The black-robed man slowly pulled back the hood atop his head, revealing a face masked by a ghostly visage.
"What the..."
The disciples of the Rakshasa Sect shuddered, terror seizing their hearts at sight of the ghost mask.
That mask radiated a chilling aura of death.
"Those who see the ghost faceâdie!"
Luo Shang spoke coldly, crushing his palm. Swords at his back exploded with a deafening boom and a hundred Sword Auras surged forth, ripping apart the night sky in an instant.
Splatâ
Splatâ
In the blink of an eye, over a hundred Rakshasa Sect henchmen were shredded by the ferocious Sword Qi, their bodies torn asunder. They didnât even have time to scream.
Some were decapitated by the Sword Qi, others sliced clean through the waist, and some ripped into pieces, dying with not a single bone left intact.
In a heartbeat, blood flowed in rivers, painting the ground in a grisly massacre.
Having slaughtered them, Luo Shang donned his black robe once more and strode across the sky, heading directly into the Celestial Thunder Forbidden Area.
Meanwhile, elsewhere along the Rakshasa River, something similar was unfolding.
A man sitting astride a Flying Horse unleashed his fist, instantly blasting hundreds of Rakshasa Sect underlings to death.
The earth itself trembled and heaved, surging in chaosâa testament to the violent force of his fist technique. No Nascent Soul or Divinity Transformation cultivator could hope to withstand such power.
Even the Rakshasa Sectâs Void Refining and Integration Stage experts would struggle to survive.
"Blind fools! Daring to block my way!"
Gu Shan dismissed them with scorn, steering his Flying Horse to leap straight into the Celestial Thunder Forbidden Area.
Within the forbidden zone, Gu Shan and Luo Shang crossed paths again, but neither exchanged a word.
Each understood the otherâs cultivation rivaled their own. If they clashed, both would suffer.
With no interests at odds for now, it was best to leave each other in peace.
For Gu Shan and Luo Shang, masters of such cultivation, the dangers of the Celestial Thunder Forbidden Area were little more than a scratch.
Mere moments later, the two found the Array-Breaking Technique, endured the might of celestial thunder, and emerged unscathed through sheer force.
One after the other, they left the Grand Arrayâwithout uttering a wordâdoggedly pursuing Lin Changâshengâs trail.
Just fifty thousand miles left to Refining God Sect. Under no circumstances would they allow him to arrive without trouble.
So, both quickened their pace.
...
[Celestial Vault Moon-Splitting Slash: Perfection!]
[Four Symbols Divine Venerable Fist: Perfection!]
Three hours later, night fell deep and Lin Changâsheng, after grueling cultivation, finally mastered both mighty Immortal Techniques to perfection.
Lin Changâsheng planned to see how formidable these two techniques were, deciding heâd brief Hou Yutian first.
"Elder Hou, after my breakthrough Iâve gained some insights. I intend to test out the new immortal techniques Iâve comprehended. Go ahead without meâIâll catch up soon!"
Lin Changâsheng spoke.
Hou Yutian initially worried Lin Changâsheng might run off, but upon seeing Changâsheng had no intention of taking Zhao ShuangâEr along, he relaxed.
With Zhao ShuangâEr here, thereâs no way heâd not return.
"As you wish!"
Hou Yutian replied.
Lin Changâsheng leapt off the Flying Shuttle, seeking a desolate stretch a hundred miles away to unleash his newly perfected Immortal Techniques.
Primordial Power surged in Lin Changâshengâs palm, then he launched a fierce punch.
His Fist Aura, previously entwined with the Divine Dragon, now summoned three additional fierce beastsâBlack Tortoise, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird.
Each radiated immense power, ferocity unrivaled.
These additions amplified the Fist Auraâs dominance.
The Black Tortoise exuded force and gravityâsignifying immense defense, making the Fist Aura nearly indestructible.
The White Tiger, symbol of wild beast, further empowered the might of the Fist Aura.
The Vermilion Bird manifested as the Phoenix, bestowing the Fist Aura with divine fiery plumage.
BOOMâ
The Fist Aura crashed against the earth three miles away; the land roiled and split, mountains crumbled, followed by an earth-shaking rumble.
This punch might not shatter the heavens, but it could annihilate the land beneath.
The force spread across ten miles before dissipating.
Within its reach, the terrain was utterly ruined.
Even those aboard the Flying Shuttle a hundred miles away could feel the horrifying power of that single punch.
"Was that attack unleashed by Daoist Lin?"
Even Hou Shaojie could hardly believe his eyes.
