The Mirror Legacy

Chapter 1145: One Talisman, One Decree (II)

Li Ximing sped onward, shifting between the great void and the mortal world in turn as he tried to shake off his pursuer. By the time he crossed into the Snow Ji region, more flames clung to his body.

Behind him, Ye Hui’s calm voice drifted through the air. “Fellow Daoist Zhaojing! A duel is one thing, but heading for Jiangbei is going too far!”

Who knows whether you’re dueling or trying to kill me?! Li Ximing grumbled inwardly, but before he could think further, the great void around him suddenly shifted. The once-flat expanse grew jagged and steep; faint snowflakes began to fall, and in the far distance, a boundless storm wind appeared, carrying countless drifting snowflakes.

As the wind neared, its pale blue hue turned ashen and heavy. The heavenly light beneath his feet dimmed as snow piled half a finger deep, and Li Ximing’s expression grew grim. This wind felt familiar, and he had seen similar magic before. There existed an art in the Chongming Profound Insight Screen called Heavy Abyssal Gale, which was born of this very principle.

The divine ability of the Heavy Abyssal Gale lineage! He paused for a heartbeat, realization dawning within him, The Capital Guard divine ability, Western Sky Plateau!

What was the Western Sky Plateau? It referred to the vast highlands west of Longshu, the Great Western Plains. There, atop endless mountains, was the birthplace of the Heavy Abyssal Gale, a desolate land where spiritual energy was severed and the great void could not pass through.

Once the divine ability took effect, Li Ximing’s speed was sharply curbed. The great void beneath his feet became rough and uneven, hindering every step. Ye Hui exhaled a stream of white mist, and activated the Eastern Feather Mountain. The mist grew dense and heavy, weighing down the entire void until it seemed frozen in place.

The combination of Western Sky Plateau and Eastern Feather Mountain expanded their grip over the great void to an unprecedented degree. A chill surged through Li Ximing’s heart as a dark suspicion arose, Is Ye Hui trying to kill me? The Capital Guard’s three divine abilities are all lethal! But why have I never heard of this Western Sky Plateau before?

His thoughts raced like lightning. The white mist in the sky descended and the surrounding void solidified, nearly cutting off all connection to the mortal world. Debating between advance and retreat, Li Ximing halted and summoned the Heaven-Venerating Gate once again.

The Eastern Feather Mountain technique was neither unfamiliar nor overwhelmingly strong. It had the same suppressive effect on the void that Li Ximing’s own Heaven-Venerating Gate had. Ye Hui had used it in their first encounter, and back then, Li Ximing had broken its hold with purple fire and escaped into the mortal world.

But this time, the talisman and scripture had appeared at his side. Lightning and True Fire descended together; the white mountain above came crashing down; and the South Chou Waters surged forth. How could he possibly withstand it all with purple flame held in his mouth?

Li Ximing only had two choices left. The first was to use his purple flames to block the thunder and True Fire while the Heaven-Venerating Gate resisted the mist and purple waters. However, he would remain trapped to await a turn of fortune. The second was to endure the blazing onslaught, shatter the divine abilities with purple flame, and forcefully return to the mortal world.

The mortal world below is the Snow Ji Gate. Ye Hui will surely pursue. I’d still need to cross Lake Xian, and wounded as I am, my speed would drop. Even risking injury might not guarantee escape…

Should I use the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger? But under this dual suppression and a sword at my throat, even that art couldn’t take me away instantly; it might only waste my defenses.

The Heaven-Venerating Gate burst forth in the blink of an eye, blocking the white mountain and purple waters above. The purple flame from Li Ximing’s lips clashed against the thunderbolt, while his Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light and dharma body together resisted the True Fire. The burning made his spiritual form crackle and pop.

This time, the True Fire audibly scorched his dharma body. Though it still gleamed with a glazed luster, faint burn marks had begun to appear on his body. He suddenly raised his hand and invoked the newly learned Supreme Yang Resonance Radiant Art, sweeping aside the black talisman with white patterns above him while his other hand formed a seal.

Should I use it or not?

If he used the Stable Tiger Dao form of the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger, he could slip away, but that art excelled in concealment and evasion, not in speed. It lacked the subtlety to aid movement through the great void. Most crucially, True Fire still burned across his body, bright as a beacon. With Ye Hui so near, he would not get far. Any attempt to flee now would only waste his strength in vain.

He had used his divine ability to resist the purple waters and white mountain, summoned purple flame to block the thunder, and employed the Supreme Yang Resonance Radiant Art together with Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light to fend off the True Fire. Since he had no strength left to deal with Ye Hui’s chanting and hand seals, he slapped his storage pouch, and a stone box flew out.

This stone box had been brought back by Li Zhouwei. It contained Huiyuan Spirit Water, an entire box of it, the Li Family’s richest stock of spirit water. At such a desperate moment, he could not afford to be frugal.

Fortunately, Ye Hui seemed unaware that he intended to extinguish the True Fire to escape. The man only quickened his chanting, while Li Ximing hastily struck open the stone box, pouring out a sheet of crystal-clear spirit water over his dharma body and channeling his divine ability at full force.

A sharp hiss rang out. The flames flickered stubbornly a few times before finally dying out. Li Ximing had no time to rejoice; behind Ye Hui, a hazy yellow radiance bloomed as the man chanted aloud, “Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials, go!”

Since he had barely managed to quench the True Fire, Li Ximing had no intention of waiting to see what spell Ye Hui would unleash. He drew a white orb engraved with the image of a tiger turning its head from his Shenyang Mansion. The bead flashed with fine threads of light, instantly transforming into a spirit tiger carved of stone with a gray-black body and eyes gleaming with life.

Mounting the tiger, Li Ximing was immediately wrapped in a web of tawny light, the Mountain-Charging Profound Veil. He channeled his divine ability and parted the purple waters and white mountain. The great void before him loosened for but an instant, but he took the chance to tear it open and dart away at full speed.

The Pure Profound Radiance of the Three Primordials vanished into the great void at almost the same moment, leaving Ye Hui standing amid flowing purple waters, his dharma sword in hand. Clearly drained from the exertion, he exhaled softly and did not give chase. Instead, he withdrew his divine abilities.

As the white mountain and purple waters gradually faded away, Ye Hui gazed into the distant void, as though weighing something in his mind. After a long moment, he steadied his heart, stepped onto the purple currents, and departed.