Chapter 1044: Challenging the Limits
Xiang Shaoyun had learned a lot from his fight with Dugu Qiubai. And coupled with the awakening of his combat experience from his previous life, he had a feeling his limits had been raised to an entirely new level. Using the yin and yang energies, he formed the Yin Yang Diagram and cleanly redirected Qin Junling's attack.
"Impossible! How can this little bastard be so strong? Even if he cultivates yin and yang, he is not supposed to be able to skip so many stages and fight me," Qin Junling said to himself in disbelief. He continued attacking with all his strength, refusing to believe that he wouldn't be able to take down Xiang Shaoyun.
With the soul foundation and Yin Yang Diagram active, Xiang Shaoyun soared into the sky. The energy under his control changed from a defensive mode to an offensive mode.
Golden fury.
Instantly, two energies of red and gold appeared. The crimson flame energy fused with the shiny gold energy, creating a reddish-gold dragon that roared as it charged forward with a terrifyingly destructive might. The only thing Qin Junling's attack could do was achieve a standstill with the reddish-gold dragon. He couldn't smash through it despite his cultivation level.
"It is impossible for someone to be so scary even after cultivating so many different powers!" roared Qin Junling. He finally decided to use his ultimate technique.
Celestial Bloodlust!
His killing intent rose, and a boundless power rose from his soul foundation. A sense of bloodlust filled his surroundings, and his halberd transformed into a tiger. He sent numerous halberd energies out, and it was as though the very sky was going to be pierced through.
As an eighth-stage Soul Foundation Realm expert, Qin Junling's strength was naturally not something that one could underestimate. It was especially true when he was fighting with all his strength since he could match even a ninth-stage Soul Foundation Realm expert in a battle.
Xiang Shaoyun immediately felt a massive pressure, a pressure that gave him a sensation that his opponent was one he couldn't contend against. His instincts were screaming at him to retreat.
How can I even think of retreating? He is but an eighth-stage Soul Foundation Realm cultivator. If I can't even defeat him, I should forget about revenge, thought Xiang Shaoyun. He gathered his battle intent and fused the energy in his astral cosmos sea with his soul foundation. The primal inception energy swirled around him, turning him into a war god as he charged Qin Junling.
Cosmos Dao Destroying Fist!
The battle between Soul Foundation Realm cultivators was not as simple as a clash of energies. It was also a clash of soul foundations. If one had powerful energy but a weak soul foundation, one might still suffer defeat.
A clash of battle techniques was a clash of combat strengths, while a clash of soul foundations was a clash of souls. The two aspects would complement each other, and a Soul Foundation Realm cultivator had to use the two together in order to fully display the might of this cultivation realm.
Generally speaking, one would require some time to adapt with the soul foundation after breaking through before one could fully display the realm's might, but Xiang Shaoyun was no regular person.
His soul power had reached a level comparable to a ninth-stage Soul Foundation Realm cultivator's. He was more than capable of steering his soul foundation. After gaining full control over one's soul foundation, one could easily incorporate it into one's overall combat strength.
The pressure emanated by Xiang Shaoyun's soul foundation was no weaker than Qin Junling's. Thus, it was impossible for Qin Junling to suppress Xiang Shaoyun with the pressure of his soul foundation. In terms of combat strength, Qin Junling was slightly superior. However, after Xiang Shaoyun used his primal inception energy, he was able to unleash an unimaginable strength.
The two energies clashed fiercely and created a world-shaking explosion. The people fighting in the area were all given a fright. They hurriedly distanced themselves from the two. After all, the clashing energies were beyond what they could withstand. After a series of collisions, Xiang Shaoyun was pushed into a defensive position.
Multiple wounds had appeared on his body, but they were all superficial wounds that couldn't pose a threat to his life. As for Qin Junling, a fist imprint could be seen on his body, with blood spurting out of his stomach endlessly.
As a first-stage Soul Foundation Realm cultivator, Xiang Shaoyun was able to fight an eighth-stage Soul Foundation Realm cultivator to a standstill. If word of this spread, it would be enough to shock the entire dominion.
One ought to know that, although the various prodigies of the world could most certainly fight those of higher cultivation levels, if any of them fought a Soul Foundation Realm cultivator of this level, there would still be a clear gap between the two. However, Xiang Shaoyun was able to fight someone seven stages above him without suffering defeat. No word could accurately describe just how powerful his combat strength was.
This level of strength was perhaps the result of surviving the competition of the four academies and awakening the memories of his previous life.
After a few more clashes, Qin Junling started feeling fearful.
He had thought that he would be able to easily capture Xiang Shaoyun, but he came to a realization just how wrong he was. Even though Qin Junling had brought 200 people, Xiang Shaoyun would still be able to stay or leave as he wished.
All around Qin Junling, the 200 people he had brought were being killed as well. They weren't able to obtain any sort of advantage.
Among the people Xiang Shaoyun had brought with him, Little White, the turtle, and the toad were displaying terrifyingly monstrous strength.
Little White was undefeated with his white tiger abilities. His roar was able to reach anyone's eardrums and penetrate their hearts, filling them with fear before he finished them off. He also had numerous Demon Sovereigns with him. The Demon Sovereigns were exceptionally cruel and vicious in fights, filling their current opponents, the Di Sect members, with fear.
There wasn't even a need to mention why the toad and the turtle were so terrifying. They were peak Demon Sovereigns, and they could easily crush the Di Sect members without even reverting to their original forms.
As for Ye Chaomu, after killing Qin Shiling, she did nothing. She stood there silently and watched on as Xiang Shaoyun fought, constantly ready to jump in at the moment he seemed to be in any sort of danger. But when she witnessed his strength, she discovered that she had been worried over nothing.
I did not expect big brother to be so strong already. He might already be stronger than even me at my full strength, thought Ye Chaomu in a gratified manner.
She had always been the stronger one, so she felt happy for him when he was finally displaying a strength that was definitely no weaker than hers.
"Sacred elder, what are you still waiting for? At this rate, all of us will die!" shouted Qin Junling, not daring to wait any longer.
Right after he shouted, a bloody body crashed into the ground.
"So this is your sacred elder? He's worthless," remarked the middle-aged man Ye Chaomu brought from the sky above.
Qin Junling stared at the sacred elder whose neck was broken, and fear instantly filled his eyes. Without any hesitation, he started fleeing. These people were way too terrifying.
"Can you even escape?" Xiang Shaoyun sneered as he sent out his soul clone. A bow appeared in the clone's hands, and an arrow was instantly unleashed.