Chapter 337: Fierce Battle and Revealed Cards
"Too bad, it's too weak. Its wielder lacks the strength to unlock the true potential of this Supreme Manifestation," Xiao Tiance muttered.
The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame Erupts
Within the Ancient Secret Realm, Xiao Tiance didn't stop at his observations. With a surge of spiritual energy coursing through him, the previously fist sized Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame exploded outward.
The domineering flames surged like tidal waves, each wave higher than the last. The intense heat distorted the surrounding space, and the spiritual energy infusion magnified the flame's power and pressure, even surpassing the might of Ling Zhanzi's Supreme Manifestation.
Awe and Caution from Distant Observers
In the distance, the young maiden and her protector watched in awe. The flame's overwhelming presence left them speechless for a moment before the youth exclaimed:
"What terrifying flames! Even the Fire Spirit Clan, known throughout the Thousand Worlds for their fire manipulation, might not possess such flames in abundance."
"Uncle Lin," the maiden asked, "what is this 'Heavenly Flame' Xiao Tiance mentioned? Have you heard of it before?"
Uncle Lin shook his head, replying, "Miss, 'Heavenly Flame' is likely a term used in his previous world to describe this type of fire, or perhaps a category of such flames.
But let me tell you this. Years ago, I clashed with the previous leader of the Fire Spirit Clan, and even their most potent flames couldn't compare to this. If Xiao Tiance survives today, it's almost certain that he will cross paths with the Fire Spirit Clan. This fire is too rare to ignore, and his mastery of it is leagues beyond anything the Fire Spirit Clan employs."
The maiden nodded, her belief in Uncle Lin's insight unwavering.
"Regardless, Uncle Lin, if it comes to it and he's defeated, please ensure his survival," she insisted.
Uncle Lin bowed slightly. "Miss, you have my word."
Mounting Pressure on the Earth Supremes
Back on the battlefield, Xiao Tiance's surging flames grew even more potent, radiating a pressure that caused the gathered Earth Supremes to exchange uneasy glances. Many had been lured into this confrontation by promises from the Western Heaven Battle Hall, eager to curry favor.
But no favor was worth their lives.
The overwhelming power of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame planted the seed of retreat in the hearts of many. Yet, no one dared move Xiao Tiance's fire might have been deadly, but the shame of fleeing was no less dangerous.
Winter Elder Strikes
Seeing the hesitance of his allies, Winter Elder sneered inwardly. Dissatisfied, he unleashed his own spiritual energy, cold and oppressive, freezing the very space around him.
Crack, crack, crack!
The air froze, and even the distorted space cracked under the pressure of his frost.
With a chilling snarl, Winter Elder declared:
"Even if you are strong, today, I will see you fall!"
With a wave of his hand, he invoked his technique:
"Divine Art Frozen Ice Dragon Spear!"
A massive ice dragon, over a hundred meters long and shimmering with an icy blue hue, materialized. It looked so lifelike that it seemed ready to leap out of the ice and roar to life.
With a deafening roar, the ice dragon lunged toward Xiao Tiance with astonishing speed, its jaws wide open to swallow him whole.
A Swift Counter
Though Xiao Tiance's eyes remained fixed on Ling Zhanzi and his towering Supreme Manifestation, his heightened soul perception left nothing unseen. Every move, including Winter Elder's Divine Art and the subtle actions of others, was firmly within his grasp.
As the ice dragon approached with a terrifying roar, Xiao Tiance remained unfazed. Suddenly, a streak of golden light shot out from his storage ring.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant, the golden streak revealed itself a figure glowing with golden radiance. It was none other than Qinghou, the Heaven Puppet crafted by Xiao Tiance.
Qinghou's Overwhelming Power
With a single punch, Qinghou shattered the dragon's head. Blow after blow followed in quick succession, smashing through the icy construct's body like an unstoppable force. Ice shards flew in every direction as the towering dragon was reduced to rubble in mere seconds.
Finally, Qinghou landed on the dragon's remains, delivering a devastating stomp that obliterated what was left.
Shock Among the Gathered
"That's the puppet!" Winter Elder exclaimed, his heart sinking. Despite his displeasure, even he couldn't deny Qinghou's astonishing strength. To think that a Divine Art, crafted with his Earth Supreme Peak power, could be so easily dismantled was a humbling realization.
He quickly warned the others, "Be careful! That puppet has strength on par with an Earth Supreme Peak expert. It won't be easy to deal with."
Ao Tianxiu Joins the Fray
Before anyone could respond, the towering figure of Ao Tianxiu, the Force God Clan's leader, let out a booming laugh.
"Winter Elder, no need to worry. Let me test this puppet myself!"
Ao Tianxiu stepped forward with a thunderous stomp, closing the distance to Qinghou in a single stride. His bulging muscles rippled with power, his massive frame exuding a primal aura of destruction.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The clash began with an earth shaking exchange of blows between Ao Tianxiu and Qinghou. Their punches created shockwaves that rippled across the battlefield, causing the ground to crack and tremble.
Xiao Tiance's Calculated Confidence
Watching the confrontation, Xiao Tiance chuckled to himself. His earlier suspicions had been correct. During the fight, he had sensed an unseen presence observing him, which he now identified as Ao Tianxiu.
As the Force God Clan leader and a master of raw power, Ao Tianxiu's might was unparalleled. Yet, Xiao Tiance wasn't worried. Qinghou, a puppet crafted with painstaking precision and imbued with the power of an Earth Supreme Peak, was more than capable of holding its own.
The battle between Ao Tianxiu and Qinghou raged on, a contest of pure strength that left the onlookers in awe.
"If you think this is all I have, you're sorely mistaken," Xiao Tiance muttered, his gaze steady as he prepared to reveal even more of his hidden strength.
