Chapter 318 : Well-Deserved

Chapter 318: Well-Deserved

Flames flickered within Yu Zhaohua’s eyes as the Flintrock Coiling Dragon beneath her feet suddenly raised its head. The scales that were linked to the power of the earth veins trembled faintly.

At this very moment, empowered by the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World phenomenon, the Flintrock Coiling Dragon finally unleashed the true might of its bloodline mystic ability.

Rumble—!!!

The earth veins quaked, and magma erupted.

The swaying combat platform completely shattered, merging into the overwhelming earth-core magma and forming a bottomless molten abyss nearly a thousand zhang wide.

From beneath the abyss, a terrifying aura compressed to the extreme erupted like a volcano.

Chen Beiwu slightly raised his brows. He saw a Flintrock Sword beyond description rise from the ground, wrapped in boundless earth vein power.

Without question, this killing move, which drew upon the grand momentum of the spiritual mechanisms of heaven and earth and evolved the principles of Heavenly-Gang, was already capable of threatening—perhaps even defeating—a Nascent Soul True Lord.

In a flash of thought, Chen Beiwu rapidly formed hand seals before his chest. An even more ancient, even more obscure Primordial Origin aura suddenly manifested.

“Na!”

Without needing further words, the Five Qi Vine instinctively closed its eyes. Through the connection of their Bonded Companion Beast contract, the vast and boundless Primordial Beginning True Qi within its body surged forth endlessly, madly pouring into Chen Beiwu’s body.

‘Primordial Beginning condenses form, Return to the Void buries the Dao.’

‘Profound Origin Returning to the Void Seal!’

As the final hand seal was completed, Chen Beiwu raised his hand. The vast Dao resonance permeating the spiritual mechanisms of heaven and earth instantly condensed into what appeared to be a small seal, yet in truth carried the weight of an entire world—the Returning to the Void Seal.

“Boom!”

In the next instant, the Profound Origin Returning to the Void Seal met the Flintrock Sword head-on, colliding violently.

‘Blocked it?’ Mo Qingshuang’s gaze was filled with astonishment.

There was no disorder in the spiritual mechanisms of heaven and earth, nor any earth-shaking phenomenon. The Flintrock Sword, which should have held the upper hand, began to silently disintegrate. Its enormous blade, vast as an island, melted like ice and snow, returning to nothingness.

“Roar.”

The Flintrock Coiling Dragon let out a furious and startled roar.

As the caster of this Heavenly-Gang mystic ability, it could clearly feel the Flintrock Sword it had unleashed being continuously eroded and devoured by the Profound Origin Returning to the Void Seal.

If the collision continued, in less than ten breaths, it would be defeated due to exhaustion of its origin.

‘The gap indeed exists, but I still have a chance to win.’

Watching the magma rain scatter across the sky, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of Yu Zhaohua’s lips. The frustration in her eyes was replaced by resolute determination.

She still had a trump card she had yet to reveal.

The Flintrock Coiling Dragon’s eyes shifted slightly. That move was too dangerous—it did not wish for Yu Zhaohua to use it.

Yet sensing the firmness and even exhilaration within its contracted cultivator’s heart, it ultimately acquiesced, choosing to resonate in shared cultivation with Yu Zhaohua.

“Imperial Edict · Molten World.”

Yu Zhaohua brought her hands together. A Crimson Radiance Dao pattern appeared at her brow, erupting with flames that seemed capable of devouring everything.

“Crimson Radiance as bone, tribulation fire as blood, Coiling Dragon as soul—Dharma Body manifest!”

Under the dominion of Yu Zhaohua’s supreme will, a Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World Dharma Body dozens of zhang tall appeared, as though forged from countless stars melted together.

This Dharma Body was neither metal nor jade, neither flesh nor spirit. It was a Bonded Golden-Nature Dharma Body condensed from Yu Zhaohua’s Unity of the Three Treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the origin of her Bonded Companion Beast Flintrock Coiling Dragon, the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World phenomenon, her Crimson Radiance Dao Body, and further refined through Immortal Golden Nature.

“Body is the Molten World—ten thousand arts return to flame!”

At the fall of her intent, Yu Zhaohua’s graceful figure rose into the air and slowly merged with the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World Dharma Body.

Taking advantage of the moment, the Flintrock Coiling Dragon interrupted the release of the Flintrock Sword. Its body transformed into endless magma, forcibly enduring Chen Beiwu’s Profound Origin Returning to the Void Seal.

