Blade light and sword radiance answered Xu Pingfeng, tearing through his body.

Xu Pingfeng’s figure instantly appeared elsewhere, hands clasped behind his back, appearing as calm as a gentle breeze. He chuckled lightly, “You’re still as stubborn as ever. Though your heart truly fears your father, you insist on acting arrogant and unruly. Is this how you show your father that you’ve grown up?”

Xu Qi’an coldly sneered, “Your psychological warfare is strong—I’m already getting angry.”

Xu Pingfeng smiled slightly, disdaining to engage in verbal sparring. “Enough. I gave you a chance. Since you remain obstinate, I won’t force the issue.”

He maintained this air of casual confidence throughout as if the Silver Gong Xu before him—feared by the Great Feng court and revered by the jianghu—was nothing in his eyes.

Of course, Xu Pingfeng’s confidence had substance behind it. Although his previous attempt to harvest the Fate in the capital had failed, marking his first visible defeat in confronting his eldest son, recovering the Dragon Qi was only one part of his plan. His other scheme—killing Jeanne and shattering the Dragon Qi—had proceeded very smoothly. He never left empty-handed.

The more Xu Pingfeng maintained this attitude, the more Xu Qi’an’s rage grew. Even tigers, cruel as they are, don’t eat their cubs. Yet Xu Pingfeng had sired his eldest son solely to serve as a vessel for national fate. If not for his birth mother’s fierce maternal love protecting him, Xu Qi’an would have been discarded like a used tool long ago.

Even so, Xu Pingfeng hadn’t let “him” go, using the tax silver case as an excuse to exile him to the frontier, planning to harvest him en route. For this purpose, he could even abandon his own brother’s family, displaying a frightening bloodless ruthlessness devoid of emotion.

Beast!

Now seeing his cultivation progress, Xu Pingfeng played the affection card from his position of superiority, as if a strong one showing mercy to the weak. Xu Qi’an knew that even now, Xu Pingfeng had never truly taken him seriously.

“Don’t think yourself so unique. In the eyes of true peak experts, those blessed by Fate are merely troublesome to kill due to the backlash. In fact, which expert who has reached the First Realm doesn’t possess their exceptional destiny?” Xu Pingfeng said flatly. “The backlash of Fate is especially severe against Artificers, but peak experts of other systems can kill you by merely paying a certain price.”

He spoke no more, disappearing via transmission technique only to reappear standing atop the Vajra Dharma Body.

Xu Qi’an didn’t try to stop him. Like Nalan Tianlu, he was in a half-crippled state. However, with the Medicine Master Dharma Body’s healing, he would recover basic combat capability within half a quarter-hour. He still had one trump card unused.

By now the battle had paused, with the old codger proudly standing in mid-air, facing off against the Vajra Dharma Body from afar. Though their sizes were vastly different, the old codger’s aura wasn’t the least bit weaker than the Vajra Dharma Body’s—typical of a martial artist’s spirit.

“Kou Yangzhou!”

“In your four hundred years of closed-door cultivation, did you ever imagine that the day you emerged would be your death day?” Xu Pingfeng’s tone was calm, yet his voice resonated across the heavens, clearly reaching the ears of Cao Qingyang and the others, as well as the distant garrison troops.

The old codger scrutinized Xu Pingfeng and responded loudly, “So you’re the Supervisor’s senior disciple?”

He had learned the general outline of the enmity between the Supervisor and his senior disciple from Xu Qi’an. Of course, Xu Qi’an had concealed that the “Unfilial Son” was his birth father.

The concealment had no particular reason—he simply didn’t want to speak of it.

Xu Pingfeng didn’t respond. Clear light arose beneath his feet as formation after formation materialized, covering the Vajra Dharma Body. A transmission formation covered its feet, strengthening formations enhanced its physical form, and the Five Elements Grand Formation fused into the Vajra Dharma Body’s interior, replacing its internal organs…

The golden staff erupted with dazzling light, so heavy it seemed to collapse space itself. Black, viscous light flowed like water over the golden divine sword; white fragments of light scattered and clung to the golden ritual blade; fierce flames arose from the golden ring; green vines grew from the golden pagoda’s shell; the golden divine bell rippled with earth-yellow, weighty radiance.

Boom!

A thunderbolt struck from the sky, hitting the vajra directly, making electric arcs dance on the cone’s tip.

Formations are an Artificer’s most core ability. They leverage the power of heaven and earth through formations, with wide-ranging uses both offensive and supportive.

