The space filled with sand created a battlefield advantageous to Sen Sha. He gathered sand in his hands, forming a sand whip. Xie Yuan could clearly sense that this situation made combat difficult for him; the entire space was suited to the opponent's attributes, making the fight truly arduous.
The sand whip lashed out, producing cracking sounds. Though made of sand, it looked no different from a real whip and remained formidable. The whip was initially short because Sen Sha could control its length freely. The whip then shrank into a short sword, and holding it, he felt a surge of confidence.
Seeing Xie Yuan's expression, he couldn't believe he would die here. Cultivators in this world couldn't possibly possess such strength. After all, he came from a superior plane of existence. Coming to a low-martial world meant he could simply slaughter them, as they were mere ants. He trusted his strength.
The two figures clashed intensely. The short sword swung repeatedly, flashes of yellow sword energy appearing. Sword beams flickered, filling the sky like phantoms. Unhurriedly, Xie Ling Claw slowly rose. As it did, a black blade of light shot out, followed by continuous explosions. A figure materialized behind Xie Yuan. The short sword transformed into a long sword, the sand's control allowing him to change its length and form at will.
The long sword, carrying a sharp sword aura, thrust down. The figure swiftly turned, his clawed hand catching the long sword. Gripped tightly, immense power emanated from it. He was forced to release his hands, realizing that continuing would result in serious injury. He decisively chose to disengage, creating distance. Sand formed a long spear in his hand, which gathered power. His internal energy spiraled, forming a tornado within the spear.
The sand spear was hurled, and the surrounding sand began to swirl, dragged along. A sandstorm formed, sweeping forward. To Xie Yuan, this move was merely child's play. Xie Ling Claw was imbued with Xie Ling energy. The claw grew significantly larger, and illusory figures flickered from it. His right claw crossed over his left, forming a cross, and a wave of light shot out.
The sandstorm and the wave of light collided. They fought back and forth, neither willing to yield. As the sandstorm and wave of light met, energy fluctuations appeared at the center. They both stopped, realizing that continuing would cause an energy reaction that would be detrimental to both.
The attacks ceased, and the residual fluctuations gradually vanished. Both had the same thought: the other was not easy to deal with. Defeating him would require some sacrifice. Xie Yuan knew his own strength well; this battle was destined to be far from simple.
Dual sabers appeared in his hands. Sand could transform into any weapon as long as Sen Sha willed it, in any form. This was the legacy of the Sand King. The Sand King's legacy was most potent in deserts. If this were a desert, his strength would increase severalfold. Unfortunately, it was a void space.
This did not prevent him from gradually transforming the space into a desert. Sand dispersed from his body, fine grains filling the space. It hadn't filled the space yet, and couldn't even form a desert, but with time, it would. Xie Yuan, meanwhile, had not yet grasped the severity of the situation.
In the cultivation world, Sheng Qing was struggling, barely holding his ground against three Xie Shangs. His defense was strained, let alone any opportunity to attack. Sheng Qing frantically searched his mind for a way to escape this predicament, realizing their fate was sealed if this continued.
The three figures attacked in unison, their claws and legs striking the barrier, creating a resounding impact. "Let me see how hard your turtle shell is," one of them bellowed.
Enveloped by the barrier, Sheng Qing was temporarily safe. They couldn't break through his defenses immediately, but he remained passive, unable to devise a good solution. He was anxiously awaiting a breakthrough.
"Crack, crack!"
Cracks appeared. He couldn't hold on much longer. What to do?
Just as Sheng Qing's barrier shattered, a beam of light flew from the side, directly at Xie Shang. Sensing another presence, Xie Shang realized the newcomer's strength was not inferior to his own. He redirected his attack, meeting the light head-on.
As everything dissipated, a figure stood between Sheng Qing and Xie Shang. It was a youth with clear features and a cold glint in his eyes, staring intently at the Xie Ling race. He shouted, "Senior, I am here to help you."
The youth spoke, a flame of hatred burning in his eyes. His appearance bewildered both sides. "Who are you?!"
Thinking of reinforcements, they no longer hesitated. One more person meant more strength. The newcomer was powerful; with him, they could surely defeat the enemy before them.
"You can all come at me together."
This wasn't Xie Shang's arrogance; he had the confidence. Even facing two opponents, he would still have the upper hand. Strength was his assurance.
The two-on-one situation escalated into an intense battle.
Inside the space, sand formed sharp spikes and mountain-like structures. Attacks of wind and rain were unleashed in unison. Any other cultivator would have perished under such assaults, but their opponent was a Xie General. Xie Yuan had been hiding his true strength all along. After assessing Sen Sha's capabilities, he smirked and said, "It seems these are all your tricks."
"Ha!"
With a furious roar, his aura erupted, blowing away all incoming attacks. His imposing presence revealed his true power.
He hadn't fought seriously before; he was merely playing. After assessing the opponent's capabilities, he aimed to finish the fight quickly. Sen Sha knew the Xie General's intentions. He hadn't revealed his full power either. In the general's eyes, his abilities had merely been figured out.
His abilities were simply sand control and sandification. Beyond these two, he had no other means. If he were still holding back, he was gravely underestimating them. He had a mission to complete and didn't want to waste time here.
His appearance signified that the Xie Ling race would be annihilated. He needed to descend to that world and conquer it, turning all its inhabitants into Xie Ling puppets and plunging it into endless darkness.
This was the command from "that adult." Anyone who dared to obstruct him was to be utterly eliminated.
Chen Tian was absorbing reincarnation memories. Apart from his fifth life, all other reincarnation memories were being assimilated. The absorption rate, initially slow, gradually increased as he adapted. The little girl opened her eyes and murmured, "That aura... never mind. I didn't expect help from that side as well."
"Chen Tian, Chen Tian, my bet is on you. You cannot disappoint me. The safety of our several universes rests with you."
The little girl looked worried. If this gamble paid off, Chen Tian would have a place not only in this universe but even beyond. If he failed, he would perish, and the universe would perish with him.
The shadow of the Sand King enveloped his body, and his consciousness was gradually replaced.
"I'll leave it to you, senior."
"It's alright. You've held on this long, which is commendable. I can only act three times. This is the first time. He is indeed powerful."
His consciousness communicated with the Sand King's fragmented will. The body was now controlled by the Sand King himself. This sudden shift made Xie General cautious; the person before him was not the same as before.
The battle, which had been difficult to determine a victor, became even more arduous. How could this mission be so challenging? He regretted vying for this credit and coming here. Alas, causing trouble and sin. Who knew what would happen?
He felt a sense of crisis, though not overwhelming. The mere thought confirmed that this battle would be extraordinary.