Chapter 554 365: Just a Golden Core, Not a Daoist Embryo—What Is There to Fear?!

The vast sea flows eternally, with water mist lingering in the sky.

Within a territory of verdant green, four figures exuding deep, terrifying auras were in a standoff.

Above each figure's head, an anomaly floated, filled with peculiar Dao Charm.

One of them had a golden Great Sun suspended above his head, radiating dazzling light, with intense flames from which sword qi capable of piercing the celestial vault emerged.

Another had a vast sea flowing atop his head, with boundless water light surging within, carrying an aura that sweeps through heaven and earth.

These were Master Yunyang and Master Cangming.

Opposite them, a youth with a face so handsome it seemed almost demonic was sitting cross-legged on the water, eyes closed, silent, with nine crimson flames atop his head transforming into the form of a dog's head dragon body, coiling incessantly.

Beside the youth, there was a middle-aged cultivator with a pale face, dressed in a crane cloak.

The middle-aged cultivator was likewise silent, sitting cross-legged with a white bone lotus radiating brilliantly over his head.

None of the four spoke, but within the Vast Sea Realm, an intangible Dao Charm Spiritual Mechanism trembled without rest; if any Golden Core Cultivator were present, they might inadvertently be ground to dust.

This was a bout of Magical Combat devoid of any grand clamor.

Yet if there were a Daoist Embryo Cultivator present, they could perceive certain anomalies.

Master Yunyang and Master Cangming stood with hands behind their backs, at ease, whereas the Nine Flames Demon King and Master Guzhai could only sit cross-legged, with waves of Spiritual Qi surging beneath them, obviously relying on external forces.

A clear distinction was made.

But as time passed, a look of seriousness appeared on Master Yunyang's face.

Calculating with his fingers, he immediately frowned. "Half a day has passed; if nothing goes awry, the Jiuyi Profound Demon Array should have been broken..."

Upon hearing this, Master Cangming's expression also changed slightly.

"Nine Flames, Guzhai, what have you done?"

Master Cangming immediately coldly addressed the two before him.

But the Nine Flames Demon King and Master Guzhai remained silent, giving no answer.

"It seems the matter of breaking the array has encountered an unexpected change..."

Seeing this, Master Yunyang sighed slightly, feeling a bad premonition arise in his heart.

"Nine Flames, Jiuyi Mountain is mine for the taking this time; if you dare harm my sect's disciples, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"

With a stern look, Master Cangming coldly said to the Nine Flames Demon King.

"To wage war on a mountain and break a sect is a life-and-death battle; how could one hold back?"

Upon hearing this, the Nine Flames Demon King finally raised his head to speak, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He knew well that his Human Body Dharma Embryo must have taken action already.

If he could hold out for just half a day more, he could escape; by then, relying on the grand array, who could take Jiuyi Mountain from him?

Seeing this, Master Yunyang said nothing more, but simply reached into his robe and took out a dark-colored scale.

Upon seeing this scale, the previously calm Nine Flames Demon King's expression changed slightly, and he couldn't help but cry out, "Demon King Flood Dragon?!"

"Nine Flames, there's still time to stop now!"

Holding the scale, Master Yunyang's expression was indifferent as he spoke again.

This scale was none other than the heart and spirit sacrificial item of the Tier Four Ink Flood Dragon from the Nine Rivers Marsh.

Once crushed, no matter the distance, the Old Ink Flood Dragon would sense it.

He had already agreed with the Old Ink Flood Dragon that once the scale was crushed, the Old Ink Flood Dragon would immediately travel via the Transmission Array from thousands of miles away to assist him in taking over Jiuyi Mountain.

No one knew that the Ink Flood Dragon Deep Pool, which should be a sworn enemy of the Cyan Peak Daoist School, was already his secret ally.

This was his greatest confidence in attacking Jiuyi Mountain and his last trump card.

However, the Old Flood Dragon was in the crucial period of shedding its skin and was extremely weak. Unless absolutely necessary, the Old Flood Dragon had cautioned him not to crush the scale.

But now, the matter of the sect disciples breaking the array had gone awry, and the conquest of Jiuyi Mountain seemed at risk of failure, which he absolutely could not tolerate, leaving him no choice but to crush the scale.

"Success or failure remains unknown, Yunyang, don't be too complacent too soon!"

Seeing the scale, the Nine Flames Demon King felt a slight alarm, but in the next moment, a cold smile appeared on his face.

Having drawn the bow, there was no turning back.

Begging for mercy and withdrawal at this point, how could it be in time?

What of the Tier Four Flood Dragon? As long as the Human Body Dharma Embryo could thwart the two sects' plan to sabotage the grand array, even another Demon King could not break the array?

...

...

"Boom!"

Black lightning and dark rain, with masses of pitch-black Demon Clouds swirling menacingly, danced in the air.

Gusts of cold wind, chilling to the bone, surged tide-like from between heaven and earth, seeming to wish to freeze the souls of all living creatures.

Gu Yuan's Escape Light flickered, and when he reappeared, the scene before him was one of doomsday.

This place already had Netherworld phenomena.

The Divine Thought of an average Late Stage Golden Core Cultivator, upon probing slightly, would be frozen alive by the fierce Yin Qi.

"Bang!"

But Gu Yuan, courageous and skillful, was unafraid, his Divine Thought shining brilliantly, with an unmatched intent, piercing through Demon Cloud and Yin Wind, surveying this realm in an instant.

This realm, merely a bit over ten thousand feet in size, was just right for a Golden Core Cultivator's Magical Combat, with no mountains or rivers within, only a pool of "Eyes of the Nether Spring" emitting layers of Yin Qi, seemingly inexhaustible.

Within the Demon Cloud, an illusory Divine Soul was trapped by the cloud; without the protection of verdant spiritual light, it would have long since turned to dust.

And beneath this Demon Cloud, there lay a mass of grey "Spirit Pearl."

Within the Spirit Pearl was tumultuous, river-like surging Fire Attribute Magical Power.

At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared under the Demon Cloud, reaching out to pick up the "Spirit Pearl," continuously toying with it.