Ji Zong smiled and said, “This time, my senior brother brought the Profound River Mirror. It can summon over the Secret Treasure of my sect—the Profound River Image. Xiao Chen, do you still think that my senior brother is being too conceited?
“After we kill you, our name will spread everywhere. We will take your Luck and your treasures. Then, we will subdue all the Magic Treasures in this heavenly palace, allowing my senior brother to establish a hegemony.”
During the Immortal Epoch, there had been a river in the Heaven of the Immortals called the Profound River, which had been as famous as the underworld river of h.e.l.l.
After the Immortal Epoch ended, the Profound River split into several segments at some mysterious location and descended to the Kunlun Realm. Several famous rivers were actually the former Profound River.
During the Ancient Era, the Sect Master of the Profound Water Sect had chanced on a not very powerful segment of the Profound River and refined it into an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure that contained some of the might of the Immortal Dao’s Profound River.
If the disciples of the Profound Water Sect wielded the Profound River Mirror, they could summon out the Profound River Image, tapping a portion of the Emperor Grade Secret Treasure’s might.
Under the pressure of the Profound River Image, Xiao Chen could not bring out even half his might. If not for his strong physical body, the blue-robed old man would have long since beaten him to death.
Yao Chen was astonished. His master once said that as long as this Profound River Mirror was activated, a grandmaster-level Martial Sage would not be able to last more than ten breaths of time.
Only a great grandmaster-level Martial Sage could free himself from this. Now, Xiao Chen—a peak Medial Grade Martial Sage—managed to last this long.
Xiao Chen felt intense pain all over his body from the heavy waves of water. However, he was very calm. He was a bladesman who condensed a saber soul.
I survived Lightning Tribulations and a Heart Tribulation. With just a thought, I can get rid of all disturbing emotions one after another. Fear, fl.u.s.ter, panic, and horror will not appear in me.
If my saber soul can advance another step, reaching Small Perfection, I can easily break this Profound River Image.
If my physical body can advance another step, reaching Rank 4 Sage Body, this image would not be able to suppress me at all.
How unfortunate! I’m just a little short, allowing these fellows to become proud of themselves.
Could it be that I have to use the Thunder Origin that I have been saving?
Right now, Xiao Chen was a peak Medial Grade Martial Sage. By relying on the Purple Thunder Divine Incantation, he could fight with grandmaster-level Martial Sages.
All he had to do was take another step: break through the bottleneck of Medial Grade Martial Sage. Then, he would be able to dispatch this image of an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure readily.
After dodging the blue-robed old man’s attack with some difficulty, Xiao Chen peered askance through the aqueous s.p.a.ce and saw Yao Chen tossing a Medicinal Pill into his mouth.
Xiao Chen raised his eyebrows and revealed a smile. It looked like keeping this Profound River Mirror activated for a long time was not that easy, given Yao Chen’s cultivation.
In that case, this will be a piece of cake!
Xiao Chen circulated the Azure Dragon Body Nouris.h.i.+ng Art in his body, and that strand of Dragon Energy likewise circulated with a loud rumble.
Under the suppression of the Profound River Image, Xiao Chen’s circulation of Law Energy was restricted; however, his Vital Qi was not. That, he could move around easily.
The moment Yao Chen swallowed the Medicinal Pill and circulated his energy to absorb the Medicinal Energy was when the Profound River Image would be at its weakest.
Seizing this fleeting chance, Xiao Chen shouted explosively. He burned his Dragon Energy and punched the s.p.a.ce.
One Dragon Force was five thousand tons of force. When Xiao Chen burned his Dragon Energy, he attained one and a half Dragon Force—seven thousand five hundred tons of force. Even the mountains and rivers would explode under such an impact.
“Bang!”
The Profound River Image shattered, and the aqueous s.p.a.ce shook violently, forming many tiny spatial tears.
