I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1819 - 250: Countermeasure

Chapter 1819: Chapter 250: Countermeasure

How long does it take to enter the Great Thousand World through the model of a Spirit Art and gather enough Spiritual Power?

This question has no definitive answer, as the duration varies greatly depending on the activity level of the Primary Qi in the area and the complexity of the Spirit Art’s structure.

But one thing is certain: the deeper and more formidable the Sovereign Will is, the more obedient the Primary Qi becomes.

With the sheer resilience of Cao Lie’s Sovereign Will, even the most intricate Elementary Earth Grade Spirit Art model would form in mere moments, akin to a whale gliding effortlessly through the ocean.

Yet today, the Heavenly and Earthly Qi seemed to have developed a will of its own. The Five Elements, once compliant to his command, now resisted fiercely, scattering like untamed fish no matter how he tried to summon and constrain them.

Even the Spiritual Energy he forced into cohesion refused to integrate. Cao Lie felt as if his Sovereign Will was wrestling against someone else’s, with the entire heavens and earth siding with his opponent.

While his Spirit Art was incomplete, Tang Luo had already closed in, his thunderous fists ripping through the centerline, striking him square in the chest.

"Boom!"

The dull, resounding clash of Sovereign Bodies echoed across the world, and the violent astral winds unleashed from the impact leveled the surface of the valley like the teeth of a comb.

"Bang!" came the sound of the mountain fracturing as Cao Lie was smashed into its depths.

Engulfed in utter darkness, with rubble and dust cascading over his body, the King of Luyang found himself momentarily stunned.

Rules are called rules because they apply equally to both sides. When two entirely different sets of rules collide, three outcomes are usually possible.

Either the east wind overwhelms the west wind, or the west wind overwhelms the east wind—both of which are simple enough to understand. The most excruciating, however, is when the two rules intermingle, twisting together into something ambiguous and distorted.

Kings are the most astute combatants of Xiehe, and the moment Cao Lie discovered his Spirit Art couldn’t coalesce, he immediately deduced it must be due to the prior information Tang Luo had imprinted into the Great Thousand World.

But to him, this seemed like nothing more than a ploy for compromise. After all, if the rules applied the same way, his inability to harness the Heavenly and Earthly Qi would also mean his opponent couldn’t.

And relying solely on innate Spiritual Power to shatter a Sovereign Body? That was delusional. After all, the Sovereign Body is the pinnacle of martial refinement.

It represents the ultimate unity of the soul, will, spiritual energy, and spirit form. Even the most basic Sovereign Body can ignore all Mysterious Rank Spirit Arts, while some extraordinarily powerful Sovereign Bodies can even negate Elementary Earth Grade techniques.

Thus, the fact that Cao Lie took a heavy blow wasn’t due to carelessness but because he wanted to test the strength of Tang Luo’s Sovereign Body after realizing his Primary Qi was sealed off.

But damn it, how could it be this hard!?

Buried within the mountain, that thought echoed in Cao Lie’s mind, just as the mountain was shattered once more. A thunderous barrage of attacks ripped through its interior, reducing the structure to fine dust bit by bit.

With a roar, Cao Lie retaliated against the unrelenting onslaught, only to be immediately suppressed, forced together with the mountain into the earth below.

The peak collapsed, the earth veins trembled, and the entirety of North Mountain quaked under the ferocity of the assault.

If Tang Luo could, he truly wanted to suppress Cao Lie to death right here. But kings are rarely so easily slain; otherwise, sects and sacred lands wouldn’t maintain their restraint in such conflicts.

Standing amidst the collapsed mountain, Tang Luo ceased his attacks, his face expressionless as his gaze fixed on the rising golden dragon soul from the earth, his divine silver-ringed pupils spinning like stars in the cosmos.

"Did you think sealing the Heavenly and Earthly Qi would spell my doom? Allow me to show you what it means to be caught in your own web!"

