Slaying Zhang Wudao

Amidst the heavy snowfall, several majestic mountains stood between heaven and earth. Upon their rooftops, various buildings were constructed with green bricks, blue tiles, carved beams, and painted rafters, their flying eaves and arched brackets having stood for over a thousand years in the wind and snow.

This was Shangqing Palace. The First Generation Patriarch established the Daoist lineage here, and it had once reached its zenith of glory. Unfortunately, the later disciples were disappointing, and none ever became a Grandmaster, leading to its current decline and oppression by a mere Zhang Wudao.

One day, throughout Shangqing Palace, disciples were anxiously observing. A month prior, Zhang Wudao's arrogant and presumptuous declaration to gift Shangqing Palace's Daoist lineage and Blessed Land to his Master as a dojo had already spread throughout the cultivation world.

The disciples of Shangqing Palace were uneasy, unsure if their Old Ancestors could withstand Zhang Wudao.

It wasn't just the disciples of Shangqing Palace who were watching; on this day, an unknown number of cultivators from the cultivation world near Shangqing Palace were also observing.

Some arrived riding the wind with their souls, watching from across the mountain peaks.

Some traversed the wind and snow in person, arriving with immense curiosity.

Some utilized secret techniques, employing the Thousand-mile Mirror Transmission to replicate the current scene of Shangqing Palace.

All these people wanted to know if Shangqing Palace would repel Zhang Wudao today, or if this thousand-year-old Daoist lineage would collapse in an instant.

Thump, thump, thump!

Amidst the howling wind and snow, a sound of footsteps could not be masked. The footsteps were light, yet at this moment, they reached the hearts of those watching, as if they were stepping on their hearts, causing their chests to ache and their faces to change slightly.

"Zhang Wudao is here!"

Someone exclaimed in disbelief. They were still separated by a mountain peak, yet they could be affected by Zhang Wudao's aura. Just how powerful was he?

"Why do I feel like my heart is being clutched? With every step he takes, my heart aches, as if it's about to explode in the next second. It's terrifying." Someone clutched their chest, speaking with discomfort.

"This is 'Aura/Momentum.' The area where Zhang Wudao is located is being influenced by his 'Aura/Momentum.' If your cultivation is not as high as his, you will be affected. But don't worry, Zhang Wudao is arrogant, but he won't kill indiscriminately. In his eyes, we aren't worthy of him making a move." Someone said with a wry smile.

"He hasn't even shown himself, yet he possesses such a powerful aura. Is Zhang Wudao, who walks the path of his Master, perhaps truly successful?" Someone asked with surprise.

"Zhang Wudao has been unrestrained for years, killing countless Prodigies and countless elder generation experts. He has long accumulated enough invincible aura. If he destroys Shangqing Palace's Daoist lineage this time, he might truly succeed," someone whispered, analyzing the situation.

"Shangqing Palace had Li Tianxian 300 years ago, but he was killed by Emperor Wu of Zhou long ago, who disregarded his reputation. The sect has gradually declined over the years, and there have been no outstanding disciples. The elder generation figures are even less able to carry the banner. Could Shangqing Palace, with its thousand-year legacy, truly be extinguished today?" someone sighed, feeling regretful.

These hushed whispers did not affect the continuous sound of footsteps.

In the midst of the wind and snow, before the mountains and ravines, a young man walked forth.

To say he walked would be inaccurate, as he did not tread on the ground but stepped through the void. The wind and snow swirled around him as if in submission, escorting him to the gates of Shangqing Palace.

The young man had his hands behind his back, looking indifferently at the gates of Shangqing Palace. There was no emotion in his eyes, and he exuded an overbearing, powerful aura of someone invincible who looked down on the world.

This young man was Zhang Wudao. He looked at the Shangqing Palace disciples who had not evacuated and said coldly, "Since you refuse to leave, from now on, you will be my Master's household slaves."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone erupted in an uproar. Everyone within Shangqing Palace felt insulted. Those with sufficient Blood Essence, in particular, wished they could rush out and challenge Zhang Wudao to a one-on-one fight, but they were held back by their fellow disciples.

The onlookers, however, did not find it strange. This was Zhang Wudao, unrestrained, his hands stained with blood, never caring about others' dignity. If your cultivation was inferior to his, you weren't even considered a person. If your cultivation was stronger than his, you could only be considered a person temporarily, until he defeated you, at which point you would cease to be one.

If others said such things, people might find it arrogant and presumptuous, but when Zhang Wudao and his Master said it, people found it normal.

Zhang Wudao paid no mind to what others thought. With a boom, at this moment, his glabella erupted with an incredibly terrifying Pure Yang consciousness, vast and mighty, covering Shangqing Palace. In an instant, he discovered in one part of Shangqing Palace a sword energy, like a plum blossom in the snow, blooming alone. That hint of red in the vast expanse of white snow was exceptionally dazzling.

"I didn't expect Shangqing Palace to have a disciple like you. You've been hiding quite deeply." Zhang Wudao's gaze went straight to the Scripture Repository Pavilion. Even through the mountains, he saw Li Qingshan with a single glance.

Li Qingshan met his gaze calmly, remaining silent, as if accumulating something.

"Come here, I will kill you!" Zhang Wudao declared, unrestrained, his killing intent colder than the wind and snow.

