Chapter 425: Stronger One Came After the Weaker One

This kid.

As arrogant as ever.

“So, you’re Zidian, are you? I’ll play along,” he said.

With multiple Nascent Soul cultivators clashing, even the high-quality construction materials of Dry Leaf City couldn't withstand such destruction. Once the Lake Tai reinforcements arrived, the entire Dry Leaf City would be ruined.

Consequently, in the street battles below, both Lake Tai and Scarlet Kite cultivators were fleeing for their lives, not daring to fly higher than three zhang, fearing they would attract the attention of the Nascent Soul cultivators.

Wang Yu proactively attacked Zidian, unleashing a sweeping slash with his Flesh and Blood Demonic Sword.

The Asura Law Intent automatically coalesced.

Intertwining killing intent and battle spirit, cold demonic energy converged into terrifying sword qi capable of cleaving mountains and seas. Its might was astonishing, utterly impossible to parry.

This was a top-tier fourth-grade magical treasure, its extreme space-cutting property rendering all defensive measures as frail as thin paper.

Decades ago, during the battle outside Qifeng Pass, Zidian was still inferior to him, but the gap wasn't as glaring. Now, with the overwhelming power of his magical treasure and cultivation far exceeding the standard Law Intent, even a casual swing of Wang Yu's sword struck terror into Zidian's heart.

Wang Yu possessed too many powerful cross-realm techniques.

Even after summoning his Natal Magical Treasure, the Purple Lightning Whip, to block the sword qi, he still failed.

It was a futile failure, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

The sparkling, electrically charged whip was instantly severed by the demonic sword. Just as the sword qi was about to pierce Zidian's body, a sudden clap of thunder exploded from nowhere.

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck from the sky, completely enveloping Zidian. The sword qi merely tore the lightning aura for an instant before it rapidly healed.

The destruction of his Natal Magical Treasure left Zidian pale-faced.

He looked around with a mix of shock and uncertainty, only then noticing a lightning talisman glowing on his chest. This talisman had summoned the lightning, and the familiar power made him blurt out,

“Father?”

Wang Yu's brows furrowed, and he instantly retreated a hundred zhang.

The dark clouds summoned by demonic energy were dispelled by the new power, transforming into thunderclouds imbued with divine sense. A colossal lightning face rapidly emerged from them.

The aura it exuded had clearly reached the late Nascent Soul stage, and not just an initial entry; it had likely reached the Grand Completion stage.

Ultimately, there were simply too many powerful cultivators in this world.

This sudden change caused all ongoing battles to halt. Fire Ghost, Dark Devil, Underworld Tiger, and Thunder Corpse all simultaneously gathered behind Wang Yu.

Burning Heart, Flowing Light, Purple Cloud, and Flame Dragon Lord also lined up with Zidian, gravely observing the powerhouses of the demonic path.

After a brief silence, the colossal lightning face spoke first, staring meaningfully at Wang Yu. “Demonic cultivators, have you ever heard of this Lord, Thunder Lord Tiandu?”

“Tiandu?”

The Old Devil Fire Ghost was extremely wary and sent a telepathic message to Wang Yu, informing him.

“Thunder Lord Tiandu is the Dao Head of the Heavenly Thunder lineage from the Thunderfire Temple. He once battled the Sword Head Haoran of the Sword Sect for seven days and seven nights, narrowly losing by a single move! Among cultivators at the Grand Completion stage of Nascent Soul, he is one of the very best. Do not be impulsive.”

Wang Yu immediately understood. No wonder Zidian was so arrogant, not even showing respect to Lei Yao. It turned out he had such a formidable backer.

He replied telepathically, “Don't worry, this is just a thought manifestation of his divine sense; its power is limited. But don't forget this is Lake Tai Spiritual Realm. If his true body uses a hidden teleportation array to rush here, given the speed of a thunder cultivator, it might not take long.”

“Understood.”

With a clear understanding, Wang Yu spoke loudly.

“Senior Tiandu, your esteemed name is certainly well-known to us juniors. Are you appearing now to save your son's life?”

