Chapter 208 - 174: The Ascetic Order Has a Few Too Many People in Charge

Chapter 208: Chapter 174: The Ascetic Order Has a Few Too Many People in Charge

"Just last week, Nine Nether Deep Technology used the ’Peaceful Repose Illusion Array’ to execute seven Ascetic Order spies." You Wuya looked at Zhang Ji and spoke. "But for someone like you who dares to destroy the Illusion Realm... you deserve a different way to die."

Zhang Ji’s response to You Wuya was to become a bolt of lightning, flicker through the void, and unleash a sudden punch.

[Instant Thunder Without Delay Skill]. His shape-shifting Divine Ability shrank his body while the earth element within him drastically compressed his Gang Qi. The primal energy of his [Terranean Divine Gang] condensed into what seemed like solid Gang Qi, which he then unleashed in a ferocious punch.

Zhang Ji had actually planned to use a palm strike, but executing that technique took time and couldn’t be done so quickly.

But this was enough. More than enough.

"VMMMM~!"

A mirror flared with light.

The Tier Five Spiritual Artifact, the [Illusionary Truth Mirror].

It was a high-tier Spiritual Artifact, useful for both attack and defense. It could be used for protection, but could also conjure tangible, material projections to fight.

It was considered the crowning technological achievement of Nine Nether Deep Technology in the field of Illusion Skills.

In terms of pure defense, it was no worse than Zhuge Xuanji’s [Circulation Calculation Array Plate].

And yet, at this moment, it offered almost no protection whatsoever. It was shattered directly by Zhang Ji’s Gang Qi-infused punch. The force of the blow slammed into You Wuya before he could even register an expression of terror.

"BOOM~~!"

You Wuya was blasted into dust. The savage force of the blow continued in a straight line, carving a terrifying trail of destruction for miles behind where he had stood.

’One-shotted. What else is there to say?’

Compared to his fight with Zhuge Xuanji, which had required a bit of effort, Zhang Ji could now instantly kill You Wuya, who was roughly at the same level of strength.

Empowered by two crystallized combat attributes, [Cyan True Water] and [Terranean Divine Gang], he had more techniques and a much stronger boost to his power. Though he wasn’t truly at an S-rank realm, his combat power could no longer be considered that of an ordinary S-rank.

For him, killing these great geniuses, these extraordinary figures, was now as easy as slaughtering dogs.

Even a true Divinity Transformation cultivator would be no match for him unless they had an ace up their sleeve.

At least for someone like Nangong Zhiqing, who had reached her cultivation level by chugging elixirs and whose combat power relied almost entirely on external Spiritual Artifacts and unremarkable skill, Zhang Ji felt he could suppress and kill her within a hundred rounds.

He continued to place Spirit-Suppressing Needles into the array’s core, and before long, his task was complete.

Yan Jiulin wasn’t done yet, so Zhang Ji flew over to help, killing a few enforcer cultivators who rushed over on his way.

Finally, the entire Illusion Realm was extracted from the Xuanji Array of Ten Thousand Transformations. Yan Jiulin took out a foldable grotto-heaven he had prepared in advance and instantly stored it away inside.

Just like that, the vast Illusion Realm vanished from the Void Heaven.

At last, Mo Ye and the others finally understood Ling Xuzi’s true objective.

But there was nothing they could do. Xiang Zhe was powerful, and with Ling Xuzi watching from the sidelines, they couldn’t disengage.

It was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils; they had to keep Xiang Zhe here.

If this demon lord were to escape and recover his full power, he alone could plunge the Celestial Dao Alliance into ceaseless turmoil.

Most importantly, Xiang Zhe had no bottom line. He was an absolute demon lord, and his methods were even filthier than those of the Ascetic Order.

...

After stowing away the Illusion Realm, Zhang Ji and the others prepared to retreat.

Zhang Ji and Yan Jiulin flew ahead, planning to rendezvous with Ling Xuzi and leave the Void Heaven together.

But halfway there, Zhang Ji suddenly had a premonition and raised his palm to clash with Yan Jiulin’s.

"BOOM~!"

The two figures flew apart.

Huo Chuan, the [Iron-devouring True Monarch], and Cui Wei, [Xinggu Gong], materialized to surround Zhang Ji, forming a triangular formation with Yan Jiulin that trapped him in the center.

Cui Wei was already under the control of a Heart Demon, while Huo Chuan was a confidant cultivated by Yan Jiulin—one who would go to his death without a moment’s hesitation.

Zhang Ji looked at Yan Jiulin and asked, "Brother Yan, what’s the meaning of this?"

"Younger Brother Zhang, why didn’t you tell me you were an otherworldly Celestial Demon?" Yan Jiulin asked, his face grim.

"Calling me a Celestial Demon sounds so distant." Zhang Ji smiled. "We’re practically neighbors, you know. The journey takes less than a day, which is closer than going overseas. If you’d like, Brother Yan, I could take you home for a tour."

"A tour won’t be necessary," Yan Jiulin said. "It’s just that, Younger Brother, you know that the Ascetic Order’s work is our own affair—an affair for us Celestial Essence Cultivators. It’s not really appropriate for an outsider like you to get involved. So, Younger Brother Zhang, I can only ask you to leave."

Zhang Ji’s smile vanished. He paused for two seconds, then said, "Tell me, don’t you think the Ascetic Order has a few too many managers?"

In the next instant, half of [Xinggu Gong]’s body shattered. Zhang Ji had taken his life with a single palm strike, freeing him from the life he’d been forced to live under another’s control.

"Still too many!"

"BOOM~!"

In a flash, Huo Chuan was taken out as well.

Yan Jiulin tried to stop him, but failed.

Zhang Ji only had to flicker once. A palm struck out, and a life was extinguished.

Zhang Ji had been able to instantly kill a Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Huo Chuan even when he first arrived in this world, let alone now.

Finally, Zhang Ji’s gaze fell upon Yan Jiulin. "One Vice Blood Chief is enough. Why are there two? The Ascetic Order’s management structure is completely illogical..."

Yan Jiulin felt a mortal threat. The feeling was more intense than any he had ever experienced in battle. Even though he had broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm during his recent seclusion, his higher cultivation level offered him very little sense of security.

He suddenly had a realization: he might have made a terrible miscalculation.