Chapter 1268: Chapter 1266: Break Through
Above the Soul Losing Canyon, a massive rift suddenly opened, and boundless spiritual energy descended like a mountainous tsunami from above, engulfing Shi Xiaole in an instant, to be absorbed by his Vigorous Air Vortex.
Not only was the newly born Vigorous Air Vortex absorbing, but the previous vortexes were also absorbing. Every time the Vigorous Air underwent fission, it not only increased the number of vortexes but also enhanced the capacity of each vortex itself.
Like parched land welcoming sweet rain, Shi Xiaole’s body turned into a gigantic sponge, frantically absorbing the spiritual energy from all directions, causing his momentum to swell and rise without seeming limit.
"Hmm?"
The Heavenly Demon looked on in shock at this scene.
Before this, Shi Xiaole’s Vigorous Air was already frighteningly strong. At least below the Sky Origin Realm, the Heavenly Demon had never seen anyone with stronger Vigorous Air.
And now, the opponent’s Vigorous Air was undergoing fission again!
Even at a distance, that surging and vigorous momentum was like a vast ocean that could intimidate one’s soul. The Demonic Vigorous Wind in the vicinity was slightly affected when it came within three zhang of Shi Xiaole, causing a deviation in its trajectory.
The Heavenly Demon flicked his hand, and all the Demonic Vigorous Wind rushing towards Shi Xiaole was wiped out.
He was anticipating the birth of a miracle. From Shi Xiaole, the Heavenly Demon felt a powerfulness he had never experienced before.
The reason it was unprecedented was not because Shi Xiaole had reached the Sky Origin Realm, but because, despite being in the Fake Sky Origin Realm, he had achieved another level, a level far beyond any other Fake Sky Origin Realm giant.
"This kid?"
Atop the towering mound, the Giant Demon Heavenly King woke from his cultivation, his eyes filled with an undisguisable unique color.
Vigorous Air fission, the third time, or the fourth? If it was the fourth, sixteen thousand years ago, how many could undergo fission four times? Less than the number of fingers on two hands, proof of the opponent’s exceptional talent.
If it was the third time, that was even more terrifying. Merely three times and possessing such power, what would happen if he went through the fourth? Given his displayed potential, undergoing the fourth Vigorous Air fission was not absolutely certain, but the chances of success were more than eighty percent.
This kid, truly has his father’s style!
The murder intent in his eyes deepened, but the Giant Demon Heavenly King made no move, just quietly watching.
"My Vigorous Air has increased by more than thirty percent since before."
After absorbing for more than half of a 2-hour period, the storm of spiritual energy finally dispersed, and the rift in the sky instantly healed. Shi Xiaole examined his condition and couldn’t help but feel ecstatic.
During the first fission, his Vigorous Air Vortex increased from four hundred and nine to four hundred and fifty-six, adding forty-seven vortexes, but this fission added a full sixty.
There is a reason for everything in heaven and earth. Each fission of the Vigorous Air multiplies the difficulty by tens of times, but the benefits that come afterward are unimaginable.
For Shi Xiaole, a more than thirty percent increase in Vigorous Air on his original basis was a concept he himself was unclear about, only knowing that he felt like he could shatter the sky with a single punch.
The Life and Death Martial Way circulated, and after two days, Shi Xiaole’s condition reached its peak. The increase in Vigorous Air also significantly improved the efficiency of his martial way.
Whoosh!
Entering the Soul Losing Canyon once again, the Demonic Vigorous Wind continued to attack. Shi Xiaole pointed his fingers like a sword, easily shattering them.
It wasn’t until he reached a depth of 5000 meters that he drew out his Cleansing Evil Sword, slashing with it. The Demonic Vigorous Winds in front of him were directly annihilated, and before the second one even emerged, Shi Xiaole had already charged 25,000 meters ahead.
His Flying Skill had increased by more than thirty percent from before.
Boom!
A total of seventy Demonic Vigorous Winds surged forward aggressively, like the gaping maw of demons, swallowing vast swathes of the void and pressuring everything.
