Embers of Sword

Chapter 545 Destined Person

"war!"

The moment the word was uttered, heaven and earth trembled.

Xuanming's robes fluttered, and with a slight bow of his head, golden light descended from the heavens like a giant axe, its light slashing down directly at Xie Xuanyi's location—

boom!
Xie Xuanyi stepped to the side and swept across the ground, his clothes being brushed by the golden light, igniting a raging fire.

Given his fighting style, in battles against opponents of similar strength, he almost always attacks directly.

No matter how powerful the opponent's moves are.

Even at the level of the Dao of Annihilation, he can always gain the upper hand!
However, this time is different.

Xuanming's pupil technique was too powerful. Xie Xuanyi had a premonition that if he directly attacked with the Great Dao, he would definitely not come out on top!

My hunch was right...

After that golden beam of light struck, the earth split open, creating a deep ravine!

Although the [Yuantun Sacred Realm] is a world of gods and souls, it is, after all, the land left behind by the Great Sage Bai Ze!

Xuanming sliced ​​the entire land in half with a single slash using his pupil technique.
Xie Xuanyi looked grave as he soared into the sky, looking down at the ever-cracking "ravine and abyss" below.

Has Xuanming truly pressed his attack?

Or perhaps... after comprehending the "Embryo of the Great Dao," one simply doesn't know how to utilize the supernatural powers of this realm?
There was no time to think further.

The second strike had arrived. Amidst the raging wind and rain, the golden eyes, burning with intense light, locked onto Xie Xuanyi.

Xuanming swept his palm horizontally, making a slight sweeping motion.

boom!
Eyes slash horizontally!

The attack came too fast; Xie Xuanyi wanted to dodge, but it was too late. He could only unleash his Dao Domain to forcefully counter it.

The Martial God Embryo took a step forward, grasped the sword energy, and slashed at the golden pupil light!
The light in his eyes collided with the Dao of Annihilation, instantly shattering into pieces—

With a muffled groan, the Martial God Embryo staggered backward. Although it successfully withstood the blow, its divine body was also struck by the power of the pupil light, and began to crack from the shoulder. This invincible body in the same realm was actually cracking like porcelain, with fine cracks appearing...

"So strong!"

Xie Xuanyi, who was under the protection of the Dao Domain, looked pale and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with his sleeve.

one strike!
Just one blow!
He then severed half of the primordial fire that had been ignited in his great aperture!
This was indeed a pressure Xie Xuanyi had never felt before. Perhaps this was the feeling he had experienced when those young prodigies faced him in his previous life...

"Although this Xuanming 'Pupil Technique' is powerful, the nascent Great Dao it utilizes doesn't seem to be that profound!"

Although Xie Xuanyi was injured, his mind was calmer than ever before.

He stared intently at the strange phenomena not far away.

There are three thousand great paths, each with its own strengths.

If we only consider offensive and defensive strategies, then "The Great Way of Annihilation" must be ranked at the top.

His own "Great Dao of Annihilation" had already taken shape. In theory, no matter how powerful the Xuanming Eye Technique was, he should be able to fight against anyone of the same realm.

Being suppressed from the very first exchange can only mean one thing...

My understanding of the "embryonic form of the Great Dao" is too shallow.

"ended."

The moment the beam of light struck, Xuanming saw the outcome of this battle.

A wave of disappointment and regret washed over him.

Xuanming waited bitterly for a thousand years in this [Yuantun Sacred Realm], hoping to find a successor with sufficient aptitude. However, a thousand years have passed, and no one has been able to obtain the qualification to refine the Dao Stele... He had waited too long, and in the end, all that remained of his lingering resentment was his last breath.

He had assumed that the young swordsman before him was the "destined one" his master had spoken of.

Unfortunately, he knew the answer the moment they clashed.

The young man standing in front of him was not strong enough to win this duel.

Perfectly controlling the embryonic form of the Great Dao is no easy task. This young man has just broken through to the next realm, and being able to withstand a strike from the pupil technique is already quite impressive... It's just a pity that the strike just now was only the beginning.

If one's own attack is a tsunami...

So that slash just now was only the first wave...

Rumble, rumble.

As the roar of the void echoed across the earth, countless golden beams of light rose from the sky, each one like a hovering flying sword, forming a dense array, slowly turning its tip.

A chilling pressure emanated from the ceiling.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi watched this scene unfold.

He exhaled a breath of stale air and took out a drop of the Fountain of Immortality.

Endless beams of light slashed down in a chaotic flurry.

The Dao Domain of Annihilation was instantly submerged. Xie Xuanyi stood silently within the Dao Domain, sword in hand, while the divine embryo behind him began to evolve the "Great Dao of Annihilation".

Boom!
Boom!
Boom! !

The embryonic Great Dao beat like a heart, and around the Dao Domain, jet-black sword intent appeared in the same quantity as the golden pupils.

Xie Xuanyi's divine embryo was pierced by the pupil light.

next moment.

The life-giving moisture will then appear, the divine glow will evaporate, and the wounds will heal!

