Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Domain Dao
Grandmaster Wang had gathered all the latent Spirit Charm from the entire Xia Country Management District. With a special amplifying Ancient Inscription also taking effect, the energy in the beak of the Peng Bird Dharma Aspect had reached a terrifying, indescribable realm. Even a true Grandmaster might not dare to face such a move head-on.
The Xia Country Martial Artists were thrilled, already picturing the Martial Artists below the wall being turned to ash. Even those about to be caught in the blast could smell the stench of death.
But as the world-searing black light erupted from the massive Dharma Aspect’s beak, the world plunged into a silent, black death. The sound of the wind was devoured, the sound of breathing was swallowed, and hair ceased to stir. Under the watchful eyes of all, a pillar of black light was about to engulf Sakai Fuji and his men.
BOOM—
Amidst the tremendous explosion, streets, buildings, bricks, and rebar melted as if they were cake meeting black magma. Several thousand Martial Artists were enveloped by the black light.
The Xia Country Martial Artists were dumbfounded, but they also secretly sighed in relief. ’I can’t believe Grandmaster Wang’s full-power attack is this terrifying!’
But just as everyone was feeling thrilled and even excited, Grandmaster Wang, who had just exhaled a stale breath, suddenly widened his eyes. "Something’s wrong. I don’t think I hit him!"
As a Grandmaster of the Spirit Control System, his perception of Spirit Charm was incredibly sharp. He was perfectly aware of any Spirit Charm fluctuation caused by the release of a Secret Technique anywhere within the vast Xia Country Management District.
And in the very instant he had launched the attack with his Dharma Aspect, a fluctuation of Spirit Charm had erupted from Sakai Fuji’s body, and he had vanished on the spot.
He had even taken the several thousand Martial Artists near him out of the attack’s range, as if they had all vanished into thin air!
It wasn’t so much that they disappeared, but rather that just as the terrifying pillar of energy was about to strike them, it was redirected by some strange Secret Technique, creating a vacuum of protection.
WHOOSH—
Suddenly, a great gale swept through, blowing away the lingering dust and smoke. The figures of Sakai Fuji and several thousand Martial Artists reappeared, not one of them missing. They stood suspended in the air, hovering above a massive crater dozens of meters deep.
Among them, aside from a few Martial Artists on the edge whose arms had been grazed by the blast and were now trembling through the pain, most of the others stared in shock. ’We... we’re alive?’
They were all Independent Martial Artists, who normally never had the chance to even see a Grandmaster, let alone face such a terrifying attack directly.
They would tremble just hearing Grandmaster Wang’s name. How could they have ever imagined they would survive such a dreadful blow?
Of course, they also knew why...
The gazes of several thousand Martial Artists converged on the dust-free figure of Sakai Fuji. The old man, his head covered by the brim of his hat, stood with his back ramrod straight. He casually brushed away an ash that was about to land on his shoulder, his tone mild. "A decent strike. If it were one of the family Elders, they probably would have died here."
"Just how far has your mastery of the Domain Dao progressed?"
Grandmaster Wang clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead.
A strike like that wasn’t something you could simply dodge, let alone when the man before him hadn’t actively tried to evade at all. Instead, he had relied on his control over his Realm to transfer the damage away.
For an instant, he had sensed the power of a Realm’s fluctuation. Though it vanished in a flash, he could clearly feel the oppressive pressure within it. That was something beyond the capabilities of an ordinary Grandmaster!
"Haha, the Domain Dao... I’m just one step away." Sakai Fuji threw his head back and laughed, his wrinkled old face, like a mountain range, filled with arrogance. "Why do you think I came to North Border City, and not some other Grandmaster?
There aren’t many Grandmasters left in your Xia Country’s Southeast Province who are worthy opponents. Only a man here named Zhu Weiyi is fit for a battle, one that will help me comprehend the complete Domain Dao and ascend to the Grandmaster Realm!
I came to North Border City precisely to break through to the Grandmaster Realm!"
About to break through to the Grandmaster Realm!
Grandmaster Wang’s eyelid twitched. His palms were slick with cold sweat.
’If I’m not mistaken, he was able to evade that fatal attack by fusing his comprehended Domain Dao with that extremely powerful escape Secret Technique, [Deceitful Escape].’
The path of Martial Arts is not set in stone. On the contrary, the birth of every Grandmaster often represents a new evolution—to say nothing of one who has truly mastered their Realm.
’Although the fluctuation leaking from the explosion was minute, I still detected the aura of [Deceitful Escape]. It’s just... slightly different from the one I know.’
’If I’m not mistaken, Sakai Fuji must have fused his Domain Dao with [Deceitful Escape]. Otherwise, how could he possibly have dodged it?’
’But this is a huge problem. If even a move that powerful couldn’t harm a single hair on his head, how am I supposed to suppress him?!’
At this thought, Grandmaster Wang’s heart began to pound violently as he stared intently at Sakai Fuji.
In that moment, a chill ran down the spines of the Xia Country Martial Artists. They had never imagined the enemy could survive such a powerful attack.
Anyone could figure it out: if even Grandmaster Wang, summoning such a powerful Dharma Aspect and gathering the Spirit Charm of the entire Xia Country Management District, couldn’t harm Sakai Fuji, then once a super-expert like Sakai Fuji—one who was already on the verge of the Grandmaster Realm—attacked in turn, the Inner City wall would surely fall!
"Your Dharma Aspect alone is no longer enough to harm me. If you have no other tricks up your sleeve, then it’s my turn to act."
Sakai Fuji cackled, his hands trembling with maniacal glee. The grating sound echoed in everyone’s ears.
BOOM—
Suddenly, an extreme sound of something tearing through the air, like a clap of thunder, shot toward them. Sakai Fuji’s laughter stopped abruptly. His brows knitted together as he pushed a single hand toward the source of the sound.
VMMMM—
To everyone’s astonishment, a long spear with a Double Arc Blade, wreathed in the form of a Flaming Cyan Dragon, crashed against a black Spirit Charm shield. The resulting Fire Lotus instantly devoured the black Spirit Charm shield protecting Sakai Fuji, consuming it like a vortex swallowing fireworks.
SWOOSH—
The spear, [Chuyuan], quivered with spirituality and flew back, slamming into the hand of the arriving Jiang Qiu with a THUD. His eyes were cold, and the veins on his arm bulged as his blood surged like a torrent.
"How is it you?"
Sakai Fuji’s brow furrowed, and a startling thought popped into his head. ’Where is Yoshiei?!’
’According to the plan, Sakai Yoshiei was to lead the Sang Island Martial Artists gathered outside the city to break through the South City Gate. With his power, carrying the special Essence Blood of the great Eight-headed Snake King, he should have been able to unleash Grandmaster Level combat strength. He shouldn’t have feared most of the Grandmasters in North Border City at all!’
’What’s more, most of the Belli Family has already turned traitor. Jiang Qiu alone couldn’t possibly have stopped them!’
’But now Jiang Qiu has returned alive, and without a single injury!’
"Yoshiei?" Jiang Qiu sneered. "Burned to ash."
"BASTARD!" Sakai Fuji roared, his face flushing red. The Spirit Charm around him flared as he activated his comprehended Domain Dao. "You will die here today!"
