Novel11 Chapter 353 : The Dao Discussion Concludes
Chapter 353 : The Dao Discussion Concludes
True Venerable Changyao lowered his eyes slightly and looked toward the Dueling Platform with interest.The reputation of the Yuanshi Golden Core was resounding, and coupled with the rumors that the Three Xiao were reincarnations of great powers—
At this very moment, it was not only them who were watching. Even the Divine Transformation True Venerables from the other twelve Immortal Sects had descended with divine sense incarnations, observing secretly from the side.
“The duel begins.” True Monarch Feng announced.
Upon hearing this, the Three Xiao Fairies remained standing where they were, unmoving. The two prodigies of the Shangqing Immortal Sect immediately activated their mana and retreated rapidly together with their Companion Beasts.
There was no helping it. Although this Sole Sovereign Battle appeared to be Chen Beiwu fighting five alone, the two Shangqing prodigies knew very clearly in their hearts that they were merely there to make up the numbers. They simply could not interfere in a duel at the level of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
Without exaggeration, just the aftershocks from the clash between the Three Xiao Fairies and Chen Beiwu would be enough to crush ninety-nine percent of Golden Core cultivators. If they did not run faster now, they would only be courting needless suffering.
“Rain gathers!”
“Clear skies rise!”
“The moon descends!”
As their thoughts fell, Moon Xiao, Clear Xiao, and Rain Xiao stood in the Heaven-Earth-Human Three Talents formation. Both hands formed the profound and obscure One Qi Three Purities seal before their chests.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
In an instant, three vast and majestic Heavenly-Gang auras swept across all directions.
One was gentle and continuous like spring rain, nourishing all things.
One was blazing and fierce like the Great Sun, illuminating the world.
One was clear and cold like the bright moon, reflecting heaven and earth.
These three distinct and immense auras rapidly converged, forming a magnificent five-colored pillar of light.
Within the pillar, the faint figures of Raincloud Sovereign, Gilded Flame Chi, and Northern Yin Cauldron Beast—three Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts—could be seen. The aura they emitted caused the entire Dueling Plaza to tremble, and the spiritual energies of heaven and earth let out a strained buzzing hum.
“Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect?”
“Three people using Dharma Aspects together? How is that possible? The Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect is something only Nascent Soul True Monarchs can master. Rain Xiao and Clear Xiao are merely Golden Core True Persons—how could they wield a Dharma Aspect?”
“No, that’s not wrong. That is indeed a Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect!”
The cultivators in the audience were struck with horror, exclamations erupting everywhere.
They had originally believed this would be a completely one-sided crushing match. No one had expected Moon Xiao Fairy to value Chen Beiwu so highly that she would unleash the Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect—something only a Nascent Soul True Monarch who had united spirit with heaven and earth could activate—right at the beginning of the duel.
And not alone, but together with Clear Xiao and Rain Xiao, displaying a triple Dharma Aspect none had ever seen or even heard of.
Rumble—
As the three beasts within the pillar roared and their figures dissipated, streams of azure, crimson, and blue Heavenly-Gang origin flowed like rivers returning to the sea, surging into the bodies of the Three Xiao Fairies.
In the next instant, their bearing transformed dramatically—especially that of Moon Xiao Fairy.
On her jade-like cheeks, her forehead, even her exposed arms, countless Heavenly-Gang mystic patterns emerged, each bearing the Dao’s Rhythm of heaven and earth.
These mystic patterns flowed like living beings, slowly circulating, stirring all spiritual energy within tens of thousands of miles.
“Crash!”
With the sound of rolling waves, a compassionate Dharma Aspect manifested—draped in emerald tidal silk, holding a glazed pure bottle in the left hand, forming the Sweet Rain Seal with the right.
It stood roughly one hundred twenty zhang tall. Its features were gentle, somewhat resembling Rain Xiao, yet imbued with greater sanctity and serenity.
“Roar!”
