Library of Heaven's Path 2: Eternal Fate of the Heavens

"Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

Seeing Blue Cloud Venerable leave, Ren Qiuyao could no longer restrain herself. A zither appeared in her hands, and with a gentle pluck, its sound spread like waves of the sea, surrounding the figure ahead.

The Ultimate Skill of the Music Heavenly Destiny: "Three Days of Resonance"!

As long as her zither sound touches the target, no matter where they go for the next three days, they can be tracked effortlessly.

"Follow closely, whether or not we find the inheritor of the Heavenly Destiny of Ceremony depends on this chance..."

Suspended in mid-air, Ren Qiuyao shouted.

"Yes!"

Shao Ming and the others dared not waste a moment. Various methods were unleashed, and rippling glows appeared in the courtyard. In just a few moments, they had all disappeared.

...

On the sea.

Feeling the connection established with Blue Cloud Venerable, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Crown Prince's strength was far too formidable, and with Elder Jiang Li by his side, even after merging with the Essence Pill of the Frost Demon Lord and utilizing the Eternal Heart, it was still hard to hold them off. His only option was to seek reinforcements!

And Blue Cloud Venerable, his so-called "master," was undoubtedly the best choice.

Though his strength might not directly rival Prince Yuanqing's, being backed by the Buddhist Sect with an endless arsenal of treasures, he could at least stall the opponent long enough for Zhang Xuan to escape.

Within his chest, the Eight Orifice Heart roared like an eight-cylinder engine, its rhythm relentless. The immense magical power contained within the Essence Pill, compressed to its limits, churned like torrential rivers. This power, synchronized with exquisite swordsmanship, tore the surrounding space into countless fragments.

"Daring to strike at me? Such audacity!"

Accompanied by Prince Yuanqing's roar, Zhang Xuan instantly felt his surging power come to a halt, as if frozen in ice, its movements sharply hindered.

The Power Destiny could command the world itself. Even with his power elevated to rival the Peak of Life Sea Realm after absorbing the Essence Pill, Zhang Xuan nearly succumbed under the weight of a single command!

No wonder the Tianli Empire was so formidable—one shout could extinguish a person's will to resist. The allure of such power was truly unparalleled.

Thud, thud, thud!

Just as fear began to take root deep within Zhang Xuan's heart, the persistent pulse of his heart resounded. The medicinal potency of the Peerless Elixir subtly trembled, dissolving the oppressive influence of the Power Destiny and restoring him to his former self.

"Kings may rise and fall, but next year, it'll be my turn. Who gave you the gall to strike at me?"

With a bold laugh, Zhang Xuan flicked his wrist, sending sword qi cascading like rain.

The two traded blows, each retreating simultaneously. At that moment, Elder Jiang Li's figure flickered. A cauldron hurtled towards Zhang Xuan's back.

Bang!

Unable to evade in time, he was struck harshly. His physical body shattered instantly, reduced to a mass of blood and flesh, leaving only a fist-sized heart behind.

Thump!

The heart pulsed once, and the air became filled with intricate networks of blood vessels and meridians. The surging power it released rapidly expanded outward, soon reconstructing his skeletal frame and flesh.

As long as the Eternal Heart existed, he was an indestructible being—not even obliteration into dust could end him.

"Hmph!"

Turning his eyes toward Elder Jiang Li, Zhang Xuan's gaze narrowed.

He hadn't anticipated this old fool to strike so quickly, exploiting a moment of exhaustion during his battle with Prince Yuanqing. That one strike had nearly cost him his life.

If he hadn't completely fused with the Eternal Heart, his soul might have already been scattered.

"Jiang Li, who gave you the courage?!"

Zhang Xuan raised his brows, his voice thundering with a declaration mirroring the one Prince Yuanqing had uttered moments earlier.

In an instant, endless Power of Heavenly Mandate swirled along threads of emotions, forming a massive river in front of him. It surged toward Jiang Li with overwhelming might.

"I..."

