The crimson-red wheel of flame, spinning rapidly on Shao Qingcheng"s palm, smashed towards the little island below, as if the sun itself was hurtling towards the earth.
Zhu Yi gazed at this scene with nonchalant calm, as beside him, Li Yuanfang asked quietly, "Second Senior…this, is the Heaven"s Gate"s Fire Wheel of Mars?"
"That"s right. Now, it is only activated by Shao Qingcheng"s own Mana and has not drawn upon the power of the star Mars, or else, its power would be even greater," Zhu Yi replied. "The Heaven"s Gate"s Solar Flare and Septem Brilliance Flame, despite not being included in the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires of the universe, are nonetheless extremely extraordinary. They are by no means inferior to the Great Thunderclap Temple"s Vairocana Pristine Cleansing Fire - one can say that they are two of the most fearsome fires below the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires."
"One can still make the argument that for the Septem Brilliance Flame, without drawing upon the ma.s.sive strength of the star Mars, its power is ultimately limited. However, the Solar Flare should never be underestimated - although it is not unmoving and una.s.sailable like the Vairocana Pristine Cleansing Fire, but its destructiveness is even greater."
Since they came to know about the existence of the East Heaven"s Gate, Zhu Yi and the other disciples all had a crash course on information about the Heaven"s Gate from Lin Feng. Therefore, Zhu Yi and Li Yuanfang both identified that Shao Qingcheng"s Abhijna was one of the secret spells of the Heaven"s Gate, the Fire Wheel of Mars.
Before the Celestial Sect of Wonders, in the entire history of human cultivation, the Heaven"s Gate was Sect that experienced the fastest rise of any Holy Land-level Sect, ever. In the span of mere thousands of years, it reached its apogee, synonymous with power and glory across the Divine Lands.
However, fast as its rise was, its fall came just as swiftly. After weathering, consecutively, the dethronement of the Emperor of Violence and the following War of the Two World, it eventually met its end, becoming the brightest falling star in the long history of the Divine Lands.
Apart from its many masters and numerous opportunities, the rapid, forceful rise of the Heaven"s Gate can also be attributed to this Sect"s style - determined and trailblazing, but also accepting of any and all. In the Grand Celestial World, be it human or Demon power, any powerful mantra or spell will draw their interest, broadening their minds and igniting inspiration, leading to the creation of one incredible Abhijna and spell after another.
Powerful magic that drew upon the ma.s.sive strength of the stars and planets, for example, attracted the attention of the Heaven"s Gate, with the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crus.h.i.+ng Formation, one of the greatest Demon formations, and the Xian Heaven Holy Stellar Light in the Great Void Sect"s Great Void Nine Heavenly Spells being foremost among them.
After that, the masters of the Heaven"s Gate ceaselessly pondered and studied them, and, with their own Great Heavenly Mantra as the base, they created the Celestial True Spell of the Nine Planets. It also called on the power of the Nine Planets of the Heavens; what"s more, it was not a formation, but a spell.
The Fire Wheel of Mars, having been cultivated to its limit, could stimulate and call upon the power of the planet-star Mars, with the results being literally earth-shaking.
However, casting such a spell with an individual"s power was much more difficult than drawing on the great power of the stars with the aid of a formation.
Even until the ultimate destruction of the Heaven"s Gate, its Celestial True Spell of the Nine Planets still has not been completed. The two dark planets - Rahu and Ketu - could not yet be activated, so strictly speaking, this spell should instead be called the Celestial True Spell of the Seven Planets.
However, according to the conception of the old masters of the Heaven"s Gate, if the Abhijnas for the last two planets were to be completed as well, then, with the simultaneous activation of the Abhijnas of the Nine Planets, one could utilize tremendous power almost on par with the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crus.h.i.+ng Formation with the spell of a single individual.
The strength of the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crus.h.i.+ng Formation was affected by the treasures used in the set-up; the Celestial True Spell of the Nine Planets, too, was affected by the level of cultivation of the user. However, if it was to be used by the top masters of the Heaven"s Gate, it would hardly be inferior to the perfect version of the Nine Luminaries Heaven-Crus.h.i.+ng Formations.
"Who knows how many of the Celestial True Spell of the Seven Planets have been inherited by the East Heaven"s Gate?" Zhu Yi gazed, calmly, at Shao Qingcheng"s Fire Wheel of Mars as it landed on the surface of the illusion atop the island. However, it did not attempt to brute-force its way through with the force of impact or explosion; instead, the wheel of fire rapidly spun, gradually wearing down the strength of the illusion.