In an instant, magma splashed, the mysterious seal dissipated, and the Flintrock Coiling Dragon transformed into surging magma that merged into the surrounding earth-core magma, as though it could launch a sudden attack at any time.

‘Something’s not right!’

Chen Beiwu’s eyes shifted slightly as he looked toward the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World Dharma Body not far away.

In the Southern Wilderness, Golden Core cultivators regarded the Immortal Dharma Body as their final trump card.

A powerful Immortal Dharma Body was sufficient to allow a Golden Core cultivator to battle across realms.

Compared to the Southern Wilderness, the Immortal Alliance’s Golden Core cultivators, who cultivated through beast-binding, possessed Bonded Dharma Bodies that were even more extraordinary. One could say they were the crystallization of a Golden Core Real Person’s lifelong cultivation, their might far surpassing the Southern Wilderness Immortal Golden-Nature Dharma Body.

This was also the reason Chen Beiwu had not cultivated the Southern Wilderness technique, the Town-Dao Furnace Artifact Core Method.

However, in Chen Beiwu’s perception, although the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World Dharma Body manifested by Yu Zhaohua at this moment carried formidable presence, it was not as powerful as he had anticipated. It was even inferior to the Flintrock Coiling Dragon earlier, which, empowered by the phenomenon, had nearly become a god of volcanoes.

‘Strange. With Yu Zhaohua’s talent, foundation, and background, the Bonded Golden-Nature Dharma Body she condensed should not be so weak. Was it due to excessive consumption from the earlier battle, or does this Dharma Body hold another hidden mystery?’

Suppressing the doubt in his heart, Chen Beiwu grew even more curious about Yu Zhaohua’s next killing move.

When something was abnormal, there was surely something amiss. Yu Zhaohua was by no means mediocre.

Compared to the first speculation, Chen Beiwu was more inclined toward the latter.

Sure enough, Yu Zhaohua suddenly spoke, her tone solemn. “Chen Beiwu, I cannot fully control the power of the next move.”

At this, her gaze fell upon him, her eyes somewhat complicated. “You… better not die!”

Hearing this, Chen Beiwu stood with his hands behind his back and laughed heartily. “Fairy Zhaohua may act as she pleases.”

Seeing such composure and confidence, Yu Zhaohua spoke no more. The Crimson Radiance Dharma Body suddenly shone with boundless brilliance.

‘Body is the Molten World, Golden Nature immortal!’

Yu Zhaohua murmured inwardly. The surrounding earth magma abruptly boiled, transforming into streams of incomparably pure flame torrents that reversed direction and returned, all merging into her Dharma Body.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Standing in the void, her hair dancing wildly, the Crimson Radiance Shines Molten World Dharma Body behind her suddenly shattered, transforming into streams of freely flowing crimson fire lines that entirely covered her true body.

In the next second, as the pitch-black earth-core magma and platinum-white Crimson Radiance flames perfectly intertwined, a seamless dark-red armor abruptly formed.

The armor’s lines were smooth yet domineering. At each joint, dragon heads spat blazing flames. At the chest, the Crimson Radiance Dao Seed resembled a core furnace, constantly emitting an aura that made even Chen Beiwu’s heart tremble.

The instant the Crimson Radiance Molten World armor took shape and covered her entire body, Yu Zhaohua spread her five fingers and fiercely clenched toward the void.

‘Coiling Dragon, return—Bonded transformation into sword.’

A massive black greatsword, one zhang and two chi in length and imposing in design, fell into Yu Zhaohua’s hand out of thin air.

The blade was broad and thick, colored like obsidian magma. Though its edge was unsharpened, it radiated the intent of Crimson Radiance incineration and annihilation, as though a single strike could crush mountains and rivers, boiling seas and burning peaks.

At this moment, through the ultimate sublimation of the Bonded Golden-Nature Dharma Body and the Bonded transformation into weapon, the aura radiating from Yu Zhaohua had already transcended the category of Golden Core cultivators, stepping into an inconceivable realm.

‘Nascent Soul True Lord?’

Without the need for divine sense probing, merely locking gazes was enough. The faint warnings arising within his heart allowed Chen Beiwu to understand what it meant to be a congenital Dao body of the Upper Three Immortal Sects.

Without question, Yu Zhaohua at this moment had already risen above the Golden Core realm and even possessed the strength to slay a Nascent Soul True Lord.