Dragon cries rang out, and scorching waves capable of boiling seas swept outward.
Another Dharma Aspect appeared—clad in crimson-gold flame robes, crowned with a sun-wheel mystic diadem, holding twin flood-dragon shears in one hand, stepping upon a true dragon, like a dragon-subduing immortal descending.
It stood roughly one hundred fifty zhang tall. Its furious gaze resembled Clear Xiao, yet burned with killing intent so intense none dared meet its eyes.
Yet Dharma Aspects differed in strength. Compared to the final one, these two were like mere fledgling forms.
One hundred zhang.
One thousand zhang.
Ten thousand zhang.
In but the span of a finger snap, a towering Dharma Aspect nearly ten thousand zhang tall manifested, head touching the firmament, feet planted in the netherworld.
Its eyes shone like moons, lips slightly parted. It wore the Northern Yin Celestial Crown and draped the Northern Yin Mountain-and-River Cloak, evolving myriad phenomena.
Its upper left arm held a Yin-Illuminating Mirror reflecting reincarnation. Its lower left arm gripped a Banner of Living Souls, stirring life and death.
Its upper right arm formed the Northern Yin Demon-Suppressing Void Seal, suppressing hosts of demons. Its lower right arm supported an Extreme Yin Cauldron capable of reversing yin and yang.
This Northern Yin Dharma Aspect made no move. Its mere existence radiated an aura where yin reached its extreme and became yang, and yang reached its extreme and became yin—an aura of myriad manifestations.
Sensing the ancient and desolate weight of that aura, even with the Fourth-Tier Mystic Formation and layered restrictions shielding the Dueling Plaza, the Golden Core prodigies present dared not lift their heads to look directly at it.
But this was only the beginning.
The claim that the Three Xiao together could rival a Grotto-Heaven Chief was no exaggeration from the Divine Transformation True Venerable of the Tianyan Immortal Sect—it was truth.
As the Northern Yin Dharma Aspect manifested and its aura connected, the other two Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspects underwent drastic transformation.
One thousand zhang.
Ten thousand zhang.
When the three utterly different auras fully connected, forming a wondrous balance and cycle, three ten-thousand-zhang Dharma Aspects stood between heaven and earth, forming the Three Purities Unified Domain. A tangible pressure far surpassing the Golden Core Realm erupted.
“So the Shangqing rumors hold some truth.” True Venerable Purple Star narrowed his eyes.
Between Golden Core True Persons and Nascent Soul True Monarchs lay a fundamental difference.
If Golden Core cultivators wielded Earthly Sha True Qi condensed from their own indestructible golden attribute to draw upon heaven and earth’s power—
Then the Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect of a Nascent Soul True Monarch was the manifestation of heavenly laws within a certain range—the rule-based embodiment of the Purple Mansion Great Dao they cultivated.
The gap was not simply in essence, energy, spirit, or mana capacity—it was a difference in dimension.
In simple terms, the former borrowed heaven and earth’s power; the latter had begun to wield a portion of heaven and earth’s authority.
This was why cultivators on the Immortal Alliance Official Website endlessly debated:
“In front of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, is a Golden Core True Person nothing but grass?”
As a Divine Transformation cultivator, Purple Star’s answer was yes.
And thus, the appearance of these three ten-thousand-zhang Dharma Aspects demonstrated the terrifying weight of the Three Xiao’s united strength.
Simply put, Moon Xiao—a Nascent Soul True Monarch—together with Clear Xiao and Rain Xiao—two Golden Core Great Perfection prodigies—had executed the Three Pure Ones Marvelous Method of Companion Landscape Immortal Art. It was equivalent to three perfectly unified Nascent Soul True Monarch prodigies joining forces.
Of course, no immortal art was without cost.
Even though the Three Xiao were special as triplet sisters, maintaining this technique placed immense strain upon their minds and could not be sustained long.
Boom!
