Yun Ming glanced at the five pitch-black claw marks that had lingered for a long time, then turned to look at Di Hong.
"Di Hong, even if we cannot reach an agreement now, I can simply leave. There is no need to resort to violence!"
Di Hong sneered incessantly.
"Heh~"
"Leave? Do you think my territory is a place you can come and go as you please?!!"
A restless silver flame erupted from Di Hong's body, sweeping the majesty of a top-tier divine beast across the heavens and the earth.
A golden light flashed in Yun Ming's eyes, and a layer of golden radiance began to circulate around his entire body. The top-tier spirit of "I am invincible, peerless under the heavens" was materialized by Yun Ming, standing in direct opposition to Di Hong.
The two materialized auras—one gold and one silver—collided, crushing the earth and air at the center of their standoff, causing rocks to fly and the Heaven Falls and Earth Cracks.
"Then what do you want?"
Yun Ming narrowed his eyes and asked in return.
Di Hong was not surprised that Yun Ming had blocked his pressure; even if his future self were to fall, he would not choose a weakling. He said coldly.
"Nothing much. Since I now know that my future self will be defeated by the Heavenly Tribulation, I must naturally take precautions in advance and accumulate power."
"In consideration of the connection you have with me, return the origin of my future self, and I will let you leave!"
Upon hearing this, Yun Ming's face stiffened for a moment. Di Hong's meaning was clear: he wanted to devour his future self to become stronger!
Devouring himself—Di Hong's current temperament was even more vicious than he had imagined. Yun Ming stared at Di Hong with a solemn expression.
"Do you know what you are saying? That is your future self!"
Di Hong was dismissive.
"I will not acknowledge a Chaos Emperor River Bird that submits to a human, even if it is my future self."
"Furthermore, what I wish to do is not for a mere human like you to judge!"
Yun Ming heard no hesitation in Di Hong's tone and abandoned any intention of persuasion. He replied.
"And if I refuse to hand it over? What will you do then?"
The future Di Hong was Yun Ming's comrade and brother; he could not possibly hand him over to be devoured by anyone or any beast, not even the Di Hong of the past.
Di Hong was furious at Yun Ming's lack of cooperation, as this was a mere human defying him. Thus, he exploded into action.
"Since you insist on seeking death, I shall devour you along with him!!"
As he spoke, the four wings on Di Hong's back stirred up a spatial storm. He arrived before Yun Ming in an instant, his body spinning horizontally at high speed. Using his wings as blades and his body as a compass, he slashed toward Yun Ming. Having seen parts of Yun Ming's past-life memories, he went all out from the start; there was no need for probing. A level 90 Yun Ming would not be stronger than what he had already seen.
Empty Rifting Compass.
Seeing Di Hong act so impulsively and violently, Yun Ming summoned the Atlas Divine Spear. The spear moved like a phantom, stabbing out a hundred times in succession, each strike imbued with full force.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang."
The Atlas Divine Spear and the silver compass collided hundreds of times in the blink of an eye, sparking fire.
Yun Ming landed all hundred strikes on the same joint of Di Hong's front-left wing. Although he broke through the spatial energy covering the surface of the wings and the feathers as tough as Deep Silver, he only caused superficial wounds. He himself was also left with a numb arm from the continuous, immense force of the wing-blades. Di Hong was not faring much better; not only did the Spear Light of the Atlas Divine Spear cause him pain, but the formidable will constantly invading him through Yun Ming's Spear Intent also made him extremely uncomfortable.
But even though both sides felt something was amiss, they remained locked in a fierce, unyielding exchange.
One hundred strikes, two hundred strikes, five hundred strikes. The earth for dozens of yards around was carved into deep gullies by their intense clash.
The spear continued to thrust, and the sharp edges released by their collision slashed over a dozen cuts into Yun Ming's clothes, leaving tiny bloodstains on his skin. Meanwhile, the pure silver wing-blade light of the Empty Rifting Compass began to be stained with traces of blood as well.
Feeling the increasingly intense numbness in his arm, Yun Ming's expression remained unchanged. He increased the speed of the Atlas Spear; he could choose to retreat, but he would not be forced to dodge, especially not in front of a "little bird." However, Di Hong on the other side was not as resolute as Yun Ming. He rarely got injured and had a low tolerance for pain. Now that his mind was constantly clashing head-on with Yun Ming's will, he was suffering greatly. Moreover, it seemed he could not win this fight, and he no longer wished to continue.
Seeing Yun Ming thrust his spear again, Di Hong adjusted the angle of his slash. The compass struck diagonally, and the spear and compass slid past each other. Unable to retract his force, Yun Ming thrust forward. The Spear Light tore through the sky, piercing through eighteen mountains before the sonic boom of the air displacement could even be heard.
The silver-winged compass transformed by Di Hong crossed paths with Yun Ming, silently adding another two-hundred-yard-long deep valley to the ground before coming to a stop.
