Journey to the head

On Liangyi Mountain in Qingzhou, in a certain shadowy area, the spiritual energy fluctuations of Shadow Fusion Lord surged once again, and the shadows within the Shadow Prison rippled incessantly.

She calmly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, looking at the two people in front of her, who were swaying precariously from the deadly poison, with a cruel pleasure in her eyes.

That chilling feeling lingered all over his body, and his soul was stinging. Wei Zhaixing's "shifting stars and changing constellations" supernatural power was still in effect, and the so-called "death omen star" was lit up.

But so what? You're the ones who will die!
"Pfft!" Xiao Tianci suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, which hissed as it hit the ground. He forced himself to muster his spiritual power, and the dark rainbow hummed, the tip of his sword trembled. The sword energy that should have been incomparably sharp was extremely weak and powerless due to the corrosive effects of the poison and the stagnation of his spiritual power.

Wei Zhaixing's face was ashen, the light of his Starry Sky Robe had dimmed considerably, black blood foam kept spilling from the corner of his mouth, and fine powder was falling from the edge of the tortoise shell in his hand.

He tried to forcefully circulate his spiritual power, but stumbled and fell. Xiao Tianci caught him and cried out urgently, "Junior Brother Wei!"

Shadow Fusion Lord's eyes lit up, and with a flick of his finger, shadows condensed into a sky full of arrows that shot out. Then, in a flash, he had already merged into the shadows.

Xiao Tianci's sword light was chaotic, and even with a barely extended reach, he couldn't completely defend against attacks within three feet of him. More and more shadow arrows broke through, tearing through his flesh and piercing his shoulder blades.

Xiao Tianci let out a muffled groan. Just as the sword's momentum faltered, Ying Ronglingjun had already emerged from the shadows behind him. With a flick of his mottled mirror, Xiao Tianci fell to the ground in a daze. Meanwhile, another jet-black dagger pierced through the protective light shield of the Mo Hong sword sheath and stabbed towards Xiao Tianci's chest.

With a soft sound, the dagger sank in all the way!

Got it!
Ying Rongling was overjoyed, but just as she relaxed, a beam of starlight appeared before her!

laugh!
The incredibly sharp Penetrating Needle forced Shadow Spirit Lord to use her Shadow Substitute. The needle pierced through her left eye and exited through the back of her head. The Shadow Substitute instantly collapsed, and she screamed as she covered her bleeding eyeball.

In the "Death Star" state, only half of the original damage can be transferred.

Before she could react, a swift, powerful sword strike, imbued with the force of wind, fire, and thunder, pierced straight into her abdomen. The immense sword energy exploded violently, tearing her to shreds!

Another shadow clone! But this time, a huge wound also appeared on Shadow Fusion Lord's chest and abdomen, and blood gushed out.

"You—" she screamed, glaring at Wei Zhaixing, who was clenching his teeth and kneeling on one knee, and Xiao Tianci, who was pressing one hand to his chest and holding Mo Hong in the other. Suddenly, the shadow of death loomed over her, as if the gates of the underworld had been opened to her!

Xiao Tianci unleashed his divine power, and the Ink Rainbow Sword was about to be drawn!

But in the next instant, a surge of spiritual energy flowed through Ying Rong's body, instantly healing his massive wounds and restoring him to full strength. Xiao Tianci's divine power, "One Sword Reverses Cause and Effect," had lost the conditions to be activated.

Xiao Tianci had no choice but to give up.

Ying Rong swallowed the innate elixir that she had hidden in her mouth long ago!
Wei Zhaixing sighed in disappointment, while Ying Ronglingjun was also shocked and angry. She sensed that the aura of spiritual pills was rising from the bodies of Wei Zhaixing and Xiao Tianci.

"You are not the only one who possesses the innate elixir!"

In the sixteen years that the Yunshan Sect has been absorbing the rewards from Taiyi Paradise and the treasures in the treasury, they have already refined more than ten "Resurrection Pills". As long as there is still a breath of life left, they can be restored to their original state.

Those who go out to carry out important missions, whether they are Golden Core cultivators or Nascent Soul cultivators, can receive one. If they do not use it during the mission, they can return it to the treasury upon their return.

Wei Zhaixing and Xiao Tianci each possessed one, in addition to a considerable number of rare and precious elixirs, the effects of which were second only to those of innate elixirs.

Xiao Tianci had already stood up straight, his injuries fully healed, and his long sword was pointed diagonally, ready to unleash a strike at any moment.

