The two clashing figures instantly soared into the sky.

Surrounded by the six towering stone pillars and the colossal Dharma manifestations of the six Supremes, they ascended ever higher.

The spectators in the arena also raised their heads in unison, gazing at the firmament.

At this moment, it became evident that among the four simultaneous battles taking place within the “Platform of the World,” their particular clash garnered over sixty percent of the attention!

It was a scene of extreme brilliance.

Gan Chang’an, using his Palm Dance, pushed Dou Zhao backwards into the sky.

Their speed was so great that the air itself crackled.

The continuously colliding and exploding blade energies between them, guided by the Art of Karma Blade, converged at the zenith, already tearing cracks in the “sky”!

And Dou Zhao, against his will, was headed towards the celestial rift.

In this tense moment, from the distant starry dome, Dou Zhao’s four towers of starlight lit up in succession.

Surging power flowed within his body.

Imbuing his radiant eyes with a destructive, suffocating sense of oppression.

Dou Zhao’s grip on his blade shifted abruptly. The edge of his Heavenly Steed blade, propelled by terrifying force, fiercely deflected the tip of the Palm Dance to the side!

The blade tip was diverted!

But Gan Chang’an’s face wore a naive smile.

How could the Art of Karma Blade be so easily evaded?

His blade tip was clearly pushed aside, yet he continued to thrust upwards. This strike, by rights, should have passed harmlessly beside Dou Zhao…

But instead, it grazed Dou Zhao’s abdomen!

Karma Does Not Yield!

Drip!

In the high sky, where blade light shattered and the “sky” was cracked.

A drop of fresh blood fell.

Dou Zhao’s blood.

Accompanying the falling blood…

Was a crisp *clang*!

While deflecting the Palm Dance with a single blow, Dou Zhao, man and blade as one, spun in a tight circle in the high air. When he looked down at Gan Chang’an again, his eyes held only the emotion of destruction.

And the Heavenly Steed blade, having completed its circle with him, descended with tremendous force!

Husbands and wives separated, why?

Homeless and displaced, why?

The hardships of the human world, without reliance.

If not natural disaster, then surely human calamity!

A shadow enveloped Dou Zhao’s form, making his countenance appear somewhat ethereal. But he and his blade were so real.

They existed before, and would continue to exist in the future.

But if anyone were to witness him at this moment, their heart would inevitably grow dim with him. Life without light, the future bleak. This life without hope, the next life also without hope.

This was the energy of disaster!

How could Jiang Wang, observing this battle from the side, fail to see it?

Back at the Azure Cloud Pavilion, the Pavilion Master Chi Dingfang, in order to fight the human demon, sacrificed his life to unleash a forbidden Taoist art, which was to draw upon the energy of disaster, condensing the Calamitous Cloud.

As the current master of the Cloud-Reaching Immortal Palace, Jiang Wang had naturally considered whether it was possible to reproduce it.

Logically, if the Azure Cloud of Benevolence and Fortune corresponded to the Calamitous Cloud, then the Cloud-Reaching Immortal Palace should have had a corresponding immortal art of Soaring Success in its time.

However, the Taoist art that Chi Dingfang unleashed at that time, although forbidden, was not an immortal art.

In Jiang Wang’s current view, it was not even a術介 (shu jie – a fundamental concept/medium in cultivating certain arts). Although it bore the name Calamitous Cloud, it was fundamentally different from the Azure Cloud of Benevolence and Fortune.

Similar to the Five Immortal Gates’ exploration of the Sound-Heard Immortal Canon, it was likely a later innovation and exploration.

What was beyond doubt was that this forbidden Taoist art inherited from the Azure Cloud Pavilion was a result of aligning itself with the术介 (shu jie) named Calamitous Cloud.

It was just that Jiang Wang lacked understanding of the energy of disaster, and thus his progress had been difficult.

Seeing Dou Zhao’s blade at this moment, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.

If only he could have him explain properly how this blade strike utilized the “energy of disaster,” that would be wonderful.

If he could gain a deep understanding of the energy of disaster, using it to deduce the Azure Cloud Pavilion’s Calamitous Cloud art would provide a direction. Coupled with the Dreamlike Decree, it might even be possible to reproduce the true Calamitous Cloud术介 (shu jie).

Corresponding to Soaring Success, it would become possible to deduce related immortal arts.

Conversely, if he could explore the immortal art corresponding to the Calamitous Cloud. With control over an additional immortal art术介 (shu jie), the Dreamlike Decree would also have a chance to reach a higher level, making it applicable to the术介 (shu jie) of more immortal arts…

This was, of course, a beautiful vision.

And it could only be a vision.

Setting aside the fact that he had no significant connection with Dou Zhao, even if they were close, the secret techniques of the Dou family would never be revealed to an outsider like him.

He could only hope that Dou Zhao would strike a few more times, so he could see more clearly…

In the high air, Dou Zhao, with a swirling strike, cleaved apart the Palm Dance before it could continue its thrust.

Gan Chang’an’s blade, by rights, should not have been cleaved apart.

He was wielding the Palm Dance with the Art of Karma Blade, having already pierced Dou Zhao’s abdomen, and was bound to pierce his body and soul.

But when the edge of the Heavenly Steed blade collided with the edge of the Palm Dance.

His Essence, Qi, Spirit, Intent, and Momentum all collapsed for an instant.

This strike of Dou Zhao’s was precisely the second form of the Seven Combat Styles, named Human Calamity!

Wielding the energy of disaster, it killed both body and enemy.

The evil of human calamity was even greater than natural disaster.

Gan Chang’an, by becoming the disaster himself, disintegrated his own blade momentum from the inside out.

Although it was suppressed by him in just an instant, the Art of Karma Blade self-repaired and扭轉回來 (niǔzhuǎn huílái – twisted back), and the blade momentum regrouped.

However, Dou Zhao had already followed the momentum and unleashed the next strike.

The sense of destruction in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by a brilliant radiance.

The Heavenly Steed blade was a heavy, thick-backed blade, often used in grand, sweeping movements, capable of cleaving sky and earth.

This strike, when it descended, was unexpectedly light.

Light and airy…

It brushed against the tsuba of the Palm Dance.

To be precise, Gan Chang’an’s blade work was exquisite. Before the Heavenly Steed blade could descend upon him, he used the tsuba of the Palm Dance to parry it.

This four-inch long small blade, in Gan Chang’an’s hand, stood like a iron wall, preventing the enemy from approaching and the wind and rain from falling.

However.

Starting from the arm that held the blade, his skin became withered, and then cracked open.

Cracks, one after another, spread from his right arm to his entire body.

This strike of Dou Zhao’s was the third form of the Seven Combat Styles, named The Decaying Skin!

The previous strike drew its source from the energy of disaster, this strike disintegrated flesh and blood.

The blade was parried, but the momentum had descended!

Ye Qingyu, watching the battle from the stands, felt a chill down her spine. She had exchanged blows with Dou Mian at Chi Yun Mountain, and at that time had also tried a strike of The Decaying Skin. She had indeed felt its power, but had not felt terror.

Until she saw it again today.

Thinking of how her body would decay like this if struck by this blade, she couldn’t help but feel a lingering fear.

Such blade techniques were truly close to the Dao!

Could her Cloud Seal divine ability withstand it? Were her Puppet Soldier Talismans enough to cleave it?

Ye Qingyu was not the only one who was startled.

But it definitely did not include Gan Chang’an.

Although his young body began to decay, to decline uncontrollably.

He still exuded a vibrant spirit. With just a twist of his Palm Dance, the four-inch small blade spun and danced around the body of the Heavenly Steed blade, amidst the continuously exploding sparks, it continuously closed in, and finally drew close to Dou Zhao’s palm, vertically slicing his five fingers!

Yet he said, “I am nineteen and still dedicated to learning; I cannot be called decrepit!”

The profound and unfathomable Rejection divine ability was used again.

The cracks all over his body healed, one after another. His young body was still vibrant, taut, and vigorous.

Exuding astonishing vitality.

And Dou Zhao raised his blade high again and brought it down heavily: “Young in body, old in heart; old is old indeed!”

He was saying that Gan Chang’an was young in body but old in heart, and although nineteen, he was not young.

His eyes were indifferent, and the momentum of the Heavenly Steed blade was resolute.

