OBS Chapter 1408 The True Image of the Holy Spirit and Wan Tianming
Chapter 1408 The True Image of the Holy Spirit and Wan Tianming
Chapter 1408 The True Image of the Holy Spirit and Wan Tianming
Time flies when you're cultivating yourself; fifty years can slip through your fingers in the blink of an eye.
The thirty-first level of Tianxing City's sacred mountain is no longer as empty as it once was. Since Qin Hao and Ling Yuling, the young master of the Star Palace, became Daoist partners, this place has become a forbidden area within the Star Palace's forbidden areas.
To demonstrate their high regard for their powerful son-in-law, who was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, the Twin Saints of Heavenly Stars spared no effort, spending ten years and using countless precious materials to build a magnificent and ornate palace complex on the highest level of this sacred mountain, where the spiritual energy was most abundant.
The magnificent palace, with its flying eaves and brackets, surrounded by a spiritual spring and adorned with exotic flowers and rare herbs, served as both the place where the two cultivated and lived, and a symbol of the supreme authority of the Star Palace.
On this day, deep within the palace, a heavy stone door, long sealed away, slowly opened with a deep rumble. A tall, imposing figure emerged from the secluded chamber. The newcomer wore a simple blue Taoist robe, his face serene, his gaze deep and unfathomable, his aura restrained yet subtly revealing a terrifyingly powerful force. It was Qin Hao, who had been in seclusion for fifty years.
After fifty years of arduous cultivation, with the help of a large number of rare body-refining pills obtained from killing the barbarian in the past, as well as hundreds of Ice and Snow Toad inner cores obtained from the Ice and Fire Path of the Void Heaven Palace, he finally pushed the "Heavenly Demon Art" he obtained from the barbarian to the peak of the second level!
At this moment, although he has not yet reached the terrifying level of the Barbarian Beard, who can withstand the attacks of a Nascent Soul cultivator's magic weapon with just the golden light of his physical body, his muscles and bones are as tough as ten-thousand-year-old cold iron, and his blood and qi surge like a raging river. With this powerful physique alone, ordinary magic weapons can hardly damage his core.
Feeling the explosive power within his body, a glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. This physical body should be more than enough to deal with the legendary Netherworld, where the winds of yin energy corrode the bones and yin beasts roam freely.
"Master, you've emerged from seclusion!" A soft, joyful voice rang out. Yanli, with her slender figure, quickly stepped forward and affectionately took Qin Hao's arm.
Fifty years have passed, and thanks to the rich spiritual energy of the palace and the pills bestowed by Qin Hao, her appearance remains beautiful, and her cultivation level is stable at the peak of the early stage of Core Formation.
Qin Hao naturally put his arm around her slender, soft waist and asked gently, "Hmm. Where's Yuan Yao?"
"Junior Sister is still in seclusion." Yanli's tone carried a hint of envy: "After receiving your guidance last time, she felt her bottleneck loosen and immediately announced her seclusion. Judging from this, she's probably really going to break through to the Nascent Soul realm."
Qin Hao nodded slightly. Yuan Yao's Yin-type body gave her a unique advantage in cultivating Yin-attribute techniques like the "Mysterious Soul Refining Demon Technique," and coupled with her firm Dao heart, this progress was to be expected.
"Where is Madam?" Qin Hao asked Ling Yuling again.
“The young palace master is also in seclusion,” Yanli replied. “The two senior saints recently sent over a batch of extremely precious pills, which are said to be breakthrough pills from the Star Palace’s secret collection. It seems that the young palace master… is planning to break through to the Nascent Soul stage.”
A knowing glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. Perhaps the two Celestial Saints were nearing the end of their lifespans and were eager to cultivate successors; or perhaps Yuan Yao's rapid advancement in cultivation had spurred on the ever-proud Ling Yuling. In the past fifty years, Ling Yuling's diligence in cultivation far surpassed anything she had ever shown before. This change must have brought a sense of relief to the two worried Star Palace Masters.
"Okay, I understand. Let's go to the front hall, Junior Brother Han must be getting impatient." Qin Hao released Yanli and stepped forward.
The palace's foyer was elegantly yet luxuriously furnished. Han Li, dressed in a simple gray robe, sat sipping tea. When Qin Hao appeared at the door, Han Li put down his teacup and stood up, his eyes instantly filled with undisguised amazement and complex emotions.
