Archfiend

In the space-time treasure, a blade flashed with a swoosh. The barely remaining broken vines and petals of the pill spirit didn’t have enough time to defend. She was already dead-stiff in the air.

BANG!!! In the next second, a brittle noise rang out, and her entire body exploded!

Swish swish swish… One by one, numerous red lights from the explosion bubbled towards Xu Yangyi. In less than ten minutes, like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers entering the ocean, not a shred was left of the pill spirit.

At the same time, the Eternal Alchemy Canon’s voice began to drone in Xu Yangyi’s mind.

The Hundred Eras of Spring, a pill spirit.

A low-ranked pill spirit. Each strike of the one who can absorb it carries a kind of negative effect. Against those of a higher realm than oneself, the effect is reduced by half. The higher the realm, the smaller the odds.

Negative effect?

Xu Yangyi didn’t feel ill whatsoever. It was exactly the same as the butterfly pill spirit he’d once absorbed. 

He mumbled to himself as he raised his hand. Streaks of purple fire were dimly emanating. At the same time Ten Cardinals Purgatory activated, he clearly sensed a blazing poison creep along his fingertips.

“Fire-poison.” He waved thoughtfully, and then the black qi of the Heavenly Opening Six Erosions lingered. This time, though, bits of frost appeared on his fingertips. At the center of his hand, the temperature plummeted to an inconceivable degree.

“Each new divine ability used will come with a negative effect.” He looked at his hand in a trance and inwardly added, Plus… the intensity is different. The first fire-poison was obviously stronger than the second freezing effect. In other words, the amount of power isn’t certain. In that case…”

His gaze flashed. “Is there a slight chance… an even higher-level negative effect will be added? Like making the opponent’s qi slow, or slowing down their hand seals. Or even… certain death?”

Silent for a brief moment, he laughed as he shook his head. “I’m being greedy.”

“But if this can be paired with the Art of Arrival, so that I can build a Realm Boundary Domain with myself at the center… The physique arts I’m using now are close combat. So that means the Art of Arrival will continuously be switched on around the enemy. And in their panic, they’ll keep on weakening. So much…” He balled his fists and sucked in deeply. “That countless ants might be able to bite a powerhouse of an even higher realm to death.”

Such as… a Throneless Grand Duke!

He raised his head and looked at the ceiling with a smoldering gaze. “These are all guesses. Maybe me and this pill spirit unexpectedly agree. Since the horn’s already blowing, the Holy War is just about here. Another fraction of certainty I can get is a fraction more. As for real combat, I’ll have to test out this blade against my first opponent.”

After he was sure there weren’t any issues, though, Xu Yangyi remained in the treasure.

Instead, he took out several medicinal pills with a grave expression, placed them in front of him, and sat down cross-legged.

In a flash, all his spiritual force began to rapidly churn.

From his previous 70% of Foundation Establishment, his qi swelled up all the way.

75%, 82%, 88%, 93%... 99%!

His qi still didn’t stop!

A wisp of resolution was revealed in his eyes. Since the Holy War’s horn had already been blown, then a little advancement would be his trump to survive before the all-out festivities began.

In the next instant, a rumble echoed. Streaks of white qi exploded from him and rapidly filled the entire space, like a dream or an illusion!

Hum hum hum… In the outside world, the space-time treasure was desperately shaking. Yet just as Angel was about to approach it, Yue Congrao grabbed her.

“Father,” Angel said worriedly, “N-Nothing happened to him, right?”

“Nothing.” Yue Congrao’s gaze was like fire, and he stared at the jade pagoda with rapt attention. “He is advancing.”

“Oh… huh?” Angel answered out of habit, but abruptly jumped. “Y-You said he’s advancing? To late Foundation Establishment?”

“Correct.” Yue Congrao’s tone of voice contained a vast array of complicated feelings. What kind of monster was this? Four months ago, Xu Yangyi had filled up at most 75% of middle Foundation Establishment. But four months later, right now, he was shockingly assailing late Foundation Establishment!

Once a cultivator advanced to the late stage, they had the qualifications to knock on and seek the door of Core Formation! How many cultivators had been obstructed before the late stage? Late Foundation Establishment was the divide of true apex cultivators. One could already be called a great cultivator, at that point!

“This child is certainly no creature of the pond.” Eventually, Yue Congrao was no longer disturbed. Instead, he reinforced the formation. “Old man Ancientpine, perhaps you never could’ve imagined what kind of genius cultivator you set free with your methods that year.”

He mumbled to himself and poured a cup of coffee. Although he was nervous, he, who had reached this step, also knew that the advancement of late Foundation Establishment was a great chasm. If passed, one could seek the cauldron of Core Formation. If not, one would continue in obscurity.

Suppressing his impatience, Yue Congrao sipped his coffee. At this time, however, he suddenly heard an extremely quiet but extremely clear sound in his ears.

Bang!

It was like glass had broken. And yet this sound caused his hand to shake. Coffee spilled onto him, but he stood up with no idea about his state now. For the first time, shock appeared in his eyes regarding Xu Yangyi.

“Geez, dad, it fell? How did it spill?” Angel was using a napkin to wipe the stain away, but Yue Congrao pushed her away.

He didn’t even look at his daughter, but rather looked straight in the space-time treasures. He did not blink.

“Angel.” A few seconds later, he said in a heavy tone, “You cannot marry anyone else but him in the future.”

“Dad… I’m pretty shy…”

“I’m not joking…” Yue Congrao took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I will correct myself.”

“What old man Ancientpine let go of wasn’t a genius.”

“But a monster.”

He understood all too clearly what the noise just now represented.

One strike to break the limiter!

Yue Congrao had an even clearer understanding of the modern records of those who were noted to have broken through the late Foundation Establishment bodily limiter. Third place, Daomaster Black Mountain. Ten punches. Twenty seconds.

