Chapter 542: Battle of Fengti, A Major Breakthrough, and My Glimpse into the Third Layer of Yang She

Chapter 542: Battle of Fengti, A Major Breakthrough, and My Glimpse into the Third Layer of Yang Shen

"Is it dangerous out there?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yuan felt a sense of urgency.

"In that case... I must go out there even more."

With Shen Lingxuan in danger, Qi Yuan had no choice but to take action.

After all, it was no ordinary encounter with Shen Lingxuan, and he couldn't let her disappear this time.

Would he have to imitate the dragon kings in those concubine husband stories, where the wife gets captured, triggering a small universe explosion, and then he saves her at the last moment?

That kind of concubine husband behavior wasn't Qi Yuan's style.

"Don't... come out," Shen Lingxuan's face was as cold as ice, and her expression was filled with anxiety. The violent airflow blew past her black skirt, clinging tightly to her graceful figure, outlining the curves of her rounded thighs like a black swan in disarray amidst the wind.

Her tall stature and long, slender legs were the most eye-catching features.

The sword strike that shattered the protective airflow of the Divine Wood Abyss was too fierce, and even the aftermath was enough to make Qi Yuan, a Celestial Armament Master, struggle to keep his balance. It seemed like the airflow would sweep him away.

This terrifying power was on a whole different level from Qi Yuan.

If Qi Yuan went out, he would undoubtedly face death.

She didn't want Qi Yuan to risk his life for her.

"Husband and wife are like birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they fly separately."

Unfortunately, I'm not a bird; I'm a concubine husband," Qi Yuan said. "As your husband, how could I abandon you?"

Qi Yuan quickly assumed the role of a devoted husband.

This was, in a way, a reflection of his true feelings.

"I..." Shen Lingxuan was touched, and she hadn't expected Qi Yuan to step out of the safe confines of the Divine Wood Abyss.

At that moment, the heavens seemed to crack, and Fengti's figure appeared in the void, his sword drawn across the sky, emitting an aura that made the very heavens tremble.

Fengti's gaze swept past Shen Lingxuan, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Before he could make a move, a powerful force swept over them.

Shen Lingxuan instantly felt a powerful shockwave hitting her, and as a Celestial Armament Master, she felt incredibly insignificant at that moment. Even a mere hint of his power was enough to send her flying like a butterfly with broken wings."

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her body slammed hard into the nearby mountains.

Just then, a hand wrapped around her waist, catching her and holding her gently. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

"Qi... Qi Yuan?" Shen Lingxuan's face was as cold as snow, her expression a mix of joy and worry, like a black rose.

"As I suspected, the TV shows are all lies. I thought that with this embrace, I'd be spinning in the sky, and then... accidentally kiss you." Qi Yuan's thoughts were calm as he spoke his mind.

Held in Qi Yuan's arms, Shen Lingxuan listened to his words, her lips moistening, her heart stirring with emotions. But she quickly spoke up, "Be careful, the Radiant Order is here."

At that moment, Fengti, suspended in the air, broke into a smile.

"I never imagined that both Heaven's Chosen would gather here. It seems we've saved some time."

He sat high above, like a deity, on the firmament.

The sword in his hand emitted a sword cry, ready to strike and tear through the heavens at any moment.

Qi Yuan, holding Shen Lingxuan, looked up at the sky.

Everything before him was a blur.

According to the typical behavior of a concubine husband, what should he say now? 'If you dare harm her, I'll make sure you never see paradise again'?

Or perhaps, 'Touch her, and you'll face death'? No, that's too intense.

"You're quite strong," Qi Yuan commented.

Indeed, this opponent was stronger than most Great Venerables.

In fact, among all the ordinary Great Venerables Qi Yuan had encountered in the Sixth Heaven of the Immortal Realm, none had given him as much pressure as this one.

"But with me here, I won't tolerate your recklessness and lawlessness!"

Qi Yuan spoke gently as he placed Shen Lingxuan down softly, standing protectively in front of her.

Shen Lingxuan gazed at his tall and straight figure, her heart filled with complex emotions, and her past imaginings all transformed into feelings.

She recalled the time when he held the Rain Art, and with a single sword strike, he eliminated all the bandits.

At that time, she had only felt that he was dangerous, but now, she found him valiant.

"A blind man dares to evaluate me?" Fengti's eyes flashed with ridicule. "You're not qualified!"

Shen Lingxuan's heart ached, "Your eyes...?"

She had just noticed Qi Yuan's eyes, and although she sensed something amiss due to her shyness, she couldn't bring herself to look directly at him.