This display of Xu Pingfeng’s used formations as support enhances every aspect of the Vajra Dharma Body. In an instant, the Vajra Dharma Body’s aura surged, advancing even further to become a true First Realm combat force.

After setting up these formations, Xu Pingfeng’s avatar’s aura weakened to the extreme, ready to dissipate at any moment.

Yet Xu Pingfeng wasn’t satisfied. He took out a bracelet from his chest, decorated with beast fangs, five-colored stones, copper pieces, and other items of foreign style.

Bathed in the Medicine Master Dharma Body’s radiance, Xu Qi’an sensed a familiar aura from this bracelet.

The aura of the Heaven Gu.

Did Xu Pingfeng’s avatar use “Moving Stars and Shifting Constellations” to deceive the Supervisor and reach Sword Province? he wondered silently.

At this moment, he saw Xu Pingfeng release the bracelet, letting it fall and “merge” into the Vajra Dharma Body.

He’s going to… Xu Qi’an’s heart tightened as he guessed Xu Pingfeng’s intentions.

After releasing the bracelet, Xu Pingfeng vanished in rising clear light beneath his feet, returning to the wind-riding ship to stand at the rail, hands clasped behind his back as he looked down.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The mountain-tall Vajra Dharma Body half-turned, abandoning the old codger to charge at Xu Qi’an while wielding its various weapons.

This was simply a disaster. The earth shook violently, tremors spreading over ten li.

Target: Xu Qi’an!

Whether Xu Pingfeng or the Buddhist sect, the primary target was always Xu Qi’an.

No wonder he said he gave me one last chance… Xu Qi’an shouted urgently:

“Senior, flee quickly!”

This shout was directed at the Pagoda Spirit old monk.

Did you need to tell me? The treasure pagoda fled on golden light, its trailing flames wrapping around Xu Qi’an.

Clear light rose beneath the Vajra Dharma Body’s feet, its towering form suddenly vanishing.

Xu Qi’an suddenly felt a huge shadow cover him. Turning his head, he saw that a twenty-four-armed golden body wreathed in Five Elements power had somehow appeared behind him.

Clang!

The ritual blade adorned with white light fragments struck the pagoda body. White and bright golden light fragments scattered in all directions, creating ripples like blooming fireworks.

The violent explosive force worsened his yet-unrecovered body’s condition. His eardrums instantly ruptured, and his consciousness briefly failed in the shock wave’s aftermath.

At this moment, Xu Qi’an had only one thought:

Fortunately, I left Mu Nanchi outside and didn’t bring her into the treasure pagoda.

Because he knew this battle involved transcendents and Xu Pingfeng, he had taken precautions and moved Mu Nanchi and Chai Xinger out of the treasure pagoda beforehand.

Otherwise, with just this strike, the Flower God’s reincarnation would have been sent back to the cycle of rebirth.

The treasure pagoda spun away like a meteorite, taking Xu Qi’an with it.

Dong dong dong… The Vajra Dharma Body pursued in the mad chase, its blades, swords, staffs, clubs, and ritual implements striking down simultaneously.

Hum!

Seeming to sense the tremendous threat, the treasure pagoda finally broke its rule of “not attacking Buddhist monks.” The pagoda body trembled, releasing solemn power like surging tides.

Suppressing all enemies in the vicinity.

At the same time, another Dharma Body’s shadow condensed at the pagoda’s peak, wearing kasaya robes with indistinct features and a halo of wisdom behind its head.

This wheel of wisdom representing intelligence began to reverse.

The Vajra Dharma Body’s charging steps faltered under the treasure pagoda’s suppression. As the wisdom wheel reversed, the Vajra Dharma Body fell into confusion, as if having lost its intelligence, not knowing what to do next.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the treasure pagoda fled with Xu Qi’an. This level of counterattack was already the limit of what the Pagoda Spirit could do.

It wasn’t skilled in combat.

After two seconds, the Vajra Dharma Body regained its intelligence. Clear light rose beneath its feet as it prepared to use transmission techniques to pursue.

Whoosh! Clang!

The old codger transformed himself into a blade, piercing toward the back of the Vajra Dharma Body’s head in a breaking sound, but was blocked by the golden bell that moved to intercept.

Earth-yellow light flowed slowly over the golden bell’s surface like viscous, heavy liquid.

The old codger’s strike couldn’t shake the bell.

The Vajra Dharma Body spun and swept its sword, cutting an arc of sword light. The faint sound of ocean waves could be heard in mid-air.

