The Eternal Way-Chapter 184: Vajra

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Dailu, though surprised, did not panic. Instead, he raised the golden token and shouted loudly:

"Who dares to be so bold! This is the Hundred Forests Kingdom, with the king above and the governor in the middle. We envoys carry the dignity of a nation. How dare you behave so recklessly!"

"Acting Commander, is this the 'righteous man' you spoke of? To attempt to kill an official within the army, showing no regard for laws, such audacity in speech and action—still you do not accept orders, form your ranks, and swiftly apprehend this fiend!"

As he spoke, the golden token shimmered, revealing itself as a magical artifact! It was of eighth-grade quality, powerful enough to suppress ordinary landscape deities!

All those present below eighth grade felt an immense pressure, almost forcing them to their knees.

This was the golden token of a Sītú, carrying the national laws and discipline of the Hundred Forests Kingdom. As a Humanism treasure, as long as the kingdom existed, its authority remained intact and effective, possessing considerable power.

The deputy commander of the White Rhino Army knelt halfway, cold sweat pouring down his face, unsure of what to do.

Soldiers should follow military orders, but how could they turn their weapons against Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang?

Zhang Dailu did not wait for the deputy commander's thoughts, shouting again, "What are you waiting for!? Suppressing violence and punishing greed is part of the national law, isn't it your duty? This criminal openly violates the law; he must be punished. People should collectively execute him. Quickly gather the troops and capture him!"

But Li Qi placed a hand on the deputy commander's shoulder and whispered, "Commander, let me tell you something. Do you know why the main commander never returned? Because he too was imprisoned under the charge of disobeying orders, his life now uncertain."

Without further ado, Li Qi immediately acted!

Two strands of Metal Qi shot out like two golden threads, silently stabbing forward.

This time, instead of two separate strands, they merged into one.

The golden thread moved at such speed that even a ninth-grade opponent would struggle to react.

Li Qi had never failed in his sneak attacks before, always defeating ninth-grade enemies with a single strike, never needing a second blow.

Though these two innate divine weapons were not crafted by skilled artisans, they inherently possessed yin and yang properties. When combined, they ranked among the top within the eighth grade!

Li Qi usually used them separately because even then, they were eighth-grade items, more than enough to overpower ninth-grade cultivators without specific countermeasures.

But now, he faced not mere countryside deities.

Zhang Dailu, this muscular old man, smirked and reacted just in time! His muscles tensed, and a layer of Martial Dao internal energy covered his fist. Then, he threw a punch!

Their first direct clash.

Fists met blades, releasing overwhelming force.

Zhang Dailu was a genuine powerhouse from the government, stronger than Li Qi both in cultivation and artifacts.

Li Qi knew well that even with the combined Metal Qi, the golden token in Zhang Dailu's hand barely matched his strength, unable to achieve overwhelming superiority.

The heavy, unstoppable fist shattered the sword qi instantly, slamming towards Li Qi's face with immense pressure.

Li Qi's eyes widened in disbelief.

Metal Qi had been struck away by a fist!

But simultaneously, Li Qi gestured, summoning the displaced Metal Qi back instantly.

Eighth-grade Metal Qi could travel five miles in a breath.

Being knocked back several dozen meters made little difference when it was right in front of him.

With all its might, the Metal Qi sped like a meteor, friction igniting sparks in the air, striking Zhang Dailu squarely on the shoulder.

Li Qi had aimed for the head.

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But Zhang Dailu wasn't incompetent; at the last moment, he tilted his head slightly, avoiding the head but taking the hit on his shoulder.

Taking the blow, Zhang Dailu's fist reached Li Qi's face.

Just then, Zhang Lan arrived.

Zhang Lan also practiced Martial Dao, and he was eighth-grade!

He grabbed Zhang Dailu's fist and forcefully flipped him over.

Zhang Dailu flew out, slicing through clouds, scattering them, disappearing into the distance.

Without delay, Zhang Lan leaped after him.

However, the wind from the punch still hit Li Qi, sending him sprawling outside the tent, blood spurting from his nose, bones broken, dazed and confused.

Facing a martial artist up close, a shaman or diviner often ended up like this.

Regardless of the path, being engaged in close combat by a martial artist of the same grade meant predictable results.

Outside, Shen Shuibei seemed to notice, her ears perking up, curiously looking at Li Qi sprawled on the ground.

But Li Qi quickly held his nosebleed, waving his hand, "Don't make a sound, don't come out. I can handle this."

So the rabbit laid back down again, showing no worry at all, as if Li Qi's death didn't matter.

Ignoring this, Li Qi stood up, facing the conflicted deputy commander.

"Commander, there's no need for you to intervene. This battle doesn't require your participation, but I swear my life on my words being true. What you choose to do is up to you. The safety of the main commander likely rests in your hands."

Finishing his speech, Li Qi whistled for Old Horse, mounted, and headed towards the battlefield without waiting for the deputy's response.

Meanwhile, the soldiers and civilians outside finally noticed the situation.

The figure soaring into the sky drew much attention.

The deputy commander made his decision, immediately activating the talisman in his possession.

Activating the tiger tally revealed a white ethereal drum depicting a white rhino, gentle yet strong.

The deputy commander picked up the drumstick and struck hard.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The war drums summoned the entire army.

