Chapter 379: One Wave Unsettled, Another Rises

The 379th Chapter: One Wave Unsettled, Another Rises

The prayers in Qingzha's mouth and the moment Chen Biji made his plea to the heavens to strike down the three corpses of Mount San, the thoughts were identical.

Ma Wangye remembered this deeply, shouting loudly to demand what the other would do next.

In a flash of thought, he seized the 'Prove Valor' gun with a red-hot barrel, using the gun's body as a club to swing the encroaching Red Dragon Flying Sword away in one strike, then lunged toward Qingzha.

But how could Yu Canghai allow him such an opportunity!

Zap.

Two silver-white symbols pierced through the snow, arriving from behind, hovering before Ma Wangye.

"Want to save him? Dream!"

Yu Canghai's face twisted with malice, his hands raised, fingers tightly clenched, "Thunder Talisman, Command!"

The command rang out, the symbols activated.

A crimson glow erupted from the intricate, otherworldly symbols at the talisman's edge, spreading at lightning speed across its surface.

Crack!

Electric arcs exploded, weaving into a net that engulfed the black armor.

"Grass!"

Ma Wangye's skin exploded, his exposed armor plates suddenly flaring outward, two gusts of wind blasting out, sweeping up the snow and forcing him to halt his charge.

Howl!

A sound of tearing air rang, the Red Dragon Flying Sword that had been flung back now circled around, its roar of anger striking Ma Wangye's back.

In the critical moment, Ma Wangye's three eyes—two fake, one real—suddenly flared with fierce determination, his right fist smashing into the Red Dragon's blade tip.

Flesh tore, armor shattered, the sword spiraled downward.

Blue electric arcs surged onto his body, reducing the meticulously crafted disguise skin he had painstakingly made to ash, spreading toward the depths of the armor.

"Ma, I can't hold back anymore!"

Ma Wangye roared, his body a storm of electric light, charging toward Yu Canghai.

"Damn it, I'll kill you first!"

Above the sky, snowflakes swirled in thick clouds, as if stirred by an unseen hand, the entire sky forming a massive, inverted vortex.

At the vortex's center, a tiny 'hole' split open, moonlight pouring through, a bright star shining.

The wind and snow raged, nearly uncontrollable.

The snowfall intensified, as if pressing down on the sky, threatening to collapse the entire Osaka Castle.

Qingzha stood beneath the brilliant star, his smile growing more ferocious.

In that instant, his prayers had reached their final stage.

Yet the 'Broken Army' sword remained submerged in the blood and flesh.

"Um"

The seven-element-level Yellow Turban warrior named 'Broken Army' ignored its near-severed body, gripping Li Jun's arm with both hands.

The command it received was to sacrifice its life to delay the thunder.

"Want my sword? Take it!"

A cold voice suddenly echoed, not making the warrior react.

But the next moment, a fist wrapped in an iron tiger slammed into its face!

Bang!

The control symbols on its face shattered, crimson blood spraying.

A familiar, pungent odor filled the air, like oil into fire, intensifying Li Jun's killing intent.

Another puppetized weapon!

'Broken Army's' head tilted back at an agonizing angle, its hands tearing off large chunks of flesh from Li Jun's right arm.

Clang!

Li Jun lifted his foot, driving the sword into 'Broken Army's' abdomen. The blade spun like a whirlwind, cleaving the warrior in two.

Blood sprayed as the spinning blade scattered, the hot, foul organs rolling across the ground.

Qingzha watched the bloody scene with indifference, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of impending slaughter.

"White Jade City has officially become the Qingzha, with Yellow Spring authority."

Before he finished, a roar erupted.

A massive sword, far beyond ordinary military weapons, spun like a wheel, crashing down.

The path guardians on Qingzha's left and right arms spread their talismans, bent their knees, and leapt into the air, each wielding a golden sword, smashing down on the approaching blade.

Bang! A massive collision echoed through the mansion.

