Chapter 432 ·Frog at the Bottom of a Well
Chapter 432: Frog at the Bottom of a Well
“Don’t worry. Although this Heavenly-Gang Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect is powerful, compared to Chen Beiwu’s Primordial Origin Dharma Aspect, it is still inferior by a level.” Yu Zhaohua glanced at her younger clanswoman, her tone calm.
Concern breeds confusion.
Yu Zhaozhen was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator and simply could not see the true situation clearly.
The reason Law-Breaking True Monarch Xiao Yu had decisively manifested the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect after a brief exchange was because he had been continuously suppressed by Chen Beiwu during the Dueling Contention and had fallen into a disadvantage.
Thinking of this, Yu Zhaohua slightly furrowed her brows.
She did not know what shameful trump card Xiao Yu had hidden, but the Dragon-Tiger True Form Joint Refinement True Domain he had activated had completely sealed and screened off the entire Life-and-Death Platform.
Even with her Golden Core True Person-level Divine Sense operating at full strength, she could not probe the specific battle situation on the Life-and-Death Platform.
At the same time, on the Life-and-Death Platform.
“Interesting.”
Chen Beiwu did not immediately activate the killing move he had prepared. Instead, he circulated the Guarding-the-One Mirror Light, remained cautiously alert, locked onto Xiao Yu’s movements, and analyzed the intelligence.
“Roar!”
The next instant, as dragon roars and tiger howls rang out, Chen Beiwu discovered that the Primordial Origin Golden Core within his body trembled slightly. The Primordial Origin True Qi circulating through his meridians was being drawn away by an invisible fluctuation, and even his teleportation Mystical Ability could no longer be activated.
‘What kind of Dharma Aspect True Domain is this? It can suppress Primordial Origin Heavenly-Gang True Qi while simultaneously drawing away my Mana for its own use.’
Sensing that the might of his Primordial Origin True Qi had been suppressed, Chen Beiwu pointed out with one finger and activated the Grotto-Truth Heaven-Calamity Finger to probe.
Xiao Yu remained calm. Ignoring Chen Beiwu’s actions, he waved one hand, and the coiling dragon around the right arm of the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect behind him imperceptibly disappeared.
Sensing danger, Chen Beiwu abandoned activating the Mystical Ability and instinctively retreated explosively together with Golden Egg and the others.
“Boom!”
The next instant, the spiritual activity where Chen Beiwu had previously stood was silently annihilated. Space shattered piece by piece like glass, revealing strands of pitch-black, violent spatial turbulence.
‘He really does have some ability!’
Seeing the Dharma Aspect’s strike miss, Xiao Yu’s expression remained unchanged：“But you can’t escape!”
Dragon power governs growth and penetration, while tiger power governs killing and destruction.
When the two combine and jointly refine Yin and Yang, it becomes the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect, also known as the Innate True Form Dharma Aspect, possessing the might of Dragon Soaring Shattering Life and Tiger Roaring Severing the Realm.
It was no exaggeration to say that an ordinary Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect before the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect was like snow drenched in boiling water, collapsing in an instant.
Under such circumstances, even if Chen Beiwu could evade one strike from the Dharma Aspect, how many more could he evade?
Moreover, the longer the battle dragged on, the more advantageous it became for Xiao Yu.
The might of the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect was not limited merely to frontal killing. It could also activate the Dragon-Tiger True Form Joint Refinement True Domain, corrode a Nascent Soul True Monarch’s cultivation and Mana, transform the enemy’s Dharma Aspect for its own use, and sustain war through war.
If Chen Beiwu fell for it and manifested the forty-five-thousand-zhang Primordial Origin Dharma Aspect for a direct collision, Xiao Yu could seize the opportunity to pry away the Primordial Origin Dharma Aspect’s power and suppress him in one strike.
