Devour

Chapter 382 Heaven and Earth Share the Same Root, Return Peace to Us

Cheng Bai watched the battle and pondered, "Could Rong Zheng be showing off and hiding something fishy? Oh, and did the crossbow strike on the Netherworld Shuttle Boat just now have any effect?"

In fact, it did suffer some damage, causing the barely opened Netherworld Road to be insufficient for a strong person in the Tribulation Realm to pass through.

Rong Zheng deliberately avoided going into details and said sternly, "Don't be so long-winded. Nerds who think too much will only get themselves into trouble! Take it."

After saying that, he stretched out his giant silver hand and pointed a finger. The sword energy flashed with cold light as if it were real. It was incredibly fast and directly cut through the space, dividing the area where Master Li was into two!

The residual power traveled a great distance, reaching the rearward spirit boat formation, piercing through its protective shields like paper. Two of the smaller vessels were silently severed in half, the uncontrolled wreckage plummeting to the ground, emitting a deafening roar as it impacted the earth.

Wherever the sword energy passed, a terrifying sword mark fifty miles long was left on the ground. It was neat and straight, like a huge dark abyss, stretching across the wilderness and shocking the world.

Cheng Bai was on the lookout platform of the flagship spirit ship. His vision swept across the two suddenly empty positions on the left side of the team, and he was horrified. "Such a sharp power from a single finger! This Sun Chaser Divine Lord is the most powerful being we've seen so far, probably even equal to Night Demon Prince Feng Jinglun."

Jinlian couldn't help but exclaimed, "Teacher...you've met a formidable opponent!"

Zixuan leaned on her shoulder and whispered to her in comfort, "Master Li managed to dodge it, he should be fine."

Ren Yijian walked around the observation deck, repeatedly observing the cracked sword marks on the ground. He sighed, "Apart from the Holy Lord of Tianmen, who is known as the number one sword immortal, I couldn't think of anyone else who could compete with the Master in swordsmanship. Now I am fortunate to meet another one."

His praise still left room for Master Li's defense. However, Wen Jin, dissatisfied with this tactical approach, stared at him with wide, beautiful eyes and said bluntly, "Judging from their destructive power, it's definitely more than just a comparison of strength. The master in our sect is as skilled as His Highness Feng... even more powerful than your teacher!"

Yao Yingying's face darkened as she immediately issued an order: "All fleet units enter defensive mode. Everyone retreat a hundred miles and observe the battle from a distance!"

The Spirit Boat team changed their formation, quickly adjusting to an irregular spherical formation and retreating. The ships were no longer in a straight line, effectively avoiding the risk of being destroyed in a single powerful attack.

The remaining Guardian Knights on the ground also took the opportunity to retreat hastily, fleeing in scattered directions towards the light gate.

"All Yellow Turban warriors stop the pursuit and form the Seven Evils Demon-Slaying Formation to prepare to meet the enemy." Out of caution, Cheng Bai ordered the puppet army to float in front of the spirit boat fleet, forming a reliable line of defense and ready to fight.

The battlefield situation shifted rapidly. Master Li's figure, seemingly cleaved by the sword's energy, gradually blurred until it vanished completely. His true form reappeared in another part of the sky like a ghost. A drop of sweat dripped from his forehead. He gazed at the giant silver-white hand and said, "You are using the 'Heaven-Slaying Sword'. Excellent swordsmanship!"

Rongzheng extended his giant hand and gently waved his index finger, as if in a challenge: "Your escape skill is 'Clouds and Sky'? It's extremely rare! Dodging is quite a skill, but my sword can be even faster!"

"Open up the sky, build a path, and slay all the immortals." Facing a powerful enemy, Master Li raised his skills to the extreme, pinched the sword formula and performed the strongest sword move he had mastered in the Xiaoyao Ling Sword Formula.

Billions of sword energies surged and rushed, whistling through the sky, tearing the sky apart as easily as cutting paper.

From the boundless void, a fiery red light shone forth. Sword energy swirled across the heavens and earth, intertwining with them. In an instant, a towering holy sword condensed, its sharp edge radiating a dazzling brilliance and even more majestic than before!

Rong Zheng sneered, "Haha... You're borrowing the power of fire to try to suppress my gold foundation? I'll make that your dream a pipe dream!"

He activated the Great Sun True Fire Yin Pole Power, and his combat level immediately increased again. The fingertips of his giant silver-white hand created a vortex of light and heat, as powerful as the churning deep sea.

"You are only borrowing immortal power. How can it be compared with the immortal power that I control? Besides, my clan has always played with fire! Go back and break through to a higher level, then try again."

As Rong Zheng spoke a few words, the flaming holy sword, as big as a pillar of heaven, came charging towards him with overwhelming power.

