The Might of Grandmaster-Level Great Golden River Skill

Lei Xianlun raised his greatsaber, and with a bang, blocked that sharp spear force.

The vicious, grotesquely oversized saber trembled, and his expression darkened slightly.

It was not only because the spear force was sharp, retaining its solidity even from such a distance, with strength that made him inwardly wary;

More importantly, Xie Yuan had actually challenged him while fiercely battling BeiTang Chong!

Did this mean Xie Yuan did not take any of them seriously at all?

Though Lei Xianlun had intended to join the fray anyway, he had not even stepped in yet. How dare Xie Yuan provoke him?

Rage surged in Lei Xianlun's heart. Killing intent overflowed from the pair of eyes exposed behind his faceplate. He shook his saber and roared:

"Arrogant fool, take a saber strike from me first!"

In two strides, he crossed the distance to the battlefield, then brought the greatsaber crashing down with the force of his charge.

The weapon, far larger than ordinary arms, swept out with a ferocious momentum as though it could cleave a small mountain in two.

A gale rose ahead of it, sweeping up shattered stones from the ground like sharp arrows and blanketing Xie Yuan.

Golden light instantly flared around Xie Yuan. Just as it had in the Sword Cave years ago, it firmly blocked the gale carrying Sword Intent and crushed stones.

Yet the true threat was still behind it.

The savage greatsaber gleamed with a dim crimson light. It was impossible to tell whether Lei Xianlun's Blood Qi was simply too vigorous, or whether he had killed too many people.

Looking at the saber that nearly towered over him, Xie Yuan had no wish to receive it head-on. With a flicker, he retreated.

At that moment, BeiTang Chong, who had been at a disadvantage all along, suddenly delivered a perfectly timed sword strike.

This strike was not overwhelmingly powerful, but its placement was exact—not a fraction too much, not a fraction too little—sealing off Xie Yuan's retreat.

It would have been easy for Xie Yuan to block that sword, but doing so would inevitably cost him an instant.

With the saber hanging over his head, an instant meant life or death.

Amid the intertwining Sword Qi and saber wind, Xie Yuan snorted coldly and planted his feet. With a sweep of both hands, he used the butt of his spear to block the sword, then aimed its tip toward Lei Xianlun's greatsaber.

Borrowing the slight rebound from the sword's force, Xie Yuan completed his buildup in an instant. Dragon Soul flashed like cold lightning cleaving through the mortal world, suddenly thrusting at Lei Xianlun!

A brilliant light burst in Lei Xianlun's eyes. He shouted and poured more strength into his grip, bringing the greatsaber down with peerless ferocity!

Screech—

A teeth-grating sound rang across the sky as the ground beneath their clash suddenly sank.

The surrounding rubble was silently crushed into powder, then violently blasted outward by the exploding force. Dust filled the heavens!

A halo of intertwining crimson Blood Qi and Dark Blue radiance surged more than thirty feet outward. The ground around them had become a downward-sloping crater, its lowest point where spear and saber met.

Xie Yuan's face reddened, his hands trembling slightly. For the first time, the brilliant golden river within him stirred into waves.

One look was enough to tell that Lei Xianlun truly was a fierce general with wildly violent Blood Qi! He clearly specialized in external cultivation; in terms of the might of his Blood Qi, he even surpassed BeiTang Chong.

Both of Xie Yuan's feet had sunk into the earth. His Inner Breath river turned, suppressing the surging Blood Qi within him, and only then did his complexion return to normal.

Lei Xianlun's greatsaber quivered slightly. His faceplate concealed his incredulous expression.

That was undoubtedly mid-stage Blood Qi, yet the sight before him made him doubt his own eyes.

Since when could someone at the mere mid-stage Third Transformation Realm, relying on Blood Qi that was not particularly unique, withstand his blood-forged, furnace-like ferocious Blood Qi head-on?

Forget the mid-stage—even an ordinary late-stage Third Transformation Realm cultivator should either have been cleaved apart outright or slapped into the ground by that strike.

Yet Xie Yuan had not only remained standing, but stood firmly. Even the rebounding force transmitted through the spear made Lei Xianlun's blood and qi churn twice before he suppressed it.

Feeling that wave upon wave of force, Lei Xianlun was deeply suspicious. Did the tenth layer of the Great Golden River Skill truly have such an effect? Then why was the Yao Family still so weak?

All their thoughts flashed by in an instant. The next moment, the long sword danced and the greatsaber hacked wildly as Xie Yuan wielded Dragon Soul into a sheet of Dark Blue radiance amid their pincer attack, erupting with unprecedented force.

Yun Xing watched the battlefield, a flicker of concern passing through her brows.

Her feet shifted slightly toward that side.

Yet before she could take a step, a slender silver-white sword thrust before her:

"Yun Xing, one of the Four Envoys can only face one of the Four Envoys. I am your opponent."

