"Hmm?"
The brows of the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal twitched visibly.
He never expected.
That a mere cultivator in the Tribulation Stage could comprehend such a powerful move, one that actually posed a threat to him, making him instinctively feel danger.
But now, he was like an arrow already nocked and drawn; he had to fire.
"Die!"
The next moment, he snorted coldly and charged directly at Bai Zihe.
"Come on!"
Bai Zihe met him head-on, clashing palms with him for the third time.
"Rumble—"
In the next instant, an astonishing roar reverberated through the valley and wilderness, lingering for a long time, even reaching the clouds above the sky.
At the same time.
The fusion of water and fire unleashed its full power at this very moment.
Sparks flew, each one a Xuan Tian flame, like mountains and clusters, carrying astonishing heat. The vegetation on the valley slopes was all scorched yellow and immediately engulfed in a raging inferno.
Ice shards scattered, each one a ten-thousand-year Xuan Ice, like knives and swords, carrying boundless cold, covering the heavens and earth. In a blink, everything was frozen, unable to be melted even by the flames.
Ice within fire.
Fire burning on ice.
It was a rare sight, a wonder that defied natural laws.
And beneath this spectacle erupted an unprecedented, world-shattering might.
"Pfft..."
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal was at the forefront. An expression of disbelief flashed in his eyes before he spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward uncontrollably, far away.
Drops of crimson blood fell, a shocking sight.
It was evident that Bai Zihe's single move had inflicted immense damage on the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal.
"Hoo..."
Bai Zihe himself was not unscathed.
To amplify his power, he had used almost all of his true essence in this move, leaving not a single drop behind. Yet, the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal was merely injured...
He had to seize the time to recover, to prepare for the battle to come.
He had a feeling.
This battle was not the end, but merely the beginning!
"Whoosh—"
After a series of forceful retreats, the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal finally came to a halt atop the mountain peak.
However.
At this moment, he was no longer the peerless figure he once was, but a picture of utter dishevelment and extreme misery.
His hair was in a tangled mess, with many strands already scorched.
His face was a patchwork of black from burns and blue from frost, completely disfigured by the "icy fire double heavens."
His clothing was similarly in tatters.
Some parts were frozen into ice crystals.
Others were scorched black.
He himself occasionally emitted wisps of black smoke, appearing pathetic yet with a hint of comicality that would make one burst into laughter.
"Good, good, good!"
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal looked down at Bai Zihe, his eyes like cold stars on a winter night, sending shivers down one's spine and striking one with awe.
Bai Zihe's "Water-Fire Celestial Wheel" had not only failed to completely crush the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal but had instead ignited his fury, turning his disposition as dark as water.
"To think that a mere Tribulation Stage cultivator could actually wound me..."
"Very good."
Despite speaking words of praise, Bai Zihe clearly heard the suppressed rage and venom in the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal's voice.
However, he was fearless.
A cultivator should possess a heart that faces death without fear, utterly undaunted by anything.
"I did not wish to use this move against you."
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal looked at Bai Zihe with a spectral gaze, his expression turning grim. "But since you are so unappreciative, you cannot blame me!"
"Swish..."
As his words fell, the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal leaped up once more, charging directly at Bai Zihe.
"Come, let's fight to our heart's content!"
Bai Zihe also sprang up from the mountainside, without the slightest hesitation or fear.
"Heh..."
Seeing Bai Zihe's movement, a cold smirk flickered across the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal's face.
A moment later.
The two met again in mid-air.
"Swish!"
"Crack crack crack..."
This time, Bai Zihe still moved his hands, but it was no longer the Water-Fire Celestial Wheel.
He knew very well.
That move could at most injure the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal.
But to defeat him, to render him incapable of further battle, was unlikely to be achieved.
He needed a more powerful move.
Of course.
At this present day, Bai Zihe's "Heaven-Opening and Earth-Splitting" had reached a new level of strength. Bai Zihe believed that it could easily annihilate even a true immortal.
However, using Heaven-Opening and Earth-Splitting against an Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal felt like using a cannon to kill a mosquito—why use a bull's cleaver to slaughter a chicken?
Moreover, relying on this move long-term would only lead to his own stagnation.
This was not what Bai Zihe desired.
The next moment.
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal had already arrived before Bai Zihe.
"Boom—"
Bai Zihe didn't hesitate and pushed out his palms.
His left hand still glowed with flames, but it was now interspersed with golden energy.
His right hand still shimmered with azure blue, but it was also imbued with earthy yellow power.
This was Bai Zihe fusing the ultimate fire power with the鎏金 (liú jīn - gilded) power, and then fusing the ultimate water power with the后土 (hòu tǔ - Earth Goddess) power.
Ultimately completing the fusion of four powers.
It was a notch stronger than the previous Water-Fire Celestial Wheel, and it represented the pinnacle of Bai Zihe's current understanding and attainment of power!
"Rumble—"
Seeing the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal closing in, Bai Zihe, without hesitation, brought his hands together again, performing a series of complex gestures to finalize the fusion.
And then...
He unleashed it recklessly towards the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal.
"Heh..."
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal saw Bai Zihe employing a similar tactic and a sinister curve formed on his lips. "I will not fall in the same place twice!"
As his voice faded.
Bai Zihe's hands inexplicably missed their target!
"Rumble—"
And the immensely powerful move swept away into the distance, failing to land its blow.
This sent a shock of alarm through Bai Zihe.
The Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal had clearly been right in front of him, so why had he disappeared now?
"Hum..."
His powerful divine sense immediately swept out.
Soon, Bai Zihe was stunned by the miraculous scene before his eyes.
His divine sense.
Could only probe within a radius of a hundred feet before encountering a boundary that blocked him, preventing him from extending further.
"Rumble—"
At the same time, the move Bai Zihe had just unleashed struck this boundary membrane, creating a fierce collision.
However, it was merely a collision!
The seemingly impossible power of water, fire, gilded energy, and Earth power, fused together in this move, dissolved instantly, causing no damage whatsoever.
The membrane was incredibly sturdy, not even a ripple appearing.
This caused Bai Zihe's expression to change drastically.
What kind of bizarre technique was this!
"Come."
Just as Bai Zihe was filled with doubt and trepidation, the voice of the Eight-Revolving Loose Immortal echoed from all directions, laced with contempt and arrogance. "Ignorant child, taste the might of my Boundless Domain."
"Today..."
"If you can break through this Boundless Domain, then I shall admit defeat!"