Invincible Soul Emperor

Li Rui’s icy gaze shocked Lin Lanxin to her core. She hadn’t expected that a youth merely guarding the Saint Heir would also be one of the talents carefully nurtured by a Nine-Star Sect.

Moreover, with the strength to slay a fourth-level Martial King, he would be revered as a patriarchal figure in any ordinary one- or two-star sect.

The Saint Heir waved his hand, and Li Rui’s expression instantly turned respectful. ”Li Rui,” the Saint Heir said, ”take the Memory Crystal and bring back footage of the battle. I’m quite interested in that fellow.”

Li Rui cupped his fist to accept the order. The Saint Heir then stood up and walked behind the screen.

Lin Lanxin wanted to say more, but under Li Rui’s glacial stare, she could only turn and leave with him.

***

In the secret chamber, Ye Qingchen had immersed himself in intense cultivation ever since Qin Yue had left.

At this moment, he had summoned his Dual Pupil Martial Soul and the Wordless Jade Bi, studying them intently.

He first felt something unusual back in the Chaotic Labyrinth. He understood his rapid progress was due to a bond that had formed between his Dual Pupil Martial Soul and the Wordless Jade Bi. This bond released a strange substance that significantly enhanced his aptitude, yielding rich rewards during his moments of sudden insight into Formations and while in the Nurturing Heart Hall.

This mysterious substance gave off an indescribable and ethereal sensation, one so fleeting and faint that even in the Chaotic Labyrinth, Ye Qingchen couldn’t quite grasp it.

But he knew for certain that this substance was real.

However, he had now been studying the Dual Pupil Martial Soul and the Wordless Jade Bi for a full day and night. He tried various methods, from stimulating them with Soul Power to nourishing them with Spiritual Energy. He even risked using the Fen Tian Earth Fire to provoke a reaction, but still, nothing changed.

The mysterious substance did not appear again.

Ye Qingchen rubbed his aching head, put away the Dual Pupil Martial Soul and the Wordless Jade Bi, and stood up. A day and a night of investigation had left him feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

Haste makes waste. After all, the Dual Pupil Martial Soul and the Wordless Jade Bi are in my hands. Sooner or later, I’ll figure everything out.

With that thought, Ye Qingchen decided to go out for a walk to relax a bit before continuing his cultivation.

After leaving the secret room, Ye Qingchen changed into a set of light clothes and, with a flash, departed from Chen Yue Pavilion.

Lin Lanxin, who had been lurking outside Chen Yue Pavilion, saw Ye Qingchen emerge and quickly said to the man beside her, ”Young Master Li, that’s Chen Qingye.”

Li Rui nodded. Gazing at the cool moonlight, he remarked, ”He certainly knows how to pick his own death date. A dark moon and high winds are the perfect conditions to meet one’s end.”

After speaking, Li Rui ignored Lin Lanxin and took off alone, chasing in the direction Ye Qingchen had gone.

Although Ye Qingchen had been in Illusory Moon City for a long time, he had never truly taken the time to appreciate its beauty. It was now approaching dawn, and the city was deserted. Looking at the empty streets, Ye Qingchen felt a trace of desolation.

”Are you Chen Qingye?”

A cold voice cut through the silence as Li Rui appeared before Ye Qingchen in a flash.

Ye Qingchen sized up his opponent. The aura of a first-level Martial King Realm expert radiated from Li Rui without restraint. Ye Qingchen smirked and asked, ”Are you from the Huanyue Sect?”

Li Rui snorted coldly. ”The Huanyue Sect doesn’t deserve a disciple like me. Cut the crap. Are you Chen Qingye?”

”Quite bold, aren’t you?” Ye Qingchen replied with a light chuckle. ”Yes, I am Chen Qingye. What business do you have with me?”

Li Rui nodded and said indifferently, ”Since you’re Chen Qingye, this is simple. I’ll give you two options. First, surrender without a fight, and I can grant you a less painful death. Second, I waste a bit of my time, shatter your meridians, and let you die in agony and despair. You have three breaths to consider your choice.”

Ye Qingchen almost laughed out of anger. Where did this arrogant young man come from? To demand his surrender as if he were already a dead man in his eyes.

Seeing that Ye Qingchen didn’t respond, Li Rui nodded. ”So you have some backbone. If you had chosen to surrender, I would have looked down on you. Since you’ve chosen to resist, I’ll allow you to know my name before you die.”

Ye Qingchen shook his head. ”Sorry, I have absolutely no interest in your name. What I want to know is, did the Huanyue Sect send you to kill me?”

Li Rui’s eyes turned frosty. ”I already told you, the Huanyue Sect isn’t worthy! Listen well. My name is Li Rui. In your next life, if you hear this name, remember to steer clear.”

Without waiting for Ye Qingchen to respond, Li Rui launched his attack. His hands quickly formed one Seal Formula after another, and the surrounding Spiritual Energy began to gather before him.

This man is an expert.

Typically, Martial Artists used their own Spiritual Energy to launch attacks. Only when employing an Earth Rank Martial Technique or higher could one possibly harness the Spiritual Power from the air. Such attacks not only greatly enhanced a Martial Technique’s power but also reduced the user’s own energy consumption.

Li Rui, however, seemed to be using only a Mysterious Rank Martial Technique, yet he could still draw on the surrounding Spiritual Power. This could only mean that the Cultivation Technique he practiced was of a very high grade, allowing him to commune with nature’s spiritual energy and make it his own with a mere flick of a wrist.

Although the amount of nature’s spiritual energy Li Rui could currently utilize was still small, this was an ability most Martial Artists could only achieve upon reaching the Martial Emperor Realm.

Countless Martial Artists were stuck at the peak of the Martial King Realm for their entire lives, unable to advance another step, simply because they could not master this skill. This meant that as long as Li Rui cultivated normally, his ascension to the Martial Emperor Realm was virtually guaranteed.

Now Ye Qingchen truly believed that given the Huanyue Sect’s strength, they could never command such an extraordinary talent.

As Ye Qingchen admired Li Rui’s impressive strength, his opponent’s attack took form. A fireball, a full meter wide, coalesced, instantly bathing the dark street in a crimson glow. Then, under Li Rui’s control, the fireball shot toward Ye Qingchen.

Watching the terrifyingly hot fireball approach, Ye Qingchen nodded in acknowledgment. For a first-level Martial King to execute a Mysterious Rank Martial Technique to this degree was indeed rare. Compared to the other Martial King Realm opponents he had fought, this single move from Li Rui demonstrated power exceeding that of a second-level Martial King.

However, it posed no real threat to Ye Qingchen.