Chapter 269: Divine Ability |
Chen Qing stood with spear in hand, the qi and blood throughout his body burning like a blazing furnace.
The power of the fourth layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Vajra Body surged within him, every inch of muscle containing the tremendous force capable of splitting mountains and shattering stone.
Han Kui, Zhao Chi, and Hu Yuning's killing intent wove together into a net, firmly locking onto the figure at the center.
"This boy's body cultivation is formidable. We cannot clash with him head-on!"
The three exchanged glances, instantly reaching an understanding.
Hu Yuning let out a shrill cry, her fingers flicking rapidly as dozens of emerald-green poison needles shrouded Chen Qing's vital acupoints like a swarm of locusts.
Her figure flickered elusively, always hovering at the periphery, like a venomous snake waiting to strike.
The hissing sound of the poison needles piercing the air made one's scalp tingle.
Almost simultaneously, Han Kui roared and stepped forward. His thick-backed mountain-cleaving saber carried a ghastly blood-colored aura as it slashed horizontally at Chen Qing's waist and abdomen!
The saber's momentum was fierce and unstoppable, the sharp whistle of the blade cutting through air painful to the eardrums.
Zhao Chi moved like a specter, skimming low across the ground. His fists gathered black-purple aura that condensed into two ferocious ghost heads, silently striking toward the vital point at Chen Qing's back, the Twin Ghosts Knocking at the Gate!
His footwork was bizarre, his body seemingly weightless, gliding over the dust without leaving a trace.
Facing the three-pronged assault, Chen Qing's body sprang up, first evading the most insidiously venomous hidden weapons.
The poison needles grazed past the corners of his clothes and embedded themselves in the ground with hissing sounds, instantly corroding small holes in the soil and releasing acrid white smoke.
"Clang!"
Then the Black Dragon Spear shot out like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, precisely striking the weak point of Han Kui's blade spine, sparks exploding!
At the instant the spear tip collided with the blade spine, Chen Qing's wrist rotated slightly, transmitting a spiral force along the spear shaft.
The tremendous force numbed Han Kui's arm, involuntarily stalling his saber's momentum.
He was shocked. He had used eighty percent of his strength in this strike, thinking it would be enough to force Chen Qing back. He never expected his opponent to not only precisely find the flaw in his saber technique but also counter with such astonishing force.
Chen Qing borrowed the momentum to spin around, his left fist flowing with dark golden radiance, sending a simple yet powerful punch toward Zhao Chi at his rear flank.
This punch appeared plain and unadorned, but it contained the force of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Vajra Body. Where the fist edge passed, the air seemed to compress, forming a visible ripple.
Boom!
The fist wind compressed and exploded the air, producing a muffled sonic boom.
Zhao Chi didn't dare take it head-on. His Netherworld Ghost Steps turned sharply, narrowly avoiding the fist edge, but the aura wind swept across his shoulder, bringing a burning sting of pain.
"What terrifying force! Is this kid even human?"
His heart sank. If that punch had landed solidly, his shoulder blade would probably have been shattered.
Seeing Chen Qing's sharp spear technique and tremendous strength, combined with Buddhist body cultivation arts protecting him, the three simply refused to engage him directly.
Hu Yuning retreated, putting distance between herself and Chen Qing. Her ten fingers moved as if plucking a pipa, continuously flicking out emerald poison needles.
Swoosh swoosh! Swoosh swoosh!
These poison needles didn't aim directly for vital points but specifically targeted Chen Qing's relatively vulnerable areas, his eyes, ears, throat, and joints. The hissing sounds of them piercing the air were endless, disturbing his vision and distracting his mind, forcing him to divert attention to defense.
At the same time, Zhao Chi's movements became increasingly bizarre and unpredictable.
His footwork surpassed the other two, entirely thanks to the peerless movement technique he had obtained in his earlier years.
He understood well the principle of playing to one's strengths while avoiding weaknesses. His figure flickered, clinging to Chen Qing like a specter attached to bone, engaging in guerrilla combat.
His steps were swift as wind, leaving afterimages in his wake.
Those palms gathering black-purple Netherworld aura were like venomous fangs waiting to strike from the shadows, concealed and ready, existing only to deliver a fatal blow the instant Chen Qing revealed an opening.
