For a moment, Zuo Guangshu, upon the River Lord’s divine carriage, was stunned.
Long had their faces and voices faded from memory, yet they revisited him repeatedly in soul-dreams.
Now, to see them again, yet not as they once were!
A city of blazing flowers descended, drifting down upon the city pool of fire.
Soaring towers, wine shops, singing girls…
Within, fierce flames roared, vaguely resembling carriages flowing like water, horses like dragons!
It was the epitome of beauty, the ultimate manifestation of might.
Such a burning city of flames descended from the sky, completely enveloping the Calamity Fighter King Beast, and trapping it along with the surrounding Calamity Fighters.
Even the Heavenly Maiden driven by Qu Shunhua was caught within.
The city of flames crashing down was the first round of damage, and the most direct.
This single blow crushed a large number of Calamity Fighters.
After the city of flames enveloped the opponents, the entirety of the city pool’s pavilions, towers, buildings, carriages, and pedestrians, all manifestations of fire, continued their fiery conquest.
This moment marked the most intense phase of the technique, “Blazing Flowers Burning City.”
To surround the enemy within the city, and incinerate them with the city itself!
Under Jiang Wang’s control, the entire city of flames roared and burned, launching the most ferocious assault upon the Calamity Fighters trapped within.
Spirits of fire danced.
Fierce flames distorted space itself!
Those Calamity Fighters piled upon the tall Heavenly Maiden were instantly swept clean.
Naturally, the most scorching flames surged towards the Calamity Fighter King Beast.
Jiang Wang, seizing this opportune moment, precisely pinpointed the Calamity Fighter King Beast’s location and unleashed “Blazing Flowers Burning City,” aimed squarely at ending the battle.
This was the first appearance of “Blazing Flowers Burning City,” yet it possessed such terrifying power.
It seemed this objective would be achieved with but a flick of the wrist.
But just at this moment, the Calamity Fighter King Beast, its form now the size of a swift horse, suddenly opened its maw.
Aside from the three-pronged tip of its tail and its swollen body shape at this moment, it was indeed no different from a common dog.
Even its staggered teeth appeared nothing special.
Yet, as it opened its mouth, a dark vortex seemed to appear within its throat!
*Hoo hoo.*
Infinite fierce flames poured into its gullet. It actually swallowed the entire burning city of flames in a single gulp!
Just like that, it swallowed it… down.
It let out a belch of black smoke.
Too strong.
Strong to the point of fear, strong to the point of terror!
And too cunning!
This Calamity Fighter King Beast’s lazy, belching appearance, like that of a very honest, ordinary black dog, showed no hint of its ferocity.
But Jiang Wang clearly saw thick mockery in its eyes.
This single Calamity Fighter King Beast, relying solely on its own strength, was fundamentally no weaker than that Kui Cow.
Yet it had cunningly hidden itself within the horde of Calamity Fighter beasts, exhausting every thought to conceal itself. Most of the time, it only displayed its ability to command the Calamity Fighter horde.
And once someone harbored the idea of “capture the thief by capturing the king,” struggled through a thousand hardships to find it, broke through layer upon layer of interception, and finally reached its front, they would discover—
It itself was merely stronger than an entire Calamity Fighter beast horde combined!
In that instant, Zuo Guangshu, Yue Tiannu, and Qu Shunhua all stared with wide eyes.
Jiang Wang, too, was filled with a belly full of sighs, only regretting the lack of sufficiently marvelous vulgar words to express himself.
So strong, yet still leading the pack. So strong, yet still concealing itself. So strong, yet still setting ambushes!
Compared to this Calamity Fighter King Beast, what were the Ying Fish, the Huang Bei, the Kui Cow? Simply naive, romantic, playful, and cute!
At this moment, the flaming flowers that filled the sky had disappeared, and the glorious city of flames seemed never to have existed. Surrounded by the horde of Calamity Fighter beasts, only Jiang Wang stood alone in his original spot, with a confused Heavenly Maiden stopped not far away.
