ISWI Chapter 796-797

Chapter 796: Self-Severing a Blade!

"Since that is the case, let us depart!"

One of the elders called out cheerfully. "Everyone aboard my vessel—it's a high-grade Extreme Dao flying boat, plenty of room. Nephew, invite your Heavenly Evolution Holy Land elders aboard as well. My boat is so swift—they might struggle to keep up otherwise!"

Ye Chen and the others present twitched at the corners of their mouths. They knew the elder was thrilled with his new Extreme Dao vessel. But no one expected him to start showing off immediately...

Ye Chen recalled his previous life—freshly buying a car, driving even for a pack of cigarettes. This senior would likely pilot his vessel for every outing in the foreseeable future...

...

Lan Nuo's travels naturally included guardians. Moreover, after Ye Chen's recent slaughter of myriad races prodigies, the Lan family dispatched four elders as a precaution. Aboard the vessel now, they chatted warmly with Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's supreme elders—cordial as in-laws.

Ye Chen and Lan Nuo, meanwhile, enjoyed private time within the immortal boat. The others tactfully avoided disturbing them.

"Master, I came only to find a chance to display what I've learned—no other intent."

Nestled in Ye Chen's arms, Lan Nuo explained softly, "Though the Nirvana Sacred Liquid came from Lan intelligence, lacking the strength to claim it means no fate with it. I harbor no thoughts—besides, I feel my Heavy Pupils suffice. Master needs only take me out more for trials—to show off before others."

This drew a chuckle from Ye Chen. Truly a contented good girl. The less she contended, the more he wished to give.

Yet for now, Ye Chen revealed nothing—merely stroking her head gently. "I know."

His trust delighted Lan Nuo. She tilted her head up proactively, attempting the deep kisses described in storybooks. The tongue-battling kind.

Ye Chen felt helpless against this rebellious disciple. But refusal seemed unkind—he allowed her everything.

Soon, cheeks flushed crimson, Lan Nuo's delicate frame trembled. She stole an incredulous glance at Ye Chen. Then squeezed her eyes shut tighter. Storybooks hadn't lied.

Men, kissed long enough, truly let hands wander to fitting places. Yet this was precisely what she craved.

She offered no resistance—instead softening further. Sinking deeper into the sweet intimacy...

Amid the bliss, she also hoped this Immortal Path venture with Ye Chen. It would yield chances for her own showing off before others.

...

Immortal Path, Fourth Realm.

With a flash from the teleportation array, two figures emerged atop it. Teleportation sites bustled invariably. Cultivators traded intelligence or goods here—forming markets around the arrays. The fourth realm hosted mostly semi-saints. Such powerhouses were commonplace.

Yet as the two stepped forth, terrifying auras erupted like tidal waves, sweeping in all directions. Every cultivator in the market startled. Gazes snapped toward the array, faces etched with fear.

Who unleashed such a horrifying presence? Even peak semi-saints felt chills. Among semi-saints—who possessed such terror? Could it be the Heavenly Emperor's heir had arrived?

At this thought, tension gripped everyone's hearts. Especially the myriad races present—they retreated hastily, some even contemplating flight. But upon discerning the newcomers' appearances, the field fell into utter silence save for collective gasps.

One figure stood three meters tall, wreathed in roaring flames—like a mobile volcano. His body resembled not flesh but superheated molten metal. Streams of violent fire serpents writhed across his surface.

His eyes blazed like twin burning suns, radiating blinding light. Where his gaze fell, space distorted and warped. No one dared meet it—fearing their eyes might melt.

The other possessed a jade-like frame, flowing with endless lunar radiance. Yet this moonlight offered no gentleness—only bone-piercing chill. The fluorescence trailing him froze the void white. Merely looking upon him induced shivers. His eyes resembled twin grand moons—utterly indifferent...

"It's Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint! How can they return to the fourth realm? Impossible!"

Recognizing them, torrents of shock crashed through every cultivator's heart. Both were fifth-heaven saints—Holy Spirits. One birthed from Flame Heart Glazed Flame Stone. The other from Moon Essence Divine Crystal. Both emerged around ten thousand years ago. Long reaching fifth heaven, renowned throughout the cultivation world.

In the Immortal Path's fifth realm, they stood at the apex. Personally slaying several human and myriad races saints—combat prowess unmatched. Though terrifyingly strong, their deficient Holy Spirit cultivation speed—agonizingly slow—doomed them without ascension hope. Thus, no apex existences troubled them.

Yet now, these two saints—why could they reenter the fourth realm?

