Daoist Competition

On the surface of the sea, radiant energy intertwined as wind and waves churned. Explosive clashes occasionally erupted from within a mass of rolling smoke and clouds.

The two Demon Kings were engaged in a back-and-forth battle with Zhang Yan, a fight that had already lasted for an entire hour. These two avatars of the Jiu Kui Demon King exchanged a glance of quiet surprise—they were accustomed to battles with Qi Dao Practitioners being resolved swiftly, yet this man seemed to possess boundless Qi Veins. Not only did Zhang Yan show no signs of exhaustion, but he also appeared to be handling the situation with ease.

Unbeknownst to them, they were slowly being pulled farther and farther away from the sea boat, a distance gradually growing under Zhang Yan's maneuvering.

Even if the two Demon Kings were to realize this subtle separation, they wouldn't give it much thought. While Zhang Yan could fend off their combined strikes, his ability to prevent their escape was uncertain. As long as the sea boat remained within their vision, they were confident that no one could get away.

Meanwhile, the people aboard the sea boat assumed Zhang Yan's deliberate maneuvering was to avoid harming them during his attack, and thus they felt a deep sense of gratitude.

At this moment, Zhang Yan had released a mass of mist around the sea, blanketing the area in a thick, hazy fog. Especially around Zhang Yan himself, the mist was dense and concealing, making him certain that no one was able to spy on the scene. Sensing the opportune moment, his eyes flickered with a sudden, murderous glint. With a sharp flick of his sleeve, he threw out an object.

The item streaked through the air, appearing initially as a wooden pillar about a foot long. In just a breath, however, it transformed into a massive column three yards tall, inscribed with three glowing words written in talismanic script.

Hovering in midair, the giant pillar emitted a dazzling golden light and unleashed an overwhelming aura of sharpness. A beam of brilliance shot toward the Demon King wielding the Heavenly Pointing Stick, enveloping him in a flash. The pillar then began to rotate in midair as if it were a massive rolling boulder, emitting a rumbling vibration. Waves of rainbow-hued light and sharp energy cascaded downward relentlessly.

This Dharma Treasure was none other than the "Seven Absolute Piles," which Zhang Yan had obtained from Ni Qianying. It was capable of unleashing limitless Sword Qi to sever enemies.

Ni Qianying, unfamiliar with the ways of the sword, had been unable to properly channel the Sword Qi. As a consequence, it could only scatter erratically under her control, failing to unleash the treasure's true power.

However, in Zhang Yan's hands, things were completely different. With only a minor sacrificial refinement, he grasped how to command and tame it. The Sword Qi it released under his control followed precise patterns, and the treasure, once activated, could produce hundreds of Sword Qi strands. Though each individual strand was not as sharp as a sword ball, their strength lay in their near-limitless barrage.

The Demon King below had initially been barely holding his ground under the combined assault of Xuan Guang and the sword ball. Now, with countless strands of Sword Light cascading from above, his burden intensified exponentially. Mustering all his energy, he swung his Divine Weapon furiously, generating a blur of light and shadow.

Yet, despite his meticulous defense, the golden streaks descending like locusts in a rainstorm infiltrated his defenses with the precision of mercury seeping through cracks. Within mere moments, his robes were shredded, and blood sprayed into the air.

Even as the Demon King fully activated his Mysterious Skill to heal, fresh injuries would appear before the previous wounds could close.

Panic surged through him as he muttered inwardly, "How does this brat have so many powerful treasures? Each one is more formidable than the last. If this continues, I'm afraid both I and Old Third will be done for here. It's better to retreat for now and seek revenge when Old First arrives!"

With that thought, he swung his Heavenly Pointing Stick, shaking loose dozens of Sword Qi strands, and turned to flee.

Seeing this, Zhang Yan let out a cold, mocking laugh. How could the "Seven Absolute Piles," embodying the essence of finality, allow such an easy escape?

The fleeing Demon King barely made it a few steps before a streak of radiant light appeared before him, blocking his path. He struck the obstruction with his Divine Weapon, but it didn't budge an inch. Frantically, he turned in another direction, only to find the same result. His heart sank sharply as he realized the gravity of his plight.

A piercing sound of sword lights cutting through the air came from behind, an onslaught of countless streaks of Sword Light pursuing him relentlessly. With no other option, he hefted his Heavenly Pointing Stick once more, re-engaging in the battle.

As long as the Seven Absolute Piles remained intact, the Sword Qi would persist endlessly. There was no way to withstand the barrage. The Demon King let out continual, agonized screams, his body reduced to a shredded mass of flesh. Even if he wasn't dead for now, he had been rendered utterly powerless.

After observing for a moment, Zhang Yan shifted his focus to the other Demon King.

He extended a finger and raised the Soul Suppressing Inkstone into the air, holding it poised but not yet striking, wielding it as an implicit threat. Then, he unfurled Xuan Guang, unleashing innumerable golden fire sparks that descended like rain, while the Star Sword Ball transformed into a radiant, sweeping arc of rainbow light, slashing downward.

The Demon King, already struggling to withstand the You Yin Heavy Water, suddenly found himself besieged by nearly all of Zhang Yan's techniques. He was thrown into a frantic mess, struck repeatedly by Heavy Water, tumbling head over heels among the swirling clouds.

Seeing his precarious situation, he, too, felt the urge to flee. The moment fear manifested in his heart, his movements slowed, creating the opening Zhang Yan had been waiting for. A cold glimmer darted across Zhang Yan's gaze as he flipped his palm and hurled the Soul Suppressing Inkstone downward. With a thunderous "boom," the artifact struck the Demon King squarely on the forehead.