How... how did he... become blind?" Shen Lingxuan stood up, her face as cold as snow, "I'll face this with you."

Qi Yuan shrugged, "You won't need to lift a finger against him."

Qi Yuan felt his emotional intelligence was high.

After all, it wasn't his male chauvinism, but in this battle, Shen Lingxuan's current strength was insufficient to intervene.

He couldn't very well say, "Shen Lingxuan, you're too weak."

"Hmph, you're overestimating yourself," Fengti's eyes flashed with disdain.

Without any movement, the flying sword suspended in the air suddenly unsheathed.

Radiant Sword!

The sword moved at an incredible speed, leaving only a trail of light in its wake.

This sword was the culmination of Fengti's understanding of the Supreme Principle, the pinnacle of the Rule Heart.

The Supreme Principle represented the fusion of all things into a single point, the embodiment of the most powerful attack in the world.

In this sword strike, space held no distance, and all defenses were rendered useless.

It could pierce through the void and even penetrate the Dark Void.

This Rule Heart was truly terrifying.

In the future, if Fengti were to step into the third layer of Yang Shen, gathering nine Supreme Principles, transforming them into nine Supreme Universe Rules, he would be able to create a new world, a creation beyond the Supreme Principle.

It could be said that with the understanding of the Supreme Principle, he had the qualifications to enter the third layer of Yang Shen.

Of course, that was his original form, and he, being merely a copy, couldn't achieve it.

In this sword strike, Qi Yuan caught a whiff of the embryonic form of the Supreme Principle.

He was slightly surprised.

This opponent indeed had some skills.

The powerful sword strike, swift as lightning, aimed for Qi Yuan's temple, concentrating all its might into a single point, ready to pierce through with overwhelming dominance.

This strike was unavoidable, even for a typical Great Venerable.

But...

"So a Divine Artisan can also comprehend the embryonic form of the Supreme Principle?

Qi Yuan seemed to have gained some insight.

"That's not right, I can comprehend the Supreme Principle in the Purple Mansion, so why can't I comprehend it in the game... even though I'm already at the Divine Rank?"

Feng Ti's sword strike opened a new avenue of thought for Qi Yuan.

Since he was already at the Divine Rank, comprehending the Supreme Principle in its embryonic form shouldn't be a problem, right?

If Feng Ti could do it, then so could he.

At that moment, Qi Yuan's mind was suddenly enlightened.

"Absolute Adaptation!"

Countless thoughts surged through his mind, and in that instant, Qi Yuan's body underwent a transformation.

With a powerful Radiant Sword strike, he suddenly turned into a void.

"What's going on?" Feng Ti's eyes widened in surprise.

Facing the natives of this world, almost no one could withstand his sword strike.

It was well-known that the Radiant Universe was a universe where the Path Masters existed.

Their cultivation system had reached perfection.

At the Great Venerable Realm, cultivators could cultivate the Divine Domain and then condense the Rule Heart.

In some ordinary universes, cultivators might only truly come into contact with the cosmic rules at the second layer of the Yang Shen Realm.

Yet, his sword strike had been blocked.

For the first time, he took a good look at his opponent.

Without hesitation, he gripped the sword hilt, and his body flashed, reappearing in the Divine Wood Abyss. He unleashed a mighty sword strike towards the void.

Clang!

A blood-armored hand emerged from the void, grasping the sword.

A tall and majestic blood-armored Heavenly Emperor appeared, and a blood-red aberrant sword strike shot forward.

Feng Ti's eyes widened in surprise, and the patterns on his forehead flickered. "You're quite strange. You've comprehended the Rule Heart even before reaching the third step of Sky Stepping. What grade is your Rule Heart, and why haven't I heard of it before?"

This clash was a test of raw power, with no techniques involved.

Feng Ti felt a sense of admiration.

The other party had not comprehended the Rule Heart before, but after seeing his Radiant Sword, it seemed like he had suddenly realized and comprehended the Rule Heart.

If his assumption was correct, it would be enough to move Feng Ti.

Qi Yuan remained silent, as he was now fully focused on the battle.

Feng Ti's strength was formidable, and the gap between the Great Venerable and the Venerable was significant.

If this were the Immortal Realm, Qi Yuan might have already lost.

But this was the embryonic Divine Wood Universe, and the difference between the Great Venerable and the Venerable was not as apparent.

On the other side, Butterfly Insect Maiden watched the battle above the Divine Wood Abyss with a horrified expression. "They're too fast! A battle like this is something ordinary Great Venerables can't even get involved in!"

