Chapter 228 - 175: Mutual Destruction, Array of Myriad Spirits Devouring Souls

"A Spirit Treasure? Looks like I underestimated this little bastard!"

Celestial Concealment muttered inwardly.

He had thought a casual palm would be more than enough to shatter Lin Chang’sheng’s blade aura and gravely injure him.

But to his surprise, he got burned yet again.

Not only was the opponent’s blade aura overwhelmingly domineering, he had actually obtained a Spirit Treasure at the Golden Core Stage.

This was not a treasure just any cultivator could get their hands on!

Even the Celestial Concealment Divine Master himself had only managed to find one two hundred years ago when he entered a secret realm with his senior brother.

In the end, he turned on his brother, killed him, and took all the treasures for himself to reach his present cultivation.

He also dabbled in Array, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, and other fields.

If it weren’t for that opportunity, Celestial Concealment would never have qualified to become one of the Beimu Immortal Race’s powerhouses.

"So that’s the full extent of your power?"

Lin Chang’sheng said in a deep voice.

Even facing a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert like Celestial Concealment Divine Master, he showed no sign of panic, because even if the Fiery Flame Array failed to kill Celestial Concealment, he still had cards up his sleeve.

If he wasn’t at least a bit certain, Lin Chang’sheng would never wait here for death like an idiot!

"You think you’re even worthy to see my full cultivation? You sure overestimate yourself!"

Celestial Concealment sneered.

If it took him unleashing his own Spirit Treasure just to deal with a Golden Core Stage ant, he’d be a laughingstock even if he finished the kill.

"Since that’s how you want it, for the sake of fairness, I won’t use Spirit Treasures either!"

Lin Chang’sheng waved his hand, putting away the Godslaying Blade.

With just his Golden Core Cultivation, that wasn’t enough to slay Celestial Concealment.

If Celestial Concealment also brought out Spirit Treasures, he’d have even less chance of victory.

Might as well goad him—with both not using Spirit Treasures, Lin Chang’sheng might even have the edge.

After all, Lin Chang’sheng’s physical body had already advanced to Nascent Soul Level, and with the Dragon God World Destruction Fist, maybe he could fight on equal footing.

"Whether you use a Spirit Treasure or not, the result will be the same. I’ve seen your rare talent and would give you a chance to surrender. If you betray the Southern Domain Cultivation Realm and join my Beimu Immortal Race, I’ll spare you the pain—otherwise, I’ll make you beg for death, suffering endless tortures to avenge my grandson!"

Celestial Concealment tried to recruit him, testing his attitude.

For Lin Chang’sheng’s talent was the most monstrous he’d seen in nearly a thousand years.

Even the Beimu Saint Heir couldn’t compare.

This youth even mastered arrays—should he willingly serve the Beimu Immortal Race, helping them unify the Cultivation Realm...

He could let go of his hatred for now.

Of course, Lin Chang’sheng’s ultimate fate was set—being possessed by Master Bi Xi.

But before being possessed, he could wring out more value.

Hearing Celestial Concealment’s words, Lin Chang’sheng curled his lips, "You want me to submit? Then show me all you’ve got! Someone who just got schooled by me wants me to admit defeat?"

"What an ungrateful fool!"

Celestial Concealment saw persuasion was futile and stopped wasting words, letting his rampaging magical power surge, hurling another palm at Lin Chang’sheng.

This palm strike, called the Thousand Brush Seal, was at full force, able to unleash a thousand afterimages with immense, overbearing power.

But in Celestial Concealment’s eyes, there was no need for Lin Chang’sheng to unleash his full strength.

And if Lin Chang’sheng fought without Spirit Treasure, his defeat would be even more miserable.

He’d only been wounded earlier because he was careless.

Who would have thought a Golden Core Stage cultivator would have a Spirit Treasure?

This time, Lin Chang’sheng didn’t choose to go head-to-head with Celestial Concealment—his magical power was simply too overwhelming, and a direct clash would only hurt Lin Chang’sheng more.

Bang—

Space-shrinking technique erupted. In the blink of an eye, Lin Chang’sheng vanished.

When he reappeared, he was already near Celestial Concealment’s side.

