Chapter 238: The Realm of the Dao

The foundation of the unique art, 'Heart Intent Saber', is the 'Heart Saber Stance'. All other moves are derivations of the 'Heart Saber Stance', applied in various directions. Upon comprehending the profound yin-yang transformations of the 'Heart Saber Stance' and reaching the Dao realm, Meng Chuan's understanding of the Red Lotus Stance, Tiger Roar Stance, Dragon Chant Stance, Extreme Yin Stance, and Flying Swallow Stance also reached new heights.

Meng Chuan had no time to ponder; he instantly saw his wife flung backward by a hammer blow.

"This couple is stronger than our intelligence indicated!" The Black Rock Great Demon King flew through the surging waters, closing in on Liu Qiyue. "Liu Qiyue has the Phoenix Divine Body, and under Phoenix Nirvana, she possesses the power of a top Marquis Godfiend. Meng Chuan is even more formidable; he actually used the God-Slaying Thorn! A Great Sun Godfiend at thirty-eight years old, he has already reached the third level of the True Soul realm. Such True Soul talent would rank among the top few in human history, yet our demon race knew nothing of this before!"

The Black Rock Great Demon King pursued Liu Qiyue.

The flames covering Liu Qiyue's body solidified, taking the form of a phoenix. This 'flame phoenix' struggled to fly and weave through the endless waters, constantly enduring terrifying impacts. The 'Dragon Water Domain' was a realm powerful enough to weaken even King Godfiends! Only the potency of Liu Qiyue's 'phoenix flames' in her Nirvana state allowed her to barely resist. In contrast, Meng Chuan's fiend-qi domain would have instantly collapsed.

"A-Chuan, A-Chuan." Liu Qiyue was filled with unease. She desperately wanted to reach her husband; the previous hammer blow had unnerved her. Simultaneously, she repeatedly called for aid using the token in her embrace, stressing the urgency of her pleas.

The moment they encountered the Great Demon King, the couple had already called for aid. Now, they called for aid even more frequently.

"Sending King Godfiends from Luotang Pass is the fastest method, but it will still take half a cup of tea to arrive," Liu Qiyue fretted. "Half a cup of tea is too slow!"

"Liu Qiyue, since you care so much about your husband, why not join him?" the Black Rock Great Demon King taunted as he closed in, swinging a hammer at her. "You won't be lonely if you walk the Yellow Springs Road together."

Liu Qiyue's flaming wings flapped as she attempted to dodge. But the distance was too close.

The ferocious hammer blow pierced through layers of protective flames. These flames, almost substantial, could resist the pressure of the Dragon Water Domain. However, seven or eight tenths of the hammer's power was weakened by these layers of fire. With the remaining force, Liu Qiyue swung the body of her divine bow to block the attack.

*Bang!!!*

The divine bow's body was extraordinary and completely undamaged, but the impact force transferred into Liu Qiyue's body, scattering her protective flames. Her internal organs were instantly and severely wounded, yet her body rapidly recovered under the burning phoenix flames. In her 'Nirvana state,' Liu Qiyue's body was constantly undergoing transformation, allowing her to heal swiftly even when injured.

"My strength has increased significantly, yet I still almost lost my life," Liu Qiyue thought, sent flying by the impact. Her thoughts, however, were with her husband. "What about A-Chuan? He doesn't have phoenix flames to protect him; he took that hammer blow head-on."

Suddenly, Liu Qiyue saw him. The figure in the distance, previously engulfed by the surging water, suddenly moved, bringing a wave of relief to her heart.

"This Phoenix Nirvana heals injuries quickly. I'll just smash you into a pulp and see if you still live," the Black Rock Great Demon King sneered. As he prepared to resume his pursuit of Liu Qiyue, his expression suddenly changed.

A lightning-like figure sliced through the water, enduring layer after layer of its impact, and rapidly closed in on the Black Rock Great Demon King.

"Meng Chuan?" The Black Rock Great Demon King exclaimed in disbelief.

A flash of saber light arced, striking from the side. It was fast and elusive, maintaining a terrifying speed even within the surging waters.

The 'Dragon Chant Stance' of the Black Iron Heavenly Book's 'Heart Intent Saber'!

The Black Rock Great Demon King found the saber strike too strange; even with one hammer, he wasn't entirely confident, so he quickly used both hammers to block in front of him.

*Chiiii.*

The Demon Slaying Saber met the twin hammers and instantly withdrew. Meng Chuan, employing the Flying Swallow Stance, skillfully used the slight impact to turn, reappearing on the Black Rock Great Demon King's other side to strike again.

Strike after strike!

Within the Dragon Water Domain, Meng Chuan's agile speed still surpassed the Black Rock Great Demon King's, allowing him to continuously press his assault. However, he refused to engage in head-on clashes, well aware of the terrifying power of the Great Demon King's hammer.

"Qiyue, I'll hold him off. Get out of here, escape the Dragon Water Domain!" Meng Chuan transmitted via true soul.

"Understood."

Witnessing her husband's speed within the Dragon Water Domain, which clearly outmatched the Black Rock Great Demon King, Liu Qiyue felt a significant sense of relief. Superior speed meant that if Meng Chuan chose to flee, the Black Rock Great Demon King wouldn't be able to catch him.

