Daoist Competition

Since this technique cannot harm him, there’s no need to use it further.

Zhang Yan let out a sharp shout and withdrew the Xuan Guang Hand. Xiao Tang remained completely unscathed, standing upright in his position with a slight smile on his face, his expression unchanged.

Zhang Yan gazed at him evenly and said, "Brother Xiao, watch yourself closely now."

With a flick of his hand, a streak of Spirit Light shot out, and the Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle immediately materialized. Its head and tail flicked, darting directly toward Xiao Tang.

Faced with the Mystical Artifact, Xiao Tang was no longer as relaxed as before; a faintly grim expression appeared on his face.

He let out a low shout, his body trembling lightly, and streaks of silver light shot out from behind him, repeatedly striking the Dharma Treasure.

The spirit shuttle, under the relentless barrage of assaults, veered off course and was nudged to the side. It had originally been poised to pierce Xiao Tang, yet ended up gliding past him instead.

As it brushed past him, Xiao Tang’s eyes flashed sharply, and he extended a hand slightly from his sleeve. But at that very moment, a streak of brilliance streaked toward him—it was a flying sword slashing down. He sighed inwardly and retracted his hand once more.

According to his earlier plan, he intended to seize this treasure, long claimed by the Xiao Clan, and keep it for himself. Even if Zhang Yan sought to reclaim it, he could use excuses to stall for a few days. Once the grand duel was over, and he had returned to his Cave Mansion, he wouldn’t have to concern himself with Zhang Yan. With some prolonged maneuvering, the Dharma Treasure would be permanently his.

Much to his dismay, Zhang Yan exhibited extraordinary vigilance and left him no opportunity, leading to a simmering resentment in his heart.

After retrieving the Five Spirit White Carp Shuttle, Zhang Yan spoke loudly, "Brother Xiao’s cultivation is profound, and his defensive techniques are truly dazzling. I am humbled. There’s no need to test further; it’s now Brother Xiao’s turn to strike."

With a sweep of his sleeve, he took a few steps back and stood firmly in place.

In truth, Zhang Yan had one last technique in reserve: employing Earth True Light to clash directly with Xiao Tang. The sheer gravity of this light was akin to a mountain, and he couldn’t predict the consequences of unleashing it. However, today’s purpose wasn’t to determine victory or defeat, so there was no need to expose all his cards. Thus, he chose to refrain.

Xiao Tang quietly considered, "Today, I’ll let you witness some of my divine techniques."

Fixing his gaze on Zhang Yan, he activated his Mysterious Skill, circulating his Qi throughout his body; his lips moved slightly as though speaking to him.

Suddenly, Zhang Yan felt a buzzing vibration in his ears. At the same time, his entire body seemed to vibrate from within—even his bones and muscles quivered, as if countless tiny hammers were striking his body.

Yet, Zhang Yan’s physique was extraordinarily resilient, impervious to such minor tremors, experiencing them as no more than a gentle breeze grazing his face.

At that moment, several scattered leaves floated between the two combatants, only to encounter an invisible barrier and instantly disintegrate into ash.

The onlookers initially saw the two standing there motionless and didn’t understand what was happening. Upon witnessing this sudden scene, they were struck by realization and astonished—these two had been locked in combat all along, the underlying killing intent meticulously concealed.

By this point, Zhang Yan’s Daoist robe fluttered despite the absence of wind. Upon closer inspection, one could see a layer of circulating Essence Qi enveloping his entire body, protecting even his face.

When Xiao Tang saw that Zhang Yan was shielded by treasure clothes, he wasn’t surprised. Without several protective treasures, how would Zhang Yan have dared to boldly invite his attack?

In the span of one incense stick, Xiao Tang, incessantly expending spiritual power, appeared somewhat fatigued. Observing that Zhang Yan remained completely unperturbed, his eyes flickered. Taking a deep breath, he sighed deeply and said, "Junior Brother Zhang is indeed remarkable. Even I cannot do anything about you. Shall we call this match a draw?"

