NOVEL NEXT Chapter 154 - 154: Three Grandmasters Join Forces
Chapter 154: Chapter 154: Three Grandmasters Join Forces
Zhao Qingmei was all too familiar with that voice.
Following the sound, she saw an elderly figure in black standing at the entrance of the hall, with white hair, a youthful face, and a celestial aura. A faint smile played around his lips.
“Old… Old Sect Hierarch!”
Yu Qiurong trembled as she saw the man, exclaiming in disbelief.
The man was none other than Jiang Shang, the previous Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.
“Old Sect Hierarch!”
Duanmu Xinghua slightly bowed, giving Jiang Shang a respectful fist salute.
Yuan Feng felt a sigh of relief upon seeing Jiang Shang’s sudden appearance, as Zhao Qingmei’s master was here, and things should not be too difficult now.
Jiang Shang gave a slight nod and then turned to look at the silent Zhao Qingmei, smiling, “What’s the matter? Don’t you recognize your master anymore?”
“Have you been in Yu State City all this time?”
Zhao Qingmei glanced at Jiang Shang and asked.
“Yes, I have been here for a few years,” Jiang Shang sighed. “I was seriously injured and barely survived; I could only recuperate in Yu State City first.”
Jiang Shang was capricious and highly suspicious by nature; having been gravely injured by Xiao Qianqiu, he feared that news of his condition might lead to attacks from his enemies, so he hid in Yu State City, telling no one, including Jiang Renyi.
During his time in Yu State City, aside from healing his injuries, he was also secretly searching for the Undying Blood that could grant immortality.
Zhao Qingmei asked expressionlessly, “Why did you kill my husband?”
To kill Zhao Qingmei’s husband!?
Hearing this, Duanmu Xinghua was slightly shocked and then it dawned on her.
She finally understood why Zhao Qingmei had accused her that day; Jiang Shang had called Zhao Qingmei back for this reason.
“Little Qingmei.”
Hearing her words, Jiang Shang shook his head, “Do you know that I did this for your own good?”
“For my good?”
Zhao Qingmei could not help but laugh when she heard this.
Yu Qiurong knew Zhao Qingmei very well; Zhao Qingmei never laughed, and when she did, it meant her anger had reached its limit.
Jiang Shang looked at Zhao Qingmei seriously and said, “That doctor was just an ordinary person, whereas you? You’re a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. Your future is boundless. Now that you’re cultivating the Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture, reaching the realm of Great Grandmaster is just a matter of time, and you might even touch the realm of Transcendence and achieve immortality.”
“He was merely a hindrance, a shackle on your path to the Supreme Dao.”
The Supreme Dao!
Upon hearing Jiang Shang’s words, Duanmu Xinghua’s heart raced, her breathing paused.
To a Great Grandmaster, increasing one’s lifespan by three hundred years was something Duanmu Xinghua considered beyond reach, let alone Transcendence, which could offer true immortality.
Was there really anyone who could achieve this realm?
Ouyang Ping raised an eyebrow, his lips parting slightly.
Others might not know, but as veteran cultivators who had practiced for over a hundred years, they were aware of some secrets of the world.
If the realm of Great Grandmaster was a reality in this world, then Transcendence was merely speculative.
Throughout history, very few had reached the realm of Great Grandmaster; all who pursued Transcendence had failed without exception.
And those who did reach the realm of Great Grandmaster were rare talents, stunning figures in the world.
Eventually, some claimed that Transcendence was merely a fantasy, that the Great Grandmaster was the pinnacle of cultivation, and that true immortality was impossible in this world.
Ouyang Ping believed that reaching the realm of Great Grandmaster was fortunate enough. As for Transcendence, it was best not to harbor illusions.
“I will decide my own affairs; no one else may interfere.”
Zhao Qingmei lightly laughed upon hearing this, “Besides, if your so-called Dao requires being heartless and emotionless, then I would rather not pursue it.”
Although she was laughing, everyone felt a chill in the air.
Jiang Shang’s brow furrowed slightly as he said, “The disparity between you is too great; in the end, it would only harm you and him. I cannot stand by and watch you fall into an abyss.”
“So, you killed him?” Zhao Qingmei’s smile faded, her words ice-cold, almost completely unhidden.
Jiang Shang took a deep breath and nodded, “I shattered his heart meridians; not even a Daluo Immortal could save him.”
