FOOM!
The Solar Star’s surface was embroiled in chaos. Liquid fire pulsated out causing fiery anomalies in spacetime.
Luohu flew up from the aftermath of his clash. The others were blinded by the light which he used to break off. That clash that had thrown everyone off their feet had brought him precious seconds to escape. He was so close he could taste freedom.
On the remnants of Di Jun’s sun palace, everyone sans the crow brothers got to their bearings again. Taiyi was unconscious over the still form of Di Jun. The platform they all stood on quickly disintegrated allowing the two sun crows, one living one dead, to tumble back to earth.
“Damn it,” Zulong was the first to speak. His gaze downcast at the sight of the Great Wilderness. His dragons, his wife, his sons were all pouring into the void. Some protected themselves while others held patches of water containing parts of his empire.
As a sovereign with divine authority, Zulong felt an unquantifiable amount of people in his empire losing their lives from the collapse of the entire world.
“Unbelievable, I never thought he of all people would have such tenacity,” Yang Mei whispered in what sounded like admiration for Luohu.
Da Hai scoffed at Yang Mei’s words. He loosened his shoulders and breathed out. Then he ignited his own Nascent Soul. A daunting change took place. Though he didn’t seem outwardly damaged, one could smell the inferno raging on across the existence named Da Hai.
The result from the combustion was a dramatic increase in force. Da Hai felt as if he could tear the Primitive World apart with a single swipe of his hand.
“Hm?” Zulong and Wangshu turned around in shock. “Master/Da Hai what are you doing? You’ll damage your existence.”
“Go save your empire Zulong. I’m sure your people will be happy to have your support in such circumstances,” the sea god said. In his own empowered state, he raised a hand at the shocked dragon. One push launched the defenceless dragon far from the Solar Star.
In the same instance, the 12 Petals White Lotus of Purification returned to him. It’s damaged state trembled in Da Hai’s palm. Yet it’s powerful purifying capabilities acted upon his being, trying to erase the burning damage he was doing to himself.
“Don’t,” Da Hai barked. “I need the power.”
He clamped his hand around the palm but found a pair of soft feminine hands suddenly grabbing his.
“This is foolish,” Wangshu said.
“I can’t let him get away. I refuse to let that happen again,” Da Hai said and yanked his hand away.
Yang Mei took one look at Da Hai’s self immolation and shook his head. Da Hai glanced at the old man and only scoffed.
“If you don’t have the will to avenge Huoyun no matter the cost, then why did you even bother coming back?” Da Hai’s body dissolved into pure water and shot up in a geyser. Yang Mei eyed him but did not reply. Instead, he held a complex look on his person.
…
Luohu looked down after sensing Da Hai’s presence take on a new quality. It didn’t necessarily grow larger, that would be sign of a breakthrough. It was the same burning smell as himself which enlightened him to what Da Hai had done.
They were now both beyond the crumbling Great Wilderness. The chaotic void around them being incapable of moving their bodies despite the turbulent spatial waves. In truth, Luohu had reached what could be considered the edge of the Primitive World. Now, his downturned gaze became one of pure loathing.
Da Hai held the Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword with both hands. It’s jagged blade was encased with so much Chaotic Sword qi, it was literally carving a gash through the void.
Priming the God Killing Spear, Luohu roared in agony. “Why? Why can’t you just give up? I’m on the run, you’ve already won. Just Leave me be!”
No matter what, even if he wanted revenge for Mara, even if he wanted to carve Da Hai apart for the troubles he’d given him. Luohu had to survive first, recover from his injuries, then breakthrough before planning his return. He no longer cared what tactic he used to achieve that.
But just the same, Da Hai had Luohu in his grasp with no other distractions. He wanted Luohu dead no matter what and as of this moment, didn’t care how he’d achieve it. Even if he put his entire being at risk, it’ll be worth it.
Luohu felt wobbly on his feat as he lifted his spear again. He concentrated with his numerous years of combat experience, focusing fully on Da Hai’s approach. His Dao fruit pulsated, revealing itself in a light shadow behind Luohu.
The begetting of all things. Or rather, the coming together of all things to derive the primordial. Luohu’s way of cultivating the Wuji principle was the reverse of everyone else. But this method also made his Dao appear far bigger then everyone else.
It was an entire universe in and of itself. It was everything and it was you. All of reality, embodying everything that was part of the natural universe. Within the interpretation of the Devilish Dao, Luohu was the supreme god who encompassed all things.
The surviving devils all felt their heartstrings tug. Some were forced to their knees, overwhelmed by a sense of hollowness. Those who’d cultivated a Dao to its apex above all others experienced this feeling.
