Chapter 678 - 210: Great Victory, Shen Bai’s Stratagem

"Do you want to know what was in the letters?"

Ding Quan nodded. "Please enlighten me, Lord Shen. I am utterly baffled."

Shen Bai narrowed his eyes, a flash of cold, murderous intent in their depths. "I had Wang Teng visit the five major powers to deliver a single message," he said icily.

When these words were spoken, not only Ding Quan but even the furious Wen Jing temporarily suppressed his rage.

He, too, wanted to know what Shen Bai had said.

Shen Bai looked up and spoke slowly. "I told them that the Marquis of Ren De will die, without a doubt. If they atone for their crimes with service, I can report to His Majesty, the Saint Martial Emperor, and spare their lives."

"And they believed me."

The fury in Wen Jing’s eyes deepened.

Shen Bai continued slowly, "People always have a choice. I gave them one, but it was their only one. If they had refused, I would have had them all annihilated."

"The previous Daoist Si wasn’t as forceful as I am because he worried that such hardline tactics would affect Lingyun Dao’s development."

"But I’m different. I see things very clearly. The ones truly hindering Lingyun Dao’s development are the Marquis of Ren De, Zhang Dao Ling, and you—not anyone else."

"So, I’m cutting the Gordian knot. Once the Observatory is the only power left in Lingyun Dao, the entire domain will naturally be rock-solid."

At this point, after listening to Shen Bai’s incessant monologue, Wen Jing could finally no longer restrain himself.

He pointed at Shen Bai and shouted, "If we can’t eliminate the others, then killing you will have the same effect! Everyone, activate the Heart Inquiry Technique! Kill him!"

The moment he spoke, the characters in the sky abruptly vanished.

Immediately after, Shen Bai noticed his surroundings begin to change.

Led by Wen Jing, the numerous members of the Demonic Forces all moved into formation.

Black streams of energy emerged from their bodies, seeming to bind them in place, rendering them unable to take a single step.

The Heart Inquiry Technique was active.

Streams of terrifying power poured into the technique.

Then, Shen Bai noticed a change in the members of the Demonic Forces.

The fluctuations of power coming from them were shockingly identical to those of the Observatory members present.

As soon as Shen Bai saw this, he understood.

’It seems the Observatory’s intelligence was flawed. This so-called Heart Inquiry Technique doesn’t copy power out of thin air. It transfers our strength to them. Since they’re already devoid of humanity, wielding it naturally comes even more easily to them.’

Flawed intelligence was, in fact, a common occurrence.

’Shen Bai had already found it strange. How could any technique just copy power from nothing? If that were truly the case, wouldn’t the Heart Inquiry Technique be invincible?’

’It seemed a vessel was required to bear the power after all.’

Ding Quan nodded. "Lord Shen, it looks like Wen Jing is trying to copy your abilities and channel them into his own body. You must be careful."

No sooner had he spoken than figures from the Demonic Forces descended from the sky, landing on the ground.

Shen Bai raised a hand and unleashed several slashes.

But the Sword Qi he unleashed passed straight through their bodies.

Wen Jing sneered. "It’s useless. The Heart Inquiry Technique results in one-on-one duels. You can’t interfere. Not unless you can alter the technique itself. Shen Bai, let me see what it feels like to possess your full power."

Wen Jing spread his arms, and the power within him surged.

He was about to copy Shen Bai’s power.

Shen Bai, for his part, was extremely excited.

’He was dying to see what would happen if he fought a copy of himself. Who would win?’

It had been a long time since he’d had a fight against an equal. For him, instant-kills had become as tasteless as chewing wax.

He was like a master standing alone at the summit, overcome with loneliness.

Wen Jing sensed Shen Bai’s excitement, and the sneer in his eyes grew more pronounced. "Enjoy your excitement now," he said. "You won’t be smiling in a moment."

Shen Bai didn’t reply. Instead, he pushed the power within his body to its absolute limit.

Sword Qi, Dharma Aspect, shadows, Water Flow...

Countless visual manifestations of his power swirled around him, making him look like some aberration from the deepest abyss.

Even a true aberration would not possess an aura as terrifying as Shen Bai’s at that moment.

Shen Bai had pushed his aura to its peak, ready to welcome this battle between equals. He wanted a thoroughly exhilarating experience.

But at that very moment, something went wrong with Wen Jing.

Veins bulged on Wen Jing’s forehead, and a look of agony twisted his features as he squeezed a few words through his gritted teeth.

"How... How is this possible?"

Golden flames began to burn his internal organs, and his entire body started to wither rapidly.

A mist enveloped his body.

The Heart Inquiry Technique’s copying was equivalent to theft. But just as he prepared to steal and replicate Shen Bai’s power, he felt something terrifying enveloping his mind.

He saw a mist, and within it, countless terrifying, demonic silhouettes.

Each silhouette was like a colossal giant, tall enough to touch the heavens.

The mist gradually coalesced, finally forming a colossal, pitch-black hand covered in red hair. It lightly tapped his chest with a single finger.

Immediately, his internal organs were incinerated, and his life force began to rapidly drain away.

A single thought surfaced in Wen Jing’s mind.

’Even the Heart Inquiry Technique isn’t qualified to copy Shen Bai’s power?’

’That’s right. It wasn’t qualified. He wasn’t qualified.’

’Not unless the Level of the Heart Inquiry Technique could surpass that terrifying mist and the countless phantoms within it.’

But it couldn’t.

Shen Bai watched this unfold, slightly taken aback. "What’s going on?" he asked, confused. "Are you going to copy me or not?"