The two had fought, and their clash had lasted far longer than an instant.
Their standing was so exalted that they had locked down the time and space of this realm. To outsiders, it seemed only an instant had passed. The two still stood where they had been, without the slightest sign of anything amiss.
In truth, they had already exchanged blows several times. The confined space had annihilated every shockwave their clashes produced, so onlookers thought neither had moved from beginning to end.
Thus, the two seemed to have emerged unscathed after a single instant.
In fact, they had fought repeatedly, and every shockwave from their clashes had been annihilated within that space.
To outsiders, neither seemed to have moved at all.
You sensed that everyone, yourself included, had just been frozen in place.
Jiao Xiu looked at Qiu Zanghai with a smile. "I'm fortunate to have witnessed your divine abilities today, Fellow Daoist Zanghai."
Qiu Zanghai's expression remained calm. "They still fall short of an orthodox Five Virtues Fruit Status."
"It's a pity the Great Sun and Grand Yin Traditions, which govern the passage of time, are hidden from the world. Otherwise, I would dearly like to behold their peerless splendor."
As he spoke, Qiu Zanghai flicked a finger. He rescued the Seventh Tier demon from moments before in an instant and tucked him into his sleeve.
It was the art of holding a world within one's sleeve.
Qiu Zanghai smiled. "With the Great Sun Dao Lineage absent, perhaps I can give the Righteous Dao and the Demon Sect of the north a surprise."
No sooner had he spoken than a magnificent vision rose behind him.
It was no ordinary flame, nor was it a spirit fire refined by a cultivator. It was the purest, most upright light