Duan Langcai had lost all face in front of everyone. In his fury, he unleashed a terrifying presence, seemingly intent on killing Yang Zhen with a single sword strike.
A terrifying wave of force blotted out the sky and sun. Duan Langcai was still in midair when his longsword let out a series of roars and transformed into a gigantic ghost head. Howling and bellowing amid billowing black vapor, it charged wildly at Yang Zhen.
"He's finished. Yang Zhen is dead for sure this time."
"I heard long ago that Duan Langcai even brought out the Sword Attendant Sect's supreme treasure to kill Yang Zhen. That three-star weapon in his hand must be Ghost Evil. Who knows how much blood that sword has drunk for it to be so terrifying?"
"As expected of a genius the Sword Attendant Sect only produces once in a century. They say he completed the Sword Attendant Sect's hell-level trial in just over ten days. Not only did his strength soar, but he also comprehended the sect's ultimate technique, the Heavenly Ghost Blood-Drinking Sword. Yang Zhen really doesn't know his own limits, daring to provoke someone like that."
The crowd buzzed with discussion and instinctively moved farther away from Yang Zhen, afraid they would be caught in the crossfire of Duan Langcai's terrifying Heavenly Ghost Blood-Drinking Sword.
"Yang Zhen, you have only yourself to blame for not knowing your limits and daring to show your face before me again. Today, you'll repay the humiliation I suffered that day with your life."
Boom!
The ghost head suddenly opened its eyes, scarlet and fearsome. Waves of violent, sinister Qi poured from it as it roared at Yang Zhen and charged madly downward.
Yang Zhen curled his lip and slowly drew his longsword. He placed his left hand behind his back and looked at Duan Langcai with open contempt. "You disappeared for so long, and all you trained in was a martial skill that looks impressive but is useless?"
"What?" The people nearby were startled. "Looks impressive but is useless?"
"He's far too arrogant. They're both at the Foundation Establishment Realm Third Layer Heaven, and he still dares to be so overconfident. I really don't know how Yang Zhen has survived this long."
Yang Zhen threw back his head and laughed. Standing with one hand behind his back and the other holding his sword, he leaped into the air. His longsword suddenly rang out, and he said, "Then let me show you how I've survived this long!"
Hum!
Heaven and earth rumbled, and a burst of azure light erupted from the longsword in Yang Zhen's hand. Three waves of force flashed above his head like blazing suns. As black light flared, they swept across heaven and earth, shrieking like a hundred ghosts weeping in the night, their howls shaking the sky.
Three Origins Ghost Shadow Sword!
"Impossible!" Duan Langcai's eyes suddenly went round, filled with disbelief.
Even someone as gifted as his master, the sect master Wan Quan, would need nearly five years to cultivate the Three Origins Ghost Shadow Sword to its utmost. Yet after only a few days, Yang Zhen had already cultivated it to the pinnacle?
Still in midair, Duan Langcai was more shocked than if he had seen a ghost. He gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood. The ghost head's eyes immediately blazed with eerie light, and it roared hard enough to shake the heavens as it slammed into the longsword in Yang Zhen's hand.
Boom!
An earthshaking crash rang out. The ghost head dispersed, and the night weeping ceased. Endless waves of force swept outward, engulfing the surroundings. No one could see what was happening inside.
"Who won?" The crowd exchanged looks, unable to make out the situation.
"What Yang Zhen used looked like the Sword Attendant Sect's Ghost Shadow Sword, but how could the Ghost Shadow Sword compare with the Heavenly Ghost Blood-Drinking Sword? Yang Zhen must have lost!"
"What a pity. Yang Zhen was a true man, in his own way. Even with Duan Langcai hunting him down like that, he still turned the trial into a tangled mess and shot to fame."
"What good did that do him? In the end, he's still going to die at Duan Langcai's hands. Who could have thought Duan Langcai would even bring out Ghost Evil, and master the Heavenly Ghost Blood-Drinking Sword too?"
"Once the Heavenly Ghost appears, it won't return until it has drawn blood!"
Princess Changyang's expression was grave. She strained to see into the waves of force, but she too couldn't make out what was happening inside and could only wait where she was for the outcome.
