The Eight Aspect Worlds Shatter the Five Elements

Deng Yu gradually calmed down, realizing he had lost his composure. But the fury still burned within him. To be nearly crippled by someone of a lower realm—how could that not rankle?

"Rustle..."

With a snap in the wind, a Five Elements Banner appeared in Deng Yu's hand. Clouds and mist roiled as the great banner stirred up gales of wind. His purple robes flapped noisily. Fixing his gaze on Xiao Chen, he said, "Come, fight again. Let me show you the true meaning of a cultivator's enmity."

This aura was not something an ordinary mortal could possess. Once he entered a battle state, Deng Yu became utterly calm. As one of the ten strongest young talents in the Cultivation World, he possessed cultivation talent far beyond the ordinary.

"Your cultivation has fallen."

Xiao Chen stood in the void, staring at Deng Yu. Last time, he had severely wounded Deng Yu's body and shattered his Nascent Soul. It seemed that even with his sect's aid, his cultivation had plummeted as a result.

"The Ninth Heaven of Nascent Soul is enough to kill you." Deng Yu's voice was cold. Returning to the Calamity Fire realm seemed out of reach for now, and all of this was Xiao Chen's doing.

The surrounding onlookers were astonished. The so-called Ninth Heaven of Nascent Soul was equivalent to the Ninth Heaven of Sky-Mastery. Such cultivation was rarely seen even among the younger generation of the World of Immortality. The Cultivation World was indeed formidable.

"Ya-ya, ya-ya..." Keke was indignant. Before Xiao Chen could respond, it charged forward first, hovering in the air with an angry huff, looking like a little lion or a little tiger, its body pure white as jade. The cultivators from the Cultivation World, knowing its origin, found it remarkable.

Deng Yu shouted coldly, "Beast, get out of the way!"

The Five Elements Banner unfurled, and a gale howled. A cold light condensed into form and shot toward Keke.

The little beast paid it no mind. It casually swiped its tiny paw, and a curtain of light emerged, blocking the sword-shaped light blade. Then it gave a sharp tug, shattering the light blade. The colorful curtain of light surged forward, heading straight for Deng Yu.

Deng Yu was quite startled, and furious at the same time—to be blocked by a little beast, and even attacked by it, was a loss of face.

"Soul-Piercing Arrows!" Deng Yu shouted. As the Five Elements Banner shook, ten thousand arrows shot out simultaneously, flying toward the snow-white beast. Each arrow gleamed with a dark, eerie light, flowing with a sinister, deathly aura, specially designed to shatter souls. They immediately shattered the approaching light curtain.

"Sweep Away a Thousand Armies!" Deng Yu shouted again. Innumerable arrows tore through the void, as if summoned from another world, drowning the space where the little beast stood.

Just as Deng Yu thought Keke was surely dead, the little beast grumbled, quickly opened up a patch of space, and countless gleaming arrows were drawn into it, swallowed whole. The little creature was completely unharmed. Moreover, it crossed through space, instantly appearing before Deng Yu, and tried to draw him into Paradise Lost.

Deng Yu possessed excellent combat instincts. Though he did not know the origin of Paradise Lost, he sensed danger in an instant. The Five Elements Banner shook repeatedly as he executed the Five Elements Escape, dodging Paradise Lost.

"Shua!"

A seven-colored radiance streaked across the sky. The little beast waved its tiny paw with force, and Deng Yu was swept up, sent flying dozens of zhang backward. Though his deep cultivation left him uninjured, he was drenched in cold sweat. He stared at the little creature in shock. What kind of beast was this? If its power had been a bit stronger, he would have surely met his end.

Many from the World of Immortality had seen Keke before and were not surprised by its performance, but it stunned quite a few from the Cultivation World.

"Keke, come back," Xiao Chen called. He did not want the little beast to reveal too much of its brilliance; it would do it no good.

Keke flew back lazily, hugging a dark, glossy polygonum multiflorum and began munching on it with relish, leaving Deng Yu's side utterly speechless.

