Dao Conference Festival (5)

Chiyan Battle Arena.

Ji Bolin stared at his opponent. She had defeated the other nine competitors with great ease and he already knew her cultivation base but he still decided to double check.

Yu Xue had a cultivation base at the second level of Celestial Phenomenon. From the perspective of the younger generation of the Sky Pill World, this strength was already considered to be at the absolute peak. Once Yu Xue unleashed her full might she was even stronger as she possessed unique constellations. She was an incredibly worthy foe.

"I am Ji Bolin, let's have a good fight." Ji Bolin stomped the Battle Platform and soared through the air.

"Yu Xue." After a short and concise answer, Yu Xue also soared upwards in the air as she prepared to unleash her strength.

Yu Xue had already sensed the aura of an ascendant from her opponent as he floated through the air facing her and his aura was extremely stable unlike the three first level ascendants she had previously easily defeated — another hint at his enormous talent and possible strength.

Yu Xue waved her hands and abruptly two of her constellations appeared, instantly covering a stretch of sky.

In the skies, an incandescent divine diagram constellation appeared and within the diagram, countless shadows of fearsome divine partisans whose metallic tip had turned red from extraordinary heat could be seen, exuding a formidable might.

Below the Divine Diagram constellation there was another constellation radiating just with, if not even more, formidable might.

Coiled around Yu Xue, a massive 333m long Flood Dragon King filled with endless might manifested from her constellation, the constellation itself was in the form of many flood dragons. All of them seemingly eager to devour this entire space. The pressure they exuded was so immense that it seemed that the space was trembling due to their might.

Ji Bolin inclined his head, staring at the two constellations of his opponent. The constellations were clearly arranged in such a way that one was for offence whilst the other was for defence. They both radiated an overwhelming might and the edges of the constellations glimmered with a pure golden light.

Ji Bolin knew that this golden glow belonged to that of her astral souls. Constellations were condensed by evolving astral souls, hence, the glow of one's constellations can indicate the layer where one's astral soul was condensed from.

A rich vibrant gold indicated that both constellations were evolved from astral souls of the 6th Heavenly-Layer. These astral souls should be something she condensed after stepping into the Heavenly Dipper realm and Celestial Phenomenon Realm which meant that she only managed to form an innate connection at the 6th Heavenly Layer for her fourth and fifth astral soul. This was pretty impressive.

With a wave of her hands, Yu Xue allowed the Divine Diagram Constellation to release the multitudes of Divine Partisans sealed within it. Each and every divine partisan contained terrifying might, able to kill gods should they blocked his path.

Whenever she will it, the countless number of divine partisans would all erupt out with earth-shaking power.

Staring at Yu Xue's fight, the eyes of the crowd was filled with admiration. This kind of grandeur made the ordinary spectators sense clearly on how mighty a Celestial Phenomenon cultivator truly was.

Yu Xue's constellation was also condensed from the fusion of many true intents. Her divine partisans were not merely powerful, they were simply tyrannical yet fast as lightning and heavy as mountains. Each attack from a single partisan felt as though the skies would collapse.

Under her attacks, Ji Bolin would seemingly be forced into the passive position and could only use his speed to dodge. This much was obvious!

Divine Partisans rained down onto Ji Bolin and he instantly enveloped himself into the projection of a Heavenly Eagle as he soared through the skies at mindboggling speed.

This was an innate technique he created under the principle of 'turning decay into magic' using his experiences and insights obtained from the practice of his Tri-Beast Battle Art since the Body Refinement realm.

"Swish!" A dazzling milky white beam shot by. Ji Bolin's body transformed into a beam of light akin to a Heavenly Eagle, shooting straight at Yu Xue all whilst narrowly drifting through the rain of partisans.

But how could she let that happen so easily.

Yu Xue waved her hands once more and blasted out an attack as the light from her constellation cascaded downwards, enveloping this space. A countless number of gigantic flood dragons covered the skies blotting out light from the sun, swooping down towards Ji Bolin.

Before this, all her opponents that were grabbed by her flood dragons all failed to break free and were swiftly crushed.

The flood dragons were gigantic but not to an unprecedented degree so they were still surprisingly quick and nimble.