That slender sword was like moonlight, ethereal and hazy, spilling before Yun Xing in an instant.

Her eyelids lowered. Like thunder exploding from flat ground, Purple Lightning abruptly tore through the tranquil moonlight with a crackle, its remaining momentum shooting toward BeiTang Yue's face.

BeiTang Yue's expression did not change. Her feet did not move, nor did her body, yet she drifted backward like a phantom, as though an invisible rope were pulling her.

She instantly evaded Yun Xing's Purple Lightning sword. Her slender blade circled and once more enveloped Purple Lightning in silver-white radiance.

"I wanted to settle our contest one-on-one, but unfortunately, the victor becomes king and the loser a bandit. There is often no fairness in victory and defeat. Before we decide the outcome, there should already be a result over there. Ah, if Family Head Xie knows what is good for him, all will be well. But if he does not, we can only ask him to leave his bones buried here."

BeiTang Yue spoke calmly as she swung her sword:

"As for you, your road should have ended at Holy Mountain. In a moment, I will have my two brothers strike together. Three prodigies of the BeiTang Family and Lei Family against one commoner orphan—dying under such grand treatment would be fitting for your status as an Envoy.

"Rest assured, I will remember you. On my road to becoming the Holy Maiden, you were far more troublesome than the others."

Yun Xing's face darkened, her purple makeup appearing almost black:

"You talk too much."

"Words that cannot be fulfilled are what truly count as empty talk."

BeiTang Yue replied faintly.

Moonlight poured down, Purple Lightning streaked across the field, and the two radiances matched each other evenly, dazzlingly beautiful.

Yet throughout Holy Mountain, perhaps only a handful of people could survive for even a short while beneath such brilliant light. To everyone else—even the most renowned Demon Sect prodigies—the places touched by that radiance were forbidden zones of death.

But gradually, the purple light seemed to dim. In the night sky woven by the moonlight, the violet glow was about to disappear into darkness.

A hint of a smile appeared in BeiTang Yue's eyes:

"You and I were originally evenly matched, but unfortunately, you are unwelcome. After fighting for so long, you have ultimately been affected."

Everything was proceeding exactly as she had expected.

For this Holy Mountain ceremony, she had naturally made arrangements through her Lineage's influence.

Obtaining the Holy Flame would be best, but if she could smoothly eliminate Yun Xing, that would be the foremost priority.

Yun Xing bit her lip and said impatiently:

"Why do you have so much to say? Are you afraid that if you die beneath my sword later, you will never have another chance to speak?"

"It seems you are getting anxious. No matter. I will keep you company for a while. After all, you have no relatives, no parents, no friends. I suppose I am probably your only companion?"

BeiTang Yue revealed a beautiful smile:

"Oh, that 'great family head' over there might count as one. Unfortunately, he will probably go before you do. Mm, once he is gone, we will send you on your way as well. Do not worry, I will stay with you until the end."

Her tone was gentle and soft. If one did not examine the content of her words closely, she might truly have seemed like Yun Xing's closest friend.

Yun Xing's expression was grave. She gritted her teeth and did not answer.

She stole a glance at the distant battlefield on the other side. Under the pincer attack of two men, Xie Yuan's situation was no better than hers—indeed, it was far worse.

With Lei Xianlun, this powerful reinforcement, joining the battle, Xie Yuan had immediately fallen into a disadvantage. The pressure Lei Xianlun brought was far greater than that of sword-wielding BeiTang Chong, and the two clearly knew each other extremely well. Their coordination was seamless, instantly producing an effect where one plus one was greater than two.

The situation was exceedingly unfavorable for their side.

In Yun Xing's eyes was reflected the sight of Xie Yuan holding his spear, fighting one against two, standing unyielding. Light flickered in her gaze for a moment, then she pressed her lips together.

The sword in her hand suddenly erupted with even more dazzling radiance, like a purple dragon baring its fangs and claws as it lunged at BeiTang Yue, who was shrouded in hazy silver light.

"So you are going to risk your life... now?"

BeiTang Yue remained calm and utterly unconcerned by Yun Xing's eruption, merely raising her slender sword to meet it.

Yet the moment she touched that dazzling Purple Lightning, she discovered that it was hollow, without the violent power she had imagined.

After the Purple Lightning, as the radiance waned, Yun Xing had already transformed into a streak of purple light and vanished into the distance in an instant.

She had actually run away directly?

BeiTang Yue's gaze turned cold. With a flicker, she became a silver-white afterimage, like wisps of smoke beneath the moon, chasing that purple gleam.

The two Holy Maiden candidates vanished in the blink of an eye. On this battlefield already reduced to ruins, only the three Fire Protectors remained.

Blood Qi steamed around Lei Xianlun's body, mingling into a crimson haze that made him resemble a killing god shrouded in red mist.

