Chapter 1560: Sensation
Bai Ran’s sword strike unleashed rolling sacred power. If it were in the mortal realm, it could easily split a towering mountain thousands of meters high in two.
Within Mu Lingxi’s phoenix wings, strands of Great Saint origin power radiated outward, each feather gleaming with brilliance like divine feathers.
“Boom.”
The sphere formed by the phoenix wings wrapping around was struck by Bai Ran’s Mirror Image Sacred Sword and sank into the ground.
The next moment, Mu Lingxi flew out from underground again. Though there were bloodstains at the corner of her mouth and she had sustained some injuries, her spirit showed no sign of decline, her battle intent undiminished.
Bai Ran was secretly shocked. “Enduring a strike from the Mirror Image Sacred Sword and only suffering light injuries—the defensive power of the wings on her back is too formidable.”
The Mirror Image Sacred Sword was a two-radiance ten-thousand-pattern sacred artifact. Within it were a full twenty-three thousand four hundred inscription patterns, with boundless power. It could serve as a mirror or as a sword.
Of course, with Bai Ran’s current Half-Saint King cultivation, he could not yet unleash the two-radiance perfect power of the Mirror Image Sacred Sword.
If he could unleash its two-radiance perfect power, a single strike would be enough to defeat Mu Lingxi.
From between Mu Lingxi’s brows flew a three-foot-long blue phoenix feather, its light shooting into the sky like an indestructible feathered sword, slashing down toward Bai Ran.
That was one of the two life-bound phoenix feathers nurtured by the Ice Fire Phoenix with its full sacred power and blood essence. Mu Lingxi had obtained it at the Yin-Yang Lake within the Phoenix Nest.
One of the two life-bound phoenix feathers fell into Mu Lingxi’s hands, and the other into Canglan Martial Saint’s.
Like the nine life-bound feathers of the Nine Spirits Great Saint, the Ice Fire Phoenix’s life-bound phoenix feathers were also immensely powerful, capable of splitting mountains and cracking the earth, slaying saints and vanquishing demons.
Moreover, as Mu Lingxi continued to nurture it, the phoenix feather would grow even stronger.
As soon as the phoenix feather appeared, Bai Ran felt a surge of pressure. He had not expected that any woman who casually walked out from beside Zhang Ruochen would be so powerful, like a heavenly daughter of the Phoenix Clan.
Bai Ran struggled to withstand Mu Lingxi’s attacks. Each time he clashed with the phoenix feather, he took a step back, each step covering several zhang.
The phoenix feather was not only powerful but also carried the force of Extreme Yin Nether Ice. In less than a quarter of an hour of battle, Bai Ran’s arms grew increasingly stiff, and mobilizing sacred qi became more and more difficult, as if he were about to be frozen solid.
In the Cloud Realm, Bai Ran’s status was extraordinary. As the strongest prince of the Boa Clan, one of the ten major races, he possessed the bloodline of the Boa Emperor. Never before had he been so suppressed by a human woman.
“It seems I can’t capture you alive. I’ll have to kill you instead.”
Murderous intent surged from Bai Ran’s eyes. He no longer held back his strength and launched a full-force counterattack.
Earlier, Bai Ran had been trying to capture Mu Lingxi alive, which had constrained his movements and allowed her to suppress him. This had cost him some face in front of the various saintly prodigies of the Cloud Realm.
Only by killing Mu Lingxi could he salvage his dignity and defend his position.
“Ten Desolate Origin Path Sword.”
Bai Ran executed a mid-rank sacred art, his body splitting into ten figures surrounding Mu Lingxi from all ten directions.
The ten figures simultaneously raised their swords. From within each figure, a Sword Dao rule merged into the blade, causing the space they enclosed to become filled with crisscrossing sword qi.
Ling Mi looked worried and quickly said, “Divine Envoy, that White Boa has already used a mid-rank sacred art. I’m afraid Junior Sister Lingxi won’t be able to withstand it.”
“The mid-rank sacred art he has cultivated is only at the minor achievement level, not yet at major achievement. The power it can unleash is limited. Lingxi’s cultivation path has been too smooth; she should temper herself at the edge of life and death. Only when pushed to that brink is she most clear-headed, able to see the patterns of rules between heaven and earth clearly—an invaluable benefit.”
Though Zhang Ruochen said this, he still summoned the Abyssal Ancient Sword and held it in his hand.
If a major crisis occurred, Zhang Ruochen would certainly step in to save Mu Lingxi.
“Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens.”
From the wings on Mu Lingxi’s back, strands of Sacred Dao rules dispersed, and countless phoenix feathers flew out from the wings.
Each phoenix feather emitted a wisp of Ice Phoenix qi, coalescing into a graceful, dancing Phoenix Heavenly Maiden that floated around her body. In an instant, hundreds of beautiful illusory figures appeared around Mu Lingxi, like a phoenix dancing through the nine heavens.
The technique she used was a mid-rank sacred art inherited from the Ice Fire Phoenix.
Mu Lingxi had only recently begun cultivating “Phoenix Dance of the Nine Heavens” and was just at the initial stage. However, with the support of Extreme Yin Nether Ice power, the power unleashed by this move was not weak.
“Boom, boom, boom.”
Mu Lingxi and Bai Ran clashed dozens of times. Both the illusory figures of the Phoenix Heavenly Maiden and Bai Ran’s phantom bodies shattered into nothingness.
Mu Lingxi’s face turned deathly pale, clearly indicating that her injuries had worsened significantly.
“It seems what Prince Hun said is true—she really did obtain the Ice Fire Phoenix’s inheritance.” Su Qingling and Ling Mi were both filled with envy.
