The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 456 A small test of one’s skills
The Kui Niu opened its massive mouth and unleashed a beam of condensed, crystal-clear azure light.

This azure light seemed to have a life of its own; wherever it passed, the surrounding air was scorched and cracked, and the clouds on both sides instantly melted and evaporated.

Fine cracks appeared in the space, as if it would be torn apart by the light at any moment.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Ti raised his eyebrows. This light was actually the innate divine power of the Kui Niu, known as the Boundary-Breaking Azure Light. It did not require cultivation; it was something he was born with.

He swiftly flew to the side on a cloud and unleashed a palm strike.

There is also a saying about thunder. Taoists divide thunder into five types and ten types according to its different nature.

The Five Thunders are Heavenly Thunder, Earthly Thunder, Water Thunder, Dragon Thunder, and Earth God Thunder.

The Ten Thunders are Jade Pivot Thunder, Divine Firmament Thunder, Great Cave Thunder, Immortal Capital Thunder, North Pole Thunder, Taiyi Thunder, Purple Mansion Thunder, Jade Morning Thunder, Taixiao Thunder, and Taiji Thunder.

Based on their power and uses, thunder magic is further divided into thirty-six, seventy-two, and one hundred and eight types.

At this moment, Zhao Ti was using the Immortal Capital Thunder, which incorporated the Purple Star Pivot Thunder Technique and the Taiyi Heaven-Shaking Thunder and Lightning Technique.

Suddenly, a series of booming and rumbling sounds rang out, purple light darted about, and golden light flashed, instantly enveloping the Kui Niu.

"Hahaha, it seems that you, Yuanshi, have not even recovered one ten-thousandth of your cultivation, and you actually use such a low-level spell!" Kui Niu laughed loudly, and then the Taiji diagram on his forehead spun rapidly, and various illusory images of things represented by Bagua symbols flew out to resist the attack of the thunder magic.

As Zhao Ti cast his spells, he observed the scene, a slight smile playing on his lips. His own cultivation level was indeed not high, but this old ox wasn't much higher either.

The Dao Palace has nine palaces. Reaching the third palace is called a Celestial Immortal, the sixth palace is called a Golden Immortal, and the ninth palace is called a Great Golden Immortal.

This old ox is definitely not a Celestial Immortal at the moment, let alone a Golden Immortal. He may be at the same level as me, in the first palace of the Dao Palace, or he may be at a higher level, in the second palace, but he is definitely not a Celestial Immortal in the third palace.

His confrontation with the lightning magic was no casual affair; the lightning vanished with a wave of his hand, indicating that he had exerted considerable effort. A celestial being would never have done so. And since the white jade unicorn had not yet made a move, it seemed that he might be able to fight it, or even win.

At this moment, the Kui Niu let out a deafening roar that shook the clouds: "Old man Yuanshi, is this all you've got? Today I'll avenge my past grievances!"

As he spoke, his shoulders swayed, his burly figure trembled, and a suit of armor emerged from beneath his clothes.

Whether this armor was his protective magic weapon or something he was born with supernatural powers, it shimmered with boundless blue light, surrounded by a layer of black halo. The shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and heels were covered with thick, ferocious metal barbs, gleaming with a deathly light, making it incredibly terrifying.

“Sage, this demon’s armor is not an illegal object, but something it was born with. This demon is a different kind, born with cultivation and power, and is a demon king,” the white jade unicorn said.

"Hmm? You can tell?" Zhao Ti looked at the Qilin upon hearing this.

"This disciple possesses a supernatural ability, which I was born with, called the True Eye of Insight, which allows me to see through the origins of these things," said the white jade unicorn.

"The True Eye of Literature?" Zhao Ti nodded: "Good, not bad. From the name of this supernatural ability, I know that you must have accumulated profound literary talent and have an astonishingly high level of comprehension. It is only by the power of fate that you have this ability!"

"Who is the demon? You beast, how dare you call me a demon? Back then, in heaven and earth, apart from the Primordial Lord, who dared to presume to call me a demon? You beast, with the color of a white cat and the shape of a six-legged creature, you are the demon! I think you beast are courting death, ahhh!" Kui Niu let out a deafening roar, extremely angry, and his ferocious armor charged forward despite the countless bolts of lightning.