His greatsaber slashed repeatedly, dragging streams of Blade Qi like hurricanes and completely suppressing Xie Yuan.

Lei Xianlun was no mediocre man. Powerful figures who had grown up in Heaven Beyond Heaven generally possessed several times more killing experience than those of the same generation outside.

At a glance, he saw that Xie Yuan's weakness was his Blood Qi realm—and that was precisely Lei Xianlun's strength.

Thus, Lei Xianlun pressed his advantage without mercy. Once he and BeiTang Chong trapped Xie Yuan in place, he channeled all his violent Blood Qi and swung his greatsaber without pause.

His saber momentum was like a storm. In the blink of an eye, he had already swung more than a hundred times, oppressing Xie Yuan until he could barely catch his breath.

BeiTang Chong did the same. He had already realized that his swordsmanship was no match for Xie Yuan's and was severely countered by it. He instantly changed roles, focusing on support and mobile combat, helping Lei Xianlun trap Xie Yuan and preventing him from displaying his movement technique.

Though BeiTang Chong's swordsmanship was inferior, he was still a top-tier expert. Circling the perimeter of the battle, he watched for openings and sent out his sword like a venomous snake—either striking precisely at Xie Yuan's weak point, or attacking when Xie Yuan attempted to counter during a gap in Lei Xianlun's saber strikes.

Their cooperation was highly effective. No matter how Xie Yuan displayed the spear technique that had previously swept all before it, two fists could not defeat four hands. For a time, he was trapped in place and unable to move, completely at a disadvantage.

Seeing Yun Xing and BeiTang Yue leave one after the other, Lei Xianlun immediately laughed thunderously from behind his helmet:

"Family Head Xie, it seems your employer has abandoned you and run away!"

His tone was full of excitement, and his greatsaber swung even more fiercely, forcing Dragon Soul to do nothing but protect Xie Yuan's body, leaving him no chance to counterattack.

BeiTang Chong also said leisurely:

"Family Head Xie, it seems your Xie Family cannot cover the sky with one hand after all. At least, you cannot do so in Heaven Beyond Heaven."

"Probably not outside either. I heard that the Chen Commandery Xie clan is having a very hard time these days. Their family head has only this little cultivation—your Lineage is already a setting sun sinking beyond the western hills!"

Lei Xianlun cooperatively delivered the heart-piercing words.

BeiTang Chong continued circling nearby. Suddenly, like a leopard crouching in the brush that had spotted its chance, he fiercely thrust out a sword. It passed through the storm of Sword Intent and drove straight toward Xie Yuan's armpit.

Clang—

At the very last moment, Xie Yuan's spear swept across and blocked the strike. Yet the spear flowers at his front immediately faltered, and the Sword Intent swept in like wind, slashing against Xie Yuan's Golden Bell Cover as its golden light flickered unsteadily.

With a turn of his spear tip, Xie Yuan steadily blocked the greatsaber that followed close behind, pain shooting through the web of his hand.

Matching Lei Xianlun head-on was using his weakness against the other man's strength. The siege of two supreme experts prevented him from bringing out his own advantages, and the situation was perilous.

Yet for him to hold on for so long beneath such an onslaught already left the two Demon Sect prodigies greatly shocked and deeply wary. They were not as relaxed inwardly as they appeared. If either of them had traded places with Xie Yuan, they likely would not have lasted this long.

After so long, the accumulated shock injuries should have been unbearable. What was supporting him?

Unable to fathom it no matter how they thought, the two could only continue unleashing an offensive like torrential rain and raging waves, wearing down Xie Yuan's resistance.

Watching Xie Yuan struggle to endure, BeiTang Chong said calmly:

"Family Head Xie, we have no life-and-death grudge. There is no need for us to determine superiority. Yun Xing has already abandoned you. You should surrender without resistance.

"So long as you stop resisting, admit that your Xie Family is inferior to my BeiTang clan, and offer an apology, this matter will be settled."

Xie Yuan, who had not spoken until now, suddenly opened his mouth:

"How should I apologize?"

BeiTang Chong narrowed his eyes:

"That spear in your hand is quite good. It can serve as your apology. As for you, you may never again set foot in Heaven Beyond Heaven. Whenever you encounter a member of my BeiTang clan, you must retreat three paces."

"And members of our Lei Family too! Hahaha, I cannot stand you arrogant outsiders. Agree, and you can live. Refuse, and today I will chop you into four pieces and bury you in Holy Mountain as firewood for the Holy Flame!"

With a boom, the Blood Qi around Lei Xianlun rose again. He had clearly forced out more of his power, intending to force Xie Yuan into making a choice.

The door-wide greatsaber rose high, as though it could blot out the sky and cover the sun.

Then the greatsaber wrapped in blood-colored mist came crashing down.

This strike could split mountains.

His expression could not be clearly seen beneath his heavy armor, but Lei Xianlun's face was now full of brutality and savagery.

