Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 386 Following the Heavenly Way (Five Chapters Combined)

The world in the painting.

"Ho..."

After hearing Lin Qing's words, Zhang Xingming felt it was somewhat absurd and was angry, but he was too lazy to say anything more and just sneered.

At the same time, the golden core's pressure around him was no longer held back and erupted with a roar.

The tranquil scene of this world was shattered; the streams surged backward and the rocks crumbled.

Under this oppressive aura, Lin Qing's heart sank.

He had never faced the power of a Golden Core Realm cultivator alone before, and this experience made him vaguely feel that his estimation might have been a bit too optimistic.

His hand holding the paintbrush trembled slightly, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

How exactly did this Junior Brother Song manage to escape death from the hands of a Golden Core cultivator, and what methods does he intend to use to fight a Golden Core cultivator to the death...?

This oppressive aura is a great deterrent to cultivators, but it has no effect on the illusory Dharma Body.

Perhaps sensing the pressure on Lin Qing, Xu Xiang did not hesitate and grabbed the Heavy Ruler Heart Demon.

"Om-!"

The demonic flames on the heavy ruler surged, and mysterious golden patterns suddenly lit up on its body. Facing the overwhelming pressure, it did not retreat but advanced, and with a powerful sweep, it slammed into Zhang Xingming!

"..."

Zhang Xingming frowned, snorted coldly, and pointed out with his finger. A condensed, dark demonic energy shot out from his fingertip, arriving first and striking the heavy ruler's blade.

"clang--!"

The deafening sound of the clashing engines reverberated throughout the painting!

The stream of demonic energy dissipated instantly, but a ripple of demonic energy emanated from the point of intersection.

Under this shock, the illusory Dharma body's demonic flames flickered violently, their light fading and undulating, as if they might dissipate at any moment.

At this moment, Zhang Xingming's second finger had already been extended, and spiritual power descended. This time, the illusory avatar did not even have to resist it directly; it merely touched it and then dispersed into demonic flames.

However, it was precisely this change that greatly reduced Lin Qing's pressure. He picked up his brush and began to write, his spiritual energy surging into the Kui Zhen Brush. The tip of the brush was fully dipped in ink, and he rapidly swung it in front of him, outlining a bold shape!

"Draw ink to summon spirits, heed my command."

With a soft shout, ink slowly gathered, and a ferocious, dark tiger roared and pounced.

Immediately afterwards, the giant bear, the wood demon, and the black tortoise, four enormous demonic beasts, were materialized by the black ink and pounced on Zhang Xingming together, fearless of death.

In an instant, ferocious beasts roared and surrounded Zhang Xingming. A tiger's claws tore through the wind, a giant bear shook the earth, a wood-like demon bound him, and a black tortoise spewed water…

The offensive continued.

At the same time, the illusory demon's figure reassembled, and the Heart Demon Heavy Ruler slashed horizontally.

However, only a hint of impatience flashed in Zhang Xingming's eyes.

These things were like child's play to him, utterly boring.

"They're just ink spots."

He suddenly flicked his sleeve!
boom--!
A surge of demonic energy, several times stronger than before, erupted from the bell and swept outwards in all directions.

Wherever the demonic energy passed, those menacing monsters instantly disintegrated and collapsed, transforming back into the most primal, dark spiritual energy, disappearing into the painted landscape.

Then Zhang Xingming turned sideways and pointed, not using demonic energy, but instead using spiritual power to disperse the illusory Heavenly Demon.

He naturally recognized this Asura Dharma body, but it was vastly different from the one he had seen before.

What they have in common is that demonic energy cannot have any substantial effect on it and other means are needed to suppress it.

Sure enough, this time, the time it took for the illusory form to reassemble and recover after being scattered was longer.

Is this the power of the Golden Elixir?

In the blink of an eye, all the attacks vanished. If it weren't for Junior Brother Song's avatar restraining him, he would probably have already died.

Lin Qing didn't linger; he had already been mentally prepared for this outcome when he put pen to paper.

Therefore, the moment he summoned the demon beast, he began to fly backward.

As he painted the scroll in his hand, he flew away in a certain direction of the world depicted in the painting.

The illusory demon also noticed the change in its own state. Driven by its fighting instincts, it chose a more appropriate method.

His body suddenly swelled, and along with the heavy ruler inner demon, he transformed back into his enormous Dharma body form and pounced on Zhang Xingming.

