Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

”You are correct, young friend. If we are to fight, then let us fight. Why such hypocrisy? If that is your wish, then please, receive a palm from me!”

Yanm Changqing smiled.

He raised his hand in a formal gesture.

Yang Xiao’s expression changed. ’This guy… He didn’t even get angry. He just accepted my words so easily.’

’He’s more formidable than I thought.’

’It has come to this. The only option is to fight to the death!’

Yang Xiao’s resolve hardened.

Killing intent flared around him.

The aura on his body stirred.

He activated Qilin Transformation.

His complete form appeared in an instant.

Purplish-red scales erupted over his body, faintly emitting an aura approaching that of a Tier Five Barbaric Beast.

It exuded an ancient, noble air.

It was the True Greater Yang Fire.

Lately, although Yang Xiao hadn’t deliberately cultivated his Qilin True Body, he had been continuously using the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame within him to temper it.

After condensing the True Greater Yang Fire, he began using it for the tempering process.

He had unexpectedly discovered that the power of his Qilin True Body had increased somewhat.

Even his bloodline had undergone a subtle enhancement.

However, it was still not enough to break through to Tier Five.

After all, the Qilin Treasure Blood Yang Xiao had used was of too low a grade.

It was merely the Essence Blood from an Earth Fire Qilin Beast.

No matter how much it was refined,

there was a limit to its potential.

To have achieved this much was already extraordinary.

If he wanted to break through to Tier Five, the only chance would be if the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame in his body broke through to the Yellow Flame Realm.

Either that, or he had to obtain more powerful Qilin Treasure Blood.

It was impossible to break through just by cultivating and accumulating power.

This was the greatest drawback of the Qilin True Body.

But for now, it was more than enough to increase his physical strength and defense.

Combined with his tempered flesh and skin, Yang Xiao could fully unleash the power of the Qilin True Body.

At this moment, short of using the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique,

this was already Yang Xiao’s strongest form.

”Transforming into a Qilin Divine Beast? Your fortuitous encounters are truly astonishing. What a pity you’ve run into me. Otherwise, with your current strength, not even a Tier Two Martial Saint could do anything to you.”

Yanm Changqing was momentarily stunned.

But he quickly returned to his indifferent, yet faintly sorrowful, expression.

”Tier Two Martial Saint? Is that how the strength of a Martial Saint is divided?”

Yang Xiao was confused.

He had read all the miscellaneous books in the Purple Sun Sect and knew that in the Celestial Cloud Region, the Martial Dao was divided into six ranks: Martial Disciple, Martial Artist, Martial Master, Innate, Martial Grandmaster, and Martial Saint.

However, he truly did not know how strength was divided within the Martial Saint Realm.

And Yanm Changqing was a strange one.

In the middle of a confrontation, upon hearing Yang Xiao’s question, he surprisingly didn’t take the opportunity to attack. Instead, he nodded and began to explain, ”That’s right. The strength of a Martial Saint is divided by tiers. There are nine tiers in total. Tier One is the weakest, and Tier Nine is the strongest. But ascending to Tier Nine is not something that can be achieved through cultivation alone.”

”It is related to the True Intent one comprehends. Therefore, True Martial Intent is also divided into nine tiers. What I have comprehended is a Tier Three True Intent: Gloomy Soul.”

”Therefore, I can cultivate smoothly to the peak of a Tier Three Martial Saint, but beyond that, the path is blocked. Unless I can raise the rank of my True Intent to Tier Four.”

”Otherwise, I will be stuck at this level for the rest of my life.”

This explanation immediately gave Yang Xiao a clear understanding of the Martial Saint level.

’It seems this Martial Saint Realm is similar to the Divine Power Realm in principle. The difference is that so-called True Martial Intent must be comprehended, while Divine Techniques can be learned directly. Of course, without sufficient aptitude, you couldn’t learn a Great Divine Technique even if it were placed right in front of you.’

Yang Xiao understood completely.

At the same time, he also gained a clear understanding of his own current strength.

