Severing an arm to survive

The great hand seized the azure crescent moon.

With a thought from Lu Changsheng, Law Power surged forth, and spiritual light swept down straight toward Su Muyue.

At the critical moment, a rune manifested between her brows. A gleam of azure light protected her body, but the collision with the Law Power sent her flying.

A thunderous crash rang out as a mountain collapsed beneath the impact.

Lu Changsheng showed no tenderness toward a beauty. Since he had acted, he would cut the weeds out by the roots as thoroughly as possible. If she escaped, that would be down to her own ability.

Dust filled the air. Her body trembled slightly, but the azure light protecting her had kept her from injury. Her eyes, however, were filled with horror.

This was an expert at the ninth layer of Core Formation, but no ordinary ninth-layer cultivator. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator coming here might not be able to subdue him.

"Who on earth are you?!"

She could not believe it. From beginning to end, she had only seen that puppet, never the person attacking.

In other words, they had no way of getting anywhere near that place.

Before her eyes, the great hand erupted with boundless Law Power, intent on crushing the azure crescent moon.

Even Law Power was continuously crushed apart. Rays of light burst forth, then vanished into nothingness.

"It seems your background is even more extraordinary than I expected!"

Lu Changsheng's voice rang out, carrying an imposing authority as it echoed in every direction.

The azure moon was not solid. Countless runes filled it, interweaving to form the sight before him, yet despite his full exertion, it did not budge.

The horror in Su Muyue's eyes deepened. No one knew better than she did how terrifying that azure crescent moon was. Ordinarily, it allowed her to retreat safely even against someone at the ninth layer of Core Formation.

Now, however, someone held it fast, and it could not break free.

With a thought, Lu Changsheng raised his hand, and Law Power surged out, striking in every direction.

The elder from the Divine Firmament Sect had nowhere to dodge and could only meet it head-on. Yet that crashing blow shook his soul and scattered his Law Power. He could scarcely imagine what sort of terrifying opponent he had encountered.

Su Muyue dodged, the azure light between her brows constantly shielding her.

Xuan Cheng was not so fortunate. He unleashed every means at his disposal, only for all of them to shatter. The blow nearly tore him apart, and his body slammed down, shaking the earth.

Yet the lethal assault never dispersed, pursuing him closely.

He had never expected his opponent to be so ruthless. He had done nothing, yet had drawn murderous intent upon himself.

"You've gone too far!"

Xuan Cheng flew into a rage. With a long howl, spiritual light erupted from his body. His voice carried a rending agony as a paper talisman appeared at his chest.

In an instant, Sword Qi surged into existence across the sky, its might enough to match a full-powered strike from the first layer of Nascent Soul.

"A sword talisman!"

Su Muyue was astonished. Such an item was exceedingly precious and possessed terrifying destructive power.

What they had not expected was that the instant the sword talisman appeared, a streak of sword light manifested in the sky. Like a divine sword leaving its sheath, it abruptly slashed down.

Boom!

Before the suspended Sword Qi could move, it all exploded. The sword light swept through the void and cleaved the paper talisman apart.

Xuan Cheng's eyes were filled with horror. The sword cleaved him in two, extinguishing his life.

Both the elder and Su Muyue found it unbelievable.

"The eighth layer of Sword Dao?"

Su Muyue cried out. She could feel how terrifying that Sword Qi was. It was likely not far from the ninth layer.

Lu Changsheng said nothing. The sword talisman was indeed formidable, but it had been destroyed before it could be fully activated. He had not even needed to use all his strength.

At this sight, both of them paled.

Lu Changsheng raised his hand again. Sword Qi pierced through like a long rainbow piercing the sun, its silken streak bursting apart. The elder was hurled backward, his body breaking. Sword Qi descended and severed his body.

Both his soul and his cultivation were dissipating.

He was only a strand of soul split off from his original body. Once slain, he would lose more than that strand of soul; his cultivation would dissipate as well.

His original body would also suffer grievous injuries, his cultivation regressing and requiring a long period of recuperation.

Su Muyue's heart trembled.

