Chapter 438 : Sun and Moon's Fiendish Confrontation

"Since you are confident in dealing with Ignatius the Blazing Lord, then it is indeed time to sever this Millennium-old karmic tie."

The Setting Sun Wheel radiated with scorching brilliance, its tone calm yet edged with sharpness: "However, that Ignatius the Blazing Lord is, after all, an existence of Nascent Soul grade, and its vitality far surpasses that of an ordinary True Lord. Slaying it will be no easy feat."

"Later, we will use the Formation to suppress this fiend, and you may seize the opportune moment to strike."

Lyra Jiang and Eldrin Chen exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. "Rest assured, Senior," they said. "We will exert our full strength to slay this fiend."

"Good." The Moonlight Wheel's voice grew solemn, filled with unwavering resolve. "In this battle, even if we must deplete our Primordial Essence [the foundational life force of a cultivator], we will utterly annihilate this creature."

With the decision made, the Moonlight Wheel and the Setting Sun Wheel immediately pushed the Formation to its absolute limit. Amplified by the Fifth Rank Formation, they transformed into a pair of sun and moon descending from the heavens, cleaving into the sea of molten lava with majestic divine might.

"ROAR—!"

A bellow that shook the heavens and earth erupted. From the boundless sea of molten fire, blazing magma surged forth as a figure akin to a deity or demon, straining against the Formation, roared and charged out from the Flaming Prison Sea of Fire.

Although the Sun and Moon Sect's Formation now bore slight imperfections, it could still unleash the full power of the two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure. The combined strike successfully wounded the suppressed Ignatius the Blazing Lord.

Eldrin Chen watched as Ignatius the Blazing Lord, its body etched with countless formation runes, raised the sun and moon aloft with both hands, ascending like a Demon God [a powerful entity of malevolent power] emerging from a hell of Crimson Flame Qi [a potent, blazing fire energy]. Published by AUDIO-NOVEL.COM. All rights reserved.

"Although this fiend lacks a Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a supreme-grade artifact specifically designed to suppress and vanquish demonic entities], and his mana is somewhat inferior to that of a True Lord [a cultivator who has reached the Nascent Soul Realm], his physical body surpasses that of many Demonic Monsters [powerful beasts corrupted by demonic energy]. Perhaps only the top-tier Demonic Tribe [organized clans or races of demonic beings], such as Flood Dragons or Great Rocs, could rival it."

Lyra Jiang's gaze sharpened, a trace of solemnity coloring her thoughts.

Watching Ignatius the Blazing Lord wreak havoc, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Now, with the assistance of the Nether Stone [a rare stone imbued with profound yin or netherworld energy], the power of this Formation [a structured arrangement of energy channels and artifacts used to create magical effects] has surged significantly. For this fiend to still withstand the formation's pressure while confronting two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [supreme-grade artifacts specifically designed to suppress and vanquish demonic entities]... he must be paying a considerable price."

"True. Then let us act."

Lyra Jiang's eyes flashed with resolve. In that instant, she summoned forth the Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword.

A killing radiance erupted from this peerless Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [an immortal-grade sword forged for the sole purpose of slaying demons]. Unparalleled white sword-light crisscrossed the void; in terms of pure destructive force, it rivaled even the Firmament Immortal Sword.

Such a sword of slaughter was born to contend with Nascent Soul True Lord [cultivators who have reached the Nascent Soul Realm]. This surprise strike cleaved a hundred-zhang-long [one Zhang-length equals three point three three meters] wound into Ignatius the Blazing Lord's flesh.

"What formidable physical resilience."

Lyra Jiang's pupils contracted slightly, a flicker of regret passing through her heart.

Alas, her cultivation base was ultimately insufficient. Had she broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm [the realm where a cultivator forms their Nascent Soul, a major leap in power and longevity], that single sword stroke would have severed Ignatius the Blazing Lord's body in two.

"How dare you!"

Struck by this sudden and grievous blow, Ignatius the Blazing Lord let out a furious roar, his face a mask of shock and rage as he turned his gaze toward Lyra Jiang.

Currently suppressed by the Formation and the Sun-Moon Twin Wheels, and seeing the Heaven's Ruin Immortal-Slaying Sword still wreaking havoc, he let out a bestial snarl and expelled a mouthful of faint crimson, ethereal vapor.

"Beware! It's Nascent Soul Qi [the condensed, primordial life-force essence of a Nascent Soul cultivator]!"

Lyra Jiang's pupils contracted slightly, and she urgently warned, "He is resorting to a desperate measure."

The Nascent Soul Qi of a Nascent Soul True Lord is one of their most formidable assets. This essence is a miraculous power born from the fusion of the Essence, Qi, and Spirit Trinity [the three foundational pillars of a cultivator's being: physical essence, vital energy, and spiritual consciousness].

It contains a trace of Creation [the fundamental force of genesis and transformation] origin. Once unleashed, it can cause the Nascent Soul True Lord's power to surge dramatically.

Nascent Soul Qi is extraordinarily precious. It can nourish Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [a pinnacle-grade enchanted artifact of immense power] and restore their diminished potency.

Unfortunately, Nascent Soul Qi is the very source of a Nascent Soul cultivator's power. Excessive use inflicts severe damage to the Nascent Soul's foundation, requiring vast stretches of time for a slow and arduous recovery.

Precisely for this reason, Nascent Soul True Lord are extremely reluctant to tap into this precious Nascent Soul Qi, reserving it only for moments of absolute necessity.