His palm wind didn't pursue fierce dominance but rather contained a soft, penetrating force specialized in breaking through protective aura, attempting to infiltrate corrosive aura into Chen Qing's body to damage his internal organs and meridians.
"Clang!"
Chen Qing deflected Han Kui's powerful diagonal slash with his spear. The spear shaft whirled, dancing out a wall of impenetrable spear shadows that swept down the dozen or so poison needles shooting toward him.
However, just as his spear momentum was about to retract, a malevolent wind suddenly rose at his side!
Zhao Chi seized this fleeting opening. His figure approached like smoke, his left palm silently pressing toward the kidney position at Chen Qing's right waist, the black-purple aura in his palm swirling, bone-chillingly cold!
By the time Chen Qing sensed it, it was already too late to fully evade. At this critical moment, he forcefully raised a breath of True Aura. A dark golden luster flickered faintly across his body as the fourth layer of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Vajra Body's qi and blood erupted violently. He twisted his waist with brute force, using his relatively thick side and lower back muscles to take the palm strike head-on.
"Thud!"
A muffled sound rang out, like striking worn leather.
Chen Qing felt a cold, insidious force penetrate his body, like an icy awl stabbing into him, piercing straight through to his internal organs.
His qi and blood churned violently, accompanied by a faint stinging pain.
"Got him!"
A glint of joy flashed in Zhao Chi's eyes. Pressing his advantage without mercy, his right palm followed immediately after, once again silently striking toward Chen Qing's left shoulder blade, which had slightly stiffened from the injury, attempting to expand his gains.
On the other side, seeing the tactic succeed, Hu Yuning's eyes gleamed with cold light. Her hands flicked rapidly, shooting out several more poison needles to block Chen Qing's possible evasion routes, forcing him to continue taking hits head-on.
And at the front, Han Kui let out a cold laugh. How could he let such an opportunity pass?
He roared like thunder, blood-colored aura surging wildly throughout his body. Gripping his saber with both hands, he concentrated all his True Aura into a single strike!
The thick-backed mountain-cleaving saber emitted a shrill hum. The blade's blood light intensified dramatically, carrying a savage killing intent that would tear everything apart, transforming into a blood-colored bolt of silk that chopped down fiercely at Chen Qing's head!
This strike gathered all the True Aura of his perfected True Aura cultivation, determined to cleave Chen Qing and his spear in two!
Ahead was a berserk saber aura capable of splitting mountains and cracking stone. At his side was the insidious palm force striking from the shadows, corroding to the bone. In the distance were the cunning and vicious poison needles causing interference!
The three joined forces with veteran techniques, their coordination seamless, as if they had cornered Chen Qing in a hopeless situation!
At this critical juncture, however, there was not a trace of panic in Chen Qing's eyes.
Facing Zhao Chi's palm strike, he made no attempt to dodge.
Bang!
Zhao Chi's palm landed on Chen Qing's waist, initially feeling as if he had struck leather as tough as old oxhide. Then a tremendous recoil force, far exceeding his imagination, suddenly erupted from within Chen Qing's body!
"Hm!?"
Zhao Chi's expression changed drastically. He felt that not only had his Netherworld Bone-Corroding Aura failed to erode and penetrate as usual, but his palm was wracked with intense pain, his entire arm instantly going numb and sore.
His feet were involuntarily forced back two steps by that brutal force, each step leaving deep footprints in the ground before he barely managed to dissipate the recoil.
He was horrified. "This fellow's body cultivation technique is actually this domineering? Even the recoil force is this fierce!"
Having taken this palm strike head-on, Chen Qing's qi and blood were also violently churned.
He forcibly suppressed his roiling qi and blood, evaded the incoming flying needles, and instantly locked onto Han Kui who was chopping down with all his might!
Han Kui roared wildly, every muscle in his body bulging, blood vessels protruding like coiled dragons. Both hands gripped the thick-backed mountain-cleaving saber as he poured his lifetime's aura into it without reservation!
Hum!
The blade trembled violently, emitting a bloodthirsty hum. The blood-colored aura that had merely been swirling around it suddenly surged, transforming into a condensed blood-colored saber aura a full zhang in length!
