Daoist Competition

If they had rushed too hastily just now, they might have been ground into pieces in an instant, so they hurriedly raised the token talisman in their hands.

Once the talisman was activated by Mana, it immediately transformed into a spirit flower and landed beneath their feet. Circles of Clear Light spread, as if a lotus holding the moon, isolating the Gang Wind outside. The five did not delay, shouted in unison, and once again exhibited tunneling light, all heading towards the Star Stone.

On Yao Yin Peak, Zhang Yan saw the Heavenly Gate opening wide, with all sects heading towards the Extreme Sky. Yet, he did not seem anxious; he remained calm and composed. After glancing at the Demon Cloud a few times, he pondered slightly, smiled, and then slowly stood up.

Elder Shen, Zhang Boyant, Xu Daoist, and Lu Mei Niang were sitting behind him. Seeing his actions, their expressions all tensed, and they stood up from the Dharma Platform together.

In the river below, a turbulence ensued as Dragon Carp Siren broke through the water and took the initiative to greet them.

Zhang Yan swung his large sleeves, riding the wind, stepping onto its back. With a pat on its horn, this Great Demon let out a dragon’s roar, and beneath its belly, Demon Cloud surged, soaring into the Heavenly Vault. Behind him, four Nascent Soul True Masters each raised dazzling tunneling light, following closely behind.

When the Heavenly Light descended just now, Shaoqing Sect’s Xun Huaiying was the first to fly up with his sword, transforming into a rainbow streak, sweeping towards Extreme Sky.

However, Elder Jin abandoned a Gang Cloud, using a secret technique from his sect, thus overtaking him by a step.

Xun Huaiying had barely reached mid-air when a black cloud covered the sky, obscuring the view. His expression remained calm, and the speed of his tunneling light did not slow.

At this moment, a white, eerie blade light suddenly slashed out from the cloud mist, speeding towards him.

His eyebrows raised, and with a cold sneer, he waved his hand with a sword, effortlessly cutting that blade light in half.

A hundred zhang away, the Demon Cloud split open, and a middle-aged Daoist with a long beard emerged, with two blood-red Gang Clouds above his head.

He stood atop a ferocious flood dragon, surrounded by dozens of silver-glowing flying sabers swirling and dancing. With a hearty laugh, he clasped his hands and said, "Master Xun, Sang Wuwei of the Blood Essence Sect is here to learn of your skill."

Xun Huaiying was terse, merely nodding and saying, "Good!"

Sang Wuwei laughed heartily, shook his body, and the Gang Cloud above trembled acutely. Over a hundred Blood Essence beasts shrieked ferociously, while he pointed forward, releasing the dozens of flying sabers around him, then charged forth.

Xun Huaiying stood unmovingly, and from the center of his brows suddenly leaped a sword light no more than a foot long, like snow. It unfolded in a flash, expanding a hundred zhang. Wherever the sword light reached, it was as if melting snow under the blazing sun, instantly annihilating the approaching Blood Essence beasts.

The sword’s sharpness even cleaved an opening in the Demon Cloud, through which fierce sunlight penetrated.

At this time, the dozens of flying sabers had already arrived, but the sword ball spun like swift light, shredding them into scrap iron.

Sang Wuwei was greatly shocked; although he had long heard of the Shaoqing Killing Sword’s fierce reputation, he never imagined it would be this formidable. With merely two sword strikes, it had already destroyed his main reliance in battle.

As a Shaoqing Disciple, Xun Huaiying often manipulated the sword ball with his mind. At this moment, with a single thought, the sword light emitted a clear hum, trembled slightly in place, suddenly flashed out a sharp ray of light, and in the blink of an eye, rushed over a hundred zhang.

Sang Wuwei was greatly startled, hurriedly summoning a ten-zhang Banner. When the sword light fell upon it, the Banner was sliced into two. With another turn, it relentlessly pursued him. At this moment, Sang Wuwei was left without a Dharma Treasure. In a panic, he shouted, a Gang Cloud on his head trembling down a cluster, blocking the sword, while he withdrew swiftly, retreating a hundred zhang, and unleashed a stinking Blood Arrow spray.

Xun Huaiying sneered coldly, flicked his sleeve, and with a single wipe of the sword light, the Blood Arrow dissipated, as if it had never appeared.

This scene chilled Sang Wuwei to the core. This Blood Arrow was condensed from his heart’s blood, never having failed once released. Yet, now it was cut away by Xun Huaiying with a single sword strike. He truly couldn’t fathom how to deal with this person.

He had come merely to hinder this Shaoqing Disciple for a moment, allowing Feng Haiyang and the other six to proceed to Extreme Sky first. Now that his goal was nearly achieved, he didn’t wish to die here. Thus, turning around, he intended to flee.

Seeing him retreat, Xun Huaiying remained standing there unmovingly, merely forming a sword technique with a nonchalant expression. The sword ball suddenly shook violently; though it was more than a hundred zhang away, in the blink of an eye, it leaped out of the void, arriving within three zhang behind Sang Wuwei. In a flash, it breached the Protective Treasure Light, slashing him in half with a single sword stroke.

This was the Shaoqing Divine Sword Skill "Near and Far," within a hundred and fifty zhang, the sword ball could be maneuvered to any place by the mind, leaving the opposing cultivator with no choice but to meet their demise under the sword if even slightly unobservant.

With a thought from Xun Huaiying, the sword ball vanished suddenly, and when it reappeared, it had returned to him. He shook his robe sleeve, the sword light enveloped him, and with a leap, tore through the Demon Cloud, charging towards the Extreme Sky.

At this moment within the Demon Cloud, Elder Jin was in the midst of adjusting his breathing, attempting to recover some Primordial Qi. Suddenly, his ears twitched, and he sighed, "Xun Huaiying is indeed formidable, Elder Sang has gone ahead."

The Demon Sect Elders gathered with him all had their expressions change upon hearing this.

Sang Wuwei had only been gone for less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, yet he already lost his life. If they were to confront him instead, the outcome wouldn’t be much better.

Elder Jin stood with a flick of his robe, pointed between his brows, and performed a Divine Skill from the Hun Cheng Sect, "Candle Light Nine Nether." Instantly, a beam of light shot from his eyes, scanning back and forth, revealing the entirety of the current situation within the Demon Cloud.

At this moment, Lishan, Yuan Yang, Nanhua, and Tai Hao—these four sects—were advancing together, with a total of twenty disciples and elders. Their tunneling light was overwhelming as they moved.

In contrast, the Mingcang and Yuxiao sects advanced separately, each group comprised of no more than ten individuals, with relatively weaker momentum.

And the group with the fewest numbers consisted of Yao Yin and Guangyuan Sect—seemingly just five people and a demon, appearing the easiest to target.

After seeing this, Elder Jin had already formed a plan in his mind. According to the prior discussions, sects like Lishan could be allowed to pass first.

As for the remaining three paths, there were thirty-two Demon Sect Elders present. Though it was beyond their capacity to block all the disciples and elders of the three sects, they could temporarily hold up two of them.

Furthermore, the Yuxiao Sect had already suffered a loss of a disciple during the Sword Fighting Conference, weakening their strength, and Yao Yin Sect had the fewest numbers.

With this in mind, Elder Jin straightened, pointed below, and said, "Fellow Daoists, the outcome of this swordfight is of great importance. Let us first hold back the disciples of the Yuxiao and Yao Yin Sects. That would be a major achievement."

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please support it by voting for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)