Chapter 552: Chapter 527: World of Ten Thousand Universes
Lu Yan’s seven soul spikes pierced into Zhao Tianxia’s Primordial Spirit.
Zhao Tianxia’s Primordial Spirit was protected by Soul Defence Treasures, hovering above it.
Below the Primordial Spirit, there was a Bronze Sparrow Platform.
The Bronze Sparrow Platform was not a Soul Defence Treasure, but a type of Organ Miracle of Zhao Tianxia. He had integrated it with his head to guard his Primordial Spirit.
When Lu Yan’s soul spikes struck the Primordial Spirit, the Bronze Sparrow Platform glowed. A Vermilion Bird flew out and shielded the Primordial Spirit.
At the same time, the Soul Defence Treasures also shone brightly, enveloping the Primordial Spirit in light.
Boom boom...
Seven consecutive roars, like seven cannonballs bombarding Zhao Tianxia’s Primordial Spirit.
With the current strength of Lu Yan’s soul, combined with the power of the soul spikes, the attack was extremely terrifying.
Zhao Tianxia, despite having well-prepared defenses for his Primordial Spirit, could not fully withstand the attack. The seven soul spikes exploded, generating horrific soul fluctuations. Some broke through the defenses and struck his Primordial Spirit, causing it to tremble violently. A drilling pain spread throughout.
"Heavenly Punishment Blade, and he falls."
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Yan launched a fierce attack, his deathly blade lights slashing at Zhao Tianxia.
Zhao Tianxia could only endure the tremors in his Primordial Spirit and strive to fend them off.
However, the impact on his Primordial Spirit made it impossible for him to fully exert his strength. Instead, Lu Yan gained the upper hand.
After nineteen successive slashes, the twentieth blade came down. Zhao Tianxia retreated explosively. A ferocious blade wound appeared on his chest, death’s aura permeated. It drilled into his body, and wherever it passed, his flesh turned ashen white, completely lifeless.
Zhao Tianxia could only keep circulating Immortal Power to force out the aura of death within him.
"Zhao Tianxia..."
Lu Yan shouted.
Zhao Tianxia subconsciously looked towards Lu Yan, but saw two dark whirlpools in Lu Yan’s eyes.
An illusion!
Zhao Tianxia’s heart chilled. He quickly unleashed his Domain power, shattering the illusion where his Domain reached.
But Lu Yan launched another fierce attack.
On the other side, as Zhao Tianxia was held back by Lu Yan, the pressure on Lu Lingxuan greatly decreased. She stimulated her potential and fiercely fought with Shen Shengming. Despite being injured, Shen Shengming was unable to do anything against her.
"Doctrine shields the body, Domain embraces."
Lu Lingxuan cried out. The Immortal Power surrounding her body diffused mysterious patterns, the Magic River of the sky’s Vault clearly visible. It poured down the power of Immortality.
The phantoms of the Magic River circled around her body. Eventually, with a dragon’s cry, it transformed into a dragon shape. As she thrust her spear forward, it combined with the spear to become a roaring Nine-clawed Divine Dragon.
Boom!
Shen Shengming’s body drifted back thousands of miles, his complexion slightly paled.
"Lu Yan, let’s go. My injuries are too severe for a prolonged battle."
Lu Lingxuan sent a mental message to Lu Yan.
Lu Yan repelled Zhao Tianxia with a slash, flashed beside Lu Lingxuan in an instant.
Side by side, they dashed towards a direction. There, several disciples from the Three Emperors Alliance and the Divine Clan were present, but they dared not block their path. Seeing Lu Yan and Lu Lingxuan approaching, they revealed expressions of fear, instinctively dodging to the side.
The two faced no obstacles as they broke out of the encirclement and quickly headed towards the distance.
"Chase them! Lu Lingxuan’s injuries are severe; she cannot last long. With our power, victory will surely be ours in an extended battle."
