Chapter 450: Peerless Edge (11,400!)

As his voice faded, Wang Ping smoothed his sleeves and stood with his hands behind his back, exuding absolute confidence. This casual demeanor brought a slight change to Gu Han's expression as they faced each other.

"Arrogant, or truly confident?"

Gu Han fixed his gaze on him. A second, vertical pupil opened within his eyes, reflecting a flame-like golden light that captured every detail of Wang Ping's figure and aura.

'Qi Refining Second Layer, Third Layer Heaven Breaking.'

In all fairness, this level of combat strength was astonishing. After all, Third Layer Heaven Breaking was the threshold for the Qi Refining Third Layer, especially in an era that did not prioritize sheer combat power.

An ordinary practitioner at the Qi Refining Second Layer would exhaust more than half their lifespan just on cultivation, leaving them no energy to study combat arts. Let alone Third Layer Heaven Breaking, merely possessing the combat strength of First Layer Heaven Breaking would mark someone as outstanding among their peers. This clearly demonstrated Wang Ping's aptitude; at the very least, Gu Han knew his own talent fell far short.

"A pity you were born in the wrong era," he murmured.

Believing he had seen through Wang Ping's foundation, Gu Han cast aside his hesitation. After all, he carried a True Person's decree on this trip; no matter what, he had to act.

He immediately formed a hand seal and pointed forward.

In an instant, streaks of flame lit up the Cosmic Deep Space. Roaring with thunder and trailing flying fire, they surged toward Wang Ping like a tide crashing against a shore.

Wang Ping's eyes flickered slightly at the sight. Without retreating a single inch, he rallied his own magical power. In the blink of an eye, a vast, boundless ocean materialized.

[Great Ravine of No Return]! This divine power corresponded to the [Heavenly River Ancient Constellation] within the Earth Yin Water qi manifestation. It covertly connected to the Ren Water Heavenly River, possessing the marvel of inexhaustibility, and its activation now brought a tremendous, crushing momentum.

The qi manifestations of both sides collided with a deafening boom. Divine powers surged as water and fire warred. The sounds of their clashes exploded continuously outside the Grotto-Heaven, sending aftershocks scattering in all directions. Whether monstrous waves or flying fire, the scene looked brilliantly radiant, yet it carried the terrifying might to shatter continents and boil seas.

Witnessing this scene, the expressions of the many Qi Refining practitioners inside the Grotto-Heaven—who had originally intended to watch the spectacle—changed drastically. They decisively formed seals and chanted incantations, shielding the patch of ground beneath their feet.

In one of the corners.

Mingyou and Tianxing were also watching. A bright lamp seemed to light up between heaven and earth, rippling with flame light that formlessly neutralized all the shockwaves falling around them.

"He's grown stronger again," Mingyou said.

Mingyou stared blankly outside the Grotto-Heaven, his expression somewhat complicated. Thinking back to those years, how long had it taken him, and how much effort had he expended to achieve this level of combat strength?

He stopped thinking about it. It was too depressing.

Beside him, Tianxing maintained a constant scowl. Ever since returning from the Plain Treading Realm, this gold-qi Dao child had been in a noticeably foul mood.

After all, he had painstakingly brought back the Light of Myriad Treasures, only for his reward to vanish into thin air, leaving his efforts as futile as drawing water with a bamboo basket. How could he not complain? However, mindful of the principle of not passing his negative emotions onto his big brother, Tianxing set those feelings aside when Mingyou spoke.

"Does Daoist Brother wish to lend a hand?" Tianxing hurriedly chimed in.

"Why, do you think he'll lose?" Mingyou cast a sidelong glance at him.

"Could he actually win?" Tianxing asked.

Tianxing blinked, finding it somewhat unbelievable.

"The one who came this time isn't a contemporary cultivator. That's clearly an ancient demon, at least at the level of Seventh Layer Heaven Breaking," he said.

And if Wang Ping could beat Gu Han, it was highly likely he could effortlessly thrash him as well.

'It couldn't be, right?'

"Relying purely on his own strength, he probably can't win," Mingyou said.

Mingyou also harbored some doubts, yet his tone was resolute.

"But this little beast never does anything he isn't confident in. He absolutely wouldn't act rashly."

"If he truly couldn't win, he would definitely back down."

"And since he did make a move, it proves he possesses absolute certainty. He's confident that even if he can't win, he won't suffer a crushing defeat; at the very least, he can stand on equal footing with his opponent." By the end of his sentence, a hint of curiosity surfaced in Mingyou's eyes.

"...Let's just watch," he added.

Outside the Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven, the Daoist reverberations and tremors brought on by the war between water and fire continued for an unknown span of time before finally subsiding. The water stilled and the fire extinguished as both sides halted their probing. Yes, it was merely a probe.

Even though the aftershocks of their collision were enough to change the expression of a First Layer Qi Refining cultivator, in the eyes of Gu Han and Wang Ping, these were merely minor techniques used to test each other's foundation and depths.

And the result of this probe caused Gu Han's expression to turn a fraction more solemn.

'What profound magical power. Under the circulation of his divine powers, it feels practically inexhaustible. The True Person said this brat had reached perfection in nine qi manifestations, and he indeed lives up to the reputation. It seems suppressing him purely through magical power is no longer possible.'

Thinking to this point, he decided not to hold back any longer and gave his body a shake.

"Boom!"

In an instant, an auspicious cloud slowly rose from the center of Gu Han's brows. Initially, it was no larger than a single mu, but in a flash, it transformed into a towering mountain of clouds.

At the peak of this cloud mountain, a morning sun rose high. Its flame light formed a perfect circle, unexpectedly projecting an image of a sunrise over a mountain range deep within the Cosmic Deep Space as it chopped straight down toward Wang Ping's head.

