Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body reassembled and recovered in the blink of an eye, with incredible speed.
He broke free of Overlord Heavenly Emperor's rhythm at the cost of having his body shattered, temporarily regaining his footing.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate had suffered a crushing setback in the first exchange.
Covered in blood, Carefree Heavenly Venerate stood in another part of the universe and brought himself into the calmest possible state.
The great experts throughout the universe were stunned as well. Even Carefree Heavenly Venerate's true body was no match for Xiao Ping'an.
That first exchange had nearly destroyed his body and primordial spirit entirely.
The many Dark Supremes had awakened as well. They watched the battlefield closely, as if trying to understand both combatants inside and out.
"Overlord Heavenly Venerable, I admit I underestimated you. You're even stronger than I imagined," Carefree Heavenly Venerate said.
"Fellow Daoist Carefree, you truly are worthy of being one of the Ten Great Heavenly Venerables. Even though your transformation failed in this lifetime, you're still this powerful," Xiao Ping'an said calmly.
As the Great Emperor of the current age, Xiao Ping'an had vigorous Qi and blood. At this moment, he truly felt as though he looked down on everyone under heaven.
He admitted that he too had underestimated Carefree Heavenly Venerate. Just now, he had thought he could finish him off in a single exchange.
Of course, Xiao Ping'an had no intention of killing Carefree Heavenly Venerate.
The main reason was that when Carefree Heavenly Venerate had asked to see him earlier, he had humbled himself so thoroughly, without a trace of a Heavenly Venerate's domineering bearing, that Xiao Ping'an felt he might be able to subdue him and use him as a Tyrant Slave.
The flames of Carefree Heavenly Venerate's primordial spirit, which had burned fiercely moments ago, had long since gone out.
He brought himself to his peak state, and his blood Qi truly seemed to soar into the heavens and suppress the universe.
The great battle shook heaven and earth, making ghosts weep and gods howl.
It looked utterly brutal, but the one getting hurt was Carefree Heavenly Venerate.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body was shattered again and again, beaten into a cloud of bloody mist, with bones flying everywhere. It was a pitiful sight.
Xiao Ping'an was unstoppable, while Carefree Heavenly Venerate had grown old. Though he had just lived three and a half lifetimes, he no longer had that presence of invincibility under heaven.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate roared and struck back fiercely, but he failed to shatter Xiao Ping'an's body even once.
This was the most brutal battle Carefree Heavenly Venerate had ever fought. He unleashed tens of thousands of moves in the blink of an eye, and each time he came close to having both body and spirit destroyed.
He was in serious trouble.
His body was shattered again and again, and even his primordial spirit was caught in Xiao Ping'an's hand several times. Fortunately, his Nine Secrets: Xing gave him a sliver of hope to escape.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate's whole body shone as the void around him rapidly twisted. It was an exceedingly strange power, radiating a terrifying presence that surged to the heavens.
Those unimaginable fluctuations surpassed the greatest speed in the world. They were the power of the Nine Secrets: Xing.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate charged at Xiao Ping'an.
With a puff, Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body exploded. Xiao Ping'an had smashed him to pieces, sending flesh and blood flying.
After reforming his body, Carefree Heavenly Venerate could scarcely believe it. He had stepped into the domain of time, and his speed was unrivaled in the world. He could already disrupt the stability of space and time.
His speed just now had been unimaginably great, his signature skill for killing other Dark Supremes.
How many Dark Supremes had trembled before the Nine Secrets: Xing?
In the past, Carefree Heavenly Venerate had proclaimed that he would break through time, seek the Dao of undying immortality, and prove the path to eternal life.
This Nine Secrets: Xing, unrivaled in the world, was said to have entered the domain of time, capable of changing the long river of ages, restoring youth, and granting an inexhaustible lifespan.
The claims certainly sounded damn impressive.
But Xiao Ping'an knew that while Carefree Heavenly Venerate could indeed affect the ages, he could only alter them slightly. He still could not change himself or restore his youth.
Xiao Ping'an's Nine Secrets: Ba had itself entered the domains of time and space, severing time with one hand and space with the other. To those who had mastered the Great Daos of time and space, he was simply their natural nemesis.
On top of that, Xiao Ping'an also possessed the Nine Secrets: Xing, the Nine Secrets: Zu, and the Nine Secrets: Zhe, which he had obtained by chance while training on the Starry Sky Ancient Road. To Carefree Heavenly Venerate, he was a natural nemesis who countered him in every way.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate had thought that as long as his Nine Secrets: Xing underwent Ultimate Sublimation, he would surely be able to turn the tables.
He was supremely confident in his own Great Dao laws, supremely arrogant and overbearing.
Yet to his surprise, Xiao Ping'an had shattered him with a single move.
But Carefree Heavenly Venerate did not lose confidence. Once his body recovered, he swiftly surpassed the speed of light, throwing time into disorder as he launched a forceful attack.