His body was engulfed in raging demonic flames, and the heavy ruler transformed into a streak of black light that traversed mountains and rivers, aiming straight for his back.

This time, Zhang Xingming was finally slightly moved, losing patience with this indestructible pest.

With a flash of inspiration, the bell swelled in the wind, hovering above the Dharma body's head, shining down on its enormous form, before suddenly falling.

clang--!
The enormous bell tolled throughout the entire painted world. After a brief pause, the sound of metal clashing against metal came from within the bell, as if the Dharma body was still wielding the heavy ruler within it.

Each strike causes demonic flames to emanate from the bell, and the intervals between the sounds become shorter and shorter.

Zhang Xingming transformed into a swift streak of light and rushed towards Lin Qingzhong. Whether it was the rocks, ancient trees, or monsters that appeared out of thin air in the painting to block the way, they were all scattered by his palm.

In the blink of an eye, his figure appeared in front of Lin Qing like a ghost.

He stretched out one hand and grabbed Lin Qing's throat, rendering his protective spiritual energy useless.

The crisis of suffocation and death overwhelmed him in an instant.

"The painting is good, but the person is too weak."

Zhang Xingming looked down at him.

"Is that all? What a waste of this fine painting. Before you die, tell me the method to manipulate the painting's realm, and I'll give you a quick death."

He didn't think Lin Qing had any special value. But Zhang Xingming knew nothing about painting, so if he could find out some of the secrets of this painting, then this little bug would have died a worthwhile death.

This is already the edge of the world in the painting. It seems that even if I let him escape, there is no way to retreat.

"Ahem...ok."

To Zhang Xingming's surprise, Lin Qing's voice was somewhat choked, yet she agreed to his request without hesitation.

I thought these people had some backbone to dare to lay a hand on me.

One or two, it makes no difference.

“Senior…this True Brush and Scroll of Travel…were crafted by a Golden Core cultivator in the past.”

"Ahem...its most powerful effect is..."

"Yes……"

"What is it?" Zhang Xingming frowned.

“It’s… a record.” Lin Qing suddenly grinned.

With trembling hands, he grasped the brush and placed the final stroke of ink on the scroll.

Om-!
Suddenly, the scene before Zhang Xingming's eyes was bizarre and surreal. The world here was turned upside down and changing, and an irresistible force was acting on him.

"?!"

Zhang Xingming was shocked and furious. In an instant, the world spun around him, and he was astonished to find that he had returned to the open space by the stream where he had first entered the painting!
Lin Qing remained where she was, breathing heavily.

The brilliance on Kuizhen's brush was greatly dimmed, and the spirit of the entire painting withered to the extreme.

"How dare you mock me?!"

A tremendous sense of humiliation overwhelmed Zhang Xingming instantly.

A dignified Golden Core cultivator was actually manipulated and toyed with like a chess piece by a Foundation Establishment junior using the secret technique of the Painting Realm.

His previous caution backfired, making him look foolish.

"It's also my fault for being too cautious and dragging things out."

Zhang Xingming cursed himself inwardly, his overwhelming rage igniting his murderous intent.

Interrogation and treasure hunting were all thrown to the back of their minds.

"Die to me!"

There was no longer any mockery in Zhang Xingming's eyes, only a cold killing intent. The terrifying spiritual pressure of the Golden Core Realm erupted, and he formed hand seals, causing the Illusionary Soul Bell to slowly rise.

Beneath the bell, the Dharma body remained a chaotic mass of demonic flames, its re-condensation occurring at an extremely slow pace.

Zhang Xingming took a step forward, and before he could even steady himself, he spread his large hand, conjured spiritual power, and grabbed Lin Qing's body from afar.

"Uh……"

Lin Qing slowly rose into the air. Under the immense gripping force, her face instantly turned red and purple, her eyes became bloodshot, and her paintbrush slipped from her hand.

His spiritual power couldn't even budge a Golden Core cultivator.

"hehe."

Lin Qing gave a bitter laugh and extended a hand gesture.

It is "eight".

Eight breaths.

Junior Brother Song, I have already stalled for eight breaths.

Once this person kills me and leaves the world within the painting, it will buy you nine breaths.

If you can truly kill a Golden Core cultivator, then I'll also count...

"die!"

Demonic energy surged from the Illusionary Soul Bell, and a huge black handprint instantly solidified, hurtling towards Lin Qing.

