Star Martial Soaring Cloud

Lin Shisan's body fell from mid-air, like a withered leaf swept up by the autumn wind, crashing straight into the bottomless mountain ravine.

His eyes were wide open as he gazed at the deep night sky and a solitary moon, his eyes filled with a deep-seated doubt and resentment that he could not resolve even in his death.

Wang Xiaoxu was paralyzed in mid-air, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for breath.

His robes were tattered and ragged, his body was covered with charred lightning marks and gruesome wounds that revealed the bone, and the golden divine radiance surrounding his body had completely dimmed and was almost dissipated.

Every breath tugs at my internal organs, bringing a burning, excruciating pain.

The dent in his chest, left by the fierce blow from Xuanwu, had not yet healed and was still causing a dull ache, as if a blunt knife was repeatedly churning and tearing inside his body.

It must be admitted that Lin Shisan's strength is extremely formidable.

He possesses the Five Elements Primordial Body, with his five supernatural powers circulating and transforming endlessly based on ice.

Coupled with a top-tier killing move like the Four Symbols of Heavenly Thunder, any cultivator of the same level would likely have already perished and their soul scattered.

If it weren't for his miraculous self-healing technique of "withered trees reviving in spring" and his ultimate trump card of "crossing the void," he would have been the one to lose and die in this battle.

As expected, Void Crossing lived up to expectations, truly achieving a silent and fatal strike.

However, its consumption was too terrifying; that fatal blow had almost drained all the vital energy from his body.

He had been patiently waiting for the perfect moment to use the Void Crossing technique.

This trump card is powerful, but whether it can kill the opponent in one move if the opponent is at their peak is still unknown.

So he patiently lay low, waiting for Lin Shisan to reveal a weakness, and for Lin Shisan to exhaust his strength and finish his work.

The moment Lin Shisan forcefully activated the Four Symbols of Heavenly Thunder, his momentum plummeted. Wang Xiao knew that this was an excellent opportunity; his opponent was already at his limit and about to burn out.

The moment the Vermilion Bird of Burning Heaven crashed down, Wang Xiao used Void Crossing to instantly teleport behind Lin Shisan.

The moment he made his move, the image of Feng Rujing suddenly flashed through his mind.

I remember the senior disciple of the Arctic Immortal Palace who was pierced from behind by his most trusted junior brother, I remember the gentle smile that still lingered on his lips before his demise, and I remember his words full of expectation—"From now on, I entrust the Arctic Immortal Palace to you."

But Feng Rujing's willingness to help Lin Shisan did not lead him to repent and return to the right path.

He betrayed his sect and defected to foreign enemies, falling step by step into an endless abyss.

Wang Xiao made his move.

Just like when Lin Shisan attacked and killed Feng Rujing, he punched through Lin Shisan's chest.

The sensation of piercing flesh and crushing bones spread throughout Wang Xiao's body, and an indescribable, complex emotion welled up in his heart.

There was no joy of avenging a great enemy, no relief of eliminating a formidable foe; only a deep, heavy, and lingering sense of sorrow remained.

At this moment, Wang Xiao was extremely weak.

This fierce battle nearly cost him his life.

The self-healing effect of the withered tree visibly diminished, fresh blood continued to seep out, the speed of wound healing slowed down significantly, and the repair force was several times weaker than before.

Fortunately, the withered tree is still working, which is his greatest comfort at this moment.

After taking a short break to stabilize his injuries and recover most of his energy, Wang Xiao didn't dare to delay any longer and quickly got up.

Lin Shisan's defection to the enemy completely disrupted all of their plans.

The worst-case scenario everyone had anticipated was that Lin Shisan would lie in wait in the shadows, revealing himself at the end of the battle to reap the benefits.

After all, Lin Shisan was also a cultivator from Kyushu, and he had almost lost his life at the hands of the Five Ninjas of Fusang. The two sides were mortal enemies.

No one expected him to go so mad as to defect to the enemy.

As a result, the other battlefields must be in dire straits.