*Whoosh.*

Liu Qiyue's protective flames, forming a 'phoenix' shape, flew with difficulty through the layered resistance of the Dragon Water Domain, aiming to quickly move beyond the Black Rock Great Demon King's five-mile range.

"Under the suppression of the Dragon Water Domain, he's still faster than me? Without this domain, how fast would he be?" The Black Rock Great Demon King was truly astounded. Meng Chuan was merely harassing him, with saber lights striking repeatedly, but the moment the Great Demon King could block, Meng Chuan would instantly disengage. He completely avoided direct confrontation, making it difficult for the Black Rock Great Demon King to unleash his full power.

He was incredibly agile. The layered forces of the Dragon Water Domain shifted unpredictably, yet Meng Chuan's movement technique remained agile and natural. Some of the impact force was dissipated, and some was even utilized by Meng Chuan. This was the power of the 'Flying Swallow Stance'; after comprehending the yin-yang transformations, the Flying Swallow Stance had become much more potent. Even under the Dragon Water Domain's suppression, he could still achieve over thirty percent of his full speed.

Having reached the 'Dao Realm', Meng Chuan's speed increased once more! Over thirty percent of his speed was still equivalent to that of a King Godfiend!

"This Meng Chuan is too mysterious."

"He's already at the third level of the True Soul realm at such a young age."

"And his physical body! How intense is the pressure in the Dragon Water Domain? Liu Qiyue needs to activate Phoenix Nirvana and rely on her phoenix flames for protection. A Great Sun Godfiend should be instantly crushed into a pulp. Marquis Godfiends must use their Dark Star Domain or Dark Star True Essence to resist. Only Fourth Heaven Demon Kings with exceptionally strong physiques can withstand the Dragon Water Domain with their bodies. Yet, he can resist the Dragon Water Domain with his bare body?"

The Black Rock Great Demon King felt he had uncovered too many secrets. Secrets of his True Soul, secrets of his physical body.

"I must eliminate him. If he's allowed to grow, the threat will be immense," the Black Rock Great Demon King resolved, glancing at Liu Qiyue fleeing in the distance. "This Meng Chuan, clearly faster than me, could easily escape. Yet he's bothering me... he must want to save his wife."

"But can you save her?"

The Black Rock Great Demon King's body shimmered.

"What?" Meng Chuan felt as if a colossal mountain had suddenly appeared before him.

A majestic mountain demon, a hundred zhang tall, appeared before him. It still retained a human-like form, with two rocky arms, each gripping a colossal hammer.

"A mountain demon?" Meng Chuan exclaimed in surprise. "This Great Demon King is actually a mountain demon?"

Among the demon race, mountain demons are renowned for their strength and physical prowess.

"It's a mountain demon?" Liu Qiyue asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice. "No wonder it was unharmed even when it directly withstood my arrows with its body."

When mountain demons are in their smaller form, their physical defense is incredibly strong. When they grow to their gigantic form, their physical defense decreases somewhat, but their strength increases dramatically.

"Hahaha, Meng Chuan, you want to save your wife?" the majestic hundred-zhang Black Rock Great Demon King roared, sprinting forward. "Will you stay and die with her, or will you escape alone?" He casually swung a hammer, churning the endless waters and creating a terrifying force that shocked Meng Chuan, forcing him to quickly dodge. The Black Rock Great Demon King then began striding rapidly towards Liu Qiyue, the Dragon Water Domain shifting with him. Though its steps appeared unhurried, the hundred-zhang-tall Black Rock Great Demon King covered a hundred zhang with each stride, making its running speed astonishingly fast—much quicker than before.

Originally three *li* from Liu Qiyue, the distance rapidly closed as it ran.

*Swoosh.*

Meng Chuan, wreathed in lightning, arced around the Black Rock Great Demon King. Despite the longer path, he rapidly closed in on Liu Qiyue.

"Gone?" While the city was being subjected to a devastating assault, a select few still dared to peek outside. These daring onlookers included members of the Earth Net, spies from the Sky Demon Gate, and simply those who were inherently audacious. They witnessed the surging water sweep across a vast area. Within that expansive watery domain, a towering mountain demon giant appeared. Majestic in stature, it held twin hammers and sprinted into the distance, moving away from the county town and into the wilderness.

"Qiyue," Meng Chuan said, using his speed to reach her first.

"A-Chuan, are you hurt?" Liu Qiyue asked, a touch of concern in her voice.

"I'm fine."

Meng Chuan gripped her arm. "Come, I'll get you out of here."

As the couple moved through the Dragon Water Domain together, Meng Chuan's expression changed. Traversing the Dragon Water Domain alone allowed him to skillfully use and deflect the forces, making his movement very fluid. However, with his wife, whose physical body was weaker, she couldn't directly withstand the domain's pressure and had to rely on her 'phoenix flames for protection'. This meant her protective flames were actively resisting the Dragon Water Domain's force as they pushed forward. Moreover, carrying another person inherently impacted his movement technique.

With his wife, he could only maintain twenty percent of his original speed, which had dropped to the level of a Marquis Godfiend. After the Black Rock Great Demon King revealed its true form, its speed became even greater.

"Hahaha, you can't escape with your wife!" the majestic hundred-zhang Black Rock Great Demon King roared, sprinting forward. "Will you stay and die with her, or will you escape alone?"