Xie Wenyuan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and flicked the whisk in his hand. Several earthen pillars burst from the ground, transforming into armored soldiers that rushed toward Wu Yan.
“To think you could break through the constraints of my Kanshui Shield and Hedge Vines… you truly are my savior.”
He looked solemnly at Wu Yan, who had quickly and easily defeated all the armored soldiers, while firmly protecting himself with earthen walls and a Kanshui Shield.
“I will use my full strength now. Please be careful!”
Xie Wenyuan tossed the whisk into the air and held both hands level in front of his chest. His wide sleeves flapped loudly in the air currents.
Flames, flowing water, crushed stones, vines, and the small knives in his sleeves all flew out now, rotating in a ring in front of him.
“TIAN DI WU JI, QIAN KUN JIE FA.”
Xie Wenyuan’s voice suddenly became booming, and a vast, ancient power surged from within his body.
“Five Elements Dao Domain, open!”
As the words fell, the formation condensing in front of his chest turned into a stream of light and flew to every corner of the stage.
Five pillars of light piercing the heavens immediately soared upward, appearing in five colors: white, green, blue, red, and yellow.
The pillars of light connected to one another, forming a massive Five Elements barrier that completely enveloped the two.
Wu Yan suddenly felt the pressure on her body increase. Unlike the Demonic Ape’s Gravity Domain, this suppression felt more like the environment itself imposing constraints on her.
‘Was it the preparation with those dust particles from before?’
The moment she was suppressed, Xie Wenyuan’s offensive followed closely behind.
The air was filled with a sharp metallic edge that constantly cut at her protective Spirit Chi; vines coiled from all directions; Kan Water transformed from a shield into a lock, each drop of water carrying a bone-chilling cold as it tried to completely imprison her.
“Finally, this!”
The Samadhi Distant Fire did not directly attack Wu Yan but instead turned into a massive film of fire, covering the top of the formation. Under Xie Wenyuan’s control, the crushed stones rose above the fire film and then passed through the fire layer at high speed. Each stone was wrapped in raging flames, crashing down like meteors.
The five elements generated and restrained each other, forming a perfect closed loop.
Even though Wu Yan fought back with all her might, she was inevitably injured under such a large-scale offensive.
“Within this Dao Domain, the five elements circulate endlessly; this is the purest order. Unless you have already entered the Nascent Soul Stage, you should admit defeat, Fellow Daoist Wu.”
Wu Yan’s right arm had just been struck by a “meteor,” and it throbbed with pain. She tried to swing her sword.
However, the Sword Chi had barely left her body for three breaths before it was blocked by the water flow, then wrapped in green wood energy, and finally transformed into part of that sky-covering fire film.
This was a dead end.
No matter how much Spiritual Power she poured into Wu Nian, the Sword Chi she released would be converted by the opponent’s five elements power, turning back to become part of the attack against her.
His Five Elements Dao Domain was terrifyingly strong.
Fire and Earth were the primary offenses, Metal acted as support, and Water and Wood were responsible for control. Every transition was incredibly precise.
A wisp of cold, white air emerged in the depths of Wu Yan’s eyes.
The Soul Governance Art was never just about burning the soul to briefly boost strength. Its foundation lay in strengthening the soul, allowing the practitioner to perceive the essence of all things through Divine Sense.
At this moment, in Wu Yan’s perception, this seemingly perfect Five Elements Dao Domain turned into a pure map of flowing spiritual energy.
She finally saw the true nature of this Dao Domain.
It was indeed stable, orderly, and efficient.
But because it was extremely orderly, it appeared rigid.
And once things became rigid, nodes inevitably existed.
What she needed to do was find that node.
The cold white air in her eyes suddenly dissipated, and those eyes, black as ink, suddenly brightened like stars.
“Found it!”
All her Spiritual Power was poured into Wu Nian. Wherever the blade passed, an Astral Wind suddenly arose.
A teal storm suddenly surged within the Five Elements Dao Domain.
“It’s useless, Fellow Daoist Wu. All your attacks will become my — what?!”
Xie Wenyuan’s voice, which had been full of confidence, suddenly turned to shock.
Everywhere the Astral Wind reached, the five elements transitions became completely disordered.
What was originally Metal generating Water became a misalignment of Metal and Wood; the chain of Water restraining Fire was also disrupted into a chaotic relationship between Earth and Metal.
Wu Yan’s attacks accurately hit every node of spiritual energy transition.
In the next instant, a crisp sound exploded in Xie Wenyuan’s ears like a clap of thunder.
“Oh no!”
The Dao Domain, which had been running smoothly, was like a jammed gear and could no longer continue.
The violent, out-of-control power of the five elements backfired, directly breaking through the Dao Domain and triggering the stage’s defensive barrier. As the controller, Xie Wenyuan bore the brunt of it. He was shaken until he spat out blood, his aura instantly withering.
From the dust and smoke, a young girl wearing a plain white Flowing Cloud Water-Sleeve Robe with green patterns walked out slowly.
Her clothes were damaged and blood seeped from the wounds on her body, but the sword in her hand was still as steady as it was at the beginning.
“How did you see through it?” Xie Wenyuan asked, wanting to know the reason for his failure.
“The Dao follows nature; it is indeed perfect. But it is too perfect.”
Wu Yan’s voice was cold, each word like a blade.
Xie Wenyuan looked at the freezing, cold light of the blade close at hand and suddenly gave a relieved smile.
“So, I have been trapped in ‘perfection’ all along…”
His protective Spiritual Power completely dissipated, and he fell backward, lying spread-eagle on the stage.
“I admit defeat.”
“XIE WENYUAN OF THE TAIQING SECT ADMITS DEFEAT!”
“WU YAN OF THE PIAOMIAO SECT WINS!!”
This battle — from Xie Wenyuan’s five elements strategy to Wu Yan’s desperate breakthrough, then to the unfolding and backlash of the Dao Domain — finally ended in a reversal. It could be described as absolutely magnificent.
“Great! I knew going all-in was right! Fairy Wu, I want to be your dog for the rest of my life!!”
“Is she really such a dark horse? She even defeated Xie Wenyuan!”
“I’m going all-in next round too!”
Wu Yan stepped off the stage, the voices from the audience reaching her ears.
When she heard someone shouting about wanting to be her dog for life, her feet stumbled, and she almost fell.
‘Oh, this feeling isn’t too bad~’
Wu Yan followed beside her, whistling happily, clearly enjoying the cheers.
Not far away, in the Lingxiao Sect’s preparation area, a blonde woman watched Wu Yan’s receding back, her eyes unable to hide her fighting spirit.
Originally, she only wanted to get information about that red phantom from Wu Yan, but now, she sincerely longed for a hearty duel with her.
The “Bixiao” hanging at her waist continued to let out a spirited sword hum, even while hidden in its sheath.
“I look forward to our duel, Wu.”
Meanwhile, Wu Yan, who had just changed into a clean Daoist robe, was surrounded by Yu Qingyao and Bai Zhiqiu, who took turns applying medicine to her.
Suddenly, she felt a chill down her back, as if she were being watched by something.