"Senior Brother!" Han Li cupped his hands, his voice filled with heartfelt emotion: "It has been many years since we last met. Senior Brother's demeanor is even more impressive than before, and your cultivation is as profound as the ocean, far beyond my reach. It is a pity... that year, when Senior Brother and the Young Palace Master were getting married, I was in deep trouble and almost died. I was unable to come to attend the ceremony and offer my congratulations. I was truly impolite and hope that Senior Brother will forgive me."
Qin Hao waved his hand and sat down in the main seat: "Junior brother, you flatter me. The path to immortality is treacherous and the opportunities are unpredictable. A few worldly formalities are nothing to worry about."
A slight thought flickered in his mind. Could it be that Han Li described him as "deeply in crisis" because he had encountered Feng Xi, this "great benefactor," beforehand and obtained the Wind and Thunder Wings ahead of time? However, upon further reflection, he realized he lacked a wind and thunder attribute spiritual root. While the Wind and Thunder Wings were fast, their significance to him was limited. With his current strength and status, he didn't need to hide like Han Li had in his early years; forcibly pursuing this treasure would be a waste of his potential.
After exchanging pleasantries and parting words, Han Li hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Senior Brother, when the Void Heaven Palace seized the cauldron, I wonder... if there are any remaining... Heaven-Mending Pills inside that Void Heaven Cauldron?"
Qin Hao looked at the suppressed expectation in Han Li's eyes, a knowing smile appeared on his lips, and he flipped his hand over.
"This...this is the legendary Heaven-Mending Pill?!" Han Li's breath caught in his throat, his eyes blazing with wild joy, and his body involuntarily leaned forward.
"Not bad." Qin Hao nodded with a smile and gently pushed the pill in front of Han Li: "This pill does indeed have the effect of defying fate and can subtly improve a cultivator's spiritual root aptitude. However, improving spiritual roots is not something that can be achieved overnight. It is a process of slow and steady growth and continuous nourishment. It may take several decades or even hundreds of years before the initial results can be seen. Junior brother, please do not be impatient."
Han Li accepted the gift with trembling hands and bowed deeply: "Thank you for your generous gift, Senior Brother!"
"Sigh, Junior Brother Han, here you are again." Qin Hao shook his head helplessly: "Wasn't this something we agreed on back in the Void Heaven Palace? If it weren't for your hard work in cultivating those two Blood Jade Spiders, how could I have finally obtained the Void Heaven Cauldron? Moreover... if it weren't for your Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder, which helped me balance Yin and Yang, fuse the Azure Ice Flame and the Profound Soul Yin Fire, and refine the 'Asura Sacred Fire' that burns everything, how could I have taken down that tough nut that Barbarian Beard had such abnormally strong defense?"
Upon hearing Qin Hao admit that the barbarian had died at his hands, Han Li's heart was filled with a turbulent mix of emotions.
Back in the Seven Mysteries Sect, the two were from the same sect. When they first left the sect and entered the world of cultivation, their cultivation levels were roughly equal, and Han Li even had a slight advantage.
However, since officially embarking on the path of immortality, Qin Hao has made rapid progress, leaving him far behind. Especially after arriving at the Chaotic Star Sea, Qin Hao has soared like a dragon descending from the abyss. Now, he has reached the terrifying mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and it seems that it is only a matter of time before he reaches the late-stage Nascent Soul realm, a realm that dominates the human world.
He, on the other hand, was still struggling on the threshold of the late Core Formation stage, far from reaching the Nascent Soul stage. The gap between them was not something that could be easily bridged by hard work.
Qin Hao keenly caught the fleeting look of desolation and complexity in Han Li's eyes and said gently, "Junior brother, there's no need to be discouraged. The path to immortality is long, and opportunities come in many forms. You are now at the peak of the late Core Formation stage, with an incredibly solid foundation, and you also have the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng Pill in hand. For you, condensing your Nascent Soul is just a natural progression; you just need some patience and the right opportunity."
Upon hearing this, Han Li took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, bowed deeply again, and said in his usual calm tone: "Thank you for your comfort and understanding, Senior Brother. It was just a momentary obsession of mine."
"What are your plans next, Junior Brother?" Qin Hao picked up his spirit tea, took a sip, and asked casually.
Han Li pondered for a moment and said, "Although this trip was somewhat bumpy, I have gained something and found a few auxiliary materials for refining Nascent Soul auxiliary pills. I plan to find a safe place to go into seclusion for a while and try to break through the bottleneck of the late stage of Core Formation, so as to accumulate some resources for Nascent Soul in the future."
