Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit

"Damn it!"

Chen Jichuan felt something was amiss. Without hesitation, he unleashed the power of the 'Heaven Mending Seal.'

This was a magic skill he had acquired in the Central Continent World. Marvelously profound, it could be divided into the Yin Seal and Yang Seal—one for life, the other for death.

The Yang Seal was for saving lives; the more people it saved, the more sickness and death it accumulated, making the Yin Seal stronger.

The Yin Seal was for killing; the more lives it took, the more vitality and life force it absorbed, making the Yang Seal stronger.

This magic skill straddled the line between life-saving and killing techniques, and Chen Jichuan had never neglected its cultivation. Long before entering this world, he had already reached the Fifth Realm, wielding considerable power. Over 20,000 years in this realm, through ceaseless cultivation, he had ascended to the Upper Immortal Realm, advancing further to achieve the Sixth Realm. Even though he had spent most of his time in seclusion, he had once used this technique to vanquish many foes and save countless allies and disciples, gathering an immense reserve of life and death energy.

Now, in this moment of crisis, the time had come to employ it.

At once.

Steeling himself, Chen Jichuan unleashed the vast reservoir of sickness and death energy he had amassed over 20,000 years. It exploded outward, surging toward his head, limbs, and torso. This force slightly hindered the advance of the six dragon serpents, freeing his essence, qi, and spirit.

No time to waste!

"Go!"

Though struck by the relentless assault of death energy, turning his face deathly pale, Chen Jichuan did not pause. As his Three Treasures steadied and his mana resumed circulation, he distorted his figure, transforming into twenty-four streaks of lightning. Each streak contained a figure—each one Chen Jichuan—indistinguishable from the real or the fake. Another flicker later, each lightning streak subdivided once more into twenty-four, all again indistinguishable.

Seven consecutive flashes created an overwhelming forty-five billion, eight hundred sixty-four million, seven hundred and fourteen thousand, four hundred and twenty-four indistinguishable lightning clones.

Lightning filled the heavens and earth; within every bolt of lightning was a figure of Chen Jichuan.

It was the 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape,' cultivated to the Seventh Realm!

Chen Jichuan's 20,000 years of seclusion had not been wasted; his cultivation base and magical techniques had advanced significantly. Foremost among these were the 'Daluo Heavenly Sleeve' and the 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape,' both having reached the pinnacle of super-level techniques.

The 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape,' at the Seventh Realm, allowed sevenfold transformations. It evolved from the 'All Heavens Walking' skill he had obtained from the Fuling Demon King, transcending the original twenty-four real-and-fake figures to a staggering count of over forty-five billion. The sheer volume was overwhelming and suffused the cosmos, sending shivers down the spine of any onlooker.

As this great method unfolded, even the immortal treasure hovering above was rendered helpless, unable to pinpoint Chen Jichuan's true body in the chaos.

"Impressive skill!"

Ripples disturbed the void, followed by a voice of admiration. Then, like nightfall, darkness descended—a black tide surging forth, engulfing everything in boundless shadows, threatening to entangle every lightning figure, real or fake.

"This…"

"Wanying Venerable?!"

At the sight of this display, Chen Jichuan's heart leaped as the image of a certain figure surfaced in his mind. Though alarmed, he did not panic. Before the shadowy tide ensnared him, he made a decisive mental command—

"Explode!"

"Explode!"

"Explode!"

Within the billions of bolts of lightning, there came an earth-shattering chorus of explosions. Behind each real-and-fake figure, the Wind Thunder Wings erupted simultaneously. Thunder roared, lightning crackled, and the immense void transformed into a domain of thunder and lightning in an instant!

BOOM!!!

ZZZZT!!!

Thunder echoed, lightning sizzled. In that fleeting moment, the radiance from countless bursts shattered the shadows and tore through the darkness. Lightning bolts shot in all directions, billions upon billions, scattering across the heavens and earth at speeds several times faster than the conventional 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape.'

All Heavens Walking!

Wind Thunder Explosion!