Zhao Tianxia bellowed, stepping on the ground with thunderous explosions, pursuing Lu Yan and Lu Lingxuan.
Shen Shengming hesitated for a moment, then followed Zhao Tianxia in the chase.
"I’ll carry you, you take the chance to heal."
After saying this, Lu Yan’s sturdy arm embraced Lu Lingxuan’s slender waist, his feet stepping on lightning, moving at incredible speed, like a bolt of lightning.
Lu Lingxuan’s cheeks turned slightly red, but being extraordinary herself, she did not fuss. She calmed her mind, took out several Healing Pills, and started to refine the elixir to heal her wounds.
"Thunder Step, Wind-Riding Body, Thunder God’s Charge..."
Lu Yan’s arm and chest, the Zhou Tian Huan Yu Map faintly emerged, with five or six points flickering.
These five or six points represented five or six Immortality Skills, all speed-related.
The combination of these speed-related Immortality Skills, even with some contention, greatly surpassed any single Immortality Skill. Lu Yan’s speed surged, quickly leaving Zhao Tianxia and Shen Shengming far behind.
The distance between the two parties grew further and further apart.
"Damn it..."
Zhao Tianxia growled low, his eyes fierce and resentful.
There had been a great opportunity to kill Lu Lingxuan, but Lu Yan had emerged and ruined it. Missing this chance, there was no telling when they would get another.
But unable to match Lu Yan’s speed, he could only watch helplessly as Lu Yan disappeared from his sight.
Lu Yan, carrying Lu Lingxuan, travelled tens of thousands of miles in one breath to ensure they shook off Zhao Tianxia and Shen Shengming before they finally stopped.
"Lu Yan, thank you for the rescue."
Lu Lingxuan gracefully untangled herself from Lu Yan’s arms and thanked him.
"What happened? How did you run into an ambush by the Three Emperors Alliance and the Divine Clan?"
Lu Yan inquired.
"Within the Dragon Alliance, there was a traitor. It was Chu Hao. He lured us there using a Jade Talisman, while members of the Three Emperors Alliance and the Divine Clan lay in ambush. I barely escaped, but unfortunately, our fellow disciples Li Yong and Liu Fang..."
Lu Lingxuan seemed downhearted.
Her injuries were so severe that she could not fight for long. The fact that she managed to escape was already fortunate, but she was powerless to save anyone else.
The fate of the two disciples from the Dragon Alliance who fell into the hands of the Three Emperors Alliance and the Divine Clan could be imagined.
"Ling Xuan, you focus on healing. Once you’ve recovered, we will avenge them. I’ll protect you while you recover."
Lu Yan said.
Lu Lingxuan nodded, collected her emotions, and sat down cross-legged. She then swallowed a few more Healing Pills and devoted her energy to refining the elixir and healing her wounds.
Her rule tendrils were connected to the Magic River, constantly drawing immense power from it, diffusing into her body, rapidly healing her wounds.
The wounds on her body -- the flesh visibly wriggled and knitted back together to the naked eye.
"As expected of the Initial Body, truly mysterious, something to be envied."
Lu Yan mused to himself.
Not far from Lu Lingxuan, he sat cross-legged, also drawing power through his rule tendrils from the Magic River, recovering from his recent exhaustion.
Considering he had cultivated seven rules, with seven rule tendrils each connected to a different Magic River, his power absorption was also incredibly fast. It wouldn’t be much less than the Initial Body’s, and soon enough, the power he had depleted in the great battle was mostly restored.
"Who’s there?"
Suddenly, Lu Yan’s gaze shot like lightning in a particular direction.
"Disciple, it’s me, one of our own."
A voice rang out, followed by the ground bulging up as a figure emerged from the earth.
"Hu Tu, is that you?"
Lu Yan was taken aback, recognizing the man as a member of the Dragon Alliance.
"Have you been following us this whole way?"
Lu Yan asked, his inner powers already beginning to converge.
If one Chu Hao could turn traitor, then another one could too, and he had to be on guard.
