Chapter 453: Battle of the New Immortal Realm

"Though it is said that even Master could not divine the origins of this establishment..." The black-robed Daoist finally recovered his senses after a long pause.

The few of them had already prepared themselves mentally; if even the Divine Mirror of Cave-Heavens failed to chart the store's pedigree, its proprietor was bound to be an extraordinary figure. Yet, to ascend directly to the Immortal Realm upon arrival, and to challenge some Demon Venerable to single combat besides?!

This was simply too preposterous!

Since when had venturing into the Immortal Realm become... as effortless as eating a meal or drinking a cup of water?!

Could it be that, having secluded themselves within the Haotian Academy for so long without walking the world, the realm beneath the heavens had completely transformed?

One must realize that it had been untold years since anyone had even heard of an ascension!

Half in doubt, the group found a place and seated themselves.

Hardly had they settled in when the great white deer beside them trotted over to the counter and brought back a dark purple cylindrical box in its mouth.

With its two front hooves holding a small wooden fork, it sat unheeded as the others stared intently at the massive screen: "This truly seems to be... the Immortal Realm?"

"It does appear genuine, doesn't it?" Clouds of immortal mist drifted languidly across the great screen, auspicious vapors soared, and the radiance of the morning sun flowed in the distance. Coupled with those magnificent and grand palaces, it possessed the true aura of a celestial domain.

As they watched, completely enthralled, a peculiar and wondrous aroma gradually wafted over from nowhere.

Subconsciously, they twitched their noses and sniffed, and Wang Xie instinctively turned his gaze toward the source.

"Calm your mind and clear your thoughts; watch closely!" The voice of the hoary-haired elder sitting in the center rang out.

"Yes... Master." Hastily sitting up straight and proper, they resumed their watching.

Not even ten seconds had passed.

A young master in yellow robes and a tall, broad-shouldered man in a short shirt approached, carrying buckets of instant noodles, and sat right down next to the great white deer: "Little Bell, did your master not come today?"

Each held a bucket of instant noodles in his hands.

"Hmm...? What is that smell?" The black-robed Daoist from the Haotian Academy could not help but sniff again; that sour, savory fragrance was growing increasingly potent.

Instinctively glancing over, he saw the two men and the deer sitting together, each cradling a purple cylinder, releasing that richly flavored aroma...

"Gulp"... He unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Focus your mind; let nothing distract you!" The elder beside him offered another reminder.

"Yes! Master's lecture is correct!" The black-robed Daoist shuddered, quickly turning his head back to concentrate on the great screen.

By this time, though the two figures on the screen had not yet struck, one side whipped up winds that swept away the clouds, while the other surged with boundless demonic energy, their momentum rolling across the world like the howling of mountains and the roaring of seas.

Neither made the first move.

Meanwhile, several more cultivators walked over from the counter. This time, they bore not only the purple boxes but also paper cups with large straws thrust into them.

They casually seated themselves on the other side of the trio.

A wave of that richly flavored, sour fragrance alternated with a thick, milky aroma, drifting past the noses of the newcomers.

Then, a young girl entered leading three other maidens. Each carried a bowl of instant noodles, and they seated themselves beside the great white deer with practiced familiarity.

Zong Wu also walked in, accompanied by several guards...

The lounge area grew more crowded by the moment, flanked on all sides by this dense fragrance that rippled outward in waves.

Wang Xie and the black-robed cultivator, unable to restrain themselves once more, instinctively cast another sidelong glance.

"Ahem!" A frail cough from an old throat sounded.

The two instantly shuddered, sitting perfectly straight and rigid as they continued to stare at the great screen.

Immediately after, that aged voice spoke: "Go and ask them exactly what it is they are eating. We... shall have a portion as well."

The two turned back in sheer disbelief, only to see the hoary-haired elder sitting between them taking a deep, intoxicated breath of the aroma, his face filled with pure delight.

The two: "..."

...

"Oh—! The battle has begun!" The black-robed Daoist, now cradling a bowl of instant noodles, suddenly stared at the screen with eyes shining brightly.

They watched as Jing Tian, controlled by Owner Fang, struck first, his form transforming into a flash of startled brilliance that swept across the vast sky!

Sword clashed against the dual blades in Chong Lou's hands, and an awesome power instantly swept through the surroundings like a tsunami. Amidst the earth-shattering explosions, the heavens collapsed and the earth split; the surrounding celestial palaces overturned and crumbled almost in the blink of an eye!

A true battle between immortal and demon—commencing with such world-shaking grandeur—sent a thrill through the hearts of nearly everyone watching.

