There were several people on the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, all of them full of vigor as they were all of the lineage of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory's Phoenix Ritual Mountain's Wutong Slope.
At the head of the crowd sat a person. His entire body was surrounded by multicolored light and clouds.
Crimson fiery light formed a halo around this person.
The fiery light that suffused the surrounding heavens and earth was all emitted from this person.
Seeing this person, the pupils of the Southeastern Swordsmistress, Lin Hanhua and the others dilated slightly.
The person before them was precisely the ruler of the southern Blazing Heaven Territory, one of the World beyond Worlds' Ten Exalts and the Lord of Phoenix Ritual Mountain's Wutong Slope, Zhuang Shen.
His features were lean and rather handsome as he appeared to be around thirty years of age. However, he had snow-white hair that was combed into a simple bun.
He bore a fifty to sixty percent resemblance to his son Zhuang Chaohui.
Because he was too young, he looked more like brothers than father and son.
However, the terrifying fluctuations of power that enveloped the heavens sufficiently told everyone that his strength far surpassed that of Zhuang Chaohui's.
The Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen sat calmly on his chair, looking mildly at those of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory before him.
Within the sky, Lin Hanhua was expressionless as his sword was entangled by the phoenix flames.
The sword in his hand trembled, the sword-light seemingly suddenly splitting into two.
Above the sky, there seemed to be two streaks of starlight flickering as well, resembling the horns of an azure dragon as they wielded the power of spring and life while also breaking through battle and killing with an overwhelming baleful aura!
The head of the Eastern Seven Mansions of the Twenty-Eight Constellations of the Heavenly Star Realm, the Horn Constellation of the Horn Dragon!
The azure dragon struck out with its horns, struggling mightily as it broke free of the restraints of the flames.
Lin Hanhua's sword-light shot out, the Horn Constellation first before the Kang Golden Dragon, the Root Earth Raccoon, the Room Sun Rabbit, the Heart Moon Fox, the Tail Fire Tiger and the Water Leopard of Winnowing Basket followed suit as the Azure Dragon of the East attacked simultaneously!
The sharp sword-light and the majestic starlight converged, transforming into a massive dragon that resembled a river of stars.
The roar of a dragon that shocked the heavens resounded as the Azure Dragon of the Stars counterattacked that fiery phoenix that resembled a sovereign descending between the heavens and the earth!
The Southeastern Swordsmistress simultaneously formed a single sword technique, the Kui Wood Wolf, the Lou Gold Dog, the Stomach Earth Pheasant, the Sun Rooster, the Moon Crow, the Fire Monkey and the Water Ape of the seven Constellations of the White Tiger.
The sword-light and the starlight transformed together into a ferocious white tiger that was filled with killing intent.
The other two experts of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory who were at the ninth level of the Martial Saint realm mustered their remaining courage as well, each unleashing a powerful move as they attacked the fiery phoenix together.
The Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen did not move from his seat atop the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel as he formed a sabre with his right palm, chopping three times amidst the air.
Within the sea of fire, three more fire phoenixes flew out and merged with the first one, fighting against Lin Hanhua and the other three.
The Southeastern Sword Granny let out a long cry. Her sword aura trembled like the fire phoenix and suddenly changed.
The Seven Mansions of the White Tiger in the west became the Seven Mansions of the Black Tortoise in the north.
The Milky Way in the sky seemed to transform into a real river, descending from the sky and instantly suppressing the Fire Phoenix!
But very quickly, wisps of yellow smoke appeared around the Fire Phoenix, giving off an incomparably heavy and vigorous feeling, as if it was the earth that could bear the weight of the heavens.
The earthen yellow smoke appeared, instantly suppressing the Black Tortoise formed from the Southeastern Swordmistress' Starlight Sword Intent.
Five Virtues True Meaning, Meritorious Thick Earth!
Boundless merit, mending the heavens and extending the Dao.
When used for protection, it was continuous and unbreakable, impervious to all kinds of evil.
When released outwards, one's strength would be tough as enemies would be hard pressed to dispel it, forming an all-conquering, all-conquering momentum.
The other three fire phoenixes had all vanished now, only leaving behind this fire phoenix that was protected by merit.
As the fire phoenix that was garbed in the thick soil of meritorious virtue coiled within the air, not just the Southeastern Swordmistress, even the attacks of Lin Hanhua's trio were defeated!
"One must know when to advance and when to retreat." Atop the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, Zhuang Shen extended his hand and pressed down amidst space, "You must know that if you walk the path to your own death, even the sages would be hard pressed to save you."
The fiery phoenix descended, temporarily letting Lin Hanhua and the Southeastern Swordmistress pass as it attacked those two longtime residents of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory.
Now, however, space suddenly split open high up in the sky, specks of starlight flickering within.
Each and every star was as bright and dazzling as the sun in the sky at this moment, illuminating all.
The heavens and earth before them had never been so close to the true starry sky before.
The numerous stars in their respective orbits seemed to be right beside them.
On the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen's gaze hardened as he finally turned serious, "Cao Jie, you've actually arrived?"
Up in the sky, 28 thick beams of light fell at the same time.
The twenty-eight Lunar Mansions of the various heavens shone together, transforming into twenty-eight sword-lights that pierced through the heavens and penetrated the earth, descending into the Royal Reed Sea of the World Higher Worlds as they all pointed towards that fiery phoenix.
Zhuang Shen stood up from his seat, standing at the bow of the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, substituting sabre with his palm as he slowly chopped out with it.
The fire phoenix let out a clear cry, gave up on Lin Hanhua and the others, and flew straight up into the sky.
In the process of ascending, endless flames converged on the body of the phoenix.
The phoenix's body didn't grow larger, but its power became more condensed.
The thick soil of virtue, the blessed purple light, and the White Qi of Nether Virtue appeared together.
Apart from that, there were also faint ripples spreading out. Wherever the ripples went, it was as if a saint had descended, untouchable by all techniques.
It was the Holy Virtue Ripple.
Apart from the rosy mist of virtue, the Fire Phoenix had four virtues added to its body, flowing with dazzling light. It was as if it had transcended the world, undying and indestructible.
The brilliant sword-lights formed by the twenty-eight constellations gathered in one place and landed on the phoenix's body.
As the sword-light circulated, the World beyond Worlds seemed about to be torn apart.
Seeing that sword-light descending from the sky, those of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory all heaved sighs of relief.
"Junior apprentice-brother Cao has finally arrived," The Southeastern Swordsmistress sheathed her sword, regaining the appearance of a white-haired old woman.
Lin Hanhua asked, "Has the Brocade Emperor interfered?"
The Southeastern Swordsmistress nodded slowly, "It looks like the Brocade Emperor has finally returned to the World beyond Worlds from extradimensional space, being able to obstruct the Heaven Emperor in time."
Up in the sky, amidst the sea of stars, a purple-clothed man appeared, his eyes like bright stars whilst also resembling sharp swords.
The lord of the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory, the Southeastern Exalt Cao Jie!
The Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen gazed expressionlessly at Cao Jie up in the sky as he left the Riding Wind Heavenly Vessel, slowly rising into the air.
That phoenix bolstered by four virtues flew back to his side, merging with his figure as it instantly grew even more majestic.
Even as the sword-lights of the twenty-eight constellations descended together, they would still be hard pressed to move him in the least.
Bolstered by five virtues, he was impervious to myriad tribulations and could be destroyed by the heavens and the earth.
Protected by the four virtues, Zhuang Shen's defensive power had already reached a shocking level.
He looked calmly at Cao Jie, "I have unceasingly gathered the true intent of the five virtues throughout my life. Now, I am only a step away from attaining perfection. Knowing this, you still accepted that Tang Yonghao as your disciple. Could it be that you are intentionally making things difficult for me?"
Cao Jie said in an indifferent tone, "Whoever I accept as a disciple in the southeastern Yang Heaven Territory is my business."
Saying thus, he formed a sword seal with his finger, pointing towards Zhuang Shen down below.
"Tang Yonghao is my disciple. You want me to hand him over? Zhuang Shen, who do you think you are?"
Purple light surged within Cao Jie's eyes as the sea of stars in the sky shook once more where his sword seal passed.
Countless stars circulated as streams of purple qi suffused the heavens and the earth, originating from the distant Heavenly River as they bolstered Cao Jie.
A purple sword-light appeared at Cao Jie's fingertip.
Where the sword-light passed, Zhuang Shen's four virtues instantly began to collapse! (To be continued.)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
