Undying Life

Chapter 948: The Mysterious Bai Qi

"Zhuang Zhou? Dance of the Butterfly World!" Ying nodded lightly.

Ying held immense respect for Zhuangzi. A person closest to a sage would undoubtedly be powerful. Such a person, even in conversation, commands respect; no one would dare speak harshly to him.

"Could that be Guiguzi?" Zhuangzi glanced towards the black mist area on the peak.

"Indeed!" Ying responded directly.

Zhuangzi looked at Guiguzi and finally nodded, "It seems you both are here for that item. Guiguzi, Ying, your combined presence suggests that you must have it?"

"Must have it?" Ying revealed a faint, inscrutable smile.

"Please!" Zhuangzi said solemnly.

Ying nodded.

With his left foot stepping back and his body slightly turning, Ying extended his right palm. Zhuangzi's movements were very slow, but they appeared seamless and natural. Around Zhuangzi, a massive illusory butterfly silhouette manifested.

Despite the lack of any energy leakage, no one dared to underestimate Zhuangzi's starting stance.

Eyes widened all around. This was Zhuangzi, the closest to a sage, making a move. How profound must his techniques be?

No one below the level of Ancient Immortal could understand it. Only those at the level of Ancestral Immortal could perceive its nuances.

In the distance, Zhong Shan focused his attention, the Red Luan Heavenly Scripture pouring into his eyes as the Heavenly Dao reappeared.

Ying merged with the Heavenly Dao, a pitch-black and overwhelmingly domineering Heavenly Dao. It looked dazzling. Zhuangzi, too, merged with the Heavenly Dao, his being a pure white.

Within the Heavenly Dao, a large amount of ethereal white mist enveloped Zhuangzi, making him appear dreamlike.

As Zhuangzi's palm struck out, the white Heavenly Dao seemed to thicken with his attack.

"What a formidable strike!" Zhong Shan exclaimed.

Back in the day, when Burning Lamp utilized the power of the Heavenly Dao, he could only divert a portion of its power under control. In contrast, Zhuangzi seemed to wield the entire Heavenly Dao. The difference was vast.

"But I can't discern its power!" Nearby, Luo Xingchen frowned.

Zhuangzi's integration with the Heavenly Dao was so perfect that it appeared seamless, with no power leaking out. Thus, anyone below the level of Ancient Immortal could not discern its intricacies. It was incredibly powerful!

Zhuangzi's movements were slow, yet Ying recognized Zhuangzi's strength, clearly stronger than the Golden-Browed Buddha from before. Ying was highly cautious. Slowly, Ying also extended his right palm.

Maintaining an unwavering imperial stance, Ying's right palm was shrouded in white mist, within which countless dazzling tiny stars revolved around his hand.

Tiny stars? Everyone focused intently, and upon closer inspection, they were astounded.

Stars, they weren't tiny stars at all, but countless stars. Numerous stars circled Ying's right palm, as if he held the entire starry sky in his hand.

Around Zhuangzi, a massive butterfly illusion formed, while around Ying, countless starry illusions suddenly expanded, surrounding him. Ying became the center, with vast starry skies revolving rapidly around him, like a star with numerous planets orbiting it.

Despite the lack of a powerful aura, everyone knew Ying's strength.

The two extended their right palms towards each other. There was no Void Hand Seal, just palm to palm, closing in on each other.

"Bang!"

A light sound was heard, and the colossal butterfly behind Zhuangzi exploded, not disintegrating but transforming into countless tiny butterflies. The tiny butterflies enveloped the surroundings, covering an area of ten thousand miles with an infinite number of butterflies.

Simultaneously, Ying's endless starry sky expanded to a radius of ten thousand miles, instantly enveloping countless powerful beings around. They rotated, centering on the two, spinning rapidly, making it seem as if the entire world was turning.

Amidst the scene, everyone was surrounded by the shadows of butterflies and stars, all revolving madly around the center like a giant millstone.

There was no visible impact force, which indicated that both Zhuangzi and Ying had reached the pinnacle in mastering the Heavenly Dao, so precise that not a trace of their power leaked out. Yet, despite this, people dared not linger, retreating quickly to exit the range covered by the stars and butterflies.

"Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!"

From a distance, Ying's figure was no longer visible, only the boundless starry sky and the infinite butterflies towering into the heavens.

"Ancestral Immortal?" A look of shock flashed in Luo Xingchen's eyes.

The battlefield now held only Ancestral Immortals. Even they were filled with awe and fear at the immense power Ying displayed. Where did this overwhelming strength come from?

While everyone's attention was fixated on Ying and Zhuangzi, a strange change occurred.

At the base of the mountain beneath them, Bai Qi's eyes flashed with an eerie light. A silver gleam shot from his eyes, transforming him into someone entirely different. Coldly, he identified a direction and vanished from his spot in a flash.

Bai Qi had left?

The Ancestral Immortals were slightly surprised but didn't think much of it. Most of them continued to watch Ying and Zhuangzi, though a few kept an eye on the direction Bai Qi had gone.

Bai Qi flew towards the southwest, exuding a murderous aura, with a large saber gripped in his hand, filled with a violent energy.

He soon stopped on a mountain peak, a place that was remote yet closely watched by many.

At the location of the Snow Plum Patriarch.

"Master, is that Bai Qi? Why has he approached Zhong Shan?"

