Chapter 589: Chapter 587: The Protagonists Are the 100,000 Immortal Soldiers of the Past

Xiao Ming erupted.

He exploded with madness, his aura like a rainbow piercing the sky!

The Divine Image Seven-Star Sword Array swept through the void, myriad phenomena danced, seven stars reflected in the heavens!

Terrifying Sword Intent transformed into a tidal storm of blades, rampaging through the shifting void.

Clutching the Five-Colored Celestial Rainbow Ruler, he resembled the god of the five elements, unleashing the power of his inner spirit to the extreme.

His presence, without exaggeration, had already reached the level of the Divine Firmament!

Yet he had not crossed that final threshold!

All directions trembled, sweeping all before him without restraint!

Facing the Sword Immortals of the Desolate Heaven Sword Sect was like slicing melons and chopping vegetables.

Xu Yang wasn’t idle either.

Recklessly unleashing ancient Evil Qi, he fixed his position with Spirit Marks.

This world had already become a dueling arena for the two of them, each displaying their divine techniques.

"This guy’s strength is still greater than mine!"

"Relying on ancient Evil Qi, I can’t hold out for long!"

Xu Yang watched Xiao Ming’s movements out of the corner of his eye, forcing himself to calm his shaken heart as the Spirit Marks above his head spun restlessly.

His vision was already blood-red.

Chasing the flow of Qi, wherever the blade pointed!

At the same moment, Xu Yang was condensing another Life Fire Elixir inside himself.

At a certain instant.

As his physical body nearly recovered, Xu Yang ferociously shook the Tripod of Heaven and Earth once more.

Ancient Evil Qi surged forth yet again.

He dashed like lightning, his whole body surrounded by Evil Qi as blades, rampaging with reckless fury.

Even the Sword Immortals struggled to withstand it.

One after another, Sword Immortals fell.

After this blow, Xu Yang panted heavily, the hunt slowed.

Xiao Ming wasn’t comfortable either.

Outsiders thought the two were effortlessly crushing everything, but in truth each attack was a full-power burst, draining them fiercely!

But at this moment, who could concede defeat!

Even while forcing themselves, they had to keep going!

"First place is mine!"

"From birth, I was destined to become number one in the Spirit Path, and in the future, number one in the Immortal Dao as well!"

"You think you’re worthy to compete with me?"

Xiao Ming’s face twisted with ferocity, his Five Elements Spirit surged even higher.

Boom!

A sudden, earth-shattering roar erupted in the distance.

Xiao Ming looked up, his pupils contracting.

He saw dozens of elixirs erupting, unleashing a terrifying storm of destruction, merging with a vast blade storm, instantly annihilating over a hundred Sword Immortals.

"You bastard!"

Xiao Ming cursed through clenched teeth, his whole body erupting with Five-Colored Spirit Light.

The sword array beneath him suddenly collapsed, dissolving into a vast energy that poured into his body.

"Five Elements Heaven’s Fury!"

Xiao Ming roared toward the heavens, his figure expanding, exploding in a sweeping wave of Five-Colored Spirit Light, flooding half the Desolate Heaven Sword Sect’s gates.

He transformed into a towering giant, cloaked in five-hued spiritual armor, wielding the Five-Colored Celestial Rainbow Ruler—charging skyward, pressing down to the depths below!

Five-colored clouds and mists stormed the heavens, the immortal glow surged like tidal waves, earth, water, wind, fire and light and dark all spun—he seemed to capture all of creation in his grasp, transforming endlessly.

He was like a peerless celestial deity on the move, all directions trembling in fear, no one could stop him!

The gathered experts gasped for breath, their spirits anxious and shaken!

In that moment, Xiao Ming seemed to have truly stepped into the Immortal Dao, becoming a supreme celestial god!

All the geniuses stifled, even the Divine Firmament’s mighty trembled!

"Xiao Ming, truly the undisputed number one genius of the Spirit Path!"

"Since his birth, first place has been his destiny, no one can stand in his way!"

"Xu Yang? Compared to Xiao Ming, he’s nothing but a whetstone; the stronger Xu Yang gets, the more astonishing Xiao Ming’s transformation will be!"

The elders of the Five Elements Celestial Realm were all jubilant, waving their arms and stamping their feet, as if witnessing the revival of a founder and the fulfillment of ancient hopes—they could barely contain their excitement.

Xiao Ming stood tall and imposing, his cold eyes glancing down.

Xu Yang froze to his core, his spirit shrouded in silence!

Those eyes made his hair stand on end.

Only now did he truly realize that, if he clashed with Xiao Ming, he would stand no chance.

He still needed more accumulation and transformation!

At the very least, he needed to pass three more trials and rely on the advantage of Purest Essence Qi and Heaven Locking Intent before he could match up!

What a monstrous freak!

Even with Immortal Dao inheritance, he couldn’t stand up to Xiao Ming.

If not for himself, Xiao Ming would have already had no one to rival him!

