Chapter 478 - 453: Wind Realm

"You’re courting death!"

The woman in black was enraged by Zhaang Ye. A pure white flower abruptly materialized above her head. The fist-sized blossom had three white petals, two of which were open while the third remained unfurled.

The instant the white flower appeared, a suffocating, destructive aura flooded the palace, as if a terrifying Barbaric Beast had suddenly manifested within Chaoyang Hall!

WHOOSH!

When the woman in black released the white flower, her presence instantly intensified dozens of times over. Faced with Zhaang Ye’s piercing Sword Gang, she remained perfectly still. A snow-white palm shot out, striking at his golden Sword Gang!

BOOM!

After Zhaang Ye advanced to the True Dao, his Sword Gang was condensed to its absolute limit, becoming like a true blade. Yet this terrifying Sword Gang, with a single slap from the woman, shattered like ice and snow. It was utterly incapable of harming her in the slightest!

"Hmm?"

Zhaang Ye’s pupils constricted. Staring at the white flower above the woman’s head, he said in a grave voice, "One flower, two petals, their color deep and rich... a late-stage True Dao Second Layer expert!"

After a Martial Artist advances to the True Dao Realm and undergoes forty-nine days of consolidation, they begin to condense the Top Three Flowers and comprehend a Realm. The so-called Three Flowers are formed when Innate True Qi is condensed to its absolute limit. These three flowers have a total of nine petals, with each petal corresponding to one layer. The nine petals perfectly align with the True Dao Ninth Layer Heaven. When a True Dao Expert has cultivated all Three Flowers and every petal has bloomed, their Cultivation will have reached the True Dao Ninth Layer Heaven.

The color of the Top Three Flowers varies from one True Dao Expert to another. Generally, for those who have not comprehended a Realm, their Three Flowers will be white. For those who have, the colors will be different. The flower above this woman’s head was white, indicating she clearly had not comprehended a Realm.

Even without comprehending a Realm, the fact that her flower had two open petals proved her Cultivation had reached the True Dao Second Layer Heaven. Her internal Innate True Qi was far more abundant than Zhaang Ye’s, so it was no wonder she could block his Sword Gang head-on.

Seeing Zhaang Ye’s astonishment, a cold sneer graced the woman’s beautiful face. "What? Scared now?" she taunted. "You haven’t even managed to condense a flower bud, yet you think you’re worthy of being here? I’ll give you three seconds to get the hell out of Chaoyang Hall! Otherwise, I’ll kill you!"

Provoked by her words, Zhaang Ye’s own pride surged. He let out a hearty laugh. "What a joke! This is my territory. Since when does some woman get to call the shots here? So what if you’re at the True Dao Second Layer Heaven? I’m not afraid of you! Slash!"

With a thunderous roar, Zhaang Ye slashed out once more!

This slash contained the entirety of Zhaang Ye’s strength. A vast tide of Celestial River Righteous Qi erupted from the depths of his body like a volcano. As the Righteous Qi burst forth, a series of explosive pops echoed from within his frame. The raw physical power stored in his muscles erupted in unison with the Celestial River Righteous Qi!

Relying on her far superior Cultivation, the woman in black didn’t give Zhaang Ye’s attack a second thought. A cold sneer touched her lips as the flower above her head pulsed faintly. She reached out, intending to catch his Hand Blade with her bare palm!

Her plan was to use her profound Innate True Qi to capture Zhaang Ye in a single move and toss him outside. She was a great expert at the late-stage of the True Dao Second Layer, whereas Zhaang Ye was a newcomer to the True Dao who hadn’t even condensed a single petal. In her eyes, he was no threat whatsoever.

CRACK!

The moment her fingers touched Zhaang Ye’s Hand Blade, the woman’s expression changed drastically. The power radiating from his strike far exceeded her imagination. It was as if a monstrous beast from the Wilderness was hidden within Zhaang Ye’s unassuming frame, unleashing a force far beyond that of a True Dao First Layer expert!

Startled, the flower above her head abruptly pulsed with a faint white light, and her aura surged, tripling in an instant!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye’s Hand Blade struck the woman’s palm, and a tremendous force erupted. Even with her Cultivation at the late-stage of the True Dao Second Layer, she was sent stumbling back three steps, her expression turning foul.

Zhaang Ye let out a cold laugh and, quick as lightning, unleashed another slash.

Zhaang Ye was incredibly experienced in battle. He knew this woman’s Cultivation was far deeper than his own and that she likely possessed a variety of strange Innate Combat Skills. Against such a fearsome opponent, his only chance at victory was to cast aside all hesitation and fight with everything he had!

After taking the blow head-on, the woman knew Zhaang Ye’s strength was simply too terrifying. Even with her profound Cultivation, she could not hope to match his raw power. Seeing him attack again, she dodged without a second thought.

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!

Seizing the opportunity as she dodged, Zhaang Ye suddenly unleashed the Mountain-Breaking Slash, delivering three strikes in a single instant.

