Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1716 - 924: Seizing the Remains, Freezing the Primordial Spirit

On the eighth day, an individual unexpectedly began to draw near the Gun God’s Skeleton.

What once was one soon became two, then three…

Before long, a total of seventeen surges of will had converged upon the Gun God’s Skeleton, with the closest aspirant mere arm’s length away. Demonstrating the caution that characterized Zhao Sheng, every one of them halted their advance at a distance of one hundred feet.

As the divine essence was on the cusp of awakening, the surrounding atmosphere became exceedingly charged, pressing down with palpable intensity.

An hour elapsed, and then Lu Qing suddenly exclaimed with excitement, "Daoist Zhao, quickly observe!"

In truth, Lu Qing’s reminder was superfluous; Zhao Sheng had already perceived the once motionless Gun God’s Skeleton commencing to emit wisps of white luminescence.

In a mere instant, these threads of white light coalesced into a luminous shroud, completely enveloping the skeletal remains. The dark waters in the vicinity immediately grew still, as though poised to transform into solid frost.

"Now is the moment!" Lu Qing bellowed with elation. His right arm abruptly morphed into a colossal flame saber, exceeding ten zhang in length, its form as tangible as reality. With a mighty sweep, he brought it down upon a bone spur, pale white and as thick as a man’s arm.

Witnessing this display, Zhao Sheng wasted no further time, and his Hanli Sword instantly materialized in his palm.

He executed a teleportation, appearing beneath a bone pillar, pale white and as thick as a barrel, its height surpassing three zhang. With a swift sword strike, he plunged it deep into the pillar.

This exact juncture coincided with the skeleton’s transition from ethereal to corporeal form, the very instant the white radiance erupted.

The Hanli Sword sliced through the bone pillar as if it were mere air, its blade emerging effortlessly from the opposite side.

The very moment the bone pillar was severed, an inexplicable, profound chill permeated the area from an unknown source. Zhao Sheng found his entire consciousness frozen before he could even register a reaction.

Time appeared to be momentarily stolen, yet simultaneously stretched into an eternity.

Within the confines of the Five-Colored Barrier, Zhao Sheng’s physical form was suddenly encrusted with a layer of frost. It then dissipated into a streak of pale white light, merging seamlessly into the Gun God’s Skeleton below, vanishing without a trace.

On the other side, Lu Qing’s flame saber, still extending from his right arm, halted its trajectory just beyond the edge of the white light, never making actual contact with the Gun God’s Skeleton.

Upon witnessing Zhao Sheng’s assimilation into the light, Lu Qing erupted in jubilation.

In the blink of an eye, he warped to a position before the severed bone pillar, intending to embrace it.

At this pivotal instant, an immensely potent wave of will assaulted him. This wave was of unfathomable strength, staggering Lu Qing’s spirit instantly and rendering him immobile.

"Halt, stop!"

A colossal, five-colored palm materialized from the void, descending with immense force upon Lu Qing.

Despite having attained Great Success in his Divine Flame True Body nearly a million years prior, Lu Qing was obliterated into fragments by this single palm strike, his Primordial Spirit and will suffering grievous injury.

In the ensuing moment, five streaks of light—red, white, green, red, and black—streaked forth as Flowing Light Lightning. These currents effortlessly and completely consumed Lu Qing’s shattered Divine Flame True Body.

The Five-Colored Flowing Light then shifted, transforming into five comely young Taoists. Who else could they possibly be but the legendary Five Zhas!

Individually, each of the Five Zhas possessed the might to contend with a Great Ability of the Unification Realm. When united, their combined power was sufficient to pose a formidable challenge to even a Tribulation Crossing Venerable for a couple of rounds.

Hundreds of miles distant from the Gun God’s Skeleton, a slender figure materialized from thin air. Zhao Sheng’s eyes snapped open, reflecting stark horror and profound apprehension.

Had it not been for his characteristic meticulousness, consistently employing a Mirror Image Clone to represent himself, this avatar might have been utterly annihilated by that chilling intent.

Fortunately, the damage sustained was severe, but not absolute annihilation.

On the other side, subsequent to the Five Zhas' complete assimilation of the Divine Flame True Body, they promptly returned to the vicinity of the bone pillar. Tu Zha, in person, then sealed it within his Grotto Heaven.

Subsequently, the Five Zhas discerned their master’s whereabouts and were soon reunited with Zhao Sheng.

At this juncture, the count of the seventeen initial surges of will had diminished by a full seven.

Concurrently, an intense struggle rapidly ignited and spread across the six separated fragments of the Gun God’s Skeleton.

Perceiving this, Zhao Sheng immediately marshaled the Five Zhas, directing them towards the closest such ‘contested battlefield.’

Mere breaths later, the dark waters abruptly condensed into vast quantities of ice crystals, and an unimaginably terrifying surge emanated from the depths below.