Infinite Professions-Chapter 73 - 3: Victory and Defeat

"Screech!"

The Phoenix let out a long cry, transforming into a stream of light that merged into Dongfang Bai’s body, igniting an undying flame on the damaged Earth Spirit Armor, restoring it instantly.

The Platinum King and Magma Monarch followed closely, using the Spirit Fusion Secret Technique to restore Dongfang Bai to his peak state.

The Earth Dragon Beast also raised its head, allowing the form of Dongfang Bai atop it to transform into a silhouette and merge into its body.

Spirit Fusion, a reverse version of the Spirit Fusion Secret Technique, involves merging the Spirit Control Master into the Spirit Beast to enhance the Spirit Beast’s power.

"Come on!"

The Earth Dragon Beast, fully fused, let out a long roar. Its ferocious dragon head faintly revealed Dongfang Bai’s facial expressions—who was in control, human or beast?

But this did not affect the battle. The Earth Dragon Beast confidently roared, rapidly elevating its Domain Power, surrounded by a current of earthy yellow light and airflow, establishing a mysterious connection with the earth.

Shen Hex saw this but said nothing more, directly channeling his True Yuan.

At once...

"Roar!!!"

"Howl!!!"

The dragon’s roar and tiger’s howl shook the heavens and the earth. The nine coiled dragons on the Ten Thousand Spirits Armor became active in an instant. The Martial Dao True Essence and the Power of Ten Thousand Spirits converged, transforming into dragons and tigers that roamed the body, traversing the limbs and bones, finally swallowed into the stomach, and rose again to the chest.

"Hah!!!"

Shen Hex took a deep breath, inhaling forceful currents from all directions. On the left chest and right abdomen, the images of dragon and tiger appeared, the dragon moving with strength and the tiger with softness, yin and yang blending in a Harmonious Balance of Strength and Softness—it was the Xingyi Ultimate Form—Dragon-Slaying Tiger-Subduing Celestial Thunder Roar!

"This is..."

Dongfang Bai’s eyes, merged with the Earth Dragon Beast, narrowed, his heart full of warnings. Decisively and resolutely, he fully fused with the Earth Dragon Beast, connecting completely with the earth with condensed earthy-yellow airflow.

"Earth Guardian!"

Outside the battlefield, Feng Qingming exclaimed, and the Dongfang Clan was also startled.

Earth Guardian, Celestial Destiny Secret Technique.

Previously said, Dongfang Bai only mastered one Emperor’s Secret Technique and one Emperor’s Combat Skill. This secret technique was not a cultivation method, and this combat skill was not the Earth Realm just displayed by the Earth Dragon Beast, but was this Earth Guardian learned from the previous Chapter of Guardian.

This is a secret technique jointly performed by a Spirit Beast and a Spirit Control Master. If performed by an ordinary Spirit Control Master, it is Emperor Level, but if performed by a Celestial Destiny Spirit Master, it can leap to Celestial Destiny Level.

When the Dark Demon King Beast was sealed, Dongfang Bai used this secret technique, fusing with the evolved Earth Dragon King, becoming the Shield of Celestial Destiny and withstanding several attacks from the Dark Demon King Beast without falling behind.

After twenty-three years, facing his former comrade-in-arms, he once again used this Celestial Destiny Secret Technique.

This shows the pressure the opponent gave him!

"Roar!!!"

The Earth Dragon Beast roared, transforming into a statue, a dragon-turtle statue cast in gold and stone, standing dominantly on the earth, giving a sense of being unshakeable.

Though the Power of Destiny was gone, with the power of the Earth Dragon Beast, it was still the top Spirit Control Secret Technique, Emperor’s Combat Skill.

How will you break through such a defense?

"Howl!!!"

As the golden stone stood, Dragon Turtle Mountain Guardian, before everyone recovered from the shock of this former Celestial Destiny Secret Technique, a deep roar shook the heavens.

Shen Hex angrily shouted, the Dragon Tiger Qi intertwined, combining into a golden Divine Light, akin to thunder, breaking through layers of air barriers, striking directly at the golden stone statue, Dragon Turtle Mountain Guardian.

"Boom!!!"