The colossal lightning face showed displeasure, replying coolly.

“Retreat from Dry Leaf City now, and this Dao Head will spare your lives. Begone!”

The word “Begone!” burst forth like thunder exploding in their ears. It made people dizzy and disoriented their divine senses.

“—Hmph!”

Leveraging his profound divine sense foundation, Wang Yu recovered in less than half a breath, responding coldly.

“Calling you ‘senior’ doesn't mean you're a real figure here. In this world, the victor is king, the loser is outcast. Your true body isn't here, and you think a mere wisp of divine sense can reverse the entire situation?”

Since the opponent didn't act immediately, Wang Yu surmised that Thunder Lord Tiandu wasn't confident or daring enough to strike, so he used Zidian's life as a probe.

Now there was no need for hesitation.

The fourth-grade divine ability, Soul-Destroying, Spirit-Annihilating Death Ray, now perfected, was used by him for the first time in a battle of this caliber. The gray divine light carried an aura of desolation.

It surged towards the colossal lightning face, seemingly defying the very laws of heaven.

Not only were Old Devil Fire Ghost and Underworld Tiger astonished by his recklessness, but even Purple Cloud and the others were perplexed.

“Is he mad? That's Thunder Lord Tiandu! If not for his cultivation method's limitations, he would surely hold a seat among the Venerables of this world.”

“With Senior Tiandu present, the situation has already been reversed.”

“These demonic path scoundrels are absolutely no match for my father.”

The last sentence was spoken by Zidian. As terrified as he had been moments ago, he was now just as smug. With the immediate threat of death gone, his profligate nature was fully revealed.

He even had the audacity to mock Wang Yu and the others.

Only Flame Dragon Lord Xiao Fulong and Flowing Light exchanged subtle glances, both seeing the intent to retreat in the other's eyes.

No sooner said than done.

The Soul-Destroying, Spirit-Annihilating Death Ray crashed violently into the colossal lightning face. The lightning dissipated, and the desolate gray light spread relentlessly, rapidly weakening the aura belonging to Thunder Lord Tiandu.

“A flashy but useless fake.”

“Kill!”

Wang Yu's unyielding nature further shocked his fellow demonic cultivators. As they understood him more, they also grew wary and nostalgic.

Once upon a time, they too had been so decisive in battle.

After reaching the Nascent Soul stage for a long time, they had become increasingly protective of their lives. Now, with Wang Yu leading the charge, as long as they didn't touch the young man named Zidian, they should avoid being held grudges against by Tiandu.

So they each found their opponents and resumed fighting.

Old Devil Fire Ghost chose Flame Dragon Lord Xiao Fulong this time. Both were fire cultivators; one cultivated Dragon Fire, the other Red Yin Fire. Their cultivation levels were similar, truly a battle of equals.

At first glance, the two seemed evenly matched.

In reality, Xiao Fulong was slightly stronger. Both his flames and physical strength far surpassed Old Devil Fire Ghost's.

Underworld Tiger Demonic Lord, in his fused state, sought out Purple Cloud. This was essentially a swapped opponent for Old Devil Fire Ghost, which was good for him; at least he wouldn't constantly get beaten.

Burning Heart faced Dark Devil, and Flowing Light faced Thunder Corpse.

Only Zidian and Wang Yu remained in the field. Zidian's expression was exceedingly grim, and he ceaselessly called out his father's name in his mind.

They say only the wise understand the times. After realizing he was no match for Wang Yu, Zidian clearly knew that his only chance to survive was his father.

“—Crack, crack, crack!”

The air temperature rapidly dropped. Black ice spears quickly coalesced, instantly illuminating the sky like stars. As soon as the intent was formed, the ice spears shot forth.

Although the colossal lightning face was being corroded by the Soul-Destroying, Spirit-Annihilating Death Ray, it could still hold out for a while.

Seeing his legitimate son's life in danger, Tiandu suddenly grew anxious.

The thunderclouds, gathered by divine sense, exploded with a roar.

A sea of lightning surged, shooting bolts in all directions, electrifying half of Dry Leaf City into black, powdery charcoal. When the wind blew, it was as if black snow were falling.

