Chapter 2133: Not in Vain, All in Vain (Part 1)
Faced with Pan Buzhuo's deceptive feints and sudden teleportation, Sha Xing, despite his wide-open flaws, showed no panic.
His body pivoted sharply, and the extraordinarily heavy Heavenly Wolf Star Sword traced a nimble crescent trajectory. A roaring Heavenly Wolf shadow burst forth from the moon's trail, charging straight into the sky-full of demon crows.
It was precisely the first sword of the Heavenly Wolf, the Heavenly Wolf Strike!
High in the distant sky, Pan Buzhuo's figure had again become illusory. His true body plummeted diagonally downward, like a dark star stripped from the lightless abyss. The Cold Crow Demon Spear tore a strange pitch-black trail, aimed straight at Sha Xing's back heart.
Puff, boom!
Clang——
The furious howling Heavenly Wolf plunged into the flock of crows; the demon spear and giant sword collided. A dull sound of energy annihilation mixed with piercing explosions, like thunder rolling across the sky, making everyone's ears ring and souls tremble.
The demon crows hunted the Heavenly Wolf, and the Heavenly Wolf tore at the demon crows. Pan Buzhuo's demon spear stabbed out countless afterimages in an instant, suppressing Sha Xing step by step, but never truly piercing through the Heavenly Wolf's immense power.
The screeches of the demon crows grew more shrill, tearing dark cracks in the azure Heavenly Wolf shadow; and each swing of the Heavenly Wolf's claw would annihilate a demon crow into scattered dark powder.
Even through the barrier, the spectators could faintly feel a suffocating might and piercing cold.
It could be said that no one expected that in this battle, it was Pan Buzhuo who first gained the upper hand.
"No wonder Divine Venerable Qiheng not only deposed the former Divine Son Pan Buwang, but also, to prevent him from causing trouble for the new Divine Son, resolutely expelled him from the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom."
Divine Venerable Qiongyue, Wu Shenyue, spoke leisurely. Her soft and gentle voice made it hard to tell if it was pure praise or laced with hidden sarcasm: "This Pan Buzhuo not only surpasses Pan Buwang in divine rank, but also in dark talent, surpassing him by a great deal."
Pan Yusheng did not turn his head, turning a deaf ear.
Wu Shenxing smiled faintly, showing no concern at all.
Because everyone knew that although Pan Buzhuo had the upper hand initially, he would inevitably lose in the end.
Although Dark Profound Force is immensely powerful, because the darkness elements in the Abyss World are relatively thin, it is more difficult to cultivate than other profound forces. More fatally, Dark Profound Force is not only hard to control but also backlashes on the user. Even if one becomes a Divine Venerable, it is absolutely impossible to achieve complete affinity with Dark Profound Force.
This naturally leads to the fact that profound practitioners of Xiaodie Divine Kingdom can almost never defeat practitioners of other divine kingdoms of the same realm. Even at the level of Divine Venerables and Divine Sons, it is the same.
Therefore, in the history of the Six Divine Kingdoms, Xiaodie Divine Kingdom's overall strength has always been at the bottom.
Thus, Sha Xing's initiative to challenge Pan Buzhuo was not really a glory-adding act. Victory was taken for granted, but if he lost, he would lose face.
Puff, boom!
The Heavenly Wolf vanished, the demon crows were all destroyed. Azure and darkness violently interlaced and burst simultaneously. As the light dimmed and brightened, the figures of the two Divine Sons finally separated, then landed at the same time, gazing at each other from afar.
Sha Xing held the giant sword, his posture unchanged from the start, his body and sword tip unmoving, only his eyes like a bloodthirsty fierce wolf.
Pan Buzhuo's hand holding the spear trembled slightly, only calming down after several breaths. Dark light surged around him like ripples under chaotic wind, releasing a sinister demonic might while also showing the external sign that Dark Profound Force was not fully controlled.
