Chapter 182: Martial Arts Divine Ability, Soul-Annihilating Strike

Chapter 182: Martial Arts Divine Ability, Soul-Annihilating Strike

The expected scene of dozens of peak Grand Masters launching a joint attack did not materialize. Instead, eight figures clad in black robes appeared first.

Xu Yan's expression turned solemn as he fixed his gaze on the leading elder. With a grave tone, he exclaimed, "The Master of Yin Lou?"

Su Lingxiu's face paled with shock, and her eyes reddened with anger as she glared at the eight figures. These were the people who had killed her grandfather, forcing her into exile in the remote wilderness.

However, it was also because of this that she had met her master and cultivated the Martial Way of the Elixir!

"It's you despicable people!" Su Lingxiu said through gritted teeth.

The Master of Yin Lou's gaze was detached, as if devoid of emotion. He glanced indifferently at Xu Yan and Meng Chong, completely ignoring Li Xuan, who was seated.

Li Xuan, who had not displayed any aura or tapped into his mysterious energy, appeared no different from Kou Ruozhi and Xu Junhe in the eyes of the Master of Yin Lou—mere insignificant ants.

"Come with me, or everyone here will die because of you!" The Master of Yin Lou said in a detached tone.

"The Master of Yin Lou is mysterious and powerful, known as the 'Old Immortal.' I'd like to experience just how mysterious and powerful you are!" Xu Yan coldly retorted.

He could sense the Master of Yin Lou's immense power, an aura of danger unlike anything he had ever encountered before.

The Master of Yin Lou's indifferent gaze shifted towards Xu Yan, and in an instant, his dull eyes erupted with a sharp and piercing light.

Boom!

Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure descended upon them.

This pressure was different from that of a peak Grand Master. It felt like an "intention," as if it was suppressing their consciousness and souls.

Under this pressure, one felt unable to escape or even move.

Even a peak Grand Master would feel their heart tremble in the face of this overwhelming might, their strength suppressed to the point where they might not be able to unleash even 30% of their power.

Xu Yan's expression changed, and with a hum, a landscape of mountains and rivers materialized, enveloping everyone within it to withstand the oppressive pressure.

His Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers could counter this oppressive force.

Boom!

The mountains and rivers seemed to tremble under the immense pressure.

However, Xu Yan exhaled in relief as he was able to withstand the pressure. With a solemn expression, he said, "Above Grand Master?"

The Master of Yin Lou's eyes shone with an eerie light, and the oppressive pressure continued to intensify, but it couldn't suppress Xu Yan's Sword Intent of Mountains and Rivers. A frown creased the Master's brow as he felt surprise stir within him.

"What kind of cultivation technique is this? Why does it resemble the Heavenly Might of the Divine, yet differ from it? He's not a Divine, so how can he possess such power, enough to withstand the Heavenly Might of the Divine?" The Master of Yin Lou narrowed his eyes at Xu Yan, his eyes glittering with curiosity. He began to understand why Xu Yan was capable of killing a peak Grand Master.

It was related to this mysterious power!

"It seems like a profound and subtle aura. How was it cultivated? Even without reaching the Divine realm, he already possesses power akin to the Heavenly Might of the Divine."

Suddenly, the Master of Yin Lou took an interest in Xu Yan.

"I'm only half a step into the Divine realm, so the Heavenly Might of the Divine is incomplete. If I can cultivate this mysterious and profound aura, won't I be able to possess the true might of the Divine?"

With this thought, the Master of Yin Lou's heart stirred with excitement.

"Young man, you are no match for me. Come with the young lady, and I'll spare the others. Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy," the Master of Yin Lou said coldly, his body exuding a powerful aura that revealed his terrifying strength beyond that of a peak Grand Master.

"So powerful!" Xu Yan's heart stirred with awe. This person was definitely stronger than a peak Grand Master. Unless he, Xu Yan, could break through to the Tongxuan realm, he wouldn't be able to defeat this opponent!

However, he wasn't the least bit flustered because his master was there.

Li Xuan had been sitting in his chair, and when the Master of Yin Lou appeared, he immediately sensed that something was amiss. This person's strength far surpassed that of a peak Grand Master.

Especially that oppressive pressure, it seemed capable of directly suppressing a warrior's consciousness. Was it a powerful mental force, or perhaps a soul power?

If it were an ordinary peak Grand Master, they might not be able to resist, their consciousness seemingly suppressed and confined, unable to unleash their full strength.

However, this mental pressure could be resisted by Sword Intent or Blade Intent. If the Sword Intent were strong enough, it could even tear through this oppressive force.

This was why Xu Yan was unaffected by the pressure.

"Above Grand Master, but something's not quite right. Although he has surpassed the Grand Master realm, it doesn't feel complete," Li Xuan mused.

It was almost certain that the Master of Yin Lou was close to the realm above Grand Master, but he hadn't fully broken through. And the cultivation of Grand Masters focused on the mental strength of warriors?

"The fourth realm of martial arts that I created is more powerful and profound than the realm above Grand Master. It seems my direction for creating martial arts is correct. So, the cultivation direction for the fifth realm of martial arts can also be basically determined."

