Chapter 102: Chapter 87: Half a Cup of Tea
Zhou Zili's expression was ice-cold, and he felt not the slightest awe toward the Holy Master who had made a name for himself ten thousand years ago.
In his eyes, Geng Yiyang was nearing the end of his lifespan, and even though he had reached the peak of the Tongxuan stage, it was already a challenge for him to exhibit even most of his combat strength.
Although one level weaker, having recently advanced to the late Tongxuan stage, he was in the prime of his life. Despite having recently burned his blood to offer to the heavens, depleting some of his Essence Yuan, he was still capable of unleashing his full combat power.
It was clear at a glance who was stronger and who was weaker.
Geng Yiyang quietly let go of Chu Zheng and Fu Quanliang behind him and transmitted his voice:
"Go hide in the Small World for now."
In a Tongxuan-level confrontation, an area tens of thousands of miles in radius would be affected. Having to spare efforts to protect Chu Zheng and the other would distract him.
Given that this region was too close to the Tai Xu Holy Land, he needed to kill Zhou Zili in the shortest time possible; otherwise, once reinforcements arrived, he would be at a disadvantage.
"How long will it take?" Chu Zheng asked subconsciously.
Being inside the Small World, he was unable to observe the external situation and did not know the specific outcome.
If the battle had not ended by the time they emerged, it would be extremely dangerous.
"Half a stick of incense."
Hearing this, Chu Zheng did not hesitate. He opened a passage behind him, grabbed Fu Quanliang, and retreated into it.
Although he was very interested in witnessing beings of this level in action, now was clearly not the time for curiosity.
"Small World..."
Seeing the figures of the two merge into the void, Zhou Zili felt slightly astonished.
Such Small Worlds that could contain living beings were incredibly precious. Only existences above the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm could condense an internal heaven in their bodies.
When the powerful beings of the Immortal Tribulation Secret Realm died, their internal heavens mostly got lost in the spatial turmoil, unless they intentionally stripped the heaven from their bodies before death to preserve it.
For a moment, Zhou Zili's expression grew somewhat complex. Taixuan Holy Land, despite its decline, still possessed such a wondrous treasure after all.
The action of Chu Zheng and the other retreating into the Small World undoubtedly indicated that Geng Yiyang was ready to engage in battle.
Seeing this, Zhou Zili spoke in a deep voice:
"Geng Yiyang... you are already near death, why not leave yourself a final shred of dignity? It has not been easy for Taixuan to survive until today..."
Even as he spoke, mist began to rise beside him, refracting the shimmering spiritual light under the brilliance of the great sun.
A crisp sword chant rang through the void, and the sword light flickered in and out of visibility.
Geng Yiyang remained silent, taking a deep breath. His gaunt chest slowly expanded, and a fiery red stream of light emerged from the void, pouring into his body.
In an instant, the spiritual energy within tens of thousands of miles was drained in a flash, swallowed into his stomach.
A fierce flame appeared out of nowhere, engulfing him, resembling a great sun hanging in the sky.
Within the blaze, Geng Yiyang's withered skin slowly stretched, his flesh plumped, and blood color surged, transforming his gaunt body gradually upright as his intense Yang energy burst forth from within him, his hair growing past his waist and turning a deep red in an instant.
"Fire God Transformation..."
Zhou Zili's eyes reflected caution; this was the most terrifying technique from the Taixuan Divine Fire Scripture that hadn't been seen in the human world for ten thousand years.
Boom!
A chilling sword light suddenly shone, its killing intent ripping the skies apart and igniting a shower of light rain.
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Zili had already taken the initiative to attack, not intending to give Geng Yiyang any chance to prepare.
This ancient creature, who had lived for untold years, had countless hidden methods. The best strategy was to cut through the chaos with a swift strike and directly slay him.
Within the flames, a dragon-shaped phantom thousands of feet long emerged, swallowing the sword light in one gulp.
Boom!
The dragon phantom exploded on the spot, scattering thousands of divine rays like a meteor shower raining down from the sky, igniting wildfires spanning thousands of miles. In a single encounter, the lives affected numbered more than ten million.