Pfft!

The old codger’s head flew off as he was beheaded by a single stroke. A martial artist’s danger perception had failed to activate.

Moving Stars and Shifting Constellations!

Seeing this, Xu Qi’an knew his guess wasn’t wrong.

Xu Pingfeng had lent the Heaven Gu artifact to Dunan Vajra specifically to counter martial artists’ danger perception.

“Senior, come here!” Xu Qi’an roared.

The old codger’s head and body retreated violently toward the treasure pagoda. During this process, the Pagoda Spirit old monk once again manifested the “Great Wisdom Dharma Body,” its wheel reversing to lower the Vajra Dharma Body’s intelligence.

Making it unable to pursue the old codger.

Xu Qi’an seized the chance to open his palm toward the old codger, grabbing forcefully as if taking something from his body.

Moving Stars and Shifting Constellations—he had applied this buff to the old codger as well.

“You’ve masked my aura?” The old codger examined himself, immediately discovering the change.

“Senior, please hold it off for half a quarter-hour. After that, I’ll cut it down,” Xu Qi’an said heavily.

“Are you confident?” The old codger frowned.

Before Xu Qi’an could answer, he laughed heartily: “Fine, half a quarter-hour it is. This old man will hold it back for you.”

As they spoke, the Vajra Dharma Body used transmission to appear silently behind them.

On the wind-riding ship, Ji Xuan ignored the battle below, taking out a small bronze tripod and turning its mouth downward.

Over ten figures fell from within the tripod, men and women, jianghu wanderers, scholars, commoners in cloth clothes…

These people were unconscious.

Ji Xuan pressed down lightly with his palm. With “puff puff” sounds, over ten Dragon Qi hosts had their chests explode in blood mist, dying instantly.

Golden dragon shadows separated from their hosts, soaring through clouds and mists, trying to escape.

But they were all trapped within the barrier formed by formations, unable to leave the wind-riding ship no matter how they crashed against it.

“Seventh Brother?” Xu Yuanshuang saw this and froze, confused: “Why are you killing Dragon Qi hosts?”

Once Dragon Qi leaves its host, it becomes extremely difficult for Artificers to collect it. Even containing the Dragon Qi like this required Father’s action.

But even Father could only contain them, not gather and subdue them.

Unless they had a fragment of the Earth Script.

Ji Xuan glanced at Xu Pingfeng’s back. Seeing he neither stopped nor spoke, he smiled and said:

“Sister, this is the Imperial Mentor’s second plan—to help me reach the Third Realm, giving Potential Dragon City a transcendent of the direct line.”

Xu Yuanhuai couldn’t hide his envious expression.

Xu Yuanshuang, being an Artificer herself, frowned at these words:

“With just this much Dragon Qi?”

Ji Xuan narrowed his eyes, smiling: “There are still people below, aren’t there? Xu Qi’an is just a spent arrow. Within half a quarter-hour, he and that old codger from the Martial Arts Alliance will die at the Vajra Dharma Body’s hands.

“To tell you the truth, the Imperial Mentor’s true purpose in this jianghu expedition was to help me break through to the transcendent realm using Dragon Qi.

“Now that Xu Qi’an is a fish in the pot, I should prepare for my advancement.”

He held a box in his hands. When opened, dense vital energy rushed forth.

Though they had never seen a Blood Zhenzhu before, the siblings recognized it instantly.

Xu Yuanhuai spoke softly, “You plan to steal his opportunity, stepping over him to reach the Third Realm…”

Ji Xuan raised a gentle smile, looking at his cousin and teasing, “What’s this? Cannot bear to see your eldest brother die? He showed no mercy when beating you in Cloud Province.

“His purpose in life was to be a vessel for Fate. Being a tool, use it when needed, and discard it when done.

“Yuanhuai, once he’s dead, you’ll be the Imperial Mentor’s eldest son. You’ll inherit everything from the Imperial Mentor, including Xu Province.”

Xu Yuanhuai sneered dismissively, “Besides martial arts, fame, and fortune are like floating clouds to me.” He paused, then added, “In Yong Province, if he hadn’t shown mercy, I’d be dead already.”

After saying this, he hastily changed the subject: “Father always said to have two plans ready. Pursuing a single goal risks backing oneself into a corner.

“If this fails, what then?”

Ji Xuan was about to answer when a tremendous crash startled Xu Yuanhuai, who whirled around to watch the battle below.

“Clang!”

The treasure pagoda suffered another strike from the ritual blade, releasing a piercing groan.

