Yang Jing gripped the Celestial Waterfall Sword, not at all surprised that his attack had failed to land a decisive blow.

These Noble Sons were not like ordinary Independent Cultivators or Sect Disciples, who had to rack their brains and exhaust every means just to obtain a single Spiritual Artifact. They were supported by their families and received gifts from their elders.

A scion from a great Noble Family of the Central Continent like Sima Peng, especially, would not lack Spiritual Artifacts for protection.

Yang Jing had never imagined he would be forced into using Thunder Escape by someone as mediocre and incompetent as Sima Peng.

His Cultivation was also at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment. He was, however, one layer higher than Yang Jing, having reached Third Layer Foundation Establishment.

But Yang Jing could feel that Sima Peng’s Magical Power was greater than his own—significantly so. Among the Six Sects Cultivators, not even those at Foundation Establishment Perfection possessed such immense Magical Power.

The Six Sects also hailed from the Central Continent, and the Cultivation Techniques passed down within them were in no way inferior to those of the Central Continent Major Sects.

’Could it be that Sima Peng has some kind of Divine Technique that increases his Magical Power?’

The thought flashed through Yang Jing’s mind, but his hands didn’t slow in the slightest.

With a flash of lightning, he used Thunder Escape to appear before Sima Peng, thrusting his longsword straight at his face.

The speed of Thunder Escape surpassed even Sword Qi Thunder Sound by a great margin; within a hundred zhang, it was practically teleportation.

Sima Peng’s expression changed drastically. Faced with the sharp sword tip that had instantly appeared before him, his two Defensive Spiritual Artifacts were already damaged and completely unable to block the attack. At that very moment, a strange will suddenly seized control of his body.

The next moment, a strange, bizarre, and exceptionally guttural phrase came from Sima Peng’s mouth.

Yang Jing’s whole body tensed. He was suddenly struck by a profound sense of terror, and then plunged into a darkness devoid of any light. Even when he pushed his Grotto Dark Dharma Eye and Bright Qi Talent to their limits, he still couldn’t see a thing.

From within the pitch-black darkness that seemed to swallow everything, came strange rustling sounds. Some terrifying, unknown things were moving in the gloom. Countless greedy, sinister gazes shot out from the darkness, landing upon him.

These unknown things seemed ready to pounce at any moment, to tear him to shreds and devour him.

A howling wind, like the breath of a colossal beast, chaotically swept through everything in this dark world.

BOOM! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The very instant he found himself in the darkness, Yang Jing activated his Five Elements True Thunder. No matter what kind of method Sima Peng had used, Thunder Techniques were the best way to counter such bizarre Secret Techniques.

Empowered by the Great Divine Technique of the Five Thunders, the Five Elements True Thunder flew and exploded erratically. The dazzling light of the thunder tore through the darkness, making Yang Jing look like a Divine Being about to split the heavens and earth with Divine Thunder.

The unknown things in the darkness, intimidated by the Five Elements True Thunder, screeched in terror.

With a sound like tearing silk, Yang Jing’s vision returned. He found himself back in front of Sima Peng, his longsword still pointed at Sima Peng’s face.

The sword clearly hadn’t struck Sima Peng, yet he looked as if he had suffered a grievous blow, with blood starting to trickle from all seven of his orifices.

Yang Jing’s eyes narrowed, and he put away the Celestial Waterfall Sword.

He could tell that Sima Peng’s Divine Soul had been severely damaged. For now, at least, he was completely incapable of resisting.

The Cyan Sparrow formed from the Nine Breath Gang Wind dissipated, reverting to its original form as the Cyan Sparrow Ring, and flew to Sima Peng’s side to protect its master.

"Seize him."

Yang Jing said. He felt a void in his Dantian; his Magical Power was almost completely depleted. Since he had begun to cultivate, he had almost never been pushed to such an extent.

He did not know, however, that the Venerable hidden in the shadows was far more shocked than he was.

’How is this possible? The Primordial Seed already unleashed its Divine Domain and pulled Yang Jing inside. How could it still have been defeated?’

The Primordial Seed was, after all, only an unhatched Divine Being with limited abilities. Besides amplifying its host’s Magical Power and Divine Soul, it had only a few other methods. Its ultimate trump card was to open its Divine Domain and pull the enemy inside.

’This Nine Heavens World truly is a golden age for Cultivators, to produce a figure of such caliber.’

A greedy look appeared on the Venerable’s face.

The growth rate of the Primordial Seed planted in Sima Peng’s Divine Soul had already exceeded his imagination. If a Primordial Seed could be planted in Yang Jing’s Divine Soul, the resulting Divine Being might grow to possess the same great power as the White God.

In the Primordial Storage Realm, Divine Beings were revered above all. A mountain, a spring, or even a gust of wind could become a Divine Being.

Floods, storms, and landslides were all signs of Divine Beings raging at mortals. Countless Evil Ghosts also filled the nights of the Primordial Storage Realm with danger. Even an existence with the Venerable’s level of Cultivation did not dare to venture out at night.

Nearly all mortals could only sell themselves to the aristocracy or a Temple of Law to serve as slaves, eking out a meager existence and struggling to survive under the protection of the aristocrats’ Household Gods.

More than punishments like having their tongues torn out, eyes gouged, or feet cut off, they feared being exiled from their territory and becoming untouchables.

In the eyes of the people of the Primordial Storage Realm, Divine Beings were everything.

The Venerable’s mind raced with possibilities. If he could subdue the Divine Being hatched from Yang Jing and take it as a Dharma Protector, then upon returning to the Primordial Storage Realm, he might even be able to supplant the White God.

Of course, Yang Jing had no idea that a being at the Nascent Soul Tier had already set its sights on him. He sat cross-legged on the deck of the Flying Boat, Refining Spiritual Qi to recover his Magical Power.

His empty Dantian left him feeling very insecure.

"So, you’re saying that from your perspective, I only paused for an instant before Sima Peng started bleeding from all seven orifices."

He opened his eyes, having learned from Iron Head what outsiders had seen while he was trapped in that dark domain.