ALL NOVEL Chapter 166 - Enlightenment in the Battle, Destroying Xuanwu
The True Martial Immortal Emperor, a brilliant existence, once suppressed a dark disaster with his own body in ancient times.
To this day, many places across the five regions of the world have erected monuments and built temples in his honor. Believers continue to offer incense day and night, a testament to his legendary achievements.
He had never been defeated since birth, and his combat power was ranked among the top three of all immortal emperors across generations.
Xu Yang could tell that among all the Immortal Emperor imprints he had faced, this one carried a far stronger momentum. True Martial Immortal Emperor’s imprint was undoubtedly the first equal opponent Xu Yang had encountered in this life.
Bang!
The imprint of the True Martial Immortal Emperor moved. He raised his hand, and endless killing array patterns materialized between heaven and earth. A monstrous murderous aura surged, forming thousands of attacks in an instant and encircling Xu Yang, forcing him into a desperate situation.
There was no doubt that the True Martial Immortal Emperor was also a master of the Dao of Formations. Although this was just an imprint, the Dao patterns he arranged could still destroy the world.
Xu Yang’s expression remained calm and composed. In this world, aside from Xiao Hongluan, he had never encountered an opponent who could stand on equal footing with him. Everywhere he went, he crushed his enemies effortlessly. Therefore, he deeply cherished this opportunity to face the True Martial imprint, using the battle as a chance to refine and understand the Dao he practiced.
He raised his hand, and terrifying ripples appeared in the void. Wisps of array patterns flickering with faint light emerged, and in an instant, an unparalleled killing array descended upon the earth.
The Third Killing Array!
Xu Yang pushed his palm forward, and the killing array he summoned charged at the True Martial’s Dao patterns with fierce momentum. The array formations collided, their patterns entangling in an earth-shattering clash. The resulting shockwaves were so terrifying that an unnamed mountain range was reduced to dust on the spot.
To avoid causing collateral damage, Xu Yang had deliberately chosen to fight in the sky. Otherwise, the Qingming Sect’s protective formations would have collapsed, and many of the thirty-six peaks would have been severely impacted.
When True Martial’s attack was blocked, his imprint summoned another formation. The sky and earth became boundless as densely packed Dao patterns emerged, each exuding supreme Dao rhymes. Ten thousand rays of light fell like a waterfall, drowning Xu Yang in their brilliance.
It was as if the entire world had been swallowed by the formation.
“Come on!”
Xu Yang’s mind roared. He meticulously analyzed the gaps within True Martial’s formation patterns, correcting his earlier misunderstandings of formations and absorbing fresh insights. This battle propelled him further along the path of the Dao of Formation.
Boom!!!
Xu Yang raised his hand, light radiating from his palm like a flying immortal. The movement of heaven and earth was affected, and billions of formation patterns soared into the sky, slicing through True Martial’s Dao patterns with overwhelming power.
The sound of their clash shook the heavens. Within mere breaths, the two had exchanged numerous rounds.
“Your formations are useless against me!”
As Xu Yang faced True Martial’s relentless attacks, a complex and profound Dao rhythm emanated from him. Several Dao patterns, glowing with an enchanting luster, leapt into the void. Each leap seemed to redirect the flow of heaven and earth, changing the sun and moon’s course. These patterns were peerless.
The unparalleled formation attacks from True Martial’s imprint collapsed silently under Xu Yang’s Dao patterns, as though they had struck their weak points. The attacks disintegrated without even brushing Xu Yang’s robes.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
Realizing the futility of his formations, True Martial’s imprint switched to exquisite swordsmanship. The ringing of his sword echoed across the sky, cold and murderous, directly striking at the soul. Many Qingming Sect disciples felt their hearts turn cold, as if something had been severed. Their scalps tingled, and their hair stood on end.
The void trembled as unparalleled sword energy descended, cleaving mountains and rivers in two.
This was the sword intent of True Martial Immortal Emperor’s Zhanjiang. With this sword intent, he had slain numerous calamity-bearing dragons in ancient times. Even during the suppression of the dark turmoil, he used this sword intent to kill several real dragons that sought to join the darkness.
The sword intent was awe-inspiring, but unfortunately, Xu Yang had mastered the ancient sword scriptures.
Between Xu Yang’s eyebrows, a brilliant sword beam flickered. Though it seemed solitary, it evolved into millions of sword shadows. It was as if a towering mountain of swords had emerged between heaven and earth. Upon this mountain, countless swords hummed and trembled.
Suddenly, a sword that had been silent for eons erupted from chaos. It radiated unparalleled tyranny, as if born to be the monarch of all swords. Before this sword, all others bowed in submission.
The sword of chaos—the King of Swords.
In mere moments, Xu Yang’s chaotic sword intent annihilated True Martial’s sword energy.
Whoosh!
The divine aura emerged under Xu Yang’s feet, and his figure disappeared into the void, crossing the sky and blasting toward the True Martial imprint.