His strike having failed to take effect, Zhou Zili's brow slightly furrowed, and a layer of clear light enveloped his body, solidifying into a colossal figure tens of thousands of feet tall that propped up the heavens.
Sheets of light rain and spirit mist permeated the air, obscuring the celestial signs, as a deep sword chant slowly sounded, similar to a True Dragon's soft moan.
A flash of spiritual light, and a four-foot-long sword appeared in Zhou Zili's hand, with sword flowers cascading down, slender as snakes, resembling a sky full of dancing spirits, casting a glow of thousands of rays.
As he moved, his Dharma form raised the sword, tearing through the sword wind, and directly slashing at the hanging sun.
An overwhelming blaze exploded, the fierce sun shattered, and a crimson spear shadow pierced through the air, shattering the soaring sword light, and in an instant, it punctured through Zhou Zili's Dharma form!
—Buzz—
Zhou Zili's figure shook violently, uncontrollably retreating a thousand yards, his face drastically changing. During the clash, he hadn't noticed even the slightest sign of weakness in Geng Yiyang.
On the contrary, there was an almost suffocatingly robust vitality.
This condition surely did not belong to an old man on the verge of death; the splendor bursting forth at the end of his life was the burning of his life span.
The firelight in the sky grew more and more intense, the heavens and earth turned blood red.
Geng Yiyang walked out from within the fire, revealing his figure, dressed in golden battle armor, holding a long spear, with crimson hair draped over his shoulders, flowing like blazing flames, appearing not older than forty, his skin shimmering with translucent treasure-like radiance, his cheeks covered with fine scales.
What were once turbid eyes were now brimming with divine light, intense as divine fire.
Within just a few breaths, he seemed to have reversed his aging, returning to his peak years.
"I originally had less than fifty years of life left, and now even less, only about twenty years remaining..."
Geng Yiyang spoke calmly, seemingly leisurely explaining.
Zhou Zili's expression grew uglier, Geng Yiyang's demeanor indicating he hadn't taken him seriously at all.
—Boom—
In the void above, lightning flashed and thunder boomed, quickly turning into dark clouds overhead.
Being at the peak of the Tongxuan stage, Geng Yiyang naturally triggered the sensing of the Heavenly Dao when he gave his all, which was about to bring down an Immortal Tribulation.
Whenever he wished, he could take this step, but whether the outcome would be life or death, no one knew.
Geng Yiyang's gaze hardened, clutching the Lihuo Spear in his hand, the scales on his cheeks imbued with traces of divine runes, he looked up at the emerging thunderclouds in the sky, sighing softly:
"If Zhao Tingxian were in my Taixuan Holy Land, he would have become a Divine Infant in a hundred years; being in your Tai Xu, he is truly a pearl covered in dust."
Before his words fell, he swung his long spear again, slashing across the sky.
"Let me see once more how far your Tai Yuan Dragon Sword Dance has progressed."
Zhou Zili's face was as dark as water, retreat already on his mind, without a moment's hesitation, he turned and left.
He had somewhat underestimated a Holy Master, risking his life to fight with a dying man was indeed too risky.
In the void, the radiance of the divine fire grew more intense, gradually consuming all the light rain in the sky.
In an instant, above the vault of heaven, there was only firelight left.
......
......
To be on the safe side, Chu Zheng waited for the time of a cup of tea in the Small World before he finally opened the passage and returned to the outside world.
After all, Geng Yiyang's condition seemed truly daunting, and Zhou Zili appeared to be in much better shape than him.
Upon stepping into the passage, he used the Invisibility Technique, taking extra caution.
The instant he stepped out of the passage, he felt a warmth all around him, the ground full of magma, and everywhere he looked, a sea of fire, leaving him stunned.
In the void stood a figure in grey robes, back stooped, appearing as if on the verge of decay.
Chu Zheng looked around, not seeing Zhou Zili's figure, and puzzled, he asked:
"Did he flee?"
"He died."