Chapter 45: Either the world has gone crazy or I am

The collision created a blinding flash of light, golden and white lightning intertwining as the shockwaves from their clash tore through the landscape. Mountains in the distance trembled, and golden circles of power formed around the old man's arms, amplifying his strength tenfold.

Bang!

"Ahh!" The golden-haired warrior was sent flying into a void that had opened in the sky, his body disappearing into the dark expanse.

The purple-haired man and the hooded figure were both stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief. They hadn't expected the old man to possess such overwhelming power.

In a blur of motion, the old man reappeared next to the golden-haired warrior, delivering another crushing blow that sent him hurtling deeper into the void.

Bang!

The purple-haired man attempted a sneak attack, his fist aimed at the old man's back. But the old man was too fast; he caught the man's fist mid-swing, his grip like iron.

Hmpf!

Bang!

With a single strike to the abdomen, the old man shattered the purple-haired warrior's bones, sending a shockwave of pain through his body as his organs ruptured.

The assault then shifted to the hooded figure, who had been preparing a complex spell. Intricate patterns and runes appeared in a circle around him, and a beam of blue energy shot towards the old man.

"Hmm…" The old man smiled, raising his hand. Five complex patterns appeared on each of his fingertips, glowing with a golden light. He drew his hand back before launching his own attack.

Bang!

The blue beam shattered upon contact with the old man's golden light, the remnants of the energy dissipating into the air. The golden attack continued unabated, striking the hooded figure with tremendous force.

"Ahh!" The hooded man coughed up mouthfuls of blood, his body convulsing in pain. His companions, battered and bruised, quickly retreated to regroup. They stood together, their faces etched with shock and fear, none of them in any shape to continue the fight.

The old man appeared a few feet from them, his presence overwhelming. The trio instinctively stepped back, launching a desperate joint attack. Their combined powers merged in the center, forming a massive void with a swirling purple light around its edges. The void took the shape of a giant eye, its malevolent gaze fixed on the old man as it prepared to unleash its destructive force.

Hmpf!

The old man pointed at the void eye with two fingers, and a brilliant golden light formed at the tips. With a swift motion, he released the light, sending it hurtling towards the void eye.

Bang!

The void eye shattered on impact, the force of the old man's attack reducing it to tiny, harmless fragments. The trio's final gambit had failed, their power shattered, and their defeat was undeniable.

The old man stood tall, his aura radiant and unyielding, while his enemies cowered in defeat. The battle had been won, but the implications of the conflict, and the forces it had awakened, loomed ominously on the horizon.

Back in the SkyTower…

When Dao Wei opened his eyes, he found himself standing by the shore of an endless, radiant ocean. The waters stretched out as far as the eye could see, shimmering with vibrant colors that danced across the surface like living rainbows. This was his Sea of Qi, but something about it had changed. What had once been a simple, internal manifestation of his power had transformed into a vast, boundless sea that radiated an aura of absolute dominance. The water was calm, exuding a sense of serene yet overwhelming power. Yet, even in this moment of awe, Dao Wei could still feel the unsettling presence of that strange stone within him, its existence a silent enigma.

However, as Dao Wei surveyed the expanse before him, a twinge of unease gripped his heart. The Sky Splitting Origin Dragon, his most powerful martial soul, was present, its majestic form coiled protectively around the shore. But where were Chaos, Origin, and the other martial souls? The familiar presences that had always been with him were nowhere to be found.

'Weird,' Dao Wei thought to himself, his mind racing with questions. He scanned the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of Chaos, the one who could perhaps explain the mysterious changes he was experiencing. But his search yielded nothing. It was as if everything foreign within his being had been expelled, leaving behind only his essence. His Qi had transformed, now at least ten times thicker and even purer than before, a potent force that coursed through him with a newfound intensity. Dao Wei recalled how Ailia had shared her essence with him, a memory tinged with both gratitude and uncertainty.

"Could it be that the cleansing actually got rid of Chaos and Origin? Or did they cease to exist when I almost died?" His thoughts spiralled into confusion, his mind grasping at the possibilities but finding no answers. The unsettling feeling of being alone in this vast sea gnawed at him, despite the incredible power he now wielded.

As he pondered, Dao Wei suddenly sensed the faint traces of Chaos and Origin's powers within the sea. Though their physical forms and consciousness were absent, their essence had somehow merged with his own. It was as if they had become one with the very waters that surrounded him. A surge of relief washed over him as he realized their powers were still with him, albeit in a different form. Moving closer to the shore, he could feel their energies intensify, their presence now a part of him, inseparable and eternal.

The transformation of his Primordial Chaos Scripture into the Chaotic Heaven Defying Scripture was another revelation that left him in awe. The scripture now shone with a divine silver light, its cover adorned with ancient and complex characters that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. 

Dragons and phoenixes were intricately carved into the surface, their forms radiating an aura of unmatched majesty. It was nothing like it had been before, a mere shadow of its current grandeur. Dao Wei could sense that his previous techniques had been enhanced in ways he couldn't yet fully comprehend, and his cultivation realm had ascended from the Early Stage Nascent Spirit Realm to its peak.

Was it because of the strange encounter with the mysterious man? How long have I been out? Dao Wei's thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, questions piling upon questions with no one there to provide the answers he so desperately needed.

Then, a sudden realization struck him. He had left Liu Mingxia in the cave with the Primordial Spring Lake. Panic surged through him as he thought of how long he might have been unconscious. Was she still okay? The uncertainty gnawed at him, driving him to action.

Deciding that his unanswered questions would have to wait, Dao Wei opened his eyes. To his shock, the Zara World had vanished, and he now found himself standing in the familiar surroundings of the Jiangling Forest.

"What the…" Dao Wei muttered, his mind still reeling from the sudden shift. As he struggled to compose himself, a brilliant beam of light shot into the sky from the direction where he had left Liu Mingxia. His heart raced as he realized what it might mean.

At the center of the beam, a beautiful figure hovered in midair. Liu Mingxia's transformation was breathtaking. Her skin was flawless, glowing with an inner radiance, and she wore a blue and white dress that clung to her glass-like figure, accentuating every curve. On her back, a pair of stunning blue wings had unfurled, emitting a cold aura that froze everything around her. Her black hair flowed freely in the wind, giving her the appearance of a goddess descended from the heavens. Few women could rival Liu Mingxia's beauty, and now, with her bloodline awakened, she seemed like an entirely new person, exuding an ethereal grace that was almost otherworldly.

"She completed the Blue Phoenix bloodline?" Dao Wei's heart swelled with excitement, the sight of her transformation filling him with a mix of pride and joy. Without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted towards her, the worries and questions that had plagued him fading into the background. 

All that mattered now was reaching her, ensuring she was safe, and discovering the incredible power she now possessed.