Time flowed on, and a hundred years had passed.
Ever since obtaining the Nine-Nine Return-to-One Pill, Chen Yang had swallowed and refined it directly.
Vast spiritual qi was drawn in, pouring into Chen Yang.
Bixiao, who had been standing guard nearby, slightly changed expression and went on alert. "He's about to break through."
At that moment, Chen Yang's eyes opened, sharp as drawn swords. "Nine-Turn Profound Art, break for me!"
In an instant, Chen Yang exploded.
That was right—he had exploded.
Every transformation of the Nine-Turn Profound Art also signified a reincarnation. Whether flesh or bones, everything from beginning to end exploded completely.
Piece by piece, they broke apart, ultimately melding into the origin before reconstructing his body.
Thus, seeing Chen Yang break through, Bixiao grew tense. Outside the Landscape Painting, Duobao was tense as well.
Laozi merely stroked his beard and flicked his sleeve. "No matter. During the assessment, whoever breaks through will have their safety guaranteed."
At Laozi's words, Duobao bowed in thanks. "This disciple thanks Eldest Uncle-Master on behalf of my disciple!"
Laozi stroked his beard and smiled without saying more.
In the blink of an eye, another hundred-odd years passed.
"Roar..."
Chen Yang threw his head back and roared, the rolling sound waves stirring divine might.
By now, Chen Yang had completed the third turn of the Nine-Turn Profound Art and entered the fourth. Though he was merely at the first level of the fourth turn, the strength of his body now surpassed his former self several times over.
Bixiao walked over with a smile. "Little Martial Nephew... congratulations on entering the fourth turn of the Nine-Turn Profound Art."
Chen Yang was equally delighted. "Haha... then I must thank Martial Aunt for standing guard over me."
"Why thank me? How do you feel now? Is your body strong?" Bixiao asked curiously.
Chen Yang clenched his fist, seeming to crush the air. "Very strong. If Martial Uncle Chang'er were still here, I wouldn't need to spend any effort evolving a formation. With my body alone, I could defeat him."
"Haha... I like hearing that. When we meet that long-eared rabbit again, give him another lesson. He dared bully me—I'll make him regret it." Bixiao said with a grin.
Chen Yang smiled faintly and said nothing more.
In the blink of an eye, another decade passed.
Over those ten-odd years, Chen Yang had digested the gains from his breakthrough while also cultivating several divine abilities of the Jie Sect.
Now, Chen Yang and Bixiao walked out of the valley. "Martial Aunt Bixiao... judging by the time, it's about time we sought out the others and seized their tokens."
"Indeed..."
As Bixiao spoke, she seemed to sense something and abruptly became alert.
Chen Yang sensed it as well. His gaze turned sharp as he looked beyond the mountain range.
In the distance were disciples of the Exposition Sect, the Buddhist Sect, and the Jie Sect.
Among the Exposition Sect disciples were Guangchengzi, Jiuliusun, Taiyi True Person, Chijingzi, Daoist Cihang...
The Buddhist Sect disciples were Maitreya and Medicine Master.
The Jie Sect disciples included Qiongxiao, Yunxiao, Zhao Gongming, and others.
At present, everyone was locked in a chaotic melee.
Guangchengzi seemed to bear a grudge against the Jie Sect. He charged straight at Qiongxiao and Yunxiao, a ruthless gleam in his eyes.
Jiuliusun, Taiyi True Person, Chijingzi, and the others were fighting Maitreya, Medicine Master, and the rest of the Jie Sect disciples.
As they battled in a tangled mass, divine abilities flew continuously, stirring the heavens with their grandeur.
Seeing this, Bixiao could not help saying, "Little Martial Nephew... those are my sisters. Let's go help them..."
Chen Yang nodded, then said, "Naturally... but before that, I need to make some preparations..."
At this moment, Guangchengzi held the Male-Female Swords and charged at Yunxiao. "Junior Sister Yunxiao... hand over your token, and I'll let you leave with dignity."
Yunxiao was unconcerned, her expression filled with resolve. "Senior Brother Guangchengzi... your junior sister will not admit defeat. If you want my token, take it from my hands."
"Stubborn beyond redemption!" Guangchengzi sneered as he charged forth.
"Hmph... you bully my sister, so am I not allowed to bully you?" Bixiao called out as she flew in from afar.
"Little Sister!"
Qiongxiao and Yunxiao were both surprised to see Bixiao.
However, Guangchengzi gave them no chance to be distracted.
"You dare lose focus while fighting me!"
Guangchengzi formed a hand seal and blasted it toward Yunxiao.
"How dare you!"
Bixiao gave a sharp cry. The two sisters attacked together, jointly confronting their foe.
Elsewhere.
Yuding True Person was facing Zhao Gongming and Immortal Wuyun.
Yuding True Person truly deserved to be the foremost among the Exposition Sect's second-generation disciples. In terms of his body, he had likewise cultivated the Nine-Turn Profound Art. In terms of the Sword Dao, he had created his own sword art, and with the Immortal-Slaying Sword, displayed the "speed" and "sharpness" of the Sword Dao.
Yuding True Person said, "Will you hand over your tokens yourselves, or should I take them?"
Zhao Gongming and Immortal Wuyun did not respond.