Bai Ran’s sacred qi consumption was immense, and his face was also somewhat pale. His expression darkened to the extreme. “Fine, very fine. You really are hard to deal with. It seems I’ll have to use Truth Rules to take you down.”
Bai Ran had already come to the Truth Divine Temple three times to comprehend, so naturally, he had grasped Truth Rules.
This time, Bai Ran once again executed his phantom-like footwork, integrating Truth Rules into it. Instantly, his speed surged dramatically.
Before Mu Lingxi could react, the Mirror Image Sacred Sword had already slashed down toward the top of her head.
Mu Lingxi felt a chill descending from above. The opponent’s speed was too fast for her to dodge or block, and she didn’t even have time to activate her protective talisman. It seemed she was doomed.
But just as the Mirror Image Sacred Sword was three inches from her head, it was blocked by a broad black sword. All the sword qi and power were sent flying back.
That was… the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
Without comprehending Truth Rules, Mu Lingxi was no match for Bai Ran.
Such was the power of the Way of Truth.
When two cultivators of similar strength faced off, one who had comprehended Truth Rules could even instantly defeat the other.
Zhang Ruochen stood behind Mu Lingxi, holding his war sword, staring coldly at Bai Ran across from him.
The clash from the previous strike had not only sent Bai Ran staggering back but also left his arm aching and splitting. He finally realized that Zhang Ruochen, the number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking, seemed to have some real skill.
“Ten Desolate Origin Path Sword.”
Bai Ran once again executed this mid-rank sacred art, but this time, he also integrated Truth Rules into it. The power unleashed by the sacred art more than doubled.
The formidable Sword Dao might surged straight toward Zhang Ruochen and Mu Lingxi at the center.
Zhang Ruochen grabbed Mu Lingxi’s cold little hand with one hand and raised the Abyssal Ancient Sword with the other. Without any flashy moves, he simply channeled the sword intent of Sword Seven and slashed out.
“Bang.”
Bai Ran’s nine phantom bodies all dissipated.
Even his true body was sent flying back. The hand gripping the sword had its tiger’s mouth split open, blood streaming down.
Bai Ran looked at Zhang Ruochen as if he were a ghost or god. “Impossible? You haven’t comprehended Truth Rules, so how can your power surpass mine? Even if you have a supreme perfect physique, you can’t be this strong.”
He knew that the Mirror Cliff Dao Field had activated the principle of equality for all beings, leaving everyone at the Half-Saint King realm.
In such a situation, what mattered was who had comprehended deeper Truth Rules, who practiced a more powerful technique, who had a stronger physique, and who had cultivated more powerful sacred arts.
Clearly, a cultivator who had comprehended Truth Rules could completely dominate one who hadn’t.
But the reality was the opposite.
“The Truth Rules you’ve cultivated are still shallow and limited in power,” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Damnable bastard, how dare you look down on this prince.”
Bai Ran felt that Zhang Ruochen’s power was eerie and didn’t dare to fight him alone. He said, “Zhang Ruochen must be carrying a treasure that amplifies his power. Everyone attack together, cripple them all, and throw them out of the Mirror Cliff Dao Field.”
Zhang Ruochen did indeed carry items that amplified power, such as the “Purple Divine Stone” and the “Dragon Spirit Mad Bull Wine,” but he hadn’t used them.
At present, Zhang Ruochen possessed not only Half-Saint King-level sacred cultivation but also physical strength suppressed to the Half-Saint King level. The combination of these two forces naturally made him more than Bai Ran could handle.
“Hit them hard—kill them if you have to. We must leave them with a profound lesson, so the Guanghan Realm cultivators don’t keep coming to cause trouble.”
The cultivators of the Cloud Realm all let out long roars. Sacred might surged from within their bodies, turning into beams of light shooting straight into the sky.
Near the Mirror Cliff Dao Field, there were other divine-built dao fields. The cultivators in those fields were all alarmed. Some who enjoyed watching the commotion rushed over to see what was happening.
“Six people have broken into the Mirror Cliff Dao Field, apparently trying to capture it.”
“The Mirror Cliff Dao Field originally belonged to the Guanghan Realm. After the Guanghan Realm declined, it was taken over by another major world. Now, the strongest person in the dao field is Bai Ran of the Cloud Realm.”
“Just six people trying to capture the Mirror Cliff Dao Field—what’s the difference between that and walking to their deaths?”
…
In the Truth Heaven Domain, there were many ownerless dao fields, and conflicts and battles were common.
After all, occupying a dao field meant gaining an additional cultivation resource.
“Breaking news: The cultivators attacking the Mirror Cliff Dao Field are Zhang Ruochen, number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking. You’d never guess which major world Zhang Ruochen comes from.”
“What? The number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking is attacking the Mirror Cliff Dao Field? That’s explosive news. It’ll probably cause a sensation across the Truth Heaven Domain soon.”
“Quickly spread the news—the number one on the Sacred Merit Ranking has appeared.”
“You still haven’t said which major world Zhang Ruochen comes from.”
Before long, the news that Zhang Ruochen was attacking the Mirror Cliff Dao Field on behalf of the Guanghan Realm spread throughout the Truth Heaven Domain. Cultivators who were relatively close rushed over as fast as they could.
After all, he was the number one among the saintly cultivators of the myriad worlds. Who wouldn’t want to see him in person?
…
(Note: Yesterday, Xiaoyu posted a promotional short film for “Eternal God Emperor” on WeChat and Weibo. Interested readers can check it out.
WeChat public account: “feitianyu5”, Weibo: “Feitianyu’s Weibo.”
Additionally, there will soon be a new event on the WeChat public account that I believe everyone will find very interesting. The specific details will be announced tomorrow.)