Chapter 269: Chapter 267: Heavenly Destiny Third Stage

Within the sunless Endless Abyss.

Countless Dark Divine Spirits and Abyss Demons roamed free. Here, slaughter was the only Law of survival!

In a tribe of over six hundred Abyss Demons, flames surged into the sky, dyeing the Celestial Vault red. This tribe was the most powerful Abyss Demon tribe within a hundred-mile radius, with over fifty of its members possessing power equivalent to the Heavenly Destiny Realm.

But beneath Jiang Chen’s Dustfall Sword, every Abyss Demon in the entire tribe had been slaughtered.

Jiang Chen was covered in pungent blood, the metallic stench so strong it would make anyone’s brow furrow.

Before him lay a small pile of Demon Crystals.

"Once I devour all these Demon Crystals, I should be able to break through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm Third Stage!" A look of excitement appeared on Jiang Chen’s face.

His current cultivation had reached the Peak of the Second Stage of Heavenly Destiny Realm.

He was just a single step away from the Third Stage Realm.

He immediately activated the Soul-Devouring Sacred Technique. A golden vortex inside him began to spin wildly, like a savage Ancient Beast opening its gaping maw to devour all energy.

Enveloped in a golden light, the small pile of Demon Crystals released streams of surging, pure Dark Energy, which Jiang Chen absorbed into his body.

This Dark Energy, devoured by the Soul-Devouring Sacred Technique, was transformed into the purest form of energy and absorbed by his two Life Palaces.

At the same time...

The Mixed Element Golden Pill in his Dantian was also stimulated by the Dark Energy, accelerating its refinement and integration into Jiang Chen’s body.

HUM!

After all the Demon Crystals had been devoured, turning into a pile of shattered stones, the dark golden light surrounding Jiang Chen finally began to fade.

WHOOSH—

He let out a long, turbid breath. As Jiang Chen opened his eyes, a hint of helplessness flickered within them. ’So close. After reaching the Heavenly Destiny Realm, the difficulty of advancing through each stage is so much greater than in the True Martial Realm.’

The Heavenly Destiny Realm.

This was a realm of defying fate and seizing destiny from the heavens. The energy required to advance through each stage was immense.

This was especially true for Jiang Chen. Back in the True Martial Realm, his True Essence Spirit Sea had been an Ultimate Spirit Sea.

Thus, the Life Palaces he condensed upon breaking through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm were far more powerful than those of Martial Artists at the same level, making his cultivation progression even more difficult.

’There are only five days left until the Celestial Fate Hunting begins. It takes one day to get back to the Saint Martial Sword Sect from here, which means I have four days left. Looks like I need to find an Abyss Demon equivalent to the High Tier of Heavenly Destiny and take its Demon Crystal!’ Jiang Chen shot into the air and continued his search for Abyss Demons.

During his search, Jiang Chen didn’t encounter any High Tier Abyss Demons or Dark Creatures.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. While flying high in the sky, Jiang Chen’s expression suddenly changed.

Two beams of dazzling light, almost tangible, shot from his eyes, like a pair of rainbows stretching across the dark Celestial Vault.

Ten kilometers away from Jiang Chen, atop a mountain peak.

An Abyss Demon with a green face and long fangs, pulsing with black light and sporting six sharp barbs on its back, was squatting on the ground, gnawing on the corpse of another Dark Creature. It abruptly raised its head. Its eyes, which glowed like blinding red rubies, looked in Jiang Chen’s direction as a bloodthirsty expression crossed its face. "Human? Delicious. I will eat!"

BOOM!

The Abyss Demon charged toward Jiang Chen at extreme speed.

Ten kilometers.

For this Abyss Demon, equivalent to the Heavenly Destiny Realm Seventh Stage, such a distance could be crossed in an instant.

