Chapter 1790: Intense Battle

The Mortal Realm

Distant mountains were like an ink wash painting.

The land was a vibrant green.

In the sea of trees, countless plants vied for vibrancy, and ancient trees so thick they would take dozens of people to encircle were seen everywhere.

Streams meandered through the forest, their banks adorned with lush green grass and blooming flowers, presenting a scene of flourishing vitality.

The only drawback was the complete absence of sound.

No wind, no insect chirps, no calls of birds or beasts could be heard.

The lack of sound implied an absence of living creatures. Without wind, the vegetation remained motionless.

This was one of the few tranquil places in Jushan Zhizhi Altar, yet the vast jungle exuded an eerie stillness, like a vivid painting sketched in the void. Being there, one might not feel peace, but rather fear.

Recently, this tranquility had been shattered.

However, this space was remarkably stable, and the jungle only experienced faint tremors.

Above the jungle was a deep, rich azure sky, where a bluish wind seemed to accumulate, forming a thick celestial wall, tinged with a faint golden light.

"Whoosh!"

A gap tore open in the azure celestial wall, ripped from the outside, and then a meteor plunged from high above.

"Boom!"

The meteor rapidly descended, crashing directly into the jungle and causing immense destruction.

Around the impact site, shockwaves spread in all directions, making the tree canopies ripple like successive green waves.

At the epicenter, thick trees were snapped, ancient ones toppled, leaving behind a chaotic scene. A human-shaped crater had also formed on the ground.

Immediately afterward, light flickered in the deep pit, and with a swift whoosh, a figure shot out, looking up with an unpredictable expression.

The rift in the celestial wall slowly closed, but from within, a figure gracefully emerged—it was Marquis Li.

The one who had been knocked down was, naturally, Qin Sang, who had been pursued by Marquis Li all the way.

"Not running anymore?"

Marquis Li strode through the air, approaching leisurely with a teasing smile in his eyes.

He first scanned the space with a cautious expression, and finding nothing unusual, he nodded subtly to himself.

He hadn't expected Jushan Zhizhi Altar to have such a safe place.

This was undoubtedly a perfect hunting ground for a decisive kill. This person had chosen an excellent tomb for himself!

Outside, he had to guard against the shocks of various accidents, preventing him from exerting his full power. The opponent could also use these distractions to evade his attacks, which was frustrating.

Otherwise, Marquis Li believed he would have captured this prey long ago.

Qin Sang let out a cold snort through his nostrils, his voice laden with anger and defiance.

He raised his right arm; the magical robe on it was torn, revealing three shocking claw marks on his skin.

There were several similar wounds on his body.

Although this magical robe was a treasure, it couldn't withstand Marquis Li's sharp claws and was already in tatters.

The claw marks tore the skin, revealing red flesh, but not to the extent of being deep enough to see bone.

This was partly because Marquis Li hadn't had the chance to attack with full force, and partly because Qin Sang continuously activated the Vajra Celestial Armor Seal for protection, which was comparable to wearing golden armor.

For the first time, Qin Sang had directly withstood attacks from a mid-stage Soul Transformation realm expert solely relying on the Vajra Celestial Armor Seal.

Previously, when hunting the Thunder Tortoise and Wood Serpent, one opponent was already injured, and the other had an accomplice. Qin Sang had been at ease then, only using it to block residual impacts.

Now, in this direct test, each frontal hit severely depleted his physical essence, but thankfully, its power did not disappoint him.

Combined with the Heaven's Eye Butterfly's Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light, Qin Sang felt he could directly confront Marquis Li's sharp claws without needing to use other protective treasures or divine abilities.

This boosted Qin Sang's confidence even further.

Most importantly, upon entering this place, Qin Sang immediately sensed abundant wood spirit energy—it was exactly the treasure ground he had been desperately searching for!

The qi and blood within him surged to the wounds, instantly stopping the bleeding, and the claw marks gradually closed.

