Chapter 215 - 211: This Sword Surpassed His 300 Years of Power

"We can’t delay any longer, or this beast will be even harder to subdue!" Tongming Master said grimly as he repeatedly scoured the Bear Zombie’s body with his Sword Pill.

Master Wu Gong also urged, "Fellow Daoist Yu, this is no time for soft-heartedness! If we drag this out, our chances of victory will shrink even further."

Du Youqian felt a massive headache coming on.

’Should I let this Demon King Zombie run rampant and cause widespread devastation?’

’Or should I use a Blood Sacrifice, offering up dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators to stop this catastrophe?’

’He really didn’t want to make a choice like that.’

In that moment, he cursed inwardly. ’For the past several thousand years, why haven’t the Holy Blood and Taihe Sects dealt with the South Sea Blessed Land Relics beneath the Desolate Abyss? Their negligence allowed all those corpses down there to turn into zombies.’

’Right now, it’s just Demon Zombies. What if zombies of the Human Race start appearing in the future?’

He also grumbled to himself, ’And aren’t the Rivers and Mountains Map and the Blood Slaughter Sword supposed to be ridiculously powerful?’

’Spiritual Treasures like those should be Tier Six, or even Tier Seven or Tier Eight, right?’

’Why don’t they just send a sword flying from afar and instantly kill this puny Tier Four Demon King’s zombie?’

But after this brief internal complaint, Du Youqian extinguished the thought.

He had previously discussed with Master Wu Gong that artifacts at the level of the Rivers and Mountains Map and the Blood Slaughter Sword possessed certain mystical properties, similar to those of a Great Power of the Human Race.

For instance, just murmuring their names could potentially be detected by them.

And for Spiritual Treasures of this caliber, the Artifact Spirit’s Divine Sense could envelop an entire world.

The Rivers and Mountains Map was responsible for monitoring all of Momenan, while the Blood Slaughter Sword could strike down any object within Momenan at any moment.

Of course, they were both currently facing some problems, so they might not notice Du Youqian badmouthing them in his mind.

But it was still wise to maintain a healthy dose of reverence.

"Show me which of your disciples you want protected!" Du Youqian quickly conveyed to the four Masters via his Divine Sense.

"None of the ones I brought this time are my personal confidants," Lin Sha was the first to state.

Master Wan Shi sighed softly and secretly indicated a Foundation Establishment Perfection disciple with her Divine Sense.

Master Wu Gong declared with an air of great righteousness, "Every disciple of my Taihe Sect is willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the world."

Without a word, Tongming Master used his Divine Sense to mark the two disciples who had the sharpest Sword Intent.

Du Youqian said, "Understood."

He took a deep breath, preparing to initiate the Blood Sacrifice.

Even though doing so would lead to endless future troubles...

The Taihe Sect and Holy Blood Sect would be fine; they were large and had vast resources.

But for Second-class Sects like the Lingxiao Sword Pavilion, the Heavenly Emotions and Oceanic Resentments Sect, and the Chongzhen Sect, this batch of Foundation Establishment Late Stage and Perfection disciples might represent nearly half of their Sects’ elites—prospects they had spent countless efforts and decades, even centuries, to cultivate.

In the near future, some of them might have reached Core Formation and become pillars of their Sects.

But now, they were all about to be consumed in a Blood Sacrifice.

Perhaps for now, knowing the situation was dire and that they had no other choice, Master Wan Shi and Lin Sha would be understanding.

But what about later?

Would those two Sects not resent him?

But for now, all he could do was grit his teeth and go through with it.

Master Wan Shi even sent her Treasure Flying Sword, the Water Yu Sword, before Du Youqian, conveying via her Divine Sense, "Take this sword! I have temporarily instructed the Water Yu Sword to cooperate with you. This should allow you to unleash its greatest power!"

She herself took out another Treasure.

She wasn’t a Sword Cultivator to begin with, so switching to another Treasure wouldn’t affect her combat prowess.

Strangely enough, after the Water Yu Sword flew in front of Du Youqian, it seemed to go slightly out of control, circling him rapidly a few times, just like an excited child running circles around an adult.