In the future, he was destined to become the Spirit Realm’s leader, the Spirit Path’s supreme, transcending all, attaining the ultimate Immortal Dao!

His fortune was mighty, his strength unrivaled!

A figure like him—unless the heavens themselves upheaved, he’d be impossible to defeat.

"Five Elements Celestial Realm began cultivating such an unparalleled prodigy the moment Xiao Ming was born!"

"What a grand ambition!"

Xu Yang clenched his fists, forcing down his racing heart.

"Kill!"

Xiao Ming roared again, a palm covering the heavens!

The towering giant, one hand suppresses the immortals!

Boom!

The mountain gates shattered, the giant peaks cracked wide open, structures and temples were reduced to ash under a single palm.

The Sword Immortals fled in panic, but none could escape that grasp!

One by one, they collapsed and perished.

Suddenly.

The world froze, eight directions fell silent!

All sounds vanished without a trace!

Xu Yang’s whole body shuddered, his eyes bulging—he felt his body was completely out of his own control.

What was happening?

Xu Yang inhaled sharply, a chill running down his spine.

In his sight, everything was crumbling in utter silence.

Even the giant palm, which had not fully crushed downward, was melting away inch by inch.

He even saw the undisguised shock and terror on Xiao Ming’s face.

Swoosh!

The Desolate Heaven Sword Sect shattered, countless Sword Immortals vanished without a trace.

At the same moment, Xu Yang felt he could move his body again.

Chaos surged like a violent tide.

"What just happened?"

"Damn, why did all the enemies disappear?"

"Could the Immortal in the training tower have intervened?"

"The trial isn’t finished—what is this supposed to mean?"

...

The crowd was full of suspicion and confusion.

Just then, a solemn voice echoed across the heavens and earth.

"The trial is over!"

"Those who survived will be bathed in immortal energy—commencing in one quarter hour!"

"Now, based on the enemies you killed, your ranking will be decided!"

As those words faded, everyone looked at each other blankly.

"It’s over? Just like that?"

"But clearly, we hadn’t killed everything yet..."

"Wait, I think I get it now. Everything here is a manifestation from the past, we’re merely accidental outsiders who replaced some of the Immortal Soldiers!"

"Back then, there were a hundred thousand Immortal Soldiers here—just imagine how strong they really were!"

"It’s beyond anything we can conceive."

"It looks like we hadn’t finished killing, but in reality, everything’s already dead!"

...

Xu Yang jolted, waking with sudden realization.

So that’s it!

A month in this place, sunk in too deep; he’d forgotten it was all just a hollow manifestation!

He wasn’t the protagonist, nor was Xiao Ming!

No one from the Spirit Realm here was truly the protagonist!

The real protagonists were those hundred thousand Immortal Soldiers who fell countless ages ago!

"Then what about first, second, third—those rankings..."

Xu Yang’s expression shifted.

If this guess was right, they didn’t even qualify to be ranked!

And even if qualified, how could they compare with those mighty Immortal Soldiers?

"Damn it, that means all we’ll get is a bath of immortal energy!"

"All my struggle against Xiao Ming, everyone competing, was just a joke—it was all for nothing!"

Xu Yang’s face showed a bitter smile.

Really, the lure of Immortal Dao clouded everyone’s judgment.

They all forgot these crucial facts!

Xiao Ming clearly thought of this too; his face turned ashen and uncertain.

Xu Yang sighed, giving up all hope, and picked up his Immortal Soldier Token to look.

"Four hundred ninety-one!"

An astonishing number!

"Xiao Ming, how about you?"

Xu Yang openly displayed his token, turning to Xiao Ming.

"Hiss, four hundred ninety-one!"

"That’s some terrifying kill speed!"

"Almost five hundred Second-Tier Sword Immortals!"

The crowd was shaken to the core.

Moments ago, the slaughter was shocking but the numbers were unknown.

Now that they saw it, they couldn’t help but click their tongues!

And those weren’t four hundred nobodies!

When Xiao Ming saw the number, his face twitched fiercely.

"Damn it, damn it!"

He was so angry his whole body trembled, silently cursing in his heart.

Though he guessed that competing for rank was hopeless,

Being outstripped by Xu Yang left him feeling utterly miserable.

"If not for that damned rule, if my palm had actually landed, I’d have outdone Xu Yang by dozens at least!"

"Xiao Ming, why don’t you dare to show your token? Is the difference that big?"

Seeing Xiao Ming hesitate, even Xu Yang was stunned—could Xiao Ming really have fewer?

Xiao Ming’s earlier display was so overwhelming.

Xu Yang had fought with all he had—if he lost to Xiao Ming, he could accept it!

But now, realizing they didn’t qualify for ranking, it hardly mattered at all.

But seeing this, maybe...

The crowd’s expressions grew strange.

If he had more than Xu Yang, why the hesitation?

"No way..."

Many couldn’t help but swallow hard, their faces full of disbelief.

The experts from the Five Elements Celestial Realm grew ever more sullen.