This auspicious cloud was a manifestation formed after reaching the Qi Refining stage. Converged from various qi manifestations, it was the location of one's Dao foundation, and the [Heavenly Gate] required for future true cultivation had to be forged from within it. Having just contested magical power where Wang Ping didn't lose the slightest bit of ground, Gu Han now sent forth his auspicious cloud with the intent of comparing their underlying foundations.

Seeing this, Wang Ping smiled calmly.

Immediately, still without dodging or evading, he raised his own auspicious cloud. It was as deep as an abyss and as steady as a mountain—resembling a surging, boundless ocean with the faint silhouette of a dragon weaving through it.

The two auspicious clouds collided once more!

This time, the two sides finally revealed their superiority and inferiority. It was Wang Ping who fell a step behind, simply because within the auspicious cloud Gu Han manifested, there was also a Golden Lamp blooming with radiant light.

'Two streaks of heaven and earth qi...'

Wang Ping raised an eyebrow slightly.

He had reached perfection in nine qi manifestations, a rarity since ancient times. Judging by a single qi alone, Gu Han was absolutely not his match. However, the addition of an extra qi made things completely different. Gu Han's combat strategy was exceedingly simple: crush his opponent with sheer force. Relying on the absolute advantage of having an extra qi, he pitted his foundation against Wang Ping's without leaving the slightest room for variation. Although straightforward, it was exceptionally troublesome to deal with. Wang Ping thought to himself that if this attrition continued, he would definitely be squeezed to death by the other party.

With this thought in mind, Wang Ping immediately pulled back and retreated.

Naturally unwilling to give him breathing room, Gu Han immediately spurred his auspicious cloud to press the attack further, crashing all the way into the Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven.

'This is actually perfect... Let's test out those methods of mine!'

Upon entering the Grotto-Heaven, the situation shifted again. Wang Ping completed his hand seals, and immediately, the vast spiritual tides of the entire Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven augmented his body.

In the next breath, the hand seals in his grasp changed.

"Strike!"

In a flash, augmented by the power of the Grotto-Heaven, the auspicious cloud above Wang Ping's head violently churned. It unexpectedly manifested the five colors of green, yellow, red, white, and black, which blended and transformed into a sphere of radiance.

Then, it abruptly opened!

This opening was like a clenched fist exploding outward, transforming into a palm. The five fingers embodied the Five Phases, blotting out the sky and covering the earth as it reached out from within the auspicious cloud to slap toward Gu Han.

[Pre-Heaven Limitless Palm Imprint]!

Wang Ping had previously executed this palm imprint by combining the strength of his Five Phases Yin Gods. Now, however, it directly linked to the Great Dao of the [Five Phases], resulting in a level of might that couldn't be mentioned in the same breath. Its five fingers spread wide, encompassing the Five Phases. Before it even truly struck Gu Han's auspicious cloud, a frenzied current arrived first, pressing down heavily upon Gu Han and immobilizing him. He could only watch helplessly as this palm descended with monumental majesty, seemingly intent on shattering his auspicious cloud with a single strike!

Yet, seeing this, Gu Han was not alarmed, but delighted.

'He finally resorted to his techniques.'

He didn't fear Wang Ping clashing head-on with him. If Wang Ping had deliberately hidden his strength and eventually retreated in defeat, it would have been harder for him to handle. Now, this played exactly into his hands.

"Hoo!"

Parting his lips and teeth slightly, Gu Han puffed up his chest and then abruptly exhaled. Immediately, a ball of blazing fire interwoven with dark golden radiance appeared, surging out to meet Wang Ping's palm imprint.

At first glance, that blazing fire was no thicker than a thumb. Compared to Wang Ping's palm imprint, it was like the difference between a grain of sand and an ocean. However, when the two collided, the blazing fire seemed to receive nourishment. It expanded wildly against the wind, enveloping the entire palm imprint in the blink of an eye and stealing away its radiance. Consequently, heaven and earth plunged into sudden gloom.

Only when the dim light dispersed did heaven and earth gradually grow clear again.

Looking at the scene, Wang Ping's palm imprint had already vanished without a trace. That streak of dark golden blazing fire had also extinguished, having burned through its firewood. Unexpectedly, both attacks had mutually annihilated each other.

The Cosmos subsequently cleared up.

'A spiritual fire...'

Wang Ping raised his eyebrows slightly at the sight.

'Just like the [Profound Yang Overarching Fire], it's a spiritual fire created by the unification of the Heavenly Yang Fire and Earth Yin Fire qi manifestations. In this collision, it still looks like we are evenly matched, but in reality, I fell into a disadvantage. The opponent's spiritual fire is extremely vicious, akin to gangrene attached to the bone. If I hadn't severed my connection to the palm imprint at the very first moment, that flame light might have even followed the link between my magical power and divine power to burn my body.'

"Fascinating," he remarked.

Filled with the thrill of the hunt, Wang Ping couldn't help but chuckle softly. After all, it had been a very long time since he had experienced a battle capable of placing him under such tremendous pressure.

The opponents he had encountered previously had been either too strong or too weak. The ones who were too strong, he simply didn't fight, relying instead on covert schemes; the ones who were too weak, he crushed outright.

Only now, facing Gu Han in his human form, did he finally recover some of the exhilaration of combat. Originally, he had planned to exchange a few blows before activating the [Heavenly Glutton Lifespan-Devouring Profound Array], but now he changed his mind. Such an excellent whetstone—wouldn't it be a shame to discard it without using it?

On the other side, however, Gu Han's mood was not nearly as good.

'To think he's completely unharmed...'

He was very surprised!

That streak of blazing fire just now, called the [Sun-Eclipsing Profound Flame], wasn't an ordinary spiritual fire. It was one of his vicious methods, unleashed with the intent of achieving a decisive victory.

