107: Chapter 107 The Seven Treasure Gourd

The fierce battle continued.

But any discerning observer could see that the scales of victory were slowly tilting.

Song Ming's sideburns were already soaked with sweat, veins bulged on his forehead, and every breath he took was a heavy gasp.

The initial confidence in his eyes had now been replaced by increasing agitation.

The violent power brought by the Blood-Burning Spirit-Exploding Pill within his body was rapidly receding.

In its place was the searing pain of burning Meridians and a sense of weakness from depleted vitality.

More fatally, he discovered that even at the peak of the medicine's power, he had failed to truly suppress Chu Feng.

The opponent was like a bottomless deep pool; no matter how wildly he attacked, Chu Feng always managed to neutralize it calmly, and his counterattacks were even growing stronger!

"No! I can't go on like this!"

A desperate thought rose in Song Ming's mind. "Once the medicine's effect wears off, I'm a dead man!"

This thought made him dare not hesitate for even a moment longer.

He suddenly feinted with his sword and retreated dozens of zhang.

As he pulled away from Chu Feng, a strange, jade-green gourd about half a foot tall appeared in his palm!

"That's... the aura of a Treasure Artifact?!"

"A Treasure Artifact?! An Earth Rank Magic Treasure?! How can Song Ming control a Treasure Artifact? Has his Divine Sense broken through to the Golden Core level?"

"No! It's not quite a Treasure Artifact yet; it can only be described as a Peak Grade Magical Artifact, somewhere between a High Grade Magical Artifact and a Treasure Artifact!"

Seeing this from below the platform, the corner of Li Sen's mouth curled into a cold, sinister arc.

Indeed, this was exactly the trump card he had secretly lent to Song Ming.

The Peak Grade Magical Artifact [seven treasures gourd], which was just a step away from being an Earth Rank Treasure Artifact.

He had spent a fortune to have a Heaven-Grade Weapon Smith from Qibao Peak forge this treasure.

This was not a pure offensive or defensive treasure; its core lay in collecting, refining, and releasing the Qi of the Seven Emotions of the Mortal World!

Cultivators pursued tranquility and detachment from the mundane; what they dreaded most was the intrusion of Mortal desires into their Dao Heart.

Sealed within this seven treasures gourd was the Miscellaneous Mortal World Qi formed by the seven extreme emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, grief, bitterness, and worry—which Li Sen had deliberately collected during his years of tempering in the Mortal realm.

These miscellaneous gases targeted the soul directly.

Once released, they could trigger various desires, fears, sorrows, and ecstasies from the deepest parts of a Cultivator's heart.

At best, one would lose focus and their magical power would become chaotic; at worst, their Dao Heart would collapse, leading to Qi Deviation!

For immortal Cultivators who emphasized a clear state of mind and certain Demonic Path Cultivators who required specific mental states, this item was an incredibly insidious nemesis!

"Chu Feng! You forced me to do this! Feel the pain of the Mortal World Heart-Refining!"

A distorted and crazed smile appeared on Song Ming's face. He pointed the mouth of the gourd at Chu Feng and recklessly poured his remaining magical power into it!

Poof! Poof! Poof!!!

In an instant.

Seven rays of light of different colors, swirling with mist, erupted from the mouth of the gourd!

Red represented ecstasy, orange represented rage, yellow represented deep sorrow, green represented bliss, cyan represented great grief, blue represented hardship, and purple represented melancholy...

The seven-colored rays were not physical attacks but pure aggregations of emotion and thought.

They intertwined and fused in the air, instantly transforming into a seven-colored glazed light mass that shrouded half the Dueling Platform, descending upon Chu Feng like a dreamlike yet lethal nightmare!

Wherever the seven-colored light mass passed, phantom images of countless Mortals' joys and sorrows flickered, accompanied by noisy, whispering thoughts.

Some Disciples below the stage with lower cultivation and weak wills felt a wave of nausea and a flood of intrusive thoughts just by looking at the light mass from afar. They hurriedly looked away and began circulating their heart-calming techniques.

