Whoosh!
A blue-gray radiance streaked across the night sky like a long rainbow piercing the sun, trailing a brilliant tail behind it.
Within the flowing light was a robed Elder with deeply sunken eye sockets. His eyelashes were black as raven feathers, a Blue-Gray Brahma Nail embedded in the center of his brow, while his gray-white hair resembled remnant snow, Qing Fan.
The Elder's expression was gloomy, carrying an inexpressible fury.
Who could have imagined that such a thing would happen in Azure Dragon Province City, the central hub of an entire province?
The Elder was incredibly fast. In almost an instant, he could cross dozens of zhang. Speed at this level far surpassed that of ordinary Great Grandmasters.
As he sped through the air, it was not True Essence supporting him through maneuvers and transformations, but true flight through the sky!
Using Soul Power as his foundation to resist the force pulling him toward the earth, he pierced the sun like a long rainbow, rosy light filling the heavens.
"No matter who it is, anyone who dares act in Azure Dragon Province City, stay behind!"
Killing intent flashed in the Elder's eyes, and anger flickered across his face.
Even a clay figurine had three parts anger.
Sect Master Sir had attended the Azure Cang Exchange, while the Mystic Yellow Absolute Sword had gone out to deal with unrest. Azure Dragon Province City was under his sole guard. Though he had cultivated in seclusion for many years, he could never turn a blind eye to such a heinous incident occurring within the city.
If there was no explanation tonight, he would be utterly disgraced.
Whoosh!
The flowing light swayed as the Elder crossed the vast distance at tremendous speed, arriving above an estate.
It was Li Wusheng's residence!
A strange look appeared on the Elder's face. His Soul Power erupted, instantly locking onto the figure that had just flown outside the estate.
Whoosh!
Chen Ping'an swept his sleeve robe, drawing the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flags that had been circling in mid-air into his possession.
Boom!
He raised a hand and struck out, burying all traces around him beneath debris.
And just as he finished doing all this, that rainbow-like stream of light had already drawn near.
"Retreat!"
Chen Ping'an's gray robes flapped wildly. Holding nothing back any longer, his Spiritual Light shone with indescribable brilliance as he turned into a streak of netherglow and shot into the distance.
"Where do you think you're going!"
A thunderous shout sounded in the sky, like rolling thunder that shook the heart.
If a weaker Martial Dao cultivator faced such an explosive roar, they would likely freeze on the spot, unable to move.
But clearly, such a method had no effect whatsoever on Chen Ping'an.
The Elder obviously understood this as well. At almost the same time, a blue-gray stream of light shot toward the gray-robed figure in the distance.
Whoosh!
The stream of light was exceptionally fast. Looking closely, one would find that within it was a blue-gray flying nail, radiating sharp and fierce intent.
The head of this flying nail gleamed brightly, flashing with indescribable keenness.
The Inhibition-Breaking Nail, empowered by Soul Power, possessed Inhibition Breaking Power.
Even the protective barrier of a Martial Dao Great Grandmaster could be pierced with ease, as though it were thin paper.
"What incredible speed!"
Sensing the flying nail shooting toward him from behind, Chen Ping'an was slightly startled.
This was his first time fighting fiercely against an Old Generation Expert Beyond Great Grandmaster. He did not dare be the least bit careless.
Buzz~
At his Mind and Spirit Platform, the nine spirit patterns sunk deep into Spirit Fruits all shone at once, erupting with indescribable brilliance in an instant.
True Essence circulated throughout his body, instantly gathering in both hands.
Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist, Third Kill—Rage Kill.
Secret technique, Rage Kill, Raging Shadow Chaos!
Boom!
Wildly violent True Essence swept out in an instant. Fist shadows filled the sky, containing manic intent and gathering Chen Ping'an's Martial Will as they blasted toward the blue-gray flying nail behind him.
Mad intent ran rampant, killing intent unrestrained.
The fist technique was crazed, wild shadows dancing in chaos.
Rage Kill, wild dance moving the Human World!
The wind howled, and sonic booms exploded.
The blue-gray flying nail erupted with fierce intent and collided violently with the fist force.
Bang bang bang!
Countless explosions ignited the entire night sky and alarmed all of Azure Dragon Province City.
"What a huge commotion!"
"What happened?"
"What happened?"
"..."
Buzz~ buzz~ buzz~
Though the flying nail was sharp, it was not a large-scale siege weapon. Beneath the fist shadows filling the sky, it was actually defeated.
Its light flickered between bright and dim as it fell feebly toward the ground.
"What?"
The Elder's expression shifted slightly.
