Daoist Competition

Though there were over a hundred cultivators present, they couldn't slow him down for even a moment. Panic began to spread among them.

Zeng Han, leading his sect brothers in an attempt to intercept him, could only watch helplessly as Zhang Yan's unpredictable sword light outmaneuvered them all. Though it appeared to be a hundred men besieging one, in truth, Zhang Yan's attacks broke through them one by one, taking heads as easily as plucking fruit.

Seeing himself unable to catch up with Zhang Yan, Zeng Han grew anxious and yelled, "Junior Brother, unleash the Dharma Treasure now!"

Chu Jiu, shaken into action by the reminder, immediately recited an incantation under his breath and flung the Binding Phoenix Vine in his hand forward to target the sword light.

A moment later, a Biluo Vine shot up into the sky, transforming into a thousand-zhang long cord that wove itself into hundreds of loops, locking down the void.

Yet before he could activate the treasure to descend, he suddenly felt an icy dagger piercing toward his skin. An overwhelming freezing sensation overtook him, and his heart tightened in shock. As he tried to dodge, a sword appeared from within the void. There was the brief, chilling sensation on his neck—and in the next second, his head, the Six Yang Leader, was already flying off into oblivion.

Zeng Han, who stood just meters away, witnessed this scene, his eyes widening in rage and despair as he screeched, "Zhang Yan! How dare you kill my junior brother!"

He unleashed his flying needles toward Zhang Yan, but after mere dozen-zhang pursuit, the sword light disappeared without a trace, leaving Zeng Han awash with helplessness and humiliation.

Zhang Yan's sword streaked through the battlefield like a meteor, crisscrossing in all directions and killing without pause. Blood rained down as though from the heavens; it was as though he moved unhindered in a realm of the dead. Only now did Zeng Han and Shen Minggu realize the terrifying truth of a Sword Cultivator's prowess.

A thousand men or ten thousand—it matters not; one sword strike is all that I need!

By now, nobody knew how many lives Zhang Yan had taken. The more he fought, the more exhilarated he became. The stirring vitality within him burst forth as he let out a long, piercing shout that reverberated across the heavens and earth, chanting loudly and clearly: "Solitary stars fall on desolate plains, emitting energy that pierces the Sky. A sword honed through a hundred trials uproots the frigidness of All Heavens!"

Elsewhere over the sea, another epic scene unfolded. True Master Tao was suppressing four Nascent Soul True Masters singlehandedly, forcing them into a desperate struggle to hold their ground. Meanwhile, Zhang Yan, not merely holding his own against a hundred adversaries, had broken their will entirely, leaving them trembling in fear and confusion.

At the same time, a hundred li away, a man wearing a golden crown and clad in a dragon-embroidered robe punched a young girl into dust. Oddly enough, not a single drop of blood or piece of flesh spattered from the remains.

Standing composed with his fist still raised, his scorching gaze turned to the panting colorful-clothed woman nearby. "Just a few insignificant disciples of the Corpse Pride Sect, and you actually dared make a move against me? Lady Song, surrender now, lest I deal with you more harshly," he said.

The colorful-clothed woman despaired. She had just left the Corpse Pride Sect, after years of arduous training, in the hopes of seizing an Immortal Mansion. Who could have foreseen that her fated path would be intercepted by the Jiu Kui Demon King, drawn by her Yin Vessel? Decades of cultivation effort—was it all to be wasted like this?

Gritting her teeth, she brandished a dagger and held it against her jade-like neck. "Even in death, I won't let you succeed!"

The Jiu Kui Demon King laughed heartily, arrogance brimming in every word. "Lady Song! In my presence, do you even have the right to die?"

Her face turned ghastly pale. It wasn't that she didn't wish to die—but facing a Demon King, even if she did attempt to end herself, he could easily stop her. Sighing faintly, she began to surrender herself to fate.

But just as she was about to give up, the Jiu Kui Demon King's expression abruptly changed—an enraged, hateful look took over his face. He howled fiercely, and a sudden gale surged out of nowhere, transforming into a tumultuous black cloud that swept away into the distance.

Lady Song was left bewildered, her countenance shifting between uncertainty and despair. With her flying sedan and her walking corpse disciples destroyed, how was she to survive on this endless sea, all alone?

Biting her lip in frustration, she thought, "Rather than remaining here to await death, it's better to head toward the site of the emerging Immortal Mansion. Perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope."

Resolving herself, she too headed northward, following the traces.

