Chapter 1376: Concerns

The distorted space-time trajectory rapidly caved in within an extremely short period, then gradually began to heal itself over a considerably long time.

However, the ice seal, which had originally existed under relatively stable space-time laws, spontaneously developed a crack due to the sword's powerful distorting force.

Xu Yang's soul sword precisely cut through this crack, its blade striking the divine artifact body of the Ice Emperor Pagoda.

This delivered an incredibly powerful shock to the entire Ice Emperor Pagoda, completely bypassing the defensive ice-sealed area that the Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit had just unleashed. It was like striking a bull through a mountain, an indirect but effective hit.

The attack directly penetrated the artifact's surface, affecting its core. As a result, the old fellow, the Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit, trembled uncontrollably from the impact of the sword. He gasped, sucking in a cold breath, and once again manifested his spirit form.

"Boy, how did you do that? No one can ignore the ice-sealed power defense I conjure."

Xu Yang smiled and nodded, essentially giving the old fellow a way out to save face.

"What Senior said is true. Although the sword strike I just unleashed appeared very sharp, if I had directly confronted the ice-sealed power defense Senior conjured, I wouldn't have been able to completely shatter it. I merely used a clever trick, following the rules of space-time trajectories, to indirectly bypass your ice-sealed power and directly attack the Ice Emperor Pagoda's main body. I wonder if this method I used counts as a successful passage?"

It could be said that Xu Yang had given the other party ample face. However, he and his teammates, including Xiaohua, never expected that the Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit would be an old rogue who took advantage of his seniority, gained benefits, and then played innocent. Far from giving Xu Yang any consideration, he became even more demanding.

"Your opportunistic method doesn't prove your true strength at all. It doesn't count. Do it again."

However, as soon as the old fellow finished speaking, the smile on Xu Yang's face deepened.

"Heh, I don't think that's necessary. I've already figured out how to prove my strength."

After Xu Yang finished speaking, the golden light spot above his head shone brightly once more. The incomparably powerful diamond vortex of the tenth Qi Cyclone immediately locked onto the layer of ice seal before him.

Swiftly, an immensely powerful devouring force completely consumed the ice seal before him, leaving nothing behind.

At this point, the ice-sealed power released by the Ice Emperor Pagoda became meaningless. No matter how sturdy it was, in the face of the tenth Qi Cyclone's unparalleled devouring power, it simply had no chance of continuing to exist.

The difference in power between the two was like heaven and earth.

The Ice Emperor Pagoda's era should have ended hundreds of thousands of years ago during that world-ending war.

This was no longer its era of defensive dominance; Xu Yang's power was the force capable of ushering in a new age.

The Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit stared at everything, dumbfounded. He still couldn't comprehend why his most prized ice-sealed power had vanished instantly before Xu Yang.

"Heh, you old fool, Xu Yang was just giving you a way out. Who knew you'd be so stubborn, actually thinking you were hot stuff? How about now, completely defeated and shamed? Are you convinced now, huh?"

The Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit had nothing more to say. He knew very well that his strength was no longer a match for Xu Yang, and the other party clearly didn't regard him as a threat.

Indeed, Xu Yang had offered him respect earlier, but he hadn't cherished the opportunity. Now he truly understood the situation; his power was utterly incapable of stopping Xu Yang. Giving up sooner was the best option for him.

"Oh, well, never mind. I was just joking with the boy; I'm well aware of his strength. However, this tenth Qi Cyclone's primal power cultivation method is indeed formidable. If it weren't for the incredible might of the Beacon of Infinity, this line of inherited power, how could one cultivate the primal power system to such a degree?"

"Xu Yang is truly an unparalleled expert, old fellow. I am genuinely convinced. Since that's the case, I won't stand in your way anymore. This Heart of the Sacred Beast was originally the source of power I guarded. Although I'm not sure what the Sword Immortal meant by entrusting me with this task, I have now fulfilled my mission. It was simply to await the arrival of someone who could truly wield it and was worthy of obtaining it. Now, I am absolutely certain that person is Xu Yang. If he isn't worthy, then I fear no one else in the entire world would be. From this moment on, the Heart of the Sacred Beast is yours."

As expected, the old fellow, the Ice Emperor Pagoda Spirit, was completely subdued by Xu Yang's swift and dominant tactics.

He could no longer utter a single word of defiance, only nodding repeatedly in timid agreement, abandoning any thought of continued resistance.

The moment his released ice-sealed power completely vanished, no one sensed a very peculiar aura that had silently arrived around the Ice Emperor Pagoda.

This aura clearly belonged to Emperor Yundong, hidden within the starry sky. The reason no one had noticed was that the surroundings were still within the starry domain, and Emperor Yunlong had integrated his aura with the rules of the entire starry domain.

This way, no matter where Emperor Yunlong's soul essence fled within the covered domain, Xu Yang and the others would not immediately detect him.

At this moment, he precisely utilized this sole advantage to silently approach the periphery of the Ice Emperor Pagoda artifact.

"I say, old fellow, why don't you consider finding a new master in the future? Although Sword Immortal Yun Wangji is also one of the strongest in the world, he hasn't appeared for many years. I truly don't know where he is now. Instead of uselessly lingering in such an early retirement, why not become Xu Yang's personal artifact, just like me? We two old brothers can serve Xu Yang together, supporting him in establishing an eternal era that belongs only to him. That way, our unparalleled strengths won't be wasted."

"To be honest, while such an opportunity is good, I'm not sure if I can achieve the perfect compatibility with Xu Yang. You know well that I previously served the Sword Immortal, but this fellow has obtained the inherited powers from both the Supreme God of the Angel race and the Divine King Beacon of Infinity. It's quite possible that his aura won't be compatible with mine."