Wu Yuan gritted his teeth. I may not be able to deploy such a lethal sword array, but I’ve studied both the Earth and Wood Dao. I don’t believe you can break through my combination of Earth and Wood.
He had only dared to take on this challenge because of his faith in his abilities. He was betting on the combination of earth and wood.
With a thunderous boom, Wu Yuan simultaneously stimulated the fluctuations of two Daos: the fifth-level Domain stage of the Celestial Body Dao, and the first-level Domain stage of the Longevity Dao.
“Assemble!” he commanded.
In that instant, Wu Yuan’s soul, powerful enough to have reached the Soul Will level, fully empowered the 729 flying swords.
Before their eyes, strands of green light and vine-like chains materialized on the surface of the celestial body. These ethereal connections linked the flying swords that were previously bound only by cryptic patterns, uniting them as a single, formidable entity.
With a piercing whoosh, the ten-zhang-long divine sword struck!
Shield and sword collided in a cataclysmic clash!
Boom! The impact was terrifyingly intense. The miniature celestial body shuddered and reeled backward, the myriad flying swords that composed the array trembled violently, and a massive dent marred its once-smooth surface.
Yet, against all odds, the miniature celestial body held firm. The countless chains linking the flying swords impeded the earthy-yellow divine sword’s advance.
A hundred meters in, the divine sword lost its momentum, unable to advance even a hair’s breadth further.
“Scram!” Wu Yuan roared. Before his chest, a terrifying divine sword materialized—another Thousand Swords Array. It struck the guardian’s divine sword with an earth shattering boom!
The guardian’s divine sword, now devoid of momentum, was sent hurtling back by the impact. Meanwhile, the previously dented miniature celestial body rapidly knitted itself whole, its surface smoothing out as if the damage had never occurred.
“Haha, blocked it!” Wu Yuan’s confidence swelled, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
He knew that if he had deployed the Star Ruins Sword Array with the Celestial Body Dao’s principles alone, the array would have crumbled before the opponent’s sword domain.
In a contest of raw power, Wu Yuan would not be the guardian’s match either. His Dark Earth Sword Array, formidable as it was, still fell short. The reason was simple: the gap in Dao comprehension levels was too vast.
The leap from the sixth-level True Intent stage to the seventh was a quantum shift, akin to the monumental transition from the Domain stage to True Intent stage. It was a hurdle that had trapped countless cultivators at the ninth-stage Amethyst Cradle phase.
However, by weaving in the principles of the Wood Dao, the defense of the Star Ruins Sword Array had soared to unprecedented heights.
“Attack!” Wu Yuan bellowed, his newfound confidence spurring him to action. He drove the miniature celestial body forward, plunging headlong into the opponent’s sword domain that stretched over a thousand li.
The guardian in black robes couldn’t mask his shock. “Your defense is this strong?” he spat through gritted teeth. “You may withstand my attack once, but can you withstand it ten times? A hundred times?”
Whoosh! Nine flying swords assembled once more, coalescing into a divine sword that struck Wu Yuan’s miniature celestial body with earth-shattering force.
Boom! Boom! Boom! In the vast expanse of outer space, a series of frightening collisions ensued. It was less a battle and more a beating—one enduring the hits, the other delivering them with relentless fury!
The Dark Earth Sword Domain engulfed the entire region of space. At any point within its range, nine flying swords could assemble to unleash a devastating attack. It was an ability that defied prediction, striking from everywhere and nowhere at once!
Yet Wu Yuan’s miniature celestial body perfectly protected him. The synergy of earth and wood was like a huge turtle shell, easily deflecting the flying swords’ repeated assaults.
Simultaneously, the miniature celestial body transformed into an unstoppable force. Like a rhinoceros charging into a pack of wolves, it rampaged fearlessly, repeatedly bearing down upon the alpha wolf—the black-robed guardian.
The guardian found himself forced to retreat time and again, his attacks rendered futile against Wu Yuan’s impregnable defense.
It was clear that in this clash of contradictions, the shield held the undeniable advantage.
Haha, civil engineering, this is true civil engineering, utterly impregnable. Wu Yuan exulted, completely immersed in the terrifying power born from the combination of earth and wood.
Over the years, his qi refiner self had tirelessly experimented with countless methods to integrate the principles of the Wood Dao into his sword array. After countless failures and setbacks, he had finally achieved a breakthrough.
Defense is the best offense. Wu Yuan mused as he effortlessly resisted the guardian’s repeated attacks while relentlessly pursuing him.
Unfortunately, the gap in Dao comprehension, coupled with the oppressive nature of the sword domain, meant that Wu Yuan simply couldn’t close the distance. The guardian remained frustratingly out of reach. Thus, the battle dragged on, becoming a test of endurance.
Wu Yuan’s thoughts raced as he fought. I need not fear. My soul is strong, maintaining only a small sword array. Though it is a Thousand Swords Array, most of it is driven by Dao comprehension, consuming minimal mana.
Moreover, the Longevity Dao amplifies my mana recovery rate several times over compared to other cultivators.