Conversely, if Chen Beiwu did not manifest the Primordial Origin Dharma Aspect and instead used Mystical Abilities and Companion Beasts to fight a mobile battle, Xiao Yu could simply drag him to death.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
The Dharma Aspect thundered as the battle gradually intensified.
But as time passed, Xiao Yu slowly sensed something was wrong.
Under the suppression of the Dragon-Tiger True Form Joint Refinement True Domain, Chen Beiwu not only showed no sign of his aura weakening, but instead coordinated increasingly skillfully with his Companion Beasts, growing stronger the longer he fought.
“Damn it, this is Five Qi Protection!” Xiao Yu’s pupils contracted as he suddenly realized.
He came from the Tianyuan Xiao Clan and was well-informed, knowing most of the innate Mystical Abilities possessed by the Five Qi Vine.
But he had never expected that the Five Qi Vine contracted by Chen Beiwu, despite only being a Fourth-Realm Beast King and its bloodline not having transformed into a Fifth-Tier Fortune-Origin Beast, could already master the Morning Qi Vine’s innate Mystical Ability, Five Qi Protection.
What was Five Qi Protection?
The Five Elements revolve endlessly, circulating without exhaustion, using my constancy to control the opponent’s changes!
As one of the Fifth-Tier Fortune-Origin Arts, when the Morning Qi Vine activated Five Qi Protection, it could keep the pivot wheel turning perpetually, wield the Five Elements Mystical Qi in an endless cycle, dissolve and adapt to the corrosion of a Beast King True Domain, become part of the True Domain itself, and even forcibly seize the True Domain’s power to backlash against its master.
To master a Fortune-Origin Art like Five Qi Protection while still only at the Five Qi Vine stage, there was no doubt that Chen Beiwu’s contracted Five Qi Vine was a mutation among mutations, with an extremely powerful bloodline.
Seeing Xiao Yu’s offensive slow, Chen Beiwu flicked his sleeve and retreated explosively, avoiding the Dharma Aspect’s giant palm coming straight at him, then lightly teased：“What, is this all you’re capable of?”
With Xuele activating Five Qi Protection to shield him, he could completely conserve his strength and slowly drag Xiao Yu to death.
However, the fate contained within Xiao Yu was extremely strange and was most likely connected to the Ancient Demon Cult that the Immortal Alliance had always suppressed.
It was precisely because of this that Chen Beiwu had still not activated the killing move he had finished preparing and could use at any time. Instead, he continued probing step by step, hoping to use this opportunity to force Xiao Yu to employ methods of the Ancient Demon Cult.
Yes, exactly.
Chen Beiwu did not merely want Xiao Yu’s life. If there was an opportunity, he also wanted Xiao Yu to be utterly disgraced in public and become a shame to the Tianyuan Xiao Clan.
“You’re courting death!”
Hearing this, Xiao Yu brought both hands together. The dragon and tiger of the Dharma Aspect behind him converged and condensed into a single point.
Mystical Ability, Dragon-Tiger Chaos Grotto Great Annihilation True Form!
This was a killing move that could only be used after the Dragon-Tiger True Form Joint Refinement True Domain had been pushed to its limit. Using dragon and tiger as fuel, it could unleash a strike of ultimate sublimation.
Facing this strike, even a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch would unwillingly perish!
Sensing that his aura had been completely locked and there was nowhere to escape, Chen Beiwu’s breathing paused as the Mana within his body continuously surged.
Yet there was not the slightest fear in his eyes. Instead, a trace of eagerness appeared.
“Still too weak. Do you have a stronger Mystical Ability?”
Without waiting for Xiao Yu to respond, Chen Beiwu reached his right hand behind him. Golden Egg, Iron Egg, and Xuele all turned solemn and simultaneously activated the vast Mana and True Qi within their bodies.
“If not, then die!”
As the words fell, Chen Beiwu activated his escape art and stepped forward. A streak of golden light appeared out of thin air in his right hand reaching behind him.
“Step!”
“Step!”
“Step!”