His voice was like ice, and a faint light flowed over the blade’s edge, directly shattering the light of the divine ability.

Another strike of Divine Nature Annihilation!

Jiang Wang’s mind in the stands was shaken. The first two forms, Heavenly Punishment and Human Calamity, were still within his understanding.

But this form, Divine Nature Annihilation…

How could it be possible!?

If the first time was because Gan Chang’an’s divine ability effect had run its course, then this time was a direct collision with the divine ability.

And the result seemed so astonishing.

Could it be that this move of Dou Zhao’s could truly shatter the light of divine abilities every time?

Even if it was called the number one killing art since the present era, being able to do this was simply too incredible!

He stared intently at the battlefield, observing the changes in the situation.

He saw Gan Chang’an open his five fingers like a blossoming lotus, the handle of the Palm Dance standing in the center of his palm.

Like a small, exquisite beauty, standing in the center of his hand.

His five fingers were clean, strong, with distinct blood color, showing no signs of decay.

Jiang Wang silently breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Divine Nature Annihilation form could indeed resist divine abilities to a certain extent, but its limitations were also significant, and it could not completely dispel the power of the divine ability.

However… even so, it truly lived up to the name “number one killing art since the present era”!

Gan Chang’an spread his five fingers wide, pushing the Palm Dance with his palm.

The four-inch small blade spun wildly in his palm.

In the small world within his palm, a delicate beauty danced wildly.

The vast world outside his palm also seemed to dance along.

Intoxicating and bewildering!

Dou Zhao’s hand also became gentle, as if it too succumbed to the blade’s momentum, dancing with his opponent’s four-inch small blade.

But the Heavenly Steed blade descended with a light and airy posture, its edge coincidentally striking the tip of the Palm Dance.

As gentle as a kiss.

This was precisely The Decaying Skin, one of the Seven Combat Styles, specifically for killing beautiful skins!

The Palm Dance was full of spirituality, and could be considered a beauty among famous blades, naturally it had a beautiful skin.

Blade tip against blade edge.

The dance of the Palm Dance stopped.

Gan Chang’an calmly looked at Dou Zhao with his still seemingly naive eyes.

The childishness and immaturity in his eyes were completely gone. His wisdom and depth of mind shone in his eyes.

He wasn’t truly naive, much less truly childish.

With the talent to pacify a region at the age of eight, his wisdom far surpassed ordinary people.

This scene at this moment was something he had planned long ago.

Everything was within his grasp!

At this very moment, the two blades touched, pushing against each other with all their might.

Each held their blade, solely to decide their fate.

It was the perfect time to decide life and death!

A figure in a tall headdress and wide sash gracefully stepped out from his 天靈 (tiānlíng – crown of the head), high above, radiating authority, it was Gan Chang’an’s soul!

Gan Chang’an’s soul form was ethereal as an immortal, with an excellent temperament and an unfathomable power.

With just a grab!

Within Dou Zhao’s body, a phantom twisted uneasily, eager to escape. That was Dou Zhao’s soul, being seized and pulled out!

This was the divine ability, Soul Wandering!

The soul traveling out like a deity wandering. In the face of a “god,” everything is like an ant. Naturally, it could, to a certain extent, control the opponent’s soul. One’s own soul wandering also made the opponent wander along!

By rights, cultivators below the level of Soul Arrival found it extremely difficult to resist this kind of divine ability.

Gan Chang’an’s timing was also extremely precise, clearly aimed at securing victory and destroying Dou Zhao.

But facing such a terrifying divine ability.

Dou Zhao’s expression remained bright and clear.

His blade momentum changed, directly unleashing a Divine Nature Annihilation strike, cleaving at the light of the divine ability.

This strike started too early, unlike the previous times which were after Gan Chang’an’s divine ability had taken effect, and thus failed to shatter the light of the divine ability.

But he only needed a moment of dissolution and delay. His blade momentum shifted and folded again, the phantom of his soul, eager to escape from his body, remained consistent with his physical body.

Raising his blade at the same time, bringing it down at the same time.

His face seemed to have aged somewhat, and his soul seemed to have weakened.

Decaying himself before injuring the enemy!

