Chapter 175: Zhuiyuan Lineage |
City Lord's Mansion.
The City Lord of Luoyang was still trembling inwardly as he looked up at Xuan Ming and the other powerhouses.
After all, there were dozens of Tier 7 experts.
Coupled with a Tier 8 expert, the aura they exuded when gathered together was simply terrifying.
But in the blink of an eye, the Luoyang City Lord realized that the figures of Xuan Ming and the other experts had vanished.
"Where did they go?"
The City Lord of Luoyang was slightly dazed. Just a moment ago, he had clearly felt the presence of those dozens of terrifying figures blazing like miniature suns.
Yet in a mere instant, those figures, along with the auras they emitted, disappeared without a trace, as if they had been erased from existence.
If not for the lingering dread still spreading through his heart, the Luoyang City Lord would have thought everything he just experienced was an illusion. Was it caused by an Inner Demon invasion?
The Luoyang City Lord steadied his nerves and looked up at the only figure remaining in the sky above Luoyang City.
It was Su Yuan.
Right when Xuan Ming and the numerous experts had arrived with murderous intent, Su Yuan had stepped out of his cultivation room at almost the exact same time.
He then levitated into the air, confronting Xuan Ming and the others for a brief moment.
And then.
Xuan Ming and the horde of experts disappeared.
Under the sky, only Su Yuan stood there all alone.
Under these circumstances, even a fool would know that the disappearance of dozens of experts like Xuan Ming was related to Su Yuan, or simply his doing.
'How in the world did the Lord do it?'
The City Lord of Luoyang found it hard to believe.
As a late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform, the Luoyang City Lord naturally possessed exceptional discernment and held quite a bit of status in reality. But erasing dozens of Tier 7 and Tier 8 experts with a mere flip of the hand?
What kind of method was this?
In the Luoyang City Lord's eyes, even a mighty Tier 9 expert would need time and physical effort to deal with Xuan Ming and his group.
The latter would still be able to struggle and resist for a while.
In the sky above Luoyang City.
Su Yuan stood in the void, looking down at the miniature spatial dimension hovering above his palm.
Divine Body Secret Method—
Heaven and Earth in Palm
This secret method created a miniature dimension within the palm of his hand, used to suppress and kill enemies.
Fundamentally, it was a deeper application of spatial manipulation.
It should be known that manipulating the essence of space had always been the exclusive domain of Stellar Lifeforms.
Starry Sky Lifeforms, even late-stage Starry Sky Lifeforms, would find it extremely difficult to affect space itself.
However, in the Divine Body World, the Divine Body itself was completely energy-based and far more attuned to the essence of space. Because of this, Su Yuan was able to use his own Divine Body as a foundation to easily master this secret method.
"What a peculiar sensation,"
Su Yuan observed carefully. He had only cultivated Heaven and Earth in Palm for a short time, and this was his first time using it against enemies.
Even though he already knew everything that would happen during the battle thanks to the gray mirror, actually experiencing it was still quite a novel feeling.
'To use the Divine Body's natural attunement with space to resonate with it, influence it, and ultimately utilize it...'
Information provided by the gray mirror surfaced in Su Yuan's mind—this was the Divine Body World's most important evolutionary push for a late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform.
In the outside world, it was basically impossible for a late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform to master space. Even Su Yuan would have to pay a certain price to do so.
But in the Divine Body World, he achieved it effortlessly.
Gaining early access to the power of a Stellar Lifeform while still at the late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform phase clearly provided massive benefits for the eventual breakthrough to becoming a Stellar Lifeform.
'These people...'
Su Yuan looked down at his hand. Through his mastery of the Heaven and Earth in Palm secret method, observing the numerous experts currently trapped in the inch-sized space above his palm was as clear and detailed as looking at the lines on his own hand.
Inside the Palm Universe.
After their initial panic, Xuan Ming and the other experts quickly realized their predicament.
"This shouldn't be anywhere near Luoyang City anymore."
"Luoyang City didn't disappear. We were forcibly teleported here."
"A spatial-type Divine Body secret method? Isn't this something only Tier 9 experts have a chance of mastering?"
The expressions of the Tier 7 experts turned ugly. Even though the Divine Body World made it easier for Imperial Citizen Players to master spatial power, this easiness was entirely relative.
Normally speaking, only Tier 9 experts had the qualifications to even touch upon the power of space.
A Tier 9 expert was already the true limit of a late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform. For the vast majority of late-stage Starry Sky Lifeforms, let alone Tier 9, they couldn't even guarantee reaching Tier 8 or Tier 7.
Only a Tier 9 expert, leveraging the environment of the Divine Body World, had any hope of coming into contact with spatial power ahead of time.
And that was only having hope. Not every Tier 9 expert could successfully cultivate a spatial-type Divine Body secret method.
"Xuan Ming, didn't you say the guy who ambushed you was at most Tier 7?"
"Yeah, didn't you say he was Tier 7 at best?"
Upon deducing that Su Yuan was likely a Tier 9 expert, the corners of Di Fansi and the other Tier 7 experts' mouths couldn't help but twitch.