The two less than an inch-tall path guardians were shattered into dust, their explosion illuminating the scene. A foot-tall embroidered spring sword was thrown far, its clang echoing as it embedded in the red wall at the courtyard's edge.

Qingzha's eyes flickered, fixating on the flickering orange light. His prayers, now more urgent, concluded with "With Yellow Spring authority, I request the Jade Clean Dao Ancestor, Command."

Boom!

The clouds rumbled, thunder gathering.

Lightning flashed on the ground, fists of flame surged.

Bang!

Where the iron tiger fell, blood gushed from its shattered teeth.

The final two words of Qingzha's prayer were slammed back into his stomach by a punch.

His body flipped and rolled, crushing flowers and rocks, finally collapsing into the chaotic dust.

The Dao ancestor's weapon was still too slow to activate.

Qingzha knelt, his jaw dislocated, the pain unbearable.

Though the battlefield was in ruins, his eyes held no fear. Instead, they were half-closed, as if smiling.

"Single-handed martial arts, Dao Master, my Dao Five Furnaces, we'll meet again."

The path guardians on his skin spoke, their voice laced with a melodic laugh.

Qingzha stood firm against the gale, arms open to the incoming fist, his expression serene, as if accepting death.

"Indeed, we will."

The iron tiger suddenly flipped up, its fist tightening, transforming into a palm that pressed into Qingzha's skull, driving into the earth.

A strange force coursed through Qingzha's body, fracturing bones and tendons.

His eyes widened, pupils dilated, as if trapped in a prolonged daze.

Hiss.

Nerve filaments as fine as hair sprouted from Li Jun's chaos ledger ring, surging toward Chengfeng's nostrils and mouth.

"Ahhh!"

Chengfeng's body convulsed violently, the bone-gnawing agony causing his pupils to contract again.

"Zhao Yu... how do you know how to break the military seal?!"

The roaring Daoist door deity was torn from flesh and skin, flung into the snow, like a faded painting after wind and rain.

The divine light was gone, all majesty lost.

As the filaments were drawn out, the convulsing body gradually ceased its trembling.

Yongle Palace Daoist rank six, old-school sword immortal Chengfeng, dead.

[Gained 80 mastery points]

[Remaining mastery points 284] (Previous remaining 424 points, used 220 points for replacing the sentence with the tower decision.)

Just a little more.

Li Jun didn't look at the black text appearing in his eyes, but listened to the sound of copper locks swaying deep within his body.

The gate blocking the path had cracked open a slit, allowing the sound of joy from beyond to be heard.

Li Jun's feelings at this moment were so intense and real.

Just one step, just one step, and he could break the lock and advance in rank.

And the final step's key was within reach, within grasp!

At this moment, Li Jun's emotions stirred involuntarily, every muscle in his body trembling with excitement.

A mouthful of icy air tinged with thick blood scent filled his scorching lungs, and Li Jun swept his gaze, seeing a figure wrapped in electric light rushing toward him.

"It's thundering."

Li Jun suddenly looked up at the sky; the night that should have calmed after Chengfeng's death still lingered with a massive vortex, at its center a star growing increasingly dazzling and piercing.

Huh?

Boom!

Thunder and lightning fell, the sudden flash illuminating every hair in the courtyard.

The pale, piercing light vanished in an instant, followed by a thunderous boom that shook the heavens and earth.

Haha...

Yu Canghai hunched his back, breathing heavily through his mouth.

The elegant beauty of snow-covered green leaves had vanished, replaced by rushing black water, scattered red brick fragments, and flames spreading across the ruins, growing ever more intense.

Yu Canghai clenched his ten fingers tightly, straining to widen his eyes, eager to glimpse the charred corpse through the blinding wind, snow, and smoke.

As the wind rose, the curtain lifted, a silhouette gradually becoming clear.

Cracked and sunken ground, broken and tattered armor, a motionless figure.

Yu Canghai's suspended heart slowly sank, his mouth corners slowly parting.