Zhu Yi wasn"t propping up his feet either; as he formed an arcane gesture with his fingers, the giant turtle illusion above his head fell towards the island as well.
None of the six would reveal their trump cards - that would only benefit the others at one"s own expense. However, no one could stand back and use the others as cannon fodder either - or else, none would shed a tear when the rest allied together and expelled you after the illusion opened.
Everyone was a part of this gentleman"s agreement, with Zhu Yi being no exception either.
As it fell, the giant turtle was continuously expanding in size; in the end, it grew to almost the same size as the entire island. It simply lay on the surface of the illusion and moved no further.
However, the eyebrows of Shao Qingcheng, the Tidal-Watching Sword Elder, the Red Dragon King, and the rest all twitched simultaneously. All of them could clearly sense that, being pressured like this by the giant turtle, the island illusion was gradually becoming dormant, as if falling into a deep sleep.
The activity of the illusion"s power was declining; internally, the circulation of spiritual energy continuously slowed, until it was almost still.
The countless runes that formed the pattern of the Eight Trigrams on the back of the giant turtle began to flash incessantly as well. Arcane power and Concepts began stirring as they continuously derived the transformations of the illusion, identifying the nature and weaknesses of the illusion as well.
At this instant, to everyone, the illusion on the island was no longer a mystery at all. Once an illusion"s mirages and transformations were disrupted and its true nature revealed, not even Nascent Soul, Aurous Core or Foundation Establishment cultivators would fear it, not to mention these Immortal Soul cultivators.
Now, even the Vivant Joy Holy Man glanced at Zhu Yi with surprise. "No wonder he dared to challenge the Immortal Soul Shao Qingcheng with Intermediate Nascent Soul cultivation…such power and Mana is truly outstanding."
The eyes of the Tidal Sword Elder, the Red Dragon King, and the Solar Sage flashed slightly as well. Although Zhu Yi was the last to make his move, but it was this Intermediate Nascent Soul junior who was most crucial in breaking the island illusion.
However, once the illusion was destroyed, the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand on the island was naturally released from its predicament as well. Flas.h.i.+ng a green shadow across the sky, it was about to open the Void and escape.
The Solar Sage first let out a long roar; turbulent black fog obscured the sky as he revealed his true Sun-Swallowing Condor body and surrounded the green shadow.
The green shadow darted and sprinted around, but was nonetheless unable to penetrate the black fog and escape - without reaching Mahayana realm, magic treasures without a master were unable to use the full extent of their strength. At this instant, facing the Solar Sage, it was left without any power to resist.
The others, however, would never sit and watch the Solar Sage leave with the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand. Waves rolled and glimmered in the eyes of the Tidal Sword Elder like a stretch of the immensely azure sea, as the faint roar of the tide emanated from within his pupils.
The next moment, a streak of blue sword radiance shot out from the Tidal Sword Elder"s right pupil. Sweeping up an enormous tidal wave, it slashed into the black fog surrounding the Solar Sage"s body.
Furious, the Solar Sage refused to yield; as the black fog suppressed the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand, it enveloped the blue sword radiance.
The Tidal Sword Elder made a guiding sword gesture with his fingers. The azure sword brilliance has already transformed into a flying sword radiating brilliance; s.h.i.+mmering with a blue glow and with the sword resonance seamlessly weaved into the sound of the tide, it swerved agilely in the black fog, encompa.s.sing the immense power of the bottomless seas as it blasted through the Solar Sage"s black fog.
Simultaneously, below, the tides surged in the limitless oceans around the island. Echoing the sword of the Tidal Sword Elder, countless streaks of watery swords rose into the sky as they shattered the Spatial dimension, attacking the Solar Sage together with the Tidal Sword Elder"s magic treasure, the Oceanic Tide-Raising Sword.
"As annoying as the Sea Dragon Clan." The Solar Sage"s expression changed slightly.
On the vast oceans, doubtlessly, the Sea Dragon Clan and the Vast Sea Sword Cultivators had an immense home-ground advantage. Vast, inexhaustible deposits of Water Elemental Spiritual Energy - this sort of home-ground advantage was so great as to be able to influence the results of the battle.
