Chapter 882
The Third Layer of Light Curtain
Zheng Yi took out a broken jade slip from Li Xuanhong's body from his sleeve. The surface of the jade slip was covered with cracks, but a faint trace of blood light remained.
"This is a fragment of the central jade slip of the protective array of the Li family's ancestral land," Zheng Yi said in a low voice. "Three days ago, Zhao Sanhuai's men snatched it from the Li family's outer scouts. It contains the location of the array's core."
Shen Changyuan took the jade slip and tapped it lightly with his fingertip.
The jade slip glowed with a faint red light, revealing a blurry array diagram.
In the center of the array, the phantom of a nine-story stone tower appears and disappears.
“Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower.” Shen Changyuan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The famous magic weapon of the Li family’s ancestor. The tower can suppress souls. When all nine levels are open, it can even trap a cultivator in the early stage of the Tribulation Transcending Realm for a quarter of an hour.”
Zheng Yi nodded: "So we won't fight head-on."
"We will depart at dawn tomorrow, first launching a feigned attack on the east gate of our ancestral homeland."
"To attract Li Wuji's attention."
"Then... I led Zhao Sanhuai and Ghost Shadow Old Man, sneaking in from the western cliff and heading straight for the Nine Nether Soul Suppressing Tower."
"Destroy the core of the formation, and the formation will collapse on its own."
Shen Changyuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Young man, you're playing dirty tricks."
Zheng Yi didn't laugh.
He simply looked out at the dark night outside the city.
That place is the upper reaches of the Blackwater River.
It is the ancestral home of the Li family.
It is the place where Li Wuji secluded himself for more than three hundred years.
It is... the end of all their grudges.
“Senior,” Zheng Yi said softly, “I’m entrusting Hongyun City to you for tomorrow’s battle.”
Shen Changyuan turned his back and stood with his hands behind his back.
The moonlight fell on his white robe, like a thin layer of frost.
"Go."
"I will guard the city."
"Anyone who dares to come, I'll show them what it means to be a half-step Tribulation Transcending."
Zheng Yi clasped his hands in a fist salute.
He turned and left.
Before dawn, the sky still carried the lingering effects of night. The fog upstream of the Blackwater River was as thick as a layer of waterlogged cotton, enveloping the entire ancestral land of the Li family. The river surface was eerily calm, with only the occasional leap of a fish, the splash spreading into grayish-white ripples within the fog before being quickly swallowed up. The protective array surrounding the ancestral land was fully activated, nine layers of pale purple light curtains, like nine semi-transparent veils, stretching from the foot of the mountain all the way to the summit. Runes constantly moved across the surface of the light curtains; upon closer inspection, these runes were actually miniature chains, their ends interlocking, emitting a very soft metallic clanging sound.
The Hongyuncheng allied forces stopped at Black Pine Ridge, three miles from their ancestral homeland.
The ridge was a natural, sheer cliff, its summit covered with low, black pines, their needles glistening with morning dew, their color a deep, almost black. Zheng Yi stood on a protruding rock at the very front, his black robe billowing in the wind, water droplets dripping from its hem. Behind him were twelve cave dwelling cultivators, plus the thirty-odd swordsmen led by Zhao Sanhuai, and further back, two hundred elite members of the Guo family, all cloaked in grey-black cloaks, their faces veiled, only their eyes visible. At the very end of the procession, Shen Changyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his white robe standing out starkly in the mist, like a sword yet to be drawn.
Opposite, towards the east gate of the Li family ancestral land, the fog was suddenly torn apart by an invisible force.
Li Tianque appeared with over a hundred heavily armored cultivators.
He stood atop the back of a blood-scaled, crimson lion. As the lion roared, the hot breath it exhaled condensed into blood-red clouds in the mist. Li Tianque's cloak was torn in half, and only half of the shattered blood jade on his chest remained, still seeping blood. He held a nine-ringed broadsword in his hand, its blade reflecting the morning light, its cold gleam blinding.
The two sides faced off across a three-mile stretch of fog.
Li Tianque spoke first, his voice imbued with spiritual power, like muffled thunder rolling across a river:
"Dark Night!"
