Chapter 1138: Rejection

In the heat of battle, the two figures instantly soared towards the boundless sky.

Below, six towering stone pillars stood sentinel, their six colossal Dharma Images reaching ever higher.

The spectators gathered below collectively craned their necks, their gazes fixed upon the heavens.

At this very moment, across the entire "World Stage," where four battles raged simultaneously, the eyes focused upon this particular confrontation accounted for well over sixty percent!

It was a truly magnificent sight.

Gan Chang'an, his palm dancing, inversely propelled Dou Zhao skyward.

Their speed was such that even the air shrieked and ruptured around them.

As they clashed repeatedly, the exploding saber qi, guided by the intricate movements of the Karma Blade Art, converged at the apex, already rending the "heavens" itself with cracks!

And Dou Zhao, against his will, was being driven towards that celestial fissure.

In this moment of taut tension, from the distant starry sky, the four Starlight Sacred Towers belonging to Dou Zhao illuminated in rapid succession.

Vast power surged and flowed within him.

His brilliant eyes now held a look of destruction, a suffocating sense of oppression.

Dou Zhao's grip on his saber faltered for an instant. The blade of the Skyvault Saber, driven by terrifying force, suddenly wrenched Gan Chang'an's Palm-in-Dance saber aside!

The saber tip was deflected!

But on Gan Chang'an's face, a guileless smile bloomed.

How could the Karma Blade Art be so easily cast aside?

His saber tip had clearly been swung away, yet he continued to thrust upward. This strike, by all reason, should have sailed past Dou Zhao...

But it somehow adhered to Dou Zhao's abdomen!

Karma would not be denied!

*Drip!*

Amidst the shattering saber light and the cracking "heavens" above, a single drop of fresh blood fell.

Dou Zhao's blood.

Accompanying this solitary drop of crimson descent...

Was a resounding *clang*!

As Dou Zhao's saber deflected Palm-in-Dance, he, along with his weapon, executed a swift turn in the high heavens. Then, looking down upon Gan Chang'an below, his eyes held naught but destructive intent.

And with that circular turn, the Skyvault Saber descended with crushing force!

*Wife and children separated, why?*

*Wandering homeless, why?*

*The world's hardships are bitter and difficult, with no reliance.*

*If not from natural disaster, it must be from human calamity!*

A shroud of shadows enveloped Dou Zhao's form, lending his face an almost ethereal appearance. Yet, he and his saber were undeniably real.

They had existed before, and they would continue to exist thereafter.

But to witness him at this moment was to have one's heart likewise dimmed. A life without light, a future steeped in darkness. This life hopeless, the next life also hopeless.

This was Calamity Qi!

Jiang Wang, observing this battle, how could he not perceive it?

In the past, at Qingyun Pavilion, the sect master Chi Dingfang, in confronting the human demon, had sacrificed his life to perform a forbidden Dao technique. Its purpose was to invoke Calamity Qi and condense the Calamity Cloud.

As the current master of the Cloud Peak Immortal Palace, Jiang Wang had, of course, considered the possibility of its reappearance.

By all logic, if the Fortune Qingyun corresponded to the Calamity Cloud, then the Cloud Peak Immortal Palace should, in the past, have possessed a corresponding technique to step upon the Qingyun.

However, the Dao technique Chi Dingfang performed at that time, though forbidden, was not an Immortal technique.

From Jiang Wang's current perspective, it was not a Technique Medium either. Though named Calamity Cloud, it held fundamental differences from the Fortune Qingyun.

Just as the exploration of the Voice-Hearing Immortal Canon by the Five Immortal Sects was likely an exploration and adaptation by later generations.

Undeniably, this forbidden Dao technique inherited from Qingyun Pavilion was the result of approaching the Technique Medium named Calamity Cloud.

But Jiang Wang indeed lacked understanding of Calamity Qi, thus always finding progress difficult.

Now, witnessing this strike from Dou Zhao, he felt a sudden sense of familiarity.

If only Dou Zhao could properly explain how this strike utilized "Calamity Qi," that would be too fortunate.

If he could gain a profound understanding of Calamity Qi, and thereby reverse-engineer Qingyun Pavilion's Calamity Cloud technique, then he would have some direction. Coupled with the Dream-like Token, it might even be possible to reproduce the true Calamity Cloud Technique Medium.