The feeling the Water Yu Sword gave Du Youqian was also one of "joy."

This was what Du Youqian felt when he extended his Divine Sense and took control of the Water Yu Sword.

This Treasure Flying Sword, which possessed a low level of Spiritual Wisdom, was incredibly cooperative. He barely had to lift a finger to perform a basic refinement on the Water Yu Sword and form a mental connection, a process so fast it astonished him.

However, when he tried to command the Water Yu Sword to attack the Bear Zombie, he met with resistance. The sword seemed reluctant to part with him, unwilling to go too far away.

’How strange!’

A thought struck Du Youqian. He had once guessed that the Great Sage Bloodline within the Stone Egg might belong to a monkey.

And the Water Yu Sword was rumored to have been forged from the Demon Core of a "Yu," a Demon in its Tier Three Juvenile Stage that had the potential to become a Tier Five Demon Emperor.

A "Yu" was a type of monkey!

’Perhaps this Water Yu Sword feels an affinity for the Stone Egg, feels happy being close to it, and is now reluctant to leave it?’

Du Youqian recalled the Water Yu Sword. After a moment’s hesitation, he casually set up a small Array to block Divine Sense probes.

Then, he took out the Stone Egg and placed it against the Water Yu Sword.

BZZZZZ! The Water Yu Sword vibrated at a high frequency, humming with excitement.

Du Youqian could feel that, stimulated by the Stone Egg, its internal power was rapidly increasing, and its infant-like intellect was also constantly evolving!

’This... Could it be that the Water Yu Sword is about to Promote? From a Lower Grade Treasure to a Middle Grade Treasure?’

’If the Water Yu Sword successfully Promotes, then I really won’t have to use the Blood Sacrifice on those Foundation Establishment Cultivators.’

’A Middle Grade Treasure corresponds to Tier Four and should be able to inflict sufficient damage on that Bear Zombie.’

「On the battlefield.」

All the Cultivators turned their heads in unison.

Even the Bear Zombie turned its black, cavernous eye sockets toward Du Youqian’s position.

Although Du Youqian had set up an Array there to block Divine Sense probes, the swirling vortex of Spiritual Qi that was forming clearly indicated what was happening inside.

Something was Promoting...

And it was causing quite a stir.

Judging by the celestial phenomena, it probably wasn’t Du Youqian undergoing Core Formation.

And Du Youqian wouldn’t be foolish enough to attempt Core Formation in the middle of a battle; that would be a death wish.

Master Wan Shi’s eyes narrowed. ’The Water Yu Sword, which I’m intimately familiar with, is actually breaking through?!’

Soon, the other Core Formation Masters reached the same conclusion as Master Wan Shi.

The Water Yu Sword was Promoting!

Although they didn’t know why the Water Yu Sword would choose to Promote at this particular moment.

And the Water Yu Sword’s promotion would surely cause an imbalance in the power dynamics between the various sects.

But right now, this was undoubtedly good news.

The elites of the various sects would not need to be offered up in a Blood Sacrifice here!

As the Spiritual Qi vortex grew larger and larger, Du Youqian didn’t dare to be careless. He put away the Stone Egg and tossed the Water Yu Sword into the air, lest he be unable to withstand the nearby spiritual pressure.

The Water Yu Sword’s aura surged. Its blade erupted in a dazzling light, and above it, a spectral image of a Yu appeared, baring its fangs and claws.

The Yu’s aura seemed to confuse the Bear Zombie.

It probably wondered if this thing was on its side.

In any case, the Bear’s massive body stopped its attack, and it stared foolishly as the Water Yu Sword Promoted.

Finally, the Water Yu Sword’s promotion was complete. Du Youqian thought he heard a series of joyful cries as the sword’s body shimmered with iridescent light, clearly having been reborn.

’What are you so happy about...’ Du Youqian wondered. ’Weren’t you skinned and de-boned by a Human Race Cultivator, had your Demon Core ripped out, and then refined into a Treasure?’

’Maybe the Spiritual Wisdom of a Tier Four Treasure is still relatively dim-witted.’

