Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

'What a terrifying finger attack! I'm afraid even an ordinary True God couldn't match its power!'

Yang Xiao was shaken to the core.

He wanted to dodge.

But he found he couldn't dodge it at all.

The light and shadow figure was simply too fast.

However, he wasn't one to just sit and wait for death. Though he couldn't dodge, that didn't mean Yang Xiao had no way to counter it.

With a single thought, the Heart of Time activated instantly. At the same time, Yang Xiao directly activated his Treasure Skill.

Instantly, Yang Xiao's entire body erupted with endless, brilliant light, shimmering like a precious treasure.

The light between his brows was especially dazzling.

It was as if a miniature sun was gestating within.

"Heaven-Gifted Treasure Technique! Void Divine Sword, break!"

Yang Xiao cried out softly.

The space between his brows suddenly bulged.

Immediately after, a transparent longsword—overflowing with brilliance, seemingly ethereal, yet radiating an iridescent glow—shot out forcefully from between Yang Xiao's brows.

It flew straight toward the Demigod Level light and shadow figure's finger.

'Hm? A sword from the brow? A Treasure Skill like this actually exists... interesting. But what a pity. How powerful can a Treasure Skill from a mere Low-grade Treasure Body be?'

The Demigod Level light and shadow figure was a little surprised, but he didn't take it seriously.

He had seen long ago that Yang Xiao's physique was only a mere Low-grade Treasure Body. Even if such a physique could nurture a Treasure Skill, how strong could it possibly be?

At most, it would only be comparable to an ordinary True Divine Skill.

And the one he was using now, the Heaven-Piercing Finger, was also a True Divine Skill.

It was an exceptionally terrifying True Divine Skill, comparable to an ordinary Divine King Skill.

How could a mere Treasure Skill possibly compare?

However, at the very instant the Demigod Level light and shadow figure came into contact with the ethereal longsword that had shot from Yang Xiao's brow...

...the expression on his somewhat incorporeal face suddenly changed.

'How is this possible? How can this Treasure Skill be so powerful?'

The instant they made contact, the Demigod Level light and shadow figure felt a terrifying Sword Qi invade his body.

What was even more terrifying was that when the sword struck his finger, it instantly exploded.

It completely obliterated the Finger Power he had unleashed.

It made it impossible for him to continue the attack.

His power had been completely nullified.

"This sword strike seemed ordinary, but it actually contained several streams of power with different attributes. When it exploded, its might was at least ten times stronger than any single stream alone. It even completely nullified the power of my Heaven-Piercing Finger. Good. Truly good. After so many years, a decent disciple has finally appeared. Kid, you win!"

The light and shadow figure smiled faintly.

He had admitted defeat.

"I must thank you for going easy on me, Senior."

Yang Xiao said respectfully.

He could see, of course, that if this light and shadow figure had attacked with his full strength, he wouldn't have been able to take a second move, even with his newly acquired Treasure Skill.

The guardian was simply too strong.

He might have looked like just a Demigod, but Yang Xiao knew that even an ordinary True God would not necessarily be his match.

As for himself, in comparison, if he didn't use the Bloodthirsty Divine Sword—even with the power of the Golden Roc True Body empowering him to unleash near-Demigod Level might and activate his Treasure Skill—

He would still be far from being the guardian's match.

If this light and shadow figure hadn't been so careless and underestimated him so much, not only holding back his full strength but also declaring that success was just taking a single finger strike, Yang Xiao likely would have never been able to block that attack at all.

Let alone pass the Ninth Layer.

'No wonder no one from the Ye Family has been able to pass this Ninth Layer in all these years. With a Guardian like this, even an ordinary True God wouldn't be able to get through.'

Yang Xiao felt somewhat fortunate.

He felt fortunate that his cultivation was currently low and that he had obtained an ultimate Treasure Skill like the Void Divine Sword, one comparable to an Emperor Skill. Otherwise, even with the Light and Shadow Guardian going so easy on him, he probably still wouldn't have passed.

