Chapter 541: The Trial

As soon as Zhang Nuo's Phantom Immortal Dharma Image appeared, an overwhelming pressure surged toward Luo Lie! Although it floated in mid-air without moving, Luo Lie's lapels rustled violently! The silver beard on his chest also stirred without any wind!

"A bit interesting!"

Reaching out to touch his bald head, Luo Lie's figure flickered at this moment, and several Magic Treasures were unleashed simultaneously. However, Zhang Nuo did not give him any time to activate the treasures; with a movement of his Divine Sense, the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image charged out directly! With both hands moving in unison, it unleashed two punches!

In an instant, the void trembled, and two powerful gusts of wind lunged toward Luo Lie! Luo Lie was not alarmed, as Zhang Nuo's cultivation was far inferior to his own! Even if this golden-bodied Dharma Image were formidable, it was only being wielded by a Spirit Transformation Mid-Stage cultivator; if it were an Integration Mid-Stage cultivator, he might have felt some trepidation!

Thinking this to himself, Luo Lie cast a spell, which merged into the Eight-Sided Hammer Magic Treasure in front of him! The hammer flashed with cyan light and whistled as it smashed toward the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image!

The hammer was a strength-based Magic Treasure, and with the impetus of Luo Lie, an Integration Late Stage cultivator, the power was truly terrifying! By the time the hammer flew halfway, its size had expanded to over a zhang. The moment it grew, the surrounding void could not withstand the pressure and began to shatter one after another!

Facing the hammer's attack, the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image did not retreat a single step. After a black light flashed through the four black Magic Meridians within its body, the Dharma Image suddenly let out a long roar! It raised its left arm, and a beam of light, mixed with golden and black radiance, spiraled rapidly down from the base of the Dharma Image's arm!

In just a single breath's time, it had wrapped around the entire arm of the Dharma Image! The next moment, the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image swung its right fist and delivered a heavy blow toward the incoming hammer Magic Treasure!

Boom!

The two collided in mid-air, and a deafening roar echoed endlessly above the valley, causing even the surrounding void to tremble a few times! At the same time, Luo Lie's hammer Magic Treasure was knocked flying by the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image! The Dharma Image itself, however, did not move in the slightest! A smile finally appeared on Zhang Nuo's face, even though he had utilized the power of the Magic Meridians within the Dharma Image.

But being able to directly withstand the Magic Treasure attack of an Integration Late Stage cultivator was already enough to make him feel satisfied! This showed that the power of the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image had far exceeded his expectations!

Urging his Divine Sense once more, a fierce, metallic glint flashed within the blood-red eyes of the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image, and with a flicker of its figure, it charged toward Luo Lie!

Seeing his Magic Treasure knocked away, Luo Lie was equally shocked! This golden-bodied Dharma Image looked imposing on the surface, but he hadn't expected its actual power to be this great!

Looking up to see the Dharma Image flying toward him, he cast several spells in succession, and the dozen or so Magic Treasures in front of him activated simultaneously. Their various colors converged into a rainbow, striking toward the Dharma Image!

This time, Zhang Nuo did not let the Dharma Image take the hit head-on, because there were too many Magic Treasures! With a quick turn of his mind, the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image came to an abrupt halt! It grabbed at the void above its head with both hands!

Instantly, the void shattered, and a mass of yin energy appeared within, forming a black vortex in an instant! Ten thousand black rays of light spilled down from the center of the vortex!

Those Magic Treasures that had just reached the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image suddenly faltered; their power plummeted, and their speed slowed down immediately! At the same time, Luo Lie's expression changed! He cursed inwardly! He hadn't expected that Zhang Nuo's fusion of techniques would actually retain the 'Falling Profound Light' divine ability!

In his urgency, he pointed out several more spells, which flew rapidly into the numerous Magic Treasures! Several humming sounds rang out from the treasures; the pause caused by the 'Falling Profound Light' vanished completely, and their speed increased once more, striking the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image in full force!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Several loud bangs rang out continuously as all of Luo Lie's Magic Treasures struck the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image! It was knocked flying several hundred zhang away! Its figure became slightly translucent, but it returned to its original state in an instant!

Just as the Dharma Image was about to charge up again, Luo Lie shouted!

"Stop! No more fighting!"

Startled by this sudden shout, Zhang Nuo hurriedly withdrew his divine ability. He saw Luo Lie with an angry expression, retracting his Magic Treasures from mid-air, landing on the ground, and walking toward his thatched hut!

Zhang Nuo was left completely bewildered! Everything was fine just a moment ago, so why was he suddenly angry? Had he done something wrong? He hurriedly followed him, walking right into the thatched hut!

He saw Luo Lie so angry that his beard was almost standing on end, his eyes wide open! His breathing was as heavy as an ox's!

"Senior, what is wrong? Did this junior do something wrong?"

Asking tentatively, Zhang Nuo stood respectfully before Luo Lie like a child who had done something wrong! After a long time, Luo Lie's mood finally calmed down! He looked up at Zhang Nuo and said:

"You did nothing wrong! This old man is angry at himself!"

Slightly stunned, Zhang Nuo felt that Luo Lie's temper was truly strange!

