Chapter 558: Great Dao Attained
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
"Whew!"
The Misty Rain Sword was extremely fast. As misty rain swirled around it, it went straight for Star Destruction's main body—the black cloud that spanned more than five thousand kilometers!
"Do you think you have what it takes?" The face in the massive black cloud let out a rapturous laugh.
"Kill!"
Qin Yun cast his strongest sword move, and instantly, the Misty Rain Sword's beam grew to a length of a hundred thousand feet. It was like a meteor that was streaking across the sky.
It was a burning meteor!
The Misty Rain Sword plunged into the black cloud and met with potent resistance. However, it still managed to tear through the dark, nebulous body. The blinding sword beam shone brilliantly within the boundless black cloud, leaving a wake of destruction as it kept probing deeper! It even managed to reach the middle where the glowing red face was. It penetrated the entire length of the black cloud and tore out from the other side!
However, the massive black cloud only trembled; it's aura did not undergo much of a change.
"A sword immortal's flying sword is indeed powerful. You even managed to injure me. However, I have been strengthening my body by consuming stars since I was born. Even if I allowed him free reign to attack me with his flying sword, I'll be able to last a few days. I'll definitely win!" Star Destruction was extremely confident after withstanding that single strike.
"This black cloud body is ethereal and isn't susceptible to physical force. When my sword slashes at the black cloud, it just disperses and forms again! Even my flying sword can only barely damage him. His body is so massive, he can just withstand my blows for a long time." Qin Yun was unable to determine the exact amount of time, but he could tell that Star Destruction could easily shrug off at least two hours of relentless attacks.
"I should try other moves."
The Misty Rain Sword cast various sword moves as it attacked the massive black cloud.
As for Star Destruction, he continued using his red stony arms that were cultivated through the spirit-devouring art while resisting Qin Yun's flying sword. His fingers were razor-sharp and they kept slamming down at the array formation's barriers. Every strike caused the array formation's barriers to quake and ripple to redirect the impact. However, it was evident that the array formation was on its last legs.
And in fact, things were getting worse.
"Chi! Chi! Chi!"
Not far away, an island in the sea which had an array flag embedded in it was trembling. The earth around it was rustling as the array flag's glow turned unstable. Even the array flag itself was swaying. The bright colors of the array flag gradually lost their luster and dimmed.
There were array disks embedded deep in mountains which trembled with every blow. Fine cracks slowly appeared on the stony peaks.
"Go!" Ancestral Master Zhang stood in midair as he assumed control of the eight major arrays. His potent Dharmic powers surged into the array formations in a bid to help maintain them. The eight array formations relied on the Heaven and Earth powers for operation, so even a ninth firmament Skyimmortal's Dharmic powers were insufficient for prolonged operations. The only thing they could do was delay the inevitable.
"Junior Brother Qin, problems are beginning to arise in the array formations' operations. I'm currently using my Dharmic powers to maintain the entire array, but it's not very useful. I can at most last another ten minutes." Ancestral Master Zhang's voice was anxious.
Qin Yun did not say a word.
Both he and Ancestral Master Zhang could control the array formations, so he naturally knew of the array formation's situation.
Damage had appeared in many places, to the point that it slowed the absorption of Heaven and Earth powers. Ancestral Master Zhang was just one person, so how long could he last?
…
In space, the Arhats and Heavenly generals were watching.
"In terms of strength, Qin Yun is very close to Star Destruction. However, Star Destruction's body is too powerful. Qin Yun's body is that of an Itinerant Immortal's, so it's extremely frail. This is also Qin Yun's biggest weakness. The outcome of this battle has been determined," said a Heavenly general with a shake of his head.
"Star Destruction is a black cloud born out of the Chaos. It had consumed so many stars and countless lives. Even if Qin Yun's flying sword is able to injure him again and again, it will take time to accumulate the damage. It will probably take half a month for Star Destruction to maybe die of attrition. Unfortunately, the Great Chang world's array formation can't even last an hour, much less speak of half a month."
"An hour? It's already about to be overrun."
"This Qin Yun's flying sword might not be able to kill the enemy, but it can protect him. It would still be easy for him to escape with some people."
"Unfortunately, the billions of lives in the Great Chang world will be devoured clean. Qin Yun has still failed to save his homeworld despite risking the tribulations and becoming an Itinerant Immortal. What a pity."
Everyone spoke their mind.
When it came to escaping…
The eighteen Arhats and the 108 Heavenly Constellation Earthly Wraiths could sacrifice treasures to hold back Star Destruction for a short period of time, allowing Qin Yun and a tiny number of people to flee.
Qin Yun had chosen not to flee, but to take on his tribulations early, solely to save everyone.
"Even if he is a sword immortal and with a very powerful flying sword… he's still weaker than Star Destruction." Yang Jian sighed while watching. Qin Yun was comparable to Star Destruction when it came to the offensive, but he was weaker in every other aspect.
In the entire Three Realms—
Many mighty figures were watching the battle across endless space. The experts from the Tenebrous Fiend Abyss, Heavenly Courts, as well as the Buddhists, dragons, and ancient demons all made judgments.
Unless something unexpected happened, the outcome was determined!
The Great Chang world was to be devoured clean!
Star Destruction's devouring was unlike the average spirit-devouring lineage cultivator. Not only would he devour the countless lives in it, he would even devour the entire planet!
******
Countless people in the Great Chang world looked up at the massive array formation barrier. They could also see the two gigantic red palms striking down again and again, in a bid to tear through the barrier.
People were horrified and panicking in the beginning.
But they gradually got used to it, since the barrier had lasted quite a while.
"This palm sure is huge. It's bigger than a mountain. Even the Imperial Capital city is only about the size of its finger, right?" A scion stood at his window with a beauty in his arms as he gazed far into the distance.