"Last night at the Battle of Broken Soul Cliff, you burned my fleet and crippled my people—your methods were ruthless! And today you still dare to bring this rabble to your death?"
Zheng Yi did not reply immediately.
He simply raised his hand and waved it lightly.
The twelve cultivators behind him stepped forward simultaneously.
The withered lotus immortal was the first to make a hand seal.
He clasped his hands together, and a half-withered blue lotus appeared in his palms, its petals unfolding layer by layer, each petal holding a glistening drop of water. The water droplets instantly swelled after leaving his palms, transforming into twelve water spheres the size of washbasins, suspended in mid-air.
"go with!"
Twelve water spheres roared out, leaving long trails, like twelve meteors crashing into the light curtain at the east gate.
At the same time, Lady Bixiao held her jade flute to her lips.
She didn't blow; she just exhaled gently.
A very thin, dark green sonic blade shot out from the flute hole, twisting into a spiral shape in the air and emitting a sharp whistling sound that made one's eardrums tingle, piercing straight into the center of the light screen.
Iron-Armed Marquis laughed wildly and swung a black iron war hammer with his one arm.
The hammerhead was as big as a millstone, and its body was covered with crimson runes. He stomped the ground hard, the rocks on the cliff top cracked, and the warhammer flew out of his hand, turning into a crimson meteor in mid-air, crashing into the thickest layer of the light barrier.
Ghost Shadow Old Man's figure flickered and disappeared from the spot.
The next instant, he appeared ten feet from the edge of the light barrier, holding a bone blade in each hand, the blades wreathed in ghostly blue flames. He let out a low shout, and the ghostly flames surged, transforming into two fire pythons that coiled towards the light barrier.
The twelve cultivators attacked simultaneously.
The magical light intertwined into a dazzling yet deadly net, crashing violently into the first layer of purple light barrier.
boom--!
The first loud bang.
The light curtain trembled violently, and the runic chains collided wildly, like countless iron chains being pulled simultaneously. The twelve water spheres exploded first, splashing water everywhere, but were instantly twisted into mist by the chains.
The sonic blade pierced the light barrier, emitting a series of ear-piercing tearing sounds, and forcefully cut more than a dozen notches in the chain.
The black iron warhammer struck the thickest part, its shaft exploding with crimson runic light, clashing against the chains with a deafening metallic clang. The light barrier caved in half a foot, seven or eight chains broke, and fragments fell like a meteor shower.
The will-o'-the-wisp slithered into the gap and burned along the chain, its purple light dimming as it sizzled.
The first layer of light curtain was teetering on the brink of collapse.
Li Tianque's face turned ashen, and he suddenly raised his knife.
"Disciples of the Li family, heed my command!"
"Open the second and third floors completely!"
"Hold on!"
A deep, resonant bell tolled from the depths of the ancestral land.
thump -- thump -- thump --
After the nine chimes, the second and third layers of light curtains lit up simultaneously.
The purple light intensified, the chains grew thicker, and the runes moved twice as fast.
Zheng Yi finally spoke.
The sound wasn't loud, yet it pierced through the three-mile-long fog and reached Li Tianque's ears directly:
"Li Tianque".
"No matter how loudly you shout from inside the formation, you can't change the outcome today."
Li Tianque grinned maliciously: "The result? The result is that you will perish in the Blackwater River today!"
He slashed down with his sword.
The Nine-Ringed Greatsword's blade energy surged, transforming into a forty-foot-long crimson blade beam, carrying a foul wind, and cleaved straight down the cliff ridge where Zheng Yi was located.
Zheng Yi did not retreat but advanced.
The longsword was drawn.
Golden flames coiled around the sword, like a golden dragon come to life.
He took a step forward, his figure instantly leaping up, slashing down to meet the blade's edge.
"Zheng—!"
Swords clashed.
A muffled thunderclap resounded between heaven and earth.
The golden sword light clashed with the blood-red blade light, and the shockwave spread out in a circle, snapping the black pines on the ridge in unison, their needles pelting the river like a torrential downpour.
The two of them stepped back at the same time.
