NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 323: The Old Tiger Still Roars
Chapter 323: The Old Tiger Still Roars
“Then let’s begin.”
The indescribable Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect laughed heartily, flipping his hand to reveal a massive halberd. A murderous aura saturated the air, chilling the atmosphere to its core and freezing space itself in place.
Xu Lian’s gaze sharpened as he recognized this Supreme Halberd. Over twenty years ago, the Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect had handed it to Gu Ran, sending him to challenge Xu Lian in Wuguang City. Now that the Supreme wielded it personally, its power would far surpass what Gu Ran could ever achieve.
A fine horse needs a fine saddle; only a Supreme could fully unleash the power of a Supreme Artifact.
“Kill!”
Without using any Supreme artifacts or advanced combat techniques, the elder Supreme charged directly at the indescribable Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect .
“You are just an old Supreme on the verge of dissolving into the Dao-your body is decaying, your vitality is waning, your strength is dwindling. How dare you challenge me to a death match?”
The indescribable Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect exuded killing intent, swinging the halberd like a collapsing pillar of heaven, shaking the earth and splitting the sky as he aimed for the elder Supreme.
Puff!
To his astonishment, the Elder Supreme didn’t dodge!
The halberd plunged deep into the elder Supreme’s shoulder blade, spilling streams of Supreme blood. It seemed to lodge between the bones. Was the Elder Supreme really so weak now?
This abnormal behavior caused the indescribable Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect to pale with unease. A feeling of foreboding gripped him. Just as he tried to pull out the halberd and retreat, it was too late!
Puff!
The Elder Supreme’s withered hand shot forward like a dagger, piercing straight into the Divine Thunder Sect Supreme’s chest and ripping out his heart.
Heart extraction by bare hands!
No Supreme artifact, no secret fighting techniques, no invocation of Supreme laws-just simple, direct, and brutally effective action.
Everyone in the Divine Thunder Sect , from high-ranking elders to disciples, stood frozen in shock.
“Supreme One!”
“Ancestor!”
They had assumed that their youthful Supreme in peak condition could effortlessly slay the aging Supreme of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, sending the old man off to his demise. Instead, the tables had completely turned.
Even the unnamed Supreme of the Dark Moon Sacred Land and the bizarre Supreme of the Fuyao Sacred Land changed their expressions, unable to stand idly by. They moved to assist the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme, hoping to extricate him from this perilous situation.
But the Goddess of Time , floating gracefully in the air with cold, beautiful eyes, unleashed a river of time across the void, blocking the two Supremes from interfering.
Taking advantage of the stunned state caused by the heart extraction, the elder Supreme struck repeatedly with lightning speed. His withered hands moved like blades, dissecting the eerie transformations of the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme’s body with surgical precision.
“The battles between the Supremes aren’t as esoteric as you might imagine. Often, the ultimate essence of combat is simple and straightforward.”
As he fought, the elder Supreme explained as if he were imparting advanced combat wisdom to the elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands .
“This Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect grew up in relatively peaceful times, smoothly ascending to become a Supreme without ever engaging in life-and-death battles against other Supremes. He lacks experience in such battles.
“He thought that his youth, strength, and vitality would allow him to slowly wear down my decrepit body. But he failed to realize that I came here seeking death. Trading lives became my best strategy – and the strongest weapon of an aging Supreme.
“Supremes, sitting high above all beings, often develop an illusion after ruling for so long. They believe that anyone weaker than them poses no threat. But even the weak can take advantage of a strong one’s weakness and deal devastating blows.
“In future battles, remember this: never underestimate your opponent, never become complacent, and always remain cautious.”
He paused and glanced at Xu Lian. “Take Xu Lian, the Holy Son of the Nine Heavens, for example. With the divine law protecting him, those below the Supreme level can hardly harm him. Yet whenever he faces someone of equal cultivation in the Origin-Tracking Realm, he acts as though he is confronting a mortal enemy. This creates an illusion of vulnerability, which is actually quite clever.”
All the elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands listened with strange expressions, watching as the Elder Supreme relentlessly drove back the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme. Occasionally, they stole glances at Xu Lian, marveling at how deeply the Holy Son concealed his true prowess, having mastered such advanced combat principles so early.
“…?” Xu Lian was stunned. Was he really that impressive? Why hadn’t he realized this before?
By now, the Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect whose body had been “hollowed out” had finally regained his mobility and broke free from the close-range assault of the elder Supreme.