Like a giant, he lowered his head and looked down at Xie Yuan, staring intently at his expression.

Surrender. Surrender... But even if you surrender, this strike will still grievously wound you!

A cruel smile appeared on Lei Xianlun's face. He had no intention of holding back. In fact, it would be even better if Xie Yuan refused to surrender. If he killed the head of the Xie clan, then Lei Xianlun's name would be recorded in the history of the Holy Church!

The unstoppable strike had already reached Xie Yuan, ready to cut him in half the next instant. Yet Lei Xianlun seemed to hear the sound of surging waves.

How could there be a river on Flame Holy Mountain?

He suspected that something was wrong with his ears, but given his strength, that was even more impossible.

As he was feeling puzzled, Xie Yuan's spear suddenly moved.

It was as though a hundred-zhang Great River split apart on both sides, a flood dragon rising from its depths and bringing heaven-covering, earth-flooding raging waves straight into the azure sky to meet that mountain-splitting strike.

Dragon Soul shone with Dark Blue radiance, piercing the air. Force flowed backward along the spear shaft like Cloud Mist curling around a divine dragon.

This spear thrust was faster and more powerful than any of his previous strikes. With a clang, it landed precisely on the edge of the greatsaber.

Heaven and earth fell silent.

A corner of the precious-material greatsaber's edge broke off cleanly, but that was no longer important.

What filled Lei Xianlun's eyes with horror was that he nearly could not hold onto the greatsaber he would not even release in sleep.

He used nearly all the strength he had from nursing at his mother's breast before preventing the greatsaber from soaring into the sky. Yet even after finally securing his grip, blood streamed from the web of his hand.

A massive blast erupted from where they had clashed. This mountain ground, already riddled with holes, sank further. Wild winds swept around them, dust blotted out the sky and sun, and not a single intact stone could be found. Everything had been ground into powder.

BeiTang Chong watched in shock as Xie Yuan knocked aside Lei Xianlun's greatsaber with one spear strike, then sent his spear out like lightning to stab at Lei Xianlun's abdomen!

What a fast spear! What terrifying force!

In an instant, his strength had actually surged as though he had become a different person!

Taking advantage of Lei Xianlun's completely exposed opening, Xie Yuan drove his spear at Lei Xianlun's chest and abdomen.

The burly man clad in full heavy armor clearly sensed the danger. He roared wildly and swung his raised greatsaber back down, but naturally, it was not as fast as Xie Yuan's spear.

He did not intend to block this thrust either. It was too late to block it, so he viciously struck at Xie Yuan instead.

If he did not evade, then at worst they would both suffer!

His entire body was armored. No matter how sharp Xie Yuan's weapon was, it would surely lose more than half its power; while if his own greatsaber struck Xie Yuan, the Golden Bell Cover that was already on the verge of collapse would likely be useless!

Would he dodge or not?

Lei Xianlun's huge eyes widened as he glared at Xie Yuan.

Yet as though he had not seen the greatsaber at all, Xie Yuan let Dragon Soul touch Lei Xianlun's abdominal armor along its predetermined trajectory.

The mystical force of sharpness and armor-piercing erupted. That specially made armor was like rice paper before Dragon Soul, breaking at the first touch.

The spear directly pierced into Lei Xianlun's abdomen, then burst from his back, passing straight through him.

The moment Xie Yuan succeeded, he immediately withdrew his spear in a spray of blood and retreated rapidly, his steps swift as the wind.

"Aah!"

Lei Xianlun roared wildly, his eyes turning crimson. He slashed down with his saber, but the Blade Qi struck the ground grazing Xie Yuan's boot tip, cutting out a pitch-black deep pit.

He panted heavily, one large hand pressed over his abdomen as blood streamed out.

In an instant, this heavily armored giant, whose momentum had towered over all, had suffered grave injuries!

Xie Yuan stared at Lei Xianlun, his spear angled toward the ground.

He shifted slightly, yet the spear tip pointed behind him and knocked aside the incoming longsword.

BeiTang Chong was shocked by the immense force transmitted through his hand. Had Xie Yuan broken through in the middle of battle? How had his realm surged so drastically in an instant?

Several feet of azure Sword Qi burst from his longsword, clashing repeatedly with Xie Yuan's Dragon Soul.

Yet even so, BeiTang Chong could barely keep up with the spear's speed. Pear blossoms bloomed before his eyes in a dazzling blur, every flower carrying an exceptionally dangerous blue gleam, as though the next moment would claim his life.

BeiTang Chong struggled left and right to block the chain of spear shadows, then suddenly slashed out with his sword.

With a bang, the immense force from the spear struck him backward, his legs plowing two long furrows through the dirt.

"Y-you, your Inner Strength..."

BeiTang Chong stared at Xie Yuan, his face full of uncertainty and shock.