Before the blade arrived, its berserk momentum already pressed down on Chen Qing's surroundings like a tangible mountain, forcibly sinking the ground within several zhang an inch deep, snapping all grass and trees, sending sand and stones flying!
The saber aura tore through the air with a ghastly, wailing shriek. Its power was so overwhelming that even those watching from afar felt their hearts palpitate!
But when Han Kui saw Chen Qing look toward him with that grim gaze after taking Zhao Chi's palm strike, his heart suddenly lurched, a chill rushing from his spine straight to the top of his head.
"Not good!"
He realized that while his all-out strike was certainly ferocious, it had also exhausted his technique, making it difficult to change moves, exposing a fatal flaw.
Han Kui wanted to retract his saber to defend or change his saber momentum, but the blade had already been swung. Like an arrow leaving the bowstring, how could it be easily recalled?
At this moment the arrow was on the string and had to be released!
He could only grit his teeth and pour all his remaining aura into the saber without regard for consequences, hoping to force Chen Qing back or even severely wound him with this desperate strike.
Chen Qing's eyes were cold as iron, his right hand already firmly gripping the Black Dragon Spear!
The three streams of True Aura within his body circulated at unprecedented speed.
He stepped, twisted his waist, extended his arm, and thrust the spear! The movements flowed as one!
The Black Dragon Spear let out a resounding dragon's cry. The dark dragon patterns on the spear shaft seemed to come alive, the cold gleam at the spear tip flickering uncertainly.
One spear thrust out. The technique was the True Martial Seven Severing from the True Martial Demon-Quelling Spear, but it drew upon the momentum of mountains, the momentum of rain, and the momentum of thunder.
"Boom! Crack!"
The blood-colored saber aura and the Black Dragon Spear tip collided ferociously! First came the deafening rumble, the frontal impact of two massive forces! Shockwaves exploded outward from the point of collision, raising clouds of dust.
Immediately after came a clear, teeth-achingly distinct sound of shattering!
Before Han Kui's disbelieving eyes, his blood-colored saber aura, condensed from a lifetime of cultivation, shattered like glass struck by lightning. Starting from the point of contact with the spear tip, countless fine cracks spread across it before it collapsed with a roar, transforming into scattered blood-colored light that dissipated in all directions!
And the Black Dragon Spear's momentum remained undiminished. Like a shuttle breaking through waves, it struck with pinpoint accuracy on the spine of the thick-backed mountain-cleaving saber!
"Clang!"
A piercing sound of metal clashing rang out. Han Kui felt a spiral force transmit from the spear tip, madly tearing at his blade.
The sharpness and toughness of the lower-grade spirit treasure Black Dragon Spear, combined with Chen Qing's terrifying force containing the momentum of mountain, rain, and thunder, how could Han Kui's saber possibly withstand it?
"Crack!"
The long saber shattered on command! It exploded into countless fragments that shot in all directions!
Han Kui's tiger's mouth split open, blood flowing freely. The tremendous recoil made the bones in both his arms groan under unbearable strain.
However, the true killing blow had only just arrived!
After shattering the saber aura and breaking the saber, the terrifying force contained in the Black Dragon Spear, condensed to its utmost, erupted like a volcano that had been building up!
A destructive aura mixing boundless qi, blood, and True Aura followed the direction of the spear tip like an enraged dragon bursting from the sea, instantly engulfing Han Kui completely!
"No!"
Han Kui only managed to let out a short, desperate shriek before his protective aura disintegrated like paper before that power.
Under the impact of this indescribable berserk force, his body first had its clothes torn to shreds, then his skin, muscles, and bones... inch by inch shattered and came apart!
Finally, amid an explosion of blood mist that made one's heart tremble, his entire person completely vanished, not even leaving behind a single larger piece of remains.
Only a shallow pit remained where he had stood and the thick smell of blood permeating the air, proving he had ever existed.
In that instant, the entire battlefield fell silent!
Whether it was the Demon Sect experts besieging Luo Qianjue and He Shuang, or the Xuwang Mountain disciples struggling to hold on, all were shocked by this terrifying scene.
A perfected True Aura expert had died just like that? Without even an intact corpse!
Chen Qing was this fierce?
Three perfected True Aura experts had besieged him, yet he had counter-killed one of them, and in such an overwhelming manner!