At the same time the rain of divine partisans had stopped as the divine diagram constellation was shrunk and transformed into a peerless divine partisan wielded by no other than Yu Xue.

The flood dragons shrouding out the sky smashed over, attempting to grab Ji Bolin's body yet they had completely no way to bind Ji Bolin's deftly movements.

Yu Xue's countenance didn't change though.

The countless number of flood dragons simply expanded, causing the light radiating from them to cover the whole space. This time, she no longer planned to bind Ji Bolin, instead, the countless flood dragons were blasting out with their maws wide open, wanting to gulp him whole.

However Ji Bolin's innate technique was too fearsome and his speed far too massive.

The dragons had no way to compete and catch up despite being lightning quick so they let out heaven-rumbling howls that spread in all directions and lacerated everything in this space — an omnidirectional attack.

Attacks like those sacrificed pure unadulterated power for the guaranteed effect of hitting the target.

But the innate technique that Ji Bolin was using had the insights from all the three stances of his Tri-Beast Battle Art. Thus, despite looking like a pure movement technique this was a complete battle art which offered great power, speed and defence.

The heaven-rumbling roars still managed to crack the Heavenly Eagle projection around Ji Bolin. He could feel a wrenching pain emanating from his soul, there was a small part of that roaring blast that touched his soul, yet this was not nearly enough to significantly slow him down.

Ji Bolin summoned his Archaic Demon Sovereign astral soul and instantly fused with it. The then released a huge amount of baleful qi from him instantly strengthened the Heavenly Eagle projection, it was now massively more powerful.

Yu Xue seeing him ripping through her numerous flood dragons with his baleful heavenly eagle technique could not help but gasp. That young man was such a powerhouse, so much so that he need not release his very own constellations to compete with her.

Unlike the rest of her group, Yu Xue's master originated from a particle world so she naturally would not despise the geniuses of these worlds. However just like every genius, she was extremely prideful and felt as if she was being looked down upon. An incomparably icy glint could be seen in her brown eyes — enough is enough!

At the same time, Ji Bolin grabbed out with his hands as an eagle claw manifested, shooting out with apocalyptic force, smashing through several of the flood dragons launched after him as he dashed towards Yu Xue.

Ji Bolin blasted out a terrible kick as the fearsome eagle penetrated right through the gigantic Flood Dragon King protecting her.

Yet Yu Xue instantly disappeared from within the coil of her Flood Dragon King by soaring through the air akin to how a dragon soars out of an abyss.

Yu Xue, making full advantage of her having the higher ground, shrunk her two constellations even further as she prepare for an upcoming allout bout.

She was now standing on the massive head of a 10 metre long Flood Dragon King wielding a 2 metre long divine partisan as she activated the power of her bloodline which materialised an ancient bronze armour on her body.

Yu Xue now appeared to be a peerless primordial War Queen riding her mighty monstrous mount. The regal aura she exuded was absolutely unreal akin to a supreme war general.

Although neither the flood dragon nor the divine partisan wasn't very big anymore, both contained the entirety of energy within Yu Xue's astral souls and constellations.

Naturally with the addition to her powerful bloodline, there was no need to doubt the might of her capabilities.

Ji Bolin sensing the growing sense of danger summoned his second astral soul, the Ancient Sword, and immediately merged with it. The Baleful Eagle Manifestation now had yet another attribute added in the form of a tyrannical sword might.

On one side through the skies, an unfettered young man inside the projection of a Baleful Sword Eagle made out of solidified astral energy. With each flap of the eagle's wings, a tempest of baleful sword qi would be launched which would then lacerate anything within its path.

In front of him, a young War Queen riding a monstrous Flood Dragon whilst wielding a divine partisan. The flood dragon king was growling and the low heaven-rumbling sound could induce inhumane wrenching pain to one's soul.

"Swisssssssssh." Ji Bolin's baleful sword eagle flapped its wings extremely violently which created a sky towering tornado of baleful sword qi directed towards Yu Xue.

The tornado travelled towards her and seemed to possess enough might to reduce the heavens into mincemeat yet Yu Xue was unmoved.

