Zhang Huaiyu was enveloped by the aura of Gao Miao’s Path, and his own path was disintegrating layer by layer, clearly being absorbed by the other party.
He took a deep breath, knowing it would be difficult to escape from this domain, and looked up at the brilliantly shining Jewel of the Rising Tides, surprisingly moving towards it voluntarily.
With a loud explosion, the surging air currents parted the waves of the sea.
The manifestation behind Zhang Huaiyu shattered instantly, and his physical body dissipated into a wisp of pure energy.
Even at this moment, Li Jingyu did not retract her technique.
She calmly looked into the sea tides, spreading the Primordial Abyssal Divine Water forward, causing the waves to surge, blocking out the sky.
The roaming lightning illuminated every inch, and after a few breaths, a shadow staggered out of the void.
Zhang Huaiyu had a method to substitute his soul, as long as the opponent didn’t notice him, he had a chance to escape.
Unfortunately, unfortunately—the shadow let out a faint sigh, and under the reflection of the lightning, it completely dispersed into dust.
The battle with Zhang Huaiyu didn’t last long, but after their domains overlapped, both of their divine intents were significantly depleted.
Seeing that the battle in the North Sea was still under control, they transformed into light and returned to the Dragon Palace.
The Dragon Palace was secured by great power, and the raging waves on the sea seemed unable to affect the deep sea.
The calm water flowed, occasionally creating small whirlpools among the coral reefs.
Ji Yutang walked ahead, and only when she returned to the law hall did she look up at Li Jingyu.
The silence along the way was somewhat unusual; didn’t she have anything else to say? Although not a member of the North Sea aquatic tribe, Li Jingyu, who practiced water techniques, was particularly at ease in the sea.
She flicked her sleeve, and a law seat appeared beneath her.
She crossed her legs and leaned casually on the black iron seat, meeting Ji Yutang’s gaze.
“Are you worried about me?” After a while, she asked with a smile.
Traveling from the Southern Border to the North Sea, they would inevitably encounter blockades from Immortal Sect cultivators, and a single misstep could lead to falling into their hands, so Ji Yutang was naturally worried.
She pretended to be calm and looked away, only nodding slightly, not refuting or avoiding as she used to.
“Do you want to know what I encountered on the way?” Li Jingyu asked again.
Ji Yutang asked in confusion, “What happened again?” She was in the North Sea, dealing with the attacks from the Immortal Sect, and didn’t have much time to think about the Jiuzhou mainland.
Li Jingyu said slowly, “The Path of Killing has fallen into demonic ways.”
Ji Yutang frowned, her eyes filled with suspicion.
She looked at Li Jingyu, waiting for her to continue, but she didn’t speak again, only gazing at her with affectionate eyes.
Having spent a lot of time with Li Jingyu, Ji Yutang could tell her intentions from her eyes, and it was clear she was waiting for her to approach.
A blush swept across Ji Yutang’s face, and she bit her lower lip, slowly moving her steps.
However, before she could get close, Li Jingyu suddenly stood up, took a few steps forward, and the distance between them disappeared, with the other’s warm breath brushing against her face.
Ji Yutang swallowed, took a few steps back, and fell into a chair.
She looked up slightly at Li Jingyu, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
Li Jingyu chuckled softly, “If I wait for you to come to me, who knows how long it will take.” She knelt on the chair, her cool hand falling on Ji Yutang’s cheek, sliding down inch by inch.
Ji Yutang’s brow furrowed, seemingly uncomfortable.
Although Li Jingyu’s hand was cool, the places she touched seemed to ignite sparks, a burning sensation spreading along her skin, as if it would turn her to ashes.
She didn’t make a sound, raised her hand from the back of the chair, and pressed down on Li Jingyu’s fingers that were fiddling with her collar.
“And then?” In the chaotic thoughts, a few moments of clarity remained, and she patiently waited for Li Jingyu to continue.
“The two paths of Xumi Sea, Pure Lotus Zen sacrifices itself to achieve the path, while the Path of Killing stops killing with killing.
You know, walking the path of slaughter is inherently dangerous, and a single misstep can shatter the Buddhist heart.” Li Jingyu raised an eyebrow, turned around, and sat on Ji Yutang’s lap, pursing her lips before continuing, “A few days ago, Buddhist Sect cultivators traveled around slaying demonic cultivators, but when the people were slaughtered, they realized it was a trap; those people weren’t demonic cultivators at all, but ordinary civilians.”
If the Tianhai Demon Sect were still around, Ji Yutang would definitely suspect them, as that sect always acted in such a manner.