As long as Wang Ping harbored the intention to clash head-on, he would have been burned by this spiritual fire, which would follow the connection of magical power and divine power straight into his auspicious cloud, igniting his very life force. Unfortunately, Wang Ping's reaction speed was incredibly fast; he severed the connection between the two almost a split second before the blazing fire made contact with the palm imprint.

As a result, his killing blow had completely missed.

He had used his trump card, yet it only managed to shatter a single divine power without injuring Wang Ping's foundation. If compared seriously, he had actually exposed his own bottom line. From this perspective, even though he had won the exchange of moves just now, he had fallen into a passive state when looking at the overall situation of the battle.

After all, the spiritual fire had already been exposed, and the other party would now be on guard. If he wanted to win, relying solely on the spiritual fire and ordinary methods was definitely out of the question. He had to employ more tricks... With this in mind, Gu Han finally reached into his sleeve. Following a resounding metallic ring, he unexpectedly drew a longsword from within.

In the next second, flame light erupted!

Gu Han's figure vanished instantly. Riding the flame light, he arrived in front of Wang Ping in a flash. The longsword in his hand drove straight in, thrusting directly toward the center of Wang Ping's brows.

'Your divine powers are extraordinary, but what about your martial techniques?'

In his era, a magical battle wasn't just about picking up divine powers and spiritual treasures to blast each other. Dodging, shifting, and the arts of close-quarters combat and grappling were equally crucial.

Gu Han believed that most cultivators of this era were unaccustomed to real combat. Even if they had profound foundations and could break through multiple heavens, they didn't necessarily know how to effectively wield that combat strength.

Very quickly, however, he realized he had miscalculated.

"Clang!"

In the span of a spark, a longsword unexpectedly appeared in Wang Ping's hand as well. Its blade, imbued with profound mysteries and stained with blood, steadily parried the sword edge Gu Han chopped toward his face.

[Northern Palace Divine Edge]!

The instant the two swords clashed, Gu Han's expression shifted drastically. He clearly sensed that the spiritual sword in his hand was somehow failing to match his opponent's. One must know, his spiritual sword boasted an impressive origin. Forged from an inverse scale on his own Fire Qilin demon body and bound to his very life, it was called the [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword]. It was a genuine slaughtering spiritual sword that had never once failed him. This was the very first time he had encountered something stronger.

'Could it be... a profound artifact?'

Gu Han's mind raced. His figure instantly dissipated into flame light, drifting and swirling around Wang Ping as he planned to avoid its sharp edge and seek an opportunity using martial techniques.

In the next breath, a sword cry rang out again.

"Zheng!"

Beside Wang Ping, Gu Han's figure coalesced, thrusting out with a sword once more. This time, however, Wang Ping ignored it entirely. With a backhand swing, he chopped his own sword right back.

Seeing this, Gu Han instantly understood that Wang Ping intended to engage in mutually assured destruction. If left unchecked, his sword would certainly strike Wang Ping, but Wang Ping's sword would also strike him just the same. Ultimately, whoever's sword might proved superior would firmly seize the upper hand.

'I cannot retreat!'

Highly proficient in martial techniques, Gu Han realized instantly that if he backed down out of cowardice now, Wang Ping would seize the momentum to pursue, and he would definitely fall into a disadvantage.

But if they clashed head-on, his own [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword] was inferior to his opponent's, and he would only end up injuring himself... With these thoughts, he quickly formulated a plan.

In the following second, the two arcs of sword light struck their marks simultaneously.

"Boom!" On Wang Ping's side, the sword edge pierced cleanly through his left shoulder. It had originally been aimed straight at his chest, but he had twisted his body at the crucial moment, dodging a fatal blow.

On the other side, a suit of armor abruptly surfaced on Gu Han's body. Layered with scales and covered in thousands of talismanic scripts, the armor collectively projected a radiant glow that blocked the descending [Northern Palace Divine Edge] in mid-air, preventing it from harming him in the slightest. In this exchange, it was Wang Ping who suffered a silent loss.

'Although you are a Dao child, you still don't hail from the Immortal Realm!'

A smile played at the corners of Gu Han's mouth.

A lower cultivator like him from the Immortal Realm, protected by a True Monarch, was born for the purpose of borrowing the false to cultivate the true. Aside from magical power and divine powers, he was armed to the teeth! For instance, this [Profound Yang Crimson Qilin Armor] he wore was a supremely high-quality protective treasure. Outside the Immortal Realm, one couldn't find a single piece like it, even if they scoured the mountains and boiled the seas.

'I should pursue the victory and press the attack!'

Gu Han knew well that at such close range, as long as he was fast enough, no matter how great your divine powers or how deep your magical power, you wouldn't be able to utilize any of it. The only thing one could rely on was the Sharp Weapon in their hand. In the fraction of a second, they would hack and slash at each other, trading injury for injury and life for life, seeing only whose life carried more weight!

"Boom!"

Gu Han decisively thrust his sword, but saw that Wang Ping—having forcefully endured his previous strike—showed no fear whatsoever. He even raised his sword to counterattack, prompting Gu Han to offer a quiet praise in his heart:

'What fine temperament...'

After the destruction of the Great Rebellion, he had ventured out of the Grotto-Heaven a few times to engage contemporary cultivators in battle. Yet, Wang Ping was the first person he had met who was exceptionally skilled in close-quarters combat.

Setting aside everything else, if an ordinary cultivator had landed in Wang Ping's situation, they would definitely have panicked. Their first reaction would be to retreat or shift from offense to defense. But in doing so, they would only allow him to press his advantage. Unable to flee, their defenses would be whittled down, and ultimately, he would defeat them with ease.

Furthermore, the moment they panicked, their speed would drop.