He stared intently at Marquis Li, adopting a desperate stance, but he was not in a hurry to activate his Spiritwood Body.

Marquis Li was not like the Thunder Tortoise or Wood Serpent. As a Demon Marquis, its intelligence, decisiveness, and divine abilities were far beyond those of mere beasts. If it sensed the situation turning unfavorable, it would flee.

Qin Sang's goal was not just to defeat his opponent, but to seize the opportunity to kill it!

If he could bring back the corpse of a mid-stage Soul Transformation realm Demon Marquis, he would not only earn qualification for promotion but could also make further demands from the Dao Court.

Dealing with such an opponent required strategy.

Of course, this was just an initial idea. If it proved impossible, he would find a way to shake off Marquis Li and seek other targets.

Stared at with wolf-like eyes, Marquis Li remained unfazed, licking the corner of his mouth and revealing a greedy glint in its gaze.

For humans, demon beasts were treasures from head to toe.

The reverse was also true.

The Dao Court and Guifang Nation had been in a standoff for a long time. As a Demon Marquis, it had never savored the taste of a Cavern-Profound True Immortal.

The only thing that puzzled Marquis Li was Qin Sang's wings.

The Patterned Phoenix Wings looked incredibly real, not like a magical artifact, but rather as if they had grown from Qin Sang's body. Each flap that activated the Thunder Escape Technique seemed more like an innate divine ability.

This was indeed the case. Qin Sang was only using the Phoenix Wings' inherent Thunder Escape Technique, which currently consumed only his physical essence. He hadn't used his true essence to activate the Azure Luan Thunder Power because he didn't want to reveal his identity as a dual cultivator of body and magic.

With the Celestial Demon Transformation breaking through to the fifth layer, the Phoenix Wings had also undergone a metamorphosis, elevating the Thunder Escape Technique. Even without using Azure Luan Thunder Power, it was a top-tier escape technique.

"This Marquis wants to see just how tough your hide is!"

Leaving behind a sharp, piercing shriek, Marquis Li vanished from the spot.

The earth beneath Qin Sang suddenly began to churn violently, creating waves of mud that brought destructive chaos to the nearby jungle. "Crack!" "Rumble!" Countless large trees snapped and crashed to the ground, but the hard ground had already transformed into a swamp, instantly swallowed by the mud waves.

In an instant, a thousand-zhang radius around Qin Sang turned into a swamp, and a void appeared at its center, directly facing him.

Qin Sang immediately sensed something was amiss; a powerful suction force erupted from the void, locking onto him.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

Qin Sang's entire body of flesh and blood vibrated, his bones popping, as he stood steadily in the void. Although not sucked into the void, his movements were distorted, preventing him from instantly escaping the spot.

Without a sound, a sharp claw, the size of a baby's fist, appeared above Qin Sang's head.

The claw had only three digits, with slightly curved black nails, resembling sharp daggers. It aimed directly at Qin Sang's crown and plunged down!

If struck, Qin Sang's head would instantly have a bloody hole gouged into it.

With the Heaven's Eye Butterfly assisting with vigilance, Qin Sang didn't even lift his head. The moment the sharp claw appeared, he detected his opponent, raised both arms, and simultaneously unleashed the Demon-Crushing Seal with both palms, meeting the claw head-on.

A metallic clang echoed, and Qin Sang felt a heavy blow. His body plummeted abruptly, but he twisted slightly in mid-air, deflecting the force, and flew diagonally away, narrowly avoiding the void.

Above him, a peculiar demon beast materialized.

The beast resembled a badger, stood only as tall as a child, was entirely black, and covered from head to tail in fine scales.

Even its small eyes were protected by scales; once closed, its entire body presented no weak points.

"Lifeng Badger!"

Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized the beast's origin. Marquis Li was, in fact, an enlightened Lifeng Badger.

Unfortunately, information on Lifeng Badgers was scarce, so Qin Sang didn't know what bloodline divine abilities it possessed. However, based on Marquis Li's previous performance, it seemed to be related to earth-elemental movement.

