Ambush Successful, Each Employing Their Own Methods

Seeing that they could not subdue Chen Changxuan for the moment, Hong Old Devil turned a cold gaze toward Zhang Old Devil.

"Junior Brother Zhang, the three of us will hold this old bastard down. Go help Fellow Daoist Zuo break that formation, then gather the strength of all five of us and shatter this old bastard's turtle shell in one stroke."

"Alright."

Zhang Old Devil readily agreed, then flew toward the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation with a cold sneer.

Looking at those presiding over the formation, he sneered. "Back then, this very formation of your Chen Clan was broken by this old man. And now you dare show it off again? You are merely courting death."

As he spoke, he summoned a black-bannered magical artifact and swept forth a streak of black radiance.

At that very instant, Chen Nianzhi, hidden among the crowd, made his move. With a flick of his hand, the Azure Ape Orb transformed into a colossal sphere weighing ten thousand jun and smashed toward Zhang Old Devil.

The fiend was caught completely off guard. In his haste, he redirected the black banner, sending its sharp radiance crashing into the Azure Ape Orb. The two collided, bursting forth with dazzling light.

But Chen Nianzhi struck even more ruthlessly. The Scarlet Iron Sword Embryo soared into the sky as a brilliant sword light. Moving like it chased stars and moons, the sword embryo struck later yet arrived first, slashing toward the old devil almost at the same instant.

With nowhere to evade, Zhang Old Devil hastily spread a mana shield at the critical moment. It bought him a fleeting chance to preserve his life, but one of his arms was still severed.

"Ah—"

Having suffered such a sudden grave wound, Zhang Old Devil let out a miserable cry and fell to the ground, temporarily losing his ability to fight.

With his ambush succeeding in one move, Chen Nianzhi's gaze turned icy. He directed the sword light in a turn, and the dazzling sword embryo descended from the void, about to deliver the killing blow to Zhang Old Devil.

Yet at that moment, the battle changed again. Zuo Zhouqi unleashed a crimson blade light that split open the Blazing Sun Heavenly Flame Formation with a clang.

After breaking the formation, he did not spare a thought for pursuing the wounded elders. He directly controlled that blade radiance to block Chen Nianzhi's sword embryo.

"That is... the Scarlet Flame Spirit Blade!"

The instant Chen Nianzhi saw that crimson blade radiance, his eyes narrowed sharply.

After so many years, he had never expected to see the Old Clan Leader's Life-bound Magical Treasure here.

"The Lin Immortal Clan."

In an instant, his eyes turned cold. The ones who had bought the Old Clan Leader's magical artifact back then had been the Lin Clan, foremost among Yu Commandery's six great Foundation Establishment Immortal Clans.

Though the six immortal clans competed with one another, they were still bound together in shared purpose against the demon beasts. Chen Nianzhi truly had not expected the Lin Clan to sell this magical artifact to the Chen Clan's enemies.

Having missed his chance to kill with a single blow, Zhang Old Devil hurriedly swallowed a medicinal pill, temporarily suppressing his injuries before rejoining the battle. Together with Zuo Zhouqi, he besieged Chen Nianzhi.

Facing two opponents alone, Chen Nianzhi did not fall into the slightest disadvantage.

Zuo Zhouqi was lacking in strength. Aside from the Scarlet Flame Spirit Blade, none of his other methods were worth fearing.

Although Zhang Old Devil was at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, he possessed only one Demon Treasure. Having now suffered grievous injuries, fifty to sixty percent of his strength was gone, and he was actually weaker than Zuo Zhouqi at this point.

After the three exchanged more than thirty moves, Chen Nianzhi successively wielded two magical artifacts and forced the pair back relentlessly. At last, Zuo Zhouqi could no longer sit still. He took a talisman from his Storage Bag.

The moment the talisman was activated, a blaze of Dao fire surged out and burned through the air toward him.

"Azure Spirit True Flame Talisman."

Chen Nianzhi's expression shifted slightly. This Azure Spirit True Flame Talisman was a Tier 2 High-grade talisman and one of the Zuo Clan's treasured reserves.

Its power was extraordinary. If activated by a Foundation Establishment Middle or Late Stage Cultivator, it could even threaten a Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator.

Zuo Zhouqi's cultivation was insufficient, allowing him to unleash only seventy percent of the talisman's power, but it was still terrifying. An ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator who was careless would be burned into ashes.

