Chapter 585: Yu Zhenghai’s Third Death

Liu Gu followed close behind Yu Zhenghai.

The two opponents, armed with a saber and a sword, fought with the most brutal and primitive method.

At this moment, the long-robed cultivator at the peak of the imperial city shouted again, “Get ready... 15 minutes more!”

Si Wuya looked around his surroundings and said, “The Ten Terminal Formation will disappear in 15 minutes. Those in the Divine Court realm and above, get ready!”

“Understood!”

Meanwhile, there was another commotion in the imperial city; many archers began to appear.

Standing behind the archers, a stocky man looked down at the battlefield with a fierce gaze. “Prepare to fire!”

Si Wuya looked up at his Eldest Senior Brother and Liu Gu, who were fighting fiercely. He reminded his Eldest Senior Brother immediately. “Wang Yue has appeared! Eldest Senior Brother, look out!”

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Yu Zhenghai seized this opportunity to slashed three times with his saber and sent Liu Gu flying. However, the recoil sent him flying back among the Nether Sect members as well.

“Sect master!”

“I’m fine!” However, the truth was one of Yu Zhenghai’s arms was already paralyzed.

Liu Gu turned to look at his men and cried out, “Fire!”

“Fire!”

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Yu Zhenghai raised his arm and swung it, breaking the arrows that were flying toward him.

At this moment, Si Wuya leaped five meters into the air and pressed a button on his Peacock Plume. Several golden needles shot out immediately.

Each golden needle landed accurately on an archer!

Wang Yue looked down at Si Wuya and exclaimed in shock, “You?!”

Si Wuya landed slowly. He looked up with a smile and said, “General Wang, you finally appeared!”

“Traitor!”

Si Wuya had been an official in the palace. It was not strange for Wang Yue to recognize him.

The Emperor, Liu Gu, looked up. He was slightly annoyed at his general for bickering at this moment. He said, “What are you waiting for?!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Wang Yue stood at the peak of the Imperial city and looked down at the Nether Sect members. He looked at the color of the curtain-like barrier in the sky before he loudly announced, “Elders of the Big Dipper Academy and the Sky Conduct Academy, assemble!”

Two white-robed cultivators occupied each of the ten Eyes of the Formations. Only one was occupied by one cultivator. However, this did not stop the Ten Terminal Formation from functioning.

The 19 elders looked at the skies.

“Every time the Ten Terminal Formation is activated, it’ll only last for two hours. We will have to wait for another hour before we can reactivate it. Everyone, heed my call! Kill those on the Fiend Path. Glory to the Emperor!”

“Kill those on the Fiend Path! Glory to the Emperor!”

“Kill those on the Fiend Path! Glory to the Emperor!”

The voices seemed capable of shaking the heavens.

The remaining Imperial guards in the Imperial city ran out.

With the gravity weakened, the armored Imperial guards became extremely brave. Since they were as light as swallows now, the Nether Sect members were surely on the losing end.

Upon seeing this, Si Wuya ordered, “Form groups of threes and kill them!”

The Nether Sect members were well-trained. They formed groups of three swiftly and advanced instead of retreating. They charged at the Imperial guards fearlessly.

The Imperial guards had been heavily injured to begin with so the Nether Sect had the advantage in numbers.

With this strategy, the Nether Sect members were not afraid to clash with the Imperial guards. They overwhelmed the Imperial guards with sheer numbers. No matter how powerful each Imperial guard was, they could not fight off multiple opponents at once!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

In the crowd, the most brutal fists and blades were unleashed without care.

Yu Zhenghai stomped his feet on the ground and charged at Liu Gu again.

Bam!

A saber clashed with a sword.

Crack!

After the prolonged battle, the sword could no longer withstand the repeated attacks from a heaven-grade weapon and broke.

“Die!” Yu Zhenghai raised his saber with both hands and brought it down toward Liu Gu’s face.