By the time the opponent reacted, he would have already slashed hundreds or thousands of times, establishing an insurmountable advantage, making it nearly impossible for them to turn the tables. Therefore, the only option was a counter-offensive.

And it had to be a counter-offensive without the slightest hesitation—suppressing the sword with a sword, pitting their lives against each other, fighting until both sides were utterly exhausted. Only then could one find a chance to escape.

"Well come!" he shouted.

In a flash, profound fire sword light clashed against demon-slaughtering sharp energy. The heavy layers of the void shattered, blooming like a lotus flower and carrying heaven-shaking howls of sword cries.

Such a ferocious martial collision was completely on another level for the Qi Refining practitioners watching below. Their expressions changed one after another. They reasoned that if they were placed in either fighter's shoes, they would inevitably be overwhelmed; they would be killed before they could even utilize three-tenths of their divine powers or spiritual treasures.

"Bang!"

Sword light erupted again, unexpectedly rendering heaven and earth in black and white. Then, Gu Han heard a crisp cracking sound—it was the noise of the armor on his body shattering inch by inch.

This unforeseen turn alarmed Gu Han.

His [Profound Yang Crimson Qilin Armor] had been forged from his own heart's blood and brimmed with demonic nature. He had believed that even against a profound artifact, it could endure for quite some time.

Why had it shattered so quickly?

'Could it be... this sword possesses the wondrous effect of slaughtering demons and executing monsters?'

Gu Han's combat experience was extremely rich. He quickly deduced the reason from the shattered armor. Warning bells went off in his heart, along with a bit of relief. Fortunately, he hadn't chosen to trade injury for injury, using his armor to defend instead. Otherwise, if his very life had been struck by this demon-slaying sword, there was no telling who would have emerged victorious... Amidst his thoughts, Wang Ping's second sword had already chopped down. Not daring to be careless, Gu Han immediately sacrificed another spiritual treasure.

This time, it was a crimson pill.

This item was the inner core he had refined for many years with spiritual fire using his Qilin body. It possessed the ability to substitute for death, capable of receiving the mysterious lethal outer force in his stead.

Now rising into the air, it instantly took the place of the shattered [Profound Yang Crimson Qilin Armor], once again blocking Wang Ping's demon-slaying sword. Subsequently, Gu Han launched a backhand chop.

"Spurt!"

Wang Ping was struck by another sword strike. Gu Han had even infused the [Sun-Eclipsing Profound Flame] into the sword light. At this moment, the raging flames burrowed into the wound like a venomous snake.

In an instant, it ignited his life force.

Looking at the scene, Gu Han remained completely unharmed, while Wang Ping had practically turned into a human torch. His aura rapidly decayed, and it looked as though his life was about to be forfeit.

Yet, before Gu Han could even crack a smile.

Suddenly, a thick tome materialized above Wang Ping's head. Its pages rustled open, and a stream of brilliant light cascaded down, brushing over Wang Ping.

Gu Han's eyes immediately went wide. He watched as Wang Ping, whose life force had just been ignited, instantly returned to his original state. Whether it was the spiritual fire, the sword wound, or even the loss of lifespan, all of it had been swept away by that brilliant light. Finally, the damage morphed into a picture, imprinting itself onto a page of the tome.

[Cyclic Life-Substituting Book]! The immortal book of water qi, able to use its mystical pages to bear lethal injuries in its master's stead. The grievous wound Gu Han had painstakingly dealt, at the cost of a spiritual armor, was simply gone!

'Not good...'

Gu Han's expression changed slightly at this sight. He knew he had miscalculated. He hadn't expected Wang Ping to possess such a divine power. He could only silently curse the water qi's unreasonableness.

What astonished him even more, however, was that Wang Ping could actually fight him to this extent. He had seen it clearly with his Dharma eyes earlier: Wang Ping was only at Third Layer Heaven Breaking. While Gu Han was in his human form, he still retained the combat strength of Fifth Layer Heaven Breaking. In a real fight, theoretically, it should have been a crushing sweep.

Yet reality proved otherwise.

With this thought, Gu Han immediately swept his gaze around the surroundings, golden light gleaming in his eyes. Then, he looked back at Wang Ping and the magical sword in his hand.

'It's this Grotto-Heaven.'

'And that sword in his hand...'

The Grotto-Heaven's augmentation elevated his combat strength by one layer of heaven, while the demon-slaying magical sword forcibly suppressed Gu Han's own strength by a layer.

As one declined, the other grew. As a result, both sides stood at the level of Fourth Layer Heaven Breaking. That was why they had fought to a standstill, and Wang Ping even had a great chance of turning the tables! Realizing this, Gu Han immediately gathered his divine and magical power. The [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword] chopped toward Wang Ping once more, but Gu Han's body retreated, no longer intending to fight head-on.

After all, the limits of his opponent's life-substituting technique were unclear, whereas his own protective treasures were finite. The unexpected destruction of a single [Profound Yang Crimson Qilin Armor] already made his heart ache. How could he keep trading blows? Even with the Immortal Realm's deep pockets, he couldn't squander resources like this; he wasn't part of that gang of wealthy tyrants from the gold qi.

However, Wang Ping was unwilling to give him the chance. Seeing Gu Han slash the [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword] toward him, Wang Ping gently exhaled. Immediately after, the profound mystery he had been brewing for a long time finally unfurled slowly behind his head.

It was five streaks of divine light.

They bore the five colors of green, yellow, red, white, and black, spreading like a peacock fanning its tail. Four of the streaks abruptly twisted, unleashing an explosive thunderclap that sounded like rolling thunder tearing through the sky.

Of the [Heavenly Firmament Five Thunders Daoist Orthodoxy], Wang Ping had already attained four. He only lacked mastery over the final [Heavenly Thunder]. He had integrated the other four thunder arts into the [Five Phases], and after forcing massive numbers of Immortal Dao cultivators in [Bright Light City] to circulate their divine powers, his current [Five Phases] had already taken initial form!