Emerging from within the Earth Vein Yellow Dragon, Cao Lie’s expression was sinister. Tearing apart his purple imperial dragon robe like ripping a fragment of the world itself, a torrent of twisted human and beast souls surged forth, howling with intense resentment as they consumed Spiritual Energy and rapidly grew stronger.

Fear and malice often grow faster than righteousness and nobility. Even the most free-willed Spiritual Energy was no match for the ferocious souls bound by Sovereign Intent.

"It seems you don’t understand exactly how you lost," Tang Luo remarked, shaking his head slightly as he watched the ghostly, nightmarish battlefield full of rampaging souls devouring energy. "If these spectral remains were to gain but a fleeting moment of clarity, what do you think they would do?"

Feeling the energy coursing through the souls, Cao Lie sneered, "Hypotheticals are meaningless. Imaginary scenarios are worthless to ponder."

"Oh?"

Tang Luo, watching the soulless wraiths imbibe energy and radiate terrifying auras, smiled faintly. "Then today, I will show you just how terrifying a so-called ’impossible’ scenario can be!"

Divine Light burst from his eyes as though the sun itself had risen within the valley. The holy radiance drowned out the golden dragon’s glow, enveloping the countless spectral wraiths. In that instant, the sovereign decree of a king replaced the binding force of bloodlines, liberating the imprisoned souls trapped within his Sovereign Body’s veins and letting them remember fragments of their former lives.

Instantly, Cao Lie’s expression soured. Though he didn’t know how the other had seized control over the beast soul bloodline binding these wraiths, he knew one thing: the situation had spiraled out of control!

The act of burning one’s soul has always been considered the last-ditch effort in the Fierce Realm. Even a freshly-initiated Fierce Realm warrior willing to burn their lifeblood and soul could create havoc for a titled powerhouse.

Now these vengeful remnants, though lacking physical bodies, had been tempered by dwelling long-term in a Sovereign Body, their strength vastly exceeding ordinary Fierce Realm practitioners.

This had been Cao Lie’s trump card, so no one understood better than him how devastating it would be if this technique was turned against him.

Just as the King of Luyang had feared, the once-subjugated souls, now filled with Spiritual Energy and given fragments of clarity, turned against him like vengeful specters from the abyss, seeking retribution.

The continuous cacophony of their relentless howls reverberated with unending hatred. The spiritual armor of the Earth Vein Yellow Dragon began to crack, leaving Cao Lie stumbling within, visibly shaken.

Since embarking on his path of cultivation, never had he encountered such a stifling battle. His most refined Spirit Art and martial techniques had been nullified, his hidden trump card reversed against him.

Even the Earth Vein Yellow Dragon he hastily summoned was on the verge of collapse. When he looked across at his opponent...

Standing with hands clasped behind his back, Tang Luo’s tattered robes fluttered in the breeze. He was a picture of tranquility, his seemingly obvious flaws impossible to exploit—the embodiment of natural perfection.

The utter failure of his two strongest techniques plunged Cao Lie into a deep sense of crisis. Without any understanding of how the other had managed such a reversal, he could see no hope for victory in this battle.

But sometimes, once conflict begins, the weaker side has no say in how it ends.

Now besieged by vengeful spirits determined to take his life, Cao Lie could think only of escaping with every ounce of strength left and retreating to seclude himself to reflect on his martial path.

This moment displayed Cao Lie’s greatest personality strength: his ability to adapt and act decisively. The instant he acknowledged the superiority of Tang Luo’s way, he adjusted without hesitation, hastily placing himself in the position of a weaker party—a swiftness that was truly astonishing.

And for a weakling? Survival was everything. Face and pride meant little in such a moment.

"I surrender! I surrender!"

From within the golden dragon’s shadow, Cao Lie’s voice echoed: "Your techniques far surpass mine, Sir. It was my fault this time. Please, for the sake of the Beast Taming Sect, be merciful."