247: Ants Shaking the Sky

Fifteen minutes ago, Shen Lian took a blow from Yu Xiyan head-on and was immediately sent flying thousands of feet away.

His rapidly retreating figure sped backward through the Void Realm, continuously smashing through dozens of stone walls without showing any sign of stopping.

However, the injured, retreating figure did not feel the pain of surging Elemental Force ravaging his meridians; what flashed in his eyes was unexpected disbelief.

"How can this be? This feeling is the precursor to death."

"How long has it been since I felt this way?"

"That woman actually possesses such profound Skill."

"Have I failed?"

As his consciousness accompanied his backward movement, driven by instinct, he forcefully twisted his body and regained control.

The moment his feet touched the ground, the backward momentum did not decrease in the slightest.

Bang—

It wasn't until his back slammed heavily into a mountain wall, and the Elemental Force venting within his body burst forth, shattering the wall, that he barely managed to stabilize himself.

"Pfft~"

Fresh blood spurted from his mouth, and the Elemental Force within him that had yet to dissipate immediately surged back against himself.

"Ugh ah~"

After an extremely suppressed outburst, the Hair Ornament on Shen Lian's head instantly shattered, leaving his hair loose amidst the blood mist, showcasing a look of madness.

"This feeling, this life-threatening feeling~"

He slowly clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with Battle Intent.

His lowered gaze fixed on the blood-stained dust beneath his feet; a single breath felt like a century, and he forgot the passage of time.

"Hahahaha~"

His blood-soaked figure suddenly stood tall, his laughter echoing across the Vast Cosmos.

"This thrill of fighting for my life, it truly has been a long time since I experienced it!"

"Yu Xiyan, since my Rebirth into this world, you are the first person capable of injuring me to this extent."

"To respond to your sincerity, Shen Lian will use your defeat to enhance my glory upon stepping onto the Peak, hahahaha!"

Although covered in wounds, the Madman instead erupted with astonishing Battle Intent.

Defeating Yu Xiyan became his sole, persistent goal in that moment.

"All of you, step back! Her opponent is me!"

Just as Song Yanran planned to perish with Yu Xiyan, sacrificing her own life to seize a sliver of hope for Mu Qiuyuan, Shen Lian's blood-soaked figure once again appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Hmm?"

Yu Xiyan looked at Shen Lian, who had become a Man of Blood, a trace of surprise in her eyes.

"After taking that blow, you are actually not dead. This truly exceeds my expectations."

"If this surprises you, then I advise you to drop that attitude immediately, because the true surprise has yet to arrive."

"Hmph."

Yu Xiyan scoffed.

"A pity. Even an ant clings to life. With your current injuries, are you planning to throw your life away for nothing?"

"Hahaha."

Shen Lian burst into wild laughter.

"Death, on the path to pursuing the Dao Peak, is the simplest choice. But to die in pursuit of standing Above the Clouds is the outcome most anticipated by a true powerhouse."

Yu Xiyan: "I admire your courage, but I am curious to know how you intend to reach Above the Clouds with your current injuries. Killing you is effortless; you will still die without value."

"Life-threatening thrills are the limit Shen Lian pursues. The current you is enough to ignite my desire for conquest!"

"Conquer I? Are you worthy?"

Yu Xiyan scoffed softly and slowly raised the bright phoenix splendor.

"Killing you now is easier than killing an ant. No matter how stirring your grand words are, at this moment, you are merely a Lamb waiting to be slaughtered."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Xiyan thrust her sword straight out.

With the sweep of her Sword Intent, the bright phoenix splendor was already inches from Shen Lian's Glabella.

"Be careful."

Song Yanran and Mu Qiuyuan simultaneously cried out a warning.

But ultimately, they were too late.

They saw the bright phoenix splendor Sword Intent sweep out, forming a Vortex that layered and intertwined, instantly devastating the Liuli Holy Land even further.

"You..."

But, just as the Sword Intent subsided, Yu Xiyan, Song Yanran, and Mu Qiuyuan all simultaneously revealed looks of astonishment.

They saw Shen Lian's palm gripping the Blade of the bright phoenix splendor tightly, allowing the fresh blood to drip from his palm one drop at a time.

"You actually still have the Reserve Strength to catch this sword strike of mine?"

