his palm.
The condensed Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword silently pierced Chen Dalu's right palm. Chen Dalu was shocked; his Geng Metal True Qi could not withstand the opponent's Law Technique attack!
Sensing danger, Chen Dalu hurriedly withdrew his palm and retreated. Zhou Wuji spun the Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword in his hand, and Chen Dalu's right palm was severed. Then, as the azure blade flashed, it pierced into Chen Dalu's throat.
The three consecutive sword strikes were simple and direct, yet incredibly swift.
With a sword lodged in his throat, Chen Dalu was utterly astonished, his eyes bulging out. Before Chen Dalu could react, Zhou Wuji pressed down with his right palm, unleashing an invisible burst of Heavenly Pivot True Qi, which shattered Chen Dalu's head into pieces like an invisible, heavy hammer.
The Gu worm hidden in Chen Dalu's head sensed something and screamed as it tried to fly away amidst the bloody light.
Several streaks of azure sword light spun rapidly like wheels, shredding the snake-like, five-colored Gu worms to shreds...
Zhiyuan's face lit up with joy. This kid did a great job. The Seven Stars Demon-Slaying Sword Big Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Incantation was used very skillfully, seizing the initiative and killing Chen Dalu.
True Person Zhihua smiled, clapped his hands, and exclaimed, "Excellent Law Technique, excellent Swordsmanship! The heroes of the Lower Court are indeed extraordinary..."