Chapter 2097: Manifesting the Dharma Image

The Human World

Silu and Minzhuo stood facing each other high in the sky.

The demon cultivators below, having narrowly escaped death, were still shaken. However, as elites of the demon race, they quickly recovered from their initial panic, forming a battle formation centered around the Phoenix King.

They were caught between the colossal dragon and the demon bird.

The dragon's tail rested on the water's surface like undulating mountains, stretching endlessly. Its massive body rose, with its head piercing the clouds, exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression.

In contrast, the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird was small and seemingly weak, yet it managed to hold back the mighty dragon.

The Phoenix King was equally shocked, though she forced herself to appear calm. From their earlier conversation, she had deduced that the assailant was Minzhuo, the leader of the Chang You tribe. Despite all their calculations, they had never anticipated Minzhuo breaking through to the Void Realm's Second Stage so quickly.

This shift in power dynamics spelled nothing less than catastrophic disaster for the Storm Realm.

Had it not been for this mysterious powerhouse intervening, it was uncertain how many demon cultivators would have escaped with their lives today.

But where did this mysterious powerhouse come from?

Why did they stop Minzhuo and save her? And who was this "master" they spoke of?

The more the Phoenix King pondered, the colder her spine felt. She stood at the pinnacle of the Storm Realm, yet how many secrets lay hidden behind it, secrets even she was unaware of?

Could it be that Immortal Lady Liuli had also broken through to the Refinement Stage, coldly observing every move of the Demon Sea's demon race?

Beyond this, the Phoenix King couldn't conceive of any other possibilities.

Suppressing her unease, she left her treasure ship and ascended to the sky, bowing deeply below the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird. "Junior Huang Jun extends her deepest gratitude, Senior, for your assistance in stopping the powerful enemy."

Approaching the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird, the Phoenix King's unease intensified. She had initially assumed the other party was a senior demon, but there was no trace of demon aura on them.

"You are the Phoenix King?"

The Crimson-feathered Demon Bird scrutinized the Phoenix King, commenting indifferently, "Fortune and misfortune have no gate; they are self-invited."

The Phoenix King's expression stiffened, rendering her speechless.

"You don't need to thank me. My intervention wasn't for your sake."

The Crimson-feathered Demon Bird gazed at the colossal dragon opposite, its eyes wary, and instructed, "The rest of this matter doesn't concern you. Take your subordinates, withdraw to the side, and await further orders."

The Phoenix King dared not argue or leave without permission. She sheepishly retreated to the sea surface, leading her army away from the standoff between the two powerhouses, and dutifully waited in the distance.

Minzhuo overlooked the water, watching the demon cultivators withdraw without acting. "It seems, Fellow Daoist, you are determined to oppose me. We have no prior grievances; why must you be my enemy?"

"If you can be patient for a moment, I won't actively attack you, and we won't be mortal enemies," the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird replied calmly.

Minzhuo's expression flickered. He snorted coldly, "I don't know who this 'master' you speak of is, what their identity is, or what reason they have to interfere in our conflict?"

Without waiting for Silu to answer, Minzhuo continued, "Fellow Daoist, do you know that the grievances between my tribe and these foreign races have lasted for nearly a thousand years? Countless tribesmen have died in battle, and many talented descendants have been cruelly slaughtered by them. This is a blood feud, an irreconcilable enmity! Do you think a few mere words can resolve it?"

The Crimson-feathered Demon Bird said strangely, "After all I've said, Fellow Daoist, have you still not understood? What grievances you have between you, what concern is it of mine? As long as you don't act in front of me, I won't stop you."

Minzhuo laughed in extreme anger, and the colossal dragon roared in unison.

The dragon's roar shook heaven and earth. Some of the demon cultivators who heard it felt their very souls tremble.

Seeing Minzhuo about to act, the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird's gaze sharpened. It warned coldly, "Fellow Daoist, your aura seems slightly unstable. You must have broken through recently, and your cultivation is not yet fully solidified. You are not my opponent; do not bring ruin upon yourself."

Minzhuo snorted, his expression changing repeatedly, as if weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

After a long moment, he feigned realization of Silu's identity, showing a surprised expression: "Is this the legendary companion beast? Does Senior come from the Siyou tribe?"

"Fellow Daoist has good insight; I am indeed a Siyou tribesman," Silu admitted frankly.

"Since you are a Siyou tribe expert, Fellow Daoist, surely you know that our superior tribe is the Zhu Yan tribe, and this is Zhu Yan territory! Aren't you afraid of provoking the Zhu Yan tribe by trespassing so wantonly into another tribe's domain?" Minzhuo's tone carried a veiled threat.

"Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist. However, since I am here, it is naturally with the Zhu Yan tribe's permission," the Crimson-feathered Demon Bird replied leisurely, completely unfazed by the threat.

On the spiritual island.

Silu remotely controlled the companion beast from afar, her mind connected to it, intimidating Minzhuo. Just then, she suddenly opened her eyes, looking towards the sky. With a wave of her hand, she opened a round mirror seal, and a person entered from outside.

"Brother Qin."