"Secluded cultivation to solidify one's foundation is indeed the right path." Qin Hao nodded, then changed the subject: "However, I also have an important matter to attend to upon leaving seclusion this time. I need to explore a rather special and dangerous secret realm. The outcome of this journey is uncertain, and it will likely take quite a while. My only concern is my wife's safety. If, while I'm away, Yu Ling encounters unforeseen trouble..."
"I hope that my junior brother will help me out of our shared sect, and do what he can to help me out."
Han Li was slightly taken aback, and immediately realized that the "wife" Qin Hao was referring to was Ling Yuling. He couldn't help but show a wry smile: "Senior brother, you flatter me. My sister-in-law is the young master of the Star Palace and the apple of the eye of the Twin Saints of Tianxing. If there is a problem that even the Twin Saints cannot solve, with my meager cultivation, I'm afraid... I'm powerless to help."
He paused, then his tone became firm: "However, since it is my senior brother's entrustment, I will certainly keep it in mind. If my sister-in-law ever needs Han Li's help, as long as it does not endanger her life, I will do my utmost and will never refuse!"
"Good! With your words, Junior Brother, I can rest assured." Qin Hao smiled with satisfaction.
Then, Qin Hao casually mentioned, "By the way, Junior Brother, during your travels over the years, have you ever obtained a... rather peculiar bronze fragment? It seems to be inscribed with some ancient and difficult-to-decipher demonic script?"
Upon hearing this, Han Li's face showed obvious confusion. He shook his head and said, "A bronze fragment with demonic script? Senior brother, you mean something like a fragment of an ancient treasure? Although I have collected some broken ancient artifacts over the years, I have never seen a bronze fragment with demonic script like the one you described. Is this... very important?"
Seeing Han Li's bewildered yet genuine expression, Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat. It seemed Han Li hadn't obtained the true fragment of the Brahma Saint, which was troublesome. He would have to find it himself.
……
A month later, the spiritual energy at Yuan Yao's secluded cultivation site fluctuated violently before finally settling down. She had successfully broken through her cultivation, her cultivation having reached the Pseudo-Nascent Soul realm! Her body was surrounded by pure and restrained Yin energy, and she was only a hair's breadth away from taking the crucial step of condensing her Nascent Soul.
Everything was ready. Qin Hao left a detailed communication talisman for Ling Yuling, who was still in seclusion trying to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, explaining his whereabouts and instructing her to focus on her cultivation. Afterward, he quietly left the heavily guarded Tianxing City with Yuan Yao and Yanli, without alerting anyone.
Deep in the alien sea lies Biling Island.
Fifty years have passed, yet few traces have been left on this isolated island shrouded in layers of arrays. The island remains enveloped in a thick, white spiritual mist, dreamlike and ethereal.
The protective array Qin Hao set up back then is already closely connected to the spiritual source of the high-grade spirit stone mine beneath the island, forming a perpetually vital energy source. As long as no powerful cultivator at the late Nascent Soul stage or above forcibly attacks it, the array can operate autonomously, continuously generating energy.
"Master, there really is a spirit stone mine here! And it's a top-grade spirit stone mine!" Yanli looked at the pile of spirit stones in the center of the island, which had been painstakingly dug and piled up by Foundation Establishment stage puppets for fifty years. Feeling the pure spiritual energy emanating from it, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and exclaim in surprise, her eyes filled with shock.
Qin Hao scanned the area with his divine sense and nodded in satisfaction. With a flick of his sleeve, the mountain of high-grade spirit stones vanished instantly, disappearing into his storage bag.
At the same time, his palm flashed again, and two spirit stones, only the size of pigeon eggs, appeared in his hand. They were emerald green and exuded a wood-attribute spiritual energy that was a hundred times richer and purer than that of high-grade spirit stones. They were almost solidified into liquid droplets!
"This...this is...the legendary top-grade spirit stone?!" This time, even the usually aloof Yuan Yao couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief!
A flicker of excitement flashed in Qin Hao's eyes as he carefully placed the two top-grade wood spirit stones—enough to cause a bloodbath throughout the Chaotic Star Sea—deep into a specially made storage bag heavily reinforced with restrictions. These were truly his trump card, a life-saving treasure that could prove incredibly effective in a critical moment.
