109: Tianzun projection, desperate bloody battle

Deep within the Valley of Buried Soldiers, before the Sword Mark Wall, the atmosphere suddenly solidified.

Xiao Chen's formidable aura, having just broken through to Nine-star Dou Zong, had not yet fully receded when it was interrupted by several powerful auras rapidly approaching from afar.

One of these auras, cold, dead, and abyssal, caused Xiao Chen's soul to feel a sharp pang!

"It's people from the Soul Hall! And... it's a Dou Zun (Battle Venerable)-level existence!" Ling Feng's face was pale, his voice trembling slightly.

Though he was a Five-Star Dou Zong, under the true Dou Zun (Battle Venerable) pressure, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

"Not just one... there are also people from the Heavenly Nether Sect and the Ice River Valley!" Ling Yun's face grew even uglier as he sensed the other auras.

Xiao Chen's eyes were as cold as knives, his soul perception firmly locked onto those auras.

The leader's aura was chilling and vast, far surpassing the previous Soul Hall Elder, and was clearly a soul hall heavenly venerate projection!

Although it was only a projection, its oppressive power was infinitely close to a true One-Star Dou Zun!

Behind him were two Soul Hall Elders (Seven-star and Eight-star Dou Zong), as well as Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, the Saint Son of the Heavenly Nether Sect (whose aura seemed to have also improved, approaching Nine-star), and Ice Talisman from the Ice River Valley (Peak Eight-star Dou Zong)!

"To kill me, the Soul Hall has really gone all out, even sending a heavenly venerate projection and allying with the Heavenly Nether Sect and the Ice River Valley," Xiao Chen sneered inwardly, but his battle intent surged madly!

Having just broken through, he desperately needed a satisfying battle to stabilize his realm and test his strength!

"Brother Xiao, what should we do? The opponent has a Dou Zun (Battle Venerable)-level existence, we..." Ling Yu's tone was anxious.

"We can't escape," Xiao Chen interrupted him, his gaze sharply scanning the canyon's terrain.

"The canyon exit has been sealed; we can only fight to the death! Brother Ling, the three of you form a sword array to protect yourselves and wait for an opportunity.

That heavenly venerate projection, leave him to me!"

"What?! Brother Xiao, you..." Ling Feng and the other two were aghast.

Xiao Chen actually intended to confront the Dou Zun (Battle Venerable) projection alone? This was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

"Trust me," Xiao Chen only said three words, his tone calm yet filled with undeniable confidence.

He took a step forward, blocking in front of the three of them, and his mighty Dou Qi (Battle Qi) of a Nine-star Dou Zong erupted, mixed with the soul pressure of Spirit Realm Great Perfection and the primordial battle intent of the Xiao Clan bloodline, actually contending with the heavenly venerate projection's pressure!

"Hehehe... Little bastard, you're here indeed!" A cold laugh approached from afar, and five figures appeared like phantoms in the sky above the canyon—it was the soul hall heavenly venerate projection and his group!

The heavenly venerate projection's gaze locked onto Xiao Chen like a venomous snake, his killing intent almost solidifying.

"You killed the Young Hall Master of the Soul Hall; today will be your death day!"

Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son and Ice Talisman also stared at Xiao Chen with venomous eyes.

They had suffered greatly in the secret realm before and now wished to tear Xiao Chen into ten thousand pieces.

"Enough nonsense! If you want to kill me, let's see if you have the ability!" Xiao Chen let out a long cry, taking the initiative!

He knew well that facing a Dou Zun (Battle Venerable)-level existence, he could never be on the defensive!

"Nine Axes of Heaven Opening — Fourth Form: Meteor!"

He clasped his hands, and the dark-gold battle axe phantom instantly condensed to its extreme, carrying the destructive will of a falling star, and fiercely slashed towards the heavenly venerate projection!

This axe strike contained all his power after his breakthrough, its might far surpassing before!

