Chapter 978: Chapter 110: Martial Fortune

The dust of Moss Ridge mixed with the scent of blood, swept away by Sword Qi.

Chen Ke transformed into a slender golden thread, swirling several times in the air before slowly settling on the forehead of the young Sword Immortal in black, with a ding, it was like a fish returning to the abyss.

Xie Xuanyi looked indifferently at the man kowtowing to the ground, prostrated completely.

The glow from the Transmission Array Talisman gradually dissipated.

Yuan Jimo’s forehead was pierced by Sword Qi, with blood streaming out continuously…

This was a “certain-death” injury.

But Xie Xuanyi did not let him die just yet.

The road to the afterlife should be traveled for some.

Some could be generously granted a swift death.

But Yuan Jimo… did not belong to this category.

As Xie Xuanyi wielded his sword, the tip of Chen Ke contained a trace of the Life Dao Realm, mixed with an extremely weak Undying Spring Water Vapor.

To kill, yet also to save.

This life force spread within Yuan Jimo’s skull.

“Uh…”

The man kneeling on the ground, originally ready to embrace death, suddenly opened his eyes wide, letting out a hoarse cry upon sensing this life force.

He did not die.

But the pain that followed was more tormenting than death!

Xie Xuanyi waved his sleeve, putting Chen Ke back into its sheath, but suddenly a fierce wind swept through the mountain forest beside the path, bringing an intense Killing Intent… a meticulously calibrated “Destruction Rain” gathered overhead of Yuan Jimo.

…

…

After the incense burned halfway.

Several carriages traversed the mountain path of Moss Ridge.

Today, the Imperial City was in chaos, with power shifts in the Imperial City Department, keeping everyone exceptionally busy. Rushing to Moss Ridge to “clean up the aftermath” was Qian San of Fangyuan Square.

“Brother Xie—”

From afar came a Divine Thought.

Qian San clasped his hands in his sleeves, and with a distant bow, smiled warmly.

He casually glanced at the mountain path of Moss Ridge, noticing Yuan Jimo, tightly curled under the Destruction Rain, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and displayed a schadenfreude expression.

The terrifying power of the Destruction Rain, he had already witnessed once in the tombs of the South Border…

Yuan Jimo was indeed a “lucky one,” able to enjoy this Taoist rain before death.

“Manager Qian.”

Xie Xuanyi nodded in response, returning the courtesy.

“Brother Xie, you are too polite…”

Qian San spoke with a smile, his voice carrying a serious tone.

Earlier during the turmoil in the South Border, Xie Xuanyi had saved his life, and he hadn’t found an opportunity to express his gratitude yet.

Many changes followed.

Qian San was preoccupied with his own affairs.

Now, at last, the situation had settled, he stepped forward again to bow, and with sincerity in his voice, said: “During the incident in the South Border, I, Qian, owe you my life. In the future, if you need anything, Brother Xie, just let me know, and I, Qian, will go through fire and water without hesitation.”

“Why say more between you and me?”

Xie Xuanyi shook his head, smiling, “How are things on Chen Jingxuan’s side?”

“All is well.”

Qian San slowly replied: “The gentleman over there has dealt with ‘Yan Xie’ at Smoke Cloud Lake. The Book Tower has been preparing for today for years, and the members of the malignant party from Ren Shou Palace and the Imperial City Department have long been listed. The involved are already thrown into the dungeon, and it will take a few days for trial and sentencing.”

“That’s good then.”

Upon receiving this news, Xie Xuanyi felt slightly relieved.

“Brother Xie.”

Qian San looked towards Moss Ridge, his voice heavy, “The gentleman advised that before Yuan Jimo’s death, it’s necessary to extract the ‘soul.’ The Book Tower has a secret technique, as long as a fragment of the soul is obtained, it can be slowly dismantled using the Roundness Instrument.”

“Hmm… I’m keeping him here.”

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, “Just waiting for you to come.”

He wasn’t in a hurry to send Yuan Jimo on his way.

Firstly, it was to make him suffer agony.

Secondly, it was to wait for the Book Tower to arrive, to collect the soul… this fellow’s Soul Sea contained too many secrets, some of which Yuan Jimo would never tell in his lifetime, even with Soul Search it couldn’t be known. In this situation, they needed to employ the Roundness Instrument, and the Sky Observation Technique.

“Whoosh!”

Xie Xuanyi stepped forward, casually waved his sleeve, dispersing the Destruction Rain.

Kneeling on the ground, Yuan Jimo’s clothing and Scale Armor were completely shattered.

All his skin and flesh were in utter ruin…

This extremely tragic and hideous scene fell into the eyes of both Qian San and Xie Xuanyi, yet neither showed a trace of compassion.

In the early years.

Those “innocents” thrown into the dungeons by the Imperial City Department, the punishments they suffered were no lighter than this.

Some people, when they died, were even more horrible than Yuan Jimo now.

With the Destruction Rain stopping, Yuan Jimo could no longer speak, trembling all over, like a skin-and-bones ghost… it must be said, this guy’s vitality was resilient enough, almost catching up with those Pseudo-Saints among the evil cultivators in the South Border…

“He can still live?”

Qian San couldn’t help but exclaim.

“I gave him some ‘good stuff,’ helped prolong his life.”

Xie Xuanyi replied concisely.

Qian San clicked his tongue, not asking further: “Brother Xie, the process of collecting soul fragments, nothing special… next, you need to perform ‘Soul Search’.”

As he spoke.

He took out a long box woven with golden thread from his sleeve.

“Alright.”

Xie Xuanyi nodded, placing his palm on the Heavenly Peak of Yuan Jimo.

Boom!

In the next moment.

Vast Divine Thought surged out… if possible, Xie Xuanyi hoped that Soul Search could succeed.

But just as he had anticipated earlier.

This fellow’s Soul Sea was extremely fragile, and it seemed to have special restrictions attached. The moment his Divine Thought surged in, it caused the Divine Sea to collapse —

Yuan Jimo let out a miserable scream, his eyes turning completely white.

His Divine Sea cracked with a click, shattering apart—

Xie Xuanyi frowned.

“Swish!”

But there was Qian San on the side, unhurriedly opening the golden thread box, forming seals and silently chanting, a bloody gash instantly tore open on Yuan Jimo’s forehead, a dark light streaked into the golden thread box, the box closed with a response, and Qian San simultaneously ceased the spell, putting the golden box away.