Chapter 1720: Surrounding Attack

Chapter 240: The Siege.

Li Changsheng and the others watched in astonishment, wondering if Grandmaster Jianhuang had been hiding his strength so well that he was also an Earth Immortal. They quickly dismissed this idea, however, as they did not sense the unique pressure characteristic of an Earth Immortal.

As sect masters themselves, they soon understood what was happening. Grandmaster Jianhuang was using a secret technique from his sect, or perhaps borrowing the power of some divine artifact, to temporarily manifest a Buddha's illusory form, similar to a primordial spirit. This allowed him to participate in Earth Immortal-level combat for a short period. However, judging by Grandmaster Jianhuang's pale and withered face, it was clear that using this technique came at a significant cost. Furthermore, it only granted him the *ability* to participate in such a fight; his actual combat power still fell short of a true Earth Immortal.

As expected, the Buddha's illusion, while immensely powerful to others, was staggered by a single palm strike from Zhao Hao's primordial spirit. It trembled violently, almost disintegrating. Fortunately, King Qi arrived just in time. He took on Zhao Hao as the main force, with the Buddha's illusion assisting from the side, barely stabilizing the battle. The few combatants fought fiercely in the clouds, with no clear victor emerging for a while.

Below, on the platform, Li Changsheng and the others suddenly had an idea and all looked towards Zhao Hao's physical body in the center. Although they were not Earth Immortals themselves, as well-established Taoist sect masters, they knew that after a primordial spirit left the body, the physical body became very vulnerable. If the body was destroyed, no matter how powerful the primordial spirit, it would vanish unless one had already achieved true immortality.

Normally, Earth Immortals would not fear this at all. Once their primordial spirit emerged, it could instantly dominate everything, leaving enemies no chance to approach their physical body. This situation, however, was different. Zhao Hao's primordial spirit was currently entangled with King Qi and Grandmaster Jianhuang in the clouds, unable to escape. Down below, the imperial guards and Embroidered Uniform Envoys were locked in fierce combat, and Zhu Xiechixin and Eunuch Wen were dead, leaving no one to guard his physical body.

The moment this thought struck him, Li Changsheng could no longer hold back. His body transformed into a streak of light, directly stabbing towards Zhao Hao's physical form. The Evergreen Sword in his hand created countless sword shadows, reaching Zhao Hao's side almost in the blink of an eye. An Earth Immortal's body was indeed incredibly tough, but Li Changsheng was confident that without a primordial spirit inhabiting it, no matter how hard the flesh, it could not withstand his Evergreen Sword.

Just as his long sword was about to pierce Zhao Hao's glabella, the previously closed-eyed Zhao Hao suddenly opened them, staring sharply at him. Li Changsheng's hairs immediately stood on end. Without time to ponder why Zhao Hao's primordial spirit was still fighting King Qi and the others in the clouds, or why his physical body here was still conscious, his first reaction was to retreat swiftly, simultaneously deploying his life's most powerful defensive formations in front of him.

It was too late. Zhao Hao raised a finger and precisely clamped Li Changsheng's sword blade amidst the myriad sword shadows. Then, with his other hand, he lightly tapped forward. The defensive formations shattered layer by layer, like paper, and his finger ultimately landed directly on Li Changsheng's chest. Li Changsheng instantly felt as if struck by lightning. His body arced through the air and crashed heavily onto the ground dozens of feet away.

Xuan Bajing and Guan Chouhai, who were about to rush forward to destroy Zhao Hao's body together, immediately stopped in their tracks. They quickly retreated far back, cold sweat pouring down their faces. If they had been at the forefront just now, they would likely have suffered the same fate as Li Changsheng. Reflecting on the Emperor's power, the two men, who usually thought highly of themselves, felt a wave of despair. They involuntarily continued to retreat, their resolve faltering. They considered making a quick escape before Zhao Hao and King Qi's battle concluded, at least ensuring their own survival.

Just then, Li Changsheng propped himself up with his hands, shakily raising his upper body from the ground. A trace of blood hung at the corner of his mouth, and his face was wan and pale, but he ignored it all. He mustered all his strength and shouted, "He's only being controlled by a Shadow Spirit right now; he doesn't have his full strength! Don't be afraid!"

Grandmasters, like those present, were top experts in the martial world and naturally understood the different spiritual states. They knew that if Zhao Hao only had a Shadow Spirit within his body at this moment, they wouldn't truly fear him.

Guan Chouhai and Xuan Bajing paused at his words. If it was indeed only a Shadow Spirit, then while the Emperor's Earth Immortal body and profound energy would make him much stronger than an ordinary Grandmaster with a Shadow Spirit, he wouldn't be completely invincible. However, they didn't immediately trust him. They worried that Li Changsheng, gravely wounded and unable to escape, was merely trying to trick them into a suicidal charge, unwilling to see them leave unscathed.

Seeing their eyes darting around, Li Changsheng immediately guessed their thoughts and angrily retorted, "Think about it for a second! If he were at his full strength right now, would I still be alive after taking that blow?" Guan Chouhai and Xuan Bajing exchanged glances, both acknowledging the validity of his reasoning. At such a critical juncture, Zhao Hao would certainly not hold back.

Still, Xuan Bajing had a lingering concern: "But... what about his Yang Spirit?" The mark of becoming an Earth Immortal was cultivating a Yang Spirit, and what Zhao Hao had just manifested, rising into the sky, was clearly an even more powerful Primordial Spirit. If a Yang Spirit remained in his body, then approaching him would be nothing short of suicide for them.

Li Changsheng frowned. "For some reason, I didn't sense his Yang Spirit just now. It's likely that King Qi and Grandmaster Jianhuang are fully occupying him, leaving him no spare attention. After all, King Qi is also an Earth Immortal, and with him exerting full power, even a Shadow Spirit couldn't remain with the physical body. Combined with the Buddha's illusion conjured by Grandmaster Jianhuang, Zhao Hao's primary focus is clearly on that battle."

Li Changsheng continued, "Things happened so fast just now, I didn't fully grasp the situation and became too timid. If I had confronted him head-on from the start, I wouldn't have been defeated so quickly. You still have a chance." Seeing their continued hesitation, he burst out in anger, "What are you waiting for? Why are you still holding back? If we fail, you'll all die without a burial place. We might as well take this gamble now!"

After their initial panic, Guan Chouhai and Xuan Bajing, both formidable figures in their own right, regained their composure. They understood that while escape was indeed an option, it would mean living the rest of their lives like rats in a sewer, constantly hiding and being hunted by the authorities. Both Li Hentian and Kunlun Xu would be doomed, and they would become eternal sinners to their respective sects. This was their only chance to defeat Zhao Hao!

With a shared glance, the two simultaneously attacked Zhao Hao. Innumerable Vajra Bracelets flew from Guan Chouhai's hands, aiming directly for Zhao Hao's head. Xuan Bajing, meanwhile, sent eight swords flying in unison, attacking Zhao Hao's vital points from all directions.

Zhao Hao's eyes turned cold. He simultaneously manifested two figures, each moving to meet an attacker. Guan Chouhai and Xuan Bajing's pupils suddenly contracted. They realized that the figures before them looked exactly like themselves! Even more surprisingly, these opposing figures wielded identical weapons: one had twin Vajra Bracelets on its wrist, and the other was surrounded by eight flying swords.