Chapter 440: Now, Am I Qualified?

Crimson lotuses bloomed one after another above Hanshui City, their immense power making Lu Yang’s eyelids twitch in trepidation, secretly thankful that Sect Master Qiu clearly distinguished between friend and foe and had not transferred his resentment toward his master onto the next generation.

As five bursts of Crimson Lotus Karmic Fire crashed down, Qiu Jin'an's spiritual energy hit rock bottom, but Governor Lyu invoked the power of the national destiny, swiftly restoring Qiu Jin'an's spiritual energy.

In the mere blink of an eye, his spiritual energy was restored to a brimming, overflowing state.

With the power of the national destiny present, injuries and spiritual energy were no longer an issue.

In the words of the Xia Emperor, with the national destiny reinforcing oneself, the thing one feared least was a war of attrition.

Qiu Jin'an was not surprised; it was not his first time fighting side by side with a user of the national destiny's power.

"Good, excellent indeed!" Wu Youdao did not have a single patch of intact flesh left on his body, his aura dripping with murderous intent, so palpable that every soul in Hanshui City could feel it, as if plunged into an ice cellar, involuntarily shuddering.

This was not an offensive technique, but rather a result of Wu Youdao being so overwhelmingly powerful that even his emotional fluctuations could affect those around him.

"Did you think a mere Crimson Lotus Karmic Fire could deal with Us?" A white mist billowed from Wu Youdao's body, and under its shroud, his injuries rapidly healed.

Qiu Jin'an had never expected to achieve the feat of a leapfrog challenge relying solely on a mere Crimson Lotus Karmic Fire, especially when bridging the chasm between the Body Integration Stage and the Tribulation Transmutation Stage, yet the minimal effect it produced still caught him off guard.

Lu Yang was perplexed, unable to comprehend why the Crimson Lotus Karmic Fire had such a negligible effect on Wu Youdao: "The Crimson Lotus Karmic Fire is a Buddhist flame meant to deliver those who commit evil; even a single spark can use evil karma as kindling to blaze furiously. Could it be that he has never done evil?"

Man Gu and Zhao Po were also exceptionally bewildered.

Regarding this point, Meng Jingzhou could offer an explanation: "Did you see the Five-Colored Dragon Tiger Qi on Wu Youdao? That is a symbol of an emperor. How can an emperor's actions be divided into good and evil?"

Qiu Jin'an and Governor Lyu also realized this, altering their combat strategy.

Wu Youdao did not grant the two any time to react, striking first as countless chains materialized behind him.

"Buddha's Purgatory Palm!"

The chains were like a prison, pitch-black as ink, seemingly forged from a substance akin to profound iron, yet also appearing to be condensed from immense magical power, existing in an utterly bizarre state.

"Those in the Tribulation Transmutation Stage can refine substances that do not exist in the world; these chains must have been refined by Wu Youdao!" Qiu Jin'an's entire form radiated a five-colored divine light, and under its illumination, the 'metal' within the purgatory rapidly dissolved, leaving behind only the silhouette condensed from immense magical power.

Qiu Jin'an's words reminded Lu Yang of the Mother River and Twin River created by the Immortal Fairy.

If those in the Tribulation Transmutation Stage could refine substances that did not exist in the world, immortals would only be stronger.

The chains were no longer a threat, but the force of Wu Youdao's palm strike remained heavy and unavoidable.

Qiu Jin'an showed no fear, five miniature glass-colored flames appearing at the tips of his five fingers. He shifted his fist into a palm, the five miniature flames merging, and the slight wisp of fiery aura escaping from between his fingers was enough to warp space.

"Glass Pure Fire!"

The flames clashed with the Buddha's Purgatory Palm, the two forces wrestling like a dragon contending with a tiger, locked in a stalemate, but gradually Qiu Jin'an's cultivation proved insufficient and his stamina waned, causing the Glass Pure Fire to fall into a disadvantage.

"And me!" Governor Lyu pressed his palm against Qiu Jin'an, an endless stream of spiritual energy pouring in frantically, infusing the Glass Pure Fire with renewed strength.

"Great Daluo Triple Force!" Wu Youdao abruptly withdrew his strength and delivered another palm strike, the triple Daluo forces rising higher with each wave, shattering the Glass Pure Fire and striking Qiu Jin'an squarely in the chest.

Qiu Jin'an rapidly tapped his acupoints, temporarily sealing the triple forces that were rampaging within his body.

"Three Thousand Weak Waters!"

Qiu Jin'an spat out the Three Thousand Weak Waters, a vast and mighty torrent flowing ceaselessly, submerging Wu Youdao. Wu Youdao sought to break free from the shackles of the weak water, but weak water would not float a goose feather and would sink a reed flower, being the lightest substance beneath the heavens; even with Wu Youdao's cultivation, it was difficult to extricate himself.

"Living Soil!"

