Chapter 577: Qiubai

………

This day.

Ye Wuque walked through the void at the edge of the Dark Star Domain, preparing to leave this Primordial Ancient Star Domain and head toward the Chaotic Void ahead.

That Chaotic Void is the final gate to the No Return Path.

It is said that crossing that chaos allows one to step into the legendary Ultimate Land.

His aura is restrained, like an ordinary Dark Cultivator, strolling slowly through the void.

Yet each step he takes naturally harmonizes with the surrounding void, laws, and energy, as if he himself were part of the heavens and earth.

Just then—

Buzz—!

In the nearby void, a violent spatial ripple suddenly surged!

A tall, vague figure of extraordinary bearing, exuding an indescribable majestic, invincible, mysterious aura, descended as if from another dimension, tearing the void; with a single step it landed beside Ye Wuque, walking side by side with him!

The person was enveloped in a misty Dao Rhythm, obscuring his features; only his eyes, deep as the universe and bright as stars, flickered with a light that seemed to see through all things and transcend the world.

Ye Wuque felt a chill in his heart!

With just one look, he instantly determined—this creature is exceedingly extraordinary! unfathomably deep!

He is undoubtedly one of the few supreme celestial prides among the most terrifying and elite on the entire Origin Ancient Road!

But…

On the Origin Ancient Road, those famed invincible beings—whether Ao Huanggu, Jian Guchen, Tun Zhaogu, or Changli Weiyang, Ning Wushuang, Xu Tianfeng—Ye Wuque has mostly seen, or at least heard of, and has an impression of each.

Yet the person before him is none of those!

His aura, his bearing, that singular, solitary, invincible charm that dominates heaven and earth, differs from anyone's!

Ye Wuque's heart suddenly stirred, recalling a particularly terrifying, defiant being!

That being, over the past hundred years, besides himself, Feng Caichen, Ziyang Shen, Ye Beichen, Ao Huanggu, Jian Guchen, Tun Zhaogu, Changli Weiyang, Ning Wushuang, Xu Tianfeng and other Top-tier Monsters, bears an inescapable brilliant name!

That being is shrouded in mystery; no one knows where he comes from, what faction, or which universe, only that he seemed to appear out of nowhere, suddenly emerging into existence!

He has not acted often, but each time he does, he creates endless brilliant feats that shake the entire Origin Ancient Road!

Yet he is also the most mysterious among these Ancient Forbidden Monsters!

Aside from a terrifying, brilliant, radiant name that has been passed down, everything else remains a mystery!

That name consists of only two characters—

Qiubai!

Ye Wuque's thoughts flashed, his gaze fixed on the mysterious figure beside him, and he asked, his tone even yet tinged with a barely perceptible curiosity:

"Sir... could it be... Qiubai?"

The mysterious man seemed to smile faintly upon hearing it.

The smile was unassuming, yet carried a composure and confidence as if he had long foreseen everything.

He did not answer Ye Wuque directly; instead he turned his head, looking through the misty Dao Rhythm at Ye Wuque, and in a calm, distant tone that hinted at familiarity, he slowly spoke:

"Ye Daoist friend, long time no see."

"Hope you have been well."

This sentence implicitly acknowledges his identity—Qiubai!

And 'long time no see'... does that mean they have met before?

A flash of insight struck Ye Wuque's mind, and he immediately recalled—

Long, long ago, in that distant past, he and the being named Qiubai, separated by Eternal Time and Space, once had a cross‑dimensional exchange!

At that time, though they had not met in person, they had already collided on a spiritual level, deeply marveling at each other's brilliance and extraordinariness!

"Hehe." Ye Wuque's mouth twitched into a smile, his eyes flashing with the joy of seeing an old friend and a eager fighting spirit, "It was a pity I couldn't duel you last time."

Qiubai heard this, and in those deep eyes a similarly fierce light flashed.

His voice remained calm, yet now carried a long‑awaited fighting intent and a hint of... invincible loneliness:

"Same."

"Hope..."

He paused, his gaze fixed on Ye Wuque, as if looking at a worthy opponent worthy of his full effort, and slowly said:

"This time, you can satisfy me..."

