Chapter 396: Contention

Crimson sword qi surged defiantly into the heavens, cold light flickering unpredictably, radiating endless intent to kill and destroy.

It appeared before one's eyes, then suddenly behind, moving through the void like a netherworld ghost, coming and going without a trace.

It left people truly overwhelmed, cold sweat trickling down their backs.

As if at any moment, amidst this continuous drone of muffled thunder, a sudden sword strike would slice off their heads!

Facing such a fierce offensive, Chen Chen Yushu neither dodged nor avoided.

He merely formed a hand seal, causing the clear light around him to flash and rise, condensing into no fewer than a thousand crystal-clear water droplets that moved like swift stars and lightning, colliding head-on with the sword light.

The killing intent of the sword light naturally needed no elaboration.

With every leap and sweep, it shattered the obstructing water droplets mid-air, utterly dissipating them.

Yet even so.

It could do nothing against the sheer number of the droplets.

They seemed endless; even when their forms were worn away, within the blink of an eye, they would regenerate and reappear.

One split into two, two into four, four into eight, eight into sixteen...

After a short while of fighting, a rough count showed the number of water droplets had swollen to over three thousand.

Dense and packed, arranged in inner and outer circles, like soldiers surrounding and guarding, they held Chen Chen Yushu securely in the center, forming a strictly ordered array.

At this moment, although Chen Heng's sword light was as agile as a startled dragon, fiercely unparalleled, and indeed too sharp to withstand.

Under such tight defense.

No matter how the sword light charged left and right, it was all in vain.

It could never break into the inner circle, only wasting effort on the outer ring...

Seeing this situation, Chen Chen Yushu's face showed no sign of carelessness or disdain, nor did he relax his vigilance.

He simply turned his awareness inward, observing that within his own Purple Palace, a vague qi mechanism was gradually solidifying, slowly revealing the features and facial organs of Chen Heng.

Thus, he smiled slightly, withdrew his divine sense, and looked no further...

The reason he had previously lowered his status to speak persuasively, promising great benefits.

First, was indeed a desire to recruit Chen Heng, turning conflict into friendship.

If he could sign a legal contract with Chen Heng without bloodshed, indirectly removing this heart-threatening enemy, that would naturally be best.

Not to mention having to expend one Calamity-Transcending Talisman Edict for this.

Even if he had to casually discard ten, he, Chen Chen Yushu, would absolutely not begrudge it, nor would he even blink!

One must know that after subduing Chen Heng, not only could he rest easy for the time being, feeling relaxed at heart.

But as long as Chen Heng fell into the trap, with Chen Chen Yushu's scheming methods and holding the dominant position, he naturally had ways to slowly pull Chen Heng under his banner, making him a hawk and hound like Zhou Zhou Shiyuan, running errands and doing work for him.

As for whether Chen Heng would grow too powerful to control in the future, harboring some improper thoughts.

Chen Chen Yushu was not the slightest bit worried, having already made plans in his heart long ago.

But unexpectedly, Chen Heng did not fall for the trap and directly rejected him.

This left Chen Chen Yushu with a slight regret, inevitably sighing with emotion...

And secondly.

He intended to use words to delay time, so he could secretly accomplish a scheme.

Now that the method was finally taking shape and showing some signs of success.

It could not be considered a waste of effort...

At this moment, Chen Chen Yushu lifted his eyelids.

He saw that although the sword light blocked in the outer circle continued its attacks, its movements were slightly slower than before.

No longer possessing the swift state of coming and going like lightning, it now held a sluggish quality.

The cause of this was entirely due to the fact that, at some unknown time, the sword body had become shrouded in a layer of chaotic water mist, clinging to the sword light like a bone-attached sore, firmly stuck to it.

No matter how the sword light struggled, it could not break free...

These water droplets were a secret Daoist method of the Xiantianmo Sect, called "Zuo Ying Bo Water."

It was created by chance and coincidence within the Xiantianmo Sect by the long-deceased Elder Zuo Ying.

Although it only imitated a fraction of the profound mystery of "Yi Yuan Zhong" among the Seven Great Divine Waters of Heaven and Earth, failing to capture the true divine essence of "Yi Yuan Zhong."

But if speaking of its power and ferocity.

