Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 977 - 420: Withered Tree Soaring Dragon (Part 2)

"World-Devouring Roaming Dragon!"

A cold shout abruptly pierced the air.

From amidst the golden radiance, a shadow, earthy yellow and brown, ascended rapidly, its coils twisting and expanding.

In a flash, the golden light diminished, then utterly vanished, consumed by the emergent shadow.

Ning Qi and the two individuals accompanying him could only stare in stunned disbelief.

The Dragon-faced Cultivator reappeared, standing unharmed, a spectral image of a yellow-brown roaming dragon now encasing him.

This illusory dragon grew in stature, spiraling skyward, enveloping the Dragon-faced Cultivator completely.

"Roar!"

A thunderous dragon's roar reverberated, filling the entire domain.

Had any other cultivators been present, that single roar would have rendered them unconscious.

Ning Qi and the others, observing the dragon's projection and the figure within, showed marked shifts in their expressions.

For all the golden appendages, imbued with the Saint Ancestor’s clone’s Immortal Dao Aura, had been utterly swallowed by the dragon's shadow.

Simultaneously, the Saint Ancestor’s clone and the Vast Realm Will registered a alarming depletion of their power.

Ning Qi studied the scene with keen observation.

The yellow-brown roaming dragon wasn't solely composed of Magical Power; a potent treasure was responsible for maintaining its draconic form.

Ning Qi recognized this treasure instantly; it was something he was intimately familiar with.

His gaze locked onto the artifact, positioned at the center of the dragon's head within the shadow. It was a withered yellow branch, a piece previously severed from the Seed of Jianmu.

It was with this very branch that the Dragon-faced Cultivator had, not long ago, effortlessly infiltrated the Vast Realm, hoodwinked the Saint Ancestor’s clone and the Vast Realm Will, and easily procured the Ancient Path Sacred Map True Copy.

Had Ning Qi not intervened, utilizing the resonance between the dried leaves and the branch to track it,

it was likely the Dragon-faced Cultivator would have continued his clandestine malfeasance undetected.

The current spectacle of the dragon shadow consuming the Saint Ancestor’s clone and the Vast Realm’s very essence served as definitive proof.

Ning Qi directed his focus intently upon the desiccated branch.

A dull yellow luminescence emanated from the dried branch, casting the surrounding dragon shadow in the same hue.

He had scarcely imagined that his adversary could harness the Seed of Jianmu’s branch in such a manner.

This development indirectly affirmed the profound and terrifying nature of Buzhou Mountain’s legacy.

"Zhili, sever your connection to those energies immediately! Withdraw your power from Buzhou Mountain’s shadow and dedicate all your might to confronting this foe, lest the Vast Realm face utter annihilation!"

The Saint Ancestor’s clone declared urgently.

The Vast Realm Will, in proximity, hesitated for a moment before replying, "Teacher, if I withdraw my power, won't it become even more difficult for you to contend with the Mountain Ancestor?"

"If the Vast Realm is destroyed, we shall be powerless to contend with anything!"

The Saint Ancestor’s clone's expression contorted with extreme anxiety.

He had already severed his mental link to those golden hands.

At their elevated cultivation level, a mere thought could unleash Divine Techniques, where consciousness and execution were one. Consequently, upon perceiving the roaming dragon’s capacity to absorb his power, he had acted swiftly to break the connection.

However, this severance instantly granted the Dragon-faced Cultivator a significant advantage.

The entire cavernous space seemed transformed into an immense forge, molten minerals within.

Meanwhile, the relentlessly expanding roaming dragon functioned as the furnace's incandescent coals, superheating the cavern, making it appear on the verge of liquefaction.

The roaming dragon intensified, solidifying with each passing moment as it continually absorbed internal energy.

From within the dragon's spectral form, the Dragon-faced Cultivator observed Ning Qi and the other two, his voice calm as he spoke deliberately:

"Cease your futile resistance; no matter how you struggle, it is in vain!"

The Saint Ancestor’s clone unleashed a blinding surge of golden light.

Abruptly, a spatial rift materialized behind him, accompanied by the distinct sound of flowing water.

Without delay, a powerful torrent poured forth from this dimensional passage into the cavern, evidently intending to bolster their defenses.

Ning Qi deduced that these torrents were likely the same ones originating from the Saint Ancestor’s secluded dimension, the very streams they had navigated prior to entering the cave.

The currents flowed into the cavern, manifesting as both liquid and vapor, swiftly saturating the entire interior space.

Concurrently, the Vast Realm Will similarly disengaged its power from within Buzhou Mountain’s shadow. It maintained just enough to sustain the Vast Realm's functions and counter Buzhou Mountain’s shadow, which had only recently become affixed to the Vast Realm, and channeled all the remaining energy into the cavern.