Corresponding to stepping upon the Qingyun, deducing the related Immortal technique was also a possibility.

Conversely, if he could explore the Immortal technique corresponding to the Calamity Cloud. Possessing one more controlled Immortal technique medium, the Dream-like Token also had the opportunity to be pushed to a higher level, making it applicable to more Immortal technique mediums...

This, of course, was a beautiful notion.

And could only remain a notion.

Not to mention he and Dou Zhao had no connection whatsoever, even if there was, the secret techniques of the Dou family were impossible for him, an outsider, to know.

He could only hope that Dou Zhao unleashed a few more strikes, allowing him to see more clearly...

In the high heavens, Dou Zhao's saber executed a curling motion, and before Palm-in-Dance could continue its thrust, he cleaved it open.

Gan Chang'an's saber, originally, should not have been cleaved open.

With the Karma Blade Art controlling Palm-in-Dance, he had already pierced Dou Zhao's abdomen, intending to pierce his very body and soul.

But when the blade of the Skyvault Saber collided with the blade of Palm-in-Dance.

His essence, qi, spirit, intent, and momentum all collapsed for an instant.

Dou Zhao's strike was precisely the second style of the Dou War Seven Styles, named Human Calamity!

Harnessing Calamity Qi, it killed both self and enemy.

The evil of human calamity surpassed even natural disasters.

Gan Chang'an, himself becoming a calamity, disintegrated his own saber momentum from the inside out.

Although only for an instant, it was already suppressed by him. The Karma Blade Art self-repaired, reversed course, and the saber momentum regathered.

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

The feeling of destruction in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a dazzling brilliance.

The Skyvault Saber was a heavy saber with a thick back, often broad and sweeping, at every turn capable of cleaving heaven and earth.

This descending strike was, remarkably, incredibly light.

Lightly floating...

It adhered to the saber guard of Palm-in-Dance.

More accurately, it was Gan Chang'an, controlling his saber with exquisite skill, who used the saber guard of Palm-in-Dance to block the Skyvault Saber before it could cleave down upon him.

This four-inch small saber, in Gan Chang'an's hand, stood horizontally like an iron wall or copper rampart, barring enemies from entering, not allowing wind or rain to fall.

However.

Starting from the arm holding the saber, his skin began to wither, then crack.

Lines of cracks spread from his right arm towards his entire body.

Dou Zhao's strike was precisely the third style of the Dou War Seven Styles, named Skinbag Defeat!

The previous strike was sourced from Calamity Qi, this strike disintegrated flesh and blood.

The saber was blocked, but the momentum had already been unleashed!

On the viewing platform, Ye Qingyu, watching the battle, felt a chill run down her spine for a moment. In Chi Yun Mountain, she had fought with Dou Mian, and at that time, he had also attempted the Skinbag Defeat strike. She had indeed felt its power, but not its terror.

Not until witnessing it again today.

The mere thought of being struck by this saber, and having one's body decay thus, made her feel a lingering fear.

Such saber technique was truly close to the Dao!

Could her Cloud Transformation divine ability confront it? Were her puppet soldier talismans sufficient to cleave it?

Not only was Ye Qingyu frightened.

But absolutely not including Gan Chang'an.

Although his youthful body began to decay, began to uncontrollably wither.

But he was still full of spirit. With just a turn of Palm-in-Dance, the four-inch small saber continuously spun and danced around the blade of the Skyvault Saber, in the continuously exploding sparks, continuously approaching, and finally adhering to Dou Zhao's palm, vertically slicing through his five fingers!

In his mouth, he still declared: "At nineteen, I still aspire to learn; I cannot be called old and decrepit!"

The mysterious and unfathomable Denial divine ability was once again employed.

The cracks on his body recovered one by one. He was still the fresh, taut, vigorous young body.

Displaying astonishing vitality.

And Dou Zhao again raised his saber high, and brought it down heavily: "The human heart slowly decays; old is old already!"

He claimed Gan Chang'an's heart was aging, and though nineteen, he was not young.

His eyes were indifferent, and the momentum of the Skyvault Saber was likewise resolute.

