Chapter 1098: Wang Removes His Cloak

Raging dark flames were reflected in heaven and earth. Surprisingly, Tuoba Ci was the first to hesitate. This appearance, sharing the same origin, aura, and lineage, made Tuoba Ci freeze in place. Even though he had heard rumors that Li Zhouwei could use this Arcane Qi Art, he never imagined the other party possessed his own family's fundamental technique!

Although the dharma body before him hadn't been refined with rare treasures, its appearance was unmistakably correct! He was in a trance, even a little flustered.

'Is this... the Dark Soul Demonic Dharma Body?'

But Tuoba Ci had no time for doubt. All the black and golden phantasms between heaven and earth had already converged and focused on him. The opponent's dharma body advanced, and Arcane Qi flames descended from thin air!

The two colossal figures collided like collapsing mountains, igniting boundless raging flames. Tuoba Ci felt his dharma body tremble violently and grew secretly furious:

'To fight so aggressively—what did the Song Emperor promise him!'

Arcane Qi, as one of the Twelve Qis, is the Primal Demonic Dao. Normally, when it emits Dharma light, it can manifest various changes to defeat opponents. But both sides possessed Arcane Qi dharma bodies; such a clash would only deplete each other's dharma body cultivation!

He immediately urgently summoned his treasure seal back, but found that the dharma body before him dissipated like wind again. Blood-red faded, deep-red emerged. The dense darkness above his head reverted to rolling dark clouds. What approached his head was not his prized treasure seal, but a brilliant white and dazzling heavenly light:

The Gate of Heaven's Audience!

This divine ability, riding on the karma-transforming pure yin light as the Crimson Broken Arrow dissipated, had already reached the top of Tuoba Ci's massive demonic body!

Although Li Zhouwei had broken through the Longxiao Gate and his Dark Soul Demonic Dharma Body had made great progress, there was still a definite gap compared to a grand demonic cultivator like Tuoba Ci, who had been nourished by rare treasures in a grotto-heaven since childhood. Naturally, he wouldn't directly contend with him; the Dark Soul Demonic Dharma Body was merely a feint!

Bright white smoke and dust exploded in the sky, and purple-green light was instantly suppressed to the ground, emitting an earth-shattering bang!

The Gate of Heaven's Audience possessed the power to suppress and crush demons. Amidst the shaking of heaven and earth, this huge demon, caught off guard, immediately spat blood, prostrated itself on the ground, unable to move. Rolling dark yellow currents spread along its body, engulfing countless hills.

Ting Lan couldn't help but glance sideways, but then heard a low voice by her ear:

'Quickly assist Zhaojing! Lock down Guangchan.'

Ting Lan didn't even think, reacting with extreme speed. With both hands forming incantations, the silver mirror at her brow once again flew out, sensing heavenly secrets, bringing down a gleaming silver sea of thunder!

This spiritual artifact, obtained from an ancient Thunder Palace, possessed extraordinary power. Ting Lan then flicked her sleeves, sending out two azure immeasurable water-fire streams, which struck the divine abilities of the two True Masters to her left and right. She then vanished into the void, taking a distant step.

In an instant, a dark sky, immediately following the sea of thunder, instantly enveloped the horizon, once again drawing Chang Yun and Gao Fangjing into its expanse!

The surrounding scenery vanished in an instant. The vast desert was profound, swept by fierce winds. That bright and dazzling Gate of Heaven's Audience already stood beneath the setting sun, suppressing the greenish-gray demon, which still couldn't turn over. The black-robed youth stood squarely in the center of the gate, standing within the light that pierced straight into the sky.

"Clang!"

The youth plunged the long halberd in his hand into the back of the demon, where demonic aura surged. His golden eyes swept across the air, as if he had resolved a lingering concern, and he let out a breath.

After exhaling, the youth's figure vanished.

Chang Yun, dressed in Daoist robes, suddenly felt a chill rush to his mind. A sense of fear arose in his heart. He stepped back, forming an incantation with his hand, but a golden light was already reflected in his eyes!

"Dong!"