“Divine Lightning Combat Art! “
He roared furiously.
Purple mist swirled for hundreds of thousands of miles! The entire sky transformed into a sea of purple, condensing into a suit of purple armor that covered his ravaged body.
How humiliating! A Supreme in his prime had been gravely wounded by an aged, declining Supreme. This battle wasn’t just being watched by the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the Divine Thunder Sect – all the top-tier factions were surely observing. No doubt, they were laughing behind closed doors.
It was a disgrace beyond measure, a severe blow to the reputation of the Divine Thunder Sect .
“Even with these injuries, I can still crush you, you sneaky old bastard!”
Enraged, the indescribable Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect, clad in purple armor and wielding a halberd, launched another ferocious attack at the elder Supreme.
But something unexpected happened. Suddenly, the Elder Supreme’s withered body erupted into Dao flames. His Supreme Aura skyrocketed to its peak. With one hand, he blocked the halberd and closed the distance again, resuming his brutal dissection of the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme’s body.
Puff!
His withered hands sliced through the eerie transformations of the Supreme’s body, reducing it to a grotesque skeletal frame devoid of flesh.
“You see? He has made another mistake.”
“In battle, anger clouds judgment and makes one vulnerable to exploitation.”
“Remember this lesson well.”
With a serene smile, the Elder Supreme continued his calm lecture on combat wisdom. Amidst the blazing Dao flames consuming his body, he turned to ash.
The elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands watched with tear-filled eyes as he dissolved into the Dao.
“Supreme One… farewell,” Xu Lian murmured quietly.
Even the Goddess of Time, normally calm and aloof, had misty eyes. Her River of Time stretched across the void, barring the two Supremes from advancing any further.
“Arghhhh!”
The Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme, now reduced to little more than a skeleton, roared in fury. He swung his halberd wildly, attempting to obliterate the ashes of the elder Supreme, but it was futile. There was no chance to scatter his remains.
This battle sealed his fate. He would forever be mocked as a cautionary tale among the top-tier factions, an infamous example of failure in life-and-death combat.
“Die!”
Blinded by rage, the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme charged toward the Goddess of Time, halberd in hand.
The Goddess of Time waved her hand, summoning a river of time.
Whoosh!
The river condensed into a crystalline chain of temporal energy. Time, an unstoppable force, instantly pierced through the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme.
His already battered Supreme body aged thousands of years in an instant, rapidly withering and decaying.
“Stop!”
“What do you mean by striking so harshly, Time Supreme?!”
The unnamed Supreme of the Dark Moon Sacred Land and the bizarre Supreme of the Fuyao Sacred Land both intervened, pulling back the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme. If they had waited even a few more breaths, the temporal erosion would have rendered him useless, causing him to age prematurely into senility.
“He attacked the Supreme of Time first. Who can he blame but himself?”
Xu Lian thought that his own thick skin was impressive, but compared to these two Supremes, he still fell short.
The Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme snapped back to reality, breaking out in a cold sweat. Tens of thousands of years of life span had been taken away in that single blow. After achieving Supremehood, the Goddess of Time’s mastery of temporal laws had grown exponentially stronger-ordinary Supremes stood no chance against her.
The elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands exchanged knowing glances, secretly hoping that the Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme would continue his rampage. Though newly ascended, the Goddess of Time’s actual combat strength far exceeded that of ordinary Supremes. She could easily handle three or four Supremes simultaneously.
However, Goddess of Time did not press the attack. With a cold glance at the three Supremes, she gracefully departed.
Xu Lian quickly followed suit, and the Elders of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands swiftly teleported away.
Back at Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land, the elders exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.
“The Supreme of the Divine Thunder Sect got his heart ripped out and lost tens of thousands of years of his lifespan to the Time Supreme. Even if he survives, he’s half crippled.”
“Let’s see if he will still swagger around. He won’t be able to bounce back from this.”
In the following days, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands held a grand ceremony to celebrate the Goddess of Time’s ascension as the new Supreme of the Nine Heavens.
Grand Elders, Holy Masters, and Elders from all nine Sacred Lands gathered in the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land to pay homage to the new Nine Heavens Supreme.
During the peak era of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, there were five to six Supremes, but there was always only one Nine Heavens Supreme – the highest ruler and decision-maker known as the “Main Supreme”. Other Supremes obeyed the Main Supreme, making each succession of the Nine Heavens Supreme a momentous occasion.
