This sudden eruption of strength caused Zhuang Shen to swiftly draw near to Yan Zhaoge.
The Extreme Yang Seal was extremely powerful and possessed extraordinary might as it seemed able to inflict death with a single blow.
Zhuang Shen chose the risky action, firmly believing that this would be when Yan Zhaoge was at his most triumphant and off guard.
With the Extreme Yang Seal suddenly being obstructed, this would disrupt Yan Zhaoge’s plan and rhythm.
Launching a sudden attack at this moment, victory and defeat would be reversed as it was thus the best opportunity for him, Zhuang Shen, to make his move!
The slender thread of fire sliced past, slicing through space and the very world as it instantly arrived before Yan Zhaoge, being about to arrive at his neck.
“I was just waiting for you,” Yan Zhaoge had a heavy expression on his face as he punched outwards with a clenched fist.
His action was not swift and ferocious as it instead seemed rather slow and delayed.
Still, after this punch was unleashed, the scenes before Zhuang Shen’s eyes suddenly changed as it was like only Yan Zhaoge’s fist still remained between the heavens and the earth.
This fist seemingly filled the world all round and the space of the entire universe.
With himself as the centre, it seemed to Zhuang Shen like whichever direction he directed his attention on, it was as if such a fist was heading in his direction.
This fist seemingly occupied the past and the future, all of time.
Zhuang Shen seemed able to see through the river of time and out of the material realm at this moment. Yet, whether it was his memories of the past or the scenes of the future, at any instant within the river of time, it was still just such a fist which was punching towards him.
This fist seemed as if it originated from before everything had begun.
It was also like it was silently waiting for him at the end of everything.
Zhuang Shen’s hairs all stood on end as he immediately retracted his sabre!
Without any hesitation whatsoever, he abandoned his original offence as he devoted everything to defence in order to resist this fist of Yan Zhaoge’s that had been unleashed later yet arrived earlier!
A multi-coloured glow filled the sky as he was bolstered by four Virtues.
Still, there was an infinite, endless, omnipresent fist-intent which enveloped him, frenziedly slamming down mightily on him.
The lofty Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen could only clench his teeth and tolerate this at this moment as he was beaten by Yan Zhaoge to the point of being like a turtle hiding in its shell!
“What fist art is that?”
The Western Exalt Lang Qing, the Eastern Exalt Daoist Oneheaven and the Northwestern Exalt Lian Zulin all sucked in a breath of cold air as they saw this.
The Southeastern Exalt Cao Jie and the Northeastern Exalt Liu Zhenggu who were allies of Yan Zhaoge were also stunned by this.
Cao Jie’s gaze flickered as he seemed to have thought of something.
The expression of Lian Zulin who was battling with Yan Di suddenly changed as she looked first at the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud above Yan Di’s head and then at Yan Zhaoge’s fist attack.
Thoughts flashed through her mind at lightning speed as she blurted out, “Of the Grand Clear lineage’s Five Cosmos Grand Manifestations, the Taiyi Fist of Grand Simplicity?!”
Lang Qing, Liu Zhenggu and the others came to a realisation as well, “It is not only just the Taiji Yin Yang Palm, as he is even proficient in the fist of Grand Simplicity? This martial art has been lost for many years, and yet this Yan Zhaoge is actually proficient in it?!”
The martial art that Yan Zhaoge had just executed was none other than the Taiyi Fist which he had comprehended from the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud.
As he cultivated simultaneously in the Three Purities, he had even merged some principles of the Peerless Heavenly Scripture within the Taiyi Fist, forming a unique fist-intent of his own that had matchless power.
Even as Zhuang Shen had been scheming and strategising against Yan Zhaoge, Yan Zhaoge had been doing the same to him.
Yan Zhaoge was still the one to emerge victorious in the end.
Beneath that single fist, he suppressed the entire surrounding space and all time, past and present.
Zhuang Shen completely lost the initiative and was rendered hard pressed to advance and retreat freely as he liked as he was trapped by Yan Zhaoge’s fist where he was.
He was unable to move, only being able to stubbornly put up a struggle.
