Not Zhou Feng’s advance was not proclaimed, yet the mere diffusion of its killing intent stirred the long-silent Ji Shaoqing, his eyes snapping open!

But now, those eyes held a chilling void, clearly invaded by that very killing intent.

And that form, previously devoid of energy, trembled, caught in a final, desperate struggle.

“Wait!” Gu Huai Xin couldn’t help but cry out.

Jiang Wang turned to him, waiting for his words.

“Jiang… Wang.” For a True Person, uttering such pleading words to a junior was no easy feat.

Yet at this moment, sprawled upon the Cliff’s Edge Platform, lay his most cherished direct disciple.

He understood that if pierced by this exceedingly cold and cruel long nail, the extinguished vitality would not be limited to the flesh. The utterly defenseless Ji Shaoqing would inevitably perish in both body and soul. All the resurrection methods he had prepared would be rendered useless.

He had been waiting for Ji Shaoqing’s “death,” but not for his true and utter demise!

This powerful contemporary True Person, with great difficulty, spoke: “Spare Ji Shaoqing. I will make him kowtow and apologize to you, make him stand vigil for Zhu Biqiong. Any compensation is acceptable, all can be discussed. And you, you shall receive the… gratitude of a contemporary True Person.”

He finally used the word “gratitude.”

To an Inner Palace cultivator, he used “gratitude.”

He truly valued Ji Shaoqing, treating this disciple with immense kindness, almost like his own son.

He was even willing to cast aside the dignity of a contemporary True Person for him!

The gratitude of a contemporary True Person—what immeasurable value did that hold?

But Jiang Wang shook his head.

“I deeply respect you, truly. You are a pillar supporting the human race, a golden beam framing the sea. I would always hold you in reverence. But some things, once done, cannot be undone. Presumably, you, in this moment, can also understand me, understand the pain of losing a friend. I, too, deeply wish for an opportunity to apologize to you. I wish for an opportunity to apologize to Ji Shaoqing, to understand how I offended him so deeply, to make him hate me to the extent of treating my friend in such a manner… But I have no such opportunity now, do I?”

Jiang Wang looked at Gu Huai Xin, his tone respectful, his attitude sincere.

Yet, with a backhand, he pressed down!

He refused the gratitude of a contemporary True Person!

A wisp of frosty wind blew, transforming into a long nail, utterly dark and chilling, with a tip of pure frost, and it precisely pierced Ji Shaoqing’s brow!

The Ji Shaoqing, still locked in a final struggle against the killing intent, instantly ceased. Even the involuntary twitching of his muscles vanished.

The long nail transformed back into frosty wind, swirling and flying back to Jiang Wang’s nose, where it was gently inhaled, returning to the Five Palace Sea.

And as this wisp of wind departed, Ji Shaoqing’s corpse on the ground “collapsed” with visible speed.

It truly collapsed.

Like a shattered mud sculpture, like a wood carving turned to ash.

A person, who had stood like a jade tree, collapsed in place, leaving behind only a pile of fine, dense powder.

Blown by the sea wind, it fluttered and scattered towards the horizon.

Samadhi True Fire could also reduce a person to ash—but if only the flesh became ash, Gu Huai Xin could still preserve the soul, find ways to seize a body, or let Ji Shaoqing cultivate the Divine Path.

But after being struck by this breath of Not Zhou Feng, even the soul was invisible.

Body and soul both extinguished, leaving only countless sorrows in the world!

The breath of Not Zhou Feng that extinguished Ji Shaoqing’s divine soul, flew back to the Five Palace Sea, no longer bearing its outwardly grim and chilling aura, but instead emanating a kind of lively and agile feeling.

The plump white cloud child, lying on the roof of the Cloud Soaring Pavilion, covered himself with a clump of cloud qi, leaving only a small opening, curiously watching this wisp of frosty wind.

Due to the rules of the Sea Gazing Tower, and his journey to the Misty World to cleanse his sins, the killing intent that nurtured Not Zhou Feng had condensed during the frenzied slaughter in the Misty World. Originally settled, it had boiled over again with Ji Shaoqing’s provocation, and the roaring killing intent had formed on the way to Celestial Abode City, thus giving rise to the first killing force of the Eight Winds, Not Zhou Feng.