Seeing that there were still many high-grade spirit stones and even a few mid-grade spirit stones hidden deep in the mine, Qin Hao simply left behind all the Foundation Establishment stage puppets on his body and ordered them to continue digging.
These puppets are no longer of much help to his current combat power, so leaving them here to mine is making the best use of them.
Afterwards, Qin Hao summoned the "Ink Dragon Boat," which had been reforged and upgraded with numerous precious materials, making it even faster. He then carried Yuan Yao and Yan Li, and they began traversing the various markets of the outer star sea. Their goal was singular: to find the whereabouts of the true fragment of the Brahma Saint!
However, a year passed quickly amidst inquiries, auctions, and visits to secret exchange venues. The true fragment of the Brahma Saint remained elusive, as if it had never existed. On the other hand, the search yielded a considerable amount of rare refining materials and high-grade spiritual herbs, a small consolation.
Until this day, Qin Hao overheard several Core Formation stage cultivators talking nervously in a teahouse in a large market.
"...Have you heard? Things haven't been peaceful in the 'Black Reef Sea' to the east lately!"
"It's more than just unsettled! A fellow Daoist of mine just escaped back from there and said that a large number of high-level demonic beasts have suddenly appeared near the once deserted 'Ghost Cry Island'! Not counting level five and six beasts, even level seven demonic beasts have appeared in groups, as if they are guarding something!"
"Yes, yes, I heard about it too! Apparently, some people saw a dazzling golden light flash by in the distance, with an extremely terrifying aura, as if some extraordinary treasure had been born..."
"Oh? Is that so? It's a pity that our cultivation levels are too low; even if we knew, we wouldn't dare to go forward and investigate..."
Qin Hao's heart skipped a beat. A horde of level seven demonic beasts? He approached the cultivators discreetly, tossed them a heavy bag of mid-grade spirit stones, and easily obtained the exact coordinates of "Ghost Cry Island" from them.
Target locked! Without further delay, Qin Hao, along with Yuan Yao and Yan Li, steered the Black Dragon Boat, transforming it into a streak of black light, cutting through the waves and heading straight for Ghost Cry Island in the Black Reef Sea.
As we approached the target sea area, a strong demonic aura mixed with the smell of the sea wafted towards us.
Looking into the distance, the once desolate Ghost Cry Island was indeed surrounded by no fewer than ten level-seven demonic beasts of various shapes and exuding a powerful demonic aura! The sea was turbulent, and demonic winds blew in gusts.
What made Qin Hao's pupils shrink and his heart leap with joy was that, in the center of this ferocious beast horde, atop a massive black reef, lay a colossal and incomparably powerful beast! This beast was as large as a small mountain, resembling a lion, but with a dragon's head! Its golden scales shimmered in the sunlight, as if cast from gold. A thick, flowing golden mane grew from its neck, each hair like a needle, gleaming with a metallic sheen. Its four claws were strong and powerful, digging deep into the reef.
What's most striking are its eyes, which radiate golden light with every blink, filled with majesty and savagery, naturally exuding the domineering aura of a top predator. It is indeed the king beast of the Suanni clan!
"Suanni! It really is it! The true image of the Brahma Saint must be on it!" Qin Hao's eyes gleamed brightly.
A group of level seven demonic beasts were no longer a threat to Qin Hao. He moved with the speed of a ghost, appearing above the horde before the beasts below could react, and a blinding golden light tore through the sky!
The golden light flashed like lightning, faster than divine sense could perceive. With several muffled thuds, several level-seven demonic beasts that were slower to react didn't even have time to scream before they were cleaved in two by the incomparably sharp golden blade light, staining the sea with blood! The remaining demonic beasts immediately panicked and roared as they pounced on Qin Hao.
Upon seeing this, the young master of the Suanni on the reef flashed a hint of shock and anger in his eyes. He had originally intended to use his subordinates to wear down the opponent, but he hadn't expected this person to be so powerful! Seeing Qin Hao's cold gaze locked onto him, a sense of impending death instantly enveloped his heart.
With a low roar, the young master of the Suanni roared and his massive body soared into the air with extraordinary agility, his body flashing with golden light. He was about to abandon his subordinates and flee!
However, the instant it moved, a thick, black flame, exuding a chilling aura and a soul-stirring energy, silently appeared in front of it, instantly transforming into a curtain of fire that blocked its path!
