https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-635-Celestial-Earth-Maze-Mountain-Lord-Bai-Zao/12942475/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-637-Array-Formation-to-Kill-Demons-Controlling-the-Flower-Island/12942486/
Chapter 636: Shattered Island, Breaking the Array, and the Mountain Lord's Demise!
Chapter 636: Shattered Island, Breaking the Array, and the Mountain Lord's Demise!
Luo Chen dared not leave without Han Zhan, as he had his own trump cards when venturing deep into the northern sea, a place teeming with monsters.
His formidable fighting prowess was one, and his exceptional speed was another.
Even without transforming into the Heavenly Peng, his speed, aided by the Moonbreak Wings and the Nine Wan Li, far surpassed that of ordinary Golden Core Cultivators.
Given some time, if he unleashed his Heavenly Peng True Body, perhaps only a True Monarch could catch up to him.
But now, this advantage was broken!
Luo Chen could sense a powerful sealing force pressing down from the giant mountain in the sky.
Under this immense pressure, his speed decreased significantly.
If it were just this, he could still transform and leave.
However, beneath his feet, there was another terrifying gravitational force pulling at him.
The combination of these two forces made Luo Chen's steps as slow as a crawling turtle.
Indeed, once one's abilities were exposed, it became easier for others to target them.
Luo Chen's expression darkened as he glanced at the slowly floating mountain in the sky.
He recognized this mountain.
It was the treasure mountain that the Mountain Lord of Hundred Artifacts Mountain used to attack the Sealing Sea Trigrams Array.
Back then, he resisted with his array, but now the opponent was suppressing him with an array.
It was truly a case of karmic retribution, an infallible law!
Moreover, this array, with the Mountain Lord's lifebound treasure as its core, was not merely a simple sky-sealing suppression. Once fully deployed, it might have even more formidable abilities.
"Since you don't want me to leave, then I'll have to take you down!"
A sinister expression flashed across Luo Chen's face as he rushed towards Liang Bai Zao.
In midair, he continuously formed hand seals.
One by one, blazing suns appeared behind him, illuminating the night sky with their fierce radiance.
When he was about a mile away, he extended his hand and clenched it into a palm.
A torrent of magical power converged into an azure palm seal, pressing down with tremendous force.
The nine blazing suns accompanied this palm strike, creating a terrifying and awe-inspiring scene.
Liang Bai Zao's expression turned solemn as he witnessed this spectacle. He pushed out with a single palm, and a brown shield instantly enlarged, blocking all the threats from the sky.
This shield was incredibly sturdy; even Luo Chen's powerful spells seemed unable to completely shake its defensive capabilities.
After the intense collision, the shield's spiritual light only dimmed slightly.
Evidently, this was at least an upper-rank defensive treasure!
In the first move, both sides unleashed their full power.
A hint of madness flashed in Luo Chen's eyes as his hand seals abruptly changed, and he shouted.
"Mountain Collapse!"
Boom! In the next moment, the mountain where Liang Bai Zao stood exploded instantly.
The vast shockwave carried molten lava and shattered rocks, spraying them like a torrential rain in all directions. Amidst this rain, a figure stumbled and staggered, seemingly unable to control themselves.
If it were an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator, they would have struggled to survive under Luo Chen's triple attack.
But it was clear that the Mountain Lord of Hundred Artifacts Mountain was not incompetent. Aside from the fact that the sect leader, being a master artificer, would have numerous treasures for protection, his Golden Core Eighth Layer cultivation alone was enough to make Luo Chen wary.
After the triple attack...
Luo Chen did not pursue relentlessly but landed gracefully.
He bent a finger and formed a hand seal.
"Transform!"
With a loud shout, his beard and hair stirred without any wind.
The muscles beneath his Daoist robe began to writhe and expand.
One zhang, two zhang, three zhang... until he reached a towering nine zhang in height!
Whoosh!
The Moonbreak Wings expanded accordingly, resembling the wings of a divine demon.
His originally white Daoist robe transformed from white to ink, turning into an ancient-style black battle armor that covered his entire body, leaving no inch exposed from his feet to his face.
After completing the transformation, Luo Chen extended a claw.