"Young Master, what powerful fiendish demon has such a huge pair of palms?" asked the beauty.
"Aren't you afraid?"
"I was in the beginning, but not now. I believe the various immortals and buddhas will be able to fend off that fiendish demon."
"I've read about records of fiendish demons in books, but I have never seen such a terrifying one before." The scion sighed. "But you are right. There will be immortals and buddhas to hold up the sky even if it crashes."
"What if they can't hold it up?" asked the beauty softly.
The scion's expression changed slightly. "It has to hold, naturally."
…
"Amitabha."
In Mahākāśyapa Monastery, the monks were all looking up in the sky.
Bodhisattva Mahākāśyapa was also watching this scene. He could see the terrifying palms from a distance away, and he knew that he would be pulverized even if he did go to help out.
"I hope Sword Immortal Qin and Daoist Divine Firmament can turn the tides of evil," said Bodhisattva Mahākāśyapa softly.
Against such a calamity, many of them Bodhisattvas, Skyimmortals, and Skygods were helpless. All they could do was rely on Qin Yun and Ancestral Master Zhang.
…
"Senior Sister, if this barrier fails to hold, the world would likely be annihilated. I can't think of anything else at a time like this. I just want to ask you, are you willing to be my wife? Will you be together with me in life and in death?" A middle-aged Daoist looked at a yellow-robed woman.
"Junior Brother Fu, you finally said it." The yellow-robed woman's eyes welled with tears. "I thought you would never ask. Of course."
"I don't care even if the entire sect curses me, or the entire world mocks me," said the middle-aged Daoist. He hugged the woman. "If death is the outcome, we shall die together."
The yellow-robed woman hugged the middle-aged Daoist as well.
At that moment, all they had in the world was each other.
…
While facing a calamity, the billions of lives had various reactions. Some kowtowed and pleaded for immortals and buddhas to protect them. There were people who revelled in pleasures while there were others who went mad and did things they usually did not dare to do. There were also others who faced it calmly, leading their days as they normally would.
"I have to stop him. I have to figure out an even stronger sword move."
"An even stronger sword move."
At that moment, Qin Yun was focused. He controlled his Misty Rain Sword as he attacked the massive black cloud relentlessly. While doing so, he pondered over methods to perfect his sword moves. How could he become stronger?
Now, his Itinerant Immortal Essence Soul was much stronger than before. Even while attacking with his full strength, his Essence Soul was still able to divert some attention to constantly ponder and infer.
"My Sword Dao can be divided into Heaven, Earth, and Man."
"The Heaven and Earth represent the universe and the cosmos. Man represents all living beings."
"My sword moves might contain the charms of space-time, the extreme void, or paramount emotions… My sword moves which truly fuse Heaven, Earth, and Man have always been imperfect."
"What am I lacking?"
As Qin Yun attacked, he pondered.
Suddenly—
"The array formation is about to crack!" Ancestral Master Zhang yelled in an urgent voice transmission. "Junior Brother, what do we do?"
"Pa!"
The array disks with the largest number of cracks began to shatter.
The array flags were also tearing apart.
The colorful barrier in the sky began to hum. Three layers of protections shattered, leaving behind two. The eight array formations combined together only had five layers of protection.
"Is it about to crack?"
Qin Yun was somewhat dumbfounded at that moment.
He had long imagined that this moment would come, but he refused to accept it. He had spared no expense to prevent it.
Even with his sword immortal Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation was extremely crude, he had still chosen to bring forward the tribulations. In order to fend off Star Destruction, he was even willing to be an Itinerant Immortal, but he had failed…
"The Great Chang world…" At that moment, Qin Yun's will covered the entire Great Chang's nineteen Prefectures.
Grand Dominance City!
Jiang Prefecture! Cloud Prefecture! Yuan Prefecture! Sha Prefecture! Jin Prefecture! Kong Prefecture! Kunlun Prefecture! Lu Prefecture! Snow Prefecture! Nether Prefecture! Lang Prefecture! Qin Prefecture! Shu Prefecture! Po Prefecture! Qian Prefecture! Yue Prefecture! Yi Po Prefecture! Dragon Mountain Prefecture! South Sea Prefecture!
The Great Chang's nineteen Prefectures had plains, mountains, forests, deserts and prairies…
Qin Yun had traveled this world in his youth.
This land contained countless people. They played out the myriad emotions of humans and repeated history. Was the Great Chang world about to be destroyed? Was the world about to be devoured clean?
"No."
Qin Yun turned back to look at the vast lands as his eyes welled with tears.
Qin Yun could not bear to separate from this land which had numerous lives tied to it.
Suddenly, Qin Yun's eyes lit up.
At that moment, the entire world fell silent. Even the two massive arms that were flailing from the black cloud seemed to turn silent. Countless people, who were looking up at the damaged barrier, had their horrified expressions freeze. Ancestral Master Zhang was still sending urgent voice transmissions! He was urging Qin Yun to make a decision. Were they escaping or not! Yi Xiao's anxious expression similarly froze.
Space-time turned still.
This land that he had entrusted his feelings to, and the countless people appeared in his mind.
Qin Yun was enlightened!
This was the Heaven and Earth!
This was Man!
This was his Sword Dao! A Sword Dao that belonged to him!
At that instant, he finally found his Great Dao.
"Great Dao attained!" Qin Yun beckoned with his hand. The Misty Rain Sword, which was still near the massive black cloud more than a ten thousand kilometers away, instantly tore through the void and appeared in his palm.
Even though the void had been sealed, the flying sword could still travel through it.
When it came to people like Perfect Sovereign Yang Jian, they could travel through space-time at a deeper level.