This flame was not unleashed by Qin Hao! He glanced sideways slightly.
Yuan Yao stood gracefully at the bow of the ink-black dragon boat, her delicate hands forming a hand seal, her body shrouded in yin energy, her eyes gleaming with a deep, eerie light. It was the Xuanhun Yin Fire she had unleashed!
The extraordinary nature of the Heavenly Yin Body was fully revealed! Although due to the limitations of her cultivation, Yuan Yao's Xuanhun Yin Fire was far less abundant than that of the Xuan Gu Shangren back then, its purity and the cold, soul-corroding characteristics were by no means weak! With only the cultivation of the Core Formation stage, she was able to cultivate such a Nascent Soul level divine power to the minor completion stage!
"Well done!" Qin Hao praised. With Yuan Yao's timely intervention, the young master of the Suanni was momentarily stunned.
The opportunity was fleeting! Qin Hao's mind raced, and the Myriad Talisman Record instantly appeared before him, its pages turning rapidly without wind. One page, inscribed with intricate golden runes, shone brightly—the Heaven-Piercing Golden Blaze Slash Talisman!
hum!
A colossal battle halberd, ten zhang long and entirely formed from dazzling golden light, wrapped in destructive runes, appeared out of thin air! Wherever the halberd's blade pointed, the air itself seemed to be torn apart!
"cut!"
With a low shout from Qin Hao, the golden halberd cleaved down with earth-shattering force, heading straight for the young master of the Suanni, whose path was blocked by the Xuanhun Yin Fire! The speed and power were so great that despair appeared in the eyes of the young master of the Suanni for the first time!
It roared, its golden light surging to its peak as it attempted to withstand the attack. Simultaneously, it unleashed a condensed golden beam of light that shot directly at the halberd blade!
Boom——! ! !
A deafening explosion resounded across the sea! Golden light, black flames, and shockwaves raged, creating a massive crater in the surrounding water and whipping up towering waves. The level-seven demonic beasts that attempted to provide assistance were instantly torn to shreds by the violent energy!
The golden light dissipated. The massive body of the young Suanni master froze in mid-air, a line of blood running straight down from its forehead, across its neck, and down to its abdomen. The golden light in its eyes quickly dimmed, filled with resentment and bitterness.
puff!
The massive dragon-headed Suanni's body was cleaved in two by the golden halberd! Blood rained down, and demon cores mixed with internal organs fell to the ground. A huge Suanni head with dragon horns was captured by Qin Hao from afar.
With a flash of golden light at his fingertips, he easily broke through the hard skull and extracted a palm-sized piece of brass fragment. It was neither gold nor jade, with irregularly broken edges, and its entire surface was engraved with countless dense, profound, and mysterious golden demonic runes!
Genuine photos of the Venus de Milo! Finally got them!
Feeling the ancient and desolate aura emanating from the fragments, Qin Hao finally smiled.
Yuan Yao withdrew her Xuanhun Yin Fire and flew to Qin Hao's side. Looking at the bloody sea below and the Suanni's corpse split in two, she frowned slightly: "Master, this is the Suanni clan's king beast... With its death, the Outer Star Sea is likely to be engulfed in a bloodbath. The Suanni clan will never let this go."
Qin Hao carefully put away the original photograph of the Brahma Saint, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged sea surface, his tone indifferent: "Let them flip it. What does it have to do with us?"
He had already achieved his goal for this trip. Besides, most of the islands in the Outer Star Sea were the territory of the Reverse Star Alliance, so he was happy to cause them some trouble.
Qin Hao didn't delay any longer. He recalled the Ink Dragon Boat and took the two women to search for the sea area where the "ghost fog" might appear.
According to Wen Tianren's description, the appearance of ghostly mist is usually accompanied by large-scale underwater volcanic eruptions, causing the extreme yin energy deep within the earth's veins to surge upwards. Qin Hao and his group, piloting the Ink Dragon Boat, patiently searched the geologically active areas deep within the outer star sea.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, they encountered several waves of attacks from ignorant demonic beasts, including two foolish early-stage transformation demonic beasts. Naturally, Qin Hao swiftly killed them all, seizing all the demonic core materials. However, the all-consuming gray-black ghostly mist never appeared.
On this day, they arrived at the last possible location marked on the jade slip—near the "Lava Trench," a remote area in the far east of the outer sea. This place is dotted with underwater volcanoes that erupt frequently, and large amounts of sulfurous steam float on the surface of the sea, making the temperature much higher than elsewhere.
