Chen Kuang gradually steadied himself, the scent of wine emanating from him, transforming like a waterfall into white mist dispersing around him.
His back was already soaked with sweat, and the originally overflowing spiritual qi within him had dropped to normal levels. If not for the warm mass in his stomach continuing to replenish him, his realm would have dropped back to the Nine Orifices Opened.
But even so, this level of realm wouldn't be sustainable for long.
As the liquid of the Carefree Wine gradually evaporated, his strength would also gradually decline.
Therefore, a quick decisive battle was the best option.
One strike to kill an Innate.
It seemed formidable, but Chen Kuang knew that luck and strategy played a bigger role.
The Innate Realm is divided into upper, middle, and lower levels; the lower level is Yuan Force, the middle is Consistent Force, and the upper is Void Force, all in the state of Mixed Yuan Qi.
Yuan Force means endless vitality; this doesn't mean becoming a perpetual motion machine, but rather every time a strand of spiritual qi is used, it will naturally replenish another strand, eliminating the need for deliberate meditation and breathing.
Thus in battle, the spiritual qi almost appears endless.
If there is not much difference in level between opponents, this would be a great advantage.
Consistent Force signifies that spiritual qi condenses from dispersion into a bundle, transforming tides into rivers. When exerting strength, it flows like breaking a dam, gushing out.
As for Void Force, the spiritual qi no longer gathers in acupoints, turns solid into void, merges into the body everywhere, and moves with intent, no longer shackled by acupoints.
The gap between Yuan Force and Consistent Force is not insurmountable.
And the Black Armor Guard just now, was Yuan Force.
Chen Kuang, this fake Innate, barely reached Yuan Force.
But he struck first, the enemy was clear while he was hidden. Coupled with using the Celestial Demon Law to disturb the opponent's mind, delaying time to successfully stack up the Triple Force of the Lotus White Birth, only then did he unleash this full-powered strike.
Moreover, he first used the zither, then the palm, to make the opponent focus on defending against the sound attack, then surprise with a palm strike.
This contrast was akin to suddenly changing from a mage to a warrior, enough to add another layer to the opponent's shock.
The most important point was that he discovered for the first time, during battle, the clever use of "clearly seeing the flaws".
This ability to see through all illusions and disguises also allowed him to detect deliberately hidden weak points and openings in the opponent!
The palm strike Chen Kuang delivered just now went straight for the opponent's weak point.
This strike was a fully stacked buff; in any other scenario, he couldn't possibly do it again.
However, of the same level, or even stronger Black Armor Guards, there were eighteen more...
The time must be grasped more tightly.
Fortunately, the corner tower where the Celestial Prison was located was not far from the outer city.
At this moment, with this challenging obstacle overcome, it's like seeing the dawn.
Chen Kuang turned around and called Chu Wen Ruo up, calculated the distance, and decided not to conserve spiritual qi, immediately exerting his strength, carrying the mother and daughter swiftly towards the city gate.
Along the way, encountering soldiers, regardless of their levels, they were all killed with the Dragon's Gums. Almost every few steps, there was a human life taken, plucking strings for an instant and a lethal strike.
The aura around Chen Kuang grew more intense with each kill, ascending like a sharp sword unsheathed, a fierce tiger unleashed, meeting his gaze would make one's scalp tingle uncomfortably.
Killing as if cutting grass.
One withers, another flourishes, the killing intent grows, and so does his own strength.
The sword he had envisioned in his mind finally gained nourishment, blossoming with an astonishing radiance and overwhelming malevolence.
It was stirring, as if it had gained life.
Grass-Cutting Song...
"Killing is like cutting grass, life and death in a breath, a live sword needs the dead, slaying others also slays me..."
Chen Kuang subconsciously murmured.
He lifted his head, the tightly shut East City Gate was just ahead; all he had to do was break through that gate.
And cultivators from the Liang Kingdom would be there to support him.
Chu Wen Ruo exclaimed, "There's someone on the wall!"
Chen Kuang naturally saw it.
A middle-aged man with an elegant demeanor stood atop the city wall, unfolding a blank folding fan in his hand, gently waving it, a serene smile on his lips.
It seemed as if he had been waiting here for a long time.
The visitor was naturally Wei Su.
The son of the Sect Leader of the Three Tribulations Sect, a Sea Breaking Realm cultivator.