Unless, of course, he used the Bloodthirsty Divine Sword.

But if Yang Xiao had truly dared to do that, to rely on an external item to pass the trial, the Light and Shadow Guardian probably wouldn't have been so agreeable.

"You now have two choices. One is to go see the Emperor's Weapon Spirit directly. The other is to first receive the inheritance of the Ninth Layer of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern. Which do you choose?"

Seeing how sensible Yang Xiao was, the light and shadow figure seemed quite pleased.

So he gave him two choices.

Yang Xiao thought for a moment.

"I'll accept the inheritance of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern first. After I've fully comprehended it, I will go see the Emperor's Weapon Spirit."

Although Yang Xiao was eager to meet the Emperor's Weapon Spirit right now, he wasn't sure what might happen when he did.

Therefore, obtaining the Pure Yang Secret Pattern first was clearly the safer choice.

"Not bad. A temperament neither arrogant nor rash. Here, this is the Ninth Layer of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern!"

However, the Light and Shadow Guardian seemed to have misunderstood, and he grew to appreciate Yang Xiao all the more. Raising a hand, he pointed and sent a Secret Pattern Seed—one containing a vast amount of information about the Ninth Layer of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern—into the space between Yang Xiao's brows.

When Yang Xiao inspected it, he was delighted.

This was because the Secret Pattern Seed not only included all the secret patterns of the Ninth Layer, but also contained detailed explanations and pointers, even including a review of the First through Eighth Layers.

It was incredibly detailed.

If Yang Xiao had possessed such a Secret Pattern Seed before, he probably could have comprehended his way straight through to the Ninth Layer.

He might have even been able to condense the Pure Yang Heart on the spot.

He felt even more grateful toward this light and shadow figure before him.

"Thank you, Senior, for your generous gift."

The light and shadow figure, however, just smiled faintly, waved his hand, and said, "This is what you have earned. All right, go and comprehend it. Come find me after you've fully comprehended it."

"Yes."

Yang Xiao agreed and, without any hesitation, sat down cross-legged right in front of the Light and Shadow Guardian and began his comprehension.

He possessed advantages like the Fire God Clone, the Desolate Divine Fruit, and the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion. Thus, even though this Ninth Layer of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern was profoundly difficult to understand, its difficulty more than ten times that of the previous eight layers combined...

And yet.

With just a single Desolate Divine Fruit.

Yang Xiao comprehended the Ninth Layer of the Pure Yang Secret Pattern.

Furthermore, just as he had expected,

he instantly sensed the opportunity to condense the Pure Yang Heart. Without wasting the chance, Yang Xiao immediately began to form it.

This action completely stunned the light and shadow figure guarding the Ninth Layer.

'Is this kid a genius? Or had he already comprehended the Pure Yang Secret Pattern to the Ninth Layer before? No, that can't be it. I clearly sensed he had only reached the Eighth Layer... But now, he... he's actually condensing the Pure Yang Heart! That's something even the Great Emperor himself failed to do back then! Could it be... is this boy truly the one the Great Emperor prophesied?'

The Light and Shadow Guardian was utterly dumbfounded.

Especially when he saw Yang Xiao, after just a moment, successfully condense the Pure Yang Heart and then stand up and dust himself off as if nothing had happened.

He then said respectfully to the guardian, "Senior, please take me to see the Emperor's Weapon Spirit."

The Light and Shadow Guardian was even more stunned.

'Does this guy have any idea what an earth-shattering thing he just did?'

It wasn't until Yang Xiao repeated his request to be taken to the Emperor's Weapon Spirit that the Light and Shadow Guardian finally snapped out of it.

"Right, of course. Follow me."

With that, he started walking forward.

A passageway suddenly appeared in the void, leading to some unknown destination.

The Light and Shadow Guardian, however, stepped onto it without the slightest hesitation.

Yang Xiao followed without hesitation.

And after sensing Yang Xiao following behind, the Light and Shadow Guardian couldn't help but reveal a peculiar smile.