Still, Yan Zhaoge waved a hand, a change suddenly occurring with that magnificent sun as it formed a streak of mild golden sunlight that manoeuvred past the golden Wutong tree above Zhuang Shen’s head.
Yan Zhaoge was already able to freely control the Extreme Yang Seal now.
This monarch of Sacred Artifacts was not some dumb creature that possessed just strength alone.
It could change its size at will, possessing infinite variations.
Zhuang Shen was suppressed by Yan Zhaoge’s Taiyi Fist at this moment as he was hard pressed to manipulate the golden Wutong tree in time.
Therefore, after that streak of sunlight had manoeuvred past the Wutong tree, it transformed into the magnificent sun once more before again smashing down towards Zhuang Shen!
All Zhuang Shen’s attention was placed on facing Yan Zhaoge. As the Extreme Yang Seal descended now, how would he have any strength remaining to resist it?
He was smashed all bloodied by the Extreme Yang Seal as a result!
With Zhuang Shen’s powerful cultivation base and shocking defensive power, he was able to barely stay alive from this direct blow. Still, he was rendered all dizzy as he toppled helplessly downwards.
As he tried to stabilise his footing and rally after being repelled, Yan Zhaoge was already charging unrelentingly towards him.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1031: The beaten phoenix
HSSB1031: The beaten phoenix
Battles between experts were generally tight affairs.
A single moment could decide one’s eventual victory.
Often, the combatants would possess similar strength.
Still, just a single misstep could lead to complete defeat.
An example was how the Northwestern Exalt Lian Zulin, not having known that Yan Di was protected by the Grand Simplicity Splendour Cloud, had instead been wounded by him.
Another example was Zhuang Shen right now.
If he had not attempted something risky and had instead fought stably, he would not be in as precarious a position as he was now.
Zhuang Shen’s head was badly bloodied, with him seeing stars as he was struck by the Extreme Yang Seal.
Being greatly experienced in battle, he knew that he definitely needed to stabilise himself at a time like this.
Otherwise, if Yan Zhaoge capitalised on his advantage and attacked with the Extreme Yang Seal, not giving him any respite whatsoever, he might have no chance of retaliating as he would just stupidly be slain by an Immortal Bridge Martial Saint without even having any real chance of demonstrating his prowess.
Still, Yan Zhaoge gave him no chance as he unleashed a Slaying Azure Dragon in hot pursuit.
Zhuang Shen could only barely withstand it as the brutal sword-qi unceasingly attempted to break through his true essence.
The water ripples of holy virtue shattered, the purple light of fortuitous virtue dimmed. The thick earth of meritorious virtue tried hard to remedy this yet felt as if it lacked the strength to do so.
The white qi of nether virtue began exerting its primary use, giving Zhuang Shen a chance at life.
It blocked Yan Zhaoge’s Slaying Azure Dragon even as the terrifying Extreme Yang Seal slammed down from up above once more.
Zhuang Shen manipulated the golden Wutong tree, again barely managing to resist the Extreme Yang Seal.
Still, this Wutong tree was connected to his lifebl
ood as with him wounded now, the leaves and branches of the golden Wutong tree looked slightly shrivelled as their strength thus plummeted.
With that, the momentum of the Extreme Yang Seal was increasingly fierce as it suppressed that golden Wutong tree in descending non-stop, coming closer and closer to Zhuang Shen himself.
Lang Qing, Lian Zulin and Daoist Oneheaven all frowned as they saw this situation unfold.
The Western Exalt Lang Qing actually possessed the ability to assist Zhuang Shen.
Because he was the fastest, while he was unable to do anything to the Southeastern Exalt Cao Jie, if he wanted to help Zhuang Shen and the others, Cao Jie who could only wait passively to respond to his actions would not be able to obstruct him every single time.
He had assisted Lian Zulin a few times earlier during this battle.
While there was generally only the chance for a single move before he was tied down by Cao Jie once more, it was this that had disrupted Yan Di’s attacks, giving the wounded Lian Zulin enough time to stabilise her footing in their battle.
The Western Exalt Lang Qing utilised his ability to shift space to the maximum, his figure seeming omnipresent and indiscernible as no one could easily guess where he might show up next.
The entire battlefield was taken care of by him.