A shallow blade mark appeared on the pagoda’s body.

As the ritual blade struck, the divine sword wreathed in black light followed, producing a sharp “ding” as its tip pierced the pagoda gate, creating a fine crack.

The staff, vajra, and other weapons immediately fell, striking the treasure pagoda with continuous “clangs.”

The Martial Arts Alliance’s old codger, like an ant trying to shake a great tree, inserted himself between them, riding blade qi to crash into the Vajra Dharma Body’s brow.

Bang!

The Vajra Dharma Body jerked backward, staggering several steps, its golden paint flaking from its brow.

It likewise couldn’t anticipate the old codger’s attacks.

The treasure pagoda gained a moment to breathe, its body rotating to release second-tier power, simultaneously suppressing the Vajra Dharma Body while manifesting the “Great Wisdom Dharma Body” to reverse its wheel.

The Vajra Dharma Body stagnated again.

The old codger seized the chance to dance around the Vajra Dharma Body, his blade hands flying in sweeping attacks, waves of blade light distorting space as they “clang clang clang” struck the Vajra Dharma Body.

Golden light fragments scattered.

Blade qi that could easily pierce a Third Realm vajra body was completely ineffective against this terrifying Dharma Body.

The senior’s scratching technique has reached perfection… Xu Qi’an found humor in suffering, using sarcasm to relieve his mental pressure.

The “Great Wisdom Dharma Body’s” intelligence-reducing technique could only affect it for moments. In less than two seconds, the Vajra Dharma Body broke free from confusion, all twenty-four arms launching attacks simultaneously.

It looked like someone with twelve pairs of arms swatting at a fly, while the fly relied on nimble movements to weave through the rain of blades, spears, and swords, sometimes soaring high, sometimes sweeping low.

While the old codger entangled with the Vajra Dharma Body, Xu Qi’an, bathed in the Medicine Master Dharma Body’s light, communicated with the Pagoda Spirit:

“Senior, are you alright?”

“Not alright. If this continues, I’ll end up like that Huntian Divine Mirror.”

The Pagoda Spirit old monk replied.

If only I was proficient in Buddhist dharma, I could control the treasure pagoda… Xu Qi’an’s anxiety surged.

Though the treasure pagoda was a Bodhisattva’s divine artifact, artifacts still needed users.

Like the Nation Stabilizing Sword—Xu Qi’an could use it to slay vajras, but if asked to kill enemies on its own, forget slaying vajras, it might vanish like a meat bun thrown to a dog.

The same principle applied to the treasure pagoda.

Xu Qi’an didn’t cultivate Buddhist dharma, lacked Bodhisattva status, and thus couldn’t use the treasure pagoda at all.

He relied entirely on the Pagoda Spirit old monk’s devoted efforts.

“Please focus on healing my wounds, Senior, repairing my meridians and qi sea.”

He needed to buy time now.

Nalan Tianlu’s lightning spear had destroyed his vitality and with it his meridians and Qi sea. Without fully restored meridians and Qi sea, he couldn’t use his trump card.

Zizi~~

The lightning-wrapped vajra erupted with countless electric arcs, weaving into a net of electricity covering the surrounding space.

When the old codger touched this electric net covering every inch of space, his nimbly flying body instantly stiffened before his qi burst forth to dispel the current.

This nearly imperceptible stiffness was an enormous opening in the eyes of experts at this level.

The staff, carrying the momentum of ten thousand thunderbolts, smashed down, its sonic boom deafening.

The old codger flipped his body in mid-air, forcing himself to lunge forward a distance.

Pfft!

The bronze staff grazed past his legs, instantly mangling the flesh of his lower body, exposing stark white bone.

Under the terrifying force of the strike, the old codger fell like a crashing plane, dropping at an angle.

The ritual blade and divine sword quickly moved to follow up with strikes.

Clang clang!

The old codger swung blade hands left and right, barely deflecting the ritual blade and divine sword’s trajectories. In this instant of opportunity, his lower body wounds had already healed.

His movement technique regained its nimbleness, dodging the subsequent attacks from other weapons.

Cao Qingyang and the others watching from far away all broke out in cold sweat.

Not just them—the old codger’s own back was drenched in sweat. The Vajra Dharma Body fighting him was like him fighting the two Guardian Vajras earlier.

Once it caught an opportunity, it could chain attacks to death.

