Aspiring to the Immortal Path

As he roared, the Spirit Ring suddenly withdrew. As the barrier disappeared, the lightning came down once more.

At the same time, the black bear rushed back to Chang Baimei’s side.

Tang Jie’s eyes flashed as he realized something. “Stop that bear!”

Shen Qingdan threw out her Starsnatcher Chain at the black bear, and followed up with the bronze lantern and the lance.

Just when the Starsnatcher Chain was about to wrap around the black bear, a figure ran out and charged into it.

It was the hyena.

It had been severely wounded by Tang Jie’s saber, but while it no longer posed a combat threat, it had still charged out at this critical moment. The Starsnatcher Chain, the flame from the bronze lantern, and the lance all struck the hyena. The hyena wailed and collapsed, finally dead.

But this interference allowed the black bear to run back to Chang Baimei’s side. Chang Baimei thrust a palm at the black bear’s forehead, and the black bear howled in pain. Its giant body gradually shrank until it became a little cub.

At the same time, Chang Baimei grew to the size of a giant.

Chang Baimei had absorbed all of the black bear’s energy.

This was a special secret art of the Beast Refining Gate that absorbed a fiend beast’s energy and blood to strengthen oneself. While this boost in strength was temporary, it didn’t require cultivation. However, the fiend needed to be willing, so refined beasts and rebellious fiends could not be used.

That black bear cub looked at Chang Baimei and hopefully whispered, “Young Master… remember your promise, that you will retrain me and restore me.”

“Idiot! Although you’ve retained your intelligence, your cultivation has fallen to lower-grade Spirit Sensing. Rather than nurturing you back, it would be better to capture another Mind Opening fiend and raise it. It would save a great deal in resources. You… have no use!”

Chang Baimei stomped the black bear cub into paste.

He raised his head and looked at Tang Jie, sternly saying, “Tang Jie, I’ve absorbed the black bear’s cultivation, and I am now brimming with spirit and blood energy, just as strong as Chang Mingxin. Now that you’ve used up all your tricks, let me see how you fight me now!”

He thrust out a palm which was brimming over with power, much stronger than any of his previous attacks.

Tang Jie’s face turned grave. He did not dare to take on Chang Baimei’s palm, so he could only dodge as best he could.

Chang Baimei laughed and threw out palm after palm, furiously roaring, “Come on; let’s see what else you have!”

He slammed his fists together, unleashing a furious torrent of energy against Tang Jie.

He loathed Tang Jie, so his attacks were ruthless and held nothing back. And after absorbing the black bear’s cultivation, he was physically stronger as well. He basically didn’t feel the lightning from the Five Lightning Formation.

The defensive power of two was enough to resist the formation’s lightning.

Tang Jie brought his hands together, and five lightning bolts appeared—the second wave of Yin Lightning.

Chang Baimei laughed and punched at the air. “Open!”

He was still a True Person, possessing abundant experience and sharp eyes. Although he did not understand formations, he could still see the flaws of the Five Lightning Formation. He knew that the best way to deal with it wasn’t to defend, but to attack it before it could send its lightning down.

The surging energy from this fist instantly sheared away more than half of the five Yin Lightning bolts.

Tang Jie could only helplessly sigh.

In the end, there was a difference of two tiers. All of his tricks were only effective on the first use. After that, it would be very hard to make them work again.

This was true for the golden blade, the lightning pearls, and the Yin Lightning. So long as his opponent had seen it, it would be very difficult for it to work again.

This was all due to the difference in strength.

If he had been strong enough, what would it matter if his opponent had countermeasures?

Take Ming Yekong’s ultimate sword strike as an example. It was like a god descending from the heavens, utterly unstoppable. No matter how many countermeasures one had, one probably wouldn’t even have the time to use them.

In comparison, he was always relying on external things.

But Tang Jie didn’t plan to change anything because of this.

It wasn’t like he was unaware of the principle that strength was the root of everything. It was just that these things were easier said than done.

After all, this was an opponent two tiers above him. How was one supposed to cultivate their way over that gap? If he weren’t relying on external objects, what could he rely on?

In truth, in terms of strength, Tang Jie was already strong enough to take on the average Cognitive Creation Tier cultivator. Thus, the problem wasn’t that Tang Jie was weak, but that his opponents were just too fierce, forcing him to use all his tricks again and again.

Now, against the empowered Chang Baimei, Tang Jie had finally run out of ideas.

Human strength had its limits, and Tang Jie had already gone above his level to push a Spirit Ring True Person this far. In a situation where he couldn’t summon his original body, his defeat was certain.

As an avatar, he didn’t fear death. He just felt like it was a pity that there was a lot that he wouldn’t be able to do once he died, and some preparations would go to waste.

Even so, Tang Jie still laughed. Swapping back to the Heartbreak Saber, he unleashed a furious wave of energy while shouting, “This battle is lost. Hurry and go! I’ll hold him off!”

Shen Qingdan’s heart thumped in fear. This was her first time seeing Tang Jie so helpless. Before that, no matter what problems he faced, Tang Jie had always seemed confident and assured. Even when Chang Baimei was doggedly chasing him, he acted as if he just didn’t want to lower himself to Chang Baimei’s level, still seeming confident.

