Chapter 582: Mirage Dragon Pearl

Su Wanrou's slender frame was dressed in a pale yellow robe with a bamboo basket in her hand.

Standing at the outer reaches of the Sacred Soul Continent, she gazed past Mu Wentao with an unnervingly calm expression, observing the battle unfolding ahead.

"My disciple was taken captive, yet I, her master, arrived a step too late. Thank you for making the trip to Dragon Lair Sect on my behalf," she said with a slight bow toward the rotund figure atop the Sword Pavilion. "Don't squander the divine power of past Sword Gods on that old dragon, Li Zhaotian. Leave him to me. You just focus on getting away."

Mu Wentao turned to face her as if confronting a deadly foe, but she did not even spare a glance.

She had countered Mu Wentao's Court of Shenluo and broken his soul-binding technique with easy indifference as if he was beneath her notice.

Bypassing the Court of Shenluo and the Sword Pavilion with a single step, she descended directly into the terrifying sea of divine power where lightning and sword light clashed.

"Li Zhaotian, please withdraw the swords," she softly commanded.

Every sword light and sentient sword locked in battle against the lightning instantly retreated to the Sword Pavilion.

Lifting the veil covering her bamboo basket, she unleashed a multicolored mist that spread through the air.

Clouds of azure, emerald, black-violet, ashen brown, ghostly white, and many other hues unfurled across the sea of lightning, colors swirling as Su Wanrou's Heavenly Dao wove into them, corroding the divine power embedded within the lightning.

Billions of microscopic toxins moved like unseen daggers within the mist, each infused with her divine sense.

The creeping mist swallowed the lightning spheres and lightning bolts formed from Long Xiao's blood, silently erasing their power.

The multicolored mist slithered toward Long Xiao's coiled body like a sentient river.

His impenetrable dragon scales softened after coming into contact with the poisonous mist, losing their iron-like resilience. Long Xiao's legendary physical defenses were immediately compromised.

As the poisonous mist seeped under his skin, a violent eruption of lightning surged from within Long Xiao's flesh.

His bones, organs, and every drop of blood boiled as lightning morphed into serpentine dragons, eliminating the microscopic toxins within the poisonous mist and shielding his flesh from further corrosion.

"Senior, you surely know that Pang Lin is a disciple of the Pure Land Sect, right?"

Su Wanrou, the Sage of Medicine and Poison, remained courteous even in her fury, still addressing Long Xiao with the proper honorifics.

Her demeanor was polite and her words respectful, but the poisonous mist spilling from her bamboo basket only intensified.

The multicolored mist soon engulfed the sea of lightning stretching millions of li across the vast skies of the Second World.

She continuously wove her Heavenly Dao into reality.

"She may be a disciple of your Pure Land Sect, but don't forget that she inherited the Celestial Phoenix's legacy," Long Xiao said, golden eyes emotionless and tone indifferent. "That makes her half a member of my Fey Race.

"Su girl, you knew she was naturally attuned to lightning. You knew the Celestial Phoenix bone had chosen her. Despite this, you insisted on taking her back to the Pure Land Sect and carefully nurturing her.

"Tell me, do you truly believe she could one day surpass me on the Dao of Lightning?

"There has never been, nor will there ever be, another being in this Abyss who can rival me on the Dao of Lightning!

"No new Thunder God will ever be born for as long as I remain in this world!" Long Xiao declared before spitting out a dragon pearl.

The poison-shrouded area around them distorted as if reality was blurring over.

"The Mirage Dragon Pearl." A flicker of shock flashed in Su Wanrou's eyes. "There once existed an ancient Mirage Dragon in the history of the Dragon Race. It was one of the few to ascend beyond the Abyss and become a true Dragon God.

"As far as I know, that dragon perished in the starry skies long ago. Even if its Mirage Dragon Pearl survived, that doesn't explain how it's in the Abyss.

Su Wanrou's expression grew severe.