Chen Beiwu had not remained idle. As the Three Xiao unleashed their Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspects, he had already activated Ten Thousand Spirits Calamity Transformation. A vertical eye opened upon his brow, Five Qi armor clad his body, and he wielded a three-pointed double-edged blade.
His aura shattered the Golden Core barrier, forcibly stepping into the late-mid Nascent Soul level.
Though somewhat unstable—unable to wield Heavenly-Gang True Qi or the profound abilities of a true Dharma Aspect—it was not a genuine Nascent Soul Realm.
Yet the vast Yuanshi True Qi within his dantian was undeniably powerful, even comparable to a True Monarch’s Heavenly-Gang True Qi.
The reason was simple: the Yuanshi Golden Core was a Titled Golden Core rarely seen in ten thousand years. Even without Heavenly-Gang purification, Yuanshi True Qi could contend with the Heavenly-Gang True Qi of upper third-grade True Monarchs.
Even so, compared to the three towering Dharma Aspects, Chen Beiwu’s aura appeared somewhat frail.
Boom!
Zhao Yue’s eyes sharpened. The Northern Yin Dharma Aspect extended a finger. Heaven and earth froze.
Chen Beiwu did not dodge. His three-pointed double-edged blade soared like a dragon through the nine heavens, meeting the descending finger head-on.
In that instant, the fingertip of the Northern Yin Dharma Aspect shattered and collapsed. Chen Beiwu staggered back from the impact, then redirected his blade toward Zhao Yu.
To capture thieves, capture their king first.
He knew clearly that as long as the Dharma Aspects endured, and as long as the Three Xiao’s true qi and mana did not run dry, the Northern Yin Dharma Aspect could be restored at any time.
Zhao Yu’s expression remained unchanged.
The Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect’s power was far more than this.
Once manifested, it formed its own domain. Within it: rain barriers bewildered the mind, clear radiance locked spiritual power, and moonlight suppressed the soul.
Even a late Nascent Soul True Monarch trapped within the Three Purities Unified Domain would have their divine sense obscured, mana sealed, soul suppressed—reduced to but a fraction of their strength.
Moreover, as vessels of the three Dharma Aspects, the Three Xiao could draw upon Heavenly-Gang power, rendering themselves immune to myriad techniques and nearly unshakable in defense.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The longer Chen Beiwu fought, the more troublesome it became.
If the Three Xiao did not fall, the Dharma Aspects would not perish.
If the Dharma Aspects did not perish, the Three Xiao would not be harmed.
Thus, they stood invincible.
Unless he could shatter all three Dharma Aspects at once while severely wounding the Three Xiao, stripping them of the ability to sustain the aspects.
At the same time, Zhao Yue sensed the difficulty of the Yuanshi Golden Core and the Yuanshi Dongzhen Qinghua Sovereign of Myriad Tribulations and Myriad Spirits Immortal Art.
In offense, Chen Beiwu’s blade could pierce the defenses of a Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect.
In defense, his Five Elements armor resisted the erosion and suppression of the Dharma Domain and Heavenly-Gang True Qi.
In perception, the vertical eye upon his brow surpassed a True Monarch’s divine sense. Even with divine sense obscured, he reacted instantly, evading layered assaults.
Without exaggeration, Chen Beiwu had already redefined the upper limit of Golden Core strength in her mind.
A mere peak Golden Core cultivator could be this powerful?
Moon Xiao herself was a peerless prodigy. Upon entering Nascent Soul, she could suppress mid-stage True Monarchs—and even defeat late-stage True Monarchs of the newly discovered Cangyuan Realm.
Chen Beiwu’s displayed power was merely mid-stage Nascent Soul by Cangyuan standards—yet he could exchange dozens of blows without defeat.
If it had been a one-on-one duel, Zhao Yue admitted she would not be confident of victory—only able to drag out the battle.
But this Dao Discussion Battle was inherently an unfair three-against-one.
