Chapter 173

Chapter 173: Casting The Great Unity Spell

Since all passengers remained below the fifth floor during the battle, the sixth and seventh levels of the treasure ship stayed largely intact with minimal damage.

Fang Lie proceeded inward through the sixth floor and ascended to the seventh. Emerging from the stairway, he immediately spotted the ship’s master.

The black-armored man stood at an imposing height of two zhang, encased in sinister black metal armor adorned with glowing runes that emitted intense Spiritual Pressure. The armor’s quality suggested it might be a fifth-tier treasure.

Only the man’s piercing eyes were visible behind his faceplate, their murderous gaze fixed on Fang Lie. The Mo Sect disciple detected clear contempt in those eyes – this Nascent Soul True Immortal likely viewed him as mere privileged trash.

Undeterred by the Immortal’s aura, Fang Lei casually ascended while surveying the outer hall’s furnishings. The thirty-foot square space featured Animal Skin Map flooring, flanked by tables and chairs beneath wall scrolls. The armored figure stood sentinel before the inner chamber’s entrance.

A glint of approval flashed in the black-armored man’s eyes. "Impressive nerve for a Mo Sect brat," he rumbled. "Do you truly lack fear, or simply comprehend not mortality?"

"Both," Fang Lie grinned.

The Immortal’s voice hardened. "Two disciples swore they slew you personally. Yet here you stand. They’d never dare Deceive me. Explain this paradox."

"First answer mine," Fang Lie countered. "Why watch your forces perish without intervention? You appear unharmed."

"Your interference ruined my plans!" The man’s armor clanked as he shifted angrily. "I’m rendered homeless! When fleeing, deadweight gets discarded."

"Ah," Fang Lie nodded. "Sacrificing subordinates willingly. Ruthless efficiency."

"Mock while you can," the Immortal sneered. "My weakest disciples failed, but I’ll erase you completely. No tricks will avail here."

Fang Lie’s smile didn’t waver. "Don’t posture. Annihilating hundreds of Golden Pool and Purple Palace Cultivators drained you severely."

The armored figure snorted. "True – activating every ship Formation left barely tenth of my Magic remaining. But even this shred could crush your Qi Sea level self a hundredfold!"

Light kindled in Fang Lie’s eyes. "Tenth residual power? Perfect. BURST FORTH! IGNITE!"

Crimson flames enveloped his body as he activated Explosion Qi Technique and Blood Ignition Technique simultaneously. A Magic tornado whirled above him.

The Immortal chuckled darkly. "Self-maiming boosts? Twentyfold increase still amounts to crumbs compared to my remnant power!"

Fang Lie’s grin widened. "Crumbs suffice! BEHOLD – The Great Unity Spell!"

His finger stabbed from forehead toward the armored man. A phantom scarlet butterfly materialized – ethereal, otherworldly – fluttering toward its target.

"Pathetic trick!" The Immortal swatted air, unleashing force comparable to Fourth-tier Magical Items. To his shock, the strike passed through the spectral insect harmlessly.

The black-armored man’s face twisted with rage. At the critical moment, he desperately activated his armor.

The black battle armor instantly released countless black rays, wrapping him in complete protection.

Even the casual spiritual pressure radiating from the armor made Fang Lie stagger backward several paces in the distance, proving its immense spiritual energy.

Yet it meant nothing. The dreamlike butterfly drifted effortlessly through the black divine light like a shadow, finally settling on the black-armored man’s forehead before vanishing inside.

The black-armored man paled. He frantically touched his forehead while inspecting his consciousness sea and body repeatedly, searching for the butterfly.

Finding nothing, he roared, "Damned Fang Lie! What trickery is this?"

"Trying to kill you," Fang Lie replied with a fox-like grin.

"Delusions! An ant like you killing me?" The black-armored man bellowed, "Die!"

Unable to contain his murderous intent any longer, he threw a punch. A fist-shaped shockwave erupted, barely a foot wide yet detonating the surrounding air with thunderous booms!

Fang Lie merely smirked, making no move to defend himself. Chest thrust forward, he taunted, "Perish with me, fool!"

His body exploded into gory fragments under the terrifying strike – yet before the pieces scattered, they dissolved into multicolored flames.

Simultaneously, the black-armored man shrieked. Blood gushed from his mouth while crimson trails seeped from his eyes, nose, and ears. Clutching his skull, he collapsed writhing as if his head were detonating. Muscles spasming uncontrollably, he lay paralyzed for half an hour.

When the agony finally eased, he cautiously sat up. Swallowing spirit pills from his Sumeru Bag, he growled, "Why did killing that wretch injure me? Was it that accursed butterfly?"

As the pills took effect, he recalled Fang Lie’s last act. "He shouted ‘Great Unity Spell’… What devilry is that?"

The black-armored man racked his memory fruitlessly. The Great Unity Spell had been lost for millennia – even Thunder Tribulation Immortals knew nothing of it, let alone a mere Nascent Soul True Immortal like himself.

Abandoning the mystery, he began meditating to inspect his injuries. What he discovered horrified him – while his body remained intact, his brain resembled a firecracker-ravaged battlefield: clotted blood pooled in multiple areas, tissues torn.

These wounds caused relentless headaches and made his limbs respond sluggishly. In battle now, his combat strength would plummet by half.

Forced to channel his dwindling magic into healing, he couldn’t simultaneously restore energy – the conflicting medicinal properties forbade taking both types of spirit pills.

After over an hour, he barely stabilized his injuries at catastrophic cost: his magic reserves dwindled to less than a thousandth of their peak. In this state, even a Golden Pool realm cultivator could end him.

Desperate to replenish his magic, the black-armored man had barely begun when Fang Lie materialized before him once more – grinning like a vengeful ghost.