Chapter 44: The Surprise of the Two Earth Soul Immortals

The attacks of the Earth Soul Immortal were beyond the resistance of Zhu Han and the other eleven higher-ranked Human Soul Immortals.
This was because the Earth Soul Immortal had grasped the essence of speed within the power of the Origin.
Although Human Soul Immortals could use the power of the Origin flexibly, their speed in wielding it was still too slow. The Earth Soul Immortal’s mastery of speed in using this power represented a qualitative leap.
To put it simply, if a Human Soul Immortal’s spell-casting speed was 1, then the Earth Soul Immortal’s was at least 10.
This was why Zhu Han and the other eleven higher-ranked Human Soul Immortals failed to even lock onto Yuwen Tianlan with their spiritual senses, only to find him already dead.
Zhu Li had just come out of the training room when he sensed Yuwen Tianlan heading to the Zhu Xing Hall and that Yuwen Tianlan had already launched an attack. He rushed over immediately but was too late to stop him.
“Who are you? Why do you attack our Zhu family?” Zhu Li suppressed his anger and glared coldly at Yuwen Tianlan.
At this moment, Zhu Li also realized that the old man before him could not possibly be Yuwen Tianlan’s true form. He watched Yuwen Tianlan carefully as he spoke.
Yuwen Tianlan smiled faintly, raised the red sword in his right hand, and said directly, “You don’t need to ask why. You just need to defeat the Chengfeng Sword in my hands.”
Without giving Zhu Li a chance to reply, Yuwen Tianlan leaped into the air, transformed into a shadow, and suddenly attacked Zhu Li.
“Hmph, you’re an Earth Soul Immortal, and so am I. How can you be so sure you can defeat me?” Zhu Li also turned into a shadow, dodging Yuwen Tianlan’s attack, and spoke angrily.
Yuwen Tianlan practiced the Wood element cultivation method, while Zhu Li practiced the Water element method. Their speeds earlier were actually quite comparable.
By now, Zhu Li had drawn a crystal-blue long sword—their life-bound immortal weapon, the Wuxi Sword.
“The Wood element cultivation method you practice allows for speed akin to stretching. Your cultivation level is indeed advanced, but you still can’t defeat me,” Zhu Li said, pointing the Wuxi Sword at Yuwen Tianlan.
Yuwen Tianlan narrowed his eyes coldly and smiled, “The Water element cultivation method you use enables speed akin to cooling. It’s not bad either. But your speed is still slightly slower than mine.”
Earlier, Yuwen Tianlan had held back.
With that, Yuwen Tianlan once again grasped the Chengfeng Sword, his body turning into a whirlwind. A storm swept through the entire Zhu Xing Hall as he charged straight at Zhu Li.
His speed was indeed half as fast as before.

This storm not only prevented Zhu Li from seeing Yuwen Tianlan’s body clearly but also made it impossible for his immortal sense to accurately pinpoint Yuwen Tianlan, leaving only a vague impression.

Surprised, Zhu Li immediately retreated, moving at half the speed he had before, always keeping his distance from the edge of the storm.

“Hmph, you can’t catch me,” Zhu Li said coldly as he backed away.

As he flew away, his back continuously struck against Zhu Family’s headquarters, destroying hundreds of magnificent pavilions in an instant. Meanwhile, the storm brought by Yuwen Tianlan acted like a natural disaster, flattening and destroying all of Zhu Family’s buildings within a hundred meters.

The pursuit by these two Earth Soul Immortals instantly ruined most of Zhu Family’s headquarters.

Seeing the ruins of his family’s headquarters, Zhu Li’s expression darkened immediately. His clan leader and ten elders had already been killed by Yuwen Tianlan, and now even their headquarters was destroyed—this was unbearable.

“Hmph, then let’s fight!” Zhu Li roared.

Suddenly, he swung the Wu Xi Sword in the air, creating a water sword in the form of a waterfall that slashed at the approaching storm.

The storm collided with the water sword, causing the water to disperse and the wind to fade, revealing Yuwen Tianlan and Zhu Li once again.

“Zhu Li, you’ve finally decided to face me head-on. You’re still just a three-star Earth Soul Immortal—how could you possibly be my opponent? Today, you must die,” Yuwen Tianlan said coldly, holding his Cheng Feng Sword.

Yuwen Tianlan was now a five-star Earth Soul Immortal. If not for the recent upheaval in his family, he would have continued to master the ultimate secret of speed, allowing him to advance to a six-star Earth Soul Immortal.

That’s why Yuwen Tianlan was so confident in coming to Zhu Yan Star to kill Zhu Li outright and completely destroy Zhu Family, which would in turn dismantle the Xi Yang Alliance.

Upon hearing Yuwen Tianlan’s words, Zhu Li’s heart raced. He realized that Yuwen Tianlan’s cultivation level was higher than his own. A higher cultivation level meant far more immortal essence in his body.

Fueled by rage, Zhu Li considered fleeing again. He had received word that Qiu Mo, a disciple from the inner circle of the You Han Sect, was on his way to Zhu Yan Star. If he could escape and enlist Qiu Mo’s help, he could uncover Yuwen Tianlan’s true identity and eliminate him completely.

“Speed of the Cold!” Zhu Li suddenly shouted.

