Taiyi Dao Fruit

Jiang Luo concentrated his gaze on the figure not far away, the blood vessels in his eyes still prominent, but that anger had already been suppressed into calm.

This person was named Jiang Yuanqi, hailing from the branch in Divine Capital's Feiyun Town, belonging to the same circle as the family Jiang Luo was born into; Jiang Luo also had some interactions and friendship with him.

However, it was unexpected that upon meeting again, they would stand on opposing sides.

"Brother Luo, you're Ninth Grade, and so am I. If you, endowed with Innate Qi, lose to me, does that mean your Innate Qi is not as genuine as it claims to be?"

Jiang Yuanqi drew his sword from its sheath, the blade's cold light flickering, obviously no ordinary weapon, further accentuated by an illusory image of a Heavenly Soldier melding with him.

His Heavenly Weapon Dao Fruit had reached Perfection, and he was just one Promotion Ceremony away from advancing to Eighth Rank.

In contrast, Jiang Luo, several years younger than his opponent and not long promoted to Ninth Grade, had strong but insufficient Innate Qi at his Realm. Pure and condensed indeed signified concentration.

Thus, a quick battle was necessary.

"You resort to attacking me, a weaker opponent you fear less, but how victorious can you truly be even if you win? Moreover—"

Jiang Luo's face suddenly flushed red as blood, his sword emerging like thunder, "I will not lose!"

His long sword broke through the air, sword sound piercingly sharp, Jiang Luo advanced like the wind, and the sword encompassed Innate Qi, truly explosive like fire.

This was precisely the Guide Sword Skill of the Dinghu Sect.

Moreover, Jiang Luo also employed a death-defying technique of the Jiang family—Emperor Yan's Blood.

This Magic Door could burn essence blood, making Qi and blood surge, greatly enhancing Power, and also bolstering physical strength, but it could not last long. After the effect wore off, it would severely damage the Essence Element, only to be used when pushed to the extreme.

Jiang Yuanqi had not expected Jiang Luo to fight so desperately, but he had been advised before making a move to temporarily avoid the sharp front of Innate Qi and engage in a war of attrition, so his method of response did not need changing.

Crossing his sword to block, the blade met a fierce incoming strike like fire, the resilient sword momentum meeting the solid power of the Guide Sword Skill, Jiang Yuanqi felt a shock in his arm, nearly unable to hold onto his own sword, which also bent.

The burst of Emperor Yan's Blood, combined with the purity of Innate Qi, made Jiang Luo's momentum overwhelming, nearly unstoppable.

But in the next instant, a resilient force rebounded, clashing with the solid sword momentum; Jiang Yuanqi's sword flowed like pine, his sword momentum gradually spreading like a forest, stroke after stroke of green sword shadow danced like pine trees, continuously neutralizing the sword power.

Jiang Luo wielded his sword like fire, the Guide Sword Skill targeting vital points relentlessly, while Jiang Yuanqi responded with constant defense and retreat, avoiding the sharp edges, focused solely on defense, showing no signs of the provocation from earlier, instead displaying only composure.

After dozens of exchanges, sword light rolled in torrents, the sword momentum fierce, the battle intense, yet neither of them bore any wounds.

However, Jiang Luo's strength could not last long, and after dozens of exchanges, the blood faded slightly from his face, the previously explosive sword momentum easing.

Jiang Yuanqi immediately noticed the change, his slowly forest-like sword technique suddenly shifted, turning defense into attack with Wood Fire.

"Clang!"

The blade of the sword chopped across the sword body, emitting a crisp sound; Jiang Yuanqi managed to parry away Jiang Luo's sword for the first time, thrusting swiftly with his sword aimed directly at Jiang Luo's lower abdomen to force him back and dissipate the fierce sword momentum.

Yet—

Facing the incoming sword tip, Jiang Luo thrust his body forward, purposefully letting the sharp sword penetrate his left lower abdomen, while his left hand gripped Jiang Yuanqi's sword-wielding wrist.

