The icy, chilling sound echoed in the deathly silence of the desolate mountain night.
Chen Xuanhai's entire body stiffened.
He stared intently at Chu Yunfei, who was holding a black sword in mid-air, then glanced down at Han Kui, who was cut in half at the waist and whose internal organs and blood were flowing all over the ground.
An elder of the Puppet Sect, a powerful expert at the Divine Sea Realm Fourth Level, was utterly killed by this kid in just a few sword strikes, without even a chance to resist.
The strong smell of blood mixed with the stench of corpses irritated Chen Xuanhai's nasal cavity.
He had lived for over a hundred years and experienced countless life-and-death battles, but never before had he felt such a chill run down his spine, from head to toe, as he did now.
" Chu Yunfei... just what kind of monster are you?!"
Chen Xuanhai's voice was hoarse and trembling uncontrollably.
He simply couldn't understand how a junior at the Heavenly Origin Realm who had been easily defeated by the battle puppet just half an incense stick's time ago and could only barely parry had suddenly transformed into such a terrifying killing god.
The gap between the Heavenly Origin Realm and the Divine Sea Realm is an insurmountable chasm between a mortal body and a sea of Spiritual Qi.
In the ten thousand years of history of the Eastern Continent, there has never been any secret technique that could push combat power to such an exaggerated level, transcending major realms.
"Evildoer?"
A mocking smile appeared on Chu Yunfei's lips.
He stepped through the air, dark gold patterns flowing beneath his skin, and the ancient, deep red mark between his brows resembled a blood moon in the sky.
"Didn't you keep saying you considered me dead?"
"Elder Chen, why are you trembling?"
The mocking words were like a resounding slap across Chen Xuanhai's face.
Chen Xuanhai gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing half of the fear in his heart, while ruthlessness and apprehension surged back into his eyes.
He is at the Divine Sea Realm Sixth Layer!
He was two whole minor realms higher than the deceased Han Kui.
Upon reaching the Divine Sea Realm, with each advancement beyond that level, the capacity of the dantian and the strength of the divine soul increase exponentially.
"You little beast, stop being so arrogant!"
Chen Xuanhai roared, his eyes sharp as a hawk's as he stared at the deep red mark between Chu Yunfei's eyebrows.
Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?!
"A secret technique capable of forcibly raising one's cultivation level from the Heavenly Origin Realm to the Divine Sea Realm is unheard of throughout history; its consumption and cost must be far beyond imagination!"
Chen Xuanhai sneered, thinking he had seen through everything.
"You may appear powerful and awe-inspiring now, but your physical body and soul have long been on the verge of collapse, haven't they?"
"How long can you maintain this power? Ten breaths? Or twenty breaths?!"
Upon hearing this, Xiaoxiao Dragon in his sea of consciousness chuckled.
"That old man's mind works pretty fast; he guessed pretty accurately."
"However, he never dreamed that the Great Heaven-Burning Art burned the Three-Origin Burning Momentum, and after the explosion, he was only exhausted and weak, without any irreversible damage."
Chu Yunfei's expression remained unwavering.
He gripped the Abyss-Devouring Sword tightly and said calmly, "How long it lasts is not important."
"As long as I can take your head before this power dissipates, that will be enough."
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Yunfei moved.
Without further ado, the void trembled, and his figure transformed into a dark red, blazing afterimage, instantly tearing through the sky.
Chen Xuanhai's heart tightened, but he was prepared and unleashed his powerful spiritual energy at the Divine Sea Realm Sixth Layer without reservation.
"Arrogant brat! When I was roaming the Eastern Continent, you weren't even reincarnated yet!"
boom!
The azure-blue air currents swirled like a hurricane, sending sand and stones flying everywhere.
" Cangyun Body-Protecting Shield!"
Chen Xuanhai formed a hand seal, and a thick, crystal-like aura shield tightly protected him for dozens of feet.
He made up his mind.
Avoid a direct confrontation with Chu Yunfei.
