"But he definitely won’t run far, especially considering..."

Zhang Yao hadn’t finished his sentence when suddenly, the distant sound of waves roared like a tide.

"Crash!"

A sky-covering tide of gray and black reflections swept in all directions, and Ascendant Tianying’s figure flickered uncertainly, becoming indistinct.

Behind Ascendant Tianying, there was his Ghost Shadow Avatar, accompanied by seven or eight Black Death Beasts, glaring with fierce eyes.

The severe injuries he had just suffered from Sima Yan’s surprise attack seemed to have vanished like a dream, with even his magical power aura restored to its peak state.

"What is this!"

Zhang Yao abruptly stopped speaking, his pupils contracted, and his heart was shaken.

He had expected Ascendant Tianying would return, as his goal was to intercept and kill the Nether Abyss Ancestor, preventing him from going to the stronghold of the Zhuoxiu Tribe. Now was the perfect opportunity.

The underground world beneath the deep layers is extremely vast; once they shake off pursuit, repeating the same strategy would be nearly impossible.

But what he hadn’t anticipated was that Ascendant Tianying would be so urgent, almost to the point of madness!

How much time had passed? Just a few breaths!

No matter what secret techniques and wondrous skills Ascendant Tianying used, restoring peak combat power in such a short time must have come at a tremendous cost!

"It seems this scoundrel’s desire to kill me is unusually intense! To the extent that it’s like a dog jumping over the wall!"

The Nether Abyss Ancestor, with an iron-blue face, said solemnly:

"Execute the plan we discussed earlier... Attack!"

Before the words could fall:

"Boom!" "Boom!" ...

Both sides acted almost simultaneously, with earth-shattering power clashing together!

Zhang Yao led the charge, transforming into a dazzling white rainbow, instantly breaking through the shattered Tide of Reflections, reaching in front of Ascendant Tianying’s true form.

"Die!"

Seemingly unafraid of having his retreat cut off or being encircled and overwhelmed by a concentrated attack, he surged in, unleashing the Annihilation Divine Thunder in an overwhelming bombardment!

"Rumble!"

The terrifying ocean of purple thunder rampaged, extinguishing the last remnants of the Tide of Reflections. The residual waves of power transformed into silver serpents, dancing wantonly.

Despite Zhang Yao’s full-strength Annihilation Divine Thunder being capable of collapsing a small mountain, it undoubtedly missed its target.

Ascendant Tianying mastered the Phantom Wishing Technique, allowing him to transform into a shadow form and shrink to the size of dust. The seemingly imposing Annihilation Divine Thunder, when falling on his true form, had less than one ten-thousandth of its power.

"Swoosh!"

After disappearing, Ascendant Tianying suddenly reappeared, pressing out of thin air as if "squeezed" from the void without any warning, already slamming a palm onto Zhang Yao’s back.

There’s no need to think; this Fierce Spring Divine Palm also missed.

"Bang!"

In a flash, Zhang Yao transformed into formless Qingfeng, allowing Ascendant Tianying’s strike to pass through as if penetrating air.

Yet Ascendant Tianying showed no surprise, as if he had anticipated this, his eyes flashing coldly:

"Courting death!"

During the battle for the Sun Burning Celestial Sunflower, he had personally witnessed Zhang Yao’s prowess in Divine Transformation, so how could he not have preparation and calculation?

Transforming into Qingfeng seems formless and intangible, immune to normal Divine Techniques and Magical Treasures, but ultimately, there’s still an original form!

Air isn’t truly ’empty’!

As long as a material body exists, his Fierce Spring Divine Palm can serve as the trump card to decide victory or defeat!

"Crackle..."

With the sound of burning oil and boiling blood, the vicious power of the Fierce Spring Divine Palm spread like a plague, appearing to dye the azure airflow with a bloody hue!

Under the Fierce Spring Divine Palm, even the Celestial Wind Formless would fall!

"Die!"

Ascendant Tianying’s face was emotionless, filled with cold killing intent.

Yet the next moment, his expression changed.

"Boom!"

Like a bright flame, a grand light suddenly appeared within the azure airflow, suppressing the bloody contamination in an instant!

The undefeatable Fierce Spring Divine Palm was unexpectedly blocked head-on!

The palm he struck now felt like it was stuck in a quagmire, unable to be withdrawn.

"How is this possible?"

Ascendant Tianying was deeply shocked.

He thought the failed surprise attack was due to the diminished power of the Fierce Spring Divine Palm after breaking through resistance, only keeping a tenth of its power, and was forcibly suppressed by Elder Qingxu’s secret technique.

But who would have thought this person could directly withstand the terrifying power of the Fierce Spring Divine Palm and its tenacious contamination!

Does such Divine Technique exist in the world?

"Zap!"

The formless Qingfeng transformed instantly, with tiny arcs of electricity beginning to leap!

"Not good!"

Ascendant Tianying’s pupils contracted, immediately realizing that disaster was imminent.

He was overly confident in his own Fierce Spring Divine Palm, unleashing his Magical Power without reservation. At this moment, amidst the entangled auras, he couldn’t even manage to transform into the shadow form!

This is when the advantage of the Celestial Wind Formless Body became apparent. Its formless, intangible nature entangled with his arm, causing Ascendant Tianying to lose more than he gained, his own Divine Techniques becoming his own stumbling block!

"Crack!"

