Chapter 00087: Time in Prison
# Time in Prison
Chapter 87
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 87: Time in Prison
As the saying goes, when one encounters joyous events, one's spirit lifts.
Not to mention, "When the golden wind meets the jade dew, it surpasses countless encounters in the mortal realm."
On this festive occasion, even if Ji Jue loathed the Young Master Lou deeply, he couldn't help but want to ask, "Hey? How did you know I just obtained the Heavenly Sage's Non-attack Formation?"
Unfortunately, it seemed Young Master Lou had no interest in offering a cigarette or asking where it would be more convenient to bait his prey.
Rather, exerting the self-restraint not to rip that irritating fellow to shreds already took considerable effort…
It wasn't that Lou Feng lacked upbringing or patience.
The Lou family's teachings, while not overly dramatic, certainly encompassed the most basic etiquette, rules, and social interactions.
As one of the chosen ones of this generation, Lou Feng certainly possessed wit and refinement.
However, no amount of deep thoughts or qualities seemed effective when facing off against a scoundrel like Ji Jue.
Imagine if it were you; after all the struggles, you keep getting robbed of your hard-earned achievement by some arrogant fool.
Your temper would erupt.
And the ominous shadow of the dung truck didn’t help…
At this moment, the chaotic spiritual energy swirling in the Rift had cast a crimson hue over everyone's eyes, as if it were a curse waiting to consume.
“It’s you again—”
Lou Feng squeezed the words out between clenched teeth, his gaze fixated on Ji Jue.
He looked at the small calf behind Ji Jue, whose pride was evident, and the striking change in Ji Jue—his hands, now adorned with complex totems.
Furthermore, the fluctuation of the spiritual energy around him was completely different from before...
“Indeed, it’s the ‘Non-attack’?!”
His pupils constricted for a moment before igniting with fierce determination.
He couldn't look away.
Though he had gathered so many materials along the way, they paled in comparison to the achievements in Ji Jue's hands.
Even the mere thought of comparison was an insult to one's intelligence and reason.
Non-attack! A celestial formation passed down from the sages…
One must understand that when it comes to formations, the most crucial factor, apart from its own effects, is the essential inheritance within.
With spirits nurtured and refined by countless previous users, the difference in experience compared to a freshly made formation is like heaven and earth.
It maximizes its potential, particularly after the user achieves celestial status… The formation would absorb the essence of its origins, inscribing traces of cosmology or apocalypse.
If used wisely, inheriting the same origins or even apocalypse wouldn’t be out of reach!
Not to mention the potential techniques left behind by the sages, how one could even revive the long-lost theories of mercury fluid alchemy! Just the ability to recreate a legendary celestial formation lost to history was enough to shock the world.
Not even a master could refuse such an honor!
A brand-new formation represents a fresh lineage, a clan capable of passing down for centuries, and a new force not to be ignored…
The Lou family in Tide City possesses four distinct formations, covering the realms of transformation, entropy, mirrors, and wastelands, all capable of reaching the celestial domain.
The emergence of a new celestial formation would elevate the family’s influence to an entirely new level!
As such a weighty balance appeared before him, the inner scale had silently shifted.
Not just for himself or his teacher, but also for the family.
He had to seize such significant gains!
It was no longer a matter of worrying about the Lou family’s reputation or even his own life.
No, even if he died here, it wouldn’t matter… Even if it meant risking total defeat, he must act!
Even if his remains vanished entirely!
“Mr. Ji—”
Lou Feng took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions while maintaining his calm.
Even if Ji Jue produced ten thousand dung trucks to run him over, it wouldn’t change a thing.
“It’s not just vital to me; it’s equally important for the Lou family.”
He began, “You can ask for any price. I can give you full authority, as long as the Lou family can meet your demands, there will be no hesitation. I want to talk to you. No, as long as you’re willing to hand over the Non-attack formation, we can discuss anything—crafts, inheritance, beauty, riches, or status; everything is negotiable. You and I share no unresolved grudges or conflicts. Whatever misunderstandings previously existed don’t concern me. I wouldn’t mind if you wanted me to kneel and apologize to you. I promise you, on behalf of the Lou family’s thousand-year legacy, that all the conditions I offer can be bound into a heavenly contract along with the Lou family, if you agree.”
The words were humble and sincere.
Especially as Lou Feng pulled down a necklace bearing the Lou family’s emblem; its faint glow attested to the truth of his words.
No member of the Lou family dared joke about it.
Even if Ji Jue had him bark like a dog, he would immediately kneel and obey until Ji Jue told him to stop.
However, this very attitude made Ji Jue feel overwhelmed.
Damn it, this spoiled rich kid was serious…
How could the newly acquired formation be targeted before he even had a chance to flaunt it?
At this moment, he should have played along, at least to gauge the reality of the situation and grasp the details.
Only then could he make a decision to occupy the greatest advantage, even if it meant buying time.
Ji Jue should have been quite adept at this game, but for some reason, he was reluctant to speak.
Not only because he faced Lou Feng, who was willing to sacrifice his dignity and character, but also due to everything he witnessed from his past dreams, his own wishes and ambitions, his teacher’s orders, and even the gaze of the seer beside him.