Upon hearing this, the white jade unicorn remained unperturbed, its voice gentle as it said, "Incompetent bastards, scaled and armored creatures, what are you if not a demon? Do you think I am the same as you? I am the embodiment of all the world's literary energy, a radiant and righteous spirit. Heaven and earth bestowed upon me this body with their righteous energy. How can I be the same as a demon like you!"

"Ah, I'm so angry, so angry!" Kui Niu's face was contorted, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. With a "bang," his hair stood on end like steel needles, lifting his helmet three feet high. He was furious.

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes upon seeing this. This old ox had such a big temper, almost comparable to his master, the Tongtian Sect Leader, who had an extremely bad temper but a very narrow mind.

"Sage, do you require your disciple to lend a hand?" asked the white jade unicorn.

Zhao Ti shook his head: "You go ahead and fight. I've never really fought anyone since I achieved mastery of my Daoist arts. This old ox is a good test."

The white jade unicorn had just nodded in agreement when the Kui Niu approached, angrily shouting, "Old man Yuanshi, who are you calling an old ox? I am the Venerable Kuisheng!"

Zhao Ti smiled without saying a word, and several more bolts of lightning struck out, which the Kui Niu blocked. Then the two began to fight back and forth.

As night fell, a faint white light spilled across the clouds. Zhao Ti, his clothes rustling, moved with lightning speed, his eyes fixed on the Kui Niu, which was covered in a menacing dark blue armor.

The Tai Chi Bagua pattern on the forehead of the Kui Niu swirled, its feet left scorched marks, and it let out a deep roar that shook the surrounding clouds, causing them to shatter. The tearing aura emanating from the gaps in its armor caused fine ripples to spread through the void.

"Old man Yuanshi, you made things difficult for my master and me in the past. Today, your cultivation is gone. Do you know how to write the word 'death'?" Kui Niu's voice was like thousands of boulders rolling across the sky, carrying layers upon layers of oppressive power.

Zhao Ti's fingertips crackled with tiny sparks of electricity: "Shut up!" Before he finished speaking, his sleeves suddenly bulged, and seven bolts of lightning of different colors burst forth from them at the same time, like seven agile light snakes, weaving into a dazzling net of lightning in the night.

"Jade Pivot Thunder!" The first pale blue lightning bolt shot out and struck the Kui Niu's face.

Kui Niu tossed his head dismissively, and a dark cyan light shield instantly lit up the surface of his armor. Yu Shu Lei struck the light shield and exploded into countless tiny sparks.

Before it could even feel smug, a second, deep purple Jade Palace Thunderbolt silently circled behind it, exploding with a deafening roar at the seam of its armor. Though it didn't break through its defenses, it caused the Kui Niu to momentarily freeze. Taking advantage of this opening, Zhao Ti performed a series of magical steps, his fingertips drawing intricate runes in the air: "Shangqing Great Cave Thunder! Fire Wheel Thunder!" The two bolts of lightning arrived one after the other. The deathly white Shangqing Great Cave Thunderbolt, like a pillar, carried a Daoist aura that seemed capable of purifying all things, smashing towards the Kui Niu's head. The crimson Fire Wheel Thunderbolt, transformed into a ball of lightning the size of a wheel, blazing with intense flames, spinning as it slashed towards its legs.

With a roar, Kui Niu suddenly flicked his hands towards the void, and a condensed, tangible azure light abruptly tore through the night. Wherever the azure light passed, space was cut with fine cracks like cloth. The Shangqing Great Cave Thunder collided with the azure light and was instantly shattered. The Fire Wheel Thunder was also grazed at the edge by the azure light, and the thunder and fire scattered in all directions.

"Old man, you dare to fight me with your meager thunder magic?" Kui Niu exerted force with both legs, neither dodging nor avoiding, his armor radiating a dazzling blue light, like a high-speed meteor, crashing straight into Zhao Ti. Wherever he passed, the clouds were pulverized, the gale raged, and even the void trembled.

