Chapter 158: Shadow of the Abyssal Armor
Chapter 158: Shadow of the Abyssal Armor
Mu Yuan pondered the Soul Pearl’s wonders bit by bit. He reorganized chaotic fragments of dream-like memories already within it drop by drop. He poured his own Five Elements True Qi into it, forming a miniature world. Then, he assimilated those dream fragments into this space.
With time, as Mu Yuan gathered enough memories into the Soul Pearl, he could forge a perfect illusion within it, rivaling the vastness of the material world!
Of course, it was still an illusion. Creating true Void was a feat only achievable beyond the Primordial Spirit! Perhaps, even achieving it beneath the Primordial Spirit Dharma Body was impossible.
If all went ideally, this Soul Pearl could be nurtured by Mu Yuan to reach the level of a Grotto-heaven Treasure!
However, this path would undoubtedly demand countless trials. The Soul Pearl itself would also require tremendous amounts of rare spiritual treasures to temper and refine anew.
At the very least, before Mu Yuan cultivated his Primordial Spirit, even with sufficient materials, he couldn’t refine such a treasure.
A Grotto-heaven Treasure held the mysteries of the “Universe.” Its creation required, at minimum, Primordial Spirit Unity with the Dao and an understanding of the secrets of space and time.
This explained why Grotto-heaven Treasures were exceedingly rare. That a Monster Saint possessed one truly spoke of their terrifying prowess.
Among the other cultivators, Qiong Hua ranked in the middle-upper tier. Unfortunately, she encountered a monstrous opponent like Mu Yuan. Not only was she utterly suppressed, she also served as his practice dummy for mastering his Divine Abilities.
The Heavenly Fiend Child operated the East Sea Dragon-Fishing Art, effortlessly countering Qiong Hua’s spells. Seeing Mu Yuan still deep in thought prompted a reminder. “Master, why not integrate the Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension technique into the Soul Pearl? Use it to sever your opponent’s Divine Senses first, then activate the Soul Pearl. Wouldn’t that be far more efficient?”
The words struck Mu Yuan like thunder. “That’s it! I always thought the Soul Pearl lacked explosive force despite its resilience! Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension is a top-tier Divine Sense-slaying art! Combining the two would be perfect!”
With a thought, the Five Elements True Qi within the Soul Pearl rumbled intensely. In an instant, it transformed into a dense curtain of crisscrossing blade radiances, crystalline and shimmering like silver threads.
As the Soul Pearl spun, this wave of blade-light erupted outwards. Qiong Hua, who had merely been resonating with the Five Elements and reacting instinctively, suddenly endured this ferocious, domineering strike. Her delicate frame shook violently. Blood, crimson as mountain maple, instantly trickled from her nose and mouth. Her eyes grew vacant, stunned, like a confused old woman whose thoughts felt muddled.
“Whoa, I overdid it!”
Mu Yuan clicked his tongue in surprise and helplessly withdrew his Divine Ability.
In that same instant, all of Qiong Hua’s spells dissolved. Any vibrant flying blossoms, swirling butterflies, and insects dissipated into wisps of Primordial Qi, vanishing into mid-air.
Mu Yuan sighed deeply, turning and walking out of the Black Jade Qilin Seal. Qiong Hua, swaying unsteadily like a drunkard who had imbibed too much, stumbled out.
“Overdid? I say, Master should have just killed her and absorbed her memories straight away! Our Soul Pearl still lacks rich cultivation memories!”
Mu Yuan shook his head, ignoring the Heavenly Fiend Child’s loud shouts. The consolation was that he had gained some insights into using the Soul Pearl. Confronting that weird monk later might not leave him completely helpless anymore.
“Overmatching by cultivation level isn’t wholly indefensible! Even without the Soul Pearl, just relying on Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension, I might not suffer such a deep loss!”
Mu Yuan had been stuck in a mental dead end earlier, unable to see this. Now, the realization dawned.
Apart from that monk and Xuan Jia, Mu Yuan cared little for the others.