In the void, a clear sound of metal clashing against metal suddenly echoed.
Ding!
Upon closer inspection, a green flying sword was tightly grasped in the giant's palm.
The flying sword struggled like a fish caught in a net, wriggling incessantly within his palm.
Luo Chen raised his head and looked up at the sky.
"A mere intermediate-grade flying sword is not enough to take my life, Mountain Lord. You underestimate me too much!"
Whoosh!
In the void, a figure abruptly halted, standing amidst the falling rocks like rain, his aged eyes fixed on Luo Chen.
"To block my Seven Stars Soul Snatching Sword with your physical body, Qingyang Demon Lord, you've become stronger!"
"Yes, I've grown stronger, but you've regressed in these years. This battle will undoubtedly end in your defeat!"
As Luo Chen spoke, he channeled his immense strength, attempting to crush the flying sword in his hand.
An ear-piercing screeching sound continuously emanated from his palm.
The Mountain Lord, through the connection between the treasure and its owner, sensed Luo Chen's intention and his expression turned stern.
"Don't even think about it!"
He formed hand seals and shouted lightly.
"Break!"
Bang!
A loud explosion was heard, and Luo Chen involuntarily loosened his fist, his gaze following the green flying sword as it stumbled back to the elder's side.
"Still not good enough?"
His current physique was several times stronger than before, already capable of withstanding attacks from intermediate-grade treasures.
But while he could withstand them, he couldn't destroy them.
Especially when the Mountain Lord seemed to have activated the sword's latent malevolent qi, forcefully breaking free from his mighty grip.
As the flying sword returned, the Mountain Lord heaved a sigh of relief.
However, when he looked at Luo Chen again, the solemnity in his eyes intensified.
Initially, when he failed to kill Luo Chen, he returned to Cold Light Island and sought out Wu Jia's leader, as well as some bystanders who had witnessed Luo Chen's battles, to inquire about Luo Chen's combat abilities in detail.
He was well aware that Luo Chen possessed terrifying prowess in speed, strength, and spells.
Except for his defense, he had almost no weaknesses.
Moreover, he had personally experienced Luo Chen's illusion technique.
Such an existence, even at the mid-stage of the Golden Core, was not easy to deal with.
Therefore, he meticulously plotted for many years, using his lifebound treasure Hundred Artifacts Mountain and the geographical advantage of Seven Stars Island to set up the Northern Dipper Seven Mountains Array, suppressing Luo Chen's speed and preventing him from fully utilizing his greatest advantage.
He had thought that this would make his opponent an easy target.
But he never imagined that what he heard was just hearsay, and his opponent's combat experience and awareness still exceeded his expectations.
The previous simultaneous three-pronged attack had caught him off guard, causing him minor injuries.
He had intended to use the flying sword to take advantage of the chaos and injure Luo Chen, but he never expected Luo Chen to almost destroy his precious weapon.
"This person cannot be dealt with as a regular Golden Core Cultivator. I must exert all my strength!"
With this thought, Mountain Lord Bai Zao abandoned his probing actions.
His sleeves fluttered, and he quickly formed intricate hand seals.
Behind him, seven flying swords, radiant with flowing light, danced like swallows, agile and graceful.
"Go!"
His fingers pointed like swords, and with a single motion, he directed them downward.
The target was the nine-zhang giant!
Luo Chen, unfazed, took off running on the ground, facing the seven flying swords rushing towards him. He repeatedly struck out with his fists and palms, creating a flurry of attacks.
Sometimes, his punches sent ripples of air, while other times, his giant palms slapped horizontally, and his fingers strummed like a rapid melody on a string. His Divine Cloud God Claws occasionally stirred the wind and clouds, altering the angles of the flying sword attacks. He even attempted to capture and seize the treasure again.
Under his relentless assault, the seven flying swords, emanating a chilling killing intent, were unable to get close.
Witnessing this, Mountain Lord Bai Zao's eyes widened in surprise.
These seven flying swords were all refined, nurtured, and advanced to intermediate-level treasures simultaneously, making them even more formidable than superior-grade offensive magical treasures.
