Chapter 370 - 197: A Hidden Dragon Soars from the Abyss, Its Scales and Claws Taking Flight (Part 2)

He was just forming a magic formula, preparing to strike, when he suddenly lowered the ceramic ocarina. He looked over in this direction and asked coolly, "I wonder which fellow cultivator is spying on me?"

'He actually saw through my hiding spot?' Hou Shengyun's heart leaped, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. Without a second thought or a word of response, he shoved the great cauldron off his back!

BOOM!

It was as if a divine furnace in the heavens had been overturned. Residual light flared out and thick smoke filled the air as Celestial Fire rained down like a waterfall. It instantly engulfed Gem Island, incinerating the entire area in a flash.

Clearly, however, Hou Shengyun's thunderous strike had failed. Below, black lightning erupted, blasting a hole through the Celestial Fire. A streak of water-colored light shot out from within, and instead of retreating, it charged straight for him.

'Gui Water Yin Thunder?' Hou Shengyun's brows furrowed. With a casual flick of his sleeve, he conjured a flare of fire to intercept it. Sensing a power exactly as he had perceived, he was momentarily bewildered. 'This person formed a Low-Grade Golden Core? Then why is he using a Water Element Dao Skill?'

Hou Shengyun had no time to dwell on it. A Flying Sword radiating a biting chill shot toward him from the side. He had just activated a Magical Artifact to block it when a massive wave crashed down, extinguishing his flames. Qin Dengxiao abruptly appeared above him. He raised his hands and, with a series of flicks, sent a dense volley of water arrows raining down.

'This man doesn't know how to fight? Wasting his Dao skills like this with the power of a Low-Grade Golden Core?' Unflustered, Hou Shengyun's figure blurred, transforming into a streak of fire that shot out several hundred zhang at an extraordinary speed. His momentum slowed slightly as he looped through the air, then he abruptly accelerated and shot back the way he came.

The maneuver was as swift as lightning. He dodged countless of Qin Dengxiao's killing blows and appeared before him in an instant. Reaching out with five fingers, he gathered streams of flame from all directions, which began to form a fiery hurricane meant to engulf his opponent.

Qin Dengxiao's expression didn't change. With a sharp cry, a plume of white smoke erupted from the top of his head and solidified in mid-air. It formed into a giant, five-fingered hand, so detailed that every fine line was visible. With a single sweep, it scattered the streams of flame and shot toward Hou Shengyun!

'Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture!' Hou Shengyun's heart pounded in his chest. He immediately channeled all his Magical Power into an upward strike. To his surprise, the Great Capture hand disintegrated in an instant.

'Something's not right!' Hou Shengyun realized with a start. 'His Magical Power is immense, but he's still only a Refining Cultivator! He was using an outer core!'

But even as the realization hit him, he had no time to react. After he shattered the Innate Tai Su Qi Grand Capture, a pill appeared right before his eyes. It was wreathed in a faint blue, vaporous qi that churned like a tidal wave, and it was already starting to crack.

BOOM!

With a world-shaking detonation, the outer core Qin Dengxiao had refined from a Demon Pill self-destructed. An aura of pure destruction burst forth as dust and smoke billowed into the sky, forming a mushroom cloud that was visible for hundreds of miles over the open sea.

Several thousand zhang away, Qin Dengxiao's figure materialized. A talisman between his fingers turned to ash and drifted away. Gazing at the epicenter of the blast, he wondered aloud, "Is he dead?"

The moment they had first clashed, he'd realized his opponent's core power was immense, clearly that of a Middle-Grade Golden Core cultivator with the foundation of an orthodox sect.

His own outer core, on the other hand, was only on par with a Low-Grade Golden Core Cultivator. Furthermore, its core power was impure and its Dao skills inferior; it clearly stood no chance against his opponent.

That was why he had seized the first opening to decisively self-destruct the outer core. A Middle-Grade Golden Core was indeed a step above a Low-Grade Golden Core, but the gap wasn't the insurmountable, heaven-and-earth chasm that separated a Top-grade Golden Core from the lower two tiers.

With the sheer power of the outer core's self-destruction, it wasn't impossible to stake everything on one move and kill his opponent instantly.

Qin Dengxiao's eyes remained locked on the smoke. Suddenly, they narrowed.

As the smoke gradually dispersed, a large cauldron covered in cracks was revealed. A hand suddenly gripped its rim, and a disheveled Hou Shengyun pulled himself up. His eyes were wide with fury as he snarled through clenched teeth, "You wretch! You destroyed my Fire Containing Cauldron…"

'A Perfect Magical Artifact.' Qin Dengxiao's brow furrowed slightly, but he showed no signs of panic. He suddenly glanced in the direction of Yunbao Immortal City.

A cloud of fire was rising on the horizon, its scorching heat palpable even from across the misty expanse of the sea.

"Do you think you can just wait for the patrols from Yunbao Immortal City to arrive?" Hou Shengyun sneered. "I can't tell if you're a genius or an idiot, you little wretch. To not even try to escape…"

Qin Dengxiao cut him off. "Fellow cultivator," he said mildly, "do you really think you have me cornered?"

Hou Shengyun froze for a second, then roared with laughter. "You're just a mere Refining Cultivator! Without your outer core, do you really think you can stand against me?"

Qin Dengxiao sneered. "That 'mere' outer core was just something I got from killing a sea beast. Now you've been weakened while I am whole. It's not yet certain who has the upper hand."

Hou Shengyun's expression faltered. Qin Dengxiao had already formed a hand seal and pointed. A speck of white qi condensed at his fingertip and shot out like a pellet.

Qin Dengxiao was one of Xuzhuang's three disciples and the only one who cultivated the *Tai Su Qi Scripture*. The path of his Dao skill development naturally mirrored Xuzhuang's, and the method for casting Thousand Jin Dharma Qi had been personally taught to him by his master.

The pellet seemed to drift lazily, its qi unstable, but Hou Shengyun dared not underestimate it. Abandoning the ruined Fire Containing Cauldron, he used his acceleration Escape Technique to dodge it in an instant. However, the Flying Sword was already upon him.

However, without the enhancement from the outer core, and since Qin Dengxiao was not a Sword Cultivator, the power of his frosty Flying Sword was greatly reduced. Hou Shengyun's judgment was sharp; he didn't bother dodging. He channeled a wisp of his core's power, which manifested as a wave of smoke that sent the Flying Sword hurtling thousands of zhang away. Then, he leaped onto a cloud of fire and charged at Qin Dengxiao.

A glint flashed in Qin Dengxiao's eyes. He formed a hand seal and gracefully took flight, his form seemingly melting into a wisp of Smoke Mist as he merged with the wind and sped away.

One transformed into Smoke Mist, the other rode a cloud of fire. They streaked through the sky in a desperate chase, both as fast as meteors. But Qin Dengxiao was, after all, only a Refining Cultivator. His escape speed couldn't compare to Hou Shengyun's, and the distance between them was closing fast.

A thoughtful look crossed Qin Dengxiao's face. He suddenly flicked a finger behind him, once again unleashing the Thousand Jin Dharma Qi as his Flying Sword struck out at the same time.

Hou Shengyun sneered and used his Escape Technique again, surging forward several hundred zhang in an instant. He not only dodged the attack but also used the opportunity to close much of the distance between them. Yet, Qin Dengxiao showed no signs of panic. On the contrary, a look of absolute confidence flashed across his face.

The distance between them was already well within the attack range of a Golden Core Cultivator. Yet, Hou Shengyun only focused on the chase, holding back his attacks. There could only be one reason.

Although he had used the Fire Containing Cauldron to block the self-destruction of the outer core, his Magical Power had been severely depleted. While it wasn't as bad as having only one strike left, he certainly couldn't afford to use his power recklessly.

So, Hou Shengyun's plan was to use his superior speed to get close enough, then either finish Qin Dengxiao with a single, devastating blow or capture him with a furious barrage of attacks.

Unfortunately for his pursuer, now that Qin Dengxiao had seen through the ruse, the moment Hou Shengyun finally attacked would be the perfect opportunity for a counterattack to kill him in a single stroke.

Qin Dengxiao silently divided his attention, channeling his Magical Power to prepare a Dao skill. As a result, however, his escape speed slowed considerably, and Hou Shengyun instantly narrowed the gap.

'Oh? Is his Magical Power running out, or is he plotting something?'

The thought flashed through Hou Shengyun's mind, but he immediately suppressed it. A vicious glint shone in his eyes as he raised his hands to form a seal.

'Whatever his scheme, he's just a Refining Cultivator. Could he really flip the heavens on someone like me?'

As a disciple of the Celestial Fire Sect, even if he wasn't one of the chosen prodigies who had formed a Top-grade Golden Core, Hou Shengyun would not allow his pride to be trampled by Qin Dengxiao. He thrust his hand seal forward.

With a great roar from Hou Shengyun, a three-armed Dharma Idol seemed to materialize behind him. Two arms held a bow while the third drew the string. A hundred-zhang-long arrow of fire instantly materialized and shot forward!

At that very moment, Qin Dengxiao spun around, still maintaining his posture of drifting backward through the air. He pointed two fingers behind him and barked, "Strike!"

Azure and purple light erupted. The Shenxiao Qi Heaven-Smashing Thunder collided with the fire arrow in mid-air. For a heartbeat, time seemed to slow to a crawl, the moment of impact as clear and distinct as a bubble popping.

The overwhelming power of the fire exploded like a volcanic eruption, but the Jade Pivot Divine Thunder and the Purple Refining Divine Thunder flashed in alternation against it. One… two… ten… After a full thirty-six flashes, the Divine Thunder abruptly pierced through the fire arrow. The residual bolt of lightning arrived before Hou Shengyun's shocked and furious eyes in an instant.