Chapter 431: Half-Decay Realm

Boom—!!!

Above the summit of Tongtian Peak, that terrifying Energy Storm capable of shattering stars and making ten thousand paths wail, like the chaotic tides at the birth of the universe, one wave never settling before the next rises, raging, ravaging, and annihilating!

Just the aftershock from Ye Wuque and Ye Junlin's casual clash already plunged the observation zone billions of miles below into unprecedented chaos and terror!

"Not good! This aftershock is too terrifying! Retreat! Retreat again!"

"Hold up all defenses! Deploy the protective talisman!"

"My god! What... what kind of defying-heaven monster is this?! The aftershock of a casual strike already makes us feel as if we're inside a Destruction Storm!"

Cries of astonishment, screams, the shattering of protective divine light, the wailing of magical artifacts... all rang together!

Countless spectators turned ashen, like duckweed struck by an invisible tidal wave, scrambling to retreat, and some, swept by the raging energy turbulence, were gravely wounded, spitting blood, even turning to ash instantly!

Some seasoned Heavenly Pride or faction leaders, strong and well‑versed, while shocked, could not help but feel profound awe and disbelief at the level of power the two combatants displayed.

"This... this fluctuation... has completely surpassed the scope of the Nine Tribulation quasi‑Immortal!"

A being from an ancient imperial clan, himself in the early stage of Nine Tribulation quasi‑Immortal, trembled in voice, eyes filled with reverence.

"I have once sensed, from afar, the full‑force aura of a Nine Tribulation pinnacle within my clan; vast as the sea, yet still far weaker than the oppressive pressure from these two's casual strike right now!"

Beside them, a being from the Xuanhuang World's top Dao lineage, bearing a turtle shell and adept at deduction, with cryptic runes flashing in its eyes, stared intently at the core of the Energy Storm, and slowly spoke, its tone gravely solemn:

"The Immortal Path is vast and towering, each step a heaven of its own. The first step, ascending the Immortal Stair, requires enlightenment of one's Dao and gathering the Immortal foundation; the second, crossing the Immortal Gate, demands experiencing life and death, questioning the true heart, to glimpse Immortal divine light; the third, enduring the Immortal Tribulation! Passing the Nine Tribulations, the tribulation fire forges the True Spirit, allowing one to shed mortal flesh, condense the Immortal Dao Fruit, truly enter the Immortal Domain, living as long as Heaven and Earth, resonating with the laws!"

He inhaled deeply, his voice bearing a solemnity that revealed ancient secrets:

"However, between the Nine Tribulation quasi‑Immortal and the true Immortal Realm, the road is not smooth. Between them lies a little‑known yet crucial barrier, worthy of being called the Heavenly Moat... a hidden realm!"

"This realm is called... Half-Decay Realm!"

"Half-Decay Realm?!" Many Heavenly Pride nearby, ears perked, hearing the term for the first time, were taken aback.

"Indeed," the turtle‑shell being said gravely, "When the Nine Tribulation is perfect and the foundation solid, one may attempt to touch the Immortal barrier. If a thread of true Immortal Dao Rhythm can be drawn into the body, initially merging with one's own law, causing the essence of power to transform, surpassing the quasi‑Immortal limit yet not fully crossing the Immortal threshold, that counts as entering the Half-Decay Realm!"

"The Half-Decay Realm also has nine layers! Each ascent deepens the fusion with the Immortal Dao Rhythm, and the transformation of power's essence progresses further! Only by fully traversing all nine layers, perfectly merging the Immortal Dao Rhythm with one's own law, reaching the Half-Decay Great Perfection, then enduring the final Calamity of Breaking Decay, achieving ultimate ascension within Jiemie, breaking before standing, can one truly... step into Immortality!"

His gaze swept to the two vague yet towering figures at the storm's core, his voice hoarse:

"And now, the fluctuation generated by these two's clash... its power tier has clearly... reached the domain of the Half-Decay Realm! Perhaps even beyond the first layer!"