The spiritual bell blocking him was flung away like a powerful arrow. Although he had formed a hand seal in front of him, the crescent-moon-shaped golden halberd blade had terrifyingly reached between his two fingers and his chest!

"Puchi..."

Chang Yun felt a powerful force strike him. The spell in his hand instantly shattered. His body was already sent flying high, and the golden halberd tip protruded from behind him, its blade a full foot long!

Only at this moment did his spiritual consciousness perceive the man before him!

Li Zhouwei was no longer in black robes. He was finally clad in armor and a cloak. The black robes had transformed into a fearsome set of dark golden, mystical-patterned armor. The leaping Qilin patterns on his armguards shimmered on both sides. The king's cloak of light purple feathers emitted surging true Qi streams, supporting him!

Bright white patterns continuously climbed up his neck, like breathing veins or dense scales, extending all the way to the corners of his eyes.

Monarch's Peril.

'How can he be so fast? Monarch's Peril... shouldn't be like this!'

Chang Yun was no ordinary rogue cultivator; he found it truly unbelievable!

Li Zhouwei, however, showed no surprise. In this instant, he was the most powerful he had ever been. Even two breaths ago, he himself couldn't have dodged this halberd strike!

Yuan'e's blessings could inherently sense the Crimson Broken Arrow. The King Wei's cloak from Zhengting added true Qi. Monarch's Peril was illuminated by the Crimson Broken Arrow. Most critically... with Ting Lan gone, the situation finally shifted from a chaotic battle to an encirclement. Monarch's Peril finally sensed the White Qilin's destiny, its power continuously surging, and under the dharma body, dark currents surged!

Although he was already at the mid-stage Purple Mansion realm, his opponents were also more numerous and stronger than before. The three-person siege gave him a blessing that surpassed what he received from the Louying Pavilion on that day, reaching as high as 60%!

Thus, this True Master, who had reigned supreme in Chengshui Mausoleum and even somewhat disregarded summons, had no time to react at all. He hung limply on the Great Ascent, truly like a corpse impaled by cavalry in a battle formation!

Chang Yun's breath caught in his throat. He only had time for one reaction. His divine ability suddenly transformed!

Golden Beast Feather!

This Daoist seemed to ascend as an immortal, becoming feathered. A pair of wings sprouted from his back, and he soared, his eyes as bright as snow, his neck like a crane, transcending the mundane. He left his Daoist robe hanging on the long halberd, and the glittering golden feathered beast already soared into the sky!

Chang Yun, however, felt no relief. He only felt a chill run down his spine. Li Zhouwei's golden eyes were fixed on him, like two brilliant golden gems in the darkness. The eclipse omen at his brow was now complete.

The setting sun in heaven and earth fractured again, but no longer transformed into streaks of black and golden light filling the sky. Instead, it condensed into a tangible column of black and golden light descending from the sky, striking his back and abdomen!

"Aoooo..."

This golden beast let out an earth-shattering cry that pierced metal and shattered stone. A Daoist umbrella appeared, but before it could fully unfurl, a faint golden shadow followed closely behind.

Qianyang Bracelet.

"Dong!"

The umbrella was unsurprisingly knocked off balance, but it displayed exceptionally high quality, actually halting the Qianyang Bracelet, which then quickly returned.

'But that's enough!'

The Emperor Qi Light, condensed from all the light in heaven and earth, had already struck the back of this golden beast!

Li Zhouwei immediately withdrew his gaze. His eyes narrowed slightly. The golden halberd rotated, its smooth surface reflecting another face rapidly enlarging behind him:

Gao Fangjing!

This person was already behind him!

Li Zhouwei remained unmoving. The surging true fire instantly descended upon him, but it only caused a brilliant light to rise from his armor.

Primal Metamorphosis.

This marvel was born from the Qilin-crow spirit metamorphosis within the armor. It was the most orthodox technique of Yangji (Extreme Yang). Its power greatly increased within the Crimson Broken Arrow. It directly caused his figure to vanish, only to reappear behind Gao Fangjing. With a raised eyebrow, he swung his halberd down!

'Petty tricks!'

