Rumors

Rumors . . .

Dong Yu, with a measured stride, advanced toward the Sacred Battle Platform. As he rose into the air, he cast a disdainful glance downward at Qin Wentian. His voice dripped with contempt as he addressed his adversary, "Your talent in the Royal Sacred Region might be considered impressive. Even if you've made mistakes in the past, my Royal Sacred Sect can be quite forgiving. We'd even consider welcoming you into our ranks. But your stubbornness has led you down a treacherous path. There's no turning back for you now, only the path to certain death awaits."

Dong Yu held the esteemed rank of a third-level Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant within the Royal Sacred Sect, making him one of the most prominent figures of his generation. His future was all but guaranteed to see him occupy a position among the upper echelons. He had no intention of intervening here initially, not until Zai Xuan showed interest. He had not anticipated that he'd need to step in personally to deal with a first-level Ascendant.

The chasm between the third and first levels of Celestial Phenomenon was profound. In every aspect, be it the strength of their constellations, their augmentation capabilities, aura, or raw combat power, the disparity was unmistakable.

Dong Yu was not alone in his self-assuredness. Everyone from the Royal Sacred Sect shared the conviction that this battle held no suspense. With Dong Yu taking the field, Qin Wentian's demise appeared certain.

"Is this how the experts of the Royal Sacred Sect typically conduct their battles? Through words?" Qin Wentian quipped, his eyes teasing as he regarded Dong Yu. His audacity prompted a contemptuous smile to creep across Dong Yu's face. Without further ado, Dong Yu descended onto the platform as the curtain of light closed around them.

With the curtain falling, Dong Yu's constellation manifested. A brilliant astral light emanated, but the focal point of the radiance was a frost king, chilling in its demeanor.

Dong Yu's constellation, the embodiment of ice and frost, transformed the Sacred Battle Platform into a realm of snow and ice. A blanket of white snow covered the ground, and an arctic chill permeated the air. Icicles seemed to rain down from his constellation, with every shard capable of freezing to the bone.

The frost king, an ethereal figure formed from ice and frost, materialized behind Dong Yu. Its eyes gleamed eerily white, with an aura capable of freezing a soul. The chilling energy emanating from the frost king deterred even the bravest of Ascendants from drawing near.

The cold was palpable, seeping into the very marrow of those present. It was a bone-deep chill, rendering involuntary shudders.

Constellations derived from astral souls. Dong Yu had reached a level of mastery that allowed him to manifest the frost king, representing the concentrated essence of his astral soul. His ice-type constellation radiated astral light, infusing the frost king with boundless power and overwhelming strength.

"It's cold." Qin Wentian could feel the frigid grip of the cold permeating his very being. The chill seeped into his bones and touched the depths of his soul, causing uncontrollable shivers.

Qin Wentian's Dreamworld Constellation emerged in response, its presence superimposing upon Dong Yu's ice constellation. Two distinct energies now suffused the space: one of icy frost and the other, an unstoppable force derived from the fusion of true intents.

A biting wind surged forth, turning the cold into a tempest that swept across the entire battlefield. Dong Yu, still standing resolute, gazed coldly at Qin Wentian's silhouette. With a flourish of his hands, an immense ice and snow palm imprint manifested, freezing everything in its path. The palm's force was capable of freezing even the air itself, and the coldness it radiated was lethal.

Qin Wentian's response was swift. A radiant astral halberd formed, tearing open rifts in space as it struck. The concentrated light gathered at its point of impact before erupting with devastating force. Thunderous collisions reverberated through the battlefield as the two forces clashed.

"Your attack is commendable," Qin Wentian acknowledged, an ironic smile playing on his lips. "Seems like your mastery of true intents is quite advanced. However, the difference in our cultivation levels won't be easily overcome."

Undaunted, Dong Yu stepped closer, prompting the frost king to unleash another icy storm. It continued its relentless assault on Qin Wentian, with each wave of frost and ice threatening to engulf the entire battlefield, showing no mercy in its relentless pursuit.

"Cold," Qin Wentian muttered, the frost enveloping his body. The bitter cold threatened to freeze him solid, yet he did not waver. His body radiated resplendent starlight, suddenly expanding as his attire was torn asunder. An astral light armor enveloped him, adorned with flowing runic patterns. In this moment, his very being seemed impervious, akin to a formidable fiendgod capable of subduing all.

Dong Yu pressed on, the icy storm transforming into a barrage of icicles as sharp as swords, their assault unrelenting.

A symphony of sharp sounds reverberated through the air as Qin Wentian's body bore the relentless assault of frost. The layer of ice encroached upon him, attempting to breach his formidable defenses. Slowly but surely, his four limbs grew stiff and unresponsive. Though his defense was formidable, passively fending off this chilling onslaught wasn't a sustainable strategy. To prevail, he needed to seize the fleeting opportunities to strike back.

Dong Yu, a third-level Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant, proved himself a formidable adversary.

"Perish!" Dong Yu's roar shattered the frigid silence, and an immense palm, charged with calamitous frost from the frost king's concentrated ice storm, surged toward Qin Wentian.

Streams of destructive energy danced around Qin Wentian, and torrents of demonic qi surged from him. His aura soared as he unleashed a halberd, brimming with boundless and indomitable force, seeking to annihilate everything in its path.

