As he fell back, Meng Hao’s expression turned vicious. Throughout his years of practicing cultivation, he had faced many deadly situations. Most of the time, he was able to sweep through them and come out on top. It wouldn’t be proper to call him invincible, but you could say that very few opponents were a match for him.
After arriving in the Windswept Realm, he had likewise swept forward, virtually unstoppable. He had fought Han Qinglei, Lin Cong, and had even killed another Echelon cultivator. But then he had met the intensely powerful Dao-Heaven, and his previously unstoppable momentum faltered.
Then he arrived in the Third Nation, and during the course of the battle had been forced into his current predicament. Because of his pride and self-confidence, he was feeling a bit overwhelmed, even stifled. It almost felt unfair.
“I’m in the Echelon. I’m Meng Hao, Crown Prince of the Fang Clan!
“In my life of cultivation, I have experienced much enlightenment, and have benefited from a lot of good fortune. Even Dao-Heaven will only maintain his edge on me for a short time. I will defeat… everyone! Even you, Zong Wuya!” Meng Hao’s eyes were shot with blood as he ceased any thoughts of retreating, and instead began to charge the black-robed old man.
As he did, his body flickered, and he transformed into a huge golden roc which flashed like a streak of gold toward the old man, and then slashed at him with vicious claws.
The black-robed old man sighed, once again tracing a circle in the air and pushing it forward. Violet flames burned, transforming it into a ring of fire that soared toward Meng Hao.
“Your Dao is a fabricated Dao,” the old man said coolly. “There’s no need to try to put on airs.” In the mostly destroyed tunnel behind him, the blood-colored cultivators and the other black-robed old men were approaching. Meng Hao was now completely trapped, without any avenue of escape available.
“Daos are inner paths of the heart, Zong Wuya,” Meng Hao said. “How could they possibly be categorized as fabricated or genuine?! How close-minded!” The golden roc sped toward the violet ring of fire. When they slammed into each other, the violet flames flickered brightly, and the Dao of Meng Hao’s golden roc body seemed to be dispelled. The golden roc rapidly vanished, and Meng Hao returned to human form, his face ashen as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
He was shocked to find that he was incapable of overpowering this type of violet Daoist magic.
“When a fabricated Dao encounters a true Dao,” the old man said, “the fabricated Dao becomes more illusory, and the true Dao becomes more corporeal.” He drew another circle, and it was once again violet. However, this time there were no violet flames; instead, it was a violet ring of lightning.
Rumbling could be heard as the two violet rings shot toward Meng Hao.
“Do you understand?” the old man asked Meng Hao.
Cracking sounds could be heard coming from the red block of ice behind Meng Hao in the secret chamber. More cracks had spread out across its surface, and the aura of Immortality was emanating out, and growing stronger. The roaring coming from inside was becoming more distinct, and more urgent.
A critical juncture had arrived. Determination filled Meng Hao’s eyes as he raised his right hand, unleashing another God-Slaying Fist. This time, he seemed to be holding absolutely nothing back. Despite being seriously injured, he let out three successive punches.
The first two were sent against the two violet rings, and the third one was directed at the floor of the tunnel!
Intense booms rang out. The God-Slaying Fist was the most explosive power he could unleash with his fleshly body, and although the violet rings could cause Daos to vanish, they could do nothing about fleshly body strength.
The two violet rings were instantly shattered by Meng Hao’s two fist strikes. As for his third fist strike, when it struck the tunnel, everything began to collapse. Massive amounts of dust billowed out, completely obscuring Meng Hao’s vision.
At the same time, Meng Hao dashed backward into the secret chamber!
Flickering light filled the chamber as it was apparently affected by the collapse of the tunnel outside. However, nothing had been significantly damaged. The statues were still there, and the blood-colored ice block was now completely blurry. The blood-colored bat was no longer visible inside; the only thing that could be seen was a turbid red haze.
Numerous cracks spread out across the surface of the ice block, and an intense Immortal Realm aura was emanating out. In fact, by this point, that aura was at the peak of the Immortal Realm. The howling grew more anxious, as if the mastiff were worried about Meng Hao’s safety.
The parrot and meat jelly were completely focused on assisting the mastiff in the possession process. They could spare no attention for Meng Hao, nor could they afford to let anything disturb their work.