The Challenger
The Yang Soul Dharma Body of a top-tier cultivator was almost collapsing before their eyes; this was the ultimate ritual for refining the Spirit Wood Staff.
Zhang Xuezhou felt a mix of anxiety and uncertainty.
But he ultimately did not use the Spiritwood Staff to deliver the final blow.
He was not a passenger while piloting the Sky Shuttle, making it difficult to unleash the power of the Spirit Wood Staff, and the new emperor's attack was too fast.
Without any prior notice or hint, the new emperor had completed his preparations for the talismans and swordsmanship; the moment he drew his sword would be the moment of execution.
Approaching a martial arts practitioner without warning is a nightmare for a magic practitioner, and even a Dao Lord is no exception. Zhang Xuezhou was no different in failing to seize such an opportunity.
"What a pity!"
A streak of purple light sped away towards the north.
Zhang Xuezhou sighed softly to himself.
Even in your true form, I fear you to some extent; how could a mere avatar possibly bind my sword!
The new emperor's body floated lightly in the air, almost suspended in mid-air as he controlled his swordsmanship.
After unleashing his sword technique, he did not fall rapidly; his body remained suspended in the air until Zhang Xuezhou landed below him in his Sky Shuttle, at which point his body floated down.
The sword in his hand trembled slightly, and his chest heaved with heavy breathing, revealing the turmoil in his emotions.
The new emperor's sword had slain ferocious beasts Demon Beast, but had never killed a human.
This was his first time drawing his sword and killing someone; it was both a sacrifice to his sword and a sacrifice to his heart.
As long as a cultivator like Daojun has ever been defeated by his sword, his sword will not tremble no matter who it is facing. This is true for Daojun, Zhu Jiuyin, and Nine Spirits Primal Sage.
He gripped the longsword tightly with his clenched wrists, veins bulging in his hands. The flames on the blade had died down, but the sheen of his Qi and Blood continued to emanate from it.
"Charge into it! Charge towards the Nine Spirits Primal Sage!"
Quickly calming his inner turmoil, the new emperor pointed downwards at the conspicuous Nine Spirits Primal Sage.
"It seems that General Li is currently shooting down Nine Spirits Primal Sage. Shall we choose some other opponents?"
Zhang Xuezhou took a deep breath.
The shock he felt subsided much faster than that of the new emperor.
Once the sword is drawn, it cannot be retracted. Zhang Xuezhou knew that he would no longer be able to have a peaceful conversation with Daojun. Only by taking a blow from the other party and being able to withstand it could he possibly let go of this borderline grudge with Daojun.
Daojun's thoughts were unchangeable, which made Zhang Xuezhou even consider delivering a final blow.
He simply didn't have enough time to perform, which is why he missed the opportunity.
But at this moment, facing another Sacred Land lord would be madness, and Zhang Xuezhou couldn't be so crazy as to fight alongside the new emperor.
The new emperor Sheng Daojun had an advantage in the surprise attack, and also in the fact that Daojun was skilled in magic and did not come in his true form. However, the Nine Spirits Primal Sage below was a real demon body and was also truly skilled in close combat. These were completely different opponents, and they could not be placed on the same level just because they were both lords of Sacred Land.
Without the Heaven-Shaking Arrow, Li Guang is no match for the Nine Spirits Primal Sage!
"A ninth-rank demon saint's body is bathed in heavenly lightning, with muscles and bones of copper and iron, impervious to the sharpness of conventional swords and spears. General Li's archery skills are at their peak; he can only aim at the Nine Spirits Primal Sage's eyes and shoot at a few other spots. Your sword will hardly be effective!"
"But Master Li is also keeping an eye on the Nine Spirits Primal Sage!"
The Sky Shuttle continued its descent, and the view below became increasingly clear.
The new emperor pointed downwards, and Li Shaojun's body swayed like a leaf in a storm, constantly dodging attacks from the possible directions of the Nine Spirits Primal Sage.
The new emperor clearly wanted to cooperate with Li Shaojun and others to eliminate the lord of the Sacred Land of the Northern Kuru Continent.
"Master Li hasn't been feeling well lately, and he hasn't made a move yet. If we intervene rashly, we might disrupt his rhythm!"
Zhang Xuezhou gritted his teeth.
If Li Shaojun had real skills, even if he only had half the strength of Divine Lord Zhenyuan, he could still meet the new emperor's requirements.
