Taiyi Dao Fruit-Chapter 1152 - 374: Trusts No One

When he saw the Dao Fruit, Mo Xuankong finally confirmed with great regret that this was a doppelganger.

No matter how impossible it seemed, the Dao Fruit had exploded; what else could it be if not a doppelganger?

Tan Wuwei had been lurking in the Mo Sect before reaching the fifth rank, and Mo Xuankong was well aware of what Dao Fruit he had accommodated. Her fourth and third-rank Dao Fruits were also well known to everyone. Yet the Dao Fruits appearing now were completely different from those Tan Wuwei had accommodated, and didn't even contain a third-grade Dao Fruit.

This failure, again, ignited anger in the heart of the Mo Sect Master, despite his capacity.

However, Mo Xuankong wasn't about to lose his composure over this. He directly stored away Tan Wuwei's Dao Fruit, and even took out a storage bag to collect the corpse of this doppelganger, to facilitate inviting Yi Dao experts for divination later.

With "Tan Wuwei" dead, the True Void Home turned into dust under the Taibai Golden Qi. Taibai True Monarch's sleeve waved away the golden lotus flowers, while looking at Mo Xuankong, saying, "I didn't expect you had such an identity."

There was a familiarity hinted in his words.

However, the two did not discuss it further.

Mo Xuankong just lightly shook his head and said, "It's just convenient for acting."

Saying this, he turned his gaze to another subordinate of the Heavenly Monarch.

The traitor of Yuxu Temple, the remnant of the Jiang Family, the lapdog of the Heavenly Monarch — Shen Hou.

After regaining dominance over his body, Shen Hou returned to his previous level, which was fourth-rank. Facing Taibai True Monarch's Gold Element domain, he was almost effortlessly turned into an iron statue.

At this moment, although he had not lost his vitality, he barely perceived with his Divine Thought that after these two third-grade experts dealt with Tan Wuwei, they looked at him. Shen Hou could not help but want to shout "I am one of you!"

Unfortunately, he barely managed to send out Divine Thought, let alone shout.

Seeing the two third-grade strong people seemingly about to make a move, Shen Hou hurriedly forced his Divine Thought, trying to send a transmission, but unfortunately, this Taibai Golden Qi was too strong; he couldn't easily break through for a while.

Fortunately, these two seemed to have no intention of dealing a fatal blow to him, the small fry.

"He is of the Jiang Family, leave him to Emperor Jiang to handle," Mo Xuankong said.

Taibai True Monarch heard this, frowned slightly, but had no objections.

Though Uncle Jiang was harsh, he remarkably had some kindness, and Taibai True Monarch didn't stoop to the level of petty actions.

Compared to some people, his mind was more generous.

Upon hearing this, Shen Hou finally felt relieved.

'Alive again…'

This hurdle was finally crossed.

As long as sent back, his life would no longer be threatened; afterward, he could even become the Deputy Temple Master, rise to Deputy Family Head, and reach the pinnacle of life.

The three-year term was not yet over, but it already felt like the hardship was over, and the days ahead were full of hope.

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"Kill!"

In Yangzhou, on Pingling Plain, the cries of battle shook the heavens.

When the anomaly appeared in the sky, with violent winds, thundering, and simultaneous rain and snow, both sides ceased the fight, retracting their formations, watching anxiously and expectantly as the shadows of two giant gods clashed at the end of the sky dome.

And when the battle between Jiang Li and the Heavenly Monarch ended, the morale on both sides quickly diverged.

The soldiers under the Heavenly Monarch's command, who were brainwashed and converted with the help of Tan Wuwei, offered incense to the Heavenly Monarch, maintaining a vague connection with the Heavenly Monarch and Tan Wuwei.

At this moment, with the death of the true body of the Heavenly Monarch, even if there were contingencies, an inexplicable sense of panic emerged in the soldiers' hearts.

On the other hand, the court's side had generals shouting:

"The Heavenly Monarch is dead!"

"Ji Jiji has perished!"

United in divine power, vast and mighty, they overwhelmed the enemy, and the entire army charged like a tide, smashing through the enemy formation, whose morale had greatly declined.

In a great war between two armies, once one side weakens, the gap rapidly widens. The most extreme example is the death of the commander or a loyal leader, where it's like a landslide that cannot be salvaged.

At this moment, both armies were in such a situation; the mastermind of the rebellion, Ji Jiji, was dead, and it directly affected his subordinates' spirits, leaving the Heavenly Monarch's forces with no will to fight and being almost one-sidedly slaughtered.

Meanwhile, the Great Sun moved through the sky, the Sun Dharma Form fell directly into the enemy's central army to seek out Elder Kaiyang.

However, at this time, Elder Kaiyang no longer had the desire to fight. Without hesitation, he slapped out a talisman, transforming into a long rainbow, flying hundreds of miles into the mountains, and disappeared from sight.

The Heavenly Monarch is dead, that's a fact, but Elder Kaiyang knew of the Heavenly Monarch's contingency plans.

As long as this contingency is not eradicated, the Heavenly Monarch could return even if he died ten times or a hundred times.

Even if fearful of Jiang Li's might, unwilling to show himself, it still posed a significant threat.

Following the connection with the Heavenly Monarch, using the Escape Space Talisman granted by the Heavenly Monarch, Elder Kaiyang traversed space, crossing over half of Yangzhou, reaching the eastern part of Yangzhou, bordering the East Sea.

This was a desolate beach, with treacherous terrain and rarely seen people. Now, even less likely would anyone come here.

