Chapter 305: The True Cultivation Method of Great Arts

"Boy, if it weren't for your specific advantage over me, with your strength, you would have died by my hand long ago."

Wang Zhi was furious, feeling utterly humiliated by Li Weiyi. His skin was covered in many cracks, bleeding profusely. This was due to the excessive power he was channeling. The departed spirit within him was intrinsically linked to this body. If the body were destroyed, it would be like a flame losing its lamp and wick, instantly scattering its soul.

Wang Zhi's face contorted grotesquely as he unleashed his soul-force separation technique. Three streams of Yin-evil energy emanated from his body, quickly coalescing into three departed spirit clones. Each clone was comparable in strength to a martial cultivator at the third heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, like Ye Nanfeng.

"The energy fluctuations emanating from the clones are incredibly powerful. The true cultivation of the departed spirit within him must be above the seventh heaven of the Dao Seed Realm. The Twin Rice Sect has clearly mastered some secret art of the ancient Vagaraka Sect; their methods are truly heaven-defying, directly subduing powerful departed spirits for their own use."

Li Weiyi released six Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors to intercept Wang Zhi's three departed spirit clones.

"Whoosh!" Wang Zhi's true body manifested nine soul shackles, which, like nine winding dragon-serpents, attacked Li Weiyi amidst a sky full of Yin mist.

Li Weiyi no longer feared him. Protected by the glowing projection of the Fusang Divine Tree, he swung out golden flame branches that clashed with the nine soul shackles. Simultaneously, his Yellow Dragon Sword unleashed streaks of dragon shadows, while his other hand emitted beams of finger-force.

All six Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors had grown to one foot long, officially entering the Dao Seed Realm. Each displayed its unique abilities, forcing Wang Zhi's three departed spirit clones to retreat step by step. Three of the moths spat out Golden Crow flames, burning straight through one departed spirit clone's soul form, eliciting a shrill scream. The fourth moth's eyes released dozens of purple lightning bolts. After striking the three departed spirit clones, their speed drastically decreased, making them sluggish and emitting black smoke. The fifth moth moved with the speed of a flowing light, using its membranous wings to cleave one departed spirit clone directly in half.

The most formidable was the second moth, which, having awakened some unknown innate Dao art, conjured a dazzling, multi-colored vortex. It swept a severely wounded departed spirit clone into it and then swallowed it whole. It had consumed a departed spirit clone comparable to a martial cultivator at the third heaven of the Dao Seed Realm. This was, of course, only possible because that particular clone's soul form had been burned through beforehand, severely diminishing its combat power.

After advancing to the Commander level, the innate Dao arts of all six small creatures had been elevated to a new level of power. In a six-on-three fight, they held an absolute advantage. As the three departed spirit clones were successively destroyed, Wang Zhi suffered a severe backlash. It was as if three parts of his soul had been forcibly severed, leaving him listless and significantly reducing his combat power. He decisively fled, escaping towards the outside of the Fourth Divine Son's residence.

"Chase!"

After giving the order to the six small creatures, Li Weiyi swung his sword, severing Tuoba Bu'tuo's chains, and then placed him into his insect pouch.

At the summit of Spirit Ridge Mountain.

Even after a year of refinement and improvement, Yang Qingchan's physical body was only comparable to Wang Zhi's. At this moment, it was severely overexerted, with spiderweb-like cracks appearing densely across her pale skin. It looked like porcelain about to shatter. Yang Qingxi was even more severely wounded, bearing four knife wounds on her body. The most severe one had cut through her magical combat armor, leaving a foot-long bloody gash on her back.

Wang Shu unleashed his Golden Armor Mountain-Moving Art; his body seemed cast from gold, his strength so immense that even Yin Ghost Commanders couldn't resist him. He held a complete advantage, forcing them to the edge of the cliff.

"If we don't escape now, there won't be another chance!" Yang Qingchan looked at the cliff behind her, strongly wishing to jump down immediately and escape.

Yang Qingxi glanced towards the Fourth Divine Son's residence, feeling deeply unwilling. Escaping now would mean all their efforts were in vain, and there was no guarantee they would even get away.

"Do you think Li Weiyi can save Tuoba Bu'tuo and Qi Xiao? You have Yang Qingchan, and I have Wang Zhi. By now, Li Weiyi has probably already died by Wang Zhi's hand..."

No sooner had Wang Shu finished speaking.

"Boom!"

Wang Zhi burst through the gates of the Fourth Divine Son's residence and fled from within. Six Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors followed closely, pursuing him out.

Seeing this, a smile appeared in Yang Qingxi's eyes: "It seems Wang Zhi's strength isn't as great as you imagined."

A bad premonition arose in Wang Shu's heart. With his war blade infused by spiritual energy, hundreds of runes burst forth, enveloping his entire body. He then swung his blade with full force towards Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan at the cliff's edge.

