Chapter 60: Fighting the Fifth Layer of Deity Transformation

The one-eyed elder stared at Xiao Huo in utter disbelief, his lips trembling, his eyes filled with bitter reluctance. "I refuse to accept this..."

Before him, Xiao Huo's gaze remained icy. The dual flames converged once more into a pillar of fire, plunging straight down from the crown of the elder's head.

"Ah—" His miserable scream was cut short, swallowed entirely by the flames.

In the span of just three breaths, the Immortal Alliance's one-eyed elder, a cultivator at the second level of the Void Transformation realm, was reduced to a heap of ashes. Even his soul was completely incinerated by the twin exotic flames.

"He's insane, completely insane! The second level of Void Transformation! Just like that, burned to ashes?"

Someone among the crowd of onlookers shrieked involuntarily. "Killing a second-level Void Transformation expert in a single move at the third level of the Combination realm! Xiao Huo's strength is simply monstrous!"

Seeing this spectacle, another cultivator cried out in alarm, "This kind of battle prowess defies the heavens! A Void Transformation expert killed in a single strike—how terrifyingly formidable! The Eastern Region is about to undergo a seismic shift!"

"I'll fight you to the death!"

At that very moment, seeing the Immortal Alliance elder slain, Xie Mingyuan's eyes turned crimson. He poured his fury into the Death-Shattering Sword Formation, unleashing seven bloody sword lights that coiled toward Su Wan like venomous serpents, roaring as he moved.

The seven disciples of the Azure Peak Sword Sect had long since reached their breaking point. Hearing Xie Mingyuan's roar, they stepped forward in unison, matching the pattern of the Seven Stars, their longswords pointing toward the sky as one.

"Death-Shattering Sword Formation, rise!"

The seven roared in unison, the vital blood within their bodies instantly boiling as it transformed into seven bloody beams of light, surging into their blades.

In an instant, the blood swords crossed and circled in mid-air.

Like blood-thirsty serpents, they emitted a sharp, hissing screech, radiating a bone-chilling malevolence.

"Su Wan, meet your doom!" Madness flared in the eyes of the seven disciples.

They knew that once this formation was unleashed, it would mean mutual destruction; not even they themselves stood a shred of chance at survival.

Yet for the honor of the Azure Peak Sword Sect, and to avenge Xie Qinghan, they held nothing back.

"No one harms Senior Sister Su!"

Right then, Zhao Hao could no longer restrain himself. He stepped in front of Su Wan, his Array-Shattering Spear angled obliquely toward the ground.

A piercing chill erupted from the tip of the spear, and the sweeping motion of the shaft whipped up a sharp scream that tore through the void, shattering the seven blood swords inch by inch.

Seeing this, Xie Mingyuan was consumed by an even greater fury. "A mere Combination realm cultivator dares to block me? Die with her!"

He rapidly formed hand seals, attempting to unleash the ultimate power of the Death-Shattering Sword Formation to cut Zhao Hao down.

Yet, how could Zhao Hao afford him such an opportunity?

"With just this pathetic formation of yours, you dare try to harm my senior sister? Today, I will let you witness the true might of the Array-Shattering Spear!"

The spear in his hands came alive, multiplying into countless overlapping shadows. Every single thrust was imbued with the pinnacle of profound principles, pressing straight down upon Xie Mingyuan.

"Array-Shattering Spear Technique, break!"

With a long roar from Zhao Hao, the spear surged forth with an unstoppable, crushing momentum, tearing right through the defense of the Death-Shattering Sword Formation, its tip aiming straight for the center of Xie Mingyuan's brow.

Xie Mingyuan hastily raised his sword to parry, but the restrictive, shattering runes carved into the spearhead caused the web of his hand to burst apart, sending his longsword spinning out of his grasp.

Unimpeded, the Array-Shattering Spear pierced straight through his protective true Qi, impaling his chest.

Xie Mingyuan's eyes widened, filled with an incredulous horror.

"No... Impossible..." he muttered, his body slowly collapsing to the ground.

"Such an overbearing spear technique! It shattered the Death-Shattering Sword Formation with effortless ease!" an onlooker exclaimed in awe.

"This spear art of Zhao Hao's must be virtually unmatched throughout the entire Eastern Region!"

Another cultivator clapped in admiration, praising, "Zhao Hao's array-breaking spear technique can be called the finest in the Eastern Region! The Azure Peak Sword Sect has truly kicked an iron wall today!"

Realizing the situation was turning disastrous, Yin Jiuniang panicked and frantically drove nine black coffins. Corpses qi erupted from the soil, lunging toward Lin Wan'er while she herself transformed into a shroud of black mist, desperate to flee.

"Thunder Lord and Xie Mingyuan are both dead. This Profound Sky Sect is far too terrifying; I have to run right now!"

"As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood! What use is revenge when my own life is on the line?"