This True Master of the Gao family, who had only recently broken through to the Purple Mansion realm, took a direct hit from a divine ability sensing destiny. His divine ability immediately dispersed. He plummeted at a speed faster than he arrived, hitting the ground with a thud!

"Clang!"

Only at this moment did golden blood fall from the sky like a waterfall. The golden beast finally let out a mournful cry, crashing heavily into the desert. One golden, one fiery, both striking the ground simultaneously!

The golden-eyed man, however, turned away as if in provocation, returning to the top of the Gate of Heaven's Audience, and stamped his foot down!

The demon, who had just managed to straighten up and lift the Gate of Heaven's Audience, instantly collapsed, falling to the ground again with an earth-shattering roar.

Tuoba Ci was once again sent sprawling, covered in dust.

Li Zhouwei felt the furious shaking of the demon beneath his feet, but spared it not a single glance. His gaze was fixed on the distance, and the words from his mouth were cold.

"The Golden Spiked Feathered Beast can ascend but not descend; when it descends, it falls to the ground and is often trapped and killed by Earth Fiends."

Li Zhouwei had read about Chang Yun's Golden Beast Feather. Although it wasn't Chang Yun's personal lineage, its flaws and weaknesses were consistent: as long as this divine ability was knocked down in one go, its power would inevitably be greatly reduced for a long time, possibly even preventing its activation!

This was also one of the reasons Li Zhouwei targeted Chang Yun!

Tuoba Ci was undoubtedly the strongest among the three. This descendant of Liang, the Substitute King's nephew, ranked among the best in the mid-stage Purple Mansion realm. Although he had been repeatedly immobilized due to a misstep earlier, with his Great Barrier Azure Soul Dharma Body, it was certainly not easy to injure him.

As for Gao Fangjing—this fellow, after all, was named Gao (a prominent family). Firstly, Li Zhouwei showed him some respect, fearing he might actually kill him. Secondly... keeping him alive to sense Monarch's Peril was more beneficial for the next phase of the plan, far more useful than severely wounding and driving him away early!

Only Chang Yun... not to mention he had no fighting spirit. Although his spells were formidable, he struggled in close-quarters combat!

'What's more... whether Tuoba Ci or Chang Yun, they are both arrogant and proud individuals. How could they not be enraged by such humiliation!'

As if to confirm his thoughts, an intense golden light, strong enough to pierce the sky, suddenly rose from the depths of the desert. Chang Yun's cold laugh, whether genuine or not, immediately echoed in the sky!

"I shall indeed seek guidance from White Qilin!"

This golden light instantly reversed. The Daoist robed man was already soaring high in the air. Golden blood continuously dripped from his mouth, but the golden light from his brow transformed into a massive light pillar sweeping across, crashing down.

Li Zhouwei laughed:

"Good!"

He stood holding his halberd, without the slightest retreat. Bright light also shot out from his brow, piercing through heaven and earth:

Supreme Luster Hidden Light!

Golden light and heavenly light collided in the sky, adding boundless colorful halos to the entire dark firmament. Golden blood continuously gushed from Chang Yun's mouth, but a touch of spiritedness appeared in his expression:

'Though your divine ability is sufficient, its rank is too low!'

Indeed, although the golden light paused, it forced its way down step by step, its advance accelerating!

At the same time, bright flames surged forth, as if infected by the two men's fighting intent. The true fire no longer hesitated. It burst from the depths of the desert, surging upwards, illuminating the golden-eyed man's chest!

As Purple Mansion cultivators, who wouldn't seize a battle opportunity?

The surging demonic aura dharma body temporarily shattered, revealing Tuoba Ci's true form. This man supported the Gate of Heaven's Audience, his face slightly pale. He coughed two drops of amber-colored blood into his sleeve. The setting sun's light cast upon his face, causing his expression to change, and a slight smile appeared on his lips:

"Great Fiend Heavenly Splendor Secret Art!"

For a moment, the Gate of Heaven's Audience swayed, as if a mighty force rose from the ground, surging upwards, as if thousands of people were combining their strength to overturn this gate!

Three beams of light surged forth together, shattering the Supreme Luster Hidden Light, and fell upon the black-armored man!

