Chapter 1304: Fortune

All spectators were aghast. Lu Yang and Wu Yao had chosen the most primal and brutal fighting style, sweeping across the entire realm. Any object that appeared near them was pulverized into dust by their qi fluctuations.

Even the stars were no exception.

The high-hanging stars, much like in ancient times, were often impacted by the battles of high-level cultivators. This time, however, the devastation was far more severe, and the destruction more complete!

"Historical records state that Wu Yao mastered all hundred cultivation arts, making him a true grand master of the cultivation world. Witnessing it today, it's undeniably true," remarked a venerable old cultivator from the Tribulation Stage, recalling earlier skirmishes with continuous admiration.

The hundred cultivation arts are not merely accumulated through time; they demand innate talent. Grand cultivators often struggle their entire lives to master even a single art, yet Wu Yao had mastered them all, with many reaching unprecedented heights.

"Even more terrifying is Lu Yang. How young he is, yet he can counter Wu Yao's diverse combat methods and is now even gaining the upper hand," the old cultivators mused. Watching Lu Yang fight, they felt as if their era had passed, recognizing that the future belonged to the younger generation.

However, upon closer consideration, they dismissed this as an illusion, acknowledging that Lu Yang was but one exceptional talent among the younger generation.

"It's rumored he once defeated a Spirit Transformation stage cultivator while still in the Foundation Establishment stage. So, it's no wonder he possesses such combat power now."

The longer Wu Yao fought, the more his heart was filled with trepidation. Lu Yang's recovery ability was truly astonishing. Could this truly be the recovery power bestowed by a nascent Dao Fruit? If not for the lack of immortal qi emanating from Lu Yang, Wu Yao would have believed he was facing not a half-immortal, but a complete one!

What was his true origin?!

At this thought, Wu Yao's gaze hardened. His opponent's origin didn't matter. Wu Yao was living his second life, having been an immortal in his first. In terms of origin, he was the most powerful; all others must yield!

Without such a mindset of being the world's foremost, how could one even aspire to, let alone achieve, immortality?

Even Integration Stage cultivators, who struggled to keep pace with the two combatants' movements, could discern Lu Yang's advantage in the battle. Wu Yao's aura was clearly weakening, and he would likely fall within a hundred moves.

"Heavenly Demon Disintegration!"

With a furious roar from Wu Yao that seemed to shatter the galaxy, his aura surprisingly surged back to its peak, allowing him to contend equally with Lu Yang!

He had unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Grand Technique, temporarily boosting his combat power. Though a backlash was inevitable, he could no longer afford to worry about it.

He had underestimated Lu Yang from the outset, expending a vast amount of his qi, which forced him to resort to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Grand Technique—a method he typically disdained—to boost his combat power!

The thought that Lu Yang had also used a similar technique significantly lightened Wu Yao's mental burden after he unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Grand Technique.

"Sky-Shatterer!"

He ceased using those illusory probing methods. Having returned to his peak state, he unleashed his unparalleled spear technique.

Sky-Shatterer was the name of his bronze spear and also the epithet of his spear technique—a spear that shattered the firmament, clearing a path to the future!

He employed his creation abilities to temporarily elevate the quality of the Sky-Shatterer spear to that of an immortal artifact, one in a fully activated state.

The oppressive aura emanating from the Sky-Shatterer spear caused Integration Stage cultivators tens of thousands of miles away to vomit blood.

The Integration Stage cultivators clutched their chests, spitting out copious amounts of blood, unable to believe they could be harmed from such a vast distance.

What state, then, would Lu Yang be in, facing it directly?

Lu Yang, wielding the Chengying Sword, drew an arc, symbolizing the culmination of his sword cultivation. The Seven-Star Sword Formation successively merged into the Chengying Sword, signifying "Myriad Swords Return to One." His sword qi surged, also reaching its peak state!

This was precisely Lu Yang's proud Immortal Sword Art!

"Quick, defend!" exclaimed Shi Chan, who possessed the Heavenly Eye technique, quickly shouting to alert everyone after discerning Lu Yang's state.

Everyone hurriedly summoned their defensive artifacts to protect their chests.

Boom—

The two most powerful forces collided, causing qi and blood to churn. Mixed with surging spiritual power, space itself was ripped apart, shattering into countless wormholes that connected to unknown parts of the universe.