The terrifying power had caused Lin Qing to bleed from all seven orifices, her soul on the verge of breaking, unable to even move a finger, quietly watching death descend.

At the critical moment.

Lin Qing lowered her gaze and noticed that she could see specks of golden light falling from her forehead.

"?"

What is this? He was a little confused and raised his head slightly.

But then, the golden mark on Lin Qing's forehead suddenly gleamed with a sharp edge.

The light was dazzling, and then a sharp sword aura burst forth from it without warning!

Om-!
Lin Qing heard the clang of swords that the entire painting could not withstand.

Its brilliance instantly overshadowed Marin's dark light.

A sense of unease rose in Zhang Xingming's heart, and he instinctively moved the Illusionary Soul Bell a foot.

However, a thin golden thread traversed this world, arriving before the bell and Zhang Xingming.

clang--!
The Illusion Bell shattered immediately.

Lin Qing stared blankly at the scene, her mind momentarily blank.

He felt a faint burning sensation between his brows, and with a trembling hand, he gently raised his hand and touched his forehead.

The area there was smooth and flat, and the gold patterns were gone.

"..."

Lin Qing was somewhat stunned.

For more than a decade, he had always believed that the golden mark on his forehead was some kind of restriction placed on him by the sect leader.

If he were to betray his sect and flee the Chu Kingdom, and this were discovered, he would suddenly lash out and take his life.

But now it seems...

That doesn't seem to be the case.

"puff!"

With his magic weapon severely damaged, Zhang Xingming was struck dumb, and in addition, he himself was also injured by the sword energy, so he immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.

His face turned deathly pale instantly, and his eyes were filled with lingering fear.

If this kid hadn't been completely clueless, giving me a split second to react, I probably would have been hit in a vital spot and might have ended up at the hands of these two bastards.

Zhang Xingming was terrified at this moment. He couldn't care less about the pain of the damaged magic weapon. He hurriedly used his demonic energy and spiritual power to slowly repair his injuries.

Fortunately, the Illusion Bell absorbed most of his power, so his injuries weren't too serious.

At this moment, Lin Qing no longer had enough mental energy to maintain the painting. In addition, the spiritual energy stored in the scroll itself was exhausted after being used to move Zhang Xingming, so this world in the painting could no longer be maintained.

Mountains collapse, rivers dry up, the sky cracks open...

The entire painting gradually faded, and the battlefield of the Dongyuan Sect, which was still shrouded in demonic clouds, was revealed again.

The commotion here is really too great.

Whether they were cultivators from the Demon Ruins or disciples of the Cave Abyss Sect, countless eyes were now focused on them.

Before Zhang Xingming could catch his breath, he suddenly felt a cold gaze and looked up.

But then a tall, slender figure appeared, suspended in the air against the dim light, his face shrouded in shadow.

Only a pair of golden eyes shone brightly.

At this moment, she is quietly watching him.

"Song Yan..."

All that could be seen was Song Yan's body surging with sword energy, and fifteen flying swords of different shapes swirling and spinning rapidly around the shattered scroll.

When Song Yan saw the world in the painting collapse and Zhang Xingming's figure appear, the surrounding flying swords began to slow down.

Yet the endless sword energy continued to surge into the realm formed by the flying swords.

At this moment, the world in his eyes became somewhat different. All the flow of spiritual energy was clearly visible. At this moment, his mind was like a clear mirror, reflecting all things. He was unmoved by external things and unperturbed by life and death.

Fear, despair, anger—all disturbances were discarded.

Abandon sagacity and wisdom, return to simplicity and truth.

Throughout the entire Taixu Sword Chapter, the strongest technique that a Foundation Establishment Realm sword cultivator can theoretically master is called the Sword Domain.

In fact, this method was already recorded in the Spirit Transformation chapter.

However, the Taixu Sword Chapter describes the conditions required for it in more detail.

This sword domain is actually the most commonly used offensive and killing method by sword cultivators in the Golden Core realm.

However, in theory, certain Foundation Establishment cultivators with special conditions can meet the requirements to use this technique.

Firstly, one needs to have a mature and complete sword intent, reaching a point where it can be used freely.

This requirement was met after absorbing and refining that wisp of Divine Transformation Sword Qi and Mirror Flower Water Moon Sword Intent following the Jiangtian Night Banquet.

At this moment, sword energy surged forth from beneath the Zhendao Sword Mansion, erupting all at once.

On the lotus platform, the radiant glow of the dreamlike lotus seed rose gently, gathering behind Song Yan and condensing into a ring.

