NOVEL WEB Chapter 318: Unrivaled Beneath the Sages
Chapter 318: Unrivaled Beneath the Sages
Xu Lian felt a chilling sensation creep over his body – a sensation he was all too familiar with. Undoubtedly, he was being observed by powerful beings. Moreover, this chilling feeling wasn’t just coming from one direction; it emanated from all around him. Evidently, every major power in the world was now watching Wuguang City.
Gu Ran, the Holy Son of the Divine Thunder Sect from three thousand years ago, also sensed this scrutiny. His sharp gaze hardened, and a thick aura of battle intent surged around him. The attention of the top-tier factions weighed heavily on him, stirring ripples in his otherwise calm and tranquil mind that had remained undisturbed for millennia. It was as if he had been transported back to the fiery passion of his youth.
In his prime, Gu Ran had been an unparalleled genius, rising through the ranks of the Divine Thunder Sect’s younger generation to carve out a glorious path as its Holy Son. Over the course of three thousand years, his extraordinary talent had brought him to the peak of the ninth stage of Origin Tracing cultivation, just one step away from breaking into the Sage Realm.
Just as he was preparing to seclude himself and attempt the breakthrough to the Sage Realm, the indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect personally summoned him and issued a death command: Go to Wuguang City and challenge a rising star from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands.
This young prodigy was no ordinary cultivator. Despite having cultivated for less than a century, he had already reached the eighth stage of Origin Tracing. His cultivation talent was unprecedented, unheard of in history. Even more terrifying was the fact that he was protected by the divine laws of a divine kingdom, making his potential limitless. In the future, he would undoubtedly become a formidable enemy and perhaps even a significant threat to the Divine Thunder Sect.
The Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect had given Gu Ran two orders:
The first was to capture Xu Lian, strip him of the divine laws protecting him, and bring them back to the sect. If he succeeded, he would be hailed as the greatest contributor to the Divine Thunder Sect since the Strange Era, securing his place in the annals of history.
The second order was a fallback plan: if he couldn’t accomplish the first task, he must at least defeat Xu Lian. A victory alone would earn him great merit within the Divine Thunder Sect. When he eventually broke through to the Sage Realm, the sect would provide him with a full set of resources for Sage Realm cultivation, grooming him as their most promising disciple.
Thus, for the honor of the Divine Thunder Sect and his own future, this battle left him no room for retreat!
“Kill!”
There was nothing more to say. Without hesitation, he struck, raising his massive halberd and unleashing a devastating blow!
The halberd descended like a collapsing pillar of heaven, shaking the very fabric of time and space. The sky darkened, and fragments of space cascaded down like a waterfall. In an instant, Wuguang City was reduced to rubble and dust. The power of a Supreme Artifact was truly unprecedented!
“Kill!”
Xu Lian flipped his palm, and the Sword of Destruction materialized in his hand. With a swift motion, he unsheathed it. Blood red lightning streaked across the pitch black sky and converged at the tip of the sword. Like a lightning rod, he unleashed a counterattack!
Clang!
The halberd and the destructive sword collided violently.
The overwhelming force transmitted through the Sword of Destruction far exceeded what an Origin Tracing Realm cultivator could withstand. Xu Lian couldn’t maintain his grip, and the Sword of Destruction was sent flying!
The next moment, Xu Lian’s entire body was thrown back!
He was completely stunned.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Where am I going?
He simply couldn’t comprehend how this had happened!
From a cultivation standpoint, although he was only at the eighth stage of Origin Tracing, his strength rivaled that of a peak ninth-stage cultivator. As for weaponry, the Sword of Destruction was the lifebound weapon of an ancestral figure from the thirteen great clans, a mythical-level artifact rated nine stars among heavenly treasures, second only to immortal swords. Surely, it should surpass ordinary supreme artifacts.
By any measure, he shouldn’t have been inferior to Gu Ran, a cultivator who had trained for three thousand years. If anything, he held the advantage… so why was he the one who was sent flying instead of Gu Ran?
“Kill!”
With his wealth of combat experience, Gu Ran seized the opportunity while Xu Lian was still unsteady. He raised his halberd once more and delivered another crushing blow!
The power of a supreme artifact was overwhelmingly tyrannical!
Boom!
Just as the halberd was about to strike Xu Lian, the divine laws protecting him erupted in full force. Ten thousand rays of golden light erupted from his body, transforming him into a humanoid golden sun.
Creak!
The halberd got stuck in the golden light. No matter how hard Gu Ran pushed, he couldn’t penetrate any further.
It seemed that Gu Ran’s actions had enraged the divine laws. With a sudden surge, the halberd was repelled, and Gu Ran himself was sent flying…
Fortunately, Gu Ran was clad in his radiant Supreme Battle Robe; otherwise, he would have been killed outright!
