Dusk deepened, mist shimmered.
Within a narrow valley, a hazy formation suddenly activated, releasing soul-stirring wails that palpitated the hearts of those who heard and moved those who saw them.
Suddenly
, the formation's dim light faded, revealing a figure seated within.
"For six months now, my spiritual power has been improving, but I've still not reached the late Heavenly Realm. I'm certainly not far from reaching the Eight-Star Dou Zun realm... but unfortunately, the effectiveness of this ninth-level energy core is diminishing,"
Chen Guan muttered,
then stood up. He had already been in the third level of the Heavenly Tomb for a full six months. Aside from the initial effort spent tracking Hun Ya and Hun Li, the rest of that time had been devoted to cultivation.
The Heavenly Tomb, with its abundant natural energy, was an ideal place for cultivation. Coupled with the numerous energy cores, Chen Guan's progress was remarkable.
In just six months, he had already approached the Eight-Star Dou Zun realm!
In the outside world, without opportunity, this would have taken at least three to five years.
However, as he refined more and more ninth-level energy cores, Chen Guan sensed that only higher-level energy cores would be able to match the previous effects.
And higher-level energy cores...
came from a Saint!
At the very least, a Semi-Saint would have to be!
"While an energy body can utilize Dou Qi and fighting skills, it's not a true Semi-Saint. For example, its perception is far inferior. With my current strength, I should be able to plan with caution."
After a moment's reflection, Chen Guan formed a plan.
Even a Semi-Saint is vastly inferior to a peak Dou Zun. Caution is necessary when attacking them.
"Two months ago, the two from the Stone Clan headed east, and Huo Zhi and the other two headed north. Hmm, then I'll head west,"
he thought. With a flash of lightning, Chen Guan's feet moved, and he immediately headed west.
In the past six months, Chen Guan had only encountered four people from the Yan and Stone Clans. They were all friendly, but they didn't engage in deep conversation, and they soon parted ways.
Everyone knew that opportunities for training within the Heavenly Tomb were rare, and there was no time to waste.
Chen Guan had originally planned to head west, slightly off the direction others had chosen, thus gaining more resources for cultivation. However, in this secluded Heavenly Tomb, even a soul in the middle stage of the Heavenly Realm had a severely limited range of perception. It was fine for short distances, but over longer journeys, it was inevitable that the direction would be lost.
...
Ten days later.
Beneath a massive boulder peak, Chen Guan carefully crouched among the rubble, blending in with the environment and perfectly concealing his form.
"This semi-saint energy being's aura is clearly much weaker than the others. He's the one!"
His gaze fixed on the imposing figure perched atop the mountain, its back to him. Chen Guan's gaze hardened, but he remained indifferent, waiting for the perfect opportunity.
Along the way, not counting Dou Zun-level energy beings, Chen Guan had discovered four Saint-level energy beings.
One of them was even a true Dou Sheng!
That was the greatest crisis Chen Guan had encountered since entering the Heavenly Tomb. A Dou Sheng's murderous intent was terrifying, imaginable. Chen Guan unleashed his full firepower, surging his soul storm to its limit, only to escape unscathed.
While a major crisis, it also gave Chen Guan a deeper understanding of his own strength, allowing him to face these semi-saint energy entities with greater composure.
However, Chen Guan remained cautious and held back.
After all, within this Heavenly Tomb, the threat wasn't just from the energy entities; the individuals who had entered the Tomb with him were also present!
Even if Chen Guan gave his all, a battle with a Saint wouldn't be over in a short time. The turmoil of the battle couldn't be concealed, and prolonged action would easily lead to someone else taking advantage.
While Chen Guan was lost in thought, the figure atop the mountain suddenly let out a long sigh of relief, their entire state relaxing.
That's when!
Without hesitation, Chen Guan erupted, his body streaking across the sky like a comet, charging towards the figure.
As the only person outside the Eight Clans within the Tomb, Chen Guan was even more reckless in his choice of targets, unburdened by any pressure.
His first strike was a killing blow!
His entire body enveloped in blazing strange fire, the blade in his hand condensed into a single thread. Simultaneously, his spiritual power surged, condensing into a fine needle, piercing the back of his target's head!
"Looking for death!"
Chen Guan's speed was already incredibly fast, covering the distance of hundreds of feet in the blink of an eye.
However, the domineering figure's reaction was equally astonishingly fast, far from the frailty suggested by his aura. Almost as soon as Chen Guan approached the mountaintop, he sensed danger.
With a furious roar, the domineering figure soared into the air, a ghost-headed broadsword emerging from his hand. Crossing in a cross, two incredibly sharp blades instantly met Chen Guan's gaze, the murderous intent in his eyes practically tangible.
Swish!
Swish!
The blades clashed, their sharpness shaking the very void. Fortunately, the peculiar nature of this Heavenly Tomb meant that a large area would have been shattered if left outside.
Even after shattering two blade beams, Chen Guan's momentum was still undiminished, yet he knew his sneak attack had failed.
This semi-saint was far more powerful than the two he had encountered a few days ago!
But why was this aura
so fluctuating?
"Intruder, you've angered me!"
A deep, cold voice rang out, chilling the heart. A terrifying murderous intent permeated the air, its layers of intense blood aura enough to make the faint of heart retreat.
