Taiyi Dao Fruit

Simple verbal vitriol, ultimate effect.

Luo Yi's eyes flashed with blood, evidently enraged to the extreme, with blood nearly flooding his pupils. A burst of blue light erupted, aiming a three-foot blue rainbow straight for Jiang Li's neck.

When fury reached its peak, one would stop with verbal threats and aim straight for the opponent's life—Luo Yi was in exactly this state.

"Flying sword!"

As soon as Jiang Li saw the flash of blue, a thought crossed his mind, and a jade amulet already lit up in his arms, "Six Ding and Six Jia, protect my true body."

Golden light bathed his body, and True Qi flowed around him, making his skin faintly translucent and gleaming with golden light, like gold-glazed porcelain.

Jiang Li's body shifted slightly, using his shoulder to block the sword. Amidst the clanging sound, a deep sword mark appeared on top of the golden light, and the blue light was shaken away.

This flying sword naturally lacked the divine strangeness of Gongsun Qingyue's sword weapon, nor did it match in grade or power. However, at the time, Gongsun Qingyue held back her power to the Ninth Grade and had no intention of killing, whereas Luo Yi currently sought Jiang Li's life.

Most importantly, Gongsun Qingyue's Eighth Grade Dao Fruit was a Magician, while Luo Yi's Eighth Grade Dao Fruit was a Sword Cultivator.

The Dinghu Sect had two Eighth Grade Dao Fruit-owning humans, one a Magician and the other a Sword Cultivator. Magicians focused on support, while Sword Cultivators specialized in slaughter.

Although Luo Yi was Jiang Zhuyun's man, he did not bear the Jiang surname, and he was not someone who joined the sect three years ago, but had long been initiated into the Dinghu Sect, taking the path of the human Daoist.

In other words, Luo Yi was not only Eighth Rank but also ranked above Jiang Li. He, too, had received the Daoist's Dao Fruit.

In his raging fury, Luo Yi's sword strike was blocked by Jiang Li, which shocked the spectators, and Luo Yi's eyes turned fiercer, with the sword light adding threefold killing intent.

If one's anger leads to a strike, then better to continue the mistake and forcefully cut him down.

Even if it fails, one could claim uncontrollable rage to avoid severe punishment. And if successful... even death would be worth it.

The blue sword light transformed into seven rings, striking at Jiang Li as swiftly as thunder, the sharp edge so fierce that even with protective amulets, Jiang Li felt his hairs stand on end.

"Seven Swans."

Elder Wan murmured in recognition of the sword technique that specialized in breaking through protective means, and he immediately moved to stop it, only to be held back by Elder Yun grabbing his shoulder.

The seven rings of light moved at extreme speed to strike upon the Protective Golden Light, and in an instant, seven sword strikes rapidly punctured the same spot on the amulet-turned-golden light.

However—

Jiang Li's surrounding True Qi rose, merging with the golden light, making them as one. The Protective Golden Light then flickered seven times in succession, shifting with each blow—wherever the sword light struck, the energy would recede, leaving only an illusory layer of gold. Though "Seven Swans" was sharp and penetrating, due to its seven continuous strikes, it couldn't last. After one strike, the next would follow, scattering the illusion but unable to advance further.

After seven consecutive strikes, only the last blow landed solidly, naturally resulting in just one clanging sound.

After blocking two moves in succession, Jiang Li overturned his palm to strike horizontally at the sword light, his palm exuding the power of rolling thunder.

The spent momentum of the sword light was shattered by the palm's force, and the true form of the cold, glinting flying sword was revealed as it was sent flying backward, cutting into the doorpost of the Daoist Law Pavilion.

Luo Yi was even more astonished, for Jiang Li's power had grown far beyond that displayed on the Fengyun Platform, now possessing the ability to project True Qi outside his body.

In the world today, those who are capable of manifesting True Qi from their bodies at Ninth Grade are few, and the only cultivation techniques likely available to Jiang Li are those related to the "Qi Tomb," perhaps even the "Qi Tomb" itself.

But now was no time for him to be surprised.

Because Jiang Li had launched an attack.

After deflecting the Flying Sword, Jiang Li's figure swept forward, moving like flowing clouds. His approach seemed slow but was actually swift, and as his gaze met Luo Yi's, an Invisible Power had already formed, striking straight at his eyes.

Luo Yi sensed the impending danger in his heart and didn't hesitate to use his True Qi for defense, but he still failed to block it entirely. Suddenly, his eyes pained him, and he couldn't help but close them.

The two Red Robe Disciples at his sides, though taken somewhat aback by this fierce change of events, saw Jiang Li gaining the upper hand and instinctively moved to assist Luo Yi, however...

"Awooo~!"

The mournful howl, like that of a wounded old wolf, abruptly turned into the whimpers of a spine-broken stray dog. The two Inner Sect Disciples never imagined Jiang Li would disregard Martial Virtue so, nor did they expect his attack to be so covert. At this moment, the Eighth Rank Cultivators knelt, clamping their legs together, vulnerable as infants.

Even as Eighth Rank Cultivators, for the harm done to a brother, they still had to kneel.

Not to mention them, even the two Elders watching felt a chill in their hearts, subconsciously clamping their legs together.

After eliminating the two threats, Jiang Li pointed his finger like a sword, using the Louguan Swordsmanship to create numerous finger shadows, enveloping Luo Yi's upper body's vital points.

"Red Mist."

Crucially, Luo Yi's upper body spontaneously produced a mist, beautiful as sunset clouds; the sword finger touched it but couldn't exert any force, all of it was neutralized.

Luo Yi revitalized his True Qi, creating a raging windstorm from his body.

"Boom!"

Anticipating the enemy's move, Jiang Li also used True Qi manifestation, a pure white True Qi streaming like clouds from his body, colliding with the green windstorm, making both sides retreat three steps.

In terms of refinement, Jiang Li's True Qi was not inferior to Luo Yi's, even surpassing it, meaning that though Luo Yi had the advantage in power, he couldn't seize the upper hand in the instantaneous explosion.

Having realized this, Luo Yi became even more determined to eliminate Jiang Li, but this sudden attack and fierce battle were not destined to last.

"In the Sect, private duels are forbidden, violators will not be spared."

A chanting voice rose, and a Sword Light descended from the sky, a fierce wind erupting between the two, making the golden light clang continuously, the Red Cloud Mist swirling unstably.

Luo Yi's face turned green, his expression as unsightly as a dead horse's—and indeed he was a dead horse.

Whereas Jiang Li revealed a hint of mockery in his smile, and said, "Senior Brother Luo, it seems I cannot accompany you in your investigation. When you make a mistake, you must be punished. I will go and spend a few days in solitary first, we can talk more later."

Saying this, Jiang Li raised his hands, adopting a French military salute.

"I confess, I not only engaged in a private duel, but also used foul language, intending to challenge the mother of Senior Brother Luo. Such behavior truly tarnishes the Sect's reputation and violates ethics. Senior Brother Feng, please punish me severely."

Even Feng Ziyang, who had served as a Law Enforcement Disciple for many years, punishing countless disciples who had violated the Sect's rules, couldn't help but be taken aback at this moment.

Confessing in hopes of a lighter sentence was understandable; many disciples had done it before, but what was this self-disclosure about? And what was with his joking demeanor?

The muscles on Feng Ziyang's face twitched slightly. After a pause, he finally spoke, "Si Fan Valley, two months' confinement, recite the 'Yin Talisman Scripture' three thousand times."