Chase struggled to stand, but his legs gave way, and he collapsed back to the ground. His entire body was numb and drained of strength.The elder's ghostly fire was sinister, leaving him feeling hollow as though every ounce of power had been stripped from him.To make matters worse, the fire carried a potent toxin that was eroding his internal organs. Chase took several deep breaths, channeling his true essence throughout his body to expel the poison and mend his injuries. Sweat dotted his pale face as he fought to recover from the harrowing battle."Boy, hand over your techniques, and I'll spare your life!" The elder's voice was cold, his gaze menacing as he drew closer. "Your soul and physique are remarkable. If I refine you, I might even break through to the late-stage martial god realm!"The closer the elder approached, the stronger the sense of danger Chase felt. His true essence surged toward the spiritual wheel in his core as though his body was preparing for some kind of
'Damn it! This guy's body is even tougher than mine!' the elder thought while trembling with fear.Chase seized the opportunity to deliver a devastating palm strike that sent the elder flying. Blood sprayed everywhere as the elder wailed in pain.Within moments, Chase had broken seven of his ribs, leaving him twitching on the ground, utterly incapacitated.'This old devil can't be killed just yet. If I devour his nether spirit, my cultivation will soar to new heights,' Chase thought coldly.Planting his foot firmly on the elder's head, he sneered, "Do you want to live, or would you rather die?"The elder's face turned ashen. As a notorious dark spirit cultivator, being crushed by someone he considered an insect was the ultimate humiliation."Don't even think about it!" he spat.Suddenly, a sinister, eerie wave of energy erupted from the elder's body.Chase's instincts kicked in, and he leaped back just in time.A thick, bloody aura burst forth, forcing Chase several steps back
"Don't delude yourself," the elder snarled. "Even if I only have two or three years left to live, you, a mere piece of trash, can never shake me!"Chase narrowed his eyes, his mind racing for a way out of the dire situation.Suddenly, a vast and overwhelming aura engulfed the surrounding area, shaking the very fabric of the environment. The trees quivered violently as if bowing to an unstoppable force of destruction."This is bad. There's a martial god nearby!" Chase's expression grew grim.The aura was immense, as if the sky itself were collapsing. No matter where he tried to hide, escape seemed impossible.Reacting swiftly, Chase became a blur as his figure darted away like a fleeting shadow. He aimed to put as much distance as possible between himself and this overwhelming threat.Nonetheless, he could not get very far.A colossal hand appeared out of nowhere, blotting out the sky. It slammed down onto Chase's back with terrifying force, sending him hurtling through the air.
"It's too late," Chase said while shaking his head, his gaze icy and devoid of any emotion."It's not like we're both martial gods here. I refuse to believe you can defeat me. Die!" the elder roared, unleashing his final, desperate technique.A dark aura enveloped the elder, his energy surging explosively. His clothes tore apart, revealing a body brimming with muscle. Each fiber of his being pulsed with a terrifying power.His speed skyrocketed, transforming him into a streak of darkness. He lunged at Chase in an instant with his palms clenched like hammers, aiming to smash Chase's skull.The clash was deafening. Chase grunted as he was sent flying with blood trickling from his mouth. His arms trembled, nearly rendered useless from the impact.Although he had begun to form a prototype of the Sword Soul, he was still a novice. He was far from being able to withstand a martial god's full assault."Ha! In the end, you still lost to me. I'm the true ruler here!" the elder bellowed wi
Chase's figure vanished into the darkness as he hid himself while scavenging for spoils of battle.He discovered two bottles of pills—one for healing wounds and one to enhance vitality and blood flow.'No wonder martial gods are so formidable; their treasures are truly remarkable,' he thought, his eyes lighting up as he swiftly collected everything."This place is no longer safe. Staying here will only attract more danger. I need to leave immediately," Chase murmured with a frown.His physical condition was poor, and lingering in this precarious area might invite stronger foes.…By the next morning, as the faint light of dawn spread across the sky, Chase stepped out from his hiding place.Despite not resting the previous night, he had successfully advanced to the peak of the martial deity realm."It's time to head to the Nefarious Deity Sect," he muttered. The thought was heavy in his mind as he let out a sigh."I had initially planned to save Quinn once my cultivation progre
Chase's pupils contracted sharply as he unleashed his Thunder Sword Technique, sending a barrage of sharp sword auras slicing through the attacking vines.These vines were unnaturally tough, and even his razor-sharp sword auras only left shallow marks. Eventually, after sacrificing a few drops of his vital essence, the vines were shattered and disintegrated.Chase's face was pale as he panted heavily.'This place is truly unsuitable for me to linger around. Even with a peak martial deity's body, which can withstand ordinary weapons, these vines are incredibly powerful. A moment of carelessness can prove fatal,' he thought with heightened vigilance.He sprinted along the edge of the forest without pausing.After running for an indeterminate distance, he finally escaped the danger and reached a small grove.Suddenly, a bone-chilling cold enveloped him. Chase's eyes narrowed in alarm. Spinning around, he raised his hand and struck backward.Two swords collided with a metallic scree