Cracks appeared in the Profound River Mirror. With the backlash from the Emperor Grade Secret Treasure, Yao Chen, who just swallowed a Sage Grade Medicinal Pill, vomited out blood. His complexion turned ashen.
All of a sudden, Xiao Chen’s body became as light as it was before. His aura recovered back to its peak. He itched to howl to the sky to vent his happiness.
Xiao Chen looked around and saw that blue-robed old man charging over with heavy waves again. He shouted coldly, “You still dare to be so arrogant? Scram!”
He raised the Flawless saber Dao to its peak, using his body and thoughts as a saber and infusing in his saber soul; a bright moon rose from behind him, climbing into the sky.
“Boom!” Having recovered his strength, Xiao Chen knocked the blue-robed old man back. He unleashed a boundless saber intent, which gave off a buzzing sound. The palace underfoot started to tremble.
Before this saber intent, some of the small restrictions in the surroundings broke like bubbles.
“Let’s go. This brat is too horrifying. I’ll cover our backs,” the blue-robed old man quickly said to Ji Zong and Yao Chen as he wiped blood from a corner of his lips.
Suffering from the backlash of an Emperor Grade Secret Treasure, Yao Chen was incredibly weak now. He activated the Profound River Mirror, and a water screen formed; then he quickly jumped into it with Ji Zong.
“You are a dying man. What do you have to cover their backs? Cycle Banner, come out!”
Xiao Chen waved one hand, and the Cycle Banner unfurled. Scarlet killing Qi surged out from an Astral Pearl and formed a b.l.o.o.d.y “kill” word.
This word readily broke the old man’s Martial Technique, causing him to vomit blood again and retreat two steps.
A gray “ruin” word and a black “death” word quickly followed, together with dense starlight. They struck the old man in rapid succession, grinding his spirit down entirely.
The “death” word contained dense Death Qi, sucking away a good portion of his lifeforce; the old man looked like he aged another ten years.
The banner tip shook as it pierced through the old man’s chest, thoroughly killing him.
As the color of the water screen faded, Yao Chen’s vague figure said, “Xiao Chen, just you wait. On the day you are conferred King, I will definitely bring the Profound River Mirror over and give you a big surprise!”
“Boring!”
Xiao Chen stretched out his hand, and starlight gathered. The seven Astral Pearls flickered, and the Cycle Banner streaked towards Yao Chen like a meteor.
This attack startled Yao Chen in the water screen. He quickly pulled Ji Zong over and took cover behind him.
An agonized shriek resounded. The water screen disappeared with Yao Chen. However, the Cycle Banner pinned Ji Zong to the ground. His eyes were wide open as he held the banner pole with both hands, dying with remaining grievances.
Now that the battle was over, Xiao Chen relaxed. He instantly felt very fatigued. Earlier, the injuries that he sustained as a result of the Profound River Image’s suppression had been like torrential rain. Now, they pained him.
After pocketing the two’s spatial rings, Xiao Chen took out a Rank 9 Medicinal Pill for healing injuries from Mister Qin’s collection. After he swallowed it, he started to work on recuperating from his wounds.
Given the strength of his physical body, he would be able to recover back to his peak in less than an hour, as long as no one disturbed him.
If he had not given most of the Sage Grade Medicinal Pills to Ye Chen, his return to health would have been even faster.
Just when Xiao Chen’s injuries were almost healed, Lord Jiu, who had fled when the situation turned unfavorable, rushed over, shouting, “Old Brother Xiao! Old Brother Xiao! That fellow Ye Chen is about to get played to death by Di Wuque!”
Xiao Chen’s eyes suddenly opened, and a bright light came from them. He noticed that Lord Jiu used the word “played” rather than “beaten.”
This one word was the difference between two scenarios.
Ignoring the fact that he was not fully recovered yet, Xiao Chen stood up and took out the white wings. Then he sent in his Spiritual Sense and laid his own Spiritual Mark.
“Whoos.h.!.+” The wings unfurled and turned into many pure-white feathers—thousands of them—and flew to Xiao Chen’s shoulder blades.