She abandoned all thoughts of vengeance, prioritizing her own skin above all else.

Fleeing frantically, she muttered to herself in a panic.

Nearby, the Innate Dao Fetus mark between Lin Wan'er's brows blazed with blinding golden light. The golden Dao seal condensing at her fingertip suddenly transformed into a colossal seal that covered the heavens. Not only did it grind the swarm of corpse fiends into pulp, but it also relentlessly pursued and enveloped the black mist like a shadow.

"Trying to run? Do you think that's possible?"

Gazing at the black mist, her voice was frosty as she let out a cold huff. "Yin Jiuniang, you have slaughtered countless living beings; how could I ever allow you to escape? Today, this Dao seal shall cleanse this evil!"

With that, she summoned the Dao seal down upon her target.

The moment the Dao seal descended, a miserable shrieking echoed from within the black mist. When the golden light finally dissipated, nothing remained in its place except a pool of foul, reeking pus; even her natal Gu insect had been purified into flying ash.

"This... Is this the true power of the Innate Dao Fetus?"

"The Nine-Destiny Corpse Fiends were just crushed into mud like that? Yin Jiuniang didn't even leave behind a speck of dust!"

"Thunder Lord, Xie Mingyuan, Yin Jiuniang—they're all gone! Even the second-level Void Transformation elder of the Immortal Alliance was killed in a single move!"

"What kind of monsters are these four disciples of the Profound Sky Sect? How did they grow this terrifying in the span of just a single year?"

Swallowing hard, a cultivator spoke in utter shock, "Killing Void Transformation experts from the Combination realm as if cutting vegetables—from this day forth, I doubt anyone in the Eastern Region will ever dare provoke the Profound Sky Sect again! The disciples trained by Ye Chentian are nothing short of a band of slaughter gods!"

Following a brief, deathly silence, the entire arena erupted into a tumultuous roar like a crashing tsunami.

"Impudent wretch! To slay our Immortal Alliance elder today and openly provoke the majesty of the Alliance—I shall ensure your souls are scattered into oblivion!"

At that moment, Xuan Lie, witnessing the miserable death of the one-eyed elder, felt his killing intent surge to a boiling point as he roared furiously.

The Heaven-Shattering Saber flashed from its scabbard, its blade-light tearing the firmament asunder.

Pumping immense strength into his arms, he caused all seven demonic cores embedded within the saber to flare with light simultaneously.

The bloody malevolence wrapping around the blade resonated with the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, condensing in mid-air into a ten-foot-tall phantom of a saber spirit.

"Shatter-Dome Star-Splitting Slash!"

The oppressive might of the fifth level of the Void Transformation realm pressed down like Mount Tai, unleashing the ultimate saber technique with the momentum to crush the stars as it cleaved toward Xiao Huo.

Wherever the saber wind passed, rocks and stones were pulverized into fine powder.

"A full-power strike from a fifth-level Void Transformation expert! Xiao Huo is dead for sure!"

"That 'Shatter-Dome Star-Splitting Slash' is a lethal technique capable of cleaving apart Void Transformation cultivators! Xiao Huo is only at the third level of the Combination realm; how could he possibly withstand it?"

"My god! Is that saber spirit phantom really ten feet tall? With all seven demonic cores glowing at once, the force of this slash could very well split the entire Ten-Thousand Thunders Valley in two!"

"Xiao Huo is truly finished this time. Who on earth could block a full-strength strike from a fifth-level Void Transformation expert?" Frightened out of their wits, nearby cultivators retreated over a mile away, their voices trembling.

"Is this the true power of the fifth-level Void Transformation realm? It's more than ten times stronger than that elder from earlier! This pressure... it's almost enough to crush my battle physique!"

Gazing at the blade-light that cleaved the vault of heaven, Xiao Huo's pupils contracted sharply. His heart felt as though it were being squeezed by an invisible, giant hand as he thought in panic.

This strength surpassed that of the second-level Void Transformation elder by more than tenfold.

Before the blade wind even arrived, the pressure capable of shattering stars was already making his blood churn violently.

Every single inch of muscle and bone in his Heaven-Incinerating Battle Physique was groaning under the unbearable load.

An unyielding battle intent erupted from the depths of his eyes as he roared, "Even if I am no match, I will never back down! Behind me are my fellow disciples, the honor of the Profound Sky Sect—if I die, I will die standing!"

Even knowing he could not win, he would never bend his knee beneath such oppressive might!

"Heaven-Incinerating Dual-Flame Blast!"

Xiao Huo thrust his palms fiercely forward, causing the Heaven-Incinerating Emperor Flame and the Southern Bright Primordial Fire to intertwine within his palms, forming a pair of ten-foot-long ice-and-fire dragons.

The twin dragons lunged straight toward the oncoming blade-light.

Yet, the moment the fire dragons touched the blade-light, they shattered inch by inch, instantly dissolving into nothingness.