The comets filled with energies were so rampant that even those at the First Stage of Qi Condensation could sense them. They lit the skies with a multicolored glow from every direction, surrounding the city.
King Wu's eyes widened. He spoke disbelievingly, "Are all those avatars?! With...seventh-grade pellets?!?!" His heart was terrified. Seventh-Grade Pellets were legendary, concocted by King Alchemists, and while a few dozen can be explained by an ancient cache, hundreds of them were not so easily explained!
Furthermore, dozens of clones?!
Wei Wuyin calmly observed Wu Jiao whose eyes seemed to be flickering with starry light. This wasn't his end goal. In fact, he had set up dozens of avatars with clones and buried them far away. In the event he was chased, he felt the newly devised Elemental Saber Life Securing Art, now named the Soaring Life-Blood Saber Art, was sufficient to get enough distance.
He layered countless concealment spiritual formations on these clones to prevent their presence from being revealed. He would lure the Astral Core Realm expert to a location with dozens of these clones and then split off. This was his contingency. If this didn't work, he'd use these clones as missiles and send them to their deaths in a salvo of devastating explosions.
While his cultivation was lacking, that didn't mean he couldn't kill an Astral Core Realm expert. He had another contingency as well. He would get Bai Lin and Su Mei away with the Soaring Life-Blood Saber Art, and then detonate the clones after locking down the Astral Core Realm expert by forcefully using the Fixed Soul Spell, even if it damaged his foundation. Unfortunately, the spell's range was incredibly short-range, so he'll be within the blast.
With the Mark of Eden, he would rely on its lifeforce and wood energies to ensure his survival. With all this, he just needed to maintain a single breath and he'd come out on top.
If none of that worked, then perhaps death was his fate.
Regardless, he had a few more escape routes planned, but none of those incorporated taking down his pursuer.
In the end, he hadn't expected Wu Jiao to be able to restrict Bai Lin and pull her in without the ability to resist. He made a miscalculation, a very big one as well: Wu Jiao's abilities. While he was certain he could still escape with the Soaring Saber Life-Blood Art, sending Su Mei and Bai Lin away, he wasn't certain if they could escape. So, he had to make adjustments.
"Quite impressive," Wu Jiao said with a hint of praise. "If I don't let you go, the city will be turned into dust. But, I don't think you'll detonate." A hint of confidence flashed on his lip, giving his already immortal bearing a hint of allure and charm.
His confidence brought peace in everyone's hearts. If Wei Wuyin decided to truly detonate those avatars of death, wouldn't that be too devastating? There were countless young elites, some even virgins, so to die in this way felt unfair.
"You're right," Wei Wuyin said.
Wu Jiao nodded. The situation was still within his palm and merely an empty gesture of death. Without the intent to detonate, he could quietly whisk control of each avatar with his power.
"I won't detonate," Wei Wuyin walked towards Bai Lin and Su Mei who was still mounted on her. Tossing the seer to Su Mei, he calmly took a breath. He placed his hand on Bai Lin's body and said, "If you make a single move. I'll be forced to."
「Soaring Saber Life-Blood Art」
Immediately, he drew upon his Nascent Saber Soul, Element, his Elemental Spiritual Qi, Saber Spiritual Qi, and Draconic Blood Power.
Roar!
A draconic roar resounded as the Nascent Saber Soul instantly transformed into a larger version of its form and encapsulated Su Mei and Bai Lin's bodies entirely. It glowed a bright-red and exuded a boundless ancient and extraordinary power unlike any other.
Wu Jiao's eyes twitched. He frowned. His hands moved to exert some of his cultivation, but Wei Wuyin exclaimed, "If you move! I'll detonate them all!!" As he did, all the avatars that levitated in the skies radiating violent energies started to near an explosive release. A single thought and they would release.
The hearts of all those here tensed and their minds grew taut with horror. They froze in fear that their movements might set off Wei Wuyin.
Wu Jiao's eyelids twitched, but he didn't continue.
Lin Ziyan was the only one who moved, but was held back by Long Chen.
Woosh!
In a blink, Su Mei and Bai Lin shot off in an orb of qi, reaching the horizon in a blink.
"WHAT?!" Wu Jiao, this lofty Astral Core Realm expert that controlled the world, exclaimed in sheer disbelief. The speed of this orb exceeded his own, and in two breaths, it had exceeded his visual sight. While he could still sense its presence, he realized it was traveling at least three kilometers a second. Before long, it was no longer something he could sense.
It was gone…
His gaze looked towards Wei Wuyin with a sharpness. For some reason, he felt as if he was outsmarted, but his heart soon calmed when he considered the situation.
"You know I won't let you go, so you sent your subordinates away with your target. Quite intriguing, but nevertheless, pointless. This stalemate will not last forever." Wu Jiao was supremely confident. He had already sent his power into half the avatar, suppressing their explosive state during this delay. In a matter a minute or so, he'd gain complete and utter control.
