Chapter 117: Stay a Moment

"You are quite mischievous for someone so young, fellow Daoist!"

A young man chuckled softly. With a flick of his right pinky finger, a wisp of pale white light shot toward Ji Hao. "Naughty, you deserve a beating. That thunder just now was quite frightening; you clearly need a good lesson."

The faint white light was inconspicuous in the curtain of rain, much like the occasional glimpse of dawn at the edge of storm clouds. Yet, the moment it appeared, the vast mountain forest seemed to soften.

The wind ceased its howling, the rain slowed its torrent, and the swaying of the trees and grass took on a more graceful, fluid motion. Even the dim, somber forest beneath the gray sky seemed to brighten and grow warm under the influence of this white light.

As the pale light pierced through the rain, every raindrop within a dozen yards of its path blossomed like a flower bud, transforming into a crystal-clear water lotus the size of a fist. Accompanied by a low, majestic, chanting sound, these lotuses traced long, elegant arcs through the air, converging upon Ji Hao from all sides.

Ji Hao’s eyes widened, watching this unassuming light with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

The sky was filled with spinning water lotuses; everywhere he looked, crystal-clear flowers danced and whirled. Each delicate, exquisite lotus caused the air to surge violently, and behind every tiny blossom trailed a whirlwind as fierce as an enraged dragon.

Though they appeared delicate and harmless, the pressure these lotuses exerted on Ji Hao felt like a small mountain crashing down upon his head.

"Interesting." Ji Hao laughed aloud. A burst of golden-red flames erupted from his back, and the two round eyes of the Golden Crow flickered within the fire. His fists were veiled in a faint, fiery glow as he swung them directly into the oncoming swarm of lotuses.

"How crude and barbaric—truly a savage from the Southern Wasteland," the two young men sneered in unison.

One lotus struck Ji Hao’s fist. He poured all his strength into the blow, but there was nothing there. The water lotus, which had been pressing down with immense force, turned out to be a mere illusion. Ji Hao’s punch met only empty air; his momentum spent, he detonated a sphere of fire several yards wide in the sky with a thunderous boom.

"A fake?" Ji Hao exclaimed!

In the next instant, hundreds of attacks struck him from all directions. Each blow landed with the force of a mountain, shattering the leather armor on his exterior almost instantly and revealing the inner protective gear beneath.

The inner armor, crafted by Abao, emitted a faint, clear light, manifesting as palm-sized lotuses that clung to Ji Hao’s body, rotating slowly.

Countless transparent water lotuses materialized out of thin air, whistling as they pelted Ji Hao. The clear lotuses spinning on his armor crushed every incoming strike into dust.

A final flash of white light descended from the sky, striking Ji Hao directly in the chest. With a deafening roar, the earth around him erupted, sending soil surging a hundred feet into the air. A massive pit, a mile wide and a hundred feet deep, appeared beneath his feet. Struck by the immense force, Ji Hao was sent plummeting into the depths of the crater.

"Interesting, truly interesting. Look what we’ve found," the young man who had not yet attacked said with a detached smile. "This inner armor is quite extraordinary!"

Both men made no effort to conceal the greed in their eyes, staring at Ji Hao like famished wolves.

The one who had attacked first hurriedly called out, "Senior Brother, I was the one who made the move; this armor is destined for me!"

The Senior Brother replied sternly, "Junior Brother, your cultivation is still lacking, and your mental state is still flawed. It is true you struck first, but you haven't killed the boy yet. This armor is clearly destined for me as well!"

Both men raised the bamboo staves in their hands and swung them forcefully. Instantly, the wind and rain for miles around began to emit a pale white light. Countless raindrops blossomed into water lotuses, pouring down into the deep crater.

Ji Hao lay in the pit, covered in dirt and grime.

That single flick of the finger had been understated yet contained a terrifying amount of power—it was undoubtedly an attack at the level of a Great Magus. If not for the protection of his armor, he would have been obliterated.

Even with the armor absorbing over ninety percent of the impact, the residual force had still rattled his internal organs. This was only because his body had been tempered by various miraculous encounters, including the consumption of Earth Pulse Essence Milk, which had greatly increased his physical durability. Without that recent strengthening, the blow would have severely damaged his insides.

Lying in the thick mud, Ji Hao frowned.

Where did these two come from? Their techniques were incredibly bizarre—the water lotuses he had locked onto with his gaze had turned out to be illusions.

And the nature of their power—that strange force which made one feel involuntarily relaxed, leaving both body and soul feeling languid and sleepy, yet simultaneously appearing so majestic and grand—what exactly was it?

As he struggled to think, the sky above suddenly brightened. An attack a hundred times more powerful than the previous one descended, with countless crystal-clear water lotuses falling like rain. Ji Hao looked up in alarm, his eyes suddenly turning a pure, golden-red.

He unleashed the Golden Crow Divine Eyes to their full potential. They shone like two small suns, illuminating the world and capable of piercing through all deceptions.

The nine mantras of the True Words condensed into nine seals, spinning rapidly around his golden-red pupils. The world before Ji Hao suddenly changed color.

Through the faint white glow, the world remained dark—a forest of bitter wind and cold rain. The water lotuses that had blossomed from the falling rain were, in reality, falling straight from the sky like meteors, viciously slamming down toward him.

The graceful arcs of the lotuses and the hurricanes formed by the churning air were all illusions!

Amidst the sea of phantoms, surrounded by countless water lotuses, the two white-robed men had concealed their presence and reached his side, their bamboo staves aimed directly at his head.

Looking at their vicious demeanor, they clearly regarded him as a sworn enemy with whom they shared a blood feud.

"Such immense resentment. My two 'fellow Daoists,' I'm afraid I cannot keep you company any longer," Ji Hao laughed loudly. His body shimmered and suddenly exploded into a spray of water.

The two bamboo staves struck the water, sending droplets flying. As their attacks hit empty space, Ji Hao, utilizing the wind and rain, had already activated his Innate Spirit Water Evasion, instantly teleporting a hundred yards away.

A white lotus bloomed slowly on the foreheads of both young men. Threads of pure spiritual energy rippled outward, and in moments, their senses locked onto Ji Hao’s position.

"Fellow Daoist, please stay a while! The treasure you carry is destined for me; I ask that you be accommodating!" The Senior Brother laughed heartily, flicking his wrist to release a white, fist-sized bead.