I Have Infinite Skill Points-Chapter 510 Fierce Battle

"So you’re saying... there’s something wrong with Master Chenghai!" Yu Ruoyun said, her face grim. "He buried the Qingkong Wood you gave him here to prevent you from tracking him—is he planning to run off with Sir?"

Wang Lan’s brows were tightly knit, but he still shook his head. "No, Master Chenghai has no need to do this. He is now the State Preceptor of Vine Country, second only to one person and above millions. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. He has no reason to do this. Moreover, he and Dharma World Honored are naturally opposed, with no chance of mediation. Wouldn’t colluding with Dharma World Honored be like asking a tiger for its skin?"

Yu Ruoyun added, "Indeed. Dharma World Honored must be after Master Chenghai’s two Golden Cicadas. Yet the Qingkong Wood should be kept close at all times; it shouldn’t be dropped randomly, let alone buried underground."

After thinking for a moment, Wang Lan asked, "Is there a Different Dimensional Space nearby?"

Yu Ruoyun replied, "The Pioneer Space of South Summon Kingdom is nearby. What about it?"

"That’s it!" Wang Lan’s eyes flashed. "I told Master Chenghai before that the Qingkong Wood only guarantees I can reach him quickly if we’re in the same dimension. If he went to a Different Dimensional Space, I wouldn’t know. Master Chenghai must be about to enter a Different Dimensional Space. Worried we wouldn’t know his whereabouts, he left the Qingkong Wood behind. Leaving it here means he’s telling us he’s entering a Different Dimensional Space!"

"Let’s go!" Wang Lan urged.

Without hesitation, the two of them dashed towards the Pioneer Space ten kilometers away. South Summon Kingdom was the least significant country in the Golden Triangle Area.

Five countries shared borders in the Golden Triangle Area, with South Summon Kingdom being the weakest. Their struggle to survive, squeezed between stronger powers, had cultivated a national character devoid of conviction, causing them to sway like willows in the wind. This approach to affairs had also affected its citizens, creating what were known worldwide as the most undignified people: the citizens of South Summon. People from South Summon would act tough within their own borders, but they became as meek as lapdogs before outsiders; if told to kneel, they wouldn’t dare stand.

Sometimes, when Wang Lan heard these rumors about South Summon, he could hardly believe them. Could a country really be so subservient? If Jade Country hadn’t looked after its "little brother," South Summon would have long been devoured by the other three nations.

In the Golden Triangle Area of Southeast Asia, Jade Country was the only nation with decent relations with South Summon—provided, of course, that South Summon remained obedient.

At the entrance to South Summon’s Pioneer Space, Pioneers bustled in and out, carrying packages to trucks. Observing this scene, Wang Lan suddenly grew suspicious. Is this really South Summon’s Pioneer Space? It looks more like a cargo terminal.

"Never mind that," Yu Ruoyun urged. "Let’s sneak in and find Master Chenghai."

With Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun’s abilities, infiltrating the essentially defenseless South Summon Pioneer Space was effortless. They could become like wind or mist; South Summon’s defense forces might as well not have existed.

Once inside, it was indeed a barren wasteland. Apart from the transport path, Wang Lan couldn’t see a single camp. It was like a desolate ancient road in the Gobi Desert, with a lone caravan of distant merchants trekking along their trade route.

Normally, one would expect a large camp at the entrance to a Pioneer Space, fortified to be easily defensible yet hard to assault. Even if multiple defensive lines existed at the front, this location—the final barrier against Exotic Beasts—demanded serious attention.

But in South Summon, there was nothing of the sort. Once inside, Wang Lan found he could move freely in any direction within the Different Dimensional Space without needing to hide.

"South Summon’s Pioneer Space can hardly be called a Pioneer Space! What a joke," Yu Ruoyun remarked, finding it utterly absurd. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Everyone has their own methods, I suppose. Forget it. Let’s focus on finding Master Chenghai," Wang Lan said.

BOOM—

Just then, a powerful Star Energy Fluctuation rippled from afar. In an instant, Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun vanished from where they stood.

Deep within South Summon Kingdom’s Pioneer Space, at the edge of a huge pit, six strangely-clad Star Martial Warriors slowly materialized. They stood at the crater’s edge, staring into the scorched depths.

They exchanged glances, their expressions growing grave.

"A miss?"

"He got away?"

"This State Preceptor of Vine Country actually has some skill... to dodge that."

"He didn’t dodge at all," a voice suddenly interjected. From the pit’s periphery, a monk in a red kasaya slowly approached. His hair and beard were snow-white. If not for his sinister eyes, with them closed, he would have the appearance of an otherworldly sage.

"Sir, you say he didn’t dodge? Then how is he gone?"

"Because one of the two Golden Cicadas he carries is the Stealth Cicada. It can render both itself and its host invisible. This invisible state grants immunity to all physical and Elemental Attacks for five minutes, with a cooldown of... one hour!"

"Oh? No wonder. Sir, can you find him?" a man entirely clad in a black bodysuit asked in a low voice.

"There’s no need to find him," Dharma World Honored said coldly, lips curling slightly as he gazed at the pit. "He cannot move while invisible. After five minutes, he will reappear right there. This ability is quite effective against those unfamiliar with it. But for those who understand it, it’s practically useless. Five minutes are almost up. Chenghai, aren’t you going to show yourself?"

As Dharma World Honored’s voice faded, the space within the pit distorted slightly. A figure gradually materialized, like a mirage shimmering in water. Master Chenghai stared at the old man on the pit’s edge, his gaze complex.