Of course, having reached the Second Realm, his vitality wouldn’t be so easily extinguished. Even though this Vajra Dharma Body’s combat power matched the First Realm, it couldn’t instantly kill a Second Realm martial artist renowned for abundant vitality.

But once dismembered and sealed, death would be the only outcome.

At this moment, clear light rose beneath the Vajra Dharma Body’s feet, its towering form vanishing.

The experienced old codger immediately dove downward, effectively guarding against the Vajra Dharma Body’s ambush.

It could only appear from one of four directions—east, south, west, or north. Lowering altitude could effectively guard against the artifacts held by its twelve pairs of arms.

Flying too high would make one an easy target.

Just then, the old codger’s danger perception provided feedback—the enemy was coming from the south.

The Vajra Dharma Body indeed appeared in the south.

Hmm?

Danger perception?!

“Clang…”

Suddenly, the diving old codger crashed into someone—the ugly-faced Asura Vajra.

In the next moment, the old codger was firmly held in his embrace.

He hadn’t sensed Asura Vajra’s approach at all, as if the other had masked his aura.

In this instant, the old codger understood…

Pfft!

The Vajra Dharma Body appeared, precisely beheading the old codger with one sword stroke while avoiding harm to Asura Vajra.

For a force-controlling martial artist, this was the most basic operation.

As the head flew, Asura Vajra’s task complete, he released his grip and allowed himself to fall.

Almost simultaneously, the vajra’s tip spewed a lightning pillar, striking both head and torso, making the old codger’s body suddenly stiffen.

Then the golden bell covered his head, while the golden pagoda pressed down on his body.

On the wind-riding ship, Ji Xuan suddenly stood, joining the Xu siblings in staring intently at the bell and pagoda.

The bell and pagoda shook violently, but as the Vajra Dharma Body thrust its ritual blade and divine sword into them, everything grew quiet.

“Success!”

Ji Xuan’s face showed wild joy, a rare display of such intense emotion:

“Brilliant, using transmission as cover to secretly pass the Heaven Gu tribe’s artifact to Asura Vajra.

“As expected of Buddhist vajras rich in combat experience. I previously thought they preferred brute force over using their minds.

“Perhaps most enemies in the world don’t warrant their mental effort.”

It’s over… Xu Yuanshuang looked at her brother, finding him looking back at her.

The siblings were speechless.

Next, they just needed the Vajra Dharma Body to use its remaining power to seal the old codger and take him back to Cloud Province, where the old fellow would surely die.

Xu Pingfeng’s expression remained calm, as if unsurprised, everything within his control.

On the Martial Arts Alliance side, led by Cao Qingyang, all faces turned ashen, as if facing doomsday.

In the forest, Li Lingsu grabbed Miao Youfang, stepping onto his flying sword, both pale-faced.

Ready to flee at any moment.

Not far from them, a white tiger missing its right foreleg rode the wind, ready to pursue and kill.

They hadn’t moved because one key figure’s fate remained undecided.

“Flee! Quickly ride the treasure pagoda and flee…”

Li Lingsu screamed internally.

“Xu… Silver Gong…”

Someone in the Martial Arts Alliance crowd tremulously called out this name.

The treasure pagoda floated silently, neither fleeing nor rescuing anyone. At this moment, both the divine artifact and the person bathed in the Medicine Master Dharma Body’s light were calm.

Xu Qi’an changed from sitting cross-legged to standing and then stepped out of the treasure pagoda’s protective circle.

He walked through the air, his gaze not on the Vajra Dharma Body but on Xu Pingfeng aboard the wind-riding ship.

Father and son locked eyes across the void.

“You’re wrong!”

Xu Qi’an extended his hand, and the Nation Stabilizing Sword howled through the air, delivering itself into his grip.

“Between us, it’s not about whether you’re willing to accept me, to spare my life.”

Xu Qi’an took out the Earth Script fragment. Looking up at Xu Pingfeng high above, he spoke word by word:

“It’s that I am unwilling to spare you!”

Ding!

He flicked the Earth Script fragment with his finger. The jade mirror-shard spun as it flew up, and a golden dragon, seemingly solid and writhing with claws and fangs, burst forth from the mirror.

Then he took out a paper page he had long prepared and shook it alight.

From the burning paper’s embers, the golden dragon rushed into his body.

Golden light shot from Xu Qi’an’s eyes. Bearing half the nation’s fate, containing Dragon Qi, gripping the Nation Stabilizing Sword, he shouted:

“I call upon—the Founding—Emperor!”

In heaven and earth, a pair of eyes suddenly opened.