svetikya Chapter 43 People in Reincarnation
Chapter 43 People in Reincarnation
Yaochi Sacred Land.
Dressed in white like snow, with a refined and scholarly air, Jiang Yifei spoke up after Jiang Rui and Jiang Yichen had finished talking.
This handsome and ethereal young man, whose appearance and temperament were both outstanding and unforgettable, looked at the Queen Mother of the West, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Please, Queen Mother of the West, preside over this battle and open the ancient battle platform."
The Yaochi Battle Platform, which has witnessed countless battles throughout history, sits atop the clouds. Legend has it that it will never fall, is vast and boundless, and is so solid and indestructible that it can support the Holy Lord's great battle without fear of devastating disasters.
The Queen Mother of the West sighed softly. She knew that the Jiang family was determined to obtain the "Flame," and no one could stop their resolve. This conflict with the Yao Guang Holy Land and Yuan Qingsu was inevitable, and only a battle could resolve the issue.
"Should I fetch the 'fire' for you and place it on the high platform?" the Queen Mother of the West asked calmly. According to the rules, when heroes vie for supremacy, the struggle for a single fire should be conducted in this manner, with everything laid bare under the clear sky to demonstrate fairness and impartiality.
"It's alright."
Jiang Yifei shook his head and said in a deep voice, "That torch contains the aura of our ancestors, which outsiders cannot simulate. Junior Brother Yuan will not leave the Yaochi sacred ground. I can first communicate with you fellow Daoists on the stage and wait for his arrival."
"Then let's open the Yaochi Battle Platform!" The Queen Mother of the West spoke, her elegant and majestic voice soaring to the heavens and echoing leisurely among the clouds.
Rumble!
Above everyone's heads, thick, gray clouds, heavy as mountains, towered majestically, sweeping across the horizon and almost pressing down on the ground, accompanied by an ancient aura.
Immediately following, a vast martial arts arena, like a floating divine island in the sky, broke through the thick gray clouds and hung above everyone's heads. It was an ancient building made of cliff stones, and every stone might hold a story.
It is covered with marks of weapons and bloodstains, indicating that it has witnessed countless battles.
Behind the battle platform was a magnificent and splendid celestial palace, where the Queen Mother of the West and other powerful beings observed the battle and discussed the Dao. After they all entered, Jiang Yifei moved and transformed into a blazing flame, landing on the battle platform first. He stood with his hands behind his back, waiting for the challengers to come up.
All the younger generation who were not qualified to enter the Heavenly Palace were below the stage.
The closest to them were the descendants of the Thirteen Great Bandits: Tu Fei with big eyes, Li Heishui with a simple and honest appearance, Xu Heng, the strongest among the descendants of the Great Bandits, Jiang Huai Ren from the Jiang family, Feng Huang, the pearl of the Feng clan, Ji Hao Yue and Ji Zi Yue, siblings from the Ji family, and Ji Bi Yue, who was second only to Ji Hao Yue and was quite scheming. Also present were Hua Yun Fei from the Tai Xuan Sect, the Golden-Winged Little Peng King of the Demon Clan, and Yao Guang Holy Son and Yao Xi from the Yao Guang Holy Land.
Further away are Jiang Caixuan and Jiang Yichen, members of the Jiang family, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, and the newly arrived Holy Maiden of Zifu, a woman who is in harmony with the Dao and has an extraordinary aura, as well as the Holy Son of Zifu, who is much more ordinary than the Holy Maiden's [Innate Dao Embryo], but is still no ordinary person. Even if he does not have a special physique, he is a natural-born Daoist prodigy.
Many young people gathered here, but not one of them stepped forward.
The reason is obvious.
The Ji family, the Jiang family, and the Yao Guang Holy Land have deployed their troops outside the Yao Chi Holy Land, each bringing their own ultimate weapons. Whoever wins this battle must first ask if they can take this torch with them!
The struggle for the torch, the struggle for the throne, is sometimes also a struggle for the background.
Without sufficient background and powerful protection, even if one wins the battle, one can easily be ambushed and killed, resulting in failure.
Therefore, these young people did not act rashly at this time.
