Chapter 164: The Last Strike of the Burning Lotus Core
On Shen Mo's right arm, a purple-black demonic armor appeared.
He suddenly crushed five blood packs.
Fifteen drops of ice dragon blood were swiftly absorbed by the demonic armor.
The armor instantly transformed into an ice-spike form.
A fierce dragon's head, enormous scales, and protruding ice spikes.
All of these displayed a menacing and powerful presence.
Many cultivators who had come to witness the event widened their eyes at this strange arm armor.
"He's making a move! That's the demonic armor!"
"Can you feel it? After using the demonic armor, Shen Mo's aura has surged. In my perception, he's almost on par with a peak Core Formation cultivator!"
Boom!
In the next instant, the fierce fist struck straight at Zhang Mo.
Although Zhang Mo relied on her combat instincts to forcefully use a movement martial skill, attempting to dodge the blow.
Shen Mo was faster.
Even though she desperately tried to evade and avoid a critical hit, her right shoulder was still struck hard.
The Green Lotus Robe on her right shoulder failed to withstand the blow and shattered on the spot.
With a crack, the sound of bones breaking came from within.
Zhang Mo groaned, falling toward the ground.
She attempted to use a movement martial skill again to put some distance between them.
However, Shen Mo transformed into a stream of light and disappeared instantly.
When he reappeared, he was less than one zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) away from Zhang Mo!
It was the pinnacle move of the Eight Direction Thunder Movement: Blink Thunder Escape!
Shen Mo could use it four to five times consecutively without exhausting his spiritual power!
Facing Zhang Mo, whose pupils had suddenly contracted, Shen Mo revealed a faint smile. The purple-black demonic armor on his right arm vanished, revealing its original appearance.
Suddenly, the Red Lotus Flame burst forth from both his hands.
Then, he struck down fiercely.
The first form of the Nine Suns Divine Phoenix Technique!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
His fists fell like raindrops, launching a ferocious barrage.
The Red Lotus Flame ceaselessly inflicted damage on Zhang Mo's body.
It burned the Green Lotus Robe and seared her skin.
Shen Mo's attack speed was incredibly fast.
In just ten breaths, he had landed over a hundred punches.
The Green Lotus Robe on Zhang Mo's body had already been mostly incinerated.
No matter how resilient the defensive spiritual artifact was, in the face of the unreasonable power of the Red Lotus Flame, it would be burned to ashes!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At this moment, Zhang Mo's body resembled a ragdoll.
Unable to counterattack, unable to dodge.
She could only passively endure Shen Mo's onslaught.
If it weren't for the Green Lotus Crown, the Green Lotus Robe, and the Green Lotus Sash accelerating her wound recovery and dissipating the damage.
Zhang Mo would have died after enduring those hundred punches!
The numerous cultivators were left stunned, staring in shock at the scene before them.
The battle had changed too swiftly.
It was as if, just a moment ago, Shen Mo was passively enduring Zhang Mo's attacks, frozen within that massive block of ice.
But in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Mo was now pinned beneath Shen Mo, receiving a relentless beating.
The master of the Heavenly Water Sect could no longer even make a sound.
Clearly, she had suffered severe injuries.
The elders of the Heavenly Water Sect wanted to rush forward.
However, Murong Yue shouted sharply, "Does the Heavenly Water Sect intend to defy the ancient rules of life-and-death duels in Xuanjiang Prefecture? Do you wish to be scorned by all the sects of Xuanjiang Prefecture?"
Life-and-death duels were an ancient rule.
Few sects would invoke it.
But once invoked, no one was allowed to interfere.
Either one side dies, or one side admits defeat.
Otherwise, it would continue until its conclusion.
If the members of the Heavenly Water Sect tried to interfere and rescue Zhang Mo, they would be breaking the rules.
They would inevitably be despised by all the cultivators in Xuanjiang Prefecture.
"Get out of my way!"
At this moment, Zhang Mo suddenly roared in fury.
A blue-golden core shot out from her mouth.
An icy lotus flower appeared beneath her out of nowhere.
The lotus flower burned fiercely.
Its power surged, rapidly enhancing the core's strength and speed, hurling it straight at Shen Mo.