‘How is that possible!’

Mo Qingshuang’s pupils shrank as he stared fixedly at the solemn Yu Zhaohua.

During their previous sparring, although he had lost, the battle had been exhilarating, and he had believed he had forced her to her limits.

Even after losing their second exchange, Mo Qingshuang still felt the gap between them was not great. If he advanced further and comprehended a new sword-path killing move, he believed he would have a seventy percent chance of victory.

Yet he had never expected that Yu Zhaohua had still hidden a trump card!

Could it be that Chen Beiwu would also fall today beneath a congenital Dao body?

Meanwhile, Chen Beiwu’s fighting intent surged ever higher.

Interesting. Though Yu Zhaohua merely stood motionless in the void and had yet to swing her sword, his divine sense had already perceived a vision of himself being severed by a single strike and completely burned into ashes.

“This sword is named Burning Desolation!”

Yu Zhaohua raised the greatsword with both hands. The movement appeared slow, yet in truth she was drawing upon and absorbing the molten domain the Flintrock Coiling Dragon had created throughout the battle.

With every fraction the Burning Desolation greatsword rose, the aura radiating from Yu Zhaohua multiplied geometrically.

There was no doubt—the next strike would be earth-shattering!

“Na!”

The Five Qi Vine swallowed hard, its fur bristling as it instinctively sensed danger.

“This sword can be avoided!”

The Golden Egg’s dragon pupils contracted as it transmitted a mental warning to Chen Beiwu.

‘Avoid it? Why should I avoid it!’ Chen Beiwu’s eyes shone faintly.

Yu Zhaohua had a hidden trump card—did he not have one as well?

From beginning to end, Chen Beiwu’s target had never been the prodigies of the Thirteen Immortal Sects, but rather the unparalleled geniuses of the Five Great Grotto Heavens.

The reason he had allowed Yu Zhaohua to unleash her full strength was precisely to witness the true might of a congenital Dao body.

Thus, even though Chen Beiwu had already seen that Yu Zhaohua only had the power for a single strike, and that merely avoiding it would secure victory in this spar, he harbored not the slightest intention of evasion.

It was not that he did not need to avoid it—

It was that there was no necessity.

Facing Yu Zhaohua at the peak of sublimation, he had no need to evade. Ceasing to conceal his strength and holding nothing back was the greatest respect he could offer his opponent.

“Be careful!”

As her voice fell, Yu Zhaohua slashed out with her sword.

“Buzz!”

This strike had already transcended the scope of third-tier treasure arts.

There was no dazzling sword light, nor any vast sword momentum—only a nearly imperceptible pitch-black thread silently slicing through the void, dividing everything along its path in two and utterly burning it to nothingness.

Whether it was the Golden Egg, the Five Qi Vine, or even Chen Beiwu himself, all were split in half by that sword and annihilated into nothingness.

‘Is that it… am I dead?’

Witnessing this scene, cold sweat slowly dripped from Yu Zhaohua’s temples. All strength left her body as she fell to one knee, a trace of regret and disbelief rising in her heart.

Chen Beiwu was a peerless genius who had forged the Primordial Beginning Golden Core. Even if he were defeated, it was impossible that he would die beneath her Burning Desolation strike.

Yet at this very moment, she could sense no trace of Chen Beiwu’s aura whatsoever.

‘This is bad. This has gone too far!’

Mo Qingshuang, who had been observing the battle, felt his scalp go numb and his mind buzz violently.

Even with Yu Zhaohua’s background in the Yu Clan of Tianyuan and her congenital Dao body, it would be difficult to withstand the罪 of slaying a Primordial Beginning Golden Core genius and a path-opening mentor. Even he, merely an observing cultivator, would suffer severe punishment from the Immortal Sect.

“Buzz.”

In the next instant, Mo Qingshuang’s brows relaxed as he sensed something amiss.

The sword Yu Zhaohua had slashed seemed to have encountered an obstacle it could not pass, remaining halted in place.

“Azure Splendor governs tribulations—myriad tribulations cannot harm.”

Under Mo Qingshuang’s gaze, Chen Beiwu’s figure reappeared, his expression incomparably calm.

Behind him, two boundless and majestic Bonded phantoms slowly manifested, propping up heaven and earth.

On the left, the phantom of the Three-Aspect Profound Flood Dragon raised its head and roared, its form blotting out the sky.

On the right, the phantom of the Five Qi Vine radiated five-colored divine light, exuding supreme might capable of suppressing earth, water, fire, and wind.

Under the governance of the Primordial Origin Dongzhen Azure Splendor Immortal Art of Myriad Tribulations and Myriad Spirits, these two phantoms constructed a barrier of Azure Splendor Myriad Spirits that was both illusory and tangible, stretching across before Chen Beiwu.

The reason Yu Zhaohua’s sword had halted was precisely because it had been blocked by this Azure Splendor Myriad Spirits Barrier.

“Hu…”

Seeing Chen Beiwu’s figure, Yu Zhaohua let out a long breath.

As long as he was unharmed, that was enough.

Having finally encountered an opponent with whom she could discuss the Dao and advance together, she had no wish to slay him with her own hand.

‘What a peculiar Immortal Golden Nature!’

Chen Beiwu looked at the pitch-black thread before him with interest.

Even the Azure Splendor Myriad Spirits Barrier could only block it, not annihilate it outright. The power contained within Yu Zhaohua’s strike far exceeded his expectations.

At this thought, Chen Beiwu’s gaze sharpened. His right hand formed Fingers Joined as a Sword Gesture and thrust forward, activating another profound ability of the Primordial Origin Dongzhen Azure Splendor Immortal Art of Myriad Tribulations and Myriad Spirits—【Dongzhen Calamity-Heaven Finger】—to confront the pitch-black sword thread head-on with a single finger.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

As Chen Beiwu’s fingertip descended, the pitch-black sword thread, which had been locked in stalemate and unable to move, began to collapse inch by inch at a visible rate, until it was completely annihilated into nothingness.

As the price, the tip of Chen Beiwu’s right index finger turned charred black, and even a trace of pale golden blood seeped out.

“Na!”

Seeing this, the Five Qi Vine embraced Chen Beiwu’s finger with concern, releasing Five Elements Treasure Radiance.

Under its illumination, in the blink of an eye, Chen Beiwu’s index finger was restored to normal, not a single scar remaining.

“My thanks.”

Chen Beiwu looked toward Yu Zhaohua.

A congenital Dao body truly had its unique strengths. She had actually forced him to bring his cultivation of the Primordial Origin Dongzhen Azure Splendor Immortal Art of Myriad Tribulations and Myriad Spirits to the Technique Entry Stage, combining it with the supreme profound abilities he had comprehended from the Primordial Beginning Golden Core—【Azure Splendor Myriad Spirits Barrier】 and 【Dongzhen Calamity-Heaven Finger】.

Yu Zhaohua pressed her lips together and said nothing, revealing a faintly bitter smile.

She understood clearly that from beginning to end, the rhythm and initiative of this battle had always been in Chen Beiwu’s hands. He had constantly held back.

Even when she had gone all out, she had still failed to probe the upper limit of the Primordial Beginning Golden Core’s power.

It was precisely because of this that she had fully revealed her trump card in this spar.

If it had been anyone else, Yu Zhaohua would rather have lost the spar than unleash the Burning Desolation strike—for that truly determined life and death.

What she had not expected, however, was that there would be no earth-shattering collision, no mutually devastating outcome, nor the disheveled exhaustion she had anticipated.

Chen Beiwu remained composed and unhurried, effortlessly crushing her trump card with a single understated finger.

“What profound ability was that?”

With the assistance of the Flintrock Coiling Dragon, Yu Zhaohua barely managed to rise.

“Dongzhen Calamity-Heaven Finger,” Chen Beiwu replied truthfully, without concealment.

Yu Zhaohua’s heart stirred in surprise.

Dongzhen Calamity-Heaven Finger? It was not even a Primordial Beginning Golden Core profound ability!

How detestable—was the gap between them truly so vast?

It was one thing that she had failed to force out Chen Beiwu’s Primordial Beginning Bonded Dharma Body, but she had not even managed to draw out his Primordial Beginning profound ability.

Yet looking at Chen Beiwu’s refined features, Yu Zhaohua smiled, a look of relief appearing on her face as she extended her right hand gracefully.

“Let me properly introduce myself again. I am Yu Zhaohua.”

Her gaze met Chen Beiwu’s openly and calmly. “Senior Shen was right—the position of Yuqing team leader is well-deserved by you!”

At this moment, a gentle breeze passed by. Watching the handsome man and beautiful woman in the distance, Mo Qingshuang suddenly felt somewhat superfluous.