Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan's temperament grew increasingly violent. He now craved to tear apart everything within his sight. The crimson mist was undeniably powerful, but its side effect was clear: it warped the mind.
Yet this "side effect" held no consequence for him. Even in his normal state, his temperament was far from virtuous.
Fang Qingge lowered his gaze to the longsword before him, his lips pressing into a thin line. "This sword technique is my own creation. I invite you to witness its power!"
As his words faded, a gentle sword hum brushed past their ears, drawing their minds into its resonance. As the vibration intensified, a chilling, murderous intent gradually permeated the air.
Hidden in the shadows, Qi Liang felt the sword intent he had nurtured within his body subtly suppressed. He was startled—could its influence reach even from this distance?
Zuoqiu Shu rubbed her arm, feeling a sudden chill. Looking at the goosebumps rising on her skin, she realized her body was instinctively warning her of imminent danger.
She wasn't alone. Beside her, Zuoqiu Hui and Zuoqiu Zhen, as well as Wei Xunzhi and the Jiang Family members in the distance, and even further away, the disciples and elders of various sects, all felt a cold dread creep into their hearts.
It was as if an invisible sword intent, rising from the earth, was piercing straight into the heavens.
"What... is this?"
Zuoqiu Hui couldn't understand. They were all in the Dao Seeking Realm, so why were these people so different?
Jingyi's illusory Buddha, Xu Sanyan's billowing demonic energy, and now Fang Qingge's soaring sword intent...
A sudden memory surfaced in Zuoqiu Hui's mind: her family ancestor's lament,
"Sometimes, the difference between people is greater than the difference between humans and dogs..."
Now... she finally understood the meaning of those words.
Zuoqiu Yi, now more mature, no longer questioned whether her eldest sister could achieve such feats. She knew these people were fundamentally different from them.
Fang Qingge stood motionless, his eyes tightly closed, a gentle breeze swirling around him. His white robes fluttered wildly, and his long black hair had come loose, streaming behind him like a dark river.
The longsword floated before him, its blade pointed directly at Xu Sanyan.
As his eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashed across them. He whispered two words:
"Soaring Sky!"
In that instant, the breeze stilled, the sword's hum vanished, and all creation fell silent. Everyone held their breath, afraid to make the slightest sound that might disturb this profound state of being.
Xu Sanyan's vertical pupil between his brows sensed the killing intent, glowing an even more vivid crimson. His dark red hair cascaded down his back, and crimson mist surged around him, flowing into his great halberd, causing dark red floral patterns to bloom across its surface.
The sword intent arrived silently, in the blink of an eye, too swift for the naked eye to perceive. Yet Xu Sanyan "saw" it—or rather, sensed it.
Fang Qingge's sword intent drifted like autumn leaves, carrying a chilling solemnity. Even from a great distance, one could feel its murderous intent.
In contrast, Xu Sanyan's aura blazed like a wildfire, brimming with aggression, his arrogance and unrestrained nature visible to the naked eye.
This was a clash between stillness and motion.
The great halberd swept horizontally, and the Crimson Mist surged like a fiery deluge, meeting the sword intent in mid-air.
A moment of silence was followed by a thunderous roar that shook the heavens. The Crimson Mist scattered, showering the sky with scarlet sparks like a rain of fire that vanished without a trace.
The scene was breathtakingly beautiful.
Boom!!!
The violent aftershock finally erupted, carving a massive crater into the earth. Billowing smoke and dust surged skyward.
The ground trembled beneath Fang Qingge's feet. His face paled, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he steadied himself by leaning on his sword.
Mo Xianxian involuntarily retreated two steps to absorb the impact.
Zuoqiu Shu conjured another layer of Spiritual Power barrier to block the aftershock, her heart growing numb.
She had done nothing but defend against the residual force of their battle, yet half her Spiritual Power had already been drained.
The Crimson Mist dissipated into the air, but the sword intent persisted, piercing through layers of obstruction to strike Xu Sanyan's chest.
Though the sword intent still possessed considerable force, its power had been significantly diminished by the Crimson Mist.
"Agh!"
Xu Sanyan roared in fury, raising his great halberd to block the attack.
Tzzt!
The intangible sword intent effortlessly bypassed the halberd, carving a long, narrow gash across Xu Sanyan's chest. Blood gushed forth, staining the ground crimson.
A hint of disappointment flickered in Fang Qingge's eyes as he shook his head with a wry smile. "In the end, I still fell short..."
He could see that while the sword intent had wounded Xu Sanyan, the injury was superficial, far from fatal. The Crimson Mist's malevolent nature was too formidable, capable of repelling even formless sword intent. His defeat was inevitable.
Xu Sanyan wiped the blood from his chest, licked his palm with relish, his expression one of perverse delight, as if savoring fine wine.
Suddenly, his lips curled into a sinister grin, revealing his grotesque, protruding fangs. "Impressive. You actually managed to wound me."
Fang Qingge took a deep breath, remaining silent.
"I'll be taking the artifact now. Any objections?"
All eyes turned to him, but no one spoke. Fang Qingge yearned to intervene, yet he lacked the strength to stop him.
Mo Xianxian turned and left without a word. She was ill-suited for direct combat, and her mystical arts were countered by Xu Sanyan's techniques. Remaining here would serve no purpose.
Jingyi lowered his head, silently chanting Buddhist scriptures to regulate his turbulent Spiritual Power.
Jiang Yan groaned in a hoarse voice, his severed arms leaving him feeling utterly defeated.
The Luo Family siblings had both fallen unconscious and were being tended to by disciples of the Praying Dao Sect, who were healing their injuries.
"Hahahaha..."
Xu Sanyan shed his dao body, standing naked and laughing maniacally as he strode away.
Xiang Tan and the others followed closely, none daring to obstruct him.
Zuoqiu Zhen's eyes flickered as she stole glances at Xu Sanyan's body before quickly averting her gaze, a blush rising on her cheeks.
Zuoqiu Shu watched their retreating figures, shook her head, and led her group away as well.
Hidden in the shadows, Qi Liang gritted his teeth and demanded of his companions, "Where's Fang Xiang? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"
Jiang Qinqin shook her head. "I don't know."
"Useless!"
Meanwhile, Fang Xiang cowered in the distance, trembling as he watched Xu Sanyan's retreating figure. The sight dredged up painful memories from his past.
Xu Sanyan led his group to a spacious, empty building, instructing them to guard the perimeter. He entered alone.
The moment he stepped inside, he collapsed to the ground. A metallic sweetness rose in his throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Fang Qingge's sword had indeed wounded him, and severely so. His internal organs were damaged, and his Spiritual Power was completely depleted, making it impossible to maintain his dao body. He was like a lamp that had burned out its oil.
He had merely been forcing himself to stand tall earlier. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, every eye was on him. Had he shown even a hint of weakness or vulnerability, he would have been torn to shreds in an instant.
Fortunately, his feigned composure had deceived them, saving his life.
Xu Sanyan's lips curled into a manic grin as he leaned weakly against the wall, gasping for breath. After a moment's rest, he retrieved a storage pouch from his mouth, pulled out healing pills and Qi restoration pills, and swallowed them whole, slowly refining their energy.
The chest wound was minor; given his physical resilience, it would heal within half a day. The internal injuries, however, were more troublesome and required gradual nurturing.
But with the jade slip in hand, it had all been worth it.
"Senior Brother, are you alright?" Xiang Tan called softly through the massive wooden door.
Xu Sanyan replied in a low, steady voice, "I'm fine."
He kept his answer brief, knowing that the less he said, the less he could slip up.
Qin Manyang, Elder Ren, and the others outside were no fools. Xu Sanyan dared not reveal his weakness to them, even if they were allies.
Especially if they were allies!
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (HB) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c262. [+2]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.