Chapter 121: Power Beyond the Pinnacle of Martial Arts

The Sakai Muramasa who stood before the crowd could no longer be called a human. Had he not still been wearing his oversized robe, even Xiao Yu and his companions would have struggled to recognize him.

At this moment, Sakai Muramasa’s head had transformed into that of a dinosaur-like monster. His eerie, azure eyes and gargantuan nostrils and mouth continuously vented plumes of black mist. His hands had morphed into razor-sharp beastly claws, and a long, thick tail trailed behind him.

While Tojo and his men watched this transformation with relative composure, even a peerless master like Feng Qingge could not help but widen his eyes in shock.

"Roar!"

Under the gaze of all present, Sakai Muramasa took a sudden step forward, tilted his head, and let out a furious bellow toward Xiao Yu. "Xiao Yu! To force me to unleash such a technique—you should consider yourself honored, even in death!"

Seeing that Sakai Muramasa could still speak despite his monstrous appearance, Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment before he burst into a mocking laugh. "I am truly surprised that a creature like you can still speak human language."

"Save your glib tongue, Xiao Yu! I will tear you to shreds, feast upon your flesh, and drink your blood!" Sakai Muramasa roared.

"I am standing right here. If you have the ability, come and try. But I am curious about one thing: what you have unleashed is not ninjutsu, but rather a secret technique resembling the summoning of a divine guardian. Such arts are supposedly exclusive to the Onmyoji of the Onmyo Dormitory. How does someone from your Shrine possess such a technique? Could it be that there is some unusual relationship between your Shrine and the Onmyo Dormitory?"

Xiao Yu spoke with ease, voicing the questions in his mind. As he finished, not only did a flicker of reaction cross Sakai Muramasa’s terrifying face, but the expressions of Tojo and the others in the distance also turned unnatural.

"Xiao Yu, you talk too much!"

Seemingly unwilling to discuss the matter, Sakai Muramasa let out a thunderous roar. A massive surge of black mist erupted from his maw, coalescing into a sharp arrow as it streaked toward Xiao Yu at lightning speed.

Xiao Yu did not dare to take this dark, energy-laden arrow lightly; he knew all too well the power of the Onmyoji. As the arrow flew toward him, he raised his longsword, drawing the surrounding essence of heaven and earth into the blade. A formidable power surged around the weapon. Xiao Yu’s eyes narrowed, and he shouted sharply, "Desolation of the Eight Wildernesses!"

As the command left his lips, Xiao Yu swung his sword, unleashing a powerful sword aura that collided head-on with the black arrow.

Boom!

The impact produced a deafening roar. A shockwave, comparable to the blast of a nuclear weapon, radiated outward. The violent winds ruthlessly obliterated everything in their path. Caught in the wake of this immense force, the Twelve Heavenly Generals were forced to retreat rapidly, while Feng Qingge and Tojo in the void continuously blinked their bodies to escape the blast radius.

Xiao Yu immediately cloaked himself in the power of the sun, moon, and stars to shield his body from the violent turbulence.

Long moments later, the tempestuous energy finally dissipated. Mount Fuji had been left in ruins; the dense forests, sturdy boulders, and nearby smaller peaks had all been laid to waste by the cataclysmic clash.

The moment the energy subsided, Sakai Muramasa’s massive form shot into the sky, lunging toward Xiao Yu with his razor-sharp claws tearing through the air.

Strangely, Xiao Yu did not dodge or parry. He stood motionless in the void. This behavior caused the Azure Dragon and the others in the distance to break into a cold sweat on his behalf. Seeing Xiao Yu standing perfectly still, Sakai Muramasa wore a cruel grin, assuming Xiao Yu had been paralyzed by his overwhelming aura. But was that truly the case?

No, of course not. Sakai Muramasa’s sharp claws slashed through Xiao Yu’s body, yet there was no expected spray of blood.

Sakai Muramasa realized something was wrong and cried out in shock, "A phantom!"

Indeed, the Xiao Yu standing in the void, waiting to be struck, was not the real Xiao Yu—it was merely an afterimage.

At that moment, Sakai Muramasa felt a powerful surge of energy behind him. Startled, he whirled around to find Xiao Yu standing there. Xiao Yu’s longsword, wreathed in destructive energy, was already thrusting toward him.

Sakai Muramasa panicked and twisted his body, whipping his long, thin tail toward Xiao Yu. However, the tail passed straight through Xiao Yu’s body, and the figure holding the sword dissolved into a puff of white smoke.

"Another phantom! Xiao Yu, are you only capable of skulking in the shadows? If you have the guts, come out and face me head-on!" Having been toyed with twice, Sakai Muramasa reached the brink of rage and roared into the surroundings.

"Haha, Sakai Muramasa, even if you can merge with a divine guardian, what of it? Trash is always trash. Even with the power of a guardian, you are limited to this."

Xiao Yu’s mocking laughter echoed from all directions, making it impossible for Sakai Muramasa to pinpoint his location. Suddenly, Xiao Yu’s figure began to materialize throughout the void.

One, two, three—over a dozen figures of Xiao Yu appeared, surrounding Sakai Muramasa. Each image looked identical, and each radiated the exact same aura, leaving Sakai Muramasa completely unable to distinguish the true body.

"No, these aren't phantoms! These are external incarnations! How is this possible? How could you possess such strength to manifest so many at once!"

Sakai Muramasa was filled with disbelief. External incarnations were not something a master on the God Ranking or even the peak of martial arts could achieve. Even figures standing at the summit of martial arts, like Feng Qingge and Ksitigarbha, lacked such ability.

"Hmph, Sakai Muramasa, did you think merging with a divine guardian would save you? Today, I will show you exactly how strong a power that transcends the martial arts peak can truly be!"