Boom!
Upon hearing Jiang Shang’s words, Zhao Qingmei felt her mind buzz, plunging into blankness.
When Tan Yun sent the letter, she saw the paper figures move and felt a glimmer of hope, but now, hearing Jiang Shang’s words, that glimmer of hope was almost extinguished.
Who was Jiang Shang?
Zhao Qingmei knew him too well. Once he took action, it was bound to be foolproof.
Moreover, her husband was only a doctor. How could he possibly be a match for Jiang Shang?
Now, her only hope lay in the responding paper figures.
But even this hope seemed faint.
The slight luck in Zhao Qingmei’s heart was about to be extinguished as well.
Jiang Shang’s gaze turned to Zhao Qingmei and he said, “Qingmei, hand over the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’ to your master, and I will henceforth preside over the Sealing Demon Platform and cease to intervene in the affairs of the Demon Sect. You will remain the Sect Hierarch, and should you or the Demon Sect face any peril, I will not stand idly by.”
“In the future, when the world falls into great turmoil, this old man might even come out of seclusion to help you accomplish the grand ambition in your heart.”
Zhao Qingmei lowered her head and said nothing.
The entire great hall was quiet, with everyone’s gazes fixed on Zhao Qingmei.
“Why!?”
Zhao Qingmei murmured to herself, her voice devoid of any emotion.
Duanmu Xinghua sighed deeply upon seeing this; she had not expected things to turn out this way.
Where emotions are concerned, some people willingly indulge.
Jiang Shang’s voice, rarely soft, softened a few degrees as he said, “Throughout the ages, how many people have been obsessed with love, trapped in its depths, unable to extricate themselves? I see my own reflection in you, and thus I intervened…”
Zhao Qingmei’s voice trembled slightly, “Why, why did you kill him? He clearly did nothing wrong!”
Her husband was just an ordinary man, wanting nothing more than to live an ordinary life. What had he done wrong?
She had promised to protect him well, she had promised…
At this thought, Zhao Qingmei felt as if her heart was being sliced open by a knife.
Jiang Shang’s eyes were deep as he said, “You’re not wrong, he wasn’t wrong, I’m not wrong; such is the way of survival in this world. Haven’t you known this since you were young?”
Zhao Qingmei did not respond but touched the long blade at her waist.
“Shi!” “Shi!”
The Mandarin Duck Blades were drawn, revealing a chilling gleam.
The temperature in the entire great hall suddenly dropped.
Seeing this, Jiang Shang’s brows furrowed into a ‘川’ shape, and he said coldly, “What, are you going to fight me?”
“Sect Hierarch, think carefully,”
Duanmu Xinghua said solemnly.
She could understand Zhao Qingmei’s feelings at the moment; her husband had been killed, and she was being coerced to hand over the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture’. But who was she facing?
That was Jiang Shang, the previous Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, one of the sect’s top experts.
Moreover, behind Jiang Shang stood two grandmasters with higher cultivation than hers, and it could be said without exaggeration that Zhao Qingmei had almost no chance of winning.
At that moment, Zhao Qingmei simply couldn’t hear any of Duanmu Xinghua’s words; the Mandarin Duck Blades flickered with an extreme icy radiance, “Today, only one of us will live.”
Yu Qiurong’s heart trembled, and her fists clenched tightly.
Zhao Qingmei had made her intentions clear; she was determined to fight Jiang Shang to the death.
As Zhao Qingmei’s words fell, the expressions of the others changed.
“Absolutely not.” Duanmu Xinghua continued to plead earnestly.
But Zhao Qingmei was deaf to her words.
Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng, however, remained silent; in their view, letting Jiang Shang teach Zhao Qingmei a lesson could be a good thing.
Seeing this, Jiang Shang was not angry, but instead laughed, “Very well, let me see the progress you’ve made these past few years.”
“Step back,”
As Zhao Qingmei’s internal fire reached its peak, True Qi began to surge within her.
Duanmu Xinghua and Yu Qiurong swiftly stepped back, not daring to hesitate a moment.
“Mandarin Duck Blades, these are indeed fine blades,”
Jiang Shang said slowly, looking at the blade light in Zhao Qingmei’s hands.
The Mandarin Duck Blades, one inscribed with ‘Benevolence’ and the other with ‘Invincible’, were forged by a highly famous forger from the Great Zhou Dynasty, using extremely precious meteoric iron, and took thirteen years to make.
