Ever since Overlord Yandi mastered the school of Sin to an exceptional level, able to imprint his life force into the Sin Spring, he had become more audacious, ruling with reckless abandon.
But at this moment, Overlord Yandi felt a ripple of unease.
This beast of a man! Overlord Yandi thought to himself, trying to conceal his shock. When we last clashed, this man had barely managed to wield one technique of the half-step third realm. And that was three centuries past. Now, he has two more under his belt.
How has mastering techniques of the half-step third realm become child's play? Overlord Yandi found himself at odds, emotions churning within.
He'd seen countless titans in his time, from the myriads of Overlords dwelling in the Abyssal layers to the teeming ranks of half-step third-realm powerhouses of Feather Fire City. Each and every one struggled desperately to improve.
He himself stood among the best, yet he only commanded the might of two schools.
Wu Ming… how old was he? Still, the man had managed to train in three schools concurrently!
In comparison, every other half-step third-realm powerhouse seems like a joke. Overlord Yandi found himself compelled to reassess the future branches of Xu Jingming. How can such a prodigious being even exist?
Standing atop the enormous seed pod of the Abyss Red Lotus, Xu Jingming studied the formidable Sin Spring Water below. With Overlord Yandi remaining still, he took full advantage of the opportunity to better himself.
The fiery embrace of the Red Lotus Flame served to cleanse and temper his body and spirit, revealing hitherto unseen weaknesses. Each new flaw uncovered was a chance to perfect and reinforce his physical form.
The amalgamation of the Abyssal Void, psychic weaponry, and Red Lotus Fire schools contributed to the continual refinement of Xu Jingming's being.
In truth, the pursuit of multiple schools was rather commonplace at the half-step third realm. As one deepened their mastery, their body became more refined. Eventually, with the perfect synergy of multiple schools, the third realm could be accessed.
"Wu Ming," Overlord Yandi broke the silence.
"Overlord Yandi." Xu Jingming returned, a smile playing on his lips even as he was enveloped in the Red Lotus Fire.
"You've laid eyes on the Abyss Red Lotus, even harnessed the Red Lotus Fire. Why haven't you made your departure?" The nine-eyed visage on the surface of the Sin Spring Water cast its gaze towards Xu Jingming.
"Patience!" He chuckled. "The Abyss Red Lotus is still unfolding. It's going to need a bit more time to fully bloom."
"Despite your breakthrough, you show no haste to depart. It seems you covet this Abyss Red Lotus," the nine-eyed countenance accused.
"Indeed, that thought had crossed my mind," Xu Jingming admitted with a nod.
"After witnessing the bloom of the red lotus, you wish to snatch the treasure? I see." The gaze from the nine eyes turned distinctly frosty.
Xu Jingming shook his head. "Overlord Yandi, you did everything in your power to prevent me from witnessing the Abyss Red Lotus in bloom. Yet, here I am, beholding its splendor due to my own strength. And as for the treasure? All the riches that the Abyss naturally births are fair game. Who's to say they belong to you?"
The nine-eyed visage seemed to regain its composure. "Very well. Let's determine who's the mightier."
Both Xu Jingming and Overlord Yandi held back, wary of disturbing the Abyss Red Lotus's bloom. A full-out clash could spell ruin for the precious flower.
A treasure like this, rivaling a third-realm weapon in value, was too precious to squander in their squabble. So they hatched a plan…
Seize the Abyss Red Lotus once its bloom was complete! Only then, with the prize safely stowed away, could they unleash their true might without a second thought.
What's the point? What's the point? The withered tree figure, now observing from a safe distance, could only shake his head helplessly at the imminent confrontation. If only he had agreed to Wu Ming's proposal earlier, all this strife could've been avoided.
In all the possible futures I've glimpsed, Wu Ming has a 70% likelihood of securing the Abyss Red Lotus, while Yandi's chances stand only at a meager 30%. His hopes are thin.
How astonishing! Wu Ming's growth is nothing short of staggering. In their previous encounter, the corrosive Sin Spring Water and a Demonic Sound wave had left Wu Ming severely wounded, forcing his retreat. Now, he is poised to claim the Abyss Red Lotus in a direct confrontation. Mere centuries have passed, yet his strength has amplified severalfold. The withered tree figure bore witness to it all, but dared not intervene.
Time ticked by, seconds rolling into minutes.
After nearly an hour, the Abyss Red Lotus unfurled in full glory. Xu Jingming observed every stage of the process meticulously, gleaning valuable insights.
But the instant the bloom was complete—
Xu Jingming and Overlord Yandi sprang into action! Their strikes were simultaneous, neither conceding a moment's delay to the other.
Buzz!
A pulse echoed through the Sin Spring as two gargantuan dark forks materialized within its waters, acting as twin wellsprings. The water whirled, carrying with it the haunting echoes of an invisible Demonic Sound.
Unleashed in that moment was Overlord Yandi's most deadly offensive.
The Demonic Sound crossed time, enveloping an expansive area instantaneously and honing in on Xu Jingming's three clones.
Abyssal Void! As Overlord Yandi's attack commenced, Xu Jingming countered with the dreamlike realm's Abyssal Void. It swathed the entire Sin Spring Water, striving to ensnare Overlord Yandi's consciousness within the illusory realm.
The standoff broke as both parties launched their attacks without hesitation.
"Ah."
The dreadful Demonic Sound found its mark, hitting all three of Xu Jingming's clones simultaneously. As a resonating hum filled their minds, consciousness slipped away, leaving them utterly stupefied.
