Volume 16 Chapter 32: Clash of the Ages

The two Flame Titans surged with an inextinguishable berserk aura.

They began to take large steps forward. The hard underground floor was quickly burned until it began to crack apart, and then soon afterwards melted into pools of scalding lava.

Scorching hot air sprayed out like a fountain from that dried pond, even the air was carrying a scarlet tinge. Chi Yuyin and all of the others standing guard outside were all horrified. Just what happened inside that caused this type of thing to happen?

Qin Xiyue and Hua Jiyue who were pulling back as fast as they could felt burning particles in their lungs, making it completely impossible for them to breathe.

Under the control of Zhang Ping's chains, the already deceased Flame Titans stood back up. Moreover, their bodies were covered in sacred level flames. This was a scene they had never seen before.

Zhang Ping hid far too many things.

He obtained too great of an inheritance from Sky Devil Prison Plains. Right now, he was completely like a cultivator from the Immortal Devil Age not even recorded in the annals of history.

That was why the current battle was practically a clash between the modern and ancient worlds of cultivation. This type of battle of the ages, a clash between cultivators of different ages, was there even a chance of victory?

...

Nangong Weiyang was also withdrawing.

However, she didn't share the same emotions Qin Xiyue and Hua Jiyue experienced. In her world, regardless of whether her opponent was a monster or a cultivator more powerful than her, as long as a battle began, the only thing that accompanied her was a pure battle mentality.

The instant the two Flame Titans began to run, her eyes also seemed to have ignited.

Her flying sword erupted with power again. The void avatar of the Sea Fiend King reappeared.

Her flying sword completely broke away from Zhang Ping's surroundings, but it didn't directly hack into the Flame Titans surging with crazy flames, instead hacking towards the chains linking Zhang Ping to these two Flame Titans.

The flying sword clashed with the chains, releasing even greater waves of sound.

The snow covering the area around the workshop outside flew upwards. Several Yunqin troops surrounding this workshop completely felt the originally ice-cold air become suffused with a fiery aura.

The chains that made contact with the flying sword instantly became taut and then broke apart.

Nangong Weiyang's flying sword was just like a divine king's iron staff, sweeping out in a crude manner. Several dozen chains ruptured one after another, breaking into pieces.

The two Flame Titans that had just taken out a few steps, leaving behind several lava filled footprints fell backwards, the flames covering them quickly extinguishing.

Nangong Weiyang was indeed a cultivator who understood fighting better than even Lin Xi. During this brief instant, she deduced that attacking the Flame Titans might not necessarily make them stop moving, that the best way to defeat this method was precisely to sever the connection between Zhang Ping and the titans.

In this first confrontation between modern and ancient ages, she used this simple and direct method to deal Zhang Ping a blow.

Many chain fragments rushed into Zhang Ping's body, producing countless sparks.

However, Zhang Ping was instead smiling.

The deep and cold laughter carried a unique metal ringing echo, not like the voice a human released at all.

Nangong Weiyang's body sank fiercely.

Her flying sword was also dyed in a layer of flames.

This layer of purple flames continuously corroded the soul force around her flying sword, making her flying sword seem several hundred times heavier than usual. Her body also felt like it was weighed down by a heavy object, becoming extremely encumbered.

Immediately afterwards, Nangong Weiyang understood the fundamental reasoning behind this.

Her flying sword returned from between the two collapsed Flame Titans, and then it fiercely stopped several feet before her. She then stopped all soul force release, as if she truly abandoned the sword, severing all connection with this flying sword.

The flying sword dropped to the ground with a ding noise.

Slightly purple flames flickered, also slowly disappearing from the sword.

The instant the flames completely extinguished, she released soul force again, lifting this flying sword once more.

Her flying sword was completely fine again.

However, Zhang Ping was still smiling.

His smile was even colder and more powerful. "You are indeed Yunqin's most talented cultivator. In such a short amount of time, you were actually able to understand that what this flame burned was soul force itself, that the more powerful the soul force, the more fuel it will instead add to these flames. Choosing to completely sever your flow of soul force is indeed the best method for dealing with this method. However, you cannot change the object itself... In the age where immortals and devils fought, those immortal cultivators could use the world's vital energies to resist and defend against these flames, but these cultivation methods have already been lost in this world. Whenever these flames burn, they can still exhaust a large amount of your soul force. How could you possibly prevail against me?"

Under the echoing sounds of his own laughter, he began to move.

Losing the defense of Nangong Weiyang's flying sword meant that even if Lin Xi displayed the Sunset Light Sword, his strength alone already couldn't stop Zhang Ping's advance.

Zhang Ping forcibly passed through countless transparent sword lights, and then continued forward.