However, the True Martial Immortal Emperor was too versatile, mastering numerous great Daos, including the Great Dao of Speed. Before Xu Yang could reach him, a flower of Dao Yun bloomed beneath True Martial’s feet, enveloping him and vanishing in the blink of an eye, widening the distance from Xu Yang.
“It is said that the True Martial Immortal Emperor’s movements are unparalleled. Now that I see it with my own eyes, it’s true!”
Xu Yang didn’t rush to strike the True Martial imprint but feigned attacks instead, forcing True Martial to employ his movement techniques. Each time True Martial used his ability, Xu Yang carefully observed the traces of Dao Yun left in the void, gaining insights into its mysteries.
After all, this might be the only opportunity Xu Yang would have to battle True Martial.
Unlike other immortal emperors, True Martial was a true peerless genius who had elevated his Dao comprehension to extraordinary heights.
Naturally, Xu Yang had to seize this rare chance to learn and refine his own understanding.
After a short while, Xu Yang had nearly deciphered most of True Martial’s technique. A flower of Dao Yun materialized beneath his feet, mirroring the True Martial Immortal Emperor’s movement style.
Though his execution was still clumsy, leaving clear traces of Dao Yun in his wake, it didn’t matter. For Xu Yang, this level of mastery was already sufficient.
He closed in on the True Martial imprint again. True Martial tried to repeat his evasive tactic, but this time, Xu Yang successfully entangled him.
“This…”
“Is Master Xu stealing the master’s techniques?”
“Stealing the master’s skills is too audacious! Master Xu obviously cannot let the True Martial inheritance fade into obscurity!”
“Exactly! Master Xu has noble intentions and wants to revive the True Martial legacy for the world!”
“So, is this why Master Xu has been playing with the True Martial imprint for so long?”
Countless Qingming Sect disciples watched the battle in the void, their hearts shaken to the core, their worldview overturned repeatedly until they were nearly numb.
“Does Master Xu even have a single flaw?”
“Yes, Purple Cloud Peak clearly needs a sweeping disciple like me!”
“If you’re sweeping floors, then I’ll volunteer to be Master Xu’s bed warmer!”
“Haha, do you even own a mirror?”
“Master Xu excels in cultivation, combat power, comprehension, and appearance. He has no flaws whatsoever. He’s simply the most perfect existence in this world!”
“Indeed, Master Xu’s appearance rivals mine!”
“…”
Moments ago, Master Xu had stormed through hundreds of Immortal Emperor imprints, leaving everyone stunned, their jaws metaphorically—and perhaps literally—on the ground.
Just as they managed to recover, they witnessed Master Xu battling the True Martial imprint and even mastering the True Martial Immortal Emperor’s body techniques mid-fight.
This display left them feeling as if their understanding of reality had been fundamentally altered.
When most people face tribulation, they fear making even the smallest mistake, as it could lead to their demise. Yet, Master Xu approached his tribulation with a calmness that allowed him to study his opponent’s techniques.
This stark contrast didn’t even inspire jealousy—it was too far beyond their reach. Instead, it filled them with awe and a fervent desire to follow Master Xu, to bask in his radiance.
Meanwhile, the ancient warship accelerating toward the scene suddenly stopped so abruptly that the Black Tortoise Emperor, who was preparing to unleash his strength, almost flew out of the cabin.
Frowning, the Black Tortoise Emperor was about to scold his followers when he sensed a particular aura. His heart skipped a beat as he rushed out of the cabin, standing in the void to look up.
What he saw made his entire body tremble, his face pale with terror.
“Is that… the True Martial Immortal Emperor?”
“And the one fighting him is…”
“Master Xu!!!”
Cries of disbelief erupted from the chariots, sedan chairs, and spirit boats nearby.
“Hiss—”
The sound of collective gasps filled the air.
On the black jade chariot, Ying Wudi, who had recently failed to challenge his weakness, stood frozen in place. His dull eyes and stiff body reflected pure shock.
Nearby, Zhu Zaohou’s jaw dropped so low it seemed ready to catch a monster egg. His face was a mix of astonishment and disbelief.
“Master Xu is about to become a Venerable?!”
“That doesn’t make sense!
According to intelligence, Master Xu had only recently re-entered the Divine Transformation realm. It had been less than a month, yet he was already breaking through to the Void Shattering realm?!
This was beyond comprehension. Even Zhu Zaohou, with all his knowledge, wouldn’t dare dream of such an impossible feat.
But this was no dream. It was happening before his very eyes.
As he processed this reality, Zhu Zaohou’s muttering turned frantic:
“Is Master Xu even human?”
“Master Xu isn’t human. He’s a god! He’s the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao itself!!!”
Ying Wudi gazed skyward, his eyes filled with fervent admiration. His heart swelled with a premonition:
He would go down in history for witnessing this moment.
Tens of thousands of years later, perhaps his legend would spread across the five regions of the world.
The only one who could survive a punch from Heavenly Emperor Xu—Ying Wudi!