Xiao Chen took the War Sword from Paradise Lost and gripped it in his hand, stepping forward through the void. "This time, I'm afraid you won't leave Mount Tai alive," he said. His voice was calm, but to the ears of the many cultivators, it carried a chill.

"Oh?" Deng Yu's brows shot up. "With you?"

"With me, at the Sixth Heaven of Sky-Mastery," Xiao Chen said, raising his sword to the sky. "There is nothing left to say. Fight to the death."

Such enemies could only be resolved by a life-or-death duel; their enmity could never be undone.

All the cultivators withdrew, leaving enough space for the two. Those from the Cultivation World knew well how powerful and terrifying Deng Yu was, while Xiao Chen's name thundered through the World of Immortality like rolling thunder. A man who dared to swing his blade at half-ancestors was no ordinary figure.

The War Sword shimmered with a faint luster; its sword-light pulsed unsteadily, but no powerful energy fluctuations erupted. For now, it was merely an indestructible divine weapon, unable to unleash its true might.

"Woo-woo..." Like the weeping of a soul in an abyss, a black flying sword shot forth from Deng Yu, surrounded by flickering phantoms, cleaving toward Xiao Chen.

"That's the legendary Nether Sword!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

It was a demonic weapon of the Cultivation World, forged by a demonic practitioner from countless souls. After that demon was wiped out by the Shu Mountain sect, the sword was confiscated.

A Nether-space descended, a true domain that pressed in, attempting to trap Xiao Chen and let the countless ghostly souls devour him.

Xiao Chen was unafraid. A Spatial Rending Slash cleaved out in an instant. Having mastered the space divine art, such domains had nearly no effect on him.

"Crack!"

The black Nether domain shattered, and the dark iron sword surged forward. Xiao Chen met it with the extreme speed of the Eight Aspect Worlds, his War Sword slashing down diagonally.

"Clang!"

The black Nether Sword snapped in midair, and the countless ghostly phantoms vanished. Once again, the bright sky appeared. The crowd was greatly startled, not expecting a demonic weapon to be destroyed so easily.

Though the War Sword could not release terrifying power, its hardness and sharpness were unmatched in the world.

Deng Yu gave a cold snort. The Five Elements Banner unfurled, crackling in the wind. The gale was sharp as blades. Four more Deng Yus appeared, each holding a banner, surrounding Xiao Chen.

Clouds and mist roiled, the sky grew hazy, and no one could see clearly.

"An incarnation technique?" a cultivator exclaimed. But having so many incantations was rare.

"Thanks to you, I split my Nascent Soul into five. If I ever reach great mastery, I will have you to thank." Five Deng Yus spoke the same words from five directions.

Xiao Chen was not afraid. His opponent was no longer a full major realm above him, only three heavens higher. That was no longer an insurmountable gap. He had fought across levels many times.

"Even if you split into a thousand million, I will still kill you."

"Flood the World!" shouted the Deng Yu holding the Water Blue Banner. A vast mist of water surged, and a wave of blue radiance swept toward Xiao Chen. This was Ultimate Yin True Water; if drenched by it, even a steel body would rot to dust.

The Water Blue Banner shimmered, a blue so clear it intoxicated—like a carving from sapphire. Its edge made even an army retreat. Onlookers in the distance involuntarily withdrew further, afraid of being splashed by even a drop of the Yin True Water.

Xiao Chen vibrated his Lingxi Sword Wave, tearing open a patch of void, channeling the blue mist into it. Then the sword wave surged toward the Water Blue Banner.

"Boom!"

A vast expanse of misty blue radiance burst forth, blocking the sword wave. The Water Blue Banner trembled repeatedly, releasing a tremendous power that shook the surroundings. Xiao Chen's body shuddered violently. If not for his supremely powerful martial body, he would have been shattered by the banner. Without hesitation, he raised the Hand of the Supreme Being and struck with overwhelming force.