Wang Xiao dared not delay and immediately sped off towards the direction where the supernatural fluctuations were most intense and the battle was most fierce.

In that airspace, supernatural powers danced wildly, and spiritual light filled the sky. The Kanli Returning to Truth Furnace, like a towering mountain, hovered in mid-air, undulating and vibrating. Various spiritual lights collided and intertwined, illuminating the pitch-black night as if it were daytime.

But he had only flown a short distance when he suddenly stopped.

As Wang Xiao's divine sense swept across the battlefield, he was suddenly startled to find that there were only four opposing cultivators around him.

Koyama Ken'yō, Hatoda Tetsuya, Qin Wuming... and Nightmare.

"Where did that shadowy figure go?" Wang Xiao frowned, his mind filled with doubt. "How could this happen?"

The mysterious figure in black, who was originally scheduled to appear and had rescued Qin Wuming from the northern teleportation array, failed to show up and disappeared without a trace.

A strong sense of unease welled up in his heart, but the current battle situation was so critical that he had no time to think about it.

Wang Xiao suppressed his distracting thoughts, sped up, and headed straight for the core battlefield where Xiaoshan Jianyang was located.

Sensing the unusual activity on Wang Xiao's side, the cultivators engaged in battle in various places all flew towards the same target.

As expected of a powerful cultivator at the Transformation Realm of Dragon Gate, Xiaoshan Jianyang's fierce aura raged wildly as he flew forward, his sharp edge almost tearing through the void.

Sensing someone blocking his way, he immediately hovered in mid-air, surrounded by a pale golden spiritual light—the unique and unparalleled sharpness of a metal-type divine power pushed to its limit.

He looked to be only in his forties or fifties, with thick eyebrows, a square face, high cheekbones, and a short beard on his chin. He wore a wide-sleeved robe in the style of a Japanese samurai, with an antique samurai sword tucked diagonally at his waist.

The scabbard was as black as ink, without any superfluous decorations, and seemed ordinary. But what lay dormant within the scabbard was a peerless blade capable of splitting mountains and rivers and cleaving the heavens and the earth.

He stood silently in the void, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over the three figures blocking his way, a disdainful sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

"You ignorant brat, how dare you block my way? You're courting death!"

The sound was like a booming bell, causing the surrounding air to tremble violently and the vital energy to surge endlessly.

Ling Cheng stepped forward, holding his long sword horizontally in front of him, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his long black hair disheveled by the strong wind.

He grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, his tone brimming with roguishness and utterly fearless: "Two mistakes. First, I'm not ignorant; I've long since figured out your worthless little mountain Jianyang's background. Second—"

He suddenly raised his longsword, its blade ablaze with crimson flames, while azure water flowed ceaselessly along its spine. The forces of water and fire clashed and merged, causing his aura to surge several times over.

"I'm not blocking your way, I'm sending you on your way!"

Before he finished speaking, Ling Cheng's sword strike was already unleashed.

"Purple smoke burns the sky!"

Crimson flames transformed into a towering pillar of fire that shot into the sky, resembling a volcanic eruption, sweeping towards Jianyang, a small mountain.

The flames were accompanied by purple smoke, which could erode a cultivator's vital energy and dissolve their protective spiritual light.

His swordplay continued unabated, then suddenly shifted, causing a surge of azure water to spread out.

"The Milky Way Falls from the Sky!"

A massive curtain of water poured down from the void, like an inverted celestial river, carrying immense power as it crushed towards Xiaoshan Jianyang.

The two supernatural powers, one fire and one water, one offensive and one controlling, were perfectly linked and seamlessly coordinated, leaving no room for error.

Faced with the two deadly attacks, Koyama Kenji didn't even blink, his expression indifferent.

He slowly gripped the hilt of his sword with his right hand, drew the sword, and swung it with a swift and clean motion.

"Buzz—"

A cold, clear light burst forth from the blade, like moonlight pouring down or mercury spilling onto the ground, silent and yet incredibly fast.