With every step Chen Beiwu took, the golden light in his hand lengthened and extended further. Then he slowly drew out a ferocious-looking, viciously oppressive Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade.
When Chen Beiwu took the final step, radiance circulated around his entire body, a purple vertical eye appeared on his forehead, and then his body was covered by an incomparably magnificent Five Qi Gilded Armor, making him appear exceptionally domineering and powerful.
The entire transformation process took only an instant, yet it left Xiao Yu dumbfounded, unable to believe what was happening before him.
There was no other reason. At this moment, Chen Beiwu’s aura had forcefully broken through the barrier of early-stage Nascent Soul, smashing through two minor realms in an overwhelming manner, becoming comparable to a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch.
“Clang!”
At that moment, the Chaos Grotto Great Annihilation True Form launched by Xiao Yu slammed into the armor on Chen Beiwu’s chest with astonishing might, producing a crisp metallic sound. Yet it was like a clay ox entering the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple before completely collapsing and disappearing.
‘Even the Great Annihilation True Form Mystical Ability can be ignored?’
A chill rose in Xiao Yu’s heart. He no longer knew how he was supposed to break through Chen Beiwu’s defense.
In terms of killing power, Dragon-Tiger Chaos Grotto Great Annihilation True Form ranked third among all his Mystical Abilities.
“Buzz!” Blade light flashed.
Before Xiao Yu could even catch his breath, Chen Beiwu slashed down. The Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade precisely locked onto the Three Treasures of essence, qi, and spirit, and an unprecedented sense of mortal danger arose in Xiao Yu’s heart.
‘Fourth Realm of the Blade Dao, One Blade Breaks Ten Thousand Arts?’
Xiao Yu was greatly alarmed, as though he had already seen the Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect severed in one slash and himself split in two in crushing defeat.
“Impossible, I absolutely cannot die here!”
The Nascent Soul within Xiao Yu’s sea of consciousness opened its eyes. The power of the Purple Mansion Yang Spirit surged out in full force, forcibly breaking free of the blade intent.
He came from the Tianyuan Xiao Clan, had experienced hundreds of battles, defeated countless prodigies and powerhouses, and could even suppress and kill late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarchs from foreign realms. Mere blade intent at the level of One Blade Breaks Ten Thousand Arts was still far from enough to shake his mind.
“Dragon-Tiger Weapon Transformation, Yin-Yang Sword Formation!”
Xiao Yu roared. The Dharma Aspect behind him trembled slightly, and the Azure Dragon coiled around its right arm and the Ink Tiger beneath its left foot immediately transformed into one azure and one dark Mystical Sword, escaping into the void and disappearing.
“Crack crack!”
Chen Beiwu’s blade descended, severing the neck of the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect that blotted out heaven and earth and opening a gigantic hole.
But the next instant, accompanied by a tremor of spiritual activity, the Dharma Aspect’s neck rapidly repaired itself at a speed visible to the naked eye.
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
Two gigantic swords suddenly tore through the air, one above and one below, their tips opposing each other to form a Yin-Yang Sword Formation, causing Chen Beiwu’s body to stiffen slightly.
Xiao Yu successfully seized this opening, which lasted less than an instant. His Heavenly Eye swept over, and his hand seals changed again.
“Yin-Yang Ten Directions, Dragon-Tiger Four Extremes!”
The Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect behind Xiao Yu instantly teleported away and completely enveloped and imprisoned Chen Beiwu.
“Caught you, Dragon-Tiger Law-Breaking!”
The corners of Xiao Yu’s lips rose. His aura surged wildly, and the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect erupted with brilliant light as dragon roars and tiger howls sounded endlessly.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
In only three breaths, the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade in Chen Beiwu’s hand buzzed and transformed into the Three-Phase Mystical Flood Dragon. The Five Qi armor covering his body cracked apart and faded away, transforming into the Five Qi Vine, while even the vertical eye on his forehead closed and vanished, transforming into the Great Sun Black Hound.
“Die!”