Days ago, heâd been evenly matched with Lin Changâshengâand now, the difference was crushing.
Though their cultivation was the same, his opponentâs combat prowess towered over his own.
"Not much doubtâthis oneâs talent is extraordinary. His future knows no bounds. Shaojie, you mustnât contend with him!"
Hou Yutian cautioned.
If you contend with one such as him, you must smother him in the cradleâshould he mature, heâll become a force of annihilation.
Hou Shaojie nodded solemnly. Heâd thought himself a prodigy of the Immortal Realm...
But after encountering Lin Changâsheng, he felt his own glory nearly eclipsed.
Lin Changâsheng himself was deeply satisfied with the Four Symbols Divine Venerable Fistâs power.
Next, he drew the Evil-Breaking Saber, eager to test out the might of the Celestial Vault Moon-Splitting Slash.
This Immortal Technique fused multiple divine artsâits strength could not be underestimated.
"Break!"
Lin Changâsheng poured Primordial Power into the blade, then swung down in a single slash.
The Blade Aura cleaved the heavens, slaughtering all before it.
Wherever the Blade Aura passed, nothing could stand against it.
Distant mountain ranges were sliced through like tofu, collapsing in its wake.
Grass, trees, all perished upon the groundâeven the air itself seemed to cry out in agony.
BAM BAM BAMâ
The leading edge of the Blade Aura shot out for twenty miles, finally dissipating when it hammered into a mountain, its power vanishing without a trace.
With such devastating force, this Blade Aura could destroy a river, raze a mountainâone slash alone would obliterate a city.
"Not bad!"
Lin Changâsheng nodded with satisfactionâhis previous Blade Auras would only wreck a few hundred yards.
But now, the Moon-Splitting Slashâs Blade Aura swept over twenty miles.
With a single sweep, an entire city would be leveled.
Having gauged its power, Lin Changâsheng sheathed the Evil-Breaking Saber and began to use the Divine Shield.
The Divine Shield far surpassed the Elemental Shield in strength.
This was a unique immortal art, channeling Primordial Power into an unbreakable shield.
It was similar to the Vajra Shield, but finer in craft.
At the same level, no opponent could crack the defense of a perfected Divine Shield.
Buzzâ
Lin Changâsheng summoned the Divine Shield.
It enfolded him in 360-degree absolute defense.
Like a sphere, the shield enveloped him entirely.
The Divine Shield might not help much against overwhelmingly powerful foes, but against peers or those weaker, not one could break throughâno matter how many tried.
"Wang Tong probably only cultivated to entry levelâhis defense pales in comparison!"
Lin Changâsheng thought to himself as he dismissed the Divine Shield.
"Better refine some pills before heading onward!"
Lin Changâsheng wasnât concerned about keeping pace with the Flying Shuttleâhe had the Lightning Thunderclap Eagle, fearsome and quick. Even if Hou Yutianâs shuttle gained a two-day lead, Changâsheng could catch up in one.
The Lightning Thunderclap Eagle could travel thirty thousand miles in a day.
While the Flying Shuttle could only manage ten thousand miles per day.
Lin Changâsheng always kept his Alchemy Furnace close; fire was no issue either, for he mastered the Undying Flame. Toss some flame to the ground and it burned endlessly.
With his Perfect Level Alchemy skills, even in primitive conditions, Lin Changâsheng had a seventy-percent success rate for pill refinement.
Cleanse the furnace, add ingredients, dissolve, and congeal the pill...
Every step of alchemy, not missing a one.
In just an hour, Lin Changâsheng refined a batch of Infinite Holy Pills.
Upon opening the furnace, of ten pills only seven had formedâa bit of a pity.
If other alchemists learned that Lin Changâsheng could refine seven Infinite Holy Pills on his first attempt, theyâd be utterly shocked.
Most alchemists never boast such a high success rate.
Unconcerned by the three wasted pills, Lin Changâsheng discarded them outright.
Heâd looted plenty of herbs from Wang Tongâs Storage Bagâenough for ten more batches.
Lin Changâsheng put in more ingredients and kept refining.
Three more hours whisked by.
With growing proficiency, his success rate reached ninety percent.
Only one wasted pill remained.
"Nice. If not for the crude conditions, I could probably form a perfect batchâall ten pills done."
Lin Changâsheng thought to himself.
"Hm? Already catching up so fast?"
Suddenly, Lin Changâsheng sensed over ten strong auras barreling toward his position.
A few even felt familiar.
With a sweep of Divine Sense, he discovered it was Wang Yun and company.