"I've got you now."

Jiang Luo revealed a fierce smile, slashing obliquely with his sword amid the harsh sword wind, cutting a long sword mark across Jiang Yuanqi's upper body.

"Argh!"

He cried out in pain as he retreated, simultaneously urging his True Qi, exerting power to draw his sword. The sword tip scraped through Jiang Luo's flesh, bringing with it spurting blood.

But in the next instant, Jiang Luo, with that fierce and somewhat sickly smile, grabbed Jiang Yuanqi's wrist and pulled back sharply.

"Chi!"

The sound of flesh being pierced was loud, and the long sword once again penetrated Jiang Luo's body, while he as well thrust his sword into Jiang Yuanqi's abdomen.

"Stop!"

A loud shout came from the distance, and someone leaped forward.

But before him, Qi Changsheng and Jiang Yang burst forth halfway, the Flame Sun Blade and the Revolver pointed at the incomer, their murderous intent chilling.

Meanwhile, Jiang Luo dropped his sword and struck with his palm, solidly hitting Jiang Yuanqi's chest.

"I will not lose!"

He muttered this, pushing his opponent ten feet away with one palm strike, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground.

...

...

Qi Mountain County, the main house in the back compound of Jiang Mansion.

The corpse of Jiang Wuye was seated upright on the Taishi Chair, his appearance lifelike, his wide-open eyes even reflecting a silhouette.

Only the slight black marks on his face slightly marred his dignified appearance.

Jiang Wuming, the head of the Jiang family, looked at his younger brother's corpse, his eyes deep as water. He stretched out his hand and forcibly extracted wisps of black energy, then inhaled them into his body.

"Seven-leaf Intestine-breaking Herb, Lifeless Flower, Purple Thorns, Sleeping Madness Grass, all deadly poisons designed to take a life!"

Jiang Wuming, with an owl-like sinister laugh, said, "What a vicious Jiang Li, I truly underestimated your audacity. You dared to take such deadly action as soon as you arrived."

His face also showed black energy, but in the blink of an eye, the dense blackness disappeared.

As the innate form of the Mao Ri Star Official, the Mao Ri Chicken can eat hundreds of insects; it is immune and can detoxify hundreds of poisons. The toxicity transformed from Jiang Li's Innate Qi was fierce indeed, capable of killing even those at the Seventh Rank in moments, but this poison couldn't even harm Jiang Wuming.

"Uncle, are you saying my father died by Jiang Li's hands?" Jiang Zhaoyi, the son of Jiang Wuye, quickly asked.

"Who else could it be? Your father had no external injuries, he died from a poisoned hand, and if the Essence of Innate Qi becomes the essence of power, it can transform into the force of hundreds of herbs and poisons," Jiang Wuming grimly said. "With your father's death, even those useless ones in our ancestral land should realize Jiang Li's capabilities. This is killing the chicken to scare the monkey, using our Qi Mountain Jiang family to display Jiang Li's methods."

Motive, ability. Even without evidence, Jiang Wuming was convinced that Jiang Li was the murderer.

If before he merely suspected and sought an opportunity to deal with Jiang Li, Jiang Wuming now recognized Jiang Li as an enemy. Beyond conflicts of interest, this hatred made Jiang Wuming eager to peel Jiang Li's skin and flay him alive.

"But we have no evidence..." Jiang Zhaoren, Jiang Wuming's son, said regretfully.

If they had evidence, they could confront Jiang Li directly, shattering his aura of legitimacy from the Jiang family and leaving the Clan Elders with nothing to say.

"What need have I for evidence!"

Jiang Wuming said coldly, "I just want him to pay for my brother's life."

Golden Light flashed in his eyes, the Qi of Yang violently erupting. A halo appeared behind his head, and within it, the ethereal image of a golden-feathered rooster emerged.

"Wanting to kill the chicken to scare the monkey? I want to see how he intends to kill this chicken!"