Liu Gu’s expression darkened as he flipped back.

At this moment, a loud explosion rang in the air. The curtain-like barrier disappeared, and the clouds dispersed.

A strong gust of wind was stirred up as Primal Qi surged.

The Ten Termination Formation was gone!

With this, everyone regained their cultivation bases as their Primal Qis were quickly restored!

Yu Zhenghai pushed both palms out, launching two palm seals in the air.

Bam!

Yu Zhenghai flipped backward and stabilized himself.

“Yu Zhenghai, not even the heavens are on your side! Give it up!”

Whizz!

An avatar appeared!

The 100-foot tall, lotus-less Eight-leaf avatar towered in the air.

The cultivators inside the Divine Capital looked up at it.

Yu Zhenghai was inwardly shocked. He did not expect Liu Gu to be capable of recultivating back to the Eight-leaf stage in such a short time.

The appearance of Liu Gu’s avatar shocked everyone in the Divine Capital!

At this moment, Wang Yue cried out and summoned his Eight-leaf avatar as well.

Whizz!

Wang Yue leaped off the Imperial city’s peak and swept his gaze across the Nether Sect members. What would the Nether Sect now that there were no other Eight-leaf cultivators to deal with him?

At this moment, the 19 white-clad cultivators rose into the air and hovered above the imperial city.

Yu Zhenghai hovered in the air and surveyed his surroundings.

“The Big Dipper Academy? The Sky Conduct Academy?”

The 19 Elders looked down from the skies.

“The Fiend Path is wreaking havoc in the world! All of them should be eliminated!” an elder said.

With the elder setting the precedent, the other chanted along with him.

“The Fiend Path is wreaking havoc in the world! All of them should be eliminated!”

Si Wuya looked up and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, it’s up to you now!”

This was the reason Si Wuya had asked if Yu Zhenghai was confident before the battle began. After all, once the Ten Terminal Formation was gone, Yu Zhenghai would have to fight against multiple opponents. This was as far as the tens of thousands of Nether Sect members could accompany him.

Yu Zhenghai turned around with his hands on his back. He said frostily, “Eight-leaf?”

The 19 elders were not Eight-leaf cultivators.

On the Imperial city’s side, only Liu Gu and Wang Yue were left.

Suddenly, Yu Zhenghai seemed to vanish into thin air!

“Hm?” Wang Yue did not expect Yu Zhenghai to attack without warning.

In the next second, Yu Zhenghai appeared above Wang Yue. The Jasper Saber in his hand glinted brightly in the sunlight. “Great Dark Heaven Memorial, the Sovereign Descent!”

With Yu Zhenghai in the center, the entire Imperial city was instantly covered by energy sabers. They rained down like water from the sea, seemingly unending.

The Imperial guards were powerless to defend themselves; they were instantly killed.

Wang Yue brought his avatar toward the horizon in an attempt to dodge the attack!

Yu Zhenghai unleashed his grand technique again. He caught up to Wang Yue swiftly and rained down blows on Wang Yue!

Bam!

Yu Zhenghai’s energy sabers landed on Wang Yue’s avatar.

Crack!

The avatar’s arm was sliced off!

A wretched wail rang in the air.

Wang Yue began to panic. He wanted to run away; he did not hesitate as he turned tail and fled!

Yu Zhenghai unleashed his grand technique again. He dove like an eagle catching a chick.

The Dark Heaven Starlight!

The energy sabers had sealed off Wang Yue’s routes of escape. He turned around, trying to put up a fight.

The Jasper Saber spun as it flew in a cutting motion toward Wang Yue.

Boom!

Wang Yue reeled back. He was powerless to defend himself.

They were both Eight-leaf cultivators, and yet, their strength was as different as the heavens and the earth!

The cultivators inside the Divine Capital were stunned by this sight.

“Why does Wang Yue seem like a... Seven-leaf cultivator instead of an Eight-leaf cultivator? Is he for real?”

