Rushing water! Meng Qi seemed to hear the sound of a mighty river surging forward—it was the blood of the Celestial Soldier beginning to flow again, surging, mighty, and unceasing.
From the sound arose an image; in the minds of Jiang Zhiwei and the others, a crimson river surged forth, sweeping everything away, containing indescribable terrifying power.
To create such a sensation merely through one’s own bloodline, even considering the contrast between a sudden break from stagnation and the shift from stillness to motion, was enough to prove the immense power of this Celestial Soldier!
At least a Zongshi (Grandmaster)!
Meng Qi immediately made this judgment, gripping his saber and sword as he turned around.
There was no confusion or daze in the eyes of the silver-armored Celestial Soldier, no sign of someone suddenly awakening; only sharpness, hatred, and killing intent!
“You heretics dare to intrude into the Celestial Court—you deserve to die!” As the loud voice rang out, he had already swung his halberd. Behind him, a vast starry sky emerged, and a brilliant ray of light tore through the heavens, growing brighter and larger, burning with flames, warping vision, and filling Meng Qi’s and the others’ sight, as if merging completely with the halberd.
A falling star omen!
At the same time, Meng Qi felt swirling mist and a boiling sea—not only forming countless shackles binding his body but also making it difficult to connect his inner world with the outer world, causing his absorption of cosmic energy to become intermittent.
In this state, he could barely unleash seven out of ten parts of his full strength!
This was the might of a Zongshi!
Upon attaining the Outer Manifestation stage, one’s Inner Manifestation becomes externally visible, triggering celestial phenomena and harnessing the vast forces of nature. Every gesture wields immense power, yet this is merely an invocation—a temporary enhancement of the body through heavenly energy. At this stage, one can only summon weather phenomena like wind and rain or unleash destruction.
However, after ascending the second Heavenly Ladder, one’s principles and Dharma Manifestation begin to merge. The inner world starts operating according to its own laws. When projected outward, it can subtly influence the natural order—amplifying certain aspects while suppressing others—thereby creating a “domain” that weakens adversaries.
Just like the battle between the Crying Elder and Xuan Bei, where the surroundings became a battlefield between ghostly wails and Buddha’s light.
Chains wrapped around Meng Qi, making even walking difficult. Fortunately, he had reacted early and mentally prepared for facing a Zongshi.
Slowing his steps and lowering his long blade, Meng Qi utilized the external constraints of the world to fully concentrate his power. His body’s acupoints opened, channeling all manifestations to the tip of the blade—even his own Immortal Primordial Manifestation.
Compared to before, after obtaining “Return All Things to Emptiness,” Meng Qi had made significant progress in techniques of power condensation. At this moment, he seemed to be dragging a heavy blade forward, charging ahead with each step becoming slower and slower, as if bound by time itself, the surroundings growing dim and dark.
When the halberd, like a meteor glowing with brilliance, smashed before his eyes and his steps halted completely, Meng Qi roared like spring thunder: “Break!”
The blade swung forth, shifting from stillness to motion. His body instantly expanded, growing to several zhang tall. The accumulated power erupted forth, transforming into a dazzling slash of blade light that pierced the darkness and met the falling star.
Clang!
The meteor split into two, the halberd slightly recoiling, while Meng Qi was sent flying backward by the counterforce. His massive body nearly fell into the “Milky Way,” making it difficult to continue any follow-up techniques.
Even with the techniques of Emulating Heaven and Earth and Pangu’s Creation, he barely managed to block that single strike.
But he still had allies. Jiang Zhiwei’s sword light suddenly flashed, almost immediately following the halberd’s recoil, riding that momentum to break through the defense. Pure and decisive, it pierced straight toward the Celestial Soldier’s forehead—an impeccable timing. Too early, it would have been blocked together with the halberd; too late, the Celestial Soldier would have reestablished his defense!
Clang!
At the critical moment, the Celestial Soldier lowered his head. Jiang Zhiwei’s sword light struck his helmet, missing the vital spot.
A sharp burst of energy appeared. Cracks formed across the front of the helmet, showcasing the blade’s peerless sharpness.
