Chapter 1135: Body Technique Limit

From a tactical standpoint, it was perfectly logical to have Lingyao confront Soul Devourer, the most powerful among the Eight Heavenly Kings. Yet, after hearing Xiaohua's voice in his mind, Xu Yang found himself growing increasingly concerned for Lingyao.

Indeed, Lingyao's inherent strength had undeniably reached an exceptional level. Her unique sword art, in particular, had undergone a significant enhancement when combined with the power of frost. Now, with the formidable fire-attribute power of the Fire Demon Dragon bolstering her, ice and fire seamlessly merged within her. This fusion further amplified Lingyao's overall combat prowess, enabling her to perfectly counteract any elemental power by leveraging her dual ice-fire essence.

However, it was precisely because Lingyao possessed such enviable strength that Xiaohua's words caused Xu Yang even greater concern. Any adversary capable of pressuring Lingyao under these circumstances must, to some extent, have transcended the very limits of power measurement.

It's important to understand that for peak cultivators like Xu Yang and Lingyao, who had already surpassed the boundaries of the spiritual cultivation system, their greatest fear was never an opponent's sheer power or formidable techniques. What truly troubled them was being unable to discern their adversary's true methods. After all, the greatest fear in this world is singular: the unknown.

Unbeknownst to her, Lingyao had already been drawn into an unprecedented and peculiar combat space. This realm resembled a glacial expanse, with a river completely encased in pure ice. At the very edge of her vision, in the central region of this icy domain, the colossal silhouette of an iceberg gradually materialized. This iceberg appeared to be a construct of accumulated energy rather than a naturally occurring phenomenon. Nevertheless, it exerted an indescribable psychological pressure on Lingyao, causing her soul to instinctively shiver. This sensation wasn't fear, but rather an unsettling illusion of plummeting into the depths of an abyss.

It felt as though everything within this world before her was illusory and ephemeral. Even as she stood upon the incredibly resilient surface of the ice, the profound emptiness within Lingyao's heart remained stubbornly unfillable. It's worth noting that even when she had previously entered Xiaohua's dream dimension, Lingyao had never encountered such a profound sensation. Years of cultivation and exposure to peak realms had forged her spirit into an exceptionally resilient one. Typically, ordinary spiritual pressure held no sway over Lingyao. Yet, on this occasion, she profoundly experienced an unsettling emptiness upon entering this particular space, coupled with an instinctive urge to escape it.

"Stop playing these childish games! Since you are the architect of this unique space, emerge and face me now. There is no purpose in prolonging this charade!"

Shortly after Lingyao's voice resonated, an inexplicable sneer drifted from the far reaches of her vision, enveloping every corner of the combat zone. It was as if an infinite multitude of sound sources converged at once, completely inundating Lingyao's spiritual world from all directions. Engaged in combat within such a space, Lingyao consistently felt incredibly minuscule, while her hidden adversary seemed like the supreme ruler of this entire world, perpetually aloof and beyond reach.

Lingyao understood perfectly that this sensation stemmed purely from a unique form of psychological pressure. After all, even when confronting a powerhouse of Xu Yang's caliber, she had never felt such an empty and agitated trepidation.

"If you truly felt not even the slightest discomfort, you wouldn't utter such words. You can even distinctly hear your own heartbeat, can't you, little girl?"

Lingyao thoroughly despised this sensation, as though every aspect of her existence were being manipulated in someone else's palm. Instinctively, she summoned the Celestial Sword Totem from her back and fiercely cleaved the empty space before her. An incredibly potent sword aura erupted with multi-colored light. Such a strike would ordinarily shatter even the most robust and resilient structures in an instant. Yet, everything around her seemed to utterly consume her sword aura, causing all its released fluctuations to vanish quickly, as if a stone had dropped into the sea.

"Everything you are currently facing is a complete manifestation of your own empty inner world. No matter how powerful an individual may be, they can never truly conquer their own mind. The greater a person's strength, the more instinctively they tend to ignore and reject the darkest, most vulnerable aspects within themselves. You have undoubtedly succumbed to this very abyss. Everything you perceive will transform into an impediment, stifling the full expression of your power. Therefore, there is no need for this battle between us to proceed. With the passage of time, you will inevitably descend into ruin, losing all your energy, including your very life, within this space of hope!"

The ethereal voice echoing repeatedly in her ears showed no sign of stopping. Lingyao, thoroughly infuriated by her adversary's taunting tone, let out a chilling sneer. "If you lack even the courage to stand before me, then by all means, continue employing these methods and waste our time together. I, for one, feel no pressure whatsoever. Even if I were to fall on this battlefield, Leader Xu Yang and the rest of the Glorious Dragon Cavalry would avenge me. Your Emperor Soul Battle Team will become utterly infamous across Yingzhou Continent after today. I have all the time in the world to outlast you!"

True to her reputation, Lingyao, always decisive and true to her word, plunged the Celestial Sword into the ground the moment her statement concluded. She then sat cross-legged, closed her eyes, and began to circulate her inner energies. Remarkably, she commenced cultivation right there on the battlefield—a feat requiring a mindset that few could ever hope to attain.

"Heh, I never would have imagined that a mere girl like you possesses such an elevated and unusual state of mind! I finally understand why that Xu Yang would send you, of all people, to confront me, the leader of the Eight Heavenly Kings. You truly possess the qualifications."

Perhaps Lingyao's audacious move finally impressed her opponent. The taunting tone from the edge of her vision gradually receded, replaced by a silhouette emanating a faint yellow glow. It emerged from beyond the jagged edges of the iceberg and steadily expanded within Lingyao's line of sight, its colossal form soon dominating a significant portion of her view.

Indeed, standing before this entity still exerted considerable pressure. However, for Lingyao, if it dared to reveal itself, she would possess the means to fight. Regardless of how formidable her opponent's strength might be, her Celestial Sword would not falter in the slightest. "So, you've finally chosen to engage. In that case, I have nothing further to say. Everything will be determined by our respective strengths!"