Waiting by the Stump for a Rabbit

Boom!

In a single exchange, the young man was gravely wounded by Xu Yan's Primordial Chaos Palm. Tyrannical Primordial Chaos Mana howled across the Dao Field like a fierce tiger sweeping away the clouds, its pitch-black power making everyone's hair stand on end.

The other two had clearly not expected this. The sight before them was beyond belief, and they stared at Xu Yan with wide eyes.

They had followed close behind. The moment they landed on the Dao Field, Xu Yan's Green Pattern Dharma Sword had already flown out. Moving at incredible speed and carrying tyrannical Primordial Mystic Qi, it split into sixteen swords, brimming with killing intent!

"Retreat, quickly! This man's cultivation is strange—do not clash with him head-on!"

The young man lying on the ground in the distance hurriedly shouted. Even getting to his feet was exceedingly difficult; it felt as though every meridian in his body had fallen apart.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Before the terrified eyes of the two men, Xu Yan controlled the sixteen Green Pattern Dharma Swords and sent them surging forth like a violent storm.

The assault was swift and fierce, giving them no chance to catch their breath!

"Arghhhhh..."

These two Pulse Opening fourth-layer disciples lasted fewer than ten breaths before the mana around their bodies was shattered. The Green Pattern Dharma Swords pierced through them, scattering blood across the Dao Field.

The sight made the surrounding Daoists' hearts pound in terror.

Someone muttered, "This Half-Immortal Xu has truly formed a grudge with Nine Star Kui Island now!"

"His divine abilities are so fierce, and his mana is even more tyrannical. No wonder the Dharma King offered him guidance."

Quite a few of the watching Daoists discussed the matter.

What Spirit-Sealing City lacked least were cultivators eager to watch a spectacle. In barely any time at all, many had caught wind of it and rushed over to watch.

Not far away, the young man still lay on the Dao Field, trembling all over.

Only upon closer inspection did one see that his chest had caved in. He had just taken Xu Yan's Primordial Chaos Five Resonances palm strike head-on, and the meridians in his chest had already snapped.

Xu Yan's gaze darkened slightly. With a wave of his hand, he recalled the Green Pattern Dharma Sword into his grasp.

He strolled leisurely over, first drawing over the Qiankun Bags of the two Nine Star Kui Island disciples and putting them away, then walking toward the young man lying on the ground.

Holding the blood-dripping Green Pattern Dharma Sword, Xu Yan spoke calmly as he walked. "You came looking for trouble with me, seeking to bring misfortune upon yourself, so you cannot blame anyone else. And besides... Young Master Huangfu truly was not killed by me."

As the young man watched him approach, his eyes were filled with unwillingness.

Faced with the terror of death, his lips trembled uncontrollably. He seemed to want to say something, yet no sound came out.

Splurt!

Having said that, Xu Yan struck with his sword.

A head rolled away, and blood sprayed forth.

Xu Yan drew over his Qiankun Bag, then flicked a finger and cast the Fire Bullet Technique, burning the three corpses into ash.

Murdering and destroying the bodies, all in one smooth motion.

Afterward, Xu Yan gathered his Dharma Swords and walked out of the Dao Field on his own, utterly indifferent to the varied gazes around him.

Looking at the sky, it was already the hour of the Monkey.

At this moment, five hundred li east of Spirit-Sealing City, the struggle over the Mystic Gate Sky Boat was in full swing.

Xu Yan arrived at the eastern side of the city. The walls stood several hundred zhang high, and as he climbed atop them, clouds already swirled around his body.

Using his Spirit Eye to gaze into the distance, Xu Yan sensed that the aura of heaven and earth far away was exceedingly chaotic. The vast sky seemed to have been torn apart, with clouds retreating to either side.

At this moment, quite a few people could already be seen returning. Their expressions were grim, their Daoist robes stained with blood; they had clearly been injured. It seemed the struggle there had been especially bloody.

Xu Yan was in no hurry to go. According to Fang Che, the Mystic Gate Sky Boat circled over a fixed location every day.

It was not as though one could simply board the vessel and obtain the Great Teleportation Token.

Otherwise, so many cultivators would not still be lingering in the middle stage.

He had come here to wait by the stump for a rabbit, to see whether he could lie in wait for disciples of Nine Star Kui Island.