Using the Master of Yin Lou as a reference, Li Xuan deduced that the realm above Grand Master involved cultivating the mental or soul level of warriors.

And the fourth realm of martial arts that he had created, just like the Precelestial and Tongxuan realms, was still more powerful than the existing martial arts realms!

"Even if they cultivate their souls, their strengths are still different. The Master of Yin Lou gives me a rather shallow impression. Although he hasn't fully broken through, it can still be inferred that warriors above the Grand Master realm aren't that strong."

Of course, this was based on Li Xuan's own strength. Warriors above the Grand Master realm excelled in mental might, but Sword Intent and Blade Intent could resist them.

"Once Xu Yan enters the Tongxuan realm, even at the initial stage, with his sword techniques and Dragon Subduing Palm Intent, he'll be able to deal with warriors above the Grand Master realm."

Li Xuan had a good grasp of the situation, and his gaze shifted to the Master of Yin Lou, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Finally, he could demonstrate his strength to his disciples once again.

The Martial Arts Divine Ability—Annihilating God Slash and One-Hit Kill—would finally have their chance to shine.

And this was also an excellent opportunity to teach his disciples.

He wanted Xu Yan and Meng Chong to use this opportunity to comprehend a martial arts divine ability similar to the Annihilating God Slash.

The oppressive pressure from the Master of Yin Lou continued to intensify, and in the air, it seemed to brew a devastating might that could destroy the world. Xu Yan's Sword Intent continued to ripple, but he was starting to feel strained.

"Damn, I'm too weak. Otherwise, if I could unleash the second level of Sword Intent, I would definitely be able to cut through this oppressive pressure!" Xu Yan thought bitterly.

He had already comprehended the second level of Sword Intent, but his realm limited him from unleashing it.

Buzz!

Meng Chong's body glowed with golden light, and a domineering Blade Intent surged forth, joining forces with Xu Yan to withstand the oppressive pressure. Since their master hadn't taken action, he was clearly using the Master of Yin Lou to temper them.

Greed flashed in the eyes of the Master of Yin Lou. A great opportunity lay before him. With a cold smile, he said, "Young man, don't waste your efforts. Although I haven't entered the Divine realm, I'm only half a step away.

"How can you possibly resist me? Surrender peacefully, or everyone here will undoubtedly die!"

As his words landed, the walking stick in his hand emitted a chilling aura.

At this moment, Li Xuan stood up from his chair and stretched his limbs, twisting his waist as he said, "Disciples, today your master will use this person's life to teach you a Martial Arts Divine Ability. How much you can comprehend depends entirely on you.

Just hearing the name, one could tell it was incredibly powerful.

The Master of Yin Lou's eyes narrowed, and he turned to look at Li Xuan intently. His aura slowly retracted, and his oppressive pressure condensed around him, causing the walking stick in his hand to emit a chilling light.

He wore an extremely solemn expression. He had misjudged the situation; this man was Xu Yan and Meng Chong's master?

If the disciples were so formidable, how could their master be any less?

"Who are you?" The Master of Yin Lou asked.

Li Xuan twirled the jade scepter in his left hand, holding it behind his back as he replied with a light smile, "I won't deceive you either. I will kill you using a cultivation level one realm lower than yours."

Xu Yan's heart stirred with excitement. "Master intends to kill the Master of Yin Lou, a half-step Heavenly Being, using a lower cultivation level? Is he trying to tell me about the power of Martial Arts Divine Abilities, that it allows one to effortlessly battle across realms?"

"Arrogant!" The Master of Yin Lou's eyes turned cold, and ripples of invisible force emanated from his body, sending a terrifying pressure that forced Xu Yan and Meng Chong to continuously shrink the range of their Sword Intent and Blade Intent.

It was like a giant mountain pressing down on their intents, as if it would crush them at any moment!

And an even more formidable pressure bore down on Li Xuan.

The ripples surged, stirring the world's spiritual energy invisibly and creating a mountainous pressure.

Li Xuan stood there nonchalantly, raising his right hand and forming it into a knife. With a casual smile, he said, "Are you ready? I'm going to kill you now!"

"Let's see how you plan to do that!" The Master of Yin Lou retorted, his walking stick rising as it emitted a terrifying light. A powerful strike was about to be unleashed.

Li Xuan remained calm and turned to Xu Yan and Meng Chong, saying, "Watch closely. This is a Martial Arts Divine Ability—destroying one's spirit and soul!"

Xu Yan and Meng Chong widened their eyes, not wanting to miss any detail and hoping to grasp the essence of this technique.

"Slash!"

A smile played on Li Xuan's eyes as he spoke. There was no better way to teach his disciples than by demonstrating it himself. Ever since he had acquired the Martial Arts Divine Ability, he had been waiting for an opportunity to use it.

Although the Master of Yin Lou was not a true Heavenly Being, he had surpassed the peak Grand Master realm and taken a step further.

The Master of Yin Lou was not about to underestimate his opponent. The walking stick in his hand had already erupted with a terrifying light as he prepared to strike.

However, Li Xuan's palm slashed down, and the invisible blade aura instantly sliced into the Master of Yin Lou's consciousness, rendering his defenses almost useless.