Though this flying nail was not some supreme treasure, it was certainly a Divine Weapon of not bad grade. With his Soul Power empowering it, ninety-nine percent of the Grandmasters in the world would absolutely be unable to withstand the sharp edge of this strike.
But—
Not only had the other party done so, he had even shattered the Elder's flying nail.
Even though the Elder had anticipated this, he still revealed a startled look at this moment.
One had to know that there was a complete qualitative gap between Soul Power and the spirituality of True Essence. The difference between the two could not be made up for by mere quantity.
For the other party to knock down his flying nail in such a short time meant that the other party's spiritual foundation was so immense that it defied description.
His Martial Dao foundation far exceeded the Elder's own in his younger days.
Buzz~
A blue-gray round mirror the size of a palm quietly appeared above the Elder.
After just this one strike, he had cast aside all contempt.
Though the other party had not yet reached Beyond Great Grandmaster, his Martial Dao foundation absolutely looked down upon the Great Grandmaster realm.
Which expert on the Wind and Cloud Rankings was he!?
The Elder's gray-white hair moved without wind. In an instant, the blue-gray round mirror above him shot out a cyan pillar of light.
The beam was not wide, roughly as thick as an adult's arm, but its speed far exceeded all imagination.
Not to mention ordinary cultivators—even an average Great Grandmaster would likely be unable to react before dying and having their Dao dissipate.
Whoosh!
The blue-gray beam shone brilliantly as it crashed down, striking the gray-robed figure fleeing in the distance.
Yet there was not the slightest joy on the Elder's face.
In the distance, the beam passed through the figure's body and crashed onto the buildings below with a deafening boom.
Rumble—
With only one strike, the large building below collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Countless miserable screams sounded below.
"Ah!"
"My hand! My hand!"
"The building collapsed!"
"..."
Whoosh!
Chen Ping'an's figure flickered, and when he appeared again, he was already dozens of zhang away.
"That was close!"
Chen Ping'an was inwardly startled. The blue-gray beam was far faster than any opponent he had ever faced before.
If not for his solid foundation, abundant spirituality, and sharp perception, he would likely have had no choice but to take that attack head-on.
Furthermore, with all his spirituality activated, his current speed had already been driven to its limit. Though he had not used any movement technique, the footwork and movement mysteries bestowed by the Golden Finger Panel, as though they had been innate from birth, seemed to have fused into instinct at this moment.
With the full support of True Essence and spirituality, they granted him indescribable speed.
Chen Ping'an's brow shone brightly as he pushed his True Essence to its utmost limit.
At this very moment, facing pursuit by an existence Beyond Great Grandmaster, there was no panic in his heart. Instead, he felt extreme excitement.
Excitement!
Yes, excitement!
Ever since he had begun cultivating, he had longed for a battle fought to his heart's content.
But the circumstances of reality, the crisis of survival, and worries over the future had forced him to bury that desire deep within his heart.
Even when he had previously considered fighting Nie Yunlong, reason had forced him to suppress it.
Though he was cautious and steady, how could one who cultivated Martial Dao lack a few traces of hot blood!?
Even if trapped in desperate straits, he would still throw an impassioned punch. Let alone now.
Now was the time!
Boom!
As he flew, Chen Ping'an threw a punch.
With a light flick of his finger, the Elder completely erased the seemingly endless fist shadows from the air.
"Seeking death—"
The Elder roared, and the blue-gray round mirror above him erupted with brilliant light again. A blue-gray beam crashed down.
While fleeing, Chen Ping'an still dared counterattack him. Though the fist force was not particularly powerful, its insult was immense.
How could he tolerate such fury in the face of this provocation from a lower-realm cultivator?
The Elder's body was like flowing light, while the blue-gray round mirror above him sent out streams of light from time to time.
Yet every strike was evaded by the other party, always one move short. The beams that crashed down ravaged Azure Dragon Province City.
This infuriated the Elder greatly.
He guarded Canglong, and though he might not necessarily care about these ordinary people at the bottom, he found this passive situation difficult to accept.
He wished to employ a large-scale attack with immense power, but being within Azure Dragon Province City, the repercussions would be too great, leaving him hesitant for a time.
If the damage became too severe, then as the Great Vassal of the Azure Dragon Province Town Pacification Office, he too would be unable to escape blame.
Moreover, judging by the methods the other party had displayed, even if he used a large-scale attack with immense power, he might not be able to hold him.
Suppressing the anger in his heart, the Elder sped along, occasionally bringing down beams to block the other party.
The gray-robed man ahead kept dodging one attack after another, but as the saying went, one who defended for long was bound to make a mistake.
