Chapter 8 The Origin of the Profound Steel Power

Torture herself? No, Li Moqing had never done anything to torture herself. Ever since this young girl had grown up, she had never been as clear-headed as she was at this moment. She knew very well what she was doing right now, and exactly how she should act to handle this situation flawlessly.

"Xuangang, I have already witnessed your power now. Since you are so formidable, do you dare to face me? This place has been nearly destroyed by the two of us, so it is high time we changed our venue!"

"Hmph, what is there not to dare? No matter where you go, in the end, you will never be my match! As it happens, I still have one final reserve of power that you have yet to experience. Right now, I will let you know just how terrifying I truly am!"

The space shifted once more. At this very moment, the two of them found themselves in the middle of a boundless ocean, the terrifying roar of crashing giant waves echoing in their ears. Just how formidable this battle had now become was truly beyond imagination.

"This is the Nameless Sea, and it shall also be the final battlefield for the two of us. I prepared this place specially for you. What? Can you already sense the immense power surging through this place? If you feel afraid, you can always admit defeat. What did you say just now? That my life is in your hands? I am telling you right now, that is an absolute impossibility!"

"So, this place is the Nameless Sea? According to my intelligence, this Nameless Sea should have dried up many years ago. Why is it that such formidable power can still exist here today? It seems that in order to restore this place, you, woman, must have expended a tremendous amount of effort. And looking at it now, everything you have done was truly worth it!"

"Indeed, it once dried up completely. However, all of that belongs to the past. Once you stepped foot in here, you ceased to be my match. The giant waves surrounding us are all manifestations of my power. The world only knows that I excel in the Undying White Flames with a fire attribute, but in reality, I possess another attribute as well—water!

"They say that water and fire are mutually incompatible, but in truth, what manner of formidable height can a person reach once they manage to perfectly fuse water and fire? To be honest, even I do not know the answer to this. After all, despite having mastered both powers for so many years, reaching the stage of true fusion was something I could never achieve! Or rather, I did not dare to attempt it, because I feared that should any mishap occur, the consequences would be more than I could bear. Do you truly understand this?

"Yet, I feel that in this battle against you, I must win. If I can accomplish nothing at all, what is the point of anything? You are a remarkably fine opponent. I believe that if it is you, you should be able to withstand the entirety of my power. Prepare to meet your end!"

The giant waves all around suddenly began to churn once more, and this astonishing force directly caused the surrounding sky to tremble slightly. Sure enough, when faced with such astonishing might, even someone as formidable as Xuangang wore a trace of unconcealed shock. What on earth was happening? Why could this woman still erupt with such terrifying power?

Judging by the passage of time, this woman should have suffered severe internal injuries. What was going on here? Sure enough, a thread of silver light slowly approached from afar. Though still distant, the thunderous roaring sound could already be heard!

Li Moqing was already suspended mid-air. At this moment, he truly exuded a faint otherworldly aura, and the subtle pressure radiating from his body was enough to prove that he had indeed unleashed his absolute maximum power!

"Very well, hahaha! Doing this is correct. I knew all along that you were no ordinary woman. Since that is the case, I should let you know just how formidable I am! You thought I would be entirely helpless against these giant waves? You were wrong!

"Your man, Zhuang Yunzhen, possesses the immensely formidable Xuangang Power. However, there is one thing that none of you knew: this Xuangang Power was originally mine! This power is exceedingly selective; if one's foundation is insufficient and they forcefully cultivate it, it will ultimately harm both themselves and others. Back then, it was because I suffered severe internal injuries that I halted my cultivation and recorded this Xuangang Power upon the Heavenly Scroll of the Lingyun Atlas. Later, after my injuries healed, I constantly searched for this Heavenly Scroll, but after so many years, I was simply unable to locate it!

"I had already given up all hope, but who could have imagined that things would take such a favorable turn? I finally found this man. The Xuangang Power operates in such a way that once it is successfully cultivated, a resonance is naturally created between the practitioners! When I received this news, I was naturally overjoyed. Zhuang Yunzhen's foundation is far superior to mine; entrusting my Xuangang Power to him gave me great peace of mind!

"In truth, if it were avoidable, I truly did not wish to make use of Zhuang Yunzhen's power. But you are simply too formidable, and if I do not borrow someone else's strength, I cannot defeat you!

"Zhuang Yunzhen, you have utilized my power for so many years, and thanks to you, my Xuangang Power has finally been refined to an even purer state. For this, I am deeply grateful to you. Therefore, watch closely and see how I deal with you in the end! Rest assured, once this battle concludes, I will surely reward you!"

