Chapter 399 - 32: Body Refining Divine Techniques
Upon hearing this, Master Cui replied in a low voice, "That Fang Cheng’s movements are mysterious. Taihao Mountain’s eyes and ears have no news of him yet."
The woman smiled faintly. "He is the only variable. If he isn’t present, the remaining Su Miao and Sun Fuguo are not worth mentioning."
Master Cui gave a self-deprecating smile and said nothing in response.
He had been a Life Soul Cultivator for over a hundred years. In terms of both fame and strength, he was considered above Su Miao and Sun Fuguo, a prime example of Yun Country’s top masters.
But now, having been defeated by the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect, it left a sour taste in his mouth to hear the woman before him speak so dismissively of the Yinluo Sect’s Life Soul Cultivators.
The woman continued, "Once we arrive at the Yinluo Sect, you will go and pay them a visit. Settle this matter quickly, then we will proceed to the Flame God Palace."
Master Cui nodded in agreement.
After their defeat at the hands of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect, Taihao Mountain swallowed its pride and conceded. The entire sect, along with many of the noble family cultivators who had also surrendered, became vassals and servants to the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect, forced to refine Talismanic Coins for them.
Master Cui had considered using the trump cards and techniques left behind by Taihao Mountain’s past patriarchs to resist. However, after seeing the dozen or so Life Soul Masters of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect, that thought slowly faded.
As long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood.
Leaving aside the depth of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect’s own foundation, the deterrent force of the major sects from the Wood and Lu Countries under its command was enough to suppress Taihao Mountain.
Aboard this giant vessel now were thirteen Life Soul Cultivators, including himself, and at least three Fourth-rank Magical Artifacts. How could the Yinluo Sect possibly resist?
...
On the West Shore of the Abyssal Marsh, atop a high mountain, three figures stood under a tree, gazing into the distance.
The leader was a white-haired elder dressed in brocade robes with wide sleeves, a formal crown, and tall shoes. His bearing was majestic, and the aura emanating from him was astonishingly fierce. He was, in fact, also a Life Soul Cultivator.
This was none other than Ye Tianlan, a Celestial Elder of the Flame God Palace.
Since Xu Tianci was slain by Sun Fuguo, he was the only Celestial Elder left in the Flame God Palace.
In recent years, the Flame God Palace had kept an extremely low profile, managing to preserve its strength by leveraging its connection with Fang Cheng.
Standing behind Ye Tianlan was a woman dressed in men’s clothing. She had a slender, cinched waist and a tall figure. Her hair was tied in a simple bun, her nose was straight, her skin fair, and her lips exceedingly thin. She was stunningly beautiful.
This was the current Palace Master of the Flame God Palace, Ye Lingxiu.
Beside Ye Lingxiu was an Earth Elder of the Flame God Palace. He had an ordinary appearance, but his aura was deep and powerful, and he possessed a Peak of Life Talisman Cultivation.
The three of them had arrived at the Abyssal Marsh early to watch the situation unfold from afar, looking in the direction of Yinluo Island.
The Flame God Palace had, of course, witnessed what happened to Taihao Mountain. With Master Cui’s defeat, Ye Tianlan reckoned he stood no chance of victory himself; he was never skilled in combat to begin with.
The Flame God Palace had no one left who could fight.
This duel between the Yinluo Sect and the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect was of extraordinary significance to the Flame God Palace.
In recent years, the Yinluo Sect had shown signs of a revival. The sect was brimming with talent, and with its three Life Soul Cultivators and various mysterious treasures, it had long been the number one sect in Yun Country.
If even the Yinluo Sect could not withstand the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect, then the Flame God Palace would willingly accept its fate.
...
「On this day.」
Taihao Mountain’s giant ship flew into the Abyssal Marsh, its presence immense as it came to a stop directly above the Dragon Spine Archipelago.
From the giant ship, more than ten vast and unfathomable auras manifested. Under their pressure, the Outer Elders and Disciples on the Dragon Spine Archipelago were suppressed into absolute silence.
Master Cui straightened his robes and flew out from the giant ship. He called out in a clear voice toward the distant Yinluo Island, "Is Fellow Daoist Su present?"
From Yinluo Island, a massive palace flew forth. This palace was constructed entirely of white bones, crystalline and snowy, which glowed with an otherworldly light under the sun. Set against the leisurely drifting white clouds, it presented a rather magnificent sight.
—The Bone Daoist Palace.
At that moment, three figures emerged from the Bone Daoist Palace. They left Yinluo Island and came directly to the airspace above the Dragon Spine Archipelago to greet Master Cui.
It was Su Miao, Sun Fuguo, and Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng looked at the giant ship not far behind Master Cui, his expression serene.