White Rhino Army soldiers, regardless of what they were doing—eating, chatting, resting, even relieving themselves—quickly gathered.

Drumming to muster the troops, called and they must come!

The civilians were still puzzled, unaware of what was happening, many gathering to watch.

The White Rhino Army, however, couldn't care less. The deputy commander waited until everyone was assembled and then ordered, "Form ten teams! Gather the civilians, prevent them from wandering around. Then gather your comrades and ask the envoy about our commander's whereabouts!"

"Yes, sir!" The officers responded loudly, dividing into teams to fulfill their missions.

On the other side, where Zhang Lan and the envoy fought, the area was devastated.

Martial artists' battles lacked the mystical spells of shamans and diviners.

It was pure physical confrontation, brutal and intense.

Both sides brought out their artifacts.

Martial artists could use artifacts, but they lacked any special abilities.

Generally, martial artists' artifacts had only two characteristics: hardness and lethality.

Other fancy functions were useless to them.

Zhang Lan's Celestial Sword, though just one of three hundred sixty parts, was an eighth-grade artifact. Drawing it caused the sword to hum, unleashing countless sword qi like rainbows, splitting the earth and destroying everything in sight.

The Celestial Sword epitomized such artifacts, designed to return to its owner upon death, enhancing all aspects of performance.

Hard enough to withstand intense battles, sharp enough to penetrate most eighth-grade defenses.

That was sufficient!

Zhang Dailu activated the golden token.

A mysterious aura emerged from the token, enveloping him, making him look like a golden statue, indestructible, emitting clear metallic sounds when struck.

Like a vajra body.

The two martial artists exchanged blows. Zhang Lan, as a swordsman, relied on technique and sharpness. Yet, inexplicably, his sword couldn't pierce the vajra body!

It seemed enhanced by some powerful force. Even Zhang Lan's sharp blade and eighth-grade internal energy couldn't damage it, like hitting a turtle shell.

Continuous clanging echoed across the battlefield, like ringing bells.

Yet, Zhang Lan couldn't touch Zhang Dailu either.

Zhang Lan's sword movements were light and elusive, impossible to predict. Whether fists or kicks, nothing landed on him. Even simultaneous attacks were dodged with uncanny agility.

It felt like hitting air.

Indeed, hitting air, untouched.

Zhang Lan completely dominated Zhang Dailu, who could only rely on his vajra body, like a metal turtle getting beaten.

But his shell was incredibly tough, leaving no damage aside from environmental destruction.

When Li Qi arrived, he was surprised that Zhang Dailu could temporarily match Zhang Lan.

Zhang Dailu was merely ninth-grade!

How could he stand against Zhang Lan?

At this point, Zhang Dailu spoke, "Master Swordsman of Righteous Sword Palace? Though your techniques are fierce, they're ineffective against mine. Stop, even as an eighth-grade, you can't defeat me."

Hearing this, Zhang Lan paused, his sword trembling, his hand bruised from the backlash.

Staring at Zhang Dailu, he asked, "What exactly is on you? Even at the peak of ninth-grade, half a step from eighth, lacking Martial Dao spiritual essence, you shouldn't be able to withstand me."

This exceeded Zhang Lan's understanding.

He never imagined a ninth-grade could withstand his full assault.

Even the eighth-grade giant ape was crippled by his strikes, and he hadn't used his full strength.

Now, using all his power, he couldn't break through the vajra body.

Incredible.

But Li Qi finally arrived.

Seeing this, Zhang Lan threw his sword.

The flying sword sent Zhang Dailu crashing into a distant mountain, bouncing back into Zhang Lan's hand.

Turning to Li Qi, he said, "Brother Li, don't go near. He's weak but tough as a turtle. I'll contain him here while you lead the White Rhino Army away. With me here, he won't escape."

But Li Qi replied, "Brother Zhang, bring me closer to examine his shell. There might be a way to break it."

"Huh?" Zhang Lan was surprised.

"To see if we can find a weakness," Li Qi explained.

"Alright, follow me, I'll beat him up again!" Zhang Lan answered.

Again, the swordsman lunged forward!

Just as Zhang Dailu emerged from the ground, he was struck on the head by a sword.

Energy waves rippled, tearing mountains apart. Using a sword like a mace, Zhang Lan smashed Zhang Dailu into the ground, creating a crater-like terrain.

Li Qi watched, his eye twitching.

Was this the power of an eighth-grade martial artist?

If he were in that position, he'd be minced meat.

But Zhang Dailu remained unharmed, temporarily trapped.

"Brother Zhang, lighter! Your actions are too violent; I can't see the details!" Li Qi yelled from afar.

"Troublesome..." Zhang Lan muttered, pulling Zhang Dailu out again.

Grabbing his fist mid-air, Zhang Lan slammed him back into the ground repeatedly.

While doing so, he asked, "You rely on your iron shell, thinking yourself unbeatable? Though I can't harm you, I can keep you here. Is this not a method?"

Observing from afar, Li Qi tried to recall where he had seen such a golden body before, consulting books for clues.

Zhang Dailu laughed, "An eighth-grade like you can't touch me, disgraceful!"

Zhang Lan, enraged, grabbed Zhang Dailu by the hair, lifting him up, "Waiting for me to die? You think you can?"