However, Xiao Hua knew now wasn't the time to celebrate. He could feel an icy, murderous glare locked onto him, its intensity filled with a bloodlust so thick it seemed to pierce through his very soul.
As he slowly raised his head, a terrifying pressure descended upon him, trying to crush him under its immense weight. Yet, after surviving the Heavenly Wrathful Lightning, this pressure felt far less overwhelming. Compared to when his cultivation was still at the Dou Ling stage, it was almost light.
Sensing that its oppressive aura had little effect on Xiao Hua, the Black Plague Whale bellowed, its ferocious roar shaking the entire medicinal forest to its roots.
Xiao Hua's sharp eyes caught the subtle ripples of space distortion, his brows furrowing deeply. Whatever the Black Plague Whale was summoning, it was undoubtedly ominous.
Just as he feared, a reddish-purple liquid began to seep out from the spatial crack. His heart trembled violently at the sight. How could he not recognize that terrifying substance?
"Blood Essence?! That damn whale is seriously trying to trap us here!" Xiao Hua cursed under his breath. The Heavenly Wrathful Lightning must have forced the Black Plague Whale to finally see him as a threat. "I'd have preferred if it continued to underestimate me…"
In an instant, the energy of heaven and earth surged violently, swirling around the reddish-purple liquid. Waves of energy rippled outward, gathering in ever greater force until the substance agglomerated into a colossal, reddish-black poisonous whale, its presence radiating malice.
Xiao Hua's expression darkened slightly as he stared at the reddish-black whale. This fearsome entity had been formed from the Black Plague Whale's Dou Qi and Blood Essence, merged with the energy of heaven and earth. Its power far surpassed the earlier dark-purple aura.
His gaze deepened, and he took a slow breath before raising his hand. A cluster of golden-green flames surged forth, splitting into two distinct forces. In his left hand, a verdant green flame danced fiercely, while in his right, golden lightning crackled with raw energy.
With his palms hovering above one another, the green flame and golden lightning suspended quietly in the space between them, perfectly balanced in tension.
Moments later, Xiao Hua pressed his palms together, forcing the two energies to collide. As they made contact, the surrounding space rippled violently, distorting under the pressure of their combined might.
Bang! Bang!
The two forces began to merge, his palms tightening around the churning flame and lightning. Slowly, the chaotic fusion stabilized, forming a golden-emerald sphere that hovered gently between his hands, radiating an immense, otherworldly power.
In the past, he had relied on the assistance of Lady Azure and the Lightning Beast to achieve this technique. Lady Azure would construct a specially crafted formation array to channel fiery energy from the earth, while the Lightning Beast would summon heavenly lightning from the skies. Only then could these two primordial forces be united within his palms.
But now, after six months of relentless cultivation and with his strength ascending to the Dou Wang class, empowered further by the Heavenly Lightning, Xiao Hua could finally unleash the First Strike of Nine Chaos without aid.
The Black Plague Whale furrowed its brows, its gaze fixed on the golden-green sphere hovering above Xiao Hua's palm. Despite the sphere's clear, pristine surface and mesmerizing colors, the whale could sense the violent, untamed energy slowly leaking from it. An energy so terrifying it made even the ancient beast tremble with fear.
Deep within its heart, the Black Plague Whale let out an enraged roar. "How can this boy summon such a powerful attack? What in the world is his background?"
First, the boy had blocked two of its deadly Profound Miasma Lights using that powerful finger technique and a mysterious formation array. Now, this fearsome sphere of power. It couldn't help but wonder what special identity this child held—his talents were far beyond ordinary.
Reluctantly, the Black Plague Whale realized it had no choice but to expend more of its precious Blood Essence, even though it had wanted to avoid such a costly measure. But it couldn't allow them—especially the extraordinary lady standing behind Xiao Hua—to escape. Pride would not be its downfall. It had to throw everything it had at them to prevent their departure.