That is, his strongest combat power right now was likely equivalent to a Tier Two Martial Saint.

’If I use the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique, I might be a bit stronger. But it’s best not to use it if I don’t have to. I’m barely at Tier Two, and this guy is only Tier Three. It’s not like I don’t stand a chance.’

So Yang Xiao thought.

But what happened next made him realize he was indulging in wishful thinking.

”By the look of you, you must understand now. In that case, let’s settle our grievances. Take a palm from me. If you can withstand three of my palms, I will let you go this time.”

As Yanm Changqing’s lips moved slightly,

his figure moved as well.

He raised his hand and sent a palm strike

flying toward Yang Xiao.

This palm strike was similar in principle to Qin Xuejiao’s; both were derived from the Great Wheel Flame Palm. The difference was that Qin Xuejiao’s palm was filled with a concentrated, scorching heat that would not dissipate.

But the one Yanm Changqing unleashed carried a deep, chilling aura.

It was clearly a Fire Attribute Palm Technique, and he was using Fire True Gang, yet the attack exuded a bone-chilling cold.

The reason for this was the True Martial Intent that Yanm Changqing had comprehended.

Gloomy Soul.

True Martial Intent was just this miraculous.

’Not bad. This True Martial Intent actually carries a hint of having grasped the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, a sense of the power of the Great Dao. No wonder mere mortals dare to call themselves Saints!’

Seeing this palm strike,

Yang Xiao couldn’t help but nod.

From his level of understanding, he naturally perceived the profound mystery of this palm.

It all stemmed from the so-called True Martial Intent.

In fact, back in the Ancient Times, although mortal cultivation also had six tiers,

this sixth tier was not much different from those Half-Step Martial Saints.

They had not comprehended this so-called True Martial Intent.

Of course, this sixth tier was also called the True Realm, but its ”True Intent” referred to reaching the level of Observing Micro High Level and comprehending the true intent of heaven and earth,

to see through Divine Runes.

It was just as Yang Xiao had done before when he condensed the True Greater Yang Fire: engraving his own True Gang into a Divine Power Treasure Pattern, thereby laying a foundation.

The techniques used possessed a measure of the power of Divine Techniques.

It was called the Pseudo Divine Power Realm.

Its power structure was similar to the nine tiers of the Martial Saints. The only difference was that the division was not based on True Martial Intent, but on the rank of the inscribed Divine Power Treasure Pattern.

Between the two paths, which was stronger and which was weaker,

Yang Xiao did not know.

But he knew that comprehending True Martial Intent was far more difficult.

’If this man had been born in the Ancient Times and received a complete Martial Dao inheritance, with his aptitude, breaking through the Martial Saint realm and stepping into the Small Divine Ability Realm would have been effortless.’

’What a pity. Being born in this Celestial Cloud Small Land is a true waste of his talent.’

A trace of pity arose in Yang Xiao.

In this land,

the Martial Dao had already gone astray by the time it reached the Martial Saint Realm.

This filled Yang Xiao with a sense of sorrow.

At the same time, he finally understood.

Why, for tens of thousands of years, not a single person had broken through the Martial Saint realm to step into the Small Divine Ability Realm.

It turned out,

the path was wrong.

No matter how far one walked upon it,

one would never reach the destination.

How could one not sigh at such a realization?

However, this was clearly not the time for sighing about such things.

Yanm Changqing’s massive palm imprint had already arrived before him.

Yang Xiao raised his hand—oh, his claw.

Flame Emperor Divine Fist, unleashed in an instant!

He formed it into a claw and swiped at the palm imprint.

BANG!

Yang Xiao felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.

His entire body trembled.

He was sent flying.

The power of a single palm

was this terrifying.

It far exceeded Yang Xiao’s earlier predictions.

This was Tier Three True Intent!

The terror of a Tier Three Martial Saint.

(PS: Second chapter of the day has arrived. Please add to your collection! The third chapter will be at 8 PM, and there might be a chance for a fourth one!)