Chapter 269: Chapter 264 Xuan Yuan’s Mutation
Crimson cliffs reflected the flame light below, the steady pulsating light screen, and the shadows of figures on the surrounding platforms, including Jiang Li aloft, transforming into a vulture of sword light.
Everything here was identical to the other world except the people were slightly different.
Gongsun Qingyue should have been the one controlling the Great Circle Sword, but here, it had become Tianxuan.
Tianxuan manipulated the sword light, mumbling to himself, "This boy seems to be getting suspicious, but alas, even Kaixiang and the others can’t detect my presence, let alone you."
Jiang Li’s guess wasn’t wrong, Gongsun Qingyue indeed was not Gongsun Qingyue, yet she also was Gongsun Qingyue.
The real Gongsun Qingyue’s physical body, divine soul, and even her consciousness were completely genuine, the only difference was that the person now controlling that body, soul, and consciousness was not Gongsun Qingyue, but Tianxuan.
To Gongsun Qingyue herself, this felt like sleepwalking, with a foggy consciousness, yet her body spontaneously moved according to the dream, seemingly both dream and reality.
Illusion and reality blurred, elder Tianxuan used the dream to control Gongsun Qingyue, fighting on her behalf to defeat Jiang Li.
Originally, with the help of the other elders, Tianxuan was able to create a dream that enveloped the entire Dinghu, unnoticed even by the giant Baqi snake. Now, controlling just one person, she alone was fully capable.
Moreover, since this Void Illusion Realm was a dream, Gongsun Qingyue was technically just dreaming, without any signs of being controlled. Even the observing fourth-rank couldn’t detect anything suspicious.
Elder Tianxuan, impersonating Gongsun Qingyue, aimed to defeat Jiang Li on behalf of her senior disciple.
Thus, the victory and defeat between Jiang Li and Gongsun Qingyue would be decided, allowing Gongsun Qingyue to completely dominate Jiang Li’s dream, with no room for refusal.
How could she admit to Jiang Li that only under her master’s control could she defeat Jiang Li? If it were up to her own strength, she wouldn’t stand a chance—wouldn’t that be even more embarrassing?
Having already lost face before her master, she would have to lose face before Jiang Li again—double the humiliation was something Gongsun Qingyue could not possibly accept.
Rather than be humiliated, it was better to accept the master’s forceful gift and claim this victory.
Elder Tianxuan had already anticipated her disciple’s reaction; she understood her all too well.
And Jiang Li, suspecting his senior sister’s strength as abnormal, was still of no use without evidence. He was merely at the mercy of Gongsun Qingyue with the outcome of this battle, obediently becoming the Gongsun Family’s affiliated son-in-law.
"Qingyue, as your master, this is all I can help you with."
Elder Tianxuan said slowly, his Qi controlling the Great Circle Sword as the vulture sword was now before Jiang Li’s eyes.
Meanwhile, in reality, Gongsun Qingyue made the same move, her fierce sword momentum locking onto Jiang Li. Heavenly timing and geographic advantage were all being used by the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate, coordinating with the "Scattering Formation Method Vulture." The sword wind engulfed with sweeping Flame Qi was about to swallow Jiang Li’s silhouette.
Yan Hanqing, seeing this, immediately opened his mouth to call out.
This was a Sword Discussion Conference, and now that Jiang Li was without his sword and being attacked directly, it was against the rules of engagement.
Yet, Tan Wuwei and Long Yue remained calm.
Tan Wuwei stopped Yan Hanqing, saying, "They are fellow disciples; they know the stakes better than you."
Even if the siblings appeared to be at odds, the possibility of seriously hurting or killing someone was absolutely out of the question.
As expected, just before the sword light, starlight emerged, covering Jiang Li like a gossamer robe. The Flame Qi and Sword Qi that were fiercely intense then suddenly dissipated as if floodgates were opened, losing all force.
In contrast, the starlight on Jiang Li shone brilliantly.
Facing death, he blossomed unscathed.
Jiang Li performed the Hua Jin technique, his body retreating as he turned sharply like a flying swallow, flying towards the Heavenly Will Sword embedded in the cliff.
"Where are you going, Junior Brother?"
