Chapter 17 – A Powerful Opponent
Finishing his words, Gong Liang Yuan’s translucent body began flying upwards into the skies.
Dong~ The drum beat reverberated through the entire Hall of Life and Death, and the many mortals understood that the fourth match was a victory! Actually, many of the mortals did not understand what happened – the Qi avatar’s few and extremely quick swords were something that the mortals could not see. But what they saw was Xue Ying spitting out blood as he flew backwards, and yet he won?
But ultimately, they were here to watch the brilliance of a Transcendent battle. Thus, being unable to understand the battle, they could only regret that their scope of view was lacking.
“He can even block the first level of Severing Wind: Fifteen Swords at Myriad Existences!”
“This is getting interesting!”
“However, it is almost impossible for him to win the sixth match just by solely depending on unpredictability and defence.” The eastern viewing platform’s Transcendents were getting more interested in the battle as they sensed… Xue Ying was reaching his limits!
Enlightenment on the nature of the World meant achieving the ‘Realm of Myriad Existences’.
The natural World was full of Profound Mysteries, and understanding them allowed the formation of Myriad Existences! After comprehending the Realm of Myriad Existences one’s understanding became deeper and deeper, one’s control of the World Energy would undergo a qualitative change. Following this qualitative change, the comprehension of the Myriad Existences could be split into three levels.
This represented the depth of one’s comprehension of the Realms!
There were some extremely intelligent Legend rankers, like the top three within the Dragon Mountain Book… who had comprehended up to the second level of the Myriad Existences! Usually, reaching the second level of comprehension in the Realm of Myriad Existences would hasten one’s ability in transcending.
And there were even some who had obtained spiritual transformation after transcending, allowing their comprehension of the World to become more formidable, and thus, reach the second level of the Realm of Myriad Existences.
Regardless—
Those who wanted to solely depend on comprehension of the Realms to win six matches were usually only those who had reached the second level!
The deeper one went in their comprehension of the Realms, the more difficult it would get.
The third level of the Realm of Myriad Existences… was something rarely seen amongst Sky Realm Transcendents. Usually, such Transcendents would have a sizable chance of reaching the Saint Realm.
After the Realm of Myriad Existences, would be the condensation of a True Meaning!
Only those who could condense a True Meaning could become a true expert amongst those of the Saint Realm!
……
‘The pressure is enormous.’ Xue Ying could feel the pressure the battle was giving him, ‘My comprehension of the Realms is still incomplete. The six years I had within the underground great hall allowed me to gain a deeper comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Water and Fire of Myriad Existences through the imprinting of both fire and water. The half year period I spent in the Xia Capital, of which I spent most of my time pondering about my spear technique, allowed me to have a similar increase in my comprehension of the Realms. However, a qualitative change has yet to occur.’
His own understanding of the Profound Mysteries of Myriad Existences was many times deeper than when he killed Xiang Pang Yun.
But still, he could only claim to have attained the second level after a qualitative change occurred!
‘It’s fortunate that the Myriad Existences of Water excels in defense. Otherwise, that fourth match would have been too dangerous.’ Within Xue Ying’s mind, a glimmer of expectation appeared, ‘Very good. The greater the pressure, the stronger the effect it will have on improving my spear techniques.’
Within the half-year period after which he transcended, he had harvested many revelations in his spear techniques, and most of those required experimentation in battle!
Hu!
Xue Ying looked upwards – a figure descended from the skies, landing on top of a rock with a dull thud.
He was a human-like figure close to five meters tall with a dark red tone to his skin and fangs. He wielded a great shield in one hand and a frightening great axe in the other! His dark-yellow eyes were full of killing intent. Those native Transcendents who were thrown into battle utterly despised humans.
When mankind had caught them, they were initially forced into hard labor. After that, they were tossed into life and death battles against humans! Those who lost, would simply die. But if they were to win, they would regain their freedom! All of these native Transcendents had a deep longing for freedom, and they believed that since the Infernal Palace promised them this, the palace would not go back against their word.
Furthermore, how delightful it would be if they could kill a new Transcendent while regaining their freedom?
Killing a new Transcendent, with the Infernal Palace giving their word in not taking revenge, was the primary rule of the ‘Transcendent Battle of Life and Death’!
“It seem this native Transcendent loves battle.” Xue Ying was aware that the killing intent this native Transcendents was radiating was much stronger than such intent he had previously experienced during his third battle.
Hong~
Xue Ying started off with a thought in mind, forming the turbulent waves of water which became a huge maelstrom covering most of the battleground.
The undercurrent was constantly moving.
That native Transcendent, wielding a shield and a great axe, mildly frowned before giving a sneer of disdain. With large steps, he began his charge. Even though the constantly changing undercurrent pulled at him, this huge native was able to control his body’s strength to counterbalance the maelstrom.
