Chapter 816: Battling the Goddess
Everyone stood outside the courtyard, looking in with glittering eyes.
Within the courtyard, Meng Hao and his second true self were locked in combat with Goddess Fan Dongâer of the Nine Seas God World. Off to the side, the vine swung back and forth, and laughter could be heard as the black blood dripped onto the ground.
At the same time, strands of black hair danced through the air. Countless Dao Projections appeared. Some sat in meditation, some concocted medicinal pills, and some employed Daoist magic. The copper lamp flickered weakly, illuminating the area. The crumbling statue of the divinity appeared to be emitting some faint, divine aura.
This was not the first night that these people had spent in the vicinity of the Immortal Ancient Daoist Rite Temple. However, when they caught sight of the Dao Projections, many people made hoarse exclamations.
âPassing down Daos!â
âThose Dao Projections are passing down Daos! If we can just get inside, we can acquire new Daos!â
âThe Immortal Ancient Daoist Rite Temple is full of good fortune!â
âDammit! I wonder how many days Meng Hao was here for before we arrived. From the look of it, he already got the greatest good fortune of all, the Immortal Ancient Daoist Medallion!â
Outside, conversations buzzed. Inside, Meng Hao and his second true self had already fought over a hundred rounds with Fan Dongâer. Booming echoed out, and Fan Dongâer frowned as she was constantly pushed back in retreat, unable to to get close to the temple hall. Not only that, she was actually being forced to the point where she might get shoved out the main gate.
Meng Hao had originally been extremely nervous. However, after seeing that everything in the temple hall remained the same even after Fan Dongâer entered the courtyard, he was able to let out a sigh of relief.
âThe crazy old man must have meant the temple hall and not the courtyard!â he thought. Eyes gleaming, he stretched out his hand toward Fan Dongâer in a claw-like gesture.
Fan Dongâer was getting angry. She snorted lightly and then lifted the Blue Lotus in her hand. Brilliant light shone out that seemed to contain blessings. It formed Immortal qi, which she sucked in through her eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Then, golden light began to shine out from her eyes. She looked at Meng Hao and said a single word.
âSuppress!â
That single word caused Meng Haoâs pupils to constrict as he felt an incredible force come into existence around him. It instantly began to entangle him; even his second true self could feel its interference.
Fan Dongâerâs expression was cool as she prepared to enter the temple hall.
âEmerge!â Meng Hao shouted, and rumbling could be heard as his Dharma Idol appeared, shining with boundless radiance and surrounded by a great Dao. The Dharma Idolâs light shone up into the sky, and it seemed as if countless Immortal Divinities were sitting cross-legged around it, meditating. A snapping sound rang out as the invisible fetters were destroyed. Meng Hao shook himself free, then stretched his right hand out to use the Star Plucking Magic.
All it took was one snatching motion, and Fan Dongâer, who was still in mid-stride heading toward the temple hall, was dragged back to him.
Her body was completely beyond her own control as she flew through the air. Just when she seemed about to slam into Meng Hao's hand, she gave a cold snort and performed an incantation with her left hand. She pointed to the ground, and a vast sea appeared beneath her, from within which more than ten roaring sea dragons burst out.
Meng Haoâs Star Plucking Magic dissipated, but by that point, his second true self had closed in. He waved his sleeve, and a boom could be heard as the air around Fan Dongâer shattered. Blood oozed from the corners of her mouth as she was sent staggering backward. In the meantime, Meng Hao performed an incantation gesture and pointed out.
The Blood Demon Grand Magic vortex instantly appeared. Both Meng Hao and his second true self were on the attack. All of the rapid changes in the battle were dazzling to the eye. There was no hesitation on anyoneâs part, and attacks were made with complete confidence and speed.
RUUUMMMBLE!!
Fan Dongâerâs face fell. Meng Haoâs Blood Demon Grand Magic filled her with dread. She performed a double-handed incantation, causing a bright light to appear that seemed to shine down from the sky above. It descended to form the image of a mermaid behind Fan Dongâer.
The mermaid had extremely long hair, and was incredibly beautiful, and actually resembled Fan Dongâer somewhat, except that she wasnât wearing any clothes whatsoever. Her bottom half was covered with scales, but as a whole, she emanated an enticing aura that would cause anyone to be attracted to her.
âSo high and mighty, yet you summon something without clothes?â said Meng Hao sternly, glancing at the Dharma Idol. âHow scandalous!â
âYou glib lowlife!â she replied evenly. âOne look and I could tell that you were a lecher!â She performed an incantation, causing her Dharma Idolâs eyes to shine with golden light.
âNinth Sea God Lightning!â The four words echoed like thunder, and immediately caused four bolts of golden lightning to crackle down toward Meng Hao.
His eyes narrowed; these Chosen from the Ninth Mountain and Sea were all incredibly powerful. He had long since ceased to look down on them. He knew that he couldnât view them as being ordinary peak Dao Seeking cultivators. These were all people who had high aspirations; they wanted to achieve true Immortal Ascension.
There were even some of them who had clearly practiced cultivation for many years, but were intentionally holding their cultivation bases back to wait for Immortal destiny.
Some of them gave Meng Hao a feeling of impending crisis. One was Zhao Yifan, and another was Fan Dongâer.
âThere are many Chosen, and powerful experts are as numerous as the clouds,â he thought. âMy path of cultivation has just begun; the vast world is just now opening up to meâ¦.â The desire to fight burned hot in his eyes. He truly couldnât wait to step foot out of the lands of South Heaven into the starry sky, to contend with the Chosen of the Ninth Mountain and Sea.
