Chapter 265: An Old Acquaintance

Two months later.

In the East Sea, within an unnamed desolate island.

Jagged strange rocks protruded, assuming various vicious shapes.

The island was engulfed in rolling black smoke and rampaging turbid qi, which completely obscured the clear sky around it; even the howling gales over the sea struggled to disperse it entirely.

This was a volcanic islet, where spiritual qi remained chaotic and the five elements disordered year-round.

Not to mention flying birds or walking beasts on the island.

Even grass and trees barely remained.

Truly far from human habitation, exceedingly desolate...

Just then, suddenly a clap of thunder erupted from the depths of the desolate island, rumbling loudly with the force of collapsing mountains and sinking earth, causing lightning to flash and smoke to surge wildly!

After a moment of silence.

Within a few breaths, another clap of thunder abruptly spread throughout, shaking inside and out, extremely mighty and fierce!

And the thunder continued intermittently.

It was not until two shichen later that a long whistle suddenly rang out.

Immediately afterward, a bolt of purple thunder shot skyward, emerging from a deep chasm with immense force; in an instant, it pierced through layers of mountain rock, forcibly collapsing a corner of the black smoke and turbid qi filling the sky!

A huge void appeared in the air, and heavenly light poured into the island with a loud roar.

In an instant, Jin Jin Guang illuminated everywhere, as if draped in robes of rosy clouds!

At this moment, a sword light also flew up from the deep chasm, soaring into the clouds; then the cold light retracted, and Chen Heng's figure slowly emerged from within.

He gazed into the distance, seeing only a wheel of fiery sun already high above Qingfeng.

The blue sea was boundless, great waves surged, snowy billows raced, and layers of water-clouds stacked ten thousand deep; truly a realm for hermits to avoid people, a land for immortals to cultivate, indescribably magnificent.

Beneath his feet lay a huge void, at whose edges countless black smoke and turbid qi churned, rolling and surging.

Were it not for looking through the void.

Even with a cultivator's eyesight, one would likely struggle to see clearly the state of the island...

Seeing this, Chen Heng smiled slightly, raised his sleeve, and with Lei Jin Guang swirling at his fingertips, pointed toward a strange peak on the island that soared into the clouds.

Immediately, wind and clouds churned; a bolt of purple thunder sprang from between his fingers, flashed outward, and in an instant shaved off the summit of that strange peak, lowering it flat by several zhang!

Chaotic stones rained down like drops, vigorous winds swept in all directions, purple light clamored through the heavens, tremendous and intense.

Rings of thunder surrounded the severed peak.

Lingering for a long time without dispersing, the sound could be heard for several li!

"..."

Chen Heng was slightly surprised by the power of this thunder technique.

Turning his gaze inward to inspect himself.

His own true qi had been considerably depleted after releasing this strike, and thus he immediately understood.

Because after entering the threshold of cultivating Zi Qing Shen Lei, the movements and stillness involved were not small, making it difficult to conceal.

Fearing that the formations of that small courtyard were not sufficiently secure, after obtaining Ziming Ziming Liuzhu at the Cangxiao Tower Treasure Assembly, Chen Heng directly teleported away from Chen Chen Yuquan Immortal Market.

He searched extensively across the East Sea before finally locating this remote desolate island.

Earlier, after receiving the secret classic "Zi Qing Shen Lei" gifted by Luo Luo Chengzhi, the senior instructor of Baishang Academy, although hindered by insufficient external medicines and unable to cultivate.

Nevertheless, within Yi Zhen Fa Zhi Jie, he had carefully studied this Daoist art several times.

Certain crucial points, such as how to circulate qi mechanisms, how breathing should assist, and how to concentrate the spirit during visualization, were naturally not unfamiliar to him.

Now, external medicines were not lacking.

Moreover, the sole obstruction had been eliminated and vanished.

Under all these circumstances, success naturally came as a matter of course!

During these two months, he had completely exhausted all twenty-six Ziming Ziming Liuzhu; Zi Qing Shen Lei had passed Small Completion and reached the Medium Completion Realm.

