CHAPTER 251: BREAKING THROUGH THE SEAL

Clack, clack, clack!

The skeletal giant rushed up to Lu Chen, laughing madly as it slammed its massive fist down. But Lu Chen didn’t dodge. Instead, a strange, unsettling smile spread across his lips.

The colossal fist crashed down, flattening the dead trees and grass around him, leaving Lu Chen completely exposed in the open. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes cold and defiant as he faced the oncoming assault.

Meanwhile, Wind Dragon pounded against the cage walls in panic, trying desperately to remind Lu Chen to stay cautious.

Lu Chen’s grin deepened as the giant’s fist neared. "You wretched beast, prepare to die."

He pressed the second button with his left hand and vanished from sight. Then, with another press on the fourth button, the panel on his sword turned black.

Boom!

The skeletal giant’s fist slammed into the ground with a deafening crash, sending a violent shockwave rippling across the field. Rocks and debris were flung in all directions as the earth split open from its strike.

The spot where Lu Chen had stood became a pit more than two zhang deep. Cracks radiated outward like a spiderweb, splintering the ground in every direction.

Clack, clack, clack...

Certain it had crushed Lu Chen, the skeletal giant laughed triumphantly. It looked into the pit, expecting to see Lu Chen’s body there, but all it saw was a slowly fading glow.

"Prepare to die, beast."

Hearing Lu Chen's voice from behind, the skeletal giant turned around in alarm.

Lu Chen sneered. "Over here, you pile of bones."

The giant finally caught sight of him standing before Wind Dragon. Unable to comprehend how Lu Chen had vanished and reappeared so suddenly, the giant grew confused and furious. It roared.

Lu Chen slowly raised his middle finger, further taunting the giant. "Come on then, beast. Come meet your grandpa."

Black mist erupted from the giant’s hollow sockets like fireworks, its rage boiling over.

Seeing it in fury, Lu Chen’s lips curved into a faint smirk. He lightly twirled his raised middle finger.

The skeletal giant let out a hoarse roar and stomped forward, shaking the ground with every step as it prepared to strike again.

Lu Chen frowned and slowly brushed his left hand along the Hunyuan Greatsword. "I’ll admit. You’re strong. But it’s already too late."

A flash of light erupted. Black energy surged across the blade, transforming it into its destructive Void form. The ten-zhang-long sword gleamed with deadly Void power, consuming the surrounding spirit qi and even the natural laws around him.

Lu Chen gripped the sword with both hands, laughing as he charged forward. "No matter what you do, never assume victory is guaranteed."

He drove the blade straight into the cage. "This is something grandpa taught me. Now, I’ll pass it on to you!"

The black energy pierced through the cage and spread outward. Under the overwhelming power of the Void, the transparent walls dissolved into spirit qi and scattered.

The skeletal giant lunged forward, but Lu Chen didn’t move. He pressed the Hunyuan Greatsword deeper into the ground, and all six walls of the cage were swallowed by the Void.

A deafening dragon’s roar erupted. Wind Dragon had broken free. His eyes blazed with a fierce, deep blue light as he roared at the skeletal giant.

Wind Dragon emerged from the swirling Void energy with overwhelming might. "Roar! I’m finally out! That cage was unbearable!"

"Wind Dragon, take it down! We’re running out of time!" Lu Chen shouted as he sent the Hunyuan Greatsword toward the Heavenly Pool, handing it over to Nantian Wan’er so she could rescue Red Fox and the others.

"Understood. Leave it to me," Wind Dragon replied, lifting Lu Chen onto his head. Black, turbulent energy surged from beneath his scales as his body expanded in midair.

"You should rest. I saw the whole fight. You were incredible," Wind Dragon said.

Lying sprawled across Wind Dragon’s head, Lu Chen exhaled deeply. "Ha, thanks. That battle drained me... but it’s true what they say. The fiercest battles bring the fastest growth."

He turned over, sitting upright as he shouted toward the skeletal giant, "This fight pushed me further than ten days of training ever could!"

Wind Dragon chuckled. "So you finally understand the value of battle, huh? As you grow stronger, so do I. That’s the privilege of being a weapon spirit."

His body expanded further, reaching a thousand zhang in length. Dark blue energy flared from his nostrils as his cultivation surged toward the Core Breakthrough Realm.

Light burst from his scale armor, and Wind Dragon laughed. "Pathetic skeleton! Die!"

He unleashed a massive tornado toward the skeletal giant. The gale swept across the battlefield, uprooting trees and tearing the ground apart. Rocks, soil, and shattered debris were sucked into the raging vortex as it hurtled forward.