"Kid Zhang! If this old man didn't have the cultivation of the Integration Late Stage, I would have definitely lost that fight just now! To think that I have cultivated bitterly here for thousands of years, yet I can only rely on my cultivation level to win against a small Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator like you—it is truly shameful!"

Luo Lie stomped his feet and beat his chest, hating his own incompetence! Zhang Nuo was speechless for a moment! But thinking about it, it was true; he had only activated the Phantom Immortal Dharma Image and hadn't used any other divine abilities. Just this one move had forced Luo Lie to bring out several Magic Treasures to defend. As he said, if the gap in their cultivation wasn't so vast, he would have died at the hands of Zhang Nuo's Dharma Image long ago!

"This old man thought that by painstakingly practicing my techniques, I could make myself invincible! But now it seems it was all in vain! To be forced into such a state by a junior!"

The more Luo Lie spoke, the more agitated he became, eventually shedding tears of an old man! Zhang Nuo blinked; this person was so old, yet he acted like a child, crying and throwing a tantrum whenever he pleased!

"Senior, you cannot think like that! Didn't this junior only achieve this success with your help?"

Zhang Nuo tried to persuade him kindly, but Luo Lie acted as if he hadn't heard a word! After a long while, he finally quieted down, looked up at Zhang Nuo, then looked at everything around him, and suddenly, with a look of determination in his eyes, he said loudly:

"It seems I was wrong all along! Shutting myself in this small valley is like building a cart behind closed doors! From today on, I will return to Jile Temple!"

Luo Lie's decision took Zhang Nuo by great surprise. When he originally left Jile Temple, it was to seek a quiet place for focused cultivation; why had he changed his mind now?

"By the way, Kid Zhang! Since your cultivation has reached a small level of success, this old man will not keep you; the thirty-year deadline has also arrived! Hurry up and leave; I need to pack my things and return to Jile Temple!"

Zhang Nuo almost fell over! Luo Lie's order to leave was too sudden; he had only just had the thought and was already making Zhang Nuo leave!

"Senior! Please allow me to say two words, may I?"

"Speak quickly!"

While packing his things, Luo Lie said impatiently! Seeing him like this, Zhang Nuo still braced himself and spoke!

"Since Senior is returning to Jile Temple, could you please help this junior ask the high monks in the temple what the nine divine objects needed to fuse the Nine Divine Seas are?"

"Fine! This old man will help you ask as soon as I have the chance! Hurry up and leave!"

Without even thinking, he agreed immediately and then waved his hand at Zhang Nuo a few times! Helpless, Zhang Nuo had no choice but to leave the thatched hut! He took a look at the scenery of Mowen Valley, but his mood was excellent!

At the very least, the place Deng Tianlin told him to come to had not been a wasted trip! Not only did he achieve a breakthrough, but his divine abilities had also greatly expanded!

He didn't know if Luo Lie had taken in what he said to him earlier! Anyway, there was still some time before he reached the Spirit Transformation Late Stage and opened the ninth Divine Sea, so Zhang Nuo was not in a hurry! With his escape light rising, he charged toward the valley entrance!

After leaving Mowen Valley, Zhang Nuo thought of Deng Tianlin again. He didn't know if his three-year agreement with the Human Emperor had been successful. Because he had been either traveling or cultivating during this time, he hadn't had time to inquire about it!

Now that a weight had been lifted from his heart, it was time to care about Deng Tianlin! After setting his direction, Zhang Nuo charged off! Before long, he disappeared at the edge of the horizon! Not long after he left, Luo Lie also walked out of Mowen Valley! Without even looking back, he drove his escape light and flew away in the direction of Jile Temple!

Zhang Nuo flew for several years until he finally appeared in the territory of the Immortal Domain's greatest city: Wushuang Shenghuang City! This city hung high in the sky! It looked like a massive mountain floating in mid-air!

Because this city was the residence of the Human Emperor of the Human Emperor Realm, cultivators were not allowed to enter or exit as they pleased, and to settle in this city, one had to pay a certain amount of Spirit Stones every day!

Since he had arrived at Wushuang Shenghuang City, there was no reason for Zhang Nuo not to enter! It would also be good to inquire about the Demon Beast Tide and news of Deng Tianlin!

Looking up at the Holy City floating several hundred zhang in the air, Zhang Nuo's escape light rose, and he charged straight toward it! As soon as he reached the city gate, two Golden Core Stage gate-guarding cultivators stopped him!

One of the black-faced cultivators scanned him with his Divine Sense and discovered that Zhang Nuo was only at the Spirit Transformation Mid-Stage. His expression flickered slightly, but he didn't take it to heart! After all, in the Holy City, Spirit Transformation Stage cultivators were the most common, and seeing an occasional Integration Stage cultivator was not surprising!

"This Senior, do you wish to enter the Holy City?"

The black-faced cultivator stepped forward and bowed to Zhang Nuo.

"That is correct!"

Nodding slightly, Zhang Nuo scanned the cultivator who spoke! Wushuang Shenghuang City truly had a grand air; even the gatekeepers were at the Golden Core Stage!

"Since Senior wishes to enter the city, please complete the procedures for the Holy City!"

The black-faced cultivator was very polite; he turned his hand over gently, and a Jade Token a few inches in size appeared in his palm!