‘He has reached the realm of Power Perfectly as One.’ Xue Ying immediately concluded, ‘The waves of water have a minimal effect on him.’
“死吧，人类！”
“Die, human!”
The huge native turned sideways, his left hand holding onto the great shield as he utilised the entire momentum of his body thrusting his shield forward and bashing at Xue Ying.
The nearly five meters tall native’s had a shield relative to his size. As such, it was likewise huge. The shield was like an enormous wall that rushed at Xue Ying. If the incoming attack was simply one weapon clashing against his spear, there might be some dependency how good one’s technique was. But right now, the battle was simply a wall made out of a shield coming his way… and it was quite troublesome to deal with. Xue Ying did not have any good techniques to handle that wall of steel coming his way.
‘I’ll use this chance to test his awareness of the situation.’
Xue Ying immediately retreated before stabbing out with his spear – like a poisonous snake – touching against that huge shield.
Hong~ A suppressive resisting force immediately transmitted itself onto the spear. It was fortunate that this was merely a feint, but even still, the spear vibrated with multiple layers of force as it tried to shed the impact, resulting in Xue Ying flying backwards.
“Such huge strength.” Xue Ying was startled.
“You cannot escape!” At the moment Xue Ying flew backwards, that huge man came rushing forward, slashing out with his great axe with a power that seemed like even the heavens and the earth were going to be cut apart.
Xue Ying’s spear was just like water, soft to an extreme. At that moment when the spear clashed against the axe, the unpredictable force caused the axe to change in its direction.
“Crush!” The huge native’s shield immediately follow up after the attack, sweeping towards Xue Ying.
The great shield and great axe continuously swept at him.
Xue Ying was pressed to continuously defend himself. Between the huge native’s rich fighting experience, and his techniques that reached Shield Grandmaster and Axe Grandmaster, this result was inevitable! This combination of both techniques were truly united as one.
‘This native is extremely powerful, and he uses a shield and axe, both heavy weapons, so fast and ferociously.’ Xue Ying was doing his utmost to defend while thinking at the same time, ‘With him suppressing me head-on, even though my Profound Mystery of the Water of Myriad Existences has some unpredictability and softness, I can still do nothing against him.’
There were many schools of fighting.
The soft and unpredictable spear techniques… faced against such an head-on suppression, had no ways of overcoming it!
It could be clearly seen that the Infernal Palace didn’t leave the slightest possibility that luck could play a factor in any of these new Transcendent matches. From the third match, with the lightning quick Native Transcendent, to the fifth match, where this native Transcendent was both a ‘Shield Grandmaster’ and an ‘Axe Grandmaster’ who used an upright and suppressive technique! These battles were meant to test the new Transcendents in every possible area such that one would be defeated if he was vulnerable in any single area!
That frightening axe sliced through the air. Should he get cut by it, Xue Ying would certainly die!
‘If I insist on holding on as such, I will only be defeated in the end. I must find a way to retaliate!’
At this moment when Xue Ying flew back, he suddenly sprang forward with his spear raised up high – akin to someone trying to split apart the skies – bringing with him endless valiance as he hacked downwards! As his spear arced downwards, flames appeared that were just like a meteorite landing.
Fire of Myriad Existences, explosive and ferocious, directly met with the crushing attack!
Judging based on its head-on power, it was a great increase compared to the spear technique utilising the Profound Mystery of the Water of Myriad Existences! Even though it was not quite twice the power, it could be considered close. Furthermore, as one’s comprehension of the Realms increased, the differences between spear techniques of different Profound Mysteries would become greater. The spear technique using the Fire of Myriad Existences would become fiercer and fiercer, while the spear technique using Water of Myriad Existences would become more unpredictable.
“You’ve come at the right time!” The huge native was excited. He immediately slashed down with the great axe in his hand! He wanted to chop apart the spear belonging to the human in front of him, cutting this human to death!
Bang!
A loud collision resounded out.
The clash caused Xue Ying to convulse so much that he flew backwards from the aftermath. That huge native was, similarly, impacted from the huge contact and his entire body trembled uncontrollably – preventing him from charging forward for the kill.
“Pu.” Xue Ying’s mouth was full of the smell of blood, yet his eyes were filled with excitement. From the start of the Transcendent Battle of Life and Death, this was the first time where he felt the sensation he had felt when he fought with Xiang Pang Yun in the past! That pressure and anxiety of standing on a fine line between life and death! Even though the ‘Severing Wind: Fifteen Swords’ previously gave him a thrilling feeling – of the threat of death – that feeling had only been for a single moment.
“This Transcendent Battle of Life and Death is getting more and more interesting.” Xue Ying was exhilarated. This was finally the type of battle where he could truly sharpen his body. Standing on the fine line between life and death, this sensation caused his entire body to tremble with excitement. The threat of death simulating his true life instinct and enabling him to enter a perfect condition for battle.