Novel11 Chapter 360 : Battling the Three Firmaments Again
Chapter 360 : Battling the Three Firmaments Again
After the battle ended, Mo Qingshuang and the other three exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat complicated.It had been too fast!
They had only just formed their hand seals, preparing to act, when Senior Brother Chen had already effortlessly resolved all the cultivators of the Nine Heavens Immortal Sect.
As a result, the four of them seemed redundant, unable even to provide support.
‘This guy doesn’t look like a Golden Core at all!’
Looking at the ravaged canyon, Yan’s gaze shifted slightly.
For it, defeating five Golden Core True Persons was nothing worth mentioning.
But Chen Beiwu was different. If its perception was correct, he was currently only at Golden Core Peak, yet he had easily crossed realms to defeat a Golden Core Great Perfection prodigy.
Beyond that, what surprised Yan even more was Chen Beiwu’s broad inclusiveness.
In the path of Companion Beasts, harmony was paramount.
For cultivators of the Immortal Alliance, having more contracted Companion Beasts did not necessarily mean becoming stronger—quite the opposite.
Companion Beasts were partners bound in life and destiny with cultivators, mutually verifying the Great Dao of cultivation.
Ordinary prodigies would, in the early stages of cultivation, choose only one compatible Companion Beast to cultivate alongside. In the later stages, they would gradually select suitable Companion Beasts to supplement their spiritual root aptitude.
Simply put, blindly pursuing the bloodline and quantity of Companion Beasts was a great taboo in the path of Borrowing Beasts to Grasp Truth. It easily caused a cultivator’s energy to scatter, their foundation to become impure, and their Dao to lose purity.
Yet Chen Beiwu was currently able to contract and cultivate three Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beasts whose strength was extremely close to that of a Nascent Soul True Monarch. Moreover, he perfectly balanced his contracted Companion Beasts, achieving seamless circulation of aura, stable soul, and mana that flowed without the slightest obstruction.
Without a doubt, Chen Beiwu was not only an unparalleled prodigy in the Beast Taming Arts, but also possessed a foundation far more robust than his peers.
Within the Immortal Alliance, such Companion Beast foundation was even more important than certain heavenly treasures.
After all, no matter how many heavenly treasures an ordinary Golden Core prodigy of the Immortal Alliance consumed, how could they compare to Chen Beiwu, empowered by the strength of three Heavenly-Gang Companion Beasts?
‘This aptitude is indeed excellent. A pity that I do not enjoy competing for ownership!’
As Yan’s thoughts turned, flames flickered around its body, scattering sparks before its gaze shifted toward Yu Zhaohua.
Compared to Chen Beiwu, Yu Zhaohua was the one it favored more.
Of course, the premise was that she would be willing to give up the Flintrock Coiled Dragon for its sake.
“We’ll continue clearing the field and find a place rich in Earth Qi to set up a formation.”
After receiving the Jade Plaque handed over by the Five Qi Vine, Chen Beiwu looked toward the flickering light of fate in the distant mountain range.
Conceal their aura and hide?
Before his Nine-Breath Chaos Divine Ability, all concealment and ambush were meaningless.
…
Elsewhere, the team of the Shangqing Immortal Sect.
“Though it’s not Chen Beiwu, meeting you isn’t bad either!” Zhao Yue paused, her dark brows lifting slightly as she revealed an interested smile.
For her, being able to crush and defeat a former evenly matched opponent was also a rare experience.
“You stay here and hold the formation.”
With that, Zhao Yue stepped forward, her slender figure vanishing instantly.
“Again with this!”
Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu exchanged a glance, helpless expressions on their faces.
At the same time, Wang Chan’s eyelids twitched as he sensed something amiss. He immediately flipped onto the back of the Heavenly Azure Ox.
“Retreat!”
Before his words even finished, the temperature of the surrounding world suddenly plummeted. An invisible chill surged into the hearts of the cultivators of the Taiqing Immortal Sect.
In the next instant, a plain white figure appeared silently behind Zhuang Fu, without the slightest warning.
“Be careful, it’s Zhao Yue!”
The Golden Core prodigies of the Taiqing Immortal Sect were all battle-hardened experts. The moment they sensed the abnormal temperature, they reacted decisively, joining forces with their contracted Companion Beasts to release defensive treasure arts.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Facing a Nascent Soul True Monarch, even with their seamless cooperation, they could not withstand the assault.