Later, a pair of Grandmaster couple acquired them. Each wielding one blade, one holding the Yuan Blade and the other the Mandarin Duck Blade, they roamed the world, seldom meeting opponents, and even killed Grandmasters with these blades.
Over the past thousand years, these twin blades have been saturated with the blood of countless Grandmaster martial artists, and their blades are steeped in a murderous Qi mechanism.
Zhao Qingmei’s body moved, and in an instant, she had disappeared from the spot.
Zhao Qingmei stood ahead, her body enveloped in a full-blown killing aura, not concealing any of it.
Jiang Shang’s expression remained unchanged as he stared at Zhao Qingmei in front of him and pointed his finger forward.
Immediately, True Qi burst forth in the great hall, and a fist-sized True Qi rainbow shot out explosively from his fingertip.
Boom! Boom!
The True Qi rainbow traveled piercing through the air.
Zhao Qingmei’s expression grew tense, as Jiang Shang’s cultivation was much stronger than Duanmu Shanghua’s.
Woosh!
As that True Qi rainbow trembled through the void and pierced through, the great hall seemed to tremble.
Zhao Qingmei tightly gripped the Mandarin Duck Blade, her expression as unyielding as millennium-old ice; her robe whipped around, engulfing a dark extreme light in the savage wind.
Then, her body propelled forward, turning into a beam of black light.
Jiang Shang’s expression was unwavering as he directly faced the charge.
At the moment the two clashed, True Qi intersected, overturning clouds and smashing waves.
Like lightning striking flint, even Yu Qiurong, in the Heavenly Flower Realm, couldn’t clearly see the traces of their fight.
Duanmu Xinghua’s face was extremely solemn as she watched the scene ahead.
Jiang Shang flicked his hand, and a palm strike headed towards Zhao Qingmei. This palm turned into a dark black canopy, like a mountain shifting and sea overturning, surging towards Zhao Qingmei.
Thunderous!
Waves of True Qi spread out everywhere, producing ripples of True Qi throughout the entire great hall wave after wave.
“Shush, shush!”
Zhao Qingmei drew her blades, and the Mandarin Duck Blade emitted a resonant clash as she charged forward.
When the sword Qi and black twilight touched, a domineering force transmitted towards her.
So strong!
Zhao Qingmei hastily retreated backwards, guessing that her master’s cultivation must have progressed further, most likely peeking into the pinnacle of the Three Qi Grandmaster, not far from reaching the Four Qi Realm.
If it weren’t for her cultivation of the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” she would have been defeated in a single move, from which she could sense Jiang Shang’s profound strength.
“What an impressive ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture.’ It not only strengthens her physical body but also enhances the depth of her True Qi far beyond that of an ordinary Grandmaster,”
Jiang Shang was even more stunned given that his and Zhao Qingmei’s cultivations differed by two whole realms.
Standing in the distance, Duanmu Xinghua smiled wryly and shook her head, “The Sect Hierarch truly has heaven-sent talent; I didn’t expect her to reach the Essence Qi returning so quickly and advance to the One Qi Realm.”
Upon reaching the Grandmaster Realm, what’s cultivated is the human body’s Five Qi. Once all Five Qi return, one can challenge the shackles to ascend to the Great Grandmaster Realm.
Just over a month ago, Zhao Qingmei barely reached the Grandmaster cultivation. Logically, it would take a long time to achieve Essence Qi returning.
Zhao Qingmei’s rapid Essence Qi returning, apart from cultivating the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” another main reason is that she had suppressed herself in the Half-step Master Realm for a long time, allowing for accumulation that facilitated a breakthrough.
The next moment, Jiang Shang appeared directly behind Zhao Qingmei.
And at the instant he appeared, Zhao Qingmei sensed Jiang Shang’s Qi mechanism.
In the Heavenly Demon Technique, there’s a movement technique called Step by Step Lotus, modeled after the martial arts in the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture.” Zhao Qingmei had already mastered it to the Seventh Layer a while ago.
A black lotus appeared beneath her feet, allowing her to dodge Jiang Shang’s sure-hit palm.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
One using the flexibility of Step by Step Lotus to continuously dodge, and one with extremely high cultivation incessantly pursuing, Zhao Qingmei always narrowly avoided Jiang Shang’s attacks.