Cold light flashed in Xiao Yu’s eyes as he abruptly brought together the hands controlling the Dharma Aspect, unleashing the Dharma Aspect Mystical Ability 【Dragon-Tiger Refining Qi】.
Azure-black arcs flashed and exploded. Chen Beiwu’s protective True Qi collapsed, and he was heavily crushed between the palms of the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect, releasing a dying scream.
Seeing this, Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief, then the corners of his lips rose as he burst into loud laughter.
His guess had not been wrong. Chen Beiwu possessed a special Mystical Ability capable of seeing through people’s hearts.
He only needed to deceive himself and instinctively produce the thought that he was no match, thereby showing weakness, luring Chen Beiwu into the trap, and smoothly drawing him into the scheme.
“Puchi!”
Xiao Yu’s body stiffened. He slightly lowered his head, revealing an expression of disbelief.
From his chest, a vicious and domineering Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade had pierced straight through, its tip skewering a brilliantly shining Golden Core.
‘How is that possible? As long as the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect remains undestroyed, my body cannot die. This absolutely has to be an illusion!’
Xiao Yu forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart and activated his Heavenly Eye with all his strength.
But wherever the Heavenly Eye looked, the Dragon-Tiger True Form Dharma Aspect that blotted out heaven and earth had already vanished without a trace.
The Companion Beasts, Mystical Qi Azure Flood Dragon and Nether-Mystic Underworld Tiger, were both covered in wounds and half-kneeling beside him.
The latter was especially miserable. Its forepaw had snapped, and Beast King blood gushed out like a fountain.
“That’s right, you fell under the illusion long ago!”
“A frog at the bottom of a well can hardly glimpse the vastness of the world. What made you think that one slash from me couldn’t destroy the Dragon-Tiger Dharma Aspect?”
As Chen Beiwu’s voice rang out, Xiao Yu’s pupils abruptly contracted, and his mind suffered a violent shock.
How was this possible? There actually existed a top-tier illusion Mystical Ability in this world that even a True Monarch’s Heavenly Eye could not see through!
One wrong step led to every step being wrong.
Could it be that from the moment Chen Beiwu used Myriad Spirit Calamity Transformation, everything he saw after activating his Heavenly Eye had been false illusions, and only the backstab he suffered at this moment was real?
While Xiao Yu was briefly stunned, Chen Beiwu did not remain idle.
Relying on the Great Evolution Truth-Fixing Mystical Ability strengthened by the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade, he was confident he could split Xiao Yu’s head open with one slash, cause the Nascent Soul within his sea of consciousness to collapse, and completely end this battle.
At that time, even if Xiao Yu reacted, having lost his Nascent Soul and being left with only a Golden Core and a ruined physical body, there would still be only one road left for him—death.
But it was still the same point. Suppressing and killing Xiao Yu and settling their grievance was certainly good, but what Chen Beiwu wanted even more now was to see Xiao Yu employ methods of the Ancient Demon Cult during the Life-and-Death Platform Struggle and become utterly disgraced.
“It seems I overestimated you? Your Mystical Abilities are not yet worthy of your arrogance!”
As the words fell, Chen Beiwu gripped the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade and activated Primordial Origin True Qi. The dazzling blade intent bursting from the blade exploded with lightning speed.
The overwhelmingly vast True Qi violently pierced through Xiao Yu’s physical body, shattered his bones and internal organs, then completely annihilated the lower half of his body.
“Drip!”
“Drip!”
Ignoring the blood and shredded flesh continuously spreading across the Life-and-Death Platform, Chen Beiwu pointed the blade tip at Xiao Yu’s only remaining head.
“Do you have any last words?”
Chen Beiwu’s words appeared casual, but in truth, his vigilance had long since reached its peak, and he was ready at any moment to reveal the trump cards he had prepared.