This "Zuo Ying Bo Water" had reached seventy percent of the mastery of "Yi Yuan Zhong"!

It could be said to possess unique wonders and should not be underestimated!

After all, Heaven's tribulation punishment was growing heavier and heavier; Chen Chen Yushu could now only mark the ground as a prison.

Even with the Calamity-Transcending Talisman Edict of the Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, he was not free, unable to send even an avatar half a step out of the Fan Fan Dongtian, otherwise instant catastrophic destruction would befall him; he could only use Yi Shen Jiang Fa to borrow Zhou Zhou Shiyuan's body.

In this way.

Although "Yi Yuan Zhong" was more powerful and superior to this current "Zuo Ying Bo Water."

Because Zhou Zhou Shiyuan's root nature was ultimately incompatible with "Yi Yuan Zhong," and Divine Waters and Divine Fires of Heaven and Earth were ultimately not so easy to refine.

Chen Chen Yushu could only settle for the next best thing, choosing to use "Zuo Ying Bo Water"...

And now, seeing Chen Heng's flying sword finally slow its movement, Chen Chen Yushu naturally would not let slip this rare battle opportunity.

He uttered a clear shout, transforming a strand of gloomy turbid qi into ghostly clouds that emerged from the crown of his head, soaring into the high sky.

As soon as this cloud appeared, the light of the surrounding heavens and earth seemed to dim for an instant, as if something had stolen away the brightness.

Immediately, a mournful, resentful wail emanated from within the ghostly cloud, making people's livers and gallbladders tremble, causing every hair on their bodies to stand on end!

A Yaksha with indigo skin, hair like cinnabar, spitting poisonous smoke and miasma, suddenly leaped out from the ghostly cloud, holding a snow-white skull in its left hand and a bright pearl in its right.

With just a single leap, it pierced through a distance of nearly a hundred zhang in an instant.

With speed faster than thunder, leaving no time to cover one's ears, it turned into a streak of black light and collided squarely with the flying sword!

Boom!

Suddenly, a tremendous sound erupted in the vast sky, shaking heaven and earth!

It was like a divine general striking a drum with all his might, causing people's eardrums to buzz and tremble, with a faint sensation of stabbing pain!

And once the great sound ceased.

The Abi Sword, which had previously shimmered with crimson light and brimmed with overwhelming killing intent, now had its ferocious aura slightly restrained.

It merely hung silently in mid-air, motionless.

Yet upon the sword body, a faint image of a tiger-headed yaksha appeared, baring its teeth and brandishing its claws, its appearance fierce and grotesque.

The snow-white skull held in its left hand had turned a dripping scarlet, while the bright pearl in its right hand was now clouded within, devoid of any trace of vibrant color.

"Everyone says sword cultivators possess unparalleled killing power, but in my view, sword arts are merely external methods for protecting the Dao and achieving longevity; although formidable, I have never regarded them as a fundamental means, unlike Qiao Yubi..."

At this moment, before Chen Heng could gather strength to break the seal on the Abi Sword, Chen Chen Yushu lightly flicked his finger.

In just an instant.

The three thousand or so drops of Left Ying Bo Water swirling around him seemed to receive some kind of guidance, whooshing through the sky!

Like hundreds or thousands of sharp arrows and heavy bolts fired simultaneously, tearing through the atmosphere, they surged toward Chen Heng from all directions with extremely fierce momentum!

"If one wishes to restrain a sword cultivator's methods, even within the Cave-Mystic Realm alone, I can think of no fewer than ten ways; for now, let us see some true skill, do not let your father return disappointed, that would be too disheartening..."

Chen Chen Yushu raised his eyes and chuckled softly.

And as he spoke, countless drops of Left Ying Bo Water had already broken through the sky, arriving in dense clusters.

It was like a grim, massive net rapidly closing in, intending to trap Chen Heng within.

Seeing this, Chen Heng remained calm and unhurried; he simply raised his hand to stroke his chest, causing his Purple Mist Treasure Robe to blaze with brilliant light, and under the drive of his True Qi, it expanded a ring of Cui Can Fa light to protect his body.

For a moment.

Piercing sounds, like heavy rain striking banana leaves, rose one after another, lingering in the ears for a long time.

