Taiyi Dao Fruit

"Puh——"

In a cave fifty miles away from Dinghu, a scholar with a pale face opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of sticky blood tinged with red and blue.

His face underwent drastic changes, sometimes human and sometimes growing scales like that of a serpent. Suddenly, his head split and multiple snake heads crowded together, struggling frenziedly.

After a long while, the transformations finally ceased and the scholar caught his breath.

"The dream realm... indeed, one must not underestimate a sect as influential as Dinghu that has its fate tied to the nation," the scholar murmured as he checked his injuries.

"My Primordial Spirit is severely injured, and one of my avatars has been captured, trapped within an Illusion Realm. Dammit, this time I've really stumbled. Fortunately, I staked it all, or else I would have had to rely on the tentacles left in the Great Venerable's hands to cling onto life."

If that were the case, it would take him at least a hundred years to recover his strength.

Although his current situation wasn't much better.

After stabilizing his injuries, the scholar immediately stood up, ignoring his wounds, ready to evacuate at once.

This place wasn't far from the Dinghu Sect, and once they lifted the Illusion Realm, he feared they would be the first to pursue and capture the enemy.

With that thought, the scholar plunged his body to the ground and transformed into a python, slithering out of the cave into the grass outside.

In truth, if speed was of the essence, flying would be the fastest, but that would be too ostentatious and might attract the attention of others. Even if Dinghu Sect didn't pursue him for the time being, encountering other experts could also be troublesome.

To be safe, it was better to keep a low profile.

'Right, the Divine Descent Technique also has its distance limitations.' The thought suddenly emerged in the minds of the python moving through the forest.

In this era where long-distance messaging entirely depended on manual effort, the Divine Descent Technique was also limited by distance and couldn't manifest across thousands of miles in the bodies of believers. According to his estimation, the owner of that Thunder God Dharma should also be within a hundred miles.

Thus, as the python moved, it released small snakes formed from its Evil Qi, sending them in all directions.

After a certain distance, they used the Evil Qi to attract the gathering of the Five Vile Qi.

Doing so, as he spread it along the way, around two quarters of an hour later——

"Boom!"

A thunderous roar from the mountains and forests twenty miles away resounded, the fierce thunder turning all flora into ashes.

The fourth-rank practitioner who had descended divinely was now in the Void Illusion Realm, locked in a fierce battle with Elder Tianpeng. His real body was hidden exceptionally well, but it couldn't withstand any disturbances; any shock would cause the Dharma Manifestation to suffer.

However, had he not been trapped in the Void Illusion Realm, he might have been able to withdraw in time and be safe. Unfortunately for him, he was caught...

So, he was doomed.

'With this, the Dinghu Sect will first capture his real body,' thought the python as it sensed the commotion in the distance and let out a slight sigh of relief. Then it concealed its energy and, like any ordinary snake, swam into the water.

...

...

"Rumble!"

The sound of thunder reached Dinghu, causing Jiang Li, who was on the icy surface, to turn around and look.

'Is it over?' The thought sprang to Jiang Li's mind.

Such powerful lightning, aside from Elder Tianpeng, might only be released by the powerful being who was clashing with Elder Tianpeng.

And since his tracks were exposed in reality, the situation in the dream realm would likely not be promising either.

'Indeed, without the restraint of the Yinglong Dao Fruit, all six elders can take action. Unless a third-grade comes or more than six fourth-ranks, none would easily escape.' Jiang Li pondered.

Just then, a red streak flashed across the sky, heading towards where the thunder boomed, leaving behind an aura that lingered in the sky like blazing flame, leaving Jiang Li below to feel an overwhelming vitality.

Such strong vitality, eight or nine out of ten, belonged to Elder Kaiyang, who dominated through martial arts within the Sect.

It's done.

It's over.

Jiang Li completely relaxed and began to loot the body.

As the Third Young Master of the Jiang family, Jiang Zhuyun's resources were exceedingly abundant. Not to mention other things, the elixirs alone could be measured by the pound. It would be unconscionable not to search his body.

First, he felt around the sleeves and lapels.

No storage bag, good.

This indicated that Jiang Zhuyun used a higher-grade storage magic tool.

With the Emperor's Qi Observation Skill, Jiang Li scanned up and down, finally pinpointing the silver protective bracelet worn on Jiang Zhuyun's left arm.

After removing the bracelet, Jiang Li transformed his Innate Qi and with ease, mimicked the refined True Qi of Jiang Zhuyun. He probed into the bracelet, and a space as large as a palace materialized in Jiang Li's perception.

Bottles of elixirs were neatly arranged on shelves; hundreds of them, big and small. The sheer quantity made Jiang Li green with envy.

Although he didn't know the specific types or effects of the elixirs, anything kept by Jiang Zhuyun in a storage magic tool was definitely not low-grade.

Besides, there were about a dozen Dao Artifacts with various auras, more than twenty Magic Artifacts, and jade boxes filling almost half of the space. The style of the jade boxes was quite similar to the ones Gongsun Qingyue had used to contain Earth Spirit Grass, and it was almost certain that they contained Spiritual Medicine.

So rich!

"Wait, is that a secret manual?" Jiang Li noticed a book placed by itself.

Was Jiang Li actually coming across a scenario that only existed in novels and storybooks?

Could looting a body really yield a secret manual?

Jiang Li immediately took out the book.

Jiang Zhuyun was a treasure trove, especially for secret manuals and cultivation techniques. If this were a technique recorded in "Qi Tomb," such as the "Hidden Abyss" or similar, it would be an immense windfall.

Regrettably, when Jiang Li opened the book, it wasn't a lost technique from "Qi Tomb," but various methods of stimulating Yin and Yang—Thunder Technique. However, the good news was that this Thunder Technique had a hidden harmony with the "Heavenly Banner Spell" Jiang Li had acquired, clearly originating from the same source.

'Elder Tianpeng secretly taught Thunder Technique to the people of Jiang family.'

Jiang Li thought of the young man with whom he had crossed hands.

The Thunder Technique was abstruse; although Jiang Zhuyun had learned it, he wasn't adept. He needed to constantly ponder over it, which is why he had kept the book. Now, the book was a boon for Jiang Li.

Elixirs, Dao Artifacts, Magic Artifacts, Spiritual Medicine, and even Thunder Technique—Jiang Li considered his loot and felt that this was not a deadly enemy at all, but rather a boy delivering treasures.

Right, there was also the Military God's Five Weapons.

Jiang Li picked up the long weapon wrapped in Blood Curse White Cloth beside him and caressed it, then shook his head in pity.

This item was beyond his control.

Capable of provoking the Yinglong Dao Fruit, holding the Military God's Five Weapons was like holding a hot potato; better to hand it over to the Sect and exchange it for some benefits.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent out a stream of True Qi, and the ice surface began to move, drifting with the waves toward the direction of the Sect.

Moments later, Jiang Li could hear voices; it seemed that the matter was settled, and the disciples had woken up.

Then, he heard it.

"This is bad; someone has died tragically. Report to the elders immediately."

The voices became somewhat chaotic.

But Jiang Li had anticipated this turn of events and wasn't at all surprised.

If his guess was correct, the dead were Jiang Zhuyun's followers, those members of the Jiang clan who had perished in the dream under Jiang Li's hands. In reality, they must have died as well. Such a manipulation would not be difficult for Elder Tianxuan.

Thus, the traitors led by Ji Yunliu were all eliminated by Jiang Li, to uphold the integrity of the Sect.