Chen Tian and Xie Lu clashed endlessly in the sky, their fierce collisions echoing. Chen Tian's body was encased in golden armor, his aura surging as he fought with increasing ferocity. Observing Chen Tian's armor and momentum, Xie Lu's body then became covered in layers of black scales, appearing soft and fluid. Chen Tian knew this was Xie Lu's strongest defensive technique.
As Chen Tian and Xie Lu's auras escalated, they began to move, their fists slamming directly into each other's armor and dragon scales. Chen Tian's fists shattered Xie Lu's scales, while Xie Lu's fists dented Chen Tian's armor, which felt like cotton. With two resounding thuds, Chen Tian and Xie Lu were sent flying back, each stabilizing their footing. They looked at each other, then instantly appeared before one another, unleashing kicks. With two sharp impacts, their legs struck each other's bodies, sending them reeling backward again.
Chen Tian and Xie Lu's strength and power were currently equal. Both were astounded by each other's might. Chen Tian had used a full fifty percent of his strength in this exchange, while Xie Lu had only used thirty percent. By all accounts, Chen Tian was at a disadvantage. However, with his "fighting stronger as he fought" ability, Chen Tian was confident he could surpass Xie Lu, especially since Xie Lu was currently complacent and looking down on him, sealing his inevitable defeat.
"I never imagined your strength would increase so rapidly! It seems I truly cannot let you live!"
"Enough nonsense, tell me how you came to the human world. The seal is not fully broken, how could you possibly break free from its restraints?"
Chen Tian's voice was filled with curiosity as he reprimanded Xie Lu. Xie Lu's lips curved into an evil grin. "Fine, I'll tell you! As long as I occupy a human body and abandon my original form, it's possible. This is a method your own kind taught me, though it has too many drawbacks."
Chen Tian was stunned. Such a thing was possible? Abandoning one's original body to forcibly occupy another and slowly assimilate them? It was truly despicable!
Chen Tian scanned Xie Lu's body with his divine pupils. It was a human body, even down to the internal organs. Chen Tian closed his eyes, now understanding how Xie Lu had appeared here and broken free from the seal's restrictions.
Chen Tian's figure dissolved into countless clones, surrounding Xie Lu. Every direction around Xie Lu was filled with Chen Tian's clones, all possessing the aura of the original and appearing formidable. Countless Chen Tians attacked simultaneously, their fists and feet wreathed in energy, with nine-colored light, black and white essence, sword qi, and blade qi continuously surging towards Xie Lu.
Xie Lu's teeth extended, growing long, and his hair transformed into black snakes. His entire head became a mass of writhing black snakes, as numerous as his hair. Countless attacks struck the black snakes, causing them to explode and split in half. To Chen Tian's horror, the black snakes regenerated new bodies and heads, charging chaotically at Chen Tian's clones.
Chen Tian's divine pupils analyzed the black snakes' information. The pupils provided accurate data. Chen Tian dodged decisively, weaving left and right. These black snakes possessed infinite regeneration, and their fangs inflicted a potent poison that Chen Tian's current body could not withstand. Activating his extreme evasion, Chen Tian dodged all the black snakes' attacks. However, the sheer number of black snakes was overwhelming, and Chen Tian's clones were bitten into shreds.
As the clones vanished, Chen Tian and Xie Lu stood facing each other. The black snakes on Xie Lu's head writhed violently, their heads all fixed on Chen Tian. Chen Tian clenched his fists, and two dual blades appeared, clad in nine-colored light and resembling dragon scales. He flung a beautiful blade, which shot towards Xie Lu with a whoosh. Xie Lu willed it, and the black snakes on his head coiled together, forming a shield of snake bodies before him. Chen Tian's blade was blocked without any effect, the snake-body shield remaining intact. Chen Tian's dual blades vanished, and he reappeared behind Xie Lu, unleashing a flurry of slashes. The black snakes disentangled themselves and lunged at Chen Tian's blades. Chen Tian sliced through their heads and bodies, but new heads quickly grew. Facing the dense swarm of black snakes, Chen Tian could only retreat.
Divine fire and divine ice covered Chen Tian's dual blades, erupting with light. He simultaneously unleashed divine ice cones and divine fire orbs. The interaction between ice and fire created a powerful explosion, engulfing all the black snakes.
Xie Lu emerged from the explosion unscathed, his hair returning to normal. In his hand appeared a guǎnyuè, emanating a strange aura. Chen Tian was curious, as Xie Lu only produced one; wasn't this weapon supposed to be a pair?
Logically, there should be two guǎnyuè. In Xie Lu's hand, the crescent blade of the black guǎnyuè faced outwards, hugging its body. It was only about three feet long. Xie Lu glanced at his weapon and murmured, "There are still too many restrictions. Even my innate weapon has become like this, but at least I can still use seventy percent of its power, which is enough."