At that point, Wei Wuyin's secret of obtaining so many seventh-grade pellets, his art that surpassed even his speed by a lot, and the method of his fleshy body reaching such levels would be his. He didn't think someone so supremely talented would kill himself so easily.
Wei Wuyin didn't seem to care. He just calmly waited with his thoughts on the trigger. Time passed, and every breath taken by the crowd was hard-earned. They truly didn't know if Wei Wuyin was waiting for that crane and woman to leave the range of the explosion before detonating or not.
If so, then they would all be dead.
Long Chen kept rubbing his inconspicuous black ring. Wei Wuyin's senses were keen and noticed a faint spiritual light emitting from the ring. His eyes glanced at Long Chen. "Does he have a spiritual existence in that ring?" As this thought entered his mind, he shook his head.
A Blessed will definitely have life-saving trump cards. He didn't feel that Long Chen would die today.
Soon, seconds turned into a complete minute.
Wu Jiao smilingly said, "Done."
Snap!
He snapped his middle and thumb together creating a crisp sound. This sound was like a trigger as all the volatile energies within the avatars bodies were suppressed, sent into an inactive state. Then, they and the pellets turned into dust.
Wu Jiao frowned, not expecting the pellets to turn into dust, but perhaps their state of constant near release was the cause. However, that was not the case.
All the pellets and avatars turned into grey mist that dissipated into vapor. This event shocked many, but believing Wu Jiao was responsible due to his well-timed snap of the fingers, they were relieved and happy. Even those who staged the coup to overthrow the crown prince and fight the current king. Dying in battle was fine, but dying due to an explosion done by someone they didn't know felt disgusting to think about.
Wu Jiao's frown deepened. His starry gaze looked at Wei Wuyin. "Duds?" If these avatars were mere fakes, then wasn't this pointless? But...they felt so real.
Wei Wuyin smilingly shook his head, "No. They were real." How could he possibly allow others to have his pellets? He obviously set countermeasures in case the Astral Core Realm had means to immobilize or capture them without detonation. While he didn't expect to use it in this manner, it was enough.
Clap. Clap.
Wu Jiao clapped his hand in applause. "Impressive. Now, obediently come." His words were imperious as he reached his hand out to grasp Wei Wuyin with his world-controlling power.
Was this the end to this suicidal yet brilliant person?
Wei Wuyin kept his smile despite the crowd's anticipating gazes. He turned to see Long Chen, then Lin Ziyan, then Prince Zhen whose expression was uglier and filled with worry, and then Qin Feng who seemed to exude hopelessness, knowing after Wei Wuyin, weren't they next?
Wei Wuyin held out his palm in a halting gesture. "Wait!" He had already felt the world wrapped around his figure, seeking to capture him and suppress his cultivation entirely. This wasn't a power that he could fight.
His instincts told him that Wu Jiao wasn't just an Astral Core Realm cultivator at the First Stage, but that Astral Tribulation was a Second Stage. But he wasn't fearful...well...because…
"There's no need, Wu Jiao. Your fish has long since left your net beneath your gaze." A voice rippled through the air. It was soft, alluring, tantalizing to the senses, and heavenly. It's femininity was brimming, making its owner's gender obvious. Those words were said, but it seemed to originate from everywhere yet nowhere.
However, Wu Jiao halted his actions. A respectful expression emerged as he calmly greeted, "Fairy Blessed Spirit." Those three words were merely a title, much like the Helios Witch, yet when Wu Jiao spoke it, it contained an exceptional level of prestige and grace.
Outside, hiding within the clouds, were the two figures Wei Wuyin had smelled earlier. They were Qin Qiumu and her father, Qing Qi, someone Wei Wuyin had previously met. He was the elf that gave him the Yin-Yang God Sphere, allowing him to reach the Mortal God Realm!
Qing Qiumu still wore a veil, but her father was completely exposed. He wore white robes, oddly decorated to suit elf traditional wear, and maintained skin that was youthful with a gorgeous face. His thin eyebrows, pointy ears, white skin, tall and lithe body, and green eyes that shone like emeralds were perfect for him in every way.
They were concealed via a spell that exceeded Qi Condensation limits. Besides Wei Wuyin, who smelled them, even Wu Jiao hadn't noticed.
Qing Qi exclaimed softly, "Fairy Blessed Spirit!" His expression changed as he grabbed his daughter and seemed ready to flee.
"You're not going to greet me, Qing Qi?" The voice resounded once more, startling Wu Jiao whose eyes surveyed the world. Only after his eyes flashed with a vast, refined spiritual power did he catch a glimpse of the distortion within the clouds.
Qing Qi grimaced, halting his actions. He took a deep breath and put on a false smile, horribly forced. Dispelling his concealment, his and his daughter's body was revealed before the curious crowd. He was so close, just above them, yet they didn't even notice.
Qing Qiumu, beneath her veil, was shocked at her father's actions and expression. Who did this voice belong to?!
This was the question that was on everyone's mind.
But when it was answered, not a single person's lower jaw was connected to their upper jaw.