Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1635 - 864: Schism

The preeminent Great Cultivators residing at the summit of the Central State Continent stood completely dumbfounded, witnessing the spectacle before them.

That haughty, formidable, and ruthless Peak Great Cultivator from the Infinite Sect had just been thoroughly thrashed by Li Yuanba in mere moments.

Indeed, 'thoroughly thrashed' is the most accurate depiction of those events.

For most other Great Cultivators, the phrase might seem hyperbolic, as few among them deign to participate in brutal close-quarters combat.

Yet, observe Li Yuanba; not only did his Late-stage Golden Corpse specialize in melee strikes, but Li Yuanba himself fought exclusively in that same manner.

Perhaps due to this peculiar approach, Great Cultivator Cui completely misread the engagement and found himself at a severe disadvantage from the very start.

"Return!" Li Yuanba commanded in a low, resonant tone.

The Late-stage Golden Corpse blurred as it detached itself from the fray. Even if Great Cultivator Cui desired to keep the Golden Corpse engaged to salvage his pride, the defensive capabilities of the armor-clad puppet were far too great for him to penetrate rapidly.

Moreover, once the Golden Corpse resolved to retreat, there was no way for Great Cultivator Cui to force it back.

Li Yuanba surveyed Great Cultivator Cui, whose robes were now in tatters, finding that the majority of the fury he previously felt toward the man had evaporated.

"Li Yuanba!" Great Cultivator Cui glared at his opponent with palpable hatred. He clearly intended to spit out a harsh threat, but recalling Li Yuanba’s temperamental nature, he could only choke out the name before opting to remain still.

"Mr. Cui, you seem to be regressing as the years pass. Li Yuanba is currently recognized by all of us here. To insult him is to insult every one of us!" Master Ren Mu remarked in a frigid tone.

"Mr. Ren, two powerful Sword Cultivators from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion have arrived with the apparent goal of monopolizing the Spirit Realm Cave Heaven resources!" Great Cultivator Cui suppressed his rage and declared coldly.

His rhetoric was riddled with clear intent to incite the others.

His words proved remarkably potent, at least to Great Cultivators Lin and Yu, who had previously clashed with Cultivator Jian Tianyi and Li Yuanba; they now cast their gazes upon them with renewed suspicion.

This malice was contained within their immediate circle, yet among the wider group of cultivators nearing the strength of a Peak Great Cultivator, palpable hostility toward Jian Tianyi and Li Yuanba was spreading rapidly.

These Great Cultivators had traveled here hoping to exploit the chaos during the standoff between the various Peak Great Cultivators.

If the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion were to establish dominance, their opportunity to seize those gains would vanish entirely.

"Cui Cheng, enough of your drivel. In your current condition, can you even hold this entrance?" Cultivator Jian Tianyi sternly interrupted as Great Cultivator Cui prepared to continue his provocations.

The struggle between Cui and Li Yuanba was brief; although Li Yuanba did not pursue a decisive finish, everyone witnessed that Cui’s wounds remained unhealed.

Even if he were fully recovered, he lacked the resolve to confront such a vast assembly of Great Cultivators individually.

Within the hierarchy of Peak Great Cultivators, a strange phenomenon existed: as long as one remains undefeated, their conviction grows ever stronger, with each victory bolstering their power.

Much like Great Cultivator Cui, who previously demonstrated immense confidence by standing singular against the crowd, his prowess was fueled by that aura of invincibility.

Tragically, after his skirmish with Li Yuanba, that unblemished record was shattered, stripping him of his confidence and sapping his战斗 power.

"In my skirmish with Li Yuanba, I did not fall; I was merely unfamiliar with his fighting style and suffered a minor setback!" Great Cultivator Cui insisted forcefully, refusing to admit to a loss.

After delivering this retort, he scrutinized Li Yuanba for any sign of a follow-up strike, which only served to make his earlier bravado appear hollow.

Furthermore, he was secretly struggling to purge the invasive 'Chaos Sword Intent' festering within his wounds.

While the 'Chaos Sword Intent' was undoubtedly potent, Li Yuanba’s cultivation level was relatively low, and without sustained reinforcement of that sword intent, it was only a matter of time before Cui finished eradicating it.

"The two of you, if you assist in purging these two Sword Cultivators, the Infinite Sect will provide half of the production resources as compensation. The auxiliary Great Cultivators surely want these two gone as well!" Great Cultivator Cui transmitted secretly to Lin and Yu. Having analyzed the situation through his formation, he realized he could no longer stand alone and turned to allies for aid.

"You handle the Phoenix Palace Master and Ren Mu; it is unlikely the remaining Peak Great Cultivators will intervene!" Great Cultivator Lin responded via transmission.

Great Cultivator Yu began to rally the outer circle of Great Cultivators, preparing a coordinated assault on Cultivator Jian Tianyi and Li Yuanba.

There were no moral qualms about attacking them. They were not fellow travelers, and in this profession, such skirmishes were mundane occurrences.

Reaching the level of a Peak Great Cultivator required intellect; although some possessed distinct personality flaws, Cui’s reckless behavior was usually carefully calculated.

He simply hadn't anticipated Li Yuanba being even more reckless, which derailed his scheme with that humiliating beating.

He used the respite of conversation to recalibrate his strategy.

As he anticipated, both Great Cultivator Lin and Great Cultivator Yu agreed to support his agenda.

"Flames Skyward!" Great Cultivator Cui suddenly roared as he produced a feather fan. With a graceful motion, he unleashed a churning ocean of fire toward the Phoenix Palace Master and Master Ren Mu.