Just as Ji Haoyue and Jiang Ming clashed, their Dao and techniques colliding, Hua Yunfei took a step forward and executed the Nine Tribulations Phoenix Dance Step.
He had obtained inheritances such as the Nine Tribulations Phoenix Song and the Phoenix Tribulation Rebirth Art. In truth, they all belonged to a supreme ancient heavenly technique known as the Phoenix Tribulation. In the original storyline, he had even used this technique to bring himself back from the dead.
With every step he took, a beam of Divine Phoenix Tribulation Light blasted toward Jiang Ming.
He had originally been unwilling to join forces with Ji Haoyue, but Jiang Ming's strength had now stirred his competitive spirit!
Facing the incoming Divine Phoenix Tribulation Light, Jiang Ming neither dodged nor evaded. A hazy Dao Diagram naturally appeared around him, simplifying those forces into primordial essence and absorbing them into the diagram.
The Dragon-Phoenix Auspiciousness Diagram truly suppressed Hua Yunfei's ancient heavenly technique completely.
"Whoosh."
Above Hua Yunfei's head, a Sea of Stars emerged, then transformed into a nebula that protected him at its center. Endless stars surrounded him, their radiance dazzling, their galaxies boundless. Standing at the heart of that starry sky, Hua Yunfei resembled a celestial lord from myth who ruled over the stars. His blue robes fluttered gracefully, giving him an otherworldly air.
"Boom!"
Bathed in starlight, Hua Yunfei waved his hand. Stars throughout the sky erupted with towering radiance, transforming into meteors plummeting to earth as they crashed toward Jiang Ming.
The sight was terrifying beyond measure, as though a meteor shower were falling. Brilliant starlight came crashing down in waves, converging like the Milky Way cascading from the Nine Heavens.
While resisting Ji Haoyue's attacks, Jiang Ming remained utterly calm in the face of Hua Yunfei's Star Peak inheritance technique. He extended his left hand, once again using Demonic Domain in the Palm. Sorry, but he only knew ultimate moves. As the saying went, one move mastered could take you everywhere.
A black demonic hand emerged, surging with demonic qi and boundless dark clouds, blotting out the sky and sun. It directly seized the river of stars in its grasp and refined it into nothingness, then continued toward Hua Yunfei without losing any of its power.
"Seven-Star Alignment!"
Hua Yunfei shouted. Using his body as a bow, he borrowed the projected power of the Big Dipper, arranging the seven stars into a line. The Seven-Star Alignment became an arrow of stars containing destructive power that distorted space and time, shooting toward Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming hurriedly withdrew his hand and used it as a shield, grabbing the stellar arrow formed by the Seven-Star Alignment and refining it into nothingness.
"Nine-Star Alignment, Star Spear!"
Hua Yunfei gave a low shout, his black hair whipping wildly as his eyes shone like blazing suns. He began attacking in earnest, as if he had transformed into a celestial lord descending to vanquish demons and devils.
As he pointed with one finger, two stars that were often overlooked appeared beside the Big Dipper: the Left Assistant Star and the Right Support Star.
Ancient records stated that the Big Dipper had nine stars. Apart from the seven stars of the Big Dipper, there were also the Left Assistant and Right Support Stars, hence the name Nine Stars of the Big Dipper. In ancient times, the nine-star Big Dipper was considered the complete Big Dipper system, while the seven-star version was viewed as incomplete. Legend said that the Left Assistant and Right Support Stars were located at the handle of the dipper, and anyone who could see them could attain longevity.
Nine stars emerged, casting nine stellar shadows. As Hua Yunfei moved both hands, they transformed into a spear that pierced through heaven and earth. It fell straight down, emanating terrifying pressure like the judgment of the Great Dao. It contained the traces of the Dao and soul-shaking offensive force.
Impressive!
Jiang Ming could not help sighing. Hua Yunfei had developed the Star Peak inheritance to its utmost limit. No wonder he had been called the foremost of Star Peak's younger generation at the age of twelve, Star Peak's senior disciple, and Taixuan Sect's future sect master.
But it was useless!
Still Demonic Domain in the Palm!
The black demonic hand covered the heavens. With a single slap, it smashed the Star Spear into dust!
Ten Directions Annihilation!
