Chapter 268: Flowing Fireflies Explain the Path

"Slash!!"

Feng Xiu, consistent with his usual style, took the initiative to strike. His swordsmanship was a decisive, world-dominating art – dormant when still, but world-shattering and invincible once unleashed.

The word "Kill" shook the entire sky. The moment the silver-light sword slashed down, the clouds overhead, propelled by its power, quickly coalesced into the outline of a sword. This was a realm where one's individual might could command the forces of heaven and earth – the unique hallmark ability of the Tribulation Transcension Realm.

Undoubtedly, any target locked onto by this sword would be annihilated by the world's most formidable power. In an instant, every fluctuating aura around Xu Yang transformed into sharp sword energy, pressing down on his main body.

Compared to Feng Xiu's overt sharpness, Xu Yang presented a completely different image of composed elegance: one person, one Dao, one whisk!

This was his perfect embodiment at that moment.

"This person is quite interesting."

Among the three observers below, it was surprisingly Chao Tianzhu who spoke first. Her gaze was now fixed on Xu Yang with keen interest, having clearly noticed something extraordinary about him.

"Oh? Do you also have a different opinion of my master?"

Chao Tianzhu blinked her cute big eyes. From within Bai Lianxue's arms, she pointed to the sky, towards Bai Lianxue and the Empress, indicating Xu Yang's meditating position.

"Perhaps you find it hard to notice, but the fluctuations of Dao light around this person are different from how ordinary Tribulation Transcension Realm cultivators use Dao power. This goes back to when I first gained sentience, hundreds of thousands of years ago, when a Daoist master had a connection with me.

At that time, I was incredibly vulnerable but already showing initial signs of spiritual essence. The old Daoist seemed to sense my extraordinary immortal quality, so he stayed by my side and protected me for seven days and seven nights.

During those seven days, strong winds and heavy rains raged, and celestial phenomena, as if a peerless master was undergoing tribulation, frequently appeared. Yet, the old man remained utterly unperturbed, like Mount Tai collapsing before him, sitting extremely calmly by my side, meditating and comprehending the Dao.

At the same time, I could feel an utterly pure aura of 'Dao follows nature' permeating my soul. For seven consecutive days, the dazzling scars I had received from the fierce winds and torrential rains completely vanished, and my immortal-grade spiritual veins were thoroughly activated.

Later, the old Daoist quietly departed, not even leaving behind a single fallen leaf. Yet, his appearance at that time, even after hundreds of thousands of years, remains etched in my mind.

After all this time, I subtly perceive the old Daoist's demeanor in this person. Though I don't understand what kind of realm that is, it is said there is an innate ability called 'Form Manifesting Heaven and Earth.' People with this ability, once they reach a profound state of cultivation, will have the chance to break through the shackles of heaven and earth, becoming true dominion-level beings far beyond our mundane understanding!"

As Chao Tianzhu spoke, Bai Lianxue and the Empress couldn't help but exchange incredibly shocked glances.

"Such a thing exists? Form Manifesting Heaven and Earth... I've vaguely heard of this concept, but it's too ethereal. For hundreds of thousands of years, no one has ever reached such a realm. Could such a miracle truly manifest in Master?"

Everyone refocused their gaze on Xu Yang in the void. Observing his serene, profound, and unfathomable demeanor, he truly exuded the air of a grandmaster.

The terrifying sword energy, each strand of which could perhaps easily disintegrate any cultivator below the Tribulation Transcension Realm into dust. Yet this time, as the countless sword shadows approached even half an inch from Xu Yang, they silently dissolved into the golden light without a trace.

"This is outrageous! Why is this happening? Has Xu Yang truly comprehended the ways of heaven and earth? Why can't my swordsmanship penetrate his protective golden light?"

This continued for half a day. The ultimate power unleashed by Feng Xiu had largely dissipated, and he grew increasingly anxious. He had originally intended to severely wound Xu Yang with a single powerful sword strike, but now it seemed his opponent was far more powerful than he had imagined.

"Xu Yang! What kind of cultivation technique do you practice? I've never seen anything like your approach before!"

Xu Yang smiled calmly, and a faint, prolonged sound descended through heaven and earth: "Don't waste your efforts. With your current abilities, you are simply no match for me. You are too fixated on only half of the complete swordsmanship, and this is the biggest obstacle preventing your realm from advancing further! I can even assert that, even if you someday reach the Tribulation Transcension Grand Perfection realm with your seventh-tier cultivation, achieving the ultimate human manifestation, you will still ultimately be no match for me."

Feng Xiu glared at Xu Yang, furious. In his view, the other person could mock his strength, but absolutely not his Dao lineage!

Swordsmanship was his sole reliance and the very meaning of his existence. Without it, the name Feng Xiu would be nothing but a wisp of dust.

But Xu Yang was completely different. He possessed too many inheritances and methods. Now, even those seemingly illusory techniques could be fully manifested through the power of the Dao under the guidance of Xu Yang's true self. Even a fallen leaf or a wisp of dust, if he wished, could be transformed into the most terrifying conduit of power between heaven and earth.

"Watch closely. Now, I will use this most fragile Luminous Grass to break your swordsmanship, the most destructive force in heaven and earth!"

As Xu Yang spoke, he suddenly waved a finger gently downwards. No dazzling or complex techniques appeared; with just a gentle flick, the ice-blue Luminous Grass in the mountain range began to glow with a crystalline light, slowly floating into mid-air and arriving before Xu Yang.

With a gentle flick of his finger, Xu Yang seemed, at this moment, to truly bestow endless brilliance upon the fragile Luminous Grass, allowing its life to radiate with unprecedented splendor!

"Look, this is the feeling! The connection between me and that old Daoist master back then seemed to be precisely this kind of method."

Chao Tianzhu spoke with immense excitement. Amidst her surging emotions, a formidable spiritual power silently arose. Even the Empress, with her strong spiritual power, felt infinite pressure in that instant.

Under Xu Yang's baptism of the purest heaven-and-earth Dao power, the Luminous Grass, in an instant, blossomed into a towering tree several meters tall!

It was a Luminous Plant ten times larger than its fully mature form. Blue-gold tentacles simultaneously shot out from its entire body, immediately locking onto Feng Xiu's main body before it.

"Sword energy, protect my body!!"

The outline of the huge silver sword blade shone again, but he quickly realized he was utterly powerless against this Luminous Grass!

No matter how his sword energy cut, the Luminous Grass's golden Dao light perfectly shielded him, until Feng Xiu's body was tightly ensnared by the Luminous Grass's tentacles, making it impossible for him to move even an inch.

Immense crushing pressure spread throughout Feng Xiu's body, yet it perfectly avoided every vital part of his body, preventing permanent damage to his essence.

"Have you grown?"