In front of the mountain gate, a crowd had gathered.
Their expressions were extremely tense, especially at the moment when the gate was shattered; some couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
But Jingping Saint didn’t even spare them a glance. He leaped directly to the square in front of the Cliff Dragon Painting.
After landing, he first cast a burning gaze on the Azure Dragon Map, then looked at Guan Xuejiang standing before the cliff with a mocking smile on his face.
"Elder Guan, it has been over twenty years. You’ve aged quite a bit."
At this moment, Guan Xuejiang appeared calm, standing with his hands behind his back as if he was waiting here specifically to greet Jingping Saint.
"Jingping Saint, since things have come to this, there’s no need for useless chatter. Let’s get started."
Guan Xuejiang’s decisiveness even took Jingping Saint by surprise.
However, he quickly laughed.
"Very well. The previous Elder died by my hands. Now, twenty years later, I want to see you..."
Before he could finish, Guan Xuejiang charged forward, initiating the attack.
Guan Xuejiang knew that relying on personal strength alone, he was no match for Jingping Saint.
Thus, there was only one strategy: abandon all conventions and strike first.
Only this way would there be a sliver of hope for victory.
Jingping Saint merely laughed it off, then engaged in combat.
Thump, thump, thump!
The dull, drum-like sounds of their clash echoed across the square.
The noise from their fists and feet was so intense that even the tiles on the nearby grand hall trembled slightly.
Meanwhile, the warning bell was struck.
People at the foot of the mountain were frantically rushing into the temple.
Shen Yunshen’s eyes were bloodshot as he carried the severely injured Guo Luming, disregarding everything as he dashed up the mountain.
But the previous battle had also left him seriously injured.
A stretch of road that was usually easy now felt overwhelmingly strenuous.
Even so, Shen Yunshen gritted his teeth and persevered.
His resolve was simple: even if he were to die, he wanted to die in the temple, on the battlefield.
Guo Luming’s bleeding had stopped, but his eyes remained dim and listless.
Seeing Shen Yunshen’s slowing pace, and his staggering steps on the verge of collapsing, Guo Luming couldn’t help but murmur softly.
"Put me down. Let me walk on my own."
"No need, I can manage." Shen Yunshen panted, yet couldn’t resist cursing.
"Damn it, what exactly is Jingping Saint’s strength now? He injured both of us and still has energy to storm the gate alone."
Guo Luming turned to look at the shattered mountain gate in the distance, a complicated expression surfacing in his eyes.
"Perhaps... he has already taken that step."
Shen Yunshen quivered all over, nearly dropping Guo Luming, and said incredulously.
"You mean...?"
"If it were only the Primordial Sea Realm, I wouldn’t have lost so miserably. Therefore, he likely has touched upon the brink of the Divine Soul Realm, but the Wish Power absorbed within him is too mixed, hence he can’t advance further."
Despite his severe injuries, Guo Luming’s mind was exceptionally clear.
Especially having faced Jingping Saint directly for such a long time, Guo Luming gained a clearer understanding of his strength.
Initially, their punches demolished hills with terrifying momentum, but it didn’t exceed the scope of the Primordial Sea Realm.
After all, the hallmark of the Primordial Sea Realm is the limited use of the sparse Primordial Power in the world.
In ancient records, Guo Luming had seen descriptions of the Primordial Sea Realm several times.
They were the true mighty figures of Martial Dao, capable of leveling mountains and rivers with a wave.
But times have changed, and the Primordial Power lingering in the world now is incredibly thin.
Thus, even at the Primordial Sea Realm, battles rely more on accumulated True Power.
Only when the opponents are evenly matched might they draw upon some external Primordial Power.
There’s nothing strange about this.
But what truly shocked Guo Luming was the sudden surge of momentum from Jingping Saint.
Outsiders thought he merely consumed many Root Maps, but Guo Luming noticed a subtle sign.
That momentum showed a faint trend of fusion.
Though not yet obvious, it was already astounding.
After all, once this momentum fully merges, it would mean Jingping Saint opens the door that no one has entered for hundreds of years, stepping into the profound Divine Soul Realm.
At that moment, Guo Luming finally understood.
Why Jingping Saint’s first act upon emerging from seclusion was to head straight for the Azure Dragon Temple.
He needed the powerful Wish Power stored in the Azure Dragon Root Map to suppress the immensely complex power within him, to be reborn through fire and complete the fusion.
This is why he rushed back so urgently.
Shen Yunshen was utterly shocked after hearing this, yet was at a loss for words.
It was beyond his comprehension.
He didn’t even understand what the Divine Soul Realm was.
But he knew, if what Guo Luming said was true, then Guan Xuejiang must be in an extremely dangerous situation.
It wasn’t just him; even the Azure Dragon Temple, with its thousand-year legacy, faced the same threat.
Shen Yunshen was helpless, clenching his teeth and hurrying onward.
Finally.
They burst into the mountain gate and witnessed the fierce battle on the Cliff Square.
The fight had reached its climax.
Despite Guan Xuejiang showcasing his full prowess and gaining the initial advantage, the overwhelming gap in strength soon forced him into an absolute disadvantage.