Chapter 510 511: Overpowering Empress Xiao!
Chapter 511: Overpowering Empress Xiao!
[Chongli Imperial Decree Mountain-Sea Painting]
This innate divine ability unfurled like a scroll, appearing as mere layers of dazzling light to the outside world—ostentatious yet seemingly insubstantial.
Yet for Empress Xiao, trapped within, it felt as though she had fallen into another realm. Gone were the Tianwu Palace and its pavilions; all she could see was an endless expanse of mountains and seas beneath the radiant convergence of sun and moon cascading like waterfalls. And standing amidst this brilliance was a solitary figure.
"Boom—!"
With a swift hand seal from Lü Yang, raging flames surged from his sleeves, transforming into countless armored soldiers that charged toward Empress Xiao with deafening roars.
[Beacon Fire Solar Scripture]!
The inferno blazed, thick smoke billowing, instantly sealing off the space around Empress Xiao and turning her surroundings into a blood-soaked battlefield of corpses.
Yet Empress Xiao remained utterly unperturbed.
'Did he truly think I lack combat skills?'
Her gaze steadied, crimson lips parting slightly as a rich floral fragrance wafted through the air, cleansing the battlefield's killing intent like water washing away filth.
Amidst the fragrance, radiant lights bloomed, giving rise to peonies, lilies, cherry blossoms, red lotuses—countless flowers of every variety. They scattered in all directions, forming a breathtaking sea of blossoms that exploded outward in a dazzling display.
[Hundred Flowers Palace]!
Empress Xiao stood amidst the floral expanse like a celestial maiden, her silhouette vanishing effortlessly from Lü Yang's [Beacon Fire Solar Scripture].
In the next instant, at the very edge of the flower sea—
A flash of light revealed Empress Xiao, her delicate toes lightly stepping onto a crimson petal as she emerged soundlessly, her gown lifted gracefully.
"This is..."
Lü Yang raised an eyebrow. With his profound cultivation and recognizing that Empress Xiao's divine ability mirrored his own, he quickly deduced:
'...Wu Earth divine ability.'
'Wu represents the wood treasury, akin to building walls to protect flowers... Given this imagery, [Hundred Flowers Palace] must be a divine ability specialized in evading calamities.'
His thoughts then turned to the official rank hovering above Empress Xiao's head—[Empress Cisheng Lingsi], also at the Foundation Establishment Perfection realm, derived from [Roadside Earth]. Wu Earth was one of its branches. With this rank and the divine abilities of the [Seven Luminaries Heaven]...
'Ten divine abilities!'
Lü Yang was inwardly astonished. Without a doubt, Empress Xiao currently wielded ten divine abilities simultaneously, granting her overwhelming advantages in battle!
Just then, Empress Xiao moved again.
Her chest rose and fell as she exhaled a wisp of white mist, which twisted and writhed midair before revealing its true form:
"Roar—!"
A thunderous roar echoed as Lü Yang turned toward the sound—only to see a colossal white tiger, its massive frame crouched atop a mountain ridge, its maw gaping wide. The beast surged forward on a tempest of wind and sand, lunging ferociously at Lü Yang!
'[Mountain-Sitting Lord]!'
Lü Yang's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the charging white tiger.
This was a Geng Metal divine ability—one that Chen Taihe, the former Mending Heaven Peak Master, had cultivated. He hadn't expected Empress Xiao to wield it as well.
Fortunately, countering it wasn't difficult.
In the next moment, Lü Yang retrieved a seven-holed jade tablet.
This was the [Separating-Combining Jade Tablet], borrowed from the Dragon Palace Treasury in his past life. It could redirect external forces, absorbing most injuries meant for its wielder.
As Lü Yang summoned it into the air, he noted its dragon origin—its imagery aligned with "water." In water-dominated environments, metal grew cold and risked drowning. Thus, using this treasure to suppress [Mountain-Sitting Lord] was a perfect match, effortlessly neutralizing the ability.
Yet just then—
"Seal!"
Empress Xiao's delicate shout rang out as she flicked her sleeve, unleashing a shower of golden light that locked the [Separating-Combining Jade Tablet] midair before Lü Yang could act.
[Ten-Thousand Treasures Embrace]!
This divine ability was no stranger to Lü Yang either. Having settled accounts with the Immortal Spirit Shang Zhang in his past life, he was deeply familiar with the Heavenly Gang and Earth Fiends of the metal element.
'This is a Xin Metal divine ability...'
Xin Metal represented forged artifacts—as the name suggested, this ability could seize treasures and manipulate artifacts. The [Separating-Combining Jade Tablet] had been immobilized by its power.
