Taiyi Dao Fruit

Jiang Li: "..."

He didn't even bother with a verbal jab before taking off. This devil cultivator has a wit not inferior to mine.

Looking outside Kaiyang Hall, Elder Tianxuan walked leisurely in. Her exquisite white palace outfit complemented her infinitely graceful figure, and a jade crown artfully held her jet-black hair. Her face, veiled by a thin layer of silk, appeared like a flower viewed through fog, indistinct and enigmatic.

With her hands crossed in front of her waist, she entered the hall, and her invisible charm and a hint of authority quieted everyone present.

'In the Dinghu Sect, the only woman with such an aura must be her, Tianxuan Elder?' Jiang Li acutely sensed the faint divine power, 'And this aura, it isn't human... it's divine...'

The main Dao Fruit of this Tianxuan Elder must belong to the Divine Attribute.

But it was unclear what kind of Dao Fruit it was.

The Divine Dao Fruits of the Dinghu Sect were known for being tough and simple; Elder Tianxuan was adept at astrology and divination. Jiang Li really couldn't guess what kind of Dao Fruit she possessed.

Jiang Li watched Elder Tianxuan, the divination symbols in his eyes swirling as he silently analyzed her with the "Tuibei Diagram."

He didn't dare to directly divine about someone like Elder Tianxuan; he could only analyze the information revealed in reality, evaluate her abilities, and then...

Viewing the measurements and the gradually distinct figure presented in the Karma Collection, Jiang Li had to admit that Elder Tianxuan was profound and inscrutable; he could only see a mere surface layer, completely unable to perceive what lay within.

This must be a genuine one, not disguised by a devil cultivator.

Watching Elder Wan follow Elder Tianxuan into Kaiyang Hall made it even more certain.

"I mean, elder, what took you so long? I figured the Daoist Law Pavilion was just a few steps away," complained Jiang Li when he saw Elder Wan.

If Elder Wan had arrived, he could have simply frowned and retreated behind Elder Wan, enjoying the show instead of recklessly engaging with the strange devil cultivator. Despite his repeated loud shouts, there was no sign of Elder Wan.

And surrounded by newly admitted younger disciples, Jiang Li had no chance to back down.

"The sect faced such a significant incident that my attention was diverted. Is it so bad to be a bit late?" Elder Wan said irritably, glancing subtly at Elder Tianxuan.

If it weren't for her stopping him, he would have rushed over as soon as Jiang Li cried "demon."

As if resonating with Elder Wan's words, the breathing sound became increasingly distinct, and a vague Dragon Shadow formed in everyone's minds. Suddenly—

"Bang!"

The sound of an impact erupted, accompanied by the noise of water and the exclamations of the crowd.

Great waves surged in Dinghu, a sound of turbulent waves hitting the shores.

Unlike the hasty upheaval of the last time, the commotion that followed was certainly far more immense.

And as the Dragon Shadow in their minds became clearer, everyone felt an oppressive sensation spreading in their hearts, even affecting their bodies, slowing down their breathing and the circulation of their True Qi.

'The suppression of Si Fan Valley is starting to expand.'

Jiang Li sensed this and immediately synchronized his breathing with Yinglong's Breath, causing the oppressive feeling to fade as expected.

"Disciples," Elder Tianxuan spoke, "return to your dormitories and do not venture out without permission. Violators will be severely punished. Jiang Li, you stay behind."

With the Yinglong Dao Fruit's outburst and the overwhelming Dragon's Might, most disciples were defenceless. Sending them back to their dormitories was a protective measure.

But asking only Jiang Li to stay was somewhat unusual.

Jiang Luo and the other disciples from the Jiang family all looked towards Jiang Li, seemingly awaiting his command.

Jiang Li returned a gentle smile and spoke the words that a disciple of the Dinghu Sect should say, "Trust in the Sect."

Trust in the sect, it won't harm you, trust in the sect, it won't harm me.

Four words, the ultimate expression of a disciple's loyalty!