“I heard a loud noise from a distance and thought someone was going through a tribulation, but I didn’t expect it to be Senior Xu!”
“Senior Xu’s opponent in breaking through the tribulation was the True Martial Immortal Emperor, who suppressed the dark turmoil!”
“The most shocking thing is that Senior Xu seems to be on par with the True Martial Immortal Emperor!”
“Why do I feel like, if Senior Xu succeeds in breaking through, he’ll become the greatest of all time?”
“I have the same feeling!”
“This divine son finally understands why my ancestor is so eager to give gifts to Xu Yang!”
“How dare you call him Xu Yang? Address him respectfully as Senior Xu!”
A group of divine sons from various Holy Lands and Immortal Clans stood dumbfounded, staring at the void.
Because they were far away initially, they hadn’t witnessed Xu Yang battling the emperors. Otherwise, they would have no doubts.
Xu Yang was undeniably the number one in the world!
Even so, they were awestruck by his terrifying power.
If asked to name someone capable of sweeping all peers in this Golden Age, there was no doubt—they would unanimously choose Xu Yang.
“Hurry, hurry, let’s head to Qingming Sect! Senior Xu’s breakthrough is almost complete. We must celebrate his success immediately!”
A saint from a Holy Land urged his followers to prepare the fairy ship without delay.
The Sons of the Immortal Clans reacted quickly, commanding their followers to speed up. Falling behind now could mean missing the opportunity to leave a favorable impression on Senior Xu.
In the blink of an eye, a fleet of ancient warships, spirit boats, and chariots vanished into the horizon.
Only one ancient warship remained.
On the deck.
The followers who had earlier boasted that their master could easily suppress Xu Yang now lowered their heads in silence, unsure of what to think.
“Master, are we still heading to Qingming Sect?”
A wild woman with horns finally broke the silence, speaking in a low voice as she glanced at the Black Tortoise Emperor.
The Black Tortoise Emperor’s throat felt dry. He swallowed a few times to calm himself, restrained his gaze, and pretended to be composed:
“Go. Why wouldn’t we go? Xu Yang may not succeed in his tribulation!”
“After all, he’s up against the True Martial Immortal Emperor!”
“My ancestor once fought alongside True Martial Immortal Emperor to suppress the dark turmoil. That glorious history is etched in my blood—it can never be forgotten!”
Mentioning his ancestor’s past glory steadied the Black Tortoise Emperor’s trembling voice, gradually restoring his composure.
Hearing this, the followers in the cabin felt their master’s reasoning was sound.
Yes, this was the True Martial Immortal Emperor!
One of the most formidable Immortal Emperors in history!
Even their master’s ancestor had willingly served as his mount.
Given this, no matter how strong Xu Yang was, he couldn’t possibly be a match for the True Martial Immortal Emperor!
With these thoughts easing their panic, the followers restarted the ancient warship and continued toward Qingming Sect.
Boom!
Xu Yang fought the True Martial Immortal Emperor head-on, their clash filling the world with surging golden light. This was pure, extreme yang power, like the scorching sun, its divine brilliance capable of annihilating everything!
Meanwhile, the True Martial Immortal Emperor emanated a vast aura of his battle intent, covering most of the sky. His supreme physique, the True Martial Fighting Body, ranked highly among the three thousand physiques. Yet, even this formidable power was no match for Xu Yang.
The True Martial Immortal Emperor was merely a mark and lacked the endless divine power of Xu Yang, whose Dao body was like an infinite sea, wave after relentless wave.
Relying on his Tao body, Xu Yang gradually pushed the True Martial’s imprint back. The figure of True Martial Immortal Emperor became increasingly ethereal.
At the same time, the Xuanwu mount beneath True Martial’s feet seemed unable to bear seeing its master defeated. It erupted with dazzling brilliance, roaring as it shook the heavens and the earth, charging at Xu Yang to share the burden.
Boom!
Noticing Xuanwu’s movements, Xu Yang capitalized on the gap in suppressing True Martial. He punched out with immense force, the power of Daoism surging through the void and causing vast areas of it to collapse!
“Ah…”
The Xuanwu wailed as its body was blasted backward. The extreme yang energy coursed wildly within it. Unable to withstand the power, its body shattered into countless pieces, blood raining down from the sky.
By this time, the ancient warship had docked outside Qingming Sect’s mountain gate.
As the Black Tortoise Emperor stepped out of the cabin and looked up at the scene in the sky, his face turned as pale as a sheet.
“Ancestor…”
The Black Tortoise Emperor’s followers were paralyzed with terror, some even retreating unconsciously.
“Do we still have time to leave?”
T/N: If you aren’t familiar, Xuanwu is a Chinese mythological beast, with two heads, a tortoise and a snack. The one under the True Martial emperor is the Black Tortoise’s ancestor. Originally, when he was introduced, I translated the Black Tortoise Emperor as such because I knew we were going to have another Xuanwu and didn’t want to confuse anyone, but they are the same species.