Because of the existence of the Fountain of Immortality, this battle, which should have ended with overwhelming force, took a turn for the better. A dense barrage of pupil-like beams slashed down, but Xie Xuanyi, relying on the "Great Dao of Annihilation" and the "Martial Arts Divine Embryo," managed to block them all. The majestic Divine Embryo, wielding its sword, created a misty aura. Initially completely suppressed by the pupil-like beams, as the Great Dao evolved, countless flying swords began to be able to contend with them!
"……Um?"

Upon seeing this, Xuanming's expression changed.

He let out a soft "hmm".

In the distant battlefield, wisps of water vapor appeared. Under the powerful feedback of life force, the originally routed "Destruction Dao Intent" began to grow wildly like weeds!
Xuanming initially thought that the young man in black before him was an arrogant person.

Now he knows.

I misjudged him.

For thousands of years, any cultivator who has been fortunate enough to come to this Yuan Tun Sacred Realm has adjusted themselves to their best condition in preparation for the battle against themselves.

But this kid is different from those other people.

He... seemed to enjoy fighting with himself.

……

……

Xie Xuanyi was certainly not being presumptuous.

During his period of rest, he thought about many things and finally decided to start the battle immediately after recovering his mental state.

Xie Xuanyi knew.

The duel with Xuanming is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, and the outcome will determine the ownership of the [Yuantun Sacred Realm].

But he prefers to treat it as an ordinary life-or-death battle.

So what if the embryonic form of the Great Dao has not yet been fully comprehended?
To perfectly control the embryonic form of the Great Dao requires a great deal of time... After mastering the embryonic form of the Great Dao, one can continue to evolve the Great Dao and attempt to advance to the Yang God level.

Spiritual practice is a long and endless journey.

Even if one perfectly comprehends the embryonic form of the Great Dao, it will be meaningless.

Because... Xuanming is a being at the Celestial Realm!
Even if he were to advance to the Yang God realm in the Yuan Tun Sacred Realm, Xuan Ming could still adjust his realm to match his own, thus relying on the accumulation of the Heavenly Human Realm to form a "dimensional reduction attack" against someone of the same realm!
The more important the match, the better.

It is all the more important to maintain inner peace.

An unwavering determination to win is more important than anything else.

The longer the "adjustment" period before the battle, the easier it is for the will to win to be extinguished. This is a duel with a huge disparity in strength. If the will to win is extinguished, then this battle... has no meaning to continue.

Xuanming's golden pupils poured down like a torrential downpour—

Xie Xuanyi managed to hold onto the Dao Domain with great difficulty; this was the most difficult battle he had ever experienced.

Xuanming's pupil technique was so powerful it almost crushed his heart.

But... he persevered through sheer willpower!
The martial arts divine embryo's body was shattered, and its major acupoints were broken, but it was being repaired at an extremely fast speed under the nourishment of the Undying Spring.

This match was dragged out into a protracted "tug-of-war"!
The sword intent of annihilation, which had just condensed into a "nascent form of the Great Dao," surged forth like a tide, beginning its next round of evolution.

Xie Xuanyi was immersed in this desperate situation, constantly evolving the Great Dao...

He had already forgotten this world.

They forgot about life and death.

Unfortunately, the evolution of the Dao of Annihilation has always encountered a bottleneck. It's not because Xie Xuanyi's comprehension is insufficient, but because after advancing to the Yin God realm, his Dao is no longer the "Dao of Annihilation" of his first life. Life and death are integrated and merged into one. At this moment, the Dao of Annihilation has merged with the Dao of Life.

These two main roads are like a person's left and right legs. Now, one leg is strong and the other is weak, making walking unsteady. Running is even more difficult.

The Great Dao evolves to the point of blockage at the "Realm of the Dao of Life." Black and white should have been perfectly integrated, like the yin and yang fish.

No matter what.

If one's understanding of the Way of Life is insufficient, the evolution of the Way of Annihilation can only stagnate.

Just as Xie Xuanyi was immersed in the deduction of the Great Dao, the overwhelming pressure in his heart suddenly disappeared.

"Hmm... what's going on?"

Xie Xuanyi frowned, suddenly snapping out of his intense battle.

The dense array of pupil light vanished completely.

The lingering oppressive force of heaven and earth gradually faded away.

Xie Xuanyi stared into the distance, puzzled, and saw the black-clad man in the chaotic fog re-wrapping the silk ribbon in front of his eyes.

Xuanming closed his eyes.

Accompanied by the closing of both eyes.

The golden light in his eyes naturally dissipated, and all those terrifying phenomena vanished as well.

"Is it... over?"

Xie Xuanyi looked at the earth beneath him, which had been cleaved and shattered.

Xuanming said he wanted to determine a winner...

But this battle was only halfway through!
Although he withstood the slashing light from the pupil, he could only defend and was powerless to counterattack.

Next, to win, it will probably be necessary to merge the two paths of birth and death into one and reach the state of perfection. Only then will there be a chance!

"ended."

Xuanming calmly said, "There's no point in continuing the fight."