She knew that Feng Ti was strong, but she hadn't expected Shen Lingxuan's husband to be able to match him blow for blow.

Beyond Sunset Cliff, Immortal Spirit Handsome squinted his eyes. "Qi Yuan is actually able to block Feng Ti!"

This was completely beyond his expectations.

It was well-known that Feng Ti's prototype, if brought to the Zhou Universe, could become a noted disciple of the Void World Lord.

Ji Wuyun widened his eyes. "I can't see clearly at all."

Chen Kangbao continued eating his buns, his expression relaxed. "No need to look, our young master will surely win."

Regarding Qi Yuan, he had blind confidence.

Immortal Spirit Handsome's eyes carried a worried expression. "Since Qi Yuan has shocked the world and can suppress Feng Ti, it's likely... that he'll also find it difficult to win, because..."

He knew that the members of the Radiant Society couldn't even be considered human.

As his words fell, in the Divine Wood Abyss, Feng Ti's eyes revealed a smile.

"You're a worthy opponent, one that I'd exchange my life for!"

Qi Yuan's strength was far inferior to Feng Ti, but his Rule Heart was too bizarre, like an indestructible cockroach.

At that moment, he held nothing back.

The mightiest strike!

He tightly embraced Qi Yuan, like an exploding burning sun.

Such a terrifying strike could even injure a Sky Stepping Seven Steps Myth.

In the distance, Immortal Spirit Handsome's eyes were complex. "The Radiant Society's clones have more than one life, and they exchange lives. It's hard for opponents of the same level to handle this."

Boom!

The terrifying explosion sent a wave of heat that blew Butterfly Insect Maiden away.

Shen Lingxuan's lips curved up, and worry filled her face.

Even the aftermath of the explosion had injured her. On the battlefield, Qi Yuan faced...

"The Radiant Society's members have many lives, and they exchange lives... It's impossible to defeat them," Butterfly Insect Maiden said with concern.

Shen Lingxuan looked at the battlefield, and as the explosion subsided, another Feng Ti's figure condensed, his blood-red aberrant robe still intact, standing tall.

In a 16-book bar, there's not a single mistake in this version!

In the center of the explosion, the blood-armored figure disappeared, and a blood-stained robe figure remained standing, the blood-red sword in his hand emitting boundless aberrance.

"As expected, we fought to a draw, and as I thought, one life isn't enough to exchange for yours. But now that you're heavily injured, how can you fight me at my peak?" Feng Ti said.

Holding the sword, he disappeared and reappeared behind Qi Yuan, the sword tip piercing towards a vital point.

Clang!

Qi Yuan blocked this sword strike as well.

Blood seeped through his body, intensifying.

Blocking this sword strike caused more blood to overflow.

Qi Yuan's expression remained calm.

"As long as I don't die, I'm invincible."

He was confident, never expecting that Death Radiance and Absolute Adaptation, combined, would create such a miraculous reaction.

One was the Supreme Principle, and the other was just a major skill he mastered during Qi Cultivation.

Yet, they could even fuse.

Absolute Adaptation kept him in a near-death state, and Death Radiance allowed his combat strength to reach its peak.

The more he bled, the stronger he became.

Slash!

Qi Yuan's blood flowed, but he just wouldn't die.

A casual sword strike, empowered by Death Radiance, sliced open a large gash beneath Feng Ti's chest, and blood gushed out.

Feng Ti's face showed disbelief, and he stubbornly said, "It's just the tail end of strength."

In the void, his body transformed into countless forms, all attacking Qi Yuan.

Although he could resurrect, each life was precious to him, requiring a huge price to obtain.

And it wasn't truly endless.

The battle rages on.

Fengti's expression, once serene, now shifts to anxiety and frustration.

"Just a little more, just a little!"

Qi Yuan seems like an old man with a flickering candle in the wind, his life force on the verge of extinguishing.

But that last bit eludes him.

It's as if in a video game, the enemy's health bar is depleted, and a simple skill or even a basic attack should finish them off, but he just can't land the final blow.

Qi Yuan is desperate.

"You're not just a little short, you're far from it!" Qi Yuan borrows a line from Ryoma Echizen, brandishing his long sword. He resembles a bloodied warrior, relentless in his assault.

Death Radiance and Absolute Adaptation unleash a dazzling strike.

Fengti's life wavers once more.

But in the blink of an eye, Fengti reappears, unharmed, his face contorted with anger. "Let's see how long you can last!"

Qi Yuan, your resilience in this intense battle is remarkable. You've not made a single mistake."

