Shang Ziqi’s foundation was already immensely robust, lacking only a catalyst for his breakthrough.
After consuming the Earth Soul Liquid, that catalyst appeared, allowing him to break through effortlessly, with no one able to intervene.
Witnessing the massive commotion caused by Shang Ziqi, all the onlookers were shocked, some shaking their heads.
“Zhang Ruochen is indeed formidable. In a same-realm battle, even Shang Ziqi isn’t his match. But what a pity—Shang Ziqi’s instant breakthrough has multiplied his strength. No matter how strong Zhang Ruochen is, he likely can’t compete now.”
“I never expected Shang Ziqi to have this trump card. He really leaves no stone unturned.”
“With a Dao Domain, Shang Ziqi is beyond Zhang Ruochen’s ability to counter. This battle will soon have its outcome.”
…
Many observing cultivators sighed for Zhang Ruochen, believing he had no hope of victory. Defeating a peerless genius like Shang Ziqi across realms was nearly impossible.
On the cliff, the mysterious Yanluo Clan man showed a hint of surprise. “I didn’t expect even I could misjudge. What a Zhang Ruochen—without even condensing a Dao Domain, his sword soul has reached the Earth Sword Soul level. Truly a swordsmanship prodigy.”
“Not only is Zhang Ruochen’s masculine qi blazing and vast, but its quality is extraordinary, containing divine aura. If I’m not mistaken, he must have refined a divine medicine rich in yang qi, which is why his Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm is so fiercely domineering, unstoppable even by Shang Ziqi.”
The mysterious man’s insight was exceptional, quickly discerning Zhang Ruochen’s secrets, unlike the other astonished onlookers.
Hearing his words, Chi Kunlun couldn’t muster any joy, as Shang Ziqi had broken through to the Dao Domain Realm, exuding an overwhelmingly terrifying aura that posed a massive threat to Zhang Ruochen.
In front of Peacock Manor, Shang Ziqi displayed a momentum that seemed to swallow mountains and rivers, voraciously absorbing heaven and earth’s holy qi while swallowing a golden holy pill.
With this pill, Shang Ziqi could rapidly replenish his holy qi and accelerate its transformation.
“Zhang Ruochen, you’re indeed strong, but this is where it ends.”
Shang Ziqi said coldly.
An intensely chilling aura erupted from him, condensing into a ferocious three-headed beast.
It was the same Yinming Mysterious Light, but unleashed with Dao Domain Realm cultivation, its power was magnified countless times.
“Roar.”
The beast roared, its ferocious might spreading in all directions, causing souls to tremble.
Knowing there was no escape, Zhang Ruochen immediately unleashed the twelfth palm of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Palm, the strongest he had mastered.
To maximize its power, Zhang Ruochen drew vast amounts of yang qi from the divine sun in his Divine Light Qi Sea.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen radiated blinding light, as if he had become a blazing sun, too brilliant to look at directly.
“Boom.”
Though the dragon and elephant were still torn apart by the ferocious beast, they blocked most of its savage might.
As the weakened beast lunged closer, Zhang Ruochen crossed his arms to block, opening all the acupoints in his arms to release vast holy qi into the Fire God Armguards.
The armguards activated, conjuring a vast crimson fire cloud, like a shield.
“Bang.”
A powerful force struck, forcing Zhang Ruochen to stagger back.
The crimson fire cloud grew faint, its power rapidly depleting, but it ultimately withstood the beast’s attack.
As the beast vanished, Zhang Ruochen felt his arms slightly numb, the holy qi in his arm acupoints heavily depleted.
Fortunately, the divine sun in his Divine Light Qi Sea kept rotating, releasing streams of refined qi to swiftly replenish the loss.
“Shang Ziqi’s breakthrough to the Dao Domain Realm, even without consolidating his cultivation, has drastically boosted his strength. This is troublesome,” Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly.
Shang Ziqi’s sudden breakthrough had caught him off guard.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen block the high-tier holy technique, Shang Ziqi sneered, “Let’s see how many strikes you can withstand. I’ll show you that all your struggles are futile.”
With that, Shang Ziqi poured vast holy qi into the Ten Thousand Refinements Tower, unleashing terrifying Supreme Power to suppress Zhang Ruochen.
With the Five-Colored Merit Stele sealing time and space, Zhang Ruochen had no chance to escape, allowing Shang Ziqi to toy with him slowly.
In response, Zhang Ruochen hurriedly activated the Hidden Mountain Demonic Mirror to meet the Ten Thousand Refinements Tower.
“Bang.”
The tower’s unleashed force was wildly violent, sending the mirror flying and Zhang Ruochen along with it.
Shang Ziqi didn’t stop, continuing to drive the tower, releasing wave after wave of Supreme Power.
“Boom.”
Zhang Ruochen, holding the mirror, withstood a strike from the tower, only to be blasted into the ground.