Zhuang Yunzhen suddenly felt a strange sensation begin to spread. The power throughout his entire body was starting to drain away, and this sensation was something he simply could not suppress. What was the reason for this? Who on earth was trying to seize his power?

"Although I do not know who you are, you are gravely underestimating me. Just how formidable my own power is, even I do not fully know!

"It seems this man wishes to absorb my power, is that it? Judging by your aura, you must be Xuangang? No wonder! For some time now, my power has been restless, constantly trying to break out of my body. Such a thing had never occurred before, and now I understand—it must be because of you! Your plan is clever, but do you truly believe that relying solely on your own strength allows you to absorb all of my power?

"Indeed, I have always possessed absolute confidence in my own strength, and that confidence has allowed me to accomplish many things. Young man, when I made my name, you didn't even know what cultivation was! What? Now that you have grasped my power, do you truly believe you are invincible? Very well, since you think you are so immensely powerful, come and try! Let's see if you can still wield an ounce of your strength!

"The entirety of your cultivation has likely been sealed by me. While doing so is somewhat unfair to you, you are a remarkably dangerous man. To be honest, I truly did not wish to fight you, because once the two of us start fighting, I have no idea what the final outcome will be!"

Suddenly, a wave of intensely violent and tyrannical force engulfed Zhuang Yunzhen. The impact of this energy made him experience true pain for the very first time. In all his years of cultivation, he had never encountered anything like this. He had always believed that as long as he possessed the immensely powerful Xuangang Power, any problem could be easily resolved. Yet now, it seemed things were not quite so simple!

There were many aspects of the Xuangang Power that he still failed to understand. Although this power was exceedingly formidable, after all these years, he finally understood that he had never truly mastered it!

"Hahaha, little fellow, I know you have spent all these years yearning to truly master this Xuangang Power, but after all this time, have you actually managed to do it?

"Not at all. While you have defeated many formidable enemies over the years, do you know how those victories came to be? It was the result of me secretly assisting you from the shadows! Viewed from this perspective, I should be your benefactor. Yet how has this brat treated me over the years? I bestowed upon you such formidable power, and yet now you wish to harm me! Very well, since you dare to do this, I will certainly make you pay the price for your actions!

"How does it feel? You must be in excruciating agony right now, aren't you? There is one detail I forgot to tell you: my Xuangang Power is severely poisonous! While this power is immensely formidable, it possesses one fatal flaw—from the very moment cultivation begins, it can never be halted for even a single instant. Once stopped, the poisonous nature of this power will completely devour you!

"Back then, it was because I suffered from the torment of this poison that I abandoned my cultivation. But when I learned that you had actually mastered the Xuangang Power, my heart burned with boundless fury. I thought to myself: if a person like you could achieve it, why couldn't I? Where did the gap between us lie?

"Later on, I managed to let go of such thoughts. Since you could accomplish it, and since I was the one who created the Xuangang Power in the first place, what reason did I have to give up so easily? Therefore, from that moment on, I resumed my frantic cultivation. As you know, having abandoned the Xuangang Power for so many years, completely remastering it required an immense amount of effort. But even so, I never once considered giving up!

"Time has proven that my actions were ultimately correct. Moreover, I discovered that this second attempt at cultivation proceeded even more smoothly than the first. I suppose I have you to thank for that; it was precisely because of you that my progress was so smooth, and for this, I truly must thank you. However, a person like you should simply die right now! If a man like you stays alive, it poses a grave danger to me, and as you know, I will never allow such a thing to happen!"

"Li Moqing, do you still wish to fight? Naturally, if you keep fighting like this, you know what the ultimate outcome will be. Your man is already grievously injured—even now, do you still intend to fight? If you continue down this path, what kind of ending awaits you?"

"Do you think saying such things will make me worry about my eldest brother? Over the years, Big Brother has experienced far more than I have. I know he has encountered many troubles right now, but I trust him; he will surely rely on his own strength to resolve all of this in the end!"

"Do you trust Zhuang Yunzhen that much? It seems you truly are utterly ignorant of the ways of power, woman. Do you not even wish to go and help your eldest brother?"

"Xuangang, do not be so smug! I will not die. Do you really think your toxic power can suppress me? I am telling you now, that is an absolute impossibility!"

"It seems this man has suffered extremely severe internal injuries, doesn't it? Hmph, I knew Xuangang would not disappoint me in the end. Zhuang Yunzhen, I told you long ago that you couldn't change anything, so why refused to believe it?

