Spirit Venerable Blocks the Way, Cleverly Seizing the Spirit Liquid

A pale green streak of light pierced the air, carrying the Power of Principle of Cycle of Life and Death. Wherever it passed, the spiritual herbs on the ground grew wildly to a hundred feet tall, their veins flowing with emerald-like spiritual light, as if inlaid with countless tiny stars. As the veins unfurled, faint whispers of life could be heard, the life murmurs originating from the very source of heaven and earth. But in an instant, those spiritual herbs withered and turned to ash under the Power of Principle, turning into dust that fluttered down, leaving not a trace of life, only a faint, lingering smell of burnt remains in the air. The extreme transformation between vitality and death caused distorted ripples in the surrounding space, like the surface of a lake tossed with pebbles. Even the specks of light of life floating in the air were torn apart by this power, flickering and crackling, as if they would collapse and dissipate at any moment.

Ren Xiaoyao's pupils contracted, a hint of solemnity flashing in his eyes. His Dao power hadn't yet recovered to its peak; the Yin and Yang Qi within his meridians were still subtly clashing, each flow accompanied by a needle-like sting. The Nine Dragons Fire Dao phantom in his dantian was dim and lifeless, its scales covered in fine cracks. Meanwhile, the Spirit Venerable's aura was powerful and profound, like an ancient, silent mountain, its oppressive force overwhelming, causing the surrounding air to stagnate—far surpassing the previous Profound Yellow Great Beetle. A direct confrontation was definitely not the best strategy. He slammed his foot down on the Profound Yellow Great Beetle's carapace. The carapace, as hard as the Profound Yellow Mother Stone, sank slightly under the weight, emitting a muffled hum. Using the force, it soared into the sky, its white robes fluttering wildly. The undried bloodstains on its sleeves were blown away by the wind, turning into droplets of blood that drifted away, tracing a poignant arc in the void. The Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe in its hand cleaved outwards, the Black and White Intertwined axe light tearing through the sky like a yin-yang river spanning heaven and earth. As the river surged, the Life and Death Qi intertwined, the Annihilation Power and the Power of Creation colliding and hissing, before crashing headlong into the green light.

"Boom--"

A deafening roar erupted, and the violent energy shockwave swept in all directions like a tsunami, uprooting ancient trees halfway up the Spirit Peak. Those towering trees, thousands of years old, with trunks so thick they required dozens of people to encircle them, their bark covered in twisted growth rings, witnesses to the ages of the Profound Yellow Realm, shattered inch by inch under the Energy Impact, turning into wood chips that scattered everywhere. Even the deeply buried roots were overturned, exposed to the air and rapidly withering, emitting a faint smell of decay. Ren Xiaoyao felt an overwhelming force surge through his axe, shaking him to his core. His blood surged, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood. He used the force to fly backward, his body retreating dozens of steps in the void. Each step created a tiny Space Cracks, from which Law Turbulence roared out, causing his robes to flutter wildly before he could finally regain his footing. The Xuanhuang Qi circulated rapidly around his body, like two light veils enveloping him, the warm aura slowly soothing his turbulent blood and qi. Yet, a trace of scarlet blood still spilled from the corner of his mouth, dripping into the void and instantly evaporated by the residual energy, leaving not a trace.

The Spirit Venerable's figure also paused in the void. His pale green Daoist robe fluttered without wind, the Living Beings Runes embroidered on his sleeves flickering erratically. These runes resembled intertwined vines or leaping flames, radiating an ancient and mysterious aura that subtly resonated with the life-giving essence of the entire Profound Yellow Realm. The green spiritual light surrounding him rippled outwards like water. He looked at Ren Xiaoyao, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. His voice, like the booming of an ancient bell, carried the majesty accumulated over the ages, causing the entire Spirit Peak to tremble slightly, and the spiritual liquid waterfall at the peak to ripple. "Bearing the Profound Yellow Mother Pearl and wielding the treasure of life and death, no wonder you dared to trespass into my Living Spring Eye. Unfortunately, today you will not be allowed to step out of this place!"

Before the words were even finished, the Spirit Venerable swiftly formed hand seals, his fingertips wreathed in wisps of green spiritual light. These lights pulsed like living things, sometimes coalescing into leaves, sometimes transforming into petals. The Living Being Laws around him surged wildly, transforming into countless green vines as thick as an arm. The surface of the vines was covered with fine thorns, shimmering with eerie green runes, containing the strange effects of Devour Vitality and Imprison Dao Power. Wherever they passed, even the void itself was carved with tiny cracks, emitting a hum that seemed unable to bear the weight, as if it would collapse at any moment.