Wherever the clear light passed, Ling Cheng's Purple Smoke Burning the Sky was forcibly cleaved in two, the flames scattered and the purple smoke dissipated; the towering water curtain of the Milky Way Falling from the Sky was also cut in two, the waves surged and split, unable to withstand the power of this strike.

The sharp, clear light had not yet dissipated; carrying an unstoppable killing intent, it swept towards Ling Cheng, Xiao He, and Yuan Kong!

The three men's expressions changed simultaneously, and they felt a chill run down their spines.

Yuan Kong clasped his hands together, activated his Buddhist golden body, and golden Buddhist light spread out from his body, transforming into a three-zhang-tall ancient Buddha phantom that firmly enveloped and protected the three of them.

The ancient Buddha lowered his eyes and held up a blue lamp in his hands. The blue lamplight flickered and emitted a warm and gentle protective halo.

"Ancient Buddha and Green Lamp!"

The sharp blade struck the ancient Buddha's phantom, producing a deep, heavy clang, like a giant hammer striking a bell, causing the void to vibrate.

This powerful strike, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, was softened and dissolved by layers of Buddhist light. Most of the fierce blade energy melted away in the blue lamplight, and the remaining force landed on the golden Buddha's body, leaving only a few crisp resounding sounds, failing to harm the three people.

"You do have some skill." Koyama Kenji raised an eyebrow, his tone more approving.

He flipped his wrist, about to turn the katana back, but his movements suddenly became slow and sluggish.

It wasn't that his physical body was being restrained, but rather that something invisible was tightly binding him, imprisoning him.

Looking down, Xiaoshan Jianyang saw countless fine, hair-like blue threads that had somehow wrapped around his entire body, including his arms, waist, and legs.

Her hair was so fine and dark that it would be almost unnoticeable if it weren't for the faint glow it emitted under the moonlight.

It was Ling Cheng's fourth supernatural power—"Every bush and tree looks like an enemy soldier."

Drawn by the sword's power, countless plants and trees in the mountains sprouted green threads, which spread and slithered like serpents, silently binding the small mountain of Jianyang tightly.

The three supernatural powers of fire, water, and wood are unleashed simultaneously and linked together!

Taking advantage of this brief respite from the confinement, Xiao He made his move.

The Righteous Sword was held horizontally in front of him, its blade surging with righteous energy. With a single swing, countless yellow leaves fell from the sky, enveloping the entire battle zone.

"The leaves are falling softly!"

The power of a single sword strike evokes the somber atmosphere of late autumn.

Yellow leaves fall, all things wither, and the coldness and desolation of late autumn condense into sharp sword energy, sweeping towards Xiaoshan Jianyang.

Each yellow leaf was a deadly sword aura, covering the sky and densely blocking all of Xiaoshan Jianyang's retreat space.

Amidst the autumn chill, there lies a righteous spirit, the noble spirit of Confucianism, which is specifically designed to subdue evil.

Ling Cheng took the initiative to control the field, Yuan Kong followed with defensive support, and Xiao He's killing move followed closely behind.

The three worked together flawlessly, with each step perfectly linked and watertight.

But what they were facing were ultimately top-tier experts at the Dragon Gate Transformation Realm.

"Ignorant and arrogant!"

Xiaoshan Jianyang roared, opened his mouth and spat out a beam of white light, which transformed into a three-inch-long flying knife, carrying an incomparably sharp blade aura, and fiercely slashed towards the yellow leaves falling everywhere.

The violent sword energy swept through like a whirlwind, shattering yellow leaves and dissipating sword energy wherever it passed.

Although the throwing knife was small, its power was terrifying. With one strike, Xiao He's Falling Leaves were completely destroyed and vanished without a trace.

Just as the yellow leaf sword energy shattered and dissipated—

A dark figure suddenly emerged from the gaps in the fallen leaves!

Night leaves no trace!

No one saw how he appeared.

He was like a true shadow, hidden among the palm-sized fallen leaves, his aura completely concealed.

