Chapter 2006: Power Overwhelms the Azure Dragon

A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality

"Divine Thunder of Exorcism! The cultivation I practice is not demonic or evil, so how much power can it truly have against me?" Elder Azure Dragon muttered upon seeing this. He raised one hand, and the jade book in his hand emitted a clear chime, instantly transforming into a five-colored light barrier that blocked his front. Then, with a flick of his wrists, a golden and a silver spiritual light flashed, and two colossal brushes, about a foot long, appeared.

Although he spoke casually, he dared not be careless in reality. He immediately activated his innate magical treasures.

Han Li showed no expression upon hearing the other's words. However, with a shake of his sleeves, seventy-two small azure swords darted out. With a swift incantation, they suddenly merged with a clear chime, transforming in mid-air into a colossal azure sword over ten zhang long, shimmering with dazzling azure light.

At this moment, he raised his hand again and pointed remotely at two golden electric pythons in the air.

Following a roar, the two electric pythons, shaking their heads and tails, lunged fiercely towards the azure colossal sword, disappearing into it in a flash.

Thunder roared!

The azure colossal sword instantly expanded tenfold, becoming over a hundred zhang long. At the same time, golden light flashed wildly on its surface, and countless electric arcs surged forth, reaching for the sky!

But Han Li didn't stop there. He glanced at the colossal sword in the air, then opened his mouth and spat out a silver fireball.

As soon as the fireball left his mouth, a clear chime resounded from it. With a flash, it transformed into a silver firebird.

As the firebird spread its wings, its body exploded with a 'bang,' expanding to about a zhang in size. It then shot like a crossbow bolt, plunging into the colossal sword.

The next moment, a layer of silver flame erupted from the colossal sword's surface, and raging waves of fire enveloped the entire sword.

Han Li raised an eyebrow and suddenly uttered the word "Slice!"

No sooner had he spoken than the hundred-zhang colossal sword descended with a mighty roar, slashing down upon Elder Azure Dragon!

The colossal sword's descent was not particularly fast, but wherever it passed, the void hummed incessantly.

Before it even struck, a scorching aura enveloped the stone platform below.

The space below instantly turned fiery red, swirling as if about to boil.

Seeing this sight, Elder Azure Dragon's expression changed drastically. With a shake of his hands, the tips of his golden and silver brushes glowed brilliantly. Countless ancient characters surged out densely, each flashing with spiritual light, appearing profoundly mysterious. After merging, they transformed into a wave of golden and silver light, sweeping madly upwards.

A thunderclap!

The colossal sword and the golden and silver light wave collided head-on. Golden arcs, silver flames, and shimmering light intertwined, forming a massive halo that enveloped almost half of the stone platform.

The exploding halo was dazzlingly bright, making it almost impossible to look at directly. Waves of shockwaves swept madly in all directions.

The stone platform shook violently. The silver light barrier overhead rippled in waves, looking as if it could shatter at any moment.

Seeing this, the cultivators outside couldn't help but gasp.

Han Li and Elder Azure Dragon's first exchange was far grander than they had anticipated.

The old man surnamed Gu's expression changed. He repeatedly flicked his ten fingers towards the surrounding stone pillars, sending out streams of incantations.

These incantations transformed into various colored lights that flashed and vanished into the pillars.

Immediately, the light pillars spewing from the tops of the stone pillars became several times thicker than before. The silver light barrier flashed and solidified back to its original state.

As if in response, the previously unstable stone platform instantly returned to calm.

After a short while, the massive halo enveloping the stone platform finally dispersed and vanished. Han Li and Elder Azure Dragon reappeared, one high and one low.

Han Li stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face expressionless, still suspended in his original position, as if he hadn't moved an inch.

Elder Azure Dragon, however, had at some unknown point descended from the air onto the stone platform. The five-colored light barrier around him had long vanished, leaving only the jade book, now covered in cracks, floating there.

The golden and silver brushes also appeared dim, seemingly having lost a significant amount of their spiritual energy.

As for Elder Azure Dragon himself, he appeared unharmed, but a hint of paleness subtly colored his face.

Han Li's previous attack had clearly gained the upper hand.

Venerable Jin Yue and the old man surnamed Gu exchanged glances upon seeing this, both with a hint of shock in their eyes. Although they had heard that Han Li's strength should surpass Elder Azure Dragon's, to forcibly knock him down from the air with just one attack was still far beyond their expectations.

It was unclear whether Elder Azure Dragon was inherently a bit too weak, or if Han Li's strength was truly unfathomable.

Han Li, seeing that he was somewhat disheveled but unharmed in any real sense, immediately sneered. With a single thought, the surrounding space rippled, and countless small azure swords, having pierced the void, rapidly shot back, flashing as they disappeared into his body.

Although his previous attack gained the upper hand, the azure colossal sword had also dispersed with a tremble. He had no intention of using flying swords for a second attack, so he naturally recalled all of them.

However, Han Li then made a single-handed incantation, and golden light circulated across his body. His body suddenly swelled to a colossal size, while a layer of golden fur instantly covered him entirely.

He had actually unleashed the Startling Thunders Art, instantly transforming into a several-zhang-tall golden-furred giant ape.