"Awesome!"

"The Boss is amazing!"

"When will I ever be this formidable!"

The three newcomers from the Haotian Academy stood frozen in place. The black-robed Daoist, clutching his bucket of instant noodles, trembled as he said, "Such might can only be witnessed among the immortals and gods above; this is a true immortal!"

"Could it be that what my martial brothers and sisters discuss every day is actually this...?" Wang Xie took a bite of his instant noodles, speaking in a daze.

As the sword and dual blades parted, flashes of light suddenly erupted amidst the sea of clouds. Cold gleams resembled falling meteors; within the blink of an eye, dozens of exchanges had already passed. Sword qi and demonic energy crisscrossed and slashed wildly, and the residual shockwaves were enough to carve thrilling rifts into the surrounding mists and palace structures.

It was difficult to fathom what would happen if these strikes were to truly land upon their own bodies.

The crowd of players excitedly flooded the screen with comments. The opening cinematic of the entire game—the great battle between Fei Peng and Chong Lou—was not only shocking but also stirred the blood of all who watched. Now, to their surprise, at this final moment, it was actually controlled by a player, engaging in a genuine, head-on confrontation with this ageless, deathless demon god.

Only this could be called a battle; only this could be crowned with hot blood. To duel with the ultimate power was the long-cherished wish of every master, yet even for those not blessed with peerless talent, who would not desire to ascend the pinnacle and command the winds and clouds?

Now, the opponent was the Supreme One of the Demon Realm, a master of spatial power who could arbitrarily control the life, old age, sickness, and death of most mortals—the immortal and indestructible Demon Venerable Chong Lou. Even the Evil Sword Immortal, whom several of them had only managed to defeat after combining their forces and surviving a brush with death, was a super demon king who could only tremble in his presence!

Had it been in the past, escaping with one's life from even half a move against such an existence would likely be something most people present would boast about for a lifetime.

Even if, in this battle, Chong Lou would use no more than the strength of a mortal, rather than exerting his full might.

"Heavens! Owner Fang is fighting so fiercely?!" On the great screen, after Jing Tian, controlled by Fang Qi, exchanged dozens of blows with Chong Lou, he showed not the slightest hint of faltering. Instead, with a flip of his left hand, a small bronze wine vessel appeared in his palm.

Brilliance flickered upon this small vessel, as if a massive amount of spiritual energy had been compressed into it in an instant, before he casually hurled it forward.

Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the wine vessel exploded violently right before Chong Lou, and a sheet of fire that seemed to swallow heaven and earth instantly engulfed him!

"The Nation-Toppling Silver Bullet Wave?!" someone immediately cried out in alarm.

But that was not the end. Jing Tian on the screen withdrew his sword, and incantations rose with the wind.

After Fei Peng was reincarnated as Jing Tian, he knew far more than just swordsmanship!

Where Chong Lou stood, before the residual shockwaves of the explosion could fade, the heavens shook and the earth trembled, followed by a burst of raging flames accompanied by terrifying heat.

"The Stars Sink and the Earth Shakes?! Raising Fire to Scorch the Heavens?!"

"Incredible! Cutting off all paths right from the start, is that really necessary?"

"Even if it's Chong Lou, he'll lose a layer of skin even if he doesn't die, right?"

"Leaving absolutely no leeway at all!"

Beholding a battle of this caliber, almost everyone felt a power boiling within their veins, and the commentary screen went into a frenzy.

Two powerful Five Elements immortal arts were unleashed almost simultaneously. If the opponent had been an ordinary man, he would likely have been turned to dust long ago.

Yet at that very moment, from the depths of the thick smoke and the sea of fire, a cold gleam suddenly erupted!

Simultaneously, a flash of Bagua spiritual light passed around Owner Fang's form.

Owner Fang emerged completely unscathed; on the contrary, that cold gleam actually reversed its direction in an instant, striking back toward Chong Lou!

"What is this?" Everyone watched the scene in terror. How did Chong Lou's attack look as though he were striking himself?

"Even the 6666 Misty Moon Divine Mirror has been deployed!"

This was a consumable super magical treasure acquired in the Heavenly Realm, capable of reflecting an enemy's attack back upon them by virtue of the divine power imbued within the glass, a rule from which not even Chonglou—who currently exerted a power no greater than a mortal's—was exempt.

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Postscript: Diverging from the original game, while the system version faithfully restored every magical treasure, items of such potent utility were strictly unique, non-farmable commodities, even if they were single-use consumables.