After only a few exchanges, the surging Earthly Sha True Qi around Zhuang Fu and the other three dimmed instantly. Together with their contracted Companion Beasts, they were turned into lifelike ice sculptures.
“Moo.”
The Heavenly Azure Ox did not engage in prolonged combat. It stomped its four hooves and escaped into the azure firmament.
This profound ability was called Heavenly Azure Escape. Its speed was extremely fast, comparable to a True Monarch’s instantaneous movement. Driven by a Four-Realm Beast King, it could even ignore the spatial lockdown of ordinary Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
However, no matter how fast the Heavenly Azure Ox’s escape art was, it could not outpace a True Monarch prodigy like Zhao Yue.
Crack. Crack!
Wang Chan’s pupils shrank as he looked downward, discovering that his lower body and the Heavenly Azure Ox were being covered by piercing mysterious ice, spreading outward and emitting intense cold.
“Futile struggle.”
Zhao Yue chuckled softly, slowly raising her jade-like palm.
The Heavenly Azure Ox had over a thousand years of cultivation, a Four-Realm Beast King that had condensed Undying Blood and Undying Aura. Its hide was thick, and its resistance was extremely high.
Even a mid-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch could at best repel it, but would find it difficult to kill.
Under such circumstances, although Zhao Yue and the Northern Yin Cauldron Beast were both True Monarch-level existences, forcibly suppressing the Heavenly Azure Ox would require a prolonged battle.
Thus, Zhao Yue did not hesitate in the slightest. She directly struck a palm toward Wang Chan.
A Golden Core Great Perfection cultivator, no matter how gifted or powerful their magical artifacts, was merely a slightly larger ant in a Nascent Soul-level confrontation.
If Zhao Yue wanted to end the battle quickly, clashing head-on with the Heavenly Azure Ox was the inferior choice. Capture the leader first, strike where the enemy must defend—that was the superior strategy.
After all, the Heavenly Azure Ox could block her Heavenly-Gang Profound Arts, but it was absolutely impossible for it to perfectly protect a Golden Core cultivator under the joint assault of her and the Northern Yin Cauldron Beast.
And for Zhao Yue, defeating a Golden Core Great Perfection cultivator was far easier than defeating a Four-Realm Beast King.
Rumble!
Dozens of breaths later, the chaotic spiritual energy of heaven and earth completely calmed. Wang Chan stood frozen in place, his body below the neck sealed in ice.
As for the Heavenly Azure Ox, constrained by concern for its contracted cultivator, it was firmly suppressed to the ground by the Northern Yin Cauldron Beast, unable to move.
“I never expected you would see this day.”
Zhao Yue reached out, removing the Jade Plaque from Wang Chan’s waist with evident interest.
Wang Chan said nothing, merely glanced at her.
“What? Still unconvinced?” Zhao Yue toyed with the Jade Plaque.
“A loss is a loss. There is nothing to be convinced or unconvinced about.” Wang Chan remained calm and countered, “What about you? In your current Nascent Soul state, can you handle Chen Beiwu?”
Hearing this, Zhao Yue fell silent for a moment.
When Yin was exhausted and Yang became pure, the Nascent Soul was born.
When a True Monarch of the Immortal Alliance first formed a Nascent Soul, it was like a newborn infant. Though it possessed immense power, its form was not yet firm, its spirit not yet stable, and its Yang not yet abundant. It required a period of nourishment and transformation.
Thus, after their Nascent Soul first formed and they attained the position of True Monarch, the vast majority of newly advanced True Monarchs of the Immortal Alliance would immediately enter seclusion for a hundred years, guarding the Yellow Court internally, practicing fetal breathing and seated oblivion, until the Nascent Soul was fully perfected. Hence the saying on the Immortal Alliance Official Website: “When the Nascent Soul is newly formed, one does not emerge for a hundred years.”
However, in order to respond to this Immortal Sect Exchange Conference, Zhao Yue had chosen to exit seclusion early instead of continuing to nourish her Pure Yang Nascent Soul.
“Thirty percent of my strength is enough,” Zhao Yue said.
A newly advanced True Monarch was not without combat power. They could freely mobilize the Heavenly-Gang True Qi already transformed within their dantian sea of qi and the Heavenly-Gang Dharma Aspect they had forged. They simply could not unleash their full power, lest their Nascent Soul be damaged.