The battle continues, Qi Yuan's tattered robe stained with blood, wielding a blood-red aberrant longsword, standing tall despite his numerous wounds.

Fengti, however, has lost his previous arrogance and confidence.

Deep within the Divine Wood Abyss, Shen Lingxuan witnesses this scene, her heart stirred with emotion, feeling immense pain and sympathy.

Such injuries would have felled anyone else...

Yet Qi Yuan, her husband, remains standing, like a giant holding up the sky.

The wind howls, the mountains tremble, and blood rains down like water.

Qi Yuan has never fought a battle this close to death.

But now, he is in a state of profound mystery.

Death Radiance and Absolute Adaptation continue to merge.

His vitality wanes, but his combat power surges.

When the fusion is complete, Qi Yuan believes the unimaginable will happen to him.

"It seems... I'm not injured enough."

At this moment, Qi Yuan has a thought.

Suddenly, he draws his sword, and in a move no one expects, he stabs himself.

Fengti, who was about to attack, is moved by this action. "What are you doing?"

However, his attack descends furiously, sensing that Qi Yuan is at his weakest.

Such a perfect opportunity must not be missed.

Even if there's a conspiracy, he's unafraid; he still has five lives.

"Die."

At this moment, Qi Yuan's weak eyes erupt with dazzling brilliance.

A radiant sword slash erupts.

Fengti's eyes reveal a look of horror.

"How... is this possible!"

He seems to realize something, his expression filled with shock for the first time.

How could a mere Divine Rank cultivator unleash such a terrifying strike?

Fengti has seen a similar move before, wielded by a Majestic Being of the Third Layer of Yang Shen.

This is... Cosmic Rule Fusion!

The sword slashes out.

Fengti's body shatters.

His figure reappears.

The previous sword slash reappears and strikes him down.

He resurrects, only to be struck down again.

"No!" Fengti's face is filled with disbelief.

That sword move transcends the cosmic rules, as if it reaches for his very life.

The more lives he has, the more the sword will take.

Boom! Fengti's last life shatters, his memories fragmenting.

Simultaneously, at the Radiant Order's base, within the Light Pool, a human form takes shape, a perplexed Fengti.

"With nine lives, I died? What happened?"

As soon as this thought forms, he feels his hair stand on end, sensing an infinite threat.

In the distant void, a terrifying sword slash emerges.

Facing this sword, Fengti's face pales with fear, feeling an overwhelming threat.

But at that moment, a ray of light flashes within the Light Pool, and the sword slash vanishes within it, eventually disappearing.

Fengti's heart still trembles with fear. "I forced a Domain Lord to use his hidden techniques... Did I encounter a Domain Lord? Impossible, there are no Domain Lords in the Divine Wood Universe!"

He is perplexed.

Unfortunately, with all nine lives lost, he remains unaware of what transpired in the Divine Wood Abyss.

Meanwhile, in the Divine Wood Abyss, Qi Yuan's tattered robe, stained with blood, exudes a rapidly rising vitality, only to plummet again.

"I've glimpsed the path to the Third Layer of Yang Shen..."

"Cough..."

Blood spills from the corners of his mouth, his injuries severe, and he's on the brink of death.

When battling Fengti, he was just an ordinary Venerable.

Attempting to emulate Fengti's enlightenment of the Supreme Principle's prototype and merging with Death Radiance has taken a severe toll on him.

Even a Great Venerable like Fengti wouldn't dare to continuously use the Radiant Flying Sword.

Fortunately, when Qi Yuan's role as the 'Knife' reached 100% completion, he received a final gift—the knife's handle, imbued with infinite life force, continuously replenishing him, preventing him from exhausting himself to death.

"Although I'm severely injured, I've gained a lot. I've grasped the prototype of Absolute Adaptation and merged with Death Radiance."

"Is this the path to the Third Layer of Yang Shen?"

"Indeed, I'm a genius who breaks through in battle!"

In this battle, Qi Yuan challenged far beyond his level, pushing himself to the limit and learning numerous skills.

This is akin to the true Heaven's Pride, breaking through in the heat of battle.

"The more I fight, the fiercer I become!"

"From now on, I'll seek battles!"

"Tomorrow, I'll find an ant to duel!"

Qi Yuan's mind flashes with this thought, and a wave of fatigue washes over him. His once-standing body collapses at this moment.

"Take a half-hour nap, and then I'll duel the ant."

His body falls from the sky, and before hitting the ground, he slips into a deep sleep.

"Husband..." A graceful figure rushes over and tightly embraces him.

Unfortunately, he doesn't fall in a way that allows for a kiss.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end