Chapter 1423: Stepping on Imperial Bones to Return

“I truly wish I could live another five hundred years.” This was Taiwu's inner thought. He felt a deep sense of foreboding, but he couldn't vocalize it. He had to grit his teeth and fight to the death!

At this very moment, the duel between the two had reached its most intense point.

The Seven Death Incarnations—seven Taiwu battle bodies attacking together—was truly earth-shattering. Ghosts and gods wept and howled, the sky itself turned blood-red, lightning intertwined, and immortals and demons shrieked.

The seven bodies traversing the sky had always been synonymous with invincibility throughout the ages!

But at this moment, Taiwu's heart was bleeding. The first two battle bodies were fine, but when the third Dharma body appeared, it was crushed into oblivion by the millstone Chu Feng had transformed into!

What immense power was this?

The esteemed Heavenly Venerate Taiwu, upon initial contact, was instantly reduced to dust, his blood mist and energy directly exploding and boiling!

This sight was too horrifying. An established Heavenly Venerate who had endured long eras, a renowned and powerful figure, was shockingly blasted apart with a single strike, like a jackal!

This was utterly terrifying.

Everyone trembled, and an uproar ensued. It was truly like the sky falling and the earth rending, profoundly shocking their minds. Clashes between Heavenly Venerates typically resulted in mutual destruction, with both sides losing their lives.

But the scene before them now overturned all their memories. A renowned Heavenly Venerate had unleashed a heaven-defying supreme art—the Seven Death Incarnations—yet the outcome was that he was directly crushed!

“How is this possible? Master has suffered a great loss, his vital energy is severely depleted!” Yun Heng, the sixth disciple of Heavenly Venerate Taiwu, exclaimed in a low voice, his face filled with horror and deep unease.

It was he who had earlier received Chu Feng and led him into the golden palace suspended in the air. How could he have known that the seemingly harmless young man would suddenly unleash such monstrous power?

“The Seven Death Incarnations are unparalleled throughout history, created by our Dao ancestor. They should be invincible in heaven and on earth, so how could this happen?!”

The voice of Taiwu's eldest disciple trembled, and the other disciples also shivered with dread. Their expressions had already changed dramatically, their hearts filled with a sense of foreboding.

The ancestor of this lineage, the Martial Madman, was privately revered by some disciples as the Martial Emperor. He was reputed to have fought across all eras without encountering an equal, and his divine art was unparalleled.

Indeed, it was so. Ever since the fall of the dark hand Li in the prehistoric era, the Martial Madman had been considered by the world to be beyond restraint.

Furthermore, there were rumors that the Martial Madman's true body had entered several famous mountains in the Yang Realm and obtained unknown legacies. Even if Li were to be resurrected, he would no longer be able to suppress him.

As for recently, after the Martial Madman emerged, he was rumored to have suffered a minor setback at the First Mountain. However, it was later proven that it was not his true body, but rather a wisp of clear qi that had taken form and appeared.

“Ah…”

Heavenly Venerate Taiwu cried out. This time, several battle bodies attacked simultaneously, encircling Chu Feng, yet they still met with misfortune. One of them was swallowed by the millstone, and then the two millstones rotated, a sight too gruesome to behold!

In the blink of an eye, Taiwu's Seven Death Incarnations had lost four bodies. The speed of the reversal surpassed everyone's expectations.

This was not a mutually destructive outcome; it was merely Taiwu suffering severe depletion. It was truly astonishing. Even the Heavenly Venerates observing felt a chill down their spines and their minds greatly shaken.

With violent tremors, the firmament was pierced. Heavenly Venerate Taiwu's remaining three battle bodies finally managed to strike Chu Feng. Their combined power was unimaginable.

Everyone saw that around the millstone Chu Feng had transformed into, space was torn apart. Black fissures extended for an unknown number of miles. Gale-force winds, like a raging sea and lightning, roared, corroding and destroying some of the artifacts on the battlefield.

For instance, the broken spears and other items left behind by Taiwu's four lost bodies all dimmed and decayed.

As for the center of the storm, the millstone Chu Feng had transformed into was also roaring and shaking violently. Then, it dispersed in one breath, returning to flesh and blood, revealing his true form.

He was panting heavily, his chest rising and falling violently. Although he had expended some energy, he was otherwise unharmed.

On the other side, Taiwu became increasingly uneasy, even feeling an impulse to flee the battlefield.

As a Heavenly Venerate, he possessed strong intuition. Vaguely, he seemed to see the final scene of blood light engulfing him and his head flying off. He did not want to die here.

Knowing he was outmatched, he would absolutely not rely on brute courage to fight to the death. He didn't want to die in vain. Seeking fortune and avoiding disaster was an instinct for beings at this level.