’If it reached the level of a Spiritual Treasure, the Water Yu Sword would very likely turn on its master.’

’But this sword’s potential is limited; it will never reach that level.’

Seeing the Bear Zombie still standing there foolishly, its mountain-like frame casting an oppressive, dark shadow, Du Youqian didn’t hesitate and sent the Water Yu Sword flying out.

SWOOSH! The Water Yu Sword was too fast to be seen, swiftly streaking past the corpses of the few Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had already died.

Wherever it passed, the bodies of the Foundation Establishment Cultivators turned into desiccated husks, all of their Essence Blood having been absorbed.

Sword Intent, Blood Food!

Using the corpses of Foundation Establishment Cultivators as Blood Food naturally didn’t provide as great a boost as using living ones.

But it was enough to give Du Youqian a temporary, all-around enhancement.

He then activated the "Red Blood Seven Transitions Technique," pushing it directly to the Second Transition, and also fully stimulated his Outer Pill.

The Water Yu Sword transformed into a streak of light, and when it reappeared, it had already sunk into the Bear Zombie’s abdomen.

The Core Formation Masters all stared nervously at the Water Yu Sword.

Would this strike be effective?

Tongming Master was in the best position to judge; the power of Du Youqian’s strike had already far surpassed his own all-out attack.

Of course, the main reason was the enormous boost provided by the Water Yu Sword’s growth into a Middle Grade Treasure.

It was a pity he was a pure Sword Cultivator and could only use his own Flying Sword or Sword Pill.

Otherwise, if he could wield a Middle Grade Treasure flying sword, his power would be on another level entirely.

The Water Yu Sword paused in the Bear Zombie’s abdomen for a single breath before it broke through the zombie’s thick hide and continued deeper.

The Bear Zombie felt no pain, but it bent over, a clear sign that the blow had injured it heavily.

Then, a brilliant flash of light shot up from its back—the Water Yu Sword, after churning things up inside its belly, had pierced clean through.

But just as the Water Yu Sword drilled out, the Bear’s wound began to squirm, healing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At this rate, it would probably recover completely in just a few breaths.

BOOM!

Bolts of arm-thick Little Five Elements Divine Thunder descended from the sky.

Du Youqian had used up almost all of his final one-sixth of a Spiritual Diamond in one go.

This was no time to be conserving Spiritual Diamonds. If he didn’t press the advantage and finish it off while it was wounded, its astonishing regenerative ability meant it might recover most of its strength in moments. Then, the Human Race Cultivators would likely have to pay an even more tragic price to destroy it.

Snake-like bolts of lightning coursed over the Bear Zombie’s entire body, emitting a CRACKLE! SIZZLE! sound.

The Bear Zombie threw its head back, mouth agape, and flailed with one claw. Though it didn’t let out a roar, everyone could feel its agony, which also prevented its wounds from healing any further.

Du Youqian clenched a Spiritual Diamond in his hand, absorbing it with all his might.

That last sword strike had completely exhausted his Magical Power.

The might of a Tier Four Treasure was immense, so naturally, it required a corresponding price.

The Spiritual Diamond was quickly drained. Du Youqian recovered a sliver of Magical Power and once again wielded the Water Yu Sword, sending it plunging into the wound on the Bear’s back.

When it flew out again, the Water Yu Sword had a yellowish-brown Demon Core attached to its blade as it returned to Du Youqian’s side.

His face deathly pale, Du Youqian plucked the Demon Core from the sword. The Bear, however, had not yet fallen. Unlike a Tier Three Demon King Zombie, a Tier Four Demon King Zombie possessed a powerful physical body that was not so easily destroyed.

But having lost its Demon Core, it had also lost its Innate Divine Abilities and was no longer so difficult to damage.

Under the combined assault of several cultivators with Core Formation Combat Power, it only lasted for a few dozen breaths before finally crashing to the ground.

After confirming that it was well and truly destroyed, the Cultivators couldn’t be bothered to collect the spoils of war. They all sat down on the spot to meditate and regulate their breathing.

The wind-blown sand quickly covered the Bear Zombie’s corpse with a layer of yellow grit.