One had to know that in preparation for this Life-and-Death Platform Struggle, apart from Myriad Spirit Calamity Transformation cultivated to Initial Accomplishment, he had also prepared two hidden Mystical Abilities in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Who would have expected that after fighting until now, Chen Beiwu discovered that Xiao Yu was actually this incapable of taking a blow, nowhere near as powerful as the rumors claimed, somewhat unworthy of his reputation.
Of course, compared with mid-stage Nascent Soul True Monarchs of the Southern Wastes, Xiao Yu was indeed uniquely powerful.
Even if True Monarch Shangyi, Bitter Soul True Monarch, and Blood Marrow True Monarch joined forces, Xiao Yu could kill them all within a short period of time.
“There’s no need for last words. Sooner or later, you’ll come down to accompany me!”
Xiao Yu smiled, his tone carrying the calmness of someone who had seen through everything before death.
“It seems you still haven’t awakened from your dream.”
Chen Beiwu shook his head. His wrist moved slightly, and with a swing of the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade, Xiao Yu’s head exploded. Even the three-cun Nascent Soul that escaped its shell was annihilated with a boom.
And as Xiao Yu fell, the Dragon-Tiger True Form Joint Refinement True Domain dissipated, and Chen Beiwu standing on the Life-and-Death Platform slowly entered everyone’s sight.
“Life and death have been decided?”
“Who is the one left standing?”
“Hiss, as expected, True Martial True Monarch is the one standing at the end!”
On the viewing cloud platforms, all kinds of discussions erupted one after another.
“Silence.”
Xiao Wangyu’s figure flickered and appeared in the center of the Life-and-Death Platform.
Ignoring the bloodstains on the platform where not even scraps remained, he gave Chen Beiwu a deep look.
“The victor of this Life-and-Death Platform Struggle is True Martial True Monarch, Chen Beiwu!”
After announcing the result, Xiao Wangyu stepped forward and his figure dissipated, as though the one who had died on the platform were not a member of the Xiao Clan, leaving the surrounding cultivators staring at one another.
Law-Breaking True Monarch Xiao Yu was dead?
Good grief, a prodigy with hopes of becoming a Divine Transformation True Venerable had fallen just like that. This time, True Martial True Monarch had probably completely offended the Tianyuan Xiao Clan to death!
Bound by sect rules, the Tianyuan Xiao Clan might not dare openly retaliate against the Yuqing Chief Disciple, but who could know what they might do in secret?
‘As long as the sect cannot catch them by the handle and they act cleanly, with the Xiao Clan’s current status among the Four Dao Venerable Immortal Families of Tianyuan, they definitely won’t fear a little criticism.’ Some conspiracy-minded cultivators inwardly pondered.
Meanwhile, other Student Department cultivators, under Tong Hui’s organization, regarded Chen Beiwu as the future leading figure of the Yuqing Immortal Sect and loudly shouted his honorific in support.
“True Martial!”
“True Martial!”
“True Martial!”
Listening to the cheers coming from the viewing cloud platforms, Chen Beiwu stood where he was without moving.
There was no other reason. After suppressing and killing Xiao Yu, he suddenly sensed a change in fate within the Chaotic Heaven and Earth.
An incomparably pitch-black calamity aura, far beyond anything that could be described as dark clouds covering the crown and resembling a black hole, silently formed. Even the noble and majestic Heavenly Fortune Violet Dragon became covered by a layer of shadow.
“If dark clouds covering the crown represents a Fourth-Tier calamity, then could this black-hole-like calamity aura possibly be a Fifth-Tier calamity, meaning I’ve been targeted by a Divine Transformation True Venerable?”
At this thought, a chill could not help rising in Chen Beiwu’s heart.
Fortunately, the sect’s rules were not merely for show. This calamity aura came quickly and left just as quickly, disappearing without a trace in only an instant. In its place, a Fourth-Tier Auspicious Fortune quietly formed.
If Chen Beiwu had not guessed wrong, this was the fate he had seized through the Fate Decree Embryo Divine Ability after suppressing and killing Xiao Yu.