The three landed on a barren, black island that had recently formed due to a volcanic eruption. They set up a simple barrier and began to wait patiently.
Time passed slowly. Aside from rising steam and the occasional large bubble, nothing unusual appeared on the sea surface. Just as Qin Hao was considering whether to expand the search area or try another method, a sudden change occurred!
Without warning, a sharp, golden sword light, carrying both righteousness and overwhelming killing intent, tore through layers of steam and mist, and like a meteor from outer space, it struck Qin Hao, who was sitting cross-legged on the reef, with lightning speed!
This strike was ruthless, sudden, and swift! It contained an intent to kill!
"Hmph!" Qin Hao snorted coldly, without even getting up. The Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade emitted a clear, resonant tremor, transforming into an even more condensed and dazzling golden light. It struck first, arriving with unparalleled precision, and slashed at the sneak-attacking golden sword light!
Clang——! ! !
The ear-piercing clang of metal against metal resounded across the sea and sky! Violent sword energy and sharp metal energy shot out in all directions, cutting the black reefs below to shreds, and creating giant waves tens of meters high on the sea surface!
The golden sword light was shattered by a single strike, dissipating into specks of golden light. A figure clad in a magic robe, with a dignified face yet filled with deep-seated hatred and greed, appeared in mid-air, staring intently at Qin Hao.
"Zhang Tie! You've made me search so hard!" The newcomer gritted his teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. He was none other than Wan Tianming, the sect leader of the Wanfa Sect and a peak mid-Nascent Soul cultivator!
Qin Hao slowly stood up, brushed off non-existent dust from his green robe, and calmly looked at Wan Tianming in the air, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Oh? So it's Sect Leader Wan who has graced us with his presence. What, are you alone?"
Wan Tianming's face turned ashen with rage at Qin Hao's nonchalant attitude, as if he had suffered a great humiliation. He shouted angrily, "Hmph! Zhang Tie! Don't be so arrogant! Do you think you can be so disrespectful just because you've luckily advanced to the mid-Nascent Soul stage? Why would I need any help to deal with a lackey of the Star Palace like you!"
"Hurry up and hand over the Heaven-Mending Pill and the Heaven-Mending Cauldron that you stole from the Void Heaven Palace! Otherwise, this place will be your burial ground!"
Qin Hao clicked his tongue and shook his head, his face full of mockery: "Sect Leader Wan, this is really unreasonable of you. You want me to hand over the Void Heaven Cauldron, a heaven-reaching spiritual treasure, but you can't even offer a decent condition? Trying to get something for nothing, isn't that a bit too insincere?"
Wan Tianming laughed in fury: "Hahaha! Conditions? Do I need to negotiate with you? Blame yourself for being blind! If you had stayed in Tianxing City, protected by those two old devils, I really wouldn't have been able to do anything to you. But you... you dared to be so reckless, parading around the outer star sea with two concubines! Hahaha, it's truly heaven's help! After receiving the news, I traveled day and night, and finally managed to intercept your immense wealth in this vast sea! Heaven has finally opened its eyes, allowing you to fall into my hands! Today, the Void Heaven Cauldron and the Heaven-Mending Pill rightfully belong to me, Wan Tianming!"
Sensing the intense killing intent emanating from Wan Tianming, Qin Hao's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling, eternally frozen expression.
The killing intent, like a tangible cold wave, spread out from its center.
Killing Wan Tianming would be entirely beneficial! It would eliminate this "container" that would be possessed by the Six Paths Saint in the future, helping him to quickly recover his power, and would also severely damage the Wanfa Sect, a key pillar of the Reverse Star Alliance, greatly weakening its strength!
His mind was made up! Qin Hao's gaze was as cold as a knife as he swept it over Wan Tianming, while simultaneously transmitting his voice to Yuan Yao beside him: "Take Yanli away and protect yourselves."
Yuan Yao understood immediately, knowing that she couldn't get involved in a battle of this level and might even become a burden.
She immediately grabbed Yanli, and with a surge of yin energy around her, she transformed into a beam of light and flew towards another larger island dozens of miles away.
Wan Tianming didn't stop him; his entire attention was focused on Qin Hao. Although Qin Hao spoke arrogantly, his feat of killing the barbarian and the composure and powerful aura he displayed in the face of the sneak attack made him dare not underestimate him in the slightest. He needed to concentrate all his energy on dealing with this unfathomable and formidable enemy!
