Chapter 540: The Dignity of the Strong, No Way Back

Han Li looked at Zhou Chen, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes.

"But it is precisely because of this that I am certain you are the person I am looking for."

"Your talent, your strength, your Dao Heart…"

"They are the most perfect I have ever seen."

"So… I have come."

Han Li raised his right hand and extended it toward Zhou Chen.

"Fellow Daoist, do you dare to fight?"

Han Li's hand hung in the air, his palm emitting a faint wisp of Chaos Qi.

His gaze was calm, yet it carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

Zhou Chen stared at that hand and fell silent for a moment.

He knew this was a choice.

To agree meant a life-and-death battle with Han Li, an old monster who had lived for a million years.

To refuse might save his life, but his Dao Heart would be left with an indelible crack.

"Aren't you afraid I'll refuse?" Zhou Chen said indifferently.

Han Li smiled.

"You won't refuse," he said softly. "Because your Dao does not allow you to shrink back."

"The strong all have dignity."

Zhou Chen fell silent.

Han Li was right.

His Dao was the Dao of Severing the Heavens.

To intercept the Opportunity of heaven and earth, to sever the Luck of all spirits, and to seize all the creation of the heavens.

How could such a Dao allow him to retreat before a powerful enemy?

"You're right."

Zhou Chen looked up, a flash of determination in his eyes. "My Dao does not allow me to shrink back."

He raised his right hand and grasped Han Li's hand.

"I agree."

A flash of satisfaction crossed Han Li's eyes.

"Very good," he said softly. "As expected of the person I've chosen."

"Then…"

Han Li released his hand, took three steps back, and the aura on his body began to climb frantically.

"Let us begin."

Boom!

A terrifying pressure that seemed to surpass the Immortal Emperor erupted from within Han Li!

The pure white Void Realm began to tremble violently, and countless cracks appeared as if it would shatter at any moment.

Zhou Chen took a deep breath, and the Origin Scripture within him circulated frantically.

The branches and leaves of the World Tree swayed wildly, its roots plunging into the endless Chaos, absorbing massive amounts of Chaos Qi.

The chaos bell flew out of his body, hovering above his head, shedding billions of strands of Profound Yellow Qi.

The chaos lotus platform emerged beneath his feet, its nine lotus leaves rotating slowly, emitting the Light of Creation.

"Come," Zhou Chen said indifferently.

Han Li smiled.

"Very good," he said softly. "Then I shall not be polite."

As the words fell, Han Li's figure vanished instantly.

The next moment, he appeared in front of Zhou Chen, striking a palm toward Zhou Chen's chest.

This palm strike seemed unremarkable, yet it contained terrifying power.

Wherever the palm wind passed, the Void Realm was annihilated inch by inch, and even time seemed to stand still.

Zhou Chen's pupils constricted, and the chaos lotus platform beneath his feet spun violently. Its nine lotus leaves lit up simultaneously, releasing a terrifying defensive power.

Boom!

Han Li's palm struck the lotus platform's light barrier, letting out an earth-shattering roar.

The light barrier trembled violently, nearly shattering.

Zhou Chen used the force of the impact to retreat a hundred feet, his right hand forming a sword gesture as he slashed out.

"Heaven-Severing Slash!"

The sword light tore through the Void Realm, aiming directly for the center of Han Li's forehead.

A flash of admiration crossed Han Li's eyes. He raised his right hand and lightly pinched with two fingers.

Ding!

The sword light was caught between his fingertips, unable to advance even a fraction further.

"Not bad Sword Intent," Han Li smiled and nodded. "Unfortunately, it's still a bit lacking."

He applied a slight force with his fingers.

Crack!

The sword light shattered inch by inch, turning into a sky full of light specks that dissipated into the Void Realm.

Zhou Chen's gaze narrowed, and his figure retreated violently once more.

He knew that Han Li's strength was far above his own.

Going head-to-head would only lead to a faster death.

With a thought, the Small World within Zhou Chen's body trembled violently.

The branches and leaves of the World Tree grew frantically, piercing through the barriers of the Small World and extending into the outside world.

Countless branches danced like spirit snakes, coiling toward Han Li from all directions.

Han Li raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting," he said softly. "To be able to project the power of one's Natal Small World into the outside world."

"This method has already touched the threshold of the Dao Ancestor Realm."

He raised his right hand and waved it lightly toward the branches.

An invisible ripple spread out.

The moment all the branches touched the ripple, they froze in mid-air, unable to advance another inch.

"Unfortunately, it is still too weak."

Han Li shook his head.

He clenched his palm.

All the branches exploded, turning into a sky full of wood chips that dissipated into the Void Realm.

Zhou Chen's heart sank.

The branches of the World Tree were actually destroyed so easily?

Just how strong was this Han Li?

"Don't get distracted," Han Li's voice sounded in his ear.

Zhou Chen's heart jumped, and he turned around abruptly.

Han Li had already appeared behind him, striking a palm toward his back.

Zhou Chen didn't have time to think; the chaos bell above his head vibrated violently.

Dong!

The bell's toll resonated, turning into a physical sonic wave that blasted toward Han Li.

Han Li frowned, his figure pausing slightly.

In that instant of pause, Zhou Chen seized the Opportunity.

The lotus platform beneath his feet spun violently, and his figure turned into a streak of light, instantly putting distance between himself and Han Li.

"Chaos Domain, open!"

Zhou Chen let out a low shout, and the power of the Small World within him surged out frantically.

With him as the center, an invisible Domain instantly expanded, enveloping the Void Realm for ten thousand miles around.

Within the Domain, countless Purple Qi of Creation flickered in and out of existence, and the Dao charms of the Eight Initial Inscriptions intertwined into a web, forming an independent Small World.

In this Small World, Zhou Chen was the Dominator.

Han Li stood within the Domain, feeling the terrifying suppression around him, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"Chaos Domain?"

He said softly, "You can actually project the power of the Small World perfectly into the outside world to form a Domain?"

"This talent…"

Han Li shook his head, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes.

"It's even stronger than I imagined."

"Unfortunately…"

He raised his right hand and pressed it lightly against the void.

"Before absolute strength, all techniques are mere illusions."

Boom!

A terrifying pressure erupted from within Han Li!

This pressure surpassed the Immortal Emperor, surpassed the Laws of this world, and even surpassed Zhou Chen's Chaos Domain!

The Domain began to tremble violently, and countless cracks appeared.

Crack!

The Domain shattered.

Zhou Chen spat out a mouthful of blood, his figure retreating a thousand feet.

He looked up, staring fixedly at Han Li, a flash of unwillingness in his eyes.

The gap was too large.

So large it was despair-inducing.

"You are very good," Han Li said indifferently. "To be able to hold out under my hands for this long has already exceeded my expectations."

"However, the game should end now."

He raised his right hand, and a ball of Chaos Qi emerged in his palm.

Within the Chaos Qi, an ancient rune appeared.

That rune emitted a terrifying pressure, as if it contained the most fundamental power between heaven and earth.

"This is my Dao," Han Li said softly. "The Dao of Time."

"Before my Dao, everything shall return to nothingness."

He flipped his palm, and the rune flew out, turning into a streak of light that shot toward Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen's pupils contracted sharply.