"An ant trying to shake a tree!" The heavenly venerate projection snorted disdainfully, casually extended his withered palm, and a ghostly hand that blotted out the sky appeared, as if countless vengeful spirits wailed in its palm, grabbing towards the axe aura!

"Boom—!!!"

The axe aura and the ghostly hand collided violently!

An earth-shattering roar erupted!

The entire canyon trembled violently, and even the sword marks on the cliff face flickered!

The surging airwaves sent Ling Feng and the other two reeling backward!

Xiao Chen's body shook violently, his blood surging, and he flew backward, crashing heavily against the Sword Mark Wall.

A sweetness rose in his throat, and he forcibly swallowed the gushing blood.

As for the heavenly venerate projection, his body also swayed slightly, and a faint crack appeared on the ghostly hand!

"He can actually shake this Venerable's projection?!" A hint of surprise flashed in the heavenly venerate projection's eyes, then transformed into deeper killing intent.

"This child must not be allowed to live! Attack together, finish this quickly!"

At his command, the two Soul Hall Elders behind him, as well as Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son and Ice Talisman, attacked simultaneously!

Underworld chains, Hellfire Burns the Sky (Netherflame Burning Heaven), Thousands of miles of ice (Ice Seal of Ten Thousand Miles)... various terrifying attacks poured down like a torrential storm, completely enveloping Xiao Chen!

"Brother Xiao, be careful!" Ling Feng and the other two's eyes were bloodshot.

Disregarding their own safety, they fully activated the Three Talents Sword Array, their sword light surging, attempting to relieve pressure for Xiao Chen!

"Good timing!" Xiao Chen's eyes burned with mad battle intent.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, combining Illusory Spirit Steps with his initial grasp of the "Void Breaking" artistic conception, his figure moving like a phantom through the dense attacks!

At the same time, his Spirit Realm Soul power fully erupted, Indestructible Soul Armor protected his sea of consciousness, and the dark-gold battle axe in his hand slashed or chopped, unleashing the sharpness of Heaven Opening Axe Intent to its extreme!

"River Severing!"

"Dividing Sea!"

"Splitting Sky!"

Axe light flashed, space twisted!

Xiao Chen was like a War God possessed, actually holding off the siege of four powerful enemies by himself!

Although new wounds constantly appeared on his body, and blood stained his robes, his eyes grew brighter and brighter, and his battle intent became fiercer and fiercer!

With each collision, he gained new insights into the axe intent and more precise control over his power!

"Is this kid a monster?!" Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son grew more and more alarmed as he fought; he felt that Xiao Chen was several times stronger than when they were in the secret realm!

Ice Talisman also had a gloomy expression; her ice Dou Qi (Battle Qi) seemed to have a greatly reduced effect on Xiao Chen's axe intent, which contained the vitality of creation.

"Useless!" The heavenly venerate projection, seeing that they couldn't break through for a long time, roared in anger and personally joined the battle!

His figure flickered, appearing behind Xiao Chen as if teleporting, and he pointed a finger!

Death qi condensed at his fingertip, forming a point of extreme black light that pierced through space, aiming directly at Xiao Chen's back!

This finger strike contained the Power of Space of a Dou Zun (Battle Venerable) level, its speed was extreme, and its power was enough to instantly kill any Dou Zong (Fighting Sect) Rank!

A fatal sense of crisis descended instantly!

Xiao Chen's hair stood on end, and all his power burned frantically!

He abruptly turned around, forcibly pushing the newly comprehended Fifth Form, "Void Breaking," to its extreme, gripping his axe with both hands, and fiercely slashed down at that black light!

"Nine Axes of Heaven Opening — Fifth Form: Void Breaking!"

This time, above the axe blade, it was no longer pure power, but a faint, almost imperceptible spatial ripple entwined around it!

Where the axe light passed, space seemed to be cut open with a tiny crack!

"Chii—!"

The black light and axe light collided again!

There was no loud bang, only a faint but piercing tearing sound!

The black light, imbued with the Power of Space, was actually split in two by the axe light, its energy annihilated!