Xu Lian heaved a sigh of relief. Now he understood: even supreme artifacts couldn’t break through the defense of divine laws. After all, Gu Ran was merely at the ninth peak stage of Origin Tracing – not a Supreme Being.
“Strange,” Xu Lian muttered. “Why is my Sword of Destruction weaker than your halberd?”
He waved his hand, recalling the Sword of Destruction.
Now bathed in golden light, he held the Sword of Destruction with its tip pointed toward the ground. Blood-red lightning connected the heavens to the blade, creating a dazzling display of effects… yet its offensive power was clearly inferior to Gu Ran’s halberd. All flash, no substance.
Gu Ran furrowed his brow. The defensive power of the Divine Laws was too strong. Even if he was wielding a Supreme Halberd, even if Xu Lian stood still and let him attack, he couldn’t land a single blow. This left him equally perplexed: How could he possibly defeat Xu Lian?
Gu Ran spoke calmly. “The Sword of Destruction in your hand belongs to a mythical figure – the ancestor of the Jiang family, one of the thirteen great clans. In terms of rank, it is no weaker than my Supreme Halberd-in fact, it may even be superior.
However, this mythical figure has been dead for countless eons. The will of the original master of the sword has gradually faded over time, leaving only remnants. In essence, it is a ‘dead’ sword.
On the other hand, my Supreme Halberd belongs to a living supreme being of the Divine Thunder Sect. A supreme artifact tied to a living master retains its full might, naturally making it stronger.”
Xu Lian’s eyes widened in understanding. So artifacts could be classified as ‘living’ or ‘dead’.
If the master of a supreme artifact was still alive, they could amplify its power. Conversely, if the master was dead, the artifact’s potency would diminish significantly-and the longer the master had been deceased, the more its power would erode over time.
Thus, despite the Sword of Destruction’s higher rank compared to the halberd, its power fell short because the halberd belonged to a living Supreme Being!
Lesson learned. Lesson learned.
Xu Lian said, “Thanks for the explanation. Even though the Divine Thunder Sect isn’t much, you’re still a decent person. You answered my question honestly, even as my enemy. That’s commendable.”
Gu Ran’s willingness to explain stemmed from the fact that he bore no personal grudge against Xu Lian – it was merely a conflict of factional allegiance.
“One day, when I crush the Divine Thunder Sect, I’ll reserve a position for you as an elder in the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands,” Xu Lian casually offered.
Gu Ran’s expression changed dramatically. “Enough nonsense!”
Internally, he cursed Xu Lian’s ancestors to the heavens. With countless powerful beings observing this battle-including the supreme beings of the Divine Thunder Sect-continuing this conversation risked accusations of collusion.
“Kill!”
Once again, he wielded his halberd and charged toward Xu Lian.
Xu Lian didn’t even blink. He knew that the divine laws could withstand the highest artifacts. Even if he stood still and let Gu Ran strike, the halberd wouldn’t harm him.
But standing still wasn’t Xu Lian’s style. Without using the Sword of Destruction, he simply raised his left hand.
Barehanded against a supreme artifact!
Boom!
Gu Ran’s Supreme Halberd was knocked flying, and his body followed suit!
This time, it was Gu Ran’s turn to be stunned.
What just happened?
Seizing the momentum, Xu Lian pressed his advantage, not giving Gu Ran a moment to recover. With his left hand, he unleashed a barrage of palm strikes aimed at Gu Ran’s Supreme Battle Robe.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Gu Ran was forced to retreat. The radiant Supreme Battle Robe rippled violently, absorbing most of the shockwaves and protecting him.
Even so, the small fraction of force that penetrated the robe was enough to send Gu Ran’s blood churning.
Boom boom boom!
Xu Lian’s left hand continued its relentless assault, delivering hundreds of palm strikes. Eventually, blood began to trickle out of Gu Ran’s mouth and nose. Unable to endure it any longer, he fled into the void.
Escaped!
Xu Lian didn’t go after him. He knew that injuring Gu Ran was the best he could do – he couldn’t possibly capture him. After all, Gu Ran was at the peak of the ninth stage of Origin Tracing, clad in a Supreme Battle Robe, and fully equipped to the teeth. It would be almost impossible to capture him.
“The protective power of the Supreme Battle Robe is indeed high, but its shock absorption capability leaves something to be desired. My Divine Laws are still superior – they completely nullified the shock waves from the Supreme Artifact’s blows.”
Xu Lian became more and more eager to fully master the Divine Laws. Even in his current state of incomplete mastery, the protection they provided was extraordinary. Once he fully grasped them, their power would surely increase exponentially.
Just like the Goddess of Time, her mastery of Time at the peak of the Sage Realm allowed her to challenge supreme beings and possess supreme-level strength.
“The peak ninth-stage holy son of the Divine Thunder Sect, who trained for three thousand years, has fallen!”
As expected, the news of the battle in Wuguang City quickly spread throughout the world, shocking the entire cultivation community. The Nine Heavenly Holy Son, Xu Lian, had truly made a name for himself.
