A martial warrior like an immortal, seeking the highest truths from the simplest realms.
The Dust-Severing Immortal Scripture was exactly such a path.
Neither wholly detached, nor wholly mundane.
The meaning behind the Heaven-Splitting Strike was creation itself.
When Martial Heaven Paragon raised the colossal axe and struck down, he seemed like one of the primeval sages of a vast ancient era, an awe-inspiring figure who split the heavens apart.
Another axe came cleaving down. Xu Zimo unleashed the Ten Forms of Demon, using the Form of Realm Demon.
Spatial force surged around him, projecting an identical void in his surroundings.
But the power of the axe exceeded even Xu Zimo’s expectations.
With a single blow, space shattered, countless mirror images collapsed.
The strike crashed heavily beside him, and the sheer impact forced him back several steps.
“What’s this? Holy Son Xu, do you only know how to dodge?” Martial Heaven Paragon taunted as he advanced, words meant to unsettle his opponent’s mind.
“If it’s strength you want to compare, then I’ll oblige you,” Xu Zimo replied coolly.
His right hand lifted Shadow Tyrant, raising the blade ever so slightly.
“Ten Forms of Demon. Fifth Form. Mortal Demon: Annihilation of Creation.”
Endless infernal force coiled around him. Within it was the essence of utter extinction, condensed in the palm of his hand.
Heaven’s power is boundless, and contending with Heaven is a joy. But the power of man is also boundless, greater, even, than Heaven itself. That is why mortals can overcome the heavens.
Amidst the surging infernal force, Xu Zimo invoked the Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture.
Countless Power Vortexes within his body and within his soul spun wildly, resonating. Behind him, the towering figure of the Heaven-Shattering Giant rose skyward, immense and domineering.
Once born of pure force spirals, now infused with infernal force, the giant’s entire form turned pitch black.
Its eyes glowed scarlet, radiating destruction and annihilation.
When Martial Heaven Paragon’s axe came cleaving down again, Xu Zimo’s gaze flashed with demonic light, and he slashed upward to meet it head-on.
With a deafening boom, an invisible pressure exploded outward between them.
The surrounding void erupted, detonating. Sparks and thunder filled the sky as Martial Heaven Paragon’s figure was blasted backward.
“Again!” Xu Zimo roared, striding into the void, his blade aura spanning three thousand miles like a rainbow arcing upside down, an endless torrent of steel.
Beneath the vast heavens, amidst thunder and lightning, there was nothing but boundless battle.
“Heaven-Splitting, Earth-Crushing, Spirit-Shattering, Heaven-and-Earth Cleaving.”
Martial Heaven Paragon spoke the words one by one.
With each word, his aura surged stronger.
It was a chained sequence of techniques, each strike heavier than the last.
The colossal axe in his grip seemed to grow impossibly heavy, like a mountain tearing through storms, hacking through all obstacles.
Hurricanes howled, ripping into tornadoes, space tore apart, lightning flashed across the heavens.
Blade and axe clashed, no fancy tricks, only pure force against pure force.
The Heaven-Shattering Giant roared, its infernal force blanketing the sky.
With each of Martial Heaven Paragon’s escalating strikes, Xu Zimo struggled more and more to keep up.
But still he refused to retreat. He had not experienced such a fierce and exhilarating battle in a long time.
One of the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures: God-Demon Creation Atlas.
…
It was said that in primordial times, God-Demons walked the earth, towering billions of feet high, their heads brushing the heavens, their feet melting into the earth, plucking the sun and moon with a casual gesture.
Each stride of theirs spanned half a world. Their might was unmatched.
Of course, these were only legends.
Yet now, in Xu Zimo’s mind, within his sea of consciousness, a God-Demon Diagram began to form.
Figures of true primordial demons emerged, colossal, terrifying, each with unique forms, roaring as they evolved endlessly within his spirit sea.
When Xu Zimo opened his eyes again, he felt as if he had become one of those primordial demons himself.
His body surged with unimaginable strength.
Clutching Shadow Tyrant with both hands, he swung down, his long hair dyed entirely by infernal force.
Another thunderous explosion shook the battlefield as his blade collided with Martial Heaven Paragon once more.
This time, Xu Zimo pressed his opponent down, his strikes growing ever fiercer, his advantage clearer with each exchange.
“You are defeated,” Xu Zimo said coldly after several rounds, his blade erupting with unprecedented might as it cleaved downward.
Martial Heaven Paragon failed to dodge in time, his right arm was severed cleanly.
But at the moment of impact, a smile crept across his face.
“Primordial Binding.”
This was the culmination of his full chained technique.
From Heaven-Splitting, Earth-Crushing, Spirit-Shattering, Heaven-and-Earth Cleaving, to this final strike, Primordial Binding.
Though his arm was gone, the colossal axe in his hand dissolved into a stream of energy.
That energy twisted into a cord, binding Xu Zimo tightly.
“The true loser is... you,” Martial Heaven Paragon said softly.
He looked at the struggling Xu Zimo, exhaling deeply.
“If you had not come to destroy my sect, if you had instead pursued the Heaven’s Will, then with your strength, you might well have become a Grand Emperor. But alas, you could not restrain your impatience.”
Yet before his words had even finished, Xu Zimo ignored him.
Slowly, he raised his head, scarlet light flickering in his eyes.
Murderous intent condensed.
A violet-black demonic sigil spread from his neck, his Hell-Suppressing Demon Physique awakening. At the same time, another of the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures activated, Heaven-Earth Dharma-Codex.
The cords binding him snapped apart.
His body swelled to tens of thousands of feet tall, like a true primordial demon reborn.
He strode forth from the dust of antiquity, carrying unstoppable might.
Xu Zimo raised his massive hand and slapped downward. Martial Heaven Paragon’s body was sent flying, crashing into the Immortal Mountain.
The mountain’s peak shattered under the blow.
All around, countless eyes widened in shock at the giant shadow looming in the void.
Martial Heaven Paragon coughed blood, his internal organs destroyed, his right arm gone. He had no strength left to resist.
“Die.” Xu Zimo’s voice thundered. His massive palm struck down again, his long hair blazing crimson like a burning flame.
The demonic sigils glowed ever brighter.
In the distance, Treasure Daoist watched with bloodshot eyes.
As Xu Zimo’s colossal palm descended, half of the Immortal Mountain crumbled away.
Locked in combat with the Ten Death Gods, he faced Death God Qin. With a flash of golden light in his hand, Treasure Daoist roared: “Seize!”
The golden light became a barrier, momentarily trapping Death God Qin.
“Impudent brat, stop at once!” Treasure Daoist shouted in fury, charging toward Xu Zimo.
Treasures surged from his body, countless artifacts and relics filling the sky.
It was as if he himself were a walking treasury.
“Piss off!” Xu Zimo roared. His voice rolled like heavenly thunder, his massive palm covering the heavens.
No matter what treasures or radiant powers Treasure Daoist unleashed, they were useless against it.