"A trivial skill!"

Ren Xiaoyao let out a cold snort, unleashing the full power of his Nine Dragons Fire Dao within his body. Nine-Colored Flames flames rose around him, intertwining and swirling—red, purple, black, blue, gold, cyan, Primordial Chaos, and chaotic—forming a massive Flame Vortex. Within the vortex, waves of fire surged, exuding an aura that could incinerate everything. Even the surrounding temperature suddenly soared, the air distorted and crackled from the heat, emitting sizzling sounds. Distant rocks began to melt, slowly flowing into lava. The green vines, the moment they touched the flames, emitted a piercing scream. In an instant, it was burned to ashes, turning into specks of green light that dissipated. Before the scattered green light could even land, it was swallowed up by the Flame Vortex, leaving not a trace. At the same time, with a thought, the Profound Yellow Great Beetle Worm charged towards the Spirit Venerable. Its ten-thousand-foot body was like a moving mountain, its limbs Shattering the Void and emitting a muffled roar. Dark yellow Energy Torrent spewed from its mouth, mixed with countless tiny fragments of Profound Yellow Mother Stone. Each fragment contained the heavy power of the Earth Element Laws, and it rushed straight towards the Spirit Venerable's retreat like a meteor.

Seeing this, the Spirit Venerable remained unmoved. With a gentle wave of his left hand, a solid Green Light Barrier suddenly appeared. On the screen, Living Beings Runes flowed rapidly, forming an impenetrable fortress, radiating an aura of endless vitality. The Energy Torrent of the Profound Yellow Great Beetle crashed into the light screen, producing a deafening roar. The screen trembled violently, and countless cracks appeared on its surface, spreading like a spider web, yet it never broke. Within the cracks, new green life continuously sprouted, repairing the damage to the screen, restoring it to its original state in the blink of an eye. His right hand formed a hand Method Formula, and a highly condensed Living Being Sword Qi shot from his fingertips. On the sword aura, the forces of life and Sword Qi intertwined and entwined, carrying a piercing sharpness, shooting towards Ren Xiaoyao's brow like Meteor Chasing the Moon. Wherever it passed, the air was torn apart, emitting a sharp, ear-piercing sound.

Ren Xiaoyao's eyes sharpened as he dodged the Sword Qi. The Sword Qi grazed past his ear, severing several strands of Sword Qi hair that fell to the ground and turned to ash in mid-air. The Sword Qi's momentum didn't wane, piercing a long, thin crack in the void behind him. In the deep darkness, turbulent currents of Law Turbulence visible, emitting a chilling howl, like the gaping maw of a monstrous beast ready to devour its prey. At the same time, he held the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe horizontally in front of him. The Life and Death Qi life and death on the axe spun rapidly, transforming into a black and white defensive barrier. On the surface of the barrier, the Yin and Yang Qi intertwined, forming an indestructible fortress. The Sword Qi struck the barrier, producing a piercing metallic clang, sparks flying everywhere, dazzling and spectacular. Mars barrier trembled violently, and countless cracks appeared on its surface, yet it never shattered. Only the Life and Death Qi on the barrier dimmed slightly, and their flow slowed down.

A human, a Spirit Venerable, and a beast engaged in an earth-shattering battle above the Spirit Peak.

Ren Xiaoyao Primordial Chaos Fire Dao Heaven-Burning Emperor Formation and destroyed the earth. The Nine-Colored Flames resembled nine fiery dragons, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws. The dragons' eyes flashed with firelight, and their claws, with their destructive power, burned the Spirit Venerable's Living Being Laws of life. Wherever they passed, the green spiritual light sizzled and dissipated. The Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe's Power of Life and Death further restrained the Spirit Venerable's control over the cycle of life. Each collision caused a slight disruption to the Spirit Venerable's Principle, dimming the runes on his Daoist robes. The Spirit Venerable's Living Being Laws were equally formidable; every gesture he made could stir the primordial life force of the Profound Yellow Realm. He could transform into countless vines, densely covered with sharp thorns and carrying a deadly poison that Devour Vitality; once entangled, one would be drained of all life and energy. At times, he would condense into sharp Sword Qi Strength Cultivator surprise attacks, with the forces of life and death flowing within the Sword Qi energy, making it impossible to defend against. At other times, he would activate the Spiritual Qi of life to repair himself, his injuries healing at a visible speed, making him both Attack and Defense and defensive, leaving no room for error. He could even mobilize the spiritual energy of the Spirit Peak, transforming it into giant Stone Fist Stone Fist with Living Beings Runes, radiating a heavy aura, which would smash towards Ren Xiaoyao from all directions, the wind from the fists howling, making it impossible for Ren Xiaoyao to defend against.