Gongsun Qingyue asked with a light laugh, her sword finger guiding the Great Circle Sword through the air, chasing him like a shadow.
After reaching the sixth rank, Gongsun Qingyue was truly capable of Sword Flight, unlike her previous sword stepping technique.
The sword light sped through the air, and the chilling sword momentum once again enveloped the area. Array plate illusions appeared in mid-air, covering all directions.
Qian Sword Dao·Upper Endless Blue.
Jiang Li’s eyes could clearly see sword Qi weaving and soaring like fish, while the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate continuously changed the Eight Trigrams, altering the combinations of elements, making it difficult for Jiang Li to utilize the terrain.
"Just admit defeat, and I, your senior sister, will leave the stage and pass the Great Circle Sword to the next person."
Gongsun Qingyue’s voice reached Jiang Li’s ears first, echoing with a hint of mirth.
Admit defeat? Impossible...
Jiang Li sneered internally.
Admitting defeat was out of the question; not only did that contravene his principle of not relying on others for maintenance, but considering that this wasn’t really his sister but rather that scheming old demon, Jiang Li couldn’t possibly admit defeat.
Jiang Li knew he couldn’t overcome the old demon’s true body, always being suppressed, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t overcome the current "Gongsun Qingyue."
Today, he would show his master just how formidable and uncompromising the disciple was.
"Collect."
Jiang Li collected the Wind Queen Compass, both palms in motion, forming a sphere of Innate Qi in front of him, gathering the hundreds of sword Qi, "Transform."
"Conduct."
"Release."
Just like the day he confronted the Rashamon Ghost King, Jiang Li absorbed the sword Qi into his body, using himself as a conduit, protected by Innate Wood Qi all around, continuously repairing the damage caused by the sharp sword Qi. Then, with a push of his palms, sword Qi burst forth from his hands like undulating dragons, striking towards Gongsun Qingyue’s sword light.
Collect, transform, conduct, release—an uninterrupted sequence, using the opponent’s own tactics against them.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
The unending sound of clashing strikes emerged, the sword light’s momentum faltered, while Jiang Li took the opportunity to retreat, his feet stepping back onto the cliff, his right hand drawing the Heavenly Will Sword from the cliff. His form shifted, from presence to absence, transforming into one of the escapees.
As if turning from nothingness to presence, he swiftly appeared before the sword light, gathering the incoming sword Qi and delivering a single strike.
The Heavenly Will Sword transformed, turning into a long sharp sword covered in white gold, the fierceness of Western Pure Gold evident, the extreme sharpness instantly splitting the sword light in two, revealing the figure within.
"Useless."
Gongsun Qingyue shouted crisply as she wielded her sword. The Great Circle Sword, like the operation of the Heavenly Dao, perfectly parried the tip of the Heavenly Will Sword.
Tip to tip, without the slightest deviation, a crisp ringing echoed as the two swords collided in their sharpest forms.
Gongsun Qingyue, still cloaked in a flame-like azure light, channeled her Qi through her left palm, pressing it against the hilt of the Great Circle Sword. The Drought God Palm’s Boundless Flame Power merged with the all-encompassing sword, covering the blade with an intensely hot and fierce Sword Light. The tip of her sword shone with a dazzling brilliance, continuously melting the Sword Qi of the Heavenly Will Sword.
Fire overcame metal, and not to mention Gongsun Qingyue also secretly used the Wind Queen’s Strange Gate to catalyze restraint, whereas the Great Circle Sword was akin to Jiang Li’s Innate Qi, capable of combining with the user’s True Qi to exhibit its power.
That is to say, the Sword Light now was not just Gongsun Qingyue’s True Qi, but more importantly, it was the Sword Qi intrinsic to the Great Circle Sword itself.
Under such restraint, the Heavenly Will Sword soon could not withstand the pressure, its tip gradually emitting a red glow as if it were about to melt.
And then, it actually melted.
The fierce and straight blade became twisted, coiling forward like a dragon and snake, locking around the blade of the Great Circle Sword.
The fifth form, Soft Sword.
Forged from the essence of Soft Cloud, the Heavenly Will Sword became slender and flexible, transforming into a soft weapon and entwining the Great Circle Sword. Yet, following this, Jiang Li’s True Qi transformed, with a stream of Innate Qi entering.
