Chapter 258: Fighting Wang Yin Alone

Chapter 258: Solo Battle Against Wang Yin

Inside the temporary operating room.

A bearded doctor, along with several other physicians, was treating Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen. Simultaneously, they were transplanting the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot from Bai Zhenzhen’s body into Zhang Yu’s, while restoring Bai Zhenzhen’s original spine.

At this moment, despite having taken a large dose of painkillers, Zhang Yu remained fully conscious. He could feel the various surgical tools gliding over his body while listening to the telepathic teachings of the Starfire True Person before him.

According to the Starfire True Person, time was of the essence. For the next hour and a half, even during the surgery, Zhang Yu had to seize every moment to learn.

The Starfire True Person’s voice echoed in his mind: “With the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot, your physical strength will increase by one level, narrowing the gap between you and Wang Yin in terms of raw power.”

“Additionally, the Dragon’s Awe technique within the Spiritual Pivot can seal off cultivation methods, preventing him from unleashing the two most powerful stances of his World-Shattering Fist: Devour Heaven and Spirit Surge.”

“But relying on these alone, you still won’t be able to defeat him.”

“That skin of his, the Skin Dharma Skeleton, was stripped from a cultivator with level 20 physical strength. It underwent eighty-one intricate processes and is further protected by the Nether Blood Shadow Shroud, which contains tens of thousands of captive souls. Inflicting any damage on him will be extremely difficult.”

“Even if you manage to wound him slightly, the spiritual root within his body will allow him to recover rapidly.”

“That spiritual root is called the Sun-Moon Spiritual Root, a celestial-grade spiritual root that cannot be bought.”

“Although he severed his cultivation and cut off the fusion between the spiritual root and his body, for someone as wealthy as him, purchasing another celestial-grade spiritual root is no challenge.”

“This spiritual root can convert spiritual energy into vitality to heal injuries and transform vitality back into spiritual energy to replenish his reserves.”

“As long as his spiritual energy is recovering, his wounds will heal.”

“Even if you manage to pierce the Nether Blood Shadow Shroud and his skin, any injury you inflict will be minor, and he will recover in an instant.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu’s frown deepened. He had thought the opponent’s skin was already a formidable obstacle, but now he learned that even if he could breach it, there was still the Sun-Moon Spiritual Root to contend with.

Zhang Yu asked, “So, does that mean I can’t win against him?”

The Starfire True Person smiled faintly and transmitted: “There is naturally a way.”

With that, he reached out and pressed a finger against Zhang Yu’s forehead. In the next moment, Zhang Yu felt as though a meteor had crashed into his consciousness, swirling around before finally coming to a stop.

Zhang Yu looked closely and saw it was a golden brick?

He asked in confusion, “What is this?”

The Starfire True Person replied, “This is the magical artifact Deng Bingding mentioned, the one he wanted to lend you.”

“This artifact is called the Soul-Injuring Brick, a tool specifically designed to attack the soul.”

“If you can use this artifact to injure Wang Yin and damage his soul, you will win this battle instantly, forcing him to return above for soul treatment.”

“But if you use the Soul-Injuring Brick directly, it will undoubtedly be blocked by his Nether Blood Shadow Shroud and that layer of skin, alerting him and making it nearly impossible to succeed.”

“So, you must first break through the Nether Blood Shadow Shroud and his skin, then use the Soul-Injuring Brick unexpectedly to secure victory.”

Listening to the Starfire True Person’s words, Zhang Yu felt as though he had circled back to the starting point. Didn’t this still require breaking through the opponent’s dual-layer defenses?

As if reading his thoughts, the Starfire True Person continued telepathically: “The solution actually lies in your own hands.”

“The Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force you’ve cultivated is a former military-grade technique. It can accumulate various forces and spiritual energies into your protective aura, multiplying the power of any martial skill you wield.”

“However, you’ve been relying on brute force until now, failing to truly unleash the profundity of this technique.”

“Since you can strike multiple times in one move, layering several forces, why limit yourself to just one type?”

“You must understand that the interaction and superposition of different forces can produce far greater and more intricate power than relying on a single type of force.”

“It’s like comparing a person who only knows how to throw straight punches to one who can seamlessly use fists, palms, and grappling techniques.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu’s mind seemed to explode with a sudden realization, and countless ingenious ideas flooded his thoughts.

Noticing the change in his expression, the Starfire True Person smiled slightly and said, “I have already discerned the weaknesses of the Nether Blood Shadow Shroud and the Skin Dharma Skeleton. Next, I will teach you…”

By the time the surgery was completed, Zhang Yu already knew how to fight Wang Yin.

The Starfire True Person transmitted from the side: “I’ve told you the strategy. In the remaining time, focus on cultivating the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force. Improve as much as you can—every bit of progress increases your chances of victory.”

“At the same time, take this opportunity to adapt to the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot.”

Zhang Yu glanced at Bai Zhenzhen, who was still unconscious, took a deep breath, and prepared to begin cultivating the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force.

But before starting, he remembered something.

Zhang Yu looked at the doctor and said, “Give me medicine.”

The doctor asked in confusion, “What medicine?”