“Are my eyes deceiving me? Has Wang Yue been pretending all along?”

“Impossible! How can you fake an Eight-leaf avatar? It might be possible for a low-rank avatar. For a high-rank avatar, I’ll eat sh*t before I believe the avatar can be faked!”

After Yu Zhenghai unleashed his grand techniques thrice, Wang Yue lost the power to fight.

Yu Zhenghai flew up.

From the beginning to the end, Liu Gu had been watching the battle; he did not interfere at all. After the battle ended, he applauded as he said, “My horizons have been widened! Alas, you’ve wasted too much Primal Qi. Wang Yue has already served his purpose!”

“Show me what you’ve got after hiding in the palace all these years!”

Swoosh!

Yu Zhenghai unleashed his grand technique again! In the next instant, he appeared before Liu Gu and struck with his palm!

The Great Dark Heaven Palm Seal!

Bam!

Liu Gu lifted his hand to block the attack. However, he was still pushed back by the impact from the palm seal.

Everyone watched with their mouths agape! They finally understood Yu Zhenghai’s every move was done with his full strength!

On the other hand, a frown appeared on Si Wuya’s face as he continued to watch the battle. Although Yu Zhenghai’s movement was slightly reminiscent of his master, he knew Yu Zhenghai’s Primal Qi would soon be depleted. How was Yu Zhenghai supposed to fight at that time?

The 19 elders were shocked by Yu Zhenghai’s domineering attacking style. They dared not join in the fight. They could only look at them blankly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Yu Zhenghai kept pushing forward. The buildings in their path crumbled as they flew westward. The area was soon flattened.

“You’re mad!” Liu Gu frowned and kept sending out palm seals.

“I’ve told you... I’ll kill you today!”

An energy saber appeared!

“Great Dark Heaven Energy!”

“You’re a madman!” Without a second word, Liu Gu fled from the Divine Capital and the Imperial city.

Upon seeing this, Si Wuya said at once, “Send word to the Evil Sky Pavilion, quickly! Cloud Rage River!”

“Understood!”

Si Wuya looked around before he called out, “Hua Chongyang!”

“Here!”

“Stand up! Stay by my side!” Si Wuya’s voice was filled with strength.

Hua Chongyang did as he was told.

Whizz!

A Seven-leaf avatar suddenly appeared, expanded, and disappeared!

Among the Nether Sect, the cultivators with avatars summoned their avatars in unison as though they had a tacit agreement.

Whizz!

A mystical and resonating sound rang in the air.

Unlike the sound that resonated in the air when an avatar appeared, the combined appearance of avatars produced a powerful sound.

The Two-leaf and Three-leaf avatars of the 12 branch masters and the Ten Worlds avatars of the dozens of Nether Sect members shone at this moment and illuminated the entire Divine Capital!

Hua Chongyang forced himself to look optimistic and uninjured. He looked at the sky and said, “Let’s see who dares to make a move.”

The 19 elders were stunned by what they saw. They looked at Wang Yue who was heavily wounded and lying on the ground before they looked at each other meaningfully.

“Wait for His Majesty’s return!”

“Alright!”

After what seemed like hours, Yu Zhenghai and Liu Gu were still fighting. It was only when the duo passed through the city gates that the cultivators in the Divine Capital sighed in relief.

Nobody could keep up with the duo. They could not observe this shocking battle. They could only sigh helplessly and direct their attention to the Nether Sect’s Si Wuya and the 19 elders.

Meanwhile, Yu Zhenghai chased after Liu Gu. His energy saber shone brilliantly as it swept through the forest, rivers, and mountains! “You have nowhere to run to!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Liu Gu suddenly released countless rune seals. The rune seals collided with the energy saber. He suddenly stopped moving, turned around, and looked down. “Cloud Rage River is where you’ll die!”

“Hm?”

“Yu Zhenghai, without Si Wuya, your wits are no match for mine. This was how it was back then and how it is now,” Liu Gu said as he hovered in the air.