The divine partisan in her hand spun about wildly, forming an incomparably gigantic fiery wheel that spiralled with such speed that it negated all attacks. Despite the apocalyptic lacerating force behind Ji Bolin's attack, it actually withstood that and didn't shatter. This technique was undoubtedly an immortal-ranked technique.

Yu Xue then dashed towards Ji Bolin full throttle by means of her shrunk Flood Dragon King constellation.

At this moment, she sped up to reach incredulous speed. Her figure was moving so fast that she was akin to lightning or a tornado, causing whistling sounds to roar through the air wherever she passed by. Her eyes were like that of a feral beast hunting for prey, she had her eyes locked onto Ji Bolin as an icy intent flickered in her eyes.

After obtaining a spot within the top 100, she would be eligible to enter the many year long "Immortal Ascension Selection" organised by the Darknorth Immortal Dynasty. This was a chance at transcending mortality, the yearning for immortality is not something that non-cultivators could understand.

Ji Bolin was the only obstacle between her and her goals, he had to be defeated. A heaven-towering battle intent was released by her.

As she thought of this, she swooped down like a fiery bolt of lightning as a terrifying aura bored onto Ji Boling. Battle intent permeated the area as though she wanted to lacerate him into two within an instant with a single massive strike.

Yu Xue's eyes were filled with loftiness, as well as extreme sharpness.

Ji Bolin dispelled his heavenly eagle innate technique, it was obvious to him that he would not be able to triumph with only that much. Nonetheless, his two astral souls were still merged with him and he was now demonised to a great degree.

His physique had always been extremely terrifying due to the immortal ranked body refinement arts he cultivated.

Ji Bolin's body carried the capabilities of a hundred demonic beasts — Hundred Beast Refinement Sutra had a well deserved name and provided endless strength and vitality.

The Sword Transformation Manual evolved the body to be akin to a divine sword with tremendous durability, when he breaks through the Immortal Foundation realm then his body will be akin to an immortal weapon. This other body refinement technique provided endless durability.

Cultivating both techniques at once produced even more heaven-defying effects as the principle of both integrated with each other.

Ji Bolin black hair had long been turned into a crimson mane, his unfettered magenta coloured eyes were now fully crimson as well and even his skin had darkened to an unbelievable extent. His muscular torso was exposed as his top clothes were destroyed by the might exuded by his own body.

The unfettered third young master of the Ji Clan was now no less than a Young Demon King.

Yu Xue blasted out countless partisan strikes, the numerous incarnations of the strikes merged as they fled towards her target and created a huge beam of spear light.

The beam contained the composite might of lightning, gold, fire, dreamforce as well as demons. This strike was obviously a fusion of all of her true intents and astral energy from her various astral souls. It was truly overwhelming.

Ji Bolin swung his right arm, from bottom to top, in a single swift motion as a colossal amount of tyrannical sword qi exploded outwards. He carried no sword because his body was his sword.

The overbearing baleful sword qi transformed into a massive wheel of light, filled with carefully hidden devouring-type energy.

The collision between the spinning wheel of sword light and the gargantuan beam of spear light made a heaven-sizzling sound as the beam was directly sliced into twain. The divided beam of spear light could not continue to exist as it was steadily being absorbed until only the sword wheel remained.

The now bigger, stronger and more deadly fast rotating wheel of baleful sword qi continued onwards to Yu Xue.

She wanted to flee, despair filled her placid face.

There was no way for her to tank the collective might of her own attack on top of Ji Bolin's attack which had was even stronger but she could not move.

No!

It was not that she could not move but rather that any motion of hers was as hard as ascending the heavens.

An enormous constellation in the form of a massive baleful diagram covered this entire stretch of space for miles and miles around. The entrapped space had congealed, imprisoning her by slowing herself down to an unreal extent.

There was a faint stagnation might in the space and Yu Xue could barely move so she switch to the best course of action available to her aiming to do as best as she possibly could.

Yu Xue had her shrunk dragon constellation coiled around her whilst she used her divine partisan to block the incoming sword wheel. The flood dragon king surrounded her completely and Ji Bolin couldn't even tell where the head was from the tail.