Self-decay was, of course, for the sake of slaying the enemy.

This was the fifth form of the Seven Combat Styles, named Body and Soul Decay!

The Heavenly Steed blade almost sprang out. After the Divine Nature Annihilation form, it immediately struck the tall-headdressed, wide-sashed Gan Chang’an soul.

Like an eagle striking the sky, a fish swimming in shallow water.

There was no delay between the two forms, as if they were meant to be so smooth and natural.

Gan Chang’an showed a look of surprise.

He truly did not expect that Dou Zhao had trained this form to the realm of simultaneous decay of body and soul.

Man plotting against tiger, tiger plotting against man.

He was waiting for Dou Zhao to parry his blade, and Dou Zhao was also waiting for him to use Soul Wandering!

This was a strike specifically to cleave the soul.

Destroying the body and also destroying the soul.

The Divine Nature Annihilation form cleaved open the light of the divine ability, and the Body and Soul Decay form drove straight in, directly facing the soul.

The tall-headdressed, wide-sashed Gan Chang’an soul was immediately dislocated, splitting into two.

Soul Wandering was a terrifyingly powerful divine ability, but after all, it was still the soul traveling out, and it was actually directly cleaved by this strike!

Did Gan Chang’an lose?

Many people were thinking this question.

The Qin people present were even unwilling to believe how a peerless talent like Gan Chang’an could be stopped at the top eight?

But they couldn’t deceive themselves. With his soul even cleaved, where was there any possibility of fighting again?

But Gan Chang’an, holding the Palm Dance high, clearly didn’t think so, and never thought he would lose.

His Soul Wandering failed, his soul was severely wounded.

But he was still holding his blade, his Palm Dance, still beating in his palm.

He moved his lips, and once again said: “At eight, I could bring peace to Chang’an; at nineteen, I wish to bring peace to the world!”

To bring peace to the world, one must start by winning the top prize at the Yellow River Meeting.

He used the Rejection divine ability once again, to reject the failure of Soul Wandering!

This was clearly a very difficult thing, even for a divine ability as terrifying as Rejection.

The more difficult the result to be “rejected,” the more one had to pay. Gan Chang’an looked steadily at Dou Zhao, his tower of starlight intensely flickering, the five inner mansions within him rumbling.

He was focusing all his power!

But Dou Zhao grinned, revealing his clean white teeth, utterly brilliant: “Wang Xixu is tricking a child. You’re also tricking yourself!”

With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a strike!

This strike was a direct thrust.

Pointing straight at Dou Zhao’s 天靈 (tiānlíng – crown of the head).

It seemed to cleave open his inner heart, facing his darkness directly. It seemed to cut off his distracting thoughts, meeting his life and death.

The sixth form of the Seven Combat Styles, Cleaving Nature to Behold the Self!

Cleaving nature to behold the self, who am I?

You are childish and mediocre, green and tender.

A young age of false fame, old age without progress.

You are stuck in your ways, complacent.

Living in praise, unaware of your own worth.

“You greenhorn, how dare you claim to be the world’s champion!?”

Facing such a strike, Gan Chang’an was momentarily stunned.

He shouldn’t have collapsed so quickly, but his soul had just been severely wounded, he had used the Rejection divine ability multiple times for extremely difficult rejections, and this last time, he hadn’t even had time to fully unleash it…

There were too many reasons!

He suddenly sobered up, a wry smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

For a peerless talent like him…

They were all excuses!

And Dou Zhao’s Heavenly Steed blade had already descended, striking Gan Chang’an’s forehead, cleaving him down through his protective starlight.

Just as before, Gan Chang’an had pushed Dou Zhao up into the sky with his Palm Dance.

Now, conversely, Dou Zhao with his Heavenly Steed blade was cleaving Gan Chang’an downwards.

And it was faster, heavier, more resolute!

In barely less than an instant, he had cleaved Gan Chang’an to the ground.

The protective starlight shattered at this moment.

The Heavenly Steed blade continued its merciless downward strike, cleaving into half of his forehead!

Dou Zhao…

Had rejected Gan Chang’an, who possessed the Rejection divine ability!

Qing He Yi Shen reminds you: Please collect after reading (), it will be more convenient to read later.