With Jiang Shang’s cultivation, a single hit would be disastrous, even for Zhao Qingmei, whose bones had been tempered to be as strong as gold.
Employing Step by Step Lotus, which blends illusion with reality, and appearing slow yet moving incredibly fast, Jiang Shang’s torrential attacks were instantly dissolved.
“Such a peculiar movement technique…”
Jiang Shang frowned, his cultivation was significantly higher than Zhao Qingmei’s; logically, he should be much faster, but with Zhao Qingmei executing this Step by Step Lotus technique, he simply couldn’t close the distance to her.
“Stop running!”
Suddenly, Jiang Shang halted his steps, and a strong black light emerged behind him. The next moment, he unleashed the most overbearing palm technique from the Heavenly Demon Technique.
Heavenly Demon Technique! Heavenly Demon Star Splitting Palm!
Boom!
Each palm seemed to carry the force of a miniature mountain crashing down, all concentrated into a single strike.
The power in the palm of Jiang Shang’s hand was so terrifying that one couldn’t comprehend its intensity without experiencing it firsthand.
Jiang Shang’s palm struck precisely, and the fierce gust of wind hit Zhao Qingmei’s body.
Zhao Qingmei was sent flying backward. The Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture activated, subsequently offsetting some of the impact.
“Jiang Shang’s cultivation is two realms higher than mine. Even using the Nine Nether Secret Technique from the Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture, it’s probably hard to defeat him. I need to find another way…”
Thinking this, Zhao Qingmei knew it was difficult to defeat Jiang Shang, “If only I had the Heavenly Flipping Seal with me, I could have given it a try.”
Jiang Shang had no intention of giving Zhao Qingmei a chance to catch her breath.
The surging qi, like a tidal wave, flooded aggressively toward Zhao Qingmei in front, seemingly intent on crushing her completely.
Zhao Qingmei stood still, holding the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades in her hands, her expression extremely solemn.
Ouyang Ping indifferently said, “Jiang Shang’s cultivation has reached the peak of the Three Qi Grandmaster. His student is at the One Qi level. The gap is too large.”
“At her age, such cultivation, if she loses, it might not be a bad thing.”
A gleam flashed in Yuan Feng’s eyes.
Many naturally gifted talents, due to their arrogance and smooth journeys, often find it hard to break through their own shackles. If Zhao Qingmei could see through these constraints and elevate her state of mind early, her future would be boundlessly promising.
Yu Qiurong whispered, “Sect Master Duanmu, this?”
“The chances of winning are very low.”
Duanmu Xinghua shook her head. In fact, she initially wanted to say there was no chance at all.
As Zhao Qingmei’s body tensed up, Jiang Shang stomped his foot, and his body eerily vanished.
Hum!
Zhao Qingmei clenched the Mandarin Duck Blades tightly, and her arm swung, emanating force qi that carried enough power to destroy mountains.
And at the very moment Zhao Qingmei’s Mandarin Duck Twin Blades slashed down, the previously empty space burst forth with Jiang Shang’s figure, his finger pointing directly at her blade.
“Bang!”
The blade of the Yuan Blade directly struck Jiang Shang’s finger light.
The moment of collision was like two giant stones meeting, visible waves of qi lashed out, exploding instantly, causing the entire great hall to tremble.
The ground beneath their feet also cracked, spreading outwards into the distance.
The strong rebounding force rushed toward Zhao Qingmei like a tsunami, causing her body to violently jerk backward and almost fly out of the great hall.
Zhao Qingmei steadied herself, lifting the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades in her hands.
Whirr whirr whirr whirr!
Countless black spiraling qi streams surged forward, forming terrifying waves of blade qi.
Beneath Zhao Qingmei’s feet, a black lotus flower several feet in size appeared, and she stood atop it.
The numerous spiraling waves of blade qi formed the petals of the black lotus, enveloping Zhao Qingmei at the center.
Such a spectacle! Truly astonishing and spectacular!
Yuan Feng and Ouyang Ping both furrowed their brows, their eyes fixed intently on the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades in Zhao Qingmei’s hands.
Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture!
Zhao Qingmei, standing on the black lotus, her beautiful eyes suddenly brightened. Force qi surged up, and the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades streaked down like a shooting star.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The blade light that shot down like a meteor, causing the air to crackle wherever it passed.
