Chapter 157: Chapter 148: Left Hand Transformation
The Five Mountains True Form Map!
’Since any object with a spirit can be used for Visualization, the Five Mountains True Form Map should work too. I wonder if it can serve as a Visualization Technique for a Mage in the future?’
He tried, but it didn’t work.
The Five Mountains True Form Map was, after all, only a painting by Fu Xuan from the Qi Blood Martial Arts World, and Fu Xuan was merely an Inner Qi Martial Artist.
Perhaps what he had observed possessed a special Dao Yun, but once drawn by his hand, it had surely lost that divine essence.
Wait a minute!
Zhu Ju’s eyelids twitched.
Immediately after, a giant hand appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. Its five fingers spread wide as it brutally shattered the Night Parade of Hundred Ghosts and the Five Mountains True Form Map, sweeping away all stray thoughts from his Sea of Consciousness.
A giant palm!
The giant palm he had witnessed in the Qi Blood Martial Arts—the one that had broken through the world boundary and transformed into endless mountain ranges!
It...
...could be Visualized!
BOOM!
His Sea of Consciousness trembled.
Zhu Ju’s eyes snapped open. He pushed up his sleeve and looked at his left hand.
At some point, a dense network of lines had appeared on it. On closer inspection, they looked like various mysterious runes.
As the giant hand in his Sea of Consciousness ebbed and flowed, the lines on his left hand shifted in tandem, and a faint five-colored Spiritual Light appeared.
"My hand..."
"What’s happening?"
*
*
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「A few days later.」
"HYAH!"
A dozen or so sturdy horses galloped out of Yidu City, racing along the main road before turning halfway to head straight for the distant mountain forests.
"Brother Situ."
Xie Changge asked,
"Are you sure Yuan Xin is hiding in the Poison Wolf Stronghold?"
"I’m sure."
Situ Kuang, the City Lord Situ Sheng’s younger half-brother, was a burly man with eyes like Copper Bells and a full beard that resembled steel needles. Hearing the question, he grunted, "Don’t worry, Brother Xie. We have Yuan Xin’s movements completely under control. There won’t be any mistakes."
"Brother Situ." Xie Changge still seemed unconvinced and spoke again, "We haven’t concealed our tracks on this trip. By heading straight there like this, won’t he find out we’re coming in advance?"
"There’s no need to worry, Elder Xie." Situ Kongli offered a captivating smile. "That Yuan Xin is a dog that’s lost its home. The men from the General’s Mansion have all surrendered, so there’s no one left to tip him off."
"And even if there were..."
"...we have nothing to fear!"
"That’s right." Situ Kuang grinned broadly. "That fellow Yuan Xin is just an ordinary Great Mage. If his older brother were still alive, then we’d have something to worry about."
"Young Master Zhu."
He turned his head to look at Zhu Ju and explained, "Yuan Xin is the Vice-General of Yidu City and the top expert under Wan Zhengyang. Once we take care of him, the Situ Family will have no more loose ends to worry about."
"HYAH!" Situ Kongli spurred her horse closer. "A few days ago, the Primordial Energy at the Zhu Mansion was in turmoil. It must be that Young Master Zhu has cultivated another Divine Technique and greatly increased his strength."
"Congratulations!"
"It’s hardly a Divine Technique." Zhu Ju’s smile was stiff, and his gaze seemed distant. "I just had a minor breakthrough, that’s all."
"A minor breakthrough that made the entire Yidu Cultivation Realm take notice? Young Master Zhu, you’re too modest." Situ Kongli pursed her lips. "When you have the time, Young Master, why don’t you come visit my family’s residence?"
Hm?
Zhu Ju’s eyes shifted slightly.
There had been many rumors about Situ Kongli lately, most of them about her seeking a husband. Had she taken an interest in him?
Tsk...
’Could it be that I’ve been blessed with romantic luck this year? Why else would women be interested in me everywhere I go?’
Though his mind was racing, his expression remained unchanged.
"I would hate to impose on Miss Situ."
"You wouldn’t be."
Situ Kongli shook her head.
"You would be most welcome."
"HYAH!"
......
Poison Wolf Stronghold!
This was a den of bandits, hidden deep in the mountains.
Because the mountain path leading to it was treacherous and difficult to travel, filled with miasma and venomous insects, the government had never sent troops to exterminate them, even though their location was known.
Now, it seemed the Poison Wolf Stronghold was a force secretly cultivated by the General’s Mansion, which would naturally explain why they were allowed to run rampant.
SWISH!
A dozen or so figures appeared before the stronghold gate.