And not to mention the enduring expectations from Xiao An, who awaited his choice.
He had to set a good example for the child, right? Yet, however many excuses could be made, he was unwilling, resentful, and reluctant to bow down to someone who believed that anyone willing to lower themselves in a negotiation should have the same attitude.
Especially not wanting to do so.
So...
“Sorry, Brother Lou,” Ji Jue shook his head, “If you are willing, you can pick anything from the cart behind. But this one thing is non-negotiable.”
“…”
Lou Feng fell silent, staring intently at him.
In the stillness, the returning knights behind him grew cold and fierce, the bloodied knights slightly raising their long spears, their spirit steeds whinnying and tramping the earth, creating a deep rumble.
“Have you truly thought about the consequences, Ji Jue?” he asked finally.
Consequences? Ji Jue couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Young Master Lou, everything has its order; why force it?” he lamented, “Everyone was civility-bound by our connections in our sect. Now that it’s time to turn against each other, you hardly care at all.”
“You know I have always been quite restrained?!” Lou Feng interrupted with a voice strained through clenched teeth. “I don’t want to say more than necessary… For Master Ye’s sake, hand over the Non-attack formation, and my guarantee still stands. Otherwise, I cannot be responsible for what comes next.”
Ah yes, just right!
The air was charged with the intoxicating wind of battle.
The need for deception was now unnecessary; this was the most straightforward method…
“Sorry, you know the rules.”
Ji Jue tousled his hair and ended with a mocking smile, waving his hand, “If you want it, come get it yourself—”
In that instant, the sound of breaking air raced forth.
His face was locked on.
Piercing!
In the split second that Lou Feng snapped his fingers, there was no process or interruption! From the moment it condensed in the darkness, the spiritual blade shaped through artifice manifested with astonishing speed.
Then, it came to a halt.
Under the legacy of the Lou family, a blade capable of severing gold and jade had been caught in Ji Jue’s grasp…
Between Ji Jue's five fingers…
To an ordinary eye, it would be nearly invisible, but Lou Feng could see it all too clearly; his full-powered assault had actually paused in Ji Jue’s hand.
Then, as Ji Jue’s fingers tightened, that blade disintegrated like it was made of mud, breaking apart until it dissolved into a slushy form, swiftly evaporating into thin air upon hitting the ground.
Cease, control, vanish!
All in the blink of an eye…
It was as if a foolish joke!
His pupils had shrunk to needle points, instinctively unwilling to acknowledge the reality before him.
When he swung his hand again, a colossal spiritual hammer fell from the heavens.
It descended like thunder, raising storms, suffocating everything in its wake with its tremendous weight!
Yet the storm dissipated again.
Not a sound to be heard.
Lou Feng’s mighty spiritual hammer, which held all his power, had once more shattered and vanished.
Throughout it all, Ji Jue hadn’t even moved a step; he simply raised a finger and pointed at the descending hammer of thunder.
With a gentle touch.
And just like that, the thunder was transformed into a light breeze, its overwhelming heft dissipating into the void.
The secret technique of the Lou family, the power of spiritual shaping, collapsed like a trivial joke, all efforts rendered null.
“Forgive me,” Ji Jue smiled, “I may not have mentioned: tricks that have been used once won’t work a second time in front of me… I regret to inform you, all of the Lou family’s inherited techniques have been thoroughly unraveled by me.”
In the silence, even the returning knights ceased their movements for a moment, disbelief in their eyes.
Cold sweat flowed down Lou Feng’s forehead.
Unable to comprehend.
For a moment, he genuinely believed Ji Jue’s nonsensical words, panic rising within him.
But soon, he glanced at his own hands and then the glimmering totems of the formation.
The coldness in his gaze deepened.
Non-attack!!!
In that moment, without a second thought, he raised his hand.
The spiritual light from the bracelet flared, expanding into a bow that bore no strings, blessed by flames swirling within, converging upon a spiritual arrow, shot forth in an instant.
Boom!!!
With a deafening explosion, the scorching wind spread; where Ji Jue had stood was now a deep crater, scorch marks scattered, ashes rising.
“Tsk—”
On the swiftly retreating calf, Ji Jue clicked his tongue in displeasure.
This time, he ultimately chose to dodge… After all, there aren't many sane individuals who would choose to withstand the blast of arrows composed purely of energy.
Although he hadn’t expected that his casual bragging could distract his opponent for long, the sensation of his trick being seen through was still quite unpleasant.
Ultimately, the Lou family, inheriting their knowledge over a millennium, had surely faced abilities or techniques being countered before; their reactions were swift, their strategies abundant, experience rich.
Yet the unsettling unknown still loomed, no matter how much testing was done.
As long as he didn’t foolishly broadcast the effects of the Non-attack formation, Lou Feng would never figure out where his abilities and techniques had faltered.
For the time that followed, he would find himself tormented by the shadow left by Ji Jue.
Trembling guesses, cautious explorations, exhausting mental calculations, and anxious pondering—seeking the elusive answer from the obscurity.
“Time to go to prison, Brother Lou!” Ji Jue grinned, pulling the trigger without a moment's thought.
Boom!
(End of Chapter)