Chapter 391: Chapter 109: Heavy Damage
In the Divine Capital Upper City, the place closest to the Imperial City, in the residence of Huayang Princess, the Second Prince encountered an assassination.
His sense of crisis surged and then fell abruptly, erased by the Heavenly Escape Sword Intent. A momentary blankness appeared in his thoughts, further causing True Qi to become disordered. In that instant, the invisible and intangible Sword Light penetrated the Second Prince’s back.
The vestment robe he wore offered no protection against the Great Circle Sword, mercilessly pierced through, with the sword tip splitting flesh and blood, inch by inch entering, while the Second Prince’s flesh and bones gradually turned gold, the increasingly dense golden sheen illuminating the sword tip.
With each fraction of an inch the sword advanced, the resistance grew stronger. The Second Prince’s Cultivation Body operated, runes and talismans within the acupoints of his flesh merged, altering his constitution, attempting to seize the sword tip.
But at that moment, a soft whisper rose to the Second Prince’s ears, "Does Your Highness seem to be looking for me?"
Lawless Freedom?!
This strange and clear voice let the Second Prince know who the assassin was, and for a moment, his mind was filled with a multitude of thoughts.
’Why does he know that I am investigating him?’
’Are there his people in the Yin Law Department?’
’Has Lawless Freedom come for revenge?’
...
Amidst such a crisis, the Second Prince’s wild and fanciful thoughts were quite inappropriate, but he just couldn’t control himself.
The Heart Demon Secret Sword targeted the mind and spirit. Though it was not as lethal as the Heavenly Escape Sword Skill in slaughter, it was far superior in stirring distracting thoughts and secretly attacking others. When the Sword Light entered his body, the Second Prince had already been afflicted by the Heart Demon Secret Sword, his mind beyond his control, thoughts arising from all directions, unable to focus his spirit.
And this also gave Jiang Li an answer.
[Indeed, he is investigating me.]
Confirming the movements of the Second Prince and the Yin Law Department, the Great Circle Sword also pressed forward relentlessly. Because his scattered thoughts hindered his physique from changing, the Second Prince was thoroughly pierced by the Sword Light from front to back.
"Ssst—"
Blood sprayed out, and all the people around were shocked by this sudden turn of events, with Huayang Princess screaming loudly.
It was such an inconsequential moment, yet the Second Prince was grievously wounded.
However, at this moment, the body of the Second Prince suddenly swelled, his whole body a golden hue as if made from soil and stone, exuding the substantial heaviness of the earth. His hair from the back of his head fell, and a vague face appeared on the back of his head.
"Yellow Emperor Earth Emperor Dao."
The Second Prince’s body rumbled within, like rolling stones. Runes emerged from within, transforming into arms, striking out with a bang.
But—
It was empty!
There was only Sword Light; the assailant was unseen.
In the blink of an eye, the Second Prince suppressed his rampant thoughts, a flicker of Spirit Light passed through his mind, the newly emerged arms reached for the Sword Light, while the original arms in front of him opened widely, muscles twisted into thick strands, swelling up like a massive chain. Immense Strength converged between the hands, like a surging tide and chains intertwining, creating an invisible area of force.
"Nine Earths Locking Sky Gang."
The field crumbled, as if breaking through a layer of invisible fog, a pair of fair and slender palms were revealed from behind the concealment, appearing in the eyes of the Second Prince, followed by arms, a white outfit, and a face covered by grey-white mist, a pair of indifferent eyes so transparent it appeared almost colorless.
’Indeed, it’s a feint to the east while striking in the west, an approach in stealth!’
’This Cultivation Technique, the Xiyi Sword Skill from the Daode Sect?’
’And these Sword Cultivator techniques...’
His heart swirled with even more thoughts, the Heart Demon Secret Sword constantly stirring the Second Prince’s mind while the Lawless Freedom that faced him suddenly was shrouded in thick black mists, its figure distorted like a multitude of ghostly apparitions. In an instant, the only colors in his vision were black and white.
The Five Vile Qi surged violently, the field collapsed, the "Nine Earths Locking Sky Gang" move faced disintegration, and the wildly dancing Evil Qi emitted sharp, piercing howls like the wails of ghosts and gods crying out, as if hell had descended.
’Five Vile Qi!’
The Second Prince gritted his teeth, changing his moves, pulling his arms inward, bending them and erecting them in front of his body, poised to forcefully block.
A pair of palms struck against the Second Prince’s arms with a smashing force akin to collapsing mountains. The oppressive power of the Demon Cleansing True Qi was fully displayed, and the Second Prince’s body burst forth with a mighty power.
Although he couldn’t let his True Qi externalize, the "Form Tomb" hardened the Magic Practitioner’s body. Driven by True Qi, the talismanic seeds throughout his body could exert great strength. The Second Prince was enveloped in a fierce golden light, muscles cracking with explosive sounds, power surging forth from his body.
