Chaotic Sword God Chapter 3940: Breaking Free

Jian Chen had intended to reserve the white jade lamp for the Mistress of Contrary Winds from the Wind clan, but circumstances forced his hand. He had no other options left but to deploy it prematurely.

The white jade lamp’s potency, however, far surpassed his expectations. As a cataclysmic energy storm engulfed the area, it triggered a violent response from the Skyscraping World's defensive arrays.

Intricate formations manifested across the heavens and the earth, permeating every inch of the surroundings. These runes stabilized the fabric of space while simultaneously suppressing the horrific power erupting from the white jade lamp.

Without this suppression, the devastating energy surge from the lamp would have likely consumed the entirety of the Skyscraping World.

Had such an event occurred in the outside world, an entire galaxy would have been plunged into eternal ruin.

Such was the dread-inducing might of a late Immortal Exalt.

The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy was caught off-guard by the sudden explosion. Since the white jade lamp ignited directly between him and Jian Chen, he was forced to release his grip and retreat through the billowing energy storm. He wove the Laws rapidly, manifesting layer after layer of protective barriers before him.

Against the lamp's might, his only defense was his profound comprehension of the Laws. As for his physical cultivation, the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s Second Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt realm was utterly insignificant against an energy storm rivaling a late Immortal Exalt.

Even so, the Law barriers erected by the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy were obliterated one by one. Shards of energy bypassed his defenses, carving gruesome gashes into his form. Portions of his flesh were vaporized instantly.

Possessing comprehension at the peak of the Seventh Heavenly Layer while being trapped in a body at the Second Heavenly Layer meant the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy was unable to exert his true potential. This disparity between his cultivation and his insight acted as a heavy shackle.

While the Ancestor retreated through the chaos, Jian Chen fared no better. He was hurled backward like a projectile, crashing violently into the stone wall behind him. The impact was so immense it shattered his skeletal structure and caused his soul to reel uncontrollably.

The Divine Armour of Heavenflight remained intact against the lamp's fury, yet Jian Chen still suffered catastrophic internal trauma. Without the rapid healing of the Source of Life, his current cultivation level would have left him as nothing more than a pile of ash.

Blood sprayed from Jian Chen’s mouth as he struggled against a wave of dizziness that threatened to plunge him into unconsciousness.

He knew he could not afford to black out. To lose consciousness now would mean wasting the slim chance of survival he had bought by sacrificing a treasure as precious as the white jade lamp. Gnashing his teeth, he pushed off the rock face, forcefully reorienting his body toward the open mountain trail.

Carried by the momentum of the shockwave, he surged forward like a bolt, flying hundreds of meters before slamming into another cliffside. His face turned deathly pale as he continued to vomit blood.

Protected by the Skyscraping World's formations, the mountain remained scarred but unbroken, though Jian Chen’s body took the brunt of the force. His internal organs were pulverized once more, only to be stitched back together by the Source of Life in a heartbeat.

The white jade lamp's output was simply too massive. Though the Skyscraping World endured, the space within a ten-thousand-kilometer radius was warped and distorted by the pressure.

The spatial fabric here was far sturdier than in the outer realms, reinforced by peak-level formations to withstand the clashes of multiple Immortal Exalts. It was nearly indestructible.

In an instant, the thick fog within ten thousand kilometers vanished, leaving the area exceptionally clear.

Suddenly, a terrifying aura erupted toward Jian Chen, resembling a volcano that had been suppressed for eons finally bursting forth.

Jian Chen’s eyes narrowed. Several hundred kilometers away, the remaining storm from the white jade lamp was cleaved in two by a monstrous force. A gore-stained figure emerged with heavy, deliberate strides.

It was the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy, his expression twisted with rage. His body was riddled with horrific wounds, some of which passed entirely through his torso from front to back. His right hand was missing entirely.

His pace was not fast, yet each step bridged dozens of kilometers. He braved the remnants of the white jade lamp’s storm, closing the distance to Jian Chen with sheer willpower.

A chill ran down Jian Chen’s spine. He was well aware that his foe was a Seventh Heavenly Layer Immortal Exalt. Without the storm's interference, the Ancestor would have reached him in a heartbeat.

Delaying no further, Jian Chen activated the Laws of Space to their limit and fled. Simultaneously, he utilized the secret technique provided by the Skyscraping Sword Venerable to scout the path ahead, fearing a dead end.

By then, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy had cleared the heart of the storm. His speed surged, and he appeared behind Jian Chen in a single stride. He reached out with a hand, intending to seize the very space around his prey.

However, due to his severe injuries, the Ancestor's movements were uncharacteristically sluggish, and his strength was compromised.

His grasp missed. At that exact moment, Jian Chen utilized the Laws of Space to flicker thousands of kilometers away, appearing as if he had teleported.

Jian Chen did not stop. He triggered the Laws of Space repeatedly, vanishing into the distance and re-entering the dense mist within a few breaths.

Once back inside the fog, visibility plummeted, affecting even the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy.

Yet, the Ancestor was not so easily shaken. A crushing weight descended as a massive hand formed from the Laws tore through the mist, lunging toward Jian Chen.

Trembling with focus, Jian Chen activated the concealment properties of the Divine Armour of Heavenflight, vanishing into thin air.

Boom! The Law-hand struck the void where Jian Chen had been, causing a thunderous explosion. Shockwaves rippled through the surroundings, compressing the local space.

Three hundred kilometers away, Jian Chen was forced out of hiding by the turbulence. He coughed violently but immediately wrapped himself in the Laws of Space, traveling another hundred kilometers before vanishing once more with the armor.

Behind him, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy let out a low, menacing growl. His eyes burned with fury. From the Soul Guarding Ancestor’s memories, he knew how elusive Jian Chen could be. If the boy managed to hide completely, tracking him would be an arduous task.

Initially, the Ancestor had dismissed these memories, doubting that a mere Immortal Emperor could hide from his perception. Now, he was forced to confront the reality that he had lost his lock on Jian Chen.

The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy arrived at the point of disappearance and stopped holding back. He manifested his Laws into the environment, violently disrupting and interfering with the local spatial order.

In the outside world, such an action would have destabilized half a province, but here, the formations limited his influence to a mere thousand kilometers.

Several hundred kilometers away, Jian Chen was once again flushed out. He didn't slow down, sprinting out of the Ancestor's range of influence before disappearing again using the Divine Armour of Heavenflight.

The Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy gave chase relentlessly.

Before long, Jian Chen reached a junction where the path split into seven different directions.

Prepared for this, Jian Chen flicked his finger, sending a faint trace of his aura down the furthest path while he himself dove into a different one and vanished.

A moment later, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy arrived. Sensing the weak presence, he immediately pursued the path Jian Chen had baited. Along the way, he occasionally felt more faint traces of Jian Chen's aura, leading him to believe the boy was struggling to maintain his concealment while fleeing in a panic.

However, the Ancestor soon realized something was wrong. After traveling ten thousand kilometers, there was no sign of his target.

He turned back immediately and tried the second path.

After several thousand kilometers of fruitlessly searching the second trail, the Ancestor of the Clear and Cloudy realized he had been deceived again.

Returning to the junction, the Ancestor stared at the seven branching paths, his face darkening with cold fury.