Joining Forces!

Zhao He looked at the two of them with an indifferent expression, sneering disdainfully. "It seems neither of you has ever experienced the true power of an immortal... How could lower-realm beings like you possibly understand the chasm between mortals and immortals?" Before his words even finished echoing, immortal primal energy surged within Zhao He, and a terrifying, boundless pressure erupted outward. The red-and-purple streak faltered for a fraction of a second, but what Zhao He expected to happen never came to pass. The thunderous afterimage accelerated instead, turning thirty percent faster than before as it charged straight at Zhao He, sword in hand! Zhao He was taken aback. Flipping his hand, spiritual light flashed, and he swept his sword across in a horizontal slash! Li Guanqi ducked low until he was nearly flat against the ground, dodging the cut before sweeping his blade upward in a vicious backhand uppercut! Boom! A blood-red sword beam flashed and vanished, brimming with terrifying immortal primal energy. Clang! Zhao He turned his blade to parry, but an overwhelming force slammed right behind it. Zhao He was abruptly knocked backward by the immense impact, launched into the air as the webbing between his thumb and forefinger went completely numb. Riiip! The slash shredded his robes, electric arcs of lightning crackling and dancing along the blade's edge. Zhao He's expression changed drastically, and he gasped in disbelief, "Impossible! Why is your body filled entirely with immortal primal energy?!" Li Guanqi paid him no mind. Following closely on his heels, he thrust forward with a Cloud Sword technique aimed straight for Zhao He's throat. The pressure of the Immortal Realm was immense—so much so that their current way of fighting could no longer display the grand, sweeping scale seen in the Human Spirit Realm. Even releasing sword radiance through a blade using immortal primal energy took considerable effort. In turn, this tested a cultivator's sword mastery all the more. Li Guanqi had absolute confidence in his. Light flickered in Shi Lin's eyes, and his burly frame appeared right behind Zhao He almost the instant the man was knocked backward. A massive fist carrying terrifying flames erupted with thunderous force! As the punch shot out, even the space around it warped faintly. Roar! A roar resembling both dragon and tiger echoed across the plaza. A massive phantom of a fire qilin suddenly materialized behind Shi Lin. Thud! The blow landed solidly against Zhao He's shoulder. Yet Shi Lin's expression twisted, and he leaned backward without hesitation! A flash of cold steel whipped past his cheek. Slash! Shi Lin's gaze hardened. As he leaned back, he twisted his waist and whipped his leg out through the air! Internally, Shi Lin was shaken. He had not expected that full-powered punch to deal no substantial damage to Zhao He at all. The man's barrier of immortal primal energy was far too resilient. The purity difference between immortal primal energy and lower-realm primal energy was astronomical—a disparity greater than tenfold. This clearly demonstrated that the gap between the Ascension Realm and the Mystic Immortal realm was a qualitative transformation. Mere physical strength and lethal force could not easily bridge the chasm between two distinct realms. Bang! Zhao He grabbed Shi Lin's ankle with one hand and violently hurled him away! Shi Lin was flung like an artillery shell, slamming straight into the plaza floor. Boom! A dull, heavy crash resounded as Shi Lin's impact blasted a crater over a hundred feet wide into the stone! Li Guanqi's brow knitted slightly. Stone in the Immortal Realm was several times harder than the finest materials used to forge artifacts in the Spirit Realm. The immense rebound force bounced Shi Lin's body upward, causing a surge of blood to rush up his throat and spray from his mouth. By this point, fine, silk-like ribbons of spiritual light gathered around Zhao He, milky-white luminescence spiraling and undulating in an exquisitely profound display. This immortal light possessed a distinct vitality, and the power woven into it was extraordinarily potent. Shi Lin's pupils contracted. He sent a low voice transmission: "Be careful! That is the outward manifestation of Mystic Immortal charm! Judging by the charm, this fellow is among the stronger fighters at the second tier of the Mystic Immortal realm." Li Guanqi frowned, thinking to himself, *Immortal charm... the hallmark of the Mystic Immortal realm?