A glint appeared in Jiang Shang’s eyes. He inhaled sharply, then suppressed the shock in his heart as his entire body’s true qi gathered in his fist.
Heavenly Demon Palm! Heavenly Demon Star-plucking Hand!
Jiang Shang struck out with a palm, his body connected between heaven and earth, radiating light akin to moonlight.
One palm strike fell, as if stars descended, heavily smashing toward the incoming blade qi.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang!
The ear-splitting sounds echoed in all directions, followed by the fierce rush of true qi.
“Hurry up!”
Duanmu Xinghua grabbed Yu Qiurong and rushed towards the outside of the hall.
Meanwhile, Ouyang Ping, Yuan Feng, and Ouyang Quan were also quickly running towards the distance.
The magnificent great hall was blasted by the surge of force, instantly turning into ruins, even the roof of the palace was lifted, turning into debris.
Not far from the ruined great hall, a huge well appeared.
The well was about two zhang in diameter, and at each side of the well stood stone statues of the four exotic beasts: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Xuanwu, each bound with iron chains that extended into the well, forming a peculiar formation.
At the surroundings of the Sealing Demon Well, there was an extremely dense aura of slaughter; anyone getting close would feel their scalp tingle and even bleed from their skin.
“The Sealing Demon Well!?”
Upon seeing the well, Duanmu Xinghua’s pupils slightly shrank.
This Sealing Demon Well is known as the first secret site of the Demon Sect, where almost all the top martial artists have entered to train and obtained great fortunes.
Duanmu Xinghua also craved to enter the Sealing Demon Well, but she was not originally nurtured by the Demon Sect and, moreover, was too old to have had the chance to enter.
Among the younger generation, Zhao Qingmei and Jiang Renyi had greatly increased their strength after entering the Sealing Demon Well.
However, as per the ancestral teachings of the Demon Sect, one could not enter the Sealing Demon Well a second time; no matter how high one’s cultivation was, those who entered for the second time could never come out again.
A fierce wind swept through, whipping up a sky full of sand and dust.
Zhao Qingmei felt a numbness in her arm, as if losing sensation in an instant, followed by a pain in her internal organs, tasting a sweet burst of blood in her mouth.
“Gulp!”
With a determined look in her eyes, Zhao Qingmei slightly tilted her neck, her throat surged, and she forcibly swallowed the blood back down.
At that moment, Jiang Shang’s figure reappeared atop the broken wooden pillar; his clothes were torn, but his eyes were still bright and spirited, showing no signs of injury.
Even though Zhao Qingmei had used the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture” and summoned all her strength, she had still been unable to injure Jiang Shang.
“Ah, the former Sect Leader’s strength is still too powerful!”
Duanmu Xinghua, seeing this scene, shook her head slightly.
If she had been in Jiang Shang’s place, Zhao Qingmei’s move would have already defeated her, but Jiang Shang was only left with torn clothes, completely unharmed.
Meanwhile, the expressions of Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng were exceedingly grave, clearly frightened by Zhao Qingmei’s earlier attack.
A master of the One Qi Realm already possessing such strength was indeed rare.
Zhao Qingmei, looking at the calm Jiang Shang ahead, thought to herself, “If I want to defeat him, I must rely on the Nine Nether Secret Technique; I don’t know if this strike will defeat him, but I must try.”
With that thought, Zhao Qingmei’s True Qi began to leak continuously outward.
The massive and vast True Qi, viscous like a dark ocean, was breathtaking.
“Little Qingmei, you are no match for me.”
Jiang Shang shook his head, “It’s time for this all to end.”
After he spoke, the True Qi within him also surged out wildly, cultivating the Heavenly Demon Technique to the ninth layer, just one step away from the tenth layer.
As the True Qi surged, the originally clear sky filled with dark clouds.
His palm extended forward, and the True Qi instantly became turbulent; ripping open a huge gap in the dark clouds, a gigantic palm descended like a mountain.
The Heavenly Demon Palm! Heavenly Demon Wild Dance!
Boom!
Zhao Qingmei’s expression shifted.
The colossal black hand seemed to cover all the heavens and earth, leaving Zhao Qingmei with nowhere to escape.
In that moment, Zhao Qingmei’s heart couldn’t help but tremble at such tactics, such momentum, truly worthy of being one of the top masters in the world.
Zhao Qingmei’s advantage lay in the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” but now as Jiang Shang exerted all his cultivation, that advantage instantly vanished.
