Dao-Heaven had a sudden, intense premonition that if he didn’t do something to stop Meng Hao’s aura from rising up explosively, then he could very well end up in the middle of a deadly catastrophe.

“Dammit, how could this Meng Hao be so strong!?!?” It was extremely rare for Dao-Heaven to encounter anyone who caused him to think in this way.

“Screw off!” Dao-Heaven managed to shove Yuwen Jian back, and then stepped forward amidst rumbling booms. Yuwen Jian was no match for him; even with the battle-ax, he was still forced into constant retreat. However, he didn't s.h.i.+rk from fighting. Roaring, he unleashed the full might of his body cultivation power, fighting fiercely with Dao-Heaven to buy time for Meng Hao.

Meng Hao shook as he reached a height of 72 meters. All of his Immortal meridians were now fused into one, and he was surrounded by brilliant azure light.

Unfortunately, he was now distinctly aware of the fact that he couldn't actually fight while powering up. He wanted to, but was incapable. This was his first time absorbing the Nirvana Fruit and reaching the Allheaven Immortal stage during a battle. The previous two times had been mere tests while in secluded meditation.

“Dammit!” he thought, growing anxious. However, no hesitation could be seen in his facial expression. His power continued to surge, and to anyone watching, it would seem obvious that there was more to come.

His aura rose past the Immortal Emperor Realm and he entered half a step into the Allheaven Immortal Realm. Terrifying ripples exploded off of him.

Colors flashed and the winds screamed, as if some huge eye had appeared up in the Heavens and was staring at Meng Hao.

Thunder crashed, and the sky above the Windswept Realm twisted and distorted. The lands quaked, and the mountains trembled. The whole world seemed to be changing.

Dao-Heaven’s eyes went wide when he saw Meng Hao’s power rising up without stop. Even he had to admit that what he was seeing was terrifying to the extreme. He threw his head back and roared, performing a double-handed incantation gesture that caused his cultivation base to erupt with power. A black fog appeared in front of him, which churned as it transformed into a giant, one-horned beast that charged roaring toward Yuwen Jian.

Yuwen Jian’s face fell, and his anxiety grew. He wasn't sure what was going on with Meng Hao. Although they hadn’t laid out specific plans, according to how the situation had developed, this moment was about the time when Meng Hao should make his move.

“Dammit, what's taking him so long!?” Yuwen Jian roared inwardly. He had half a mind to flee, but instead, gritted his teeth and faced the charging beast.

A huge boom echoed out, and blood sprayed out of Yuwen Jian’s mouth. The cracking sounds of breaking bones could be heard. Blood spurted out, and he coughed up chunks of crushed internal organs, and he was sent flying backward. His aura was weakening, and yet, he clenched his teeth, roared, and then decided to go all-out. He hefted the battle-ax and slashed it viciously toward Dao-Heaven, who was trying to rush past him.

With a cold harrumph, Dao-Heaven took a step forward without attempting to dodge the blow at all, lifting his right hand up as he used the Immortal Flail to block the descending ax.

A boom rang out, and then Dao-Heaven turned, as if to shoot toward Meng Hao. Yuwen Jian let out a roar and pounced, attempting to grapple Dao-Heaven and hold him in place. Dao-Heaven’s face turned grim.

“Are you looking to die!?” His right hand clenched into a fist and he punched Yuwen Jian in the stomach. Yuwen Jian’s eyes went wide as he tumbled backward amidst a haze of blood and gore.

“Meng Hao,” Yuwen Jian shouted with a bitter laugh, “you owe me a life!” Even as the words came out of his mouth, his eyes gleamed with determination, and he charged again, preparing to expend one of his lives, in an attempt to block Dao-Heaven for a bit longer.

“DIE!” Dao-Heaven roared, waving his hand. The giant fog beast howled and lunged toward Yuwen Jian. Just when it seemed to be on the verge of hitting him, all of a sudden, the air in front of Yuwen Jian distorted, and a towering figure appeared.

It was none other than Meng Hao, standing there at more than 70 meters tall!

He immediately extended his hand and pushed it out toward the pouncing beast.

That motion caused the previously shocking beast to let out a shriek like a sick cat. It suddenly stopped in midair, incapable of moving a muscle, its expression one of fear and disbelief as Meng Hao reached out and crushed its head.

A boom could be heard as the beast exploded, sending bits of black fog roiling out in all directions.

“M-Meng Hao!” Yuwen Jian panted, shocked at the sight of the figure in front of him. Meng Hao glowed with azure light, and an archaic aura roiled off of him. It was almost as if... in this moment, Meng Hao was not a cultivator of the Mountain and Sea Realm, but instead, someone who had traveled through time from the primordial Paragon Immortal Realm.

He stood tall, radiating azure light. Faint, flickering magical symbols could be seen on him as he stood there like a mountain. The air vibrated and the lands trembled. The clouds up above seemed to lower themselves, as if in obeisance.

In the entire world, and in all the lands, it was as if Meng Hao were the only existence.

That was... a domineering aura that said, REVERE ME!

Meng Hao looked up at Dao-Heaven.

Dao-Heaven's face flickered with a serious expression as he stared back. Inside, he was starting to get nervous.