* Li Guanqi moved with blinding speed, arriving before Zhao He almost the moment Shi Lin was thrown. Yet the instant his figure materialized, he was shocked to find Zhao He's gaze already locked onto him. A frigid blade appeared out of nowhere before his neck. A sharp chill struck, and the dragon scales protecting Li Guanqi's throat were sliced open like soft curds! The cold metal parted his flesh, sinking in half a finger-width deep. Before he could even register the danger consciously, Li Guanqi's instincts took over. He raised his hand to seize the blade. He let the edge tear through his palm while Red Lotus in his left hand erupted into a blood-red python with a ferocious roar! "Eight Desolations: Extinction!" Hum! Dark clouds churned across the firmament, channeling countless bolts of lightning that cascaded down from the heavens! "What terrifying sword might!" "That man had to be at least a Realm Lord back in the Human Spirit Realm!" "Tsk, what use is being strong? Without entering the Mystic Immortal realm, all are mere mortals!" "Sigh, you're right. Anyone below the Mystic Immortal realm is just an ant." Every cultivator guarding the Ascension Platform felt their hearts tremble at the sight of Li Guanqi's strike. Had they been in Zhao He's place, they doubted they could endure even a single blow. Boom! Cold gleams flashed. The power packed within the strike sent a shiver down Zhao He's spine, causing his pupils to narrow slightly. With his blade trapped, Li Guanqi's hand clamped down like an iron vice, refusing to let go. Zhao He's eyes narrowed into slits as spiritual light flared at the tips of his left fingers. A bronze mirror the size of a palm instantly manifested. Thump! Rumble! Zhao He remained rooted to the spot without budging an inch. Li Guanqi's strike was effortlessly deflected by the bronze mirror! The mirror flashed, converting the power of Li Guanqi's sword radiance into a concentrated beam that shot outward in a blink! Yet the attack was not aimed at Li Guanqi. The beam pierced straight through Shi Lin's shoulder as he attempted an ambush from behind. Just as Li Guanqi moved to release his grip on the blade, Zhao He seemed to anticipate it. His sword twisted in a circling momentum, spiraling outward to grind Li Guanqi's arm! The flesh on Li Guanqi's arm was instantly mangled, forcing him to leap back. Wings of lightning formed behind his back and flapped violently, unleashing an explosion of thousands of thunderbolts. Relying on this burst of speed, Li Guanqi withdrew a thousand feet in an instant. Shi Lin clutched his bleeding shoulder, standing behind Zhao He, while Li Guanqi stood in front. The two flanked him from opposite sides. Throughout the entire exchange, the man had met their onslaught with calm detachment. Despite all their efforts, they had achieved virtually nothing. Li Guanqi stared grimly at the bronze mirror floating beside Zhao He. Magic treasures of this caliber were rarely seen in the Human Spirit Realm. In the past, Li Guanqi had never cared about the abilities of his opponents' treasures. In the Human Spirit Realm, as long as one's strength was sufficient, one could exceed a magic treasure's limits and shatter it. That was why he had never gone out of his way to collect treasures back then. Yet whether it was Zhou Xuanze's soul banner or Zhao He's bronze mirror, both displayed remarkable power that caused him no small amount of trouble. It seemed he needed to adjust his mindset... The Immortal Realm truly was vastly different from the Human Spirit Realm. Shi Lin licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, savage ferocity glinting in his eyes. "You possess immortal primal energy—you can injure him," Shi Lin rasped. "You take the lead. I'll support you from the flanks!" With those words, the two exchanged a quick glance. Li Guanqi's eyes flicked almost imperceptibly across the surrounding onlookers. Shi Lin nodded slightly, instantly understanding what Li Guanqi meant. Without another word, Li Guanqi and Shi Lin charged toward Zhao He together!