With a thunderous crash, he struck into the hazy blue mist.

Heaven and earth shook. The Water Blue Banner was sent flying backward, its surface tearing open a long spatial rift. Deng Yu was greatly shocked. He was three heavens above Xiao Chen, and with the Five Elements Treasure in his control, Xiao Chen could still meet it with pure physical strength. He deeply felt the terror of the martial body.

The Deng Yus wielding the Crimson Fire Banner and the Earth Banner charged forward simultaneously, aiming directly at Xiao Chen.

The great fire banner unfurled, shaking heaven and earth. A red light blazed—this was Yin Fire, impossible to extinguish. Even a Deathless Longevity expert would lose some of their power if contaminated.

Xiao Chen employed his space divine art, sealing off the space with a blue light curtain, cutting off the Yin Fire, and blocking the surging power. Then he swung the War Sword, using divine force to send the Crimson Fire Banner-wielding Deng Yu staggering back.

"Boom!"

As if mountains were crumbling, the Earth Banner-wielding Deng Yu charged in. The banner blotted out the sky, sweeping a hazy yellow radiance. This was the essence of yellow earth, capable of filling seas and extinguishing rivers. If a person were sealed inside, they would instantly turn to dust.

Xiao Chen avoided its edge with the extreme speed of the Eight Aspect Worlds, then struck out with the Collapse technique. The void seemed to crack like fine jade, with fissures spreading across the sky. With a booming crash, it shattered.

The sky was filled with energy beams, storms raging in all directions, making it impossible to look directly at the shattered void.

Vast waves of power swept across the peak of Mount Tai. After many years, Xiao Chen once again displayed the Four Killing Moves. Their power was so far beyond the past that they sent the Earth Banner flying.

"Shua, shua!"

Figures flashed. The Deng Yus wielding the Azure Wood Banner and the Golden Metal Banner charged forward, their great banners dancing, making the entire heaven tremble.

The Azure Wood Banner unfurled, a hazy green aura sweeping toward Xiao Chen, seeming to corrode everything. A tiny drop that touched the peak of Mount Tai left it utterly dead, all life extinguished.

At the same time, blinding golden light burst forth. The Golden Metal Banner descended with devastating edge, tearing the sky. Mount Tai itself seemed about to shatter.

The two banners crossed like scissors, intending to destroy Xiao Chen.

Three of the Four Killing Moves—Reverse Chaos, Slay the Gods, and Suppress Demon—were unleashed in succession. Against such an opponent, Xiao Chen held nothing back; each blow used his full power.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Three killing moves pierced the sky, channeling the vast energy of the Azure Wood and Golden Metal Banners into a dimensional space. Even so, the void continuously shattered, creating a destructive fury. Mount Tai and the surrounding peaks shook violently.

"Shua, shua, shua!"

Figures flashed repeatedly. Five Deng Yus appeared from five directions, holding the Water Blue, Crimson Fire, Earth, Azure Wood, and Golden Metal Banners. The great banners crackled and tore the void. The five banners blotted out the heavens, covering the space and trapping Xiao Chen.

A fierce battle erupted. Violent waves of power spread in all directions. Everyone retreated again and again, staring in shock from afar.

The Five Banners churned, shaking heaven and earth, as if trying to overturn the cosmos.

A water-blue light curtain, a hazy azure wood aura, a dazzling golden light, a surging extreme Yin fire, and a vast yellow earth radiance—five distinct energies roiled, shredding the heavens and annihilating space. A trace of chaotic mist flowed through the sky.

One could imagine how terrifying the battlefield was. The two experts fought fiercely, occasionally seeing their figures surging amid the currents of energy.

This was a battle of equals. Though Deng Yu had newly acquired the Five Elements Banner, Xiao Chen commanded a host of formidable techniques, each with unmatched power. The two fought for a full hour without deciding a victor.