In a critical moment, Ascendant Tianying unhesitatingly shattered his own arm, and his true form once again "collapsed" into shadow dust, disappearing without a trace.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

The collision of wind and thunder explosively erupted, and the arm left behind by Ascendant Tianying was instantly reduced to dust.

But Ascendant Tianying’s true form ultimately escaped disaster at the last moment, successfully extricating himself from Zhang Yao’s deadly move.

"Swoosh!"

Several hundred meters away, Ascendant Tianying’s figure suddenly appeared, his right arm empty, his face bloodless.

In the world, there are very few Divine Techniques like the ’Celestial Wind Formless Body.’ Although his ’Phantom Wishing Technique’ is indeed powerful, it is obviously impossible to maintain a shadow dust form at all times.

"Boom!"

Zhang Yao’s Annihilation Divine Thunder followed relentlessly, giving Ascendant Tianying no chance to catch his breath.

Yet this time, Ascendant Tianying seemed to abandon any intention of avoiding the threat temporarily. Instead, his eyes flashed with ferocity as he shouted angrily:

"Qingxu! Do you really think I’m afraid of you?"

Before the words fell:

His body instantly swelled from a normal seven-foot form to over a hundred feet tall!

His Magic Robe seemed to have completely vanished, and the entire person had been transformed entirely into a shadow form, looking like a blurred giant shadow.

"Swish..."

The once overwhelming Tide of Reflections, now in Ascendant Tianying’s hand, was like a river flowing whip, which he wielded wantonly.

"Boom!"

The River of Reflections thundered down, clashing directly with the ocean of thunder formed by the Annihilation Divine Thunder, showing no signs of retreat!

In an instant, countless fragments of lightning and gray-black shadows intertwined, collided, and annihilated each other, yet ultimately did not fall behind, instead, they remained locked in a deadlock.

"What?"

Now it was Zhang Yao’s turn to be greatly surprised.

Having achieved Golden Core for several decades, dominating north and south through numerous Magical Battles, this was the first time he had truly encountered a Slaughter Divine Technique powerful enough to face off against the Annihilation Divine Thunder!

"No, this is definitely not the power of a Slaughter Divine Technique!"

With a thought, Zhang Yao immediately discerned the truth.

The power level of the Tide of Reflections technique had not fundamentally changed, but its sheer destructive power had surged several times over, enabling it to contend with the Annihilation Divine Thunder!

To use a simple analogy, the level of Martial Technique hadn’t changed, but the one executing the Martial Technique had transformed from an ordinary person into a being with Innate Divine Power, naturally amplifying the technique’s lethality!

"...the ability to change size at will! So this is the true power of the ’Phantom Wishing Technique’!"

"This must be the core Divine Technique of Ascendant Tianying!"

Zhang Yao’s thoughts churned rapidly within his mind.

So-called size transformation ability — in small form, it can transform into dust particles to dodge disaster and conceal itself for surprise attacks; in large form, it becomes a mountain-sized giant shadow, Magical Power surging like a tide, every move empowered with might!

All other Divine Techniques of Ascendant Tianying are supporting this one, striving to maximize the ’Phantom Wishing Technique’s’ strengths, and thus possess such combat power!

"Boom rumble..."

As Zhang Yao pondered rapidly, his actions did not cease; the two sides continued their intense Divine Techniques clash.

In the state of the all-encompassing giant shadow, Ascendant Tianying’s strength elevated another level, causing Zhang Yao sometimes to maneuver and retreat, gradually falling into a disadvantage.

The Phantom Wishing Technique cannot maintain a shadow dust form for long, but the form of the all-encompassing giant shadow seems sustaineable, consuming little.

"Being able to battle to this extent with merely an Early stage Golden Core realm, you should feel proud! Worthy inheritor of the Five Elements Celestial Master Lineage!"

Ascendant Tianying’s voice echoed throughout the vast underworld like muffled thunder:

"But unfortunately, this is as far as you’ll get!"

"Your companions won’t be able to hold on much longer, next, I’ll crush you all in one fell swoop!"

"Is that so?"

Zhang Yao laughed heartily, speaking loudly:

"I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed! I have great confidence in them!"

While battling Ascendant Tianying’s true form, Nether Abyss Ancestor and Sima Yan would certainly not remain idle.

According to the plan discussed among the three, Sima Yan was responsible for delaying the strange Shadow Incarnation, while Nether Abyss Ancestor dealt with the seven or eight Black Death Beasts.

His Talent was Devouring Black Tide Power, making him a nemesis to Black Death Beasts, especially when Ascendant Tianying needed to fully engage Zhang Yao with no capacity to control the Black Death Beasts.

Seven or eight Golden Core Level creatures, fearless in death with formidable Life Force, a force enough to contend with or even kill a Late stage Golden Core Powerhouse, could trouble anyone immeasurably, but not Nether Abyss Ancestor.

Therefore, the key to breaking the deadlock in this death duel was not Zhang Yao or Sima Yan, but Nether Abyss Ancestor!

Zhang Yao’s risky preemptive attack was to force Ascendant Tianying to fully engage him, leaving no room for distraction, thereby creating an opportunity for Nether Abyss Ancestor!

"Hahahaha..."

Ascendant Tianying’s laughter was full of ridicule and mockery:

"Do you think I haven’t noticed your clumsy and laughable plan?"

"Or do you believe I am really flustered by your surprise attack to the extent of having to follow your rhythm, falling into your anticipated conclusion?"

"Elder Qingxu! You are overly arrogant!"