His words carried a trace of invincible loneliness, the solitary yearning of Qiubai.

It seemed that in this world, opponents worthy of his full effort had become so few, almost none, that it left him feeling lonely.

Ye Wuque heard this, and his eyes burned with even greater fighting spirit!

He understood that feeling.

He likewise yearned to encounter an evenly matched, exhilarating opponent!

"Alright!"

The two exchanged a glance, both revealing a sharp, gleaming smile!

The next moment—

Boom—!!!

Without extra words or probing signs, the battle between the two Top-tier Monsters erupted instantly!

Qiubai struck first!

He stepped forward, raised his right hand, and slapped a palm toward Ye Wuque!

That palm, though appearing casual, seemed to gather the power of countless heavens' stars!

As the palm launched, the void behind him filled with countless stellar afterimages, like a brilliant Star River, which, following his strike, thundered down upon Ye Wuque!

Ye Wuque's gaze hardened, and he launched a palm strike at once!

His palm technique lacked Qiubai's celestial phenomena, containing only the purest, most domineering power!

When the Emperor Fist was unleashed, the Void cracked, and it brazenly collided with that star Palm Seal!

"Dong—!!!"

A deep, drum‑like roar rang out, and the Void between the two instantly exploded, shattering into countless fragments!

Destructive energy turbulence swept in all directions, but it was easily blocked by the protective divine light emanating from both of them, unable to approach even a hair's breadth!

In a single palm clash, both bodies flickered slightly, then steadied simultaneously.

Evenly matched!

But this is merely an appetizer!

"Nine Star Overlord Body Art!"

Qiubai let out a light snort, and his aura surged abruptly!

On his body surface, nine brilliant star phantasms appeared, slowly rotating around him, exuding a terrifying aura that suppressed the heavens and proclaimed his sole supremacy!

This is his terrifying corporeal divine skill... the Nine Star Overlord Body Art!

"Nine Star Divine Armor!"

The nine star phantasms suddenly flared brilliantly, coalescing into a dazzling divine armor formed from condensed starlight, covering Qiubai's entire body!

Upon the divine armor, starlight swirled; each star seemed truly existent, containing endless power!

"Endless Star Ring!"

Rings of light, condensed from stellar power, radiated from Qiubai's body, enveloping tens of thousands of zhang!

These rings can not only devour and plunder the surrounding natural laws and energy, but also seize the life force of any living being trapped within! Terrifying to the extreme!

"Nebula Step!"

Qiubai's foot moved, and his form instantly became a dreamlike stream of nebular light, moving at ultimate speed, with a fleeting, uncatchable trajectory!

He combined Nebula Step with the Nine Star Divine Armor and Endless Star Ring, charging toward Ye Wuque!

Ye Wuque's eyes blazed with battle intent, and he unleashed his full power without hesitation!

"Undying Immortal Imperial Golden Body... Eighth Turn... Supreme Emperor Descends Dust... Emperor Form!"

Pale golden Blood Qi surged skyward, and a colossal flesh Emperor manifestation spanning ninety million kilometers materialized in the heavens, merging with his true self!

The terrifying corporeal pressure instantly pervaded heaven and earth, standing toe‑to‑toe with Qiubai's Nine Star Overlord Body Art!

"Divine King Steps on Nine Zhutian!"

Ye Wuque's steps came in succession, each footfall striking the rhythm of Space, moving at ultimate speed with a mysterious, unfathomable trajectory, colliding head‑on with Qiubai's Nebula Step!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! ……"

In an instant, the two, at the edge of this Dark Star Domain, launched a cataclysmic showdown!

Emperor Form Ye Wuque, each punch bearing the mighty power to annihilate stars, hammered toward Qiubai!

Meanwhile, Qiubai, clad in the Nine Star Divine Armor, protected by nine star phantasms, wielded Endless Star Ring to plunder and devour, and used Nebula Step to continuously maneuver and counterattack!

Each collision between them caused the Void to explode, shattering the laws, making distant stars tremble!

After a brief clash, Qiubai's combat power surged sharply!

"Purple Qi Transforms into Star!"

He let out a long howl, and dense purple immortal aura rose around him!

