Chapter 113: Saving You Does Not Mean Sparing Your Life

How is this possible?

Lei Xiang, who had always remained indifferent to honor or disgrace, was truly shocked this time. He had witnessed Chen Zhi’s death with his own eyes—there was no way Chen Zhi could be alive after that. Moreover, he had personally used the secret technique Chen Zhi provided to transform his corpse into a desiccated mummy, shrinking his body by more than two-thirds before placing it into this jade box. So how could he suddenly come back to life?

Chen Zhi smiled slyly and said, “Young Master Lei, thank you sincerely for escorting me back this time. I forgot to tell you, our sect possesses a secret technique that can preserve a person on the brink of death as a desiccated corpse without killing them. Then, through our sect’s formation and special medicines, we can restore them to full life. Actually, I only wanted the Wind and Fire Boots back; I bear no ill will toward you.”

No ill will, he says?

Suddenly, Lei Xiang understood. When Chen Zhi had begged him to turn him into a desiccated corpse and then find a chance to send him back here, he had long since planned this scheme. Lei Xiang felt like a fiery red monkey being toyed with, spun around at Chen Zhi’s whim. If he simply returned the Wind and Fire Boots just like that, then he wouldn’t be Lei Xiang anymore.

“If I return the Wind and Fire Boots, what benefit do I gain? I’m not interested in ordinary magical tools or treasures.”

Chen Zhi’s eyes gleamed. “If you return the Wind and Fire Boots, I can provide you with some rare materials—absolutely hard to find anywhere in the Infinite Continent. I know you’re skilled in forging; with these scarce materials, you can forge any treasure imaginable.”

Lei Xiang sneered coldly. “Heh, Chen Zhi, you’re too clever. But there’s a saying: too much cleverness can lead to one’s own downfall. You just revived, so your cultivation must be weaker than before; I doubt you’ve even reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Yet I have already succeeded in Foundation Establishment. Who will come out on top is still uncertain.” Saying this, he no longer suppressed his cultivation, allowing the pressure of the Foundation Establishment stage to radiate freely.

Everyone in the room turned pale. Those with weaker cultivation trembled in their legs. The strong-clad young woman named Wu Lan even collapsed to the ground, a fine bead of sweat trickling from her nose. So Lei Xiang had been playing the part of a harmless pig all along. His displayed strength showed no sign of poisoning—could he be immune to all poisons?

“You… you’re not poisoned? Didn’t you swallow the Spirit Monkey Fruit?”

Lei Xiang grinned, revealing his small tiger-like teeth. He opened his mouth, channeling spiritual power to lift a red spirit fruit from his abdomen. It was indeed the Spirit Monkey Fruit, but dozens of small yellow squares surrounded it, sealing it tightly. “Have you heard of the Sealing Technique? I have sealed the fruit with it—how could it release its medicinal effects? What? You don’t understand why I suspected you and left a contingency? Don’t you wonder which sect would offer their most precious spirit fruit just for a stranger who offers only minimal help? Unless he has a greater scheme.”

Chen Zhi’s small eyes turned completely red. “Don’t listen to his nonsense. I’ve never heard of any Sealing Technique. The Spirit Monkey Fruit’s effects would have dissipated long ago after being swallowed. He’s just bluffing and is weak inside. Attack him all—kill him!” As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, and a pair of gloves appeared on his palm. After putting them on, emerald-green, half-foot-long claws sprang from his fingertips, shimmering with a soft green light as they slashed toward Lei Xiang’s face.

Lei Xiang recognized the danger and quickly leapt back three yards. He knew those claws were likely toxic, so he shook off a beast-hide shield, then drew out the Nine Treasures Lotus Staff. Wielding the staff, which was one and a half yards long, he swung it with fierce wind, smashing forward. Chen Zhi unexpectedly extended his left claw and caught the staff firmly, while his right claw swiped at Lei Xiang’s empty space, five emerald-green claw slashes streaking through the air.

Lei Xiang was stunned. Chen Zhi could actually catch the Nine Treasures Lotus Staff directly—far beyond his expectations. It seemed Chen Zhi had fully restored his cultivation. Not daring to underestimate him, Lei Xiang infused spiritual power into the staff. The entire staff glowed with a scorching red light, as hot as a blazing iron rod. Even with his special gloves, Chen Zhi felt the heat unbearable and had no choice but to release the grip and retreat. Lei Xiang seized the opportunity to pull back the staff and block the claw attacks.

At that moment, the others’ attacks arrived as well: a pair of refined iron twin meteor hammers, two low-grade flying swords, a golden-backed Moon-Splitting Saber, and two fiery red monkey claws. Lei Xiang pointed the Nine Treasures Lotus Staff, which leapt up automatically to intercept all assaults. The flying swords and Moon-Splitting Saber shattered instantly, while the refined iron twin meteor hammers were blasted away, flying like real meteors toward the distant horizon. This was the difference in power. The Nine Treasures Lotus Staff was a product of the Upper Realm’s meteor showers—how could it be compared to these inferior earthly weapons?

Among the attackers, only three remained standing: apart from the unused Wu Lan, only Zuo Qiu and the Right Guardian continued their assault. Seeing the protective shield they jointly formed, a blue gleam flickered in Lei Xiang’s eyes. He shaped his left hand into a blade and unleashed a divine thunder slash. A blue blade about a foot long sliced through the shield, which shattered with a wailing sound. To Lei Xiang, at the early Foundation Establishment stage, such a shield was no more than an illusion. Just as he planned to channel spiritual power to deliver a fatal blow, a fiery red light shot down from above his head.