Thirty years ago, Dharma World Honored had been a powerful figure respected by everyone in the Temple. Even now, many who had once followed him still harbored illusions about him.

Master Chenghai still didn’t understand why Dharma World Honored had betrayed them.

"Little Chenghai, don’t look at me like that. It only makes me think you’re a waste! You don’t understand why? Why I betrayed them? Hahaha... As the State Preceptor of Vine Country, the question you should be asking isn’t ’why,’ but rather... about victory, defeat, and interests. There are no ’whys’ in this world, only eternal, unchanging interests."

"Was it you who killed my three junior martial brothers, Chengqiao, Chengkong, and Cheng Ming?"

"Indeed!" Dharma World Honored admitted calmly, without equivocation. "Actually, with my strength, the Diamond Golden Cicada alone is sufficient. I don’t really need the other six Golden Cicadas. When I learned the whereabouts of that boy Chengqiao, I killed him without a second thought and took his Golden Cicada. It wasn’t that I desperately needed it, nor was it to avenge our master for abandoning me back then. I simply felt that what I had lost, I should reclaim with my own hands. Nothing more."

"If that’s the case... then you deserve to die!"

As his voice fell, a buzzing sound arose. Above Master Chenghai’s head, a golden cloud of mist slowly formed, and his body gradually turned golden as his Star Power surged.

"Your Stealth Cicada is useless now; only this Force Cicada remains. Although the Force Cicada can provide you with a continuous supply of Star Power, my foolish junior martial brother probably didn’t tell you that the amount of Star Power has little to do with actual strength. Even with abundant Star Power, if the Star Martial Skills you unleash are feeble, you’re nothing more than a tireless rabbit."

"Buddha’s Gold Body!"

Master Chenghai suddenly roared. His body instantly swelled, transforming into a golden Buddha statue over twenty meters tall, with three heads and six arms, each face bearing a different expression.

"Furious Vajra!"

Between the Buddha statue’s hands, wheels of light appeared. Instantly, golden Energy Balls formed within these wheels. The moment they took shape, they rained down on the figures below like a bomber releasing its payload.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ground was instantly blasted, sending dust billowing into the air. The rising smoke enveloped half of the golden Buddha statue’s body.

Suddenly, from amidst the smoke, a giant Golden Cicada burst out, lunging towards the Buddha statue. The statue twisted, its fists fiercely striking out at the giant Golden Cicada.

CLANG—

A loud clang resounded, as if a battering ram had struck a giant temple bell. The Golden Cicada was unfazed, still clinging to the Buddha statue. The Buddha statue, losing its balance, toppled to the ground.

CRASH—

The Golden Cicada firmly pinned the Buddha statue. But the statue wasn’t ready to submit; Star Power swirled around it, and Energy Balls, almost grazing the Golden Cicada’s face, blasted out.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The Golden Cicada’s terrifying maw, battered by the massive Energy Balls, began to deform, yet it still clung stubbornly to the Buddha statue, pressing it to the ground.

The Massive Strength Golden Cicada’s power was truly immense. It could effortlessly lift a mountain; pinning down a Buddha statue merely twenty-odd meters tall was child’s play, wasn’t it?

"I told you, even abundant Star Power is useless. Die!" Dharma World Honored snarled, his arm suddenly transforming into a gigantic Gold sword and slashing towards Master Chenghai’s head.

SWISH—

The sound of something slicing through the air arose. Dharma World Honored, wielding the Gold sword, abruptly changed expression and slashed to his side. A fiery light blazed in the sky, followed by a loud explosion that sent Dharma World Honored flying backward.

In the sky, a Starlight suddenly flared, swiftly expanding into a meteor that hurtled towards them. Within the meteor, Wang Lan’s Zanpakuto blazed with raging flames.

ZING!

Wang Lan landed on the back of the Massive Strength Golden Cicada, thrusting his Zanpakuto down.

Seeing Wang Lan appear, Dharma World Honored’s expression turned grim. They had taken great pains to lure Master Chenghai to this remote Pioneer Space in South Summon Kingdom, yet they hadn’t expected Wang Lan and Yu Ruoyun to find them so quickly.

But no matter. So they found us. With three Golden Cicadas, my strength is certainly not inferior to Sony the Sonic. Even if you’ve come, Wang Lan, what can you possibly do?

Hmph. The Golden Cicada’s exoskeleton is incredibly tough; even armor-piercing rounds can’t leave a scratch. Do you really think a single sword thrust can harm it? If you injure even a single hair on it, I’ll take your surname!

SQUELCH—

The Zanpakuto, imbued with the Sunlight Sword Soul, pierced the Massive Strength Golden Cicada’s body almost without resistance. The blade was also wreathed in vivid Samadhi True Fire. Instantly, the Samadhi True Fire surged into the Golden Cicada’s body, igniting a fierce blaze within.

Screeching in pain, the Massive Strength Golden Cicada instantly shot into the sky. Visibly, flames erupted from its back like a fountain.

"How is this possible?!" Dharma World Honored’s eyes widened in disbelief. Wang Lan managed to pierce the Golden Cicada with a single blow? Impossible! The Golden Cicada’s carapace is so tough that even Sony couldn’t scratch it. How could a mere stab wound it?

And even if it was just a light stab that pierced its body... aren’t you an insect? Aren’t insects supposed to be insensitive to pain? That wound didn’t look severe, so why is the Massive Strength Golden Cicada thrashing about as if it’s about to die?