Zheng Yi retreated to the ridge, his boots carving two deep furrows in the rock, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Li Tianque stood atop the lion's back, his cloak ripped to shreds, fragments of the blood-red jade falling from his chest. He gasped for breath, his voice hoarse: "The Heavenly Gang Golden Core… truly domineering. Unfortunately, your injuries haven't healed. If you continue this fight, you'll be the first to die!"
Zheng Yi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his voice calm:
"A direct confrontation?"
"I never intended to fight you head-on."
He raised his hand.
The twelve cultivators behind him made hand seals again.
This time, I'm not fighting alone.
Instead, they form an array simultaneously.
Master Kulian formed a hand seal, and the illusory image of a twelve-petaled blue lotus appeared behind him, with a water dragon condensing on each petal.
Lady Bixiao pressed her short flute to her lips and blew out the first note.
The sound waves surged like a tide, but they were not a killing move; rather, they were an auxiliary attack.
The sound waves penetrated the ears of the other cultivators, and their auras instantly merged into one.
Iron Arm Marquis released his warhammer, but this time it wasn't to smash; instead, it hovered in mid-air, the runes on the hammer shining brightly, transforming into a crimson iron mountain phantom that pressed down on the light barrier.
Ghost Shadow Elder's figure flickered, appearing at the weakest point of the light barrier. His two bone blades danced, creating a series of eerie blue afterimages as each blade drilled into the gap. The other eight cultivators either used magical treasures, formed sword incantations, made hand seals, or threw talismans.
In an instant, sword light, blade aura, water dragon, fire python, lightning net, ice cone, poison mist, ghost shadow... all kinds of spells intertwined into a dazzling storm of death, frantically bombarding the second layer of light barrier.
The light screen trembled violently.
The chains clanged wildly, emitting a piercing metallic wail.
Dozens of cracks appeared on the second layer of light curtain.
The cracks spread rapidly, covering the entire light curtain like a spider web.
Li Tianque's expression changed drastically.
He whirled around and roared at the cultivators behind him:
"The third level! Open the third level quickly!"
The bell tolls again from the depths of our ancestral land.
The third layer of light curtain lit up.
The purple light was so intense it was almost black, the chains were as thick as a child's arm, and the runes sparked with lightning as they moved.
However, the cracks have already spread to the third layer.
As soon as the third layer lit up, a faint cracking sound was heard.
"Click—click—click—"
Like ice cracking.
Li Tianque's eyes were bloodshot.
"Dark Night! What exactly do you want?!"
Zheng Yi hovered in mid-air, his black robe billowing, golden flames swirling around his sword.
He looked at Li Tianque, his voice piercing through layers of light:
What do I want to do?
"I want your Li family... to know what despair is."
He raised his hand.
The sword tip points towards the main peak of the ancestral land.
"Gentlemen."
"One more time."
The twelve monks shouted in unison.
The spell coalesced once more.
This time it's even more intense.
The water dragon merged into one, transforming into a hundred-foot-long giant dragon that opened its mouth to bite at the light screen.
The sound waves condensed into a dark green spear, the tip of which was wrapped with countless tiny sonic blades.
The illusory image of Iron Mountain crashed down, causing the third layer of light curtain to dent by half a foot.
Ghost Shadow Elder's figure flashed and he was already attached to the light screen, his bone blade cutting wildly, as if peeling off a huge purple cocoon.
The other cultivators unleashed their magical treasures.
boom--!
A huge crack finally appeared in the third layer of light curtain, running from top to bottom.
Purple light leaked wildly from the crack, like a punctured blood bag.
Li Tianque's face turned deathly pale.
He suddenly tilted his head back and roared into the depths of his ancestral land:
"Ancestor! The mountain-protecting formation can't hold!"
The main peak of the ancestral land.
The ninth level of the Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Tower.
Li Wuji sat cross-legged on a futon at the top of the tower, his body surrounded by a thick, impenetrable blood mist.
He slowly opened his eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot.
"Can't hold on?"
His voice was very low, yet it carried throughout the entire ancestral land.
"I... will personally meet him."
The blood mist surged.