Jiang Yifei had anticipated this. He looked around and said calmly, "I know you all have concerns. The Jiang family is indeed determined to obtain the Flame of Life this time, but I will take it back with my strength and honor. In other words, if any of you here are capable of taking the Flame of Life from me, I guarantee that the Jiang family will not make a move against you."
"Is this really true?" Xu Heng, a descendant of Xu Tianxiong, one of the thirteen great bandits, asked loudly in front of everyone, "Does the Jiang family, and the powerful figures from the Jiang family here, all agree with your words?"
"May I be struck down by heaven and earth if I break this oath."
"Haha, good, that's spirited! I've long heard that you defeated the divine body the Jiang family brought back from the outside world, and that your strength is unparalleled. Today, let me see just how strong you really are!"
Xu Heng laughed loudly, his thick black hair flying wildly. He was full of vigor and walked step by step towards the Yaochi Battle Platform. Every step he took caused the void to tremble, and every step he took made his momentum climb to a new peak.
When he finally confronted Jiang Yifei, he was radiant, like a demon god incarnate, a stark contrast to the ethereal Jiang Yifei.
"Damn it, Xu Heng has gotten even stronger."
Tu Fei, the loudmouth in the audience, frowned slightly, leaned closer to Li Heishui, and muttered, "Brother Hei, what's this kid thinking? Rushing up there to be the first one up, isn't he afraid of embarrassing himself?"
"Xu Heng is an ambitious and capable young man."
With his thick eyebrows and large eyes, Li Heishui looked up at the two on the battle stage and murmured, "Recently, he swept through the younger generation of the Thirteen Great Bandits, further advanced his profound skills, and looked down on the younger generation of the Northern Region. He won battle after battle and gradually cultivated an invincible 'momentum'. Now he has an invincible will and wants to test what is so extraordinary about the so-called ancient family scions, and then truly ascend to the throne of the strongest among his peers."
"But Jiang Yifei, it's said, defeated the Divine Body."
"So what if he has a divine body? Not long ago, a divine body was beaten to the point of having his Dao heart shattered by a mortal body. Five thousand years ago, the divine body shone brightly on the God King Jiang Taixu, but now it no longer has that invincible power."
Although the two spoke softly, they did not set up any restrictions. Moreover, everyone present was highly perceptive, so it was impossible to hide anything from someone with ulterior motives. Besides, they didn't really intend to conceal anything from others.
Ji Haoyue, standing not far away, remained expressionless, while Ji Ziyue rolled her eyes at the two of them.
boom!
During their conversation, a fierce clash broke out on the stage.
Xu Heng and Jiang Yifei clashed, starting with the most brutal close-quarters combat, with intense divine light erupting and illuminating the heavens and earth.
His hands transformed into jade-like crystals, shimmering with a faint golden light, imprinted with Dao diagrams, exquisitely beautiful yet carrying absolute power and absolute danger. With every gesture, he distorted the void, unleashing a force capable of easily shattering even the strongest of the Four Extremes.
"Azure Gold Great Cleave Hand!"
"It is said that Xu Tianxiong, the third largest bandit among the thirteen bandits, subdued the Azure Dragon King and shocked the world with just these two hands, almost second only to the largest bandit, 'Old Immortal'."
"Xu Tianxiong is a scholar of unparalleled learning, and the supernatural skills he has developed by integrating all his knowledge are said to be no less than those immortal inheritances. Xu Heng has also entered the third secret realm. With the two of them combined, won't they become invincible among the younger generation?"
Many in the audience recognized Xu Heng's extraordinary skill and marveled at his power when a discordant sneer rang out. Jiang Yichen, standing next to Jiang Caixuan, scoffed, "It seems like any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to boast so arrogantly. Not inferior to an immortal inheritance? These hands dare to claim that? Far from it! The Great Emperor is invincible!"
This moment felt like a test to prove his words.
After the initial clashes, Jiang Yifei's hands on the Yaochi Battle Platform changed. They became slender and crystal clear, exuding a demonic aura. They appeared calm and still, without any energy fluctuations, yet they easily grabbed Xu Heng's hands and ripped them off!
"ah!!"