With both the Saint Ancestor’s clone and the Vast Realm Will exerting their utmost strength, the rate at which the roaming dragon absorbed energy perceptibly decreased.

The Dragon-faced Cultivator narrowed his eyes slightly and uttered, "Hmph, you believe this can halt my progress?"

He gestured towards the dragon’s body, infusing it with a stream of pure Immortal Dao Qi.

In an instant, the head of the dragon shadow, that dry yellow branch of the Seed of Jianmu, rustled. Yellow-brown leaves rapidly shed from it, expanding swiftly and flying to various parts of the dragon's body, transforming into countless Dragon Scales. Each Dragon Scale shimmered with an enigmatic light, constantly shifting and manifesting diverse Dao Patterns. This majestic dragon then became significantly more substantial, stirring its body and emanating a terrifying, all-encompassing devouring power. The rate of consumption immediately accelerated, surpassing its previous speed.

The Saint Ancestor's clone and the Vast Realm Will were taken aback. Ning Qi's voice suddenly echoed in their minds, "Trust me just this once. Allow the Vast Realm Will to extract some energy from the Sea of Realms and merge it into this space."

After a moment's hesitation, the Saint Ancestor's clone instructed the Vast Realm Will, "Heed Ning Qi's words!" Instantly, the Vast Realm Will unsealed the hidden passage within the cave space that connected to the Sea of Realms, drawing a substantial influx of its energy into the cavern. The entire cave space, in the very next moment, appeared to be enveloped in a shroud of gray mist. Within this mist, the roaming dragon thrashed about, its form suddenly contracting, and its energy absorption rate decelerating once more, gradually diminishing in power.

The Dragon-faced Cultivator, situated at the dragon's core, took notice, a bewildered expression crossing his features. He observed the three opponents with bewilderment, remarking, "Infused with Sea of Realms energy, a stream of Realm Water? You've discovered a method to impede my World-Devouring Roaming Dragon so swiftly; I underestimated you!" He remained uncertain whether his adversaries had genuinely identified the World-Devouring Roaming Dragon's vulnerability or if it was mere chance. Regardless, the Dragon-faced Cultivator was demonstrably less composed than before.

"Is it truly effective?" The Saint Ancestor's clone and the Vast Realm Will, witnessing this turn of events, rejoiced. They had followed Ning Qi's counsel implicitly, though the reasoning behind it remained somewhat opaque to them. Ning Qi stood behind the other two, not yet intervening, more like a tactician observing the unfolding battle.

Throughout the entirety of the cave space, even after the Saint Ancestor's clone and the Vast Realm Will had retracted their full might, the roaming dragon's earlier voracious consumption had diminished the space by approximately one-twentieth. At this juncture, within the dragon's colossal form, the Dragon-faced Servant was continuously weaving intricate Dao Seals with his hands, seemingly preparing to unleash a formidable Divine Technique. Both factions momentarily entered a state of precarious equilibrium.

Ning Qi seized the opportunity to inquire, "What is the situation outside?" The Vast Realm Will responded, "Buzhou Mountain's shadow has completely merged with the Vast Realm, and the boundary wall connecting them is being relentlessly eroded. I am currently mobilizing all available power to counter its assault."

Upon hearing this, Ning Qi felt a slight sense of relief. Sword Ancestor Zhao Yujun and the others were presumably positioned near the nexus of the Vast Realm and the War Realm domain. Should the Mountain Ancestor succeed in obliterating the Vast Realm's boundary wall, Sword Ancestor and the rest would likely be instantly ensnared within Buzhou Mountain's shadow, sharing the same grim fate as Gong Tiandao and his compatriots – becoming sacrifices for the Mountain Ancestor. Of course, even if they were not positioned there but were further within the Vast Realm, escape might still prove impossible. As long as the Mountain Ancestor breached the Vast Realm's defenses, cultivators within its confines would likely have no means of escape. Furthermore, with the Dragon-faced Cultivator situated in the heart of the Vast Realm, one operating from within and the other from without in concert, this predicament posed a far graver danger than the one previously confronted by the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Ning Qi's gaze fell upon the Dragon-faced Cultivator, shielded within the draconic illusion; it was now his turn to make a move. At this precise moment, the Dragon-faced Cultivator concluded the formation of the seals. The Vast Realm Will and the Saint Ancestor's clone consolidated their entire strength, exerting immense pressure upon the Dragon-faced Cultivator. They had only just discerned that the roaming dragon appeared somewhat apprehensive of the Sea of Realms energy, consequently extracting more of it from the Sea of Realms. Yet, as the Dragon-faced Cultivator completed his seals, the entire dragon abruptly expanded, now completely filling the entire cave space!