Chapter 866: Finding No Position

"Hey, is anyone here? I'm here to cause trouble! If you don't come out, I'll smash this tombstone to pieces!"

Xu Yang uttered these harsh words with a leisurely air. Soon, an incredibly powerful aura materialized in front of him.

A glowing portal to an inner dimension materialized. Xu Yang stepped through it, and upon sensing the overwhelming desertification within this unique space, he couldn't help but shake his head.

"Oh my goodness, a sandstorm! I really can't stay in a place like this for long!"

With a look of disdain, Xu Yang surveyed the vast, endless desert that seemed to engulf everything in this world. However, it was worth noting that such places often boasted some of the most stunning environments imaginable: a sky and a sea, like two enormous blankets, with no other intricate or complex scenery to distract the eye.

Soon, a deep, resonant voice descended from thin air. The newcomer was a massive, powerful warrior with the head of a dog and the body of a man, wielding a scepter. As he faced Xu Yang, he displayed no excessive murderous aura, but rather a serene expression, like that of an elder.

"Thank you for your recent action. You did not shatter the tombstone there. Therefore, as a token of my gratitude, I promise you that if I do overpower you, I will absolutely not harm your life and will allow you to leave my space."

"Whether you can leave the Western Emperor's Tomb alive, however, is beyond my control."

Xu Yang had always been one to reciprocate respect; if someone showed him an inch of courtesy, he would return a mile. As he confronted the dog-headed elder, he found that he, too, harbored no overly strong desire to kill.

"Very well then. Since you have such intentions, I also cannot bring myself to kill you. Let us just spar and decide a winner as quickly as possible."

"However, as an exchange, if I win, you must hand over the golden key, which symbolizes the highest honor of the Five Elements Array Core."

"This is also my sole reason for coming here to find you!"

The dog-headed man laughed magnanimously, "No problem. Since you've already obtained three golden keys, it stands to reason that the law doesn't punish everyone, and His Highness the Western Emperor wouldn't lay the blame on me for allowing you to act so unrestrainedly."

"I imagine this will be an exciting sparring match."

As the words left his mouth, he wasted no further hesitation. Acting decisively and swiftly, he immediately charged downwards, hurtling towards Xu Yang's position below.

In an instant, as he raised the scepter in his hand, an exceptionally powerful surge of mental energy swiftly converged within Xu Yang's soul world, exerting immense psychological pressure on him.

Fortunately, Xu Yang was well-prepared, and his mental strength was exceedingly powerful, far beyond what could be entirely suppressed by a single attack from his opponent.

"It seems my initial assessment of you was mistaken. Seeing your physique, I thought you were also a strength-based warrior!"

"Now it appears you're a psychic mage, also possessing the robust physique of a warrior! You will make a formidable opponent." Xu Yang quickly offered him a fair and pertinent evaluation.

However, the large dog did not hold back in the slightest because of Xu Yang's observations.

From within the scepter, an incredibly crystalline, deep blue light quickly materialized.

As a potent soul pressure once again locked onto Xu Yang, this time, Xu Yang, who was already prepared, showed not a hint of panic or hesitation. He immediately released the piranha from within his body, which had been in a state of hibernation.

His own physical form, meanwhile, vanished from its original spot.

This maneuver, a brilliant display of substitution, was executed with divine mastery. The piranha, completely unaware of what was happening and still deep in slumber, was abruptly pulled out by Xu Yang to serve as a scapegoat, forced to absorb the large dog's wave of soul attack.

Shaking its head violently to clear its senses, the piranha finally realized it had been tricked by its master, Xu Yang. It snarled angrily, "You disturbed my hibernation! You're truly an incompetent master!"

Xu Yang, however, let out a cold laugh. "Go greet this big dog in front of me. He's very powerful, so be careful how you deal with him."

Xu Yang chose to release the piranha at this precise moment because its unique innate properties were perfectly suited to counter the large dog's offensive techniques.

The piranha itself was immune to any form of soul pressure, a trait linked to its unique biological structure and bloodline, granting it unparalleled soul defense capabilities from birth.

Only the most potent physical attacks could inflict sufficient destructive power upon the piranha.

Therefore, using it to block the dog-headed warrior's soul-based attacks was remarkably effective.

The piranha transformed into a streak of light and lunged fiercely at the large dog-headed warrior. The large dog was initially surprised, having never encountered such an unusual creature as a piranha on the Yingzhou Continent.

However, he quickly regained his composure, showcasing his extensive battlefield adaptability. His scepter gently waved once more, and he decisively switched his attack from mental energy to a physical power form.

With a single swing of the staff, the piranha was sent flying hundreds of meters away, much like a baseball, before landing and appearing dizzy.

Xu Yang, of course, knew perfectly well that the piranha, feigning dizziness and sticking out its tongue, was simply being lazy. In reality, while the power of that last strike was significant, it was nowhere near enough to truly harm the creature.

"Alright, stop lying there playing dead. If you don't want to participate in the battle, then go back inside my body and continue sleeping. This useless creature only knows how to eat."

The piranha chuckled, then transformed into a streak of light and promptly vanished, showing absolutely no courtesy to Xu Yang.

"Your varied techniques are truly complex; many I have never witnessed before. Even that peculiar fish you just released was quite formidable."

"I can tell that its strength is also considerable! If my judgment is correct, you must be an extraterrestrial powerhouse from the barren reaches beyond."

The large dog's voice remained calm, and Xu Yang nodded in silent agreement.

"Indeed. Whatever techniques you possess, feel free to unleash them upon me. Do not, for a moment, believe that any hidden trump card you might be concealing could accidentally eliminate me; such a scenario is absolutely impossible."

The large dog chuckled, "Your words put my mind at ease. It has been a long time since I've had the opportunity to fully unleash all of my power."

True to his word, the large dog did not hold back with Xu Yang. His scepter activated once more, and an incredibly intricate and eerie rune swiftly condensed above his dog-like head.

It then locked onto Xu Yang's aura. The most potent aspect of this technique was its ability to disregard the distance of the locked target; as long as the target was within the range of his mental power, he could instantly pinpoint their location at any moment, leaving the opponent with absolutely no chance of escape.