Battle of Lu Ya

Xuanhuang pondered the chain of cause and effect, thinking over how all of this had come to pass.

Xuanhuang gave a bitter smile. There was simply no way to save him now.

Xuanhuang's true form was the Xuanhuang Qi, the color of Heaven and Earth. It understood even more clearly how formidable this earth spirit was, for it had to nurture countless living beings, bear untold hardships, and carry on innumerable civilizations.

These nine mountain ridges were the entire earth itself. How immensely heavy they were.

What else? What else had he failed to consider? There should still be a chance. Pangu was not one destined for an early death, otherwise the Great Dao would not have chosen him as the Chosen One. There had to be another chance, another way to save him.

At that moment, the three green lotuses above his head swayed, scattering a sheet of green light. Threads of coolness flowed into his heart, instantly calming Xuanhuang's somewhat frantic mind.

"Yes, the Chaos Green Lotus. It is Pangu's companion spiritual treasure. Though it has transformed into the barrier of Heaven and Earth, with all of us inside it, as long as I can stir it, I can surely borrow its power to escape this predicament."

Xuanhuang settled his mind and began to comprehend. Just as before, he entered the Chaos Green Lotus. Now, he had a medium through which he could communicate with it—the three green lotuses atop his head.

It was still a vast starry sky, with black as its eternal dominant hue and purple radiance drifting through it. The space inside the Chaos Green Lotus differed from the chaotic space it enveloped; it existed independently beyond it. Once someone evolved Heaven and Earth, it would merge with that new world. A bright mysterious-purple jade disc, faintly taking the shape of a lotus flower, was slowly evolving. It inhaled and exhaled purple light, growing a fraction more complete with every breath.

Xuanhuang recalled himself and sent forth a strand of Spiritual Sense. The purple jade disc did not reject it, and Xuanhuang was instantly shocked. He muttered, "A creation-born object... a creation-born object."

Within it lay all things beneath Heaven, the secrets of Heaven and Earth, and the path of evolution. Yet it had not fully formed, containing only some outline-like information. Even so, it left Xuanhuang astounded. Whoever could comprehend the mysteries within would become a Saint in but a moment. Though they would only be a Heavenly Dao Saint, that was still defying the heavens. So long as Heaven and Earth remained unchanged, pursuing the realm of Great Dao Saint would not be far off.

Xuanhuang also knew that this chaotic Heaven and Earth would be shattered by Pangu and remade anew.

Xuanhuang sighed at the jade disc. "Born at the wrong time."

Xuanhuang's Spiritual Sense continued searching through the Chaos Green Lotus. The Spiritual Sense Pangu had left within was the sole means of communicating with the green lotus.

Deep within the Chaos Green Lotus stood an azure palace. It rested upon a section of white lotus root, drifting through the endless void along with it.

Xuanhuang's Spiritual Sense swiftly caught up to the white lotus root. The instant it stepped onto it, a warm, cool sensation spread through its entire body. This white lotus root could nourish Spiritual Sense and strengthen it. Information regarding the Great Dao flowed into its Spiritual Sense.

Within the Exquisite Pagoda, Xuanhuang slowly pondered the meaning within it and let out a long sigh. Fate was not in one's own hands. Decisively, he gave up control over that strand of Spiritual Sense and merged one-third of his true form's Xuanhuang Qi essence into the three green lotuses within his body.

The azure palace emitted gentle green light, blocking all attempts at probing it. That strand of Spiritual Sense strode into the azure palace with its head held high, and within, it saw the most shocking sight of its life.

Xuanhuang's brows knitted tightly. The image transmitted by his Spiritual Sense had ended there. What exactly was inside that azure divine hall that had so stunned his Spiritual Sense?

At that moment, a green light shot out from the depths of chaos. The green light was incomparably gentle, yet it carried boundless divine might, easily piercing through the restriction Xuanwu had set down.

That green light flew straight toward Pangu.

