Chapter 651 - 644: Cooperation
The strength of Zhou Yuanjue’s magnetic field of will was beyond question.
In fact, compared to all his other abilities, this was one of his most fundamental, and arguably the strongest ability any human could possess.
It was an unshakeable will, a soul of steel, capable of creating miracles from the mundane.
And Zhou Yuanjue was the most terrifying embodiment of this power.
In the past, his physical talent wasn’t suited for practicing the Martial Dao. As a result, his progress in laying his foundations was incredibly slow, and it wasn’t until the age of twenty-five that he achieved Mastery of Fist Techniques.
To put it in perspective, many exceptionally talented Martial Artists could reach that level even before the age of eighteen.
His true talent lay not in his body, but in his undetectable and unfathomable will and spirit.
Therefore, after achieving Mastery of Fist Techniques, he fully committed to pursuing the supreme Martial Dao. Driven by his powerful will and spiritual talent, he advanced by leaps and bounds. In just a few years, he completed a journey that would have taken humanity millennia, and he repeatedly broke through to new heights in the crucible of life and death.
Tempered by countless "deaths" during his three years in the True Realm, his will and its magnetic field had been elevated once more, becoming truly indestructible, truly invincible.
Ancestor Yu’s ability had run into the one person it should have never encountered.
No one in this world was qualified to reap Zhou Yuanjue’s will and soul.
No living being, not the earth, not even this universe.
With the scythe in his hand, Zhou Yuanjue squeezed hard.
CRACK!!
The massive scythe instantly shattered, dissolving into countless Feathered Serpent Shadows that flowed back into Yu’s body.
TAP. TAP. TAP.
Zhou Yuanjue began to walk, slowly advancing on Yu.
Yu stood frozen, apparently staggered by the last exchange. He made no move to attack or defend.
Perhaps he had abandoned all hope of escaping from or defeating Zhou Yuanjue.
Moments later, Zhou Yuanjue stood before Yu, slowly raising his palm.
An unknown power traced the diagram of a lotus-like structure on his palm, making it glow faintly.
TAP!
As Zhou Yuanjue’s palm came to rest on Yu’s forehead, the latter still offered no resistance.
He slowly raised his head. Beneath the black robe remained a stretch of boundless darkness, with only a pair of pale blue eyes emitting an eerie glow. They seemed to hold a trace of confusion.
"What in the world are you?"
The question came from a place of deep confusion within Ancestor Yu.
’A being like this shouldn’t exist on such a low-grade planet,’ he thought. ’It defied all logic, all understanding.’
"Me? I’m just a ’human.’"
Zhou Yuanjue replied calmly.
Then.
VMMMM!!
The Sacred Lotus Structure within Zhou Yuanjue’s body flared, and a terrifying energy surged forth. His palm began to proliferate as if it were melting, and a mass of writhing flesh rapidly engulfed Yu’s body. It gradually took shape, then solidified.
Finally, just like the Master of Desolation, Yu’s body was completely encased within a translucent crystal, like a specimen preserved in amber.
At the same time, Zhou Yuanjue slowly retracted the Sacred Lotus Barrier that spanned dozens of kilometers, pulling back his power.
But just as he withdrew his power...
A minuscule black shadow beneath the crystal sealing Yu quivered slightly. It began to phase through the matter, sinking deep into the earth.
Ancestor Yu had never given up hope of escape.
Though he appeared to have lost his will to fight after being overwhelmed by Zhou Yuanjue, it was merely a ruse to make his opponent lower his guard.
Just as his opponent believed victory was certain, in the split second as the flesh and blood enveloped him, he had seized the opportunity. He secretly split off a sliver of his core consciousness and sent it diving underground.
’Finally, I did it. Soon I’ll be free of this cursed place, free of that monstrous man...’
SLAM!!
Suddenly, the ground buckled as an arm plunged deep into the earth. Two fingers unerringly snatched the tiny avatar that was trying to sneak away.
WHOOSH!!
With a sharp tug, the arm yanked the thumb-sized Feathered Serpent Shadow back into the sunlight. It twisted and struggled violently, like a captured earthworm.
"Not a bad performance. You almost had me fooled."
Zhou Yuanjue remarked, looking at the black "earthworm" in his hand.
Then, he squeezed his fingers slightly.
"NO!!!"
The black "earthworm" let out a shrill scream before Zhou Yuanjue’s fingers crushed it completely. It dissipated into a wisp of smoke.
With that, Ancestor Yu was well and truly sealed.
Staring at the crystal monolith on the ground and the figure of Yu trapped within, everyone inside the Kunlun Immortal Palace’s Sealing Realm Image gaped in stunned silence.
’It’s over?! Just like that?!’
’Ancestor Yu is sealed?!’
’That was... way too easy, wasn’t it?!’
Everyone exchanged glances, unable to process what had just happened.
"Everyone, it’s been a while."
Zhou Yuanjue said with a slight smile, looking at the people within the Sealing Realm Image.
"Hahaha, you kid... You’re really something else."
"But none of that matters. The point is, the enemy is sealed, and the Sealing Realm Image has been defended. As far as we’re concerned, this battle is a total victory."
Tu Junshan laughed heartily.
His words snapped the others back to reality.
Whatever the case, the great crisis had finally been averted.
"A total victory? No, not yet."
Zhou Yuanjue shook his head. He looked up past them, toward the magnificent Immortal Palace. "This malignant tumor has to be excised, too."
He reached for the satchel at his waist, took out an Energy Crystal, and tossed it into his mouth to replenish his spent energy.
Then he turned, and with a light push of his foot, he vanished from sight.
He was heading in the exact direction of Ji’s avatar.
A moment later, he reappeared before Ji.
Ji had witnessed everything. As Zhou Yuanjue appeared before him, his expression was grim and silent.
"I’m surprised. You didn’t run, nor did you try anything."
Zhou Yuanjue said with some surprise.
’In truth, escape would have been impossible. During our earlier contact, I completely locked onto his magnetic field and energy. What’s more, when I expanded the Sacred Lotus Barrier, I deliberately included him within its range. With his energy level as an Ancient True King, there was no way he could have escaped right under my nose. But my warning for him not to cause a commotion was just that—a warning. I never actually expected him to listen. If he had raised the alarm, given Ancestor Yu’s decisiveness, sealing him so easily would have been far more difficult.’
"Thanks to the Glowing Moon Dream Realm, my ’Sanity Value’ is among the highest of the Celestial Demon Ancestors. I know what to do and what not to do."
"I want to discuss a partnership with you."
Ancestral Ji stated flatly.