A mighty and powerful force, displaying its full might.

In an instant, from within the endless demonic clouds, one after another dark city tower appeared, the Black Jade Loulan, exuding a chilling killing intent.

This magnificent and beautiful scene attracted the attention of countless people.

Even many cultivators who were fighting and killing each other stopped what they were doing and looked into the distance.

The deafeningly noisy battlefield had become strangely quiet.

"This……"

Zhang Guangyuan was somewhat lost in thought. This scene was so similar to the scene on Longtan Mountain back then.
This time, however, Song Yan's aura was many times stronger than before.

The second condition for unleashing a sword domain is possessing a sword spirit.

"Gah——!"

A crow's cry rose from the flat ground in the mountains and fields.

It flapped its wings leisurely and flew into that realm, then suddenly disappeared, leaving only a faint phantom hovering within.

Thirdly, it requires the integration and mastery of several compatible sword formations.

Song Yan had already begun to consider this point when he was cultivating the Spirit Transformation Chapter.

The sword formations "Circling the Moon," "Howling Sun," and "Shifting Stars" are all from the same lineage and are compatible.

Song Yan had already simulated and rehearsed this scene countless times in his mind. The moment he saw Zhang Xingming appear, he pointed his sword and bent it.

Fifteen flying swords, positioned at three different heights, hovered and swirled above that realm.

The three sword formations were actually operating together!
The Moon Ring Sword Formation is above, reflected in the icy moonlight.

The Roaring Sun Sword Formation is in the center, with the great sun shining brightly.

The Star-Shifting Sword Formation is below, causing stars to shift and constellations to turn.

For a moment, many Qi Refining stage cultivators could no longer distinguish whether it was day or night.

However, nobody cares about these things now.

At this moment, the figure in the sky has become the focus of everyone's attention.

"Senior Brother Song... what does he want to do?" Gu Qingqing's face was now covered in blood.

"That Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Dongyuan Sect, is trying to fight Elder Zhang like an egg against a rock?"

"Hahahaha, a Foundation Establishment cultivator trying to sever a Golden Core? What a fool's dream..."

In the midst of the mockery, some even took out their camera lenses, wanting to record this utterly ridiculous scene.

Indeed, having met these requirements, one can barely attempt to unleash the Sword Domain.

However, this alone is far from enough to pose a life-threatening threat to a Golden Core cultivator.

At the very least, one needs to reach the level of a powerful sword aura at the Golden Core stage.

Is there a Song banquet?

He didn't have it originally, but the spiritual energy that appeared after consuming that withered branch gave him a temporarily inexhaustible supply of spiritual power.

With the time Lin Qing had bought for him, the realm was now filled with sword energy.

Is that enough?
not enough.

"Just who is Junior Brother Song? If the other party is not a Golden Core cultivator... Unfortunately, it's useless."

Song Zhenzong, Yu Nanxi, and Wang Renming formed a battle formation, supporting each other and killing many demonic cultivators. At this point, they were nearing their end.

Yu Nanxi raised her head and looked at that figure, feeling a sharp pain in her heart: "Such a brilliant and talented person..."

Song Yan was well aware of this.

If we want this sword domain to truly possess the power to kill Golden Core cultivators, we absolutely need a magic weapon!

How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator possibly possess a magic weapon?
Even if it exists, it will be of no use if the true power of the magic weapon cannot be unleashed!

Everyone looked up and saw Song Yan pointing his sword forward as if to press down.

Among the fifteen flying swords, a bluish-gray sword light slowly flew out, replacing the position of the natal flying sword, Unbound Boat, and landed in the center of the realm.

It is the flying sword that seeks benevolence.

In an instant, bluish-gray clouds rose into the sky, layer upon layer, with the momentum to completely engulf the surrounding sword energy!
The aura of a magical artifact!
"He really does have one?!"

The group of pseudo-core cultivators from the Demon Ruins nearly popped their eyes out of their sockets.

This person is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet he possesses a collection of strange and unusual cultivation techniques and treasures. Is it really possible for a remote border region like Chu to produce such a young cultivator?
Having just suffered that inexplicable sword strike, Zhang Xingming was now like a frightened bird. Having just left the world of the painting and seeing this situation again, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

He made a decisive move, stopping his breathing exercise. An abnormal flush appeared on his face, and his demonic energy became disordered for a moment.

