"Rumble!"
Despite the amazement in his heart, Immortal Lord Duxuan's movements didn't pause in the slightest. With a loud noise, overwhelming blood light submerged Patriarch Nether Whisper.
He self-detonated directly!
This was also a common tactic of mid-stage Immortal Lords. Utilizing the characteristic of infinite resurrection, they could turn the tide by self-detonating their body, preventing the enemy from snowballing.
When used to bully the weak, the effect was even better.
For a moment, rolling blood light roared past, crashing into the light and shadow manifested by Patriarch Nether Whisper, instantly blasting it to pieces.
Immediately after, Patriarch Nether Whisper stumbled and fell from the shattered light and shadow. The five Dao Fruit he had just manifested shattered one by one like bubbles, even affecting [Wu You Heaven], causing his stature to shake. A bitter smile appeared on his face: "I'm still not very good at fighting after all..."
He almost succeeded!
Using [Wu You Heaven] to manifest the Dao Fruits of each of the Five Elements, turning illusion into reality—this was a miracle accomplished purely by Patriarch Nether Whisper's own dao comprehension and world-shocking wisdom.
In a sense, this had even transcended the limitations of Dao Fruit.
Unfortunately, his foundation was still too thin.
[Wu You Heaven]'s foundation wasn't enough. The Five Elements Dao Fruits barely manifested by absorbing the water of the [sea of bitterness] were just superficial— difficult to truly unify.
However... the direction was clear.
Patriarch Nether Whisper wasn't discouraged because he had already seen the path of progress for [Wu You Heaven], which was adding more concepts on top of the existing Dao Fruits.
Using the concept of [Wu You Heaven] combined with his own dao comprehension to manifest the Five Elements Dao Fruit Positions without interfering with [Wu You Heaven]'s own operation, but layering them on top of [Wu You Heaven], thereby constructing a larger system centered on [Wu You Heaven], forming a larger Dao Fruit Position!
This was a path unique to Patriarch Nether Whisper!
If I walk this path, can I achieve the late-stage Golden Core? I don't know... Perhaps for the current me, there is no distinction of realms anymore.
After all, he had no Grotto-Heaven!
For him, there was no such thing as an undying Grotto Heaven, nor was there "integrating other Dao Fruit," because he could manifest the Five Elements Dao Fruit by himself!
Therefore, realms had no reference meaning for Patriarch Nether Whisper.
But he didn't care.
This path has another advantage: it can help Lu Yang test for errors in advance. Whatever Dao Fruits he wants to use to gather the Five Elements in the future, I can explore the path for him...
Thinking of this, Patriarch Nether Whisper felt a burst of satisfaction!
However, just then, a figure quietly gathered behind him. It was Immortal Lord Duxuan, who had re-condensed his body and returned to his peak state!
"Die!"
Immortal Lord Duxuan's gaze was stern. While speaking, he deployed the [Heavenly Capital Demon-Sundering Divine Sound] again, instantly extinguishing all wonders around Patriarch Nether Whisper.
Immediately, a ball of golden iridescent light gathered in his hand. Within it, water and fire interwove, forming a Taiji diagram. Bright light rose from their collision, exuding a concept of great destruction and terror. As he formed the hand seal, he was about to smash it onto Patriarch Nether Whisper!
[Water and Fire Calamity]!
This wonder was also used by the former Immortal Lord Shaoyin, causing Lu Yang great suffering. Like maggots attached to the bone, once tainted, it was difficult to get rid of.
And now, displayed by Immortal Lord Duxuan, its power was even greater!
After all, the place where Yin and Yang clash is called Shaoyin, and above Shaoyin is Taiyang. Both command water and fire, but how can [Shaoyin] be compared to [Taiyang]?
At this moment, Patriarch Nether Whisper couldn't avoid it.
After all, an unorthodox path perfected lord resisting a mid-stage Immortal Lord was already done with great difficulty. Forcing Immortal Lord Duxuan to self-detonate once was already a miracle.
