Chapter 77 (continued)

Shan Heyuan pressed down on her shoulder and said seriously, "Don't come. You are Realm Spirit. Even if it comes to that, Ji Li most likely won't make things difficult for you. Your Spirit Jade Palace needs you, so don't act impulsively."

Realm Spirit, held down by him, took a deep breath and said, "I understand."

Shan Heyuan waved his hand, and he and Shen Duheng flew away on their swords.

According to their current information, Ji Li has headed to Ze Province, and may be planning to target the Three Nine Sect next.

The protective formation of the Three Nine Sect is notoriously difficult to break. Even if he wanted to attack, he might not succeed. They should be able to get there in time.

The two hurried as fast as they could and arrived at Zhewu City below the Three Nine Sect before the Three Nine Sect was attacked.

Whether it was due to Ji Li's threat or some other reason, there were far fewer people in Zhewu City than usual, and the streets were surprisingly deserted.

Perhaps because the Three Nine Sect are skilled in weapon crafting, the transportation spirit beasts of Zhewu City are not biological creatures, but rather mechanical bionic spirit beasts that look like insects, and the kind with a cool appearance at that.

The main reason for using a spirit beast for transportation instead of flying on a sword is to be able to accurately reach the desired destination in unfamiliar places without having to search for directions, and also to save some Spiritual Power.

Of course, the transportation spirit beast isn't free; if you save your Spiritual Power, you can't save your Spirit Stone.

In the past, things were fine. There were so many Spirit Stone mines in the cultivation world, and everyone had confidence in the future. They weren't stingy with those little bit of Spirit Stone, and quite a few people used spirit beasts for transportation.

That won't work now. Even if it only requires a small amount of Spirit Stone, people will consider whether it's worthwhile and whether it's necessary to use a transportation spirit beast.

Therefore, there are many idle spirit beasts in Zhewu City, which have become a scenic feature of the city, perched on trees and rooftops.

Shan Heyuan and Shen Duheng stayed at the inn.

Looking out the window of the guest room, you can see the Refining Dragonfly perched on the tree; its huge wings and long tail make it look very special.

Unfortunately, if the Three Nine Sect are ruined by Ji Li, these exquisite things will soon disappear.

Shan Heyuan fiddled with the incense burner on the windowsill and said to Shen Duheng, "Where is Ji Li? Is it because we're here that she's hesitant to show herself?"

Shen Duheng: "It's unlikely. Ji Li knows we're here, and she'll probably arrive even sooner."

Shan Heyuan: "I don't know what happened, let's go out and practice our swordsmanship."

Shan Heyuan retrieved most of his memories of "Questioning the Sword," and with Shen Duheng's assistance, he mastered "Questioning the Sword" very well, far surpassing other Swordsmanship.

Perhaps because he had once Sword Reverence Sect, he spent his days and nights practicing this Swordsmanship, ultimately achieving good results.

Of course, this is just one of his attack methods.

His forte is cultivating the Dantian Small World.

The Dantian Small World had expanded a bit more, and from above, besides the Spirit Plant, he could also see many ordinary trees and grasses.

Under the azure sky, with lush greenery and endless grasslands, Shan Heyuan always thinks of the prehistoric documentaries he has seen on Earth.

That's how the primitive world is portrayed in those documentaries.

The only question is whether his Dantian Small World can become a primordial world, slowly nurturing life.

If I can survive this battle against Ji Li, I should be able to...?

They went to the outskirts to practice their swordsmanship, and made sure to spread the word beforehand.

Now, everyone in the entire Zhewu City knows they have arrived.

Because the Three Nine Sect had activated their protective array and were currently closed to visitors, they hadn't sent anyone to contact them. Therefore, they didn't know if the Three Nine Sect were aware of their arrival.

However, the attitude of the Three Nine Sect is not important. They came here not for the Three Nine Sect, but to snipe Ji Li.

After waiting for several days in Zhewu City without seeing Ji Li, Shan Heyuan wondered to himself, "Could it be that Ji Li knows they're here and is really not coming?"