“Nonsense!” Yu Zhenghai disappeared and reappeared above Liu Gu.

The Sovereign Descent!

Countless energy sabers fell down like an outpour of rain.

Liu Gu shouted. “Do you really think that I have no techniques?” He waved his sleeve that shone with a red light. “Magistrate Brush!”

A red brush that shone with red rune seals hovered in midair. The red rune seals formed a wall-like shield that stopped the energy saber.

Yu Zhenghai’s eyes flashed fiercely as he said, “You and I were sold to Lou Lan back then... I treated you as a brother, ready to go through thick and thin with you. I even saved your life! Yet, you killed our kin, Jiang Lai, for glory and riches! You even snuck up on me when I was injured! How can I face my deceased kin if you’re still alive? How can you face me alive?”

“It only goes to show that I made the right choice... The Lou Lan grand shaman has promised me and given me the looks of the Emperor. You said that you didn’t want to be bullied anymore. You wanted to trample on those who bullied you! I’ve done all that on your behalf! Aren’t you supposed to be happy?” Liu Gu said.

“Happy? You can say all that to our ancestors when you go to hell!”

“I’ve already cleared the graves of our ancestors a long time ago. From this day on, there are no longer Wuqians in this world!”

Swoosh!

Yu Zhenghai kept unleashing his grand technique. The Dark Heaven Starlight instantly sealed Liu Gu’s routes of escape. The huge spinning energy saber shot toward Liu Gu.

“Gifted Writing!” Liu Gu tossed his Magistrate Brush out. The tip of the brush shone with a red light before shooting out red rune seals that scattered into the surroundings. It seemed to be drawing red flowers in the air as it shot toward the Dark Heaven Starlight.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Yu Zhenghai summoned his avatar. His Eight-leaf avatar descended from the skies and crashed down.

Liu Gu scoffed as he summoned his avatar as well. His Eight-leaf avatar suddenly raised both palms and grabbed Yu Zhenghai’s avatar. At the same time, the eight leaves spun out like energy blades.

“Hm?” Yu Zhenghai had not fought a lotus-less elite before; he, naturally, found it strange.

Bam!

When the leaves were almost upon him, Yu Zhenghai quickly flipped backward. He could sense a threat to his life and quickly dodged the attack of the remaining seven leaves.

Liu Gu said tonelessly as he unleashed soundwaves, “There’s no way for you to come back to life if you die in Cloud Rage River. You’ll sink to the bottom forever. I’m protected by witchcraft. Even without water, I can still be resurrected. How are you going to fight against me?”

Yu Zhenghai frowned slightly.

Liu Gu continued to say, “Moreover, you can never win against me... Yu Zhenghai, open your eyes wide and look closely at my avatar!”

Yu Zhenghai’s avatar was higher while Liu Gu’s avatar was lower.

The eight leaves were spinning around freely and without restrictions. One of the leaves seemed to be splitting.

“Eight and a half leaves?” Yu Zhenghai was shocked.

“I have the Big Dipper Academy and Sky Conduct Academy research avatars for me... I know all about the ways to fight with this new avatar. I’ve only put up with you for so long to lead you here!” Liu Gu raised his hand slightly and said, “Is the Eight-leaf stage... powerful?”

Yu Zhenghai did not hesitate. He produced a pill from his pocket and swallowed it.

Liu Gu was slightly stunned. He wondered what Yu Zhenghai was doing.

Yu Zhenghai said coldly, “The Eight-leaf stage is indeed powerful!” He sped forward and disappeared from sight. He flew into his avatar and became one with it! At the same time, his body glowed with a golden radiance as though he was set aflame!

“You’re still as wild as ever! I’d like to see what you can do with a Primal Fiend Potion!”

Whizz!

The two avatars collided. The sound of the collision resounded through the forest, causing the birds and the beasts to flee and the fishes to swim away. The water surged, and the wind blew violently.