Both beautiful and desolate.

Zidian's eyes changed, shifting from clear and bewildered to deep and cold. Thunder Lord Tiandu's divine sense was clearly infused into Zidian's body, taking control of it.

The difference was immediately apparent. Seizing the opportunity of the surging lightning sea, ten thousand lightning snakes leaped out, clashing with the curtain of ice spears in a mutually destructive deadlock.

Some divine abilities require the aid of special spiritual artifacts to cultivate, as they cause certain modifications to the body. Thunder Lord Tiandu was borrowing his own descendant's body in this manner.

Some powers actually couldn't be fully utilized; they could only be enhanced based on Zidian's existing physique.

For example, if Wang Yu were to seize a new body, his body-refining cultivation would vanish, along with his Lunar Ghost Eyes, Corpse Demon secret techniques, and even the demonic essence stored in his dantian and Qi Sea.

Only his Nascent Soul essence would remain, forcing him to cultivate from scratch.

While his realm and experience would remain, making re-cultivation much faster than his first time, it would still be a truly troublesome affair.

What Tiandu was doing at this moment was no different from body possession.

The only difference was that it was temporary, a secret technique activated through bloodline ties, which could be quite powerful at times.

It was widely applicable for saving descendants' lives, causing trouble and gaining benefits in secret realms with cultivation limits through this possession method, making its versatility quite broad.

The volley of ice spears was neutralized, but Wang Yu was unconcerned.

It was merely a probing move.

With a flicker of his form, thousands of Aurora Phantoms emerged from his body. The Icepulse Divine Light suddenly erupted, sending countless azure beams, like searchlights, densely illuminating 'Zidian'.

Beam-type divine abilities were known as the fastest attacking divine techniques, nearly impossible to dodge for cultivators of the same realm.

However, 'Zidian' managed to forcibly find a safe path through the myriad beams, transforming into lightning and dodging with such agility that not even his robe's corner was touched.

“What a superb lightning evasion technique.”

“—Thunder, come!”

Humiliated and ridiculed by a junior, 'Zidian' had no intention of conversing with him. He clenched his right hand, and the falling thunder was restrained into a lightning spear.

Instantly locking onto Wang Yu's true body, the lightning spear was suddenly hurled.

Wang Yu parried with his Flesh and Blood Demonic Sword. The crimson sword qi collided with the lightning spear, both annihilating in mid-air.

The power was still the same, but it now carried an additional Law Intent.

Lightning Law Intent?

Wang Yu wasn't entirely sure. He stomped fiercely on the void, activating his Silver Blood Divine Power, causing the air to burst with booming sounds.

His Force Field combined with the Flesh and Blood Demonic Sword.

Though he wasn't proficient in sword arts, he was well-versed in wielding the power of magical treasures. While Thunder Lord Tiandu now occupied Zidian's body and could unleash greater power, he was still constrained by Zidian's physique.

In Wang Yu's eyes, even a perfected Law Intent meant little. The fact that he could only fight a regular mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator indicated Zidian's insufficient foundation.

He didn't believe that, under these circumstances, Tiandu could unleash the power of a Great Grand Cultivator.

After this clash, lightning and aurora continuously collided, their roars incessant.

On other battlefields, Fire Ghost gradually began to falter, truly no match for Xiao Fulong. Dark Devil and Underworld Tiger, however, were in a very favorable position. Judging by the battle, one side could conclude within the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

The greatest advantage, however, belonged to Thunder Corpse.

This corpse was incredibly ferocious, nurtured by Wang Yu with the flesh and blood of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Its opponent, Lady Flowing Light, though not weak, had already suffered a heavy blow to her vitality when the array was broken earlier.

And lightning was among the top-ranked powers for offensive capability.

If the battle continued like this, she might be the first to fall.

The colossal silver scissors and the extremely potent lightning power continuously clashed. Thunder Corpse suddenly roared towards the sky, its corpse-roar mixed with thunderous sounds, creating a soul-shaking effect.

Seeing this, Wang Yu employed a high-level divine sense technique from the Heavenly Soul Sect.