The current situation of the other two provinces is still unknown. Here in Yangzhou, the common people have mostly been sacrificed by the Heavenly Monarch, and in the nearby towns, all that remains are corpses in kneeling positions, with no living person in sight.

At this moment, a figure dressed in white stands on this beach, and the setting sun casts a glow on his face, but even the scarlet afterglow cannot hide the paleness and frailty on his face.

The failure of the Promotion Ceremony left the Heavenly Monarch severely injured, and even this reserved body is now weakened to the extreme.

As soon as Elder Kaixiang arrived, the Heavenly Monarch spoke immediately, "Take out the ginsengfruit from your body."

Elder Kaixiang indeed had a ginsengfruit with him, but it was not meant for consumption. It had long been sacrificially cultivated by the Heavenly Monarch and could be used to refine the physical body.

This was also arranged as one of his contingency plans. If necessary, another body could seek out Elder Kaixiang, entrust divine skills onto this ginsengfruit, and use it for revival.

However, judging by the Heavenly Monarch's current state, it seemed he was not going to use it for revival, but rather to heal his injuries.

"Yes."

Following his command, Elder Kaixiang immediately took out a small jade box and opened it. A green light flew out, slowly transforming into a fruit resembling a baby.

The Heavenly Monarch extended his hand to grasp it, and Innate Qi surged forth. The ginsengfruit was immediately about to be refined, turning into Primordial Qi and flying into his mouth.

Vitality spilled into his body, nourishing it, and finally, a hint of redness appeared on the Heavenly Monarch's previously pale face.

However, just at this moment—

From Elder Kaixiang's body erupted a blood-like aura, and the Yanyue Blade flashed like lightning, striking the Heavenly Monarch. Underneath the cold blade, blood light splattered.

The reserve body of the Heavenly Monarch had long been destroyed in the battle at Buddha Country, and his original body was slain by Jiang Li. The current body had been refined right after the battle at Buddha Country, under the very eyes of Elder Kaixiang.

This also meant that this body had undergone little tempering, and now, due to the failure of the promotion, it was weakened by backlash, leaving the Heavenly Monarch in unprecedented weakness.

Even his mind was utterly despondent because of the failed promotion and Jiang Li, dropping several notches in his control over power.

Therefore, Elder Kaixiang's strike succeeded.

The blade sliced into the shoulder, cutting diagonally down, splitting open most of the chest, severing flesh and bone. Elder Kaixiang's blade continued its thrust forward, almost cutting the Heavenly Monarch in two, if not for a hand suddenly grabbing the back of the blade.

The Heavenly Monarch's five fingers clamped onto the back of the Yanyue Blade, firmly pinning the Sword Gang within the blade, even forcing Elder Kaixiang's fiery qi and blood back.

With a detached expression, he looked at his junior fellow disciple, whose mind he had integrated, and said, "I didn't expect you to betray me."

"To hell with betrayal; I never swore loyalty to you."

Elder Kaixiang grinned, "Forcing my disciple and me to be dogs. Gongsun Qi, I've long wanted to cut you down."

Once, for the sake of the Sect, Elder Kaixiang stood on the side of the Sect Leader, even ignoring his own disciple's sycophantic behavior. Unfortunately, within Dinghu Sect, the greatest insider was the Sect Leader, Gongsun Qi.

He orchestrated all kinds of chaos and directly integrated Elder Kaixiang's mind upon discovery, turning him into a lackey.

Now that Elder Kaixiang finally had the chance, of course, he would vent the hatred in his heart.

As he spoke, Elder Kaixiang's qi and blood burned fiercely, evidently employing his desperate Forbidden Technique. The explosion of the Sword Gang made the Heavenly Monarch's fingers bleed and flesh mangled.

This body had indeed not undergone significant tempering and was even gravely wounded, unable to hold Elder Kaixiang's Sword Gang.

However, the Heavenly Monarch remained expressionless, showing no change in demeanor, merely looking calmly at Elder Kaixiang.

One by one, tiny black dots appeared on Elder Kaixiang's body, crawling like insects, leaving black, slender marks, resembling chains, or...

Talismans!

The elongated talismans unknowingly bound Elder Kaixiang, one after another, heavily entwined, even boring into his body like leeches.

Elder Kaixiang felt his own qi and blood draining like a tide, consumed by the leech-like talismans, causing the Sword Gang on the Yanyue Blade to wither, unable to advance.

"This strike was unexpected," the Heavenly Monarch slowly said, looking at Elder Kaixiang.

Then a voice came from behind Elder Kaixiang, "Fortunately, I never trusted you completely."

Hence, certain secrets were unknown even to the theoretically loyal Elder Kaixiang.

A silhouette appeared behind Elder Kaixiang—a face with delicate features, pale complexion, and at this moment, eyes as indifferent as the Heavenly Monarch.

Hearing the voice, Elder Kaixiang struggled to look back and was shocked to see a familiar face.

——King Yue, Ji Wen!

"You..." Elder Kaixiang's eyes widened.

"This body was the one refined after the battle at Buddha Country,"

King Yue Ji Wen said blandly, while the Heavenly Monarch continued, "This body was just recently refined."

Because it had just been refined, it was so fragile.

In fact, the Heavenly Monarch had already refined another body, while the body he originally refined had become King Yue, Ji Wen.

It's possible that...King Yue, Ji Wen had always been the Heavenly Monarch, unbeknownst to Elder Kaixiang.

The Heavenly Monarch trusts no one.