"Heh!" Pan Buzhuo sneered: "Star Divine Son, I'm very curious—what benefits did that waste Pan Buwang give you, or what leverage does he have over you, that you would be willing to 'risk your life' for him to this extent?"
His sarcasm did not move Sha Xing in the slightest: "He is my friend. No matter what identity he had in the past, now, or in the future, he is always my friend."
"To insult my friend is to insult me!"
He raised his sword, pointing it straight at Pan Buzhuo's dark eyes: "Is this answer satisfactory to you?"
"Hehe, ridiculous!" Pan Buzhuo laughed disdainfully: "Before Pan Buwang was expelled, he was a waste that even a dog could trample. And you, at least a Divine Son... tsk, such cheap behavior is truly an eye-opener."
"Ha!" Sha Xing's lips twisted, he seemed to smile, but his eyes burst with bloodthirsty ferocity: "Your father god seems not to have taught you... the consequences of angering a Heavenly Wolf!"
"Is that so?" Pan Buzhuo showed no fear: "I have heard that the Star Divine Son recently broke his spine in the Mist Sea, nearly ending his path as a Divine Son. Don't let anger fail and your old injury recur."
"Even a wolf with a broken spine can easily crush you, a crow with rotten feathers!"
Roar——
A wolf's howl, domineering and unparalleled, carrying a divine might that looked down on heaven and earth. Sha Xing's body erupted with profound light, transforming into a Heavenly Wolf giant shadow several times larger than before, its wolf eyes scarlet, fangs grim, and its body flowing with a condensed torrent of power like a solid substance.
"Hmph!" Pan Buzhuo slowly turned his arm back, dark demonic patterns rapidly spreading around him, instantly transforming into thousands of pitch-black demon crows, completely engulfing his figure.
This time, it was Sha Xing who struck first.
Seven Star God Remnant Shadows, seven teleportations in an instant, closed in to less than ten zhang. The Heavenly Wolf Star Sword cut through spatial ripples, smashing down heavily... the giant azure wolf shadow behind also followed the sword's trajectory, opening a heaven-devouring giant maw to bite down.
Boom!
The storm over Eden Cloud Summit reversed, clouds and mist completely scattered. Amid thunderous roars and screams, a black and a blue figure flew back and forth in the storm, each collision accompanied by spatial tremors. The sounds of the Heavenly Wolf and demon crows were like a calamitous symphony, continuously ravaging everyone's ears.
Everyone watched quietly, no one spoke.
Until at a certain moment, Yun Che heard Meng Kongchan's voice transmission: "Pan Buzhuo's offensive is exhausted, his defense is about to collapse. Within ten breaths, victory and defeat will be decided."
Roar!!
As soon as Meng Kongchan finished speaking, a Heavenly Wolf's furious howl far surpassing the previous one exploded, shaking the clouds apart and causing a distorted ripple in space.
The dark profound light was immediately smashed open into a huge gap, and Pan Buzhuo's figure plummeted through the gap. When he barely stopped midair, several streaks of red blood were already spilling from the corners of his lips.
He gritted his teeth fiercely, and darkness surged from his body... but simultaneously with the power eruption came the backlash of darkness due to his injury, the pain in his profound veins like thousands of steel needles piercing.
In that moment of distraction, the huge sword body and the Heavenly Wolf shadow rapidly enlarged in his pupils. The dark aura around him instantly receded like a tide, and even his soul shrank for an instant.
Pan Buzhuo leaned back, veins bulging on his forehead and arms. The demon spear in his hand shot out, stabbing thousands of spear shadows in an instant. Demonic light and blue shadows collided chaotically, but this time there were almost only destructive explosions. The sound of darkness devouring, along with countless spear shadows, was destroyed and disintegrated layer by layer. Even the demonic light of the Cold Crow Demon Spear was rapidly dimming.
Bang——!
The last demonic light was also shattered into scattered dark ashes. His protective profound force was completely destroyed. Pan Buzhuo groaned, his whole body blasted away, most of his black Divine Son robe shattered, revealing wounds deep enough to see bone.
