Chương 90: Battle of the Sects, Reversing Heaven and Earth Alone (8)

A flicker of profound doubt danced within Ji Yueli's eyes, but the current situation afforded her no luxury for hesitation. The runes clutched in her hand had already been ignited, their ethereal power surging to a point of no return; she was forced to strike.

"Daoist Ming Diao, take heed," she warned, her voice strained.

"This secret technique is a remnant scroll I stumbled upon in a remote market. Its power is immense, and even I have yet to master it fully. Go!" As the rune left her fingertips, its dimensions underwent a violent expansion. In a mere heartbeat, it swelled to half a zhang in size, its surface swirling with a viscous, flowing blood-light. A suffocating aura of slaughter erupted from its core, saturating the air with the metallic scent of a thousand battlefields.

"What manner of secret technique is this? To think a single rune could emanate such a terrifyingly potent killing intent!"

"Observe the grain of the sigil—it is ancient, primal, and possessed of a majestic gravity. It is highly probable that this is a lost spell once wielded by the Primordial Cultivators."

"Alas, the technique is incomplete. Though its momentum is grand and its presence overwhelming, its true lethality is diminished by at least thirty percent. I fear it may not be enough to shatter the 'Gentleman's Cloud Ruyi' that guards the head of that Qingyan Sect junior."

"Wait, is that the very same Jade Ruyi the Qingyan Sect plundered from the Ancient Cultivator's Abode last time? It is whispered that its defensive prowess is so formidable it rivals a true Magic Treasure. No wonder this boy was confident enough to wager a Middle-tier Earth-grade manual; he knew the victory was already in his grasp."

"Hahaha! I shall see for myself what mysteries your rune holds!" Ming Diao Zhanchen's eyes blazed with arrogance. With a violent sweep of his arms, two gargantuan spectral hands materialized out of thin air, hurtling downward to crush the blood-red rune. Each hand spanned nearly four zhang, their surfaces a mottled azure-black. The spiritual pressure they radiated was suffocating, carrying the full, crushing weight of a Foundation Establishment Middle-stage cultivator's might. BOOM! BOOM!

The spectral palms collided with the blood rune, but the expected annihilation did not occur. The rune merely paused for a fraction of a second before it tore through the azure-black hands like a hot blade through silk, shattering them into a million shimmering fragments. Without losing its momentum, the rune continued its descent, homing in on Ming Diao Zhanchen.

"Hmph!" As his techniques were forcibly dispelled, Ming Diao Zhanchen let out a muffled groan. A trace of genuine shock flickered in his gaze; the sheer destructive force of this blood rune had exceeded his wildest estimations.

"Ruyi, manifest thy form! Protect my soul!" he roared. His True Essence surged like a tidal wave, and with a sharp upward gesture, he channeled every drop of his power into the Jade Ruyi floating above him. Hum! Under the influx of his cultivation, the Jade Ruyi erupted in a blinding radiance. Four ethereal phantasms—the Zither, the Go board, the Calligraphy scroll, and the Painting—manifested around him.

As they rotated, a profound, resonant aura of Noble Qi began to circulate, echoing with the righteous weight of the heavens. Though the preparation seemed lengthy, it occurred in the blink of an eye. Just as the Jade Ruyi's defensive potential reached its zenith, the blood rune struck. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. BOOM! The collision produced a deafening explosion that shook the very foundations of the Ascension Terrace.

A violent shockwave of spiritual energy rippled outward, turning the faces of the weaker cultivators pale as they stumbled back, their breaths hitched in their throats. Within a fifty-mile radius of the Xuanxiao Mountain Range, every spirit-beast and sentient creature cowered in terror, their bodies paralyzed by the sheer primal force of the impact. On the platform, the four phantasms of the Jade Ruyi spun like frenzied tops, emitting a blinding four-colored radiance of red, purple, azure, and yellow.

