Chapter 1648: Xu Jingming

"Sister, take this strike of mine too!"

Xu Jingming let out a long laugh and spread his arms wide.

Above the arena, dark clouds instantly gathered.

Not formed naturally, but condensed from torrents of lightning and the primordial force of destruction!

The next instant,

Countless golden-green lightning bolts, as thick as water barrels, poured down like a torrential rain.

Covering the vast area where Ye Li stood!

Each bolt carried violent tearing force and an endless, annihilating aura—terrifying in might.

Soon, it even coalesced into a terrifying golden-green lightning storm!

Wild Thunder Storm!

T2-level combat technique!

As Xu Jingming entered the Eternal Stage,

this T2-level combat technique had now revealed its utterly terrifying power.

"Such terrifying lightning!"

Ye Li's gaze sharpened as she continuously adjusted her power.

Eternal Stage, Third Rank, Fourth Rank!

Only when her power reached Eternal Stage, Fourth Rank, did she barely avoid being sucked into the lightning.

"Is this the Perfect Divine Body? At just Eternal Stage, First Rank, he already has this power."

Ye Li's cold voice carried a hint of awe.

As she spoke, her slender neck tilted slightly upward.

Her robes clung tightly to her body in the storm, outlining the full, rounded contours of her chest.

Then she spun her waist lightly, her lithe figure flickering.

The spatial primordial energy rippled like water, instantly splitting into dozens of afterimages.

Darting through the rain of lightning at the storm's edge, agile as a phantom.

Most lightning bolts she easily dodged or casually shattered with a fingertip.

But Xu Jingming's control over the lightning was exquisitely precise—some bolts could curve midair to track her.

Forcing Ye Li to slash with the edge of her palm, unleashing more sword qi to shatter them.

Yet her figure soon accelerated!

She no longer merely dodged—she charged straight into the lightning.

At the same time, a long sword appeared in her hand.

Wherever she passed, sword qi crisscrossed, slicing through and exploding each bolt of lightning midair!

Rapidly closing the distance to Xu Jingming!

She wanted close combat!

Xu Jingming's eyes blazed with battle lust—he advanced, not retreated!

"Come on!"

He growled, and golden Lei Gang erupted violently around him.

Fine lightning patterns flickered and crawled beneath his skin—Star Core Lei Gang Body fully activated!

Then—

Boom!!!

Violent purple demonic energy surged skyward from his body.

As if an ancient demon god awoke from slumber!

His form swelled violently amid the churning demonic energy.

Bones cracked, muscles bulged—in an instant, he rose from 1.9 meters to five meters tall!

Dark purple scales emerged from his skin, covering his entire body.

Jagged bone spurs grew at his joints; his eyes turned deep gold-purple.

He stood amidst the lightning and demonic energy.

Like a thunderous demon god descending to the mortal realm.

His aura was tyrannical, ferocious, suffocating!

Purple Nightmare Demon Body!

After entering the Eternal Stage, the power of the Purple Nightmare Demon Body had also surged.

At the same time, the Ninefold Thunder Prison Spear was already in his grip.

The next instant, the two crashed into each other!

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

Spear and sword qi collided, unleashing deafening metallic roars.

Energy shockwaves rippled outward, scouring a layer off the arena's solid ground!

What followed was pure competition of strength and speed!

Ye Li's long sword was razor-sharp, infused with her profound understanding of destruction and wind primordial energy.

Each strike targeted vital points—simple, sharp, lethal.

Xu Jingming, meanwhile, infused his spear technique with the fury and annihilation of lightning.

Broad, sweeping motions—overpowering skill with brute force.

Combined with the terrifying power and defense of the Perfect Divine Body, he held his ground for a time!

The two figures moved like lightning, speeding and colliding across the arena.

They left behind a string of afterimages and exploding light clusters.

The roar of thunder intertwined with the hiss of sword qi.

"Strong power, incredible Divine Body defense."

After another collision, Ye Li used the impact to retreat, her eyes filled with even greater surprise.

She had already raised her strength to the level of Eternal Fifth Stage.

Yet she still couldn't swiftly overpower this newly breakthrough junior brother in close combat?

"Sister, be careful!"

Xu Jingming let out a low roar as divine power surged within him.

The lightning spear in his hand blazed brightly as he thrust it forward with full force!

This thrust contained the ultimate destruction of the Solar Divine Thunder.

It subtly resonated with the thunderous primordial source of the surrounding space.

The spear shot out like a dragon, carrying terrifying energy fluctuations!

Flash Lightning Extreme Thrust!

T3 Perfect-level spear technique!

"Excellent spear technique!"

Ye Li's gaze sharpened, sensing the threat of this thrust.

She no longer held back—her aura surged again—Eternal Sixth Stage!

The sword and lightning spear clashed once more!

Boom—!!!

An explosion ten times more violent than before erupted!

Blinding light turned the entire arena into blazing white.

A terrifying energy storm swept outward.

Yet the Frost Crown Dominator watching from outside remained unaffected, even nodding slightly.

The light faded.

Xu Jingming stepped back dozens of paces, spear in hand, the lightning glow around him greatly dimmed.

His Hukou tingled slightly, but his eyes burned with fiercer divine radiance.

Ye Li remained standing in place, only the sword aura on her blade vanished.

Yet she suffered no serious injury.

But she looked at the Xu Jingming before her.

For the first time, her cold, exquisite face showed clear shock.

She had used her Eternal Sixth Stage power just to block this thrust!

And Xu Jingming was only Eternal First Stage!

"The power of lightning far exceeds that of his stage.

The foundation provided by the Perfect Divine Body is impossibly profound."

Ye Li slowly stabilized her stance, her crisp voice carrying a hint of complexity:

"In close combat, your ferocity is overwhelming—you've grasped the true essence of Lei Ting's destruction.

Junior brother, your current strength—

at the level of a top-tier Divine Body—is sufficient to defeat most Eternal Fifth Stage cultivators, even threaten Sixth Stage.

For any Divine Body below top-tier, you'd crush them even more utterly."

As the Frost Crown Dominator's direct disciple,

Ye Li's strength nearly swept all opponents of her stage!

Yet now,

she had been forced to reveal her Eternal Sixth Stage power by a junior brother who had just broken through to Eternal Stage.

This was simply too extraordinary.

"Thank you, Sister, for your guidance."

Xu Jingming calmed his turbulent qi and bowed respectfully.

In truth, Sister Ye Li had not used her full strength.

She had only drawn her sword, not even used a technique.

Moreover,

the most potent method at the Eternal Stage is to burn the Divine Body.

The higher the stage, the stronger the Divine Body.

If Ye Li had exploited her level advantage to burn her Divine Body, he would have lost quickly.

As if sensing Xu Jingming's thoughts,

Ye Li shook her head and spoke:

"You're simply strong enough. Under my level suppression,

if I were to use techniques or burn my Divine Body, it would be too unfair."

"Excellent! Remote assault, close combat—no weakness."

At this moment, the elegant silhouette of the Frost Crown Dominator also floated forth.

She looked at Xu Jingming, and no matter how she looked, she was thoroughly satisfied.

After a long while, she finally parted her crimson lips and said:

"Your lightning is utterly rigid and mighty, yet carries a trace of the primordial life force, ever-renewing and unceasing.

You have fused the primordial forces of lightning, destruction, and life.

This path is sound—you may continue along it.

Yet the primordial life force within it remains too weak; you should focus on strengthening it.

As for your combat technique and secret art cultivation path, I have already mapped it out for you."