Chapter 107: Eternal

~~~

Spirit Realm, First Level.

“Impossible!”

Hundreds of voices speak at once. Their verdict is unanimous. The black sea rejects the reality before its eyes.

“To achieve a breakthrough in a situation like this…”

“A trick! It has to be!”

“No…”

“Could it be… were you hiding your real power?”

“Nothing of the sort.” Not quite, at least. Liu Jin frowns as he cycles Qi through his body. The speed and potency are undeniably greater than before, but it will not hinder his performance. “I was already close to a breakthrough before coming to Night Phantasm City. All I had to do was let it happen. That is all.”

“You expect us to believe…”

“You have been on the verge of breaking through for days?”

“No,” replies Liu Jin. “I expect you to believe I have been on the verge of breaking through for months.”

Regular Qi changes into lightning. Red sparks fizzle around Liu Jin’s body, leaving small scorch marks on the ground.

“Lies!”

“You may or may not have realized this, but I possess some knowledge of acupoints.” With a small wave of his hand, several needles appear between his fingers. “As long as you know where to strike, it is possible to alter the way Qi flows through the body. By doing that, halting my breakthrough until a time of my choosing became a simple matter.”

Some would have found it quite bothersome to have needles inside them at all times, but not Liu Jin. Compared to surviving Nine-Headed Snake God’s trial, the difficulty is not even worth speaking about. Entering the Spirit Realm had been as simple as removing the needles from his body and letting nature take its course. Thanks to his fine level of control, there had been no danger to his person.

“I understand it is not commonly done.” It is quite rare, in fact. With the exception of those in the Heaven Realm, cultivators continuously strive for greater heights. “However, I wanted to know everything there was to know about the Nascent Realm before leaving it.”

When his Master died, he had left Liu Jin many rare herbs and other ingredients inside his spatial pouch. Had Liu Jin dedicated himself to using those to boost his cultivation without pause, he would have probably reached the Earth Realm by now. Not only that, but he’d still have quite a few ingredients leftover to boost himself further.

However, that growth would have been too sloppy.

The end result would have been a cultivator full of holes. His control, physicality, and skill would be ill-prepared to channel his new power. That is the conclusion Liu Jin came to after much pondering. That is why he had chosen to go the opposite way, prizing control above all else. That is why even though he has just undergone a breakthrough into a new realm, Liu Jin has no trouble controlling his new power.

The sea hisses angrily at him.

“You are one.”

“We are many.”

“The power of the Spirit Realm will not give you victory in this fight.”

“You say that, but you have yet to attack me.” Liu Jin raises an eyebrow. “Is that, too, a manifestation of Wong Shou’s hesitation? Or is it perhaps your own?”

The sea rushes at him with anger. Hundreds of shades come down on him from all sides like furious waves.

[Rumbling Thunder God’s Cloud]

Red lightning burst all around Liu Jin. It spreads like the roots and branches of a tree, shining with such intensity and power that red gives way to vivid blue. Countless Heart Devils meet their end as everything within fifty yards of Liu Jin is blanketed in electricity.

It is far more power than Liu Jin had been expecting. While he had seen Lei Kong use the technique, he had not expected his own attempt to be so strong.

“So this is the Spirit Realm…”

“No matter…”

“It will not save you!”

Even if the first wave is driven back, another one will come to take its place. Liu Jin already knew that would happen. He never had any expectations of this fight being short or easy. Entering the Spirit Realm has not changed that. It has merely placed him one step closer to eternity.

And because of that, Liu Jin knows he can win.

~~~

The whole tower has come alive to attack him. The walls, the floors, and even the ceiling twist into long, jagged spikes that try to pierce Feng Zhi’s flesh. At the same time, hundreds of blue fireballs launch themselves at him without pause. It is a frenetic barrage of attacks that shows no sign of stopping.

None of it reaches him.

Feng Zhi’s body is cloaked by bright golden flames that instantly incinerate everything that gets close to him. Despite the countless attacks, Feng Zhi merely stays in place with his arms crossed. There is no need for him to dodge.

That is how big the difference between him and his opponent is.

“Bold as your words may have been, the truth of our respective positions will not change.”

Heart Devil or not, ideal version of Wong Shou or not, Feng Zhi’s enemy is still only in the Spirit Realm, the fourth realm of cultivation.

Feng Zhi is in the Earth Realm, the sixth realm of cultivation.

It is a difference that cannot be overstated. Furthermore, Feng Zhi’s foundation as a cultivator far surpasses even those on the same level as him. Even if he were to fight someone like Patriarch Wong, the difference between them would soon become apparent. It does not matter that Patriarch Wong has well over a century of experience on Feng Zhi. He would not be able to defeat him.

That is how strong Feng Zhi is.

This foe may be an unusual class Heart Devil, the likes of which Feng Zhi has never heard about, but that is not enough to overcome him. Whatever techniques this Heart Devil may have. Whatever tricks he may be hiding. However confident he may feel. None of it matters.

“You’re too weak to hurt me.”

“As expected of Lord Feng Zhi, you are certainly not lacking in confidence.” Even though his attacks keep failing, the Heart Devil does not sound worried in the slightest. “It is no wonder Wong Shou envied you.”

“An elephant does not require confidence to step on an ant.”

“Oh? Am I an ant now?”

“It is quite presumptuous of you to think so. The difference between us is far greater.”

The Heart Devil laughs.

“I wonder. Certainly, I cannot hurt Feng Zhi, but isn’t Lord Feng Zhi forgetting something?”

“Oh?” Feng Zhi raises an eyebrow. “What would that be?”

“Lord Feng Zhi cannot hurt me either.”

~~~

Huang Shing is beginning to tire.

The same cannot be said of his opponent. If anything, he seems to have gotten… a bit smarter all of a sudden. Not much, but enough to stop shouting every other second. It makes finding him much harder than before.

Not enough, however. His instincts are not easily fooled.

“Coward!” Huang Shing yells as he quickly turns around and smashes his fist into the shade.

[Fourth Dragon Slaying Palm – Blooming Lotus]

His technique goes right through it. Repeated hits have worn down the shade’s tough skin. There is no doubt in Huang Shing’s mind that he has just delivered a killing blow.

It is the seventh killing blow he has struck this fight.

The shade roars and brings his hand down. Huang Shing jumps back as the spot he had just been standing on is destroyed with merciless rage. In his current state, taking that blow would have seriously hurt him.

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

And that is the problem.

Strike the opponent without being struck. That has been the condition for this fight from the beginning. Eventually, his powerful blows would be able to wear this thing down. That had been his thinking.

“I really hate this,” Huang Shing growls out as he ducks under a punch. He cannot see the shade swinging at him, but he can feel how the air is displaced every time the shade tries to hit him.

[Fifth Dragon Slaying Palm – A Hundred Blooming Lotuses]

Hundreds of high-velocity punches strike the shade without pause. Before the first blow can launch the shade to the other end of the room, Huang Shing has already punched him four-hundred and thirty-seven times.

It is still not enough. The shade picks himself up and keeps coming at him.

“I really, really hate this.”

Because no matter what he does, Huang Shing has realized he cannot defeat this foe on his own.

He can only make time for everyone else to settle things.

He really hopes it is Brother Hong who does so instead of Feng Zhi.

~~~

“Are you mad?!”

Bei Hong laughs like a maniac as the shade screams at him. He keeps laughing as he drives his fist deep into the shade’s stomach. The moment he does, the shade explodes on his face. However, Bei Hong is undeterred. He emerges from the explosion without a single scratch on his now golden skin, keeping a tight hold of the shade’s arm.

“Mad?” Bei Hong echoes, laughing as he yanks the shade close. “Hardly!”

“Why are you still fighting?” The shade grits his teeth as he explodes with enough force to break Bei Hong’s hold and blast him away. “You should have already realized it’s pointless! You cannot hurt me! You have no motive or recompense! So why?”

“I’ll admit I thought fighting you would be boring since you only do one thing. However, this is a rare chance to put my [Goldforged Body] to the test.” Bei Hong says, quickly getting back to his feet. The top part of his robes has long since been destroyed, exposing completely the golden skin beneath. “Could that be considered a motive?”

“Just for that? Fool! I will kill you! Do you not understand that?”

“Perhaps. If so, that means that’s as far as I was able to go.” Bei Hong shrugs, unconcerned with the possibility. “However, if I don’t, that’s another challenge I will have conquered. That is the only recompense I need. I can already see the glory awaiting me past this battle. Can you?”

~~~

“You cannot hurt me. If you cannot hurt me, neither can your companions.” Despite his bold words, the Heart Devil still keeps his body hidden from Feng Zhi. “Even as we speak, they are fighting a hopeless battle against my brethren. Look.”