This progress.

Was actually somewhat faster than he had anticipated.

After the cultivation of the Divine Thunder truly entered the threshold, when refining Ziming Ziming Liuzhu, he no longer felt the previous strain and torment; instead, his mind and body felt comfortable, accompanied by a sensation of clear spirit and harmonious qi.

Were it not for the lack of external medicines.

He boasted that advancing the realm of this thunder technique by another step or two would not be impossible...

However, after successfully cultivating Zi Qing Shen Lei.

This casual display just now.

Its power also left Chen Heng slightly astonished, inevitably stirring his emotions.

Regarding the attainment of Zi Qing Shen Lei nowadays, although it was only at the Medium Completion Realm and did not compare to Innate Great Sun Divine Light.

But in terms of killing power.

It actually surpassed Innate Great Sun Divine Light at the Ultimate Great Completion Realm by a notch!

One thunder strike launched, and instantly it shook heaven and earth, stars flowed and smoke flew, thunder struck and lightning raced.

The majestic might of heaven and earth made it impossible for anyone to resist!

However, although this Zi Qing Thunder Technique possessed formidable killing power, was astonishing, and truly deserved its reputation as a superior method split from Tai Yi Shen Lei.

Its consumption of true qi was also extremely vast.

Even with Chen Heng's current robust Dao foundation, he could hardly endure the depletion caused by this thunder technique; at most, he could consecutively release nine or ten bolts before his spirit grew weary, requiring him to sit in meditation and regulate his true qi.

As for Zi Qing Shen Lei and Innate Great Sun Divine Light.

The former possessed formidable killing power but could not be used lightly and incurred enormous costs.

As for the latter, although slightly inferior in power, it likewise consumed less true qi and furthermore required no external medicines to assist, making it extremely rare.

It's truly hard to say which of the two methods is superior…

……

And at this moment.

After cultivating the Zi Qing Shen Lei and practicing it thoroughly,

Chen Heng did not rush to leave, but sat cross-legged amid the clouds, quietly regulating his true Qi.

When his essence and energy returned to their former state, just as he was about to rise and return to Chen Chen Yuquan's Immortal Market, his expression suddenly shifted—he sensed something, turning his head eastward, where the spiritual energy seemed to stir strangely, unlike here.

Maritime vendettas and schemes were no less common than on the mainland, and Chen Heng had no desire to invite trouble by plunging himself into the mire.

Yet before withdrawing, he inexplicably felt something amiss, pausing slightly.

And at that moment, far off at the horizon, two beams of light were seen—one chasing, one fleeing.

The one ahead was a golden-red flying vessel, spacious and magnificent, its design unlike those commonly seen on the market.

As for the latter, it was a chilling aura of Mo Gong, radiant with mournful light, blinding to the eyes, accompanied by toxic fumes and roaring flames, its momentum formidable.

Within that demonic aura was a Tian Mo, sixteen feet tall, with two heads and four arms, clad in a five-colored wide-sleeved robe, its appearance bizarrely unnatural.

The two heads of the Tian Mo bore male and female faces respectively—the male head fierce and heroic, the female head alluring and tender; its four arms held a banana leaf, a pipa, a sharp sword, and a treasure pagoda, radiating murderous energy, unmistakably malevolent.

This demon was called the Yin-Yang Mo, possessing both male and female aspects within one body, its abilities myriad and cunning, a highly formidable type of Tian Mo.

In terms of techniques and bloodline rarity, it was no less than the Evil Anger Yin-Sheng Mo Chen Heng had encountered in the Southern Region's Fu Yu Lake…

At this moment, the Yin-Yang Mo also noticed Chen Heng standing amid the clouds; its eyes flashed with malice, and it began spewing foul curses, ordering Chen Heng to intercept the fleeing flying vessel ahead.

"So it's an old acquaintance come here—no wonder I suddenly felt a surge of spiritual intuition…"

Chen Heng smiled inwardly, swept his hand across his face, revealing his true visage.

