I Can Extract Divine Power-Chapter 169 - 111: Battling the Sect Leader (3)

At the edge of the darkness, a river seemed to flow.

On its bank, a figure flickered in and out of view.

"Lord Shen, come. A battle between us is inevitable. If you die, I live. If I die, you live."

The Sect Leader’s voice drifted over.

Shen Bai stroked Amber’s head, raised Cold Moon, and blurred into an afterimage, streaking toward the riverbank.

Since he was here, he would be taking the Sect Leader’s head.

...

「On the riverbank.」

The Sect Leader, dressed in a straw raincoat, sat tall on a stone, a fishing rod in hand.

Beside him was a clean fish basket, already holding a few small fish.

As if sensing Shen Bai’s arrival, the Sect Leader turned his head and smiled.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve fished. I’d almost forgotten I was once a fisherman in Fenglin State." The Sect Leader pointed to the spot beside him. "Lord Shen, care to take a seat?"

Shen Bai surveyed his surroundings and said coolly, "To think the renowned Sect Leader of Fenglin State was once a fisherman."

The Sect Leader shook his head. "Of course. I once had a happy family and lived a peaceful life. I worked hard every day to make a living. It was busy, but I was happy."

"But alas..."

Shen Bai ran a finger along his longsword. "Alas for what?"

The Sect Leader sighed. "Alas, in this world, some people rely on their family’s power. They stole my fishing boat. My entire family, young and old, suffered from hunger every day. In the end, my child, still in swaddling clothes, died."

"Overcome with grief and prolonged hardship, my wife and my old mother soon followed."

"Tsk, tsk. Only I survived, and I became... this."

Shen Bai frowned. "What’s the use of telling me all this?"

The Sect Leader flicked his fishing rod. "Ever since I stepped onto the path of cultivation, I’ve always thought: since the world was unjust to me, why should I repay it with virtue?"

"Founding the Upper Evil Sect was the proudest achievement of my life, but it was ultimately destroyed by your hands. To be honest, from a personal standpoint, I quite admire you."

"I can give you a chance. Do you see this?"

In the Sect Leader’s left hand was a red bead, pulsing with crimson light.

"The Life and Death Pearl. It represents not only death, but also life."

"Using their deaths in exchange for my life—that is its true mystery."

As his voice fell, the bead in his hand vanished, and his aura began to surge.

"I know you have the ability of Overcoming Adversity and Attacking Upward. You could be called a top prodigy of this generation. But as I am now, you are no match for me."

"Behold. With the help of the Life and Death Pearl, I have broken through to the Meridian Realm. This is the dividing line for mortals. You cannot win."

"Therefore, I’m giving you a chance."

The Sect Leader slowly rose to his feet, his presence growing ever more profound. "Swallow a Life and Death Pearl and become my inside agent. I will help you get whatever you want in Fenglin State."

"Otherwise, you die."

The fishing rod shattered inch by inch, and a long spear appeared in the Sect Leader’s hand.

Shen Bai narrowed his eyes. "I think you’ve misunderstood something."

The Sect Leader raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Shen Bai said slowly, "First, in Fenglin State, I already get whatever I want."

"Second, I don’t like being controlled."

"And finally, you’re quite impressive. You’ve managed to stir my will to fight."

"Everyone says I’m capable of Overcoming Adversity and Attacking Upward. I’d like to see just how your artificially-boosted Meridian Realm cultivation is going to defeat me."

As Shen Bai finished speaking, a blood-red Sword Qi, a brilliant Buddha’s Light, a jade-like white radiance, sacred Dao Text, and a terrifying shadow began to float around him.

The Qi in Shen Bai’s body, channeled through the Mixed Element Array-Breaking Technique, formed an array within him.

In the next moment, Shen Bai’s aura began to skyrocket.

"Amber, stay on the sidelines and support me," Shen Bai said coolly.

"Meow!"

Amber cried out, flashed to a spot nearby, and let out a low growl at the Sect Leader.

At that moment, although Shen Bai’s cultivation was only at the Five Organ Realm, his aura was steadily approaching the Sect Leader’s.

The auras of the two men clashed relentlessly, neither willing to yield, like two towering mountains in a standoff.

The Sect Leader held his spear in a reverse grip and sighed. "Fine. I’ll let you see my second ability, then."

The moment he finished speaking, intricate patterns appeared on his face.

Once the patterns had spread completely, an opera mask materialized over his features.

"I once taught the Xiqu Venerable Envoy some of my Magic, but his version was a pale imitation. The Life and Death Pearl is merely a tool for enhancement and control. Today, I’ll let you witness the True Inheritance I received from the Peach Opera Garden."

As his voice faded, the Sect Leader formed a hand seal with his left hand.

"Yiii~ya!"

Following the operatic cry, the spear in the Sect Leader’s hand suddenly thrust forward.

There had been no wind, yet this single thrust conjured waves out of thin air.

The surface of the lake began to boil, as if a great fire were burning at its bottom.

Pillars of water shot into the sky, accompanying the longspear as it stabbed straight toward Shen Bai.

’Magic?’

Shen Bai narrowed his eyes.

He didn’t know what kind of entity the Peach Opera Garden was, but he could feel an inexplicable pressure from this spear thrust.

"Good!"

Shen Bai executed a Cold Moon Spin with his sword and threw a punch with his left fist.

Blood-red Sword Qi and golden Fist Gang intertwined as a thirty-foot-tall Dharma Golden Body manifested, resembling a Furious Vajra.

Pillars of water, the longspear, the longsword, the Fist Gang.

All these attacks collided in an instant.

BOOM!

An unending roar echoed in that moment. The once-placid lake, as if its sleep had been disturbed, erupted into a chaotic frenzy.

The Sect Leader spun his longspear back. His face was covered by the opera mask, his true features hidden, but his eyes revealed a trace of astonishment.

"You actually blocked a strike from the Meridian Realm?"

Although he had just entered the Meridian Realm through artificial means, it was still a major watershed in terms of power.

Throughout history, there had been those capable of Overcoming Adversity and Attacking Upward, but never had anyone heard of someone in the Five Organ Realm attacking up into the Meridian Realm.

Shen Bai took a step back, watching as the churned-up lake water fell back down as a fine mist.

Within the mist, a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere arose. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Shen Bai wiped a finger across the blade of his Cold Moon Sword, his eyes blazing with an unprecedented will to fight. "Exhilarating! Again!"