In the distance, the elders and true disciples from the various lineages of the Yinluo Sect, as well as the prominent figures from the many noble families of the Abyssal Marsh, all appeared to watch from afar.
"Fellow Daoist Cui, I didn’t expect you to be the one leading the charge this time," Su Miao said with a chuckle, though his tone held an unavoidable note of melancholy.
Master Cui gave a bitter smile and said, "When you live under another’s roof, you must bow your head. Fellow Daoist Su, is your esteemed sect ready?"
Su Miao turned to look at Fang Cheng, who cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Cui, I will be the one fighting in this duel."
Master Cui looked at Fang Cheng and nodded slightly. He then took out a palm-sized, cyan jade tablet from his sleeve, on which dozens of lines of text were engraved.
Master Cui said, "This is the Contract Jade of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect. I invite you three fellow Daoists to look it over. If there are no objections, let us establish the contract here!"
Fang Cheng took the jade tablet. With a single glance, he saw that its contents were exactly as he had heard before:
The Ten Thousand Transformations Sect and the Yinluo Sect would each send one Life Soul Realm cultivator to duel. If the Yinluo Sect won, the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect would forfeit a Fourth-rank Magical Artifact to them.
If the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect won, all cultivators of the Yinluo Sect would have to do one thing for the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect.
During the duel, treasures exceeding one’s own realm, such as Fourth-rank Magical Artifacts, puppets, or Talismans, were forbidden.
Once the contract was signed, if either party reneged, the other could use the contract to suppress and kill the offender’s soul.
Fang Cheng said, "I can sign this contract on behalf of the Yinluo Sect, but I wonder, who from the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect will be signing?"
His voice was calm, but it spread throughout the heavens like a Demonic Sound, captivating the soul.
Aboard the giant ship, a lazy, pleasant voice sounded out, "Naturally, I will be the one to sign."
As the voice faded, a fragrant breeze swept by. A flash of emerald Profound Light appeared, and an enchanting woman materialized out of thin air beside Master Cui.
She wore a long dress with wide sleeves and long ribbons wrapped around her arms. Accompanied by clouds and wafted by the wind, she appeared as graceful as an immortal. Her aura was that of the Mid-Life Soul Stage, and the pressure she exuded was immense.
Master Cui introduced her, "Fellow Daoist Ruan is the Daoist partner of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect’s Sect Leader. She is representing the sect on this trip to Yun Country and is in charge of all matters, great and small."
The woman’s beautiful eyes swept over the three men as she smiled. "You three fellow Daoists may call me Ruan San Niang."
As she spoke, she flicked a drop of her essence blood onto the cyan jade tablet in Fang Cheng’s hand.
The jade tablet immediately bloomed with a moist luster, and something seemed to flash within it before vanishing.
"Fellow Daoist Fang, it’s your turn," Ruan San Niang said softly, looking at Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng smiled faintly and also forced out a drop of essence blood, which landed on the Contract Jade.
CRACK!
The Contract Jade split in two, with Fang Cheng and Ruan San Niang each taking half.
Ruan San Niang put away her half of the Contract Jade and turned to the giant ship. "Nine Kui, you will be the one to experience the Divine Techniques of our fellow Daoist from the Yinluo Sect!"
Her voice had barely faded when a powerfully built, imposing man walked out of the giant ship.
This man was tall and burly, his muscles as hard as iron, bulging and firm, exuding an air of pure dominance.
A Body Cultivator.
Ruan San Niang added, "My Ten Thousand Transformations Sect has always valued harmony. When the duel begins, know when to stop. Do not be reckless."
The large man named Nine Kui nodded. "Understood, Mistress."
With that, he looked at Fang Cheng, his eyes revealing a vicious gleam like that of a savage beast that had just spotted its prey.
Fang Cheng was also sizing up his opponent. With his sharp eye, he could tell at a glance that the man’s physical body was extremely formidable, no less so than many late-mid Tier Three Celestial Demons and Demon Beasts.
And yet, his Cultivation was only at the Early-Life Soul Stage!
This person must have practiced a powerful Body Refining Technique, forging his physical body to be like a Magical Artifact of Profound Iron Immortal Gold, brimming with a savage aura.
The duel began.
Master Cui and Ruan San Niang retreated to the giant ship.
Su Miao and Sun Fuguo returned to the Bone Daoist Palace.
In the empty expanse of the sky, only Fang Cheng and Nine Kui remained.
Neither man wasted any time on words; they attacked directly!
Nine Kui’s figure flashed, closing the distance to Fang Cheng in an instant. His fist, whistling like a storm of wind and thunder, shot toward Fang Cheng’s face.