Put simply, Zhao Yue’s talent was extraordinary. Thirty percent of her strength was neither too much nor too little, but it was enough for her to suppress a mid-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch (Immortal Alliance cultivator) and crush a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Cangyuan Realm.
If her Pure Yang Nascent Soul were fully perfected and her cultivation completely entered mid-stage Nascent Soul, Zhao Yue was even confident in easily suppressing a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch of the Immortal Alliance.
Sensing Zhao Yue’s confidence, Wang Chan said no more.
After all, he was already eliminated.
Without him to restrain Qingxiao and Yuxiao, Chen Beiwu alone had no possibility of defeating the Three Firmaments.
…
Scarlet Flame Realm, within a mountain range rich beyond measure in Earth Vein Qi.
As Chen Beiwu’s fingertip descended, lines intertwined and crossed, forming countless intricate and obscure formation diagrams.
These diagrams slowly circulated, sometimes vanishing, sometimes emerging, emitting a terrifying aura that made Yu Zhaohua and the other three shiver.
Buzz!
When Chen Beiwu drew the final formation diagram, the grand formation covering a thousand-li radius flashed nine times before swiftly stabilizing, retracting all aura and concealing itself.
“What formation is this?”
Ye Xinya pressed her lips together, looking at Chen Beiwu with amazement.
It was well known that grand formations with no more than twenty-seven formation diagrams were third-tier lower-grade treasure formations; those within fifty-four were third-tier middle-grade; those within eighty-one were third-tier upper-grade.
But just now, the formation Chen Beiwu set up had ninety-nine formation diagrams!
What did that mean?
It meant that at such a young age, Chen Beiwu was only one step away from becoming a fourth-tier mysterious formation master, capable of drawing and presiding over a third-tier supreme-grade treasure formation.
“It cannot be spoken,” Chen Beiwu said with a smile.
Success relied on secrecy. This formation had been specially prepared as a gift for the cultivators of the Shangqing Immortal Sect.
“Then should we continue hunting?” Yu Zhaohua asked curiously.
“We’ll wait for the rabbit by the stump. The number of Jade Plaques in our hands is already about sufficient. If we take down the Shangqing Immortal Sect, we’ll claim the championship.” Chen Beiwu clasped his hands behind his back, gazing at the crimson glow across the heavens.
…
Time passed swiftly. Half a month went by in the blink of an eye.
Zhao Yue stood quietly atop a solitary peak, her robes fluttering in the wind.
“We haven’t found a single trace. Sister, were we mistaken? Has the Flame Emperor already fallen?” Zhao Qing transmitted via divine sense.
“Until the very end, who can know what is true or false?” Zhao Yue shook her head slightly.
The environment of the Scarlet Flame Realm was too harsh. Even a True Monarch’s divine sense would require a great deal of time to search an entire realm.
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Zhao Yue’s eyes flickered as she looked southeast.
“Sister, you found something?” Zhao Yu asked.
“Yes. My divine sense just detected traces of cultivators from the Yuqing Immortal Sect. They’re all hiding within that mountain,” Zhao Yue said softly.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu could not conceal their disappointment.
Compared to the Yuqing Immortal Sect, they cared more about news of the Flame Emperor.
“Don’t be careless. Chen Beiwu’s divine sense is no weaker than mine. He has already discovered my position,” Zhao Yue reminded them.
“Huh?”
Zhao Yu could not help but exclaim in surprise.
Their eldest sister Zhao Yue was a Nascent Soul True Monarch. The strength of her divine sense was far beyond that of a Golden Core True Person.
Yet Chen Beiwu, a mere Golden Core Peak cultivator, possessed divine sense capable of matching hers. Such strength was simply outrageous.
“It doesn’t matter. Since we defeated Chen Beiwu once, we can defeat him a second time,” Zhao Qing said dismissively.
“Wait. The Flame Emperor is there as well.” Zhao Yue’s eyes sharpened, and she revealed a smile.
At those words, Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu’s eyes lit up.
On the other side, Chen Beiwu slowly opened his eyes.
They had finally arrived!
He had waited here for fifteen days, and at last the prodigies of the Shangqing Immortal Sect had come knocking.
