Chapter 318: Contestation

The Blood Fiend was dead! Even its storage treasure was completely annihilated; only its 'war blade' was flung away, falling to the ground nearby.

King Zhenwu watched this scene, his face slightly pale. This was the 'Extinction Fist,' one of the Zhenwu Seven Absolutes, specifically its forbidden technique—the Ten Absolutes of World Extinction! Extinction Fist was King Zhenwu's most powerful killing move, capable of obliterating everything with a single punch. Building on this, he created the forbidden technique, the 'Ten Absolutes of World Extinction,' which required unleashing ten consecutive punches in an instant. This placed an immense burden on his body and true essence, making it far more difficult than performing a hundred ordinary punches. After executing the 'Ten Absolutes of World Extinction,' King Zhenwu sustained serious injuries, including damage to his dantian space. Given his realm, such dantian damage would require a long period of careful recovery.

"What?" The black dragon, which had been knocked flying, was stunned by the sight. The Blood Fiend and it had roamed the Demon Realm for years. How could it be killed today by a mere King-level Godfiend? Patriarch Poison Dragon was well aware of the Shura Body's immense power; very few beings in the Demon Realm could kill the Blood Fiend, and only a select few demon sages were capable of it.

"The Blood Fiend just died like that?" High above the great mountain, concealed in the void, the Fire Phoenix and two other Great Demon Kings were equally shocked. The Blood Fiend's reputation had been forged through countless battles, and the strength of the 'Shura Body' had been proven by generations of Shura lineage experts. Yet now, it had been destroyed head-on by King Zhenwu?

"So powerful. We absolutely must not confront the Human King Zhenwu directly," the Demon Dragon said solemnly, watching from afar.

"Though my physical body is strong, it's still inferior to the Blood Fiend's," the Ox Demon King admitted with deep apprehension.

"We just need to wait. Once we find an opportunity, we'll grab the primal treasure and escape immediately," the Fire Phoenix said, confident in its own speed. The Demon Dragon and Ox Demon King agreed; they would seize the treasure and flee at once.

This King Zhenwu... he was simply too terrifying, leaving them with no confidence whatsoever in a direct confrontation.

"Hmm?" The Fire Phoenix, Demon Dragon, and Ox Demon King suddenly realized with a start that the great mountain below had stopped rising.

With a wave of his hand, King Zhenwu collected the 'war blade' that was all that remained of the Blood Fiend.

"Impressive," King Anhai said, looking at King Zhenwu with heartfelt admiration.

"It's also thanks to you, junior martial brother Xue," King Zhenwu replied, his face still pale, yet smiling. "Though I created this forbidden technique, it has a fatal flaw: unleashing ten consecutive punches, with their force coalescing, takes several times longer than a normal punch. An enemy could easily escape if they saw the danger! This time, with your 'Spring-Autumn Calamity' assisting me by affecting time, I was able to execute this move several times faster than usual, preventing the Blood Fiend from escaping."

Meng Chuan listened thoughtfully. Indeed, the time required for this move was a weakness. King Anhai's contribution had compensated for this, making the technique even more formidable.

"Your strength is on par with a true Creation Realm expert," King Anhai commented, then said no more.

"A true Creation Realm expert?" King Zhenwu's heart was filled with complex emotions.

To achieve such a feat, he had numerous fortuitous encounters: a broken token from Cangyuan Grotto-Heaven, the unique techniques of the Yin-Yang Elder, and the demon legacy obtained from slaying demons. But most importantly, it was his own cultivation over the past three hundred years! He had once been highly regarded by Yuanchu Mountain, shining brightly. He had also faced emotional setbacks, doubted his own cultivation, fallen into insurmountable bottlenecks, plummeted to rock bottom, and gradually aged with time. Amidst sighs and the disappointment of Yuanchu Mountain's Venerables, he finally 'broke through and established himself.' Based on the Emperor-level art 'Yin-Yang Manual,' he audaciously modified it, forging his own Zhenwu lineage.

His lineage was even more difficult to cultivate than the 'Yin-Yang Manual,' but once mastered, its combat power was unparalleled among peers! Yet, what good was it? By the time he mastered it, he was already old. The aging of his body prevented him from breaking through to the Creation Realm. As for the theoretical 'rejuvenation'? That would require the foundation of his Zhenwu lineage, 'Yin-Yang,' to reach full perfection. What was perfection? It was the highest realm of the 'Yin-Yang Manual,' the ultimate mastery achieved by the Yin-Yang Elder in terms of skill—the Emperor Realm. The Yin-Yang Elder's skill realm reached the 'Emperor Realm,' but he did not cultivate into an Emperor. Becoming an Emperor had many thresholds. The skill realm was merely one of them. But how incredibly difficult was it to reach the 'Emperor Realm' in terms of skill? "To reach the Emperor Realm in terms of skill within five hundred years?" "Too difficult." King Zhenwu understood this clearly.