'Maintain an army for a thousand days, to use them for a single hour.'

This was the perfect time to test its profound mysteries!

With this thought, Wang Ping immediately formed incantation seals. From the five-colored radiance behind him, the pure white light representing the metal of the [Five Phases] suddenly soared upward.

[Divine Thunder]!

Divine Power [Golden Drum Toll]!

In a flash, muffled drumbeats resonated throughout the Cosmos. Sonorous and powerful, with a rapid rhythm, they landed upon the [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword] in the blink of an eye.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The Divine Thunder reverberated. Although the [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword] was a spiritual treasure, it could not act autonomously. Its spiritual nature was violently shaken by the drumbeats, leaving it muddled and stripping away its profound edge.

'Hmm!?'

Because his life was bound to the [Blazing Calamity Fierce Qilin Sword], Gu Han instantly reacted. Looking back, he hurriedly tried to awaken the spiritual sword's consciousness using his own divine sense.

However, attending to one thing meant neglecting another. Seeing this, Wang Ping changed his seals again. From the five-colored radiance behind him, the green light representing the wood of the [Five Phases] broke away and plummeted. Rolling through the air, it transformed into a bared-fanged, brandished-clawed green Flood Dragon. Wherever it passed, it spread clouds and rain, driving thunder and flashing lightning. In the blink of an eye, it caught up to Gu Han.

[Dragon Thunder]!

Divine Power [Torrential Rain Flood Dragon]!

'Not good!'

Gu Han looked around, but all he saw were dark clouds filling the sky, flashing lightning, and torrential rain. How could he not know that he had fallen into a dire predicament?

'A killing blow will surely follow!'

Just as he expected, while using the [Torrential Rain Flood Dragon] to trap Gu Han, Wang Ping had already brought his hands together, his thumbs, pinkies, and middle fingers forming a seal together. Immediately after, two more streaks of radiance fell from behind him.

One was black, representing the water of the [Five Phases], and one was crimson, representing the fire of the [Five Phases]. They were none other than the [Water Thunder] and [Earth Thunder] of the Heavenly Firmament Five Thunders!

Divine Power [Pure World Light]!

Divine Power [Immortal-Executing Decree]!

The two streaks of thunder light descended. Even though Gu Han was prepared, his expression changed instantly, and his heart leaped in shock.

'How can the demon-executing [Water Thunder] still exist in this world?'

The [Water Thunder] rewarded merit and punished transgression. When the Divine Lord decreed this thunder command, it could wash away evil filth, purge the waves, slay demons, execute monsters, and protect the common people. Its majestic virtue could not be fully praised.

It explicitly possessed the power to slay demons!

The Pure World Light, clear as all phenomena, shone down. It severed the Cosmos and dispelled demonic qi, fully enveloping Gu Han. A thunder decree bearing the character for 'execute' followed closely behind.

Seeing this, Gu Han still wanted to defend himself. But abruptly, a profound stone materialized behind his head. Striking squarely and without bias, it smashed his thoughts of resistance to pieces on the spot.

[Thirty Qi Dao-Expounding Stone]!

Almost simultaneously, an even more supreme might gathered from the unseen world, falling upon Gu Han and instantly tearing open countless glaring sword wounds on his body.

Second scripture scroll, [Perish Together with the Sun]!

Previously, Wang Ping deliberately didn't use the [Heavenly Martial Campaign Profound Armor] to defend himself, forcefully enduring Gu Han's sword chops, all for this very moment: to return every single injury he had suffered!

First a powerful immobilization, followed by returned damage. The sudden execution of both methods utterly shattered any possibility of Gu Han resisting. He could only watch helplessly as the pure world thunder light and the demon-executing thunder decree fell, turning heaven and earth blindingly white. It then faded to gloom, ultimately transforming into a stretch of deathly silent, tranquil abyss.

Wang Ping stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze burning bright.

He was certain that his killing blow had hit Gu Han; the opponent hadn't had time to dodge. Yet, Wang Ping's expression did not relax in the slightest. The reason was simple.

'The [Losing the Dao Is Perilous] symbol didn't light up.'

If he had truly inflicted a crisis that could be deemed 'perilous' upon Gu Han, the [Losing the Dao Is Perilous] would have naturally sensed it, helping him firmly cement his victory. However, things had not developed that way.

'He's going to show his true form...'

In the next second, exactly as Wang Ping expected, a blazing sun slowly rose from within that dark abyss. A beastly roar brimming with rage rang out.

"Incredible."

Inside the Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven, Mingyou—who had witnessed the entire battle—praised in a low voice, "To think he could fight a Fire Qilin to such a bitter standstill with the combat strength of Third Layer Heaven Breaking."

Seeing this, Tianxing couldn't help but bare his teeth.

'This is bad. If this continues, will I—the dignified Dao child of the [Plain Treading Realm], a Third Layer Qi Refining practitioner, and the biological son of a True Monarch—actually be unable to beat Wang Ping?'

At this thought, Tianxing's eyes shifted, and he suddenly looked at Mingyou.

"Even so, this Fire Qilin has already revealed its demon form, granting it the combat strength of Seventh Layer Heaven Breaking," he whispered. "No matter how you look at it, Wang Ping is no longer its match. Take this opportunity to step in and block this tribulation for him. It can be considered doing him a favor."

Mingyou glanced at Tianxing upon hearing this.

"Why have you suddenly become so attentive to him?" he asked.

"Hahaha..."

Tianxing laughed, brushing it off. How could he not be attentive? His disappointing True Monarch father had offended Wang Ping, so he had to find a way to salvage the situation. Otherwise, if Wang Ping couldn't retaliate against the True Monarch and took revenge on him instead, what would he do?