“A peak ninth-stage cultivator wielding a Supreme Halberd and clad in a Supreme Battle Robe still lost. Although it was only a minor defeat, it still speaks volumes. This Xu Lian is truly unrivaled beneath the Sages in the Origin Tracing Realm-even Gu Ran, armed with two Supreme Artifacts, couldn’t defeat him.”
“It’s said that Gu Ran used his Supreme Halberd to strike Xu Lian, but Xu Lian caught it barehanded with his left hand. Not only that, he continuously slapped Gu Ran’s Supreme Battle Robe with his left hand, generating shock waves that injured Gu Ran and forced him to flee. Why is Xu Lian so strong? Is it possible that he’s not at the eighth stage of Origin Tracing, but has already broken through to the Sage Realm?”
“That doesn’t make sense. If he had broken through to the Sage Realm, staying in Wuguang City to monopolize the Origin Tracing Light would violate the agreement among the factions. The major powers wouldn’t tolerate it. His cultivation level must still be within the Origin Tracing Realm. His strength lies in his left hand-it’s peculiar!”
“There must be an extraordinary supreme artifact hidden in his left hand, most likely provided by the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. Their resources run deep-they have spared no expense for this battle.”
Soon, the cultivators around the world reached a consensus: Xu Lian’s left hand was hiding an incomparable supreme artifact.
Even the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were baffled by this. Knowing that the protective power of Xu Lian’s divine laws was immense and that he was invincible, they hadn’t provided him with any supreme artifacts. Why was his left hand so powerful?
This became a mystery. Perhaps the Goddess of Time had given him something? The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands could only speculate about it.
This battle not only caused a stir among the cultivators, but also sent shockwaves through the top tier factions, causing them to express their awe.
“After enduring a low point with only one Supreme Being, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands are poised to enter another era of prosperity. A thousand years ago, they produced the Goddess of Time O. Now they have the Nine Heavenly Holy Son Xu Lian. Their luck is truly remarkable.
The Goddess of Time, O, must be close to becoming a Supreme Being. In the near future, once Xu Lian advances further and ascends to the ranks of Supreme Being, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands will have two Grand Supreme Beings who have mastered the power of laws!
Throughout history, sanctuaries with Great Supreme Beings inevitably embark on paths of expansion. With two such figures, what will the future hold for the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands?”
“The fortune of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands commands respect. Their periods of decline are short, while most of their history is marked by dominance.”
The remarks of the top-tier factions thrust Xu Lian, the Goddess of Time O, and the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands into the spotlight.
On the surface, the comments were praise. But their underlying implication was clear: the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were entering an era of unprecedented dominance, and all major powers needed to take heed.
Previously vocal factions like the Divine Thunder Sect, Dark Moon Holy Land, and Fuyao Holy Land fell silent.
Were these words directed at their alliance as well?
The message was clear: the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were about to enter an era of overwhelming strength. When that happened, they would be the first to settle scores. If they didn’t act now, when would they?
Clearly, the other factions were egging them on to fight against the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands!
Internally, they were cursing bitterly. Those old bastards from the other factions were cunning and manipulative.
After a period of self-imposed silence, the Divine Thunder Sect could no longer remain idle.
An indescribable supreme being of the Divine Thunder Sect spoke personally, coldly snorting. “Even our peak ninth-stage Holy Son, who trained for three thousand years and wielded two Supreme Artifacts, couldn’t defeat the Holy Son Xu Lian. Obviously, Xu Lian’s monopolization of Wuguang City is an even more egregious violation of the factional agreement!
How can someone undefeated among the Sages appear in an unclaimed region and allow others to gather cultivation resources there? Wouldn’t that make it his exclusive resource zone?”
The unnamed Supreme Being of the Dark Moon Holy Land chimed in. “How can we allow him to monopolize Wuguang City’s Origin Tracing Light? Doesn’t that make the agreement meaningless?”
The bizarre Supreme Being of Fuyao Holy Land added, “In order to uphold the agreement, all factions must do their part.”
However, the other factions remained silent, hoping that the Divine Thunder Sect Alliance and the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands Alliance would clash rather than dragging themselves into the conflict.
Once again, the Elder Supreme Being of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands issued a statement: “Xu Lian, at the eighth stage of Origin Tracing, has every right to stay in Wuguang City and wait for the Origin Tracing Light. He has not violated the agreement.”
As allied factions, the Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace immediately voiced their support.
For over a decade, the two alliances engaged in a “long-distance argument” before finally dropping the matter. Clearly, neither side wanted to escalate into a war, lest the opportunistic old bastards of the other faction reap the benefits.
By the fourteenth year of Xu Lian’s vigil in Wuguang City, a beam of Origin Tracing Light descended from the heavens. He claimed it smoothly without any interference. As long as the Origin Tracing Light appeared, it belonged to him.