Chapter 700: I'm Also Very Strong!

Long Xiao's scales gleamed with a metallic sheen as his massive serpentine body, wreathed in crackling lightning, slammed into the Pure Land Sect's protective array.

The ancient Fey Race had the strongest physiques in the Abyss, with the Dragon Race standing above nearly all others.

Long Xiao rammed the array with his body, channeling his Dao of Lightning into each strike. The radiant protective array of the Pure Land Sect buckled and caved with every impact.

High in the skies above the Western Loam, lightning interweaved like an apocalyptic storm. The tyrannical Thunder Dragon roared, drowning out the crashing lightning, causing every living being on the continent to tremble in fear.

The beautiful scenes and etched Dao Seals in the radiant light of the Glazed Purification Divine Array faded under Long Xiao's relentless assault. The grand ideals that the Pure Land Sect engraved into the array were on the verge of being completely erased.

Dozens of members of the Pure Land Sect in the Nirvana and Immortal Realms had fused their dantian with the spirit vein beneath the valleys, striving to enhance the power of the Glazed Purification Divine Array as much as possible.

They poured their soul essence into the array, clinging to the vision of what the Pure Land could be. However, blood started to seep from their seven orifices with Long Xiao's continuing assault.

Other sects and cities besides the Pure Land Sect and the Divine Treasure Sect also stood across the Western Loam of the First World, many home to powerful cultivators of their own.

The migrated factions from the Fourth, Third, and Second Worlds were also scattered throughout the continent, watching the towering dragon in the sky with growing alarm. Despite this, no cultivator dared show themselves or speak out when faced with the suffocating pressure of the Thunder Dragon's terrifying might.

The human race had many True Gods, but previously, the only one capable of decisively suppressing Long Xiao was the legendary Zhu Ji, said to possess unrivaled combat prowess.

Later, Li Zhaotian's rise and fusion with the barrier cemented him as the second True God capable of forcing Long Xiao to retreat.

Many believed these two were the only ones with the strength to stop the rampaging Thunder Dragon. With both of them absent and no other True Gods arriving, it seemed nobody could drive the Thunder Dragon away.

Simply appearing before the ancient Thunder Dragon was a death sentence for those lacking strength. A single bolt of lightning would erase them from existence.

Nobody would show themselves under threat of certain doom. Thus, the onlookers could do nothing but remain silent, unwilling to rise into the skies.

Suddenly, a massive bronze bell, wreathed in blazing flames, shot out from the direction of the Divine Treasure Sect, ignoring the frantic attempts of the elders trying to stop it.

"The Qilin Bell!"

Cultivators from various clans and sects stared in shock as the bell streaked across the sky.

No one expected the chubby youth from the Divine Treasure Sect's Li Family to choose this moment to break away from his sect and soar into the sky of the Western Loam.

Is he trying to get himself killed?

That thought crossed many minds at once.

Several elders from the Divine Treasure Sect gave chase behind the Qilin Bell.

"Li Jie! You can't!" they shouted in anguish. "Your father is missing, and your sister's fate is still unknown. You are the future of the Li Family! Of the entire Divine Treasure Sect!"

"Charging into a fight you know you can't win isn't bravery; it's sheer stupidity!"

"Get back here, boy!"

The elders continued to yell after as they pursued him through the sky.

***

Wang Beihong let out a heavy sigh. "We won't be able to hold much longer. If that ancient dragon keeps hammering us like this, we'll have no choice but to throw lives into the array to keep it running."

"The Sword Pavilion has sent three elders over!" Huang Yun brightened, a spark of hope in her eyes.

"Elders..." Wang Beihong shook his head bitterly. "The elders from the Sword Pavilion won't be able to change anything. Even a True God won't necessarily be able to make that dragon retreat, let alone elders in the Immortal Realm like us."

"They've brought the Sword Pavilion," Huang Yun added sharply.

"The Sword Pavilion!" Wang Beihong's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "If the Sword Pavilion is here, then even if the Glazed Purification Divine Array collapses, we can still hold on for a while longer!"

Another wave of lightning rained down from the skies above, erupting into a storm of radiant light.

Several weaker cultivators in the Nirvana Realm instantly lost consciousness under the relentless barrage.

***

"Heh, little brat from the Divine Treasure Sect." Long Xiao, still unleashing lightning from between his scales, narrowed his eyes when he spotted the blazing bronze bell approaching. Baring his fangs in a vicious grin, he sneered, "Courting death, are you?"

The Li Family's meddling in the battle for Fey God on the Sacred Soul Continent had long festered in Long Xiao's heart as a bitter grudge. This was the reason he dispatched Long Yan to the Demon Abyss Continent to eliminate Li Jie.

Unfortunately, in the end, Li Jie survived while the Flame Dragon he had so highly regarded fell and perished.

He blamed the whole affair on both Li Jie and the Divine Treasure Sect. The fact that he had not lashed out at the Li Family or the Divine Treasure Sect was, in his eyes, a great mercy.

However, despite his benevolence, Li Jie and those elders of the Divine Treasure Sect still dared to rush out in defense of the Pure Land Sect.

"Since you're here, I'll send you all to the afterlife together," Long Xiao said coldly.

***

A gaunt figure emerged from the Pure Land Sect's teleportation array after the elders of the Sword Pavilion came through.

The newcomer's expression was cold and menacing, his eyes glowing with a chilling crimson light. Any daring to meet his gaze for more than a few seconds would glimpse a pair of blood-colored oceans within his pupils.

Even the Immortal Realm cultivators felt their hearts race unnaturally at the sight of him.

A thick, iron-scented aura of blood emanated from his body. This aura could not only be smelled through the nose and mouth, but also sensed acutely through divine sense.

Although the members of the Pure Land Sect present did not recognize who he was, they instinctively felt a deep unease at the sight of him.

"Brother Dong!" Pang Lin lit up with joy. "You got here so fast!"

Wang Ce blinked in surprise, glancing at the coordinate markers of the teleportation array. "You came through our Sword Pavilion's teleportation array?"

Inside the miniature Sword Pavilion in Guang He's hand, two resident sword souls—one fat and one thin elder—exclaimed in astonishment.

"That's the aura of the Bloodthirsty Sword!"

"The sword soul has grown far more powerful than before!"

"Fatty Li has raised a monster!"

The sword souls had opposed Li Zhaotian's decision to hand the Bloodthirsty Sword over to Dong Tianze, fearing its vicious will would eventually corrupt him. Contrary to their prior beliefs, the sword souls sensed that the sword soul within the Bloodthirsty Sword had become unusually obedient.

"It was you, wasn't it? The one drawing in a cluster of Fortune back in the Second World?" Wang Ce realized.

"That's right." Dong Tianze gave a slight bow to Pang Lin. "Since Pang Jian isn't here, I'll be the one to protect you."

"That ancient dragon is really strong, Brother Dong, you..." Pang Lin trailed off, clearly worried.

Dong Tianze answered proudly, "Don't worry, I'm also very strong!"

The newly ascended Blood God of the Abyss gripped the Bloodthirsty Sword and took off into the sky without hesitation.