On the other hand, Mingyou thought about it and felt Tianxing had a point. So, tucking his sleeves in, he prepared to step forward and rescue his good disciple.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the Cosmos.

Xianfu stood quietly in the starry space with his hands behind his back. Beside him, heavy thunder light crackled, coalescing into a slightly illusory figure.

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan].

The battle between Wang Ping and Gu Han was observed from afar by this True Person and subsequently manifested before Xianfu. Following this, the booming sound of thunder rang out:

"This Wang Ping has indeed received heaven's favor, and his aptitude is astonishing. In such a short time, he can even clash with a Fire Qilin... Though it was only a Fire Qilin in human form, it's still highly commendable. However, now that the Fire Qilin has revealed its true form, there's no suspense left. Besides, they aren't the key focus."

Hearing this, Xianfu raised his head, somewhat perplexed.

"If not them, then who?"

"It is Mingyou."

A serene Daoist voice was woven into the thunder:

"I am showing you this now so that once you enter the [Heaven Defiance Palace], you will have an accurate measure of their strength and know who can be provoked and who cannot."

"Against the others, given your current state, you could at least escape even if you couldn't defeat them. But Mingyou is different. Facing him, I fear you wouldn't even be able to run."

Xianfu was somewhat surprised by this. Ordinary people didn't know his roots, but he himself was well aware. After being awakened by [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] and prompting the human-yang wood to shift positions, he had reached Qi Refining and was far beyond what ordinary Qi Refining practitioners could compare to. Even so, the True Person actually believed he would struggle just to escape?

"Do not underestimate Mingyou."

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] said in a low voice, "I, too, underestimated him in the past, yet during the incident at the [Eight Trigrams Furnace], he was unexpectedly able to fight against my clone."

"It was only then that I went to investigate him."

"That was when I learned of his true capabilities... Do you know why, despite clearly cultivating the [Li Trigram], he remains in the Divine Weapon Courtyard instead of under the jurisdiction of the Fire Qi?"

Xianfu shook his head.

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] continued, "In truth, back then, the Fire Qi did attempt to recruit him. And not just once—they recruited him three times."

"The reason Tianxing chose to follow him is also because of this deed... Of course, very few know of it now. Because it was far too humiliating, it only circulates within the major Immortal Realms. The outside world has no way of knowing, and Mingyou never heavily publicized it. Therefore, even I was unaware beforehand."

Hearing this, Xianfu seemed to realize something.

"Three recruitment attempts... Did Mingyou reject them all?"

"Indeed."

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] laughed. "Within the Immortal Realms, this incident is called the [Three Rejections of Profound Demons]. If it happened a few more times, it could have even formed a destiny path!"

"The first rejection: that Mingde Dao child from the Fire Qi came to recruit him the last time the [Heaven Defiance Palace] descended, intending to use it as an excuse to make Mingyou hand over the fortune he had obtained."

"The result was a crushing defeat for Mingde, who fled in a wretched state."

"Mingyou left behind only a single sentence: 'The illustrious Li Trigram shines bright; how could I offer up treasures for glory and submit myself to profound demons?'"

"The second rejection: a Qilin personally came to guide him, promising to help him cultivate to True Person in the future. The result was yet another rejection by Mingyou, who once again beat the envoy back."

"Afterward, Mingyou left behind another sentence: 'The radiant Fire Qi is clear and bright; how could I cling to another's flames to steal their light, degrading myself by joining the Qilin ranks?'"

"The third rejection: a Jade Qilin at Ninth Layer Heaven Breaking stepped forward, promising him lifespan after transforming into a demon. At that time, Mingyou's lifespan was nearing its end, yet he still refused." Speaking to the end, the voice of [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] carried a hint of amusement. "In that final rejection, Mingyou still spared them not the slightest face."

"He said: 'A dignified human being—even if I wear scales and sport horns, what is the use of begging for my life?'"

"Hiss...!"

Hearing the end of the story, Xianfu finally couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.

'What vicious scolding!'

It would have been one thing to simply refuse, but the crux was that across all three rejections, Mingyou didn't offer the Fire Qi a single kind word. He was practically pointing at their noses and hurling abuse.

The first sentence meant, 'I am a fine man, how could I bow and serve demons?' The second sentence meant, 'I am of the orthodox Fire Qi, not on the same path as demonic ways.' The third sentence was even more blunt, meaning, 'I am a human immortal cultivator, it is impossible for me to associate with beasts.' Every sentence was laced with biting sarcasm and mockery!

"What audacity..." Xianfu wore an expression of disbelief. "The Immortal Gate has never had a rule against the strong bullying the weak. Was he not afraid the Fire Qi True Monarch would slap him to death?"

"It wasn't that easy,"

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] shook his head. "Mingyou's combat strength was simply too high. Almost no Qi Refining practitioner could kill him. And later, he sought refuge under that fellow, Hanguang."

"Thus, the Fire Qi found it inconvenient to make a move."

"Why?"

Xianfu was filled with confusion. If it were now, that would be one thing, since [True Monarch Hanguang Danyang] sat high on the Pinnacle Station. But back then, shouldn't he have only been a True Person?

"Heh, it seems you don't know." [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] chuckled. "That fellow Hanguang was also an Immortal Realm Dao child in the past, just like Tianxing. He had a True Monarch as his backer, and he was an exceptionally formidable figure among the very few Dao children who successfully reached the True Person realm. He was the Mingyou of our era."

"A True Monarch...!?"

Xianfu looked astonished, subconsciously pressing further, "Which one?"

"I don't know."

The current attitude of [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] toward Xianfu had undergone a complete 180-degree reversal. Not only was he exceedingly patient, but he also answered almost every question asked.