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and immediately used a movement skill to create distance.
"This is..." He was slightly surprised.
"Burning Lotus Seat?" Mo Hanshan gasped in shock.
"Father, what is that?" Mo Yuheng frowned, not understanding what it was.
Mo Hanshan murmured, "It's the final resort."
"Nurturing the Nascent Soul, the lotus seat itself has varying degrees of quality," Mo Hanshan explained.
"The lotus seat can be sacrificed in critical moments, burning it to temporarily enhance the power of the Golden Core."
"Burning a layer of the lotus seat doubles the power and speed of the Golden Core."
"But the cost is permanent damage to one's foundation, something that cannot be repaired even with better treasures or a more potent lotus seat."
"Only a special pill might be able to mend it slightly."
Mo Yuheng was slightly surprised. "I see."
Some of the cultivators present were knowledgeable and began explaining the process of burning the lotus seat to enhance the Golden Core's power to others.
Everyone was astonished.
Shen Mo had actually forced Zhang Mo to this point.
How rare a lotus seat was!
How much fortune did it take to grow even one layer?
And now, it was burned away just like that.
Clearly, Zhang Mo had already given up on her future, all to take Shen Mo down with her!
Luo Shuanghan, watching from a distance, trembled in both mind and body.
That lotus seat had only grown after refining the Ice Infant Lotus.
This was obviously Zhang Mo's final attack.
"Ji Shilong wanted to see the Heavenly Water Sect defeat the Qingxuan Sect in this life-and-death duel, with Murong Yue and the others dead, and the Qingxuan Sect swallowed up by the Heavenly Water Sect."
"But if Zhang Mo dies..."
He dared not think further.
He was terrified that the outcome would move toward the direction Ji Shilong dreaded.
"Burning the lotus seat for a Golden Core attack?"
Shen Mo chuckled.
A Golden Core attack, huh?
Well, I have one too!
"Die!" Zhang Mo roared toward the sky, burning the lotus seat with all her might to empower the Golden Core.
The speed of the Golden Core surged to its peak at that moment.
She had exhausted her spiritual power and was covered in wounds; this was her final strike, spitting out the Golden Core.
If this attack couldn't kill Shen Mo.
Then it would be her who would die!
Shen Mo swiftly extended his right arm.
The purple-black demonic armor condensed again.
This time, he crushed not the ice dragon blood but the golden-yellow blood from the beast's claw.
Shen Mo had tested it before; its power was far superior to the ice dragon blood.
One drop of golden-yellow blood was equivalent to about five drops of ice dragon blood.
As the demonic armor absorbed the golden-yellow blood...
In an instant, fierce flames ignited.
Within the flames, the demonic armor reshaped itself.
A ferocious tiger's head suddenly appeared on the shoulder.
Golden-yellow arm armor extended downward from its mouth.
The armor was made of golden fur and black metal.
It exuded the domineering aura of the king of beasts.
After it fully formed, Shen Mo threw a punch.
A torrent of fire surged out, instantly engulfing the two of them completely.
He knew very well that this punch was no match for Zhang Mo's Golden Core attack after burning the lotus seat.
He didn't throw the punch to resist but to obscure the truth.
These raging flames served as the perfect disguise.
"Inferno Gold Core!"
Shen Mo spat out a massive crimson Golden Core.
Cracks covered its surface.
This peculiar Golden Core caused Zhang Mo's eyes to widen.
How could a Golden Core be cracked?
"You're using a Golden Core attack too? You're courting death!" Zhang Mo sneered.
In the next instant, their Golden Cores collided!
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted.
Shen Mo's Golden Core shattered instantly.
Zhang Mo's mouth twisted into a wide grin.
Shen Mo's Golden Core seemed massive, but it turned out to be just for show.
It crumbled at the slightest touch!
But Shen Mo simply chuckled.
"Master Zhang, you're celebrating too early."
Zhang Mo was stunned.
Then, she saw that the shattered core, broken into forty-five pieces, suddenly flew up and converged from all directions.
In an instant, it wrapped her Golden Core tightly at the center!
And fiercely compressed inward!
Intense pain struck immediately!
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of Scribblehub/RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise