Chapter 500: Chapter 498: Three Feet to the Extreme

Boom!

The middle-aged man’s palm strike surged to its peak, exuding an oppressive force over the surrounding void.

Xu Yang’s expression didn’t change. He took a step forward, meeting the middle-aged man’s fist head-on.

Bang!

A tremendous force surged over. Xu Yang’s body trembled, forced three steps back.

"Oh? You actually have some skill—you managed to block my palm." The middle-aged man was taken aback. Even though he hadn’t used his full strength, that palm still carried the force of a high-level attack, yet it was so easily blocked.

"That’s not all I can do!"

Xu Yang smiled faintly.

"Cut the tricks!"

The middle-aged man’s face darkened. His figure flickered, and countless afterimages appeared around the void, forming a ring around Xu Yang, boxing him in completely.

Swoosh!

A spirit mark cut through the air, and within it, the middle-aged man’s visage was faintly reflected.

"Kill!"

A harsh shout burst out.

Dozens of phantom middle-aged figures and spirit marks blasted toward Xu Yang from all around, leaving no way to tell which was the real body.

Xu Yang didn’t even glance at them. His hand curved into a blade and his figure spun into motion.

Boom!

A blade swept out horizontally, as if a moon was circling overhead!

"Heaven-Crumbling Divine Blade!"

An overwhelmingly dominating power exploded with thunderous speed, smashing into every oncoming light and shadow.

Immediately, it was as if mountains collapsed and seas roared, giant beasts battering the peaks—a wild collision that sent chills down the spine.

Rumble!

The blade’s light was sharp as it tore open a rift.

Xu Yang shot forth like lightning, accurately seizing a hint of the real body and appearing right before the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man’s eyes bulged in terror; he inhaled a sharp breath. "Who the hell are you?"

His heart pounded as he hastily retreated. His spirit mark flashed over like lightning.

"Lock!"

Xu Yang’s voice was cold and low. As the spirit marks collided, the middle-aged man’s mark instantly froze!

In that very instant—within a thousandth of a second—Xu Yang vanished from where he stood.

Spurt!

A bloodied blade pierced through the man’s chest, taking with it a spray of red.

Xu Yang appeared behind the middle-aged man, then turned and drew the blood-stained blade across his neck.

Blood sprayed, the head tumbled to the ground!

The middle-aged man finally let out a miserable scream.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Xu Yang slowly sheathed his blade, then reached out with a hooked hand to seize the Storage Ring, fixing his eyes on its contents. He instantly smiled.

"Good—my previously consumed top-grade Spirit Crystals are all replenished."

With that, he landed lightly and arrived at the spot where the middle-aged man had been cultivating.

This place was indeed ideal for cultivating.

After sitting cross-legged, Xu Yang swept out his sleeve, manifesting his avatar, which flew out of his body and sank deep into the distant earth.

In a place like this, his avatar could constantly draw in the energy, slowly improving itself.

It could also serve as an early warning!

After all this was done, Xu Yang slowly closed his eyes.

He began to circulate the Celestial Refining Divine Scripture; within, the divine cauldron erupted.

At the same time, the Heaven-Devouring Spirit-Devouring Skill activated slowly.

Wong!!

The Spiritual Qi and hidden spirit sources swirling around the void were drawn in at a speed visible to the naked eye, flooding into his body.

As time passed,

the area covered by the devouring grew to a whole thousand-zhang radius.

All the energy within was devoured without exception.

Then, the divine cauldron refined it, and the Celestial Refining Divine Scripture compressed it to the extreme, fusing it into his entire body.

His skin shone faintly; his bones and flesh steamed with radiant clouds and mist.

His spirit mark hung between his brows, nourished gradually by invisible energy.

Every inch of his body was slowly transforming.

This level of cultivation, together with the Heaven-Devouring Spirit-Eating Skill, made Xu Yang utterly absorbed.

It was simply a feeling of pure comfort and smoothness!

As time slipped by, everything around became quiet.

At a certain moment,

nearby, a True Monarch Middle Realm Martial Artist suddenly opened his eyes and frowned at the surroundings. "Damn, why is all the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gone?"

At first he hadn’t paid much attention.

But now, the spiritual essence of his entire area was vanishing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The young man got up, his expression turning sour. He shot in the direction the energy was flowing away. "I want to see who’s behind this—let’s see if you can keep up these tricks."

Soon, he arrived.

Seeing the massive swirling vortex of Spiritual Qi engulfing the area ahead, he couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

Fixing his gaze, he saw a blurred figure seated in meditation deep within.

Swoosh!

The air twisted violently. A spirit mark three feet eight inches long shot out, moving like a lightning bolt. Wherever it passed, space itself froze, and the world trembled!

