Embers of Sword

Chapter 721 Dead Phoenix
The sword tip pierced the flesh and bone, instantly releasing a circle of pitch-black Dao intent!
"what--"

Venerable Ling let out a shrill scream.

In the blink of an eye.

Her right shoulder was completely covered in black!
Logically speaking, the Dao Intent of Annihilation should have completely devoured this Yin God Demon in just two or three breaths... However, the Dao Realm that Venerable Ling comprehended happened to be called [Void]. The Dao Intent of [Void] flowed through his meridians, turning a mustard seed into an inch, thus invisibly slowing down the erosion of the Dao Intent of Annihilation.

But this only treats the symptoms, not the root cause.

The obstruction of the Dao's intent in the [Void] could not change the fate of Venerable Ling being eroded and swallowed by the Dao's intent.

"Die!"

Xie Xuanyi clasped his hands together, his eyes revealing a chilling killing intent.

But just as the seals were being sealed...

Xie Xuanyi sensed something amiss. The heavy snow falling from the desolate mountains seemed to slow down, and this was definitely not his imagination. Having cultivated to this level, Xie Xuanyi's perception of heaven and earth had become incredibly acute. The snowflakes falling from the sky, where flying swords were unleashing their sword intent, seemed to be tinged with a faint, viscous red.

"His!"

Not far in front of Venerable Ling, the void shattered.

A snow-white, delicate, jade-like hand emerged from the void rift and reached out to grab Venerable Ling—

"Great Venerable One of the Heavenly Phoenix Palace!"

The moment the snow-white palm appeared, Xie Xuanyi's unease was confirmed!

As the most promising candidate for advancement to "Great Perfection" in the Heavenly Phoenix Palace, the Grand Palace Master didn't simply bestow upon him a demonic rune talisman. If the demonic rune is attacked, the Heavenly Phoenix Palace's Grand Venerable will arrive at the scene as quickly as possible… This isn't an unexpected tactic; the human race also protects its young geniuses in the same way.

"Destroy!"

The void shattered.

Xie Xuanyi hurriedly activated his sword energy, wanting to finish the battle quickly.

Unfortunately.

The Grand Venerable of the Yang God Realm, who had traveled thousands of miles through the void, acted with extreme efficiency and without the slightest hesitation. His hand shifted from a grasping motion to a slicing motion, cleanly severing Venerable Ling's right arm, along with most of his shoulder, in a single, decisive strike.

puff!
A torrent of demon blood gushed out!

Venerable Ling's face suddenly turned pale, as if struck by lightning. He was so weak that he couldn't even scream.

She knew it.

That was the most dangerous moment of my life, without a doubt!

Losing an arm is certainly painful, but if the "Way of Annihilation" is allowed to spread further, this person will lose their entire life!

……

……

Several miles away.

A hint of disappointment flashed across Xie Xuanyi's eyes.

This almost fatal sword strike was completely neutralized after the Demon Kingdom's Grand Venerable intervened.

True.

Venerable Ling himself can also perform the "severing of an arm".

However, if it weren't for the Grand Venerable's intervention, cleanly and decisively blocking the sword energy with the "Great Dao," even if Venerable Ling severed his own arm, Xie Xuanyi would have been able to seize the opportunity to strike with a second and a third sword... This battle had already been decided in terms of life and death!
The appearance of the Great One is certainly not just about saving people.

Offense and defense are reversed!

The moment the void shattered and the heavy snow subsided, Xie Xuanyi already felt the overwhelming killing intent descending upon him!
With a thunderous roar, countless falling snowflakes were ignited at that moment.

The snowflakes initially slowed down in the air, then suddenly accelerated, like streaks of crimson meteors hurtling towards Xie Xuanyi. In an instant, Xie Xuanyi's hovering position was enveloped by an invisible "Dao Domain"—a true Dao Condensation Domain, entirely different from the Dao Domain of the Yin God Realm!
"Shen Yan, come back!"

Xie Xuanyi summoned his Martial Divine Embryo and unleashed a barrage of punches at the heavens. With each punch, the void shattered, a fusion of the Path of Life and Death emanating from it… This level of bombardment was already enough to shatter any attack below the Yang God Realm, but the crimson snowflakes, imbued with the Dao's intent, possessed a touch of deathly stillness. The Divine Embryo continued its relentless attacks, causing the void to collapse, but at least half of the snowflakes ignored the onslaught, continuing to fall and envelop Xie Xuanyi, forcing him to recall his natal flying sword for defense.

Xie Xuanyi knew that he would not have the chance to deliver a second sword strike.

He sighed.

Golden light swept back from the horizon, instantly drawing a long line. With the blessing of his natal flying sword, Xie Xuanyi cut off all the remaining crimson snowflakes, barely protecting the three feet of peace and tranquility around him!

His expression was solemn as he stretched out a hand, three feet away, and caught a piece of "red snow"—

"Chucky!"

The red snow fell into my palm and melted at an extremely fast speed.

Along with it, Xie Xuanyi's palm flesh also melted away. The Dao intent contained in this flowing snow was quite similar to his own "Dao intent of annihilation"!
The Way of Annihilation is the ultimate art of destruction and attack.

The Daoist meaning contained within this crimson flowing snow is "desolation" and "corruption"!
The flesh on Xie Xuanyi's palm was not cut away by Hong Xue's killing power, no blood flowed out, and no wound was cut... but it naturally aged, withered, and died, eventually dissolving.

"The Way of Withering..."

Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes and guessed the source of the Dao.

What terrifying Daoist meaning!

This patch of red snow, falling into my palm, is already so terrifying—

If covered by red snow, how long could an ordinary cultivator last? They would probably be reduced to bones after only a dozen or so breaths, their flesh and blood dissolved by the Dao intent!

laugh!
Thinking of this, Xie Xuanyi clasped his hands together, using the warmth of his palms in conjunction with his sword energy to completely evaporate and melt the red snow. This "Path of Withering" is indeed terrifying, but ultimately, this Dao intent still achieves its killing by weakening "vitality"... The "Path of Withering" should belong to the same great river as the "Path of Annihilation," and should be slightly inferior.

The greatest fear of this great Dao is the "Dao of Life".

Water and fire are incompatible.

Even if a cultivator practices the "Path of Withering," they may not be able to counteract the vitality of the "Path of Life" no matter how hard they try.

Although he was only a Yin spirit, his body was full of "life force".

Open your palms again.

Xie Xuanyi's "withered flesh and blood" in his palm had returned to normal, even shimmering with a radiant glow. He had only consumed a small wisp of the Undying Spring's vapor... to completely neutralize the "withered Dao intent" of the red snow. As the source of the Undying Spring, as long as he prepared in advance, even if he were completely enveloped by the red snow, he should be able to withstand it!
After a brief exchange, Xie Xuanyi confirmed the opponent's true strength and weaknesses, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He gazed at the distant mountains.

A woman in a long robe slowly emerged from the void.

"..."

Xie Xuanyi's expression was solemn, while the flying sword on his shoulder surged continuously.

Not long ago, he had a brief encounter with this great demon.

She was the only female demon among the three great venerables who descended upon Mount Jinli.

Heavenly Phoenix Palace, Dead Phoenix.

……

……

(Something came up tonight, so I missed the update. I'll make up for it with 2000 words tomorrow during the day.)
(End of this chapter)