The purple immortal aura condensed and compressed, forming a purple star swirled with purple Qi, exuding supreme noble aura, hovering above his head!

"All Stars Unite!"

When the purple star emerged, the nine star phantasms that had been rotating around him seemed summoned, flaring brightly, pouring all their power into that purple star!

The purple star absorbed the power of the nine stars, instantly swelling to become like a purple sun, floating in the Void!

"One Hundred Eight Thousand Stars... coalesce into a point... Break!"

Qiubai pointed his right hand, and that purple star suddenly compressed!

From sun‑like size, it instantly shrank to fist size, then to knuckle size, and finally compressed into an ultra‑brilliant point of light!

Though tiny, that point contained the terrifying power of One Hundred Eight Thousand stars condensed to the extreme! With a single point it could shatter a surface, its power limitless!

"Go!"

Qiubai pointed, and that ultra‑brilliant point, like a purple meteor cutting through darkness, shot explosively toward Ye Wuque!

Where the point passed, the Void was pierced as if paper, leaving an eternal, unhealable black trail!

Ye Wuque felt the terror of that strike!

He had no doubt that, if struck by this point, even his Emperor Form would suffer severe injury!

"Good!"

He roared, unleashing his own trump card!

"Divine King Nirvana!"

"Infinite Limitless Great Fission!"

"Six Paths Startle God!"

"Chaos Heavenly Emperor Fist!"

He gathered all his power, merging the flesh strength of his Emperor Form, the peak state of Divine King Nirvana, and the efficient operation of Infinite Limitless Great Fission, and hurled a punch toward the blasting purple point!

The punch and the point collided brazenly!

"Chi—!"

There was no earth‑shaking explosion, only a faint sound like a red‑hot iron rod piercing ice and snow, a sound of annihilation!

At the moment the point touched the punch, both began to annihilate!

The light point attempted to pierce the fist steel, and the fist steel attempted to shatter the light point!

Stalemated for a brief instant—

Boom—!!!

Finally, it reached the critical point, and a terrifying massive explosion thundered forth!

The violet light and the pale golden light intertwined, forming a ring of destructive ripples that, at a speed beyond thought, spread in all directions!

Where the ripples passed, all tangible and intangible things were turned into Void!

In the distance, countless barren stars were swept by the ripples, instantly shattered and erased, leaving not even a speck of dust!

At the explosion's center, two silhouettes were flung backward simultaneously, gliding tens of thousands of zhang through the Void before barely regaining their posture!

After Ye Wuque steadied himself, he only felt his qi and blood roiling, his right arm tingling slightly.

He looked at the equally steady Qiubai, whose breath slightly rose and fell, and genuine admiration and excitement flashed in his eyes!

Exhilarating!

Ye Wuque shouted loudly, his voice full of unbridled pleasure, "This battle was exhilarating! So satisfying!"

Qiubai likewise steadied his breath, and in his deep eyes now also flickered a rare satisfaction and excitement. He looked at Ye Wuque and said slowly, his voice bearing a genuine acknowledgment and mutual respect:

"It's still my first time… a living being has fought me to this level."

He stood in the Void, the hazy Dao Rhythm surrounding him subtly rippling, as if also delighted by this rare battle.

The two exchanged a glance, both revealing a pleased smile.

Though the fight was brief, they both already sensed each other's unfathomable depth and astonishing brilliance.

This feeling of meeting a worthy opponent, of encountering a true talent, is exceedingly rare and precious for them, who stand at the pinnacle of their generation!

"Brother Ye, please."

Qiubai slightly turned aside, extending a hand to pull.

Ye Wuque nodded, also reaching out his hand in indication.

The two then gladly sat down in the Void at the edge of this Dark Star Domain, and began a discussion of the Dao!

All around were shattered Void and still‑unsettled turbulent energy currents.

In the distance, the faint outline of the Dark Star Domain could be seen, as well as the even farther, more mysterious Chaotic Void that leads to the No Return Path.

And these two, who stand at the very summit of the entire Origin Ancient Road as Top-tier Monsters, seemed utterly indifferent to the outside world, merely sitting opposite each other, beginning to exchange their Dao and insights.

How long this discussion of the Dao will last, no one knows.