Enraged, the silver-armored Celestial Soldier swung his halberd like wind, and behind him, from the vast starry sky, countless meteors rained down—massive, scorching, terrifying—determined to kill the five “heretics” before him, with no intention of listening to explanations.
Clang!
The qin floated gracefully. Ruan Yushu played the zither with both hands, and behind her, a virtual ancient bell appeared. With a slight tremble, the Three Realms quaked!
Meanwhile, Qi Zhengyan swung his sword repeatedly, releasing chaotic-hued sword beams that wove into a sealing formation, surrounding the silver-armored Celestial Soldier from all sides. These beams absorbed energy, functioning like the most supple of shackles. Zhao Heng employed the “Divine Mandate” technique to alter heaven and earth, diminishing the Zongshi’s control over the environment and reflecting the restraints back upon him.
The Celestial Soldier’s eyes blazed with fire, his muscles bulging, stretching his silver armor taut. Under the combined assault of the three, he only slightly slowed but, with a snap of his fingers, broke free. The swirling mist transformed into a whip, howling toward Ruan Yushu and the others.
The zither’s sound disrupted the “sea.” They exerted their utmost effort, barely managing to avoid injuries while struggling to maintain control.
But at this moment, Meng Qi had already steadied himself. Towering several zhang tall, he gazed down upon the Celestial Soldier. Two additional arms sprouted from his back—one wielding a blade of purple lightning, the other clutching a heavy sword with a tortoiseshell hilt. With a mighty roar, he charged to the front of Jiang Zhiwei and the others, bringing down two blades and two swords in unison.
The force of the blade was immense, its tip dark as if condensing into a black dot that distorted space itself. The sword beams were brilliant and dazzling, appearing to reach every corner without exception.
This was the enhanced first half of the “Solar Collapse” technique, further empowered by “All Things Return to Void” and “The Dao Pervades the Cosmos”!
(Note: I’ve translated “日陨” as “Solar Collapse” to convey the celestial destruction imagery, while “道传寰宇” is rendered as “The Dao Pervades the Cosmos” to maintain the philosophical grandeur. Martial arts technique names often balance literal meaning with stylistic impact in translation.)
The blade and the sword clashed together, abruptly colliding in midair—the black dot and the luminous sphere merging as one.
Boom!
The clash of the two pairs of blades and swords occurred simultaneously, unleashing a terrifying explosion. The Milky Way trembled, and the illusory waters surged into towering waves.
A thin beam of light appeared, then emitted a blinding brilliance. Ruan Yushu and the others, behind Meng Qi, still experienced a whiteout in their vision, as if they could no longer see anything at all. The rolling shockwave’s heat even scorched and singed a strand of Ruan Yushu’s hair, already at the Outer Manifestation stage.
Boom!
The brilliance erupted, swallowing the falling meteors like a flood drowning them. After a brief struggle, they vanished without a trace.
Gloriously burying the stars and rivers!
Witnessing this, the Celestial Soldier’s countenance grew solemn. Behind him, the boundless starry sky expanded and drew near. Each star morphed into a phantom sun, roaring as they descended. The earth crumbled, the Milky Way dissipated, and under the halberd’s command, they surged toward the tempest of blades and swords.
Boom! The thunderous echo reverberated across the land. The storm cleared the mist, leaving the surroundings refreshingly clear. The Milky Way’s waters surged, and the evaporating “vapor” began forming white fog.
Deng deng deng! Meng Qi, towering and muscular, retreated three steps. His Taoist robe tore with each step, his pale-gold skin covered in tiny cuts, bleeding.
Deng deng deng! The silver-armored Celestial Soldier also took three steps back. His already cracked helmet shattered completely, and fine cracks appeared across his armor, though his body remained unharmed!
Before he could steady himself, a dazzling sword light had already cleaved through the sky, piercing straight into the Celestial Soldier’s mind and very soul!
After clashing with Meng Qi and absorbing the evil thoughts of the True Martial, Jiang Zhiwei’s “Sword Without Self” had advanced to another level!
