Chapter 77 - 75: Severe Injury, The Shock of the Fire of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 77: Chapter 75: Severe Injury, The Shock of the Fire of Heaven and Earth

The moment the final figure from the Celestial Sword Sect made a move, everyone paled in horror.

"Spirit Transformation! He’s actually a peerless monster who has achieved Spirit Transformation!"

"Dugu Hongyun! It’s Dugu Hongyun from the Celestial Sword Sect’s ranking of the seventy-two peerless monsters!"

"This man is a true monster among monsters. Even within the second echelon, he definitely ranks in the middle."

"How long has it been since he entered the ancient ruins? To think he has already achieved Spirit Transformation. It’s unbelievable."

RUMBLE!!!

The instant Dugu Hongyun took a step forward, the entire mountain range seemed to tremble. The void violently shuddered, nearly collapsing under the terrifying pressure radiating from his body.

Spirit Transformation—a true Spirit Transformation Realm Powerhouse in every sense of the word.

Although Lin Chen and the others were also in the Spirit Transformation Realm, they were merely in a transitional phase. Only after undergoing Spirit Transformation could one be considered a true powerhouse with heaven-defying means.

The moment Dugu Hongyun struck, many terrifying peerless monsters with auras rivaling his own kept their eyes fixed on the scene. Clearly, they were all truly terrifying existences within the second echelon. Even now, they would not easily engage in combat with someone equally formidable.

This was also the reason why Dugu Hongyun had delayed making a move. Once he struck, he would expose some of his trump cards, and he was far from the only terrifying monster present here.

At the same time as the crowd’s shock, Qin Chen and the others witnessed this scene from afar.

"It’s Dugu Hongyun from the Celestial Sword Sect! What do we do?"

"Brother Qin can’t possibly be his match. The gap between just entering the Spirit Transformation Realm and Spirit Transformation is like an unbridgeable chasm. It’s impossible for him to win."

Qin Ye and the rest paled in shock. Their expressions changed drastically as they sensed the terrifying power emanating from Dugu Hongyun. Qin Xiangyuan was even more frantic with worry, her stomach tied in knots.

Yet, despite their faces being filled with urgent anxiety, there was nothing they could do to help. They could only watch helplessly as Dugu Hongyun charged toward the figure in white. At this moment, Qin Xiangyuan and the others were too far away from Jiang Hao’s location. It was impossible for them to rush over in time, and even if they could, they were no match for Dugu Hongyun.

On the other side.

The moment Dugu Hongyun made his move, Jiang Hao sensed it, and his expression drastically changed. His cultivation time was still too short. When facing a monster among monsters like this, the gap between them was not just a tiny bit.

"He’s far too strong. I can’t possibly fight him," Jiang Hao instantly judged.

The Spirit Transformation Realm was unlike the realms before it. Every transformation was incredibly terrifying, representing a gap almost comparable to an entire major realm below it. This could not simply be bridged by talent and potential; it was an insurmountable suppression of cultivation realms.

While Jiang Hao was thinking, Dugu Hongyun had already arrived, bearing a terrifying pressure aimed to crush him. He saw the opponent throw a punch, and the entire night sky seemed to boil.

"You are the first to force my hand," Dugu Hongyun said with a cold sneer, as if he possessed absolute confidence in crushing the figure in white.

One couldn’t blame him for his bursting confidence. For a Cultivator at Spirit Transformation to crush one in a transitional stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm was indeed as easy as flipping one’s hand.

But in the next moment.

BOOM!!!

A deafening explosion rang out. The terrifying might of the punch rippled through the world, sweeping across the peak of the Endless Mountain Range. Dugu Hongyun felt a shock run through his fist, as if he had punched a solid wall of steel. A violent backlash surged toward him like a tidal wave.

"The Celestial Silkworm Leaf?"

Astonishingly, Dugu Hongyun had not struck Jiang Hao’s body. Instead, his punch landed on a semi-transparent leaf that had rapidly expanded in the wind. This leaf was none other than the Upper Spirit Magical Artifact belonging to Sword Unrivaled—the Celestial Silkworm Leaf!

When slaying Sword Unrivaled several hours ago, Jiang Hao had also claimed this magical treasure. However, because he had not yet erased the aura of Sword Unrivaled, he could not unleash the Celestial Silkworm Leaf’s peak power. Even so, it managed to block Dugu Hongyun’s fatal strike.

Nearly ninety percent of the terrifying Spirit Transformation power was neutralized by the Celestial Silkworm Leaf. Only ten percent of the residual might transferred through the leaf, violently sweeping toward the figure in white.