"It seems your understanding of Shen Lian is too shallow. You don't realize that the more life-threatening the danger, the more it ignites Shen Lian's Battle Intent. Are you ready to welcome the Battle Intent coming from Shen Lian?"

With an angry shout, the Blood Qi around Shen Lian's body boiled.

Yu Xiyan decisively withdrew her sword and retreated.

And in this instant, Shen Lian held an Origin Derivative Jade in each of his palms.

"Now, you are fortunate enough to witness Shen Lian's true strength. Let everything become even more insane!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Lian directly slapped these two Origins into his body.

In just an instant, the surrounding Dao Rhyme boiled, and Elemental Force fully converged.

The shining Luster of the Dao Rhyme captivated everyone's eyes.

Once the Luster dissipated, Yu Xiyan clearly felt Shen Lian's cultivation Foundation surging, far surpassing what it was before.

"I miscalculated. I didn't expect you to still hold such a trump card."

However, Yu Xiyan was utterly unafraid. As she lightly raised the bright phoenix splendor, Extreme cold Ice Intent covered the surrounding area.

"However, if you think this is enough to defeat I, you are still too naive. Even if your cultivation has greatly increased now, in my eyes, you are still just an insignificant ant."

"Then, have you ever heard a saying?"

Shen Lian's pupils were completely blood-red. He raised his eyes and stared intently at Yu Xiyan's face.

"Even an ant can shake Heaven!"

As his voice fell, Shen Lian immediately raised his hand and lunged toward Yu Xiyan with a palm strike.

"An ant Shaking Heaven?"

Yu Xiyan shifted her feet using the Haitang Step, evading her opponent's Mad Palm strike in an instant, and countered with a sword slash aimed at the back of Shen Lian's neck.

"That is nothing more than a self-deceiving joke."

"A joke?"

Shen Lian tilted his head and dodged the fatal sword strike, then slapped the Sword Spine of the bright phoenix splendor with a backhand palm.

"Then I will let you witness firsthand how this joke tears apart your arrogant face!"

With a deep shout, the palm strike that hit the Sword Spine transformed into a winding circle, instantly seizing control of Yu Xiyan's Sword Momentum.

"Hmm?"

A trace of surprise appeared in Yu Xiyan's eyes. She immediately felt a slight Deviation between the Sword Momentum in her hand and her mental prediction.

In that instant of distraction, Shen Lian's Counter-Attack surged forth.

"Dragon Capturing Art: Profound Dragon Tremor."

Rapid palms struck in succession, the moves like lightning, each posture capable of splitting mountains and cracking stone.

Noticing the change in her opponent's cultivation, Yu Xiyan focused her mind and frowned for the first time. Switching between palm and sword, she completely neutralized Shen Lian's fierce, storm-like offensive.

"God-Demon One Thought!"

His continuous Killing Moves having failed, Shen Lian's demeanor grew even more frantic. With the God-Demon One Thought activated, the Aura around his body suddenly mutated.

"Demonic Might Fierce Qi!"

In an instant, Shen Lian's eyes became completely scarlet, his Killing Intent soaring into the sky, causing the surrounding atmosphere to become oppressive and volatile.

Seeing this, Yu Xiyan raised a cold eyebrow and decisively withdrew her move, retreating several steps.

"Is this your trump card?"

Feeling that Shen Lian's cultivation was still rapidly climbing, Yu Xiyan became serious once more.

"Since that is the case, then I should give you an adequate response."

As her voice fell, Yu Xiyan put away the bright phoenix splendor. Raising her hand, a Phoenix, condensed from cold ice Dao Rhyme, slowly descended toward the earth in the Vast Cosmos Void Realm.

"Not good, this is the Aurora Cold Dao. Shen Lian is in danger."

Song Yanran's pupils contracted, secretly worrying for Shen Lian.

Mu Qiuyuan, however, said: "No, didn't you notice that Shen Lian's cultivation is still continuously increasing?"

Song Yanran: "Forcibly breaking through the Extreme Bottleneck and undergoing Fusion with Origin power, although it can greatly increase one's own cultivation,

it will inevitably cause Irreversible Damage to oneself. Shen Lian's endurance exceeds his own Foundation by several times; he has almost reached his limit..."

Mu Qiuyuan was stunned: "Then what will happen?"

Song Yanran: "At best, permanent disability; at worst, Death by Explosion."