Chapter 734 A War in Name Only
"After I let you off the last time, why didn't you see sense and stay away from me?"
Ye Qingyu looked impatiently at Jiang Xiaohan and his tone gradually became cold, annoyed that he was being impeded at a pivotal moment with time pressing and just as he was about to obtain the [Black Demon Herb].
"The last time?" An insane and scorching expression flickered in Jiang Xiaohan's elegant pupils.
The smile on her fair and beautiful face disappeared instantly. Her black hair fluttered wildly like a black serpent and her knife-sharp stare seemed as if they wanted to pierce through Ye Qingyu's entire being as she said in a chilly voice, "It's precisely because of the last time that you must die today... when the name [Empress of All Things] resounds throughout the Vast Thousand Domains, I don't want anyone to know about my past low moments."
"[The Empress of All Things]?" Ye Qingyu was taken aback.
Jiang Xiaohan laughed once more.
The Black Demon qi around her began to seethe unbridledly and howl like a raging billow. Eventually, she could not help laughing and spoke in a voice like that of a bellowing demon, "Hahaha, that's right, the [Empress of All Things] is the imperial honorific title I've prepared for myself. Ye Qingyu, you're the first person to know about it, and so can consider it your good fortune before you die in peace. When I inevitably become the martial emperor and rule the Vast Thousand Domains, I'll be the one and only sovereign whose followers prosper and whose defiers die."
Ye Qingyu gently shook his head as he looked at her appearance, "You're... so childish."
"Childish?" Jiang Xiaohan snorted. "Hoho, maybe you don't understand what kind of power I've mastered... Hoho, to tell you the truth, I really don't want you to die, and would rather you live and witness my rise to the top. When I ascend the throne, it'd be so nice if you're the first person beneath my feet..."
Ye Qingyu frowned.
He vaguely felt that Jiang Xiaohan's mental state had gone haywire.
Facing him, Jiang Xiaohan continued to mutter to herself.
"You know, when we were young and you plucked me flowers, caught me birds, took care of those punks, combed my hair, and sang for me... I imagined a wonderful future when I reached the absolute summit while you protected me. Unfortunately, you gave up on yourself and lost your worth, and so I had to abandon you and go alone to White Deer Academy. Do you still bear a grudge for that? But isn't it normal for worthless people to be forsaken? When you later rebounded and performed that eagerly, wasn't it to prove a point to me? I'd prepared to accept you back, but you failed to appreciate my kindness."
"What are you trying to say? I have no time for your nonsense." Ye Qingyu was fully prepared to strike.
The power of the chaotic thunder liquid around his body worked up a frenzy and increased endlessly in vigor.
"What's the hurry... I'm trying to tell you that you're not as smart as you think. You wanted to obtain [Black Demon Herbs] in the [Fallen God Abyss]?" Behind Jiang Xiaohan, an infinite amount of Black Demon qi was gathering unbridledly into an upside-down black ocean in the sky that seemed as if it wanted to sweep through and devour the universe. This kind of power had exceeded the range of an ordinary Immortal Step realm expert.
She looked sideways at Ye Qingyu, saying, "You mustn't have thought that you're just like the marionette you gave me when we were young. I've been keeping an eye on your journey all this time, and even the [Fallen God Abyss] map is something I lent to the Black Armor Race and instructed them to give you so as to lead you down here, where we can settle our mutual resentment and put an end to everything."
"Mutual resentment?" Ye Qingyu laughed. "You really think highly of yourself."
In actual fact, he was somewhat astonished at heart.
He had never thought that his journey in the [Fallen God Abyss] was a trap. If Jiang Xiaohan could manipulate the Black Demon qi, she could naturally get in touch with the Black Armor Race and make them do her a service. It now seemed to him that his earlier movements had been calculated by this woman. Compared to their last meeting, her growth was easily noticeable.
"Feels terrible to be figured out, eh?" Jiang Xiaohan continued to look sideways at Ye Qingyu as if she was mocking a beast that had fallen into her trap.
However, Ye Qingyu's response was...
Boom!
He abruptly catapulted into the air and drew a bolt of purple lightning in the void. Smashing a fist forth, lightning struck apocalyptically in an area of several hundred meters in circumference.
He had chosen to attack directly.
All signs showed that Jiang Xioahan had planned this for a long time and harbored ill intentions, while Ye Qingyu himself had no need to waste any time here.
"Hoho, getting impatient?" Jiang Xiaohan's Black Demon qi-formed body instantly dispersed into green smoke and easily turned into a pervasive Black Demon qi, before she said in an erratic voice, "Are you thinking about going to find that sweetheart empress? Haha, you won't have a chance. Times have changed, Ye Qingyu. I shall give you three moves, after which I'll send you to your death."
Boom boom boom!
Streaks of purple lightning bombarded maniacally around and destroyed the space within several kilometers of Ye Qingyu, even causing the Black Demon qi to be cut off.
This was the first time he had used the power of lightning at full strength ever since he mastered it.
However, the Black Demon qi wavered and wandered uninterruptedly. Ye Qingyu knew full well that his move did not even touch a corner of Jiang Xiaohan's clothes.
