Heart Tribulation

The black and white dragons and the golden-winged phoenix roared and collided! Sword winds and true fire, raging flames surging, exploded into a giant fiery tornado!

This pair of old enemies unleashed their full power, fighting to a standstill. In the darkness, heaven and earth were illuminated by dazzling wind and fire, turning everything golden. Hundreds of moves were exchanged in an instant. With Li Fan's Foundation Establishment Realm eyesight, he simply couldn't discern the battle at the Nascent Soul level. He stared wide-eyed for a long time, and could only describe it with one sentence.

Holy crap, amazing...

Chi Qiu circled the wind and fire in the sky, wanting to rush in and join the fray, but Master Yao beckoned towards the sword rainbow, drawing the blood-soaked flying sword into his hand. "Don't get in the way. If Master Zhang can't personally kill his inner devil and resolve his inner turmoil, he'll likely never reach Nascent Soul in his life."

Li Fan also realized, right, why not use the flying sword in his hand? Just slice him dead with one sword. He doesn't have to kill him personally, right?

Master Yao seemed to know what Li Fan wanted to ask, shaking his head. "It's not that simple. Chi Qiu is a borrowed artifact of his, and Jiu Gao's mind is already in chaos, his three vital energies corrupted, his rage boiling over. It's better not to use the sword. Directly unleashing the sword momentum of the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword Technique to destroy him is more suitable!"

Li Fan still didn't quite understand.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states, Host, flying swords aren't just thrown around. Those sword strikes you see, like beheadings, are merely the end of a battle where victory has already been decided on the spiritual sense level. So, flying swords either can't be summoned, or they must draw blood the moment they appear. It only seems most lethal when it's either you instantly killing me, or me instantly killing you.'

Master Yao further instructed Li Fan, "Wielding another's artifact consumes the most spiritual sense. Jiu Gao and this Nangong Wuchen have personal grudges; their minds are unstable, and they have to forcefully control spiritual energy that surpasses their own realm. They likely don't have the energy to lock onto the enemy and control the sword with their spiritual sense. I see that Nangong Wuchen is shouting such insults so loudly, yet he seems full of spirit. He probably wouldn't gain much advantage using a flying sword."

"On the other hand, the opponent was wounded earlier, his Dao body greatly damaged, and his old injuries haven't healed. He can't fully utilize his abilities. Thus, abandoning the borrowed flying sword and concentrating on the skilled and practiced Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword Art to fight is a very viable strategy. Remember this, Qingyue, you might need it in the future."

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states, Little Yao is right. Our Beichen Sword Sect used to have sword sects that specialized in spiritual sense suppression and decapitation by sword, and Qi sects that cultivated sword techniques and sword arts, emphasizing the destruction by sword qi. Of course, everyone still used flying swords and knew various sword arts and techniques, just with different focuses.'

So, it's like specializing in one skill versus learning a hundred? What are the focuses? How should this career branch be chosen?

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states, There's no real difference. When killing people, just do whatever is convenient. Using a flying sword means the opponent's blood won't splash on you, but some people like that feeling of being bathed in blood, you understand?'

I don't understand! What kind of weird focus is that! Regardless, there must be a strongest version, right? Who won your sword qi battle?

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states, It's hard to say. When spiritual sense clashes are evenly matched, the Qi sect might be stronger than the Sword sect. But if you forge a good flying sword, then of course the Sword sect is more powerful.'

'If you have a pile of junk, unable to even shatter the opponent's protective artifact, then spiritual sense suppression is useless. So later, they stopped arguing. Who cares about swords or qi? Making money and forging swords is the right way. If your flying sword is three grades inferior to the opponent's, you can't even catch up to their sword light, and it shatters with a bump, what's the point of fighting...'

Damn it, so in the end, the pay-to-win players are the strongest. It's too damn realistic...

In the time it took to get distracted, Zhang Jiu Gao and Nangong Wuchen had already decided the victor.

It was obvious that Zhang Jiu Gao had won. After all, if his chances of winning weren't so clear, why would Master Yao have been so careless, just watching a Golden Core realm cultivator challenge a Nascent Soul realm cultivator?

And that Nangong Wuchen, despite looking impressive, was just a keyboard warrior, a nobody. After all, his realm was achieved through a lifetime of Liberation by Violence, forcefully propped up by his family. Even setting aside the previous severe injuries, he didn't even take his past-life enemy, Zhang Jiu Gao, seriously. He also had no idea of the power of the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword Technique.

On the other hand, Zhang Jiu Gao was stuck at the Golden Core realm, obsessed with revenge, honing his sword techniques day after day. When he previously taught Li Fan the Nangong family's Samadhi True Fire Immortal Method, he explained it in great detail, clearly having prepared for this moment all these years.

Nangong Wuchen was probably his imaginary enemy for many years. With one knowing himself and his enemy, and the other arrogant and unprepared, what suspense was there?

So by the time Li Fan's eyesight could follow their battle, the outcome was decided.

Nangong Wuchen was beaten savagely, with no ability to fight back. His three flowers and five qi were shattered, his divine armor broken, his limbs severed, a huge hole was blasted through his chest, and his Fangtian Huaji and other weapons were sent flying God knows where.

Zhang Jiu Gao, his upper body bare, landed before Nangong Wuchen, pointing his golden flying sword at the profusely bleeding Nangong Wuchen's face, but he didn't immediately stab down to end their feud.

He was also badly injured, his entire head covered in blood, but it wasn't from Nangong Wuchen. It was all seeping from the capillaries beneath his skin. Two gashes ran across his shoulder blades, and black and white true qi mixed with blood spewed uncontrollably from his acupoints, resembling a pair of wings spread behind his shoulders.