Without changing expression, Xie Yuan spun his spear and prepared to finish off the heavily wounded Lei Xianlun first.

The two enemies' instincts had not been wrong. Xie Yuan's current strength truly resembled that of someone whose realm had risen.

Since coming to the Holy Mountain, Xie Yuan had used the eleventh level of the Great Golden River Skill for the first time.

The moment Grandmaster-level Inner Breath emerged, it was a hidden dragon leaving the abyss, the Great River surging in torrents, wave upon wave rising like mountains.

The Inner Breath that had crossed a major realm made Lei Xianlun and BeiTang Chong instantly feel the vast gap. Their Blood Qi far surpassed Xie Yuan's, and their Inner Breath stood only a hair's breadth from Grandmaster level. But the gap between heaven and earth of that single thread was clearly greater than the difference between the Blood Qi of peak Third Transformation Realm cultivators and Xie Yuan's realm.

The disparity in realms had reversed, and with such a gap in Xie Yuan's grasp, the situation naturally turned around in an instant.

In truth, he had not wanted to use the eleventh level of the Great Golden River Skill. He always felt that the Holy Mountain leaked information from every crack, and he did not wish to expose this strength that set him apart from ordinary people.

But BeiTang Chong and Lei Xianlun were hardly easy opponents, and the two joining forces made them even harder to resist by force.

Though Xie Yuan could take a beating fairly well with the Great Golden River Skill alone, being entangled by the two made it difficult to use other methods, and it was not enough to defeat them.

Then he could only stop pretending.

The two prospective Holy Maidens had left anyway. With no one else here, once he killed these two, it would be as though no one had seen anything.

As Xie Yuan thought this, dense blood mist suddenly billowed around Lei Xianlun. His entire body seemed wrapped in blood-colored flames, until even his figure could no longer be seen clearly.

The terrifying wound in his abdomen immediately stopped bleeding and even began to squirm visibly.

The huge eyes behind his faceplate had turned completely crimson. Blood and fire wound around Lei Xianlun's body, making him look like a ghostly god that had crawled from a hellish blood pool.

"You truly are unexpected. If my physique were not different from ordinary people's, I would likely already be dead by now."

"But I will not give you another chance."

Lei Xianlun's aura surged in an instant. His injuries no longer affected him; clearly, he had activated a secret art.

Xie Yuan narrowed his eyes, then suddenly sensed azure energy rising behind him. He turned at once.

The air around BeiTang Chong was somewhat distorted, as though invisible force was steaming upward.

BeiTang Chong glanced at Xie Yuan, then actually thrust his longsword into the ground beside him. Barehanded, he faced Xie Yuan.

With a whoosh, azure flames ignited over both fists. BeiTang Chong said solemnly:

"At such a cost, if I still cannot take you down today, then all my years of cultivation will have been wasted!"

Knowing that Xie Yuan had methods for breaking swords, he resolutely abandoned his sword and activated a secret art as well. His fists were like mystic weapons.

Feeling the two men's rising auras climb another floor, Xie Yuan knew that these two prodigies of the Demon Sect were about to risk their lives.

Blood flames coiled around one, azure light steamed around the other. Such mysterious phenomena showed that they already had one foot in the Grandmaster realm.

The Stove Sect's secret arts truly were extraordinary.

Xie Yuan's expression remained calm. Watching the two slowly close in, he said lightly:

"If you had done this sooner, you might really have had a chance."

Although BeiTang Chong and Lei Xianlun looked grave, they only sneered at his words.

"What wild boasting! Even if you hid your strength, how will you deal with us now?"

The two had paid a tremendous price to unleash power beyond their realms. Two against one—the advantage was on their side! What could Xie Yuan possibly do?

Xie Yuan merely curled his lips slightly. Then, before the two could truly restrain him, his body turned into a blurry phantom.

The two sensed that something was wrong and drew their weapons, only to discover that Xie Yuan did not resist at all. He then drifted away with the wind like a wisp of light smoke.

The battlefield fell quiet for a moment, as though only the two of them remained.

BeiTang Chong and Lei Xianlun each silently extended their senses, and both their expressions changed.

They could not detect the slightest trace of Xie Yuan. It was as if he had vanished into thin air before their eyes, or had never appeared at all.

The two instantly pressed their backs together and watched the surroundings warily.

The mountainside was utterly quiet. Only the crackling of distant flames drifted faintly over.

Had he left?

Though they thought so, neither of them believed it.

Yet time continued to pass. They maintained their secret arts, but no movement came.

Their expressions gradually changed. Their secret arts consumed enormous amounts of energy, so they naturally could not maintain them forever. But whether Xie Yuan had left or remained, he could surely hold out longer than they could.

If this continued, they would be dragged to death.

The two turned and looked at each other, each nodding.

They had to descend the mountain decisively.

