Chapter 290: Foes to Friends, Entering the Great Thousand World
"Curse you, boy! I'll destroy you!"
In the spatial tunnel, the black bird let out an enraged roar. Multicolored flames ignited on its claws, radiating such intense heat that even Xiao Tiance could feel the familiar energy of the fire Ancient Xun'er had unleashed into his spirit array moments earlier.
Despite the bird's overwhelming aggression, Xiao Tiance's expression remained calm. If his spirit arrays were designed for large scale assaults, his true strength lay in direct one on one combat.
Clang!
In an instant, the two collided. The black bird's razor sharp claws struck Xiao Tiance's palm, but it was like hitting an unyielding suit of armor. His hand, tough and indestructible, absorbed the force effortlessly.
"What?! How is your physical body this strong?!"
The bird was stunned. Its claws were sharp enough to rip through even the defenses of Supreme Physiques, capable of wounding even low tier Earthly Supremes in a head on clash. Yet this human didn't flinch, relying purely on physical strength.
Xiao Tiance smirked at the bird's shocked tone. Transforming his palm into a claw, he seized the bird's talon, then twisted his waist and shoulders, slamming it into the ground with a thunderous over the shoulder throw.
Boom!
"Damn it! How dare you humiliate me like this?!"
The bird roared in rage, spitting out a massive wave of flames from its beak. The fire's intensity warped the surrounding space.
Still unfazed, Xiao Tiance maintained his grip on the bird. With a powerful jolt of his arms, he flung it high into the air. Moving as gracefully as a falling leaf in the wind, he followed the bird with precision and delivered a devastating kick.
Boom!
The sheer force of the kick sent the bird hurtling through the spatial tunnel like a blazing meteor, its body igniting from friction with the air.
After flying thousands of meters, the bird flapped its four wings furiously to halt its momentum. Its body trembled slightly as fear crept into its heart.
The bird was no longer confident. While it hadn't unleashed its full power, the human's calm demeanor unnerved it.
"Who… who are you?" the bird asked coldly.
It was clear to the bird that Xiao Tiance was no ordinary fighter. His mastery of spirit arrays suggested a connection to the Great Thousand World, yet his lack of spiritual energy contradicted this. Additionally, the sheer power of his arrays rivaled that of an upper Earthly Supreme or even a Heavenly Supreme.
Xiao Tiance, however, had no intention of responding. He silently prepared for another attack.
The bird, noticing this, grew infuriated. "You insolent fool! Answer me!"
It spewed fireballs in rapid succession, each crackling with overwhelming destructive energy. Yet, for Xiao Tiance, the attacks were sluggish. With his superior reflexes, he easily weaved through the barrage.
"When I take you down, I'll answer all your questions," Xiao Tiance said coolly as he closed the distance.
He unleashed a powerful punch, so potent it fractured the surrounding space with a deafening crack.
"Argh! You dare to underestimate me?! Fine! I'll show you my true strength!"
The bird let out a furious cry, unleashing its most devastating technique.
"Divine Technique Sky Splitting Claw!"
A massive claw of energy materialized from the bird's talons and flew toward Xiao Tiance with blinding speed, tearing through the air like a storm.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The two attacks collided, triggering a series of massive explosions that shook the spatial tunnel. Cracks began forming in the tunnel walls, creating an ominous creaking noise.
"Damn it! This reckless fool is going to destroy the spatial tunnel! If the tunnel collapses, even my divine body won't survive the Void Tempest outside!"
Panicking, the bird shouted at Xiao Tiance, "Wait! Foolish boy, do you know what will happen if we destroy this tunnel?! The Void Tempest will rush in! Even Heavenly Supremes cannot withstand it!"
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance paused, narrowing his eyes. He hadn't known the consequences of breaking the tunnel, having only acted instinctively when provoked.
"What is this Void Tempest?" Xiao Tiance asked, his tone calm but wary.
The bird took a deep breath before replying, "You really don't know? You must be from a lower realm that's just now connecting to the Great Thousand World. Let me explain this spatial tunnel is surrounded by the Void Tempest, a chaotic storm of space and time.
"Even if your body is tough enough to withstand a Supreme Physique, if you're caught by the Void Tempest, you'll be obliterated. Not even I, the great Ruler of Chaos, could guarantee survival.
"So unless you wish to die, we must stop fighting. If this tunnel collapses, I may survive, but you… you'll be reduced to nothing."
Xiao Tiance glanced at the cracks spreading along the tunnel walls. "And these cracks in the tunnel? Can we just ignore them?"
The bird snorted. "You fool. Those cracks mean the tunnel is already unstable. We'll have to leave quickly or risk being trapped here when it collapses."
Xiao Tiance fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly. "Fine. But if you try anything, I won't hesitate to finish what I started."
The bird sneered. "As if you could. But fine, I'll humor you. Let's call this fight a draw for now."
The tension between them eased as the two adversaries momentarily lowered their guard.
"Follow me," Xiao Tiance said, turning toward the direction of the Great Thousand World. The bird hesitated but ultimately followed, its fiery aura dimming slightly.
Their uneasy truce held as they journeyed through the collapsing tunnel, their destination drawing closer with each step.
"There's no need to worry. This spatial tunnel will repair itself as long as it isn't pushed beyond its limits," the strange bird said nonchalantly. Suddenly, it transformed into a man in his twenties. He was strikingly handsome, with a tall and elegant figure. If he existed in modern times, he could easily fetch a million dollar deal in the entertainment industry.
