Chapter 200: Against Four Alone

Thunder Law Profound Ice, collected from the Thundercloud Sect's 800-mile Thunder Sea, is the bane of formations.

Qi Xiao found it difficult to remain calm, his eyes fixed on the jade box from which purple lightning emanated. From each arm, he released a wisp of spiritual energy, wrapping it around Qi Wangshu and Zuoqiu Baiyuan.

The moment Mie Di unleashed the Thunder Law Profound Ice, Qi Xiao pulled the two of them, soaring out from the other side of the formation and descending towards the sea.

Thunder Law Profound Ice is extremely unstable. Once activated by Mie Di's spiritual energy, it collided with the formation's protective light, immediately erupting into a dazzling purple glow.

"Boom!"

Thunder, echoing across the clear sky, reverberated throughout the city.

The earth trembled, and the sea churned.

Dozens of thick purple lightning bolts, like dancing dragons and snakes, completely shattered the protective light of the defensive formation. Several residual lightning strikes impacted Qi Xiao and the other two as they escaped the formation.

By the seaside, stones flew and sand swirled in utter chaos.

Thunder Law Profound Ice is immensely powerful, capable not only of breaking formations but also of killing.

However, its flaw also lay in its "killing" aspect.

It could kill not only enemies but also allies. It was too unstable and its destructive reach too vast, leading to countless Thundercloud Sect disciples dying from its thunderous energy.

The larger the volume of Thunder Law Profound Ice, the greater its power.

The stronger the spiritual energy required to activate it.

For all these reasons, Thunder Law Profound Ice was known as a formation's bane, but it was never a mainstream treasure for eliminating enemies.

Even when launching a mere foot-square piece of Thunder Law Profound Ice, experts of the Coffin Mountain Four Truths' caliber would keep dozens of feet away from the defensive formation, not daring to approach the center of the thunderous energy.

Formidable figures from the Far West Ash Region and Coffin Mountain appeared one after another. In an instant, this coastal area transformed into a dangerous hotbed of conflict. The young cultivators, no longer daring to watch, shrieked and fled in all directions.

Only one person was an exception.

He stood tall and handsome on the sea dike, holding a colossal, door-sized axe. His protective spiritual energy completely fended off the lightning beams that scattered towards him.

The Coffin Mountain Four Truths, who had been preparing to collect the Spring Coins, all felt the combat intent emanating from this person wash over them, making them hesitate to act rashly.

Mie Di looked up and asked loudly, "Which side are you on, sir?"

"Nine Li Tribe!"

Yin Jiu responded in a low voice, simultaneously releasing his spiritual energy and combat intent, which enveloped them.

The Coffin Mountain Four Truths instantly tensed, finding it hard to breathe, as if an invisible, towering demonic mountain pressed down upon them.

"So much money displayed openly, and indeed there were still arrangements," Dao Di said.

"Whoosh––"

Yin Jiu bent his knees and pushed off, leaping like a spring onion pulled from the ground. He crossed dozens of feet and swung his axe directly at the four individuals.

His spiritual energy surged mightily.

His combat intent swept over the four, pulling them like threads, surrounding them like air, exuding a world-shattering aura of one who wished to fight four.

The leader of the Coffin Mountain Four Truths, "Ku Di," was ranked eighth in the Southern Realm's First-Class.

She appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen, with an ordinary build and no stunning beauty, but possessed a unique tranquil and serene aura.

While the other three Truths were awestruck and unsettled by Yin Jiu's combat intent, Ku Di defied the pressure, stepping forward. Her staff, a zhang long, spun and clashed with the descending giant axe, emitting a crisp and melodious sound.

"Boom!"

Energy ripples spread outwards.

The white monk's robe on Ku Di's body revealed densely packed Amitabha Sutra scriptures. With her feet as the center, sand, dust, and seawater within dozens of feet on the ground and sea surface all trembled upwards.

Her legs were driven into the soft sand, buried up to her knees.

The opponent's power was boundless, like the heavens and earth pressing down.

"Om!"