The moment the giant hand descended, darkness fell over the earth.
Zhao Qingmei’s expression was unusually grave; she took a deep breath, and a tremendous aura burst forth from within her.
Under the shadow of the day-covering giant hand, Zhao Qingmei stood tall, unflinching, and within her seemingly fragile body, a vast and extensive Qi mechanism burst forth at that moment.
Noticing the sudden shift in Zhao Qingmei’s aura, Jiang Shang’s pupils also slightly contracted.
Grasping the Mandarin Duck Twin Blades in her hands, the massive black lotus beneath her feet suddenly melted, reflecting in the backdrop behind her, releasing a black and golden radiance.
In an instant, Zhao Qingmei turned into a black and gold sun.
“Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” secret techniques! Nine Nether secret techniques!
Zhao Qingmei gently stamped her foot and rose elegantly. Under that giant hand that obscured the sun, she seemed as tiny as an ant, yet she fearlessly charged forward, clashing her Mandarin Duck Twin Blades heavily against it.
Buzz!
The moment of impact, it seemed as if the heavens and earth had fallen silent, devoid of any sound.
The next moment, the giant hand that blotted out the sky trembled violently. Visible cracks began to quietly spread, and finally, with a ‘bang,’ it shattered completely.
However, at the moment the giant hand shattered, Zhao Qingmei was also struck heavily, her body shooting backward and crashing heavily into the broken ruins.
In the distance, although Jiang Shang had not retreated, the wooden pillar under his feet had also crumbled into dust at that moment, and his complexion turned somewhat pale.
True Qi churned; dust rose in the skies.
“The gap is too large.”
Zhao Qingmei exhaled deeply, aware that this disparity in cultivation could not be bridged by martial arts alone. If her cultivation had reached the Second Qi Realm, defeating Jiang Shang at the peak of Three Qi would be no problem at all.
“Little Qingmei, won’t you admit defeat?”
Jiang Shang said solemnly.
“In this world, no one can make me admit defeat.”
Zhao Qingmei held her Mandarin Duck Twin Blades and spoke coldly.
At that moment, she stretched her hand toward the distant Sealing Demon Well, and streaks of black light emerged from her palm.
Seeing this, Jiang Shang furrowed his brow, “What are you doing!?”
“Buzz! Buzz!”
The Sealing Demon Well trembled violently. An indescribable aura of slaughter surged from within the well.
At that moment, she seemed to have formed a connection with the Sealing Demon Well.
Zhao Qingmei gripped her Mandarin Duck Twin Blades tightly, and a sky-flood of slaughter aura burst forth from her, tingeing the True Qi in the world with a tint of red.
“Not good, she can actually control the Sealing Demon Well!”
Ouyang Ping exclaimed in shock.
What was the Sealing Demon Well? It was a secret place established by the Demon Sect and also the greatest secret of the sect. All top experts of the Demon Sect would cultivate inside the Sealing Demon Well.
But throughout history, very few experts from the Demon Sect had understood or known the origins of the Sealing Demon Well.
At present, Zhao Qingmei was actually able to harness the aura of slaughter from the Sealing Demon Well.
Yuan Feng shouted, “Sect Leader Zhao, stop now! Don’t be rash.”
Yu Qiurong’s mouth hung open, staring in shock at the scene before her, as if she were dreaming.
“How is it possible, how is it possible for anyone to connect with the Sealing Demon Well? It’s absolutely impossible,” Ouyang Quan stated in disbelief.
Duanmu Xinghua was also dumbstruck, immensely shocked.
“Today, no one can stop me.”
Zhao Qingmei looked coldly at Jiang Shang, “I didn’t kill Jiang Renyi, thus repaying your kindness. Today I will cripple your cultivation, repaying your kindness a second time. From now on, we in the Jianghu are strangers.”
Jiang Shang’s heart was also filled with uncertainty, and without caring for anything else, immediately shouted to Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng, “Both of you, help me quickly!”
Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng exchanged glances and leapt into action.
Zhao Qingmei raised her arm, striking out flatly and slowly; at that moment, the two blades seemed to merge into one.
However, that simple action caused countless True Qi in the air to explode thunderously.
An aura of annihilation surged to the heavens.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The overwhelming aura of slaughter erupted from Zhao Qingmei’s body, and the surrounding True Qi seemed to be infected, quickly turning blood-red.