Zhang Yu replied, “Any medicine, the more toxic, the better.”

After consuming a pile of medicines provided by the doctor, Zhang Yu felt the surging spiritual energy and vitality within his body. Only then did he begin cultivating the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force.

This technique consisted of only three moves, and Zhang Yu could practice them once every ten seconds on average.

Especially knowing that time was of the essence, he paid no attention to the precision of his force circulation or the correctness of his posture. He focused solely on speed, determined to practice as many times as possible before the battle began.

During this practice, Zhang Yu felt the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot mobilizing the tendons throughout his body, enhancing his strength and elevating his physical strength by an entire level.

Now, every punch and kick unleashed power far surpassing his previous capabilities, and he gradually adapted to this Dharma Skeleton.

Simultaneously, the Dharma Skeleton continuously drained spiritual energy from Zhang Yu’s body. If not for the support of his Sea of Qi Spiritual Root, he would likely exhaust his spiritual energy within a dozen minutes of fighting.

As he practiced frantically, the level of the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force steadily increased.

It rose from level 5 to 6, then to 7… 8…

With each upgrade, vast amounts of cultivation memories flooded his mind. Zhang Yu silently absorbed them, continuing to practice in the fastest, most efficient, and most perfunctory manner, disregarding the quality of each repetition.

...

“Time’s up.”

As Wang Yin’s envoy came to remind him, Zhang Yu stopped his movements and asked, “Is there any more medicine?”

Several staff members hurried over and said, “Mr. Zhang! Let us help you equip your protective gear.”

Zhang Yu’s heart stirred at this. Was this protective gear purchased with funds allocated by Deng Bingding? To increase his chances of victory?

He watched as the staff members wrapped him layer by layer with small advertising posters.

Zhang Yu’s lips twitched as he asked, “This is the protective gear?”

The staff member applying the posters explained, “These are combat posters specifically designed for battles between experts. To prevent damage or destruction during fights, advertising companies specially created these fireproof, freeze-proof, acid-resistant, and puncture-resistant combat posters. Wearing them provides better protection than combat suits.”

“Seriously… advertising posters have higher defensive capabilities than combat suits.”

Zhang Yu rolled his eyes inwardly and reminded them, “Wrap a few more layers around my chest.”

“And don’t forget the inner thighs.”

At the same time, several other staff members approached and said, “Mr. Zhang, here are the advertising lines you need to recite when you step into the arena.” Looking at the medicine and script presented to him, Zhang Yu’s eyes gleamed. “Has the live broadcast of this battle gone viral?”

The staff member nodded repeatedly. “The Oasis Group actively promoted it. The live broadcast channel is now ranked number one in viewership!”

“Here is the advertising contract. Please review it and sign if everything is in order.”

Zhang Yu signed quickly, watching as sums of money flashed before his eyes. In an instant, he had earned nearly ten million. He thought to himself, money really came fast this way.

After completing all the battle preparations, Zhang Yu slowly made his way toward the battlefield.

Behind him, the Starfire True Person’s eyes flickered with a trace of concern.

“During his practice just now, why were his movements so full of errors and omissions? Even after over an hour, there seems to be no visible improvement?”

"Could it be that I'm too nervous? Or has the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot simply not adapted yet?"

Looking at the Level 11 Nine Heavens Cloud-Sky Force displayed upon the Feathered Scroll, a sudden surge of confidence swelled within Zhang Yu's heart.

The Level 11 Nine Heavens Cloud-Sky Force not only allowed him to open eleven empty apertures within his astral qi, storing the power of eleven strikes, but it also granted him the Level 10 special effect.

"Once the Nine Heavens Cloud-Sky Force passes Level 10, it doesn't just store my own strength; every single empty aperture can even store a strike dealt by an opponent."

And now, having rushed to raise his Nine Heavens Cloud-Sky Force to Level 11, Zhang Yu finally remembered the changes that had occurred within the Remnant Bull Self-Sacrifice Mind Sutra in his mind.

As he walked toward the designated battlefield, he glanced at the Remnant Bull in his visualization, discovering that flecks of blood on the white bull's back had formed lines of text, appearing to be a few lines of a mnemonic chant.

"What does this mean?"

Just as Zhang Yu was repeatedly contemplating it, unable to fathom the meaning of the chant, waves of wails and miserable shrieks echoed from up ahead.

At this moment, Wang Yin was completely surrounded by tens of thousands of bloody shadows, and he said indifferently, "With the money I made just over the last hour and a half, I bought the living souls of over a hundred thousand more mortals."

"These mortals possess absolutely no cultivation and are foolishly ignorant. In their entire bodies, these souls are the only things of value."

"Rather than letting them rot in the First Layer, they might as well radiate a brilliant splendor in my hands..."

Hearing this, Zhang Yu froze slightly. He lifted his head to look around and indeed saw countless cameras of all sizes, all trained in the direction of the battlefield, currently broadcasting to who knows how many places.

Zhang Yu thought to himself, "Broadcasting to the First Layer increases his prestige and promotes the acquisition and sale of living souls—a fast-moving consumer good—making it easier to push forward his next plan."

