Chapter 268: Chapter 263 "Gongsun Qingyue
Gongsun Qingyue had likely advanced to the sixth rank, with her Three Elements far surpassing her previous state, and her strength had undergone a revolutionary change.
But these were normal changes.
The only abnormality was the astounding calculation power.
Gongsun Qingyue’s mastery over the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate was far superior to Jiang Li’s; what had seemed to be a balance of power was merely feigning weakness till this moment when she finally revealed her fangs.
’It must be the master...’
’No, that’s not right. The master and senior sister love and hate each other too much for the master to be of any help. Besides, given senior sister’s stubborn nature...’
It could only be said that Jiang Li had come to understand Gongsun Qingyue quite comprehensively, recognizing how aggressive his senior sister seemed, yet how she would become particularly timid in certain areas, perhaps pushing through to the ninety-ninth step but hesitating at the last.
Today, senior sister was unusually daring, and her strength was also particularly doubtful.
Jiang Li’s thoughts raced rapidly as the situation grew increasingly severe.
Outside the arena of the Eight Trigrams, Gongsun Qingyue now operated the Human Plate of the Eight Gates—a domain Jiang Li was temporarily not proficient in. With both plates in motion, it brought tremendous pressure to Jiang Li.
In the eyes of the bystanders, Gongsun Qingyue’s Qi mechanism was as dense as a Heaven and Earth Net. Even to those with weaker strength, her silhouette seemed to transform, appearing godlike and overwhelming, encompassing heaven and earth.
"Qian Sword Dao! The Innate Sword created by Senior Sister Tianxuan, Gongsun Qingyue has received its true inheritance," said Elder Kaiyang, stroking his chin and speculating.
"I underestimated the legitimate daughter of the contemporary Gongsun family."
He had been worried earlier that Gongsun Qingyue would not be able to suppress Jiang Li, but then he relaxed as Tianxuan seemed to be taming Jiang Li. Now, it seemed there was no need for concern; even if Jiang Li harbored ambitions, Gongsun Qingyue could completely suppress him.
Just from the strength she was displaying at the moment, it was clear that Gongsun Qingyue’s future achievements would not be inferior to Jiang Li’s.
This time, Gongsun Qingyue’s participation in the combat discussions was probably also an opportunity to demonstrate her abilities to the elders of the sect and simultaneously dispel their apprehensions about Jiang Li.
Two birds with one stone; Yun Jiuye would have a formidable rival in the future.
Even though he had been promoted to fifth-rank, that did not mean he could rest easy.
"Senior Sister Tianxuan teaches well," remarked Elder Tianpeng.
"Indeed."
Elder Kaiyang echoed, glancing subtly at Ling Wujue.
’Why is my disciple so inadequate? Could it be that I’m not cut out to be a master?’
Thinking about Tianxuan and then about himself, Elder Kaiyang felt a sourness in his mouth, as if he had drunk a bottle of aged vinegar.
On the other side, Guangming Daoist, Jingyang Jun, and Yuan Fu, these three, each showed varying degrees of pleasure.
"Da Huan Sword encompasses all things, and Gongsun Qingyue of the Dinghu Sect displays the myriad changes of the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate, especially this Qian Sword Dao, which truly aligns with the meaning of Da Huan, the battle is set," stated Guangming Daoist leisurely.
Jingyang Jun and Yuan Fu nodded in agreement.
In contrast, the Mo Sect seemed slightly somber, not exactly out of sorts, but certainly not optimistic.
If Jiang Li were unable to continue the fight, even if the Heavenly Will Sword had not yet lost, finding another Sword Holder would be difficult. Could they use this as an excuse to stall for time until Jiang Li recovered?
Although feasible, the Mo Sect could not afford such a loss of face.
However, whatever those outside the field thought could not affect those within it, and Jiang Li was presently indifferent to others’ thoughts.
With overwhelming sword momentum, his senior sister seemed like the center of the universe; Jiang Li found himself in a decidedly disadvantageous situation. He watched as swirls of gentle breeze reconverged into the Great Circle Sword, activated by Gongsun Qingyue’s sword formula. The sword seemed to grow rapidly, like a heaven-supporting sword enveloping him with net-like momentum.
Yet, at that moment, a Blue Butterfly fluttered up, considering the sword momentum as nothing, moving with the wind.
Jiang Li’s own vision overlaid with that of Dream Butterfly, breaking through the Qian Sword Dao’s oppressive momentum from a different perspective, sensing the unreal aspects of Dream Butterfly, his figure faintly fluctuated and all at once—
vanished.
Jiang Li out of Gongsun Qingyue’s vision had disappeared.
In that instant, he escaped the encirclement of the sword momentum, becoming one of the escapees, causing Gongsun Qingyue’s perception to miss him, creating an illusion of disappearance.
As Dream Butterfly fluttered gracefully, Jiang Li’s figure flickered, approaching Gongsun Qingyue together with Dream Butterfly.
Gongsun Qingyue, sensing the Array Plate, suddenly found it difficult to continue tracking Jiang Li.
Within her Array Plate, there was a continuously moving void.
That was Dream Butterfly.
Alternating between reality and illusion, when it was real, it occupied space and was captured by the Array Plate, but when it turned into illusion, that segment of space suddenly fluctuated, presenting a fleeting flaw for a moment.
Jiang Li precisely exploited this minor flaw, with his familiarity with Wind Queen’s Strange Gate, disappearing into the Array Plate along with Dream Butterfly’s alternating realities.
