Taiyi Dao Fruit

In the wilderness of a forest, a dead body lay still on the ground.

"It's not poison, nor does it seem like the Nightmare Victory Curse Technique..."

After carefully examining the corpse, Jiang Li had to admit that Jiang Zhaoren was dead and it was impossible to tell how it had happened.

"If it were poison, it wouldn't have gotten past me. If it was the Nightmare Victory Curse Technique, there should be some trace." Jiang Li's expression turned contemplative.

The Nightmare Victory Curse Technique was a method of casting death spells. Although this technique kills silently, in order to take someone's life, it inevitably involves attacking their essence, qi, and spirit.

Even the legendary Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book starts by targeting the spirit, scattering a person's three souls and seven spirits. Although its killings are formless, the cause of death can still be investigated.

But now, there was no trace of what caused Jiang Zhaoren's death. It appeared he had just died like that.

"It's the Book of Life and Death," Gongsun Qingyue observed that Jiang Li had discovered nothing and said with a solemn face, "There's someone in the court who harbors the Dao Fruit of the Yin God Judge, possessing the ability to control life and death. I didn't expect him to have reached Yong Province."

"The Book of Life and Death? The one that records life and death?" Jiang Li was truly shocked this time, "Does the court even have such a Dao Fruit?"

If such a Dao Fruit were in hand, wouldn't it mean that they could kill whomever they wanted at will, making Great Zhou invincible?

"Of course, there is one, but it's not as miraculous as you think."

Gongsun Qingyue, who by now understood her junior brother's psychology quite well, naturally knew why Jiang Li was astonished. She explained, "The Book of Life and Death records the life and death, and lifespan of people. However, this recording ability is dependent on the court's institution. Anyone whose name is recorded in the Book of Life and Death is also listed in the court's household registry. From this point of view, what's formidable is not the Book of Life and Death but the court itself."

"Additionally," she continued, "if the owner of the Book of Life and Death wishes to add or subtract to someone's lifespan, they themselves must also shorten their own lifespan. And the amount will increase or decrease depending on the target's strength and Qi Shu, preventing random taking of life or granting longevity. You are protected by the Qi Shu of the Dinghu Sect, the Jiang family, and your master, so even if that Judge expended all their lifespan, they wouldn't be able to kill you."

Gongsun Qingyue's words settled Jiang Li's mind.

Not just these, but also his sworn brother Feng Manlou, a man of extraordinary origins, insisted on acknowledging Jiang Li as his brother, naturally wanting to share some of his Qi Shu with Jiang Li.

"What's most important," Gongsun Qingyue went on, "is that the Book of Life and Death is ineffective on cultivators above fifth-rank. Its main purpose is to target those of Eighth Rank, Ninth Grade and even without any Grade..."

Gongsun Qingyue's words trailed off, but Jiang Li already knew what she wanted to say.

— Those without any Grade were ordinary people.

Ordinary people have weak Qi Shu and frail strength. Even if one wanted to diminish their lifespan, it would probably be calculated by days or even hours. Killing a hundred ordinary people might not even use up as much as killing one cultivator.

The main purpose of the Book of Life and Death was to bully the weak, to slaughter the ordinary people without cultivation.

'No wonder Great Zhou has lasted for eight hundred years without a single large-scale rebellion, or even few small-scale uprisings,' Jiang Li thought.

Local officials are controlled by the Royal Family, and once the common people are registered, their life and death are in others' hands. With both approaches, how could Great Zhou's Jiangshan not be stable?

Forget eight hundred years, even after another thousand years, Great Zhou might well remain as it is.

The only thing the court had to worry about was the cultivators.

But with the Emperor Dao Fruit, the court had top-tier powerhouses on their side, who were expendable. Although the Emperor Dao Fruit has a lifespan limit, it's easy to upgrade, and there hasn't been a break in the eight hundred years.