Jiang Luo and the others still hesitated, but under Jiang Li's gaze, they silently recited in their minds, bidding "Brother, take care," then left Kaiyang Hall along with the other disciples.

The hall, which had appeared crowded, suddenly became spacious again, leaving only Jiang Li, Elder Tianxuan, and Elder Wan.

"Jiang Li."

Elder Tianxuan approached him, her voice soft yet always contained a lofty distance, as if she was speaking from the ninth heaven, ethereal and distant, "You did well. Forcing Jiang Zhuyun to reveal his hidden cards prematurely, pressing him step by step, cutting off his support, leaving him no choice but to make a final stand. Now, Jiang Zhuyun is at his wit's end. Would you be willing to go and see him off on his last journey?"

Now?

Jiang Li looked towards the outside of the hall. At this moment, the sunlight was fading outside, and the sound of the wind howling foretold an imminent violent storm.

Most importantly, the Yinglong Dao Fruit was in upheaval; who knew what the outdoors had become, and there was also that strange Devil Cultivator present.

Although Jiang Li did not know why the Devil Cultivator had turned into tentacles, he could guess that the Devil Cultivator had definitely escaped.

Under these circumstances, you want Jiang Li to kill Jiang Zhuyun?

"May I ask the elder, by what means did Jiang Zhuyun trigger the Yinglong Dao Fruit's upheaval?" Jiang Li asked.

"Military God's Five Weapons."

Elder Tianxuan spoke unhurriedly, "In days of yore, our sect's founding ancestor received the assistance of Yinglong to slay Chi You, and this Karma was also inherited through the Dao Fruit. The Military God's Five Weapons were the five major weapons used by Chi You in his campaigns across the lands. After Chi You's defeat, one of them fell into the hands of the Jiang family, sealed by them generation after generation."

"When you were in Si Fan Valley, the upheaval of the Yinglong Dao Fruit was caused by Jiang Zhuyun deliberately leaking a trace of Blade Energy. Now that he is attempting to lift the seal on the weapon, it will naturally provoke a reaction from the Yinglong Dao Fruit."

"This disciple is willing to eliminate the enemy, yet lacks the strength. To avoid ruining things, perhaps it would be best to leave Jiang Zhuyun to my senior brothers and sisters," Jiang Li immediately responded.

Outside, there was the turmoil of the Yinglong Dao Fruit, the Devil Cultivator, and Jiang Zhuyun wielding one of the Military God's Five Weapons, how could one possibly fight against that?

Even if Jiang Zhuyun held a sealed Military God's Five Weapon, and couldn't fully utilize its power, let alone easily wield it, Jiang Li could not just assertively confront it head-on. After all, it's a weapon of Warlord Chi You, possibly even a Dao Artifact, and its Grade would at least not be lower than the Ochre Whip.

So, to sum up Jiang Li's words—they meant he couldn't win; it was better to choose someone more capable and take his leave.

"Oh?" Elder Tianxuan said with a smile, "Didn't you once say that the greater the storm, the more valuable the fish? Now that the storm is big enough, why aren't you interested in the fish anymore?"

How did she know even this?

Could it be this elder had always been watching him? Was she the one who arranged for him? Wait, if that's the case, did she know about the torment he and Gongsun Qingyue inflicted on each other to the extreme? If she knew, was she threatening him by saying this now?

Thinking of the time he caused his opponent's disciple to show a dark face, Jiang Li felt a cold sweat forming on his back.

'Stay calm! Stay calm! I almost showed a dark face myself, so to be fair, the senior sister didn't suffer a loss either. Men and women are equal; we're even.' Jiang Li was anything but calm, talking nonsensically to himself, but he still gave a very calm reply, "Actually, I forgot to say the second half of the saying: the greater the storm, the more expensive the fish, but also the more people die. Capsizing usually occurs during a stormy sea."

Besides, what was happening outside was no longer just a stormy sea, it was a tsunami.

Going out to sea to fish in a storm is to seek wealth amidst danger, but going out to fish during a tsunami is not about seeking wealth — it's about seeking death.