Chapter 1542: Changing the Offensive

The majestic blue sky mirrored the vast expanse below, creating a breathtaking vista. Within this grand setting, a climactic battle unfolded between the top experts of the demonic beast race and the human race, a truly exhilarating sight. At this moment, only Xu Yang was calm and composed enough to simply enjoy the spectacle.

Once Elder Xuanyuan unleashed his full power, an unending array of techniques with various attributes emerged. Under Xu Yang's guidance, Little Gray continuously increased its movement speed, maneuvering across the vast sea surface to evade the powerful attacks. Occasionally, it would unleash terrifying demonic power, launching counter-attacks against Elder Xuanyuan in the sky.

Despite over a hundred rounds of back-and-forth, neither side gained a decisive advantage. Meanwhile, Xiaoxiang and Jiu'er had a clear division of labor: they did not directly engage on the front lines. Instead, similar to the elders of the Misty Rain clan on the opposing side, they served as support, providing Little Gray with a continuous supply of vitality and combat power.

Xiaoxiang, in particular, was repeatedly pushing her perfected "Longevity Victory Method" to its limits. Although she would show signs of fatigue after just a few uses, there was no doubt that this high-intensity, top-tier confrontation was a rare and valuable training opportunity for her. This experience brought her far greater improvement than if she had simply defeated thousands of low-level demonic beasts.

As for Jiu'er, while she was proficient in techniques of various elemental attributes, her role in the battle initially seemed limited. Compared to the Chief Elder of the Xuanyuan clan, her techniques were too weak to cause Elder Xuanyuan any harm. Consequently, she altered her combat strategy, quickly shifting from a supporting offensive role to one focused on creating a favorable environment for Little Gray. While she couldn't directly confront Elder Xuanyuan, she, like him, understood the principles of elemental interaction and counteraction. For instance, when Elder Xuanyuan unleashed powerful fire-attribute techniques, Jiu'er would instantly conjure water-attribute energy whirlwinds to enhance Little Gray. This effectively boosted Little Gray's elemental resistance by more than tenfold, allowing it to navigate the combat more freely.

"Very good," he thought, "these youngsters are far more talented than I imagined. In time, with my guidance, they should achieve a second breakthrough relatively quickly."

Elder Xuanyuan soon realized that a protracted battle would be counterproductive if he wanted to secure victory. More importantly, as the sole quasi-Emperor realm expert among the Chief Elders from the Six Human Spirit Meridians present for negotiations, his responsibilities extended far beyond simply eliminating Little Gray and the two young women. The only individual who truly made Elder Xuanyuan wary was Xu Yang. Although Xu Yang appeared inactive, his mere presence was the greatest unseen deterrent. As long as his calm smile remained within Elder Xuanyuan's view, it was a persistent discomfort, like a bone in his throat or a thorn in his back. He knew that if he couldn't find a way to completely destroy their entire group, all his efforts in this battle would ultimately be futile.

Considering this, Elder Xuanyuan decisively shifted his strategy from a sustained exchange of attacks and defenses to a high-burst decisive strike. His next tactical move would be to concentrate enough power to reduce the opponent's numbers. Even if Little Gray couldn't be eliminated, Xiaoxiang and the aloof girl Jiu'er would undoubtedly bear the brunt of the assault. This was currently the only way to gain an advantage. Only by eliminating as many of the opposing strong individuals as possible could he hope to turn the tide and seize a glimmer of hope.

"My side also has the Chief Elder of the Misty Rain clan, empowering me with the Way of Longevity," he thought. "With sufficiently strong vitality as support, I can maximize my offensive capabilities."

With this thought, the Chief Elder of the Xuanyuan lineage no longer hesitated. He sneered and immediately unleashed his true power. He immediately formed hand seals, and a brilliant golden light emanated from his body. Behind him, an unparalleled golden halo rapidly condensed, revealing an incredibly exquisite personal divine artifact alongside it.

This artifact was the personal divine weapon the Chief Elder of the Xuanyuan imperial lineage had cultivated since childhood, and it was his sole magical implement. This set him apart significantly from other Chief Elders who were proficient in wielding multiple magical artifacts. Typically, top-tier Elder-level experts from the Six Human Spirit Meridians would prepare at least three personal magical artifacts: one for offense, one for defense, and another for protection or for escaping unforeseen situations on the battlefield. This was considered a complete system of artifact cultivation. However, Elder Xuanyuan was distinctly different from other top elders; he had spent the majority of his life cultivating only this single, personal divine artifact. The reason for this extreme specialization was that this divine artifact represented the absolute peak of what he could master. While he was proficient in techniques across multiple elemental attributes, his personal divine artifact could amplify this unique characteristic beyond its limits, further enhancing his combat prowess and deterrence.

The form of this personal divine artifact was quite unique: it resembled a gigantic golden disc adorned with eight dragon heads. Each dragon head, positioned around the outer edge of the circular disc, essentially represented the condensation and reinforcement function of an extreme elemental force. Once the divine artifact materialized, Elder Xuanyuan's aura intensified significantly. He slowly waved the brilliant golden disc, gathering it back into his palm. Then, from the pupil of one of the eight dragon heads, two incomparably brilliant golden lights erupted. Simultaneously, the earth-attribute power aura surrounding Elder Xuanyuan's body expanded to an unprecedented degree.

"Not good, Little Gray, get off the ground quickly!"

Xu Yang's warning came the instant the opponent made their move. Little Gray, incredibly quick-witted, did not hesitate upon receiving the command from its master. It immediately launched itself skyward, transforming into a streak of black and white light and vanishing from its original position. Almost at that exact moment, a massive, hundred-meter-wide crater unexpectedly appeared where Little Gray had been. The bricks and stones that had covered the ground were instantly reduced to dust.