Chapter 182: Impersonating Character: Liyang Zhenren?

182. Chapter 182: Impersonating Character: Liyang Zhenren?

"Such a powerful aura already surpasses that of a typical late‑stage Core Formation True Person; it is highly likely a cultivator at Core Formation Perfection!"

"A darting light like a fire cloud…"

"Crimson Flame Giant Palm? Character: Liyang True Secret?"

"Is this… Character: Liyang Zhenren? Character: Liyang Zhenren hasn't left, hasn't fled to another realm, has stayed near Character: Liyang Zhenren City, observing from the shadows?"

Everyone present, upon seeing this, couldn't help but have this thought surface in their minds.

Including Xiao Zhangqing, and also Gu Zongyuan!

Xiao Zhangqing wondered what the old Character: Liyang Zhenren was up to. Wasn't he in a hurry to seek the fourth‑tier spirit vein that can break through the Nascent Soul? Everything had been settled, so why hadn't he left? Gu Zongyuan was also dumbfounded and very puzzled.

"Master, how could he even deceive us? Didn't we agree he had truly left? Why hasn't he gone yet?"

"And why reveal himself so publicly? It's just Su Wushuang; although she's not a rival, isn't Brother Xiao right there? There's no real danger, so you, Master, don't need to act personally, right?"

However.

It's unclear whether it's a cover‑up or what, but Character: Liyang Zhenren didn't truly reveal his form, keeping his real appearance hidden within the flames.

Just as the crowd was uncertain, the sky‑blocking Crimson Sun Giant Palm landed on Su Wushuang.

Su Wushuang's expression remained as unmoving as an iceberg, yet a hint of caution appeared; her birthright Magic Treasure Snow Lotus spun, becoming larger and a few degrees more piercing.

The power of ice and snow seemed to freeze even space itself.

Yet under this Crimson Sun Giant Palm, it still appeared somewhat weak.

Chitter—! Like melting ice, yet like water droplets splashing into hot oil.

Under the giant palm, Snow Lotus spun wildly, but still couldn't stop the Crimson Flame Giant Palm from pressing down bit by bit.

The flame's power clearly suppressed the cold ice's power.

Even though Su Wushuang's constitution is unique and her birthright Magic Treasure is extremely strong, and she's not even at early Core Formation mid‑stage, facing a likely late‑stage Core Formation being is still beyond her.

The gap between them is too great.

Creak, creak…

The ice layer vanished, and even the Snow Lotus Magic Treasure seemed overburdened, its radiance dimming.

Inside the Snow Lotus, Su Wushuang wasn't in immediate danger of death, but still suffered greatly, as if thrown into scorching flames and crushed by terrifying pressure, her whole body tingling as if being hammered to death.

The disparity is too great.

The opponent is the strongest she has encountered in years.

Far surpassing a typical late‑stage Core Formation cultivator!

"Character: Liyang Zhenren, I concede. I, Su Wushuang, swear again that from now on Baihua Valley will no longer consider moving into Character: Liyang Zhenren City; please cease!" Su Wushuang, suppressing discomfort and inner unwillingness, let her clear voice carry through magical power, resonating in all directions.

She never expected that after Wei Wufeng and others had been besieging Character: Liyang Zhenren City for such a long time, Character: Liyang Zhenren would still dare linger nearby.

Doesn't he fear the Dan Dao Alliance and the Seven Star Sword Sect sending experts to investigate? Yet now that things have come to this, she has no recourse.

Character: Liyang Zhenren's strength is far too great for her to contend with now.

If she hadn't sworn to abandon the plan of settling in Character: Liyang Zhenren City, she would likely have fallen here today.

Because she clearly felt Character: Liyang Zhenren's onslaught was fierce and ruthless, bearing intense murderous intent.

Rather than merely wanting to teach her a lesson.

If she were to die here, Baihua Valley's future would be essentially ruined.

Without her as the resident master, even though the valley still has a senior elder at early Core Formation, without a sect gate, it faces either annexation or slow death.

Much like Luodao Ming, the head of Luoxia Sect, who is also a man of great talent and remarkable opportunities.

But now that Luoxia Sect's strength has greatly waned, he has no choice but to take a risky gamble, joining Wei Wufeng and others in attacking Character: Liyang Zhenren City.

What Su Wushuang didn't anticipate was that, having already sworn not to target Character: Liyang Zhenren City, the Crimson Flame Giant Palm did not retreat or disperse, but continued to crush down forcefully.

As if it intended to grind Su Wushuang to death.

Su Wushuang, shocked, angry and furious, feeling death closing in, dared not hope that Character: Liyang Zhenren would show mercy.

She immediately employed a secret technique; her once ice‑cold yet healthy rosy face turned pallid and sickly, while the Snow Lotus Magic Treasure surged in momentum, reconsolidating extreme cold, as if even space itself were frozen.

Then, strands of lotus petals transformed into sharp qi, firing at the massive flaming palm, finally breaking it apart, allowing Su Wushuang to swiftly retreat.

But before Su Wushuang could catch her breath, in the next instant a flaming long sword slashed toward her.