Yet, under his control, they couldn't even get close.
Just how powerful was this Azure Demon Lord's body refinement technique?
"This won't do!"
"Suppression alone isn't enough!"
"He's still too agile!"
Gazing at the giant running across the mountains and plains, Mountain Lord Bai Zao made a firm decision. He reached towards the sky and pulled down with all his might.
"Suppress!"
High above, the mountain of Bai Zao rumbled and pressed downward.
The small island with its seven stars in alignment also resonated with a deep rumble.
The nearby sea roiled, churning up towering waves that rushed towards the island.
Luo Chen's running slowed down.
An immense pressure descended from above, and a terrifying gravitational force rose from beneath his feet.
The combination of the two seemed to form a gravitational field, gradually halting his sprint.
Luo Chen's eyes shone, and he faintly grasped the true intent of the grand array that utilized the seven-star island.
With Mountain Bai Zao as the core, the array harnessed the earth's energy from the seven islands. Being within it was like having a mountain pressing down, creating a realm of gravitational pull.
All living beings were affected in the same way.
Mountain Lord Bai Zao remained unaffected because the core of the array was his lifebound treasure.
However, this also meant that the opponent's mana consumption would inevitably increase.
To break this array, one had to overturn Mountain Bai Zao!
But this mountain was connected to the seven islands, so overturning it meant overturning all seven islands simultaneously.
Being within it was akin to ascending to heaven!
Luo Chen's steps came to a halt.
"With neither heaven's favor nor geographical advantage, let's test the depth of our cultivation!"
With a light shout, nine red chains stretched out from his body, clanging towards the seven flying swords.
Luo Chen himself stared intently at Mountain Lord Bai Zao, and his palms struck out one after the other.
Azure palm seals burst forth in the air.
Even the swift Mountain Lord Bai Zao struggled to dodge under this all-encompassing assault, resorting to summoning his shield for defense.
But the powerful recoil and scorching flames still caused his hair and beard to wither, as if he might burst into flames at any moment.
"Do you intend to challenge my mana and cultivation depth?"
After enduring several palm strikes, he saw through Luo Chen's intentions.
A cold smile crept onto his lips as he thought, "Although my cultivation has regressed in recent years, I'm still a genuine eighth-layer Golden Core grand cultivator!"
The Azure Demon Lord's rapid advancement was impressive, but he was merely at the sixth layer of the Golden Core stage.
He was unafraid of a battle of attrition!
Moreover, he wielded a defensive treasure, which consumed minimal mana.
In contrast, the opponent frequently unleashed large-scale offensive spells. How many times could they cast them?
Just as he decided to wear Luo Chen down, his eyes caught a glimpse of something in the corner of his vision.
An oval-shaped yellow coin, round on the outside and square within, landed on his shield.
"When did this happen?"
Clang!
A light sound, like a thunderous roar, echoed in his ears.
The coin, struck by immense force, fell to an unknown location on the island.
His protective treasure, as if struck by a heavy blow, momentarily slowed down.
At that instant, a loud explosion reverberated through the air.
The nine-zhang giant, previously trapped, took a step forward, covering a hundred zhang in a single stride, and leaped towards the elder.
Wielding a giant hammer, he struck down from above.
Boom!
A deafening blast shook the heavens, its echoes reaching an unknown distance.
Luo Chen landed firmly, his Mystic Armor intact, but cracks and blood lines appeared within, revealing the strain on his body.
Even with his body, tempered by a thousand hammers and a hundred battles over the years, was at risk of injury under the suppression of the Northern Dipper Seven Mountains Array.
But it was a success!
Amidst the dust and smoke, he saw the figure, standing weakly with a dimly glowing shield, and without hesitation, he strode forward, holding the Flaming Hammer.
At the same time, his eyes blazed with spiritual light.
Mirror Flower Water Moon, activate!
He would leave no opportunity, forcefully striking down the opponent!
On the ground, the giant charged forward, his hammer aflame, and his eyes radiating spiritual light, like a god or a demon.
But within the dust and smoke, the elder's frail body seemed like a flickering candle in the wind.
Just as they were about to collide, the giant's body suddenly halted.