But now that he was saying that defeat was certain, Shen Qingdan couldn’t help but shout, “No, you won’t lose. How can you lose?”

Tang Jie was startled.

When did Shen Qingdan start believing in him so much?

It wasn’t like they had truly known each other for a long time.

Boom!

A fist from Chang Baimei roared out, dispersing the Matchless Slash and striking the Heartbreak Saber. With its remaining strength, it slammed into Tang Jie and sent him flying.

Tang Jie threw up blood and laughed. “Silly girl, you think that it’s possible to always win? In the end, I’m at Nine Revolutions, but my opponent is a True Person. What does it matter if I have the assistance of a formation? It was made in haste and ultimately can’t compare to a proper Grade 5 formation. Victory is a miracle, and defeat is normal. In this battle, killing two Transformation great fiends is the best I can do. I’ve done my best, and though it is a defeat, it is a glorious one. What’s so strange about me losing?”

Chang Baimei laughed. “It’s good that you realize!”

Punches, palm blasts, and finger bolts barraged Tang Jie. This Spirit Ring True Person used all his power to the maximum, displaying his formidable cultivation. Every move he made was brimming with power.

In truth, if he were really using all his power, he would have already killed Tang Jie.

But he wasn’t willing to let this bastard go so easily.

He wanted to torment Tang Jie to death!

Shen Qingdan shouted, “You still have a Heavenbane Lightning Pearl!”

Tang Jie swung his saber to defend himself as he said, “Heavenbane Lightning Pearls… Fine. Let’s see if it can do anything!”

He threw out a Heavenbane Lightning Pearl.

Chang Baimei crazily laughed. “I was waiting for this!”

He swung his arm, and his long sleeve curled up, wrapping around the Heavenbane Lightning Pearl and tossing it up into the air, where it exploded.

A powerful explosion ripped through the air.

The pearl was as powerful as ever, but it wasn’t able to injure Chang Baimei. Only a little of its power managed to reach Chang Baimei, but he was ready, raising a barrier so that the explosion didn’t harm him in the slightest. As for Tang Jie, he was shaken up so badly that his body almost fell apart.

He was only in the fourth of the Nine Revolutions, and his gallbladder, spleen, stomach, intestines, and kidney were still rather weak. This shockwave severely damaged his organs, rendering him unable to stand, and blood spilled out from his pores.

Amidst the tremendous shockwave, even the lightning in the sky disappeared.

The Heavenbane Lightning Pearl had destroyed the Five Lightning Formation.

“Tang Jie!” Shen Qingdan hadn’t expected the use of the Heavenbane Lightning Pearl to result in this, and she was filled with remorse.

Tang Jie was still smiling. “Silly girl, if you don’t leave now, I won’t be able to help you anymore.”

He turned his hand over, revealing another Heavenbane Lightning Pearl.

Although this thing couldn’t kill a prepared Chang Baimei, it could at least draw his attention and apprehension.

Sure enough, the moment Chang Baimei saw this Heavenbane Lightning Pearl, he frowned and stopped his assault.

Shen Qingdan looked at the bloodied Tang Jie, clenched her teeth, and finally retreated.

Under Chang Baimei’s control, the golden eagle did not give chase, instead turning on Tang Jie. With man and beast coming at him from two sides, Tang Jie’s situation grew even more dire.

Thud!

Tang Jie threw his head back and vomited blood. His injuries were getting worse, but there was still a faint smile on his face. He looked at Chang Baimei with eyes of pity and contempt.

This expression only made Chang Baimei angrier. He decided to stop wearing Tang Jie down, clenching his right fist as he roared, “Give me your life!”

He punched.

In the face of this lethal punch, Tang Jie remained calm.

At the moment he prepared to accept his fate, a gale howled out of the heavens.

Chang Baimei and Tang Jie both looked toward the horizon in shock.

This wind seemed to have substance to it, flashing with a silver luster as it struck Chang Baimei. Chang Baimei suddenly howled crazily as he retreated with shock in his eyes.

At that moment, Tang Jie saw Chang Baimei’s two long eyebrows growing longer, his wrinkles deepening, and his hands beginning to tremble.

Chang Baimei shrieked, “A Current of Time!”

The wind unfurled, threatening to sweep Chang Baimei away like a river in the air.

Chang Baimei hastily retreated, not daring to let that wind touch him again.

Tang Jie suddenly had an idea, and it was at this moment that the golden eagle clawed at his back.

Tang Jie reached behind him and grabbed the golden eagle, tossing it at that wind current.

The golden eagle fell into the wind, and as that silver wind rushed past, the eagle froze. Then, it began to rapidly age, its feathers molting, until it finally turned into dust in the wind.

“It really is a Time Current,” Tang Jie murmured.

This silver wind current was none other than the current which had helped him comprehend the Dao Will of Time, but it was even stronger and fiercer than before. The golden eagle was an upper-grade Mind Opening fiend, so it had a lifespan of several centuries. But a single gust of wind had been enough to age it to death, showing just how rapidly time was flowing in that moment.

Although Chang Baimei had reacted quickly and retreated at the slightest touch and seemed only a little older, he had probably lost a few decades of life.

It seems like a “mysterious benefactor” has come to Tang Jie’s rescue, and his avatar is once more spared the fate of death.