The bayonet gleamed coldly, aimed directly at Xiaoshan Jianyang's vital throat!

This thrust was incredibly fast and extremely ruthless, making it an unsolvable killing move.

Three inches, two inches, one inch...

The tip of the bayonet was already pressed against Koyama Ken'yo's neck; life and death hung in the balance.

The next second, Ye Wuhen froze, unable to move.

It wasn't that his physical body was captured, nor that he was imprisoned by supernatural powers, but rather that all his meridians and physical body were locked by an invisible force, making it impossible for him to move even a single finger.

"You really think I didn't notice your presence?" Koyama Kenji's face showed contempt, his smile was cold, "You bunch of juniors are underestimating the strength of the Dragon Gate Transformation Realm."

Ye Wuhen's pupils contracted sharply, his heart filled with utter horror.

The bayonet stopped an inch in front of Xiaoshan Jianyang's throat, unable to advance any further.

"Not good! It's a mental attack!" Yuan Kong shouted sharply, hurriedly issuing a warning.

Xiaoshan Jianyang's spiritual attack was silent, invisible, and intangible, directly impacting Ye Wuhen's sea of ​​consciousness and causing him to lose control of his body.

"Since you know this, how dare you four juniors at the Dragon Gate Sea of ​​Consciousness Realm come here to die? You are overestimating yourselves!" Koyama Kenshin sneered, and suddenly swung his katana down at the frozen Ye Wuhen, his killing intent soaring to the heavens!

"clang--!"

The fatal blow failed to land on Ye Wuhen.

At the critical moment, golden Buddhist light appeared around Ye Wuhen.

A golden Buddha phantom enveloped him, and the blue lamplight flickered, softening and dissipating Xiaoshan Jianyang's violent sword energy.

The ancient Buddha lamp in the round sky crossed realms to protect Ye Wuhen at the critical moment.

Outside the golden Buddha, a layer of soft mud wall appeared simultaneously, like spring mud, soft yet tough, completely dispelling the remaining sword energy.

Xiao He's Spring Mud Protects the Flowers, providing a double layer of defense that protected Ye Wuhen.

Xiaoshan Jianyang's strike first struck the golden Buddha, producing a loud clang; then, the force was gradually dissipated by the layers of mud walls, and most of the blade's energy dissipated.

Even with only residual power remaining, it should not be underestimated.

The mud wall crumbled, the golden body cracked, and the remaining force of the blade struck the spot where Ye Wuhen had originally stood, but only managed to cut through a patch of empty air.

Taking advantage of the two's brief obstruction, Ye Wuhen had already slipped away and disappeared into the shadows once more.

Just then, a mighty river descended from the sky, its towering waves carrying the force to devour everything, roaring and crushing towards Jianyang, a small mountain.

Xiao He's water-based supernatural power: a rolling river!

Behind Xiaoshan Jianyang, a towering curtain of water had already blocked his retreat, surrounding him from both sides and leaving him nowhere to escape.

Ling Cheng's ultimate technique, the Milky Way Falling from the Sky!

The two water-based supernatural powers, one in front and one behind, formed a double dragon encirclement, intending to crush the small mountain of Jianyang and bury it in the water.

"That's quite interesting." Koyama Kensho sheathed his sword and stood still, his gaze sweeping coldly over the three of them, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "All of you are Hunyuan Physique? No wonder you're so confident in your audacity. You Kyushu have an old saying, 'Don't bite off more than you can chew,' have you never heard of it?"

"cut!"

As the word fell, he and the samurai sword in his hand merged perfectly, transforming into a golden streak of light, neither dodging nor avoiding, directly confronting the two water dragons head-on!

boom--!

His body stood like a rock, and the raging torrent of water crashing against him automatically dispersed and flowed around him.

This powerful water-based combined attack, capable of devouring mountains and crushing everything, couldn't even shake Xiaoshan Jianyang's protective aura.

"Just admit you're envious!" Seeing their combined attack miss, Ling Cheng shouted sharply and launched another attack, "Golden Goblet Slash!"

