Chapter 514

Chapter 514: Continuous Breakthrough

“Greetings, Senior Ling Xiao.”

“Greetings, Ancestor!”

The practitioners from the six major sects bowed respectfully, their eyes filled with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Ling Xiao paid no attention to them, instead focusing on the sky above.

Despite being just a cultivator who had recently attained the Unity with the Dao stage, he was now facing the world-destroying lightning calamity. This was also why he had chosen to hold back.

He did not want to be caught up in this calamity.

“Ancestor, this Ji Yang is the Talent Jealousy who joined the He Dao Sect ten years ago. This child…”

Wuyouzi quickly provided Ji Yang’s background.

Upon hearing the term Talent Jealousy, a flash of surprise crossed Ling Xiao’s eyes.

So that’s how it is.

“Hmph, what does it matter if he has reached the Unity with the Dao stage? When the lightning calamity disappears, that will be the moment of his demise.”

Ling Xiao said disdainfully.

In his eyes, both the Void Refinement stage and the Unity with the Dao stage were no different from ants.

However, he still needed to be cautious of that recent sword strike.

“World-destroying lightning calamity!”

The many elders of the He Dao Sect were astonished, and at that moment, Li Daoyi recalled the earlier news that had circulated among the sect.

It now seemed clear that the recently risen practitioner in the Ancient Realm of Yuan Kong was none other than Ji Yang!

Furthermore, the attack on the sect’s disciples appeared to be linked to Ji Yang, as he had been aboard that warship at the time.

Though their questions had been answered, the elders and Peak Masters could not help but shake their heads in helplessness upon sensing the terrifying lightning calamity.

Even though Ling Xiao had not made a move, they perceived that Ji Yang was unlikely to survive such a powerful calamity.

Even if he did make it through, he still wouldn’t be a match for Ling Xiao.

On the other side, the three Grand Elders exchanged glances and began to discuss their next course of action.

As the lightning descended, invisible Chains of the Heavenly Dao reappeared around Ji Yang.

Unfazed, Ji Yang revealed a faint smile when he saw the thick, bucket-sized black lightning above him.

It seemed he was not the only one who was impatient; the lightning calamity had also been eagerly awaiting this moment.

Ji Yang tightened his grip on the iron pick in his hand and once again unleashed a sword energy upwards, murmuring to himself,

“Only five swords left!”

Ling Xiao’s gaze turned cold at this moment, as those words seemed directed at him.

As Ji Yang released his sword strike, Ling Xiao sensed something different about him; despite his lower cultivation level, the essence of the Way he wielded was exceptionally rich. If they were at the same level, Ji Yang would indeed be a troublesome opponent.

The sword energy tore through the air, slicing a silver-white streak across the dark sky.

Even the descending lightning calamity was dispelled beneath the force of this sword.

As the lightning calamity dissipated, Ji Yang’s aura surged, allowing him to break through to the Unity with the Dao stage!

With this breakthrough, Ji Yang felt a shift within him as he sensed the fluctuations of the essence of the Way.

【Essence of War: 99.2%】

【Essence of the Sword: 99.1%】

Indeed, after his realm advanced, the previously stagnant essence condensation began to rise again.

It seemed that the incompleteness of the essence of the Way was likely due to his realm.

However, once Ji Yang reached the Unity with the Dao stage, the Chains of the Heavenly Dao surrounding him slowly began to tighten.

Sensing the movement of the Chains of the Heavenly Dao, Ji Yang’s body shook as he temporarily used his formidable physical strength to bind them at bay.

Beside him, Ling Xiao, who saw that Ji Yang had survived the lightning calamity, no longer hesitated.

He raised his hand slightly, and it seemed as if vast stars rested in his palm.

But just as he prepared to strike, his expression changed again, for the lightning calamity above did not seem to have dissipated; instead, it exuded an even more ferocious aura like a storm about to break.

What he did not realize was that Ji Yang, after breaking through to the Unity with the Dao stage, decisively pressed the button that could be activated.

Surging spiritual energy gushed out from within Ji Yang’s body, giving him the fleeting sensation of nearly bursting.

However, this feeling quickly vanished when Ji Yang fully activated his techniques, radiating white feathered brilliance for miles around!

In the astonished gazes of Ling Xiao and the many disciples from the He Dao Sect, Ji Yang’s realm soared!

Mid-stage of Unity with the Dao, Late Stage of Unity with the Dao!

As he was on the verge of stepping into the Great Ascension stage, a golden lightning calamity as thick as an arm suddenly descended.

This golden lightning calamity appeared ordinary but sent the surrounding cultivators into a frenzy.

The moment the lightning calamity fell, countless cultivators even held their breath involuntarily.

“This is… the Heavenly Dao?”

A few Grand Elders, originally preparing to intervene, unconsciously spoke.

With their exceptional insight and experience, they understood the secrets unknown to the ordinary.

It was said that this golden lightning calamity was the Heavenly Dao personally intervening to resolve the one undergoing Tribulation Crossing.

Yet compared to this golden lightning calamity, they found it even harder to believe Ji Yang’s swiftly rising realm.

