Nine Astra Skies

Chapter 320: The Heaven Rumbling Cauldron Unleashed!

“Perhaps that youth is no match for Zong Yi?”

“That’s no wonder. With Zong Yi’s cultivation base in addition to the Storm Sword, even Mystique Venerable Rank combatants would be unable to fend off that blade!”

Just as they were discussing, there was a rumble like the furious cry of an ancient beast. A massive blade of light cut across the veil of shimmering water and split it open. There was a loud explosion and even the barrier shrouding the training grounds seemed to shudder.

My goodness, what boundless power. Was it two Heavenly Venerable Rank fighters battling?

Whether it was Zong Yi or Ye Chen, they were undoubtedly the most preeminent, exceptional fighter among the younger generation. They were destined to stand at the apex of the continent in the future. Today, their showdown represented the conflict between two peak-powerhouses-to-be!

“Boom boom boom”– the intense sounds of fighting came from above. Blasts of Celestial Chi clashed and collided. After the veil of water and light fell apart, two figures flashed swiftly through the sky. Their movements were swift to the extreme, and the blades flashed and danced.

Ye Chen brandished the Blue Dragon Dagger to block Zong Yi’s strike. He punched using his left fist. The armguard flickered with blazing light and released a pillar of fire. Any blow from Ye Chen’s left arm would contain power on par with Crimson Clouds Searing Skies. Zong Yi did not expect Ye Chen could be this fast. The moment Ye Chen blocked the attack with his right hand, his left hand was unleashing such a tyrannical technique at the same time. There was no time to evade.

With a loud slam, Ye Chen’s fist crashed into Zong Yi’s body and the fire pillar submerged Zong Yi.

“Zong Yi has lost?”

“After being hit directly by such a formidable technique, even if he’s’ not dead, he’ll be crippled!”

Ye Rou looked up into the sky. Her hands clenched tight, sweat dripping down her palms. She kept praying for Ye Chen, hoping he would win. When she saw how the flames from Ye Chen’s attack had swallowed Zong Yi, she felt relief. Had he won?

Just a while ago, Big Brother Ye Chen’s cultivation base was only Ninth Level but today, he was already able to fight an expert like Zong Yi. As for herself, Ye Rou seemed to have become Ye Chen’s burden. A determined look flashed in her eyes. One day, she must be as strong as Big Brother Ye Chen.

A sweep of water extended through the sky. Ye Rou’s heart squeezed tightly and she stared up disbelievingly.

The three Mystique Venerable Rank elders from the House of Storms sat there, unruffled.

“The young lord of our House of Storms won’t fall so easily.” One of them smiled faintly.

The flames enveloping Zong Yi were extinguished. Zong Yi was cloaked in a blue veil of water as if wearing blue armor.

“My Storm Armor isn’t so easily broken. With the Storm Sword, my Storm Armor’s effect has increased a few times at least. You can’t possibly break my Storm Armor. Surrender!” Zong Yi huffed coldly. Around the sweep of water, threads of Water-type Celestial Chi formed into models of the Storm Sword. There were more than ten Storm Swords condensed from Water-type Celestial Chi surrounding him. “You should be proud that you can force my hand to this extent. I’ll let you taste the hereditary secret technique of my House of Storms! Storm Secret Technique – Water Spirit Sword Technique!”

The dozen or so Storm Swords materialized from Water-type Celestial Chi each split into three, casting shadows over the land and zooming toward Ye Chen.

“The Storm Armor is unbreakable?” Ye Chen gave a cold, carefree smile. Two Celestial Chi Flying Daggers had appeared in his hands. “Whoosh whoosh”– the two Celestial Chi Flying Daggers sped toward Zong Yi.

Using Celestial Chi to form weapons was an ancient technique. To think that Ye Chen would know it. When Zong Yi saw the two Celestial Chi Flying Daggers heading toward him, he pointed with his right hand. Ten Storm Swords condensed from Water-type Celestial Chi converged upon the two Flying Daggers.

Those Storm Swords crashed into Ye Chen’s Celestial Chi Flying Daggers and exploded with loud bangs. Even so, the Celestial Chi Flying Daggers did not falter at all, flying toward Zong Yi. Zong Yi turned pale with fright. Those Celestial Chi Flying Daggers were even stronger than his Storm Swords!

Seeing that the Celestial Chi Flying Daggers would hit him soon, Zong Yi quickly dodged. Those Celestial Chi Flying Daggers could shatter his Storm Swords made from Water-type Celestial Chi. Naturally, they could pierce his Storm Armor! Zong Yi fled pathetically. Those Celestial Chi Flying Daggers suddenly curved in the air, trailing him closely.

Ye Chen controlled the Celestial Chi Flying Daggers to pursue Zong Yi. He was about to slay Zong Yi when the remaining twenty Storm Swords in the air sliced toward him like a rain of blades. If Ye Chen continued manipulating the Celestial Chi Flying Daggers, those Storm Swords would hit him directly!