"Hmm?" King Zhenwu suddenly turned his head to look at the nearby great mountain.

"This mountain has stopped rising?" Meng Chuan and King Anhai also noticed this; the great mountain enveloped in purple energy had completely ceased its ascent.

"Let's approach quickly, ready to seize the treasure at any moment," King Zhenwu said. He immediately used his domain to carry Meng Chuan and King Anhai closer, right up to the edge of the purple energy. With the purple energy enveloping it, they couldn't penetrate further.

Swish, swish, swish. Patriarch Poison Dragon transformed into black water, spreading out to surround the great mountain on all sides and obscure the sky, completely sealing off the entire area. However, this black water could not threaten King Zhenwu's domain.

"Hmph." A black dragon emerged from the black water, casting a cold glance at the human Godfiends. It couldn't harm King Zhenwu and his companions, just as King Zhenwu and his companions couldn't harm Patriarch Poison Dragon. Patriarch Poison Dragon's 'undying body' was indeed formidable; according to the intelligence they had, even in the Demon Realm, probably only three Emperor-level beings could truly slay it.

"Junior martial brother Meng, we'll rely on you soon," King Zhenwu said, looking at Meng Chuan. "King Anhai and I will protect you. You'll lead us to snatch the treasure at the fastest possible speed."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded. "I will do my utmost."

Suddenly—the primal purple energy enveloping the entire mountain receded, plunging deep within its core. Then, from a spot on the mountainside, a beam of white light abruptly shot skyward. That white light, faintly resembling eyes and a nose, soared through the air like a sharp sword, moving at a terrifying speed.

"It's the primal treasure." The spreading black water surrounded the mountain everywhere, so the nearest patch of black water immediately coalesced into a black dragon. Even as it formed, the black dragon frantically charged towards the white light.

"Seize the treasure!" Meng Chuan felt an inexplicable surge of excitement upon seeing the white light, as if his very life force was affected. Instinctively, he led King Zhenwu and King Anhai forward, simultaneously receiving a soul transmission from King Zhenwu: "Snatch it!"

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Meng Chuan, carrying King Zhenwu and King Anhai, accelerated to an unbelievable speed, hurtling directly towards the white light.

"Seize the treasure!" The Fire Phoenix, Demon Dragon, and Ox Demon King also immediately unleashed their divine powers. The Demon Dragon Great Demon King's domain ability was renowned throughout the Demon Realm. Concealed within the void, it had gone unnoticed by Patriarch Poison Dragon and King Zhenwu until now.

"Divine power: Void Territory." A vertical eye opened on the Demon Dragon's forehead, allowing it to see the chaotic void currents. Its own divine power could stabilize a surrounding area of the void, turning it into its territory, its most powerful domain technique.

*Whoosh.* The Fire Phoenix, with its two companions, unfurled its fiery red wings, transforming into a rainbow of flame as it plunged down from the sky. The black water enveloped the mountain completely, above and below. At this moment, Patriarch Poison Dragon's 'black water' was also moving to intercept the white light. However, the Fire Phoenix and its two companions instantly rushed into the vast expanse of black water.

*Hiss, hiss, hiss.* The black water was highly poisonous. But the void territory blocked the black water, protecting the three demon kings as they instantly passed through the obstruction, heading directly for the white light. Meng Chuan and his two companions flew out from the side, also lunging towards the white light.

"What?" Patriarch Poison Dragon was astonished; there were other demon kings hidden here.

"The primal treasure!" The three demon kings, including the Fire Phoenix, were now fighting with all their might. While Patriarch Poison Dragon was formidable, it was only known for its 'undying body' and 'potent poison.' Three against one, they truly had no fear.

*Whoosh, whoosh.* The Fire Phoenix, along with its companions, could move approximately twenty miles in a single flash, a speed that was supreme among Five-layered Heaven demon kings and even surpassed many demon sages. Meng Chuan, carrying King Zhenwu and King Anhai, could move approximately twenty-two miles in a single flash—a speed he had gained from cultivating the 'Heaven and Earth Roaming Dragon Blade.'

The white light shot skyward, and they were all very close!

*Whoosh.* Meng Chuan's movement technique was even more graceful, like a paintbrush creating a mysterious stroke in the void. He intercepted the white light first. The instant it was intercepted, King Zhenwu reached out, and a hazy gray energy enveloped the white light.

"Collect." King Zhenwu felt the white light struggling, but with a single thought, he forcibly drew it into his spatial bracelet.

"We've got it!" Meng Chuan and King Anhai were overjoyed at the sight.