Some Calamity Fighters still burning with fierce flames were surrounded by others. One after another, they quickly ate away the fur adhering to those fierce flames.
The entire process remained silent.
They were simply like a well-trained army, cold and powerful.
The four heaven’s favored ones in the field were also silent.
Such Calamity Fighters truly made one feel somewhat powerless.
Qu Shunhua, suspended within the tall Heavenly Maiden’s body, experienced a flicker of hesitation—
Should she, or should she not, for the sake of the three percent divine soul origin of the four people in the field, expose the absolute peak divine ability that had been hidden for so long?
Zuo Guangshu could definitely keep a secret, and Yue Tiannu should also pose little problem, but what about this Brother Jiang, whom she had only known for a short time?
Although his reputation was one of keeping promises, she had only heard, never seen…
Just in this instant of hesitation, the situation in the field had already changed.
Before that terrifying Calamity Fighter King Beast, the solitary man holding a sword suddenly had a cloak of frosty white roll up behind him!
Scorching fire enveloped his body, and sword energy shone in his eyes.
The Scarlet Heart leaped…
Between heaven and earth, it was as if a song was being chanted.
Within the Mountain Sea Realm, a sword immortal has emerged!
Glorious, romantic, with exceptional grace.
A super-grade technique was swallowed in a single gulp, and in the sudden fear that enveloped Jiang Wang, he had already made his choice for the first time.
Though fearful, though afraid, there would be no retreat.
Only attack.
Advance again and again.
Gathering all, momentum, energy, intent, force, the sword performed myriad laws, and thus this single sword poured down like a mountain!
Within the horde of Calamity Fighters that resembled a black tide, under the gaze of countless pairs of cold eyes, at this moment, he was only his sword.
And he gripped his sword tightly, thus an absolute peak single sword collided with the Calamity Fighter.
Today’s Jiang Wang was not the Jiang Wang of the View River Terrace.
The sword immortal person of today had integrated the divine abilities of the five Inner Mansions.
Samadhi True Fire, Crooked Path, Buzhou Wind, Sword Immortal Person, Scarlet Heart.
Red, black-white, frosty white, sky blue, red-gold, the divine light wheel turned.
Whether technique, sword, divine ability, secret method, or physical body… all had undergone comprehensive elevation.
Such a Jiang Wang reversing the absolute peak, such a sword immortal person coming straight with a single sword, truly possessed the momentum to collide and collapse the pillar supporting the heavens!
Clouds and smoke in the sky drifted far away, and waves in the sea retreated.
The instinctive fear of life caused the Calamity Fighter horde to involuntarily retreat.
Zuo Guangshu silently watched this scene.
If “Blazing Flowers Burning City” still carried the shadow of another proud sun, then this sword at this moment belonged entirely to the glory of the name Jiang Wang!
For a moment, heaven and earth were all white, as if frost and snow had fallen.
His entire vision seemed to be enveloped by this one sword.
One sword blocked the eyes, and the human world could not be seen.
That leisurely, cat-playing-with-a-mouse-like Calamity Fighter King Beast, at this moment, its neck fur stood on end, and it too felt a long-lost sense of danger.
A peculiar luster suddenly flowed over its black fur, instantly shaking off the lock of this single sword.
It leaped back, retreating a hundred ten zhang away.
But it still brought up a series of blood drops, floating in the air, connecting into a fine “bridge.”
On this side of the “bridge” was the tip of Longxiangsi, and on the other side, it connected below the neck of the Calamity Fighter King Beast.
There, the black fur had been cut open for the first time, the wound gaping and ferocious, deep enough to see the bone.
Had it been an inch higher, who knows if it wouldn’t have been beheaded!
Too relaxed.
The reason it received such a sword wound was entirely due to its relaxation.
It had swallowed that city of flames in one gulp, mockingly appreciating the fearful expressions of these people, yet it did not expect that this person’s reaction would be so fast, and that within that weak body, he could unleash such terrifying power, to the extent of threatening it!