“Count yourself lucky. Explode!” Ye Chen cried out. The Celestial Chi Flying Daggers, close to hitting Zong Yi, suddenly exploded. “Bang bang”– a forceful wave of Celestial Chi blasted Zong Yi in the back. The Storm Armor emitted its ripples, defusing part of the impact, but some of it landed upon Zong Yi’s back. He spat out blood and fell forward dozens of meters.

Seeing the rain of swords descending upon him, Ye Chen growled furiously and circulated his Celestial Chi, slamming down his right hand.

Black Turtle Guard!

Celestial Chi spread all around. The gigantic halo of a turtle appeared around Ye Chen, looking lofty and magnificent, filled with the worldly, ancient aura of distant eras.

Streaks of light shot past.

Those Storm Swords, made from Water-type Celestial Chi, slammed into the massive turtle halo and exploded, turning into a scattering of rain.

Under the heavy storm of swords, the turtle halo simply sent out rings of light, undamaged in the slightest.

Everyone stared at the sky, noticing the enormous turtle of light. They wore disbelieving expressions. What martial art technique was this? Even Zong Yi’s secret sword technique could not even scratch it?

Everyone, including Zong Yi, was seeing Ye Chen with new eyes.

With an incomparably profound martial art technique like this, there was no way to evaluate its tier.

The three Mystique Venerable Rank elders from the House of Storms stood up from their seats, endlessly astonished. That was the House of Storms’ hereditary secret technique, Water Spirit Sword Technique! This Water Spirit Sword Technique could only be cultivated by those with unique attributes. In the past, all those who could cultivate the Water Spirit Sword Technique successfully were fighters of exceptional talent in the House of Storms. The technique was known to be unstoppable. Although Zong Yi’s cultivation base was still lacking and the resulting power was not complete, killing most beginner Mystique Venerable experts should not be a problem!

However, the Water Spirit Sword Technique was blocked by this martial art technique of unknown name. Could this turtle halo be some secret super technique?

When they looked toward Zong Yi, Ye Chen’s dual Celestial Chi Flying Daggers had suddenly exploded and the resulting impact had injured Zong Yi. Zong Yi’s clothes were now tattered and he looked pitiful. The Storm Armor over his body had also dimmed somewhat.

‘This is impossible. I can’t possibly lose!’ Zong Yi roared in his heart. Both of his ultimate techniques – the Storm Armor, which was impenetrable to techniques at the same level, had been broken by one younger than him and the secret sword technique he was so proud of had been effectively blocked. His lifelong pride as the number one fighter among the Central Empire’s youth was now shattered totally.

Ye Rou looked up toward Ye Chen, unable to help but feel astounded. She knew that it was only one short year since Ye Chen’s meridian channels had recovered. In this period, what had happened to him? Ye Chen’s abilities had reached an attainment level that was unimaginable to her.

Mu Dongyuan and the other Mystique Venerable Rank experts from the Stygian Sect and the Oracle Sect felt a jolt in their hearts. It looked like this young man truly had great origins. Whether it was the Celestial Chi Flying Dagger or that turtle halo, they must be secret super techniques. Without a significant background, one could not inherit techniques like these. It was not surprising that the Leo King would gift the token to Ye Chen!

“Tsk tsk, this sword technique of yours is too flimsy. A silly trick like that is worthy of being a secret technique?” Ye Chen was not holding back with his words as he viciously attacked Zong Yi’s frail morale.

When Zong Yi heard Ye Chen’s words, he felt an urge to vomit blood.

“My Black Turtle Guard is an ancient, inherited technique. How can it be broken by your garbage sword technique? Even if you wield this sh*t Water Spirit Sword Technique fifty times, it’ll barely scratch the surface of the Black Turtle Guard!” Ye Chen was merciless. Under the attack of this Water Spirit Sword Technique, the Black Turtle Guard was only a tiny bit worn. Its formidability had far exceeded Ye Chen’s expectations.

This was the Celestial Martial Chi, a World Spirit. Ye Chen’s current Celestial Chi cultivation base was still top Heavenly Venerable Rank. If he had reached the Mystique Venerable Rank, even super fighters at Godly Venerable Rank would be unable to break it easily.

When they heard Ye Chen’s words, the masters of the various sects felt their faces heating up. If the Water Spirit Sword Technique was simply garbage, then what about the ultimate techniques of their sects?

“You!” Zong Yi was so angry his face looked like a beetroot. He wanted to charge at Ye Chen but was presently injured seriously whereas Ye Chen was completely unharmed. He had no way to break past Ye Chen’s secret technique and thus was unable to defeat Ye Chen!

“Whatever tricks you have, you’d better use them quickly. Is this all the House of Storms is good for? I think you’d better go home and drink a few years more of milk. With just this morsel of a cultivation base, you’re called the number one fighter of the Central Empire’s youth? The standards of the Central Empire have fallen, huh. And you want to marry Little Rou! It’s like a toad dreaming of eating swan meat!” Ye Chen used his contemptuous eyes to glare at Zong Yi.

When Zong Yi heard this, he trembled all over in rage. Throughout his life, was he ever ridiculed in this manner?

“I’m pissed off now, you must die!” Zong Yi roared to the sky and soared up. The spirit gate, life gate, and the rest of the eight significant acupuncture points of his body erupted, sending out spurts of blood.