Deng Yu could not bear it. He was a full three heavens above Xiao Chen, with excellent combat instincts, yet Xiao Chen's strange and rare techniques countered him. Most of all, the extreme speed of the Eight Aspect Worlds left him helpless. Several times he had nearly crushed Xiao Chen under the Five Elements Banners, but Xiao Chen escaped with his lightning-fast movement.

Finally, he deployed the Five Elements Array. The sky was filled with mist, and everyone felt a vast power explode within it, as if a colossal being was awakening—a primeval divine force tearing through time and space.

The moment the Five Elements Array unfolded, flames shot up half the sky, a raging sea of fire blotting out the air. In the opposite direction, an endless ocean suddenly appeared high in the sky—a terrifying deluge. A hazy yellow earth rolled in a third direction, forming a vast desert. Then a green divine light surged into the sky; a primeval forest emerged in the air, filled with ancient trees. Golden light blinded the eye, and one divine weapon after another soared to the sky.

The Water Blue, Crimson Fire, Earth, Azure Wood, and Golden Metal Banners shook simultaneously, arrayed in the five elemental worlds. When they moved, the sky shattered, the earth split, and the gale was more terrible than heavenly blades. Terrifying power converged on Xiao Chen in the center.

Seeing his opponent unleash his ultimate killing formation, Xiao Chen began to counterattack with all his might. For the first time in the Mortal World, he revealed the Eight Aspect Worlds divine art.

Eight illusory worlds appeared around Xiao Chen, as if cycling through reincarnation, spinning wildly outward. Eight overlapping spaces, eight aspects turning: Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire, Thunder, Mountain, Wind, and Swamp moved together.

The Heaven aspect was vast and distant; the Earth aspect, deep and heavy; the Water aspect, like an ocean; the Fire aspect, raging to the nine heavens; the Thunder aspect, splitting the sky; the Mountain aspect, shaking the universe; the Wind aspect, tearing through dimensional space; the Swamp aspect, vast and boundless like the underworld...

The eight aspects turned, breaking the Five Elements Array!

As soon as the Eight Aspect Worlds divine art appeared, everyone was stunned. It was far more than simple rotation. The Heaven and Earth aspects intermingled, emitting strands of yin and yang energy. Fire, Water, and Wind aspects fused, releasing a hazy chaotic primordial qi.

The Eight Aspect Worlds divine art could completely counter the primeval formation condensed by the Five Elements Banners.

Because of this counter, Deng Yu's defeat accelerated.

The Eight Aspect Worlds fixed the five elements. Xiao Chen flew through the chaotic sky, beginning to cut down the banners of the Five Elements Array.

He moved like a rainbow, the War Sword's edge soaring to the sky. One swing of the sword, and the Water Blue Banner was severed. With a rumbling boom, as if heaven collapsed and the earth caved in, the water world of the five-element worlds shattered. The Deng Yu within cried out and rushed out of the formation.

Without delay, Xiao Chen moved like starlight, charging into the earth world of the five-element worlds. He raised the Hand of the Supreme Being and struck with a palm, shattering the fixed Earth Banner to pieces. The Deng Yu there had already fled ahead of time.

When he charged into the fire world, Xiao Chen used a Spatial Rending Slash to shatter the fixed Crimson Fire Banner. The third world collapsed. The Deng Yu in this world did not even have time to escape; he was trapped by the yin-yang energy formed by the fusion of the Heaven and Earth aspects. The War Sword gleamed coldly. Xiao Chen raised his sword and brought it down. Bloody light shot to the sky. Deng Yu's head was severed, and his rising Nascent Soul was shredded by the sword.

Thus, Xiao Chen charged into the metal and wood worlds of the five-element worlds, severing the Golden Metal and Azure Wood Banners one after another. The Deng Yu in the wood world was also slain.

The crowd around Mount Tai was astonished beyond measure. The Eight Aspect Worlds breaking the Five Elements Array left them deeply shaken. Especially those from the Cultivation World, who found it almost unbelievable. The strange power of the Eight Aspect Worlds had allowed Xiao Chen to defeat Deng Yu, one of the ten strongest young talents of their generation.

