Chapter 158: The Great Battle

"Su Xichen... Su Xichen has advanced to the early stage of the Divinity Transformation realm!" Hua Xianglian's delicate figure swayed slightly as she stared in disbelief at Su Xichen's back.

"The early stage of Divinity Transformation!" Zhang Shoubo and Zhou Guanghui gasped in unison.

Ni Qiansong's expression instantly turned much more solemn, his narrowed eyes gleaming with a dangerous intent. "Su Xichen, someone who could behead a Divinity Transformation master back when he was at the late Nascent Soul stage—after just a few short years, he has actually broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm?"

"Xichen!" Chu Gu also wore a look of shock, casting his gaze toward Luo Tangyu with eyes full of inquiry.

Luo Tangyu was both startled and overjoyed. Meeting Chu Gu's inquiring gaze, he shook his head helplessly.

He had no idea when Su Xichen had broken through to the early stage of the Divinity Transformation realm either!

Luo Tangyu gazed at Su Xichen with a complex expression, having to admit that Su Xichen's strength was indeed formidable.

"Ni Qiansong, do you dare to fight me in a one-on-one duel?" The biting cold emanating from Su Xichen was bone-chilling.

Ni Qiansong instantly felt the piercing, bone-freezing frost and secretly circulated his spiritual power to resist this force.

"Strange, this man clearly has an ordinary dual metal-and-earth spiritual root, yet how can he release such terrifying freezing power?"

Ni Qiansong pondered inwardly, sizing up Su Xichen from head to toe, a trace of hesitation flickering across his expression.

Yuan Zhengqing's eyes lit up. Observing Ni Qiansong's subtle facial changes and feeling he had caught his weakness, he jumped out and shouted, "Old Ancestor Ni, are you scared? Why don't you dare answer Peak Master Su's challenge?"

"That's right, that's right, Old Ancestor Ni, have a match with our Peak Master Su!" The disciples gathered inside the mountain gates of the Heavenly Derivation Sect had been suppressed by the arrogant and aggressive attitude of the Profound Intent Sect for a long time. Having waited for this moment, seeing Su Xichen finally make a move instantly ignited boundless passion in their hearts.

Peak Master Su had not lost his cultivation base nor dropped in realm!

Su Xichen's action brought infinite hope to the disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect.

Luo Tangyu attentively watched the changes in everyone present, feeling a slight sense of relief in his heart, yet Su Xichen's voice transmission from two days ago still echoed in his ears.

That trip to the Abysmal Prison Hall had indeed caused him to drop several major realms.

What was going on with the early stage of Divinity Transformation he was displaying right now?

Silently, he gazed at Su Xichen's tall, upright posture, an absurd thought flashing through his mind.

Could it be...

Luo Tangyu's heart beat wildly as he lowered his eyelids to conceal his anxious expression.

Under the collective pressure, Ni Qiansong's face turned ashen.

Deng Jingyao, who had collapsed behind him, was not having a good time either.

"Old Ancestor, I refuse to believe nothing is wrong with Su Xichen! He must have used some kind of method to forcefully raise his cultivation to the early stage of Divinity Transformation!"

With unresigned eyes, Deng Jingyao sent a sharp voice transmission to Ni Qiansong.

Ni Qiansong hesitated for a moment and transmitted back, "Are you trying to make this deity accept this duel?"

Deng Jingyao said firmly, "That's right, Old Ancestor. If you stall Su Xichen during the fight, he will definitely reveal his flaws!"

Ni Qiansong's eyes flashed. Meeting Su Xichen's unchanging, ice-cold gaze, he said, "Very well, this deity accepts this duel!"

"Old Ancestor Ni advanced to the late Divinity Transformation stage many years ago, yet Su Xichen actually dares to challenge him while only in the early stage!" Hua Xianglian widened her eyes and said in amazement.

Zhang Shoubo put his hands behind his back, glanced past Chu Gu, and looked at Su Xichen and Deng Jingyao. "Su Xichen is calculating; he wouldn't do something so foolish. He must have some ability to contend with Old Ancestor Ni!"