For a fleeting moment, Jiang Li seemed to see the visage of Emperor Fusheng. A profound dread surged from the depths of his soul, crawling along his spine and making his body tremble uncontrollably.

Not only did he sense power emanating from Zhang Xuan, but he also perceived awe-inspiring authority!

To combine both power and majesty in a single being—even Emperor Fusheng had never achieved such a feat.

Schlick!

A streak of sword qi descended.

"So, this is the one who stole my destiny. Sever it!"

Just as the sword qi was about to strike, Prince Yuanqing's voice rang out.

Zhang Xuan's full-force draw upon the threads of power did not go unnoticed. With a single thought, Yuanqing severed the connective "Love Thread" at its very core.

It wasn't that the Love Destiny was weaker than its counterpart. It was simply that Zhang Xuan had only reached the fourth level—such a disparity in realms was not something that could be bridged in a short time.

Splurt!

Zhang Xuan spat out a mouthful of blood. Without the aid of the destiny threads, Jiang Li regained his composure. With a quick maneuver, he dodged the direct onslaught of the sword qi.

Even so, he couldn't escape entirely unscathed. The sword qi grazed him, leaving his face pale as his chest bore a bowl-sized cavity with shattered organs.

Thump, thump!

Zhang Xuan's injuries healed once more.

The Eternal Heart's power was simply overwhelming, a relentless engine that provided an infinite supply of energy. As long as he didn't concede defeat, it would endlessly fuel him.

"You've severed my destiny connection—let's see how you resist now!"

Prince Yuanqing stepped forward.

His own injuries had recovered significantly, though full restoration was still some ways off.

This was where the difference made by the Eternal Heart became evident.

As long as energy sources were sufficient, the Eternal Heart granted an endless supply of strength, freeing Zhang Xuan from any other considerations. In contrast, an ordinary cultivator had to divert efforts to heal injuries when wounded.

Such disparities might not be immediately apparent in the short term, but over time, the disadvantage became glaringly obvious.

Before Jiang Li, three cauldrons materialized, each exuding tremendous oppressive force.

Though the Primordial Dragon Tripod had shattered during a pill-forging session, as the Source World's top apothecary, Jiang Li possessed no shortage of cauldrons. Each of them was a treasure of the highest grade.

"He must die today!"

Prince Yuanqing nodded, flicking his finger. The Mountain River Order and Small Jade Seal hovered before him, exuding an aura of dominion over the nine provinces.

Though his heart had been crushed and the Eternal Heart now resided in Zhang Xuan's chest, weakening him slightly, the array of treasures still endowed him with the combat power of a Peak Life Sea 9-dan expert.

"Your Highness, take this [Azure Dragon Heaven Repairing Pill] first!" Jiang Li shouted, sending a pill his way.

Prince Yuanqing caught it and swallowed it in one motion.

Rustle, rustle!

Beneath his chest where the void had been, a heart formed from the pill's energies. While it was far inferior to his original heart and even more so to the Eternal Heart, it nonetheless closed the gap, allowing his strength to once again reach Major Accomplishment.

In that instant, all his injuries healed. With Elder Jiang Li flanking him from one side, they sealed off all of Zhang Xuan's potential escape routes.

"Hahahaha, how exhilarating!"

Despite facing pressure from two formidable foes, Zhang Xuan showed no signs of panic. Instead, he burst into laughter.

Since arriving in the Source World, he had been continually suppressed, forced into hiding. This was the first time he could fight to his heart's content!

What's more, he discovered that under the heat of battle, his Eight Orifice Heart was madly absorbing power and refining the medicinal essence of the Peerless Elixir. Surprisingly, it was beginning to show signs of evolving toward the Nine Orifice Heart.

In other words, as long as he kept fighting, he should be able to fully forge the Eternal Heart in no time.

With the Eternal Heart in hand, coupled with the Reincarnation Relic Tower, even achieving the Eternal Golden Body was within reach!

Moments ago, he had considered fleeing, but now he found himself reluctant to leave!