"Roar!"

A yellow dragon burst out from the Fourth Divine Son's residence. Li Weiyi ascended into the sky on the dragon, and while in mid-air, instinctively formed a finger-seal in haste. He launched a finger strike from a distance towards Wang Shu.

No... Li Weiyi immediately realized that the spiritual energy flow for this finger strike was different from that of the Ci Hang Enlightenment Finger. Yet, the finger-force successfully coalesced! Completely unlike the Ci Hang Enlightenment Finger, it was a fiery power, like a blazing serpent, cutting through the sky.

Wang Shu's single strike sent Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan plummeting down the cliff. Without turning, he directly used his body to block the incoming finger-force.

"Bang!" The fiery finger-force struck his back, emitting a clanging sound like a tolling bell. Wang Shu remained perfectly still, though sand and stones scattered around his feet. His back still shone brilliantly golden, unbroken and indestructible, demonstrating formidable defense.

He turned, knife in hand, to face Li Weiyi, who had landed on the ground, accompanied by the dragon's shadow: "With your attack power, even if I stood still, you couldn't harm me in the slightest. Li Weiyi, you haven't broken through to the Dao Seed Realm yet, have you?"

Li Weiyi looked at his fingers with a puzzled expression: "The flow just now seemed to be the Ember Extinction Finger technique, the first layer of the Six Illusions Incineration Art. But... I haven't actually cultivated it; I just read about it for half a day. Did I really just master it?"

The Six Illusions Incineration Art is a profound technique; reaching entry-level mastery of its first layer typically requires a year of diligent cultivation. Wang Shu watched Li Weiyi muttering to himself, clearly not taking him seriously, and an unknown anger flared in his heart. He couldn't fathom why Yang Qingxi still trusted a man whose Ancestral Field was ruined so implicitly, even desperately fighting to buy him time.

"Let this Divine Son gauge just how capable you, this 'Young Emperor,' truly are." Wang Shu raised his blade and strode forward. His steps quickened. Within ten zhang, his Outer Dao Heart Manifestation instantly unleashed, making him appear like a blooming golden sun. He swung his blade, slashing towards Li Weiyi.

Li Weiyi quickly retreated, performing the Ember Extinction Finger technique again. This time, he used it in conjunction with his spiritual power. When he first used it just now, he felt that with a single finger strike, all his spiritual power was being drawn. Therefore, he wanted to use this to confirm his hypothesis.

"Whoosh!"

As Li Weiyi's finger struck out, the glowing projection of the Fusang Divine Tree appeared behind him. From within the tree's shadow, streams of Golden Crow flames surged, coiling around his arm and gathering at his fingertip. Spiritual power, Golden Crow flames, and finger-force intertwined, transforming into an intensely dazzling beam of light that struck the blade of Wang Shu's magical war knife.

"Boom!"

The two forces remained in a standoff for about one breath's time, then both men simultaneously recoiled backward. Wang Shu landed back on the ground, staring at Li Weiyi in disbelief. Only he knew how terrifying that finger-force had been. The heat was so intense that his Golden Armor Mountain-Moving Art's defense had nearly failed to withstand it, and his knife-wielding hands were still burning with unbearable pain. His golden armor seemed on the verge of melting.

Wang Shu said, "You've mastered the first layer of the Six Illusions Incineration Art?"

The Six Illusions Incineration Art was the bane of the Golden Armor Mountain-Moving Art. Li Weiyi was now certain that the Six Illusions Incineration Art was indeed a profound technique that required integration with spiritual power to unleash its full potential.

In Buddhism, the 'Six Illusions' refer to dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows, dew, and lightning. It was a spiritual power cultivation method of the ancient Vagaraka Sect. The version of the Six Illusions Incineration Art currently recorded in the Spirit Valley Palace could only be called the "Incineration Art," only capable of unleashing power at the Grand Art level. The true Six Illusions Incineration Art, however, was an Emperor-level technique, requiring combination with spiritual power to evolve its seventh, eighth, and ninth layers. Even An Xianjing was unaware of this.

In fact, Buddhism had always emphasized the simultaneous cultivation of spiritual power and martial arts, striving for the transcendence of both spirit and body. The Six Illusions Incineration Art was created precisely to perfectly combine the power of spiritual power and martial arts, unleashing their greatest might. With the Six Illusions Incineration Art, Li Weiyi could combine the powers of a three-star spiritual master and a seventh-sea martial cultivation to launch an attack. Only by employing this technique could he achieve a complete fusion of these powers.

Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan leaped back up from below the cliff. Yang Qingchan's powerful soul sensed the extraordinary spiritual power fluctuations emanating from Li Weiyi: "What incredibly fast progress! His spiritual talent is too high; he's already a three-star spiritual master."

Yang Qingxi was also secretly surprised, saying with a faint tone, "The person I favored would naturally not be ordinary."