The Blood Blade Saint had never been so enraged. Six months ago, an outsider claiming to be from the Ancient Clan first intruded into his territory. Back then, the Blood Blade Saint had taken no notice, but after the battle, he was stunned.
He, a dignified Semi-Saint, had been utterly crushed!
Fortunately, the woman had no killing intent, and didn't care about his Semi-Saint-level energy core, so the Blood Blade Saint was able to save his life.
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Even so, the Blood Blade Saint was deeply wounded. Within this Heavenly Tomb, energy bodies of their caliber would face far greater difficulty recovering than normal, requiring significantly longer periods of time.
Who would have thought that in just six months, only a fraction of the original wounds had healed, no longer fearing the surrounding energy bodies of the same level, now able to defend themselves? Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, another outsider appeared.
They were treating him, the Blood Blade Saint, like a soft persimmon!
Repeatedly, the Blood Blade Saint was driven to anger.
The blade flashed blood-red, threatening to stain the air. Without waiting for Chen Guan's explanation, the Blood Blade Saint launched his
attack, a relentless onslaught of blows!
The ghost-headed sword danced in his hand, leaving no trace, each blood-red flash enough to move even a Dou Zun master.
"Ancient Dragon-Phoenix Armor!"
"Crimson Star Drop!"
"Dragon-Cutting Spear!"
"Five-Whirl Fire Separation Technique!"
Facing the near-maddened Blood Blade Saint, Chen Guan dared not be careless. He unleashed every possible means, engaging him fiercely, only sparing a little of his hidden mental strength.
After all, crisis is also opportunity!
Chen Guan sought to use this opportunity to hone himself, aiming for a quicker breakthrough to the Eight-Star Dou Zun realm.
Furthermore, mere meditation was too peaceful; to achieve breakthroughs, the trials of life and death were essential!
"Kill!"
His spear, like a dragon, shattered the sky of bladed light, one shot after another.
The Blood Blade Saint was no ordinary semi-saint. His terrifying blood aura spoke volumes of his countless battles and his exceptional combat experience. Though not at his peak, he remained adept at handling Chen Guan's attacks, firmly maintaining the upper hand.
"Outsider, die!"
With a furious roar, the Blood Blade Saint unleashed his fighting skills for the first time. His boundless blood energy converged, and a figure a hundred feet tall materialized behind him. He grasped a massive ghost-headed sword, hundreds of feet long, like a living deity, and slashed towards Chen Guan.
The wind and clouds fell silent at this moment, as if only this single, unparalleled, wielding sword remained in the heavens.
Chen Guan's face was solemn, his Dragon and Phoenix Ancient Armor invigorated to its fullest potential, causing his entire form to swell considerably, like a small giant. Yet, he remained pitifully dwarfed by the Blood Blade Saint's manifestation
. As the immense blade's radiance approached, an inspiration struck Chen Guan.
"Ten Thousand Gods Tribulation!"
Four-colored sword wings quietly emerged, swirling with blazing flames. A faint, invisible force seemed to envelop them, causing the surrounding space to slightly warp.
Crack!
A single thought struck Chen Guan, and when he reappeared, he was hundreds of feet away.
And the mighty sword was split in two, completely severed!
Seeing this, Chen Guan gained a new understanding, gaining a great deal.
The Myriad Gods Tribulation, learned in his youth in the Jiama Imperial Court, was naturally of pitifully low rank.
But at Chen Guan's current level, even the most inferior fighting skills could be transformed with it.
Furthermore, this Myriad Gods Tribulation had long since become something more than just a technique. Enveloped in four strange fires and enhanced by spiritual power, its blazing intensity far surpassed imagination.
"Hmm?"
The commanding Blood Blade Saint was slightly taken aback. His murderous intent was awe-inspiring, and from the very beginning, he had intended to annihilate this outsider. This was no mere mentoring from an elder.
But having been unable to defeat Chen Guan for so long, and sensing his rapidly improving combat experience, left the Blood Blade Saint's face grimacing.
He was a semi-saint!
Even wounded, he should still be a lean camel stronger than a horse.
But now, he began to doubt himself.
Why were the outsiders he encountered so many confusingly, one after another? Had fighting spirit cultivation in the outside world truly flourished to this point?
Or has an old man like him, outgrown by the times?
His heart was filled with mixed emotions, yet his hands remained relentless, each strike more domineering than the last, each more exquisite than the last...
As the battle dragged on, Chen Guan's position finally eased. From being completely at a disadvantage, he now had a firm footing and even began to look for opportunities to counterattack.
"Hahaha, that was a delight! Thank you for your guidance, Saint. I'll come back tomorrow for your advice!"
After a fierce battle lasting nearly half an hour, Chen Guan shattered the towering blade with a single spear, using the immense force to pull himself away.
Despite the considerable drain, he couldn't conceal his joy.
He could sense that the Eight-Star Dou Zun level was within his grasp! Given
the magnitude of the breakthrough, Chen Guan had no desire to linger any longer. With a hearty laugh, he dispersed his Dragon-Cutting Spear and vanished from the Blood Blade Saint's sight in a flash.
The Blood Blade Saint stood atop the mountain, ghost-head broadsword in hand, his expression shifting between light and darkness.
"Tomorrow is your death!"