Chapter 844: Chapter 843: Can’t Do Anything to Me_1
The ghostly mist dispersed, uncovering several sinister figures clad in uniform black-and-white striped garb, with strands of mist weaving through them as though alive. Surrounding them, clusters of pale green spectral flames swirled, shaping into various forms.
"Ghost King Ruins!"
The crowd that had been vying for power all revealed an expression of horror.
Uncle Xu’s pupils also contracted slightly.
Illusion Orchid Tower was powerful, indeed, but at the very least it represented the Righteous Path and had its limits in behavior.
Whereas Ghost King Ruins gathered individuals of extreme cruelty who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The martial arts they cultivated were of the Devil Path; their destiny was to walk the path of devilry if they wished to progress faster.
"Ninth Void Ghost King, you truly are a persistent spirit."
Madam Xi, looking toward the figure wearing a bamboo hat emerging from the ghostly mist, assumed a more grave expression.
Like her, the Ninth Void Ghost King was also one of the top contenders among the Ninth Tier Earth Immortals, his status in Ghost King Ruins only second to the few Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors.
Due to many years of enmity between Illusion Orchid Tower and Ghost King Ruins, Madam Xi had clashed with the Ninth Void Ghost King numerous times, yet neither could ever gain the upper hand.
Indeed, at the level of Ninth Tier Earth Immortals, the gap between them could be either minuscule or vast.
It was minuscule because everyone’s talents and potentials were more or less the same.
Secondly, their power had reached its limit. Indeed, numerous past examples had shown that the Vigorous Air capacity of the human dantian reached its peak 540 years after stepping into the Divine Border Realm.
Any progress beyond that resulted in only one outcome: the explosive rupture of the dantian.
Put differently, there was practically no difference in the power level between those who had just become Ninth Tier Earth Immortals and those who had been so for many years. The real difference lay in martial skills, killing moves, and other methods.
In other words, these qualities set the upper limit for Ninth Tier Earth Immortals.
Most Ninth Tier Earth Immortals were on one level and were called ordinary Ninth Tier Earth Immortals, like Uncle Xu.
A small number of Ninth Tier Earth Immortals, with heaven-sent talents and far surpassing the average level in martial skills and killing moves, were known as ultimate Ninth Tier Earth Immortals.
Then there were the very rare few who surpassed the ultimate Ninth Tier Earth Immortals and were revered as Invincible Earth Immortals.
Madam Xi and the Ninth Void Ghost King were considered ultimate Ninth Tier Earth Immortals.
As for the Invincible Earth Immortals, even across all of Rainbow State, only two or three individuals from the six prodigies met the criteria.
Of course, there were exceptional cases of individuals who hadn’t reached 540 years of cultivation but still achieved the power level of Ninth Tier, though theoretically possible, such instances were almost unheard of in reality.
"Cut the crap, woman. Nine Enlightenment Fruits, I’ll take five and you four; how about that?"
Unconcerned with Madam Xi’s scoff, the Ninth Void Ghost King spoke with a voice as chilling as the friction of shattered glass, eerily piercing.
He did want to monopolize the Enlightenment Fruits but knew it wasn’t feasible, hence he opted for the next best thing.
"Why should you get five and I four?"
Madam Xi retorted coldly with disdain.
"Based on the strength of each of our sides,"
a few men by the Ninth Void Ghost King’s side chuckled.
This time Ghost King Ruins had brought many powerful experts but to increase efficiency, they had split up into several groups. It just so happened that the group led by the Ninth Void Ghost King was the strongest.
In addition to the Ninth Void Ghost King, there was one ordinary Ninth Tier Earth Immortal and two top Eighth Tier Earth Immortals.
In contrast, to Madam Xi’s group, which appeared numerous, the Ninth Void Ghost King readily recognized that, aside from An Rumei, the leader of the ten disciples who was an ordinary Ninth Tier Earth Immortal, the rest of her four disciples weren’t even at the Eighth Tier level.
With matching strengths, they were sure to win!
"Righteousness and evil cannot coexist; dreaming if you think you can negotiate terms with me!"
Without a second thought, Madam Xi instantly rejected the offer but secretly sent a message to Shi Xiaole, "Young Master Shi, if you can secure three Enlightenment Fruits amid a throng of powerful rivals, I trust in your strength. Could you hold off one of the Ghost King Ruins’ experts? Just for a quarter of an hour will do!"
After learning about Shi Xiaole from Pei Qiuyan, Madam Xi roughly understood his situation. He appeared to be around forty but possessed the strength of a mid-Eighth Tier, rivaling the young era’s three titans.
It seemed Pei Qiuyan had underestimated Shi Xiaole.
The young man’s strength definitely reached the high-Eighth Tier level. While it was indeed a stretch to confront a top Eighth Tier Earth Immortal now, as long as he could hold on for a quarter of an hour, she had a way to suppress the Ninth Void Ghost King.
This was a desperate measure, and if Shi Xiaole were to be seriously injured as a result, she could just take action and fully heal him with the capabilities of Illusion Orchid Tower, which she wasn’t worried about.
"Please rest assured, senior, I understand,"
Shi Xiaole replied without hesitation.
He didn’t have the luxury of refusal. In order to leave successfully, he needed to rely on Illusion Orchid Tower’s aid—it was like both parties were on the same battle ship.
Madam Xi gave Shi Xiaole a glance, nodding inwardly for his wisdom and understanding of the bigger picture.
"Young Master, we should fall back."
Witnessing the air of imminent conflict between the two great powers, Uncle Xu promptly escorted Duan Changge backward, only stopping when they were ten thousand meters away.
Although he dared not provoke either side, that didn’t mean he wasn’t curious about their strengths. Moreover, if the two sides ended up in mutual destruction, perhaps there could be...