Wei Zhaixing pressed down on the tortoise shell again, his Starry Sky Robe gleaming brightly, the Mountain-Piercing Needle swirling in the air. In his other hand, he wove layers upon layers of star-patterned brocade, firmly locking the black dagger within.

This is the secret technique "Starry Silk" taught by True Lord Crane Cry. It has the ability to bind and suppress, and can also take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness to bind their magical treasures.

Having just gone to great lengths, he risked turning his feigned death into a real one, walking a tightrope between life and death, trying to create an opportunity for Xiao Tianci to unleash his "One Sword Against Cause and Effect," but ultimately failed.

Ying Ronglingjun always had a backup plan; she had prepared a Primordial Spirit Pill long ago!
Shadow Spirit Lord remained expressionless as she merged back into the shadows, wandering along the edge of the prison, scrutinizing the two of them. Suddenly, she let out a cold laugh.

Although Wei Zhaixing and Xiao Tianci appeared to have recovered from their injuries and were full of spiritual energy, there was still a dark aura swirling around their faces, and it seemed to be deepening. Moreover, their spiritual pressure had been subtly decreasing in the last few breaths.

In that case, what does it matter if we temporarily lose a magical artifact?

"You almost fooled me. My Shadow Corrosion Poison isn't so easy to cure. Even if you have elixirs to suppress it, it's only a temporary recovery. If the poison flares up again, how long can you hold out?"

Wei Zhaixing didn't speak; he simply felt the cracks in the tortoise shell and coldly stared at Ying Ronglingjun.

As Yingrong said, they had only taken an antidote pill that could ward off all poisons. However, although the pill was precious, it was not a primordial elixir. As a general-purpose antidote pill, it could only temporarily suppress the poison of this secret technique and could not truly cure it.

In the time it takes to utter just those two sentences, one can already feel the Corrosive Shadow and Corrosive Bone Poison, like a maggot clinging to the bone, beginning to gnaw away at the meridians and internal organs once more.

At this moment, Wei Zhaixing also felt helpless. The difference in their cultivation levels was magnified to a point of despair in the face of what seemed like an endless supply of elixirs.

Every all-out battle only yielded a single, casually given pill from the opponent. Meanwhile, each burst of energy from their own forces accelerated the spread of the poison, depleting their already dwindling resources.

Even now, reinforcements are still nowhere in sight.

The shadows shifted silently, and Ying Rong's figure flickered within them, carrying a deadly intent. Having grasped the current situation, she no longer acted hastily, but rather, like a lurking viper, patiently awaited her opportunity.

"Junior Brother Wei," Xiao Tianci said in a deep voice.

Wei Zhaixing understood what he meant. Xiao Tianci wanted to ask if there was any other way. If he could suppress Ying Ronglingjun's state to a certain extent and make the causal threads appear, he could kill him with "a sword against causality".

But I've already tried it once, now...
Wei Zhaixing shook her head.

Xiao Tianci gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. His junior brother Wei had run out of tricks; perhaps, to defeat this formidable enemy, he could only rely on himself.

Wei Zhaixing suddenly spoke up: "You have our intelligence, you should know that my master is the True Lord Heming of Taiyi Paradise!"

The voice of Shadow Spirit Lord came from all directions: "You are just nominal disciples. Even if I kill you all today, who will know that it was me?"

Wei Zhaixing sneered: "Your shadow escape technique is quite unique. So many people on Liangyi Mountain witnessed it. If we report it to Taiyi Paradise in the future, it will be an obvious clue."

"Not only you, but your master will also be implicated. Disaster is imminent!"

"Heh, you think you can provoke me with just a few words?" Shadow Spirit Lord still hadn't shown himself. "You guys should think about how you're going to die sooner rather than later."

Wei Zhaixing continued speaking to himself, "You said your lord has the most elixirs, could it be... the Langhuan Danque!"

He shouted, but Ying Ronglingjun's aura remained undisturbed. She continued to hide, slowly whiling away their precious time together.

Xiao Tianci took a deep breath. As the countdown to the deadly poison's corrosive effects began, a flame suddenly ignited within him, burning ever brighter.

I know that Junior Brother Wei's words were intended to provoke Shadow Spirit Lord into losing his composure, thereby creating a turning point.

However, verbal sparring and quiet resignation are not what I desire!

