Startling Swan Thirty-Two Swords!

Hearing Fang Wang's words, Zhou Xue immediately said to Zhou Xingshi, "Carry him on your back, I'll protect you both. Let's go!"

"But..."

Zhou Xingshi hesitated. His mission was to protect Fang Wang, not Fang Hanyu.

"Don't worry, he's very strong. Hurry up and don't hold him back!" Zhou Xue said in a deep, slightly impatient tone.

Urged on by her, Zhou Xingshi picked up Fang Hanyu and they charged into the woods, quickly disappearing from sight.

The middle-aged man standing by the red sedan immediately waved his hand, and over a dozen Green Cicada Valley disciples immediately pursued Zhou Xue and the other.

Fang Wang raised his left hand, holding it in front of him with his index and middle fingers together. Instantly, three sword-like projections materialized around him and shot towards the Green Cicada Valley disciples.

The sword energy tore through the air with extreme speed!

The disciples of Green Cicada Valley's expressions changed drastically. Those at the seventh level of the Qi Nurturing Realm or higher dodged, while those below the seventh level were instantly pierced through the throat by the sword energy, their blood splattering across the sky. The remaining disciples attempted to flee, but their speed was no match for the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art.

In less than three breaths, all dozen-plus Qi Nurturing Realm disciples of Green Cicada Valley were dead, their bodies falling to the ground.

Fang Wang's gaze remained fixed on the red sedan above the gu worm. He thought with disdain, Demonic Path indeed. They can watch their fellow disciples die and remain seated.

The middle-aged man stared at Fang Wang, utterly enraged. The Green Cicada Valley disciples behind him spread out, surrounding Fang Wang. Each of them produced their own magic artifacts or gu worms.

Surrounded by hundreds of Green Cicada Valley disciples, Fang Wang remained unfazed. His goal was to tie down the enemy for as long as possible.

Finally, the curtain of the red sedan was lifted, and a sinisterly charming man in black brocade robes emerged. He had handsome features, deep purple lips, and dark purple eye bags. A faint miasma of poison lingered around his brows. His long hair was coiled beneath a hairpin made from the shell of a poisonous scorpion, a truly terrifying sight.

Li Hongshuang, the top genius of Green Cicada Valley, had already gained fame before even joining the sect. His aura was completely different from that of the other Green Cicada Valley disciples.

At first glance, Fang Wang mistook him for an elder of Green Cicada Valley.

Li Hongshuang looked down at Fang Wang, watching the three sword projections return to his back and hover. He asked, "Startling Swan Divine Sword Art. What is your relationship with Yang Yuanzi?"

Fang Wang, wearing a bamboo hat, looked up. The shadow of the hat made his face appear incredibly cold. Fang Hanyu's miserable state fueled the growing killing intent in his heart.

"Is Yang Yuanzi the only one in the world who knows the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art?" Fang Wang retorted.

If it weren't for the need to buy time for Zhou Xue and the other two, he would have already attacked.

Li Hongshuang raised his right hand, and a blood-red banner flew out from above his head, rapidly expanding before landing in his grasp. It was taller than he was.

The blood-red banner was emblazoned with images of ferocious, terrifying ghosts that seemed alive, their claws and fangs bared as the banner swayed.

A natal treasure spirit!

"Since you refuse to speak, I'll force you!"

Li Hongshuang said coldly. As he spoke, he kicked the middle-aged man beside him away. The gu worm under his foot, without any command, immediately lunged towards Fang Wang.

During the surprise attack, Li Hongshuang rapidly swung the blood-red banner, releasing rolling waves of blood mist that surged towards Fang Wang like dragons.

Fang Wang's eyes narrowed. Spiritual Energy erupted, forming sword projections around him.

Startling Swan Divine Sword Art, Twelve Swords!

He leaped forward, stepping on a flying sword as he charged at the gu worm. The twelve sword projections moved even faster, tracing different trajectories in the air as they met and dispersed the blood mist dragons.

Li Hongshuang's lips curved upwards. He leaped forward, raising his left hand and slamming it down. Spiritual Energy condensed into a giant black palm that pressed down.