Clearly, the pill Zhang Jiu Gao had taken had immense side effects, but the power of instantly boosting his realm was undeniable.

"Where is she..." Zhang Jiu Gao stared intently at Nangong Wuchen. "This time, there are no Imperial Guards to rescue you. I have plenty of time! Speak! Where is she! I know she hasn't reincarnated yet! Speak! Where did your senior sister hide her!"

Master Yao and Li Fan had intended to step forward to congratulate him and help treat his wounds. Upon hearing Zhang Jiu Gao's roar, they immediately stopped in their tracks and didn't approach further. Private feuds were best avoided.

Nangong Wuchen coughed and gasped for breath. Blood and pus oozed from beneath his mask, and he made a gurgling sound, actually laughing. "So... you're thinking about your slut..."

Zhang Jiu Gao roared like thunder and leaped forward, stomping down and crushing Nangong Wuchen's remaining body into pieces, leaving only his head still bleeding. He slashed his golden sword across half of Nangong Wuchen's neck, reaching the bone, and roared, "Where is she!!"

"Heh... heh... heh hahaha..." Nangong Wuchen's mask fell off, his face covered in blood. His right side was sliced off, his eye socket empty. He glared with his left eye at Zhang Jiu Gao and laughed, "I skinned her, dismembered her bones, captured her soul, and made a long-burning lamp. Buried in the Nangong Royal Mausoleum to serve my mother as a maid."

"Ahhh!!!" Zhang Jiu Gao's heart was filled with immense grief, and he roared hysterically, swinging his sword down!

Suddenly, a cold light flashed from Nangong Wuchen's right eye socket, and a small sword shot out from the bloody hole, stabbing directly at Zhang Jiu Gao's heart!

"Be careful!" Master Yao, who had been on guard the entire time, shouted loudly upon seeing this and threw Chi Qiu, the sword in his hand.

In an instant, sword light flashed, and blood splattered!

"Jiu Gao!" "Zhang, True Master Zhang!"

Master Yao and Li Fan rushed forward, only to see Nangong Wuchen split head to toe by a perfectly placed sword strike, killing him.

And a section of the Fish Gut Sword was embedded in Zhang Jiu Gao's chest!

No, it wasn't fully inserted.

As Li Fan moved closer, he saw clearly that Nangong Wuchen's hidden sword had been intercepted by Chi Qiu, which arrived later, breaking and shattering the flying sword.

Therefore, only a small, broken sword tip had pierced Zhang Jiu Gao's chest, but no blood flowed out, as if it were clamped by muscle and bone. A small section of the bright blade was exposed.

Li Fan carefully examined True Master Zhang's wound. He didn't see any major bleeding. Then he noticed that his skin was densely covered with tattoos, which, upon closer inspection, looked like some kind of scripture, but they were covered by bloodstains and only visible up close.

That's right! True Master Luo had been ambushed by Nangong Wuchen's flying sword once before, so True Master Zhang was probably prepared! What a stroke of luck! And these scriptures, they could actually block a direct sword thrust, leaving him unharmed? What kind of powerful spell was this?

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states, No, it's not like that... This scripture... can't be considered unharmed... Alas, what a shame...'

What do you mean, it's not like that?

"Jiu Gao! You, you scoundrel!" Master Yao, seeing the scriptures on Zhang Jiu Gao's chest, inexplicably became furious. He pointed Chi Qiu at him and cursed, "Useless wretch! After all these years, you still can't break through the emotional tribulation! You've actually fallen into the demonic path! Get out! Don't come back to Zhushan!"

Zhang Jiu Gao expressionlessly pulled the broken sword from his chest and threw it on the ground. Without explanation or reply, he reached out and grabbed Nangong Wuchen's corpse on the ground. Then, without a word, he flew away on his sword!

"Huh? True Master Zhang? What, what is going on, Master Yao?"

Li Fan was bewildered. Master Yao, usually so cheerful, was uncharacteristically furious. He even stomped his foot and bounced up like an inflated pufferfish, then descended outside the temple.

"Sword Intent, what's going on? Didn't we win? Why are they suddenly..."

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent indicates, Host, you'll understand if you follow Little Yao.'

Li Fan could only go find Little Yao for now, as Old Zhang had already flown off on his sword somewhere.

Fortunately, Master Yao hadn't gone far. Li Fan chased the plump figure agilely flying over rooftops, striding out of Luo Temple and rushing back the way he came to the temple entrance, where he caught up with Yao Xuanzhou.

He, Xuanji, Qingguo, and Jinzhao, three rogue cultivators, were gathered together, surrounding a youth covered in blood. They were cutting open his blood-soaked daoist robes, drawing ink lines, feeding him pills, and transferring qi, all in a desperate rescue attempt.

Suddenly, Li Fan understood. He understood what had happened in that flash of lightning.

So, he rushed over too, pulling out his purple gourd with a fine mouth and a golden lid, and poured out a Nine Revolutions Profound Purple Golden Core.

But it was too late. Zhang He was dead.

His skin was covered in dense scripture tattoos, and it began to crack and bleed from where the characters were inscribed. Countless sword and blade wounds crisscrossed his entire body. He looked like a shattered porcelain doll dropped on the ground, with large bleeding cracks beneath the skin and pores, the blood gushing out and washing away the inscribed characters in an instant.

Pillars of blood also erupted from his seven orifices. He died almost without a sound, not even twitching twice before he was completely dead.

The fatal wound was likely the inch-wide sword mark over his heart, as if half a broken sword had pierced directly through him.