Chapter 189: Right Here
Ji Tianrui didn't answer, merely smiling as she looked at Yin Ruihua, neither stepping forward to take his hand nor refusing him.
No one knew what she was thinking, nor what she truly wanted.
Yin Ruihua didn't know, the Yang Family didn't know, the Ming Cult didn't know, and even the deceased Ji Tianrui, and the second Miao King who gave birth to and raised her, didn't know.
She was like a wild beast roaming through the mountains, while everyone else was merely a clear spring, a winding tree, scattered stones, or a gentle breeze—but there were no kindred spirits worth her stopping for.
If one spoke of loneliness, it was precisely this.
Yang Lizhang frowned as he looked at her, silent for a moment, already prepared to make a move against her.
The area was silent, a stalemate had formed.
Ji Tianrui, however, cast her gaze aside, looking distantly towards the Jiajing Emperor's mausoleum.
“I wonder how Lord Li is doing?” she thought.
---
Wang Zhi's preparations were undeniably thorough.
The gap between Heaven and Human realms was no longer as profound as that between Peak and Heaven and Human. Whether it was One-Path, Two-Path, or Three-Path, it was merely a distinction of “quantity,” not a difference in “quality.”
Ten Two-Path Heaven and Human realm experts, even if five were sent to Xiaoling Mausoleum, should not have been unable to defeat one Heaven and Human realm expert, even if he was Three-Path Unified.
Regardless, the combat force was five against one; the advantage should have been ours!
But the current situation made cold sweat pour down Wang Zhi's face.
At his feet was a blurry mass of flesh and blood.
That was Imperial Bodyguard Zhou's corpse… or rather, the main part of his corpse.
The rest of his parts were everywhere.
Internal organs were splattered about, clothing was scattered, and his head was nowhere to be seen. His lower body, on the other hand, hung crookedly from a tree, slowly dripping blood.
The remaining four Imperial Bodyguards were also struggling.
The Imperial Bodyguard from Tang Sect had his left arm broken, half of his martial arts crippled, and could only continuously shoot hidden weapons with his right hand, attempting to restrain Li Miao.
Imperial Bodyguard Qian, who was fighting Li Miao in close quarters, was panting like an ox, blood flowing from his seven orifices. Li Miao had already struck him fifteen times with “Limitless Vibration Zen,” and at this point, his internal organs were riddled with holes, his vision constantly blurring.
The two Imperial Bodyguards who were assisting from the sidelines were unharmed, but their expressions were extremely grim.
Suddenly, the Tang Imperial Bodyguard finally couldn't help but speak.
“What in the world is this thing!!!”
“Is he Three-Path Unified or Three-Path Perfected!? Is there really still a person under that mask!?”
She abruptly turned to look at Eunuch Wang.
“Eunuch Wang, you just said, ‘Even if you are Sanfeng Zhenren reincarnated,’ was there a basis for that statement?”
“Is he really Sanfeng Zhenren reincarnated?”
Wang Zhi thought, “Go to hell.”
Can't I even brag a little?
If he were truly Sanfeng Zhenren reincarnated, would you still be alive?
But deep down, he was already a little suspicious—could he have spoken a prophecy? Was he really Damo reincarnated? Is that why when he attacked Shaolin, no Heaven and Human realm experts from Shaolin acted, because they dared not offend their patriarch?
Reincarnation was a very bizarre matter, and by rights, Wang Zhi shouldn't have such absurd thoughts.
But no matter how bizarre, it couldn't be more bizarre than Li Miao.
To be precise, he was a Three-Path Unified, Two-Path Perfected Heaven and Human realm expert.
But those Perfected Two-Paths kept changing!
When striking people, it was Mount Sumeru plus "Jiezi", and no one could withstand a single blow; when taking a beating, it was Vajra plus Mount Sumeru, his bones and muscles as hard as rock, covered by a layer of Mount Sumeru's protective true qi, making it difficult for two or three ordinary blows to even break his skin.
Now it was Vajra plus "Jiezi" again, his fists raining down like a storm, enduring the attacks of the other three Imperial Bodyguards while relentlessly pummeling Imperial Bodyguard Qian.
Li Miao stomped his foot, launching a straightforward punch at Imperial Bodyguard Qian's face.
Imperial Bodyguard Qian saw it was “Hengshuquan (Horizontal Vertical Fist)” and raised his arm to block. But he suddenly cried out in pain, and upon seeing his arm, it was already a bloody mess, realizing that in that instant Li Miao had changed his move to “Leaf Removal,” tearing his flesh.
Li Miao then struck Imperial Bodyguard Qian's chest with a palm. He activated his protective true qi, intending to withstand this “Great Nine Heavens Palm,” but his body shook violently, and with a “poof,” he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Limitless Vibration Zen!
“Switch!”
Imperial Bodyguard Qian cried out in pain and retreated.
He couldn't take it anymore; two more shock , and he feared even his brain matter would flow out of his eye sockets. He could only let the other Imperial Bodyguards stall for a while; he needed to recover and heal.
Li Miao pressed closer, showing no intention of letting him go.
Imperial Bodyguard Qian also didn't wait for someone to take his place in blocking Li Miao.
He turned back in despair, only to see three pairs of eyes subtly revealing fear.
That's right, no one dared to take on the task of restraining Li Miao anymore.
Those who were willing to submit to the imperial court were Heaven and Human realm experts who feared death; otherwise, who would be willing to lie there like a corpse, living life through dreams?
They were already scared.
No one wanted to die.
If not for Wang Zhi's presence, the few of them would have already abandoned their duty and fled for their lives.
Now, the Tang Imperial Bodyguard had already quietly moved to one side. It seemed that once Imperial Bodyguard Qian died at Li Miao's hands, she would immediately turn and flee.
Imperial Bodyguard Qian's heart was like dead ash.
In the Great Shuo's martial arts world, at the Peak level, the influence of one's state of mind was already immense, and even more so in Heaven and Human realm conflicts. If one's state of mind was flawed, and their moves lost their essence, their power would be greatly diminished.
And no matter what martial art, using it with a mindset of “it's over, I'm going to die” was essentially offering one's neck to the opponent's blade.
Li Miao naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. He raised his right hand and delivered three punches to Imperial Bodyguard Qian.
Limitless Vibration Zen!
Limitless Vibration Zen!
Limitless Vibration Zen!
Three consecutive vibrations had turned Imperial Bodyguard Qian's brain into a paste. His skin cracked, and blood beads the size of soybeans seeped from all the pores on his body. His body softly collapsed, having lost all signs of life.
When Li Miao's hideous bronze mask turned to face the Tang Imperial Bodyguard, she could no longer muster the courage to strike Li Miao.
She forgot that she was a renowned Heaven and Human realm expert and seemed to return to her appearance when she first entered the martial arts world, suddenly letting out an uncontrollable shriek.
Swish!
Her figure flashed, and she turned and fled without a care.
Imperial Bodyguard Liu and Imperial Bodyguard Ruan showed expressions of unbearable sorrow, closing their eyes.
Bang!
The Tang Imperial Bodyguard's soaring figure fell like a bird with broken wings, crashing heavily onto the ground. Her face rapidly aged, and her eyes, looking up at the sky, gradually lost their luster.
Li Miao looked at Wang Zhi.
In his hand, he clutched the crushed corpse of a Gu worm.
“So that's it.”
Li Miao suddenly understood.
“I was wondering, since the imperial mausoleum held the court's secrets, how could Ji Tianrui have been allowed to sneak in and hide. That Miao King's Hand-recorded book was left by Ji Tianrui with the Miao King, so why would she deliberately leave behind a means to expose her location.”
“It turns out the butterfly that Little Four refined that day wasn't sensing Ji Tianrui at all.”
“It was sensing this place, right here.”