The giant ape's eyes gleamed with blue light, and its face was abnormally ferocious. After letting out a long howl that soared straight to the heavens, it violently pounded its chest with both fists, causing its body to swell and grow even larger.

In the blink of an eye, it grew to tens of zhang in size, then swept its gaze over Elder Azure Dragon, its eyes chillingly piercing.

Upon seeing Han Li's transformation, Elder Azure Dragon's expression changed, and he let out an annoyed low growl:

"Hmph, do you think you're the only one who can transform? Let me show you the might of my Azure Dragon True Body!"

No sooner had he spoken than Elder Azure Dragon slapped his own crown. Immediately, an azure pillar of light erupted from his head. With a flicker, it transformed into a five-clawed azure dragon phantom, baring its fangs and claws.

At this moment, Elder Azure Dragon flicked his sleeve, and seven black small swords flew out.

After several 'puffs,' the seven small swords were swiftly inserted into various parts of his body. Then, he opened his mouth again and spat out seven streams of vital essence blood, which merged into the treasures.

The next moment, the seven small swords vanished without a sound. Instead, countless blood threads suddenly gushed from various parts of his body. With a flash, they wrapped around the azure dragon phantom in the air, pulling it sharply downwards.

With a 'squelch,' Elder Azure Dragon actually merged with the azure dragon phantom.

Immediately after a low growl, patches of azure scales appeared on his limbs and face. A flash of white light on his head revealed a pair of glistening emerald-green dragon horns. And behind him, an unusually thick azure colossal tail emerged.

Elder Azure Dragon had, in an instant, undergone a half-demonization, transforming into a monstrous half-dragon, half-human creature!

"I have long heard that Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon is of half-demon lineage, so this transformation is not surprising," Venerable Jin Yue murmured, a hint of solemnity on his face. "However, Fellow Daoist Han's transformation into a giant ape seems quite unusual. I wonder what kind of transformation art that is."

"That doesn't seem like an ordinary transformation art. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Han himself possesses some True Spirit bloodline?" The old man surnamed Gu stroked his chin, pondering speculatively.

"That's highly unlikely! Fellow Daoist Han is an ascendant cultivator from the lower realms. And True Spirits in the lower realms have been extinct for countless years. There couldn't possibly be any bloodlines left," Fairy Silverlight said, shaking her head.

"Perhaps Fellow Daoist Han acquired this spiritual blood after arriving in the Spirit Realm. Regardless, the next attack will certainly be far more powerful than the last. Fellow Daoist Gu, are the restrictions holding up?" Venerable Jin Yue, having guessed most of the truth, asked with some concern.

"Master, please rest assured. With me personally overseeing these restrictions, there will be no problems," the old man surnamed Gu replied confidently.

"Let's hope so." Venerable Jin Yue, however, didn't seem to share that confidence. After a bitter smile, he said nothing more.

At this moment, the giant ape that Han Li had transformed into made its move.

He saw the giant ape's two hairy, powerful hands suddenly grab at the void.

A flash of azure and black spiritual light appeared from his palms. After solidifying, they transformed into two small mountains, over ten zhang tall, radiating shimmering light. It was clear at a glance that these were no ordinary treasures.

After a thunderous roar from the giant ape, the muscles in its two arms bulged, and it fiercely hurled the two small mountains downwards.

Loud explosive sounds erupted!

The two mountain peaks instantly transformed into azure and black crystalline light. Wherever they passed, space distorted and rippled, and piercing sounds erupted. With a flash, they appeared mere inches away from Elder Azure Dragon.

Elder Azure Dragon only felt two blade-like immense pressures rushing towards him. As the surrounding air tightened, his body was unexpectedly restrained by an invisible immense force, and his limbs instantly became unable to move.

In his great alarm, he instinctively let out a loud roar. His transformed half-demon body instantly burst forth with azure light, and his scales bristled. A tremendous force surged from his physical body, and in the next moment, he forcibly broke free from the restraints.

His two hands, which had already transformed into claws, then lunged like lightning towards the approaching mountain peaks.

Elder Azure Dragon's boldness in doing this naturally had its reasons.

The Azure Dragon's physical body was originally among the top three strongest of all true dragons. Thus, his transformed true dragon body, while not comparable to a genuine Azure Dragon, was exceptionally formidable due to the True Azure Dragon Blood, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

Not only was his entire body as hard as a top-tier magical treasure, but after activating his true dragon blood, he could also command a portion of the Azure Dragon's power, enough to cleave mountains and shatter treasures.

However, the instant Elder Azure Dragon's claws made contact with the two mountain peaks, he was filled with immediate regret!

For not only did his claws fail to crush the two mountain peaks as he had imagined, but instead, his fingers burned, and with a series of sharp 'cracks,' they were forcibly shattered by the immense power carried by the mountain peaks.

In his shock, Elder Azure Dragon's two arms retracted like lightning. Then, he fiercely opened his mouth, and a ball of azure light burst forth from within his body, striking one of the mountain peaks. At the same time, his colossal tail, blurring slightly, swept and struck the other mountain peak.

After two loud 'booms' and a muffled grunt, Elder Azure Dragon stumbled, his body flying backward like a broken sack. He retreated over a dozen steps before finally halting and barely stabilizing himself.

At this moment, Elder Azure Dragon's face was filled with horror. He was about to say something, but as he opened his mouth, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.