"You could be considered a leading figure of your generation, yet you had the misfortune of crossing paths with a woman like Li Moqing. Well, seeing how much pain you are in, I will tell you one thing: anyone who becomes entangled with the Li family never meets a good end! Seeing you reduced to this state truly breaks my heart; you originally had such a brilliant future ahead of you. Li Moqing, seeing your eldest brother reduced to this state, do you not feel even a shred of sorrow?

"Do you not wish to make some changes for the sake of your eldest brother? As long as you admit defeat now, everything can still be salvaged! The distance between you and me is simply too vast. If possible, I would truly love to let you see what Zhuang Yunzhen has been reduced to right now!"

"Moqing, do not listen to his nonsense! I am doing very well right now. Rest assured, while I may lack other talents, my cultivation is profound, and I am protected by the Xuangang Power! Although this fellow Xuangang interfered with my power, even so, I still have the confidence to suppress it. More importantly, in his attempt to extract the Xuangang Power from within me, this fellow Xuangang has exhausted roughly eighty percent of his cultivation!

"This means he currently possesses only twenty percent of his power! Under normal circumstances, you might not be his match, but right now, I know you certainly can defeat him! The power between this man and myself has already formed a resonance. I will help you hold him down, and whatever remains shall be left in your hands!"

"Hmph, Zhuang Yunzhen, you truly are economical with the truth! It is true that our powers have formed a resonance, but why did you fail to mention that the very moment our powers resonate, we enter a state of symbiosis? If I die, you cannot survive either!

"Li Moqing, you should understand the situation now; the current predicament is dire. If I die, your eldest brother is finished as well! Think carefully: what will your next move be?"

This trick was truly formidable! No wonder no one had ever successfully cultivated the Xuangang Power all these years—this was the ultimate reason. Once successfully cultivated, this symbiotic state was something no one could ever escape. In fact, many past powerhouses who cultivated the Xuangang Power had desperately sought to break this symbiotic bond once they gained immense strength. Sadly, despite generations of effort, not a single person had ever succeeded!

Over time, everyone came to view the Xuangang Power as a curse; anyone who touched it would meet a wretched end. Yet even so, countless individuals still sought to witness the legendary might of this formidable power. Such was human nature, something that could never be changed at any time.

Sure enough, Li Moqing's expression grew exceedingly grim. To be honest, even she had never expected things to turn out this way. Was she really just going to stand by and watch her eldest brother die? No! She had already lost too much in this world; she could not afford to lose her eldest brother now. If she lost even him in the end, what use would there be in having cultivated such formidable strength?

Driven nearly mad, Li Moqing roared at Xuangang, "Old bastard, lift the Xuangang Power, or I will kill you!"

Seeing Li Moqing driven to madness was a joyous sight indeed. Though triumphant inside, Xuangang wore a look of utter helplessness. "I am sorry, but I truly have no way to fix this either. You have always been so clever, yet to this day, no one has ever managed to break the symbiotic attribute of the Xuangang Power—and neither can I!"

"What did you just say? You want me to die? Very well, if you truly have the ability to do so, I naturally have no objections. Naturally, as long as your conscience permits it, I will be more than delighted!

"When the time comes, everyone will know that in order to protect the so-called Suyi Tower, you, Li Moqing, killed the man you love most with your own hands! To be honest, that prospect is quite appealing. Your Li family was always plagued by misfortune; if Zhuang Yunzhen passes away, it would be quite fitting."

The current situation left Li Moqing deeply torn; she had no idea what she should do next. "Moqing, I told you, you truly do not need to worry. Everything will be resolved in the end! It is merely a symbiotic bond—did you really think I would be entirely helpless against it?"

"A man like you actually has a way? Are you joking? What do you take my symbiotic bond for? Over the years, countless people have tried to genuinely lift the suppression of this power, yet not a single person has ever succeeded! What? Do you actually believe you can achieve it now?"

"Of course I can! Old bastard, the Xuangang Power is the very power I have cultivated all along. While I wouldn't claim to understand it entirely, I certainly grasp seven or eight tenths of it. When I realized that you and I had entered a symbiotic state, I suddenly wondered: what would happen if one of the parties forcefully severed this connection?

"What? You intend to forcefully sever the connection between our powers? But do you know what the consequences of such an action will be? You might lose half of your cultivation, or even forfeit your life right here today! For the sake of a mere woman, are you truly willing to go this far?"

"Yes, this is my own decision. As for the affection between Li Moqing and me, an outsider like you could never understand. Back then, if she hadn't intervened in the nick of time, I would already be dead. You thought you could have the four major sects launch a joint surprise attack, but did you really think I would let such a thing happen?