Second, Sunnihilator, five punches, ten seconds. 

First… 

One punch, one second.

And right now a second person to break the bodily limiter in one strike had appeared!

Xu Yangyi, Wolfbane, likewise one strike, likewise one second!

This talent is even higher than my own. Perhaps he might walk even farther than myself in the future. If Angel can marry him, it’ll presently be the best choice, Yue Congrao mused to himself.

But just as his thoughts settled, a slight shaking came from the space-time treasure. Streaks of white light appeared from inside, and a powerful spiritual pressure followed a few seconds later. From small to large, Xu Yangyi became bigger and slowly appeared in front of the father-daughter pair.

Angel covered her mouth and looked at him in shock, and Yue Congrao also gazed at him.

This was indeed late Foundation Establishment… 

It wasn’t the slightest joking matter!

“Fortunately, I did not disgrace my mission.” Xu Yangyi clasped his hands respectfully. 

A burning-hot wisp flashing through his eyes, Yue Congrao waved at Angel, who was about to approach, and said lowly, “Follow me.”

He became a stream of light and flew away. Xu Yangyi promptly followed.

Angel disdainfully watched the two figures and pouted. A few seconds later, she took out her cell phone and slowly wrote a note.

‘2056, Yangyu throws his wife aside at the Kevin’s Hotel.’

Thinking to herself, she crossed out Yangyu and changed it to husband. She then laughed in satisfaction and put the phone in her pocket.

As soon as they flew out from the hotel, Xu Yangyi was slightly stunned.

There were eight pillars of light storming into the skies.

Yue Congrao said nothing, and he asked nothing either. They flew for about half an hour to soar above the clouds. Yue Congrao finally stopped and turned around, gaze like a blade. “The Elves, the Dwarves, the Subterranean Dwellers, Vatican City, the Sirens, and the Dragonmen. As well as… the Vampires and Lycans.”

“These are the clan crests of those already determined to participate in the Holy War.”

Xu Yangyi looked down. Although it was a vast distance away, he could still sense the numerous cultivators in New York hiding in the crowds. They watched the light pillars in the air, just like they were making a pilgrimage.

On several skyscrapers, terrible qi emanated. They were at least high Marquis, but they seemed like feral beasts dividing territory. No one made trouble. He sensed the spiritual energy of lycans and vampires calmly standing there.

No one said a word. Everyone was quietly watching the sky. As if they were resting their heads on spears before the dawn of battle, they only waited for that bugle horn to charge.

This serene feeling seemed… to be waiting on something.

Yue Congrao brushed an eye over all of this and said plainly, “Tonight, the list of all the Holy War’s warriors will be unveiled. Afterwards, ballots will be immediately drawn.”

“Luckily you came out in time. Otherwise, I would’ve pulled you out.”

Xu Yangyi was dazed by this matter’s abruptness, but he soon regained his cool.

“Are you afraid?” Yue Congrao smiled. “I thought you would at least say, ‘Why it is so soon? I still haven’t prepared yet’.”

Xu Yangyi calmly replied, “Since it’s decided, what’s there to be scared of?”

“But I am scared.” Yue Congrao’s gaze contained the great changes of azure oceans to mulberry fields. He looked down at the crowd below. The cultivators hidden in the crowd were like nighttime fireflies in his eyes.

Hundreds became a thousand, and a thousand became ten thousand.

“This Dao Master is already close to 400 years old… I am afraid that I will no longer see the boundary of Nascent Soul.”

“I am afraid that while I clearly grasp such a great secret that I will ultimately fall before the time comes.”

He stowed his gaze, but didn’t look at Xu Yangyi. Behind his back, his hands unconsciously stroked where his scar had already disappeared. His voice was flat. “A few days ago, I lowered myself to half-step Core Formation. I had some fun with the juniors of several races. I have some minor discoveries.”

Xu Yangyi quietly listened. Daomaster Yue was completely different from other Dao Masters. As long as there was a result, Yue Congrao would act. If it were other Dao Masters, even if they were restless, they absolutely wouldn’t lower their status to ‘play around with juniors’.

“That is, the warriors of this occasion. They are much stronger than the combatants from the past Holy Wars. There are some that were able to suppress me to the point that I was injured at half-step Core Formation.”

“I admit that for an instant I hesitated. The Holy Whip and the two legendary devil-hunters are overseeing Saint John’s Cathedral. If the enemy is inadvertently alarmed, we won’t have any further opportunity to conspire for the Secondary Realm Anchor. I am afraid that among the monsters in this event that you won’t have the chance to reach the top three. So…” He finally looked at Xu Yangyi deeply. “Receive one move from me.”

“I will lower myself to initial Core Formation. If you cannot withstand this finger, then you shall not go.”

Xu Yangyi was stunned, but then raised a brow. His blood was boiling.

“What? Scared?” Yue Congrao chuckled, “Relax, I won’t kill you.” He extended a hand. “I will only make one move, one finger. If you can resist this move, then consider yourself victorious.”

Xu Yangyi didn’t reply, but rather licked his lips and took a deep breath. The massive spiritual force of four times late Foundation Establishment dramatically rumbled!

Action proved everything.

He wasn’t afraid, but excited!

He was excited that in his journey he could finally test the move of a Core Formation master, that he could finally knock upon and seek the Grand Dao of Core Formation!

“Please bestow your teaching, Dao Master.” Xu Yangyi cupped his fist. A white tiger manifestation on his arms and an azure dragon manifestation on his legs were faintly visible. His qi was already cycling to the max.

Yue Congrao gazed at Xu Yangyi. Three seconds later, his right hand slipped out behind him, and he pointed his fingertips at Xu Yangyi. “Then, receive it well.”