Ju Mang's Wood Realm Veils the Firmament, Five Directional Flags Impervious to All Arts

Bei Ming watched the Fighting spirit steaming around Ju Mang, a chill flashing through his eyes:

"Kill me? With you?"

Ancestor Wizards had always taken battle extremely seriously, never staging any fixed matches for the sake of social niceties.

Since Ju Mang kept saying he would let him survive only "a few moves," every strike would surely be aimed at taking his life.

But let alone the current Bei Ming—even the original Kun Peng was not someone a mere Ancestor Wizard could easily kill.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Ju Mang threw back his head and laughed. "Boy, it seems you have no idea how formidable an Ancestor Wizard is!"

"Fine." A cold gleam flashed in Bei Ming's eyes, his robes snapping in the wind. "Today, this Poor Daoist shall personally experience the abilities of an Ancestor Wizard!"

The moment his words fell, Ju Mang stomped through the void and lunged forward.

His fists clenched, he threw a straight punch that tore through the air. The Gang Wind carried by his fist force churned the Sea of Clouds across the heavens.

Bei Ming shifted slightly and used the Free and Unfettered Journey, his entire body seeming both real and illusory.

Ju Mang unleashed several savage punches in succession, yet he did not so much as brush the corner of Bei Ming's robe.

Orthodox Cultivators cultivated both life and nature; their Primordial Spirits and Physical Bodies improved in tandem, and they were hardly fragile weaklings.

It was only when compared with special races like the Wu Clan, born with a natural gift for tempering their Physical Bodies, that the gap in pure physical combat became so pronounced.

Bei Ming's slippery evasions, lightly drifting past every one of Ju Mang's wild attacks, only made Ju Mang's anger blaze hotter.

"Trash! Are you a loach?! All you know is how to dodge!"

Bei Ming was not the least bit annoyed. The corner of his lips curled as he teased, "Not quite a loach, but there really is some connection."

"You think you can keep dodging forever?!"

With that low shout, Ju Mang's aura abruptly surged.

Intense fluctuations of Wood Law erupted wildly from within him.

The air filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, yet beneath it lurked life force brimming with Killing intent.

The power of Ancestor Wizards had never been limited to flesh and blood. They also wielded law-based divine abilities.

"Wood Bending and Stretching!"

Ju Mang raised a hand and beckoned. The void rippled as countless verdant branches burst forth, shooting rapidly toward Bei Ming.

Bei Ming flicked his sleeve robe, sending several Claw Rays slashing down and instantly severing the approaching branches.

Yet the severed branches showed no sign of withering or dispersing.

Instead, surging life force poured from their broken ends. In the blink of an eye, new shoots sprang forth, transforming into even more branches that spread madly.

In an instant, green wood spread everywhere, obscuring the sun.

This stretch of high sky was completely sealed by branches and leaves full of vitality yet oppressive and chilling. The Firmament lost its radiance and became a dim green domain.

Such a disturbance naturally drew the attention of many Wu Clan members.

They wanted to move closer, to witness the divine might of Lord Ancestor Wizard with their own eyes.

Great Wizard Kua Fu stepped forward to block their path and shouted in a deep voice, "Lord Ju Mang has already made his move. The enemy is not to be underestimated. We need only watch from afar; do not approach and risk affecting the duel."

The Wu Clan's hierarchy was strict—Ancestor Wizards stood supreme, followed in order by Great Wizards, Wu Generals, and Wu Soldiers.

In Kua Fu's eyes, the Daoist opposite them had already become the Ancestor Wizard's prey. Without an explicit order from the Ancestor Wizard, they absolutely could not interfere on their own.

High in the air, Bei Ming moved through the layered sea of branches and lifted his gaze to survey his surroundings. "The vitality embodied by Wood Law is indeed impressive. But its destructive power is somewhat lacking."

"Heh heh!" Ju Mang sneered, the Fighting spirit in his eyes growing fiercer. "Lacking destructive power? Foolish Daoist, you know nothing about Wood Law!"