Moments later, the once chaotic battlefield was left barren and ashen, erased by the storm’s fury.

Wind Dragon inhaled sharply, then breathed out another chilling gust into the tornado. The spiraling tempest devoured the surrounding spirit qi, swelling to an even greater size as it bore down upon the skeletal giant.

***

Meanwhile, Nantian Wan’er had just arrived beside Nantian Yijian when she saw him pounding on the transparent wall, scribbling letters in the air and gesturing toward the space behind him.

Sensing something amiss, she turned quickly and saw a massive tornado forming in the sky. Her heart skipped a beat as she instantly realized that Lu Chen must have succeeded. Without hesitation, she drew the Hunyuan Greatsword from the Heavenly Pool they shared.

Watching the sword radiate black energy, her excitement surged. "Lu-gege really did it! Brother Yijian, hold on. I’m coming to save you!"

She thrust the Hunyuan Greatsword twice in succession. Nantian Yijian and Jun Laoye were quickly freed from their cage.

"Finally! Boss has come to save us. I knew he could do it!" Nantian Yijian exclaimed, leaping toward Jun Laoye. He fumbled nervously as he checked him over. Noticing Jun Laoye’s confused gaze, he stepped back quickly, scratching his head. "Uh...

I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Jun Laoye shifted his gaze from Nantian Yijian to the raging tornado above. "I’m fine. That must be Lord Wind Dragon’s technique. Little Lu must have succeeded."

As the tornado surged forward, he formed hand seals and released his divine sense. At the same time, he called out to Nantian Wan’er, "Wan’er, use the method you tried earlier to rescue Lady Red Fox."

"Understood... I’ll wait here for now," she replied.

Red Fox was asleep when Nantian Wan’er reached her side. She tapped the transparent barrier to rouse her. Once Red Fox noticed her, Nantian Wan’er plunged the Hunyuan Greatsword forward. Massive black energy surged toward the cage. Since more energy had been used to restrain Red Fox, even more Void energy was required to shatter the seal.

Red Fox lay within the cage. Slowly opening her eyes, she sensed the spirit qi enveloping the barrier and smiled faintly. The timing is just right... the brat has passed his trial. Now it’s my turn to act.

She knew this had merely been a test for Lu Chen and that her life had never truly been in danger. This was why she had dozed off earlier, unaware that Nantian Wan’er would come to her rescue.

Startled by the sword’s sudden strike and the black Void spreading over the transparent barrier, Red Fox realized that Lu Chen had already found a solution. Now it was up to her and Little Pup to advance the trial to the next stage.

As Nantian Wan’er pressed the Hunyuan Greatsword deeper into the barrier, the black Void instantly expanded three zhang, consuming the cage’s laws.

Sensing the surge of power behind Red Fox, Jun Laoye turned sharply and focused on the sword’s energy. "Th-this... is the power consuming the laws? Could this be the Void law?"

"I knew I sensed something unusual about this power earlier," he added, stepping closer to Nantian Wan’er. He activated his divine eye and scrutinized the Hunyuan Greatsword. "Wan’er, did you just use the Void law to free us?"

"Uh... seems like it," she replied, pressing the sword forward again and releasing more Void energy to dismantle the cage’s restraints. "Lu-gege taught me this method. I think it’s called Void Destruction. Is there a problem, Brother Jun?"

Jun Laoye stared at the expanding black energy, exhaling sharply to steady himself. "N-no... nothing. Just hurry and get Lady Red Fox out."

Even though Nantian Wan’er confirmed it, he wasn’t fully convinced it was truly Void law. He extended a finger, releasing a streak of lightning toward the black energy.

Violet-blue sparks flickered from his fingertip, but the moment they touched the Void, they were instantly devoured.

His heart raced. This... this is Void law.

As the Second Young Master of the Jun Clan, he had been raised with the most orthodox teachings passed down through countless generations. This rigorous upbringing shaped his instincts and understanding of cultivation, making him acutely aware of the Void law, as well as the fact that normally it would require a cultivator to reach at least the Earth Core Realm to manipulate it.

Staring at the black energy, he could hardly believe it. He pinched himself hard. "I’m not dreaming... this is real..."

Over the past months, he had witnessed Lu Chen’s strength countless times. He had been impressed, yet it had always seemed believable. He was convinced that Lu Chen’s successes had been aided by luck or his family’s support. But now, at the Qi Regulation Realm, Jun Laoye found it absurd that Lu Chen could wield the Void law.

He didn’t think Lu Chen had intentionally hidden anything. It was just that the world itself suddenly felt utterly ridiculous to him.