Ashiya Doman's face grew even more incredulous upon hearing Ying Chen's words.
"What nonsense are you spouting! How could Kyō no Shiro be created by you! It's a divine technique!"
"Great God Xu Fu, seeing the people of the Eastern Seas suffer from war in ancient times, took pity on them and specially bestowed this technique upon the Onmyoji of the Eastern Seas. He hoped they would use it to end wars and save all people from dire straits!"
"You created it? Look at yourself, do you think you're qualified!"
Ying Chen offered no rebuttal, merely stating, "Xu Fu? Then it all adds up."
"The original name of this move was Kyomu Getsu Shiro. I comprehended it from the waxing and waning of the moon phases."
"I first taught it to Xu Fu. Xu Fu was most interested in such flashy, esoteric arts, so he learned exceptionally diligently. I never expected him to take this technique to the Eastern Seas and arbitrarily change its name."
"As for this so-called divine bestowment, just take it as a story. If Xu Fu is considered a god, then what am I?"
"The ancestor of gods?"
"Baka!" Ashiya Doman was instantly enraged by Ying Chen's words.
"Arrogant scoundrel, to insult Great God Xu Fu! I will refine your soul into a sacrificial spirit and place it in Great God Xu Fu's shrine to atone day and night!"
With that, Ashiya Doman, ignoring Ying Chen's grip on his neck, erupted with a dark energy that transformed into a crimson samurai sword and slashed towards Ying Chen!
Just as the samurai sword was about to strike Ying Chen's head.
At the critical moment, Ying Chen's figure emitted a ripple-like distortion and vanished!
The crimson samurai sword missed its mark, cleaving a huge trench in the lake's surface!
"How… could this be!"
Ashiya Doman's pupils dilated like they had experienced an earthquake, widening in horror.
Ying Chen had actually performed Kyō no Shiro!
Ying Chen's figure was completely invisible in the surrounding void!
It was as if Ying Chen had vanished from this world!
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. I know the weakness of Kyō no Shiro, I will definitely find you!"
Ashiya Doman declared with a ferocious expression, refusing to believe.
Then, his eyes began to rotate strangely, transforming from black and white to blood red in mere moments.
Two blood-red beams shot from his eyes, sweeping through the surrounding void like searchlights.
Wherever the blood-red light passed, ripples akin to water waves would appear.
And any area where Ying Chen was hiding would inevitably be revealed by the fluctuations of the ripples!
"Hmph, you can't escape!"
Ashiya Doman sneered with full confidence.
But one second passed, then two seconds…
Soon, beads of sweat began to appear on Ashiya Doman's forehead.
Ashiya Doman had scanned every area around him, yet found no trace of Ying Chen!
It was as if…
Ying Chen had left this dimension!
"Again!"
Ashiya Doman gritted his teeth and said, refusing to yield.
The blood-red color in his eyes intensified, and the range of his scan widened.
This time, Ashiya Doman spent twice the time and effort as before.
Forget a living person, even a mosquito wouldn't escape Ashiya Doman's sight!
However, the result was the same.
Ashiya Doman still found no trace of Ying Chen!
"No…" Ashiya Doman cried out in despair.
At that moment, ripples appeared about a meter in front of Ashiya Doman, and then Ying Chen's figure suddenly appeared!
It turned out Ying Chen had been standing right in front of Ashiya Doman, never having gone far!
And Ashiya Doman had searched for so long, yet he hadn't seen him!
This proved one thing: Ying Chen was not lying.
Kyō no Shiro was indeed originally created by Ying Chen, and the Kyō no Shiro performed by Ying Chen was indeed more advanced and effective!
Ashiya Doman felt his entire worldview shattered.
His expression became utterly dejected.
The faith he had held since childhood instantly collapsed.
The divine technique he was so proud of was merely an ordinary esoteric art casually created by a mortal?
The Xu Fu he had worshipped was merely a disciple of a mortal?
"No! If you once instructed Great God Xu Fu… wouldn't that mean you have lived for over two thousand years!"
"Impossible! I'd rather die than believe anyone could live for over two thousand years! This clearly defies common sense!"
Ashiya Doman shook his head in a near-breakdown, shouting.
Ying Chen's eyes then showed a deep mockery, as if he were looking at someone who was both the thief and the accuser, and he said leisurely, "Living for two thousand years defies common sense, but does living for two hundred years make sense?"
*Swish!*
Ashiya Doman's expression instantly changed.
"What do you mean? I don't understand?"
Ying Chen chuckled, "You don't understand! It's fine, you'll understand soon!"
With that, Ying Chen suddenly reached out, his fingers spread wide as if he were grasping the very heavens and earth.
The sky suddenly darkened.
The moon hanging in the sky flickered precariously.
Waves surged across the lake, soon forming a massive whirlpool that drew all the water up, spiraling upwards.
It was like a dragon drawing water from the earth!
Witnessing this, Ashiya Doman was utterly stunned.
He had never imagined before that martial arts could reach such a terrifying realm!
Every move, every grasp, could invoke the heavens and earth, and unite the stars and moon!
Ashiya Doman suddenly thought of a term, a term that had long been circulated in the Eastern martial arts world to describe such people.
Martial Immortal!
What of the eighth or ninth stages of martial arts, what of Heaven-tier masters, none of them were qualified to describe Ying Chen!
Only the word "Immortal" could describe Ying Chen!
Ying Chen shouldn't belong in the mortal realm; he should have ascended to the celestial heavens to spar with the gods!
How could a mortal withstand a single strike from Ying Chen?
A fear unlike anything he had ever experienced washed over Ashiya Doman.
He was also mortal, and he couldn't withstand Ying Chen's strike either!
"No, I was able to evade it before, and I can evade it now!"
"If I can do it once, I can do it twice!"
"I am… Ashiya Doman!"
Ashiya Doman's eyes bulged, his expression ferocious, as he encouraged himself.
But as soon as he spoke, before he could repeat his previous miracle, he heard Ying Chen's voice near his ear: "A cat playing with a mouse, one trick is enough. Playing again would make the cat seem incompetent."
Before Ashiya Doman could comprehend Ying Chen's words, he heard a series of cracking sounds emanating from within his body.
Ashiya Doman was instantly filled with a horror that made his soul scatter!
Because he recognized the sound of his bones shattering one by one!
"How… could I… die?"
Ashiya Doman let out an unwilling cry of anguish.
Then, large swathes of crimson blood filled his eyes, his skull having been crushed by Ying Chen. His entire head split open like a watermelon!
*Plop!*
At this point, not a single bone in Ashiya Doman's body remained intact. His body, like a limp noodle, fell into the water and slowly sank to the bottom of the lake!