The Post Sky Tipping Era
Chapter 800 - 581: Recruitment

Chapter 800: Chapter 581: Recruitment

As the saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot, falter on the second blow, and be exhausted by the third."

At this moment, Champion Marquis, Heavenly Might General, Daoist Qing Song, and Lord Black Mountain, these four experts arrived together, their presence imposing, like a heavenly punishment descending, intimidating the hearts of men. However, after a great fire burned down, their momentum was lost, leaving them dejected and battered, their arrogance dashed.

It can be said that the Wind Summoning Technique taught them humility, brightening their eyes significantly; even harsh words were hard to come by, and their lofty attitudes were reined in.

Facing Master Taiyi once more, their expressions had turned solemn, and wariness arose in their hearts.

"Who just shouted Taiyi Demon Path from within the clouds? If I’m a demon path, then what are you? Dead men without bodies, or perhaps spirits of a wooden creature?" Li Yi’s gaze was cold as he swept the Crown Prince Sword across them: "You think you few can destroy me? I really don’t know where you get the courage."

"Very well then, today this poor Daoist will show great benevolence and send you few on your way, saving you from causing trouble by beating drums and gongs in the streets later on."

As he spoke, he also scanned them, considering who to strike first when the fight broke out.

"Master Taiyi, with your strength, why betray the court? Why hunt and kill the Incense Fire Gods with three thousand Jinyi Guards? Wouldn’t it be better to serve as the Master Preceptor, enjoying the incense offerings of the world? If you are willing to bow your head, I am willing to take you back to admit your mistake to His Majesty. I believe Emperor Shenwu and Grand Ancestor Emperor will forgive your wrongs."

Champion Marquis Zhao Zhen Shan spoke, understanding that engaging with such a fierce character was not wise, and the best approach was to recruit.

On the battlefield, without knowing the enemy’s and allies’ strength, engaging in combat rashly is self-destruction.

He was not a brainless brute, only knowing how to fight; at critical moments, he could be flexible.

"Indeed, if Master Taiyi is willing to stop the conflict, I am also willing to vouch for the Master," Daoist Qing Song immediately added.

"Master Taiyi, you are indeed strong, but you cannot possibly stand against the world alone. A better path exists, and you should choose a better path," Heavenly Might General also advised, yet his long knife flashed coldly, exuding killing intent, implying he could take a life at any moment.

Lord Black Mountain kept silent, knowing in such situations more words lead to more mistakes.

After all, he had come with a mission.

Li Yi laughed at these words: "How naive, still thinking of recruitment at this moment. If this poor Daoist truly agrees, how would you report back to those behind you? They can’t wait for this poor Daoist to die. If I’m still alive, many will find it hard to sleep or eat well. More words are pointless, today’s battle is unavoidable. Either you take this poor Daoist’s head back to make your reports, or you few Incense Fire Gods disappear from beneath this sky forever, there is no other way."

Their eyes flickered.

These words were not untrue.

However, they were not confident in taking down this Master Taiyi, even if they finally had the chance to win, at least two or three would likely fall. Yet who would be taken down by this Master Taiyi, none knew.

The risk was great.

As beings who had become gods through incense for many years, they naturally did not wish to die senselessly above the vast Taihu.

"Kill!"

Though they hesitated to move, Li Yi did not tolerate hesitation. With a sudden shout, he transformed into a golden light and lunged forward, forming a Fist Mark, an astonishing Fist Intent emanating, briefly transforming into an angry-eyed Buddha, with Daoist Skill spinning on the fist edge, gathering an extraordinary brilliance.

With a punch, it went straight for Heavenly Might General.

"Impressive courage."

The general was furious seeing this, for Li Yi made a move against him, undoubtedly considering him the weakest and easiest to bully, otherwise, why not attack the others first.

Without hesitation, he raised his long knife, incense entwined, gathering Heaven and Earth Energy in an instant, manifesting a blade radiance tearing through secrets, then dropping the great blade, slashing at the fist light, aiming to crush the opponent, determining the winner.

Facing this sensation, this deity, called the Heavenly Might General, dared not underestimate or reserve any strength.

Boom!

With a single clash, fist light met blade radiance, the aftermath spreading, creating great ripples, stirring waves upon Taihu’s surface.

Yet immediately after.

The blade radiance shattered thunderously, an extreme fist light pierced through the blade, landing directly on the general’s body.

With just one punch, it blew up his body, but he was not of flesh and blood, rather a golden body, the shattered body made of pieces of gold cast into a divine statue, its flesh-like feel due to unknown amounts of incense power.

