I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1821 - 252: Fortune Arrives with the Combined Strength of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 1821: Chapter 252: Fortune Arrives with the Combined Strength of Heaven and Earth

Helmet lost, armor discarded, fleeing in disarray?

No matter what, Cao Lie only wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible.

He was the true prodigy of Long Valley, unseen in ten generations, a destined king who awakened the beast soul bloodline, a man predestined to stand at the pinnacle of Xiehe from birth.

Although he had encountered various twists and obstacles along the way, in Cao Lie’s view, they were mere fleeting episodes not worth mentioning. Now, he had crossed to the other shore, even discovering a method to surpass true sons of destiny like Cao Guang, Lu Chen, and Xu Lang.

The Soul Curse Master who appeared at Red Cloud Mountain was, in his eyes, the perfect missing piece to completing his grand ambition. This story was supposed to unfold exactly in this way!

"Ugh..."

Cao Lie, after traversing several hundreds of miles, stumbled and fell to the ground. The once majestic Dragon Robe draped over him was dim and lifeless, a gaping hole piercing through both its front and back, faint traces of divine light flickering from his Kingly Body.

The Kingly Body is capable of self-repair because "I" am whole. Wholeness means that every part of the body is interlinked by shared memories. Even if the Kingly Body is shattered or severed, those connections do not vanish; they merely dissipate into the wind, hidden among the clouds.

Other parts of "me" will reestablish links with this fragment and complete the reconstruction. This is the foundation of a king’s immortality.

But this time was different. When part of the Kingly Body was obliterated, the remaining interconnected fragments began to tremble. The soul essence he lost was the very core of his Dao Realm. Restoring himself to his original state would require years, even decades, of painstaking cultivation and reshaping.

What’s worse, in his current state of isolation and distrust, he had no choice but to return to Luyang City.

Only there, in the underground palace, where the Primary Qi perfectly resonated with his Kingly Body, could his injuries heal at the fastest possible rate.

But merely thinking of the wraithlike horrors lurking within his territory...

Cao Lie frowned slightly. For the living dead clawing desperately for survival, he would sacrifice anything. Yet their core purpose remained their own life extension.

Even worse, if he wanted to speed up his recovery, he would need the support of the Seven Sects.

But in his current state, how could he perform the necessary techniques?

And what of that new king? Just what kind of terrifying Dao could possibly seal a Martial Arts Monarch in place and obliterate his cultivation with a single strike?

Suppressing another bout of groaning, Cao Lie pushed aside the chaotic thoughts and began the elementary repairs on his Kingly Body.

Some matters could only be addressed one step at a time.

...

Luyang City

In the end, Cao Lie chose to return to his territory. However, whether it was due to his luck being exhausted after encountering Tang Luo, he had barely stepped foot into the city when he came upon several powerhouses from the Corpse Sect, Gu Sect, and Naked Sect, sitting grim-faced in his hall, awaiting him.

In the past, Cao Lie wouldn’t have bothered putting on a good face for them. But in his current predicament, he couldn’t afford to be obstinate. Restraining himself, he walked into the hall with an air of nonchalance and asked with a relaxed expression, "What wind blows so strongly today that it has brought you all together here?"

"Cao Lie, this old man has no time for pleasantries with you."

A terrifying figure from the Corpse Sect, his skin gray and sunken, with ghastly hollow cheeks and pupils with only a faint brown circle around white voids in their centers, stood and demanded, "Did you hide the core information?"

"How could I deceive you elders?"

Sitting back comfortably on his throne, a seemingly carefree Cao Lie spread his hands and said, "What you’ve obtained is the sum total of all my research in these years!"

"If this is all there is, then the research is far from complete!"

The haggard and irate powerhouse from the Corpse Sect erupted, "A twisted beast soul bloodline in the King Realm cannot fully bond with the human soul! You’ve merely used a controlling seal to forcibly separate beast instincts, but how can a distorted soul compete with a beast body possessing complete memory? Ultimately, human will would succumb to beastly desires. Forget about breaking through realms, even maintaining clarity of mind would become nearly impossible!"

You could question the morals of certain individuals in the sanctuary, but you could never underestimate the capabilities of these people.

Especially when certain powerhouses directed all their ruthless focus towards research; their efficiency could exceed the limits of most people’s imaginations.

Cao Lie’s decades of research held no secrets once the martial masters of the Seven Sects joined forces to consolidate and dissect it.

The results naturally brought joy to some and despair to others. For those like the Lin Clan, Mao Sect, and Feather Sect, who coveted the might of the dragon beasts, Cao Lie’s research was invaluable, as it primarily sought to enhance beast taming.

But for the masters anxious to extend their lifespans, the research’s side effects were far too numerous.

"Cough, cough, cough."

Another voice emerged, this time from the Naked Sect’s powerhouse. "For me, it’s not about continuing cultivation; I only wish to live for another century or two. But the very essence of this secret technique lies in the Soul Mark, which protects the True Spirit from destruction. If the practitioner of this Soul Mark makes even the slightest error, then living would become worse than dying. Wouldn’t you agree, King of Luyang?"

Though Cao Lie had long known that his hidden motives would one day be exposed, he had not anticipated it happening so soon, at such an inopportune moment.

But the more precarious the situation, the more composed he needed to be. Cao Lie chuckled softly and said, "The purpose of the Soul Mark is to ensure the True Spirit’s immortality. You are all respected elders to me, so of course, I would be the one to perform this mark. However, if you don’t trust me, you can always seek another expert. But in Xiehe, where could you possibly find a safer choice than me?"

"You’re the least trustworthy of all!"

A sharp voice cut through the tension, emanating from the green-robed Gu Sect leader, his expression hostile. "Two dragon beasts escaped to Red Cloud, and you led yourself to Red Cloud, drawing out that new king. This sect wishes to know—was your King of Luyang’s research truly aimed at extending the lives of the Seven Sects’ powerhouses, or was it designed to deceive and harvest their remains?!"

The atmosphere grew deathly quiet. Cao Lie could no longer maintain his facade of cheerfulness. Gazing coldly at the powerhouses seated around the hall, he replied icily, "If you desire something, you must pay the price. Since we’re discussing terms, I’ll be direct."

"This is not the entirety of my research. What I withheld was the technique to transfer a master’s True Spirit into a new Sea of Consciousness. But executing such a method comes at immense cost, so the price is equally great. It requires not only the remains of masters but also a thousand wrathful souls from the Fierce Realm!"

"You’ve gone mad!"

The green-robed powerhouse from the Gu Sect exploded in fury. "A thousand wrathful souls from the Fierce Realm—do you realize how much carnage and atrocity it would take in Xiehe to gather them? Are you determined to cast Long Valley into demonic ruin?!"

"Whether it’s carnage or righteousness, does the Gu Sect leader really need me to teach him the difference?"

Cao Lie smirked wickedly. "A mere thousand Fierce Realm souls. Xiehe is vast. If it’s done discreetly, who would ever know?"

"Ahem, it seems the Lin Sect leader was right. Cao Lie, you truly haven’t changed in the slightest."

The elder from the Naked Sect rose to his feet, shaking his head in disappointment. "This research—I’m out."

With that, the old man cast a glance toward the enraged green-robed sect leader and the emotionless powerhouse from the Corpse Sect, then silently shook his head and departed without another word.