Realizing the peril, Ignatius the Blazing Lord decisively unleashed his Nascent Soul Qi [the refined, potent energy of a Nascent Soul cultivator]. In a Ksana-time [an infinitesimal unit of time], that searing Nascent Soul Qi ignited the very Firmament [the heavens, the sky], causing his mana to surge by a full fifty percent.

"Be careful! We cannot hold him!"

Moonlight Wheel [a powerful wheel-shaped treasure imbued with lunar energy], sensing the dire turn, urgently warned the others.

After consuming the Nascent Soul Qi, Ignatius the Blazing Lord's power approached the very limits of the Nascent Soul, Early Stage. An ordinary Earthly Dao Nascent Soul [a cultivator who formed their Nascent Soul through the Earthly Dao path] might struggle to subdue him.

Such a foe, if not trapped within the Formation [a mystical array or formation], could likely escape even their combined efforts.

Then, Ignatius the Blazing Lord emerged, his body wreathed in molten rock and flame. He seemed to ignore the suppression of the Formation and the two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure [artifacts of supreme power designed to vanquish demons]. Gripping his companion spiritual treasure, he soared and cleaved downward, his strike aimed directly at Lyra Jiang. Join our community of readers at http://www . audio-novel.com.

"Triad Divine Thunder!"

Eldrin Chen's pupils contracted sharply. He raised his hand, unleashing the Triad Divine Thunder [a divine ability manifesting three distinct, powerful thunder energies].

The Triad Divine Thunder spun ceaselessly, transforming into a vortex of three-colored radiance that shot forth with a deafening roar of thunder.

Amplified by his current cultivation and the Five Thunders Grand Cycle [a grand divine ability that harmonizes five thunder energies], the might of this single blow surpassed even a full-force strike from a False Nascent Soul Cultivator [a cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core realm, possessing power akin to, but not truly, a Nascent Soul].

Yet, even such a Great Divine Ability [a supreme and profound supernatural power], vast and mighty as it was, was cleaved asunder by a single sword stroke in the blink of an eye. The strike's momentum remained undiminished, continuing its relentless arc towards them.

Lyra Jiang channeled her power into the Demon-Subduing Immortal Sword [a divine sword forged to vanquish demonic entities] and brought it down in a parrying slash, yet the force of the counterblow was so immense that it sent the immortal sword flying back, recoiling through the air.

"We cannot meet it head-on!"

Witnessing the overwhelming, torrential aura emanating from Ignatius the Blazing Lord, Lyra Jiang swiftly activated the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures [a legendary defensive artifact renowned for its near-impenetrable resilience]. She grasped Eldrin Chen's arm and executed a rapid evasion technique, pulling them both out of the direct path.

The Crimson Flame Greatsword [a massive blade wreathed in searing crimson fire] passed by with a hair's breadth to spare. Even the residual shockwave from its passage was potent enough to force a trickle of blood from the corner of Lyra Jiang's lips.

"Are you injured?"

A pang of anguish shot through Eldrin Chen's heart. He immediately produced a Pill [a refined medicinal elixir used by cultivators] and gently offered it to Lyra Jiang.

Lyra Jiang shook her head, a note of frustration in her voice. "A pity. The Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures requires a full Jiazi-time [a cycle of sixty years] to fully restore its protective might. Were it at peak strength, relying on this treasure's power, we would not have been at such a disadvantage."

Although formidable, the Glazed Armor of the Three Treasures was, in the end, not a Life-Bound Magical Treasure [a magical artifact intrinsically linked to its owner's life force and cultivation]. To rapidly regenerate its power, this treasure required nurturing by pure Nascent Soul Qi [the refined spiritual energy characteristic of the Nascent Soul realm]. As they had not yet broken through to the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms an independent, immortal entity], they could only allow it to slowly draw energy from ambient Spirit Veins [natural conduits of concentrated spiritual energy within the earth] to recover.

While they could still activate the armor using their Golden Core [the condensed spiritual core formed within a high-level cultivator] mana, the potency they could unleash was ultimately a shadow of its true, devastating potential.

With this thought in mind, Eldrin Chen declared, "This beast has only just entered the Nascent Soul [the realm where a cultivator's spirit forms an independent entity] realm. Right now, it's merely propping itself up with its Nascent Soul Qi [the potent spiritual energy unique to the Nascent Soul realm]."

"We should not confront it head-on. Once its Nascent Soul Qi is exhausted, subduing it will become far easier."

The two shifted their strategy, beginning to circle and engage from a distance.

The Ignatius the Blazing Lord's decisive, seemingly unstoppable sword strike had failed to achieve its full effect. Now, brimming with unparalleled divine might, it pursued them relentlessly. Yet, the pair managed to evade serious injury, skillfully parrying its assaults with their Magical Treasure [enchanted artifacts used by cultivators] and Divine Ability [supernatural powers cultivated through profound arts] while fluidly disengaging and repositioning.

Despite being empowered by the Formation [a structured arrangement that channels and amplifies energy] and relentlessly suppressed by two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure, the Ignatius the Blazing Lord found its overwhelming divine fury yielding to a creeping sense of futility.

"Damnation!"

After unleashing over a dozen full-powered attacks without subduing the duo, a sliver of anxiety finally pierced the Ignatius the Blazing Lord's rage.

Its current overwhelming force was the only thing holding the Formation and the two Demon-Subduing Supreme Treasure at bay. If it could not capture them before its Nascent Soul Qi was drained, a grim fate awaited. Continue reading this story at audio_novel.com.