After breaking the Five Elements Array, Xiao Chen went straight for the Deng Yu who had merged his three Nascent Souls. He would not give his opponent any more chances; this time, he would not allow the enemy to revive.

Deng Yu's heart was ashes. To be defeated like this... Among the younger generation of the Cultivation World, he had rarely met a match. But in the Mortal World, he had been wounded twice. It filled him with a sense of failure.

"Dang!"

Xiao Chen's Hand of the Supreme Being shattered a flying sword. It was the blue-robed man not far away who had struck to save the stunned Deng Yu.

"Brother Deng, withdraw! Do not lose heart. Your cultivation fell, which is why you lost today. When you return to your peak, see who in this world can challenge you."

The blue-robed man seemed to have numerous treasures. He cast out a large number of them to block Xiao Chen.

Deng Yu woke as if from a dream and quickly retreated.

"Today, I will kill you, and no one can stop me," Xiao Chen said, his voice icy as he resolved to eliminate Deng Yu.

At the same time, Jue Dao's fingertip bloomed with blade-light, charging at the blue-robed man. Yan Qingcheng's skirts fluttered as she too surged forward. Hai Yuntian, surrounded by sunflower petals, exuded a murderous aura, gripping a slender rapier as he flew skyward.

The snow-white little beast Keke also crossed space, opening Paradise Lost, which absorbed all the cultivators' treasures.

Even so, many cultivators charged forward. They did not want one of their strongest, Deng Yu, to fall here. Experts of the Shu Mountain lineage especially surged forth, hoping to save his life.

"Stand in my way and die!"

Xiao Chen shouted. The Lingxi Sword Wave vibrated out, a circle of deathly annihilation. "Pfft, pfft, pfft!" In the air, cultivators exploded, not even a wisp of bone remaining. Only blood mist drifted, and a great number of treasures were destroyed.

A bloody path was carved out by Xiao Chen's Lingxi Sword Wave. The surrounding sky was dyed red with blood.

"Deng Yu, you cannot escape!" Xiao Chen pursued with the War Sword in hand.

The blue-robed man, while being blocked by Jue Dao, also scattered a handful of purple-gold sand, causing a great wind to rise, trying to cover Deng Yu's escape.

Keke grumbled in dissatisfaction. Paradise Lost swept across the sky, absorbing it all.

In an instant, Xiao Chen caught up to Deng Yu.

"Shua!"

Deng Yu split into three, trying to flee in different directions. Xiao Chen ignored the other two, first catching up to the central one. He raised the Hand of the Supreme Being and smashed him to pieces with a single palm.

When he turned back, many cultivators had surged forward to block his pursuit.

In that moment, Xiao Chen showed no mercy. He deployed his space divine art, sealing off a patch of sky. Then he swung a Spatial Rending Slash. Blood light burst forth; a dozen people in the sky were torn in half.

Xiao Chen was like a god of slaughter, instantly frightening off many cultivators. Most no longer dared to block him. The extreme speed of the Eight Aspect Worlds was at its peak. He caught up to another Deng Yu to the west of Mount Tai. The War Sword swept horizontally, bisecting this man who had one-fifth of Deng Yu's original power. The Nascent Soul was destroyed.

Xiao Chen returned to the summit of Mount Tai. The Lingxi Sword Wave and Spatial Rending Slash struck together, tearing apart the cultivators blocking his path, destroying a swath of treasures. Blood mist filled the air.

"Ya-ya, ya-ya..."

The snow-white little beast opened Paradise Lost and released a figure. It seemed somewhat reluctant and turned its head away.

The last Nascent Soul body had been captured by the little beast. This was no time for mercy. Xiao Chen raised his sword and brought it down. A dripping head flew sideways. The Nascent Soul was crushed.

Thus, the Shu Mountain prodigy Deng Yu fell on Mount Tai.