The instant Lei Xianlun moved his foot, Xie Yuan's figure appeared before him, his spear pointing straight at him.

Lei Xianlun snorted coldly, his blood-colored saber slashing forward like lightning. Yet at the same time, he heard BeiTang Chong shout beside him, along with the sound of a longsword cutting through the air.

He had encountered an enemy too?

No...

Lei Xianlun shuddered in alarm and turned his head, only to see Xie Yuan carrying his spear behind his back. At some point, an axe had appeared in his hands, gripped with both hands as though he were exerting tremendous force.

Warnings flashed wildly through his heart. Lei Xianlun shouted, blood flames surging several yards high as he desperately tried to bring his saber over to block.

Xie Yuan's gaze was unwavering. The poised Xuanhua Great Axe suddenly swept out—one vertical, one horizontal. A cross-shaped slash engulfed the two unprepared men from the side.

Boom—

A tremendous explosion rang out once more, even creating the illusion that the Holy Mountain itself was trembling.

Dust and smoke shot into the sky, covering even the dark-red heavens and leaving the battlefield completely obscured.

Amid the dust and mist filling the sky, a tall, slender figure with a spear on his back and a treasured sword at his waist slowly emerged, his features gradually becoming visible.

He was a disciple of the Jinling Yao Family.

Xie Yuan persisted in maintaining his disguise, even though it was already useless.

He let out a long breath and stood at the high ground, glancing down.

BeiTang Chong, Lei Xianlun, Mo Li, Li Yun, Tao Qingqing... Looking farther down, there were many Demon Sect experts whose names he could not be bothered to care about, though their strength was undoubtedly formidable.

Corpses lay everywhere, strewn across the ground.

Beneath the dark-red sky, the burning Holy Mountain was soaked in blood everywhere.

Xie Yuan stood atop heaps of corpses and pools of blood, then turned and continued upward.

After Xie Yuan had gone far away, people gradually began to appear on this devastated battlefield.

The commotion from the consecutive battles here had been so great that others had noticed it long ago.

But precisely because the disturbance had been too terrifying, no one had dared approach. They could only watch from an extremely distant location.

Now that the commotion had subsided somewhat, bold people slowly crept over, wanting to see what had happened and whether they could pick up any spoils.

On the hillside, stones had been ground into powder, severed limbs lay everywhere, and blood flowed like a river.

When they saw this battlefield, bloody even by these Demonic Cultists' standards, several groups that had gathered around stood with mouths agape, silent as cicadas in winter.

The brutal battlefield itself was secondary to them. The corpses lying there were what truly shocked them beyond measure.

"That's Tao Qingqing and Li Yun, that dog man and woman... How did they both get stabbed through the heart? They died so cleanly, killed in a single blow. What kind of strength could kill Li Yun so neatly? Who did it?"

"Look! Mo Li's head has been cut off! Hiss, none of the people who died here were ordinary."

"Heh, Mo Li, Mo Li—her head did not leave her? Pity her name still could not suppress her fate."

"This should be Yun Xing's work. Then was the one who killed Li Yun her unknown companion?"

"Must be. Who would have thought he was an expert?"

"Brother, stop fighting for now! Put these pieces together—don't they look, look... look like Lei Xianlun and BeiTang Chong?!"

"What?"

"Impossible!"

"Let me see!"

The several groups that had originally been guarding against one another hurriedly rushed over at those words.

Seeing the mutilated corpses, they looked at each other, their faces filled with shock.

"This... surely Yun Xing and the others did not kill them too, right?"

"What great deity did they invite? Letting someone like that into Heaven Beyond Heaven—wouldn't that stir up disaster?"

"Not him. That man used a spear. These wounds should have been made by a sharp axe. A sharp axe..."

The group was instantly startled. They exchanged looks and thought of the same person at once.

Only he had the strength to kill BeiTang Chong and Lei Xianlun.

They shut their mouths and did not dare discuss it further.

They silently watched for a while longer, then suddenly looked at each other.

Since when had they been standing so close?

Rumble—rumble. The sounds of battle erupted again.

But the commotion was much smaller than before.

Xie Yuan no longer lingered and swiftly made his way toward the summit, concealed all the way.

As long as he did not wish to reveal himself, no one could stop him.

Estimating that the time was about right, Xie Yuan traveled unimpeded, heading straight up the mountain. From afar, he could already see the summit.

A figure was already sitting there.

A tiny flame floated in the empty air at the mountaintop, directly before that person.

Yet he merely sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. He did not even glance at the flame, much less reach out to take it.

If he took it, this ritual would end, and he would become the natural victor.

It was only right and proper, just as he had easily reached the summit.

But that would be far too boring.

Xie Yuan looked at the lofty Ji Xuan and knew this would be the final battle.

But for him, the truly grueling part had been what came before. Having reached this point, victory was already close at hand.