Zhang Yan responded courteously, "Very well. If time permits, I’ll seek further instruction from Brother Xiao."

With a bow, Xiao Tang withdrew gracefully.

By this time, Luo Yuanhua had regained consciousness. His face regained a bit of color as he sat on the ground holding his chest. Noticing Xiao Tang returning to the peak, he expressed his curiosity, "If I’m not mistaken, Brother Xiao had just employed the Nine Mountains Clear Sound. It’s strange; this divine skill is so formidable, how did it fail to harm Zhang Yan?"

Xiao Tang, however, revealed a deep and reserved smile before asking abruptly, "Junior Luo, do you know where Zhang Yan’s true strength lies?"

Luo Yuanhua froze, his lips moved, but he couldn’t answer.

Xiao Tang stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and said firmly, "Let me tell you: this man entered the sect no more than twenty years ago and achieved such accomplishments as of today. That is truly rare and terrifying. If he’s given another hundred years, can you and I still stand here?"

By the time he uttered his last sentence, his tone had turned sharp, his eyes brimming with killing intent, frightening Luo Yuanhua into testing, "Brother Xiao, do you mean...?"

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Tang closed his eyes, seeming to suppress himself before re-opening them and saying, "Even if we defeat him today, he could still rise again twenty-four years later. Destroying his foundation is the only way to erase this threat completely! Let him bask momentarily in his current triumph. Watch him in the next grand duel; it will all become clear."

Turning back to look at Zhang Yan, Xiao Tang squinted, then chuckled coldly.

The body of a cultivator is their most precious asset, the very foundation required for achieving the Dao. During cultivation, there can be no room for injury.

The Nine Mountains Clear Sound not only possessed immense power but could also directly strike internal organs and bones, harming one invisibly.

Having meticulously studied this divine skill over many years, Xiao Tang discovered an obscure secret unknown to others.

The most insidious aspect of this technique lay in embedding the sound into the opponent’s internal organs, causing slow internal destruction over time.

At first, the injuries appeared entirely undetectable—even Nascent Soul True Masters wouldn’t discern the damage without careful examination. However, as days turned into months and months into years, the injuries would gradually worsen beyond repair, ultimately severing one’s foundation.

Utilizing this divine technique imposed a significant burden on Xiao Tang himself. He would need to enter seclusion for several years to recuperate fully. Yet, for the sake of secrecy, he had no choice but to proceed.

Originally, Xiao Tang thought defeating Zhang Yan would suffice to resolve the matter. However, he realized even defeating him today would be pointless—Zhang Yan could simply rise again later. To this end, Xiao Tang was willing to deplete his own Primordial Qi, aiming to destroy Zhang Yan’s foundation.

This process was gradual and drawn out. If Zhang Yan didn’t suffer critical injuries, he might remain oblivious for decades. By the time he finally discovered the abnormality, not even Zhou Chongju, an Elixir Dao Master, could save him.

Nonetheless, Xiao Tang’s plotting was destined for failure.

When resisting the Nine Mountains Clear Sound, Zhang Yan outwardly relied on treasure clothes, but in truth, he depended on his body, as tough as refined steel.

His internal organs had long been tempered to perfection—immune to swords and blades. Any minor damage was immediately healed, rendering it inconsequential.

If Xiao Tang were to learn that his meticulous scheming and considerable depletion of Primordial Qi resulted in absolutely no harm to Zhang Yan, he’d undoubtedly be furious enough to vomit blood.

Elder Xun gazed at Zhang Yan and remarked, "It seems I underestimated you, Zhang Yan. You may step down now. If interested, you can challenge Nephew Xiao again tomorrow."

Zhang Yan, however, smiled slightly, his eyes glimmering faintly, and spun his sword light around. Yet instead of leaving, he approached the base of the Fourth Peak, raised his head to look up, and shouted, "Du De, do you dare come down from the peak and fight me in a duel?"

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