That was the consequence of forcibly suppressing the injury.

He couldn't care less about any of that; all he wanted now was to temporarily extricate himself from the realm surrounded by flying swords and make further plans.

However, Zhang Xingming's expression changed again.

It's unclear whether the sword energy from before resonated faintly with the sword energy in this realm, or whether there was an anti-air formation within the surrounding sword array.

For a moment, he was unable to mobilize his spiritual power to escape, and could only suspend his body slightly and slowly float away.

However, even with this, it is naturally not as fast as those flying swords.

Zhang Xingming's face darkened. While readjusting himself, he shouted sternly, "Song Yan! Even if you are incredibly lucky and possess these extraordinary skills and magical treasures, our realms are as different as a firefly and the bright moon!"

"Without sufficient spiritual power at your cultivation level, how can you unleash the full power of a magic weapon?"

“If you stop now, I…”

Zhang Xingming's voice suddenly stopped.

His expression was somewhat blank.

Because of the keen senses of a Golden Core cultivator, they detected a slight change in the surrounding spiritual energy.

At this moment, countless eyes, both inside and outside the Dongyuan Sect, were fixed on Song Yan.

Suddenly, spiritual energy surged above the Dongyuan Sect, converging towards the young figure.

His eyes closed, and he extended his index finger, a wisp of purple energy surging at the fingertip.

hum-

The next instant, a surge of purple energy erupted, flowing ceaselessly and instantly enveloping Song Yan's figure completely. At this moment, he was like a giant furnace, and wherever spiritual energy passed, it was forged into sword energy by that misty purple glow.

Purple clouds float over the pass, like the rising sun in the east.

His aura rose steadily.

"..."

How could such an intensity of energy be possible?!
The realm was already filled with the aura of sword energy, and now all of that sword energy was ignited by a wisp of purple energy.

In an instant, everything in the realm, including Song Yan, was filled with surging energy!
In the blink of an eye, the pressure of his sword energy had already approached the boundary between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core.

incredible……

Can not accept!

How can someone with the cultivation level of Foundation Establishment Realm achieve the pressure of Golden Core Realm?

Is this really something that cultivators in a remote place like the Chu Kingdom in this day and age could accomplish?!
The cultivators of Dongyuan Sect were in an uproar, with cries of shock echoing throughout the hall.

Even many cultivators from the Demon Ruins were trembling at this moment.

A part of them is fear.

If there were even a one in ten thousand chance that Elder Zhang Xingming would be defeated and the nine Nascent Soul seniors would not help them, they might be annihilated by the Dongyuan Sect cultivators' counterattack.

There's another part of my feelings that I can't quite explain or articulate.

"Stubborn and unreasonable!"

Zhang Xingming was both shocked and furious, but he did not panic. He made a quick decision, patted his Qiankun bag, and summoned a flying sword and a set of flying needles, both of which had the power of high-grade spiritual artifacts.

The good news is that the sword aura injury, which was not serious to begin with, will not have much of an impact if left untreated for the time being.

He forcefully suppressed his injuries, unleashing a torrent of spiritual and demonic energy that converged on the flying needles and sword.

These flying needles are infamous insidious magical artifacts in the cultivation world, incredibly fast and unpredictable.

At this moment, a complete set of flying needle magic weapons circled around the flying sword and shot towards Song Yan!

However, Song Yan remained unmoved, his aura continuing to rise, constantly adding boiling sword energy into the realm.

He neither dodged nor evaded, had no protective magic artifacts, and even completely withdrew his protective spiritual power, merging it into his domain.

"It's over..."

Among the cultivators below, one of the demonic cultivators was muttering to himself in a daze.

With two top-grade spiritual weapons and the power of a Golden Core cultivator, Song Yan had no way to dodge them.

There is no doubt that he will die.

"Even if that magic array is incredibly powerful, what good is it?"

"Song Yan—!"

"Senior Brother Song—!"

The cultivators of Dongyuan Sect cried out in alarm, as if they had already foreseen the demise of this last hope.

Zhang Xingming also looked at the young man who made his heart tremble. Seeing that he neither dodged nor resisted, he finally revealed a sinister smile.

To have achieved this level of accomplishment, this person is already quite proud.

He was so focused on preparing his killing move that he couldn't protect himself. He was exhausted and no match for himself.

However, at that moment, Song Yan suddenly opened his eyes.

The cold gaze passed over the menacing killing move and landed on Zhang Xingming, causing a strange tremor in his heart.