Bloody! Terrifying!
Everyone present felt a tremor deep within their souls.
“Let’s join forces and suppress her,”
Jiang Shang urged.
As he spoke, the True Qi surged from inside him.
Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng also felt that frightful murderous intent and hurriedly unleashed their True Qi.
“Xinghua?”
Jiang Shang saw Duanmu Xinghua standing still and shouted.
Duanmu Xinghua clasped her fists and said, “Former Sect Hierarch, last time I already did what I should not have. This time, I am determined not to make a move.”
Jiang Shang’s brow was tightly furrowed, and he no longer had time to say anything more.
The True Qi of the three Grandmasters, covering the sky and blocking the sun, formed a vast ocean, the vast Qi forcing everyone’s breath to catch.
Zhao Qingmei’s Mandarin Duck Blade fiercely chopped down, colliding directly with that sea of True Qi.
Boom!
The explosion of Qi centered on Zhao Qingmei, the deafening sound reverberating through the area.
At that moment, everyone within several miles of the Sealing Demon Platform felt a headache splitting their skulls, as if their heads were about to explode.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The exploding True Qi wildly vibrated, turning most of the buildings on the Sealing Demon Platform into powder.
“Crack! Crack! Crack!”
The ground of the oasis cracked open yard by yard.
Zhao Qingmei’s body was relentlessly pushed back by that vast ocean, rapidly retreating backwards.
Even Zhao Qingmei was powerless to turn the tide against the united effort of the three Grandmasters.
“Qingmei, won’t you come to your senses!?”
Jiang Shang saw this and urgently shouted, “Do you really want to end in death with me?”
Saying this, he began to withdraw his True Qi.
“You killed my husband, I will never share the sky with you!”
Thinking of An Jing possibly dying at Jiang Shang’s hand, Zhao Qingmei’s eyes filled with a hint of crimson, and seizing the moment to breathe, she fiercely pushed her Mandarin Duck Blade forward.
Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng saw this and immediately showed signs of retreating.
Jiang Shang’s True Qi gathered again, and then he fiercely slapped down.
“Thump!”
The surging wave, raging and surging, fiercely struck Zhao Qingmei’s body.
“Ah!”
Zhao Qingmei spewed blood, and her body shot towards the entrance of the Sealing Demon Well like an arrow released from a bowstring.
“No good!”
Zhao Qingmei also felt her body uncontrollably falling towards the Sealing Demon Well and silently cursed in her heart.
She had entered the Sealing Demon Well before and was very familiar with it.
“Since nobody can enter a second time, let me be the first.”
Thinking this, Zhao Qingmei gritted her teeth, her vision gradually blurring.
“Quick, save her!”
Jiang Shang saw this, his pupils dilating, and he cried out urgently.
“Don’t!”
Ouyang Ping and Yuan Feng also cried out in shock.
According to the rules of the Demon Sect, entering the Sealing Demon Well a second time would undoubtedly lead to death. Since ancient times, many experts of the Demon Sect, relying on their high cultivation, defied this rule hoping to enter the Sealing Demon Well again to train, but without exception, none ever emerged again.
Zhao Qingmei’s body crashed heavily into the Sealing Demon Well, disappearing into the darkness completely.
In an instant, the world became very quiet.
“Sect Hierarch….”
It took a long while for Yu Qiurong to regain her senses, and she ran frantically toward the edge of the Sealing Demon Well, but numerous killing intents emerged from the well, stimulating her skin to seep blood.
Yet, it seemed she felt no pain as she continued running toward the Sealing Demon Well.
“Stop!”
Duanmu Xinghua stopped Yu Qiurong with a hand.
“No, the Sect Hierarch is still inside the well; I must go in,”
Yu Qiurong cried out, seeming utterly distraught.
Duanmu Xinghua held Yu Qiurong, sighing with a sense of helplessness in her heart.
Jiang Shang’s expression had soured to its utmost, as entering the Sealing Demon Well a second time was tantamount to certain death. He had not anticipated such an outcome.
Yuan Feng, too, was furrowing his brows in distress, “Jiang Shang, what should we do now? Only Zhao Qingmei knows the ‘Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture.’ Are we going to lose this supreme secret of the Demon Sect again?”
“Alas.”
Ouyang Ping sighed heavily, regret also forming in his heart.