Some Dark Supremes could no longer even catch sight of Carefree Heavenly Venerate.
With a puff, Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body exploded again, smashed to pieces once more.
He could not even touch Xiao Ping'an. It was truly shocking.
"Your Nine Secrets: Xing is formidable!" Xiao Ping'an exclaimed.
Although he had also learned the Nine Secrets: Xing, his understanding of this field was clearly not as profound as Carefree Heavenly Venerate's.
He had only grasped the essence of the Nine Secrets: Xing entering the domain of time with the help of the Nine Secrets: Ba.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate, on the other hand, had directly sublimated the Nine Secrets: Xing into his own Great Dao without relying on any other cultivation methods or secret arts. In this field, he truly reigned supreme throughout the Mythological Era, beyond compare.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate's whole body shone as he activated the Nine Secrets: Xing again. At the same time, he activated the Nine Secrets: Jie, multiplying his speed and combat power tenfold in an instant.
Xiao Ping'an had not expected Carefree Heavenly Venerate to possess the Nine Secrets: Jie as well. Had Emperor Venerable already created the Nine Secrets: Jie? And passed it on to Carefree Heavenly Venerate?
In truth, Emperor Venerable had indeed already created the Nine Secrets: Jie. An expert from the Carefree Holy Land on the Carefree Ancient Star had indeed obtained the secret art and passed it on to Carefree Heavenly Venerate before he left.
Xiao Ping'an naturally knew nothing of this. All he saw was Carefree Heavenly Venerate's speed and combat power surging once more.
With the enhancement of the Nine Secrets: Jie, time and space all around Carefree Heavenly Venerate fell into disorder.
With a puff, after a fierce exchange, Carefree Heavenly Venerate was sent flying once again.
His body exploded again, leaving only his head. The rest had long since been reduced to a puddle of mangled flesh.
"Time and space are my domain. Although your Nine Secrets: Xing can affect them, it clearly isn't enough, not even with the enhancement of the Nine Secrets: Jie," Xiao Ping'an said.
Time and space were Xiao Ping'an's method of proving his Dao. They were also the reason he had been able to forcefully break through the Heavenly Heart Imprint and walk upon the myriad Daos.
In this world, no one understood time and space more profoundly than he did.
At least in this Mythological Era, Xiao Ping'an could claim to be the foremost of all ages. No one could challenge his study of this field.
This was his path to proving the Dao.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate said nothing more. His expression was grave. Despite his unparalleled speed, he still could not escape Xiao Ping'an's pursuit.
"On the Dao of time and space, all Supremes and Heavenly Venerates must bow their heads before me!" Xiao Ping'an said.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate had thick black hair, silver eyes flowing with divine light, and billowing sleeves. He truly looked carefree.
But now Carefree Heavenly Venerate could no longer remain carefree.
He was in a sorry state.
Usually, he used his speed against slower opponents, leaving them unable to touch him.
But now, he felt utterly stifled.
The battle continued, and the bedraggled Carefree Heavenly Venerate could no longer maintain his unrestrained manner.
Every attack Xiao Ping'an made carried destructive power. The might of the Nine Secrets: Ba was unparalleled, and he truly possessed an air of invincibility under heaven.
It was this Nine Secrets: Ba that sent chills through the Dark Supremes. He struck Carefree Heavenly Venerate's Immortal Tear Green Gold treasure vase several times, punching a large hole in it with every blow. Had it not been made of Immortal Tear Green Gold, Xiao Ping'an would have shattered it completely long ago.
With a puff, Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body was smashed apart yet again, and he was sent flying.
Xiao Ping'an pressed a heavy palm against his Immortal Tear Green Gold treasure vase. In an instant, it shattered, and green radiance flew to every corner of the universe like the Sun.
"Carefree Heavenly Venerate, your Nine Secrets: Xing is formidable. It has already touched upon this highest domain."
"Others who learn too many arts may end up knowing a little of everything but mastering nothing. You devoted yourself to one secret art and brought it to Ultimate Sublimation in this field, reaching the highest realm."
When Carefree Heavenly Venerate heard Xiao Ping'an's words of praise, he nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
It was as though a master were appraising a good-for-nothing.
With a thunderous bang, Carefree Heavenly Venerate vanished. A strange ray of light shot from his body toward Xiao Ping'an's Immortal Platform.
As that streak of light passed through space and time, the power of the ages within it shook the surrounding space. Countless cracks appeared in an instant, as though it had been annihilated in the long river of ages in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Ping'an smiled faintly and waved his left hand. It shone brightly, directly severing time.
With a resounding clang, the streak of light seemed to age in an instant, turning to flying ash amid the ages.
Ripples of the Great Dao spread out from Carefree Heavenly Venerate, every one of them formed from the power of the ages.
Countless stars in the surrounding void exploded and, under the influence of the Great Dao ripples, turned to flying ash in an instant.