“Impressive skill, sir!” A deep voice sounded. Tian Zhong walked over, teasing Mu Yuan. Defeated by Yun Xi, Tian Zhong showed no visible resentment, retaining his hearty demeanor. “Hard to believe you struck such a lovely beauty into such a state! Admirable, indeed!”
Mu Yuan offered an awkward smile. “My apologies, truly. I couldn’t rein in my strength in time.”
“Hmph!”
A cold snort came from nearby. Fei Yu, sitting not far off, glowered venomously at Mu Yuan. Hearing his apology only elicited this sound of derision. The people brought by the Eighth Prince were all seated relatively close together.
Qiong Hua herself leaned limply against Fei Yu, appearing exhausted, almost asleep. The icy, unapproachable aura was absent now.
“Master, that blade strike was too potent, I tell you! You brutally severed a whole fifth of this girl’s Divine Sense! Her future cultivation will likely come with no small hindrance!”
The Heavenly Fiend Child’s gleeful voice echoed from Mu Yuan’s Dantian, deepening his shame!
It was meant to be a friendly duel, yet it caused such consequences.
Mu Yuan spotted the Taoist whom the monk had subdued. The Taoist’s eyes burned with fervor, clearly holding his conqueror in rapturous worship.
“That monk… it’s like he washed the Taoist’s brain. He made him willingly submit without suffering harm himself! My Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension is too brutal; it wounds as soon as it’s used!”
Comparing the two, Mu Yuan recognized the monk’s cultivation was indeed profound and unfathomable. His spells were unheard of. Anxiety and dread tightened Mu Yuan’s heart anew.
“Enough,” Mu Yuan sighed. He pulled a single Seven-Orifice Linglong Pill from his robe and handed it to Yun Xi, adding a few low instructions.
Yun Xi examined the perfectly round pill in his hand. It was jade green in color. Within it, something resembling a fetal core pulsed rhythmically, in and out, emitting a pure, tranquil fragrance.
“This… this is the Kunlun Sect’s Seven-Orifice Linglong Pill?” Yun Xi scrutinized it, stunned. “Brother Mu, where did you acquire this?”
“Uh…” Mu Yuan hadn’t expected Yun Xi to recognize it. He improvised hurriedly. “Acquired it elsewhere through trade. No more questions. Please, deliver it now.”
Yun Xi sighed, dashed over, and whispered a few words. Fei Yu’s expression remained frosty at first but softened slightly. She shot another icy glare at Mu Yuan before accepting the pill.
Leaving it at that, Mu Yuan reclined in his chair, closed his eyes, and rested.
A considerable time later, Yun Xi jostled him awake. “Fortune favors you! It’s your turn to face that Xuan Jia!”
“But I haven’t drawn a lot?” Mu Yuan asked, startled.
“Heh heh,” Yun Xi chuckled dryly. “Seeing how well you rested, I couldn’t help but draw one for you!”
Mu Yuan stared strangely at Yun Xi before finally sighing. “Honestly, you…”
“Hurry up! Go!”
Mu Yuan had no choice but to stand. Xuan Jia was already poised within the Kylin Seal.
Only after entering did Mu Yuan fully observe Xuan Jia. His face seemed chiseled from stone, all sharp angles. He was draped entirely in a black robe. His eyes glowed with an eerie emerald light, akin to dancing will-o’-wisps. His gaze fixed on Mu Yuan, cold and detached as if inspecting a corpse.
“Why so grim? What deep feud is there?” Mu Yuan felt a wave of listlessness. He simply clasped his hands together without speaking.
Xuan Jia spoke first, his voice rasping. “I witnessed your Divine Abilities are quite potent. Don’t complain if I unleash my devastating power!”
Mu Yuan responded tonelessly, “Please do.”
Seeing Mu Yuan’s indifferent air, Xuan Jia gave a strange cackle. With a sweep of his arm, a vast dark cloud rolled out, swallowing the Kylin Seal’s inner world. His body dissipated like smoke, vanishing into the churning murk.