Sensing this remaining ten percent of terrifying transformative power, even the current Jiang Hao paled in shock and unleashed a sword strike with all his might.

BOOM!

The Sword Qi collided with the residual shockwave, erupting into an extremely terrifying Spiritual Power storm. Within that storm, the figure in white was instantly sent flying backward, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood.

"Brother Qin Fan?" Qin Xiangyuan cried out in alarm upon seeing this from afar.

Even Qin Ye and the others looked extremely grim. The realm suppression of Spirit Transformation was far more terrifying than anyone had imagined.

It wasn’t just the Qin Family members who were shaken to their core; countless Cultivators were equally horrified. Just the aftershock alone was enough to severely injure a peerless monster who had entered the transitional stage of the realm. What a massive gap in cultivation this was!

"A Spirit Transformation Realm Powerhouse who has completed the transformation is too powerful. They are completely on a different level."

"And this is the result after the Celestial Silkworm Leaf blocked ninety percent of the power. If he didn’t have it, his fate would be obvious."

"Still, to be able to take ten percent of the strength from a Spirit Transformation expert, this peerless monster named Jiang Hao is also terrifyingly strong," a peerless genius who understood the gaps within the Spirit Transformation Realm muttered to himself.

Even some peerless monsters with strength no less than Dugu Hongyun’s were utterly shocked and subconsciously spoke up.

"Not even ten percent of his strength could kill him? Is Dugu Hongyun fearsome, or is this guy even more terrifying?"

A monster among monsters who was also at Spirit Transformation stared with eyes full of disbelief. No one understood better than them just how formidable a Spirit Transformer was after undergoing Spirit Transformation. Against a transitional Cultivator who had not yet reached that stage, it should have been an absolute one-hit kill. Even using only ten percent of their strength, it should have been an undisputed instant kill.

Yet, the figure in white had actually withstood the blow. This caused many peerless monsters who had already reached Spirit Transformation to pay close attention.

"He’s a Body Cultivator. This man is an extremely terrifying Body Cultivator. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to survive a lethal strike of Spirit Transformation."

"A dual-system monster?"

Upon realizing that the figure in white was actually a dual-system monster, everyone was horrified beyond measure.

However, Jiang Hao himself was not having an easy time right now. The Spirit Transformation attack had nearly injured his internal organs. Had it not been for his terrifyingly robust physical body, he likely wouldn’t have been able to endure it.

"Hmph, using a magical treasure from my Celestial Sword Sect to block me? How laughable."

Watching this, Dugu Hongyun immediately let out a cold sneer. With a wave of his large hand, the Celestial Silkworm Leaf that Jiang Hao had deployed rapidly shrank and drifted back toward Dugu Hongyun.

"Take another punch!"

RUMBLE!!!

Under the watchful eyes of the masses, this punch from Dugu Hongyun was visibly much more tyrannical, as he even utilized a martial skill. A massive fist imprint, as large as a mountain, shattered the void and smashed toward the young man in white.

If this punch landed, Jiang Hao, having lost the Celestial Silkworm Leaf to neutralize the blow, would inevitably meet his doom. However, just in the nick of time, Jiang Hao shouted loudly.

"Fire of Heaven and Earth, manifest!"

Suddenly.

WHOOSH!!!

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!

Endless fire elements of heaven and earth were instantly triggered. A scorching heat rushed forth as terrifying flames appeared out of thin air, instantly setting the void ablaze. The raging flames first ignited from a single point before spreading out in all directions.

In just a short moment, the sky above the entire mountain range looked like an inverted sea of fire, burning so fiercely that the void became extremely distorted. Not only that, but as Jiang Hao frantically channeled his Spiritual Power, fires erupted everywhere across the sky, catching almost all the Cultivators in the crossfire.

"Oh no, it’s the Fire of Heaven and Earth! The Fire of Heaven and Earth!"

"Dodge quickly! This is true fire born of heaven and earth. If it taints you, it’s extremely troublesome. At best, it takes years to extinguish; at worst, you’ll be burned to ashes on the spot!"

"What a terrifying fire-controlling ability! He’s an Alchemy Master too? And definitely not an ordinary one at that."

The moment the terrifying flames threatened to engulf them, countless proud sons and daughters of heaven paled in shock, thoroughly astounded beyond measure. The Fire of Heaven and Earth summoned by the figure in white was simply too dreadful. The world-shocking flames not only blanketed the sky and the earth, but they also instantly transformed the Endless Mountain Range into a sea of fire.