"Character: Liyang Zhenren, what exactly do you intend? Baihua Valley did not partake in the siege of Character: Liyang Zhenren City; are you seeking total annihilation? Such conduct truly aims to make Character: Liyang Zhenren City a heresy in the entire Da Yu Cultivation World?" Even Su Wushuang, however aloof and proud, could not suppress the burning anger at this moment.

In fact, it's not just her; even Gu Zongyuan was bewildered and dazed at this moment.

He quickly sent a voice: "Master, a reprimand is enough; it's not appropriate to deliver a death blow, right? After all, Baihua Valley is a renowned orthodox sect with great reputation in the Da Yu Cultivation World and has considerable ties with Xingyue Palace."

Wei Wufeng and Jade True Person, in terms of pedigree, are both stronger than Su Wushuang and even less to be provoked.

Yet Character: Liyang Zhenren slashing these two is understandable, occupying the moral high ground.

After all, these two came with the intent to take Character: Liyang Zhenren's life, even reaching the main peak of the Character: Liyang Mountain Range!

Baihua Valley's nature is entirely different; even if its motives aren't pure, they still observe protocol, acting with courtesy before force, and haven't even reached the stage of mobilizing troops.

If Character: Liyang Zhenren were to indiscriminately slay Su Wushuang here,

the reputation of Character: Liyang Zhenren City would thereafter be tarnished.

It would likely incite widespread anger.

Maintaining Character: Liyang Zhenren City's order and prosperity thereafter would become fraught with difficulties.

Yet even though Gu Zongyuan personally urged him, the Character: Liyang Zhenren, hidden within red clouds and unable to reveal his true visage, paid no heed at all.

The flaming long sword sliced across, showing no sign of restraint, its terrifying blade qi and Character: Liyang flame making Su Wushuang feel a life‑or‑death crisis.

She forced her eyes wide open, again employing a secret technique to gather icy qi for defense.

Bang! Amid the massive clash, a wave of qi exploded, mist rose, Su Wushuang's body was flung backward, blood spattered at the corner of her mouth, and her breath grew weak, clearly indicating a serious injury.

"Sect Master!"

Liang Yuehua and the other pseudo‑Core Formation elder of Baihua Valley saw this, their hearts tore, and without hesitation they stepped forward to aid their own valley master.

But another flame‑long blade descended.

The two great Core Formation cultivators, on the spot one was severely wounded by the blade's aura and fell to the ground, while the lingering fire wrapped around her like maggots on bone, turning into a ball of flame that killed her instantly.

Liang Yuehua, though she exhausted all her strength to extinguish the fire, had her robe burned to tatters, was gravely wounded and spitting blood, utterly miserable.

"Who says I'm Character: Liyang Real Person? I'm only bearing a deep blood feud with Baihua Valley; what I did today was merely revenge, and it has nothing to do with Character: Liyang Zhenren City." The mysterious cultivator sneered, then resumed his murderous pursuit of Su Wushuang. From his voice, he indeed did not sound like Character: Liyang Real Person.

But regardless of his voice or his words, they are insufficient as evidence.

Yet Gu Zongyuan, seeing this, narrowed his pupils sharply and hurriedly transmitted a thought to Xiao Zhangqing: "Brother Xiao, let us join forces and see if we can intercept this person! He is not my master!"

Xiao Zhangqing was at a loss, like a bewildered monk.

Character: Liyang Real Person's appearance was already inexplicable enough.

Now Gu Zongyuan actually thinks this person truly isn't his master?

"Gu brother, you think he's not your master just because of that sentence and his voice? Don't let your master later see you as a traitor," Xiao Zhangqing replied.

Gu Zongyuan, eager, said: "He absolutely is not! This person harbors ill intent, likely trying to frame my master or Character: Liyang Zhenren City! I estimate, with high probability, he's from the Dan Dao Alliance or the Seven Star Sword Sect!"

After speaking, Gu Zongyuan activated the Character: Liyang Battle Formation and thrust toward the mysterious figure: "Stop right now!"

Xiao Zhangqing was even more astonished at the words.

He dared not hesitate; immediately his spiritual perception spread at full force, the perception attack already radiating toward the mysterious person.

"Are you looking for death?"

The mysterious Character: Liyang Real Person, seeing this, grew angry, wielded a defensive Magic Treasure to shield himself, yet still disregarded everything and continued to hunt Su Wushuang.

Or rather… grievously wound Su Wushuang.

His purpose was very clear.

"Hide the head, reveal the tail, show me your true face! A respectable late‑stage Core Formation cultivator—none in the Cultivation World are not renowned—why act with such guilty cowardice?" Gu Zongyuan roared angrily.

When Xiao Zhangqing fully unleashed his spiritual perception, nearly reaching the late‑stage Core Formation threshold, he at last discerned a clue.

This person indeed does not seem to be Character: Liyang Real Person.

Rather, it's an unknown imposter! His flame attack looks very much like Character: Liyang's True Technique, but anyone with some mastery of that art could spot the discrepancy.