Yet the Left Ying Bo Water ultimately possessed seventy percent of the refinement of One-Yuan True Water, making it extraordinarily formidable.

With such a number of Left Ying Bo Water drops converging together, let alone a protective Dharma robe.

Even if a heavy mountain range blocked the path, it would be pierced straight through and collapsed into two halves!

After sustaining the assault for several breaths, the radiant light expanded by the Dharma robe finally dimmed and shattered into pieces.

But before the Left Ying Bo Water could seize this opportunity to surge toward Chen Heng, instantly hundreds of layers of Great Sun Divine Light rose up, rolling like tides, drawing in the wind and clouds within ten li around, illuminating everything in a crimson-gold hue.

Within it, countless brilliant star fires shot out.

Once this technique was unleashed, it firmly held the Left Ying Bo Water at the outer circle, allowing not even an inch of advance.

Chen Chen Yushu saw that this divine light was blazing and majestic, capable of separating and merging, its power indeed remarkable.

"Innate Great Sun Divine Light..."

Chen Chen Yushu raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking to himself.

And in order to deal with Chen Heng today, he had previously taken some trouble to investigate the Daoist arts Chen Heng practiced, naturally knowing that Chen Heng cultivated a fire-attribute Dharma method.

However, initially he had assumed it was something like the Yang Lotus Mi Zhou or the Stabilizing Light True Flame.

But seeing it clearly today, with Chen Chen Yushu's discerning eye, it was naturally not difficult to perceive.

This was actually the Innate Great Sun Divine Light created by Dao Lord Tai Wen Miao Cheng of the Chiming Sect before he attained the Dao.

As for how incredibly powerful this method was, that was not necessarily so.

After all, it was merely a product from before he attained the Dao, and the Dharma principles within it had not been perfected afterward.

But since it was created by Dao Lord Tai Wen Miao Cheng.

Then the significance thereof was indeed extraordinary...

"Tai Wen Miao Cheng... this man holds the Two-Polar Fate Disk and is also an expert in divination; has he calculated something as well?"

Chen Chen Yushu pondered silently, yet his hand movements were not slow in the slightest.

He raised his sleeve, remotely made the gesture of drawing a bow and aiming an arrow, and exerted strength with his fingers.

As his fingers suddenly relaxed, the several thousand drops of Left Ying Bo Water that were violently charging forward halted abruptly, beginning to churn and roll, condensing into a sharp arrow, over ten feet long, shimmering with brilliant light.

After a resonant boom.

It shattered the vast sky and surged fiercely toward Chen Heng to kill!

One-Yuan Heavy Water is the most condensed of divine waters, vast, profound, and peculiar, unmatched in toughness.

Under the drive of magic power, often a single drop of heavy water can weigh more than ten thousand jun, making it extremely difficult to withstand!

And although the Left Ying Bo Water does not compare, it has inherited some of this wonderful quality to a certain extent.

Now, suddenly thousands of drops fired together, condensed into a single bundle, easily shattered the Innate Great Sun Divine Light and struck squarely upon Chen Heng's forehead!

However, this strike, sufficient to collapse mountains and destroy peaks, only caused him to retreat a few steps.

Immediately, Chen Heng grabbed the arrow condensed from the Left Ying Bo Water and exerted force to tear it into two ends.

Simultaneously, divine thunder crashed forth from both his palms, giving it no chance to evade!

Only several mighty, grand booms were heard, as wind and clouds transformed, shaking the vast sky!

After resisting for a moment, these drops of Left Ying Bo Water were ultimately powerless before this might of heaven and earth, extinguished one by one into the most primal essence qi.

Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, Chen Heng gathered them all up again, causing them to vanish from their original spot.

At this moment, brilliant light flashed in Chen Heng's eyes as he raised his qi mechanism.

Instantly, a strand of purple qi shot straight into the blue sky, spreading out abundantly, and in an instant transformed into a magnificent Lei Hai, with rolling thunderous noises shaking the vegetation below the clouds to fall prostrate and causing hidden cracks to appear in the mountain rocks!

Seeing this, Chen Chen Yushu shifted his body, and behind him rose a majestic canopy, resembling towering Bai Yu, with the sun and moon casting down their light.