Rather than passively wait for others to come knocking, he might as well seize this chance to strike first!

"If disciples of Nine Star Kui Island went to contend over the Sky Boat, their mana surely will not be at its peak when they return. This is the perfect time to cut the grass and pull out the roots..."

Xu Yan gripped the Green Pattern Dharma Sword tightly and sat cross-legged atop the city wall, closing his eyes to rest. His divine sense spread out on its own, covering dozens of zhang around him.

After sitting quietly for half an hour, a Nine Star Kui Island disciple came flying toward him from fifty zhang away.

The disciples of such great clans all dressed alike. Their sleeves bore a pattern of nine linked stars, as though they feared others might fail to recognize them.

Xu Yan opened his eyes, a flash of ruthlessness and resolve passing through them.

He struck boldly, without the slightest hesitation.

Stepping upon Chaos Step, his figure pounced forth like a ghost. Within a few breaths, he had crossed dozens of zhang. The Nine Star Kui Island disciple flying through the air was at the Pulse Opening fifth layer.

His face was slightly pale, as though he had suffered minor injuries during the struggle over the Sky Boat.

The next instant, Xu Yan suddenly appeared less than a zhang away.

"You are... Xu Yan!"

"That would be me."

Xu Yan snorted coldly. "Did your esteemed clan not seek me out? I am right here. What will you do about it?"

The moment his words fell, sixteen Green Pattern Dharma Swords descended from the clouds above. Howling gale-force winds mixed with tyrannical Primordial Mystic Qi, directly cutting the man down in midair!

He did not even have time to cry out. His face was still frozen in terror when he died.

Xu Yan swept his Qiankun Bag into his sleeve, then destroyed the corpse and covered his tracks. He returned to the city wall, meditating to recover while waiting by the stump for a rabbit, quietly awaiting his prey's arrival.

Before long, several more Nine Star Kui Island disciples flew over.

There were four in total: two at the Pulse Opening fifth layer and two at the Pulse Opening fourth layer.

Xu Yan attacked without hesitation, clean and decisive.

The Green Pattern Dharma Sword flew from his hand and split into sixteen swords as it shot forth. To be safe, Xu Yan also brought out his mystic treasure: the Skull-Cracking Hammer. Primordial Mystic Qi poured into it, driving the mystic treasure to its utmost limit.

Rumble—

A gigantic hammer five zhang long came crashing down through the air, making the sky tremble faintly. The sixteen Green Pattern Dharma Swords also flew in from all directions, sealing off the four men's paths of retreat.

"You have quite the audacity, ambushing and killing members of Nine Star Kui Island here."

"Xu Yan, why are you here?!"

"Quick, activate the Gold Whistle Talisman and notify Murong Yan!"

Boom! Boom!

Xu Yan swung the giant hammer, killing first the disciple who had wanted to activate the Gold Whistle Talisman.

Then he sent out a Primordial Chaos Five Resonances palm strike, directly blasting another man to death. Blood fell like rain, scattering through the air. Immediately afterward, the Green Pattern Dharma Swords slew yet another.

The last man looked somewhat familiar. He had previously followed Murong Yan. Xu Yan gravely wounded him, then kicked him in the chest. The man screamed in pain, feeling as though a fierce tiger had kicked him in the heart.

Though both were at the Pulse Opening fourth layer, Xu Yan's physical strength far surpassed his. Thanks to the Eight-Nine Profound Art, apart from the Demon Race, Xu Yan's physical strength now exceeded that of the vast majority of Daoists at the same level.

"Is Murong Yan at the Mystic Gate Sky Boat?" Xu Yan asked sternly, expressionless as he seized the man by the throat.

The man was stubborn indeed. He stared at Xu Yan without the slightest fear and said, "Cough, cough, cough... Half-Immortal Xu, you truly have great ability, daring to block and surround us here!"

"Answer my question. Speak!" Xu Yan tightened his grip. Pain appeared on the man's face, and his neck instantly turned purple from being choked.

"I don't know where he is!"

The man shouted in pain.

Xu Yan frowned, then exerted force with his hand and directly snapped the disciple's neck, ending his breath.

After taking the Qiankun Bags from these men, Xu Yan rested for the time it took an incense stick to burn, restoring the mana of his Daoist body.

After considering for several breaths, he cast the Qi Manipulation Technique and flew toward the east.