It's said to be as stable as Mount Tai, but now it seems Great Zhou's Jiangshan is even more stable than Mount Tai, incredibly stable indeed.

Despite the urgency of the current situation, Jiang Li couldn't help but marvel at the stability of Great Zhou.

Then, he reluctantly recognized that Jiang Wuming was genuinely going to lose his mind now.

Jiang Wuye and Jiang Zhaoyi had died at Jiang Li's hands, and the deaths of those from the Qi Mountain Jiang Family could also be put on Jiang Li's head. Now, even Jiang Zhaoren's death was being pinned on him. It was almost as if he alone had nearly wiped out the entire Qi Mountain Jiang Family.

Jiang Wuming, if he had any blood left in him at all, would have to fight Jiang Li to the death.

Jiang Li pondered for a moment and then resolutely said, "The only plan for now is to kill Jiang Wuming as soon as possible."

Only then could he prevent him from striking at others.

"Gongsun Qingyue still doesn't know Jiang Zhaoren is dead; that's something we can use to our advantage," Gongsun Qingyue said, looking down at the corpse.

Both of them had guessed the cause of Jiang Zhaoren's death, and Ji Chengye knew that Jiang Zhaoren had died, but Jiang Wuming did not, and it was unlikely that Ji Chengye would voluntarily tell Jiang Wuming—Your son is dead.

That would be a self-admission of guilt.

This was an opportunity.

Outside the ancestral land, a sudden surge of golden light erupted on a hillside.

"Chi—"

The surrounding vegetation ignited without flame, and amidst the dazzling light, Jiang Wuming's face was an iron blue, his furious Qi Force pressing the Divine Travel Grand Protector before him to kneel on the ground.

"What did you say?"

Jiang Wuming's eyes flickered with golden light, and the sharpness in them caused the air to emit a continuous hissing sound, "When the plan was made, your Princely Heir carried an air of strategizing from behind the scenes. Now, you tell me that my family is nearly annihilated? Is this how Ji Chengye cooperates with others?"

The Divine Travel Grand Protector tasked with messaging felt as though all the moisture in his body was being evaporated, as if he was placed on a fire for roasting, his mouth opening and closing, struggling even to speak.

Although the Mao Ri Star Official was not the true Sun God, for the Divine Travel Grand Protector, there was no difference—the Official could steam him alive.

"The Princely…Heir has said, he wishes to…assist…in rescuing…" the Divine Travel Grand Protector's dehydrated body prevented him from completing his words.

Seeing this, Jiang Wuming intended to temporarily suspend his Qi Mechanism.

His Heart Fire was raging at this moment, but his rationality remained, knowing that he still needed the help of the other party and therefore could not kill this person and break ties.

At this point, the radiance faded, and the heat began to subside.

It was then that another voice interjected.

"It seems this Divine Travel Grand Protector is not in great shape. How about I speak on his behalf?"

A paper effigy drifted over and stopped in the air not far away, revealing a comically smiling face, "Uncle Worldly, if you want to save your wretched child, come to the ancestral land after sunset. Otherwise, don't blame your nephew for being unsympathetic."

"Jiang Li!"

Upon hearing this voice, Jiang Wuming felt a surge of murderous intent.

The violent solar energy looked like it would burst forth again, but upon hearing news of Jiang Zhaoren, Jiang Wuming once more forcefully suppressed his anger and murderous intent.

"Having me enter the ancestral land after nightfall is no different from asking me to commit suicide," Jiang Wuming said coldly.

As the Mao Ri Star Official was the God of Morning, Jiang Wuming, having harbored this Dao Fruit, also had to bear some inherent weaknesses that came with it.

After sunset, the power of the Mao Ri Star Official, the God of Morning, would inevitably diminish. If Jiang Wuming entered the ancestral land in such a state and faced both the Clan Elders and Jiang Li's attacks, death was almost certain.

Let alone saving his son, he himself would likely leave his life behind in the ancestral land.