Daoist Competition

Between heaven and earth, only two gigantic hands were slowly approaching each other. Time seemed to pass extremely slowly, yet at the last moment, there was a sudden burst of speed, and with a loud boom, they collided violently, the rumbling sound resonating almost throughout the entire Star Stone.

The two giant hands simultaneously disintegrated and vanished, leaving only the swirling yellow smoke and blood mist entangled in the sky.

A gust of wind erupted from within, swiftly dispersing the smog, revealing a refined cultivator dressed in a black robe and high crown emerged from within. Atop his head was a blood-colored Gang Cloud, which was originally singular but as he walked down from the cloud, it slowly expanded, one into two, two into three. He stopped a hundred feet in front of Zhang Yan, bowed, and said, "True Master Zhang, Gao Ruowang of the Blood Essence Sect greets you."

Zhang Yan discerned that this person was a Nascent Soul Second Realm Cultivator, yet his demeanor showed not a trace of panic, remaining calm and composed as if it were nothing, he returned the bow, saying, "Greetings, Master Gao."

Gao Ruowang’s eyes shot out a peculiar light, inwardly contemplating, "This Zhang Yan’s elixir formation of first grade back in the day resulted in truly immense mana. I tried earlier, and although my Daoist cultivation surpasses his by a bit, when genuinely compared, his mana is not pressed by mine, hardly do I encounter opponents aside from Third Realm cultivators within Xuanmen normally, today I should thoroughly engage in a battle."

The strategy arranged by Feng Haiyang was for him to find a way to hold off Zhang Yan, then wait for his return to strike together.

However, the other disciples need to consider his reputation; he need not care. Regardless of age or enlightenment, in comparison to Feng Haiyang, they were hard to distinguish, thus he never really took his words to heart.

Gao Ruowang chuckled lowly and suddenly transformed into a blood-colored long rainbow, ascending to the skies above, then morphing into hundreds of blood lights, scattering in all directions, indistinguishable which was his true body and which were his divided blood essence.

This escape technique of his is named "Blood Transformation Escape Technique." It flies faster than shooting stars and lightning, each blood essence can launch and fly, all extremely quick, leaving opponents unable to pinpoint where he truly was.

This escape skill, alongside Nether Spring Sect’s "Netherworld Escape Technique" and Hun Cheng Sect’s "Nine Injuries Smoke Escape," forms the three major escape techniques of the Demon Dao, extremely stringent in cultivation, and among the Blood Essence Sect’s Nascent Soul disciples, only he is deeply versed in this path.

Zhang Yan looked at the blood light and demon shadows flying around him, his eyes flashed, and he raised his Flying Sword.

With a clear light, it flew to the sky, shaking slightly, transforming into thirty-two strands of sword light, brilliantly pursuing the blood essence in all directions.

His sword light was incredibly sharp and flew swiftly, with each pursuit of an essence, it would strike down, slicing it into two.

After a round of fierce attacks, he realized the number of blood essences hadn’t changed, as hundreds of blood lights still hovered around him, maintaining a continuous eerie howling.

Gao Ruowang coldly laughed inwardly, these blood essences were refined from collected devils, numerous, not easy to kill, even when one is destroyed he could split another, thinking that he could deplete his mana this way would be mistaken.

In prior confrontations, he would often pressure the opponent not to move with this technique, waiting for them to deplete mentally or rashly attack, then seizing the flaws to launch an attack, to defeat them in one strike.

After Zhang Yan’s several slashes of blood essence, seeing Gao Ruowang seemingly indifferent, without evasion, surmised that only limited harm could be done this way.

This method failed, thus another was contemplated, he turned his thoughts, lightly stepped, and immediately waves of water light surged within a mile radius.

Gao Ruowang’s pupils shrank; he had observed this formidable foe in Chengyuan Gorge, aware that he had a Daoist skill, producing dazzling light with water roaring sounds, able to encompass all things.

If attacking now seemed to take just a sweep, all blood essences here could be collected, posing a giant threat towards him, thus he always doubled down on guard, upon seeing the water light rising formed a decree, all blood essences instantly retreated in all directions.

He knew well, no matter how formidable a Daoist skill, failing to strike an opponent renders it useless, merely wasting mana, all he needed was to be cautious.

But as he thought this, upon seeing the rising light just reaching a bit, yet withdrew back. He mused, "Zhang Yan indeed clever, doesn’t fully display this Daoist skill, using intimidation tactic, preventing mana drain, merely seeking stability without means of victory over me."

He coldly chuckled inwardly, ordered all blood essences to close in again.

Zhang Yan’s eyes flashed with brilliance, scanning back and forth since the start he paid close observation.

Previously, he watched Gao Ruowang fighting with Hai Zhen Temple disciples, noting that although numerous blood essences lacked intelligence, moved like puppets controlled, actions structured.

Logical to assume, even amid Demon Dao’s divine split methods, Nascent Soul cultivators don’t possess such skill.

Therefore, he could determine, as long as the master hid among them, his actions would differ from usual.

Indeed, from one probing to the next, as blood essences retreated then pressed in, he discerned one was distinct.

Despite this perception, he remained composed, suspecting this could be Gao Ruowang’s decoy, thus he stayed dispassionate, merely using the sword light’s heart eye to secretly lock onto that blood essence, forcing it back with Water Element True Light when approaching, withdrawing water light upon its evasion.

After two to three times, confirming his thought process, when it pressed once more, suddenly shouted loudly, sending an unparalleled sharp sword light through, with a "puchi" sound, piercing it entirely!

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendations or monthly votes, your support, is my greatest motivation.)