Having possessed a human body and abandoned his original form, his weapons and abilities were sealed to a certain extent until he could fully adapt to the new body. The human body couldn't withstand the power of his weapon and abilities, leading to its explosion. Chen Tian, with his dual blades in hand, decisively attacked, unwilling to let Xie Lu strike first, otherwise, he would have no chance to defeat him. Chen Tian understood Xie Lu's weapon and believed he could handle it, assuming things were still the same as thousands of years ago.
Thousands of years had passed, and Chen Tian had grown. All living beings evolved, and the evil spirit race wouldn't stand still. Chen Tian launched a probing attack, his dual blades moving with ethereal grace, appearing and disappearing. Xie Lu faced a myriad of sword lights and, with a sweep of his guǎnyuè, unleashed a massive crescent blade that swept everything before it. All the sword lights and blades exploded, and the crescent blade shot towards Chen Tian's head.
Chen Tian crossed his dual blades, unleashing a cross-shaped blade. The nine-colored cross blade collided with the crescent blade, sending waves of energy rippling outwards. Chen Tian blocked in front of himself with his dual blades, a blade qi shield forming. He retreated over ten meters, while Xie Lu stood unmoving.
Chen Tian's expression changed drastically. It seemed Xie Lu had also changed over the past few thousand years. Of course, no one stood still. As long as one didn't give up, they could continuously evolve and grow. No one knew their own limits.
Chen Tian merged his dual blades into a colossal blade, raising it high. Nine-colored lightning erupted from the sky, striking the colossal blade. Chen Tian's colossal blade, entwined with lightning, descended rapidly in his hands, carrying the power of nine-colored lightning. Seeing this move, Xie Lu pulled his left guǎnyuè with both hands, extending its length to that of a spear. A silver drill emerged from the top of the guǎnyuè. Xie Lu swung his guǎnyuè, unleashing a beautiful crescent wheel that continuously grew larger. As Chen Tian's colossal blade was about to descend on Xie Lu's head, Xie Lu placed the crescent wheel before him. Xie Lu pointed his guǎnyuè, thrusting it forward, and the crescent wheel shot out with a crackling sound. The crescent wheel collided with the colossal blade, sparks and noise erupting from the blade. Cracks appeared on the colossal blade, spreading and filling its upper half. Chen Tian reacted, releasing his hands and shouting, "Explode!"
The colossal blade exploded, along with the crescent wheel. The resulting shockwave sent Xie Lu and Chen Tian flying. As Xie Lu was blown back, he threw his spear-like guǎnyuè, which transformed into a black beam of light, rushing towards Chen Tian's heart. Chen Tian, still retreating, saw the black beam bearing down on him. His body erupted with five elements, forming five lotus shields in front of him. On his left hand, elemental energy gathered, forming a longbow. Without hesitation, Chen Tian drew the bowstring. The five lotuses shattered before the black beam. Just as it was about to pierce Chen Tian's heart, Chen Tian released the bowstring, firing a nine-colored arrow. An explosion rang out, sending Chen Tian reeling backward again. The spear-like guǎnyuè, disrupted by the nine-colored arrow, flew off course. However, as it spun away, Xie Lu leaped into the sky, making a throwing motion with his left hand. Black energy gathered on the drill head of the spear-like guǎnyuè, revealing its terrifying power. Xie Lu declared, "Die!"
He hurled the spear-like guǎnyuè, which transformed into a black dragon, its gaping maw seemingly about to swallow Chen Tian. Before Chen Tian could regain his balance, he was engulfed by the dragon. Xie Lu clenched his left fist, and the dragon's body exploded and then compressed, transforming back into a guǎnyuè weapon. Xie Lu, seeing no sign of Chen Tian, was about to move when a wet, tearing sound echoed. Chen Tian appeared behind Xie Lu, saying, "Did you really think I would wait idly for you to charge up your moves?"
"No, impossible! How are you here? I clearly annihilated you with that move, even your origin. The aura just now was indeed your main body!"
Xie Lu looked at Chen Tian in shock. Chen Tian replied, "That is also my origin, just my main body's origin."
Chen Tian drew his long sword, and blood flowed from the wound. Chen Tian's gaze sharpened. Xie Lu's body was being torn apart by spatial power. Xie Lu was now severely injured and could not survive Chen Tian's blow. Furthermore, Xie Lu had abandoned his original body, thus discarding his immortal origin. Being critically wounded, he would require time to heal. It seemed all methods had their downsides, and this one had too many. Chen Tian realized during the battle that the human who devised this method must be that traitor.
Chen Tian was determined to find that person quickly, lest the real world descend into chaos.
At this moment, the moon rose, its light illuminating the entire battlefield. Chen Tian suddenly sensed something amiss.