Yu Zhenghai had consumed the Primal Fiend Potion. This was his source of confidence today. This was why he had confidently released grand techniques after grand techniques without holding back earlier. “Saber!”

Yu Zhenghai’s Jasper Saber flew up toward Liu Gu’s avatar at a peculiar angle.

Liu Gu tossed his Magistrate Brush out again.

The two weapons collided!

Boom!

Liu Gu descended while Yu Zhenghai flew upward.

The two of them engaged in a fierce battle above Cloud Rage River.

Yu Zhenghai had been attacking with his full strength since the beginning.

Under the frenzied attacks of a peak Eight-leaf cultivator, even the Eight-and-a-half-leaf Liu Gu felt the pressure.

Boom!

Yu Zhenghai unleashed his Sovereign Descent again. The energy sabers struck Liu Gu’s avatar.

At this moment, Liu Gu could not stand it anymore. He cried out, “Enough!” Then, he unleashed all his might and moved his avatar. His avatar grabbed Yu Zhenghai’s avatar.

The Magistrate Brush shone with a unique red radiance!

“Sweep away an army with a brush, Abandon Wisdom!”

The Magistrate Brush swiftly wrote four scripts in the air. The red scripts from the Abandon Wisdom swirled around the sharp brush tip and flew toward the avatar’s palm. The avatar grabbed the Abandon Wisdom’s scripts and thrust out.

Yu Zhenghai lowered his avatar and advanced instead of retreating. He bore down with his saber!

Swoosh!

The Magistrate Brush was embedded into the chest of Yu Zhenghai’s avatar.

The Jasper Saber formed a huge energy saber that partially sliced down Liu Gu’s shoulder!

Bam!

The two opponents fell at the same time; their avatars dissolved in the wind.

Yu Zhenghai wiped away the blood from the edge of his lips. Then, he tapped his dantian’s sea of Qi again, burning it. He struck with his palms and flew into the air. He hovered in the air proudly as he spread his hand and the Jasper Saber spun back into his hand! He brought his saber down again. He was not giving Liu Gu any opportunity to catch his breath!

“You’re trying to take me down with you?!” Liu Gu already had a sneaking suspicion that Yu Zhenghai was trying to do just that. He would never throw his life away like Yu Zhenghai.

“Ping An! Look at me! Remember the look in my eyes! Die!” Yu Zhenghai bore down with his energy saber!

“I... won’t die!” Liu Gu gritted his teeth angrily and raised his arm. He instinctively stabbed upward with his Magistrate’s Brush.

The duo faced each other before they fell down.

The brush stabbed into Yu Zhenghai’s heart; the Jasper Saber cut into Liu Gu’s internal organs as well.

At this moment, the wind slowly died down, and the energies scattered.

Yu Zhenghai gripped the hilt of his Jasper Saber tightly and pushed it into Liu Gu.

Liu Gu did the same with his Magistrate Brush.

Blood gushed out. The blood of the Wuqians fell into Cloud Rage River like blooming flowers, dyeing the river red.

Yu Zhenghai was expressionless, saved for a smile on his face. He seemed to be satisfied with the outcome of the battle as he said, “You’ve lost.”

“I... haven’t lost. You’re the one who lost!” Liu Gu’s eyes were filled with contempt. He would lose one of his lives now.

Bam!

The opponents separated.

Yu Zhenghai looked at the surface of Cloud Rage River. He never thought that the blood of a person could be this beautiful. It was as dashing as the red flowers in spring. At this moment, the effects of the Primal Fiend Potion were beginning to fade away; his Primal Qi was dissipating as well. He felt his life slipping out of his body at this moment.

“I’ve already died twice anyway... I’ve been studying on the mountain for 300 years. My great limit is already near at hand... No matter how I look at it, I’m the winner,” Yu Zhenghai chuckled and said, “You, on the other hand, died once in Lou Lan. Now, you’re dying again. You’ve been honing your skills for 300 years... and yet, all you’re left with is one life. What good would that do you?”