As soon as the words faded, Zhu Li’s body erupted with immense power, five times faster than when he had retreated earlier. Instead of flying toward Yuwen Tianlan, he was now trying to escape from his pursuit.
The speed of Water Movement Cold was precisely a type of explosive speed.
Yuwen Tianlan seemed to have been prepared. Seeing Zhu Li fly away, he shouted loudly, “You have explosive speed—I have too! The speed of Life!”
The speed of Life was another type of explosive speed associated with Wood Movement.
Yuwen Tianlan’s speed was like an arrow in the wind; only a faint afterimage remained as he shot straight toward Zhu Li.
Boom, boom, boom.
During their chase, the extreme speeds of these two Earth Soul Immortals created loud sonic booms in the air, completely drowning out the sound of the heavenly calamity and causing terror among countless cultivators on the True Flame Continent.
It wasn’t until the two Earth Soul Immortals disappeared that the cultivators with lower cultivation levels, such as those at the Human Immortal level, frantically flew into the air, trembling, unsure whether to speak.
The strength of the Earth Soul Immortals was even more terrifying than that of the heavenly calamity.
Zhu Li fled, while Yuwen Tianlan pursued. They had already left the True Flame Continent and were now above the ocean.
Suddenly, Zhu Li dived into the ocean and reached the seabed.
“Hmph, Zhu Li. I never expected you to possess so many Origin Stones. But thinking you can use the ocean’s advantages to escape is pure delusion,” Yuwen Tianlan said without hesitation before also descending to the seabed.
Zhu Li’s Water Movement cultivation techniques were advantageous in this oceanic environment.
The two Earth Soul Immortals continued to chase each other deep in the ocean, tens of thousands of meters below the surface.
Two undercurrents formed on the seabed—one from Zhu Li and the other from Yuwen Tianlan—both their speeds altering the direction of the ocean currents.
Once again, it was thousands of miles apart.
Seeing Zhu Li take out more Origin Stones from his space ring and absorb hundreds of them at once, supported by his Immortal Essence, Yuwen Tianlan sneered, “Hmph, Zhu Li. You have Origin Stones—I have too.”
Before arriving at Zhu Yan Star, Yuwen Tianlan had already gathered a large number of Origin Stones. Now, he had a thousand Wood Movement Origin Stones in his hands, which he absorbed all at once, restoring his Immortal Essence.
“My Immortal Essence has recovered somewhat. This time, Zhu Li, you won’t be able to escape! Double the speed of Life!” Yuwen Tianlan shouted fiercely.

The speed of life was already explosive, and Yuwen Tianlan became even more ferocious—he directly activated half of his immortal essence, doubling the speed of life once more. Naturally, the speed increased even further. At this moment, the water flow brought by Yuwen Tianlan suddenly stopped, as he himself dived into the water flow created by Zhu Li. The Wind-Defying Sword was already at Zhu Li’s back. Realizing he could no longer escape, Zhu Li immediately surged his body, and a blue light shield appeared—a defensive shield powered by the essence of water. This shield was filled with the energy of water, brimming with cold principles; the forces of cold and chill instantly intertwined, forming a highly dense defensive barrier. The Wind-Defying Sword struck the shield. Ding! It was just a clear sound, but the shield cracked, and the sword was sent flying away from it. That sound actually created a very long fissure in the ocean, which took some time to be sealed by the seawater. Seeing that his sword had not broken the shield, Yuwen Tianlan sneered again, “Zhu Li, you may be able to rule on this Zhu Yan Star, but your cultivation is still insufficient. As a three-star Earth Soul Immortal, facing me, a five-star Earth Soul Immortal, you are doomed.” Zhu Li dismissed the shield and flew straight toward the sea surface. How could Yuwen Tianlan let Zhu Li escape so easily? He used the “Speed of Life” again, turning himself into a streak of water and reappearing behind Zhu Li, swiftly delivering another strike with the Wind-Defying Sword. Sensing the danger, Zhu Li had no choice but to use the “Essence of Cold Shield” once more to resist, creating another blue shield. This time, Yuwen Tianlan already knew the strength of Zhu Li’s immortal essence, so he spared no effort—channeling all his Wood Element immortal essence into the Wind-Defying Sword and thrusting it viciously forward. When the sword struck the blue shield, it shattered instantly, and the sword pierced straight into Zhu Li’s chest. “Ah!” Zhu Li cried out in pain. The sword entered his body, and the Wood Element essence within it immediately attacked his vital essence, starting to destroy his fundamental body. Zhu Li had already used most of his immortal essence to resist Yuwen Tianlan’s attacks, so he had to gather all his Water Element immortal essence to struggle against the Wood Element essence inside him. Just as Zhu Li thought Yuwen Tianlan would take this opportunity to attack again and kill him outright, he sensed no further attack from him. At this moment, Yuwen Tianlan’s expression was filled with triumph.

In Yuwen Tianlan’s eyes, a person suddenly appeared beside him. Somehow, this person managed to emerge and immediately injected a venom gland into his body. Jin Zun came out of the Dimensional Ball, wielding the Shangjin Sword to cut a wound in Yuwen Tianlan’s body, then promptly injected the Jade Snake King’s venom gland into his body.