Daoist Competition

As Ying Chenglin and Zhang Boyant maintained their standoff, Yue Yuji sat cross-legged in the inner hall, his eyes burning brightly. A blazing Green Fire danced at his fingertips, pressing into the prohibition.

The golden light of the sealing array rippled like water, spreading layer upon layer. After a good while, it suddenly quivered violently.

Anyone present could see that this sealing array was on the verge of collapse, drawing the attention of nearby cultivators who couldn’t help but widen their eyes to watch.

Several cultivators even leaned forward, eager to see the true wonders of the Five Artifacts, the inheritance of the Yao Yin Sect.

Yue Yuji suddenly opened his eyes wide and increased his power output. The flames leaped sharply, growing even more vigorous.

The thin-bearded cultivator’s expression grew tense, as this moment demanded utmost vigilance.

Holding the Bright Pearl in his hand, he stood at the entrance to the mural, alert and cautious, not daring to relax in the slightest. Occasionally, he swept his gaze across the crowd, then turned to check the situation outside.

Sweat faintly appeared at Yue Yuji’s temples.

To outsiders, he seemed to be systematically dissolving layers of the sealing prohibition, nearing the brink of success.

Yet Yue Yuji knew his own struggles well. The sealing array’s prohibition power was not truly being dissolved; it was merely receding inward, accumulating force. The closer he drew to the end, the greater the array’s resilience grew, even exerting faint counterpressure.

Only now did Yue Yuji realize the true brilliance of this sealing array. It was like facing a masterful opponent who, knowing they could not confront him head-on, laid traps step by step, luring him deeper until he exhausted his Primordial Qi. Then, at the critical moment, it would marshal its full strength for a final all-out strike.

If he were to abandon the attempt at this point, the sealing array would retaliate a hundredfold. Not only would his past efforts be nullified, he would also suffer significant injuries. His only choice was to break the prohibition with all his might.

However, his Primordial Qi was severely depleted, and continuing this effort felt as demanding as a battle of life and death with a cultivator of the same rank.

The current situation was perilous to the extreme. If an enemy were to attack now, Yue Yuji would hardly be able to resist.

Hai Zhen Temple was renowned for its mastery of various Sealing Demon Prohibition Arrays and Ritual Techniques. Though Yue Yuji inwardly cursed the one who had set up this sealing array, he couldn’t help but silently admire them.

Despite this, he maintained an air of nonchalance. Under the fierce suppression of the flames in his hand, the golden light of the sealing array began to waver like a candle in the wind, flickering precariously.

Another incense stick’s time passed. The golden light trembled, showing signs of collapse. Just at the moment when it seemed the array would be breached, a piercing howl suddenly rang out from outside. The Nascent Soul avatar of the Old Demon, who had earlier retreated, now stormed back in like a whirlwind.

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The thin-bearded cultivator was startled and hastily raised the Bright Pearl in his hands. A brilliant light emanated from it, spreading out and illuminating a radius of five Zhang in front of the mural.

Yet the Nascent Soul avatar paid no heed, crashing forward without hesitation. The Dharma Treasure that had earlier proven effective against the Devils now emitted a resounding explosion as it collided, its radiance dimming noticeably.

The thin-bearded cultivator felt a stifling pressure in his chest. Before he could recover, the Nascent Soul avatar struck again with another fierce charge.

In this critical moment, Yue Yuji’s focus remained entirely on his task, seeming oblivious to everything happening around him. The Clear Fire in his hand and the prohibition trembled ceaselessly, evidence that the confrontation had reached its final, decisive stage.

A few breaths later, a thunderous roar erupted within the inner hall. The great hall itself seemed to shake, and fine dust rained down from above. The sealing array dissolved into scattered flecks of golden light.

Yue Yuji let out a muffled groan, staggering backward a few steps, a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

The Five Artifacts hummed loudly and shot upward into the air, releasing ten thousand rays of golden light. Meanwhile, the high well below lost its stabilizing force, and its cover cracked audibly, revealing a thin fissure.

Yue Yuji’s gaze remained fixed on the scene, his feet shifting slightly as he prepared to step forward and claim the artifacts.

But at that very moment, a deafening crash split the air. The light from the Bright Pearl shattered entirely. The thin-bearded cultivator, his chest heaving, spat blood and was thrown violently aside. A sinister wind surged inward, accompanied by green-scaled flames. Two disciples, unable to dodge in time, were instantly reduced to ash.

The ten-plus cultivators hiding in the hall, witnessing such ferocity, dared not step forward to challenge the intruder. They retreated en masse in fear.

The Nascent Soul avatar, upon entering, ignored everything else and made a beeline for the Five Artifacts, seemingly intent on seizing them for itself.