Chapter 1493: Chapter 1466: A Rude Awakening
"You have lost!"
Xiao Yi looked at Zhao Wudi standing before him with a blank expression.
The Qingping Sword gleamed with a cold edge, and its icy blade rested against Zhao Wudi’s neck.
The sharp Sword Qi seemed ready to slice his skin open.
At the slightest unusual movement from Zhao Wudi, this sword would swing down mercilessly, decapitating him.
No matter how robust the life force of a Saint King Realm expert.
Once the head is severed.
The body would be completely wasted, at the very least.
Zhao Wudi’s face was ashen.
He hadn’t expected to ultimately be defeated by Xiao Yi.
All along.
In his mind, his only rival was his father, Zhao Wuji.
Especially after a serendipitous event allowed him to obtain the corpses of the Supreme Yin Demon Beast and Supreme Yang Demon Beast, fully merging their power into his own body.
He was conceited.
He thought that even if the Hall of Longevity reappeared, it couldn’t possibly impede his progress.
As for Xiao Yi...
He was simply the one who defeated the hand he left outside in the Mysterious Realm, seeking revenge and considering Xiao Yi a mere stepping stone to becoming the top master in the Qingtian Realm.
But he never imagined he would lose to Xiao Yi?
"This can’t be..."
Zhao Wudi gritted his teeth and roared hysterically, "How could I lose to you? I’ve obtained the power of the Yin Yang Demonic Beast, mastered the power of Yin and Yang, and I’m at the Eighth Layer of the Holy King Realm. How could I possibly lose to you? No, I refuse to accept this..."
"The power of Yin and Yang?"
Xiao Yi looked down at him, the pity in his gaze piercing Zhao Wudi’s eyes painfully, "Do you really think the power of Yin and Yang belongs to you? A martial artist trains to steadily improve step by step, breaking through one barrier after another to master greater power. But you took shortcuts, seizing others’ strength, which did indeed give you a rapid boost for a short time, but after all, it’s not your own strength..."
Martial artist cultivation.
It inherently emphasizes steady progress.
Every realm requires a solid foundation.
A towering structure rises from a flat ground.
If the foundation is not solid enough, no matter how high the building is stacked, it cannot withstand powerful storms or earthquakes and will ultimately risk collapsing.
Even though Xiao Yi possesses the Eternal Heavenly Tomb.
Having a defying heaven divine skill like the Divine Enthronement Heaven Subduing Skill, capable of devouring the power of all things in the world, he still remains extremely cautious when absorbing this power.
If he wished...
He could completely emulate the Sun and Moon Palace’s Hall Master, devouring the creatures of entire provinces, or even a world, to enhance his cultivation.
With Xiao Yi’s power, if he devoured all the creatures in the Qingtian Realm, he could absolutely reach the Peak of the Holy King Realm, or even achieve the Saint Emperor Boundary without any issue.
But he hadn’t done so.
The reason being he knows the importance of a solid foundation.
He knows that to walk far enough on the path of martial arts and grow sufficiently strong, every realm’s foundation must be completely secured and solid.
Otherwise.
No matter how high the realm, one day its true form will be revealed.
Zhao Wudi revealed a look of confusion.
His obsession was to surpass Zhao Wuji.
To surpass his father!
But...
He forgot the most fundamental part of martial arts, which is the foundation. No matter how heaven-defying the stroke of fortune might be, if the foundation is not solid, even if he uses shortcuts to elevate his cultivation to a higher realm, it will eventually crumble.
Just like now!
With his Eighth Layer of the Holy King Realm standing, he could sweep across the entire Qingtian Realm.
Even if the powerhouses of the Hall of Longevity returned to the mortal world, he could withstand most of those masters.
He surely was strong!
However...
As Xiao Yi said.
Ultimately, this formidable power is not from his cultivation overnight, but rather from grabbing the power of the Supreme Yin Demon Beast and Supreme Yang Demon Beast, making it his own.
But.
Understanding it in his heart is one thing, but admitting that all his efforts over the millennia were in vain is truly difficult for Zhao Wudi.
Seeing this, Xiao Yi realized that to make Zhao Wudi accept, he needed stronger medicine. With a cold face, he continued, "If your father knew you forcibly elevated your power by borrowing external forces, even if today you defeat me, he would not acknowledge you!"
Buzz!
Zhao Wudi trembled all over.
His face instantly turned pale.
Xiao Yi’s words struck at his Achilles’ heel.
What a prodigious talent Zhao Wuji was!
Someone who could single-handedly become the top power in the Qingtian Realm and overthrow the Hall of Longevity.
How could he allow his son to ascend through borrowed power?
If he truly knew Zhao Wudi’s actions, he would not only be infuriated to death but wish to strike Zhao Wudi down himself.
"Was I wrong?"
Zhao Wudi murmured to himself, his eyes gradually becoming confused, "Could it be that all these years of persistence were wrong? Why is it like this? Why? I only wanted to surpass my father, to let the world know I am not just Zhao Wuji’s son, but also myself, I am the mighty Zhao Wudi... but now, am I truly wrong?"
Xiao Yi raised an eyebrow.
He hadn’t known before that Zhao Wudi would react so strongly upon hearing Zhao Wuji’s name.
Now he could guess why.
He lived under the towering reputation of his father all his life.
This fame, seen as glory by others, turned into immense pressure for Zhao Wudi, pressing him until he couldn’t breathe. So, he aspired to become stronger, stronger than Zhao Wuji.
To break free from this pressure.
He’s a pitiable person!
Xiao Yi took a deep breath and said, "You aren’t wrong; the pursuit of power is a desire everyone has, but the path you chose was mistaken. Your obsession with surpassing your father has become a fixation, a nightmare. It led you down a crooked path..."
"Shut up..."
Zhao Wudi’s eyes turned blood-red, his voice came out with an angry snarl.
He was like a beast whose wounds were exposed.
Xiao Yi’s aura suddenly expanded, his voice thundering: "It’s you who should shut up!"
"You..."
Zhao Wudi’s mouth fell open.
As if someone clutched his throat, he couldn’t speak a word.
Xiao Yi effortlessly unleashed the Buddhist Eight-Part Heavenly Dragon Chant, each word was like a resonant bell, deafeningly pounding at the soul: "Some people in this world are destined to be legends, never to be surpassed. There is only one Zhao Wuji in this world; no matter the radiant achievements of successors, they cannot overshadow the splendor he left in the annals of history. What we later generations should do is not to think about surpassing them but to inherit their will, to live our brilliance, to live in the moment, and to live a life that’s truly ours..."
Buzz!
Zhao Wudi’s face stiffened, making him feel like an enlightening blow had been struck on his head, a light flashed across his mind...