Now that he had reached the True Dao, the power of Zhaang Ye’s Mountain-Breaking Slash was unbelievable. Each slash carried an overwhelming Devouring Power and an irresistible might. It was a purely offensive style, completely forgoing defense. Faced with such a ferocious assault, the woman, despite having countless techniques at her disposal, could not find a proper way to counter it. She grew livid with rage!

CRACK, CRACK!

Two True Dao Experts were battling inside Chaoyang Hall. Though a Defensive Array had been laid into its walls, it could not withstand the strain. The massive palace groaned under the collision of their powers, threatening to collapse at any moment!

The woman in black snorted in fury, her body transforming into a streak of black light that shot out of the palace. "If you have any guts, follow me!" she yelled. "Let’s take this outside!"

Zhaang Ye hesitated for only a moment before letting out a boisterous laugh. "Is there anything I, Zhaang Ye, wouldn’t dare to do? I’d like to see what you’re truly capable of!"

As he spoke, Zhaang Ye transformed into a streak of green light and flew out of Chaoyang Hall, closely following the woman toward the western face of Rising Sun Peak.

...

Halfway up Rising Sun Peak, Boss Hua, Cao the Second, Mu the Third, and Teng the Fourth were all lying on a massive boulder. Shockingly, a two-foot-tall lotus grew from the palm of each man’s hand. The plant had three verdant leaves that tightly guarded a pale red flower bud. It was a visually pleasing, if bizarre, sight.

The lotuses danced gently in the breeze, and with every sway, the muscles on the four men’s faces twitched in agony. After little more than ten days, their eyes were riddled with blood vessels, a clear sign of the immense pain they were enduring.

Watching the woman in black fly through the air, the faces of all four men lit up with excitement. Cao the Second gritted his teeth. "Excellent! Lord Galaxy’s old flame, Lan Heying, actually came! As soon as she defeats Zhaang Ye, I’m ripping out this damned Green Blood Spiritual Lotus! This thing has caused me nothing but agony for over ten days!"

"Exactly! With a lotus growing in my palm, even breathing is agonizing. I can’t even sleep. I, Mu the Third, can’t stand this god-awful pain for one more second!"

Teng the Fourth nodded emphatically. The pain of the Green Blood Spiritual Lotus growing in their palms was simply too much. It was a pain that afflicted not just their bodies, but their very souls. Even with their high Cultivation, such horrific agony was nearly impossible to endure.

Just then, Boss Hua let out a chuckle. He stared intently at the flower above Lan Heying’s head. "Haha! To think Lan Heying has already reached the late-stage of the True Dao Second Layer! With her Cultivation, there’s no way Zhaang Ye is her match! He’s bound to be utterly humiliated in this fight, haha!"

Cao the Second said excitedly, "Lan Heying is a true genius! Reaching the late-stage of the True Dao Second Layer in just twenty years is terrifying! Hehe, Zhaang Ye only just entered the True Dao; he’s no match for her. I hope she goes for the kill and finishes that bastard Zhang on the spot!"

Boss Hua spoke slowly. "Zhaang Ye is an Inner Sect Disciple, after all. No matter how bold Lan Heying is, she wouldn’t dare to actually kill him. But she is a vicious fighter. Zhaang Ye is definitely in for a humiliating defeat!

"Hehe, twenty years ago, Lan Heying was famous for her speed. She’s at her best when fighting in the sky. For Zhaang Ye to fight her up there... he’s practically digging his own grave! Oh, it’s starting!"

The four men widened their eyes and watched as the two figures reached the western face of Rising Sun Peak. Lan Heying’s dark silhouette suddenly halted in mid-air.

Lan Heying stared coldly at Zhaang Ye. "The Martial Dao has its methods of combat, and the True Dao has its own," she said. "Zhaang Ye, I admit your physical strength is immense. But once you reach the True Dao, the competition is about Cultivation, Combat Skills, and Realm. Brute force is useless! Now, allow me to demonstrate my Innate Combat Skill!"

As she spoke, Lan Heying’s figure vanished. The air filled with gusts of wind—formless, traceless, and all-pervasive. In a thousand-zhang radius around Zhaang Ye, a palpable killing intent flared. Every wisp of breeze became his enemy; every gentle draft transformed into a Sharp Sword!

’Hmm? So this is an Innate Combat Skill? She can actually transform her body into the breeze!’

Zhaang Ye’s pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he pushed his hands forward. Instantly, countless Tornados filled the air. They rolled and spun like a terrifying Space Storm, their dreadful Devouring Power instantly swallowing the gentle breezes!

BANG!

As Zhaang Ye’s attack shattered the breezes, the woman in black, Lan Heying, was forced to reveal herself. She stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief, and stammered, "This is... a Realm! Zhaang Ye, you’ve comprehended the Wind Realm?"

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The combat style changes after entering the True Dao, so I spent some time working out the mechanics. I owe you two Chapters from yesterday; I’ll make them up tomorrow. This is the first update for today. The second should be out around 12:30.

It’s the last day of the month, so I’m humbly asking for your monthly tickets. The novels behind me in the rankings are catching up fast, so I’m counting on all of you! Thank you for all your support!

-----------(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote with Recommendation Tickets and Monthly Tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)