The vibrant clouds shattered, causing streams of lights to scatter toward the surroundings. However, very quickly, they turned back, forming an arch by the void. Then, taking the form of dragons, the streams of lights came lunging toward Yan Zhaoge.

“Hehe, Meng Zhang Azure Empyrea Archives.” Upon coming in contact with the sea of vibrant clouds, Yan Zhaoge had already recognized the technique used.

Meng Zhang, the head of the Four Divine Beasts – the Azure Dragon. He was also referred to as Meng Zhang Divine Monarch.

Just like how the Vermillion Bird was called the Hill Light Divine Monarch [1], this was the way Daoism referred to the Four Divine Beasts.

Before the Great Calamity, there existed a supreme martial art known as the Hill Light Flying Immortal Scripture. It inherited the Hill Light Divine Monarch’s insights in Daoism, its profoundness being on a different level from other scriptures.

The martial art this Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch cultivated was called the Meng Zhang Azure Empyrea Archives, which contained Meng Zhang Divine Monarch’s insightful strength before the Great Calamity.

The two lineages had no relations whatsoever with each other. Since these arts projected one of the respective Four Divine Beasts, they were usually referred to in the same manner.

Before the Great Calamity, the Heavenly Court Divine Palace’s Martial Repository had these supreme martial arts in its archives.

Although Yan Zhaoge didn’t cultivate this art, he had perused it before. As such, the instant he saw his opponent’s attack, he immediately recognized it.

“It’s improved compared to the Meng Zhang Azure Empyrea Archive before the Great Calamity. For an Immortal Court martial art cultivator, this is rather commendable.” Yan Zhaoge praised his opponent. He even had the time to experience the transformations in his opponent’s martial art.

Albeit admiring, Yan Zhaoge didn’t slow down his movement at all. With his fingers as his sword, he cleaved toward his surroundings.

The Azure Dragon’s blood splattered, causing purple-red signs of brilliance to blot the skies.

The light dragons were being killed one after another!

For a while, the void was filled with the dragon’s disfigured body parts.

The dragon’s tragic bellow and the accompanying scent of blood permeated through the universe, turning the universe into a blood-filled hell.

After being massacred, the light dragons’ body remains transformed into rays of radiance, which then dispersed into the air.

This time, these streams of lights wouldn’t be capable of division any longer. Just like an actual living being, they could not revive anymore after being slain.

As the streams of lights dispersed, everyone’s eyes were blinded with fogs of brilliance. They encompassed such a vast area with its edges could not be seen.

A middle-aged Daoist slowly emerged from the fog of light.

“This sword art…” The middle-aged Daoist stared at Yan Zhaoge, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

“Oh, this is a sword art I created myself. It’s called…” Yan Zhaoge smiled brightly, “Slaying Azure Dragon.”

The middle-aged Daoist’s face darkened.

He pressed his palms together and suddenly pushed both of his palms forward.

The all-encompassing fogs of lights turned into azure color.

As the azure lights flickered, the iridescent clouds appeared once again, followed by a dragon’s roar, which shook the entire cosmos.

An Azure Dragon came bellowing as he stuck his head out of the clouds and rushed toward Yan Zhaoge!

Just as Yan Zhaoge intended to do something, the Azure light Dragon’s scales opened and closed together.

Every single dragon scale turned into pieces of mirrors. The myriad of dragon scales on his body was like a myriad of mirrors. Countless mirror lights shot out from the mirrors, intertwining with each other.

As the rays of mirror lights intertwined together, they quickly formed a formation, which enveloped and suppressed Yan Zhaoge. Myriad of chains came shackling his movements.

As the Azure Dragon bellowed, its dragon claws struck outwards, blotting the skies, covering Yan Zhaoge’s field of vision.

Yan Zhaoge smiled and remained on the spot. Streams of gases surged around his body, enveloping him within.

In that instant, he turned into something resembling an axe, yet resembled a halberd at the same time.

The grandiose insights of the heavens opening and the earth splitting, as well as the manifestation of creations displayed, blasted his surroundings. It broke through the green formation containing him within.

His figure shook, and the illusory Heaven Splitting Halberd moved, preventing the Azure Dragon’s claw from advancing any further.