Wei Su looked down, making eye contact with Chen Kuang, the ink on the fan revealing a mess.
"Do you know, you could have exchanged the Elixir of Longevity for a life."
He looked towards Chu Wen Ruo, praising, "I had long heard that Lady Liang's beauty is captivating, today it is truly well-deserved."
Then, his tone shifted, with a cold smile, "It's a pity... the gentle village is a hero's grave."
Chen Kuang's gaze flickered.
It seemed that this person was Wei Su. Since his scheme of sowing dissension nearly succeeded, it shows that the other side certainly guessed that Li Hongling thought the Elixir of Longevity was with him.
Coming here at this time, it's hard to say what the purpose is...
Chen Kuang sneered, "General Li said, once seven days are up, whether I speak or not, death is certain, truly not treating me as human."
"A warrior can be killed but not humiliated; with such an attitude, even if I die, I won't hand over the Elixir of Longevity willingly."
He paused and continued, "If the Immortal Master could spare my life and let me out of the city..."
Wei Su shook his fan and sighed:
"If you'd said that a few days earlier, I might have believed you. But now, thinking back, since you dared to bargain with Li Hongling, how could you be afraid of death."
"Moreover..."
Wei Su's gaze shifted down to Chen Kuang's legs.
"I heard Li Hongling broke both your legs."
"Now... how have they healed?"
Chen Kuang remained composed and said, "If I said it was Immortal Master Shen's kindness, seeing my plight and healing me, would you believe it?"
Wei Su snapped his fan shut and laughed:
"I believe it, why wouldn't I?"
He suddenly disappeared from where he stood, his voice appearing behind Chen Kuang, hissing like a cold serpent.
The ink marks on the fan transformed.
Changed into several... strings.
"Once I beat you half to death, let's see how your legs healed; then I'll believe anything you say!"
Wei Su placed his hand on Chen Kuang's shoulder, overwhelming Spiritual Qi tore through skin and bone instantly.
Chen Kuang hurriedly reached to pluck the strings, but found they had vanished.
The surface of Dragon's Gums was empty!
Nothing was there!
Heaven-Stealing and Day-Changing Technique!
Chen Kuang's heart sank, instantly realizing this was the power that erased the entire concept of the Elixir of Longevity.
Spanning three Great Realms of cultivation gap, true crushing force!
"Crack!"
With a moment of hesitation, Wei Su casually twisted, directly tearing off Chen Kuang's arm.
Cold sweat poured from Chen Kuang.
The scholarly figure in white smiled slightly:
"I specifically sought out your former colleague, one of the few surviving Musicians, to prove you were originally blind."
"But your eyes seem fine now."
"In this world, only the matter of life and death cannot be reversed, unless... you consumed the Elixir of Longevity."
Upon seeing Chen Kuang's vibrating pupils, he revealed a delighted expression.
Ultimately, his Three Tribulations Sect triumphed!
From afar, a hoarse female voice, driven by Spiritual Qi, spread throughout the Imperial City.
"Today, as heroes gather, I shall, in front of all of Liang Kingdom... send off the Da Liang God of Slaughter, as a mark of respect."
...
Atop the city wall, Li Hongling approached the kneeling Huo Hengxuan, raised her long halberd, and coldly said:
"From now on, the Liang Kingdom will truly become dust in history!"
"Watch closely, see who this world belongs to."
She took a deep breath, rotating the massive star Chen Yuan in her hand, then raised it high, fiercely slashing towards Huo Hengxuan's head!
"Bang—"
The heavy halberd's falling force suddenly halted.
Not the sound of a blade slicing into flesh, but rather something was blocking it.
Supporting it, slowly, inch by inch, moving upwards.
Li Hongling's pupils constricted, veins bulging on her hand, muscles knotted like cords, unable to stop the rising halberd.
The stumps of the elderly man's severed hands, flesh and blood reshaping, had already grown two new jade-like hands.
With one hand he supported the halberd, the other swept across, grasping the necks of two Black Armor Guards attempting to restrain him, clamping them under his arm.
Massive strength instantly crushed the heads of the Black Armor Guards, leaving nothing above the necks but debris.
Huo Hengxuan slowly stood up, his body shimmering with golden light, amidst crackling sounds, Golden Needles darting, every restriction on him breaking open.
He grinned broadly, finally standing tall.
"Say it again... who does this world belong to?"