If they had known Xuan Ming was targeting a Tier 9 expert, they never would have come in the first place.
Whoever heard of inviting a bunch of Tier 7s to deal with a Tier 9?
Wasn't this just asking to be humiliated and killed?
"I..."
Xuan Ming was also looking bewildered.
The reason he had concluded Su Yuan was at most Tier 7 was that the method the other party used to kill him was a sneak attack.
Would a Tier 9 expert need to use a sneak attack to kill him?
Let alone a Tier 9, even a Tier 8 expert wouldn't need to ambush him.
That was why Xuan Ming was absolutely certain Su Yuan had at most the strength of a Tier 7.
What Xuan Ming didn't know was that the reason Su Yuan had lured him to the City Lord's Mansion before ambushing him was precisely to make him jump to that exact conclusion.
A Tier 7 expert wouldn't be enough to scare Xuan Ming off. Instead, it would easily ignite his desire for revenge, prompting him to call upon his friends and allies, conveniently delivering all these cultivation resources right to Su Yuan's doorstep.
"Eldest Brother Chaxi, what should we do now?"
Xuan Ming took a deep breath and looked at Chaxi Zhuiyuan beside him.
As a member of the Dongyou Cosmic Human Empire's Royal Family, Chaxi Zhuiyuan was the strongest among the dozens of them in both strength and status. At this moment, he undoubtedly became the backbone of the group.
"Xuan Ming, you were too reckless,"
Chaxi Zhuiyuan shook his head slightly. "I believe I already know who it is that has trapped us."
Chaxi Zhuiyuan's eyes were saturated with the power of the Abyss. This power wasn't just for offense; it could also be used for investigation.
While the crowd was discussing, Chaxi Zhuiyuan had faintly sensed certain fundamental elements of the miniature dimension trapping them.
"Who is it?"
"Eldest Brother Chaxi, exactly which Tier 9 expert is attacking us?"
The dozens of Tier 7 experts nearby immediately asked.
As long as they knew the other party's identity, things would be easier to handle. At the very least, they would know who they needed to beg for mercy.
Chaxi Zhuiyuan ignored the questions of the crowd around him. Instead, he took a step forward, looked up at the sky of the miniature dimension, and called out loudly, "Your Excellency must be that Pavilion Master Wu who departed from the Broken Void World, correct?"
Using the power of his eyes, Chaxi Zhuiyuan had detected that the fundamental energy comprising the surrounding miniature dimension consisted of seven types of Cosmic Forces.
These seven Cosmic Forces worked together to open up this miniature dimension. Among them, five belonged to the Five Elements, while the other two fell under Yin and Yang.
In other words, the late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform attacking them had mastered the seven Cosmic Forces of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.
Using these specific seven Cosmic Forces of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements to form a grand cycle and step into the late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform realm was extremely rare. Throughout the long history of the thirty-six great cosmic human empires, there weren't many who had done so, and in this current era, there was only one.
That was Pavilion Master Wu, who had just recently shattered the void and ascended in the Broken Void World.
As a member of the Royal Family of the Dongyou Cosmic Human Empire, Chaxi Zhuiyuan had some understanding of the genius cultivators in other cosmic human empires, especially regarding an evolutionary world like the Broken Void World.
The advisory boards of the Dongyou Cosmic Human Empire rated this evolutionary world highly and were already preparing to popularize it and send people in. Naturally, they had also conducted background investigations on that Pavilion Master Wu who had emerged from it.
"Broken Void World? Pavilion Master Wu?"
"Who is that?"
"Why haven't I heard of him?"
As Chaxi Zhuiyuan spoke, aside from a few who looked thoughtful, the vast majority of the dozens of Tier 7 experts around him had no idea what he was talking about.
After all, the Broken Void World had been released for too short a time. Furthermore, they were already late-stage Starry Sky Lifeforms, so they paid little attention to an evolutionary world that was only suitable for initial-stage and mid-stage cultivators.
Outside the Palm Universe.
Su Yuan also heard Chaxi Zhuiyuan's words.
However, he wasn't surprised at all. It wasn't strange that the other party could deduce his identity.
This matter wouldn't affect Su Yuan much anyway. So what if they knew he was Pavilion Master Wu from the Broken Void World?
As long as his real-world identity wasn't exposed, there wouldn't be any problems.
Thrum— As time passed, the miniature dimension above Su Yuan's palm became increasingly stable.
This was also the reason why Su Yuan hadn't attacked until now. The miniature dimension temporarily opened by the Heaven and Earth in Palm secret method required a short amount of time to properly stabilize.
Only then could it exert its suppressive power to maximum effect.
"Hmm?"
Inside the Palm Universe, Chaxi Zhuiyuan also noticed that the oppressive feeling of the surrounding space was rapidly intensifying.
'We can't keep waiting.'
Chaxi Zhuiyuan's heart sank, realizing that if they delayed any further, they would likely all perish here.
"Everyone, charge outward in all directions immediately! Launch your full-power attacks at the edges of this independent space!"