At that moment, his right hand clenched into a fist, magical power surging and radiating an incomparably dazzling brilliance.

"Haa—!"

Gathering all his might, Lin Chang’sheng unleashed a punch—the newly merged Dragon God World Destruction Fist.

This punch could flatten any mountain in a hundred-zhang radius, the power overwhelming.

But what would happen if it landed on Celestial Concealment?

"Get lost!"

Celestial Concealment roared in anger, striking out with his left palm, layers of palm seals flying out to defend.

Boom! Boom! Boom!—

Dragon God Fist Aura instantly collided with the successive palm seals.

Celestial Concealment thought a casual palm would suffice to deal with Lin Chang’sheng.

But after fist and palm clashed, the outcome left him shocked.

Lin Chang’sheng, with only Golden Core Stage cultivation, actually shattered the shield of palm imprints he’d thrown out.

And the residual might of the dragon-enshrouded fist aura slammed right in front of him.

With no time to dodge, Celestial Concealment could only raise his magical power to block.

Bam!

The fist aura landed, knocking Celestial Concealment Divine Master more than ten zhang away before he stabilized himself.

He was nearly smashed into the ground by Lin Chang’sheng’s punch.

"Nascent Soul Level physical body?"

This scene shocked Celestial Concealment yet again.

What kind of monstrous creature was this kid? He kept getting shocked by him again and again.

First the array, then Nascent Soul Level divine sense...

And now, even his physical strength had reached Nascent Soul Level.

If this youth’s magical power were also at the Nascent Soul Level, he might lose this battle!

With this thought—

Celestial Concealment stopped underestimating Lin Chang’sheng and grew serious.

But Lin Chang’sheng gave him no breathing room—after knocking Celestial Concealment back with a punch, he fired wave after wave of fist aura.

Roar—roar—!

The Dragon God World Destruction Fist transformed into golden dragons roaring down at Celestial Concealment.

"Thousand Brush Hand!"

Celestial Concealment roared, gathering what magical power he had left for a full-power strike.

This palm unleashed every bit of his mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation.

At first he hadn’t used his full power for two reasons: one, he looked down on Lin Chang’sheng as merely a Golden Core gnat.

Two, if he accidentally killed Lin Chang’sheng, Master Bi Xi would lose his possession target, and he’d be in trouble.

So he was holding back.

But after getting burned again and again by Lin Chang’sheng, he abandoned all restraint.

This palm turned the very world pale.

The entire sky seemed cloaked in golden light—countless colossal Divine Seals rushed to meet Lin Chang’sheng’s Divine Dragon Fist Aura as it crashed down.

Boom! Boom! Boom!—

In the heavens above, fists and palms collided, erupting with earsplitting rumbles like the rage of a Thunder God.

The crushing pressure left all mortals trembling in terror.

As the deafening roar faded, the Divine Dragon Fist Aura shattered a hundred palm imprints before dissipating completely.

The rest of the palm imprints continued surging toward Lin Chang’sheng.

"What a savage palm seal! So this is the true might of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Seeing wave after wave of palm seals coming, Lin Chang’sheng immediately channeled magical power into his Black Tortoise Battle Armor.

In a flash, black armor encased Lin Chang’sheng from head to toe, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Bam—

The moment the Black Tortoise Battle Armor formed, the palm imprints crashed down atop Lin Chang’sheng.

The full-powered blow of a Nascent Soul Realm expert was no joke—even with the Black Tortoise Battle Armor as protection...

The palm strike shattered his armor outright. The force shook Lin Chang’sheng’s organs so violently they felt completely displaced as he flew into the distance.

"Chang’sheng—!"

Yu Wenjing saw Lin Chang’sheng blasted away, grievously wounded, and was struck with utter terror, racing toward where he’d fallen.

If she had to die, she’d rather die alongside Lin Chang’sheng.

"Overestimating yourself!"

Celestial Concealment sneered coldly.

You want to challenge a Nascent Soul powerhouse with Golden Core cultivation?

Sheer lunacy.

The gulf between cultivation levels wasn’t something ordinary cultivators could cross, unless you were a true prodigy.

Even prodigies could hardly make up the chasm between great realms.

"Go!"