Fang Wang abruptly threw the Qing Jun Sword in his hand. The Qing Jun Sword transformed into a green rainbow, streaking forward like lightning. It shattered the black palm, and Li Hongshuang instinctively twisted his body to dodge the Qing Jun Sword, but a strand of black hair at his temple was severed.

"High-grade magic artifact!"

A fierce glint flashed in Li Hongshuang's eyes. He was not intimidated; instead, he continued his assault on Fang Wang.

In the blink of an eye, the two collided head-on. Fang Wang used his fingers as swords, controlling the twelve sword projections to attack Li Hongshuang ferociously. Li Hongshuang rapidly swung the blood-red banner, blocking the twelve sword projections while simultaneously launching his own attacks.

Such venomous poison gas!

Fang Wang noticed his twelve sword projections shrinking after being tainted by the poisonous mist. This poison could erode Spiritual Energy!

Li Hongshuang's offensive was sharp and fierce. In terms of pure combat speed, he was undoubtedly the strongest opponent Fang Wang had ever faced.

As the blood-red banner swept past, his left palm struck out from beneath the banner, aiming for Fang Wang's chest.

Li Hongshuang was repelled, and Fang Wang was equally pushed back. In terms of the distance they retreated, it was a draw.

"What cultivation method is this?"

Li Hongshuang frowned, his left hand trembling slightly. He immediately clenched his fist, forcibly suppressing the sensation.

Following his gaze, Fang Wang was surrounded by a visible layer of protective energy, causing the surrounding space to tremble.

Such overbearing Spiritual Energy!

Fang Wang was inwardly shocked, but more so, he was excited. He truly lived up to his reputation as the future sect master of Green Cicada Valley.

After their exchange, he had a rough understanding of Li Hongshuang's strength. He could no longer suppress his killing intent, which erupted from his eyes.

Fang Wang raised his right hand with two fingers, and the sword projections behind him began to increase in number.

Sixteen swords!

Eighteen swords!

Twenty-two swords!

Li Hongshuang was moved, a storm of shock brewing in his heart. He had some understanding of the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art; Yang Yuanzi had never exceeded fifteen swords even in the Spirit Sculpting Realm.

He didn't panic. He immediately waved his sleeve, and countless poisonous insects flew out from his sleeve, dense and covering the sky, forming a suffocating dark cloud above the forest.

Fang Wang condensed twenty-seven swords in one breath. The twenty-seven swords circled around his body, causing his robes to billow violently, as if they were about to tear apart at any moment.

The more sword forms the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art displayed, the greater their power became. With twenty-seven swords, Fang Wang's sword momentum reached a terrifying level. Even the disciples of Green Cicada Valley watching the battle felt uneasy, and some were even retreating.

Fang Wang's gaze fixed on Li Hongshuang, and he said coldly, "If this is all you've got, you have no future."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongshuang was enraged. He immediately raised his blood-colored banner high. From the dark cloud formed by countless poisonous insects, blood-colored lightning began to erupt, one after another, with immense power.

A formation!

In the forest, Zhou Xue and Zhou Xingshi moved rapidly. Along the way, they saw the corpses of demonic beasts and cultivators, a shocking sight.

Hearing the deafening thunder behind him, Zhou Xingshi couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Can he really escape?"

That was Li Hongshuang!

Even though Fang Wang possessed the Heaven Origin Treasure Spirit, Li Hongshuang was still an Earth Origin Treasure Spirit, and the gap in their cultivation was vast.

A third-level Spirit Sculpting Realm cultivator against a ninth-level Spirit Sculpting Realm cultivator—there seemed to be little chance of victory, especially against the Demonic Path's number one genius!

Zhou Xue stared ahead, not turning her head, and said, "Don't underestimate him. This kid always has a trump card. Are you sure you know his full strength? Even if he can't defeat Li Hongshuang, escaping is not difficult for him."

Hearing this, Zhou Xingshi felt a little relieved.

That's right.

He didn't know how strong Fang Wang truly was.

Fang Hanyu, who was lying on Zhou Xingshi's back, had been silent, but he was also worried about Fang Wang in his heart.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

Streaks of lightning descended from above, ravaging the forest. Green Cicada Valley disciples cried out in agony, their bodies scorched black by the lightning. Of the original three to four hundred disciples, only a third remained, all hiding far away, watching the battlefield with fear. Li Hongshuang's giant Gu worm pressed down on a section of the forest, emitting smoke, and wisps of blood mist permeated the area, adding to the oppressive atmosphere of the battlefield.