But before he could land, Sha Xing had already pursued with Star God Remnant Shadow, the Heavenly Wolf Star Sword carrying merciless destructive force, descending straight toward Pan Buzhuo's head.
Pan Buzhuo gritted his teeth fiercely. Blood and pain reignited the dark power that had already begun to retreat. With a hoarse roar, a black shadow burst from the demon spear, and when it spread its wings, it transformed into a hundred-zhang demon crow. Its feathers were like ink, its beak and claws shimmered with eerie light, instantly blotting out the sky and covering Sha Xing and the Heavenly Wolf phantom entirely within the dark crow feathers.
The light suddenly dimmed, then in the next instant, a bright light flashed abruptly.
A dazzling azure arc pierced heaven and earth, splitting the hundred-zhang demon crow in two like a divine punishment. The demon crow let out a shrill cry of utmost misery, its feathers scattering like black snow. Reflected in the sky above was a thousand-zhang wolf shadow with furious eyes like an abyss, its huge wolf claw passing through the annihilating dark powder, smashing down.
Boom——
Amid the loud noise, the demon spear Cold Crow flew out of his hand, its body wrapped in residual demonic light, embedding into the clouds outside the barrier, causing a dull hum.
But the Heavenly Wolf's remaining power seemed difficult to sustain; the residual force only made Pan Buzhuo stagger.
He had just steadied himself, not even having a half-moment to catch his breath, when Sha Xing's malicious gaze suddenly appeared in his eyes.
"Those who insult others will be insulted in return!"
Boom!
The whisper entered his soul, and the Heavenly Wolf Star Sword heavily smashed onto Pan Buzhuo's head.
As if thousands of wasps were buzzing in his head, Pan Buzhuo spun and flew out, then his head hit the ground, his face plowing the earth for ten thousand zhang before finally stopping.
"Xiaodie Pan Buzhuo has left the barrier. Xingyue Sha Xing wins."
The High Priest announced the result with an expressionless face and a cold, hard voice.
The Abyss Emperor made no comment.
Pan Buzhuo had lost. No one found this result surprising. But few expected that he would lose... or rather, that the Star Divine Son would make him lose so ugly and disgracefully.
That sword strike that sent Pan Buzhuo out of the barrier—the dignified Xiaodie Divine Son used his face to scrape a ten-thousand-zhang shallow trench on the ground of Eden Cloud Summit. When he stood up with difficulty, half of his right face was already a bloody mess.
The injury was minor, but such humiliation was unbearable even for ordinary people, let alone a Divine Son!
He turned his head slowly. Even with the Abyss Emperor and High Priest present, his gaze toward Sha Xing could not hide the gnashing hatred in that instant.
"Good!" Dian Luohou unreservedly praised: "At such an age and cultivation level, to be able to unleash the ferocity and dominance of the Celestial Wolf Prison God Scripture to such a realm—Divine Venerable Tianxing, this boy might have already surpassed you from back then."
Wu Shenxing smiled faintly: "Divine Venerable Jueluo flatters me. This boy is still very green, his control over the Heavenly Wolf Divine Power is far from sufficient, otherwise he wouldn't have lost his composure like this."
"Sha Xing." His voice turned stern: "The Divine Son battle is mainly to display your elegance to the Abyss Emperor, and secondarily for sparring. How can you injure the Xiaodie Divine Son like this? Quickly apologize!"
"Yes, Master!" Sha Xing immediately responded, then cleanly and neatly bowed toward the direction of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom: "Xiaodie Divine Son, I am unskilled in my studies, with many oversights in controlling power. I never expected to injure you to such an extent. I am truly ashamed and terrified. Please, Xiaodie Divine Son, be magnanimous and forgive."
"If... the Xiaodie Divine Son still finds it hard to let go, after this Pure Land gathering, I will personally go to the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom to apologize in person."