—Soul Severance, Thought Manifestation!

The fourth-grade Ice Flood Dragon Pill Flame surged from his body, transforming into a light blue ice-flame dragon. The separated sub-consciousness seized the opportunity and blindly charged towards Lady Flowing Light.

A pill flame containing two opposing forces: extreme cold and extreme heat.

Combined with the suddenness of the sneak attack, Flowing Light immediately let out a shrill scream. Her physical body turned to charcoal and was then sealed in ice, while a delicate, miniature female Nascent Soul escaped from within.

She immediately activated a teleportation art.

Wang Yu was ruthless in nature, never showing mercy based on gender or appearance. The 'Heaven's Lock' secret art, which he had set up in advance, was triggered, sealing off ten li of space.

This delay caused Flowing Light's teleportation to fail, resulting in a backlash.

Wang Yu's main body, however, was also struck by 'Zidian''s lightning. By normal standards, if someone had offered assistance at that moment, Flowing Light would still have had a chance to survive.

But Purple Cloud, her suitor, was utterly aghast.

He had completely lost his will to fight. First, he was thoroughly beaten by Old Devil Fire Ghost, then restrained by Underworld Tiger, and even the arrival of Thunder Lord Tiandu's divine sense manifestation failed to subdue the demonic cultivators.

The thought of retreat had been circling in his mind for a long time.

Flowing Light's Nascent Soul teleportation failure was the last straw. Under dispirited will, he then discovered the existence of Heaven's Lock.

His reason instantly collapsed.

He fled!

He fled without hesitation, enduring a bite from Underworld Tiger that tore off half his arm, yet he still frantically escaped towards the depths of Lake Tai.

Xiao Fulong's expression drastically changed, and he said angrily,

“A useless good-for-nothing! Your father's Nascent Soul was wasted on you, hmph.”

With that, nine thick pillars of molten fire erupted from the ground, blocking Old Devil Fire Ghost for an instant, then transforming into a streak of fire and disappearing into the dark clouds.

The rain poured down!

The Lake Tai side's situation rapidly deteriorated.

One's physical body was annihilated, and their Nascent Soul was swallowed by Thunder Corpse, imprisoned within its belly by malevolent and corpse qi, though not yet obliterated.

Two cultivators had successively fled, leaving only True Monarch Burning Heart of the Thunderfire Temple. He, too, grew desperate. Xiao Fulong could escape because he could suppress Fire Ghost.

Purple Cloud could escape because Underworld Tiger Demonic Lord's cultivation was only at the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage; the gap between early and mid-stage was too great, even when fighting his fused Yin beast, it was still a stalemate.

But what about him?

He was no match for Dark Devil Barbaric Lord at all, so there was no possibility of holding back the enemy to escape. Especially after two had fled, Fire Ghost and Underworld Tiger seemed to completely ignore 'Zidian', and simultaneously charged at him. One against three?

They were truly overestimating him. Burning Heart was utterly despairing. Seeing Dark Devil's punch coming, a flash of insight struck him, and he deliberately took the full impact of the punch.

This resulted in his physical body being completely shattered, his tendons and bones broken by the brute. However, the impact's momentum propelled him out of the ten-li range sealed by Heaven's Lock.

Thus, he decisively separated his Nascent Soul from his body.

Activating his teleportation art, his Nascent Soul instantly transformed into a silver light and was swallowed by a rift that opened in the void, vanishing from sight.

He too escaped, at the cost of his original physical body.

His potential was greatly diminished, making future breakthroughs to the mid-Nascent Soul stage incredibly difficult. It was truly a stroke of extreme bad luck.

With their targets gone, Dark Devil Barbaric Lord landed and secured Burning Heart's remains. The three exchanged glances, then turned to look in Wang Yu's direction.

But they showed no intention of attacking.

The victory was sealed in a short time. There was no need to further offend Thunder Lord Tiandu. After all, this righteous-demonic war was far from over, and being targeted by a Grand Completion cultivator at this juncture would be too costly.

The gain wouldn't justify the loss.

Wang Yu, however, didn't care.