In front of the Scripture Repository Pavilion, Li Qingshan and Li Jiusheng both frowned. Was this too arrogant?

As things had come to this, Li Qingshan said to Li Jiusheng, "Senior Brother, I will go and kill him!"

Then, he took a step forward, his body like a sword, instantly crossing the biting wind and snow, and stood before the gates of Shangqing Palace.

"Who is this person?"

"I don't recognize him, but judging by his demeanor, he doesn't seem weak."

"More than not weak, I can't see through him. He doesn't seem weaker than Zhang Wudao."

"I didn't expect Shangqing Palace to have hidden such a Prodigy. Indeed, the foundation of a thousand-year-old sect should not be underestimated."

"I wonder if he can stop Zhang Wudao?"

Li Qingshan's appearance immediately sparked much discussion among the crowd. This was the first time in decades of his arduous cultivation that he had revealed himself to the world and displayed his strength.

"Zhang Wudao, you seem to like my Shangqing Palace very much. Look around for a suitable piece of land nearby. After you die, I can bury you here, satisfying your liking." Li Qingshan said with a sneer as he looked at the arrogant Zhang Wudao.

Zhang Wudao chuckled and said, "You're unconvinced? Heh heh, countless Prodigies lie buried behind me on my journey. They were just as ignorant and fearless as you. If you kneel now, I can show mercy and take you as a servant. That way, you can also follow me and see the peak of cultivation."

Servant, in the cultivation world, generally referred to those who carried palanquins, moved heavy objects, and did manual labor as gatekeepers.

Zhang Wudao's words were enough to display his arrogance.

"One sword!"

"I will strike you with one sword. If you can block it, then you can speak of arrogance."

Li Qingshan said coldly, his body straightening. A series of sword hums sounded from within his body, then erupted all at once.

Between heaven and earth, the wind and snow howled, swirled, and rolled. What was once chaotic became controlled. Those snowflakes turned into sword blossoms, dense and numerous, thousands upon thousands. Each one shimmered with sword light, resembling unopened buds, like a brilliant galaxy.

Seeing this, Zhang Wudao's lips curled into a sneer. Did he think these mere tricks could deal with him?

But in the next second, Li Qingshan's body transformed into a stream of light, directly plunging into the swirling snow and sword light.

Then, a brilliant sword light, carrying an extremely intense Sword Intent and Sword Essence, formed a Sword Domain and slashed down with a roar.

Target: Zhang Wudao.

At this moment, a resounding clang echoed, like an Immortal sword being unsheathed, shaking the land for a thousand miles. In this instant, what filled the world was not snowflakes or a cold wind, but Sword energy. It was as if the withered grass, cold trees, and massive rocks in the wilderness were all exuding Sword energy and Sword Intent. These mingled together, converging into Li Qingshan's sword strike.

This sword strike made the onlookers' expressions change drastically.

This sword strike brought joy to the disciples of Shangqing Palace.

This sword strike brought sudden enlightenment to Li Jiusheng.

This sword strike also made Zhang Wudao frown, recalling a sword strike his Master, Emperor Wu of Zhou, had told him about. That strike, unleashed, used grass and trees as swords, mountains and rivers as swords, the sun and moon as swords, ultimately severing his Master's Grandmaster foundation.

"Didn't that sword technique become lost with Li Tianxian's death?" A sliver of fear crept into Zhang Wudao's heart. His Master had been injured by this sword strike; could he withstand it?

"Escape!" Zhang Wudao was arrogant, but not foolish. Recognizing this sword strike, he knew he couldn't overpower it and immediately thought of fleeing.

But could he escape?

"Strike!"

In the world, snow and wind roared, mountains and rivers trembled, waterfalls bellowed, and Sword energy shrieked, surrounding Zhang Wudao from all directions.

"Indestructible Golden Body!"

Zhang Wudao roared. Knowing escape was impossible, he decided to fight!

He hadn't come this far for nothing.

BOOM!

His Aura surged, piercing through the clouds and snow. Brilliant golden light cascaded down as his body assumed an invincible defensive posture.

This was his Master, Emperor Wu of Zhou's ultimate technique, which, when practiced to its peak, could withstand all damage.

Clang, clang, clang...

At this moment, Sword energy slammed into Zhang Wudao repeatedly, striking like a blacksmith's hammer, yet not harming him in the slightest.

"You're not Li Tianxian, you can't hurt me!" Zhang Wudao roared. Blood Qi Wolf Smoke billowed, golden light covering half the sky. His body grew to a hundred zhang, standing in the void, glaring with cold eyes.

But in the next second, a wisp of Sword energy attacked. It was inconspicuous at first, but as it arrived before him, it exploded with a BOOM, like a mountain flood breaking loose or a lake dam bursting. The roaring of the Sword energy dazed Zhang Wudao for a moment before he could clearly see Li Qingshan approaching.

Li Qingshan carried mountains, rivers, wind, snow, and vegetation with him.

"I am not Li Tianxian, but you are not Emperor Wu of Zhou either!"

This sword strike pierced directly into the center of the hundred-zhang Golden Body's forehead. The Sword energy entered his body, and with a BOOM, giving Zhang Wudao no chance to react, the cascading energy instantly shattered his body and Primordial spirit.