Before his words had faded, the branches filling the sky accelerated as they closed in, like countless green spears thrusting out in unison. A chain of sonic booms erupted.

Bei Ming turned his left hand over and brought forth the Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag.

As the flag waved, rippling waterlight transformed into a crystalline water shield that protected his entire body.

The ferocious branches crashed against the shield, sending dense ripples spreading across its surface, but they could not breach it in the slightest.

Bei Ming stood with his hands behind his back and smiled faintly. "Ju Mang, what was it I said just now? You are not enough."

The Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag was innately compatible with the Water Law he cultivated. In Bei Ming's hands, its power doubled, enough to dissolve an attack of this level.

Ancestor Wizards possessed truly formidable Physical Bodies, but Cultivators' Spirit Treasures made up for that gap.

If they encountered an Innate God holding a supreme treasure, even an Ancestor Wizard would find it difficult to gain an advantage in a direct clash.

Beside Ju Mang, azure light bloomed. "Wood Realm Descent!"

The branches all around seemed to answer some summons, swaying with a peculiar rhythm;

Behind Ju Mang, the phantom of an ancient towering tree slowly condensed. Its canopy spread wide, its roots coiled and wound, emanating a dense aura of wood.

"Bei Ming!" Ju Mang's gaze turned grim.

"So what if you hide inside that turtle shell? This Ancestor Wizard has ways to deal with you!"

Among the many laws mastered by the Twelve Ancestor Wizards, the Wood Law was not top-notch in direct destructive power;

Yet it possessed many other wondrous uses.

Bei Ming quietly watched Ju Mang's movements without the slightest hurry;

For him, this time venturing out was not merely to seek opportunities and supreme treasures, but also to broaden his horizons and expand his knowledge.

And exchanging blows with the top-notch experts of the Primordial Wilderness was an exceptionally precious experience.

If he wished to break out, Bei Ming could shatter Ju Mang's Wood Realm at any moment with the Hongmeng Measuring Ruler;

In fact, if not for the Merit of Opening Heaven and Great Luck borne by the Ancestor Wizards;

The moment Bei Ming harbored killing intent, Ju Mang would become a second Ice Soul Daoist.

With a supreme treasure in hand—one specifically meant for main attack—killing an Ancestor Wizard in a one-on-one fight was still possible with some effort.

At this moment, Bei Ming had already noticed that Ju Mang's Wood Realm was quietly changing;

As it rapidly gathered the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth from all around, it began a strange transformation.

First, the Wood Realm enveloped the surrounding space, drawing in the spiritual energy within it, transforming it, and then releasing it to form new spiritual energy.

This spiritual energy carried Ju Mang's unique aura, and other Cultivators simply could not absorb it;

As for what additional effects it concealed, that would have to wait for further observation.

Green light flickered in Ju Mang's eyes. "Bei Ming, I wonder whether this is confidence or arrogance on your part, to simply watch me complete the Wood Realm."

Bei Ming said lightly, "The wind-up on this move of yours is far too long.

In a real fight, it would be easy for you to suffer for it. Come, try mine—Returning Ruins Realm Phase!"

The domain opened. The Returning Ruins descended, layer upon layer overlaying the Wood Realm.

In an instant, the two sides began to contend for dominance.

Ju Mang felt pressure bearing down from all eight directions. The vitality within the Wood Realm was clearly suppressed within the Returning Ruins.

Bei Ming said calmly, "Even a giant tree that reaches the heavens can only end in silent extinction within This Seat's Returning Ruins."

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Ju Mang's forehead. A trace of gravity flashed through his eyes as he thought to himself:

This strange power! I can't drag this out any longer!

Immediately, Ju Mang unleashed his divine ability: "Divine Wood Condensation!"

In an instant, every part of space saturated by the Wood Realm's transformed spiritual energy fell into a state of solidification;

Even the dust in the air was fixed in place, and the flow of qi was forcibly stilled.

This was not a halt from the perspective of time, but an immensely powerful group-control divine ability.

On a battlefield, so long as no one restrained Ju Mang, he could easily plunge the enemy's core forces into a desperate situation.