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In the distance, they could see their own Daos. Domains defining aspects of reality cultivated by hundreds of thousands of years of study, experimentation, experiences, and enlightenment. Dao fruits that were themselves cogs of a massive machine that was Luohu’s Dao fruit.
“Great Ancestor, save us,” on devil desperately cried.
“Foolish,” a Devil Great Emperor said from his sitting position. Even in Hundun’s protection, such a powerful Primal Zenith Chaos Immortal felt powerless as his life’s work acted without his consent. It was a violating, humiliating feeling. But one befitting of their society’s attitude towards power.
“Damn you Devil Ancestor,” he said. But deep down, he wished to be in commanding place.
With the full weight of his Dao fruit, with all his strength, Luohu clenched his teeth and clashed against the Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword. The Dao of Distant Seas revealed itself as well, becoming its own universe where it was the one, the primordial state from which everything eventually arose.
Sword and spear dug their way into the Chaos Sea, tearing even it’s chaotic energy to splintering qi. Two Limitless Supreme Chaos Immortals pushed to their limits, now forcing each themselves to go even further. The amount of energy they exuded made some recall how Pangu split heaven from earth.
CLANG!
THOOM!
A multitude of complex spell work, martial arts, and just weapons smashing into each other subsequently took place.
Transforming into streams of brilliant light, they resembled twin comets shooting through the Primitive World. So huge was each shockwave from any instance their attacks met, that the pieces of the Great Wilderness splintered even further. Screams of those mortals unfortunate enough to not find shelter in such a scenario were silenced as their very beings disintegrated upon reaching the void.
“Get off me!” Luohu’s eyes flashed with his Dao. The image of the 12 Petals Black Lotus manifested like a spinning saw. Each of its petals were like blades slicing across reality and into the Chaos Sea. At the same time, it’s petals emanated with concepts originating from his Dao.
One petal pulsated with ‘instant’, destruction taking place in one moment. Another held ‘eternity’, destruction from aging in the grand passage of time. Another held ‘turmoil,’ it’s destruction was akin to the annihilation of one’s psyche with intrusive mental thoughts.
“I recognized that. That’s Emperor Flash Existence’s Dao and his twin, Emperor Forever Ago’s Dao,” a devil observing said. The devils he stated were two famous figures who perished early on in the war in confrontation against Zulong himself.
“Hey isn’t that Rippling Reflection’s Dao?”
“I think I see Dying Ember’s as well. All those, our Daos are used as attacks? No he’s melded them all together as one Dao. The peak of the Devilish Dao.” The highest emperors all understood why Luohu stood as a Limitless Supreme while they could never obtain that height.
Da Hai roared, his Dao flashed brilliantly to resist the power from Luohu’s. But if one were to compare the two Daos. Though they were both incredibly high concept existences lording over all lifeforms. Luohu’s Dao was an astronomically larger then Da Hai’s.
The 12 Petals White Lotus contained Da Hai’s Dao and spun in counter to Luohu’s lotus. His Dao only chased one lane, but had already reached the point where it was the primordial blank slate. In its one form, it was significantly more powerful then any individual part of Luohu’s Dao.
In the physical universe, both lotus were like gears grinding against each other. Once black and white brothers born of the same lotus, they obeyed their masters and tried to rip the other apart.
Compared to Da Hai specialized expert, Luohu was like a expert who’d dabbled in all fields. Even when clashing as equals, Luohu’s field of influence utterly dwarfed Da Hai’s.
The Heavenly Dao was invisible beside Hongjun. It gave the godfiend a signal like an owner commanding it’s pet. Hongjun did not show any outward expression, merely putting Haotian back into the Zixiao Palace and flying towards the brilliant lightshow that was Luohu’s clash against Da Hai.
Both of them had burnt their Nascent Souls, both of their existences were being carved away willingly just for a little extra power. He was of a mind with Yang Mei in that this action was foolish. He could never see himself doing the same and would never allow his beloved disciple Haotian to do something that foolish.
“Watch disciple,” he called out to a hunched Haotian sitting with one knee to his chest. “This is the self destructive damage obsession does to you.”
Seeing the cloud of destruction that was the clashing blades, Wangshu hesitated to approach. Powerful beings who still hung around like Qi An merely watched with anticipation. The Feng bird of Zufeng had disappeared entirely to parts alone. Wangshu knew she couldn’t keep up unless she burned herself too, but was entirely unwilling to do so.
However, if Luohu reveals an opening she’ll take it. After all, Luohu may be outputting more power then he normally should. But his durability was still the same. This applied to Da Hai as well. Against each other, they were effectively glass canons.