Impossible.

Had the Immortal Path malfunctioned?

But soon, sensing their auras, eyes widened once more. Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint's presence was not saint—but a peak semi-saint.

This discovery shocked all anew. Their regression clearly wasn't from defeat. Thus, they had self-severed a realm—dropping a full great realm. For deficient Holy Spirits, cultivation agonizing—one great realm might demand one or two millennia, or longer.

What in the fourth realm warranted such colossal sacrifice—self-severing to enter?

Instantly, all gazes burned upon them. Some prodigies' eyes regained confidence. Saints—they would yield. But fellow semi-saints? A fight remained possible.

Curiosity consumed them: what drew these two Holy Spirits? Surely an extraordinary opportunity. Moreover, some prodigies' elders had fallen to them.

At once, a golden-haired man—like cast from gold—rose slowly, coldly overlooking the pair. His aura was formidable—undoubtedly a peak semi-saint.

Over a hundred black voids manifested behind him, golden sacred weapons surging within, radiating vast killing intent. Then several more figures soared forth.

All pinnacle semi-saints from great clans—profound foundations. One rode a spiritual beast emitting Mahayana fluctuations. Seven in total encircled the two Holy Spirits with murderous intent.

The scene brimmed with a killing aura. Clearly, a great battle loomed...

Chapter 797: Two Holy Spirits

"Holy Spirits—motherless, fatherless mongrels, worse than beasts! I had planned to ascend to sainthood before killing you two. But today works just as well!"

Killing intent surged from many present. The first to step forward—a human prodigy—curved his lips in extreme cruelty, face thick with mockery. He slowly extended a single finger, pointing lightly ahead.

In an instant, the hundred black voids behind him spun with dazzling golden light. Then, sacred weapons erupted forth—cloaked in boundless chilling saintly might—like a golden torrent roaring out.

Each weapon blazed with blinding radiance, pressure rivaling the dreaded Extreme Dao weapons. Like a heaven-obscuring golden rain, carrying world-destroying momentum, it hurtled toward the pair.

At the same time, the other pinnacle prodigies from various clans hesitated not at all—unleashing their strongest techniques.

"You two fiends dared slay my elder brother, leaving my sister-in-law to wash her face with tears daily, withered in grief. Today, I shall obliterate you utterly—so she may smile again!"

One roared with bloodshot eyes, an Extreme Dao weapon thundering forth.

"I happen to lack a piece of Flame Heart Glazed Flame Stone!"

Another's eyes gleamed with greed and resolve. Spiritual Qi surged madly, forming ferocious spiritual beasts that pounced with bared fangs.

"Die..."

In moments, multicolored divine lights soared skyward, painting the heavens in brilliant hues—like the apocalypse descending. That terrifying killing aura surged like raging waves, nearly scouring the clouds from the ninth heaven.

Oppressive might bore down like Mount Tai, leaving all present legs trembling, quaking in fear. Yet the pair before the teleportation array remained indifferent—unmoved.

Moonlight Saint gently lifted his gaze. In that instant, endless lunar radiance surged from all directions, summoned. Icy chill threaded through the moonlight—like lively ice serpents.

The top-tier killing techniques hurtling forth slowed upon contact—as though mired in mud, growing sluggish. Each inch forward demanded immense cost.

As they neared the pair, speed dwindled further. At less than a meter away. Whether saint-weapon radiance or destructive divine arts. All froze utterly in the void—as though bound by invisible force. As if time itself stilled for them.

This sight widened every eye.

Flame Heart Saint, on the other side, curved his lips in a bone-piercing cold sneer. His gaze—like materialized flame, searing—swept the golden-haired man. A single meeting of eyes drained the man's face of color—as though beholding the world's most horrifying existence.

Before reaction, his body boomed—like an ignited powder keg, exploding instantly. Then, strange scorching flames raged through the void—like a roaring fire python sweeping past. All in its path was incinerated to nothing.

The golden-haired man couldn't even scream—utterly erased by the flames, vanishing from heaven and earth. As though he had never existed.

This sight jolted every heart anew. Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint spoke not—like demonic gods returned from the ninth abyss. Their forms ghosted toward the rest.

Speed defied imagination—like teleportation, traceless. Their techniques—utterly inscrutable, undefendable. Though self-severed, now peak semi-saints. Yet the prodigies before them seemed mere ants—not of the same plane.

Full-power assaults struck them like stones into the sea—failing to scratch their true forms. Many attacks—they needed not even glance; they dissipated harmlessly. Yet their killing force chilled souls. Few among the crowd could withstand three moves.