Situ Kuang grinned, then leaped forward, crashing toward the gate. In mid-air, his Giant Spirit Dharma Form manifested.
BOOM!
With a tremendous crash, the gate—built from massive logs—shattered and collapsed.
Dust and smoke filled the air.
The vast mountain stronghold descended into chaos.
"Who is Poison Wolf?"
Situ Kongli’s sharp eyebrows arched. Longsword in hand, she was the first to stride out of the dust, shouting,
"Tell him to come out and see me!"
"Who are you?" one of the bandits, not yet recovered from the massive explosion, saw a beautiful young woman approaching, and his eyes lit up.
"What a pretty little thing. Come and keep me com—"
"TSKCH!"
A flash of Sword Qi shot past.
The bandit froze, his expression twisting in pain, and then his entire body was torn apart by a tremendous force.
PENG!
It was as if a bomb hidden inside his body had detonated, and he exploded in a shower of gore.
"I’ll ask again!"
Situ Kongli strode forward.
"Where is Poison Wolf?"
She pointed her Longsword at one of the bandits.
"You. Tell me!"
"I..." The bandit’s legs trembled as he stammered,
"I... I don’t know."
PENG!
Situ Kongli swung her Longsword, and the bandit’s body was instantly split in two, the halves of his corpse flying off to either side.
The True Yang Blood Burning Sword Technique!
It was one of the Sword Sect’s most unyielding and purely yang Sword Techniques. Anyone struck by it would have their Qi Blood boil, tearing their Physical Body apart from the inside out.
It was the perfect way to intimidate others.
"Stop!"
An angry roar came from ahead as several figures rushed over, only to falter when they got a clear look at the intruders.
One of them, his eyes filled with terror, even tried to flee.
"Halt!"
Situ Kongli commanded.
"Anyone who moves will die!"
When her voice fell, the scene was plunged into dead silence. The leaders of the Poison Wolf Stronghold stood frozen, not daring to move a muscle.
"Where is Yuan Xin?"
"He’s not here with us?"
"TSKCH..."
PENG!
Another figure exploded, raining flesh and blood down on the other bandits, drenching them in gore.
Yet no one dared to move.
A cold and tangible Stern Slaughter Intent settled over the men.
"He’s..."
Poison Wolf’s cheek twitched, his eyes filled with conflict. Finally, with a trembling hand, he pointed behind him.
"In the secret chamber beneath the main hall."
"A secret chamber?"
Situ Kuang sneered.
"A small mountain stronghold, playing games with secret chambers?"
"Get the hell out here!"
He leaped into the air, transforming into his several-dozen-foot-tall Giant Spirit Dharma Form. The Dharma Aspect clasped its hands together and slammed them downward.
BOOM!
The hard ground rippled like water, and countless rocks went flying.
The main hall Poison Wolf had mentioned completely collapsed, revealing a secret chamber below covered in runes.
"A Hidden Breath Array?"
Situ Kuang laughed heartily.
"No wonder I couldn’t sense any aura! Yuan Xin, you old monkey, when did you turn into a rat?"
PENG!
Stones and rubble flew as several figures leaped out of the secret chamber.
The man in the center stood up straight; his arms hung down to his knees, and his murky yellow eyes were filled with ferocity as he stared death at Situ Kuang.
"Situ Kuang!"
Yuan Xin snarled through clenched teeth.
"How did you know I was hiding here?"
"Heh..." Situ Kuang sneered. "Go ask King Yama in the Underworld!"
His figure flashed as he lunged forward. Just as Yuan Xin was about to cast a spell in response, someone behind him suddenly drew a sword and stabbed.
PLTCH!
The blade ran through Yuan Xin’s chest.
"You..."
Yuan Xin whipped his head around, his face flushing red, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"My apprentice!"
"You were the one who notified the Situ Family?"
"Master, you taught me: the weak are meat for the strong to eat, and the winner is king." The swordsman behind him said through clenched teeth, "Don’t blame me!"
"ARGH!"
"Traitorous apprentice! Die!"
Yuan Xin roared at the heavens, instantly transforming into a giant ape several dozen feet tall. He reached out to grab the man.
The man’s face paled.
"Elder Situ, save me!"
Situ Kuang sneered, completely ignoring the man’s plea for help, and took the opportunity to strike the giant ape with his palm.
PENG!
The giant ape crushed its treacherous apprentice with one hand, but was itself knocked to the ground, compounding its injuries.
"Kill them!"
Situ Kongli’s cold gaze swept over the scene. With a flip of her hand, she produced a paper house.
"Don’t let a single one escape!"