Flakes of auspicious light fell from all sides of the canopy like a water curtain before the eaves, stirring up waves into the sky; on land it could ward off evil beasts, in water it could repel flood dragons, invulnerable to fire and water, impervious to the five weapons!

When the Zi Qing Shen Lei collided with the canopy, a muffled boom rang out in the sky, and rolling shockwaves expanded outward; wherever they passed, whether mountain rocks or Lin Mu, everything was easily uprooted and churned into powder, losing all form!

At this moment, seeing that Chen Heng did not spare his True Qi in the slightest.

After one strike, another dozen or so bolts of Purple-Clear Divine Thunder surged fiercely from within the Thunder Sea, continuing their descent.

Chen Chen Yushu frowned slightly, forming hand seals; the radiance of the Hua-canopy, which had waned somewhat, flared up brilliantly, followed by the sounds of dragon roars and phoenix cries, solemn and majestic.

Just as Chen Chen Yushu was resisting the Purple-Clear Divine Thunder.

The sealed Abysmal Sword simultaneously let out a whistling cry, its light flashing wildly as it split into two, then four.

Upon seeing Chen Heng employ the method of "Sword Light Division" in an attempt to break free from the binding restrictions.

Chen Chen Yushu's expression remained calm, not overly surprised.

Back in Yu Yang Kingdom, Chen Heng had already briefly used Sword Light Division.

Now, with over a decade having passed, it was expected that he could fully cultivate such transformations; although his progress was quite fast, it remained within anticipation.

However, witnessing the sword light flash wildly, after dividing into twenty-four strands in one breath, it did not stop, but divided once more, ultimately reaching a full count of thirty-six.

"Has he already reached the extreme of the Fifth Realm?"

At this moment, Chen Chen Yushu finally showed a slight change in expression; he raised a finger, and a snake-shaped Heavenly Demon, entirely murky yellow, shot out from within him like lightning, biting toward the distance.

However, once the thirty-six sword divisions were complete, the tiger-headed Yaksha pattern on the sword blades, as if unable to bear the burden, let out a mournful cry and vanished into green smoke.

Immediately after, a ball of crimson flame light was flicked out by Chen Heng, arriving before its sender to intercept the Heavenly Demon's path precisely.

The flame light merely expanded forward once, swallowing the entire Heavenly Demon.

After several miserable howls and a struggle.

This Heavenly Demon, which Zhou Zhou Shiyuan had obtained in the Ten Thousand Demons Cave at great cost of effort, vanished miserably, burned completely clean!

"Southern Bright Nanming Nanming Li Huo; indeed, another new trick."

Chen Chen Yushu's expression condensed slightly.

At this moment, not only did the Purple-Clear Divine Thunder come continuously, but the thirty-six sword lights also slashed through the air to kill, splitting and merging suddenly, moving unpredictably.

Simultaneously, the Southern Bright Nanming Nanming Li Huo was fully unleashed, burning the entire mountains and plains into a sea of fire and ocean of waves, resembling ten thousand torches steaming the sky, pressing forward aggressively, allowing Chen Chen Yushu not even a moment of breathing room!

Faced with such a reckless, storm-like offensive that spared no cost.

The Hua-canopy naturally could not hold for long and began to scatter in all directions.

However, before the sword lights, divine thunder, and Southern Bright Nanming Nanming Li Huo could all fall together.

Suddenly, boundless waves of qi rose like a soaring long dragon, shooting out in ten directions; the vast sky shook violently, forcing all attacks back temporarily, pushing them several li away!

"Good technique... Chen Heng, you have indeed given me quite a surprise."

Amidst the whistling fierce wind, Chen Chen Yushu's cold voice spread out:

"Come, let me see if your reputation as 'Victorious in Duel' is undeserved!"

As his voice fell, dust and smoke suddenly surged violently all around, and deadly qi flourished greatly!

One day later.

Gu Yi vaguely heard continuous rumbling and unceasing thunder coming from the distant clouds, the momentum truly magnificent and fierce.

She pondered for a moment, then frowned, before rising on clouds and flying toward that place.

"What is this?"

After half an incense stick's worth of time, when Gu Yi clearly saw the movement upon the distant clouds, her pupils contracted slightly, and her face inevitably turned solemn.

To be continued.

(End of Chapter)