Golden Baleful Patriarch reacted with astonishing speed. A sweep of golden light before him condensed into a thick Body Protection Qi Shield, while his other hand struck toward the incoming azure light.
Boom!
Amid the thunderous crash, the ground beneath Golden Baleful Patriarch suddenly sank.
The golden light before him shattered inch by inch, and his body was forced backward.
One step, two steps...
Only after retreating more than ten steps did he regain his footing.
Golden Baleful Patriarch retreated sharply, every step leaving a deep footprint in the ground.
Once he had steadied himself, Golden Baleful Patriarch hurriedly lowered his head to inspect his palm.
A gash ran across his palm. Before the crimson blood could even flow out, a bluish-black hue had already spread over it.
In an instant, violent true essence circulated through Golden Baleful Patriarch's palm. The wound vanished, and his aura returned to normal.
He looked no different from before.
Yet the smile on his face had completely disappeared. That alone was enough to show that he, too, was under no small amount of pressure.
The old man in the hall, meanwhile, was likewise looking at the hand that gripped his blade.
Several wisps of Innate Geng Metal Qi still flowed between his fingers, continuously tearing the cracks left there further inward.
"Innate Geng Metal... I never thought that, in today's Cultivation World, someone like you would still exist."
As he spoke, the old man shook his hand and forcibly scattered the golden glimmers between his fingers.
Several fragments fell from half of his wooden body.
Golden Baleful Patriarch snorted coldly. "It is indeed rare for someone to take this Patriarch's blade with his bare flesh.
"But if you wish to keep this Patriarch here, this little bit of skill is likely still far from