Boom!

There was no escape, no evasion.

Just as the Master of Yin Lou was about to unleash his formidable aura and a fierce strike, his body suddenly went limp, and he fell from the air to the ground.

His consciousness had been eradicated, leaving behind only an empty shell.

But his physical body still retained its vitality; only his consciousness and soul had vanished!

Xu Yan and Meng Chong were stunned. Was this the power of a Martial Arts Divine Ability?

Li Xuan was quite satisfied with his first display of the Martial Arts Divine Ability. The Annihilating God Slash, combined with One-Hit Kill, was incredibly powerful, instantly defeating the Master of Yin Lou.

Not only the Master of Yin Lou, but also the seven peak Grand Masters behind him, fell under the might of the Annihilating God Slash's residual power. They struggled for a while before their consciousness faded, and they dropped from the air.

Looking at the eight corpses on the ground, Xu Yan and Meng Chong were dumbfounded. While others might not have noticed anything unusual, the two of them, with their Sword Intent and Blade Intent permeating the area, had clearly sensed the incredible power and terror of their master's palm strike!

Meng Shushu and the others, on the other hand, looked confused. Their senior had simply waved his hand, and everyone had fallen? But they didn't seem dead; they appeared to be sleeping.

Su Lingxiu's eyes widened as she guessed the truth, shocked by the power of her master's Martial Arts Divine Ability. Her master had easily slain the Master of Yin Lou, a half-step Heavenly Being, using a lower cultivation level!

After Li Xuan had killed the Master of Yin Lou and the seven peak Grand Masters with his strike, he calmly explained, "This is a Martial Arts Divine Ability. The technique I used is called the Annihilating God Slash, but it makes no difference whether it's a sword or a blade.

"In addition to the Annihilating God Slash, there's also One-Hit Kill. No matter how profound the enemy's movement technique is, they won't be able to dodge this strike. They must face it head-on and endure it. If they can't take the hit, they will undoubtedly perish."

He pointed at the eight corpses of the Master of Yin Lou and said, "Have you noticed something? I didn't kill their physical bodies; I targeted their consciousness, spirit, and soul.

"Crushing the bones and scattering the ashes, this is called Soul Annihilation. It destroys the soul while leaving the body unharmed."

Xu Yan's heart raced with excitement. There was such an incredible martial art in the world—destroying the soul while leaving the body untouched. If he learned this technique, he wouldn't have to worry about destroying his enemies' bodies and the valuables they carried.

By annihilating their souls, their physical bodies would remain intact, preserving any possessions they had.

He had to comprehend this Martial Arts Divine Ability!

"Master mentioned crushing the bones and scattering the ashes, leaving the enemy with no chance of escape. I've always interpreted it as not giving them a chance to escape, but now I realize I was missing the part about annihilating their souls," Xu Yan said, feeling ashamed that he hadn't understood his master's true meaning.

"I've been a bit dull."

However, he had taken his master's words to heart. He had clearly witnessed the unique power his master had displayed when he made that strike—the might of the Annihilating God Slash.

Given time, Xu Yan believed he could comprehend this Martial Arts Divine Ability.

Li Xuan noticed the change in Xu Yan's expression and was secretly pleased. Now that he had personally demonstrated the technique, he believed Xu Yan would be able to grasp a similar Martial Arts secret technique to the Annihilating God Slash.

Meng Chong also had a chance, even though his talent was not as exceptional as Xu Yan's. Nonetheless, he was still a genius.

As for Su Lingxiu, her talent lay elsewhere, so Li Xuan didn't expect as much from her. As long as she continued to comprehend the Martial Way of the Elixir, he would be content.

After killing the Master of Yin Lou and the seven others, Li Xuan looked up at the sky above Tiesel County, toward the sky above the Tianbao Pavilion. There were three beings there whose strength was no weaker than that of the Master of Yin Lou.

Was this the Tianbao Pavilion's trump card? Half-step Heavenly Beings!

However, one of the three had a sinister aura, as if it contained poison that could wither all life. This person cultivated a demonic cultivation technique.

A powerful demon from the Demon Sect?

The three were in a standoff. The demon expert had come with the Master of Yin Lou, tasked with holding off the Tianbao Pavilion's experts while the Master of Yin Lou captured their target.

The two half-step Heavenly Beings from the Tianbao Pavilion were there for the Qingcheng Pavilion, but they had not made a move, so they couldn't be considered enemies. Moreover, one of them was the Tianbao Pavilion's manager, and they had revealed their intentions.

These two intended to wait for the fall of the Qingcheng Pavilion and then take Su Lingxiu and Xu Junhe, along with the Core Formation Dan and the Qingcheng Pavilion, for themselves, leaving the rest to be divided among the various factions.

The half-step Heavenly Beings from the Tianbao Pavilion didn't need to be killed, but the demon expert, who had come for Su Lingxiu, was a different matter. Since he had already made his move, Li Xuan would take one more life!

Li Xuan's figure flickered, and he vanished from his original spot, only to reappear outside the Tianbao Pavilion in the next instant.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end