Join your middle and index fingers together and hook them upwards.

In an instant, within the realm, stars rose and moonlight sank.

The three sword formations suddenly closed in.

The sword domain took shape at this moment.

The entire Dongyuan Sect fell silent instantly, and everyone stared at the sky in astonishment.

Aside from Qiu Ren, the fourteen flying swords, guided by Bu Xi Zhou, circled and flowed around the sword domain.

The sun, moon, stars, and the Black Jade Loulan all transformed into a sword beam, landing in the center of the sword domain.

A crow cawed.

The sword rises, severing the holy power.

"Walking the Way of Heaven."

Om-!
A terrifyingly sharp force soared into the sky from Dragon Head Mountain!

Just as the longsword and flying needles were about to touch Song Yan, his figure vanished without a trace before everyone's eyes.

The cultivators were dazed, and Zhang Xingming was stunned.

next moment.

Song Yan, dressed in a black and gold sword robe, revealed his figure from the sword's gleam.

The sword light fell and merged into Qiu Ren's sword. He reached out and grasped the hilt.

At this moment, Song Yan, along with the aura of this sword domain, reached its peak.

Within the sword domain, sword energy had already begun to rage wildly, leaving countless sword energy marks on Zhang Xingming's protective amulet.

Zhang Xingming was instantly terrified. He didn't even care about the flying needles and swords that missed their mark. He patted his Qiankun bag and took out three defensive magic artifacts, activating them one by one to protect himself.

But before he could make any other move, in the blink of an eye, Song Yan's figure had crossed several meters and arrived in front of him.

The sword's momentum is without fault.

A fierce killing intent came rushing towards him. Naturally, Zhang Xingming was unwilling to sit and wait for death. He gathered demonic energy and struck out with a palm.

But as the dreamlike light flashed, Song Yan indifferently darted past him, leaving a deep sword mark on his protective magic weapon.

Then Song Yan's figure slowly disappeared, merging into the surging storm of sword energy.

Before Zhang Xingming could figure out what was happening, another figure of Song Yan materialized not far from him and slowly walked towards him.

As the demonic flames struck, Song Yan's figure vanished and then reappeared, rendering Zhang Xingming's proud Golden Core Realm cultivation completely ineffective.

He struck out with each palm, but could only watch helplessly as Song Yan walked step by step in front of him and calmly slashed out with his sword.

At this moment, he was extremely panicked and wanted to fly away from this place, but he found that under the cover of this sword domain, he could no longer fly.

He acted like a madman, running away, but no matter where he went, he always ended up in the very center of the sword domain.

Looking back, he saw Song Yan's figure approaching him from all directions, leaving sword marks on his protective magical artifact before disappearing.

"What exactly is going on?!"

Zhang Xingming gritted his teeth, his spiritual power and demonic energy surging out wildly, blasting outwards in all directions.

Unfortunately, to no avail.

At the same time, Song Yan's figure appeared at an increasingly faster speed, even appearing in two, three, four...

The distance between them was also getting closer and closer to Zhang Xingming.

In the end, they converged almost right in front of him, unleashed a sword strike, and then immediately dissipated, merging into the storm of sword energy.

boom--!
Soon, Zhang Xingming's first protective magical artifact could not withstand the pressure and shattered with a bang.

boom!boom!
The remaining defensive measures also collapsed one by one. The magical artifacts and talismans that were barely managed to be used were futile against the seemingly endless sword energy within Song Yan's sword body and sword domain.

Chi chi chi——

With his magical power depleted and his injuries becoming increasingly difficult to control, his protective amulet was also gradually failing, and a series of chain reactions began to spread.

"what--!"

The first sword wound severed his true body.

The second course, the third course...

Zhang Xingming was now covered in blood and felt as if he were being slowly tortured to death.

But the opponent's momentum is unstoppable, while his own is declining and becoming increasingly disadvantaged.

"Am I, Zhang Xingming, really going to die at the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?!"

Two hundred years of painstaking cultivation, step by step planning and accumulation, how could it have come to this point, only to have it all benefit others!

Qiu Ren's sword shone brightly, almost engulfing Song Yan entirely, clearly indicating that he was about to unleash some deadly sword technique to kill his opponent.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Xingming's eyes turned bloodshot, and his reason completely collapsed.

Now that things have come to this, there's no point in saying another word of pleading or begging for mercy.

"Song Banquet!"