"As for the broadcast above the Second Layer, it's still to advertise the purchasing power and cost-effectiveness of below, wanting more people up there to support the transformation of the First Layer, right?"

"Or... is it also to advertise the efficacy of me, this 'merchandise'?"

At the same time, Zhang Yu noticed that whenever a camera swept over the surroundings, the expressions of the Oasis Group staff members would shift.

Some repeatedly dodged to the side, thinking to themselves, "Dammit, don't film me! What if I get caught in the eye of some big shot up there?"

Others crowded toward the lens, thinking expectantly, "Isn't it just selling a fleshly body? What they give up there are spirit coins. As long as the price is fair, there's absolutely a profit to be made!"

On the other side, Wang Yin continued speaking, "Whether it is breeding or raising mortals, it is incomparably simple, requiring almost none of the resources of the Immortal Path."

"Our group has already decided to promote Immortal Path farming technology in the First Layer, establishing human-raising farms to conduct batch and large-scale breeding."

"We are going to completely drive down the price of mortals!"

Listening to the endless advertisement pouring from the other man's mouth, Zhang Yu let out a cold snort, pulled out a bottle of potion, drank it down, and then likewise spoke aloud, "Bailing Pharmaceuticals, a hundred cures for a hundred ailments, your exclusive medicinal steward..."

...

Meanwhile, watching the live broadcast, Yu Xinghan cursed, "Are you kidding me? He's been reciting it for five minutes and hasn't stopped. Just how much money did this kid make?"

Right at that moment, a change occurred in the footage, and Yu Xinghan's gaze narrowed: "It's finally starting."

...

Zhang Yu stepped forward, pacing faster and faster, gradually accelerating from a swift walk into a sprint, rapidly closing the distance to Wang Yin, who was still speaking and reciting advertisement lines.

"What do I care if you haven't finished speaking?"

"I don't have the time to wait for you!"

The Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot at Zhang Yu's spine writhed, like a great dragon stretching its body, causing his fleshly form to erupt with surging physical power, increasing his sprinting speed by another thirty percent.

Surging astral qi erupted violently from his body, leaving a long, sweeping trail across the battlefield as he sprinted, making Zhang Yu at this moment resemble a massive white dragon, opening its great maw to viciously snap at Wang Yin.

At the same time, a wild roar already burst from Zhang Yu's mouth as the Dragon Might Technique within the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot suddenly activated, sweeping across a hundred-meter radius.

Facing the oncoming Dragon Might Technique, Wang Yin was well-prepared. He had not activated his mind method at all; though his spirit suffered the shock and stiffened for a brief moment, he did not experience the intensified dizziness brought by a mind method being forcefully halted.

Although Wang Yin was not without Dharma Skeletons capable of resisting the Dragon Might Technique, having now discarded his own cultivation, merely bearing the weight of the Skin Dharma Skeleton on his body was already his limit, leaving him unable to shoulder a second Dharma Skeleton.

Thus, he preferred to choose not to run his mind method.

"Though the Heaven-Swallowing Stance and Spiritual-Surge Stance, which require the mind method, cannot be used, preventing me from monopolizing the spiritual mechanism,"

"The World-Tilting Heroic Fist does not necessarily have to be paired with a mind method."

Wang Yin's right arm bent slightly, his hand forming a fist seal as surging dharma power already converged toward his right fist.

World-Tilting Heroic Fist—Earth-Collapsing Stance!

With a thunderous roar, accompanied by the pouring out of dharma power, Wang Yin's fist struck out, triggering an explosion of spiritual mechanism.

Then, as if a chain reaction had been set off, the surrounding spiritual mechanisms detonated in sequence all along the way, exploding entirely toward Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu gave a low shout, directly activating the overload of his Martial Path Sacred Embryo, as well as the explosion of the 'Zen' character from the Spring and Autumn Endless Zen.

Compounded by the roaring medicinal forces he had consumed earlier galloping back and forth, and the Flood Dragon Spiritual Pivot mobilizing his entire body's strength at his spine,

Zhang Yu instantly achieved an unprecedented peak state at this very moment.

His palms thrust out together, now a fist, now a palm, now blocking, now churning... all manner of martial arts techniques, accompanied by the Formless Cloud Astral Qi, were executed by him at will, defending against Wang Yin's fist momentum one by one.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

With every technique struck out, the surging explosions of the spiritual mechanism were barred from entry.

Zhang Yu's mind also grew steady: "After Wang Yin's mind method was restricted, the power of his fist momentum has indeed decreased by a lot."

Zhang Yu tore through his opponent's fist momentum all along the way, rushing like a wild dragon directly before the man's face.

Their gazes clashed across the Netherworld Blood-Shadow Shroud, their intense battle intent seeming to collide in the air, erupting in a silent roar.

Nine Heavens Cloud-Sky Force—11 Consecutive Strikes!

On the other side, Wang Yin sneered in his heart: "Without a mind method, the long-range attack of the World-Tilting Heroic Fist degrades too severely. As expected, it still requires close proximity to unleash its maximum power."

His hands formed a fist seal, and his entire body's dharma power boiled over.

World-Tilting Heroic Fist—Sky-Tilting Stance!

(End of Chapter)