Chapter 272 : The Might of Third-Gear

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍first to charge forward and attack was still the death-defying Ran Kui, but this time, things were somewhat different.

Because ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the instant he rose from the ground, a phantom Jade Cup appeared around him, protecting his entire body. At the same time, a bundle of a woman's……hair appeared in his hand.

“You ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍truly are courting death.”

Sea-Crossing ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Old Devil sneered, but his hands did not stop moving.

Spiritual ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Energy swirled around both his hands before he pressed his palms together before his chest. Several dozen meters in front of him, two magical swords formed from black fog appeared, one on the left and one on the right, stabbing straight toward Ran Kui.

They ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍tore through countless black clouds.

Previously, against every killing move Sea-Crossing Old Devil had unleashed, Ran Kui had exhausted every means and treasure at his disposal to defend himself. But this time, he did not even attempt to dodge in the slightest.

Holding the bundle of black hair, he charged straight forward.

Fearless of death, or rather……seeking his own death.

Seeing this, Sea-Crossing Old Devil naturally assumed Ran Kui intended to risk his life, and his heart immediately settled. If these two magical swords pierced into this fellow's body, they could instantly drain away his Spiritual Energy.

But right at that moment.

Accompanied by a soft “ding”.

Those two black magical swords were actually blocked by the seemingly extremely weak and dim phantom Jade Cup!

Sea-Crossing Old Devil instantly became alert, because from the aura emanating from that Jade Cup, he sensed a trace of something familiar. That aura had a common name……Nascent Soul Old Monster!

In other words, a Nascent Soul cultivator stood behind this fellow!

Otherwise, where could such a protective treasure have come from?

Immediately afterward, phantom Jade Cups simultaneously lit up around Feng Zhi Tao and Yun Qianzai as well. Stepping on their Flying Boats, they charged toward the mass of dense black fog in the firmament.

Three people joined forces to kill one devil.

……

At the same time.

On Forgotten Worry Island within the extremely distant Water Dragon Sect, a tall woman in a white dress who had originally been resting with her eyes closed suddenly opened them.

A Killing Intent so dense that it had nearly condensed into substance flashed across the island. Under that Killing Intent, numerous bees and butterflies gathering nectar instantly died.

Hua Yaoyue briefly sensed the direction, then took a single step. Her figure instantly appeared above the clouds, transformed into snow-white divine light that streaked across the firmament, and plunged straight toward the east.

Wherever she passed, rolling thunder reverberated through the heavens.

Within the Water Dragon Sect, cultivators above the Core Formation Realm raised their heads one after another, their eyes filled with alarm.

Among them was Real Person Xuan Shui inside the great hall on Water Dragon Island. But before he could sense the situation in detail, he discovered that another figure had somehow appeared inside his hall out of thin air.

As though thinking he had seen wrongly, he froze for a moment before hurriedly walking out from behind his desk. He approached the old woman and cupped his hands in salute.

“Disciple Xuan Shui greets the Patriarch.”

Kong Xifeng narrowed her eyes at the Water Dragon Sect's Sect Master before softly asking: “What task exactly did you arrange for Hua Yaoyue's disciples?”

“Senior Sister Wuyou?”

Real Person Xuan Shui straightened up and thought for an instant before suddenly realizing something.

“Black Dragon Island……something major happened!”

“Heh.”

Kong Xifeng scoffed, and her figure subsequently vanished. When she appeared again, she was already in the firmament.

Standing upon the void, she raised the cane in her hand and lightly tapped it downward. An invisible ripple spread outward, and immediately afterward, all the traces and strange phenomena Hua Yaoyue had left behind vanished completely.

Everything returned to nothingness.

In her heart, however, she still could not help muttering……just what background did this Hua Yaoyue have? How long had it been since she formed her Nascent Soul, yet her strength was already this powerful?

‘If another hundred or two hundred years pass, what room will there still be for the Demonic Path or Shang Court?’

“……”

Black Dragon Island.

Dressed in black robes, Ji Yuan stood atop a mountain at the edge of a sheer cliff, looking up at this life-and-death battle that crossed an entire major cultivation realm. As early as the moment Ran Kui had risen, he had already taken his strongest killing move out of his Storage Pouch……

【Spiritual Energy Cannon】!

His Level 2 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 had three gears.

First gear was equivalent to Early Golden Core Stage, second gear was equivalent to Golden Core Mid-Stage, while third gear was equivalent to Peak Golden Core Stage.

Last time, merely activating second gear once had successfully killed Real Person Heaven Silkworm.

But this time, against the unfathomable Sea-Crossing Old Devil……Ji Yuan decided to use third gear!

If he was going to do it, he would use the most vicious one!

Wasn't it just 10,000 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones?!

This daddy had plenty!

After sensing the Spiritual Energy Cannon Ji Yuan had taken out, the three people in the firmament had only one thought in their minds……this was secured!

Especially since this Spiritual Energy Cannon looked far from ordinary. It was clearly incomparable to the common Spiritual Energy Cannons mounted atop city walls.

Moreover, relying on the Jade Cups Hua Yaoyue had given them, they were now able to deal with Sea-Crossing Old Devil with considerable ease, because this fellow simply could not break through their defenses.

They even had time to talk.

For example, the moment Yun Qianzai saw the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 Ji Yuan had taken out, he had already begun transmitting his voice to Feng Zhi Tao and Ran Kui. He calmly said:

“Powerful, isn't it? I gave it to him.”

But the only one who responded to him was Sea-Crossing Old Devil.

“Who?!”

“Whose disciples are you people?! When did such an overprotective Nascent Soul True Lord appear on the Cangluo Continent? Damn it, doesn't that person need to cultivate?! Putting all their damn attention on their disciples, are they?!”

Admittedly, Sea-Crossing Old Devil was beginning to crack.

On one hand, he had thought of that former “Master” of his. On the other hand, he truly had been held back by these three pieces of trash before him.

On the ground……he had also seen that Spiritual Energy Cannon!

The instant Ji Yuan took out the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】, he had already begun activating it.

Spiritual Energy was injected.

Accompanied by a “click——”.

The silver ring above the base slowly rose.

The originally dim silver ring now lit up with silver-white radiance.

【Spiritual Energy Cannon】……activated!

After that, there was nothing worth hesitating over. All he had to do was fill the center of the Spiritual Energy Cannon's silver ring with Spirit Stones and charge it.

Ji Yuan stood beside the Spiritual Energy Cannon and extended his right hand. Immediately afterward, Middle-Grade Spirit Stones flew out from his sleeve like a long river before finally disappearing into the ring.

Naturally, all the Spiritual Energy was absorbed by the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】, while the remaining powder was swept away by the violent mountain wind.

Ji Yuan's heart bled as he watched this.

He was breathing right now, but he felt as though what he was breathing was not air, but Spirit Stones!

Every second, hundreds of Spirit Stones turned into powder and vanished.

And fully charging this 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 would ultimately cost more than ten thousand Spirit Stones.

What kind of extravagant battle was this?

Ji Yuan had never fought one like this in his entire life.

While filling the empty 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】, he took the opportunity to recall the Spirit-Devouring Bees he had previously released.

These were precious treasures. Quite a few had already died or been injured after being blasted by the Three-Eyed Dark Beast earlier.

He was worried that this old devil might launch a desperate counterattack before dying. If all these Spirit-Devouring Bees were killed, the losses would outweigh the gains.

He waited, waiting for the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 to finish charging.

But Sea-Crossing Old Devil could not afford to wait. If he waited any longer, he would merely be waiting for death!

……Damn it.

This was ultimately no longer his previous body, and he had awakened far too quickly. He had not even had time to refine a Life-Bound Magic Treasure.

For a moment, Sea-Crossing Old Devil even began resenting that Old Monster Situ. If not for him, Sea-Crossing Old Devil would not have awakened so quickly.

And the moment he awakened, he had been forced into such an unprepared battle.

Thus, when he saw those three surrounding and attacking him once again, he finally used a desperate killing move.

His right index and middle fingers pressed together. A streak of Spiritual Light flashed, and his fingers were cut open.

Although no blood flowed out, he still smeared his fingers across his own body as though inscribing one rune after another.

Ran Kui had fought the Demonic Path countless times before. Seeing this scene, he naturally knew what Sea-Crossing Old Devil intended to do.

“Attack.”

He sent a Divine Sense Voice Transmission, then immediately threw out the bundle of hair in his hand.

Without his control, the hair instantly took root in the void and began growing wantonly.

The hair that grew out resembled thick hemp ropes, wrapping layer after layer around Sea-Crossing Old Devil's body.

Within only a breath, the old devil had transformed into a black cocoon.

Seeing this, Feng Zhi Tao and Yun Qianzai likewise used their respective methods for restraining enemies.

Feng Zhi Tao's method was a jade vessel carved with dragons and phoenixes. It was clear green in color and had lids above and below. After she threw it out, the Jade Nectar Vessel expanded with the wind.

In the blink of an eye, it grew to the size of a person, and its upper and lower halves began closing.

Just as it seemed about to imprison Sea-Crossing Old Devil, the hair binding the old devil suddenly began burning.