The experts watching from afar with heaven-reaching divine eyes felt chills run through them when they saw this terrifying power of the ages.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate truly was formidable, possessing such heaven-reaching methods.
Unfortunately, Xiao Ping'an was even stronger.
Whenever Carefree Heavenly Venerate unleashed a move, it was often forcibly cut short halfway through.
How stifling!
Carefree Heavenly Venerate staggered with anger. All his power of time had just been scattered, and Xiao Ping'an seemed to have devoured it as well.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate grew furious too.
He had already humbled himself so much to spar with this Overlord Heavenly Venerable, so why did it look as though the man was trying to beat him to death?
At that thought, Carefree Heavenly Venerate's entire body began to burn, and the universe around him boiled.
Heavenly sounds of the Great Dao thundered within his body, and countless Great Dao laws and runes danced about. His figure was reflected across the heavens, and almost everyone could see his unrestrained figure in the starry sky.
Great Dao laws intertwined densely around his body, as though wrapping him up, as if he were about to undergo a transformation.
"Carefree Heavenly Venerate, you're thinking too much. Could it be you want to use me to achieve a transformation?"
Xiao Ping'an had not expected Carefree Heavenly Venerate to copy the protagonists of other novels. After being forced steadily back by him, he was actually still thinking of comprehending the Dao and breaking through his realm in battle.
Was he treating Xiao Ping'an as the great villain?
After all, breaking through in the midst of battle was practically an essential part of a genius protagonist's script.
At this moment, Carefree Heavenly Venerate brought the Nine Secrets: Xing to its limit.
His whole body became crystalline and brilliant, with a rain of light dancing around him, making him look as though he had become a Battle Immortal.
Countless Great Dao laws swirled here, and innumerable divine chains of Great Dao order wound densely around Carefree Heavenly Venerate's body like strands of silk.
He was now like a great silkworm cocoon, radiating a mysterious glow.
And what of Xiao Ping'an?
Time and space now seemed to have been unraveled into individual divine chains of Great Dao order. They shimmered in a riot of colors, with rosy light flowing and mist rising, dreamlike and beautiful.
All the divine chains of Great Dao order flowed through the void as though made from melted divine metal.
Xiao Ping'an looked at Carefree Heavenly Venerate, who was undergoing his transformation, and gently clenched his right hand, then his left.
Each time he clenched a hand, Carefree Heavenly Venerate coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Clearly, Xiao Ping'an had disturbed the power of space and time, causing Carefree Heavenly Venerate to suffer a backlash from both.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate was truly becoming somewhat frenzied.
He refused to believe he would lose to Xiao Ping'an in the domain of time.
His hands formed seals without pause as he used a secret art. It was a forbidden secret art based on the Nine Secrets: Xing, evolved to an incredible realm.
His great hand was crystal clear as he struck out with a dharma seal, sending it toward Xiao Ping'an.
With a puff, the mysterious light that flew out seemed ready to reduce Xiao Ping'an to flying ash in the next instant.
It was a wisp of the Light of Time, a forbidden secret art capable of threatening an expert at the Heavenly Venerate level.
The wisp of light now carried countless Great Dao laws. It was utterly heaven-defying, utterly bizarre.
If an ordinary expert faced such a terrifying secret art, his first instinct would naturally be to dodge, lest he lose countless years of life.
Who could bear turning from a youth into an old man in an instant?
But Xiao Ping'an did not dodge in the slightest. Watching the light fly toward him, he extended a finger and flicked it lightly.
With a bang, the incomparably mysterious dharma seal immediately became mottled with age, as though it had passed through untold stretches of time and ages in space-time.
Then it was annihilated once more, without a sound.
The Dark Supremes watching the battle were stunned as well.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate and Overlord Heavenly Venerable truly deserved the name of Heavenly Venerate.
Both had cultivated to the utmost in their own fields, beyond anyone's comparison.
But clearly, Overlord Heavenly Venerable had the advantage.
Carefree Heavenly Venerate's face was pale now, and his spirits were somewhat enfeebled.
Clearly, this forbidden secret art that stirred up the ages and time consumed a tremendous amount of power.
After a brief moment of calm, Carefree Heavenly Venerate suddenly became frenzied again. What remained of his unrestrained manner?
His whole body shone with dazzling brilliance as ray after ray of light flew out toward Xiao Ping'an.
Every ray carried a dense power of time.
This was the Light of Time.
This forbidden divine ability had helped Carefree Heavenly Venerate secure victory many times throughout history. He wanted to use this forbidden secret art again to utterly suppress Xiao Ping'an.
The Dark Supremes in the universe all changed color as they watched the countless rays of the Light of Time shoot out from Carefree Heavenly Venerate.
The surrounding starry sky was ravaged by the Light of Time, and terrifying black holes appeared one after another.
The ages were in disorder in that world. The space-time and ages there seemed to have been passed down from before the Mythological Era.
They gave off an ancient, decaying air.
(End of chapter)