Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 579 - 353: Calamity Immortal (First Update)

All the Mahayana were shocked, and the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea was even more astonished.

His Southern Sea Dragon Clan prided themselves on their physical strength, and their South Sea Battle Dragon Art was an ancient fighting technique. Having cultivated to his level of realm, he possessed not only boundless strength and the ability to turn rivers and stir the seas but also scales and claws comparable to a Superior Immortal Implement.

Yet, was he actually repelled in the exchange of punches and kicks with the opponent?

In the heart of the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea, he was shocked to the core, unable to accept this reality.

It wasn’t that he was arrogant or conceited, but this completely defied common sense and knowledge.

Since ancient times there have always been stronger individuals beyond oneself, and greater heavens beyond one’s heaven.

In the Earth Immortal Realm, there are countless powers, including ancient body refinement techniques like the Heavenly Court’s Nine Revolutions Primordial Skill, Buddhism’s Supreme Secret Teachings, the Demon Race’s Heavenly Demon Holy Law, and the Devil Race’s Nine Tribulations Demon Body, all of which are supreme body refinement techniques, even more exceptional than his South Sea Battle Dragon Art.

Therefore, the Dragon Monarch could accept that there were warriors in the Earth Immortal Realm whose physical strength surpassed his own.

But he could not accept that this Zhen Yuanzi before him was among that rank and possessed such physical prowess.

Why?

Because he had only advanced into Mahayana six hundred years ago, just a mere six hundred years!

In these short six hundred years, he not only needed to consolidate his Mahayana Cultivation, convert Immortal Spiritual Power but also gather materials to prepare for the Pill Origin Gathering. All these activities consumed a vast amount of energy and time, where an ordinary cultivator would feel rushed even in a thousand years, let alone a hundred.

Yet, he managed to consolidate his Mahayana Cultivation in such a short time and even mastered three Heaven Gang techniques, such as Whip Mountain Move Stone, Great Minor Compliance, and Five Elements Great Escape. His Five Elements Divine Light and Sleeve Universe Divine Power didn’t fall behind either.

In over six hundred years, such accomplishments were startling and momentous, shaking the very foundations of the past and present. How could he also practice body refinement techniques, and craft a battle body as formidable as the Southern Sea Dragon Clan’s?

How could anyone accept this?

This was no longer a matter of immense talent or startling genius that could be described or explained.

No matter how talented or gifted one might be, they couldn’t achieve such cultivation results in such a short time.

This already went beyond the common sense of the Earth Immortal Realm, and there was no precedent in ancient or modern times.

Either he was faking it, and everything up until now was an act, or the identity of "Zhen Yuanzi" itself was a fabrication.

Or, he has some Heaven Reaching fortune, a supreme treasure that gave him such achievements in merely over six hundred years.

Which was it, the former or the latter?

The Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea did not know, as he didn’t have the luxury to think further at this moment.

Whether it was the former or the latter, the opponent was now at his doorstep; did he have any other choice?

No matter what, a battle was unavoidable!

"Roar!"

With a furious dragon’s roar, the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea burst into action, his neck scales bristling in anger, fully transformed into a battle dragon’s form as he charged at his foe once again.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

At the same time, all around the Dragon Palace, echoing roars were heard as three dragon shadows rushed over, converging with the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea into the battlefield.

They were the other Mahayanas of the Southern Sea Dragon Palace.

As part of Immortal God Taoism with a lineage spanning hundreds of thousands of years, the Southern Sea Dragon Palace naturally had more than just one or two Mahayana cultivators.

Apart from the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea and the Dragon Queen, there were also Three-Headed Four-Clawed Flood Dragons in the Dragon Palace who were of Mahayana Cultivation, and they were now urgently summoned to provide support.

As the three dragons entered the fray and surrounded their enemy from all sides, dragon shadows whipped through, golden scales filled the sky, causing the Crystal Palace to tremble incessantly.

With four Mahayana Flood Dragons personally entering the battlefield to fight, accompanied by the Dragon Queen controlling the Great Void Grand Array from outside the arena and Mo Yunzi, who had inherited the Five Colors Divine Light and was now struggling furiously, the power of six dragons was now present.

One against six, man against dragon, setting aside the question of quality, there was an absolute advantage in numbers.

However, within the battlefield, beneath the pressure of the array, the Taoist Man still showed no fear.