One could say that this divine ability, residing in the third inner palace, had a profound connection with Ji Shaoqing.

Born from the killing thought directed at him, and then killing him, was, of course, a kind of completion.

Not Zhou Feng’s progress speed far surpassed that of Samadhi True Fire. Or perhaps, this path of killing divine ability gained the most from killing.

The three palaces returned to their positions, their divine light illuminating the Five Palace Sea.

Jiang Wang rose, devoid of joy or sorrow.

Facing everyone, he declared: “This battle concludes.”

Near the Cliff’s Edge Platform, silence reigned for a time.

Only the oblivious sea wind roared.

And Ji Shaoqing’s transformed ashes had already scattered. In this world, no trace of him remained.

Jiang Wang glanced at the suspended Dharma Altar, and bowed deeply to Gu Huai Xin, who stood beside it: “I apologize for the trouble you took in preparing this. These materials were likely not easy to obtain, please take them back.”

He knew that after this matter, a deep grudge would exist between him and Gu Huai Xin. But his life-and-death duel with Ji Shaoqing conformed to the rules, and no one could use this to retaliate. Before he ascended to the Cave True realm, the Qi kingdom would absolutely not allow Gu Huai Xin to bully the young and strong, or do anything to him.

Gu Huai Xin’s long hair, a mix of black and white, was neatly combed, giving him a unique charm.

“No need,” he said.

He made no visible movement.

The Dharma Altar in front of him, built with who knew how many resources, its value inestimable, shattered on the spot, also turning into fine dust that fluttered down!

The entire area fell silent.

This was the anger of a contemporary True Person.

Even the Palace Master of the Flowering Radiance Palace, Jiang Wu You, could not speak at this moment.

But among the Qi people present, it wasn’t just juniors like Jiang Wu You and Chong Xuan Sheng.

From the Fu Jun Finger Tiger suspended high in the sky, a voice “unfolded.”

Why use “unfold” to describe a voice? Because this voice was as vast and boundless as the sky. It was “covering” the listeners’ ears, rather than sounding beside them.

“If you’re angry, don’t vent it on the young,” the voice said.

Its tone was not intense, even quite casual: “Your disciple didn’t understand things, and neither do you?”

Some people, some existences, even a casual frown from them is impossible to ignore. And what of words that bordered on scolding?

Gu Huai Xin said no more. With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and departed.

Even when standing before a True Monarch of the Super Transcendent peak, an old man who had just lost a beloved disciple should have the right to leave in anger.

Until Gu Huai Xin’s figure vanished.

Jiang Wu You seemed to just react, loudly declaring: “On the twenty-second day of the fourth month, in the three thousand nine hundred and nineteenth year of the Dao Calendar, on the Cliff’s Edge Platform, a life-and-death duel between Great Qi’s Jiang Wang and the Sea Gazing Tower’s Ji Shaoqing. Winner: Jiang Wang!”

In ancient rites, this was originally the duty of the duel witness to announce.

When the duel witness announced the result, it meant the duel was thoroughly concluded. Whether it was a divergence in the Dao path or a life-and-death grudge, it would no longer continue.

Of course, this was merely a beautiful wish.

How could Gu Huai Xin not hate Jiang Wang?

Even if he claimed not to hate, Jiang Wang wouldn’t dare believe him.

In the future, he should try to visit the nearby islands less…

Jiang Wang glanced into the distance, towards the Misty World. Before venturing out to sea, he hadn’t imagined so many events would unfold overseas. He had originally thought the greatest difficulty would be the Sea Sacrifice Grand Ceremony. He hadn’t expected that to be just the beginning…

Whether sorrow or joy, it had finally come to an end.

He retracted his gaze, sweeping it over Chong Xuan Sheng, Fourteen, Li Longchuan, Yan Fu, Xu Xiangqian, Jiang Wu You… over each of his friends.

Since returning from the Misty World, he hadn’t properly looked at his friends.

Such vibrant, such intimate friends.

“Let’s go drink!” he said.

“Back to Wu Dong Island to drink! Everyone go!” Chong Xuan Sheng waved his hand grandly, his spirit soaring: “Yan Fu is treating!”