"The Qi of the Seven Emotions of the Mortal World! A Magic Treasure specifically for attacking the mind!"

"Chu Feng is in danger! This kind of attack is impossible to guard against unless one's Divine Sense cultivation far exceeds the caster's or they possess a special treasure to protect the mind!"

The smile on Li Sen's face widened as if he could already see the scene of Chu Feng clutching his head and screaming in agony as his mind collapsed within the Miscellaneous Mortal World Qi.

However, Chu Feng, standing in the center of the seven-colored light mass, had a face that was terrifyingly calm.

The power of the seven emotions, enough to make even a Foundation Establishment Completion Stage Cultivator's mind waver and their magical power spiral out of control, was like a drop of water in the ocean the moment it invaded his Sea of Consciousness, stirring only imperceptible ripples.

His Sea of Consciousness was no longer comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment Completion Stage Cultivator.

Months ago, his Divine Sense had entered the Golden Core level, and now it had reached the Golden Core Late Stage level, not even far from the Golden Core Perfection level.

More importantly.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Peak Grade Magical Artifact [five-finger mountain], forged with the Five Elements as primary Materials and infused with his own essence blood and lightning, floated quietly, emitting a heavy radiance that suppressed all external evils and guarded his Divine Soul Origin!

Although this [five-finger mountain] had not yet reached the level of a true Earth Rank Treasure Artifact due to limitations in Materials and cultivation, and could only be considered a Peak Grade Magical Artifact.

Its essence was extremely high, being a wondrous object Chu Feng had created himself by combining the essence of the "Heavenly Weapon Scripture"!

In offense, it could transform into the mountains of the Five Elements to suppress powerful enemies.

In defense, it could protect the Physical Body and resist all spells.

In suppression, it could stabilize the Sea of Consciousness against all evils.

In killing, it could trigger the Five Elements Profound Thunder to annihilate the Divine Soul!

Before this "five-finger mountain," which condensed Chu Feng's firm Dao Heart and the will of the Five Elements Lightning, the mere Miscellaneous Mortal World Qi was like a gentle breeze passing over a mountain ridge, completely ineffective.

"Is that all?!" Chu Feng spoke four words calmly. His voice carried through the seven-colored light mass, clear and steady, with a hint of undisguised contempt.

The seven-colored light mass slowly dissipated, revealing Chu Feng inside, unscathed and with eyes as clear as water.

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!!"

The savage grin on Song Ming's face froze instantly, turning into unbelievable horror.

He pointed at Chu Feng, his fingers trembling uncontrollably. "You... how could you be completely unaffected by the seven treasures gourd?! Even a Golden Core Cultivator would suffer greatly if unprepared! You..."

"Because."

Chu Feng interrupted him, his mouth curling into a cold arc. "I am stronger than you. Much stronger."

The light words were like the final straw that crushed the remaining hope and fighting spirit in Song Ming's heart.

If even this special Magic Treasure was ineffective, what other trump cards did he have?

Despair submerged him like a cold tide.

But he was not reconciled!

He had burned his essence blood, taken forbidden Medicinal Pills, and carried Li Sen's expectations and heavy rewards. How could he lose?!

How could he die here?!

"I'll take you down with me!!!" Song Ming let out a beast-like roar of despair, the last bit of his reason consumed by madness.

He swallowed another Spirit Pill.

Then, he suddenly pulled three Talismans from his Storage Pouch, which were brimming with Spiritual Qi and depicted lifelike fire horses.

They were none other than three Earth Rank Low Grade Red Fire Horse Beast Spirit Talismans!

The Talismans were activated.

Three deafening howls rang out!

Three violent pillars of flame shot into the sky, transforming into three giant flaming horses over ten zhang tall, covered in crimson scales with hooves burning with raging fire, emitting a pressure comparable to the first level of the Golden Core stage!

The three Red Fire Horses neighed towards the sky, and the searing heat waves swept across the entire Dueling Platform, instantly evaporating the remaining water vapor and turning even the barrier's light shield a bright red!