Shi Xiaole didn’t dodge or avoid, striking with two swords.
Bang! Bang!
Two swords and seventy Demonic Vigorous Winds were both extinguished.
In the past, he would need three consecutive special moves and his power would be drained in a short time. But now, with the extra killing sword’s power, the Life and Death Martial Way helped Shi Xiaole recover even more strength.
"Beyond the secular world!"
The Heavenly Demon’s pupils contracted.
A miracle occurred. This young man, resembling the Holy Monarch, had elevated the limit of the Fake Sky Origin Realm’s combat strength by a large margin, a level so astonishing it took one’s breath away.
He suspected that even the strongest Fake Sky Origin Realm giant from sixteen thousand years ago could not withstand the current Shi Xiaole for ten moves!
As fast as a flash, Shi Xiaole reached a depth of 36,000 meters. Here, a total of one hundred and ten Demonic Vigorous Winds attacked fiercely, as if the heavens and earth themselves were entering destruction.
With three swords, one hundred and five Demonic Vigorous Winds were exterminated, but five continued to charge. Even as strong as Shi Xiaole, who had broken through the secular limits, still could not withstand the Demonic Vigorous Winds here!
Swish!
Shi Xiaole, drained of his power, did not simply wait for death. The Cleansing Evil Sword in his hand surged out swiftly, faster than a bolt of lightning.
Controlling Sword with Qi Skill!
Shi Xiaole hadn’t used it before because there was no need; even if he did, he couldn’t pass through the Soul Losing Canyon. But now, at least, there was some hope.
The five Vigorous Winds were easily slashed.
Almost without delay, another hundred and ten Demonic Vigorous Winds attacked. His mental power swollen to the limit, the Cleansing Evil Sword maintained its momentum, piercing through dozens more Demonic Vigorous Winds.
At such a short distance, Shi Xiaole’s spiritual methods were even stronger than his martial techniques, a scene that shocked the Heavenly Demon and the Giant Demon Heavenly King alike.
But it wasn’t just the two of them. Even the other Supreme Lords of the Devil Path hidden on Soul Losing Hill opened their eyes one after another, watching the Soul Losing Canyon with eyes filled with utter astonishment.
"Within the bloodline, there breathes the aura of both the Holy Monarch and the Holy Empress in equal parts; it turns out to be the son of the Holy Monarch."
"No wonder, no wonder."
"Although he is the son of the Holy Monarch, this child’s talent seems to be no less than his father’s!"
Exclamations of amazement came from the mouths of figures so significant they were only mentioned in historical records, filled with ineffable shock.
Several Supreme Lords of the Devil Path had clearly not expected that, sixteen thousand years later, today, a figure rivaling the Holy Monarch would emerge, and that he would be the Holy Monarch’s own son.
Is it true that no one can defeat the Holy Monarch except for himself?
Taking advantage of a momentary lull wrought by spiritual tactics, Shi Xiaole’s power had recovered to forty percent. Sword in hand, he sped with all his might, dashing to a depth of forty-two thousand six hundred meters.
The Demonic Vigorous Wind had reached a frightful one hundred thirty strands, a lawless force capable of collapsing the heavens and the earth, enough to rob even the giants of the Fake Sky Origin Realm of their courage to resist.
Several invincible Supreme Lords of the Devil Path all fixed their gazes on the Soul Losing Canyon; they all wanted to see if the son of the Holy Monarch could create a miracle previously unimaginable by predecessors.
"Sword Blood Fleeting Life!"
Shi Xiaole’s power had still not recovered to its peak, but he possessed a killing technique. With one sword strike, a boundless blood fog of Sword Qi covered the heavens, crashing against the narrow pathway on either side before immediately coalescing into one, making this strike even more violent and unstoppable.
This strike, known as "Sword Blood Fleeting Life," was a peerless skill gifted by the Great Pretender, based on "Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Sect" and integrated with thoughts of both good and evil, as well as the Supreme Sword Way.
It was said that the day the sword was perfected, the world could hardly contain it, therefore unless it was to eliminate demons and protect the Way, it must never be wielded lightly.
Boom...