In that instant, Xiao Chen felt as light as the wind. All his blood, bones, skin, and flesh—every single cell in his body—turned light. With one flap, he soared up.
A pair of ten-meter-long wings extended, and a cool breeze blew continuously around Xiao Chen as he radiated a crystalline white light.
Freedom!
Suddenly, this word appeared in Xiao Chen’s mind. The wind beckoned him; it was like there was nowhere in the world he could not go.
Lord Jiu, who was at the side, was stunned when he saw this. When he looked up at Xiao Chen, he felt like Xiao Chen was infinitely far away, moving with the wind, although Xiao Chen was clearly just nearby.
In this Freedom Wings, there was even a Magic Skill. Xiao Chen rejoiced. He took a look and discovered the Magic Skill So Close Yet Worlds Apart. No matter how far a place was, it was just very near.
However, even if Xiao Chen burned all his Magic Energy, he could not make that happen.
The distance he could travel still depended on his own strength and how much Magic Energy he was willing to expend.
Xiao Chen felt the vast Magic Energy in his sea of consciousness and did not delay any longer. He grabbed Lord Jiu and said, “Lead the way!”
A cool breeze blew. Under Lord Jiu’s directions, Xiao Chen used the Freedom Wings to travel through several small restrictions, heading forward un.o.bstructed.
No, there are too many restrictions. Furthermore, I will have to travel through several big ones hiding Magic Treasures equal to peak King Grade Secret Treasures. Given my ident.i.ty, I will definitely be discovered. When that happens, there will be a lot of trouble.
Xiao Chen thought carefully for a moment. Then he quickly burned his Magic Energy, activating the Magic Skill of the Freedom Wings—So Close Yet Worlds Apart.
The s.p.a.ce in front of Xiao Chen folded. Scenes of grandmaster-level Martial Sages fighting over Magic Treasures and dying miserably in the restrictions appeared before his eyes.
These scenes flashed by like they were photographs. Suddenly, one containing Ye Chen’s figure appeared. Di Wuque knocked him into the air. Just as Ye Chen was about to land, Di Wuque threw another palm strike, sending him flying again.
With a thought from Xiao Chen, the ever-changing scenes stopped, and he took a step forward. Using So Close Yet Worlds Apart, he traversed many restrictions of various sizes and leaped out.
Once Xiao Chen landed, the folded s.p.a.ce instantly opened out again. Lord Jiu felt curious and wanted to take a look.
Xiao Chen said straightforwardly, “Don’t turn your head back. Be careful not to let it pull you in. Otherwise, your blood will splatter across a long distance.”
This warning startled Lord Jiu, prompting him to right his head hastily.
After putting away the Freedom Wings, the two hid in a small restriction and peered through the mist, which allowed them to see the area five kilometers in front of them clearly. Di Wuque, Tian Youxi, Xiao Qinghan, Xia Dongyang, and the rest of their group floated in the air.
The others did not make a move. Only Di Wuque did, occasionally sending out a golden sword light from his fingertip emotionlessly. In the next instant, another b.l.o.o.d.y hole would appear on Ye Chen’s chest.
There were already nine holes surrounding Ye Chen’s heart, pierced through all the way. Wind could enter from one side and come out the other.
Lord Jiu could not help but say, “When I saw him earlier, he had only three holes in his chest. Now, he is like a beehive.”
In the air, Ye Chen, who was being toyed with torturously, kept leaking blood from his mouth. However, he did not have a sad expression on his face. Instead, he looked very happy. He laughed loudly and said, “Di Wuque, even if you kill me, you cannot change this fact.”
“You even dare to humiliate the Divine Daughter and act so arrogant after that? I will take your head for the Divine Son!”
One of the Frost Moon Palace’s disciples leaped out from behind Xiao Qinghan, wanting to pander to Di Wuque. Xiao Qinghan’s expression immediately changed drastically, and he tried to pull that disciple back, but he was too late.