Taiyi Dao Fruit

"Jiang,"

Xiao Shidao gripped his paddle as if it were a sword, his handsome face showing a cold detachment, completely devoid of the previously seen warmth, "You just said that you were punished by Senior Brother Feng for your insolence, right?"

"It's fake, I was just joking," Jiang Li quickly stated.

"You and Qi Changsheng are close, and Qi Changsheng has a significant connection with that novelist, Cao Xuande..."

"I'll renounce him right now," Jiang Li answered decisively.

Qi Changsheng, to avoid competing with others, was the only one who revealed his identity among the crowd. This prevented him from being targeted and also implicated Jiang Li at this moment.

Of course, this was also due to Jiang Li's insufficient disguise.

Before this, he had not anticipated encountering an authoritative figure like Elder Tianpeng, nor had he imagined that he would be granted the Mo Wu Battle Box, a Sixth Grade Daoist Device.

Who could have expected that gifting erotic novels could result in receiving a Sixth Grade Daoist Device?

This put Jiang Li in a position of suspicion.

"May I take a look at the long sword at your waist, Junior Brother Jiang?" Xiao Shidao fixated on the Mo Wu Sword at Jiang Li's waist.

It is well-known that a storage bag cannot contain another storage bag, as this would cause a spatial collision, damaging the storage space. Strictly speaking, the Mo Wu Battle Box could also be considered a storage bag, hence it couldn't be placed in one.

Thus, Jiang Li had to carry the Battle Box with him.

To prove Cao Xuande's identity, one need only find the Mo Wu Battle Box.

Xiao Shidao's question hit the nail on the head.

"Even Law Enforcement Disciples have no right to inspect another's weapon unless it involves a major affair," Jiang Li responded, his back still towards Xiao Shidao, but his voice had become calm and unflappable.

Xiao Shidao sneered upon hearing this, "Junior Brother Jiang, do you think I became a Law Enforcement Disciple for no reason? It's to find Cao Xuande. This villain besmirched Senior Sister Gongsun's reputation and bested me with tricks. I cannot rest until I find him. Hand over the sword!"

Jiang Li: "..."

Never would he have imagined it was Brother Jing Lei.

Truth be told, Jiang Li still preferred Brother Jing Lei's unrestrained demeanor.

Had it been so, Jiang Li wouldn't have only recognized him at this moment.

At the same time, Jiang Li marveled at his own broad reach of divine skills. Such a headstrong Senior Brother had been guided by him onto the right path, experiencing a complete transformation, and even joined the ranks of the Law Enforcement Disciples.

Amitabha, how commendable, how commendable.

"Hand over the sword."

Seeing Jiang Li fall silent once again, Xiao Shidao could no longer restrain himself. The paddle in his hand moved with a gust of wind, True Qi locked at the tip, emitting a sharp, cold light as it struck directly at Jiang Li's waist.

"Clang!"

The blow was intercepted by the sheathed long sword slung across his back. Both parties' True Qi clashed; Xiao Shidao's True Qi was vast and imposing, creating its own gusts that charged forward unceasingly, whereas Jiang Li's True Qi was the ultimate in purity, concentrated within his long sword like a steadfast rock, immovable, even diverting the incoming gusts to each side.

However, the books aboard the vessel fared much worse.

The gusts cut like knives, shredding the piled-up books, and in an instant, torn pages were scattered across the sky, fluttering down in a grand spectacle.

But Jiang Li's heart did not feel splendid in the least.

"Two days of hard work..."

As he looked up and saw the pages falling into Dinghu Lake and onto the water's surface, Jiang Li felt hardened, his fists clenched.

The hand gripping the scabbard crackled, his breathing stretched and slightly hastened, blood surging within him, bones resonating in chorus like an endless series of firecrackers exploding, Qi Force rebounding, the paddle that touched the scabbard shattered inch by inch.

The figure standing at the bow shimmered, like a sharp sword cleaving through the air and splitting the boat, the crack swiftly extending from the bow toward the stern.

"Nice timing."

Xiao Shidao, far from alarmed, was overjoyed, his eyes filled with the delight of finding his target. The Qi mechanism around his body surged, and a shadow of a Divine General, about ten feet tall, emerged behind him.

"Patrol the Four Directions."

The Merit Dao Fruit had three abilities, one of which was the Divine Body shared by all with the Divine Attribute Dao Fruit, amplified by the power of the Heavenly Weapon Dao Fruit, significantly strengthening the physical body. The second was "Direct to Heaven," which allowed his voice to reach the ears of anyone within his patrol area.

The third was "Patrol the Four Directions," which increased strength by thirty percent within the patrol range.

"Sky Sweeping Torrent."

He met the gale with a palm, his palm force rushing out like a raging torrent, never-ending, showcasing his remarkable Inner Strength cultivation.

Nowadays, cultivators all focused on refining essence into Qi to increase their cultivation. Without external help, the Dao Fruits that enhanced the physical body provided far more support to True Qi than other Dao Fruits, and Xiao Shidao had fully demonstrated this point.

However, his opponent was equally matched in physical stature.

The clash of Qi Force against the raging palm force was silent. Jiang Li's True Qi was exceedingly refined and pure, and he wielded it as easily as an extension of his limb, preventing even the slightest leakage of True Qi, not even producing a sound.

Between the two, the force of the wind surged, like the roaring undercurrents beneath the sea, with strands of pure Strength rushing into the torrent, and suddenly—

"Boom!"

The palm force exploded!

Even the palm force augmented by the Dao Fruit couldn't withstand Jiang Li's power—the overpowering palm force only lasted less than a moment.

Without pausing, Jiang Li's figure pressed forward, sweeping aside the residual forces with his sheathed sword, and a snake shadow flickered in his right eye.

His scalp prickled, and his hair stood on end. Xiao Shidao felt a sense of unprecedented crisis overwhelm him, instinctively trying to circulate his energy to protect his body and leap back. But Jiang Li's scabbard had prophetically struck Xiao Shidao's shoulder, causing True Qi to rush toward the shoulder in defense against the heavy blow.

Then...

"Uh!"

Xiao Shidao doubled over in pain, a tragedy befalling him.

An invisible attack hit three inches below his abdomen. Xiao Shidao's face turned the color of pig liver, and his eyes bulged as if they were about to pop out.

The pain, it was too intense!

After Jiang Li's strength had advanced, his Spiritual Power had also risen to a new level. He even held back a little to avoid actually severing Xiao Shidao's mortal ties.

"You..."

Xiao Shidao's body trembled, his nerves tormented by the intense pain, yet he still managed to scream at the top of his lungs, "He's here!"

The disciples far away on the shore detected the struggle and, upon hearing Xiao Shidao's scream, were shaken to the core. They leaped onto the boat in unison, rushing over with immense momentum.

Among them, a flatboat took the lead, a woman in a simple and elegant long dress propelling the boat with True Qi, speeding toward him like lightning, her beautiful face filled with fury.

"Senior Sister Qiushui has also arrived."

Jiang Li emanated a faint glow, sensing the presence, and immediately recognized the familiar aura of the woman. "It seems I cannot leave today."

This was a planned and calculated ambush. They had persisted for at least a month, just to find Jiang Li. Now that they had found him, there was no way these people would give up.

"Well then, let me fully integrate the Dao Fruit today."

Seeing the situation, Jiang Li simply gave up any thought of leaving.

With a thought, a faint shadow appeared behind him, taking the form of a Daoist.