Chaxi Zhuiyuan immediately barked out orders.
His keen eyes allowed him to instantly make the most correct judgment.
They needed to gather everyone's strength and attack the absolute boundaries of the miniature dimension.
"Alright!"
"Understood."
The dozens of experts nodded at once, immediately darting off in every direction.
"It's too late,"
Outside the Palm Universe, Su Yuan shook his head slightly.
If Chaxi Zhuiyuan had made this decision right when they first fell into the Palm Universe, it might have caused Su Yuan some minor trouble, requiring him to expend more mental energy to stabilize the space.
But now?
The Palm Universe was almost completely consolidated. At this moment, unless they were Tier 9 experts who had also mastered a spatial-type Divine Body secret method, even a group of Tier 8 experts wouldn't be able to shake it.
'Suppress!'
With a thought from Su Yuan, waves of terrifying power materialized within the Palm Universe, sweeping toward every single expert.
"What is this?"
Xuan Ming was also planning to dash toward the spatial boundary, but he suddenly found a force coalescing around him, engulfing him.
"No!"
A look of despair washed over Xuan Ming's face as he let out a furious roar. At the same time, the Earth, Fire, Wind, Water Grand Cycle within his Divine Body frantically circulated.
However, under the attack of the Heaven and Earth in Palm secret method, Xuan Ming's resistance was like thin paper. It was effortlessly torn to shreds, and his entire being was reduced to fine dust.
Su Yuan had long since acquired the essence of the Grand Cycle of Cosmic Energy within Xuan Ming's body, so keeping him alive was of no use. There was no need to capture and suppress him.
Elsewhere.
Di Fansi also detected the terrifying power converging around him.
"Condense!"
Layers of fluctuations coalesced around his Divine Body, forming numerous defensive light shields.
The Grand Cycle of Cosmic Energy that Di Fansi had mastered consisted of Space, Water of the Five Elements, and Lunar Yin.
Although there were only three, they included the incredibly rare element of Space. This type of Grand Cycle of Cosmic Energy was far more fearsome than ordinary cycles formed from four or five Cosmic Forces.
Rumble.
The terrifying power swept over him, instantly disintegrating the layers of defensive light shields Di Fansi had conjured.
"My Spatial Lunar Yin Shield couldn't even block it for a split second?" Di Fansi's face was filled with utter shock. At the same time, he immediately felt the surrounding world dimming as his consciousness began to plunge into darkness.
When dealing with Di Fansi, Su Yuan was much more meticulous. After carefully destroying the man's Mental Will, he swiftly extracted a wisp of the Grand Cycle of Cosmic Energy's essence from his Divine Body.
"No!!"
"What kind of power is this?!"
"Block it!"
One after another, the Tier 7 experts also faced Su Yuan's assault. Under the crushing might of the Heaven and Earth in Palm, all of their resistance proved to be incredibly pale and powerless.
"We can't fight this!"
"We can't block it at all!"
As the Tier 7 experts continuously perished, the entire miniature dimension suddenly became empty and quiet.
Only Chaxi Zhuiyuan was left standing there.
'The gap is simply too vast.'
Chaxi Zhuiyuan sighed inwardly.
Expecting a group of Tier 7 experts to shake a spatial-type Divine Body secret method that only a Tier 9 expert could master was indeed highly unrealistic.
"Pavilion Master Wu, I am willing to pay a ransom. Could you spare my life and let me leave?"
Chaxi Zhuiyuan immediately offered.
Compared to the cost of constructing his Divine Body, Chaxi Zhuiyuan also had to cultivate the abyssal power deep within his eyes, the expense of which was even more astronomical.
"Let you leave?"
Su Yuan remained expressionless, entertaining no such thoughts.
Rumble.
The terrifying power within the Palm Universe surged continuously, rapidly engulfing Chaxi Zhuiyuan.
'He refused?'
Chaxi Zhuiyuan's heart sank, and he steeled his resolve. "Abyss! Abyss!"
In a trance-like haze, Chaxi Zhuiyuan's eyes turned unbelievably terrifying, the abyssal aura within almost spilling out.
Since Su Yuan wasn't willing to let him go, they would die together. Even if he perished, he would risk everything to injure Su Yuan using the power of the Abyss.
"The Abyss?"
Su Yuan looked down at Chaxi Zhuiyuan while a pure golden vertical eye opened between his brows.
Hum— An invisible force descended. The pair of eyes that seemingly connected to the Abyss were immediately and completely suppressed.
"What?"
Chaxi Zhuiyuan looked utterly astounded. He hadn't expected the power of the Abyss to be so vulnerable and easily shattered.
But before he could think any further, his consciousness also plunged into darkness.
'Power of the Abyss?'
'Do you even know how to use it?'
Su Yuan skillfully extracted a sliver of the Grand Cycle of Cosmic Energy's essence from Chaxi Zhuiyuan's body, thinking to himself.
As one of the most terrifying Secret Realms in the vast, boundless Cosmic Starry Sky, the Abyss contained untold numbers of secrets and taboos. Even Su Yuan was unwilling to recklessly touch it.