Besides the Northwestern Exalt Lian Zulin, the Eastern Exalt Daoist Oneheaven had received Lang Qing’s assistance too.
There was merely the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen whom Lang Qing had not been able to assist.
It was not that he did not want to do so. Instead, Yan Zhaoge possessed unordinary attainments in the Yin Yang Heavenly Scripture.
Unlike Yan Di who had only analysed the Yin Yang Heavenly Scripture slightly so as to boost his sabre intent and raise his qi returning speed, Yan Zhaoge possessed far greater attainments in the Yin Yang Heavenly Scripture than him.
Just like how neither Cao Jie nor Liu Zhenggu would attempt to encircle and attack the Northwestern Exalt Lian Zulin, who would be totally safe with the Yin Yang Finger unless her opponents were much more powerful than her or could dispel the Yin Yang Finger, if Lang Qing were to attack Yan Zhaoge, unless they were a chain flurry of attacks, any single random move from a distance away would just cause Yan Zhaoge to redirect his move towards the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen, making it worse for him.
“There is still a type of method to break this situation with…” Lang Qing’s gaze flickered slightly.
Meanwhile, the gaze of the Southern Exalt Zhuang Shen who was being suppressed by Yan Zhaoge similarly flickered slightly.
Up above, the Extreme Yang Seal finally crushed the golden Wutong tree before descending again.
Zhuang Shen who was busy defending against Yan Zhaoge’s attacks had no way of resisting it as he suffered yet another blow from the Extreme Yang Seal!
Half of Zhuang Shen’s body was virtually charcoal-black now as he had only managed to evade that deadly tribulation with the help of the white qi of nether virtue and the purple light of fortuitous virtue.
Now, however, Yan Zhaoge did not continue with a killing blow as he instead executed the Taiyi Fist once more, suppressing Zhuang Shen.
Next, he devoted some effort to controlling the Extreme Yang Seal and turning to attack the Eastern Exalt Daoist Oneheaven!
On seeing this, everyone was shocked.
A number of the spectators were completely bewildered as they did not understand why Yan Zhaoge was giving up his chance to attack the already injured Zhuang Shen and attacking Daoist Oneheaven instead.
Everyone understood the logic that injuring ten fingers was still inferior to breaking a single one off.
That was the Southern Exalt, a Human Exalt, at the end of the day. Even though he was injured, he still possessed remarkable strength.
While the spectators did not understand this, the gazes of the experts who were currently battling flickered simultaneously now.
“Good fella, composed enough,” The Northeastern Exalt Liu Zhenggu roared, “Leave him for last!”
Some amongst the spectators atop Broad Creed Mountain also now realised, “Yan Zhaoge is not giving the Southern Exalt a chance to undergo nirvanic rebirth!”
The single sentence broke everyone’s doubts as everyone was enlightened by it.
When martial practitioners of Phoenix Ritual Mountain’s Wutong Slope underwent nirvanic rebirth, their cultivation base and strength would be no different from prior to their rebirth as this was not simply a life-saving method.
Unless their strength had been diminished by a force like the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation prior to their nirvanic rebirth, their wounds would all be healed as they would appear at a peak state.
If Yan Zhaoge were to kill Zhuang Shen now, he would end up undergoing nirvanic rebirth and emerging with his wounds fully healed and overflowing with vitality.
At that time, having learnt from his lesson, Zhuang Shen would definitely not take risks again. Instead, he would fight stably, making no mistakes.
It was not just that. Along with the healing of his wounds, the currently deteriorated golden Wutong tree would be able to return to peak condition too.
In that case, it would not be so easy for Yan Zhaoge to be at as much of an advantage over Zhuang Shen as he was now.
Also, Zhuang Shen who was currently injured was indisputably much weaker in terms of combat power than when at his peak state.
Yan Zhaoge could definitely split some of his attention to assist the others and deal with Lang Qing, Daoist Oneheaven and Lian Zulin even as he tied him down.
He could deal with Zhuang Shen later when the three had either been defeated or had slunk away in retreat.
“Phoenixes cannot end themselves unless their vitalities have reached an end and they plunge into the fire in nirvanic rebirth,” Yan Zhaoge looked calmly at Zhuang Shen, “While you have attained great power in cultivating in the Phoenix True Form Scripture, you are similarly restricted by it.”