Now he had no strength left.
Fortunately... I don't need to worry about what happens next.
Patriarch Nether Whisper raised his head. His handsome face cracked inch by inch at this moment, and violent water and fire concepts constantly seeped out from the visible cracks.
Yet he smiled.
Because his world-shocking wisdom told him: Since he wasn't actually good at fighting, he should hand it over to someone who was..
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
Clang!
Answering Patriarch Nether Whisper was a clear sword cry. Immediately, a sword light appeared out of thin air, slashing lightly across his body.
Then, the [Water and Fire Calamity] that Immortal Lord Duxuan had high hopes for, which should have been like maggots attached to the bone and fatal upon contact, severed out of thin air by that sword light under his incredulous gaze, then dispersed. Instead, it became a barrier preventing Immortal Lord Duxuan from pursuing the victory.
"How is this possible..."
Immortal Lord Duxuan stood still, holding the hand seal, integrating water and fire. His eyes looking not far away were filled with disbelief:
That was [Water and Fire Calamity]!
It was cut just like that?
Up to now, it wasn't that he'd never seen things that could resolve [Water and Fire Calamity]. But those either relied on stature suppression or restraining concepts.
How could anything be this unreasonable?
...Wait, no, it wasn't unheard of.
The next second, Immortal Lord Duxuan's expression suddenly became serious because he suddenly remembered seeing something equally unreasonable five thousand years ago.
[Money] Dao Fruit!
Also facing [Water and Fire Calamity], the other party easily resolved it with a large-denomination Immortal Talisman, something akin to waste paper.
In that case—
Void attainment? Impossible!
Immortal Lord Duxuan quickly extinguished the thought in his heart. Void attainment was something mid-stage Golden Cores did to breakthrought the late-stage Golden Core or even seek the Nascent Soul.
And after seeing the person who acted, his thought became even firmer: A mere early-stage Golden Core... It can't be void attainment! It should just be a slightly special Dao Fruit. If it were void attainment, this person must have achieved void attainment for a Dao Fruit at the Foundation Establishment stage... How could there be such an absurd thing in the world?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Immortal Lord Duxuan directly discarded this thought. Are you kidding me? Void attainment at Foundation Establishment? Then wouldn't he, who hasn't achieved void attainment yet, have lived his life in vain?
On the other side, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon put Patriarch Nether Whisper down.
"How are your injuries?"
Patriarch Nether Whisper shook his head: "Thanks to Fellow Daoist, nothing serious."
The terror of [Water and Fire Calamity] lay in its continuous damage. Vanquishing-Demon Perfected One cut it fast, before it could take root, so the injuries naturally weren't heavy.
Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon nodded: "That's good."
Immediately after, he drew his sword. His gaze swept below the ninth layer of the Celestial Court, a look of pain flashing in his eyes.
Because of Si Sui's revival, large numbers of mortals and cultivators were dying at this moment, and he was powerless... This made the anger in his heart burn even fiercer.
Seeing this, Immortal Lord Duxuan frowned tightly: "This... little friend."
Although Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's aura also looked like unorthodox path, he dared not underestimate the other party, even changing the address to "little friend," looking cautious.
"Actually, there is no deep hatred between you and me."
"My intention is to revive the Dao Lord. Why do you help the tyrant? Those who understand the times are heroes. If you two can help the Dao Lord revive, you will also have a Dao path in the future..."
To this, Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's response was crisp and clear:
"Kill!"
In an instant, a sword light whistled out. However, seeing this, Immortal Lord Duxuan breathed a sigh of relief instead.
At least it wasn't as fancy as the person before.
It seems this one is easy to deal with...
The next second, Immortal Lord Duxuan widened his eyes.
Because wherever Vanquishing-Demon perfected one's sword light passed, the [sea of bitterness] opened with a boom. What he saw was a Great Dao, a thousand meters long and wide, rising from the ground.
Opening a path in the sea of bitterness!
Is this fucking early-stage Golden Core!?