Sword Qi mixed with devilish energy exploded together, and the mere shockwaves produced were enough to annihilate large swaths of the following Demonic Vigorous Winds.
Utilizing the channel of Sword Qi created by "Sword Blood Fleeting Life," Shi Xiaole passed smoothly; wave after wave of vibration also bought him a great deal of time.
Very soon, Shi Xiaole’s power had recovered to sixty percent, but it still wasn’t enough; he swallowed a Limitless Pill he had obtained from East Victory Village.
This pill was a rare treasure in the world. Even sixteen thousand years ago, it was considered a forbidden medicine, and the method to concoct it had long been lost. Shi Xiaole had only managed to acquire two, but he could no longer afford to delay.
With power restored to one hundred percent, Shi Xiaole had charged to a depth of forty-nine thousand meters, facing one hundred sixty strands of demonic Vigorous Wind coming his way.
A despair-inducing number.
The winds had not yet arrived, but the substantial energy of the Devil Path was enough to shake the souls of most titans, preventing them from utilizing more than seventy percent of their strength.
The demonically-natured Shi Xiaole, however, was inexplicably excited, greedily absorbing the energy of the Devil Path within, which kept him unaffected and elevated his power to the limit. Shi Xiaole unleashed three consecutive "Emotional Heaven and Earth Sword" moves.
Immediately after, he poured the remainder of his spiritual energy into the Cleansing Evil Sword, transforming it into a startling, swan-like strike.
Clang, clang, clang...
More than a dozen strands of Demonic Vigorous Wind struck forth.
Shi Xiaole smiled indifferently, allowing himself to be swept up, as blood rained down from the heavens in an instant.
The power of the Limitless Pill continued to surge, and in the blink of an eye, the lives of Shi Xiaole had recovered to ten percent, he bolted out at full speed, a thousand meters passing in the blink of an eye.
The next moment, Shi Xiaole broke through the Soul Losing Canyon, appearing in the Overlapping Land.
"Finally out!"
There was no time to delay; Shi Xiaole immediately found a place to recuperate, waiting only for his wounds to heal before hastily returning to the Heavenly Pit.
If his predictions were correct, the world of East Victory must have suffered a tremendous loss, but it would not collapse.
Because with his ’death,’ those fellows could come out with a just cause and even establish their credibility in the process, perhaps feeling incredibly smug.
Within Soul Losing Hill.
Several Supreme Lords of the Devil Path were at a loss for words for a long time; even with their temperament, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of shock.
"This child’s talent, strength, and fortunate fate are all top-notch in the world, with few coming close."
That was an understatement.
"Alas, time waits for no one; sirs, the grand battle between heaven and earth, it seems it’s ultimately up to us after all," said someone, leading to silence.
Indeed, Shi Xiaole was sensational, and calling him the greatest talent after the Holy Monarch was no exaggeration, but his cultivation was too low. His success in getting through the Soul Losing Canyon owed much to the medicine they had left behind in East Victory Village.
But with the grand battle imminent, the enemy would not give Shi Xiaole the time to grow. Therefore, the role he could play was minuscule.
There were also a few Supreme Lords of the Devil Path with flickering eyes, contemplating something unknown.
...
The Heavenly Pit was undergoing an incomparably brutal slaughter.
In just under half a year, the entire Heavenly Pit had expanded significantly, reaching a depth of thirty thousand meters, with blood-soaked areas strewn about, mingled with the chaotic energy of martial arts.
After Shi Xiaole’s disappearance, the beings from outer heaven indeed launched a vicious assault; in that battle, the world of East Victory suffered the greatest loss since the outbreak of the war.
After the Great Battles Emperor’s five men desperately entangled seven Outer Heaven Giants, there were still two left unchecked. These two rampaged without restraint, slaying gods and demons alike with a wave of a hand, killing swathes of martial artists in one fell swoop.
Not just individual expert cultivators, but a large number of sect experts and elite disciples also died on the spot. Many of the second-tier, first-tier, and even supremely first-rate powers of the South Sea were almost entirely annihilated, their lineages severed forever.