With this decision, the Black Plague Whale's aura weakened slightly as it siphoned more of its life force. In an instant, three more streams of reddish-purple liquid emerged from the spatial tear, swiftly merging with the translucent reddish-black whale formed from its Dou Qi, the energy of heaven and earth, and its Blood Essence.
As the three essences fused, the reddish-black whale grew denser, its form solidifying. The aura it exuded became even more terrifying, shaking the very air around it as if the heavens themselves were trembling in fear.
Xiao Hua watched the reddish-black whale with an indifferent expression. Though slightly startled that the Black Plague Whale would sacrifice even more of its Blood Essence, he quickly deduced that the beast must be confident in escaping the sealing formation array, even if its strength diminished somewhat.
"Boy, it's about to open! Distract him for me!"
Lady Azure's voice echoed in his mind. Upon hearing this, Xiao Hua's resolve strengthened, his determination to stop the whale unshakable. His body floated up, suspending in mid-air, his fingers trembling slightly as he flicked the beautiful golden-green sphere.
The sphere drifted gently from his palm, but the moment it left his hand, it began to expand. In the blink of an eye, the once palm-sized sphere swirled with furious intensity, its emerald flames raging wildly while golden lightning crackled like a celestial halo of chaotic energy.
It appeared divine—holy, even—yet the destructive power it held was unmistakable. The forces surging from the golden-green sphere were terrifyingly immense, causing the very fabric of space to tremble. Dark, jagged spatial cracks appeared in the air, like massive, gaping mouths that could devour anything in their path. The destructive force had reached such a horrifying level that it began tearing the space around it!
Even the Black Plague Whale, ancient and powerful as it was, felt a sense of unease. If struck directly by this attack, its demise seemed all but certain.
In a surge of desperation, the Black Plague Whale unleashed its full aura, and the reddish-black whale let out a ghostly cry. Its enormous body swam across the sky, pulsating with boundless power, advancing without hesitation as it collided head-on with the golden-green sphere.
At the moment of impact, an unimaginable burst of energy exploded outward, sending violent ripples through the air. The shockwave tore across the medicinal forest, flattening everything in its path. The ground below caved in, and countless deep fissures spread outward, carving through the earth like the cracks of a shattered world.
"Urgh—!"
Xiao Hua grimaced as the shockwave struck him, his body feeling as though it had been hit by a powerful blow. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips, but he stood firm, refusing to take even a single step back. His will was resolute, his eyes locked on the battlefield ahead, determined to see this through to the end.
The Black Plague Whale's expression twisted with rage and frustration. From the violent ripples of the collision, it realized its attack wouldn't hold much longer against Xiao Hua's 'First Strike: Heaven Breaking Sphere'. Bit by bit, its own attack was being devoured, disintegrated by the sphere's terrifying destructive energy.
"Since you won't stop being a nuisance, don't blame me for this!" The Black Plague Whale roared in fury within its heart. Dark-purple Dou Qi surged forth, rapidly condensing into a small, black marble that radiated a menacing aura.
Without hesitation, the black marble shot out of the spatial crack, moving at lightning speed, aimed directly at Lady Azure.
As it neared the small island, just fifty meters from Lady Azure, Xiao Hua's figure vanished from where he stood, reappearing in a flash between the marble and Lady Azure. His Dou Qi surged as he clenched his fist, striking out to intercept the black marble.
Unfortunately, he had realized the attack just a moment too late. There wasn't enough time to deploy a defensive array. With no other choice, Xiao Hua steeled himself and braced to take the full force of the strike with his body alone.
"Kghhh—!"
As his fist collided with the black marble, the impact reverberated through his entire being. Blood spurted from his mouth as his body was flung through the air like a kite cut from its string, tumbling violently across the ground. He skidded for nearly forty meters, leaving deep scars in the earth before finally coming to a stop.
"Xiao Hua!"
Lady Azure's voice cried out, filled with worry. She hadn't expected Xiao Hua to break off his control of the Heaven Breaking Sphere and take the attack head-on. She had already resigned herself to receiving the strike with her own body.