Zhao Ti remained expressionless, his left hand forming a hand seal, while his right hand struck three times in quick succession: "Divine Firmament Thunder! Immortal Capital Thunder! Taiyi Heaven-Shattering Thunder!" Three bolts of lightning, far more powerful than the previous ones, appeared simultaneously. The purple-gold Divine Firmament Thunder drew upon the divine forces of the Nine Heavens, the silver-white Immortal Capital Thunder carried the serene beauty of a celestial realm, and the dark gray Taiyi Heaven-Shattering Thunder condensed an explosive force capable of destroying the heavens and the earth. The three bolts of lightning converged in mid-air to form a thunder cauldron, crashing towards Kui Niu.

"Clang—" The Thunder Cauldron collided with the Kui Niu Armor, producing a deafening roar. Golden ripples spread out from the point of impact, instantly evaporating the clouds several miles above. The Thunder Cauldron shattered inch by inch, and the Kui Niu was also shaken back three steps. The azure light on the surface of the armor dimmed slightly, and the Tai Chi Bagua diagram on its forehead swayed slightly.

Taking advantage of the moment when the Kui Niu's old strength was exhausted and its new strength was not yet generated, Zhao Ti chanted a spell, his voice clear and melodious, piercing through the gale: "Heaven and Earth, Mysterious Ancestor, Root of All Qi, Summon Dragons from the Void, Quickly Reveal Your True Form!" As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed at the void with both hands, and nine golden pillars of light suddenly fell from the depths of the night. From the pillars of light came the clear and melodious sound of dragons roaring to the heavens, and nine golden dragons of different shapes coiled out.

The leading golden dragon had two horns and scales forged like red gold. It was the dragon pulling the sandalwood chariot. It opened its mouth and spewed out a ball of golden dragon flame, rushing straight at the Kui Niu.

The three golden dragons on the left are agile and their claws are as sharp as divine weapons. They attack from the left, right and top directions respectively. When the dragon tails sweep, they bring up bursts of sound as they cut through the air.

The three golden dragons on the right were surrounded by the spiritual light of water, wood, and earth, clearly formed by the power of the five elements. They did not attack directly, but instead set up a five-element magic wall in mid-air, blocking the Kui Niu's retreat.

The last two golden dragons spewed out black wind and white light, their bodies swirling with yin and yang energies, hovering around Zhao Ti as both protectors and ready to launch a surprise attack at any moment.

"Hmph, a mere trick!" Although surrounded by nine golden dragons, the Kui Niu remained defiant. Its body blazed with azure light, severing the claws of the two golden dragons on its left. However, those two golden dragons were originally formed from magic, and after being damaged, they quickly reformed, making their attack even more ferocious.

The golden dragon flames from the first dragon landed on the armor. Although they did not burn through the armor, they caused the temperature of the armor to rise sharply, making the Kui Niu restless.

Seeing the situation, Zhao Ti seized the opportunity to activate the Five Elements spell. He pressed down with his left hand, and the power of the earth was transmitted through the clouds. Countless earth spikes suddenly condensed in the void beneath the Kui Niu's feet. Although they were shattered by the armor, they slowed down its movements.

Zhao Ti then raised his right hand, and three water arrows shot towards the gaps in the armor like icicles. At the same time, wood-attribute spiritual power transformed into vines, which wrapped around its legs. Then, fire-attribute spiritual power combined with lightning magic, transforming into a crimson lightning whip, which lashed hard onto the back of the Kui Niu.

The Kui Niu cried out in pain, then suddenly raised its head and let out a deafening roar. A violent storm suddenly erupted around it, and the black wind, like sharp blades, shredded the incoming lightning whip and made the nine golden dragons lose their footing. The large raindrops, carrying a biting chill, fell on Zhao Ti's robes and made a crisp "hissing" sound. This rain was not ordinary rain, but a tearing rain containing the aura of space.

"Social Thunder! Earthly Thunder! Three Realms Thunder!" Zhao Ti dared not be careless and successively activated three thunder spells containing the power of the earth. Earthy yellow lightning surged out from under the clouds and collided with the raging wind and rain. The lightning shattered the rain curtain, and the raging wind was also weakened by the lightning.

At the same time, he manipulated the nine golden dragons to change formation. The first dragon and the Yin-Yang dragons protected him, while the other six golden dragons gathered dragon energy to form a golden dragon formation in mid-air. In the center of the dragon formation, a thunder dragon pearl condensed from dragon energy and thunder magic slowly took shape.

