Chapter 1373: Reappearance of Tutan

With these two cultivation methods perfectly coordinated, all the newly revived star power was instantly absorbed by Xu Yang into his tenth qi vortex, leaving the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor no chance to recover or counterattack.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor finally understood that this trump card alone would not be enough to turn the tide. Xu Yang had established perfect control over the rhythm of the battlefield with his self-created tenth qi vortex, to the point where no power could exist there without his permission.

Faced with that immense, unconquerable black hole, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor reluctantly abandoned his current combat rhythm. He then made a very strange move, and his physical form completely vanished from the spot.

Xu Yang's spiritual power was formidable, yet even after prolonged observation, he couldn't pinpoint the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor's aura. Xiaohua immediately offered a suggestion.

"He must have merged his body with this cosmic domain. In other words, he has likely become one of the countless, desolate stars here. Only by transforming his physical body into a star could he perfectly evade pursuit. If my assessment is correct, his next step is probably to conceal his life force and blood essence. Then he'll seek an opportunity to melt the Ice Emperor Pagoda, as only the Sacred Beast's Heart can help him turn the tide. If he can't acquire the power of the Sacred Beast's Heart, he will never be able to defeat you, Boss."

As expected, Xiaohua's astute conjecture had accurately uncovered the true intentions hidden deep within the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor. The Yunlong Heavenly Emperor felt a pang of fear upon hearing this, but at that moment, he knew he couldn't expose himself under any circumstances, as it would be tantamount to suicide.

Once transformed into a star, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor's combat power would be vastly compressed, converted entirely into defensive capabilities and energy for concealing his aura. If he were to reveal his human aura at that moment, Xu Yang could simply cleave the transformed star apart with a single sword strike, bringing the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor's life to an immediate end.

Facing the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor, who had suddenly scurried away to hide, Xu Yang merely shook his head with a helpless, wry smile. "Since you're so intent on playing the tortoise, I'll give you that chance."

Xu Yang was never one to be led by others. After discerning his opponent's combat strategy, Xu Yang immediately understood the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor's current mindset: a fear of direct confrontation. His opponent possessed no means to counter Xu Yang's tenth qi vortex. That vortex seemed capable of devouring the entire world, making remaining hidden his only viable option.

Once he confirmed his opponent's intent, Xu Yang decisively turned the tables, opting for an alternative plan. He immediately led Xiaohua and the Masked Female Envoy to the Ice Emperor Pagoda divine artifact. Clearly, Xu Yang was openly using this action to signal to the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor that he was no longer concerned with the "hiding tortoise," but would instead focus his efforts on breaking the Ice Emperor Pagoda's seal and acquiring the Sacred Beast's Heart.

Naturally, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor did not emerge immediately, partly out of concern that Xu Yang might be lying in wait, and partly because he was certain the Ice Emperor Pagoda would not be as easy to break as it seemed. In fact, even before Xu Yang and his two companions entered this space, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor had already interacted closely with the Ice Emperor Pagoda. What truly astonished him was that the pagoda appeared to be an entire, self-contained miniature world before him. Even when he employed his star power, he couldn't budge the Ice Emperor Pagoda even an inch.

The Yunlong Heavenly Emperor had no idea how to break this seal. Even Xu Yang, upon arriving before the Ice Emperor Pagoda, fell into deep contemplation.

"This truly is a top-tier divine artifact of the God King level, Xu Yang. Do you have a concrete plan to break it?"

Xu Yang gently shook his head. "Certainly not in the short term. After all, this is one of Sword Immortal Yun Wangji's vital divine artifacts. There are only two ways to break it. The first is to use sufficiently powerful force to forcefully shake this top-tier divine artifact, or even shatter it directly. But you should know that, under the restrictive laws of Yingzhou Continent, I cannot achieve that. If I were to do so, the very fabric of Yingzhou Continent's laws might collapse. I haven't even met Yun Wangji yet, and I would first destroy the Yingzhou Continent he personally founded. Don't you think that would be wrong?"

Xiaohua nodded in resignation. "Indeed. The second method would be to find a way to activate the divine artifact's spirit within the Ice Emperor Pagoda by finding Yun Wangji's unique inheritance and resonating with it. Only then might it be possible to move it. However, I believe that method would be even more difficult. Sword Immortal Yun Wangji's legacy likely consists only of your Jade Bone divine artifact sword, with no other guidance or hints. Achieving resonance with this Ice Emperor Pagoda divine artifact is far more challenging than it sounds."

However, this time Xu Yang quietly shook his head. "In my opinion, activating the resonance of the divine artifact's soul within the Ice Emperor Pagoda isn't difficult. The challenge lies in earning its trust. After all, the spirits of such top-tier divine artifacts are inherently unruly. In other words, only by subduing that spirit can we resolve this issue. As for how to do it, I've already devised a plan."

After speaking, Xu Yang gently waved his palm, and the Tuyan Divine Sword reappeared. This vital divine artifact of a top God King was one he had scarcely used since arriving on Yingzhou Continent. The Tuyan Divine Sword, with its almost perfect silhouette, appeared in an instant, greatly astonishing the Masked Female Envoy beside him. Only then did she truly grasp the extent of Xu Yang's terrifying power. In other words, if Xu Yang had intended to use the Tuyan earlier, the Yunlong Heavenly Emperor would likely have been defeated countless times over by now.

"My heavens, no wonder you always possess such confidence, Boss, no matter the opponent. It seems that within the Great World's system of laws, you must be at the level of a King of Kings among gods. But the aura emanating from this sword is unlike anything I've ever witnessed. That must surely transcend the ultimate measure of power within the Yingzhou Continent's system. If this sword's power were unleashed to its maximum, I fear all the rules of the entire Yingzhou Continent would crumble." The Masked Female Envoy spoke these words from the depths of her heart, expressing her profound awe.