"The Immortal Court's number one thug? That title sounds rather unpleasant," Xu Ying said, frowning slightly.
The scholar Ding Simu replied, "Out in the wild corners of the Immortal Realm, you have another moniker: the Immortal Court's number one hound—striking down whoever you were ordered to strike."
Xu Ying's face darkened. That title was even worse than the Immortal Court's number one thug.
The scholar Ding Simu continued, "You also led the Nine Star Lords and commanded three thousand Battle Fiend immortals and gods to suppress the rebel armies among the unaffiliated cultivators. You hunted them all the way to the northern reaches of the desert and slaughtered the entire rebel army in pits. Because of that, some called you the Desert Butcher..."
"Hold on!"
Xu Ying raised a palm and chuckled. "Frontier Immortal King, there's no need to bring up old history. Besides, I remember nothing of what I did in my first life. In blocking my path, could it be you intend to capture me and present me to the Immortal Realm to claim a reward?"
Ding Simu's expression turned solemn. "That is one reason. On the other hand, I want to know why your name outranks mine on the wanted list."
Xu Ying burst out laughing upon hearing that. "Is landing on the Immortal Realm's wanted list supposed to be a badge of honor? Because I was placed on that wanted list, countless immortals and gods hunted me down when I descended to the mortal realm, until I was finally slain by the Imperial Monarch's Purple Nether Blade. Though I miraculously survived, I wasted over forty thousand years because of it. Frontier Immortal King, do you truly think holding the top spot is something enviable?"
Ding Simu smiled. "To me, it is an honor. I have cultivated since childhood, and back in the mortal world, I was first in everything I did. I was a genius in everyone's eyes, an existence revered by all like stars circling the moon. Only after ascending to the Immortal Realm did I realize that no matter how brilliant my achievements were before, no matter how many times I took first place, without connections or backing in the Immortal Realm, every step forward was an uphill struggle. In the Immortal Realm, even breathing requires status. Cultivation became a luxury."
Xu Ying could not help but feel a twinge of sympathy. "You ascended geniuses might have become immortals, only to find yourselves still trapped at the very bottom."
Ding Simu said, "Your fortune was far better. After ascending, you were promoted at breakneck speed, ascending to the throne of Celestial Venerable of the Dou Bureau in just a few short centuries. As an unaffiliated cultivator drifting across the frontier for so many years, I realized that if I wanted to be first at anything, I could only strive to be first on the wanted list!"
He sighed with deep emotion. "Yet just as I strove toward that goal, you burst onto the scene out of nowhere and seized the number one spot on the wanted list for yourself."
Sympathy stirred in Xu Ying's heart. "I probably took the top spot only because I descended with three immortal mountains. It wasn't my intention to rob you of first place."
Ding Simu chuckled. "I am not a petty man. My sole intention in descending this time was to meet you—to see why the Immortal Court's number one thug deserved to claim the top spot on the wanted list."
Xu Ying gave a slight nod and smiled. "Though I haven't recovered the memories of my first life, I consider my current self no weaker than who I was back then."
Ding Simu's expression grew solemn. "May I ask your realm of cultivation?"
Xu Ying replied candidly, "I am currently at the Jade Pool stage. However, I differ from all of you. I practice both immortal and Nuo methods, possessing profound mastery over Nuo arts, bolstered by the five cultivation realms from my first life. Compared to Immortal Kings like you, I fall short at most in the sheer depth of my cultivation base."
Ding Simu said solemnly, "Please release your full cultivation."
Xu Ying set his feet shoulder-width apart. Behind him, six great cave-heavens manifested one after another, the Immortal Realm appearing within them in magnificent splendor. His Five Sacred Mountains, the Water-Fire Huntian Cauldron, the Twelve-Storyed Mansions, the Immortal Dao Jade Pool, and the Third Heavenly Pass emerged in succession, hovering behind him.
From atop Xu Ying's head, his Primordial Spirit leapt forth and stood atop the Third Heavenly Pass. Even behind the Primordial Spirit, phantoms of the six great cave-heavens appeared, its aura surging exponentially!
Planting his feet within the Domain of Six Immortals, he unfurled his domain, pushing his cultivation to the absolute limit!
Just as Ding Simu was about to speak, a streak of clear qi suddenly flew out from the crown of Xu Ying's head, transforming into three cowardly-looking Xu Yings. The three scrambled out of Xu Ying's domain in a panic.
Evidently, Xu Ying believed that only by severing these three personas—even at the cost of his cultivation—could he reach his strongest state.
Seeing this, Ding Simu was visibly moved. "Is this truly only the Jade Pool stage?"
Xu Ying frowned slightly as he felt the hindrance caused by the four Dao wounds left behind by the Imperial Monarch. These four Dao wounds restricted the full release of his strength.
Dao light swirled around Ding Simu's body as his domain unfolded. His Primordial Spirit towered within the domain like an ancient god or fiend, displaying a solemn dharma idol of naturally formed Dao phenomena.
Dao chains coiled around him, radiating an astonishing presence.
His Dao methods and divine powers had clearly been forged entirely through his own exploration. Without a master's lineage in the Immortal Realm, attaining such a level through self-study was truly extraordinary.
Suddenly, an immortal sword flew out from Ding Simu's domain. With a single slash, he lopped off nearly half of his own cultivation!
Instantly, immortal spiritual qi surged forth like a rolling tide from around his domain. Wherever it washed over, the surrounding vegetation flourished into an immortal paradise.
Xu Ying was shaken. Looking at Ding Simu, he saw a man of immense magic power who refused to use sheer cultivation to suppress his opponent, choosing instead to slice away half his own power!
Such character and state of mind commanded deep admiration.
Ding Simu's face went pale, though he regained his composure a moment later. "My Primordial Spirit is vastly larger than yours. That is something I cannot easily sever, so consider it an advantage on my part."
Xu Ying said solemnly, "Though my Primordial Spirit may appear small, its cultivation and attainments are exceptionally profound. It is not necessarily inferior to yours."
Ding Simu gave a gentle nod.
The two stood facing each other. Suddenly, Xu Ying thrust out a palm. Ding Simu's expression shifted slightly, and he leaped backward. The sky abruptly tore open as an enormous hand capable of grasping the azure firmament descended from above. Trapped beneath that palm imprint was an infinite sea of fire, as though Laozi's Eight Trigrams Furnace were being held in hand!
Ding Simu moved like lightning, covering tens of thousands of li in an instant, barely reaching the perimeter of that descending palm.
*Boom!*
The sky and earth around Dao Weeping Pass shook violently as tens of thousands of li of land crumbled into powder, instantly turning into a torrent of magma!
"The technique of Perfected Yuhu?"
Without breaking stride, Ding Simu continued leaping backward. Huge stars whistled and spun down from the sky, crushing everything in their wake. Appearing alongside the stars was Xu Ying's colossal face projected across the void beyond the heavens. His eyes blazed like twin suns, gazing intently at the Frontier Immortal King like an ancient deity.
Ding Simu retreated steadily, unhurried.
Suddenly, hands and feet materialized around him from all directions—punching, palming, hooking, kicking, sweeping, smashing, uplifting, and chopping—unleashing an onslaught of techniques toward him from every angle!
"Celestial Venerable Xu, your Gourd Heaven Dao Verification Scripture is even more profound than that of Perfected Yuhu!"
Ding Simu suddenly halted his retreat. Spinning on the spot, his hands and feet blurred as he met the strikes launched by Xu Ying from the void. His movements appeared drifting and devoid of force, yet the moment they landed upon Xu Ying's limbs, Xu Ying suddenly felt his own power spiral out of control!
The next instant, Xu Ying's left hand struck his own right foot, his right knee collided with his left leg, his right hand chopped his left wrist, and his left leg fractured his own left arm!
In the blink of an eye, Ding Simu had dismantled his assault.
Xu Ying let out a stifled grunt, immediately discerning the method behind the counter. Xu Ying was attacking from within the void, keeping his movements unseen. While Perfected Yuhu's art was full of ingenious design, Ding Simu had pinpointed its flaw.
Ding Simu's seemingly soft, weightless attacks had actually disrupted the void around him. When Xu Ying's left hand struck from that pocket of space, Ding Simu needed only to deflect the void by a few inches to throw Xu Ying's strike off course and prevent it from reaching him!
Even more wondrous was that he did not need deep mastery over space; understanding simple principles was enough to turn Xu Ying's strikes against himself!
*If Perfected Yuhu were to face this Frontier Immortal King, he would probably be dead within three moves!*
Xu Ying activated his six Immortal Realm cave-heavens, drawing upon an endless torrent of immortal herbs and immortal power. The injuries he had just sustained vanished in an instant, leaving his combat strength utterly unaffected.
Suddenly, his Primordial Spirit vanished. A moment later, it reemerged beyond the heavens, enlarged by the Gourd Heaven Dao Verification Scripture into a ten-thousand-zhang Primordial Spirit that hurtled toward Ding Simu's Primordial Spirit!
Ding Simu raised his head, and the ten-thousand-zhang Primordial Spirit behind him did the same. Man and spirit moved in absolute harmony as their palms struck forward in rapid succession.
Within his palms, a vast frontier desert suddenly emerged—the desolate borderlands of the Immortal Realm. Barren and dead, with thin immortal spiritual qi, yet filled with abnormal Great Dao energy saturating the world. That was the desert!
With this strike, Ding Simu unleashed the desolate desolation of the immortal desert to its absolute pinnacle!