As long as we defend with all our might and survive the peak of Chu Yunfei's secret technique, victory will still belong to us when Chu Yunfei's energy and spirit are exhausted and he is at the mercy of others!
"Get out of my way!"
Chen Xuanhai formed a sword with his fingers, and the azure spiritual light transformed into three sword beams, each ten feet long, which pierced towards the oncoming Chu Yunfei.
This attack was only intended to hinder, not to kill the enemy.
However, Chu Yunfei's eyes only held a chilling coldness.
" Sea-Overturning Ninefold Sword!"
With a low shout, the Abyss-Devouring Sword crashed down!
The first sword strike, with its momentum like a raging torrent, instantly shattered the three incoming sword energies!
The second sword strike, with the force of a raging wave crashing against the shore, slammed its dark red light fiercely into the cyan crystal shield!
Rumble!
A deafening roar echoed through the valley, the surrounding rocks shattered, the tough protective barrier caved in violently, and spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly.
"What?!"
Chen Xuanhai's pupils suddenly contracted.
A terrifying force, like a landslide or tsunami, rippled through the barrier, causing his arm bones to crack and the ground beneath his feet to collapse three feet deep.
He's clearly at the Divine Sea Realm Sixth Layer!
Why was he so easily suppressed in a direct clash of power by a junior who had reached the Divine Sea Realm Fourth Level through secret techniques?!
"How could this kid's spiritual power be so abundant and refined?!"
A storm raged within Chen Xuanhai's heart.
He had no idea that Chu Yunfei cultivated the Boundless Creation Scripture, whose dantian and spiritual pool had a capacity ten thousand times that of ordinary cultivators, and whose foundation was incomparably solid.
Even though they were both at the Divine Sea Realm, the purity of the power within Chu Yunfei's body far surpassed that of an ordinary sect elder like him.
"The third sword!"
Before Chen Xuanhai could catch his breath, Chu Yunfei's icy voice descended once more.
The third layer of sword energy overlapped, and the deep red and dark gold light on the sword was so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at it, like the Milky Way pouring down from the heavens, unstoppable.
Click...!
The Azure Cloud Protective Barrier, which was said to be able to withstand dozens of attacks from the same level, shattered into countless blue light fragments the moment the third sword fell.
"Puff!"
The violent Sword Qi tore through the protective shield and struck Chen Xuanhai's chest heavily.
His protective Daoist robe shattered on the spot, and Chen Xuanhai spat out blood. His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string for dozens of feet, crashing hard through a dark green mountain wall.
Gravel flew everywhere, and dust billowed.
Chen Xuanhai struggled to his feet from the pile of rubble, his hair disheveled, a deep, bone-revealing sword wound glaringly visible on his chest, blood gushing out.
The excruciating pain contorted his face into a grimace, but even more so, it was filled with fear.
The Divine Sea Realm Fourth Level actually managed to overcome two minor realms and suppress him.
"Trying to stall for time?"
In mid-air, Chu Yunfei looked down at him with an indifferent gaze, like that of a god.
"Elder Chen, you've got a good plan, but unfortunately, my sword won't give you a chance to breathe."
With his keen insight and having lived for hundreds of years in his previous life, Chu Yunfei could see that Chen Xuanhai's retreating and blocking posture, which only defended and did not attack, had already revealed his intentions.
The Great Heaven-Burning Art's duration is indeed limited; with his current spiritual foundation, it can only last for a few dozen breaths at most.
It had taken more than a dozen breaths to kill Han Kui.
He won't waste any time.
Chen Xuanhai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Chu Yunfei.
"You little beast, do you really think I can't do anything to you?!"
"Today, even if it damages my foundation, I will still kill you here!"
Chen Xuanhai went berserk.
He knew that if he continued to defend, he wouldn't last until Chu Yunfei's secret technique failed, and he would be hacked to death here.
Now, only a desperate fight remains.
"With my lifespan, I will unleash the Cangyun Blood Seal!"
Chen Xuanhai formed an extremely complex and sinister hand seal and slammed his palm into his chest.
puff!