The terrifying pressure made the youth’s scalp tingle. He couldn’t even think about his earlier bravado—he turned tail and fled.

Mere moments later,

the spirit mark swung back, merging in again, and all was still.

Xu Yang acted as if he hadn’t sensed any of it, still immersed in cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month passed.

During this time, quite a few Martial Artists nearby chose to retreat.

It wasn’t just one person being affected during this period.

After all, a good cultivation spot wasn’t easy to come by.

But after getting close and sensing that terrifying devouring force, no matter how angry they’d been, all anyone could do was grit their teeth and quietly leave.

On this day,

Xu Yang’s whole body trembled.

The vast vortex blanketing the sky and earth suddenly scattered, dispersing all around.

Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes. With a thought, his spirit mark floated out before him.

"Three feet nine inches!"

Three feet—the ultimate!

To break through to four feet, Xu Yang sensed he’d need an enormous amount of energy.

No longer something he could easily achieve by simply cultivating here in seclusion.

Feeling the changes within him, Xu Yang was deeply satisfied.

Nearly a month!

His spirit mark grew by an inch—an enormous improvement.

"Time for the Wild Beast Abyss."

Xu Yang stood up tall, turning his eyes northward.

Just as he was about to leave, a violent commotion erupted to the east.

Xu Yang raised his brows, but didn’t go check it out, unwilling to bring unnecessary trouble.

"You bastard, how dare you kill me! The Battle King Clan won’t let you go!"

"Battle King Clan? Ranked dead last among the top seven—so what?"

"You—who are you, really?"

...

"Battle King Clan?"

Xu Yang paused, then suddenly turned and sped away.

From far away, he saw two figures confronting each other.

The Martial Artist with his back to Xu Yang was hunched over, blood trickling to the ground, his body trembling uncontrollably.

True Monarch Middle Realm!

The one facing him was also at True Monarch Middle Realm, but completely calm—obviously stronger.

"The Battle King Clan’s trash can only use their family’s name to scare people."

"I’m not afraid."

The young man sneered, flashing to the Battle King Clan Martial Artist with a tight grip on his sword. A hundred-zhang sword light arced up, slicing through the sky in a mighty, ruthless slash.

The Battle King Clan Martial Artist’s face went deathly pale. In despair, he bit his tongue hard, summoning his spirit mark and unleashing everything he had.

Just then,

A shadowy figure appeared above them, a sky-covering giant palm gathering clouds and wind for a thousand-zhang radius, crashing down like a bursting mountain torrent.

"Who are you?!"

"Damn it—such power!"

Boom!

The startled cries had barely left their lips before a scream pierced the air.

The young man was smashed into the earth with a single palm, his bones cracking all over.

The Battle King Clan Martial Artist stood dumbly for a moment, then, as if startled awake, stumbled back several steps. Vigilance flashed in his eyes, and he shouted gratefully: "Thank you, friend, for saving me!"

"Who are you?"

The young man scrambled up, glaring hatefully at Xu Yang.

At this moment, the Battle King Clan member’s gaze turned icy cold as he exploded into motion like lightning.

Boom!

Spurt!

The youth’s screams didn’t stop—Xu Yang hadn’t held back with his palm, leaving him half-dead.

The youth didn’t even have time to gather his strength, knocked senseless and dizzy on the spot.

In just a few moments, he was blasted to death by a punch!

Even Xu Yang was surprised.

So decisive.

He didn’t recognize this Battle King Clan Martial Artist, but he doubted the man would lie.

"Friend, this is my communication token—your lifesaving grace will surely be repaid!" The Battle King Clan Martial Artist condensed a token and held it out to Xu Yang.

"No need."

Xu Yang waved his hand slightly, and with the Battle King Clan member still stunned, turned and left.

"What a weirdo." The Battle King Clan Martial Artist couldn’t help muttering, though joy quickly lit up his face: not only did he survive, he’d gained a windfall.

He promptly snatched up the youth’s Storage Ring.

Suddenly—

Xu Yang returned.

The man froze, instinctively lifting the Storage Ring and offering it carefully: "Friend, take the spoils. They’re yours."

He thought Xu Yang had come back for the spoils of battle.

But Xu Yang ignored him, gaze fixed on the depths ahead.

The youth’s expression flickered with confusion; then, realizing something, he immediately turned to look.

Spurt!

A piercing whistle, like an arrow shot from a bow, erupted from afar, traveling at astonishing speed.

In the blink of an eye, it arrived!

The clouds parted, revealing a lone figure.

"You dare kill my junior? How bold you are!"

"Deng Tianfang!"

The Battle King Clan Martial Artist saw who it was, his face dramatically changing, exclaiming in shock.