The First Divine Battle, Sky-Piercing Tempered to an Edge

Qiu Qianchen's venomous words, "Just you wait," had yet to fully dissipate into the sky when he exchanged a glance with Xie Miaojiang. A trace of ruthlessness and resolve flashed through both their eyes!

They could not wait! They absolutely could not give Li Yunming time to grow familiar with God Rank power!

A newly ascended Divine Official, still unskilled in wielding his divine power, and a veteran Divine Official who had been at level 104 for centuries—the gap between them could not be measured by a mere three levels of Soul Power! This was their final, and best, chance!

"Attack!" Qiu Qianchen roared. This was no longer a transmission of soul intent, but a shout that resounded through heaven and earth! Black energy erupted around him like a volcano, and the terrifying pressure of a level 104 Divine Official burst forth without restraint once more. His target was not Dongyue Hong, but Li Yunming, who had only just become a god and whose aura was still fluctuating slightly!

At the same time, Xie Miaojiang moved. His dark green poisonous mist domain instantly expanded, winding toward Dongyue Hong, who was preparing to lend support, like a living creature. His hoarse voice carried bone-chilling coldness. "Dongyue, you old bastard, I'm still your opponent!"

They intended to hold Dongyue Hong back and forcefully kill Li Yunming!

"Shameless!"

"Despicable!"

Below, Li Yuanhui, Dongyue Qingxuan, and the others were both shocked and enraged, shouting curses one after another. Everyone could see that Qiu Qianchen intended to strike Li Yunming while he was vulnerable!

Dongyue Hong was alarmed and furious. His moon-white robes billowed as the phenomenon of the sun and moon shining together appeared once more. He tried to break through Xie Miaojiang's poisonous mist blockade. "Xie Miaojiang, get out of my way!"

However, although Xie Miaojiang's cultivation was two levels lower than Dongyue Hong's, his poison arts were strange and troublesome. With all his focus on delaying him, he truly transformed into a boundless sea of poison and tightly entangled Dongyue Hong, leaving him unable to break free for the moment. Poison dragons roared and corrosive blades of light flew. The two veteran Divine Officials instantly clashed, and an energy storm once again swept through the skies.

Meanwhile, the towering black energy Qiu Qianchen had transformed into descended like the netherworld itself. An enormous ghostly hand, more solid than before and wrapped in countless wailing resentful souls, tore through space. Carrying soul-freezing cold and the violent intent to destroy everything, it clawed down at Li Yunming's head!

"Myriad Souls Devouring God Claw!"

Facing this sudden, lethal attack, there was not the slightest trace of panic in Li Yunming's eyes. There was only icy calm. He knew that this battle could not be avoided!

"Perfect! I'll use you to temper the divine spear in my hand!"

With a long cry, he advanced rather than retreating. The Sky-Piercing Divine Spear in his hand erupted with dazzling platinum divine light. Man and spear became one, transforming into a platinum bolt of lightning surging upstream as he charged directly at the giant hand that blotted out the sky!

"Divine Spear—Illusion-Breaking!"

It was still the same move, but now that it was driven by divine power, both its might and its intent were worlds apart! At the spear tip, space itself seemed to be pierced by that ultimate intent of purification and sharpness, leaving behind a tiny black crack!

"Boom—!!!"

The divine spear and ghostly hand collided once more! But this time, the result was completely different!

The platinum spear radiance remained razor-sharp, instantly tearing apart large amounts of the resentful soul black energy surrounding the ghostly hand, producing hissing sounds of purification. Yet the vast divine power contained within the hand's core, belonging to a level 104 Divine Official, was like an endless ocean. It far surpassed the total amount of divine power Li Yunming could currently wield!

After only an instant of deadlock, the platinum spear radiance was forcibly pressed back by the surging black divine power and shattered! Li Yunming's entire body shook violently as though struck by a heavy blow. The immense force sent him flying back hundreds of meters before he barely steadied himself. The arm holding his spear trembled slightly, and a sweetness rose in his throat as a thread of golden divine blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

The first direct clash had immediately revealed the difference between them! In terms of absolute divine power reserves, Li Yunming, who had only just entered God Rank, was indeed at an absolute disadvantage.

"Hahaha! Li Yunming! Even if you've become a god, you're nothing more than a slightly stronger ant before me! To fall the moment you become a god—what a pity!" Seeing this, Qiu Qianchen was greatly reassured. Laughing wildly, he once again drove his divine power. The five fingers of the ghostly hand spread wide, transforming into five black giant pythons that tore through the heavens as they coiled and bit toward Li Yunming from different directions! The assault came like a violent storm, giving him no chance to catch his breath!

"First Elder!"

"Elder Yunming!"

Everyone below felt their hearts rise into their throats. The hope that had just ignited seemed about to be extinguished once again.

Li Yunming's gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. Surrounded by the five black giant pythons, his body flickered like a phantom. The Sky-Piercing Divine Spear in his hand spun like a wheel, blocking and knocking aside one biting attack after another. But Qiu Qianchen's attacks were not only powerful; they also contained a strange force that corroded the soul. Li Yunming found them extremely difficult to handle, repeatedly teetering on the brink of danger. His white robes were constantly torn by the scattered black energy, leaving him in a rather bedraggled state.