Swinging his horsetail whisk and motioning the Thunder Whip, he clashed with the looming dragon shadows, striking scales and claws.

The Tai Chi Diagram turned, the Five Elements Light operated, resisting the Primordial Qi of the Great Void and standing up against the heavy water of the azure sea.

Battle, battle, battle, to the extreme, extreme, extreme; in the midst of the Great Void Azure Sea, one man fought against six dragons, alone resisting the overwhelming pressure of the array.

"This..."

Seeing this scene, the hearts of the dragons at the scene were alarmed, and everyone else was even more astounded.

"Zhen Yuanzi!"

"He has such battle power?"

"Inside the Great Void Azure Sea, one man is fighting six dragons alone?"

"The four Flood Dragons making close contact and the pressure of the azure sea couldn’t take him down?"

"In over six hundred years, this man has advanced to Mahayana, begun Pill Origin, mastered Divine Powers, and refined a battle body—this..."

"How is this possible, how is this possible!?"

"He is not Zhen Yuanzi—he absolutely isn’t; this completely defies logic!"

"If he is not an impostor, then he must be in disguise, for he must have an earth-shattering secret within him!"

"Heaven Reaching fortune, a supreme treasure?"

"..."

Everyone’s thoughts were in disarray, filled with various speculations and doubts.

Everything has a cause and effect; such a defiance of the natural order by this individual must be backed by a shocking secret.

If they could help the Southern Sea Dragon Palace capture him this time, wouldn’t they have the chance to explore the truth, or even share in the spoils?

Enticed by these prospects, people became increasingly restless.

Just at that moment...

"Ah!!!

A sorrowful scream pierced through the air.

Everyone focused their gaze, following the sound, only to see that five streams of Sword Qi had burst forth in the battlefield, heading straight for the bodies of the four dragons.

Where did the Sword Qi come from?

It originated from Mo Yunzi and manifested as Five Colors Divine Light.

As sharp as swords, the Five Colors Divine Light burst from Mo Yunzi’s body, heading towards the four encircling Mahayana Flood Dragons.

"Bang!!!"

The Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea powerfully clashed his claw, shattering two streams of the Divine Light, truly worthy of being a battle dragon comparable to a Superior Immortal Implement.

The other three dragons, though slightly lagging behind him, also shattered the Divine Light, and their encirclement, relaxed for a moment, swiftly closed back in.

Only...

"Aargh!!!"

A cry of agony was heard as Mo Yunzi, pierced through by five streams of Sword Qi, toppled to the ground. He reverted to his ferocious Demon Dragon form, the vital energy within his body rapidly dissipating. A ghostly Dragon Soul attempted to escape from the decaying flesh, but was bound by five chains. It could only wail pitifully, desperately calling for help.

"Little brother!"

Upon witnessing this scene, the four dragons within the arena were not the only ones stirred; the Dragon Queen of the Southern Sea immediately showed a drastic change of expression. Disregarding the loss of immortal power and significant decline in cultivation, she fiercely activated the Array Power. The Great Void Azure Sea and tens of thousands of heavy waters collided into the arena without care.

Xu Yang, seeing this, promptly switched to a defensive stance. The Tai Chi Diagram loomed high above him, surrounded by a halo of five colors, keeping out both the tens of thousands of heavy waters and the four dragons’ underlings.

"Bang Bang Bang!"

A series of collision sounds erupted like rain striking banana leaves — fierce and intense. The four dragons coordinated with the array, their underlings launching a fierce onslaught, but they could not penetrate the Tai Chi Diagram overhead nor the Five Elements light encircling him.

"What is this...?"

"Divine Power?"

"Magical Treasure?"

"Array?"

The onlookers outside the arena furrowed their brows; in the midst of this offense and defense, they recognized traces of various doctrines but found them indistinct and ambiguous.

Regardless, Xu Yang remained focused on defense, his line unwaveringly solid as he withstood the fierce assault of the five dragons without showing significant disturbance.

Just as the stalemate ensued...

"Boom!!"

A loud crash resounded, the Broken Void shattered, and a dragon claw that seemed slow yet moved quickly pierced into the arena.

A single dragon claw, dark gold in color, exuded an indescribable ancient aura, alongside a majestic mountainous power, which became apparent within the dark gold scales. Such power left the void unable to hold, cracking inch by inch into oblivion.

Indeed...

"Boom!!!"

Before the crowd could gather their thoughts or cry out, the dragon claw had already reached into the arena, striking upon the protective barrier of Five Elements light.

It struck, not smashed, nor tore!

A light touch, extremely casual as if no force had been exerted at all, thus it could not be described by heavy blow or ripping.

But it was this light touch upon the barrier of Five Elements light, which even the four Mahayana Flood Dragons and the Great Void Azure Sea could hardly shake, that made it tremble and shatter inch by inch, like a fracturing mirror.

Not just the Five Elements Divine Light, but the Tai Chi Diagram overhead was also affected, reverting into black and white fish, which were then annihilated, their Yin and Yang Qi dissipating away, leaving only the cultivator’s body to face the True Dragon Five Claws directly.

In an instant, the solid defense completely collapsed!

Xu Yang’s eyes sharpened, his immortal power surged rapidly, and the Five Elements Divine Light re-emerged. The Yin and Yang Tai Chi reappeared, the void behind him dissolved, revealing a magnificent vista. Chaos Yuan began, Qiankun manifested, forming a world of its own. In it, an Immortal City soared in the sky, radiating its splendid glow.

Such a strike had reached its limit.

But...

"Boom!!!"

The Dragon Claw descended, the void was shattered, and all phenomena ceased to exist.

The Tai Chi broke, the Five Elements were destroyed, the cultivator’s body staggered back, shocking blood spattering in sight.

"Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang Bang!"

A series of frantic sounds, reminiscent of firecrackers exploding, Xu Yang stepped back through the void, retreating ten steps and leaving behind a trail of cracks, indicative of the force he’d endured.

"Boom!!!"

On the final step, the void couldn’t withstand the force and shattered, the cultivator steadied his body and was barely able to stop his retreat.

"This is..."

"The Dragon King!"

"Calamity Immortal!"

A sudden turn of events shook the entire place; gazing at the dark golden dragon claw that emerged from the shattered void and the injured Xu Yang, the crowd finally came to their senses, yet remained at a loss.

"Father!"

Only the Dragon Monarch of the Southern Sea snapped back to reality promptly, ready to rush forward and claim the final victory.

"I have experienced the might of the Southern Sea Dragon, Taoist Man applauds!"

Seeing this, Xu Yang merely smiled, wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth, and swept his horsetail whisk.

In an instant, blue, yellow, red, black, and white, the Five Colors Divine Light spun like a grindstone, instantly veiling the Taoist Man’s figure.

Upon seeing this, the dark gold dragon claw reached out once again, its speed surpassing that of the Southern Sea Dragon Monarch, directly grabbing into the Five Elements Divine Light.

"Boom!!!"

As the Dragon Claw struck down, the void broke apart, the colors of the Five Elements dissipated, yet the figure of the Taoist Man did not appear.

"Five Elements Great Escape?"

"Hmph!!!"

To such an outcome, a dragon chant echoed from within the void, followed by an overwhelming dragon presence bearing down like a mountain.

"My child is incompetent!"

The regal dragon presence, heavy as mountains, forced the Aquatic Clan in the Dragon Palace to prostrate themselves instantly, and even the Southern Sea Dragon Monarch and the several Four-clawed Flood Dragons knelt and bowed their heads: "We beseech the Dragon King to calm his anger!"

"Hmph!"

Another cold snort followed, the dark gold dragon claw withdrew, and the sea water surged in reverse, filling the void and healing the space’s wounds.

Eventually, all returned to calm, with no sign of the True Dragon’s might nor the Taoist Man’s figure—only a corpse of the Demon Dragon lay on the ground, and several flood dragons bore expressionless faces.

At this sight, the audience fell silent, their gazes intersecting with shock and puzzlement.

"That Zhen Yuanzi, to have cultivated the Five Elements Great Escape to such a degree?"

"Even the Calamity Immortal could not retain him?"

"With this, isn’t he free to roam the Earth Realm?"

"The Southern Sea Dragon King, a Four Calamity True Dragon, not quite the strongest yet far from the weakest, failed to capture him..."

"Perhaps the Dragon King’s Yuan Qi is still recovering from the last True Dragon Tribulation, and he held back due to concerns over compounding karma..."

The crowd was thrown into a tumult of thoughts, setting off turbulent undercurrents.