They locked in a desperate stalemate with the blood-red rune, neither side willing to yield an inch. Seeing her attack stalled, Ji Yueli's face grew even more deathly pale. Her fingers moved in a blurred sequence of mudras, and her crimson lips parted as she cried out: "Blood Talisman Transformation, Summoning the True Spirit, Heaven-Shattering Strike!" At her command, the blood rune—still locked in combat with the four-colored light—shuddered violently.

It suddenly detonated, transforming into a roiling, chaotic cloud of blood-mist. Within seconds, the mist condensed into a vortex several feet wide. From the depths of that crimson whirlpool, a literal hand of flesh and bone slowly reached out, descending upon the protective barrier of the Jade Ruyi. CRACK! CRACK! The spinning phantasms of the Four Scholarly Arts froze instantly. With a single shudder, they disintegrated into countless shards.

The physical body of the Jade Ruyi was instantly webbed with deep fissures; its spiritual essence drained away in a heartbeat, leaving behind a dull, useless piece of stone. With a mournful, metallic wail, the artifact fell to the ground, ruined.

"Eh?" Just as the fleshy arm prepared to withdraw, a faint, puzzled exclamation of surprise echoed from the void. However, before the entity could take further action, the vortex shrank rapidly. Though the hand seemed loath to leave, it was forcibly pulled back into the closing rift.

"In a moment of crisis, she used a secret art to forcibly tear through space and summon the strike of a supreme expert!"

"What kind of forbidden technique has this girl cultivated to be able to bridge the void and bring forth such a helper?"

"That casual strike shattered a defense equivalent to a Magic Treasure... Such cultivation is unfathomable. Could it be one of those legendary Nascent Soul Old Monsters?"

"A pity. If that entity had exerted just a fraction more strength, the Qingyan Sect junior would have been crippled. But as it stands, the outcome is likely to be the exact opposite." Inside the Great Hall, many cultivators shook their heads in secret. Though Ji Yueli's final trump card was awe-inspiring, the cost to her was catastrophic. She was utterly spent. Ming Diao Zhanchen, shielded by the Ruyi, had only consumed a portion of his True Essence. The victor of this duel was already decided.

"Heh, it appears the victory belongs to me," Ming Diao Zhanchen said, his expression shifting between lingering fear and predatory triumph.

"Junior Sister Ji, in half a month's time, my Qingyan Sect will come to claim you with all the pomp and ceremony you deserve. I suggest you use this time to recover well." Internally, his heart hammered with greed. Once she is mine, I must extract that life-saving technique from her by any means necessary. With such a skill, it would be worth more than any protective treasure! Ji Yueli's face drained of all color. She bit her lip, her gaze drifting toward the man in the simple green robe.

A soft, silent sigh escaped her. Even if his alchemy is peerless, what could he do? This man's combat power rivals the Middle-stage of Foundation Establishment. If Reyn steps forward, he will only be humiliated in vain. I thought this technique would be enough to win the Earth-grade manual... perhaps this is simply my fate. She looked like a delicate white flower caught in the frost of winter, a sight that would move any heart to pity.

Qingxiaozi and Dan Chenzi stood with faces like stone, their expressions dark with fury. With so many witnesses from the North Yue State present, the result seemed carved in jade. In contrast, Tiandaozi and Ancestor Ming Diao were beaming. By securing this girl, their sect would likely gain a Golden Core expert within the next century. How could they not be elated?

"Sect Leader Tiandaozi," Qingxiaozi said, his voice cold and sharp.

"Our agreement stated that disciples could not use items at the level of a Magic Treasure or above. This Jade Ruyi's power clearly reached that threshold. The Xuanxiao Sect cannot acknowledge this result!"

"Sect Leader Qingxiaozi, what nonsense is this?" Ancestor Ming Diao interjected, his eyes rolling in mock disbelief as a sneer touched his lips.

"The Gentleman's Cloud Ruyi is an ancient relic, yes, but it is classified strictly as a Top-grade Spirit Tool. So what if its power rivals a Magic Treasure? It is not one, and therefore, no rules were broken. Or is Sect Leader Qingxiaozi planning to go back on his word in front of all our esteemed colleagues of the North Yue State?"