I only want to unleash a single sword strike!
However, neither "Wind, Fire, Thunder," "Burning River," "Slicing Mountain," nor even the "Meteorite" or "Flying Light" that were not fully mastered could suppress her to the point of revealing the lines of cause and effect in an instant.

She's like a slippery eel, always able to recover thanks to her Shadow Substitute and innate elixirs. Meanwhile, my condition only worsens, until I can't even swing a sword.

Then, I should strike with this sword now!
I want to unleash a powerful and fearless sword strike!
"The Twin Stars of Cangzhou? Ha, after today, that name will disappear completely." Ying Rong's voice was erratic and full of sarcasm. "What a pity, what a pity that you forced me to use three spirit pills. As Golden Core cultivators, you are already top-notch. If I were to truly achieve Nascent Soul, perhaps you could defeat me?"

Nascent Soul? Nascent Soul!
Yes!

"Junior Brother Wei, hold off me for ten breaths!" Xiao Tianci suddenly closed his eyes, reversed the ink rainbow in his hand, pointed the sword tip at himself, and a low sword hum echoed in the realm.

I should turn this sword on myself!

Because I was weak and dodged in the face of the great tribulation of my inner demons!

I accepted the sect leader's plan and chose to undergo the tribulation of inner demons only after the poison dissipated and I was able to take the "Innate Fetal Breathing Pill." That was the beginning of my sword becoming dull.

Unbeknownst to me, I had put a shackle called "safety" on my sword!

Clearly, I've always known my true self. [Fearless!]
Wherever the sword points, so does my heart. Having wielded this sword for over two hundred years, have I ever hesitated or pursued anything more cautious?

Since you are fearless, why not cross the river?!

Once confined by a drawn circle, today the precious sword shines with dazzling brilliance!
A blinding light rose up, dissolving the shadows in its path and shooting straight into Xiao Tianci's brow.

Sword Style: Severing Oneself!

This was once Xiao Tianci's strongest move, which he had mastered on his own, but it was gradually buried after he obtained the "True Technique of the Four Stars Illuminating Divine Sword" and the sword intent taught by Master Cangfeng.

Looking back today, the mountains are still mountains, the water is still water, the true nature remains, and the original intention is unchanged.

Before wielding the sword, first sever your own life force!

Xiao Tianci lowered his head and sat down, his aura completely concealed. The fluctuations emanating from him greatly surprised Ying Ronglingjun.

Xiao Tianci begins his tribulation against his inner demons right here in this Shadow Prison!

He said he'd give him ten breaths?

Do you know that when I was overcoming my inner demon tribulation, even after taking a elixir, I almost perished?

You think you can break through your inner demons and become a Nascent Soul cultivator within ten breaths?!

The shadow of the prison solidified instantly, then trembled violently in the next instant!
"Dream on! Die!" Shadow Spirit Lord roared shrilly, completely merging into the thick, ink-like shadow beneath his feet. All the darkness within the prison seemed to come alive, transforming into ferocious, twisted shadow arrows, shadow spikes, and shadow blades, like a boiling black tide, biting towards Wei Zhaixing and Xiao Tianci with ear-piercing shrieks!

Wei Zhaixing stood in front of Xiao Tianci, and her eyes, which had been slightly dimmed by the poison, now burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant starlight.

He trusted his companions wholeheartedly.

They also deserve to be trusted wholeheartedly by their companions!

Ten breaths?

The star trails around them shone brightly once more, and their supernatural powers of shifting stars and changing constellations were activated again. This time, a star exuding a profound and heavy aura flickered gently above their heads.

This is "Zhenxing," representing the power of defense!
His secret technique, Star Shield, suddenly expanded, and the Starry Sky Robe shone brightly, its defensive aura thickening exponentially!

The immense drain from his supernatural powers caused him to stagger, and the poison began to seep into his internal organs. Without hesitation, he swallowed the Creation Fire Pill belonging to the Extreme Central Manor.

With a thunderous roar, the shadowy weapons struck the Starry Sky Shield like a storm, but were all deflected and redirected. Any that managed to penetrate were blocked by the Starry Sky Robe.

Ying Ronglingjun launched an attack with her treasure mirror, but Wei Zhaixing's penetrating needle was sharp and its scorching armor had anticipated her move, forcing her to disappear back into the shadows.

Seeing Wei Zhaixing take the first wave of attacks, Ying Ronglingjun was furious.

No problem!

You guys can risk your lives against deadly poison, but I can't?!