Marquis Li, in its demon form, rolled its eyes, staring at Qin Sang's palm.

At this moment, Qin Sang's palm bore three blood-red claw marks, but they hadn't caused serious injury and returned to normal with a slight circulation of qi and blood.

Marquis Li showed a human-like expression of surprise. It had directly revealed its demon form with the intention of finishing the fight quickly.

The demon form's strength surpassed its human guise, yet that single claw failed to cripple Qin Sang's palm.

Little did it know, this was precisely the effect of the Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light combined with the Vajra Celestial Armor Seal.

Qin Sang realized that the Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light could not only weaken divine abilities but also dissipate the force of Marquis Li's attacks.

He and the Heaven's Eye Butterfly had not yet fully comprehended the Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light. From his rudimentary understanding, it could be likened to the divine light forming a smooth convex surface; no matter how concentrated the force, upon contact with this surface, it would dissipate due to the difficulty in finding purchase.

Of course, it couldn't be that simple.

The dissipation of force was equivalent to being weakened. The power of spirit insect divine abilities already surpassed that of demon cultivators and human cultivators of the same rank, and when combined with the defense of the Vajra Celestial Armor Seal, such a performance was possible.

Guessing Marquis Li's thoughts, Qin Sang let out a cold laugh, as if seeking peace. "There's no life-or-death feud between us. Why must Marquis Li pursue me to the death?"

Marquis Li remained unmoved, staring at Qin Sang's palm, its eyes darting rapidly.

As the Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light was invisible and colorless, it could adhere to Qin Sang's body surface, making it indistinguishable to the naked eye.

It snorted coldly, refusing to believe that an opponent of a lower cultivation realm could possess defenses so powerful as to render it helpless.

Qin Sang caught a glimpse of a badger's shadow from the corner of his eye, his heart sinking. He forcefully swung his arm outward, and the power of the Buddhist seal formed a massive shadow.

"Bang!"

The two sides clashed and immediately separated. Marquis Li's true form had already appeared on Qin Sang's other side.

Within a single breath, countless badger shadows appeared around Qin Sang, surrounding him and making it impossible for him to move an inch.

The badger shadows assumed various stances, but all had one thing in common: their sharp claws pointed at Qin Sang's vital points.

All that could be heard was a continuous series of "bangs." Qin Sang spun almost non-stop, striking out with both palms, his palm winds like thunder, shattering each badger shadow.

As the human and demon battled, the escaping force created a fierce wind, sweeping away the mud and broken wood on the ground. A gray tornado formed, following their movements, destroying all beauty in its path and carving deep ravines through the jungle.

At the center of the tornado, their figures were almost invisible.

Suddenly, with a loud bang, the tornado exploded, polluting half the sky with debris. Mud splattered like rain, and Qin Sang, with his hands clasped before his chest, was sent flying backward once more.

Yet, he remained unharmed!

Marquis Li looked down at Qin Sang from above, its fighting intent burning brighter. Its claws spread open, and a ball of light appeared in each palm, transforming into two ethereal forms that slipped onto its sharp claws.

The next moment, Marquis Li's claws were adorned with a pair of gleaming gauntlets, fitting them perfectly.

While demon cultivators disliked external objects, it didn't mean they didn't know how to utilize external power.

Seeing the gauntlets, Qin Sang's expression grew more serious. He knew this treasure was custom-made for Marquis Li, and its power would undoubtedly be immense, at least on the level of a pseudo-spiritual treasure. The Vajra Celestial Armor Seal and Dispersion-Recombination Divine Light might not be able to completely withstand it.

Giving Qin Sang no time to think, Marquis Li closed in again, its sharp claws thrusting directly towards Qin Sang's chest.

Qin Sang suddenly twisted his body, his lightning wings flapping rapidly. Despite his body being contorted to such an extent, it didn't affect his other movements at all. He unleashed both seals simultaneously, combining rigidity with flexibility, firmly entangling the sharp claws with their force, and using the rebound to instantly fly back a hundred zhang.