"Senior Long Xiao! If the Mirage Dragon Pearl is in your hands...does this mean you have been colluding with the Outer Gods?"

"Heh, don't go throwing baseless accusations." Long Xiao let out a dark chuckle, unfazed. "Another Fey God of my ancient Fey Race still exists in Northern Qi. He retrieved the Mirage Dragon Pearl for me.

"He and a faction of our ancient Fey Race warriors have struggled for survival within the bizarre mist for years.

"The World God has secretly protected them for generations. That same World God found the Mirage Dragon Pearl for them, and they eventually passed it to me."

Long Xiao breathed on the Mirage Dragon Pearl.

The dragon pearl unleashed a vast sea of mist that blended with Su Wanrou's poisonous one, diluting and weakening its lethal potency.

Long Xiao then shrank into his human form. Under the power of the Mirage Dragon Pearl, his form fractured like shifting reflections in water, multiplying endlessly until a thousand identical Long Xiaos rushed toward Su Wanrou in unison.

"Su girl, I knew I would have to face you when I unearthed Thunderclap Paradise from the Resolute Expanse. Li Zhaotian was merely an unexpected nuisance. You, however, were always my true goal and opponent."

The clones of Long Xiao let out eerie chuckles before transforming into ten thousand bolts of lightning.

The Mirage Dragon Pearl's illusory mist and Su Wanrou's multicolored poisonous mist became denser, engulfing them both.

Nothing could be seen from the outside. The only certainty was that the battle between the ancient Thunder Dragon and Su Wanrou had begun.

Li Zhaotian stood atop the Sword Pavilion, gripping his Tempest Fiend Sword, eyes slightly narrowed as he gathered his sword intent.

With the ancient Thunder Dragon occupied with Su Wanrou, he could focus his battle to the death against Mu Wentao.

Just as he was about to strike, Mu Wentao suddenly raised a hand, withdrew his Court of Shenluo, and stepped aside. "I cannot stop you. Safe travels."

Li Zhaotian, on the verge of unleashing his god-slaying strike, nearly spat out blood in frustration.

He was not particularly familiar with Mu Wentao. Still, he had not expected the Ghost Sacrifice Sect's second-ranking True God to be so cowardly.

"I know my limits. Li Zhaotian, you stand at the peak of the Immortal Realm. It's well within your ability to challenge True Gods like me and Li Chu when wielding the Sword Pavilion. I already know I can't stop you, so why bother trying? Please, go ahead."

Mu Wentao simply stood to the side, assuming a non-combative stance as he gestured for Li Zhaotian to leave.

Li Zhaotian hesitated. Glancing behind him, he watched lightning bolts intermittently tear through the poisonous mist, blasting gaping holes in the dense, swirling clouds.

Neither Su Wanrou nor Long Xiao had ever fought each other before, and no one knew how this battle would end.

If he left, Mu Wentao could interfere, and that newly ascended Fey God Rock Bear could also seize the opportunity to enter the fray.

After mulling it over, Li Zhaotian said, "I'm not leaving. The Pure Land Sect still has Lin Qiyang. Not to mention, if Su Wanrou's here, he can't be far behind."

Whoosh!

At that moment, a colossal divine figure, bathed in prismatic radiance, descended from the First World like a shooting star.

Li Zhaotian took a single glance before breaking into a broad grin. "Mu Wentao, my formidable disciple has arrived. He could suppress Li Chu, meaning he can easily destroy your divine body as well."

The sword token at Li Zhaotian's waist hummed as Elder Xu Yu relayed new information.

Li Wang of the Nine Tribes Sect, Zhu Ji of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, and Pei Yishan of the Forsaken Expanse Sect had each sent transmissions, informing Xu Yu that they had set out for the Sacred Soul Continent.

They intended to break the ancient agreement forbidding True Gods from setting foot on the Sacred Soul Continent to execute Mu Wentao before Long Xiao's eyes.

Moreover, his disciple, Pang Jian, had been the one to set these wheels in motion.