Chase stepped forward with precision and struck the cloaked man squarely in the chest, sending him stumbling back as blood sprayed from his mouth."Impossible!" The cloaked man's eyes widened in shock, and his face twisted with disbelief.Moments ago, he had held the upper hand in their exchange. How had he been defeated so swiftly?Though the young man before him wielded a similar level of cultivation, his sheer combat strength was monstrous beyond comprehension.The cloaked man was hurled several feet away, landing roughly on the ground. He struggled to stand, and his face was now as pale as a ghost."Who are you?" he demanded."Judging by your expression, you've never even heard of me," Chase chuckled while shaking his head.He smirked and continued, "Not that it surprises me. The factions in the nether realm are tangled and chaotic. It's easy to impersonate me.""Impersonate?" The cloaked man laughed mockingly, his tone dripping with disdain. "You're overestimating yourself
A thousand miles away from the ancient wilderness, a group of figures cloaked in black sat cross-legged beside a large stone."Sacred Emissary, I failed in my mission. Please punish me!" one of the martial gods knelt on one knee with his head bowed in shame.Another black-cloaked martial god also knelt, hesitating briefly before speaking, "Sacred Emissary, this man is merely an independent cultivator. Yet everyone we sent after him has failed. They couldn't even escape with their lives!""Useless!" A stern, aged voice resonated from the shadows.Moments later, a shadowy figure coalesced into the form of an elderly woman. She wore a gray dress that draped over her slender frame.Her white hair was meticulously arranged. Her gaunt face bore an unnatural pallor, and though her figure revealed traces of allure, it carried an air of deathly chill.She spoke with icy detachment, "So, are you both suggesting I handle this personally?""Sacred Emissary, forgive us!""We wouldn't dare!"
After all, Chase had to bring Yara along if they were really going to the Holy Path.Chase would not be able to hide it from them then. It was better to be honest with them from the start."What? He needed something from you? Will he come over to see you tonight?" Willow's question had Lisa and Walter exchanging a glance.Chase had no idea how to respond. "What are you thinking, Willow? Sweep those dirty thoughts out of your mind."He berated Willow.Willow realized what she had just said and quickly apologized. "Oh, that's not what I meant. I just wanted to ask what you meant by him needing your help."Chase sighed. "To put it in a nutshell, Yara has phoenix bloodline and requires the Light Divine Pearl's help to receive the Rising powers of the Phoenix Deity. He knows that I have hope of getting the Light Divine Pearl, which is why he came to me."Willow and Walter were stunned."The Phoenix Deity? Isn't that one of the Five Major Demon Saints who holds the same standing as th
"An old acquaintance?" There was murder in Carla's eyes."It's someone from long ago. I thought she was dead. I didn't expect her to still be alive, or rather, this could be her descendant." Fallon's mind moved quickly as he tried to squeeze any excuse he could from his mind."Why haven't I heard you talk about this old acquaintance before?" Carla was suspicious. However, Fallon had never lied to her before. At least, she had never caught him lying before. She was not entirely sure if he was telling lies right now."You know how the Nefarious Deity Sect would sometimes discover unique and powerful monsters whenever we visualize Nefarious Spirits or tame dark beasts. Yara Fries looks very much like a human-form monster I discovered with phoenix bloodline."She refused to bow down to me. Since I could not have her, I killed her. I was not as powerful then, and I had a hard time trying to kill her. I was relegated to using despicable methods in the fight. That's why I… lost my calm whe
However, the rules did not state that fighters were not allowed to admit defeat, which was why the referee ruled that Chase had won.Most elites in the spectators did not know the Fries family well, but they still came forward to ask about the fight. Some of them went off to watch other fights with a sorry look or a look of disdain on their face.Carla, who was seated at the very top, said, "Interesting.""Why would you say that?"Fallon, who had been looking forward to watching a descendant of the Phoenix Deity in action, was feeling upset about the outcome. He asked the question when he heard Carla's comment."They were putting up an act," Carla said with a smile."Huh? Wouldn't that be rigging a fight? What are you smiling about?" Fallon felt angrier after hearing her explanation. He was the one in charge of the tournament, and they were rigging a fight right under his nose. That was disrespectful to the city lord."Didn't he organize this tournament to find out more about thi