The Profound Yellow Great Beetle constantly harassed him from the sidelines. Its attacks, a fusion of Earth Element Laws and Living Being Laws, while unlikely to inflict fatal damage on the Spirit Venerable, kept him occupied and unable to focus all his attention on Ren Xiaoyao. At times, it would burrow into the ground, stirring up clouds of dust and mist, which contained the illusionary power of the Earth Element Laws, capable of disturbing the soul and interfering with the Spirit Venerable 'Spirit Venerable perception, causing him to see multiple phantoms. At other times, it would burst out of the ground, lashing at the Spirit Venerable with its enormous tentacles. The Perception Runes runes on the tentacles shimmered with a ghostly green light, and each lash carried the power to Sky-Rending Strike, forcing the Spirit Venerable to divert his attention. Several tears appeared in his Daoist robe, revealing skin covered with runes beneath.

The battle lasted for a full half hour.

In the void, the aftershocks of energy crisscrossed, spreading like a spiderweb across Fang Yuan miles, leaving space riddled with holes. Turbulent Law Turbulence within, emitting mournful howls. Huge craters were blasted into the body of Spirit Peak, their bottoms churning with magma that emitted a scorching heat, melting the surrounding rocks into Glazed Ice state. Undissipated runes lingered on the Glazed Ice surface, shimmering faintly. At the foot of the mountain, the Spirit Liquid Pool surged with towering waves. The milky-white Living Beings Mist was Energy Impact, turning the once tranquil pools murky and the spiritual light within them dimmed. On the verge of death, as if their lives would be extinguished at any moment, Ren Xiaoyao's white robes were adorned with several more deep, bone-revealing wounds. Blood soaked his clothes, congealing into dark red scabs. Nearly seventy percent of his Dao power had been consumed, and the Nine-Colored Flames around him had dimmed considerably. The Nine Dragons Phantoms became indistinct once more, its body covered in cracks, as if it would collapse at any moment. Spirit Venerable's pale green Daoist robes also bore several scorch marks. His once ancient and simple face was now slightly pale, his breathing somewhat disordered, and a trace of barely perceptible blood clung to the corner of his mouth. Clearly, he too had suffered a great loss of energy, and the flow of the Living Being Laws around him had slowed down, his green spiritual light dimming further.

The two figures faced each other in the void, their gazes meeting. The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, and the aftershocks of their energy continued to collide, making a hissing sound. They were evenly matched.

"Outsider, our strengths are evenly matched. Continuing to fight will only result in mutual destruction." The Spirit Venerable's voice carried a hint of weariness, yet remained authoritative. He raised his hand to wipe away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, the green spiritual light at his fingertips flickering. He said in a deep voice, "Retreat immediately, and I can pretend this never happened."

Ren Xiaoyao's lips curled into a cold smile, a sly glint in his eyes. The reason he had been locked in a prolonged battle with the Spirit Venerable was not to determine a victor, but to distract him and create an opportunity for himself to seize the spiritual liquid. He was waiting for the moment when the Spirit Venerable would be exhausted.

"A lose-lose situation? Do you think I'd give you that chance?"

The moment Ren Xiaoyao's voice fell, he hurled the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe in his hand toward the Spirit Venerable. The axe's blade surged with Life and Death Qi, transforming into a black and white axe light hundreds of thousands of feet long. Within this light lay a world-destroying power; wherever it passed, space shattered, revealing the deep darkness within. Turbulent currents of Law Turbulence forth like a tide, fiercely slashing toward the Spirit Venerable.

Upon seeing this, the Spirit Venerable's expression changed drastically. He thought Ren Xiaoyao was going to fight to the death, and a trace of horror flashed in his eyes. He dared not be negligent in the slightest and hurriedly activated the Living Being Laws throughout his body. The green spiritual light around him surged and transformed into a huge green shield. Countless Living Beings Runes flowed rapidly on the shield, emitting a heavy aura. The runes intertwined with each other to form an impenetrable defense, doing everything they could to resist this attack.