Although the Dark Earth Sword Domain is formidable, it covers a vast range. The guardian needs to repeatedly assemble flying swords to attack, each strike draining a substantial amount of mana.
Even so, the battle raged on for over an hour. Eventually, the inevitable occurred—the guardian’s mana reserves were exhausted, no longer able to maintain the sword domain.
“Die!” Wu Yuan’s voice rang out with finality as he drove the sword array forward. The miniature celestial body charged at the guardian like a meteor smashing into a helpless rock.
Bang! In a blinding flash, the guardian was instantly annihilated by countless sword lights, his form disintegrating into nothingness.
“Congratulations, Li Xia. You have cleared level sixty of the one-star tower,” the voice of the tower spirit rang out, a hint of admiration coloring its usually neutral tone.
“You have set the current record of the Redmoon Immortal Continent, earning a one-time True Intent perception experience.”
“Next level!” Wu Yuan declared. Let’s see just what sort of attack is able to break through my civil engineering.
…
In the special observation space of the Dragon Star Immortal Realm, a heavy silence had fallen.
As Wu Yuan, encased by the miniature celestial body, finally exhausted the guardian’s mana and cleared the level, all the immortals watching were struck dumb.
A fifty-five-year-old (actually fifty-three) passing level sixty of the one-star tower? It was a feat that hadn’t occurred in the Redmoon Immortal Continent for hundreds of millions of years.
Even in the broader context of the Silvermist Immortal Nation, while there were plenty of individuals under a hundred years old who had conquered level sixty, it had been more than ten thousand years since an immortal cultivator under sixty had achieved such a feat.
The scene they had just witnessed was nothing short of revolutionary, a complete shock to everyone present.
One could say that even those from the sect who looked favorably upon Wu Yuan, like Abbot Wu and High Immortal Hei Yuan, hadn’t dared to hope that Wu Yuan would actually clear level sixty. The task had seemed insurmountable, the slim chance of success barely worth considering.
Expecting Wu Yuan to catch up to Zhuo Haiyue was just too unrealistic.
However, the most shocking aspect wasn’t merely that Wu Yuan had completed the level, but the manner in which he had done so—through pure, unadulterated defense!
The silence stretched on, each immortal lost in their own thoughts.
“Such terrifying defense,” an Earth Immortal finally broke the silence, his voice filled with awe. “A defense so formidable, even ordinary Amethyst Cradle cultivators would likely fail to breach it!”
“He’s just a Golden Core cultivator,” another chimed in, disbelief evident in their tone. “Such a defense is simply outrageous.”
“He’s clearly a sword cultivator, known for their powerful attacks. Yet he passed level sixty of the one-star tower by relying on defense?” At this moment, the immortals from the sect found themselves grappling with the absurdity and bizarreness of the situation.
Geniuses? They had seen plenty throughout the ages. But such a peculiar, paradoxical scene? Never before had they witnessed anything quite like it.
“It’s another Intermediate Law.” Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the murmurs of disbelief. All heads turned towards the source.
There stood a figure clothed in pristine white, as splendid as the finest jade, radiating an intense aura that commanded attention.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Dong Yang,” the assembled High Immortals and Earth Immortals chorused, bowing respectfully.
A hint of fervor could be seen in the eyes of the Earth Immortals, their admiration palpable.
Even Abbot Wu inclined his head slightly, a gesture of deep respect.
After his legendary feat of cutting down an Archimmortal with a single strike a few years prior, Sword Immortal Dong Yang’s status within the Dragon Star Immortal Sect had skyrocketed to astonishing heights. He now stood on a pedestal nearly as lofty as that of the immortal ancestor himself.
While the immortal ancestor remained an elusive figure, one most of the sect’s High Immortals had never laid eyes upon, Sword Immortal Dong Yang’s might had been impressed upon them all.
“Senior Brother Dong Yang, are you saying that Li Xia has grasped another Intermediate Law?” Abbot Wu’s voice betrayed his disbelief.
“Indeed, it’s the Longevity Dao,” Sword Immortal Dong Yang confirmed, his gaze fixed on the distant battle scene of level sixty-one.
He continued softly, “Perhaps Li Xia’s comprehension of any single Dao hasn’t reached a particularly high level. But consider the Earth and Wood Daos—one excels in defense, the other in recovery. The combination of these two Intermediate Laws has elevated his defense to this extraordinary level.”
“Combined with his formidable soul that empowers the flying swords, nothing short of a true sword Dao Field can hope to shake his defense.” Sword Immortal Dong Yang said quietly.
“He has been taught well indeed! Our Dragon Star Immortal Sect finally has a peerless genius who might make a name for himself across the entire immortal nation. In terms of raw talent, he’s not inferior to Zhuo Haiyue.”
A faint smile played across Sword Immortal Dong Yang’s lips. “A lone shining star? No, this era of the Silvermist Immortal Nation will be the era of the twin stars of Redmoon.”
With those words hanging in the air, Sword Immortal Dong Yang vanished without a trace.
The dozens of immortals stood rooted to the spot, shock evident on their faces. Their minds echoed with Sword Immortal Dong Yang’s final proclamation—the era of the twin stars of Redmoon.