The Solitary Path to Divinity

The broad-nosed disciple had already unleashed two artifacts. One was locked in a vicious struggle with Leo's Demon Binding Rope, while the other—a cyan flying dagger—clashed against Leo's golden flying sword. Locked in this deadlock, the golden sword had lost its element of surprise. Leo was about to recall it and switch to the Black Flood Dragon Shears when the broad-nosed disciple suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream.

A blade erupted from his chest.

He was kicked forward, blood gushing from the wound. Behind him stood another figure in Seven Stars robes—another Star Palace disciple.

"You... Rook! You... you stabbed your own sect brother in the back! Why!" The broad-nosed disciple coughed blood, crumpling to the ground. He struggled to prop himself up, his eyes blazing with shock and hatred at the man who had betrayed him.

"You've always held me down in the Star Palace. If you lived, even if we got the Purple Ginseng, you'd take the lion's share and leave me the scraps. So tell me—why shouldn't I get rid of you?"

Rook's hollow cheeks glistened as blood dripped from the three-edged spike in his hand onto the grass.

"Dream on! There are demon beasts swarming all around the Purple Ginseng! Without me, you'll never reach it!" the broad-nosed disciple snarled.

"You're the one dreaming. Once I take your artifacts and lead our disciples to the Purple Ginseng, it'll be mine for the taking." Rook's grin was cold. In a blur of motion, he shot toward the now-uncontrolled green axe lying on the ground.

Leo had been watching this sudden twist unfold, his mind racing. Without a moment's hesitation, he snatched the cyan flying dagger from the air. Each had claimed an artifact. But for Leo, the broad-nosed disciple's defensive Star Lamp was the real prize. He already had enough offensive weapons.

At almost the same instant, both men lunged toward the dying disciple sprawled on the ground.

BOOM! The Demon Binding Rope clashed with Rook's three-edged spike in an ear-shattering explosion. Dozens of furious exchanges followed in rapid succession. The sheer force blasted both backward a dozen meters. The ground beneath them cratered. Trees around them splintered. Debris flew everywhere.

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With a fierce roar, Rook produced a jade spiraling flying hook. It spun toward Leo's neck, splitting into three at the last moment—barely a meter away. Too fast. Too close. Impossible to react.

Leo's blood ran cold. He abandoned control of his golden sword, letting it fall, and slapped his storage pouch. The Black Flood Dragon Shears erupted forth. Its incredible speed deflected one hook and shattered another, but the third punched through his protective shield and slammed into his ribs. Leo gasped, spat blood, and grimaced in agony. Ignoring the searing pain, he pointed at the shears, channeling every ounce of spiritual power he had. They streaked toward Rook's head like a bolt of black lightning.

"Two artifacts!" Kai, locked in a desperate battle with the other Star Palace disciple, cried out in shock. When the broad-nosed disciple had revealed multiple artifacts, he'd thought this fight was hopeless. Then a wild card appeared—Rook, turning on his own sect brother, killing him by surprise.

The battle had spiraled into chaos. But what shocked Kai most was Leo. An ordinary loose cultivator from Moonwatch City—in just over seven years, he had grown into this. Two attack artifacts. And what looked like top-grade defensive spirit armor. Even if Rook hadn't intervened, this fight would have been far from decided.

Rook was equally stunned. He had seen Leo use only the Demon Binding Rope and a golden flying sword—a mere spirit artifact. He'd thought this was the perfect moment to strike, when the Star Lamp's defenses were still recovering from Leo's attack.

But Leo had been holding back all along. Two artifacts, and he'd never revealed the devastating Black Flood Dragon Shears. And his flying hooks had been stopped by Leo's armor. Rook cursed his timing. He should have let them fight to the death before stepping in.

"Too late to realize that now." Leo's voice was ice. Those hooks had drawn his blood. He wouldn't let that slide.

Panicking, Rook tried to block with his two remaining hooks. The shears snapped them both like twigs. Meanwhile, his three-edged spike was locked in aerial combat with the Demon Binding Rope, its handle tangled beyond recall.

Rook hurled a spirit flying knife. Then a flying wheel. The shears shredded them both. Desperate, he raised the green axe he'd taken from the broad-nosed disciple. But it was newly seized, unrefined. He couldn't channel its power. After a few clashes, his right arm went numb—useless. Terror seized him. He turned and ran.

The other Star Palace disciple, distracted by the sudden reversal, took a sword through the chest from Kai. Kai, having finally killed his opponent, scanned the scene. His eyes darted. Then he bolted in the opposite direction from Rook. Leo was too strong now. Stay, and he'd be a puppet.

"Going somewhere?" Leo had never trusted the treacherous Kai. He'd anticipated this. As Kai took off, Leo flicked out six or seven Iron Thorn Vine seeds.

Kai yelped, slashing wildly at the exploding vines. Wild third-grade Iron Thorn Vines were as strong as peak Qi Refining cultivators. These, force-grown with spiritual power, were weaker. But Kai was spent—he'd barely escaped the broad-nosed disciple, then killed that Star Palace disciple. His strength was gone. The remaining vines wrapped around him like serpents.

Kai screamed, thrashing, but the vines tightened. Their thorns tore into his flesh.

Rook glanced back, catching a glimpse of Kai's fate. Then black light closed in. A chill. Then the Black Flood Dragon Shears punched through his chest. He looked down. A gaping hole. Blood poured out.

Leo gasped for air, his chest heaving. Controlling two artifacts at once drained spiritual power at a terrifying rate. This fight had been short, but brutal—a twisting, savage battle as intense as any he'd ever fought. If that broad-nosed disciple hadn't been betrayed, this could have gone on much longer.

The area was a wreck. Leo gathered the storage pouches and scattered artifacts. Several spirit artifacts were damaged—especially those strange hooks. A pity.

"F-Fellow Daoist Leo... please... let me go..." Kai, covered in blood, groaned in agony.