He could miss a hundred times, but the other party could not miss even once.
With the situation as it was, the advantage lay with him!
Yet after unleashing more than a dozen attacks in succession, not a single beam struck the other party.
His expression changed slightly, and a trace of suspicion arose within him.
"Could he have used some secret art?"
At that thought, the Elder's mind settled somewhat.
Once the other party's secret art faded, he would be fish on the chopping board, at the Elder's mercy.
However, even after they flew out of the Core District of Azure Dragon Province City and neared the edge of the inner city, the Elder had still not seen even a trace of fluctuation in the other party's aura.
"What is going on?"
A trace of shock flashed through the Elder's deeply sunken eyes.
But very quickly, the shock in his eyes faded and was replaced by a wisp of killing intent.
No matter how formidable the other party was, no matter how solid his foundation, he was ultimately only in the Great Grandmaster realm.
Given the Elder's cultivation realm, he refused to believe he could not outlast him.
But—
Very soon, he discovered that he had been wrong.
The other party's True Essence seemed endless, vast beyond words, while the speed of his flight did not change in the slightest.
Just as before, he remained dragon-spirited and tiger-fierce, without the slightest sign of decline.
Even when the Elder intermittently interfered with beams and flying nails, he did not achieve the result he wanted.
These methods of his seemed to pose no great threat to the other party.
The threat the other party posed rose another step in his mind.
"Just what old monster is he!?
With abilities and methods like these, he would be an absolute standout even on the Wind and Cloud Rankings!
Such a person could never be an unknown nobody!"
As the Elder's thoughts shifted, the Blue-Gray Brahma Nail in the center of his brow faintly glimmered.
He could no longer suppress the killing intent in his heart, but when he looked at Azure Dragon Province City below, its countless household lights glowing, he ultimately held back.
"Outside the city. Once we leave the city..."
The Elder's eye sockets were deeply sunken, killing intent faintly exposed.
"This still isn't over!"
Chen Ping'an's gray robes flapped as he flew across the night sky.
The other party was incredibly fast. Only by giving his all could Chen Ping'an barely maintain an even match.
The speed of an all-out burst and ordinary flight were completely two different things.
Only with his robust foundation, abundant spirituality, and the basis of Nine Spiritual Patterns could he persist for so long.
Otherwise, his speed would absolutely suffer even the slightest reduction.
Judging by the current situation, once his speed dropped, it would only be a matter of time before the other party caught up to him.
"How long is this going to drag on? I can't delay any longer!"
Delay bred change. If he remained entangled for too long, the greater situation would be absolutely unfavorable to him.
Chen Ping'an surveyed the surrounding environment and made his decision in an instant.
"What incredible speed!"
The Elder's expression was so gloomy it seemed as though water might drip from it.
He had personally taken action, yet he had still ended up in such a situation. If word got out, would people not laugh their teeth out?
Not to mention, once the Mystic Yellow Absolute Sword returned, it would surely mock him mercilessly.
"Wait a little longer! Just a little longer, and then..."
Killing intent brewed in the Elder's heart. A round mirror hung in the air, while flying nails circled around him.
Before his thoughts could settle, a sudden change arose ahead.
Thin green mist spread through the surroundings. Within the mist, a Gray Fine Net swelled against the wind and swept toward him at extreme speed.
At the same time, a treasure mirror appeared overhead, condensing a beam of Profound Light.
"Courting death!"
The Elder bellowed.
He had not expected the other party to not only stop fleeing, but to actually dare stop and counterattack.
It was exactly what he wanted!
With a flick of his finger, several Jujube Nails shot forth. At the same time, the blue-gray round mirror in mid-air once again fired a beam of light.
After doing all this, he used his hand as a blade and fiercely slashed out.
Soul Power spread forth, giving off indescribable ripples.
"Going all out does make the activation speed much faster!"
Chen Ping'an's eyes remained calm as he carefully sensed every trace of change.
The first thing struck was his Mystic Light Treasure Mirror. Though the Mystic Light Treasure Mirror he activated was considerably faster, compared to the blue-gray round mirror, it was utterly outclassed.
Before the Profound Light within the Mystic Light Treasure Mirror could even gather, it was struck squarely by the blue-gray round mirror.
Crack!
In an instant, Chen Ping'an's Mystic Light Treasure Mirror suddenly shattered within, cracks spreading across it one after another.
After the Mystic Light Treasure Mirror came the green mist around him. The Elder's hand-blade strike appeared plain and unremarkable, yet it erupted with an irresistible might, dispersing the mist in an instant.
The green bamboo tube spraying out the mist in the distance glimmered with Spiritual Light that flickered unsteadily, as though it had suffered a tremendous blow.