“You...” Liu Gu glared at Yu Zhenghai.

“You’ve studied the Nine-leaf stage for so long... Did you think that I didn’t study it myself? The Golden Lotus absorbs life. Without the Golden Lotus, you won’t be able to extend your life... You’ll still die, and you’ll be kneeling by my side before our ancestors to atone for your sins!”

“You’re the one who needs to atone for his sins!” Liu Gu stood on the river as he unleashed a blast of energy.

Yet, Yu Zhenghai only smiled. It was one that spoke of satisfaction and contentment. He looked at the horizon. Compared to his other memories, it seemed like the time he spent being clobbered on the mountain was the most memorable.

All of a sudden, Yu Zhenghai saw the cloud-splitting chariot at the horizon...

“Master? Is this an illusion?” It was said that the illusion one saw at the brink of death was something that held weight in one’s heart. “I’m sorry. I’ll honor you in the next life!”

At this moment, a shining golden palm seal shot out at lightning speed from the flying chariot.

The Great Seal of Fearlessness?!

Liu Gu suddenly sensed acute danger. He stopped what he was doing at once and looked up!

The Great Seal of Fearless removed fear and unease from the people’s hearts.

Liu Gu raised his Magistrate Brush with both hands. The red radiance instantly formed a huge defensive rune seal!

The shining golden Buddha-like hand seal struck the red rune seal!

Boom!

The palm seal pushed Liu Gu back on the surface of Cloud Rage River!

Splash!

Waves were stirred up as Liu Gu slid back! His eyes widened as he looked at the five-fingered hand seal before him in fright. “The power of a Nine-leaf cultivator?”

He unleashed his Primal Qi wildly as he attempted to negate the power of the Great Seal of Fearlessness! Alas, the Great Seal of Fearlessness showed no signs of weakening. It was locked onto him and pushed him out of the Cloud Rage River and sent him crashing into the towering trees in the forest.

Boom!

In the end, Liu Gu crashed into the cliff face beside Cloud Rage River before he finally slid down to the ground!

“Ding! Killed a target. Reward: 2,500 merit points.”

On the flying chariot...

The Evil Sky Pavilion members’ eyes widened when they looked down at the blood-drenched Yu Zhenghai. For a time, they were at a loss for words. Their Eight-leaf Eldest Senior Brother had been a peerless existence in their hearts, and yet, he was injured to this extent?

Lu Zhou leaped down and pushed forward with his palm.

“To gain the power of immaterial existence so that we can visit many places without having to move, reaping many benefits.”

Zuo Yushu tossed her weapon out. “I’ll give you a hand, big brother. Coiling Dragon Staff!”

“How can I, Leng Luo, stand by and do nothing?”

“I’ll help as well!” Pan Litian tossed his Golden Gourd Bottle out.

Three lotus-less avatars appeared below the cloud-splitting chariot at the same time!

The Evil Sky Pavilion’s three elders worked together seamlessly. When they saw the heavily wounded Yu Zhenghai, they knew what the pavilion master wanted to do. They did not hesitate to unleash their most powerful healing techniques.

The decorative runes on the Coiling Dragon Staff dissolved into energy and formed a wide circular enclosure. This was the Confucian school’s enhancing Formation!

The three huge avatars quickly grew in size.

Lu Zhou pushed downward with his palm. A blue lotus blossomed in his palm. With the three avatars supporting it, it was a grander spectacle than when Conch was being treated in the Evil Sky Pavilion.

The blue lotus descended from the skies.

Yu Zhenghai blinked. As his consciousness faltered, a drop of water from Cloud Rage River fell between his eyes. The drop of water was glittering and translucent. It obscured his vision. The blurry blue lotus was exceptionally brilliant. As it fell, his consciousness finally faded away...