But Lü Yang was prepared.
Above his head, divine brilliance coalesced into an imperial crown. Then, in one fluid motion, he formed hand seals, chanted incantations, and pointed decisively:
[Imperial Decree Mountain-Shifting True Method]!
Wu Earth divine ability—[Emperor of Life Command]!
With just the [Imperial Decree Mountain-Shifting True Method], suppressing Empress Xiao's divine ability might have been difficult. But bolstered by [Emperor of Life Command], the outcome was different.
After all, [Emperor of Life Command] was also a Wu Earth divine ability, perfectly harmonizing with the [Imperial Decree Mountain-Shifting True Method] to multiply its power. With all three steps completed, a single pointed finger sent endless mud surging from beneath Empress Xiao's fluttering sleeves.
The once-gleaming [Ten-Thousand Treasures Embrace] instantly dimmed.
This was Wu Earth's suppression of Xin Metal—when Xin Metal was buried beneath Wu Earth, its form could no longer change. How could it revive? This was the principle: Heavy earth buries metal!
In the next instant, Lü Yang gripped [Tribulation Wave] in hand.
"Clang—!"
The sword light flashed and vanished, Empress Xiao's figure dissipating once more into the sea of flowers. She reappeared far away, having used [Hundred Flowers Palace] to retreat.
But it was already too late.
The sword light was merely a feint—the true killing move was another radiance hidden within it, blazing like heavenly fire, brilliant as the sun and moon. With a single sweep:
[Sage-King Governance]!
By the time Empress Xiao emerged at the flower sea's edge, she realized her divine ability—the white tiger formed by [Mountain-Sitting Lord]—was already in Lü Yang's grasp.
He toyed with it casually.
For a fleeting moment, Empress Xiao's face paled, her composure shattered. Yet Lü Yang, despite his overwhelming advantage, did not press the attack.
With a thought, two streams of light coalesced at his fingertips.
'[Rise and Fall Matters]!'
'[Coiled Dragon Root]!'
The former was one of the mysteries of his innate divine ability, capable of sensing fortune and misfortune. The latter was his Wu Earth divine ability—[Great Chang Blessing Deity]—able to dispel all forms of malevolence.
Combined, they formed the pinnacle of causal divination.
Thus, when Lü Yang plucked the web of karma, he effortlessly pierced through Empress Xiao's barriers and discerned her true intentions:
'She's baiting me...'
'Of course. After debating the Dao with me for so long, she knows full well I cultivate [Heavenly Fire Above] and possess extraordinary cultivation depth. How could she be so easily suppressed?'
'This is a trap.'
'She aims to lull me into complacency, waiting for me to unleash a decisive strike—only to retaliate with that divine ability and catch me off guard...'
The Seven Luminaries Heaven divine ability—[With the World]!
In his past life, Lü Yang had used this very ability to fatally ambush Tian Qiu. Now, Empress Xiao sought to turn the tables on him.
'[With the World] is most potent when its existence is unknown... Pity. While this tactic might work on others, using it against me is futile. Still, with [With the World] active, she's practically encased in an indestructible shell—truly troublesome.'
His gaze flicked back to Empress Xiao.
Unlike him, she lacked specialized causal divination abilities, so her mastery of karma was merely at the expected Foundation Establishment Perfection level.
Thus, she remained blissfully unaware that Lü Yang had seen through her scheme.
Of course, this was also due to the confidence [With the World] afforded her—while causal divination might reveal danger, it couldn't decipher the ability's exact effects.
Too bad she was facing someone cheating the system.
Knowing [With the World]'s mechanics inside out, Lü Yang abandoned any thought of reckless aggression. A new plan formed in his mind.
In the next moment, Lü Yang's figure twisted.
Dark flames erupted from the ground, engulfing him and transforming into a towering, green-faced, fanged colossus that loomed over the land.
[Qian Heaven Omnipotent Manifestation]!
Empress Xiao froze. Well-versed in the Dao Canon, she recognized most techniques of the four great powers at a glance—and this one was unmistakable:
'Demon Sect techniques!?'
Wasn't he the World-Honored One?
Before she could ponder further, Lü Yang's [Qian Heaven Omnipotent Manifestation] reached out, its massive hand making a grasping motion toward her.
"Boom—!"
Empress Xiao's vision swam instantly.
The [Omnipotent] mystery!
This formless, intangible assault targeted the soul directly. Caught off guard, Empress Xiao staggered—only to find a blade's edge filling her vision when she regained her senses!