The blood mist diffused all around and Zong Yi’s cloak of water turned blood-red. An overpowering aura surged to the heavens as if it wanted to break through the firmament.

That soaring, bloody light stupefied the experts of the various sects down below. What martial art technique was Zong Yi wielding that could be so fearsome? That soaring, crimson ray had outlined Zong Yi like he was a demonic god.

“Could this be some secret technique again?”

“What an overpowering energy!”

Everyone turned white with shock, never expecting the House of Storms to have such a potent secret technique.

When the three Mystique Venerable elders of the House of Storms noticed the bloody aura sweeping through the sky, they looked at each other in horror.

“Oh no, the young lord is using the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword!”

“This secret technique is metaphorically a double-edged sword. If anything happens to the young lord, we’ll have no way of explaining!” One of the Mystique Venerable elders looked at Ye Zong and shouted, “Ye Zong, quickly open up the barrier over the training grounds. Otherwise, if something happens to the young lord of our House of Storms in your Scarlet Flame Sect, we’ll make you pay with the Scarlet Flame Sect’s demise!”

When Ye Zong heard this, his heart throbbed and trembled. He commanded, “Mountain-shielding Formation, withdraw!”

The restrictive spell over the tournament grounds gradually diminished, almost fully dispelled.

When everyone saw the scene of the blood-red, towering light, they could not help but shudder.

Ye Rou, Ye Zhanlong, Ye Meng, Ye Xuan, Little Wingsy, the elders of the Stygian Sect and the Oracle Sect, and even Earl Yunyan became nervous, especially the elders of the two sects and Earl Yunyan. They had heard of stories regarding the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword and knew of its fearsomeness.

Was Zong Yi going to take down Ye Chen along with him?

Ye Chen looked up at Zong Yi who was high in the sky and frowned slightly. What technique was Zong Yi unleashing now? This surging bloody radiance made Ye Chen more serious.

Zong Yi’s eyes had turned blood-red, like a demon from hell. He raised the Storm Sword high over his head. The sword had turned into a dark red sword and crimson Celestial Chi swirled along with the Storm Sword. The sword energy shot into the sky, forming an enormous sword dozens of meters high.

“Blood Feather Heavenly Sword!” Zong Yi screamed in fury and slashed down upon Ye Chen. That massive blood sword practically split the sky into two.

An incomparably overwhelming pressure descended upon the world. Ye Chen suddenly found that he was frozen in place. The trajectory of the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword was swift. Even if he managed to struggle free, he would be unable to escape the attack range of the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword.

If Ye Chen was caught in this slash, he would surely die!

“All or nothing!” Ye Chen mobilized the Flying Dagger in his mind, wildly channeling Celestial Chi into the Celestial Martial Chi in his right palm. Immense energy extended outward and the turtle halo around Ye Chen swelled up several sizes.

The colossal Blood Feather Heavenly Sword slashed onto Ye Chen’s Black Turtle Guard. Rumble – it was like the world was breaking apart. The entire mountain which housed the Scarlet Flame Sect also quaked a few times in response.

Ye Chen could sense the attack of the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword which was like heavenly might. The turtle halo surrounding him started to shudder violently, gradually thinning. It was going to shatter soon.

“What an incredible sword!” Ye Chen felt that forceful energy hitting him in the chest. His Chi and blood boiled over and blood trickled from his mouth.

“I want you dead!” Zong Yi’s eyes were blood-red as he screamed maniacally, frantically pushing the Blood Feather Heavenly Sword to press downward.

The turtle halo around Ye Chen started to split open as cracks grew all over its surface like a cobweb. If the Black Turtle Guard had shattered and the gigantic blood sword cut down, Ye Chen would not even be left as a corpse!

“My boy, if this goes on you’ll be done for!” Within the Heavenly Astra Seal, Master Lion’s voice rang out faintly.

“Master Lion, now isn’t the time for cynical remarks. Help me figure out a plan,” Ye Chen said anxiously, forcefully holding up the Black Turtle Guard so that it would not break.

Ye Chen could feel that the Black Turtle Guard was increasingly drained. From its peak state, it was used up until half was left, then until less than one-tenth was left. It was about to fracture. At this point, it was not the right time to condense his Astral Body for battle either.

“There’s no other way. Pull out your Heaven Rumbling Cauldron!”

Heaven Rumbling Cauldron? Ye Chen frowned slightly. How should he use the Heaven Rumbling Cauldron amid a battle? Still, Ye Chen trusted what Master Lion had said. With his left hand, he took out the Heaven Rumbling Cauldron.

“Heaven Rumbling Cauldron, go!” Ye Chen grunted softly. The Heaven Rumbling Cauldron flew up into the air and revolved incessantly, growing in size. It was two, three meters tall and weighed tens of thousands of kilograms, barreling toward the massive Blood Feather Heavenly Sword in the sky.

With a thunderous explosion, the two items collided. The Heaven Rumbling Cauldron glowed brightly and burned all over with scorching, lively flames. The flames turned into a frightening ancient mystical beast that circled and fluttered around the Heaven Rumbling Cauldron. That rumbling droning sound was like a great bell, resounding across the land.