"Don't worry, Sister Azure. I'm fine!" Xiao Hua called back, his voice steady despite the blood on his lips. His words weren't empty—his body, having been tempered by both Heavenly Mortal Lightning and Heavenly Wrathful Lightning, now possessed a toughness that equivalent even that of a dragon's.
"Just focus on opening the spatial array," he added firmly. "The whale can't release its full strength while it's still maintaining focus on the seal!"
Lady Azure bit her lip in frustration, suppressing her growing anger. If she were in her physical body, blood would surely be flowing from the corner of her mouth by now. She knew there was nothing she could do in this moment, but she swore in her heart that the Black Plague Whale would regret this once the array was complete.
Xiao Hua felt his fist tremble as a strange sensation coursed through it. Looking down, he saw thin black lines slowly spreading up his right arm—the same fist he had used to stop the black marble moments ago.
"What a potent poison…" Xiao Hua muttered in his heart, astonishment filling his mind. Even with the Heavenly Mortal Lightning and Heavenly Wrathful Lightning flowing through his veins, the poison showed no fear and continued to spread.
Lady Azure had once mentioned that the Black Plague Whale's poison was nothing more than nourishment for a Poison Woeful Body, and that it was terrified of the Heavenly Flame. Naturally, as something far superior to Heavenly Flame, it should also fear the Heavenly Lightnings and Primordial Heavenly Flame coursing through his body.
Even in his weakened state, the poison shouldn't have been able to take root, let alone spread. Furrowing his brows, Xiao Hua quickly extended his Spiritual Strength, probing the depths of his body to uncover how this poison had managed to resist.
"How could this be?!" He shouted in his heart. With his exceptional Spiritual Perception, he quickly discovered the shocking truth: the poison had adapted to his body. The Heavenly Lightnings, which should have eradicated it instantly, now treated the poison as part of him.
In that moment, Xiao Hua understood. The Black Plague Whale had infused its own Spiritual Strength into the poison before releasing it. The whale had anticipated that the poison would fear his Heavenly Lightnings, so it personally manipulated the poison, allowing it to blend with Xiao Hua's body. By altering its essence to mimic Xiao Hua's, the poison had fooled the Heavenly Lightnings into accepting its presence.
Bang—!
A muffled, thunderous sound echoed through the air as a massive storm suddenly began to churn, disturbing Xiao Hua's train of thought. His gaze, along with the Black Plague Whale's, immediately shifted toward the source of the disturbance. What they saw left them both tense—the golden-green sphere, now rotating ominously, was expanding at an alarming rate.
Xiao Hua's expression darkened. Despite his vast Dou Qi reserves, he doubted he could maintain control over the sphere while also protecting Lady Azure. In that moment, he made a difficult choice. To save Lady Azure, he had to sever his connection to the sphere, allowing it to go wild and out of control.
Freed from his control, the sphere unleashed its true, terrifying power. Waves of lightning and fire swept outward from it, consuming everything in their path. The sky was scorched, and the land below was vaporized. What was once the medicinal forest had been reduced to a barren, lifeless plain. Even the reddish-black whale, agglomerated with the Blood Essence and Dou Qi of the Black Plague Whale, was scattered and swallowed whole by the golden-green sphere, utterly powerless to resist.
The sphere continued to devour the energy of heaven and earth, expanding further with each passing moment. What shocked them even more was the horrifying suction force it began to exert, pulling everything in its surroundings toward it with unstoppable force.
This sphere was like a black hole. Anything drawn into its radius—whether it be the land, the remnants of the medicinal forest, or even the very air—was instantly disintegrated into nothingness, erased by the terrifying energy within.
The destructive might contained within the golden-green sphere distorted the space around it. Massive black spatial cracks began to form, spreading like spiderwebs, covering the entire expanse of the medicinal forest.