Zhang Xingming's energy began to flow in reverse, and his remaining spiritual power and demonic energy burned fiercely.

"Today, you and I, along with the entire Dongyuan Sect, shall perish here together!"

He suddenly burst into a bitter laugh: "How can you possibly stop me!"

A destructive aura slowly rose from his body.

Everyone was shocked.

Zhang Xingming was actually forced by Song Yan to the point of destroying his own golden core!?

Wow——!
For a time, everyone on the battlefield was in danger, and even the demonic cultivators who were still fighting against the Dongyuan Sect cultivators stopped.

crazy!

That old scoundrel Zhang Xingming has gone mad.

The self-destruction of the Golden Core cultivator would likely level most of the Dongyuan Sect's mountain.

Apart from the nine Nascent Soul cultivators in the forbidden area and the Sect Master of Dongyuan, no one could have survived the explosion.

"Run! What are you waiting for? Run!"

"Where did you run off to?!"

“Where the Nascent Soul Demon Clouds are shrouded, there is a trapping formation. Without their approval, no one can get out. Even if you have a teleportation array, it will not work.”

"Then what should we do?!"

The cultivators in the Demon Ruins were in complete chaos, but the cultivators from the Cave Abyss Sect remained unusually calm.

They already thought they were going to die.

The appearance of Song Yan and Lin Qing now seems to be able to turn the battle from a complete defeat into a mutually destructive one.

That's a good thing, isn't it?
It's a pity that someone as talented as Song Yan, with such a promising path to immortality, is going to perish here.

At this moment, the cultivators from both sides had completely stopped fighting, and the cultivators from the Demon Ruins scattered and fled.

Among the cultivators of the Dongyuan Sect, those who had gone through thick and thin together smiled at each other, patted each other on the shoulder, and those who had traveled hand in hand held hands tightly.

Brothers and sisters from the same school, masters and disciples, grandparents and grandchildren, stand side by side.

The entire battlefield seemed to be waiting for that moment to arrive.

As Song Yan's sword light fell, the destructive aura within Zhang Xingming's body reached its peak.

"Everyone, go and die with Zhang Xingming!"

At this final moment, he looked at Song Yan.

They tried to see astonishment, fear, and regret on the face of this promising young monk.

However, what he saw was a pair of cold eyes that were completely devoid of emotion.

Golden light emerged from within, faintly visible, along with a dreamlike glow.

thump—

The expected burst of spiritual energy did not occur; instead, there was the sound of a raindrop falling into the water.

A buzzing sound lingered in Zhang Xingming's ears, refusing to dissipate.

His eyes widened, his body stiffened and numb, and his muscles twitched slightly uncontrollably.

The scene before my eyes was like a mirage, vanishing completely as a faint ripple spread outwards.

"..."

He fell into a completely dazed and confused state.

The energy that had destroyed his golden core vanished without a trace, as if nothing had ever happened.

This……

What is...

Not only Zhang Xingming, but all the cultivators on the battlefield were stunned. The cultivators from the Demon Ruins also stopped fleeing, and their escape light slowly dissipated as they looked towards Song Yan.

stunned.

"..."

...Illusion?

No, it is not.

Isn't an illusion only meant to make the person who is affected see the illusion?
Why is it that everyone seems to have personally experienced the aura of the Golden Core's destruction?

At this moment, all the sword energy in the Xingtiandao Sword Domain suddenly surged up, and the rolling purple energy floating around him also began to flow slowly.

Unbeknownst to them, Qiu Ren had already hovered above Zhang Xingming's head, drawing in all the sword energy, spiritual energy, and that mysterious purple aura.

As the sword energy dissipated, the Heavenly Dao Sword Domain naturally and slowly dispersed, and the fourteen flying swords flew back one by one, merging into the Endless Treasury.

In an instant, Song Yan's aura began to decline rapidly, and the weakness of the Purple Qi Merging Void True Technique also surged up.

It seems that it has run out of fuel and is now exhausted.

Zhang Xingming lowered his head. Although the destruction of his golden core seemed like a dream, not a single sword mark on his body had disappeared.

Then he stiffly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Along with him, countless cultivators from both paths of the Dongyuan Sect also looked up.

Above that sword light, the phantom of the sun slowly rose and then fell, followed by the phantom of the moon, with countless stars closely following.

All celestial phenomena revolve endlessly.

