Nine Forms of Sky Slaying

Thirty miles.

To Bai Ye, that distance was nothing more than a fleeting moment.

His figure swept through the forest, crossed a stream, and soon found the valley Lin Yan had mentioned.

The valley entrance was narrow, flanked by steep cliffs.

The cliffs were covered in dark green vines, dotted with tiny purple flowers that gave off a faint, delicate fragrance.

Bai Ye suppressed his aura and quietly slipped into the valley.

Once inside, the terrain gradually opened up, and the spiritual energy in the air grew noticeably denser—at least twice as thick as outside!

Faintly, he could also smell a strange, sweet scent wafting through the air.

Bai Ye pressed deeper and soon reached the valley's center.

There, standing quietly at the heart of the valley, was a small tree about five feet tall.

Its trunk was a pale yellow, wrapped in a faint spiritual glow. The leaves were as green as emerald, with golden veins flowing through them.

The branches were laden with golden-yellow fruits, each about the size of a fist, their surfaces gleaming with a warm luster. Every single fruit exuded a pure aura of Spiritual Soul Power.

It was the Yellow Springs Spirit Fruit Tree.

Beneath the tree sat a middle-aged man with graying hair and beard, cross-legged.

He wore the black Daoist robe of the Black Mountain Sect, his eyes shut tight, dense spiritual energy swirling around him. He held a Yellow Springs Spirit Fruit in his hand, slowly refining it.

The Spiritual Soul Power from the fruit flowed into his body through his fingertips, and a look of blissful intoxication spread across his face. He was clearly reveling in the pleasure of his cultivation advancing.

It was none other than Zhou Gan, the Profound Comprehension Realm elder of the Black Mountain Sect who had attacked Bai Ye in Sword Intent Valley not long ago.

The moment Bai Ye stepped into the valley's center, Zhou Gan's eyes snapped open.

His gaze was as cold as a blade, and when his Spiritual Sense locked onto Bai Ye, it carried undisguised killing intent.

He didn't rise immediately, but the Profound Comprehension Second Layer spiritual energy around him erupted without warning.

In an instant.

A vast, oppressive pressure swept outward!

The vines in the valley were flattened against the ground, and even the stream's flow came to a halt!

Zhou Gan barked coldly, "What stray dog dares to trespass on my turf? Get lost!"

Bai Ye fixed his eyes on Zhou Gan, his own gaze turning icy. "You old dog. The world really is too small for the two of us."

Zhou Gan frowned, studying Bai Ye closely before recognition dawned.

A cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "So it's you, you wretched beast! I let you slip away last time, and now you dare deliver yourself to my doorstep? You're begging for death!"

Before his words had even faded, Zhou Gan shot out his right hand and slammed a palm strike toward Bai Ye from across the distance.

The spiritual energy in the air converged wildly, instantly condensing into a black palm print the size of a zhang.

The palm print was wreathed in faint black mist, carrying an aura that corroded everything, as it bore down on Bai Ye's head.

It was his signature Martial Skill, the Earth-grade mid-rank Corrupting Divine Palm.

But Bai Ye moved faster.

"Nine Forms of Sky Slaying, First Form—Severing Wind!"

Bai Ye let out a low shout, his right hand gripping the Purple Firmament Sword at his back as he yanked it free.

Hum—!

The moment the long sword left its sheath, a dazzling golden sword light erupted.

The sword light was like a golden bolt of lightning, carrying the momentum to tear heaven and earth apart, as it slashed straight toward the black palm print.

Where the sword light passed, the air was torn open into a fine Spatial Rift, and even the light itself twisted.

"This is... the Power of Heaven and Earth?!"

Zhou Gan's pupils shrank sharply. The smile on his face froze, replaced by sheer shock. "You... you've already broken through to the Profound Comprehension Realm?!"

He couldn't believe it. Just a few hours ago, Bai Ye was still in the Primordial Core Realm, and now he had stepped into the Profound Comprehension Realm!

This speed of breakthrough completely overturned his understanding.

The moment the golden sword light collided with the black palm print, the palm print melted away like snow meeting fire.

The sword light didn't lose momentum; it slashed straight toward Zhou Gan.

Terror flooded Zhou Gan's heart. He felt a chill of death envelop his entire body.

He could clearly sense that the power of this sword light far exceeded what he could withstand.

"Damn it!"

Zhou Gan roared, frantically pulling a white jade talisman from his bosom.

The talisman was engraved with intricate runes—it was his life-saving seventh-grade protective artifact, the "Black Mountain Jade Talisman."

He crushed the talisman with all his strength.

Boom—!

The jade pendant shattered into a sky full of white light, coalescing in midair into a three-legged, two-eared cauldron of Mysterious Green!

The cauldron stood over ten feet tall, its surface carved with ancient runes. A faint green glow lingered between the runes, radiating a presence as heavy as a mountain!

"Clang!"

The Golden Sword Light struck the cauldron, unleashing a deafening roar!

The cauldron shook violently, its surface sprouting a dense web of cracks, yet it still managed to block that strike!

"A seventh-grade artifact?" Bai Ye sneered. "This old dog has some hidden wealth."

Before Zhou Gan could catch his breath, Bai Ye swung his sword again!

"Nine Forms of Sky Slaying, Second Form—Severing Waves!"

Two bursts of Golden Sword Light erupted simultaneously, like two golden tidal waves carrying the force of annihilation, slashing once more toward the cauldron!

Crack—!

The cracks on the cauldron instantly spread, then it shattered with a boom, dissolving into specks of light that scattered through the air!

"Impossible!" Zhou Gan's heart and liver seemed to split apart, his face filled with despair. "This is a seventh-grade protective spirit jade! How could you shatter it?!"

He dared not linger any longer. Turning, he fled!

He pushed his Spiritual Energy to its limit, his form turning into a black blur as he raced toward the valley entrance!

"Think you can escape?"

Bai Ye's eyes turned icy. He activated Wind Chasing Shadow Stepping in an instant, his body becoming a streak of golden light that caught up to Zhou Gan in a flash!

"Nine Forms of Sky Slaying—Sky Slayer!"

The Golden Sword Light erupted once more, this time even more dazzling and vast than before!

The sword light swept across Zhou Gan's neck, drawing a line of blood!

The next moment.

Zhou Gan's body froze in place. His head slowly fell, rolling to the ground.

His eyes were wide open, clearly unwilling to accept his death!

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching by the author's name—maybe it was just renamed!