And the axe light, its momentum undiminished, fiercely struck the heavenly venerate projection's finger!

"Pfft!"

The heavenly venerate projection's finger instantly became ethereal.

He let out a muffled groan, his body retreating several zhang, his eyes filled with incredulous horror!

"Power of Space?! You actually touched the Space Law?!"

Although it was only superficial, touching the Space Law as a Dou Zong (Fighting Sect) Rank was simply unheard of!

Xiao Chen was also not well; forcibly using "Void Breaking" had almost drained his Dou Qi (Battle Qi) and soul power, his face ashen, gasping for breath.

But the light in his eyes was as brilliant as the stars!

He had done it!

He had directly withstood a Dou Zun (Battle Venerable)'s attack and even gained a slight upper hand!

"This child... must not be allowed to live! I must descend in my true body and strangle him!" The heavenly venerate projection was completely consumed by killing intent.

He formed hand seals, and death qi boiled around him, seemingly wanting to summon even greater power!

"Protect Brother Xiao!" Ling Feng, seeing this, roared sharply, and he, Ling Yun, and Ling Yu, regardless of their own safety, desperately burned their essence blood.

The Three Talents Sword Array's light surged, transforming into a brilliant sword aura, and they selflessly charged towards the heavenly venerate projection, attempting to buy time for Xiao Chen!

"An ant trying to stop a chariot!" The heavenly venerate projection waved his hand casually, and a death qi shockwave shattered the sword array!

Ling Feng and the other two spat out blood, flew backward, and were critically injured, on the verge of death!

"Brother Ling!" Xiao Chen's eyes were bloodshot!

Just at this critical moment, another anomaly occurred!

On the Sword Mark Wall, those countless ancient sword marks, seemingly agitated by the fierce battle and Xiao Chen's axe intent containing the "Heaven Opening" artistic conception, suddenly erupted with dazzling light!

Streaks of sharp sword intent soared into the sky, intertwining in the air, as if condensing into the phantom of an ancient sword dao grandmaster!

The phantom's gaze was indifferent, sweeping across the battlefield, finally landing on the soul hall heavenly venerate projection, carrying a hint of disgust.

"Evil demons and heretics, dare to disturb my slumber?"

The phantom pointed its fingers like a sword, and lightly slashed at the heavenly venerate projection!

A simple and unadorned sword intent, yet containing the law of annihilating all things, traversed space and instantly struck the heavenly venerate projection!

"No—!!!" The heavenly venerate projection let out a desperate roar, his body melting like ice and snow meeting the sun, instantly dissolving into nothingness!

Even the two Soul Hall Elders behind him were swept by the residual sword intent, their souls scattered!

Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son and Ice Talisman were scared out of their wits, fleeing frantically, instantly disappearing deep into the canyon.

The sword intent phantom slowly dissipated, and the Sword Mark Wall returned to calm.

Inside the canyon, there was dead silence.

Only the heavily injured Xiao Chen and the dying Ling Feng and his two companions remained.

Xiao Chen looked at the calm Sword Mark Wall, his heart filled with incomparable shock.

A sword intent that had lingered for eons, possessing such power?

What realm must that ancient grandmaster who left the sword marks have been in during his lifetime?

He struggled to stand up, walked to Ling Feng and the others, and took out pills to heal their injuries.

"Tha... thank you, Brother Xiao..." Ling Feng thanked him weakly, his eyes filled with gratitude and awe.

In today's battle, Xiao Chen's strength and courage had completely won them over.

Xiao Chen shook his head, his gaze looking beyond the canyon, his eyes deep.

After this battle, his reputation would grow, but the danger would also deepen.

The Soul Hall would never let it go.

The road ahead was still full of thorns.

But he was fearless.

The path of a strong person was inherently against the heavens!

Next time, he would face all challenges with his own strength!

"Let's leave here first." Xiao Chen helped Ling Feng and the others up, and walked out of the canyon.

His figure, long in the setting sun, was resolute and solitary.