The sword formation formed from countless small transparent criss-crossed swords left behind innumerable bright sword scars on his armor. However, when the sword radiance disappeared, the surface of his armor was completely unharmed.

"Withdraw!"

When facing Zhang Ping's laughter, Nangong Weiyang only repeated the words Lin Xi already said just now.

When even she said these words, it already meant that she already inwardly admitted that she couldn't possibly stop Zhang Ping. She had no way of killing Zhang Ping.

...

Lin Xi was coughing lightly.

After killing that Shadow Sacred Expert and truly entering the sacred level, he already entered Zhang Ping's trap. His body already suffered some damage. After facing Yunqin Emperor, whenever he used all of his power, it would make his body's injuries worsen.

However, while lightly coughing and withdrawing with everything he had, he still asked, "What did you do with the Imperial Princess?"

Zhang Ping also understood Lin Xi extremely well, especially how he acted in front of his friends. He was someone extremely clear and easy to understand. As such he understood what Lin Xi was thinking right now. He replied with a voice filled with mockery, "What? You're still not convinced?"

Zhang Ping knew that it hadn't been long since Lin Xi entered the sacred level. Strictly in terms of soul force, Lin Xi might be one of the weakest sacred experts in this world right now. However, because of Lin Xi's natural Divine General talent, he also knew that if they truly fought a battle to the death, Lin Xi was just like Nangong Weiyang, this present world's most powerful Sacred Expert.

While facing Lin Xi and Nangong Weiyang, these two most powerful cultivators in the present world, and then seeing how the two of them couldn't even stop his advance, he also began to feel the taste of invincibility Purgatory Mountain Patriarch experienced in front of Thousand Leaf Pass.

Invincible... this type of feeling that couldn't be described with words was naturally an unrivaled pleasure.

That was why the instant he said those words, he casually struck the wall beside him.

The sturdy limestone piled walls broke apart like tofu under his metal hand. It was to the extent where he didn't even feel any resistance from his palm.

This type of feeling made Zhang Ping feel that the taste of invincibility was even more wonderful.

He continued to press forward, continuing to chase after Lin Xi and Nangong Weiyang's sorry figures. "I can tell you that the Imperial Princess is still alive. However, I haven't figured out what I will do with her yet. Perhaps I will let her become my second woman? At the very least, she is someone countless people in Yunqin wish to obtain but never will. I can also obtain Yunqin's imperial throne through her. However, perhaps after killing you, I might already lack all interest in her... This world always carries countless possibilities. After killing you, who knows how I will feel? Who will know if I will feel like this world is completely dull, or if I will once again feel that this world is full of true brilliance?"

Lin Xi felt more and more like he had never truly understood Zhang Ping. Under tremendous grief, anger and disappointment, he almost didn't want to hear Zhang Ping speak again. However, his instincts continuously reminded him that in order to defeat Zhang Ping, he had to understand more of Zhang Ping's secrets. Moreover, after suppressing himself for so long, the current bursting Zhang Ping would also talk about a lot of things he normally wouldn't for the sake of his mental satisfaction.

Lin Xi had to seize this chance. As such, he spoke again, asking a question that had left him bewildered for a long time. "No cultivator can use soul weapons from thousands of li away. How were you able to make those three single-wheeled puppets attack Purgatory Mountain Patriarch in front of Thousand Leaf Pass?"

"You still want to make preparations for the future? You really are the careful one. I could casually control the single-wheeled metal puppets at will from thousands of li away?" Zhang Ping could see through Lin Xi's intentions, but he couldn't win against his own emotions and desires. As such, he said with mockery, "I can tell you that your worries are unfounded. Even during the age of immortals and devils, there was no way of controlling soul weapons or metal puppets from that far away. However, these metal puppets and Flame Titans are all weapons the past devil cultivators designed specially for slaughter. Even when their controllers die, they will continue to fight against the enemy and not against those on their side. As such, there will naturally be small methods of auras involved. I tampered with Purgatory Mountain Patriarch's giant imperial carriage back then. Only when the vital energy clash reached a set degree would a certain seal on the giant imperial carriage be undone. At that time, the single-wheeled metal puppet would naturally be able to sense and lock onto Purgatory Mountain Patriarch's aura. This is precisely the secret behind why previously, there were no issues at all when he controlled the puppets, but during the final battle, the single-wheeled metal puppets instead became his enemies. I knew that a true great figure like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch would definitely choose to not leave his own imperial carriage. That was why these arrangements were practically guaranteed to work."

"I can even tell you that these puppets that are almost perfect have also been hidden in that giant imperial carriage of mine. Only after being brought here were they finally truly completed."

Lin Xi's group were retreating extremely quickly. As Zhang Ping explained these things, Lin Xi and the others already rushed out of this underground workshop, bringing an explosion of air with them, appearing in the sight of everyone outside.