In mere dozens of instants, the six or seven who had encircled them fell one by one—no chance to flee. This left every onlooker trembling. Though self-severed, they far surpassed ordinary peak semi-saints. Accumulated foundation and strength from saint days granted an unmatched advantage now. Their true combat power mismatched their realm utterly.

In this Immortal Path's fourth realm, they stood apex predators. Even the legendary Heavenly Emperor's heir might not prevail. As the heart-pounding battle concluded, heaven and earth cleared.

The pair stood quietly, gazing indifferently around—like lofty deities overlooking ants. None dared meet their eyes—all bowed heads. Soon, their gazes locked on one person.

Flame Heart Saint's form blurred, transforming into a torrent of raging flame. With unstoppable momentum, he thundered forth.

The locked-on cultivator paled in terror, turning to flee. "I haven't provoked you—I did nothing..."

Despair and helplessness laced his voice.

Flame Heart Saint seemed deaf to it. In an instant, he overtook the man. Countless flames surged like overwhelming waves, engulfing him completely.

At the same time, a bone-chilling sneer rang from within the inferno. "Your body bears an extremely faint trace of the Holy Spirit Curse mark. No doubt an ancestor of yours once slew a Holy Spirit. Today, you shall repay that sin! The Holy Spirit Clan—born noble, nurtured by heaven and earth. How dare you lowly beings touch us at will? A pity our clan numbers so few. Otherwise, this world would need no human or myriad races—our Holy Spirit Clan reigning supreme alone would suffice."

His words fell. The cultivator's wail cut off abruptly—as though severed by an invisible hand. When the flames gradually dispersed, nothing remained—as if the man had never existed.

Chill gripped every heart present. The Holy Spirit Curse could even transmit through bloodlines—unstained even by descendants. This rendered the Holy Spirit Clan ever more fearsome.

Flame Heart Saint and Moonlight Saint swept indifferent gazes over the crowd—like deities overlooking insignificant ants.

Soon, Flame Heart Saint's lips curved in faint mockery. "Don't you wish to know why we entered the fourth realm? Follow if you dare."

His words prompted exchanged glances among the crowd. Originally, curiosity burned—what drew them? Thoughts of sharing the spoils. But after witnessing their terror, only deep fear remained.

None dared follow.

Suicide.

The pair glanced disdainfully.

Moonlight Saint spoke coolly, "Let us go."

Flame Heart Saint seemed more bloodthirsty. His gaze—like tangible blades—swept the scene. With faint regret, he said, "That Heavenly Emperor's heir dares slay our Holy Spirit kin—truly a heinous crime. A pity the master's task takes precedence. Otherwise, I would leave the Immortal Path and obliterate him utterly—to vent my hatred."

With that, the pair shot westward like brilliant meteors—leaving endless shock and awe behind. The Holy Spirit Clan—truly too terrifying. Especially those self-severed from the saint realm. Utterly unassailable.

With intent, they could slaughter the entire fourth realm. Even the legendary Heavenly Emperor's heir might fall short. Gazing in their departure direction, curiosity and anticipation swelled.

What treasure compelled two saints to self-sever for entry?

It itched unbearably. Yet against such strength, they had no chance. But a certain Unity cultivator huddled trembling in a corner now lifted his head. Gazing fearfully after the Holy Spirits, unease deepened.

The Immortal Path imposed no realm restrictions for higher sections. Thus, clans stationed low-realm members at arrays—for messages and supplies. Unity cultivators here numbered plenty.

The Holy Spirits headed precisely toward the divine mountain his clan labored to unseal. Though logically, no leak occurred. Who could guarantee the Holy Spirits lacked the means to sense kin? His clan still had two semi-saints there—heads down cracking arrays. Encounter would mean instant death—no escape.

Panic seized him. He whipped out a special transmission artifact, voice quavering. "Elders, flee! Holy Spirits approach—take another route, avoid them..."

After sending, he stared anxiously at the array—eyes full of hope. When would the Heavenly Emperor's heir arrive?

Delay risked the Seven-Colored Nirvana Jade's mishap—Lan clan's efforts in vain. Yet even upon arrival—could he prevail? That too was the question. Two self-severed saints...

Could he truly fight them?

Time passed unknown. The Immortal Path array flared once more...

Two figures emerged calmly. The crowd, still reeling from the Holy Spirits' shock, paid little heed initially. But upon discerning their appearances, gasps echoed everywhere.