The Elder's hand-blade did not stop there. Next came the Gray Fine Net.
At the first face-to-face exchange, before it even made contact, its Spiritual Light dimmed and it trembled with an endless hum.
Bzz~ Bzz~ Bzz~
It endured for less than half an instant before shattering completely and splitting into two halves.
In the instant they exchanged blows, the Mystic Light Treasure Mirror shattered, the green bamboo tube broke, and the Gray Fine Net split apart.
"Where did you find such trash?"
The Elder spoke with a disdainful gaze, his gray-white hair stirring despite the absence of wind.
"Cannot withstand a single blow!"
The Elder's eye was keen. From the very first instant the opponent countered, he had already seen through the opponent's techniques.
Three methods, all ordinary in power. Not one posed any threat to him.
Yet even so, his years of battle experience kept him from relaxing in the slightest.
How many experts had once dominated their era, only to capsize in a gutter in the end?
Given the abilities and methods the other party had displayed earlier, this matter was likely not so simple.
As the saying went, all warfare was based on deception.
Many killing moves were often hidden within utterly inconspicuous feints.
Without some truly formidable means, the other party likely would not have rashly counterattacked.
Faced with such an assault, he naturally had to be more cautious.
But now, with the danger entirely gone, the outcome still exceeded his expectations.
Yet his heart did not stir in the slightest because of it.
False within truth, truth within falsehood—what in this world ever remained constant?
As the saying went, troops had no fixed formation, and water had no fixed shape. One who could adapt to the enemy and claim victory was called divine!
At his level, he had seen and experienced far too many methods.
He had long been prepared for such a situation.
The Elder streaked forward, flowing light flashing as he rapidly closed in on his opponent.
At the same time, the several Jujube Nails finally passed through every obstacle and flew before Chen Ping'an.
Boom!
A violent aura erupted, and a blood mist swept outward, instantly filling the surroundings.
Bang!
From within the blood mist stretched an incomparably enormous palm, nearly covering more than half his body. It seized the several Jujube Nails one by one. The Jujube Nails shone brilliantly, seeming ready to unleash annihilating force, yet in that giant hand, they could not raise much of a storm.
The blood mist erupted and instantly annihilated the Soul Power attached to the Jujube Nails.
The Elder's expression changed slightly, and a trace of foreboding flashed through his heart.
Soul Power was incomparably resilient, capable of crushing ordinary spirituality, yet the other party had crushed it so easily.
The purity of that spirituality far surpassed his previous expectations!
The Elder swept his sleeve, and the blood mist dispersed.
Before him appeared an incomparably towering figure.
Strange blood patterns were carved all over its body, primal power surging within it. It resembled a giant demon god capable of destroying the world.
A body-tempering art—the Ten Thousand Demons True Body!
Endless ferocity and baleful intent surged across the Sixteen-Foot Demon Body Chen Ping'an had transformed into.
His earlier moves had not been without reason.
Besides confusing the opponent's vision, they had also served as cover. Seizing that instant of opportunity, Chen Ping'an had swallowed the Exploding Essence True Pill and Thousand-Year Stone Milk, then unleashed the Ten Thousand Demons Body Forging Art!
"Ten Thousand Demons Sect!"
A vicious gleam appeared in the Elder's eyes, his killing intent fully exposed!
Ten Thousand Demons Bandits—everyone had the right to execute them!
Rustle!
The Blue-Gray Brahma Nail between his brows quivered faintly, blue-gray flowing light circulating over it.
"Shut up!"
Chen Ping'an roared, his voice low, as if it were the sound of death claiming souls.
Bzz~
Strange netherglow suddenly spread through the crimson eyes of the Sixteen-Foot Demon Body.
Seven Absolute Divine Skill, ultimate secret technique!
Seven Absolutes · Illusionary Barrier!
A vast amount of netherglow appeared, shining directly before the Elder.
The Elder's body stalled for an instant, but he quickly recovered.
Chen Ping'an sighed inwardly.
Though he had fully activated the Seven Absolutes secret technique, hoping to use it to defeat the enemy had clearly been too optimistic. He had underestimated the other party too greatly.
But that brief opening gave him the chance to unleash the Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist at close range—the third kill, Rage Kill, Raging Shadow Chaos.
A fist crashed down like raging shadows moving through the Human World. Fist shadows blanketed heaven and covered earth, completely swallowing the Elder in long robes.
With the Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist enhanced by the Ten Thousand Demons True Body, then bolstered by the Exploding Essence True Pill and Thousand-Year Stone Milk, its power had long surpassed the scope of a Great Grandmaster, fully touching the threshold of a Pseudo Celestial.