Seeing the blood mist that Han Kui had become, Zhao Chi and Hu Yuning were horrified beyond measure. That trace of fanaticism was instantly doused by bone-piercing cold, replaced by terror and the urge to retreat.
Chen Qing swept his Black Dragon Spear to the side, its tip still humming, unstained by blood.
His icy gaze instantly locked onto Zhao Chi, a murderous intent surfacing in his eyes.
Zhao Chi had been forced back repeatedly by the recoil, his breath not yet steadied. Seeing Chen Qing charging at him like a god of slaughter, a chill rushed from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head.
He never imagined that with three of them joining forces, one would be killed within just two exchanges. Chen Qing's strength far exceeded their estimates!
"Lady Hu, save me!"
Zhao Chi screamed hoarsely while struggling to gather his remaining aura, his fists once again condensing spectral light in an attempt to resist.
On the other side, Hu Yuning had already been terrified by Han Kui's gruesome end. How could she spare any thought for Zhao Chi?
Her figure flickered as she attempted to flee toward the dense forest behind her, pushing her speed to the limit, wanting only to escape this killing star as quickly as possible.
"Think you can run?"
Chen Qing let out a cold snort. How could he allow the mastermind behind the poison and ambush to escape so easily?
Facing the direction of Hu Yuning's flight, his left sleeve suddenly swept out!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Several subtle yet sharp whistles of air sounded. They were the Nine Luminary Starlight Needles!
The needle bodies were fine as ox hair. Infused with True Aura, they transformed into points of cold starlight, arriving before her despite being released later. They didn't aim directly for Hu Yuning's vital points but precisely sealed off the space around her for maneuvering, forming a needle formation that forced her to turn back and respond.
Hu Yuning's heart was greatly shaken. Having immersed herself in hidden weapons and poison arts for many years, she could tell at a glance that this needle formation technique was exquisite and contained profound mysteries.
"He's actually skilled in this art as well?!"
In her shock, she could only wave her sleeves, her aura billowing as she deflected and blocked the incoming starlight needles.
A series of crisp sounds rang out.
However, this momentary delay decided her fate.
Chen Qing's main target had never been her. At the same time he released the Nine Luminary Starlight Needles, his footwork moved like lightning as he had already charged ferociously before Zhao Chi.
The punch force Zhao Chi barely managed to throw out was like paper before the Black Dragon Spear's unstoppable momentum, instantly torn apart by the boundless force and sharp edge contained in the spear tip!
"Squelch!"
Blood light burst forth!
The Black Dragon Spear pierced through Zhao Chi's throat without any obstruction.
With a shake of the spear shaft, Zhao Chi's head separated from his body, the corpse collapsing limply to the ground.
Chen Qing didn't even look, withdrawing the spear and turning around. His gaze like lightning, he once again locked onto Hu Yuning, who had just deflected the hidden weapons and was about to flee again.
Hu Yuning's soul nearly left her body. She pushed her movement technique to its absolute limit, transforming into a pale green shadow that streaked toward the forest.
But Chen Qing's speed was even faster!
He stomped hard on the ground, blasting open a small crater. His figure shot out like an arrow leaving the bowstring. The Black Dragon Spear in his hand transformed into a black bolt of lightning, tearing through the air!
Hu Yuning felt an unstoppable killing intent rapidly closing in from behind. She desperately dodged to the side while flinging back a cloud of pink poison mist.
However, before absolute speed and power, these petty tricks appeared pale and powerless.
The spear shadow was like a dragon, ignoring the poison mist, pursuing her figure with pinpoint accuracy.
"Urk..."
Hu Yuning's body stiffened as she lowered her head in disbelief, looking at the blood-stained spear tip protruding from her chest.
The powerful force of the Black Dragon Spear instantly destroyed her heart.
Chen Qing flicked his wrist and withdrew the spear.
Hu Yuning's corpse fell forward to the ground, her beauty perishing like scattered jade.
The entire process was fast as lightning!
From Chen Qing suddenly striking to kill Zhao Chi, to using hidden weapons to delay the enemy, then pursuing Hu Yuning with thunderous force, barely more than ten breaths had passed!