He met Xu Ying's Primordial Spirit head-on. The moment their six palms collided, Xu Ying charged into his domain. A surge of Zhuxian sword qi severed the Great Dao chains circling Ding Simu as Xu Ying closed the distance and slashed down!
Ding Simu flipped backward, leaping beyond the Dao Revelation Ground and back into the Boundless Sea of Fire.
Xu Ying pursued like a shadow, but suddenly a tempest of desert sand swept toward his face. In an instant, the sands of the Immortal Realm turned into countless stars, forming a sweeping river of stars that engulfed him.
No matter how sharp his sword qi or how terrifying his killing intent, he could not break through this celestial river!
*Hum—*
The Boundless Sea of Fire ignited those myriad stars, instantly turning every star into a blazing sun. The river of stars shone with blinding brilliance.
Ding Simu stood within the river of stars like a scholar, his Primordial Spirit vast and boundless.
Though dressed in scholar's robes, the Primordial Spirit behind him radiated divine majesty like a great emperor commanding the starry heavens, exuding an aura so close to the Dao that it commanded reverence!
"Xu Ying, this is my art: the Lingbao Myriad Phenomena Star Calendar Scripture,"
Ding Simu said solemnly. "The immortal desert is barren. Having lived in the frontier for so long, I discovered that the sands there were actually formed from fallen celestial phenomena. I dwelt there for tens of thousands of years, finally comprehending this divine art. Please grant me your guidance!"
He moved his palm, and the river of stars danced in response. Countless stars swept forward like the tail of a coiling dragon, crashing toward Xu Ying with tremendous force. Xu Ying shattered the stars with his sword, but as stars continued to pour in endlessly, how many could he possibly break?
The Zhuxian sword qi was battered and crushed to powder by the relentless celestial barrage.
Star after star crashed down, crushing his Heavenly Dao domain and shattering his Domain of Six Immortals. The stars slammed heavily against Xu Ying's body, sending blood leaking from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as he was hurled backward.
Yet the river of stars shifted with Ding Simu's hand. The stars intercepted the retreating Xu Ying, grinding toward him from every direction!
Xu Ying roared in anger and unleashed the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, merging his physical body and Primordial Spirit into one. Expanding and shrinking at will, he instantly pushed the art to the Sixth Revolution. Employing fists, feet, and bursts of sword qi in tandem, he forced the stars back.
The next instant, he circulated the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon-Breaking Art. The phenomena of nine heavens and ten earths manifested behind him as he struck downward with a palm, channeling the might of nine heavens and carrying the colossal force of ten earths into a thunderous descent!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Before him, countless stars were shattered and plunged into darkness as the force of the palm strike surged straight toward Ding Simu!
Ding Simu raised a hand to meet the strike, and both men's auras roiled violently.
Driving his self-comprehended Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon-Breaking Art, Xu Ying drove deep into the river of stars conjured by the Lingbao Myriad Phenomena Star Calendar Scripture, advancing without hindrance!
The river of stars around Ding Simu vanished, replaced by an expanse of endless yellow sand. His palm strikes stirred up the desert, each strike carrying tens of thousands of grains of sand.
Those were not mere grains of sand, but tens of thousands of stars!
The two exchanged dozens of palm strikes in rapid succession. Suddenly, Xu Ying's foot faltered. Seizing the opening, Ding Simu swept a palm against his lower ribs.
Xu Ying felt as though tens of thousands of stars had slammed into him. Flung backward, he was expelled from the Boundless Sea of Fire with a sharp whistle, tumbling and rolling toward Dao Weeping Pass!
Ding Simu dashed out from the Boundless Sea of Fire. By the time Xu Ying stabilized his stance and suppressed his injuries, Ding Simu had already arrived before him.
Xu Ying said dejectedly, "I lost."
Ding Simu shook his head and looked at Xu Ying's left leg. "You are limping. You carry four old wounds on your body, and one is on your left leg. When we clashed just now, that wound held you back. Were these injuries inflicted by the Imperial Monarch's blade?"
Xu Ying shook his head. "It was the Imperial Monarch's formation diagram."
Ding Simu said, "Had you been at your peak, I might not have defeated you. Carrying four Dao wounds and still fighting me to this extent is already extraordinary. In this battle, I did not win, and you did not lose."
He turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and added, "Celestial Venerable Xu, you still disappointed me. From you, I saw the divine arts of Perfected Yuhu, the divine arts of the ancient eras, and the Imperial Monarch's Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon-Breaking Art. The only thing I didn't see were the divine arts of Celestial Venerable Xu."
Drifting away, his voice carried from the distance:
"Once your injuries have healed and we can face each other in a fair duel again, I hope you will let me witness the divine arts of the rebel leader, Celestial Venerable Xu!"
Chapter 450