At that moment, the final thread snapped. The medicinal forest realm shook violently, and the ground beneath them began to collapse. The realm itself was on the verge of destruction, threatening to obliterate anything—and anyone—trapped inside.
Although the situation seemed dire, Xiao Hua realized it presented an opportunity. As the space continued to collapse, the spatial crack created by the Black Plague Whale would also destabilize. The whale would be forced to close it, or suffer severe repercussions.
"Child, it's open!"
Lady Azure's voice resounded in his mind, filling him with astonishment. He hadn't expected her to successfully create a spatial passageway amidst the collapsing realm. The feat was nothing short of miraculous.
The tension in Xiao Hua's body abruptly drained, his strength rapidly slipping away. The immense relief that coursed through him had caused his weary body to finally relax.
Sensing his condition, Lady Azure immediately rushed over. She held him tightly, swiftly guiding them both into the spatial tunnel she had created. As they passed through the passage, the tunnel swiftly sealed behind them, leaving only the crumbling medicinal forest—and the Black Plague Whale—trapped on the other side.
Seeing them escape, the Black Plague Whale bellowed in fury. It had just lost its only means of fleeing this forsaken place. Even if it remained passive, the seal would eventually refine it, steadily draining its strength until nothing remained. Now, only one path lay before it—death.
Enraged, the mighty beast could do nothing but slam its massive head against the seal, thrashing like a child throwing a tantrum, powerless to change its fate.
————|
A hundred kilometers away from the ancient ruins, a dark, swirling tunnel suddenly tore open the quiet atmosphere of a serene forest. Moments later, two figures emerged from the tunnel before it swiftly sealed itself, vanishing as if it had never existed.
The two figures were strikingly peculiar. One was a breathtakingly beautiful woman with emerald-green hair cascading down her back, draped in flowing, verdant robes that fluttered lightly in the breeze. Her attire hugged her slim, delicate waist, accentuating her graceful and elegant figure. Yet, it was not her beauty that made her so extraordinary, but rather her translucent form—almost as if she were a phantom, a being caught between worlds.
Beside her lays an unconscious young boy and his condition was far from well. His face was ashen, and his breaths came in ragged, uneven intervals. His body was battered and bruised, covered in blood and deep injuries that spoke of a fierce and brutal battle.
But what stood out even more were the sinister black lines crawling up from his collarbone, faintly visible beneath his torn clothing. These dark veins pulsed with a deadly, poisonous energy, radiating malice. The black lines seemed to possess a life of their own, slowly creeping across his body as though determined to claim him.
Lady Azure's gaze shifted to one of Xiao Hua's arms, her expression darkening. Most of his arm was now covered with those eerie, black veiny lines. They snaked up his skin, pulsating ominously. Her eyes followed the tendrils down to his fingers, where a large, dark black dot marked the source—where the sinister veins originated, spreading their poison throughout his body.
"Tch! This cursed Black Rose Poison!" Lady Azure spat in frustration, her eyes narrowing at the creeping tendrils of poison. With her exceptional Spiritual Perception, she had long sensed how the poison had insidiously adapted to Xiao Hua's body, bypassing the protective energy of the four Heavenly Lightnings and the Primordial Green Lotus Core Flame that coursed through him.
Lady Azure closed her eyes, surging her Spiritual Strength outward in all directions. Her energy swept swiftly through the forest, searching for a quiet, isolated spot where she could safely tend to Xiao Hua and rid his body of the poison.
Moments later, she found the perfect location. Without hesitation, she vanished from where she stood, Xiao Hua cradled in her arms. Instantly, they reappeared before a solitary cave nestled deep within the wilderness. The cave was serene and untouched, with no signs of magical beasts or human activity. It was as if the place had remained undisturbed for ages.
The reason became clear: a formation array had been placed around the cave's entrance, preventing any from entering. While such a barrier might have posed a problem for others, to Lady Azure, it was little more than a trivial nuisance. She had seen far more intricate and formidable arrays, particularly those crafted by her sister, the Celestial Ancient Frost. Compared to those, this array was child's play.
