This is precisely why Zhou Qing wanted to completely resolve this menace while Xuanyuan Yichen was still at the border.
The verbal exchange just now was actually a way to probe whether the secret of the Fifth-level Cultivation Countryâs artifact had been revealed to the elders.
It seems Xuanyuan Yichen has not leaked the matter, which allowed Zhou Qing to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
After all, the Soul Search technique inherently has many limitations, and the memories obtained may be flawed due to the practitionerâs biases.
Itâs like a blind man feeling an elephant, hard to see the whole picture.
Thatâs why Zhou Qing employed speech to probe for so long instead of directly using the Soul Search technique.
Given Xuanyuan Yichenâs cunning scheming, he must have laid down layers of protection within his Primordial Spirit.
Moreover, Sikong Yan had mentioned to him that each prince carries a soul seal personally planted by the Emperor.
Back then, when he and Lin Jin teamed up to kill the Fifth Prince Xuanyuan Fengtai, they had to exert great effort to avoid tracking.
This further increased the difficulty of Soul Search and the amount of information obtained.
"Excellent!" Zhou Qing shouted coldly, as a rusty broken sword appeared out of thin air in his palm.
Wu Zhenyue inwardly lamented.
Although he couldnât understand the intricacies of their verbal sparring, he understood Xuanyuan Yichen was playing with fire!
Why do you keep provoking him?
Do you really think I can stop him?
"How about a bet on who can be faster!" Xuanyuan Yichenâs voice had yet to fade when a pair of black bone wings suddenly unfolded behind him.
The wings were like the remnants of abyssal fiends, with every spike entwined with twisted black fog, as they spread, space seemed to subtly tremble!
Zhou Qingâs expression slightly changed.
It seems he indeed deciphered some items from the Fifth-level Cultivation Country.
At this moment, he dared not be overconfident, thus transforming into the second form of the Golden-winged Roc, his golden feathers radiating a brilliant divine light, poised to pursue.
"Clangâ!"
Wu Zhenyueâs heavy iron spear swung horizontally, sparks flew, and waves of force exploded!
However, in just an instant, Zhou Qingâs sword edge quivered, and vast spiritual power akin to a raging ocean directly blasted this Dragon Soaring Army commander flying!
Wu Zhenyue felt an unmatched, immense force strike, causing his iron spear to tremble violently, and his palms to split instantly.
He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into three palace pillars before barely steadying his form.
"Ughâ"
Blood spewed from his mouth, Wu Zhenyue was astonished.
Is this the rumored terrifying power that can battle twenty of the same realm alone?
Zhou Qingâs form didnât stop, golden wings slicing through the sky, just as he burst out of the hall, four figures had ghostly blocked all directions.
"Sworn to protect His Highness to the death!"
Leading Guardian Chen Xuanmingâs forehead mark flickered, his hands swiftly making seals.
The ground suddenly surged with numerous vines, all pitch black, covered in barbs, these were the rare "Soul-devouring Vines."
Once ensnared, not only is movement restricted, the spiritual power within is continuously consumed.
On the left side stood Wu Yuanshan, scarred on his face, simultaneously taking action, as a floating ancient bronze mirror surfaced, its face shimmering with eerie ripples.
Where the mirror light surveyed, space seemed squeezed by an invisible force, even the air turned viscous like syrup, Zhou Qingâs golden wings instantly stagnated.
On the right, two Guardians coordinated seamlessly; one summoned thirty-six flying daggers, their blades wrapped in grey "Illusory Smoke."
The other sounded a short bone flute, sound waves transformed into tangible chains, aiming directly at Zhou Qingâs vital points.
Four-pronged attack, sealing heaven and earth!
Zhou Qingâs eyes blazed gold, facing this all-encompassing assault, he didnât dodge or evade.
Suddenly, a golden ripple spread around him, where it passed, the Soul-devouring Vines broke inch by inch.
The ripples of the ancient bronze mirror were forcibly scattered, the illusory smoke dissipated like snow under a fiery sun, and the sound-wave chains snapped with a "crack."
Whatâs more terrifying is, with each realm broken, the golden light on Zhou Qing became more substantial, as if constantly absorbing the essence of othersâ realms in battle to perfect himself!
The four were further counteracted by the realm backlash, each spitting blood and retreating.
Wu Zhenyue endured the pain as he staggered out of the hall, his mouth still streaked with blood.
He leaned on his heavy iron spear single-handedly, shouting fiercely at the Dragon Soaring Army elite as they watched from afar: "What are you waiting for? Hurry and join the fight!"
This roar exploded like thunder, and those Dragon Soaring Army cultivators who hesitated were awakened as if from a dream.
Shadows darted from all sides, each a Divinity Transformation Realm elite of the Dragon Soaring Army.
They wore heavy iron armor, the dragon emblems on their chests glinted coldly under the sun, swiftly surrounding Zhou Qing.
"Fall of Thousand Mountains!"
A leaderâs palms pressed down fiercely, in the void dozens of mountain silhouettes emerged, each weighing thousands of pounds, with a roar pressing down on Zhou Qing.
"Binding Spirit Silk!"
A plain-clothed female cultivator swung her wide sleeves, an endless downpour of silver threads, each glowed with prohibiting spiritual power, entwined toward Zhou Qing.
An elder, hair and beard entirely white, wielded a bronze seal, which expanded in the wind, turning into a hundred feet in size.
The "é" character erupted with golden light, crashing with suppressing might.
The shirtless strong man struck the ground with his fists, the earth cracked and countless sharp stone spikes burst out, each emanating a faint blue light, clearly laced with poison.
...
These Dragon Soaring Army elites seamlessly coordinated, each displaying their strongest realm.
Though their individual strength fell short compared to Zhou Qing, they excelled due to their numbers and years of combat, coordinating flawlessly.
Various magical treasures and techniques wove into a net, entrapping Zhou Qing in the center.
On a distant mountaintop, Xuanyuan Yichen stood with hands behind his back, his dark bone wings at his back quivered slightly.