His voice was like frost, and a faint light flowed upon the blade, directly cleaving through the divine ability light.

It was another strike of Divine Nature Extinction!

On the viewing platform, Jiang Wang's heart was shaken. Heavenly Punishment, Human Calamity – these two styles were still within his understanding.

But this style of Divine Nature Extinction...

How was it possible!?

If the first time was due to Gan Chang'an's divine ability effect already being exhausted, then this time was a direct collision with the divine ability.

And the result appeared so astonishing.

Could it be that Dou Zhao's move could truly cleave through divine ability light each time?

Even if it was hailed as the first killing technique since the present world, to achieve this was too unbelievable!

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

He saw Gan Chang'an spread his five fingers like a blooming lotus, the handle of Palm-in-Dance standing in the center of his palm.

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

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

Jiang Wang silently exhaled a breath. It seemed the Divine Nature Extinction style could indeed confront divine abilities to a certain extent, but it was very limited, unable to completely dissolve the power of a divine ability.

However... even if only so, it was truly not unworthy of the name "the first killing technique since the present world"!

Gan Chang'an spread his five fingers wide, pushing Palm-in-Dance with the center of his palm.

The four-inch small saber spun madly in the center of his palm.

Within the square inch world of his palm, the delicate beauty danced wildly.

Outside the palm, the vast world surprisingly seemed to follow suit, dancing lightly.

Making people intoxicated, making people bewildered!

Dou Zhao's hand also became gentle, as if he too had fallen into the saber momentum, following the opponent's four-inch small saber in its dance.

But the Skyvault Saber, in a lightly floating posture, descended, its blade precisely cleaving onto the tip of Palm-in-Dance.

Gentle like a kiss.

It was precisely the Dou War Seven Styles' Skinbag Defeat, specializing in killing beautiful skinbags!

Palm-in-Dance was spiritually endowed, considered a beauty among famous sabers, and was of course a beautiful skinbag.

Saber tip and blade collided.

Palm-in-Dance's dancing posture stopped.

Gan Chang'an was neither flustered nor hurried, his still seemingly naive eyes looking towards Dou Zhao.

The naivety and greenness in his eyes were all gone. His wisdom and cunning shone in his gaze.

He was not truly naive, much less truly childish.

At eight years old, he possessed the ability to stabilize a region; his wisdom far surpassed ordinary people.

At this moment, this scene, was meticulously planned by him.

Everything was within his grasp!

When the two sabers touched at this juncture, they strove against each other.

Both individuals held their sabers, solely to decide life and death.

It was precisely the opportune moment to divide life and death!

A figure in a tall crown and wide sleeves, stepped gracefully from his heavenly spirit, high above, majesty naturally born, yet it was Gan Chang'an's Divine Soul!

In his Divine Soul state, Gan Chang'an was graceful like an immortal, his temperament exceptional, and possessed of immeasurable prestige.

He merely reached out and grasped!

Within Dou Zhao's body, a phantom twisted uneasily, about to leap out. That was Dou Zhao's Divine Soul, being pinched, being pulled out!

This was a divine ability, Divine Wandering!

Divine Soul wandering like Divine Wandering, before the "divine," all else were ants. Naturally, it could, to a certain extent, control the opponent's Divine Soul. If one's own Divine Soul wandered, it would likewise cause the opponent to wander!

By all reason, cultivators below the Divine Arrival realm would find it extremely difficult to confront this type of divine ability.

Gan Chang'an's timing was also exceedingly precise, evidently aiming to secure victory and destroy Dou Zhao.

But facing such a terrifying divine ability.

Dou Zhao's expression remained brilliant and bright.

His saber momentum shifted, and with a direct strike of Divine Nature Extinction, he cleaved at the divine ability light.

This saber rose too early, not like before, after Gan Chang'an's divine ability had taken effect, thus unable to completely cleave through the divine ability light.

But he only needed a moment's dissolution and delay. His saber momentum turned and folded again, his body's leaping Divine Soul phantom maintaining consistency with his flesh.

Simultaneously lifting his saber, simultaneously chopping down.

His appearance seemed somewhat aged, his Divine Soul seemed somewhat weak.

He decayed himself before injuring the enemy!

