The space was suppressed, and his aura was locked. Facing the fierce and terrifying phantom of the Sky-Rending Beast, he had nowhere to retreat.
"Go!"
At the moment of crisis, he had no time to think. He unhesitatingly activated the strongest life-saving artifact he had treasured for tens of thousands of years. He threw a jade bottle towards the direction where the Sky-Rending Beast phantom was attacking. However, before the jade bottle could get close, it shattered under the powerful aura.
Endless quicksand flowed out of the jade bottle, like a river, surging towards the Sky-Rending Beast phantom. In an instant, the phantom was surrounded by endless spatial quicksand. The space around it rippled, and the phantom's speed noticeably slowed down.
"A cultivator at the Half-step Divine Transformation stage actually obtained spatial quicksand. It seems he did have some fortune. If it were ordinary divine abilities, they might have truly bound him."
Zhang Fan watched this scene with a relaxed expression and said softly, "However, it's a pity that the Sky-Rending Beast is most skilled in the Great Dao of Space, and its Sky-Rending Horn is the nemesis of all spatial techniques. Even spatial quicksand cannot hold it."
Spatial quicksand can solidify space, making it incredibly stable, and can even imprison living beings within it. This is a technique that a Divine Transformation stage expert might master. But facing the Sky-Rending Beast's Sky-Rending Horn, ordinary spatial techniques cannot trap it. The spatial quicksand only obstructed it for a moment. As the Sky-Rending Beast raised the single horn on its head, layers of spatial ripples were shattered and dissipated, and countless spatial quicksand instantly turned into nothingness.
"Venerable, save me!"
Seeing that even the spatial quicksand could not trap the Sky-Rending Beast phantom, only affecting it for a moment before it continued to charge at him, the cultivator at the Half-step Divine Transformation stage's face changed drastically, and he shouted loudly.
Hearing this cry, Bai Mengtian couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He hadn't expected that it would ultimately force the Venerable to act, and he felt a trace of sadness.
When the Shangyang Venerable made his move, it would be the day of his demise.
"The Shangyang Venerable is indeed still alive, but does he dare to act?"
Cang Lan Mingyue stared intently at the Sky-Rending Beast phantom. Just as its single horn was about to strike the Half-step Divine Transformation cultivator, the space beside him suddenly shattered. A massive spatial rift blocked the Sky-Rending Beast. A stooped old man emerged from the rift. He pushed forward with both hands, and space surged towards the Sky-Rending Beast like waves, layer upon layer. Silently, the Sky-Rending Beast phantom was shattered.
"He actually made a move. Zhang Fan is probably in danger." Cang Lan Mingyue and Cang Lan Qiuyue's faces both changed drastically. Although the Southern Venerable had shown disdain for the Shangyang Venerable, for others, the Shangyang Venerable could easily crush them.
The moment the stooped old man appeared, everyone felt their souls being heavily suppressed. Some cultivators with weaker cultivation felt as if their souls were frozen, unable to move their bodies.
"Is this the gap?" Gong Lieyang, who was usually proud, couldn't help but sigh softly. He had always known that once the soul and the laws completely merged, one's strength would undergo a qualitative leap. But it had been vague. Seeing it now, he felt he might not even be able to withstand a single move from the Shangyang Venerable.
Above the sky, dark clouds churned, and vast energy gathered within them. The moment the Shangyang Venerable made his move, the heavenly tribulation sensed it.
Zhang Fan's eyes were fixed on the stooped old man who had suddenly appeared. He felt an extremely dangerous aura from him. This was likely the old ancient from the Flying Immortal Mansion, a powerful expert who had completely merged his soul with the laws.
"Isn't it better to keep being a turtle in its shell? Why come out and die for nothing? Within ten breaths, the heavenly tribulation will descend. Do you think you can accomplish anything in this short time?" Zhang Fan asked, staring at the old man.
"My purpose for existence is to ensure the continuation of the Flying Immortal Mansion, and you have already threatened the inheritance of the Flying Immortal Mansion."
"Once the heavenly tribulation descends, I will indeed die without a doubt. But before the heavenly tribulation descends, if I can kill you, it will be enough," the Shangyang Venerable said indifferently, paying no attention to Zhang Fan's words.
For him, living in hiding from the heavenly tribulation felt like being a turtle in its shell, but he didn't care. Since the Divine Transformation stage was hopeless, why not contribute the last bit of strength to the sect?
"It's not that easy to kill me. A Half-step Divine Transformation cultivator whose soul and laws are completely merged. Wouldn't refining a pill have potent medicinal effects?" Zhang Fan said with a smile.
"Venerable, kill him quickly!"
Bai Mengtian roared furiously. The Shangyang Venerable sensed the increasingly immense energy gathering in the sky. He didn't hesitate and stepped through space, appearing before Zhang Fan.
He didn't use any treasures or flashy techniques, only forming his five fingers into a claw and grasping directly at Zhang Fan.
Locked by the Shangyang Venerable's soul, Zhang Fan's reaction slowed down. Before he could raise his iron sword to block, the withered claw had already landed on his body.
Even his robust physical body was no match for the Shangyang Venerable. In just one move, Zhang Fan's chest was torn open, revealing bloody flesh. A powerful soul force attached itself to the wound. Even with the recovery ability of his Minor Accomplishment Divine Body, the injury could not be stopped. Bright red blood instantly stained Zhang Fan's upper body.
"Hahaha!"
Zhang Fan grimaced in pain, but he laughed heartily. It had been too long since anyone had put him under such immense pressure.
"To be able to withstand my move, your physical body is indeed extraordinary." The Shangyang Venerable looked at Zhang Fan with some surprise. With his current strength, few below the Divine Transformation stage could withstand his move and survive.
Just as he was about to attack again, he suddenly stopped. He looked at the black three-legged, two-eared cauldron that flew out from above Zhang Fan's head with shock in his eyes. The power contained within it made him feel an unattainable Dao intent.
"I once promised my brothers in the Six Kings' Mansion that I would refine an Immortal-grade spirit pill and bestow them a great fortune." Zhang Fan looked at the dark clouds in the sky. The immense energy contained within them made even Zhang Fan feel alarmed. He knew the time was ripe and shouted, "Time is running out, please enter the cauldron!"
Zhang Fan shook his hands, and the palm-sized Myriad Beast Cauldron, which was hovering above his head, spun rapidly. In an instant, it transformed into a colossal cauldron tens of kilometers in diameter, engulfing Falling Immortal Valley from above.
Those who were previously engaged in intense battles were instantly enveloped by the Myriad Beast Cauldron. A powerful primordial spirit force permeated the cauldron. Even Half-step Divine Transformation experts felt their souls tremble under this force, losing all courage to fight.
"This is primordial spirit power?"
The Shangyang Venerable felt this force, and his expression became extremely grim. He couldn't understand how a cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage could wield the power of the primordial spirit.
...