“Roar!”
The Calamity Fighter King Beast’s eyes revealed a fierce light, showing a shift from surprise to anger, from mockery to cruelty.
The Calamity Fighters in the field all roared in fury for their king, swarming towards Jiang Wang, covering him like a black tide.
And Jiang Wang, though his single sword had not succeeded, had already pointed his foot towards the green clouds and soared into the sky—
“Guangshu, take good care of the younger siblings, don’t separate!”
Leaving only this hurried sentence, he then chose a direction opposite to Zuo Guangshu and the others, shooting away.
Even a full-force single sword strike under the Sword Immortal Person state could be avoided by this Calamity Fighter King Beast.
The gap in strength was already too large to bridge.
No matter how many heroic words were spoken, Jiang Wang always remembered his purpose for coming to the Mountain Sea Realm: to help Zuo Guangshu.
An agreement made, ten thousand mountains cannot obstruct it.
He himself had come ten thousand *li* from the east of Qi Country, solely to exhaust his own abilities.
The Open Pulse Pill he had originally swallowed also signified taking on the responsibility of this “elder brother.”
Thus, he remained without complaint within the purgatory of the Mountain Sea Realm, and thus he stood out before Huangliang Terrace.
Therefore, there was no need to hesitate in this moment’s choice.
The sword light became faster, the green clouds quicker.
It was naturally impossible for the Calamity Fighter King Beast to let go of the human who had harmed it. The initial surrounding and hunting of these people was merely a casual pursuit after losing the Kui Cow.
Now, it had a firm target.
It rushed forward like a horse, leading the black mass of Calamity Fighter beasts, chasing closely.
It must make this human understand that having offended it, there was no safe place within this vast Mountain Sea Realm!
Jiang Wang shot away like lightning. The beast tide surged rapidly.
Zuo Guangshu did not have time to speak, only turning the carriage. Li Long had already pulled the River Lord’s divine carriage, heading straight after the Calamity Fighters.
But a huge palm blocked the front of the carriage, gripping Li Long’s horn, forcibly stopping the River Lord’s divine carriage.
Qu Shunhua leaped out from the Heavenly Maiden’s body, landing on top of the River Lord’s divine carriage, pressing down on Zuo Guangshu’s shoulder: “Calm down, Guangshu!”
Zuo Guangshu turned his head and shouted: “You go down first!”
Qu Shunhua was stunned. This was a seriousness she had never seen in Zuo Guangshu.
“Things have already happened!” Yue Zen Master’s somewhat sluggish voice said.
Her gray robe fluttered in the wind as she calmly looked at the youth on the River Lord’s divine carriage: “What we should do is face reality. No one dies in the Mountain Sea Realm. Jiang Wang’s biggest loss is three percent of his divine soul origin. Instead of rushing up to accompany your Brother Jiang now, it would be better to think about how to harvest more in the Mountain Sea Realm, and how to make up for his loss. Jiang Wang has already made the best choice in the first instance. And you? How long do you need to think clearly?”
“Guangshu,” Qu Shunhua also said in a soft voice: “Even if we all chase after them, we can’t do anything to that group of Calamity Fighters. We’ve already tried, and we indeed failed. What we should do most now is not give up on this exploration of the Mountain Sea Realm, but how to compensate Brother Jiang, so as not to affect his future path. Additionally, Brother Jiang entering the Mountain Sea Realm has things he wants. We should also help him get them. This would also be better for Brother Jiang, wouldn’t it?”
Until this moment, the tall Heavenly Maiden blocking the front of the River Lord’s divine carriage only gradually dissipated from reality to illusion.
The power displayed by the Calamity Fighter King Beast was too terrifying; it was an overwhelming strength.
Neither Yue Tiannu nor Qu Shunhua clearly felt that Jiang Wang had any chance of surviving after enraging the Calamity Fighter King Beast.
Even Zuo Guangshu himself was very clear on this point.