Yan Zhaoge calmly extended his left hand outwards, passing through the dragon claw, and immediately grabbed the Azure Dragon by the head!

The Azure Dragon’s head, as large as a divine mountain of antiquity, instantly shrunk in Yan Zhaoge’s grasp.

In the eyes of the middle-aged Daoist, he only saw Yan Zhaoge’s palm instantly enlarging, covering the entire universe with it.

Being grabbed by Yan Zhaoge’s hand, the Azure Dragon was rendered unable to move.

No matter how hard his enormous body twisted, no matter how hard he disrupted the void, sending shockwaves throughout the cosmos, his tail obliterating countless tiny stars in its wake, he was still unable to free himself from Yan Zhaoge’s grasp!

Yan Zhaoge calmly stared at the enormous Azure Dragons struggles. Then, he slowly raised his right hand without any rush and formed a sword with his two fingers, as if he was wielding a sword himself.

Watching Yan Zhaoge lift his sword, the Azure Dragon struggled even more violently.

However, all his efforts were just in vain. He could only watch as the butchering sword came closer and closer to him!

The Slaying Azure Dragon Sword appeared once again, its sword-lights slashing through the void!

Just like an ancient mountain crumbling from its peak, the colossal Azure Dragon’s head was slashed apart by Yan Zhaoge!

Yan Zhaoge lifted the Azure Dragon’s head with his left hand while the blade on his right continued forward.

The purplish-red brilliance slashed through the green radiance, forcing the middle-aged Daoist to appear.

The middle-aged Daoist’s face was filled with horror.

He dared not remain any longer. He transformed into a ray of green radiance and attempted to flee from here.

As he attempted to flee, his back was wide-open to Yan Zhaoge. The horrifying Slaying Azure Dragon Sword would undoubtedly slash on his back without any obstructions.

However, this Immortal Court Heavenly Monarch had his plans. He was prepared to receive Yan Zhaoge’s attack in exchange for a chance of fleeing.

No matter how fierce the Slaying Azure Dragon Sword was, a Profound Immortal’s Immortal Aura wouldn’t be capable of harming his Five Qis Unification physique.

However, if he continued struggling here, he might be captured alive by his opponent!

With just a few exchanges of blows, he felt the difference between Yan Zhaoge and him.

Moreover, Long Xingquan and Yan Di were standing aside.

God knows if there were other Daoism lineage’s Virtual immortals here. If there was, his life would be in danger.

As such, the middle-aged Daoist decisively chose to retreat.

He couldn’t care about his honor any longer. He sought after a chance of escaping using the disparity between a Profound and Virtual Immortal.

At that very moment, he sensed the transformation of the sword-light behind him.

The murderous killing intent was no more, now replaced by something much ethereal and vast.

The sword intent leaking with boundless profoundness made the middle-aged Daoist’s heart shudder. He felt an even more significant threat compared to when he faced the Slaying Azure Dragon Sword!

Being slashed through by the sword-light, his body went numb.

The middle-aged Daoist’s vision turned blurry, with countless phenomena appearing one after another. He only felt like his entire body was plunging from the skies to the abyssal earth.

His Five Qis Unifications had shattered apart!

Everything only happened in an instant. However, after that instant, a second sword filled with utmost malevolence came slashing toward him!

As the vicious brilliance flickered, the middle-aged Daoist let out an anguished scream, his body instantly being sliced in half!

Yan Zhaoge slowly followed after him. His left hand gripped tightly, crushing the Azure Dragon’s head into bits, which then dispersed into streams of lights.

Then, he extended his hand and grabbed the struggling middle-aged Daoist, who was currently breathing his last few breaths.

The middle-aged Daoist was asphyxiating, his torment amplified by his blood splattering about. His Immortal Five Qis coalesced together once again, faintly manifesting Immortal Essences to preserve his life. Even if he was separated from his waist, he wasn’t in the state of absolute death.

However, being grabbed by Yan Zhaoge’s hand, the overwhelming strength compression made him dread death!

[1] Changed a few names from the previous translations:

(A) Hill Light God King -> Hill Light Divine Monarch

(B) Rosefinch -> Vermillion Bird