Chapter 561: Zhong Shan vs. Shen Qitian

Zhong Shan stepped forward, facing Shen Qitian from a distance. Their eyes met, each radiating a cold, fierce light.

With Zhong Shan's personality, he had never thought much of Shen Qitian as an opponent. Although they had clashed many times before, Zhong Shan had never truly regarded Shen Qitian as worthy of his attention. In Zhong Shan's own words, "He doesn't deserve it." Yet, one couldn't deny Shen Qitian's extraordinary luck. From a dull, foolish youth, he had risen to become a figure of great intelligence, ruthlessness, and immense power, now a royal kin with vast influence. Each encounter brought new surprises to Zhong Shan, and this time was no different—Shen Qitian had directly advanced to the Heavenly Extreme Realm.

Heavenly Extreme Realm? The supreme of the Monkey Ape Clan, Shen Qitian? So what? Whether he acknowledged it or not, to Zhong Shan, power didn't change his disdain. This wasn't ignorance; it was a natural arrogance, a sense of superiority ingrained in Zhong Shan's very bones.

Zhao Suoxiang, despite his modest cultivation and low standing in the Divine State, was someone Zhong Shan treated as a brother. This was because Zhao Suoxiang matched Zhong Shan's temperament and had a heroic spirit and unwavering loyalty that Zhong Shan valued. Such qualities weren't determined by cultivation alone.

As for Shen Qitian, once Zhong Shan deemed someone unworthy, that judgment would never change. Zhong Shan strode forward, unafraid.

Shen Qitian, on the other hand, gazed deeply at Zhong Shan. Since the Beast Soul Seal had been lifted, the thoughts and personality of his past life's supreme being had become dominant, while the human Shen Qitian's memories had been assimilated by the old Shen Qitian. His eyes were filled with a chilling coldness. Zhong Shan seemed like a fated adversary sent by the heavens. From the moment they met, Shen Qitian's luck had turned for the worse, constantly thwarted and having his plans disrupted. This grudge had to be settled!

Shen Qitian was no longer the same as before. The cunning and stratagems of his past life had returned. He didn't underestimate Zhong Shan, who had risen to prominence in the Divine State within a few decades, founded the renowned Dazhen Dynasty, and even made a pact with Emperor Xuan Shaz. Though Shen Qitian wanted Zhong Shan dead, he approached with caution.

"Shen Qitian? Are you looking for trouble with me again?" Zhong Shan sneered.

Shen Qitian's eyes turned cold. He didn't attack immediately but tested the waters. With a stomp of his foot, a swirling mass of dark clouds appeared above him. The sky above Shen Qitian darkened suddenly.

In all directions, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, but above Shen Qitian, black clouds gathered, creating an oppressive atmosphere.

This was the power of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, the ability to create one's own 'Heaven.' Upon reaching this realm, one could influence the surroundings, creating a domain under their control. This was the strongest aspect of the Heavenly Extreme Realm.

Under the pressure of this 'Heaven,' not only could one test their opponent, but they could also impose a powerful, intimidating aura, even humiliating their opponent. Shen Qitian's 'Heaven' advanced towards Zhong Shan.

Zhong Shan responded with a cold smile and a stomp of his own foot.

"Booming thunder rolled across the sky above Zhong Shan. Dark clouds filled the heavens, and countless bolts of lightning flashed, creating an overwhelming pressure. As far as the eye could see, within ten thousand miles, the sky was filled with endless thunderclouds, with countless powerful purple lightning bolts flickering in and out. The surrounding area resonated with the sound of thunder.

This thundercloud sky formed a domain that stood in opposition to Shen Qitian's 'Heaven.'

The powerful thunderclouds clashed with Shen Qitian's dark clouds, producing a crackling noise.

"You have 'Heaven' as well?" Shen Qitian exclaimed in surprise.

Despite his cunning, Shen Qitian had never expected Zhong Shan to be this formidable. Zhong Shan's cultivation was clearly only at the Emperor Extreme Realm, yet he possessed 'Heaven,' a power only attainable by those in the Heavenly Extreme Realm. This was impossible for someone at Zhong Shan's level!

"That's not right, this is 'Heavenly Thunder Transformation,' a technique from the Divine Palace of Creation!" Shen Qitian exclaimed, finally realizing what he was up against.

Heavenly Thunder Transformation, the very technique granted to Zhong Shan by Xuan Yuan, allowed him to simulate the power of 'Heaven.' The higher the cultivation, the deeper the understanding of this powerful technique.

"Hmph!" Zhong Shan sneered.

In the sky, the boundless thunderclouds clashed with Shen Qitian's 'Heaven,' resembling a probing confrontation between two experts of the Heavenly Extreme Realm.

Understanding Zhong Shan's technique eased the tension in Shen Qitian's eyes, replaced by a cold calculation. Looking at the Emperor Extreme Realm Zhong Shan, Shen Qitian flipped his hand, producing a blue imperial seal.

"This was originally prepared as my own 'Heavenly Imperial Seal,' but my entire plan was ruined by you. I cannot establish my dynasty, but this remains a nine-grade treasure. To die under a nine-grade treasure is a great honor for you!" Shen Qitian declared coldly.

"Honor? Who lives and who dies is yet to be determined!" Zhong Shan retorted.

