Da Xuan Martial Saint Chapter 1511 - 725: Encountering the Exotic Beast Again (Part 2)

Boom!!!

The momentum from the eight strikes surged onward without halt, crashing into the golden-light-enveloped form with a thunderous blast.

Led by Wutian Venerable, the merged strength of eight Dao Venerable-tier methods targeted one spot, unleashing a horrifying force that warped and crumbled the Dao's essence in that region.

Beneath the ripping surge of this immense power, the golden-light-bathed Spirit of the Fallen Venerable swiftly broke apart too.

Yet,

Even as it crumbled, the onslaught from Chen Mu and his companions seemed to stir the Dao, sparking a faint spark of awareness in its previously empty gaze. Taking in the scene around it, a sense of realization dawned. Fleeting traces of sorrow and reluctance flickered in its eyes before it fully dissolved under the barrage of the eight Venerable-tier techniques.

"..."

Chen Mu caught sight of this moment and, as he pulled back his hand, stood in quiet reflection.

He looked over at Wutian Venerable and the rest. Of course, they had all seen it too. Now they held still, and after a brief silence, Wutian Venerable shook his head and remarked, "Our strikes disturbed the Dao, just enough to rouse a mere fragment of his consciousness, but nothing more than that. Dreaming of pulling him back from the Origin River's depths is pure folly, no matter how much we all tried to help."

"Merging with the Dao to attain Venerable rank brings an eternal form, yet that eternity demands a price. Lose grip on your own mind and let the Origin Dao fully consume you, and you turn into a mere pillar of the Dao, lost forever."

Venerable Sun shook his head nearby and added.

Everything in existence follows this pattern. Beings of the Divine Realm rise beyond the ordinary, but they can't escape the boundless cosmos. Dao Venerables soar past the cosmos, still bound by the highest laws—until they truly break free, the far shore stays out of reach.

No one can say if breaking those supreme laws marks the true finish line, since even Dao Venerables can't peek beyond that breakthrough, much like a being trapped in a shell has no clue of the world outside until it cracks open.

"Let's move on."

Chen Mu stared at the place where the golden form had vanished for a beat, then pressed ahead alongside the group.

He had now broken free from the universe's endless loops and would soon grasp the Time Dao. For at least ten vast cosmic cycles, the Dao's corrosion wouldn't endanger him, though without genuine transcendence, he still walked the road.

Coming across Spirits of the Fallen Venerable time and again, seeing those ancient figures who reached Dao Venerable heights yet couldn't transcend and ended up as pieces of the Dao, dulled a bit the thrill of transcendence that had stirred in Chen Mu's heart after his own rise to Venerable. He stayed on the journey and required fresh drive to keep going.

...

"Hold up!"

As Chen Mu and Wutian Venerable's group pushed deeper—who knew how far—they kept advancing when he abruptly shifted his attention, signaling everyone to pause. He shut his eyes a touch, extending a sensing motion.

Wutian Venerable and the others stopped right away, one of them eyeing Chen Mu and inquiring:

"Chen Venerable, did you sense anything?"

After a quick probe, Chen Mu reopened his eyes, fixed on a particular direction, and stated gravely, "An Exotic Beast."

"Oh?"

Hearing Chen Mu's declaration, the group's eyes sharpened a little.

No one questioned his claim. After all, as the Void Lineage's Dao Venerable, Chen Mu outdid them in sensing distance. Spirits of the Fallen Venerable carry too much mystery, born from turbulent Primordial Power, tough to pick up early, but Exotic Beasts count as solid entities, easy enough to spot ahead of time.

"Where?"

Wutian Venerable asked at once.

In the Source Sea, for worth in resources, Primordial Marvels top the list, then Dao Treasures, with Venerable-tier Exotic Beasts trailing. Still, Exotic Beasts hold real Primordial patterns inside, and taking down a Venerable-tier one yields some insights into the Primordial and brings gains.

They hadn't run into pricier Dao Treasures on this venture, but stumbling on a Venerable-tier Exotic Beast beat emptiness, at least making the trip worthwhile.

"Come with me."

Chen Mu skipped chit-chat, flashing ahead while masking his presence, steering toward that spot.

Wutian Venerable and the others trailed behind.

Not long after,

The team reached a strange ravine, its whole inside formed from a rare crystalline material—a unique find, though not up to Dao Treasure standards. It mattered to the Nine Layer Heavens' Divine Monarchs, but for Dao Venerables, it felt ordinary.

Still, no one paid the special crystal jade much mind; their focus locked on a modest mound far inside the ravine. Dubbed a small mound, a closer look let even Wutian Venerable and the rest sense the dense Life Force packed into this "small mound."

This was truly a Venerable-tier Exotic Beast!

The Venerable-tier Exotic Beast looked built from see-through jade rocks, sporting a wildly distinct look. A nearer scan showed its frame not just holding Creation Power but also bearing a hint of Time's enigma.

"Everyone, strike."

After brief scrutiny, Wutian Venerable declared firmly.

To Dao Venerables, a Venerable-tier Exotic Beast barely threatened. Even the toughest of them fell easily to the lowliest Dao Venerable, if killing proved tricky.

But with eight Dao Venerables present, no Exotic Beast, no matter how stubborn, could endure their united assault, let alone slip away.

Buzz!!!

No need for Wutian Venerable's cue—the Dao Venerables there had already lunged, closing in on the Venerable-tier Exotic Beast from every angle, and the next moment, they unleashed together.

"Roar."

The fully crystallized Venerable-tier Crystal Beast stirred instantly, unleashing a furious bellow and cry, then its form shot out countless mirror gleams, scattering everywhere.

These mirror gleams shot outward fast, linking to the canyon's special crystal jade, merging into a blinding white radiance that almost swallowed Creation, engulfed the Void, and evened out Time!

Evidently,

This served as its home ground, and the Venerable-tier Exotic Beast claimed this prime spot like laying a custom array!

But the Dao Venerables here stood at the universe's peak, and with eight teaming up, they met this display calmly, each deploying their skills to fend off the glaring mirror light from all around.

"Annihilate."

Chen Mu lifted his hand a bit, gathering Void Force in his grip to shape a Void Blade. Swinging the Void Blade, he cleaved through emptiness, pierced the cosmos, and brutally ripped the advancing mirror light in front of him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!!!

The Dao's overwhelming might exploded at once from eight sides, smashing together fiercely. Quickly, they all shredded the expanding mirror light.

The mirror light blanketing the whole ravine ripped like a veil, torn in eight spots. As the energy in those gaps quaked hard, the full mirror light exploded to pieces. With it, the myriad crystal jades in this odd ravine cracked apart, echoing with sharp snaps.

Crack, crack.

With countless crystal jades breaking in the ravine, the eight rushing Dao auras at last converged on one target, streaming to crush the Venerable-tier Crystal Beast and slam it down hard!