The already sunken earth shattered further, becoming utterly fragmented, as if struck by a catastrophic earthquake.
“After breaking through to the Dao Domain Realm, Shang Ziqi’s strength has surged too much. Zhang Ruochen is no match and will inevitably fall.”
“Not only is Zhang Ruochen in danger, but his companions are likely doomed as well.”
“Despite many twists, the Paradise Realm faction will ultimately be the victor in this battle.”
“With Zhang Ruochen dead, who can restrain the Paradise Realm faction’s powerhouses? Kunlun Realm is in peril.”
…
Seeing the one-sided situation, the observing cultivators could almost foresee the final outcome.
“Is Zhang Ruochen truly doomed this time?” Thousand-Star Maiden’s brows furrowed deeply.
On the battlefield, seeing Zhang Ruochen at a disadvantage, Kong Lanyou’s expression turned icy, her killing intent intensifying.
“Get out of my way.”
Kong Lanyou roared, striking at Di Feng with a palm.
The Feather-Flight Heavenly Palm, fueled by rage, was immensely powerful. A massive seven-coloured peacock appeared, gently flapping its wings, releasing dazzling Feather-Flight Holy Light.
Di Feng’s expression shifted slightly, but he remained composed, swiftly unleashing a sinister holy pearl.
This pearl was no ordinary item, a powerful Monarch Weapon, though damaged and not yet repaired, its might still formidable.
At that moment, over 100,000 Monarch Inscriptions appeared in the pearl, drawing vast heaven and earth power, striking like a star.
“Boom.”
Though the seven-coloured peacock was strong, it was shattered by the pearl, turning into a shower of seven-coloured light.
The pearl’s radiance dimmed instantly, its Monarch Inscriptions retreating as it returned to Di Feng’s hand.
Di Feng smiled, blocking Kong Lanyou’s path. “Zhang Ruochen is as good as dead. No one can change that. If you submit to me obediently, you might still have a chance to live. Otherwise, you’ll share his fate.”
“Those who block me, die.”
Kong Lanyou’s eyes blazed with killing intent.
A terrifying aura radiated from her, her white hair, nearly reaching her heels, fluttering, each strand glowing with radiant holy light.
As the seven-coloured holy light reached its peak, Kong Lanyou transformed into a seven-coloured sacred peacock.
Clearly, she had fully activated her peacock bloodline, enabling her to take peacock form.
The sacred peacock flapped its wings, sending countless seven-coloured feathers flying, each turning into a sharp sword that pierced through the air toward Di Feng.
Di Feng’s expression changed drastically, sensing a significant threat.
In this situation, he dared not be careless, hurriedly reactivating the holy pearl to form a powerful shield around himself.
At that moment, not only Kong Lanyou but also Jin Yu, Luo Chen, Bao Lie, and others became frenzied, unleashing their full power to break free from their opponents and rescue Zhang Ruochen.
“Boom.”
The shattered ground exploded as Zhang Ruochen, hair disheveled, burst from the earth.
Shang Ziqi sneered, “You’re remarkably resilient. In that case, I’ll beat you until you can’t stand.”
Before his words faded, the Five-Colored Merit Stele, hovering high above, came crashing down.
“Not good.”
Zhang Ruochen’s expression changed as he raised both hands.
“Bang.”
The stele didn’t strike Zhang Ruochen but was held up by his hands.
However, it was immensely heavy, like an ancient divine mountain, pressing Zhang Ruochen downward.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ruochen was forced to the ground.
“Rumble.”
The already fragmented earth collapsed further.
A terrifying force struck the ground, forming a powerful shockwave that swept outward like tidal waves.
Everything in its path shattered.
The shockwave’s reach was vast, extending nearly ten thousand miles.
Some weaker onlookers were directly flung away by the force, some sustaining serious injuries.
Peacock Manor, protected by powerful Great Saint Inscriptions and high-tier arrays, remained unscathed.
But the surrounding land had collapsed, isolating Peacock Manor like an island in the sea, constantly battered by stormy waves, teetering on the brink.
Within Peacock Manor, many Peacock Half-Humans resided, but most were too weak to participate in such a battle.
At this moment, they were terrified, some already despairing, feeling the end was near.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen pinned by the Five-Colored Merit Stele, Bao Lie’s eyes widened with rage. “All of you, die!”
Roaring, Bao Lie recklessly activated his Star Soul Eye, unleashing a dazzling beam of starlight.
The Paradise Realm faction powerhouse fighting him couldn’t react in time, his body pierced by the starlight, suffering a devastating blow.
As Bao Lie moved to aid Zhang Ruochen, another Paradise Realm faction powerhouse struck, landing a palm on his back.
“Pfft.”
Bao Lie spat out a large mouthful of blood, mixed with fragments of internal organs.
“You can’t even save yourself, yet you think of rescuing Zhang Ruochen? Laughable.”
The powerhouse who injured Bao Lie sneered coldly.