However, what confirmed it for Xiao Zhangqing was that this person's spiritual perception was clearly different from the real Character: Liyang Real Person's!

Although his aura was also disguised, making it impossible to see through and discern true from false.

But one thing Xiao Zhangqing knew clearly: this person's magical power might not be inferior to Character: Liyang Real Person's, yet his spiritual perception was a notch weaker! This stemmed from Character: Liyang Real Person's "visit" to Xiao Zhangqing's cave before departing.

At that time, their spiritual perceptions had briefly clashed.

The Character: Liyang Real Person before them now was clearly different from the previous Soul Transformation.

"So there really are impostors playing the frame‑up game? Must be the Seven Star Sword Sect or the Dan Dao Alliance?"

Xiao Zhangqing was surprised; the Nine‑Autumn Spiritual Perception Secret Art sounded melodious yet concealed fierce killing intent, surrounding the mysterious cultivator like an impenetrable tide.

Buzz—! Even though the mysterious cultivator's strength was extremely high, definitely a late‑stage Core Formation practitioner and among the best of that stage, he felt a sudden headache when faced with Xiao Zhangqing's perception attack.

For a brief instant he was slightly dazed, and the flame‑long blade he wielded lost its aim.

Although he recovered immediately, that very instant allowed Su Wushuang to seize the chance, swiftly dodge the attack, and then a look of startled doubt appeared in her eyes; after a brief hesitation she turned around and stood together with the former "enemy" Gu Zongyuan and Xiao Zhangqing.

She did not know exactly what had happened or why this mysterious late‑stage Core Formation cultivator, adept at fire magic, would strike her down.

But she decided to trust Gu Zongyuan's words: this person is not Character: Liyang Real Person!

First, she indeed holds no life‑or‑death grudge against Character: Liyang Real Person, so he has no reason to bear such hatred and wish to slay her on the spot; second, if this person truly were Character: Liyang Real Person, Gu Zongyuan and Xiao Zhangqing would not rescue her.

Given the current situation, if they did nothing, she would almost certainly die, finding it hard to escape the mysterious cultivator's pursuit.

"Xiao Zhangqing?"

The mysterious cultivator hid within a cloud of fire, making his demeanor indistinct.

But from his actions one could see that he had temporarily shifted his murderous intent from Su Wushuang to Xiao Zhangqing.

Most likely he thought Xiao Zhangqing was the greatest threat; if this highly perceptive one wasn't eliminated, his plan would be hard to fully succeed.

"Come die for me!"

The mysterious cultivator again grasped a technique, surrounding flames roared, coalescing into a Red Flame Giant Palm that slammed toward Xiao Zhangqing.

Gu Zongyuan and Su Wushuang, seeing this, naturally could not stand by.

Now the three of them inexplicably stood on the same front.

The flame‑long spear and the icy snow‑lotus each emitted strong aura, helping Xiao Zhangqing intercept the giant palm.

However, Gu Zongyuan's cultivation was still shallow; even with the Character: Liyang Battle Formation his strength was insufficient, and Su Wushuang was already badly wounded, her power reduced; their joint effort could only slightly diminish the giant palm's force, which then fell swiftly.

"Brother Xiao, be careful."

Gu Zongyuan, seeing this, felt a certain mindset; even after being reduced, the Red Flame Giant Palm's aura remained formidable, and a typical mid‑stage Core Formation cultivator would find it difficult to block.

But in the next instant, Gu Zongyuan and Su Wushuang both widened their eyes, and even the mysterious cultivator was astonished.

Because the Red Flame Giant Palm descended, yet Xiao Zhangqing's figure had already vanished!

It seemed Xiao Zhangqing's silhouette had disappeared into thin air.

Spiritual perception sensed, only barely catching a trace of an illusion.

When his form truly revealed, Xiao Zhangqing had already completely changed position, arriving behind the mysterious cultivator.

There stood Xiao Zhangqing hovering in the air, with a pair of massive golden wings behind him, allowing his body to move at extreme speed, merging with the wind, leaving no trace.

"You shall taste my sword!"

Starlight speckled, sword qi streaked across.

Lines of sword qi, as if drawing threads of stellar power, brightened and flashed, piercing the mysterious cultivator's back.

Pluck Stars, Swap Dipper Sword Technique!

This technique is scarcely used in today's Da Yu Cultivation World; even among the Seven Star Sword Sect, only a handful—perhaps two or three—practitioners exist.

What a fast speed.

The mysterious cultivator hid in the fire clouds, and he too was astonished by Xiao Zhangqing's speed; even he would fall short by three parts.

But regarding Xiao Zhangqing's sword technique, he wasn't particularly concerned; Xiao Zhangqing's magical power fluctuations were too low, obviously only at the early Gold Core level.

Even if Xiao Zhangqing, besides his divine sense and evasion techniques, had also mastered a powerful sword art and was a sword Dao genius, limited by his cultivation, he wouldn't be too strong.

It is estimated that even Su Wushuang is far inferior.

But in the next instant, the mysterious cultivator's face changed drastically. (End of chapter)