Xu Heng screamed in agony. As his hands were torn apart, his own "Dao" was also ripped apart by those demonic hands. Even with the powerful life force of the Four Extremes Secret Realm, he was unable to recover for a moment. He was punched off the battle stage and fell into the dust.
Jiang Yifei stood bathed in blood, his eyes dark and deep, his gaze sharp and unparalleled, no longer ethereal and graceful, but rather like a god of war born, exuding a wild and untamed aura that swept across the four corners of the world, making him the only one worthy of respect.
Everyone could see that Xu Heng was incredibly strong, having entered the Four Extremes Secret Realm early on, but unfortunately he encountered Jiang Yifei.
"This person..."
Even Ji Haoyue, whose eyes were usually filled with melancholy, couldn't help but show surprise at this moment. In the past, Jiang Yifei was very low-key and rarely made a move. The only achievement that was talked about was his early defeat of the family's divine body. Apart from that, few people had ever seen him make a move.
He was refined and easygoing, without any airs of a descendant of an ancient noble family. He was very kind, so no one expected that he would be so godlike and demonic when he got into a fight.
It possesses an aura and power that inspire fear.
His true strength was unfathomable; he merely used the power of the Dao Palace realm. Xu Heng, who was at the Four Extremes realm, was like a child's toy in his hands, easily shattered at the slightest touch.
"The Emperor's legacy is invincible! Those who cultivate the Emperor's Scripture are truly powerful!" Jiang Yichen spoke again, beaming with pride, as if he himself had won the battle, not Jiang Yifei. Jiang Caixuan couldn't stand it any longer and deliberately distanced herself from this clansman, standing even further away.
Yao Xi was also surprised. She then glanced at the Holy Son of Yao Guang, who was in the same camp, and asked softly, "Did you already know he was this powerful?"
"It's far more powerful than you imagine; this is just the tip of the iceberg," said the Holy Son of Yaoguang with a faint smile, but the information revealed in his words sent a chill down Yao Xi's spine.
Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Palace, Jiang Rui, whose hair was dry, whose appearance was aged, and whose eyes were like golden lamps, smiled slightly. He was very satisfied with Jiang Yifei's performance. In fact, this was expected. If it weren't for the sake of the torch, the family would not have allowed him to be exposed to the world so early.
The Holy Lord of Yao Guang, Li Daoqing, became slightly more solemn. As a supreme being, he couldn't see through this descendant of the Jiang family, which made him somewhat worried about the upcoming battle.
After briefly adjusting his breathing on the Yaochi Battle Platform, Jiang Yifei addressed the crowd below once more: "Gentlemen, is there anyone else willing to come up and compete?"
A moment later, a young powerhouse soared into the sky and arrived at the Yaochi Battle Platform. He clashed with Jiang Yifei again, and after a few moves, his limbs were shattered, leaving him alive as he was thrown off the battle platform.
"Gentlemen, is there anyone else willing to come up and compete?" Jiang Yifei spoke again, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below the stage, lingering briefly on Ji Haoyue, Yao Guang Shengzi, Golden-Winged Little Peng King, and others, his meaning self-evident.
Ji Haoyue's eyes shot out two beams of divine light, and he wanted to go up, but Ji Ziyue held him back tightly.
The Holy Son of Yaoguang smiled without saying a word, his expression calm and detached from worldly affairs.
The Golden-Winged Roc King was eager to make his move, but the Phoenix, the jewel of the Feng family, took the lead and came to the stage first.
It must be said that this young girl did have the right to be arrogant. She later reached the ninth level of Quasi-Emperor. Her talent was exceptional. When she fought with Jiang Yifei, she used various divine techniques that she had created herself. They fought for dozens or even hundreds of rounds. When she was gradually unable to continue, she took the initiative to admit defeat. She did not suffer too much damage and calmly withdrew from the battle platform.
And so, Jiang Yifei won one match after another. With each victory, his momentum grew stronger. In the end, everyone couldn't help but recall a legend: when the Great Emperor Hengyu was about to attain enlightenment, he stood under the starry sky of the universe and killed all the quasi-emperors who came to block his path in one night, thus completing the final leap and achieving the status of the Great Emperor.