After giving a slight nod to those aboard the flying vessel, his sword-light flared, instantly transforming into a crimson rainbow streaking forward!

"Is that Brother Chen?! How could this be so—"

Inside the flying vessel, Cui Cui Jingzhong wiped blood from his fat face in shock, squinted hard, then grinned with delight at his companions.

But no reply came.

Far away, Chen Heng's figure vanished instantly.

And behind him, the Yin-Yang Mo suddenly let out a cry of pain, roaring continuously, as if it had suffered a serious wound.

"How could such a demon be taken lightly… How could you fight it?!"

Cui Cui Jingzhong's heart leapt again; he leapt out of the flying vessel, hastily adding:

"You all go ahead… I'll pull him back, then come find you myself!"

……

……

Turquoise waters churned, wind howled, waves rose high.

The Yin-Yang Mo bore a gruesome sword wound stretching from its abdomen up to its neck, nearly severing one of its heads.

Now, it channeled Mo Gong to heal its body while summoning all four demonic weapons, hurling them like a rainstorm toward Chen Heng.

Like a torrential downpour, the light flashed wildly, the wind shrieked bitterly!

Yet Chen Heng's sword-dashing speed was swift—he evaded each demonic weapon before they neared him, his killing strikes landing uselessly in empty air.

Back and forth they clashed, and in the blink of an eye, they had exchanged dozens of blows.

Crimson flashes lit the sky, demonic aura raged, piercing shrieks echoed erratically, never ceasing!

Yet even at this stage, the Yin-Yang Mo gained no advantage; instead, Chen Heng seized an opening, lunged into the fray, and carved several new sword wounds into its body—deep enough to reveal bone.

The Yin-Yang Mo now shed its earlier contempt, treating Chen Heng as a dire threat; every muscle tensed, and it changed its tactics.

It closed its eyes, murmured incantations, and suddenly grunted.

A brilliant green light burst from its abdomen, rising swiftly to its crown, expanding in the wind into nearly a thousand green serpents that coiled around its body, slowly gliding, never departing.

And at the same time,

The four demonic weapons it held slowly withdrew their assault, merely guarding its defenses, no longer attacking.

"Clever—it's no ignorant beast…"

Chen Heng suddenly launched a sword-strike, yet failed to obliterate the thousand green serpents guarding the Yin-Yang Mo's body and penetrate the battle circle.

Had he not withdrawn swiftly,

He might have been trapped for several breaths, suffering a grave setback…

He knew Cui Cui Jingzhong was already a Dongxuan cultivator, yet still being chased and fleeing from this Yin-Yang Mo—this demon must possess formidable techniques and hidden strengths.

And seeing that swift killing was impossible,

Chen Heng was not in a hurry; he simply circled his sword-light, beginning a mobile duel with the demon.

Though both had revealed many techniques in this exchange, the entire encounter had lasted no more than a few breaths.

When Cui Cui Jingzhong, gritting his teeth, leapt down from the flying vessel,

He looked—and saw a sight that stunned him deeply.

The Yin-Yang Mo guarded its defenses tightly, enduring every attack without reckless movement.

A crimson sword-light darted around it, moving like a phantom, unpredictable and swift!

Time and again, the green serpents protecting the Yin-Yang Mo were slashed away by the sword-light, dozens or hundreds at a time.

The Yin-Yang Mo could do nothing but concentrate, regenerating the serpents anew, afraid to let their number dwindle.

Observing the scene,

Clearly, the Yin-Yang Mo's cultivation was superior.

Yet it was still being subtly pressured by Chen Heng, unable to find an opening to counter…

"... This is the Zi Fu Eleventh? Truly deserving of its name—I see now, Old Cui was wasting his worry!"

After a moment of astonishment, Cui Cui Jingzhong helplessly shook his head with a smile, wasted no further time, immediately drew a bottle of pills from his sleeve, poured one into his palm, silently circulated the Xue Xuan Gong, regulated his breath through several cycles, and then swallowed it.