Strands of black flame appeared, and in the blink of an eye, the hair erupted into a raging inferno.

Ran Kui instinctively used a water spell, creating water from the void. But after the black flames came into contact with the water, they instead burned even more fiercely, rendering the water completely useless.

In an instant.

The black cocoon burned through, and Sea-Crossing Old Devil's body appeared before everyone once more. But this time, he had become even more sinister and vicious.

His robe had fallen away, and his naked upper body was covered in dark-black patterns. His head was completely bald, the nails on both hands were pitch-black, and black flames burned within his eyes.

Secret Art: Corpse Refinement.

Its essence was to refine one's own body into a corpse!

Thus causing one's strength to soar tremendously.

Just like now. Feng Zhi Tao sensed something was wrong and hurriedly tried to close the upper and lower halves of the Jade Nectar Vessel.

But the result?

Sea-Crossing Old Devil grinned viciously as his body suddenly grew. The originally thin and stooped old man transformed in an instant into a giant ten feet tall.

His hands braced against the jade lid while his legs held apart the jade container.

His entire body directly prevented the Jade Nectar Vessel from closing.

But this also completely exposed his entire body. At this moment, it could be said that his entire body was full of weaknesses.

“Good opportunity!”

Ran Kui's eyes lit up upon seeing this, and he immediately activated the Magic Treasure Heavenly Poison Needle.

The ox-hair-thin needle transformed into green light and instantly struck Sea-Crossing Old Devil's glabella.

Just as Ran Kui thought he was about to succeed, the Heavenly Poison Needle only penetrated by the tip of the needle and could not pierce even the slightest bit deeper.

“This……”

He had blocked a Magic Treasure with his flesh?

Although Ran Kui found it extremely difficult to believe, he had no choice but to believe it now.

Meanwhile, the green glow on the Heavenly Poison Needle that represented its venom was disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Rather than saying this old devil had been poisoned, it would be more accurate to say that the venom was being……absorbed by him!

On the other side, Feng Zhi Tao and Yun Qianzai unleashed all manner of techniques and abilities, but when they struck Sea-Crossing Old Devil's body.

They could not even break through his defenses, just as the old devil had been unable to break through theirs earlier.

“Hah——”

Sea-Crossing Old Devil let out a low shout and abruptly exerted his strength, forcibly breaking free of the Jade Nectar Vessel and directly shattering its upper and lower halves.

His body escaped confinement. Laughing strangely with a “Jie jie jie”, his figure flashed and instantly appeared in front of Feng Zhi Tao.

His fist, burning with black flames, punched straight out.

Feng Zhi Tao was instantly sent flying dozens of meters backward!

Had she not possessed the protective measure Hua Yaoyue had given her, that single punch would have been enough to kill her ten times over.

Ran Kui frantically transmitted his voice.

“This isn't working! Does anyone still have another method? If we don't trap him, Little Junior Brother's Spiritual Energy Cannon will be wasted!”

“We'll all die!”

He unleashed all of his protective methods and placed them before himself, but in the end, Sea-Crossing Old Devil still sent him flying with a single punch.

Since they had decided to become iron-shelled turtles, naturally the fastest solution was to kick them flying!

After dealing with these two troublesome obstacles, Sea-Crossing Old Devil's gaze immediately fell toward the ground.

As for the remaining formation cultivator……he was not even worthy of entering his eyes.

“I'll do it!”

Yun Qianzai suddenly spoke. “Remember to……save me afterward.”

After saying that, he put away the Formation Disk, stepped forward, then took out a Demon Core covered in strange patterns from his Storage Pouch and swallowed it in one gulp.

In an instant, his aura surged dramatically, and his entire body immediately transformed into an enormous sea beast.

It was a terrifying monster covered in tentacles.

Its skin resembled masses of rotting flesh, and countless fleshy lumps grew all over it.

The moment it appeared, it used every one of its tentacles to form a cage, wrapping Sea-Crossing Old Devil in layer after layer.

“This……isn't this an octopus?”

Feng Zhi Tao flew over and stared at the scene with astonishment in her eyes.

“Second Junior Brother really does have some tricks.”

Ran Kui, blood endlessly spilling from the corners of his mouth, lowered his head again toward the mountain summit below.

It sounded slow when described, but everything happened in an instant.

Although the Golden Core cultivators appeared to have fought for a long time, in reality, only a few breaths had passed.

And now, after Ji Yuan had expended 10,235 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones, he had finally finished charging the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】.

At this moment, the ring at the center of the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 had become so bright that it could no longer be looked at directly with the naked eye.