The earlier battles had consumed quite a bit even of Xie Yuan's profound Inner Strength, and his Blood Qi was somewhat depleted as well.

Fortunately, he had seized quite a few useful pills, and he had brought some himself. After taking them, his condition had recovered somewhat along the way.

Xie Yuan paused, spear in hand, and slowly walked toward the summit.

The long-haired young man suddenly opened his eyes.

His features could only be called ordinary, with nothing particularly remarkable about them. They were just like his placid aura—there was no distinguishing trait to be found.

But no matter whom Ji Xuan faced, he was always this calm, and never once did a ripple stir within him.

And this tranquility that had reached the utmost extreme had gradually become his unique mark.

Yet Ji Xuan, who rarely showed emotional fluctuations, was slightly surprised now.

When had he approached?

Looking at Xie Yuan, who had voluntarily revealed himself, Ji Xuan narrowed his eyes and said lightly:

"I did not expect you to be the first to seek me out."

Xie Yuan held Dragon Soul and stood opposite Ji Xuan.

"No one came looking for you?"

Ji Xuan shook his head and rose to his feet.

"They are all too timid."

Xie Yuan examined Ji Xuan and nodded.

"Indeed. Far too timid."

Ji Xuan understood the implication behind his words, but it did not move him in the slightest.

"Do you need to rest?"

"No need."

Seeing that this was an enemy whose emotions could not be stirred, Xie Yuan simply raised his spear and pointed it at the man opposite him.

Ji Xuan nodded slightly.

"Do not rush into spear techniques. Let us first compare secret arts."

The moment his words fell, his body abruptly turned into a shadowy phantom and vanished from where he stood.

Xie Yuan's brows immediately rose.

The Heaven Concealing Art?

So this was what the Heaven Concealing Art looked like from the other side?

But Xie Yuan's mind stirred at once. He spun his spear in a circle and swept it toward his side.

Ji Xuan appeared on his right and threw a punch, meeting Dragon Soul head-on.

Bang.

Xie Yuan's entire body slid sideways, his feet plowing a deep trench across the mountainside.

It was not the Heaven Concealing Art.

But Xie Yuan's expression still turned grave.

Though this stealth secret art was inferior to the Heaven Concealing Art, its grade was still extremely high. At first, he had not even noticed where his enemy was.

And the force of that punch...

Xie Yuan could tell that Ji Xuan had merely thrown it casually.

Yet it had easily shaken him in his current state.

Strong. Extremely strong.

Stronger than Lei Xianlun and BeiTang Chong, even stronger than Yun Xing and BeiTang Yue.

The Four Envoys were already only a thread away from Grandmaster level, at a realm where they could break through at any moment if they lost control.

They were not unable to break through; on the contrary, they were slower than anyone else, and their breakthroughs were more complete than anyone's.

Yet Ji Xuan had gone a step further than even them.

He had truly reached the point where he could break through whenever he wished, or keep suppressing himself if he wanted to.

The Grandmaster's chasm that barred everyone else was, to him, merely a door lock held in his own hand.

When Ji Xuan saw that Xie Yuan had actually seen through his secret art, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he said,

"Try again."

After saying that, his figure vanished once more, leaving no trace.

Xie Yuan lowered his gaze. Without even looking, he thrust his spear into empty air.

Ji Xuan appeared with a look of surprise, casually smashing the spearpoint aside with a punch. He nodded.

"Looks like your method is superior to mine. You try as well."

Xie Yuan shook his arm, silently dissipating the force on the spear. His heart grew even more solemn.

He glanced at Ji Xuan, then his figure seemed to be erased from the air as he vanished.

Ji Xuan immediately showed an interested expression.

He closed his eyes and sensed for a moment. Finding no movement at all, he raised his brows.

Then Ji Xuan suddenly stamped his foot.

Thud.

The mountaintop truly shook. Loose stones trembled and rattled, many tumbling down the cliff.

Ji Xuan tilted his head slightly, as though sensing something. After a moment, he smiled.

"Got you now."

His figure flashed, abruptly disappearing from where he stood. He appeared beside an empty patch of space and reached out to grab it.

Xie Yuan suddenly revealed himself. His footwork twisted in a ghostly turn, dodging Ji Xuan's grab.

"Not bad, not bad."

Seeing such footwork, Ji Xuan's eyes lit up again, and he nodded repeatedly.

Ji Xuan flashed and instantly came alongside Xie Yuan, unfolding his footwork as he ran shoulder to shoulder with him down the mountain.

Xie Yuan frowned. His steps shifted again, changing from the Shadowless Step to the Cloud Dragon Step. Vast True Qi poured into his feet, and Xie Yuan suddenly accelerated. With a flash, he shot several zhang away, immediately widening the distance between himself and Ji Xuan.

Don't shake him off all at once...

Just as Xie Yuan was thinking this, he suddenly felt that vast aura behind him rapidly closing in.