Her eyes hardened. She chose to fight seriously, even if Clear Xiao and Rain Xiao would bear immense strain.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The three ten-thousand-zhang Dharma Aspects stood towering, divine might like a prison, enveloping the four poles of heaven and earth.
Before the stunned gaze of the thirteen Immortal Sects’ prodigies, Chen Beiwu soared skyward, directly confronting all three Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspects.
…
The roaring ceased. The duel ended. Heaven and earth’s spiritual tides had yet to settle.
“Ha…”
Moon Xiao Fairy Zhao Yue breathed slightly heavily.
Her gaze swept the ruined ground, landing upon Chen Beiwu in the distance. A complex flicker passed through her cool eyes.
For at this moment, on the Dueling Platform, aside from Zhao Yue—the Nascent Soul True Monarch—only Chen Beiwu remained standing.
All others had collapsed in exhaustion, including Clear Xiao and Rain Xiao.
“Victory: Shangqing Immortal Sect!”
True Monarch Feng cast Chen Beiwu a deep look and declared.
From his perspective, he could see the young man was near his limit.
As expected, Chen Beiwu’s radiance flickered. Exhausted, he withdrew from Ten Thousand Spirits Calamity Transformation. Golden Egg, Iron Egg, and Five Qi Vine revealed their true forms, collapsing to the ground.
“Where is your Yuanshi Dharma Body?” Zhao Yue asked softly.
Until the duel ended, Chen Beiwu had not summoned it. Was it disdain—or deliberate concealment for the Assembly of Heroes?
Chen Beiwu smiled vaguely and stepped down with Golden Egg and the others.
He did not know why his Yuanshi Dharma Body had yet to awaken—but there was no need to reveal that.
Few Immortal Alliance cultivators were foolish enough to expose their own shortcomings.
As for defeat—he did not care.
His teammates had been too weak. Securing second place in the Dao Discussion Battle was already commendable.
If he could win the championship at the Assembly of Heroes, Yuqing Immortal Sect might yet replace Shangqing Immortal Sect at the summit.
Zhao Yue watched him silently before departing with her exhausted sectmates.
Had she won?
No. Though she won in form, she had lost in truth.
She saw it in the eyes of the prodigies in the stands.
Who was she?
Moon Xiao Fairy Zhao Yue—the most outstanding disciple of Shangqing Immortal Sect of her generation, who condensed a Pure Yang Nascent Soul before one hundred fifty years of age.
Chen Beiwu, for all his fame, was still merely Golden Core.
For her to require cooperation and Dharma Aspects to defeat him was, in some sense, defeat.
Yet she cared little for the opinions of the weak.
Against the strong, one must go all out. For a peerless prodigy like Chen Beiwu, only joint action was true respect.
…
At the viewing seats of the Nine Xiao Immortal Sect—
‘So strong!’
Lei Hao inhaled sharply, unable to hide his shock.
How could a Golden Core be this powerful?
To shake a Nascent Soul Dharma Aspect—this exceeded his understanding.
No wonder Zhao Yue had refused a solo duel.
At the viewing seats of the Yuxu Immortal Sect—
Mu Nanyan bit her lip.
“Can you get Chen Beiwu’s contact?”
“Interested?” her friend teased.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m not that shallow.”
After a pause, she added, “I only want to study the embryonic pill method he created.”
Feelings aside, cultivation strength mattered more.
A common-born cultivator forging the Yuanshi Golden Core and displaying True Monarch-level combat strength—surely it related to his foundational pill method.
If she could learn even a fraction, she might surpass the chiefs of the Ten Great Immortal Sects.
And she was not alone.
Among the prodigies of the thirteen Immortal Sects, many now contemplated studying the Taiyi Five Directions Nine Revolutions Foundation-Laying Method.
Seeing was believing.
‘The longer one lives, the more wondrous sights one witnesses,’ True Venerable Purple Star thought.
Strangely, after this battle, compared to the rumors about the Three Xiao, he found Chen Beiwu more like a reincarnated great power—only not yet awakened.