"Hah!"

With a thunderous shout, the six mountain ridges suppressing Pangu began to rise slowly, lifting little by little.

Dao Lord Lu Ya was greatly startled and stammered, "What... what do we do?"

Great Immortal Yang Mei replied calmly, "This battle cannot be avoided."

Dao Lord Lu Ya said, "I understand. I'll add fuel to the fire for him."

"Mountains Collapse, Earth Splits!"

Above the mountain range sealing Pangu, nine phantom volcanoes appeared. Rolling black smoke rose from them, immediately filling the entire sky. Some constantly spewed columns of white steam. Thunderous rumbles rang without cease as shattered rocks crumbled from the mountainsides. Within them, the magma gradually swelled, endlessly bubbling with red blisters that formed and burst in an instant.

Scorching lava slowly rose, brimming with violent fire-element spiritual energy. The mountain range erupted, and earth energy surged skyward at once. Flame clouds coiled through the air, resembling soaring fire dragons, interwoven with explosions.

A single spark could ignite mountain stone and melt copper and iron into liquid. This Sea of Fire was like a brazier overturned from the heavens. The flames spread, igniting even the thin air.

Pangu's mouth went dry and his tongue parched. Though the flames did not injure him, the moisture in his body rapidly evaporated of its own accord. It was just like that scene in the Tai Xuan Illusory Realm.

Pangu knew he had to hurry. Otherwise, he would be smoked into dried meat, and that would not end well. These mountain ridges still had weak points: the places where the six grains of earth met. They had never been one whole, but had been forcibly layered together.

"Hah... rise!"

The mountain range pressing down on Pangu split apart. The crack that had already closed opened once more and continued widening.

More precisely, at this moment, the mountain had become a volcano. Flames poured into it along the fissure as well.

The scorching magma sought to pour itself into the ruptured gap and fuse it shut once more.

Pangu gave it no such chance. He stretched out his crimson arms and pushed them apart to either side.

With a crack, the fissure finally broke into two sections. Rolling currents of lava were already close to submerging half his body. Pangu swung a fist at the phantom volcanoes in the sky.

The nine volcanoes were like images in a painting. Struck by Pangu's force, they shattered with a crash, yet they did not vanish. Instead, they merged into a single drop of grayish-white liquid fire.

The fire droplet instantly set the surrounding void ablaze. This was the essence of fire. The Golden Crow Daoist's fire took its spirit; fire with spirit could transform all things, and the Golden Crow itself was a spirit born of fire. Dao Lord Lu Ya's true form, however, was the essence of Li Fire, taking its essence. When fire possessed essence, it would never cease and could endlessly create sources of flame.

Pangu said in a low voice, "If we are comparing heat, you are no match for me." His right eye widened, and a ray of brilliant light burst from within it. The power of utmost yang contained within immediately enveloped that drop of fire essence. Dao Lord Lu Ya was horrified. How did Pangu possess the utmost yang power of Heaven and Earth? He hurriedly recalled the fire essence, only to find, to his astonishment, that the drop of fire flew of its own accord toward the depths of chaos.

Pangu vaguely sensed that his Chaos Green Lotus had absorbed the fire essence. Frowning, he thought to himself, What exactly is this green lotus? I must uncover its secrets.

After freeing Xuanhuang, Pangu cupped his hands to him and said, "Many thanks, Daoist friend, for communicating with the Chaos Green Lotus and dissolving the might of Heaven and Earth within my body."

Xuanhuang said, "I only knew that a green light had come from the depths of chaos. I did not expect it to resist the might of Heaven and Earth."

Great Immortal Yang Mei said to Pangu and the others, "I know I am no match for you, yet I still wish to fight you fairly."

Pangu said, "As you wish."

Great Immortal Yang Mei said, "This Heaven and Earth have been damaged too severely. I cannot bear to see it, yet this battle between us cannot be avoided."