"In that case, should we relocate for another round of combat, or just call it quits?" Xiao Tiance asked calmly.
Though he was confident in subduing the man turned bird, he also knew that cornering such a being could bring unnecessary trouble.
"Let's stop for now. Once we reach the Great Thousand World, I'll challenge you again," the bird man responded, a sly smile appearing on his face.
Xiao Tiance smirked inwardly. He could see right through the bird man's ploy. His suggestion to resume the fight in the Great Thousand World was nothing more than a stalling tactic. Once they entered that realm, Xiao Tiance's combat capabilities would be diminished due to the incompatibility of his Dou Qi in a world dominated by spiritual energy.
Still, Xiao Tiance wasn't concerned. He had prepared for this journey with meticulous planning, including a reserve of spiritual energy five times his own capacity. Worse comes to worst, his mastery of grandmaster level spirit arrays alone would be enough to overwhelm his opponent.
"Fine, we'll do it your way. For now, lead the way," Xiao Tiance said with a faint smile. "But before that, let me take care of something first."
"Take care of what?" the bird man, known as the Mischievous Demon King, asked, his face showing confusion.
Without answering, Xiao Tiance raised his hands, forming several spirit seals. The Mischievous Demon King immediately grew wary, fearing an imminent attack.
However, his concern was unwarranted. Xiao Tiance wasn't preparing for another clash but merely retracting the spirit arrays he had secretly placed around the bird man during their fight.
Hiss!
The Mischievous Demon King sucked in a sharp breath. "When did you set these spirit arrays around me?" he asked in shock.
"During our battle, of course," Xiao Tiance replied casually.
Hearing this, the Mischievous Demon King broke out in a cold sweat. Though he had been confident in his combat abilities, he now realized that had he fallen into Xiao Tiance's spirit arrays, things could have gone disastrously wrong.
"Incredible," the bird man admitted with genuine admiration. "No one has ever been able to set spirit arrays during a battle with me. You're the first. Boy, what's your name? How about becoming my right hand man? With me, you'd live a life of luxury anything you desire, yours for the taking."
The Mischievous Demon King's offer was sincere. Xiao Tiance's skill had genuinely impressed him.
But Xiao Tiance had no interest in being anyone's subordinate. After his time on the Dou Qi Continent, he had cultivated the bearing of a leader. The notion of bowing to another was entirely out of the question.
"My name is Xiao Tiance," he said firmly. "As for becoming your subordinate, forget it. I came to the Great Thousand World to forge my own path, not to serve anyone else."
The Mischievous Demon King chuckled, quickly realizing the truth. Someone as exceptional as Xiao Tiance, likely a supreme talent from a lower plane, wouldn't willingly serve another.
"Fine, suit yourself," the bird man said with a shrug. "Let's move on. We're almost at the Great Thousand World."
With that, the Mischievous Demon King turned and began walking ahead. Xiao Tiance followed but maintained a cautious distance, ready for any potential ambush.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the Mischievous Demon King stopped. In front of them was a shimmering barrier.
"Beyond this barrier lies the Great Thousand World," the Mischievous Demon King explained. "Those you were traveling with earlier have likely already passed through. But let me warn you I can't guarantee where we'll end up once we cross."
"You don't know?" Xiao Tiance asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not!" the Mischievous Demon King snapped. "This barrier may appear still, but it's constantly shifting. Even if we pass through together, we might be sent to completely different locations. This barrier is a natural formation created by the realm's World Spirit to prevent large scale invasions from outsiders.
"Now, if you're desperate to stick together, there is a way to ensure we're sent to the same place. But judging by your suspicious demeanor, I doubt you'd agree to work with me."
The Mischievous Demon King clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed, before continuing. "Listen, kid, I'll give you some free advice since you're talented. When you enter the Great Thousand World, your Dou Qi will be suppressed by the spiritual energy of that realm.
"No matter how powerful you are now, the moment you step through that barrier, you'll be no better than a cripple. Only by converting your Dou Qi to spiritual energy will you regain your strength.
"I was considering taking advantage of this weakness to deal with you, but I've changed my mind. People like you, who rise from lower planes, rarely bow to others. Plus, with your talent, you might one day reach the level of a Heavenly Supreme. At that point, even I wouldn't be your match."
With those words, the Mischievous Demon King stepped into the barrier, leaving behind a parting message: "Kid, live well. If you become a Heavenly Supreme someday, perhaps I'll come asking for your help. Hahaha! Good luck!"
With a laugh, he vanished into the barrier.
Xiao Tiance watched him go, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Though their first encounter had been fraught with tension, the Mischievous Demon King's parting words carried a strange sense of camaraderie.
"Perhaps, if we meet again and you truly need help, I wouldn't mind lending a hand," Xiao Tiance murmured.
At that moment, Ling'er reawakened, her voice cheerful. "Master, I've finished refining the Emperor Source. We're finally ready to enter the Great Thousand World! But as another World Spirit, I'll need to hide within your body once we cross. If the Great Thousand World's World Spirit detects me, it might target you."
Xiao Tiance nodded. "Don't worry about me. I've waited a long time for this moment. Let's go shake the Great Thousand World together."
With that, he stepped through the barrier and disappeared into the unknown.
(End of Chapter)
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