"For so many years, none of you could tolerate one another, all for the sake of that so-called title of 'Number One in the World.' But I am telling you today: as long as I am here, no one is permitted to act presumptuously!

"Xuanhuo, you've been standing on the sidelines watching the show all this time. What? Do you truly not wish to make a move? Or are you, in your heart, actually afraid of me?"

Hearing this, Xuanhuo showed not a hint of anger; instead, he found Zhuang Yunzhen rather amusing. "No, no, no. I've lost all appetite for fighting anyway. What did you just say? You can actually lift the symbiotic attribute of the Xuangang Power? You know, that comes as quite a surprise. After all, no one has ever managed to pull that off in all these years. Of course, if you really can achieve it, I'll be thrilled!

"Thus, I'm rather looking forward to seeing what kind of surprise a man like you can bring me. Of course, if you actually pull it off, the reward will be fantastic. The disciples of the four major sects would certainly love to witness such a momentous occasion.

"Xuangang, don't make a move just yet. Brother knows you've been suffering from the torment of the Xuangang poison for all these years. Although you managed to inject that poison into Zhuang Yunzhen earlier, I think you're well aware of how formidable this man is by now. Don't you even want to see how things turn out for him in the end?"

"Brother, do you even know what you're saying? If you give this man even the slightest opening, heaven only knows what he might become! You're right, Zhuang Yunzhen's cultivation is indeed immensely formidable. Very well, since you've said as much, I certainly want to see how this plays out in the end!

"Zhuang Yunzhen, if you truly have the ability, use your own cultivation to break this Xuangang Power. I am eagerly anticipating it!"

"Anticipating it? It seems my cultivation has indeed grown strong enough. Now that I have broken the symbiosis, you haven't even sensed it?"

Zhuang Yunzhen's words sent a wave of utter shock through everyone present. Sure enough, when Xuangang carefully sensed his own power, he discovered that it had completely vanished at that very moment! No, no, what was happening?! Why had the Xuangang Power, which he had cultivated through such bitter toil, vanished as well? Such an outcome was utterly unacceptable to him.

"What on earth have you done? Why has it come to this? Return my power to me right now! If you don't return it, I'll make you pay with your life today!"

"Hahaha! What's this? Weren't you acting quite formidable just a moment ago? Now that you've lost your power, what are you going to do? Without your power, what else can you accomplish? Do you seriously think you can still fight me?"

"The Xuangang Power... Heh, I have a word for you as well. After all these years of cultivation, this Xuangang Power has long since belonged to me. You were the one who abandoned it back then. The Xuangang Power possesses a spirit of its own; what you cast away, I desired, and I have cherished it dearly. Over the years, this power has truly never let me down!

"Every time I faced mortal danger, the Xuangang Power protected me. Look at yourself instead—the moment you encountered the slightest bit of trouble, you chose to abandon it. With a disposition like yours, you are utterly unworthy of cultivating it! What? Do you think I'm wrong?"

"No! That is an absolute impossibility! I created the Xuangang Power with my own hands; in this world, it only listens to me! Aside from me, no one else has the right to possess it! What kind of thing do you think you are?! Tell me, what did you just do? Why has it come to this?"

"You think things turned out this way because of me? If you truly believe that, you are mistaken. Very well, I suppose you've never actually heard the Xuangang Power speak for itself, have you? Now presents a rather wonderful opportunity! Xuangang Power, I know there must be many things you've wanted to say to him. You never had the chance before, but now that the opportunity has arrived, I will naturally let you speak."

After a slight ripple in the air, a figure in azure robes slowly materialized—it was none other than the embodiment of the Xuangang Power itself.

"Long time no see, Xuangang. You've grown quite old. What? Does seeing me really shock you that much? Or did you genuinely think I wouldn't be able to survive without you?"

This was a direct spiritual dialogue between two entities. "You can actually speak? Why did I never know about this? You never mentioned any of this to me! Look at me now—abandoning your cultivation back then was due to unavoidable hardships. But look at me now, I have regained my formidable power once again! If you return now, I can let bygones be bygones!"

Did this man still believe he could control everything at a time like this? It was utterly laughable.

"After all these years, I foolishly thought you might have changed somewhat, but I was far too naive. No matter how many years pass, a person like your disposition will never change. I could always speak—that is an innate ability of mine. In fact, I mentioned this to you long ago. But a man like you only ever cares about himself; the life and death of others was never something you gave a second thought to. Therefore, even though I told you, you must have forgotten it ages ago!