The Amitabha Sutra scriptures on Ku Di's monk's robe transformed into a golden bell.

With a chime of the bell, she broke free from the war axe's suppression, retreating seven steps consecutively.

After seven steps, the Four Truths converged.

Then, the four simultaneously released their spiritual energy, enveloped in a cloud of Buddhist energy. Each displayed their unique abilities, attacking Yin Jiu with an overwhelming, mountain-toppling force.

Mie Di manifested a fifteen-meter-long Golden Tiger combat intent, Dao Di unleashed his Nine Thought Zen Beads, and Ji Di possessed an immortal golden body... All three were peak Five Seas Realm cultivators from the Seventh Sea, possessing extraordinary methods and coordinating seamlessly with Ku Di.

One was in front, and three were behind.

In an instant, their formation shifted again: Ku Di faced the opponent head-on, while the other three moved in three directions, launching a four-sided encirclement.

The young powerhouses secretly observing were all astonished.

"The Nine Li Tribe and Zuoqiu Clan indeed have hidden masters! This person's combat power can actually suppress Ku Di, who is ranked among the Southern Realm's First-Class. What level has he reached?"

"Fighting four opponents and remaining undefeated after a hundred moves—only individuals at the forefront of the First-Class can achieve that."

"The alliance between the Ten Thousand Ancient Clans and Ten Thousand Sects is terrifying; no one knows how deep their foundations truly are."

After integrating the combat intent of the Nine Li God, Yin Jiu's combat power advanced by leaps and bounds, allowing him to enter the ranks of the youngest generation's top experts.

This battle, in Yin Jun's estimations, was bound to erupt due to the enormous amount of Spring Coins.

It was a battle for him and Yin Shi-yi to officially make their appearance and claim invitations to the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. It was also a battle to show the world that the Nine Li Tribe's foundation was deep and that they still held the prestige of one of the Ten Thousand Ancient Clans.

As the three battlefields raged fiercely.

A figure disguised as a man, wearing a bamboo hat and a veil, moved like a phantom, soaring beneath five enormous iron chests filled with Spring Coins.

She took out a large Spatial Bag.

Her graceful arm waved, conjuring a cloud of spiritual energy that enveloped the five iron chests and swept them all into the bag.

"You're asking for death!"

Qi Xiao, furious, retrieved a broad-backed war blade from his Ancestral Field. He grasped it in his right hand and slashed at the slender, tall figure.

The woman in the bamboo hat revealed a cold smile in her eyes. Holding the Spatial Bag in one hand, she drew her sword with the other, unleashing a strike towards the sky. The sword energy resembled a Milky Way suspended in the heavens.

"Clang!"

The blade glow and sword energy collided, sending Qi Xiao stumbling back.

She had no desire to prolong the fight, immediately executing a movement technique, rushing up the nine-meter-high sea dike, and heading back into the city.

"Thief, don't you dare run!"

At any other time, encountering an opponent stronger than himself, Qi Xiao would not have pursued. But this time was different; five chests of Spring Coins included his share. Stealing his wealth was no different from killing his parents.

Hearing the thunderous sound of the formation breaking from the shore, Li Weiyi desperately rushed back.

But he was still a step too late.

After landing, he only saw Qi Wangshu and Zuoqiu Baiyuan, gravely injured by the Thunder Law Profound Ice. The spot where the five iron chests of Spring Coins had been was now empty.

The female thief and Qi Xiao were incredibly fast, already miles away.

Qi Wangshu's back was scorched black and continuously bleeding, his face pale as he said, "Brother Weiyi, we failed to guard the challenge funds. What do we do now? So much money, all stolen!"

"There's truly no law in Qiu State Capital City! To actually steal from my Zuoqiu Clan... I want her dead... no..." Zuoqiu Baiyuan was so enraged he ground his teeth, then blood surged from his mouth, and he fainted.

Li Weiyi checked their injuries, and only after confirming they were not life-threatening did he sigh in relief.

"She dared to steal our money; she won't escape."

Li Weiyi's expression was equally grim. He immediately mobilized his internal spiritual power, circulating it through his energy meridians and concentrating it towards his nose and mouth.

