Chapter 1912 - Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art

Xiang Rulong struck without warning, forcing Baili Ye to wrench himself into a hurried defense. Still committed to his own offensive, Baili Ye couldn't fathom how Xiang Rulong had slipped past it.

The sword shrieked through the air, ripping loose stones from the ground and whipping them into a savage storm that blotted out the heavens. Faced with such a devastating assault, any ordinary cultivator at the pinnacle of the True Immortal Realm would have lost their composure and succumbed to terror.

Baili Ye, however, had battled wild beasts since childhood and accompanied mercenaries across countless perilous terrains. Those brutal experiences had honed his combat instincts to an exceptional degree.

Driving his right foot forward, he carved his sword backward through a sweeping arc and intercepted Xiang Rulong's strike. Despite blocking it successfully, the tremendous impact still drove him back several steps.

Awakening his bloodline had granted Xiang Rulong immense strength, several times greater than that of ordinary True Immortal Realm cultivators. When his attack failed, he immediately withdrew and settled into a defensive stance.

"Something doesn't add up. Xiang Rulong burned through an enormous amount of immortal energy earlier, yet look at him now. He must have feigned exhaustion to mislead Baili Ye," the nearby spectators murmured, their brows knitting together.

After battling for so long, Xiang Rulong still had such abundant immortal energy that the sight defied belief.

Even the Divine Immortals in attendance struggled to decipher the battle unfolding before them. "Until the final moment passes, no one can say who will win!"

Xiang Rulong appeared trapped at a disadvantage, yet his mysterious footwork technique had already secured him an almost invincible position.

Bringing Xiang Rulong down would be anything but easy, even for Baili Ye.

Silence descended upon the Celestial Moon Dao Hall once again. The thunderous cheers from moments earlier died away, leaving only rows of solemn faces.

"Senior Brother Baili, don't let him use that footwork again!" the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's disciples beneath the arena shouted, encouraging Baili Ye to keep pressing with his attack.

"Your feet may be fast, but my sword can match them. Let's see how many more times you can slip away," Baili Ye said as he raised his sword and drew a circle through the air. Space immediately contracted around the arena, becoming several times denser than before.

The sudden pressure made it far more difficult for Xiang Rulong to execute Flash. Using the technique again would now place considerably harsher demands on both his physique and immortal energy.

"That's the Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art!" spectators cried from every direction.

Baili Ye's Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art was famous throughout the Celestial Moon Dao Hall. Even his master, Elder Gu, had failed to practice it, and rumors had it that Baili Ye had discovered the sword technique in an ancient tomb during one of his training journeys outside.

Its unfathomable profundity granted its wielder the power to manipulate the laws of heaven and earth.

A sudden roar tore from Xiang Rulong's throat as scales broke through the skin across his chest and back.

"What is happening to him? Xiang Rulong is human, so why is his body sprouting the scales of a demonic beast?" the surrounding spectators said, staring in bewilderment.

Every gaze instinctively turned toward Xiang Zicheng, for they believed he alone could provide an answer.

"A trace of the Soaring Dragon bloodline runs through the Xiang Clan. With Mentor Liu's guidance, Xiang Rulong succeeded in awakening it," Xiang Zicheng declared, pride ringing through his voice.

Understanding swept through the crowd as everyone nodded. "So that's the reason!"

With the Soaring Dragon bloodline coursing through him, Xiang Rulong could instantly double his combat strength, casting the battle's outcome deeper into uncertainty.

Xiang Rulong now resembled a bizarre fusion of human and dragon. His limbs retained their human form, but gleaming scales armored his torso and hands.

With those scales shielding his hands, Xiang Rulong cast his sword aside. His palms expanded, and the simple act of clenching his fists crushed the surrounding space with ease.

He drove his heavy frame forward and erupted with tremendous force, battering Baili Ye's attacks aside.

The collision nearly ripped Baili Ye's sword from his grasp, and surprise tightened the frown on his face.

"Now I understand why Mentor Liu chose Xiang Rulong for the final match. He must have recognized the value of his unique bloodline," someone commented.

At last, the surrounding spectators grasped Liu Wuxie's intentions. Anyone else sent into the arena might have already fallen to Baili Ye, but Xiang Rulong could withstand his attacks head-on. Every strike that found its mark rang out with a metallic clang as the scales covering his body absorbed the impact.

Without warning, Xiang Rulong surged forward and closed the distance until only ten steps separated him from Baili Ye. He drove both fists outward, unleashing a terrifying hurricane.

The violent gale scoured the ground and hurled washbasin-sized boulders straight at Baili Ye.

Xiang Rulong intended to exploit Baili Ye's weakness by using his formidable physique to drag him into close combat. If they continued trading attacks from a distance, Baili Ye would gradually wear him down. Up close, however, the battle changed entirely, and Xiang Rulong's powerful physique could force Baili Ye into a disadvantageous fight.

"What an incredible physique," astonished cries erupted as the crowd stared at Xiang Rulong in shock.

Baili Ye had no choice but to whip his sword through the air repeatedly, blasting the hurtling rocks apart one after another. Even the Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art had lost much of its effectiveness by now, and its attacks accomplished virtually nothing against Xiang Rulong's defenses.

As long as Xiang Rulong guarded his vital points, he could largely disregard everything Baili Ye threw at him.

Even so, Xiang Rulong's reckless fighting style drew troubled frowns from many spectators. None of them understood why he attacked with such desperate abandon.

"Soaring Sky!" Xiang Rulong thundered as he thrust both fists forward. An explosive tide of force erupted from them and drove Baili Ye backward.

Another retreat would carry Baili Ye straight out of the arena.

With no ground left behind him, Baili Ye could only raise his sword and meet the incoming attack head-on.

Xiang Rulong advanced like a mountain in motion. Earth-yellow immortal energy surged from his outstretched fists and assumed the shape of a dragon.

Baili Ye's sword recoiled violently, yet the blow failed to shake Xiang Rulong by even the slightest degree.

"This doesn't look good. If it keeps going, Baili Ye may lose this battle," Zhu Gaoyang warned, his expression darkening.

As an expert at the pinnacle of the Origin Immortal Realm, he could see that Baili Ye possessed no effective countermeasure against Xiang Rulong. The latter remained practically impervious to his attacks and could force his way forward regardless of what Baili Ye unleashed.

"Shameless! He's leaning on that powerful physique and brawling like a common thug," the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's students jeered at the Azure Flame Dao Hall, denouncing Xiang Rulong's fighting style.

"Your Celestial Moon Dao Hall has no right to call anyone shameless," the Azure Flame Dao Hall's students fired back, igniting a vicious war of words between the two dao halls.

As the battle climbed toward its climax, both sides eventually exhausted themselves from arguing and returned their attention to the arena.

Xiang Rulong could sustain his transformation for only a limited time, giving him no choice but to end the battle as swiftly as possible.

Baili Ye seemed to recognize that weakness. He immediately abandoned direct confrontation and adopted an evasive strategy, slipping away from every incoming attack while Xiang Rulong's fists repeatedly missed and hammered into the arena.

Another fifteen minutes passed slowly, leaving little time before the one-hour limit was over. Yet Xiang Rulong showed no sign of slowing down. His attacks only intensified as he soared into the sky like a divine dragon.

"Dragon Roar!" Xiang Rulong's invocation split the air.

Boundless immortal energy carried him aloft while dragon-shaped energy surged outward and wrapped itself around Baili Ye. No matter which direction Baili Ye chose to evade, Xiang Rulong's punch would force him into a head-on confrontation.

A deafening blast thundered across the arena. Unable to endure the violent shockwave sweeping toward them, the nearby spectators hurriedly retreated.

That shockwave alone demolished half the arena.

"Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art!" Baili Ye roared, gripping his sword with both hands. He unleashed his strongest attack, radiating a suffocating pressure as a brilliant golden sword aura ripped through the air and hurtled straight toward Xiang Rulong.

The dragon-shaped immortal energy continued detonating violently, preventing Xiang Rulong from easily breaking through Baili Ye's defenses.

The distance between them vanished at terrifying speed while the Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art tore through most of Xiang Rulong's protective energy. When the sword aura finally slammed into the dragon scales armoring his body, it shattered a large patch.

Xiang Rulong paid no heed to his wounds and continued charging toward Baili Ye.

The Celestial Moon Dao Hall had already erupted in celebration. "It's almost over! Senior Brother Baili is going to win!"

Awakening his unique bloodline might have sent Xiang Rulong's combat strength soaring, but it could not change the fact that he remained only a fifth-level True Immortal.

Across the arena, mounting anxiety gripped the Azure Flame Dao Hall. Lao Kaiyu and the others instinctively looked toward Liu Wuxie, only to find him perfectly composed, without the faintest trace of concern on his face.

Thunder exploded as Xiang Rulong took the attack head-on. Countless scales tore from his body, and blood streamed from his wounds until crimson rapidly consumed him. Still, he clenched his teeth through the agonizing pain and drove his assault onward, pouring out immortal energy in a torrent as fierce as a violent downpour.

Xiang Rulong's shout rolled across the battlefield. "Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art!"

A terrifying aura swept through the sky and made the entire Ten-Mile Slope tremble.

Liu Wuxie had personally taught Xiang Rulong this Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art.

Liu Wuxie himself dared not unleash this immortal art, as it might expose his identity. Xiang Rulong faced no such restriction, and his unique bloodline could even elevate the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art to greater heights.

Although Liu Wuxie possessed the Divine Dragon Physique, he still could not compare to a true member of the Dragon Clan.

An enormous dragon fist took shape in the sky, shocking the entire crowd the instant it appeared. Countless cultivators rose to their feet, unable to believe anyone could unleash such a monstrous punch.

Resentful stares converged upon Xiang Zicheng. "Manor Lord Xiang, you've deceived every one of us. Who would have imagined that the Xiang Manor possessed the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art?"

The Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art had vanished for countless years, yet the Xiang Manor apparently possessed it. Had Xiang Rulong not displayed it today, everyone would have remained completely unaware.

Xiang Zicheng could offer nothing but a rueful smile. He knew no more about the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art than anyone else, but circumstances left him no choice except to play along.

Speculation immediately raced throughout the venue. "Could Liu Wuxie have taught Xiang Rulong such a terrifying dragon fist?"

Mighty as the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art was, it still remained inferior to the Five Elemental Divine Palm.

Liu Wuxie could only wield the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art after advancing his bloodline even further. Xiang Rulong had forced himself to unleash it, placing an enormous burden upon his body. The slightest carelessness could cause him to suffer a backlash.

Blood painted the sky as Xiang Rulong's entire body became drenched in crimson. Baili Ye's Heavenly Transmutation Sword Art had torn through his defenses, but it had ultimately failed to kill him.

The instant Baili Ye beheld the Great Dragon Aspect Immortal Art, fear flickered through his eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, he swung his sword again and again, weaving layer upon layer of sword light into a screen before him in a desperate attempt to withstand the attack.

The enormous fist descended and engulfed the entire arena, trapping Baili Ye. He had no choice but to confront its power head-on.

"I'll destroy you!" Xiang Rulong bellowed.

His consciousness had already begun slipping away, and only sheer willpower had kept him standing until this moment.