Dao Lord: Starting from a Top-grade Golden Core

Chapter 130: Chapter 84: A Step Ahead

Bolts of lightning, like intertwined dragons and snakes, struck with deafening thunderclaps. Flashing electricity raced across the scene, releasing smaller serpents of lightning. They plowed through the earth, blasting mud and stone into the air and carving out gorges dozens of yards deep. When they hit the water, torrents erupted toward the heavens, rising over a hundred feet high.

As the few people watching from a cloud took in the scene, the cigarette between the Immoral Taoist’s lips bobbed. He exhaled a puff of smoke and muttered, "That Xuzhuang kid has really improved. Looking at this, he might not actually lose this duel to young Zhong Shenxiu."

A look of admiration appeared in the Ancient Taoist’s eyes. "These two are truly extraordinary," he praised. "As expected, the Profound Yellow Realm’s fortune is flourishing. None of the prodigies I’ve been keeping an eye on in the Cyan Sky Realm can compare."

The Immoral Taoist cackled. "Looks like this trip wasn’t a disappointment for you, Senior Brother."

The other two standing nearby were already dumbfounded by the earth-shattering clash of thunder spells, their eyes filled with utter disbelief.

High above Celestial Water Gorge, purple light flickered unceasingly from above Zhong Shenxiu’s crown. One after another, bolts of Purple Sky Divine Thunder—each as powerful as a lethal spell from a Nascent Soul Cultivator—shot forth. They clashed with the sky-spanning torrent of lightning and fire, the thunderous booms echoing without end.

Seeing that the exchange seemed to be a stalemate, Zhong Shenxiu frowned slightly. He had a bad feeling.

After the exchange, he knew that the power of his Purple Sky Divine Thunder was actually a notch stronger than Xuzhuang’s Profound Fire True Thunder.

But Xuzhuang, relying on his immense reserves and boundless Magical Power, unleashed his thunder spell without restraint. The bolts rained down relentlessly, preventing Zhong Shenxiu from ever truly gaining the upper hand. If this continued, he feared the duel would devolve into a brute-force contest of Magical Power.

’My Magical Power is profound,’ Zhong Shenxiu thought, ’perhaps even vaster than an ordinary cultivator could imagine. But compared to Xuzhuang’s terrifyingly deep foundation—which seems to have come from nowhere—I might not have the advantage.’

’Since I can’t gain the upper hand with raw power right now, I might as well see whose spells are more sophisticated.’

With a plan set in his mind, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly let out a sharp cry. The purple light above his crown flashed three times, and a bolt of Purple Sky Divine Thunder shot out, scattering some of the descending fiery lightning. He then ignored the rest, changed his Magic Formula, and began gathering and refining the power above his head without releasing it.

With no more Purple Sky Divine Thunder to hold it back, the torrent of fiery lightning immediately poured down. But Zhong Shenxiu simply flicked his sleeves, initiated a Flying Escape, and soared straight to meet it. He dodged and weaved, evading one bolt of Profound Fire True Thunder after another while maintaining his blistering speed, flying upward through the very center of the maelstrom.

A cultivator’s Flying Escape is incredibly fast, but so is the crackle of lightning. Yet Zhong Shenxiu weaved through the fiery storm with ease, his momentum unbroken. In just a few breaths, he forced his way through the tempest of lightning. The view before him suddenly opened up, only for him to see a vast sea of clouds bearing down on him!

How could Xuzhuang fail to notice Zhong Shenxiu stop casting his spell and charge through the lightning? He immediately unleashed his Thousand Jin Dharma Qi, transforming it into a sea of clouds hundreds of yards across. It pressed down with immense force, displacing the air and creating a furious gale that made Zhong Shenxiu squint.

Unflustered, Zhong Shenxiu felt a sense of exhilaration rise in his chest. He laughed heartily. "A fine technique!"

The countless spells and endless transformations are the very means by which a Daoist protects their path. To master one more spell is to gain more combat power, and perhaps even an extra option for surviving a crisis and turning the tables.

But cultivating spells is hardly simple. Studying each additional spell consumes a great deal of time, which can inadvertently hinder one’s fundamental cultivation. Thus, choosing which spells to practice is a decision every Daoist must make with careful consideration.

That is why an ordinary Daoist is considered quite capable if, on top of their cultivation, they manage to master a few signature spells and acquire a handful of Magical Artifacts. Since the start of his journey, this was the first time Zhong Shenxiu had ever met an opponent like Xuzhuang—one whose arsenal of techniques was so numerous, so profound, and so wondrously powerful.

The sea of clouds formed from the Thousand Jin Dharma Qi rumbled as it descended. Yet Zhong Shenxiu’s ascent didn’t slow in the slightest. He soared up to meet it, formed a Magic Formula with one hand, and with a great wave of his sleeve, parted the cloud sea with a surge of Divine Power. It split as if it were water, revealing the open sky behind it.

Xuzhuang, who stood unsupported in the open sky, saw his Thousand Jin Dharma Qi easily sundered and knew this was bad.

The instant Zhong Shenxiu’s figure appeared, the Purple Sky Divine Thunder above his head erupted in a brilliant glow. The light twisted and weaved in the air, forming a sharp beak, unfurled wings, and sharp talons. A purple Thunder Roc burst into existence.

With a single beat of its wings, the Thunder Roc stirred a storm of wind and thunder, crossing thousands of feet in an instant. Fortunately, Xuzhuang had seen the danger and immediately escaped as a streak of light, putting some distance between them. He formed a hand seal and chanted a few words. The scattered Thousand Jin Dharma Qi suddenly condensed, and from within the clouds, a dragon’s head made of vapor emerged. A moment later, an entire cloud dragon leaped out to challenge the Thunder Roc.

A glint appeared in Zhong Shenxiu’s magically enhanced eyes. He could tell that while the cloud dragon was immensely powerful, its movements were clumsy. With a flash of insight, he understood.

He no longer hesitated. He commanded the Thunder Roc to beat its wings, deftly carving an arc through the air to evade the cloud dragon’s immensely powerful charge. Then, it thrust out its talons and seized the dragon’s body. Lightning flashed violently as it began to refine the cloud dragon out of existence.

That the cloud dragon made of Thousand Jin Dharma Qi was no match for the Thunder Roc was within Xuzhuang’s expectations. This was, after all, a brand-new spell he had recently created called the ’Void Form Profound Creation Dragon Technique.’ He had not expected it to achieve much in its first trial, especially not against one of Zhong Shenxiu’s exquisite spells.

However, Xuzhuang had no intention of switching tactics. He changed his Magic Formula, and with a sudden, thunderous explosion from below, a crimson Thunder Dragon wreathed in fiery lightning charged upward. He had actually managed to shape his Profound Fire True Thunder into a draconic form and was now directing it into the fray.

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