A large mouthful of his life essence sprayed out and hovered in the void.
Chen Xuanhai's originally gray hair turned brittle and withered at a visible speed, and wrinkles piled up on his face, his vitality rapidly fading away.
He was burning his lifespan and his very essence.
That was a life-or-death secret technique of the Cangyun Sect, with an extremely high cost. Afterwards, at best, one's cultivation level would plummet, and at worst, one's lifespan would be exhausted and one would die.
But at this moment, Chen Xuanhai couldn't care less about anything else.
His essence and blood transformed into countless blood runes, rapidly merging into his limbs and bones.
boom!
The aura that Chu Yunfei had suppressed erupted wildly like a volcano at this moment.
Peak Divine Sea Realm Sixth Layer!
Boom!
The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surged violently, and a blood-red pillar of energy shot into the sky, shattering the surrounding dark clouds.
Divine Sea Realm Seventh Level.
Late Divine Sea Realm.
This is a qualitative transformation!
The Early Divine Sea Realm are like chasms separating them.
At this moment, Chen Xuanhai was surrounded by a violent aura of crimson and azure, making him look like a demon crawling out of a sea of blood, exuding overwhelming killing intent.
"Little beast!"
Chen Xuanhai raised his head, his sunken eyes flashing with a crazed and venomous bloodlust.
"You have every reason to be proud that you could force me to burn thirty years of my lifespan."
"Now, kneel down and await your death."
Feeling the surge of power within him, Chen Xuanhai's fear vanished, replaced by extreme confidence and cruelty.
With the power of Divine Sea Realm Seventh Level, crushing a forcibly elevated Divine Sea Realm Fourth Level would be as easy as turning one's hand.
However.
Faced with this surge of momentum that seemed to be turning the tide, Chu Yunfei showed no panic whatsoever; instead, a chilling smile appeared on his face.
"Burning one's lifespan to forcefully elevate one's cultivation level?"
Chu Yunfei gently shook his head, his Abyss-Devouring Sword pointing diagonally at the ground.
" Chen Xuanhai, you think... that was the limit of my secret technique?"
Chen Xuanhai paused, a strange and absurd unease rising in his heart. "Stop bluffing."
You'll soon find out whether it's a bluff or not.
Chu Yunfei closed his eyes slightly, and the part of his divine soul and blood power that had been reserved in the depths of his sea of consciousness was completely unsealed at this moment.
The first step is to ignite the spirit, causing the dantian's spiritual pool to boil completely, with no more reservations!
The second step is to ignite the blood, transforming the vast blood and qi deep within the limbs and bones into raging flames that flow through all the meridians of the body!
The third step, ignite the soul, Three-Origin Burning Momentum, and reverse yin and yang!
" Great Heaven-Burning Art... Burn it all!"
boom...!
The deep red mark between Chu Yunfei's eyebrows suddenly shone brightly, as if it had transformed into a dazzling blood-red sun.
A destructive aura, far more vast, ancient, and domineering than before, swept across all directions with a deafening roar.
The void within a radius of a hundred feet even cracked under the immense pressure of this terrifying aura.
Chu Yunfei's cultivation level, which had been stuck at the Divine Sea Realm Fourth Level, surged wildly once again.
boom!
Divine Sea Realm Fifth Layer!
His robes fluttered wildly, the dark gold body patterns and deep red arcane marks intertwined perfectly, making him appear like a demon god descending to earth.
" Divine Sea Realm Fifth Layer?!"
Chen Xuanhai's maniacal laughter froze completely.
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he gasped for breath, as if struck by lightning.
Just now... this kid actually held back his strength?!
Faced with the combined attack of two experts at the Divine Sea Realm, he actually dared to hold back his strength?!
"Now, it's fair."
Chu Yunfei slowly opened his eyes, his gaze swirling with deep red and dark gold light, cold and devoid of any human emotion.
He raised the Abyss-Devouring Sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Chen Xuanhai's horrified face.
Elder Chen, are you ready to set off?