After a while, Jiang Shang frowned and said, “Looking at this Sealing Demon Well, I suspect she might not have died so easily.”
Yuan Feng responded with helpless resignation, “Anyone re-entering the Sealing Demon Well is doomed to die. She couldn’t possibly have survived.”
Jiang Shang shook his head, saying, “She was able to communicate with the Sealing Demon Well, maybe there’s a slim chance she survived?”
Hearing this, Yuan Feng and Ouyang Ping both turned their gazes towards the mouth of the Sealing Demon Well.
……
Under a night of sparse stars in Lingnan Dao, within an inn,
An Jing sat cross-legged on the bed, the Evil Suppressing Sword resting on his knees.
He had just discussed swordsmanship with Lou Xiangzhen, enlightening him greatly.
Sword Intent was vast and powerful, making it progressively harder to break through; his Sword Intent was the most mysterious and profound that Lou Xiangzhen had ever seen among swordsmen, hence advancing to the Sixth Realm would be much harder for him.
But similarly, once he reached the Sixth Realm, his Sword Skill would be stronger than other swordsmen of the same Realm.
Lou Xiangzhen’s advice to him was to study swordsmanship and accumulate more knowledge.
If he truly managed to reach the Sixth Realm, even swordsmen at the same level would be at a disadvantage in terms of Sword Skill.
However, the same vast and mighty Sword Intent could also hinder his growth, and he might never reach the Sixth Realm in his lifetime.
An Jing took a deep breath, then his thoughts fell on the Earth Book.
Cultivation: First Grade
Life Fate: Favorable Star Shining (Rising)
Root Bone: Once in a Century
Martial Arts: Sword Drawing Skill, Hidden Sword Skill, Sword Control Technique, Nine-character Sword Technique, Soaring Nine Heavens Body Technique, Daluo Heart Method, Concealing Qi Technique, Hundred-step Flying Sword (Eighth Layer), Ghost Valley Heart Method (Second Profound), Nine Yang Divine Finger (Eighth Layer), Brahma Heart Sees Me (Seventh Layer), Great Sun Tathagata Mantra (Unopened)
Prompt One: The host’s Life Fate has not yet taken root (four months remaining), do not reveal host identity when using Martial Arts, or a purple opportunity will arise.
…..
In his battle with the Heavenly Sword, if not for the release of the Great Zhou Human Emperor’s Qi Mechanism within the Evil Suppressing Sword, he feared he might very well have been defeated.
Thinking of this, his heart was filled with melancholy.
Lou Xiangzhen had once told him during the day that among the current five great Sword Immortals, the White Tiger Sword Immortal and the Heavenly Sword were slightly inferior to the other three in both cultivation and swordsmanship realm.
He nearly lost against the Heavenly Sword; facing the other two Sword Immortals, he likely wouldn’t stand a chance.
“It seems I still need to increase my strength.”
Every time he thought of that elder Jiang, he felt a sense of powerlessness.
Although the saying goes, a gentleman’s revenge is not too late even after ten years,
An Jing, who preferred immediate retribution, couldn’t wait another moment.
If he wanted to increase his strength quickly, improving his cultivation was undoubtedly the best choice, but advancing from the Heavenly Flower Realm to the Merging of Three Flowers seemed difficult even with Lou Xiangzhen’s unreserved sharing of his experiences.
Secondly, it would be elevating the realm of swordsmanship, solidifying his vast Sword Intent, but his expansive Sword Intent was clearly not an overnight feat.
Lastly, there was the Great Sun Tathagata Mantra; an opportunity he had acquired in purple, yet it had always shown as unopened, puzzling An Jing immensely.
How exactly could he unlock this Great Sun Tathagata Mantra?
Did he need to cultivate Buddhist Law?
If so, An Jing would rather give up on practicing the Great Sun Tathagata Mantra; he had no interest in studying scriptures daily.
“That’s right!”
An Jing suddenly thought of something, “Improving my own strength might be challenging for now, but I can enhance the strength of the Thousand-year-old Black Python. Old Lou once said that once the Black Python undergoes the Transformation, it could be comparable to an ordinary Three Qi Grandmaster.”
“Right now the most pressing matter is how to borrow the Thunder Pool from the Five Poison Sect.”
“Buzz buzz!”
Just then, An Jing’s chest grew warm, as if a flame was burning on him.
“What’s happening!?”