Night pressed down like ink, heavy and suffocating.
The sudden descent of killing intent enveloped Li Zhexian and Qian Renxue completely.
Their reactions were lightning-fast.
Almost the instant they scented that murderous aura, both had already flipped off their steeds.
Spirit power surged within Li Zhexian. Both palms infused with supple strength struck against the chasing stallions.
The surging force sent the two Windchaser Horses hurtling dozens of meters away.
This place was desolate.
For dozens of miles, there was no trace of human habitation.
No inn lights could be seen anywhere.
If the steeds were injured in the melee, their journey would surely be delayed.
Once that was taken care of—
The oppressive killing intent had already spread thick as substance, even the night wind through the forest seemed tainted with blood.
Sha-sha—
The dense woods flanking the narrow official road swayed.
As if a host of armed men were about to burst out.
Qian Renxue and Li Zhexian stood back-to-back, their cold gazes locked onto their respective sides.
Whoosh—
A sharp whistling tore through the silence.
From both sides of the woods—
More than a dozen figures clad in black night garments melted out of the darkness, pouncing with deadly speed.
Not a single word spoken, only killing intent.
Toward Qian Renxue—
Just a handful were sent to tie her down.
But toward Li Zhexian—
A dozen black shadows surged with boundless murderous will, charging straight at him!
Their goal was unmistakably clear— kill Li Zhexian!
Li Zhexian stepped forward.
At his feet, a purple spirit ring rose.
"First Spirit Ability— Greenblade Severance!"
A pure, chilling sword light cleaved apart the night.
One black-clad assassin didn't even have time to release his spirit rings—
Before his head was lopped off by a lightning-fast strike.
Scalding blood spurted into the night, blossoming into a ghastly crimson flower.
The sheer sharpness and speed of that sword went far beyond their expectations.
Their charge faltered for an instant.
Only then did all kinds of spirit rings flare up in haste.
In that instant—
Dazzling rings of color intertwined!
Torrential spirit power fluctuations erupted, shaking the trees around them wildly!
Aside from the one instantly slain—
The remaining sixteen black-clad assassins included six Spirit Kings above rank 50, and ten Spirit Elders above rank 40.
Spirit rings shone with fierce brilliance!
Spirit abilities surged like a tidal wave, crashing down toward Li Zhexian!
The second purple ring beneath him flared!
Sword qi erupted skyward from his Dazhui Spirit Bone!
Behind him hovered three Qinglian Swords of different attributes!
One forged of starlight;
One flowing with twin streams of ice and fire;
One coalesced of roaring azure wind!
Since comprehending the intent of the Wind Sword—
His twelve-joint Dazhui Sword Bone gained yet another edge of sharpness!
"Second Spirit Ability— Three Swords of Elegance!"
"Yaoguang!"
"Blaze & Frost!"
"Formless Wind!"
"Three Swords, strike together!"
Li Zhexian's eyes were as sharp as a blades, his white robes trembling.
The three Qinglian Swords, carrying thunderous might, met the oncoming flood of spirit abilities head-on.
Boom—!
Starlight flared, ice and fire raged, gales howled!
Explosive energies clashed, tore, and annihilated!
The ground cracked like a dragon thrashing beneath the earth, fractures spiderwebbing outward!
Bushes, trees, and stones were first shredded by violent spirit power, then pulverized by ice and fire, finally swept into swirling dust by gales!
Amidst the smoke and debris—
The three Qinglian Swords slashed through several Spirit Elders' spirit abilities, severing them cleanly, then cut the men themselves in half with intertwining attributes of sword intent.
Yet—
The six Spirit Kings' black ten-thousand-year rings pulsed with terrifying pressure.
Their auras interlinked, unshakable as a fortress.
There were too many foes.
Otherwise—even Spirit Kings, Li Zhexian dared to kill.
One is doomed!
Two I can kill!
Three, the advantage is mine!
But six Spirit Kings at once—!
And moreover, they had cultivated some secret art to unify their qi, their defenses unyielding!
Li Zhexian's face grew pale.
Unleashing spirit bone power drained immense spirit force.
Maintaining three swords at once for so long had nearly emptied him.
He stamped his foot—
His figure slid backward like lightning along the ground.
At the same time, he drew out the Clear Spring Wine flask and drank deep.
Hum—
The Qinglian Sword rang out, clear and resonant.
Sword qi surged skyward again from the Dazhui Spirit Bone.
His spirit power, restored by the wine, coursed wildly back into him.
Detoxification, injury resistance, agility— multiple buffs flooded his body.
The Wine Martial Soul, infused with peerless immortal brews, unveiled its terrifying support effects.
Starlight, frost and flame, and azure winds coiled around Li Zhexian.
His hair crown burst apart, long black hair whipping madly in the night wind.
Between the strands, his eyes glowed with boiling killing intent.
Whoever you are—!
Since you've come to kill me, tonight you all must die!
Since that death-duel in the rain against Zhao Wuji, this was the first time he unleashed himself without reserve!
By now—
Qian Renxue had slaughtered every assassin besieging her.
Her holy features were cold as frost, her sword of light still dripping blood.
With a flash she landed at Li Zhexian's side, her icy mask breaking into panic.
"Li Zhexian, you… you're not hurt—"
"Qian Renxue."
Li Zhexian's eyes stayed locked on the advancing enemies.
"Three Spirit Kings— can you hold them?"
Qian Renxue blinked, then instantly understood.
Six vast wings of holy radiance unfurled behind her.
Her Sword of Light flared brilliantly, driving back the darkness.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black— five spirit rings rose beneath her.
She raised her sword and charged at three Spirit Kings.
One of them cried in shock:
"Saintess, you—"
"Silence!"
At that address—
A tidal wave of killing intent burst from her azure eyes.
Her Sword of Light swept with holy power, slamming onto the Spirit King who spoke.
Boom—!
A thunderous impact.
That Spirit King was blasted hundreds of meters back by her furious strike.
From the corner of his eye, Li Zhexian saw it— secretly impressed. Truly worthy of a god-level Martial Soul.
With Qian Renxue pinning down three Spirit Kings—
Li Zhexian's gaze swept coldly to the remaining three Spirit Kings and several Spirit Elders.
The night wind whipped his blood-soaked hair, revealing eyes brimming with merciless killing intent.
At his feet, a strange spirit ring rose.
On its surface flowed shifting attributes, marked with twelve sharp sword-feather sigils.
"Third Spirit Ability— Qinglian Twelve Tribulations!"
Twelve Qinglian Sword shadows materialized—
Encircling three Spirit Kings and several Spirit Elders inescapably.
Starlight, frost and flame, and azure winds rampaged through the sword array.
With three Qinglian Swords floating behind him, Li Zhexian dove headlong into the sinister formation.
In an instant—
Sword qi tore the heavens!
Sword light raged like dragons and serpents!
The array resounded with roars and screams, only to falter, growing weaker and weaker.
Thick blood seeped slowly outward from the edges of the formation.
Dozens of breaths later—
The twelve Qinglian Swords trembled violently—
Then shattered with a thunderous crash.
Inside lay nothing but corpses sprawled across blood-drenched ground.
Li Zhexian stood alone, white robes soaked red, his Qinglian Sword angled to the earth, blood dripping steadily from its tip.
His face was handsome, expressionless.
But the killing intent radiating from him— was darker than the night itself.