Dao Lord Lu Ya said to Great Immortal Yang Mei, "My battle with Pangu has only just begun. Daoist brother, please allow me to fight him first."

Great Immortal Yang Mei shook his head. "You are no match for him. Stay to the side and cover me."

Dao Lord Lu Ya said, "Daoist brother, you said that none of us are his match. Let me be the first to blunt his edge." He roared at Pangu, "We continue!" As he spoke, he drew out four ancient, unadorned treasure swords. They were neither copper nor iron. When Dao Lord Lu Ya had been born, Innate Li Fire had burned through a stretch of chaos, leaving behind four motes of matter within it. Seeing their value, Dao Lord Lu Ya continuously forged them within his body using the essence of Li Fire, until they finally became these four treasure swords.

Dao Lord Lu Ya said, "A sword originally has no name. Today, I swear: if immortals block my path, I will slay immortals; if gods bar my way, I will slaughter gods. From this day forth, it shall be called the Immortal Slaying Sword."

Three streams of Pure Qi surged from above his head. They were Lu Ya's Three Corpses, each possessing the strength of the original body, though the third corpse god was still incomplete. Each of the Three Corpses held a precious sword: one was the "Immortal Trapping Sword," one the "Immortal Slaughtering Sword," and one the "Immortal Ending Sword."

Dao Lord Lu Ya and his incarnations took their positions in the four cardinal directions, surrounding Pangu within.

With a flick of the Immortal Slaying Sword, Dao Lord Lu Ya unleashed countless strands of Sword Qi. The Sword Qi crisscrossed through the air, dense enough to blot out the sky, transforming into innumerable tiny swords that howled as they charged at Pangu.

As the Immortal Slaughtering Sword trembled, it boomed like thunder. A jet-black killing aura pierced through heaven and earth, crossing layer upon layer of clouds in an instant, shooting straight into the Ninth Heaven and breaking into the boundless chaos.

Immortal Slaying, Immortal Slaughtering, Immortal Trapping, Immortal Ending—the four swords split into four directions. Killing aura billowed, Yin Clouds coiled, Black Mist spread, and cold winds gusted. Endless lightning serpents churned as red light flashed, appearing and vanishing, rising and falling, shifting ceaselessly above and below.

A poem said: "Neither bronze nor iron, nor yet is it steel; beneath Mount Sumeru it was once concealed. No yin and yang reversed to forge its edge—could water and fire not temper its gleaming blade? Immortal Slaying cuts, Immortal Slaughtering ends; Immortal Trapping raises red light on every side. Immortal Ending holds transformations without limit; even Great Luo immortals shall have their robes dyed in blood." (Excerpt from Investiture of the Gods)

Pangu swung his fists, meeting ten thousand changes with steadfastness. After all, he still did not know the power of the Immortal Slaying Four Swords. His body was so formidable it could be called a chaos spiritual treasure; nourished by the Green Light of the Chaos Green Lotus, it had gained an added measure of pliancy. Perhaps he could withstand them. It was not that Pangu did not wish to use the Sky-Opening Axe—he needed to gather a little more strength. Outside the formation stood Yang Mei, whose true depth of power remained unknown.

Dao Lord Lu Ya said disdainfully, "You do not know whether you live or die. Witness the might of my Immortal Slaying Sword."

These tiny swords were all Chaos Sword Qi, capable of cleaving apart even chaos itself—how could they be taken lightly? The Sword Qi was indeed extraordinary. The moment Pangu came into contact with it, he realized this. As the Sword Qi churned, it felt like sharp blades pressed against his body. Sword Qi that his fists had failed to crush could actually slice open his skin.

The killing aura of the Immortal Slaughtering Sword was almost tangible, condensing into a massive black sword that cleaved down toward his head. The red Sha Qi could also slow one's mind and dull one's movements, while the Sword Qi of the Immortal Ending Sword could attack the Primordial Spirit.