"That Earth Qi True Monarch is extremely mysterious and rarely acts. Furthermore, unlike Tianxing, that fellow Hanguang didn't comply with the destiny bestowed by the True Monarch when cultivating his truth. Instead, he forged a brand-new destiny of his own, shattering the True Monarch's destiny path. Consequently, he completely freed himself from the innate bindings of an Immortal Realm Dao child..."

Suddenly, the voice abruptly ceased.

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan]'s eye twitched slightly. He felt as though a great crisis had suddenly descended upon him, as if a smiling gaze had fallen squarely onto his person.

His intuition told him he could no longer speak of [True Monarch Hanguang Danyang]. That bitch-born bastard was nine times out of ten already looking over, and speaking further would likely invite trouble.

'Taboos for the exalted... Bastard, is being a True Monarch really that impressive?'

'Acting tough right over my head!'

'Fuck!'

[True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan] was furious, but he had no other options. He could only stiffly change the subject. "Never mind, let's not mention that unlucky fellow anymore."

"In short... Hmm?"

Suddenly, [True Person Xuanxiao Yingyuan]'s gaze shifted, looking back toward the battlefield of Wang Ping and Gu Han. He then exclaimed in amazement, "To think he actually has this trick." Previously, because the twenty-four Ancient Cultivator Daoists had isolated the Cosmos, even he couldn't see clearly. Only now that the aura was fully exposed could he discern the shifts within.

However—

"The methods of the [Northern Palace]... how does an Ancient Cultivator know this?"

The Dao and Virtue Grotto-Heaven.

As the dark abyss shattered and the blazing sun rose, a Qilin stepped out from the Cosmic Deep Space. It was as massive as a star, awe-inspiring and majestic, treading on fire and overflowing with radiant light. Boundless flame light surrounded the Qilin; every breath seemed to breed spiritual fire. Its scales were stronger than divine iron. A single furious roar instantly triggered an explosion of vast Daoist reverberations. Its divine might was like an ocean. It required no profound mystery—merely hearing it was enough to crack the sea of consciousness of an ordinary Qi Refining practitioner.

And upon its body, Wang Ping also spotted a bright light of merit.

[Fire Qilin]!

Form was born from the Dao. The Fire Qi consumed the outer path, resulting in anomalous forms. Transforming from a human into a demon—although this change itself was bizarre, it was still a merit recognized by destiny. At this moment, Gu Han had manifested his Qilin true form, using his demon body to forcefully bear the [Pure World Light] and the [Immortal-Executing Decree]. Astonishingly, he remained perfectly intact, without the slightest visible injury.

'As expected...'

Wang Ping wasn't surprised at this sight. A Fire Qilin at Seventh Layer Heaven Breaking, manifesting its demon form and going all out—his current self still couldn't defeat it in combat.

With this thought, he immediately retreated.

However, having suffered a continuous string of silent losses, Gu Han was now boiling with rage. Regardless of how formidable the Qilin's true form appeared, in reality, it didn't come without a price.

Because he was simply too old.

The Qilin body was far too immense. Every time he circulated his qi and blood, it consumed his dwindling lifespan. Adopting a human form had been specifically to minimize this depletion.

Now forced to reveal his true form, his lifespan had been damaged. Even if he ultimately defeated Wang Ping, it would still be a catastrophic loss for him. In his fury, he had already resolved to completely obliterate Wang Ping's pure manifestation body, and then shatter this damned Grotto-Heaven of his. Only then could he vent the hatred in his heart.

With this thought, he immediately moved to pursue.

"Where do you think you're going—what the fuck!?"

Gu Han's movements came to an abrupt halt.

Almost simultaneously, Mingyou—who had originally intended to step up and help, doing Wang Ping a favor—pulled back and widened the distance at an even faster speed without saying a single word.

Looking ahead, rolling spiritual light surfaced all around, no longer hidden. It rapidly interlaced, transforming into a towering grand array that stretched across the Grotto-Heaven.

"[Heavenly Glutton Lifespan-Devouring Profound Array], rise!"

An array disc appeared in Wang Ping's hands. He forcefully spun it, and the majestic profound mysteries of the array instantly locked onto Gu Han, who had fallen into the formation. It was as if an invisible, colossal maw had materialized.

Its jaws clamped shut.

"Arooo!!!"

A shrill, miserable scream instantly echoed throughout the Grotto-Heaven. Just a moment ago, Gu Han was displaying his fierce might and intending to teach Wang Ping a lesson, but now he fled for his life on the spot!

In just this single breath, with a single bite, he felt more than a year of his less-than-ten-years of remaining lifespan directly vanish. And that invisible maw was already opening again. At this rate, in less than ten breaths, he would absolutely drop dead inside this array... The [Northern Palace]. How could a [Northern Palace] array be here?

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, Gu Han blindly rammed his head into the edge of the [Heavenly Glutton Lifespan-Devouring Profound Array], bashing open a fissure. Immediately following this, his figure rapidly transformed. The towering Qilin body reverted to a human form. Light and agile, he slipped through the freshly cracked fissure, escaping the bounds of the grand array in the blink of an eye.

Yet even so, he had no choice but to forcefully take the second bite of the [Heavenly Glutton Lifespan-Devouring Profound Array]. In a flash, another year of his lifespan was shaved off. For a moment, his eyes genuinely turned red and smoke billowed from his seven orifices. He couldn't help but look back at Wang Ping with burning hatred, vowing to make him pay the price—

And then he saw Wang Ping raise the [Northern Palace Divine Edge].

"!!!"

Upon seeing this scene, Gu Han, who had originally wanted to drop a vicious threat or two, didn't utter another word. He turned tail and ran, wishing he could instantly flee into the depths of the Cosmos.

But it was too late.

Holding the [Northern Palace Divine Edge], Wang Ping connected his divine sense with the profound sword, only to sense a chaotic, disordered spiritual nature that could only be described as maddened.