In the seas of the shattered Great Wilderness, Zulong uncoiled with fury. Finally freeing himself from the force of the push, he beat down his anger at his own master enough to asses his situation again. He quickly reached out to other dragons loitering around to salvage what was left of his empire. His wife and children were already on the job, so he did not worry. But personally, he flew into the void again.
“Husband, you cannot mean to go back there!” The mental message from his wife read. But his sons were far more encouraging in this endeavour. Zulong was just like Da Hai in that his sole hatred focused on Luohu. Too much had taken from him by the man to the point where he felt more justified than his own master.
“Wife, generals, this is my order. Take charge of my empire and shelter my people,” he broadcasted to all his underlings. Though it wasn’t as if they weren’t already all independently doing that.
“GRRH!”
“NGRH!”
In the heavens, neither sea god nor godfiend budged. The metallic blades of their weapons ground against each other, channeling all their magical might. Slowly but surely, shards of metal began chipping off.
Da Hai’s eyes widened ever so slightly as cracks started forming along the Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword. Such a scene caused Luohu to smile.
“Need I remind you? The God Killing Spear was the stem of the 36 Petals Chaos Green Lotus. Something very used to the Pangu Axe’s Chaotic Sword qi. It’s a chaos spiritual treasure as well, a level higher than your sword.
“Beneath all its uses as a sword, that Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword. It’s really just a conduit in the shape of a sword isn’t it. A tool designed specifically to channel Chaotic Sword qi. A hyper specialized weapon thats not really good at anything else,” Luohu said aloud every fact he’d figured out. “Which did you think was gonna give out first?”
Luohu pushed ever so forward. In terms of strength, he and Da Hai were the same right now. But the breaking of Da Hai’s weapon meant he can push ahead slightly more. If Da Hai’s sword breaks fully, he’d have a clean strike.
Da Hai had to chose his next course of action carefully. The Cosmic Butterfly whispered unpleasant statements to him as his sword body was being crushed under the superior God Killing Spear. In these moments, Da Hai’s hatred for the polearm intensified.
He tilted his body, lowering the sword to guild Luohu’s spear to his side. He summoned the Xuanyuan Water Control Flag to his side and merged it with his left hand side. Together, they struck towards Luohu’s body with the sole goal of annihilating him.
Knowing lifting his weapon wouldn’t be fast enough, Luohu released his hand from his spear. His right arm touched the flagpole, using his fleshy body to guide the momentum to be above him. His hand caved away along with his forearm.
But the Xuanyuan Water Control Flag was successfully redirected to be above him. Yet Da Hai was not done, myriad seawater gathered along the uncoiled flag itself. Angling down, they became a scythe that curved towards Luohu’s head.
“Gah!” Luohu gasped and leaned back as much as he could. Whatever remaining defensive spells activate in droves. All crumbled away as the blade sliced into the side of Luohu’s cheek.
“This is for everything you’ve ever done. For my brother Huoyun, for my son Qinglong, for Yi Fei’e and her sisters. For trying to assassinate my grandson and forcing my son into this!”
“DIE!” Da Hai yelled gleefully. Fangs enlarged, skin replaced by scale, crimson bloodlust. His humanoid face, if it could even be called that, was akin to a shrieking demon.
“Not on your life!” Luohu used all his might to bring the God Killing Spear in his left hand up. “Do not blame me for your disciples stupidly resisting me! They could’ve fled to the Chaos Sea any time. And again blaming me for this war? It was your disciple who launched the first shot!”
Luohu remembered those events vividly. He had bided his time and patiently accumulated power. His body was still lacking but he had chosen to lay low and work on other prospects for now. That was why absorbing the Primitive World was put on the back burner.
However, Da Hai’s lineage not only attacked him out of nowhere, but also accused him of something as demeaning as assassination via a third party. As if he’d ever need to resort to such.
Da Hai’s instincts screamed when the chaos spiritual treasure’s blade approached. Da Hai instinctively leaned back as well narrowly missing the oncoming blade. But in doing so he failed to land the finishing blow.
This allowed Luohu to twirl around and bring the God Killing Spear again for a second clean strike at Da Hai’s upper body. “In a fight, you’re still too green.”
The sea god roared. Pellucid Divine Water washed over him, sheltering him in numerous layers of dimensions. But here, the destructive properties of the God Killing Spear emerged. It wanted only one thing, to kill. Pellucid Divine Water could not stop it’s trajectory that pierced through faster than it could shift dimensions.
So Da Ha released his true form manifested out from the right side of his body. Snake heads, fins, all of his scales emerged alongside massive waves. All seemed to tangle around one another like numerous serpentine beasts instead of the single creature they were. He’ll meet the extremely close strike as best as he could.
BANG!