Chapter 896 Yuan Zhenhai!

Then a leisurely voice spoke up.

“I didn’t expect to run into something this interesting right after coming out of seclusion.”

A tall young man in dark navy robes appeared, and the crowd reacted immediately.

“It’s Yuan Zhenhai.”

“It really is him. He was the only person on Chronospace Island who’d cleared the second floor before Li Yun.”

“What’s going to happen now that these two have met?”

Yuan Zhenhai had lived on Chronospace Island for only about three hundred years, which was actually quite short compared with cultivators who had been there for thousands or tens of thousands of years.

He had spent the last century in seclusion, and now he had emerged just as Li Yun cleared the second floor. Nobody knew whether the timing was a coincidence or intentional.

Li Yun looked at him. Yuan Zhenhai’s cultivation stood at the perfection stage of the 9th level of Spirit Manifestation Realm, but Li Yun understood at once that his realm alone did not reflect his true strength.

For several centuries, Yuan Zhenhai had been the only person able to clear the second floor, so there was no way someone like him had ordinary combat power. More importantly, a faint pressure surrounded him that reminded Li Yun of genuine Dao Resonance Realm experts. It was weaker and incomplete, because Yuan Zhenhai had not truly crossed that final boundary, but he was already standing extremely close to it.

‘His combat strength is probably close to the Dao Resonance Realm.’

Li Yun’s expression turned serious, because this was exactly the kind of opponent he wanted. After defeating the Old Fisherman, ordinary Spirit Manifestation Realm cultivators could no longer put him under real pressure, while the third-floor guardian was still far too powerful. Yuan Zhenhai stood between the two extremes.

Yuan Zhenhai looked Li Yun over with obvious interest.

“After all these years, someone has finally cleared the second floor again. I’ve been on Chronospace Island for several centuries, and in all that time I’ve never found anyone at the same cultivation level who could really force me to fight seriously.” His eyes lit up. “Today, there finally is one.”

Battle intent burst from him.

“Li Yun, do you dare to fight me?”

The crowd grew excited at once.

“Yuan Zhenhai challenged him.”

“This is going to be interesting. One of them held the second-floor record alone for centuries, and the other cleared it after only eight months.”

“Who’s stronger when they fight at the same cultivation level?”

Even some powerful Dao Resonance Realm cultivators grew interested. This was no ordinary spar, because both men were monstrous talents who had crossed the second floor of the Everlasting Pagoda.

Li Yun did not hesitate. “All right.”

Yuan Zhenhai smiled. “Straightforward.”

Soon the two of them entered the Astral Battle Realm and chose a vast mountain range as their battlefield. Towering mountains stretched to the horizon, deep valleys split the land, and clouds drifted between the peaks. They had deliberately made the terrain resemble the third floor of the Everlasting Pagoda.

And as this happened, Yuan Zhenhai’s cultivation was also suppressed to the 8th level of Spirit Manifestation Realm, the level Li Yun felt he would feel a challenge.

Yuan Zhenhai rolled his shoulders and then looked at Li Yun.

“Make your move.”

Li Yun nodded. There was no reason to feel him out, because he already understood what kind of opponent was standing in front of him, and holding back would only waste time.

Slaughter Sword Intent erupted first with a boom. Crimson light swept across the mountains, and even the sky turned faintly red. The spectators watching through the Astral Battle Realm’s projection felt their hearts tighten. They had heard about Li Yun’s Slaughter Sword Intent, but seeing it directly was different, and its pure killing will seemed capable of piercing through the projection itself.

Yuan Zhenhai’s eyes brightened. “Good.”

A second aura emerged as pale sword light surrounded Li Yun. It was Immortal Sword Intent, and slaughter and immortality appeared together, one representing the end of life and the other an edge that refused to disappear.

Destruction Intent came next, and black force spread outward. The nearby mountains trembled, and cracks appeared across huge boulders even though nothing had physically touched them. Then a dark vortex appeared behind Li Yun as Devouring Intent took shape, and the spiritual energy around the mountains began flowing toward him.

Finally, Five Element Intent emerged, and the five elemental colors formed an enormous cycle. Crimson killing aura, pale immortal light, black destructive power, dark devouring currents, and five-colored elemental light all surrounded him.

Even Yuan Zhenhai’s expression changed. “Five Xiantian Stage Intents?”

The crowd was even more shocked.

“He’s using everything right from the start.”

“That’s the same state he used to crush the second-floor guardian.”

“Li Yun actually thinks Yuan Zhenhai is dangerous enough to release his full Sword Dao from the very beginning.”

Li Yun raised a hand, and Soul Power surged.

“Myriad Sword Spirit Command Art.”

One sword appeared, then ten, then a hundred, and then a thousand, until six thousand precious swords had emerged at once. Sword cries echoed through the mountain range, and the six thousand weapons hovered behind Li Yun like a vast army.

He continued.

“Slaughter.”

Crimson light flowed into every sword.

“Immortal.”

Pale edges appeared.

“Destruction.”

Black patterns covered their surfaces.

“Devouring.”

Dark currents circled the blades.

“Five Elements.”

Five-colored light linked all six thousand swords together, and the whole Myriad Sword Spirit Command Art transformed. Every sword now carried five Intents, and the mountain range became a world of swords.

Yuan Zhenhai finally dropped his casual look, and a large violet saber appeared in his hand.

“Excellent. Then I won’t insult you by holding back.”

A violet Blade Domain erupted around him with a boom. Its character was completely different from Li Yun’s Sword Intent, because it was domineering, overwhelming, and direct. As the domain spread, countless tiny blade marks appeared across the nearby mountains.

Yuan Zhenhai stepped forward, and golden light appeared beneath his feet.

“Golden Roc Skystride.”

He vanished, and Li Yun’s pupils shrank.

“Go.”