Even with Qinghou's body, refined by tribulations of heavenly lightning and forged into the indomitable Heaven Puppet, he was forced to take half a step back under Ao Tianxiu's unrelenting blows.
The Bargain Exposed
"What an impressive puppet!" Ao Tianxiu laughed, his eyes glinting with greed as he stared at Qinghou. "Winter Elder, don't forget our agreement. Once we've taken Xiao Tiance down, the method to craft this puppet is mine!"
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance smirked slightly. He finally understood why Winter Elder had managed to convince a powerhouse like Ao Tianxiu, a peak Earth Supreme, to join this battle. The promised reward the method for crafting Heaven Puppets was a temptation even Heavenly Supremes would find hard to resist.
"Rest assured, Clan Leader Ao," Winter Elder responded with a hearty laugh, not withholding his agreement. "As long as Xiao Tiance's life ends here today, I won't go back on my word!"
"Excellent! In that case, I promise this puppet won't pose a threat to any of you." Ao Tianxiu laughed boldly as he lunged forward again, exchanging yet another volley of devastating blows with Qinghou.
A Contest of Strength
The two titans Ao Tianxiu, with his unparalleled physical might, and Qinghou, a masterpiece of puppet craftsmanship engaged in a brutal close quarters battle. Every punch landed with bone shaking force, the ground cracking under the sheer intensity of their strikes.
Despite Qinghou's unmatched strength, capable of making even Xiao Tiance wary, Ao Tianxiu held his own, showcasing the Force God Clan's legendary physical prowess.
Meanwhile, Xiao Tiance narrowed his eyes. With Ao Tianxiu in action, he suspected that Bone Elder, Gu Changming, wouldn't sit idle for long.
Gu Changming Enters
True to his prediction, as soon as Winter Elder confirmed his agreement with Ao Tianxiu, Gu Changming spoke up.
"Winter Elder, don't forget our arrangement," Gu Changming said coldly before unleashing his aura as a peak Earth Supreme. The space around him seemed to quake under the overwhelming pressure of his spiritual energy, which surged to form massive, razor sharp bone spikes.
These so called bone spikes were better described as bone swords, each exuding an aura of deadly sharpness that made the air itself tremble.
In a flash, three massive bone swords were complete. Gu Changming's figure blurred as he leaped into the air, spinning through a rapid sequence of midair kicks to send the bone swords hurtling toward Xiao Tiance at blinding speed.
A Swift Counterattack
The bone swords were so fast that even Xiao Tiance's soul perception could only register their afterimages.
With a cold snort, Xiao Tiance raised one hand, sending the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame toward Ling Zhanzi, who was preparing his next move. At the same time, Xiao Tiance sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the first bone sword.
The second sword left him no time to dodge. With a quick punch, he shattered it into countless shards of spiritual energy.
The third bone sword, however, was relentless. It homed in on Xiao Tiance's chest, matching his every retreat with unerring precision.
As the sword's razor sharp tip drew closer, Xiao Tiance felt an unfamiliar pressure a rare sensation of impending harm.
An Imposing Defense
"Such formidable techniques… It seems I've underestimated the countless heroes of this vast world!" Xiao Tiance thought to himself, a flicker of admiration in his heart.
Suddenly, Xiao Tiance stopped retreating, allowing the bone sword to strike his chest directly. The sharp clash rang out like the striking of metal.
Clang!
"Ha! It worked!" Gu Changming exclaimed, his face lighting up with triumph. "Even Heavenly Supremes wouldn't dare take on this secret technique of the Bone God Clan. For you, a mere Earth Supreme, to survive is impossible!"
Far away, the maiden clutched her chest, anxiety evident in her eyes. In contrast, the youth behind her was calm, a flicker of admiration lighting up his gaze as he watched Xiao Tiance's bold maneuver.
Xiao Tiance's Calm Response
Xiao Tiance's body continued to fly backward from the sword's impact, skidding over a hundred meters before he finally halted in midair. To everyone's astonishment, he reached out and shattered the embedded bone sword with a casual squeeze.
"How… how is this possible?" Gu Changming stammered, his disbelief echoed by the other observers.
Xiao Tiance's calm voice cut through the stunned silence.
"Not bad, Bone God Clan's leader. Your technique is indeed stronger than Winter Elder's. But to think it could kill me? Either you overestimate your strength, or you severely underestimate me!"
The Secret Revealed
As Gu Changming stared at Xiao Tiance, his gaze fell on the glowing pattern beneath the torn fabric of Xiao Tiance's chest.
"A… a spiritual array?" Winter Elder blurted out, his sharp eyes catching the intricate lines of light beneath the cloth.
The realization dawned upon everyone: Xiao Tiance had been protected by a near master level spiritual array, capable of absorbing and deflecting significant damage.
In the distance, the maiden's excitement bubbled over.
"Uncle Lin! We must forge ties with him. Not even our clan's spiritual array masters could create something like that!"
The youth nodded, his admiration evident. "Indeed. This Xiao Tiance is even more remarkable than Lin Dong was."
Xiao Tiance Strikes Back
Ignoring the murmurs around him, Xiao Tiance casually dusted off his clothing, turning his attention back to Gu Changming.
"Since I took your attack, it's only fair that you take mine," Xiao Tiance declared with a cold smile.
Before he could act, the sea of flames created by the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame surged. From within, a massive, fiery hand over a hundred meters long rose and struck out at him with terrifying speed.
"Hahaha! As expected of the Ancient Battle Emperor Manifestation, ranked 24th among the 99 Supreme Manifestations. It can even withstand the burning force of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. Impressive!" Xiao Tiance remarked, his tone dripping with mockery.
End of Chapter
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