Chapter 404: Third Choice

"If you possess sufficient strength, even if you begin as a mere pawn, you can ultimately become the master of the entire game. But if your power is lacking, even from the position of the player, you will ultimately only serve to benefit others."

Xu Yang had to admit there was some truth to the specter's words. However, as the saying goes, those with different paths cannot plan together. He and the specter were likely destined never to be friends. This held true even for two figures at the pinnacle, standing on the same level.

Boom! The two clashed in mid-air for the first time, unleashing terrifying power. The specter, radiating a dark blue aura, wielded energy that did not originate from the Three Yuan Continent's conventional system.

This was a legacy possessing formidable spatial manipulation abilities. The specter moved with incredible speed, and each void point it landed on became a focal point for its energy release. Within these points, Xu Yang's aura was severely suppressed by spatial laws.

In the real world, Xu Yang could resist using his profound heritage and various inherited powers. Even without the certainty of victory, Xu Yang, in his unlocked peak power state, would possess the ability to contend with Daoist Xiaoyao, especially since he had inherited the Asura God's legacy. However, now trapped at this peculiar critical juncture, Xu Yang found himself at a severe disadvantage, with his opponent holding every strategic advantage. It was simply impossible for him to defeat such a formidable foe.

Boom! After several consecutive failed attempts to break through the sealing power emanating from these focal points, Xu Yang finally abandoned that approach and began to devise other methods to overcome his adversary.

"Hahaha, it's useless," the specter sneered. "You are merely a pawn, a plaything. You can never break free from the web I've spun."

"Stop dreaming. You are not qualified to judge me, just as you were not qualified to defeat Asura back then."

This particular remark seemed to sting Daoist Xiaoyao deeply. The specter suddenly went berserk, and a terrifying aura of spatial laws continuously spread, actually cutting Xu Yang out of that space.

"To think it's a spatial-level sealing technique! Truly worthy of Daoist Xiaoyao! His cultivation has long surpassed the vast majority of beings in the real world. Even if his divine spark ultimately failed to fully materialize, and he didn't take that crucial final step, he remains a peak expert capable of standing supreme over the entire continent!" Xu Yang thought this to himself, feeling a degree of shock.

"If you submit to me now, your destiny will undergo a drastic change. This is your last chance, Xu Yang. Will you surrender and compromise, or resist until your demise?"

Xu Yang merely smiled coldly, uttering not a single word. His actions alone provided his answer that day. Suddenly, the Asura Sword manifested once more in his hand, and an incredibly cold beam of sword light cleaved down through the air towards his opponent.

A terrifying oppressive aura instantly erupted! The entire underground palace battlefield seemed to tremble from the immense power of Xu Yang's sword. However, the effect produced by this sword strike appeared to be less than ideal. As before, the specter, in its unique state and wielding formidable void laws, seemed largely immune to purely physical attacks.

What's more, although the specter hadn't truly engaged Xu Yang in combat before, it possessed an intimate understanding of Xu Yang's inner foundations, fighting style, and current state—every piece of information was at its fingertips. It was as if it had an unfair advantage, like a cheat!

Xu Yang's expression was utterly frigid. He knew this battle would be the most formidable challenge he had ever faced. Whether he could break free from this predicament remained, for now, an unknown.

Xu Yang had been patiently waiting for his opponent to expose a fatal flaw. Meanwhile, he continuously accumulated strength in secret, merely engaging in defensive counter-attacks, adapting to each move.

Finally, the precise moment Xu Yang had been anticipating subtly emerged: a mere 0.001-second delay and pause that occurred after his opponent unleashed a void focal point! Even though he knew it was a narrow window, a complete battle plan was already formulated in his mind. The instant the next focal point was released would be his sole opportunity for a decisive strike.

Boom! Finally, the moment the Specter of the Silent Night unleashed its next spatial defense, a new focal point rapidly materialized beneath its feet. At that exact same instant, Xu Yang finally made his decisive move.

"I told you, you are not qualified to judge me!"

At last, Xu Yang perfectly merged with the most powerful Asura Sword in his hand. The long-sealed Asura blade once again unleashed an incredibly dazzling black-gold radiance.

This power was one Xu Yang had originally intended to reserve for his final confrontation with the Black Flood Dragon King. Unexpectedly, at a critical juncture, the Empress skillfully executed a stratagem that caused a rift in the Black Flood Dragon King's million-year-old complete beast essence. As a result, Xu Yang ultimately crushed the Black Flood Dragon King simply by leveraging the power of all beings and the primordial form of the Three Yuan Laws, without needing to unleash the full power of the unsealed Asura Sword. And this, without a doubt, became Xu Yang's ultimate trump card against the foe before him!

In an instant, the entire underground palace was completely enveloped by black light. The moment the Asura Sword was unsealed, true divine pressure descended. A colossal soul form of the Asura's true body fully unfurled, engaging in a standoff with the specter across the void.

"Hahaha, Daoist Xiaoyao, it's been so many years. I can't believe you're still hiding your true self. Why don't you dare to face who you truly are? If you had abandoned your only emotional attachment back then, perhaps you would have achieved godhood before me."

With the appearance of the Asura soul, the battlefield abruptly transformed into a standoff between two god-level soul powers. Xu Yang finally gained a moment to catch his breath, swiftly recovering his strength. Simultaneously, he fixed his gaze on Xiaohua and Wushuang, ready to strike forcefully at any moment to break the seal and lead them away from the area.

"Asura, stop spouting nonsense here. You acquired your divine inheritance through ruthlessness; I have no desire for it whatsoever. If godhood is to be exchanged for the blood of billions of lives, then I will never become a god!"

Although this individual was currently aligned with Xu Yang, it had to be said that when Daoist Xiaoyao uttered those words, Xu Yang felt a profound admiration for him. After all, hundreds of thousands of years ago, he was a peerless prodigy and a revered senior figure who had dominated the continent. Even though they were now adversaries, Xu Yang's deep respect for Daoist Xiaoyao was undeniable.

"Enough chatter. Release Xu Yang and the others now. Your appearance itself proves you can no longer stop him. A mere illusory world cannot possibly trap Xu Yang."

Daoist Xiaoyao, however, looked as if he had Xu Yang precisely where he wanted him. "If you don't believe me," he declared, "I can make a bet with you."