Chapter 114: Battle with Zhou Jie

Chu Jie’s gaze sharpened as he watched the golden light streaking toward him from the distance. Knowing he could not outrun it, he let out a long, resonant cry. His aura surged, climbing steadily as he prepared for a tentative clash with Zhou Jie.

The golden light revealed its form ten zhang away: it was Zhou Jie, clad in golden armor. However, the man had lost all consciousness, leaving behind only the primal instinct to slaughter. Had Zhou Jie retained his wits, he would likely have stopped at nothing to kill Chu Jie, regardless of the cost.

Now, possessing superior strength, Zhou Jie did not attack immediately. He hovered in the air, seemingly discerning something. Inside Chu Jie, the Cycle Scroll spun frantically; his aura reached its breaking point, ready to erupt the moment Zhou Jie made a move.

Duan Kun flew to Chu Jie’s side, his own aura rising aggressively. A shuttle-shaped artifact whirled violently in front of him, emitting a deep, humming drone. The surrounding space seemed on the verge of being pierced through by the artifact.

Because of the golden armor, Zhou Jie’s face was hidden, but the hatred, madness, and bloodlust were clearly visible in his eyes. His consciousness had been sealed away by some means employed by the peerless fiend, reducing him to a mere killing machine.

In terms of cultivation, Chu Jie was no match for Zhou Jie. Yet, there was no room for retreat; he could not outpace his foe, so battle was the only option.

Zhou Jie seemed to sense something in the air—a familiar aura emanating from Chu Jie’s body. His eyes turned blood-red, and he flew into a berserk rage. A galaxy of light coalesced around him, shimmering with immense spiritual power. The energy contained within this celestial river alone was several times greater than Chu Jie’s entire reserves.

Chu Jie’s expression grew grave. This was undoubtedly the most difficult fight he had ever faced: a Sixth-Layer Spirit Convergence Realm cultivator against a Star Core Realm Zhou Jie. Fortunately, with the aid of Duan Kun and Wu Long’s group, he might still have a fighting chance. Moreover, they were equipped with golden armor—a powerful artifact with astonishing defensive capabilities—which might just withstand some of Zhou Jie’s onslaught.

"Die."

Zhou Jie growled in the air, transforming into a streak of golden light as he charged. He swung his longsword wildly, raining attacks down upon Chu Jie. Chu Jie did not strike back immediately, choosing instead to focus on evading the blows. Still, he was struck multiple times, the golden armor ringing out with heavy clangs.

With every blow, the armor consumed a vast amount of Chu Jie’s spiritual energy to sustain its defense. Chu Jie sensed that if his internal energy ran dry, the armor would either automatically retreat into his Dantian or be shattered by Zhou Jie’s strikes. The power of the Star Core Realm was not to be underestimated.

"Kill!" Chu Jie roared.

Finally, he unleashed his most powerful technique: the Nine Dragons Sky-Splitting Claw. A golden dragon claw suddenly manifested above Zhou Jie’s head, slamming downward. This devastating strike connected with Zhou Jie’s helmet, but it stalled, unable to break through. Runes flickered across the surface of the golden armor.

It was a suit that could only be fully activated by someone in the Star Core Realm, and its defense was formidable. Chu Jie’s strike had no effect whatsoever. Behind him, nine suns erupted with a whistling sound, bombarding Zhou Jie’s armor one after another. The force of the explosions pushed the floating Zhou Jie back thirty feet, but as the light faded, he remained completely unscathed.

Without the golden armor, the Star Core Realm Zhou Jie would never have been this untouchable, but protected by the artifact, he did not suffer a single scratch.

As Zhou Jie prepared to charge again, Duan Kun intervened. His shuttle-shaped artifact shot forward, slamming into Zhou Jie, followed immediately by Duan Kun himself. With a blur of motion, he kicked toward Zhou Jie’s head. Both attacks landed, yet Zhou Jie remained unharmed.

In the air, Zhou Jie’s blood-red eyes glowed with a foot-long crimson light, looking utterly eerie. The shuttle could not pierce the armor, and Duan Kun’s strikes were equally futile. Chu Jie’s heart sank. His strongest attacks had failed. It was clear that Zhou Jie, bolstered by his Star Core cultivation and the armor, was so powerful that even a superior Star Core cultivator might struggle to kill him. If not for their own golden armor, Chu Jie and Duan Kun would have been slain long ago. They were barely holding on.

