“Kill!” Near Lin Xiao, Ling Hu roared, unleashing unmatched power towards Lu Chao. Their formidable forces collided, erupting in a vast, sea-like wave that sent nearby spirit beasts and Martial Venerable youths tumbling, collapsing the forest below.
Meanwhile, Lin Xiao simultaneously unleashed the Radiant Sword Technique and Nine Heavens Thunder Dragon Spiritual Energy, countering Cao Youwei’s incoming fist strike.
After all, Cao Youwei’s eighth-level Martial Venerable cultivation made his power overwhelming.
Fortunately, the Radiant Sword Technique, powered by Lin Xiao’s Radiant Broken Sword, was immensely strong. Combined with the enhanced spiritual energy he could wield after breaking through to fifth-grade junior spiritual controller, these two methods blocked Cao Youwei’s powerful strike.
Surging waves of energy poured out, turning the area into an ocean of fluctuations, with countless spirit beasts and youths dodging or being thrown back.
After the clash, Lin Xiao rode his elemental wings, continuing forward.
The battle skeleton beside him charged sideways, as Xu Shijie had surged towards them.
The skeleton quickly engaged Xu Shijie in combat.
At this point, the spirit beasts ahead of Lin Xiao, whether out of fear or because he’d passed their test, no longer blocked him.
This allowed him to approach within twenty or thirty miles of the Yuan Pool.
But at that moment, a massive python suddenly rose, blocking his path.
The python radiated a terrifying aura, its strength at the high-fifth-tier level.
Simultaneously, in the direction Zi Ling was heading, a high-fifth-tier giant ape appeared, obstructing her.
In the other two directions around the peaks, two more high-fifth-tier spirit beasts emerged, blocking the strongest who neared the Yuan Ling Pool.
“This test is a bit too harsh, isn’t it?” Lin Xiao frowned, eyeing the python hissing ahead.
Though only an ordinary bloodline, a high-fifth-tier spirit beast matched a typical ninth-level Martial Venerable. How many could pass such a test?
Moreover, Lin Xiao was caught between threats, with top powerhouses like Cao Youwei pursuing him.
“Fight!” Suddenly, Lin Xiao devised a plan. Instead of attacking the high-fifth-tier python, he turned, gripping his sword with both hands, and slashed fiercely at Cao Youwei.
“Roar!” In that instant, Lin Xiao pushed his dantian’s elemental energy to its limit. A brownish-yellow light burst from his dantian, and a blood dragon phantom appeared above his head, exuding an ancient, primordial aura. A terrifying pressure radiated from the blood dragon, accompanied by a dragon’s roar, enveloping all directions.
Boom!
As Lin Xiao swung his broken sword, dazzling cyan light erupted, forming a cyan dragon-like sword beam that surged towards Cao Youwei.
At the same time, Lin Xiao’s fifth-grade junior spiritual energy followed a mysterious pattern, activating the Heaven-Devouring Technique.
Following the cyan dragon sword beam, a black-cyan vortex infused with terrifying devouring and burning power instantly formed, blocking his front.
“Rumble!” Cao Youwei’s fearsome fist strike arrived, its dazzling light like a surging river, carrying void-tearing force. It collided with Lin Xiao’s cyan dragon sword beam, unleashing a sea-like energy explosion, with bright light illuminating all directions and terrifying waves shaking the heavens.
Cao Youwei’s faded fist strike still broke through the waves, rushing towards Lin Xiao and hitting the devouring vortex, producing a searing “hiss!” sound.
After breaking through to fifth-grade spiritual controller, Lin Xiao’s Heaven-Devouring Cyan Fire Spiritual Energy was even stronger. The vortex, still not fully dissipated, completely consumed Cao Youwei’s fist strike.
Seeing the fist strike blocked, Lin Xiao immediately turned, speeding towards the Yuan Pool.
At that moment, the high-fifth-tier python was prostrate in the void, trembling as if worshipping Lin Xiao.
Clearly, it was intimidated by Lin Xiao’s blood dragon phenomenon.
Dragons, legendary divine beasts and kings of beasts, commanded worship from all. Even a mere phenomenon could subdue countless spirit beasts.
This was amplified by the terrifying bloodline pressure from Lin Xiao’s blood dragon, forcing the python to submit.
In that moment, not only the python before Lin Xiao but also the high-fifth-tier spirit beasts surrounding the Yuan Ling Pool trembled, instantly prostrating in the void.
The hundreds or thousands of other spirit beasts were even more terrified, stunned into stillness.
“Swish!”
Seizing the python’s submission, Lin Xiao sped towards the Yuan Pool.
As he’d guessed, the python seemed to acknowledge him, allowing him to pass unhindered.
All this happened in an instant. By the time Cao Youwei approached, the python had recovered, its massive tail sweeping with immense force towards him.
Boom! Boom!
Cao Youwei battled the high-fifth-tier python.
Elsewhere, the spirit beasts regained their senses, resuming their efforts to block the human youths, engaging in chaotic combat.
“Swish!”
Soon, Lin Xiao reached the mountaintop, the first to dive towards the misty Yuan Pool.
Retracting his phoenix wings, he plunged into the pool.
“Splash!”
Water sprayed into the air.
“He got there first!”
On the other side, Lu Chao, battling Ling Hu, abandoned the fight and rushed towards the Ling Pool, engaging a high-fifth-tier spirit rhinoceros.
Several Lu family youths, including Lu Yiluo, joined Lu Chao, surrounding the rhinoceros.
After Lu Chao disengaged, Ling Hu attacked another high-fifth-tier spirit bird.
The hundreds or thousands of spirit beasts didn’t seem intent on fighting to the death. Once a human youth’s strength was deemed sufficient, they were allowed to pass.
Thus, besides Lu Chao, Lu Yiluo, and a few others, many strong youths broke through the spirit beast horde, attacking the four high-fifth-tier beasts blocking the paths.
Fierce battles erupted, with terrifying energy surging across the heavens, turning the Yuan Ling Pool’s vicinity into an ocean of energy.
Fortunately, a mysterious force dispersed the energy impacting the two peaks hosting the Yuan Ling Pool.
Otherwise, the battle’s shockwaves alone would have collapsed the mountains.
“Hiss!”
As Lin Xiao entered the Yuan Pool, a mysterious force enveloped him, preventing his elemental and spiritual energies from leaving his body.
Moreover, he felt his entire body, except his head, bound by an unseen force within the Yuan Pool, unable to move.
Though the pool seemed several metres deep, his body was fixed near the surface, with only his head exposed, the rest submerged.
In that moment, Lin Xiao felt his pores open, dense elemental energy flooding into his body, bringing a sense of comfort.
“This Yuan Pool is truly extraordinary!”
Sighing in delight, Lin Xiao glanced sideways.
Zi Ling had broken through a high-fifth-tier spirit ape’s blockade, entering the Ling Pool on the other peak hundreds of metres away.
She glanced at Lin Xiao, smiling, then began refining with joy.
Lin Xiao nodded back, scanning the surroundings. Ling Hu, Lu Chao, Cao Youwei, and others had passed the high-fifth-tier beasts’ tests, breaking through and rushing towards the Yuan Pool.