“Yuwen Jian, get out of here!” Meng Hao said slowly. Yuwen Jian would not be of any use in the battle to come, and if he stayed, it could be possible that Dao-Heaven might unleash something akin to the Blood Demon Grand Magic, or something even more sinister like the Heavenly Demon Devouring. That could put Meng Hao in a bad position.

Therefore, the best thing for Meng Hao was for him to leave!

Yuwen Jian stared deeply at Meng Hao for a moment, as if to affix him to memory. Yuwen Jian didn’t have many friends, and even Hong Bin only counted as half a friend. However, in the brief bit of time he had spent with Meng Hao, he had already come to consider him a friend.

“I’m not going to give this battle-ax back to you if you die,” he said. “So... don’t get yourself killed!” Then he took a deep breath and sped off into the distance with all the speed he could muster. Dao-Heaven didn’t even spare him a glance as he left; the threat posed by Meng Hao was far too great.

“Meng Hao!” he roared, and his body emanated cracking sounds. In the blink of an eye, he began to grow. His expression distorted, and when he reached a height of 60 meters, he threw his head back and roared. The sound of his heartbeat echoed out, and on the ninth beat, his energy peaked, and he strode toward Meng Hao.

Meng Hao’s expression was calm. He could sense the power of his sole Immortal meridian, as well as the terrifying strength of his fleshly body. He began to walk forward, then clenched his right hand into a fist and punched out toward Dao-Heaven.

That fist caused the sky to flash and the wind to scream. Dao-Heaven’s face flickered, and yet he laughed viciously. As Meng Hao’s fist strike neared, he suddenly vanished, then reappeared behind Meng Hao. At the same time, two black, leathery wings spread out from his back.

Next, his hand formed a claw shape, which he slashed toward Meng Hao's back.

Meng Hao’s expression was the same as ever, and he didn't even turn around. Instead, he pushed off with his feet, flying back-first toward Dao-Heaven.

Dao-Heaven’s hand struck Meng Hao’s back, causing a huge boom to echo out. Meng Hao didn't react, but Dao-Heaven’s hand twisted in place, completely incapable of doing anything to Meng Hao. Then, Meng Hao slammed into Dao-Heaven.

An earsplitting boom echoed out, and blood sprayed out of Dao-Heaven’s mouth. He flew back like a kite with its string cut, his expression one of shock as more than half the bones in his body broke.

“Impossible! How could he be so strong!?!?” In his astonishment, sonic booms echoed out from him from the incredible speed with which he was thrown through the air as a result of Meng Hao’s vicious attack.

In the blink of an eye, he had pa.s.sed across much of the Fifth Nation, and was actually nearing the border of the Fourth Nation. Subsequently, Meng Hao vanished, then suddenly reappeared directly in Dao-Heaven’s path. He extended his right hand, and boundless azure light rose up from him as he used the power of an Allheaven Immortal to wave his finger.

“I'm the number one in the Echelon!” Dao-Heaven roared. “You can’t beat me! This state of yours will only last for so long!!” Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and he wrapped his wings around his body protectively. At the same time, he performed a double-handed incantation gesture, causing a s.h.i.+eld to appear, as well as a vast number of magical items.

A boom could be heard as Meng Hao's Allheaven Finger pressed down onto the s.h.i.+eld. Cracking sounds rang out in all directions, and layer by layer, the s.h.i.+eld collapsed. Numerous magical items shattered, and then, Meng Hao’s finger landed on Dao-Heaven’s wings.

A boom rattled out as the wings were shredded to pieces, transforming into nothing but ash. Dao-Heaven screamed miserably as Meng Hao’s finger continued on. Then, he raised his right arm, apparently intending to use the Ancient treasure, the Immortal Flail, to block.

Popping sounds filled the air, which came from the Immortal Flail shattering. When it came into contact with Meng Hao’s Allheaven Finger, the Ancient treasure was incapable of doing anything against it. Dao-Heaven’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

All of a sudden, his right arm exploded into a haze of blood by the lightning-like strike of Meng Hao’s finger.

“Undying G.o.d Magic!” Dao-Heaven cried in terror. Blood-red light rose up from his body, transforming into a magical symbol which slammed into Meng Hao’s finger. The magical symbol trembled, but didn't break, and the mighty force of Meng Hao's finger attack sent Dao-Heaven tumbling backward.

In the blink of an eye, he had flown over the border between the Fifth Nation and the Fourth Nation. Once in the Fourth Nation, Dao-Heaven’s magical symbol finally shattered. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, and his expression turned haggard. However, his desire to fight was not lessened at all. He threw his head back and howled as Meng Hao charged through the national barrier and flew toward him.

“Meng Hao, you can't kill me! How much longer can you hold out? Once you leave that state, you’re dead!” Dao-Heaven coughed up chunks blood, and as Meng Hao closed in on him, performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, then waved his hand in front of him. Immediately, the air in front of him rumbled and shattered as a black streak of light flew out.

It was none other than a scroll painting, Dao-Heaven’s Paragon magic!

“Paragon Painting, open!”

Rumbling sounds could be heard as the scroll painting began to open up in front of Meng Hao. This time, it didn't open thirty percent, but instead, seventy percent!

As soon as Meng Hao laid eyes on the unfurling scroll painting, it revealed a land filled with killing intent. In the middle of the land was a statue of a young man in a black robe, sitting there cross-legged. He had long hair that draped down onto the land upon which he sat.

Rising up from him was an indescribably cold murderous aura.