Haha... Haha, finally dead, died well, didn't he?

Yu Canghai felt as if someone had gripped his throat, his excited smile turning into a horrified sound.

In his trembling gaze, the body that should have died completely was swaying slightly.

Step.

The figure took a step down, a crisp crackling sound.

A dark, mottled armor skirt fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Hey, slow down, slower! Let me recover first, Master Ma.

A voice that sounded angry but was actually mocking rang out.

A red glow slowly brightened between his brows, beneath which were a pair of bright eyes burning with bandit flames.

Old turtle.

A tiny girl, no bigger than a fist, with black smoke swirling around her, her black hair pointing angrily at the sky, sat on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on the silent crimson flying sword in midair.

And this little turtle!

The thunder of the Three Pure Dao Ancestor didn't strike down this lone warrior in the world!

Li Jun! Do you know who that Daoist you just killed was? You've caused great trouble!

Without controlling the flying sword, without summoning talismans, Yu Canghai had forgotten all resistance, staring at the approaching figure and shouting loudly.

What's his background?

He's one of the six major figures of the Daoist sect, Yongle Palace!

Oh, so what?

The people of Yongle Palace are the most brutal and protective; in the days of the martial world's division, the most martial ranks died in their hands. Now that you've killed Chengfeng, they will never let you go.

Yu Canghai swallowed hard, struggling to steady his panicked mind amid the heartbeat like a drum.

If you let me go, I can testify that Chengfeng died by Honghu's hand, and you have nothing to do with it! Besides, we're colleagues now; if you kill me, the thousand households...

Yu Canghai.

The sudden voice interrupted the Daoist's endless chatter.

Li Jun stopped and stood still, gazing at the face covered in panic, slowly shaking his head.

When Yu Kou died, he didn't beg for mercy. You, as his father, are not as good as this son.

Yu Canghai was suddenly stunned, his lips moving but unable to speak for a long time.

Father not as good as son?

Father not as good as son!

Yu Canghai lowered his head, his hand on his lap suddenly pressing against his abdomen.

This was a vital area for nurturing Daoist foundations for a Daoist, yet it was now trembling with anxious urgency.

As if a voice was calling out, urging Yu Canghai to flee the danger quickly.

Kou'er, it's my incompetence as a father; I not only caused you to lose the chance to reincarnate and cultivate, but also couldn't avenge your death. I could only let you stay in this crude Huangliang host, following me away from home.

Kou'er, you won't blame me, will you? It's okay if you do; I, as your father, am sorry to you.

In the murmured whisper, the tremor beneath his abdomen ceased abruptly.

Replaced by a faint buzzing, as if comforting, or perhaps liberation.

Not blaming me? That's good.

Yu Canghai's smile was relieved, and when he suddenly lifted his head, there was no trace of humble plea; his eyes were blood red, murderous aura surging.

Then let's father and son fight him again today!

Roar!

The dragon's chant erupts, a crimson shadow howls.

Its might matches, nay surpasses, the grandeur of the old Chengdu Prefecture.

Alas, the one who now answers the call is but a shadow of what once was!

Clang!

A scarlet blade of shadow strikes, yet Li Jun's five fingers seize it by the waist.

His tiger-like index finger hammers down, striking the heart of the red dragon sword.

Clang!

The fist lands like a bell's toll; the red dragon's blazing aura extinguishes, its dim blade cracking into shards that drift on wind and snow.

"I told you, I will break you!"

Li Hua stands with hands on hips, fierce and alluring, her eyes brimming with a veil of bewildering tears.

Boom!

Li Jun steps, his figure appearing before Yu Canghai.

The foe he has long dreamed of stands before him, yet the two, bristling with killing intent, grow eerily calm.

"Li Jun, I am but bait; now the Honghu and the Peaceful King know you are in Osaka, and they will kill you for me."

Yu Canghai folds his hands into sword fingers, and massive talismans rise behind him.

"Is it the Peaceful King?"

Li Jun nodded, "I am waiting."

Clench the fingers, sway the waist, unleash the punch.

Devour dragon and tiger.

Eight extremes shatter the body, dividing tendons and fracturing bones.

The Great Luo technique, overflowing.

This fist pours all of Li Jun's being, without restraint.

Boom!

[Acquired 60 proficiency points]

Blood sprays before his eyes, a great gate within his body opens.

Skin, bone, meridians, muscle, flowing blood, surging power—every fiber of this body cries out in jubilation.

Carbonized skin peels away, torn wounds heal, broken bones knit anew.

As a fresh gene revives, Li Jun's waning aura ascends swiftly.

"A berserker's bold heart, a red-blooded resolve, a lone man tempering his soul, grinding swords to cease war, walking alone to become the culprit."

Li Jun clenches his fists, feeling this near-new flesh, and breaks into a grin.

"But this is no culprit; it is simply letting the old man revel in vengeance!"

"Brother, the Qing'er seems dead."

An untimely voice interjects.

Upon a shattered crimson wall, a youth in red robes squats on a massive embroidered spring knife, cradling a skull, turning it, then pointing at the dim eyes toward the wall's jade-clad Daoist.

In the Daoist's mouth, death is not merely bodily collapse, but the extinguishing of the divine.

Ding-dong!

The thin earring on the Daoist's earlobe trembles without wind, emitting crisp chimes.

Golden Dao patterns intertwine into the characters 'Yongle', stark against the night.

"One wave dies, another rises. Damn it, never ending, huh?"

The King of Horses sighs deeply, unable to refrain from cursing.

Li Hua, perched on his shoulder, wipes away snot and tears, her lips forming a rustic phrase learned from somewhere.

"Just get it done!"

Beyond Osaka Castle, a convoy trails behind, racing swiftly toward the dazzling lights afar.

Suddenly, a modest flare ignites before the convoy, followed by a piercing howl that tears the night.

It is the fire dragon rising; dodge quickly!

A shell shaped like a dragon's head rockets into the lead carriage's belly, exploding with thunder.

Rising flames and shockwaves hurl the 'black sedan' skyward; four agile figures strike through the fire, landing solidly on earth.

"Damn it, these Honghus are too arrogant."

The armored man sweats out the flames on his shoulder, turns to the urgent rear, spreading a word that blocks the entire post road with the convoy.

"Boss, how do we proceed?"

Clang.

A carriage door is kicked open.

In Jirou Castle, a Hundred Household of the Brocade Guard, a twisted dragon, brandishes a massive 'fire dragon' over seven chi long, emerging from the carriage.

"He bombards you; do you not know how to strike back? Do not entangle with these petty wretches; advance directly, for the thousand-household's order is to rescue the Yan King within the city!"

"Got it. Yet Yan King is truly handsome; alas I lack the talent, otherwise I'd rise to a martial rank!"

The armored man grabs a rear-loaded blunderbuss, leaps onto the black sedan's roof, slaps the canopy and roars, "Did you hear the boss? Give the throttle full, and anyone who blocks shall be crushed!"

Sir, our scout vehicle was ambushed; the ambushers are likely the Honghus under the Peaceful King.

Listening to the chief's report, the elderly man sits within, arms crossed, eyes half-closed, his expression complex.

"The King has yet to reply."

After a moment's contemplation, the elder suddenly speaks, asking.

"Answered."

The elder's face brightens, "Speak quickly."

The chief hesitates, "The Peaceful King says"

"Why the stammering? What exactly did the King say?" The elder's eyes widen.

"He told you to be sensible, not to court death, nor to drag him down."

The elder stares blankly at the chief, his bewildered gaze making the man uneasy.

"Seems I imagined it; the King's curse is well earned!"

The elder shakes his head, chuckles at himself, inhales, exhales, and declares, "Notify the brothers: do not linger, charge forward, and reach Osaka City at once!"