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

This was the fifth style of the Dou War Seven Styles, named Body and Soul Decay!

The Skyvault Saber almost bounced off. After the Divine Nature Extinction style, it immediately collided with that tall-crowned, wide-sleeved Gan Chang'an Divine Soul.

Like an eagle striking the sky, a fish leaping from the shallow bottom.

There was not the slightest delay between the preceding and succeeding styles, as if they were originally meant to be so smooth and natural.

Gan Chang'an displayed an expression of surprise.

He indeed did not expect that Dou Zhao had actually cultivated this style to the realm of both body and soul decay.

People scheme against the tiger, the tiger schemes against people.

He was waiting for Dou Zhao to meet his saber, and Dou Zhao was also waiting for his Divine Wandering!

This was a saber specifically designed to cleave Divine Souls.

Extinguishing both body and soul.

One style of Divine Nature Extinction cleaved open the divine ability light, and one style of Body and Soul Decay drove straight in, directly facing the Divine Soul.

The tall-crowned, wide-sleeved Gan Chang'an Divine Soul, on the spot, was vertically bisected, wrong and divided into two.

Divine Wandering was a terrifyingly powerful divine ability, but after all, it was Divine Soul wandering, and it was actually directly cleaved by this saber!

Had Gan Chang'an lost?

Many people were pondering this question.

The Qin people present were even more unwilling to believe that Gan Chang'an, such an absolute world prodigy, could possibly stop at the top eight?

But they could not deceive themselves. With his Divine Soul completely cleaved, where was there any possibility of fighting again?

But the Gan Chang'an holding Palm-in-Dance high obviously did not think so, nor had he ever thought he would lose.

His Divine Wandering had failed, his Divine Soul had suffered a heavy injury.

But he was still holding his saber, his Palm-in-Dance, still beating in the center of his palm.

He moved his lips, and once again said: "At eight years old, I could stabilize Chang'an; at nineteen, I desire to stabilize the world!"

To desire to stabilize the world, one must first start by winning the Yellow River Assembly.

He once again employed the Denial divine ability, to deny the failure of Divine Wandering!

This was obviously a very difficult thing, even for the terrifying Denial divine ability.

The more difficult the result to "deny," the greater the price to pay. Gan Chang'an steadily looked at Dou Zhao, his Starlight Sacred Towers violently flickered, and within his body, the five inner mansions rumbled and turned.

He focused all his power!

But Dou Zhao grinned, revealing white teeth, exceptionally brilliant: "Foolish talk to coax children. You also deceive yourself!"

He flipped his hand, and it was one saber!

This saber went straight in.

Directly pointing at Dou Zhao's heavenly spirit.

It seemed to split open his heart, directly facing his darkness. It seemed to cleave off his distracting thoughts, allowing him to face his life and death.

The sixth style of the Dou War Seven Styles, Cleave Nature See I!

Cleave Nature See I, who am I?

You are childish and mediocre, green and naive.

Young you achieved empty fame, old you have no progress.

You cling to old ways, self-satisfied.

Living in praise, you do not know your own weight.

"Yellow-mouthed child, how dare you claim hegemony over the world!?"

Facing such a saber, Gan Chang'an was stunned for a moment.

He wouldn't have collapsed so quickly originally, but his Divine Soul had just suffered a heavy injury, he had used the Denial divine ability multiple times for extremely difficult denials, and this last time, it had not fully played out...

There were too many reasons!

He suddenly awoke, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

For an absolute world prodigy like him...

All were excuses!

And Dou Zhao's Skyvault Saber had already fallen, one strike cleaving onto Gan Chang'an's forehead, through the protective starlight, cleaving Gan Chang'an all the way down.

Just like earlier, Gan Chang'an had pressed Dou Zhao all the way up with Palm-in-Dance.

Now reversed, Dou Zhao with the Skyvault Saber cleaved Gan Chang'an all the way down.

Moreover, it was faster, heavier, and more resolute!

In less than a breath of time, he had cleaved Gan Chang'an down to the ground.

The protective starlight shattered at that very moment.

The Skyvault Saber continued its descent mercilessly, cleaving halfway into his forehead!

Dou Zhao, he...

Had denied the Gan Chang'an who possessed the Denial divine ability!

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