Sensing Chen Beiwu’s movement, Yu Zhaohua and the other three all grew solemn.
“No need to be nervous. Act according to the predetermined plan.”
Chen Beiwu raised a hand, signaling Yu Zhaohua and the others to withdraw.
Yan glanced at Yu Zhaohua but did not move, remaining where it was.
Its temperament was peculiar. If it chose, it would choose the best.
After this period of observation, Yan had already changed its intended contract target.
The reason was simple. It discovered that the Golden Core forged by Chen Beiwu was exceptionally powerful, no weaker than an Innate Dao Body. His future achievements were limitless, making him more suitable as a contracted cultivator.
Only, Chen Beiwu had too many Companion Beasts—so many that Yan found it somewhat intolerable.
It was precisely because of this that during this time it had been considering how to speak up.
Three breaths later, five streaks of light descended, landing before Chen Beiwu and revealing the figures of the Shangqing Immortal Sect cultivators.
But to Chen Beiwu’s surprise, the eyes of the Shangqing Three Firmaments were not fixed on him, but instead tightly locked onto Yan beside him.
“???”
Chen Beiwu frowned slightly and reacted instantly. “You know Senior Yan?”
“No. But I have heard of Senior Yan’s great reputation.”
Hearing Chen Beiwu’s form of address, Zhao Yue was somewhat surprised, but she did not reveal more information.
“Then—”
Before Chen Beiwu could finish speaking, a chill suddenly surged into his heart.
Crack! Crack!
Zhao Yue’s jade-like hand pressed forward. Within a ten-zhang radius, space froze instantly, turning Chen Beiwu into an ice sculpture.
This sudden strike was swift, precise, and ruthless, displaying to the fullest the Nascent Soul True Monarch’s control over the spiritual energy of heaven and earth—far beyond what a Golden Core True Person could withstand.
Yet there was not the slightest joy in Zhao Yue’s eyes. Her figure flashed again, retreating to stand beside her younger sisters Qingxiao and Yuxiao.
In the next instant, the ice sculpture of Chen Beiwu shattered and collapsed, transforming into countless five-colored light particles dancing through the air. This was the signature profound ability of the Five Qi Vine: Five Qi Transformation Puppet.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Yue was not surprised in the least.
If Chen Beiwu were that easy to resolve, he would not have made her so wary.
“Fairy Moonfirmament, to suddenly strike in ambush while in conversation—such conduct seems unbefitting of a True Monarch’s dignity.” Chen Beiwu’s figure appeared as he joined his fingers like a brush, circulating the Yuanshi True Qi within his body.
“In cultivation, the victor is king and the defeated is bandit. Where is there ambush among cultivators?” Zhao Yue replied calmly. “If you cannot react in time, it only means your strength is insufficient and your divine sense weak.”
“True enough. Then please, Fairy Moonfirmament, try the third-tier formation I have prepared.”
“Earth Qi communicating with the nether, Sha veins returning to origin—rise!”
With those words, Chen Beiwu used his finger as a formation flag, activating the long-prepared third-tier supreme-grade treasure formation, the Earth-Lung Molten Abyss Grand Sha-Gathering Formation.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Thunder roared like the earth itself was howling.
The ground beneath Zhao Yue and the others split apart. Countless thick, dragon-like streams of dark-red Earthly Sha Qi tore through the molten scorched earth, shooting skyward and carrying with them endless stones and dust.
Yet within the formation, Zhao Yue and the others flickered wildly, treating the molten abyss Sha pillars as though they were nothing, evading with ease.
Seeing this, Chen Beiwu was not surprised. He immediately coordinated with Golden Egg, unleashing the Three Supreme True Gang to shatter space and flee in the opposite direction.
Though a third-tier supreme-grade treasure formation was formidable, the formation he had set up lacked too many materials. It could only draw upon the power of mountains and earth veins, greatly reducing its might. It posed no real threat to the Golden Core prodigies of the Upper Three Immortal Sects—let alone a Nascent Soul True Monarch like Zhao Yue.
“Chase!”
Zhao Yue grabbed Zhao Qing and Zhao Yu with both hands, activating an instantaneous movement profound ability and pursuing him.
Only united were the Three Firmaments at their strongest.
To avoid damaging her Pure Yang Nascent Soul, she would not risk a solo confrontation with Chen Beiwu.