Chapter 0: 116. Keep Trying
The black maces used by Ren Ci were more slender and longer than the heavy maces used by Qin Gou’s same-named relative, Qin Qiong (Uncle-King Bao). However, the rolling waves of energy stirred up by this strike, capable of clearing clouds and flashing lightning, left no one in doubt of its terrifying power.
“Jia Ren!”
With a roar of enraged bellows, Yan Shang transformed into his true form in an instant, engulfing the sky.
His crimson wings blazed with fierce flames, and his demonic, jade-green twin pupils held astonishing ferocity. At the same moment, Ren Ci dissolved into a mist of blood, only to reform beside Qin Gou, revealing her figure once more.
“Jia Ren, betraying this Seat will absolutely be the most foolish decision you’ve ever made in your life!”
“Don’t misunderstand. I have never chosen to be on ally Yan’s side from beginning to end, so how can it be considered betrayal?” Ren Ci spoke the truth, spreading her small hands. “Fellow Daoist Qin, wasn’t my acting just now rather good?”
At the same time, a colossal black shadow materialized behind her.
The true form of Ren Ci’s Natal Dharma Aspect was a ferocious black panther, its fur as black as ink. Its pair of amber, violent eyes exuded a wild aura that sent shivers down one’s spine. Its powerful, well-defined limbs tensed, and its graceful, slender body leaped through the sky, attacking Yan Shang without hesitation.
“Since you insist on seeking death!”
For a moment, Yan Shang flapped his wings, a gale whistling. He abruptly raised his supremely sharp, colossal claws, only to hear a voice suddenly whisper in his ear: “Your Excellency, have you perhaps forgotten something?”
In a flash, a strange, white-feathered hand materialized out of thin air, clamping onto Yan Shang’s left wing and gripping it tightly. The ghostly black panther Dharma Aspect immediately swiped a claw at Yan Shang’s chest and abdomen, and a bizarre dark glow spread like a serpent across his body.
The anti-flight laws within the Holy Pavilion had indeed imposed considerable restrictions on both Qin Gou and Ren Ci, but alas… they had numbers.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, is this perhaps the first time we’ve fought side-by-side with our full power?” Ren Ci suddenly said. Perhaps because Yan Cang Zhou was present, she still addressed him as ‘Fellow Daoist Qin’ instead of her usual ‘Zhenyu’.
“If we don’t count the wild wolves we took down in Illusory World Cloud Marsh while we were both amnesiac, then yes, indeed.” Qin Gou nodded with a smile.
“Before, when I was your opponent, seeing your Dharma Aspect was quite daunting. Now, fighting an enemy together, it truly is comfortable and pleasant.” Ren Ci’s lips curved into a beautiful smile.
“And why wouldn’t it be? Today, I’ve truly seen your Natal Dharma Aspect with my own eyes. If you had ambushed me with this Dharma Aspect back when I was dueling with Fanyin Demon Lord, it would have been truly impossible to guard against.”
“You flatter me.”
“I’m truly ashamed!”
Of course, while exchanging compliments via sound transmission, the two were not idle. Qin Gou activated the Heavenly Travel Technique, gripping his long sword. Together with Ren Ci, who held her mace in one hand, they attacked Yan Shang. Their sword and mace combined, churning up a sky full of formidable energy, leaving Yan Shang’s colossal body with nowhere to evade.
Suddenly, Yan Shang spewed forth a ball of flames, entirely a sinister, dark purple color, resembling a massive meteor. The astonishing high temperature forced Qin Gou, Ren Ci, their Dharma Aspects, and their true bodies to temporarily retreat.
At this moment, Yan Shang did not choose to pursue them. Instead, he suddenly turned towards another direction and fled rapidly.
Just as he was about to escape the confines of Arc-Moon Mountain, Qin Gou’s brows furrowed. He immediately activated his Divine Feather Dharma Aspect to its fullest, blocking Yan Shang’s path.
“Is Clan Leader Yan intending to flee?” Qin Gou’s voice was amplified by his spiritual power.
“I merely wish to verify a certain idea of mine.” Yan Shang did not look at Qin Gou but instead examined the Divine Feather Dharma Aspect before his eyes, a hint of a smile suddenly appearing in his tone.
“What?”
“From the very beginning, I’ve been wondering what use that strange mountain peak above us serves. There seems to be some kind of restriction covering its surface, and it is heavily protected! It truly makes one intensely curious.” Yan Shang’s eyes flashed with ferocity.
Qin Gou chuckled, “It’s true that there’s a restriction on the outer perimeter of my Arc-Moon Mountain, but if Clan Leader Yan claims it’s merely for its protection, then you are greatly mistaken.”
“That’s unimportant! What’s important is that I’ve discovered this object is very likely the key to a sudden amplification of your strength!”
“What?” Qin Gou stiffened for a moment, his expression changing slightly. “You’re not thinking of…”
However, Yan Shang misinterpreted Qin Gou’s change in expression as fear. He suddenly let out a long roar. The dark purple meteor he had previously condensed exploded violently, transforming into numerous smaller meteors that scattered and attacked Qin Gou, Ren Ci, Yan Cang Zhou, and their Dharma Aspects.
Seizing this opportunity, Yan Shang’s colossal body unhesitatingly flapped its wings and leaped towards the sky, straight towards the Arc-Moon Mountain hanging upside down in the heavens.
“That’s incredible.”
Seeing this scene, Qin Gou, while fending off the exploding meteors, couldn’t help but gasp. Yan Shang was actually planning to charge headfirst into the system’s restrictions!
Qin Gou himself had done something similar before, and he had succeeded once. Because of the relationship between himself and his old pal, everything was easy to discuss with them as a family. But if it were an outsider…
“Boom!”
A heaven-shattering roar echoed. Yan Shang, who had been charging towards the sky, didn’t even truly touch the body of Arc-Moon Mountain before he was directly slammed down by an invisible hand, like a falling star into the wilderness, creating a colossal crater in the earth.
“How is this possible!?”
Covered in blood, Yan Shang roared in disbelief. He had battled Qin Gou, Ren Ci, and Yan Cang Zhou for so long without suffering such severe injuries. Yet, this mysterious and utterly bizarre inverted mountain peak had reduced him to this state in just a single moment.
“Are you alright, Clan Leader Yan? Please don’t lose heart and give up!”
At this moment, Qin Gou looked like he had seen a close relative, his face beaming with encouraging smiles. He clapped his hands and said, “I’m counting on you to try a few more times and unleash your full power! You must succeed in breaking through this restriction!”
“You can’t fool me!” Yan Shang retorted decisively.
“What?” Qin Gou looked bewildered.
“The more you act so nonchalant, the more it proves the importance of this mountain and the correctness of my actions. Otherwise, why would you have gone to such lengths to move it here? To say you hope I’ll continue attacking? How laughable! Listening to your words, are you perhaps trying to trick me by saying it doesn’t actually amplify your strength but rather imposes some kind of seal on you!?”
“You guessed correctly…”
“That’s why I say, your cheap tricks can’t fool me at all!”
“Then…”
Qin Gou, uncharacteristically dumbfounded, spread his hands. He pointed towards Arc-Moon Mountain once more, gesturing for the other to persevere. “Please?!”