"What? Do you still wish to reclaim my original form? You want to know what just happened? Very well, I will tell you. It's quite simple: Zhuang Yunzhen breaking the symbiotic bond was something I orchestrated with my own hands. Back then, you harmed me, and you harmed everyone else who ever attempted to cultivate the Xuangang Power. Now that I have finally recognized a true master, I will never let anyone harm him, no matter what! Even if it means making an enemy of you, I care not. Looking back, how you treated me feels like a waking nightmare. But it matters not now; everything is coming to an end today. As long as I am here, a person like you will never harm Zhuang Yunzhen!

"Zhuang Yunzhen's power is already immense. Do you truly believe you can defeat him relying solely on yourself? I am telling you now, that is an absolute impossibility!

"I came here precisely to tell you that I have acknowledged Zhuang Yunzhen. As for what you're thinking, I am well aware of it. Let me make this clear: either you leave this instant, and I will pretend none of this ever happened, or... if you wish to fight, I am more than willing to accommodate you. Just make sure you think carefully: are you truly certain you can defeat me?"

When the spirit of the Xuangang Power looked at Xuangang at this moment, its heart was remarkably calm. It had once believed that after all these years, it would still harbor deep resentment toward this man. But now, it seemed otherwise; it could finally face him with absolute tranquility!

"Hmph, this is sheer absurdity! I created you with my own hands! Without me back then, what would have become of you? I'm sure you know the answer in your heart. Yet now, you wish to fight against me for the sake of an outsider? Do you think you're being fair to me?

"Did you really not know that I've been searching everywhere for your whereabouts all these years? I know I wronged you back then, but so many years have passed—why can't you forgive me? Am I truly so deserving of death?"

"Hmph? What? Do you still think you don't deserve to die? Very well, since that's the case, I should remind you of the things you did back then. Perhaps you've forgotten them, but it doesn't matter—I remember them, and I've remembered them clearly for all these years! Back then, you tried to kill me! If I hadn't possessed immensely formidable cultivation of my own, would I have survived to this day?

"You claim you did nothing wrong? Hahaha! How could you possibly have done nothing wrong? In short, are you leaving or not?

"Zhuang Yunzhen, have no fear. I know you've always worried about your woman. Go ahead now; leave this man to me, and I'll leave Xuanhuo to you. That way, your woman will have plenty of time to handle other matters. Xuanhuo, you have no objections to such an arrangement, do you?"

"No, no, no! I naturally approve of such power! It seems my hopes of merely watching a show have been dashed after all. Very well, it looks like I'm finally going to have a proper fight—though not quite yet. I simply want to see just how formidable this fellow Xuangang truly is. You might not know this, but Xuangang has spent all these years trying to prove to me how powerful he is. In reality, however, that is far from the truth!

"To think it would end like this between us... Xuangang Power, I created you, and yet now you wish to raise your hand against me. Very well, I suppose I should have known such a day would eventually come. In that case, we had best change our venue; this place is far too confined for a real battle!

"Xuanhuo... truth be told, you've exhausted most of your cultivation as well, haven't you? Is this really wise? Shouldn't you have waited a little longer?"

"Waited? What is there to wait for? Today's battle concerns the lives of too many people. I know my own cultivation is failing, but the more critical the moment, the less I can afford to give up. If I simply quit now, I would despise myself for the rest of my days!

"I spent so many years in seclusion, running and hiding. But recently, I've finally come to understand: no matter how much one hides, what must come will eventually arrive. I will win this battle.

"Zhuang Yunzhen, don't worry. I transferred all my remaining cultivation to you earlier. Now that you've completely shaken off the symbiotic attribute, you will undoubtedly grow even more formidable. Do you know? The very first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you would achieve greater things than anyone else!

"Otherwise, why do you think you chose the Heavenly Scroll when cultivating the Lingyun Atlas? In truth, that was all my arrangement. You are different from Liang Xi; that brat has always been excessively arrogant and fond of stirring up trouble since childhood. But you are different—your temperament is exceptionally steady, and that is precisely why you are better suited to the Xuangang Power!

"I have already imparted all my comprehension of power to you. You haven't had many opportunities to use it over the years, but you no longer need to harbor any doubts!

"I know you will succeed in this battle. Although Xuanhuo possesses formidable cultivation, he is a man of reason—a rare trait among the four major sects. Therefore, if you have any requests, you can simply voice them to him... provided you defeat him first. That man respects the strong!

"If he ever met someone capable of defeating him with their own hands, he would naturally be overjoyed. Yet for all these years, not a single person has managed to do it!

"You know, Xuanhuo has never been a patient man who enjoys waiting for others. Yet he made an exception and waited for you. Do you know why? From your aura, he caught a glimpse of your extraordinary future. He wants to defeat you, so you must give it your all, understand?"