"Yes, when the two Disciples were battling Zhao Tianxia and the others, I was nearby. Pity that I was too weak to lend a hand."
Hu Tu sighed, and then a look of hatred flashed in his eyes, "That betrayer Chu Hao, truly despicable, has already cost us several brothers. He deserves death by a thousand cuts."
"Besides Disciple Ling Xuan and the others, did anyone else fall for the trap?"
Lu Yan’s heart stirred, then he immediately asked.
"Indeed, before Disciple Ling Xuan and the rest arrived, several of us were lured here by Chu Hao using a Jade Talisman. That included..."
Hu Tu paused, glanced at Lu Yan, and then hesitated to continue.
Lu Yan’s heart sank, a bad premonition setting in.
"Who were with you?"
Lu Yan stared at Hu Tu, asking seriously.
With gritted teeth, Hu Tu replied, "The ones who initially accompanied me included Mr. World, and also... also your wife, Miss Shen Yinuo..."
"What?"
Lu Yan’s heart shook violently, nearly losing his composure.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Because he had not seen Shen Yinuo and the others before.
"How are they?"
Lu Yan asked.
"We were attacked by the Three Emperors Alliance and the Divine Clan. With no other choice, Mr. World and Miss Shen Yinuo fled into the depths of the Sea of Magic, to the perilous World of Ten Thousand Universes. My cultivation of the Earth Rules, along with my affinity for subterranean escape within the Immortality Skill, allowed me to burrow away and barely escape with my life during the crucial moment."
"Disciple... actually, entering the World of Ten Thousand Universes does not mean certain death. Please, take heart, Disciple..."
But as he continued, even Hu Tu found his own words hard to believe.
"The World of Ten Thousand Universes..."
Lu Yan’s face paled instantly.
The Sea of Magic was not without its perils.
It was once the ocean of magic, the origin of all magic, and although it had dried up, its vastness remained, leaving behind several mysterious and unpredictable regions.
These regions were fraught with danger, and for those of the Immortal Realm, they were unequivocal forbidden zones where entry meant certain death.
The World of Ten Thousand Universes was one of these places.
"World of Ten Thousand Universes" signifies the implication of countless layered worlds.
In the Sea of Magic, where magic was once extremely dense, countless eons of evolution formed a universe of myriad worlds, interconnected and boundless.
Though it’s called the World of Ten Thousand Universes, the actual number of worlds there far exceeds ten thousand.
Once one gets lost in it, they would wander endlessly among the infinite worlds, unable to find an exit.
Throughout history, many exceptional talents who wandered into it never returned, except for those in possession of rare treasures.
Most who entered never emerged again.
So, to most people, entering the World of Ten Thousand Universes was tantamount to falling.
"How could this happen?"
Lu Yan’s face was ashen.
"Lu Yan, do not lose heart. There might still be a way."
Lu Lingxuan, who had overheard the conversation between Hu Tu and Lu Yan, now opened her eyes and stood up, her injuries having mostly stabilized.
"Ling Xuan, do you have a way?"
Lu Yan, his spirit lifted, inquired.
"Within the Heavenly Machine Gate, there exists a treasure known as the Tianji Guide, which can set coordinates. With these coordinates, even if one enters the World of Ten Thousand Universes, they will not get lost and can use them to leave."
"If we can obtain the Tianji Guide, we could enter the World of Ten Thousand Universes and lead them out."
Lu Lingxuan explained.
"Tianji Guide."
Hope flickered in Lu Yan’s eyes, but then he remembered an issue. He said, "The Sea of Magic is so vast; finding the people from Heavenly Machine Gate won’t be easy."
The Heavenly Machine Gate was one of the supreme forces, and many of its disciples had entered the Sea of Magic on this occasion.
"Speaking of that, before coming here, I had encountered people from Heavenly Machine Gate. They were at the Tao Ancestral Ruins."
Lu Lingxuan said.