While Celestial Concealment gloated, Lin Chang’sheng whipped out the Hundred Thousand Soul Banner—countless black shadows, shrieking pitiful screams, surged toward Celestial Concealment.

The harrowing wails chilled the soul.

If not for Celestial Concealment’s powerful divine sense, his very soul might have been torn apart by the tens of thousands of malicious spirits.

Even so, the scene of the myriad souls charging unsettled Celestial Concealment, stunning him briefly.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!—

In his daze, several blazing arrows shot from the sky.

The arrows came slicing through the air from all kinds of tricky angles, giving Celestial Concealment no way to dodge.

By the time Celestial Concealment snapped back, the arrows were already at his chest.

He could only hastily muster his magical power to raise a shield around himself.

But just as he blocked the six arrows in front, three more slammed into his back.

Bam! Bam! Bam!—

Nine arrows struck around Celestial Concealment Divine Master, thundering with violent blasts.

Some arrows he managed to block, but others broke through.

When the thunder died, Celestial Concealment Divine Master’s back was flayed open, a bloody mess.

If not for his mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, those few arrows would’ve been enough to end him.

Far off, Lin Chang’sheng landed on the ground, clutching the Sky-shining Flame Bow.

Though his insides felt as if they were being ripped apart, he wasn’t in mortal danger yet.

When he raised his head and looked at Celestial Concealment up in the sky, his opponent wasn’t faring much better.

His hair and clothes were scorched in many places, and his back was ripped to shreds.

Nascent Soul Cultivators were far superior to Golden Core in both offense and defense.

If Lin Chang’sheng had used these killing blows on a Golden Core Peak enemy, they’d have died several times over.

But against Celestial Concealment Divine Master, it barely cut through his flesh.

"Your talent is indeed remarkable, but today, your fate is sealed!"

Celestial Concealment roared in fury.

Who’d have thought that smiting a Golden Core ant would leave him injured?

An utterly humiliating disgrace!

If this brat hadn’t killed his grandson, he’d call that kind of talent monstrous genius.

If not for being on opposite sides, he might’ve actually considered taking Lin Chang’sheng as a disciple.

He could even have taken him out of the Immortal Relic Land someday.

But since Lin Chang’sheng killed the Beimu Saint Heir, his fate was unchangeable.

"That was just an appetizer. The real show starts now!"

With that, Lin Chang’sheng slammed his palm down on the ground.

As his magical power surged, a black curtain of light slowly rose over a hundred-zhang radius centered on the Imperial Palace, enveloping it completely.

Yu Wenjing had just rushed to the edge of the barrier and was stopped outside by the black screen.

"Chang’sheng, please, just go! It’s not worth dying here for Great Yu—!"

Yu Wenjing’s eyes grew red with desperation.

The enemy wasn’t just some ordinary cultivator.

He was a peak Nascent Soul powerhouse.

A cultivator like that could turn an entire city to rubble with a wave of his hand.

In Yu Wenjing’s eyes, Lin Chang’sheng might be a genius, but he just couldn’t compete with such a mighty foe yet.

If Lin Chang’sheng painstakingly cultivated for a hundred years, maybe then he’d stand a chance.

Yu Wenjing wasn’t wrong—at his current cultivation, Lin Chang’sheng wasn’t Celestial Concealment’s match. Any harm he’d done was due to the other’s negligence.

With just his magical attacks alone, how could Lin Chang’sheng contend against a Nascent Soul powerhouse?

But Lin Chang’sheng’s killing move was beyond Yu Wenjing’s widest imagination.

The black aura rising now was a grand array: Array of Myriad Spirits Devouring Souls.

When Lin Chang’sheng returned to the Imperial Palace, he’d laid the array in preparation.

He hadn’t expected he’d really need it now.

The more souls this array devoured, the more cultivation it provided.

Earlier, Lin Chang’sheng had released a hundred thousand souls here—if he devoured them all, breaking through a realm or two would be a breeze.

Even though the boost was only temporary—

It would suffice to stand up to Celestial Concealment, for the time being.

"An array within an array?"

Celestial Concealment stared at Lin Chang’sheng, watching him continually consume the surrounding souls, his cultivation climbing ever higher—Celestial Concealment frowned deeply.

Just how many tricks did this kid still have left up his sleeve?