Fang Cheng’s body dissipated, leaving an afterimage in its place. The formless Celestial Ghost Sword Qi immediately bloomed, engulfing Nine Kui.
A disdainful look crossed Nine Kui’s face. He made no attempt to defend himself, instead brazenly swinging his fists left and right. With a series of booming sounds, he shattered the sword light.
His clothes tore as every muscle on his body swelled and writhed, his entire frame growing larger at a visible rate.
His once-normal physique had transformed into a terrifying body of gnarled, immensely powerful muscles, like a tangled mass of tree roots.
An unimaginably immense force surged endlessly within him, causing the very air to tremble.
Across his body, cyan-gold patterns and ancient, profound runes intertwined, flickering in and out of existence.
He let out a strange laugh and looked at the distant Fang Cheng. "A mere Tier Three Flying Sword? How could it possibly harm me?"
Fang Cheng stood in the void and praised, "A fine Divine Technique!"
He had anticipated this. That day, Master Cui of Taihao Mountain had used his all-destroying Thunder Magic, yet he had been unable to break through Nine Kui’s physical defense, ultimately leading to his defeat.
In terms of power and defense alone, this Body Refining Divine Technique was far superior to the Yinluo Sect’s ultimate technique, the Netherworld Dharma Body.
The Ten Thousand Transformations Sect was like a fierce dragon crossing the river; they certainly had the confidence to back up their actions.
As he spoke, a thin thread of golden light shot out from his sleeve. In a flash, it reached Nine Kui, wrapping around him several times and binding him tightly.
The Immortal Binding Rope.
Nine Kui was instantly immobilized, unable to move.
But his face showed no surprise, as if he had expected this. He was heard muttering a few words, and his figure blurred, escaping the Immortal Binding Rope’s coils and rushing straight for Fang Cheng.
In his place, a cyan wooden puppet was bound tightly by the Immortal Binding Rope. For a moment, both treasures fell silent.
"I’ve long heard that the Yinluo Sect possesses an Immortal Binding Rope... Fellow Daoist, take another of my punches!"
Nine Kui once again threw a punch at Fang Cheng’s face. This one was even more ferocious than the last, creating an explosive crack in the air that sounded like a clap of thunder.
Fang Cheng scoffed lightly. He extended a long arm and struck out with a hand seal!
A monstrous demonic intent surged forth, and the entire sky seemed to darken. Heaven and earth overturned, as if the Nether Prison itself had appeared in the mortal world.
The Netherworld Hand Seal.
BOOM!
Nine Kui let out a muffled grunt. He instantly felt his opponent’s violent Magical Power, which was as turbulent and endless as a surging tide.
If his own Magical Power was a tall mountain, then his opponent’s was a vast, raging ocean.
Even with his overwhelming physical strength, Nine Kui was forcibly knocked back by the profound, unfathomable, and irresistible Netherworld Hand Seal. He was nearly knocked right out of the sky.
Aboard the giant ship.
Ruan San Niang shot to her feet, her eyes fixed on Fang Cheng. She frowned and said, "Something’s wrong. How does Fang Cheng have a Mid-stage Life Soul Cultivation? He concealed his aura just now!"
The other Life Soul Cultivators on the ship were equally astonished. Weren’t they told that this Fang Cheng had only broken through to the Life Soul Realm a few years ago? How had he suddenly reached the mid-stage?
In the arena, Fang Cheng repeatedly unleashed the Netherworld Hand Seal, meeting force with force and driving Nine Kui back again and again. Demonic intent surged like a tide in the sky as Divine Power clashed with astonishing physical strength, sending shockwaves of energy cascading like a waterfall, shaking the air for dozens of miles.
After more than ten exchanges, Fang Cheng had gotten a feel for the foundation of the Ten Thousand Transformations Sect’s Body Refining Technique. He stopped probing and directly summoned the Li Hen Demon Light!
From within the inky, flame-like Demonic Light, nine colossal Resentment Celestial Demons flew out leisurely and surrounded Nine Kui.
In the next instant, the nine Resentment Celestial Demons formed an Array. The pitch-black Demon Flame surged, transforming into a massive furnace that engulfed and began to refine Nine Kui’s tall frame.
The cyan-gold light patterns on Nine Kui’s body flickered as he charged left and right, trying to break out. But the moment the Demon Flame touched him, his skin felt like it was being seared, causing excruciating pain.
Worse, demonic intent sprouted in his heart as the Celestial Demons assailed his soul.
His Magical Power, flesh, and essence blood were all ignited by the Demon Fire, burning fiercely.
Aboard the giant ship.
Ruan San Niang watched this scene coldly, not saying a word.
...