262: The soul of Qiankun Realm, heading to the Ghost Gate

The mission is complete?

It was even over-fulfilled, with an unexpected pleasant surprise.

【Star Soul Canon: A Soul secret technique. The Cultivator needs to be free of distractions when the stars are bright at night, feel the power of the stars, and use a specific breathing method to condense the power of the stars into their Soul, to achieve the effect of strengthening the Soul】

“Extract!”

Chu Jiang thought to himself.

In an instant, every cell in his body cheered, and countless experiences of Cultivating the Star Soul Canon surged in.

His heartbeat synchronized with the boundless starry sky, each beat echoing the rhythm of the stars.

Deep within his Soul, a faint light began to flicker; that was the Star Soul Seed, which began to grow at an astonishing speed, and his Soul was undergoing a baptism.

Numerous celestial phenomena evolved within Chu Jiang's body, and his Soul power rapidly surged...

Faxiang Ninth Stage.

Ten Realms of Dharma Idol.

Until he Breakthrough to Qiankun First Stage.

【Special Secret Technique · Star Soul Canon (Major Achievement)】

【Currently unlocked: Star Soul Eye, possesses functions such as X-ray vision, farsight, and night vision, and can see through some hidden Formations and illusions】

With this Heaven and Earth Realm Soul, plus the Transcendent Azure Wood Emperor Skill, even without using the Azure Emperor Dharma Form, he could still possess Heaven and Earth Realm combat power.

A smile appeared on Chu Jiang's face.

Half an hour later.

Chu Jiang found Li Dakai and others, who were under house arrest by Li Ze, in a certain part of Langlang Pass. It was probably because Li Ze was afraid they would cause trouble.

As for killing Li Dakai, Li Ze wouldn't dare as long as he still wanted to stay in Great Chu.

After hearing Chu Jiang explain the course of events, Li Dakai also let out a sigh: “General Li Ze was also a loyal and patriotic man when he was young, always charging to the front lines in every battle against the barbarians.”

“I don't know why he ended up like this today!”

He had worked with Li Ze for nearly two hundred years, fighting side by side on the battlefield, and seeing his current outcome filled him with some regret.

Chu Jiang said in a deep voice: “Everyone's life changes inadvertently, either actively or passively. When the tide comes, some choose to go against the wind, while others choose to go with the wind. No one can say for sure; what we can grasp is only ourselves!”

“To remain consistent is the hardest thing!”

Li Dakai nodded.

But Li Ze's life was ruined. People would not remember that he had fought for the country for a thousand years; they would only remember him as a national traitor.

Because the disaster had already occurred.

Li Ze indirectly caused over three hundred thousand civilian casualties in several counties, with countless people losing their wives, children, and elders, and their families scattered.

The lingering embers of this life tragedy would persist for hundreds of years, difficult to dissipate.

His merits could not overshadow his faults.

These were two different matters.

If your wife and daughter were humiliated, your husband killed, and your parents and relatives all became ghosts under the blade during this barbarian invasion.

Would you still forgive Li Ze?

He composed himself and continued: “Brother Chu, where are you planning to go next?”

Chu Jiang: “I plan to go to Zhen Gui Pass, and then return to the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division, as I've been away for quite some time!”

Zhen Gui Pass is one of the three major formidable passes in Wild Cloud County. Marquis Shenwei is there, and the purple gold gourd still contains the Barbarian Emperors Son and several barbarian generals.

These had little use in his hands. Only by handing them over to the border commander could their full value be exploited.

【Trigger mission: Deliver the Barbarian Emperors Son to Zhen Gui Pass and hand him over to Marquis Shenwei. Reward: Five thousand high-grade Demon Suppression Blades】

Chu Jiang's eyes lit up. This was perfect for re-equipping the Demon Suppression Guard of the Yunzhou Demon Suppression Division. The high-grade Demon Suppression Blade could be used by Grandmaster-level martial artists.

It was probably a low-difficulty mission, otherwise, it wouldn't reward Grandmaster-level items.

Moreover, going to Zhen Gui Pass was already part of his plan.

Li Dakai said in a deep voice: “That's good. Our Great Chu border army has been confronting the barbarians for a long time. The people you captured, especially the Barbarian Emperors Son, might yield unexpected results!”

Chu Jiang nodded, then took Li Ze's corpse with him.

“Brother Chu, what are you doing...?” Li Dakai asked, puzzled.

“I want to make him into a stone statue, to kneel eternally at the boundary monument of Wild Cloud County, to deter people!”

Chu Jiang said calmly.