Silu, focused on controlling the companion beast, didn't rise but nodded to Qin Sang, asking, "Your dharma body?"

She hadn't sensed Qin Sang's dharma body's aura; only his true form was present.

"Greetings, Grand Lord!"

Great Sage Black Lion and the two Demon Marquises bowed in unison.

"My dharma body has gone to Shengmu Plain," Qin Sang said as he floated down.

"Shengmu Plain?" Silu recalled what Shengmu Plain was and couldn't help but feel surprised. "Brother Qin intends to..."

"Just preparing for a rainy day!"

Qin Sang had sent his dharma body personally to the Chang You tribe's holy lake, just in case negotiations failed and forced action was necessary. He wanted to not only capture the Chang You tribe leader on the spot but also preferably control their holy lake simultaneously.

It was unknown how the Chang You tribe sought external aid – whether through divine abilities or some kind of treasure. If it was a treasure, and not on the Chang You tribe leader, it would be stored in the holy lake.

The dharma body had also taken the Celestial Eye Butterfly, hoping to use its Celestial Eye divine ability to identify weak points in the holy lake's grand formation.

If they could take control in one swift move and secretly command the Chang You tribe, it would solve their problems once and for all.

However, the holy lands of the foreign races were not so easily breached. Qin Sang had previously consulted with Silu and Jihong, learning that foreign race holy lands were the most important and mysterious places for each tribe, all originating from ancient times.

Even for a small tribe like the Chang You, their holy land was far from simple. It might even contain mysteries unknown to its own tribesmen, only revealing themselves during times of crisis.

Acting rashly, even if they had the power to breach the holy land, it would be difficult to suppress the news. Due to the ancient alliance, the Zhu Yan tribe, upon learning of an attack on the Chang You tribe's holy land, would inevitably intervene!

Now that the situation had taken a sharp turn for the worse, Qin Sang, even knowing the odds were low, could only attempt it if necessary.

"What was their reaction when they saw you, Fellow Daoist?" Qin Sang asked.

"That person seemed eager to fight me, even wanting to engage," Silu said, perplexed. "Even when I hinted at your presence, Brother Qin, they showed no apprehension or sign of backing down."

This didn't align with their expectations.

The Chang You tribe leader had only recently broken through. He could barely contend with a peer-level expert, yet knowing there was an additional helper, he still chose not to retreat and observe.

"Oh?"

Qin Sang mused thoughtfully, saying gravely, "It seems this person has something to rely on behind them."

Silu nodded. "That must be it! However, the Chang You tribe also seems adept at Water Element Transformation arts. That might not be their true form; perhaps it's just a bluff, and their true self has long since fled elsewhere."

After all, a companion beast is not the true form, and is subject to various restrictions. Silu couldn't be certain if that was the Chang You tribe leader's true form or a clone.

Qin Sang hummed, "That makes sense. I'll go meet him now! However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you about, Fellow Daoist. You mentioned some details about the ancient alliance before; could you elaborate?"

Silu answered everything she knew.

Afterwards, Qin Sang flew into the sky, leaving the spiritual island with Silu.

As they neared the battlefield, Qin Sang and Silu separated. Qin Sang found a spot, a green light rose above his head, and his Azure Luan Dharma Form flapped its wings, transforming into a bolt of lightning. It tore through the air, fleeing, its thunder shaking the ocean, openly displaying the might of his lightning escape.

Soon, the Azure Luan Dharma Form approached the battlefield. Minzhuo faintly sensed an incomparably powerful aura rapidly charging towards him.

Minzhuo abruptly raised his head. "Is this the person you spoke of, Fellow Daoist?"

"It is I, the humble Taoist!"

The voice boomed like thunder.

The next moment, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky. Minzhuo's vision was instantly filled with blinding lightning, his eyes stinging. An unparalleled, mighty aura rapidly approached.

This aura was terrifying, causing Minzhuo's heart to pound.

Since breaking through to the Void Realm's Second Stage, he hadn't yet fought a peer-level expert with his full power. But he was certain that even ordinary early-stage Void Realm Second Stage cultivators likely couldn't compare to this person.

'Boom!'

The lightning seemed to pierce through space. Minzhuo's expression changed dramatically, feeling danger was already at his doorstep.

He hadn't expected the opponent to attack without a word. Fortunately, he had remained vigilant, and his reaction wasn't slow; he immediately summoned the colossal dragon for protection.

As clouds follow dragons and wind follows tigers.

The colossal dragon stirred up the seawater, and torrential rain poured down. Amidst the curtain of rain, the dragon soared into the sky and immediately clashed with the lightning.

'Crack!'

'Rumble!'

Dazzling lightning erupted, and streaks of electric snakes shot out in all directions through the void.

In mid-air, the colossal dragon's entire body stiffened. Its head strained upwards, attempting to block the enemy.

At the very center between its two dragon horns, a massive bird claw had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. This claw was incredibly sharp, firmly piercing into the dragon's flesh, with lightning flowing between its talons.

Accompanied by a deafening 'boom,' the dragon's head exploded. The dragon's body, originally composed of seawater, turned into masses of clear water, still containing faint streaks of lightning.