Li Zhouwei smiled. He grabbed a corner of his king's cloak with one hand and held it in front of him.

"Boom!"

This desert celestial realm finally shattered with a roar. The setting sun vanished, and the scenery of Baixiang Valley emerged. The Crimson Broken Arrow was finally broken! This King Wei of Great Song descended from the sky, falling to the ground!

The three showed no hesitation, stepping forward together. Each enveloped an area. The Daoist held a profound umbrella, illuminating with golden light. The prince conjured red feathers, sensing the celestial phenomena. The imperial descendant devoured demonic Qi, standing with his halberd, all together activating their marvels to seize the initiative, giving him no chance to escape!

But the man released the king's cloak he had pulled in front of him. On his dust-covered face, a pair of golden eyes shone like stars, and he laughed:

"Crimson Broken Arrow."

As if responding to his call, a black sky immediately covered the land. The setting sun rose again. All scenery once again fell into Yangji (Extreme Yang), causing the expressions of the three to change, and a momentary doubt appeared on Chang Yun's face:

'He released it himself!'

The Crimson Broken Arrow was indeed powerful, but it was by no means a technique that could be recast the instant it was broken. That left only one possibility... Li Zhouwei had done it on purpose!

Chang Yun's caution amplified his doubts. He lowered his gaze, and discovered that Li Zhouwei was not alone standing beneath the setting sun—there were also five massive, distinctly shaped Buddhist Golden Bodies.

Five Compassionate Ones.

This left Gao Fangjing bewildered and at a loss. Tuoba Ci stood dumbfounded, his surging battle intent turning into utter bewilderment and even apprehension:

"Is he... trying to get himself killed?"

Li Zhouwei's Crimson Broken Arrow was not a grotto-heaven. Although those trapped within found it inconvenient to traverse the void, needing to settle down and first break through some divine abilities before escaping, it did not completely sever access to the void.

With the five Compassionate Ones forming a formation, they could calmly resolve most of Li Zhouwei's attacks. Li Zhouwei would be like fish on a chopping block before them!

But the golden-eyed man merely pulled the long halberd from the desert. His eyes revealed a hint of uncontrollable delight, and he laughed:

"Again!"

His laughter broke the calm. The five Compassionate Ones instantly snapped out of their stupor, and a greedy look appeared on all their faces. Swords, blades, spears, or halberds—all descended together!

"Clang!"

The Great Ascent long halberd swept across the sky, parrying five glittering golden artifacts. In an instant, an endless storm erupted in the desert. Li Zhouwei, holding the halberd with both hands, merely turned slightly pale.

Deliberately provoking and infuriating, luring them into the valley, moving back and forth, showing weakness to the enemy—it was all for this moment... In the next instant, his golden eyes had transformed into pure, boundless gold and white.

Monarch's Peril!

The White Qilin destiny sense was ninety percent complete!

The peril of this moment was even greater than during the Gongsun Stele incident back then... The White Qilin destiny sense reached its peak, even overflowing, pouring down freely and unhindered.

But Li Zhouwei also had to face the overwhelming, cascading divine abilities of the Immortal, Demonic, and Buddhist paths!

Beneath these surging divine abilities and spells, he didn't hesitate for a moment. Yet, he didn't summon any treasures or perform any escape techniques. Instead, he made an extremely peculiar move.

He unfastened the king's cloak from his body, the one adorned with light purple feathers.

That was all.

The Gate of Heaven's Audience beneath his feet roared to life, carrying boundless light and golden armor and robes that filled the sky. The only response to the cultivators was the Gate of Heaven's Audience standing in the air!

The king's cloak draped over the Gate of Heaven's Audience continuously trembled amidst the divine abilities, quickly dimming and falling. This bright Gate of Heaven's Audience, which suppressed all things, then began to tremble. It vaguely melted within the terrifying beams of light where gold and fire obstructed each other, and immortal and demonic powers canceled each other out. Yet, it remained standing due to the mutual cancellation of the various enemy divine abilities and the protection of Li Zhouwei's numerous spiritual artifacts and divine powers.

But ultimately, it couldn't last long.

"Crack..."

