Chapter 408 - 223: One Battle Slays Three Yuan Zhuo (Part 2)

Chapter 408: Chapter 223: One Battle Slays Three Yuan Zhuo (Part 2)

Xuzhuang’s brow twitched slightly. He hadn’t expected this Manifestation Sect scion to have such a peculiar trait. ’But what has that got to do with me?’

Zheng Ah knew he was growing impatient and quickly changed the subject, his tone heavy. "Fellow Daoist, the two of us were born as one body. When we cultivate, we are one person; when we act, we are two. We both came to understand long ago that only when one of us sacrifices himself can the other refine a Primordial Spirit."

"This is an innate demonic obstacle. Because of it, we have fought for several hundred years since reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, but we have never been able to determine a victor."

"But if you kill me here today, Fellow Daoist, the other one will have an extremely high chance of refining a Primordial Spirit."

"We hate each other to the core, yet love each other just as deeply. If you kill me, Fellow Daoist, the other Zheng Ah will be immensely grateful, but he will never let you get away with it."

"Once he refines a Primordial Spirit, it will not only undermine the Daoist Sect’s plan to suppress the Demon Sect, but you will have also needlessly made a mortal enemy of a Primordial Spirit True Man."

"I’m sure you understand the stakes, Fellow Daoist."

"Oh?" Xuzhuang’s face showed surprise. To think such a strange thing existed in the world. He couldn’t help but open his Dharma Eye to take a look.

Perhaps Zheng Ah saw his action and intentionally allowed him to glimpse the truth. Indeed, he easily discovered a kind of barrier between this Zheng Ah’s spirit and flesh, somewhat like the state of a Nascent Soul Cultivator who had lost their physical body and seized a new one.

If Zheng Ah were someone who had seized another’s body, it would be impossible for him to hold the position of one of the Liu Zhuo. ’It seems his words have some credibility.’

By now, not only had the Celestial Demon Child and Han Fashou fallen at Xuzhuang’s hands, but the sounds of the battle below had also gradually faded. A strange tranquility filled the vast expanse of sea and sky. Xuzhuang suddenly smiled and called out in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoist Zheng."

Zheng Ah’s expression flickered, and a faint smile touched his lips. He cupped his hands and asked, "Have you made your decision, Fellow Daoist?"

"Indeed." Xuzhuang nodded slightly and said coolly, "On the day I achieve the Great Dao, I will send ’Master Zheng’ to meet you, Fellow Daoist."

Zheng Ah looked up in astonishment, only to see Xuzhuang coolly point a spell forward and say, "Don’t you worry, Fellow Daoist. You go on ahead."

Zheng Ah’s heart trembled as he saw black and white light flash from Xuzhuang’s fingertips.

Using Heaven-Opening Yang Thunder and World-Ending Yin Thunder to replace Purple Divine Thunder and Jade Pivot Divine Thunder in casting the Shenxiao Qi Heaven-Smashing Thunder Technique was not difficult for the current Xuzhuang.

In the past twenty years, Xuzhuang’s cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. His thunder techniques had completely broken free from convention. Whether it was the Yin Yang Thunder Skill or the Five Elements Thunder Skill, he could use them with ease. He had even figured out yin-yang strike variations and the Annihilation Thunder Skill. ’I wonder what level Zhong Shenxiu’s Small Annihilation Skill has reached. Who’s stronger now...’

"Strike!" With a casual wave of his spell, Xuzhuang instantly engulfed Zheng Ah in endless lightning. In the blink of an eye, fifty to sixty percent of his Great Micro Pure Qi had been stripped away!

"Is this the end for me?" Zheng Ah gave a bitter smile. ’So, in the end, it’s you who will refine the Primordial Spirit...’ he couldn’t help but think.

Just then, a deafening ROAR suddenly echoed from the heavens above!

Something seemed to have broken through the sky. A massive, jade-like hand—without a single pore, without a single hair, without even a single crease—reached down from the void.

This time, Xuzhuang felt no sense of crisis. The massive hand ignored Xuzhuang, ignored his Yin Yang Thunder Skill, and went straight for the Great Micro Pure Qi. Yet, Xuzhuang still felt a sharp pain in his brow, which even began to throb, as if—

—this very moment was the true reason Daochen Zhenren had bestowed the Tai Su Void Sword upon him.

Xuzhuang looked up and spat out a single word: "Out!"

SHIIING!

A terrifying sword cry instantly rang out between heaven and earth. All who heard it, even those tens of thousands of miles away, felt as if a sword was striking at them, impossible to parry!

A strand of utterly pure Sword Qi shot out from between Xuzhuang’s brows and slashed at the massive hand. Without a sound, the jade-like hand was severed and fell. The Sword Qi, not yet finished, shot straight up into the sky and brazenly cut into the void itself.

Although no sound reached him, Xuzhuang seemed to hear a howl of pain in his mind. It was immediately followed by a voice from an unknown location, a voice as frigid as a winter frost:

"What audacity!"

"My name is Qiu Qinghai. Remember it well."

The entire exchange was incredibly sudden.

There were no pre-battle threats, no fierce clash. A world-shaking confrontation had begun and ended in the span of a single breath.

"Qiu Qinghai," Xuzhuang said to himself. He had never heard this name before, so it naturally wouldn’t be on the list given to him by the Tai Su Orthodox Sect.

