Daoist Competition

It was precisely for this reason that Yan Huixin’s master set up a trap to lure the disciple, who posed a great threat to the Demon Sect, to this place.

Upon just a single glance, he immediately discerned that this sword light was not on par with the Shaoqing Swordsmanship, and besides, his Protective Treasure Light was refined with Geng Metal Essence Qi, believing that it could withstand more than a dozen sword lights. A test now proved his judgment correct.

Zhang Yan had many means at his disposal, far beyond just one method of killing the enemy. Although the Flying Sword Skill could not defeat the enemy at the moment, it was already enough to hold Ding Qun in check. He then waved his sleeve, and over three hundred droplets of You Yin Heavy Water were released with a thunderous sound.

A flash of dark light flickered in Ding Qun’s eyes; he perceived the seemingly insignificant Heavy Water concealed immense power, and was greatly alarmed. To resist the Sword Force, he had already exerted all his powers, and now had no time to spare. If he had his Dharma Treasure with him, it might have helped, but he had voluntarily gone to act as a Puppet for the Spirit Banner, leaving all his belongings to the disciples of his sect before being imprisoned, and his Sleeve Bag was already empty. In this moment of crisis, he ruthlessly bit the tip of his tongue, and with a "puff," sprayed out a mouthful of Essence Blood at the cost of damaging his Primordial Qi.

Contained in that Blood Mist was his mouthful of Essence Yuan Gang Sha that was internally refined, not much inferior to his Lifebound Magic Sword. Upon impact, it unsurprisingly blocked the You Yin Heavy Water.

Because of his confidence in his own judgment, after a glance, he no longer examined it closely, turning his gaze away.

However, at this very moment, a single drop of Heavy Water, as dark as an ink dot, effortlessly breached through the Essence Blood, flew straight over, and smashed against his Protective Treasure Light, shattering it instantly.

Receiving such a sudden blow, Ding Qun’s whole body shuddered, stumbling on the clouds, with blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his heart calling out in despair.

Even with the "Discerning Truth Spiritual Eye," among the three hundred and sixty-five drops of Heavy Water, only one drop was Xuanming Heavy Water. After mixing in, he failed to detect it in his haste, letting it through.

This strategic error broke the Mana that was meant to fend off the sword light, and the thirty-six sword lights, without obstruction, immediately penetrated through.

No matter how adept Ding Qun was at adapting, reaching this step, he was left with no options. Thinking over how, for the past two hundred years, he had abandoned his position as a True Disciple of the Yuan Yang Sect for the sake of his deceased wife’s reincarnation, becoming a Puppet under the Spirit Banner, and now, just as he was about to achieve success, he was facing the end of his life; a feeling of sadness overcame him. At this point, an angry voice emerged in his heart, saying, "Even if I perish, I will take this man with me as my burial companion!"

With this thought, a surge of malice grew in his heart. Like a cornered beast, he roared, pointed to the sky, and a streak of Essence Qi rose. On closer inspection, it seemed to be a small, half-finger-length crystalline sword, purely condensed from Essence Qi. After emerging from his fingertip, it vanished in an instant.

Just as Ding Qun completed this action, the sword light descended like a waterfall, dismembering him in a moment into countless pieces of fine shredded flesh, scattering about.

Just over ten miles away from Zhang Yan, two sword lights flew across the sky—it was the Yang couple of the Yuan Yang Sect. Yang Bi suddenly gasped in surprise, halting the tunneling light, and looking back, said, "Wife, could it be that I misperceived, the aura there—is that not the Lifebound Magic Sword of the Yuan Yang Sect?"

Zhu Xin was also puzzled, saying, "Husband, you didn’t misperceive. I sensed it too."

The couple exchanged glances, and Yang Bi said in a deep voice, "Let’s go and check it out."

In the Yuan Yang Sect, in his generation, there were only a few who could cultivate the Lifebound Magic Sword, and they should be in seclusion at this time. If it were their elders, they wouldn’t come here without a token talisman. But suggesting that the sect’s disciples could have learned it was also impossible. It was most likely the Demon Sect’s doing, so they decided to investigate the matter.

After killing Ding Qun, Zhang Yan frowned slightly, feeling that something was amiss. His Heart and Spirit remained tense, still vigilant all over.

Suddenly, a somber chill enveloped his body, making him feel as though he had fallen into an icy cave. At that instant, with a clear hum, the Qiankun Leaf flew out from his brow, initiating to greet a small sword formed by Essence Qi in the sky, yet this small sword seemed to be a mere illusion, passing unobstructed through this treasure.

How keen was Zhang Yan’s reaction! At the moment the Qiankun Leaf flew out, he had already activated the Little All Heaven Moving Technique, instantly transferring himself hundreds of feet away. But that small sword, defying all reason, made a turn and still targeted his position.

Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly; he sensed that if this thing struck him, it would undoubtedly kill him.

Since the swordfight began, it was the first time he had encountered something that posed such a lethal threat to him. Therefore, he moved without pausing, continuously using Divine Skills, with his form vanishing and reappearing repeatedly in the Void. Thanks to his profound Mana, he managed to move more than twenty miles in one breath, with his Mana not yet waning. But despite this, the Dharma Sword remained relentless in pursuit.

This sword was the Lifebound Magic Sword of a Yuan Yang Sect cultivator, condensed from his own Essence, Qi, and Spirit. It was incredibly transparent and immaterial, with a slash tracing the Qi Mechanism. Like a bone-attached tumor, its target’s evasion for a thousand miles was futile. Without a countermeasure, death was inevitable.

This sword, unleashed with resentment by Ding Qun at the moment of his death, differed slightly from a purely absolute Life Killing Sword, relying on a momentum tainted with Devil Intent. As long as the Qi Mechanism didn’t dissipate, this sword wouldn’t disperse.

Even in this life-and-death situation, Zhang Yan remained exceptionally calm. Relying on the Moving and Escaping Technique, he flashed and dodged mid-air. Yet after some thought, he knew this was not a sustainable approach. Pondering, he mused silently, "Everything under heaven has its countermeasure. Since this thing seems to be a concentration of killing intent of Essence Qi, I might as well use that item to try it out."

...

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