But these alone were insufficient to stop Marquis Li.

Before Qin Sang could steady himself, another fierce wind assailed him. Qin Sang could only activate his lightning wings and desperately contend with Marquis Li, relying on the "Seven Masters' Buddhist Seal."

This time, the commotion of their battle was less intense than before, but the danger level was even higher.

A flash of lightning and a gray shadow continuously clashed and separated, fighting from the sky to the ground, then from the ground back to the sky. The battlefield spread across nearly half of the jungle space.

Gradually, a hint of surprise began to grow in Marquis Li's heart.

It realized that although it could continuously suppress its opponent, the opponent's combat experience was extremely rich. Relying on powerful escape techniques and defense, Qin Sang evaded other attacks whenever possible, enduring them if unavoidable, and focused on dodging the lethal blows from its sharp claws.

Yet, Marquis Li was unable to completely pin Qin Sang down.

One should know that its combat instinct was inherited through its bloodline, bearing the deep imprint of its ancestors. Even without experiencing life-or-death battles, its combat instinct was extraordinary.

Qin Sang's physical combat instinct was in no way inferior to its own, perhaps even stronger, powerful enough to bridge the gap in cultivation levels!

Marquis Li had previously sparred with Demon Marquises of Qin Sang's cultivation level. By leveraging its cultivation advantage, it could unleash the might of heaven and earth, shackling opponents. Few could withstand such a torrential assault.

Qin Sang, however, seemed utterly unaffected.

If he wasn't a demon cultivator, then he must be a star of slaughter, forged through countless battles!

The potential of such a person was unimaginable; once he fully matured, he would surely become a grave threat to the Guifang Nation!

Marquis Li, unaware of the effect of the Vajra Great Self-Mastery Seal, felt an even stronger killing intent towards Qin Sang.

This person was strong, but only within his own rank. Marquis Li didn't believe Qin Sang was its match, as it had only used its claws and gauntlets from beginning to end.

However, there was no need to unleash its full power.

Marquis Li had already noticed that during their exchanges, the divine abilities Qin Sang used were extremely taxing on him. With each Thunder Escape and collision, his qi and blood visibly weakened, and his vital essence was rapidly depleting.

It was also consuming energy, but Qin Sang's cultivation was inferior to its own, and his rate of consumption was faster.

It simply needed to keep attacking Qin Sang. Before long, it would find an opening and win easily. Why not?

Thinking this, Marquis Li's offensive slowed slightly.

At the same time, the earth rumbled, and the entire jungle shook violently.

The mud on the ground solidified into blocks, transforming into rock, then rising high, twisting and deforming.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Black shadows surged from the ground, lunging at Qin Sang.

They were badger-like beasts formed from transmuted rock.

Before the rock beasts could get close, Qin Sang shattered them one after another. The dust, instead of dispersing, solidified in the air, transforming the void into a vast muddy swamp, trapping Qin Sang within it, unable to escape.

Marquis Li appeared and disappeared within the mud, forcing Qin Sang to respond with all his might, unable to break free.

Sensing Qin Sang's continuously weakening aura, Marquis Li displayed a cruel smile, though a hint of vigilance remained in its heart.

A cornered beast still fights, let alone a Cavern-Profound True Immortal.

Dust filled the sky, staining the celestial wall with a deepening murky yellow.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, the dust gathered towards the center, solidifying into rock in mid-air.

With a resounding "thud," countless rocks enveloped Marquis Li, forming a stone armor. The small badger-like body transformed into a colossal stone beast nearly a hundred zhang tall, its fists like giant hammers descending from the heavens, fiercely smashing forward.

"Bang!"

A figure was directly smashed into the ground.

Marquis Li emerged from its armor, its expression involuntarily tightening.

On the ground, an ancient tree stood up slowly, supporting itself with its branches, as wood spirit energy surged like a tide from all directions.

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