It was the summoned fiery red little monkey. Even a fifth-grade spirit beast was nothing to Lei Xiang now. He continued his divine thunder slash, cutting straight into Zuo Qiu’s chest. A spray of blood burst forth, a half-foot wound gaping wide. Seeing him near death, the Right Guardian quickly caught Zuo Qiu and used the Wind Riding Levitation Technique to escape. The two figures drifted like light smoke for ten yards away.

“The cultivation methods of the Immortal Monkey Sect are no good, but this Wind Riding Levitation Technique is indeed exquisite.”

Just as Lei Xiang pondered, the beast-hide shield above him “crackled” repeatedly. He looked up in surprise to see the fiery red monkey’s claws shattering the shield within moments. How was this possible? A terrible sense of oppression surged, making Lei Xiang’s heart race and his limbs grow weak. He hastily raised his hand to block.

A half-centimeter-deep wound appeared on his arm. Looking up again, the monkey’s claw swung down once more. In a split second, Lei Xiang drew out the Shooting Immortal Spear, and the claw struck the spear’s butt fiercely. The spear calmly absorbed the attack. Lei Xiang suppressed the restlessness in his heart and, using the advantage of his strong mental state, noticed that Chen Zhi, who had not attacked for a while, was hiding far away. His hands made intricate seals continuously, all directed at the fiery red little monkey above.

No wonder this fifth-grade spirit beast could perform at the peak level of a sixth-grade monster beast. It was all Chen Zhi’s cunning. Lei Xiang then released a pure white small shield to block the fiery monkey’s claws. Though each scratch left marks on the shield, it held firm for the moment. Freeing a hand, Lei Xiang pointed the Nine Treasures Lotus Staff once again; it suddenly flew above Chen Zhi’s head, smashing down like a mountain. Chen Zhi waved a green dragon sinew rod in the air, which bounced to intercept the staff.

Lei Xiang sneered and pointed the Nine Treasures Lotus Staff, transforming it into a fiery serpent several yards long that lunged forward, flames bursting everywhere. The dragon sinew transformed into a one-horned flood dragon, snarling and clawing in retaliation. It seemed this was the original form of the dragon sinew’s owner.

Seeing the staff and the flood dragon locked in fierce combat with the upper hand, Lei Xiang calmly loaded a Tianjing bullet into the Shooting Immortal Spear. The dark muzzle aimed steadily at Chen Zhi in the distance. Chen Zhi was startled and fearful of Lei Xiang’s multiple airborne attacks. “This Lei Xiang just reached Foundation Establishment, how can he control so many magical tools? Does he have enough divine sense? And what is he holding? Why does my heart pound like this? What is this threat?”

“Enough of this. Taking down Lei Xiang first is the righteous path.” Chen Zhi made up his mind, his eyes flashing with a crimson light like flames from hell. The fiery red little monkey’s eyes also flickered with the same fire, its aura swelling as it grew three yards taller. Stretching out its long arms, it smashed fiercely toward the small shield. Meanwhile, Chen Zhi secretly took out a small circular red box, opened the lid, and chanted incantations.

Lei Xiang infused spiritual power into the white small shield, but suddenly his feet trembled. The Wind and Fire Boots on his feet trembled violently, completely out of his control. At that moment, he heard Chen Zhi’s voice: “Play with me and I’ll play you to death—the Wind and Fire Boots belong to me.” Lei Xiang fully understood now. Chen Zhi had tampered with the boots from the start. But with the fiery red monkey growing huge above and the Wind and Fire Boots trying to break free below, which should he attend to first?

“Chen Zhi, don’t force me to kill you. Since I can save you, I can just as easily kill you.” Saying this, Lei Xiang no longer cared about the small shield above him. Instead, he surged spiritual power into the boots, which flashed red light. Four equally sized rollers extended from the bottom, carrying Lei Xiang sliding backward diagonally.

“Ah?” Chen Zhi’s mouth dripped a trace of blood. The Wind and Fire Boots were out of control. He hadn’t expected Lei Xiang to have modified them, rendering his own hidden contingency powerless to control the boots now. “Roar!” Chen Zhi let out a desperate long howl. The three-yard-tall giant ape also roared fiercely, its fist the size of a table smashing toward the white small shield.

The small shield wailed and shattered completely. Yet Lei Xiang seemed utterly unaffected by the incoming blow. His heart was as calm as a still lake; his hands dry and steady. He was waiting—for a sure-hit opportunity.

Meanwhile, Chen Zhi was extremely excited, envisioning the giant ape’s claws tearing Lei Xiang’s body apart and himself wearing the Wind and Fire Boots again. “This Lei Xiang is nothing. Under my Heart-Mind Symmetry Divine Skill, the fiery red monkey can transform into a seventh-grade beast. No Foundation Establishment cultivator can resist that.” As this thought crossed his mind, a victorious smile appeared on Chen Zhi’s lips—the smile of the assured victor.

But just as the smile formed, Lei Xiang pulled the trigger. “Bang!” A faint white light shot forth, penetrating Chen Zhi’s brain. Then a cataclysmic explosion erupted, reducing Chen Zhi’s entire body to fragments. Even the golden core in his dantian shattered to dust, scattering amidst the debris. The giant ape, which held its giant fist raised, seemed frozen by a binding spell, its fist stopping two feet from Lei Xiang. The red glow in its eyes faded, replaced by a dull, vacant stare.

Lei Xiang exhaled deeply. Once again, his gamble had paid off. A person is most vulnerable when on the verge of success. He had seized Chen Zhi’s fleeting moment of carelessness and executed a headshot, eliminating both body and spirit. The giant ape, linked mentally to Chen Zhi, lost all sense of direction and purpose the instant Chen Zhi died.

Glancing at Zuo Qiu and the Right Guardian hiding far away, Lei Xiang twirled the Shooting Immortal Spear in his hand, loaded a second Tianjing bullet, and without hesitation aimed the spear at Zuo Qiu’s head.