Li Dakai: Good heavens, being Chu Jiang's enemy truly sends shivers down one's spine; even in death, there's no peace.

This was to nail Li Ze to the pillar of shame for three lifetimes.

Soon, the two arrived at the top of Langlang Pass's city wall. Li Dakai opened the pass, allowing Chu Jiang to leave.

Meanwhile, Sun Taian of Jialing Pass and his thirty thousand Iron Float remained outside the city.

“Brother Chu is mighty. I am Sun Taian of Jialing Pass!”

Sun Taian cupped his hands. He had witnessed the entire battle just now, and it was incredibly fierce. Even the ultimate killing move of the Five Elements Thunder Fiend Formation couldn't stop Chu Jiang.

He had fought against Heaven and Earth Realm experts, who were immensely powerful, a completely different concept from the Faxiang Realm.

Some extremely strong Divine Power Realm cultivators might be able to withstand Faxiang Realm First or Second Stage experts, or even Third Stage.

However, for a Faxiang Realm cultivator to fight a Heaven and Earth Realm cultivator is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Being able to withstand a Heaven and Earth Realm First Stage attack is already extremely Heaven-Defying.

The Heaven and Earth Realm, as the highest combat power in this world, has a huge gap between each stage.

Chu Jiang's ability to break through Langlang Pass's peerless killing Formation was enough to prove he possessed the combat power of a Heaven and Earth Realm First Stage.

He truly possessed a peerless demeanor.

“Yun Province Pacification Commissioner, Chu Jiang!”

Chu Jiang said with a faint smile, returning the bow.

“Since the truth has come to light, can we now be allowed to leave the pass and pursue that barbarian army?!”

Sun Taian then looked at Li Dakai. He was afraid that if they delayed any longer, this barbarian army providing support would retreat, and it would be difficult to find them again.

“Oh, so Brother Sun came for this. That barbarian army has already been annihilated by me, so it seems you've made a trip in vain!”

Chu Jiang said calmly.

“What?”

Sun Taian's pupils constricted. What kind of speed was this?

Of the invading barbarian army, he had only killed a few dozen fleeing stragglers. Let alone the main force, he hadn't even encountered any decent remnants.

He had originally hoped for the barbarian army outside the pass, but it turned out they had also been wiped out.

Damn it, it really was a wasted trip.

If he hadn't seen Chu Jiang's Realm, which truly only erupted at Faxiang Eighth Stage, he would have suspected that the other party was a peerless Heaven and Earth Realm expert hiding his Realm.

“Just lucky!”

Chu Jiang said again.

Sun Taian was silent. Do you even know what you're saying? Why does this person always manage to say the most impactful things with the calmest words?

Li Dakai gave an awkward smile. Chu Jiang was famous in the Western Seven Provinces as a “master of showing off.” His skill at showing off was even higher than his actual strength, and he didn't know where he learned it.

“Brother Sun, after you return to Jialing Pass, please take Brother Chu to Zhen Gui Pass for me. I'm tied up here for now.”

With Li Ze dead, there was still a lot to deal with at Langlang Pass.

“Alright!”

Sun Taian agreed without much thought. Anyway, he was going to Zhen Gui Pass to report in a few days, so it was just an early trip.

“Wait a moment, let me deal with this traitor first!”

Chu Jiang held Li Ze's head and mangled body in his large hand, bloody and indistinct, with organs and bone fragments crushed together, barely recognizable as human-shaped.

Having said that.

The Sky Roc strode, its body becoming a shadow, directly disappearing from its original spot.

“What is Brother Chu going to do?”

After Li Dakai explained.

“Traitors should be dealt with in this manner; only then can those restless individuals be deterred, otherwise no one will be afraid!”

Sun Taian clapped his hands in praise upon hearing this. Such decisive action, it was truly a pity he didn't join the military.

As the Yun Province Pacification Commissioner, he was highly valued by the Chu Emperor, and now that he had returned, he would surely be entrusted with important responsibilities again.

Joining the military was unlikely now.

...

At the boundary monument of Wild Cloud County.

Chu Jiang used the Azure Wood Emperor Skill to re-form Li Ze's mangled body into a stone sculpture.

The stone sculpture was lifelike, smooth as a mirror, with fearful eyes, kneeling on both legs, bowing towards Wild Cloud County.

If not for the consideration of scaring passing commoners, Chu Jiang wouldn't even have bothered to form this stone sculpture, but would have displayed it naked and bloody.

“Finished!”

Chu Jiang looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction, truly a marvel.

He then turned and left, heading to Zhen Gui Pass with Sun Taian.