"Hoo—"
The Blood Soul Core within Yun Ming's body rotated, and Blood Qi circulated through his limbs. He let out a long, turbid breath, easing the numbness and temporary exhaustion in his arm caused by the high-frequency clash, before turning back to look at Di Hong in the distance.
Di Hong had also spent a moment in the depths of the valley clearing his clouded consciousness before flying back out. However, he was even more furious now; he had actually been forced back by this human, which he found humiliating.
Ignoring the mangled, bloody wound on his front-left wing, Di Hong manifested silver light on his four wings once more. With a flap, he dove into the Void and returned to Yun Ming's front in an instant. Simultaneously, a mass of pitch-black energy condensed on his right claw, eventually forming the rune for "Emperor." The chaotic mist above his head churned incessantly as he stared at Yun Ming and roared.
"Human, die!"
With that, he swiped his claw. As the claw descended, a mountain-sized, crystalline claw print resembling obsidian appeared, shattering everything in its path. Even the air was crushed as it pushed horizontally toward Yun Ming.
Watching the approaching claw print, Yun Ming felt as if a Chaos Emperor River Bird had thrown the entire sky down upon him. This was not just physical pressure; the pressure of a divine beast's Life level and the weight of its spirit and will were also present. The latter two sources of pressure stemmed from Di Hong's ancient lineage; even with his Divine Origin Realm soul, Yun Ming felt the immense strain.
This move was called the Sky Dome Emperor Seal, the signature bloodline inheritance skill of the Chaos Emperor River Bird clan. Much like Dragon Breath is to the Dragon Clan, it was the move that best represented their race and utilized their formidable talents. Because this was a fierce move that did not prioritize technique, emphasizing that "one force can overcome ten skills," it was perfectly suited for Chaos Emperor River Birds who possessed crude control over their power. The Sky Support Sun Shooting was also of this type.
The speed of Di Hong's claw print was not particularly fast, but its visible power was astonishing. This time, Yun Ming did not intend to take it head-on. Silver light shone on his body as he attempted to Teleport away and then launch a counterattack. However, the moment the light of Teleportation rose, he felt an anomaly in the Void behind the alternate space. He could not enter the Void, and without entering it, he could not complete the Teleportation by overlapping with the spatial nodes behind it.
In his past life, because Yun Ming had a similar spirit skill, Di Hong had not bestowed this skill upon him. He had not expected such a blunder to occur today.
Di Hong sneered; he had noticed that this skill was missing from Yun Ming's Spirit Ring and had used this moment to catch him off guard.
"Human, die!"
Having lost the initiative, Yun Ming hurriedly changed his stance. The Atlas Divine Spear in his hand moved with a deceptive mix of slowness and speed. A light, fluid, and rounded spear technique began to dance. Gold, silver, and white light swirled around Yun Ming, wrapping him in a sphere that looked like a strange gold-and-silver Taiji diagram from every angle.
Full-power Atlas "Hua Jie."
Bang--
The claw print slammed into the Gold-Silver Taiji Sphere. The sphere's form deformed instantly, and ripples spread across its surface, yet it failed to break Yun Ming's defense.
Di Hong was somewhat taken aback. With the heaven-opening force carried by the Sky Dome Emperor Seal, it had failed to suppress Yun Ming. How could this be? And what was this technique Yun Ming was using? He had never seen Yun Ming use such a move in his previous memories!
It wasn't that Yun Ming had intentionally hidden it from him; it was mainly because the memories Yun Ming had shared previously were those concerning Di Hong. 'Hua Jie' was a technique Yun Ming had developed in this lifetime and had nothing to do with Di Hong, so he hadn't demonstrated it.
He had originally intended to force Yun Ming into a hasty, head-on clash using a powerful offensive move like Sky Support Sun Shooting. If he could overpower Yun Ming in a direct exchange, that would be best; if not, forcing Yun Ming into a brief opening would allow him to seize the opportunity to strike. But now that Yun Ming had used an all-encompassing defensive technique, should he continue to attack?
Di Hong felt conflicted about his next move while observing the scene, but Yun Ming was also finding it difficult to hold on.
He had sensed it during their rapid exchange earlier, and now, while defending with all his might, the feeling was even more pronounced. Unlike Di Tian, Di Hong was a top-tier Space Element divine beast. His techniques, whether in terms of spatial energy intensity or the sophistication of spatial laws, were rare in this world. Yun Ming's comprehension of space had not yet reached the level where he could easily toy with Di Hong's abilities, which meant the intensity of their clash was extremely high. It was not like when Yun Ming dealt with others, where he could simply use a spatial rift to confiscate all their long-range Soul Power attacks.
Seeing the Taiji protective shield under the Sky Dome Emperor Seal showing signs of stabilizing, Di Hong did not hesitate. A mass of black energy began to condense on his left claw, the character 'Emperor' took shape, and he slammed down another Sky Dome Emperor Seal.