No!
It had not merely touched it—it even surpassed it!
Bzz!
Just as Chen Ping'an's fist shadows fell, he saw a Blue-Gray Brahma Nail suddenly shoot forth.
Soundless and traceless, without a single ripple.
If not for his keen senses, he might not even have noticed it.
Amid the True Essence fluctuations of such a great battle, not to mention a Peak Great Grandmaster, even a lower-ranked Storm Cloud Great Grandmaster who arrived in person might not react to such a killing move in time.
Or rather, by the time they realized, the Blue-Gray Brahma Nail would already have pierced through their bodies.
"Suppress!"
Spiritual Light flashed between Chen Ping'an's brows, blood mist spread, and he roared out loud.
Beneath the Sixteen-Foot Demon Body, a fist descended in suppression!
As the saying went, palms broke fists, and fists broke fingers.
Though a nail was not a finger, the principle was much the same.
Against the Brahma Nail, a fist could break it!
As his fist crashed down, golden light trembled all over his body.
Clang!
The Vajra Image emerged.
At the same time, the intent of dragon and elephant arose, the Overlord Body lending its strength.
The physique he had tempered with the Azure Sun Blood Refinement Method, using Earth Dragon True Blood over a long period, also erupted with its ultimate might at this moment, squeezing out every trace of energy hidden deep within his body.
Dragon Elephant Overlord Body Art, Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill, Ten Thousand Demons Body Forging Art, Azure Sun Blood Refinement Method.
Then, with the intent of the Seven Kill Heavenly Dipper Fist and Seven Absolute Divine Skill, he brazenly struck to kill.
This fist gathered his lifelong Martial Will; it could shatter mountains and push aside rivers.
Bang!
An incomparably violent explosion rang out.
In the aftermath, sonic booms roared and the ground trembled.
Whoosh!
Chen Ping'an's body flew backward. He quickly steadied himself and deeply gazed at the Elder amid the blood-red baleful aura in the distance.
His figure rolled, and he departed from the place.
As he left, a trace of blood seeped from the hands beneath his torn sleeves.
Bang!
The fist shadows filling the sky instantly exploded, turning into wave after wave of gray ash.
Space shuddered, and wild winds swept through.
Within the wind and waves, the Elder's figure appeared.
The Elder stood in the air, his long robes tattered and his appearance somewhat disheveled.
"Pseudo Celestial power!"
Though he had blocked the opponent's strike, he had also paid a considerable price.
The opponent's abilities and methods exceeded his prior judgment.
At the Jade Balance Realm, he possessed battle power that could fully rival him, even overwhelm him. Such methods—there were likely not many on the Wind and Cloud Grandmaster Rankings who possessed them.
Watching the distant night sky and the gray-robed figure tearing across it, deep wariness surfaced in the Elder's eyes.
The opponent was exceedingly strong and could not be pursued deeply.
Though he had not suffered a severe wound after forcibly receiving that strike, he had already sustained no light injuries.
He had raised his assessment of the opponent's strength to a level fully equal to his own, perhaps even slightly superior.
Under such circumstances, after fully recognizing the opponent's strength, he had abandoned any intention of pursuit.
Setting aside whether he could even catch up, even if he truly did, could he possibly keep the opponent behind by himself!?
If he insisted on keeping him, the final result would likely be mutual destruction, fish dead and net torn.
At present, among the three great figures of the Azure Dragon Province Town Pacification Office, only he remained stationed here. Though experts from the Universe Control Division were present to provide support, they did not belong to the same institution. Who knew what schemes they might be harboring?
If they used this opportunity to stir up conflict and add fuel to the flames, the consequences would be too dreadful to contemplate.
Sect Master Sir had not returned, and Zhang Tianyuan was absent. With only himself present, stability had to be the priority in all things.
"Ten Thousand Demons Body Forging Art! Seven Absolute Divine Skill! He knows the Ten Thousand Demons Sect's techniques, yet also possesses methods of the Heavenly Luo Sect. Just what old monster is he!? Why did he launch a midnight assassination? What exactly does he intend!?"
The Elder lowered his face, his expression dark as water.
This time, he had truly suffered a loss.
The other party had launched a midnight assassination, retreated unscathed, and even forced him back head-on. If his factional enemies learned of this, they would surely make a great issue of it and launch accusations and interrogations!
"Handle the aftermath quickly and erase this matter's impact!"
The Elder's resolve hardened. With a sweep of his sleeve, blue-gray light spread over his body, and in an instant, he transformed into a streak of light that tore through the night sky.
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