Chapter 17 Art is an Explosion

"The Three Emperors' Books, the books of Fuxi, Divine Farmer, and Yellow Emperor, are called the 'Three Tombs' and speak of the Grand Dao."

These three books are the most ancient texts in history, and although the times are advancing, it must be admitted that the strength of present-day cultivators is not as formidable as in the past. The power of the 'Qi Tomb' could truly be called the origin of Innate Qi Dao.

Even if it was just a tiny fraction of it.

A wall of True Qi came crashing down, and Divine Power surged like a tide, engulfing everything around.

For the first time, Jiang Li's expression changed, sensing a life-threatening challenge. He immediately pulled out his trump card, and four-tenths of the True Qi within his body drained instantly.

"Dingchou extends my life, Dinghai confines my soul.

Dingyou orders my spirit, Dingwei deflects my disaster.

Dingsi traverses my peril, Dingmao overcomes my calamity.

Jiazi protects my body, Jiaxu safeguards my form.

Jiashen solidifies my life, Jiawu guards my soul.

Jiachen suppresses my essence, Jiayin nurtures my truth."

He rapidly chanted the Six Ding and Six Jia Divine Mantras, and twelve streaks of golden light soared into the sky, forming a gigantic talisman above Jiang Li's head.

"Forgive!"

The talisman descended, covering him in golden light, and even the long sword in his hand was enveloped, turning him into a small golden figure.

Previously, merely activating the talisman had been enough to render his challengers powerless; now, Jiang Li was fully utilizing the Six Ding and Six Jia Protection Talisman, his whole body aglow with golden light, filled inside and out. His physical strength and constitution were no less than Zhang Zhenyang, who had practiced the Primordial Skill, and his defense was far superior.

Even his mind was protected and, when combined with the abilities of the Dao Fruit, withstood the suffocating pressure.

"Open."

The sword unsheathed, Jiang Li's eyes reflecting countless trajectories of True Qi movement. The blade, carrying golden light, raced along the wall of Qi like a dragon and snake traversing land, each twist and turn precisely intercepting the path of flowing True Qi.

Luu Wangji could be considered the strongest enemy that Jiang Li had ever faced; against him, Jiang Li dared not hold anything back. Talismanic magic, swordsmanship, and the Observing Qi Technique were all pushed to their limits.

Sword light clashing with True Qi emitted an unceasing clamor, and then, a blade gleamed like lightning tearing through, splitting the advancing wall of Qi into two.

"Whoosh!"

The resonating sound of the sword rang out, Jiang Li placed one hand behind his back, stepping forward with a sword in the other. Multiple talismans flew from his sleeves, spiraling around the blade. One strike unleashed, and bursts of fire exploded.

"He still has the energy to activate a talisman?"

Luu Wangji remarked, impressed.

If a talisman was successful, it could store a portion of True Qi on the medium; the better the medium, the more True Qi it could hold. When activated, if one only desires the minimum power, then only this portion of True Qi needs to be used.

In theory, the more talismans prepared, the stronger the talismanic practitioner becomes.

But in reality, activating a talisman requires guidance with spiritual power and is not something that can be used by simply grasping it. Higher-grade talismans consume more spiritual power, and the more talismans activated at the same moment, the more precise control is needed.

Jiang Li had already used an advanced talisman, the Six Ding and Six Jia Protection Talisman, but still had the surplus energy to utilize the Fire Thunder Talisman; his Divine Essence was unexpectedly strong, at least in Luu Wangji's estimation.

But that was just unexpected.

"Concurrent with both conformity and contrariety."

Luu Wangji brought his palms together, with a large amount of True Qi gathering between them, forming a vortex that caught the long sword mid-slash, and even the flames bursting from the sword were forcibly pressed back, turning the transparent vortex into a shade of red.

With currents of Strength flowing in both...

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"Clang!"

The Fine Steel Long Sword, covered in golden light, was twisted and broken by the whirl of True Qi, and Luu Wangji's palms turned over, parallel to the broken sword, pressing towards Jiang Li's chest and abdomen at the same time.

"Boom!"

At the critical moment, Jiang Li decisively abandoned his sword and no longer kept his left hand behind him; he intercepted with both hands, using the Wind Chasing Palm to block in front of his chest and abdomen, colliding with Luu Wangji's palms.

However, one was fully prepared while the other was forced into a hasty defense. Coupled with Luu Wangji's power far surpassing Jiang Li's, and Jiang Li's arms unable to exert force properly at that moment, their palms met, and Jiang Li's arms were pushed back against his body by the palm force, producing a muffled sound as the golden light on his body shimmered.

Had he not possessed the Six Ding and Six Jia Protection Talisman, that strike would have inflicted severe damage on Jiang Li.

After the heavy blow, Jiang Li flew backward by yards before his feet touched the ground, sliding rapidly backward on the Fengyun Platform!

"The outcome has been decided!" Luo Yi on the cliff finally let out a sigh of relief, "Jiang Li has already used his left hand, and Luu Wangji will definitely not allow him to continue using Louguan Swordsmanship to foresee the enemy's moves. Even if he has the Six Ding and Six Jia Amulet to protect himself, it's difficult to reverse the momentum of defeat."

Sure enough, just as Jiang Li retreated by two yards, a woeful sound suddenly rang out. Luu Wangji's left palm faced Jiang Li, all five fingers spread, the palm concave, and True Qi swirling rapidly within, emitting a woeful sound as an invisible great strength pulled at the retreating Jiang Li, dragging him back towards Luu Wangji.

Dragon Capturing Skill!

The retreating figure was pulled forward like a kite caught in a gust, the distance of three yards rapidly closing.

Jiang Li, while sliding, shook his sleeves vigorously, and countless Fire Thunder Talismans flew from his sleeves, absorbed by the Dragon Capturing Skill.

Each talisman emitted spirit light, and the fire blazed brightly.

"Boom boom boom boom..."

A series of thunderous explosions sounded, and up to thirty Fire Thunder Talismans were activated, demonstrating the overwhelming force of Jiang Li's Divine Essence.

But Luu Wangji's strength was also awe-inspiring.

"Haphazard confusion."

Luu Wangji noticed that although there were many Fire Thunder Talismans, their explosions were interfered with by counteracting forces, obviously because the opponent had been forced to use his left hand and had no time to carry out precise calculations using Louguan Swordsmanship.

"Controlled Cranes."

With a push of Luu Wangji's right palm, an invisible wall seemed to materialize in front of him. The multitudes of firelights crashed against it, forming a barrier that none could cross, like a section cut from the Thunder Pool.

Even more, an overpowering force surged forth, dispersing the explosion created by the thirty Fire Thunder Talismans with a single palm strike.

"Bang!"

As the explosion of fiery rain scattered, Luu Wangji's large sleeves fluttered, and he stepped forward. True Qi surged around his body, parting the fiery rain wherever he went. However, when the firelight in front of him had all dissipated, what appeared before his eyes was an astonishing sight.

Talismans, as far as the eye could see, were talismans.

Countless talismans danced wildly in the wind, the bright yellow color filling his vision.

Taking advantage of the firelight's obstruction of vision, Jiang Li had thrown all the Fire Thunder Talismans from his storage bag, the fluttering talismans surrounding both him and Luu Wangji.

"You have Divine Skill, I have Fire Thunder."

Through the whirl of talismans, Jiang Li gave Luu Wangji a slight smile and quietly swallowed an Elixir secretly passed to him by Feng Ziyang. At the same time, the spiritual power attached to the talisman paper was activated.

Allahu Akbar, art is an explosion.

"Boom boom boom boom boom..."

Although the Fire Thunder Talismans were but unclassified talismans, their sheer number created a qualitative change, an overwhelming force that could surpass limits when their quantity increased substantially.

Just like Luu Wangji, he was able to dominate Jiang Li because his Power far surpassed Jiang Li's.

Like Heavenly Thunder triggering Earth Fire, the flames soared into the sky, the roaring sound incessant, flames rolling fiercely, sweeping across all directions, covering a large part of the Fengyun Platform in an instant.

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