138: How deep is the water in Zizhu Peak!

The sheer volume of information overwhelmed Ling Xi, leaving her momentarily dazed.

She subconsciously looked towards Gu Changge, who was still leisurely cracking sunflower seeds not far away.

Eternal Heavens Pride Tower? Able to summon projections of Great Emperors at the same Realm?

Ling Xi's heart was filled with shock and uncertainty; such Heaven-Defying object was unheard of!

Even in her previous life, she had only heard of Secret Realms that simulated battle formations. How could there be an existence that could perfectly replicate the battle prowess of ancient Great Emperors at the same Realm?

A thought uncontrollably surfaced: Could it be... that Master used some special method to create an illusion, making her two Senior Brothers experience a delusion?

After all, the belief that a Great Emperor is invincible is ingrained in the bones of everyone who has truly witnessed the power of a Great Emperor.

Although her two Senior Brothers were exceptionally talented, they were still young. Perhaps they were enchanted by some profound illusion of Master, used to motivate them?

Thinking of this, the arrogance of her former life as a Great Emperor in Ling Xi's heart was subtly stirred.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and looked at Fang Hanyu.

Compared to the outgoing Xiao Ruobai, the taciturn Fang Hanyu seemed more composed.

A sharp glint flashed in Ling Xi's beautiful eyes. She took a step forward, cupped her fists slightly towards Fang Hanyu, her tone cool but with a hint of undetectable Battle Intent.

"Senior Brother Fang, I heard you once sparred with a projection of Taiyin Ancient Emperor. This Junior Sister is untalented, but has recently made some progress in her Cultivation. I would like to ask Senior Brother for some guidance. Would Senior Brother be willing to teach me?"

She was somewhat curious about the true strength of this Senior Brother who claimed to have fought with an Ancient Emperor for a long time!

Fang Hanyu heard this, looked at Ling Xi with a hint of surprise, and then turned to Gu Changge.

Gu Changge's action of cracking sunflower seeds paused, and a faint curve seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth. He said casually, "Fellow Disciples sparring, stop before injury, and do not harm the harmony."

Having Master's approval, Fang Hanyu nodded and looked at Ling Xi: "Alright."

The two came to the open space in the courtyard and stood facing each other. Xiao Ruobai excitedly retreated to the side to watch the battle.

"Junior Sister, please." Fang Hanyu held the hilt of the Primordial Sword, but did not draw it. His aura was suppressed to the Middle Stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, consistent with Ling Xi.

"Junior Sister's cultivation is still shallow, and she lacks much combat experience. When I make my Move later, I will hold back!" Fang Hanyu pondered how much strength to use.

Ling Xi did not dare to be careless. The Heaven Devouring Dao Art circulated, and a Spiritual Qi vortex reappeared around her body. An overbearing Concept of devouring all living beings permeated the air.

"Senior Brother, be careful!"

Ling Xi let out a soft shout, her figure like lightning. Her slender jade hand struck out, the palm wind fierce, containing Dao Rhyme, aiming directly for Fang Hanyu's face.

This palm strike, seemingly simple, subtly conformed to the ultimate principles of Heaven and Earth, blocking several evasion routes. It was precisely the opening Move of a profound palm technique from her previous life.

Fang Hanyu's gaze narrowed, and he was slightly surprised. This opening Move seemed ordinary, but it gave him a sense of oppression, as if facing a projection of an ancient Great Emperor, as if it contained endless follow-up Moves, sealing off all his habitual response routes.

"Junior Sister is so strong?"

He did not dare to be negligent. His footwork executed a profound step, his figure shifting half a foot to the side like a ghost, narrowly avoiding the strongest part of the palm wind. At the same time, he pointed his fingers like a sword, and a condensed Chaos Sword Qi, striking later but arriving earlier, aimed at Ling Xi's wrist vital point.

Ling Xi was equally startled. The timing of the opponent's evasion and counterattack was perfectly executed, as if he had already seen through her subsequent changes.

She changed her Move extremely quickly, transforming her palm into a finger. Her fingertip emitted a faint glow, directly clashing with the Chaos Sword Qi.

"Hiss!"

The clash of Qi produced a soft sound. Ling Xi only felt an incomparably sharp Sword Intent coming from her fingertip, faintly carrying the Concept of Chaos splitting open and evolving all things, which actually caused her devouring power to slightly stagnate.

Such powerful Sword Intent! Ling Xi's heart was shaken again.

Fang Hanyu's eyes also narrowed. The devouring and purifying Dao Rhyme contained in the opponent's finger force was extremely strange, actually capable of eroding his Chaos Sword Qi.

This pure and overbearing characteristic, he had only felt it on the most top-tier Great Emperor projections within the Tower!

"Could it be that everything Senior Brother said is true?" A thought flashed through Ling Xi's mind.

Both of them simultaneously put away their last trace of underestimation, truly regarding each other as opponents of the same Rank.