Hua Yunfei rapidly formed hand seals. Stellar projections above his head were summoned one after another and swiftly arranged as though deploying an army. The boundless starfield transformed into a Star Dao Diagram, and great stars lit up one after another. In the end, they formed a massive cross. This method of attack reminded Jiang Ming of the owner of the Demon Refining Pot from the Perfect World novel. His attacks had also taken the shape of a cross. At that moment, Hua Yunfei directly invoked the power of thirty-six stars. The great stars intersected and once more descended to suppress Jiang Ming.
At the same time!
Ji Haoyue launched another attack. With a raised hand, a black heavenly stele condensed in his palm. The forbidden secret technique of the Void Great Emperor, famed as a man who fought as though his life were on the line and also his favorite technique, the Void Sky Stele, was manifested by Ji Haoyue.
As the heir of the Void Great Emperor, a man determined to become invincible in the Eastern Wasteland, how could he lose in a joint battle to a bald man from the Western Desert?
Void solidified, capable of suppressing all techniques. The Void Sky Stele condensed into being, transforming into an ancient continent that descended to suppress Jiang Ming.
Ten Directions Annihilation carried the power of endless stars. Its cross-shaped formation resembled ten starfields, seeking to suppress Jiang Ming.
"Amitabha Buddha!"
Buzz!
The black demonic markings on Jiang Ming's brow gleamed with faint light as he activated them to their limit. The black demonic wheel behind his head shone brilliantly, expanding to cover an area thirty li across.
With one hand pointing to heaven and the other to earth, his body instantly transformed into a Sixteen-Foot Demonic Body. Then he swiftly struck out with both palms.
"Boom!"
At that moment, even the void of the secret realm's small world was blasted through. The black demonic palms flowed with the indestructible will of heaven and earth, like the descent of the Great Dao. The cross-shaped ten starfields shattered in an instant, breaking into pieces, while the Void Sky Stele was directly sent flying back without being smashed apart.
A trace of blood finally trickled from Hua Yunfei's lips. He was surely deliberately showing weakness. In that collision, he had clearly been at a disadvantage. He did not dare use the Ruthless Emperor's technique he had mastered, but it should not have been enough to injure him.
Ji Haoyue, meanwhile, was unharmed thanks to his Divine Body and the Void Scripture. He still had the strength to fight.
"Amitabha Buddha, this poor monk has expended too much strength and can fight no longer. I ask the two fellow Daoists to be understanding."
At that moment, Jiang Ming deliberately threw his aura into disorder and coughed several times, giving the two of them a way out.
They could not keep fighting. What, was he supposed to kill both of them if this continued?
Besides, if they kept fighting, even the spectators would grow tired of watching.
At the crucial moment just now, Jiang Ming had relied on his clever brain, peerless talent, and wisdom to once again borrow the secret technique of the Ancient Monk Lineage mastered by the young ancient monk: the Sixteen-Foot Golden Body. He had completed another perfect show of swagger.
"That was the Sixteen-Foot Golden Body."
"That's right. It is one of the supreme inherited secret techniques of the Western Desert. No one but a Buddhist disciple can cultivate it."
"Amazing. This Dharma Master Sanzang from the Western Desert must have an astonishing background."
Only then did the several old men and old women watching the battle begin discussing it among themselves.
The three young prodigies all possessed heaven-shaking power and formidable secret techniques. Their future prospects were limitless.
Except for the honest student Ji Haoyue.
Jiang Ming and Hua Yunfei had both been acting.
The only difference was that Jiang Ming was playing himself, while Hua Yunfei was acting at the level of a top Hengdian movie emperor.
"Since that is the case, Brother Haoyue, Brother Sanzang, let today's contest end here. As it happens, my soul has also suffered some agitation."
Hua Yunfei immediately said.
"I'm fine. Today's battle was very satisfying.
Given the chance, I would like to fight Brother Sanzang alone. What do you think?"
Ji Haoyue stood with heroic bearing, straightforward as ever, his gaze toward Jiang Ming burning with eagerness.
"Everything follows fate. As the Buddha says, unspeakable, unspeakable."
Jiang Ming hurriedly pushed everything onto Amitabha Buddha and said.
Honest man, why fight? If they kept fighting, they would have to decide both life and death, and victory and defeat.