With a flick of his hand, Zhong Shan produced his own 'Fangtian Jade Seal' in his palm.

"Your seal is a Heavenly Imperial Seal? But you're not the ruler of a dynasty. I am the ruler of the Great Zhen Dynasty, and this is the Great Zhen Imperial Seal," Zhong Shan stated.

"Hahaha, an Imperial Seal? You think you can use an 'Imperial Seal' to clash with my 'Heavenly Imperial Seal'?" Shen Qitian laughed, his eyes full of mockery.

An Imperial Seal? How ridiculous. At most, an Imperial Seal could be a seven-grade treasure. To clash with a Heavenly Imperial Seal was like an egg hitting a rock.

Mocking laughter aside, a cold glint flashed in Shen Qitian's eyes. He tossed the Heavenly Imperial Seal into the air, transforming it into a colossal seal the size of a mountain, pressing down towards Zhong Shan.

In the hands of a Heavenly Extreme Realm expert, the full potential of the seal was unleashed. The vast power of the Heavenly Imperial Seal bore down, shaking the space below as if to annihilate everything in its path.

For the first time, everyone experienced the might of the Heavenly Imperial Seal up close.

Zhong Shan remained unfazed. He threw his Fangtian Jade Seal, which rapidly expanded to meet the Heavenly Imperial Seal, transforming into a colossal seal a fraction of its size but with an equally formidable aura.

The two seals, sensing each other from afar, seemed to provoke one another. The Heavenly Imperial Seal suddenly emitted a radiant blue light, its powerful aura pressing towards the Fangtian Jade Seal, which responded with a strong golden light.

"Boom!"

The two seals clashed in the sky, producing an earth-shattering collision.

If it had been any other Imperial Seal, it would have shattered on impact, given the difference in grades. However, after the collision, space trembled, and amidst the radiant light, both seals were knocked back, hovering distantly.

The Fangtian Jade Seal continued to shine brightly, full of fighting spirit, while the blue light of the Heavenly Imperial Seal dimmed slightly, a small crack appearing at one corner.

"How can this be? Is that an Imperial Seal?" Shen Qitian was bewildered. How could his Heavenly Imperial Seal not overpower the Imperial Seal?

That strike had the full force of a Heavenly Extreme Realm's strongest blow, yet the Heavenly Imperial Seal couldn't defeat the Imperial Seal? This was impossible.

"Hahaha, old monkey, let me enlighten you. An Imperial Seal is not merely a treasure; it is the cornerstone of a dynasty's fate. Its power is not just that of a treasure but the clash of a dynasty's fate. Without a dynasty to support you, how can you withstand my seal? A Heavenly Imperial Seal? Without a heavenly dynasty, it is merely a nine-grade treasure. My seal, however, carries the fate of my dynasty! As a mere monkey, you can never comprehend the true essence of a dynasty's fate," Zhong Shan mocked.

At the same time, the Fangtian Jade Seal emitted a golden light ten times stronger than before, pressing down once more towards the Heavenly Imperial Seal.

"Impossible! Even so, your seal can't be that resilient!" Shen Qitian shouted in disbelief, swinging his hand to command the Heavenly Imperial Seal to collide with Zhong Shan's once more.

"Suppress!" Zhong Shan shouted.

The two seals clashed again with a thunderous boom that echoed through the sky. The collision was enveloped in endless golden light, shaking the surrounding space and creating ripples that tore apart the ground below.

"Impossible! How can your seal be so resilient?" Shen Qitian cried out in shock.

Zhong Shan summoned the Fangtian Jade Seal back to him. At the point of collision, the Heavenly Imperial Seal had been shattered, dissolving into a cloud of fragments.

The Fangtian Jade Seal was extraordinarily strong. Even the Heavenly Imperial Seal couldn't withstand its might. The key was in the unparalleled quality of the Fangtian Jade Seal, forged from the most precious jade in the world and tempered with the power of the stars during the creation of the universe by the ancient god Tong Kaitian. Its strength was unmatched by any other jade in the world.

Of course, Zhong Shan wasn't about to share these details with Shen Qitian.

"Old monkey, you are no match for me. You weren't before, you aren't now, and you never will be!" Zhong Shan taunted.

If another Emperor Extreme Realm cultivator had tried to provoke Shen Qitian, he wouldn't have cared. But Zhong Shan was different. From the moment they met, Zhong Shan had overshadowed him in every aspect except cultivation, which was an unspoken realm of difference. Zhong Shan wasn't bragging; he was stating an undeniable truth, which was a profound insult.

Fury ignited in Shen Qitian's eyes as he drew out the Purple-Gold Dragon Staff.

In the past, the staff had been ineffective in the Netherworld. Shen Qitian had refrained from using it since then, feeling a vague sense of caution. But now, there was no holding back.

Seeing Shen Qitian take out the Purple-Gold Dragon Staff again, Zhong Shan felt a surge of satisfaction. He had prolonged this encounter just to see this staff, planning to exploit it to the fullest. Zhong Shan knew this staff was more than just a nine-grade treasure. Unlike typical nine-grade treasures, which required infusions of magic power to change size, this staff responded solely to Shen Qitian's thoughts. This indicated that the staff was linked to Shen Qitian's core consciousness.

"Finally bringing out your ace, old monkey?" Zhong Shan muttered to himself, ready to turn the tide in this confrontation.