At this moment, Jiang Yifei was practically the young Emperor Hengyu in everyone's eyes!
"Zixia, don't you think he's afraid of running out of divine power and being taken advantage of when he fights like this?" On the outermost edge of the crowd below the stage, the Holy Son of Zifu asked the Holy Maiden beside him in confusion, and couldn't help but have a dark thought in his heart that he would wait for Jiang Yifei to run out of divine power after fighting with someone, and then go up and take advantage of the situation.
"Amitabha Buddha."
The purple-clad saintess, born with a Daoist physique, was exceptionally beautiful. As she chanted a Daoist incantation, she glanced at the holy son, sensing the dark thoughts in his heart. She felt somewhat disgusted but said nothing, only shaking her head to indicate that she was unaware.
The Holy Son of the Purple Mansion felt foolish and a nameless anger rose in his heart. If he could beat this woman, he would have stripped her naked and humiliated her long ago, because her gaze towards him was always calm and aloof, like a god looking down on an ant.
But he is the Holy Son of the Purple Mansion, the future Holy Lord of the Purple Mansion, not some insignificant ant!
"Damn it..." the Purple Mansion Saint Son muttered to himself, then heard a voice in his ear: "For an Emperor-level existence, a few battles like this are nothing. Jiang Yifei is naturally not worried about being taken advantage of. On the contrary, he can't wait for someone to put pressure on him, so that his essence, energy, spirit, and divine arts will become sharper and sharper like a celestial sword, and finally, with one strike, all laws will be destroyed!"
An Emperor-level existence? What makes Jiang Yifei worthy of being called an Emperor-level existence? The word "Emperor" is enough to crush countless ages; is the title of "Emperor's Son" something to be casually bestowed?
The Holy Son of the Purple Mansion turned his head at the sound, and was about to reprimand the person who spoke when he found that the Holy Maiden of the Purple Mansion, Zixia, who was always chanting scriptures and meditating, keeping everyone at arm's length, was standing there for some reason, her beautiful eyes staring blankly in a certain direction as if they had lost focus.
Following Zixia's gaze, he saw a young man with clear eyes that defied description.
What kind of eyes are these? They evoke the word "black," purer than darkness itself, more ancient than the long night, like the primordial blackness before the creation of heaven and earth, the most original black, so profound, so close to the Tao, so captivating.
Boom boom boom!
Zixia heard her own heartbeat. Years of quiet cultivation vanished. She subconsciously took a step, her long legs stumbling as she walked over. When she reached those eyes, she examined them closely, her pretty face showing a touch of naivety and infatuation.
The more you look, the more intense this expression becomes.
"Mingzhao Meng'an... there is the Dao in your eyes," she said, feeling a tickle in her heart, an irresistible itch for those eyes.
"You're amazing. You have a primordial Dao embryo, and you're naturally close to the Dao." The young man nodded, his gaze sweeping over her.
"Zixia?!"
Upon hearing this, the Holy Son of the Purple Mansion called out, trying to interrupt the conversation between the Holy Maiden and the strange man, but he failed. Zixia seemed completely isolated from the outside world, oblivious to the Holy Son's unpleasant expression. Her tone was somewhat urgent as she asked the young man, "What's your name?"
"Yuan Qingsu".
Jiang Yifei's voice drifted from the Yaochi Battle Platform, answering Zixia's question intentionally or unintentionally.
His white robes were stained with blood, and he stood like a demon god under the sky. His gaze came from afar, and the crowd below avoided his terrifying gaze, letting it fall on the young man. They watched as the two auras collided quietly across the void.
"You've finally arrived."
"I've kept Brother Jiang waiting."
"Are you so confident that you'll let me accumulate invincible 'momentum'?"
"Hmm, I'm afraid you're too weak and I might accidentally beat you to death."
Yuan Qingsu sighed softly, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar face on the Yaochi Battle Platform. It felt like only yesterday that she had met Hengyu.
In an instant, one feels the vast changes of time, hundreds of thousands of years have passed in a flash, one era after another has been buried, even the gods have decayed, and people in the cycle of reincarnation meet in the wind.