Not long thereafter, she arrived at the chaotic battlefield of the cultivators. Hearing the deafening cacophony of slaughter over the sea, and witnessing the dazzling array of tunneling lights crisscrossing like fireflies, her jade-like features shifted ever so slightly.

Her beautiful eyes scanned the scene and immediately caught sight of the Jiu Kui Demon King. He was veiled within a mass of black qi, his malevolent eyes flickering in and out of existence as they fixated upon a dragon-like streak of sword light high in the air.

Lifting her gaze toward it, Lady Song's jaw dropped in astonishment. Amid the gory winds and blood-colored rain, a sword rainbow whirled and swept, tangling with hundreds of opponents without losing any momentum. Wherever the sword went, the masses scattered, retreating in terror from its edge. In just a few moments, no fewer than a hundred corpses had fallen to the ground beneath its path. Unable to contain herself, she gasped aloud, "Who is this? How could anyone be so formidable?"

However, as her thoughts turned over, she reflected on the Jiu Kui Demon King's predatory posture and sighed inwardly, "No matter how strong he may be, he's merely a Xuan Guang Practitioner. How could he hope to best a Hua Dan Demon King?"

It was at that precise moment that the Jiu Kui Demon King erupted from his concealment, roaring, "You little thief! How dare you destroy my avatar? Your life is mine!"

He extended a titanic claw, ten-zhang in length, which descended upon Zhang Yan. The sky darkened as clouds churned and blotted out the moon, encapsulating Zhang Yan within.

In an instant, Zhang Yan felt his tunneling light falter, and an overwhelming force locked him in place, rendering him immobile.

Seeing the massive claw descending, Zhang Yan's eyes flashed. Letting out a thunderous bellow, he activated the Golden Core that he had long since refined and swallowed.

Instantly, it felt as if a gate within him had opened, unleashing boundless energy that surged like tidal waves into every corner of his body. His cultivation rose rapidly, breaking through into the Hua Dan Realm!

In his mind's eye, countless images and figures seemed to flicker by, but he steadied his Heart and Spirit. Remaining unaffected, he shook his body mightily, breaking free of the restraints.

With a step forward into the void, he transformed into a streak of golden light mixed with rosy clouds, narrowly evading the descending claw.

The Jiu Kui Demon King never expected such a reversal. The grab he had been so confident in had ended in failure! His aura faltered under the shock.

But Zhang Yan wasted no time seizing this perfect opportunity. Reaching into his Sleeve Bag, he withdrew an intricately refined sword talisman and infused it with the Power of Elixir Evil before striking it toward the Jiu Kui Demon King!

With a deafening crack, it was as if a thunderclap had erupted out of nowhere!

A guttural, blood-curdling scream echoed across the sea. In an instant, blood sprayed like fountains amidst the salty air, and an overpowering metallic stench filled the void. From within the blood mist, a trail of black qi slithered away like a whipped cur, fleeing in disgrace.

Lady Song stood frozen in astonishment, her jaw nearly hitting the ground. She had thought Zhang Yan's death was inevitable—yet against all odds, his blazing sword light had cleaved through the heavens, leaving the Jiu Kui Demon King wounded and fleeing!

Who was this person? A mere Xuan Guang Practitioner had somehow managed to wound a Hua Dan Demon King with just a single sword strike?

Even Shen Minggu and Zeng Han, witnessing this scene, felt an undeniable chill. The thought of retreat sprouted deep within their hearts.

Shen Minggu had barely begun to entertain the idea when an awful sense of foreboding washed over him. Looking up, not far ahead, Zhang Yan emerged from the not-yet-dissipated mist like a Demon God incarnate.

Terror-stricken, Shen Minggu turned his tunneling light in retreat, launching his twenty-four Leaving Origin Yin-Yang Flying Sabers as he fled in desperation.

Zhang Yan's eyes glimmered faintly with contempt. With a casual motion of his hand, he shattered the incoming sabers effortlessly.

Witnessing this, Shen Minggu was so frightened his very soul nearly escaped him. With no thought left for combat, he fled at full speed, only for a streak of smoke to catch up in the blink of an eye.

With an icy expression, Zhang Yan grabbed Shen Minggu by the throat as if seizing a hapless chicken. With a sudden exertion of strength, a crisp "crack" echoed in the air as he snapped his neck.

Flinging the lifeless corpse aside, Zhang Yan summoned rolling Evil Qi to incinerate both Shen Minggu's flesh and Primordial Spirit to nothingness.

With a gesture, he collected Shen Minggu's Sleeve Bag before turning his cold gaze upon Zeng Han.

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoyed this story, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)