“Could this child be a reincarnated mighty being?”

“But the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, and there are few Tribulation Crossing stage cultivators, so how could a reincarnated mighty being arise?”

The three Grand Elders also began to doubt themselves, even questioning if they had misjudged the situation.

Ling Xiao closed his palms, his expression somewhat grim, yet he did not panic.

Even a Great Ascension stage cultivator was just a larger ant in his eyes; what was there to fear?

Facing the descent of the golden lightning calamity, Ji Yang remained calm and unleashed three sword strikes towards the sky!

After a thousand days of sword cultivation, the time to wield the sword had finally come.

But even with three sword cultivation techniques, the lightning calamity did not vanish; it merely shrank from the thickness of an arm to the thickness of a chopstick.

Ji Yang, forced by the circumstances, once again swung his sword.

"Only one sword left."

Ling Xiao silently thought.

As Ji Yang wielded this sword, his realm began to rise rapidly again.

Early stage of Great Ascension, Mid-stage of Great Ascension, Late Stage of Great Ascension!

Just as Ji Yang was about to break through to the initial stage of Tribulation Crossing, the Heavenly Dao reacted once more.

The many observing cultivators were left speechless, having thought that the Great Ascension stage was a destination, only to realize it was merely a starting point.

Ling Xiao, who had maintained a composed demeanor, could no longer sit still.

If left unchecked, he felt Ji Yang might directly break through to the Tribulation Crossing stage!

Even the Heavenly Dao was now overshadowed by the threat Ji Yang posed, and Ling Xiao stopped observing, extending his palm once again.

A star vanished from sight.

In the next moment, a massive star descended upon Ji Yang’s head.

Ling Xiao’s expression grew grave, and he prepared himself for the Calamity of Heaven’s Path.

However, after he acted, he was astonished to find that the Calamity of Heaven’s Path did not target him.

This left Ling Xiao stunned, but joy quickly filled his expression, realizing that even the Heavenly Dao wished for Ji Yang’s demise.

"Hahaha, did you see that? You will surely die today!"

Ji Yang ignored Ling Xiao’s words as he faced three looming threats.

The first was the lightning calamity descending upon him.

The second was Ling Xiao’s attack.

The third was managing the Chains of the Heavenly Dao surrounding him.

The breakthrough in his realm significantly enhanced Ji Yang’s strength; the internal mana within him felt inexhaustible, and with just a slight activation of the Feather Transformation Ascension Skill, he could draw the surrounding spiritual energy from the heavens and earth.

Moreover, the powerful primordial spirit energy now radiated over vast distances.

The increase in his realm not only made Ji Yang excel in one aspect but strengthened him in all areas.

Amid these three crises, Ji Yang decided to resolve the immediate threat posed by Ling Xiao first.

As for the lightning calamity and the Chains of the Heavenly Dao, he could deal with them later.

Noticing Ji Yang’s gaze directed toward him, Ling Xiao hesitated for a moment but only snickered.

He did not believe Ji Yang could counteract the forces of the Heavenly Dao and his own attack.

However, recalling Ji Yang’s recent rapid breakthroughs, a touch of seriousness crossed Ling Xiao’s face.

On the other side, Ji Yang stopped passively enduring and took the initiative to attack.

With a powerful tremor, countless black world-destroying lightning calamities surged out from within Ji Yang, heading toward Ling Xiao’s position!

This was the power of lightning calamity stored through his Thunderous Power abilities, and it was now ready to be unleashed.

Ling Xiao’s expression changed in surprise, and he instantly vanished from his original spot.

Ling Xiao managed to dodge, but the disciples from the six sects behind him could not escape.

Once the power of lightning calamity covered a large area, no screams emerged; only the blackened bodies continued to fall to the ground.

As they descended, the cultivators’ bodies trembled instinctively.

Ji Yang shifted his gaze and saw Ling Xiao appearing nearby.

At this moment, the lightning of the Tribulation Crossing stage had already descended.

This time, Ji Yang did not draw his sword or resist; instead, he prepared to endure the heavenly lightning with his physical body.

The observers were no longer astonished; they were silent.

After witnessing the recent events, whatever astonishing action Ji Yang took now seemed predictable.

They even began to wonder if Ji Yang would directly ascend if Ling Xiao were not present.

In the next moment, countless golden tribulation thunders poured down like a river, engulfing Ji Yang, making it impossible for the various cultivators to see what was happening inside.

No cultivator would be foolish enough to use their primordial spirit to investigate, as that would be equivalent to seeking their own demise.

Had it not been for the protective Formations on each peak, the disciple from the He Dao Sect would have suffered heavy casualties.

As the golden tribulation thunder enveloped the area, stars also descended upon Ji Yang’s body from above.

These were not real stars but manifestations of Ling Xiao’s path, showcasing his abilities.

However, faced with this double attack, there was no response from the golden river.

Ling Xiao furrowed his brows and stepped forward to check the situation.

At that moment, several golden tribulation thunders suddenly spread out from the center of the lightning calamity, striking Ling Xiao at an incredible speed.