Reflexively, Mu Yuan shot out a stream of Zhenqi. It coalesced into a ring of silvery light, shielding him instantly. Among the Five Elements True Qi forms, the Eternal True Qi offered the sturdiest defense, steady and immovable as a mountain peak.
Once shielded, Mu Yuan cast out over a dozen strands of soft, wavering Clear Water True Qi. They snaked through the surrounding murk, probing for Xuan Jia’s true location!
Within the dark clouds, bizarre transformations suddenly exploded into being. Sickly green radiances surged like serpents writhing madly overhead, twisting and coiling before instantly forming countless streaks of searing lightning. A deluge of thunder and electric flame cascaded downward!
“So he has depth!” Mu Yuan murmured, observing this tide of terrifying lightning bolts, all glowing that baleful green. He waved his hand, releasing Five Great Curses. They merged above him, forming a radiant canopy.
Multicolored light shimmered and flowed, cascading countless silvery threads like an ornate curtain. They enveloped Mu Yuan within a brilliant light column!
Simultaneously, the Purple Lightning Dragon Curse coiled amidst the Clear Water True Qi, surging straight upwards. Drawing power from the roiling thunderheads, it conjured bolts of Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder! These clashed head-on with the torrential green lightning, holding their ground without yielding an inch!
Mu Yuan currently commanded Six Great Curses. Among all his Divine Abilities, this produced his most devastating power. Even without the Longevity Sword or the Minghe Immortal Sword, he far surpassed his peers.
The lightning summoned by Xuan Jia hammered onto the shield woven by Mu Yuan’s Five Curses. Thunder cracked violently, light flared blindingly, waves of energy radiated outwards – the impacts came relentlessly.
Mu Yuan merely shuddered slightly, entirely unshaken.
Xuan Jia’s voice echoed from myriad directions, faint and elusive. “Indeed a capable foe. The previous two lacked Magical Power; I disdained killing blows. But you… killing you and refining your husk into a puppet – that would vastly heighten my own power!”
The air filled with a sinister, chilling laugh. Then, amidst the lightning bolts and thunderclaps, a colossal phantom image materialized! It possessed three heads, eight arms! Each hand grasped a weapon: a massive hammer, a fiery spear, a jagged bone sword, a demonic battle flag, a dark ring, a savage broadsword, an ancient tome, and a tortoiseshell shield! Six eyes blazed with hellish fire! It towered mountain-like, bending down as if peering down upon insignificant mortals from Beyond the Nine Heavens.
This terrifying Devil Shadow showed only its upper torso, floating within the storm clouds. From its six huge, lantern-like eyes, streams of endless demonic flame suddenly erupted! They poured downwards like flowing molten rock, draping the sky! Simultaneously, its eight weapons all swung down in a devastating barrage!
“WATCH OUT! It’s… it’s… what the hell is it?! I can’t remember! But it feels so familiar! How infuriating!”
The Heavenly Fiend Child’s frantic yell echoed inside Mu Yuan’s mind, raising the alarm.
Even before the yell, Mu Yuan had already sensed the oppressive power emanating from the Devil Shadow. Primordial Qi seemed violently repelled outward; he couldn’t absorb a single wisp. Instead, an invasive Demonic Energy, sharp as millions of needles, relentlessly stabbed inward. Even through layers of his protective Qi, Mu Yuan felt its razor-sharp penetration – every strand like a swift Flying Sword!
Hearing the Heavenly Fiend Child’s panicked cry only intensified Mu Yuan’s terror.
The bulk of the Heavenly Fiend Child’s memory fragments belonged to fallen Dragon Soul spirits forged into the Longevity Sword. Other pieces stemmed from the Earth Vein spirits associated with Metal and Fire.
The Earth Veins’ consciousness was primal and muddled, lacking the Dragons’ complete lifetimes of memory. They held mere fragmented impressions of the lands they once flowed through.
Thus, only entities that existed during the ancient Dragon Clan era could trigger the Heavenly Fiend Child’s sense of familiarity!
This realization made Mu Yuan sharply inhale a breath of ice-cold fear.