With the dragon's head exploding, its body instantly disintegrated. The downpour intensified, as if the waters of the heavenly river were pouring onto the ground.

Minzhuo grunted, retreating rapidly and looking extremely disheveled. His eyes revealed shock; this was a divine ability he had comprehended after his breakthrough, yet it was shattered by a single claw from his opponent!

The disparity between cultivators of the same rank can sometimes be unimaginable.

Amidst the wind and rain, the owner of the bird claw slowly appeared. A magnificent Azure Luan stood proudly in mid-air, looking down at Minzhuo with a hint of disdain in its eyes.

Qin Sang, however, was quite surprised in his heart, for he discovered that Minzhuo was not a clone, but his true form!

The foundation of foreign race cultivation lies in their ancestral innate divine abilities. However, achieving the Saint and Ancestor realms, returning to their origin, is not an overnight process. It requires the aid of cultivation methods to enhance oneself. Yet, unlike humans, they view these methods as mere vehicles and steps to achieve their ultimate goal: comprehending their innate divine abilities.

Ultimately, it boils down to cultivating the soul, refining the body, and absorbing spiritual energy—the three lineages of spirit, dharma, and body. Based on Qin Sang's understanding of the Chang You tribe, they should fall under the category of dharma cultivators, while the Zhu Yan tribe is undoubtedly a lineage of body cultivators.

However, because the power of foreign races is closely tied to their divine abilities and bloodlines, some foreign races, despite being dharma cultivators, cannot independently separate a dharma body to face enemies, as their strength would be greatly diminished.

Of course, some tribes also have ways to forge alternative paths. For example, Silu's four companion beasts, when deployed together, can even surpass a dharma body in power.

Qin Sang hadn't seen a second Void Realm Second Stage expert from the Chang You tribe, so he wasn't sure if the Chang You tribe was subject to such restrictions.

Minzhuo daring to put his true form in harm's way was clearly illogical.

Qin Sang keenly sensed something unusual. It was correct for his true form to stay hidden behind the scenes and send the Dharma Form.

"Who are you!"

Minzhuo stabilized himself, showing no panic, and questioned loudly.

"You don't recognize me?"

The Azure Luan Dharma Form spoke, its voice also like thunder. Its eyes flashed with sharp lightning, and a green light erupted from its body, transforming into Qin Sang's image.

Seeing Qin Sang's face, Minzhuo was somewhat puzzled. The opponent's tone implied that he should recognize him.

But...

Minzhuo's heart suddenly stirred. He recalled a secret report he had received long ago and instantly felt Qin Sang's features were somewhat familiar.

"You are..."

Minzhuo remembered.

The revered sacred statue enshrined at the Azure Ram Temple, hailed as a saint, revered by various tribes and sects, seemed to have a close relationship with Immortal Lady Liuli. It was precisely this person!

"It seems Fellow Daoist has remembered! Indeed, it is I, the humble Taoist!"

Qin Sang said coldly, "You constantly speak of blood feuds with us, of countless Chang You tribe experts dead or wounded. But how many of our experts have been slaughtered by you? Though I possess the ability to annihilate the Chang You tribe, I have not wished to escalate the conflict and have consistently refrained from intervening. Yet you, having just broken through to the Void Realm's Second Stage, now my peer, disregard your status and hastily emerge from seclusion, not hesitating to bully the weak and slaughter countless of my fellow demon cultivators of the Demon Sea!"

His tone was filled with immense rage. "You just said that a blood feud justifies killing! If that's the case, then it is perfectly justified for me to kill you!"

"Stop spouting nonsense! That Saint Qin is human, and you are a demon..."

For some reason, even knowing Zaizhen was behind him, Minzhuo still felt a trace of panic and argued urgently.

As he spoke, he suddenly paused.

Just because someone is hailed as Saint Qin and enshrined at the Azure Ram Temple, does that make them human?

It's well known that the Azure Ram Temple used to have many demon experts, once holding half of its power. Later, it was rumored that they were all wiped out by the Mist Tide, leaving only one raccoon demon.

Minzhuo was convinced that the opponent was fabricating an identity for legitimacy, but it would be difficult to expose them.

His thoughts raced, and he was about to speak when a sudden warning surged in his heart. A green light filled the sky, overwhelming everything, pressing down upon him.

Seeing the opponent attack again without a word, Minzhuo was secretly alarmed. From his sleeve, a milky-white stream of light shot out—a delicate jade bowl.

This was a spiritual treasure granted to him by that mysterious entity. Inside the jade bowl, clear ripples shimmered, a bowl full of water.

Minzhuo activated the jade bowl, pouring out endless water, enough to fill several large lakes, transforming it into a surging current.

Just then, Minzhuo's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of crimson flames engulfing the sky, and he immediately felt the water from his jade bowl become sluggish. The Siyou tribe expert had also attacked.

The opponents clearly intended to kill!

He was already struggling immensely against one; facing an encirclement by two, he was bound to lose!

In this critical moment, Minzhuo no longer cared about any agreements. He shouted loudly, "Brother Zai, save me!"

"Alas!"

A sigh echoed in the void, and a figure appeared beside Minzhuo.