Just…
He stood on top of the River Lord’s divine carriage, silent for a while: “Brother Jiang came to the Mountain Sea Realm without wanting anything. From beginning to end, he only asked what I wanted.”
Qu Shunhua remained silent, standing beside him, not knowing what to say for a time.
And Yue Tiannu’s gaze scanned the sea surface. The remains of the dismantled mechanism Jin Naluo had long since fallen into the sea.
She observed while calmly saying: “Then you can also think about what kind of person your Brother Jiang is, what he is good at and not good at, and what things in the Mountain Sea Realm he might need. When the time comes to leave, give him a gift.”
This was indeed clear and rational thinking.
Only in the face of sudden great changes can very few people shake off the interference of emotion and think with a detached mindset.
This nature of her heart was like an ancient well without ripples; emotion seemed to have no effect on her.
“Master Yue is right,” Qu Shunhua gripped Zuo Guangshu’s hand and said softly: “Brother Jiang also said to stay and take good care of me, didn’t he?”
Zuo Guangshu finally calmed down.
Just as he was about to retreat into the River Lord’s body, he heard Yue Tiannu say again: “Donor Zuo, can you help me fish up the remains of that Jin Naluo? Those materials are very rare. Any bit we can find back is something.”
She reached out and circled several areas: “They should be in these positions.”
This was truly a person who would always follow a fixed path, probably very difficult to be interfered with by this world, right?
Zuo Guangshu inexplicably thought this, remained silent for a moment, and finally answered “Alright.” He began to seriously manipulate the water element, summoning the power of water to search for the scattered remains of the mechanism Jin Naluo in the sea area.
And Yue Tiannu, after opening her mouth to ask for help, fundamentally did not look in this direction again. Whether one called it trusting Zuo Guangshu or not caring too much about the remains of the mechanism Jin Naluo… in any case, she had already summoned that mechanism Garuda from earlier, and then took out the corresponding crafting tools, beginning to repair it with a *thud thud clang clang.*
Its sound was like striking a wooden fish.
Constant and desolate.
The Mountain Sea Realm was not the Mountain Sea Realm of one person. Every person who stepped into this square world had their own pursuits.
Above the sea surface, Xiang Bei walked on the water. There were no people around, nor were there any strange beasts. Even the sound of his footsteps on the water became very clear. The water waves reflected the exaggerated halberd edge of the World-Covering Halberd, which looked extremely sharp.
“Can you find him?” he asked casually.
The person walking in front of him wore a black long robe and held a Seven Stars Compass in his hand, his eyes focused on the pointer: “As long as your World-Covering Halberd is not taken over by a third person, I can definitely trace him.”
“So many days have passed, are the traces still useful?”
“Of course, they are useless to others, but to me… once activated, how can they be useless?” The person in front turned his head back, revealing a face that had left a deep impression on many people on the View River Terrace: “Xiang Bei, don’t tell me, Jiang Wang has already scared the courage out of you.”
Given Xiang Bei’s well-known character, encountering this kind of question, he would undoubtedly jump like thunder, tearing the questioner apart without a second thought.
But at this moment, Xiang Bei’s expression was very calm: “I am not his opponent now, there is nothing to conceal. But if it comes to fighting, I will not retreat. It’s just that the opportunity to enter the Mountain Sea Realm is very rare, and as long as one’s ability is sufficient, there is harvest here. I fear that your hatred blinds you, causing you to attend to one thing and lose another, ultimately suffering a small loss for a big gain.”
“Leave Jiang Wang to me,” Tai Yin turned his gaze back to the Seven Stars Compass, saying only: “You can deal with Zuo Guangshu, right?”
“As long as you can kill Jiang Wang separately, Zuo Guangshu will absolutely not be able to interfere with your fight… The problem is, can you really do it?”
Tai Yin smiled lightly: “If he and I meet on a narrow road and fight head-on, perhaps he has the advantage, after all, he is the First Inner Mansion of Qing Shi, right? But under the array I have set… then we shall see if he is the First Outer Building of Qing Shi!”