This lightning was not from Li Hongshuang's formation!

With his hairpin gone and his hair disheveled, Li Hongshuang stared at Fang Wang, gritting his teeth, and said coldly, "Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique. Who exactly are you? Could you be Lu Yuanjun?"

Fang Wang raised the Qing Jun Sword, its tip pointing at the center of the thunderclouds above. The twenty-seven sword forms circled around him. At this moment, his aura reached its peak, arrogant and invincible.

Fang Wang snorted, "What is Lu Yuanjun?"

He suddenly retracted his sword and transformed into a white rainbow, charging towards Li Hongshuang.

The White Rainbow Escape Technique wasn't just for running away!

Li Hongshuang was furious. He held the blood-colored banner in his left hand and a long sword in his right, charging forward.

Under everyone's gaze, he would not allow himself to fail!

The two swords clashed, sparks flying. Their eyes met, filled with fierce killing intent. Almost instantly, they both attacked simultaneously, their magic artifacts moving so fast they left afterimages.

The twenty-seven swords of the Startling Swan Divine Sword Art followed Fang Wang, attacking Li Hongshuang from all directions. Li Hongshuang fought back with broad, powerful movements, wielding his blood-colored banner to block the twenty-seven swords. With his long sword, he unleashed a set of fierce sword techniques, facing Fang Wang with one hand.

Rolling blood mist continuously spread, and their figures intertwined, fighting from the sky to the ground, their footsteps kicking up dust and stones.

The surviving Green Cicada Valley disciples watched this scene with trepidation.

"How is this possible! Senior Brother Li can't defeat him!"

"Who is he?"

"He must be from the Taiyuan Sect. Otherwise, why would he save that Taiyuan Sect disciple? I didn't expect the Taiyuan Sect to have such a powerful figure."

"Did you hear what Senior Brother Li said earlier? Great Heaven Lightning Summoning Technique, Startling Swan Divine Sword Art—these are both ultimate skills of the Taiyuan Sect. Mastering either one to perfection allows one to roam freely throughout Great Qi. I didn't expect a disciple to master both!"

"Could this person be the Single-Vein Head Disciple of the Taiyuan Sect?"

Fang Wang and Li Hongshuang no longer paid attention to the disciples' discussions. Their minds were focused on one thing: killing each other.

Fang Wang sought revenge for Fang Hanyu, while Li Hongshuang fought for his pride!

Li Hongshuang suddenly swung his sword, unleashing a torrent of sword energy laced with potent poison towards Fang Wang. Fang Wang employed the Shadowless Steps, dodging rapidly. His eyes narrowed, and he condensed more sword forms behind him.

Five sword forms appeared at once!

Thirty-two swords!

Li Hongshuang's pupils contracted, and a look of shock appeared on his face. Before he could speak, the thirty-two sword forms around Fang Wang suddenly increased in speed and power.

The thirty-two swords furiously attacked Li Hongshuang. Li Hongshuang wielded two magic artifacts, barely managing to defend himself. However, in less than three breaths, he was injured and became increasingly passive.

Fang Wang suddenly threw the Qing Jun Sword, which cut through the rolling dust and charged towards Li Hongshuang.

Despite being caught off guard by the thirty-two swords, Li Hongshuang reacted extremely quickly, leaning back to dodge the Qing Jun Sword. As soon as he regained his footing, the thirty-two swords attacked him simultaneously from all directions.

Clang!

Li Hongshuang's sword fell to the ground with a loud noise. The thirty-two sword forms were embedded in his body, blood gushing out. Even poisonous blood poured from his mouth, uncontrollable.

He stared intently at Fang Wang, his eyes bloodshot. His trembling lips stammered, "Startling Swan... thirty-two swords... Who exactly are you..."

Puchi!

The Qing Jun Sword suddenly struck from behind, severing his head. His head landed on the ground and rolled a few times before being stopped by Fang Wang's right foot, his eyes still wide with rage.