The two deepest transformations were simultaneously deployed, leaving no room for retreat and inflicting devastating self-harm on Chen Jichuan. Yet, the pinnacle-grade magical techniques proved extraordinary; with no reservations in his full-force eruption, no one could discern his true form, and no one could catch him.

CLANG!

A single sword light flashed, diverging into countless fragments amidst the void, shattering like a shower of peonies before fading away alongside the lightning streaks, vanishing without a trace.

...

"What a divine escape skill!"

"What superb swordsmanship!"

As the lightning dissipated and the sword light disappeared, shadows gathered within the void. A figure emerged from the darkness, withdrawing a circular immortal treasure while gazing towards a distant patch of space.

Before long, a woman clad in white stepped forth with resolute strides. In her hand was an immortal sword, her gaze sharp as she stared intently at the shadowy figure, her voice cold and powerful, "So it's you, Wanying Venerable of the Golden Light Immortal Court."

In the Nine Heavens above resided Immortal Venerables. Each opened their own Immortal Court, gathering enlightened immortals from heaven and earth. Among these were many Fourth Realm Upper Immortals and Heavenly Venerables. Wanying Venerable was one of the founding figures of the Golden Light Immortal Court, esteemed throughout the Nine Heavens. Born of the Shadow Clan, he could split into billions of avatars and move as swift as shadows. Moments earlier, he had nearly cornered Chen Jichuan at his full potential.

The Wanying Venerable tucked away his immortal treasure and looked at the female swordsman before him, laughing heartily. "Indeed, it is I, Wanying. I hadn't expected to encounter a fellow Daoist here. A hundred years ago, you faced off against Taiyin, Maha, and the three great immortal courts of Golden Light, battling four Heavenly Venerables all at once. Your swordsmanship is truly unrivaled. Today, crossing paths with you, your brilliance remains as striking as ever."

Wanying Venerable alluded to a grand battle atop the Nine Heavens from over a century ago, an event that had shaken the lower realms even as they understood little of its complexities. As a Fourth Realm Upper Immortal of the Golden Light Immortal Court, Wanying Venerable—unlike ordinary immortals—understood the true scope of that battle.

Indeed, his current presence in this expanse of the void was not originally to ensnare Chen Jichuan but rather for this newly risen female Heavenly Venerable swordsman.

The female swordsman stood unyielding, sword in hand, her words unspoken as her sword's intent gathered.

"Please forgive me, Daoist," Wanying Venerable said, unperturbed. Smiling, he clasped his hands with a bow. "This poor Daoist was merely delivering greetings from the Immortal Sect at the behest of our venerated Immortal, seeking an exchange of pointers. Should I offend, I beg for your tolerance."

As he spoke, observing the sharpness of her sword only growing, he asked further, "Might I have your name, Daoist?"

CLANG!

The female swordsman's blade sang as it emerged. In its resonant hum, a crisp voice echoed—

"My name is Wang Yan."

An instant later, her sword light surged forth like a cascade, enveloping the void.

...

"How vicious, this swordsman!"

Somewhere amid the void, Chen Jichuan manifested, cursing aloud as blood sprayed from his lips.

This encounter marked a series of severe misfortunes.

"Wanying Venerable."

"An ancient pillar of the Golden Light Immortal Court, who attained the Dao over 170,000 years ago, earning a name among the Immortal Sect with the power of immortality, far surpassing the common Heavenly Venerable."

Having obtained the 'Nine Treasures Glazed Tower,' Chen Jichuan had pieced together a fraction of the hidden truths of the Chongming Realm and Nine Heavens.

Like Wanying Venerable.

Ordinary Upper Immortals might never even hear of his title; only Heavenly Venerables knew of this figure—someone whose deathless nature defied reason. By anchoring a fragment of his True Spirit in the Immortal Sect, he prolonged his existence to terrorize eternity.

"Immortal Venerables and Resurrection Venerables alike anchor themselves within their sects, achieving unparalleled abilities. Though their cultivation cannot advance, their techniques reach perfection, and their immortal treasures are refined to terrifying degrees with time."

Wanying Venerable's history was no exception. After perfecting his techniques over 96,000 years in life and spending the next 100,000 years entrenched among immortal powers, the result was a being unparalleled in both magical ability and treasures.

