Within Others' Inches, Mountains and Seas Stretch for Thousands of Miles!

Qiu Changtian's Yuyan shot out a stream of light, while Xu Yinglian's Yujia was faster, leaving a scarlet arc as it instantly drew level with the Yuyan Sword, vying for the lead!

The other Kunlun disciples also shot out their Flying Swords in unison, following closely behind.

The Flying Sword shot by the Demonic Cultivator, however, was a dark crimson, like foul blood. Just as it was about to clash with Yuyan and Yujia, it suddenly exploded in a cloud of bloody mist from its body!

Qiu Changtian reacted with incredible speed (honed by practicing the Shushan Qisha Sword Art). With a flick of his spiritual energy, the Yuyan Sword abruptly stopped before the bloody mist and then shot back like lightning.

The other Flying Swords, unable to stop in time, plunged directly into the bloody mist, their lights instantly dimming.

Only Xu Yinglian's Yujia Sword, too high in grade to be tainted, continued to operate smoothly within the bloody mist. It clashed several times with the dark crimson Flying Sword, sending sparks flying.

As Qiu Changtian maneuvered the Yuyan Sword back, he raised his right hand in a sword finger gesture and quickly chanted:

"Jade clouds fall like rain, rainbow bridges rise like smoke!"

The Yuyan Sword suddenly lit up within the mine, countless golden lights transforming into sharp, slender swords that shot towards the bloody mist ahead.

The Demonic Cultivator opposite showed no fear, merely sneering. He pointed his finger forward and chanted in a similar urgent tone:

"Sprites, Netherlings, Wraiths, and Ghouls, bind and kill with curses of resentment!"

Countless gray-white ghostly figures rapidly emerged from his fingertips. Some met the golden rain of swords from the Yuyan Sword, easily destroying them one by one.

Others darted into the bloody mist, wrapping around the Yujia Sword. Xu Yinglian immediately felt as if an immense force was constricting her sword, making it difficult to control.

In a flurry of lightning-fast exchanges, the Demonic Cultivator opposite, single-handedly, had destroyed the outer disciples' Flying Swords while simultaneously withstanding the attacks of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, the two personal disciples, even without falling behind!

"Marrow Cleansing Stage?" Qiu Changtian asked sternly.

"Yes!" Xu Yinglian gritted her teeth, forcefully channeling her Qi to drive the Yujia Sword, resisting the ghostly figures in a head-on clash.

The Kunlun disciples were instantly filled with horror, their faces turning despairing.

Marrow Cleansing Stage! This person was a Demonic Cultivator at the Marrow Cleansing Stage!

One had to know that for disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm to advance from the Qi Refining Stage to the Marrow Cleansing Stage, it required a long period of refining Qi and filling the Dantian and Sea of Qi. Those with good aptitude might take twenty to thirty years, while others could take fifty to sixty years.

In other words, this opponent had at least twenty to thirty more years of Qi refinement than them.

Not only was the total amount of true Qi on a different level, but the Marrow Cleansing Stage also allowed the use of more powerful spells, stronger Flying Swords, and provided enhancements to reaction speed and even Sword Control Technique after marrow cleansing... All in all, it could be summarized in four words:

Realm suppression!

In fact, if not for Xu Yinglian's sharp swordsmanship and the Yujia's Tenth-Order Immortal Sword's robust attributes, she wouldn't have lasted more than a few moves against him.

Several Kunlun disciples turned deathly pale, their legs trembling, on the verge of fleeing.

Xu Yinglian's eyes blazed with fury, her teeth nearly shattered as her entire body surged with true Qi, forcefully pushing the Yujia Immortal Sword to contend with the opponent.

Fighting across realms, so what?

I don't want to lose, I... I won't lose!!!

The Demonic Cultivator opposite let out a cackling laugh, likely believing victory was assured. His voice turned sharp and sinister:

"What of personal disciples? Can you still win by fighting across realms? Let me tell you, the reason I released the Tu Lou was to lure you Qi Refining Stage disciples here to hunt, so I could use the blood and flesh of cultivators to nourish my Yin Ghosts."

"Surrender now, and I will let you reincarnate. Otherwise, I will capture all your souls and spirits, lock them in my banner, and torment you for eternity, never to be reborn!"

"So that's how it is," Qiu Changtian said calmly. "I saw in the Deacon Hall that a heavily injured demonic cultist was flowing in from the direction of Beimang Mountain. That was you, wasn't it?"

"At death's door, and you still have the leisure to care about that?" the Demonic Cultivator sneered.

"You talk too much," Qiu Changtian stepped forward, shielding Xu Yinglian, who was still fighting through gritted teeth, and the other terrified outer Kunlun disciples behind him, leaving only his imposing and radiant back for everyone to see.

He formed a sword shape with his right index and middle fingers. The Taiyi Splitting Light Sword on his back sprang out, hovering steadily before him.

Though his voice was calm, it carried an awe-inspiring, unyielding intent, like the bright sun, radiant and pure!

"Evil cannot triumph over good, so what if you're at the Marrow Cleansing Stage?!"

"This is my Kunlun territory, how can I allow you Demonic Cultivator scum to run rampant!!!"

The Demonic Cultivator opposite's eyes held even more amusement. He raised his withered arm and chanted rapidly:

"Sprites, Netherlings, Wraiths, and Ghouls, bind and kill with curses of resentment..."