However, after several attempts, he deeply felt a pervasive gloom throughout heaven and earth. None of the contingencies he had arranged within his own Dao field worked. All channels connecting to the outside were sealed off.

“Forcing me to burn my bridges and fight to the death,” Taiwu mused inwardly.

Then, his eyes gradually became dazzling, like two immortal swords being unsheathed, growing increasingly brilliant and sharp.

In an instant, his conviction grew strong, and he reflected on himself, realizing just how dangerous his situation had been moments ago. Years of ease, relying on the Martial Madman's formidable reputation, had caused him to lose his ambition and even fear battle for so many years!

“Years of quiet cultivation, without tempering myself between life and death, I have somewhat lost my way. How can so-called strong perceptions and instincts be entirely trusted! In the struggle of all things, only through contention can a Heavenly Venerate advance. I have been too complacent for too long!”

Taiwu seemed to awaken from a fog, his conviction solidified. Earlier, after assessing his opponent's strength, he had feared fighting without even engaging, which was absolutely a path to death.

At this moment, he awakened, and at the same time, he felt incredibly invigorated.

Because in that instant, he knew he had likely stumbled upon the path to becoming a Great Being. If he could withstand today's calamity, he might succeed!

The process of reaching Great Being status involved various tribulations. Among them, the last few steps were 'losing oneself'. Today, he had almost lost his true self, which should be a manifestation of this.

During this process, Taiwu's remaining three battle bodies merged into one, and he did not take advantage of the situation to pursue Chu Feng.

He knew that the Seven Death Incarnations could not kill his opponent; it would only prematurely exhaust his remaining vital essence, qi, and spirit. Although it was a secret art proclaimed to be invincible, he had not, after all, fully comprehended it.

“You want to kill me? That might not happen now. I have broken through the illusion and realized this is the final test on the path to becoming a Great Being. I have finally parted the ominous clouds, and you, however, will die!”

Taiwu said chillingly. After restoring his singular true body, he was also panting heavily, inhaling and exhaling the dense energy between heaven and earth.

Although it was a brief duel, it had consumed too much. At every turn, it involved the rise and fall of a Heavenly Venerate's Dao fruit. The process was extremely terrifying.

If anyone else had fought in the previous battle, they would have died countless times over. The secret arts between the two were peerless techniques capable of slaying ordinary Heavenly Venerates.

At this very moment, everyone in the entire Dao field was utterly horrified.

People looked up at the sky. That young man, exceptionally handsome with bright eyes, was incredibly terrifying. He had made the highly renowned Heavenly Venerate Taiwu bleed from his nose and mouth, truly an anomaly.

“How is it that I sense his cultivation realm is not that of a Heavenly Venerate, but merely within the Divine King domain?” someone asked in confusion.

“The legendary… Eternal King!” one person uttered, trembling.

The one who spoke was a Heavenly Venerate, yet he was so pale, his voice trembling.

Eternal King—for many, this title was unheard of. When a Heavenly Venerate spoke of it, everyone present was shaken.

The Eternal King, unattainable throughout history? A being of this kind, rarely found anywhere in the world!

“How can this be? Impossible!” The gray-haired Heavenly Venerate who had previously attacked Chu Feng wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, shivering, his entire body growing cold.

He felt a pang of fear. Not long ago, he had willingly acted as Taiwu's pawn, taking action on his behalf and losing a red-skinned gourd. And he had actually provoked a… legendary Eternal King!?

A being of this kind, appearing only in prehistoric myths and legends, had an immensely profound origin. Once an Eternal King matured, they could undoubtedly suppress an entire era!

In the arena, Taiwu moved, decisively and resolutely. This was his home ground. After clearing the fog from his mind, he seemed to have returned to his prime, his confidence and vital energy soaring to the heavens!

“Let eras ebb and flow, great waves scour the sand, and ancient and modern times change; only what remains is true.” Taiwu spoke, his voice neither hurried nor slow, uttering three true words: “Sever—the—Ages!”

From his mouth and nose, a dazzling golden-yellow paper surged forth. It was inscribed with dense characters, carrying the weight of ages and supporting heaven and earth!

Instantly, time swirled around him, enveloping him.

This was a Dao paper formed from the insights he had accumulated throughout his life. It grew increasingly brilliant and dazzling, cleaving through heaven and earth. Nothing could restrain it. It flew towards Chu Feng, aiming to deliver a fatal blow!

To outsiders, this was profoundly mystical. Because everyone felt that time had stopped, and all things were still. Now, only the golden paper unleashed by Taiwu was moving!