Meanwhile, Overlord Yandi was ensnared in the web of the Abyssal Void's illusory realm, his mind and consciousness entangled. Only when the Demonic Sound's reverberations disrupted the clones' control over the illusion, was he able to free his consciousness.
In truth, it happened in a flash. Without the clones to sustain it, the Abyssal Void began its natural dissolution. Overlord Yandi's consciousness was held captive only for the briefest of moments.
But at the half-step third realm, even a split second could stretch an eternity.
"Store!"
Suddenly, five more Xu Jingmings materialized. Their foremost task was to swiftly secure the fully bloomed Abyss Red Lotus, along with the wealth of sins lurking beneath its roots.
"Hahaha…" As the Abyss Red Lotus vanished into his possession, the collective of eight Xu Jingmings burst into laughter.
Just perfect!
He had called upon more than ten clones, and even among the eight revealed, there were merely a fraction. Being a Heart Realm practitioner at the half-step third realm, he knew better than to exhaust all his clones at once, keeping some in reserve for unexpected circumstances.
"What?"
Once Overlord Yandi emerged from the illusory realm, he scanned the area with his vast Sin Spring Water form. His gaze lingered on the spot once occupied by the grand Abyss Red Lotus, now a gaping crater.
Even the bed of earth, rocks, and sins had been thoroughly uprooted.
From his distant vantage point, the withered tree figure could only sigh. Brother Yandi had chosen to deploy the same Demonic Sound technique. From the future threads I've glimpsed, Brother Yandi had a slim chance at acquiring the Abyss Red Lotus if he self-destructed without hesitation and unleashed a Sin-based offensive, spurring an onslaught of sins that might shake all of Wu Ming's minds. Considering the mental link among all of Wu Ming's clones… this was his lone shot.
But it's painfully evident that forming a sin body was no easy task for him; he wouldn't want to annihilate his own body. Besides, he has always been of this temperament. He puts little faith in what the future might bring, choosing instead to trust in his own strength.
…
Rage turned Overlord Yandi's nine eyes a fiery red.
He had expressly forbade Wu Ming from witnessing the Abyss Red Lotus bloom, yet Wu Ming had defied him, forcing his way in.
Despite Overlord Yandi's long-held territory, Wu Ming had managed to snatch the blooming Abyss Red Lotus right from under his nose.
Eyeing the eight grinning clones of Xu Jingming before him, the furious Sin Spring Water surged around Overlord Yandi as he thundered, "You Heart Realm folks sure know how to play with clones. Got an advantage, don't you? If you're so bold, then don't run. Let's go one-on-one!"
"I'm not the bullying type either," Xu Jingming shot back. "I'll match you with my eight clones today. Either you take the victory, or my clones meet their end in the fight."
"Hahaha…" A deep laugh rippled through the Sin Spring. "Who would have thought a Heart Realm cultivator at half-step third realm could be so generous? Very well! This clone of mine is a byproduct of the infinite Sin Spring Water, and my twin Demonic Sound Forks are rare third-realm weapons. They're valued more than 150 drops of Abyssal Mother Blood. I'm all in for this fight. Either I emerge victorious, or your clones perish."
Hovering in the air, the enormous Sin Spring Water faced the eight Xu Jingmings, each side brimming with battle lust.
Both parties were filled with fighting spirit.
Overlord Yandi, always the proud one, simply couldn't swallow this indignity. On top of that, he refused to believe in the future! He didn't believe Wu Ming could overpower him!
Xu Jingming, however, was eager to test the three half-step third-realm techniques he had recently mastered. At his level, a worthy adversary was hard to come by. Since Overlord Yandi had thrown down the gauntlet, he was more than willing to oblige.
"I'll let you have the first swing," Xu Jingming taunted.
Among his eight clones, he held only three psychic spears! Quite potent, but not his full arsenal. After all, he had brought a total of five psychic spears to the Abyss. The remaining clones, dwelling in the Heart Realm, held two psychic spears and a few loot items such as the Abyss Red Lotus.
Regardless, Xu Jingming intended to honor his pledge and use only the eight clones.
"You want me to strike first? Hahaha… Very well, I'll grant your wish!!!" Overlord Yandi's eyes flashed with unhinged fervor. The mighty Sin Spring Water exploded outward, swiftly spanning hundreds of millions of kilometers to encompass the surrounding expanse, including the eight Xu Jingmings.
"Intimidating me with Sin Spring Water?"
The eight Xu Jingmings ignited with Red Lotus Fire.
As the fire made contact with the Sin Spring Water, it sparked like a flint striking oil. Immediately, flames erupted across the Sin Spring Water, setting it alight with Red Lotus Fire.
Feeding off sin, the Red Lotus Fire consumed the blood-red sky until it began to warp.
"Red Lotus Fire? Hahaha, this flame burns too sluggishly. It can't match my absorption speed from the Sin Spring!" Despite the towering inferno upon the surface of the Sin Spring, the Spring remained unscathed.
"Ordinary sins may fear the Red Lotus Fire, but… when sin condenses into Sin Spring Water, water can quench the flame!"
"Monstrous… Sin!!!"
The booming voice of Overlord Yandi echoed through the heavens as the sea of Sin Spring Water transmuted instantaneously from fluid to an endless tide of sin. This limitless wave of sin converged on the eight Xu Jingmings, swamping them in a maelstrom of pure corruption.
An unending veil of sin blanketed him, encasing his mind.
Sin tugged at their consciousness, threatening to drag his thoughts and awareness into the unfathomable depths of the Abyss!