A thunderous "BANG!" echoed as the ancient halberd collided with the frosty palm imprint, shattering it into countless fragments. Yet, the bitter cold endured. Dong Yu let out a derisive snort as the frost king's angry howl reverberated, giving rise to more palm imprints, coalescing from the relentless cold before slamming into Qin Wentian again.

Qin Wentian raised his gaze to witness a multitude of frosty palm imprints filling the airspace. The sheer number overwhelmed the battlefield.

Qin Wentian's own assault was swift. He thrust his halberd relentlessly, each strike resounding like thunder, rending the palm imprints to pieces. With a sweeping gesture, runic lights shimmered as he harnessed boundless power, as if he could pluck stars from the sky and seize the moon itself.

Dong Yu coldly snorted, using the frost king to protect himself. He froze the palm imprint, shattering it into fragments.

"Qin Wentian is being suppressed. Dong Yu is incredibly powerful, truly living up to his reputation as one of the Heaven Chosen of the Royal Sacred Sect. Still, the difference in their cultivation levels is substantial. It's impressive that Qin Wentian can display such combat prowess despite the odds," remarked an observer in the crowd. Dong Yu drew ever closer, his relentless barrage pushing Qin Wentian, who had transformed into a colossal fiendgod, toward the brink of being frozen solid.

"How do you plan to contend with me?" Dong Yu's arrogance rang out through the frozen battlefield. Undaunted, Qin Wentian emitted a brilliant golden roc's light from his body. His wings unfurled, propelling him backward as Dong Yu bore down on him relentlessly, freezing everything in his path with icy energy. Thunderous rumblings echoed in this frozen world.

"Finger of Icy Extermination!"

A frigid light radiated from Dong Yu's countenance, soaring into the sky. He extended his finger, pointed directly at Qin Wentian, and released a deafening roar, filling the icy terrain. Formless icy energy flowed from all directions into Qin Wentian, invading his body. His defenses crumbled, and he felt as if his flesh was being consumed by the icy onslaught, which left his entire body shivering and disrupted the flow of his astral energy.

"Dong Yu is undoubtedly a formidable expert within the Royal Sacred Region. Dispatching this haughty country bumpkin should be a simple matter." Zai Xuan, hovering in the air, shared his thoughts with Lu Ziyan, who stood beside him.

"Well, he doesn't seem entirely inadequate. It's hard to assess his true strength without witnessing it firsthand. Nonetheless, there's no reason for your Royal Sacred Sect to boast about defeating a low-level country bumpkin, is there?" Lu Ziyan replied with a smile. A battle between weaker opponents held no allure for her.

"Ziyan, naturally, you wouldn't be excited about their clash," Zai Xuan chuckled. "In any case, I'm curious whether the rumors are true or not. If they are, Ziyan, we might have the opportunity of a lifetime. When the Heaven Chosen from the external worlds converge on the Royal Sacred Region, I wonder how many demon-level figures will emerge."

"I'm eager to find out as well." A glint of anticipation danced in Lu Ziyan's beautiful eyes. "However, I find something peculiar about these rumors. The Royal Sacred Region is considered one of the weaker worlds among the particle worlds. If a supreme being were to announce disciple recruitment, countless geniuses would flock to the opportunity. Why would they choose this remote and insignificant world?"

"This could work to our advantage. Who knows, perhaps we both stand a chance," Zai Xuan grinned.

"Oh?" Though disdain lurked in her heart, Lu Ziyan maintained a smile. "If you manage to become the disciple of a supreme being, even if it's an outer disciple, I will marry you on the spot and let you do whatever you desire."

"Is that so?" Zai Xuan's gaze lingered on her exquisite figure, a glint of desire flickering in his eyes. He had harbored the desire to devour this woman for quite some time, yet she remained cunningly elusive, stoking his appetite while withholding total surrender.

"Absolutely. But Zai Xuan, do you possess the capabilities to make it happen?" Lu Ziyan teased, her words casting a shadow over Zai Xuan's countenance.

Indeed, for experts dwelling in the upper echelons of existence who accepted disciples, how could it ever be his turn? He didn't even qualify as an outer disciple. Zai Xuan was acutely aware of his own worth and the insurmountable gap between him and the Heaven Chosen from the outer realms.

"Hehe." Amused by Zai Xuan's reaction, Lu Ziyan chuckled and redirected her attention to the Sacred Battle Platform. To her surprise, she witnessed a transformation unfolding within Qin Wentian. A radiant light burst forth from him, dazzling and resplendent.

"Bzz!"

Astral energies swirled as an intense violet-gold radiance bathed the entire Sacred Battle Platform. Within the constellation-enveloped arena, an astral soul adorned with a violet-gold corona materialized, leaving Zai Xuan and Lu Ziyan momentarily frozen. Even Lu Ziyan's ever-present smile faltered, replaced by profound astonishment.

"What manner of astral soul is this? A violet-gold corona?" Whispers rippled through the crowd as they marveled at this unprecedented sight.

"Could it possibly be an astral soul from the legendary 7th Heavenly Layer?" A sudden realization dawned on them, setting their hearts pounding with anticipation.