Jiang Chen stared at the Abyss Demon that had appeared before him, a fervent light glinting in his eyes. ’A Heavenly Destiny Realm Seventh Stage Abyss Demon? In the Endless Abyss, you must be considered an Overlord Level existence! If I can slay you and take your Demon Crystal, it should be enough to let me step into the Heavenly Destiny Realm Third Stage!’

"ROAR!"

The Abyss Demon’s eyes shone with a bloody light as it roared, "Human, eat!"

SWOOSH—

Man and Demon charged at each other simultaneously.

The Abyss Demon raised its massive claws, their sharp tips glinting with a menacing cold light, and swiped violently at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen blocked with his longsword held horizontally.

The massive claws and the longsword clashed. With a sharp CLANG, Jiang Chen was sent flying by the ferocious power.

His body shot back like a cannonball, smashing the mountain behind him and breaking it in two.

"ROAR... Human, delicious!" the Abyss Demon roared in excitement. It gave chase, plunging headfirst into the collapsing mountain.

RUMBLE—

Streams of Heaven-Breaking Sword Qi and terrifying black light erupted from the ruined mountain.

Each clash and roar of energy unleashed a terrifying storm of destruction.

It swept across the heavens and the earth.

Jiang Chen burst out from the rubble-strewn ruins, surrounded by tumbling boulders. He soared into the air and kicked out repeatedly, sending the rocks hurtling down like falling meteors.

At the same time...

The Abyss Demon also charged out of the ruins.

Before it could even pinpoint Jiang Chen’s location, it was met with a barrage of enormous rocks falling from the sky, forcing it back with every impact.

"ROAR!"

The Abyss Demon roared furiously, lashing out with its sharp claws again and again, smashing the massive rocks to pieces.

"Try this on for size!"

Jiang Chen hovered in the air. Reaching out with both hands, he condensed his True Essence into two gigantic palms and tore an entire mountain up by its roots. He then pushed with both hands, sending the hundred-zhang-tall peak hurtling towards the Abyss Demon.

The Abyss Demon roared, crossing its claws in front of its body as it flew upwards against the tide.

It continuously ripped its claws outwards. The black light from its claws, sharp as the deadliest blades, sliced the hundred-zhang mountain into countless fragments.

"Human, I’m going to eat you!" the Abyss Demon roared triumphantly. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

However...

At the exact moment it shattered the mountain, a blindingly brilliant Sword Qi River, like the Milky Way falling from the Nine Heavens, came slashing down. "Cyan Lotus Sword Song—Nine Heavens Milky Way!"

"No..."

The Abyss Demon shrieked in terror, but it was too late!

PFFT!

The silver sword light engulfed its body, slicing it in two and killing it on the spot!

Jiang Chen reached out and snatched the glistening black Demon Crystal from the air. He glanced at the Abyss Demon’s corpse before flying off into the distance.

Finding a secluded spot, Jiang Chen sat cross-legged on the ground and activated the Soul-Devouring Sacred Technique to devour the Demon Crystal.

The Demon Crystal pulsed with black light as its pure energy was devoured by Jiang Chen.

The Mixed Element Golden Pill continuously refined the surging power, integrating it into his body.

His cultivation steadily began to rise.

Two more days passed in a flash. Jiang Chen, who had been sitting as still as a meditating monk, suddenly snapped his eyes open. In a flicker, his figure appeared several hundred meters in the air. Dark golden light pulsed around him, making him look like a Golden Armor War God. He threw his head back to look at the boundless dark Celestial Vault and let out a furious roar, "Heavenly Destiny Third Stage—break!"

RUMBLE—

His two Life Palaces floated behind him as tribulation clouds roiled between heaven and earth.

After withstanding three bolts of tribulation lightning, the number of Life Palaces behind Jiang Chen increased to three. He had officially stepped into the Heavenly Destiny Realm Third Stage Realm.

’The Heavenly Destiny Third Stage is complete. Tomorrow is the day the Celestial Fate Hunting begins. It’s time to go back!’

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Chen’s eyes. He stepped onto the air and flew toward the exit of the Endless Abyss...