Zhuang Shen gazed coldly at Yan Zhaoge, not saying a word.
The Western Exalt Lang Qing frowned, “How incomparably glorious is defeating an Exalt at the Immortal Bridge stage? Yet, this Yan Zhaoge is actually able to stay composed, not being full of himself and thus getting careless. With that, this method of breaking the situation is unusable.”
“No wonder, no wonder…it is no wonder that he has arrived at where he is today. This is not simply something that can be nurtured from talent in the martial dao as well as powerful martial arts and treasures alone.”
Lang Qing sighed as he instantly vanished from the spot, reappearing virtually immediately at a different location.
A transparent, formless spatial blade was condensed in his hand as he attempted to help Daoist Oneheaven block the Extreme Yang Seal.
Yet, the Southeastern Exalt Cao Jie successfully intercepted Lang Qing despite moving later as he blocked his spatial blade with his sword.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 1032: The Heaven Emperor descends
HSSB1032: The Heaven Emperor descends
Cao Jie blocked Lang Qing with a single sword as Yan Zhaoge’s Extreme Yang Seal shot unimpeded towards Daoist Oneheaven.
Currently in the midst of clashing with the Northeastern Exalt Liu Zhenggu, Daoist Oneheaven could only evade as the Extreme Yang Seal struck over at this moment.
Liu Zhenggu would not lower himself and join forces to attack his opponent here as he struck towards Daoist Oneheaven with the back of his lance, forcing him into retreat.
Daoist Oneheaven’s gaze was deep and heavy as he looked at Yan Zhaoge and Yan Di.
Zhuang Shen was badly injured and suppressed by Yan Zhaoge, who was using the Extreme Yang Seal to attack other opponents while tying him down.
The Northwestern Exalt Lian Zulin was proficient in the Yin Yang Heavenly Scripture as she did not fear attacks from multiple enemies.
The Western Exalt Lang Qing was proficient in the Spatial Heavenly Scripture, his movements unpr
edictable.
Hence, it was the Eastern Exalt, Daoist Oneheaven, who unluckily had to bear the brunt of this.
Lang Qing tried to assist Daoist Oneheaven while also paying attention to Yan Zhaoge himself.
He attempted to use his own power to forcibly send Zhuang Shen into nirvanic rebirth, thus extricating himself of Yan Zhaoge’s suppression as he regained his combat power.
Still, Yan Zhaoge had long since been guarding against this very thing.
It should really be said that he was specifically waiting for Lang Qing.
He attacked another to draw Lang Qing’s reinforcement while borrowing Zhuang Shen to set a trap for him, next seeking a chance to deal him a heavy blow.
Lang Qing quickly noticed this strategy as he secretly felt surprised at Yan Zhaoge’s craftiness. As for Zhuang Shen who had become ‘bait’, he inevitably felt even more stifled and infuriated.
Elsewhere, Liu Zhenggu roared, “Oneheaven, you want to fight to the death?”
Amidst his roar, his high-grade Sacred Artifact, the Purple Gold Thunder Lance, turned once more, aiming towards Daoist Oneheaven as it penetrated through space!
Daoist Oneheaven had both hands upraised at this moment to block the Extreme Yang Seal.
With Liu Zhenggu’s attack being too swift, he had not the time to evade as the lance was already before him in an instant.
“Go!” Daoist Oneheaven roared as a massive purple orb appeared in mid-air.
Infinite, endless thunderbolts suffused the area at this moment.
Seeing that purple orb of thunder, Yan Zhaoge raised his brows, “How many fragments has this old bull gathered? From the looks of it, over half of the Eye of the Thunder Emperor is all here together.”
Light flickered within that purple orb of thunder.
It was as if a divinity had blinked.
As it blinked, dense thunderbolts erupted at this one instant, shocking the heavens and shaking the earth!
At this moment, the radiance of the great golden sun was illuminated all purplish-green.
Daoist Oneheaven’s Eye of the Thunder Emperor fragment erupted with shocking power, violent thunderbolts shooting into the heavens as even the Extreme Yang Seal was jolted away at this instant.
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