Along this journey, he had clashed with this Yin-Yang Demon several times.

The demon's methods had naturally been thoroughly figured out by him and were now extremely familiar.

Currently, the Yin-Yang Demon was only maintaining such a stalemate because its cultivation was profound, driving its Shen Zhi Fa to great effect; if he could merely create a slight disturbance to give Chen Heng an opening,

this stalemate

would naturally crumble apart!

In an instant, the moment the pill entered his stomach, Cui Cui Jingzhong's body became scalding hot, as if transformed into burning charcoal.

An irresistible massive force erupted violently within his abdomen, causing his eyes to blaze with divine light, while five qi surged forth from the top of his head, coalescing into colorful clouds that soared skyward in a flowing spectacle!

He let out a fierce shout, shook his shoulders, seized a clump of Jin Jin Guang in his hand—brilliant as the sun—and with a speed too fast to cover one's ears, hurled it instantly straight before the Yin-Yang Demon's face!

Illuminated by this light,

the nearly thousand protective great snakes surrounding the Yin-Yang Demon wailed miserably as if struck by a heavy blow, collapsing in countless numbers in pitiful ruin.

Although the Yin-Yang Demon struggled desperately to recover and regenerated many more, it inevitably exposed a gap in its defense.

Chen Heng naturally would not miss this opportunity; he pointed a finger, and a bolt of purple heavenly thunder flew out, striking the Yin-Yang Demon with ruthless force in the split second where not even a hair could fit!

Only the ceaseless sound of thunderous explosions filled the ears, purple light filling the sky, so that even Cui Cui Jingzhong, far away, felt a shock in his heart and a chill rise along his spine.

And when the brilliance slightly faded,

not a single one of the nearly thousand great snakes encircling the Yin-Yang Demon remained.

Even one of the Heavenly Demon's four arms was destroyed, bleeding profusely, looking extremely wretched...

It roared in anger, but before it could even curse, another bolt of purple thunder crashed down upon its head!

Panicked, it hastily raised the demonic artifacts on its remaining three arms to block before its face.

And next,

came a third bolt, a fourth...

Thus, until five bolts of Zi Qing Shen Lei had been unleashed,

the Yin-Yang Demon's body was already shattered into pieces, resembling nothing more than a tattered sack leaking air from every side.

At this moment, it struggled to exhale a wisp of black smoke from its half-open throat, whereupon its body immediately collapsed into filthy water, leaving only that black smoke, swift as lightning and fast as the wind, darting toward the clouds and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Chen Heng merely sneered; no matter how fast that gray smoke might be, how could it possibly compare to sword flight?

He leaped forward, and before long, caught up with his opponent,

where a gentle sweep of sword light instantly severed and destroyed the Heavenly Demon's essential soul residing within the gray smoke, reducing it completely to ash.

However, after this sword strike landed, Chen Heng was left with a strange sensation.

It was as though he had not struck anything substantial, but had instead struck empty air within some obscure realm...

"Chen Chen Shidi, do not ponder it! That Yin-Yang Demon was not a living creature, but merely a manifestation of one of Chen Chan's divine abilities... Where there is a technique, there is a primal spirit; this is a great art of the Xiantianmo Sect!"

As he was lost in thought, a shout rang out from the distant sky.

Cui Cui Jingzhong's complexion was somewhat ashen, yet he still rallied his spirits, shook his head, and said:

"In the several encounters before, I used several of my trump card methods; although I managed to eliminate this Yin-Yang Demon each time, within no more than three days, the demon would seek me out again, proving as troublesome as a gangrene clinging to the bone!"

"Chen Chan... the Xiantianmo Sect?"

Chen Heng's eyebrows moved slightly, his expression thoughtful.

At this moment, Cui Cui Jingzhong also arrived at this location, speaking with a mix of excitement and confusion:

"Chen Chen Shidi, it has been several years since we last met... how did you come to be here?!"

(End of Chapter)