But now that Hong Ming had fallen, and the Demon Sect was almost unified by Huoxin Palace, even if there were remaining demonic cultivators, they would be fleeing everywhere, not daring to provoke Buddhist Sect cultivators.
“Is it the Three Supreme Palaces or the righteous path?” Ji Yutang asked softly.
Li Jingyu raised an eyebrow and said, “Does it really matter who it is?” Ji Yutang pursed her lips at this, knowing that the Path of Killing’s actions deviated from their own path, tainting the Buddhist heart and falling into evil, which increased the number of demonic cultivators, suppressing the rising turbid energy.
Regardless of what the disciples thought, the higher-level cultivators were probably happy to see such a result.
Li Jingyu continued, “Oh, there’s one more thing.”
Ji Yutang looked up at Li Jingyu.
“Not all Immortal Sect cultivators agree with the Tai Shang plan, as the term ‘Tai Shang’ is too distant and irrelevant to most people.” Li Jingyu paused for a moment, then smiled, “The thirty-six academies of Spring and Autumn Heaven Palace have already split, and more people like this will appear.
You could persuade them to ally with the North Sea.”
Ji Yutang looked at Li Jingyu and asked, “Aren’t you going?” Li Jingyu smiled, “The difference between the mysterious and the demonic is significant.
As long as there is a struggle between purity and turbidity, the conflict between the two sides cannot be eliminated.” She despised the demonic cultivators’ bloodthirsty and wanton killing of mortals and aimed to resolve the obsession with the evil path, but she wouldn’t interfere with the path struggle.
Ji Yutang nodded, not asking further.
She pushed Li Jingyu, who was sitting on her, and frowned, “The battle on the North Sea isn’t over yet; we need to restore our divine intent quickly.”
Li Jingyu looked at Ji Yutang intently, her tone slightly rising, “Quickly? Are you inviting me to dual cultivate?” A blush spread across Ji Yutang’s face, and she glared at Li Jingyu.
She hadn’t meant that when she spoke, but strangely, she didn’t want to refute it.
Standing in front of the woman in plain clothes was a young Taoist with a feathered robe and a star crown.
His eyes were filled with extremely complex emotions, which eventually turned into a faint sigh.
“Linchi greets Martial Uncle.”
“How can I be worthy of being called Martial Uncle by Sect Leader Han?” the woman in plain clothes said calmly.
Han Linchi remained silent for a moment before speaking, “Are you here to stop us for the sake of the Demon Sect?” The person before him had disappeared from Taishi Palace, and fewer people knew about her than knew about Li Qingxun.
She was the former sect leader! Who would have thought she would take that step, severing her ties with Taishi Palace and founding the Wangqing Sect in the Demon Sect?
“What do you think?” Cangzhen tossed the question back, asking indifferently.
Han Linchi frowned, already knowing the answer from Cangzhen’s words and actions.
There was much turmoil in the North Sea, and if he couldn’t make it in time, trouble might arise! Thinking of this, a fierce look flashed in Han Linchi’s eyes.
He displayed his Taoist skills and solemnly said to Cangzhen, “Martial Uncle, forgive me.”
Cangzhen looked at Han Linchi calmly.
With a flick of her sleeve, a surging tide of endless water appeared behind her.
This tide seemed like a bottomless pit, absorbing any Taoist technique that touched it.
Following that, a sword light spun out, its sword intent pushed to the extreme, as if it wanted to cut through this world.
Han Linchi looked at Cangzhen in shock, exclaiming, “Two fundamental techniques?” Cangzhen smiled slightly, “Nephew Han, don’t waste your efforts here.
Aren’t you focused on the Tai Shang plan? Why care about the troubles in the East Sea?” The sword light leaped to Han Linchi’s front in a few breaths, grazing his cheek and leaving a deep, bone-revealing cut.
A sense of crisis surged in Han Linchi’s heart.
If she wished, she could have cut off his neck with a single sword! He looked at Cangzhen in a daze, his lips moving, but he could only utter the word “you.”
Cangzhen had no intention of killing Han Linchi.
She released a magnetic light from her sleeve, wearing down Han Linchi’s life-bound sword.
Then she reached out and pressed forward, temporarily sealing him and his sword here.
Only after finishing this did she raise her eyebrows and look towards the North Sea.
“You spared his life,” a very calm voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
Without turning her head, Cangzhen replied, “It’s not the time yet.” The rooted demonic nature had gradually dissipated, but Tai Shang had not returned.
Without dispelling that obsession, Jiuzhou, dominated by Tai Shang for millennia, could not escape the path of demonic possession.
In such circumstances, how could they continue to move forward?
