As its name implied, the Othermount Stone was just a small pebble, but it was a top-tier offensive Immortal Artifact. Once thrown, it would surely hit its target. When Island Lord Mo wielded the Othermount Stone during the Union Stage, she was nearly invincible.
Even someone as famous for body cultivation as Zhang Konghu would be on the brink of death if struck head-on. However, Ji Zhi did not show the slightest fear. Facing the thrown Othermount Stone, he gently swung his sword.
In that instant, the speed of the stone slowed down drastically. By the time it reached Ji Zhi, all its momentum had vanished; it posed no threat at all.
“This is… the power of time?” the Holy Maiden Jing Xin spoke uncertainly.
She had heard of the Sword of Past and Present before. It was said to have been forged by the Ji Clan’s ancestor—a fish from the River of Time and Space, who used its shed bones during ascension to create a Fishbone Sword capable of influencing the very fabric of time and space.
But how exactly it was wielded, she did not know.
“Yes,” Jiang Li explained calmly.
“With that strike, he disrupted the Othermount Stone’s own spacetime, sending it through several years in the blink of an eye. The stone had no remaining force when it arrived, yet because its trait ensures it always strikes its target, it has no choice but to continue flying endlessly toward Ji Zhi.”
Jiang Li’s insight was sharper than the Holy Maiden’s. What seemed like a simple swing of the sword actually carried an unfathomable profundity, terrifying once understood. Taking advantage of the brief moment while Island Lord Mo recalled the Othermount Stone, Ji Zhi charged forward and swung several slashes at her.
Island Lord Mo dodged one strike, only to find another one already cutting toward her, as if each move had been foreseen. This repeated several times until she was hit by multiple sword wounds. Frowning, she looked into Ji Zhi’s eyes—and suddenly understood.
It wasn’t the Sword of Past and Present causing this, but Ji Zhi’s double pupils! They allowed him to glimpse the future, making his swordsmanship seem like preordained prophecy. Realizing this, Island Lord Mo knew that close combat would only disadvantage her.
She drew back swiftly and hurled the Othermount Stone again. The Othermount Stone split into tens of thousands, sealing all ten directions and leaving Ji Zhi with no escape but to face it head-on. Just as the countless stones closed in, Ji Zhi raised his sword with both hands before his chest.
As the wave of stones came near, their motion suddenly slowed, as if they had entered a field centered around him—within that domain, the flow of time itself was stretched infinitely thin. Then, at the very spot where Island Lord Mo stood, a flash of sword qi suddenly appeared. She was caught off guard and wounded.
Instinctively she teleported to a new place, but as she reappeared, another burst of sword qi cut her again. No matter where she went, sword qi would materialize from nowhere—it was impossible to evade!
“Island Lord Mo, how do you find the might of the Sword of Past and Present?”
Ji Zhi asked with a light smile, the Fishbone Sword in his hand shimmering faintly as though breathing time itself. He seemed unsurprised by her plight.
“Double pupils and the Sword of Past and Present truly complement each other perfectly!”
Island Lord Mo exclaimed in admiration. She now understood his method, yet for the moment, she could think of no countermeasure. The Othermount Stone’s full might had never been displayed, constantly chained down by the Sword of Past and Present.
By now, Island Lord Mo knew full well—she had lost. Though the battle was suffocating, defeat was defeat, and she admitted it openly. The sword qi had not struck her vital points—Ji Zhi had shown mercy.
“What exactly happened?” the Holy Maiden Jing Xin asked, still not understanding what Ji Zhi had done.
Jiang Li chuckled softly.
“I’ve suffered from that trick myself. Ji Zhi foresaw this challenge long ago. With his double pupils, he knew who would face him, when, and where. So, he used the Sword of Past and Present to leave behind sword qi in those future locations—what you’re seeing now are sword strikes left in the past, manifesting in the present. That too is one of the Sword of Past and Present’s powers.”
“Island Lord Mo’s defeat lies in her unfamiliarity with the sword,” Jiang Li went on, his tone even.
“The Othermount Stone can strike all things—it can even pierce through space, or strike directly into the River of Time. Had she known the sword’s abilities, she could’ve used the Othermount Stone to hit the River of Time, stirring its ripples. Then the future would’ve turned chaotic, and both the double pupils and the Sword of Past and Present would have lost much of their power.”