Just then, a figure slowly emerged from the black light. Everyone held their breath and watched the figure tensely, wanting to be the first to see who had won.
"I have to say, although that move of yours really wasn't much in terms of power, it did make quite a racket. It'd still be good for scaring people. How about you teach it to me?"
Yang Zhen's lazy voice rang out, stunning everyone in the valley.
H-how was this possible?
Duan Langcai had been dealt with by Yang Zhen in a single move, and had no strength left to fight back as Yang Zhen dragged him out?
At that moment, it all felt unreal to everyone. Yang Zhen was actually this terrifying. The cultivators who had still been thinking of taking revenge on him all broke out in a cold sweat.
At the thought of fighting someone like that, the crowd couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat.
Duan Langcai's voice was weak as he said bitterly, "Don't even dream of it!"
"Don't be so stingy. Come on, let's go to the grove and talk it over. You can teach me, or I can hang you from a tree for everyone to look at. The people from those major sects seem to be arriving soon. Oh my, you'll be famous then. Wouldn't that be nice?"
"Y-you... Yang Zhen, whether you're going to kill me or carve me up, get it over with! If I so much as frown, I'm no man!"
"Tsk, tsk, there's no deep grudge between us. Why would I kill you? Don't worry, I'll only hang you up for ten days or half a month at most. Once the trial ends, someone will come and rescue you."
Watching Yang Zhen slowly emerge as he dragged the half-dead Duan Langcai, and hearing their conversation, everyone felt a chill down their backs.
This Yang Zhen was too despicable. What did he mean, "only hang you up for ten days or half a month"? He might as well kill Duan Langcai with one stroke.
Hearing Yang Zhen's words, Princess Changyang spat and turned to leave.
"Hey, Princess, you seem to have forgotten our agreement." Yang Zhen waved at Princess Changyang.
At his words, Princess Changyang's body trembled. She turned and looked at Yang Zhen with a faint smile. "What agreement did we have?"
Yang Zhen's eyes widened. "As the princess of a kingdom, a true golden branch and jade leaf, you can't go back on your word. What happened to the 666 you promised?"
"Golden branch and jade leaf?" Princess Changyang's beautiful eyes lit up. There wasn't a girl who didn't like being praised. Smiling, she said, "Ask for something else!"
Although she didn't know what 666 meant, the strange expression on Yang Zhen's face made it impossible for Princess Changyang to say it.
"How about..." Yang Zhen thought for a moment, then said, "I treat you to noodles another day?"
What?
The crowd's eyes nearly popped out. Naive Yang Zhen actually wanted to treat Princess Changyang to noodles?
The people in the Youyang Kingdom who wanted to treat Princess Changyang to a meal could probably fill the imperial capital. What made Yang Zhen worthy of saying such a thing in front of so many people? Could the two of them know each other?
That was even more impossible. Princess Changyang had not lived in the Youyang Kingdom since she was little, having grown up in a sect instead. She couldn't possibly know any cultivators from the Youyang Kingdom, much less a disciple of a minor sect like Yang Zhen.
Everyone began to gloat, waiting for Yang Zhen to be rebuffed, mercilessly rejected by Princess Changyang and utterly humiliated.
Princess Changyang hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "All right!"
...All right?
The crowd nearly fell apart when they heard her. Princess Changyang had actually agreed?
"Then it's a deal! I'll cook it myself when the time comes. Be there or be square!"
Grinning, Yang Zhen dragged Duan Langcai toward the grove.
"Yang Zhen, don't push us too far! Let Senior Brother Duan go!" The Sword Attendant Sect disciples closed in, surrounding Yang Zhen so tightly that not even water could get through.
"Get lost, all of you, or I'll send Duan Langcai to the palace to be a eunuch right now." Holding Ghost Evil, Yang Zhen made a gesture with it in front of Duan Langcai.
"G-get lost, all of you. Without my orders, no one is allowed to follow." Duan Langcai's face had gone white.
The next moment, the sound of ghosts weeping and wolves howling came from the grove.
(End of chapter)