It was obvious without even thinking about it: this person was either a Primordial Spirit True Man or an unorthodox itinerant master, no longer in the realm of ordinary cultivators. It seemed that in a single day, Xuzhuang had offended a Zheng Ah who was ’extremely likely’ to refine a Primordial Spirit, and a Qiu Qinghai who was a suspected Primordial Spirit True Man.

But Xuzhuang wasn’t the type to spend his days in a panic just because he had enemies. Besides, once matters here were concluded, he would enter secluded cultivation. Within the Tai Su Sect, what did it matter if he had one or two enemies who were Primordial Spirits or itinerant masters? Even if that number doubled, so what?

In the blink of an eye, Xuzhuang had already pushed the name to the back of his mind.

By now, the lightning had faded. As formidable as the Great Micro Pure Qi was, how could it have survived Xuzhuang’s Yin Yang Qi Heaven-Smashing Thunder Technique? Not even ash remained where it had been; the spot was utterly empty.

Thus, Han Fashou, the Celestial Demon Child, and Zheng Ah had all fallen. In a single day, three of the Demon Sect’s Liu Zhuo were lost.

With a wave of his sleeve, Xuzhuang withdrew his Dharma Body, slowly descended from the clouds, and cast his gaze downward.

While Xuzhuang was fighting Han Fashou, the Celestial Demon Child, and the others, the disciples of the Tai Su Sect had not been idle. Under the leadership of Feng Yuanliu, they had routed the Demon Sect cultivators.

The enemy had originally been numerous and powerful, but the Tai Su Orthodox Sect had long been prepared. They used the Innate Tai Su Shaping Array to restrict the enemy’s Flying Escape speed, and then had Xuzhuang bombard them with his thunder techniques.

After all this, the Demon Sect cultivators had lost more than half their number. Even five or six of the Demon Sect Saint Children with shallower cultivation bases were missing, though it was unclear if they were dead or had activated life-saving measures to escape with their lives.

As a result, the Tai Su Sect disciples had gained the upper hand. With Feng Yuanliu, Yue Junlan, and the Sword Step Master holding the line, the battle had turned into a complete rout. It was now reaching its end.

——

Tens of thousands of miles away, in a peaceful and quiet sky, golden bells on a demon tower suddenly began to chime repeatedly. A Five-Colored Cloth stirred without any wind, flapping sharply.

Ye Xuanzhang’s eyes snapped open. He called out, "Tong Ling’Er."

As his voice fell, a short creature that was part-ape and part-man, part-demon and part-monster, leaped out from the shadows. It prostrated itself on the ground and shrieked, "Your Eminence, Tong Ling’Er is here."

Ye Xuanzhang said slowly, "Did something go wrong?"

Ye Xuanzhang had not studied divination, but his Daoist techniques were divine and his spiritual sense was astonishing. In that brief instant, he had already sensed something.

Tong Ling’Er shrieked in response, "Reporting to Your Eminence, our sect’s Celestial Demon Child, the Bone Sect’s Han Fashou, and the Manifestation Sect’s Lady Zheng Ah have all fallen at the hands of Tai Su’s Xuzhuang."

Ye Xuanzhang showed no reaction, but Tong Ling’Er was suddenly terrified. It trembled all over, prostrating itself with all its might until it was nearly flat against the ground.

Before long, a streak of light tore through the sky and arrived. Elder Chen appeared in the tower once again. He immediately sensed the chilling atmosphere and heavy pressure within the tower, and his footsteps became several degrees more cautious. Bowing to Ye Xuanzhang from a distance, he spoke rapidly:

"Senior Brother Ye, the Array Command shows no sign of dispatching reinforcements, but I received a message..."

Ye Xuanzhang said, "There’s no need to say it."

Elder Chen glanced at Tong Ling’Er, who was prostrated on the floor, and a flash of understanding crossed his eyes.

Ye Xuanzhang was silent for a long time before he said, "Take our men and withdraw."

Elder Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he put on a hesitant expression and said, "If we do this, then Nanzhan Treasure Continent..."

He suddenly saw Ye Xuanzhang’s indifferent gaze and felt as if a demonic claw had squeezed his heart. He abruptly shut his mouth and lowered his head.

Ye Xuanzhang said coolly, "Junior Sister Mu is not here, and the Demon Intent Sect is single-mindedly searching for the Six-Eyed Demon Lord’s Primordial Spirit. By myself, it is impossible to break through the Gate of Life."

"The Demon Sects have lain dormant for ten thousand years; we can afford to wait one more day. If anyone in the sect asks, this was my decision."

Elder Chen replied respectfully, "Yes, Senior Brother."

Ye Xuanzhang nodded slightly and added, "Later, you will take the various divisions..."

Elder Chen was taken aback. "Senior Brother, you don’t intend to return to the sect?"

Ye Xuanzhang closed his eyes. "I intend to break through the great array alone and enter Nanzhan Treasure Continent."

Elder Chen was stunned. "But... but why...?"

Nanzhan Treasure Continent was a land of natural treasures, but what use was it for Ye Xuanzhang to go alone, even if he could break in? Could one man sweep up all of Nanzhan’s treasures? Would the Tai Su Orthodox Sect, or even all the Daoist Sects in the world, simply allow him to run rampant? Taking a huge step back, even if he succeeded in gathering countless precious herbs, was the Innate Demon Sect really so desperate for such resources? The great Daoist Sects of the world never relied on simply handing out treasures to raise their disciples. The Tai Su Orthodox Sect had opened Nanzhan precisely to let their own disciples enter and gather herbs for themselves...

Without opening his eyes, Ye Xuanzhang said coolly, "I have no need to explain my actions to you. Withdraw."