Unfortunately, before it even reached him, it disintegrated into a gust of warm wind. Rongzheng's Yin Qi absorbed some of it, his sword moves neutralized some, and his immortal energy dispelled some. With a flick of his finger, he broke the attack, causing the incoming sword energy to dissolve like smoke and return to the world.

Master Li observed the other party's series of exquisite and incomparable changes in his moves and said solemnly, "This is the Great Sun True Fire Heavenly Art, a martial arts technique of the highest caliber, a secret developed by the Yunmen Emperor during his prime!"

Rong Zheng roared angrily, "Nonsense! This is clearly the unique technique of my Sun Chaser clan's eternal prodigy—Senluo Tyrant Body Lan Shenjun—that has enabled him to remain undefeated for hundreds of samsara eras! When did it become exclusive to the Yun family? This is bullshit!"

Master Li disagreed with this statement and countered, "According to rumors circulating on the Imperial Star, after the Jinque Imperial Palace tomb was robbed, the only true jade disc of the Great Sun True Fire Heavenly Art disappeared without a trace. Therefore, no one in the human race has ever obtained this inheritance."

Rong Zheng said sarcastically, "Since this technique was created by a great human, why is it that my Sun Chaser clan can practice it with twice the result with half the effort, while no one from the human race has mastered it even though it's stored in the Jinque Imperial Palace? Isn't this a ridiculous joke?"

Cheng Bai listened to the argument, puzzled. "It seems like an unsolved case... Can secret manuals and scriptures be used to deceive the world and steal reputations?"

Li Tong's interest was elsewhere, and he quietly reminded her, "I haven't collected the secret manuals for Jie Tian Zhen Jian, Yunwai Tian Xing, and Da Ri Zhen Huo Tian Gong. Get them for me when you have the chance!"

Faced with questioning on the battlefield, Master Li was unable to explain the reason behind this, and instead said, "There's no point in arguing rashly about this matter. Divine Lord Rongzheng is a realm above us, yet he fights with only one hand. If the scholar were defeated today, there would be nothing to say."

Rong Zheng's giant silver-white hand turned and gestured towards Master Li, sneering, "How could a saint who once served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court only possess a few moves? If you have the ability, show it quickly and let me see how powerful you are."

Master Li stood motionless with his feet suspended in the air, whispering a question: "Swordsman, where is the end of your practice?"

Rong Zheng snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "Are you testing me? The path of sword cultivation is endless. Those who think they have reached the end are simply fools who have never seen anyone stronger."

Master Li, however, acted as if he hadn't heard anything, muttering to himself, "Splitting the sky and splitting the earth? Moving mountains and filling the sea? Overthrowing the world with a single hand? It is my responsibility to pacify the world's calamities!"

Rong Zheng said impatiently, "Bookworm, haven't I seen enough of these disasters? After surviving the Three Calamities, the gods and immortals in the heavens can do it easily. It's not worth taking it seriously..."

Suddenly he closed his mouth, as if sensing a potential threat, and the five fingers of his giant silver hand moved rapidly, secretly on guard.

Tan Gong's dark green brows knitted slightly, and he keenly sensed the unusual trembling of the earth. He whispered, "The earth's vital energy is restless."

Di Xuan looked up at the sky and said hesitantly, "The spiritual energy in the void doesn't seem right either."

The first ray of sword light suddenly shot out from the depths of the earth, followed by billions of sword lights that shot up into the world. Simultaneously, the sky also rained down countless sword lights, covering the sky and earth and threatening to drown everything.

The colorful light was like the intersection of heavenly fire and earth veins. It seemed to have life and merged with Master Li's powerful sword energy in the air, constructing a vast world of swords.

Rong Zheng's vision far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators, and he realized in time, "He's using the secret technique of 'All or Nothing' to forcibly elevate himself to a higher realm, unleashing the mysteries of the Eighth Sky Realm swordsmanship. This is what's called transcending one's own limits and reaching a new destination."

"Heaven and earth share the same roots, give me peace." As Master Li activated the sword technique, the sword energy around him became stronger and stronger, as thin as a hair, as dense as stars, and blooming with a dazzling and soul-stirring sharp fairy light.

Tan Gong, who was standing by the light gate, couldn't help but say, "That nerd knows more than just one secret technique. He also has 'Tranquility and Farsightedness', which can heal injuries and clear the mind. And the longer he cultivates, the stronger his sword power becomes! He also uses this method when he cultivates the Tianchi Divine Art. Even I can't outlast him."

"Huh?" Rong Zheng could clearly sense his opponent's rapidly increasing combat power and angrily scolded him, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Why would you have allowed this fellow to grow so rapidly and become so reckless?"

Tan Gong felt helpless but couldn't refute, so he secretly complained, "Just now you were the one who told me not to talk too much, and you did the most talking."