Many true disciples and elders were observing this battle at the summit of Spirit Ridge Mountain. The Twin-Headed Golden-Winged Roc, with a wingspan dozens of meters long, possessed a wolf's head and a turtle's head. Having consumed the blood of an ancient immortal beast, it had combat power comparable to the seventh heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, putting it on par with the renowned monstrous beasts of Tianya Ridge and Yin Mountain.

Qiong Ji Daozi, the foremost Divine Son, stood regally on the golden roc's back. Handsome and dashing, his neatly arranged hair was bound by a jade hairpin and coronet, resembling an exiled immortal gazing down upon the summit of Spirit Ridge Mountain. Elder Xu, standing behind him, widened his eyes in shock: "No way! He's already mastered the first layer of the Six Illusions Incineration Art? Three days ago must have been an act; he clearly learned this technique long ago. He's incredibly powerful; his comprehension far surpasses Wang Shu's."

Qiong Ji Daozi said, "In a one-on-one fight, Li Weiyi's combat power is still far from Wang Shu's. His spiritual power, however, is cultivated well; he's already a three-star spiritual master."

Elder Xu's expression darkened as he looked at the patrol guards on the mountain path: "Li Weiyi is the Grand Disciple of Venerable Nan. If these great true disciples, or Sikong Jingyuan and Sikong Yanlun, intervene later, it would break the unwritten rules. We should intervene to save him and earn his immense favor."

Qiong Ji Daozi replied, "Li Weiyi himself broke the rules first by forcibly entering the Fourth Divine Son's residence to save someone. He doesn't truly consider himself a part of the Divine Cult. He harbors ulterior motives and will surely implicate Qingxuan in the future. Eliminating him by the hands of Yi Zhouxue, Sikong Jingyuan, and Sikong Yanlun is actually a good thing."

Elder Xu had never imagined that Qiong Ji Daozi would think this way. In his view, Li Weiyi, being able to take such a great risk to rescue his friends, was clearly a person who understood loyalty and grievances. Bestowing favor upon him now might lead to unexpected returns in the future. However, there was nothing he could do; Qiong Ji Daozi's cultivation far surpassed his own, and he was the current head of the Spirit Valley Palace. He could only obey orders.

Qiong Ji Daozi's gaze fell upon the six strange insects, and he continued, "Everyone can see the extraordinary value of the six strange insects, the Ghost Banner, and the Blood Handprint Demon Armor. Yi Zhouxue, Sikong Jingyuan, Sikong Yanlun, and others will certainly not let them go later. We cannot allow these treasures to be taken by them; we must seize them ourselves and hand them over to Qingxuan in the future. A disciple's belongings should, of course, be collected by their master."

The six Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors flew back, informing Li Weiyi that Wang Zhi had escaped down the mountain and they couldn't catch him. They dared not pursue too far, fearing capture by experts from the Twin Rice Sect.

Li Weiyi looked around and saw many greedy gazes. He felt no fear. His backing wasn't just Yao Qingxuan; he also had An Xianjing. As long as the Golden Rice hadn't matured, who would dare to touch him?

Li Weiyi looked at Wang Shu: "One-on-one, I'm not your match. But Wang Shu, it's ten against one now. Your Dao Lotus hasn't fully coalesced yet, has it? My spiritual power can sense that your aura is very unstable."

Yang Qingxi once again channeled spiritual energy, activating the Ghost Banner. A forty-zhang tall Yin Ghost Commander appeared, walking step by step towards Wang Shu. Even if Wang Shu had fully broken through to the fourth heaven and condensed his Dao Lotus, he couldn't possibly fight ten opponents at once, let alone when he hadn't yet fully reached that stage.

Without hesitation, he dashed right, leaping off the cliff. His voice echoed back: "Li Weiyi, Yang Qingxi, once I coalesce my Dao Lotus and fully break through, we will settle this life-and-death struggle."

"Wang Shu once explored an underground immortal mansion and found a secret treasure vault. He must have many resources on him; we can't let him escape." Yang Qingxi yearned to claim Wang Shu's resources for herself, but at this moment, she had no choice but to secretly transmit this information to Li Weiyi.

Li Weiyi had no intention of letting Wang Shu go anyway. Setting aside Wang Shu's future retaliation, if he couldn't avenge Qi Xiao, Li Weiyi would live with guilt for a long time to come.

"Wang Shu, your crime of harming multiple fellow disciples has been exposed. Where do you think you can escape to now?" Li Weiyi rushed down the cliff, a phantom yellow dragon appearing beneath his feet, riding the dragon to pursue. The six Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors accompanied him.

"Fourth Divine Son, we haven't decided the victor yet!" Yang Qingxi and Yang Qingchan rapidly moved along the cliff face, constantly changing positions as they pursued down the mountain.