She activated a secret technique, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Instantly, the shadows twisted, and a sound like muffled thunder reverberated within them.

Secret Technique: Bloodthirsty Divine Thunder!
At this very moment, Xiao Tianci was trembling with fear.

Before him, heaven and earth seemed upside down.

"Xiao Tianci!"

A grand, icy voice, like the roar of billions of living beings, rumbled from the depths of the tribulation clouds, directly striking his soul. Immediately afterward, a colossal black shadow, towering to the heavens and standing upright, suddenly coalesced within the churning clouds.

This dark figure was composed of countless twisted sword shadows, broken weapons, shattered landscapes, and blurry faces filled with grief, sorrow, or despair. It had no facial features and exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.

It raised its hand and pressed down on Xiao Tianci, causing the heavens and earth to collapse. This was the great power of a true immortal!

However, Xiao Tianci raised his head and walked forward, his pace quickening, before soaring into the air and unleashing the black sword with a clang.

Having already shown fearlessness and severed my own ties, even if a true immortal were before me, I would still thrust out with my sword!
"Look at the sword!"

This sword strike is dazzling, this sword strike silences heaven and earth!
Rumble! Within the Shadow Prison, the Blood Fiend Divine Lightning twisted and exploded, each wisp of shadow transforming into incredibly powerful lightning. Wei Zhaixing spat out a mouthful of black blood, the Star Enclosure Shield shattered and twisted, and the light shield of his magic robe thinned considerably.

But he gritted his teeth, ignoring the deadly poison that had seeped into his internal organs.

I'll risk my life to hold on for ten more breaths for Senior Brother Xiao!
There should be seven breaths left—

In an instant, his eyes widened, and boundless joy burst forth, while Ying Ronglingjun was shocked!
A baby's first cry rang out, accompanied by a deep sword hum. In that instant, tens of thousands of flying swords automatically unsheathed themselves on Liangyi Mountain, their clear harmonies echoing for miles.

Within three breaths, Xiao Tianci transformed his elixir into an infant!

He slowly stood up, like a peerless sword being slowly drawn from its sheath. As he looked at himself, Shadow Spirit Lord heard the sound of his body being torn apart.

Her eyes widened as her body was cleaved in two, and Xiao Tianci appeared behind her, sheathing his sword.

It was the peerless, swift sword, Flying Light.

"No, I haven't lost yet!" Shadow Spirit Lord shouted. His shadow clone absorbed half of the damage, and then he swallowed another innate spirit pill.

However, as the effects of the medicine took hold, the feeling of weakness was impossible to shake off.

What happened? Me—

She felt something slipping through her body in disbelief, staring at her hands that had suddenly become cracked and wrinkled.

What Xiao Tianci severed was not only flesh and blood, but also—

Shouyuan!

Second Divine Power: One Sword Can Deplete a Person's Lifespan!

Wei Zhaixing breathed a long sigh of relief, sat down on the ground, and smiled.

The Shadow Substitute of the Shadow Fusion Spirit Lord can withstand damage, but it has no lifespan, so how can it share the burden? Xiao Tianci's sword strike was brilliant; as long as it hits the enemy, it can reduce their lifespan, which even a primordial elixir cannot restore!
"you--"

The scream of Shadow Fusion Lord stopped abruptly, Xiao Tianci's figure flashed again, and then the world turned upside down.

Innate Divine Power: Reversing Cause and Effect with a Single Sword!
The effect is reversed, with the premise of killing the enemy being the "effect" that determines the decision to thrust the long sword.

The outcome was already predetermined; no amount of defense or evasion would be meaningful. This sword strike reversed cause and effect, changing destiny.

With a single sword strike, Shadow Fusion Spirit Lord's head flew off, and his nascent soul was simultaneously annihilated!
The formidable enemy, Ying Rong, was slain by Xiao Tianci!
The Shadow Prison is collapsing, and the deadly poison that afflicted the body, formed from a secret technique, is now dissipating.

Wei Zhaixing smiled and said, "Congratulations, Senior Brother Xiao, on achieving the Nascent Soul Monarch position!"

However, he was taken aback the next moment.

Xiao Tianci had already appeared behind him, and the sword Mo Hong was placed against his neck.

“Junior Brother Wei, now I have defeated you. The time has come for you to return to Yunshan.”

Wei Zhaixing was stunned for a long time, then suddenly smiled. (End of Chapter)