Left with no choice, the Solar Sage was forced to abandon the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand first and concentrate on defense, and was only then able to successfully neutralize this wave of attacks from the Tidal Sword Elder.
However, before the Tidal Sword Elder could retrieve the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand, a streak of lightning flashed past and already swept up the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand - the Red Dragon King has made his move.
The Dragon King laughed thunderously. "You can stop the Sun-Swallowing Condor, but you can"t stop me!"
The green-purple thunderbolts radiated outwards, completely unconcerned with being surrounded by the Tidal Sword Elder"s watery swords. The Red Dragon King"s Eight Barrens Divine Lighting shattered one watery sword after another as he swept up the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand and was about to escape.
"Red Dragon King, please do not take your leave yet," The Vivant Joy Holy Man smiled slightly. Although not on the best of terms with Shao Qingcheng and the Tidal Sword Elder, but they were all humans, after all, and the Ying Sea Pa.s.sage was located in the human world of the Divine Lands. If the Yingzhou Celestial Mountain was to be obtained by the Demons, it would not look good for any of them.
Numerous green vines appeared in the air, blocking the Red Dragon King"s path. The Red Dragon King, controlling the Eight Barrens Divine Lighting, shattered one vine after another.
However, it seemed as if there was no end to the green vines; some of the vines were destroyed, but the other ones that did not feel the direct force of the thunderbolts, instead, grew even more rapidly as if being nourished.
After being hindered by the Vivant Joy Holy Man like this, the Red Dragon King was no longer able to walk away. Above his head, Shao Qingcheng"s Fire Wheel of Mars was already hurtling straight at him with devastating force.
The Red Dragon King let out a snort; as lightning flashed across his body and the roars of the dragon resonated across the sky, he showed his true body and transformed into a kilometers-long purple-scaled Celestial Dragon. Across his entire body, scales opened and shut; the power of his thunder grew even stronger as he forcibly withstood Shao Qingcheng"s Fire Wheel of Mars while continuously destroying the millions of trees created by the Vivant Joy Holy Man"s spell.
"The best of the Dragon Clan are truly remarkable," Shao Qingcheng said calmly as she made a guiding arcane gesture with her right hand. Instantly, the sky above began to waver like ripples in a pond.
The sky appeared as if an illusory crack was torn in it; in the crack, a sea of stars s.h.i.+ned and flickered.
Within them, a fiery red star glowed brighter and brighter, and its size appeared larger and larger as well, giving the illusion of smas.h.i.+ng downwards, closer and closer to the people below.
Yinghuo - Mars, one of the Nine Planets of the Heavens!
The power of Mars"s starlight was projected onto Shao Qingcheng"s Fire Wheel of Mars, which instantly strengthened her Abhijna as it continuously shattered the Red Dragon King"s protective Eight Barrens Divine Lightning.
The clash of thunder and fire caused unceasing explosions; the skies above the island was enveloped completely in lightning and flames.
Despite his ferocity, the Red Dragon King still felt considerable pressure withstanding the attacks of the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Shao Qingcheng alone, especially since he still has to divert energy to suppressing the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand.
Left with no choice, the Red Dragon King was also forced to abandon the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand first and concentrate on handling the attacks.
The Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand changed hands yet again as the Tidal Sword Elder, in a streak of blue sword brilliance, charged straight at it.
Shao Qingcheng"s eyes flashed; as she controlled the Fire Wheel of Mars with her right hand, her left hand formed a different arcane gesture. Extreme coldness, as if from the depths of the Netherworld h.e.l.l, diffused outwards, immediately blocking the Tidal Sword Elder"s Vast Seas Way of the Sword.
Celestial True Spell of the Seven Planets, Abhijna of Chenxing - the Water Planet Mercury, Deadly Ice Billow of Mercury!
With this spell, Shao Qingcheng did not at all fear the home-ground advantage of the Tidal Sword Elder.
In the span of seconds, the Immortal Soul masters were engaged in a pitch battle; meanwhile, at this instant, Zhu Yi, controlling the giant turtle projection, hurtled downwards as well towards the Green Gla.s.s Jade Stand.
A cold glare shot from Shao Qingcheng"s eyes. "Junior, you really dared to come?"
Zhu Yi, calm and unhurried, said, "Shao Qingcheng, then let me see how much of the Heaven"s Gate did your East Heaven"s Gate inherit? The Celestial Spell of Elusiveness is fragmented…let"s see if the other Abhijnas are complete?"