The longsword in his hand suddenly shone with golden light, and a golden crescent blade aura burst forth from the blade, carrying a sharpness capable of cutting through everything, and cleaved straight into the vital part of Xiaoshan Jianyang's head.

At the same time, Xiao He unleashed the "Beacon Fire of March" technique.

With a sweeping sword strike, fire snakes danced wildly, and three towering pillars of fire simultaneously blasted towards Xiaoshan Jianyang from three different directions.

The golden goblet shattered the protective aura, and the sharp sword energy aimed directly at his face; three months of war sealed off his escape route, and the raging flames offered no relief.

Ye Wuhen's figure once again burst forth from the shadows of the void!

The bayonets gleamed coldly, targeting Xiaoshan Jianyang's vital point in the back, a three-pronged attack, perfectly coordinated.

But Xiao He's "Three Months of War" suddenly went astray.

The pillar of fire did not strike Xiaoshan Jianyang; instead, it blocked the path ahead, obstructing Ye Wuhen's attack route.

Ye Wuhen's expression changed drastically. He twisted his waist and abdomen sharply, barely dodging the fire snake's attack, but had to give up this golden opportunity to kill.

"This..." Xiao He's face turned pale, his blood surging. "A spiritual attack, truly formidable!"

Before the words were even finished, a strong feeling of dizziness swept over my mind.

It was as if something had crashed into his mind, stirring up a storm in his consciousness.

"Oh no! Use the Mind-Cleansing Mantra to protect yourself!"

Xiao He activated the Haoqi Pavilion mental technique with all his might, and his righteous energy surged into his sea of ​​consciousness to guard his mind and desperately resist Xiao Shan Jianyang's spiritual attack.

But that moment of distraction was already fatal.

Xiao Shan Jianyang flashed forward and was already in front of Xiao He.

The samurai sword was raised high, carrying a tremendous force, and slashed down fiercely towards Xiao He's head!

Ye Wuhen and Ling Cheng rushed to their aid at the same time, but it was too late.

"clang--!"

The sound of metal clashing was deafening, and golden Buddhist light shone forth once more.

The ancient Buddha in the round sky, with its green lamp, timely enveloped Xiao He, and the golden Buddha's phantom blocked the fatal blow.

Ling Cheng and Ye Wuhen's attacks followed closely, flanking and pressuring Xiaoshan Jianyang from both sides, forcing him to retreat half a step and temporarily halt his offensive.

Xiao He snapped out of his daze and immediately activated Spring Mud to Protect the Flowers. The supple soil enveloped his body, completely dispelling the remaining sword energy from Xiao Shan Jianyang's pursuit.

"It's you again, you bald monk, getting in my way!" Xiaoshan Jianyang's killing intent surged as he glared at Yuan Kong. "Then I'll kill you first, then slaughter the rest of the juniors!"

He spun around abruptly and charged straight at the center of the void, his attack incredibly fierce.

The attacks from Ling Cheng and Ye Wuhen landed, but were caught by his protective energy, as if they had struck metal.

Their attacks failed to break through his defenses.

Yuan Kong's expression was solemn, yet he remained completely composed.

With hands clasped together and scriptures recited silently, the phantom of the ancient Buddha reappeared, and the blue lamplight flickered and shone.

"Golden Buddha Offering Flowers!"

The blue lamp in the ancient Buddha's hand suddenly shone brightly, and a golden lotus flower bloomed and spun within the flame, carrying the purifying Buddha light, and slowly flew towards Jianyang, a small mountain.

The six-syllable mantra is wrapped around the lotus petals.

"Om Mani Padme Hum"

The Buddha's light shines everywhere, and the power of purification sweeps away all evil spirits.

With a single slash, Xiaoshan Jianyang unleashed golden sword energy that shattered the Buddha lotus. The six-syllable mantra transformed into a sky full of golden light, enveloping and imprisoning him.

"A trivial skill!"