"Is he planning to fight Zhong Shan? Was this Ying's command?"

"Has Bai Qi gone mad? Why isn't he protecting Guiguzi and instead running off here?"

Zhong Shan, though in a concealed position, was under the observation of many. Bai Qi had now landed not far from Zhong Shan, radiating killing intent as if he was about to cut Zhong Shan down. The suddenness of it caused Zhong Shan to furrow his brow slightly.

What madness had seized Bai Qi?

In the distance, the Snow Plum Patriarch calculated with his fingers, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes.

"Could it be? The Demon-Summoning Banner is supposed to pass through Zhong Shan's hands. Is Ying deliberately having Bai Qi kill Zhong Shan to ensure the banner doesn't reach him and instead ends up with Ying? Is this Ying's plan?" The Snow Plum Patriarch raised his brow.

"Patriarch?" a disciple called out.

"You three, go, stop that man, and protect Zhong Shan!" the Snow Plum Patriarch suddenly commanded.

"Uh, yes!" Though confused, the three disciples promptly obeyed.

They were not far from Zhong Shan's location and quickly reached him.

"Bai Qi? What do you intend to do?" Zhong Shan shouted coldly.

The surrounding spectators now knew the man was called Bai Qi.

Bai Qi stared intently at Zhong Shan, his eyes emitting a faint white light, his entire body enveloped in a murderous aura, looking extremely menacing.

His large saber trembled slightly in his hand, as if he was about to strike at Zhong Shan.

"Stop!" one of the Snow Plum Patriarch's disciples shouted immediately.

Suddenly, three powerful figures stood in front of Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan was slightly taken aback. Snow Plum Patriarch's disciples? Why were they here? To protect him?

Each of the three warriors drew a long sword, glaring coldly at Bai Qi. Clearly, to fulfill their patriarch's wishes, they had to protect Zhong Shan at all costs. It was through Zhong Shan that the Demon-Summoning Banner might slip from Ying's grasp.

"Three little rats!" Bai Qi sneered.

"What did you say?" the leader of the three roared.

As he spoke, the three warriors attacked simultaneously, each wielding a sword. Like the Plum Blossom Sword of old, three rivers of sword energy surged towards Bai Qi, enveloping the heavens and the earth in a terrifying tsunami of sword qi.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a blinding light erupted in the sky, scattering all the sword qi in an instant.

"Roar!"

Bai Qi let out a thunderous roar, and another beam of white light descended from the heavens. With one slash of his saber, the leader of the warriors was split in half.

Bai Qi's power was overwhelming, slaying Ancient Immortals as easily as butchering livestock. It was too domineering, too tyrannical. One slash, one Ancient Immortal killed!

This battlefield instantly attracted countless gazes.

Bai Qi's stunning display of power shocked the crowd.

This was true ferocity.

The three Ancient Immortals attempting to intercept him were now down to two, their hearts trembling with fear. They had thought three against one would at least delay Bai Qi, but was this even about delaying?

Kill!

It was a complete annihilation! Bai Qi was too domineering!

"Who else wants to stop me?" Bai Qi's eyes glared fiercely.

A powerful killing intent surged towards the two remaining warriors.

Seeing this, they knew better than to fight; they fled towards the Snow Plum Patriarch, tails between their legs.

The true ferocious ones of the world were not to be faced lightly.

With the obstruction gone, Bai Qi turned his gaze back to Zhong Shan, his intense killing intent rushing towards him.

The terrifying aura bent the nearby trees as if they were bowing under Bai Qi's murderous pressure.

On the mountain peak, Zhong Shan's clothes fluttered in the fierce wind of Bai Qi's aura, but there was no trace of fear on his face. He looked at Bai Qi solemnly.

Bai Qi, gripping his large saber, stared at Zhong Shan, his killing intent growing denser, as if he could strike at any moment.

Suddenly, Luo Xingchen stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Zhong Shan. The blue gemstone on his forehead glinted faintly. Luo Xingchen was prepared to defend Zhong Shan seriously.

"That man's killing intent is so strong, even from this distance, it makes my heart race!"

"Slaying Ancient Immortals like butchering pigs, Ying's subordinates are insane!"

"Is he going to kill Zhong Shan? Why?"

"Zhong Shan is in trouble!"

"Luo Xingchen is stepping up? Is he courting death? Even if he's an Ancient Immortal, he can't match Bai Qi's dominance!"

"Indeed, last time he fought Snow Plum Patriarch's disciples for half a day, but Bai Qi can kill those disciples in an instant. Luo Xingchen can't possibly stand up to Bai Qi!"

"Definitely not!"

...The murmurs continued as Bai Qi faced off against Luo Xingchen.

"Bai Qi!" Zhong Shan suddenly shouted.

Bai Qi cast a cold glance at Zhong Shan.

"Wake up!" Zhong Shan roared, his voice booming like thunder.

Upon hearing Zhong Shan's voice, Bai Qi abruptly closed his eyes and frowned, a brief expression of pain crossing his face. But in an instant, his eyes opened again, and an even more intense killing aura enveloped him.

Though brief, some astute observers quickly pieced things together.

"Is Bai Qi being controlled?"

This realization sent chills down everyone's spines. Under such a domineering killing aura, what kind of being could control someone like Bai Qi?

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/Jw-q2euGywY