"Uncle Xu, you’ve got quite the nerve,"
Duan Changge smirked sinisterly.
"Young Master be cautious with your words. This humble servant merely wishes to observe the strength of ultimate Earth Immortals, which might benefit oneself,"
Uncle Xu stated righteously.
At the same time, the Jiuhua Hermit, the staff-wielding man, the bald swordsman, and others had all retreated far away. They didn’t want to accidentally fall victim to a fight between such powerful figures.
As for the Enlightenment Fruit, now who dares to snatch it is simply tired of living.
"A person who does not know how to adapt, who cannot take advantage of situations, will only harm themselves and those around them. Stupid woman, you’re playing with fire."
The Ninth Void Ghost King thought he had been very polite, but if the other party failed to appreciate his kindness, he wouldn’t mind showing them his strength.
"Those who do not follow the Righteous Path, who are self-serving at the expense of others, are the ones playing with fire. Devil Path demons never meet a good end,"
Madam Xi said indifferently.
"Then there’s nothing more to say."
Suddenly, silence fell upon the world, with only the howling wind, as if the trumpets of hell were sounding.
At that moment.
The Ninth Void Ghost King made his move, a palm strike unleashing tendrils of ghost fog that covered much of the sky. Within the fog, countless spinning green ghost flames took on chaotic patterns yet formed a special rhythm.
Just a glance made everyone feel as if their souls were being sucked in, never to escape.
"Ninety percent of top martial arts,"
Shi Xiaole took a deep breath.
An ordinary martial artist at the peak of the Divine Barrier Realm’s ninth tier would qualify as a Martial Emperor, but the gap between emperors was far too vast.
For example, the Seven Stars Sword King, Zhuge Xuan from the sword evaluation conference, whose Seven Stars Swordsmanship was only at seventy percent. Compared to the Ninth Void Ghost King, it was like the difference between clouds and mud.
Compared to such figures, he was still too weak.
Under the cover of the ghost fog, blue and exquisite light points appeared on Madam Xi’s body, evenly distributed and blossoming into orchids.
In an instant, an intangible fragrance enveloped a radius of ten thousand meters.
The ghost fog hissed, melting away like snow in the sun, forming large holes. Inside these holes, countless sightings of the Ninth Void Ghost King and Madam Xi clashed, some at a distance and some in close quarters, dazzling and bewildering onlookers.
The continual booms resembled world-shaking bombs, but the aftermath grew weaker.
Then everyone realized that the two had already ascended above ten thousand meters. Their powerful actions had formed a transparent colossus of a hole above them.
"Little miss from Illusion Orchid Tower, come meet your death."
A man with half his face burned sneered, one of the ordinary Ninth Tier Earth Immortals from Ghost King Ruins, the Ugly Ghost King.
A sharp sword thrust responded. The figure, poised and fierce-looking, was none other than the chief disciple of Illusion Orchid Tower, the Orchid Sword King, An Rumei.
"No Ghosts in Heaven and Earth!"
Dodging the Sword Qi, the Ugly Ghost King’s body split into countless parts, each performing a unique technique. Though aimed at An Rumei, everyone inexplicably felt the ghostly hands attacking them.
"Heartless Falling Blossoms!"
With a swing of her sword, an orchid drifted down, blown gently by An Rumei. Space transformed into a sea of flowers, each blossom a blade of Sword Qi, showering towards the Ugly Ghost King.
Boom, boom, boom!
The clash of the two ordinary Ninth Tier Earth Immortals was not as grand as that of the Ninth Void Ghost King and Madam Xi, yet it still shook all around, only easing as the two ascended into the sky.
"Young Master Shi, please be careful."
Qu Ni’s telepathic message reached his ear, and Shi Xiaole turned to see Qu Ni along with Pei Qiuyan and their three Senior Sisters, joining forces and charging at a gaunt man.
Mid-air, the four women, two above and two below, were connected by a profound energy as if they were one. A massive Sword Qi launched, matching the prowess of the gaunt man at the Peak of Eighth Tier.
"So it’s the Four Harmony Sword Formation of Illusion Orchid Tower, said to be invincible below the Ninth Tier,"
Uncle Xu chuckled.
"One is missing, heh, wouldn’t want that young man to fill the spot, right? Madam Xi’s heart is quite dark. Uncle Xu, keep an eye on that young man’s movements."
Duan Changge couldn’t help feeling a little schadenfreude as he shifted his gaze.
Any fool could see Shi Xiaole was connected to Illusion Orchid Tower, and even if not, the three Enlightenment Fruits on him made him a target for high-level practitioners of Ghost King Ruins. Those were Peak Eighth Tier Earth Immortals, haha! Of course, Duan Changge rather hoped that Shi Xiaole’s skills were greater, that he might elude the Peak Eighth Tier Earth Immortals and escape. That would just make things easier for him.
"Hand over the Enlightenment Fruit and impair your own hands, and you might be spared from death."
Whether by coincidence or not, the last of the Ghost King Ruins high-level fighters was also a swordsman, looking down at Shi Xiaole proudly.
"You overestimate yourself,"
Shi Xiaole said.
"Overestimate?"
The swordsman in black turned cold as he suddenly sidestepped.
Boom!
A sword ray passed, launched by Pei Qiuyan and the four women.
"Young Master Shi, we can only keep them off you for so long, I’m sorry,"
Pei Qiuyan secretly transmitted.
She did not tell Shi Xiaole to run, knowing it wasn’t necessarily safer, and staying was equally perilous. She and her three Junior Sisters could only do their best to help, with Shi Xiaole’s fate hinging on his own destiny.
"Thank you Miss Pei, but you should focus on your foes. A mere Peak Eighth Tier Earth Immortal poses no threat to me,"
After thanking Pei Qiuyan, Shi Xiaole said.