It was like world-shaking divine thunder, like an immortal sword from another domain. Striking across the sky, it was unstoppable. It was too terrifying, too magnificent, destroying everything; nothing could resist it.

Was this the strongest strike under the Great Dao, representing the competition of all things?

Everyone felt their soul light tremble, their bodies unable to move. Heaven and earth were silent at this point. Only that beam of light surged forward, reaching close to Chu Feng, touching his brow, threatening to split him into two!

At this critical moment of life and death, in an instant, a pair of hands silently appeared before Chu Feng's brow, as if breaking through an eternal barrier.

The hands were as clear as jade, faintly covered with countless tiny characters. They clamped down on the paper!

In an instant, even Taiwu's pupils contracted. His fatal strike was blocked just like that? Firmly clamped by a pair of hands!

Then, with a crisp snap, the paper disintegrated!

How could he not be shocked?!

It appeared to be just a piece of paper, but it had condensed Taiwu's vital essence, qi, and spirit. It was the supreme secret art of his sect, inscribed with his insights. Yet the result… was still futile!

At this moment, everyone discovered they could finally move again, watching the scene in shock.

Only now did they truly understand what kind of strike that was!

Severing the Ages—after the Martial Madman's battle with Li, he reflected deeply on his defeat. He delved into various famous mountains, great rivers, and other perilous lands in the Yang Realm, and finally discovered a supreme secret art that had been lost for eons.

It was hailed as one of the top three strongest secret arts in history!

It was related to time, accumulating years of power. Once mastered, even all heavens could not restrain it; they would tremble before it. This was a secret art prepared for the world's foremost powerful being.

Precisely because of this, it was incredibly difficult to master.

Taiwu, with his extraordinary talent, could only cultivate a fragmented version of this art—Severing the Ages.

Even so, it was sufficient to defeat various beings at his level.

However, the outcome was a massive blow to him. It was still blocked by Chu Feng.

Chu Feng did not speak, but his heart was greatly shaken as well. It wasn't his first time encountering this secret art; he had experienced it during his duel with Li Chentian. However, he still felt the immense threat of this secret art just now.

“Alas!”

Taiwu sighed, seeming very dispirited, having lost his morale, even appearing to be in decline and completely despairing.

This sigh made many spectators feel dispirited as well. This was an established powerful being; he had used all his means, yet was suppressed just like that?

The disciples and followers of Taiwu's lineage felt their hearts turn cold. How could that seemingly youthful ghoul from the netherworld be so powerful?

“We are the successors of the Martial Emperor's lineage, how can we not stop him?!” Some people found it hard to accept, clenching their fists and roaring in the distance.

However, Chu Feng did not think Taiwu had given up like those people did. Instead, he felt an even deeper threat of death, even a bone-chilling sensation.

This was a strong intuition that kept him alert and prevented him from lowering his guard in the slightest.

Indeed, the moment Taiwu sighed, heaven and earth collapsed. A cloud of mist surged from beneath this Dao field, bringing forth an incomparable, powerful life force.

It was a lotus, only a foot tall, yet its phenomena were astonishing. Enveloped in chaos, its entire body seemed forged from crimson mother-gold. It bore a single bud, its petals tightly closed, not yet in bloom.

The moment this lotus appeared, it seemed to stir the heavenly secrets!

This entire heaven and earth actually began to tremble and shake violently.

At the same time, countless miles away, in an unknown region, a white-haired woman suddenly opened her eyes in a stone cave. Before her, a plant enveloped in white mist also swayed slightly.

If the most ancient beings were present, they would surely recognize that this was Taiwu's master!

Her background was astonishing. She was the Martial Madman's most doted-upon and youngest disciple!

“My disciple is in distress, but it’s too far, it’s too late.”

Although she had a head full of white hair, her face was extremely young and beautiful. There was struggle and hesitation in her eyes, but in the end, she made her move.

From the exotic soil beneath the plant in front of her, she took out an item. Hesitating, she slowly infused it with energy.

Black light shot into the sky, illuminating the world!

The moment this item moved, it stirred the heavenly secrets, causing the Martial Madman, far away in the extreme north, to open his eyes from his silence. He muttered to himself: “How can it be moved so easily? A disaster!”

Throughout the entire Yang Realm, perhaps only a few could sense it, but some real changes were occurring. A certain abnormally terrifying aura was circulating.

“Are there still traces of me in the world? Having waited for era after era, I have finally once again captured the aura of that world. I will return!”

Then, a roar of laughter shook the ages. This being's location, whether in space or time, was unknown.

“Haha, do you think by not remembering or thinking of me, by letting the world forget me, everything can be erased? You wish to isolate me, but I just saw it; that place is now called the Yang Realm. Stepping on imperial bones, I have finally found my way back!”