This time, it was Golden Qi.
The Golden Qi restored the fierce aura in the Heavenly Will Sword, the Soft Sword generating sharp white-gold Sword Light, possessing both forms—its sharp blade coiling around the Great Circle Sword and beginning to show marks on its ever-clear blade.
"It’s done," Yan Hanqing muttered quietly.
Up to this point, the Great Circle Sword was the first to show damage, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
But Long Yue and Tan Wuwei remained unjoyed.
"The Great Circle Sword itself is Sword Qi, a tangible Qi. Even if it’s damaged, so what?" Jingyang Jun laughed heartily.
Although Guangming and others had given this Sword Qi a form, its essence remained unchanged. Any damage to Qi was trivial unless the Qi was completely extinguished, otherwise, the Great Circle Sword could easily reform.
This was the real reason why the Great Circle Sword was invincible.
Indeed, despite the damage, the Great Circle Sword’s power was unbroken, even allowing the Sword Qi within to release its might. In midair, the two entwined swords emitted a sharp sound, Sword Waves scattering, leaving persistent marks in the air and on the stone wall that had been scorched by Earth Fire.
Both figures in midair simultaneously stepped forward, one bursting with flame light and steaming the air, forcibly pausing in midair, while the other stood upon wind, merging with the air, hovering without falling.
True Qi was stimulated, aiding the sword and preventing Sword Waves from injuring themselves.
"Yin Talisman Seven Skills·Circular Technique Fierce Beast."
Gongsun Qingyue continued her technique, rings of Qi forming around her, layered and intersecting. When the Sword Waves struck, they were immediately deflected and discharged to the sides.
She looked at Jiang Li, still maneuvering her strategies, and said, "Junior brother, you cannot destroy the Great Circle Sword nor defeat me. Just admit defeat obediently."
A swirling water hue emerged in her phoenix eyes, rippling seductively.
—[Be good.]
Her crimson lips moved silently.
This old vixen, truly enticing.
But Jiang Li, now in the Wise Man Realm, had discarded external influences, devoid of worldly desires.
"That remains to be seen."
Jiang Li spoke, and within his robe, the Crystal Belly distinctly mapped out a trajectory of True Qi.
The Great Circle Sword indeed could be called indestructible, but it was not without weaknesses.
’Five Viscous Evil Qi, that is its weakness.’
At that moment, a previously dormant stream of True Qi inside Jiang Li began to turn, a slight murky hue appearing on the blade.
Demon Cleansing True Qi was Yang, and Five Viscous Evil Qi was Yin; when Demon Cleansing True Qi emerged on the exterior, it gradually absorbed the Five Viscous Evil Qi.
Although it was not possible to use Five Viscous Evil Qi as a shield against all methods like Zhang Daoyi, contaminating the Great Circle Sword during collisions was gradually feasible.
Seeing the murky hue slowly intensifying, Gongsun Qingyue sensed something and displayed a look of astonishment.
Her perception was still at the sixth rank, but with Tianxuan’s realm, even slight intuitions were enough for her to sense some clues.
She immediately narrowed her eyes, scanning her surroundings.
However, just then—
"Zeng—"
The scattering Sword Waves struck a sword as large as a mountain. The Xuanyuan Sword, which had been merely a backdrop up until now, emitted a sword sound, slightly stirring.
"Xuanyuan Sword?!" Elder Kaixiang widened his eyes.
Had it actually awoken the Xuanyuan Sword?
He had arranged for the Sword Discussion Conference to be held at Dinghu Sect and even proposed showcasing the Xuanyuan Sword to see if it could be awakened. Now, with the Xuanyuan Sword showing changes, Elder Kaixiang truly felt as if he were dreaming.
But...
"It’s not the Xuanyuan Sword, it’s beneath the sword—"
Gongsun Qingyue exclaimed in shock, her flame light fiercely surging as if resonating with some presence.
Beneath the Xuanyuan Sword, there was something else.
At that moment, Jiang Li heard a prolonged breath, the breathing of Yinglong, mixed with the appearance of an extremely violent Flame Qi.
Drought Demon Ba?