âToday is just a sneak peek,â he thought. His body flickered as he sprang into motion. His Dharma Idol roared and grew even larger than before, and then sent a right hand speeding toward Fan Dongâer.
The four bolts of golden lightning sent out shocking ripples, but they were all obstructed Meng Haoâs Dharma Idol.
Echoes rattled out, and Fan Dongâerâs face fell. The second true self closed in along with a river of Time power, bursting with a murderous aura. Killing intent raged as he launched a vicious attack that very nearly sliced Fan Dongâerâs neck open.
âJust who is this Meng Haoâ¦?â she thought. âThereâs no need to even mention this clone of his. He himself is incredibly powerful, plus he has a Dharma Idol that depicts himself. Based on his power, he must be half a step into true Immortality!
âAt the moment he still hasnât merged back with his clone. When that happensâ¦.â Fan Dongâerâs eyes flickered.
âHe seems to be concerned with people entering the temple hall. Could it be that there is some legacy process underway inside, and he doesnât want anyone to interfere? I must disrupt that legacy!
âI canât let a fifth Conclave disciple appear in this Immortal Ancient Daoist Rite Temple!â Her eyes flickered with coldness.
âNinth Sea God Will!â she said, retrieving a conch shell from her bag of holding. The conch shell immediately began to blaze with intense light that caused everything to tremble. The music of a great Dao began to spread out in all directions.
Everyone on the outside had long since been shaken by the intensity of the fighting inside. In addition, dread of Meng Hao had taken root in their hearts.
âTo be able to fight with Fan Dongâer of the Nine Seas God World means that this Meng Hao⦠is definitely a Chosen too!â
âThatâs⦠a precious treasure of the Nine Seas God World, the Nine Gods Conch!â
âAccording to legend, that conch once slew an almighty Dao Realm expertâ¦.â
âThatâs not the real thing, itâs only a copy. However, itâs still shockingly powerful!â
As the buzz of conversation filled the air outside, Meng Haoâs face flickered. He could sense that this conch was intensely dangerous. His eyes flickered and he performed another incantation gesture, causing the sixth level of the Blood Demon Grand Magic to appear.
At the same time, Fan Dongâerâs eyes became ice cold as she raised the conch up and blew into it. As soon as her breath entered the conch, it began to emanate a golden light, within which was a strand of Dao music.
As the music drifted through the air, it sounded like a woman singing. It expanded out amorphously, transforming into three colorful bubbles, within each of which appeared to be a magical symbol. The sky grew dark, and wind screamed as one of the bubbles floated gently toward Meng Hao. He began to tremble, and his second true self seemed to lose control of his body and stopped in mid motion. It was at this point that bubble popped.
Blood sprayed from the mouth of the second true self as a roaring sound filled his ears. As he fell back, the second bubble floated forward and then popped. Meng Hao coughed up blood, and suddenly found that he was covered with countless strips of seaweed which were growing out from his skin to cover his whole body. At the same time, the seaweed bursting from his skin caused him to bleed profusely.
His second true self trembled as he too was covered with seaweed. The flourishing seaweed sucked away at Meng Haoâs life force, causing it to grow longer, and even take root in the ground. As a result, Meng Hao and his second true self were rapidly being rooted in place.
People outside of the courtyard gasped.
âThe Curse of the Ninth Sea!!â
âThis Meng Hao⦠is going to perish!â
Fan Dongâer coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered backward a few steps, her face pale; she had payed an incredible price in order to blow on the conch shell.
She took a deep breath as she looked over at Meng Hao and his second true self entangled in the seaweed. Her expression calm, she turned and hurried toward the temple hall.
Just when she was on the verge of stepping into the temple hall, a tremor ran through Fan Dongâer. The mud beneath her feet suddenly began to emanate a black mist. At the same time, a huge rumbling sound filled the entire area.
The courtyard trembled from the force of the explosion, and Fan Dongâer coughed up a mouthful of blood. Her body was completely beyond her control as she was sent flying into the air, more blood spurting out from her mouth.
âMeng Hao!â she cried, her heart filled with rage. She had been incredibly cautious in everything, but could never have imagined that Meng Hao would have buried black-peeled medicinal pills in front of the temple hallâs door.
Those pills had been secretly placed there by Meng Hao as a failsafe against the people from the outside.
At the same time that Fan Dongâer was sent flying backward, the third bubble neared Meng Hao. He trembled, and his eyes filled with a cold gleam. His second true self shuddered; he slowly began to fade away and turn into Meng Haoâs shadow, merging together with him.
âFuse!â As he merged with his second true self, Meng Haoâs left eye was icy cold, whereas his right eye burned with murderous desire. The Dharma Idol behind him then changed; shockingly, half of it became completely black!
To everyone looking at it, it no longer looked holy, but rather, like a mixture between an Immortal and a Devil!
Rumbling sounds could be heard as the third bubble popped. However, at the same time, Meng Hao freed himself from the seaweed and launched a counterattack in the form of a punch.
A huge explosion filled the air and Meng Hao coughed up a mouthful of blood. Nonetheless, a bright gleam could be seen in his eyes as his hand snaked out toward the beautiful Fan Dongâer.
Fan Dongâerâs face flickered. She had been seriously injured, and now that Meng Hao had freed himself, she had no choice but to retreat from of the courtyard.
It was then that Meng Haoâs hand latched onto her.
âTrying to get away?â