A loud explosion echoed throughout the venue, shattering the protective Spirit Array and the curtain’s image. Thousands of spectators on the stands were impacted, their ears ringing and sight blurred, experiencing confusion and momentary loss of hearing.

Had it not been for the fact that the entry tickets were three thousand crystal coins each, affordable only for mid-level and above Spirit Control Masters, and the strict inspection by Sand Beast Valley only allowing Spirit Control Masters to watch, there would have been countless casualties, deafness, and blindness at this moment.

Even so, the earth-shattering strike still stunned everyone. Countless spectators collapsed on the stands, their eyes blurry, ears ringing, many still temporarily deafened, unsure of what happened.

Looking back at the arena, the dust was overwhelmingly thick.

"Hoo!"

Again, a gust swept through, it was the Hawk King making a move, dispersing the heavy dust.

The dust scattered, revealing the battlefield. A lone figure stood firmly, the Ten Thousand Spirits Battle Armor’s brilliance undiminished.

As for the opponent, the golden stone statue had collapsed, reverting to a flesh and blood form, with cracks on the turtle shell’s back armor, which then exploded with a bang. The Earth Dragon Beast transformed into a streak of earthy yellow light shrinking away, leaving one person falling to the ground.

It was Dongfang Bai.

He knelt with one knee, struggling to hold his body upright. The Earth Spirit Armor was shattered to dust, but there was no sign of the Spirit Beasts, with only him kneeling on the ground, clothing tattered and littered with wounds, one hand pressing firmly on his chest, but blood still overflowed from his mouth.

"You..."

He knelt with one knee, still unyielding, raised his head, extended one hand pointing directly at Shen Hex, trying to speak, but just as he uttered a word, blood spurted.

"Puff!!!"

A mouthful of blood spewed out, draining all his strength, Dongfang Bai collapsed on the ground, life or death unknown.

"Young Master!"

"Bai’Er!"

A cry of alarm, from outside the battlefield, several people flew in, rushing to Dongfang Bai’s side, standing in front of Shen Hex.

"Husband!"

Feng Qingming lifted Dongfang Bai, looking at her unconscious beloved, her whole complexion pale with terror.

The Dongfang Clan blocked the front, an elder facing Shen Hex, loudly pleading, "Lord Taiyi, we admit defeat, we admit defeat, please, for the sake of old times, spare our Young Master’s life!"

Shen Hex looked at them, his eyes cold and unperturbed, furthering their dread like facing a formidable enemy. The Primordial Spirit Power was nearly ready to burst, yet they had to suppress it with fear.

Amidst their trepidation...

"Thirty billion, remember it!"

A voice pronounced the result.

Shen Hex turned and left, the Dongfang Clan sighed in relief, nearly collapsing. Quickly regaining composure, they fled in panic, carrying the life-and-death unknown Dongfang Bai, not daring to linger.

As for Shen Hex, he departed alone, ignoring the reaction of the audience who regained their senses and hearing, watching indifferently as he walked towards the dark passage from which he came, gradually fading into darkness.

The battle of emperors concluded.

On the stand, the crowd was still in shock, with a shocking cry suddenly erupting.

"Father!?"

Lei Hong was terrified, holding the fainted Lei Clan Patriarch, Lei Xun, tiger-eyed and bewildered.

...

No one knew how long it had been, the crowd dispersed.

Recovering from their stupor, they left in a daze, leaving the vast venue quickly cold and quiet, with only unseen undercurrents stirring, effects unfolding.

"Li Taiyi, Li Qingshan!"

"Li Taiyi is Li Qingshan, Li Qingshan is Li Taiyi!" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Dongfang Bai lost, Dongfang Bai lost!"

"Was this the former Chosen One of Celestial Destiny?"

"Even the Earth Dragon Beast couldn’t withstand..."

"One strike, just one strike, destroyed the Earth Guardian."

"What exactly was that combat skill?"

"No, this matter hasn’t ended, on the contrary, it’s just begun."

"Thirty billion crystal coins, will the Dongfang Clan really willingly offer it up?"

"And those Royal Families, the Earth Kingdom, the Sky Kingdom, and even the Spirit Control Master Holy City, can they accept this Hero of Destiny, the one who was once abandoned, suppressed, and exiled, rising again?"

"What follows are the real challenges, the challenges that will determine the fate of Li Taiyi!"