The axe light collided with the shield with a deafening roar. The violent energy aftershocks swept in all directions once again. The Spirit Venerable's figure was submerged in black and white light. He had to use all his strength to activate the Principle to resist the erosion of the axe light. Even the hem of his clothes was scorched by the residual power of the axe light and turned into ashes. A look of pain appeared on his face.

Just as the Spirit Venerable's entire attention was drawn to the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe—

Ren Xiaoyao's figure suddenly transformed into a streak of crimson light. He poured all the remaining Dao power in his body into his speed, which surged to its limit. He swept through the void as if Teleport, and the air around him was rubbed together to create raging flames. His robes were burned and slightly curled up. He rushed straight towards the spiritual liquid waterfall at the top of Spirit Peak!

"Oh no! You dare to cheat!"

The Spirit Venerable finally reacted, roaring with fury and regret. The roar shook the entire Spirit Peak, causing the spiritual liquid waterfall at the summit to splash several meters high. Where the spiritual liquid fell, countless spiritual herbs instantly sprouted, lush and verdant. He tried to break free to stop them, but was tightly bound by the axe light of the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe. The Power of Life and Death within the axe light continuously eroded his shield, causing the runes on it to crumble, making it impossible for him to escape. He could only watch helplessly as Ren Xiaoyao's figure broke through the last barrier of the Living Spring Eye —the transparent barrier woven from countless Living Beings Runes. The moment the barrier shattered, it emitted a crisp sound, like Glazed Ice breaking. Countless runes vanished in green light, and Ren Xiaoyao's figure arrived unharmed before the spiritual liquid waterfall.

Ren Xiaoyao hovered above the waterfall, gazing at the Profound Heaven Living Spirit Liquid flowing with Seven-Colored Rosy Clouds, a glint of wild joy flashing in his eyes. Within the waterfall, the spiritual liquid was clear and transparent, each drop containing a rich life force. As it flowed, a faint seven-colored halo lingered, emitting a refreshing fragrance. The fragrance soothed his injuries and lessened the stinging pain in his meridians. Without hesitation, he summoned a pure white jade Jade Bottle, Jade Bottle from Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade jade, its surface smooth to the touch. Intricate Spirit Gathering Formation were engraved on its body, their patterns ancient and mysterious. Pointing the bottle towards the waterfall, he rapidly channeled his internal Dao power, unleashing a powerful suction force from within the Jade Bottle.

Splash--

The purest and most potent Profound Heaven Living Spirit Liquid poured into the Jade Bottle like a cascading Milky Way. The array on the Jade Bottle shimmered faintly, locking the liquid in place and preventing its dissipation. A layer of milky-white spiritual light enveloped the bottle, within which Living Beings Runes could be seen dancing, resonating with the liquid's aura. In no time, the Jade Bottle was filled to the brim, its surface gleaming with a warm luster and radiating a rich life force. Even the surrounding air seemed fresher, and the scattered points of life force, dispersed by the aftershocks of the energy, converged on the Jade Bottle like stars surrounding the moon.

"Enough!"

Ren Xiaoyao let out a low shout, flipped his wrist, and put away the Jade Bottle without daring to linger. He turned to look at the Spirit Venerable who was entangled by the axe light, grinned, and said with a hint of mockery in his voice, "Thank you for 'gifting' me the spiritual liquid, Spirit Venerable. If fate allows, we will spar again in the future!"

Before he finished speaking, he swayed and flew down towards the Spirit Peak. Seeing this, the Profound Yellow Great Beetle also quickly abandoned its attack, turned around and followed Ren Xiaoyao. Its ten-thousand-foot body rapidly shrank to a length of about ten feet, following behind Ren Xiaoyao and flying towards the Chaos Void. The moment its enormous body shrank, it brought up a gust of wind, scattering the wood chips on the ground.

As Spirit Venerable watched Ren Xiaoyao's departing figure, he trembled with rage, his roar echoing through the heavens and shaking the entire Spirit Peak: "Outsider! You just wait! I will repay this humiliation a hundredfold!"