According to the will of his master Bai Ze, he could only use strength equal to that of the challenger... The previous slash was the strongest offensive technique that Xuanming could use!

He had thought that the outcome would be decided after three rounds of eye-slashing.

However, Xuanming did not expect that even with his full strength and the use of the [Pupil Sea] technique, this kid could completely withstand it.

Continuing to fight would only deplete our energy.

"This……"

Xie Xuanyi was still somewhat unsatisfied.

The battle just now was a rare opportunity for him. On the verge of life and death, Xie Xuanyi even saw the "yin-yang fish" image of the future when life and death merged with the Dao!
What will happen if the fighting continues?
Will I be able to successfully attain enlightenment?
As the great battle came to an end, Xie Xuanyi felt a pang of regret.

"Don't even think about it... Achieving Dao is never that simple..."

Xuanming saw through the young man's thoughts and said bluntly, "Even if the battle continued, it would not be of any further benefit to you."

"pity……"

Xie Xuanyi sighed regretfully, then realized something very important: "Wait... is this battle really over? How do we determine the winner?"

"What do you say?"

"Although this battle was stopped halfway, you did not defeat me..."

Xuanming raised an eyebrow and paused deliberately.

Although black satin was wrapped around the eyes.

But he could see the expression on the young man in black opposite him.

Seeing the momentary look of bewilderment on Xie Xuanyi's face, Xuanming then changed the subject with satisfaction.

"However, I didn't win against you either."

Xuanming stroked his chin, a troubled expression on his face, and murmured softly, "Master didn't mention this situation... The qualification to refine this stele should, in principle, be given to the winner..."

"..."

Then came a long silence.

A gentle breeze blew.

The withered trees in the Yuan Tun Sacred Realm rustled.

"Why aren't you in a hurry, you little rascal?"

After a dozen or so breaths, Xuanming couldn't help but speak.

The man in black opposite him, after a moment of surprise, regained his composure and then seemed expressionless, quietly awaiting his decision.

Surely no one in this world could resist the temptation of "Yuan Tun Sheng Jie"?
This stele contains the culmination of Master's life's work!

"Urgent, will it be of any use?"

Xie Xuanyi smiled helplessly and said, "Senior is right. I was indeed unable to win the battle just now. If this battle is terminated early, I will have no objection to whether Senior grants me the qualification to refine the Dao Stele."

He imitated Xuanming's tone from before.

Xie Xuanyi paused slightly, then said meaningfully, "However... for thousands of years, probably very few people have been able to enter this secret tomb. If I leave this time, I don't know how many years it will take for the next 'destined person' to arrive here. The spiritual energy outside is depleted, and I'm afraid that even if a cultivator were to enter this place in a few years, they would never be able to win this duel."

"???"

Xuanming raised an eyebrow.

This kid actually turned the tables on me.

Xuanming's expression became complicated.

Xie Xuanyi was right.

In his view, refining this Dao Stele was extremely difficult.

Being able to step into this place is a blessing one in a million.

As for overcoming oneself...

In a few more years, it is estimated that not even a single "celestial being" will be able to be born in the outside world.

How many people at the same level can withstand his [Sea of ​​Eyes] like this young man?
the most important is.

A thousand years have passed.

My last vestige of hope is about to dissipate.

If we keep waiting, will we really be able to meet the "destined person" that Master spoke of?

"If I'm not mistaken, Senior Xuanming's divine sense is probably nearing its limit."

In the brief moment of Xuanming's silence.

Xie Xuanyi spoke again.

He gazed at the ancient man in black before him and said softly, "That eye technique just now was indeed incredibly powerful. If it had continued, I might not have been able to hold out for long."

Although there is a spring of immortality.

However, Xie Xuanyi's "Fountain of Immortality" is still weak.

If Xuanming maintains the [Pupil Sea].

If one cannot further evolve the embryonic form of the Great Dao, then this battle... will ultimately end in defeat.

But Xuanming did not do that.

Xie Xuanyi vaguely guessed the reason.

Xuanming's lingering will might not last much longer...

Keep fighting.

[Tong Hai] might exhaust his power first.

There were four tomb guardians in the Yuan Tun Sacred Realm. Chi Lian, Qing Nu, and Su Huan have all perished.

Now only Xuanming remains.

If Xuanming also perishes... what will become of this Yuan Tun Sacred Realm?
Yes. You guessed right.

A long, mournful sigh echoed.

Xuanming looked at the towering tree behind him with a complicated expression.

He murmured, “I am indeed nearing my limit… For the past thousand years, I have been waiting for a qualified ‘successor’ to inherit my master’s holy realm and the ‘Yuan Tun’ technique of the Bai Ze lineage. I thought I would end up like my junior brothers and sisters, waiting until my remnant spirit dissipates before I could find that destined person.”

Speaking of which.

Xuanming showed a look of satisfaction.

"After a thousand years of waiting, we have finally received the mercy of Heaven."

He smiled and said softly, "If I'm not mistaken, what you just used... wasn't just the Path of Annihilation, but also the Path of Life, right?"

(End of this chapter)