Familiarize myself with it... Feel it... Control it! Li Yunming silently recited in his heart, casting aside every distracting thought and fully immersing his mind in the divine power flowing through him, as well as the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear that had been cultivated alongside his life and evolved with him.

He no longer sought to contend with his opponent's divine power head-on. Instead, he began employing the more refined control of power possessed by God Rank experts. Every block was no longer a contest of brute force, but an attempt to deflect strength with skill and guide the violent black energy aside. Every dodge contained an awareness of minute fluctuations in space. With every counterattack, the Purification Holy Light on the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear became more condensed as he sought weaknesses in his opponent's power.

His movements, initially sluggish and passive, gradually became smooth and natural. The divine office traits of the Sky-Piercing Spear God—protection, purification, and unyielding resolve—seemed to be merging with him at an accelerated rate amid the intense battle.

"Hmm?" After failing to take him down for so long, Qiu Qianchen gradually sensed that something was wrong. Li Yunming was like refined iron thrown into blazing fire, being forged and tempered at a speed visible to the naked eye! The other party was becoming increasingly composed when blocking his attacks, while the recoil transmitted by that detestable platinum spear grew ever more solid and tricky!

I can't drag this out any longer! The viciousness in Qiu Qianchen's eyes surged. He formed seals with both hands as the black energy around him gathered madly, condensing behind him into a colossal thousand-zhang phantom of a demon god. Its face was indistinct, yet it radiated boundless resentment!

"Netherworld Descent, Night Parade of Ten Thousand Ghosts!"

The demon god phantom let out a soundless roar, and the entire sky instantly darkened, as though it had transformed into the Nine Nether Ghost Domain. Countless twisted ghostly figures surged forth, accompanied by howls and wails that could corrode the soul. Like a tidal wave, they flooded toward Li Yunming! This was the combination of his God Rank domain and powerful soul skill, and its might far surpassed before!

Facing this terrifying assault that filled the heavens and earth, Li Yunming took a deep breath, his eyes brighter than ever. Under the immense pressure, he felt that his control over divine power had finally broken through a certain threshold!

He no longer dodged. He held the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear upright before him and planted its butt into the void.

"Divine Domain—Sky-Piercing!"

Centered on him, a platinum domain abruptly unfolded. Though its range was not large, it was incomparably solid and radiated majestic righteousness and the intent of purification! Within the domain, no power could invade and all evil was driven away!

The surging tide of ghostly figures crashed into the platinum domain like snow meeting sunlight. They let out shrill screams, slowed dramatically, and visibly thinned and dissipated!

Although the domain shook violently beneath the impact of countless ghostly figures, as if it might shatter at any moment, it ultimately endured!

"Purification Domain?!" Qiu Qianchen's pupils contracted sharply as he cried out in shock. He had not expected Li Yunming to be able to initially wield his own God Rank domain in such a short time! Though its range was still small and far less vast than his Nine Nether Ghost Domain, its pure and tyrannical purification properties exerted an extremely powerful restraint on his strength!

"Now!" Li Yunming's eyes flashed brilliantly. Seizing the brief hesitation born of his opponent's shock, he launched a counterattack!

With a movement of his body, he seemed to merge into his own Divine Domain, and his speed increased by far more than double! The Sky-Piercing Divine Spear in his hand transformed into a platinum meteor that pierced the netherworld, thrusting directly at the core of the thousand-zhang demon god phantom!

"Divine Spear—Sun-Piercing!"

This thrust contained all of his understanding and control over his divine power. It carried an unyielding will to break through all darkness and pierce through the sun and moon!

"Screech—!"

The platinum meteor struck the demon god phantom precisely in the chest! The originally illusory body of the demon god was actually torn open by this strike, leaving behind a massive gash as countless resentful souls wailed and scattered! Though it did not completely destroy it, the demon god phantom shook violently, and more than half its radiance dimmed!

Qiu Qianchen groaned, his body swaying slightly. His face was filled with disbelief! He had actually been injured head-on in his divine soul incarnation by a junior who had only just become a god and was three levels below him?!

In this brief exchange, Li Yunming had gone from being completely passive and restrained at every turn to not only holding a firm defense, but even launching effective counterattacks! Such terrifying adaptability and growth speed sent a bone-deep chill through Qiu Qianchen!

This boy... cannot be allowed to live! The killing intent in his heart burned more fiercely than ever.

Meanwhile, Dongyue Hong, who had been dividing his attention to watch this battle, saw Li Yunming rapidly growing in combat, forcibly withstanding Qiu Qianchen's fierce assault and striking back. Surprise and delight burst forth in his eyes. "Good! What a Sky-Piercing Spear God!"

Xie Miaojiang's expression darkened even further, and his attacks became several degrees fiercer.

High above, the divine battle grew ever more intense. Dongyue Hong and Xie Miaojiang fought to a standstill, while the battle between Li Yunming and Qiu Qianchen became filled with uncertainty because of Li Yunming's inconceivable rate of growth. Everyone realized that swiftly taking down this newly ascended Sky-Piercing Spear God would likely be no easy task!