The Supremes of the Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace arrived together to offer their congratulations. Top-tier factions sent envoys bearing gifts, showing their respect-not just to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, but specifically to the Time Supreme.
Everyone understood that the Time Supreme was no ordinary Supreme. Having recently ascended through the tribulation, her combat strength rivaled that of three or four Supremes. Once her cultivation further stabilized, she would grow even stronger, eventually becoming a peerless Supreme – a “Great Supreme”.
After the ceremony ended and the guests departed, the thirty-third stage of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land became the domain of the Time Supreme, who now governed the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and could no longer freely return to the ancestral grounds of the Divine Race.
“O, now that you have the authority of the Nine Heavens, perhaps…”
Xu Lian arrived full of confidence. With his close relationship with Time Supreme, he was now second only to her within the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands .
But before he could finish, the Goddess of Time cut him off. “No.”
Xu Lian raised a finger. “I’m almost done with my Origin Tracing Light cultivation. I only need a hundred more to reach the ninth stage of Origin Tracing Realm . Then, with a bit of Sage Realm cultivation resources, I can ascend to Sagehood”.
The Goddess of Time replied, “Each Origin Tracing Light produced in the exclusive cultivation zones of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands takes years to generate. One hundred Origin Tracing Lights represent centuries of accumulation. That’s not a small amount-I cannot approve it for you.
“Besides, you have no rivals left in the Origin Tracing Realm . You can gather the Origin Tracing Light from Wuguang City . There’s no need to deplete the resources of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. If I abuse my position as the head of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to give you extra resources, everyone will resent you.”
Xu Lian replied, “Who cares what they think? You’re the Nine Heavens Supreme, the ultimate authority. Whatever you say goes. No one dares to oppose you.”
The Goddess of Time replied firmly, “I said no. Why don’t you listen?”
“…” Xu Lian fell silent.
A giggle echoed. The Goddess of Nine Heavens arrived and teased Xu Lian. “Oh, look at you, mooching off my senior sister. She’s barely taken charge of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, and you’re already asking for more cultivation resources. Tsk tsk.”
Xu Lian shot a glare at her. “I’m not only eating O’s soft rice, I’m also eating yours. Didn’t you help me gather over three hundred Roots of Passage for my Unity Realm cultivation? Your soft rice was also quite tasty.”
The Goddess of Nine Heavens flushed red, her embarrassment turning to anger. “How dare you bring that up! I went through so much trouble to gather these resources for you, and in the end, I didn’t even get the divine laws of the Divine Kingdom. We’ll settle this one day!”
Xu Lian grinned. “One willing to give, one willing to take. What’s there to complain about? Besides, wasn’t it your greed that made you think you could claim the divine laws of the Divine Kingdom?”
The Goddess of Nine Heavens seethed, her emotions rising like mountains before calming down. “Let me tell you this: once you gather enough Origin Tracing Light and want to ascend to the Sage Realm, you’ll have to wait at least a thousand years. The cultivation resources of the Sage Realm are even scarcer. Even I am waiting in line. Due to seniority, you’ll have to stand aside and wait your turn while I use the resources first.”
“…_ Xu Lian’s eyebrows furrowed. This was indeed a headache-inducing problem.
Below the Sage Realm, as the Holy Son of the Nine Heavens, he enjoyed a high priority for resource allocation. But once he reached the Sage Realm, that priority vanished.
Above him were generations of former Holy Sons and Holy Maidens of the Nine Heavens, as well as the Goddess of the Nine Heavens herself. And above them were over a dozen Quasi-Supremes who were nearing Supremacy. Their ascension attempts took precedence.
Seeing Xu Lian’s frustration, the Goddess of Nine Heavens smiled sweetly and felt satisfied. “The Origin Tracing Realm isn’t so bad-you can still gather Origin Tracing Light from Wuguang City . But once you reach the Sage Realm, you’ll understand how difficult it truly is. There’s no unclaimed region in the world that produces Sage Realm cultivation resources. Only the exclusive zones of the top-tier factions produce anything worthwhile.”
“Don’t remind me…” Xu Lian felt a pang of despair.
At the Sage Realm, he’d be relegated to collecting the bare minimum-“welfare”-from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, and even then, only a portion. He wasn’t allowed to exceed the limit.
By then, if he couldn’t obtain resources from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands , there’d be nowhere else to find them. Advancement would grind to a halt.