In just a few words, Jiang Li revealed the very path to victory for Island Lord Mo, and the crowd could not help but look at him with awe and admiration.
“Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, come and fight!”
Now, only the Ruyi Gourd of the Heavenly Origin Dynasty and the Dragon Pearl of the Four Seas had yet to appear. Everyone thought the Heavenly Origin Empress was calling for battle. Yet the Heavenly Origin Empress frowned slightly.
Though she had intended to challenge the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, she hadn’t spoken yet. Clad in an imperial robe, the empress carried an air of solemn majesty. Though she was an extraordinarily beautiful woman, no one’s first reaction upon seeing her was admiration for that beauty—it was to feel the overwhelming dominance of one born to rule.
“Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, come and fight!” the voice above repeated, and only then did everyone realize it was Island Lord Mo shouting.
She had accepted her defeat, yet the more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became, until all that anger needed release—she wanted a real fight to vent her fury.
The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, wearing a blue robe and possessing a dragon’s head upon a human body, sighed bitterly but had no choice but to face her. Others might not understand Island Lord Mo’s true strength, but he did. Of the Six Great Sects, only Penglai Immortal Island lay overseas—within the Four Seas themselves.
The Dragon Palace and Penglai were frequent neighbors, seeing each other regularly. When no one used Immortal Artifacts, Mo Ruoyu could face two Dragon Kings at once. If everyone used their Immortal Artifacts, she could still fight four.
Sometimes, the Four Seas Dragon Kings truly felt aggrieved. All of them were Divine Beasts—yet the Human Race bullied them endlessly. They even entertained the thought that perhaps the Four Seas should just merge with the Baize Imperial Dynasty instead!
No, no, he immediately corrected himself. I can’t think like that. I am no longer the dragon I once was!
I have cultivated Jiang Li’s Human Emperor Strength. I am the foremost among the Four Seas Dragon Kings—the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea! My brothers have entrusted me with this fight because they believe I can lead our Dragon Clan to glory!
With that resolve, his confidence swelled. He hadn’t fought Mo Ruoyu since cultivating Jiang Li’s technique—now was the perfect chance to make a name for himself! … The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea lost miserably.
Bai Hongtu was practically shoving Great Rejuvenation Pills into the dragon’s mouth without restraint, as though they cost nothing. At that moment, the Dragon King thought grimly, Mo Ruoyu never hit me this hard before. Maybe this time she figured that since the Dao Sect’s Great Rejuvenation Pills would handle the aftermath anyway, she might as well go all out.
“That old dragon has indeed grown stronger,” Mo Ruoyu remarked with a frown once she returned to the viewing platform.
Though she had won, she could feel the improvement in his strength. The Dragon Race was already renowned for its physical might, and the Dragon King’s body had clearly become tougher than before. With her Immortal Artifact in hand, she reckoned she could now only fight three Dragon Kings at once instead of four.
“Jiang Li’s Human Emperor Strength really works that well?”
As the Dragon Palace’s neighbor, Mo Ruoyu had long heard whispers about the Dragon Clan secretly cultivating body tempering. Her gaze shifted toward Jiang Li. Jiang Li suddenly had the unmistakable feeling of being targeted.
“Our big brother used four Dragon Pearls but still couldn’t withstand the Othermount Stone.”
“Good thing it was big brother up there.”
“Yeah, otherwise it’d be one of us flat on the ground.”
The other three Dragon Kings whispered among themselves beneath the stage. Everyone dreamed of refining an Immortal Artifact—it was a rare, once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Of course they wanted to participate, but they wouldn’t dare do it openly.
If they went up, they’d end up like their big brother. A big brother’s role naturally comes with being the first to take the blows. In truth, the Dragon Pearls had incredible defensive power.
Don’t be misled by the miserable image of the Dragon King holding four pearls while still losing. That was only because the Othermount Stone’s attack always hit its mark, ignoring all defenses. If Bai Hongtu himself, with his Tribulation Transcendence Stage cultivation, had attacked, even he couldn’t harm the Dragon Pearls.
Immortal Artifacts countered one another by their nature—there was simply no helping that.
“Look! The Yin-Yang Heavenly Seal is showing changes!” …
Thanks to fellow readers “My Hen” and “Dark Duke” for their monthly votes. This is the first time I’ve ever received one.
(End of Chapter)