Ling Xi's figure was ethereal, using palms, fingers, fists, and feet. Each strike contained both devouring and purifying Dao Rhyme. Her offense surged like a tide towards Fang Hanyu. Her Moves were exquisite and seasoned, as if she had experienced countless great battles.

Fang Hanyu's expression was calm. Although the Primordial Sword had not been drawn, he used his finger as a sword, displaying his sword techniques. Sometimes, it was like Chaos first splitting, with magnificent and grand Sword Qi.

At other times, it was like silent drizzle, with Sword Intent penetrating everywhere. His Sword Dao encompassed everything, responding with ease, as if he had fought against countless combat styles.

Their figures rapidly intertwined, Qi overflowing. If not for the Restrictions laid down by Gu Changge on Zizhu Peak, it would have long been a mess.

The more Ling Xi fought, the more startled she became!

She had pushed her previous life's combat experience to its limit, employing various exquisite combat techniques with ease. Coupled with the overbearing nature of the Heaven Devouring Dao Art, she believed herself to be unrivaled among those of the same Realm.

However, Fang Hanyu's sword always appeared from unexpected angles, seemingly possessing an astonishing adaptability to her fighting style, as if he had indeed fought against countless Prodigies, and even Great Emperor projections!

Fang Hanyu's heart was even more turbulent.

The pressure brought by this Junior Sister's fighting style was no less than when he faced those renowned Ancient Emperors and Great Emperors in the Tower!

Every one of her Moves was naturally formed, carrying the aura of an Emperor looking down on all living beings, forcing him to go all out just to barely withstand the omnipresent devouring power and exquisitely brilliant combat techniques.

He even vaguely felt that if he hadn't experienced countless fierce battles in the Tower, he would have likely already lost!

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over three hundred rounds. Qi surged, yet they were still evenly matched!

Ling Xi's devouring Dao Rhyme was incomparably overbearing, and Fang Hanyu's Chaos Sword Intent was tough and enduring. Neither could do anything to the other.

Not only did Ling Xi not show any impatience, but a faint, almost lively smile flashed in her cool eyes.

That smile was hidden in the slight tremble of her eyelashes, a genuine excitement of finally finding a evenly matched opponent after being at the Peak and sweeping through her peers for so long. It was the highest recognition, unique to an Emperor, for the phrase "worth a battle."

In her previous life, she had become an Emperor with a mortal Physique, dominating the Tianlan Great World for an era. In the same Realm, no one, whether a Holy Land successor or an Awakened Ancient Physique, could last more than a hundred Moves against her.

But today, sparring with Fang Hanyu, after three hundred rounds, the opponent's Chaos Sword Intent was still tenacious. Not only was it not suppressed by her Devouring Heaven Dao Rhyme, but it could even find her flaws in the gaps. This battle prowess finally stirred her competitive spirit, which had been dormant for many years, with a genuine thrill.

However, this was their first spar, and it was not suitable for a prolonged battle. They should stop when appropriate. As fellow Senior Brother, there would be plenty of opportunities for major battles in the future.

Ling Xi retracted her palm and retreated. The lingering devouring Dao Rhyme on her fingertips slowly receded. Looking at Fang Hanyu's still steady figure, her doubts about "Great Emperor projections" completely vanished.

To be able to fight her to a draw in three hundred rounds, such practical combat ability was enough to explain everything.

She couldn't help but ponder: How could her two Senior Brothers, so young, possess such solid battle prowess?

Such powerful battle prowess could never be cultivated by mere talent alone. It must be that Master had put in hard work to guide them in private.

But then she thought, on Zizhu Peak, she never saw Master meditating or giving proper lessons. He was either lounging on a bamboo chair cracking sunflower seeds or sleeping in the sun. How could he teach such formidable Disciples?

The more she thought about it, the more incredible it seemed. Ling Xi quietly glanced at Gu Changge not far away. He was bending down to pick up scattered sunflower seed shells, his movements slow and unhurried, without any pretense of a "Master guiding" posture.

Yet, it was this seemingly casual demeanor that produced Disciples who could contend with a Reincarnated Emperor for three hundred rounds, and even defeat projections of ancient Great Emperors. This method... In her previous life, when she dominated the Tianlan Great World, she always felt that Rebirth as an Emperor was her greatest confidence. Looking at the Xuanhuang Great World, in the same Realm, she should be an unrivaled existence.

But who would have thought that just a few days after entering Zizhu Peak, the combat prowess of a random Senior Brother in the same Realm could match hers, and even the methods of response hidden within his Chaos Sword Intent made her, an Emperor who had immersed herself in the Dao of battle for ten thousand years, secretly startled.

How deep was the water of this Zizhu Peak!

However, this shock was more like a beam of light, illuminating her path in this reborn life.

If even Senior Brother was like this, what kind of Opportunity must the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower hide?

And Master's true strength... Thinking of this, she took a deep breath, and the arrogance of an Emperor deep in her eyes gradually receded, turning into infinite anticipation for the future!

Here, perhaps she could truly walk a broader path than in her previous life.

She completely let go of the past. From this moment on, she was only Ling Xi, a Disciple of Zizhu Peak.