And from the shattered golden body, a figure reappeared, regathering incense, quickly recomposing the shattered golden body, quickly recovering.

Yet the cracks on his face could never be erased.

"Just one punch to shatter the Heavenly Might General’s golden divine statue? All in, don’t hesitate any longer, or we might all die here today." Champion Marquis Zhao Zhen Shan witnessed this scene, both shocked and furious. It was clear that Master Taiyi’s fierceness exceeded expectations; the previous fire wasn’t his full strength.

"Now that things have unfolded, we have no choice."

Shoushan God and Daoist Qing Song gritted their teeth, taking out a seal, crafted from Shoushan stone and infused with countless incense. It had gained sentience and, once thrown, would descend like Shoushan itself, against which few in the world could stand.

"Go!"

He tossed the seal, and under the power of incense combined with nature’s spiritual energy, it formed a massive phantom of a seal in the sky. Though not physical, it was enough to overshadow the heavens. As it descended, it seemed like the mighty Shoushan was falling from the sky.

"Good." Champion Marquis Zhao Zhen Shan immediately rejoiced upon witnessing this.

Such a method is truly extraordinary.

"To think they’ve comprehended the artifact refining method, even Shoushan God has some insights." Li Yi saw the descending seal and was reminded of the Xuanhuang Seal he used before. Precisely because of remembering the fate of the Xuanhuang Seal, he quickly took out a Divine Wood Great Bow from the Five Elements Bracelet.

And the arrow chosen was a golden one, a top-tier magic artifact.

To deal with the incense fire god of this world, there’s no need to use Black Gold Arrows.

Bow drawn and arrow nocked.

The sound of dragon’s roar and tiger’s howl emanated, yet Li Yi, even with the cultivation of the third level of the Five Qi Realm, could not fully draw this divine bow. Perhaps only at the moment of Five Qi Chaoyuan could he truly harness the bow’s power.

But this is enough.

The golden arrow was suddenly released.

Its speed was beyond what the naked eye could capture.

A vicious tear appeared between heaven and earth; in a mere instant, the massive seal shadowing the sky was suddenly shattered, dispersing into countless incense fire power, while the seal itself fragmented, scattering into pieces that splashed into Taihu Lake, vanishing in the waters.

"My Shoushan Seal." Daoist Qing Song’s teeth ground in fury upon witnessing this.

He could hardly believe it; the Shoushan Seal he’d refined for countless years, infused with incense spiritual energy, already sentient, was shattered by one arrow from Master Taiyi the moment he took it out. It made his heart tighten, his entire being facing a gigantic blow, nearly coughing up old blood.

"Don’t flaunt such junk." Li Yi said coldly.

Yet before he could finish, Champion Marquis Zhao Zhen Shan, spear in hand, instantly attacked Li Yi, thinking this strike would succeed. But as the long spear approached the Taiyi Taoist in front of him, something unbelievable occurred.

Accompanied by the weapon of Champion Marquis that conquered the world, it was unexpectedly fragile, failing to pierce through Master Taiyi’s Red Jade Purple Gold Armor. Instead, the spearhead broke, and the shaft shattered repeatedly.

"How is this possible..." Champion Marquis Zhao Zhen Shan was in disbelief.

But Li Yi understood.

Ordinary weapons remain ordinary; only the power of incense keeps them intact for millennia, otherwise they’d decay long ago. Only Dao Artifacts possess spirit, becoming immensely powerful through incense power; other weapons can’t fully utilize the incense power.

This is the flaw of this world.

Combining incense fire skill with any cultivation method is explosive; solely it’s a dead end.

Li Yi was disinclined to explain, holding the bow in one hand, forming a fist with the other, unleashing Dragon and Tiger Power, entwined with three strands of mana, and delivered a punch.

Champion Marquis took the hit, retreating dozens of miles instantaneously, his body continuously fractured and peeled during the retreat. He wasn’t a golden statue but a clay figurine, merely refined by incense and nature’s spiritual energy to appear like a real person.

But after this punch, his body similarly crumbled, unable to sustain.

"Damn it."

Champion Marquis reassembled the incense fire, revealing his true form, gazing at the distant Master Taiyi, feeling an unprecedented sense of powerless defeat.

This person’s power was formidable enough, yet his weapon and armor were terrifyingly strong.

Moreover, ranged and melee combat, as well as swarm tactics, were ineffective; he seemed born for battle, with no weaknesses.

But naturally, Li Yi mastered multiple methods; even if some cultivation methods had flaws, he’d long patched them. The only deficiency was that his soul hadn’t transformed into Primordial Spirit, unable to transcend the flesh and exist eternally in the heavens and earth.