He unleashed his full power, channeling the Principle, his body radiating a surge of green spiritual light to its peak. He then unleashed a powerful punch, the force of which contained the primordial life force of the Profound Yellow Realm, carrying World-Destroying Power that shattered the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe. The instant the axe light shattered, countless black and white specks of light scattered, revealing the true form of the Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe, which flew towards Ren Xiaoyao. He tried to give chase, but found that Ren Xiaoyao's figure had already transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the Space Barrier of the Profound Yellow Realm and disappearing into the Chaos Void, leaving only a faint crimson afterimage.

The Primordial Chaos Life and Death Axe, having lost the support of Dao power, transformed into a stream of light, chasing after Ren Xiaoyao's departing direction, and finally merging into his brow. There, black and white light flashed briefly before returning to calm.

In the Primordial Chaos, Ren Xiaoyao and the Profound Yellow Great Beetle moved swiftly, the Profound Yellow Realm behind them growing ever more distant. The Chaos Void's Law Turbulence constantly assaulted their bodies, but were blocked by the Xuanhuang Qi emanating from the Profound Yellow Mother Pearl, forming a sturdy protective shield. Above the shield, the Xuanhuang Qi flowed slowly, dissolving the Law Turbulence one by one.

Ren Xiaoyao held the Jade Bottle containing the Profound Heaven Living Spirit Liquid in his hand, feeling the rich life force within, a relieved smile appearing on his face. He uncorked the bottle, swallowed a few drops of the elixir, and the warm liquid flowed into his stomach, instantly transforming into a pure life force. Like a warm current, it flowed through his meridians throughout his body. Wherever it passed, Damaged Meridians were rapidly repaired, and fine buds sprouted from broken points. The disordered Dao power began to flow smoothly, and even the reversed Dao power showed signs of returning to its proper place. The intense pain in his chest also lessened considerably, and a faint light shone from the Nine Dragons Fire Dao phantom within his dantian.

"Profound Yellow Great Beetle, next, we'll find a secluded place to properly refine this spiritual liquid and completely solidify my Half Step Dao Ancestor realm!"

Ren Xiaoyao's voice carried a hint of anticipation as he looked up into the Depths of Chaos, his gaze sharp as a sword. There lay countless unknown worlds, countless fortuitous opportunity and dangers, and his Dao Path had only just begun.

On the Spirit Peak of the Profound Yellow Realm, the Spirit Venerable stared at the empty waterfall. The flow of the Profound Heaven Living Spirit Liquid within it had slowed to a mere thread, clearly indicating that Ren Xiaoyao had taken the majority. The once magnificent waterfall was now reduced to a trickle. His face was ashen, and the Living Being Laws around him surged wildly. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of the entire Profound Yellow Realm became violent at this moment. Dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, purple lightning like giant dragons weaving through the clouds, emitting deafening booms. Even the earth trembled slightly, and distant mountains began to collapse, tumbling down in a chaotic mess. He slammed his palm down on the Profound Yellow Mother Stone beside him, sending stone chips flying. The incredibly hard Profound Yellow Mother Stone was actually struck by his palm, leaving a huge imprint. His eyes blazed with killing intent, and his voice seemed to come from the Nine Nether Hell: "Outsider, if I ever see you again, I will grind you to dust!"

He raised his hand, and the green spiritual light surrounding him converged, transforming into a green jade slip. The jade slip shimmered with countless runes. He touched the jade slip with his fingertip, and it transformed into a stream of light, flying towards the depths of the Profound Yellow Realm. He said in a deep voice, "Send down the order: seal off all Space Passage in the Profound Yellow Realm, lay down a net of heaven and earth, and bring that outsider to justice!"

Streaks of green light spread from the Spirit Peak, reaching the entire Profound Yellow Realm.

A storm that will sweep across the heavens seems to be quietly brewing.

In the Chaos Void, a streak of light traveled swiftly.

Ren Xiaoyao's robes fluttered, and the Profound Yellow Mother Pearl hung between his brows. The faint dual energy emanating from it acted as an invisible barrier, Law Turbulence around him. The Profound Yellow Great Beetle shrank to about ten feet in length and followed closely behind. The Xuanhuang patterns on its carapace flickered erratically, and occasionally it would spew out a ray of earth-elemental spiritual light, which could break through the Chaos Turbid Qi blocking its path.

"Um?"

Ren Xiaoyao suddenly stopped and turned his gaze to a Rift Depths of Chaos.