Pan Yusheng spoke indifferently: "Divine Venerable Tianxing, Star Divine Son, you are too serious. A Divine Son battle should be fought with full effort; injuries are inevitable. You need not be concerned. Acting like this only makes our Xiaodie seem petty."
Sha Xing immediately interjected: "I am terrified, I absolutely did not mean that."
Everyone could see that Sha Xing's final sword was intentionally making Pan Buzhuo lose so disgracefully, a most direct and obvious humiliation.
Everyone could hear that Sha Xing was apologizing on the surface but actually mocking. Everyone also knew that the Xiaodie people understood perfectly.
But, from top to bottom of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom, no one acted out.
Because the loser has no right to talk about dignity. If they forcibly acted out, they would only lose the last bit of decency.
Pan Buzhuo had already stood up, despite cracks all over his body and his right face stained with blood, he stood straight with no trace of anger or embarrassment on his face: "Star Divine Son, I, Pan Buzhuo, have taken your lesson to heart. I will use today as encouragement. Next time we cross hands..."
"Next time we cross hands, I will have learned to control my power properly, and I will do my utmost... to make the Xiaodie Divine Son lose more gracefully."
Sha Xing looked at Pan Buzhuo, speaking with extraordinary gentleness and politeness, as if it were the most natural thing.
When he regarded someone as a friend, no matter how their identity changed, they would always be his friend.
Similarly, when he decided to offend someone, he would offend them thoroughly, with no need to leave any face or leeway.
He was a Star Divine Son; below the Pure Land, who was qualified to make him afraid!
"... " Pan Buzhuo's brows suddenly sank, and the face that forcefully maintained calm and pride cracked a little.
"I, Sha Xing, may not be a worthy vessel, but..." He looked at Pan Buzhuo, his demeanor still calm and polite, but each word was resolute and unquestionable: "I am not so spineless as to lose to a Xiaodie Divine Son of the same realm."
"Sha Xing!" Wu Shenxing scolded: "Nonsense! Withdraw immediately!"
Pan Yusheng's expression darkened slightly, but he said nothing. In a conflict between juniors, as a Divine Venerable, Wu Shenxing could scold Sha Xing, but he could not.
Pan Buzhuo did not speak, but his hands had begun to tremble slightly.
Between divine kingdoms, there had never been deep enmity; they always left some face for each other... except for the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, with Shen Wu Yanye as its empress.
Since becoming the Xiaodie Divine Son, when had Pan Buzhuo ever suffered such naked contempt and humiliation... especially on the Pure Land, in front of the Abyss Emperor and the Six Divine Kingdoms!
If there was one greatest contempt in all this, it was that Sha Xing was completely unafraid to be his enemy!
It was imaginable how badly his face had been trampled in everyone's eyes at this moment.
And behind all this was actually just for Pan Buwang, whom he regarded as a homeless dog!
He slowly inhaled, forcefully calming his mind. Just as he was about to retort, a chilling voice carrying dark aura coldly sounded:
"Star Divine Son, publicly disdaining our Xiaodie Divine Son like this—aren't you afraid that your own arrogance will backfire and hurt your own face!"
This voice made Pan Buzhuo start.
And Sha Xing was even more stunned there, a confusion flickering in his eyes... as if he couldn't believe his ears for a moment.
He slowly turned around, his movements visibly stiff... His gaze landed on that figure dressed in black, a very familiar figure, walking slowly out from behind the Xingyue Divine Kingdom.
It was... Pan Buwang!
This sudden scene startled everyone. Divine Venerable Tianxing and Divine Venerable Qiheng both frowned slightly... but the emotions stirring in their hearts were vastly different.
"Brother Buwang, what did you just... say?" Sha Xing looked at Pan Buwang. He who was so proud even in front of Divine Venerable Qiheng now had trembling eyes.
At the first moment, he would rather doubt his own hearing than believe that the voice just now came from Pan Buwang, whom he regarded as a friend and for whom he was willing to offend a whole kingdom's Divine Son to vent anger.
——