"So, Sect Master Wan is confident that he has me cornered?" Qin Hao's voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion.
"Hmph! Although I don't know what despicable means you used to ambush that fool Barbarian Beard, I am not a brute with strong limbs and a simple mind like him!" Wan Tianming said sternly. His Wanfa Sect Daoist robe fluttered without wind, and a powerful magical force belonging to the peak of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm suddenly erupted, stirring up the wind and clouds!
"Today, I will make sure your soul is shattered to pieces, to vent the hatred in my heart!"
Before he could finish speaking, Wan Tianming launched the first attack! He pointed his fingers like a sword at Qin Hao!
"The Golden Sword of Myriad Laws, vanquishing evil!"
Chichi, chichi, chichi——!
In an instant, hundreds of golden sword lights, condensed to the point of being tangible and incomparably sharp, appeared out of thin air, like a torrential rain of golden swords, emitting a piercing whistle as they swept towards Qin Hao like a tidal wave!
Each sword beam contained terrifying power capable of piercing through mountains! This was one of the signature divine abilities of the Myriad Laws Sect, its power and influence were extremely awe-inspiring!
Facing this rain of swords, powerful enough to instantly annihilate an ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Qin Hao remained unfazed. He opened his mouth and spat out a jade book exuding an ancient and profound aura, its cover engraved with countless runes—it was his natal magic treasure, the Myriad Rune Record!
"Wan Ge Fu, swiftly!"
The jade book flipped to a certain page with a rustling sound, and a dazzling golden light shot into the sky! On the page, more than ten huge golden battle halberd phantoms appeared! With Qin Hao's thought, these golden halberds instantly solidified, tearing through the sky and fiercely meeting the rain of golden swords!
Boom boom boom boom—! ! !
The sky transformed into a battlefield of fiercely clashing golden light! Swords flashed like dragons, spears gleamed like mountains! Each collision unleashed a deafening roar, blasting apart blinding spheres of energy! The violent shockwaves carved massive craters into the sea below, instantly evaporating water vapor into vast white mists. The entire ocean was boiling amidst violent energy fluctuations!
For a moment, the two sides were evenly matched! The golden sword light was constantly shattered by the giant halberd, but new sword light kept pouring out from Wan Tianming's fingertips, seemingly endless. The giant halberd also flickered under the impact of the sword light, and its runes disappeared.
Upon seeing this, Wan Tianming's eyes flashed with even greater ferocity.
"Good! You do have some skill! Then let me show you what true divine might is!" Wan Tianming roared, his hands suddenly forming an extremely complex hand seal, his magical power pouring into it like a volcano!
"Heavenly Thunder! Fall!"
Boom--!!!
The once clear sky suddenly darkened! Above Wan Tianming's head, thick dark clouds gathered out of nowhere, and within the clouds, countless thick purple arcs of electricity roamed and converged wildly!
A vast, majestic, and destructive aura instantly enveloped the entire sea area! This was the Wanfa Sect's trump card secret technique, the Heavenly Net True Thunder! Its power far surpassed ordinary thunder techniques, enough to severely injure or even kill cultivators of the same level!
A purple lightning ball, as thick as a bucket and extremely condensed, crashed down towards Qin Hao! The air groaned as it passed through it!
Faced with this earth-shattering attack, Qin Hao showed no fear, but instead his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit!
"Asura Sacred Flame! Activate!"
He raised his hands, palms facing each other. A flame of extreme eeriness suddenly rose up! The outer layer of this fire was a cold, ghostly blue, while its core was a deep, dark black. These two extreme attributes were perfectly fused together, radiating a terrifyingly high temperature and extreme cold that could incinerate all things and freeze souls! It was the supreme true fire that had merged the Azure Ice Flame and the Profound Soul Yin Fire—the Asura Sacred Fire!
Qin Hao pushed with both hands, and the strange flames swelled in the wind, transforming into a sea of fire covering an area of dozens of feet, rushing upwards and crashing fiercely into the purple lightning ball falling from the sky!
Sizzle—!!! Boom—!!!
An indescribable, violent collision! Golden lightning, carrying the majesty of the Heavenly Dao, raged wildly, attempting to tear apart and purify this evil fire.