In the blink of an eye, Ji Xuan moved his legs, kicking up clouds of dust as he caught up in a single burst, once again running shoulder to shoulder with Xie Yuan!

"Your footwork is quite good. You even know two techniques."

Ji Xuan said with a smile from beside him.

Xie Yuan's face darkened slightly. The Cloud Dragon Step and Shadowless Step were both high-level Grandmaster footwork arts. Even in the Xie Family Martial Repository, they were ranked on the fifth and sixth floors.

Yet compared to the martial arts Ji Xuan knew, they seemed to fall somewhat short.

If he did not fully activate the Great Golden River Skill, Xie Yuan's movement technique would likely be inferior to that Demon Sect prodigy with his obsessive streak.

But it did not matter...

Facing downhill, Xie Yuan accelerated once more, afterimages trailing behind both his legs.

Yet Ji Xuan easily kept pace. His brows knit as he showed some displeasure.

"You can't surpass me. Stop running, or we'll get too far from the top."

He reached out to seize Xie Yuan, intending to stop him.

Feeling the fierce claw strike behind him, Xie Yuan suddenly swayed, splitting into three figures that sprinted headlong in different directions.

Ji Xuan's eyes widened, his gaze sweeping over the several Xie Yuans.

"Another secret art? Excellent."

His eyes immediately lit up—truly lit up, even emitting a foot-long gleam. His gaze swept over each figure before locking onto Xie Yuan's true body.

"I told you not to run!"

Ji Xuan leaped up like a great roc spreading its wings, cleanly vaulting over Xie Yuan's head and blocking his path.

Xie Yuan ignored him. His footwork turned, and he flashed to the side.

Two Demonic Cultists happened to be secretly watching from there. When they saw Xie Yuan charging at them, they were greatly alarmed.

After hesitating for a moment, one of them raised his weapon and blocked Xie Yuan's path.

"Young Master Ji, I'll help you!"

Xie Yuan was about to raise his spear when he saw a terrifying blast of force fly past him and slam into the man.

"Aah!"

With a scream, the man blocking the way was blasted into the air, blood pouring from all seven apertures. He died before even hitting the ground.

Only then did Ji Xuan's icy voice sound from behind him.

"Don't get in the way."

Xie Yuan's heart stirred. With a flash, he moved directly behind the other man, who was trembling like a cicada in winter.

Sure enough, Ji Xuan changed direction and charged straight at the despairing man.

He grabbed the man and gave him a gentle toss, his own footsteps not hindered in the slightest.

The man flew away as though riding clouds and mist, only to drift lightly to the ground, completely unharmed.

Xie Yuan was still astonished by that strength and control when Ji Xuan flashed before him, blocking his path.

"You've already lost in footwork. Your illusion art is decent, but it's not as formidable as your stealth art. Let's compete in something else."

Ji Xuan stared intently at Xie Yuan, not relaxing for even a moment.

The Heaven Illusion Art was far more than merely decent. Its realm was simply not as high as the Heaven Concealing Art's, but it was absolutely no ordinary secret art.

Yet Ji Xuan had actually found a way to see through it. His methods and secret arts were the most exceptional Xie Yuan had ever seen among those at the same realm.

And that was not all. His strength was also the greatest Xie Yuan had ever seen in the Qi Blood Third Transformation Realm.

Punches and kicks, Qi and Blood, Inner Breath—he had already far surpassed his peers. Perhaps he could not be considered a complete Qi and Blood Transformation Realm cultivator, but his realm had been tempered to perfection. Who knew what he was still waiting for?

Facing such an enemy, even though Xie Yuan's strength was no longer what it had once been, he still felt some pressure.

He sized up Ji Xuan and asked,

"Why haven't you opened the Earth Bridge? At your level, there should be nothing left in this realm worth lingering over."

"I've always felt that something remained unfinished, as if there were still a flaw, as if I had yet to become invincible among those of the same realm. I didn't understand it before. I had planned to break through after defeating everyone on the Holy Mountain this time, but after meeting you, I now know why."

Ji Xuan nodded and smiled.

"Although you killed Lisi, you've still proven somewhat useful. Come, let's spar first. Once I understand what I lack, I'll deal with you."

Looking at this madman, Xie Yuan had no intention of helping him advance any further.

Beating him would not be easy. However, he did not necessarily need to defeat him today. As long as...

Just as he was thinking this, Ji Xuan suddenly turned his head. Surprise mingled with irritation on his face.

"Who is it?!"

Xie Yuan's heart stirred. He felt the Holy Mountain tremble slightly, and then the barrier shrouding this place opened.

He immediately let out a breath, gazing toward the mountaintop as though he saw that purple figure.

Just as Xie Yuan relaxed, Ji Xuan abruptly turned back. His face went cold as he threw an unstoppable punch!