Seeing this, a look of solemnity flashed in Kui Niu's eyes. He stopped resisting and once again drew out azure light with both hands. This time, the azure light was several times thicker than before, and it directly cut through a corner of the dragon formation. At the same time, it suddenly stepped into the void, and dozens of dark golden light spears suddenly shot out from the spikes on its armor, shooting towards Zhao Ti and the nine golden dragons.

"Purple Star Pivot Thunder! Great Brahma Pivot Thunder!" Zhao Ti unleashed two thunder spells containing the power of stars simultaneously. The pale purple lightning transformed into a star net, blocking most of the light spears, while the remaining light spears were shattered by the nine golden dragons using their bodies.

Taking advantage of this brief moment, he moved his ten fingers rapidly, pointing towards the air, and a full thirty-six beams of lightning simultaneously lit up on the talisman: "Thirty-six lightning bolts, combine!"

Thirty-six bolts of lightning instantly converged into a pillar of lightning that pierced through the heavens and the earth. On the surface of the pillar, the colors of the Jade Pivot Lightning (blue), the Jade Palace Lightning (purple), and the Divine Firmament Lightning (gold) intertwined and flowed, as if containing the power to destroy the world.

The nine golden dragons also exerted their power simultaneously, and the Thunder Dragon Pearl merged with the Thunder Pillar, transforming into a giant dragon of lightning, its head held high, emitting a deafening roar.

Kui Niu frowned deeply, his armor radiating a dark cyan light. A beam of light shot out from the Tai Chi Bagua pattern on his forehead. He then pushed his wind and rain magic to its limit, transforming the gale into a wind spear and the torrential rain into a rain shield, together with the chaotic beam of light, to meet the lightning dragon.

"Boom—" Several enormous objects collided in the night, and a terrifying energy shockwave instantly swept for miles. The clouds completely dissipated, revealing the vast grassland below. Lightning and spatial power eroded each other, wind spears and thunder dragons tore and fought, and rain shields shattered inch by inch under the lightning pillars.

Zhao Ti was so shocked that his blood and qi surged, and he took several steps back before he could regain his footing, with several tears appearing on his robe.

Kui Niu was not in a good mood either. The blue light on his armor had dimmed considerably, the Tai Chi Bagua pattern on his forehead had lost its luster, and his legs were trembling slightly. He was clearly in great distress.

The lightning dragon and pillar of light dissipated, and the night was once again covered by clouds. Zhao Ti stared at the Kui Niu, with the nine golden dragons still circling around him, ready to launch the next attack at any moment.

Kui Niu, panting heavily, said angrily, "Old man Yuanshi, although your thunder magic has some merit, you have no chance of defeating me!"

As night fell and the first light of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, Zhao Ti blinked and said calmly, "I can't defeat you, but killing you is easy. I think you should surrender quickly. I don't need you as a mount; just be a vanguard who clears the way through mountains and builds bridges over rivers."

Upon hearing this, Kui Niu was enraged. Its armor, which had already lost its blue luster, instantly revealed ancient runes. Its breathing became heavy, faintly accompanied by the sounds of wind and thunder. Its crimson eyes were now fixed on Zhao Ti, like a ferocious primordial beast.

"Old man Yuanshi, you have repeatedly ruined my master's great plans. Today is your death day!" Kui Niu's voice was like rolling thunder, shaking the clouds apart.

Zhao Ti stood with his hands behind his back in the clouds, a smile playing on his lips: "You bull demon, how dare you spout such nonsense! If it weren't for Tongtian's sake, I would have already completely suppressed you and condemned you to eternal damnation!"

"I'm not a demon! I told you I'm not a demon!" Kui Niu trembled with rage, roared, and stomped his legs down hard.

With a deafening roar, the sea of ​​clouds exploded, and hundreds of azure wind blades instantly appeared out of thin air, each containing the power to tear through the void, sweeping towards Zhao Ti.

At the same time, a torrential downpour began, each drop of rain as heavy as a thousand pounds, sealing off all of Zhao Ti's escape routes...

(End of this chapter)