"Roar!"
It's clear that Nine Spirits Primal Sage is also misled by Li Shaojun's reputation, roaring incessantly, yet he dares not confront him head-on.
Constantly dodging and leaping to avoid Li Guang's arrows, the Nine Spirits Primal Sage also kept avoiding Li Shaojun, almost to the point of being restricted in its movements.
Zhang Xuezhou felt that maintaining this state was best, to avoid the situation becoming complicated if everyone actually fought and discovered the truth.
"Look at the Empress Dowager, she needs help more than anyone else!"
Zhang Xuezhou had to find a more convincing reason, which also pointed to the core clashes.
It was difficult to distinguish one another from the hundreds who were fighting, especially since they were all dressed almost identically.
The Empress Dowager also wore a helmet and armor, but her large sleeves remained unchanged, which made her stand out even more.
Although the Empress Dowager vowed to kill Zhu Jiuyin, the battle did not follow her wishes. Zhu Jiuyin's yang spirit embodied on the Nine Dragon Cauldron, which was the core of the Xiong State's assault force. Xiong State's experts were constantly moving back and forth around it, and many powerful demons were nearby to assist in the attack.
Zhu Jiuyin, who was in charge of the Nine Dragon Cauldron, did not linger in battle. Instead, he ordered his men to fight and retreat. After all, the Xiong State's assault team rode on horseback, while most of the Great Han's ambush team relied on their legs. Once a certain distance was created, they would inevitably be separated.
Zhu Jiuyin didn't care whether he killed one more or one less Han Kingdom Han Kingdom; he looked at the Nine Dragon Cauldron beneath his feet.
Some of the rumors may have been spread by him, but Zhu Jiuyin needed such a large cauldron for alchemy at the moment.
Zou Bugui Water-Fire Pill Furnace encountered some problems when refining top-grade pills, and he kept mentioning the need to replace it with a better Pill Furnace.
The Nine Dragon Cauldron of the Qin Dynasty is considered the most advanced Pill Furnace in the last hundred years, Zhu Jiuyin thought it was worth taking it back and using it.
He felt the Kongxu in his body, and his mind inevitably returned to that dark time when he was shot and killed by Ying Fusu.
This was the most serious injury he had suffered in nearly a thousand years, and it was a severe blow to his very being. This kind of injury almost killed him, and it also made it extremely difficult for Zhu Jiuyin to recover. His body and strength have never recovered to this day.
"Keep charging forward, don't linger in the fight, keep charging, and shake them off completely!"
As he continued to shake off the entanglements of the Han Kingdom cultivators, Zhu Jiuyin raised his eyes.
A new flying Law Treasure appeared in the rain.
Cultivators from the Han Dynasty kept appearing. He scanned and observed for several seconds before he could barely make out the faces of the cultivators on the Imperial Shuttle.
Both of them were very young, seemingly newcomers who had emerged in recent years.
Even the most radical new cultivators have their limits. Zhu Jiuyin wasn't afraid of newcomers; he was just worried about the emergence of some inexplicable, targeted magical Law Treasure.
For example, Li Guang's Heaven-Shaking Arrow, the Red Empyrean Sword of the Great Han Dynasty imperial family, and that heavy Demon-Revealing Mirror.
Each treasure brought him unspeakable trauma, requiring Zhu Jiuyin to remain cautious.
"Zhu Jiuyin!"
A loud shout came from afar. Zhu Jiuyin glanced at it, then ignored it and did not respond.
"That demonic dragon caught an arrow from Gongsun He!"
A loud shout came from afar, followed by a streak of dark light shooting out.
It was clear that this arrow was fired from a special heavy bow; all three arrows that were meant to intercept the dark light were deflected.
The dark light shone before his eyes. Zhu Jiuyin reached out and grabbed the sharp-toothed arrow, then flung it back the way it came.
A muffled groan came from behind him, Zhu Jiuyin couldn't help but shake his head.
Even in his most destitute state, he was still a top-tier demon, not someone that ordinary cultivators could easily defeat.
But just a few seconds later, Zhu Jiuyin's expression changed slightly.
In a useless storm and rain, the storm slashed in like a knife, while the rain began to turn into waves to restrain it.
He looked at his clothes, which had been instantly shredded, and the cuts that had penetrated several feet into Yang Po's body. Then he looked at the water ropes binding his feet. His slightly hunched body quickly straightened up.