"Perhaps it's just a bluff." Void Saint Lord Chu Gongming stared at Su Xichen with an unfathomable gaze.

Shi Changli and Zhou Guanghui took in Chu Gongming's words, their eyes locked firmly onto Su Xichen without moving an inch.

Su Xichen stood tall and straight, turning around with an indifferent expression. "This place is too narrow and unsuitable for a fight. This seat will wait for you in front of the main hall plaza of the Heavenly Derivation Sect."

A streak of purple light flashed and vanished.

Ni Qiansong watched Su Xichen's rapidly disappearing figure and said in a resonant voice, "Good! Exactly what I want!"

Two streaks of escaping light chased each other, one after the other.

Leaving everyone staring at each other in bewilderment, not knowing what to make of it.

Luo Tangyu immediately flicked his sleeves, assuming the airs of the Heavenly Derivation Sect's sect master, and said, "Everyone, please come inside! My Heavenly Derivation Sect has never done anything villainous, so we are not afraid of letting people see!"

Deng Jingyao climbed up from the ground, couldn't help coughing a few times, and said with a slightly flushed face, "Let's go in! No matter how Luo Tangyu tries to quibble, the recording stones are in everyone's hands, and the crimes committed by the disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect will never change!"

As soon as Su Xichen and Ni Qiansong flew into the Heavenly Derivation Sect, Chu Gu had already followed them in.

After saying this, Luo Tangyu paid no attention to everyone's reactions and also flashed away to return.

Deng Jingyao forced a calm facade, but his injured face was clear for everyone to see.

Hua Xianglian furrowed her willow brows, swept a suspicious glance over him, and then strode into the Heavenly Derivation Sect without a word.

Zhang Shoubo and Zhou Guanghui followed closely behind.

Chu Gongming only set off after Deng Jingyao and Huo Huahong flew inside.

Shi Changli, lagging at the very back, put his hands behind his back and looked into the distance. After pausing for a moment, he vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye and appeared in the center of the Heavenly Derivation Sect's main hall plaza.

A huge arena slowly rose from beneath the ground.

Su Xichen and Ni Qiansong hovered in the exact center of the arena, filled with murderous intent.

Two powerful auras seemed to have already begun clashing at this very moment.

Chu Gu's eyes were deep and bottomless; no one could guess what he was thinking.

Luo Tangyu held his head high and puffed out his chest, looking around proudly.

He was the sect master of the number one sect in the Vault Realm Continent, possessing the strength to look down upon all other sects!

No matter what dangerous predicament the sect faced, he would never bow his head!

Deng Jingyao pulled a cruel smile. "Luo Tangyu, you've realized that Su Xichen's realm is unstable, haven't you?"

Luo Tangyu's pupils constricted. He calmly scanned his surroundings and found that no one was paying attention to them.

"Deng Jingyao, what on earth happened in the Jade Spirit Secret Realm? Why was Bai Shulan the only disciple to come out of the realm?"

Luo Tangyu transmitted back sternly, anger contained between his brows.

Deng Jingyao let out a scoff. "Ridiculous, simply ridiculous. The sect master of the number one sect in the Vault Realm Continent is actually asking me where the disciples of the Heavenly Derivation Sect went? As the sect master of the Profound Intent Sect, how could I possibly know their whereabouts? Perhaps they're all dead!"

Deng Jingyao emitted a low laugh, causing several people to look in his direction.

Luo Tangyu's face darkened, and he rebuked angrily, "Deng Jingyao, keep dreaming. With someone like you in the Profound Intent Sect, it will never become the number one sect in the Vault Realm Continent!"

"Hmph, when Sect Master Luo is criticizing Sect Master Deng, has he ever thought about what his own sect looks like?" Zhang Shoubo swept a disdainful glance over the two of them.

With a dark face, Luo Tangyu said no more. He turned his head to stare at Su Xichen and thought, *He is right; even if the recording stones are real, it doesn't mean the Heavenly Derivation Sect disciples actually did such things!*

"Hmph." Zhang Shoubo let out a cold snort and smiled without another word.