Song Yan slowly raised his hand, and a dazzling golden light quickly gathered at his fingertips. Its shape was sharp and its momentum was murderous. It was a wisp of sword essence.

The celestial phenomena converged on the sword's blade, and Qiu Ren suddenly descended.

At the same moment, the sword's true essence also left his hand, instantly piercing through Zhang Xingming's forehead.

In that instant, the sword energy caused a chain reaction, and the overlapping blades instantly detonated the sword marks all over his body.

boom--!
The two sword lights intersected at that moment, and a violent roar resounded throughout the mountains and fields. The chaotic sword energy turned into a strong wind and spread in all directions.

"..."

A moment later, the gray clouds and yellow dust dispersed with the wind, revealing the young figure.

When the dust settled, Zhang Xingming's body was found broken into pieces, completely lifeless.

he died.

"hiss……"

The cultivators, both above and below the cave, were stunned.

A dead silence.

Looking at Song Yan's figure, Lin Qing suddenly smiled despite her weak expression.

That smile conveyed a complex mix of emotions.

Absurd, bewildered, relieved. Incredible, like waking from a dream.

Unexpectedly, Junior Brother Song's boastful words actually came true.

……

At the summit of Fuyu Peak.

The fat tiger demon's eyes widened in disbelief.

However, what surprised him was not Song Yan's reversal of the Golden Core, but the scene of Zhang Xingming's Golden Core self-destructing in a daze.

"Alas……"

Lu Zhe turned his gaze away from the distance and cautiously glanced at the old man in the straw raincoat beside him.

He muttered something under his breath.

"Old Mirage, you are a hypocritical liar."

"..."

"You gave him the Dragon Balls, didn't you? You clearly took good care of him."

Upon hearing this, the old man in the straw raincoat wanted to offer some explanation, but when the words reached his lips, he felt it would be too much trouble to do so, and ultimately he remained silent.

I felt a bit stifled for a moment.

"I don't have that kind of free time."

He said irritably, "He brought this upon himself. I don't want to get involved in the Sword Sect's karma in the slightest."

Lu Zhe approached with some skepticism, scrutinizing the old man in the straw raincoat, trying to detect any guilty expression on his face.

Unfortunately, no.

Big Tiger stroked his chin: "I don't believe it."

"you……"

……

On another peak, at the top of a towering ancient tree.

The three secret agents of the Hidden Dragon, all wearing masks, remained silent for a moment.

Zhu Pingfang sat upright, his right hand holding the brush raised, and the jade tablet on his lap already contained many words.

Upon seeing this scene, he turned his head somewhat stiffly and exchanged a glance with Zhu Lifang. At the same time, he saw the same astonishment in the other's eyes.

Late stage of Foundation Establishment, reversing the severing of the Golden Core stage.

Although such a situation is rare, it is not unheard of for the two of them in the Central Region.

But how old is the other person?

He must have only recently advanced to the late stage of Foundation Establishment; where would he get such profound knowledge?

Before coming here, the two brothers actually had a certain degree of contempt for these small border countries.

But I never expected...

"Don't get distracted, keep watching."

Di Zi San Jiu's voice was flat, and with the mask on, his expression was unreadable.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Pingfang shuddered and immediately turned his gaze back to the battlefield.

"..."

"master……"

"explain."

"Should this matter be recorded in the jade tablet?"

Clearly, Zhu Pingfang was referring to the Song banquet.

"Um……"

After a moment's thought, Di Zi San Jiu realized that this matter had nothing to do with Chen Linyuan and there was no need to record it.

But then, as if possessed, he remembered a rumor about the Xuan Emperor, and nodded, saying, "Okay."

Battlefield of Dongyuan Sect.

Han Yuan and Li Qingfeng stared blankly at the astonishing scene, letting the intense sword energy blow past them, raising clouds of dust.

Liu Tianfang withdrew his gaze and glanced sideways, only to find that Lu Xuanling was also looking at him at the same time, and the two exchanged a glance.

They both saw the radiant light in each other's eyes.

However, Lu Xuanling shook his head: "I have already found the best disciple for our Daitian Mansion. You can take this person away from Junshan."

Liu Tian rolled his eyes at him: "I'm just a disciple of Junshan, why should I be so modest?"

"..."

Lu Xuanling was speechless for a moment.

Yuanbao's gaze was still fixed on Song Yan's figure. He slowly put down the wine pot in his hand and exhaled a breath of stale air.

I don’t know what he is thinking.

(End of this chapter)