A crack finally appeared on the Gate of Heaven's Audience, spreading downwards along the layered heavenly light.

Li Zhouwei, however, was nowhere to be found.

In an instant, heaven and earth vanished. The sky of Baixiang Valley reappeared. The Gate of Heaven's Audience remained in place, but the King Wei of Great Song, clad in golden Qilin dark profound armor and with platinum-colored eyes, manifested at the edge of the Crimson Broken Arrow's desert.

He weighed the golden halberd slightly in his hand. With an easy stretch of his ape-like arm, he exerted force with one hand, and the Great Ascent immediately shot forth like a dragon piercing the sky, whistling away!

And the colors of the Crimson Broken Arrow surged forth again with almost no pause. Its overloaded, ceaseless operation and expansion even caused the setting sun on the black firmament to appear somewhat disoriented. The divine ability was damaged, yet the vast desert rapidly expanded, not only allowing him to escape the encirclement, but the colors of its second extension gently ensnared the monk at another edge.

Guangchan.

The expanse of the Crimson Broken Arrow was especially astonishing! Even though its most powerful effect against divine abilities was only in its central part, its extended areas allowed for displacement. The distance covered by two Crimson Broken Arrow displacements was already enough for Li Zhouwei to appear before Guangchan.

Li Zhouwei's target—it had always been him.

When trapped in the encirclement of Tuoba Ci and the others, he deliberately provoked and stirred up their fighting spirit. This was so that when he released the Crimson Broken Arrow to absorb the Compassionate Ones, the three would follow him closely instead of turning to deal with others. Then, exploiting their surprise and incomplete full-strength attacks, he used the Gate of Heaven's Audience as a decoy!

This allowed him to push the White Qilin's destiny sense to its peak—gaining that ninety percent blessing! This ninety percent blessing was almost equivalent to a second divine body ability! Even if he left the battle formation, it would take a while for them to retreat, allowing him to act calmly.

He thought coldly:

'The Guzhou Cauldron locks the void, exiling the Treasure Tooth. The Mu Ling Pavilion seals the four directions, stabilizing the present world.'

The monk lifted his head in disbelief. The Guzhou Cauldron above his head had already locked his divine ability. The Purple Seat Mu Ling Pavilion on the other side had sealed him off from all directions—above, below, left, and right.

But in his eyes, there remained only the dark sky, the prostrate setting sun, and the rolling desert. Behind the dazzling, long halberd, whistling like an enraged dragon, was a brilliant light like a comet and a pair of platinum-colored eyes.

In this moment of boundless peril, Guangchan could only open his lips in vain.

The white cicada in his mouth subtly twitched. The mark of the halberd chop remained on the cicada's body. But no matter how he sensed, he could no longer connect to the sacred land that had always favored him.

Banished Qi, the master of the distant, dark abyss.

If he had connected to the Treasure Tooth earlier, even if he was now constrained by the Guzhou Cauldron and the Treasure Tooth faced a great crisis of instability and collapse—at least there would be blessings to save his life! But the Guzhou Cauldron had appeared early, without ambush, precisely to prevent him from receiving any blessings from the Treasure Tooth Golden Land from beginning to end...

Under such a crisis, Guangchan, who had always dominated the North with the Treasure Tooth Golden Land, was completely helpless... He couldn't even rely on the Treasure Tooth to seek help from the master of the Dharma Realm!

Even his pagoda... was suppressed by Li Zhouwei's Gate of Heaven!

"Crunch."

The Great Ascent had arrived.

This long halberd was originally just a spiritual embryo, but having received Li Zhouwei's full blessing, and with Monarch's Peril sensing the White Qilin's destiny, its power was already astonishing! Moreover, Li Zhouwei had just escaped—which perfectly aligned with Monarch's Peril!

The long halberd seemed to have transformed into an indestructible spiritual treasure, confronting the golden spear.

"Buzz."

The powerful Bright Yang divine ability immediately bent this Fire Severing Spear to its extreme, sending it forcefully rebounding. The long halberd had already pierced through the monk's chest, bringing forth shards like glazed glass. Guangchan's pupils dilated to their maximum. His internal organs shattered simultaneously