She formed seals with her hands. The rune between her brows blazed brighter as she recklessly tried to recall the azure moon.

She knew very well that she could not contend with the person before her. From beginning to end, he had never used his full strength, yet had already displayed absolute dominance.

None of their astonishing methods had hindered him in the slightest.

Pfft!

At that moment, flowing light covered the azure moon. It erupted with astonishing power and broke free of the great hand, but Su Muyue suffered a backlash and spat out a mouthful of blood.

As the azure moon returned to her, a paper talisman appeared in her hand. As it burned, she turned into a streak of light and vanished.

Lu Changsheng did not pursue her. He knew that her background was extraordinary. Even if he used all his strength, he probably could not keep her here, and he might expose himself as well.

The losses would outweigh the gains.

"Consider yourself lucky to be alive!"

With that, Lu Changsheng immediately withdrew his attack. The oppressive might in every direction dissipated, and he raised his hand to recall the puppet.

After pondering for a moment, he headed into the distance, intending to investigate that great hall.

Yet as he traveled across the area, he found no trace of it.

The entire secret realm seemed to have fallen silent.

"That's not right. Where's that great hall?"

Lu Changsheng extended his Divine Sense but discovered nothing.

Instead, he found Ye Tianyi.

He was injured and sat cross-legged in a valley, tending to his wounds.

Lu Changsheng hurried over. Corpses lay strewn everywhere, most of them belonging to the Profound Heaven Sect. Li Changfeng lay conspicuously on the ground, already slain.

"Looks like Second Senior Brother is pretty fierce too!"

He spoke, then paid it no further mind and walked straight over.

Seeing that it was Lu Changsheng and finding him unharmed, Ye Tianyi immediately sighed in relief.

Lu Changsheng said nothing either. He took out a pill and pushed it into Ye Tianyi's mouth.

As the pure medicinal potency spread, Ye Tianyi's complexion eased, and his injuries slowly healed.

Only after a long while did he slowly open his eyes.

"How are you, Senior Brother?"

"Much better!"

Ye Tianyi nodded.

Lu Changsheng asked, "What happened just now?"

"The Profound Heaven Sect attacked me. They wanted to use me to force Eldest Senior Brother to submit!" Anger rose in Ye Tianyi's eyes as he spoke. Then he asked, "Are you all right?"

"I found somewhere to cultivate as soon as I came in. I only just came out!"

"That's just as well!"

Ye Tianyi nodded. This junior brother was the one he worried about most. It was enough to see that he was unharmed.

Afterward, the two set off and found Zhou Qingyu.

As always, he stood with his hands behind his back, showing no sign of injury as he surveyed his surroundings indifferently. Only his blue robes were stained with blood. Corpses lay all around his feet, and the mountains were battered, carved with sword scars.

It was clear what sort of battle had erupted there.

"Senior Brother, did you catch up to that great hall?" Ye Tianyi asked.

Zhou Qingyu nodded. "I went inside, but there was nothing there!"

"The Azure Cloud Map wasn't there?"

"No!"

Zhou Qingyu surveyed their surroundings, then looked into the distance. "Just now, I sensed an almost terrifying Sword Intent. It seems someone extremely powerful came here. I'm worried they've already obtained it!"

"Stronger than you?" Ye Tianyi frowned.

Zhou Qingyu nodded.

Lu Changsheng said nothing.

"Let's go. We'll leave first and let the sect decide!"

Zhou Qingyu made his decision and led his two junior brothers away.

Outside, however, everyone was in an uproar.

Su Muyue had fled back severely injured. Once everyone learned what had happened inside, they were all horrified.

Even the people from the Cangyun Sect had not expected this outcome.

According to Su Muyue, there was an expert at the ninth layer of Core Formation in the secret realm, someone unheard of.

Most importantly, he had slain Xuan Cheng and Zhao Yang and shattered everyone's methods.

At that moment, everyone gathered before the exit.

The Cangyun Sect's people knew that the Nighttime Madman must have slipped into the secret realm, but they had never expected him to cause such an enormous commotion this time!