It was far stronger than when second gear had been activated previously.

Ji Yuan could even feel the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 trembling violently.

If this strike succeeded, everything would be fine. But if it failed……this damn thing probably would never be able to activate third gear again.

He would have to continue searching for another 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】.

At this moment, as the “gunner”, Ji Yuan had attached his Divine Sense to the Spiritual Energy Cannon, so his field of vision naturally changed as well.

Having fired it once before, he directly aimed the ring toward the firmament.

At this moment, the Third-Tier Sea Beast Yun Qianzai had transformed into was using all its strength to restrain Sea-Crossing Old Devil.

With death before him, the latter was likewise struggling with everything he had.

Thus, after merely two breaths, many of the sea beast's tentacles had already withered considerably.

Black flames burned outward from within.

“Little Junior Brother……fire!”

Yun Qianzai transmitted with great difficulty.

Since he had said that, then he would not die.

Ji Yuan, who had already aimed the cannon directly at Yun Qianzai, no longer hesitated.

“Fire!”

His thought fell.

The entire 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 instantly fell silent, while all of its radiance condensed at the very center into a tiny point.

Then, accompanied by a terrifying explosion.

“Boom——”

The entire mountaintop instantly collapsed. Ji Yuan even felt as though the whole mountain had sunk several meters.

Countless fissures appeared.

Controlling the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】, Ji Yuan's eardrums bled from the deafening sound. As for the cannon itself……it had been charred completely black, while numerous cracks had appeared around the ring.

It would not last much longer.

Only now did Ji Yuan dare raise his head to inspect the final result.

The mass of energy fired by the 【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 had already pierced through the heavens and entered the boundless void.

The sea beast Yun Qianzai had transformed into……more than half of its tentacles had been erased by that Spiritual Light, leaving a circular hole through the middle.

Sea-Crossing Old Devil……was gone.

No, that was not quite right. One severed hand remained, falling from the sea beast's body and smashing into the ground.

Ran Kui and Feng Zhi Tao stared at the scene, so shocked that they briefly lost themselves.

They did not even notice that the Jade Cups protecting them had exhausted their energy.

Accompanied by a flash of white light, Yun Qianzai transformed back into human form.

Practically dead.

There was not even a detectable aura remaining on his body as he fell straight toward the ground.

Feng Zhi Tao came back to her senses and hurriedly dove downward to catch him.

In the end, the three of them returned to Ji Yuan's side.

Feng Zhi Tao, whose injuries were slightly lighter, hurriedly took out an Improved Vital Blood Pill Ji Yuan had given her and stuffed it into Yun Qianzai's mouth, circulating Spiritual Energy to help him refine it.

As for Ran Kui, the moment he landed, he dropped to his knees.

The pores across his body opened, and countless streams of blood squeezed out.

His entire body was instantly dyed red with blood, and he hurriedly took out a Vital Blood Pill to save his life.

Ji Yuan, who had suffered the lightest injuries, stepped forward and was just about to help Ran Kui treat his wounds.

But at that moment, from the corner of his eye, he discovered that the severed hand Sea-Crossing Old Devil had dropped suddenly appeared right in front of him.

“Ah——”

He instinctively leaned backward.

But he was still too late. The severed hand seemed like a living creature as it clamped around his throat, seized him, and flew straight toward the east.

In only the blink of an eye, they disappeared above the vast Eastern Sea.

Feng Zhi Tao belatedly raised her head and hurriedly said:

“Little Junior Brother……was taken away!”

——

(Cast Monthly Tickets to save Heavenly Venerable Ji.

1、Cast Monthly Tickets

2、Keep casting)

New Elements and Characters

Sea-Crossing Old Devil — Male, he/him; the resurrected old devil currently occupying another body.

Kong Xifeng — Female, she/her; a senior figure of the Water Dragon Sect.

Hua Yaoyue — Female, she/her; master of Ran Kui, Yun Qianzai, Feng Zhi Tao, and Ji Yuan.

【Spiritual Energy Cannon】 — Ji Yuan's upgradeable cannon; its Level 2 form possessed three firing gears.

Jade Nectar Vessel — Feng Zhi Tao's enemy-restraining treasure.

Heavenly Poison Needle — Ran Kui's Magic Treasure.

Nascent Soul True Lord — Title for a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Secret Art: Corpse Refinement — A secret method that refined one's own body into a corpse to drastically increase strength.

Third-Tier Sea Beast — The monstrous tentacled form Yun Qianzai transformed into after swallowing the unusual Demon Core.

Improved Vital Blood Pill — An improved healing pill supplied by Ji Yuan.