It was a desperate attempt at best and consequently barely even slowed the heaven-slicing attack.

The sword wheel ripped apart the Flood Dragon King constellation and sliced the divine partisan in twain before slashing through Yu Xue bronze armour and her body.

Yu Xue fell down the skies like a broken kite and heavily fell on the battle platform, she had been completely defeated.

Lying in a pool of her own blood, she was still alive but had passed out.

Ji Bolin had dispersed the sword wheel just in time or else she would have been sliced in twain just like her divine partisan constellation.

Immediately after she lost consciousness, a shimmering immortal light washed her heavily injured body and expelled the baleful sword qi of her foe from her weakened physique.

The faint residual sword qi was like a parasite, constantly devouring her astral energy — it was truly a vicious form of energy cultivated by the winner.

Senior Tan's immortal energy contained an exuberant vitality stemming from wood attribute energy and had already completely healed Yu Xue by the time he appeared and transported her away.

"URAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!" Waves of cheers could be heard on all battle platforms as the spectators roared. It was as if they were possessed.

The heaven-rumbling noise was the expression of their joy that a genius of their particle world would be so strong.

Despite all the craziness of his fight, Ji Bolin was among the first to finish his bout. His badge number changed from '3' to '100' which indicated that he was amongst the top 100 of the competition.

Ji Bolin removed a new set of clothes from his interspatial ring as he landed on the central stone platform and sat cross legged. He simply started to meditate on the insight he gained from the fight and completely ignored anything else.

He was gone onto another round of cultivation.

A hint of appreciation flashed through Senior Tan's eyes as he could not help but reflect about the past. If he was half that dedicated towards cultivation in his youth then he surely would have been able to break through the peak of the middle stage of immortal foundation by now.

⯁⯁⯁⯁⯁

While Ji Bolin was busy digesting the various insights obtained during his combat, the second trial naturally continued.

On the various battle platforms, many ranking members of the top 30 of the first trial were still busy fighting. Those with a ranking of 31 and above had since long been defeated by the various foreign geniuses, all but a select few.

Among that few lower rankers was a young maiden carrying the badge with the number 81 and she was currently battling a young man, both were first level ascendants and for the time being could not hope to defeat each other. The 81st ranker had deployed an illusion-scape constellation. Within the area of her constellation, incarnations of her were everywhere, and her true body remained hidden behind a mirage. The young man was already trapped within her illusion-scape like a headless housefly but with his acute senses would always avoid her strikes at the last moment.

Many of the high realm spectators could not help but think that it is very rare and extremely difficult for someone at the first level of Celestial Phenomenon to condense such a constellation.

On another platform, the battlegrounds had been completely submerged in darkness and only a bloody young man standing under the illumination of a golden mountain constellation could be seen. That young man had several deep cuts all over his body and was undoubtedly trapped within Ji Yuan's Darkworld constellation.

In another battleground, calamitous bolts of lightning could be seen raining down from the skies onto a veiled maiden. This was a battle between two peerless young ladies; the number 2 ranker, Xi Wenling, versus the veiled number 1042 ranker. Xi Wenling wielded a peak 5th ranked divine weapon and used a Thunder Roc constellation whilst her opponent was using her Heavenly Zither constellation.

(A/N: 1st to 5th level Divine Weapons correspond to each realm. They are further divided into low, middle, high and peak levels. Weapons above 5th level are referred to as immortal weapons)

On a platform at the edge of the arena was one of the four young lunatics from the Skyflame sect fighting an opponent at the third level of the Celestial Phenomenon realm. Despite having a gap of two levels, the young lunatic was evenly matched with his foe. He had two constellations deployed, a Scorching Sun constellation which diffused scorching heat all around the space turning the world in a hellish underworld plus a Bright Phoenix Constellation that spawned countless divine phoenixes of various sizes onto the enemy.

Tens of battle of overwhelming intensity were being conducted throughout the several platforms. Numerous geniuses had already died, some crippled but to these remaining contestants, it did not matter.

They yearn for immortality with all of their heart and soul, so much in fact that to allow such an opportunity to go into the hands of anybody else was simply impossible.