His sense of smell was amplified to its limit.

No matter how high her cultivation, she would certainly have a unique scent impossible to hide completely.

Just as Li Weiyi took a deep sniff.

More than ten different fragrances wafted through the air...

"Masking it this way?"

Li Weiyi's gaze sharpened. He stopped relying on his sense of smell and instead released a Phoenix-Winged Moth Monarch.

Li Weiyi called this Phoenix-Winged Moth Monarch "Er Feng."

"Da Feng" specialized in disguising the aura of powerful individuals, while "Er Feng" excelled at identifying spiritual energy.

As long as the female thief had made a move just now, she would inevitably leave behind residual spiritual energy.

Appearance and physique could be disguised, but spiritual energy could not deceive; the spiritual energy cultivated by each person had subtle differences. Martial cultivators found it difficult to discern this, but some unique insects were extremely sensitive to it.

Er Feng flew a circle around the area where the female thief and Qi Xiao had clashed, then landed back on Li Weiyi's left shoulder, whispering to him telepathically.

"It's her!"

Li Weiyi's eyes narrowed. In his mind, the battle from that night against Yang Zhiyong of the Sui Sect resurfaced.

The black-clad woman who had suddenly appeared to save Yang Zhiyong had a cultivation level no less than Yang Qingxi's, and she had nearly pierced his glabella with a single sword strike.

Er Feng had identified residual traces of her spiritual energy.

"She certainly has nerve! Stealing food from a tiger's mouth right in front of four major powers: the Zuoqiu Clan, the Nine Li Tribe, the Far West Ash Region, and Coffin Mountain." Knowing who had stolen the Spring Coins, Li Weiyi instead quickly calmed down, no longer caring whether Qi Xiao could catch up to her.

She might escape today, but not tomorrow.

"Howl!"

A long, demonic howl echoed from the chaotic battlefield a hundred meters away.

The battle entered a white-hot phase.

Yin Jiu condensed his combat intent into a figure, and the spectral image of the Nine Li God's demonic soul appeared, its might shocking the Coffin Mountain Four Truths to their cores.

"Thwack!"

An axe came down heavily, and Mie Di couldn't resist it at all; his Golden Tiger spectral image shattered. The axe blade sliced past the edge of his large head, shaving off a large piece of his scalp.

Mie Di shrieked and retreated, mobilizing his spiritual power to heal his injuries.

A moment later, Ji Di flew out with a crash, his body embedding itself in the sea dike, his golden body growing dim.

After hundreds of moves, the Coffin Mountain Four Truths finally showed signs of defeat. Only Ku Di could still contend with Yin Jiu's ferocious attacks, but she too was constantly retreating.

Young Venerable stood on the South City wall, outside the three-story watchtower, watching Qi Xiao and the woman in the bamboo hat, one pursuing and the other fleeing. He asked, "Who is that? Which side are they from?"

Hua Yuzi, wearing a liquid silver mask, stood to Young Venerable's left and chuckled, "Indeed, all disputes and killings in this world are related to self-interest. Five chests of Spring Coins have drawn out a whole host of hidden masters. I'll go capture her!"

Young Venerable closed his eyes, sensing something, and suddenly said, "He's here!"

"Who?" Hua Yuzi asked.

"Roar!"

A resounding tiger's roar echoed throughout South City.

Cang Li stood atop the White Tiger combat intent projection, holding a silver spear. Controlling it with his mind, he galloped along the dozens-of-meters-wide straight avenue. His torch-like eyes fixated on the approaching three-story watchtower, his battle intent rapidly escalating.

"My injuries haven't fully healed yet. Why don't you go measure the strength of this Southern Tiger?" Young Venerable said.

"Very well."

Hua Yuzi had no interest in the woman in the bamboo hat; his only interest was the Spring Coins she carried. But that money wouldn't just fly away, so there was no rush to retrieve it.

Southern Tiger Cang Li was the only one among the Southern Realm's First-Class Top Ten who outranked him.

This was certainly enough to ignite his desire to win.