"Ah!"

Experiencing the golden tribulation thunder firsthand, Ling Xiao let out a wail.

Amid the wailing, his body and face began to change gradually!

His appearance transformed drastically, quickly shifting from that of an old man to a mass of darkness, with no distinct facial features visible.

"Hmm?"

"A demon?"

Bathing in the golden tribulation thunder, Ji Yang expressed a hint of astonishment, but his powers did not waver.

As the lightning struck him, he directly converted its energy into his own attack and struck at Ling Xiao.

In essence, it was as if Ling Xiao was crossing the tribulation instead of Ji Yang!

At this moment, Ji Yang emerged from the lightning, his entire body shimmering lightly with a glow, while the golden tribulation thunder flowed like water around him without causing any harm.

This was the confidence that his physical body granted Ji Yang.

"What? Senior Ling Xiao has actually transformed into a demon!"

"This child has remarkably attained the Immaculate Body, able to bathe in such powerful lightning tribulations!"

"What sort of divine ability is this?"

The observing cultivators were at a loss as to which astonishing event to gasp at first.

The greatest shock was that Ling Xiao was a demon, and a powerful one at the Tribulation Crossing stage, without anyone noticing.

Not far away, Wuyouzi looked troubled, struggling to believe.

If his Ancestor was a demon, what about him? Was he also a demon?

No, he must be fine; the one with a problem must be their Ancestor.

No wonder the Ancestor had not appeared for many years and chose to negotiate with the Major Sects to attack the He Dao Sect. What he thought was a plan to enhance the sect’s power before ascending seemed to be something else entirely.

On the other side, Li Daoyi and several Grand Elders also looked bewildered.

If even the Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect had turned into a demon, what would happen with the other sects?

It was no wonder the six sects suddenly joined forces to deal with the He Dao Sect; there was indeed a demon at work among them.

If it weren’t for the rain at the He Dao Sect before, perhaps they would not have had to deal with him. It should have been the Xuantian Sect that had not made their move this time!

"Damn it! Since you’ve exposed yourself, then you all must die!"

Amid the golden tribulation thunder, Ling Xiao transformed into a demon and roared angrily. His body suddenly revealed a layer of black fluid, which quickly formed into a layer of Black Armor, temporarily blocking the surrounding golden tribulation thunder.

With his shout, the disciples from the six sects who were still watching immediately reacted.

Many disciples, who had transformed into demons, revealed their true forms and gathered towards Ling Xiao.

Seeing familiar faces beside them turn into demons filled the other disciples from the six sects with horror, and looking around, only a small number had not yet been corrupted.

Countless streams of black light surged into Ling Xiao’s body.

As more and more demons joined him, Ling Xiao’s stagnant cultivation began to rise again.

From the mid-Tribulation Crossing stage, he quickly advanced to the late phase.

When all the demons around him merged into him, Ling Xiao’s realm reached the pinnacle of the late Tribulation Crossing stage, just a step away from the legendary True Immortal Realm.

Demons, in some ways, were not much different from cultivators; they just belonged to different races and possessed terrifying talents, but they were still influenced by the Heavenly Dao.

Nearby, Ji Yang witnessed Ling Xiao’s breakthrough and slightly nodded, while the golden tribulation thunder began to dissipate above.

As the golden tribulation thunder faded, Ling Xiao was no longer restricted.

But when he looked at Ji Yang, his expression was devoid of joy.

This was because Ji Yang, who had just been stuck in the late Major Ascension stage, had suddenly surged in power again.

Early Tribulation Crossing, mid-Tribulation Crossing, late Tribulation Crossing!

As Ji Yang broke through to the late Tribulation Crossing stage, a colorful brilliance spread faintly in the sky, and a vague great door flickered above everyone’s heads.

"Good, late Tribulation Crossing stage; you are improving quickly," Ji Yang smiled at Ling Xiao and praised.

At that moment, as Ling Xiao broke through to the late phase, he sensed Ji Yang’s powerful aura ahead and felt a trace of confusion.

Despite both of them being at the late Tribulation Crossing stage, he was a demon born with exceptional talent, yet he lacked confidence at that moment.

"Hmph! Don’t be arrogant! The demon race has survived until now, relying on more than just strength!"

"I still have a move called ‘Heaven and Earth Endure Together’; I don’t believe you can withstand it!"

With that, Ling Xiao’s aura erupted violently around him, and the powerful essence of the Way was displayed, causing the world to change color.

Just as Ji Yang braced himself, he suddenly froze.

He saw that Ling Xiao, who had been showcasing his great abilities, had already fled.

But Ji Yang had no intention of letting him go. With a swing of his iron pick, a trace of profound essence of the Way vanished within it.

In the next moment, an invisible sword energy shot towards the fleeing Ling Xiao.

This was the final strike, and it was also the first strike of his new realm, carrying a hint of the long-lost time essence.

After this sword, Ji Yang no longer focused on the escaping Ling Xiao but turned his gaze to the shimmering golden Chains of the Heavenly Dao nearby.