Qiu Jin'an produced a piece of Living Soil, the legendary celestial earth used by immortals themselves, which diminished with each use, but at this moment, he could care less.

The Living Soil expanded upon contact with water, multiplying rapidly upon meeting the weak water, burying Wu Youdao.

Pfft—

Only now did Qiu Jin'an hawk up several mouthfuls of blood, a testament to the might of the Great Daluo Triple Force. Had he coughed up blood just now, Wu Youdao would surely have seized the opportunity to press the attack, and then victory would truly have been impossible.

Governor Lyu hurriedly stepped forward to tend to Qiu Jin'an's wounds, sharing a portion of the Great Daluo Triple Force.

Crack—

The weak water and Living Soil did not trap Wu Youdao for long; carrying his fury, he charged toward Qiu Jin'an.

He could see it clearly now: the most troublesome foe at present was Qiu Jin'an, with Governor Lyu ranking behind him.

"Five-Colored Divine Light!"

Qiu Jin'an was risking his life, unleashing the Five-Colored Divine Light in succession, hurling out five-element items one after another, employing no fewer than thirty types of true fire alone!

Wu Youdao stopped holding back as well, invoking his lethal techniques.

"Heaven-Shattering Finger!"

Though called a finger, it was in truth a world, condensing the power of a universe within a palm into a single index finger, its fingerprints so vast that four horses could gallop abreast upon them!

"Three Flowers Gathering at the Peak, Five Qi Towards the Prime!"

Qiu Jin'an refined essence into qi, refined qi into spirit, and refined spirit into emptiness, finally gathering it at his peak, immune to a myriad of tribulations, the five qi of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth transforming toward the prime, returning to the Yellow Court, reaching an ultimate state of perfect understanding, an indescribably wondrous condition.

"Tang Valley Water! Fusang Wood! Golden Crow True Fire!"

Qiu Jin'an retrieved three treasures, recreating the scene of the birth of the ten suns; in terms of might, it was even more powerful than Perfected Lord Meng Tian's 'Ten Suns Cruising the Sky'!

"Fusang Wood, so the Fusang actually fell into your hands!"

The two engaged in a fierce, brutal clash, neither choosing to defend, striking at each other with the most extreme offenses, trading injury for injury.

Governor Lyu could not even react to the shifting variations of the spell-casting between the two, only able to continuously heal Qiu Jin'an with all his might.

Pfft—

Qiu Jin'an was kicked flying, an unknown number of his ribs snapped, and even his soul was damaged and shaking.

"Splendid indeed, a Body Integration Stage capable of trading blows back and forth with Us, this is the first time Us has witnessed it!" Wu Youdao was slightly stronger than Qiu Jin'an, his body injured, but fortunately, his primordial foundation remained unscathed and his soul was unharmed.

"Can you still fight?" Governor Lyu asked via a secret sound transmission while healing Qiu Jin'an.

"Damn it, my offensive means are running short!" Fighting to this point, Qiu Jin'an was also exasperated, cursing roundly, "If only there were another Body Integration Stage comparable to me, or someone like that old thief Buyu, we could win!"

"Where are we supposed to find one?" Governor Lyu stared wide-eyed; if it were a matter of numbers it would be fine, but this clearly wasn't something that could be settled by just a few ordinary Body Integration Stage cultivators.

Wu Youdao laughed aloud, indifferent to their discussion: "I have already thoroughly inspected the people of Hanshui City long ago, and there is no such person as you describe."

"Is that so? Then have you inspected me?"

An unfamiliar voice drifted up from below, drawing the alertness of the three individuals on the battlefield.

"Who speaks?"

A man wearing a white paper hat slowly soared out from the compound where the sacrificial ghosts were housed, stepping into the sky pace by pace.

With a single glance, Wu Youdao saw through the realm of the man in the white paper hat, sneering at his overestimation of his own strength: "With just your mere early Body Integration Stage, do you possess the qualifications to partake in our battle?"

The man in the white paper hat did not respond. Simultaneously, hundreds of people in the city walked out of their houses and onto the streets, which were already deserted, making these hundreds exceptionally conspicuous.

Fierce ghosts spotted them and pounced viciously, intending to slaughter them, but were casually slain by one of them.

These hundreds of people possessed distinct appearances and varied identities; some were thieves, some were swindlers, some were accountants, some were restaurant waiters, and others were employees of a barbecue joint.

As the man in the white paper hat stepped into the sky pace by pace, these hundreds of people took flight one after another, merging into one with the man in the white paper hat.

The cultivation of the man in the white paper hat rose repeatedly, like a surging river flowing upstream, climbing rapidly at a terrifying speed that struck dread into the heart.

Early Body Integration Stage, Mid Body Integration Stage, Late Body Integration Stage... Half-step Tribulation Transmutation Stage!

He stood opposite Wu Youdao, asking indifferently:

"Do I have the qualifications now?"

The second installment shall arrive at eleven.

(Thus ends this chapter)