Due to his inferior calculation power, he couldn’t surpass Gongsun Qingyue on the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate, but if he stopped confronting the Strange Gate Array directly and instead used the flaws to maneuver, then Jiang Li wasn’t without options.
Gongsun Qingyue also noticed this, immediately rose into the air, and led the sword formula. The sky-filled sword momentum suddenly converged, merging into the Great Circle Sword, shooting out a sword light like a meteor from outer space, carrying a terrifying atmospheric Qi Mechanism.
"Qian Sword Dao·Great Origin."
Gongsun Qingyue softly shouted in mid-air, the enormous sword light encompassing the vicinity of Dream Butterfly, pouring forth a vigorous sword Qi.
She knew that Jiang Li would definitely be near Dream Butterfly, relying on it to conceal himself.
Indeed, the sword Qi tore through a layer of invisible membrane, revealing Jiang Li’s figure. But in a flash, Jiang Li’s form shifted, transforming into the Azure Yinglong Dragon—its head roaring, thunder light shooting toward the sword light.
"Boom!"
The sound barrier was shattered, circles of airflow still emerged, and the two beams of light collided head-on. Amidst earth-shattering explosions, the thunder light with an unmatched force crushed the sword light, bending it and then fiercely crashing into the mountainside.
Super Electromagnetic Sword Technique!
Jiang Li transformed the Heavenly Will Sword into a cannonball, shattering the mysteries of Qian Sword Dao with absolute violence, blasting away the Great Circle Sword.
Regardless of how powerful Gongsun Qingyue’s calculation power was, in terms of sheer strength, she was definitely not Jiang Li’s match, at least not in demonstrated ability.
Affected by the force, the Azure Yinglong Dragon shook the ground, causing the light screen to tremble, then with a shift in its dragon body, it shed the force. The Qi Mechanism formed a spiraling cloud under its claws, soaring into the air.
He, along with Dream Butterfly, ascended swiftly, approaching Gongsun Qingyue with the speed of thunder, Divine Dragon Claw reaching out—a gigantic dragon claw covering Gongsun Qingyue’s field of vision.
And without hesitation, Gongsun Qingyue manifested Green Flame in her palm, her body cloaked in green flame armor, pressing her palm against the dragon claw.
Drought God Palm.
The explosive and fierce palm force struck like a volcanic eruption, mighty and intense. The fiery palm force met with the Innate Wood Qi and flared wildly, instantly scorching blackened fissures onto the dragon claw, but it was countered by the Returning to the Origin Innate Qi.
The massive dragon body was like a confluence of rivers merging into the sea, the purified Innate Qi taking on a liquid form in the visible human-shaped hands, facing the fierce flame palm.
"Three Points Return to Primordial Qi."
Utterly refined, it countered various flashy techniques; Innate Qi and Flame Qi merged and neutralized, dense mists rose and upon the clashing palms, the spread Qi force exterminated the mists.
Jiang Li focused his gaze on Gongsun Qingyue’s waist, telekinesis bursting forth, Invisible Power targeted at a familiar acupressure point.
Yin Talisman Seven Skills·Real Intent Technique Python.
"Hmph!"
Gongsun Qingyue, of course, didn’t miss Jiang Li’s gaze. She snorted coldly in light anger, her Qi Armor forming, protecting her waist as the Invisible Power struck it, emitting a clear sound.
The Yin Talisman Seven Techniques·Nourishing Spirit Method Spirit Turtle.
As the instructor who taught Jiang Li the Yin Talisman Seven Skills, Gongsun Qingyue’s proficiency in this technique was still superior to Jiang Li’s.
Jiang Li’s sudden strike was bound to fail, but—
’It’s not Senior Sister!’ Jiang Li’s heart surged with emotions.
Gongsun Qingyue had suffered enough from the Bending Flower Hand. Although not resulting in a reflex, her body would tense subconsciously when Jiang Li showed signs of using the Bending Flower Hand, showing the highest alertness and defense.
And just now, although Gongsun Qingyue’s defense was timely and precise, it wasn’t to the expected extent.
This detail, Jiang Li would never misrecognize.
This was their little secret, just like their midnight adventures into their master’s chambers, known only to heaven, earth, you, and me, with no third party aware.
So even if this "Gongsun Qingyue" looked exactly alike, Jiang Li was certain she wasn’t the real Gongsun Qingyue.
Then the question arose, if not Gongsun Qingyue, who could she be?
There should only be one answer······
"Bang!"
Jiang Li’s palm force was clearly superior, Gongsun Qingyue was blasted back through the air, yet her body seemed not to be affected.
She skillfully dissipated the force using an exquisite technique, simultaneously pinching the sword formula, preparing to command the dislodged Great Circle Sword to fly back.
Now, there was another problem—how could Jiang Li defeat this ’Senior Sister’ who was not his Senior Sister, and destroy the Great Circle Sword to win this swordfight?
Having been struck into the mountainside by the Heavenly Will Sword, the Great Circle Sword, under Gongsun Qingyue’s command, immediately flew out from the side like it was flicking around a finger, aiming at Jiang Li.
"Yin Talisman Seven Skills·Scattering Formation Technique Vulture."
Gongsun Qingyue applied the Yin Talisman Seven Skills again, controlling the surrounding forces, the brilliant sword light transforming into a winged shape, aggressively closing in.