Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2290: 164: Magical Combat (Part 1)

Upon hearing the purple-robed youth's request, Wang Ba felt a sudden jolt in his heart.

“Are you asking me to participate in the upcoming magical combat?”

Subconsciously, his eyes scanned the gathering of Crossing Tribulation cultivators standing nearby.

Their auras were a diverse mix—some were dark and gloomy, others radiant, fierce, or serene. The rules manifesting around them were noticeably distinct from those of the Cloud Sky Realm, signaling that they hailed from various different domains.

This group included early-stage Crossing Tribulation experts, middle-stage figures like True Man Ba, and even a couple of individuals whose sheer presence sent a shiver down his spine. Since they all appeared to be at the peak of their Essence and Qi, there was no logical reason why he should be the one called upon to fight.

Detecting the hesitation in Wang Ba’s mind, the purple-robed youth’s voice resonated in his ear once more, sounding particularly grave:

“As long as the Mahayana stage does not interfere, those at the late-stage of Crossing Tribulation act as stabilizers. They cannot be deployed lightly, or we risk the situation spiraling out of control and escalating into an all-out war.”

“Furthermore, the Supreme True Buddha possesses a far greater number of Arhats and Bodhisattvas than we have cultivators. If we send out ordinary experts, the enemy will simply find a specific counter for them. Only your methods are diverse and unpredictable, making you difficult to restrain… My hope is that you can reverse our current losing streak and buy some precious time for True Man Gai, the Heavenly Monarch, and Xiahou Heavenly Venerate.”

The voice paused for a moment before adding:

“Win or lose, our Sect will provide you with Cloud Shells as compensation. Of course, if you have not yet fully recovered and are unable to fight, we will not force the matter.”

Wang Ba understood the implication immediately; the other party was well aware of what had transpired within the Cloud Sky Sect’s treasury. He spent a moment in silent reflection before sending back a mental transmission:

“Since Taoist Brother holds me in such high regard, I shall do my utmost.”

His motivation wasn't purely for the Cloud Shells; securing more time for the three Mahayana stage masters aligned with his own goals. Though he preferred to stay out of the spotlight, the gravity of the situation and the personal invitation from the Master of the Cloud Sky Sect meant he wouldn't be too inconvenienced by stepping forward.

In life, one must have principles to uphold, yet one must also remain adaptable to the shifting tides of time. To be rigid and stubborn is no different than being a lifeless wooden puppet.

A look of visible relief crossed the eyes of the purple-robed youth when Wang Ba gave his consent.

Then, his gaze shifted back toward the water curtain.

Wang Ba and the other cultivators also turned their full attention to the unfolding events displayed within the shimmering screen.

Because Chen Zhongqi was a middle-stage Crossing Tribulation cultivator, the opposing side had dispatched a Bodhisattva to meet him. Clad in golden robes and bathed in a brilliant Buddhist light, the monk brandished a dark red Zen Stick as he charged forward to engage Chen Zhongqi.

“That is the Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva. He is a practitioner who follows the path of Body Refinement…”

“Chen may have only recently reached the middle-stage of Crossing Tribulation, but as a Sword Cultivator, he won't necessarily be intimidated by such an opponent.”

“Still, that Bodhisattva likely wields a top grade Dao Treasure… Chen Zhongqi might find himself in a dangerous position.”

Wang Ba caught fragments of the surrounding cultivators' hushed conversations.

He fixed his gaze on the Golden Robe Bodhisattva.

Just like the Arhats and Bodhisattvas he had fought before, the rules radiating from this monk were beyond his current level of comprehension. In the heat of magical combat, however, one did not always need to understand the enemy's rules; if there was a massive gap in raw power, one could simply use the principle that 'Strength overrides all' to secure victory.

The previous Bodhisattvas and Arhats who had fallen at his hands were proof of that.

Nevertheless, gaining a deeper understanding of these foes would provide him with a significant advantage.

He began to observe with meticulous care.

Meanwhile, out in the Outer Realm Void, the clash between Chen Zhongqi and Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva had intensified.

The primary advantage of Sword Cultivators over their peers is the devastating lethality of their Sword Dao.

This principle is universal, applying whether one uses a sword, blade, spear, or halberd.

However, Chen Zhongqi’s greatest strength seemed neutralized by the Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva’s top grade Dao Treasure. The dark red Zen Stick carried an immense, crushing weight; every time it swung, the very void seemed to buckle and roll!

Its raw power far eclipsed the intensity of Chen Zhongqi’s sword beams.

Consequently, the magical combat took an unexpected turn: the Sword Cultivator was forced to constantly retreat and dodge. Even when Chen Zhongqi managed to land a hit, the impact was negligible, leaving him in a visibly desperate state.

The watching cultivators held their breath, their eyes glued to the scene in tense concentration.

Only the purple-robed youth remained composed, showing no outward anxiety regarding Chen Zhongqi’s predicament.

From the back of the crowd, Wang Ba continued to study how Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva manipulated the rules during the fight.

Even if he couldn't grasp the rules directly, he attempted to deduce their nature by observing their effects, breaking them into smaller components to find common patterns and decode their fundamental functions.

This was essentially the reverse of how he had originally learned to comprehend rules.

While the concept sounded simple, the execution was incredibly taxing.

Perhaps because he lacked any foundational knowledge of these specific rules, they appeared to him as a chaotic, alien mess with no clear starting point for analysis.

It was a stark contrast to standard rule comprehension, where rules are typically perceived as being woven from black and white threads.

The rules governing Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva seemed to belong to an entirely different system.

“The base layer of rules that forms a Domain Sea should be represented by the black and white threads of Yin and Yang. This follows the principle that ‘the one begets two, two begets three, and three begets all things’...”

“So why is there a different kind here?”

Wang Ba’s confusion deepened.

As he watched, the strange rules surrounding Wisdom Dragon Bodhisattva began to remind him of the sensation he felt when looking at the Immortal Pass Wall.

The rules etched into that wall were very similar.

They were convoluted and disorganized, yet they possessed a profound, elegant complexity that was far beyond his reach—giving him the daunting feeling that he could spend an entire lifetime and still fail to decipher them.

Comparing the two, he felt a growing certainty that both the Bodhisattva’s power and the wall originated from the same mysterious source.