"Compared to ordinary immortals with lifespans of 48,000 years, or even Fourth Realm Heavenly Venerables who live up to 96,000 years with the aid of immortal energy, beings like Wanying Venerable are leagues beyond."

The gap was insurmountable.

"This individual, born of the Shadow Clan, has cultivated the 'Shadow Clone Technique' to perfection, rivaling my 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape.'

"And then there's his immortal treasure—"

[Magical Treasure: Three Treasures Flying Snake Ring]

[Level: Fourth Order]

[Description: Refined by Wanying Venerable over 140,000 painstaking years, incorporating immortal energy both within and beyond the Nine-layered Heaven Immortal Gate, resulting in a true 'Immortal Treasure.' A crescent-shaped jade ring adorned with six intricately carved serpents, its colorful brilliance shines with a refinement capable of restraining foes, particularly their Three Treasures.]

Recalling his fleeting glimpse at the treasure's details through his Insight ability, Chen Jichuan grew even more wary. This immortal treasure even surpassed the 'Nine Treasures Glazed Tower.'

Though Tuota Venerable—the tower's creator—was remarkable in his own right, having honed the ways of the Yangshi Venerate, he had neither anchored himself in the Immortal Sect nor had centuries enough to compete with the Resurrection Venerables.

"In comparison, Wanying Venerable appears to be relatively young among the Immortal Sect's stalwarts. Of the Eight Immortal Courts atop the Nine Heavens, each is presided over by an Immortal Venerable who has elevated Fourth-Order cultivation to its zenith. Among the Heavenly Venerables, these figures are unmatched, having anchored themselves in the Immortal Sect for countless millennia and commanding an endless array of trump cards."

Chen Jichuan sighed profoundly.

This battle had underscored the vast chasm between him and the Fourth Realm Heavenly Venerables.

While he could overpower Upper Immortals at the Second and Third Realms, and even fend off opponents wielding up to Seven or Eight Layers of Immortal Light, he paled in comparison to the might of Heavenly Venerables, especially the Resurrection variant.

"I once prided myself on my cultivation techniques, magical skills, and foundation."

"Yet now, against a Resurrection Venerable, although my cultivation techniques still offer me an edge, my magical arts are no longer superior in either grade or mastery."

"Add to that the absolute disparity in cultivation base, and the result is inevitable defeat—even self-destruction is necessary to escape."

Chen Jichuan lifted his left arm, tearing open the void to return to the mortal realm.

"It seems I must advance my super-level techniques to the next stage soon—"

"A Divine Skill—"

Nursing his shattered body, Chen Jichuan reflected on the battle, summarizing lessons learned while inspecting his injuries.

The encounter had forced him to deploy both the self-destructive aspect of the 'Heaven Mending Seal' and the limits of the 'Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape.'

Death energy had ravaged his body, and the backlash from Wind Thunder compounded the damage such that his form was on the verge of breaking apart. Even safely escaping wouldn't allow him to recover without depleting the abundant life force stored in the 'Heaven Mending Seal.'

To make matters worse, he had suffered a final strike from an unknown swordsman before escaping. Though the sword light couldn't destroy the billions of clones entirely, its overlapping force had partially reached his true form.

Now Chen Jichuan's Wind Thunder Wings were blasted apart, unusable in the short term. His right arm had been obliterated by the sword qi, reduced to dust. The wounds extended to his Divine Soul, making recovery exceedingly challenging without vast quantities of Immortal Pills and painstaking recuperation.

Fortunately, the 'Nine Treasures Glazed Tower' in his possession could expedite the healing process to some degree.

"Wanying Venerable!"

"And that vicious swordsman who struck while I was down!"

Chen Jichuan engraved their names in his memory as he descended to an obscure place in the mortal realm. Concealing his form and aura, he began his recovery quietly.

His prowess in the Dao Fruit World had suffered a crushing setback, forcing a temporary retreat—that much was certain. However, there were promising developments on another front—

"The Mysterious Realm."

Shifting his focus, Chen Jichuan's mind and energy returned to Panlong Mountain.

...