Sss—!!!

The moment those words were spoken, a chorus of gasps and cold breaths erupted around.

Half-Decay Realm!

For the overwhelming majority of Dark Cultivators, their current cultivation still lies within the Immortal Path.

The Nine Tribulation quasi‑Immortal is already the pinnacle they aspire to, while the Half-Decay Realm is the great starting point perched atop that summit, striking toward the true Immortal Domain!

"A casual strike already wields the might of Half-Decay..."

A young Heavenly Pride, lost in thought, murmured, his eyes' shock turning into bewilderment.

"This... how are we supposed to catch up?"

Just as countless spectators below were shaken to their core by the terrifying fluctuation from Ye Wuque and Ye Junlin's casual strike...

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At the summit of Tongtian Peak, an even more intense, even more terrifying collision has brazenly erupted!

"Eternal Night Zhutian Fist!"

"Eternal Extinction Palm!"

Ye Junlin's cold voice came as if from the deepest Eternal Night, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet bearing an indifferent authority that commands the annihilation of the heavens.

He launched both fist and palm simultaneously; the techniques were simple and ancient, yet contained the supreme principle of reducing complexity to simplicity, returning to the primal.

When the fist flew, the Zhutian stars seemed drawn into Eternal Night, their light extinguished, life silenced.

When the palm struck, the Eternal Time and Space seemed poised to return to void under this absolute Jiemie Dao Rhythm!

More unsettling was that the Primordial Force erupting between his fist and palm was not the ordinary Primordial Force that ordinary Dark Cultivators refine from Heaven and Earth's qi, but a terrifying energy… dark as the purest night, viscous as the ancient abyss, exuding erosion, devouring, and ending all breath!

Dark Night Jiemie Qi!

This is the Primordial Jiemie Qi unique to Ye Junlin, or rather, forged from the Night Clan's supreme inheritance!

Its refinement, energy tier, and synergy with Darkness and the Jiemie Faze amplify it to over ten times that of ordinary Primordial Force!

Each strand of Dark Night Jiemie Qi seemed alive, like countless hungry dark spirits, crazily devouring surrounding light, heat, life, even shattered fragments of law, transmuting into stronger Jiemie Power!

"What a finely pure refined Primordial Power!" Ye Wuque's eyes flashed with brilliance, a silent sigh in his heart.

He could feel that the dark Primordial Force Ye Junlin unleashed was hardly inferior to his own Sacred Battle Qi!

He countered with fist and palm, also unleashing the Ye Clan secret art.

"Heaven and Earth Myriad Transformations Extinguishing God Palm!"

"Eight Desolates Six Harmonies Emperor God Fist!"

A palm struck, and within it seemed Heaven and Earth opening, all things birthing, then instantly returning to annihilation, all transformations to ruin!

A fist thundered, and the Eight Desolates Six Harmonies lay beneath the fist's intent, imperial might vast, suppressing all, sweeping the Six Harmonies and Eight Desolates!

Boom—! Bang! Crack—!!!

Dark Night Jiemie Qi and Sacred Battle Qi, Eternal Night fists and palms and the Ye Clan secret art, collided wildly above Tongtian Peak, annihilating and exploding!

Each collision was like two primeval Divine Mountains, forged from different cosmic laws, striking each other, their flash and roar enough to instantly blind and deafen any cultivator below Nine Tribulation quasi‑Immortal!

The terrifying energy turbulence churned the void above into a boiling cauldron of chaotic porridge, where concepts of Time and Space became blurred and fragile!

In just a dozen breaths, the two had exchanged fewer than a thousand moves!

Still... evenly matched!

"Ye Clan... Summoning Divine Canon... indeed quite extraordinary."

Ye Junlin's face, shrouded by the Eternal Night halo, seemed for the first time to show a faint ripple, and his calm voice carried a hint of indifferent… approval.