Furthermore, every time Zhou Jie struck his armor, Chu Jie’s spiritual energy was drained significantly. Wu Long and his six companions seized the opportunity to fire their own artifacts from the ground, but Zhou Jie effortlessly batted them all away. Had Zhou Jie been in his right mind, he would have likely laughed in mockery, but in his current state, he was merely a tragic shell driven by instinct.

"Move!" Chu Jie shouted.

Since his strongest attacks could not shake Zhou Jie, he decided to change the battlefield. The nearest location was the Rocky Zone, a place with complex terrain that might offer a chance at survival. Chu Jie led the others toward the rocks, with Zhou Jie in hot pursuit.

Zhou Jie ignored the seven followers, fixated entirely on Chu Jie and Duan Kun. Though he had lost his mind, the obsession to kill these two remained, and he attacked with relentless intensity.

Along the way, Chu Jie realized the terrifying speed of a Star Core Realm cultivator. With no other choice, he could only run while retaliating. He had yet to master the Wolong Saber, but he could use it with ease. In his hands, the blade moved like a living dragon, lashing out repeatedly. Under his control, it was not easily swiped away, but it still proved ineffective.

Zhou Jie’s sword struck Chu Jie and Duan Kun repeatedly. As all three moved at high speeds, the two of them split the burden of the attacks, preventing their energy from being completely drained. Once that energy was gone, the armor would be useless.

Wu Long and his group had fallen far behind, but they did not flee. Instead, they fearlessly gave chase, determined to help.

"Do we have any hope of defeating that Zhou Jie?" Li Yao asked Wu Long as they ran.

"It’s hard to say. He’s clearly lost his mind, but his combat ability hasn’t been affected in the slightest—he’s even more dangerous than a sane person. Add that armor to the mix, and it’s nearly impossible," Wu Long replied.

By now, those watching could see Chu Jie, Duan Kun, and Zhou Jie—all clad in golden armor—entering the Rocky Zone. Many witnessed this, and seeing two of the armored warriors on the defensive, onlookers felt a surge of greed. Some signaled for help, while others rushed toward the area to see what was happening. The power of the golden armor was legendary; seeing it in combat drove the crowd into a frenzy. Some even abandoned their search for the Purple Fire to join the fray.

Within moments, hundreds were converging on the Rocky Zone. Even those who had previously fled from Zhou Jie were returning with reinforcements. Wu Long grew anxious; Chu Jie was already losing, and with so many others arriving, the situation looked dire.

"Let’s go. If we’re going to die, we die with our leader," Wu Long decided. Having benefited from their time with Chu Jie, he refused to abandon him now. The others shared this sentiment, and they charged into the rocks at full speed.

Chu Jie was familiar with this terrain, having been here several times. He used the geography to create obstacles against Zhou Jie. With less than half his spiritual energy remaining, he bit down on a Blue Jade Pill he had tucked under his tongue. A surge of energy rushed into his Dantian, replenishing ten percent of his reserves, with more to follow as the medicine took effect.

Zhou Jie’s longsword struck Chu Jie’s armor again with a thunderous roar, channeling immense energy that drained another tenth of Chu Jie’s reserves. At the same time, a red light gathered in Zhou Jie’s hand. Sensing the impending blow, Chu Jie and Duan Kun dived to the ground. Fighting in the air was too disadvantageous; they hoped the terrain would level the playing field.

Zhou Jie hovered for a moment before descending. Chu Jie spat out a mouthful of blood, having sustained injuries in the previous exchange, as had Duan Kun.

Utilizing his knowledge of the area, Chu Jie led Duan Kun in a series of evasive maneuvers, finally hiding in a concealed spot to recover. Chu Jie took a White Jade Pill and handed a red one to Duan Kun.

"Use this to save your life," Chu Jie said.

The red pill was a reward he had received from the peerless fiend. It was a potent healing agent that acted quickly and effectively. He only had four left, and he guarded them for moments like this.

As both men consumed their pills, their bodies began to mend. Suddenly, Zhou Jie closed in. With a deafening boom, he shattered the massive boulder behind which they were hiding.