'This sword once slaughtered the entire Dragon clan, tainting it with immense karma... perhaps that is what drove its spiritual nature to madness. If ordinary cultivators use it, they would be influenced by the sword spirit.'

'Of course, this is ineffective against me.'

Wang Ping reached out and slowly ran his hand across the blade. Wherever his fingers passed, the power of merit augmented it, unexpectedly suppressing the sword spirit's madness little by little until it obeyed his commands.

[In the World of Men]!

Circulating alongside it was a divine power Wang Ping had never used until today. It now shone brightly, manifesting the scenery of the netherworld, the ghost domains, and the Yin registry.

[Netherworld Communication Profound Arbiter]!

This major divine power, capable of lethal strikes against one's life force, had previously recorded the destruction of the [Incense-Draped Hall] and the death of the [Supreme Dao Lord Xuangong] during his past life tribulations.

The former was already a great destruction rarely seen in the world, while the latter was unprecedented since antiquity. At this moment, both were fully projected, elevating this major divine power's lethal striking force to the absolute zenith. It was then augmented onto the [Northern Palace Divine Edge], transforming into a single, speck of profound, dark gleam at the tip of the sword.

'What a fine sword...'

Even Mingyou, seeing this sword strike from afar, couldn't help but narrow his eyes and reveal a hint of admiration, much less Gu Han, who was solely focused on fleeing.

For a moment, he felt as if daggers were pressing against his back!

"I'm afraid... that's at the Fifth Layer Heaven Breaking!"

Augmented by the Grotto-Heaven, Wang Ping—normally at Fourth Layer Heaven Breaking—saw the burst of this sword strike break through yet another layer of heaven, on top of the [Northern Palace Divine Edge]'s demon-slaughtering properties.

To him, this was a strike at Sixth Layer Heaven Breaking. A difference of just one layer of heaven was enough to injure him!

Realizing this, Gu Han had no choice but to turn his head back. With a furious roar, he manifested the Fire Qilin body once more, attempting to block this magnificent, rushing sword energy. In the next second, Wang Ping swung his sword and chopped down.

Seeing this, Gu Han immediately pushed his Qilin qi and blood to the absolute limit, preparing to face the blade. But when the sword light arrived right in front of him, he was suddenly stunned. Because the sword light—had disappeared.

Although that incredibly sharp sword energy was still making his scales run cold, when the sword light actually reached his body, it felt like nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing past.

"Ah?" Gu Han blinked in bewilderment.

'What happened?'

Just as he was still trying to figure out if Wang Ping's strike was all thunder and no rain, or if it harbored some other profound mystery, Wang Ping on the other side smiled faintly.

Immediately after, Gu Han suddenly 'remembered.'

He seemed to have returned to the moment just now when he was fighting Wang Ping in his human form, only to be enveloped by the [Pure World Light] and the [Immortal-Executing Decree], forcing him to reveal his true form.

Only this time, the memory had changed. The Wang Ping in his memory no longer merely used divine powers; instead, with sword in hand, he suddenly slashed out with an ultimate, lethal edge against his life force. Yet, the version of himself in the memory seemed completely oblivious to this sword strike, still maintaining the countermeasures he remembered.

"Spurt!"

In an instant, a massive, gaping sword wound appeared on Gu Han's Qilin body, stretching from his right shoulder to his left abdomen, nearly tearing his entire demon body in half!

"Arooo!!!"

In the next second, flame light filled the sky!

Gu Han let out a wretched scream, his heart filled with sheer horror.

'This sword didn't slash the present; it slashed the past! By the time I saw it, I had already been cut?'

It wasn't simple reversal or acceleration, but a true temporal shift in every sense of the word... Are you kidding me? A Qi Refining Second Layer practitioner can execute this? Such a divine power simply doesn't exist!

However, no matter how much he couldn't believe it, the truth was laid bare before him. The agonizing pain wracking his body was far from fake, and more importantly, so was the lethal striking force infused within the sword.

He had already lost nearly three years of lifespan to that damned [Heavenly Glutton Lifespan-Devouring Profound Array]. This sword strike was even worse, carving away nearly two more years. Added together, almost more than half his life had been severed. Although his qi and blood still appeared vigorous, there was a faint emptiness when he circulated them.

The space between his brows even displayed the aura of death.

'Bitter suffering!'

Gu Han cried out mournfully in his heart, yet there was nothing he could do. He didn't even dare to linger. He could only ride the firelight, vanishing in the blink of an eye as he plunged into the distant Cosmic Deep Space.

On the other side, Wang Ping stood amidst the sky's light. With a sweep of his large sleeve, he instantly collected the sky full of flame light into a jade bottle. This was all Qilin blood.

Consequently, the jade universe cleared.

Down below, the sea of cultivators—the Tribulation Transcending experts remained completely motionless, their eyes utterly blank. Even the Qi Refining practitioners could not conceal their horror, looking at Wang Ping with profound shock.

Outside the Grotto-Heaven, the True Persons of the various factions also exhibited signs of unrest.

This was especially true for True Person Chiming, who had kept a close eye on this battle from the start; he narrowed his eyes even further.

For a time, countless gazes—whether from up high or down below—all focused uniformly on the figure of the young cultivator standing atop the vault of heaven, looking down over the Grotto-Heaven.

Following that, a light chuckle could be heard:

"Is there any other Daoist friend who wishes to test my divine powers?"

The sky fell completely silent.

Wang Ping was extremely satisfied with the sword strike he had just executed.

Unlike the [Heavenly Martial Conquering the Profound First Blade], this strike was the ultimate sword he had unleashed by fully integrating everything after he established the dharma body path and the Long River of Memory.

It was the so-called:

[Supreme Law Immortal-Transcending Peerless Edge]!