Mountain Lord Bai Zao spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and, without hesitation, reached towards the sky again.
A towering mountain descended like a meteorite, its size shrinking while its power intensified.
He intended to crush the opponent to death!
Unexpectedly, a small black cauldron flew out from Luo Chen's head, and in the nick of time, it withstood the mountain.
"How is this possible? He's being counteracted by the soul-refining method left by Blood Nightmare Demon King. Now, the illusion is backfiring, and Elder Xing's remnant soul is assaulting his soul. How does he still have the strength to control a treasure?"
Surprised, Mountain Lord Bai Zao's face grew more hideous.
"Since it's come to this, I'll flay you alive!"
Discarding his dimly glowing shield, he formed intricate hand seals.
The seven flying swords flew from afar, rushing towards Luo Chen.
Just as they were about to reach his body, they collided with an invisible wall of air, unable to advance further.
Mountain Lord Bai Zao was taken aback, and his eyes landed on the black armor, understanding flashing through his mind.
"I thought his reputation as an artificer master was mere flattery from ignorant fellow cultivators, but he does have some skill. He's actually refined a protective energy armor!"
"However, this armor can't block my Seven Stars Sword!"
The Seven Stars Sword was specialized in breaking through defenses.
With a thought, the seven swords began to spin wildly around Luo Chen.
A sword energy storm suddenly took form!
The terrifying cutting power began to continuously slice through the protective energy armor surrounding Luo Chen.
Seeing this, it seemed that in just a moment, his true body would be exposed.
Inside the Mystic Dust Armor.
Luo Chen's eyes were tightly shut, and blood oozed from the corners of his eyes, dripping down his face.
Within the Sea of Consciousness.
A robust man's remnant soul roared as it charged towards Luo Chen's soul body.
"This is the original owner of the Flame Hammer magical treasure. He died under the Sealing Sea Trigrams Array controlled by Han Zhan, yet his remnant soul remained, and he even refined a method specifically targeting my illusion techniques."
His consciousness instantly awakened from the intense pain, and Luo Chen coldly stared at the approaching remnant soul, showing no signs of panic.
The Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique backfired, and he didn't even have time to cast the second illusion. The pain was so intense that it was unbearable for ordinary people.
But Luo Chen was no ordinary man.
He had cultivated the Refine Qi to Break the Demon technique, undergone the Heavenly Thunder Body Infusion during Foundation Establishment, and tirelessly tempered his body day and night after forming his Golden Core. Whether it was the True Flame burning his body or the torment of the Black Emperor Ointment, all of it had forged his extraordinary resilience to pain.
Moreover, over the years, he had tempered his body and soul using the Artificer's techniques, making his willpower unyielding after countless trials and tribulations.
A momentary surge of pain, and he recovered in the blink of an eye.
First, he released his Lifebound treasure, the Primordial Cauldron, to withstand the attacks from Hundred Artifacts Mountain. Then, he activated the protective energy armor of the Mystic Dust Armor.
At this moment, he dealt with the hidden danger within his Sea of Consciousness.
Using his soul as the body and his divine sense as the blade, he executed the Grand Perfection Dragon Slaying Art with a single slash.
Cutting Qi, Dragon Slaying, and God Slaying!
With just one slash, the robust man's remnant soul vanished without a trace.
"Huh?"
As the remnant soul disappeared, a faint exclamation seemed to echo.
Luo Chen's consciousness returned, and he regained control of his body. He didn't have time to recall that familiar exclamation; instead, he observed the current situation.
He was trapped! In his line of sight, the sword energy storm sliced through everything, with seven sharp swords exuding killing intent, constantly assaulting his protective energy armor.
Even though the energy armor regenerated repeatedly, it was still in a precarious state.
The Mystic Dust Armor's true body already had countless fine scratches.
"Fortunately, the Mystic Dust Armor has both the inner armor and the energy armor for defense, and my true body remains unharmed."
Luo Chen felt relieved, but his eyes grew even angrier.
In the past, he had always been the one setting up traps for others, employing various means to overcome stronger opponents.
But now, he had fallen into someone else's trap, constantly on the defensive and getting battered.