This strike merged with the previous claw print, its power even greater. The Taiji shield, which had just stabilized, could no longer hold; tiny cracks appeared on its surface and spread rapidly.
Seeing this, Yun Ming's expression changed. The next second, the Taiji protective shield exploded, and the massive burst of Soul Power light and shadow completely obscured everything.
Boom--
The claw print descended, and the already scarred battlefield collapsed and sank. The entire different dimension shook; to forcibly shake space with raw power showed that this technique, daring to call itself 'Sky Dome', was truly well-founded.
Di Hong stood tall in the sky, staring intently at the constantly collapsing earth below. Although he was certain his Emperor Seal had struck Yun Ming, it was hard to say whether he had actually finished him off; after all, Yun Ming was no ordinary person.
After the energy fluctuations below subsided, Di Hong waved his wings, and a spatial storm descended, transferring all the dust and smoke below to an unknown place. Di Hong hurriedly checked the situation below. Although he didn't have a normal head atop his shoulders—only a mass of chaotic energy—he could indeed see the outside world. As for how he perceived things, no one knew; no one in his race had ever studied it, and outsiders who tried to study it usually ended up as their snacks.
However, after scanning the completely devastated earth below with his Spiritual Power and vision, he could not find a single trace of Yun Ming. Where Yun Ming had been, there was nothing but a shattered metal sphere. Wait, a shattered metal sphere?
Di Hong seemed to realize something, but the next instant, a terrifying pressure and a life-and-death crisis descended from above, leaving him no time to think. A ring of silver-white ripples spread outward with Di Hong at the center, and the chaotic fire on his head was assimilated into a silver-white color.
He flapped one wing slightly while keeping the other still, rolled his body one hundred and eighty degrees in mid-air, and struck back with a claw. But this time, it wasn't a claw print, but a massive silver-white vortex.
Chaos Domain · Disorderly Vortex!
This technique was a weakened version of the Sky Support 'Black Sun'. It contained spatial sequence shifts similar to the Black Sun, but lacked the powerful gravitational pull of a Soul Core.
Di Hong reacted with lightning speed, but the technique that had triggered his life-and-death crisis was just as fast. The moment Di Hong's move was unleashed, a massive spear shadow that pierced the heavens had already arrived, striking directly into the vortex.
Sky Support 'Royal Power'!
"Sshh--"
Yun Ming let out a sharp whistle. The silver vortex was instantly shattered by the golden spear shadow.
It was a joke; Yun Ming's original Eighth Soul Skill was this Chaos Domain, and he used it even more proficiently than Di Hong. Before Yun Ming launched his fierce assault, he had predicted that his opponent would instinctively use the Disorderly Vortex to defend. With his familiarity with the skill and his preemptive judgment, it would be a miracle if Di Hong could block Yun Ming with this move.
After breaking through Di Hong's defense, the spear shadow continued forward. The overbearing Spear Intent, combined perfectly with his Spiritual Power, Soul Power, and blood essence, struck directly into Di Hong's crimson belly. In an instant, Di Hong felt the world spinning; an invisible, overwhelming pressure seemed intent on crushing his body and soul to pieces.
Di Hong was pierced by the spear shadow, a large amount of blood spraying from the wound as his massive body slammed into the ground from high above.
After weathering the mental assault of the Royal Power, he looked up at Yun Ming, who stood suspended in the air, his vision blurred. This time, Di Hong didn't react violently, but simply confirmed.
"Was it that metal sphere from earlier that let you dodge that strike?"
Yun Ming casually spun his spear and spoke calmly.
"Yes, a Level 8 Soul Tool Invincible Shield."
"Its effect: three seconds of invincibility below the level of a god."
Two thousand years later, following the further development of Soul Guidance Technology, humanity finally broke through the Invincible Shield technology, perfecting it to the level of the conceptual soul skill 'Invincible Golden Body'. Although the Gilded Gold Crystal Stone required for its construction was extremely hard to find, making this Level 8 Soul Tool incredibly rare, the method was relatively mature.
When Yun Ming was researching the Dead Realm, one such Gilded Gold Crystal Stone happened to be among the unknown materials sent by Lou Gao. Yun Ming discovered it later and made one, never expecting it to come in handy so soon.
It was precisely by relying on the time gained by this soul tool, along with the cover provided by the energy fluctuations of the Emperor Seal, that Yun Ming had been able to slip into the Void the moment it stabilized, preparing for a fatal strike.
Watching Di Hong struggle to stand, spitting blood from time to time, Yun Ming said faintly.
"Let's end this here!"
Di Hong tried to lift his eyes to look at Yun Ming, and after struggling to stabilize the surging blood in his body, he spoke with difficulty.
"Let me kill you, then it will end!"
As he finished speaking, a vast expanse of red light rose from Di Hong's body.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader