Chapter 570 - 521: Gold Element Path

Chapter 570: Chapter 521: Gold Element Path

"A Body Refining Cultivator?"

The Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede’s arrival was immense. Golden light flashed within the black demonic wind as it swept the river’s water up into the sky.

Half its body emerged from the demonic wind, its countless legs waving. Silver threads seemed to fall, carving the area into a grid. An inexplicable restraining force suddenly filled the space.

"It doesn’t matter if you’re a Cultivator from the Great Sun Saint Sect or the Dragon Tree Sect. The death of a Mid-Stage Nascent Soul is enough to deal your sect a crippling blow!"

The two Sects the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede mentioned were both famous in the Cultivation Realm for Body Refining. The Great Sun Saint Sect, in particular, had once produced a Great Power who was a Body Cultivator at the Divinity Transformation Realm.

It was rumored that this expert had crossed the Outer Sea with his physical body alone, journeying to a world beyond its furthest reaches.

Demon Beasts were different from Cultivators. They didn’t cultivate a Nascent Soul or refine a personal domain. Thus, even a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon possessed no Grotto Heaven Power to speak of.

This was also why a Tier Four Low-Grade Demon Beast could usually suppress Early-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivators, while the strength of a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon and a Great True Monarch was generally evenly matched.

Without the suppressive effect of a Grotto Heaven Prototype, a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon could only achieve a similar effect by relying on Bloodline Divine Techniques or Secret Treasures of the Demon Race.

The Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede was naturally sensitive to the Power of Space. When activated, its ability to lock down the void was no weaker than that of a Grotto Heaven Prototype.

It would be no simple task for Bai Zichen to escape this sealed space.

"The Star River turns, sun and moon rise and fall, their brilliance shining upon the world..."

Bai Zichen didn’t bother replying. He sat down cross-legged in mid-air and immediately deployed the Star River Sword Array.

’A Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon that also possesses a Desolate Beast bloodline... who knows how many Divine Techniques it has inherited?’

’Only by using the Star River Sword Array will I be safe enough.’

Nascent Soul Xiaobai leaped from his Mud Ball Palace and slapped the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box. Twelve Flying Swords transformed into streaks of Sword Light, soaring into the heavens.

Light and darkness flickered across the world. The Sword Array was complete, trapping the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede directly inside.

Whether one was a Great True Monarch or a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon, the Star River Sword Array was like a giant millstone, grinding any prey caught within to nothingness.

And yet, the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede truly believed ’Ziwei Star Star Monarch’ was a Body Refining Cultivator, calmly preparing to crush its opponent with raw physical strength.

It never expected the Human Race Nascent Soul across from it to whip out a Sword Array, giving it no time to prepare any defenses.

’The Qing Emperor Longevity Sword is reserved for the Dragon Monarch. You’re not worthy of it... Since you’re inside, you might as well enjoy the experience.’

Nascent Soul Xiaobai and his main body both closed their eyes, their consciousness sinking into the Sword Array as the twelve stars began to circulate.

Three of the stars were enormous, while the other nine appeared somewhat smaller.

The Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede’s originally astonishing size was dwarfed within the array, making it seem minuscule.

Endless starlight rained down, like a perpetual meteor shower.

"You practice the Sword Dao in addition to Body Refining? Just who are you?!"

The Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede was both shocked and enraged. The demonic wind churned, swelling to intercept the starlight.

After less than two rounds, the wind was blasted apart, and the centipede was forced to endure the attacks with its physical body.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

As expected of a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon, the Star Sword Light didn’t leave the slightest mark on its body. It was completely unscathed.

But the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede still felt a sliver of unease, for the Star Sword Light was truly endless.

One wave ended only for another to begin, with no pause for breath or adjustment.

Even a Late-Stage Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator could not maintain such a high-intensity offensive.

Furthermore, trapped beneath a boundless starry sky, it didn’t even know where to aim a counterattack.

It spat several beams of golden light toward the twelve stars overhead, which crossed the seemingly endless starry sky at near-teleportation speed.

But in the instant before impact, the stars shifted from utter stillness to frantic motion, swapping positions in a flash.

Bai Zichen was no rookie activating the Star River Sword Array; he had long since patched up the Sword Array’s only weakness.

The stars, formed from Tier Four Flying Swords, were as sturdy as Tier Five items within the array. A mere Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon couldn’t possibly break them.

The golden light was blocked, and several sharp limb fragments clattered to the ground. Refined from parts of the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede’s own forelimbs, they possessed astonishing killing power.

Had they been Tier Three Flying Swords, they would likely have been pierced through.

This process repeated, and each of the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede’s counterattacks was calmly intercepted.

Several hours later, the Starry Sky Sword Intent filled every inch of the world. The Star Sword Light doubled in density, and each streak now carried a hint of Sword Intent.

CRACK!

A leg snapped off. Even the powerful body of a Desolate Beast seemed weak and helpless before a Sword Array that wielded something akin to Heaven and Earth’s Great Power.

A quarter of an hour later, three legs were severed in succession, spraying dark green blood.

But in that short amount of time, the first leg had already grown back.

Aside from being a little shorter, it looked completely normal.

’Immortal Body...’

Bai Zichen himself had refined the Immortal Cave True Bone, so he knew exactly how difficult it was to deal with a Demon Beast that possessed an Immortal Body.

This giant centipede, in particular, possessed a Desolate Beast bloodline, making its physical body several times stronger than that of other Demon Beasts.

’If I hadn’t broken through to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Realm, I’d have to wonder if I could even grind this Great Demon down before my True Essence ran out.’

’Too many experts are gathering on both sides of the Jishui. This might attract the Dragon Monarch... Delays could lead to complications. I need a method for a swift, decisive kill.’

Bai Zichen then discovered another shortcoming of the Star River Sword Array—or perhaps it couldn’t be called a shortcoming—

Beating a Tier Four Top-Grade Great Demon to the point where it couldn’t fight back, all while at the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Realm, was already an astonishing feat.

But considering that the opponents he provoked were always a realm above his own, the Star River Sword Array’s burst damage seemed somewhat lacking.

When facing a Great Demon with an Immortal Body like the Thousand-Legged Golden Centipede, the fight easily devolved into a battle of attrition. It became a question of whether the Immortal Body would be worn down first, or if the one maintaining the array would run out of True Essence.