"Within another's small space, mountains and seas stretch for thousands of miles!" Qiu Changtian's voice boomed like thunder as he fiercely activated the forbidden technique of the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword!

It felt as brief as a flick of a finger, yet as eternal as the passage of eons.

The surrounding mine environment vanished, and everyone found themselves high in the sky.

Ahead lay a vast, misty, endless ocean, while behind stretched continuous, rolling mountains.

Only a winding, narrow coastline separated the two sides, like the Chu-Han border, clearly delineated.

"This is a forbidden technique!" The Demonic Cultivator's sinister expression instantly vanished, replaced by disbelief, terror, and shock. His pupils almost dilated, and his voice was almost a desperate wail, "How is this possible!!"

"How can you possess a forbidden technique!!!"

Qiu Changtian was too lazy to waste words with him. Didn't he see how this guy's incessant chatter led to his swift downfall?

Villains die from talking too much!

He calmly formed a hand seal with his right hand, channeling his true Qi to fully activate the "Connecting Mountains and Seas Corner" forbidden technique on the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword.

Thus, their figures ascended once more, leaving the Demonic Cultivator far below. And below...

The boundless sea surged forward as if in fear, rising a thousand meters in an instant.

Majestic mountains erupted from the ground, piercing the clouds and sky in the blink of an eye.

The Demonic Cultivator was still hysterically chanting incantations, seemingly trying to cast a spell to escape and save their life.

However, within the forbidden magic of the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword, all struggles were futile.

A final thought flashed through the Demonic Cultivator's mind like lightning:

How could the Kunlun Taiqing Sect possibly let a genius disciple like this, with a once-in-ten-thousand-years cultivation talent like Clear Dao Heart, go out for trials without any backup?

As the thought arose and vanished, the surrounding mountains and seas had already expanded, pressing in on him. No matter how futilely the Demonic Cultivator shot spells, they were simply roaring down from both sides, overwhelming him, until they collided with immense power, creating a deafening roar like the sky and earth splitting apart!

A moment later, the illusion of mountains and seas slowly faded, and everyone returned to the mine.

The Demonic Cultivator and the blood-mist Flying Sword had turned to dust, falling in a shower and accumulating on the ground into a pile of ashes of unknown composition.

Everyone: ...

A moment later, someone suddenly sobbed, and everyone finally snapped out of their shock.

Liu Yiyi and Wen Qin collapsed on the ground, holding each other tightly, crying and laughing.

Lu Zheng leaned back against the rock wall, his right hand gripping the front of his Daoist robe, cold sweat beading on his back.

Hu Haozhi wore a look of relief. He wanted to go and examine the pile of ashes but found his legs were so weak he couldn't move at all.

Liu Daoran stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly knelt down, prostrating himself before Qiu Changtian and saying with a trembling voice full of guilt:

"Senior Brother Qiu... Thank you for saving my life. If you hadn't intervened this time, we would all have died today with no place to be buried, our souls scattered, and unable to reincarnate!"

"Junior Brother Daoran, there's no need for such formalities," Qiu Changtian said gently, guessing that Liu Daoran was intimidated by his power and feared retaliation for offending him earlier.

Coupled with the shock of surviving a near-death experience, the mental impact was too great, leaving him bewildered and prompting this grand gesture.

So, Qiu Changtian formed another hand seal and cast "Universal Clear Sound Minor Brightness Art" on the Kunlun disciples, saying with a smile:

"We are all disciples of Kunlun. Helping each other is our duty. There's no need to speak of life-saving favors."

The Universal Clear Sound Minor Brightness Art is the first-level derivative Daoist Magic of the Qi Refining Stage of the Nine Heavens Pure Micro Entrance True Words, possessing effects such as healing, dispelling evil, and purifying the mind.

Thus, the Kunlun outer disciples, still in a daze, slowly recovered with the help of this art, feeling relieved as if reborn.

Xu Yinglian put away her Yujia Sword. She noticed that her nearly depleted true qi had recovered slightly with the help of the Minor Brightness Art.

Recalling the immense power of the colliding mountains and seas just moments ago, her eyes became slightly lost for a moment before quickly regaining clarity.

Although it relied on the rank of the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword, her Senior Brother's ability to wield such terrifying forbidden magic was truly enviable.

However, the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword was lent to him by their master, while the Yujia Immortal Sword was hers!

According to her clan, besides the ninth-rank Daoist Magic, the Yujia Immortal Sword also sealed a forbidden magic within it, but it could only be unsealed and used by activating the Phoenix Bird bloodline.

In time, she would definitely awaken her bloodline and completely master this forbidden magic, thereby surpassing her Senior Brother in one fell swoop!

She thought excitedly, but then she saw Qiu Changtian standing calmly in place, his expression serene and unfazed, as if he had only done something insignificant.

Her surging fighting spirit slowly subsided.

Since Senior Brother showed no pride, I too must guard against arrogance and impatience.

Xu Yinglian thought this, unaware that on Qiu Changtian's side, the Kunlun Mirror's notifications were flooding his vision.

[Invincible Persona, Synchronization Value +1.]

[Invincible Persona, Synchronization Value +1.]

[Invincible Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] [Synchronization Value has exceeded the maximum limit. The efficiency of the Clear Dao Heart talent has reached 100%. Please continue to work hard.]