Chapter 386: Swallowing the Profound Crystal
Wherever the edge of his palm passed, the air cracked under the unbearable strain. The Earth Vein Qi within a hundred-foot radius was forcibly ripped out, forming a visible, murky yellow torrent that coiled around the edge of his palm.
"This is the true Martial Dao!"
His voice boomed like thunder, each word causing the surrounding gravel to tremble and dance. "Every move and stance draws upon the power of heaven and earth, channeling infinite killing intent into one’s fists and palms. Compared to those heterodox paths that rely on finger seals and incantations..."
The force of his palm suddenly ripped through three ancient, massive trees ahead. "It is far more than a thousand times faster!"
The Spiritual Qi throughout the entire Secret Realm suddenly began to boil. A hundred-foot-tall phantom materialized behind the old man. Upon closer inspection, it was a magnified version of the Divine Martial Daoist Master.
The phantom mirrored its master’s movements, striking out with its palm. Before the gust of palm wind even arrived, the pressure alone made Xu Yunfan’s bones crackle and pop.
"A Dharma Aspect?"
Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow. He had also studied the way of the Dharma Aspect from the Profound Celestial Treasure Talisman and could naturally manifest a Six-armed Vajra.
But facing this Divine Martial Daoist Master, Xu Yunfan advanced instead of retreating, the golden light erupting from his body growing to a blinding intensity.
The Ten Extremes True Qi surged through his body like a great river, finally pouring entirely into the Shaking Mountain Sea-Suppressing Hammer.
The body of this Tier Seven Divine Weapon couldn’t withstand such immense power and its surface began to crack, yet this only caused it to erupt with an even more brilliant light.
"Eight Desolates Dragon Fall: Nine Extremes Unification!"
Nine crimson-gold dragon marks detached from the hammer’s body, merging in midair to form a lifelike Five-Clawed Golden Dragon.
A dragon’s roar echoed through the heavens as it crashed into the sky-blotting palm seal with indomitable momentum.
BOOM!!!
The aftershocks of the collision directly tore apart the Secret Realm’s foundation.
The sky shattered like a mirror, and the earth split open into bottomless chasms.
Amidst this apocalyptic scene, the two figures crossed paths and clashed at an even greater speed.
The Divine Martial Daoist Master held his fingers together like a sword, and every strand of Sword Qi he released summoned cracking thunderbolts.
Xu Yunfan’s hammer struck like a dragon, each swing making the void itself tremble.
After five hundred moves, the Secret Realm was on the verge of collapse.
After eight hundred moves, spatial rifts began to appear where the two exchanged blows.
By the twelve-hundredth move, the entire Secret Realm could finally take no more. With a BANG, it exploded into a sky full of motes of light.
Within the blinding white light, two figures pierced through the world barrier and reappeared under the firmament of the Divine Martial Realm.
Xu Yunfan stood firm in the void, discovering the familiar Qingwei Mountain range below him.
Meanwhile, the remnant soul of the Divine Martial Daoist Master had now solidified to the point of appearing real. It was surrounded by three hundred and sixty vortexes of Spiritual Qi, each connected to the Heaven and Earth Laws, continuously pouring into Chen Jiuchuan’s body.
"To be able to cultivate to such a realm in this Dharma Decline Era..."
The old man finally dropped his disdainful attitude. With a solemn yet greedy expression, he said, "Brat, your body is indeed worthy of inheriting my dao."
The wild winds howled, and the sea of clouds churned.
Xu Yunfan said coolly, "It seems I’ve caught the Daoist Master’s attention."
His eyelids drooped as he thought to himself. ’If this drags on for too long, once those Primordial Sect disciples catch a whiff of what’s happening and come over, I’ll be the one at a disadvantage.’
As his thoughts turned, Xu Yunfan flipped his palm. With a surge of True Qi, the Martial Dao Profound Crystal suddenly floated into the air.
Its entire body resembled jade congealed from crimson blood. Within the crystal walls, dark golden patterns coiled and knotted, as if an imprisoned primordial dragon was slowly awakening.
Even more astonishing was the vast vitality it contained.
Every pulse of the Crystal Core caused the flora within a hundred-foot radius to grow wildly.
Withered branches sprouted new shoots, old vines burst into bloom, and even the moss in the cracks of rocks instantly spread into a verdant, velvet carpet.
A refreshing, nourishing aura like sweet rain filled the air. Just the energy it radiated was enough to cause the chipped Dragon Scale Armor Leaves on Xu Yunfan’s arm to begin healing at a visible rate.
The moment the Profound Crystal appeared, an invisible aura rippled outward. The surrounding air instantly froze, and even the howling gales paused for a moment.
BZZZT!
A visible ripple erupted from the Profound Crystal, sweeping across a thousand li of mountains and rivers in an instant.
The surviving Primordial Sect disciples in the Divine Martial Realm all shuddered. Whether it was the scar-faced man hiding deep within an Earth Vein or the others who were fleeing in disarray, all of them snapped their heads up at this moment, a frightening glint erupting in their eyes.
"The Martial Dao Profound Crystal?! It really is here!"
A tall, thin disciple choked out a hoarse, ecstatic cry. "The news was true! The ultimate treasure that can forge a Divine Martial Dao Foundation!"
Three hundred li away, the scar-faced man crushed the Communication Talisman in his hand, his face contorted in a snarl. "How dare that bastard! This is my opportunity!"
He violently tore off the Talisman Robe that concealed his aura, and a pillar of Blood Evil Qi shot into the sky. "Fellow disciples! If we don’t fight for it now, when will we?!"
At almost the exact same moment, the scattered Primordial Sect disciples all sprang into action.
Some used their last-resort Sky Escape Talismans, not hesitating to burn their Essence Blood. Some crushed their Life-Saving Elixirs, and despite bleeding from all seven orifices, their speed skyrocketed. Others even grinned maliciously as they pushed their companions into traps, just to get a step ahead.
The Martial Dao Profound Crystal represented a heaven-defying opportunity to change one’s fate. Once one achieved Foundation Establishment, they would be free from the constant threat of death and gain the true qualifications to seek immortality and the Dao!
***
"This Martial Dao Profound Crystal should be what the Daoist Master used for his Foundation Establishment."
Xu Yunfan lightly tapped the Profound Crystal with his fingertip, and the dark golden patterns flickered in response. "And it should also be the item you used to defy heaven and change your fate, right?"
The Divine Martial Daoist Master’s pupils shrank, and then he burst into scornful laughter. "When I refined this item, I exhausted three Spirit Veins and slaughtered nine great clans just to gather enough resources. A mere ant from the Divine Martial Realm like you..."
His words died in his throat. He stared, his eyes nearly splitting from rage. Once the Martial Dao Profound Crystal was ingested, as long as Xu Yunfan didn’t die, he would never be able to get it!
Xu Yunfan had actually tossed the Profound Crystal into his mouth!
’What will happen if I swallow it?’
His Adam’s apple bobbed. The moment the Profound Crystal entered his stomach, the Ten Extremes True Qi in his body melted away like hot oil on snow.
The Profound Crystal had transformed into a greedy black hole, not only devouring his True Qi but also beginning to siphon away the vitality from his flesh and blood.
Xu Yunfan’s right arm visibly withered, and web-like cracks appeared on his skin.
He felt a tremor of shock in his heart. ’Was I a bit too reckless?’
But he quickly calmed his mind. ’It seems... I can still handle it?’
"You’re courting death!" The Divine Martial Daoist Master’s hair and beard stood on end. "The Spiritual Qi in this realm is thin! Without replenishment, the Profound Crystal will drain its host dry!"
He was so furious he began to laugh. "I will watch with my own eyes as you turn into a pile of withered bones!"
But Xu Yunfan suddenly had a look of realization. "So that’s how it is..."
He suddenly reached back and pressed the Profound Steel Mechanism Box at his waist. "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Master."
SCREEE!!
The instant the Mechanism Box sprang open, a piercing shriek tore through the sky.
A palm-sized, jade-carved doll—the Ginseng Child—was yanked out by the leaves on its head. Its tender arms and legs flailed wildly, and the Red Ginseng Seeds on its head rained down.
"What?! H-How is this possible?!"
The Divine Martial Daoist Master’s pupils contracted violently, and the muscles in his face began to twitch uncontrollably. "How could a mere World Heaven Realm possibly nurture a Spiritual Object of this caliber, one that steals the good fortune of heaven and earth?!"
His voice was trembling.
Even in the Taihua Spirit Ruins Realm, this Ten Thousand Year Ginseng King that had already taken human form would be enough to cause a bloodbath.
Its Ginseng Roots could regrow severed limbs, its Ginseng Liquid could extend one’s life by three hundred years, to say nothing of the Red Jade Ginseng Seed condensed at the very top of the Ginseng Child’s head—that was a supreme treasure capable of helping a Golden Core True Monarch break through a bottleneck!