"Who won?" the Integration Stage cultivators immediately asked Shi Chan. Shi Chan merely frowned; chaotic mist at the center of the battlefield obstructed his vision, and even his Heavenly Eye technique could not penetrate the hazy chaos!

The chaotic mist dissipated, revealing both combatants.

Wu Yao clutched the sword wound on his chest, looking at Lu Yang in disbelief. "Is this your sword art?" he uttered. "It cuts through everything, even completely severing one's cultivation!"

Lu Yang had used the Immortal Sword Art to fully unleash the power of his nascent Trace Origin Dao Fruit. Against an all-rounder opponent like Wu Yao, only by truly injuring him could his cultivation be diminished!

Lu Yang had originally intended to reduce Wu Yao to the early stage of Tribulation Transcendence with that single sword strike. However, Wu Yao's foundation was terrifyingly strong, so he could only diminish him to the mid-stage of Tribulation Transcendence.

Hearing Wu Yao's words, all spectators' pupils constricted; they suspected they had misheard. "What?!" they thought. "Lu Yang can sever someone's cultivation?!"

To what extent must one comprehend the Way of the Sword to sever cultivation with a single strike? Among the supreme swordsmen throughout history, none were ever known to achieve such a feat with their sword arts.

"He must be a Sword Immortal now, right?" This wasn't merely an adjective; they were genuinely acknowledging Lu Yang as an immortal.

A Sword Immortal!

The two remained silent, engaging in combat once more. Suns and moons exploded, great stars plummeted, and abandoned planets littered the space. Wu Yao's blood splattered, and he was covered in wounds, but his pride would not allow him to yield to a junior.

"Senior Wu Yao, admit defeat," Lu Yang stated, the Chengying Sword pointing at Wu Yao, its cold blade reflecting Lu Yang's indifferent gaze.

"Admit defeat? Junior, when have you ever seen an immortal surrender?!" Wu Yao laughed proudly. This was his pride as an immortal; even with his cultivation diminished, he would continue to fight!

There were even many instances where Wu Yao was beaten into unconsciousness, fighting purely on instinct. Everyone who witnessed it was deeply moved, genuinely admiring Wu Yao.

Wu Yao's ability to become an immortal relied not only on talent but also on an unconquerable Dao Heart.

"Your Majesty, the Heavenly Emperor!" Shi Wumian and others cried bitterly.

Should he surrender?

This was the thought that crossed Wu Yao's mind during one of his numerous bouts of unconsciousness.

No. Who was he? He was Emperor Yu Wu Yao, Heavenly Emperor Wu Yao, the Wu Yao who had mastered the hundred cultivation arts to an unprecedented degree. How could he possibly surrender?!

Wu Yao, relying on sheer willpower, forcefully resisted this bout of unconsciousness.

In that moment, he recalled his life's experiences: as a child, witnessing the darkness of the Great Qian Dynasty and resolving to overthrow it; in his youth, meeting Guan Shanhai, who was both a teacher and a friend, with whom he often bickered; together, they raised an army, contended for supremacy over the world, defeated several half-immortals, established the Great Yu Dynasty, and instituted the Imperial Preceptor system. Afterwards, he witnessed the might of Hui Doudou and the invincibility of Yun Zhi. He abandoned everything, displaced himself to the outer world, ruled the Zhutian Civilization, and became the true Heavenly Emperor.

Just as Lu Yang prepared his final strike, a chill suddenly ran down his spine. The unconscious Wu Yao erupted with abundant vitality, his cultivation rapidly soaring, returning to the peak of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage!

No, his cultivation was still increasing!

Wu Yao's body floated, his eyes opening, sharp as lightning!

RUMBLE—

Immortal clouds gathered, and purple lightning surged like a tide, transforming into a world of thunder and lightning that evoked fear in the hearts of all cultivators.

The Immortal Ascension Tribulation!

Wu Yao had actually achieved a breakthrough in the midst of battle, becoming an immortal at this very moment!

Lu Yang rapidly retreated, moving far from the Immortal Ascension Tribulation zone to avoid being caught in its destructive force.

Wu Yao, bathed in the lightning of the Immortal Ascension Tribulation, burst into loud laughter:

"Boy, you probably thought my nascent Dao Fruit was something related to creation."

"Unfortunately, you only guessed half right. My nascent Dao Fruit is named 'Providence.' It can both create all things and bestow fortune upon me, turning disaster into blessing!"