"Huh. I didn't expect you to know so much." Yara was surprised."Of course, I know stuff." Chase felt a little proud about it but quickly said, "You should hurry up. There are a lot of people waiting out there.""Alright. I'll make it quick."The Holy Path is a relic of the calamity years ago. As for the ninth level, it was created by the Light Divine Pearl to protect himself by fusing pieces of the world collected from every corner of the universe."Currently, the Holy Path on the sixth level leads directly to the sealed location where the Light Divine Pearl's true form is. The Light Divine Pearl's image projection on the ninth level is where he is able to use most of his powers."Something happened while he was fusing the ninth level. The maximum cultivations on each level are different, and the Light Divine Pearl's image projection is unable to merge with his true form."That's why he used the body refinement of the Divine Order's Flame to leave a mark on you to help you pass t
"What has this got anything to do with me?"Chase could not understand the woman in front of him. Why would she say all these in the arena?"Before that, allow me to share a secret with you. The male and female phoenixes were supposed to be one."Chase was about to say something when Yara interrupted him, "The Rising of the Phoenix is not only about enhancing power after rebirth; it's a process of a male turning into a female and vice versa."But since the Dragon and Phoenix Calamity, the Phoenix Deity is the only Phoenix Demon Saint left, and he lost his power from the Rising to switch genders. He's unable to recover to his original power as well."However, he predicted that someone would be able to break him out of his suffering while wading in the river of fate."Yara looked into Chase's eyes with a smile."Is that person… me?"Anyone could tell the answer at this point.Chase was aware of what Yara was trying to tell him, but he still found it unbelievable when he asked the
Chase was the only person qualified to judge if there was murderous intent as he was the opponent in the arena.When Yara played the flute, it sounded like a beautiful melody from above the Ninth Heaven at first. If one listened closely, one could identify the vague signs of murderous intent.Chase scoffed at this. He thought it to be childish for one to hide murderous intent that way.He did not know music at all, but even he could tell what Yara was doing. Yara was looking down on him by doing this.When Chase was about to make his move, he was suddenly pulled into an illusion by the opponent. Chase was on a floating cloud above the Ninth Heaven in the illusion. It was just as Carla had said.He was initially flustered. How was he going to defend himself against the next killing move with such a powerful technique?While he was gathering all the vital energy within him, a sweet, melodious voice was heard. "Please don't retaliate, Mr. Collins. I bear no ill will."A tall, slen
"History scrolls don't really help with my cultivation. They make me drowsy every time, so I don't read them," Ford continued explaining without holding back. It did not seem wrong to him.However, his words made an impression on those listening.Ford was able to pick up the dragon clan's mystical techniques after reading them once. He even claimed it was not necessary to read them a second time. Was he even human? Oh, wait. He was a dragon. Tiana stared at him, not knowing what to say next.The Saintess of Emerald Lake Holy Land had not only fought with her talents yesterday but also with her hard work.When Tiana first entered Emerald Lake Holy Land, her master told her that her talents were upper-middle at best. She was considered extremely lucky to be accepted to the sect.Emerald Lake Holy Land was one of the top five sects in this world. It was second only to Sky Dragon Holy Land among the Four Holy Lands. Every disciple was the cream of the crop.Tiana grabbed attention t
Yara placed his flute to his lips and warned Chase, "I'll be making my move, Mr. Collins.""Please go ahead." Chase waved his hand casually and indicated for Yara to go ahead.It was the third round, and everyone at this stage was not to be underestimated. A powerhouse with a musical instrument for a weapon was rare. Chase looked forward to exchanging hands with him.The melodious sound of the flute was soon heard. All of the spectators could feel the atmosphere become more relaxed."Why is this Musical Technique non-lethal?""This can't be right. How did Yara Fries get into the third round? There's nothing formidable about this piece of music.""Is there anyone here who can explain?""He used his flute as a weapon in the previous rounds and knocked out his opponents with a couple of moves. He didn't play any music then.""Is he giving leeway to the opponent?""Could he be hinting at the opponent with his music that they're soulmates? They might end up being taken with each oth
As Clive had gained quite a lot, he decided to let it be. He allowed himself to let go of things. However, that being's consciousness began to open up to Clive, and that was when Clive realized how powerful the being was.It was one against the 12 Primal Treasures, and the universe was its target. It had existed for millions of years. The result of allowing it to take over was Clive losing complete control of his body. It was a projected image that vanished after Chase defeated it.However, Clive's body had been modified by it, and Clive's mind and soul were unable to control his own body. This was what had caused Clive to look like he was in a daze right after the match.Rania then used a mystical technique to transmit her cultivation and combine the powers of both parties. It triggered a lost talent within Clive that merged all of the swordsmanship he cultivated to form an unknown sword form that had never been seen before.Clive felt like he had been revived.He looked at the Ni