But at the same time, Jiang Li also absorbed the Five Thunders of heaven and earth, condensing Evil Qi into Gang Sha.
"Boom!"
The airwave roared like an angry sea, the wailings of ghosts and gods were incessant, decay Qi thundered forth with immense True Strength, forming a pitch-black void that deterred anyone from approaching.
Gang Sha, like sword blades, sliced through the Second Prince, evil Qi striking his body and causing his blood and Qi to weaken, the golden light to dim.
Assassination inherently favored the weak against the strong, and Jiang Li had taken every advantage, dealing the Second Prince a heavy blow at the outset. Although the Second Prince had an exquisite level of cultivation and even surpassed the Eldest Prince by a fraction thanks to a peerless Cultivation Body, he still fell to Jiang Li’s hands.
The Second Prince staggered back, unable to continue, while Jiang Li’s pale and uncanny hand, under the influence of the Five Vile Qi, reached out from the darkness and grasped the blade of the Great Circle Sword.
The Great Circle Sword underwent spontaneous change, its hilt becoming its tip and vice versa. Clutching the long sword, Jiang Li drove the Five Vile Qi into the Second Prince’s body, then forcefully withdrew the blade.
Gouts of blood mixed with black Qi sprayed out, a flash of Sword Light piercing the dark fog, expelling the blade’s Evil Qi as well.
The long sword came to a halt, angled towards the ground. Jiang Li nodded slightly, a gesture resembling a bow, and said with consummate politeness, "A minor punishment for a major lesson, I hope His Highness understands and can change."
This time, he was much more courteous than before, at least willing to address the Second Prince as "His Highness." Unfortunately, it seemed the prince was not in the mood to appreciate it.
Upon seeing Jiang Li behave in such a manner, the Second Prince felt a surge of blood rush to his throat, ready to vomit.
"If you’ll excuse me," Jiang Li said with a light chuckle, stepping back and disappearing into the Five Vile Qi.
Within three breaths, a violent wind swept into the hall, dissipating the gathered black Qi, revealing only a grievously wounded Second Prince and no sign of the assassin.
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"Your Highness!"
Shrieks and clamorous noises spread throughout the mansion; no one had expected the Second Prince, at the peak of his life, to be targeted by an assassination here and now.
The young scions of various families were struck by inexplicable alarm, and for a moment, the vast mansion buzzed like a marketplace.
Three streets away, a line of eerie figures halted abruptly, the foremost being nearly ten feet tall with a bull head and a human body, cocking its ear, listening, "Lawless Freedom?"
He had heard a particular name amid the clamor, sending a shiver through his body.
’This is a calamity,’ the Bull-headed lamented internally.
By right, he should have charged straight towards the source of the sound, but the fact that the other party dared to act in the Upper City District hinted at their strength.
The Bull-headed, acutely self-aware, knew that if he went there, he might lose his life.
The Lawless Freedom’s cultivated sword could sever souls and destroy spirits, a true bane to them Ghost Cultivators. A single strike could damage his soul body—crippling if not fatal.
Considering this, the Bull-headed’s eyes darted around, and he barked, "Suspected appearance of Lawless Freedom, hurry and investigate. I must return to the department to report to Lord of the Mansion, to inform him of this good news."
The accompanying ghosts immediately acknowledged and, with a gust of Yin Qi, rushed towards the Wang family.
The Bull-headed, however, intended to turn back to Yin Law Department to avoid the storm...
"To the Imperial City,"
A chilling voice suddenly echoed, and the Bull-headed’s robust body stiffened instantly.
Unless he had misheard, that should be the voice of his immediate superior, Lord Cui, who had been following him all along.
This revelation was like a bolt from the blue, leaving the Bull-headed trembling with fear.
Despite sensing something wrong, the Bull-headed had no choice but to comply.
"As ordered."
Halting his stride, the Bull-headed responded loudly, summoning the Big White Ox Cart, and with a heavy hand, he drove towards the Imperial City.
The scenery under the night sky flew by on both sides. Without the guidance of lost souls, the Big White Ox Cart couldn’t proceed directly, but the gradually intensifying Evil Qi in the air allowed the Bull-headed to pinpoint the destination.
In about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, the Big White Ox Cart arrived outside the Imperial City.
The guards, sensing the Yin Qi, cast their gaze over, forcing the ox cart to come to a stop.
"Lord of the Mansion, we Yin Gods don’t have the right to enter the Imperial City," the Bull-headed whispered.
The Imperial City was rich in obscure Yin secrets, and the Yin Gods of Yin Law Department, who dealt with soul summoning, dared not to accidentally hook certain residual spirits and learn secrets they should not, lest they invite disaster.
Moreover, how could the Emperor’s abode tolerate the presence of Yin Gods and their unwholesome Qi?
But times have changed.
A crimson figure emerged, and a gentle male voice emerged from the shadows, "Just go in."