Yu Zhibo did not utilize the ice and snow遁 (dun) evolved from this异度空间 (different dimension space) to form ice and snow laws. Instead, upon witnessing Xiao Li's use of lightning techniques, he became eager and also attacked him with lightning-based laws.
He wielded a weapon, his Susanoo (evolved into a Heavenly Law Body), unleashing sword energy like a galaxy, with endless lightning laws converging. Combined with the might of the Heavenly Emperor's Law Body, it almost seemed capable of cleaving the heavens apart.
Xiao Li's expression suddenly changed.
As his lightning-based sword energy slashed into Yu Zhibo's starry river of lightning, it was like a stream of urine mixing into a surging river, not even creating a ripple.
"Will I die?"
Yu Zhibo calmly watched Xiao Li, prepared to interrupt the starry river lightning sword energy if the opponent could not withstand it.
Xiao Li took a deep breath, his five fingers curling into claws, and instantly, countless sword energies converged in his palm.
First came wind, fire, lightning, and thunder, then metal, wood, water, and earth, followed by spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Every sword energy in his hand represented a law. When three thousand laws converged into one point, they condensed into the entire world. Simultaneously, a majestic pressure emanated from the Sword of the World in his hand.
"Interesting. Others develop their internal organs into worlds, while he makes his own sword dao into a realm? Although three thousand laws are numerous, appearing to master everything, in reality, he is proficient in none. I shall break it with a single lightning technique."
His thoughts flowed in an instant. The moment the Sword of the World condensed, the entire sword domain shattered. All power converged into a single world, transforming into a simple yet profound heavy sword, which Xiao Li grasped in his hand.
"As sword cultivators, why should we fear or hesitate to fight!"
Xiao Li let out a roar. Even facing an impossible attack, his sword-holding hand did not waver in the slightest. He transformed into a beam of light, charging ferociously towards the starry river sword energy.
The surging starry river sword energy, like river water encountering a protruding hard rock, was split from the center to both sides. However, it soon became precarious.
Xiao Li's face flushed red, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Though the rock was hard, the river's impact was equally fierce. Soon, the rock cracked under the terrifying impact. Just as it was about to be crushed by the river, all attacks abruptly ceased.
Yu Zhibo deactivated his Heavenly Law Body, placing his outstretched hand behind his back again. Looking at Xiao Li, whose clothes were torn and body covered in blood in the air, he showed a look of admiration.
"You are very good, but unfortunately, you met me!" he said.
Xiao Li's expression was complex. He gave a wry smile and said, "You are even stronger than I imagined. To unleash an attack of this magnitude, and then..."
...to be able to retract it...
He didn't voice the latter half of the sentence. Only now did he understand the vast gap between himself and Yu Zhibo.
He was a sword cultivator, and he was at the same realm as Yu Zhibo... Yet, his usual strength that crushed peers now seemed so fragile.
Xiao Li began to recall his past battles. The more he thought, the more he felt he had been like a frog in a well. His strength was not great, but due to his Chaos Sword Body, he had lost himself amidst the praise from his elders and juniors.
As he thought, his gaze grew brighter, and the sword heart he condensed became clearer, like impurities being forged out of a sword embryo.
A faint, yet distinctly different sword intent arose from within him.
"New insights? As expected, sword cultivators are all a bunch of lunatics."
Yu Zhibo clicked his tongue in amazement but did not disturb him. With a wave of his hand, a spatial gate appeared, and he floated away.
Outside, in the valley that was still like a patchy scalp,
The cultivators whose combat power had been extinguished by his gaze had all recovered and stood at a distance, looking at him with reverence.
"Senior Brother Xiao Li... lost?"
Among them, a Nascent Soul stage sword cultivator who had provoked him not long ago, wanting to fight beyond his level, looked utterly dejected.
He thought Xiao Li had been killed.
Yu Zhibo said, "Xiao Li is not dead. He gained a new sword intent inside and should be coming out soon."
"Ah?" The Nascent Soul sword cultivator was stunned, then overjoyed. "Thank you, Senior, for showing mercy."
The other disciples of the Lie Tian Sword Sect also relaxed and bowed slightly to him.
The crowd began to discuss enthusiastically, but they no longer dared to address him as a fellow Daoist.
"Senior Yu is simply terrifyingly strong. Senior Brother Zhang Chulan, as the top disciple of our Qingyun Sect, is still fighting his clone without a conclusion." This was a disciple of the Qingyun Sect.
"Although that's the case, the disciples of the Sword Sect are still strong. Clearly, at the same level, Zhang Chulan and Li Jintong of the Qingyun Sect both qualified for the battle, while Xi Yanmei of the Yunfeng Sect couldn't even withstand a single glance."
Xi Yanmei in the crowd: "..."
"The Yunfeng Sect excels in soul control and killing techniques. While this combat style is powerful, its drawback is that when encountering someone with a stronger soul, the backlash is also stronger. Therefore, Senior Sister Xi Yanmei couldn't make a move. Senior Yu's soul power is truly vast, like a boundless sea. I feel it can rival my master's."
"Why hasn't the one fighting the clone come out yet? Could it be that he can't even defeat the clone?"
The crowd whispered amongst themselves. The more they communicated, the more they felt Yu Zhibo's greatness.
After about half a cup of tea, Yu Zhibo's brow suddenly twitched.
"The clone of Wrath is defeated? Zhang Chulan indeed has some skill, but this is also related to the clone of Wrath's overly mindless combat."
Reviewing the battle details from the dissipating clone, Yu Zhibo nodded inwardly.
He had initially thought Zhang Chulan was a pay-to-win player, but he didn't expect him to have also comprehended the essence of water laws, which perfectly countered the clone of Wrath's fire laws.
As the clone of Wrath was defeated, the portal to the different dimension space was broken open from the inside. A somewhat disheveled figure emerged. His clothes were burnt and tattered, and half of his once flowing long hair was gone. It was Zhang Chulan.
"Fellow Daoist Yu, thank you for the guidance."
Zhang Chulan looked at Yu Zhibo with a complex expression. There was no joy of victory on his face, as he had only narrowly defeated a clone.
After another half cup of tea, the portal to the different dimension space opened again. This time, a young man with a stern expression emerged.
He carried a broken sword on his back, his face as pale as paper.
"Thank you, Senior, for the guidance!" the stern young man said, cupping his hands slightly towards Yu Zhibo. He then transformed into a sword light and fled, eager to return and digest his combat insights.
He temporarily had no desire to contend with Yu Zhibo's main body.
Yu Zhibo recalled briefly and found that the clone he had defeated was the clone of Wood. After the clone unleashed a series of wood-style ninjutsu, he had finally killed the clone of Wood through desperate effort.
Following that, one after another portal to different dimension spaces were opened. Half an hour later, except for Xiao Li who was still in enlightenment, everyone else had come out.
Yu Zhibo tallied the combat results. In the battles between the seven clones and the seven cultivators, there were two wins and five losses. Apart from Li Jintong of the Qingyun Sect, who used the Divine Eye of True Sight, and another sword cultivator who had just entered the God Transformation stage, everyone else had won with great difficulty.
Yu Zhibo was not surprised by this result. After all, the clones were just clones, inheriting less than thirty percent of his strength. Having such results was already quite good.
For a time, the assembled prodigies greatly admired Yu Zhibo, and many invited him to visit their cave dwellings.
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Next chapter, looking for the little fox.