Just as Shan Heyuan was thinking this, he lay down and suddenly sensed that the atmosphere outside was different.

He sat up alertly and exchanged a glance with Shen Duheng.

But Shen Duheng seemed even more wary than him, already holding the spirit sword in his hand.

A white figure slowly emerged in the air.

The Shan Heyuan saw that figure, he knew it was Ji Li.

Ji Li was dressed in white, but her clothes were stained with blood.

He was handsome, but his eyes were cloudy and crazed.

His Mid-stage Tribulation Transcendence cultivation level made his aura incredibly powerful, yet this power was tinged with an indescribable chaos.

Shen Duheng spoke, "Ji Li."

Ji Li smiled and said, "It's me. I heard you wanted to see me, so I came. Duheng, it's been a long time. And this gentleman, Azure Cloud Dao Ancestor, it's quite unexpected that you've really come back to life."

Shan Heyuan: "I didn't die, nor will I ever come back to life. Perhaps even if I did die, knowing how much a worthless grand-disciple like you has ruined the Sword Reverence Sect, I would come back to life."

Ji Li smiled again, "I'm sorry about that. But you're not the Sword Reverence Sect, you're just a sect leader, so it's a bit presumptuous of you to say that."

Shan Heyuan shook his head. "What do you mean by forgetting one's ancestors? You've got it. You don't even acknowledge me as your ancestor, so what can I say?"

Ji Li's smile faded, and her expression turned cold. "Since we're each on our own, there's really nothing to say."

Shen Duheng drew his sword. "Go outside and fight. Don't damage the buildings in Zhewu City."

Ji Li shook her head. "You still like to be soft-hearted in useless places. It's not Sword Reverence Sect's territory, so what difference does it make whether it's damaged or not? Besides, although the cultivators nearby aren't very powerful, they still have Spiritual Power, which is enough as nourishment. Why drive them away?"

Upon hearing this, Shan Heyuan knew that he had completely lost his humanity and would have no sympathy for ordinary cultivators.

In that case, there's no need to expect to fight in the suburbs without disturbing ordinary people.

Without hesitation, Shan Heyuan launched a firework—a common tactic used in the cultivation world—out the window to signal an enemy attack.

The cultivation world was filled with unease, as if they were birds startled by the mere twang of a bow.

As soon as the firework went off, Shan Heyuan heard many people asking in alarm what was happening and what was going on.

Someone told me to mind my own business and get out of there.

Then, the sound of many spirit swords cutting through the air rang out, and the surrounding aura decreased significantly, soon disappearing completely. Clearly, everyone nearby had quickly left.

Ji Li: "You drove away the nourishment I needed, so you'll have to pay for it with yourselves. I hope your Spiritual Power is enough to make up for my loss."

Before he could finish speaking, Ji Li suddenly drew his sword and launched a rapid attack.

Shan Heyuan had anticipated Ji Li's strength, but he hadn't expected him to be this powerful.

The instant he drew his sword, everything in the world seemed to be emptied out, becoming a vacuum.

He compressed this entire world into his sword and slashed at Shan Heyuan, as if the entire world were attacking them.

Under such an onslaught, a person is like a tiny insect, with no room to dodge, and can only be crushed by heaven and earth.

Shan Heyuan broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly drew his sword to defend himself.

Shen Duheng's sword was faster and his sword techniques were stronger. Before he could even unleash his own attack, he had already clashed with Shen Duheng's sword techniques.

Shen Duheng's swordsmanship was on par with Ji Li's; when the two moves clashed, it was as if two worlds were collided.

A destructive force spread through the sword's edge; all was silent, yet it carried a terrifying power.

Perhaps this is how explosions deep within the universe occur.

Realizing that his strength was insufficient to play its due role in such a terrifying confrontation, Shan Heyuan immediately retreated to create enough distance.

Under the influence of their sword techniques, a large area in the heart of the bustling Zhewu City was left empty.

Those buildings did not turn into ruins, but into dust.