If not for his profound foundation and numerous skills, he might have perished long ago.
"Mountain Lord Bai Zao!!!"
A low roar emanated from his mouth.
Outside the sword array, an old man sat cross-legged, manipulating the accumulated mana from many years to maintain the Seven Stars Sword Array.
Although he was surprised that Luo Chen had regained consciousness so quickly, at this moment, he didn't show much panic.
"Azure Sun Demon Lord, now that you're trapped in the sword array, your death is certain. Why bother raging in futility?"
Luo Chen smirked.
"Is that so?"
He stomped his feet, stepping on the uneven ground.
Mana surged out, reinforcing his protective energy armor, making it even more formidable.
Not only that, but a surge of earth energy, as if drawn by some force, gushed out on its own, further empowering the energy armor.
For a moment, the Mystic Dust Armor and the Seven Stars Sword Array reached a stalemate.
Luo Chen couldn't break free, and Mountain Lord Bai Zao couldn't press his attack.
On the second Seven Stars Island, now in ruins, a peculiar scene unfolded.
A giant stepped on the earth, with swirling currents of air surrounding him.
A diminutive old man sat cross-legged, and the sword energy storm became even more turbulent.
Neither dared to relax, nor did they want to give up.
Time passed as they remained in a stalemate.
The night, once pitch-black, had unknowingly given way to the moon sinking into the sea and the sun rising.
At some point...
Boom!
A loud explosion was heard.
The Seven Stars Sword Array, unable to withstand the pressure, collapsed.
Luo Chen, having regained his original size, stepped out, his aura undiminished, and his eyes still flashing with lightning.
He looked into the distance, where an old man was fleeing in a pitiful state.
Even the seven treasure swords were discarded in the rush to escape.
"What a pity, you can't escape!"
Luo Chen muttered, intending to pursue, but he saw three attacks in the sky aimed at the old man.
Mountain Lord Bai Zao's face was filled with terror as he raised a defensive shield, exerting all his strength to block the three attacks.
However, after that, in the sea, a dragon's tail swung down with force.
Boom!
The already damaged shield, under the dragon's tail, shattered into pieces.
The old man's frail body exploded into a cloud of blood mist, with only a dim Golden Core trying to escape.
But it was swallowed by the dragon in one bite.
Three streaks of escaping light broke through the sky, revealing Lu Shan Jun, Sang Jiugong, and Duan Li.
"Sorry, we're late."
"That strange array prevented us from entering. This person's array skills are truly formidable."
"Qingyangzi, are you alright?"
Under the gaze of the three, Luo Chen smiled indifferently.
Before he could speak, a sound of fragmentation came from beneath his feet.
Amidst the rumbling, the small island exploded!
Countless waves surged, erasing all traces of the great battle.
Not only the island beneath their feet, but also the other six nearby small islands showed signs of anomalies.
Some shook with earthquakes, some had mountains collapsing, and there were even volcanic eruptions and animals fleeing in panic.
Boom!
The six small islands began to shatter, struck by the surging waves, breaking into pieces.
Witnessing this, everyone swallowed hard.
Their gazes towards Luo Chen became even more reverent.
Luo Chen sensed the changes around him, deep in thought.
"The earth energy of Seven Stars Island was interconnected by Mountain Lord Bai Zao. When one prospers, all prosper; when one falls, all fall. Under the absorption of my Mystic Dust Armor and his grand array, the earth energy was depleted, the spirit vein shattered, and even the continental plate suffered a devastating blow."
After understanding all this, Luo Chen no longer lingered.
With a wave of his hand, several streams of light in the sea flew towards him, including swords, mountains, a cauldron, and an unremarkable coin.
"Master, that old man isn't dead yet. His soul is lingering in his Golden Core."
Amidst the surging waves, Black King's figure rose and fell, emitting sounds of flattery.
Luo Chen glanced at him and waved his wide sleeves.
"Never mind him for now. Let's go to Purple Spirit Island; that's where the real business is!"
After saying this, he took the lead, flying towards the unfamiliar sea, now free of any array barriers.
Behind him, Lu Shan Jun and the other two exchanged glances, then silently followed.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