The instant Chen Nianzhi saw the talisman, his expression became grave. He immediately activated the Azure Ape Orb and hurled it out.

His True Essence was deep and fierce, and the Azure Ape Orb displayed far greater power in his hands than it normally could. It instantly shattered thirty percent of the Azure Spirit True Flame's force, then spread open a cyan curtain of light that blocked another forty percent.

Yet the Azure Spirit True Flame Talisman truly deserved its status as a Tier 2 High-grade talisman. It still burned through the cyan curtain, dimming the Azure Ape Orb's radiance.

After this strike, the Azure Ape Orb had expended a great deal of power and could no longer be used for the time being.

Fearing that the Azure Ape Orb would be damaged, Chen Nianzhi swiftly retrieved it. Then he activated the Jiuyi Bell, whose phantom great bell completely enveloped him.

The remaining Azure Spirit True Flame no longer had enough power, and in the end, it failed to burn through the Jiuyi Bell's defenses.

Having withstood the Azure Spirit True Flame Talisman's attack, it was Chen Nianzhi's turn to strike back. With the Jiuyi Bell above his head, he feared none of their attacks and directly controlled the sword embryo to batter the two of them without mercy.

After another hundred or so exchanges, Zuo Zhouqi's cultivation proved insufficient. He had repeatedly used the Tier 2 Mid-grade Scarlet Flame Spirit Blade and activated the Azure Spirit True Flame Talisman as well. By now, his mana was depleted.

Seeing that the moment had come, Chen Nianzhi decisively struck hard. With one sword stroke, he knocked aside Zuo Zhouqi's defensive magical artifact, the Golden Light Shield, and pierced a deep hole through his chest.

"Zhouqi!"

Seeing that Zuo Zhouqi's fate was uncertain, Zuo Mingxu was reduced to tears. His heart was filled with remorse as he sent the Mingxu Sword soaring through the air.

The Mingxu Sword was Zuo Mingxu's Life-bound Magical Treasure. Its power in Zuo Mingxu's own hands was thirty percent stronger than that of an ordinary Tier 2 Mid-grade magical artifact. If it struck, even the Jiuyi Bell might not be able to withstand it.

But with the Old Clan Leader on the battlefield, how could he tolerate such impudence? Chen Changxuan let out a cold laugh and shouted.

"Fighting this old man, and you still dare let your attention wander?"

Clang—

A ringing sword cry resounded as the famed offensive Divine Ability, Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword, reappeared across the boundless Great Wilderness.

The Old Clan Leader pointed with one finger, and a dazzling sword light like the sun shot into the sky. Its edge made everyone's faces pale in horror.

At the critical moment, Zuo Mingxu could no longer concern himself with Chen Nianzhi. He controlled his Life-Bound Immortal Sword to block the blow, only to watch helplessly as it was sent flying.

Yet that instant of resistance was enough to give him time to react. He hurriedly brought forth a small antique-bronze tower. As it slowly revolved, it opened a defensive screen of light.

In an instant, the Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword collided with the antique-bronze tower, erupting in a thunderous roar like heaven and earth themselves were howling.

A shockwave swept across a hundred zhang of sky. Once the blow ended, the Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword Divine Ability dissipated into nothingness, while the antique-bronze tower's light also dimmed. It appeared incapable of being used again anytime soon.

"A Tier 2 High-grade defensive magical artifact."

The Old Clan Leader's eyes widened, revealing a trace of envy.

Zuo Mingxu's cultivation was simply too weak. If such a defensive magical artifact fell into his hands, it could likely withstand three or four Blazing Fire Heavenly Swords. Only then could it truly be called extraordinarily powerful.

After all, though the Blazing Fire Heavenly Sword was immensely powerful, it also consumed a tremendous amount of energy. Even with the Old Clan Leader's Seventh Layer of Foundation Establishment cultivation, he could not use it continuously.

With a single blow shattering Zuo Mingxu's defensive magical artifact, the three enemies clearly began to harbor thoughts of retreat.

But the Old Clan Leader was quick-eyed and quick-handed. Before they could make up their minds, he decisively activated the Blazing Fire Soul-Burning Formation Flags, spreading them outward and trapping the group within the Blazing Fire Soul-Burning Grand Formation.