Fortunately, everything went smoothly. Li Yi successfully used three miraculous items to open the cross-border gate and escaped from Golden Academy.
This was a place where verdant hills and clear waters stretched around them.
Nearby, there were villages resembling ancient times, with green brick and gray tile houses, curling smoke from chimneys, and even farmers leading water buffalo in the fields. In the distance, rolling mountains extended endlessly, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and wood. This place seemed like a tranquil paradise free from disputes.
"Is this the End of Dharma Cultivation World?" Li Yi murmured with uncertainty.
It didn’t quite look like it.
He wanted to sense the cosmic energy around him, but at that moment his soul issued an alarm; a surge of danger emanated from behind him.
Li Yi’s expression changed instantly. His figure vanished from where he stood, pulling a safe distance away.
Then, he turned to look back.
At the spot he had just stood, there was suddenly a Daoist in a Daoist robe. The Daoist floated in mid-air, riding a flying sword, rage filling his face, his killing intent unmistakable.
"A cultivator from the Xuanxian Continent... and a Golden Core Cultivator no less. He actually followed through the cross-border gate during its final moments before it closed?" Li Yi’s expression darkened as he realized the gravity of the situation.
Zhang Yihua swept his divine sense over the surroundings, then sneered coldly: "Trying to escape across dimensions? Dream on. I, this humble Daoist, won’t let you run away so easily. Hand over Taixian Weng’s Luminous Mirror, and all the other spiritual artifacts and treasures on you, and I may consider letting the gods of your Earth favor you, leaving you a whole corpse."
"Don’t worry, this humble Daoist will not leave your body to rot in the wilderness. I’ve inspected this place; the soil is fertile, brimming with life, and the mountains’ formations are auspicious. If I bury you here, it will surely bring prosperity and fortune to your descendants."
Li Yi retorted without hesitation: "This prime burial spot is better reserved for your own use. I’m still young, with boundless potential ahead of me—no need for it just yet."
"Whether you use it or not is for me to decide, not you," Zhang Yihua’s gaze turned icy, his killing intent intensifying. He didn’t attack immediately—this was no longer Golden Academy; Li Yi couldn’t escape. He was merely curious about what kind of world this place was.
Why had Li Yi chosen to flee here?
Did he have allies here?
Or was there something special about this world?
But after observing for a while, Zhang Yihua could find nothing exceptional about the place. There was no sign of other cultivators in the vicinity, which meant Li Yi had not planned this cross-dimensional move—it was a desperate, random leap under pressure.
Li Yi’s eyes flickered with resolve, preparing himself for battle.
He knew this Golden Core Cultivator wouldn’t let him go. If he didn’t find a way to fight him off, he would surely die in this End of Dharma Cultivation World.
"A Golden Core Cultivator is stronger than the paranormal elites of Golden Academy, but this is the End of Dharma Cultivation World—cosmic energy here is nearly depleted. Cultivators can hardly exert their full strength here. So, it’s not impossible for me to kill him."
Li Yi made up his mind. He had fought against cultivators before and understood the advantages and weaknesses of their power.
A thought came to him.
He immediately activated his storage magical artifact.
In an instant, a Thunderbolt Fighter was deployed.
"Lan Ji, take control of the Thunderbolt Fighter for high-altitude firepower support. Target: the Daoist in front of me," Li Yi commanded firmly.
"Understood, Master," Lan Ji’s voice emanated from within the Thunderbolt Fighter.
This was the advantage of fourth-generation artificial intelligence—it allowed the Thunderbolt Fighter’s intelligent system to be directly backed up into Lan Ji’s secondary system. Although its computational capabilities were inferior to the original, it ensured that the fighter’s controls remained entirely in Li Yi’s hands, preventing unexpected tampering.
Zhang Yihua roared sharply when he saw this, determined to prevent Li Yi from deploying such a devastating weapon. He immediately pointed his sword forward, and a superior spiritual artifact—a magical sword—transformed into a streak of light, hurtling straight toward the fighter. His aim was to destroy it before it could ascend.
"Daoist, in such a hurry? Our battle is just beginning," Li Yi’s silver vertical pupils gleamed as he sprung forward with soul alertness, attempting to intercept the flying sword. As long as the Thunderbolt Fighter successfully took to the skies, he would hold the advantage.
But Li Yi was fast; the flying sword was faster.
After all, this was a Golden Core Cultivator—not comparable to someone like Lin Caiyi from earlier. In just the blink of an eye, the flying sword reached the Thunderbolt Fighter. Its engines were still revving up and accelerating, incapable of fending off the incoming attack.
Just then, the resonant cry of a mutant beast echoed through the air.
Good Wings swooped in, its silver-tinted talons shimmering faintly as they latched onto the flying sword. This mutant beast from the Barbaric World unleashed an unimaginable surge of force. It seemed to understand the gravity of the moment; if the Thunderbolt Fighter was destroyed, this battle would become far more perilous. Protecting the fighter was imperative.
"A spiritual beast at the Foundation Establishment stage dares touch the flying sword of a Golden Core Cultivator? Courting death!"
Zhang Yihua’s anger flared as he used his divine sense to redirect the flying sword, piercing through Good Wings’ body before sending the sword careening toward the Thunderbolt Fighter.
Good Wings shrieked in agony as blood splattered around them. Severely injured, its flight became unsteady—it was only spared immediate death because Zhang Yihua’s focus had shifted to the Thunderbolt Fighter.
The Thunderbolt Fighter too was pierced straight through.