Three experts with notorious reputations within the Limitless Demon Sect, all at perfected True Aura cultivation, had joined forces to besiege him, yet Chen Qing had crushed them all, slaying every one beneath his spear!
On the other side, Luo Qianjue and He Shuang had originally held the upper hand, and now seeing Chen Qing's divine might...
The remaining Demon Sect members, seeing all three of their leaders killed in an instant, lost all will to fight.
"Think you can run?"
The Xuwang Mountain disciples naturally wouldn't let this opportunity to earn contribution points slip away. Someone shouted, and instantly their morale soared as they gave chase with wild abandon.
The situation instantly reversed, becoming a pursuit by the Tianbao Upper Sect's side.
Chen Qing didn't bother with those small fry. He stood with spear in hand, taking a moment to calm the churning qi and blood within him.
His gaze turned toward the distant battle circle that would truly determine the outcome, where Elder Deng Ziheng and the Limitless Demon Sect's Ninth Elder Mo He were locked in fierce combat.
The confrontation between two True Origin realm experts was surging with power, terrifying beyond measure!
Every collision made the earth tremble. The stray gusts of force were like blades, cutting the surrounding trees and rocks into utter devastation.
The surging fluctuations of True Origin caused the air itself to hum, making one's heart palpitate.
At this moment, Mo He had also discovered that Han Kui and the other two had all died under Chen Qing's spear. His heart filled with shock and rage, while an icy chill surfaced within.
"Deng Ziheng! What a fine scheme!"
Mo He roared harshly, but his offensive couldn't help but slow by a fraction.
He knew full well that he was originally no match for Deng Ziheng, and prolonged battle would certainly lead to defeat.
Now that all his trump cards had been played, yet the target Chen Qing remained unharmed while his elite forces had been nearly annihilated, if he continued fighting, he might end up dying here himself.
A thought of retreat rose in his heart.
He feinted with one move as poison mist suddenly exploded around his body, blocking the line of sight. His figure then transformed into a streak of black smoke as he attempted to flee into the distance!
"Leaving?" Deng Ziheng's hair and beard all stood on end, his aura suddenly surging even higher. "Do you think you can leave?"
Deng Ziheng's True Origin circulated at unprecedented speed within his body. The earthen-yellow radiance around him intensified greatly, as if resonating with the surrounding mountains and earth.
A thick, boundless aura spread outward. Behind him, a hazy phantom of towering mountains and vast rivers seemed to appear. Though indistinct, it carried a terrifying might that could suppress all things!
"A divine ability secret technique!?"
Chen Qing watched from afar, his heart pounding wildly, his pupils suddenly contracting.
This was the first time he had so clearly felt the power of a True Origin realm expert going all out, and also the first time he had witnessed a divine ability secret technique being displayed!
According to Luo Zhixian, once a martial artist stepped into the True Origin realm, they could begin cultivating divine ability secret techniques that far transcended ordinary martial arts!
These were terrifying techniques that drew upon the elemental qi of heaven and earth to unleash power approaching that of heaven and earth themselves, fundamentally different from True Aura realm martial arts!
Elder Deng Ziheng's title was "Mountains and Rivers Four Aspects," his fist, palm, finger, and leg techniques having all reached their pinnacle. The divine ability secret technique he had mastered was precisely the famous technique of the True Martial lineage, the Mountain River Grand Seal!
"Suppress!"
Deng Ziheng uttered a low cry, formed hand seals, and pushed forward forcefully!
In that instant, the sky changed color!
The elemental qi of heaven and earth surged madly toward his hands, seething and gathering, even emitting a burning hum!
A massive seal of light, seemingly condensed from endless mountains and rivers, appeared out of thin air. Upon the grand seal, mountain patterns and water veins were clearly visible. Carrying an overwhelming celestial might that would crush all things, it locked onto the fleeing Mo He and came crashing down!
Rumble!!!
As the Mountain River Grand Seal descended, the entire earth began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck. The berserk aura spread outward like a tsunami, forming row upon row of visible earth waves and rings of force!
The Ninth Elder Mo He's black smoke form, under this overwhelming crushing force, was like ice and snow exposed to scorching sun. He let out one shrill, brief wail of anguish before being completely covered and consumed by the massive Mountain River Grand Seal...
Smoke and dust surged skyward, blotting out the sun.
Comments 4