"Hoho, is this all you've got? The power of lightning is very strong, but unfortunately, it cannot find me... I'm so disappointed." Jiang Xiaohan's deity-like voice lingered in the surroundings as if the entire [Fallen God Abyss] was filled with her will and power, making her seem omnipresent and already blended into one with the world.
Ye Qingyu descended to the ground.
"Is that so?" An arch formed at the corners of his mouth. Suddenly, his figure shrank and his lightning-circulating palm slapped on the ground as he shouted, "[Heavenly Blind Way] and [Heavenly Sound Wave]... show your f*cking selves."
Boom!
A booming noise that sounded like dull thunder was heard throughout the land.
Then, a strange power surged underground while an invisible soundwave dissipated between Heaven and earth.
As if it was a law, the power of lightning ploughed wherever the sound wave passed through.
The [Heavenly Blind Way] was an assassination method recorded in the ancient bronze book and was suitable for blind people to use. After Ye Qingyu had imparted this technique to the visually-impaired Bai Yuanxing, the latter made a breakthrough in one stroke and increased greatly in strength. And since Ye Qingyu was able to impart it to others, he was extremely adept at it for sure, except that he very rarely displayed it.
The [Heavenly Sound Wave] was one of the most exquisite mysteries of the [Heavenly Blind Way] technique. It was a sound wave that could shake and gain insight into the world, and was best at uncovering the hidden forms of enemies. With just one palm, nothing in the world could remain hidden.
"Found you!"
Ye Qingyu had indeed perceived the location of Jiang Xiaohan's actual body.
"[Breaking Thunder]... kill!"
A strong wind abruptly shot forth and locked onto Jiang Xiaohan.
Turning into lightning, Ye Qingyu instantly attacked the locked-on position.
"Huh?" Jiang Xiaohan's countenance changed slightly. "What skill is this?"
Ever since she mastered the Black Demon qi techniques and meanings, she could become invisible wherever there was Black Demon qi, and even a pinnacle Immortal Step realm expert would not be able to detect the location of her actual body. She thus never expected Ye Qingyu to so easily discover her whereabouts.
"But..." A contemptuous arch formed at the corners of her mouth.
She raised her tender hands slightly, causing the boundless Black Demon qi behind her to surge into her body. With a thrust of her palm, a black palm mark emerged from within and instantly turned into a huge black divine spirit palm that slapped toward Ye Qingyu.
The entire action seemed slow but was actually very fast. Although it was exerted later than her opponent's action, its momentum and law were able to intercept Ye Qingyu's attack.
"So what if you find out where I really am. You're doomed to fail... [Black Demon Palm of All Things]!" she shouted as her palm force burst forth.
Boom!
The terrifying powers collided in midair, radiating waves that swept through the [Fallen God Abyss].
Ye Qingyu flew backward.
"How could it... be this strong?" He looked shocked.
He had felt a magnificent and irresistible power from Jiang Xiaohan's understated palm attack, and was beginning to feel like he could not win this fight. The power was simply too massive, firm, and continuous. It was hard for him to believe that the woman could possess such power.
Moreover, the power of the chaotic thunder liquid could not break the giant black palm.
It must be remembered that the power of lightning was a legacy of a martial emperor.
Exactly what power has Jiang Xiaohan mastered?
Ye Qingyu finally realized that he was in huge trouble. Jiang Xiaohan had become so tough that the battle would be at best a hard-fought one, and one which he had no assurance of winning.
In the sky.
With her hair fluttering crazily like black flames, Jiang Xiaohan fused into one with the boundless Black Demon qi, becoming akin to a martial goddess. Like a terrifying black hole which could distort light, her figure constantly alternated between illusion and reality, and her power changed accordingly.
"You still have two moves," her voice sounded like that of a raging demon goddess.
Ye Qingyu inhaled a deep breath.
He did not rush to strike again. While operating the nameless breathing technique, both the powers of lightning and ice appeared and covered all over his body as purple and silver flares. An invisible energy immediately diffused as his figure gradually floated up such that he was directly facing Jiang Xiaohan from afar. The howl of the ice dragon and mad cry of the purple lightning emerged from Ye Qingyu's arms, imitating the yin-yang balance in an ingenious and unusual way.
The powers of the [Supreme Ice Flame] and the chaotic thunder liquid were activated at the same time.
This was the greatest battle strength Ye Qingyu had ever exerted.
The two kinds of power were the most frightening ones he had mastered. Both contained laws and were not merely physical offensive powers, but instead had reached the level of Great Dao powers.
"Hoho, you've been saving a lot... Unfortunately, it's still too weak." Jiang Xiaohan revealed an expression of shock.
Ye Qingyu's true power had astounded her and was clearly more frightening than she had expected. She recalled how she had to pay such a huge price, go through so much suffering, and give up nearly everything in order to attain her present strength. The man in front of her instead seemed to be blessed and had gained glory in a plain sailing fashion, yet was almost as strong as her. A chilly defiance grew in her heart.