Chapter 582

Chapter 582: Endless Heavenly River

Afterwards, whether it was the Eight-Armed Vajra or the Wonderful Bodhi Tree, both seemed invigorated. They madly hammered drums and struck chimes, unleashing relentless waves of terrifying sound attacks. The distorted battlefield space quivered endlessly. Though utterly silent, everyone understood the area brimmed with destructive power—even a Thunder Tribulation Immortal would be shredded instantly upon approach.

Witnessing these rising stars’ ferocity, the onlookers murmured in awe.

"Truly worthy of being Xuan Sect and Mo Sect’s top disciples! Such extravagant resources!"

"Qing Feng rides a Ninth-Rank Low-Level Beast, while Fang Lie awakened a spiritual root into sentience! Such heaven-defying luck! Even late-stage Thunder Tribulation Cultivators from major sects rarely achieve this!"

"With just their mounts, they could dominate entire regions—yet they join the Celestial Platform Competition? This feels like cheating!"

"New rules should forbid the Four Great Outer Paths: insects, beasts, formation flags, and Dao soldiers!"

"Preposterous! The Ten-Thousand Gu Sect relies on poison insects. Banning them would cripple their fighters!"

"Many sects specialize in gu-raising and beast-taming. Banning these would be unjust, but allowing them also seems unfair. A true dilemma!"

As debates raged below, the combatants displayed contrasting moods.

Qing Feng beamed with smug satisfaction, resembling a cat who’d stolen cream.

Fang Lie wore a bitter grimace, frustration evident as if he’d swallowed vinegar.

Finally, Qing Feng chuckled triumphantly, "Haha! Junior Brother, never imagined our duel would reach such an impasse, did you?"

"Genuinely unexpected," Fang Lie conceded ruefully. "My Bronze Chime Bells were already exposed, yet your Eight-Armed Vajra with Bronze War Drum remained hidden. You planned this stalemate from the start."

"Correct!" Qing Feng crowed. "After seeing your Fire Spirit Peak and Bronze Chime Bells, I devised countermeasures. The Wonderful Bodhi Tree surprised me, but better still—your deadliest weapon is now neutralized!"

Fang Lie’s expression soured further as comprehension dawned on the crowd.

"So that’s why Qing Feng summoned the war drum! He engineered this sonic clash to nullify Fang Lie’s Fire Spirit Peak!"

"Brilliant! Though low-grade, those endless replenishing Fire Spirit Gu overwhelmed even Great Thunder Sound Temple’s Ming Kong. Against infinite exploding insects, Qing Feng would’ve struggled too. But now? The battlefield’s saturated with lethal soundwaves—no Thunder Tribulation Immortal dares approach, let alone fragile gu insects!"

The Fire Spirit Peak had been Fang Lie’s formidable hidden card. With the Nirvana Fire Pool’s infinite regeneration, even Semi-Immortals couldn’t withstand endless Self-Detonations. Fang Lie once considered it invincible.

Yet reality proved harsher—within this sonic maelstrom, gu insects became irrelevant regardless of numbers.

Internally, Fang Lie acknowledged his missteps. Qing Feng had fought weaker opponents, concealing most abilities beyond defeating Carefree Wind. Meanwhile, Fang Lie’s path involved brutal matches—Ao Jianzi of East Kunlun, Ming Kong of Great Thunder Sound Temple, Golden Crow Prince—all top-ten contenders. Each victory forced Fang Lie to reveal secrets: Fire Spirit Gu, Bronze Chime Bells, Void Space Annihilation Slash. Once exposed, Xuan Sect’s resources and Qing Feng’s intellect easily devised counters.

Though Fang Lie’s Wonderful Bodhi Tree briefly surprised Qing Feng, intelligence asymmetry ultimately flipped the advantage. The apparent equilibrium masked Fang Lie’s critical loss—one fewer trump card against Qing Feng’s intact arsenal.

Qing Feng suddenly declared, "Junior Brother, among cultivation’s Four Great Outer Paths, insects and beasts require only wealth to exploit. Formation flags suit static defenses, useless in arenas. Dao soldiers demand decades of cultivation—beyond our youth. You’ve astonishing riches for your age. Those endless Fire Spirit Gu and Ten-Thousand Gu Sect artifacts terrified me. Forcing this stalemate was necessary—don’t resent this strategy!"

"Your scheme displays admirable skill," Fang Lie responded earnestly. "I bear no hatred, only self-reproach for my oversight."

"Your courtesy honors me." Qing Feng’s smile faded into solemnity. "With insects nullified and our divine skills matched, let us contest through treasures! En garde!"

With a wrist flick, Qing Feng unleashed a silken streak that morphed into a majestic, serpentine river spanning thousands of miles—the Endless Heavenly River, its Weak Water currents shimmering with sentient spirit.

Gasps erupted. "Heaven’s mercy! The Xuan Sect’s treasured relic!"

"A Peak Eighth-Rank treasure bordering Ninth-Rank!"

"Forged from Nine Nether Weak Water! Once engulfed, victims drown eternally unless released!"

"Lost for millennia, yet here in Qing Feng’s hands! With this, who can oppose him?"

"Mo Sect specializes in refining techniques! Surely Fang Lie has comparable treasures?"

Amidst the clamor, Mo Qianxun flushed crimson. Noticing her grandfather’s distress, Mo Lanyun pressed, "What troubles you?"

"Disaster looms," Mo Qianxun groaned. "Fang Lie lacks supreme treasures. Should he lose thus, Mo Sect’s reputation crumbles!"

"How?" Mo Lanyun cried. "We possess seven Peak Eighth-Rank treasures! I received one—why not Senior Brother?"

Mo Qianxun evaded, "Such treasures require centuries of nurturing for Ninth-Rank ascension. Using them wastes hundred-year efforts. I secured yours for sect honor, but Fang Lei…"

"This is outrageous!" Mo Lanyun fumed. "Senior Brother contributes immensely, yet elders cling to petty grudges! Should he fail here…"

"Indeed," Mo Qianxun mumbled, guilt-ridden. In truth, he’d denied Fang Lie the treasures, doubting his potential against seasoned champions. Now, facing Qing Feng’s Endless Heavenly River, Fang Lie’s inferior arsenal became glaringly obvious.

Fang Lei surveyed his tools—the altar, Space-Calming Bead, Purple Gold Ruyi Shield, Secret Technique Strange Snake—all Eighth-Rank but defensive or auxiliary. Against a Peak Eighth-Rank offensive relic, he stood disarmed.