With a single glance, she discerned the array's structure and how to bypass it. However, she exercised caution, carefully creating a small opening rather than dismantling the array completely. She knew its usefulness—it would deter any unwanted visitors, be they people or magical beasts.
After gently slipping through the array with Xiao Hua, she quickly sealed the entrance behind them. Inside, the cave was cool and quiet, the perfect sanctuary. She laid Xiao Hua down on a smooth, flat stone and quickly removed his robe, revealing the extent of the poison's spread.
The Black Rose Poison had nearly overtaken his upper body, its sinister black lines creeping ever closer to his neck. It wouldn't be long before it spread to his lower body as well. Her eyes narrowed in determination. There was no time to waste.
Lady Azure understood the gravity of the situation. With her current strength, it was impossible to purge the Black Rose Poison from Xiao Hua's body without causing him harm. Her expression darkened slightly as a faint green glow began to radiate from her form. The glow swiftly entered Xiao Hua's body, guiding her to the special space within him.
As she stepped into this inner realm, her emerald eyes were greeted by the sight of an elegant, glazed snow-like lotus. It emitted a beautiful, cold mist that painted a breathtaking scene, as though it had been plucked from the realm of immortals. The lotus's grace and beauty were mesmerizing, but beneath its serene exterior lay a terrifying, frozen power—one that could freeze the entire Dou Qi Continent if unleashed.
This was none other than the Celestial Ancient Frost, one of Lady Azure's two sisters.
Her Spiritual Strength surged outward, extending toward the Celestial Ancient Frost. The lotus trembled ever so slightly, and its pristine petals shifted. From the center of the lotus, a faint white glow rose and floated into the air. Lady Azure's lips curved into a faint smile as she raised her hand, guiding the white glow toward her palm. It hovered there quietly before slowly fading, revealing a small, pristine seed made entirely of ice.
Relief washed over her as she gazed at the ice seed. This was the key to stopping the spread of the poison—by sealing it within Xiao Hua's body. While she felt a pang of guilt at the thought of sealing the poison rather than removing it, she knew that it would benefit him in the long run. Once Xiao Hua became stronger, he could fully refine and harness the power of the poison.
Still, this method would require an enormous amount of her strength. She would need a long rest to recover, leaving Xiao Hua without her protection during that time. This thought made her uneasy, but it was the only way forward.
"Aren't you being a bit too protective of the boy?"
A charming yet cold voice rang out unexpectedly, catching Lady Azure slightly off guard. Her surprise quickly faded as she lifted her gaze and smiled gently at the figure descending gracefully toward her.
"Well, I didn't expect to see my stubborn sister, who refused to pay him any attention, finally wake up..."
Before her stood an unparalleled beauty. The woman's long, snow-white hair cascaded like a shimmering waterfall, tied delicately into a ponytail that swayed gently with the breeze. Three delicate marks, like white petals, bloomed on her flawless porcelain forehead, framing her crystal-blue eyes. She was draped in flowing robes of white and blue, radiating an aura of purity and nobility.
"Hmph! If I didn't wake up, would you ever stop pushing yourself to the brink?" Celestial Ancient Frost huffed, crossing her arms with an annoyed snort. "If you weren't so stubborn about borrowing my seeds, I wouldn't have bothered waking up at all."
Lady Azure chuckled softly at her sister's sharp response. Despite their usual frequent disagreements, the two sisters never truly harbored any resentment toward one another. Their clashes were born of their opposing natures, but at the core, they deeply cared for one another's well-being.
"It seems the boy has become precious to you, huh..." Celestial Ancient Frost's voice carried a subtle tease, though her expression remained as cold and distant as ever.
Her words brought a soft, warm smile to Lady Azure's face. She didn't say anything in response, but the gentle curve of her lips spoke volumes. It was enough for Celestial Ancient Frost to understand that Lady Azure now regarded Xiao Hua with the same level of affection and care she reserved for them, her sisters.