Daoist Competition

Zhang Yan glanced at Lu Guo and said softly, "Lu Daoist, don’t be impatient. I know Daoist Duanmu and the two of them met a terrible fate, but if you promise to give me this treasure, I am willing to avenge them for you."

When he broke the array earlier, he noticed some clues about this treasure. If his guess was correct, he was determined to obtain this item and would never allow others to touch it.

If it were before, Lu Guo might have hesitated, but now, his mind was filled with thoughts of revenge, and he replied without thinking, "If Daoist can avenge my senior brother, I am willing to give you this item. I will not go back on my word!"

Guo Mingde’s face darkened and he said, "Daoist, do you really intend to make things difficult for us?"

Pang Yuzhong sneered and said, "Why bother talking to him, senior brother? Today’s matter cannot end peacefully, so let’s take action."

As soon as his words fell, he let out a sound, and his Nascent Soul leaped out from the top of his head. This Nascent Soul was covered in a thin veil of golden dust and emitted auspicious light for tens of feet. Atop his head, there was a cloud-like Gang Qi circling around, interspersed with refined sand, resembling stars in the furnace.

Guo Mingde waved the horsetail whisk, a sharp gleam flashed in his eyes, and with a shout, smoke dispersed, and light and shadows multiplied. He also released his Nascent Soul, holding a Smoke Net in each hand, one black, dark and somber, the other white, like heaps of frost and snow.

Unlike Pang Yuzhong, on top of his head, there were two clusters of Gang Qi, divided on either side. One was large, about three feet, like snow cascading down the mountains, forming a dense shield. The other was sparse and thin, like clouds and mist, constantly changing shape.

Zhang Yan laughed loudly and stepped forward. Suddenly, there was a thunderous sound, a wave of Clear Qi spread, Golden Flame ascended, and his Nascent Soul swiftly left his body, riding the wind and clouds. It sounded like mountains and seas roaring. A crystalline rainbow circled his body, bathed in five-colored light, shining for thousands of feet, and his appearance was too dazzling to look directly at.

When they released their Nascent Souls, the color of the heavens and earth changed instantly. Dark clouds hung overhead and a storm seemed imminent, forcing more than a thousand Lie Xuan Sect disciples back over several miles before they could stand in peace.

The Gang Qi invoked by them hovered several feet above their heads, known as "Top Cloud," which cultivators produced upon reaching Nascent Soul. If refined with Extreme Sky Gang Qi, it could resist thunder, fire, and poisonous winds and was useful for both refining Dharma Treasures and various techniques in defeating the enemy.

When there are three such Sun Clouds, one can cross into the Nascent Soul Second Realm. Cultivators would often use this to gauge the depth of opponents’ cultivation.

Zhang Yan and Pang Yuzhong had one Gang Cloud circling above them, but Guo Mingde had already refined two, with one turning from virtual to real, transforming yin to yang, showing profound cultivation that couldn’t be underestimated.

However, in battles between cultivators, it wasn’t just about cultivation, but also combat strategies and Divine Skills. Such techniques that combine combat with cultivation are rare, and Zhang Yan’s reverse-engineered "Supreme Mysterious Five Elements True Skill" was precisely one of them, giving him confidence to fight two fellow cultivators upon forming his Nascent Soul.

After releasing his Nascent Soul, Zhang Yan originally thought that the two would surely launch an attack, so he prepared for defense and counterattack. But seeing that they were taking a defensive stance instead, he was puzzled, wondering if they were really adhering to the gentleman’s doctrine in battle.

He was unaware that the Central Pillar Continent was not like the East Splendor Continent filled with demons. With fewer sects, disciples seldom dueled, despite Lie Xuan Sect and Zhenluo Alliance’s mutual battles for over twenty years. Nascent Soul cultivators rarely showed themselves, even avoiding conflict unless they had a numerical advantage.

Guo Mingde and Pang Yuzhong, though they possessed Nascent Soul cultivation, had never fought fellow cultivators to the death and were unsure of Zhang Yan’s methods, so they stayed alert, seeking not merit but avoiding mistakes.

Seeing their caution, Zhang Yan had no intention to hold back. He shouted, letting his Nascent Soul look down from above, and pointed, sending a cluster of Gang Thunder falling towards Pang Yuzhong.

After forming his Nascent Soul, a cultivator’s actions no longer restrained by smoke and light, every move carried great might. This Gang Thunder contained Zhang Yan’s own Mana, such that if someone had boundless power, even one Thunderbolt could defeat an enemy.

Pang Yuzhong heard the thunderous roar of the incoming Gang Thunder and dared not be careless. With a low chant, he raised his Protective Treasure Light, a clear radiance arose from underfoot, protecting an area of ten feet around.

When the Gang Thunder collided above, an immediate loud explosion shook the Treasure Light continuously.

Feeling slightly reassured, Pang Yuzhong squeezed the Jade Token in his hand, secretly flicking it straight towards Zhang Yan.

This item was dark and dull, soundless in flight, extremely sinister. He intended to subdue Zhang Yan as he did with Duanmu Mian, unsuspecting the loud sound of water at his ear. As the Jade Token flew out a blue radiance flashed by, disappearing instantly, severing the connection with his Heart and Spirit.

Startled, he reacted swiftly, retrieving another treasure from his Sleeve Bag — a golden bell, adorned with lavish silver and emblematic of auspicious patterns including dragons and phoenixes. When flicking it upwards, pinching the formula to activate, a yellow glow suddenly came crashing down on the bell, breaking it to pieces with a "crack" sound.

Pang Yuzhong was taken aback, intending to take another treasure. But he saw the preceding blue light surging in again, upon hitting the Protective Treasure Light, causing turbulence almost shattering it.

Shocked beyond measure, he scrambled to stabilize it.

Just then, a thick, formidable yellow light fell as if Heavenly Thunder striking, with a booming sound dismantling the Treasure Light, its aftermath knocking him off balance in the clouds till dizziness claimed him unable to stand.

Zhang Yan’s assault was relentless like a rainbow, overwhelming Pang Yuzhong without chance to retaliate.

Guo Mingde seeing peril, dared not watch idly. Raising his hand, releasing the Black Luo, a dark glow swiftly soared over Zhang Yan’s Nascent Soul, its speed unmatched.

This treasure called "Sorrowful Qi Net," once covering a cultivator, can obstruct Mana, entangling like a net with infallible accuracy in combat.

Unexpectedly, this treasure came near, Zhang Yan paid it no mind, merely waved his sleeve. Behind his Nascent Soul rose a gleaming golden light, stretching hundreds of feet, thin as silk, scarcely visible. It flashed around the field, vanished promptly.

Guo Mingde’s "Sorrowful Qi Net" dropped its current, enveloping Zhang Yan. He rejoiced, believing victory assured and said, "Junior brother, wait a moment, watch me capture him."

But his speech received silence, puzzled he looked over, finding Pang Yuzhong dazed and immobile. Suddenly sensing something amiss, turning to ask again he heard a shout as Pang Yuzhong’s upper body severed from his abdomen, falling into two pieces down from the clouds.

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...(To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) for recommendations or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)