It instantly engulfed the entire nine-story stone pagoda.
The tower trembled violently.
The ninth-floor tower gate suddenly opened.
A blood-red figure shot into the sky from the top of the tower.
The blood shadow solidified in mid-air.
Li Wuji appeared.
His hair and beard were all white, yet he wore a long, blood-red robe embroidered with chains and skulls. In his hand he carried a bone staff, the top of which was a miniature human head, its eye sockets burning with eerie green flames.
He hovered above the ancestral land, his gaze piercing through layers of light curtains, locking onto Zheng Yi.
The voice seemed to come from the depths of the netherworld:
"Dark Night".
"I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Zheng Yi looked up.
Golden flames surged across the sword.
His voice was calm, yet every word was like a knife:
"Li Wuji".
"You've finally come out."
The two stared at each other through the tattered light barrier.
The fog swirled among them.
Like a veil about to be torn apart.
The wind stopped.
The sound of the river seemed to have stopped.
In the entire upper reaches of the Blackwater River, only two pairs of eyes remained locked in a standoff.
One gold.
First blood.
next moment.
Li Wuji raised his hand.
The bone staff slammed down heavily.
"boom--!"
The ninth layer of light curtain shattered completely.
Purple fragments fell like rain.
The mountain-protecting formation... has been broken.
Zheng Yi flicked his longsword.
The golden flames surged three zhang (approximately 10 meters).
His voice pierced through the fog, reaching everyone's ears:
"Gentlemen."
"kill!"
The twelve cultivators roared in unison.
Spells, magical artifacts, flashes of blades, shadows of swords...
They surged toward the ancestral land's east gate like a tidal wave.
War.
It officially broke out.
The Blackwater River seemed to awaken at that moment. Its surface was no longer calm, and ripples spread wildly outward from the east gate of the ancestral land, as if someone were smashing a giant hammer underwater. The mist was torn into countless fragments by the aftershocks of the spell, and the remaining spiritual light and blood energy mixed together in the air, making the entire sky glow with an eerie purplish-red.
The first layer of light barrier at the East Gate had long since turned to dust, and shattered purple chains, like broken iron snakes, fell from the sky, splashing into the river and sending water columns dozens of feet high into the air. The second layer of light barrier was now only a thin layer, its surface covered with spiderweb-like cracks, each crack containing arcs of electricity that emitted a piercing crackling sound. The third layer of light barrier, though still barely holding on, was dented beyond recognition, with wisps of black smoke rising from the broken chains, and the speed at which the runes moved noticeably slowed, like a purple heart about to explode.
Li Tianque stood atop the Bloodscale Lion, his cloak completely burned to ashes, leaving only half of his Xuan Iron Heavy Armor hanging on his body. The shattered Blood Jade on his chest had turned to dust and scattered in the wind. His eyes were bloodshot, and his nine-ringed broadsword had been cleaved in dozens of gashes by sword energy, each swing accompanied by a metallic wail.
"Hold on!" he roared, his voice almost swallowed by the roar of the spell. "Anyone who dares to back down will be the first one I chop down!"
Behind him, over a hundred heavily armored cultivators gritted their teeth and formed a battle array, simultaneously unleashing their halberds, magical treasures, and talismans. Some summoned shields of black iron through hand seals, while others threw out soul-locking chains to try and entangle Iron-Armed Marquis, who was charging at the forefront. Still others raised a giant bronze bell, its body humming and emitting sound waves in an attempt to counteract Lady Bixiao's sonic attack.
However, these resistances proved so fragile in the face of the combined attack of the twelve cave dwelling cultivators.
The withered lotus master was no longer in the original spot. He transformed into a streak of azure light, circling the light barrier at the east gate. With each flick of his hand, a half-withered azure lotus would explode at a crack in the light barrier. The lotus petals scattered like blades, forcing the chains on the third layer of the light barrier to break one after another.
"This old man's bones will play this game with the Li family to the very end!" The withered lotus master's voice was aged yet filled with satisfaction. "Li Wuji, you hide in the tower like a coward, I'll see how long you can endure this!" (End of Chapter)