He snorted coldly, his figure breaking through the golden light barrier, his samurai sword pointing straight at Yuan Kong's vital points, his killing move undiminished.

But at that moment, a chill ran down his spine.

A golden lotus quietly bloomed behind him.

"Buddha's shadow is hidden in the wall."

A calm voice emanated from the round void.

This supernatural power can create mirror images; whatever action Yuan Kong performs, an identical image will appear behind the enemy.

The attack of this phantom is actually substantial, striking the enemy together with the main body, combining offense and defense, making it difficult to predict whether it is real or illusory.

Xiaoshan Jianyang was greatly alarmed and hurriedly swung his sword back, shattering the lotus flower behind him.

But the blade energy he unleashed suddenly changed direction, turning back and heading straight for the sky!

At the same time, an invisible divine consciousness surged forth like a tidal wave, forcefully attacking Yuan Kong's sea of ​​consciousness.

"A calming spell!"

Yuan Kong was prepared and immediately activated Buddhist techniques to reinforce the barrier of his sea of ​​consciousness, forcefully blocking Xiao Shan Jianyang's spiritual attack from his body.

But he couldn't avoid that returning blade of energy.

"The traces of Buddha are nowhere to be found!"

When did the round, empty form become so ethereal and elusive?

Koyama Ken'yō's unparalleled sword energy slashed down, but it passed straight through the illusory figure without splashing a single drop of blood, disappearing without a trace.

The "Buddha's Traces Are Vague" is a derivative supernatural power of the "Buddha's Shadow Wall Hidden". It can not only split the attack it receives into two halves, but also allow it to switch its own body at will between the real and illusory aspects of the "Buddha's Shadow Wall Hidden".

"Huh?" Koyama Kenji was startled and his attention involuntarily turned to his back.

In the instant he was distracted and stunned, a dark figure suddenly attacked again from within the shattered and dissipated phantom in the void!

Night leaves no trace!

He had somehow hidden himself in the dissipating phantom of the Buddha's light, and under the cover of the collapsing light and shadow, he silently approached Xiaoshan Jianyang.

The bayonet gleamed coldly, aiming straight for Xiaoshan Jianyang's vital heart!

Koyama Ken'yo was already quick enough to be alert, and his reaction was extremely fast.

He suddenly shifted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to his heart.

"Pfft!"

The bayonet pierced his shoulder blade, and blood gushed out, staining his robes red.

"Good! Very good!" Xiaoshan Jianyang roared, his eyes blazing with fury. "You bunch of insignificant ants, how dare you wound and bleed me! You deserve to die!"

Enraged, he slammed his palm down hard, landing a solid blow on Ye Wuhen's chest.

Having landed a successful blow, Ye Wuhen intended to draw his sword and retreat, but suddenly found himself completely restrained and unable to move.

Unlike before when his divine consciousness was restricted.

This time, it wasn't his body that was bound, but rather the bayonet in his hand that remained completely still.

The metal element around Xiaoshan Jianyang surged wildly, condensing into a powerful magnetic field that firmly attracted Ye Wuhen's bayonet.

"Golden Arts Magnetic Sea".

Xiaoshan Jianyang's supernatural power allows him to manipulate the metal element around him at will. All metals in the world are like iron stones attracted by a magnet in front of him, no longer under the control of their original owner.

Ling Cheng and Xiao He also noticed the abnormality. Their longswords trembled violently, and a powerful suction force pulled the sword tips away from Xiaoshan Jianyang.

The two fought desperately, barely managing to grip their weapons.

"puff!"

Ye Wuhen coughed up blood and was sent flying by Xiaoshan Jianyang's palm strike.

Yuan Kong immediately activated the Buddhist golden body to rush to the rescue, but the force of this palm strike was too terrifying. The golden body shattered instantly, and Ye Wuhen was slammed heavily to the ground, rolling several feet before barely stopping, suffering severe injuries.

"Xiao He, hold him back!" Ling Cheng shouted urgently. "I'll activate the Kanli Returning to Truth Furnace!"