Meanwhile, the Asura Sacred Flame, interwoven with azure and pitch black, displayed its domineering power, burning and devouring the golden lightning with frenzied intensity! The sea of fire and the hell of lightning fiercely entangled, annihilated, and exploded in the air! Massive amounts of seawater were instantly evaporated, and the exposed seabed was melted away!
Half of the sky was a blinding sea of golden lightning, and the other half was an eerie blue-black inferno, a scene as if the end of the world had come!
Wan Tianming grew increasingly alarmed as the battle progressed! The Heavenly Net True Thunder was incredibly powerful, but also consumed enormous amounts of energy. However, Qin Hao, wielding equally terrifying flames, possessed a vast and seemingly inexhaustible magical power! He didn't appear to have just broken through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm! What frustrated him even more was that Qin Hao's magical treasures were endless, always managing to perfectly counter his methods!
He summoned an ancient treasure with a golden ring, attempting to capture Qin Hao's flying blade magic weapon. Qin Hao, however, sneered and flipped his hand, producing a simple, ancient copper coin, round on the outside and square on the inside—the very same "Treasure-Dropping Coin," a replica of the spiritual treasure he had obtained from the Void Heaven Cauldron!
The moment the coin was released, the ancient golden ring's spiritual light dimmed, and it teetered on the brink of collapse. If Wan Tianming hadn't reacted quickly and forcibly retrieved it, it would have been taken by the other party! He was so shocked that he broke out in a cold sweat!
The series of defeats filled Wan Tianming with anxiety. Seeing that the Heavenly Net True Thunder was tightly bound by that strange holy fire and unable to achieve anything, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes!
"Zhang Tie! You forced me to this! To die beneath the Xuanhuang Mirror, you won't have lived in vain!" Wan Tianming roared, slapping his storage bag. A simple, ancient bronze mirror, neither gold nor jade, with its frame engraved with mysterious runes, flew out. It was his most prized possession—the Xuanhuang Mirror!
"Mysterious Yellow Divine Flame! Burn away the eight wastelands!"
Wan Tianming spat a mouthful of blood essence onto the mirror! The Xuanhuang Mirror immediately burst forth with a dazzling Xuanhuang light!
A pillar of primordial yellow fire, condensed to its utmost, shot out from the mirror! Wherever it passed, space distorted, and seawater instantly vanished! The power of this flame seemed even more terrifying than the Heavenly Net True Thunder!
Faced with this world-destroying Xuanhuang Divine Flame, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with a sharp light!
"Void Heaven Cauldron! Collect!"
hum!
A colossal cauldron, its body entirely azure, its design ancient and majestic, radiating an aura that suppressed heaven and earth, solidified above Qin Hao's head! It was none other than the Heavenly Treasure, the Void Heaven Cauldron, its mouth aimed directly at the Xuanhuang Divine Flame that was spewing forth, and an irresistible, terrifying suction force suddenly erupted!
The Xuanhuang Divine Flame, which seemed capable of incinerating everything, was forcibly pulled and swallowed up by the projection of the Void Heaven Cauldron, just like all rivers flowing into the sea, before Wan Tianming's horrified eyes! Not even a ripple was stirred!
"How is this possible?" Wan Tianming was shocked! The Xuanhuang Mirror was his greatest asset, yet it had been broken so easily by his opponent! An unprecedented fear instantly gripped him!
Escape! We must escape! This child is too monstrous; we cannot defeat him by force!
Wan Tianming made a decisive move, his body erupting with dazzling golden light, transforming into a golden rainbow, ready to unleash his escape technique.
"Trying to leave now? Too late!" Qin Hao's icy voice, like the pronouncement of death, echoed through the sky.
"Supremely wondrous divine restriction! Lock!"
Qin Hao, who was prepared, quickly formed hand seals, and profound runes flew from his fingertips, instantly merging into the void! The space within a radius of several miles suddenly solidified!
Countless visible pale golden restrictive threads appeared out of thin air, crisscrossing and instantly forming an incomparably complex and enormous cage that covered the heavens and the earth! This was the Supreme Mysterious Restriction Array, which Qin Hao had simplified and improved upon using the AI and the resources of the Star Palace Treasury!
Wan Tianming felt as if he had been pulled down halfway through a flight, his whole body feeling as if it were stuck in an incredibly sticky swamp. He could hardly fly, let alone walk!
"What kind of hellish formation is this?" Wan Tianming was horrified and frantically channeled his magic power to attack the formation, but to no avail.