The Celestial Soldier roared with fury. His Dharma Form merged directly into his body, his eyes blazing with starlight as if countless meteors were streaking through them. With effortless grace, he raised his halberd.
Puu!
A series of illusory meteors flew forth, blocking Jiang Zhiwei’s sword beam. Then the halberd struck sideways, sending Jiang Zhiwei staggering.
The five of them had nearly used all their strength, but before a Zongshi, it still wasn’t enough—they could only cause relatively significant consumption!
The Celestial Soldier stepped forward, sweeping his halberd sideways, its tip burning with flames, aiming to cut Jiang Zhiwei at the waist.
Jiang Zhiwei inhaled deeply. Behind her, a tall and distant female figure emerged—her face blurred, her eyes indifferent, not cold or heartless, but embodying the unity of heaven and earth, beyond ordinary emotion.
Her graceful posture, flowing sash, elegant folds, and exposed skin seemed to be formed from various sword intents—fiery, icy, sharp, and plain. Yet under her indifferent gaze, these intents merged seamlessly into one.
This was the true form of cultivating one’s sword intent by observing a hundred schools of sword!
The Supreme Sword Immortal’s Manifestation!
The Sword Immortal’s left hand held a scabbarded illusory long sword, while her right hand gripped the hilt.
As Jiang Zhiwei launched her sword strike, the Sword Immortal also drew her blade. The heavens and earth changed color, and the Milky Way, with its rippling waves, suddenly stilled, as if its flow had been interrupted.
This sword severed the future!
Clang! The halberd deliberately flew toward the sword. Ruan Yushu once again played the zither, shaking the Three Realms. Qi Zhengyan and Zhao Heng unleashed their respective killing moves, striving to maintain control. The four of them together briefly blocked the silver-armored Celestial Soldier.
Meng Qi knew he couldn’t sustain the Emulate Heaven and Earth state for long. With a flick of his blade, a miniature sun dangled from its tip—radiating scorching heat, dense and weighty, even warping the surrounding light.
To handle a Zongshi, at this stage, it was nearly impossible without employing divine weapons as core materials—and this was no ordinary demonic creature!
However, Meng Qi wasn’t fully activating or using it directly. Instead, he mostly relied on its weight as the carrier for this strike, thus minimizing the wear on the core material.
Within each of his acupoints, the Dharma Form (manifestation) emerged, with countless heavens revolving in unison, condensing into one. The power of the external world collapsed inward, the surrounding void seemingly pulled and shaken as the light dimmed. The Immortal Primordial Manifestation concentrated its intent at the tip of the blade, channeling every ounce of strength from his flesh and skin into that singular point.
“Break!” Meng Qi bellowed. The blade slashed fiercely, the void contracting, the light twisting. Everyone’s vision was filled with nothing but that massive miniature sun.
“Immortal Lord… Monkey!” The Celestial Soldier’s face changed drastically. He desperately intercepted with his halberd, but he hadn’t yet subdued Jiang Zhiwei and the others, making the effort difficult.
Clang!
The blade struck the center of the halberd. At the point of impact, a black dot emerged—an abyssal, horrifying void that seemed to devour even vision itself.
Silently, the black dot tore open, the halberd flew away, and the silver-armored Celestial Soldier was completely devoured, not even leaving behind a scream.
The dark and dim sensation vanished. The half-damaged halberd fell to the ground, while the silver-armored Celestial Soldier had no remains left—he had turned into nothingness.
All things return to void!
Meng Qi felt completely exhausted, unable to maintain the “Emulating Heaven and Earth” state any longer. He returned to his original size and withdrew the Solar Flaming Core.
Zongshi truly are terrifying!
But why could a Celestial Soldier from hundreds, even possibly hundreds of thousands of years ago, still be alive and well, showing none of the signs of decay or feebleness?
Meng Qi seized the moment to absorb cosmic energy and recover his strength. Just then, a distant figure swiftly flew toward them, almost like flight.
With golden wings on its back, it was the Black Robe Demon King, who had come upon sensing the commotion.
Damn! Their carefully laid plan had just succeeded, yet now it was all for naught!
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