Chapter 55: The Celestial Summit

Is this truly a realm that human effort can reach? Guanshan and the others stood frozen, dazed, as this very thought echoed in their hearts.

A vigorous horn sounded in the distance, and dozens of warships cut through wind and waves, approaching swiftly. Though their banners were still unclear, Pang Xian had already discerned from the horn’s timbre that these belonged to Marquis Yuan’s Suiyang navy.

He quickly shook off his awe, raising his blade high above his head. “The General’s army has arrived! Brothers, follow me—kill the enemy!” He sheathed his blade, seized a longbow from a nearby soldier, drew the string, and loosed an arrow toward an enemy climbing from the water onto a warship.

“Victory! Victory! Victory!” The soldiers’ shouts thundered, erupting with unprecedented passion and combat strength. Spears, arrows, crossbows, cudgels, and javelins—every weapon was wielded in turn, mercilessly striking at their foes in the water.

Above the night sky, Su Yi closed his eyes, attuning himself to the power of the moment.

The Innate Realm: returning to origin, tracing the roots. Once one steps into this realm, one is fundamentally different from ordinary martial artists. An innate master breaks through the threshold between life and death, transforming internal energy into innate true energy, uniting essence, energy, and spirit, completing the metamorphosis of life’s nature. From then on, the flow of true energy is unhindered—one can even project it outward to harm others.

After solidifying his strength at the peak of the first-class realm, Su Yi began to attempt the breakthrough to the Innate Realm.

With the system’s guidance, he had mastered the fifth and sixth layers of the Whale Devouring Method. Moreover, he had plundered decades of accumulated power from Elder Feng Fei of the Yuan Demon Sect and inheritor Wen Xiang. For him, this step was as natural as water flowing through a channel.

Yet, to Su Yi’s surprise, the process was even swifter than his most optimistic estimate.

In just a few days, he unified essence, energy, and spirit, fully returning his physical strength and true energy to the innate, stepping into the fourth layer of the Whale Devouring Method.

This was at least a week faster than he had imagined.

Su Yi pondered the reason for this, and after much consideration, could only attribute it to the system’s flawless foundation-building, making his roots far deeper than he had ever imagined.

Upon entering the Innate Realm, aided by the unity of essence, energy, and spirit, Su Yi found his mastery of the skill “Stirring Wind and Sand” had leapt to a new qualitative level—not only was his control exquisitely fine, but the range of its effect had expanded dramatically.

Because of this, Su Yi could unleash the skill upon the enemy’s sails, using winds as fierce as a hurricane to capsize their ships, and extinguishing the fire on the fire-ship with miraculous wind pressure.

As for “Walking on Air,” it too relied on wind to lift his body, achieving an incredible effect.

In his current state, Su Yi reckoned he could easily maintain this flight-like ability, reminiscent of fantasy tales, for more than ten minutes.

Su Yi opened his eyes, once again revealing a formidable presence. In his hand was the Heaven Demon Blade, the sacred weapon of the Yuan Demon Sect, infused with Whale Devouring true energy. He subdued the weapon, which contained the will of generations of sect masters, and plunged toward Zuo Qingzong and his companions.

Before Su Yi arrived, “Stirring Wind and Sand” was already unleashed once more, the powerful wind pressure forcing the ship’s hull deep into the lake, the gale wrinkling faces, its roaring force seeming to press everyone to their knees.

Zuo Qingzong’s face twisted grotesquely under the wind’s pressure. Though chilled to the bone, he roared defiantly at the storm. Who was he? He was Zuo Qingzong, master of the White Day Palace, undefeated for decades!

It mattered not whether his opponent was mortal or divine—Zuo Qingzong would never admit defeat; unless he closed his eyes and awaited death, he had no other choice.

He struck out with both fists. Though empty-handed, after mastering the sixth level of the Heaven Extreme Method, his fists were the deadliest weapons.

A dazzling white light erupted from Zuo Qingzong’s fists, as bright as the midday sun, a manifestation of perfected innate true energy, which collided fiercely with the Heaven Demon Blade.

In that instant of impact, Su Yi felt his spiritual world connect with Zuo Qingzong’s—a vast sun filled his vision, radiating endless light and heat, as if to scorch his body to ashes.

After reaching the Innate Realm, the clash of spirits between martial artists became crucial. Zuo Qingzong’s Heaven Extreme Method conjured a blazing sun, so intensely affecting Su Yi’s perceptions that it proved this peerless demon’s power was no less than the greatest masters of the demonic path.

Su Yi steadied his mind. Within his spiritual world, a giant whale lurked in the ocean’s abyss, its fins sweeping the vast sea, unleashing colossal whirlpools and waves that soared higher and higher.

At this moment, the Heaven Demon Blade revealed its full power. The lingering wills of generations of Yuan Demon Sect masters transformed into a mighty divine weapon, cutting through terrifying tongues of fire amid the raging waves.

Undoubtedly, Su Yi, newly ascended to the Innate Realm, could not match Zuo Qingzong, who had traversed the realm for so long, in spiritual cultivation. Yet his spiritual strength was far above his peers, and with the Heaven Demon Blade—imbued with the will of past sect masters—he could barely maintain a defensive stance.

Beneath Zuo Qingzong’s feet, the ship’s deck gave way under their combined force, cracks webbing across the hull. Yet he was not alarmed—instead, he rejoiced.

The clash of spirits directly reflected both sides’ martial prowess, and his opponent was not as terrifying as he had feared.

Just now, the other had displayed unfathomable powers, as if harnessing the might of heaven and earth to destroy the fleet, deeply shaking all those present. For a moment, Zuo Qingzong thought he would be obliterated in a single blow.

Yet in reality, with the Heaven Extreme Method at full power, his fists—harder than iron—had blocked the attack, even gaining the upper hand in their spiritual duel!

At this moment, Zuo Qingzong’s heart was resolute. Thankfully, he was Zuo Qingzong, confident as any master of the White Day Palace, as anyone in the world. Only such self-assurance kept his will from being shattered by his opponent’s heaven-defying powers.

Otherwise, he could never have cultivated the Heaven Extreme Method to its sixth and highest level.

The Heaven Extreme Sun, its blazing flames, revealed all things beneath the midday sky, leaving no place to hide. This was a demonic martial art emphasizing invincibility—if one’s spirit faltered, Zuo Qingzong could not have displayed even a tenth of his strength.

Heaven Extreme true energy burst forth, shredding his upper garment. His bronze-toned body seemed to burn with a faint flame. He growled, hair flying, resembling a demon god, terrifying force concentrated in his fists as he struck out with a straightforward, devastating punch.