Instead, they silently formed hand seals and circulated their cultivation arts. Their intentions needed no explanation.
"Fight!"
Zhao Gongming shouted coldly, and in an instant, terrifying mana slammed together!
"Overestimating yourselves!"
Yuding True Person slashed out with the Immortal-Slaying Sword. Sword Qi howled, instantly suppressing Zhao Gongming and Immortal Wuyun.
Boom!
Just as everyone was fighting fiercely, a deafening explosion rang out.
Yuding True Person seemed to sense something and was about to shout a warning to the others.
At the same time, Chen Yang revealed himself and laughed confidently. "Haha... Martial Uncle Yuding, you discovered it too late. You've already entered deep into my formation. There is no escape now."
"How is that possible? Ever since arriving here, I've been observing the surroundings. There were no signs of a formation being arranged. How did you..." Guangchengzi said.
"Haha, blame yourselves for looking down on me, your Martial Nephew, so much that you gave me an opening."
Chen Yang sneered. "Immortal-Slaying Formation, activate!"
In an instant, killing intent surged to the heavens as Sword Qi howled.
Countless strands of Sword Qi boiled and screamed, transforming into Divine Dragons.
The Sword Qi interwove, drawing in spiritual qi and gradually forming formation patterns.
At that moment, an ocean of spiritual qi was Devoured and converted into cold, indifferent Immortal-Slaying Sword Qi.
At that moment, the Immortal-Slaying Sword in Chen Yang's hand erupted with boundless killing intent.
At that moment, the sword formation evolved. Killing intent surged like tides, shaking the firmament and blooming with peerless sword light.
In only a moment, the sword formation was complete.
The shock in Yun Zhongzi and the others' eyes gradually turned into gravity. "So that's how it is... is this the unique nature of the Body-Forged Formation?"
"Good, what a profound method of setting formations, one that transcends the restraints of formation-setting."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The formation took shape. Chen Yang transformed into a streak of light and controlled the Immortal-Slaying Sword. "Formation complete, sword rises, Killing Intent appears."
In an instant, the Immortal-Slaying Sword floated within the formation. Guided by the formation, its sword body drew in Killing Intent, turning dark red and radiating a terrifying momentum capable of splitting heaven and shattering earth. Its murderous intent shook this small world and even burst beyond the Landscape Painting.
Under that killing aura, Yun Zhongzi and the others felt both piercing sharpness and danger!
"Dodge... we cannot contend against such Sword Qi." Yun Zhongzi shouted.
Medicine Master also roared, "None of us can withstand this Sword Qi alone. Cooperate..."
Xuandu nodded as well. "At this point, cooperation is our only option."
Everyone joined forces, tearing apart the Sword Qi spreading from the sword formation and gathering together in an attempt to oppose Chen Yang.
Even Immortal Wuyun and the others joined the alliance for the sake of competing for rank.
Chen Yang's expression turned grim as he shouted, "Immortal-Slaying Formation—Sword Across the Eight Desolations."
In an instant, endless Sword Qi surged within the sword formation.
Spiritual qi from the outside world poured in, transforming into Sword Qi. It flowed along the formation patterns and became Immortal-Slaying Sword Qi.
Beyond that, much of the tempered Sword Qi also flooded into Chen Yang's body, merged into the Immortal-Slaying Sword, and then slashed forth as a thousand-zhang river of swords.
That sword river was incomparably terrifying, like a slaughtering tide rushing into the sky.
As it swept out, even the sun and stars seemed as though they would be cut apart.
At that moment, Yun Zhongzi, Immortal Wuyun, Xuandu... everyone trapped within the formation became targets for the Sword Qi to slaughter.
Other than Bixiao, Qiongxiao, and Yunxiao, who had been fused with seeds of Sword Qi by Chen Yang and were thus part of the sword formation.
"What terrifying Sword Qi. Hold nothing back—unleash everything!" Southern Pole Immortal roared.
Yuding and the others naturally held nothing back, each unleashing their strongest move. "Heart Sword."
Yuding unleashed the sword he had tempered within his heart. When that sword collided with the Immortal-Slaying Sword Qi, it was like a battle between a river of swords and a sea of swords, like the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan waging a great war.
Yun Zhongzi and the others each revealed their foundations and trump cards, resisting the endless Sword Qi.
However, Chen Yang drove the Immortal-Slaying Sword and evolved endless Sword Qi. Ten-thousand-zhang Sword Qi leaped and howled with majestic force, piercing the firmament. It was simply too terrifying.
The sharp Immortal-Slaying Sword drew in endless Killing Intent, as though it pierced through the Landscape Painting itself and pulled Killing Intent from the void.
At that moment, Killing Intent accompanied the sword formation, and everyone was engulfed by Sword Qi.
Boom...
Boom...
In an instant, the heavens rumbled and exploded.
That rumbling transformed into an aura of Destruction that surged forth, tearing apart everything here.
The sky was pierced through by Sword Qi, while the aftershock annihilated the islands.
Those violent aftershocks destroyed the restrictions and spread throughout the vast Landscape Painting. Everything in their path was annihilated.
Those aftershock Sword Qis were like streams of light, shooting out of the Landscape Painting.
A moment later,
Yuding and the others were swallowed by Sword Qi, ultimately wrapped in special divine light and sent out of the Landscape Painting.
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