The raging inferno incinerated everything in its path, creating a startling and awe-inspiring sight. The entire mountain range was instantly thrown into absolute chaos as everyone scrambled to avoid the true fire of heaven and earth.

Compared to the crowd, the flame attacks targeting Dugu Hongyun were far more terrifying. Looking at the billowing flames, even this terrifying existence among peerless monsters had no choice but to pull his punch and retreat.

And this was exactly what Jiang Hao wanted. Using the opening created when his opponent withdrew the punch, he dove headfirst into the blazing sea of fire. With merely a thought, the sea of fire parted to clear a path for Jiang Hao. Once he passed, the flames engulfed the space and closed up again, as if protecting their ’master’ while he made his escape.

"Trying to leave? It won’t be that easy. Can a little fire really stop me?"

Seeing the figure vanish into the sea of fire, Dugu Hongyun immediately circulated his internal Spiritual Power, rapidly condensing a transparent suit of armor before plunging headfirst into the flames, frantically searching for Jiang Hao’s aura.

The scorching flames continuously gnawed at the armor temporarily formed from Spiritual Power. Whenever it was on the verge of being completely incinerated, Dugu Hongyun would mobilize his Spiritual Power again to re-condense it to resist the true fire. He was completely relying on his Spiritual Power to force his way through the fiery sea.

Of course, this peerless monster knew very well that the opponent’s Spiritual Power could not possibly sustain such a massive manifestation of fire elements for long.

Sure enough.

In just a few breaths, Dugu Hongyun’s figure burst out of the sky-filling inferno, but at the same time, he had completely lost track of the figure in white.

"No matter how incredible your concealment methods are, you can’t simply vanish into thin air. It will just take a bit more effort," Dugu Hongyun muttered. "You can’t escape. If I don’t kill you, won’t I, Dugu Hongyun, become a laughingstock?"

At this moment, Dugu Hongyun was already consumed by murderous intent. The fact that his opponent managed to slip away after he struck twice made him feel thoroughly insulted.

It had to be said, a monster among peerless monsters was indeed a monster. Hovering in the void for only a brief moment, he actually managed to find a trace of a clue. A dismissive gleam flashed in his eyes as Dugu Hongyun instantly locked onto a direction and rapidly gave chase.

At the same time.

Within the endless sea of fire, countless Cultivators stared at the overwhelming Fire of Heaven and Earth and drew in sharp breaths of cold air.

"Thank goodness it isn’t a Fire Secret Technique. It’s just a simple manipulation of the Fire of Heaven and Earth, otherwise, we would have been in grave danger."

"If he is already this terrifying without having practiced a Fire Secret Technique, what would happen if he trained in those Secret Techniques exclusive to Pill Masters?"

"This person is simply too fearsome. No wonder the Celestial Sword Sect is relentlessly hunting him down at all costs. If he is allowed to mature, he will become an inescapable nightmare for the Celestial Sword Sect."

"Senior Brother Dugu has chased after him. I hope he can suppress this person quickly to avoid any further complications."

The members of the Celestial Sword Sect watched the spot where the two had vanished at the edge of the sea of fire, their breathing heavy and rapid. Meanwhile, Qin City’s group couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Whether Jiang Hao could escape Dugu Hongyun’s pursuit was yet to be seen, but at the very least, he had managed to flee the immediate vicinity.

With this exchange, the battle had essentially drawn to a close.

However, the name Jiang Hao began to spread like wildfire. More and more proud sons and daughters of heaven heard the countless legends about him.

"What did you say? He slaughtered countless peerless geniuses single-handedly? He consecutively slew more than ten peerless monsters?"

"Jiang Hao of Xingyue City."

As the news spread like wildfire, countless Cultivators were left utterly dumbfounded. To slay over ten peerless monsters consecutively right after stepping into the Spirit Transformation Realm—even in the previous era of geniuses battling for supremacy, this would have been a profoundly dazzling battle record.

For a time, many Cultivators committed this name to memory, secretly warning themselves to avoid a direct confrontation at all costs if they ever encountered him in a land of serendipity.

And when Tang Yan and Tang Xun’Er received this news, both stood rooted to the spot in shock. This was especially true for Tang Xun’Er. Back when Jiang Hao fought the Qilin Child in a life-and-death battle, Tang Xun’Er had not been in Xingyue City.

Now, as news regarding that "local peerless genius" came flooding in one after another, this sister of Tang Yan, the Ninth Young Lady of the Tang Family, finally realized why her brother held that man in such high regard.